Reclining Buddha

colossus, Pegu, Myanmar

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

The Shwethalyaung is a colossal reclining statue of Buddha located in Pegu, Myanmar. It is 181 feet (55 meters) long and is considered one of the most lifelike reclining Buddha figures. While allegedly built in 994, it was lost when Pegu was destroyed in 1757 and rediscovered in 1881.1

A "colossus" is defined as a statue that is considerably larger than life-size. Such statues are known from various ancient civilizations, including Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, China, and Japan. Examples include the Great Buddha at Kamakura, Japan, and the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Pegu
…most lifelike of all the reclining Buddha figures; allegedly built in 994, it was lost when Pegu was destroyed in 1757 but was rediscovered under a cover of jungle growth in 1881. From the nearby Kalyani Sima (“Hall of Ordination”), founded by the Mon king Dhammazedi (1472–92), spread one of…
Read More
…most lifelike of all the reclining Buddha figures; allegedly built in 994, it was lost when Pegu was destroyed in 1757 but was rediscovered under a cover of jungle growth in 1881. From the nearby Kalyani Sima (“Hall of Ordination”), founded by the Mon king Dhammazedi (1472–92), spread one of…
Read More