Our answer
A Chinese monk, not the Buddha 弥勒佛
Budai is honoured as a form of Maitreya, the future Buddha, and greets visitors in temple entrance halls
The short answer
The Laughing Buddha is Budai (布袋, ‘cloth sack’), a Chinese Chan monk named Qieci who lived in the Later Liang era and died in 917. Chinese Buddhists regard him as a manifestation of Maitreya (弥勒, Mílè), the future Buddha, so his smiling, big-bellied figure welcomes visitors in the entrance hall of many Chinese temples.
| Chinese names | 布袋 Bùdài (‘cloth sack’); 弥勒佛 Mílè Fó (Maitreya Buddha); 笑佛 Xiào Fó (‘laughing Buddha’) |
|---|---|
| Also called | Happy Buddha, fat Buddha, Pu-Tai; Hotei in Japan |
| Who he was | Qieci (契此), a wandering monk of the Later Liang era; died 917 |
| Identified with | Maitreya, the future Buddha who succeeds Gautama Buddha |
| Where he stands | At the front of the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the first main hall of a Chinese temple |
| Home ground | Fenghua, Ningbo, Zhejiang: Xuedou Temple and Yuelin Temple |
| Symbols | Big belly (generosity, abundance), cloth sack (prosperity, contentment), a broad laugh |
Who is the Laughing Buddha?
The Laughing Buddha is Budai (布袋, Bùdài), a nickname meaning ‘cloth sack’ for a Chinese monk called Qieci (契此) who lived in the Later Liang dynasty, part of the Five Dynasties period after the fall of the Tang. Stories describe a poor but contented wanderer who carried his few possessions in a cloth bag, was happiest among people, especially children, and was said to be able to predict fortunes and the weather. His connection with Fenghua, now part of Ningbo in Zhejiang, runs through the legends.
He is not the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who lived in ancient India. Budai is a Chinese figure, one of several unconventional holy men taken into the Chan (Zen) tradition. Because he is almost always shown smiling or laughing, Chinese also call him 笑佛 (Xiào Fó), the ‘laughing Buddha’.[1][5]
Budai and Maitreya, the future Buddha
Maitreya (弥勒, Mílè) is the bodhisattva whom all schools of Buddhism regard as the future Buddha of this world and the direct successor of Gautama Buddha. Buddhists believe he now waits in the Tushita heaven until the time comes for him to descend to earth.
Tradition says that before he died, on 28 March 917, Budai left a verse revealing that he was a manifestation of Maitreya. Chinese Buddhists have since treated the rotund monk as Maitreya’s form in China, which is why the statue labelled 弥勒佛 (Mílè Fó) in Chinese temples is usually the laughing, big-bellied monk. Some temples instead show a slim, elegant bodhisattva, closer to the Indian image of Maitreya.[1][2][3][5]
The belly, the sack and the laugh: what they mean
| Feature | Traditional meaning |
|---|---|
| Big belly | Generosity and benevolence; often read as a symbol of abundance or forgiveness |
| Cloth sack (布袋) | His few possessions, and in popular belief good things, abundance and prosperity |
| Laughing face | Joy, optimism and contentment |
| Children around him | His love of children in the stories; a common motif in figurines |
A good-luck figure in shops and homes
His character is summed up in a couplet found, in several versions, in Chinese temples, including Tanzhe Temple in Beijing: ‘大肚能容，容天下难容之事；开口便笑，笑世间可笑之人’, roughly ‘His big belly can hold what the world finds hard to bear; his open mouth laughs at all that is laughable in the world.’ It is one of the best-known sayings about him in China.
Outside the temple, the Laughing Buddha has become a cheerful symbol of contentment and plenty. His image appears on amulets and in restaurants as well as temples, and a popular belief holds that rubbing his great belly brings wealth, good luck and prosperity. That is folk custom rather than Buddhist teaching; in a temple, people simply bow or offer incense to Maitreya as they would to other figures.[7][11][12]
Where to see famous Maitreya and Budai statues in China
| Place | Where | What to see |
|---|---|---|
| Maitreya on Mount Xuedou (雪窦山) | Xikou, Fenghua, Ningbo, Zhejiang | An outdoor seated bronze Maitreya 56.74 m tall, consecrated in November 2008, above Xuedou Temple, which Budai often visited by tradition |
| Yuelin Temple (岳林寺) | Fenghua, Ningbo, Zhejiang | The temple linked to Budai, where a body said to be his was once displayed |
| Feilai Feng (飞来峰) grottoes | Beside Lingyin Temple, Hangzhou, Zhejiang | An 11th-century Northern Song carving of Maitreya and disciples in Budai form |
| Leshan Giant Buddha (乐山大佛) | Leshan, Sichuan | A 71 m seated Buddha carved in the 8th century and associated with Maitreya; a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 |
Questions readers ask
Who is the Laughing Buddha?
Budai, a wandering Chinese monk named Qieci who died in 917, during the Later Liang era. Chinese Buddhists regard him as a manifestation of Maitreya, the future Buddha, and he is shown as a smiling monk with a big belly and a cloth sack.
Is the Laughing Buddha the same as the Buddha?
No. The historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, lived in ancient India. The Laughing Buddha is Budai, a Chinese monk who lived more than a thousand years later and is identified with Maitreya, the Buddha who Buddhists believe will come in the future.
What is the difference between Budai and Maitreya?
Maitreya is the bodhisattva expected to become the next Buddha. Budai is the Chinese monk believed to have been Maitreya’s manifestation in China. In Chinese temples the two are effectively merged: the statue named Maitreya Buddha (弥勒佛) is usually the laughing Budai.
Why is the Laughing Buddha fat?
The big belly is traditionally read as a sign of his generosity and benevolence, and as a symbol of abundance or forgiveness. In the stories Budai was a poor monk, so the belly is symbolic rather than a sign of wealth.
Does rubbing the Laughing Buddha’s belly bring good luck?
It is a popular belief that rubbing his belly brings wealth, good luck and prosperity, which is why his figure is common in restaurants and on amulets. This is folk custom, not Buddhist teaching.
What is in the Laughing Buddha’s bag?
In the legend, his few possessions: the name Budai means ‘cloth sack’. In popular belief the sack holds good things and stands for abundance, prosperity and contentment.
Why is the Laughing Buddha at the entrance of Chinese temples?
Because, as Maitreya, he is enshrined at the front of the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the first main hall inside the temple gate. Visitors meet his smile first, with the Four Heavenly Kings around him and the guardian Weituo behind.
Where is the biggest Laughing Buddha in China?
One of the best known is the 56.74-metre bronze Maitreya on Mount Xuedou in Fenghua, Zhejiang, an area linked with Budai and consecrated in 2008. The 71-metre Leshan Giant Buddha in Sichuan is associated with Maitreya too, but is carved as a classic seated Buddha rather than the fat, laughing monk.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Budai · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Maitreya · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- China Daily Zhejiang, Xuedou Mountain has something for everyone (29 November 2022) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Hall of Four Heavenly Kings · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- The Temple Guy, The Laughing Buddha (first published in Shenzhen Daily, 2016) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Lingyin Temple (official English site), Temple Halls · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- ReligionFacts, Laughing Buddha · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- China Daily / chinaservicesinfo.com, Joy of Laughing Buddha celebrated in Ningbo (17 October 2024) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Leshan Giant Buddha · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- View of China, A monk with a big smile and a large bag (couplets on Maitreya, incl. Tanzhe Temple, Beijing) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- The Paper (澎湃), 弥勒 couplet ‘大肚能容，容天下难容之事’ (in Chinese) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
Update log. 1 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 1 February 2027. Suggest a correction