Sacred Sites
Lingyun Hill
Buddhist Sites
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Lingyun Hill rises at the meeting of the Min, Dadu and Qingyi rivers in Leshan, Sichuan, where the Leshan Giant Buddha is carved directly into the cliff face. Lingyun Temple stands on the hill above the carving, older than the statue itself. The hill and the statue it carries are inscribed together with Mount Emei, visible across the water, as a single UNESCO World Heritage property recognising the fusion of natural landscape and Buddhist sacred site in this part of Sichuan.
Facts
Site
Type of SiteMonastery or monastic community 1 Type of SiteSacred mountain, hill or peak 2 Type of Site DetailCarving of the Buddha began in 713 CE under the monk Haitong, undertaken specifically to calm the violent currents where the three rivers meet, currents that had long capsized boats passing the cliff. When officials tried to divert the project's funding partway through, Haitong is reported to have gouged out his own eyes to prove his sincerity, and the finished statue's hidden drainage system, channelled through its hair and clothing, still protects it from water erosion. 1 Geography
LatitudeApproximate reference point, rounded to one decimal place; this marks the site's general location for a map, not a survey-grade or precise boundary measurement. LongitudeApproximate reference point, rounded to one decimal place; this marks the site's general location for a map, not a survey-grade or precise boundary measurement. Status
Status TodayStanding, but maintained as a museum or heritage monument 1 UNESCO World HeritageInscribed on the World Heritage List 2 Location
Cross-Tradition Connections
Belongs to Tradition
Contained In
Houses
The statue is carved directly into Lingyun Hill; the two are physically one object, but this atlas records the cult image and its precinct as separate pages, following the same convention as every other housed-at cult image on the atlas.
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