EMEI SHAN IN CHINA

THIS MOUNTAIN IS BUDDIST AND 2600 M ABOVE THE PLAIN.  IT HAS THE FIRST TEMPLE IN CHINA THAT WAS BUILT IN SECHUAN PROVINCE IN THE FIRST CENTURY A.D. AT THE SUMMIT OF MT. EMEI.  THIS IS ONE OF THE BUDDIST'SHOLIEST SITES.  THEY HAVE A GIANT BUDDA CARVED OUT OF A ROCK ON A HILLSIDEIN THE 8TH CENTURY THAT OVERLOOKS THREE CENTURIES. SOME OF THE TREES HERE ARE OVER 1000 YEARS OLD.MOUNT EMU IS AN AREA OF EXCEPTIONAL.  MOUNT EMEI IS AN AREA OF EXCEPTIOAL SCENIC VALUE WHERE BUDDISM FIRST BECAME ESTABLISHED ON CHINESE TERRITORY.

THIS MOUNTAIN HAS CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE SINCE IT IS IN THE PLACE WHERE BUDDISM FIRST BECAME ESTABLISHED IN CHINESE TERRITORY IN THE FIRST CENTURY.

BY THE  FORTH CENTURY THEY BUILT A BRONZE BUDDA AND GARDENTEMPLE IN THE 17TH CENTURY.  A TEMPLE OF THE 7TH  DYNASTY CONTAINS A BRONZE BUDDHA AND AN 11TH CENTURY STATUE GROUP.

MOUNT EMEI HAS GREAT SCENIC BEAUTY.  IT HAS GREAT SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE AS IT INTRODUCES BUDDISM TO CHINA.  THE MANY MONUMENTS AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS MAKES IT A CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF VERY HIGH ORDER.  THE AREA HAS GREAT NATURAL BEAUTY AND THE HUMAN ELEMENT HAS BEEN INTEGRATED WITH SKILL AND BEAUTY.  THE KESHAN, GIANT BUDDHA IS THE TALLEST BUDDHA SCULPTURE IN THE WORLD!

MOUNT EMU IS OF HIGHEST SIGNIFICANCE AS 1 OF 4 HOLY LANDS OF CHINESE BUDDISM.  BUDDISM WAS INTRODUCED INTO CHINA  VIA THE SILK ROAD FROM INDIA.

HERE THERE ARE 2000 YEARS OF DOCUMENTS, HISTORY, TOMBS, ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, AND STONE INSCRIPTIONS, PAINTING AND MUSIC AND OTHER ARTS.  IT HAS OVER 2300 ANIMAL SPECIES AND SEVERAL THREATENED SPECIES.  BECAUSE OF THE MOUNTAIN'S INACCESSIBILITY IT REMAINS UNTOUCHED  AND UNSPOILED.  CONSERVATION OF THE PROPERTY HERE IS VERY STRICT.  THERE IS A MANAGEMENT AREA HERE.

THE MAIN THREAT TO THE MOUNTAIN AREA ARE TOURIST AND OTHERS WHO VIEW THE SITE.  A CABLE CAR WAS BUILT  THAT LEADS TO THE SUMMIT OF THE MOUNTAIN AND BRINGS 300,000 FOLKS HERE PER YEAR TO THIS SENSITIVE  AREA.

THE AREA HAS MANY FOSSILS THAT ARE IMPORTANT AS A SOURCE OF AS A SOURCE OF GEOLOGIC INFORMATION.  THE MOUNTAIN HAS 50 VEGETATION ZONES WITH SUBALPINE FORESTS AND SHRUBS.  THERE HAVE BEEN 3200 PLANT SPECIES RECORDED.  ALSO 1600 SPECIES OF MEDICINL PLANTS WITH 600 SPECIES OF COMMERCIAL  VALUE.  100 SPECIES ARE ENDEMIC OR HAVE THREATENED POPULATION
IN THE WORLD.  ALSO 2300 ANIMAL SPECIES ARE HERE.  157 SPECIES ARE THREATENED.  SOME HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE MOUNTAIN.  ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND EVIDENCE IN THE AREA THAT THEY WERE HERE FOR ABOUT 10,000 YEARS!

THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 4 HOLY LANDS OF CHINESE  BUDDHISM.
MOUNT EMUI HAS A RICH HERITAGE OF ARCHITECTURE, CALIGRAPHY, PAINTINGS AND EARTHENWARE.  THEIR SCENIC AREA COVERS 2500 HA.

SOME CHINESE MONKS BUILT A TEMPLE HERE.  ONE BUDDIST SCHOOL BUILT HERE WAS COMISSIONED TO BUILD 100 TEMPLES.  ONE EMPIROR HERE TRANSLATED THE INDIAN BUDDISM TEXTS.  A LARGE BRONZE STATUE WEIGHING 62 TONS IS IN ONE TEMPLE.  THIS AREA HAS MANY ANIMAL SPECIES THAT THEY ARE TRYING PRESERVE.

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