Guanyin Bodhisattva, also known as Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, Guanzizai Bodhisattva, or Guangshiyin Bodhisattva, literally means the Bodhisattva who “observes the sounds (of the people in the world).” She is one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas. In Buddhism, she is the foremost Bodhisattva under Amitabha Buddha, the teacher of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Together with Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, she serves as an attendant to Amitabha Buddha and is collectively known as the “Three Saints of the Western Paradise.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva developed from the Sanskrit Avalokitesvara. In Chinese, it was transliterated as “A-na-po-lou-ji-di-shu” or “A-fu-lu-ji-di-shi-fa-luo,” and translated as “Guangshiyin.” Before the Tang Dynasty, she was called “Guanshiyin Bodhisattva,” but to avoid the name taboo of Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty, the character “Shi” (世) was omitted, and the name became “Guanyin Bodhisattva.” Legend says that Amitabha Buddha is regarded as her father, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva as her brother.
The Infinite Life Sutra records that both Mahasthamaprapta and Guanyin are future Buddhas in the Western Pure Land of Amitabha. Guanyin is one of the most widely worshipped Bodhisattvas in East Asia. Among Buddhist images and statues, those of Guanyin are the most common, with great variety and transformation.
In China, the worship of Guanyin began around the 1st century BCE with the introduction of Buddhism, and later spread to Japan via Korea in the 7th century. Guanyin also entered Tibet in the 7th century, where she is known as Chenrezig, and the Dalai Lama is regarded as her incarnation. Before the Song Dynasty, Guanyin was depicted as male in China. After the Song Dynasty, representations based on the image of a classical Chinese lady became dominant. Because Guanyin is devoted to relieving suffering, although her spiritual rank is below that of a Buddha, her influence among the people is profound.
Among all Bodhisattva images in Buddhism, Guanyin has the most variations, likely due to the belief that she manifests in many forms. When she appears as one of the “Three Saints of the West,” attending Amitabha Buddha together with Mahasthamaprapta, she wears a jeweled crown with an image of Amitabha Buddha on it. In other aspects, her appearance and attire are similar to other Bodhisattvas. Guanyin is known for her ability to transform, appearing as heavenly beings, spirits, or even in female form.
According to folk legends, Guanyin was originally a male immortal known as “Cihang Dashi.” After transforming into a Taoist nun to help a woman in childbirth and becoming defiled in the process, he could not return to his original form. Moved by this, the Jade Emperor appointed him to oversee and guide the people toward enlightenment. Another view holds that Guanyin takes on different forms to respond to the needs of various believers, which may explain the emergence of her female image. Later, her female form was also associated with the belief that she can grant children and is regarded as the embodiment of great compassion.
Some texts describe Guanyin as the third daughter of King Miaozhuang. In many depictions, a figure of Sudhana (Shancai Tongzi) is shown beside her, facing Guanyin with hands clasped in reverence. In esoteric Buddhism, there are multiple forms such as the “Six Guanyin,” “Seven Guanyin,” and even “Thirty-three Guanyin,” including forms like Horse-Head Guanyin, Thousand-Armed Thousand-Eyed Guanyin, and Eleven-Headed Guanyin. Generally speaking, the changing forms of Guanyin in folk belief are closely related to different historical periods, regions, and customs, making her a product of popular faith.
Sacred Site
In China, Mount Putuo in Zhejiang Province is regarded as the sacred site of Guanyin Bodhisattva. According to legend, a Japanese monk once attempted to bring a statue of Guanyin back to Japan, but was stopped by a storm at sea and could not proceed. As a result, he established a Guanyin sanctuary on Mount Putuo. To this day, the “Guanyin Who Refused to Leave Temple” still stands there.
Originally named Guanshiyin, the name comes from Sanskrit and is also translated as “Guangshiyin” or “Guanzizai.” During the Tang Dynasty, the character “Shi” was removed due to the naming taboo of Emperor Taizong Li Shimin, leaving the shortened name “Guanyin.” According to the Lotus Sutra, Guanyin is a Bodhisattva of great compassion who can manifest in thirty-three forms and rescue beings from twelve kinds of suffering. She practices “adapting to conditions to save beings,” offering help to all people regardless of status or wisdom. Whenever someone in distress recites her name, “the Bodhisattva immediately hears their voice” and comes to their aid, delivering them from suffering.
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