Chinese girl and the latest accessories.
Safety is a key selling point in the Chinese market. Consumers pay large premiums to put their hands on untainted milk, non-toxic cosmetics, hygienic maxi-pads, genuine organic vegetables, and crash-proof cars. Now that locals can take care of their bodies by spending a little more, it is time to nurture their souls. Spiritual growth takes too much time and effort, but as is often the case in China – there’s a shortcut. Local entrepreneurs are now selling jewelry with amulets that have been blessed by famous Buddhist monks, mostly from Thailand. The trend was started by Chinese celebrities but now seems poised to take to the mainstream.
The Buddha famously proclaimed that life is full of anxiety, the cessation of which depends on following a path of right behavior and mindfulness. But it all sounds too complicated. In China, the basic rules of business apply to spiritual matters as well – if you cannot grow organically, you expand through mergers and acquisitions. Pendants with amulets carved with the images of Buddhist deities and celebrity monks are increasingly popular in China. Such objects of desire are mostly sold online, with prices ranging from RMB 100 to several thousands a piece. The best selling items seem to be those from Thailand, where amulets are produced and blessed in local temples. One of the largest Taobao sellers even includes photos of himself receiving “fresh” amulets from what appears to be a group of Thai monks.
Buddhist pendants are popular in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, where Buddhism is an integral part of daily life. In most of China, however, the amulets seem to be more of a fashion item or a type of post-modern superstition (the country’s old-school true believers notwithstanding). According to local media reports, the most popular amulets are those with images of butterflies, foxes, and especially golden boy Kuman Tong. The latter is putatively a charm for luck and good fortune, and its image is based on a stillborn child enshrined in Thai mythology. Buddhist pendants are especially popular with Chinese movie and music stars, who, in turn, popularize them with China’s suggestible crowds. A cottage industry of experts advises clients on appropriate pendants based on personal circumstances and job functions. Aspiring actors, for example, should wear amulets carrying the image of Ganesh, Kongfu actors should wear stone amulets with a meditating Buddha, and entertainment industry managers will do well opting for a different variation on the reclining Buddha theme.
Pendant designs differ in popularity between Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China but tastes across the Chinese empire might be converging. Baby Kuman Tong is increasingly loved by mainlanders following decades of popularity in Taiwan. And not just in pendant form. Several years ago, Thai police arrested a Taiwanese man who planned to cover human babies in gold and sell them to clients back home. Six fetuses were found in his hotel room upon his arrest. As luck would have it, gold-plated fetuses are not yet available on Taobao, but we won’t be surprised if China’s newfound love for physical attachments will reach similar lows. The Buddha was right after all.
Image Source: Amulet World
