乐山大佛是一尊坐像，是世界上最高的大佛，高71米。佛像的脚上可以站一百多人，耳朵里都可以站两人。人们常常这样形容乐山大佛：“佛是一座山，山是一尊佛”。

The Leshan Giant Buddha, a sitting statue, is the tallest Buddha in the world with a height of 71 meters. He can accommodate more than 100 people on his feet and hold two people on each of his ears. The Leshan Giant Buddha is often described with the expression that “the Buddha is a mountain and the mountain is a Buddha”.

　　乐山大佛开凿于公元713年，是在一座叫凌云山的峭壁上凿出来的。凌云山在岷江、大渡河和青衣江三江汇合的地方，水流很急，来往的船只经常被撞得粉碎。因此，山上凌云寺的僧人决定修造一个大佛，来保佑经过的船只。为了完成这项工程，募集经费用了20年，彻底完工用了90年！

Construction of the Leshan Giant Buddha began in 713 AD. It was carved out of the cliff of the Lingyun Mountain. Lingyun Mountain is situated at the junction of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi Rivers, where passing boats were once frequently torn to pieces by the rapid torrents. The monks from Lingyun Temple thus decided to build a giant Buddha to bless the boats. In order to complete this project, they raised funds for twenty years, while construction of the Buddha itself lasted for ninety years!

　　乐山大佛是弥勒佛像。弥勒佛代表着未来，象征着光明、吉祥和希望。修建这座佛像，正是希望佛能保佑经过这里的船只平安通过。

The Leshan Buddha is a statue of the Maitreya Buddha. Maitreya symbolizes the future and represents brightness, fortune and hope. The statue of this Buddha was built in the hope that it would bring safety to the boats as they passed by.

　　沿着大佛左侧的栈道可以直接到达大佛的底部。在这里，可以抬头仰望大佛。

You can reach the base of the Leshan Buddha by following the plank road on the statue’s left-hand side. From this location, you will be able to look up and behold this giant Buddha.

　　坐像右侧有一条古栈道，人们至今还可以从这里上山。

On the right-hand side of the Leshan Buddha lies an ancient plank road. Even today, people can still climb up the mountain from this spot.

　　这里是大佛头部的右侧，也就是凌云山的山顶。游客在这里可以观赏大佛头部的雕刻艺术。大佛头顶共有雕刻精细的螺髻1021个。

This is the right side of the Buddha’s head, which is also the peak of Lingyun Mountain. Visitors can admire the sculptural artistry of the Buddha’s head, on which 1,021 buns of coiled hair are carefully carved.

　　1996年，乐山大佛被列入《世界自然与文化遗产名录》。

The Leshan Giant Buddha was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.