Dafo Temple

CHINA, Sichuan, Zigong

Dafo means Great Buddha. The construction date is unknown but it was named Kaihua Temple during the Tang dynasty (618–907). Further work carried out during the Song dynasty (960–1279) made it into a large-scale temple but it was destroyed in wartime at the end of the Ming (1368–1644) dynasty. It was not until the rule of Emperor Jiaqing (reigned 1796–1820) of the Qing dynasty that it was rebuilt. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2006.
The temple is built against a cliff with the Great Hero Hall at the center and the remaining buildings along the east-west axis. They include the main temple gate, Great Hero Hall, Ksitigarbha Hall, Avalokitesvara Hall, Arhat Hall, sutra repository, and the abbot’s quarters.
The main temple gate is located in the northwest, with a pair of stone lions guarding it. The complete name of the Great Hero Hall is Great Buddha Protection Building but it is mainly known as the Great Buddha Building. It shelters the Rongxian Great Buddha. There are covered walkways encircling the statue, so that it can be seen close-up by devotees.
The Rongxian Great Buddha was carved from the cliff face. In 1085 during the Northern Song dynasty, the monk Chunde started to collect donations for its construction, and it was completed in 1092. With a height of 36.7 m, it is the second largest Buddha to be carved from the cliff face in China after the Leshan Giant Buddha.