West Grand Waterfall

West Grand Waterfall

Located in the Yanhu Scenic Area, on the right side of Xishiliang Cave. Upon reaching the cave entrance, one can “hear the waterfall roaring like thunder.” The waterfall cascades straight down from a cliff about 160 meters high along the steep rock face, splashing against rocks halfway down, with droplets sparkling like myriads of beads. The sound of the rushing water is deafening. At times, the waterfall “plunges as if massive boulders were falling one after another into the pool,” creating a booming roar. The circular deep pool at the base where the waterfall plunges directly is called Shangtan, also known as Grand Waterfall Pool.

When the waterfall crashes into the pool surface, besides producing an ear-splitting roar, one can also see the water churning and bubbling like boiling. When Shangtan is full, the water flows southwest, then turns back southward into Xia tan. Xia tan is larger and shallower, with clear water allowing visibility to the bottom and fish clearly visible.

Xu Xiake wrote in his travel diary: “Its height is second only to Longqiu, yet it appears even more majestic, thus it is by no means a second-tier waterfall among rocky mountains.”