Who are these guys?

[nalber3]

I recently came back from traveling around the Sichuan province in China. I visited several Buddhist temples, but it got my attention one in particular from the mount Emei: the Wannian temple. There I found these very interesting pictures of, I suppose, Zen Masters. However for me they look very relatable and down to earth, they show different states of mind, emotions that I have never seen in any other religion before. So does anyone know who these people might be? What do they represent?
I absolutely love them!


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Gassho

SatToday

Bernal

[nalber3]

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Here are two more

Gassho

ST/Bernal

[Jundo]

I believe that they are Arhats (or Luohan or Lohan in Chinese, Rakan in Japanese), the original disciples of the Buddha but presented in very fantastic images in China and Japan. Usually they are in groups of 16, 18, or even 500. Lindsey Lohan is not included.

You can read more here. Wiki Roshi is actually pretty good on the topic:

In the Chinese Tradition, the 18 Luohans are generally presented in the order they are said to have appeared to Guan Xiu, not according to their power: Deer Sitting, Happy, Raised Bowl, Raised Pagoda, Meditating, Oversea, Elephant Riding, Laughing Lion, Open Heart, Raised Hand, Thinking, Scratched Ear, Calico Bag, Plantain, Long Eyebrow, Doorman, Taming Dragon and Taming Tiger. ... The paintings depicted them as foreigners having bushy eyebrows, large eyes, hanging cheeks and high noses. They were seated in landscapes, leaning against pine trees and stones. An additional theme in these paintings was that they were portrayed as being unkempt and "eccentric," which emphasizes that they were vagabonds and beggars who have left all worldly desires behind. ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighteen_Arhats

There are similar looking Taoist immortals, but yours appear to be Arhats and, if you found them in a Buddhist temple ... they are Arhats.

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[Jundo]

Here is a collection of 500 Arhats at a temple in China ...

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1Qk28rLb9ao

Gassho, J

stlah

[Tokan]

Thanks for sharing this Bernal

Always something new to learn about Buddhism!!!

Gassho, Tokan

satlah

[nalber3]

I believe that they are Arhats (or Luohan or Lohan in Chinese, Rakan in Japanese), the original disciples of the Buddha but presented in very fantastic images in China and Japan. Usually they are in groups of 16, 18, or even 500. Lindsey Lohan is not included.

You can read more here. Wiki Roshi is actually pretty good on the topic:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighteen_Arhats

There are similar looking Taoist immortals, but yours appear to be Arhats and, if you found them in a Buddhist temple ... they are Arhats.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

Thank you! Aparently the originals are held at the Shengyin Temple in Hangzhou, just 1 hour by train from Shanghai! The artist is from Chengdu, very close to mount Emei, where I found this temple, so it does make sense.

Gassho

ST/Bernal

[nalber3]

Thanks for sharing this Bernal

Always something new to learn about Buddhism!!!

Gassho, Tokan

satlah

Welcome!

Gassho
ST/Bernal