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Maitreya Stone Statue by the Roadside of Liuliping National Forest Park
Chengde, Hebei, China
In the Yanshan Mountains of Hebei, the Liuliping National Forest Park spreads across forested slopes and deep valleys. In 1956, it became a state-owned forest farm, and in 2004, it was designated a National Forest Park. Along one of its winding mountain roads, a stone Buddhist figure sits in quiet contemplation—the Maitreya Stone Statue.
Carved from local stone, the statue depicts Maitreya in his familiar "Laughing Buddha" form: a rounded, seated figure with a broad smile and a prominent belly. This cheerful image, which emerged during the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods, conveys warmth and approachability. Its surface bears the soft marks of decades of mountain weather, wind and rain smoothing its contours while preserving its gentle expression.
Today, the statue remains a quiet landmark along the roadside, one of several attractions within the forest park. Through its weathered stone form, the Maitreya Stone Statue by the Roadside of Liuliping National Forest Park connects the natural beauty of the park with the enduring tradition of Buddhist stone carving.