Stone Forest of Lunan

Overview

About

The Stone Forest of Lunan, in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Yunnan, is a karst landscape of 400 km² in seven parts: the Greater and Lesser Stone Forests, the Naigu Stone Forest, the Dadieshui waterfall, Long Lake, Moon Lake and the Zhiyun and Qifeng caves. South China Karst, comprising Shilin in Yunnan, Libo in Guizhou and Wulong in Chongqing, was inscribed as a World Natural Heritage Site on 27 June 2007.

The main visitor area, the Liziqing Stone Forest, covers about 12 km² with Stone Forest Lake, the Greater and Lesser Stone Forests and the Liziyuan, and more than 5,000 m of paths.

On the 24th day of the sixth lunar month the Yi people celebrate the Torch Festival here. The Stone Forest is also the home of Ashima, heroine of Yi legend.

It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007 as part of “South China Karst”, as a natural site. It is in the first batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 1982.

Main sights

Major Stone Forest: the core of the scenic area, with the tallest and densest pillars, about 20 to 30 metres high, and paths winding between them. The Wangfeng Pavilion looks down over the whole forest.

Sword Peak Pond: a pool in the Major Stone Forest with a straight pillar rising beside it like a sword, its top cut as if sliced, one of the best-known sights.

Lotus Peak: a pillar in the Major Stone Forest whose top is shaped like a lotus, with pillars nearby that are narrow at the base and wide above.

Minor Stone Forest: east of the Major Stone Forest, with lower rocks among lawns, ponds and bamboo, more open than the main forest, where Sani people often perform songs and dances.

Lizi Garden: in the Minor Stone Forest area, with gentler paths; the Ashima rock, a pillar shaped like a young woman with a basket on her back, stands here.

Stone Forest Lake: at the edge of the area, calm water with clusters of pillars along the shore.

Naigu Stone Forest: north of the main area, with black rock covered in moss and sharp pinnacles, and fewer visitors.

Dadieshui waterfall: south-east of the main area, where water drops in steps over a cliff; one of the districts of the Stone Forest scenic area.

Zhiyun Cave and Qifeng Cave: two caves in the scenic area, each with its own cave scenery and part of the scenic area.

Geology and landscape

The rock is Permian limestone, laid down in a shallow sea about 270 million years ago. The sea later withdrew and uplift raised the beds above water.

Limestone is dissolved slowly by water carrying carbon dioxide. Water seeped down vertical cracks and widened them, and the parts covered by soil dissolved fastest.

After the soil was washed away, the pillars were left standing, in places 30 to 40 metres high, some like swords and some like towers. Karst of this kind is called a stone forest.

At Lunan the pillars are tall, dense and continuous, and several kinds of karst landform exist side by side, including pillars, sharp pinnacles, grooves and sinkholes.

In 2007 Lunan Stone Forest was inscribed with Libo and Wulong as South China Karst, and the listing was extended in 2014 with Jinfoshan, Shibing, Guilin and Huanjiang.

History and culture

Shilin Yi Autonomous County is home to the Sani, a branch of the Yi people.

Ashima is the heroine of a long Sani narrative poem, in which she and Ahei fall in love, she is seized by a landlord, and she finally becomes a rock pillar. The poem was collected and published in the 1950s and later made into the film Ashima.

Traditional events include the Torch Festival, wrestling, and songs and dances. Sani clothing is known for its embroidery, and women in embroidered dress are a common sight in the park.

Travel tips

Getting there: take a high-speed train from Kunming to Shilin West station, or a long-distance bus to Shilin county town, then a bus or taxi to the park. A day trip from Kunming is common.

Visiting: the main area is the Major and Minor Stone Forests, with paths winding between the rock pillars; electric carts link the parts of the park.

Naigu Stone Forest: north of the main area, with darker rock and fewer visitors; it is a separate ride from the main gate.

Time: half a day to a day for the Major and Minor Stone Forests; a full day if you add Naigu.

Season: open year round; summer is the rainy season, with frequent afternoon showers. The Yi Torch Festival, around the 24th day of the sixth lunar month, brings celebrations and crowds.

Caution: the paths in the Major Stone Forest branch often and it is easy to lose your way; follow the signs. Some passages between the rocks are narrow, with uneven steps.

Where to stay: most visitors stay in Kunming; there are also hotels in Shilin county town.

Stamps

On 18 September 1981 China Post issued T64 “The Stone Forest”, five stamps: the forest in mist, in autumn, by the lake, at sunset and under the stars.

The 11th stamp of the 1981 definitive set R21 “Scenery of the Motherland” shows the Stone Forest.

More photos

Map

Photo credits: The Stone Forest: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons); The Stone Forest: xiquinhosilva (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons)

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