At first glance, the ancient Buddha statue appeared to be a beautifully preserved relic from the 11th or 12th century—a masterpiece of religious craftsmanship.
But beneath its golden exterior lay a secret that no one expected.
When researchers from the Drents Museum in the Netherlands conducted a CT scan, they discovered something truly shocking: the statue contained the mummified remains of a Buddhist monk.
That’s right.
Inside the statue was an actual human body.
As if that weren’t eerie enough, further examination revealed something even more bizarre.
After the monk’s organs were removed during mummification, they were replaced with rolls of paper covered in ancient Chinese script.
It’s a discovery that feels like it belongs in an Indiana Jones movie, but it’s completely real.
Who was this monk?
Why was his body placed inside the statue?
And what do the mysterious scrolls say?
A 1,000-Year-Old Time Capsule
The hidden mummy was identified as Master Liuquan, a monk from the Chinese Meditation School.
While the idea of sealing a body inside a statue might seem unusual—even unsettling—to modern audiences, it was not entirely unheard of in Buddhist traditions.
Some Buddhist monks believe that through deep meditation and ritual, they can transition into an eternal state of enlightenment, effectively becoming living Buddhas.
In this tradition, such monks are not considered dead in the conventional sense, but rather in a perpetual state of meditation.
The idea may seem mystical, but there is scientific evidence that some monks have indeed undergone a process of self-mummification, a practice that was especially prevalent in Japan, China, and Tibet.
But this particular case was unique.
The scrolls found inside Liuquan’s body raised more questions than answers.
Challenging What We Thought We Knew About Mummification
When most people think of mummies, they picture ancient Egyptian pharaohs wrapped in linen, carefully embalmed, and buried with treasures for the afterlife.
But the process of Buddhist mummification was completely different.
Unlike Egyptian mummification, which relied on chemicals and elaborate burial practices, Buddhist monks who attempted self-mummification underwent an excruciating, years-long process while still alive.
The process was believed to take over 3,000 days and involved:
- A strict diet of nuts, seeds, and tree bark to strip away body fat.
- Drinking toxic tea made from the sap of the urushi tree (a substance used in lacquerware) to kill off bacteria and prevent decay.
- Years of meditation in complete isolation, often in underground chambers.
If successful, the monk’s body would be naturally preserved, and his followers would seal him inside a temple or, in this case, a Buddha statue.
But here’s where things take a surprising turn—Liuquan’s case suggests that his body was altered post-mortem.
The removal of his organs and the placement of Chinese scrolls inside his body indicate that others may have played a role in his final transformation.
Could it be that Liuquan didn’t reach self-mummification naturally, but was instead preserved and placed inside the statue by his followers?
The Mystery of the Scrolls
The discovery of the ancient Chinese scrolls inside the mummy’s body was an unexpected twist.
Historians have speculated that these texts could have contained:
- Prayers or sacred Buddhist scriptures
- Personal writings of Liuquan himself
- Spiritual instructions for followers
Unfortunately, since the scrolls were fragile and embedded deep within the mummy, their exact contents remain largely unknown.
What is clear, however, is that this wasn’t just an ordinary burial. Liuquan’s remains weren’t simply preserved—they were honored and integrated into a sacred object, turning his body into a literal representation of Buddhist teachings.
A Living Buddha?
For many Buddhists, this discovery is more than just an archaeological marvel—it is a testament to the power of faith and meditation.
Some monks today believe that Liuquan is not truly dead, but instead exists in a suspended state of enlightenment, continuing his meditation inside the statue.
It may sound unbelievable, but there have been cases where monks’ bodies, long after death, have remained remarkably well-preserved, as if time had barely touched them.
Some consider these cases to be evidence of spiritual transcendence.
While modern science is still trying to understand the full extent of these preservation methods, what’s undeniable is the devotion and discipline that went into Liuquan’s final journey.
Where You Can See the Mummy for Yourself
The mummified monk of Liuquan was displayed at various museums around the world and was last exhibited at the Hungarian Natural History Museum.
Today, researchers continue to study the statue, hoping to unlock more secrets hidden beneath its ancient layers.
What started as a simple CT scan turned into one of the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries of our time—a reminder that history still holds astonishing mysteries waiting to be uncovered.
Would you ever have guessed that inside a 1,000-year-old Buddha statue lay the remains of a real-life monk?
It turns out, some statues really do have a life of their own.
Sources:
- Business Insider
- Colossal
- Drents Museum
