Hukou Falls on the Yellow River in Jixian county, Shanxi province is seen in this photo taken on October 24, 2012. [Photos by Dong Zhixin/China Daily]

The Hukou Falls of Yellow River, located between Jixian county of Shanxi province and Yichuan county of Shaanxi province, are 25 kilometers away from the Jixian county seat.

The waterfalls are lined with mountains on both sides. Yellow River water washed out a gigantic ditch, 30 meters wide and 50 meters deep, in the rocks of river bottom. The roaring Yellow River flows at great speed and pours back at the site, like fleeing horse in stampede intruding directly into the ditch, with tumbling waves. The howl of Yellow River could be heard miles away. Since the scene resembles boiling water in a giant pot, the site is named Hukou, mouth of pot.

According to legend, in the remote antiquity, floods erupted to devour the whole earth and mankind. Only Fu Hsi and his sister Nu Wa survived. They fled to two mountain peaks breaking the surface of water, and saw the miserable scene of mankind to become extinct. They grieved and shed tears. Since they were brother and sister and could not marry each other, they thought out a method. They stood on top of each peak, and tossed millstones down.

If the millstones joined in one, it showed God allowed them to be tied to each other in bonds of matrimony. Otherwise, they would not get married. They cast two millstones, which combined and instantly changed to a shining bluestone. The brother and sister picked up hope and came together. The sister gave birth to a pile of flesh eggs, out of which leapt many boys and girls. Since then, humanity came down one generation after another. For this reason, the Chinese takes Yellow River as the cradle of mankind.

The Weifeng (power and prestige) gong and drum performance, originating to the side of Yellow River, is reputed as the No.1 drum in the world. The power and prestige of the performance exactly stems from the grand and magnificent Hukou Falls.