黄果树瀑布

李雷

“黃果奴千树，青山畀一条。静垂昊女练，急卷浙江潮。”现代文学家、教育家施蛰存先生行至黄果树瀑布，感叹大自然的鬼斧神工，动情地留下此笔墨。黄果树风景名胜区位于贵州省安顺市镇宁布依族苗族自治县，景区内植被丰富，素有“天然氧吧”之称。

每年的六月至八月是黄果树瀑布的丰水期，也是观赏瀑布的最佳时期，游客络绎不绝。进入景区，首先映入眼帘的便是苍劲雄浑、潇洒飘逸的园林景致，花卉植物众多，较为醒目的是三角梅，从岩石上披挂下来，充满了诗情画意。穿过园林，乘坐电梯，便可到达黄果树瀑布观赏地，无论站在哪一隅望向瀑布，都会令人由衷感叹自己如沧海一粟，如此渺小。瀑布似银河决口，从九天崩泻而下，万斛明珠在幕帘上如嬉戏玩耍般抛珠溅玉，千军扑地，落入万仞深渊，顿时声若涛涌，好似万马失蹄，气势磅礴。

沿着崎岖的山路向上攀登，烟雾朦胧，水汽缭绕，身处其中，沁人心脾的凉意伴着水雾扑面而来。继续前行，目之所及便是一个天然岩洞，近百米长，将瀑布拦腰截断。透过洞窗向外眺望，但见流水如雄狮怒吼般向下倾泻。阳光照射在瀑布上，放出金灿灿的光芒，美得别有洞天。

在黄果树瀑布下游，能看到天星桥景区。此景区地下是溶洞，呈空心状，整个地面宛若一座桥。进入景区后，不一会儿便到达“水上石林”，许多大石块矗立水中。奇特的是，石缝里会长出仙人掌和小灌木，而且十分茂盛。脚下的石头散落在水中，共计365块，铺成一条路，每块石头上部记有日期，正好暗合了一年的周期。据说在自己的生日石上许愿，会美梦成真。作家梁衡2003年游览天星桥之后，留下了散文《桥那边有个美丽的地方》。

在黄果树瀑布上游一公里处，可以看到黄果树瀑布群中瀑顶最宽的瀑布——陡坡塘瀑布。其瀑顶宽105米，有一个面积达1.5万平米的巨大溶潭。平水时，水流清澈，瀑布水层如半透明的薄纱，似铺开的素绢扇面，在阳光照射下泛出银光。但在汛期，白水河中会携带大量山洪冲下来的泥沙，使得澄澈轻盈的瀑布变得格外凶猛雄壮。电视剧《西游记》片头中唐僧师徒四人牵马过河的场景即在此处拍摄。“遥闻水声轰轰，从陇隙北望，忽有水自东北山腋泻崖而下，捣入重渊，但见其上横白阔数丈，翻空涌雪，而不见其下截，盖为对崖所隔也。”《徐霞客游记》中如此描绘陡坡塘瀑布，也足见其壮观。

如果游历中国，一定要来贵州，山巍峨，水清澈。如果来贵州，一定不能错过黄果树瀑布。目之所及处那一道挂在天际的幕帘，在酷暑难耐的日子里，不仅会拂去你的燥热，还会让你恍惚，觉得自己好似身处于离“银河”最近的地方……

Huangguoshu Waterfall：

Experience the “Milky Way” up Close

“In the heart of Huangguoshu grow a thousandtrees; from the lust peak hangs a water curtain. Itstranquility is like the soft silk spun by the women ofWu， yet it possesses the strength of Zhejiang’s mightytides.” This poem was written by Mr. Shi Zhecun， afamous contemporary Chinese writer and educator，during his visit to the Huangguoshu Waterfall， wherehe was captivated by its breathtaking beauty. Nestledwithin Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous Countyin Anshun City， Guizhou Province， the HuangguoshuNational Park is a lush oasis， o en a ectionately calleda “natural oxygen bar”.

Each year， from June to August， the HuangguoshuWaterfall o ers the best view of its power and beauty.During this period， throngs of people come， drawn byits majesty. As you step into the scenic area， you arewelcomed by a panorama of ourishing ora. The moststriking of these is the bougainvillea that drape gracefullyover rocky edges. After a delightful stroll throughthe garden， an elevator leads you to the viewing deckof the Huangguoshu Waterfall. From any point， you can’t help but marvel at the humbling enormity of nature.The waterfall， like a galaxy in motion， cascadesfrom above. Its pearl-like droplets dance playfully， conjuringan image of a thousand warriors plunging intothe chasm below. The deafening roar of the water， likethunderous gallops of a relentless horse herd， exhibits aspectacle of awe-inspiring magnitude.

Hiking up the steep trail enveloped in etherealmist， you’re greeted by a refreshing chill from the spray.The path leads to a natural cave that extends nearly ahundred meters and bisects the waterfall. From withinthis rocky alcove， you witness the thunderous cascade，reminiscent of a roaring lion. The sunlight touchesthe waterfall， setting it aglow with a golden sheen， andcra ing a scene of such beauty that it steals your breathaway.

Just beneath the Huangguoshu Waterfall lies theTianxingqiao Scenic Area. This enchanting site featuresan underground karst cave that has been naturallysculpted to mirror a bridge. As you enter the park，you’ll swiftly come across a “Stone Forest on Water”，a peculiar scene of towering rocks jutting from thewater. Interestingly， the crevices between these rocksare teeming with cacti and small bushes. Underfoot， apathway of 365 stones stretches out， each one markedwith a date to represent a full year cycle. Legend has itthat making a wish on your birthday stone can makeyour dream come true. The famous Chinese writerLiang Heng was so inspired by his visit to Tianxingqiao in 2003 that he wrote the prose “A Beautiful Place Beyondthe Bridge”.

Just a kilometer upstream from the HuangguoshuWaterfall， the Steep Slope Pond Waterfall comes intoview. Boasting a top width of 105 meters， it is the widestof all the waterfalls at Huangguoshu. At the waterfall’screst， a vast sinkhole spans 15，000 square meters.In quieter times， the waterfall’s layered ows resemblesemi-transparent veils， shimmering like a spread-outsilk fan under the sun. During ood season， however，the Baishui River swells， carrying sediment from upstreamand transforming the ordinarily tranquil waterfallinto a powerful force. The iconic opening scene of the TV drama Journey to the West， featuring TangSanzang and his disciples crossing the river， was lmedhere. As depicted in the travel journal of the ancientChinese explorer Xu Xiake： “From a distance， youcan hear the roaring sound of water. Looking fromthe north through a gap in the peak， suddenly waterrushes down from the northeast， crashing into the deepabyss. You can only see the broad expanse of whitewatercascading into the air， like swirling snow， but youcan’t see where it ends below， as it ishidden by the precipice.” Such vividportrayal encapsulates the grandeurof the Steep Slope Pond Waterfall.

When planning your travels in China， Guizhou should undoubtedly beon your list. The province’s majestic mountains and pristine waters presenta spectacle that is simply breathtaking. And if you’re visiting Guizhou， theHuangguoshu Waterfall is an unmissable sight. Especially on hot summerdays， the waterfall offers a grand water curtain hanging from the sky. Itnot only brings a respite from the heat， but also makes you feel as if you’restanding at the edge of the “Milky Way”.