'Where is the Buddha's Head?'... The 'Giant Buddha Statue' Hidden Beneath the Apartment That Was Completely Unknown

Published 16 Dec.2020 21:28(KST)

Updated 17 Dec.2020 09:52(KST)

A Buddha Statue Hidden by Foliage... Even Residents Were Unaware

Giant Buddha statue discovered in Chongqing, China. Photo by Baidu Capture.

A giant Buddha statue with its head cut off, seen from a distance. Photo by Baidu capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] It has recently come to light that an apartment building was constructed atop a giant Buddha statue in China, sparking widespread attention among Chinese netizens.

ART News and Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the 16th that this Buddha statue is located between two high-rise apartments in Nan'an District, Chongqing City. Outsiders were largely unaware of its existence, but the fact was recently revealed through social media.

The giant Buddha statue stands 9 meters tall, with its head missing and an apartment building constructed above it.

Another apartment stands in front of the statue, surrounding it on all sides, and grass and trees have grown on top of the statue, making it difficult to see the entire figure.

Even residents who have lived in the neighborhood for decades were unaware of the statue's existence. They only noticed it after the vegetation was cleared.

A 60-year-old resident who lived in the area said, "That statue was here when I was a child," adding, "The statue had a head, but it was later damaged."

The statue is believed to have been built during the Qing Dynasty.

Another resident, Mr. Yang, said, "I heard the statue was built about 1,000 years ago."

Despite the statue being designated as a protected cultural heritage site at the regional level in the 1990s, the two apartments were constructed.

However, it remains unclear whether the head was originally missing or if it was damaged during the apartment construction process.

Netizens who learned about the statue's existence are curious about its origins and are voicing calls for its protection.

The statue is currently at risk of collapse due to water leakage.

Chongqing City has invited cultural heritage experts to conduct an investigation and plans to develop a protection plan for the statue based on their assessment.