If you’ve made big travel plans for the Chinese New Year, our condolences go out to you, if they aren’t too international destinations. Traveling any distance during the New Year should come with a medal for bravery, especially in Beijing where the people outnumber snowflakes at this time of year. Luckily, you can skip the mob and the lines, most of them anyway, with a quick trip to Wuxi. You can stay for less than a day or spend a few, and get a taste of Wuxi’s brand new nightlife.
One of the most impressive sights in Wuxi, or the whole of Jiangsu Province for that matter, is the Great Buddha at Lingshan, along the shores of Lake Tai about 25 minutes by bus from the train station. The Buddha was built back in the 1980’s, but you’ll find no plastic here. It was not built simply as a tourist destination, but an authentic site for religious worship. This is the largest bronze statue, of the Buddha, in the world. To say that the Sakyamuni Buddha is 88 meters tall (just short of the Statue of Liberty but only if you don’t count the raised hand) can’t describe what it feels like to stand at its feet. At first your eyes barely see over the toes. Craning your neck up to its full height not only makes you feel small in comparison to it, but to everything around you.
Just like the mausoleum of Sun Yat Sen in Nanjing, approaching this statue requires you to walk down a long, tree-lined avenue, and then up some steps. We tried to count how many, but we gave up after a while because we were distracted by the stone reliefs showing the life of the Buddha. Before arriving at the top you’ll pass by streams, bridges, and ponds surrounded by statues, and halls filled with more statues. If you arrived at lunchtime, keep your eyes out for a small unmarked building that smells like lunch. It’ll be one of the best vegetarian meals you’ve ever had.
Among the many statues depicting various Buddhist deities, is another that is almost as impressive. Sitting in the shadow of the grand Buddha is a depiction of the Maitreya Buddha. He represents the future, and many people wishing for children or grandchildren will make a point to visit this spot. Also worth seeing is the extra hand for the big Buddha. As the bronze was being erected, one of the hands became an object of devotion for visitors so the right hand was left there and a new one was cast.
Wuxi is an easy trip from Suzhou, even during the Chinese New Year. However, Lingshan’s Buddha will no doubt be mobbed with people praying for good fortune in the New Year, but a real temple fair is a fun thing to see with lots of food to be had. If you’re not in the mood for crowds, take the same bus and visit one of the many other sites nearby.
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