A RECORD OF ALL THINGS UNDER HEAVENAs gathered from the oldest accounts that remain
PROLOGUE — CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVEOn the Matter of the Eight Immortals — 八仙 — Ba Xian
They are called the Ba Xian — 八仙.
Ba — 八 — means eight.
Xian — 仙 — means immortal. Celestial being. One who has transcended death.
Together — 八仙 — the Eight Immortals.
They are not gods.
They were human beings.
They achieved immortality through their own efforts.
Through Taoist practice — 道教修行 — Daojiao xiuxing.
Through virtue — 德 — de.
Through perseverance — 毅力 — yili.
Through a wide variety of circumstances that the texts do not always agree upon.
They now live on Mount Penglai — 蓬萊山 — Penglai Shan — one of five islands in the Bohai Sea — 渤海 — Bohai.
The water surrounding the island is called Weak Water — 弱水 — Ruo Shui.
It cannot bear the weight of ordinary ships.
Only the Eight Immortals can reach the island.
They are revered in Taoism — 道教 — Daojiao.
They are popular in Chinese folk religion — 民間信仰 — minjian xinyang.
They appear in Buddhist temples as decoration — 裝飾 — zhuangshi.
They belong to no single tradition.
They belong to all of them.
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On the history of the group.
Before the Ming dynasty — 明朝 — Ming Chao — there was no fixed list of Eight Immortals.
Different texts from the Han dynasty — 漢朝 — Han Chao — Song dynasty — 宋朝 — Song Chao — and Yuan dynasty — 元朝 — Yuan Chao — listed different immortals as the canonical eight.
The wall murals and sculptures in Jin dynasty — 金朝 — Jin Chao — tombs of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries depict a group of eight Taoist immortals.
The most famous is a mural in the Eternal Joy Temple — 永樂宮 — Yongle Gong — at Ruicheng — 芮城 — in Shanxi province — 山西省 — Shanxi Sheng.
It was not until the Ming dynasty that the definitive list was established.
It was established by Wu Yuantai — 吳元泰 — in his novel The Eight Immortals Depart and Travel to the East — 八仙出處東遊記 — Ba Xian Chu Chu Dong You Ji.
This Ming dynasty novel is the source material for most subsequent depictions.
E.T.C. Werner confirms: only three of the eight were known in secular history — Zhang Guolao — 張果老 — Zhongli Quan — 鍾離權 — and Lü Yan — 呂巖 — also known as Lü Dongbin — 呂洞賓.
The others were legendary figures before they were linked together.
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On the Covert Eight Immortals — 暗八仙 — An Ba Xian.
Each immortal possesses a magical tool — 法器 — faji.
Each tool can bestow life or destroy evil independently of its owner.
The eight tools together are called the Covert Eight Immortals — 暗八仙 — An Ba Xian.
They are:
The lotus flower — 荷花 — hehua — belonging to He Xiangu — 何仙姑.
The jade tablet — 玉板 — yuban — or castanets — 拍板 — paiban — belonging to Cao Guojiu — 曹國舅.
The iron crutch — 鐵拐 — tie guai — belonging to Li Tieguai — 李鐵拐.
The flower basket — 花籃 — hualan — belonging to Lan Caihe — 藍采和.
The sword — 劍 — jian — belonging to Lü Dongbin — 呂洞賓.
The jade flute — 玉笛 — yu di — belonging to Han Xiangzi — 韓湘子.
The fish drum — 漁鼓 — yu gu — or bamboo drum — 竹筒 — zhu tong — belonging to Zhang Guolao — 張果老.
The fan — 扇子 — shanzi — belonging to Zhongli Quan — 鍾離權.
These eight tools appear in decorative art as representations of the Eight Immortals without the immortals themselves being depicted.
When these eight objects appear on a vase, a silk screen, or a wall panel, they stand for the group.
The symbol is the immortal.
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On the first immortal. Li Tieguai — 李鐵拐 — Iron Crutch Li.
His name means Iron Crutch Li — 李鐵拐 — Li Tie Guai.
He is also called Li Xuan — 李玄 — his name in life.
He was originally of robust stature and imposing appearance — 魁梧英俊 — kuiwu yingjun.
He was the disciple of Laozi — 老子.
He had mastered the ability to project his spirit — 元神 — yuanshen — out of his body.
He traveled to heaven in his spirit while his body remained on earth.
He instructed his disciple to guard his body for seven days.
He said: if my spirit does not return within seven days, cremate the body.
On the sixth day his disciple's mother fell gravely ill.
The disciple believed his master had already ascended permanently.
He cremated the body.
He went to tend to his dying mother.
Li Tieguai's spirit returned.
It found ashes.
The only available body nearby was the corpse of a beggar who had just died of starvation.
The beggar had a long pointed head. Large ears. A single brass earring. Woolly dishevelled hair and beard.
Li Tieguai's spirit entered the beggar's body.
Laozi appeared.
He gave him an iron crutch — 鐵拐 — tie guai — that would never rust or break.
He gave him a calabash gourd — 葫蘆 — hulu — filled with medicine.
The gourd contained elixirs that could cure any illness.
Li Tieguai descended to earth.
He used his medicine to heal the poor and sick.
He is depicted as an ugly old beggar walking with an iron crutch.
He carries the gourd.
Smoke rises from the gourd.
Within the smoke his spirit — 魂 — hun — floats free.
He is the patron of doctors — 醫生 — yisheng.
He is the patron of pharmacists — 藥劑師 — yaojishi.
He is the patron of cripples — 殘疾人 — canji ren.
He is the patron of beggars — 乞丐 — qigai.
The sign of the iron crutch still hangs outside some traditional Chinese apothecaries today.
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On the second immortal. Zhongli Quan — 鍾離權 — the Ancient.
His name is Zhongli Quan — 鍾離權.
He is also called Han Zhongli — 漢鍾離 — Zhongli of the Han Dynasty.
He is the eldest of the Eight Immortals.
He is believed to have been born during the Han dynasty — 漢朝 — Han Chao.
He was a notable military commander — 軍事指揮官 — junshi zhihuiguan.
He erupted from his mother's body in a shower of dazzling lights — 耀眼光芒 — yaomian guangmang.
He could speak at birth.
His military achievements led him to Tibet — 西藏 — Xizang.
There he studied Taoist doctrine and practiced meditation.
He ascended to heaven after transforming into a cloud of gold dust — 金塵 — jinchen — during a meditation session.
He is depicted as an elderly obese man with a long beard — 長鬚 — chang xu — that reaches his navel.
His robes fall open to reveal his bare belly — 裸腹 — luofu.
He carries a fan — 扇子 — shanzi — made of palm leaves — 棕櫚葉 — zonglü ye.
The fan can resurrect the dead — 使死者復活 — shi sizhe fuhuo.
The fan can produce silver and gold — 銀金 — yin jin.
He is associated with wine — 酒 — jiu.
His magical power: alchemy — 煉金術 — lianjin shu.
He is the teacher of Lü Dongbin — 呂洞賓.
The Yellow Millet Dream was given by him to Lü Dongbin.
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On the third immortal. Lü Dongbin — 呂洞賓 — the Poet.
His name in life was Lü Yan — 呂巖.
He took the name Lü Dongbin — 呂洞賓 — meaning Cave Hole Visitor — as his Taoist name.
He is also called Fuyou Dijun — 孚佑帝君 — the True Supporting Emperor.
He was a Tang dynasty scholar and poet.
He is confirmed by E.T.C. Werner as one of the three historically documented members of the Eight Immortals.
He met Zhongli Quan — 鍾離權 — at an inn.
Zhongli Quan put him to sleep while cooking millet — 小米 — xiaomi.
He dreamed.
In the dream he rose through government ranks over eighteen years.
He married. He prospered.
He was dismissed. He was divorced.
His wealth vanished.
He woke up.
The millet was still cooking.
This dream is called the Yellow Millet Dream — 黃粱夢 — Huang Liang Meng.
He understood: material achievement is temporary. It leaves nothing.
He became the disciple of Zhongli Quan.
He underwent ten trials — 十試 — shi shi — to prove his worthiness.
He passed all ten.
He achieved immortality.
He is the most widely worshipped of the Eight Immortals individually.
He has his own independent religious following under the title Fuyou Dijun — 孚佑帝君.
He is depicted wearing scholar's robes — 學者長袍 — xuezhe changpao.
He carries a sword — 劍 — jian — on his back.
The sword repels evil spirits — 驅邪 — qu xie.
He also carries a fly whisk — 拂塵 — fuchen.
He is associated with wine — 酒 — jiu — and romance.
He is the patron of scholars — 學者 — xuezhe.
He is the patron of writers — 作家 — zuojia.
He is the patron of barbers — 理髮師 — lifashi.
He is one of the Five Wenchang — 五文昌 — patrons of literary achievement.
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On the fourth immortal. Zhang Guolao — 張果老 — the Elder.
His name is Zhang Guolao — 張果老.
Guolao — 果老 — means Old Fruit. Elder Guo.
He is the oldest-appearing of the Eight Immortals.
He is confirmed by E.T.C. Werner as one of the three historically documented members.
He was an occult alchemist — 煉丹術士 — liandan shushi — and practitioner of necromancy — 通靈術 — tongling shu.
He could drink water from the petals of poisonous flowers — 毒花花瓣 — du hua huaban.
He could snatch birds from the sky with his bare hands — 徒手抓鳥 — tushou zhua niao.
He could travel more than a thousand li — 千里 — qian li — in a single day.
He rode a white mule — 白騾 — bai luo.
He always rode the mule backwards — 倒騎 — dao qi.
At the end of each day he folded the mule up like a piece of paper — 紙 — zhi.
He put it in a small box — 小盒子 — xiao hezi.
When he needed it again he poured water from his mouth onto it.
The mule resumed its normal form.
He died once while visiting a temple.
His body decomposed rapidly.
Days later he was seen alive on a nearby mountain.
He died again after many years of Taoist study.
This time necromancy could not help him.
His disciples buried him in the Zhongtiao Mountains — 中條山 — Zhongtiao Shan.
When they returned to pay respects the body was gone.
He had ascended to the heavenly realms.
He is depicted as an elderly man riding a white mule — always backwards.
He carries a bamboo fish drum — 魚鼓 — yu gu — and mallets.
The drum can predict the future — 預測未來 — yuce weilai.
He sometimes carries a Peach of Immortality — 蟠桃 — pantao.
He represents eccentricity — 古怪 — guwai — and the freedom of the immortal from social convention.
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On the fifth immortal. He Xiangu — 何仙姑 — the Female Immortal.
Her name is He Xiangu — 何仙姑.
He — 何 — is her family name.
Xiangu — 仙姑 — means Female Immortal. Celestial Lady.
She is the only woman among the Eight Immortals in the definitive Ming dynasty list.
She was born during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian — 武則天 — Wu Zetian — of the Tang dynasty.
At her birth purple clouds — 紫雲 — zi yun — filled the room.
Six beams of light — 六道光芒 — liu dao guangmang — shone above her head.
At age fifteen she dreamed.
A divine figure appeared and instructed her to eat powdered mica — 雲母粉 — yunmu fen.
She ate it.
She could fly freely — 自由飛翔 — ziyou feixiang — between mountain peaks.
She went out every morning.
She returned every evening.
She gathered mountain fruits to honor her mother.
She stopped eating grain — 辟穀 — bi gu — a Taoist practice believed to purify the body.
Her speech became unusual — 言語異常 — yanyu yichang.
One account states: she encountered Lü Dongbin on a mountain. He gave her a peach to eat. She no longer felt hunger. She could foresee calamities — 災難 — zainan — and blessings — 福祉 — fuzhi.
Empress Wu Zetian sent messengers to summon her.
She lost her direction on the way.
Some accounts say she ascended to heaven on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month — 八月初八 — ba yue chu ba — during the reign of Emperor Tang Zhongzong — 唐中宗 — Tang Zhongzong.
She is depicted holding a lotus flower — 荷花 — hehua.
The lotus cultivates people through meditation — 冥想 — mingxiang.
She is the patron of housewives — 家庭主婦 — jiating zhufü.
She is the principal deity of the Xian'gu Temple — 仙姑殿 — Xiangü Dian — in Singapore — 新加坡 — Xinjiapo.
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On the sixth immortal. Lan Caihe — 藍采和 — the Ambiguous.
The name is Lan Caihe — 藍采和.
Lan — 藍 — means blue.
Caihe — 采和 — means gather gently.
Lan Caihe's gender is not clearly established in the texts.
The oldest accounts depict Lan Caihe as male.
Many later depictions show a female figure.
Some depict an androgynous figure — 雌雄同體 — ci xiong tong ti.
This ambiguity is recorded in the texts.
This ambiguity is preserved here.
Lan Caihe was a wandering Taoist — 流浪道士 — liulang daoshi.
He wore ragged blue clothes — 破舊藍衣 — pojiu lanyi.
He wore a wide wooden belt — 寬木腰帶 — kuan mu yaodai — more than three inches wide.
One foot wore a boot.
The other foot was bare — 赤腳 — chi jiao.
He carried a flower basket — 花籃 — hualan.
He sang in the streets.
He gave away whatever money he received.
He was associated with drunkenness — 醉酒 — zuijiu.
He learned Taoist arts from Lü Dongbin and Zhongli Quan.
He was kidnapped by the Dragon King's son during the Eight Immortals' crossing of the sea.
The kidnapping provoked the war between the Eight Immortals and the four Dragon Kings.
His flower basket communicates with the celestial gods — 天上諸神 — tianshang zhu shen.
He represents the rejection of conventional social categories.
He is neither male nor female.
He is neither rich nor poor.
He gives everything away.
He keeps nothing.
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On the seventh immortal. Han Xiangzi — 韓湘子 — the Musician.
His name is Han Xiangzi — 韓湘子.
Han — 韓 — is his family name.
Xiangzi — 湘子 — means the young man of the Xiang River — 湘江 — Xiang Jiang.
He is believed to be the grandnephew — 侄孫 — zhi sun — of the great Tang dynasty poet and politician Han Yu — 韓愈.
Han Yu was one of the most celebrated writers of the Tang dynasty.
He was known for his opposition to Buddhism — 佛教 — Fojiao — and his promotion of Confucianism — 儒學 — Ruxue.
His nephew chose the opposite path.
Han Xiangzi chose Taoism — 道教 — Daojiao — over Confucian scholarship.
His uncle Han Yu strongly opposed this choice.
Han Xiangzi secluded himself in Mount Zhongnan — 終南山 — Zhongnan Shan — to cultivate.
He achieved enlightenment.
He became one of the Eight Immortals.
He is depicted as a young man.
He carries a jade flute — 玉笛 — yu di.
The flute produces melodies capable of healing illness — 治病 — zhibing.
The flute makes plants grow and flowers bloom out of season — 使花開花 — shi hua kai hua.
He represents the idealized Taoist mountain hermit — 隱士 — yinshi — the scholar who chose the mountains over the court.
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On the eighth immortal. Cao Guojiu — 曹國舅 — the Royal Uncle.
His name is Cao Guojiu — 曹國舅.
Guo Jiu — 國舅 — means Imperial Brother-in-Law. Royal Uncle.
He is believed to have been the younger brother of Empress Cao — 曹皇后 — Cao Huanghou — wife of Emperor Renzong — 仁宗 — Renzong — of the Song dynasty — 宋朝 — Song Chao.
His original name was Cao Jingxiu — 曹景休 — or Cao Jingzhi — 曹景植 — in some accounts.
He had a mischievous younger brother — 調皮的弟弟 — tiaopi de didi — whose crimes caused widespread harm.
Cao Guojiu felt deep shame for his brother's actions.
He resigned his position at court.
He gave away all his possessions.
He secluded himself in the mountains.
He wore only a rough robe — 粗袍 — cu pao.
He ate only wild vegetables — 野菜 — yecai.
He encountered Zhongli Quan — 鍾離權 — and Lü Dongbin — 呂洞賓 — on a mountain path.
They asked him: where are you going?
He pointed to the sky.
They asked: what is heaven?
He pointed to his heart.
They said: the heart is heaven. Heaven is the heart. You understand the Tao.
They taught him Taoist arts.
He achieved immortality.
He is depicted wearing a gauze hat — 紗帽 — sha mao — and a red official robe — 紅色官服 — hongse guanfu.
He holds a jade tablet — 玉板 — yuban — or jade castanets — 玉板拍 — yuban pai.
The tablet purifies the atmosphere — 淨化空氣 — jinghua kongqi.
He represents the renunciation of worldly status — 放棄世俗地位 — fangqi shisu diwei — and the purification that comes from choosing virtue over privilege.
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On the crossing of the sea — 八仙過海 — Ba Xian Guo Hai.
The most famous story of the Eight Immortals as a group is the crossing of the sea.
They were traveling to attend the Pantao Banquet — 蟠桃會 — hosted by Xiwangmu — 西王母.
Instead of riding clouds, Lü Dongbin suggested each use their own power to cross.
Each used their magical tool.
Li Tieguai floated on his iron crutch — 鐵拐 — tie guai.
Zhongli Quan floated on his fan — 扇子 — shanzi.
Lü Dongbin floated on his sword — 劍 — jian.
He Xiangu floated on her lotus — 荷花 — hehua.
Lan Caihe floated on his flower basket — 花籃 — hualan.
Han Xiangzi floated on his flute — 笛 — di.
Zhang Guolao floated on his fish drum — 魚鼓 — yu gu.
Cao Guojiu floated on his jade castanets — 玉板 — yuban.
The Dragon King's son stole Lan Caihe and the jade tablet.
The Eight Immortals fought the Dragon Kings.
The full account is recorded in the chapter on the Pantao Banquet.
From this event comes the proverb: Ba xian guo hai ge xian shentong — 八仙過海各顯神通 — the Eight Immortals cross the sea each showing their divine power.
The proverb means: everyone brings their own unique contribution to a shared goal.
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On what they represent together.
They represent the diversity of paths to transcendence.
They were a soldier. A scholar. A poet. An old man. A woman. A gender-ambiguous wanderer. A musician. A nobleman who renounced his nobility.
They came from every social class.
They came from every background.
They came from every age.
They achieved the same destination by entirely different roads.
The Ancient Origins account states: the Eight Immortals specifically reflect the egalitarianism that anyone regardless of background, age, or gender identity can attain immortality.
This is what they represent.
Not hierarchy.
Not privilege.
Not pedigree.
The path is open.
It always was.
END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE