This Buddha statue is the essence of the cultural landscape within the Great Buddha Temple, carved between 486 and 516 during the Southern Dynasties’ Qi and Liang periods. It was successively sculpted by three generations of monks, Hu, Chu, and You, taking thirty years to complete. The stone Maitreya Buddha’s throne is 1.91 meters high, the Buddha statue itself stands at 13.74 meters, the head is 4.87 meters high, the ears are 2.8 meters long, the mouth is 1.28 meters wide, and the distance between the knees is 10.6 meters. The Buddha statue has a delicate and refined appearance with a broad forehead, a high nose bridge, long and slender eyebrows and eyes, a square jaw with thin lips, and ears that reach the shoulders. The carving is exquisite, with smooth and flowing lines, and an elegant demeanor, expressing Buddha’s calm, wise, firm, and detached inner world. Careful observation can lead to a profound contemplation and a deep artistic conception. The proportions of the Buddha statue utilize perspective principles, with the head deliberately enlarged to allow viewers to receive inspiration and spiritual cleansing when looking up at the Buddha’s face, while maintaining a sense of proportion without any失调之感. This was an astonishing achievement 1500 years ago. The Great Buddha is a great creation in art and religion at the time, representing the high level of craftsmanship of that era. Its age and value can be compared with the Yungang Grottoes and Longmen Grottoes, and it is a monumental work of early southern Chinese grotto sculptures that still exists. It is open all year round from 07:00 to 17:00, with specific business hours subject to the actual opening conditions on the day.
