Happy 1310th Birthday to the Leshan Giant Buddha!
The 6th Leshan Giant Buddha Tourism and Culture Festival Launches in Leshan City

On the evening of November 8th, the 6th Leshan Giant Buddha Tourism and Culture Festival activities commemorating the 1310th anniversary of the start of construction of Leshan Giant Buddha were held in Leshan City.

The ceremony marked the launch of the 'Global Initiative for the Conservation of the World Heritage Leshan Giant Buddha' and also featured an award ceremony for Specially Invited Guardians and Guarding Group Representatives for the Leshan Buddha worldwide. In the near future, they will actively participate in promoting the Leshan Giant Buddha, collaborate in strengthening the protection of World Heritage, and advocate for public participation in and attention to the preservation of cultural relics.

Meanwhile, the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Spot has signed cooperation agreements with the Royal Palace of Gödöllin Hungary, and Vat Phou Temple in Laos to establish friendly scenic spots.

The Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Spot also signed a cooperation agreement with the Dunhuang Academy, Yungang Grottoes Research Academy, Longmen Grottoes Research Academy, Dazu Rock Carvings Research Institute, and Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archeology Research Institute to jointly promote the protection, restoration, and utilization of cultural relics, and pool wisdom and strength to improve the protection and utilization level of World Heritage Sites.

Background:

The Leshan Giant Buddha was carved in the first year of the Kaiyuan Period of the Tang Dynasty (AD 713). Standing at a height of 71 meters, it is the tallest and largest ancient stone sculpture of Maitreya Buddha in the world. In 1996, together with Mount Emei, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To ensure the protection and integrity of this World Heritage Site, Leshan has implemented numerous effective measures while continually exploring its value and uses, attracting tourists from home and abroad. As of October 17, the number of tourists visiting the Leshan Giant Buddha has exceeded 6 million this year, marking a record for the highest annual tourist volume since the scenic spot's statistics became available in 1984.