Qiantang River tidal bore amazes holidaymakers in E China

Holidaymakers have been amazed by the magnificent Qiantang River tidal bore in Haining City of east China’s Zhejiang Province, as the “Silver Dragon” ushers in its best viewing season around the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival.

A tidal bore is a phenomenon where the leading edge of an incoming tide creates a wave that surges up a river against the flow.

This unique natural phenomenon is caused by the tide-generating force, which is the result of the combination of the gravitational attraction between the Earth, the moon and the sun. 

From the 16th to the 18th of the eighth lunar month, the sun, the moon and the Earth are located, more or less, on a straight line in space, hence the greatest tidal force on the seawater. This is one of the key factors for the formation of the tidal bore.

The centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the Earth and the trumpet shape of the Hangzhou Bay in Zhejiang makes it easy for the tide to come in, but difficult to ebb, thus giving rise to the largest tidal bore, which is called the “Silver Dragon” by locals.

The trumpet-shaped estuary, with a wide mouth and a narrow inner section, and the raising riverbed help to slow down the raising rate of the tides. The waves behind drive on those before and form a special natural phenomenon.

A variety of tides can be observed here from different vantage points, including crisscross, one-line, back-flow and fish-scale tides.

The best time to view these tides is the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. The most dramatic display typically occurs on the 18th of the month, which falls on September 20 this year.

Tide-watching has become a grand folk tradition on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival because the best viewing time is close to the celebration date of the festival.

<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-09-18/Qiantang-River-tidal-bore-amazes-holidaymakers-in-E-China-1wZnDcIdo6k/img/b18570141a984244908ee46f70ae04d2/b18570141a984244908ee46f70ae04d2.jpeg' alt='"Mudflat paintings" emerge as the Qiantang River tide ebbs in Haining City, Zhejiang Province, east China, September 6, 2024. /CFP'

The Mid-Autumn Festival, in honor of the moon and harvest, is one of the most important Chinese festivals. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. It fell on Tuesday this year.

Footage filmed at the Yanguan Tourist Resort in Haining City, a renowned destination where tourists gather to admire the tides every year, showed awe-inspiring scenes of great waves hurtling at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour and splashing against the dam time to time.

The T-shaped dams stretching along the river not only reduce the impact of the surging tide on the river bank but also offer a stunning view of ups and downs of roaring waves.

Strong wind brought by typhoon Bebinca has made the river swell and raised the water level on the river. The latest data showed that Tuesday’s tidal bore was even more spectacular than previous days, reaching a height of around one meter.

Local authorities have warned tide-viewers to keep a close eye on the weather and pay attention to safety.

(Cover is a still.)

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