Posted 10 years ago
JohnNz
(1 item)
I bought this large Chinese Buddha but don't know too much about it. I am told it's very old and rare but I don't know how old it is exactly. It is very dense hardwood and I was told it was hand carved. It is carved into one piece of wood. I have been told there would not be many of these outside of China let alone in private hands.
Height : 1.68 meters (6ft 1)
Weight: Approx 300 kgs
Circumference at base: 2.48 meters
Does any one have any information at all about this Chinese Buddha?
Would be very appreciated.
Hi
JohnNz
300 Kgs, well i hope you not live on a fourth floor appartement building.
Just curious ,how many friend help you to bring this beauty home.
Really a nice piece of carving, done by a master in his art.
Thanks for sharing to CW.
Cheer
Alan
Hi
JohnNz
Take a look on this......
Laughing Buddha” is the common English name for the Buddhist figure variously known as Budai or Hotei. He is the interpretation of the Bodhisattva Maitreya (translated as Mílè Fó in Chinese), the predicted Buddha who would succeed Gautama Buddha in the future. This Buddha is based on a wandering Chinese Chan monk who lived in the time of the Liang Dynasty (502-557), but he has become incorporated into Buddhist, Taoist and Shinto culture.
The Budai’s image can be found in many temples, in the form of paintings, carvings or statuary. Figurines of the happy Buddha have also been made in virtually every material from gold to bone. He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname. This happy Budai has become a deity of contentment and abundance, a patron of the weak, poor and children; in more modern times he has become the patron saint of bartenders and restaurateurs.
The Hotei is generally depicted carrying a cloth or linen sack which is filled with many precious items—including rice plants (indicating abundance), candy for children, food—that never empties. In Japanese folklore, the Hotei is one of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichi Fukujin). The Laughing Buddha is also used as a symbol of good fortune in the highly popular Feng Shui method of decorating.
The pressed seal mark on the laughing Buddha.
The Laughing Buddha figures have been made for a considerable period of time. The first European copies were made by the world famous Meissen porcelain works in the mid-1700s.The example pictured here is more modern Chinese example, made during the Republic period (1912-1949). The marking on this one is a pressed seal mark often found on figures of this type and period. Values for these smiling Buddha’s vary depending on size and quality, with examples like this one selling in the $200 to $350 range at auction.
Cheer
Alan
Hi Alan,
It takes 3 to 4 strong men to lift.
It is definitely a very skillfully made piece :)
Alan,
Thanks a lot for the info! :)
I very interested in knowing the period of time it was made
Hi
JohnNz
Email me at w.f.burns@hotmail.com