A pudgy, good-humored monk named Pu-tai who lived at Yueh-lin Temple during the Five Dynasties Period (907 to 960) was said to be an incarnation of Maitreya, and his looks were attributed to Maitreya.
五代時，傳言在岳林寺出家的布袋和尚是彌勒轉世，就以布袋和尚的長相來為彌勒造像。「未來佛」成了「財神爺」？！傳說中，布袋和尚是五代梁朝時的遊方和尚。