Leshan Big Buddha - Wendy Wei Tours

Leshan Big Buddha - the largest statue of the Maitreya Buddha in the world

Last Update: 7th October 2020

What is the Leshan Big Buddha?
Sitting on the side of the Lingyun Temple (凌云寺) on the east bank of the Minjiang River (岷江) in Leshan City, Leshan Big Buddha is around 71 meters tall. It was declared as World Cultural and Natural Heritage by UNESCO in December, 1996. The Buddha was originally built in 713 and completed in 803.

Leshan Big Buddha Fast Facts

Chinese Name: Leshan Dafo (乐山大佛)
Height: 71 x meters
Things to do there: Photography, Buddhist Culture, Hiking
Who visits: Photographers, Buddhist Believers, Adventure Enthusiasts
Time required: 3 – 4 x hours

Interested in visiting Leshan Big Buddha on a Chengdu Tour?

Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours including Leshan Big Buddha, among other attractions and destinations. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.

What to expect at the Leshan Big Buddha

Leshan Big Buddha is cut in the wall of Qixia Peak. Two stone statues of the Protector King stand on either side of the Buddha respectively. They are over 16 meters high. The head of the Buddha is as tall as the top of the Peak. His hands put on the knees. With 1021 buns, his head is 14.7 meters high, and 10 meters wide. It is 28 meters high from the knee to the instep. His instep is 8.5 meters wide that more than 100 people can sit on the instep.

The drainage system in the Leshan Big Buddha works well. Therefore, the Buddha has not be eroded by rain for more than 1,100 years. Visitors can walk along Lingyun Plank Road (凌云栈道) on the left of the Buddha and Jiuqu Plank Road (九曲栈道) on the right to admire the Buddha closely. Built in modern times, Lingyun Plank Road is nearly 500 meters long. Jiuqu Plank Road was created in the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907).

Best time to visit Leshan Big Buddha

If you are planning to visit Leshan Big Buddha for photography purposes, the best time to visit is in the morning as there are few tourists.

The best months to visit are from March to May and from September to October.

How to get to Leshan Big Buddha

There are no direct buses to Leshan Big Buddha from Chengdu. Therefore, there are only a few options.

Rent a vehicle from Chengdu or Leshan to Leshan Big Buddha. This is the quickest and most direct option.
Take a high-speed train from Chengdu to Leshan. Then, take Bus 13 or Bus 3 from Leshan to the Stop of the Big Buddha Temple (大佛寺站).
Take a shuttle bus from the Bus Station of Chengdu New South Gate (成都新南门汽车站) between 07:10 and 21:30 to Leshan. The shuttle bus runs every 20 minutes. Then, take Bus 13 or Bus 3 from Leshan to the Stop of the Big Buddha Temple (大佛寺站).

Additional Leshan Big Buddha Travel Advice

Opening hours: 07:30~18:30 ( April 1st – October 7th ); 08:00~17:30 (October 8th – March 31st )
As at 7th October 2020, entrance pricing for Leshan Big Buddha ( including Wuyou Temple (乌尤寺) and the Mahaoya Tomb (麻浩崖墓)) is 90 CNY per person; children under 1.2m (1.2m not included) and the elder above 70 years old (70 years old included) are free of charge; the elder between 60 years old (60 years old included) and 69 years old (69 years old included) are charged 45 CNY per person. For the latest pricing information, please contact us via email (info@wendyweitours.com)
As the Buddha sits by the river and faces the river, visiting the Buddha on a boat is another choice for tourists. The fee for the cruise boat is about 50 – 70 CNY per person every time. The duration is about 15 minutes. As there is no pier in front of the Buddha, the boat can’t get to the shore. Therefore, tourists can only visit the Buddha on the boat.
It often rains on the top of the mountain in May and June. If you visit the Buddha in May and June, please take an umbrella or a raincoat with you

Interested in visiting Leshan Big Buddha on a Tour?