China 5 yuan 2022 Emeishan sacred mountain and Buddha statue

China 5 yuan 2022 Emeishan sacred mountain and Buddha statue (UNESCO World Heritage).

The Bank of China issued a coin dedicated to the sacred Mount Emeishan and the Buddha statue. Unlike the previous standard round commemorative coins, the shape of the Emeishan coins is a rectangle (square) with rounded corners. This is the fourth specially shaped commemorative coin since the founding of New China.

The Maitreya Buddha statue in Leshan is one of the tallest Buddha statues on Earth and, for more than a millennium, the tallest sculptural work in the world (until the appearance of the "Motherland" in Volgograd). It is carved into the thickness of the rock in Lingyunshan Mountain at the confluence of three rivers of the Chinese province of Sichuan, in the Shizhong district of the Leshan city district. The face of the Buddha (Maitreya) is turned to the sacred Mount Emeishan located opposite. The head of the Buddha rises flush with the mountain, and his feet rest on the river. More than 90 stone images of bodhisattvas are carved on the south and north walls in relation to the Buddha.

Since 1996, the Emeishan area has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a National Park of the People's Republic of China, one of the most popular tourist destinations in China.

Obverse: in the center is the coat of arms of the People's Republic of China. In the upper part of the semicircle is the name of the country in Chinese characters - "中华人民共和国". In the lower part, against the background of the Juqu River, the year of issue - "2022" is minted.

Reverse: in the center of the field of the coin is shown the Statue of Buddha Maitreya in Leshan. The face value of the coin is "5元" in the center right. At the bottom, the name of the series and the coin is minted in Chinese - "世界文化和自然遗产一樂山大佛".

Release date: 12/22/2022