Digital Hotei by TwoPynts
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Description
"No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see." ~ Taoist Proverb The Legend of Hotei
Hotei is one of the Shichi Fukujin, the seven Japanese Shinto-gods of luck. He is the god of happiness, laughter and the wisdom of contentment, and is the patron of the weak and children, fortunetellers and bartenders. He is supposedly the only member of Japan's Seven Lucky Gods based on an actual person, and is also probably the most widely recognized outside of Japan. Hotei is distinguished by his body of generous proportions and round stomach exposed beneath loose robes. His big belly is a symbol of happiness, luck and generosity. On his back he carrys a huge linen bag containing precious things and gifts of good fortune, including children. He also holds an uchiwa, a flat fan of Chinese orgin used by ancient chieftains as an emblem of authority and wish granting. He may sit in an old cart drawn by boys, as the Wagon Priest, and can be compared with the Buddhistic Mi-lo-Fo. In Chinese Buddhism he is known as Budai, the Loving or Friendly One. He was a wandering Chan Buddhist monk who lived in the ninth century. At his death between 901 and 903, he recited a poem that revealed to the world that he was in fact the Bodhisattva Maitreya in disguise. Maitreya, Chinese Buddhists believe, is the future buddha, who will return to the world and bring innumerable individuals to salvation. This concept of hope for the suffering, combined with Budai's pleasing, human features, made him a most popular Buddhist deity. It was not until the sixteenth century that he was canonised as the sixteenth and last Chinese bodhisattva. According to Chinese legend he carried a sack of candy to give to children. He is sometimes worshipped as a god of good luck and prosperity. He is always represented as very stout, with the breast and upper abdomen exposed to view. His face has a widely grinning or laughing expression, and he is also known as the Laughing Buddha, and is sometimes wrongly confused with Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Because of his constant good nature, he has become the symbol of philosophical contentment. The tales of Hotei as a wandering monk who goes around and takes the sadness from people of this world in some ways parallel the Christian Jesus. He most certainly is a loving and cheerful character, strikingly similar to Santa Claus in the West, and is a common statuette found in homes and businesses in China and Japan. ----- What I've stumbled across while playing around in Bryce is what I see as a crouching or sleeping Hotei
. I've seen these figurines in shops from Key West to Okinawa, Japan, but am not able to find any reference to them online. Perhaps someone can help point the way for me. -----
The Alien Pool
----- Bryce 5 & PhotoshopCS. (755) Sponsored by: Kramer Kreations
Comments (19)
Sekadhar
And I need Him very much...so thanks for it! And blue is my favorite color like a sky and sea (our Adriatic sea is most beautiful on this world - belive me!)! All together is fantastic! Superb done!*****
Burpee
I'm going to go visit my Hotei,the Shichi Fukujin bartender :D This round's on me!!! :) Fantastic jolly fellow and blues and reflections! Love the info too!
Zacko
Oooh! Love this render. Beautiful shape and amazing colors. Did you mirror it in PS or in Bryce? I bet this would make an exceptional background or texture layer for any of the 3D-artists on this site...or photographers as well for that matter. Keep up the good job Kort!!!! #:o)
TwoPynts
All objects and reflections were in Bryce. Some minor postwork in Photoshop to fine tune the colors and give it the border.
MrsLubner
vibrant color.
creanum
One excellent creation......
goodoleboy
Wow, reflections galore on the jolly old soul! Talk about a mirror image between the left and right sides! The eyes look like miniature colorless green or red peppers. Beautiful capture and rendition!
Lenord
the Image is awesome, well done. The information is Astounding and enlightening. 5+5 Peace
NekhbetSun
Very Kool Kort ! Love the proverb and the work is awesome S
Digimon
Most excellent Kort-san! The colors and depth are mez-mo-rizing!!!
jif3d
A blue Santa, happy Buddha dude, nice Brycing and super reflections, must have taken forever to render ! well done ~Cheers~ :o)
nattarious
Some blue flames here Kort!! Love the abstract feeling my friend and very well done.. Thank you JOE
jocko500
love the colors and shapes here
wawadave
nice!!!
squirrel2005
Pretty 3D artwork!
DennisReed
Stunning image & insight! Thanks
Gor111
Fantastic Japanese piece of art! I'm fascinated about this posting! Brilliant really! Congratulation for it!!!
eyeland
The first thing I thought of when I saw this was a shiny blue jack-o-lantern. The Chinese legend about Hotei carrying a sack of candy for children fits nicely with that interpretation, don't you think? Nice lighting & reflective work, Kort...
Margana
Firstly it's blue,which will 'get' me everytime,lol,but also this is so lovely to look at.Such wonderful depth in there.Excellent work,Kortalouche.I really enjoyed seeing this and learning about Hotei.Thank you.-M :^)