Jade Guanyin

Author: Haiyan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-04-01
Features: This is one of Haiyan's novels with the most romantic and idealistic elements. Its fluent and poignant language, coupled with its dramatic and fluctuating plot, portrays a heart-stirring and extraordinary love story. With this story, we dedicate ourselves to all women who bring us serenity, dreams, tolerance, and tenderness, wishing them greater happiness than we have.
In Buddhism, there are four Bodhisattvas representing four ideal human qualities: compassion, wisdom, practice, and aspiration. The Bodhisattva of aspiration is Ksitigarbha, the Bodhisattva of practice is Samantabhadra, the Bodhisattva of wisdom is Manjushri, and the Bodhisattva of compassion is Avalokite?vara, who is the most familiar to the Chinese people as the Bodhisattva of great compassion.
What does compassion mean? According to Buddhist scriptures, "" (cí) means "to give joy," and "" (bēi) means "to alleviate suffering." Alleviating the suffering of all beings and bestowing joy upon them is compassion.
When Avalokite?vara arrived in China, she was depicted in female form. This likely reflects the Chinese understanding of compassion: the dignified, serene, pure, and beautiful Avalokite?vara seated upon a blooming lotus symbolizes the lofty,, gentle, soft, kind, merciful, and omnipresent love of all motherhood.