Emei Mountain and the Giant Buddha of Leshan

A legend claims that the Emei Mountain was where Samantabhadra gave lectures on Buddhism and most temples house a statue of Samantabhadra. The main scenic spots on the mountain include the Baoguo Temple, Wannian Temple, Fohu Temple, Qingyin Pavilion, Heilongjiang Tunnel, Hongchun Platform, Xianfeng Temple (Jiulao Cave), Xixiang Pond and Golden Summit. These places are at different altitudes and have different climates. Temperatures at the top of mountain are 15 degrees lower than at the foot. The mountain which supports more than 3,000 varieties of plants and many animals is an important scenic area.

The first Buddhist temple in China was built here in Sichuan Province in the 1st century A.D. in the beautiful surroundings of the summit of Emei Mountain. The addition of other temples turned the site into one of Buddhism's holiest sites. Over the centuries, the cultural treasures grew in number. At 71 m high, it is the largest Buddha in the world. Emei Mountain is also notable for its exceptionally diverse vegetation, ranging from subtropical to subalpine pine forests. Some of the trees there are more than 1,000 years old.

Impassive, gargantuan the Giant Buddha peers out from under half-lidded eyes, oblivious to the sightseers swarming round his head, clambering over his toes and nearly capsizing their boats in their eagerness to photograph his bulk. The Giant Buddha is touted as the world's largest Buddhist sculpture, though statistics alone can't convey the initial impression of this squat icon, comfortably seated with his hands on his knees, looming over you as the ferry nears.

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