Kwan Yin, also known as Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit, has origins in ancient Indian Buddhism. Avalokiteshvara embodies the virtue of compassion and is considered a bodhisattva — an enlightened being who postpones their own nirvana to aid others in their spiritual journey.

Over time, as Buddhism spread to East Asia, Avalokiteshvara underwent a transformation, becoming known as Guanyin in China and Kannon in Japan. Originally depicted as a male, in East Asian Buddhism, Kuan Yin later appears almost exclusively as a female, symbolizing maternal compassion and nurturing care.

As the story goes, Kuan Yin was about to enter Nirvana when she heard the anguished cries of a human. Upon hearing the cries, she turned to offer relief, forfeiting her place in paradise.