Monday, June 10, 2024 Scenic park operators in Henan province, China, have recently come under fire after admitting that the country’s highest waterfall, Yuntai Falls, relies on a man-made pipe to maintain its flow. This revelation has stirred controversy and sparked widespread debate on social media platforms about the authenticity and integrity of natural attractions. A viral video on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) exposed a concealed pipe at the top of Yuntai Falls.
This video, which has garnered over 48,000 shares, shows a tourist uncovering the pipe. This prompted park officials to admit to using an artificial enhancement to supplement the waterfall during periods of low rainfall. Park authorities defended their actions in a statement on their Weibo account, explaining that the pipe was installed to “enrich the visiting experience” and ensure that visitors feel their trip was worthwhile, especially after traveling long distances.
They attributed the need for this enhancement to seasonal dry spells, which diminish the natural flow of the waterfall. The response from Chinese netizens has been mixed: Despite the controversy, Yuntai Falls remains a significant attraction. Touted as the highest waterfall in Asia with a vertical drop of 314 meters, it continues to draw millions of visitors.
In 2023 alone, the Yuntai Mountain scenic area welcomed over seven million tourists, underlining its status as a key destination in China’s tourism landscape. This incident .
