Japanese style design drawing of a Guanyin figure with praying hands, a red lotus and swirling waves, shaded in black, grey and red.

Enlarged with AI from a smaller original

Guanyin with lotus and waves design

Japanese · Mixed · Flash

A drawn tattoo design showing a serene Buddhist figure with a jewelled headdress, palms pressed together and a string of prayer beads. Behind the figure sit a large pink and red lotus and a dark leaf shape, with white-tipped waves curling around the head. The figure and waves are shaded in smooth black and grey, while the lotus and leaves add red, green and gold accents.

Japanese Lotus Wave Praying hands Leaves Headdress

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A story inspired by this tattoo · fiction

Dear Tomasz, the lotus in the temple pond opened three days ago, all at once, the way you always said they did when nobody was looking. Mrs Okada from the fish market says it means the rains are finished, but she says that about everything, so I have decided to believe you instead.

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The old statue is still in the alcove above the steps, the one with the jewelled crown the colour of wet brass. Father used to tell us she was listening to the boats. I laughed at him then. This morning I sat on the wall with my knees up, and the spray from the breakwater came over the steps in white curls, the same curls you painted round her head in that picture you sent from Yokohama. I watched her hands held together under the beads and thought she looked tired of waiting too.

The ferry for the outer islands sailed without you on Tuesday. Kenji's boy took the seat by the rail, the one you used to call yours, and he sat there the whole crossing with his hands clasped round a rosary he had found in a drawer. He didn't say anything when he got off. I didn't ask.

I have put a candle in front of her and a single pink petal from the pond on the stone. If you come back in the spring, the lotus will still be there, and so will I, and we can argue about whether she is smiling or only listening. Write soon. Your sister, Hana.