Longyu Caves

 The Longyu Caves in Zhejiang Province are a mystery that has not even made it into China's history books. A collection of more than 36 massive man-made caves, astonishing carvings, and meticulously crafted pillars - all of which leave one wondering who built them and why. These caves are not just tunnels carved into the rocks, but a marvel of engineering and art from the ancient world. The Longyu Caves have a story to tell about this mystery. This amazing world was discovered by chance in 1992 by an ordinary farmer named Wu Anhe. When the fish in his village began to disappear, he decided to find out what was at the bottom of the pond. When he and his friends drained all the water from the pond, they were amazed. The entrance to a cave where a person could descend under the pond.  The sight, which seemed incredible to them, opened the door to a secret that had been hidden for centuries. No one knows who built these caves. Some researchers conclude that they were built during the Western Han period between 206 BC and 24 AD. This may have been the result of years of hard work by thousands of workers. Estimates suggest that it took about 20 years to complete the construction, but there is no clear historical record of this. The most amazing thing is the way the caves were built. A special kind of sculpture can be seen on the walls and ceilings of each cave. A kind of slanted lines are carved on the walls and ceilings. It is difficult to identify whether these are a kind of sculpture or the marks of tools. However, these carvings are the same in each cave and are extremely precise. Researchers estimate that more than a million cubic meters of rock may have had to be removed to build these caves.  How humans managed to do this in the absence of modern tools or technology remains a big question mark. Where these rocks were moved remains a mystery. The purpose of the caves is still a mystery. Was this a place used for rock quarrying? Or was it a large military base? Or were they tombs of an ancient dynasty? There is no evidence that the caves were ever inhabited or lived in. This remains a mystery. Despite being a very important structure in Chinese history, there are no records of these caves. Even in ancient historical texts such as the Shiji in China, there is no mention of them. It is unclear why thousands of people were involved in such a huge project for many years, and it was not recorded in history. Although the discoveries of archaeologists do not fully reveal the secrets of these caves, they do provide some clues. The caves are built with great precision. The distance between the pillars, the depth and width of the caves are all approximately the same.  This suggests that there was a specific plan for their construction. In addition, the internal temperature of the caves is also very stable, which proves that the caves act as a kind of thermal insulator. These features are evidence of the engineering skills of ancient times. Although the stones and mud used for construction have been researched, no definite conclusion has been reached about its age. The Longyu Caves are a giant book of historical secrets. This great wonder, which even modern technology cannot explain, still stands as a reminder of the superhuman ability of man. These caves provide a new mystery for every question. Perhaps, we will have to wait for many more years to unravel these secrets.