Mount Emei: Picturesque Scenery The First Great Buddha: Picturesque Scenery

Author: Xu Jiaguo
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Mount Emei extends in a direction, towering and winding. Its main peak, Wanfo Peak, reaches a height of 3,099 meters, with the golden summit standing majestically, higher than the Five Great Mountains. It is also the highest of the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism. In people's eyes, Mount Emei is a world of immortals and an ocean of Buddha. It is renowned alongside Mount Wutai in Shanxi, Mount Jiuhua in Anhui, and Mount Putuo in Zhejiang as one of China's Four Sacred Mountains. There is also a beautiful legend about the origin of Mount Emei. Once, Mount Emei was just a massive, square-shaped rock covering an area of over a hundred li, with a grayish-white hue, towering towards the sky, and devoid of any vegetation. To build a beautiful homeland, a clever and skilled stonemason, along with his wife, an expert in embroidery, resolved to carve the rock into a lush mountain with their hands. Moved by their determination and effort, the gods in the heavens helped them. With the gods' assistance, the stonemason carved the rock into rolling mountains and deep gorges, while the embroideress threw into the sky the carefully embroidered cloth and colorful handkerchiefs she had made. The colorful handkerchiefs drifted to the summit, transforming into dazzling seven-colored halos; the cloth handkerchiefs fluttered over the rock, turning into lush green forests, cascading waterfalls, blooming flowers, singing birds, leaping monkeys, and roaming beasts. The green mountains danced, and the clear waters sang. Because this mountain resembled the eyebrows of the embroideress in beauty, people named it Mount Emei.
To climb Mount Emei, one can behold countless scenic wonders. For example, the Rulai Hall in Wanfansi, the "Morning Mist of Hongchunping," the "Mist-Enveloped Huayan Peak" and "Moonlit Elephant Pool" in Xiangxiangchi, the Zangjingshu of Baoguo Temple, and the majestic and magnificent Buddha statues, among others. Please allow me to describe them to you: From Xiangxiangchi to the Golden Summit, the path is filled with swirling mist and clouds, covering the valleys and gorges. The vast white clouds resemble cotton wool, and with a sudden gust of wind, they seem like a thin layer of gauze draped over the peaks. Standing atop the Golden Summit, one can gaze upon the Chengdu Plain stretching out for five hundred li: on the left are the Min River and the Qingyi River, winding like two giant serpents as they approach the foot of the mountain; on the right is the Dadu River, like a slender golden snake extending to the base. Here, the rivers are a coarse yellow, the paths a fine yellow, surrounded by lush mountains and emerald fields stretching endlessly, creating a breathtaking natural tapestry.
Looking closer at the waist of the Golden Summit, the scenery becomes even more magical. Sometimes, the clouds and mist drift slowly, intermingling in black, gray, creamy white, and golden hues, displaying endless variations; at other times, the sky is uniform in color, and visitors feel as if they are on an island, surrounded by vastness. The bronze hall on the main peak of Mount Emei, shimmering with golden light, is known as the Golden Summit. Here, there is a natural phenomenon called "Buddha Light" or "Sacred Lantern," which is truly captivating. At 2 p.m. that afternoon, we reached the Golden Summit, and by chance, the clouds above us cleared away. Standing on the cliff, with hands on the iron railing, we looked down at the mountain's waist, where in the white mist, a giant seven-colored halo appeared. By waving our hands, the angle of the light changed, and we called it "looking in a mirror," able to see our own reflections. The most extraordinary part is that even when many people tried to see it, they could only see their own reflections, floating and swaying, mysterious and enigmatic.
Inspired by the desire to witness the Buddha Light, at 8 p.m. that evening, we also saw the Sacred Lantern. While sitting on the grassland of the Golden Summit, we suddenly noticed countless so-called "Buddha Lights" flickering and floating in the thick mist, coming from different directions. Some looked like lit candles, others like newly bloomed lotuses, and others like flowing fireflies. However, when we reached out to grab them, they vanished into thin air, sparking endless reflections in the minds of the visitors.
According to local lore, Buddha Light usually appears in the afternoon on clear, windless days when the clouds are calm and the sun shines obliquely, especially between 2 and 6 p.m. in autumn and winter.
From Baoguo Temple to the Golden Summit, the journey is not only filled with towering peaks, massive rocks, sheer cliffs, and cliffs rising thousands of feet into the air but also with dozens of kilometers of cascading waterfalls, roaring like thunder. Walking after walking, passing by Wuli Slope, Elephant Nose Slope, Linked View Slope, Seven Li Slope, and Ninety-Nine Bends; sweating profusely with each step, one can hardly help but feel the essence of the ancient saying, "The road to Shu is as difficult as climbing the sky."
From the "Qingyin Pavilion," where only the sound of thunder can be heard, we continued for several more miles to the "Black River Corridor." The so-called Black River is a mighty mountain stream, and the so-called corridor is a path built along the winding course of the stream, following the towering and steep mountain terrain. This corridor, nestled against the mountains and beside the stream, winds and turns, with the mountain scenery and cloud shadows stretching for miles. Walking into the corridor, one is shaded by lush trees above and cooled by the stream below. The gurgling of the springs resonates with the heartbeat, and the chirping of cicadas and birds fills the air with endless melodies. The mountain flowers, far and near, welcome and bid farewell, even more vibrant and enchanting!
Mount Emei is lush with vegetation, flowers, and fruits, and is home to a diverse array of birds and animals. Among them, the monkeys of Mount Emei are particularly extraordinary, communicating with humans and deeply loved by visitors. Unlike monkeys elsewhere, which are fierce and unreasonable, these monkeys are gentle, civilized, and polite.
As we ran from the Golden Summit to Wanfansi, we were greeted by an elderly woman coming up from the mountain. She said, "There are many monkeys ahead!" We immediately excitedly adjusted our cameras and ran down the mountain. After about two li, we saw an old, fat monkey sitting in the path, as if knowing we were coming and greeting us. When we offered it the zongzi we had brought, it devoured it in a few bites, savoring every bite. Just as I was about to take its photo, it bared its teeth and moved to the side of the path, as if saying, "Thank you, don't waste your film!" I looked at it in frustration and tossed the zongzi into the air, shouting, "Monkeys, here's some food for you!"
In response, the monkeys let out squeaks of excitement, and the branches shook, creating waves of green. More than a dozen monkeys, young and old, came running, all waiting obediently by the side of the path, stretching out their hands toward the people. They took the food without fighting, one after another. When the food was placed in their hands, they ate it, blinking their small eyes as if they were listening to instructions. Visitors could freely pat their heads, creating a scene of perfect harmony between humans and monkeys.
The monkey troops of Mount Emei are not always in the same place. After eating, one old monkey would call out, and the others would climb the trees and retreat, first causing the branches to tremble, then the treetops to surge with waves of green. In an instant, they vanished without a trace, leaving visitors with a sense of loss.
It is said that there are hundreds of monkeys on Mount Emei, often seen in places like Jiulong Cave, Xiangxiangchi, and Wanfansi. Usually, they appear in groups, ranging from a few to dozens. They are all glossy-haired, graceful, gentle, and lively.
The journey to Mount Emei is unforgettable, leaving a lasting impression.