DAY 42c
LESHAN ~ Maitreya Giant Buddha (Sichuan, CHN)
Thursday August 17th, 2017
TODAYS MILEAGE – 76 miles or 122 kilometres
TRIP MILEAGE – 34,655 miles or 55,772 kilometres
Constructed over a 90 year period from 713AD in the "Tang Dynasty", the "Leshan Giant Buddha" measures around 233 feet (71 meters) in height and is recognised as the largest carved stone Buddha in the world.
Located on the convergence of the Dadu, the Xinkai and the Minjiang Rivers, it was a monk named "Hai Tong" who initiated the project, due to his concern for the safety of those who earned their living on and around the three rivers. The unpredictable waters ensured that boat accidents were numerous in which the locals put the associated deaths and drownings down to the presence of a water spirit. Hai Tong decided to carve a statue beside the river, thinking that the Buddha would bring the water spirit under control.
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