A luohan (arhat in Sanskrit) is a holy monk striving to attain Buddhahood through meditation. In Chinese temples, luohans are usually found in groups of sixteen or eighteen. This particular clay sculpture comes from a famous group discovered in a cave near Yixian in 1912. At least seven of this group have been preserved in various museums in Europe and North America. Dates from the 11th century, Liao dynasty, Yixian, Hebei province.