World's Largest Buddha: 120 Yuan per Visit – Would You Accept?
Traveling along National Route 311, you can't miss the mountain north of it at the junction of Pingdingshan and Luoyang, where a colossal Buddha stands tall on Mount Banpo. This Buddha belongs to the Zhongyuan Grand Buddha Scenic Area, a 5A-level attraction.
More precisely, the Buddha is part of the Buddhaquan Temple, a temple originally established during the Tang Dynasty. It has been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt throughout history, flourishing at one time with over 200 monks. However, Buddhaquan Temple fell into ruin in the 1980s and 90s. It was reconstructed in 1999, with investment from Tianrui Group.
The construction of this scenic area was a truly massive undertaking. From the start of construction in 2002 to the completion of the Buddha in 2007, it took five years and cost 280 million. Just then, the Zheng Yao Highway, which runs directly through Lushan and reaches Zhengzhou, was also completed and opened to traffic – the scenic area truly benefited from favorable timing!
In 2008, the scenic area invited 108 eminent monks to consecrate the Buddha, including monks from various countries around the world – 'foreign monks'. In 2011, the scenic area, together with Yushan, was granted 5A-level tourist attraction status.
For Tianrui Group, this was also a highly successful investment. Originally focusing on casting and cement, Tianrui Group successfully entered the tourism industry and transformed tourism into its primary business. The Buddha at Buddhaquan Temple and the casting of bells also showcased the group's specialized expertise.
This Buddha is truly extraordinary. It was designed by Lin Shengbiao, a master craftsman from Xing Sheng Craftsmanship of Putian, a national intangible cultural heritage skill transmission inheritor, and vice chairman of the Fujian Province Arts and Crafts Association. The completed Buddha stands 108 meters tall, with the lotus seat 20 meters high, the lotus pedestal 25 meters high, the Kailuosan pedestal 55 meters high, and the total height 208 meters!
This height is enough to rival a small mountain. It is rightfully considered the world's largest Buddha. Just the casting of the Buddha's body consumed 2700 tons of copper, 3700 tons of steel, and 600 kilograms of gold. The Buddha's design is beautiful and gleaming with gold, with majestic elephant figures, and is truly awe-inspiring.
Furthermore, the scenic area also boasts another breathtaking view – the Grand Bell in the Bell Tower. This bell, named Jixiang Bell, is made of bronze, stands 8 meters plus, has a diameter of 5 meters plus, is 20 centimeters thick, and weighs 116 tons – it is the world's largest bell.
Therefore, the scenic area possesses three Guinness World Records: the world's largest Buddha statue, the world's largest sculpture, and the world's largest overhanging bronze bell.
To get close to admiring the Buddha, it will cost you 120 yuan in admission fees. Do you think this price is appropriate?
