Today, the CO passed his motorcycle driving test successfully. Therefore, the CO decided to hide a few V-Day caches to celebrate.
A number of historic sites are located near the posted coordinates in Panlong Town (蟠龙镇). Many have been renovated in recent years as part of the area's redevelopment project. Your cultural mission is to visit these sites, gather clues, and ultimately calculate the final coordinates. This is a multi-cache perfect for enjoying some food and drinks while hunting. The entire journey takes about 1 to 2 hours. Prepare yourself — let the journey begin!
Stage 1: Panlong Temple (蟠龙庵)
Legend has it that Emperor Wen of Sui once dreamed of a coiling dragon in the Panlong River, prompting him to commission Master Ruying to establish a temple here - the famed Pumen Temple. Every year on Bath Buddha Festival, merchants and pilgrims would gather around the ancient temple, transforming the Panlong Town into a bustling hub that thrived under its spiritual influence. Two stone lions are at the temple gate. The number of dragons under the lions is A.
Stage 2: Cheng's Ancestral Hall (程祠故里)
Once the ancestral worship site of the Cheng's family, a prominent clan in Panlong, Cheng's Ancestral Hall was originally built during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty and is now a Cultural Heritage Site Protected by Qingpu District. The buildings here embody the artistic elegance of Jiangnan residential architecture. The posted coordinates are at the backyard of the ancestral hall. The ground is paved with dozens of four-leaf clover patterns made of small pebbles. The number of four-leaf clover patterns is B.
Stage 3: Poetry Bridge (烟雨廊桥)
While there are several bridges crossing the Panlong River, this one undoubtedly stands out as the most distinctive. Blending the arched form with the covered design, the Poetry Bridge seamlessly connects Panlong Water Town and Panlong Green Park. Merging with the surrounding market ambiance, the bridge becomes more than infrastructure: it is a cultural span across time and locations, embodying the dialogue between the past and the present. The number of pillars on the bridge is C.
Stage 4: Opera Stage Square (戏台广场)
A century ago, Lu Xun immortalized village opera in his writings - a vibrant scene of local audiences beneath makeshift stages where scholars and beauties performed tales of old.Today, Panlong Town still preserves this tradition with its own opera stage. There are four layers of wood beams under the stage's roof. The number of beams is D.
Stage 5: Xianghua Bridge (香花桥)
Xianghua means fragrant flowers in Chinese. The single-arch stone bridge is a cultural heritage site under the protection of Qingpu District. Originally built in 1340, the bridge underwent several restorations in later periods. As the centerpiece of Panlong's spatial layout, Xianghua Bridge has witnessed the evolution of this water town from ancient times to the present. In the recent renovation, the four stone lions on the bridge were preserved in their incomplete beauty, and the weathered marks on the stone steps were left untouched, allowing visitors to feel the passage of centuries under the footsteps of pedestrians and carts that once crossed here. The number carved on the ground in the middle of the bridge is E.
Stage 6: Spring Plaza (涵春广场)
The Spring Plaza is named after Hanchun Bridge (i.e. Spring Bridge) next to it. The square's ground features a stone carving of the Panlong Town map, depicting two rivers flowing and crossing each other. The number of boats carved on the ground is F.
Stage 7: Gardenview (小观园)
Here once stood the millennium-old Pumen Temple, also known as Panlong Great Temple. The temple was originally built in the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD). With a history spanning over 1,400 years, it endured repeated destruction and reconstruction due to natural disasters, wars, and human damage. The site has been transformed into a beautiful garden, which features a pavilion named Tongxing Ting (同心亭, Heart-to-Heart Pavilion). The pillars in the pavilion is G.
Stage 8: Catholic Church (天主教堂)
The church was originally the chapel of the Xu family.According to local lore, Xu Guangqi - a renowned Ming Dynasty scholar - spent part of his childhood in Panlong. As devout Catholics, the Xus often gathered for Mass in their private chapel. In1877, Xu descendants built a formal church - the Church of St, Michael the Archangel, colloquially known as Panlong Church. The yard in the church is marked with several parking spaces. The number of parking spaces is H.
Stage 9: Alternative Cache
An alternative cache (a 5cm tube) is also placed near the final. It is hidden on the top of the nearby mound near the bridge, covered by a flat stone. A taped stone is placed next to the cover stone.
Final: N 31° 11.(A/2-1)(D-G)(E-A-G-H+2) E 121° 16.H(B-C-D+E-F)
The final is an earthen slope near Panlong Town, covered with grass and clumps of trees. The cache (a 5cm tube) is hidden under a tall tree on the slope, covered by a stone.
Verification Tool
You may visit the link or scan the QR code below to verify your stage answers and final calculation at any time during your geocaching. Help yourself and enjoy.
GCBEMXV: V-Day (Panlong Town)
Last but not least, if you like this cache, don't forget to leave your favorite point here. Thanks for your generosity!