GUANYIN Flashcards
The name of the object is Bodhisattva
Avalokiteshvara. Another name for this figure is the Guanyin, short for Guanshiyin.
The posture of this Guanyin figure
one hand resting on a raised knee, and the opposite leg bent across in front of the body - is known as the Water-Moon form
The Guanyin Figure is located in the center section of
The Art of China gallery
The Guanyin figure is created in
Qing dynasty; 19 century
In China
The sculpture are measured
17” H x 7.5” W x 4”D
The medium of this sculpture is
Nephrite ( greenstone, true jade )
Bodhisattvas are
Enlightened being who have put off entering paradise in order to help others attain enlightenment.
The Bodhisattva Guanyin is
a Chinese comforting and mother goddess, although sometimes she is a he
The Bodhisattva Guanyin is commonly know as
the Goddess of Mercy.
And her aspect is
compassion
The Bodhisattva Guanyin’s mixture of male and female characteristics
led her to become one of the most widely beloved Buddhist figures.
Since its introduction after the 3rd century, Bodhisattva of Compassion, Guanyin, is
one of the most widely worshiped Buddhist deities in China
She is known for her
kindness, and can be regarded as an icon of femininity in modern Buddhism.
What makes this figure of Guanyin appear more feminine or masculine?
The figure of Guanyin dressed in loose-fitting robes falling into elegant folds and opening at the chest revealing a triple rolls beaded necklace, and a soft and slightly oval face with meditative expression.
Do you see the roots of Guanyin’s manifestations the Chinese Goddess of Mercy in this sculpture?
As the deity of compassion, Guanyin sculpture is typically represented with precious jewelry, elegant garments, and graceful postures.
What difference between this Guanyin sculpture and other Bodhisattvas figures do you observe ?
This statue of Guanyin depicts the bodhisattva seated on a bed of lotus, with legs folded as if mediating and her hands gathered in Dhyana Mudra. The face is finely sculpted with a serene expression, long undulating eyes, a flattened nose, and pursed lips. The earlobes are visible. The neck is surrounded with a wide, decorated necklace.
The “Lotus Sutra” describes Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin) as
a bodhisattva who can take any form. She can be a male, female, adult, child, elderly, human, non-human, in order to teach the Dharma.
Guanyin was said to be able to appear in
33 different physical forms, 7 of these as women or young girls.
This figure was regarded as a male in India,
and slowly transformed to have a female image in China.
In ancient time, Chinese society was based on ideas of purity, so the Guanyin easily became an iconic female symbol. However,
she also contained strong masculine aspects, which were also important to the eastern Asian people.
