Guanyin

Guanyin is a compassion-related Bodhisattva. She is the East Asian counterpart to Avalokitesvara and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. Jesuit missionaries in China first referred to her as the "Goddess of Mercy" or "Mercy Goddess." Guanyin is an abbreviation for Guanshiyin, which translates as "The One Who Hears the Sounds of the World." Guanyin's attainment of Buddhahood is commemorated on the 19th day of the sixth lunar month.

Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, is a highly revered goddess in China. Buddhists believe that when someone dies, Guanyin places them in the lotus flower's heart. She is the most popular goddess in Buddhism, a performer of miracles who draws those in need of her assistance.

Many large Buddhist temples have been dedicated to Guanyin by her devotees. Even today, thousands of pilgrims visit these temples, particularly in Korea and Japan. Tradition has it that Guanyin wears white robes and sits in the lotus position with her legs crossed. With a palm facing the worshiper, it represents the moment Buddha began turning the wheel of learning.

East Asia has several Guanyin pilgrimage sites. Putuoshan is the most important pilgrimage site in China. In Korea, there is a Guanyin pilgrimage to 33 temples, including Naksansa. There are several Guanyin pilgrimages in Japan. The Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, a pilgrimage through 33 temples with Guanyin shrines, is the oldest of them.

Guanyin is revered by all Buddhist traditions and can be found in most Tibetan temples under the name Chenrézik. Guanyin is also revered and worshiped in Nepalese temples. One such example is the Hiranya Varna Mahavihar in Patan. Guanyin can also be found in Thailand's Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Huay Pla Kang (where the huge statue of her is often mistakenly referred to as the "Big Buddha"), and Burma's Shwedagon Pagoda. Guanyin statues are a popular subject in Asian art, and can be found in the Asian art sections of most museums around the world.