Mummified Buddha

Chinese authorities have claimed that a 1,000-year-old Buddha statue owned by a Dutch private collector is in fact a stolen relic from southeast China’s Fujian province.
福建文物局表示荷兰私人藏家收藏的千年佛像确实是中国福建阳春村被盗的祖师像。



The Buddha(佛像) was earlier on display(展览) in Hungarian Natural History Museum in late February, it was widely reported that the statue(塑像) contained(包含) the mummified remains of a monk.

Sharp-eyed people in Fujian’s Yangchun Village noticed that the Buddha in the media reports had so much similarity(相似) to the statue that used to be housed in the village temple but got stolen(被盗) in 1995.

The local Cultural Relic Bureau immediately dispatched experts to the village to investigate the matter. Experts found a large number of photos, relics(文物) and historical records suggesting the mummy was a former ancestor of the local clan(祖师）.

The statue was scheduled to(原计划) be on display until May 17, but was pulled from the exhibition last Friday. According to the museum, the Dutch owner withdrew(撤回) the statue without giving any reason.

Authorities have not said what steps may be taken next.

重点词汇 Key Word:

展览 zhǎn lǎn
put on display/exhibit/ show/exhibition

v.

一件衣服正在这家商店展览。
A piece of clothes is displaying in the shop.
她在我们学校展览绘画。
She exhibited her paintings at our school.
n.

这次展览持续一周。
This show is on view for a week.
花卉展览 flower show
美术展览 art exhibition

相关词汇 Related Words:

佛教         Buddhism
佛经         Sutra
佛教宗派     Buddhist School
佛教仪式   Buddhist Ceremony
方丈/主持    Abbot
颂经         Sutra Chanting 
香炉         Incense burner 
上香         To offer incense to Buddha
做功德        To make contribution to 
佛像          Buddha statue
菩萨          Bodhisattva