Climbing Emeishan in the Snow
Snow Climbing on Emeishan
March 23, 2019, I finally climbed Mount Emeishan in the snow, which I had long admired.
The weather at the foot of the mountain was already quite warm, with lush green trees. In the morning, the sky was cloudy, as if it were going to rain. Because the road was still quite far, most climbers chose to take the express bus up the mountain. As the mountain rose, the surroundings were shrouded in clouds and mist. At 8:01, when I arrived at the Snow Bud Service Area, people saw Mount Emeishan's summit wearing a white snow cap. Before 9:30, I arrived at the Lei Dong Ping Parking Lot. At that time, the snow on the ground was about ten centimeters thick, and because the ground temperature was high, a lot of the snow had melted into a puddle. Most people were only wearing one layer of clothing at the foot of the mountain, while here they suddenly found themselves in an icy and snowy landscape. The most popular thing at the entrance was renting coats and selling rain boots.
Snow Climbing at Lei Dong Ping Parking Lot
Adventurous climbers impatiently waited for this huge contrast, bringing them excitement. Although constantly disturbed by clouds and mist, preventing them from seeing the vastness of Shu (region) and the smallness of other mountains, they felt as if they were walking in an ice and snow fairy tale world, fully experiencing the magical and dreamlike feeling. Halfway up the mountain, several cute little squirrels lived and jumped among the snow-draped pine trees. They had long been accustomed to obtaining food from passersby and carrying it to the high branches to enjoy it slowly.
Snow Climbing on Emeishan
11:10, I finally achieved the summit and saw the Puxian Buddha statue on Emeishan Golden Summit. However, because of the persistent clouds, I could not see the Puxian Buddha face to face.
The four famous scenic spots at Emeishan Golden Summit, which are usually boasted – sunrise, clouds, Buddhist light, and incense lamps – were all unseen. However, by the main hall of the Golden Summit's Huayang Temple, I was fortunate to see the original inscription of Wang Si Zhong's 'Record of the Newly Built Copper Hall of Huayang Temple' written in the characters of the sage Wang Xizi.
On the way down, I finally saw the Emeishan monkeys. They roamed and searched for food discarded by people in the icy and snowy environment. Several bold old troublemakers even proactively asked people for food, those who would not leave without getting a little to eat. Despite this, people were still very friendly towards these primate companions.
Coming down from the mountain, people instantly returned to spring, walking among the lush green forests, at one point unable to tell what year it was.
