Big Buddha China. Giant Buddha of Leshan in China

There are objects in the world that you seem to know everything about, that you see repeatedly in photographs, but all the same, when you once again encounter an interesting image, you admire the people who did it.

Let's take another look and read about this world famous Buddha statue.

As the legend goes, the monk Hai Tun decided to appease the elements by carving a sculptural image of the supreme deity in the rock. For many years the monk wandered through cities and villages, collecting money for the construction of the statue, and in 713 he began construction. Hai Tong died when the statue of Buddha was made only to the knees, but he managed to achieve his noble goal.

While cutting down the statue in the rock, the workers threw stone fragments into the river, as a result of which the water streams were partially covered. Thus, it turned out that the Buddha tamed the stormy temper of the river. According to legend, when the local ruler demanded that Hai Tun give him the donations collected for the construction of the statue, he replied: “I would rather gouge out my eyes than give away the treasures of Buddha.” Soon the ruler came to the monk for money, but he pulled out a knife and fulfilled his oath, depriving himself of an eye. The confused extortionist retreated. After the death of the monk, his work was continued by the rulers of Sichuan, and 90 years later, in 803, the statue of the Enlightened One was completed.

Buddha statue in Leshan - the embodiment of the universe. A giant, 70-meter tall Buddha sits facing the expanse of water, with his hands on his knees. His huge, 15-meter head rises level with the rock, and his feet rest against the river. The Buddha's ears (each 7 meters long) are carved from wood and skillfully attached to the stone face. The enlightened one is “dressed” in a stone tunic, the folds of which drain rainwater, preventing rock cracking.

In the walls surrounding the statue are carved stone images of 90 bodhisattvas - spiritual mentors of people. At the head of the giant a pagoda is installed and broken temple complex with a park. Against the background of the monument, spectators appear to be tiny insects.

A stream of tourists, like a swarm of bees, surrounds the Buddha's head on all sides and cascades down the rock to his feet. A small group of tourists can sit on any of the giant’s toes (the length of the toe is 1.6 m). Each viewer tries to find the most convenient point for viewing, but is forced to examine the statue only from a side angle. From the top of the rock, the impartial face of the Enlightened One is visible, while his legs and body are hidden under the ledge. Below, the entire panorama is occupied by the knees of Buddha, above which a gigantic face can be seen somewhere above.

The statue is not created for contemplation: in Buddhism, the entire universe is nothing more than the body of the Buddha (Buddha-kaya) or the body of Truth (dharma-kaya), and it is incomprehensible through the senses or the mind. But it is Dharma-kaya that connects a person with the truly existing, allowing him to achieve the purest and highest state of “supramundane” existence. As they said in China: “We achieve Perfect Enlightenment when the heart merges with the base of the stone monument.” Interestingly, in the Middle Ages, the body of Buddha was hidden under a 13-tiered temple-tower, but this building burned down in a fire.

The Big Buddha impresses not only with its size, but also with its expressiveness: the appearance of the giant literally breathes nobility, greatness and kindness.

Maitreya Buddha in Leshan - pacifier of the water element.

Inside the sculptural work there is a skillfully constructed drainage structure, which is almost impossible to notice from the outside. Grottoes and grooves, hidden in the folds of clothing, on the hands, head, and chest of the Buddha, serve as drainage systems and protect the sculpture from weathering and destruction.

At the top, on the mountain itself, at the head of the Buddha, there is a 38-meter-high pagoda of souls, as well as a temple complex and a park. On the walls around the giant there are carved images of Bodhisattvas (there are more than 90 of them) and numerous images of Buddha.

Maitreya is considered the future incarnation of the Great Teacher of humanity, and he is revered by all Buddhist schools, believing that one day he will appear on Earth, will definitely achieve enlightenment and begin to preach to people the path of piety - the dharma.

Buddha statue in Leshan installed at the confluence of three rivers. Once upon a time, their rapid flows, meeting, created stormy and dangerous whirlpools. According to legend, the Buddhist monk Hai Tun, seeing this, decided to pacify the elements by sculpting a giant sculpture of the Teacher in the adjacent mountain gorge.

Now, having arrived in Leshan, any tourist can admire the impressive sculpture. The face of Maitreya Buddha is facing the river, giant hands folded on the knees; its 15-meter head reaches the top of the rock, and its huge legs (toes are about 1.6 m long) almost touch the river. The Teacher's 7-meter ears, carved from durable wood, are skillfully fitted to the stone face. The Buddha is dressed in a tunic, along the carefully carved stone folds of which water flows during rain, preventing the destruction of the rock.

At the head of the colossal monument there is a temple complex with a small park, and in the rocks surrounding the statue there are carved statues of 90 bodhisattvas - the spiritual mentors of humanity.

In the Middle Ages, the Buddha sculpture was hidden under a 13-tiered temple built above it, but this building was destroyed by fire, and now, as before, the rocks are the only walls for the giant statue.

Interestingly, it is almost impossible to completely take in the Buddha statue in Leshan: an impartial face is open from above, but the legs are hidden under a mountain ledge, and from below the legs can be seen perfectly, but the face of the statue is almost completely covered by huge knees. The best angle is from the side, but it doesn’t allow you to see the entire monument in detail.

This feature was not given to the sculpture by chance. It is perfectly consistent with the Buddhist doctrine of the universe, according to which the whole world is the body of the Buddha (Buddha-kaya) or the body of the Law (Dharma-kaya), which is incomprehensible from the point of view of the senses and mind. That's why buddha statue in china not intended for viewing. Being the material embodiment of Dharma-kaya, it connects people with what truly exists, allowing them to achieve special condition the purest supermundane existence, which, according to Buddhists, is the true goal of every person’s life. On this occasion, the Chinese say the following: “We achieve Perfect Enlightenment at the moment when our heart merges with the base of the stone statue.”

And you can definitely be sure that this statue does not contain

The Leshan Buddha is the largest Buddha statue in the entire world. This impressive giant statue is carved right into the rocky wall of a hill. It is located in Leshan, in the Sichuan province of China, and overlooks the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers.

This is a stone colossus depicting Maitreya Buddha in a sitting position. His hands rest on his knees, and the statue itself is 70 meters high and 30 meters wide from shoulder to shoulder. Its ears are 7 meters long and each foot is 12 meters long. The head has 1021 stone spirals. The epic size of this Buddha is amazing and is actually twice the size of Christ the Redeemer in Rio.

Construction of the Leshan Buddha began in 713 BC during the Tang Dynasty under the leadership of the Chinese monk Hai Tong. Legend has it that the turbulent waters of the three rivers made it difficult for merchant ships to navigate, so Hai Tong thought that the presence of the statue would calm the violent wrath of the currents. It seems to have worked. Oddly enough, the huge amount of debris that was thrown out during the work (hefty stone blocks) was somehow able to reduce the force of the water and divert the river's flow.

The Leshan Giant Buddha, in addition to its undeniable size, also has a sophisticated drainage system that keeps the statue dry and safe. In fact, inside there are numerous channels hidden in various parts of the body for the drainage of rainwater. Considered one of the greatest monuments ancient world, it became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 1996, and today the Buddha statue is visited by more than 50,000 people a day. Along the way, people are also exploring the charm of China's small towns in the surrounding area.

Buddha statue in Leshan - giant sage

In the Chinese province of Sichuan, near the city of Leshan, a giant sculpture of Maitreya Buddha is carved into a rock. For 1000 years, the Leshan statue, 71 meters high, held the first position in the ranking of the tallest monuments in the world. According to the ancient architects, the great must be embodied in gigantic proportions, because Maitreya is revered by all schools of Buddhism. Maitreya is the future Teacher of humanity. Sooner or later he will appear on Earth, achieve enlightenment and preach the dharma - the path of piety. The Buddha statue in Leshan is one of the most ancient in the world. It is installed in the place where three rivers merge, the oncoming waters of which create dangerous whirlpools. As the legend goes, the monk Hai Tun decided to appease the elements by carving a sculptural image of the supreme deity in the rock. For many years the monk wandered through cities and villages, collecting money for the construction of the statue, and in 713 he began construction. Hai Tong died when the statue of Buddha was made only to the knees, but he managed to achieve his noble goal. While cutting down the statue in the rock, the workers threw stone fragments into the river, as a result of which the water streams were partially covered. Thus, it turned out that the Buddha tamed the stormy temper of the river. According to legend, when the local ruler demanded that Hai Tun give him the donations collected for the construction of the statue, he replied: “I would rather gouge out my eyes than give away the treasures of Buddha.” Soon the ruler came to the monk for money, but he pulled out a knife and fulfilled his oath, depriving himself of an eye. The confused extortionist retreated. After the death of the monk, his work was continued by the rulers of Sichuan, and 90 years later, in 803, the statue of the Enlightened One was completed.

Buddha statue in Leshan - the embodiment of the universe

A giant, 70-meter tall Buddha sits facing the expanse of water, with his hands on his knees. His huge, 15-meter head rises level with the rock, and his feet rest against the river. The Buddha's ears (each 7 meters long) are carved from wood and skillfully attached to the stone face. The enlightened one is “dressed” in a stone tunic, the folds of which drain rainwater, preventing rock cracking. In the walls surrounding the statue are carved stone images of 90 bodhisattvas - spiritual mentors of people. At the head of the giant there is a pagoda and a temple complex with a park. Against the background of the monument, spectators appear to be tiny insects. A stream of tourists, like a swarm of bees, surrounds the Buddha's head on all sides and cascades down the rock to his feet. A small group of tourists can sit on any of the giant’s toes (the length of the toe is 1.6 m). Each viewer tries to find the most convenient point for viewing, but is forced to examine the statue only from a side angle. From the top of the rock, the impartial face of the Enlightened One is visible, while his legs and body are hidden under the ledge. Below, the entire panorama is occupied by the knees of Buddha, above which a gigantic face can be seen somewhere above. The statue is not created for contemplation: in Buddhism, the entire universe is something other than the body of the Buddha (Buddha-kaya) or the body of Truth (dharma-kaya), and it is incomprehensible through the senses or the mind. But it is Dharma-kaya that connects a person with the truly existing, allowing him to achieve the purest and highest state of “supramundane” existence. As they said in China: “We achieve Perfect Enlightenment when the heart merges with the base of the stone monument.” Interestingly, in the Middle Ages, the body of Buddha was hidden under a 13-tiered temple-tower, but this building burned down in a fire.

Interesting Facts

In the Middle Ages, the body of Buddha was located under a thirteen-story temple-tower, but the building burned down in a fire.
The attraction is included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.
Locals The statue is respectfully called Da Fo, which translated means Buddha of the Mountain.
Near the head of the deity there is a small park where lovers lock locks and throw keys into the abyss so that they can always be together.
The condition of the Buddha statue in Leshan is negatively affected not only by natural factors, but also by pollution of the region due to active industrial development, and even a large number of tourists. The country's government promises to take control of this issue and prevent a significant deterioration in the condition of the Chinese architectural monument.

There are different ways to get to Maitreya Buddha:

Swim across the river - the ship brings you directly to the entrance to the park.
Take a taxi or local bus across the bridge.
Walk around the embankment and cross the bridge to the statue.

A narrow, steep and long staircase leads down to the foot of the statue, which is always crowded. Along the way, on the walls you can see small Buddha statues made of sandstone. Unfortunately, they are gradually being destroyed, and no one is engaged in their restoration, since all expenses go to the big Buddha.

Sichuan, near the city of Leshan, is considered the largest Buddha statue on Earth. Moreover, this is the highest sculptural creation in the whole world for a millennium. The statue is carved into the thickness of the rock in a place where three rivers flow: Daduhe, Minjiang and Qinjiang. Previously, these three rivers were turbulent streams that brought a lot of troubles and misfortunes to everyone.

History of the construction of the statue

In 713, the monk Haitun decided to save people from the disasters that three treacherous rivers brought them. He gathered craftsmen and decided to carve the Big Buddha on the rock. The largest Buddha statue took ninety years to build, a difficult and lengthy job. To protect the sculpture from snow and rain, a wooden tower “Dasyange”, thirteen tiers high, was built above it. But later, during riots and wars, this building was destroyed by fire. From the north and south side Big Buddha carved images of bodhisattvas. For many years the statue of the Big Buddha was under open air. During this period the image has changed a lot. Only in 1962 did the Chinese government decide to restore the creation. On this moment The statue belongs to the important cultural values of the state.

Ancient World Heritage Site

This world's largest stone Buddha sits on a rock and watches over three rivers at his feet. The height of the statue is 71 meters, for more than a thousand years this creation has been ranked first. Ancient architects assured that everything great should be embodied in gigantic proportions, and the great monk Maitreya is revered by all Buddhist schools as the future teacher of all mankind.

The Legend of the Great Statue

According to ancient legend, monk Haitun 1200 years ago decided to carve the image of the supreme deity in the rock in order to appease the elements of the three rivers. For many years, the monk collected funds for the construction of the statue in cities and villages, and only in 713 colossal construction began. The monk did not live to see the completion of the Buddha statue; when he died, it was carved only to the knees. But his great goal was achieved - the stone fragments that the workers threw into the river partially pacified the water flows. After Haitong's death, construction was continued by the rulers of Sichuan, and in 803, 90 years after the start of construction, the image of the Enlightened Buddha was completed.

tourist attraction

The face of the Enlightened Buddha is visible from the top of the rock, but his body and legs are hidden by a ledge. No matter how hard tourists try to find the most comfortable spot For full review, the Buddha statue is visible only from a side view. If you look at the sculpture from below, the entire panorama is occupied by the Buddha’s knees, and somewhere far above you can see his gigantic face. But in Buddhism, sculptures are not created for contemplation; the universe cannot be comprehended with the help of the mind or feelings. The entire universe is the body of Truth, or the body of Buddha. But it is dharma that allows a person to achieve enlightened existence in earthly life.

You can enter the park adjacent to the statue for 80 yuan. To get closer to the statue, tourists must climb the steps, with a cliff on one side and a rock on the other.

Look at one of the largest in the world buddha statues possible in the Chinese province of Sichuan. On one of the rocks of a mountain called Lingyunshan, which is located near the city of Leshan, a huge Buddha is carved, which is visible for many kilometers around. This statue is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Work on creating the sculpture lasted for 90 years, starting in 713, but after its completion the multi-meter image was not visible, because it was covered by a temple building 13 floors high. But in the 17th century the temple burned down, and the huge Buddha appeared in all its splendor.

The idea to make a giant Buddha statue came from a monk named Hai Tonga. The guide told us a legend: this monk hoped that the statue would be able to calm the stormy current of the river, thereby allowing ships to cross the river in safety. According to the same legend, during construction, huge blocks of stone were thrown into the river and it, in fact, became calmer and safer.

In general, this place is a whole complex with a park, a temple and many sculptures.

A long winding staircase leads upstairs.

There are a lot of interesting things along the way, where the Chinese are crowded and several guides with loudspeakers try to shout over each other.

Hieroglyphs are carved on the rocks.

The ancient images were slightly damaged by vandals.

The steps end at a platform located at the top of the hill. There is a Buddhist temple here. There are many very beautiful and unusual sculptures of saints inside.

Behind the temple there is a small and beautiful park, where we walked for almost an hour. There is even a small pond with fish. On the outskirts of the park there are several abandoned temples, where there was not a single person at all.

This place is called "Tiger Cave".

Sculpture of a deity in the park.

But the highlight of the whole complex, of course, is the impressive statue of Buddha. When you see this statue, it seems that the glare of the giant literally radiates nobility, greatness and kindness.

Gifts are laid out at the foot of the Buddha statue.

The statue's face is looking at sacred mountain called Emeishan, which is located opposite. The Buddha's head is at the same level with the mountain, and the soles of his feet seem to rest on the river.

The dimensions of this statue are simply amazing: the total height is 71 m, an almost 6-meter nose is carved on a 15-meter head, the width of the shoulders is almost 30 m, the length of the toes is 1.6 m, and the length of the hands is about 8 m. But The beauty and grandeur of this statue lies not only in its size, but also in its artistic design. The spiral tufts of hair built into the head appear to be one whole. The wooden 7-meter ears of the statue are so perfectly inserted into stone head, which also inspires respect among modern builders.

Even during the construction of the statue, a complex drainage system was installed in it. Surprisingly, even now this plexus of pipes, invisible from the outside, built into the body of the Buddha, works properly. Pipes drain rainwater and prevent the destruction of stone. In general, once upon a time there was a huge pavilion with a golden roof above the head of the statue, which protected it from the sun and rain, but in the 13th century it was destroyed by the Mongols and for some reason they did not restore it.