In Huaping, water  is the most charming element, be it a small brook or a magnificent waterfall

On the outskirts of Huaping Nature Preservation Zone lies a very beautiful place: the natural but mysterious Nine-beach Waterfall (Jiu Tan Waterfall). The locals refer to a drop of elevation as Tan (beach), so Nine-beach Waterfall means the waterfall has nine drops from the upper reach to the lower reach, with a beach as part of the waterfall. Although it is said to be the waterfall with the largest drop in elevation around Guilin , it remains unexploited.

The waterfall is located in the Huangsha town of Lingui County, where three rivers converge. However, only the last two parts of the waterfall can be seen from the roadside, as the other seven are deep within the dense forest. Reaching the valley, travelers can hear the sounds of the flowing water through the thick forest.

The first sight to hit the eyes is the fourth part of the waterfall, which is about six to seven meters high and four meters wide, with water pouring down from a bluff and forming a 40-square-meter blue pool at the bottom. Above is the third part, which is even more magnificent, looking like a peacock spreading its tail when the water pours down. The fifth part falls on tiers of bluffs, ending in a deep pool surrounded by two rock cliffs, which are covered with moss due to a yearlong lack of sunshine.

Flowing down from a gap halfway on the hillside, the sixth part narrows into a mountain brook about 60 meters long. The first part is believed to have the biggest drop in elevation, falling straightly for about 30 meters. Following closely is the

A village by the side of the third part of Nine-beach Waterfall, water is still the mainattraction.

second part of the waterfall, which is the most mysterious part, as the five-meter-high waterfall is stopped by a huge rock. Therefore, even if travelers walk very closely to the waterside, they can only see some water sprays.

The eighth part has been diverted for irrigation, so it is less than ten meters high. The ninth part, rather than a waterfall, looks more like an abruptly dropping stream, with a drop of only a meter. The seventh part, having a drop of over 30 meters, is also one of the highest of the nine parts.

 Legend of the waterfall

It is said that the site of the waterfall used to be covered all over by stones and hills, where once lived the legendary hero-Guang Fu Wang (the King of Wide Blessing) together with his mother and younger sister. His sister took a special fancy to water, but unfortunately fell sick and died soon afterwards.

To fulfill his sister's wish, Guang Fu Wang decided to build a lake in her memory. From then on, he went to the mountaintop every day, exerting magic power on the stones and forcing them down.

Then one day, while he was driving down the stones, his mother came to him with some food. The important secret was thus revealed, and the stones refused to move. Much annoyed, Guang Fu Wang lashed a heavy whip at a big stone, cutting it into halves, while the whip itself also tore into nine parts, scattering over the valley and turning into the nine parts of the waterfall.

Author: Jessie

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