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乐山大佛LeShanGiantBuddhaGoodmorning,madamandsir.MytopicisLeshanGiantBuddha.Myfriends,I’myourlocalguideEileen.Today,we’regoingtovisitLeshanGiantBuddha.LeshanGiantBuddhaisalsocalledLingyunBuddha,whichliterallymeanstheBuddhathatsoarsthroughskies.In1991,theGiantBuddhaandMt.Emeiwereselectedasthetop40TouristdestinationsinChina.In1996,GiantBuddhaandMt.EmeiwaslistedastheworldNaturalandCultureHeritagebyUNESCO.Intheyearof2000,LeshanwasselectedastheOutstandingTouristCityofChina.TheBuddhasitsuponMt.LingyuninLeshancity,wherethethreeriversconvergehere,namelytheQingyiriver,Daduriver,andMingjiangriver.Buttheriversusedtobeveryturbulent,especiallyinthefloodseason.AftertheMingjiangriverjoinstheothertworivershere,itbecamemoreviolent.Passingboatswereoftencapsizedandpassengerskilled.DuringtheTangDynasty,afamousBuddhistmonkmasterHaitongtraveledtoLeshan.Whenhesawthetragedyfrequentlyhappenedhere,MasterHaitongmadeuphismindtocarveaBuddhastatusoutofthecliffjustattheconfluentofthethreerivers.HewondereditwouldtametherapidsbythemightypowerofBuddha.Ofcause,thisisnotaneasyjob..itcallsforlotsofmoneyanlaborforce.So,masterHaitongtraveledyearshereantheretoraisefundfortheconstruction.TheBuddhacarvingbeganin713AD.ThereisamovingstoryaboutthebuildingoftheBuddhasoonaftertheconstructionbegan,atopofficialcametoHaitongandsaid,”GivemesomemoneyorIwillstopyourwork.”MasterHaitongfirmlyrefused,”I’drathergougeoutmyeyesthangiveapennytoyou.”Theofficialshoutedinanger,”gougeoutyoureyesnow!”Withastrongsenseofrighteousness,Haitonggugouthiseyesandgavethemtotheofficial.Atthesightofthat,theofficialranawayinaweassoonaspossible.ThebraveryanddedicationofMasterHaitongencouragedthepeopletocarryonwiththeconstruction.EvenafterHaitongbecameblind,hewenttotheconstructionsiteeveryday.Hesaid,”Ican’tsee,butIcanhearthesoundofthecarvingofBuddha.”AfterMasterHaitongpassedaway,twolocalofficialssuccessivelywentonwiththecarvingandtheBuddhawasnotcompleteduntil803AD.Myfriends,youcanfigureoutfrom713ADto803AD,that’stotally90years!Whatahugeproject!OurroutetodaywillbeLingyuntemple,LeshanGiantBuddhaandfinallyDongpoBuilding.ThetourwilltakeusaboutthreehoursandwewillmeetatDongpoBuildingat5PM.Pleaseremenbermymobilenumberanddon’thesitatetocallmeifnecessary.Duringthetrip,pleasetakecareofyourpersonalbelongsandbefriendlytotheenviroment.We’renowstandingatthefootoftheGiantBuddha.I’msurethateveryoneisastonishedbythegaintstonecarvinginfrontofyou.It’shugeandmagnificent.TheresremanyotherBuddhacarvingsintheworld,forexample,theBamyanBuddhainAfganistan,MuogaokuBuddhainDunhuang,andmanymoreothers.However,wheneverwetalkaboutgiantBuddhastatues,thefirstthingcometoourmindisalwaystheLeshanGiantBuddha.Why?Iguessratherthanbeingareligiousrelic,theLeshanGiantBuddhaisalsothelivingproofthatduringTangdynasty,thepolitics,economyandcraftsmanshipofChinaisclosetoperfection.HowbigistheGiantBuddha?Iwillgiveyousomefigurestofinditout.First,LeshanGiantBuddhaistheworldlargeststonecarvedBuddhainsittingposture.It’sheightmeasures71meterstall,whichisroughly24-storeyhigh.18meterstallerthantheBamyanBuddha.TheshoulderwidthoftheBuddhais24meters,it’saboutthelengthof2buses.TheBuddha’searisabout7metersinlength,andtwostrongmenareabletostandinitsear.ThebackoftheBuddha’sfootis8.5metersinwidth,whereabout100peoplecansitinitatease.Youcanevenputfewtablesonitsfeetandholdafeastthere.Fromallthesefiguresgivenabove,it’shardtodenythatLeshanGiantBuddhaisthelargeststonecarvedBuddhaintheworld.I’msurethereisaquestioninyourmindnow,whyistheBuddhaabletowithstandthechallengeofnatureformorethan1200years.TherearetwofactorsthathelptheGiantBuddharetainitsform.Firstofall,theselectionofsitehasplayedacrucialroleintheprotectionofBuddha.TheBuddhaisbuildatthebackofMt.Lingyun,whichmakesitexpoesdtominimumwindandrain,thenslowtheprocessoferosion.Secondly,thereisadrainagesystemcleverlyplacedatvariouspartsofBuddha.Thesetrainedformedauniquenetworktoletoutrainwater.Withthesequalities,theBuddhabecamethemountain,andthemountainisthesizeoftheBuddha.Alright,nowyouhaveheardthestoryoftheBuddha,whatstoryhasSudongpoleftbehindatDongpoBuilding?Let’smoveontoDongpobuildingandfinditout.That’sallformypresentation.