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Born in 1990 in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China, from a family of fine artists, Jiang Sheng founded his own studio at the age of 23 and has since devoted himself to the study and creation of Buddhist sculptures. This unconventional statue maker has been deeply influenced not only by his father, who was a sculptor, and his mother, who was a devout Buddhist, but also by the Venerable Master Jiqun, whom he has converted to. After more than a decade of practicing statuary, he has combined his practice and contemplation into this collection of works.

This photo book gathers 44 pieces of Jiang Sheng's Buddhist statues recorded by photographer Xu Xiaodong over the past ten years, with a preface by Jiang Sheng and a complete interview with the artist, revealing his ten-year journey of "making statues for Buddha".

Jiang Sheng's statues are characterized by a highly uniform style, which is described as light, simple, spontaneous and free. The use of materials is diversified, such as cypress, camphorwood, maple, white sandstone, bluestone, silicon bronze, travertine, lacquer, jade, glaze, white porcelain, white marble, etc. The whole of the works exudes a warm and friendly atmosphere, conveying to people that the art of Buddha statues enables them to gain inner peace and enhance their belief in goodness.

The cover of this book, which took two and a half years to produce, is in a box format. The light and supple paper, along with the subtly elegant silk, creates a fantastical texture. This forms a vivid contrast with the same cover photo on the main body of the photo book. The photograph of "Standing Water-moon Avalokitesvara" chosen for the cover, combined with the allure of silk, exudes an intimate feeling with the Buddhist statue. The title on the spine is stamped in gold, allowing you to feel the traces of the carefully crafted production in the detailed texture over time.

The calligraphy on the title page is by the renowned Chinese monk Master Jiqun. The simple yet profound brushstrokes embody the concept of the “Give the buddha a form on the earth”. Each sculpture represents the personal journey of Jiang Sheng, who has been engaged in sculpture since 2011.