Five Hundred Arhats No.447 · The Venerable Diamond Wisdom | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.447 The Venerable Diamond Wisdom

'Diamond wisdom' means wisdom firm and sharp as a diamond, able to break all without being broken, the diamond wisdom-sword severing affliction, firm and indestructible; the name marks one whose wisdom is like a diamond, firm and sharp enough to cut. The venerable looks firm and keen with a resolute bearing, possessing the resolve of diamond-like wisdom, firm and sharp to cut, breaking delusion unbroken, severing the net of doubt with diamond wisdom.

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