Guizhou Shuanghe Cave

Guizhou Shuanghe Cave is located in Zunyi City, northern Guizhou Province, southwestern China, with its main part in Suiyang County and part of the buffer zone  in Zheng'an County. The area is situated in the eastern part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, belonging to the northeastern branch of the Dalou Mountain. The terrain generally exhibits a plateau mountainous landscape that gradually descends from southwest to northeast, with altitudes ranging from 650m to 1762m. The highest peak is Taiyang Mountain, standing at 1762m above sea level. This region is featured by a mid-subtropical monsoon climate, characterized by four distinct seasons and a warm, pleasant climate. The multi-year average temperature is 15.1℃. The annual average temperature inside the cave is approximately 13℃. The annual average precipitation is about 1139mm, concentrated mainly from April to October. Guizhou Shuanghe Cave is situated within the Furong River basin, a first-order tributary of the Wujiang River, with Jinzhong Mountain serving as the watershed. There are over 20 rivers and streams within the Furong River basin. Karst springs and underground rivers are well-developed. Originating within the Shuanghe Cave region, Chiwu River is a first-order tributary of the Furong River, and its hydrological process is closely related to Shuanghe Cave.  Abundant water sources have nourished diverse biota, forming a unique underground ecosystem; water flows inside the cave to form multi-level waterfalls, further enriching the underground landscapes.

The Guizhou Shuanghe Cave  is located in the area of the Huangyujiang anticlinorium and the Tuping synclinorium in the northern part of the Chuannan - Qianbei fold belt within the Yangtze Plate hinterland. It is mainly situated on the limb of the broad and gentle box - shaped anticline in northern Guizhou. Fault tectonic zones in different directions enclose the Shuanghe Cave into a relatively uplifted triangular area. Influenced by faulting, joints are well developed. The terrain is severely dissected, with criss - crossing valleys and a large relative height difference. The valleys are mainly distributed in the northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast directions, supplemented by the southeast-northwest and nearly east-west directions.The Shuanghe Cave mainly develops in the marine sedimentary strata of the Cambrian and Ordovician systems in the Yangtze Plate hinterland. The Middle and Upper Cambrian series, with a total thickness of 957m-1292m, are the most widely distributed strata exposed in the area, containing gypsum layers, and belong to semi - restricted marine platform carbonate deposits. In the paleogeographic environment from the Early Cambrian to the Early Ordovician, the Shuanghe Cave area was in the core area of the gypsum-salt lake in northern Guizhou. The Loushanguan Formation of the Cambrian system is the most important stratum supporting the development of the Shuanghe Cave. It is a sedimentary combination of a restricted platform facies. The lithology is mainly gray medium - thick to thick - bedded fine - to medium - grained dolomite, occasionally intercalated with dolomitic limestone. The strata generally contain gypsum - salt layers or lenses.

By 2024, the Guizhou Shuanghe Cave has 115 cave entrances connected, with a total length of 437.1km and a total depth of 912m. It is currently the longest cave in Asia, the third longest cave in the world and the longest dolomite cave system in the world. It  has the characteristics of layered development, which is connected by multi-layer karst caves through intricate branches to form a huge karst cave system from bottom to top. As a whole, the multi-layer karst cave is high in the west and low in the east, gently tilting and extending to the Chiwu River. There are many kinds of cave chemical deposits such as calcite, aragonite, gypsum and celestite. The formation mechanism of Shuanghe Cave, a super dolomite cave, depends on the unique geological background of the continuous uplift of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau since Cenozoic, the unique characteristics of relatively complete structural blocks, the gently distributed early Paleozoic carbonate strata, the control of tectonic fissures and the formation and development of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River under the background of East Asian monsoon. Dolomite is much more difficult to be dissolved than limestone and is a world-class academic issue. Guizhou Shuanghe Cave mainly developed on dolomite. It is found by a large number of experimental studies and field observations that the formation of the giant dolomite cave is related to SO₄^2- ion groundwater, and SO₄^2-  mainly comes from the dissolution-precipitation of gypsum strata in Cambrian surrounding strata and the circulation transformation in groundwater, thus forming a huge gypsum cave system in gentle rock strata and the largest celestite cave in the world. The traces of early human activities, such as the ruins of nitrification in Shuanghe Cave vividly record the history of interdependence between human beings and caves and reflect the important role of caves in early human production and life.

The Shuanghe Cave  is located in the Oriental Deciduous Forest Biogeographic Province, characterised by a typical central subtropical mixed forest of evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forests, dominated by Fagus lucida. It is home to globally endangered species such as the François' langur (Trachypithecus francoisi) and endemic birds to China, notably the golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus). The extensive and intricate dolomite cave systems beneath the surface, along with the diverse cave-dwelling organisms, form a typical cave ecosystem. This habitat supports a variety of aquatic and terrestrial arthropods, such as insects, spiders, shrimps, and crabs, as well as vertebrates like blind fish, frogs (currently only tadpoles have been discovered), giant salamanders, and bats. Many of these species are narrowly distributed endemics, unique to this specific environment. The nominated property of its buffer zone encompass the Kuankuoshui National Nature Reserve (partially). Within the Nature Reserve, a total of 691 families and 4,584 species have been recorded, including 364 species of wild vertebrates, classified into 33 orders and 101 families, comprising 55 species of mammals (7 orders, 22 families), 32 species of reptiles (3 orders, 8 families), 31 species of amphibians (2 orders, 10 families), and 42 species of fish (5 orders, 17 families). Additionally, there are 1,542 species of insects (21 orders, 193 families) and 40 species of molluscs (9 orders, 15 families). The reserve is home to 9 species of nationally Class I protected wildlife and 40 species of nationally Class II protected wildlife. The endangered François' langur accounts for over 10% of the global population. The reserve is also rich in bird diversity, with 271 species of birds (16 orders, 44 families), making it an internationally significant bird area. Among these, 45 species are nationally protected birds. The bird community is particularly notable for species from the families Timaliidae, Phasianidae, and Cuculidae, including the Chinese hwamei (Garrulax poecilorhynchus), the bamboo partridge (Bambusicola thoracica), the white-necked long-tailed pheasant (Syrmaticus ellioti), the Reeves's pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii), and the golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus), all of which are endemic to China. Currently, investigations into the diverse range of organisms within the Cave remain incomplete, with a significant number of endemic species yet to be documented.

The Guizhou Shuanghe Cave has revealed a globally rare concentration of Quaternary Giant Panda-Stegodon fauna fossils, including iconic or extinct East Asian species such as giant pandas, serows, Sumatran rhinoceroses, and stegodons, with remarkably complete exposure and exceptional preservation. Giant panda fossils in the cave are highly concentrated, primarily preserved in situ and scattered in clusters across dry caves, most were discovered at elevations above 750m. To date, nearly 50 individual giant panda fossils have been identified in the cave, making it the global leader in complete panda fossil discoveries, with over 20 intact skeletons. The oldest specimens date back at least 100,000 years, while the youngest are merely centuries old, representing the latest physical records outside modern panda habitats. These fossils unveil the species’ behavioral and evolutionary trajectory over the past 100,000 years, showing striking parallels with modern pandas. These fossils not only record prehistoric morphological traits but also provide exceptional material for ancient DNA extraction. Preliminary studies of complete skeletons reveal specialized anatomical features (e.g., a "pseudo-thumb" for bamboo feeding), offering key evidence for the timing of dietary specialization and modern habitat shifts. The fossils provide unique scientific material to systematically study Quaternary paleoenvironmental changes, paleozoogeographic shifts, and the migration, habitat evolution, and biological adaptations of iconic species from the Pleistocene to Holocene in East Asia’s monsoon region. Shuanghe Cave served as a critical refuge for Ice Age mammals and exemplifies habitat transitions and evolutionary pathways for species like giant pandas.

The nominated property and buffer zone of the Guizhou Shuanghe Cave is mainly located within Suiyang County, within the scope of the Suiyang Shuanghe Cave National Geopark and the Guizhou Kuankuoshui National Nature Reserve. Part of the buffer zone extents to Zhengan County.  While the portions within Zheng'an County are primarily designated as national public welfare forests, included within the ecological red line protection area.  The nominated property is protected by corresponding national laws and regulations. In the future, during the revision of the planning for the Suiyang Shuanghe Cave National Geopark, the nominated property and buffer zone within Zheng'an County may be incorporated into the scope of the national geopark to further enhance its protection. A multilevel management system from the national to local levels has been established, with collaboration mechanisms involving governments, technical institutions, research institutions, and communities. At the national level, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration is in charge. At the provincial level in Guizhou, the management agency is the Guizhou Provincial Forestry Administration. At the municipal level in Zunyi, it is under the jurisdiction of the Zunyi Forestry Bureau. At the county level, the portions in Suiyang County are primarily managed by the Suiyang County Forestry Bureau, with the Suiyang Shuanghe Cave National Geopark Management Administration responsible for direct management of the national geopark and the Guizhou Kuankuoshui National Nature Reserve Administration responsible for the management of the Kuankuoshui National Nature Reserve. The portions in Zheng'an County at the county level are primarily managed by the Zheng'an County Forestry Bureau and Natural Resources Bureau.

Justification of Outstanding Universal Value based on criterion (vii)

1) Guizhou Shuanghe Cave system shows excellent natural geological phenomena.

The Guizhou Shuanghe Cave system is 437.1km long, with a total depth of 912m and 115 cave entrances. The cave system is huge and complex, and the cave passage is sometimes large, sometimes small, sometimes vertical, sometimes horizontal, and the shape is unpredictable, with both dry and water caves coexisting. The vertical upward caves are several major development layers with a height difference of 240m, the upper and middle layers are dry caves, and the lower layer is a water cave, with vertical shafts connecting the layers. The caves are large in scale, with a width of 10-20m and a maximum width of more than 40m, a height of more than 10m and a maximum height of more than 60m, and many vertical shafts between the layers of the caves, which are generally 15-30m deep and the deepest is up to 75m. Guizhou Shuanghe Cave has developed the longest, deepest, and most complexly formed and composed dolomite cave system in the world, along with its surface karst assemblage, within the hard-to-dissolve Cambrian dolomite strata. It has also formed the largest and most exquisite celestite cave in the world. Dolomite, gypsum layers, and strontium-bearing rocks, through a long geological process in the surface water-groundwater system, continuously change and shape the exquisite and beautiful dolomite karst underground world by the karst process of dissolution-erosion-transportation-deposition-crystallization. This demonstrates the marvelous evolution of nature and continues to the present.

2) Guizhou Shuanghe Cave system possesses exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic significance.

Guizhou Shuanghe Cave features almost all types of cave carbonate and sulfate deposits and precipitates, including minerals such as calcite, aragonite, gypsum, and celestite, along with their respective cave landscapes, which are unique globally. The vast scale, complex shapes, and color variations of cave formations and their exquisite natural salt mine carvings and decorations, all showcase the natural and aesthetically significant sedimentary landscapes of the dolomite cave system. They are hidden within a complex superlative dolomite cave system, which more than four hundred kilometers and with a relative height difference of nearly one kilometer. The large scale pothole group embedded in it, the large scale shaft group connecting the interior and exterior of the ground, and the enormous halls with open and spectacular spaces, high domes hanging above, narrow passages winding and twisting, deep and tranquil. And those exquisite salt mine natural carvings, with their grand scale and complex forms, change colors with the shifting light, sometimes shining golden, sometimes deep blue, showcasing the magical beauty of nature and the wonderful charm of natural exploration. It has become a holy land for nature exploration enthusiasts, attracting countless people to experience its magic and beauty.

Justification of Outstanding Universal Value based on criterion (viii)

1) Unique Karst Cave Development Model and a Witness to Earth's Evolutionary History

Shuanghe Cave, located mainly in the Cambrian dolomite formations, is the world's largest and most structurally complex stratified dolomite cave system. Its formation was influenced by an Early Paleozoic evaporite-lake sedimentary environment. The presence of evaporite layers provided favorable physicochemical conditions for dissolution, overcoming the inherently low solubility of dolomite. Under the combined influence of plateau uplift and hydrological conditions in the upper Yangtze River, the originally flat dolomite formations underwent dissolution and collapse, giving rise to this vast and intricate cave network. As a globally rare example of karst cave development, Shuanghe Cave serves as an important scientific model for understanding the formation mechanisms of dolomite caves. Complementing the surrounding karst landforms and river terrace systems, Shuanghe Cave collectively illustrates the geomorphic evolution of the subtropical monsoon region of the plateau since the Cenozoic. It provides a well-preserved record of crustal uplift and river incision, highlighting critical stages in the dynamic evolution of the Earth’s system. Shuanghe Cave not only fills the “gap regarding well-developed caves in dolomite” identified in the thematic report named Geological World Heritage: A revised global framework for the application of criterion (viii) of the World Heritage Convention (2021) by  IUCN, but also enhances the global classification system of karst cave heritage. As a remarkable testament to Earth's geological evolution, it stands as a valuable resource.

2) An Outstanding Example of Regional Geological and Geomorphological Evolution

Guizhou Shuanghe Cave serves as a crucial example of the formation and integration of the upper Yangtze River system (covering Chuanjiang and Wujiang River basins) since Neogene, and the uplift process of the northern Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It preserves an invaluable geological record of the eastward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau uplift into South China since the Cenozoic and documents the significant evolution of the regional geomorphic landform. The cave provides a perfect geological response to the large-scale topographic inversion of eastern and western China since the Cenozoic. It is situated in the northern Guizhou–southern Sichuan region of the Yangtze Block, a key area for studying the geological and geomorphological evolution of the Yangtze Block since the Phanerozoic. This region originated as a carbonate sedimentary basin in the Paleo-Tethys Ocean environment from the Paleozoic to the early Mesozoic and has undergone multiple large-scale marine transgressions and regressions. It preserves critical geological records of the subduction of the Western Pacific Plate during the Yanshanian orogeny (Mesozoic) and the multi-phase tectonic evolution driven by the collision and uplift of the Tibetan Plateau during the Himalayan orogeny (Cenozoic). These processes have collectively shaped the geological diversity and geomorphological transformation of South China, making it an outstanding and globally rare example of geological and geomorphic evolution.

3) A Witness to Paleontological Evolution and Quaternary Environmental Changes

The vast cave network of Guizhou Shuanghe Cave  has exceptionally well-preserved fossil and subfossil remains of mammals dating from the Pleistocene to the Holocene. These fossils primarily belong to the “Ailuropoda-Stegodon Fauna”, which includes some of the most representative or now-extinct species of East Asia, such as the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), serow (Capricornis), Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), and stegodon (Stegodon). To date, 50 panda fossils have been discovered within the cave, including over 20 complete skeletons, making it the richest known fossil repository of giant pandas worldwide. The oldest panda remains date back at least 100,000 years, while the most recent ones are only a few hundred years old. As the latest physical record of giant pandas outside their current habitats, Shuanghe Cave holds the largest number of complete giant panda fossils ever found in a single cave. These fossils provide crucial evidence for reconstructing the evolutionary changes in body size, weight, and skeletal structure of the species over time. Taphonomic studies of the cave fossils suggest that ancient giant pandas may have exhibited hibernation behavior and possibly sought refuge in caves during glacial periods. This provides key insights into habitat shifts and evolutionary adaptations of giant pandas and other mammals in response to Quaternary glaciations. Furthermore, the well-preserved fossil assemblages offer a unique and critical scientific resource for understanding the migration and evolution of East Asia’s iconic ancient species from the Pleistocene to the Holocene. They also serve as vital evidence for reconstructing Quaternary paleoenvironmental changes and paleobiogeographic shifts within the East Asian monsoon region.

Criterion (vii): Guizhou Shuanghe Cave system presents excellent natural phenomena: the longest and deepest dolomite cave system in the world has developed in the highly insoluble dolomite, and the largest celestite cave in global scale has been formed. The main features of the caves include diversified cavernous passages, pot holes in the caves (group), cave ceiling holes (group), underground shafts (group), wall ditches, vortex caves, stalagmites, columns, stalactite, soda straw, stone curtains, bacons, stone waterfalls, flow stone dams, stone terraces, rimstone dams, underwater crystal flowers, underwater crystal cones, lotus pots, cave peals, stone grapes, palm flakes, tumulus, convolvulus, stone flowers, rumulus, tumulus stalagmite, tumulus stalagmite, helictite, and gypsum deposits (crusty, lumpy, lenticular, gypsum, etc.), celestite deposits (celestite deposits grow on the top and both sides of the cave wall in the form of layers, plates, flakes or lenses, and the crystals are mostly aggregates, stalactites, nodules, fibers, and fine grains), etc. Almost all types of cave sediments can be found in Shuanghe Cave, with gypsum and celestite deposits being the most globally attractive. The scale, shape, color, and other aspects all exhibit a highly aesthetically significant sedimentary landscape of dolomite cave systems, which are hidden in the superlative dolomite cave within a four-layered subterranean world that extends over four hundred kilometers long, with a relative elevation difference of nearly one kilometer. These sediments, together with the large scale pothole group embedded in it, the large scale shaft group connecting the interior and exterior of the ground, and the vibrant waterfalls and cascades, jointly form an unparalleled labyrinth world.

Criterion (viii): Guizhou Shuanghe Cave exhibits systematic, complete, typical, and exceptionally large-scale dolomite karst cave geomorphology. It stands as an outstanding global example of dolomite karst cave evolution, a critical geological response to the Late Cenozoic uplift of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the development of the Yangtze River system. Due to the relatively insoluble dolomite rocks, the nominated property’s dolomite caves are both representative and rare, epitomizing dolomite karst landscapes and showcasing the complex evolutionary processes of dolomite karst since the Quaternary, along with their intricate microscopic records. This site fills a gap in the karst natural heritage. The Guizhou Shuanghe Cave boasts 115 interconnected entrances, stretching 437.1 km in length and reaching a depth of 912 m, ranking it as the third-longest cave in the world and the longest in Asia. The subterranean dolomite karst, centered in the Shuanghe Cave area, features a multi-level cave system and interconnected underground river networks that crisscross extensively. These systems link to surface karst features such as depressions (valleys), tiankengs (giant dolines), vertical shafts, and subterranean rivers, receiving recharge from surface water flows. With the largest vadose zone elevation difference, the site forms a complete and mature underground dolomite karst hydrogeomorphological system, driven by continuous downward migration and capture of underground rivers. This has created a systematic, intact, typical, and rare underground dolomite cave system—the Shuanghe Cave System—now recognized as the world’s longest dolomite cave system. It comprehensively documents the evolutionary saga of underground dolomite karst cave formation. Additionally, the vast cave network preserves abundant Quaternary to Holocene mammalian fossils and subfossils, including iconic or extinct East Asian species such as giant pandas, Sumatran rhinoceroses, and stegodons. These fossil legacies provide unique and critical scientific materials for systematically understanding the evolution, migration, and paleozoogeographic shifts of Asia’s ancient rare species (giant pandas) from the Pleistocene to Holocene, as well as Quaternary paleoenvironmental changes in East Asia’s monsoon region.

The nominated property covers an area of 5183.32ha, and the buffer zone covers 9345.73ha. The nominated property covers most of the cave system and includes most elements necessary to express its Outstanding Universal Value, and ensure the integrity of the  key attributes of the cave system; is of adequate size to ensure the complete representation of the features and karst processes which convey the significance of the Shuanghe Cave system. The nominated property has protective designations, and the boundary is clear and are aligned with natural features such as ridges, valleys, slopes, rivers, and roads wherever possible. Human activity areas that have negative impacts are avoid as much as possible to maintain the naturalness of the nominated property. The buffer zone is provided in the immediate setting of the nominated property to give an added layer of protection to the property, including the complete watershed of Shuanghe Cave, and the upstream and downstream areas where the hydrological process of cave system development, to ensure the completeness of the influencing factors of cave development, and the completeness of the cave system and the influencing factors of the nominated property.