大(da)酉(you)洞位于酉(you)陽土家族苗族自治縣境內,是海拔670米處的一個大(da)山洞。
大酉(you)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)系石灰巖(yan)溶洞(dong)(dong)(dong),高、寬(kuan)約(yue)30米(mi),長約(yue)180米(mi),上彎(wan)下(xia)平,洞(dong)(dong)(dong)內溪(xi)水淙淙,鐘乳懸掛,水落珠璣。穿(chuan)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)而過,則是(shi)一較完整(zheng)的(de)溶斗(dou),巖(yan)壁高80米(mi),溶斗(dou)盆地面積4公頃。底部有一終年不枯的(de)泉眼,崖壁上若(ruo)干小溶洞(dong)(dong)(dong)中,亦有泉水飛泄(xie),桃花(hua)溪(xi)匯泉而成,溪(xi)水穿(chuan)大酉(you)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)注入酉(you)陽河。據說,從地理、路線、景物、歷史、距離、環境等六(liu)個方面證明,大酉(you)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)與陶淵明《桃花(hua)源(yuan)記》原型相(xiang)似。
大酉洞(dong)系一(yi)石灰巖溶(rong)洞(dong)。洞(dong)高三(san)、四十米,闊二三(san)十米,長(chang)百(bai)余米,有(you)溪(xi)水淙淙,秋(qiu)冬不(bu)竭,沿(yan)洞(dong)右側流出,注(zhu)入(ru)酉陽(yang)(yang)河。溯(su)溪(xi)入(ru)洞(dong),兩岸墻立,半里許,豁然開朗,別有(you)一(yi)天地(di)。其中田十余畝(mu),四周(zhou)環(huan)山,皆峭壁,仿佛與(yu)世(shi)隔絕。因(yin)此,清(qing)《酉陽(yang)(yang)州志》稱此洞(dong)“與(yu)陶淵明(ming)桃(tao)花源者,毫厘不(bu)爽”。清(qing)《四川通志》也說:“酉陽(yang)(yang)漢屬(shu)武陵(ling)郡之(zhi)(zhi)遷(qian)陵(ling)地(di),漁(yu)郎所(suo)問(wen)之(zhi)(zhi)津(jin),安(an)知不(bu)在于此?惟晉永(yong)嘉之(zhi)(zhi)后,地(di)沒蠻僚(liao);自(zi)宋及明(ming),又世(shi)為土(tu)司地(di),名儒碩彥,游跡罕至,故文獻無征(zheng),不(bu)能正名為桃(tao)源耳。”
大(da)(da)酉(you)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)上穹下平,冬暖夏涼。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)頂(ding),鐘乳(ru)懸(xuan)掛,錯(cuo)落(luo)有(you)(you)致(zhi),水落(luo)珠璣(ji),叮(ding)咚有(you)(you)聲。乳(ru)石(shi)形態各異,或(huo)人或(huo)物,亦禽亦獸,憑游人之(zhi)興,隨形賦名(ming)。左(zuo)右(you)石(shi)壁(bi)有(you)(you)許多篆刻題詠,皆因(yin)年代(dai)久(jiu)遠,蝕損莫辨。唯(wei)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)后左(zuo)壁(bi)上,清(qing)(qing)季(ji)酉(you)陽知州(zhou)羅(luo)升梧手書(shu)的(de)(de)“太古藏書(shu)”四(si)個斗大(da)(da)的(de)(de)楷體宇(yu),仍清(qing)(qing)晰可見。關于(yu)(yu)藏書(shu)一事,北宋《太平御覽(lan)》卷四(si)九之(zhi)《荊州(zhou)記》記載:“大(da)(da)酉(you)山上石(shi)穴中(zhong)有(you)(you)書(shu)千卷,相(xiang)傳秦人于(yu)(yu)此而學,因(yin)留之(zhi)。”《郡縣志》:“大(da)(da)酉(you)山有(you)(you)洞(dong)(dong)(dong),名(ming)大(da)(da)酉(you)。”清(qing)(qing)乾隆三十年《辰州(zhou)府志》和(he)清(qing)(qing)道光《辰溪縣志》也均有(you)(you)詳細記載。1936年以(yi)前,川湘公路(lu)未修,官路(lu)離洞(dong)(dong)(dong)口(kou)約一華里(li)(li),從那條自洞(dong)(dong)(dong)中(zhong)流出的(de)(de)小(xiao)溪的(de)(de)石(shi)橋(qiao)上通(tong)過。溪畔(pan)桃樹特多,一到(dao)春天,桃花(hua)(hua)盛開,落(luo)瑛繽紛,溪水流紅。明代(dai)無名(ming)氏在(zai)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)壁(bi)題刻絕句一首:“洞(dong)(dong)(dong)前流水渺漫(man)漫(man),洞(dong)(dong)(dong)里(li)(li)桃花(hua)(hua)漸(jian)漸(jian)殘。曼(man)倩不(bu)來漁父去,道人閑倚石(shi)闌干。”明季(ji)酉(you)陽宣慰使冉天育(yu)在(zai)詠大(da)(da)酉(you)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)“八(ba)景”的(de)(de)詩中(zhong)也有(you)(you)“萬山嶙峋洞(dong)(dong)(dong)天幽,結酗(xu)聯翩作勝(sheng)游。霄(xiao)際松風青靄(ai)靄(ai),洞(dong)(dong)(dong)邊桃瓣水悠悠……”都是詠這(zhe)“桃澗流紅”勝(sheng)景的(de)(de)。
大酉(you)洞,在(zai)酉(you)陽城(cheng)近郊。核其形,與陶(tao)淵(yuan)明“桃花源(yuan)記”所記酷似。
現酉陽縣政府正著手開發大酉洞風景(jing)區,按《州志》所記恢復舊貌,根據游覽(lan)需要配以現代旅游設施,供人(ren)們欣賞游樂。