Guanyin

**Guanyin Pusa** (觀音) is a main character in the Disney+ original series *American Born Chinese* portrayed by Michelle Yeoh. She is regarded as the Goddess of Mercy.

## Background

### Personality

Guanyin is a calm and kind Chinese deity who, due to the fact that she is the Goddess of Mercy, is very merciful towards those around her. She sees the best in people and pushes them to make the right choices and decisions. She also displays a motherly affection towards people, particularly Wei-Chen whom she treats likes a nephew. He in turn calls her "Auntie" to match with this relationship. Her patience can be tried however, as she found herself struggling with building a coffee table from Ikea.

### Physical appearance

Guanyin resembles that of a middle-aged Chinese woman. Her usual attire is that of a very light green and white dress that gives the impression of a lotus blossom. This is accompanied by a headdress with a jade hanging from it. In her human disguise, she is adorned in grey street clothes, ranging from a sweater to a coat and also wears glasses.

### Powers and abilities

Like her fellow deities, Guanyin can travel back and forth between Heaven and Earth instantaneously. She is a skilled martial artist in her own right and can produce six extra arms.

## History

### Season 1

In What Guy Are You, while at the school, Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, ceases the fight between Wei-Chen and Sun Wukong and informs the latter that it is Wei-Chen's destiny to fulfill his mission. The Monkey King reluctantly subsides and Guanyin takes Wei-Chen away.

In A Monkey on a Quest, Guanyin takes upon herself train Wei-Chen on how to use the Jingu Bang, as well as practice his English. He explains that he believes that Jin Wang is destined to be his guide in finding the fourth scroll, but he has not told him about it. Guanyin insists that he befriend Jin by any means necessary even if he does not want to be. She then reveals that she bought a small apartment for the two of them to stay in and that she will be posing as his aunt.

In Rockstar Status, Sun Wukong and Guanyin meet at a Chinese buffet to discuss the Monkey King's son. Guanyin, as it turns out, has placed a lot of faith in Wei-Chen to find the fourth scroll, but Sun Wukong is still incredulous to it. He agrees to allow Wei-Chen to stay with her for one week, but if anything were to happen, he will come and pick up Wei-Chen and take him back home. Later, at Guanyin's apartment, Wei-Chen awaits for Jin to arrive, believing that he will indeed show up. When he fails to come around five, Guanyin suggests that he openly pursue a real friendship with Jin and tells him to go out and look for him, to which he complies. Then, Niu Mowang, the Bull Demon, appears and asks Guanyin to join him in his war against the Heavenly realm, but she refuses, mocking him by reflecting a small mirror in front of him. The two fight, with Mowang showing his true form and shattering the mirror in the process. Mowang leaves with Guanyin warning him about harming Wei-Chen. Once he disappears, Guanyin notices that a piece of the shattered mirror is gone. Eventually, when Wei-Chen returns to the apartment where Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing (Sandy), are waiting to take him home. Guanyin reluctantly sees them off.

In Make a Splash, years earlier, Guanyin is in attendance at the Heavenly Peach Banquet, a party for all the major Gods and Demons to celebrate the last year of Ao Guang, the Dragon King, being a Great Sage. A younger Sun Wukong tries to urge his then friend Niu Mowang to be the next Great Sage, though it is heavily apparent that he does not have the confidence for it, made apparent when he sheepishly greets Guanyin. During the awards ceremony, Guanyin wins one, and she simply tells the audience to stop giving her the award year after year.

In Hot Stuff, Guanyin informs Wei-Chen that they are still not sure if the pendant he took from Christine and Simon Wang is the fourth scroll, so she will take it to Shiji Niangniang, so she can analyze it. Shiji, owner of Jewel of the Orient, swindles a customer before being greeted by Guanyin and introducing her pet Pixiu. Guanyin then proceeds to tells her about the jade necklace and asks that she check if it is the fourth scroll. Shiji agrees, but wants payment and ask that she have her beaded bracelet, which Guanyin got as a gift from Nezha. Pixiu has the ability to eat stones; he spits out the celestial stones, but swallows Earth based ones. After eating and spitting the beaded bracelet, Guanyin hands the jade pendant to Pixiu.

In Beyond Repair, Jin and Wei-Chen regroup outside the bowling alley and head off to go see Guanyin. They are disappointed to learn that the jade pendant is not the fourth scroll and they cannot even use it to barter as Pixiu ate it. Wei-Chen tells Jin that he is no longer needed as a guide, making him feel sad. Despite this, Wei-Chen decides to go rescue his father while Guanyin wishes him luck and returns to Heaven.

In The Fourth Scroll, Jin has a dream that he is on *Beyond Repair* talking to Jamie Yao as his character, Freddy Wong, but is interrupted by the appearances of Christine, Simon, Anuj, and Guanyin, who informs Jin that it is the Autumn Equinox which is when Niu Mowang will enact his plan and that he needs to find Wei-Chen and help him before Heaven and Earth are destroyed.

## Quotes

* "Failure can bring enlightenment."
* "I will not be defeated by Swedish furniture."
* "Confidence can be a dangerous thing, too."
* "I must speak to you about an urgent matter of life and death."

## Gallery

Guanyin Character PosterGuanyin in series posterGuanyin Concept Art Part IGuanyin Concept Art Part IIGuanyin Concept Art Part IIIGuanyin Concept Art Part IVGuanyin Concept Art Part VGuanyin Concept Art Part VIGuanyin Concept Art Part VIIGuanyin Concept Art Part VIII
## Trivia

* In the original graphic novel, Guanyin only has a minute role in testing the monk Wong Lai-Tsao, the novel's version of Tripitaka, to prepare him for his journey to the west.
* Her full name is the Malaysian Mandarin version of her name. Her full name is actually Guanshiyin, which means "[The One Who] Perceives the Sounds of the World".

## Appearances: 7/8

* What Guy Are You
* A Monkey on a Quest
* Rockstar Status
* Make a Splash
* Abracadabra (Credit Only)
* Hot Stuff
* Beyond Repair
* The Fourth Scroll