Swallow Cave |
Travel in Yunnan | |||
Known as one of "the biggest and most splendid cave in Asia", the Swallow Cave (yàn zǐ dòng 燕子洞) Scenic Region is located in the mountains 30 km east of Jianshui (jiàn shuǐ 建水), and consists of a dry cave, a water cave and a 30,000-square-meter natural forest, with a total area of 100,000 square meters. Every year between spring and summer, thousands of swallows will fly here from Malaysia, building nests and giving birth to and raising young swallows. Thus it is named "the Swallow Cave". The local environment is a perfect dwelling for swallows because steep cliffs make it impossible for mice and snakes to come up, and bushes and grassland outside the cave help produce insects that provide abundant food for swifts. The special ecosystem makes a grand scene-"the gathering of thousands of swallows". Swallows build their nests with grass and their nutritious saliva. The steamed swallows’ nest is a delicacy-edible bird's nest. Every year from August 8 to 10 during the famous Bird's Nest Festival (yàn wō jiē 燕窝节), some local people will climb up the dazzling 50-meter-high cliffs to fetch these nests. During the three days, many people will gather here and watch the dangerous but exciting nest-collecting activity.
Every year on March 21, another special but even more dangerous and exciting activity is the board-hanging ceremony. As a rule, firecrackers are let off to express people's good wishes to climbers. Then in a merry atmosphere, those brave men slowly and carefully climb up, barehanded. Although it is very dangerous, no one has failed to hang a board onto the top. Nowadays, over 1,000 boards hang on the stalactites over the entrance, some of which have been there for generations.
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