Thursday, May 29, 2008

Chengdu, Leshan Grand Buddha




When we arrrived in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, we asked our guide, Ying Ying, about the earthquake. She said it was very scary and that she (and probably the rest of the city) slept outside for two nights. We didn't spend much time in Chengdu but the city is very interesting. Here's a link for more information:



We left Chengdu and headed south to Leshan to see the Grand Buddha. The Grand Buddha was built in the Tang Dynasty starting at 713 AD. It is 233 feet tall and an amazing work of art. You can see it two ways. One is to walk down from the top. The other is to see it from the river. I thought we would have a better view from the river so we took a boat on the river. The Buddha is at the confluence of three huge rivers and at one point we could see the muddy water of one river mix with another river. There is a distinct line in the water where the two rivers meet.

Top Right: The Grand Buddha. Note the people at the base of the statue.
Middle: The Face of the Grand Buddha.
Top Left: People walking down the stairway along the side of the Grand Buddha.

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