Taogong Cave, praised by Taoists as the 'Twelfth Blessed Land under Heaven'

Taogong Cave, praised by Taoists as the 'Twelfth Blessed Land under Heaven', is located at the foot of Daluoyan Mountain in the Nanxi River area of Yongjia County. It is a large natural rock cave. The cave is 56 meters high, 76 meters wide, and 79 meters deep, making it the largest stone chamber in southern Zhejiang. Taogong Cave is divided into two levels. The lower level houses three Guanyin Pavilions, and the preaching altar can accommodate hundreds of people. Outside the cave, there are nine-bay front halls, bell and drum towers, and side rooms. On the south side inside the cave, a 56-step stone staircase leads to the upper level 'Heavenly Platform'. Behind the Heavenly Platform is the Hu Gong Hall, which enshrines the seated statue of Hu Gong Emperor, and in front of it is the Wenchang Pavilion. Taogong Cave has a long history. The halls inside the cave were first built in the seventh year of Xiantong during the reign of Emperor Yizong of the Tang Dynasty (866). They were successively rebuilt during the Song, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Today, the place is bustling with incense and crowded with tourists.