The Bodhisattva of Compassion is known in China as Guanyin. The name, a translation from Sanskrit, means “He who hears the world’s cries for help”.
In China, figures of the Bodhisattva of Compassion usually have a feminine appearance. However, their exposed chest and bare feet – regarded as particularly sensual in ancient China – indicate that they do not represent a woman.
In Buddhist thought, bodhisattvas have attained a higher level of existence. They are not distinguished as either male and female, and in fact they unite the beauty of both genders within themselves.