H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III (1955–2022)
Born in Dayi County, Chengdu, China, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was an accomplished multidisciplinary artist and a controversial spiritual leader. Regarded by his followers as the third incarnation of the Buddha, he was known for his abstract use of color and form, a style his devotees described as “supernatural.” Across his career, he was said to have developed sixteen unique schools of painting, showcasing a broad range of traditional and modern influences.
In 1994, at the World Poets and Culture Conference held in Hungary, over 5,600 experts from 48 countries awarded him the title of Distinguished International Master. He later received the World Peace Prize in 2010, and on December 12, 2012, the U.S. Congress formally recognized him as “His Holiness” through Resolution No. 614 (H.Res 440, S.Res 505).