But this reminds the experts of the other possibility that the Longyou Grottoes were once storehouses, because of the grottoes situated along the river, bringing much convenience for transportation.

Zhu Liangcai, one of the first experts to research the grottoes from Zhejiang University, researched the mud at the grottoes' bottom and found it had a high ratio of salt, which might mean that the place was once used to store salt. Considering the grottoes' geological location, Zhu thinks that the grottoes might once were military storehouses.

"The place was of great military significance in the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). And a base was very crucial for any military movement. Longyou Grottoes is both a land and water traffic hub, which can be used to store the goods and materials. The grottoes have two unique features: First, all the grottoes are not linked; second, the mouths are small and in the square shape. The two features resemble much to that of cellars," said Zhu.

Longyou County's geological location in the middle of Qujiang River makes the county an important component in the water system on the south of Qiantang River. Historical records show that the lower reaches of Qiantang River had a wide river with abundant water. Huge ships once shuttled between Hangzhou and Longyou yearlong. In the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC), when Longyou was named Gumie, it was the water transportation center. To the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-24AD), Gumie was renamed "Taimo," as by then, it had become not only a water transportation center, but also an important military base.

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