The outcropping above sea level is composed of metamorphosed limestone marble, gneiss, and green schist, and is classified as a metamorphic complex area of Dananao on the geological map.

The coast of the Qingshui Cliff is continually beaten and eroded by the sea water of the Pacific Ocean, and the rock walls on it are subject to natural forces such as earthquakes and typhoons.

The depiction of Qingshui Cliff is featured in the newly issued passport of the People's Republic of China in 2012, a move that triggered protest from Taipei to Beijing.

It separates the eastern and western clades of brown tree frog (Buergeria robusta)[4] as well as two sibling species of Takydromus lizards, T. viridipunctatus and T. luyeanus.

On April 2, 2021, a Taroko Express train derailed at the entrance of Daqingshui Tunnel near the cliffs after it collided with a truck that rolled down onto the tracks, killing at least 51.