creating images of Buddha accounted for much of the local artisans’ creative energy/the creating of Buddha images accounted for much of the local artisans’ creative energy
这个句子的意思是constructing、decorating这两件事和creation of buddha images一样费神,所以是对“费神”这个动作的重复;而对动作的重复就应该用so+助动词这样的形式。同时最好把constructing和decorating改成construction和decoration。
creating images of Buddha accounted for much of the local artisans’ creative energy/the creating of Buddha images accounted for much of the local artisans’ creative energy