Leshan History

Leshan, known as Jiazhou in ancient times, lies at the intersection of three rivers — the Dadu, the Qingyi and the Minjiang, has a history of more than 3000 years. As one of the most culturally developed areas in Sichuan, Leshan is now a national level historical and cultural city.

From the unearthed cliff tombs in the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), one can look into the social and cultural development potentail in the Leshan area at that time. Of these excavated articles, relic of Han Dynasty litterateur Guo Sheren annotating Er Ya, an early dictionary, in Wuyou Mountain is the most representative. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Giant Buddha was constructed in Leshan. In the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Leshan fostered three most outstanding celebrities Su Dongpo, his father and his younger brother. In the modern and contemporary histories, Guo Moruo, the great litterateur, came from here. The Jiazhou School of Painting developed its own characteristics and enjoyed a high reputation in the circle of traditional Chinese painting in Sichuan. The particular natural scenery and human cultures form the tourist resources of Leshan.

In the city, tourists can see with their own eyes the mysterious workmanship of the nature, which shaped the dignity of Leshan Sleeping Buddha; and the power of Buddhism, which created the artistic atmosphere like the Leshan Grand Buddha with efforts of several generations.

It is no wonder that in Song Dynasty, many celebrities wrote down famous poems to eulogize the fantastic scenery in Leshan.

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