Stone Forest of Shilin
Trip Start
Apr 06, 2008
1
15
23
Trip End
Jun 20, 2008
Kunming,
China
Thursday, May 15, 2008
First stop is the Golden Temple, the brainchild of General Wu Sangui who was dispatched by the Manchus in 1659 to quell uprisings in the region, but instead turned on the Manchus and set himself up as rebel warlord, with the Golden Temple as his summer residence, all made of bronze with a fascinating garden around.
The Stone Forest, in Shilin county, 126km SE of Kunming, covers an area of around 350 km2.
Geological research has shown that what is now the Stone Forest was some 270 million years a shallow sea. Extensive deposits of sandstone overlain by limestone accumulated in this basin during the Permian period of geologic time. Uplift of this region occurred subsequent to deposition and exposure to wind and running water shaped these limestone ridges
Golden Tempel Gardens, near Kunming
. These formations extend as far as the eye can see, looking like a vast forest of stone, hence the name "the Stone Forest".In the midst of the forest, there is a huge rock screen on which two words--Stone Forest--are engraved in official script (in a calligraphic style typical of the Han Dynasty, 206 B.C.-220 A.D.).
Among the scenic sights is the "Sword Peak Pond" with jadeite-colored water so clear that one can see the bottom of the pond.
Other astonishing sights include "Figure of Ashima," "Shi Ba Xiang Song" and "Lotus Peak." , some of them as high as a 6 storey building.
This must be one of China's most remarkable natural phenomena, and it's also a UNESCO heritage site.
