Throughout traditional
China, Korea and Japan, Quan Yin (or Kannon as she is known is Japan) has been
an essential figure in daily worship. Known as “She who hears the cries of the
World” Kannon is felt to offer sweet, direct, and lucid assistance. As an emanation
of the Goddess, she is resonant with such female deities as the Virgin Mary or
the Hindu deity Lakshmi all who oversee the well being of the daily affairs of
humankind from a cosmic perspective. Indeed, go deeply into her and you will find
that material abundance complimented with the abundance of the pure consciousness
and deep compassion reveals an essential harmony of the worlds.
This antique 19th century Kannon would have been the centerpiece of the
family shrine. Imagine her surrounded with the scented swirls of traditional ko
(incense) in the early hours of the morning as sutras are being chanted. Her robes
are sumptuously rendered as if they are in motion. She holds a mala and a sacred
sutra, reminding us of both wisdom and practice. Her countenance displays peaceful
concentration and contemplation. This is a beautifully rendered okimono that communicates
both history and the timeless qualities of the deity.
