Mount Emei is located in Emeishan City, Leshan City, Sichuan Province. It is one of the "Four Great Buddhist Mountains" in China and a national 5A-level scenic area. The total area of the scenic area is about 154 square kilometers, and the highest peak, Wanfo Summit, is 3,099 meters above sea level. It is famous for its natural landscapes of "grandeur, elegance, wonder, danger, and seclusion" and profound Buddhist culture. The vegetation coverage rate on the mountain is over 90%, with more than 2,300 plant species and over 200 wild animal species, making it a World Cultural and Natural Heritage. There are currently 28 temples in the scenic area, among which Wannian Temple and Baoguo Temple are key cultural relics protection units, and buildings like the Golden Summit Bronze Hall are regarded as treasures of Buddhist art.
History and Culture
The Buddhist culture of Mount Emei began in the Eastern Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and reached its peak in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with a history of nearly 2,000 years. In the 1st century AD, Buddhism was introduced to Sichuan along the Silk Road, and Mount Emei gradually became the dojo of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, alongside Wutai Mountain in Shanxi (Manjusri), Putuo Mountain in Zhejiang (Avalokiteshvara), and Jiuhua Mountain in Anhui (Ksitigarbha) as the Four Great Buddhist Mountains. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, the number of temples on Mount Emei reached more than 100, and it was in its prime during the Ming Dynasty. The Song Dynasty Samantabhadra bronze statue in Wannian Temple, weighing 62 tons, is a national key protected cultural relic.
In addition to Buddhist culture, Mount Emei is also one of the birthplaces of Chinese martial arts. The Emei School of martial arts, together with Shaolin and Wudang, is known as one of the three major martial arts schools in China. It was formed in the Tang and Song Dynasties and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, renowned for its "combination of hardness and softness, flexibility and variety." The martial arts hall in the scenic area still retains traditional martial arts performances.
Main Attractions
Golden Summit
The Golden Summit is the landmark attraction of Mount Emei, at an altitude of 3,079 meters, named for the copper tiles covering most of the buildings on the summit. Here stands the world's largest golden Buddha—the 48-meter-high Ten-Direction Samantabhadra Golden Statue, as well as the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Halls. The four wonders of the Golden Summit—"Sunrise, Sea of Clouds, Buddha's Light, and Sacred Lamps"—are famous at home and abroad. Buddha's Light appears about 80 times a year, mostly between 2 pm and 5 pm.
Wannian Temple
Wannian Temple is one of the oldest temples on Mount Emei, built in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, originally named Samantabhadra Temple. The Song Dynasty Samantabhadra bronze statue enshrined in the temple is 7.3 meters high and weighs 62 tons, being a national first-class cultural relic. The area where the temple is located has a negative ion concentration as high as 80,000 per cubic centimeter, making it a natural oxygen bar, with attractions such as White Water Pool and Beamless Brick Hall nearby.
Qingyin Pavilion
Qingyin Pavilion is located at the foot of Niuxin Ridge, at an altitude of 710 meters, an important node on the hiking route of Mount Emei. In front of the pavilion is Shuangfei Bridge, under which the black and white waters converge into Niuxin Pool, known as the "First Scenery of Mount Emei." The pavilion enshrines statues of Sakyamuni, Manjusri, and Samantabhadra, surrounded by lush forests where monkeys often activity.
Food
Mount Emei Tofu Brain
A special snack of Mount Emei, made with soybean curd as the main ingredient, paired with crispy pork, vermicelli, kelp shreds, etc., and drizzled with secret recipe red oil and prickly ash powder. Zhang's Tofu Brain in the urban area has a history of 30 years, selling over 500 bowls daily, with an average consumption of 8-15 yuan per person.
Ye'erba
Wrapped with glutinous rice flour filled with sprout vegetables and minced meat, steamed in banana leaves, it features a soft and sticky texture with a savory and aromatic taste. The "Old-Fashioned Ye'erba" shop in Emeishan City sells over 2,000 Ye'erba daily, making it a must-buy souvenir for tourists.
Mount Emei Old Bacon
Selected local pork, cured and smoked with cypress branches for more than 40 days, with firm meat quality and salty and fragrant taste. Farmhouse restaurants around Wannian Temple supply it year-round, with common dishes like bacon fried with bamboo shoots and bacon platter, with an average consumption of 30-50 yuan per person.
Snow Konjac
A unique vegetarian food of Mount Emei, made by freezing and dehydrating konjac, with a chewy texture and rich in dietary fiber. "Snow Konjac Braised Duck" (vegetarian version) is commonly found in vegetarian meals of temples like Golden Summit and Wannian Temple. It is sold at about 20 yuan per catty in specialty stores of the urban area.
Tickets
Peak season (January 16 - December 14): 160 yuan/person; off-season (December 15 - January 15 of the following year): 110 yuan/person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "峨眉山景区" to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
Mount Emei Scenic Area is open year-round. The entry time is 6:00 - 18:30, and it closes at 17:30 in the off-season (December - January). The Golden Summit Cable Car operates from 5:30 - 18:00 (peak season) and 6:00 - 17:30 (off-season); the Wannian Temple Cable Car operates from 6:40 - 18:00 (peak season) and 7:00 - 17:30 (off-season). Leshan Giant Buddha is open from 7:30 - 18:30 (peak season) and 8:00 - 17:30 (off-season).
Tour Routes
One-day tour route: Baoguo Temple (1 hour) → Wuxianggang (by sightseeing bus) → Qingyin Pavilion (1.5 hours) → Wannian Temple (1 hour, by cable car) → Ecological Monkey Area (1 hour) → Leidongping (by sightseeing bus) → Golden Summit (2 hours, by cable car) → return. This route covers core attractions, requiring the use of sightseeing buses (full mountain section: 90 yuan) and cable cars, suitable for tourists with limited time.
Two-day tour route: D1 Baoguo Temple → Fuhu Temple → Leiyin Temple → Chunyang Hall → Shenshui Pavilion → Zhongfeng Temple → Guangfu Temple → Qingyin Pavilion (about 5 hours on foot), staying at Qingyin Pavilion; D2 Qingyin Pavilion → Wannian Temple → Xixin Institute → Zhanglaoping → Chudian → Huayan Summit → Jiulinggang → Xixiangchi → Leidongping → Jieyin Hall → Golden Summit (about 8 hours on foot), staying at Golden Summit to watch the sunrise.
Transportation
- High-speed rail: Take the high-speed rail from Chengdu East Station/South Station to Emeishan Station, with more than 30 trains daily, taking 1.5 hours, and the ticket price is 54 yuan. Emeishan Station is about 1.5 kilometers away from the scenic area entrance (Baoguo Temple), and you can walk or take a taxi (5 yuan).
- Bus: Chengdu Xin Nanmen Bus Station and Chadianzi Bus Station have direct buses to Emeishan Tourist Bus Center daily, taking 2.5 hours, with a ticket price of 90 yuan; Leshan Xiaoba Bus Station has buses to Mount Emei Scenic Area every 30 minutes, taking 40 minutes, with a ticket price of 11 yuan.
- Scenic area sightseeing bus: Full mountain section: 90 yuan (Baoguo Temple - Leidongping), half mountain section: 40 yuan (Baoguo Temple - Wannian Temple), and you can ride multiple times with the ticket.
- Self-driving: Chengdu → Chengdu-Yu Expressway → Chengdu-Leshan Expressway → Emeishan Exit, about 2 hours' drive. The scenic area parking lot charges 20 yuan per day. During peak seasons (weekends and holidays), it is recommended to arrive before 9 am.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Golden Summit: At an altitude of 3,079 meters, enjoy the sea of clouds, Buddha's light, and sunrise, and pay homage to the 48-meter-high Ten-Direction Samantabhadra Golden Statue. The bronze hall building consumes 600 tons of copper, a pinnacle work of Buddhist art.
- Qingyin Pavilion: A core attraction with mountains and waters reflecting each other. The water quality of Niuxin Pool reaches the national first-class standard, with high negative ion concentration. Monkeys are active in the surrounding area, so please take care of your belongings.
- Wannian Temple: A royal temple with a history of 1,600 years. The Song Dynasty Samantabhadra bronze statue is the treasure of the temple. The beamless brick hall in the temple was built in the Ming Dynasty, with an earthquake resistance rating of 8.
- Ecological Monkey Area: Located between Hongchunping and Xianfeng Temple, about 200 rhesus monkeys inhabit here. The active period is 10:00 - 16:00 daily, and special monkey food (5 yuan/package) should be used for feeding.
Tour Tips
- The best time to watch the sunrise at the Golden Summit: 6:00 - 6:30 in summer and 7:00 - 7:30 in winter. It is recommended to arrive 1 hour in advance and bring a down jacket (the temperature at the summit is 15°C lower than at the foot of the mountain).
- Wear non-slip shoes for hiking. The stone steps from Wannian Temple to Jiulinggang are steep. It is recommended to carry a hiking pole (sold in the scenic area for 10-20 yuan).
- When playing in the monkey area, fasten the zippers of your backpack, do not carry plastic bags, do not run when encountering monkeys, and you can hold a bamboo pole (rented in the scenic area for 5 yuan/root) for self-defense.
- Vegetarian meals in the temple are affordable. Wannian Temple vegetarian meal is 25 yuan/person, and Golden Summit vegetarian meal is 35 yuan/person. Meals should be taken between 11:30 and 13:00.
- There is ice and snow on the section from Leidongping to the Golden Summit in winter (December - February). Ice claws (10 yuan/pair) need to be purchased, and it is recommended to take the cable car to avoid slipping.
Notes
- Smoking is prohibited in the scenic area, and violators will be fined 50-200 yuan. Hats should be removed when entering temples such as Baoguo Temple and Wannian Temple.
- Wild monkeys are aggressive. Do not feed them with your own food or touch them. When monkeys grab food, let go and abandon items to protect yourself.
- There are no supply points on the hiking route from Xianfeng Temple to Xixiangchi. Prepare drinking water and dry food in advance (it is recommended to carry compressed biscuits and chocolate).
- The ultraviolet rays at the Golden Summit are strong. In summer, apply SPF50+ sunscreen and wear sunglasses; in winter, the road is icy, and it is recommended to wear waterproof hiking shoes.
- The last departure time of the scenic area sightseeing bus: From Leidongping to Baoguo Temple is 18:30 in the peak season and 17:30 in the off-season. Tourists should arrange the downhill time reasonably to avoid hiking at night.