Located in Duzhuang, a town about 35 kilometers from central Datong, Shanxi province, a mystical forest of earth pillars offers a unique landscape for tourists.

The so-called Earth Forest, or tulin, is made up of protrusive loess and grit sediment that is formed by earth movement and wind and water erosion.

The pillars appear in diverse shapes – platforms, columns, cliffs and ridges – which make visitors feel like they're in an unfamiliar world.

In Duzhuang, a town about 35 kilometers from central Datong, Shanxi province, a mystical forest of earth pillars provides a unique landscape for tourists, on July 21. [Photo by Zhao Jun for chinadaily.com.cn]

In Duzhuang, a town about 35 kilometers from central Datong, Shanxi province, a mystical forest of earth pillars provides a unique landscape for tourists, on July 21. [Photo by Zhao Jun for chinadaily.com.cn]