Five Hundred Arhats No.481 · The Venerable Ending Evil Destinies | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.481 The Venerable Ending Evil Destinies

'Ending evil destinies' means ending the evil realms, lifting beings from the three evil paths, keeping them from falling into evil states through great compassion, leading them to the good path; the name marks one who ends evil destinies, saving the deluded. The venerable makes a rescuing gesture with a compassionate, valiant look, possessing the brave compassion of ending evil realms, lifting beings from the three bad paths, freeing them from evil ways, guiding beings through great compassion.

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