Lohan Pu-tai
Chang Hung (1577-after 1668), Ming Dynasty
Hanging scroll, ink on paper, 60 x 30.6 cm
The monk Cloth Sack (Pu-tai), of the Five
Dynasties period, was said to be short and
fat, having a deep brow and round belly. He
carried his belongings in a cloth sack tied
to a cane, hence his name. When begging, he
would mutter "Maitreya, True Maitreya". After
passing away, he was reincarnated with his
cloth sack. He was felt to be an incarnation
of Maitreya, thus the many images of him in
Chekiang and Kiangsu. In chapters 65 and 66
of Journey to the West, the attendant
Yellow Brow, said to be a disciple of the
Maitreya Buddha, stole the Master's cloth
sack of treasures and descended to the mortal
realm to wreak havoc. Flinging the sack in
battle, the opponent would be engulfed at
once. The Monkey King begged Maitreya, who
used his powers to capture the mischievous
attendant. In the novel, Maitreya is described
as follows:
"With a wide visage of large ears and broad cheeks, the whole of his body from shoulders to belly is corpulent. He, like the New Year, is overflowing with merry, eyes beautifully bright and vast. He, covered in flowing sleeves of gracious good fortune, has a robust spirit spreading far and wide. He, the foremost Buddha in the land of Paradise, is the laughing Buddhist monk Maitreya."
This is exactly the laughing appearance of Maitreya that we see in this painting. |
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