Sichuan, near the city of Leshan, is considered the most big statue Buddhas on Earth. Moreover, it is the tallest sculptural creation in the whole world for over a millennium. The statue is carved into the thickness of the rock at the place where three rivers flow: Daduhe, Minjiang and Qinjiang. Previously, these three rivers were turbulent streams that brought everyone a lot of troubles and misfortunes.
History of the construction of the statue
In 713, the monk Haitun decided to save people from the calamities that three treacherous rivers brought them. He gathered the masters and decided to carve the Big Buddha on the rock. The most big statue It took ninety years to build the Buddha, it was a difficult and time-consuming job. To protect the sculpture from snow and rain, a wooden tower "Dasyange" with a height of thirteen tiers was built over it. But later, during the riots and wars, this building was destroyed by fire. On the north and south sides of the Big Buddha, images of bodhisattvas are carved. For many years, the Big Buddha statue was under open air... During this period, the image has changed a lot. Only in 1962 did the Chinese government decide to start restoring the creation. On the this moment the statue belongs to the important cultural property the state.
Ancient world heritage site
This world's largest stone Buddha sits by a cliff and watches over three rivers at his feet. The height of the statue is 71 meters, for more than a thousand years this creation occupies the first place in the ranking. 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, the monk Haitun 1200 years ago decided to carve out 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 a 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, which the workers threw into the river, partially pacified the water flows. After the death of Haitun, the construction was continued by the rulers of Sichuan, and in 803, after 90 years from the beginning 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 cliff, but his body and legs are hidden by a ledge. No matter how hard tourists try to find the most convenient place for a full view, the Buddha statue is visible only from the side view. If you look at the sculpture from below, then the whole panorama is occupied by the knees of the Buddha, and somewhere far above, you can see his gigantic face. But in Buddhism, sculptures were not created for contemplation, the universe cannot be comprehended with the help of the mind or feelings. The entire creation is the body of Truth, or the body of Buddha. But it is dharma that allows a person to attain an enlightened existence in earthly life.
You can get to the park adjacent to the statue for 80 yuan. To get closer to the statue, tourists must climb the steps, on one side of which there is a cliff, and on the other - a rock.
The Maitreya Buddha statue in Leshan (Leshan Dafo) is the tallest Buddha statue on the planet (at least seated). For the last millennium it remains the tallest sculpture in the world. Is in scenic location in the Lingyuanshan rock near the confluence of 3 rivers and the city of Leshan. Buddha's face is directed towards the Chinese sacred mountain Emeishan.
Almost a hundred bodhisattvas are carved on the walls to the left and right (on the southern and northern walls from the Buddha).
The statue was carved for 90 years during the Tang Dynasty, starting in 713. The height of the statue is 71 m, the height of the head is 15 m, the length of the finger is 8 m, the toe is 1.6 m, the length of the nose is 5.5 m, and shoulder span - 30 m.
Until the 17th century. Buddha's body was hidden to the very head behind the walls of the 13-storey Dasyange Temple, but later it was destroyed by fire.
There are many other attractions in the park, including a pagoda, several temples, a large old bell, gazebos and ponds.
The main temple, right behind the Buddha, impresses with its scale and internal sculptures, at first glance, not at all Buddhist, but rather Indian themes.
There is even a tiny cave with a statue. The cave is quite small, but it becomes clear only when you look inside with a light source.
Another important "feature" of the Buddha Park is the queues to descend to the Buddha. I read somewhere that the queue for the highest outdoor elevator in the world in the Avatar mountains in China can take up to 4 hours. Everything is not so scary here, you will only descend for an hour and a half.
But for me it is too long and I, using my long legs, climbed over the fences several times and climbed in front of the amazed Chinese noses. Amazed and jealous of me, I suppose. Some, for example, grandmothers were sometimes unhappy and subsequently tried to get around me on the narrowest sections of the stairs in 1 person. I certainly deserve it, but their behavior is really dangerous and creates unnecessary congestion.
At the entrance to the park, after the bridge, there is an inconspicuous inspector with whom, in principle, it is quite possible to agree. At the top of this neighboring park large pretty wad.
The view from it is also good.
On the way to it there is a small complex of burial caves, typical of this region, where the custom of burying the dead in caves with gifts is quite common. There are at least 100 such caves in the region.
There is also a beautiful bridge on the way.
To visit the park and Buddha, you need to buy a ticket of 90 yuan (45 for students). But I recommend for lovers of free passes to come to the second, towards the wooden bridge, exit. Not very-eyed guards are on guard here, and I personally saw how a foreigner walking towards me right in the passage building in this place was very successful. I don’t think there is any good reason not to try it.
You can reach Leshan and Big Buddha from Xinnanmen Station in Chengdu by shuttle bus in 2 hours one way. From the bus station in Leshan, you need to take bus 13 and after 40 minutes get off at the park entrance if you are going to enter through the central entrance.
You can go back by the same bus, even going down from the second park. From vata at the top of the mountain there are signs to the bus.
You can also see the Big Buddha Leshan from the water by purchasing a ticket at the pier in Leshan near bus station... Most foreigners do this. It is also cheaper, but you will stay near the Buddha for 10 minutes, no more. But on the territory of the park itself there is where to wander.
Dujiangyan Irrigation System
Dujiangyan and its famous ancient dam (irrigation system), more than 2,200 years old, is located in the opposite direction from Leshan, northwest of Chengdu. It is the oldest surviving irrigation system, which has regularly saved Sichuan from droughts and floods since the 3rd century BC.
Prior to the construction of the dam, the Minjiang River Valley was flooded every year, significantly affecting crops and safety. In 256, the official Li Bing, with the support of his son, created a unique and inherently very simple system water management, which successfully copes with its task to this day. The dam, shaped like a fish, divides the river into 2 branches and allows irrigation of 5300 sq.m. arable land of Western Sichuan.
For his merits, Li Bing was deified by the local population and at their own expense a temple was built at the top of the hill in the park.
By the way, in order to get the support of the local population, in addition to creating the engineering solution itself, Li Bin was forced to overcome animalistic superstitions, staged a banquet with the participation of a river deity, a scandal due to his impoliteness and the subsequent battle with the "spirit", which was represented by a previously prepared bull. Subsequently, convinced peasants allowed themselves to be attracted to the construction and for 7 years destroyed the thickness of the rocks, heating them with fires, which were then filled with streams of cold water.
The entrance to the park with a dam costs 90 yuan or 45 for students. If you do not exit from the main entrance / exit, then note that there is no public transport and you will need to walk about a kilometer to find one. Taxi drivers, even if you order a car through the app, will charge 30 yuan to any, even not very distant point. The guys with whom I came to this park were so taken aback by this behavior of the taxi driver that it was not difficult for me to persuade them to go back the same way. True, it was not possible to climb up to the temples. The guys were in a hurry.
You can get to Dujiangyan from Chengdu by bus, but I don't know exactly from which station. I was driving from the direction of Jizhaigou and reached this place from a completely different side. I would not specially visit this place, but if you are somewhere nearby or are going to the Chinchenshan mountains, then it is worth dropping into the city for the sake of the dam.
While in Dujiangyan, I tried a cool herbal drink from Guangzhou.
Most big buddha in the world, China
There are places in the world about which you seem to know everything, which you repeatedly see in photographs, but all the same, meeting an interesting image again, you admire the people who did it. And when you have the opportunity to see them with your own eyes, you are overwhelmed with such excitement that it seems that this is one of the happiest moments of life.
In the Chinese province of Sichuan near the city of Leshan, a giant sculpture of Buddha Maitreya is carved into the thickness of the rock. For 1000 years, the 71-meter-high Leshan statue held the first position in the ranking of the tallest monuments in the world. According to ancient architects, the great should be embodied in gigantic proportions, because Maitreya is revered by all schools of Buddhism. Maitreya is the coming Teacher of humanity... Sooner or later he will appear on Earth, attain enlightenment and preach dharma - the path of piety. The Leshan Buddha statue is one of the oldest in the world. It is installed in the place where three rivers merge, the oncoming waters of which create dangerous whirlpools.
As the legend says, 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 the cities and villages, collecting money for the construction of the statue, and in 713 he began construction. Hai Tun died when the statue of Buddha was made only up to his knees, but he managed to achieve his noble goal.
Cutting the statue into the rock, workers threw stone fragments into the river, as a result of which they partially filled up the water streams. Thus, it turned out that the Buddha tamed the stormy nature 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'd rather gouge my eyes out than give away the Buddha's treasures." Soon the ruler came to the monk for money, but he drew a knife and fulfilled his oath, depriving himself of an eye. The confused extortionist backed down. After the death of the monk, his work was continued by the rulers of Sichuan, and after 90 years, in 803, the statue of the Enlightened One was completed.
Leshan Buddha statue- the embodiment of the universe. The giant, 70-meter high Buddha sits facing the expanse of water with his hands on his knees. His huge, 15-meter head rises flush with the rock, and his feet rest against the river. The ears of the Buddha (7 meters each) 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 the rock from cracking.
In the walls surrounding the statue, stone images of 90 bodhisattvas, the spiritual guides of people, are carved. A pagoda is installed at the head of the giant and is broken temple complex with a park. Against the background of the monument, viewers seem like tiny insects.
The stream of tourists, like a swarm of bees, surrounds the Buddha's head on all sides and cascades down the cliff to his feet. A small group of tourists can sit on any of the giant's toes (toe length - 1.6 m). Each viewer tries to find the most convenient point of view, but is forced to examine the statue only from the side view. From the top of the cliff, 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 the Buddha, over which a gigantic face peeps out somewhere in the sky.
The statue is not created for contemplation: in Buddhism, the entire universe is nothing but the body of Buddha (Buddha-kaya) or the body of Truth (dharma-kaya), and it is incomprehensible with the help of the senses or the mind. But it is precisely dharma-kaya that connects a person with true existence, allowing him to attain the purest and highest state of "transcendental" being. As they said in China: "We attain Perfect Enlightenment when the heart merges with the base of a stone monument." Interestingly, in the Middle Ages, the body of Buddha was hidden under a 13-tier temple-tower, but this building burned down during a fire.
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Big Buddha impresses not only with its size, but also with its expressiveness: the appearance of a giant literally breathes nobility, greatness and kindness.
Maitreya Buddha in Leshan- pacifier of the water element.
Inside the sculptural work, a drainage structure is skillfully carried out, which is almost impossible to notice from the outside. The grottoes and grooves, hidden in the folds of clothing, on the arms, head, chest of the Buddha, serve as drainage systems and protect the sculpture from weathering and destruction.
Upstairs, 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. The walls around the giant are carved with images of Bodhisattvas (there are more than 90 of them) and numerous images of Buddha.
Maitreya is considered the coming 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 surely reach enlightenment and will preach the path of piety - dharma to people.
Leshan Buddha statue installed at the confluence of three rivers. Once upon a time, their swift streams, meeting, whipped violent and dangerous whirlpools. According to legend, the Buddhist monk Hai Tun, seeing this, decided to pacify the elements by carving a giant sculpture of the Teacher in the adjacent mountain gorge.
Now, having arrived in Leshan, any tourist can admire the impressive statue. The face of Buddha Maitreya faces the river, gigantic hands are folded on their knees; its 15-meter head reaches the top of the cliff, and its huge feet (toes about 1.6 m long) almost hit the river. The Master's 7-meter ears, carved from sturdy wood, are artfully fitted to the stone face. The Buddha is dressed in a tunic, through carefully carved stone folds of which water flows in the rain, preventing the destruction of the rock.
A temple complex with a small park is built at the head of the colossal monument, and sculptures of 90 bodhisattvas - the spiritual mentors of mankind - are carved in the rocks surrounding the statue.
In the Middle Ages, the sculpture of Buddha was hidden under a 13-tier temple built over 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 fully gaze at the statue of Buddha 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 vantage point is from the side, but even this does not allow us to see the entire monument in detail.
This feature is not given to the sculpture by accident. It is in perfect agreement with the Buddhist doctrine of the universe, according to which the whole world is the body of Buddha (Buddha-kaya) or the body of the Law (Dharma-kaya), which is incomprehensible from the point of view of the senses and the mind. So Buddha statue in China not meant to be looked at. As the material embodiment of Dharma-kaya, it connects people with true existence, allowing them to achieve a special state of the purest transcendental being, which, according to Buddhists, is the true goal of every person's life. In this regard, the Chinese say the following: "We attain Perfect Enlightenment at the moment when our heart merges with the base of the stone statue."
The Maitreya Buddha statue in Leshan is one of the most tall statues Buddhas on Earth and, for over a millennium, the tallest sculpture in the world. It is carved into the thickness of the rock in Lingyunshan Mountain at the confluence of three rivers of the Chinese province of Sichuan, near the city of Leshan.
(9 photos total)
1. The face of Buddha (Maitreya) is turned to the opposite sacred grief Emeishan.
2. The head of the Buddha rises flush with the mountain, and his feet rest against the river.
3. Work on the creation of the statue took place during the reign of the Tang dynasty, beginning in 713 and lasted for ninety years.
4. The height of the statue is 71 m, the height of the head is almost 15 m, the span of the shoulders is almost 30 m, the length of the finger is 8 m, the length of the toe is 1.6 m, the length of the nose is 5.5 m.
5. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
6. Until the middle of the 17th century, the body of the Big Buddha to the very head was hidden by the thirteen-storey temple "Dasyange", originally called the Pavilion of the Great Image.
7. Later this building was destroyed by fire.
Today, let's return to China for a change - I owe you a favor from my October trip: the statue of Buddha in Leshan. I purposely left it for last, as this monument of ancient sculpture impressed me the most from the last trip. Indeed, for a thousand years, the Leshan Buddha was the tallest sculpture in the whole world!
So, let's go get to know this ancient giant better.
1.
Leshan city, where this landmark is located, is located about an hour's drive from Chengdu, where tourists can meet giant pandas. The Chinese began to carve the figure of a huge Buddha in the mountain at the beginning of the 8th century AD, during the Tang Dynasty. The work lasted 90 years! The famous monument of antiquity is located not far from the city center - this is how the entrance to the territory looks like.
2. Giant buddha- part of the UNESCO heritage, as well as awarded the highest grade "AAAAA" by the Chinese Ministry of Tourism. At the same time, it is surprising that there is no huge parking lot the size of three stadiums, there is no wide boulevard a kilometer long, and other delights of Chinese top-class attractions. You buy a ticket for 90 yuan, and you enter yourself without much pathos.
3. This is how the path from the entrance to the big Buddha looks like. What kind of wickedness is this ?! Where is the usual luxury? Someone clearly overlooked!
4. Well, okay, even though the hieroglyphs were carved on the rock. The red color harmonizes well with green vegetation. Do you remember when we were told in childhood that these colors do not go together? ..
5. Seven minutes of ascent, and here we see the crown of the giant Buddha.
6. For you to understand its size, I sent vityokr stand next to scale. See? He is that tiny blue thing over Buddha's ear.
7. The Buddha has a fashionable hairstyle. Look at these curls!
8. The seated figure is carved into a sheer rock. Its height is 71 meters. For comparison, the Statue of Liberty is only 34 meters, if you do not take into account its huge pedestal. I know what you will say: "Lyova, but the Statue of Liberty itself stands, it was built, and not hollowed out in a ready-made mountain!" It's like that. But the Leshan Buddha was created 1,100 years earlier! I think you can make a discount for age.
By the way, here the Russians can be proud, because the Motherland on Mamayev Kurgan is already 85 meters high, bigger than our Buddha (and Svoboda nervously smokes on the sidelines). But again, this is 1967, not 803.
9. But back to Buddha. The most interesting point of the attraction is that you can go down the sheer wall next to the seated giant. That is, we started at the level of his head, and we can climb down the stairs, right to the foot of the monument.
10. We go down to the level of buddha hands. It's about halfway there.
11. At the passages carved into these walls, the grinded corners are clearly visible, characteristic of old buildings in soft rock. We saw a similar effect in Petra in Jordan. Time literally worked here.
12. The giant's feet are still far away!
13. The stairs are narrow and steep, but if you hold onto the handrails, then they are not intimidating.
14. And here is the foot of the Buddha. For you to understand the size, you can easily seat a couple of people on each nail of this sculpture.
15. We still had to fly to Hong Kong for Halloween that day, so we arrived early, right for the opening of the attraction, so there are not many people now. Here is a monk going down to morning prayer.
16. View of the Buddha from below. It's not easy to squeeze the whole thing into the frame, it requires a fairly wide-angle lens. My soap dish barely coped with this task.
17. If you look closely at the feet of the Buddha, you can see that it was recently restored: the outer layer of the statue is plaster, not stone. However, unlike the Great Wall of China, there is no doubt about the Buddha's authenticity.
18. That is, I am sure that it is periodically covered with plaster and cement for preservation, and painted. But under this protective layer there is a real monument of antiquity. For example, here is our Buddha in a photograph from 1936:
19. Someone came to pray. I wouldn't be surprised if this guy asks the Buddha for courage and courage.
20. Let's take one more look at the Buddha from below, and let's go.
21. By the way, the mountain in which the Buddha is carved is located right on the river bank. If you have enough time, you can sail past the statue on a river boat. From there, a better view of the entire giant sculpture. But we were in a hurry, and we didn't have the opportunity to do so, so here's a photo from Wikipedia:
22. True, you may not be lucky with the boat: if the visibility is low, the Buddha will disappear into the fog. And on the day when we arrived it was just not very visible. So during the visit, we did not see a single boat.
23. The road back leads along a trail built right above the water in the rock wall.
24. But then you still need to climb back up.
25. While we walked up and down (in 40 minutes), a huge number of tourists accumulated, it was very lucky that we managed to see everything before the arrival of the tourist buses.
26. For example, the staircase leading downward now looks more like a shortage queue in the late USSR.
27. What else is interesting? .. Do you know when you visit some high TV tower, or an observation tower on a skyscraper, there will definitely be a poster listing other most famous skyscrapers in the world for comparison? Now, it turns out with the giant Buddhas the same story: here you can see a list of the main achievements of Buddha-building.
29. And of course, there is a tall pagoda. I counted 13 levels. But this is the same remake as the "ancient" town of Gubei.
30. In general, it is very pleasant here - and the absence of pathos, which is usual for such sights, most likely played a major role in the fact that I liked this Buddha almost more than anything I saw.
However, I think its size and age also helped here.
