National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

　　This painting represents White-Robed Kannon facing front while sitting with its legs stretched on grass that covers a rocky area in the southern heavenly land where a Kannon lives, Mt. Potalaka. White-Robed Kannon is a Kannon that wears a white pilgrim robe covering from the head to body. The image had started to be seen in China and was often drawn in the Sung dynasty period. In addition to China, White-Robed Kannon became known on the Korean Peninsula and in Japan and many images were created as it became a symbol of belief.
　　Compared to the iconographies in many other paintings drawn in the era between the Sung and the Yuan period in China and between the Kamakura and the Muromachi period (1392–1573) in Japan, this painting has slightly different features such as arched eyebrows, slanting eyes, a rectangular rove worn under the kasaya (sogishi) that are turned up to above the chest level, unique facial expressions and clothing and a scenery of Mt. Potalaka that contains trees with Daimyo oak leaves. In particular, as differences in this painting are identified in the parts stylized in other paintings, it is considered that this painting was drawn after the general iconography of White-Robed Kannon in Mt. Potalaka was established.
　　Due to the unique features, it has been long considered that this painting was made in Goryeo on the Korean Peninsula, but there is not enough evidence to support the idea. It is also indicated that it may have been made in the late Yuan and early Ming periods in China due to the features of the scenery.
　　The writing in ink on the observer’s top right is a tribute of describing an act of charity devoted to the Kannon. The details about the writer of the tribute named Kaiyo (海燁) are not known. It is presumed that this painting was drawn in Hongwu 10 (1377) due to the era name “fire-snake (丁巳)” and the painting style.