The first Buddhist temple in China was built here in Sichuan province in the first century in very beautiful surroundings atop Mt. Emei. The addition of other temples turned the site into one of the main holy places of Buddhism. Over the centuries, the cultural treasures grew in number. The most remarkable was the Giant Buddha of Leshan, carved out of a hillside in the eighth century and looking down on the junction of three rivers. At 71 meters high, it is the largest Buddha in the world. Mt. Emei is also notable for its very diverse vegetation, ranging from sub-tropical to sub-alpine pine forests. Some of the trees are more than a thousand years old.

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