Mount Emei, including Leshan Giant Buddha

April 1992 I climbed Emeishan, after attending a conference in Hong Kong. I was accompagned by a chinese student who did not want to go to his lessons at the university close to the entrance of the mountain. Instead he liked to practice english with me. I slept in three temples at the mountain. At the top we had a clear view, witch is not often the case. I wrote a story about my travel that i will send lateron, together with some 22 year old poctures.

With a chance to stop en-route between India and US in China, I took this opportunity to visit Chengdu for a week to see 3 World Heritage Sites around the city, and Emeishan was a site I wanted to see most. I went to Xinnanmen bus station before 6 AM as I heard that the first bus to Leshan will leave at 6.30, but when I arrived, a local told me that the first bus will leave at 7.30 and recommended me to use minivan at 7 AM instead, a nice alternative. The minivan was very fast and I was in Leshan within 1.30 hour, but minivan did not stop at Xiaoba Bus station where most of tourist buses did, so I planned to take a taxi to the Dafo (Giant Buddha), but no taxi wanted to go there during the rush hour, so the driver offered to take me to the bus stop where a bus to Dafo will pass. Finally, I was able to be at the gate of Dafo Scenic Park at 9 AM. When I saw the Dafo, I was impressed with the gigantic size, the statue was not beautiful but very inspiring. Beware the walkway circuit to the Buddha feet was very steep; I was extremely tired after I completed the route. Then I went to Xiaoba bus station to catch a bus to Baoguo Si which is the entrance of Emeishan.

After arrived at Baoguo Si, I walked to Fuhu Temple, …

Went to Leshan and Emeishan in December 2008.

Like most sites in China, it is always rewarding to start early in the day to avoid the crowd. In winter, the boats going in front of Leshan Buddha are few; unless you rent your own.

Emeishan is a wonderful experience. It started snowing while hiking; but it was worth it. I recommend spending the night in one of the monasteries. Do not miss the Emei monkeys; but do take care of your belongings. Friends I met there advised showing one's hands when you run into one. If you place your hands in your pockets, they'd think you'd have food to give and they can attack you. In winter, monkeys can get pretty agressive - hungry, actually; and they grab hikers' bags for food! While taking out my video camera, two or three monkeys grabbed and dug into my bag and took my biscuits!

In early September I stayed for three days in the Emei/Leshan area. Those days were easy to fill because there's a lot to see and do here. The iconic sight of the Giant Buddha for example. I arrived at 8.45 in the morning and had the place virtually to myself. The bus had dropped me at Dafo's head, and from there you can climb down his body until you arrive at his feet. The way he sits and looks out over the river makes him look like a gentle giant watching over the world.

The first two days I spent around Mount Emei. I started by visiting Fuhu Si (Crouching Tiger Temple), today a nunnery. It dates from the 12th century. Its major assets are its location (up against the mountain in dense vegetation) and its great garden complex that is very well taken care of.

And oh yes, I did use the cable cars. One of them to be exact - there are two on this mountain!. At the inscription of this site, the Advisory Bodies to Unesco were very worried about the cable car "which leads to the Golden Summit of the mountain and brings some 300,000 people a year to the sensitive montane forest zone." I took the lower cable car to Wannian Temple, a lively and colourful one with the statue of Puxian and his six-tusked elephant. From there I hiked down to the foot of the mountain at Baoguo Si in about 5 …

Mount Emei was a great experience. For a beginner it could be a difficult climb. Even though there are steps all the way to the top, there are thousands of them! It can be tackled in one long day. Be prepared to gawk at Chinese guys carrying stretchers with tourists in them running up and down the mountain while chain smoking! The monkeys on the mountain are enjoyable and the view from the top of the sunrise over the cloud sea is great. The Buddha in Leshan is great, but very touristy, with people posing and pretending to stick their finger in the Buddha's ear (Like the leaning tower support shots). The stairs going down the side of the cliff near the Buddha can become impassable.

I visited the Daifo Buddha this summer during a month long trip to China. It is, without a shadow of doubt, an awesome sight. The Buddha looms out of the rock face surveying all in his kingdom.

The entry fees are resonably for a site such as this but, the experience is marred by the fact that the whole site is a tourist trap of the highest order. It is jam-packed with Chinese package tourists.

You won't have a moment's personal contemplation!