The Leshan Giant Buddha

The Giant Buddha, carved into the side of Mt. Lingyun facing Mount Emei, is absolutely the most attractive highlight of Leshan City. It is actually a statue of Maitreya, a plump laughing Bodhisattva who symbolized brightness and happiness. As the largest carved stone Buddha Statue and the tallest (about 71 meters / 233 feet) pre-modern statue in the world, the grand Buddha of Leshan attracts millions of people around the world. In December, 1996, the Giant Buddha of Leshan, was included by UNESCO on the list of the World Heritage sites.

The Legendary History of the Giant Buddha

Lying at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers, Leshan Giant Buddha is said to be built for calming the turbulent waters that plagued passing boats. In the ancient time, the turbulent waters of the rivers killed many people every year. So in Tang Dynasty, a Monk, called Hai Tong, decided to carve such a giant statue beside the river, hoping to appease the river gods, saving more local people’s lives. With the strong belief, Hai Tong Monk begged for 20 years to acquire enough funds for the plan. According to legend, when some local government officials wanted to get the large amount of money from Hai Tong, he said they could only get his eyeball but not the money raised for the Buddha, and he really did that. The officials were scared away, and Hai Tong saved the money and started the project in 713 AD and finally finished after a total of 90 years' hard work. Because of so much stone being removed from the cliff face and deposited into the river below, the currents of the rivers were indeed altered by the statue, making the waters safe for passing ships.

Features of the Buddha Statue

The Giant Buddha stands 70 meters tall (230 feet), designed with his 11-foot long fingers resting on his knees, making it look gracefully relaxed. Its head is 15 meters (50 feet) high, while its nose is 6 meters (20 feet) long and its fingers are 3 meters (10 feet) long each. The entire statue is made of stone, except for the ears which were crafted of wood, affixed, and then covered with clay.

What makes the Buddha so amazing is not only because of the huge size, but also its drainage system. It is a complex system made of hidden gutters and channels, which carry away rainwater and keep the inner parts dry. That’s why the great Buddha could survive intact till now.

Source: chinadiscovery