About Shuzheng Waterfall (树正瀑布 [Shùzhēng Pùbù])
The Shuzheng Waterfall (树正瀑布 [Shùzhēng Pùbù]) may not have had the width and size of its more famous counterparts like Nuorilang Waterfall and Pearl Shoal Waterfall (both in the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve).
However, we thought it certainly had the grace and beauty that the others possessed.
Moreover, the Shuzheng Waterfall flowed on the Zechawa River which flowed from south to north in the park, and was further downstream (north) of the Nuorilang Waterfall (making it have a more voluminous flow as you can see in the photo above).
Julie and I were told that Shuzheng was actually derived from a Tibetan name.
We were not quite sure what the meaning was about, but for sure it didn’t have to do with being “a proper or upright tree” or something like that.
Thus, from my limited ability to read Chinese, this waterfall’s name was did not directly glean any meaning from using the literal word-for-word translation.
Experiencing the Shuzheng Waterfall
In any case, we did this waterfall as part of an enjoyable one-way walk that started from the Tiger Lake stop and ended up near the Shuzheng Lake stop where right across the road was a Tibetan village full of shops and exhibits.
That boardwalk skirted the Zechawa River as it meandered through thick foliage leaving behind travertine formations amongst the foliage.
Within a few minutes of the walk, we were face-to-face with parts of the Shuzheng Waterfall.
Of the three major waterfalls we saw on our trip to Jiuzhaigou, we’d have to say this one was the easiest to photograph.
That was because given its percolating characteristic with all the foliage checking the flow of the river, the Shuzheng Waterfall was especially conducive to taking those long exposure photographs.
However, setting up for such photographs was a different story given the mega tour crowds.
The lesson learned from our visit was that instead of taking time to set up a tripod amidst a large group of impatient people itching to barge in and get their shots, we were better off using the railing as an impromptu tripod.
The crowds also further conspired to mess up long exposure photos because all that foot traffic resulted in the boardwalks constantly trembling.
As a result, we had to exercise lots of patience in order to take a photo of the Shuzheng Waterfall that wasn’t so blurry.
Further downstream was what appeared to be the main part of the waterfall.
There was even a small pillar that was popular with the tourists for having that “I was there” photograph.
It was a long and pressure-filled queue, where I hastily got our photograph and then left.
Again, I didn’t find this experience particularly peaceful, especially given how much of an excruciatingly long wait it became when the mega tours showed up and hijacked that spot.
Continuing downstream of the Shuzheng Waterfall, the Zechawa River widened and formed ponds in the middle of forests with majestic mountains flanking them, ultimately feeding Shuzheng Lake.
It was as if the scenery here wouldn’t let us put the camera down because the hits just kept coming.
Authorities
The Shuzheng Waterfall resides in the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve near Jiuzhaigou in the Sichuan Province, China. To my knowledge, I have not found a reliable official government authority administering this area, but it has been gazetted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thus, in order to inquire about the current conditions, while I can’t recommend a particular government website, you might want to give the UNESCO website a try.
As mentioned earlier, we took the mandatory shuttle north of the main tourist area by Nuorilang Waterfall to the stop by Tiger Lake (one stop north of the Rhinoceros Lake).
At the end of our walk, the Shuzheng Lake and Village also has another shuttle stop.
The drive from the Jiuzhai Airport to the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve was probably between 90-120 minutes.
However, we couldn’t give exact directions since we were on an escorted tour.
The village of Jiuzhaigou, which was right at the reserve entrance, was where we overnighted.
We arrived at the Jiuzhai Airport from Chengdu, which was 424km away (a 1-hour flight or 7.5-hour drive). Chengdu was a 2.5-hour flight from Hong Kong, 1,963km (21 hours drive or over 3 hours flight) west of Shanghai, and 1,818km (20 hours drive or over 3 hours flight) southwest of Beijing.
Find A Place To Stay
The falls along with the walkway alongside it
Sweep in front of the falls showing a good portion of its width
Related Trip Reports
Related Top 10 Lists
Related Itineraries
Trip Planning Resources
Nearby Accommodations
Featured Images and Nearby Attractions
Visitor Comments:
Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...No users have replied to the content on this page
Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:
If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...No users have submitted a write-up/review of this waterfall
Nearest Waterfalls
