Emeishan Mountain, China

Mount Emei (Emeishan) is situated in southwest Sichuan, 7km from Emeishan City and 37km from Leshan City. Emeishan is one of China's four sacred Buddhist Mountains and has been a popular place of pilgrimage for the past 1800 years. Legend has it that Bodhisattca Samantabhadra preached here and pictures of the elephant that supposedly carried him up the mountain are found in many of the shrines dotted about the hillside. There were once 150 temples and monasteries on the mountain. Today, only 30 remain and only 20 of these are active although none are impressive sights in themselves. Although Emeishan is still hugely popular with pilgrims, (the smoke from incense and burning paper in the temples en route stings your eyes!) the mountain is equally famous for its spectacular scenery. The word "Emei" in Chinese means "Eyebrows of beauty" and locals believe that the peaks of Emei resemble the eyebrows of a woman! Towering 3099 meters high, Emei is the highest of China's mountains and as such, the temperature here is ideal for lush vegetation and some stunning and rare plants and wildlife. The forested slopes, hot springs and wonderful views here could keep you for days. It is best to allow at least a couple of days to explore the low slopes of the mountain and perhaps an additional day to make it to the peak at Wanfoding. Although the mountain is a big pilgrimage site, and becoming increasingly popular with tourists, it is possible to escape the crowds and head off on some of the smaller trails, exploring at your own pace. This is a wonderfully atmospheric area, and the impressive views, scenery mixed with the sight of monks and the sound of bells, make for one of China's more interesting areas to explore and discover.