This woodcarving features the statue of Da Mo (Bodhidharma), who was the founder and first patriarch of Chan/Zen Buddhism. Zen practice focuses on meditation and concentration. In Japan Da Mo is known as Bodai Daruma or just Daruma. The artist utilizes the natural shape of the wood and the bark as the body and robe, only carved the head of the statue. The look of the statue echoes the traditional portrait of Da Mo in Chinese paintings.

According to the legend, Da Mo was also the founder of Shaoling Kong Fu. When he was teaching at Shaolin Temple, he found that the monks could not stay awake in meditation and were very weak because they lacked energy. The monks were unable to protect themselves from robbers, bandits and wild animals that roamed the area. He taught them physical exercises which later evolved into Shaolin Kungfu.