Polychromed Wood 95 x 65 inches (241.3 cm) Chinese Shanxi Province Liao Dynasty (A.D ) Guanyin and Gender

Guanyin, Late Northern Song Dynasty ( )

Feminization of Guanyin and Gender Relations Guanyin’s feminization in the context of traditional Chinese culture and of gender relations Why must Guanyin have become a goddess anyway?

Chinese image of male/female differences Chinese conceptualization of the quality of compassion: it is a female/maternal virtue –Chinese cultural tradition defines: intellect and reason as masculine traits, whereas emotion and feeling as feminine ones

Bodhisattva, large wood sculpture, Song Dynasty In a Chinese family: father is regarded as strict, mother compassionate (Yanfu cimu) Wisdom is an attribute of father; compassion, that of mother

Guanyin by a modern painter

Indian view: –Mother, symbol of wisdom –Father, love Wisdom is a dominant feminine quality Compassion, masculine

Guanyin Must be Feminine: other rationales Absence of antecedents of female deities  Nu Wa, Queen Mother of the West were short-lived  Male gods dominated the pantheon of Chinese folk religions  A female Guanyin is the mother figure par excellence; she loves indiscriminatingly

Guanyin ’ s Image Multiplied Guanyin assumed different forms, they authenticated and reinforced one another  The Fish-basket Guanyin,  Guanyin of the South Sea  White-robed Guanyin Women (artists) contributed to Guanyin’s feminization, Guanyin and the veneration of Her, somehow, did/could not empower women

Appropriations of Guanyin Sectarian religions in late imperial China appropriated Guanyin through these: –production of new apocryphal scriptures, such as The True Scripture of Guanyin’s Original Vow of Universal Salvation –Creation of new identity of Guanyin Prominent sectarian religions: –Eternal Life Teaching, or Chang-sheng jiao (18 th c., referred to Guanyin as Venerable/Old Mother)

The Principle Teaching, or Li jiao (18 th C) – Guanyin is the supreme deity, referred to as Ancient Buddha of the Holy Teaching The Way of Pervading Unity, or Yiguan Dao (19 th c) –Venerate Eternal Mother/the Unborn Venerable Mother –Guanyin is among five major deities

The Way of the Former Heaven, or Xiantian Dao (17 th C) –Scripture: The True Scripture of Guanyin’s Original Vow of Universal Salvation) – Guanyin is referred to as Venerable/Old Mother Guanyin

Guanyin as a “Mother Goddess” Other Sectarian Religions –The Non-Action Teaching, or Lo jiao –The Return to the Origin Teaching, or Huan-yuan jiao –The Yellow Heaven Teaching, or Huang-tian jiao –The Dragon Heaven Teaching, or Long-tian jiao –The Western Great Vehicle Teaching, or Xi Dasheng jiao Guanyin is the supreme deity in these religions which are fused with strong Taoist elements –Now called venerable/eternal mother