Lunan Stone Forest Shilin
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The Stone Forest lies 120km/75mi southeast of Kunming in the district of Lunan. After the sea receded millions of years ago, tectonic movements caused deep fissures to occur in the rock, which was then further shaped by erosion processes.
The forest consists of thousands of narrow, weirdly-shaped rocks towering up to a height of between 5 and 30m (15 and 100ft), scattered over an area of over 26,000ha/100sq.mi. 80ha/200acres of this area are open to visitors.
The rocks have memorable names such as Ten Thousand Year Mushroom (10m/33ft high), Mother and Son, Camel Riding on Elephant, Avalokitesvara Rock, Buddha Stone, Rhinoceros Looking at the Moon and Beautiful Maiden Ascending from the Water.
The Stone Forest is accessible by means of carefully laid-out paths and can be divided into three sections: the Lesser Stone Forest (Xiao Shilin), which is to be found just beyond the north entrance, a little to the south of Shilin Lake (Shilin Hu); the Greater Stone Forest (Da Shilin), to the south of the Lesser Stone Forest, with Jianfeng Pool and numerous grottoes; and the Outer Stone Forest (Wai Shilin) which takes in the surrounding area.
The forest consists of thousands of narrow, weirdly-shaped rocks towering up to a height of between 5 and 30m (15 and 100ft), scattered over an area of over 26,000ha/100sq.mi. 80ha/200acres of this area are open to visitors.
The rocks have memorable names such as Ten Thousand Year Mushroom (10m/33ft high), Mother and Son, Camel Riding on Elephant, Avalokitesvara Rock, Buddha Stone, Rhinoceros Looking at the Moon and Beautiful Maiden Ascending from the Water.
The Stone Forest is accessible by means of carefully laid-out paths and can be divided into three sections: the Lesser Stone Forest (Xiao Shilin), which is to be found just beyond the north entrance, a little to the south of Shilin Lake (Shilin Hu); the Greater Stone Forest (Da Shilin), to the south of the Lesser Stone Forest, with Jianfeng Pool and numerous grottoes; and the Outer Stone Forest (Wai Shilin) which takes in the surrounding area.
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Rice paddies nestled among the limestone pillars in the stone forest.
Natural formations of the stone forest outside of the city of Kunming.
Large limestone formations in the stone forest near Kunming.
The Shilin Stone Forest.
View of the Lunan Stone Forest.
