Embroidery of Eleven-Headed, Twenty-Four-Armed Avalokitesvara

CHINA; Northern Song dynasty

This embroidery depicts Avalokitesvara with eleven heads in four tiers. The first tier has three heads; the main head has three eyes and a five-leaf crown with the Chinese character for “Buddha” embroidered on each. The round smiling face, small eyes, and curved eyebrows create a sense of peacefulness. There are three heads on the second and third tiers, while the fourth tier has only one head with the image of Amitabha Buddha. The figure sits in full lotus position on a lotus with a Sumeru throne below. Above it is an ornate canopy.
Of Avalokitesvara’s 24 arms, two hands are held together in front of the chest, and two more form the dhyana (meditation) mudra. Two main hands are raised up holding wish-fulfilling jewels, and another two lift up the Buddha image. The remaining hands hold Dharma instruments such as a vase, prayer beads, bell, or arrow.