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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 Thiên 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 Hạ 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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