guanyen

Guanyen is a transliteration variant that sometimes refers to Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion in East Asian Buddhism. In Chinese, Guanyin is written as GuānYīn (观音), meaning “Perceive the Sounds (or Cries) of the World.” The name in Sanskrit is Avalokiteshvara; Guanyin is the feminine form widely venerated in China and other East Asian cultures.

Guanyin is associated with mercy and compassion, vowing to listen to the world’s suffering and to aid those in need. In art and iconography, Guanyin is depicted in multiple forms, from a serene, white-robed bodhisattva to manifestations with many arms or with a child, depending on regional tradition. The most common Chinese iconography shows Guanyin seated on a lotus or standing, sometimes holding a vase containing pure water or a willow twig.

Historically, Guanyin’s cult developed during the late classical period in China and became central to Mahayana practice, spreading to Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, and other parts of East Asia. She is invoked in daily prayers, temple rituals, and pilgrimage sites; her compassionate vows are a major theme of iconography, literature, and film.

Etymology: The form “Guanyen” may appear in nonstandard romanizations or older texts; the standard modern spelling in Mandarin is Guanyin (观音). If you intended a different meaning or a specific cultural usage, additional context would help to identify it.