Guanyin Worship and Female Subjectivity: from Gendered Practices to Spiritual Empowerment

Yutong Deng

2025

Abstract

This essay explores the transformation of Avalokiteshvara into Guanyin, examining its implications for gender and spirituality within Chinese society. Drawing on Buddhist art, feminist theory, and material culture studies, it analyzes how Guanyin’s feminization integrated Confucian ideals of caregiving and maternal compassion, providing women with both spiritual empowerment and constrained roles. The study utilizes historical and visual analysis of key artifacts, such as the Water-Moon Guanyin and devotional practices like hair embroidery. The findings reveal a duality: while Guanyin worship enabled women to assert spiritual agency, it also reinforced societal expectations tied to Confucian gender norms. This research concludes that Guanyin’s evolution exemplifies religion's ability to adapt to cultural values while shaping individual and collective identities, underscoring the interplay between liberation and limitation.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Deng Y. (2025). Guanyin Worship and Female Subjectivity: from Gendered Practices to Spiritual Empowerment. In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Innovative Education and Social Development - Volume 1: IESD; ISBN 978-989-758-779-5, SciTePress, pages 419-424. DOI: 10.5220/0013998600004912

in Bibtex Style

@conference{iesd25,
author={Yutong Deng},
title={Guanyin Worship and Female Subjectivity: from Gendered Practices to Spiritual Empowerment},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Innovative Education and Social Development - Volume 1: IESD},
year={2025},
pages={419-424},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0013998600004912},
isbn={978-989-758-779-5},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Innovative Education and Social Development - Volume 1: IESD
TI - Guanyin Worship and Female Subjectivity: from Gendered Practices to Spiritual Empowerment
SN - 978-989-758-779-5
AU - Deng Y.
PY - 2025
SP - 419
EP - 424
DO - 10.5220/0013998600004912
PB - SciTePress