The Leshan Giant Buddha () was built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is carved out of a cliff face that lies at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below his feet.

The Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. It was undamaged by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.^[1]

History

Construction was started in AD 713, led by a Chinese monk named Haitong. He hoped that the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued the shipping vessels travelling down the river. When funding for the project was threatened, he is said to have gouged out his own eyes to show his piety and sincerity. Construction was completed by his disciples ninety years later. Apparently the massive construction resulted in so much stone being removed from the cliff face and deposited into the river below that the currents were indeed altered by the statue, making the waters safe for passing ships.

Degradation

The Leshan Buddha has fallen victim to the pollution emanating from the unbridled development in the region. According to Xinhua: "The Leshan Buddha and many Chinese natural and cultural heritage sites have succumbed to weathering, air pollution, inadequate protection and negative influences brought by swarms of tourists." The local government has shut factories and power plants close to the statue. However, the statue is already suffering a "blackened nose" and smears of dirt across the face. The government has promised to give restoration to the site.^[2]

Dimensions

At 71 metres (233 feet) tall, the statue depicts a seated Maitreya Buddha with his hands resting on his knees. His shoulders are twenty-eight metres wide and his smallest toenail is large enough to easily accommodate a seated person. There is a local saying: "The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain". This is partially because the mountain range in which the Leshan Giant Buddha is located is thought to be shaped like a slumbering Buddha when seen from the river, with the Leshan Giant Buddha as its heart.

Gallery

<gallery> Image:Buddha Leshan01.jpg|The Buddha seen from the water Image:LeshanBuddha.jpg|The head of the Buddha Image:PRC17.jpg|Leshan Buddha seen from ground level image:The Grand One_-_a._holdrinet.jpg|The Giant Buddha seen from above Image:Leshan DaF0 Grand Buddha.JPG|Giant Buddha seen from stairs Image:Leshan, Sichuan Feb07 (32).jpg|Foot, toes, and toe nails </gallery>

See also

• Buddhist art
• Chinese Buddhism
• List of statues by height
• Tang Dynasty
• List Of Colossal Sculpture In Situ

References

External links

• UNESCO
• More information
• Leshan Grand Buddha - Da Fo
• Absorb Yourself in the Aura of the Leshan Giant Buddha at Mount Emei Best of flickr, youtube video wall, references and more.

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