Spring Temple Buddha

The Spring Temple Buddha is a statue depicting Vairocana Buddha in Lushan, Henan, China. At 128 m (420 ft), which included a 20 m (66 ft) lotus throne, it is the largest statue in the world. [zh icon [http://zhai.fosss.org/goto_zy.asp?id=5421 中国佛山金佛-153米卢舍那佛 - 墨宝斋 ] ] When the 25 m (82 ft) pedestal/building it is placed upon is taken into account, the monument has a total height of 153 m (502 ft).

As of June 23 2008, little information is available online in English about the statue. Plans for its construction were announced soon after construction had begun on a planned Maitreya Buddha by Indian and British planners in Bihar, Northern India, which set out to be the world's largest statue itself.

The project as a whole was estimated to cost around $55m, $18m of which being spent on the statue. It was originally estimated to consist of 1,100 pieces of copper cast, with a total weight of 1,000 tonnes. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/monitoring/media_reports/1315785.stm China enters biggest Buddhist statue race] , BBC News, 6 May 2001] Plans of the construction of the Spring Temple Buddha were announced soon after the blowing up of the Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taleban in Afghanistan. China has condemned the systematic destruction of the Buddhist heritage of Afghanistan.

Xinhua news agency said the Bodhisattva statue was inspired by Kim Kiaokak, an ancient Korean prince who retired to live on Jiuhua Mountain to become a monk in 719AD and spent 75 years on the mountain until his death at 99 years of age. Buddhist tradition tells that Bodhisattvas renounced nirvana so as to help humanity, having attained enlightenment.

External links

*Photographs, [http://www.getwonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/2007013113312545791.jpgfrom a distance] and [http://lh4.ggpht.com/grasscase/SHG_JVDFc1I/AAAAAAAAATM/62B3vf9nzGU/s800/200505061818260.jpgclose up]

References