Description[edit] Budai is traditionally depicted as an obese, bald man wearing a robe[1][5][6] an d wearing or otherwise carrying prayer beads.

He carries his few possessions in a cloth sack,[5] being poor but content. He is often depicted entertaining or be ing followed by adoring children. His figure appears throughout Chinese culture as a representation of contentment.[5] His image graces many temples, restaurant s, amulets, and businesses.[3] History[edit] According to Chinese history, Budai was an eccentric Chn monk (Chinese: ?; pinyin : chn)[3] who lived in China during the Later Liang Dynasty (907 923 CE). He was a native of Fenghua, and his Buddhist name was Qieci (Chinese: ??; pinyin: qici; li terally "Promise this").[3] He was considered a man of good and loving character . The term buddha means "one who is awake", connoting one who has awakened into en lightenment. Over the history of Buddhism, there have been several notable figur es who would come to be remembered as, and referred to as, buddhas. Later follow ers of the Chan school would come to teach that all beings possess Buddha nature within them, and are already enlightened, but have yet to realize it. This teac hing would continue into Zen. Budai is often conflated with (or simply replaces) the historical Buddha, Siddha rtha Gautama, in spite of the distinct visual differences in how each has been d epicted. In India, Nepal, and throughout southeast Asia, Gautama (who lived duri ng the 6th century BCE) is commonly depicted as being tall and slender in appear ance. In contrast, in China and those areas to which Chinese cultural influence spread, the depiction of Budai (who lived during the 10th century CE) is consist ently short and round.