In his excellent article, Lee Irvin notes that female deities have always played a significant role in the Chinese religious pantheon. Three of Chinas great goddess – Xiwangmu (the Taoist Queen Mother of the West), the Buddhist bodhisattva Guanyin and Matsu (The Empress of Heaven) – all share the feminine principles of compassion, receptive nature and association with water and darkness, and all are imperially sanctioned divinities. Revered by all sectors of Chinese society from the endorsed government and religious sectors to the masses who embrace Popular Folk Religion and Taoism as well as Buddhism, their roles expanded from divine personages to also mortals with human expressions, emotions and needs. Each epitomize the feminine role of compassionate protectors and grant health, long life and safety to all devotees regardless of their rank or status. In doing so, they are viewed as interconnected and collectively provide devotees the will and spiritual means to oppose controlling dominant male religious and political forces. All three have popular small local shrines scattered through rural areas as well as large temples and monasteries dedicated to them: the Queen mother in Taoist and Popular Religion places of worship and Guanyin and Matsu in Buddhist and Popular Religion sanctuaries. Guanyin and the Queen Mother are uniquely linked in their roles as guides to a serene death. Guanyin in Pure Land Mahayana belief leads deceased souls to their rebirth in the Western Paradise, which is similar to the Taoist realm into which the Queen Mother guides the deceased.
Source:
Lee Irwin, “Divinity and Salvation: The Great Goddesses of China,” in Asian Folklore Studies, Indiana University, Vol. 49, 1990, pp 53-68.
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As a syncretic Taoist deity, the Queen Mother of the West has a huge cult following among Taoist, Buddhist and folk religion devotees revered for her powers to control life and death and to determine the life span of all living beings. Irvin calls her one of the Great Chinese Goddesses who are all imperially…
In this Pure Land large provincial carving Guanyin is more human and humble than idealized. The center lobe of this splendid oversized crown with gold has a deeply carved rustic Amitabha Buddha on a lotus surrounded by a pointed aureole. She is less formal with bright colored peasant garments, a relaxed laitsana pose with both legs relaxed and bent, bare feet dangling above the pedestal and her less formal teaching hand position. Quite unusual, it is a charming, innocent portrayal of a spiritual subject.
This Mazu, the protector of sea farers, is portrayed as the imperially sanctioned “Empress of Heaven” seated on an elaborate horseshoe shaped dragon throne, hands clasped symbolically holding a hu tablet, adorned with elegant dragon robes, an official’s girdle, a flat-topped Empress headdress and small feet resting on a pair of gilt fu lions. Meant to be seen from all sides this beautiful carving is decorated on front and back.
This very rare and fine 16th century home shrine image displays the benign and compassionate countenance of Songzi Guanyin the “Bestower of Children.” With round face and joyful half-closed and eyes, she looks lovingly at the child whose arm is draped over hers.and leans slightly forward, wearing a 5- lobed crown centered with a camellia flower a Chinese symbol of young sons and daughters. The inscription on the back dates the piece to 1521-1567
This provincial Nanhai Guanyin sits with her palms at her heart in anjali mudra, a mudra of offering rarely used for Nanhai Guanyin. She sits on a two tiered lotus throne on a lotus at the entrance to her Tidal Cave on Putuo under a craggy rock outcrop framed by pierced openwork. Placed on a home altar, her modest presentation reflect local beliefs to resonate with provincial populations.
This white hooded Nanhai Guanyin sits in her Cave o Mount Putuo below an arch of openwork draped moss and barbed rocks, a vial and parrot at her side, holding scrolls that represent the sutras with which she is associated. She sits in modified lalitsana atop an open lotus symbolizing purity and enlightenment surrounded by 2 closed lotuses symbolizing the potential for enlightenment.This rare provincial image was used for placement on a home altar.
Carved from one piece of wood, this triad depicts Nanhai Guanyin and her two acolytes, Shan Tsai (now lost to deterioration) and Longnü, the Dragon Princess holding the Precious Gem. As a Pure Land Buddhist carving, her crown is centered with Amitabha Buddha in meditation bordered by the flames of Buddhism. Despite its losses, this Ming/Qing carving retains its spiritual and serene charm
In this elegant and vibrant carving Guanyin sits in meditation. her beautiful, serene face elegantly carved in contemplation withbud-shaped lips softly set in a welcoming and benign sweet smile wearing a five-lobed crown. She sits on an open lotus with a vertical post at her sides; her sacred vial on her right and a parrot on the left. Antique carved i Guanyin statues with her symbols in this condition are quite wonderful and rare and impart a feeling of serenity to the environment around them.
Chinese puppet theatre thrived, educated and entertained people with puppets that usually had detachable heads. A very popular figure, the Queen Mother of the West is the highest ranking female Taoist deities venerated by women as a powerful, independent deity embodying yin (female energy) who they prayed to for health and long life. Her complex elaborate headdress includes a large outstretched tortoise atop her iconic symbol, the phoenix, all flanked by two nagas under an arch bordered with a scale like finish, a truly unique and impressive image. She is mounted on a modern contemporary frosted acrylic base.
The Queen Mother of the West is one of the most significant of the female Taoist-deities and as a syncretic deity, has a huge Popular Religion and Buddhist cult following. She is one of the Great Chinese Goddesses and patron deity of women who controls life and death, creation and destruction and determines the life…
Wearing a magnificent headdress with her iconic phoenix this rare image of the Taoist Queen Mother holds a cup with the elixir of immortality which grants eternal life. She sits on an regal horse with a bell hanging on his chest. In the Taoist tradition horses symbolize man’s harmony with and the elegance of nature.
Among the oldest Chinese female Taoist-deities, the Queen-Mother of the West Hsi Wang Mu is mentioned in 300 BCE in sacred texts as a goddess who “obtained the Tao.” A patron deity of women and a divine teacher associated with the cultivation of virtue and immortality, she controls the life, death, creation and destruction of…
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