Page 138 - Bonhams May 11th 2017 London Fine Chinese Art
P. 138
Panel 7 Panel 8 Panel 9
The seventh panel depicts three wizened old The eighth panel depicts the Hehe Erxian The ninth panel depicts four of the ‘Eight
sages standing together, one holding a melon floating on the clouds, the twin Immortals Daoist Immortals’. Seated in a raft is the
above his head. carrying a lotus (he 荷) and a box (he 盒), both Immortal Lan Caihe beside a basket of
homophones with harmony (he 和) and union flowers with the Immortal He Xiangu steering
(he 合). Beneath them, a young boy beside the vessel. The latter was said to have
a man, possibly the Star God Fu, the God of had a divine revelation in a dream, and ate
good fortune, proffers a floral sprig to the Star powdered mica to prolong her life. The two
God Lu, holding a ruyi sceptre beside a child, Immortals gaze from the raft across the
and attendant carrying a vase with a halberd stream to the Immortal Cao Guojiu holding
arrow (ji 戟), which is a homophone for ‘grade’ castanets, said to have the power to purify his
(ji 級). The theme of the panel is thus the wish surroundings. In the foreground, the Immortal
for attainment of good fortune, prosperity, Han Xiangzi plays the flute beside a crane, a
rank and influence. symbol of longevity and immortality.
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