The ‘Chinese Idol,’

Tucked away within the royal estate of Sandringham House, this ornate wooden pagoda once sheltered what was popularly known as The Chinese Idol. In truth, the figure is a statue of Budai, a laughing Buddha, seated in serene dignity beneath a striking canopy of Chinoiserie design, crafted in the 1870s by local estate carpenters for Edward, Prince of Wales.

The tranquil setting — flanked by two Japanese granite lions gifted by Admiral Keppel — was a beloved garden feature for decades. Sadly, the pagoda was demolished in 1960 after the wooden structure succumbed to decay, though the sculpture and the lions remain in place to this day.

Images like this are a poignant reminder of the eclectic tastes of Victorian and Edwardian royalty, and the ways in which far-off cultures were interpreted through a British lens.

Do you have a family photograph taken in the gardens of Sandringham? Upload it to OldPik.com and help keep the memory of these historic settings alive.

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