The Story of Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea

Legend has it that when the peony in Penglai Xiandao was in full bloom, Baiyun Fairy invited the Eight Immortals and the Five Saints to attend the ceremony. On the return trip, Tie Guai Li (or Lv Dongbin) suggested that they should find their own way instead of taking a boat. At this time, he left another instrument, an iron crutch (or gourd). Han Zhongli threw a banana fan and Zhang put down his mount "paper donkey". Other immortals also threw their own instruments into the water and crossed the East China Sea.

Because the behavior of the Eight Immortals alarmed the Dragon Palace, the Dragon King of the East China Sea led a group of soldiers and crabs to theorize. Unexpectedly, there was a conflict, and Lan Cai He was taken back to the Dragon Palace. After the Eight Immortals killed the dragon, the Dragon King of the East China Sea cooperated with the Dragon Kings of the North Sea, the South China Sea and the West Sea, and suddenly the waves were stormy.

At this time, Cao Guojiu took out the jade board and opened the way, forcing the huge waves to both sides and crossing the sea smoothly. Finally, the South China Sea Guanyin Bodhisattva (or Tathagata) intervened and asked the Dragon King of the East China Sea to release Lan Caihe, and the two sides stopped fighting.

Extended data

Unlike many Taoist immortals, the Eight Immortals all came from the world, and they all had colorful earthly stories, and then gained the Tao. They are completely different from the images of ordinary immortals, so they are deeply loved by the people, including generals, royalty, beggars and Taoist priests. They are not born immortals, and they all have some shortcomings.

For example, Han Zhongli was topless, Lv Dongbin was frivolous, and Tie Guai Li was a heavy drinker. The Eight Immortals also represent men, women, children, rich and poor. Therefore, generally speaking, Taoist temples have places to worship the Eight Immortals, or the Eight Immortals Palace is set up independently, and the Eight Immortals also appear in the temple fairs of the gods.

The Eight Immortals often appear in New Year pictures, embroidery, porcelain, lanterns and plays. According to legend, the Eight Immortals regularly go to the Western Queen Mother Flat Peach Festival to celebrate their birthdays, so "Eight Immortals' Birthday" has also become a common birthday theme in folk art. When folk operas reward gods, so-called "fairy plays" such as drunken Eight Immortals or Eight Immortals' birthdays are often staged.

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