Emei Shan Travel Guide

Sichuan Province, 143km (89 miles) SW of Chengdu, 36km (22 miles) E of Le Shan

Emei means "lofty eyebrows," but it's also a pun on a poetic expression referring to the delicate brows of a beautiful woman. The mountain was named for two of its high adjacent peaks, whose outlines, according to 6th-century commentary on the "Book of Waterways," did indeed conjure the image of two long, thin, graceful eyebrows. Once richly endowed with both flora and fauna, this sacred Buddhist mountain is still home to 10% of China's plant species; fauna have fared less well. Threatened species include Asiatic black bear, giant salamander (the famous "crying fish," or wawa yu in Chinese), gray-hooded parrotbill, and Asiatic golden cat. You'll also bump into monkeys that want a handout, but try to resist -- they already suffer from obesity and hypertension. As of 2002, park wardens have put them on a diet.

Come here for scenic hiking and active Buddhist shrines and monasteries (where the monk and nun population was once as threatened as the golden cat but has now returned, albeit in smaller numbers). Nature enthusiasts will delight in the exotic insects and butterflies along the way.

Altitudes on the mountain range from 500 to 3,099m (1,640-10,167 ft.) at the Wanfo Ding summit. Not surprisingly, average yearly temperatures vary significantly from one part of the mountain to another. In the subtropical zone at the bottom, the average is 17°C (63°F); at the summit, 3°C (37°F). Bring layers of clothes. The best months to visit are late August through early October. The busiest months are July and August. Avoid national holidays.

A Proper Visit to Emei Shan

The Chinese say a proper visit to Emei Shan involves at least one of the following: