The Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara of Great Compassion

original: 千手千眼大悲觀世音菩薩

Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed original: 千手千眼 (qiānshǒu qiānyǎn); this iconography symbolizes the deity's infinite capacity to see all suffering in the world and to reach out with help simultaneously.
Great Compassion original: 大悲 (dàbēi); refers to Mahakaruna, the supreme mercy and heart of the Buddhist path.
Avalokiteshvara original: 觀世音 (Guānshìyīn); the "Perceiver of the World's Sounds," commonly known as Guanyin, the most popular deity in East Asian Buddhism.
Bodhisattva original: 菩薩 (púsà); an enlightened being who vows to remain in the cycle of rebirth until all other sentient beings are saved.

This central woodcut illustration depicts the Bodhisattva in a state of immense spiritual power. The figure is shown with multiple stacked heads and an expansive array of arms radiating outward like a celestial sunburst. Each hand holds a different ritual implement—such as a prayer bead, a golden wheel, or a lotus flower—representing the various "skilful means" used to guide different types of people toward enlightenment.

The deity stands gracefully upon a lotus pedestal, which emerges from a sea of swirling, stylized waves. To the side, a small figure is shown in a posture of deep reverence. This is likely the youth Sudhana original: 善財童子 (Shàncái Tóngzǐ); a pilgrim who visited 53 teachers on his quest for truth, often depicted as an attendant to Guanyin.

At the very top of the illustration, a small Buddha sits enthroned within a pavilion amidst drifting clouds. This is Amitabha Buddha, the spiritual father of Avalokiteshvara, indicating that the Bodhisattva acts on his behalf. The entire composition is framed by a decorative border of interlocking swastika patterns original: 卍 (wàn); a symbol representing the "seal on a Buddha's heart" and infinite auspiciousness.

The left side of the page shows signs of foxing brown age spots, but the intricate lines of the woodblock carving remain remarkably crisp, suggesting this was printed from a high-quality, professional block.