Page 411 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book

Z

Zhang Guo-lao
Z
Zhang Guo-lao

Zhang is one of the eight Immortals. He is supposed to have been a bat which
turned into a man. In another legend it is said that he is always accompanied by a white
ass on whose back he could cover a thousand miles a day. On reaching his destination, he
would fold the ass up like a piece of paper and put it in his case. To restore it to normal
shape when needed, all Zhang had to do was to spray a little water on it from his mouth.
Zhang is symbolised by a long bamboo cane, the so-called ‘Fish Drum’ (yu-gu). Inside
the cane are two rods fitted with hooks, and the whole thing can be used as a means of
making a noise. Zhang is also depicted with two drumsticks in his hand; sometimes also
with a phoenix feather or a peach. He is supposed to have appeared for the first
time at the beginning of the 7th century, and to have been a native of Shanxi. A modern
fairy-tale makes him out to have been originally a woodcutter. The story goes that, in
obedience to a dream, he met Li Tie-guai on a bridge, who gave him a pill made
from mud which had the property of making dead fish come to life again. Other
fishermen tried to take the pill away from him, so he swallowed it and became immortal.

Zhang Guo-lao on his ass
Zhong-kui