Things to do in Leshan

Baoguo Temple - where it all begins and endsYou know, there's a special magic to traveling returning to where you started and realizing you're a completely different person. That Mount Emei, which seemed like a pretty picture on the first day, has now become a part of you. That your knees remember every stone, and your lungs remember every breath of air at an altitude of three thousand meters. Baoguo Temple awaited us below. And it was the perfect end point.Baoguo, also known as the "Temple of Gratitude to the Motherland," stands at the very beginning of the trail, at the foot of the mountain. On the first day, we were in such a hurry to get going that we left it for last, like a delicious dessert saved for last. And we did the right thing. The temple is about 450 years old. It was founded during the Ming Dynasty, in the 16th century, and since then it has faithfully fulfilled its purpose: meeting pilgrims, seeing them off to the top, and welcoming them back when they descend, tired and happy. Can you imagine how many stories it has witnessed? How many knees, like mine, have trembled before its gates?In the Hall of the Seven Buddhas, I encountered the purple bronze Huayan Pagoda. The same one, with 14 stories and 4,700 small Buddhas on its body. But the temple's crowning glory is, without a doubt, the bell. A huge bronze bell, weighing over 10 tons. Locals call it the "Bashu Bell King" (named after the ancient kingdom of Sichuan). Transportation: Take bus #5 in Emeishan; it goes directly to the temple. The price is only 1.5 yuan. It's almost ridiculous: 1.5 yuan for a ticket to a place that will nourish your memories for years. Buses run every 10 minutes, so you won't have to wait even during rush hour.You can, of course, take Didi—it's about 20 yuan and takes 25 minutes. But if you're not as exhausted as we were from descending the mountain, the bus is a more authentic option. You'll get locals to join you, you'll enjoy the scenery outside the window.

Jinkou Grand Canyon is actually a section of the Dadu River Geopark within the Jinkou River. It features a reservoir and dam, a waterway highway and a suspension bridge, cliffside villages and a railway corps museum. The cliffs on the banks are colorful, and the rushing water below reflects the emerald green. The majestic beauty and grandeur of Jinkou Grand Canyon are truly breathtaking!

Leshan Suji Ancient Town is located in the Shizhong District of Leshan City, about 10 kilometers away from the urban area. Suji Ancient Town is a food gathering place in Leshan and the birthplace of Qiaojiao Beef. There are various snacks in the ancient town and places for river swimming. It is a good place for leisure, entertainment and delicious food.

The ancient town is relatively small and can be visited in half an hour, but it is very charming. It may be because the town is relatively small, so it really feels like an ancient town. The road from the tourist center to the boat-shaped street is very quiet, but it makes people feel very relaxed. There is a narrow stone-paved path between the quaint buildings, which is really impressive. The boat-shaped street is mainly for drinking tea and playing cards, which is also very good. The remote town and the lively tea street are really a good match. Except for the boat-shaped street, the other alleys are relatively narrow, but they are also very fun (I personally prefer the alley of the Changchun barber shop, hehe). After crossing the boat-shaped street is another street, which is mainly a market, where you can buy some small things. Overall, it is quite good, but it is a bit small. If you don’t like the ancient streets with a strong commercial atmosphere like Luodai and Kuanzhai in Chengdu, it is still worth a visit!

The scenic area is along the Qingyi River, with beautiful scenery. There are not many people on National Day. There are many exquisite Buddha statues, and the Sakyamuni statue is also painted. The Dongfeng Weir Dam can be seen clearly when you climb up the mountain. In short, it is good to take a walk

Fuhu Temple is free and doesn't require ID. Although it's only a little over 1 kilometer from Baoguo Temple, it's not a flat, straight path, but a winding mountain road with ups and downs. In the sweltering heat of early August, walking 1 kilometer uphill, especially since Fuhu Temple itself is built into the mountainside, meant climbing a long flight of stairs even after reaching the temple gate, and more stairs inside, so we opted to pay for parking rather than hike. It turned out that paying for parking saved us a lot of energy. Fuhu Temple itself is quite nice and worth a visit. However, every temple on Mount Emei involves endless climbing and walking, so be prepared for the physical and mental strain.

The vibrant colors of the chrysanthemums are as if the world has spilled its palette, creating a beautiful contrast with the lush green leaves, painting a picture that is both serene and passionate, and evoking the elegant poetic imagery of "the cold flowers have all faded, but the chrysanthemums alone fill the branches."

When you arrive in Jiayang, you must go down to a mine and dig a few shovels of coal. It is a great experience. Going down the mine, you can feel the sound and light of the gas explosion, ride the monkey car, learn about the history and development of mining, and see a lot of mining machinery. Except for the time spent queuing for the monkey car, the whole process was very happy. Although I was exhausted after climbing the slope of the Cong Mine, it was still very interesting. I also saw a giant salamander.

The Railway Corps Museum is nestled in the heart of the Jinkou Grand Canyon on the Dadu River. From its perch, visitors can admire Dawa Mountain, the world's highest table-shaped mountain, and explore the Third Front Memory District along the river. Jinkouhe District has launched three premium tourist routes: the "Grand Canyon Red Study Tour," the "Dawa Mountain Wetland Ecological Tour," and the "August Forest Yi Family Customs Tour," showcasing breathtaking natural scenery, diverse cultural history, and unique ethnic customs.

(1) Luomu Ancient Town, which locals usually call Qinglong, is not far from Mount Emei. There are few outsiders. Spring is beautiful here. Come and visit on a nice day. (2) Located on the eastern foot of Mount Emei, it was first built in the first year of Wude of Emperor Gaozu of Tang (618 AD). After the county was abolished and the town was changed in the Song Dynasty, it became one of the five towns of Emei. The ancient town has eight main streets and seven alleys. It retains the wooden structure of mortise and tenon beams and stone slab streets from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It had already formed a settlement in the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it became the first stop of the Tea Horse Road into the mountains. The existing Taoist relics have a deep connection with the "Seventh Taoist Grotto-Heaven" of Mount Emei. The worship activities are still held on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month. [1] [5] The traditional handicrafts in the town have continued to this day, covering blacksmith shops, bamboo weaving workshops, tofu workshops and other businesses. Special snacks include handmade mooncakes, tofu pudding and so on.