On a recent trip, we stopped at a temple to take a quick look around. We didn't go in as everyone was beat from the temple before and the journey to get there. So two of us jumped out to get a closer look. What greeted us first was this statue of a the laughing Buddha aka the Big Belly Buddha/ The Fat Buddha.
But what does this big belly buddha signify other than a love for food and lack of exercise? Well, I did a little research, but before you read any further, stop and take a guess.....
The Big Belly Buddha
The figure of the laughing Buddha can be seen at many establishments across China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other Asian countries. The character was of great significance in ancient days as it is today. It is an ideogram of happiness and being content. He has a smile on is face ( the happiness ) and the belly as well as a pouch full of goods represent the contentment.
History has it that the Fat Buddha was a Chinese monk who lived around the 10th century in Wuyune Kingdom. The Laughing Buddha is also known as Budai ( or Hotei in Japanese) which literally means "cloth Sack" as he always had one across his back filled with goodies: Rice plants ( which depicts wealth), candy for kids, food and even woes ( not sure how that one fits in to the mix but the ying and yang I guess). It is said that Budai was very charitable and helped the poor wherever he went.
In Japan, Hotei is know as one of the seven lucky Gods but compared to the others, he was the only one that was a real person. Legend has it that he was also a fortune teller who could predict the future but there was a catch. You had to want to know the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Do you think you could handle that?
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Interestingly the big belly being associated with wealth and good fortune is also part of the culture in some societies around the world. For instance the Bodi tribe in Ethiopia and in the Caribbean, it was also associated with wealth for some time.
And here we have the big belly don of the Dancehall himself, Admiral Baily proclaiming to get some belly as the big belly men were running the show in the early days of the Dancehall.
Me personally, I wouldn't mind losing my belly 😁
Big Belly Man - Admiral Baily
Produced by: King Jammys ( Lloyd James)
Year of release: 1987
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