Description
An antique Meiji period Japanese carved wooden hanging wall mount. Lacquered and painted with mineral paints. Depicting Fish-basket Guanyin (Yulan Guanyin 魚籃觀音).
Age: Meiji period (1868 – 1912)
dimensions: 30″ high x 17 1/2″ wide
The bodhisattva Guanyin in the manifestation of a young lady with bare feet carrying a basket with a fish. This illustrates the variously told tale of a beautiful lady in the Tang dynasty who was offered marriage by many suitors. She consented to marry the person who could memorize a series of Buddhist sutras, but on the night of the wedding she died. Later, a monk appeared before the husband, Mr. Ma (hence, Fish-basket Guanyin is also known as “Mr. Ma’s wife” ), and when they opened her coffin, nothing was left except bones linked by a gold chain, the sign of a holy personage, particularly a bodhisattva. Such tales gained popularity in China during the Song dynasty and the fishmonger, who is not whom she seems, comes to be identified with Guanyin.
