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| The dense peak forest and a vast expanse of fields enhance each other's beauty-an extraordinary natural scroll painting of elegant and open composition. | Xingyi City in Guizhou Province is among the most representative examples of the
evolution of karst topography in China. Wanfenglin(Forest of Ten Thousand Peaks)in Xingyi takes up an area of 2, 000 square kilometers, about tw o thirds of the Xingyi total.
As early as 300 million years ago, the area of Wanfenglin was part of the Yunnan-Guizhou ancient sea. After several orogenic movements, bulged limestone rocks underwent the combined effect of burning sunshine, rain, dioxide and organic acids, in the process forming marvelous sights. such as karst caves, peak forests, natural craters, rift valleys, earth crevices,
stalactites and stalagmites. From whatever aspect you Judge it--aesthetic value, completeness of the karst topography evolution process, diversity, scale and concentration of cone-shaped peak forest, or the classic nature of each spectacle-Wanfenglin Peak Forest deserves its reputation as one of China's wonders.
Wanfenglin Peak Forest is
located at the middle and lower reaches of a "beautiful scar on earth"-the Malinghe Gorge. It has an eastern part and a western part. The forest spreads out 1ike a fan from the edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau at an altitude of over 2,000 meters. The peaks are categorized according to the shape: liezhen(array), baojian(sword), qunlong (dragon), luohan(arhat), and diemao(piled up hats). The forest extends to the fault zone of
the Nanpanjiang Basin where part was submerged, forming the Wanfeng Lake. The water and peaks dotted by craggy karst rocks and strangely shaped trees create views of extraordinary magnificence and enchantment.
In the main, the mountains here are not high, but the "bamboo-shoot" serried peaks present an irresistible spectacle. Looking at it from above, you can see unfurling a natural scroll painting of elegance and openness: the green-grey peaks and yellow and green fields each enhance the other's radiance and beauty;the wandering Nahui River threads through the villages like white silk stringing pearls together. Then you understand why Buyi and Miao folk songs describe this place as their heart's bliss.
The forest's eastern part is characterized by brilliant fields, the western part by graceful waters. A perfect rural landscape, the forest stands like an arcadia on the Yunnan¡ªGuizhou Plateau. |
