Leshan Giant Buddha

Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area *
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Country	People's Republic of China
Type	Mixed
Criteria	iv, vi, x
Reference	779
Region **	Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription	1996 (20th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List ** Region as classified by UNESCO

The Leshan Giant Buddha (simplified Chinese: 乐山大佛; traditional Chinese: 樂山大佛; pinyin: Lèshān Dàfó) was built during the Tang Dynasty (618–907AD). 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. It is the largest carved stone Buddha in the world^[1] and it is by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world.

The Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. It was not damaged by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.^[2]

History

Head of the statue

Construction was started in 713, led by a Chinese monk named Haitong. He hoped that the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued the shipping vessels traveling 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. After his death, however, the construction was stuck due to insufficient funding. About 70 years later, a jiedushi decided to sponsor the project and the construction was completed by Haitong's disciples in 803.

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 been affected by the pollution emanating from the unbridled development in the region. According to Xinhua news agency, the Leshan Giant Buddha and many Chinese natural and cultural heritage sites in the region have seen degradations from weathering, air pollution, and swarms of tourists. The government has promised to restore the site to its former condition.^[3]

Dimensions

At 71 metres (233 feet) tall, the statue depicts a seated Maitreya Buddha with his hands resting on his knees. His shoulders are 28 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

• 

  The Buddha seen from the water

• 

  The cliff

• 

  Leshan Buddha seen from ground level

• 

  The Giant Buddha seen from above

See also

• Buddhist art
• Chinese Buddhism
• List of statues by height
• Tang Dynasty
• List of colossal sculpture in situ

References

1. ^ Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area. UNESCO World Heritage Site
2. ^ World's Tallest, Millenium-Old Buddha Statue Undamaged by China Earthquake - Topix
3. ^ Reuters, article

External links

• UNESCO
• More information
• Leshan Grand Buddha - Da Fo

Coordinates: 29°32′50″N 103°46′09″E / 29.54722°N 103.76917°E / 29.54722; 103.76917