---
title: Leshan Giant Buddha
author: speedygroundhog
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4736/leshan-giant-buddha/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---

# Leshan Giant Buddha

_Authored by speedygroundhog_

## Image File

[![Leshan Giant Buddha](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/4736.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/4736.jpg)

## Image Caption

Construction of the famous Leshan [Giant](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giants/) [Buddha](https://www.worldhistory.org/Siddhartha_Gautama/), an enormous statue of a Maitreya (a future Buddha) was started in 713 CE under [Xuanzong](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Xuanzong/)'s reign. A [Buddhist](https://www.worldhistory.org/buddhism/) monk named Hai Tong began the project to ward off evil spirits from the river at the bottom of the cliffs. This statue of the Maitreya, carved into the cliff, is 233 feet (71 meters) tall and remains a popular tourist attraction today.

## Cite This Work

### APA
speedygroundhog. (2016, March 23). Leshan Giant Buddha. *World History Encyclopedia*. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4736/leshan-giant-buddha/>
### Chicago
speedygroundhog. "Leshan Giant Buddha." *World History Encyclopedia*, March 23, 2016. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4736/leshan-giant-buddha/>.
### MLA
speedygroundhog. "Leshan Giant Buddha." *World History Encyclopedia*, 23 Mar 2016, <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4736/leshan-giant-buddha/>.

## License & Copyright

[![copyright source](/images/partners/white-flickr.png)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedygroundhog/15133039988/)This image was first published on [Flickr](http://www.flickr.com). [Original image](https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedygroundhog/15133039988/) by [**speedygroundhog**](https://www.flickr.com/photos/speedygroundhog/15133039988/). Submitted by [Ibolya Horváth](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/horvath.ibolya/ "User Page: Ibolya Horváth"), published on 23 March 2016. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.