Eminent Sangha

Venerable Miao Hua was born in 1922 in Fuding, Fujian Province of China. He was ordained in 1935 by Ven. Chaun Jin from Xi Chan Monastery. In 1938, He took the precept vows from Xi Chan Monastery under preceptor, Ven. Yong Xin.

In 1945, Ven. Miao Hua was appointed as the Abbot of "Er Fu Temple" in Saigon, Vietnam. He undertook the abbotship for 15 years. In 1960, he founded "Wan Fo Si" (Million Buddha Monaestary) in Ho Chi Minh City became its first abbot. In 1960, he attended the 1st World Chinese Sanghas Conference and there he was appointed as the Deputy Secretarial Chairperson. Thereafter, he received his Dharma doctrines from Ven. Bai Sheng in "Wan Fo Si", and became the 47th Dharma successor of the Caodong sect. In the same year, Ven. Miao Hua founded "Di Zang Monastery" in Taipei (Taiwan) and "Miao Hui Monastery" in California (USA).

Ven. Miao Hua belongs to a sect under the Long Shan Monastery. In 1979, he left Vietnam and came to Long Shan Monastery in Singapore. Thereafter, he was invited by Ven. Guang Qia (former Abbott of Long Shan Monastery) to assume the role of Supervisor for overseeing the monastery; during which he was also a board member of Mi Tuo School Board. In 1979, Singapore Zhi Gui Buddhist Society was entrusted to Ven. Miao Hua. In 1988, he was involved in the major re-construction of Hong Shan Monastery in Xiamen, Fujian. In 1992, Ven. Miao Hua resigned from Long Shan Monastery. To handle the monastic duties of Zhi Gui Buddhist Society.

Artefact Description

Bearing a wide smile, the laughing Buddha is depicted as an oversized jolly monk with a large belly protruding from his robes. Laughing Buddhas are typically shown carrying a cloth sack which is absent in this particular guise, symbolising contentment rather than abundance.