Men wear Guanyin, women wear Buddha “: the cultural code and spiritual sustenance behind traditional customs

In the galaxy of traditional Chinese culture, the custom of wearing Guanyin for men and Buddha for women is like a unique star, shining with cultural radiance that transcends time and space. This custom is not simply a decorative choice, but contains multiple cultural codes such as phonetic symbols, yin-yang philosophy, religious concepts, etc., carrying people’s yearning for a better life and pursuit of spiritual cultivation.

1、 Phonetic symbolism: the beautiful wishes behind homophones

The custom of men wearing Guanyin and women wearing Buddha originated from the unique homophonic culture of Chinese characters. Guanyin “sounds similar to” official seal “. In traditional beliefs, men tend to focus on their careers, whether it’s business, taking exams, or joining the military, they all hope for a bright future and a successful career. Wearing Guanyin symbolizes their aspirations for success in their careers. And ‘Buddha’ and ‘Fu’ have the same pronunciation. When women wear Buddha statues, it symbolizes that good fortune always accompanies them and a happy life.

From the perspective of personality traits, traditional understanding suggests that men tend to have a strong and impulsive personality. Guanyin is often portrayed as a compassionate and gentle female figure, and men wear Guanyin in the hope of learning her compassion and calmness when facing difficulties and challenges, and to handle things more rationally and peacefully; Women are sometimes easily trapped in the emotional world, but Maitreya Buddha (the “Buddha” worn by women usually refers to Maitreya Buddha) has a big belly and a smiling face, symbolizing tolerance and openness, encouraging women to cultivate a broad mind and manage their families and lives with an optimistic attitude. As Maitreya Buddha’s famous saying goes, “A big belly can accommodate, a smile can bring joy”, conveying the wisdom that tolerance and openness are the key to a prosperous family and long-lasting good fortune.

2、 Yin Yang Philosophy: Cultural Expression of the Way to Balance

This wearing custom is closely related to the concepts of yin and yang in Taoism and the Book of Changes. In the traditional philosophical system, males belong to yang and females belong to yin. Although Guanyin is compassionate, its image is often seen as a symbol of yin; Maitreya Buddha represents the power of positivity. Men wearing Guanyin and women wearing Maitreya Buddha are essentially using this combination to harmonize their own yin and yang energy, pursuing physical and mental harmony and internal and external balance.

The balance of yin and yang is the core of traditional health preservation and social philosophy. People believe that only by harmonizing yin and yang can one achieve the unity of body and mind. Wearing Guanyin and Buddha statues is not only an external decoration, but also a practice of the deep cultural concept of harmony between yin and yang, reflecting the ancient people’s reverence for natural laws and pursuit of life balance.

3、 Religious Philosophy: Modern Interpretation of the Connotation of Belief

It should be noted that from the perspective of Buddhist doctrine itself, it is not particularly advocated to wear Buddha statues and statues as talismans. In the Buddhist classic “Shurangama Sutra”, it is recorded that Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva can transform into thirty-two different images in order to save sentient beings. Their images are not fixed, either male or female, noble or humble, but vary according to the nature of their roots. Therefore, wearing a statue of Guanyin is not about its external appearance, but about learning the compassionate and benevolent spirit of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and achieving personal spiritual growth.

Maitreya Buddha is known for his eternal joy, tolerance, and optimism. In temples, Maitreya Buddha is often worshipped in the main hall. His smiling appearance is intended to convey peace and happiness, encourage people to cultivate positive qualities such as compassion and cheerfulness, and face life with an open-minded attitude.

4、 Wearing Etiquette: Traditional Guidelines for Guarding Spirituality

If you choose to wear Guanyin or Buddha statue jade jewelry and follow traditional wearing guidelines, you can better feel the energy it contains:

• Avoid frequent replacement: Jade jewelry is considered to have spirituality, and the longer it is worn, the more it can connect with the owner’s heart and gather spiritual energy. Randomly replacing or discarding jade ornaments is not only disrespectful to them, but may also weaken their protective power.

• Following traditional pairing: The pairing of “men wearing Guanyin and women wearing Buddha” is based on the traditional choice of yin-yang balance and cultural symbolism. Wearing it casually may lead to energy imbalance and affect the protective effect.

• Avoid wearing damaged jade ornaments: It is believed that jade ornaments can protect the owner from disasters. Damaged jade ornaments have completed their mission of protecting the owner and have lost their original protective function. If you continue to wear it, not only will you not receive protection, but the damaged area may also scratch your body.

Not wearing other people’s jade ornaments: Each jade ornament is considered to have a unique spirituality, carrying the aura of the original owner. Wearing someone else’s jade jewelry not only makes it difficult to obtain protection, but may also interfere with one’s own magnetic field.

5、 Selection guide: Crafted with exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful symbolism

To choose high-quality Guanyin or Buddha statue jade ornaments, you can start from the following aspects:

Exquisite carving: Exquisite carving endows jade ornaments with a dynamic beauty, which can bring a sense of pleasure when worn; Rough carving not only affects aesthetics, but may also cause discomfort.

• Flawless Face: The faces of Guanyin and Maitreya Buddha are the soul of jade jewelry. Even if the jade has natural textures, the face must be smooth and flawless, otherwise it will weaken the sacred sense and protective effect of the jewelry.

• Bright color: The color of jade should be uniform, bright, and full of vitality, avoiding dull tones. Especially for young wearers, bright colors can better convey vitality and hope.

The traditional custom of ‘men wearing Guanyin and women wearing Buddha’, which has been passed down for many years, is the crystallization of the interweaving of traditional culture and spiritual beliefs. It not only carries the wisdom of ancient people on the balance of yin and yang and smooth life, but also embodies the unremitting pursuit of modern people for spiritual comfort and spiritual growth. When wearing Guanyin or Buddha statue jade ornaments, one should uphold a devout heart and respect traditional customs, in order to allow this cultural heritage that transcends time and space to continue to radiate warm and powerful power in modern life.