A Primer on Gender Transformation of Guanyin Bodhisattva in Folk Beliefs
Abstract
of the Mahayana Buddhist system, and its theory and spirit are fully consistent with the principles and spirit of Mahayana Buddhism. On the
other hand, Guanyin faith has formed a complete religious belief system in China, with Guanyin worship as its core, including both internal
factors such as theoretical doctrines, classics, and the psychology of practice, and external factors such as places, followers, and activities.[1]
The purpose of this paper is to attempt to analyse the process of gender transformation in the folk beliefs of Guanyin in the Han region, and to
analyse the reasons for Guanyins change from a male to a female face.
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[1] According to Professor Li Liang, any religious phenomenon has intrinsic factors such as doctrinal system, monastic system, and psychological structure, and extrinsic factors such as believers, places, and activities, and thus constitutes a complete religious system. See Li
Liang, The Basic Form of Contemporary Chinese Religion and Its Development Trends, Studies in World Religions (Beijing: Institute
of World Religions, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), September 1998, no. 3, p. 14.
[2] There is a Holy King of the Wheel of Fortune, whose name is Wujingnian. The king had a thousand sons; the first prince was named
Buraki, the Bodhisattva Guanshiyin; the second prince was named Nyima, the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta; and the third prince was
named Wangxiang, the Bodhisattva Manjushri. Lamentations on the Flower Sutra, vol. 3, in the Daish?z?, vol. 3, p. 186.
[3] Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes Guanyin Bodhisattva's Vast Perfection and Unhindered Great Compassion Dharani Sutra, in
Daishozo, vol. 20, p. 110.
[4] The Sutra on the Record of Kuan Shih Yin's Acceptance of the Great Power, Taisho Zang, vol. 12, p. 353.
[5] Zhu Beni, The Old News of Qu Wei, vol. 6, Qing dynasty, Qianlong jiawu nian zhengben, p. 5.
[6] Yuyue, Chaxianglou Renji, vol. 17, Guangxu nine years Wuxia Chunzaitang zhangben, pp. 3-4
[7] Sun Changwu, Vimal and Guanyin in Chinese Literature, Higher Education Press 1 9 9 6, p. 315.
[8] Wang Min, The Neutralisation of Bodhisattva Statues and the Feminisation of Guanyin Statues, Ethnic Art, September 2011, Issue 3, p.
126
[9] Li Liang, The Four Bodhisattvas and Folk Beliefs (Shanghai: Shanghai People's Publishing House, 2011), p. 409.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18686/rcha.v2i6.4705
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