Yangshuo Karst Formation

Karst Topography & Formations
Karst topography is a three-dimensional landscape shaped by the dissolution of a soluble layer or layers of bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite. These landscapes display distinctive surface features and underground drainages, and in some examples there may be little or no surface drainage. The karstification of a landscape may result in a variety of large or small scale features both on the surface and beneath.On exposed surfaces, small features may include flutes, runnels, clints and grikes, collectively called karren or lapiez. Medium-sized surface features may include sinkholes or dolines, vertical shafts, disappearing streams, and reappearing springs. Mature karst landscapes, where more bedrock has been removed than remains, may result in karst towers or haystack/eggbox landscapes. Beneath the surface, complex underground drainage systems and extensive caves and cavern systems may form. A karst river may disappear underground a number of times and spring up again in different places, usually under a different name.

Yangshuo Karst Formation
The entire region is surrounded by mountains while the central part is covered with hills and plains. The karst geomorphy around Yangshuo is an area of irregular limestone formations in which erosion has produced fissures, sinkholes, underground streams, and caverns. This is wide-spread in the region, creating numerous natural scenic spots.

Two crustal movements of the earth took place about 200 and 180 millionyears ago thrusting the limestone sediments out of the sea from its bottom more than 200 meters below the surface to form a large expanse of land. The karst formation became the hills and rocks with unusual shapes through many years of erosion by the wind and rain. There are many complete karst, which are of high scientific value and tourist value.