The Stone Forest is a scenic area located 85km southeast of Kunming, China. Covering hundreds of square kilometers, it features numerous limestone peaks that rise abruptly from the ground resembling bamboo shoots, forests, and pagodas. Research shows the rock formations are over 270 million years old and were formed from an ancient ocean that receded over millions of years, gradually eroding the giant rocks into their current strange shapes. Visitors can wander along walkways between the peaks admiring the unique stone mountains that form poems and pictures like "Lotus Peak" and "Rhinoceros Admiring the Moon".

1. Stone Forest (Shilin)
雲南石林
A national grade scenic and tourist spot

2. The Stone Forest is known as "One of Earth's Natural Wonders". All visitors to
Kunming from home and abroad never hesitate to come here to admire the
unique scenes formed by the stones. The Stone Forest is located in Shilin
County, 85 kilometres southeast of Kunming. Covering a few hundred square
kilometres, stone peaks rise abruptly from the ground in numerous layers like
bamboo shoots, forests and pagodas. If you climb to the top of one of the
peaks, you can behold thousands of peaks and valleys just like a marvelous
vast black forest. The roads wind around between the peaks, taking visitors to
ever more unexpected and beautiful scenes. Researches by Chinese and
overseas geologists have proved that the Stone Forest is over 270 million
years old. The area used to be an ocean. During the Long Geological Period
from the late Permian Period 230million years ago to 2 million years ago , the
ocean subsided and giant rocks appeared. During this time the rocks were
gradually worn away by water, forming the strange rock forms seem today.
Wandering in the Stone Forest is a unique experience .The stone mountains
form strange shapes, the peaks are like poems and pictures, like the vertical
"Lotus Peak," the majestic "Rhinoceros Admiring the Moon" and the graceful
"Pavilion Observing the Peaks". The layers of mountains seem to be pressing
forward; the curious shaped rocks excite people's imagination. In the depth of
the Stone

3. Shilin.
The Stone Forest,
About 100km east of Kunming,China is a maze of grey limestone towers reaching 30m.
A walkway let you wander around the weird rock formations.
The tall rocks seem to emanate from the ground in the manner of stalagmites,
with many looking like trees made of stone,
creating the illusion of a forest made of stone.
cvonck@zeelandnet.nl

16. cvonck@zeelandnet.nl