Shrouded in mist and towering nearly five times as high as the famous Qutub Minar in Delhi, Yuntai Falls in China’s central Henan province is described as China’s “tallest uninterrupted waterfall” by local officials.
This natural marvel draws millions of visitors annually, captivated by its towering cascade within the Yuntai Mountain scenic area. However, recent revelations have uncovered a concealed network of water pipes boosting its flow, prompting widespread discussion and controversy.
The secret behind the waterfall was unveiled after footage taken by a hiker circulated on Chinese social media. The video showed water gushing out of pipes high up the rock face, suggesting that the waterfall’s flow is not entirely natural.
In response, tourist officials at the Yuntai Mountain scenic resort admitted to making a “small enhancement” to the waterfall to improve the viewing experience for tourists.
“Depending on the season, I cannot guarantee that I am in my best condition whenever my friends come to see me,” read a statement from the perspective of the waterfall. The officials did not specify when the pipes were constructed or how often they are used but indicated that during the wetter summer months, visitors would witness the waterfall’s natural magnificence, reported Washington Post.
How did netizens react?
Yuntai Falls, with a vertical drop of 314 meters, is a prominent feature of the Yuntai Geopark, which attracts more than seven million visitors each year. The park, one of 213 globally certified as a UNESCO Global Geopark, leverages its geological heritage to enhance awareness of key societal issues. Despite the park’s claim of enhancing the waterfall for a better visitor experience, the revelation sparked a torrent of comments on social media.
One comment on Toutiao, a Chinese information platform, humorously suggested, “If Dubai affixed a water pipe to the top of the Burj Khalifa — the tallest building in the world — would it not become the world’s tallest waterfall instead?” Another user on Weibo criticised the crude installation of the pipe, saying, “The main thing is that the water pipe is so crudely installed, others at least disguise it in a superior way.”
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Some netizens defended the enhancement, with one saying, “It is better than seeing no water at all,” and another adding, “It is a good faith effort for the scenic area to maintain the landscape during dry periods.”
Yuntai waterfalls spark internal conflict
The Yuntai Falls’ enhancement also sparked tensions between Henan and neighboring Shanxi province. Henan officials have previously accused Shanxi of diverting water from Yuntai by planning to construct a reservoir and dam upstream, causing the waterfall to dry up in some months.
The video that revealed the pipes was recorded from a steep area beyond the permitted tourist zone, leading to further complications. Henan Daily reported, “After verification from multiple sources, the scenic area [management] found that the person who filmed the original video climbed up to the spot on a trail from another province.”
The controversy has led to discussions about the balance between natural beauty and tourism enhancements. Yuntai Falls, boasting China’s highest tourism site classification, sees significant footfall, with over 11 million visitors in 2019. The attraction made headlines in 2015 when operators installed a glass skywalk that was shut down after cracks formed during a holiday weekend, reported The Guardian.
The park’s official website highlights the natural landscape’s geological formations dating back more than a billion years, attracting both Chinese and international tourists. However, the recent admission has raised questions about the integrity of such natural wonders.
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An unnamed official from the scenic park spoke to Washington Post: “Considering that many visitors come all the way from out of town, the scenic area set up an auxiliary device to divert water to the source of the waterfall, in a move to boost visitor experience based on natural landscape and to make sure the Yuntai Falls stays visually appealing even in the dry season.”
With inputs from agencies
