Monk mummified and covered in gold

A revered Buddhist monk in China has been mummified and covered in gold leaf, a practice reserved for holy men in some areas with strong Buddhist traditions.

The monk, Fu Hou, died in 2012 aged 94, after spending most of his life at the Chongfu Temple on a hill in the city of Quanzhou, southeastern China, according to the temple’s abbot, Li Ren.

The temple decided to mummify Fu Hou to commemorate his devotion to Buddhism — he started practicing at age 17 — and to serve as an inspiration for followers of the religion.