Pictures expose truth about famous Chinese waterfall

A 314m waterfall is revered as the tallest in China – but a new video has raised some eyebrows.

A video has cast doubt on the provenance of the “Milky Way” water feeding a famous waterfall in China, suggesting it might not all be the work of mother nature.

The 314m Yuntai Waterfall is revered as the tallest in China and has attracted an AAAAA rating from the nation’s tourism body.

But a video posted to social media platform Weibo this week has revealed some of the cascading water was being pumped in by pipes.

The source of Asia's highest #waterfall is a water pipe?😅 In Xiuwu County, Henan Province, the Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area boasts the "highest waterfall in Asia," the Yuntai Mountain Waterfall, with a staggering drop of 314 meters.
A man discovered with a #drone on Tuesday that… pic.twitter.com/m4EJ7rjQz7

— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) June 4, 2024

The video, taken by a visitor using a drone, went viral on Chinese sites where it gained about 14 million interactions.

It prompted the Yuntai National Park management to respond – posing as the waterfall itself – saying a “small enhancement” to the natural wonder was needed “to ensure that tourists do not go away disappointed”.

“In order to enrich your visiting experience and make your visit worthwhile, I made a small enhancement during the dry season, just to meet you in a better posture,” it said.

The waterfall is claimed to be the tallest in China.

One of the pipes seen feeding the falls. Pictures: Supplied

The revelation prompted much discussion online but some appeared to find the discovery humorous rather than deceitful.

“We come here to have fun. We come here to see the beauty. The beauty is good and the pictures are good!” one commenter said, according to The Guardian.

Another wrote: “Appropriate artificial intervention increases the beauty of the scenic area. This is essentially to give tourists a better experience.”

The site in Henan province attracts millions of visitors per year and has made headlines for the wrong reasons in the past.

In 2015, officials were forced to close a newly installed glass walkway after cracks began to appear.

The walking track was suspended 120m above a canyon and was open less than a month before the damage was identified.