Chinese Buddha Belly Bamboo Pipe, C. 1900

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This unusually sinuous length of bamboo is known as "Buddha belly bamboo," named for each segment's resemblance to the ample … Read more This unusually sinuous length of bamboo is known as "Buddha belly bamboo," named for each segment's resemblance to the ample gut of the Chinese monk Budai, often referred to as the "Laughing Buddha." Cultivated in southern China, Buddha belly bamboo is often formed into elongated pipes used for smoking tobacco or opium. The undulating form of this 19th-century bamboo specimen is made especially striking when held upright by a custom steel stand. See less