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Thien Cung cave is
situated on the south-west side the bay, 4 km from the
wharf outside of
Ha Long City. The way to Thien Cung is
a perilous one, covered on both sides by thick forest.
After entering a narrow gate, the grotto???s
130-meter-long girth opens up. Getting in we are more
astonished in front of the very animated and splendid
beauty which is made from stalactite. On the east wall
of the grotto, there is a grandiose and imposing picture
with characters of tales.
Going out of the Thien Cung Grotto, we have a sensation
of just watching a unique, meticulous, interesting
fine-art museum which is made by nature, get out of the
imagine, ability and intellect of man.
This grotto is recently discovered, one of the most
beautiful grottoes in Ha Long Bay. Legend has it, that
beautiful young lady named May (cloud), caught the eye
of the Dragon Prince and he fell in love with her. They
were betrothed, and their wedding lasted seven days and
seven nights in the very centre of the grotto.
In honour of the wedding, small dragons flew about
through the stalactites and stalagmites, elephants
danced together happily, snakes twined themselves around
trees and two stone lions danced with their manes
flowing in the wind. A large elephant, smartly dressed,
waited for the bride and the groom. The genies of the
south and north stars also came to attend the banquet,
and the atmosphere was definitely animated and lively.
All these scenes have been seemingly fossilized in the
grotto.
In the centre are four large pillars supporting the
"roof of heaven.??? From the base to the top, many strange
images seem to live in the stone: birds, fish, flowers
and even scenes of human life. On the north wall of the
grotto a group of fairies seem to dance and sing in
honour of the wedding. Under the immeasurably high roof,
stalactites make a natural stone curtain. Somewhere
there is the sound of a drum beating, but it is actually
just the noise made by the wind blowing through stone.
Arriving at the last partition of the grotto, a natural
gushing stream of water babbles throughout the year.
Here are three small ponds of clear water. Legend has
it, that this was where M???y bathed her 100 children,
bringing them up wisely and happily into adolescence.
One path meanders out of the grotto; it was the way M???y,
together with 50 of her children, took to harvest new
lands. The 50 remaining children, together with their
father, were left to build the native land. Left behind
by the mother was the natural stream described above.
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