Lushan

Gazing up at Lushan, also known as Washan Mountain, imagine a verdant screen shielding the city of Xichang. Lushan isn’t in Chengdu. It rises majestically in southern Xichang City, Sichuan Province. Its peak, Shamao Peak, reaches 2317 meters above sea level. The mountain overlooks Qionghai Lake to the east, the second largest freshwater lake in Sichuan. To the west flows the Anning River. The mountain itself is cloaked in a thick forest, a natural sanctuary offering respite and tranquility. Ancient temples and pavilions, some Buddhist and some Taoist, are nestled within Lushan’s forests. These structures have coexisted peacefully for over a thousand years, a testament to the mountain’s spiritual significance. The Guangfu Temple is the grandest of these temples. It houses the Thousand Buddha Hall, Wenwu Hall, Kuixing Pavilion, and the Great Buddha’s Hall. Constructed during the Tang Dynasty, the temple holds a bronze bell cast during Emperor Qianlong’s reign in the Qing Dynasty. Tablets, thuribles, and bronze Buddhist statues within the temple tell tales of its long history. Among the temples on Lushan, each boasts a Wanghai Pavilion offering unique vistas. In Guangfu Temple, this pavilion is called Yinyun Pavilion. From here, you can see boats gliding across Qionghai Lake, surrounded by willow trees and picturesque villages.