Leshan Giant Buddha

Overview

The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-metre seated statue of Maitreya, whom Buddhists regard as the future Buddha, carved into a cliff at Leshan in Sichuan Province, China. The statue faces the meeting point of the Min, Dadu, and Qingyi rivers. It is a Buddhist pilgrimage site and a heritage monument. UNESCO inscribed it with Mount Emei as a World Heritage Site in 1996.

Present

The Leshan Giant Buddha is managed as part of the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area and the joint UNESCO World Heritage property with Mount Emei. Buddhist pilgrims and other visitors come to the statue, nearby temples, and cliffside paths. Religious activity centres on the veneration of Maitreya, offerings, and temple worship at associated sites such as Lingyun Temple. The monument forms part of a wider cultural landscape that includes Buddhist temples, cliff carvings, and the river confluence below the statue.

Religious Significance

The Leshan Giant Buddha represents Maitreya, whom Buddhists regard as the future Buddha who will appear in the world to teach. Buddhist tradition holds that the monk who began the carving in 713 hoped that the Buddha's spiritual presence would calm the turbulent currents that endangered boat traffic.

History & Structure

Construction of the Leshan Giant Buddha began in 713 and was completed in 803. The statue was carved directly into the red sandstone cliff at Lingyun Mountain. The seated figure is 71 metres high, with a head 14.7 metres tall and shoulders 28 metres wide. A hidden drainage system was cut into the statue to reduce water damage. Stone removed during carving was deposited into the river below, which altered the currents at the confluence. The statue is also a conservation site, with ongoing attention to drainage, weathering, vegetation, and visitor pressure. UNESCO inscribed the Leshan Giant Buddha together with Mount Emei as a World Heritage Site in 1996.

Resources

• UNESCO: Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area