I am taking in this scene at Tayuan Temple, which is the symbol of Wutai Mountain, one of four sacred Buddhist mountains in China (the others are Emei Mountain, Putuo Mountain and Jiuhua Mountain). Wutai Mountain lies in Wutai county, situated between Shanxi's capital Taiyuan and the city of Datong, in the northeast of the province. Wutai Mountain covers a little less than 3,000 square kilometers and has five peaks, located in the north, east, south, west and the center.

Earlier that morning,I left Taiyuan by bus and a mere five hours later arrived at Wutai Mountain. If the bus ride had taken longer I wouldn't have complained, as the views were stunning even though it rained all the way. Or maybe it was because of the rain? The low-hanging clouds over the mountains, a lonely cowboy sitting on his motorcycle keeping an eye on his cattle and the lush green mountains were breathtaking.

After the bus ride I felt like staying in my hotel room as the rain picked up and a thunderstorm rolled in to the mountain area. The idea of exploring the mountains and temples in the pouring rain didn't sound too inviting, especially as I had just found out the mountaintops were covered with snow just a few weeks earlier. However, I was convinced by our guide Li Jing to get out and explore a few of the best temples Wutai has to offer. Li took us to Pusa Ding, Xiantong Temple and Tayuan Temple — all of them impressive places of worship. All were built hundreds of years ago and they continue to be important places of worship.

Xiantong Temple impressed me greatly to me with its hundreds of years of history. Built in 68 AD, during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220), it is the ancestor temple in Wutai and therefore one of the most important temples in the area, if not the most. During different dynasties, parts have been added to make it one of the largest temples in the region.

I wandered around, taking in the drawings, statues and the feel of the temple while trying to imagine what it would have been like living there as a monk hundreds of years ago. Picturing living in a remote area, surrounded by mountains and focused on your religion. As my mind drifted, I was suddenly brought back to reality when one of the many tourists accidentally banged into me and hit me with his umbrella.

For me, that was the only downside; that the temples of Wutai Mountain are a popular destination for domestic tourists and the crowds can be overwhelming. But then my mind drifted away again, wondering what the monks think of all the tourists visiting "their" temples and "their" sacred mountain.

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