Mysteries of the mummified Buddha Zhanggong

Details of the Buddha. Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

On the left shoulder hangs a black belt, with its two ends on the left chest and back. On the left back of the statue was written with Chinese character "佛"(Buddha).

A philosophy ring also hangs on the left chest and below the ring hang some ladder shaped decorations, which read a variant of "吽"(hum), the last syllable of Sanskrit mantra Om mani padme hum, signifying "disasters turning into auspicious" and "delivering all living creatures from torment".

While on exhibition at the Hungarian Natural History Museum, the Buddha was shown holding a flywhisk in his right hand, the symbol of the office of a Chan (meditation) Buddhist master.

The flywhisk, which stands for compassion in Buddhist symbolism, is not found on a portrait of Zhanggong kept by villagers in Yangchun. But Bruijn believes that it might have "got lost at some point".

"This waving movement received the metaphoric meaning of sweeping away all doubts, worldly thought and desires, therefore symbolizing the ablation of all obstacles one's path to enlightenment," Bruijn said.