The Yellow River is the mother river of the Chinese nation. In its
basin, there is a tourist attraction that visitors should not miss. That
is Hukou Waterfall, a glistening pearl in the middle reaches of the
Yellow River. It is located in Yichuan County in Yan'an City, Shaanxi
Province. It is the only magnificent yellow waterfall in the world and
the second biggest waterfall in China after Huangguoshu Waterfall.
When the mighty Yellow River flows through mountains and gorges to
Hukou, the billowy water streams narrow suddenly, falling 30 meters (33
yards) into a deep riverbed like a herd of galloping horses,
transforming the quiet river into a turbulent one. The thundering sound
can be heard from quite a distance. The tremendous mass of water strikes
the rocks, creating piles of foam and huge water poles. It is an
amazing view with mist all around. The riverbed here is like an enormous
teapot absorbing all the rushing water, so the waterfall is named Hukou
Waterfall (Kettle Spout Falls). No matter its rumbling sound, its grand
vigor or its marvelous scenery can make you exclaim that the nature is
really incredible.
The power of the yellow water of Hukou
Waterfall is tremendous when falling down to the pond, so it is hard for
you to get close to the main waterfall. Looking from a distance, you
still can enjoy the vast and gorgeous yellow ocean of mist-covered
water. The big waves and foam, like angry beasts, are running and
roaring. The beauty and vigor of the waterfalls are indeed beyond words.
You cannot know unless you visit it in person.
There are many wonders at Hukou Waterfall, such as smoke from the
river, boats on land, rainbows in the sunshine, and so on. In Hukou the
water falls to the deep pond from a relatively high place, stirring the
mist which rises high into the air like surging heavy smoke coming out
of the river. You can see various shapes of rainbows formed by the
rising mist, refracted by the sunshine from different angles. Sometimes
rainbows are arched, cutting into the river from the sky like a dragon
playing with water; sometimes they are colored ribbons lying across the
river; sometimes they become colorful masses which change second by
second. The water in Hukou is very much torrential, so all the boats
from the upper reaches must be pulled out of the river onto to the bank
when they arrive. These boats will have to detour around this section,
carried by a group of boatmen or shipped by truck before they can be put
in the river again.
The view of Hukou Waterfall changes
according to the seasons. In spring the frozen ground thaws and the
stalactites of snow fall into the pond like the mountains collapsing and
the earth cracking up. In summer and autumn there is much rainfall.
With the rains, the river rushes and the yellow waves seem to reach the
sky. In winter Hukou Waterfall gives the visitors another new look. On
the surface of the silvery ice waterfalls, cool water flows down. Little
silver icicles hang on the cliffs around the waterfalls. It presents
you a distinctive natural landscape of the northern region of China. The
Hukou Waterfall has for years attracted visitors from all over the
world. You can have a better understanding of natural wonder if you come
here in person.
Address: Yinchuan County, Shaanxi Province |
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