The Leshan Giant Buddha: A Monumental Marvel of Ancient Engineering"

1.Why is Leshan Giant Buddha so Special?

Leshan Giant Buddha, a colossal Buddha statue carved at the confluence of Min River, Qingyi River, and Dadu River, attracts countless tourists at home and abroad who come to pay homage with its majestic appearance and long history every year. It was started in the early years of the Kaiyuan reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (713 AD) and completed in the 19th year of the Zhenyuan reign (803 AD). With a total height of 71 meters, it is the tallest and largest cliff Maitreya statue in the world. The height of the Giant Buddha is equivalent to that of a modern building with 25 floors, just the instep of the Buddha is so large that 100 people can stand around it! And this travel guide will take you to have an in-depth understanding of the unique charm of the Leshan Giant Buddha and plan an unforgettable journey for you.  

1.1 History Background

The construction of the Leshan Giant Buddha originated from a story full of compassion. In the Tang Dynasty, the Buddhist monk Haitong witnessed the turbulent water flow at the confluence of the three rivers, where tragic incidents of boats being destroyed and people losing their lives often occurred. He then made a vow to build a giant Buddha statue to quell the floods, he went around soliciting alms, after going through countless hardships, and finally managed to raise the funds and started the construction of the Buddha. After Monk Haitong passed away, his disciples carried on his unfinished aspiration and continued the project. Eventually, this magnificent masterpiece throughout the ages was completed.

Leshan Giant Buddha is a statue of Maitreya Buddha. During the Tang Dynasty, Maitreya Buddha was revered. According to Buddhist scriptures, when Maitreya descends to the world, "there will be peace under heaven", so he may be the future Buddha who can bring light and happiness to the masses. Therefore, Monk Haitong built this Buddha statue in order to reduce the floods in this area.

1.2 The uniqueness of Leshan Giant Buddha

World's Largest: As the largest seated stone statue of Maitreya Buddha in the world, it is 18 meters taller than the Bamiyan Giant Buddha in Afghanistan.

Long History: The construction of the Giant Buddha began in the Tang Dynasty (713 AD) and it took 90 years to complete with a time-honored history (more than 1,300 years up to now). 

Exquisite Craftsmanship: Giant Buddha was built against the mountain and integrates perfectly with the mountain body, reflecting the superb craftsmanship and wisdom of ancient craftsmen.

Cultural Treasure: Leshan Giant Buddha is a symbol of Buddhist culture and also a masterpiece at the peak of ancient Chinese stone carving art, it is endowed with extremely high historical, artistic and scientific values.

1.3 Tangible Benefits Bring to Tourists

Visual Shock: Leshan Giant Buddha adopts the typical style of Buddhist statues in the Tang Dynasty. With a solemn and compassionate facial expression and earlobes that reach down to the shoulders, it gives people the approachable and majestic sense. Its head is level with the mountain, and its feet step on the river water, thus presenting a magnificent momentum. Additionally, Lingyun Mountain, where the Leshan Giant Buddha stands, has extremely beautiful scenery, so tourists can enjoy the magnificent view of spotting the confluence of the three rivers here, hence feeling the magic and beauty of nature, as well as the visual impact and spiritual shock it brings.

Cultural Experience: Regarded as an important symbol of Buddhist culture, Leshan Giant Buddha represents the compassion, wisdom, and the power. The shape and carving details of the Buddha statue contain rich Buddhist doctrines and philosophical thoughts. Carving in the Tang Dynasty, it has witnessed the prosperity and changes of ancient society and is also important physical material for studying various aspects such as the society, economy, culture, and religion of the Tang Dynasty. Moreover, tourists can visit the nearby temples and historical sites, learn about the local Buddhist culture and history, and finally experience the unique charm of ancient Chinese stone carving art.

Spiritual Baptism: Standing at the foot of Leshan Giant Buddha and looking up at this huge Buddha statue, travelers will feel an unparalleled shock and peace. The Buddha statue has a serene expression and a kind face, as if conveying a force of peace and tranquility. It helps tourists to put down their worries and pressures in their hearts, and hence experience the peace and relaxation of the soul.

2. Leshan Giant Buddha & Other Attractions in Scenic Area

2.1 Leshan Giant Buddha 乐山大佛

The Leshan Giant Buddha, standing as the world's largest stone statue of Maitreya Buddha, is an architectural marvel. With a total height of 71 meters, a head height of 14.7 meters, shoulders spanning 24 meters, ears measuring 7 meters in length, and an instep width of 8.5 meters, it truly embodies the ancient adage, "The mountain is a Buddha, and the Buddha is a mountain." Nestled against Lingyun Mountain, this colossal statue has withstood the test of time for over 1,300 years.

During the Tang Dynasty, when the Buddha was erected, a wooden Buddha Pavilion was simultaneously constructed to safeguard it. Throughout the centuries, the Buddha has undergone numerous restorations. The version we see today is the result of a major overhaul carried out from 1930 to 1933. 

The beauty of Leshan Giant Buddha can be savored from multiple perspectives. When viewed from afar by boat or admired from the Buddha - viewing platform, one can witness its elegant and prosperous style just as it was displayed in the Tang Dynasty despite the passage of a thousand years. This vividly demonstrates the Tang rulers' ardent pursuit of monumental statues. As one walks along the Nine - turn Zigzag Path for a close - up view, the drainage ditches on the Buddha's robes and the ventilation holes behind its ears and shoulders come into sight. It is precisely due to the ingenious construction techniques of our ancestors that the Buddha has been preserved in a relatively intact condition.

Strategically located along the essential route of the Southern Silk Road, Leshan Giant Buddha serves as a testament to the flourishing economy and convenient transportation of Jiazhou during the Tang Dynasty. Renowned literati of ancient times, such as Su Shi, Lu You, and Fan Chengda, visited this place and left behind many timeless masterpieces. The inscriptions surrounding the Buddha, the grotto statues, and Lingyun Temple, in harmony with the Buddha itself, together form a comprehensive Buddhist cultural realm.

2.2 The Nine-turn Plank Road 九曲栈道

This path, which is on the stone wall to the right of the Leshan Giant Buddha, was excavated at the same time as the Leshan Giant Buddha. By ascending or descending the steps along the Nine-turn Plank Road, tourists can observe the Buddha from top to bottom, from head to toe, and admire all parts of it, thus experiencing its grandeur. There are exquisite stone carvings on the path, including some pavilions, terraces and towers. The "Sutra Transformation Diagram" at the first turn is exquisitely carved and is also a rare treasure of architectural and stone carving art from the Tang Dynasty. The widest part of the plank road is 1.45 meters, and the narrowest part is 0.6 meters. There are a total of 217 stone steps. The path winds down along the cliff, leading visitors to the foot of the Giant Buddha.

2.3 Lingyun Temple 凌云寺

Located on the way from the Leshan Giant Buddha to the east gate, it was first built in the Tang Dynasty, even earlier than the time when the Leshan Giant Buddha was carved. Actually, it is the guardian temple rebuilt in the sixth year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty and consists of a triple quadrangle courtyard building composed of the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, and the Buddhist Sutra Depository. The temple is filled with the strong fragrance of burning incense, and ancient trees reach up to the sky. There is also a Buddhist Sutra Depository in the temple, which was built during the period of the Republic of China and combines Chinese and Western architectural styles. The whole building is crimson in color, with Chinese-style upturned eaves on the roof and a modern structure for the building body. 

2.4 Lingbao Pagoda 灵宝塔 

Also known as the Lingyun Pagoda, it stands on the peak of Lingbao Mountain behind Lingyun Temple. It is one of the few remaining brick pagodas from the Tang Dynasty in China. With a height of 29.29 meters and thirteen floors, it is a multi-eave pagoda. Its structure and style are similar to those of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an. In 2020, it was listed as a key national cultural relic protection site. 

Up to now, it is one of the commanding heights in Leshan urban area, which had a prosperous shipping industry in ancient times and it once served as a navigation mark for ships, reminding boatmen that they were about to enter the turbulent rapids and should pay attention to their navigation. 

2.5 Mahao Cliff Tombs 麻浩崖墓

Situated in the scenic area of the Leshan Giant Buddha, it lies on the eastern bank of the flood discharge channel between Lingyun Mountain and Wuyou Mountain. They are a form of tomb popular during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Spanning approximately 200 meters from east to west, there are 544 numbered cliff tombs, stacked layer upon layer and as dense as a beehive, thus displaying a spectacular sight.

These tombs are constructed in the form of the tomb owners' dwellings during their lifetimes, demonstrating the Han Dynasty's concept of "treating death as it were life" in funerals. There are plenty of exquisite stone carvings in the tomb chambers, among them, Mahao Cliff Tomb No. 1 is the main focus of the visit in the museum. There are many precious cultural relics that showcase the culture, daily life, and religion of the Han Dynasty, so it is of high historical value.

The ticket price is 70 yuan (a through ticket, including the Mahao Cliff Tombs Museum and Wuyou Temple).

Opening hours: 07:30 - 19:30 (from January 1st to December 31st, Monday - Sunday)

2.6 Wuyou Mountain 乌尤山

As a part of the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area, Wuyou Mountain is connected to Lingyun Mountain. Lingyun Mountain is on its right side, and Ma'an Mountain is on its left side, with Wuyou Mountain in the middle.

Surrounded by water on all sides, Wuyou Mountain stands alone as a solitary peak. The mountain is covered with lush forests and features a serene and elegant scenery. Whether it is the spring tides of the three rivers or the misty rain in autumn, the view is full of poetic charm. Tourists can stroll along the stone steps, experiencing the tranquil bamboo forests and pavilions, as if they have stepped into a paradise. Standing on the top of the mountain, one can look into the distance and see the Golden Summit of Mount Emei looming in the clouds and mist. The Min River rushes turbulently, and the sight of the point of the three rivers is truly breathtaking. Most importantly, it is free of charge all the year around and deserves a visit.

2.7 The Oriental Buddha Park 东方佛都

It is located within the Lingyun Mountain Scenic Area in Leshan City and is an important part of Leshan's cultural and tourism industry. The cliffside statues in the Oriental Buddha Park are truly remarkable. Using traditional statue carving techniques, they are exquisitely carved on the hard rocks, creating lifelike, compassionate and solemn Buddha statues. These Buddha statues have smooth lines, harmonious proportions, and diverse expressions, demonstrating a very high artistic standard. At the same time, the statues in the Buddha Park incorporate modern aesthetic concepts and carving techniques, making the cliff statues retain their quaint charm while having more characteristics of artistic appeal, there are many scenic spots worth visiting in the Oriental Buddha Park as below.

Ten Thousand Buddha Cave: It is a palace-style building underground, with huge Buddha statues inside, giving people a shocking visual experience.

Hundred-meter Sleeping Buddha: A huge Buddha hidden in the mountain wall and tourists can watch and take photos on the bridge.

The Statue of Sakyamuni Buddha and the Statue of Medicine Buddha: They are 33 meters and 51 meters high respectively, standing tall in the skyline, thus inspiring a sense of awe.

Lianxin Mountain: By reaching the top, you can overlook the scenic area. There are a total of 173 stone steps, but the stairs are relatively steep, so people need to pay attention to safety.

These scenic spots not just display superb carving art but also allow tourists to feel the profound heritage of Buddhist culture in the natural and cultural landscapes.

3. How to Get There?

External Transportation 

By Air

Departing from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (成都双流国际机场), it takes about 1 hour to fly to Leshan. Then, tourists can choose to take a high-speed train to Leshan Station and transfer to a bus or take a taxi to reach the scenic area.

By Train

Departing from Chengdu East Railway Station or Chengdu South Railway Station, there are high-speed trains and trains that directly reach Leshan Station, and the journey takes about 50 minutes. After arriving at Leshan Station, you can take a bus or a taxi to the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area.

By Long-distance Bus

Departing from Chengdu, you can take a bus to Leshan at Chengdu Xin Nanmen Bus Station (成都新南门车站), Chengdu North Railway Station Bus Station, or Shiyangchang Bus Station (石羊场车站). The ticket price is approximately 46 yuan, and the whole journey takes about 1 hour and 49 minutes. After arriving in Leshan, tourists can take Bus No. 13 to reach the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area.

Internal Transportation

By Bus

Take buses No. 601, K1, 302 or 3 in Leshan City and get off at the Leshan Giant Buddha Station to arrive at the destination.

By High-speed Rail

Starting from Leshan High-speed Rail Station, transfer to buses No. 302, K1 or 601, and get off at the Leshan Giant Buddha Station.

By Boat

Take a ferry from Leshan Port to the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area.

Address: No. 2435, Middle Section of Lingyun Road, Leshan City, Sichuan Province

Time needed: 3-4 hours

Best Time: March-May, September-November

Suited to: Travel enthusiasts, culture lovers, photography lovers

Ticket information

Tips: Tourists and elderly people suffering from hypertension, heart disease, coronary heart disease and other diseases should try to visit the scenic spot accompanied by their families to prevent accidents.

4. What to Do and See in Leshan Giant Buddha

Sightseeing and Taking Photos

Route 1: Tourists can take a taxi to the entrance in the North Gate at first and then visit the Wine-carrying Pavilion(载酒亭), Lingyun Temple, and the Leshan Giant Buddha in sequence, and finally leave from the East Gate, the admission fee is 80 yuan.

Route 2: If you want to have a further understanding of the Leshan Giant Buddha, you can choose the all-inclusive tour ticket which costs 160 yuan. At the beginning, you can visit the 170-meter-long Giant Sleeping Buddha, the 33-meter-high seated Buddha in the underground palace, as well as the 51-meter-high Medicine Buddha. Then, you can visit the Leshan Giant Buddha, and finally get out from the South Gate, where you can see some tourist attractions such as the cliff tombs in the Han Dynasty and Wuyou Temple (乌尤寺).

Boat Tour: One can also choose to take a boat to visit the Leshan Giant Buddha, departing from Wuyou Wharf (乌尤码头) with the 15 minutes' drive, during which you can see the whole view of the Buddha and the fee of boat tour is 70 yuan.

Taking Photos: Opposite the Leshan Giant Buddha, you can overlook the entire Buddha and the beautiful scenery of the surrounding mountains on the mountain of Wuyou Temple (乌尤寺) across the Min River. In addition, taking a boat to view from the river is also a good opportunity to take a panorama view of the Buddha.

Gourmet Experience

Qiao Jiao Beef 跷脚牛肉

Qiao Jiao beef, it is a special traditional dish in Leshan. According to legend, there was an old Chinese medicine doctor named Luo was with the intention of saving people in the early 1830s, so he set up a pot by the riverside in Suji Town, Leshan, to cook medicinal herbs and relieve the passers-by. During that time, he saw some wealthy families throwing beef into the river and thought it was a pity. So, he picked up the beef, washed it, and put it in a soup pot with Chinese herbal medicines. As a result, he found that the soup tasted extremely fragrant. Gradually, more and more people came specifically to drink the beef soup, and the restaurant was always full. Among them, those who didn't have a seat, some stood, some squatted, and some just sat on the steps at the door with their legs crossed and ate directly with a bowl in hand. Over time, the diners vividly gave it the nickname "Qiao Jiao" (cross-legged) Beef.

Leshan Tofu Pudding (乐山豆腐脑)

Leshan Tofu Pudding is not featured in bean curd, but mainly focused on the thickened soup. Using fried soybeans and dark soy sauce as the base, you can scoop up a thick soup, put a few pieces of bean curd, sprinkle with coriander and chili oil made from cooked oil, then a bowl of delicious Tofu Pudding is ready. It can be paired with snacks such as steamed beef with rice flour, and the taste is extremely wonderful.

Sweet-skinned Duck 甜皮鸭

The sweet-skinned duck in Leshan follows the imperial cuisine craftsmanship of the Qing Dynasty, it was discovered and improved by the folk. Its brine has a unique flavor, with the characteristics of a brownish-red color and a slightly sweet and crispy skin.

Bowl-style Chicken 钵钵鸡

Bowl-style Chicken, also called Boboji (钵钵鸡) in Chinese, is also a very famous snack in Leshan, which enjoys a history of more than a hundred years. "Boboji" actually refers to an earthenware pot. The outside of the pot is painted with porcelain dragon patterns in red and yellow. Inside the pot, there are seasonings mainly featuring spiciness and numbness. The dishes are strung on skewers after special processing, cooled down, and soaked in seasonings of various flavors. When eating, you can directly take them out of the pot. Of course, it doesn't only include chicken, there are both meat and vegetable dishes with very good taste.

5. Attractions Nearby

Mount Emei 峨眉山

As one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China, it is renowned worldwide for its beautiful natural scenery and long-standing Buddhist culture, the scenic area of Mount Emei, covering an area of 154 square kilometers, and the highest peak, Wanfo Summit, stands at an altitude of 3,099 meters. Mount Emei is very vast and encompasses many famous scenic spots, such as the Golden Summit, Wannian Temple, Qingyin Pavilion, etc. Tourists can experience the rich natural scenery and religious culture here, thus feeling the unique charm of Mount Emei.

6. Best Tour Routes in Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area

Regarding the best way to visit the Leshan Giant Buddha, since the plank road in the scenic area extends from the head of the Buddha to its feet, it is very narrow and steep, so visitors may not always see the entire Buddha. Sometimes, visitors even need to spend four hours squeezing through the crowd to finish touring the whole scenic area. Therefore, taking a boat will provide tourists with a better experience. In this way, tourists can not only take a boat from the Baxian Cave Wharf (八仙洞码头) outside the scenic area to admire the whole view of the Leshan Giant Buddha, but also have a distant view of the three major "Giant Sleeping Buddhas" composed of Wuyou Mountain(乌尤山), Lingyun Mountain (凌云山)and Guicheng Mountain (龟城山).  

Price: 70 yuan per person, and the boat tour lasts for 30 minutes.

Time: 07:30 - 18:00 (From April 1st to October 7th); 08:00 - 17:00 (from October 8th to March 31st of the following year)

In addition, although many people have seen Leshan Giant Buddha during the day, the Buddha at night shows a unique charm.

"Night Tour of the Three Rivers" is a specially created night view tourism project in Leshan.

🚢 Tour Route

Wuyou Temple Wharf - Leshan Giant Buddha - Buddha Viewing Tower - Baxian Cave Wharf. 

The round trip is 8 kilometres in total. Along the way, tourists can appreciate the views of Leshan Giant Buddha, spot the night view of the three rivers and the ancient city, associated with listening to traditional Chinese music.

Operation Time 

☀️ In summer, the first boat departs at 20:00; the second boat departs at 21:30.

❄️ In winter, the first boat departs at 19:30; the second boat departs at 21:00.