Buddhist Monk Encased in Gold Leaf

NPR News – In the southeastern Chinese city of Quanzhou, a well-known Buddhist monk named Fu Hou has been mummified and encased in gold leaf.

According to The Associated Press, it’s “a practice reserved for holy men in some areas with strong Buddhist traditions” and was done to honor Fu Hou’s dedication to the religion.

Li Ren, the Chongfu Temple’s abbot, said that after the 94-year-old’s death in 2012, “the monk’s body was washed, treated by two mummification experts, and sealed inside a large pottery jar in a sitting position,” according to the wire service.

The Daily Telegraph showed the “Open Cylinder” ceremony when the monk was removed from the pottery jar in January. The newspaper reported that thousands gathered for the event, and the video showed men cutting off the material wrapped around the monk’s body.

The abbot told AP that the body showed “little sign of deterioration apart from the skin having dried out.” The wire service reported that “the local Buddhist belief is that only a truly virtuous monk’s body would remain intact after being mummified.”

Li Ren said the golden statue “is now being placed on the mountain for people to worship,” the wire service reported.