China: Well-preserved mummy of dead Buddhist monk unveiled in Quanzhou

China has unveiled the mummified body of a monk in the south eastern city of Quanzhou in Fujian province. The monk called Fuhou died in 2012 at the age of 94, local media reports said.

The monk's body was kept in a large pot at Puzhao Temple on Zimao Mountain as a sign of respect. The body was placed in a sitting position inside a cylindrical pot and covered. Fuhou's body was found remarkably well-preserved even after three and a half years, the reports said.

A rite to open the vat was performed at the temple on 10 January. The temple authority said that the monk's mummy will be cleaned and covered with gold to be made into a golden Buddist mummy. The dead Chinese monk reportedly practiced Buddhism for 81 years.

Thousands of Buddhists thronged the temple to witness the ceremony to open the vat, The Telegraph reported. Believers prayed as the temple priests carried out the unveiling ceremony of the mummified body.

Though nothing has been revealed about the materials used for mummification, the monk's body was covered with charcoal and sandalwood debris when it was unveiled, according to reports. A series of photos below shows the dead monk's mummified body and its unveiling ceremony.