Kuan-Yin Statue - Kuan-Yin Seated on a Rock

Kuan Yin, is the lord who regards, a highly revered manifestation of the Buddha who appears in Chinese scriptures around 400 A.D. Kuan Yin means 'one who hears the cries of the world' and she comes in many forms and by many names. The spelling varies fro Kwan Yin to Quan Yin to Qwan Yin. No matter how it's spelled, she embodies the yin principle. She is usually represented as a young female deity but she has the power to assume whatever form necessary in order to carry out her vow which is to appear in any way necessary to lead beings out of suffering. She is often shown holding a vase containing the waters of compassion, the lotus flower of enlightment or the jewel of three treasures.