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Buddhist statues in pagodas
Kim Cuong statue. In any pagoda, the general architecture and the tranquil atmosphere usually impress the viewers. Adding to this solemnity is the presence of Buddhist statues, which are arranged according to Buddhist ranks in the pagoda. They are statues of Buddha, the Arhats, the Quan Yin Goddess with One Thousand Eyes and One Thousand Arms, etc. Through the historical ups and downs, old pagodas were restored and upgraded, while many others are newly built. This results in the establishment of craft villages to make wooden statues or sculpture stone and concrete statues. However, wooden statues are still more prevalent in the pagodas and they are more favoured by the Buddhist monks and nuns.
The Red river delta, Son Dong Craft Village in Ha Tay Province, about 30 kilometres from central Hanoi, has long been famous for carving wooden Buddhist statues. The statues are normally made from jack fruit trees whose timber has a bright yellow colour. The tree must be big enough in order to have a large core timber, so wild jack fruit trees are usually found in the forests. Jack fruit timber has several superior characters, ie soft, elastic, resistant to cracks, curving and bending. The timber produces a fragrant smell when it is fresh or dry, that is similar to that of the aromatic wood usually used in the pagoda. In Son Dong Village, both adults and children join in carving statues. The experienced artisans teach their children through practical work. They must know how to choose the timber, dry the timber, make rough statues before giving the final touches to the products. The artisans focus on two points when handing down their expertise to the children, ie the appearance and stature of the statue. In the Buddhist world, there are many characters to be worshipped. Each has a personal appearance and a position in the pagoda. The statue maker must have a full knowledge of this and describe it on their products in the most lively and correct looking way. The stature of a statue is also very important. Either standing or sitting, it must attract the viewers' attention through its appearance and spirit. To describe the soul of a statue is the skill of the artisan and for this expertise his skill can be evaluated as good or bad. The young statue makers, while learning to carve statues, have to engrave in their mind the sacred spirit and expertise of their forefathers so as to produce statues with soul and good appearance.
"The craft requires not only skilful hands, but also a whole-hearted devotion. Each statue, when meeting standard norms to be displayed in the pagoda, should bear the statue maker's respect for Buddha," an elderly statue carver in Son Dong confided. After carving the statue, it takes several days to dry it in the sun before varnishing it. The painting process takes care and goes through several steps: the inside varnishing, the outside varnishing, red lacquer trimmed with gold on the face, hands and feet, dress, etc. Statues are not made en mass, but by order from Buddhist monks. When the products are completed, a solemn ceremony will be held to bring them to the pagoda. To prepare for this, the sorcerer must choose a good date and time to put a statue in its position in the pagoda so that the time will fit well to the principles of Heaven and Earth. Once placed in a position in the pagoda, a statue is no longer a simple wooden item, but a sacred image that goes deep into the spiritual mind of the Buddhist followers who have a great respect for Buddha. Buddhist followers will worship the Buddhist statues when they visit the pagoda. Standing in front of a Buddhist statue, they press their palms together, bow their head and pray for luck, happiness and prosperity for their children, relatives and co-villagers and their country as well.
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