The huge project is said to be the idea of a Chinese monk named Haitong, who hoped the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued passing boats.

Carved from a side of Lingyun Hill, the head of the gigantic sculpture is level with the top of the cliff.

When the statue was carved, a huge 13-story wooden structure was built to shelter it from rain and sunshine. The structure was later destroyed in wars at the end of the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). The Buddha sits impassively against the mountain with its hands on its knees, looking across the rivers with heavy-lidded eyes. It is 71 meters tall. Its head is 14.7 meters long and 10 meters wide with a total of 1,021 buns of coiled hair.

Its shoulders are 28 meters wide and its smallest toenail can accommodate a seated person. Another architectural highlight is the drainage system. This system is made up of hidden gutters and channels, scattered on the head and arms, behind the ears and in the clothes.

The system, which helps carry away rainwater and keep the inner parts dry, plays an important part in the protection of the Buddha.

Seventeen meters taller than the Buddha statue of Bamiyan in Afghanistan, which was destroyed by the deposed Taliban regime in 2001, Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest Buddha statue in the world today.

Other attractions in the area include Lingyun Monastery, the Great Buddha Temple, the Dongpo Tower, and the Cave of Master Haitong.

Nowadays most visitors opt for half-day tours around Leshan Giant Buddha before or after they visit Mount Emei. Entry tickets cost 80 yuan per head.

Mount Emei is located 180 kilometers south of Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan Province, and only 28 kilometers from the city of Leshan.

The name "Emei" literally means "delicate eyebrow." The mountain derives its name from two peaks, the Wanfo (Ten Thousand Buddha) Summit and Golden Summit, which face each other and resemble the delicate eyebrows of a Chinese beauty.