China’s Yuntai Waterfall is generally regarded as Asia’s most impressive waterfall and is often described as a natural wonder. However, it turns out that its spectacular water show is artificially enhanced.

Yuntai Waterfall is the most popular scenic spot in the Yuntai Mountains, drawing millions of tourists annually. The tallest waterfall in Asia (a sheer drop of 314 meters) offers stunning vistas and a breathtaking spectacle that was recently revealed to be the result of modern technology. A Chinese vlogger managed to make their way to the top of Yuntai Waterfall where they spotted large metal pipes feeding water into the waterfall for an enhanced video effect. At first, the viral video of the discovery was criticized as fake, but sources from the Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area acknowledged that the waterfall is slightly enhanced to ensure a pleasant experience for tourists, regardless of natural factors.

Apparently, Yuntai Waterfall isn’t very impressive during the dry season, so Chinese authorities decided to help it out with a few pumps and pipes, to keep tourists coming all year long. On June 4th, the Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area explained through its WeChat public account that the waterfall is a seasonal attraction and does not have abundant water all year. To make sure it’s always impressive to look at, “a small improvement has been made with the help pf water pumps and pipes”.

The news that Asia’s most spectacular waterfall was artificially enhanced shocked many in China, but some netizens said that they knew about the situation, adding that the scenic area officials didn’t tell the whole story. Apparently, the upstream water source feeding Yuntai Waterfall is located in Shanxi Province, while the waterfall itself lies in Henan Province. At one point, authorities in Shanxi Province built a reservoir to cut off the water flow, so the only way to keep Yuntai Waterfall flowing as before was with water pumps.

 

The viral video showing the pipes at the top of Yuntai Waterfall sparked outrage among Chinese netizens, leaving many in disbelief that this natural wonder is actually artificially enhanced.

“The tallest waterfall in Asia is not a masterpiece of nature?!” a shocked Weibo user asked.