Leshan is a pretty small city with a popualtion of around 7,000 and is situated in the Southwest of Sichuan Province. It lies about 180 km from Chengdu and about 20 km from Emeishan. This 1300 year old market town has recently undergone major reconstruction work but fortunately remains a pleasant place to visit and view the biggest Buddha in the world.
The city is situated at the meeting point of the Dadu and Min rivers and the most famous site, the Grand Buddha or Dafu, towers above the river bed. The outskirts of the city have been reduced to rubble and the center now consists of sleek paving, tall offices and electronic billboards. Despite all this, there are still some pretty little streets and markets to explore here, and modernization has made the town a relatively clean and invigorating place to spend a few days and the climate and landscape here endow Leshan with abundant natural resources. The area is rich in plant species and fir trees and other rare species of mountain flora can be found in abundance. Some 296 animal species have been recorded; over 20 of these are protected species including pandas.
Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest stone sculpture of Buddha in the world, sits at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers. According to records, the carving of this giant Buddha was begun in the first year of the reign of the Tang Emperor Xuanzong (713 AD), and completed in the 19th year of Emperor Dezong (803 AD), a total of 90 years.
Taking the shape of a Maitreya Buddha,who is depicted barefooted with drooping ears and has his hair arranged in a spiral topknot. His chest is exposed and his hands rest on his knees. Carved from the side of the Lingyun Hill, with his head level with the cliff top, the gigantic stone sculpture faces Mt. Emeishan, with the rivers flowing below his feet.
Looking dignified and solemn, the Buddha measures 71 meters in height. His shoulders are 28 meters across. The head is 14.7 meters long and 10 meters broad with total 1021 buns of hair on it. The instep, which is 8.5 meters wide, can accommodate 100 people. The toe is large enough to accommodate a dinner table. Taller by 17 meters than the standing Buddha in Afghanistan, Leshan Giant Buddha is therefore the tallest Buddha in the world and in 1996, it was added to the World Natural and Cultural Heritage List.
Besides all of these, by cruising over the Minjiang river right in front of the Buddha Mount (Lingyunshan) one will be able to have a panoramic view of the whole mountain as a huge sleeping Buddha. On Mount Linyunshan stands the Pagoda of the Souls. It is 125ft (38m) high built in the Song dynasty (960-1279) .Seen from the pagoda you can appreciate a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside.