Collector's passion for antique Buddhas sheds light on how he found his destiny

Shanghai antique collector Zhou Maodi has spent nearly 30 years collecting items ranging from Buddha statues to bronzes and jades. Mr Zhou explains why antiques are his destiny and how beginners should learn about collecting.

How did you become interested?

I started collecting coins when I was about 20 years old. At that time I discovered many copper coins in my home, and they were carved with ancient Chinese characters and faces of emperors, which were very mysterious to me. I then began to do some research and found a lot of impressive stories and histories behind them. I didn't do it for money then because I was only a student, but I still used all my pocket money to collect as many coins as possible. I collected tens of thousands, which were made from materials such as shells, bones and metals. And I held several private exhibitions in Shanghai in the 1980s.

Why do you collect Buddha statues?

I collect Buddha statues because I believe there must be some destiny that brings us together, and worshipping Buddha has taught me how to be a man and treat other people. It has enlightened my life.

I bought my first Buddha statue more than 20 years ago. In 1986, when I was on a business trip to Beijing, I dropped by an antique street in Tianjin , and found a Tang dynasty bronze Buddha. It was covered with rusty stains, but I was deeply drawn by the serene expression on Sakyamuni's face and was sure that this had special value because of its age. After I bought it and washed the stains off at home, I was surprised to find that it was gilded and much more valuable. From then on, I have refused to trade it no matter how much people offer. I've collected more than 200 Buddha statues made from materials such as gold, silver, copper, jade, wood, stone and ivory.

What is your favourite Buddha statue?