Maintenance of the Buddha

Leshan Giant Buddha is as famous as the standing Buddha of Bamiyan in Afghanistan and they are regarded as part of the cultural heritage of mankind.

Unfortunately, the recently deposed Taliban regime in Afghanistan had ordered the destruction of the Bamiyan monument. Thankfully, the new regime has pledged to restore it. Protection of the Leshan Buddha has become an even more important task as it is now unique as the only example of the ancient craft in its original form.

When the Giant Buddha was carved, a huge 13 storey wooden structure was built to shelter it from rain and sunshine. The structure was later destroyed in wars at the end of the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). From then on, the stone statue has been exposed to the wind and rain. 

Though it was designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, over the past 1,000 years, erosion did become a major threat to the statue. Strong winds, heavy rains, acid rain and visitors have left their mark. The stone coils of hair on the head of the statue have fallen down, the nose has turned black and the face has become speckled. Also, plants and fungi have begun to grow from the upper part of the body, while litter has been thrown over his face, neck, shoulders, breast and feet. Not least, water from the three rivers that converge before the stone statue have eroded the lotus foundation underneath the Buddha giant feet.

Today, over 30 holes have been discovered in the foundations. The protection and maintenance of this ancient treasure have proved to be a concern down the ages. It is clear that many repairs have been made over the years but mostly on a small scale and probably by individuals. Since the foundation of the PRC there has been a schedule for repair work on a ten year cycle. Nevertheless, it has not been possible to completely resolve the problems caused by erosion.

The protection of the Leshan Buddha has drawn global attention. Experts have been dispatched by the UNESCO to investigate and oversee the protection work and the World Bank has offered US$ 8 million in interest-free loans for the work.