Lushan: Great Buddha
Gilt copper alloy
Lushan: Great Buddha
Lushan: Great Buddha
CHINA, Henan, Pingdingshan
Monk Foyan commissioned the massive Buddha that was started in 2000 following 10 years of planning. Construction of the statue, completed in 2004, required 3,300 t of copper alloy and 108 kg of gold. It is one of the tallest Buddha statues in the world, measuring 208 m including the base. The figure stands on a triple-tier lotus pedestal resting on a high base. The Sumeru base that supports all this is actually a three-story building.
The 108 m high statue depicts Vairocana Buddha with hands in lotus and varada (wish-granting) mudras. The figure wears a monastic robe that covers both shoulders but is opened at the front to reveal the inner garment and a swastika symbol on the chest, while Dharma wheels are visible in the center of the palms.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture G-M, page 649.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Lovelock, Yann and Chou, Yuan and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture G-M},
pages = 649,
title = {{Lushan: Great Buddha}},
volume = 11,
year = {2016}}