Pinyin form.
ARA Kuan Yin,
Kwan Yin,
Kannon (
Japan). Shortened form of Guanyinshin, "one who looks upon the utterances of the world." She is the
Bodhisattva Avolokitesvara, shown as
male in early
Indian depictions. Guan Yin is a
deity of
compassion,
healing,
mercy,
protection, and
childbirth. She is usually depicted serenely in flowing robes, standing on a
lotus blossom, carrying a
vial of healing fluid. Sometimes she is shown with multiple heads, eyes, and/or arms, to show how she listens to and aids everyone. Guan Yin is extremely popular in
China and related cultures, and frequently prayed to. She shares many aspects with the
Virgin Mary.
There is an
origin story in China, involving a self-sacrificing
princess. It is almost undoubtedly a different person/character altogether, tacked onto the Guan Yin story in order to
Sinicize it.
There are many
statues of Guan Yin, both large scale carvings and small
porcelain works, the most famous being those from the
Tang dynasty.
She appears in spirit and in statue, in the American
film "
Golden Gate."