The Conversation: Who Is the Laughing Buddha? A Scholar of East Asian Buddhism Explains

With his delighted expression, round belly, bald head and monastic robes, the Laughing Buddha is instantly identifiable. However, astute observers might wonder why this Buddha does not look like the historical Buddha, who lived in India about 2,500 years ago.

Images of the historical Buddha, known as Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni, depict him with a neutral expression, slim build, tightly coiled hair and monastic robes. If the Laughing Buddha isn't the historical Buddha, who is he, and how did he become so popular?

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Megan Bryson, a scholar of East Asian Buddhism who studies how and why deities transform over time, shares her research on the Laughing Buddha. Read more at The Conversation.

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