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There is a place in Yunnan which millions of years ago was a vast ocean but is now a forest of stones. According to legend, a beautiful girl called Ashima was rescued from kidnappers here by a handsome young man called Ahei. Yes, you are right, what I am talking about is Shilin, or the stone forest.

Wang Yiqiong: This beautiful stony landscape is in the Yi Autonomous county 78 kilometers from Yunnan's capital Kunming. Shilin has a population of over 200,000, more than one third of which are people from the Yi ethnicity. The county enjoys pleasant cool weather and is empty of heavy industry and polluting factories.

"The big and small stone forest we are going to visit today has an area of 12 square kilometers, with hundreds of sights. If we cover all of them it would take us two day, so we only see the highlights today."

24-year-old Yang Jianye has been working as a travel guide in the stone forest park for more than four years. She has got to know the different types of stones pretty well, and has her own way of introducing them to visitors.

"The yellow stone pillar hanging down in front of us is a tooth of the dragon king in the east sea. Whichever of you can jump high enough to reach the pillar won't have any dental problems for the rest of your life. You will enjoy good teeth and a good appetite."

The stone pillars in the park all have different shapes. Some resemble swords and knives, some look like eagles or elephants, others are used as tables and beds.

More on Traveling in Yunnan Province:
Travel Express Vol.64: Fascinating Yunnan          
Photo Gallery: Finding Shangri-La
The Lost Horizon
The Yi People