Leshan Festivals and Events
Leshan festivals and activities offer you various opportunity to experience the local culture of Leshan and Emeishan. Through joining in theses events, you'll know more about Leshan and the Leshan people.
Festivals in Leshan
1. Leshan International Tourism Buddha Festival
Leshan Giant Buddha is a statue of Maitreya excavated on mountain. It is 71 meters high and 8.5 meters wide on the back of the foot. It was built by monk Xihai Tong in Kaiyuan of Tang Dynasty. It is the largest Buddha in the world today. In order to develop tourism, the first Sichuan Leshan International Tourism Grand Buddha Festival was held in 1994. The 4th Festival in 2002 was held in conjunction with the first Mount Emei-Leshan Grand Buddha World Culture and Natural Heritage Protection Festival.
2. Emei Martial Arts Festival
Sichuan Emei International Martial Arts Festival is held every two years. It aims to provide a good exchange opportunity and display platform for martial arts from all over the world, to show the profound of Emei martial arts to the world, and to promote Chinese martial culture. The first competition was held in Emeishan City in 2007. After more than 3000 years of development and inheritance, Emei martial has formed a unique style of "combining rigidity and softness with internal and external training". It is also known as the three major schools of Chinese Wushu with Shaolin and Wudang, and can be regarded as the treasure of Chinese Wushu culture.
3. Emeishan-Leshan Giant Buddha Ice and Snow Hot Spring Festival
Emeishan-Leshan Giant Buddha Ice and Snow Hot Spring Festival is sponsored by Emeishan Management Committee. It is a tourism festival that integrates skiing, snow appreciation, hot springs, tourism and food culture. Since the first festival was held in 1999, the annual hot spring festival has become one of the main symbols of the Southern Sichuan Ice and Snow Festival. During the hot spring festival, there are many wonderful thematic activities, such as praying for Buddha, passionate skiing in alpine areas, delightful hot spring party and so on.
4. Wutongqiao Dragon Boat Festival
Wutongqiao Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional folk cultural activity in Leshan, Sichuan. As a national cultural festival that has lasted for hundreds of years, it has a good reputation. Wutongqiao City is known as "Little West Lake". Since ancient times, salt industry has flourished and water transportation has developed. Since the reign of Qianlong in Qing Dynasty, Dragon Boat fairs have been held almost every year. Dragon boat race and duck race are traditional reserved programs, called the Wutongqiao Dragon Boat Festival.
5. The Azaleas Festival of Wawu Mountain
Wawu Mountain is known as "the kingdom of world azaleas" and "the hometown of Chinese pigeon flowers". Every year from April to June, when azaleas blossom, the Azalea Festival will also be held in this period. Visitors can enjoy the azaleas all over the mountains, and friends who like photography should not miss it.
6. Peng Zu Shouxing Festival
It is a featured festival in Pengshan and one of Leshan's entertainment. At that time, there will be various celebrations, in which tourists can participate and experience the feelings of the local aborigines. The main place for the festival is Pengzu Mountain.
Activities in Leshan
1. Emei Mountain Association of Pilgrims
Emei Mountain Association of Pilgrims is a Buddhist tourism activity in Mount Emei which has lasted for more than 200 years. It is a grand gathering organized by non-locals to worship Buddha in Mount Emei. In the Qing Dynasty, it was most popular during Qianlong and Jiaqing years. The pilgrimage time lasts for about four months from the beginning of the Dragon Boat Festival to the end of August 15. The head of the association, also known as Yingxiang or Xiangtou, is mostly a famous figure in the local Brotherhood.
2. Caiihou Meeting
Jiajiang is a famous paper town with many paper shops. The paper-making artists commemorate Cai Lun's achievements and regard him as their ancestor. Every family worships Cai Lun's statue. Every August of the lunar calendar is the leisure time of paper making. Artists gather together to raise funds for the Cai Hou Festival. If the visitor's friend is at Caihou meeting, you can know about it.
3. Seeing the Buddha on a cruise ship
Taking a cruise boat is the best way to visit Leshan Giant Buddha, because only in this way can we see Leshan Buddha in the whole landscape. There are dozens of cruise from Leshan port to Leshan Giant Buddha every day.
4. Zhangye Meeting
It is popular in Jiajiang County. According to legend, the fourth day of April in the lunar calendar is Zhang Fei's birthday. Every year on that day, the butchers in Jiajiang prepare sacrifices and go to the temple of Zhangfei to worship and pray for peace and prosperity in the coming year. There will be many folk activities, tourists can visit.
