Lot 272 - AUSPICIOUS BAMBOO MAITREYA BODHISATTVA BUDDHA

Auspicious laugh Bamboo tube Maitreya Bodhisattva Buddha Statue. Chinese BUDAI Monk, Ajita Maitreya Bodhisattva, Chinese Export Decorative Art. The item was made in Imperial Qing Dynasty China for Japanese markets. Budai, a tenth century monk, was known for his laughing face and round stomach. Named after the cloth sack (budai) that he carries under his arm, he is believed to be the incarnation of Maitreya, the future Buddha, who helps common people in the mortal world. The piece for auction seems to be created with a hard wood material, probably an ancient bamboo root, hard to identify.