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World’s Largest Buddha Statue Carved into a Cliff


The Leshan Giant Buddha is the world's largest stone Buddha statue located in the Sichuan province of China, near the city of Leshan. The monumental structure was first carved out of a cliff where the Minjiang, Dadu, and Qingyi rivers meet during the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) and continues to stand tall today, proving to be a tourist attraction for spiritual followers and art enthusiasts.

Despite the fact that the seated Maitreya Buddha remains embedded in the natural environment, centuries since its initial construction, it has inevitably weathered down over the years. In fact, the giant figure was originally adorned with a thirteen-story, gold-plated, wooden structure meant to serve as a sort of shelter from extreme weather conditions. It has since been destroyed, leaving the 233-foot-tall Buddha to fend for itself. It is now as much a part of the environment as the mountain it is carved into. Locals even say, “The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain.”

Top photo: jbweasle


Ken Marshall


Yangtze River


soso


soso


David Schroeter


David Schroeter


David Schroeter


David Schroeter


Ariel Steiner and Karelj

via [Curious History]

Pinar

Pinar Noorata is the Managing Editor at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, NY. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College and is an alumni of the Center for Arts Education’s Career Development Program in NYC. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching movies, reading, crafting, drawing, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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