Giant Buddha Leshan and the holy mountain Emei

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Dear friends,

Today we are going for a two day trip to the Giant Buddha in Leshan en the holy mountain Mount Emei.

The weather is rather good, but during our way to the top of the mountain Emei (3200 metres) it became foggy and rainy.
To reach the top of the mountain takes a long time. First a two and a half drive by special bus, then you have to walk and climb many stairs for around 45 minutes and then by cable car to the top of the mountain.

When we were in the cable car, the last two hundred meters before we reach the top, the clouds broke and it was sunny at the top of the mountain.
This is an unique experience. The next day we went further to the top (at 05.15 hours) to see the sunrise. But it was very foggy and cloudy and we and hundreds of other people never saw the sunrise this morning, but it was a great experience to be on this holy mountain so early in the morning.

So the pictures give you a feeling about our mountainadventure.

The information about the Giant Buddha and the Mount Emei is provided by

Many thanks for using the information. Visit this site if you want to know anything about travelling in China.

The Leshan Giant Buddha is a statue of Maitreya (a Bodhisattva usually represented as a very stout monk with a broad smile on his face and with his naked breast and paunch exposed to view) in sitting posture. The Buddha is located to the east of Leshan City, Sichuan Province, at the confluence of three rivers, namely, Min River, Qingyi River, and Dadu River. The statue makes itself the most renowned scenic spot in Leshan City. In December, 1996, the location of the Buddha was included by UNESCO on the list of the World Heritage sites. Begun in the year 713 in the Tang Dynasty, and finished in the year 803, the statue took people more than 90 years to carve. During these years, thousands of workers had expended their efforts and wisdom on the project. As the biggest carved stone Buddha in the world, Leshan Giant Buddha is featured in poetry, song and story.

Facing the river, the Buddha has symmetrical posture and looks which have been beautifully captured in its solemn stillness. It is 71 meters (about 233 feet) high, and has three-meter-long (about 11 feet) fingers. The eight-meter-long (about 27 feet) instep is big enough for one hundred people to sit on and the 28-meter-wide (about 92 feet) shoulder is large enough to be a basketball playground.

It was a monk called Hai Tong who initiated the project. His concern was for the safety of the long-suffering people who earned their living around the confluence of the three rivers. Tempestuous waters ensured that boat accidents were numerous and the simple people put the disaster down to the presence of a water spirit. So Hai Tong decided to carve a statue beside the river thinking that the Buddha would bring the water spirit under control. Besides, the fallen stones dropped during the carving would reduce the water force there. After 20 years' begging alms, he finally accumulated enough money for the plan. When some local government officials had designs on tempting this amount of money, Hai Tong said that they could get his eyeball but not the money raised for the Buddha. After Hai Tong dug out his eyeball, these officials ran away scared. The project was half done when Hai Tong passed away, and two of his disciples continued the work. After a total of 90 years' hard work, the project was finally completed.

The charm of the Buddha lies not only in its size but also in its architectural artistry. There are 1,021 buns in the Buddha's coiled hair. These have been skillfully embedded in the head. The skill is so wonderful that the 1,021 buns seem integral to the whole. Another architectural highlight is the drainage system. This system is made up of some hidden gutters and channels, scattered on the head and arms, behind the ears and in the clothes. This system, which helps displace rainwater and keep the inner part dry, plays an important part in the protection of the Buddha. The large pair of ears, each seven meters (about 23 feet) long, is made of wood and is decorated by mud on the surface. For craftsmen of thousands of years ago, it was not easy to fix these to the stone head.

Having such a long history and such worldwide fame, the renovation of the Buddha has received extensive attention both at home and abroad. The Buddha was nearly destroyed by the erosion of wind and rain before 1963 when the Chinese government began the repairing work. At present, the maintenance work is in progress under the instruction of experts from UNESCO.



Information about Mount Emei.

Mt. Emei is located in Leshan City, Sichuan Province. It is towering, beautiful, old and mysterious. Mt. Emei is like a huge green screen standing in the southwest of the Chengdu Plain. Looking its winding and beautiful figure, you will find that it resembles very much an eyebrow of a girl. It is the highest one among all the famous sight-seeing mountains in China.

In Mt. Emei there are four scenic regions: Baoguo Temple, Wannian Temple, Qingyin Pavilion and Golden Summit. Its main peak, the Golden Summit, is 3079.3 meters (10,103 feet) above the sea level, seemingly reaching the sky. Standing on the top of it, you can enjoy the snowy mountains in the west and the vast plain in the east. In addition in Golden Summit there are four spectacles: clouds sea, sunrise, Buddha rays and saint lamps. In 1996 Mt. Emei was enlisted in the world natural and cultural heritage by the UNESCO.

Mt. Emei is a wondrous world. The trees are verdant almost all the year round; the waterfalls are splendid; the whole scenery is beautiful and quiet. The landscape varies according to the seasons, the height of mountain and the climate. The poet Tan Zhongyue living in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) once concluded the beautiful landscape in Emei Mountain into ten scenic sights. Today more and more new scenery has been discovered and given beautiful names such as Listen to the Spring beside the Tiger Brook, Plank Road above Longjiang River and Flying Waterfall Hanging over Dragon Gate. Go there and use your imagination, maybe you will discover a new sight by yourself.

Mt. Emei has a long history. According to the archaeological material, people in remote ancient times have lived in this place. As early as 5,000 years ago, the Emperor Xuanyuan paid two visits to the mountain to learn Tao thoughts. 1,900 years ago, a practitioner built the first monastery in the mountain, thus marked the Emei the birthplace of Buddhism in Yangtze Valley. Today the Buddhist culture has become the main body of Emei Culture. The Buddhist architecture, music, grottos and paintings in the mountain all reflect rich religious flavor and culture.



Mt. Emei is well-known for its enjoyable natural scenery, extensive Buddhist culture, abundant range of species and unique landform. Thus it gets such titles as 'Kingdom of Plants', 'Geological Museum', 'Animals' Paradise' and 'Buddhist Celestial Mountain'.
Florid Natural Scenery
Going into the mountain, you can see continuous ranges of peaks and tall trees covering on them. Water flows swiftly as if it were flying. Birds are singing and pretty butterflies are dancing. In spring, all the creatures are burgeoning and the whole mountain is in a fresh green coat; in summer, beautiful flowers are blooming one after another in a way of competition; in autumn, the entire Mt. Emei is decorated by the red leaves which make the mountain so amazing that it is far beyond your imagination; in winter, it is covered by snow like a pure bride with white wedding dress.

Profound Buddhist Culture
Mt. Emei is one of the four celebrated Buddhist Mountains in China. It is said that Buddhism was brought to Mt. Emei in the first century BC. After nearly 2,000 years of development, Mt. Emei has become a place rich in Buddhist heritage, which has made it an influential sacred place in China and even in the whole world. There are vivid and exquisite statues of Buddha made of clay, wood, jade, bronze and porcelain. As one of the three genres of Chinese martial art in China, Mt. Emei has gained its reputation both at home and abroad.

Abundant Resources of Species
Mt. Emei is covered with green vegetation all the year round. Its plentiful rainfall, peculiar landform, varied climate and complicated structures of the soil provide a perfect environment for a great number of species' growth and propagation. Among the plants, here you can have the chance to admire the rare trees, many different flowers and herbs. These plants not only endow the mountain with beauty but also create a natural fairyland for the animals here. Among all the animals there are many rare species.

Mysterious Geological Museum
The splendid Mt. Emei was created by the Himalayan mountain-building movement and the later uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It contains geological features of all the periods following the Cambrian period. The special geological feature is the precondition of the growth of various species and beautiful sceneries.


Baoguo Temple
Baoguo Temple is the center of Buddhist activities in Mt. Emei. The climate here is mild and trees are verdant and serried. Visiting this temple, you can enjoy either the renowned ancient buildings and precious Buddhist cultural relics or peculiar natural attractions and rare animals and plants.
Facing the east, Baoguo Temple awaits the arrival of the rising sun in the morning and sends off the setting sun in the dusk. In front of the temple gate there is a pair of stone lions carved in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). They are lively, grand and mighty, like door guards protecting the temple as well as the Mt. Emei. A large engraved stone slab hangs above the gate with the name of the temple on it which was written by the Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Qingyin Pavilion
Qingyin Pavilion is in the middle part of Mt. Emei. It is no exaggeration to say that the whole area of the pavilion is a fine picture with green hills and blue water. At its high point there are towering exquisite and refined pavilions. Two gloriettes stand in the middle of the region of Qingyin Pavilion. There is one stone bridge crossing on the Black Dragon River (The color of the water is dark green.) and the White Dragon River (The color of the water is ivory.) on each side of the gloriette. The two bridges are like a pair of wings, so a beautiful name was given to them: Double Flying Bridges. In the lower point, you can see the Black Dragon River on the right of the Cattle Heart Pavilion and White Dragon River on its left.

The billowing waves strike the huge stone in the green pond giving out the roaring sound time and again and echoing around the surrounding valleys and woods. The water splashing in all directions like broken pieces of crystal pearls and jade and forms a series of water drops flying in the air and then drop into the pond. How amazing it is! In the night with full moon and soft wind, all is quiet and there is only the melodious sound of water resounding in the air. Listening to the clear sound, your heart will be in a state of quietness and you will forget the existence of yourself, as if you had introjected with the nature and hovered in the universe.

Wannian Temple
The scenery in Wannian Temple is pleasant all the year around but especially in autumn.

In autumn there is heat of summer at the foot of the Mt. Emei even though snow has fallen on the top, but it is the best season to visit the Wannian Temple. Here red leaves are reflected in the water and when a breeze comes the leaves dance in the pond forming red waves glistening in the sunlight. So thrilling! Also in the Wannian Temple scenic region, there are mountain villages creating a peaceful and intoxicating picture.

Looking around beside the White Water Pond, the wind touches the mountains, wobbling the trees making a howling sound; red leaves have a dance to the wind in the air; the ripply stream water goes rightly through the temple and is crooning and echoing the wind.

Golden Summit
Golden Summit gets its name from a bronze house which was there. The weather here is cold in all year round but its natural scenery is wonderful. The four great spectacles of Golden Summit and also of Mt. Emei are sunrise, clouds sea, Buddha rays and saint lamps. They are the essence of the beauty and mysterious charm of the Mt. Emei. In the following paragraphs detailed descriptions of the four great spectacles will be given.

Sunrise
In Golden Summit, the sky before the dawn is amazing. The ground and the sky are in the same dark purple. Then gradually wisps of rosy clouds appear above the horizon indicating the coming of a pleasant day. Under the pink clouds on the royal purple velarium, all of a sudden, a small mauve point comes out and rises slowly, and then little by little it becomes an arc and then a semicircle. The color turns from mauve to jacinth and then golden red. At last the semicircle makes an elegant jump thus the sun appears in the east sky.
Due to the different weather conditions and seasons, the sunrise is varied. On a fine day you can enjoy the whole process of the sunrise. If there is cloudy haze in the east sky, it is already a red sun far above the horizon when you see the sunrise; if the sky is covered with cloud, you can only see the sunglow and clouds sea sometimes.

After the sunrise, millions of sun rays shoot onto the ground. At this time the Mt. Emei is gold in color, from the head to the feet, showing all her glamour to the visitors.

Clouds Sea
When the sky is clearly blue, white clouds rise slowly among the mountains. Just in a moment, vast clouds sea appears above the horizon like a snowy white woolen blanket, smooth, clean and thick. Sometimes there are clouds either above the horizon or in the sky, so people stand between two clouds layers, which make you feel like a supernatural being. When wind comes, the clouds sea is wafted to all the directions and then mountains become small islands floating in an ocean; when the clouds sea gathers together, peaks are invisible again; when wind gets strong, the clouds sea sometimes moves at a full gallop like a horse; sometimes makes a welter like a big wave of the sea; sometimes becomes elegant and stretching like a fair lady. The most sublime scene is that once in a while you have the chance to enjoy countless cloud columns in the shape of mushroom. They fly up to the sky, and then sprinkle gradually and then turn into filmy flowing clouds.

Buddha Rays
In the afternoon, at the foot of the Sheshen Rock, every place is full of pure white clouds. Then an aura the color of red, orange, yellow, green, black blue, blue and purple extends within a radius of around one to two meters (about 3 to 7 feet). It looms and shines in the center like a mirror. Back against the sunlight from the west, sometimes you can find your own shadow in the aura. And your every action is followed by the figure in the aura, as if you were facing a bright mirror. To your most surprise, even if millions of people were viewing at it or two persons hugging each other were enjoying it, they could only see themselves. And this is the magic Buddha rays, which are rare in other places but appear in Mt. Emei frequently.

Saint Lamps
In the dark nights of Golden Summit, occasionally, you can see a point of fluorescence flowing between the valleys, then changing into several and step by step into numerous. This is the famous scenery saint lamps in Mt. Emei.

The saint lamps can be seen under four conditions: firstly, the weather must be fine right after the rain; secondly, there is no moon in the sky; thirdly, there are no clouds layers at the foot of the mountain; fourthly, there are no heavy wind and rain on top of the mountain. As for the conditions, it is clear that the saint lamps are really hard to be observed.


After our visit to Mount Emei we went back to Chengdu.

Our fantastic trip is ending here. Tomorrow we fly back to Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong we stay for an other month, exploring the nature, mountains, New Territories and so on of Hong Kong.

So stay tuned for our next travelblogs.

From Chengdu with love.

Monkey and Bear.



Lieve vrienden en vriendinnen,

Aan alles komt een einde. Na een fantastische rondreis door een van de mooiste delen van China vliegen wij morgen terug naar Hong Kong. Hier blijven wij nog een maand en gaan op verkenning op een aantal van de honderden eilanden rondom Hong Kong, wij gaan natuurwandelingen maken en bezoeken de mooiste stranden en strandjes in de New Territories.

Onze reis door Mainland China is een onvergetelijke ervaring geweest. De reis heeft al onze verwachtingen overtroffen, wij hebben veel nieuwe vrienden gemaakt, de lokale cultuur een beetje mogen leren kennen en veel over de historie van dit deel van China geleerd.

Gary Toshack van www.discoverchina.nl heeft voor meer dan 100%!z(MISSING)ijn toezeggingen waar gemaakt. Gary, het was fantastisch om deze, door jou georganiseerde reis, te kunnen maken. Bedankt!!!!!!!!!!!

So stay tuned for new Hong Kong adventures.

From Chengdu with love.

Monkey and Bear.

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