That China is an amazing country is well known to all. Not only for the beauty of its corners, for its millenary culture (so different from ours), for its incredible landscapes brimming with flora and fauna, but also because it hides in its domains some of the most enigmatic places in the world.
This is the case of the Big Buddha of Leshan , a huge statue of Buddha (the largest in the world) that is carved into a stone wall near the city of Leshan. It dates from the 8th century and is located in a magical place at the confluence of three rivers. Traveling to China has, from today, one more incentive: to see this huge stone Buddha live.
Colossal proportions
The story goes that the statue, declared a World Heritage Site in 1996, began to be carved to frighten the demon of water, and that it took no less than 90 years to finish it, which does not seem like much if you take into account its dimensions: it measures 71 meters high , the head measures 15 meters, the ears 7 meters long, and the feet 8 meters.
The Buddha is represented in a serene and calm posture. When you contemplate this incredible figure, you are struck by the precision and exquisiteness with which it was carved, something that can be appreciated especially in the details of the face.
Buddhism in China
The Buddha is located on Emeishan Mountain , one of the four holy places of Buddhism in China. This religion, which was introduced in the country around the 1st century, has left an outstanding cultural and artistic heritage , an example of which is this colossal stone statue.
To get to Emeishan Mountain you can do it by train although, once at the station, you will have to walk 10 kilometers to the place where the Buddha is located. Another option is to travel there by bus or car.