Hiker Finds China’s Highest Waterfall Fed by Pipes; What Is the Purpose of This ‘Small Enhancement’?

The highest natural waterfall in China faces controversy after a viral video shows water coming out from a pipe.

An Unexpected View

The Yuntai Sky Fall is considered one of the highest tourism sites in China, and it is located inside the Yuntai Mountain Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark. At more than 1,000 feet (305 meters), it has become popular with visitors who enjoy the view of the water torrent from a platform near its base.

However, a local hiker discovered that the waterfall is actually fed by a concrete-clad pipe which releases copious amounts of water at the top of a cliff face. After the video clip was uploaded on Douyin, China's version of Tiktok, it made its rounds on social media as it seems to be an engineering trick designed to put on a show for tourists.

The hiker said that it was hard to reach the source of water in the famous fall, and when they got there, they were disappointed to find only a pipe. The video has been liked over 70,000 times since it was first posted on June 3. It also received more than 14 million views and was shared thousands of times on Weibo, the largest microblogging site in China.

Truth Behind the Enhancement

The discovery caused an uproar, and Chinese local government officials were sent to Yuntai Park to conduct an investigation. As social media users questioned the apparent deception, the park officials released a statement on June 4 to clear things up. They explained that a "small enhancement" was made during the dry season to give the tourists a worthwhile trip during their visit.

Most viewers understood the decision of the authorities to keep the water flowing. According to one Weibo user, is it still a good thing to see the grand waterfall even during the dry season. Another one also noted that many scenic spots actually do this during the dry season, and without the water, the site would not feel worth the visit.

However, other viewers were disappointed with the discovery. For some users, the park was actually deceiving tourists and was just trying to gain profit from them. According to the data from the Department of Culture and Tourism in the eastern Henan Province, Yuntai Sky Fall received over 7 million visitors in 2023.

Article 48 of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China states that "websites releasing information on tourism operation shall ensure the authenticity and accuracy of such information." Before the video was uploaded, the pipe was not mentioned on the park's social media accounts or website.

There are other artificial waterfalls in the country, such as the Tiantai Mountain located in the eastern Zhejiang province which is known for its "punctual clocking off." The site has been dried for six decades because of a reservoir construction. In 2013, it was turned into a cascading waterfall which currently runs for set hours every day.

Local government officials also asked the operators of Yuntai Sky Falls to learn their lesson from the incident. They also encourage them to explain the enhancements to visitors ahead of time.