Leshan Giant Buddha 乐山大佛Lèshān Dàfó

Why go to Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha sits carved into a red sandstone cliff, gazing across the meeting of the Min, Dadu and Qingyi rivers. A steep, narrow staircase beside the statue leads from its head down to its feet, where you can look up at its vast face. A short river boat ride gives the full view from the water.

The story

Work began in 713 under the monk Haitong, who hoped the Buddha would calm the deadly currents below, and it took about 90 years to finish. Ironically, the rock dumped into the river during carving may be what actually tamed the water.

What to see at Leshan Giant Buddha

• Lingbao Pagoda 灵宝塔: A brick pagoda on the hilltop above the Buddha, now a national protected monument, with views over the three rivers.
• Jiuqu Plank Road 九曲栈道: The zigzag stairway cut down the cliff beside the Buddha, from head to feet. At the bottom, the foot alone is about 11 metres long, and the head above carries more than a thousand stone curls.
• Lingyun Temple 凌云寺: The temple beside the Buddha, set on Lingyun Hill, with courtyard halls and a path to the cliff-top viewing areas.
• Mahao Cliff Tombs 麻浩崖墓: Eastern Han burial chambers cut into the cliff near the south exit, with a museum of cliff tombs open daily.
• Wuyou Temple 乌尤寺: A Buddhist monastery on the neighbouring Wuyou Hill, across the water, with a calm, wooded setting.

How to visit Leshan Giant Buddha

Most visitors walk in from the hilltop, passing the pagoda and Lingyun Temple before the Plank Road down to the feet, where the queue builds by mid-morning, so go down early or late. Leave the Mahao tombs, near the south exit, and Wuyou Temple for a longer day, and look at the guardian figures from the river boat. A half day covers the Buddha and the temple; a full day adds the boat, the tombs and Wuyou.

How to get to Leshan Giant Buddha

High-speed trains from Chengdu reach Leshan in about an hour; then it's around 20 minutes by bus or taxi to the scenic area.

Where to stay

Stay in Leshan city along the riverfront, near the boat dock for the Buddha cruises, with the most choice of food and transport. Mount Emei is close enough to base from Emeishan town instead, if you combine the two.

What to eat

• Sweet-skin duck 甜皮鸭: Leshan's glazed roast duck, with a crisp, slightly sweet skin, often sold vacuum-packed as a souvenir.
• Qiaojiao beef 翘脚牛肉: Beef and offal simmered in a spicy broth and fished out piece by piece, a signature Leshan dish.
• Bobo chicken 钵钵鸡: Skewers of chicken and vegetables served in a chilli-and-sesame broth, a Leshan street-food classic.

Tips for visiting Leshan Giant Buddha

• Arrive early: queues for the cliff staircase down to the feet can be long by late morning.
• The river boat shows the whole statue at once, plus guardian figures carved into the cliff on either side.
• Mount Emei is a short train ride away, making an easy two-day combination.

Nearby

• Jiayang Little Steam Train 嘉阳小火车 30 km
  A coal-era steam train puffing through rapeseed fields to an old mining town
• Mount Emei 峨眉山 40 km
  A sacred Buddhist mountain of mist, monasteries and a golden summit above the clouds
• Mount Mengding 蒙顶山 90 km
  Misty tea terraces and an imperial tea garden where tea growing is said to have begun
• Zigong, City of Salt and Dinosaurs 自贡 100 km
  Jurassic dinosaurs, ancient brine wells and the lanterns that made the city famous

Also within 30 km: Mahao Cliff Tombs 麻浩崖墓 (under 10 km), Wuyou Temple & Lidui 乌尤寺 (under 10 km), Oriental Buddha Park 东方佛都 (under 10 km), China Nuclear Fusion Museum 中国核聚变博物馆 (under 10 km), Leshan Wumu Culture Museum 乌木文化博览苑 (10 km), Yanggong Que, Jiajiang 杨公阙 (20 km).

Trips with Leshan Giant Buddha

• Two weeks in China: Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Guilin and Shanghai 14 days · Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Leshan, Guilin and Shanghai
• Sichuan in a week: Chengdu, Leshan, Mount Emei and Dujiangyan 7 days · Chengdu, Leshan, Emeishan and Dujiangyan

On the map

Open Leshan Giant Buddha on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• UNESCO World Heritage
• Wikipedia (Chinese)