2007-10-15

(photo source: www.jingjiao.com.cn )

--Intro:
Mount Wutaishan, Mount Emei, Jiuhua Mountain and Mount Putuoshan are the famous four Buddhist Holy Mountains in China. They've gained fame both domestically and abroad and have become popular tourist attractions.
Today, we will visit Mount Wutaishan.

--Mount Wutaishan
Mount Wutai has the longest and most prestigious history in the four well-known Buddhist holy lands and it's the only mountain where both Chinese Buddhism and Tibetan Lamaism are practiced. Its cool and pleasant summer climate has also given rise to another name: Qingliang (Cool and Pleasant) Mountain. The mountain has been regarded as an ideal place for escaping summer heat since the ancient times.

--Where:
Wutai County, Shanxi Province.
240 kilometers from the provincial capital of Taiyuan, the mountain is actually a cluster of five terrace-like peaks, hence the name Wutai (Five Terraces).

--What to See:
1. Temples

(photo source: www.lfs.chinawts.com)

Back in the Eastern Han dynasty, some 1,800 years ago, people started to build temples on the mountain. In its heyday, the mountain had over 300 temples housing more than 10,000 monks. Today, 47 of these temples are still in good condition. Within their walls is a rich legacy of over 100,000 superb sculptures and paintings, along with a great quantity of Buddhist cultural relics. These ancient temples are the main spots that you shouldn't miss.

2. Five Terraces: The five terrace-like peaks have their own characteristics.
-The Eastern Terrace Peak:
Gorgeous scene of the sun-rise in summer and autumn times.

-The Western Terrace Peak:
Best place to view the moon.

-The Northern Terrace Peak:
The highest peak in northern China. You can fully feel nature's power with the twists and turns there.

-The Southern Terrace Peak:
Famous for its delicacy. Flowers everywhere in the summer.

-The Central Terrace Peak:
Nine months of snow in a year. Climate is similar to the Northern Terrace Peak.
Specialty: mushrooms, canary-creeper tea, ink stone and wooden bowl

--How to Get There:
Several trains stop at Mount Wutai. From Beijing the hard-seat ticket costs about 50 yuan (7 US dollars) and it takes you about 5 hours to get there.

--Price:
Off-season from November to March 140 yuan/person (18 US dollars/person)
Midseason from April to October 168 yuan/person (22 US dollars/person)

--Tips:

All kinds of hotels and guesthouses are around there. Temperature may be low especially in the mornings and during the night, so bring a coat with you. Vegetables are expensive here since it is not easy for people to bring in food.

(With reference to: www.travelchinaguide.com)