Shimen Waterfall

Shimen Waterfall

Shimen Waterfall is a hanging waterfall located within the Shimen Cave Scenic Area, facing northeast and composed of five tiers.

The Shimen Waterfall cluster originates from Dongbei Village, where the canyon on both sides of the stream is about 300 meters wide at the top and about 50 meters wide at the bottom, with a slope of approximately 60 degrees, forming a "V" shape. Its water flow and volume rank first among the Three Great Waterfalls of East China (Dalongqiu, Shiliang, and Shimen Waterfall). Thanks to its forested source, which has strong water conservation capabilities, the water volume remains relatively high even in winter, making it a “unique spectacle of East China.”

From the first to the fifth tier, the stream flows for about 800 meters along the bottom of the pools, with a total drop of about 180 meters and a catchment area of 5 square kilometers. The first tier has a drop of 20 meters, a width of 2 meters, a pool area of about 150 square meters, and a maximum depth of about 5 meters. In front of the first tier, an 80-meter-long iron suspension bridge spans the cliffs on the east and west sides, turning a natural barrier into a thoroughfare.

The second tier has a drop of about 22 meters, a width of about 2.5 meters, a pool area of about 120 square meters, and a maximum depth of about 2 meters.

The third tier has a drop of about 7.5 meters, a width of about 1.5 meters, a pool area of about 50 square meters, and a depth of about 1 meter.

The fourth tier has a drop of about 10 meters, a pool area of about 20 square meters, and a maximum depth of about 2 meters.

The fifth tier is located at the very end of Shimen Cave. The waterfall cascades straight down from a 5-meter-wide, 112.5-meter-high cliff, resembling dancing dragons and white serpents.

The pool below the waterfall is also called Jiyin Pool (Silver Accumulation Pool), with an area of about 1,500 square meters, a maximum depth of about 10 meters, and crystal-clear waters where fish can be seen swimming. To maintain the waterfall’s water flow, a reservoir with a capacity of 160,000 cubic meters was built in 2002 in Dongbei Village upstream of the first tier. The waterfall’s flow varies little with the seasons, but the rainy season is the best time to view it.

Shimen Waterfall consists of bluish-gray limestone, which is hard in texture. The formation and development of the waterfall are related to geological faults. The mountain is controlled by a tensional fault zone, where faulting occurs due to mutual repulsion, and over time, water erosion along the fault plane has caused the waterfall to form. The continuous impact on the ground below the falls, along with water convergence in areas with steep cliffs and significant elevation drops, has resulted in the creation of numerous spectacular waterfalls.

Address: Shimen Cave Scenic Area, Qingtian County, Lishui City

Type: Geological Landform Waterfall