The Pu Tai (or Ho-tei in Japanese), the legendary Chinese monk known universally as the Laughing Buddha, is revered in Buddhist Mahayanist traditions as an incarnation of the Bodhisattva Maitreya. With his traditional huge belly, perpetual smiling face, and the hemp sack that holds his worldly possessions, Pu Tai is often portrayed as a Chinese Zen master who endlessly roams China's countryside. Carved in exquisite emerald green jade, Pu Tai is in a seated position and holds a bead rosary. In contemporary Chinese belief, because of his big smile, Pu Tai is named the God of Contentment and Happiness. He is commercially and misguidedly viewed as a popular emblem of good luck: people would rub his big belly and make a wish. Carvings of Pu...