The legend of the secret room found on the chest of the Leshan Giant Buddha in Sichuan and other stories
The Leshan Giant Buddha (樂山大佛T, 乐山大佛S), also known as the Lingyun Giant Buddha, whose full name is the Great Stone Statue of Maitreya of Lingyun Temple in Jiazhou, is the largest stone Buddha statue in the world and was excavated in the first year of Kaiyuan in the Tang Dynasty and completed in the 19th year of Zhenyuan. There is no clear historical record of the exact time when its construction began. Many Chinese people with a Buddhist background know the Leshan Buddha, a city in the southern part of Sichuan Province, as it is the most famous Buddha. Even in the eyes of many Buddhist believers, the statue exudes a mysterious aura. Nowadays, in order to better protect the Giant Buddha, the relevant departments regularly repair it. It is said that once, during the repair process, some workers accidentally discovered a secret room in the Buddha. After the experts inspected it, the rumor of a thousand-year-old legend was confirmed.
Featured image:The Leshan Giant Buddha (乐山大佛) is a substantial rock sculpture initiated in the early 8th century and finished in the early 9th century during the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618–907), source
History
The construction process of the entire Buddha took about 90 years. As a very rare statue in the history of Buddhist development, the statue has played a huge role in the legacy of religious and traditional culture. Because its construction took a long time and consumed a lot of manpower and even material resources, many legends believe that there are many Buddhist treasures hidden inside the statue. In ancient society, huge constructions such as the Giant Buddha were designed for religious and even superstitious reasons, including to suppress the water monsters that lived in the Dadu, Qingyi, and Minjiang rivers near Leshan City. The huge sculpture faces Mount Emei, with rivers flowing at its feet, and since these three rivers caused great harm to the local population during the summer flood season, there were various stories of water monsters that needed protection. Under the guidance of Master and monk Hai Tong, construction began in 713, and many participated and contributed to the process of making the Buddha statue. According to the story, when funds were running out, Hai Tong deprived himself of his eyes to prove his honesty, faith, and determined certainty. After his death, construction was delayed due to insufficient funds. At that time, the statue was only completed from the shoulders up. The statue was finished by his disciples with the financial support of the official Zhangchou Jianxiong. They continued construction up to the knees, but the work was stopped again because Zhangchou JianXiang was recalled to serve the royal court in Chang’an. About 70 years later, Jiedushi Wei Gao continued to support and finance the project, and construction was finally completed in 803. A sophisticated drainage system was incorporated into the statue when it was built. This system is still in working order and includes drainage pipes dug into various parts of the body, to carry away water after rains in order to reduce weathering. It is said that during the construction of the statue, thanks to its blessing, the local population lived a happier and more stable life.
The legends
The removal of huge masses of rock for the construction of the work, which were subsequently deposited in the rivers at the foot of the statue, facilitated the path of the waters, making navigation more peaceful and enriching the population. For this reason, a local story tells that to protect the treasures of the time, the workers also built a special secret room. Although this legend has been passed down for thousands of years, the locals have never been able to discover the existence of the secret room, so the authenticity of this story has never been confirmed either. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Leshan Buddha was designated a cultural relic and placed under protection by the Sichuan Provincial People’s Committee in 1956. In 1962, the Chinese government allocated special funds to completely repair the statue.
The statue, 71 meters high, with a shoulder width of 28 meters, represents a Maitreya Buddha in a seated position, with his hands resting on his knees. It is carved into a rock face of Cretaceous red sandstone. The entire work of art is made of stone, except for the ears, which are designed from wood, covered with mud on the surface to create clay and attach them to the head. While the restoration departments were repairing the Giant Buddha, it is said that a worker accidentally discovered a stone gate on the chest. After opening the gate, experts also came and examined the secret room in detail. According to them, there were no legendary treasures, but only some relics of the time. From the expert opinion, it was found that this secret room had probably been looted, and those treasures may have been passed on to the religious and cultural relics market. Some say that a stele was found in the secret room in the chest of the Buddha, and through these remains, some historical stories about the Giant Buddha were also confirmed. Although the relics were not of particular cultural value, the discovery of the stele obviously could have provided great help in the research and development of Buddhist culture.
There is also a version in which the access to the secret room, located in the heart, starts from the right ear of the statue. Some believe that the room predates the construction of the Buddha and links its construction to the monk Hai Tong. They say that when he passed by and saw that the nearby Lingyun Mountain was quiet and secluded, he considered it a good place for spiritual practice, so he built a modest room there. He later had the idea of building a statue of Maitreya Buddha, because in the eyes of the monk, the birth of Maitreya represented “peace and prosperity for the country and the people.” Maitreya Buddha is a god who represents light and happiness, which was needed by the people who were suffering from the floods. After carefully considering the surrounding stone walls, he finally found a flat mountain wall suitable for carving the Buddha statue. Entering through a small hole, then you should have access to the legendary secret room, very small, but the room now robbed for years would contain nothing but wood and mud. Others believe that from this room you can have access to a path that leads to a larger secret room, which they call the legendary “Cave of Buddhist Scriptures.”
Online sources can be found that a stone seal was removed to access the room, which was completely empty. Some versions add that the so-called gold and silver treasures were replaced by scrap iron and lead sheets. Others have speculated that, previously, there may have been gilded bronze vessels, goods left over from repairs during a certain dynasty, or waste from visitors. Other versions instead believe that experts from the Cultural Relics Bureau believed that the stone itself was the treasure, since the words “Tianning Pavilion Chronicle Stele” were clearly engraved on the door. This latest version also reports the discovery of a space created to protect the exterior of the Buddha from erosion by wind and rain so that it could be preserved intact and leave a treasure for future generations. According to records, the space, rumored to be 13 stories high, is made of rare nanmu oak. The space was called Tianning Pavilion, but it was damaged during wars during the change of dynasty and has not been repaired since. Only a stone slab remained, testifying that this space once existed. Many experts say that the treasures were probably in these caves, but due to long-term unguardedness, they were stolen. In 2018, many legends began to circulate again, when new protection and rescue work was carried out.
Maintenance
By the early Northern Song Dynasty, the Leshan Giant Buddha had been damaged: its body was covered in moss and its wooden pavilion had collapsed. During the reign of Song Renzong, the Giant Buddha was repaired on a large scale and the wooden pavilion was rebuilt. Since then, records of the Buddha’s destruction and reconstruction have disappeared, and the original temple, Lingyun Temple, has been destroyed many times by war. The huge thirteen-story wooden structure (similar to that of the Rongxian Giant Buddha) was destroyed and looted by the Mongols during the wars at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. The stone statue was exposed to the weather elements from then on.
In the 1980s, the Leshan Giant Buddha was listed as a “national key cultural relic protection unit” by the State Council. Since then, the Leshan Buddha has undergone occasional repair work, as authorities believe that its protection and preservation is a worthwhile investment in local heritage. During this period, a local motto “The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain” began. In 1996, the Emei Mountains area, including the area where the Leshan Giant Buddha statue is located, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1998, the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area Management Committee was formally established. The control scope of the management committee has reached 17.88 square kilometers.
The Leshan Buddha has been repeatedly affected by pollution resulting from development in the region. According to Xinhua News Agency, the statue and many Chinese natural and cultural heritage sites in the region have suffered severe degradation due to weather, air pollution, and tourism. To address this problem, the government has undertaken restoration work. In addition, scientists have studied the interactions between the microbial community in the surrounding soil and plants, and its effects on the sculpture. The body of the Leshan Giant Buddha is now covered with various organisms, lichens, ferns, and other bryophytes, and various shrubs and grasses. Researchers hope that a greater understanding of the effects of weathering on plants and microbes will help preserve the statue. Leshan has abundant rainfall throughout the year and the mountain is very humid all year round. To prevent the Buddha from being severely eroded by rain, designers have created drainage channels inside it.
In addition, there is a sophisticated ventilation system and moisture-proof equipment in the head position. With the development of industrialization, a large amount of fossil materials began to appear in the air. These highly corrosive substances have caused considerable damage to the Buddha statues. Despite the sophisticated drainage system, the Buddha statue has cracks especially around the eyes. The corners of the eyes are very fragile, under the impact of rainwater, which has contributed to another urban legend that the condensed water inside and flowing out of the cracks represents the “tears” of the eyes and therefore the crying of the Buddha.
Buddha’s Gaze
Also on the subject of eyes, it is said that according to related records, the Buddha closed his eyes once during the Great Famine of 1959 to 1961. During that time, countless people died of starvation in Sichuan. The locals were very poor and when their loved ones died, their bodies were rolled up in straw mats and thrown into the river. The Giant Buddha, which is located in the lower reaches of the river, since it saw the dead bodies floating down the river every day, suddenly closed his eyes one night during this period. The locals witnessed this phenomenon and thought that the Buddha could not bear to see such misery and horror. It is said that when the eyes of the Leshan Giant Buddha close, it is a threatening sign. This phenomenon is said to have alarmed the Communist Party authorities who ordered that “reconstruction” work be carried out on the Buddha’s eyes. The Buddha’s eyes are said to have closed again to weep silently in 1966 during the time of destruction and tragic disasters. In July 1976, after the 7.8 magnitude Tangshan earthquake, which had caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, locals say they found the Buddha’s eyes closed again, but this time he was angry and crying. It is said that the last time the Buddha shed tears was on June 7, 1994.
A story said:
A disciple asked his teacher, “Why did the Leshan Giant Buddha shed tears?”
The Taoist replied, “The world does not know how to respect the Buddha, and the Buddha is concerned about the world.”
The Buddha’s Structure and Its Repairs
Experts have also found that to prevent water from flowing down the face, the designer of the Buddha had used the curves found in the patterns of the hair and robes. There are several hidden gutters and channels scattered throughout the Buddha’s hair, collar, chest, and holes at the back of the ears and chest that carry rainwater to keep the interior areas dry, allowing the collected water to flow from various parts to the mountains, rivers, and lakes. This complex and unique advanced drainage architectural system has prevented the statue from erosion over the past 1,200 years. On March 24, 2002, the first phase of the World Bank’s Buddha Repair Project officially began. The project involved the complete restoration of the Buddha from chest to head and subsequent strengthening of the rock face. On June 23, 2002, the second phase of the Buddha Maintenance Project began. During this phase, the rocks at the foot of the Buddha were repaired and the eroded part of the rock below the water level was repaired.
On September 2, 2002, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 1,200th birthday of the Buddha was officially held, and the fourth Giant Buddha Festival was held immediately. In 2008, the Mount Emei – Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area Management Committee was formally established, with the main task of developing the tourism resources for Mount Emei and the Leshan Giant Buddha. From October 30 to November 3, 2013, the Leshan Municipal Government held the 5th Buddha Festival to expand the brand influence of the Leshan Giant Buddha. On January 14, 2015, an earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale occurred in Leshan City. After investigation by the local cultural relics department, the earthquake did not cause any destructive effects on the Leshan Giant Buddha.
On October 18, 2018, due to serious diseases such as erosion and infiltration of the body of the Leshan Giant Buddha, swelling and cracking of the chest and abdomen, and the development of dangerous rock masses, the Management Committee of the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area issued a message stating: “The cracked and damaged areas of the chest and abdomen of the Leshan Giant Buddha have been saved and protected. Preliminary research and investigation work has been officially started.” As of April 2019, the investigation and restoration work has been completed in 180 days, and the Jiuqu plank road and the Buddha’s foot viewing platform in the scenic area have been reopened.
The statue and its record numbers
The giant Buddha was built on the entire mountain, while some structures such as chignon were added later. The Buddha’s body is placed in a symmetrical posture, and the proportions of the various body parts are proportioned in accordance with the Buddharupa requirements of a statue. The Maitreya Buddha resting on his hands and knees has a calm form, which is in accordance with the style of the statues of the Tang Dynasty. The Buddha’s hair is composed of 1,021 spiral curls embedded in his head that measures 14.7 meters in height and 10 meters in width. His ears, capable of holding two people inside, are 7 meters long. He has 5.6 meter long eyebrows, 8.3 meter long fingers, 24 meter wide shoulders, and a 5.6 meter long nose. His mouth and each of his eyes are 3.3 meters wide. Its instep, about 8.5 meters wide, can hold about a hundred people, and the smallest nail can hold a person sitting. This statue is ten stories high, which can be compared to the size of the Statue of Liberty if the Buddha were standing.
Tourism Contingencies
Opening hours are 7:30am to 6:30pm from April to October and 8am to 5:30pm from October to March. Weekends and holidays are very busy. The statue is usually high above the waterline, but the area was hit by the worst flooding in 70 years in 2018 and more than 100,000 people had to be rescued. The statue is a popular attraction and often included on cruises along the nearby Yangtze River and the Three Gorges. For the first time since the 1940s, the statue has had its toes wet with water. Tourists come from all over the world to see Maitreya and can choose to see him up close, on the walking path that allows visitors to appreciate the changing view of the Buddha’s body from multiple perspectives. It is important to be aware that the boardwalks are steep and narrow, so not for everyone. For a more panoramic view, tourist boats with a capacity of 35 passengers are available, which could lead to a long line. On this rare occasion of rising waters, state media said 180 tourists had been rescued from the site. The waters had reached the base of the statue’s platform and continued to rise. According to state news agency Xinhua, a traditional local saying goes, “If the Buddha’s feet get wet, Leshan will flood too.” Sichuan province had activated its maximum emergency response level after weeks of heavy rains that caused record levels of water. The last time the toes, each larger than a person, got wet was in 1949.
Buddha Targeted by Exhibitionists
Since is one of the six world cultural heritage sites in Sichuan province, it receives a lot of tourist visits. From 2001 to 2003, it was ranked as the second most popular attraction among the provincial heritage sites with 1.4 to 1.5 million visitors per year. In 2004, there was a turning point that caused the number to rise dramatically to 2.1 million visitors. From 2005 to 2007, it had 2.3 to 2.8 million visitors per year, more than all other sites. The influx of tourists has allowed the local economy to thrive due to the various jobs and income provided. However, there is a backlash on how the ethical increase in tourism may affect the quality of the statue. With this, the local government has set limits and guidelines to preserve the integrity of the statue.
Today, the Leshan Giant Buddha, a vivid embodiment of China’s ancient spirit of craftsmanship, is a national scenic spot, with a constant flow of tourists coming and going. A nine-bend plank road has been built next to the Buddha statue to allow tourists to experience its spiritual power up close, but inevitably, alongside devotees who are passionate about cultural relics, visitors can encounter vandals and exhibitionists.
In 2023, a video of a tourist dressed in white climbing to the top of the statue’s head to meditate circulated online. The video shows the tourist being taken away by a site employee. Some people thought that the act was done to attract media attention, since everyone films and posts videos online with their smartphones and this can make someone gain free publicity, while others suggested that the person may have a mental illness.
In January 2024, however, the act of a tourist that sparked anger and disgust among netizens was much more serious. A man was caught urinating on the Buddha statue. The man, filmed while urinating on the sacred sculpture, has sparked outrage for violating the sacredness of the UNESCO world heritage site. The vandal, taking advantage of a blind spot of the surveillance cameras, climbed over the same fence, where the tourist from the previous year had found access to climb to the top of the giant statue’s head.
The Leshan Giant Buddha had never thought about it. “Ah, one day it will be sold!” “What? Has the Buddha been sold?” “But can it be sold?”
In recent years, news has been circulating on the Internet that the Sichuan province has sold the statue, in the style of the Italian film, Totò Truffa 62, in which the Neapolitan comedian sells the Trevi Fountain to a tourist. In this case, the Chinese network accompanied the news with a photo of the statue with a photo of the auction, creating strong indignation and perplexity. A reporter found out from the management committee of the scenic spot that the transaction existed, but had taken place a few years earlier. What was not specified, and which the reporter clarifies, is that the 30-year management right for 1.7 billion yuan was sold. What happened appears to be in accordance with China’s regulations. The competent person in charge of the management committee of the Leshan Buddha Scenic Area said: “According to the relevant management regulations, the management right should be transferred publicly.” According to public information, the project listing start and end dates were from October 26 to November 29, 2021. Leshan Giant Buddha Industrial Co., Ltd. won the auction for 30-year operating rights of tour buses and stalls in the scenic spot.
Curiosities
- The statue due to its considerable fame is used as a backdrop and also appears in some films and an animated film.
- The Mysterious Buddha, from 1980, in the film a group of patriots protect the treasures of the statue.
- The statue appears in the 1996 film The King of Masks, directed by Wu Tianming.
- The statue is one of the stops on the journey to bring Everest home in the 2019 animated film Abominable.
Sources
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