Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
A compilation of snippets from different terrain and geographical locations is going viral on social media platforms. Those who shared the video claimed that it shows visuals of Kailash Mansarovar at the China-Tibet border. Newschecker found the claim to be untrue.
Several Facebook users shared the video with caption, “This is real Photo taken at Kailaas, Man Sarovar, Tibet-China border from 18,600 feet height at 3.30 am in the morning !!!This photo is not edited !!!See the mesmerising beauty of nature …Never seen before !!!awesome. Wonderful (sic)”
Links to such Facebook posts can be found here, here and here.
The video has also found its way to YouTube with a claim to show Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
Newschecker also received the video on our WhatsApp tipline (+91-9999499044) requesting to be fact checked.
Also Read: Viral Video Of ‘Arunachal Pradesh Village’ Is Actually From Settlement In Southwest China
Fact Check/Verification
We divided the video into frames and investigated them one-by-one to ascertain the facts.
Frame 1
A Yandex reverse image search on the frame led us to a photograph uploaded on a website called Minds on September 19, 2020. The photograph featured water flowing through the same crescent-shaped-stepped terrain as seen in the viral video, and the place was identified as Blue Moon Valley, China.
Following this, we conducted a Google reverse image search on the frame along with keywords “Blue Moon Valley,” & “China.” This led us to a photograph uploaded on Shutterstock identical to the terrain seen in the frame. The place has been identified as “Waterfall river mountain landscape, Blue Moon Valley, Lijiang, China.”
We also came across a tweet by People’s Daily, China’s state affiliated media outlet, carrying the exact same frames as seen in the viral video with the caption, “Discover Blue Moon Valley in Yunnan, China: A bright turquoise river cascades beautifully down stepped terraces in SW China.”
We could thus conclude that the frames show an area around the Blue Moon Valley in China’s Yunnan province, and not Kailash Mansarovar.
Frame 2
A Yandex reverse image search on the frame led us to a Facebook post by Labuteny, dated January 17, 2019, carrying visuals identical to the viral footage.
The post identified the location as the thermal waterfall near Luoji Mountain in Sichuan, China.
Following this, we looked up keywords “thermal waterfall,” “Luoji Mountain,” “ Sichuan,” & China on Google, which led us to a Facebook post by China Daily, dated April 19, 2019, carrying the exact frames as seen in the viral video. The caption of the post read, “Enjoy a bit of luxury with a hot spring bath near a waterfall at Luoji Mountain in Liangshan county. #hotspring.”
Ifn.news also identified the location as Luoji Jiujiu Jiuli, which is located south of Xichang, Xiaochun City, Liangzhou District, Sichuan Province.
Frame 3
A Yandex reverse image search on the frame led us to an article published in a website called Xinhuanet. It carried an aerial view of the waterfall seen in the viral video, and identified the location as Kunming Waterfall Park in Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province. It further added, “The park features a grand man made waterfall, which is 12.5 metres in height and 400 metres in width. The waterfall is part of the project diverting water from the Niulan River into Dianchi Lake.”
Further, a tweet by People’s Daily, China, dated January 26, 2019, carried a video identical to the snippet of the viral clip. It was captioned, “Meet Asia’s largest man-made waterfall！Situated in Kunming Waterfall Park in Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, it is 12.5 metres in height and 400 metres in width.”
Frame 4
A keyword search for “dragon head,” “water faucet,”& “mountains” on Google led us to a YouTube video by People’s Daily, China, dated September 24, 2021. It carried similar visuals of water flowing out of a golden dragon’s head as seen in the viral clip. The description of the video read, “Dragon waterfall! A giant dragon head “spews” water from a cliff in Longli County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, forming a majestic waterfall for visitors.”
Further, we also found a tweet by China Xinhua News, dated August 2, 2019, carrying a video of water flowing out from a dragon head, with the caption, “China’s “most impressive” water faucet, built on a cliff 60 metres above the ground in Guizhou.”
On comparing the keyframes of the viral video with the clip tweeted by China Xinhua News, we could conclude that both show the same dragon head water stream.
Frame 5
A Google reverse image search on the frame led us to a Facebook post by @manggatravel, dated May 27, 2020, carrying the viral clip. The caption read, “Dali [Erhai] a paradise full of love stories. The Erhai Lake in Dali, Yunnan is really beautiful… (translated from Chinese)”
Further, in a post dated June 29, 2020, China Daily also shared visuals of Erhai lake in SW China’s Yunnan province. On comparing them with the snippets of the viral video, we could conclude that the visuals are from Erhai lake.
Frame 6
A Google reverse image search on the frame led us to a website called Debeste carrying what appears to be a GIF featuring the exact image as seen in the video. Its caption read, “Zhangjiajie in Spring.”
The search also yielded an article by Sabino Canyon on Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan province of China, which carried a YouTube video featuring the same location as seen in the viral video.
Additionally, we spotted the frame in a video posted by China Daily on Facebook on August 22, 2019 with the caption, “#GlamorChina Experience the peaceful life in Zhangjiajie, Central China’s Hunan province. #ChinaStory”
Frame 7
A Yandex reverse image search on the frame led us to a YouTube video by William Huang, dated September 10, 2018, titled ‘Huangguoshu waterfall.’ It featured the longer version of the viral snippet.
Further, a CNN report, dated July 5, 2018, also carried visuals from the Huangguoshu in Guizhou province of China. On comparing them with the viral clip, we could conclude that they were of the same location.
Alamy also featured an image of the waterfall.
Frame 8
A Yandex search on the frame led us to a Facebook post by People’s Daily, China, dated May 3, 2019. The post carried the exact frame with the caption, “Feast your eyes on this endless colour green at Jinhu forest park in Huai’an, east China’s #Jiangsu province.”
Alamy and Shutterstock also carried visuals of a lake surrounded by dense trees as images of Jinhu County water forest Park.
Frame 9
A Yandex reverse image search on the frame led us to a photograph uploaded on Off Set, featuring the same bamboo rafts fitted with multi coloured umbrellas, as seen in the viral video. Its caption read, “Bamboo rafts on Li River, Yangshuo, Guangxi Province, China.”
Taking a clue, we looked up keywords “Bamboo raft,” & “Li river” on YouTube which yielded a video by People’s Daily, China, dated May 11, 2022, featuring visuals similar to the ones seen in the viral clip.
A comparison between them helped us to conclude that both the visuals are from the same location.
Frame 10
A Yandex reverse image search on the frame led us to a tweet by China Xinhua News, dated June 5, 2020, carrying the exact same visuals as seen in the viral footage. It was captured, “Heaven on Earth: Enjoy the breathtaking view of Mount Huangshan.”
Same terrain can be seen in a UNESCO video on Mount Huangshan.
Frame 11
A Yandex reverse image search on the frame led us to a Facebook post by Tour Offer USA, dated April 29, 2019, captioned, “Straddling the border of China and Vietnam is this gorgeous set of converging waterfalls.” The post further identified the waterfall as Ban Gioc-Detian Falls.
On comparing the Facebook video by Tour Offer USA with the snippets from the viral clip, we found both the locations to be the same.
Further, we found several visuals of the waterfall on the Facebook page of People’s Daily, China.
Frame 12
A Yandex reverse image search on the frame led us to a tweet by People’s Daily, China, dated April 26, 2019, captioned, “Scenery of #azalea flowers on the Guifeng mountain in Macheng, central China’s Hubei Province.” It carried a set of three pictures resembling the scenery seen in the viral video.
Further, several websites carried the visuals seen in the viral video to show azalea flowers on the Guifeng mountain in Macheng. Such websites can be seen here, here and here.
We were not independently able to verify the exact location of other visuals seen in the video.
Conclusion
Viral post claiming to show visuals from Kailash Mansarovar is false. The video is a compilation of snippets from different locations.
Result: False
Sources
Shutterstock
Minds.com
Twitter Account Of @PDChina
Facebook Post By Labuteny, Dated January 17, 2019
Facebook Account Of China Daily
Xinhuanet
Facebook Post By @manggatravel, Dated May 27, 2020
Facebook Account Of People’s Daily, China
Alamy
Tweet By China Xinhua News, Dated June 5, 2020
Facebook Post By Tour Offer USA, Dated April 29, 2019
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
