Five Hundred Arhats No.443 · The Venerable Siṃha's Swift Turn | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.443 The Venerable Siṃha's Swift Turn

Siṃha is Sanskrit for lion, and 'turn' denotes the swift, free play of the lion's pounce; it means like a lion rousing in full power, turning freely, subduing all demons without fear; the name marks one with the lion's vigor, free in play. The venerable makes a vigorous gesture with a mighty look, possessing the might of the lion's rousing, free turning, fearless subduing, sporting in the dharma-dhātu with lion-like 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