As is known to all, there are many famous mountains in China and some of them belong to Sichuan Province. Today we’re going to find out more about three famous and beautiful mountains of the region which undoubtedly are the most popular choices for tourists on weekends and on holidays and which are more easily commutable to. These mountains offer the perfect escape from heat in the summer and the perfect opportunity to see snow scenery in the winter. Let’s begin our climb.    1.)        Mount Emei （峨眉山）   Arguably the most impressive mountain is Mount Emei. The 3,099-meter tall mountain is located in Sichuan Province in a city of the same name, Emeishan City. It is the highest of four sacred buddhist mountains in China making it an iconic landmark and well known as a place for enlightenment. Not only that it is also known as the origin of the famed Shaolin King-Fu with the Shaolin Monastery mentioned in sources from 16th and 17th centuries referring to martial arts being practiced in the monasteries on the mountain. This along with the outstanding natural scenery made Mount Emei a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.    It's a great pace for a nice relaxing hike through scenic walk trails passing many peaceful monastaries and temples, getting close to natural wildness along the way.  It is said that there are more than 5000 species of plants and over 2300 kinds of animals of which the cute cheeky and playful monkeys have become the most exciting to see due to their naughtiness and intelligence. You’ll see them swing from trees. A tip, don’t eat too close to these monkeys and hold your possessions tightly otherwise a monkey might be carrying your food or bag off to the sunset.    Emei Mountain can be visited in all four seasons with each season providing a unique experience. You can witness the blossom of the azaleas in spring, avoid the heat during the summer, see red maple leaves in the autumn, and enjoy the spectacular snow scenery in the winter. For a more comfortable hike, it’s recommended to go between April and October. Although for those who are not fond of hiking, cable car is always an option to reach the top. There are hotels at the bottom and peak of the mountain. So you can either wake up to the beautiful scenery or wake up relatively early and travel to the peak. Close by is also the amazing Leshan Giant Buddha sculpture in Leshan City. These two hotspots make a great double header of travelling.      2.)        Mount Qingcheng    Located in Dujiangyan City, Mount QingCheng is another irreverent mountain of Sichuan Province. It is regarded as the birthplace of Taoism and one of the most important Taoist religious sites in China. The mountain features 36 peaks and many Taoist monasteries and temples. Many of the essential elements of Taosim derived from teachings and practices of the temples that were built here during the Jin and Tang Dynasties. This is the place where the Yellow Emperor convened his studies. Now the area is also home to the Dujiangyan Giant Panda Center. Since 2000, Mount Qingcheng together with the close by Dujiangyan Irrigation system has become another of China’s many UNESCO World Heritage sites, another great double bill for travelling within Sichuan.    Mount Qingcheng is about 49km from Chengdu and is quite convenient to get to. Since aincent times, It has largely been known as one of the serenest mountains beneath heaven. Througought the year the whole mountain is covered with astonishingly beautiful evergreen forests that do not lose their colour. This is why it’s called ‘Qingcheng’ mountain as this literally translates as green mountain. The Mount Qingcheng scenic spot is divided into the front and back mountains and the altitude is not that high, providing a more comfortable hike, passing beautiful clear waterfalls, rivers, stone carvings and lush green plants. The front mountain is most popular and the main attraction featuring most of the temples, historical and cultural relics. The back mountain is even more tranquil with more beautiful natural scenery. Via both mountains you can enjoy the fresh air and great views. The more you go up the mountain, the cooler you feel with the comfort of the wind on your face providing a great escape from the heat of the summer.    When you go to Mount Qingcheng you will find that nature is truly the best gift for human beings. It is a journey for your eyes and heart. When you reach the top you will let go of everything and experience the comfort there.    There are also plenty of hotels and hostels near the entrance of the mountain and of course you can also take a cable car to the peak of the mountain if necessary.      3.)        Xiling Snow Mountain (西岭雪山)   Xiling Snow Mountain Scenic Park is located in Dayi County, 95km from Chengdu. With an altitude of 5,364m it is the highest peak within the Chengdu region. Covered with snow throughout the year, Xiling Snow Mountain is a great place to both experience natural beauty and for the excitement of winter sports. The scenic spot features the largest and best alpine ski resort in South China equipped with great facilities for skiing whether you’re a beginner or more advanced.    With its breathtaking views and scenery, Xiling Snow Mountain is another paradise for sightseers. Even the great famous ancient poet Du Fu wrote about this mountain when he described it as ‘Everlasting snow on the West Mountain viewed within a glance from my window. Ships from the Eastern Country gather around by the gate of my house.’    After travelling by bus to the foot of the mountain, you can find plenty of hotels, hostels and accommodation. You can buy cable car tickets to the middle of the mountain where the ski resort is or to the peak of the mountain where you feel like you’re standing on top of the world with the sea of white clouds in front of you.    …   Has this wetted your appetite to come to Sichuan and China? Join us to teach English in China and have an experience of a lifetime. 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Today we want to share a popular and easy hiking route with you – from Lonquanyi to Shijingsi (Shijing Temple). This hiking route is especially suitable for those who have just started hiking.  I got to know this hiking route totally by chance. I was browsing Douyin (Chinese version of Tik Tok) and saw a video of a group of people walking and running in a forest. And I thought that was nice and I want to go hiking there too. So I took a closer look at the title of the video and it said “Longquanyi to Shijingsi hiking seven lakes in a row”. Longquanyi is the terminal station of Chengdu metro line 2. If you can get somewhere by taking the metro, it means it’s not that far away so the hiking is definitely doable. I just didn’t know where Shijingsi is, so I did some research, and it is around 10-15km from Longquanyi depending on which route you take.  So on Saturday, I grabbed my backpack and took the metro to Longquanyi, after stepping out the metro station I went to a store and bought 1.5 litre bottle of water and some biscuits, then started hiking. The first few hundred metres are on the street, then you’ll walk along the 318 national highway. You’ll see a pathway, from there, the real hiking starts. There are plenty of routes, if you want to pass by all 7 of the lakes, it’ll take about 5 hours. For our journey we took the shorter route.    The starting point is actually at the Longquan Mountain Yangtianwo Mountain Bike Park. During the weekend it was packed with people – children, teenagers, adults and elders. The pathway there is paved with stone stairs for the first half of the hike, so it’s a little more comfortable than walking on mud paths. About a third of the way of the hike, you can see a great city view of Chengdu from relatively high and feel the cool wind brush against your face during the hot summers. There is a road sign with the words ‘我在成都等风来’ which means ‘I’m in Chengdu waiting for the wind’. I’d say that I’m in Chengdu waiting for you. Come and join our program – Teach English in China and experience the amazing culture and sites.  On the second half of the hike, the journey features mud trails, grass lands, bushes, trees and mountains. You can definitely get closer to mother nature and forget about the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s very peaceful and relaxing, and great to get some exercise too. We completed our hike under 3 hours and 30 minutes, and hiked about 14.41km, the highest peak we walked up to was about 930 metres. The finishing point is Shijingsi, one of the most famous temples in Chengdu and a place where worshippers go to pray for love. It turns out that you don’t need to buy a ticket to gain entrance, so we had a quick tour.   Overall it was a pretty satisfying hike.