Fomu Cave (佛母洞), also known as the Thousand Buddha Cave (千佛洞), is a limestone cave located near the summit of the Southern Peak of Mount Wutai in Shanxi Province. The cave is accessible by climbing 1,680 steps, which typically takes between 40 to 70 minutes.
The cave consists of two chambers: an outer cave that is large and well-lit, and an inner cave that is smaller and more secluded. The two chambers are connected by an oval-shaped opening. The inner cave can accommodate five to seven people and features a variety of stalactites and stalagmites that have formed through the dissolution of the limestone, resembling the internal organs of the human body. The shape of the cave and its formations give it a gourd-like appearance, which has led to its nickname, “Mother’s Womb.”
Fomu Cave is associated with Buddhist legend and is dedicated to Shakyamuni Buddha. According to Buddhist texts, Shakyamuni, also known as the “Thousand Buddhas,” is represented in this cave. The term “Fomu” refers to the Buddha’s mother, Queen Maya, who was the wife of King Shuddhodana of the Shakya clan. Legend has it that one spring night, Queen Maya dreamt of a bodhisattva riding a white elephant who entered her right side, and upon waking, she discovered she was pregnant. Before giving birth, she returned to her parental home, and while passing through the Lumbini Garden, she grasped a branch of a tree and gave birth to the prince, who later became Shakyamuni Buddha.
The features of Fomu Cave closely mirror the traditional Buddhist accounts of Buddha’s birth. The cave’s internal structure resembles a human womb, with white limestone formations resembling vertebrae and rib bones, which aligns with the story of the bodhisattva entering through the right side. This striking coincidence has made Fomu Cave a significant site of spiritual and historical interest in Buddhism.
