Vietnam White Marble Kuan Yin Standing on a Dragon, 36in

Kuan Yin riding the dragon

In this form Kuan Yin stands on the back of a dragon. The dragon's long scaled body coils low around her feet and its head rises at her side, mouth open, as if it has just carried her across the sea. Beneath the coils, a band of carved waves curls around the round base. She stands perfectly still on top of all that movement, which is the point of the image: compassion that stays calm over rough water.

She wears long Chinese robes with a hood drawn over her head, strings of beads falling across the chest, and a small seated Amitabha Buddha at the front of her crown. In her right hand she holds a willow branch and in her left a small vase of pure water, the two attributes that together mean relief offered to anyone who calls on her.

Why the dragon

In Chinese tradition the dragon rules water and rain, and Kuan Yin is often shown crossing the sea to reach people in danger. Pairing them gives a statue that suits a garden or courtyard especially well, near a pond, a water feature or raked gravel laid out as water. Many buyers who search for Kwan Yin with a dragon want exactly this pairing.

Stone, finish and size

The design is for Vietnam white marble, a dense, fine-grained stone that reads cooler and whiter than most Indian white marble, with only faint hairline veining. A soft satin polish lets the scales and the robe folds catch the light without glare. At 36 inches it is large enough to anchor a courtyard corner or a garden bed and still sits comfortably in a living room. Width, depth and weight given here are planning estimates and are confirmed before dispatch.

Made for you

Each piece is carved to order by hand. The height, the stone and details such as the dragon's pose or the wave base can be adjusted, and Makrana white marble is possible for a warmer white. Tell us where she will stand and we will suggest a size that suits the space.