This bronze sculpture shows the Buddha seated in a full lotus position, with his hands folded in his lap in the position of the Dhyana mudra. In the Dhyana mudra (a gesture or body position with a symbolic meaning and connection to the life of the Buddha), the hands are placed palms upwards on the lap, with the fingers of the right hand outstretched over those of the left. This mudra is the gesture of meditation. This, combined with the Buddha’s peaceful expression of closed eyes and a gentle smile, reminds us of his ability to achieve nirvana through meditation.

Certain features of this artwork are characteristics specifically of Chinese Buddhist sculpture. The raised lump on the Buddha’s head consists of a headdress over locks of straight hair, as opposed to being formed of curls of hair as is common in depictions of the ushnisha (a protuberance on the top of the head which is one of the Buddha’s key characteristics and which symbolises his enlightenment) in sculptures of the Buddha from India and Burma. Underneath the headdress, however, the elongated earlobes typical of many images of the Buddha can be observed. Within East Asian belief, particularly Buddhism, large ears are seen as a sign of wisdom and compassion. The Buddha is often depicted with elongated ears to symbolise his ability to hear the cries of those who are suffering, and his sympathy and willingness to help ease their pain. It is therefore a comforting image, as it reminds those who see it that there is hope for an end to their sufferings through the search for enlightenment and the compassion of those who have reached it. The robes that the Buddha is wearing cover both of his shoulders and arms, rather than leaving one shoulder bare. This is typical of Chinese Buddhist sculpture, which often clothes the Buddha in thicker garments than Indian Buddhist sculpture.