Mount Wutai

Home of Manjushri Bodhisattva and foremost of the four sacred Buddhist mountains, with the five-peak "Great Pilgrimage" trek and the Tang-dynasty timber halls of Foguang Temple and Nanchan Temple.

Mount Wutai lies in the northeast of Wutai County, Xinzhou, Shanxi, about 230 km from Taiyuan and 360 km from Beijing. It is named for the five flat-topped peaks (east, west, south, north and central) that encircle it; the highest, Yedou Peak on the North Terrace, stands at 3,061 m, the "roof of North China." It is the bodhimanda of Manjushri Bodhisattva, ranks first among China's four sacred Buddhist mountains, and is the only holy site where Han Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism coexist. In 2009 it was inscribed on the World Heritage List as a "cultural landscape." The core visiting area is Taihuai Town, ringed by the five peaks, where Xiantong Temple, Tayuan Temple (with the Great White Pagoda), Pusading, Shuxiang Temple and Luohou Temple are within walking distance, and Dailuoding sits on the hill east of town. Farther out, Nanchan Temple (built in 782, the third year of the Tang Jianzhong era) and Foguang Temple (built in 857, the eleventh year of the Tang Dazhong era) are the oldest surviving Tang timber structures, located southwest of Wutai county town and in Doucun Town, about 70 km and 50 km from Taihuai respectively. The "Great Pilgrimage" is a route, on foot or by chartered car, linking the east, north, central, west and south peaks in one circuit. The climate is cold alpine; Taihuai sits at 1,700 m and summer temperatures average under 20°C, making it a summer retreat. June–September is the best season, and the mule-and-horse fair and Dharma assemblies around the 15th day of the sixth lunar month are the grandest. After October strong winds and falling temperatures set in and the peaks may be snowbound; from November to April the Great Pilgrimage route is often closed by snow, though the temples remain open in winter with few pilgrims. Getting there: take a train from Taiyuan to Wutaishan Station (in Shahe Town, Fanshi County, about 50 km from Taihuai, with shuttle buses from the station) in about 2–3 hours, or a direct coach from Taiyuan East Bus Station in about 4 hours; driving from Beijing takes about 5 hours; flights to Wutaishan Airport (Xinzhou) are limited. The scenic area has buses and taxis, and the temples are within walking distance of one another. Allow 2–3 days: one day for the Taihuai temples, half a day for the "Little Pilgrimage" up Dailuoding, and one day for Foguang and Nanchan temples; the Great Pilgrimage trek takes an extra 2–3 days. Tips: the mountain entry fee is CNY 135 in peak season and CNY 118 in low season, plus an eco-bus fare; most Taihuai temples are free or charge CNY 5–10; ultraviolet radiation is strong at altitude and the day–night temperature difference can reach 15°C, so bring a shell jacket even in summer; photographing Buddha statues is prohibited in the temples, circle pagodas counterclockwise, and do not step on door thresholds when entering halls; vegetarian meals are available in each temple's dining hall, and Taihuai's restaurants specialize in Taimo mushrooms, oat noodles and bean-flour dishes; book accommodation well ahead in peak season.

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