That’s a big buddha
Asia is obsessed with the size of it’s Buddha’s. If a shrine of temple doesn’t have the biggest conventional Buddha, they must revert to having the biggest Buddha lying down, or sitting cross-legged, or sitting cross-legged, hands out, palms up, eyes closed. I’m not making this up. Christianity has it’s big crosses scattered on hillsides across the Christian world, but usually lacking a “Jesus.” And Muslims must be baffled by these idols. Yes Buddhist really like their symbols ‘in the flesh’ so to speak.
If we’ve learned anything in the past six months, it’s not to show any depiction of the prophet Muhammad (especially with a bomb in his turban), or else the Muslim world flips out. Sorry, but you won’t find any smiling, fat Muhammed key chains to bring you good fortune in the alleys of Tehran. To other religions, Buddha may appear ruthlessly exploited. I don’t know how devout Buddhists would defend this claim. Maybe they don’t care.
The big Buddha craze is still going strong in the 21st century. People are still building huge Buddha’s, and Hong Kong went big on Lantai Island. Seated at the top of a small hill is the world’s largest, run-of-the-mill Buddha. Relatively new, it was completed in 1991 and placed on the less developed island of Lantai near a Buddhist monastery. There’s not much to say about it. It’s really big.
I’m losing my ambition to see shrines and temples and Buddhas. The longer I spend in Asia, the more I’m bored by them. It’s not like I’ve ever been on a church tour. I’ve seen pictures of cathedral and they all look the same too. I’ve seen the biggest Buddha so I’m home free. The search can end.
Tags: Hong Kong
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