Abstract: In modern times, the traditional legal system that had lasted for more than two thousand years gradually gave way to the modern one while legal consciousness of the people grew progressively. Appearance of cases of dispute over ownership of mountain forests was one of the manifestations. In order to determine the ownership of mountain forests, people in central Yunnan in modern times resorted to legal proceedings to safeguard their legitimate interests, thus the appearance of numerous mountain forest disputes. Upon completion of the legal proceedings, steles were erected on which the verdicts were inscribed, together with the causes, the trial processes and the final judgments, etc. of such disputes so as to define boundaries of disputed forests and safeguard legitimate rights and interests of the parties concerned. By analyzing the stele inscriptions of mountain forest disputes in central Yunnan in modern times, we can understand the causes and characteristics of mountain forest disputes, as well as the emphasis of the local government and people on protecting mountain forest and environment.

Key words: modern time, central Yunnan, stele inscription, mountain forest dispute