Quan Yin And Her Sister Mary

Both Quan Yin and Mary embody the feminine ideal of compassion. First, they resemble each other by the loosely fitting flowing robes they wear that covers and hides their bodies. Second, they share flower symbols: the rose is associated with Mary and the lotus signifies Quan Yin’s purity and enlightenment. Both divine mother figures are worshiped by large numbers of people throughout the world.

Simultaneously Quan Yin and Mary were emerging as prominent female figures in China. It was the Christian missionaries who began spreading the image of Mary therefore both gained popularity and acceptance during the 7^th century, sharing similar images. The people sensed the correlation between these spiritual “sisters”, sometimes confusing the images of Quan Yin with those of Mary. Depictions of Quan Yin wearing a veil was inspired by the Renaissance Madonna and Child images seen by Chinese artists.

For centuries Japanese Christians faced official persecution and Quan Yin became their protector. They utilized her similarity to Mary, worshipping her image while pretending to be Buddhists and hiding their pictures of Christian saints inside Buddhist statues. There was even a hybrid statue that evolved, resembling the form of Quan Yin with Children, which carried a concealed Christian cross.

Today there are quite a few alters in the East and West, which hold both figures of Quan Yin and Mary; this is evidence of their sisterly task in the world and the dialogue between the two religions.

Quan Yin and Mary have never stopped interceding on behalf of the world, their intersession obtaining endless favors and miracles.

As a side note: Mary is known by many names such as the Virgin Mary, the Blessed Mother, the Queen of Heaven, the Queen of Angels, the Star of the Sea, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Mother of Mercy, Mary Magdalene, Mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Lourdes, the Madonna, Our Lady of Fatima, Mother of God and Mother of Jesus.

To see a statue of Kuan Yin Water and Moon Bodhisattva click on image:  
 Buddhist Buddha Water & Moon Kuan Yin Bodhisattva - Statue Figurine