The Laughing Buddha
Made in the South Song dynasty, it is also named Large Belly Laughing Buddha, the biggest statue among the Peak Flying From Afar as well as one of the representatives of that era. The niche is arc-shaped, 9.9m in the total length, wherein 3.3m height from the middle and 1.5m height from the two sides. The Laughing Buddha is 1.9m in the height. It is squatting with full face, barefoot, bended knee, bare belly whose left hand is holding the prayer beads while the right is pressing a pocket. The self-content and optimism is fully extended through sculptor's proper exaggeration. As the Chinese saying goes "Tolerate the wordly unbearable things with the large belly, Laugh at any ridiculous mortal with the open mouth", its smile has become the signature of Peak Flying From Afar in Hangzhou. Round the Buddha, is distributed along the hill the eighteen arhats, varied, lively, vividly either in static or dynamic poses.

Transcribed from plaque on site.