Fu Hou, a Buddhist monk who died aged 94 more than three years ago, was recently made into a golden statue, an age-old Buddhist custom, in southern China.

Shortly after his death, his body was placed in the lotus position and stored in an airтιԍнт cylinder at Puzhao Temple, which sits on Fujian province’s Zimao Mountain.

In January, a ceremony was held to remove Fu’s mummified corpse. Over the next three months, it was cleaned, covered with gauze and then lacquered before a layer of gold leaf was applied, completing the process of making into a temple statue.

Fu had practiced Buddhism for 81 years, and followers of the religion believe only the most virtuous can remain intact after death.

Monks display Fu Hou’s mummified corpse after it was removed from a cylinder where it had been contained at Puzhao Temple for more than three years. PH๏τos by Pan Deng / For China Daily

Specialists clean Fu’s corpse, the first step in the process of making the monk a golden statue.

The body, which has remained in the lotus position, is covered with gold leaf.

A Buddhist worshipper places a robe on Fu’s corpse.

Fu Hou practiced Buddhism for 81 years until his death in 2012 aged 94.

Residents of Quanzhou town in Fujian province flock to Puzhao Temple in January to attend the ceremony to remove Fu’s corpse.