Guan Yin

Regarding the question about the statue in my backyard pic in the previous post, a little information below about her for your digestion: :)

Guan Yin is the bodhisattva of compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. She is also known as the Chinese Bodhisattva of Compassion. She is goddess, mother figure, friend, guide, and protector; to the philosophical she represents the divine force of compassion. She is the beloved personification of compassion. In Asia, images of her can be found in homes, temples, and within thousands of shrines and grottoes beside roads and shaded pools. People of all ages bring gifts of flowers and fruit, but not in supplication. There is no need for that. Kuan Yin, like a wise and loving parent knows and does what is best; does it with gentle guidance and never needs to punish or coerce.

In Japanese, Guanyin is pronounced Kan'non (観音) or more formally Kanzeon (観世音); the spelling Kwannon, based on a pre-modern pronunciation, is sometimes seen. In Korean, this incarnation of Buddha is called Gwan-eum or Gwanse-eum, In Thai, the name is called Kuan Eim (กวนอิม) or Prah Mae Kuan Eim (พระแม่กวนอิม),and in Vietnamese, the name is Quan Âm or Quan Thế Âm Bồ Tát.
It is generally accepted that Guanyin originated as the Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara (अवलोकितेश्वर), which is her male form. Another version suggests she originated from the Taoist Immortal "Ci Hang Zhen Ren" (慈航真人). Commonly known in the West as the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin is also revered by Chinese Taoists as an Immortal. The name Guanyin, also spelt Kuan Yin, is short for Kuan-shih Yin (Py.: Guānshì Yīn, 觀世音) which means "Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of the World".

Useless Trivia Facts:

• Guan Yin plays a central role in the plot of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.


• In the manga/anime titled Saiyuki (Gensoumaden Saiyuki in Japan) (based on the Chinese tale Journey to the West), Guan Yin appears as Kanzeon Bosatsu, who appears as a minor, but still relevant, character. In this unorthodox take on Buddhism, Kanzeon is a smart-talking hermaphrodite who guides the Sanzo-ikkou on their quest to Shangri-La.


• In the X-Men comic books, there are two characters named after the deity: Kwannon and Kuan-Yin Xorn.


• The name of the Japanese company Canon Inc. derives from the Japanese name of the deity (see company's article for details).


• Her birthday, the 19th day of 2nd lunar month (6 April in 2007), based on Chinese calendar is a holiday in the Republic of China.


• In several comic books by Adam Warren Kuan Yin is the name of a high-tech weapons maker.


• Gotenks from the Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z manga and the Dragon Ball Z anime, uses an attack called "Senju Kannon Punch" (translated as Thousand Hand Guan Yin Punch) in which he launches a flurry of blows similar to a syogekiha while his arms move so fast that he appears to have hundreds of them