Leshan Giant Buddha
The Leshan Giant Buddha is a pilgrimage destination for Buddhists and part of the Mount Emei Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 233-feet-tall had not endangered the 1,300-year-old monument by rising waters for at least seven decades.
The Leshan Giant Buddha was built between 713 and 803 (during the Tang dynasty). It is carved out of a cliff face of Cretaceous red bed sandstones that lies at the confluence of the Min River and Dadu River 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 its feet. It is the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue globally, and it is by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world. It depicts Maitreya, a bodhisattva and a disciple of Siddhārtha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. The Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area, has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Although the Chinese government has spent millions in its preservation and restoration, the statue is at risk of erosion by rainwater and air pollution, significantly as the climate emergency worsens.
Being one of the six world cultural heritage sites in the Province of Sichuan, it receives a lot of tourist visits. From 2001-2003, it was ranked the second most popular attraction amongst the local heritage sites with 1.4 to 1.5 million visitors per year. The most convenient way to get to the Giant Buddha from Leshan Town is local bus 13. Upon arrival, it is necessary to purchase a ticket at CNY 90 per person (including Wulong Temple & Mahao Cliff Tomb). The opening hours are 7:30 am-6:30 pm from April until October, and 8:00 am-5:30 pm from October until March. The weekends and holidays are much busier compared to weekdays.
People come from all over the world to worship Maitreya. It has a pedestrian pathway that allows visitors to appreciate the changing view of Buddha’s body through multiple perspectives. It is important to note that the plank pathways are steep and narrow.
