Stone Forest, the hometown of Ashima, is known as the “Number One Wonder in the World”. When we explored the world karst geological wonder and appreciate the sculpture by nature, we realized how tiny are the human beings and we were filled with awe for life. In the long history of geological development, how many mysteries still keep unknown to us? Let’s step into Stone Forest to experience the great changes once took place. 

On a sunny morning in December, the Stone Forest was colorful, with red maple leaves, yellow fallen leaves and green grassland. Take a deep breath and we felt refreshing and pleasant. 

Firstly we visited Stone Forest Karst Museum. The decoration of the Museum in general reflects the soul of Stone Forest, making us feel Stone Forest before reaching it. The Museum showed the history of Stone Forest with lights, colors, object materials, images and pictures. Stone Forest was a part of the ancient ocean of Yunnan and Guizhou 360 million years ago. With the uplifting due to crustal movement and long-time accumulation, the ocean was turned into land. After the seawater ebbed and through trillions of years’ wind and rain, the legendary beautiful landscapes were finally formed. 

Our second station was Stone Forest Karst Geological Museum where a large number of treasures are collected such as stalactites, fossil organisms, minerals, meteorite, jade stones, ornamental stones and ancient and famous trees. The stalactites under lights were especially dazzlingly brilliant, attracting our eyes. In the Museum there was a pair of shoe-shaped stalactites, which is said to be left behind by Aheige. In Dadieshui Waterfalls hid a sleeping beauty and we couldn’t help appreciating her beautiful face. Have you ever heard that rocks have hair? You must be surprised. But in the Museum there is indeed such a piece of rock. The guide introduced to us that it was due to the contribution of Eocephalodiscus that secreted a kind of substance like hair. Royal banquets include Man-Han Banquet, and there are also minerals, enough for us to “taste” carefully. One thing we must mention is the most precious “lighting stone” in the Museum. At the first sight it was nothing special, but its mystery lies in that it may gave off light in night. When the purple light shines upon the stone, it shows the colors of green, red and yellow. Incredible!

The third station of our trip was the Greater and Lesser Stone Forest. The rock pillars and peaks of the Greater Stone Forest were high and upright, giving us a feeling of pressure. Peculiar stones rise directly from the ground, miraculous and beautiful. The guide said that in the Stone Forest Scenic Area, it was better to have a guide; otherwise you will be placed in a labyrinth. The scenic area has more than 100 lines, so you know how big it is. Along the path, the first thing greeting us was the Chinese character “Shi Lin” (Stone Forest). Many tourists tried to get a best place for taking photos. The sword-shaped karst landforms rose directly into the sky, looking like a black forest at distance and giving us a feeling of awe. Walking among the peak forest, we were as if in a labyrinth. Soon rock pillars were in our way. After the pillars we saw a different scene. We climbed up Wangfeng Pavilion to have an overview of Stone Forest which stood upright among the forest, showing great momentum.

Then we visited Liziyuan Valley Stone Forest. In the scenic area there are ancient cliff paintings left behind by the Yi ancestors. Entering the scenic area and imagining that the Yi ancestors once lived here, we acclaimed for the intelligence of the human beings. In the scenic area there are many stones of various shapes. You may just imagine the shapes into various different things. For example, the Husband Watching Rock is like a wife looking forward to his husband; the Mother-and-Son Rock looks like a mother taking her child’s hand to step forward; and another rock looks like an old man in deep consideration. Stone Forest has presented a warm and harmonious scene to us. 

The Greater Stone Forest is gracefully beautiful while the Lesser Stone Forest is elegantly beautiful. We most attractive one is “Ashima” of Stone Forest. Her beauty has been transformed into peculiar flowers and landscapes, and her affection has been cast into permanent artworks. The ancient and moving legend of love adds more mystery. In the scenic area there are flowers, grassland and ornamental trees, green and flourishing although it was winter. We stopped and have a short rest after appreciating the beautiful landscapes of Stone Forest, and then our tiredness disappeared.

Our fourth station was Naigu Stone Forest, a towering black stone forest. Looking over from the top of the peak, we felt a different kind of beauty of muscularity, wilderness and solemnness. Red nettle trees stood along both sides of the road, adding some jubilance in the sea of green. If you come here in March, the large area of rape flowers is like a painting by a painter in heavy colors. When breeze blows over, the golden sea of flowers will surge to the tourists continuously like layers of waves. Naigu Stone Forest has different scenes with each step we take. Crossing Ruyi Door and walking along the road, we saw Meeting of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, making us acclaim for the vivid work by nature while thoughts flashed across our minds. The surprise given by nature was more than that. There are other scenic spots such as Strength of Unity, Dengshangwang, Ancient Battlefield, Shipo Tianjing, Love of Swans, Zhu Bajie Having His Wife on Shoulders, Forest of One Rock, Buddha Hand Screen, Qianren Peak, Peacock in His Pride, Dew Receiving Basin and Two Lions in Love. When we walked along the road, a clear lake attracted us and we stopped. The lake surface was as calm as a mirror. Under the blue sky, rocks stood loftily. The peaceful space represented a picture scroll of mutual harmony between nature and environment. We couldn’t bear disrupting the tranquility.

The saying “you are not considered to have been to Yunnan if you have not been to Stone Forest” is true. So many scholars sigh with emotion for the uncanny craftsmanship of nature. The beauty of Stone Forest is a kind of feeling and shock of soul. Let’s have a trip of soul and get physically and mentally relaxed in magnificent beauty.