The World Tallest Buddha Statue-Giant Buddha Temple

 

The Giant Buddha temple of Leshan (aka Dafo) is the tallest rock Buddha statue inthe world, stamped out of a cliff face by an 8th-century monk in southern Szechuan province. The Giant Buddha overlooks the convergence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers and faces the sacred Mount Emei.

It creation on the Giant Buddha began in 713 AD. It was the initiative of a Chinese monk named Haitong, who hoped that the Buddha would calm the unstable waters that plagued the shipping vessels travelling downhill the river. His plans were not just mystical - the huge amount of rubble carved away from the face would be deposited in the river, varying the currents and calming the waters.

It standing 71 meters (233 feet) tall, Dafo is the tallest Buddha sculpture in the world. His shoulders are 28 meters (92 feet) wide and his least toenail can accommodate a seated person. Each eyebrow is 18 feet long. According to a local people saying, "The mountain is a Buddha andthe Buddha is a peak."