Page 463 - Chinese pottery and porcelain : an account of the potter's art in China from primitive times to the present day

Motives of the Decoration 287

Thus seated he receives homage from the Eight Immortals and
the other Taoist genii or hsien, who are as numerous as the fairies
of our countryside. Other designs represent Shou Lao riding on
a deer or flying on the back of a stork, or simply standing with his
staff and peach, his robes embroidered with seal forms of the character
shou (longevity). In this last posture he is often grouped with two
other popular deities, one in mandarin robes and official hat holding
a ju-i sceptre, which fulfils every wish, and the other also in official
robes but holding a babe who reaches out for a peach in his other
hand. Together they form the Taoist triad, Shou-hsing, Lu-hsing,
and Fu-hsing, stargods (hsing) of Longevity, Preferment, and
Happiness. Fu-hsing in addition has sometimes two boy attendants
carrying respectively a lotus and a hand- organ.

The Eight Taoist Immortals {pa hsien) are :

1. Chung-li Ch'iian, also known as Han Chung-li, represented
as a fat man, half-draped, who holds a ling chih fungus in one hand

and a fly-whisk or fan in the other.
2. Lii Tung-pin, a figure of martial aspect armed with a sword

to slay dragons and evil spirits. He is the patron of barbers.

3. Li T*ieh-kuai, Li with the iron crutch, a lame beggar with a
crutch and pilgrim's gourd from which issue clouds and apparitions.

He is patron of astrologers and magicians.

4. Ts'ao Kuo-ch'iu, in official robes, wearing a winged hat,

and carrying a pair of castanets. He is patron of mummers and

actors.

5. Lan Ts'ai-ho, of uncertain sex, carrying a hoe and a basket
of flowers. Patron of gardeners and florists.

6. Chang Kuo Lao, the necromancer with the magic mule, of
which he kept a picture folded up in his wallet. He would make the

beast materialise from the picture by spurting water on to it ; and
at other times he would conjure it out of a gourd. His attribute is

a musical instrument consisting of a drum and a pair of rods. He is

patron of artists and calligraphers, and ranks as one of the gods of

Literature

7. Han Hsiang Tzu, who gained admission to the Taoist para-
dise and climbed the peach-tree of Immortality. He is shown as
a young man playing on a flute, and is specially worshipped by

musicians.

8. Ho Hsien Ku, a maiden who wears a cloak of mug-wort

leaves and carries a lotus. She is patroness of housewives.