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🧧 Antique Qing Dynasty Ox Horn Laughing Buddha (Budai) Talismanic Pendant

This extraordinary Qing Dynasty ox horn pendant is a rare devotional carving of Budai — the Laughing Buddha — a figure cherished across Chinese Buddhism as a bringer of joy, abundance, and spiritual contentment. His warm smile, rounded belly, and prayer beads symbolize generosity, happiness, and the promise of a better future. This pendant radiates that same uplifting energy. 🎋

Carved from authentic ox horn, a traditional material used for amulets and ritual objects, the pendant carries the warm translucence and tactile softness that only true horn develops over centuries. The craftsmanship is unmistakably Qing: confident linework, expressive detailing, and a reverence for auspicious symbolism.

✨ Dual Seal-Script Blessings

Above Budai is a circular red seal carved in seal script (篆书, zhuànshū), the archaic script used for sacred inscriptions and imperial seals. It reads:

福寿 (fúshòu) — “Good fortune and long life.”

This is not decorative. It is a talismanic invocation, placed intentionally above the deity to activate the blessing. Seal script was used specifically because of its ancient authority and spiritual weight. 🧧

The reverse of the pendant continues this blessing:

• A large, flowing 寿 (shòu) — “longevity,” carved in calligraphic form
• A second 福寿 seal, echoing the front and reinforcing the amulet’s purpose

This dual‑seal structure is a hallmark of Qing devotional objects meant to transmit protection, happiness, and long life to the wearer.

📜 Cultural and Historical Significance

Budai is often understood as an earthly manifestation of Maitreya, the future Buddha. His image bridges folk Buddhism, imperial symbolism, and everyday devotional practice. During the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), Budai carvings were commonly worn as personal talismans — portable blessings carried close to the body.

The use of ox horn is equally meaningful. Horn was believed to hold protective properties, and its organic warmth made it ideal for carvings meant to be touched, held, and worn. The natural grain and translucence of the horn add depth to the carving, especially around Budai’s robes and prayer beads. 📿

🏺 A Portable Blessing

This pendant is not merely an adornment. It is a spiritual companion, a piece of living history, and a vessel for centuries-old blessings. The combination of Budai, dual seal-script inscriptions, and Qing Dynasty craftsmanship makes it a rare and meaningful artifact for collectors, practitioners, and lovers of Asian art.

📐 Details

Material: Ox horn
Era: Qing Dynasty (1644–1912)
Figure: Budai (Laughing Buddha)
Front Seal: 福寿 — “Good fortune and long life”
Back Inscription: 寿 — “Longevity”
Back Seal: 福寿 — repeated blessing seal
Size: Approx. 1 3/4" × 1 1/4"
Function: Talismanic amulet, devotional pendant

This is a joyful, auspicious, and culturally rich heirloom — a rare treasure carrying blessings of happiness, prosperity, and long life. 🌟