改革开放前，外国人很少有机会到中国旅游、生活。他们对中国的印象大多来自书籍、电视媒体，因而对相差甚远的异国文化存在诸多不理解或者理解不深入。然而，随着中国对外开放，旅游业蓬勃发展，越来越多的外国朋友到中国各地旅游、工作，越来越多外国人成为了“中国通”，他们十分熟悉中国的文化、旅游、历史、地理、民俗等知识，甚至有很深的研究。来自挪威的前金融时报记者Sigve就是其中一位。
在一次偶然机会里，Sigve前往四川峨眉山体验旅游了一番，在山下，他和朋友们边喝啤酒边泡温泉；次日还参观了著名的大佛禅院，并与禅院高僧用英语很愉快的进行交流。夜间，他和一群来自不同国家的朋友在金顶喝酒聊天；晨起，他登上金顶华藏寺观看云海与晨曦。整个行程愉快而轻松，让他对峨眉山留下深刻的印象。
回家之后的Sigve对朋友说起峨眉山之旅赞不绝口，引得朋友的好奇心更重。为了能让更多外国朋友了解他的所见所闻，他写下《梦回圣山》，以示自己对峨眉山的不舍情结。
原文如下：
A Sacred Mountain To Return To
梦回圣山
Author: Sigve
作者：Sigve
Emei Shan, in English known as Mount Emei, calls visitors back time and again. The tallest of China’s Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains presents visitors with a plethora of nice temples thrown open to guests as well as stunningly beautiful views and cloud vistas. It also offers a range of traditional pleasant Sichuan experiences.
峨眉山，英文译作Mount Emei，是一座让无数游客流连往返的圣山。峨眉山作为中国四大佛教名山中海拔最高的一座山，拥有许多向游客开放的寺庙、美丽风景和云海风光。峨眉山带给游客一系列的“四川印象”。
Located in the province of Sichuan in Southwestern China, the highest peak of Emei Shan rises 3099 metres above sea level, and is home to two temples as well as a truly massive statue of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (the “All-Gracious” wish-granter, whose Chinese name is Pu Xian) riding his six-tusked elephant. Visitors who are up early enough can see the sunrise over the Sea of Clouds from the summit, a spectacular sight even when the sun itself is hidden in the morning mists.
峨眉山，坐落于中国西南地区的四川省，最高峰海拔3099米，是普贤菩萨的道场，供奉着一座巨大的普贤菩萨佛像，他乘坐一头有六颗象牙的大象。在这里，如果游客早起可去山顶观看太阳藏匿于云海的日出风光。
While the light brightens, the nearby lesser peaks slowly stand out as the mists burn away. When the spectator turns around a whole new vista will have come into view while the attention was focused elsewhere.
This is a spectacular sight at any time of the year, but if visitors brave the cold during the winter, with temperatures often dropping well into the negative degrees, the combination of sunrise and snow-covered peaks is especially breathtaking.
当天渐渐亮时，周围低矮的山峰便慢慢地在云里出现了。当人们转弯时，一幅崭新的画面出现在眼前。这是一年四季都可以看到的风景，但如果游客在冬季时能不顾严寒在零下摄氏度的环境下早起，还可以看到美丽绝伦的日出和佛光。
Visitors have several options for reaching the peak itself. There are shuttle busses going nearly to the summit where the final stretch is covered either on foot or by a ride in a cable car, or it is possible to take one of several hiking routes from the foot of the mountain all the way to the peak, all of which will take hikers through several areas populated by highly territorial Tibetan Macaque monkeys which visitors are repeatedly warned not to stray too close to; they are indigenous to the area, but tend to see hikers as a source of snacks, even though feeding them is forbidden. In addition there is a chance of hearing the Emei Music Frog, with its distinct vocalisation compared by some to various musical instruments.
峨眉山登顶，游客有以下几种选择：第一种，可以选择乘坐班车，目的地是靠近山顶的地方，在那里既可以步行也可以乘坐缆车登顶。第二种，全程步行上山，途径几个藏猕猴群居的地区，路经这些地方游客们会被不停地提醒：不要靠猕猴太近。这些野生猕猴会向游客所要零食，在这里游客们禁止喂食猕猴。
Hikers will pass through lush, green forests, walk along river gorges crossed by precarious looking rope bridges and may stop and enter a great many of the Dozens of temples along the path. Of particular note is the nunnery of Fuhu with its hall of 500 statues depicting enlightened masters and, it is said, visitors can reveal who would be their patron with a simple bit of self-fortune telling. Many of these also offer accommodation in addition to the numerous guest houses and hotels dotting Emei, but guests should be warned that if they choose to stay in the monastery they will be awoken at the same early hour as the monks themselves when they begin their chanting with gongs and wooden percussion instruments.
One of the temples near the foot of the mountain is also home to a local school of Wushu Kung Fu. The local traditional theatre, which is well worth a visit, makes great use of this in its performances to impressively depict acrobatic fight scenes.
徒步的驴友，通过郁郁葱葱的森林,沿着河谷、穿越危险的道路，顺着小路进入几十座伟大的寺庙。 尤以坐拥500座先尊的伏虎寺最为特别。传闻游客只需抽一次签便可知道自己人生的另一半是谁。许多寺庙都提供有多种客房选择的旅店服务，但选择在此住宿的旅客，得接受早上被寺里僧人们早起的敲钟诵经声吵醒。
山脚下有座寺庙，同时也是当地的一所武术学校。其精彩的武术、杂技表演非常值得一看。
Emei Shan has, as do most regions, its own take on traditional Sichuan cuisine, with great focus on pickles, soups, poultry and fish dishes. In particular the fish and sour duck soups stand out as local specialties. In addition Emei Shan has a unique take on the Sichuan barbeque, said by many to be the very best in the entire province.
同大多数地区一样，峨眉山凭借泡菜、煲汤、鸡鸭鱼类的烹饪在川菜中占有自己的一席之地。尤以鱼和老鸭汤堪称当地的特色菜。另外，峨眉山的烧烤在川味烧烤中也享有特殊地位，被视为全省最有名烧烤。
All these attractions, coupled with the famous laid-back Sichuan lifestyle that makes Emei Shan a great place to go for those who simply wish to kick back and relax, are only some of the reasons why many visitors return to Emei Shan several times. Not just native Sichuanese looking to escape the larger cities for a weekend, but both westerners living in China and international tourists name the mountain one of those rare destinations that will draw you back to discover new thing things again and again. So what are you waiting for?
以上所有的景致，伴以四川出了名的慢节奏生活使峨眉成为想要放松自己的人们流连忘返，休闲娱乐的好去处。它不仅是省内人逃离都市生活的周末之选，也是让中国西部甚至国际游客都魂牵梦绕的恩赐之地。你还在等什么？
