Kircher and Guānyīn
Guānyīn, or spelt in Wade-Giles as Kuan-Yin 觀音, literally "the one who hears", was and still is unarguably the most popular, the most well loved figure in Chinese Buddhism and folk religion.
Originally Avalokiteśvara, a male Bodhisattva of infinite mercy and compassion, is now a female goddess like divinity among Sinosphere cultures. Some would argue that, this gender transformation was partly influenced by the goddess worship in China (such as Xīwángmǔ 西王母, the Queen Mother of the West), India (the myriad forms of the great Devi), or Iranian and Central Asian goddesses like Anāhitā, Ārmaiti and Nanā. A fervent Buddhist might argue that as an enlightened Bodhisattva, Guānyīn already transcends material forms, and can assume any images to bring forth salvation.
In Chinese folk religion, Guānyīn is highly venerated, devotees would refer her as Guānyīn Niángniáng 觀音娘娘, literary "Lady Guānyīn". Niángniáng is an appellation of a queen, empress or imperial concubine, but is also a generic term when referring a goddess. Sometimes, Southern Chinese and Taiwanese, sometimes Southeast Asian Chinese devotees would refer her affectionately as Guānyīn Mā 觀音媽, literary "Mother Guānyīn". She is also being called Guānyīn Púsà 觀音菩薩﹐Púsà being the abbreviation of Pútísàduǒ 菩提薩埵, the Chinese transliteration for the Sanskrit term Bodhisattva, an enlightened being. Gradually, the term 菩薩 becomes a general term for 'god'. Sometimes, followers of Chinese folk religion would simply call Guānyīn as Púsà, the term familiar to the Jesuit missionaries in China in the 17th century.
Athanasius Kircher, the 17th century German polymath Jesuit, well known for his oriental studies and inventions, devoted a book on Chinese study. His China Illustrata was first published in 1667 at Amsterdam, this was one of the most influential treatises on China ever published in Europe. China Illustrata is lavishly illustrated with exotic illustrations, and also extensive information on Chinese customs, religion, history, language, government and culture. Kircher himself had never been to China, his information of the book was gathered from his colleagues of the Society of Jesus. Some of these second, or even third hand sources are proven to be far from flawless, and some are simply fabrications of a the post Renaissance European imaginations.
From the sources of other Jesuits in China, Kircher got to know about the popularity of Guānyīn in China, where she is known as Pussa, from Púsà 菩薩 in Chinese. Kircher and his most of his contemporaries did not seem to understand the Sanskrit origin and the true meaning of Púsà, rather they thought it was a proper noun of a specific deity, or idol as they would call it.
In China Illustrata, Kircher gave us an illustration of Guānyīn, but as he obtained his information from second, or third hand sources, the illustration is seriously twisted, the result is instead of a well-loved feminine divinity, we have a grotesque, almost Lovecraftian entity:
Though horribly misinterpreted, we still can easily recognize the symbolism of the lotus flower, the vase with willow branches, the garment, all these pointed to the imagery of Guānyīn of the South Sea (南海觀音, Nánhǎi Guānyīn) sitting on her lotus throne by the sea. The kneeling figure seems to be Sudhana, or known in Chinese as Shàncái 善財﹐an acolyte of Avalokiteśvara.
The face of Guānyīn, instead that of the usual feminine figure, is a sun. This is either the misinterpretation of the halo or moon surrounding the Bodhisattva, or a deliberate alteration to prevent Guānyīn looking too similar with Virgin Mary.
Another illustration, probably based on original Chinese manuscript, gives us a much more accurate depiction of Avalokiteśvara in her form as the 18 arms Mahācundi Bodhisattva, or known in Chinese as Zhǔntí Púsà 準提菩薩 , and in this illustration the Cundi mantra is given in Lantsa script.
As with his prisca theologia in his work on the Egyptians, the Œdipus Ægyptiacus, Kircher thinks that all forms of 'idolatry' originated in ancient Egypt, and China faithfully copied the 'superstitions' of the Egyptians, and this 'Pussa' is non other than the Egyptian Isis, also known as Cybele.
The Jesuits', including Kircher's interpretation and imagination of 'Pussa' persisted until authentic Chinese Buddhist materials were studied seriously in the Western world.
Originally Avalokiteśvara, a male Bodhisattva of infinite mercy and compassion, is now a female goddess like divinity among Sinosphere cultures. Some would argue that, this gender transformation was partly influenced by the goddess worship in China (such as Xīwángmǔ 西王母, the Queen Mother of the West), India (the myriad forms of the great Devi), or Iranian and Central Asian goddesses like Anāhitā, Ārmaiti and Nanā. A fervent Buddhist might argue that as an enlightened Bodhisattva, Guānyīn already transcends material forms, and can assume any images to bring forth salvation.
In Chinese folk religion, Guānyīn is highly venerated, devotees would refer her as Guānyīn Niángniáng 觀音娘娘, literary "Lady Guānyīn". Niángniáng is an appellation of a queen, empress or imperial concubine, but is also a generic term when referring a goddess. Sometimes, Southern Chinese and Taiwanese, sometimes Southeast Asian Chinese devotees would refer her affectionately as Guānyīn Mā 觀音媽, literary "Mother Guānyīn". She is also being called Guānyīn Púsà 觀音菩薩﹐Púsà being the abbreviation of Pútísàduǒ 菩提薩埵, the Chinese transliteration for the Sanskrit term Bodhisattva, an enlightened being. Gradually, the term 菩薩 becomes a general term for 'god'. Sometimes, followers of Chinese folk religion would simply call Guānyīn as Púsà, the term familiar to the Jesuit missionaries in China in the 17th century.
Athanasius Kircher, the 17th century German polymath Jesuit, well known for his oriental studies and inventions, devoted a book on Chinese study. His China Illustrata was first published in 1667 at Amsterdam, this was one of the most influential treatises on China ever published in Europe. China Illustrata is lavishly illustrated with exotic illustrations, and also extensive information on Chinese customs, religion, history, language, government and culture. Kircher himself had never been to China, his information of the book was gathered from his colleagues of the Society of Jesus. Some of these second, or even third hand sources are proven to be far from flawless, and some are simply fabrications of a the post Renaissance European imaginations.
From the sources of other Jesuits in China, Kircher got to know about the popularity of Guānyīn in China, where she is known as Pussa, from Púsà 菩薩 in Chinese. Kircher and his most of his contemporaries did not seem to understand the Sanskrit origin and the true meaning of Púsà, rather they thought it was a proper noun of a specific deity, or idol as they would call it.
In China Illustrata, Kircher gave us an illustration of Guānyīn, but as he obtained his information from second, or third hand sources, the illustration is seriously twisted, the result is instead of a well-loved feminine divinity, we have a grotesque, almost Lovecraftian entity:
Though horribly misinterpreted, we still can easily recognize the symbolism of the lotus flower, the vase with willow branches, the garment, all these pointed to the imagery of Guānyīn of the South Sea (南海觀音, Nánhǎi Guānyīn) sitting on her lotus throne by the sea. The kneeling figure seems to be Sudhana, or known in Chinese as Shàncái 善財﹐an acolyte of Avalokiteśvara.
The face of Guānyīn, instead that of the usual feminine figure, is a sun. This is either the misinterpretation of the halo or moon surrounding the Bodhisattva, or a deliberate alteration to prevent Guānyīn looking too similar with Virgin Mary.
Another illustration, probably based on original Chinese manuscript, gives us a much more accurate depiction of Avalokiteśvara in her form as the 18 arms Mahācundi Bodhisattva, or known in Chinese as Zhǔntí Púsà 準提菩薩 , and in this illustration the Cundi mantra is given in Lantsa script.
As with his prisca theologia in his work on the Egyptians, the Œdipus Ægyptiacus, Kircher thinks that all forms of 'idolatry' originated in ancient Egypt, and China faithfully copied the 'superstitions' of the Egyptians, and this 'Pussa' is non other than the Egyptian Isis, also known as Cybele.
The Jesuits', including Kircher's interpretation and imagination of 'Pussa' persisted until authentic Chinese Buddhist materials were studied seriously in the Western world.
posted by Nishiki at
10:53 PM
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