藏在中国西南小县城的“世界第一”大佛（上）

荣县大佛是世界第一大释迦牟尼石刻佛像。

荣县大佛左手托着摩尼珠。

　　自贡市荣县，中国西南小县城，流传着这样一个故事：很久以前，有师徒二人相约到荣州凿刻佛像。师父虽然年迈，但手脚很麻利，到鸡鸣时刚好凿刻完佛像千尊。两人会合时，徒弟却只刻了一尊。师父很是生气，前来一看，为之震惊——徒弟凿刻的佛像头与山齐，十分壮观。自己虽刻千尊佛像，也比不过徒弟的一尊。
　　In Rongxian County, a small county located in southwest China’s Zigong City, a widely circulated story unfolds: Once long ago, a master and disciple met to carve Buddha statues in Rongzhou. Despite the master’s advanced age, his limbs moved with remarkable agility. When the rooster announced the dawn, he had carved thousands of Buddha statues. As they converged, the master was mad that the disciple had carved only one Buddha statue during the same timeframe. However, after taking a closer look, he was shocked - the Buddha head statue carved by his disciple was as high as a mountain, radiating magnificence. The master felt that although he had carved thousands of Buddha statues, none could compare to the single Buddha statue carved by his disciple.
　　徒弟所刻的壮观佛像，就是今天的荣县大佛。
　　The magnificent Buddha statue carved by the disciple is the Rongxian Buddha today.
　　荣县大佛是世界第一大释迦牟尼石刻佛像，也是中国现存古老的摩崖石刻大佛之一，素有“嘉州大佛雄、荣县大佛美”之盛誉（乐山古称嘉州，嘉州大佛即乐山大佛）。佛像坐南面北，通高36.67米，头长8.76米。
　　The Rongxian Buddha is the world’s largest stone statue of Buddha Sakyamuni and one of the oldest Stone Buddha statues carved on cliffs, winning the esteemed title of“Grand Jiazhou Buddha, Magnificent Rongxian Buddha”. The Buddha statue is facing north on the southern side, with a total height of 36.67 meters and a head length of 8.76 meters.
　　中文作者：四川日报记者 行晓艺 英文作者：四川国际传播中心记者 刘动 摄影：行晓艺