The Shrine of the Living Buddha — Roushen Baodian — is one of the key pilgrimage stops on the Divine Light Summit area of Jiuhua Mountain. The shrine houses a mummified monk in gilded enclosure, and the hall is packed with pilgrims throughout the day, the air thick with incense and the sound of chanting and prostrations. The atmosphere is one of genuine devotional intensity rather than heritage tourism.
The approach to the shrine passes through a series of smaller temple buildings and courtyards, each with its own offerings and devotional activity. The entire summit area has a compressed religious energy unusual even by the standards of Chinese sacred mountains — the combination of pilgrims seeking intercession for deceased family members and the presence of multiple mummified holy figures creates something that functions more like a major pilgrimage site in the Middle East or India than a typical Chinese scenic area.