李雷

“黃果奴千樹，青山畀一條。靜垂昊女練，急卷浙江潮?！爆F(xiàn)代文學(xué)家、教育家施蟄存先生行至黃果樹瀑布，感嘆大自然的鬼斧神工，動情地留下此筆墨。黃果樹風(fēng)景名勝區(qū)位于貴州省安順市鎮(zhèn)寧布依族苗族自治縣，景區(qū)內(nèi)植被豐富，素有“天然氧吧”之稱。

每年的六月至八月是黃果樹瀑布的豐水期，也是觀賞瀑布的最佳時期，游客絡(luò)繹不絕。進(jìn)入景區(qū)，首先映入眼簾的便是蒼勁雄渾、瀟灑飄逸的園林景致，花卉植物眾多，較為醒目的是三角梅，從巖石上披掛下來，充滿了詩情畫意。穿過園林，乘坐電梯，便可到達(dá)黃果樹瀑布觀賞地，無論站在哪一隅望向瀑布，都會令人由衷感嘆自己如滄海一粟，如此渺小。瀑布似銀河決口，從九天崩瀉而下，萬斛明珠在幕簾上如嬉戲玩耍般拋珠濺玉，千軍撲地，落入萬仞深淵，頓時聲若濤涌，好似萬馬失蹄，氣勢磅礴。

沿著崎嶇的山路向上攀登，煙霧朦朧，水汽繚繞，身處其中，沁人心脾的涼意伴著水霧撲面而來。繼續(xù)前行，目之所及便是一個天然巖洞，近百米長，將瀑布攔腰截斷。透過洞窗向外眺望，但見流水如雄獅怒吼般向下傾瀉。陽光照射在瀑布上，放出金燦燦的光芒，美得別有洞天。

在黃果樹瀑布下游，能看到天星橋景區(qū)。此景區(qū)地下是溶洞，呈空心狀，整個地面宛若一座橋。進(jìn)入景區(qū)后，不一會兒便到達(dá)“水上石林”，許多大石塊矗立水中。奇特的是，石縫里會長出仙人掌和小灌木，而且十分茂盛。腳下的石頭散落在水中，共計365塊，鋪成一條路，每塊石頭上部記有日期，正好暗合了一年的周期。據(jù)說在自己的生日石上許愿，會美夢成真。作家梁衡2003年游覽天星橋之后，留下了散文《橋那邊有個美麗的地方》。

在黃果樹瀑布上游一公里處，可以看到黃果樹瀑布群中瀑頂最寬的瀑布——陡坡塘瀑布。其瀑頂寬105米，有一個面積達(dá)1.5萬平米的巨大溶潭。平水時，水流清澈，瀑布水層如半透明的薄紗，似鋪開的素絹扇面，在陽光照射下泛出銀光。但在汛期，白水河中會攜帶大量山洪沖下來的泥沙，使得澄澈輕盈的瀑布變得格外兇猛雄壯。電視劇《西游記》片頭中唐僧師徒四人牽馬過河的場景即在此處拍攝?！斑b聞水聲轟轟，從隴隙北望，忽有水自東北山腋瀉崖而下，搗入重淵，但見其上橫白闊數(shù)丈，翻空涌雪，而不見其下截，蓋為對崖所隔也。”《徐霞客游記》中如此描繪陡坡塘瀑布，也足見其壯觀。

如果游歷中國，一定要來貴州，山巍峨，水清澈。如果來貴州，一定不能錯過黃果樹瀑布。目之所及處那一道掛在天際的幕簾，在酷暑難耐的日子里，不僅會拂去你的燥熱，還會讓你恍惚，覺得自己好似身處于離“銀河”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”.