A life-sized marble statue of the bodhisattva Manjushri, the Mahayana god of learning and wisdom, holding a book, i.e. his main attribute. He is one of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas (fig.).

The book represents his attainment of ultimate wisdom and Enlightenment, whilst his mount is a lion.  In China, he is known as ‘the bodhisattva of keen awareness’ and is called Wen Shu (fig.).