In the Longmen Cave of Emei Mountain, there lies an elongated giant rock about 35 meters in length and 2.5 meters in width, resembling a ship. Its layers of foliated rock formations are stacked like a pile of scriptures, a sight referred to by Buddhists as the ‘Puxian Boat’. Locals affectionately call it ‘Stone Boat’. Legend has it that when Samantabhadra, a bodhisattva, arrived at Emei Mountain from the west, the area was once a vast ocean with peaks resembling green islands in the water.
Samantabhadra anchored his ship carrying scriptures here, but before all the scriptures could be unloaded, the waters receded, leaving the ship stranded. To prevent the scriptures from being stolen or lost, Samantabhadra used his Buddhist powers to transform the ship into a stone boat, which remains to this day. Open all year round, accessible 24 hours a day.
