Leshan

This is well worth a visit if you are not familiar with ebony and the amazing carvings that can be made from it. Some of the displays are a bit tacky but there are some spectacular carvings of famous Chinese literary and legendary scenes.

One of the main attraction to see is the Leshan Giant Buddha. The Giant Buddha is a 71 m (230 feet) high sculpture carved into one of the large cliffs by the river. In addition to the Giant Buddha, there are also numerous smaller carvings of various Buddhas on the Grand Buddha Cliff Road. Other than carvings, there are also various temples and shrines scattered about, the beautiful Haoshang bridge, and some wonderful small waterfalls. The Buddha was carved into the mountain face to watch over a part of the river that while very busy for transport was claiming the lives and stock of many boats. Upon completion of the now largest Buddha in the world the river became safe, and thus Buddha saved "us all". Modern scientists will point out the rock displacement to the river bed would have changed the currents, and killed off the eddies that were pulling boats down. If you go late in the day, you will not have to compete with many Chinese tour groups who seem to go in the morning. There are two ways to see the giant Buddha: on foot and by river ferry. To see the giant Buddha Statue by ferry you can take one of the ferries from the dock for ¥70. The ferry will cross the river and stop in front of the statue for 10 minutes for everyone to go to the top deck and take pictures and then return to the dock. Ferry fare does not include admission to the park. Taking the ferry allows you to view the two guards carved into the cliff face which are not visible by foot. The total trip will take around 40 minutes. The view from the ferry is not much different from the view at the base of the statue, which would make it unnecessary unless you're dead set on having a photo taken of yourself with the Buddha. An alternative is take a taxi or bus (#13 from downtown) to the statue and climb up and down on the cliff surrounding the Buddha. There is a staircase next to the Buddha to take you down to its feet. In the mornings, long lines develop to walk down the cliff to the base of the Buddha and you can expect to wait for around 2 hours. Arrive very early or in the late afternoon to avoid the lines. There are several other (newer) things to see on site, so perhaps seeing them first and saving the Buddha for last is a smart strategy. In winter, when the water level of the 3 rivers is low, there appears a rubble island on which you can walk towards the Buddha. The island ends maybe 200 m in front of the statue, but it's a nice panorama from there. You can get to the island with a ferry from the south bank of the city (¥1 per passage) and walk about 2 km from there. Student or Seniors discounts are available, though a quick grasp of Chinese is useful. Food in this locality is very expensive and is best avoided unless you are very hungry in which case any of the cafes nearby will do. Given that you will pay through the nose anyway, it's best to choose the one with air con if you are visiting in the summer. For more information see: UNESCO whc.unesco.org/archive/advisory_body_evaluation/779.pdf.

Leshan's old city walls were built during the Northern Zhou Dynasty and rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The surviving remnants of the wall can be found in and around the city centre.

One of eleven city gates that still survive. Tieniu Gate was built during the Song Dynasty and rebuilt in 1394. It used to be known as Lizheng Gate (丽正门).

A Buddhist theme park.

Suji Ancient Town, historically known as Suji Fort and Suji Post, was established in the first year of the Chunxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1174) with the construction of irrigation facilities. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it became an important starting point for Buddhist pilgrims visiting Mount Emei. The town preserves historical structures such as a Qing-era Marsh Water Stone Bridge and traditional courtyard houses. Suji is also renowned as the birthplace of the nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage “Qiaojiao Beef,” with more than 70 related restaurants and a heritage museum showcasing traditional preparation techniques. Nearly ¥400 million have been invested in the town’s renovation, developing night tours and distinctive alleyways, gradually forming a development system that integrates culinary experiences, heritage displays, and cultural tourism.