Inspiration丨Check out the world’s largest stone carving of a sitting Maitreya!

In front, the Minjiang River, Qingyi River, and Dadu River meet. Behind, the undulating Lingyun Mountain stands.Leshan Giant Buddha was carved in Jiazhou (now Leshan, Sichuan) in the first year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (713 AD)1,310 years ago. After completion，the Buddha sits as tall as 71 meters with 1,051 hair buns overhead. 90 years of carving makes it the world’s largest existing seated Maitreya.

Over the millennia, people have protected this Giant Buddha through different forms and techniques, allowing us to naturally appreciate the creation of the Tang Dynasty.The grand Giant Buddhanot only reflects the faith, hope, history, and culture, but also embodies the diligent, wise, and brave spiritual character of generations of the Bashu people.

Inspiration is an International communication video program founded by the Sichuan Daily Newspaper Group, which orientates ‘Generation Z’ groups at home and abroad, and aims to explore, discover, excavate, and disseminate multiple aspects of different Chinese cultures including the ancient Shu culture, tourism and geography, Sichuan Cuisine, animation and online games, Chinese brands and Traditional Chinese Medicine, modern arts, and science fiction and fantasy films.

Producers: Li Peng Zhong Li
Supervisors for this episode: Lai Yongqiang Lu Lijia
Coordinators: Pang Qi Qin Sufeng