Who is Guanyin？
2 min readAccording to the Buddhist classics，Guanyin was the first son of the Holy King in charge of reincarnation.He has many followers and is considered the most wel1-known Bodhisattva in China.Guanyin has 33 various names and images，including an image with 1，000 hands，an image with 11 faces，and an image with 48 arms.Legend has it that when Buddhist followers are in trouble，Guanyin will come and help them if they recite his name single-mindedly.Therefore，Guanyin serves as the Bodhisattva of perfect compassion and kindness，helping the needy and relieving the distressed.
His infinite Buddhist power is known in every household due to the popularity of the famous Chinese literary classic，Journey to the West.Guanyin is omnipotent and is said to have the power to bless women with male children in accord with customary Chinese saying”More Children，More Joy.”Consequently，he is extremely popular among the Chinese women.Since the Tang Dynasty，Guanyin became a female bodhisattva，the only female figure among numerous manifestations of Buddha.
This is unique in Chinese Buddhism and reflects Chinese characteristics.
In monasteries in the region inhabited by the Han nationality，the figure of Guanyin usually sits in meditation holding a vial，with one leg crossed and the other leg hanging downwards.Large monasteries generally have a separate hall for Guanyin，but some monasteries place Mahasthamaprapta and Amitabha together with Guanyin in the same hal1.The three are called“The Three Western Sages.
In China，Buddhism and Daoism co-exist and interact in a harmonious way，and Daoism include some Buddhist images in the list of Daoist deities.Guanyin is，for example，worshiped in Daoist temples as Cihang Priest（Daoist Priest Dispensing Mercy）.
