A well-known waterfall in China has attracted heightened interest following a video that suggests its impressive flow may be supported by a water pipe.
The Yuntai Waterfall, situated in Yuntai Mountain Park in north-central Henan province, is a major tourist destination with an AAAAA rating—the highest designation given by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The park’s website describes the waterfall’s cascade as “like the Milky Way flying down,” but recent scrutiny has arisen over its water source.
A video shared on Chinese social media this week appears to show a pipe feeding water to the 314-meter-tall (1,030-foot) falls, raising questions about whether the waterfall is as natural as previously thought.
In response to the video, Yuntai Mountain Park’s management clarified that the water enhancement was necessary due to seasonal changes. “
(The waterfall) cannot always present its most beautiful appearance because of seasonal variations,” they said, noting that the waterfall had undergone “a tiny improvement during the dry season.”
The management expressed appreciation for the public’s attention and assured that the waterfall would be displayed in its “most perfect and most natural form” this summer.
While the video surprised many in China, some social media users supported the park’s explanation. One Weibo user remarked, “The source of a waterfall is not what people came to see anyway; I don’t think it counts as lying to the public.”
Another user compared it to observing a peacock, stating, “You are there to see a peacock flaunting his tail, not to focus on the peacock’s butt.”
Yuntai is not the only waterfall in China to receive additional support. The country’s monsoon climate often results in decreased water flow during dry seasons.
For instance, the Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou province also faced similar issues during dry periods. In 2004, a dam was constructed to ensure its continuous flow, with the province praising the dam for ending the waterfall’s history of drying up.
