GJPaw Auctions is pleased to offer a charming and beautiful vintage Chinese glazed porcelain seated Figure of Budai or Laughing Buddha. The fat, smiling monk Budai is a popular figure in Chinese Buddhism. His character is an accumulation of several Chinese legends and he is sometimes regarded as an incarnation of the Future Buddha, the Buddha who followed Shakyamuni. Budai has a cheerful face and a big belly - he popularly serves as the god of contentment and happiness, guardian of children, and patron of bartenders and restaurateurs. He carries a large cloth bag over his back, one that never empties, for he uses it to feed the poor and needy. It includes an inexhaustible cache of treasures, including food and drink. In Japan, he is known as Hotei, which literally means “cloth bag.” He also holds a Chinese fan called an oogi (said to be a “wish giving” fan - in the distant past, this type of fan was used by the aristocracy to indicate to vassals that their requests would be granted). Budai is most likely based on the itinerant 10th-century Chinese Buddhist monk and hermit Budaishi (d. 917), who is said to be an incarnation of Miroku Bodhisattva (Maitreya in Sanskrit). His appearance in your home or business is a blessing for one and all. This highly characteristic and lovely figure measures 5.75 inches in width by 4.5 inches in depth by 6 inches in height (14.6 cm by 11.4 cm by 15.2 cm). It shows wear consistent with a dating to the late-20th century, including small scrapes and rubbing. The classic character for longevity is shown on the back, and a stamp on the base. It is a very attractive collector’s piece and should be a welcome addition to any collection of Chinese art, or objects and statuary related to Buddhism.

 GJPaw Auctions has been in the Art business for over 25 years and is now expanding its operation to eBay.  Our goal is to bring the same experience and excitement of collecting that we have been delivering in-person to collectors across the globe at Primitive in Chicago.  Every object we sell online has been carefully hand-selected with special attention to detail, quality, and significance. We ship worldwide. Add GJPaw to Sellers you Follow and please take a moment to look at our other auction items.

 

A1406-645