Leshan Giant Buddha, The World’s Tallest Stone-carved Buddha Site | China

August 10, 2012 No Comments

Leshan Giant Buddha (pinyin: Lèshān Dàfó) is the magnificent Buddha site you can visit in China, which was carved out of the cliff face stands at the confluence of three rivers (Minjiang, Dadu, and Qingyi) in the southern part of Sichuan province. This is one of the tallest Buddha sites in the world, and has been declared as a UNESCOPlitvice Lakes - Best National Park in Croatia. Read more ... » World Heritage Site in December 1996, altogether with the Mount Emei Scenic area. Not only tall, The Leshan is also the largest stone-carved Buddha in the world.

The Leshan was constructed in 713 during the Tang Dynasty, led by a Chinese Monk named Haitong, hoping Buddha to calm the turbulent waters and save the sailors from drowning and sinking into the waters. The construction took more than 90 years and thousands of sculptors and workers to finish. While the construction was being held, there were so much stone being removed from the cliff face and fell into the river, resulting the waters around the Buddha less dangerous.

Click to enlarge image and say wow

The Leshan is standing 71 metres tall. It depicts a seated Maitreya Buddha with his hands resting on his knees. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below his feet. His shoulders are 28 metres wide. Local people have a saying: “The mountain is a Buddha and the Budda is a mountain”. This is because The Leshan Giant Buddha is carved out from the mountain range. You can enjoy the stunning view of the Leshan Giant Buddha as seen from the top of the hill. From the top, you will see 1.021 buns in the Buddha’s colled hair. Another highlight is the drainage system. There is a system made up of some hidden channels and gutters which are scattered on the arms and head, in the clothes and behind the ears. The system allows rainwater to be displaced so that the inner part will still be dry. Seeing the Leshan Giant Buddha from the ferries is more amazing!

 

Leshan Giant Buddha’s feet

Climbing to the top of The Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha seen from the right side (click to enlarge image)

The Leshan Buddha has been affected by the pollution, degradations from weathering, and swarms of tourists. However, it’s still beautiful and you should visit it when you’re nearby. To go to The Leshan, there are some alternatives for you to choose. To go by train, get off at Emei station which is 10 km (about six miles) away from the gate of Mt. Emei, and 31 km (about 19 miles) away from Leshan City.

To go by road, it is 162 km (about 100 miles) from Chengdu City to Leshan City if one travels by the expressway. Emei City and Leshan City, with a distance of 31 km (about 19 miles) are connected by a freeway, and there is a regular bus every ten minutes. Besides, there are buses to Chongqing City, Neijiang City, Zigong City, Yibin City and Ya’an City from Leshan City. Buses to nearby counties are also available.  To go by ferries, you can find many of them every day. Ferries to Yibin City, Luzhou City and Chongqing City are available at Leshan Port. Also, to go by air from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) is 150 km (about 93 miles) away from Leshan City by freeway. Many train and air ticket offices are set up in the city.

If you are searching for accomodations near The Leshan, we recommend The Leshan Hotels Online Booking. You can make reservations directly to the hotels and find rooms in low prices based on useful guest reviews.

 

Below is top 5 hotels near The Leshan:

1. An-e Hotel Leshan Baiyang Road (Best deal starts from $25)

2. Leshan Warm and Harmonious Business Hotel (Best deal starts from $31)

3. Hanzun Hotel (Best deal starts from $55)

4. Honglilai Hotel (Best deal starts from $33)

5. Jia Zhou Binguan (Best deal starts from $42)

See 38 more hotels >>

Tags: Buddha, china, statues, unescoASIA, China