Is Hukou Waterfall Worth Visiting? What Scenic Wonders Does It Have?

Located five kilometers downstream of Hukou Waterfall, two shuttle-shaped huge boulders stand towering amid the raging current on the riverbed to the right of the Yellow River valley. In ancient times, they were known as the "Stepping Stones of Nine Rivers". The river splits into two streams rushing past both sides of the boulders before converging again.

Legend has it that the two islets originally formed a single mountain blocking the river and triggering widespread floods. When Yu the Great tamed the floods, he split the mountain into two to unclog the waterway. Viewed from afar, the twin mounds resemble boats; up close, they look like mountains; looking down from above, they appear as a gateway. Another folk tale tells that descendants of the Meng brothers were swept away by the river but rescued right here, hence the name Mengmen Mountain (Meng’s Gateway Mountain).

Above Mengmen Mountain, the Yellow River has carved a deep trench into its sedimentary rock riverbed, through which the present Yellow River flows. This gully stretches five kilometers long and over thirty meters wide, earning it the name "Ten-Li Dragon Trough". Geologists verify that modern Mengmen Mountain consists of residual riverbed sections from the southern extension of the ancient Ten-Li Dragon Trough. The downstream segment of the trough valley was eroded away by river currents, leaving the two massive boulders in the middle of the channel. Geologically speaking, Mengmen Mountain is a rare river-island relic formed by long-term fluvial erosion.

The Greater Mengmen Islet measures roughly 300 meters long, 50 meters wide, and rises 10 meters above the water surface. A giant stone turtle sculpture sits atop the islet, carrying a statue of Yu the Great on its back. Carved into the stone cliff on its southern face are four large characters Wozhen Kuangliu (Calm the raging currents beneath), inscribed in the early Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty by Xu Huanying, Prefect of Jinming. The stone plaque is 2.5 meters long and 1 meter wide, perfectly depicting the landscape: Mengmen Mountain stands firm against surging muddy torrents, never submerged even when floodwaters surge sky-high.

A poetic couplet describes Mengmen: "To the south it links the age-old spirit of the Dragon Gate; to the north it connects the narrow sky of Hukou." Together with the Dragon Gate and Hukou Waterfall, Mengmen forms the Three Wonders of the Yellow River, distinguished by its unique charm. An ancient poem writes: "Mist and rain shroud Hukou all year round; waves pound Mengmen on both banks."

A local legend tells of a prefect traveling to the capital by boat. He moored at the foot of Mengmen Mountain as dusk fell. Climbing the mountain at night, he admired the river scenery under a bright full moon whose reflection shimmered on the rippling water. Inspired by the tranquil moonlight, he composed the line: "Mountains shift with flowing waves; moonlight floats atop white spray." This scene, known as "Moonlight over Mengmen", ranks among the Top Ten Sights of Hukou.

Hukou Waterfall is a natural cascade formed where the middle reaches of the Yellow River cut through the Qin-Jin Grand Canyon. Bordering Yichuan County of Shaanxi Province to the west and Ji County of Shanxi Province to the east, it lies 40 kilometers from downtown Yichuan and around 25 kilometers southwest of Ji County. The waterfall spans 50 meters wide and plunges 50 meters deep, with a maximum water surface area of 30,000 square meters. It ranks as China’s second-largest waterfall, second only to Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou Province.

Here, the broad Yellow River, once over 300 meters wide, is abruptly constricted by steep cliffs on both sides, forming a narrow funnel shape. The torrent surges down a 50-meter drop, churning and pouring as if emptied from an enormous bronze kettle — hence the name Hukou, literally "Water Kettle Mouth". Two world-famous natural wonders, Boats Traveling on Dry Land and Smoke Rising from the River Bottom, can only be seen here. Two daredevils, Ko Chou-liang and Zhu Zhaohui, successively drove a car and a motorcycle to leap across the Yellow River at Hukou.

Covering about 100 square kilometers, Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area is jointly administered by Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces. It was designated a National Key Scenic Spot in 1988 and is now a National AAAA Tourist Attraction. Steep mountains flank the river on both banks, and the current has gouged a massive gully into the rocky riverbed — 30 meters wide and 50 meters deep. Swirling yellow water plunges downward like galloping horses, creating roaring billows audible miles away. The whole formation boils like a giant kettle, giving the waterfall its name. In spring and autumn when the river runs clear, direct sunlight refracts off the waves to paint dancing rainbows across the falls, a breathtaking sight. Ming poet Chen Weifan captured the view in his verse: "Autumn winds roll up thousands of layers of waves; the evening sun paints ten thousand feet of crimson glow."

As recorded in the ancient text Book of Documents · Tribute of Yu in just eight characters: "The river whirls here like a kettle", vividly capturing the iconic shape of Hukou Waterfall where the Yellow River narrows sharply from over 300 meters to merely 50 meters wide upon entering Yichuan and Ji County