Last week, the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace arrived in Seattle at the Co Lam Pagoda, at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Way South and South Graham Street. Thousands of people visited.
The Buddha is a beautiful piece of art. The smiling and calm-faced Buddha was carved out from a piece of jade bought by an Australian couple, Ian and Judy Green, who are also Buddhists.
I was impressed with the event for two reasons: the number of volunteers for the project and its marketing strategy. The elaborate stand, pagoda cover, and pillars surrounding the Buddha were built in only two days.
However, no one could give me the exact number of people involved in helping to make it happen.
Thousands of people lined up not only to pay respects, but to try to buy a jade Buddha pendant at $100 each.
The organizers claimed the pendants were made from leftover jade from the statue. What a brilliant marketing idea!
The statue will be in Seattle through Aug. 29. ♦