Hangchow Bore, Armstrong collection, Ar01-047
Hangchow Bore, Armstrong collection, Ar01-048
The Qiantang River and Hangchow (Hangzhou) Bay have long attracted visitors to witness the roaring tidal bore – the largest in the world. This swirling wall of water travels at up to 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles an hour) and can reach as much as 9 metres (30 feet) high, although more usually it is from 1.5 to 4.5 metres (5 to 15 feet) high. This force of nature is a hazard to shipping in and around the harbour, and is too dangerous to surf.
The photographs above (Ar01-047 and Ar01-048) date from around 1911. For more photographs on Visualising China of this remarkable phenomenon – search for ‘Bore’.