White-Robed Guanyin

Also known as: White-Robed Guanyin (The Buddhist Deity of Compassion); Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in White-Robed Manifestation

View at the Cleveland Museum of Art

About the Artwork

Guanyin, the bodhisattva of infinite compassion (Avalokiteshvara, in Sanskrit), reveals himself in many forms. According to Buddhist belief, one such manifestation is the white-robed Guanyin sitting on a rock on the island of Putuo (Potalaka, in Sanskrit), located along the coast not far from Ningbo, in Zhejiang Province, China. Here, the figure was swiftly drawn in only a few ink lines. The inscription above is by Zhongfeng Mingben, perhaps the most widely respected and influential Chan (Zen in Japanese) master in the Yuan dynasty. The artist’s signature is a single line below on the left: Huanzhu Yongzhong.

Inscriptions

Artist's signature: Huanzhu Yongzhong. Inscription by Zhongfeng Mingben: The right thinking [Samkalpa] is embodied within His deep meditation on the Buddha [naga-samadhi]. Retaining not even one single object of thought, A perfect harmony was wonderfully achieved. In the endless time and space, His all-embracing compassion prevails. [signed] Mingben of Huanzhu paying his respects.

Provenance

?–1978: (Yamanaka and Company, Ltd., Kyoto, Japan, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) 1978–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Exhibition history

Eight Dynasties of Chinese Painting. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (November 7, 1980-January 4, 1981); The Cleveland Museum of Art (February 11-March 29, 1981); Tokyo National Museum (October 4-November 17, 1982); The Asia Society Museum, New York, NY (December 3, 1982-February 28, 1983). Highlights of Asian Paintings from The Cleveland Museum of Art. Nara National Museum (organizer) (February 21-March 29, 1998); Suntory Museum of Art (April 28-June 21, 1998). Taming Tigers and Releasing Dragons: Masterpieces of Chinese Buddhist Art – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (February 8-August 11, 2019).

Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.

Quick Overview

Artist: Jueji Yongzhong (Chinese, active around 1300)
Date: late 1200s–early 1300s
Medium: hanging scroll; ink on paper
Dimensions: Painting: 78.7 x 31.7 cm (31 x 12 1/2 in.); Overall with knobs: 164 x 38 cm (64 9/16 x 14 15/16 in.)
Type: Painting
Classification: Painting
Department: Chinese Art
Credit line: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession no.: 1978.47.1

Open-access museum record · AT-00009496