The Tallest Statue in the World
Even though I covered a lot of ground in China, there were still a few places I wanted to see that I never quite got to. My family and I were originally planning to visit Datong to see the Hanging Temple as part of our 2009 vacation, but that sidetrip got cut out at the last minute in favor of Jiuzhaigou. I’m pretty sure we traded up, but I still regret never seeing Datong.
Two other areas I was interested in (and still hope to see someday) are Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province and the Stone Forest near Kunming.
What really stands out to me more than anything, though, is the Spring Temple Buddha in Henan Province. This is reportedly the tallest statue in the world, and yet… nobody ever talks about it, and it’s hard to find much information online. The Buddha statue in Wuxi was one of my favorite things I saw in China, so it’s exciting to know an even taller one is nearby but baffling that directions to this place are nonexistent.
My brother and I actually attempted to go there over the October National Day holiday, but the overnight train to Pingdingshan only had seats available. No thank you! I was somewhat relieved we didn’t go, because, aside from the name “Pingdingshan” (a city near the statue), I had no idea how to get there. It would have been a total shot in the dark. Next time I am in China, maybe Sarah and I will tackle this giant together.
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