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The Divine Spectra
of Avalokitesvara (Guanyin 觀音) from Tibet,
China
Relationship between the Peace and Harmony
of Avalokitesvara and the Culture of China
 Welcome
to the Exhibition and thank you all for
showing support for the spirit of peace
and harmony that has prompted this event.
In particular I would like to thank The
Hon Donald Tsang, GBM, Chief Executive
of the Hong Kong SAR, Consul Generals,
government officials, and all prominent
guests including those from the Mainland
and overseas for attending the opening
ceremony, making it a memorable and meaningful
evening.
This Commemorative Journal
documents in details Buddhist arts, treasures,
and the collection of exhibits as displayed.
First and foremost, I have to thank all
the countries represented by their respective
Consulate Generals who have kindly participated
by contributing their messages: Mr. A.F.M.
Gousal Azam Sarker of Bangladesh; Mr.
Thay Vanna of Cambodia; Mr. Rudolf Hykl
of the Czech Republic; Mr. Jean-Pierre
Thébault of France; Mr. Frank Burbach
of Germany; Mr. István Darvasi
of Hungary; Mr. Lal Duhthlana Ralte of
India; Mr. Dan Ben-Eliezer of Israel;
Mr. Alessandro De Pedys of Italy; Mr.
Julian Ludbrook of New Zealand; Ambassador
Alaudeen A. Alaskary of Saudi Arabia;
Mr. Toh Hock Ghim of Singapore; Mr. Mario
George Masher of South Africa; Mr. Vichai
Varasirikul of Thailand; and Mr. Stephen
Bradley of the United Kingdom. These valuable
messages from the Consul Generals provide
vivid expositions of the truthful nature
of mankind, giving a special meaning to
the Exhibition.
I also want to express
my sincere appreciation to The Venerable
Master Yi Cheng, President of the Buddhist
Association of China, for sending us an
inscription of "Xiang He". My
thanks also go to my two mentors: The
Venerable Sheng Yi and Grand Master Bai
Long Wang (White Dragon King) for their
blessings. Above all, I need to thank
the experts from the academia: Mr. Zheng
Xin Miao, Director of the Palace Museum;
Dr. Joseph Ting, former Chief Curator
of The Hong Kong Museum of History; and
Mr. Yeung Chun-tong, Director of University
Museum and Art Gallery, The University
of Hong Kong, for their inspiring messages,
and an equally inspiring introduction
by Mr. Luo Wen Hua, Curator of the Palace
Museum. My gratitude also goes to all
those who sent in their messages after
the print plates have been made and hence
missed the print.
Readers must take note
that such messages were written spontaneously
when requested of those who happened to
be available during the summer holidays.
Such rush was entirely due to my last
minute decision to capture the Exhibition
on record. The messages could not have
been written if the love of peace and
harmony is not in their blood. Such
love and compassion are common values
among different countries, different nations,
and different religions.
Finally, I must not forget
to thank Hongkong Land for making available
to us the Rotunda, an ideal venue for
an event of this nature.
The Exhibition illustrates
two sets of intrinsic human values. One
is the kindhearted nature of man, their
love for peace and harmony, as well as
a sense of affiliation. You will notice
the different faces, colours, shapes,
poises, materials, and craftmanships of
Avalokitesvara. Yet they are all Guanyin
irrespective of their appearances. They
all embrace the same beliefs and doctrines
which symbolise peace, harmony, love,
and compassion for mankind, obliging us
to give and sacrifice unconditionally.
All in all Guanyin has exemplified the
common traditional values of peace and
harmony among mankind, regardless of their
differences and diversity, in the same
way as Guanyin is expressed in different
colours, forms, and compositions as seen
at the Exhibition.
The second human value
lies in the pair of hands that we humans
all have, with which we toil to make everything
and bring anything to realization. As
you can see, the ingredients for composing
Guanyin can be any materials of any colours
on earth that we can lay our hands on,
and the final product is the result of
a touch of innovation on such materials
converted from natural resources through
advanced technologies where some of them
were lost today. Such materials range
from a simple piece of wood, a piece of
paper, a thin thread of silk or cotton,
glass, mud and soil, clay, brass, bronze,
to the rare and precious such as gold,
silver, crystal, luminous stone, Burmese
jadeite, Hotan nephrite, jadedite, agalloch,
ivory, coral, high-lead glass, sandalwood,
cinnabar, tianhuang, and red copper. The
artistic skills being applied are equally
diverse and rich, and these include jade
carving, porcelain carving, bronze carving,
bronze casting, ivory carving, gilding,
gilding on jade, and enamelling. The various
exquisite poises displayed by the statues
at the Exhibition are testimony to the
superb standard of craftsmanship possessed
by the eminent painters and artisans from
all over the nation in the history of
China. These Guanyin statutes all have
one thing in common: they have been innovatively
and artistically made by hands. Human
hands can do wonders, thanks to mother
earth and our ancestors! We have inherited
rich cultural heritage from our ancestors,
and have been blessed with plentiful resources
from mother earth. Regrettably in modern
times we are trying in all sorts of ways
to defy, even destroy, nature, while neglecting
to preserve our heritage at the same time.
Even more disheartening is that we have
committed all these without knowing what
we have done, neither are we aware of
or concerned about the attendant consequences.
I am taking this space to call for more
positive disposition towards preservation
and protection of our earth, our culture
and our civilisation. I
strongly believe that by working hand
in hand to turn beliefs and hopes into
actions and wonders, different nations
and peoples on this earth can build a
better world and a better tomorrow for
all of us.
Hong Kong and its people
exemplify both of the above-mentioned
values, and in particular, the Consul
Generals of the different governments
working and living in Hong Kong can testify
to this phenomenon with their first hand
knowledge. Hong Kong people are among
the most philanthropic in the world, as
demonstrated by the generous contributions,
in money and in kind, made at numerous
incidents in the past. The Government
of Hong Kong and its people have made
enormous donations and given great support
to our neighbours and third world countries
on different occasions, among which are
the Asian financial crisis in 1997, SARS
in 2003, tsunamis in the region in 2004,
just to name a few, plus various floods
and natural disasters that happen every
now and then. Our acts of philanthropy
and benevolence closely mirror that of
Mainland China, which has played its part
in terms of magnanimity. Early this year
President Hu Jintao announced a package
of aid to the tune of US dollars 20 billion
for the African countries, which comprise
loans at preferential rates and the establishment
of development funds. China itself is
not a rich country, yet it gives generously
to those in need, fully demonstrating
the peace-loving and friendly nature of
Chinese people.
I was particularly touched
by the incident of SARS in 2003, when
I was serving, and I still am, Hong Kong's
Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) as Vice-Chairman.
I witnessed the selflessness of AMS volunteers
in the hundreds who served front line
duties variously at the airport, land
and sea borders under the mandatory surveillance
program in an effort to conquer the deadly
SARS. Some of them became infected and
ended up in hospitals, even risking their
lives. Such compassion and love for fellow
people can only be explained by the truthful
nature of benevolence and forgiveness
which are at the heart of Guanyin values.
Equally Hong Kong and
its people lay claim to a "Can-do"
spirit. Hong Kong is a metropolitan city
with people coming from different corners
of the world. That is why Hong Kong is
also called a melting-pot. Our people,
irrespective of their religions, colours,
races, and cultures, have worked closely
together to transform this once poor fishing
village into a global financial centre
and a major economic hub as we know it
today, much to the amazement of the rest
of the world. The shortage of natural
resources has never enfeebled or deterred
us. On the contrary, the proud citizens
of Hong Kong have collectively made miracles
and turned dreams into reality. What else
but the deep-seated beliefs and good intentions
inherent in all religious beliefs and
intrinsic to mankind that give, and continue
to bless us with, the driving force and
passion towards building a better Hong
Kong and a better tomorrow for Hong Kong.
The deep-seated affection
for Guanyin among Chinese people can be
traced back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
Thanks to the translation of "The
Universal Door of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
from The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra",
the doctrine of "mercy to save mankind
from miseries" quickly became widespread,
reaching its peak during the Tang Dynasty,
as was reflected by the phenomenon that
"both Amitabha and Avalokitesvara
have become an integral part of each family."
Avalokitesvara is a deity dedicating herself
to relieving distress among the mortals.
Her ranking is well ahead of various other
respectable Chinese deities such as Emperor
of the Virtue of Fire, Emperor Guan, Master
of Medicine, and Mammon, representing
power, health and wealth respectively,
and which were held in the highest reverence
by the public.
Both Hinayana Buddhism
(Chinese Buddhism) and Mahayana Buddhism
(Tibetan Buddhism) cherished Avalokitesvara
as the key figure of worship. The Potala
Palace in Tibet played a crucial role
in spreading the theology of Avalokitesvara
to China. Allegedly Potala Palace was
the first location within China where
Avalokitesvara arrived. "Potala"
is the transliteration of Sanskrit "Potalaka",
which is the metaphor of Mount Potalaka
in India. To this day, Tibetans still
consider themselves the offsprings of
Avalokitesvara and take great pride in
doing so. Both Avalokitesvara and Tara
are the major deities of Potala Palace.
Generations of Tibetan Buddhists have
applied excellent craftsmanship and creativity
to produce super-power Guanyin statues
such as Four-armed Guanyin, Thousand Hands
Guanyin, and so on. The various exhibits
of Thangka and Avalokitesvara composed
of different materials and textures are
vivid illustrations of the ingenuity,
devotion, and superior artistic talent
of the Tibetans.
As regards Taoism, the
indigenous religion in China, it was affected
to a large extent by Buddhism. In popular
legend in particular, Avalokitesvara was
ubiquitous. During the Ming Dynasty, Guanyin
became a crucial part of Chinese culture
and Chinese art, as popularized by the
classical novel "Journey to the West"
by Wu Chengen. For a thousand years, Avalokitesvara
had assumed a supreme position in the
culture of China.
The theology of Avalokitesvara
had been deeply assimilated into Confucianism
in the course of the evolution of Chinese
tradition and culture. The thinking and
beliefs inherent in Avalokitesvara had
been greatly influenced by Confucian beliefs,
which have a strong attachment to existence
in the present world, thereby enhancing
the practical aspects of Avalokitesvara.
Avalokitesvara is a Bodhisattva with great
compassion and is a goddess of procreation;
she would assume different incarnations
of grown-up females to save the distressed.
Whenever people were in danger, she would
give assistance in the name of Avalokitesvara.
The seamless harmony
between Avalokitesvara's spirit of saving
mankind and Chinese benevolence has become
established principles of life for all
ages and both sexes. Her selflessness
and sacrifice for mankind has become the
central theme of the Chinese nation. According
to the scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism,
Sakyamuni attained enlightenment and was
named Buddha of The True Law. He was the
key figure of Lotus School of Esoteric
Buddhism, Four-armed Avalokitesvara, as
well as Thousand-armed, Thousand-eyed
Avalokitesvara which were his incarnations.
Therefore Avalokitesvara's spirit of saving
mankind not only became the main theology
in Chinese culture, but was also the glory
of diversified human culture. Both the
Chinese concept of benevolence and the
Occidental concept of philanthropy stated
that mankind was kindhearted and compassionate.
Common to all the major
religions in human history is that motherly
love and sacrifice represents the most
profound manifestation, and herein lies
the essence of religion. This is why Avalokitesvara
always appears in the incarnation of a
female. In human history, females often
made profound sacrifices and suffered
immensely, well above what the males had
done. With that understanding, we would
be able to appreciate the inherent truth
that the divine statute of Avalokitesvara
often takes the incarnation of a female
in a sea of sufferings to give relief
to mankind.
According to the scriptures
of Mahayana Buddhism, Avalokitesvara is
able to bestow benefits on all things
in various incarnations to fulfill her
act of mercy. In the "Universal Door
Chapter" of Lotus Sutra, the Buddha
said, "If someone can be liberated
by a specific form, he'll appear in that
form and will teach him the Dharma."
He can assume various forms such as Buddhist
monk, minister of state, layperson, female,
or male in accordance with the circumstances.
In actual fact, many people in this world
are kindhearted, and they show mercy to
others in their respective positions and
identities.
Since the birth of Mahayana
Buddhism in China and its integration
with Confucianism and Taoism, Avalokitesvara
had elucidated the unification of human
wisdom and benevolence, which contributed
to in-depth understanding of metaphysics
and sublimation of human benevolence among
Chinese people. Meanwhile, he summarized
his teachings and wrote the Heart Sutra.
The well-known saying "desire means
emptiness, and emptiness means desire"
furthered the pursuit of spiritual needs
and subordination of material desires
for Chinese people.
As we all know, the closest
and earliest relationship that our lives
establish with the world is through contact
with physical light and sound. The seeming
beauty of the world is formed of various
hues and natural sounds attributed to
numerous literatures, arts, and praises
from mankind. Through in-depth observation
of our environment, we'll be able to appreciate
the world we live in.
In the 20th
century where we live, the rapid development
of technology and advancement of material
pursuits had brought convenience and comfort
to human lives. On the other hand, people
in the new era are facing a lot of pressure
and spiritual tension in spite of prosperity.
Therefore the ultimate panacea of pursuing
harmony for mankind lies in the integration
of the spirit of Chinese culture and the
values of benevolence of Avalokitesvara.
We hope that people in this world, irrespective
of culture, race, and religion, will join
hands to promote the spirit of compassion
and affinity in human civilization. This
concept not only coincides with the resolution
of Avalokitesvara, but it also meets the
ultimate goal of our prayers.
To our delight, the three
religions of Confucianism, Buddhism and
Taoism as they existed in the early days
of Chinese culture have managed to accommodate
each other in harmony despite their differences
and confrontations. This is typical of
the doctrine of "peace and harmony"
which exemplifies the spirit of Chinese
culture, and which leaves a mark of achievement
in the great history of human civilisation.
We cannot stop feeling amazed at the magnanimity
of Chinese people and the benevolence
of Avalokitesvara, which converge nicely
with each other, fusing the different
religions of Confucianism and Buddhism
despite their different doctrines. The
arrival of Buddhism has not only expanded
and enriched the philosophy, language,
and various cultural arenas such as arts
of our nation. It is also worth pointing
out that from the early days of Chin Dynasty
to the prolonged period of imperialism,
the confrontation and interaction between
and among Buddhism, Confucianism, and
Taoism has affected the nation across
the board, embracing both the imperial
family and the grassroots. The old saying
goes: Buddhism tends to the heart; Taoism
teaches one how to behave; and Confucianism
focuses on maintaining the society under
control. Looking back at the 2000 years
of Chinese history, every one of us has
benefited from and blessed with the teachings
of Buddhism. This is common knowledge.
Our awakening and enlightenment are attributed
to the tenets of Buddhism, whose doctrines
have long infiltrated our souls and bodies
to become an integral part of us. To say
that Buddhism is superstition is a gross
misunderstanding.
Since time immemorial,
there has been a distinction between superstition
and religious belief. He who prays to
the Buddha for promotion, wealth, or worse,
for blessings while committing a crime,
must be totally out of his mind. Buddhism
is filled with insight. How on earth would
someone, instead of learning from the
essence of dharma, dream that Buddha,
who in the beginning has condescended
from being the head of a nation to an
ordinary mortal on bare feet and basic
subsistence, would bestow upon him riches
and voluptuousness?
Of great interest to
mankind is that both Eastern and Western
civilisations, in history as well as in
religion, display similar and common features
and values. Avalokitesvara is a case in
point. Guanyin's role as Buddhist Madonna
has been compared to that of Mary, the
mother of Jesus in the West. In fact,
to this day, numerous sociologists still
describe Avalokitesvara as the Eastern
equivalent of Holy Mary. Both
Avalokitesvara and the Virgin Mary are
highly respected and glorified; both represent
the profound manifestation of motherly
love and sacrifice, and both preach benevolence
and kindheartedness.
The common values between
East and West extend beyond religion.
The popular term "globalisation"
frequently quoted in recent years is in
fact nothing new. In simple terms, it
means "East meets West". If
Mary is regarded as a manifestation of
Guanyin, and Guanyin a Buddhist Madonna,
then we should not be surprised to see
archaic treasures and relics from distinct
corners of the world displaying common
features. On one example from Sierra Leone
- reached by the Portugese in 1460 - a
sphere bearing the motto of King Manuel
I is supported by the writhing coals of
snakes, resting on three carved lions
- clearly African touches. Porcelain made
in China at the same time gets similar
treatment. Manuel's coat of arms appears
on blue and white bowls alongside an "Ave
Maria" inscription and a Buddhist
lion. This phenomenon illustrates the
two-way mirror on world civilisation and
culture, and extend beyond to embrace
today's global trade. What is most needed
in our global community is sustainable
development based on peace and harmony.
2007 is a year of historical
significance for Champion Technology as
we celebrate the twin milestones of our
20th anniversary of establishment
and 15th listing anniversary
on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Meanwhile,
Group member Kantone Holdings has reached
its 10th year as a listed company
on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This
memorable occasion is made even more special
as Hong Kong enters into its 10th
anniversary of Hong Kong's reunification
with China.
From our modest beginnings
as a systems house founded in 1987, Champion
Technology has come a long way to where
we are today - a global technology group
offering innovative solutions in the areas
of communications software, wireless,
telematics, e-commerce, security, online
entertainment and e-gaming. Underlying
the Group's business pursuits is a strong
sense to work for a good cause, for more
love and care, for greater peace and harmony,
and ultimately for a better tomorrow.
As such, the Group's solutions are dedicated
to bettering the lives of people, enriching
lifestyles, promoting health consciousness,
preventing accidents, saving lives, as
well as promoting probity and responsibility
in the conduct of the online industry
in the digital era where we live today.
We take pride in what we do, and in this
sense, we share the same common values
as the great artists and painters and
craftsmen whose devotion to their works
produced masterpieces appreciated by all,
and who are driven by the spirit of "peace
and harmony" for their audience and
patrons. I am led to think that many businesses
and enterprises in the world also maintain
a consistent focus on the pursuit of a
good cause, having regard to strive for
the good of the society, rather than for
pure profit or money. They start with
and continue to work for a good cause,
whether knowingly or otherwise. It is
forgiveness and not revenge; it is happiness
and joy instead of rage and hatred; it
is compromise and not confrontation; it
is through the appreciation of arts and
heritage that we cultivate the love and
passion for things around us, that we
learn to love everyone and everything
of our earth. It is such a belief and
faith that has driven us to do what we
have done and continue to do.
Mainland China today
is marked by its great achievements in
the global arena, both in terms of its
economic performance and diplomatic influence.
The opportunities presented by the opening
up of the Mainland, whether it is for
China to reach out to the world, or for
the world to set foot on China, have never
been greater. As a homegrown entrepreneur
with my deep roots in Hong Kong, a place
which has given me all the opportunities,
I naturally feel a strong affection for
Hong Kong, and am immensely grateful to
Hong Kong. It is this passion that has
prompted me to celebrate such a commemorative
juncture by sponsoring a number of cultural
events: Popular Prints from China and
Epinal, France (13 June - 29 July 2007);
Treasures of the World's Cultures from
the British Museum (14 September - 2 December
2007); Conference "Dunhuang: Past,
Present, Future - 100th Anniversary
of Sir Aurel Stein's Expedition"
in Budapest (14 - 15 December 2007). In
addition, other cultural events on my
sponsorship list will span over 2008,
amongst which will be the Stein-bequest
Exhibition in collaboration with the Department
of Cultural and Educational Diplomacy,
Hungary; an exhibition with the National
Museum of Asian Art - Guimet; and the
Research of Anhui Business Culture which
is well-known in the history of China
for its ethical style of business dealings.
The culture of Guanyin
first set foot in Tibet, then spread to
Central China. Today it has become the
religion of the greater part of Asia.
Charged with dedication and veneration,
I've been specially attentive to my collection
of Buddhist and Avalokitesvara culture
and their related relics. In order to
give emphasis to my sincerity, I've chosen
to organise this Exhibition of Avalokitesvara
relics collection. Although the exhibits
are my own collection, I dare not feel
superior, nor is it appropriate to lay
claim to private possession. Afterall,
all these exhibits are relics of the great
Chinese civilisation. Therefore, upon
closing of the Exhibition, I'll donate
all the exhibits to Chinese World Cultural
Heritage Foundation.
It is my sincere wish
that through the Exhibition, friends from
near and far, from different sectors,
different religious beliefs, people of
eminence and the public at large, can
all join hands to pay respects to our
revered saints, in order to revive the
traditional virtues of Chinese people
towards peace and love, justice and benevolence,
and to build a harmonious China as well
as realise a harmonious world. I'm convinced
that this is the common goal of all the
descendants of China and of the whole
world.
Finally but not least,
I must thank my team for their hard work
in preparing for this Exhibition, and
the many volunteers whose efforts have
contributed towards making sure that the
Exhibition and this publication are ready
in accordance with plan.
I look forward to seeing
you all at the Exhibition. Together let
us cherish the Chinese traditional virtues
of love for peace and harmony.
Paul Kan
Chairman
Champion Technology Holdings Limited
Note : Dr. Paul Kan
CBE, Comm OSSI, JP is a member of the
Arts and Treasures Evaluation Committee
of the Ministry of Culture of China and
Chairman of Champion Technology Holdings
Limited; Kantone Holdings Limited; DIGITALHONGKONG.COM;
A Better Tomorrow; Chinese World Cultural
Heritage Foundation; and World Cultural
Relics Protection Foundation.
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