Top 8 Facts about the Leshan Giant Buddha

By Blarandion – Wikimedai

Top 8 Facts about the Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha, also known as Lingyun Giant Buddha, is the largest stone Buddha in the world. It is 71 meters tall. It is 8 meters taller than Bamyan Buddhas in Afghanistan.

This Giant Buddha was carved out of the side of a mountain cliff at Leshan in Sichuan Province. This site receives the most visitors in Leshan.

It took 90 years to carve the Leshan Giant Buddha, this was during the Tang Dynasty. The people back then worshipped Maitreya, they, therefore, built this statue to bring brightness and happiness.

Sitting along the banks of the Min, Qingyi, and Dadu rivers, the Leshan Giant Buddha has his hands on his knees while his eyes are fixed on the river.

This place is also frequented by Buddhists who pay homage to Maitreya. The site and the statue were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Mount Emei in 1996.

Here are the top facts about Leshan Giant Buddha.

1. The Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest stone carving in the world

By Ariel Steiner – Wikimedia

This is a statue of Maitreya in a sitting posture. It is also the biggest carved stone Buddha in the world.

The Giant Buddha has been featured in poetry, songs and stories. This project was initiated by a monk called Hai Tong.

He was concerned about the long-suffering of the people who earned their living around the confluence of the three rivers. Their daily activities put them at great risk daily.

By the time Hai Tong passed away, the project was half done. It was continued by two of his ardent disciples. They finished it in 803 BC.

The safety of the people was secured since no accident was reported. The currents of the rivers were altered by deposits from the Giant Buddha.

2. It took more than 90 years to complete this giant Buddha

Carving of Leshan Giant Buddha begun in the year 713 during the reign of the Tang Dynasty.

About 3,000 sculptors worked on the statue during the 90 years it took to complete it. As the biggest carved stone Buddha in the world, the Giant Buddha is featured in poetry, song and story.

Hai Tong had hoped that the Buddha would help calm the turbulent waters. Many ships had crashed and capsized down this river confluence.

He campaigned to get funding for this project. At one point, he threatened to gouge out his eyes as a sign of piousness if the funding was stopped.

The work was halted after his death due to a lack of funding. His disciples continued the work after they were financed by a local official.

3. The Leshan Giant Buddha can show emotions

By André Holdrinet – Wikimedia

This Giant Buddha has been sad and happy during different moments. He does this by closing his eyes when sad or showing happiness when he was satisfied with a particular situation.

This was, however, said to have been caused by bad weather and air pollution.

Instances, when the people believed the Leshan Giant Buddha cried, was in 1962, 1963, and 1976. He showed happiness in 1994, 2001, and 2002.

In 1962, there was a natural disaster that lasted for two years. This is said to have caused the Giant Buddha to close his eyes. He could not bear watching the people suffer.

Millions of people lost their lives from starvation. The Buddha could not bear to see such tragedy. Tears were seen flowing down the face of the Giant Buddha.

4. The sculpture depicts a famous Buddha

By BrightRaven – Wikimedia

This Giant Buddha was sculpted in the 8th century during the Tang Dynasty. The brains behind the project were Hai Tong.

At the time that the statue was carved, it was the peak of Buddhist culture in ancient China. This statue depicts Maitreya, a very popular Buddha in the Tang Dynasty.

It is believed that when Maitreya comes into the world, he brings peace with him. A female Chinese sovereign, Wu Zetian, believed she reincarnated as Maitreya. She strongly supported the project.

The Giant Buddha is believed to be the source of light and happiness. Hai also believed that the Buddha would protect the people from floods. 

5. It was carved to appease the gods

By Christopher J. Martin Pacemparabellum – Wikimedia

Buddhism had been one of the most important religions in ancient China. Many people built statues around the giant Buddha to thank the gods.

The Buddhist monk Hai Tong was concerned about the safety of the local people. These people earned their living from the three rivers.

People would travel on the river using boats and they would lose their lives in the turbulent waters. So, Hai believed that to end this, they needed to appease the gods.

It took him more than 20 years to raise funds for this project. He refused to get help from the government because they wanted to gain personal profits.

He even extracted his eyeball in protest against the local authorities. They backed out after this incident.

6. There were no accidents on the river during the time the Buddha was being carved

After the Buddha was completed, no cases of shipwrecks were reported. What changed was that the pieces of stones removed from the cliff were taken to the river and it, in turn, reduced the turbulent currents.

Pleased by this, the people built tombs of the Han Dynasty near the Leshan Giant Buddha. These historic sites make the Leshan Giant Buddha predominantly important for archaeologists and researching people’s lifestyles in ancient times.

A sophisticated drainage system was added to the Leshan Giant Buddha when it was built. It includes drainage pipes carved into various places on the statue. It drains water and reduces weathering.

7. The Leshan Giant Buddha has been damaged severally

By rduta – Wikimedia

At the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Leshan Giant Buddha had been damaged. Little care was given and it was covered in moss. The wooden pavilion had even collapsed.

It was repaired during the reign of Song Renzong. The wooden pavilion was rebuilt. After that, there is little information that shows the reconstruction and deconstruction of the Buddha.  

Pollution from the developments in the region has also greatly affected the Giant Buddha.

8. One can view the Leshan Giant Buddha on a boat

To get a good view of the massive Leshan Giant Buddha, one can take a boat. This saves on time and energy climbing the wooden planks.

The boat is shared by a group of tourists, and it cruises in front of the river with frequent stops. Tourists take in the panoramic views of the Buddha, then return to the pier.

One can also opt for both walking and boat sightseeing. The boat can be taken to the Baxiandong Pier.