I had to change my object due to the lack of information that I can find for Maria Kannon with a cross on the chest. Thus I did another research that is also on Maria Kannon, but it focus towards Virigin Mary and Child. Here is the Updated Object Label:

Dehua Kilns Maria Kannon　マリア観音

(c. 17 Century)

Porcelain Statue­

In the mid-17^th century, outlawed Christians created statues of Virgin Mary (Mother of Jesus) disguised as the Buddhist deity Kannon (Goddess of Mercy). It was made for safety to look like Kannon, however it is not worshipped as Kannon. They had many version of Maria Kannon that looks like Kannon ranging from “Byakue Kannon”, “Jibo Kannon”, to Guanyin(Kannon) and Child of many different sizes.

Maria Kannon statues are usually place in a hidden room within their house, or in a cave or in the hidden woods that served as an altar for the Hidden Christians to pray. During this period of time, they had to live a double life—Buddhist in name, Christian in Belief.

For this statue it is depicted as one of Kannon feminine form Koyasu Kannon (子安観音) that means child giving and child rearing, which resemble “Byakue Kannon” in appearance but she is holding a child. By having her holding a child is to represent Virgin Mary with baby Jesus. In addition, its white robe it represents purity and righteousness and served as a symbol of salvation. A Christian cross is often hidden behind the statue to conceal the Christian’s faith while they pretended to be Buddhist.

This depiction gave the Hidden Christian a sense of relief as to the outsider it appeared Buddhist, while to the outlawed Christians; it doubled as an object of Christian faith. Thus this statue is used to fool the government and keeping their faith at the same time.

This statue is seized in Uragami, Nagasaki Prefecture,in 1856, Ming-Qing dynasty, 17^th century. It was then preserved by the Nagasaki Magistrate’s Office. Currently the statue is kept safely in Tokyo National Museum.