Dafo is carved directly out of the peachy orange sandstone cliff. The carving was undertaken over a period of 90 years (713 - 803 AD - Tang Dynasty). Dafo is officially the world’s largest carved Buddha in any posture and is seriously impressive with a height of 71 metres. He has 3 metre long fingers, 7 metre long ears and a foot that can apparently accommodate 100 people if sat upon its length.
Leshan Giant Buddha is one of the most magnificent sights in Sichuan Province . It is located on the westside of Xiluan Peak of Mount Lingyun , just east of Leshan City . It is long walk to the peak and then down again to the base of the actual Giant Buddha.
Leshan is the famous seat of the Leshan Grand Buddha or ‘Dafo’ as he is commonly known in China.
Overlooking the confluence of the Minjiang, Qingyi and Dadu rivers, the Buddha is carved into the cliffs of Mt. Lingyun .
The crowds of local tourists clamber up and down the hill for the sight of the Giant Buddha
Dafo looks somewhat solemn and stately. The 1021 chignons of hair clustered on Dafo's head have several theories of origin. The main story suggests that Buddha, contemplating one day in the hot Indian sun was saved from sunstroke by a cluster of snails that crawled onto his head, surrendering their lives to save his.
A local saying describes the Buddha as "The mountain unveils a Buddha, while the Buddha fades into the mountain." Dafo occupies the entire hillside with his head reaching the top of the cliffs, his hands rest on his knees and his face has a serene expression as he gazes at Leshan city across the river which rushes past his feet.
The sculpting of Dafo was initiated by the monk Hai Tong who wanted to create the Buddha where he sits facing the confluence of three rivers ( the Min, Qingyi and Dadu) with the hope of appeasing the violent waters that claimed many lives of the local fishing community and were believed to be possessed of an evil spirit.
The Leshan Buddha has suffered from hundreds of years of erosion by atmospheric moisture and water running off from the mountain. Water retained on the stomach of the Buddha has weakened the structure and, as a result, foliage and fungi have sprung up from the upper part of the body.
Acid rain, has turned the Buddha's nose black and speckled his face such that it looks like there are tears at the corner of the Buddha's eyes. Despite these minor areas of damage, the statue is surprisingly intact - thanks to its ancient, internal and hidden water drainage system. Several drainage passages are hidden in the Buddha's chignons, collar, chest, and holes in the back of its ears and chest. These holes and caves prevent the Buddha from serious erosion and weathering.
Through a strange and unusual symbiosis of faith and physics, the sheer amount of rock displaced into the confluence by the creation of the Buddha, allowed the desired result to occur
According to historical records, the past dynasties all did something to maintain the Leshan Buddha. In modern times, the Buddha has experienced six periods of large-scale maintenance. Up until now, it has been well preserved for over 1, 200 years.
Once we descended the precipitous plank passageway we walked to the awe inspiring feet of Buddha. Standing at the base of the Buddha and looking up at the majestic figure its impossible not to feel inspired and amazed by the unparalleled skill of the ancient sculptors.
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