目前美國維吉尼亞美術館、台北國立故宮博物院以及日本大阪美術館各發現一尊觀音菩薩像，祂們皆左手扣執淨瓶，在祂們繁縟的瓔珞中，於腹前發現一個浮雕著涅槃圖的圓形飾版，在腿部又有一組坐佛三尊像。根據風格分析，筆者認為這三尊菩薩當分別為大理國前、中和後期的作品。本研究指出，這種圖像特殊的觀音當稱為「易長觀世音」，目前僅見於大理國的文物中。這種觀音的圖像與信仰自南詔第十一代主酋隆由四川攜回雲南後，至十二世紀下半葉，在南詔、大理國的流傳歷久不衰，尤值注意的是其特別受到皇室的重視。又因為這些易長觀世音像的寶冠或出現金剛界五方佛冠，或出現大日如來，反映南詔、大理國時期，雲南也曾有純密的流傳。

In each of the collections of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in the US, the National Palace Museum in Taipei, and the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art in Japan is a bronze bodhisattva of Kuan-yin (Kuan-shih-yin, Avalokitevara), which are shown holding a water vase in their left hand. Among the rich ornamentation of the jewelry in front of their abdomen, one finds a roundel of a nirvana scene, and in the leg area is a relief of a seated Buddha with two attendants. Judging from the style, the author believes that these three bodhisattvas should date to the early, middle, and late Ta-li Kingdom (937-1254), respectively. The research here points out that this visually unique Kuan-yin is known as a “I-chang Kuan-shih-yin”, which is currently only found among cultural artifacts of the Ta-li Kingdom. The belief in and visual rendering of this Kuan-yin was brought by the eleventh ruler of the Nan-Chao Kingdom, Ch’iu-lung (r. 860-877), to Yünnan via Szechwan. From then until the latter half of the 12th century, this bodhisattva circulated extensively in the Ta-li Kingdom. Of particular note is that it received special emphasis by the ruling clans in Yünnan during the medieval era. In addition, since the five jina Buddhas appear in the jeweled crown of this I-chang Kuan-shih-yin bronze, it shows the spread of esoteric Buddhism to Yünnan during the period of the Nan-Chao (649-902) and Ta-li Kingdoms.

南詔; 大理國; 雲南; 觀音菩薩; 易長觀世音; 梵像卷; 密教

Nan-chao Kingdom; Ta-li Kingdom; Yünnan; Avalokitevara; I-chang Kuan-shih-yin; esoteric Buddhism