The Stone Forest lies about 80 miles to the southeast of Kunming. A geological phenomenon1, the Stone Forest was a vast expanse of sea during the Paleozoic era--some 270 million years ago. Later, the movement of tectonic plates altered the earth‘s crust, causing the sea to recede2 and its limestone3 bottom to appear, thereby4 forming land. Due to the constant seeping5 of rain through the cracks in the limestone, some of the stone formation dissolved and the fissures6 broadened, producing a group of great sculptures of different shapes, all molded by nature.
旅游英语:石林 Stone Forest
In the midst of the forest, there is a huge rock screen on which two words--Stone Forest--are engraved7 in official script (in a calligraphic style typical of the Han Dynasty, 206 B.C.-220 A.D.). Among the scenic8 sights is the "Sword Peak Pond" with jadeite-colored water so clear that one can see the bottom of the pond. Other astonishing sights include "Figure of Ashima," "Shi Ba Xiang Song" (its name originating in the Chinese love story, "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai"), and "Lotus Peak."
The splendor9 of the Stone Forest is enhanced by the local customs of the native Sani people (who are part of the Yi minority). Sani people are industrious10 and hospitable--and unconstrained. Sani women are expert at spinning, weaving, and embroidering11. They like to wear rainbow-colored headgear and bright-colored dresses. The young people especially are very good singers and dancers. Every day at sunset, under the moonlight, boys and girls gather at the village platform. While the boys play the three-stringed plucked instruments, the girls clap their hands and dance the strong-rhythmed traditional "A‘Xi (Ah-shi) Dance in the Moon" with great enthusiasm. If you happen to witness the event, you will be invited to join in the festivity.
Note that every lunar year, on June 24th, the Sani people celebrate their national festival--the Torch Festival. On that day, the entire Stone Forest is permeated12 with a celebratory atmosphere. There are traditional performances of wrestling and bull-fighting. Finally, when the land is enveloped13 in the curtain of night, the young men (holding torches in their hands) run after the young women to propose marriage in the light of colored lanterns.
Notes:
1. Stone Forest 石林
2. Sword Peak Pond 剑峰池
3. Figure of Ashima 阿诗玛像
4. Lotus Peak 莲花峰
1 phenomenon [fəˈnɒmɪnən] 第8级 | |
n.现象,特殊的人,特殊的事物,奇迹 | |
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2 recede [rɪˈsi:d] 第7级 | |
vi.退(去),渐渐远去;向后倾斜,缩进 | |
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3 limestone [ˈlaɪmstəʊn] 第8级 | |
n.石灰石 | |
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4 thereby [ˌðeəˈbaɪ] 第8级 | |
adv.因此,从而 | |
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5 seeping [si:pɪŋ] 第9级 | |
v.(液体)渗( seep的现在分词 );渗透;渗出;漏出 | |
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6 fissures ['fɪʃəz] 第10级 | |
n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 );裂伤;分歧;分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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7 engraved [inˈɡreivd] 第8级 | |
v.在(硬物)上雕刻(字,画等)( engrave的过去式和过去分词 );将某事物深深印在(记忆或头脑中) | |
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8 scenic [ˈsi:nɪk] 第8级 | |
adj.自然景色的,景色优美的 | |
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9 splendor ['splendə] 第10级 | |
n.光彩;壮丽,华丽;显赫,辉煌 | |
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10 industrious [ɪnˈdʌstriəs] 第7级 | |
adj.勤劳的,刻苦的,奋发的 | |
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11 embroidering [ɪm'brɔɪdɚrɪŋ] 第9级 | |
v.(在织物上)绣花( embroider的现在分词 );刺绣;对…加以渲染(或修饰);给…添枝加叶 | |
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