KUALA LUMPUR: The management of Henan's Yuntai Geopark in China is facing criticism following allegations that its famous waterfall is man-made with water that comes out from a pipe hidden within the rocks.
A hiker posted a video showing that the water flow from Yuntai Mountain Waterfall, which is touted as China's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, was actually coming from a pipe embedded in the rock face.
The video, posted on Monday by the user "Farisvov," has garnered over 70,000 likes. The caption reads: "The one about how I went through all the hardship to the source of Yuntai Waterfall only to see a pipe."
The topic "The origin of Yuntai Waterfall is just some pipes" quickly went viral, amassing over 14 million views on Weibo and nearly 10 million views on Douyin (China's version of Tik Tok). This uproar prompted local government officials to investigate, leading them to ask park operators to inform tourists about such enhancements in advance, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV.
The operators of Yuntai tourism park explained that the "small enhancement" was implemented during the dry season to ensure visitors felt their trip was worthwhile. They later posted on behalf of the waterfall: "I didn't expect to meet everyone this way. As a seasonal scenery, I can't guarantee my most beautiful form every time you visit. I made a small enhancement during the dry season just to look my best for my friends."
Located in central Henan province within the Yuntai Mountain Geopark, a Unesco Global Geopark, the 312-metre-high Yuntai Waterfall attracts millions of visitors each year with its billion-year-old geological formations. Park officials clarified to CCTV that the water used to sustain the falls is spring water and assured it does not harm the natural landscape.
Reactions on social media were mixed. While some users understood the rationale, with one Douyin comment liked nearly 40,000 times saying: "Yuntai park: Does this person not have better things to do?" and another Weibo user expressing support, others were critical.
A Weibo user commented: "It's not respecting the natural order, and not respecting the tourists," and another on Douyin questioned: "How could it be called the No.1 waterfall anymore?"
This isn't the first instance of artificial interventions for waterfalls in China. The Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou province has relied on a water diversion project from a nearby dam since 2006 to maintain its flow during dry seasons.