Dapishan Tianning Temple: Great Buddha

CHINA, Henan, Junxian; Northern Dynasties

Located within Tianning Temple in the eastern foothills of Dapishan (Great Back Mountain), the Great Buddha was hewn out of a cliff during the Northern Dynasties period (386–581). The stucco on the statue was laid during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), and the protective building surrounding it was built in 1445. The statue was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Property in 2001.
The Great Buddha statue measures 21.33 m high. The Buddha has a full face, a tightly coiled topknot, and a sturdy physique. The left hand rests on the knee, while the raised right hand forms the abhaya (fearlessness) mudra. A yellow monastic robe made from real fabric covers the figure. It is adorned with blue dragons and phoenixes. The sleeves are long and loose, the trim is red, and a dark sacred thread drapes diagonally from the left shoulder to the right side of waist. The Buddha’s legs are pendent, and the feet rest on an inverted lotus pedestal.