ThingsAsianGreat Buddha at Lingshan
The Great Buddha at Lingshan is 88 meters tall. The whole body was made of bronze which weighs 700 tons. It is so far the biggest open air Buddha statue in the world.
Image © 2009 dave chou
With Lingshan Mountain at its backdrop, the Great Buddha is named by the famous Great Monk Xuanzang in Tang Dynasty.
What to see
1. Great Buddha - pleasing to the eyes and very kind, widely looking at all the living creatures.
2. Bronze Pillar - Topped with a huge lotus bud. The shaft of the column is worked into a wild array of sculptures of looming Buddhist guardian gods, lions' heads, and auspicious symbols, while bronze dragons and other mythological animals crouch in a reflecting pool, all with the great statue of the Buddha looming in the distance.
3. Bronze leaves - The huge bronze leaves of the lotus bud slowly open to reveal a statue of the baby Buddha, who slowly rotates in a complete circle, while the statues of dragons become fountains, spraying jets of water from their mouths over the open lotus flower.
4. The lotus Flower - The lotus flower is a traditional symbol of Buddhism, since it is white a pure despite growing from the mud, just like humans can reach enlightenment despite the troubles of the world.
5. Bronze Palm - Next to the palm is a large bronze statue of a hugly obese Buddha with a wide smile - Maitreya, the Buddha of the future. Dozens of babies crawl over his recumbent form, pulling at his earlobes, poking his navel, and otherwise being naughty.
The Buddha is located in Taihu, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province.
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