China’s social media erupted in response to a revelation made by a hiker regarding one of the nation’s most renowned waterfalls, standing at 312 meters tall in Henan province. The hiker, documented by the BBC, shared a video on the Douyin app revealing water flowing from a pipe hidden high in the rocks at Mount Yudai’s waterfall.
Chinese officials have been forced to apologise, after a hiker's video revealed that China's highest waterfall may be supplied by a water pipe.
The video, on Douyin app, showed the flow of water from the Yuntai Mountain Waterfall coming from a pipe built into the rock face.
— BFM News (@NewsBFM) June 7, 2024
The post, captioned by user “Farisvov,” quickly garnered tens of thousands of likes within just 24 hours, sparking widespread curiosity and discussion about the authenticity of the waterfall’s natural origins. This topic surged across Chinese social media platforms, prompting millions of views and even leading to a government investigation at the Yudai Tourist Park.
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Eventually, park officials conceded to making “minor enhancements” during dry seasons to ensure visitors’ satisfaction, issuing an apologetic statement on social media. The Yudai Waterfall, nestled within the UNESCO-recognized Geopark of Mount Yudai, attracts millions of tourists annually due to its stunning geological features formed over millions of years. While some social media users were divided in their opinions, expressing frustration at the perceived deception, others justified the park’s actions as necessary for maintaining the area’s appeal.
