Beauty Cave is a cave in Liuqiu Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. It is administered as a scenic area whose ticket also includes access to nearby Mountain Pig Ditch and Black Dwarf Cave.

Beauty Cave
美人洞
Map showing the location of Beauty Cave
Map showing the location of Beauty Cave
LocationLiuqiu, Pingtung County, Taiwan
Coordinates22°21′10.4″N 120°22′18.6″E / 22.352889°N 120.371833°E / 22.352889; 120.371833
Geologysolutional cave
Beauty Cave
Chinese美人
Literal meaningBeautiful Person Cave
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinMěirén Dòng
Wade–GilesMei-jên Tung
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese美人風景
Simplified Chinese美人风景
Literal meaningBeauty Cave Scenic Area
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinMěiréndòng Fēngjǐng Qū
Wade–GilesMei-jên Tung Fêng-ching Ch‘ü

Name

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The name of the cave derives from local legends that it was the home of a beautiful young woman centuries ago. In one version of the story, during the Wanli Era[1] of the Ming Dynasty (1572–1620), she survived a shipwreck in the Taiwan Strait and made the cave her own home, surviving on spring water and wild fruits.[2] In another, the inhabitant of the cave was a Ming loyalist who was exiled from mainland China during its conquest by the Qing in the 17th century. His young and filial daughter accompanied him into exile, and they survived on plants and fish. When the father finally died, the daughter was overwhelmed. Rather than join the island's other inhabitants, she bit off her own tongue and committed suicide.[3]

Geography

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The cave is a solutional cave formed by the gradual erosion of Liuqiu Island's limestone.[2] It also features fossilized shells and corals.[2] The surrounding scenic area includes other nearby caves,[4] divided into two parts and connected by 13 paths.[5]

History

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The cave was built[clarification needed] in 1075.[2]

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Ni (2018), p. 174.
  2. ^ a b c d "Beauty Cave", Official site, Liuqiu: Liuqiu Township Office, 2015.
  3. ^ Momphard, David (18 July 2004), "Of Grottoes and Graves", Taipei Times.
  4. ^ The Rough Guide to Taiwan, Rough Guides, London: Penguin, 2015, p. 387–8, ISBN 9780241241936.
  5. ^ "Beauty Cave Scenic Spot". I Love Pingtung. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.

Bibliography

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