The Spectacuar Stone Forest in Kunming
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Kunming,the capital of Yunnan Province,enjoys great fame among tourists not onlybecause the region features a consistently warm climate,but also because it has wonderfulvistas and landscapes.Among the most dramatic of these attractions is the Stone Forest(Shilin),known since the Ming Dvnasty(1363-1644 A.D.)as the”First Wonder of the World.”
The Stone Forest is in Lunan Yi Nationality Autonomous County,which is about 120kilometers(75 miles)from Kunming and requires only a three-hour drive.It covers an area of400 square kilometers(96.000 acres)and includes both large and small stone forests,as well asmany other scenic spots.An old local saying says that”If you have visited Kunming withoutseeing the Stone Forest.you have wasted your time.”Truly,the Stone Forest is one of the mostimportant attractions of Yunnan.
Walking through the Stone Forest,visitors marvelat the natural stone masterpieces and are bewitched bythe intricate formations.The magnificent,strange andsteep landscape creates countless labyrinthine vistas,including:
Major Stone Forest.Minor Stone Forest and NaiguStone Forest,ll of which feature stones in variousIormations.Animals.plants.and even human figures can be found there.Some are elegant,somefugged,and each is lifelike with its own distinguishing characteristics.
Subterranean Stone Forest in Zhiyun Cave,an underground stone forest distributed amongSeveral caves and occupving a total area of about three square kilometers(720 acres).
Strange Wind Cave.composed of Penfeng Cave,Hongxi Spring and an underground river.FromAugust to November.gales lasting two to three minutes sweep out of the cave every 30 minutes.
Long Lake is a karst lake that is three kilometers(two miles)long but only 300 meters(zero point two miles)wide.The lake features underwater stalagmites and stalactites and a smallisland in the center of the water.
The source of the Dadie Waterfall,Ba River,is a branch of Nanpan River.In the rainyseason.up to 150 cubic meters(196 cubic yards)of water per square inch plummet down the 88meter(288 feet)drop.
Geologists say the Stone Forest is a typical example of karst topography.Approximately270 million years ago-during the carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era-the region was avast expanse of sea.Over time,the movements of the lithosphere gradually caused a retreat ofthe waters and the rise of the limestone landscape.Due to constant erosion by the elements,thearea finally developed into the present-day Stone Forest.
According to legend,the forest is the birthplace of Ashima(),a beautiful oirl of theYi people.After falling in love she was forbidden to marry her chosen suitor and instead turnedinto a stone in the forest that still bears her name.Each year on the 24th day of the sixth hnarmonth,many Yi people celebrate the Torch Festival(i T),whiicn features folk dances ondwrestling competitions.
