Scientific phenomenon or legend?

The giant Buddha statue in Leshan, Sichuan, China is not only a great symbol of Buddhist sculpture and belief but also contains many mysterious and thrilling stories.

For more than a thousand years of existence, this Buddha statue has become the subject of many legends, in which the phenomenon of the statue “shedding tears” has made many people curious and created colorful spiritual stories. But the question is, is the phenomenon of tears in the Leshan Buddha statue a sign of something supernatural, or is it just a natural phenomenon explained by science?

The giant Leshan Buddha statue is located at the confluence of the Min River and the Qingyi River, at the foot of Emei Mountain. With a height of 71 meters, this is one of the largest Buddha statues in the world. Construction began in 713 during the Tang Dynasty and was completed in 803. This statue is not only a work of stone art but also has a deep spiritual meaning for the people living in the area.

The statue was built with the purpose of protecting people from floods from the river Man . In people’s beliefs, building a Buddha statue at this strategic location will help control the river’s flow and bring peace to the surrounding areas. The Buddha statue was sculpted directly into the cliff, with a gentle face and majestic sitting posture, expressing Buddha’s compassion for all sentient beings.

During its nearly 90-year construction process, the statue became a spiritual symbol not only of Sichuan but also of the entire Southwest China region. Locals consider the giant Leshan Buddha a symbol of protection, and the statue has become a popular pilgrimage site for Buddhists from around the world.

One of the most famous phenomena associated with the Leshan Buddha statue is that the statue sometimes “sheds tears”. According to legend, every time a major disaster occurs, such as a natural disaster or war, local people often witness the Leshan Buddha statue shedding tears. This phenomenon has appeared many times in history, and the most famous time was after the great earthquake in Sichuan in 738. People say that after the earthquake, the statue began to shed tears, leading many to believe that Buddha was weeping for the souls who died in the disaster.

The story of Buddha’s tears quickly spread and became a legend associated with the Leshan Buddha statue. Many people believe that this is a sign of divine presence, demonstrating Buddha’s compassion for human suffering. This legend has been passed down through many generations, and every time the Buddha statue “sheds tears”, people gather to pray and hope to receive protection from the Buddha.

In addition to the 738 earthquake, the phenomenon of tears of Buddha statues was also recorded in 1976, just before the Tangshan earthquake, one of the most devastating earthquakes in modern Chinese history. It is said that, before the disaster occurred, the Leshan Buddha statue shed tears, and many people considered it a warning sign from the gods.

Although the phenomenon of “Buddha’s tears” has been associated with myths, with the development of science and technology, researchers have found a more reasonable explanation for this phenomenon.

According to scientists, the Buddha statue’s tears are actually a phenomenon of rock erosion and the impact of acid rain on the statue. Acid rain is a consequence of environmental pollution, especially during the period of strong industrialization in China. When chemicals such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from factories and vehicles react with water vapor in the air, they form weak acids, making rainwater acidic. When these raindrops come into contact with the stone statue, they wear away the surface of the statue, creating small cracks and grooves. Rainwater accumulates in these grooves and slowly flows down, creating the illusion that the statue is shedding tears.

In addition, the Leshan Buddha statue is designed with a hidden drainage system inside, which helps drain rainwater from the statue to avoid water accumulation and damage to the statue. However, some of the drainage holes are located right above the eye area of ​​the statue, resulting in water escaping from these holes that can look like tears falling from the Buddha statue’s eyes.

Acid rain and rock erosion have caused serious damage to the Buddha statue over the years. Although the statue was sculpted from natural stone, over the centuries, environmental factors have reduced the durability of the stone and caused the statue’s surface to become increasingly damaged. These impacts not only cause “tears” but also create many other problems such as cracking and erosion of the entire surface of the statue.

Faced with that situation, the Chinese government has taken many measures to protect and restore the statue. One of the important measures is to improve the drainage system and apply modern waterproofing technology to protect the statue from the damage of acid rain. At the same time, air quality monitoring and pollution control measures have also been applied to reduce pollutant emissions in the area.

Thanks to these efforts, the phenomenon of tears at the Leshan Buddha statue has decreased significantly in recent years. Measures to protect the environment and preserve the statue have brought positive results, helping to maintain the beauty and sustainability of the statue in the future.

The giant Leshan Buddha statue is not only a great work of art and belief, but also a symbol of the harmony between nature and humans. Although the phenomenon of “Buddha’s tears” has been rationally explained by science, it still retains its mysterious appeal. For centuries, the story of the Buddha’s tears has become an indispensable part of local culture and history, reminding us of human insignificance before nature and the need to protect the environment.

The Leshan Buddha statue, with its stories of tears and majesty, will continue to be a source of inspiration not only for those who believe in the Buddhist faith but also for scientists and those concerned about the environment.