One Day Tour of Leshan Giant Buddha----part three

though it was designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, over the past 1,000 years,
erosion did become a major threat to the statue. Strong winds, heavy rains, acid rain and
visitors have left their marks. Water detained at the stomach of the Buddha has lowered the
strength of the rock, and as a result, plants and fungi have sprung up from the upper part
of the body. We chose to visit the Giant Buddha by a walk. We stepped onto the breathtaking
plank road alongside the cliff, climbed around the statue and got a good sense of
proportion, it was really worth looking at the Grand Buddha from several angles. The total
walking takes about 2 hours. After 40 minutes, we went to the top, opposite the head. The
charm of the Buddha lies not only in its size but also in its architectural artistry. The
head of the Leshan Buddha is covered with 1,021 buns of curly hair. Seen from afar, they
seem to be a whole while in fact they are made of rocks and each of which is large enough to
support a big round table. But stone coils of hair on the head of the statue have fallen
down.We then reached it’s huge nose, has turned black and the face has become speckled
because of acid rain. What looks like tear stains can be found at the corner of the Buddha's
eyes, and part of the body surface has begun to peel off. During the way, I felt a little
dizzy.We descend a short stairway to the feet for a Lilliputian perspective at last. Each of
the feet is 11 meters long and 8.5 meters wide, large enough to accommodate more than 100
people
sitting on it. Leshan
statue is a work of art as well as a work of creativity. We looked carefully and found
an internal drainage system was incorporated into the sculpture that is still in working
order. My guide told us, the
drainage pipes were carved in various places on the body, that scattered on the head and
arms, behind the ears and in the clothes to carry away the

water after the rains so as to reduce weathering, and they play an important part in
the protection of the Buddha. There is another interesting thing, according to the experts
involved in the maintenance in 1962, there is a cave in the chest of the Buddha. On entering
the cave they found scrap iron and bricks. The stele covering the entrance of the cave dates
from the Song Dynasty. The reason for this stele in the chest of the Buddha remains a
mystery.
The huge statue not only represents the brilliant civilization of ancient China but also the
largest ancient sculpture in the world.
Chinese Tai Chi
Chinesetea ceremony
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