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| Sunday, 10 July 2005 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Stone forest in China : Blend of nature, legend and modern technology by M.P. Muttiah Tourism is a flourishing industry in today's China. During the past three decades several tourist destinations had been developed to cater to local and foreign visitors. The Stone Forest, known as the 'First Wonder of the World,' since the Ming Dynasty (14th century), is the most dramatic among all the attractions in Yunnan Province. This Forest, in Lunan Yi Nationality Autonomous County, covers an area of 400 square kilometres. About 270 million years ago, during the carboniferous period of the Paleozonic era, the region was a vast expanse of sea. Over time, the movements of the lithosphere gradually caused a retreat of waters and the rise of limestone landscape. This site has been a magnet for visitors, who wander among the stone peaks. Once a year, the Torch Festival of Yi, one of China's 56 minorities that inhabit the region and an old Sani legend has been adapted as the theme of an audio-visual extravaganza which transforms major areas of the Forest into spectacular shows. "The Ashima Experience" recalls the story of Ashima's love for Arhei and the jealous interference of evil Arzhi that ends in the death of Ashima by drowning and her spirit coming to rest in Ashima's stone. China began to develop this Stone Forest area into a tourist destination in 1998. This US $6.3 million project included the Entrance Lake, Lotus Lake, Ashima's Garden, Ashima's Stone and Lake. Intricate sound system has been installed in the area. An organisation called Sardis International used all creative technologies to develop the concept. Several small sound fields have been installed in Ashima's Garden. The sound fields play original music produced in the Sardis studios. The legend of Ashima has some of the most famous melodies of China. With the help of the project's composers, Sardis has given the melodies for all the principal characters in the story,that include Arhei's call to Ashima from different areas around the lake while birds and spirits hovering above. The Stone Forest is a blend of natural limestone mountains, legend and modern technology thus it catches the eyes of about ten thousand local and foreign visitors a day during the season. |
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