観音 Guanyin (Avalokitesvara)

観音 Guanyin (Avalokitesvara) , 1800s, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Where object was made: China

Material/technique: blanc de chine; glaze

Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 17.7 x 11.8 x 6.9 cm
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 6 15/16 x 4 5/8 x 2 11/16 in

Credit line: William Bridges Thayer Memorial

Accession number: 1928.1523

Not on display

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Label texts

Civic Leader and Art Collector: Sallie Casey Thayer and an Art Museum for KU

This elegant white porcelain sculpture depicts the bodhisattva known in China as Guan Yin, who was widely worshiped as the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. Not only is Guan Yin seen as a source of unconditional love who answers the prayers of the devoted, but in China, this deity is also believed to grant sons, protect pregnant women, and assure safe childbirth.

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Exhibition Label:
"Nature/Natural," Jul-2014, Kris Ercums
Women played a significant role in the reception and development of Buddhism in East Asian countries. Ever since Buddhism, a foreign religion from India, arrived in China, Korea, and Japan, women have been among the most ardent believers and patrons of Buddhism, disseminating the faith and sponsoring the creation of Buddhist temples, sculptures, paintings, and scriptures.
The objects displayed in this case are the fruition of women’s prayers for pregnancy, safe birth, and the healthy growth of their children. As guardians of women and their children, these Buddhist deities were revered by female Buddhist practitioners. For example, in Japan Jizō was known to protect children who died before their parents, and since the 1980s has been worshipped as the guardian of mizuko, the souls of stillborn, miscarried or aborted fetuses.