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

Guanyin (Skt., Avalokitesvara; J., Kan’non) sits upon a mushroom-shaped rock, above the water. Guanyin’s flowing robe, executed in lines of varying thickness, stands in sharp contrast to the rock, which was painted in the “flying-white” (J., hihaku ) technique to produce a dramatic chafed effect.
The artist appears to have been a professional painter. A seal, hidden within the rock dais, bears the name Zhengwu, while the upper section of the painting has an inscription by Yunwai Yunxiu (?-1329) of Jingde Chan Temple on Mount Tiantong in Qingyuan County, Ming Province (today Ningbo, Zhejiang Province).