The golden summit - must see in Mt. Emei
If you have a chance to visit Sichuan, Mt. Emei is one of the Sichuan attractions you shouldn't miss. Mt. Emei, which means beautiful girls' eyebrows is located in the Emei City (southwest of Chengdu 168 km. or 104 mi.). Famous for its steep terrain and beautiful scenery, it is one of the four most sacred Buddhist mountains in China. It has been listed in the World Natural and Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO in 1996.
Golden Summit -- Golden Summit, which means the summit of light and happiness and it is the symbol of Mt. Emei. This place represents the fulfillment of Buddha, meanwhile it collects the world's yearning for light and happiness. It is also the embodiment of Mt. Emei's Buddhist culture. Golden Summit has the highest golden Budhha statue of Puxian (48 m. or 157 ft.) in the world. The golden statue is the first all round ten squared shape of Budhisattva Puxian. The statue has ten heads in 3 obvious layers, with various demeanors, representing the world's ten mentalities. The height -- 48 m. (157 ft.) derived from the Buddhist scripture, means 48 Wishes to give relief and help to all mortal beings.
Four Spectacles -- You can see 4 spectacles on the Golden Summit, which is another reason why it attracts millions of tourists to this place. These are: The magnificent "Sunrise", The "Sea of Clouds", The "Buddha's Light", and The "Saint Lamps".
The Sunrise -- At an altitude of 3,079 m (10,101 ft.) on Mt. Emei's golden summit, over a high and distant view, the sunrise scene is much vast and magnificent.The pre-dawn sky is the opening horizon line gradually, red glow floating continuously, with a rise, a leap, finally you'll see a red sun suspended in the horizon. It's a marvelous and wonderful experience.
The Sea of Clouds -- On sunny days, when the sky is clear and blue, with the rising clouds from innumerable mountains and valleys, the boundless sea of clouds are like the white blankets spreading over the horizon, with the wind stopping or blowing, the cloud blocks gather up or float away, the clouds become from mountains to small islands over and over, the scenery is so grand!
The Buddha's light -- This can be the most mysterious and rare scenery in the world. When the weather is fair, there is mist in the bottom, if you stand on the towering golden summit against the sun, the light comes through from the behind, there will be an iridescent light circle in the below mist screen. In the middle of the circle will be your own silhouette and when you move, the circle and silhouette will move together, this is so-called "Buddha's light". The Buddha's light appears about 70 times a year on average, it will be more frequent between 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm.
Saint Lamps -- In the night without the moon on the Golden Summit, there are always groups of floating green lights, people call it "the saint lamps". This phenomenon is very peculiar, there are different explanations about it. But what is the truth? It is still a mystery.
What is the best time to Emei?
Generally, Spring and Autumn are the best seasons to visit Mt. Emei, for its moderate climate and the charming scenery. But actually each season has its own feature and unique advantages. You can also go to Mt. Emei to escape the heat in summer, because Mt. Emei is like a large natural air-condition with an average 12 Celsius degree (54 Fahrenheit degree). During the winter, it is more popular among the tourists with skiing and hot spring in recent years. What's better, the climate is stable and always sunny in winter, so winter is a very good season to watch the sunrise, sea of clouds, the Buddha's light and the saint lamps.
There is a saying: One who hasn't been to Mt. Emei has never been to Sichuan, and one who hasn't been to The Golden Summit has never been to Mt. Emei.
Related Tours:
Leshan Grand Buddha and Mt. Emei 3 Day Tour