| Abstract |
This paper purposes to argue that Yuancheng’s belief of Guanyin in Yu Er Fo (The Fish Buddha) was a classic example of regional belief. The dwelling places of Yuancheng and his fellow Buddhist friends betrayed that their characterization of the Guanyin belief corresponded to their geographical associations. Their housing scattered over areas around the Qiantang River, lakes in and the seashores of the Zhejiang Province, where were notorious for their fishing and agricultural industries. These geographical characteristics affected the Guanyin belief, such as Yu Lan (fish basket) Guanyin who was depicted as a figure carries a fish basket in hand and gives helps and guidance to the fishermen. Obviously, the image of Yu Lan Guanyin was shaped specifically to target the coastal areas near Qiantang River. Yuancheng creatively used fishing activities and fish basket to exemplify the doctrines of Guanyin in terms of the proper attitudes toward monks,temples and Buddhist believers. Moreover, Yuancheng employed the Guanyin belief as a connecting principle to integrate all branches of Buddhist doctrines, advocating that the practice of the Guanyin belief could cultivate both blessing and wisdom. Not only would it provide salvation for the believers in the time of Dharma decline, it might also satisfy the earthly interests of the believers and benefit their exercise of the way of the Pure Land. Above all, Guanyin in Yuancheng’s argument became a moderator overand a guardian of the Buddhist believers in this malevolent world, who is responsible for judging whether a believer is faithful in his Buddhist practice. In a word, based on the living experience of the local people,Yuancheng developed his specific Guanyin belief in his Yu Er Fo, in which the regional characteristics of Zhejiang province were mirrored evidently. |
