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Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms

original: 三才圖會 (Sancai Tuhui); a massive illustrated encyclopedia compiled by Wang Qi and Wang Siyi in 1609 during the Ming Dynasty.

Geography, Volume 12

original: 地理十二卷 (Dili Shiyi Juan)

Guanyin Cliff original: 觀音巖 (Guanyin Yan) is located in Yingde County a region in modern-day Guangdong Province, known for its dramatic karst landscapes. It is situated among towering mountains overlooking the river. There is a stone cavern opening that appears quite vast and surprising, though its interior is skewed to one side and offers little of interest to the viewer.

In the rear of the cave is what is known as the "Rock Hanging from the Cliff." When viewed from below, it looks remarkably like a white ape. Popular folklore claims this is an "Ape Spirit" original: 猿精 (yuanjing) that was subdued by the Mahasattva original: 大士 (Dashi); a title for a Great Bodhisattva, here referring specifically to Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

This is mere nonsense the author expresses skepticism toward the local superstition. Outside the "stone window" a natural aperture in the rock face, the mountain forms a sheer cliff wall several ren high an ancient unit of length; one ren is approximately 2.3 meters or 7.5 feet. Vines and trees grow in dense, overlapping shade, resembling the depictions of Putuo Cliff original: 普陀巖 (Putuo Yan); referring to Mount Putuo, the sacred island home of Guanyin in Buddhist tradition found in common paintings.