Leshan Giant Buddha

Over the centuries, the cultural treasures springing from the fertile Sichuan Basin region have grown in number. Among them, the most remarkable is the Leshan Giant Buddha. As the largest Buddha statue in the world, the Leshan Giant Buddha draws millions of tourists and Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world. The Giant Buddha lies to the east of the city of Leshan in Sichuan Province at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers. The statue faces the sacred Mount Emei with the rivers flowing below its feet.

The Leshan Buddha statue is a stout, smiling monk, calmly sitting resting his hands upon his knees. He is believed to be Maitreya, a Buddha and disciple of Sakyamuni, who is said to have founded Buddhism. Worshiping Maitreya was especially popular between the 4th and 7th centuries. Today images of him can still be found in scores of Buddhist temples throughout China, conveying his characteristic air of expectancy and promise. The Leshan statue is the most spectacular of them all.