Page 200 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book
P. 200
A-Z 193
Lao-zi on his water buffalo
In art, Lao-zi is depicted as a bearded old man, epitomising longevity. True to the
legend, he is often seen riding on his water buffalo.
His Taoist ‘followers’ were priests and hermits who spent their lives in the study of
the Dao, from which, according to popular belief, they derived supernatural powers.
By means of Immortality drugs they could prolong their lives, they rode on winds
and clouds, and could be in more than one place at the same time. All of which had of
course very little to do with Lao-zi and his teaching.
