Kwan Yin is depicted in various forms and poses.

She often appears cloaked in white, the colour of purity, and her gowns are long and flowing.

The dragon is often seen with her, a symbol of wisdom, strength, and the power of divine transformation. She is the courageous one that can tame the fierceness of Dragon energy.

Often in older depictions, Kwan Yin is seen as androgynous.

She may hold a vase from which she pours out ‘sweet dew’, the nectar of eternal life, blessing all with physical and spiritual peace. Sometimes this is described as pouring compassion on to the world.

Often she will be holding white crystal beads in one hand, a symbol of her devotion to Buddhism and its tenets. The beads representing rounds of rebirth or pearls of illumination.

She may also have either a book (The Heart Sutra, her message to the world), or a scroll which represents Buddhist teachings.

Other times, she might be holding a willow branch with which she sprinkles the divine nectar of life and which is a symbol of being able to bend (or adapt) but not break. The willow is also used in rituals and has had medicinal purposes as well.

She sometimes holds a sheaf of ripe rice, a metaphor for sustenance supplied.

Her cupped hands are a symbol of the womb and the universal feminine principal.

As a Divine Mother, there are often children around her or being held by her, a reminder of her role as the patron saint of women wanting to conceive.

There are two small attendants that show up periodically, a “young man of excellent capacities” and the “daughter of the Dragon King,” both related to the legend of Miao Shan.

Another common appearance of Kwan Yin is one having a thousand arms, with eyes in the palms or holding different objects, such as those mentioned above. Her arms allow her to help stop the suffering of those all around the world, while the thousand eyes help her see anyone who may be in need.  Or, you might see Kwan Yin standing with a peacock, since the spread tail feathers of a peacock look like they have eyes in them.

She might be seated or standing on a lotus blossom, which is one of the main symbols of Buddhist purity. The beautiful lotus flower grows up out of mud. The meaning is that our hearts can be pure like the lotus flower.

As reference to fishermen, sailors and water of which Kwan Yin is a guardian, she can be seen on a boat or a lotus flower crossing the sea, or rising from the sea on the back of a dragon.

A dove of peace is another of her symbols.

There are numerous other forms of Kwan Yin throughout Asia; in Japan alone there are 33 different manifestations. You will find shrines dedicated to her not only in China, but in Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. You will find images of her not only at Buddhist temples, but also in Taoist and Confucian temples.