Youryuu Kannon　楊柳観音

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Also called Yakuou Kannon 薬王観音. Lit. Willow Kannon or *Kannon 観音 with a willow branch, who was propitiated for the recovery from illnesses. One of the thirty-three manifestations that the spirit Kannon, an Indian deity from the Mahayana Buddhism pantheon Sanjuusan Kannon 三十三観音 (see *sanjuusanshin 三十三身), may take to aid those in need. SHOU KANNON KYOU 請観音経, a scriptural source for the Six Kannon *Roku Kannon 六観音, mentions the offering of a willow twig and pure water to Kannon. Since the Tang dynasty it has been believed that disasters could be warded off by making such an offering. The willow twig, in fact, has appeared in various forms, for example, in one of the hands of Thousand armed Kannon *Senju Kannon 千手観音. A document from the period of Retired Emperor Shirakawa 白河 (1053-1129) states that an image of *Byakue Kannon 白衣観音 enshrined in Shingon-in 真言院 of the Imperial Palace was holding a willow branch *Nyoirin Kannon 如意輪観音 may be depicted as holding a vase with a willow twig or the vase may be set near him. A more commonly identifiable Youryuu Kannon may be shown as wearing flowing robes, sitting on a rock in the ocean . A boy in a boat also may be shown near him, an image found in KEGONKYOU 華厳経 where Zenzai Douji 善財童子 visits to Kannon in a boat during his quest for wisdom.

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