Xiangshan Waterfall

Xiangshan Waterfall

Xiangshan Waterfall is located in Baishui, Banqiao, Chenzhou County, and is one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Chenzhou. The sight of Xiangshan Waterfall is truly spectacular: from a distance, nestled among verdant cliffs and emerald walls, “a single line splits the green of the mountains, the waterfall cascades like a long white silk ribbon,” resembling an exquisitely beautiful landscape painting; up close, the waterfall plunges down from a cliff over two hundred meters high, crashing to the ground and sending up thousands of layers of snowy spray, accompanied by a thunderous roar that is both majestic and awe-inspiring. If the sky clears after rain and the sun hangs low in the west, the waterfall reflects the sunlight, creating a magnificent rainbow that stretches across the sky.

Since ancient times, the breathtaking scenery of Xiangshan Waterfall has captivated visitors, inspiring numerous poems and paintings. During the Song Dynasty, the painter Wang Maoyue visited Chenzhou and captured the waterfall in his artwork, creating a painting titled “The Marvelous Clarity of Baishui in Chenzhou.” Gao Side, a minister of the imperial court, was deeply moved by this majestic scene upon seeing the painting and gladly inscribed a poem on it: “In this sacred land lie wondrous treasures, in this enlightened realm no hidden jewels remain. As Su Dongpo spoke of people, I instead compose of wondrous clarity. Majestic is this Baishui, who sends it rushing through the azure sky…” Fan Tingmou, the prefect of the region, composed a poem about Xiangshan Waterfall that paints an even more vivid picture: “Jade-green cliffs on all sides lock in the lush hills, where myriad peaks converge as a single spring takes flight. Snow-like spray reels from the sky, thunderous chaos returns to the valley’s depths. Like silk unfurled it lies still in the evening haze, like silver it glimmers in the slanting light. Where are the herb-gatherers of old? Only a refreshing chill clings to the traveler’s robe.”