Day 2:
Avalokitesvara figure from Chinese Buddhism:
When the Buddhism was imported to Han Chinese culture, there are some changes for the figures of Avalokitesvara. We can see the figure’s transition from west to east across China. In the westernmost city of China, Dunhuang caves painting show the characteristics of Avalokitesvara as similar as Indian style. However, it already merged Han Chinese aesthetics. Foe example, the face and body changed to east Asian looking. Also, the gender of Avalokitesvara is always female in Han Chinese culture. When we look at the east part of China, the clothes, hair style and race all changed to Chinese. Besides, most of the Avalokitesvara’s figure in east side of China don’t have thousands of arm and eye. They looked more like regular people.
What is your main line of inquiry into this? Where are the potential current or future issues/tensions? What would you like to change for the better for the future?