Thousand Mountain Giant Buddha

Thousand Mountain Giant Buddha

In the central area of Beigou in the Qianshan Scenic Area of Anshan City, Liaoning Province, sits a naturally formed, rare and colossal Maitreya Buddha. The emergence of this giant Buddha has attracted thousands of Buddhist disciples, believers, and lay followers from both China and abroad. On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, the mountain is thronged with worshippers, shrouded in incense smoke — truly a major celebration on the ancient Thousand Lotus Flower Mountain.

The Giant Buddha is located southeast of the second highest peak of Qianshan, Wufoding, and about 300 meters southeast of the renowned temple Nannquan An. At an elevation of 520 meters, the entire Buddha is a towering mountain peak. The seated height of the Buddha is 70 meters, with shoulders spanning 46 meters, the head rising 9.9 meters high and 11.8 meters wide, and ears stretching 4.8 meters long. Its large, round, and shiny head stands as tall as a three-story building, while beneath its moss-covered thick eyebrows are a pair of bright, piercing eyes. The facial features are well-proportioned and appropriately positioned. The Buddha’s left hand rests separately on its knee, while the right hand forms a fist, with the arm resting on the right leg. Above the right forearm sits the Southern Star of Longevity. Overall, the figure appears to be seated slightly tilted to the right. In front of its chest, there is also a naturally formed prayer bead, whose length, proportion, and placement are quite miraculous — under sunlight, you can even see the round bead ring. On the back of the Buddha’s right hand, there is an artificially carved large circle with a diameter of about 3 meters. Its uneven surface creates a strong contrast of light and shadow when hit by sunlight, forming a natural halo from a distance. In the center of the Buddha’s lower abdomen, there is an oval-shaped hollow about 2 meters high and 1.2 meters wide, with a small pine tree growing at its edge — from afar, it looks like a tuft of hair covering the Buddha’s “belly button.” At the very bottom of the Buddha, there are also two broad feet.

“Pine waves roar through valleys, hundred-foot surges; thousand peaks cast emerald shadows over a lake of lotus.” The natural scenery of Qianshan is exquisitely beautiful. Though it may not rival the grandeur of China’s Five Great Mountains, it possesses the majestic beauty of a thousand peaks. With its unique collective presence, it unfolds like an endless natural scroll, displayed across the land of eastern Liaoning.