A 600-year-old Buddha statue has been discovered in a reservoir in east China’s Jiangxi province after water levels fell during renovation work. The head of the Buddha was spotted by a local villager when the water level fell by more than 10 meters during work on a hydropower gate, Xinhua reported.
The Buddha’s head, sitting against a cliff, has attracted many tourists as well as locals, who see it as an auspicious sign.
Archaeologists said the statue could date back to Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). A base of a temple hall was also found under the water. Local records suggest the reservoir was located on the ruins of an ancient town called Xiaoshi.
The statue is around 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) tall and carved into a cliff. It was submerged in 1960 when the Hongmen reservoir was built.