Sunrise over the Giant Buddha – A spectacle of Mount Emei
In the first century AD, the first Buddhist temple was built in Leshan City in the Sichuan Province of China. Situated amidst the scenic tranquillity of the summit of Mount Emei, the other temples constructed around the site, has allowed it to become one of the holiest Buddhist sites in China.
Mount Emei is one of Buddhism’s Four Sacred Mountains. There are around seventy beautiful ancient monasteries from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The temples architectural style blends and adapts naturally to the adjoining landscape. Even to the untrained eye, it is obvious that the buildings designers ignored architectural plans of the time and modified them to fit the natural environment.
Mount Emei is host to many wonders of Chinese cultural and historical treasures. There are four scenic regions on the mountain; the Temples of Baoguo and Wannian, the Qingyin Pavilion and the Golden Summit. The Golden Summit one of its highest peaks, towers 3,079.3 metres to the sky. From here you can view the spectacular sunrise; a fantastic showcase of rosy clouds and purple light, as well as the Clouds Sea, when the mountain is enveloped in a wondrous sea of clouds. The famous temples house many exquisite Buddha statues, made from a variety of materials, from clay wood and iron to bronze and jade.
One of the most spectacular sites in the Mount Emei scenic area is the Giant Buddha of Leshan. This remarkable stone sculpture faces Mount Emei and is carved out of the cliff face where the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi Rivers confluence. The striking Giant Buddha of Leshan is undoubtedly the largest stone Buddha in the world, rising an astonishing 71 metres, with the waters of the rivers flowing at its feet.
Mount Emei was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. The mountain boasts extraordinarily diverse subtropical and subalpine vegetation, with trees dating more than 1,000 years old. It is also home to magnificent species of wildlife, such as the passerine bird, the Emei Shan Liocichla, which is endemic to Western China. The macaques, of the Old World monkeys, also make their home there, amongst the temples and the trees. With rich green trees all year round and plenty of wonderful waterfalls, wildlife is sustained to high levels. They also add to the mysterious, sublime and gorgeous scenery.
Archaeologically, Mount Emei has had long history of human activity, going back almost 5,000 years when the Emperor Xuanyuan visited the area to learn Tao thoughts. When the first temple was built, it became the birthplace of Buddhism in the Yangtze Valley. All of this is reflected in the rich sources of Buddhist architecture, music and art, that is still prominent in modern Emei culture.
The mountain range spans four kilometres and when seen from afar, give the impression of the eyebrows of a beautiful maiden. Emei roughly translates into ‘long eyebrows’. The summit of Emei is situated to the south and is called Wanfo Peak or the Tens of Thousands of Buddhas, and it has an altitude of 3,099 metres. The patron bodhisattava of Mount Emei is known in Chinese as Puxian. Tourists to Mount Emei are treated to the wonders of towering Mountains, deep valleys, secluded forests and a variety of birdsong and animal chattering. This paradise of flora and fauna exudes a feeling of mystery and wonder. It is a spectacular sight, with different scenes at every turn, from snowy peaks, to vast expanse of green plains. It is a spectacular occasion for any adventurer.
