Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area
The first Buddhist temple in China was built here
in Sichuan Province in the 1st century A.D. in the beautiful
surroundings of the summit Mount Emei. The addition of other temples
turned the site into one of Buddhism's holiest sites. Over the
centuries, the cultural treasures grew in number. The most remarkable is
the Giant Buddha of Leshan, carved out of a hillside in the 8th century
and looking down on the confluence of three rivers. At 71 m high, it is
the largest Buddha in the world. Mount Emei is also notable for its
exceptionally diverse vegetation, ranging from subtropical to subalpine
pine forests. Some of the trees there are more than 1,000 years old.