The Chinese city of Leshan in Sichuan has become famous all over the world thanks to a giant Buddha statue. To date, this sculpture is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest sculpture of this deity. What dimensions does the Buddha statue in Leshan have and what is its history?
Legends of creating a giant statue
The largest surviving Buddha sculpture has been created for 90 years. 713 year is considered the date of the beginning of work on its construction. A giant Buddha statue in Leshan is carved from Lingyushan rock. Initially, the sculpture was inside the thirteen-story temple "Dasyange", or the Great Image Pavilion. In the seventeenth century, a wooden structure burned down. But the giant statue did not suffer at all from the fire. Now the majestic huge Buddha is visible from a considerable distance. There are many legends about the creation of this sculpture. According to the most common version, the monk Hai Tong proposed to make a giant statue. He hoped that the statue of Buddha could pacify the turbulent rivers Minyan, Dadu and Qingyi, intersecting in this area. Curiously, the water flows really became calmer. The thing is that during construction stone blocks fell into the river. Another legend says that a statue of Buddha in Leshan was created to protect the area from heavy rain.
The largest Buddha in exact dimensions
The large-scale statue of Buddha created during the reign of
the Tang Dynasty amazes even
modern sculptors and engineers with its size. The deity is depicted in a sitting position, his hands resting relaxed on his knees. The statue has been worked out in detail and has been preserved to this day in excellent condition. The sculpture is made of stone, and only some of its individual elements are carved from wood. The total height of the sculpture is 71 meters. Moreover, the height of the head is 15 meters. The shoulder width of the stone Buddha is almost 30 meters. The length of the fingers is 8 meters. The nose of the giant statue is also striking in its size - as much as 5.5 meters. The length of the toe is 1.6 meters. Despite its scale, the Buddha statue in Leshan does not look formidable or intimidating. On the contrary, from the statue it still blows with calm and pacification.
Description and photo attractions
The largest Buddha sculpture in the world is located in the park and temple complex. A majestic statue looks at the sacred mountain Emeishan. On the walls around the giant figure you can see relief images of Bodhisattvas. There are more than 90 here. There are many images of the Buddha himself. The feet of the deity rest against the river, and his head ends at the level of the mountain. Along with the ears of the Buddha is an observation deck, where tourists can climb the long stone stairs. It offers breathtaking views of the city. At the head of the sculpture is the Soul Pagoda - the current Buddhist temple. It is worth noting that the Buddha statue in Leshan is not the only attraction in the area. A large-scale statue is located on the territory of a large complex. This is a magnificent natural park, on the territory of which you can see many shrines, historical architectural structures, sculptures.
Amazing facts and myths about the giant statue
Today, the Buddha statue in Leshan (China) is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Despite its considerable age, the statue is perfectly preserved. Over the centuries, many locals have explained this fact with the mystical properties of the image of a deity. But in fact, the secret to the longevity of the sculpture lies in the drainage system, hidden from prying eyes. The creators of the statue hid a whole network of grooves and grottoes in the folds of clothes, on the head, arms and chest of the Buddha. Thanks to this decision, the sculpture is reliably protected from weathering and is practically not afraid of the effects of meteorological precipitation, temperature extremes. Some statues of standard size, located in the same temple complex as the giant Buddha, have serious damage. According to experts, the sculptures suffered at the hands of vandals, and not from natural phenomena.
Useful information for tourists
Where is the Buddha statue in Leshan, how do tourists get to this attraction? From Chengdu to the giant statue can be reached in 2.5 hours by bus or taxi. Airplanes fly to Beijing city Chengdu. Entrance to the territory of the temple complex is paid, the cost of visiting is 90 yuan. You can also admire the large-scale sculpture while walking on the river bus. Many tourists come to Leshan every day to see the local attractions, in particular, the most famous giant statue among them. In Buddhist culture, local sculptures and buildings are also of religious significance and are revered as shrines.
Reviews on Visiting a Buddha Statue in Leshan
The temple complex in Leshan leaves few indifferent. This place is fascinating and amazing. Many tourists here not only admire the sculptural and architectural masterpieces of antiquity, but also make their innermost desires, which invariably come true. The Buddha statue in Leshan looks very majestic and solemn. Photos with this attraction are especially colorful and interesting from any angle. And this is not surprising, because even the feet of a giant stone statue are several times larger than the average person.