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It 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 Thiên 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 Mây (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 Mây bathed her
100 children, bringing them up wisely
and happily into adolescence. One path
meanders out of the grotto; it was the
way Mây, 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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