Five Hundred Arhats No.366 · The Venerable Head of the Dharma | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.366 The Venerable Head of the Dharma

'Head of the Dharma' means taking the true Dharma as foremost, being the foremost of dharmas, leading the assembly toward the true Dharma, at the head without pride; the name marks a leader of the Dharma, foremost in the assembly. The venerable makes a leading gesture with an upright look, possessing the rectitude of taking Dharma as foremost, being the assembly's head, guiding every capacity, uniting the assembly in the true Dharma toward bodhi.

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