Leshan Giant Buddha
Buddhist Temples | March 3, 2010Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest stone-carved statue of Buddha in the world and located at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers near the city of Leshan (meaning ‘Happy Mountain’) in the southern part of Sichuan Province of the People’s Republic of China. Leshan is located about 120 km from Chengdu. The stone sculpture that was built during the Tang dynasty (618-907) faces Mount Emei while the rivers flow below its feet. The giant Buddha was the tallest statue in the world at the time of its construction. The Mount Emei Scenic Area, along with Leshan Giant Buddha, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Spot have several restaurants around it where the tourists can relish local dishes of Leshan City.
Dimension of the statute:
The statue at Leshan depicts a seated Maitreya Buddha with his hands resting on his knees. The statue is 71 metres tall while its shoulders are 28 metres wide. Even the smallest toe nail of Leshan Giant Buddha can easily accommodate a seated person. The hidden gutters and channels scattered on the head and arms of the giant Buddha, behind its ears and inside its clothes have been specially designed to prevent it from weathering.
History:
Construction of the statue of the Giant Buddha had started in 713 under the aegis of Haithong, a Chinese monk. The construction was moved by Haithong’s firm religious belief that Buddha would help tame the turbulent river waters that rattled the travelling vessels. Construction was stuck after Haithong’s death and resumed after about 70 years and was completed by the monk’s disciples. The construction of the statue saw a huge quantity of stone being removed from the rock face and deposited in the river below causing altering of the water currents in the river and hence enabling safe passage to ships.
Leshan Giant Buddha, however, like many other historical and cultural sites, has fallen vulnerable to various external forces like pollution and artificial disturbances like those caused by man himself. The increasing air pollution has already started taking its toll on the statue’s physical features. Factories and plants located near the statue have been shifted by the local administration.
Climate:
Leshan experiences subtropical monsoon climate featuring an early spring, hot summer, cool autumn and warm winter. Most of the rainfall occurs in spring and autumn.
Best time to visit:
Autumn is the best time to visit Leshan.
Reaching Lesan:
By rail:
Railway connects Mianyang–Chengdu–Leshan inter-city area.
By road:
Chengdu-Leshan Highway measuring 160 kilometers.
Accommodation:
- Shimei Hotel
- Damo Hotel
- Dongfeng Hotel
- Jiazhou Hotel
- Jia Hai Tang Hotel
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According to the Mahavamsa, branches from the Bodhi trees of all the Buddhas born during this kalpa were planted in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) on the spot where the sacred Bodhi tree stands today in Anurādhapura.