In 718, construction of the giant stone Buddha at Leshan began under Haitong's supervision. In the Tang Dynasty, people worshipped Maitreya, regarding him as the symbol of a bright future. Haitong first asked the craftsmen to make a small sample statue of Maitreya. Then he Surveyed the mountain rocks and rivers to decide on its position and, finally, began construction.

The construction of the giant Buddha was a complicated process. Thousands of iron hammers rose and fell in the work field, and the big rocks tumbled to the ground with a sound like thunder. The construction lasted several years and cost a large sum of money. Then Haitong died and the building had to stop.

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