China Guide
Sichuan and Chongqing
Emei Shan
One of China's most enchanting mountains, Emei Shan's thick forests and dozens of temples, all linked by exhausting flights of stone steps, have been pulling in pilgrims – and more recently, tourists – for two thousand years. Originally a Taoist retreat, Emei also hosted the sixth-century visit of Bodhisattva Puxian and his six-tusked elephant (images of whom you'll see everywhere), and extensive Ming-dynasty rebuilding on the mountain converted most of Emei's temples to Buddhism. Religion aside, the pristine natural environment is a major draw: lush, green and wet in the summer; brilliant with reds and yellows in autumn; or white, clear and very cold in winter.
You can see something of the mountain in a single day, but three would allow you to experience more of the forests, spend a night or two in a temple, and perhaps assault Wanfoding, the highest of Emei's three undulating peaks at 3099m. It's only worth climbing this high if the weather's good, however: for a richer bag of views, temples, streams and vegetation – everything, in fact, but the satisfaction of reaching the summit – you won't be disappointed with the lower paths.
Access is via EMEI SHAN town, a transit point 150km southwest of Chengdu and 7km short of the mountain. Trains pull into the station 3.5km away from here, near to the long-distance bus station – catch blue city bus #1 from outside either to the terminus in town, then green bus #5 to the mountain's trailhead at Baoguo. There are hotels at Baoguo and the summit area, but it can't be stressed enough that temples offer far more interesting lodgings, charging from ¥15 for a basic dorm bed to more than ¥80 per person for a double room with air-conditioning and toilet.
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