Reed Flute Cave is a cave-based scenic spot located in the northwest suburb of Guilin, Guangxi, China, 5 km from the Guilin city center. It is about 240 meters deep and 500 meters long.

Reed Fleet Cave is a spectacular cave located in Guilin City. Walking into Reed Flute Cave, you will be amazed at how radiant the dewy stalagmites look. The rainbow lights and dazzling array of massive natural formations compose a dreamy wonderland. The underground lake peacefully flows along the cave, with the reflection of the cave veiling on the river and flowing quietly with the stream, which makes the beauty even more vivid and dynamic. The interior of Reed Flute Cave is a sight that can not be recreated anywhere else on earth these distinctive formations have names that match their appearance, and some are said to resemble mythological creatures or modern structures like the Statue of Liberty.

There are various stalagmites, stalactites, stone pillars, and stone flags that have been forming since 180 million years ago. They were shaped by nature either grotesquely or vividly. These “peaks”, “tree trunks” and “animals” are stalactites formed by the consistent dripping water from the top of the cave. The water containing calcium ions drips down from the cracks and crystallizes into stalactites suspended at the top of the cave over millions of years. Water drops onto the ground to form stalagmites that grow from the bottom to the top and gradually form a stone pillar. There is an old saying in China that says “the consistent water can drop through the stone”. In Reed Flute Cave, on the contrary, the consistent water forms a stone. As long as there is water dropping, stalactites will keep growing.

While stepping out of the cave, you will find the abundant reeds that grow and thrive outside the mysterious cave, which can be used to make flutes, and that is how the cave was named. Just close your eyes and imagine yourself standing in the midst of the reeds and getting refreshed, breathing the fresh air, and catching the gentle whistling of the flute. Outside the cave, it’s a perfect tranquil hermitage where China’s “Thoreau” may live.

Despite nature’s art masterpieces, there are 77 ink inscriptions of poems and travelogues inside the cave, which indicates its popularity during ancient times, and the oldest one can be dated back as far as the Tang Dynasty (792AD).

However, it is widely believed that the cave sat empty and untouched for a thousand years, before its rediscovery in the 1940s by a group of refugees, fleeting Japanese Troops. 20 years later, the cave was formally opened to the public (1962). Since then it has become an extraordinarily popular tourist attraction with people from all over the world. Even the former Chinese government leader Deng Xiaoping, former US presidents Nixon and Carter, and former UN Secretary-General De Quillar have visited the cave.

According to chinadiscovery