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Photo: Stone Forest

The Stone Forest, some 120 kilometers southeast of Kunming, is one of the major attractions of Yunnan. It's a site of bizarre rock formations, standing pillar-like in an area of some 80 hectares. The pillar-like rocks, some up to 30 meters high, are limestone formations eroded over the millennia by wind and water.

According to Chinese legends, the Stone Forest was created by gods disassembling a mountain for the purpose of providing a haven for lovers.

Associations of this kind exist for many Chinese sightseeing attractions. They give a site additional, mythological value beyond what meets the eye. Accordingly, the Stone Forest is a popular picnic destination for Chinese lovers and families as well.

Apart from the main Stone Forest, there are some minor similar stone forests in the vicinity.

The term isnt even taken literally by most people.