The Stone Forest or Shilin (Chinese: 石林; pinyin: Shílín) is a notable set of karst formations located in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi) from the provincial capital Kunming. The tall rocks seem to emanate from the ground in the manner of stalagmites, with many looking like petrified trees thereby creating the illusion of a forest made of stone. Since 2007, two parts of the site, the Naigu Stone Forest (乃古石林) and Suogeyi Village (所各邑村), have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the South China Karst.[1]
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Shilin National Scenic Area (昆明市石林风景区) covers an area of 350 square kilometres (140 sq mi) and is divided into seven scenic areas as follows:
These formations, caused by the dissolution of limestone, are believed to be over 270 million years old [2] and are a tourist attraction for both overseas and domestic tourists, with bus tours bringing tourists from Kunming. There are also a number of hotels in the area.
According to legend, the forest is the birthplace of Ashima (阿诗玛), a beautiful girl of the Yi people. After falling in love she was forbidden to marry her chosen suitor and instead turned into a stone in the forest that still bears her name.[3] Each year on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month, many Yi people celebrate the Torch Festival (火把节 Huǒbă Jié), which features folk dances and wrestling competitions.
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