Figures & Deities

A museum-led guide to Amitabha (Amituo Fo, Amida): the Pure Land and forty-eight vows, Namo Amituofo, welcoming and meditation gestures, his attendants, and how Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Tibetan statues differ.

A museum-led guide to the Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru, Yaoshi Fo, Yakushi): the twelve vows, the medicine jar and lapis blue, the Sunlight and Moonlight attendants, and how to identify a statue.

A source-led guide to Ksitigarbha (Dizang, Jizo, Jijang): the name, the great vow, the ringed staff and jewel, and how Chinese, Korean and Japanese statue forms differ.

Buddhism & Deities · Cultural Guide Bodhidharma Meaning: History, Legends and Statue Forms A wide-eyed monk, a wall-facing meditator, a Daruma doll and a Shaolin legend can all point to Bodhidharma—but they belong to different layers of history. This guide separates early records from later stories and shows how to read a Bodhidharma statue without

A museum-sourced visual guide to distinguishing Guanyin from Buddha images through clothing, crowns, Amitabha figures, attributes, posture and documented context.

Buddhism & Deities · Cultural Guide Manjushri Meaning: Wisdom Sword, Lotus and Statue Forms Manjushri is a major Mahayana bodhisattva associated with wisdom, but his images do not follow one universal template. This guide explains the sword, book, lotus and lion, then separates Indian, Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese forms so that a statue can be

A source-led guide to Maitreya, Budai, the Laughing Buddha and Hotei, with visual clues for distinguishing their common statue forms.

A source-led guide to Nezha’s historical layers, lotus-body story, familiar symbols, statue forms and modern adaptations.

Learn who Guanyin is, how Guanyin relates to Avalokiteshvara and Kannon, why statue forms vary, and what a modern Guanyin statue can—and cannot—establish.

A cultural guide to Fudo Myoo, also called Acala or Budong Mingwang: history, visual attributes and careful buying checks for current statues.