Shilin

Shilin, meaning stone forest in Chinese, is a toponym used for several places in greater China. The best known are in Taiwan and mainland China, where the name reflects the local landscape or historical naming practices.

Shilin District is a district in the northern part of Taipei City, Taiwan. It is a residential and commercial area that also hosts several cultural institutions, including the National Palace Museum. The district is a major hub for tourism and local entertainment, with a focus on outdoor markets, dining, and cultural attractions. One of its most famous features is the Shilin Night Market, a large and popular street market that offers a wide range of Taiwanese foods, snacks, and merchandise.

In mainland China, Shilin refers to the Stone Forest (Shilin) in Yunnan Province. Shilin County, officially Shilin Yi Autonomous County, lies near Kunming and is renowned for a dramatic landscape of limestone formations that resemble a forest when viewed together. The site is a major natural attraction and is organized as a protected scenic area with related karst formations and visitor facilities.

The term Shilin is used for other localities as well, reflecting the common Chinese practice of naming places after distinctive natural features. Across its uses, Shilin typically connotes a landscape characterized by stone formations or a historical association with stone-related features.