The Natural Maitreya Sitting Buddha in Anshan

The Natural Maitreya Sitting Buddha in Anshan

This is a natural Maitreya sitting Buddha formed from an entire mountain peak. The giant Buddha is located on a mountain peak opposite "Nanyuan'an," one of the famous ancient temples in Qianshan. The Buddha stands 70 meters tall, with shoulders 46 meters wide, a head 9.9 meters high and 11.8 meters wide, and ears 4.8 meters long. Its facial features are clear and all four limbs are complete. The Buddha’s left hand has its five fingers spread apart, naturally resting on the knees; the right hand is clenched into a fist and pressed against the right leg. The Buddha faces west while sitting to the east, and faint Buddhist prayer beads can be seen across its chest. There is also a naturally formed cave on the body that resembles a navel. Research suggests it was formed approximately 100 million years ago. At the Buddha’s feet, ritual vessels from the Ming and Qing dynasties have been excavated.

In 1993, a consecration ceremony for the Buddha was held. Zhao Puchu, then President of the Buddhist Association of China, personally inscribed the words "Qianshan Maitreya Buddha," further establishing Qianshan — a site with a long history of religious culture — as a sacred Buddhist destination in Northeast China. This world wonder is comparable to the Leshan Giant Buddha and as renowned as the Hong Kong Bronze Buddha, making it one of China’s three great giant Buddhas.