China Travel Guide -- Mount Emei

Author: Compiled by the Editorial Committee of "China Travel Guide"
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-09-01
Features: In people's eyes, Mount Emei is a world of immortals and a sea of Buddha. It is renowned as one of China's Four Sacred Mountains, alongside Mount Wutai in Shanxi, Mount Jiuhua in Anhui, and Mount Putuo in Zhejiang. There is also a beautiful legend about the origin of Mount Emei. Once, Mount Emei was just a massive, square rock spanning over a hundred miles, gray and white in color, towering towards the sky with no vegetation. To build a beautiful homeland, a wise 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 tossed into the sky the carefully stitched cloth and colorful handkerchiefs she had made. The colorful handkerchiefs drifted to the summit, turning into dazzling rainbow halos; the cloth handkerchiefs fluttered over the rock, transforming into lush green forests, cascading waterfalls, blooming flowers, singing birds, leaping monkeys, and roaming wildlife. The green mountains danced, and the clear waters sang. Because this mountain resembled the eyebrows of the embroideress, people named it Mount Emei.
To climb Mount Emei, one can behold countless scenic wonders. For example, the Ruyi Hall in Wan niên Temple, the "Morning Mist over Hongchun Platform" at Hongchunping, the "Mist Enveloping Huayan Peak" and "Moonlit Elephant Pool" at Xixiangchi, the Zangjinglou at Baoguo Temple, and the majestic and magnificent Buddha statues, among others. Let me describe them to you:
From Xixiangchi to the Golden Summit of Mount Emei, the path is filled with swirling mist and clouds that fill the valleys. The vast white clouds, like cotton, are blown by the mountain wind, covering the peaks like a thin veil. Standing atop the Golden Summit, one can gaze upon the Chengdu Plain stretching out for five hundred miles: on the left are the Min River and the Qingyi River, winding like two giant serpents descending the mountain; on the right is the Dadu River, like a slender golden snake reaching the very base. The rivers and roads are both a coarse yellow, surrounded by lush mountains and emerald fields, creating a breathtaking natural tapestry of light and color.
Looking at the waist of the Golden Summit, the scenery becomes even more magical. Sometimes, the clouds and mist drift slowly, intermingling in black, gray, milky white, and golden hues, displaying endless variations. At other times, the sky is uniform in color, as if the visitors are on an island, surrounded by vast emptiness.
Buddha Light and Holy Lantern
The bronze hall on the main peak of Mount Emei, called the Golden Summit, sparkles with golden light. Here, there is a natural phenomenon called the "Buddha Light" or "Holy Lantern," which is truly captivating. At 2:00 PM, we climbed to the Golden Summit and, by chance, the clouds above us cleared away. Standing on the cliff, with our hands on the iron railing, we looked down at the mountain's waist, where a giant, seven-colored halo appeared in the white mist. By waving our hands, the angle of the light changed, as if we were looking in a mirror, allowing us to see our own reflections.
What's amazing is that even when many people try to see it, they can only see their own reflections, which float and sway, mysterious and enigmatic.
Inspired by the joy of witnessing the Buddha Light, at 8:00 PM, we also saw the Holy Lantern. While sitting on the grassy field of the Golden Summit, we suddenly noticed countless so-called "Buddha lights" flickering and floating from different directions in the thick mist. Some looked like lit candles, others like blooming lotuses, and others like flowing fireflies. However, when we reached out to grab them, they vanished into thin air, sparking endless imagination among the visitors.
According to local lore, the Buddha Light usually appears in the afternoon on clear, windless days when the sea of clouds is calm, with the sun shining at a slant—especially between 2 PM and 6 PM in autumn and winter.
The Dangerous Path to Mount Emei
From Baoguo Temple to the Golden Summit, the journey is filled with towering peaks, massive rocks, sheer cliffs, and cliffs that rise thousands of feet into the sky. Along the way, there are also dozens of kilometers of cascading waterfalls, roaring like thunder. Walking after walking, you pass by the Five Li Slope, the Elephant Nose Slope, the Linked View Slope, the Seven Li Slope, and the Ninety-Nine Bends. With each step, sweat pours down. It's no wonder the ancients sighed, "The road to Shu is as difficult as climbing the sky."
A few miles further from the "Qingyin Pavilion," where you can only hear the sound of thunder and no other, lies the "Black River Corridor." The so-called "Black River" is a mighty mountain stream, and the "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 curves for miles, with the beauty of the mountains and clouds stretching endlessly. Walking into the corridor, you are shaded by lush trees above and cooled by the stream below. The gurgling of the springs harmonizes with the rhythm of the heart, while the chirping of cicadas and birds fills the air with endless melodies. The blooming flowers, far and near, are even more dazzling and enchanting!
The Monkeys of Mount Emei
Mount Emei is rich in vegetation, flowers, and fruits, with a diverse array of birds and animals. Among them, the monkeys of Mount Emei are particularly extraordinary, communicating with humans and beloved by tourists. Unlike monkeys elsewhere, which are fierce and unreasonable, these monkeys are gentle, civilized, and polite.
As we ran from the Golden Summit to Wan niên Temple, we were greeted by an elderly woman who had just come 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 miles, we saw a fat old monkey sitting in the path, as if it knew we were coming and was greeting us. When we offered it the zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) we had brought, it devoured them in a few bites, savoring every bite. Just as I was about to take its photo, it bared its teeth and backed away to the side, as if to say, "Thank you, don't waste your film!" I looked at it in frustration and tossed it the zongzi, shouting, "Monkeys, here's some food for you!"
In response, the monkeys let out squeaks, and the branches shook, creating waves of green. More than ten monkeys, young and old, came running, all waiting obediently by the roadside with outstretched hands. They took the food one by one without fighting. When the food was in their paws, they ate it, blinking their little eyes as if listening to commands. You could pat their heads freely, and the scene was truly a harmony between humans and monkeys.
The monkeys of Mount Emei are elusive, often appearing in places like Jiulong Cave, Xixiangchi, and Wan niên Temple. Usually, they appear in groups, with a few to dozens of monkeys. They are all glossy-coated, graceful in form, gentle in nature, and lively and adorable.
The journey to Mount Emei is unforgettable and leaves a lasting impression.