Chengdu - Mt. Emei and Leshan Giant Buddha

    Situated at the confluence of Minjiang River, Qingyi River and Dadu River, on the western slop of Lingyun Mountain east of Leshan city, the sitting giant Buddha, Meitreya is carved into a cliff overlooking the three rivers. As the popular saying goes: "The mountain is a Buddha, the Buddha is a mountain," it is also the biggest stone Buddha in the world.

    Carving started in 713 under the Tang Dynasty, and lasted until its completion in 803. It is 71 meters tall. Its shoulders are 24 meters wide, and its head is 11.7 meters high. Its ears are seven meters long and its nose, 5.6 meters long. Its ear hole can accommodate two men standing abreast. Its instep can hold more than 100 seated people.

    In December 1996, Mt. Emei and Leshan Giant Buddha were added to UNESCO's World Heritage list.

Emeishan (Emei Mountain)

    Emeishan (Emei Mountain) lies 7 km. to the southwest of Emei county, Sichuan Province, and is one of the four famous Buddhist Mountains in China. Situated in the southwest of the Sichuan Basin, and with a temperate climate, Emeishan is luxuriantly green all the year round, and abounds in rainfalls, and rare and precious animals and plants. From the foot of the mountain to its summit, the Peak of Ten Thousand Buddhas, 3133 metres above sea level, the trail totals some 60 kilometres in length. It is endowed with unique changeable weather and marvelous natural beauty. Scenic spots and historic sites are found all over the places.
    Baoguo Monastery:  Enshrined is a graceful and animated porcelain statue of Buddha 3.4 metres high and made in AD 1475 (the 13th year of the yongle Reign in the Ming Dynasty). In front of the Seven Buddhas Hall, stands a 7 metre high and 14 storeyed Pageda cast in red copper, in the end of the 16th century. Over 4700 Buddhist statues and the whole contents of the Huayan Scriptures are sculptured upon it.
    Qingyin Tower: It overlooks twin bridges to its front, arching a mountain stream each. Two identical pavilion tower aloft in between the bridges. Down bellow an exquisite pavilion posies on a rock by the name of Fenghuangzui (Phoenix Mouth). The two streams rush down from under the bridges and dash against a rock at their confluence with thunderous roars, sending up colorful and enchanting sprays.
    Hongchun Ping (A Level Ground): The construction here first began in the Jin Dynasty. The present monasteries were built in AD 1790. In the Grand Hall, suspending from the ceiling, is a metre high copper lantern, upon which over 300 Buddhist statues and nearly 100 flying dragons and lotus flowers were sculptured. They are noted for their vividness and superb workmanship. Surrounded by the mountains, Hongchun Ping is a place with lush forests and fresh air, and the monasteries built along the undulating mountainside have their towers and halls rising one upon another.
    Wanniansi (Monastery of Ten Thousand Years): There is a bronze statue of Samantabhadra seated on an elephant, 7.3 metres in height and weighing 62 tons. The statue, the lotus flowers as well as the elephant with six tusks are well proportioned, extremely vivid and truly fascinating. In the hall, a statue of cast iron is arrayed in each of 24 small shrines along the lower part of the four walls and 307 mini bronze statues are enshrined on the six tiers of cases on the upper part of the walls. They are fine works of art.
    Jinding (Golden Summit): The Top of One Thousand Buddhas, and the Top of Ten Thousand Buddhas rise up from the Emei summit, 3077 metres above sea level. From there one can enjoy a splendid sunrise view as well as a view of sea cloud. When Venus appears in the eastern sky at dawn break, the sun emerges in all its splendour. Out of the clear blue sky, cloud slowly rises up and in a few seconds, turns into a vast turbulent sea of clouds. The peaks and ridges, now visible, now hidden assume myriads of shapes like islands in the sea under the dazzling sunlight. In late afternoon, when wind and clouds calm down, the sunlight piercing through the thick clouds casts its reflections of innumerable colorful rings upon the rocks. "The rays of the light always follow you, and keep you in its glorious rings" is the unique feature of Buddhist Light.

Sichuan - Grand Buddha of Leshan

    Located in Leshan City of Sichuan Province, the Grand Buddha of Leshan the biggest carved stone Buddha in China. The Grand Buddha, bare-footed and with drooping ears, has his hair arranged in a spiral knot on top, his chest exposed and his hands rested upon the knees. The Buddha carved into the whole face of a cliff, has its head at the same level as the cliff top, and the feet touching the river bellow. "The mountain is a Buddha, the Buddha is a mountain" is how the people are impressed.
    The Buddha is 71 meters tall, with 28-meters wide shoulders, 14.7-meters high head and 1.6-meters long toenails. It is taller by 17 meters than the standing Buddha in Afghanistan, the "so-called" tallest Buddha in the world.
    Leshan Indistinct Buddha: It is a huge lying Buddha formed by several immense mountains, measuring 4000 meters long. It has been in slumber for over 2000 years. Its head is the Wulong mountain covered with towers, pavilions, halls, and temples with vermilion walls and green tiles as well as rocks, bamboos and trees, which constitute a magic image of a head with wavy hair, a broad forehead, a straight nose and two slightly parted lips. The solemn and kindly countenance it presents is typical of a Chinese Buddha. The Lingyun Mountain consisting of 9 successive peaks forms the body of the Indistinct Buddha, with swelling breasts, round waist, the slightly curved abdomen, and strong legs. The Guicheng Mountain in the north resembles his upturned soles. The enormous Buddha, well-proportioned and appearing carefree, is really a wonder.