In 19th century China it was accepted for both men and women, rich or poor to smoke. This was a normal part of life and a way to relax. The bulges that give this 19th century Buddha belly bamboo pipe its descriptive name were cultivated by Southern Chinese artisans training the bamboo to grow in this unique way. Upon maturity, they carved the unusual bamboo into a pipe. The form is wonderfully sculptural and mounted vertically on a steel stand.