Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha is located in Leshan, carved into the cliff of Lingyun Mountain’s Qixia Peak at the confluence of the Min River, Qingyi River, and Dadu River. Also known as the Lingyun Giant Buddha, it has been designated as a “World Cultural and Natural Heritage” site by UNESCO. The statue depicts a seated Maitreya Buddha and is considered a masterpiece of cliffside carving art from the Tang Dynasty.Admire the giant stone-carved seated Maitreya Buddha statueThe Leshan Giant Buddha was carved during the Tang Dynasty and took three generations of craftsmen 90 years to complete. This seated statue of Maitreya Buddha stands approximately 70 meters tall, making it a colossal stone-carved masterpiece. Marvel at the towering grandeur of the Leshan Giant Buddha and be amazed by how ancient artisans could create such an exquisite statue without modern large-scale tools.Pray for peace and good health.The Leshan Giant Buddha has always been a sacred Buddhist site. Standing before this colossal statue with hands pressed together in prayer, one can calmly offer blessings—for personal peace, family well-being, and friends’ health.Lingyun TempleLingyun Temple is a triple quadrangle architectural complex consisting of the Mahavira Hall and the Scripture Depository. The temple enjoys thriving incense offerings, with a continuous stream of visitors coming to pray for blessings. The temple’s landscaping is also well-maintained, featuring not only surrounding trees but also numerous potted plants. It’s an excellent place to experience Buddhist culture.Leshan Sleeping Buddha: Discovering the Reclining Buddha on the RiverOn the surface of the Qingyi River, several mountain peaks connect to form a striking resemblance to a reclining Buddha, complete with the head, body, and feet. The Sleeping Buddha lies on its back, creating a fascinating sight. The best spot to view the “Sleeping Buddha” is near the Yingchunmen Dock in the eastern part of Leshan’s ancient city.Tour Route:The popular tourist route involves taking the stairs to Lingyun Temple, then reaching the head of the Giant Buddha. Descend via the Nine-Bend Stack Path from the Buddha’s head to its feet, where you can take photos as souvenirs before climbing back up. Another way to experience the Buddha is by taking a boat tour, which allows you to admire the full panoramic view of the Giant Buddha from a distance.Walking tour: Experience the majestic grandeur of the giant Buddha up closeMost visitors have heard of the Leshan Giant Buddha and seen pictures of it. But when you actually approach and visit the Buddha in person, you can truly feel its towering grandeur and your own insignificance – just the Buddha’s foot alone can accommodate over a hundred people sitting around it. At the base of the Buddha, you can look up at its entire majestic form. Don’t forget to take photos to commemorate your visit.Boat tour: View the full panorama of the Leshan Giant Buddha from a distanceVisitors who want a closer view of the giant Buddha or have limited physical stamina can choose to admire it from a boat on the river. Gliding along the water, you’ll get a panoramic view of the Buddha, capture precious photos, and enjoy the scenic riverside landscape.1. Reasons for the construction of the Leshan Giant BuddhaLegend has it that in ancient times at the confluence of the Minjiang, Qingyi, and Dadu Rivers in Leshan, the water currents were extremely fierce, causing frequent shipwrecks. To tame the turbulent waters, Master Haitong gathered resources and manpower to carve the Leshan Giant Buddha. After its completion, the water flow miraculously calmed significantly, allowing ships to pass through safely.2. Leshan Giant Buddha closes eyes and sheds tearsIn 1962, after three years of natural disasters, corpses floated on the Min Mountains. At the time, people believed the Great Buddha couldn’t bear to witness this human tragedy and thus painfully closed its eyes while silently weeping. The scientific explanation is that the statue’s closed eyes were caused by acid rain, or more precisely, acid deposition. Acid rain can dissolve the hardened cement surface of non-metallic building materials, creating holes and cracks that damage structures.3. The official name of the Leshan Giant Buddha”The Leshan Giant Buddha” is actually a common name given by later generations to this giant Buddha located in Leshan, Sichuan Province. The true official name of this Tang Dynasty Buddha has remained a mystery. In fact, according to investigations by numerous experts, the true official name of this stone-carved statue known as the “Leshan Giant Buddha” should be: The Great Maitreya Stone Statue of Jiazhou Lingyun Temple.