Banyueshan: Great Buddha

CHINA, Sichuan, Ziyang; Tang to Song dynasty

Also known as the Ziyang Great Buddha, this sculpture was carved directly out of a stone cliff on the side of Banyueshan (Half Moon Mountain). It is one of the largest seated Buddha statues in Sichuan. The carving of the Buddha commenced during the Tang dynasty (618–907), but it was not completed until 1131 during the Song dynasty when an artisan named Meixiu led a group of sculptors to finish it. In 1981, the statue was listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Site.
The Buddha sits with legs pendant and both hands on the knees. His face is full with eyes gazing down, and his elongated earlobes almost touch the shoulders. The torso and head are located within the niche, while the hands and legs are outside of it. The statue is simply rendered, and the colors, which once exalted it, are faded. There are remains of inscriptions dating to the Tang and the Song (960–1279) dynasties.