The Ryongmun cavern, situated in Kujang County, North Pyongan Province, cannot fail to attract visitors or will make visitors feel like visiting it again.

Formed 480 million years ago by limestone erosion, the cavern consists of two large grottos and some 30 branches, and 15 scenic sectors whose names are derived from the names of bumper harvest, frostworks, flowers of all shapes, a twisting dragon,  mushroom, jewels, brothers, all nature and so on.

Its average temperature is 11C and humidity 80. The whole route is safely built.

The daily number of tourists is 1,800 and 4,000 at maximum.

Mt. Yongmun (1,180) where the cavern was found, was a chain of Mt. Myohyang, one of the celebrated mountains in Korea.

There is a legend connected with the cavern. Once upon a time, a dragon living in Mt. Myohyang came to Mt. Ryongmun. While travelling from place to place, he lost his way. Rushing about, he fortunately found a way out, which is called Ryongmun Cavern (dragon gate cavern in Korean), and then headed for Kaechon, Ryongdung area at present.

Growing Stones

At the entrance to the cavern, there is a heavy stone gate, inscribed with two dragons. The gate was weighs 3.5 tons.

Visitors are first greeted by mysterious stone mass representing a sea of rough waves, a leaping dolphin, a big squid that makes spectators feel like drinking wine, a cicada crying in summer and other stones of various shapes. A "grandfather" offers them his big hand.

The cavern stalagmites are continuously growing. A high stack of grains in the sector of "bumper harvest" is one of them. This is the fastest stalagmite in the cavern. The tower is 4.5 meters high and 12.5 meters wide. Our guide explained that its upper part has been formed since 1995.

Bumper Harvest

It was as soft as dough when discovered in 1958, but has become solid in the air.

A "king frog" letting its tongue dart in and out and a "women farmer" taking maize in her hand around the tower add a touch of harvesting scenery of autumn.

The sector of the frostwork is decorated with delicate and fine stagmite crystal. The snow-white frostwork allures the visitors with its fantastic beauty. When touching it, they step back with pain.

They grow one millimeter in ten years.

"One Ton Mushroom"

The Ryongyon Grotto which means a twisting dragon has recently been discovered between the sectors of frostwork and "secret camps in Mt. Paekdu." It is 171 meters long and 45 meters deep underground from the cavern entrance.

Contrary to the snow-white stalagmites in the previous sectors, visitors see here smoke-colored ones.

Looking at agaric stalagmites clashing in the wall, a visitor asked the guide how many mushrooms were picked a year. Witty was the guide's answer: "Well over one ton of mushrooms are gathered here."

Another side of the wall is covered with Clavaria botrytis. The white, black and brown stalagmites of the grotto make a splendid and harmonious ensemble.

"Stone Juniper"

The multi-million years of history have created a number of mysterious caves on the earth. But people will never see plants growing in the cave except the Ryongmun Cavern.

Stone Juniper

A plant surrounded by fresh air draws the gazes of visitors. That looks like a well-balanced juniper. The stalagmite, 2.8 meters in height and 2.16 meters in girth, is empty inside and slowest in growing.

The juniper is guarded by a white "stone grandfather," a "hedgehog couple" and a "wild eagle."

"Humorous, non-technical"

The curiosity-seeking tourists are fully gratified not only by the cavern's breath-taking wonder but also by their curators' kindness and liveliness.

The sector of "jewels" caters particularly to female taste, and its another source of pride is what is called "heavenly water" which falls from a height of 15 meters and fills the "flower basin" of white limestone with visible petal patterns. A go of this water, they say, gives men strength and women a gift of triplets. According to tourists, the water tastes better than the crystal spring in Mt. Kumgang and Sindok spring.

"Stone Jewels"

A flamboyant "mammoth jewel chandelier" presents the pinnacle of beauty.

The "photograph rock" invites every tourist to have his picture taken against the background of natural magic.

Underground Waterfall

Among the cavern's scenic wonders, the underground waterfall is the center of attraction. The stream leaps from a 40-meter cone-shaped steep cliff and drops freely without making any contact with rocks on its way down. Below is a delicious-looking pool, three meters deep in the middle and one meter at the shore. Strangely enough, the water is of the same volume all the year round. The magnificent boom echoes through the cavern, enchanting the tourists.

Everybody, Try to Give Names

The sector of "heavenly paradise" is always lively with peals of laughter, as tourists are vying to give ingenious names to the stalagmites all around of every conceivable shape. A variety of terms are coined: a "king lion" seated in imposing posture in a saddle-lace-looking cluster of stone icicles, surrounded by his obvious bodyguard represented by other clusters looking like different animals; beyond it a "rainbow bridge"; beside to a "judge emperor" with his head hung row in seeming meditation; "white cranes" gathering at the water shore; "cotton flowers," a "vineyard" and "Milky Way."

All of a sudden, somebody cries "White elephant!" at the sight of a white stone icicle with its long "trunk" sunk in the ground. But the "elephant's back" view presented a different shape: two acrobats performing tricks.

"White Elephant"

"A white elephant has turned into a pair of acrobats!" exclaimed another tourist. Followed a roar of laughter.