Despite this wooden statue’s small scale, the might of the popular God of Wealth (Cai Shen) comes through his fierce pose, bulging eyes and traditional attributes. He is a fierce armor-clad military figure who rides a black tiger and wields powerful objects. The figure likely held in his right hand a rod that turned iron into gold, and in his missing left hand a gold ingot. Traces of Cai Shen’s once brightly colored and gilded armor are still visible, and a small compartment at the back of the statue was once used to keep items for good luck.
