Bodhisattvas’ Companions: The Lion, Hou, and Diting

Abstract: This paper analyzes the elusive appearance of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva’s Hou mount. It examines the unexplored rules for portraying Hou and resolves confused identities between Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara in late Ming and Qing Buddhist art. In earlier history, Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, and Kṣitigarbha all had lion companions. As the Avalokiteśvara belief became extremely popular in the late Ming, her central position in the Three Great Beings (Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, and Samantabhadra) triad was accentuated, and her mount needed to be superior to a lion. Artists resorted to features of the mythical animals in the court officials’ rank badge system to create Hou. When features such as hoofs, horns, scales, and barbels appear on a lion, viewers can tell that the quadruped is Hou. Artists also applied these rules when creating Kṣitigarbha’s companion, Diting. However, Kṣitigarbha’s unique iconographic traits enable viewers to recognize him without hesitation.