Leshan Giant Buddha, China

One can see one of the greatest statues of the world in China. There is the statue of the Maitreya Buddha in Leshan city. This monument is truly unique, because it was created more than a thousand years ago. Since then, it never ceased to amaze pilgrims and travelers with its grandeur. The place of location of the statue is the Link Yunshan Mountain. The statue was carved directly in the cliff. According to historical records, the construction of the statue began in the era of the Tang Dynasty, in 713 AD. The huge statue is 71 meters high. It took about 90 years to erect it. Workers carved the sculpture by hand without using any complicated tools for stone processing.

A few years ago, Leshan Giant Buddha was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. The history of the monument opening is incredibly amazing. Until the 17th century, the huge figure has been almost completely hidden by the wooden Buddhist temple. Only the head of the monument could be seen above the roof. When in the 17th century the temple was burned, people discovered the amazing sight. That was the perfectly preserved stone statue carved in the rock. Next to the sculpture you can see many other stone images. The monument looks simply inimitable in conjunction with them.

According to the legend, monk called Hai Tong decided to carve a huge statue in the cliff. In this manner he wanted to appease the river to grant peace and quiet life with no accidents to the native lands. He had spent much of his life creating the statue, but he died when the sculpture was carved only to the knees. After the death of the monk, the work was continued by his followers. Cuttings of rocks were dumped in the river flowing beside. Thus, they partially filled streams and tamed the turbulent nature of the river. Over the years, Hai Tong's goal was finally achieved. Next - African Renaissance Monument