Millennium Treasure: Unveiling the Splendor and Legends of the Leshan Giant Buddha

Millennium Treasure: Unveiling the Splendor and Legends of the Leshan Giant Buddha

2023年12月12日 Admin

The Leshan Giant Buddha, also known as the Lingyun Giant Buddha, is located on the east bank of the Minjiang River in Leshan City, Sichuan Province, next to Lingyun Temple, at the confluence of the Dadu River, Qingyi River, and Minjiang River. The Leshan Giant Buddha scenic area encompasses the essence of Leshan’s natural and cultural landscapes, being a World Heritage Site for both Culture and Natural Heritage and a renowned tourist destination.

Situated in the central district of Leshan City, the scenic area spans 18 square kilometers. The mountain is adorned with lush forests and bamboo throughout the year, while the three rivers converge at its foot, earning it the reputation as the crown of southwestern China’s landscapes, praised by literati and poets of all ages. The core attraction, the Giant Buddha, stands at a total height of 71 meters and is a masterpiece of Tang Dynasty cliff sculpture art. It is also the world’s largest stone seated statue of Maitreya Buddha, featuring a solemn appearance and meticulous craftsmanship, which can be considered a great treasure of human art. Furthermore, Lingyun Mountain, where the Giant Buddha resides, together with the Wuyou Mountain and Guicheng Mountain behind it, forms a giant sleeping Buddha, presenting a landscape within a landscape and a Buddha within a Buddha, truly a wonder of the ages

The History of the Leshan Giant Buddha

At the confluence of three rivers in ancient Leshan—the Minjiang River, Qingyi River, and Dadu River—the waters converged at the foot of Lingyun Mountain with considerable force, often capsizing boats that sailed there. To mitigate the fierce currents and bring salvation to all beings, Monk Haitong initiated the project, gathering manpower and resources to carve this colossal Buddha statue.

The construction of the Giant Buddha began in the early years of Emperor Tang Xuanzong’s reign under the Kaiyuan era (713 AD). When the statue was being carved up to its shoulders, Monk Haitong passed away, causing the project to be temporarily halted. Years later, Zhang Qiu Jianqiong, the Military Governor of Jiannan West Sichuan, donated part of his salary, and Haitong’s disciples led the craftsmen to continue the construction. Due to the magnitude of the project, the imperial court issued an order to allocate funds from the taxes on hemp and salt, which significantly accelerated the progress. When the statue was being carved up to its knees, Zhang Qiu Jianqiong was promoted to Minister of Households and relocated, causing the project to be halted again. Forty years later, Wei Gao, the new Military Governor of Jiannan West Sichuan, donated part of his salary to resume the construction of the Leshan Giant Buddha. Through the efforts of three generations of craftsmen, the statue was finally completed in the 19th year of Emperor Tang Dezong’s Zhenyuan era (803 AD), spanning a total of 90 years.