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'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
Princess Kishi (929-985, also Yoshiko or Saigū no Nyōgo) was a Japanese Waka poet of the middle Heian period. 'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
Kunai-kyō was a 13th century Japanese poet. 'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (c. 653–655 – c. 707–710) was a Japanese <i>waka</i> poet and aristocrat of the late Asuka period. 'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
Guanyin, short for Guanshiyin, is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism often associated with compassion and mercy. While she is often portrayed as a woman, she is beyond gender and can be depicted as both male and female.<br/><br/> Guanyin is often referred to as the 'most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity', due to her miraculous powers and her loving compassion. She is not only worshipped in Buddhism, but also in Taoism and Chinese folk religion, with various stories and legends about her. Guanyin plays a very important role in the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West.'<br/><br/> She is known by various names in different nations, with the Japanese calling her Kannon/Kwannon, or more formally Kanzeon, while in Thailand she is called Kuan Im. She is extremely popular, with temples dedicated to her found throughout South and East Asia, especially in China and Chinese folk religion.
Guanyin, short for Guanshiyin, is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism often associated with compassion and mercy. While she is often portrayed as a woman, she is beyond gender and can be depicted as both male and female.<br/><br/> Guanyin is often referred to as the 'most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity', due to her miraculous powers and her loving compassion. She is not only worshipped in Buddhism, but also in Taoism and Chinese folk religion, with various stories and legends about her. Guanyin plays a very important role in the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West.'<br/><br/> She is known by various names in different nations, with the Japanese calling her Kannon/Kwannon, or more formally Kanzeon, while in Thailand she is called Kuan Im. She is extremely popular, with temples dedicated to her found throughout South and East Asia, especially in China and Chinese folk religion.
Guanyin, short for Guanshiyin, is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism often associated with compassion and mercy. While she is often portrayed as a woman, she is beyond gender and can be depicted as both male and female.<br/><br/> Guanyin is often referred to as the 'most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity', due to her miraculous powers and her loving compassion. She is not only worshipped in Buddhism, but also in Taoism and Chinese folk religion, with various stories and legends about her. Guanyin plays a very important role in the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West.'<br/><br/> She is known by various names in different nations, with the Japanese calling her Kannon/Kwannon, or more formally Kanzeon, while in Thailand she is called Kuan Im. She is extremely popular, with temples dedicated to her found throughout South and East Asia, especially in China and Chinese folk religion.
Guanyin, short for Guanshiyin, is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism often associated with compassion and mercy. While she is often portrayed as a woman, she is beyond gender and can be depicted as both male and female.<br/><br/> Guanyin is often referred to as the 'most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity', due to her miraculous powers and her loving compassion. She is not only worshipped in Buddhism, but also in Taoism and Chinese folk religion, with various stories and legends about her. Guanyin plays a very important role in the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West.'<br/><br/> She is known by various names in different nations, with the Japanese calling her Kannon/Kwannon, or more formally Kanzeon, while in Thailand she is called Kuan Im. She is extremely popular, with temples dedicated to her found throughout South and East Asia, especially in China and Chinese folk religion.
Guanyin, short for Guanshiyin, is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism often associated with compassion and mercy. While she is often portrayed as a woman, she is beyond gender and can be depicted as both male and female.<br/><br/> Guanyin is often referred to as the 'most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity', due to her miraculous powers and her loving compassion. She is not only worshipped in Buddhism, but also in Taoism and Chinese folk religion, with various stories and legends about her. Guanyin plays a very important role in the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West.'<br/><br/> She is known by various names in different nations, with the Japanese calling her Kannon/Kwannon, or more formally Kanzeon, while in Thailand she is called Kuan Im. She is extremely popular, with temples dedicated to her found throughout South and East Asia, especially in China and Chinese folk religion.
In Taoism, a <i>xian</i> is used to describe an enlightened person, almost always immortals. They have, through self-reflection and devotion, reached a state in Taoism where they have attained spiritual and physical immortality, usually also involving methods such as alchemy, breath meditation, <i>qigong</i> and <i>tai chi</i>.<br/><br/><i>Xian</i> are often described as superhuman and with a variety of magical and supernatural abilities, such as immunity to heat and cold, flight, and superhuman speeds. Some can survive on just air and dew, or can use their magic to bring death or grant life.
Huang Chuping, sometimes known as Wong Cho Ping, was the human form of the Chinese Daoist deity Huang Daxian, also known as Wong Tai Sin. The name Huang Daxian translates as 'Great Immortal Huang (Wong)'.<br/><br/> Huang Chuping was a Daoist hermit from Zheijang, born in 238 CE, though some Western sources list his birth as c. 284 to 364 CE. Huang Chuping was said to have experienced great hunger and poverty in his youth, becoming a shepherd by his eighth birthday. One day, when he was fifteen years old, he met an immortal on Red Pine Mountain, and began practising Daoism as a result. After forty years, he was able to transform stones into sheep, and eventually became known as the Red Pine Immortal.<br/><br/> Worship of him is popular in Jinhua, Zhejiang and Hong Kong, where he is often prayed to for his powers of healing.
Huoling Shengmu, also known as Mother Fire Spirit, was a minor character in the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'.<br/><br/> 'Fengshen Yanyi', sometimes also known as 'Fengshen Bang' and translated to 'Investiture of the Gods', was a 16th-century Ming Dynasty novel written by Xu Zhonglin and Lu Xixing, and is a dramatised and fictionalised story depicting the fall of the Shang Dynasty and the rise of the Zhou Dynasty. It contains various elements and characters from Chinese mythology and folklore, including deities, gods, immortals, spririts and demons. It consists of 100 chapters, and was first published in book form in the 1550s.
Yuding Zhenren was a minor character from the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. Yuding Zhenren was one of the Twelve Golden Xian, twelve of Yuanshi Tianzun's greatest students. He was a devoted follower of Branch Chan of Taoism, fighting against Branch Jie. During the war between the Zhou and Shang armies, he fought alongside the Zhou army with the other Twelve Golden Xian, helping to overthrow the Shang Dynasty.
Longxu Hu was a minor character from the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. Longxu Hu, which translates roughly to Dragon Beard Tiger, was an immortal who decided to aid the legendary sage Jiang Ziya in his attempts to overthrow the Shang Dynasty. He was eventually killed by Yong Huan.
Ma Shan was a minor character from the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. Ma Shan was an immortal who decided to aid Yin Jiao, the son of King Zhou of Shang, in his fight for the Shang army against the Zhou army. Not much is known about Ma Shan after that.
Nan Ji Xian Weng was a character in the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. An immortal, also known as the Immortal of the South Pole or the Old Man of the South Pole, he aided and encouraged the legendary sage Jiang Ziya to accomplish his destiny and help form the Zhou Dynasty. In Taoism, he is the deification of Canopus, the brightest star in the Carina constellation, and symbolises happiness and longevity in Far Eastern culture.
Jinguang Shengmu was a minor character from the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. Jinguang Shengmu, also known as Mother Golden Light, was an immortal from Golden Turtle Island and disciple of Tongian Jiaozhu, who was the founder of Branch Jie of Taoism, as opposed to Guangchengzi's Branch Chan.<br/><br/> It is her death at the hands of Guangchengzi, by mistake, that causes a rift and open war between the two branches that would last for many decades, leading to a final confrontation during the fall of the Shang Dynasty.
Ma Yuan was a character from the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. Ma Yuan is described as an immortal, the first ether immortal. He eventually enters the story to come to the aid of Yin Hong, one of King Zhou's errant sons.
Xianhe Tongzi, also known as Bai He Tong Zi or 'White Crane Immortal Boy', was a character in the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. As his name suggests, Xianhe Tongzi was an immortal who could transform into an immortal crane.<br/><br/> He practiced Taoist cultivation on the mythical Kun Lun Mountain, and was said to be the only animal disciple that Yuanshi Yianzun, one of the highest deities in Taoism, accepted under his wing. Xianhe Tongzi is worshipped in temples and shrines as a spiritual power for getting rid of negative forces, as well as a deity of bravery, determination, intelligence and wisdom.
The Chinese god Erlang Shen, or sometimes Yang Jian, has various differing origin stories. In some, he is a deified folk hero who helped regulate China's torrential floods, in others he is the nephew of the Jade Emperor. Whatever his origin, Erlang Shen is known as the greatest warrior god of heaven, equpped with a third truth-seeing eye in the middle of his forehead, and is titled 'Divine Immortal of Purity and Decency'.<br/><br/> Erlang makes various appearances in Chinese folk mythology and writing, from 'Journey to the West' to 'Fengshen Yanyi'. In the former, he is titled 'Illustrious Sage' and is sent by his uncle, the Jade Emperor, to subdue Sun Wukong for causing havoc in heaven, eventually defeating the trickster monkey through teamwork with several other gods.<br/><br/> In 'Fengshen Yanyi', he is first seen fighting demons known as the Diablo Brothers alongside noble and sage Jiang Ziya. He later fights on the side of the Zhou army against the Shang army, helping to overthrow the Shang Dynasty. Erlang is almost always portrayed as a noble and righteous warrior god, exceptionally powerful and capable of 72 Transformations, and is worshipped as a filial deity for rescuing his deceased mother from torture in the Chinese underworld.
Guanyin, short for Guanshiyin, is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism often associated with compassion and mercy. While she is often portrayed as a woman, she is beyond gender and can be depicted as both male and female.<br/><br/> Guanyin is often referred to as the 'most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity', due to her miraculous powers and her loving compassion. She is not only worshipped in Buddhism, but also in Taoism and Chinese folk religion, with various stories and legends about her. Guanyin plays a very important role in the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West.'<br/><br/> She is known by various names in different nations, with the Japanese calling her Kannon/Kwannon, or more formally Kanzeon, while in Thailand she is called Kuan Im. She is extremely popular, with temples dedicated to her found throughout South and East Asia, especially in China and Chinese folk religion.
The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary <i>xian</i> (immortals) in Chinese mythology, folk religion and Taoism. The Eight Immortals are believed to have been born in either the Tang or Song Dynasty, though they were first described in the Yuan Dynasty, most likely named after the Eight Immortals Scholars of the Han.<br/><br/> The names of the Immortals were: He Xiangu; Cao Guojiu; Li Tieguai; Lan Caihe; Lu Dongbin; Han Xiangzi; Zhang Guolao; and Zhongli Quan. They were each said to have in their possession a tool with which they could transfer their power to and either bestow life or destroy evil, known as the 'Covert Eight Immortals'. They were believed to have lived on a group of five islands, including Penglai Mountain-Island, in the Bohai Sea.<br/><br/> The Eight Immortals are considered signs of longevity and prosperity, and are very popular in art and literature. They are a commonly seen element in secular Chinese culture and revered by Taoists, with many shrines dedicated to them scattered throughout China, Taiwan and Singapore.
The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary <i>xian</i> (immortals) in Chinese mythology, folk religion and Taoism. The Eight Immortals are believed to have been born in either the Tang or Song Dynasty, though they were first described in the Yuan Dynasty, most likely named after the Eight Immortals Scholars of the Han.<br/><br/> The names of the Immortals were: He Xiangu; Cao Guojiu; Li Tieguai; Lan Caihe; Lu Dongbin; Han Xiangzi; Zhang Guolao; and Zhongli Quan. They were each said to have in their possession a tool with which they could transfer their power to and either bestow life or destroy evil, known as the 'Covert Eight Immortals'. They were believed to have lived on a group of five islands, including Penglai Mountain-Island, in the Bohai Sea.<br/><br/> The Eight Immortals are considered signs of longevity and prosperity, and are very popular in art and literature. They are a commonly seen element in secular Chinese culture and revered by Taoists, with many shrines dedicated to them scattered throughout China, Taiwan and Singapore.
Guanyin, short for Guanshiyin, is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism often associated with compassion and mercy. While she is often portrayed as a woman, she is beyond gender and can be depicted as both male and female.<br/><br/> Guanyin is often referred to as the 'most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity', due to her miraculous powers and her loving compassion. She is not only worshipped in Buddhism, but also in Taoism and Chinese folk religion, with various stories and legends about her. Guanyin plays a very important role in the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West.'<br/><br/> She is known by various names in different nations, with the Japanese calling her Kannon/Kwannon, or more formally Kanzeon, while in Thailand she is called Kuan Im. She is extremely popular, with temples dedicated to her found throughout South and East Asia, especially in China and Chinese folk religion.
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (c. 653–655 – c. 707–710) was a Japanese <i>waka</i> poet and aristocrat of the late Asuka period. 'Portraits and Poems of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals'. Album of thirty-six paintings and poems by Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631-1705).<br/><br/> Sumiyoshi Gukei (1631 - April 23, 1705), born Sumiyoshi Hirozumi, was a Japanese painter from Kyoto. He became the first official painter of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate, and was a Yamato-e artist, a painting technique based on traditional Japanese subjects and culture.
Zhang Guo, better known as Zhang Guolao, is a Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoist or Daoist pantheon.<br/><br/> His existence is said to have begun around the middle or end of the 7th century, and ended approximately in the middle of the 8th.
He Xiangu, sometimes written as He Xian Gu and born as He Qiong, is a Chinese mythological character and one of the Eight Immortals in the Daoist pantheon. She is often portrayed as the only woman among the Eight Immortals, though sometimes Lan Caihe's sex is portrayed somewhat ambigiously. He Xiangu is said to have been born and lived during the Tang Dynasty.<br/><br/> He Xiangu was the daughter of He Tai, a man from Guangzhou, and she was born with six long hairs on the crown of her head. When she was around 14 or 15 years old, she was visited in her dreams by a divine persoange who instructed her to eat powdered mica, so that her body could become etherealised and immune from death. She eventually ascended to Heaven in broad daylight, becoming a <i>xian</i> (immortal).<br/><br/> He Xiangu is often depicted holding a lotus flower, which improves one's physical and mental health. She also sometimes carries a musical instrument known as a 'sheng' or a 'fenghuang', and can also be depicted with a bamboo ladle or a fly-whisk.
In Japan, Jurojin is one of the Seven Gods of Fortune - or Shichifukujin - and is based on the Taoist deity of the Old Man of the South Pole. Jurojin was considered the god of longevity, and is the personification of the Southern Polar Star, and may have been based on a historical figure from the Northern Song Dynasty.<br/><br/> Jurojin is often depicted as an old man with a very tall, bald head and a long white beard, wielding a staff and a fan. Tied to his staff is a scroll, sometimes identified as a Buddhist sutra, with the lifespan of all living things written on it. He is sometimes accompanied by a deer, which is a symbol of longevity alongside other long-lived animals such as the crane and tortoise.<br/><br/> While there are many paintings and statues of him, which are considered auspicious, he never developed a strong independent following like some of the other Seven Gods of Fortune.
Laozi (Lao Tzu, c. 6th century BCE) was a mystic philosopher of ancient China. His association with the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism (also spelled 'Daoism'). He is also revered as a deity in most religious forms of the Taoist religion, which often refers to Laozi as Taishang Laojun, or 'One of the Three Pure Ones'. Laozi translated literally from Chinese means 'old master' or 'old one', and is generally considered honorific.
The oldest known Japanese narrative, this sad fairy tale dates back to the 9th or 10th century. In this tale Kaguya-hime was found inside a bamboo stalk by a bamboo cutter, who took her home and raised her as his daughter (1891).<br/><br/> Toyohara Chikanobu (豊原周延) (1838–1912), better known to his contemporaries as Yōshū Chikanobu (楊洲周延), was a prolific woodblock artist of Japan's Meiji period. His works capture the transition from the age of the samurai to Meiji modernity.<br/><br/> In 1875 (Meiji 8), he decided to try to make a living as an artist. He travelled to Tokyo. He found work as an artist for the Kaishin Shimbun. In addition, he produced nishiki-e artworks. In his younger days, he had studied the Kanō school of painting; but his interest was drawn to ukiyo-e.<br/><br/> Like many ukiyo-e artists, Chikanobu turned his attention towards a great variety of subjects. His work ranged from Japanese mythology to depictions of the battlefields of his lifetime to women's fashions. As well as a number of the other artists of this period, he too portrayed kabuki actors in character, and is well-known for his impressions of the mie (formal pose) of kabuki productions.<br/><br/> Chikanobu was known as a master of bijinga, images of beautiful women, and for illustrating changes in women's fashion, including both traditional and Western clothing. His work illustrated the changes in coiffures and make-up across time. For example, in Chikanobu's images in Mirror of Ages (1897), the hair styles of the Tenmei era, 1781-1789 are distinguished from those of the Keio era, 1865-1867.
Dalongdong Baoan Temple (Chinese: 大龍峒保安宮; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tōa-lông-pōng pó-an kiong) also known as the Taipei Baoan Temple (Chinese: 臺北保安宮) is a Taiwanese folk religion temple built in the Datong district of Taipei, Taiwan.<br/><br/>The present temple was originally built by clan members in the Tong'an District (同安) who immigrated to Taipei in the early 19th century and gave the temple the name Bao'an (保安) in order to 'protect those of tong'an' (保佑同安).<br/><br/>The temple construction commenced in 1804 and replaced a previously existing wooden shrine from 1742 in Dalongdong.
Suiren was the discoverer of Fire, according to ancient Chinese legend. It is said he is one of The Three August Ones in remote ancient China. From his depictions, he apparently had three eyes.
The Eight Immortals (Chinese: Baxian; Pa-hsien) are a group of legendary 'xian' (immortals; transcendents; fairies) in Chinese mythology. Each Immortal's power can give life or destroy evil. Most of them are said to have been born in the Tang Dynasty or Song Dynasty. They are revered in Daoism (Taoism) and are also a popular element in secular Chinese culture. They are said to live on a group of five islands in the Bohai Sea which includes Penglai Mountain-Island. The Immortals are:<br/><br/> 1. Immortal Woman He (He Xiangu)<br/><br/> 2. Royal Uncle Cao (Cao Guojiu)<br/><br/> 3. Iron-Crutch Li (Tieguai Li)<br/><br/> 4. Lan Caihe<br/><br/> 5. Lu Dongbin, (leader) 6. Philosopher Han Xiang (Han Xiang Zi)<br/><br/> 7. Elder Zhang Guo (Zhang Guo Lao)<br/><br/> 8. Han Zhongli (Zhongli Quan)<br/><br/> In literature before the 1970s, they were sometimes translated as the Eight Genies. First described in the Yuan Dynasty, they were probably named after the Eight Immortal Scholars of the Han.
Li Tieguai, also known as Tieguai Li and born as Li Yuan, is a Chinese mythological character and one of the Eight Immortals. Though he is often portrayed as being ill-tempered and irascible, he is benevolent and kind to the poor, sick and the needy, curing and alleviating the pain of others with special medicine from his magical gourd. Li Tieguai was said to have been born during the Yuan Dynasty.<br/><br/> In Chinese folklore, Li Tieguai was said to have originally been Laozi's apprentice, which would have put his birth some time in the sixth century BCE rather than during the Yuan Dynasty. Either way, he is said to have devoted himself to religious contemplation for 40 years, overcoming various tests and tasks Laozi set for him eventually becoming an immortal.<br/><br/> Li Tieguai was said to have been a handsome man once, but during his path towards immortality, there was an incident when his spirit left his body and ascended to Heaven to meet other immortals. While away, his body was cremated, and when Li's spirit returned, he had to enter the corpse of an ugly and disheveled homeless beggar who had just recently starved to death. Li Tieguai is the second most popular of the Eight Immortals, and associated with medicine.
The Daoist Immortal Ge, seated to the right, was Ge Xuan, a Daoist master of the third century. Born into an eminent family, Ge Xuan was by nature reclusive and drawn to the occult arts of Daoism.<br/><br/> He perfected the manufacture of the elixir of immortality as well as all manner of cultivation techniques – such as breathing fire (pictured here) and also turning food he had eaten into bees that flew out of his mouth. He eventually became an immortal and disappeared.
Li Tieguai, also known as Tieguai Li and born as Li Yuan, is a Chinese mythological character and one of the Eight Immortals. Though he is often portrayed as being ill-tempered and irascible, he is benevolent and kind to the poor, sick and the needy, curing and alleviating the pain of others with special medicine from his magical gourd. Li Tieguai was said to have been born during the Yuan Dynasty.<br/><br/> In Chinese folklore, Li Tieguai was said to have originally been Laozi's apprentice, which would have put his birth some time in the sixth century BCE rather than during the Yuan Dynasty. Either way, he is said to have devoted himself to religious contemplation for 40 years, overcoming various tests and tasks Laozi set for him eventually becoming an immortal.<br/><br/> Li Tieguai was said to have been a handsome man once, but during his path towards immortality, there was an incident when his spirit left his body and ascended to Heaven to meet other immortals. While away, his body was cremated, and when Li's spirit returned, he had to enter the corpse of an ugly and disheveled homeless beggar who had just recently starved to death. Li Tieguai is the second most popular of the Eight Immortals, and associated with medicine.
Li Tieguai, also known as Tieguai Li and born as Li Yuan, is a Chinese mythological character and one of the Eight Immortals. Though he is often portrayed as being ill-tempered and irascible, he is benevolent and kind to the poor, sick and the needy, curing and alleviating the pain of others with special medicine from his magical gourd. Li Tieguai was said to have been born during the Yuan Dynasty.<br/><br/> In Chinese folklore, Li Tieguai was said to have originally been Laozi's apprentice, which would have put his birth some time in the sixth century BCE rather than during the Yuan Dynasty. Either way, he is said to have devoted himself to religious contemplation for 40 years, overcoming various tests and tasks Laozi set for him eventually becoming an immortal.<br/><br/> Li Tieguai was said to have been a handsome man once, but during his path towards immortality, there was an incident when his spirit left his body and ascended to Heaven to meet other immortals. While away, his body was cremated, and when Li's spirit returned, he had to enter the corpse of an ugly and disheveled homeless beggar who had just recently starved to death. Li Tieguai is the second most popular of the Eight Immortals, and associated with medicine.
Han Xiangzi, whose courtesy names were Qingfu and Beizhu, is a Chinese mythological character and one of the Eight Immortals. Han Xiangzi is believed to have been known as Han Xiang before his immortality, and was born in the Tang Dynasty, the grandnephew of promiment poet and scholar Han Yu.<br/><br/> Han Xiangzi became an immortal under the tutelage of Lu Dongbin, another of the Eight Immortals, who taught him the Taoist magical arts that would eventually lead to his apotheosis and immortality. He is often depicted with a 'dizi' (Chinese flute), and has therefore been regarded as the patron deity of flutists. Han Xiangzi is believed to have been the composer of the Taoist musical piece 'Tian Hua Yin'.
Cao Guojiu (Imperial Brother-in-law Cao), whose real name was Cao Yi and courtesy name was Jingxiu, is a Chinese mythological character and one of the Eight Immortals. Better known to his contemporaries as Cao Jingxiu, Cao Guojiu is believed to have been a descendant of Cao Bin, a general of the early Song Dynasty, and the younger brother of Empress Cao, wife of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty.<br/><br/> Cao's younger brother Cao Jingzhi abused his imperial connections to engage in corrupt practices, leading to his brother trying to change him, with little success. Cao Guojiu also used his family's wealth to help the poor and balance his brother's misdeeds. After his brother was caught and accused by Imperial offricials for his misdeeds, Cao was so ashamed that he gave up his office and retired to the countryside as a recluse. He then met the immortals Zhongli Quan and Lu Dongbin, who taught him Daoist magical arts and helped him become immortal.<br/><br/> Cao Guojiu is often depicted in official imperial robes and holding a jade tablet or castanets. He is often recognised as the patron deity of acting and theatre.
Zhongli Quan, also known as Han Zhongli and whose courtesy name was Jidao, is a Chinese mythological character and one of the Eight Immortals. Zhongli Quan was believed to have been born in the Han Dynasty, in Yanjing.<br/><br/> It is said that during his birth, bright beams of light filled the labour room, and that after he was born he did not stop crying for seven full days. His distince features marked him out for greatness however, and he began speaking fluently either after seven days or seven years. He followed in his father's footsteps and became a member of the imperial court, becoming a general in the Han army. He fought and was defeated by the Tibetans, causing him to flee into the mountains, where he came across an old man in a spiritual sanctuary. From there he learned the ways of alchemy and immortality.<br/><br/> Armed with his alchemical knowledge and a magic fan, he began creating silver and gold coins from stones and saved people from famine and poverty. One story tells that his constant use of his magical fan eventually caused his descent into the clouds of immortality. The other story claims that he was meditating in his hermitage when one of the walls collapsed revealing a jade vessel that contained the elixir of immortality.
Lu Dongbin, whose birth name was Lu Yan and courtesy name Dongbin, is a Chinese historical character and one of the most famous of the Eight Immortals, considered by many to be the de facto leader. He is officially mentioned in the history book 'History of Song', and was often portrayed as a clever and scholarly man with a genuine desire to help people marred by flaws such as his philandering, his bouts of drunkenness and his short temper.<br/><br/> Lu Dongbin was born during the Tang Dynasty, some time around 796 CE, and was said to have been very intelligent even as a child, though he twice failed the top-level civil service exam to become a government official. He one day dreamed of getting all he had wanted, only to lose it all in the end and dying in the street alone, a dream caused by Zhongli Quan to make Lu Dongbin realise the dangers of placing too much importance on success and transient glory.<br/><br/> Lu Dongbin subsequently left to become Zhongli Quan's disicple, passing ten trials before he was deemed worthy of becoming immortal. Since then, Lu Dongbin has embarked on various adventures and stories with his fellow immortals. He is still worshipped to this day, though not by people with romantic problems, and is considered one of the earliest masters of 'neidan', or internal alchemy.
Lan Caihe is a Chinese mythological character and one of the Eight Immortals. He is perhaps the least defined of the Eight Immortals, with his age and even his sex never clearly defined. Therefore, he is often depicted as a boy or girl dressed in sexually ambigious clothing and carrying a bamboo flower basket and a pair of bamboo castanets.<br/><br/> Lan Caihe was said to have been stuck in a drunken stupor when he was swept up from the human world by a celestial swan or crane, which took him to heaven. Some stories say that he was aided in his journey to become an immortal by Sun Wukong, who transferred 500 years of magical powers to him.
Zhang Guolao, also known as Zhang Guo, is a historical figure and one of the Eight Immortals. He is said to have been born during the middle or end of the 7th century CE, during the Tang Dynasty, and was a Taoist 'fangshi' (occultist-alchemist) who lived as a hermit on Zhongtiao Mountain. Zhang was portrayed with a strong love for wine and winemaking, and was a master of 'qigong' (life energy cultivation), able to survive for days without food and only a few sips of wine.<br/><br/> Zhang Guolao claimed to be several hundred years old by the time Empress Wu Zetian came to power. He traveled often on the back of a white donkey or mule, which he could fold away and place in his pocket after he was done traveling. He constantly declined invitations to the courts of the Tang Dynasty emperors, only agreeing to leave his hermitage when Wu Zetian asked. However, he died just as he reached the gates of the Temple of the Jealous Woman, his body swiftly decomposing. He was soon seen alive and well on Zhongtiao Mountain however.<br/><br/> Zhang Guolao was considered the most eccentric of the Eight Immortals, known as an entertainer and for his various whimsical acts.