57 Facts About Guanyin

1.

Guanyin is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion.

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2.

Guanyin's is the East Asian representation of Avalokitesvara and has been adopted by other Eastern religions including Chinese folk religion.

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3.

Guanyin's was first given the appellation of "Goddess of Mercy" or "Mercy Goddess" by Jesuit missionaries in China.

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4.

Guanyin is often referred to as the "most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity" with miraculous powers to assist all those who pray to her, as is mentioned in the Pumen chapter of Lotus Sutra and Karandavyuha Sutra.

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5.

Several large temples in East Asia are dedicated to Guanyin including Shaolin Monastery, Longxing Temple, Puning Temple, Nanhai Guanyin Temple, Dharma Drum Mountain, Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, Shitenno-ji, Senso-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Sanjusangen-do, and many others.

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6.

Guanyin is beloved by most Buddhist traditions in a nondenominational way and found in most Tibetan temples under the name Chenrezik .

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7.

Statues of Guanyin are a widely depicted subject of Asian art and found in the Asian art sections of most museums in the world.

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8.

Guanyin is a translation from the Sanskrit Avalokitasvara, the name of the Mahayana bodhisattva.

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9.

On occasion, Guanyin is depicted holding an infant in order to further stress the relationship between the bodhisattva, maternity, and birth.

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10.

In some Buddhist temples and monasteries, Guanyin's image is occasionally that of a young man dressed in Northern Song Buddhist robes and seated gracefully.

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11.

Guanyin is usually depicted looking or glancing down, symbolising that Guanyin continues to watch over the world.

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12.

In China, Guanyin is generally portrayed as a young woman wearing a flowing white robe, and usually necklaces symbolic of Indian or Chinese royalty.

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13.

In Fujian, for example, a popular depiction of Guanyin is as a maiden dressed in Tang hanfu carrying a fish basket.

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14.

In Chinese art, Guanyin is often depicted either alone, standing atop a dragon, accompanied by a white cockatoo and flanked by two children or two warriors.

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15.

In Pure Land Buddhist traditions, Guanyin is often depicted and venerated with the Buddha Amitabha and the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta as part of a trio collective called the "Three Saints of the West" .

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16.

In Chinese mythology, Guanyin is the goddess of mercy and considered to be the physical embodiment of compassion.

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17.

Guanyin's is an all-seeing, all-hearing being who is called upon by worshipers in times of uncertainty, despair, and fear.

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18.

Guanyin is the one who is the dharma protector and who restores the peace in the world.

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19.

The Surangama Sutra mentions thirty-two manifestations of Guanyin, which follow closely those in the Lotus Sutra, with the omission of Vajrapani, and the substitution of Vaisravana with the Four Heavenly Kings.

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20.

In China, the Thousand-Armed manifestation of Guanyin is the most popular among her different esoteric forms.

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21.

In temples and monasteries in China, iconographic depictions of this manifestation of Guanyin is often combined with iconographic depiction of her Eleven-Headed manifestation to form statues with a thousand arms as well as eleven heads.

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22.

Guanyin's statue is placed at the entrance and exits of some Chinese Buddhist temples to bless visitors.

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23.

Guanyin's Cundi manifestation is an esoteric form of Guanyin that is venerated widely in China and Japan.

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24.

When Jiang penned the work, he believed that the Guanyin we know today was actually a princess called Miaoshan, who had a religious following on Fragrant Mountain.

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25.

Guanyin forced her into hard labour and reduced her food and drink but this did not cause her to yield.

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26.

In one version of this legend, when Guanyin was executed, a supernatural tiger took her to one of the more hell-like realms of the dead.

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27.

Guanyin tried to shoot Miaoshan down with arrows but they all veered off.

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28.

Guanyin's began her journey to a pure land and was about to cross over into heaven when she heard a cry of suffering from the world below.

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29.

Guanyin's turned around and saw the massive suffering endured by the people of the world.

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30.

Guanyin is frequently worshipped as patron of sailors and fishermen due to this.

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31.

Guanyin's is said to frequently becalm the sea when boats are threatened with rocks.

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32.

Guanyin, after having a discussion with Shancai, decided to test the boy's resolve to fully study the Buddhist teachings.

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33.

Guanyin's conjured the illusion of three sword-wielding pirates running up the hill to attack her.

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34.

Guanyin took off and dashed to the edge of a cliff, the three illusions still chasing her.

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35.

Guanyin then jumped over the edge of the cliff, and soon after this the three bandits followed.

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36.

Longnu, overwhelmed by the presence of Guanyin, asked to be her disciple so that she might study the dharma.

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37.

Guanyin accepted her offer with just one request: that Longnu be the new owner of the Pearl of Light.

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38.

Guanyin turned into an attractive lady and said she would marry any man who could hit her with silver.

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39.

Many tried, and Guanyin was able to accumulate a lot of silver ingots through this process.

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40.

Guanyin's was accused of impregnating her, which was strictly forbidden by Buddhist law.

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41.

In China, various native indigenous forms and aspects of Guanyin have been developed, along with associated legends, and portrayed in religious iconography.

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42.

Similarly in Japan, several local manifestations of Guanyin, known there primarily as Kannon or, reflecting an older pronunciation, Kwannon, have been developed natively, supplanting some Japanese deities, with some having been developed as late as the 20th century.

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43.

Unlike much of other East Asia Buddhism where Guanyin is usually portrayed as female or androgynous, Chenrezig is revered in male form.

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44.

Guanyin is immensely popular among Chinese Buddhists, especially those from devotional schools.

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45.

Guanyin's is generally seen as a source of unconditional love and, more importantly, as a saviour.

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46.

Guanyin has been a buddha called the "Tathagata of Brightness of Correct Dharma" .

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47.

In Chinese Buddhist iconography, Guanyin is often depicted as meditating or sitting alongside one of the Buddhas and usually accompanied by another bodhisattva.

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48.

The buddha and bodhisattva that are portrayed together with Guanyin usually follow whichever school of Buddhism they represent.

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49.

In Pure Land Buddhism, for example, Guanyin is frequently depicted on the left of Amitabha, while on the buddha's right is Mahasthamaprapta.

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50.

Guanyin is an extremely popular goddess in Chinese folk religion and is worshiped in many Chinese communities throughout East and Southeast Asia.

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51.

In Taoism, records claim Guanyin was a Chinese woman who became an immortal, Cihang Zhenren in Shang dynasty or Xingyin .

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52.

Guanyin is revered in the general Chinese population due to her unconditional love and compassion.

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53.

Guanyin's is generally regarded by many as the protector of women and children, perhaps due to iconographic confusion with images of Hariti.

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54.

Guanyin is seen as the champion of the unfortunate, the sick, the disabled, the poor, and those in trouble.

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55.

Guanyin is a ubiquitous figure found within new religious movements of Asia:.

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56.

The organisation commissioned a portrait of Guanyin holding a baby, closely resembling the typical Catholic Madonna and Child painting.

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57.

Guanyin is a central character in the popular Chinese mythological epic Journey to the West as well as its various derivative fictional works.

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