Kuan-shih-yin and the "eight peril"37 1/2 × 25 1/2 inches (95.3 × 64.8 cm)Hanging scrolls: ink and colors on silkGift of Tevis M. Goldhaft in memory of Bryna Gilbert Goldhaft, Class of 193888.0440This painting depicts Kuan-shih-yin, the goddess of Mercy, as invoked by her worshippers for salvation from eight kinds of mundane dangers. The manisfestation of Kuan-shih-yin is portrayed as a seated Bodhisattva in DHYANASANA mudra and wearing many ornaments and the crown (in which there may be an image of AMITABHA). The goddess is seated on a rock with two legs locked, holding a alms bowl (in place of her usual vase) in her left hand and a willow branch in her right hand. Behind her is a green and orange double-nimbus. To the top is a canopy enveloped in tightly scrolled clouds. One of her manifestations, the lotus, is placed under her seat. Another symbol of her devinity, the rosary pearl, is carried by the flying dove above the bamboo stalks above her left shoulder. Accompanied the goddess are her two acolytes, the boy Shen-ts'ai and the girl Lung-nu (who is usually depicted as golding the flaming pearl). This particular Kuan Yin image is interpreted as the goddess of the sea, as in which case she is usually depicted as sitting on a rock seat with visible waves around. In this painting, the waves appear in the lower left corner. The Chinese gudian-Boddhisattva, Wei Tao (VAHARAPALA) is standing above her right shoulder. Both the bird and the bamboo are symbols of her feminity. The lower half of the scroll depicts groups of individuals suffering from the eight perils and praying to the goddess for salvation. The cult of Kuan-shih-yin as the god of Mercy became popular in the Chinese Buddist temples during the 6th century. It is believed that "Kuan-shih-yin", also called "Kuan Yin", is the Chinese version of Avalokitesvara. P.W. 3/30/89Paintings21480124829China