Lotus Blooms in Jinling: A Chronicle of Compassionate Iconography in the Sahā World

1. Origins: The Echoes of Compassion Along the Qinhuai River

In the late autumn of 2017, Chen Guangzu encountered a damaged Tang Dynasty Avalokiteshvara statue at the Changgan Temple Site Museum: though only half of its face remained, the eyes and brows still bore a compassionate smile that seemed to soothe all beings. At that moment, he was struck by an idea: to bring the millennium-old compassion to life in a contemporary form. The team unanimously agreed to use "Avalokiteshvara" as the medium, creating a porcelain sculpture that could resonate with modern hearts.

2. Tracing Inspiration: A Journey from Cave Temples to Urban Life

The design team, equipped with sketchboards, meticulously explored the Buddhist heritage sites across Nanjing.

• At the Thousand Buddha Cliff of Qixia Temple, they meticulously replicated the "plump beauty" of Tang Dynasty sculptures, yet found them lacking in "human warmth."  
• Upon visiting Linggu Temple to observe the Yuan Dynasty bronze Guanyin, they were struck by its solemnity but felt it failed to resonate with the younger generation.  
• It wasn’t until they stumbled upon an elderly woman in a teahouse at Laomendong, offering sweet taro soup to a crying child, that they witnessed the child’s tears turn to laughter. In the wrinkles at the corners of the woman’s eyes, they saw a tenderness as soft as moonlight—"This is the Guanyin gaze we’ve been searching for!" For the first time, designer Su Qing’s sketchbook bore the draft of a face with "slightly lowered eyelids and a smile carrying a hint of warmth."

Traditional elements are meticulously incorporated: the lotus pedestal embodies purity, symbolizing "emerging unstained from the mud," while the vase and willow branch continue the compassionate imagery of "sprinkling nectar universally." However, the folds of the robe are rendered more gracefully, resembling the plane leaves of Nanjing's autumn, exuding both lightness and perfect harmony.

3. Sculpture: The Artistry and Obsession Encapsulated in a Handful of Porcelain Clay

During the material selection process, the team conducted extensive field research across Dehua and Jingdezhen, ultimately selecting Dehua porcelain for its exceptional qualities. The porcelain exhibits a lustrous white hue reminiscent of congealed fat, yet possesses the unique ability to diffuse warm tones within its glaze. Chen Guangzu insisted on employing the "lotus pink glaze" technique, stating: "The lotus blossoms of Nanjing wither in autumn waters, their pink hue embodying both the gentle essence of fading lotus and the warm glow within the human heart."

Master Chen, a seasoned artisan and inheritor of the Dehua porcelain legacy, initially shook his head upon reviewing the design draft, remarking, "The drapery of the Guanyin statue should embody the fluidity of 'clouds and flowing water,' but your folds appear too abrupt." It was only after Chen Guangzu guided him through the sycamore-lined paths of the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, where they observed the graceful arcs of leaves swirling in the wind, that Master Chen slapped his thigh in realization, exclaiming, "Exactly! This is the essence of Nanjing's breeze—it should flow like this!"

The most arduous task was the final refinement of the Buddha statue's facial features, known as "face-opening." Su Qing remained at the kiln for three months, collaborating with Master Chen in repeated trials: a slight reduction in glaze thickness rendered the expression cold, while an increase made it murky; raising the gaze slightly created a sense of detachment, while lowering it made the countenance appear mundane. Until one morning, when the first ray of sunlight slanted into the workshop, illuminating the newly fired face of the Guanyin statue — her eyes gently closed, yet seemingly capable of perceiving the innermost folds of every soul. Master Chen's eyes suddenly welled up with tears: "My grandmother believed in Guanyin her entire life. The way she looked at me was exactly like this."

4. The Lotus Throne: Nanjing Memories Etched in Porcelain

Each petal of the lotus throne conceals the essence of Nanjing: 

• The delicate pink at the petal's tip mirrors the final brilliance of the withered lotus in Mochou Lake; 
• The pristine white at its base evokes the purity of cherry blossoms blanketing the stone-paved lanes near Jiming Temple; 
• Along the edge of the base, Su Qing discreetly inscribed a prayer for family peace—a moment of epiphany she experienced while watching the sunset at Xuanwu Lake, where she suddenly comprehended the profound meaning of "compassion": even the setting sun chooses to accompany humanity until its final moment.

5. Contemporary Era: When Compassion Enters the Convenience Store

On the day the first Guanyin statue was unveiled, Suopo Culture made a rather unconventional decision: instead of placing it in a temple, they positioned it in a 24-hour convenience store at Xinjiekou. Under the cold fluorescent lights, the pink-glazed Guanyin in the glass cabinet emitted a warm glow, observed by late-night office workers, students cramming for exams, and even stray cats.

A girl in school uniform visited the convenience store for three consecutive days, shedding tears before the statue. On the fourth day, she left a note: "Since my mother passed away, this is the first time I've felt truly seen."

Subsequently, this Guanyin statue found its way into community centers, meditation corners in office buildings, and even a custom-made spot beside the counter in a café. The café owner remarked, "Customers who come for coffee—some after failed business deals, others after breakups—soften their gaze when they see this statue."

Epilogue: The Porcelain Depiction of Jinling, the Compassion in the Heart

Chen Guangzu often stood by the window of his studio, watching the pleasure boats glide across the lantern-lit Qinhuai River. He would always recall Master Chen's words: "In Nanjing, even the cracks between the bricks are filled with compassion. What we do is simply to shape this compassion into a visible form."

Today, the Guanyin statues of Suopo Culture continue to evolve, yet the porcelain clay from Dehua has long been tempered by the winds of Jinling, the moonlight of Qinhuai, and the smoke of Laomendong, transforming into what is now known as "the warmth of Nanjing." It is no longer a distant deity but a gentle presence that ordinary people can encounter simply by looking up.