Avalokiteshvara, Guanyin or Guanshiyin (The One Who Observes the Sounds of the World) in Chinese, is a compassionate Bodhisattvas who has been worshiped throughout Buddhist countries in Asia and is perhaps the most popular Bodhisattva in China. There are a large number of Guanyin figures in the ROM Chinese collection and among them many are the “transformed” Chinese Guanyins who do not have canonical scripture bases.
You have two choices for this assignment: 1) choose one Guanyin object from the list below or 2) find one Guanyin sculpture yourself that can be considered “transformed Chinese Guanyin” in the ROM China gallery (there are quite a few--mostly in the religious section where you see many sculptures).
Write a short report of your choice. In both cases (option 1 or 2), remember to include the accession number and image/s of your choice in your report.
Your report:
First, identify what name/type of Guanyin based on its iconography and give an account of its origin/s if there is any based on your research. (note that there might be a combination of different visions of Guanyin in one) Second, discuss how its iconographic as well as artistic expressions (considering its size, form, material, artistic features, rendering etc.) of your chosen object might manifest the ideas of this particular type of Guanyin worship.
In order to prepare this paper, read Yu Chun-fang’s reading first, which will provide useful knowledge and information for deciding your choice and to write your report. You may find more research resources online on your own. Be sure to acknowledge all the sources properly in notes/references.
Note: A major individual image of each object on the list below is available in the “Images” folder under “Files”. There might be more detailed images and information available via ROM online image collection. (typing the accession number in the search box to search): https://collections.rom.on.ca/ (Links to an external site.)
If you choose the option 2, you should take photos of your chosen object (an overall, from various angles, and detailed shots), which will be the proof of you seeing and studying the actual object in the gallery. So you may get a 5 bonus points for this assignment. (there may be additional photos available via the ROM online collection that you can include too).
Object 1
2006X5.6
Unknown Artist
Print, ink and colour on paper
Album format
Ming-Qing Dynasty
17th century
Object 2
2018x5.16
Artist unknown
Woodblock print, ink and colour on paper
Beijing, China
Nineteenth to mid-twentieth century
27 × 27.5 cm
Object 3
921.32.22
Artist unknown
Handscroll painting, ink and colour on hand-made paper
Qing Dynasty
19th century
Ht. 192.5cm x Wt. 89cm