Links
Archives
INDIVIDUAL VOYAGE THROUGH CHINA DURING 7 WEEKS PEKING XIAN CHENGDU CHONGQING YANGTZE RIVER MOUNTS HUANGSHAN HANGZHOU SUZHOU SHANGHAI PEKING
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
LESHAN
The big Buddha
28 – 29.9.1990
It seems it will be a beautiful day. We leave the hotel at 7 o’clock to take the minibus going to Leshan, 173 km. in the southwest of Chengdu. On our way, crossing a park, we fall in with a group practicing the famous Chinese boxing. Their slow harmonious synchronized movements look like a ballet. On the trees canaries singing in their cages seem enjoy their master’s exhibitions. We have to leave the spectacle…
Sitting on the first places in the bus we have the opportunity to see the chaos on the road, especially approaching villages. The bus hardly progress between the crowds. Indifferent to the horn of our driver are the two-wheeled vehicles overloaded with agricultural produces in enormous bamboo baskets. In improvised carts struggle corded pigs. Bound hens and ducks desperately flutter on bikes... our driver keep cool and finally we enter a calm zone.
Now we are crossing fields where peasants plow using plough drawn by buffaloes. Also defile immense rice and cotton fields, sugar-cane plantations. It’s the image of the famous basin of Chengdu whose fertility is legendary, where they harvest rice, corn, soja, twice a year, where vegetables grow throughout the year.
Now I understand the welfare of Chengdu, it’s the reflection of this formidable production machine. In a village I can’t refraim from tasting sugar cane. In a trice the merchant peels the long green stem, now it’s white. He cuts it in fragments that look like barley sugar. I nibble sucking the juice from it. It’s sweet and refreshing! At least drug fibres are left to be thrown.
The configuration of the landscape changes. Now we travel between tea gardens terraced on the hills. About midday we arrive in Leshan. We want to buy tickets for our return. Impossible to be understood. Somebody in the row seems to realize we need tickets for Chengdu. We get them but wonder whether they are for the right direction. We have no choice and put them in the pockets. A woman accosts us showing a prospectus of a hotel and beckons to follow her. The prices in dollars are suitable; we accept. Milan with his long legs has no problems but I have; my backpack is not light so I reach difficultly the lady in a race cross narrow streets and a crowded market; I am afraid to be lost among that rout. Thank God, we arrive; we like the place and settle.
The days are long; we have still time to visit the tallest Buddha in the world. At the landing on the Min River we stand in the long row of very disciplined native tourists. The boat, which takes us to the other side of the river stops in the middle of the Min just in front of the Buddha. I have the opportunity to survey the gigantic and imposing 71 meters high colosse carved in the cliff, from 713 to 803, above the confluence of three rivers. It was conceived in hope it would decrease the stream and assure the safety of the boats!
Landing, we enter a bamboos forest. Sinuous climbing paths in a luxuriant vegetation lead to a complex of old temples where the pilgrims venerate numerous Buddha, light candles and burn incense. On the way many small restaurants and buffets are crowded because it’s very cheap. Everywhere and anytime we can see food in abundance. Away is the time when China was synonymous of Famine.
Now we go down on steps cut in the cliff, through tunnels and corridors. Sometimes we have a view on the river and the landscape. Being near the foot of the statue young tourists who climbed on it smiling tend their hands to help me to get up too. Impressed. As yet I didn’t realize how big it really was. Now we have to go upper on abrupt staircases and arrive near the head of this twelve centuries old Buddha. A little out of breath, leaning on the slope protecting me from the depth, I whisper him how long I traveled to see him and ask to bless me!!!
Happy and enriched by this new experience we stop a pedicab to bring us to the hotel.
The following day again in Chengdu but just to say “adieu” to the city and his people I enjoyed so much. I expect excited the next round waiting the Sichuan Express, direction Chongqing from where will start our cruising on Yang Tse-Kiang we call Yangtze River.
Near Buddha
The big Buddha
28 – 29.9.1990
It seems it will be a beautiful day. We leave the hotel at 7 o’clock to take the minibus going to Leshan, 173 km. in the southwest of Chengdu. On our way, crossing a park, we fall in with a group practicing the famous Chinese boxing. Their slow harmonious synchronized movements look like a ballet. On the trees canaries singing in their cages seem enjoy their master’s exhibitions. We have to leave the spectacle…
Sitting on the first places in the bus we have the opportunity to see the chaos on the road, especially approaching villages. The bus hardly progress between the crowds. Indifferent to the horn of our driver are the two-wheeled vehicles overloaded with agricultural produces in enormous bamboo baskets. In improvised carts struggle corded pigs. Bound hens and ducks desperately flutter on bikes... our driver keep cool and finally we enter a calm zone.
Now we are crossing fields where peasants plow using plough drawn by buffaloes. Also defile immense rice and cotton fields, sugar-cane plantations. It’s the image of the famous basin of Chengdu whose fertility is legendary, where they harvest rice, corn, soja, twice a year, where vegetables grow throughout the year.
Now I understand the welfare of Chengdu, it’s the reflection of this formidable production machine. In a village I can’t refraim from tasting sugar cane. In a trice the merchant peels the long green stem, now it’s white. He cuts it in fragments that look like barley sugar. I nibble sucking the juice from it. It’s sweet and refreshing! At least drug fibres are left to be thrown.
The configuration of the landscape changes. Now we travel between tea gardens terraced on the hills. About midday we arrive in Leshan. We want to buy tickets for our return. Impossible to be understood. Somebody in the row seems to realize we need tickets for Chengdu. We get them but wonder whether they are for the right direction. We have no choice and put them in the pockets. A woman accosts us showing a prospectus of a hotel and beckons to follow her. The prices in dollars are suitable; we accept. Milan with his long legs has no problems but I have; my backpack is not light so I reach difficultly the lady in a race cross narrow streets and a crowded market; I am afraid to be lost among that rout. Thank God, we arrive; we like the place and settle.
The days are long; we have still time to visit the tallest Buddha in the world. At the landing on the Min River we stand in the long row of very disciplined native tourists. The boat, which takes us to the other side of the river stops in the middle of the Min just in front of the Buddha. I have the opportunity to survey the gigantic and imposing 71 meters high colosse carved in the cliff, from 713 to 803, above the confluence of three rivers. It was conceived in hope it would decrease the stream and assure the safety of the boats!
Landing, we enter a bamboos forest. Sinuous climbing paths in a luxuriant vegetation lead to a complex of old temples where the pilgrims venerate numerous Buddha, light candles and burn incense. On the way many small restaurants and buffets are crowded because it’s very cheap. Everywhere and anytime we can see food in abundance. Away is the time when China was synonymous of Famine.
Now we go down on steps cut in the cliff, through tunnels and corridors. Sometimes we have a view on the river and the landscape. Being near the foot of the statue young tourists who climbed on it smiling tend their hands to help me to get up too. Impressed. As yet I didn’t realize how big it really was. Now we have to go upper on abrupt staircases and arrive near the head of this twelve centuries old Buddha. A little out of breath, leaning on the slope protecting me from the depth, I whisper him how long I traveled to see him and ask to bless me!!!
Happy and enriched by this new experience we stop a pedicab to bring us to the hotel.
The following day again in Chengdu but just to say “adieu” to the city and his people I enjoyed so much. I expect excited the next round waiting the Sichuan Express, direction Chongqing from where will start our cruising on Yang Tse-Kiang we call Yangtze River.
Near Buddha
Posted by: jeanette / 2:30 AM 
