Communications in Humanities Research
- The Open Access Proceedings Series for Conferences
Communications in Humanities Research
Vol. 8, 31 October 2023
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Feminization Phenomenon of Guanyin: The Gender Transformation of Religious Icon in Song Dynasty
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Abstract
Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, holds an esteemed and irreplaceable position within Mahayana Buddhism. The belief in Guanyin has flourished across various regions of China, becoming deeply entrenched in the religious and cultural fabric of the country. Throughout history, the image of Guanyin has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from a male representation to a revered female deity. This article aims to delve into the period spanning the Han Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, in order to unravel the origins of Guanyin’s gender and analyze the profound aesthetic implications associated with the shifts in Guanyin’s depiction over time. By scrutinizing the fusion and compromise of the Buddhist notion of equality from its Indian roots and its subsequent integration into Han China, alongside the prevalent Confucian belief in male superiority and female inferiority, the article seeks to illuminate the social and philosophical underpinnings behind the widespread acceptance of the female Guanyin during the Song Dynasty.
Keywords
Guanyin image, feminization, Tang and Song societies, filial piety, respect for mother
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Data Availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
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- Volume Title
- Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Educational Innovation and Philosophical Inquiries
- ISBN (Print)
- 978-1-83558-039-4
- ISBN (Online)
- 978-1-83558-040-0
- Published Date
- 31 October 2023
- Series
- Communications in Humanities Research
- ISSN (Print)
- 2753-7064
- ISSN (Online)
- 2753-7072
- DOI
- 10.54254/2753-7064/8/20230986
- Copyright
- 31 October 2023
- Open Access
- This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited