The Sacred Site of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva ~ Mount Emei

🌿 Mount Emei: Zen Landscapes and Earthly Delights from Chengdu 🌟 Itinerary Overview Route: Chengdu → Leshan → Mount Emei (approx. 160 km, 2-hour drive) Highlights: Reflect on Buddhist teachings amid the sea of clouds at Golden Summit, listen to Zen whispers by the flowing streams of Qingyin Pavilion, and trace the journey from the morning bells of Baoguo Temple to the evening drums of Fuhu Temple—a seamless blend of natural wonders and millennia-old Buddhist heritage. 🏔️ Core Attractions & Buddhist Tales 1. **Baoguo Temple: The Convergence of Three Teachings** Location: At the foot of Mount Emei, beneath Fenghuangping. Highlights: - **Tri-religious Harmony**: Originally named "Huizong Hall," it enshrines Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (Buddhism), Guangchengzi (Taoism), and Chu Kuang Jieyu (Confucianism). Emperor Kangxi bestowed the name "Baoguo Temple," meaning "Repaying the Nation's Kindness." - **Legend of the Divine Monkeys**: During its construction in the late Ming Dynasty, monk Mingguang received help from mountain monkeys carrying materials, embodying the Buddhist principle of "equality of all beings." - **Architectural Beauty**: Seven-tiered halls cascade up the mountain. The Scripture Hall houses a jade Buddha from Myanmar, and the temple's "Shengji Evening Bell" weighs 12.5 tons, its chimes audible 15 km away. - **Fun Fact**: The Maitreya Hall's couplet reads, *"Laugh upon opening your mouth—laugh at the past, the present, let all things be met with laughter; A belly vast enough to hold heaven and earth—why not tolerate others?"*—a nugget of life wisdom. 2. **Fuhu Temple: The Legend of Taming Tigers with Dharma** Location: By Huxi Bridge, 1 km from Baoguo Temple. Highlights: - **Tiger-Taming Tale**: Southern Song monk Shixing subdued tiger attacks with Buddhist teachings, erecting a "Zunsheng Chuang" to pacify them. Locals built the temple in his honor, hence the name ("Tiger-Subduing Temple"). - **Dragon God Hall**: Legend says an East Sea golden dragon transformed into a bamboo rope to hang a giant bell, later rescued by a monk and reincarnated as the temple's guardian dragon. - **Architectural Marvel**: The "Huayan Bronze Pagoda" bears the entire *Avatamsaka Sutra* text, still gleaming after 400 years. - **Hidden Gem**: The "Luofeng Qingyun" viewing platform behind the temple offers misty sea-of-clouds vistas after rain, like a fairyland. 3. **Wannian Temple: Millennia-Old Buddha Light in the Beamless Hall** Location: 1,020 m above sea level, 3 km from Qingyin Pavilion. Highlights: - **Beamless Hall Miracle**: The Ming-era brick hall stands without a single beam, surviving 18 earthquakes. Its dome, painted with celestial maidens, symbolizes "round heaven, square earth." - **Samantabhadra Bronze Statue**: A 7.35-m, 62-ton Song Dynasty statue of Samantabhadra riding a six-tusked white elephant, with compassionate eyes and flowing robe details. - **Li Bai’s Listening Spot**: A wooden plaque marks where poet Li Bai allegedly heard monk Guangjun play *Phoenix Seeking Phoenix*, inspiring his line: *"With a wave of your hand, I hear valleys of pines."* 4. **Golden Summit: Samantabhadra’s Cloud-High Sanctuary** Location: At 3,079 m, Mount Emei’s highest peak. Highlights: - **Ten Directions Samantabhadra Statue**: A 48-m gilded statue towers above clouds, its 10 heads symbolizing Samantabhadra’s ten vows. Sunlit, it radiates divine auspice. - **Buddha’s Halo Phenomenon**: On cloudy afternoons, shadows cast within rainbow halos create a "moving halo" effect, deemed a sacred omen. - **Sacrifice Cliff Legend**: Ancient believers mistook cliff-jumping for passage to paradise. Today, chains here are draped with prayer locks for safety. 🚗 Must-Know Tips - **Transport**: Private cars are banned uphill; switch to shuttle buses (Baoguo Temple → Leidongping, ~2 hrs). - **Altitude Prep**: Golden Summit’s high elevation calls for caution—avoid exertion; carry oxygen. - **Monkey Zones**: In eco-monkey areas (Qingyin Pavilion to Hongchunping): - No feeding, food displays, or plastic bags (monkeys associate them with snacks). - Secure phones/glasses—reports of monkeys snatching glasses to hang on trees! - Stay calm if monkeys block paths; never run. - **Cultural Etiquette**: No temple photos; spin prayer wheels clockwise. Remove hats and avoid revealing attire in halls. 🏨 Stay Recommendations - **Luxury**: - **Hongzhushan Hotel Zen Retreat**: Nestled in 440,000 m² of forest, with private hot springs overlooking peaks. Smart floor heating, morning sutra-copying, and Hanfu experiences ensure serenity. - **Nianhua Stream B&B**: A Ming-style courtyard near Baoguo Temple, where orchids grace white walls. Try sound-bowl therapy or a vegetarian feast (¥200/pax) for "Zen in dining." - **Summit Stays**: - **Golden Summit Hotel**: 5-min walk to the peak, oxygen-equipped rooms, and winter floor heating—perfect for sunrise in a down jacket. - **Golden Summit Villa**: Budget-friendly with simple breakfasts and views of Gongga Snow Mountain. 🍜 Emei’s Flavors - **Baoguo Temple Area**: - **Dongmen Tofu Pudding**: Locals’ breakfast staple—bone broth tofu paste topped with crispy pork/beef, paired with "Ka Bing" (steamed buns; ¥15/pax). - **Niu Mantang Local Eats**: Clear-braised "Qiaojiao" beef (intangible heritage), tender with tendon, served with dry dip and cilantro (¥50/pax). - **Qingyin Pavilion Area**: - **Laogedou Local Cuisine**: River eel sliced like noodles, numbing-spicy, paired with wild herb omelets (¥60/pax). - **Golden Summit Area**: - **Golden Summit Hotel Restaurant**: Try duck stewed with high-altitude snow konjac—juicy and firm (¥80/pax). 📅 Buddhist Event Highlights - **Grand Water-Land Dharma Assembly (May 10–16, 2025)**: Join sutra chanting and animal releases at Dafo Temple, embodying "universal salvation." - **Buddha’s Birthday (May 25, 2025)**: Bathing the Buddha rituals and vegetarian feasts at Baoguo Temple radiate festive joy. 🌟 Travel Easter Eggs - **Dawn Meditation**: Baoguo Temple opens at 6:30 AM—join monks’ morning recitals of *Heart Sutra* amid chimes. - **Starry Night at Golden Summit**: On clear nights, shoot the Milky Way framing Samantabhadra’s statue from Sacrifice Cliff at 4 AM. - **Ancient Tea Rituals**: Pick and brew "Emei Snow Buds" tea at Fuhu Temple’s garden, savoring "tea-Zen oneness." Mount Emei’s beauty lies in Golden Summit’s rolling clouds, Qingyin Pavilion’s murmuring streams, and the timeless chimes of ancient temples. Pack reverence for nature and an open heart—let this journey be a pilgrimage for body and soul.