Introduction to Mt. Emei
Mt. Emei is situated in Emeishan City, Leshan City, Sichuan Province. The scenic area covers 154 km2,and the peak, Wanfo Summit,is 3099 meters above the sea level. Towering, steep and beautiful, Mt. Emei enjoys the fame of “the most beautiful mountain under the heaven”. It has been listed as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage site by UNESCO, and it is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China, a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Site, a major National Scenic Spots and Historical Site, and an AAAAA-rated national tourist attraction.
Mt. Emei has a varied climate and is covered with rich vegetation, with more than 3,000 species of plants, including rare trees in the world. It is a major characteristic of Mt. Emei that along the trail there are a lot of monkeys, often in groups, extending palms to tourists for food. During ancient times, Mt. Emei was a holy site to learn from the immortals and study Tao, while it is now one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China. As the place of enlightenment of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, Mt. Emei mainly enshrines and worships bodhisattva Samantabhadra. There are about 26 Buddhist temples, including 8 major ones, holding frequent Buddhist services.
“Mt. Emei towers in the west, reaching the sky”, “The land of Shu (Sichuan) has many mountains of Immortals, among which Mt.Emei is far beyond comparison”, great poet Li Bai (701-762) has countless verses praising Mt. Emei.
