大酉(you)洞位于(yu)酉(you)陽土家族苗族自治縣(xian)境內,是海拔670米處的一個大山洞。
大(da)酉洞(dong)(dong)(dong)系石灰(hui)巖溶洞(dong)(dong)(dong),高(gao)(gao)、寬約(yue)30米,長約(yue)180米,上彎下平,洞(dong)(dong)(dong)內溪水(shui)(shui)淙淙,鐘乳懸掛,水(shui)(shui)落珠璣。穿洞(dong)(dong)(dong)而過,則(ze)是一(yi)(yi)較完整的溶斗,巖壁高(gao)(gao)80米,溶斗盆地面積4公頃。底(di)部有一(yi)(yi)終(zhong)年(nian)不枯的泉眼,崖(ya)壁上若(ruo)干小溶洞(dong)(dong)(dong)中,亦有泉水(shui)(shui)飛(fei)泄,桃花(hua)(hua)溪匯(hui)泉而成,溪水(shui)(shui)穿大(da)酉洞(dong)(dong)(dong)注入酉陽河。據說(shuo),從地理、路線、景物、歷(li)史、距離、環境等六個方面證明,大(da)酉洞(dong)(dong)(dong)與陶淵(yuan)明《桃花(hua)(hua)源記》原(yuan)型相(xiang)似。
大酉(you)洞系(xi)一石灰(hui)巖溶洞。洞高三、四(si)十(shi)米,闊二(er)三十(shi)米,長(chang)百(bai)余米,有(you)溪(xi)(xi)水(shui)淙(cong)淙(cong),秋冬不(bu)竭,沿洞右側流出(chu),注入酉(you)陽(yang)河。溯溪(xi)(xi)入洞,兩岸墻立,半里許,豁然開朗,別有(you)一天地(di)(di)。其中田十(shi)余畝,四(si)周環山,皆峭壁,仿佛與世隔絕。因此(ci)(ci),清(qing)《酉(you)陽(yang)州志》稱此(ci)(ci)洞“與陶淵明桃(tao)(tao)花(hua)源者(zhe),毫厘不(bu)爽”。清(qing)《四(si)川(chuan)通志》也說:“酉(you)陽(yang)漢屬武陵郡(jun)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)遷陵地(di)(di),漁郎(lang)所(suo)問(wen)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)津,安知(zhi)不(bu)在于此(ci)(ci)?惟晉永(yong)嘉之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)后(hou),地(di)(di)沒蠻僚;自(zi)宋及明,又世為(wei)土(tu)司地(di)(di),名儒碩彥,游跡罕至,故文獻無征,不(bu)能正名為(wei)桃(tao)(tao)源耳。”
大(da)酉洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)上(shang)(shang)穹下平,冬暖(nuan)夏涼。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)頂(ding),鐘乳懸掛,錯(cuo)落有(you)致,水落珠(zhu)璣,叮咚有(you)聲(sheng)。乳石(shi)形(xing)態(tai)各異,或人(ren)或物,亦禽亦獸,憑(ping)游(you)(you)人(ren)之興,隨形(xing)賦(fu)名(ming)(ming)。左右石(shi)壁有(you)許多篆刻題詠(yong),皆因年代久遠,蝕損莫(mo)辨。唯洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)后左壁上(shang)(shang),清(qing)(qing)季酉陽(yang)知州羅升(sheng)梧手書(shu)(shu)的(de)“太古藏書(shu)(shu)”四個斗大(da)的(de)楷(kai)體宇,仍(reng)清(qing)(qing)晰可見(jian)。關于藏書(shu)(shu)一(yi)事,北宋《太平御覽》卷四九之《荊(jing)州記》記載:“大(da)酉山(shan)上(shang)(shang)石(shi)穴中(zhong)有(you)書(shu)(shu)千(qian)卷,相傳(chuan)秦人(ren)于此而(er)學,因留(liu)之。”《郡縣(xian)志》:“大(da)酉山(shan)有(you)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),名(ming)(ming)大(da)酉。”清(qing)(qing)乾隆(long)三十年《辰州府志》和清(qing)(qing)道光《辰溪縣(xian)志》也(ye)均(jun)有(you)詳細記載。1936年以前,川湘(xiang)公路未(wei)修,官路離(li)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)口約一(yi)華(hua)里,從那條自洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)中(zhong)流(liu)出的(de)小溪的(de)石(shi)橋上(shang)(shang)通(tong)過。溪畔(pan)桃(tao)(tao)(tao)樹特多,一(yi)到(dao)春天,桃(tao)(tao)(tao)花盛開,落瑛繽紛,溪水流(liu)紅。明代無名(ming)(ming)氏在洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)壁題刻絕(jue)句一(yi)首:“洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)前流(liu)水渺漫(man)漫(man),洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)里桃(tao)(tao)(tao)花漸漸殘(can)。曼倩不來漁父(fu)去,道人(ren)閑倚石(shi)闌干。”明季酉陽(yang)宣慰使冉天育(yu)在詠(yong)大(da)酉洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)“八景”的(de)詩中(zhong)也(ye)有(you)“萬山(shan)嶙(lin)峋洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)天幽,結酗聯翩作勝游(you)(you)。霄際(ji)松風青靄(ai)靄(ai),洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)邊桃(tao)(tao)(tao)瓣水悠悠……”都(dou)是詠(yong)這“桃(tao)(tao)(tao)澗流(liu)紅”勝景的(de)。
大酉(you)洞,在(zai)酉(you)陽城近(jin)郊。核其形,與(yu)陶淵(yuan)明(ming)“桃(tao)花源記”所記酷似。
現(xian)酉陽縣(xian)政府正著手開發大酉洞風景區,按《州(zhou)志(zhi)》所記(ji)恢復舊貌,根據(ju)游覽(lan)需要配以現(xian)代(dai)旅游設施,供人們欣賞游樂(le)。