Hukou Waterfalls
waterfall on the Yellow River in China; second largest waterfall in China
The Hukou Waterfalls (simplified Chinese: 壶口瀑布; traditional Chinese: 壺口瀑布; pinyin: Húkǒu Pùbù) is the largest waterfall on the Yellow River, the second largest waterfall in China (after the Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou), and the world's largest yellow waterfall. It is located at the intersection of the provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi, 165 km (103 mi) to the west of Fenxi County, and 50 km (31 mi) to the east of Yichuan County where the middle reaches of the Yellow River flow through Jinxia Grand Canyon. The width of the waterfall changes with the season, usually 30 metres (98 ft) wide but increasing to 50 m (164 ft) during flood season. It has a height of over 20 m (66 ft). When the Yellow River approaches the Hukou Mountain, blocked by mountains on both sides, its width is abruptly narrowed down to 20–30 m (66–98 ft). The water's velocity increases, and then plunges over a narrow opening on a cliff, forming a waterfall 15 m (49 ft) high and 20 m (66 ft) wide, as if water were pouring down from a huge teapot. Hence it gets the nickname Hukou (literally, "flask mouth") Waterfall.
Just below the waterfall, there is a shining stone called guǐshí (鬼石). What makes the stone mysterious is that it moves up and down according to the water level. No matter how large the water volume, it is still at least partly visible.
“Hukou Waterfalls” enters the record as waterfall on the Yellow River in China; second largest waterfall in China. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Hukou, Waterfalls and waterfall can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Hukou Waterfalls” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Hukou, Waterfalls and waterfall provides the most credible route into that argument.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q602973. Authority coordinates are 36.147, 110.444. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Hukou Waterfalls”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Hukou Waterfalls primary sources, Hukou Waterfalls archive and Hukou research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Hukou Waterfalls”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Hukou Waterfalls” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.