Viral: the Chinese tale of the highest waterfall in the country. It was actually a pipe.

A tall tale is, popularly, a story based on smoke. And that could be the origin of the Yuntai waterfall, located on the mountain of the same name and also in the national park of the same name, one of the most visited in China. At least that is what has been discovered thanks to a video published on the social network Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok that unmasks a hidden pipe that feeds what is said to be the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the country, an engineering trick apparently designed to put on a show for visitors.

The video, shared by a local hiker, shows a concrete-lined pipe pumping large amounts of water to the top of the cliff. Now that the trick has been discovered, Yuntai park officials are in damage control mode and admit that they had made a “small improvement” to keep Yuntain Mountain waterfall running during the dry season.

“I didn't expect to meet everyone this way,” the park later wrote in a post. As a seasonal scenario, I can't guarantee that I will be in my best shape every time you come to see me.”

The problem is that this It would not be the only or the first time that a Chinese waterfall receives “a little stimulus” during the dry season: the Huangguoshu dam in southwestern China is being supported by a dam, allowing it to continue flowing year-round.

Users of the platform China's Weibo social networks were divided after the hiker revealed the pipeline that feeds Yuntai Falls. While some do not accept the deception, others are willing to give a vote of confidence to those responsible for the park.

Whatever the position of the visitors, the reality is that We will surely see more measures like these, taking into account climate change and water scarcity in many geographical locations on the planet.