A splendid colored waterfall cluster was discovered in Niru Village, Shangri-La County, Yunnan.

Rushing down from a 20-meter-high fan-shaped calcium carbonate mesa, the waterfall cluster, together with its surrounding luxuriant virgin forest and crystal-clear river, enrich each other. Illuminated by sunshine, these waterfalls are as beautiful as rainbows.

The waterfall cluster is located in the depths of a rarely-known mountain range near Niru Village. The Niru River into which melted snow from the plateau flows creates a marvelous spectacle among the rugged peaks of the range.

According to measurements taken by the surveying department, the waterfall cluster is 20-meters high, 330-meters wide and is composed of more than 40 waterfalls of various sizes. Multicolored mineral deposits on the broad mesa, such as calcium carbonate, have colored the water for more than 1,000 years.

Niru Village is located in the heart of the "Three Parallel Rivers," which are on the U.N.'s World Heritage List. The government is now developing the colored waterfall cluster under the precondition that no harm comes to the natural ecological environment.

After a scenic area has been built, the local government will resort to various measures to protect the original landscape, such as controlling the number of tourists and introducing the use of horses as a means of transportation.

In the last few years, Shangri-La has won favor from domestic and overseas tourists alike due to its reputation as "Arcadia." A number of tourists choose Shangri-La as their first destination when visiting Yunnan.

(Chinanews.cn April 18, 2005)