Page 92 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols

shows her with her acolytes, Shen-tsai with the praying gesture

and Lung-nu holding the flaming pearl.

Due to the legend of Miao Shan, Pu’to island has become the

most sacred place of pilgrimage for Kuan Yin devotees. From

it we are also able to learn of how the other two great Bodhi-

sattvas Wen-shu and Pu-Hsien, came to be flanking Kuan Yin

as depicted in the Pantheon of Deities. Wen-shu P’usa, better

known to other Buddhists as Manjusri Bodhisattva, ‘the Rider

of the Green Lion, the Completely Beautiful, the Very Virtu-

ous P’usa, is none other than Miao Ching while Pu’ Hsien, the

Rider of the White Elephant, the Very Virtuous and Completely

Resplendent P’usa, is the other sister Miao Yin’.

uan in estivals

ree days a year devout Kuan Yin devotees celebrate the three

festivals which are attributed to the life of Princess Miao Shan,

the Chinese emanation of Kuan Yin. is legend of the sweet and

virtuous Miao Shan has so captivated the hearts of the Chinese

people that she outshines all other deities in the land, be they of

Buddhist, Taoist or any other origins. She is adored as the God-

dess of Mercy and in all the other female Kuan Yin manifestations

as described earlier. e three auspicious days are:

2nd Moon 19th Day — which marks the Day She was Born.

6th Moon 19th Day — which marks the Day She Entered

the Nunnery.

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