“Look what you have done,” The Pig said to the Monkey, “invited an uncombed and unwashed Kwan Yin.” They looked on as Kwan Yin approached, disheveled and barefooted, her robe haphazardly folded together. from Journey to the West
I read this classical Chinese novel as a child and this is one of the passages that has remained with me. Kwan Yin, the revered Goddess of Mercy appeared like an ordinary person hurrying to solve a crisis after being woken from sleep. She was sensual, soft with her hair down and her face freed of make-up. This moment was observed by the Pig and with that, animal, human and goddess all came down to the same level.
A friend and I talked about subtlety in writing, how it gives room to the readers to imagine for themselves. It is what I imagine that I remember.
