Antique Antique Chinese Style Kwan Yin or Guanyin Statue - 38cm/15"

Antique Antique Chinese Style Kwan Yin Statue - Bodhisattva of Compassion - 38cm/15"

Measurements H 38cm/15"

An antique Chinese style Bodhisattvas of Compassion, Kwan Yin or Guanyin sculpture. 

In the vast pantheon of Buddhist deities, few figures embody the essence of compassion and mercy as profoundly as Guanyin, also known as Kuan Yin or Avalokiteshvara. Revered across East Asia, Guanyin holds a special place in the hearts of millions as the Bodhisattva of Compassion. 

The origins of Guanyin can be traced back to ancient India, where Avalokiteshvara, the male Bodhisattva of Compassion, was venerated. According to Buddhist tradition, Avalokiteshvara vowed to aid all sentient beings in their suffering and postpone his own enlightenment until all beings were liberated from samsara.

As Buddhism spread to China, Avalokiteshvara underwent a transformation, evolving into Guanyin, a female deity. Beginning in the ninth century, Chinese images of Avalokiteshvara assumed an ambiguous gender identity. This development coincides with Buddhist texts in which bodhisattvas demonstrate the constructed nature of their gender by magically transforming it. 

Guanyin occupies a central role in Chinese Buddhist practice, serving as a source of inspiration, guidance, and protection for devotees. Her compassionate nature embodies the ideal of selfless service and unconditional love, inspiring followers to cultivate compassion in their own lives and alleviate the suffering of others.

Devotees often turn to Guanyin in times of distress, seeking her intercession and blessings for health, prosperity, and spiritual fulfillment. Her manifold forms and attributes cater to the diverse needs and aspirations of his worshippers, making her accessible to people from all walks of life.

Here she stands samabhanga on a simple base with robes flowing and clinging naturally over and to her long, slender body. Her feet peek from beneath her robes. 

Her hands are held with her thumb and middle finger touching in the vitarka mudra of teaching. Her hair is piled high on her head. Her gaze serene and slightly downcast. 

The sculpture appears to be cast from copper. 

The detail and quality of this piece are unmistakeable.  

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