Plate 9 Thousand Hands Guanyin at Lushan Temple, Yuelu Mountain, Changsha.
Guanyin (aka Avalokiteshvara) is the most variable of all the bodhisattvas. Images portray particular
stories, such as this one about princess Miaoshan who attempted to cure her sick father, offering up
her eyes and arms for a medicine. She was transformed into the Thousand Armed Guanyin, and vowed
never to leave the world until all suffering has ended (see p. 270 for another version of Guanyin).Color Insert.indd 7 4/23/2018 11:06:20 AM