Emei Shan is one of the four sacred
Buddhist mountains of china. It has an elevation of
3,099 meters, and is 165 kilometers away from Chengdu.
Emei shan has attracted tourists since ancient times
with phenomenal views all year round. The mountain
was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.
Buddhism first came to Emei Shan
about 2,000 years ago, and left behind more than 30
temples. Some of the Buddhist and Taoist temples at
Emi shan are also well known for training in traditional
Chinese Kung Fu and Qigong.
Mount Emei is famous for its beautiful
scenery. It's home to over 3,200 types of plants and
trees, and half of them have medicinal value. Emei
shan also has over 2,300 species of animals including
the giant panda. The monkeys of Emei shan are famed
for their intelligence, and ability to interact with
people.
Scenic Areas of Emei Shan
Baoguo Temple was
built from 1573 to 1620 during the Ming Dynasty, and
was reconstructed during the reign of Emperor Kangxi
(1662-1722). The Mount Emei Buddhism Association is
located here, and major religious activities are also
held here. The most treasured relic of the temple
is a large, 2.4m porcelain statue of Buddha made in
1415.
Qingyin Pavilion
is about 15 kilometers up from Baoguo temple, and
has an elevation of 710 meters. It was built in the
4th century. The Black Dragon river (dark green) and
White Dragon river (ivory) flow on the two sides,
and merge just below the pavilion. The combined stream
crash against a large rock shaped like a cattle heart
and make thunderous roars that echo in the surrounding
valleys and woods.
Wannian Temple
(ten thousand year temple) is at an elevation of 1,020
meters. The temple was built during the Jin Dynasty
(265 - 420), and is believed to be the oldest monastery
on Emei Shan. Inside the temple is a magnificent bronze
statue of the mountain's patron saint, Puxian (Bodhisattva
of Universal Benevolence). Three disastrous fires
have demolished the Wannian temple since the 10th
century, and each time, the 62 ton statue was unharmed.
Golden Summit offers
a magnificent view standing at the pinnacle of Emei
Shan (3,077m high). Here, the visitor can see mountains
and rivers from far and near. At dawn, the clouds
gradually gather and redden in the east, and at the
begin of the day, the clouds part, and the sun bursts
forth. In the afternoon, the sun's rays penetrate
the clouds and form a circle of multi-colored lights
- this is the famous Emei Buddha's halo. This is what
makes up the four great spectacular sights of Emei:
Sunrise, Sea of Clouds, Buddha's Halo, and sunset.
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