Kwan-yin

"Kwan-yin" by Stella Benson is an early 20th-century play centered around the Goddess of Mercy. Set in a temple, the story uses songs, prayers, and dialogues between priests, acolytes, and Kwan-yin to explore sorrow, love, and the search for comfort. Humanity's pain, loneliness, and hope for forgiveness are displayed through interactions with Kwan-yin, a powerful but passive figure who listens without intervening. The play shows the trouble people have with pain and the limit of mercy from a divine being. The play ends with the confession of defeat by Kwan-yin, making us think about hope and the importance of mercy while there is so much sorrow in the world.