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 Mt.Emei lies in the southern area of Sichuan basin in China. Mt. Emei is one of the four sacred Buddhist Mountains in China. It is said that Mt. Emei derived its name from two peaks which face each other and look like eyebrows. The whole mountain range extends over 200 kilometers in length and breadth. Ever since the introduction of Buddhism into China in the 1st century AD, Buddhist buildings have been built on the mountain. Now there are more than one hundred temples and monasteries. It is known as the place of Buddhist Rites of Puxian.
Mt. Emei is rich in natural and cultural heritage and carries several monikers: "Kingdom of Plants"," Paradise of Animals"," Geological Museum", "Buddhist Celestial Mountain" and is particularly famous for the title, " Elegance of Mt.Emei Under The Sun". The Four Wonders of Mt.Emei are the Golden Summit Sunrise, sea of clouds, Buddha's Halo and the Holy Lamp. The main attractions include the Baoguo Temple, Fuhu Temple, Leiyin Temple and many other spots. In 1996, Mt. Emei and the Grand Buddha in Leshan were included in the List of the World Famous Cultural Relics.
One passes through four seasons in a day in the 5 kilometers from the base to the summit. The hike takes most people a full day up and a full day back down; the monasteries along the way and at the top offer overnight accommodations for travelers at reasonable prices. As you make your way up, expect to encounter plenty of pilgrims trudging their way steadily upward. The stamina of some of the older pilgrims is sure to surprise you. The monkeys aren't really dangerous, but it's probably better to appease them.
Mt.Emei is one of the most attractive tourist attractions. It lies 150 kilometers away from Chengdu, 130 kilometers from the Shuangliu International Airport and only 28 kilometers from Leshan city.
Baoguo Monastery
Baoguo Monastery is the biggest monastery as well as the gate at the base of the mountain. This monastery was built in the 16th century, enlarged in the 17th century, and rebuilt in recent years. There are three treasures in this monastery: one is a 3.5-meter porcelain Buddha, the other is 7-meter 14-storied cupreous tower and another one is 2.3-meter great cupreous bell weighing 25 tons. To the left of the gate is a rockery for potted miniature trees and rare plants.
Scenic Spots Types Price (RMB)
Entrance charge 120
Wannian Temple 10
Huazang Temple 10
Fuhu Temple 10
Baoguo Temple 8
Jinding cable car 70 (round-trip)
Wannian Temple cable car 40 (up)
Wannian Monastery
The Wannian Monastery is the largest of the eight monasteries to be found on Mount Emei. It is dedicated to Bodhisattva Puxian who famous for his preaching. The monastery is where the majority of tourists will start out on their climb of Mount Emei while others will pay a visit on completing their tour of the mountain.
The monastery was built originally during the Jin Dynasty (265-420) and was known as the Puxian Temple. It became known as the Baishui Temple during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and was renamed Baishui Puxian Temple in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In the 29th year of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) the name was changed to Wannian Monastery in honor of the queen mother's birthday and has remained so ever since.
The buildings have been severely damaged on a number of occasions over the centuries and the Brick Hall (built in 1601) is the only one to remain in its original form. This Hall is in the Indian architectural style. The domed ceiling over the quadrate body of the hall reflects the ancient concept of heaven being round while the earth is square. The entire hall is constructed from brick and stone without the use of any form of girders. Inside there is a magnificent bronze statue of Bodhisattva Puxian mounted on a white elephant. Despite several fires and earthquakes, the hall and the 62-ton statue have survived and are in a very good state of preservation. Together they are a wonderful reminder of the skills and artistry that for so many centuries has been a feature of China and its long established civilization.
Autumn adds its own spectacle at the Wannian Monastery as the red leaves on the trees are reflected in the pond. The breeze causes red ripples to run over the water as it glistens in the sunlight. So enthralling! Clap your hands and you may then hear the sound of the frogs, which is said to emulate an ancient zither. Yet another magical touch to your wonderful tour.
Qingyin Pavilion
Qingyin Pavilion, also called Woyun Temple, is located at the junction of Heilong and Bailong Streams. It is one of the famous spots on Mount Emei about 710 meters or 2,367 feet above sea level and 15 kilometres from Baoguo Monastery. Nearby the pavilion is a huge "cattle-heart" shaped rock, hence the name "Cattle Heart Stone". Underneath the stone is a "Double Flying Kiosk" around which lie two bridges on both sides. The two bridges seem to look like the wings of the kiosk, so it was named "Double Flying Bridges". The cascading waters of the two streams under the bridges impinges against the "Cattle Heart Stone" and splashes on all directions like broken pieces of crystal pearls and jade which also emits the sweetest and purest sound of nature. Visitors would really appreciate the beautiful scenery and would bring great joy hearing nature's music!
From the Qingyin Pavilion, it is very convenient going to Wannian Monastery and other attractions. In addition, it is an excellent place for enjoying the night sky. If you don't want to miss it, there are some farmhouses beside the temples for your choice.
Golden Summit
Golden Summit is an absolutely necessary spot to visit on your Mount Emei tour. It earned the name "Golden Summit", because the roof of the original temple was coated with bronze. The site is a prime tourist attraction, many of whom come to see four marvelous spectacles: sunrise, sea of clouds, Buddha's Aureole and Divine Lights.
Rise with the lark in order to watch the sun rise gradually, and enjoy the split second when it jumps out from below the horizon. The best time for watching this is about 5:00-6:00 am. The Sea of Clouds is also wonderful. If the weather permits, you can clearly observe the different movements of these lovely clouds. Sometimes they form into a soft "cloud blanket", sometimes "cloud billows", "clouds peaks"; or a cotton-like "cloud regiment". It seems that they must have a life of their own and want to play games with us. The supernatural Buddha's Aureole occurs when sunlight diffracts onto the clouds. After a snow or rain, you will find your shadow covered with a colorful aureole moving with you. At night you will notice millions of dot-like tiny lights twinkling and wavering, as if you were placed in the Milky Way. The source of these "Divine Lights" is still unknown - are they from a firefly, wildfire or something else?
Climbing and getting up early can be really sweaty work, but when you experience these rare wonders in the world you can't help marveling at them and feeling they are worth the effort. |
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