Jingpohu, China's largest volcanic barrier lake, is located in Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province, and is hailed as the "West Lake of the North." At the famous Diaoshuilou Waterfall, a must-visit attraction, Di Huanran, a 59-year-old man from Northeast China known as the country's first cliff diver, performs daily dives from a 12-meter-high cliff. He also climbs back up the waterfall against the current. Regardless of the season, except during the off-peak tourism period, his performances attract tens of thousands of spectators each year.

Di Huanran performs a dive in the cold winter. Photo provided by interviewee
The Diaoshuilou Waterfall is located to the north of Jingpohu Lake and is a top-tier natural attraction in the scenic area. During the high-water season, the waterfall typically spans 60 meters in width with a drop of 12 meters. However, during flood periods, the maximum drop is just over 10 meters, while the waterfall can expand to a width of more than 300 meters. It cascades with overwhelming force from the volcanic rock cliffs into the Black Dragon Pool from the south, west, and north directions. Locals say that during flood seasons, the roar of the waterfall can be heard from as far as five kilometers away.

"Swallow Dive" and Free Climbing

Although Di Huanran is not tall, he is very sturdy, and his bronze skin gleams brightly under the sunlight. Standing in the rushing water at the top of the Diaoshuilou Waterfall, just 30 centimeters from the edge, he slowly spreads his arms, swings them back, and leaps forward with a skilled "swallow dive," plunging precisely into the Black Dragon Pool, sending water splashing in all directions. While tourists are still cheering "Amazing!" or "So cool!", Di Huanran has already swum out of the pool and, defying the current, free-climbs back up the waterfall—a sight that leaves onlookers utterly stunned.

During the interview, the reporter stood less than a meter behind Di Huanran, witnessing the entire dive firsthand. The deafening roar of the water and the sheer sight of the cliffside waterfall were enough to make one's legs tremble with fear. Yet, beyond the terror, there was deep admiration for this northeastern man's courage and daring. It's hard to imagine that he has been diving here for 35 years—what drives his "obsession" with this extreme sport?

Di Huanran grew up along the Mudan River and, like most boys there, learned to swim almost instinctively. Always eager to push his limits, he found swimming alone insufficient to satisfy his love for water play. He began diving from ferries on the river and gradually became inseparable from the activity. For him, skipping a day without diving feels like something vital is missing.

Ferry Jumping Teenager Personally Experiences to Debunk Rumors

Di Huanran recalled that his first visit to the Diaoshuilou Waterfall was in the 1970s. He was immediately captivated by the scenery and felt an irresistible urge to swim there. However, at that time, there was a rumor that a log had once been swept down from the top of the waterfall and was shattered into pieces by the force of the water at the bottom. No one dared to swim there at the time.

On June 17, 1983, Di Huanran arrived with the sole intention of fulfilling his dream to swim there. When he finally realized his wish in the Black Dragon Pool, a new idea struck him—he wanted to explore the waterfall. As he swam within 20 meters of the waterfall, he began to feel nervous. But the allure of the waterfall was too strong. Slowly edging along the rock wall, he touched a rough stone, which boosted his confidence. Step by step, he approached the waterfall, even managing to slip behind it and climb to a spot over three meters high, with his upper body emerging from the water.

Di Huanran remembered how the onlookers raised their hands and gasped in amazement. He thought to himself that if he could climb up against the waterfall, jumping down would surely be no problem. So, he leaped off, and after succeeding the first time, he was so exhilarated that he jumped four times in a row.

From that moment on, Di Huanran set his sights on becoming China’s first cliff diver. Over the years, he has left his mark at the Wen Spring Bridge, Mudanjiang Bridge, Harbin Songhua River Bridge, Tianjin Haihe River Bridge, and the Yellow River Hukou Waterfall. But he told reporters that his favorite place remains the Diaoshuilou Waterfall in Jingpohu, his hometown. No matter where he dives, he always tells people he’s from Mudanjiang. Every day, he dives at the Diaoshuilou Waterfall in Jingpohu—not just for the breathtaking waterfall, the elusive rainbows, or the awe-inspiring rocks, but because the trees, the flowing water, the stones, and even the fish there feel like his "family."

Deeply in love with Jingpohu, he has become a "unique spectacle."

Since 2002, Di Huanran has been performing cliff diving at the Diaoshuilou Waterfall for tourists, which has become a "unique attraction" of Jingpohu Lake tourism. Thousands of people come to watch his performances every day. Except for March, April, November, and December, he jumps once in the morning and once in the afternoon at scheduled times each year, sometimes with an additional performance. Over the course of a year, he ends up jumping hundreds of times.

At the end of the interview, Di Huanran told the reporter that he wanted to dive in more places, to experience different feelings outside the province and even abroad. He said that although he is nearly 60 years old, he still plans to continue diving for another twenty years. (By Yu Haijiang)