Bac Ninh pagoda welcomes world’s largest jade Buddha
The world’s largest jade Buddha statue is being exhibited in Dau pagoda in the northern province of Bac Ninh.
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During the exhibition, various ceremonies for revolutionary martyrs, global peace and lectures on Buddhism, and art performances will be held by the Bac Ninh chapter of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
The “Jade Buddha for Peace” statue was carved from gemstone-quality jade called Polar Pride, discovered in Canada in 2000. Ian Green, an Australian Buddhist, invited artisans from Nepal, India and Thailand to carve the statue in Thailand. The carving was completed in 2008.
The statue is modeled on the Siddhartha Gautama Buddha statue inside the Mahabodhi Stupa in India’s Bodh Gaya. It stands 2.54m tall and weighs over 4.5 tonnes.
The statue has toured more than 20 countries and 100 cities worldwide.
It was brought to Vietnam for the first time in 2009 and was displayed in various pagodas in the central city of Da Nang, Ba Ria Vung Tau, HCM City and Dong Thap in the south and the northern province of Bac Ninh.
It was then moved to Australia before it toured the United States in 2010, Europe in 2011 and Asia in 2012.
The statue is scheduled to be permanently installed in Australia after leaving Vietnam.
