guan shi yin 2

Domestication of Guanyin through Indigenous Iconographies• Chinese

creation of new iconographies of Guanyin• The Water-Moon

Guanyin• The White-robed

GuanyinSong Dynasty, wood sculpture

Closer look

Water-Moon. Wall Painting, by fifteen court painters, Ming Dynasty

Left: By an unknown modern painter

Right: by Zhang Daqian in 1973

By a modern painter

White-robed Guanyin, stone sculpture, Southern Song, 1142-1146, now in Dazu Cave, Sichuan

Regional diversity of indigenous icons• Great

Compassionate Guanyin

• Great Compassionate Eleven-faced Guanyin

Eleven-faced Guanyin, Stone sculpture, probably Tang Dynasty

• Great Sage Wish-fulfilling Guanyin

• Guanyin Who Prolongs Life and Saves [One] from Suffering

• Great Merciful and Compassionate Guanyin Who Saves One from Suffering

• Guanyin Who Manifests in Response

Pure Vase Guanyin Precious Basket

Guanyin Precious Sutra Guanyin Precious Fan Guanyin Willow Branch Guanyin Precious Jewel Guanyin Precious Mirror Guanyin Lotus Hand Guanyin Wish-fulfilling Wheel

Guanyin Rosary Hand Guanyin

Guanyin of “The Universal Gateway Chapter” Guanyin Who Protects One from Bad Karmic Retribution Guanyin Who Removes Dangers from Elephants Guanyin Who Removes Dangers from Water Guanyin Who Removes Dangers from Fire Guanyin Who Subdues Ghosts and Evil Spirits Guanyin Who Removes Dangers from Beasts Guanyin Who Saves [One] from Suffering by Seeking

Out Voices Mt. Potalaka Guanyin Guanyin of the Desolate Ocean Coast

Further Feminization of Guanyin

Scriptural basis of Guanyin’s female identity In the “Universal Gateway” chapter of the

Lotus Sutra, 7 of the 33 manifestations are feminine

• Nun, lay woman, wife of an elder, householder, official, Brahmin, and girl.

In the Surangama Sutra, 6 of 32 manifestations are feminine

• Nun, lay woman, queen, princess, noble lady, virgin maiden.

Myths and Legends “Euhemerize” Guanyin

• Give him birthday• Establish his sacred abode in Mt. Puto in

Eastern Chekiang (Zhejiang)• Transform his gender and identity

• Creating “Princess Miao-shan” stories and icons

• Fictional accounts in “precious scrolls”, e.g., Precious Scroll of Xiangshan (Hsiang-shan)

• Fictional accounts in novels

Miao-shan LegendMiao-shan Legend

Formation: Formation: Lay society created a new image and Lay society created a new image and

identity of Guanyin: (5identity of Guanyin: (5thth c) c) A woman who saved, healed, …people A woman who saved, healed, …people a filial girl who refused to get marrieda filial girl who refused to get married

Lay society spread Miao-shan story Lay society spread Miao-shan story and Guanyin worshipand Guanyin worship

Important themes:Important themes: ““gift of the body”—body parts as giftsgift of the body”—body parts as gifts Filial piety expanded to repayment Filial piety expanded to repayment

(paying back debts owed to parents) (paying back debts owed to parents) Chanting evokes Guanyin’s salvific Chanting evokes Guanyin’s salvific

response response ““Great compassion dharani” Great compassion dharani” “ “Guanyin meditation mudra”Guanyin meditation mudra”

1000-arm Kannon (Senju Kannon)8th century, Fujii-dera (in Osaka)