Five Hundred Arhats No.50 · The Venerable Qiye of the Divine Eye | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.50 The Venerable Qiye of the Divine Eye

'Qiye' is a transliterated Indic element, while the 'divine eye' (divyacakṣus) is the penetration won through dhyāna, able to see near and far, bright and dark, the passing and arising of beings. The venerable's eyes are clear and gaze far, bearing the mark of the divine eye that sees through all without obstruction.

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