Stone Forest, Where Life Begins

Before the life begin, everything so empty. What can we see here? Only stones everywhere. Sorry this is just a short poem from me. But from this hub, I’ll take you in a beauty tour of stone forest. Wow…what kind of forest is it? This isn’t a usual forest. If before we can see the wood, leaves, fruit, grass in the forest. But in the stone forest we can see the beauty of the biggest stone formations, like a skyscraper. Nature gave us the beauty and I believe the earth looks so colorful by the existence of this forest. I can’t imagine, before the life begin and the world only filled with the stone. I’ll introduce about amazing stone forest. Curious…..please, continue to read.

Shilin Stone Forest is one of China's greatest attractions. This forest presents breathtaking scenery. It is located in Shilin County or about 85 kilometres southeast of Kunming and requires only a three-hour drive. The exactly place is in the Lunan Autonomous Country of Yi Nationality, in the Yunan province. Shilin Stone Forest is known as one of earth's natural wonders, since the Ming Dynasty (about 1368-1644 AD). This natural wonder is well known by many to be the most fantastic place in China. Another beautiful attraction is Shilin Lake which is filled with underwater stalactites. Wow….this was amazing phenomenon created perfectly by the nature.

This place covers an area about 400 square kilometers (96,000 acres). From this place we can see a bunch of huge limestone pillars. With various figures, like: animals, pagodas, beasts, flowers, ancient fortresses, and even human figures. Each has own characteristic, whatever else one can imagine. All these beauty are inside the Greater Stone Forest. Other main attractions are "The Stone Singing Praises of Plums" and "The Cluster of Pinnacles Propping up the Sky" between large lawns and mountain flowers in spring and autumn. We can see all these beauty inside Lesser Stone Forest. Enough….don’t worry, we can find the Lion Hill in outer Stone Forest like a squatting male lion on a height. The attraction is near the “Lion Pool”. This pool called like this because this pool has a huge boulder in the shape of a squatting lion.

The geologist said that Shilin stone forest was formed 270 million years ago, during the carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era. The local says that nature creates a labyrinth that smashed from a mountain and there’s a legend in behind the formation of this forest. Even they guarantee if we have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, we have wasted our time. The legend began from a beautiful girl namely Ashima (even a clever and warm-hearted Sani girl). She tried to run away from the kidnapping of the son of an evil landlord. He chased until the Stone Forest, where a flood drowns Ashima. And now, she transforms into the famous Ashima Stone. We can see this stone as the main attractions in stone forest.

Walking through the Stone Forest, visitors will shown by the natural stone masterpieces and they are bewitched by the intricate formations. The magnificent scenery and strange landscape creates countless labyrinthine. Just information, the Chinese Government opened this stone forest in the 1950s as tourist attraction. It works!.... and now Shilin Stone Forest attract people from all over the world.

We can also call this as Lena’s pillars. This forest is located about 60 km upriver from Yakutsk, in Russia. It’s is a natural rock formation resembling towers or dry trees over 150 meters in height and stretches along the river about 80km. Lena’s Pillars have attracted tourist since the 17th century. I heard that getting there is not easy. The trip will start from Moscow city, where it will take about four day journey to the Siberian area of Yakutsk. The flight cost about $800. The journey will continue with the boat. It took only a half a day trip upriver. There’s another option, the locals offer a 3 day trip on a small boat for about $500. Finally after four day of trip, we will have arrived at Lena’s stone forest. All efforts can be paid after we can see the beauty of Lena's pillars in person.

Lena’s stone forest contains evidence of a remarkable population of the early history of life on earth, because of a number of fossils of ancient organisms are found here. All the evidence is preserved in a unique way by nature. We can learn the history of and diversity of organic biodiversity, which occurs in the lower Cambrian. At the same place, it was discovered many mega-fauna fossils. Such as: Bison (Bison Priscus Boj), Lena Horse (Eggus Lenensis Russ), Mammoth (Mammulhus Primigenius Blum), Reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus L), and Fleecy Rhinoceros (Coelodonta Antiguibatis Blum). All the evidence of human life can be seen at the manuscripts and the rock paintings from the area. That’s why Lena’s Pillar was recorded as a World Heritage site in 2006.

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