Where gold and emerald meet in a realm of ageless wonder

Shifting waters meet in Gansu province, revealing ancient stories, quiet beauty and fleeting moments of awe.

- Deng Zhangyu and Ma Jingna report

The Yellow River runs through the heart of Lanzhou, Gansu province.

(PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The Yellow River, China's revered mother river, begins its journey on the snow-capped Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, flowing eastwards with emerald clarity until it reaches the Loess Plateau in Gansu province.

Here, at the threshold of this distinctive landscape, it meets the Taohe River, a major tributary, and undergoes a striking shift, taking on the golden hue that gives the river its name.

Just 90 minutes by road from Lanzhou, capital of Gansu, lies Liujiaxia Reservoir in Yongjing in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, where the two rivers converge with dramatically different qualities.

On summer mornings, when mist drifts across the basin, the Yellow River appears surprisingly serene - its broad expanse of clear water contradicting the common image of a turbulent, muddy flow. By contrast, the sediment-heavy Taohe River carries the unmistakable yellow hue of the Loess Plateau.

The confluence creates a striking natural spectacle: a sharp dividing line between clear and turbid waters, a phenomenon locals compare to a yuanyang huoguo, a traditional Chinese hot pot vessel divided into two compartments, each with its own colour.