Guan Yin is the most beloved and revered of the Chinese dieties. Her name roughly translates as "The One who Hears the Cries of the World". She is the Divine Mother we all long for: merciful, tender, compassionate, loving, protecting, caring, healing, and wise.

There are many legends about Guan Yin, but this in one of the most popular. In 7th century China, a king had three daughters. The youngest, Miao-Shan, was very kind. Unfortunately, the King and Queen were corrupt and saw little value in a child who appeared pure and kind, so they forced her to slave away at menial tasks, but she did so with no complaints.

So, the king sent her to a monastery, and ordered the nuns to treat her badly. However, Miao-Shan was able to take the punishment and still managed to do great deeds. When the king heard about the great deeds, he decided that he was going to have Miao-Shan killed. But as his henchmen arrived at the monastery, she was taken to a remote island by spirits.

Several years later, the King became seriously ill. As he was nearing death, a visiting monk said he could be cured, but it would have to be by medicine of ground-up arms and eyes of a certain Bodhisattva.

The king sent an envoy to find this Bodhisattva. When told of the King’s sickness, the Bodhisattva gladly cut out her eyes and severed her arms to save him. Upon the envoy’s return, the king took the medicine and instantly recovered. The monk told him that he should thank the one who sacrificed her eyes and arms.

So, the King and his family went to find the Bodhisattva. When the royal family finally found her, it was none other than Miao-Shan, who had made the sacrifice. With eyes full of tears and hearts full of shame, the family gathered to hug Miao-Shan. As they did, clouds formed around her. The earth trembled, flowers rained down, and she manifested into Guan Yin with a thousand arms and hands with eyes. Then, she was gone. To honor Miao-Shan the royal family built a shrine on the spot.