Seller's wares, Street Market, Leshan, Sichuan Province, China

Visitors, Leshan Giant Buddha Staircase

The Leshan Giant Buddha, a 71-metre (233 foot) stone statue, lies at the confluence of the Min and Dadu rivers in Sichuan province, China. It is the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world and was built between 713 and 803, taking 90 years to carve. Visitors to the statue walk along a riverside path before climbing this stairwell, composed of 250 steps, carved into the rockface to view the Buddha's head, a trip which, based on crowds, can take a couple of hours to complete. A second stairwell, on the other side of the statue, brings them back to riverside on the return trip.

Rock staircase, Leshan Giant Buddha

Carved hand, Leshan Giant Buddha

Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world, is 71-metres (233 ft) high, and overlooks the confluence of the Min and Dadu rivers, in Leshan, Sichuan Province, China. The statue was built between 713 and 803 AD, during the Tang Dynasty, and is carved out of red sandstone from the Cretaceous era.

Selecting the purchase

Barbershop patron

A local takes a break in a street barbers, Leshan

Shirt embroidery

A Leshan local's embroidered shirt

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Rolling the leaves

An elderly tea plantation owner rolls the just-picked leaves in a heated wok, the first stage in making green tea.

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Bhuddist Shrine, Gandan Monastery

Butter lamps illuminate a shrine built into the cliff face at Gandan Monastery, Tibet

Girl on Kora, Jokhang Temple, Lhasa

A young girl with infant performing their daily Kora, or circumambulation, around the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Considered the most sacred temple due to its role in the development of Tibetan Buddhism, the Jokhang stands in Barkhor Square around 1000m from the Potala Palace and is around 1,300 years old. From first to last light, Tibetans from many different parts come to circumambulate the temple, some prostrating every few steps, to earn religious merit on the Kora, the sacred path of worship.

Kora Prayer

A young girl prays during her late evening Kora around the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet.

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Yamdrok-tso and Gangba la Pass

Descending to Yamdrok Lake (Yamdrok tso), the road from the Ganga la Pass (4800m) makes a series of sweeping turns around the ridges. The lake and associated area are associated with the Second Buddha, Padmasambhava, who brought Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century AD.

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