Bronze gilded statue of Puhua Heavenly Buddha

[Bronze gilded Puhua Heavenly Statue]

Bronze gilded Puhua Heavenly Statue, Qing Dynasty, bronze gilded, 64 cm high. The old collection of the Qing Palace
The universal deity is the highest deity in the Ministry of Thunder of Taoism, and its full name is “the universal deity of Thunder”. White face, three eyes, three wisps of beautiful beard floating in front of the chest, benevolent and gentle face, wearing gold armor, wearing a beast-shaped buckle at the waist, with a single finger on the chest in the left hand, holding a steel whip in the right hand, barefoot, sitting on a square seat. Puhua Heavenly Master is in charge of the Xiaoyu Mansion of the Ministry of Thunder, and has jurisdiction over all other Thunder Gods. According to the Book of the Immortals of the Past Dynasties, he has the power to “master the disaster and fortune of heaven, balance the holding of things, control the holding of things, control the people, and control the living and killing”. It is precisely because the god of thunder is the god of justice who can take charge of punishment on behalf of heaven, distinguish between good and evil, and kill those who commit great evils, that it is widely worshipped by the people, including in the imperial palace. This bronze statue was consecrated to the main deity in the east side hall of the Xuantian Palace in the Qing Dynasty, and accompanied by 8 gods of thunder on the left and right.