Famed throughout China and beyond the UNESCO-recognised Leshan Giant Buddha is an incredible feat of engineering and art. A statue of Maitreya (the seated Buddha) it is located at the confluence of the Min, Qingyi and Dadu rivers is Sichuan and dates from 713 during the Tang Dynasty. It was initiated by a monk called Hai Tong to bring the water spirit of the confluence under control.

Construction is believed to have lasted 90 years during which time thousands of people worked on the project. It is the largest carved stone Buddha in the world.
The Buddha faces the river and has a symmetrical pose. It rises 71 meters high. Other statistics include fingers 3m long, an 8m-long instep and 28m-wide shoulders.

A visit can be combined with a climb of Emei Shan.