The Mengshan Giant Buddha is 162 years older than the Leshan Giant Buddha!

The Mengshan Giant Buddha is located in the Mengshan Scenic Area in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. The scenic area covers an area of about 8 square kilometers, and the main peak is 1,325 meters above sea level. From a distance, the giant Buddha is like the couplet at the entrance of the mountain: "The mountain is a Buddha, and the Buddha is a mountain." The Mengshan Giant Buddha is a 63-meter-high seated Shakyamuni Buddha statue carved in the second year of the Tianbao period of the Northern Qi Dynasty, making it the earliest cliff-carved Buddha statue with a definite date, 162 years older than the famous Leshan Giant Buddha. The Mengshan Giant Buddha was carved in the second year of the Tianbao period of the Northern Qi Dynasty, which is 551 AD. The giant Buddha faces south, with its back to the mountain and its face to the water, with the Azure Dragon on the left and the White Tiger on the right, in an excellent position. The giant Buddha has been prosperous for more than 800 years since it was carved. In the eyes of the people, the giant Buddha is very spiritual, and in the eyes of the royal family and nobles, it is like a temple that protects the country. Because of this, many royal nobles in history have formed an indissoluble bond with the giant Buddha. However, at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the war raged, and Mengshan fell into a sea of fire. The head of the giant Buddha fell off due to the fire, and the body was buried. It was buried for more than 600 years. It was not until the 1980s that Wang Jianni, an elderly man, confirmed that the Mengshan Giant Buddha was the site of the former Xishan Giant Buddha after many field investigations during a place name survey. After clearing the surrounding mud, stone, and sand, the body of the Buddha was revealed. Later, in 2007-2008, the head of the Buddha was restored according to the characteristics of the Northern Qi Buddha sculpture. The head of the Buddha was lifted from the mountain and cast in place. Since then, the giant Buddha, which had disappeared for more than 600 years, reappeared in the world. The Buddha's hands are in the meditation seal, and his legs are crossed. His expression is solemn and calm, with a sense of elegance in his strength, determination in his contemplation, and great compassion in his solemnity, which is awe-inspiring. As one of the earliest large stone Buddha statues in the world, the Mengshan Giant Buddha shows the majestic style of Northern Qi Buddhist statues. Its carving skills are exquisite, the facial expression of the Buddha statue is kind and solemn, the clothing lines are smooth and natural, the shoulders are flat and wide, the chest is thick, and the body is strong, showing unique artistic charm.