China to Repair Giant Buddha

Beijing / Oct 3: Chinese experts will examine as of October 8 with cutting-edge technology the giant Buddha of Leshan, in southwest China”s Sichuan Province, as a prelude of a plan to repair the important monument.

The initial examination will last four months and seeks to determine the magnitude of the damages, apart from those on the chest and abdomen, and then the comprehensive restoration of the over 1,300-year-old statue.

The examination will be developed by cultural relic experts, supported by 3D laser scanning, infrared thermal imaging and a drone aerial survey.

A project valued at 250 million yuan (almost 36.87 million dollars) was conducted in 2001 to clean the body, cement rock structure and install drainage pipes.

In 2007, the Buddha received another facelift to repair damage caused by weathering and acid rain.

The 71-meter-high statue is the world’s largest ancient piece of its kind and also the largest stone representation of Buddha.

The Buddha statue was built over a 90-year period. A monk named Haitong led construction.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization included it in the global heritage list in 1996. Agencies