Covered in lush, dripping forests, the sacred mountain of Qīngchéng Shān has been a Taoist spiritual centre for more than 2000 years. Its beautiful trails are lined with ginkgo, plum and palm, and there are caves, pavilions and centuries-old wooden temples to explore.
Visitors can experience two sides of the mountain. The main entrance is on the mountain's front side (前山; Qián Shān) and leads to paths that wind past 11 important Taoist sites. Those interested in hiking will prefer the back mountain (后山; Hòu Shān), accessed 40km northwest. In either case, to actually enjoy the views, avoid major holidays when masses of tourists arrive to pay tribute to their ancestors.
The trails at Qián Shān lead to a summit of only 1260m, a relatively easy climb – four hours up and down, even easier via the cable car (one way/return ¥35/60). Snack stands are scattered along the mountain trails, and several of the major temples have small restaurants.
If you want to spend the night, a few temples on Qián Shān welcome guests. Most atmospheric is the fantastic Shàngqīng Temple, a Qing-dynasty rebuild of the original Jin-dynasty temple in the middle of a forest near the top of the mountain, with guest rooms and a restaurant/teahouse attached. Alternatively, the Tiānshī Cave Temple (天师洞; Tiānshī Dòng r from ¥128) has slightly less welcoming rooms, but is on a quieter stretch of the mountain.
Hòu Shān, the back of the mountain, has 20km of rugged pathways – expect a seven-hour round-trip hike to the 2128m summit, where you’ll find Báiyún Temple (白云寺; Báiyún Sì); the cable cars at Jīnlī (one way/return ¥30/55) and Báiyún (one way/return ¥45/80) can shave a couple hours off the hike. You can find some guesthouses (山庄; shānzhuāng) at Yòuyī Village (又一村; Yòuyī Cūn), around halfway up the mountain's west side, of which Jiāchún Villa (佳浱山庄; Jiāchún Shānzhuāng %155 2838 2949; Youyi Village; 又一村; Yòuyī Cūn r from ¥100; aW) is among the best.
Dūjiāngyàn Irrigation SystemHISTORIC SITE
(都江堰灌溉系统; Dūjiāngyàn Guàngài Xìtǒng adult ¥90, student/child/elderly ¥45, shuttle to Yùlěi Pavilion ¥10; h8am-6pm)
This Qin dynasty waterworks project (completed in 256 BC) is the oldest and only surviving non-dam irrigation system in the world. Still used to control water levels of the Mín Jiāng, this scenic area is studded with historic temples, forested hills, hilltop pagodas as well as coursing waters.
4Sleeping
Shàngqīng TempleGUESTHOUSE$
(上清宫; Shàngqīng Gōng d from ¥80; a)
This Qing dynasty rebuild of the original Jin-dynasty temple is set in the forest near the top of the mountain; guest rooms are basic but comfortable, though avoid the shared bathrooms. It has a restaurant (dishes ¥18 to ¥30) and a teahouse (tea from ¥10). No English menus, but there are a handful of photos to point at.
8Getting There & Away
There are two high-speed rail routes from Chéngdū’s North Train Station to the Dūjiāngyàn sites.
For the Dūjiāngyàn Irrigation System, take a train to Líduī Gōngyuán (离堆公园; ¥15, 33 minutes, 6.30am and 6.26pm). From there, walk out of the station to Dujiangyan Dadao (都江堰大道), turn left through the reconstructed city wall, and walk until the road ends at the site's entrance.
For Qīngchéng Shān, take the train to Qīngchéng Shān station (青城山; ¥15, 49 minutes, 6.48am, 4.20pm and 7.16pm). Pick up bus 101 (¥2, 10 minutes, every 15 minutes from 6.56am to 6.30pm) to the main gate (Qián Shān), or a tourist bus (中巴车; ¥25 return, 40 minutes) to Hòu Shān. Tourist buses leave when full and some pass the main gate en route, but only stop for passengers if there are empty seats.
Bus 101 (¥2, 40 minutes) also connects Qīngchéng Shān's train station and main gate with the Dūjiāngyàn Irrigation System.
The last trains back to Chéngdū depart at 12.33pm from Líduī Gōngyuán and 10.18pm from Qīngchéng Shān.
WORTH A TRIP
SāNXīNGDUī MUSEUM
Sānxīngduī MuseumARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
(三星堆博物馆; Sānxīngduī Bówùguǎn %028 565 1526; www.sxd.cn; 133 Xi'An Lu, Guǎnghàn; 广汉市西安路133号 ¥80, audio guide ¥10; h8.30am-6pm, last entry 5pm)
The Sānxīngduī Museum, 40km north of Chéngdū in Guǎnghàn (广汉), exhibits relics of the Shu kingdom, a cradle of Chinese civilisation dating from 1200 BC to 1100 BC. Some archaeologists regard these artefacts, which include stunningly crafted, angular and stylised bronze masks, as even more important than Xī'ān's Terracotta Warriors. Art and anthropology buffs will need at least a half day here, though budding archaeologists may be disappointed by the lack of access to the dig site itself.
Throughout the 20th century, farmers around Guǎnghàn continually unearthed intriguing pottery shards and dirt-encrusted jade carvings when digging wells and tilling their fields. However, war and lack of funds prevented anyone from investigating these finds. Finally, in September 1986, archaeologists launched a full-scale excavation and made a startling discovery when they unearthed the site of a major city dating back to the Neolithic age in the upper reaches of the Yangzi River (Cháng Jiāng). It was previously believed that the oldest civilisations were concentrated around the Yellow River (Huáng Hé).
Buses to the site depart Chéngdū’s Xīnnánmén bus station (¥50 return, one hour, 9.30am) and return from the museum around 3pm. Alternatively, buses from Chéngdū's Zhāojué Sì station (¥12, 1½ hours, 7am to 8pm) head to Guǎnghàn's tourist bus station (广汉客运中心) – transfer to local bus 10 (¥2, 6.30am to 8pm) for the remaining 10km to the site. A bus from the site back to Zhāojué Sì station leaves at 4.10pm, otherwise buses depart the tourist bus station for Xīnnánmén every 10 minutes (¥16, from 6.40am to 6.50pm).
Four Sisters Mountain 四姑娘山
%0837 / Pop 2893 / Elev 3151m
Established as a national park in 1994 and declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2006, Four Sisters Mountain (四姑娘山; Sìgūniang Shān) is famous among Chinese tourists as one of the most impressive natural areas of the entire country. At a magnificent 6250m the fourth of the Four Sisters, pyramid-shaped Yāomèi Fēng, comes in as the second-highest peak in all of Sìchuān.
Composed of three distinct valleys with a combined area of 450 sq km, the park has plenty of hiking and rock climbing for adventurous travellers looking to test their mettle. Anything beyond a day hike will require a permit and a local guide, but these peaks are well known among climbers and you may well see a group headed back down after a successful attempt.
Fall and spring are the high season, with great weather and stunning mountain views.Temperatures are most comfortable in summer, but there's also a good chance you'll be clouded in for days at a time by temperamental weather patterns. Winter is frigid, with snow on paths and night-time temps dropping to -15°C, but you'll have the parks mostly to yourself and benefit from reduced admission fees at each of the valleys from 1 December to 30 March.
1Sights
oHǎizi ValleyNATIONAL PARK
(海子沟; Hǎizi Gōu ¥60, student/off-season ¥40; hticket office 8am-4pm)
Considered by many the most beautiful of the three valleys in the Four Sisters Mountain area, Hǎizi Valley's eponymous lakes and majestic views of the Four Sisters peaks make it hard to disagree. It's a steep walk for much of the way, so acclimatise in the other valleys first if possible. The entrance to the 19km-long valley is about 500m from the tourist centre, up an obvious staircase to the right of the building.
Shuāngqiáo ValleyNATIONAL PARK
(双桥沟; Shuāngqiáo Gōu ¥80, student/off-season ¥50; hticket office 7.30am-3pm)
The longest of the three main valleys in the Four Sisters Mountain area is also the most accessible to tourists, with a wooden boardwalk that runs for about 30km of the valley's 40km length and regular shuttle buses running throughout the day. Shuttle tickets are ¥70, not including the 7km transfer from Rìlóng, but if you want to get to the most impressive scenery at the far end of the valley it's the o
nly way to do it in a day.
Chángpíng ValleyNATIONAL PARK
(长坪沟; Chángpíng Gōu ¥70, student/off-season ¥50; hticket office 8am-4pm)
While the first hour or so of the valley walk is on a wooden boardwalk, after that it's muddy trails through yak-filled pastures and dense forests all the way to the end. There's a shuttle (¥20) from the tourist centre to within the park just past Zhāngmu Village, but from there you'll need to be prepared to walk the rest of the way up the 29km valley trail.
4Sleeping & Eating
A Lee Ben HostelHOSTEL$
(阿里本青年旅舍; Ālĭbĕn Qīngnián Lǚshě %180 9043 8688; www.aleeben.com; 49 Chángpíng Village; 长坪村49号 dm ¥30, d ¥120)
With a common-room pool table, courtyard fountain, seemingly endless info on local sites and an English menu in the cafe this might just be a model hostel. Private rooms are comfortable after a day in the mountains, while dorms have all the little luxuries like lockers, private curtains and a large, clean shower.
Eight Treasures RestaurantTIBETAN$$
(八宝私房菜馆; Bābǎo Sīfáng Càiguǎn Chángpíng Gujie; 长坪古街 dishes from ¥38)
With meat sourced directly from the high-altitude grasslands for special dishes such as cowboy-style roast chicken and matsutake chicken stew, this is a good place to splash out for a celebratory meal after a long day of hiking.
8Information
Agricultural Bank of China ATMATM
(h24hr)
There's an Agricultural Bank of China ATM out front of the Four Sisters Mountain Tourist Centre.
Four Sisters Mountain Tourist CentreTOURIST INFORMATION
(四姑娘山游客中心; Sìgūniángshān Yóukè Zhōngxīn h7.30am-5.30pm)
Whether you're looking to buy tickets, pick up free maps (地图; dìtú) of the park, or have questions about exploring the three main valleys (only Chinese spoken); this is the place to do it. The building is at the eastern end of Rìlóng, at the entrance to the Chángpíng Valley.
Hùwài ZhōngxīnTOURIST INFORMATION
(户外中心 h9am-4.30pm)
If you're hoping to camp or climb inside any of the valleys of the national park, this is the place to find your mandatory guide (from ¥300 per day). The office is on the road into Rìlóng, 500m past the Chángpíng Valley turn-off, on the right.
8Getting There & Away
A single daily bus to Chéngdū passes through Rìlóng between 8am and 9pm (¥140, seven to nine hours). Otherwise, arrange a seat in a shared vehicle (¥150) through your hostel.
In the other direction frequent minibuses head to Xiǎojīn (¥20, two hours, 7.30am to 4.40pm), from which a transfer to Dānbā is ¥30 (1½ hours).
Éméi Shān 峨眉
%0833 / Pop 423,070
A cool, misty retreat from Sìchuān basin’s heat, stunning Éméi Shān (峨眉山; 3099m) is one of China’s four sacred Buddhist Mountains (the others being Pǔtuó Shān, Wǔtái Shān and Jiǔhuá Shān). A farmer built the first Buddhist temple near Jīndǐng summit in the 1st century, marking Buddhism's arrival in the Eastern world. That temple stood until it was gutted by fire in 1972, and many of the more than 150 temples on the mountain suffered fires or looting over the centuries but around 30 have been maintained and restored in various degrees. Reconstructed in the 9th century, Wànnián Temple is the oldest surviving temple on the mountain.
Beyond its rich cultural heritage, the mountain also stands on the edge of the eastern Himalayan highlands and hosts a diverse range of plants and animals. Together with nearby Lè Shān, Éméi Shān is on Unesco’s World Heritage list.
When to Go
The best time to visit is June to October, when the mist burns off by early afternoon. Epic crowds arrive in July and August. Avoid national holidays at all costs. Snowfall generally begins around November on the upper slopes. In winter you can rent crampons to deal with ice and snow and jackets (rental ¥30, ¥170 deposit) to stave off the cold. Expect rain and mist throughout the year.
Average temperatures:
Jan Apr Jul Oct
Éméi town 7°C 21°C 26°C 17°C
Summit -6°C 4°C 12°C 4°C
Éméi Shān
1Sights
1Bàoguó TempleD1
2Elephant Bathing PoolA2
3Fúhǔ TempleD2
4Jiēyǐn MonasteryA2
5Jīndǐng TempleA3
6Léiyīn TempleC2
7Monkey ZoneB2
8Qīngyīn PavilionC1
9Wànnián TempleB1
10Xiānfēng TempleB2
4Sleeping
11Happy HotelD1
12Hóngchún PíngB2
13Jīndǐng DàjiǔdiànA3
14Tàizǐ PíngA3
15Teddy Bear HotelD2
16Yùxiān TempleB2
5Eating
17Hard Wok CafeB2
1Sights & Activities
The entry ticket (adult ¥185/student and seniors ¥90, winter ¥110/55) gets you access to most sites on the mountain but does not include rides on the three buses to the main routes up or into a few of the temples.
Most rewarding is walking the whole way starting from Bàoguó Temple, but most opt to ride to Wànnián depot (for easy access to the cable car) or to Wǔxiǎngǎng depot (an easy walk to poetic Qīngyīn Pavilion and other important sights). The Léidòngpíng bus drops off closest to the summit, just a few hours short of Jīndǐng Peak (or half an hour up to the upper cable car).
Regardless of your starting point, getting a feel for the place takes at least a full day, ideally two or three. Wander the wooden temples, meet the macaques demanding tribute for safe passage, then find shelter in a monastery guesthouse and wake up in time to welcome the sunrise. The early morning light refracting in the cool mist has been heralded since ancient times as Buddha's Halo, and the sea of clouds stretching out to the horizon is enough to make even the most jaded traveller feel a little bit closer to the heavens.
Bàoguó TempleBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(报国寺, Bàoguó Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Emei Shan Lu; ¥8; h7am-7.30pm)
Constructed in the 16th century, this temple (550m) features beautiful gardens of rare plants, as well as a 3.5m-high porcelain Buddha dating back to 1415, which is housed near the Sutra Library. This is not included in the Éméi Shān entrance ticket, but it also lies outside the scenic area so you won't need the ticket to visit.
Jiēyǐn MonasteryBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(接引寺; Jiēyǐn Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP )
A large main hall and several smaller shrines mark the starting point of the final push to Jīndǐng Peak. To take the cable car to Jīndǐng, you'll have to walk up 1.5km from Léidòngpíng to here.
Jīndǐng TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(金顶寺; Jīndǐng Sì; Golden Summit MAP GOOGLE MAP )
This magnificent temple is at the Golden Summit (Jīndǐng; 3077m), commonly referred to as the mountain’s highest peak. This temple is a striking modern renovation, covered with glazed tiles and surrounded by white marble balustrades. In front, the prominent 48m-tall golden statue of multidimensional Samantabhadra (十方普贤; Shífāng Pǔxián) honours mountain protector Pǔxián, and was added in 2006. The views at sunset and sunrise, as golden light illuminates the clouds below, are a highlight of any visit to Éméi.
Xiānfēng TempleBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(仙峰寺; Xiānfēng Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Somewhat off the beaten track on the long way round to the peak, this carefully tended monastery (1752m) is backed by rugged cliffs and surrounded by fantastic scenery. Entrance to the nearby Jiǔlǎo Cave is ¥10.
Wànnián TempleBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(万年寺; Wànnián Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; admission ¥10)
Reconstructed in the 9th century, Wànnián Temple (1020m) is the oldest surviving Éméi temple. It’s dedicated to the man on the white elephant, the Bodhisattva Pǔxián (also known as Samantabhadra), the Buddhist Lord of Truth and patron of the mountain. This 8.5m-high statue
cast in copper and bronze dates from AD 980 and weighs an estimated 62,000kg. If you can manage to rub the elephant’s hind leg, good luck will be cast upon you.
Monkey ZoneWILDLIFE RESERVE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Between Qīngyīn Pavilion and Hóngchūn Píng (Venerable Trees Terrace), you will at some point encounter the mountain’s infamous monkeys. Unfortunately, those before you have teased this merry band into grabby monsters. Rangers are usually on hand to help if things get out of hand, but avoid extended eye contact (a sign of aggression), put away any food and drinks when approaching and keep backpacks closed. Do not, under any circumstances, proceed through here carrying plastic bags by hand.
Qīngyīn PavilionBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(清音阁; Qīngyīn Gé MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Named ‘Pure Sound Pavilion’ after the soothing sounds of the waters coursing around rock formations, this temple (710m) is built on an outcrop in the middle of a fast-flowing stream. Rest in one of the small pavilions here while you appreciate the natural ‘music’ of the water.
Elephant Bathing PoolBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(洗象池; Xǐxiàng Chí MAP GOOGLE MAP )
According to legend, Elephant Bathing Pool (2070m) is where Pǔxián flew his elephant in for a nice scrub, but today there’s not much of a pool to speak of. Being almost at the crossroads of both major trails, the temple here is sometimes packed with pilgrims and often crowded with curious monkeys.
Lonely Planet China Page 152