The Leshan Giant Buddha is a marvel of human architecture. This famous tourist destination attracts no less than 2.5 million visitors each year to admire its grandeur. Surrounding this statue of Buddha are many mysteries that remain difficult to explain.
Located in Sichuan, where the three rivers of Dadu River, Qingyi River, and Min River converge, is the site of the Leshan Giant Buddha. The entrance to this tourist area resembles a cave, with thick vines hanging down from the top, reminiscent of the Water Curtain Cave of Sun Wukong. Following the suspension bridge along the riverbank of Mount Lingyun, visitors can observe the sculptures carved into the steep cliffs, which have been significantly weathered over the years due to geological conditions.
Passing through a scenic spot known as “Long Tiu Hu Huyet”, a green dragon about 28 meters long winds along the calm, mirror-like pond, twisting as if flying up, piercing through rocks, and extending its head out of bushes about 6 meters high, then spraying clear spring water into the pond.
Leshan Giant Buddha.
Nearby is a cave, in front of which stands a statue of a white tiger, known as the White Tiger Cave. According to legend, in ancient times, a fierce tiger lurked in Mount Lingyun, where the three rivers caused chaos, endangering the lives of people and boats passing through. After being enlightened by Buddhist teachings, they transformed into stone tigers and stone dragons, which is why since ancient times, “Long Tiu Hu Huyet” has been an unmissable spot for tourists visiting Lingyun Mountain. It is said that the water released by the dragon at Long Tiu originates from the Dragon Palace.
Suo Dongpo (a famous Chinese poet and writer from the Song Dynasty) loved to come to “Long Tiu Hu Huyet” to drink wine and compose poetry. To this day, his stone-engraved poems “Suo Dongpo Dui Jiu Shi You Xu” (Where Suo Dongpo Roams with Wine) and “Yang Su” (Mr. Su Looking Up) are still clearly visible on the rock walls at “Long Tiu Hu Huyet”.
On the rock walls along the path leading to Lingyun Temple and the Giant Buddha, there are still many stone-engraved poems such as “Qi Jue Tian Xia” (Marvelous Wonder of the World), “Hui Yan Lun Yue” (The Moon in the Mist), “Lac Ha Van Thuy” (Emerald Waters at Dusk), “Ling Yun Zhi Shang” (Straight Up to the Clouds)… The styles of the calligraphy vary, some soaring, some sturdy, coming from different dynasties, providing a wonderful aesthetic experience for everyone.
Entering Lingyun Temple, one can feel the magnificent tower soaring high. The temple is nestled within a circle of nine mountains, and due to the presence of the Giant Buddha in front, it is also referred to as the Great Buddha Temple. On the columns flanking the temple gate, there is a couplet: “Ha Ren Hui San Thuy Thanh Nguyen Tuong Nhat Ky Tran Tam Tan Tai. Thu Xu Khai Thien Thu Tinh Vuc Do Chung Sinh Giac Ngạn Dong Dang” (Who gathers the clean water from the three rivers to cleanse the worldly heart. Here, in this ancient land, all beings ascend to enlightenment), which carries profound meaning. Lingyun Temple was built at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, over 1400 years ago, and is one of the oldest temples in China.
Exiting Lingyun Temple, one immediately comes to the right side of the Leshan Giant Buddha.
The Leshan Giant Buddha was initiated in the first year of the Kaiyuan era during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (year 713), primarily not to promote tourism. The reason was that the confluence of the three rivers frequently caused boat accidents. A monk named Hai Tong envisioned a grand dream to stabilize the river’s disasters by transforming the large mountain by the river into a colossal statue of Buddha. Three generations of craftsmen worked together to carve the mountain, and after 90 years, the Giant Buddha was completed. Interestingly, after the statue was built, there were no more incidents of boat capsizing.
The Leshan Giant Buddha stands at 71 meters tall, with ears measuring 7 meters, a nose of 5.6 meters, lips of 5.6 meters, eyes of 3.3 meters, shoulders 28 meters wide, fingers 8.3 meters long, and feet 8.5 meters wide. The people of Leshan affectionately refer to the statue as “Da Fo Lao Jia” (Old Buddha). The tallest architectural structure in Leshan is 68 meters high, not because the city lacks the economic capability to build taller structures, but because there is a saying: Being three parts lower than Buddha is also a form of respect for Buddha.
Sichuan experiences heavy rainfall, and to ensure the Giant Buddha stands firm without collapsing, the people during the Tang Dynasty, 1300 years ago, applied scientific engineering principles to create two secret tunnels within the mountain, one behind the ears and one at the shoulders. The Leshan Giant Buddha features a cleverly designed drainage system that is not visible, which plays an important role in protecting the statue.
The top of the Buddha’s head has 1,051 spiral-tied hair strands. Viewed from a distance, the hair strands and head appear completely unified, as they are made from individual stone blocks. There are a total of 18 tiers of spiral hair strands, with the 4th, 9th, and 18th tiers each having horizontal drainage grooves to prevent rainwater from flowing directly onto the Buddha’s face.
On the left side of the chest, there is also a drainage groove connected to the drainage groove on the right shoulder. Behind the ears, the part that leans against the cliff has connecting caves on both the left and right sides. The back chest area has two caves, but they have not been connected. These drainage grooves and caves create a drainage system, scientifically preventing moisture and facilitating ventilation, protecting the Buddha from weathering.
According to introductions, to view the entire appearance of the Giant Buddha, one must follow the suspension bridge up and down along a U-shaped path. At different positions on the bridge, the expressions of the Giant Buddha appear differently. As we descend from the bridge, we will see that the proportions of the Buddha’s features are balanced and harmonized.
All of this was accomplished over 1,200 years ago. How did the ancients manage to achieve such feats? We cannot help but be amazed and praise it as a miracle.
The Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest ancient rock-carved statue preserved in perfect condition to this day, leaning against the cliff, facing the large river, the Buddha sits with both hands resting on his knees, gazing toward the rushing river flowing east, exuding calmness and tranquility. The arms of the Buddha resting on his knees create a flat area measuring 23 meters long and 8 meters wide, equivalent to the size of a tennis court.
Visitors climbing the mountain can see the details of the Leshan Giant Buddha. If traveling by boat on the river, one can enjoy a more comprehensive view of the Leshan Giant Buddha. Following the nine-segment suspension bridge down, one can admire the Buddha’s various expressions closely. From the mountaintop, the Buddha appears tired and solemn. Continuing down a bit, the Buddha looks majestic and dignified. Further down, the Buddha displays a mysterious smile. Upon reaching the foot of the Buddha, one sees Him towering and powerful, with a dignified expression that inspires reverence.
The Lingyun Path, newly constructed to the left of the Buddha, and the nine-segment path form an important part of the circuit, likened to an “orchestra on the cliff”. The path stretches 500 meters, carved into the mountains, winding and coiling, sometimes hidden, sometimes revealed, adorned with various pavilions, creating an enchanting scene for visitors. Walking along the path, one can also enjoy stone inscriptions by famous personalities and admire the beautiful scenery of Jiazhu, experiencing the aesthetic sensations of Marvelous – Dangerous – Serene – Profound (Wonder – Danger – Tranquility – Depth).
Following the Lingyun Path leads back up to Lingyun Mountain once more, surrounded by nine mountains, with the temples and towers adorned with trees and flowers. The pavilions and towers such as Dong Po Tower, Ling Bao Pagoda, Hai Shi Cave, Bich Tan Tower, Bi Lam… are filled with numerous cultural relics, delighting visitors. We can also explore two new tourist spots like the Eastern Buddha Capital and the Buddha Kingdom Paradise, and we can visit the left side of the Buddha’s head to admire His different expressions. In this space, we can calm our minds and experience the harmonious landscape of the Religious Garden, uniting Buddha, temples, mountains, and rivers.
The poem above is “Inscription on Lingyun Temple” by Zi Kong Shu – a poet of the Tang Dynasty. The inscription he left is a poem about the grand scenery of the grand opening ceremony (the ceremony of Buddha’s placement) of the Leshan Giant Buddha. The poem describes the majestic scenery surrounding Lingyun Temple and the Giant Buddha, with rivers encircling, vast landscapes, and magnificent terrains, then unfolds the essence of Buddhist philosophy, signifying profound meaning, deserving to be a masterpiece by one of the ten talents of the Dali period.
