Left Mt. Wutai by taking the 1st coach bus at 6.30am.

There are hourly departure for Taiyuan from Mt.Wutai bus terminal but you have to buy your ticket on the spot. Last bus departs at 3p.m

Naturally this means many anxious passengers trying to get their tickets first. The shabby bus terminal hall that is poorly maintained with no queuing lane means more confusion. If you do not speak or read Chinese then this will be nightmare.

Overall, Mt. Wutai offers many wonderful temples that were built in ancient times. The amazing religious atmosphere and ancient architecture plus ancient religious sculpture is a wonder. It is a great heritage of mankind.

However, the entire town at Mt. Wutai is a huge tourist trap. Each family staying there are either selling sundries or religious artefacts or food at cut throat price.

A bottle of water can be sold at Rmb 10 here whereas the city is only selling at Rmb 2.

There are ongoing constructions all around. I think the infrastructure still needs much improvement after comparing it with the Yungang Grotto in Datong, China.

The religious devotion of Buddhist left a deep impressions in me.

There are 2 types of Buddhist visitors.

1st type are here to pray for some material benefits. They brought along stacks of incense and visit temples asking for divine favour. Hoping that their incense will bribe the divinity into granting wishes.

The second types of Buddhist are religious practioners on pilgrimage. You see young and old people, laity , monks or nuns walking slowly and chanting. Taking 3 steps and prostrating themselves along the path. Oblivious to the mayhem around them. Their single minded approach to their task beautifully exemplifies the quality of a Buddhist way of living.

Here’s more picture of Mt. Wutai, the holy mountain of Manjushri.