Leshan — Giant Buddha's Secret Plan

Your journey begins at the Confluence Square in Leshan, where the Minjiang, Dadu, and Qingyi rivers meet. It was here, facing this strategic river junction, that the monk Haitong initiated the colossal Leshan Giant Buddha project in 713. The Maitreya statue, carved into the cliff, was designed to calm the turbulent waters that endangered navigators. You contemplate this iconic viewpoint where the Buddha, facing the currents, protects river traffic, a testament to the UNESCO World Heritage status granted in 1996.

Continue towards the entrance of the Leshan Giant Buddha site, a 71-meter-tall monument completed between 713 and 803 during the Tang Dynasty. This largest stone Buddha in the world, a UNESCO site along with Mount Emei, is a masterpiece of engineering and devotion. Observe the meticulous details: fingers 8.3 meters long, ears 7 meters, and 1021 stone-inlaid hair spirals. It was here that Zhang Yanyuan, a patron of the Tang Dynasty, completed the work after Haitong's death, marking the culmination of 90 years of effort.

Your path then leads to Lingyun Temple (Uyu Temple), adjacent to the Giant Buddha. This Buddhist temple, also built during the Tang Dynasty, served as the starting point for the land route to the Buddha's head. By ascending the 333 steps symbolizing the 33 Buddhist heavens, you will discover protective statues and inscriptions that tell the story of the statue's construction. This place, rich in Leshan's history, is an essential link to understanding the spirituality and ingenuity of the era.

Back at the Leshan Giant Buddha site, you will take the Nine-Bend Plank Road (Jiuqu Plank Road), a dizzying staircase of 278 steps with a minimum width of 0.6 meters. This descent offers a unique perspective on the Buddha, allowing you to appreciate the grandeur of this monumental work. Later, from Wuyou Dock, you might consider a river perspective: a 30-minute boat trip reveals the statue in its entirety, a spectacle that highlights the monument's integration into the natural landscape of Leshan and Sichuan.

Finally, your exploration concludes at the Leshan Giant Buddha Cultural Square, after a detour to Sun Island (Jiangxin Dao), an island accessible by ferry offering a more distant and serene view of the Buddha. The cultural square serves as a gathering point and a place for reflection on this cultural and natural heritage. You will have uncovered the secrets of a project that spanned centuries, from Haitong's initiative to calm the confluence's waters to its UNESCO listing in 1996, leaving an indelible mark on the history of Leshan and tourism in Sichuan.