Vincent Lin 254238712@qq.com HAVE you imagined a forest formed with earth? In the north part of Yunnan Province in Southwest China, this is real. It is as abstract as Picasso’s paintings, as passionate as Pavarotti’s operas and as shocking as Beethoven’s symphonies. This National Day holiday, I went to this unique place to experience the extraordinary scenery. Located about 32 kilometers from Yuanmou County in Yunnan, Yuanmou Earth Forest is known as one of Yunnan’s three forests along with Lunan Stone Forest and Xishuangbanna Rain Forest, though some would replace the latter with Luliang Sand Forest. Yuanmou Earth Forest is made of 13 earth forests, the most noteworthy of which are Wumao Earth Forest, Langbapu Earth Forest and Banguo Earth Forest. The Wumao and Langbapu forests have been developed into tourist attractions, unlike Banguo Earth Forest. These forests have also served as shooting locations for films and TV dramas, attracting stars like Jackie Chan and directors like Zhang Yimou. After taking a two-hour plane ride from Shenzhen to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan, then passing through several villages on muddy roads on a coach bus to Yuanmou County, finally I arrived at Wumao Earth Forest by taxi. The entrance is situated at the bottom of a seemingly inconspicuous mountain. The tourist attraction has 10 major scenic spots and 45 scenic spots, which are named after the earthen shapes and images that appear there, such as “Toad Singing to Forecast Rain,” “Dragon Palace of East China Sea,” “Rome Empire,” “Celestial Temple” and “Ancient Castle for Tribal Chief.” The whole journey along the main route is about two kilometers long. Though it was already October, the weather was still a little hot and the sun was shining dazzlingly. I was lucky to visit that day; the county had just had rain a few days before. Upon first entering the forest, I noticed the smell of ancient times as a number of “earth trees” greeted me. They represented a great variety of fantasies. Compared to other popular tourist spots in Yunnan, few people visit this spot, so I had plenty of time to enjoy the journey. For me, a photography enthusiast, the forest is undoubtedly heaven. Some people think of Yuanmou Earth Forest as a “world created by a mad God,” which generally appears in basins and valleys and began developing about 1.5 million years ago. This original and rough land also gave way to Yuanmou Man, the ancestor of people in the East who lived about 1.7 million years ago. Walking through this natural wonder on winding roads, the power of nature filled my heart. I stayed in the forest until dusk, hoping to find beauty in every corner. The marvelous scenery in this mysterious world was unforgettable. The best time to visit Yuanmou Earth Forest is from November to May, when there is little rainfall. Sunglasses, sunscreen and adequate drinking water is necessary to bring. Flee from the crowded city and come into Yuanmou Earth Forest to behold her beauty and to encounter her soul with your heart. Everyone will have a different aesthetic experience of her. Add: Wumao Earth Forest, Yuanmou County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province 云南省楚雄元谋县物茂土林 Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tickets: 80 yuan, free for children below 1.3m and elderly above 70 years old | 