Reconstructed in the 9th century, Wannian Temple (1020m) is the oldest surviving Emei temple. It’s dedicated to the man on the white elephant, the Bodhisattva Pǔxián (also known as Samantabhadra), the Buddhist Lord of Truth and patron of the mountain. This 8.5m-high statue cast in copper and bronze dates from CE 980 and weighs an estimated 62,000kg. If you can manage to rub the elephant’s hind leg, good luck will be cast upon you.
The statue is housed in Brick Hall, a domed building with small stupas on it – the only building left unharmed in a 1945 fire.