# Happy Buddha Two Sided Fragrance Oil Burner, Laughing Ho Tai with Tealight Candle, 4 in New Attic no returns

## Happy Buddha Burner with Two Laughing Monks

Two laughing Ho Tai monks hold up a glass dish between them. The antique gold and red finish covers handcrafted resin and crushed stone. This Buddha oil burner works as an essential oil diffuser and a tealight candle holder. The dish holds water and a few drops of oil. A tealight candle below warms the dish and spreads the scent.

### Product Details

-   Material: Handcrafted resin and crushed stone, with glass dish
-   Finish: Antique gold and red
-   Dimensions: 4 in H x 4.75 in W x 4 in L
-   Includes: Tealight candle
-   Product number: O-149GR

## Who Was Budai?

The Happy Buddha began as a real person, a wandering Chinese monk of the Later Liang dynasty. His nickname Budai means cloth sack, after the bag he carried. A note dated to 917 names him as an incarnation of Maitreya, the future Buddha. Chan Buddhism carried his veneration to Vietnam, Korea, and Japan, where he is called Hotei.

Early images show him differently. A rubbing at the Princeton University Art Museum shows a portly monk with a sad grimace and a sack. It was taken from an 1088 Song dynasty stone carving. The museum notes that the laughing version became standard later. Chinese temples came to show him as a smiling, big-bellied deity of popular religion.

## Two Monks Share One Glass Aroma Burner

This modern piece is a decorative resin burner. It is not a copy of any temple image or museum original. Doubling the figure lets the dish rest between two monks. The Buddha oil burner looks balanced from either side. The smiling faces fit the Ho Tai tradition of joy and abundance. Use it as an essential oil diffuser or a tealight candle holder.

## Using and Placing the Buddha Oil Burner

To use this Buddha oil burner, pour water into the glass aroma burner. Add a few drops of oil, then light the candle below. This essential oil diffuser has no cord and makes no noise. Keep it on a heat safe surface and never leave a lit candle alone. Add water to the glass aroma burner as it evaporates, and let everything cool before you move it.

At 4 in tall, this tealight candle holder fits an altar, a bookshelf, or a side table. Explore more pieces in our [Asian Art Collection](https://www.museumize.com/collections/asian-art). The [Chinese dragon burner](https://www.museumize.com/products/chinese-dragons-scented-fragrance-oil-candle-warmer-burner-o-156b) offers a bolder look for the same use.

Budai appears in Chan and Zen art across East Asia. In Japan, Hotei also joins the Seven Lucky Gods. There he is shown with a solemn expression, unlike his usual jolly image. This Buddha oil burner carries that long tradition into a quiet corner of the home.

## For More Reading

-   Meet the wandering monk behind the Laughing Buddha. [Budai - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budai)
-   See an early, unsmiling Budai in a Song dynasty rubbing. [Budai with Staff and Bag - Princeton University Art Museum](https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/collections/objects/57546)
-   Compare a carved soapstone Budai from a Chinese temple tradition. [Budai Heshang - Horniman Museum and Gardens](https://www.horniman.ac.uk/object/1990.79/)

## Details

- **Price:** 19.5 USD
- **Vendor:** Ancient Treasures
- **Type:** Fragrance
- **Tags:** collection-ancient-treasures, culture-asian-oriental, flaires-essential-oils, fragrance, in-stock-museum-gift-store, interest-asian-happy-buddha, material-bonded-stone, size-small-4-to-11-inches

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default | 19.50 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Happy Buddha oil burner with gold and red statue holding a glass dish and a tealight candle
- A decorative golden and dark brown figurine centerpiece with two smiling robed figures holding up a clear glass bowl over a lit candle, set on a wooden table with pink blossoms, red lanterns, and Chinese decorative elements in the background.
- Glass aroma burner dish held up by the laughing monks
- Antique gold and red finish on the resin figures
- Tealight candle glowing under the glass dish
- top view shows two hotei with arms up

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> Source: [Museumize.com](https://www.museumize.com/products/happy-buddha-oil-burner)
> Updated: 2026-10-17