After seeing an exhibition at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Sacred Mountains in Chinese Art," essayist Gretel Ehrlich (The Solace of Open Spaces) decided to travel to China to pick up the trail of a once flourishing Buddhist culture. And since the Chinese phrase for going on a pilgrimage means "paying one's respect to the mountain," she wanted to climb Emei Shan, a sacred milieu.
Questions of Heaven charts Ehrlich's spiritual journey that also includes a visit to a panda refuge and an encounter with an elderly musician who has revived some folk and ceremonial music from eighth and ninth century China designed to bring people into harmony with nature. The author's high expectations are dashed when she reaches the summit of Emei Shan and finds three Las Vegas-like hotels. Nonetheless like a good Buddhist, she practices an inner calm that enables her to write about many moments of beauty. Ehrlich also learns some interesting things about the spiritual practice of transformation.