Buddha statue in ancient China. Buddha Maitreya - what awaits humanity with his arrival? Big Buddha of Hong Kong
When going on a trip, people initially set themselves a goal: to relax, have fun or learn something new. We should stop at the last component and consider it more deeply. To get new emotions and fill your hearts with impressions, you should go to China and visit the Buddha statue. Imagine, a giant statue of Maitreya Buddha, the teacher of humanity, is carved into the rock.
The Buddha statue is located in China, in Leshan, Sichuan Province. You will be delighted to see the attraction included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.
Historical Facts of Big Buddha Statue in China
According to legend, the monk Hai Tun, in order to appease the elements, decided to carve an image of the supreme deity in the rock. For twenty years he collected money for the construction of a Buddha sculpture. And when, finally, the required amount was collected, local authorities decided to take it to finance the city’s infrastructure. Hai Tun's refusal to share money with local authorities caused them discontent and refusal to help with construction. Having begun carving, the monk died when the statue was half finished; the rest of the work was continued by his students. Work on the construction of this majestic sculpture began in 713 and lasted for 90 years. The formation of the Big Buddha sculpture in China occurred during the reign of the Tang Dynasty.
The workers worked tirelessly for many years in the name of great art, and faith helped them in this. And decades later, the statue of the Big Buddha of China was created as the embodiment of the universe.
The statue symbolizes the unbroken spirit and the purity of people’s faith in higher powers; this fact still attracts the attention of not only hundreds of tourists, but also spiritual followers of Buddhism.
Buddha statue in China, what is it like?
The Buddha’s face is turned to Emeishan, a sleeping mountain that is located opposite the statue, and gathers many who want to look into the eyes of the legendary symbol of faith of all Buddhists who are in a fifteen-meter head. The ears of the statue are carved from wood, 7 meters each. And a dozen tourists can fit on one toe. The location and appearance of the statue is not accidental; it contains both mystical and obvious facts that beckon deep into history, stretching to this day. The statue stands in a place where three rivers merge, which create dangerous gyres, and where many local residents die.
His hands are on his knees. He sits on the same level with Lingyunshan Mountain, and his feet rest against the river, from which coolness emanates. It is not for nothing that the statue is called the Big Buddha in China, its dimensions are simply stunning, just imagine the height of the sculpture - 71 m, and the width of the shoulders - 30 m, thanks to these dimensions the statue is recognized as the largest in the world.
Functions of the Big Buddha statue in China
The attraction bears not only a spiritual, majestic character, attracting with its appearance, but also a number of other important functions:
- shelter from rain;
- erosion protection;
- carrying out water supply structures for drainage systems.
These features contribute to improving the lives of Chinese residents.
But no matter how the world changes, and no matter what happens to the external indicators of the statue, it will always remain powerful and captivating the views of others.
It's all about her, the majestic statue of Buddha, and if you decide to spend your trip with the goal of learning new things and finding inspiration, this sculpture is an excellent option. Be one of the hundreds of tourists who travel every year to the foot of the Big Buddha in China, a majestic architectural monument. Climb to a hundred-meter height and breathe in the air saturated with faith and awareness of the truths of life.
IN Chinese province Shanxi archaeologists have discovered several thousand Buddha figurines hidden in three caves. The height of the figurines is 12-25 cm. Found right there on stone slabs the inscriptions give reason to assume that the time of creation of the figurines dates back to the reign of the Ming dynasty.
As scientists say, such items were popular during the Tang Dynasty, so this find can be considered unique.
Buddhism in China has a history of thousands of years, and images of Buddha are found everywhere in the country. China is home to many Buddha statues, both ancient and modern. We will talk about the largest of them below.
1. Buddha from Leshan.
This is perhaps the most famous ancient Buddha statue in China, which has gained worldwide fame. The statue is located in the central Chinese province of Sichuan. A huge statue of Buddha is carved right into the rocks of Lingyunshan Mountain. The time of construction of the statue dates back to the reign of the Tang Dynasty. Work on its creation began in 713 and took ninety years. Face stone statue directed to Eimeishan - sacred mountain, towering directly opposite. The head of the statue rises level with the surrounding rocks, and the legs of the statue rest against river waters. The height of the statue reaches 71 m, and the width of the shoulders is about 30 m. This is one of the largest Buddha statues on the planet. The passing centuries have left their traces on the statue and changed the original appearance of the statue. Once upon a time, the Buddha was decorated with a wooden gilded “armor”, which served as protection for the statue from bad weather, but during a fire the wooden shell of the statue burned down. Locals They even say in this regard that slowly the mountain turns into Buddha, and Buddha turns into a mountain.
2. Buddha of the Spring Temple.
This giant Buddha statue is located in Zhaocun, a small village in the Middle Kingdom. The statue depicts one of the 5 sacred Buddhas - Buddha Vairocana. The statue was created after the Afghan Taliban blew up several ancient Buddha statues. In China, they perceived this fact very negatively and, in response, built their own tall statue Buddhas on the planet. As a result, a statue of Buddha appeared in Henan province, symbolizing the respect of the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom for the Buddhist heritage of their country. Construction of the statue proceeded at an accelerated pace and was completed in 2002. The height of the Zhaotsong Buddha reaches 128 meters. The statue itself reaches a height of 108 meters, and another 20 meters is the base of the statue, built in the shape of a lotus flower. And this entire structure rests on a 25-meter pedestal. In 2010, a small reconstruction was carried out architectural complex and as a result, the hill on which the statue is located was processed in the form of two huge stone steps, which added height to the structure. After reconstruction, the height of the complex reached 208 meters, which was recorded in the Guinness Book. During the construction of the statue, 15,000 tons of structural steel, 108 kilograms of gold, and 33 tons of copper were used. The statue was created in parts, which were then mounted on a single structure. The number of components from which the statue is assembled is 1100 units. The construction of the statue cost $55 million, of which $18 million went directly to the statue.
3. Grand Buddha from Wuxi.
This Buddha statue is located in Jiangsu Province and is the world's largest Buddha statue made of bronze. The height of the statue, rising on Lingshan Hill, reaches 88 meters. Weight giant statue is more than 800 tons. You can get to the statue by climbing a staircase of 217 steps. The Grand Buddha is located near Xiangfu Temple and Taihu Lake, both popular tourist attractions. Recently, a temple in the shape of the hand of Buddha was completed near the Grand Buddha.
4. Big Buddha of Hong Kong.
This giant statue of Shakyamuni Buddha rises on Mount Ngon Phin, located on Lantau Island. According to the architects, the statue should symbolize harmony in the relationship between nature and people, man and faith. The design of the structure began in 1976, but work on the construction of the statue began only in 1990. High-ranking representatives of Buddhism from China, Japan, Korea, India and other countries came to Hong Kong for the grand opening of the complex in 1993. The Big Buddha statue is assembled on a steel frame on which 202 individual bronze parts are attached. The face of the statue is covered with gilding. The Buddha sits on a three-tiered pedestal in the shape of a lotus flower, which is a copy of the Beijing Temple of Heaven. The Buddha reaches 34 meters in height and weighs more than 250 tons. The area of the architectural complex is more than 6.5 thousand sq.m. A staircase with 268 steps leads to the statue. The Buddha sits in a meditative position, and the right hand of the statue shows Abhaya mudra, which protects and dispels fears. On the palm of the Buddha there is a wheel of Dharma, which is supposed to symbolize progress. The fingers of the statue’s left hand show the Kubera mudra, which helps to make wishes come true. In front of the statue there are 6 small bronze statues of bodhisattvas who present gifts to the Buddha. These gifts symbolize meditation, wisdom, patience, morality - everything necessary to achieve enlightenment.
The Maitreya Buddha statue is one of the tallest and oldest Buddha statues in the world. This grandiose creation is located in the Chinese province of Sichuan, near the city of Leshan. The gaze of the 71-meter-high statue has been directed towards the sacred Mount Emeishan located opposite for more than a thousand years. The figure of God is visible from several tens of kilometers away.
Until the middle XVII century The body of the Big Buddha up to the very head was hidden by thirteen floors of the wooden Daxiangge Temple, protecting the shrine from rain and snow. This building was later destroyed by a strange fire, which could not be extinguished despite all efforts. After this, Buddha in all his stone beauty and divine steadfastness appeared before the eyes of ordinary mortals.
Construction of the statue began during the Tang Dynasty and continued for 90 years. According to legend, by erecting a sacred monument, the monk Hai Tun wanted to appease the element of water, because too often local residents became victims of stormy rivers.
It is worth noting that the very name of the province “Sichuan” is translated as “Four Rivers”. The monk chose a place for the monument in a rock near the confluence of two rivers - Minjiang and Daduhe. For the next 20 years, Hai Tong wandered the lands of China and collected donations for the construction of the statue. In 713, when the necessary amount was collected, the monk returned to Sichuan to begin implementing his plan.
But before he could begin to make his dream come true, government officials came to him and demanded half of the donations collected in exchange for local government support for the construction. The monk’s answer was short and clear: “I’d rather gouge out my eyes than give away the Buddha’s treasures.” When the extortionists came to Hai Tun again, he fulfilled his oath by drawing a knife and depriving himself of one eye. Confused and dissatisfied, the officials decided to leave the old man alone, but not to help him in his endeavors.
By the time of Hai Tun's death, the statue was completed only up to the knees, but the monk's work was continued by his students and by 803 the statue of Maitreya Buddha was completed. Carving the monument into the rocks, workers threw stone fragments into the river. Over time, this reduced the intensity of the water flow. Thus, it turned out that Buddha still tamed the harsh temper of the stormy rivers.
Currently, the statue of Maitreya Buddha is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts many tourists and pilgrims from all over the world. Some are looking here for answers, others for healing, and others come for the contemplation of divine majesty, which even time cannot destroy.
Video – Great Buddha (Sichuan, China)
The largest Buddha in the world is considered to be the statue of the seated Maitreya Buddha in Leshan in Sichuan province. Locals call it Da Pho, literally “Big Buddha”, and also “Buddha of the Mountain”. Its height is 71 m, and its body length at the shoulders is 30 m.
On both sides of the Giant, about a hundred stone images of bodhisattvas, buddhas, sky birds and lions are carved; on the top of the mountain there is a temple and a park.
This unique complex has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1996), and is also one of the important cultural properties of China.
Every day hundreds of tourists come from all over to see the largest Buddha in the world.
The world's largest Buddha carved into a rock is rightfully considered the statue of the seated Maitreya Buddha in Leshan. Photo: turj.ru
The largest Buddha in the world: The Buddha’s feet seem to rest on the river. Photo: turj.ru
Buddha mountains and Buddha mountains
Emeishan - Buddhist mountains. They stretch for 200 kilometers. Emeishan, as well as Wutaishan, Putuoshan and Jiuhuashan are famous as the “mountains of four bodhisattvas”. In ancient times, this place was considered holy for Buddhists and Taoists. Since the era Eastern Han During the Qing Dynasty, over 200 buildings were built here Buddhist temples, where thousands of monks lived. Of these, only dozens of attractions have survived to this day, in particular, the temples of Baogosi, Wanniansi, Xianfengsi, the Xixiangchi pond, and the statue of Da Fo is one of them.
The statue of Maitreya Buddha is carved into the thickness of Mount Lingyunshan, where three rivers of Sichuan province - Minjiang, Daduhe and Qingyijiang - flow together. His divine body has truly impressive dimensions: height - 71 m; head height is about 15 m, finger length is 8 m, toe height is 1.6 m, nose length is 5.5 m, so his figure is visible from several tens of kilometers. Half-closed eyes are directed at sacred mountain Emeishan, the head reaches the top of the mountain, and the feet seem to rest on the river. In Sichuan there is a saying: “Buddha Mountains and Buddha Mountains.”
Inside the sculpture there is an amazing water drainage system, invisible to visitors, but still working. Grottoes and grooves skillfully hidden in the folds of clothing, on the hands, head and chest of the Buddha protect the statue from destruction.
Until about the middle of the 17th century, almost the entire body of the Great Buddha up to the very head was hidden, as if under an umbrella, by the thirteen-story Daxiangge Temple, which was built on the rocks above the statue. At first it was called the Pavilion of the Great Image. It was destroyed during the Ming Dynasty and has not yet been restored.
On the mountain itself, at the level of the Buddha's head, there is a 38-meter-high pagoda of souls, as well as a park and temple complex. On the walls around the giant are carved images of numerous Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
To the right of the top of the Buddha’s head there is a small park on the site. Faithful lovers come here to receive Heaven’s will for an inseparable life together. Taking with them ordinary padlocks, they hook them, lock them on the fence, and throw the keys into the abyss. From now on, they are not threatened with divorce - this is the custom.
Locals call the statue "Da Fo", literally "Big Buddha", and also "Buddha of the Mountain". Photo: turj.ru
The largest Buddha in the world: At the top, at the level of the Buddha's head, there is a 38-meter-high Soul Pagoda, as well as a temple complex and a park. Photo: turj.ru
Legend
They say that the stormy flows of the three rivers brought a lot of troubles, taking more than one life. According to legend, only after the construction of a giant statue of Maitreya Buddha, this problem was resolved. One of the names of Maitreya is the Lord endowed with compassion.
The construction of the Da Fo statue in Leshan was started by a monk named Hai Tong from Lingyun Temple. In 713 ─ during the reign of the Tang Dynasty ─ he and numerous masters began to hew the Enlightened One from the Lingyunshan rock. The construction of such a colossal complex lasted, according to stories, about 90 years. The monk died when the statue was half finished. His students completed the work.
According to legend, Hai Tun spent about twenty years collecting the money needed for construction. However, when he returned to hometown, the authorities forced him to give away the collected funds to establish local infrastructure. Unable to resist, the monk gouged out his eyes, striking the officials with this act, who walked away, leaving the construction alone, but not contributing to it in any way.
The largest Buddha in the world: This unique complex is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo: turj.ru
Leshan. A city at the confluence of three rivers. Photo: ironromeo/Livejournal.com
Future Buddha
In Buddhist philosophy, Maitreya is the Exponent of the Buddha's Teaching, the future Teacher of humanity, who will bring a new Teaching. This is the only bodhisattva revered by all schools of Buddhism.
“The Coming Teacher of Humanity”, “The Benevolent”, “Bodhisattva and Buddha of the New World”, “Invincible”, “Loving” - these are the names given to him by his followers.
Buddhists believe that Maitreya will appear on Earth, achieve complete enlightenment and begin to preach pure dharma.
The Maitreya Buddha statue is a thousand-year-old monument. Modern statues cast from bronze and copper cannot be compared with it. Numerous carved images of the Enlightened Ones enrich the unusual complex of the statue, carrying through the centuries the beliefs and man's respect for the gods.
In the lap of amazing nature ─ mountains, rivers and forests ─ Leshan Buddha sits majestically in the Middle Land between Heaven and Earth.
Da Fo, created over decades with great difficulty, was, is and remains a symbol of divinity and greatness of spirit for future generations.
The largest Buddha in the world, China
There are places in the world that you seem to know everything about, that you see repeatedly in photographs, but all the same, when you once again come across an interesting image, you admire the people who did it. And when the opportunity presents itself to see them in person, you are filled with such excitement that it seems that this is one of the happiest moments of life.
In the Chinese province of Sichuan, near the city of Leshan, a giant sculpture of Maitreya Buddha is carved into a rock. For 1000 years, the Leshan statue, 71 meters high, held the first position in the ranking of the most tall monuments peace. According to the ancient architects, the great must be embodied in gigantic proportions, because Maitreya is revered by all schools of Buddhism. Maitreya is the future Teacher of humanity
. Sooner or later he will appear on Earth, achieve enlightenment and preach dharma - the path of piety. The Leshan Buddha statue is one of the oldest in the world. It is installed in the place where three rivers merge, the oncoming waters of which create dangerous whirlpools.
As the legend goes, the monk Hai Tun decided to appease the elements by carving a sculptural image of the supreme deity in the rock. For many years the monk wandered through cities and villages, collecting money for the construction of the statue, and in 713 he began construction. Hai Tong died when the statue of Buddha was made only to the knees, but he managed to achieve his noble goal. While cutting down the statue in the rock, the workers threw stone fragments into the river, as a result of which the water streams were partially covered. Thus, it turned out that the Buddha tamed the stormy temper of the river. According to legend, when the local ruler demanded that Hai Tun give him the donations collected for the construction of the statue, he replied: “I would rather gouge out my eyes than give away the treasures of Buddha.” Soon the ruler came to the monk for money, but he pulled out a knife and fulfilled his oath, depriving himself of an eye. The confused extortionist retreated. After the death of the monk, his work was continued by the rulers of Sichuan, and after 90 years,.
in 803 the statue of the Enlightened One was completed Buddha statue in Leshan - the embodiment of the universe. A giant, 70-meter tall Buddha sits facing water spaces
In the walls surrounding the statue are carved stone images of 90 bodhisattvas - spiritual mentors of people. At the head of the giant there is a pagoda and a temple complex with a park. Against the background of the monument, spectators appear to be tiny insects.
A stream of tourists, like a swarm of bees, surrounds the Buddha's head on all sides and cascades down the rock to his feet. A small group of tourists can sit on any of the giant’s toes (the length of the toe is 1.6 m). Each viewer tries to find the most convenient point for viewing, but is forced to examine the statue only from a side angle. From the top of the rock, the impartial face of the Enlightened One is visible, while his legs and body are hidden under the ledge. Below, the entire panorama is occupied by the knees of Buddha, above which a gigantic face can be seen somewhere above.
The statue is not created for contemplation: in Buddhism, the entire universe is nothing more than the body of the Buddha (Buddha-kaya) or the body of Truth (dharma-kaya), and it is incomprehensible through the senses or the mind. But it is Dharma-kaya that connects a person with the truly existing, allowing him to achieve the purest and highest state of “supramundane” existence. As they said in China: “We achieve Perfect Enlightenment when the heart merges with the base of the stone monument.” Interestingly, in the Middle Ages, the body of Buddha was hidden under a 13-tiered temple-tower, but this building burned down in a fire.
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The Big Buddha impresses not only with its size, but also with its expressiveness: the appearance of the giant literally breathes nobility, grandeur and kindness.
Maitreya Buddha in Leshan- pacifier of the water element.
Inside the sculptural work there is a skillfully constructed drainage structure, which is almost impossible to notice from the outside. Grottoes and grooves, hidden in the folds of clothing, on the hands, head, and chest of the Buddha, serve as drainage systems and protect the sculpture from weathering and destruction.
At the top, on the mountain itself, at the head of the Buddha, there is a 38-meter-high pagoda of souls, as well as a temple complex and a park. On the walls around the giant there are carved images of Bodhisattvas (there are more than 90 of them) and numerous images of Buddha.
Maitreya is considered the future incarnation of the Great Teacher of mankind, and he is revered by all Buddhist schools, believing that one day he will appear on Earth, will definitely achieve enlightenment and begin to preach to people the path of piety - the dharma.
in 803 the statue of the Enlightened One was completed installed at the confluence of three rivers. Once upon a time, their rapid flows, meeting, created stormy and dangerous whirlpools. According to legend, the Buddhist monk Hai Tun, seeing this, decided to pacify the elements by sculpting a giant sculpture of the Teacher in the adjacent mountain gorge.
Now, having arrived in Leshan, any tourist can admire the impressive sculpture. The face of Maitreya Buddha is turned towards the river, giant hands folded on his knees; its 15-meter head reaches the top of the rock, and its huge legs (toes are about 1.6 m long) almost touch the river. The Teacher's 7-meter ears, carved from durable wood, are skillfully fitted to the stone face. The Buddha is dressed in a tunic, along the carefully carved stone folds of which water flows during rain, preventing the destruction of the rock.
At the head of the colossal monument there is a temple complex with a small park, and in the rocks surrounding the statue there are carved statues of 90 bodhisattvas - the spiritual mentors of humanity.
In the Middle Ages, the Buddha sculpture was hidden under a 13-tiered temple built above it, but this building was destroyed by fire, and now, as before, the rocks are the only walls for the giant statue.
Interestingly, it is almost impossible to completely take in the Buddha statue in Leshan: an impartial face is open from above, but the legs are hidden under a mountain ledge, and from below the legs can be seen perfectly, but the face of the statue is almost completely covered by huge knees. The best angle is from the side, but it doesn’t allow you to see the entire monument in detail.
This feature was not given to the sculpture by chance. It is perfectly consistent with the Buddhist doctrine of the universe, according to which the whole world is the body of the Buddha (Buddha-kaya) or the body of the Law (Dharma-kaya), which is incomprehensible from the point of view of the senses and mind. That's why buddha statue in china not intended for viewing. Being the material embodiment of the Dharma-kaya, it connects people with the truly existing, allowing them to achieve a special state of the purest supermundane existence, which, according to Buddhists, is the true goal of every person’s life. On this occasion, the Chinese say the following: “We achieve Perfect Enlightenment at the moment when our heart merges with the base of the stone statue.”
