Antique sculpture "Hotei". It is made of bronze. Japan, XX century.

Hotei is one of the seven gods of happiness. In Japanese mythology, Hotei is responsible for the general well-being. He is also the god of communication and fun. It is very common to see his image in popular netsuke figurines.

Based on the legends, the image of Hotei was formed from a real-life Chinese monk of the 10th century, Qi-Qi. For the residents, the good wandering monk Qi-Qi was remembered for his rosary beads and a large bag, and later received the nickname Hotei from them. There? Wherever he appeared, luck, health, and well-being came to people. If someone asked what was in the bag, he replied, "I have the whole world in there."