Five Hundred Arhats No.453 · The Venerable Siṃha's Deed | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.453 The Venerable Siṃha's Deed

Siṃha is Sanskrit for lion, and 'deed' denotes a commanding act; it means like a lion in one commanding act, mighty and fearless, subduing demons and foes, doing the great Buddha-work; the name marks one with the lion's commanding deed, fearless in subduing. The venerable makes a raising gesture with a heroic look, possessing the heroism of the lion's deed, mighty and fearless, subduing demons and foes, doing great Buddha-work with lion majesty.

Painted by Li Zongyi in the freehand Chinese ink (xieyi) tradition, the brushwork is fluent and the ink tones layered from dense to pale, capturing the arhat’s spirit in a few assured strokes. The blank paper itself breathes Zen; figure and spirit are one, blending monastic solemnity with the literati’s ease. Each of the Five Hundred Arhats bears its own name and practice, uniting faith, art and collectibility — an original, non-reproducible hand-painted work.

Size: approx. 100×50cm (4.5 square chi) | Traditional hand-painted Chinese ink Zen Buddhist figure painting | On paper