Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China (with Map & Photos)

In the Chinese province of Sichuan, near the city of Leshan (乐山市), a giant sculpture of Buddha Maitreya is carved into the thickness of the rock. For 1000 years, the Leshan statue, 71 meters high, held the first position in the ranking of the highest monuments in the world.

Leshan
Leshan

The Leshan Buddha is located near the city of Chengdu in Sichuan. It is the world's tallest seated Buddha carved into the rock. The giant Leshan Buddha statue, 71 meters high and 24 meters wide, was carved on the slope of Lingyunshan Mountain. The face of the statue is turned to Mount Emeishan, one of the four sacred mountains of China.

Buddha in Leshan impresses with its size! The head of the statue is 14.7 meters high and 10 meters wide, it has 1021 spiral tufts of hair, and each eyebrow is almost 6 meters long. An adult can sit on the nail of the Big Buddha. The lift is 8.5 meters wide and can accommodate 100 people.

Leshan
Leshan

Leshan Buddha


The statue depicts the sitting Buddha Maitreya ("Future Teacher"), his hands are on his knees. Maitreya is the future Buddha, who, having achieved Enlightenment, will bring a new teaching to humanity. The construction of the famous Buddha statue began in 713 AD. during the Tang Dynasty, and was completed in 803.

To climb the observation decks and see the Buddha statue, be prepared to overcome many steep steps. In addition, it is necessary to wait in line and advance one by one.

Leshan
Leshan

Buddha in Leshan is located at the confluence of 3 rivers: Minjiang, Qingjiang and Daduhe. Therefore, for more comfort, we advise you to enjoy a river cruise, so you can get a lot of impressions and see all the greatness of the Leshan Buddha. This recommendation is especially relevant during the peak tourist season, from July to October. Find out when is the best time to travel to China.

Several drainage channels are hidden in the hair, neck, on the chest and behind the ears of the Buddha, this prevents erosion and weathering of the stone Buddha statue. Throughout its 1200-year history, the ancient monument has been carefully maintained, but moss still grows on the statue.

Leshan Map