The Giant Buddha

The Giant Buddha is located to the east of Leshan City, Sichuan Province, at the confluence of three rivers, namely Min River, Qingyi River, and Dadu River. It is carved into the cliffs of Lingyunshan. A local saying describes the Giant Buddha like this: "The Mountain unveils a Buddha, while the Buddha fades into the mountain." Construction on the Giant Buddha began in 713. It was the idea of a Chinese monk named Haitong, who hoped that the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued the shipping vessels traveling down the river. The massive construction project was finally completed by his disciples 90 years later. The construction resulted in so much stone being removed from the cliff face and deposited into the river below that the currents were altered by the statue, making the waters safe for passing ships as the monk had hoped.