Statues of stone saints such as Zhang Jiao

[The Statue of Stone Making Monk like Zhang Jiao]

The Statue of Stone Making Monk like Zhang Jiao is 92.5 cm high in the third year of Yuanfu (1100) of the Northern Song Dynasty
The holy monk wears a monk’s hat, which is pulled back from his ear and draped over his shoulder and back. The monk has a slightly long face, fine eyebrows and eyes, a straight nose, a slightly closed mouth, a cassock, a folded seat, and a meditation seal in his hand. In front of the stone seat is carved a vow: “Zhang Jiao, Nanchi Village, Donglu Township, Tang County, and his wife Zhao have a family of 15 people. They have a vow to make a stone holy monk, which will always be a sacrifice. It was built on July 24, the third year of Shiyuanfu. Remember.”
Judging from the image of the holy monk, it should be a monk. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, the Buddhist faith has been further secularized, not only the original gods and deities have changed, but for the needs of the present world, some secular monks, such as Jigong, Sangha, Zhigong, Wanhui, Baggy Monk, have been sanctified and become worshipped by the general believers. There are Buddhist statues in the Xingjiao Temple in Shanghai, the White Elephant Pagoda in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, the Xianyan Temple Pagoda in Rui’an, Zhejiang, the Tianfeng Pagoda in Ningbo, Zhejiang, the Ruiguang Temple Pagoda in Suzhou, Jiangsu, and some Buddhist pagodas in Henan and other places. These statues are works of the Song Dynasty and the Song Dynasty. They are made of wood, brick, copper, stone, etc. Most of them are small in size and are built and provided by the collective. This statue was offered by a family on a vow. It is tall and tall, and has not yet been found. It is an important cultural relic of folk religious beliefs in the Northern Song Dynasty.