It is no secret that the world is heating up. Drought is one of the many negative consequences of climate change. Summer 2022 has been unusually dry in some areas. Long-obscured archaeological and historical treasures are emerging as the waters of rivers and reservoirs recede. Among these are three 600-year-old Buddhist statues that were previously submerged on Foyeliang, an island reef in the Yangtze River near the Chinese city of Chongqing.
The island reef was built between the Ming and Qing dynasties. One of the three statues shows a monk meditating calmly on a lotus petal. Lotus flowers are significant Buddhist symbols. These aquatic plants represent the path to enlightenment or spiritual awakening.
These magnificent statues had been submerged beneath the magnificent, winding Yangtze River for a long time. However, the Yangtze basin has received 45% less rain than usual since July, causing 66 rivers in Chongqing to dry up. The Yangtze River’s water level has dropped rapidly as temperatures have reached 104°F. China is suffering from its worst drought on record. As the world continues to experience high temperatures and low rain levels, previously unseen sights such as sunken World War II ships and other surprises emerge.
As China suffers from a severe drought, water levels on the Yangtze River have dropped, exposing three 600-year-old Buddhist statues.
h/t: [Reuters]
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