금정

The Golden Summit is the high point of Mount Emei and the destination that draws most visitors to this UNESCO World Heritage mountain. At roughly three thousand meters above sea level, the summit ridge is crowned by a towering multi-faced gilded statue of Samantabhadra (Puxian) Bodhisattva, one of the largest gold-clad Buddhist figures in the world and the single most recognized image of the Emei sacred area. For pilgrims, reaching the Golden Summit is the spiritual climax of the mountain; for ordinary travelers, it is the most dramatic viewpoint in Sichuan's Buddhist highlands.

The summit complex is built around the Samantabhadra statue and the Huayan Temple group. The third hall of that temple, dedicated to the bodhisattva, is known popularly as the Golden Summit itself, with its plaques bearing inscriptions that invoke the boundless vows and the radiant splendor of the Buddhist paradise. Inside, a bronze figure of Samantabhadra riding his six-tusked elephant anchors the devotional space. The layered temples and terraces make the summit feel less like a single peak and more like a high-altitude monastery village.

The view is the other reason everyone climbs here. When the weather cooperates, the Golden Summit floats above a rolling sea of clouds, and the first rays of sunrise set the gilded statue ablaze. On the luckiest mornings a circular rainbow, the famous Buddha's halo, rings the shadow of the viewer cast onto the cloud below. Because conditions change quickly, many travelers stay overnight on the summit to improve their odds.

The Golden Summit is reached either by a long hike up the mountain or, more commonly, by the combination of a mountain bus to the upper trailhead and the cableway to the ridge. Temperatures at the top are far lower than in the foothills, so warm clothing is essential. For most visitors to Mount Emei, the Golden Summit is the single unmissable experience.