原國泰美術館舊藏明代〈銅鎏金觀音〉，像高121公分頗為高大，依椅盤坐，使其展現出氣度不凡的訊息。造像背後發現刻有兩段銘文「募化僧性廣萬曆乙未年造」、「會首王元化」，得知尊像鑄於西元1595年，由僧人釋性廣募化（生卒年不詳）造像，主要出資的功德主為王元化（生卒年不詳）。據本文探討，晚明白衣觀音造像的盛行，實際上和神宗與生母李太后推動九蓮菩薩信仰有密切關係，為包裝生母李太后宮女出生的卑微身分，太后因政治目的性操作自稱九蓮菩薩為觀音菩薩化身，無疑間接或直接闡明「九蓮菩薩」某種意涵上等同於「觀世音菩薩」，並且大量借用白衣觀音的造型，使得二者時常難分軒輊。此時期朝廷所賞賜的寺院佛像，常是毘盧遮那佛與白衣觀音一同賞賜，皇帝賜毘盧遮那佛像，以表朱家皇帝一統天下；李太后則賜白衣觀音（九蓮觀音）造像，以表皇太后母儀天下，慈愛世間。此尊觀音像受到官府許可由民間集資所造，地緣可能在河北至北京一帶，深受北京官方的造像風格影響，反映當時上行下效的結果，使得此時期白衣觀音造像相當繁盛，此尊〈銅鎏金觀音〉便是歷史見證脈絡下的產物。

This magnificent gilt-bronze nine-lotus Bodhisattva figure with a height of 121 cm, from the former collection of the Cathay Art Museum, seated with folded legs. It seems to be immersed in the joy of the mystic trance with a steadied mind. The back of the Bodhisattva figure was engraved with two sets of inscriptions, namely “muhua seng Xing Guang wanli yiwei nian zao”(made in the cyclical year of yiwei during the reign of Wanli by monk Xing Guang), and “huishou Wang Yuan Hua”(Wang Yuan Hua, head of association). The figure was cast in 1595, made by monk Xing Guang, and the main patron was the merit holder Wang Yuanhua. The dates of birth and death of both parties were unknown. According to article discussion, we knew the Wanli Emperor and his mother joined hands in promoting the belief of Nine-lotus Bodhisattva because of politics. Claiming oneself as Nine-lotus Bodhisattva in a way equals to claiming oneself as Guanyin Bodhisattva, whose manifestation was also mainly in a white robe. The Buddhist sculptures were bestowed by the Wanli Emperor and Empress Dowager Li to the royal temples. The emperor granted Vairocana Buddha figures to signify the ruling of the world by the “Zhu” emperors. Empress Dowager Li bestowed the zhujin Bodhisattva figures to signify her motherly kindness to the world. Owing to regal promotion, white-robed Guanyin sculptures were in vogue during this time, as testified by this gilt-bronze nine-lotus Bodhisattva.