Researchers from Holland made an unusual discovery recently while examining a nearly 1,000-year-old statue of Buddha. After performing an X-ray scan, the analysts found that the mummy of a meditating monk was hidden inside the statue.
According to the research team, the mummy is believed to be that of Liuquan, a Buddhist master who lived in China around 1,100 B.C. During their examination, it was found that the mummy’s internal organs had been removed and the space was filled with ‘paper scraps that were printed with ancient Chinese characters‘, the hospital confirmed in the news release.
This unique statue was on a display exhibition at the ‘Drents Museum’ in Netherlands last year and this was the first time it had been displayed out of China. Although the brochure from the museum explains that this may be a case of self-mummification, the removal of the organs and presence of scraps of paper may suggest that this may not have been the case here. The statue is now on display in Hungary at the Natural History Museum.
The legend has it that those who were mummified, have completed their path to enlightenment.
