Operators of a scenic park in China’s Henan province have admitted to using a pipe to enhance the China’s highest waterfall due to insufficient rainfall. The revelation came after a video posted by a Douyin user (the Chinese version of TikTok) showed a tourist exposing a large pipe at the top of Yuntai Falls. The waterfall, known as the steepest in China, is a key attraction in the Yuntai Mountain scenic area. The video, shared 48,000 times, spurred widespread social media reactions, prompting park officials to issue a statement on Tuesday.
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
In their letter, the officials attributed the enhancement to seasonal factors, acknowledging the use of a pipe to supplement the waterfall during the dry season. This measure, they explained, was intended to “enrich the visiting experience” and ensure the trip was “worthwhile” for tourists who had traveled long distances. The statement was posted on their Weibo social media account.
The disclosure sparked a flurry of comments from Chinese netizens. One Weibo user criticized the crude installation of the pipe, noting that others at least attempt to disguise such enhancements more effectively. Another user expressed that the move showed a lack of respect for both nature and visitors.
Yuntai Falls, promoted by park officials as the highest waterfall in Asia with a 314-meter vertical drop, attracted over seven million visitors in 2023, according to local tourism authorities.
Some netizens took a more lenient view of the situation. One user remarked that the pipe was preferable to seeing no water at all, while another suggested it was a good faith effort by the scenic area to maintain the landscape during dry periods.