An ivory netsuke
in amber color and a high hand polish, this Hotei is the image of corpulent abundance,
for he is the god of happiness and unrestricted fulfillment of earthly wishes.
The Happy Buddha wanders the countryside dispensing gifts and riches and caring
for children. The face of Hotei wears an affable smile; he has a bald pate and
laughing eyes. Enormous royal earlobes rest on his shoulders as he leans back
on his great stitched sack, one that ! never empties, for he uses it to feed the
poor and needy. Indeed, the Japanese spelling of "Ho Tei" literally means "cloth
bag." His flat fan is called an oogi, or "wish giving" fan signifying the auspicious
meaning of union and happiness.
