#Shorts
The Stone Forest or Shilin (Chinese: 石林; pinyin: Shílín) is a notable set of limestone formations about 500 km2 located in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, near Shilin approximately 90 km (56 mi) from the provincial capital Kunming.
The Stone Forest is situated in the Lunan Yu Autonomous County, 126 kilometers southeast of Kunming. A region of typical karst formation, the Stone Forest covers an area of more than three hundred square kilometers. Unsurprisingly, the Stone Forest National Park is very popular amongst tourists who are keen to marvel at its unique rock formations, some of which measure up to 130ft (40m) in height.
The Stone Forest (aka Shilin) took about 270 million years of erosion and seismic activity to create and spans a space of about 100,000 acres. ... In fact, the forest has been internationally acclaimed as the “Museum of Stone Forest karst” due to its diverse and plentiful karst types
The area was long ago covered by an ancient sea that deposited thousands of meters of calciferous shells that would one day become limestone and dolomite. This deep layer was later uplifted and weathered to become the stone forest.
Known for its remarkable karst formations, the Stone Forest has magnificent, strange, and unique natural scenery. With its touching legend of Ashima and unique minority culture, it is no doubt a must-see for Kunming tourists.
The Stone Forest is a typical Karst morphological region. Under the controlling geological, hydrologic and climatic factors, the carbonate rock has undergone several periods of modification by the downward migration of surface water and ground water.
According to findings from a study released this week, scientists have confirmed that mysterious stone forests are formed by flowing water eroding the landscape, creating a unique rocky terrain with needle-sharp points.
