Guanyin (deity)

Symbols: Lotus; rice

Culture: Buddhist; Chinese Taoist

Mother: King Miao Chuang

Father: Queen Pao Te

Guanyin is a very popular East Asian goddess, who is revered by both Buddhists and Taoists. The goddess of mercy, compassion, kindness, and fertility, she is also the protector of women and sailors, patron goddess of mothers, and the bringer of life giving rain.

She was introduced into China from India around the first century as a Buddhist Bodhisattva (a being who has attained enlightenment) named Avalokiteshvara. As represented in India, the deity was originally male, but by the twelfth century had evolved into a female aspect, Guanyin, in China. This was probably because mercy was typically connected with the feminine force (yin) and not the masculine force (yang).

Her name means "she who hears all the cries of the world," alluding to her compassion and the help she extends to all human beings in misery. Her followers believe that those who prey to her will be cured of illness and sorrow. A popular legend says that Guanyin was the one who introduced the cultivation of rice, said to be filled with her nutritious milk.

According to a popular myth, Guanyin was Miao Shan, the daughter of King Miao Chuang, who tried to stop his daughter from becoming a Buddhist nun, even going to the extent of trying to kill her. But after many struggles and travails he was able to see the light, and Miao Shan went on to become an enlightened being and ultimately a goddess.

Guanyin is frequently shown sitting on a lotus flower (a Buddhist symbol of purity), holding a vase of Lingzi (a plant that supposedly cures all illnesses). Guanyin is also shown holding a lotus flower, jewels, or a baby, alluding to her role as goddess of fecundity. She is often clad in a flowing white dress wearing golden necklaces, and her hands make symbolic gestures of generosity and removal of fear. At times her two faithful disciples Yunu/Lung Nu and Gintong accompany her. Her different aspects are shown with two, four, six, or as many as a thousand arms some times.

Also called Guanshiyin, Kuan-Yin, and Kannon/Kwannon, Guanyin’s titles include the All Merciful, Bodatsu, Bodhisattva, Buddha, the Divine Voice of the Soul, the Merciful Mother, Of the Hundred Hands, and the Savioress.

In Mythology

A popular myth states that Guanyin was Miao Shan, the third daughter of King Miao Chuang and Queen Pao Te. The royal couple was unable to have children for many years. Eager for an heir to the throne, the king asked fifty Buddhist and Taoist priests to pray to the god of the sacred mountain so that his wish might be granted. However, since King Miao Chuang had shed a lot of blood during his accession to the throne, the gods, instead of giving him a son, gave him three daughters.

The king was deeply disappointed but consoled himself with the fact that one of his sons-in-law could become his heir, and looked for suitable husbands for his daughters. Growing up, Miao Shan became known for her modesty, virtuous living, and scrupulous adherence to all the tenets of Buddhism. When it was time for her to get married, she told her father that she did not wish to marry. Instead she wished to attain enlightenment, save the miserable and afflicted, and change those who were evil to good. Enraged, the king tried his best to dissuade her, but Miao Shan would not change her mind. So he banished her to a nunnery and instructed the nuns there to do their best to dissuade Miao Shan from this way of life. The nuns followed the king’s orders and gave her difficult, menial tasks to do, but the Jade Emperor (the supreme Taoist deity) noticed her piety and in pity sent heavenly spirits to help Miao Shan do her chores.

The nuns reported these miracles to the king, who became even more enraged. He ordered the nunnery burnt to the ground with the nuns inside. When the soldiers set fire to the nunnery, Miao Shan prayed to the Jade Emperor for divine intervention. Immediately it started raining and the fires were quelled. The king then asked his soldiers to bring Miao Shan in chains to the palace so that she might be beheaded. Again, the Jade Emperor intervened. While Miao Shan did die, the god ensured she felt no pain and her body was not mutilated. He also arrested decay so that her soul might re-enter it again and she might be given a new lease on life.

After her rebirth, Miao Shan was guided to a monastery on Putuo island where she was finally able to start her quest for perfection. After nine years, she reached the pinnacle of perfection and was enthroned as a divine, immortal being.

Meanwhile, her father was struck down with an illness as punishment for burning the nunnery and killing his daughter. The Jade Emperor decreed that only remedies by Miao Shan would cure him. The remedy required Miao Shan to give up both her hands and eyes, and she gladly did so. When the king realized that it was his own daughter who had made the sacrifice he wept at his own folly and begged for her forgiveness. He decided to renounce his throne and follow his daughter in pursuit of the perfect life. And the Jade Emperor canonized Miao Shan and made her the savior of the afflicted and the ever-helpful protector of mortals.

Origins and Cults

The Buddhist Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was introduced in China around the first century, when Buddhism spread to the country from India. Over time the deity evolved a female aspect called Guanyin. In the fifth century, Guanyin is introduced in Lotus Sutra, a sacred Buddhist text.

Over the centuries, her worship and influence continue to spread until she became one of the most important goddesses in the Buddhist and Taoist pantheon. Many statues of her are found in temples belonging to both religions. For centuries she has been considered a symbol of compassion and is worshiped in China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and has temples dedicated to her throughout the world where Buddhism and Taoism flourish. The largest statue of hers can be found in the Hainan province of China, where it stands 354 feet tall.

Followers believe simply uttering her name assures them of salvation from spiritual and physical harm. Following her path of peace and mercy makes this doubly likely. Her worshippers are strict vegetarians and believe in nonviolence to all. Uttering her name repetitively is also considered an effective meditation technique.

In around the seventh century, Buddhist monks visited the island of Putuo Shan, near Shanghai, settled there and built temples honoring Guanyin. They believed this was the island where Miao Shan had lived and devoted her life to healing and helping others. This led to the island being closely associated with Guanyin and made it a popular center for her worship.

Guanyin’s birthday is celebrated on the nineteenth day of the second lunar month of the Chinese calendar. On that day, her followers make offerings of paper clothing, food, and money, which decorate her altars. She is also specially venerated on two other days—on the nineteenth day of the sixth lunar month (the day she attained enlightenment) and on the nineteenth day of the ninth lunar month (the day she became a nun).

Bibliography

Coulter, Charles, and Patricia Turner. Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities. New York: Routledge, 2012. Print.

Monaghan, Patricia. Encylopedia of Goddesses and Heroines. Novato: New World Library, 2009. Print.

Perkins, Dorothy. Encyclopedia of China: History and Culture. London: Routledge, 1999. Print.

Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. Ed. J. Gordon Melton. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2011. Print.

Roberts, Jeremy. Chinese Mythology A to Z. New York: Facts on File, 2004. Print.

Werner, E. T.C. Myths and Legends of China. Auckland: Floating, 2009. Print.