Mt. Emei



Mount Emei rises 3,099 meters above sea level in Emei County, 160 kilometers southwest of
Chengdu. Its charming scenery has won it the name of "Emei, the Greatest Beauty under Heaven". It
is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China. The patron bodhisattava of Emei is
Samantahadra, known in Chinese as Puxian.

Mount Emei is well-known for its enjoyable natural scenery, extensive Buddhist culture, abundant
range of species and unique landform. Thus it gets such titles as “Kingdom of Plants”, “Geological
Museum”, “Animals' Paradise” and “Buddhist Celestial Mountain”.

Mt. Emei's history has been recorded for over 2,000 years, during which time a rich Buddhist cultural
heritage has accumulated. Within the beamless hall of the Wannian Temple, a hall with outstanding
architectural features, towers a bronze statue of Samantabhadra. Cast in 980 AD in the Song Dynasty, it is 7.85 m high, weighs 62 tons and is one
of China's important cultural relics. The Baoguo Temple is the site of flourishing Buddhist activities. The Fuhu Temple, the largest temple on the
mountain, is surrounded by ancient Nanmu trees.

Most of the temples on Mount Emei have a statue of Samantbhadra at the shrine. There were once more than a hundred temples and monasteries
on the mountain, but only about 30 remain today, 10 of which are large and very old. They are considered masterpieces of creative ingenuity in the
way they adapt to the natural environment and beauty of the holy mountain.

Mt. Emei has been designated a World Heritage Site thanks to its breathtaking scenery, mysterious natural wonders, and historical Buddhist sites.
The slopes incorporate several different climates and much wildlife, especially birds and trees. Some of the trees are more than 1,000 years old.
Atop the Golden Summit, which is 3,077 m high, one can enjoy the sunrise, seas of clouds, the "Buddha's halo and the sunset glow.

On evenings when the moon can not be observed (either in the early or late period of a lunar month), and
after rain, tourists may see countless shining balls of light rising from the foot of the cliff and floating up in
the air. This is the mysterious scene of holy lights.