Kuan-yin Bodhisattva（Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva） is one of the most important beliefs in Chinese Buddhism, and where there are Chinese people, there is the belief for Kuan-yin. It is also a very common object of religious belief in Taiwan, and has a very important place in Buddhism. So the specific practice and propagation of Kuan-yin belief is a very important subject of research. In this paper, we research into the actual practice and propagation of the Kuan-yin belief by looking at two religious leaders in Taiwanese Buddhism —Master Sheng-yen who founded Dharma Drum Mountain, and Master Hsin-tao who founded Ling Jiou Mountain— both of whom closely related to Kuan-yin Bodhisattva and have established a great Buddhist community. This paper first examines the origins and the changing of the Kuan-yin belief, and the meaning and merits of the Kuan-yin method as found in extant Buddhist scriptures. Secondly, the paper researches the life story of Master Sheng-yen and Master Hsin-tao, including their paths of growth, monkshood, practice, and the establishment of Kuan-yin temple for the benefit of all beings. In particular, it is interpreted from the perspective through an understanding of their lives' spiritual journey and achievement. In addition, the paper also checked and reconfirmed those inconsistencies and ambiguities stated in different biographies. This paper then further explores the origins of the two masters' religious lineages as well as the experience from their realization of religous practice, especially the relationship to Kuan-yin and practice of Kuan-yin method. In addition, the paper puts into comparison of the two masters from several aspects. This includes their life journey, their origin of religious lineages, practice and relationship with Kuan-yin as well as the practice of Kuan-yin method. Finally, by interpreting it with the four stages of religious practice: "faith, understanding, practice, and realization ” this paper concludes that the live journey of the two masters are concrete examples of progressively practice and propagation of the Kuan-Yin belief. From this study, we can learn that Master Sheng-yen and Master Hsin-tao, with their relationship with Kuan-yin, have developed deep gratitude and firm belief in the Kuan-yin belief. As a result, they were able to manifest the various levels of Kuan-yin method practice through out their lifetimes and finally founded the two large and representative Kuan-yin temples— Dharma Drum Mountain and Ling Jiou Mountain, so become the role models of the practice and propagation of the Kuan-yin belief in contemporary Taiwanese Buddhism.
