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Kwan Yin
Bodhisattva of compassion and mercy
Kwan Yin is a Bodhisattva: that is, a Buddhist saint or deity who has attained enlightenment
but has decided to stay in the world in order to help less fortunate beings
do the same. As such she embodies compassion and mercy. She is extremely popular,
especially with women, both in China and in Japan (where she is known as Kannon). Sometimes she is shown sitting or standing on a lotus flower; at
other times she stands upon a dragon – a Chinese dragon, which is a
benevolent creature (not fearsome like western dragons). Usually she holds a
bottle out of which she may be pouring some water. She comes from a island,
and so waves are often shown around the base (especially when there is a
dragon).
Kwan Yin was the first in this series of sculptures of goddesses & holy
women. I chose to sculpt her with the dragon because I like the contrast
between her feminine grace and the amphibian roughness and slightly comic
demeanor of the masculine beast. She masters both the dragon and the ocean
which surrounds them serenely and effortlessly. The liquid she pours out
calms the waters wherever she goes. Kwan Yin is particularly close to my
heart.
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