Description
Vintage stone Hotei with a very joyful and kind look. Very simple and rounded outline shows peaceful and warm feeling. One of a kind piece. Originally from China.
Hotei, is one of the Shichi-fuku-jin (“Seven Gods of Luck”) in Japanese mythology. This popular figure is depicted frequently in contemporary crafts as a cheerful, contented Buddhist monk with a large exposed belly. Tradition relates him to a Chinese monk called Pu-tai, who because of his benevolent nature came to be regarded as an incarnation of the bodhisattva (the future Buddha) Maitreya (Miroku in Japanese) but whose large protruding stomach led to his being caricatured as the “Laughing Buddha.”
Budai was a Chinese monk who is often identified with and venerated as Maitreya Buddha in Chan Buddhism. With the spread of Chan Buddhism, he also came to be venerated in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. He is said to have lived around the 10th century CE in the Wuyue kingdom. His name literally means “cloth sack”, and refers to the bag that he is conventionally depicted as carrying as he wanders aimlessly.
Shichi-fuku-jin, (Japanese: “Seven Gods of Luck”), group of seven popular Japanese deities, all of whom are associated with good fortune and happiness. The seven are drawn from various sources but have been grouped together from at least the 16th century. They are Bishamon, Daikoku, Ebisu, Fukurokuju, Jurōjin, Hotei, and the only female in the group, Benten.
Dimensions: 2.5″ x 3.5″ x 4″
Vintage piece. Sell in used, pre-owned condition. Vintage and antique items by nature have variable amounts of wear, imperfections, signs of use, age and time. Perfectly imperfect. Condition shown as in pictures. Kindly contact us if you need more info. or detail pictures.
