The only wall bridge in the world
The Magic of Aging
Published: 27.09.2026
Attraction
Changshoushan Naturpark
Qinhuangdao, China
Attraction
Xuanyang-Höhle
Qinhuangdao, China
Not far from Qinhuangdao lies Changshoushan Nature Park. The rock formations have been used for religious purposes since the Ming Dynasty. The park today holds symbolic significance for longevity. Among its attractions is the Xuanyang Cave, a natural granite breakthrough, which allows us to walk through the mountain. It is 117 meters long. We purposefully head towards this cave, and a welcoming committee of mosquitoes prevents me from lingering at the cave's high entrance.
Numerous figures and statues are scattered across the various rock ledges at the entrance hall. Would you continue up the stairs into a dark abyss after such a greeting?
In the cave hole, only faint lights glow from a distance.
Since my wife is still waiting for her son, I have already gone ahead into the cave. In the middle of the dark staircase, a strong wind whistles through the narrow cave. A lamp sways back and forth in this storm, and at this point, I can barely walk upright due to the low ceiling. But then, a beam of light pierces through the darkness.
I have reached the cave exit, which appears much more compact than the entrance on the other side.
Above, two smaller openings, almost ceiling holes, can still be seen. Since my group has not yet appeared, I take a look at the forested surroundings. Next to an abandoned dusty Buddhist pavilion, a bell hangs.
A lantern-bearing cicada is basking on a fence post. With a lot of waiting time and AI on my smartphone, I learn the names of species. And I keep waiting, but no sound emerges from the dark depths of the cave. Has the cave swallowed my wife? The theme here is longevity, not the opposite. As it turns out later, my wife thinks exactly the same, since I am not returning from the dark hole on the entrance side.
I call her and explain that there is an exit on the other side of the cave. After a while, two small panting figures actually emerge from the deep rock. The ascent is not without effort.
Now I assume that our crossing of the longevity cave will grant us at least a three-digit age. So, we leap down the path to the valley like young mountain goats. The further path in the nature park is lined with numerous small and large rock inscriptions.
Then we come to the rock formation where a total of ten huge Chinese characters of the word 寿 'Shou' (meaning 'longevity') are painted, each in the style of a different dynasty. From this, I see beautifully how the Chinese characters have changed over time. The templates were taken from ancient steles by the calligraphers.
We now stroll to a rock opening, beyond which the path ends.
The stairs and ladders to the rocks themselves are closed. We stroll back through the valley.
And we reach another rock formation over a small bridge.
Warnings about snakes are issued in the rocks. This should not disturb us, for there are rock inscriptions and statues dedicated to excellent doctors here. So, we climb carefreely among the rocks.
Shennong, the mythological figure of herbal medicine, is painted on a rock.
Then, a tribute is paid to the author Zhang Zhongjing, who lived around the year 200 and wrote a medical classic about cold fevers.
And the likeness of Li Shizhen, a doctor in the 16th century, is also carved into the rock.
After traversing the Xuanyang Cave with the magic for longevity and honoring the famous stone doctors, we are now ensured of a long and healthy life, and we embark back to Qinhuangdao feeling younger than ever.
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Travel reports China