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<img src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201650529Z-cave%2017.jpg" />
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This  is one thing that is unbelievable at the first sign. You're climbing on a wooden  ladder right infront of a rocky&nbsp;hill. Ant the naked truth is: Where you are  sweating was the surface of an ocean years and years ago. It's the same ocean  you can see when you look&nbsp;at the east where the coast of the Pacific shines in  the sun 100 meters below.

<figure><img alt="A lot of holy statues is better than a few one" src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201726079Z-cave%2017.jpg" width="2724" height="1958" /><figcaption>A lot of holy statues is better than a few one</figcaption></figure>

What  about the rising of the sea level? What about the floods and&nbsp; the sinking  states? Here at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eastcoast-nsa.gov.tw/en/attractions/detail/215">Baxian  Cave</a> at the east coast of Taiwan (<a href="https://travelfeed.io/@koenau/against-all-nature-s-laws-where-water-climbs-the-hill">see my former posts here</a>), the former Isle Formosa, these  questions are a riddle. The  rought cliffs that face the Pacific Ocean in Shanjian Village in Changbin  Township areboth  geologically  and archaeologically interesting: They are the last remains of the bottom of a  ancient&nbsp;ocean with so much more water that&nbsp;his waves reach the place where you  stand: 70 oder 90 meters above the beach.&nbsp;

<figure><img alt="One sea cave is a church now" src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201749559Z-cave11.jpg" width="4618" height="3464" /><figcaption>One sea cave is a church now</figcaption></figure>

<br>The  proof: Here are dozens of natural caves made by the sea. These sea caves were  originally in the sea,&nbsp;but now they are scattered in 150 meter high cliffs. This  isn't&nbsp;because the&nbsp;ocean  is falling - it's the rise of the Earth's crust on the East Coast of Taiwan, and  the erosion that carved the soft part of rocks, forming the sea  caves.

<figure><img alt="This bizarre house is build right in a sea cave" src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201733726Z-cave18.jpg" width="1935" height="2712" /><figcaption>This bizarre house is build right in a sea cave</figcaption></figure>

Baxian  Cave is a place directly on the coast highway and the site has access to all  trails leading to each cave. The biggest cave is Lingyan Cave, the highest one,  Kuenluen Cave, is about 130 meters high. Besides them there are&nbsp;Chienyuan Cave,  Joucheng Cave, Hailay Cave, Chaoyin Cave, Yongan Cave and Shuilian Cave - you  never will remember the names. 

<h2>Flats from the past</h2>

In ancient times peoples lived here, but later  the taiwanes chosed&nbsp;to take all the caves for&nbsp; religious uses. Now they are all  full of Buddhas, flowers and candles, monks are booting around and you can hear  drums beating. All the things here are "holy" like Eli Mardock from Eagle Seagull sings. Between the caves are wild apes, a machine that spits out prophecies (for money!) and a house that looks like the Lord of the Rings.

<figure><img alt="Another altar" src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201804873Z-cave9.jpg" width="4618" height="3464" /><figcaption>Another altar</figcaption></figure>

This  is all colourful and the most of the holy places are made by plastic&nbsp;items. But  Baxian Cave is also an important prehistoric site. There is a rich Paleolithic  pottery culture that was found here which they named the Changbin Culture. It is  the oldest prehistorical site that has been found in Taiwan, so it is important  enough to ranked as a first class national historical site at the&nbsp;East  Coast Geopark. 

<figure><img alt="The view from 100 meters above" src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201758024Z-cave13.jpg" width="4380" height="3285" /><figcaption>The view from 100 meters above</figcaption></figure>

This hidden gem possesses typical landscapes of coastal  sandstones with volcanic regions, rapid declines in the accumulation of thick  sediment, and sediment generated by plate collision. At&nbsp;Sanhsientai,  located in the north of&nbsp;Chengong&nbsp;Township,  you find offshore islands and coral reefs around a monstrous rock that now forms  a headland.&nbsp;

https://youtu.be/nmBg8KvmSvY

Due to a lack of human disturbance, screw pine trees can be seen  everywhere on the off-shore island.

<figure><img alt="One more lonely buddha" src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201821368Z-caves7.jpg" width="3846" height="3464" /><figcaption>One more lonely buddha</figcaption></figure>

It  is also a place to observe scattered coral reefs around and on volcanic rocks  and how they were slowly uplifted. "Shitiping" is a typical site to display the  dynamic geological formation. It has a huge area of coastal terraces composed of  volcanic ash and tuff. Its landscapes include the uplifted terrains, wave-cut  platforms, coral reefs, sea trenches, caves and cliffs. The potholes, in  particular, are one of Taiwan's Number one geologica sites.

<figure><img alt="Like a flat: A sea cave full of holy things" src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201812481Z-caves3.jpg" width="4505" height="3379" /><figcaption>Like a flat: A sea cave full of holy things</figcaption></figure>

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A few more pictures for you:

<figure><img alt="Wide angle" src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201829687Z-cave14.jpg" width="4137" height="909" /><figcaption>Wide angle</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img alt="Some more holy statues" src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201841283Z-cave8.jpg" width="4618" height="3464" /><figcaption>Some more holy statues</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img alt="Holy, holy, holy, like Eli Mardock from Eagle Seagull sings." src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201833499Z-caves4.jpg" width="5184" height="2920" /><figcaption>Holy, holy, holy, like Eli Mardock from Eagle Seagull sings.</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201851413Z-cave9.jpg" width="4618" height="3464" /></figure>

<figure><img src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201856512Z-cave10.jpg" width="4404" height="3394" /></figure>

<figure><img src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201904498Z-cave16.jpg" width="4618" height="3464" /></figure>

<figure><img src="https://img.travelfeed.io/koenau%2F20210217T201909161Z-caves2.jpg" width="4263" height="3198" /></figure>



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[//]:# (!pinmapple 23.3173 lat 121.4568 long  d3scr)