Giant Jade Buddha starts world wide tour

My note: The biggest Jade Buddha statue is said to be made from a 260 ton jade and made into Sakyamuni Buddha statue in Anshan City, Liaoning, China.

Compiled by Hong Nguyen

The world’s largest jade Buddha statue arrived in the central seaside city of Da Nang on Wednesday, the first stop of its world wide tour.

The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace is the largest Buddha carved from gemstone-quality jade. It is also considered the most beautiful.

The 3.5-meter tall statue was carved from a rare boulder of translucent jade, dubbed “Polar Pride,” which was discovered in Canada in 2000.

The statue is modeled on the Siddhartha Gautama Buddha at the Mahabodhi Stupa in India's Bodh Gaya.

Polar Pride is the world largest pure gem-quality jade boulder ever found, weighing 18 tons.

In late 2006, the rock was transported from Vancouver in Canada to Bangkok in Thailand, where 30 skilled artisans from Thailand, Nepal and Australia spent two years carving the statue.

The Jade Thongtawee Co., Thailand’s oldest and highly regarded jade factory, was in charge of the project.

“The Jade Buddha for Universal Peace” is being displayed at the Quan The Am Pagoda until March 15 for the annual festival of the pagoda, which falls on the 19th day of the second lunar month.


It will be on display in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Ho Chi Minh City and southern Dong Thap Province until May 10.

The statue will later be welcomed by Buddhists in the U.S., Canada, Indonesia, New Zealand, Taiwan and other countries before being placed permanently at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion at the Atisha Center in near the Australian town of Bendigo.

Source: http://www.vietnewsonline.vn/News/Lifestyle/5418/Giant-jade-Buddha-starts-world-wide-tour.htm

World Tour Dates ( I plan to go to one of these)
5 January 2009
Blessing ceremonyThailand

13-15 March 2009
Quán The Âm TempleNon Nuoc, Đà Nang, Vietnam

21-26 March 2009
Đai Tòng Lâm Temple Bà Ria Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

29 March - 5 April 2009
Pho Quang Temple Tân Bình district, Ho Chí Minh City, Vietnam

7-24 April 2009
Hoang Pháp Temple Hóc Môn district, Ho Chí Minh City, Vietnam

1-10 May 2009
Van An Temple Châu Thành, Đong Tháp, Vietnam

13-17 May 2009
Trà VinhTrà Vinh, Vietnam

19 June - 5 July 2009
King George Square, Brisbane, Australia

10 July - 16 August 2009
Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia

22 August - 20 September 2009
Minh Quang Temple, Sydney, Australia

3-25 October 2009
Pháp Hoa Temple, Adelaide, Australia

6-29 November 2009
Venue TBA, Perth, Australia

December 2009
Venue TBA, Melbourne, Australia

October 2010
Quang Đuc Temple, Melbourne, Australia

December 2010
Venue TBA, Auckland, New Zealand