As stated in my previous blog, I had explored the massive statue of the Great Leshan Buddha which is located just outside of the city of Leshan, in the province of Sichuan, China. The detailing that went into designing and also preserving this colossal carving is one which has helped it to survive over many centuries, while also serving a religious purpose as well.
The instrumentality, or the hidden purpose, of the sculpture is a drainage system which had been carved into the Buddha to aid in the preservation of the statue. Located on top of the head is 1,021 buns which have been carved to not only help generate an aesthetic component to the sculpture, but one which would allow the statue to survive for many centuries. In conjunction with the buns, located inside the actual Buddha itself is a hidden system of drains, gutters and channels. These can be found throughout the head, ears, arms and even in the detailing of the clothes of the Buddha. The purpose of creating this drainage system for the statue is to diverge the rainwater and displace it elsewhere so that it will not penetrate the statue and cause the stone to become weathered and eventually deteriorate.
The issue of whether a structure can withstand the natural elements of time and the always changing yet unpredictable weather, is something that architects and their structures are constantly facing. This idea to create something that can withstand time for future generations to not only observe but to engage and learn from, is half of the battle when designing and creating structures or even a massive statue.
Brittany
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