Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy: all 100 poems explained

Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy has 100 poems. A hundred poems from the Goddess of Mercy, many of them carrying an old story. Each one has its own page with the poem in English and Chinese, a plain-English reading, advice for common questions, and the story behind it. Tap a number to read it.

What each poem is about

• No. 1 Zhongli Quan Finds the Way; Zhao Kuangyin Is Draped in the Yellow Robe
  Good things and good people are on their way, and they're coming fast, as long as you…
• No. 2 Su Qin Comes Home a Failure; Jiang Taigong Fishes by the Wei River
  Your time hasn't come yet
• No. 3 Dong Yong Meets the Fairy; Dong Yong Sells Himself into Service; A Yan General Holds Liaocheng Alone
  What you worked hard to build may fall apart again
• No. 4 Wang Shipeng and Qian Yulian Meet Again; The Old Man of Changle Serves Five Dynasties
  Even a broken mirror can be whole again
• No. 5 Liu Chen Meets the Immortals; King Zhao of Yan Builds the Golden Terrace for Guo Wei
  Keep digging and you'll be the first to reach the water
• No. 6 Xue Rengui Meets His Lord; Lin Xiangru Brings the Jade Home Whole
  A heart that gives for others and takes responsibility is rare, and so are people like…
• No. 7 Su Niang Flees from Trouble; General Lian Po Longs to Lead Zhao's Soldiers Again
  You've been rushing around, and the road has been long
• No. 8 Fan Zhongyan Lives on Cold Porridge and Pickles
  You're like a pine that can take wind and frost
• No. 9 Zhuge Liang Assigns His Generals; Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage; Zhao Pu Guides the Realm with Half the Analects
  It's safe to say what's on your mind
• No. 10 Pang Juan Studies the Battle Formation
  The treasure is right beside you, so there's no need to keep searching
• No. 11 A Letter Recommends Jiang Wei
  What you hope for will happen
• No. 12 Wu Ji Meets His Teacher; Shen Baoxu Weeps at the Court of Qin
  The hardest part is almost over
• No. 13 Luo Tong Is Made Commander; Lord Xinling Saves Zhao and Turns Down a Reward
  You have good support and good conditions right now
• No. 14 Jiang Ziya Leaves His Post; Guan Zhong Is Bathed Three Times Before Meeting Duke Huan of Qi
  Like a crane flying out of its cage, what held you back has come loose
• No. 15 Su Qin Rises at Last; Lord Shang Ignores Zhao Liang's Advice
  Some words are hard to swallow
• No. 16 Ye Mengxiong Goes to Court; Emperor Shenzong of Ming Wishes Hai Rui Were Still Here
  You can let go of what's making you frown
• No. 17 Cao Cao Talks of Plums to Ease His Soldiers' Thirst; Li Si and the Fall of Han Fei
  Don't let gossip or empty promises lead you around
• No. 18 Cao Guojiu Becomes an Immortal; Guiguzi Casts a Reading
  Sun and moon take turns, round and round
• No. 19 Guo Ziyi Is Made a Prince; Yang Xiong Serves Wang Mang's New Dynasty
  The waves are high right now, so don't rush to set out
• No. 20 Jiang Taigong Meets King Wen; Su Wu Comes Home and Is Given Office
  After a long rain, the sky is finally clearing
• No. 21 Li Dan's Dragon-and-Phoenix Match; Shao Kangjie Sets Yin and Yang in Order
  A match like this is made in heaven, not by accident
• No. 22 Yang Liulang Is Rescued; Wang Xiaoxian Prays for the People
  Rain finally falls on fields that have been dry for so long
• No. 23 Gao Huaide Wins a Bride; Sun Ce Pawns the Imperial Seal for Yuan Shu's Troops
  If you want to reach higher, go ahead
• No. 24 Yin Jiao Meets His Teacher; Wen Zhong Ignores Fan Li's Advice
  Things are hard to sort out right now
• No. 25 Yao Neng Takes Office; Wu Zixu Crosses the Zhao Pass
  You've already come through trouble, one layer after another, and it gets easier from here
• No. 26 Zhong Kui Attains the Way; Huan Wen Receives Yin Hao's Letter
  Set aside news that sounds too good, since most of it is empty
• No. 27 Liu Ji Advises His Lord; Li Bi, the Chancellor in Plain Clothes
  Overthinking can freeze you in place
• No. 28 Judge Bao Searches for Empress Li; Lord Mengchang Crosses the Pass at the Rooster's Crow
  Don't lose heart when clouds cover half the moon
• No. 29 Zhao Yun Rescues the Baby A Dou; Baili Xi Goes from Tending Cattle to Chancellor
  You're like a fine sword out of its case, and your talent won't stay buried
• No. 30 The Great Chessboard Gathering; King Huai of Chu Walks into Qin's Wu Pass
  Hold off on asking others for help for now
• No. 31 Foyin Meets Su Dongpo; Bodhidharma Faces the Wall
  Slow down
• No. 32 Liu Bei Seeks Talent; Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage; Chang He Recommends Ma Zhou
  The road ahead looks blurry, but you're like jade hidden in stone
• No. 33 Cheng Yaojin Recruits Xue Rengui; Bao Shuya Recommends Guan Zhong
  What you're looking for may already be in your hands, so don't search outside
• No. 34 The Oath of the Peach Garden; Wang Tong Presents His Plan for Peace
  Keep your heart clear and your words honest, and really listen to others
• No. 35 Tang Sanzang Fetches the Scriptures; Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei Meet Again at the Old City
  Pull yourself together and start again
• No. 36 Han Xiangzi Finds a Treasure; Liu Bei Enters Jiameng Pass
  Don't worry too much about what's troubling you now
• No. 37 Li Jing Returns to the Mountains; Guan Gongming Hides Away in Liaodong
  Right now you're like a candle in the wind
• No. 38 He Wenxiu Falls into Trouble; Han Xin Leaves Chu for Han
  Clouds have covered the moonlight for now
• No. 39 Lady Meng Jiang Searches for Her Husband; Cao Cao Sends Mi Heng to Huang Zu
  Check the direction before you push
• No. 40 Wu Zetian Takes the Throne; Ma Yuan's Daughter Becomes Empress
  The sun goes down and the moon comes out
• No. 41 Dong Zhuo Takes Lü Bu as His Son; Dong Zhuo Hoards Gold at Meiwu
  When a good deal lands on your doorstep, take a second look
• No. 42 Mulian Sees His Mother; Sima Guang Becomes Chancellor and Ends the New Laws
  Kindness shines on everyone without favorites
• No. 43 Sun Wukong Attains the Way; Liu Bang, a Village Officer at Sishui, Becomes Emperor
  Heaven and earth are in tune, and everything feels new
• No. 44 Jiang Wei and Deng Ai Match Battle Formations; Zhou Yu Defeats Cao Cao at Red Cliffs
  When you meet a strong rival, don't panic, and don't rush either
• No. 45 Emperor Renzong Finds His Mother; Zhang Liang Receives a Book from the Old Man on the Bridge; Emperor Renzong Meets an Immortal
  Gentleness has more strength than force
• No. 46 Fishing by the Wei River; Zhao Pu as a Village Teacher
  Look after what's already in your hands, and don't let bad ideas pull you away
• No. 47 Liang Hao Passes the Exam; Gao Shi Finds Fame at Fifty
  Good things get even better, and joy comes in pairs
• No. 48 Han Xin Is Made Commander; Ban Chao Throws Down His Brush to Join the Army
  Don't be afraid when change comes
• No. 49 Wang Xiang Seeks Carp for His Mother; Crown Prince Dan Honors Jing Ke
  Things are still like thin ice, not steady yet
• No. 50 Fan Li Retires to the Five Lakes; Admiral Zheng He Sails the Western Seas
  Hold the rudder steady and raise your sail
• No. 51 Zhuge Liang Enters Sichuan; Zhuge Liang Rests at Longzhong
  Just when the heat is hardest to bear, heaven sends a cool breeze
• No. 52 Li Bai, Tipsy, Reaches for the Moon in the Water
  Look closely before you reach
• No. 53 Liu Bei Wins a Bride; Wang Meng Talks Strategy While Picking Lice
  Disappointment will turn into success
• No. 54 Ma Chao Chases Cao Cao; Lü Dongbin's Yellow Millet Dream
  The treasure in the dream is gone when you wake
• No. 55 King Wu of Zhou Takes the Throne; Guo Ai Marries the Princess
  Blessings pass down the family, with plenty to eat and wear
• No. 56 An Lushan Rebels; Fan Li Drifts Away on the Five Lakes
  The water is narrow and rocky, and pushing hard will wear you out
• No. 57 Dong Zhong Looks for His Family; Dong Yong Sells Himself into Service; Ning Qi Taps the Ox's Horn and Sings
  Let other people's gossip blow away in the wind
• No. 58 King Wen Consults the Oracle
  Take good advice to heart
• No. 59 Zhang Liang Retires to the Mountains; Li Deyu Is Banished to Yazhou
  You want to escape to higher ground, but thorns surround you
• No. 60 The Battle of Red Cliffs; Liu Bei's Long Chain of Camps
  The wrong fix only makes things worse
• No. 61 Su Xiaomei Tests Her Groom; A Kitchen Servant Goes to Yan and Brings the King of Zhao Home
  Life feels light and happy, poems by day and songs by night
• No. 62 Tang Sanzang Attains the Way; Lü Mengzheng Waits Out Hard Times in a Broken Kiln
  Morning and night, the Buddha watches over you, and even danger can pass safely
• No. 63 Filial Son Huang Travels Ten Thousand Miles to Find His Family; Nüwa Melts the Stones
  Getting back what you lost takes time and care
• No. 64 Water Spilled Before the Horse; Zhu Maichen Finds Wealth at Fifty; The Fall of Shi Chong
  Like a fish that swam into a net, don't thrash around right now
• No. 65 Sun Bin Traps Pang Juan; King Goujian of Yue Takes Refuge on Mount Kuaiji
  Don't trust a happy moment too fast, and don't borrow from one place to patch another
• No. 66 Xiang Yu Is Surrounded; Xiang Yu Loses His Way at Yinling
  The road is hard and the weather is cold
• No. 67 Taibai Jinxing Tests Dou Er; Guan Zhong Serves as Chancellor of Qi
  Your heart is as fair as a scale, adding nothing and taking nothing away
• No. 68 Guo Ziyi's Birthday Celebration; Li Jifu's Family Serves as Chancellors for Three Generations
  Home is peaceful and happy news is at the door
• No. 69 The Plum Blossoms Twice; Cheng Ying Hides the Orphan and Saves the House of Zhao
  Something that looks dried up isn't always broken
• No. 70 Li Mi Rebels Against the Tang; Zhuge Jin Proposes a Marriage to Guan Yu
  Like a bee flying back and forth all day, you're worn out
• No. 71 Zhuo Wenjun Goes to Sima Xiangru; Diaochan Follows Minister Wang Yun's Plan
  There are two paths in front of you
• No. 72 Wang Mang Seeks Talented Men; Lü Buwei Receives the King of Qin's Letter
  If you want the honey, watch out for the sting
• No. 73 The Chenqiao Mutiny; Xiao He Chases Han Xin by Moonlight
  Spring thunder wakes the sleeping creatures
• No. 74 Qin Is Defeated and Its Three Generals Captured; Han Fei's Fate in Qin
  Right now you're like a crane that flew into a cage, and nothing goes smoothly
• No. 75 Wu Yuan Slips Through the Zhao Pass by Night; Wu Zixu Finds a Boatman Midstream
  Right now it feels like carrying a tiger over a mountain, and your heart is pounding
• No. 76 Zhu Yuanzhang Herds Cattle; Sunshu Ao Lives Hidden by the Sea
  While you're still waiting in the deep pool, hang in there
• No. 77 Bringing the Jade Home to Zhao; Fan Ju Becomes Chancellor of Qin
  Don't take empty fame or easy money too seriously
• No. 78 Rescuing the Emperor at Lintong; Qin Mi Out-argues Zhang Wen
  Not too cold, not too hot, just right
• No. 79 Secretly Helping Topple the Bronze Flag; Wei Ke and the Old Man Who Tied the Grass
  Remember to keep the vows and promises you made
• No. 80 Liu Zhiyuan Joins the Army; Guo Ziyi Takes Off His Helmet
  You only wanted a quiet life of growing yourself, but you'll be seen and called on
• No. 81 A Fair Wind to the Pavilion of Prince Teng
  When someone gives you a little wind at your back, remember to say thank you
• No. 82 The Fire at Gourd Valley; Lü Dongbin Brings a Catalpa Tree Back to Life
  Even in the biggest fire, a lotus can grow
• No. 83 Li Yuan Takes the Throne; Ma Zhou Comes to the Capital and Stays at an Inn
  The moon is only half there, and things aren't finished yet
• No. 84 Zhuangzi Tests His Wife; Li Guang Hunts by Night at Baling
  Don't let chasing a name cost you the people around you
• No. 85 Han Yu Is Caught in the Snow; Su Qin Speaks Boldly in the Grand Hall
  What you set aside before can start again
• No. 86 Shang Lu Tops All Three Exams; The Queen Mother of the West Presents the Map of New Lands
  Spring flowers bloom and treasure comes through the door
• No. 87 Cheng Yaojin Explores the Underground Cave; Cao Cao Loses His Way on the Winding Trail
  When you're stuck halfway, you don't have to go up or down
• No. 88 Pang Hong Fears Judge Bao; Zhang Liang Hits the Wrong Carriage
  Something that looks scary may be a wooden tiger that can't hurt you
• No. 89 The Grand Viewing of the Jade Flowers; Jiang Taigong Meets King Wen by the Wei River
  Things go well when you head out
• No. 90 Wei Pei Meets an Immortal; Liu Bei Is Like a Fish Finding Water
  Good news will arrive out of the blue, like a boat full of treasure coming home
• No. 91 Three Heroes Fight Lü Bu; Zong Que Rides the Long Wind Through the Waves
  Let your brow relax
• No. 92 Cai Yong Repays a Kindness; Li Guyan and the Willow-Dyed Robe
  Things go well and money doubles, from small matters to big ones
• No. 93 Gao Junbao Wins a Bride; Duke Yi of Wei Gives His Cranes Carriages to Ride
  Your feathers are soaked by rain, and small birds may pick on you for a while
• No. 94 Boya Visits His Friend; Wang Jungong Hides from the World East of the Wall
  Save your words for people who understand you
• No. 95 Cao Pi Declares Himself Emperor; Liu Kun Rises to Dance at the Rooster's Crow
  Good work takes care morning and night
• No. 96 Dou Yanshan Does Good Deeds
  You're like a pagoda shining on all eight sides
• No. 97 Zhuge Liang's Six Marches to Qishan
  Moonlight on the ground looks like white jade, but you can't pick it up
• No. 98 Ji Ping Meets Disaster; Tao Yuanming Shuts His Gate on the Three Garden Paths
  When you're unsure, hold off for now
• No. 99 Tao Sanchun Takes Command; The Old Man at the Border Loses His Horse
  There's worry and there's money too
• No. 100 The Three Teachings Talk of the Way; King Xiang of Chu Wakes from His Dream at Yangtai
  When your mind keeps flipping east and west, stop asking so many people