Unique architecture of the world's largest stone Buddha statue

The 71-meter-high Leshan Giant Buddha statue in China is considered the largest stone statue in the world, with a hidden drainage system in the body that helps the Buddha to avoid serious erosion and weathering for millennia.

The world's largest stone Buddha statue

Located 160 kilometers south of Chengdu, Sichuan, and China , the 1,300-year-old Leshan Giant Buddha is carved into Lang Van Mountain as the largest stone Buddha in the world.

Lac Son Great Buddha.(Photos: Wikipedia)

The statue faces Nga Mi mountain in the east of Lac Son city. This is the intersection of the three rivers Man Giang, Dai Do and Thanh Y. The statue of a monk smiling, sitting calmly, hands on his knees, eyes peering across the river.

This is said to be a Maitreya Buddha , a disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha (the founder of Buddhism), symbolizing wisdom and happiness. The worship of Maitreya is especially popular between the 4th and 7th centuries. Currently, the image of Maitreya still appears in temples throughout China and many other countries.

The appeal of Buddha statues is not only in size but also in clever architecture. The whole statue is made of stone, except for the ears made of wood covered with clay. Buddha's hair is 1,021 stone twists attached to the head.

The hair of Buddha statue has 1,021 twists.(Photo: Chi King / Flickr)

The height of the statue is equal to ten-storey building (71 meters), the head is 15 meters high, the shoulder is 28 meters wide, the eyebrows are 5.5 meters long, the nose is 6 meters high, the ears 7 meters long can hold two people inside. , each bare foot is 11m long, 8.5m wide, big enough for more than 100 people to sit. In an upright position, the Buddha image will be on par with the Statue of Liberty . Buddha sits in a symmetrical posture, creating a sense of lightness and comfort.

Skillful drainage

Although many small parts are damaged, it is surprising that the statue is still intact, thanks to the underground drainage system, which keeps the interior parts dry. Some drainage sections hide in hair, neck, and grooves behind the ears and chest. This system helps the Buddha statue to avoid severe erosion and weathering for millennia. At first the statue was protected by 13 storeys made of large wood, but they were destroyed at the end of the Ming dynasty, making the statue no longer shielded.

The Lac Son Buddha statue was built in 713 during the Tang Dynasty, led by Chinese monk Hai Thong . He hoped that the Buddha image could help make the river flow smoothly, making it easier for boats to travel on the river.

According to legend, some local government officials wanted to take the money raised to build Buddha statues from Hai Thong, but the monk announced that he would rather be blind and not lose money.

When the budget for the project is no longer available, the monk has cut his eyes to show his sincerity and dedication to the work. Finally, he collected enough money after 20 years of donating and saving. When he died, his two disciples continued to build the building and completed in 803.

Since the construction of the Buddha statue , the ferocious river water has become peaceful. As explained by scientists, during construction, rocks from cliffs fall to the riverbed, change the flow, making the river safer. Thanks to that, the ships can rest assured.

Monk Hai Tong, who had merit in building the Lac Son Buddha statue.(Photo: David Schroeter / Flickr)

In addition to the Great Buddha statue, thousands of small Buddha statues are carved by the people around this giant statue, forming a mountain sculpture museum of Buddhism.

The Emirate area consists of the Great Buddha statue of the Great Buddha which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1996. Currently, the Buddha statue is always one of China's most attractive destinations.