Yibin Baxian Mountain

Yibin Baxian Mountain

Yibin Baxian Mountain is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

It is unknown when Baxian Mountain was carved, but it stands quietly on the cliffs halfway up the mountain at an altitude of 891 meters along the Longxi River. The Great Buddha of Baxian Mountain has spiral curls on its head, wears a kasaya robe, and presents a solemn and dignified expression. Its left hand is placed over the chest while the right hand hangs down with the palm facing outward, forming a high relief standing Buddha statue in the form of a guiding figure. In March 2001, after the two 53-meter and 35-meter standing Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, were ruthlessly destroyed by artillery fire, the Great Buddha of Baxian Mountain became the tallest standing Buddha in the world, as well as the third tallest Buddha in China. Viewed from afar amidst the lush greenery, it features spiral curls, a kasaya robe, a bowl held in the right hand, and the left hand hanging down. With a full and majestic form, it exudes solemnity and compassion, representing a typical Western-style guiding Buddha sculpture. The 1985 newly compiled *Pingshan County Annals* states that it is “32 meters tall”; whereas *Selected Historical Materials of Yibin* and the 1998 *Pingshan: The Pearl on the Jinsha River*, compiled by Pingshan County, describe it as being “37 meters in height with a chest width of 11 meters.” The part below its knees has not yet been fully carved. If the feet were to be completed, it might need to be extended by another 10 meters.

The Baxian Mountain Danxia Cave Cluster, located to the right of the Great Buddha, is said to have been carved over three years starting during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty. It was initiated by a local notable, Zhou Tiancheng, who claimed to have dreamed that “Laozi (the revered founder of Taoism, also known as Li Er), also called the Supreme Old Lord, wished to reside at Baxian Mountain.” With approval from the local government, Zhou Tiancheng, Xu Yidong, and others raised funds locally to complete the project. The cave cluster consists of nine grottoes, all of which are remnants of Buddhist and Taoist worship. Their exteriors mimic wooden beam and column structures, and each cave is inscribed with finely carved plaques and couplets.