Prowling an otherworldly underworld

Jiuxiang is a portal to the realm beneath ours - that is, not only below the Earth's surface but also deep into our subconscious.

Locals view the cavern complex's formations like a Rorschach test, identifying the shapes of mythical beings, everyday objects and everything in between in the stalactites, stalagmites and columns.

White Elephant Cave, for instance, takes its appellation from its perceived resemblance to said pachyderm. Its entrance is believed to look like a key - the loophole of which unlocks sunrises every morning. It's spanned by a natural bridge, upon which a man appears to pore over a book while facing a tortoise.