Who Is Guanyin Bodhisattva (Kuan Yin)?
The compassionate bodhisattva who recommended Erlang
Guanyin Bodhisattva is a Buddhist bodhisattva believed to save people from suffering. In Journey to the West she lives on Mount Potalaka in the Southern Sea and watches over the whole story as one of its most important figures.
Invited to Heaven for the Peach Banquet, Guanyin hears that Wukong has ruined the feast and tells the Jade Emperor that his nephew Erlang Shen can capture the monkey. She watches the battle from the Southern Gate of Heaven and is about to help by throwing her vase with its willow branch, but Laozi stops her, saying the vase might break, and throws his Diamond Snare instead.
Later in the story she searches for someone to make the journey for the scriptures and makes Wukong a disciple of Tripitaka. She is also the one who gives Tripitaka the headband (the Golden Hoop) that is placed on Wukong's head.
