CHINA 5A TRAVEL
One of China's four sacred Buddhist mountains and a UNESCO World Heritage site, where the golden summit of Puxian Bodhisattva rises above seas of cloud at 3,077 meters. Ancient temples, monkey troops and a two-day climb through three climate zones.
Mount Emei rises from the western rim of the Sichuan Basin in a single sweep of 154 square kilometers, its highest peak Wanfoding reaching 3,099 meters. It is the bodhimanda (ritual seat) of Puxian Bodhisattva, one of China's Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains, and - together with the Leshan Giant Buddha - was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1996.
The mountain stacks three climate zones as it climbs: the humid low zone of Baoguo Temple and Qingyin Pavilion, the mid-zone temple complexes of Wannian Temple, and the subalpine high zone where the Golden Summit (Jinding) holds its 48-meter golden statue of Puxian on four elephants. Above Leidongping the trees give way to a sea of clouds that, on clear mornings, breaks around sunrise over the Gongga range.
Wild Tibetan macaques patrol the trails between Qingyin Pavilion and Yixiantian - equal parts delight and hazard - while winter adds a ski field near Leidongping. Most visitors ride buses partway up, but the full pilgrimage walk from Baoguo Temple to the Golden Summit, two days of stone steps through temple gates and fir forest, remains one of China's classic mountain treks.
Highlights
The Golden Summit (Jinding)
The 48-meter golden Puxian statue on a six-tier pedestal, backed by cliff-edge views over the cloud sea and, on lucky days, the 'Buddha's light' halo.
Sunrise above the clouds
Pre-dawn cable rides from Jieyindian deliver you to the summit for sunrise over an ocean of cloud - the mountain's signature spectacle.
Wannian Temple
The mountain's core religious complex: a Song-dynasty brick hall housing a 1,000-year-old bronze Puxian on a six-tusked white elephant, reachable by cable or 40 minutes of steps.
Qingyin Pavilion & Yixiantian
Two streams converging under pavilions, then a slot gorge where the trail squeezes between rock walls - the loveliest low-zone walk.
The wild monkey troop
Tibetan macaques at the Ecological Monkey Zone beg, snatch and pose; keep bags closed and food hidden.
The full pilgrimage trail
Report of two-day walks from Baoguo Temple through Xixiangchi ('Elephant Bathing Pool') to the summit via the 99 Turns - stone steps through three climate zones.
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