Mt. Emei, locked in a medieval time warp, receives a steady stream of happy pilgrims with their straw hats, makeshift baggage, walking canes and fans. The monasteries hold some Buddhist monks, the tinkle of bells, clouds of incense, and fire-wood and coal lumped in the countyards for the winter months.

One of the Middle Kingdom's four famous Buddhist mountains (the othersare Putuo, Wutai and Jiuhua), Mt. Emei has little of its original temple-work left. The gilttering Golden Summit Temple, with its brass tiling engraved with Tibetan script, was completely gutted by fire. A similar fate befell numberous other temples and monasteries on the mount.

The original temple structures dated back as far as the advent of Buddhism itself in China; by the 14th century, the estimated 100 or so holy structures housed several thousand monks.

The present temple count is around 20 active after a Cultural Revolution hiatus, bearing only traces of their original splendor. Since 1976 the remnants have been renovated, access to the mountain has been improved, hiking paths widened, lodgings added and tourists permitted to climb to the sacred summit.

With all the other tourists, pilgrims and hawkers lining the pathways, there's not much chance for solitude on Mt. Emei. But for all that, the hike offers its share of beautiful views. Fir trees, pines and cedars clothe the slopes; lofty crags, cloud-kissing precipices, butterflies and azaleas together form a nature reserve of sorts. The major scenic goal of hikers is to witness a sunrise or sunset over the sea of clouds at the summit. On the rare afternoon there is a phenomenon known as Buddha's Aureole-rainbow rings, produced by refraction of water particles, attach themselves to a person's shadow in a cloud bank below the summit. Devout Buddhists, thinking this was a call from yonder, used to jump off the cliff of Self-Sacrifice in ecstasy, so during the Ming and Qing dynasties officials set up iron poles and chain railings to prevent suicides. These days your head can be stuck in a cardboard cutout on the site, and you can be photographed in that same act of attaining nirvana.

The best season to visit is from May to October. Winter is not impossible, but will present some trekking problems-iron soles with spikes can be snow on the trails. At the height of summer, which is scorching else-where in Sichuan, Emei presents cool majesty. Temperate zones start at 1000 meters.

Cloud cover and mist are prevalent, and will most likely interfere with the sunrise. If very lucky, you'll see Mt. Gongga to the west; if not, you'll have to settle for the telecom tower "temple" and the meteorological station.

Emei is a tall one at 3099 meters, so the weather is uncertain and you'd be best advised to prepare for sudden changes without weighing youself down with a huge pack. There is no heating or insulation in the monasteries, but blankets are provided, and you can hire heavy overcoats at the top. Heavy rain can be a problem, calling for a good pair of rough-soled shoes or boots, so you don't go head over heels on the smooth stone steps further up. Flimsy plastic macs are sold by enterprising vendors on the slopes-these will last about 10 minutes before you get wet.

Baoguo Monstery

This monastery was built in the 16th century, enlarged in the 17th century by Emperor Kangxi and recently renovated. Its 3.5-meter porcelain Buddha, made in 1415,is housed near the Sutra Library. To the left of the gate is a rockery for potted miniature trees and rare plants.

Fuhu Temple

"Crouching Tiger Monastery", as it is known in Chinese, is sunk in the forest. Inside is a seven-meter-high copper pagoda inscribed with Buddhist images and texts.

Wannian Temple

Reconstructed in the 9th century, the Temple of 10000 Years is the oldest surviving Emei monastery. Its dedicated to the man on the white elephant, the Bodhisattva Puxian, who is the protector of the mountain. This statue,8.5 meters high, cast in cooper and bronze, weighing an estimated 62,000kg,is found in Brick Hall, a domed building with small stupas on it. The statue was made in 980AD.

Qingyin Pavillin

Named the Pure Sound Pavillin because of the sound effects produced by rapid waters cousing around rock formations in the area, the temple itself is built on an outcrop in the middle of a fast-flowing stream. There are small pavilions from which to observe the waterworks and appreciate the natural music.

Xixiang Pond

According to legend, the Elephant Bathing Pool is the spot where Puxian flew his elephant in for a big scrub, but there's not much of a pool to speak of today. If very lucky, you'll meet some monkeys here. The monkeys have got it all figured out-Xixiang Pond is the place to be. If you come across a monkey "tollgate", the standard procedure is to thrust open palms towards the outlaw to show you have no food.

Golden Summit Temple

At 3077 meters, the magnificant Golden Summit Temple is as far as most hikers make it. It has been entirely rebuilt since being gutted by a fire several years ago. Covered with glazed tile and surrounded by white marble balustrades, it now occupies 1695 sq meters. The original temple had a bronze-coated roof, which is how it got the name Jinding (which can mean "Gold Top" as well as "Golden Summit")