Water Moon Avalokiteshvara ( Shuiyue Guanyin) Rebgong Gemstone Pigment Thangka – Hand-Painted, Pear Wood Frame (134 × 134 cm)

Product Overview

This Water Moon Avalokiteshvara ( Shuiyue Guanyin) Thangka is a large-format, fully hand-painted artwork created in the Rebgong (Regong Art) tradition, using pure natural gemstone-based mineral pigments.

Water Moon Avalokiteshvara is one of the most poetic and humanized forms of Avalokiteshvara in East Asian Buddhist art. Seated in a relaxed royal ease (lalitasana) posture, the figure embodies compassion not as distant transcendence, but as a calm, attentive presence within the world.

Framed in solid pear wood and measuring 134 × 134 cm, this thangka is designed for long-term preservation, contemplative display, and serious Himalayan art collection.

The Deity: Water Moon Avalokiteshvara

Water Moon Avalokiteshvara, also known as Shuiyue Guanyin, belongs to the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and is one of the Thirty-Three Manifestations of Avalokiteshvara.

This form originated in China and became especially influential from the Tang and Song dynasties onward. The imagery is closely associated with the verse:

“Avalokiteshvara dwells on Mount Potalaka; before the cave lies a pool in which the moon is reflected.”

The “moon reflected in water” symbolizes impermanence, clarity, and compassionate awareness—perfectly aligning Buddhist philosophy with classical Chinese aesthetics and Chan (Zen) thought.

Iconography & Artistic Characteristics

Water Moon Avalokiteshvara is distinguished by a posture that departs from rigid frontal symmetry:

• Right leg bent, left foot resting on a lotus, forming a relaxed playful seated posture

• Body weight resting gently on the left hip, creating a natural, flowing silhouette

• Right hand slightly raised, left hand supporting the body

• Robes rendered with soft yet disciplined folds, combining elegance and restraint

This form blends canonical Buddhist iconography with a sense of worldly presence, expressing compassion as something approachable and lived.

Historically, this imagery traces back to Tang dynasty painter Zhou Fang, whose Water Moon Avalokiteshvara compositions profoundly influenced late Tang and Five Dynasties Buddhist art. During the Song and Yuan periods, devotion to Water Moon Avalokiteshvara flourished, with wooden sculptures becoming especially popular.

Important historical examples are now held in institutions such as:

• The British Museum (Song dynasty wooden sculpture)

• The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Liao dynasty full-wood carving)

Buddhist Lineage & Meaning

In Mahayana Buddhism, Avalokiteshvara represents Great Compassion (Mahākaruṇā) and serves as the left attendant of Amitabha Buddha, together with Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva as the right attendant. Together, they form the Three Saints of the Western Pure Land.

Water Moon Avalokiteshvara emphasizes:

• Compassion expressed through stillness and attentiveness

• Wisdom that observes without grasping

• The balance between transcendence and everyday life

In Esoteric Buddhism, this form corresponds to Water-Auspicious Bodhisattva within the Avalokiteshvara Court of the Womb Realm Mandala (Garbhadhātu).

Zodiac & Horoscope Association

Within traditional cultural symbolism, Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin) is regarded as a compassionate guardian figure for specific zodiac signs.

This Water Moon Avalokiteshvara thangka is traditionally associated with:

• Chinese Zodiac: Rat

• Western Horoscope: Cancer and Capricorn

These associations emphasize qualities such as emotional depth, resilience, responsibility, and inner strength, making this artwork a meaningful contemplative reference for individuals connected to these signs.

Rebgong Artistic Tradition

This artwork follows the Rebgong (Amdo / Regong Art) painting lineage, renowned for its disciplined craftsmanship and cultural authenticity.

Rebgong thangkas are characterized by:

• Orthodox proportions and iconographic accuracy

• Calm, balanced compositions

• Refined line work

• A dignified, contemplative aesthetic

This tradition is highly respected by collectors for its artistic integrity and long-term value.

Gemstone Pigment Craftsmanship

This thangka is entirely hand-painted using pure natural gemstone mineral pigments, prepared through traditional methods.

Pigments include:

• Gold and silver

• Lapis lazuli (blue)

• Malachite (green)

• Cinnabar (red)

• Turquoise, coral, and pearl

Each pigment is carefully washed, ground, and blended by hand.
Compared to synthetic colors, gemstone pigments offer exceptional depth, luminosity, and color stability, allowing the artwork to retain its brilliance for generations.

Materials, Format & Details

• Art Form: Traditional Tibetan Thangka

• Deity: Water Moon Avalokiteshvara (自在观音 / Shuiyue Guanyin)

• Zodiac Association: Rat, Cancer, Capricorn

• Origin: Rebgong (Amdo / Regong Art)

• Technique: 100% hand-painted

• Pigments: Pure natural gemstone mineral pigments

• Frame: Solid pear wood frame

• Format: Framed wall-hanging thangka

• Painting size: 134 × 134 cm

Placement & Use

This large-format thangka is ideal for:

• Meditation rooms and home shrines

• Cultural or contemplative living spaces

• Buddhist centers or study rooms

• Collectors of authentic Himalayan and East Asian Buddhist art

Its balanced composition and serene presence make it suitable as a central contemplative artwork.

What You Will Receive

• One framed Water Moon Avalokiteshvara Thangka

• Protective packaging suitable for international shipping

Cultural Note

This thangka is a religious and cultural artwork, created within the Himalayan Buddhist artistic tradition.
Its meaning is symbolic and contemplative in nature and should be appreciated as an expression of cultural heritage and artistic philosophy rather than a guarantee of specific outcomes.