Vietnam White Marble Kuan Yin Statue Holding a Lotus Flower, 36in

Kuan Yin with the lotus

Kuan Yin, also written Guanyin or Quan Yin, is the bodhisattva of compassion, the one who hears the cries of the world. In this figure she stands upright on a round lotus base, robed in the flowing layers of Chinese temple sculpture, with a long veil falling from her head over her shoulders. A small seated Amitabha Buddha sits at the front of her crown, the sign by which she is known across the Mahayana tradition.

She holds a single long-stemmed lotus in her left hand, the open bloom resting at her shoulder. The lotus rises clean out of muddy water, and here it stands for a mind kept pure in the middle of ordinary life. Her right arm is lowered with the palm turned outward, the gesture of giving. Strings of beads fall across her chest, and her face is calm, the eyes half lowered.

The stone

Vietnam white marble is a bright white stone with a cool, clean undertone and a fine, compact grain with very little veining. It takes a soft satin polish rather than a mirror shine, which keeps the deep folds of the robe and veil readable from across a room. Beside a warmer Makrana white it looks crisper, and that pale, quiet white is the look most people picture when they think of a Chinese Kuan Yin.

Size, and where she suits

At 36 inches, about three feet, the statue holds its own in an entry hall, at the end of a living room, or in a sheltered corner of a garden courtyard. Stand her on a low plinth or pedestal so her feet sit above floor level, as she is shown here. Width, depth and weight are confirmed with the final details before carving begins.

Made to order

This statue is carved to order by the artisans we work with, from a fresh block of Vietnam white marble. The face, the crown and the lotus can be adjusted before work starts, and the height can be changed to suit your space. Tell us where she will stand and the size you have in mind, and we will come back with the details and a quote.