Rare antique sculpture "Avalokiteshvara" (Guanyin - Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara). Made of bronze and covered with patina. On the back there is a six-character inscription: "施年樂永明大" - "Created in the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty." Tibet, early 20th century.

In Chinese and European museums there are stylistically similar objects made in the 15th century. Slender Bodhisattva, depicted sitting with one dangling leg in ardhaparyankasana. This form of depicting Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is called "moon-water". According to experts, it appeared under the influence of the iconography inherent in the images of the female form of the Bodhisattva - Guanyin. The name "Avalokiteshvara" has an additional meaning, it means "compassionate look" or "Lord, looking from above", "compassionate eyes". He manifests and embodies in his appearance endless love and immeasurable compassion, help and sympathy for all living beings. The most popular deity in Buddhism or the most important bodhisattva, followed by Manjushri. Once the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was one of the disciples of Buddha - Shakyamuni. Guanyin is considered the ideal of a bodhisattva (enlightened being). The deity Guanyin herself came to Japan from China, and there - from India along the Great Silk Road. Initially, the goddess of mercy Guanyin was depicted in the form of a man, in Indian Buddhism the image of Avalokiteshvara - a masculine version of the god - is still popular. However, starting from the Song Dynasty, Avalokiteshvara turns into a genderless being Guanyin, and later increasingly begins to resemble a female image. It is believed that such a change in gender occurred because in Chinese culture the image of a male deity was traditionally depicted as more severe, and the concept of mercy was more suitable for a female image. Despite such a wide distribution of the image throughout Asia, Guanyin appears in a female guise only in China, Korea and Japan, and in her small homeland - India and Tibet - the deity is endowed with masculine features.