The story of the Eight Immortals is well known to everyone. But what the eight immortals represent, the average person is not very clear. The eight immortals represent male, female, old, young, rich, noble, poor and lowly. Why? This is from the identity and image of the eight immortals.
The Eight Immortals refer to the eight taoist immortals that are widely spread in the folk, namely Li Tiequan, Zhong Liquan, Zhang Guolao, Lü Dongbin, He Xiangu, Lan Caihe, Han Xiangzi, and Cao Guo's uncle. Since the Eight Immortals are all mortals, their temperament is closer to that of the people.

Li Tieqiu is the head of the legendary Eight Immortals. According to legend, the surname Is Li, the name Xuan, also known as Li Ningyang, Li Hong, li Kongmu. The "Complete Biography of the Immortals" and others say that he was originally good-looking and practiced in the cave. Because he had agreed to attend Lao Jun's Huashan Immortal Society, he said to his disciple before leaving, "I want to go from Mount Youhua, and if you don't return for seven days, you will incinerate my body." It is said that his soul is hidden in the liver and hidden in the lungs, and when the Yuan God travels, the soul goes together, leaving only the Lu to guard the shell, which is the so-called "Yuan God out of the shell". Iron abduction Li left the corpse shell, the Yuan God traveled, but unexpectedly on the sixth day, someone from the disciple's family reported that his mother was critically ill, the disciple was restless, and insisted until noon the next day, seeing that the master's soul had not yet returned, helplessly burned the master's shell, and went home to do filial piety. When the disciple returned home, the YuanShen of the Iron Abductor Li returned, and there was nowhere to support it, it was really a lost soul, like a lone ghost wandering ghost. He suddenly saw the corpse of a starving person in the forest, and his spirit moved, thinking, "That's it!" Immediately entered from his forehead brain door, after standing up, he felt that it was not okay, hurriedly poured out the elixir given by Lao Jun from the gourd, the gourd suddenly flashed golden light, reflecting an ugly image, black face with a disheveled head, huge tendrils and eyes, the right foot was still lame, and he was surprised, and suddenly someone behind him clapped, and when he looked back, it was Lao Jun. Tie Quan Li felt that the dignity obtained by the makeover was really not like the appearance, and he was a little unhappy, and he was busy trying to jump out of the Yuan God. At this moment, Lao Jun stopped and said, "Dao behavior is not about appearance, your appearance, just need to be full of kung fu, is the vision of the true immortal." So he was given a golden hoop to tie his hair, and an iron crutch was given to help him with his lame feet. Li Tieqiu also often carried a gourd, which was said to contain immortal medicine, which was specially used to treat diseases and save people when he descended to the human world. So the image of the iron crutch Li is an iron crutch, carrying a gourd, traveling through the human world, and relieving people of danger.
The second most famous of the Eight Immortals is Zhong Liquan, also known as Han Zhongli, and Quanzhen Dao is revered as the "Zhengyang Ancestor", and is enshrined as one of the Five Northern Ancestors of Taoism. The story of his birth is very vivid, saying that one day, a giant strode into his mother's inner chamber and said loudly, "I am the Ancient Huang Shen Clan, and I am a childcare here." Suddenly, he saw that the strange light was like a fiery fire, and then Han Zhong was born, he was born as big as a three-year-old child, born with a blessed appearance, the top round forehead was wide, the ears were thick and the eyebrows were long, the mouth was square and cheeks were large, the lips were as long as Dan, the breasts were round and long, and what was even more strange was that he did not make a sound day and night, did not cry or eat. Until the seventh day, he suddenly said a sentence: "Traveling to the Purple Mansion, the famous book Yujing." This sentence alarmed his parents, because the Purple House and Yujing were the palaces of the Heavenly Jade Emperor, so they thought he was the reincarnation of the gods. His parents wanted him to be in power for an adult, so he named him "Quan". It is said that after Zhong Li grew up, he served as a counselor of the imperial court, and later went out on a campaign to Tufan. After his defeat, he lived in seclusion in Zhongnan Mountain, met Xuanfu, the emperor of Donghua, and obtained the Immortal True Recipe, the Golden Dan Fire And the Green Dragon Sword Technique. Later, he met Huayang Zhenren and taught him Taiyi Jiugui, Fire Rune Jindan, and Dong Xiaoxuan's Way. In the end, he got the secret of the jade box at the Purple Gold Four Hao Peak of KunTong Mountain and became an immortal. He called himself "the scattered man under the heavens", that is, the first idle man in the world. His image is often a breast, a palm fan in his hand, big eyes, a red face, and two buns on his head.
Zhang Guolao is an elderly immortal of the Eight Immortals, named "Zhang Guo", because the Eight Immortals are the most elderly, and people respect him as "Zhang Guolao". Zhang Guolao, known in Taoism as Guo Lao Xianshi, evolved from the Tang Dynasty Daoist Zhang Guo. It is said that Emperor Taizong of Tang and Emperor Gaozong of Tang sent emissaries to summon him to the palace, but he refused. In the period of Wu Zetian, he had to go out of the mountain by order, went to the halfway to pretend to be dead and did not go to the end, and in the tang Xuanzong period, Xuanzong sent emissaries to finally invite him to the palace, named him "Silver Qing Guanglu Doctor", and gave him the name "Mr. Tongxuan". Later, when Emperor Xuanzong was about to give his daughter Xu to him, he sang: "The daughter-in-law must be fair, and the land is born in the palace, and the people are pleasing, and I am fearful." In the end, he did not agree to this family affair, pleaded to return to the mountain, walked to the middle of the road, and died in Puwu County, Hengshan. The disciple said that he had been transformed into a fairy, and Tang Xuanzong ordered that the Qixia Temple be built in the local area for sacrifice. Folklore has it that he often carried a Taoist love tube, rode a white donkey upside down, traveled in all directions, proclaimed Taoist sentiments, and persuaded people. Later, the folk saying "ride a donkey to see the songbook" originated from this. The white donkey he rode traveled thousands of miles a day, folded like paper at night, and put it in a box. When riding during the day, spray it with water in your mouth, and then revert to a real donkey. Later generations inscribed a poem: "How many people in the world, there is no such old man." Instead of riding a donkey upside down, everything looks back. ”
Lü Dongbin, surname Lü Mingyan, in Taoism, Quanzhen Dao enshrines him as "Pure Yang Ancestor", one of the Five Ancestors of the North, also known as "Lü Zu". Before Lü Dongbin became a fairy, he was originally a reader.
One of his friends was a fellow countryman named Gou Ji. Gou Ji's parents died, his family was poor, but he was loyal, he was an old and honest gentleman, he was very diligent in reading, Lü Dongbin appreciated him very much, and he was worshipped as a Jinlan brother, and invited him to live in his home, hoping that he would study hard and have a day in the future. One day, a guest surnamed Lin came to Lü Dongbin's house, and when he saw that Gou Ji had a table of talents and studied hard, he said to Lü Dongbin that he wanted to give his sister Xu to Gou Ji. Lü Dongbin was deeply afraid that Gou Ji's greed for the joy of the bed had missed the future of the splendid embroidery, and he hurriedly pushed back. Unexpectedly, Gou Ji himself heard that Miss Lin Jia was beautiful and insisted on answering this family affair.
Lü Dongbin thought for a long time and agreed, and said to Gou Ji: "Since Brother Xian's idea has been decided, I will not stop it, but after becoming a parent, I will sleep with the bride for three nights first." Gou Ji was shocked to hear this, but how could he not bow his head when he sent someone to the fence, besides, all the expenses of the wedding had to rely on the Lu family, who let himself be destitute? After thinking about it, I gritted my teeth and agreed. On the day that Gou Ji became a relative, Lü Dongbin was overjoyed, running before and after zhang Luo, but Gou Ji did not see anyone and simply hid to the side. In the evening, after sending off the guests, Lu Dongbin entered the cave room, only to see the bride with a red veil on her head and sitting on the bed. Lu Dongbin did not lift the red hijab, nor did he speak, but just sat under the lamp and buried his head in reading. Miss Lin waited until midnight, but her husband still did not go to bed, so she had to sleep with her clothes.
When I woke up at dawn, my husband was long gone. This was the case for three nights in a row, and Coco was bitter to Miss Lin. Looking back at Gou Ji, it was hard to survive for three days, just entered the cave room, saw that the lady was sad and weeping, looked down and cried: "Why doesn't Lang Jun go to bed and sleep together for three nights, just read to the lamp, come in the dark, and go away at dawn?" This question was asked stunned. The bride looked up and was even more surprised: How did the husband change people? After half a day of hard work, the couple suddenly realized.
Gou Ji stomped his feet and looked up at the sky and laughed: "It turns out that my brother was afraid that I was greedy and forgot to read, so I used this method to motivate me!" Miss Lin was also happy in her heart and was full of respect for Lu Dongbin. Both husband and wife said: Brother Lu has this favor, and he must repay it in the future. A few years later, Gou Jian was indeed titled on the gold list and became a high official. The couple and the Lu Dongbin family parted in tears and went to their posts. Eight years have passed, and this summer, the Lu family accidentally caught fire, and a large family wealth was reduced to ashes. Lü Dongbin and his wife and children had to stay in a hut made of broken bricks, and life was difficult enough.
Lü Dongbin had to go out to find Gou Ji for help, and after going through countless hardships along the way, he finally found Gou Ji Mansion. Gou Ji was very sympathetic to the fire that had struck Lü Dongbin's house and warmly received him, but he did not mention the matter of helping, and Lü Dongbin stayed for several months without getting any silver. Lü Dongbin looked up at the sky and sighed: "Human feelings are as thin as paper, a wide face changes, and the world is gushing!" "In a fit of anger, I didn't quit. Back in his hometown, Lü Dongbin saw that his broken hut had been replaced with a new tile house, and he was greatly surprised: he was far away, his children and wives were weak, how could he build a large number of civil engineering? Even when I approached the door, I was even more shocked that the three souls walked away: there were white papers on both sides of the gate. Someone dead in the house? He hurried into the house and saw a coffin parked in the house, and his wife was crying and crying.
Lu Dongbin was stunned for half a day: Which Dai Xiao did she do? He cried out softly, "Mother." The lady looked back, terrified, trembling and crying, "You, are you a human or a ghost?" Lu Dongbin was even more surprised: "How did the lady say this?" I'm back well, how is it a ghost? The lady looked at it for half a day before she dared to believe that it was really Lu Dongbin who had returned and said, "Oops! It really scared me to death! It won't be in a dream. ”
It turned out that not long after Lü Dongbin left home, a group of people came to help him build a house, and when he finished building the house, he left. At noon the day before yesterday, another group of people brought a coffin, saying that Lu Dongbin had died of illness at Gou Ji's house. When the wife heard this, the sky collapsed and she cried to death and came back to life. Today I was crying, not wanting Lu Dongbin to come back. Lü Dongbin understood in his heart: these are all tricks played by Gou Ji. He took up a sharp axe and slashed the coffin, and with a "click", the coffin split open, and it was full of gold and silver treasures, and a letter. Lü Dongbin unfolded the letter and read: "Gou Ji is not a negative heart, and he sent the jinyin family to build a house." You let my wife keep the room empty, and I made your wife cry and break her intestines. ”
Lü Dongbin woke up like a dream and smiled bitterly: "Brother Xian, your gang can help me so bitterly!" Since then, the Lu and Gou families have become more intimate. This is what the saying often goes: "Gou Lu Dongbin, do not know the hearts of the people." Because "Gou Ji" is homophonous with "dog bite", it has become "dog bites Lü Dongbin, does not know the good heart". Later, Lü Dongbin was transformed into a fairy by Zhong Liquan, and was the most humane among the eight immortals, dashing and funny, for the people to eliminate violence and peace, kill demons and monsters, and drink lustfully. Folk portrayed it as a ranger armed with a sword to save the suffering of the world.
He Xiangu, the only female immortal of the Eight Immortals. It is said that he Xiugu, whose original name was He Xiugu, was born during the Tang Wu Zetian period, and was born with purple clouds around the room, and there were six rays of light on the top of his head. From an early age, he is intelligent and agile, and his intelligence is outstanding. When she was fifteen years old, she dreamed that the gods taught her to eat mica powder, so she was as light as a fly. Traveling back and forth between the tops of the mountain, going out every morning to pick mountain fruits to honor their mothers. Later, the valley was cleared, and the speech was abnormal. After Wu Zetian heard about it, he sent an emissary to summon him, but he did not know where he went halfway, and some people said that in the early august of Tang Zhongzong's time, the eight flew into the sky. There is also a saying that He Xiangu entered the mountain when she was thirteen years old, met the immortal Lü Dongbin, And Lü gave him a peach, and after eating it, he was not hungry or hungry, and he could predict the things of misfortune and happiness, which was quite a spiritual experience. The people of the village worshipped her as a god and built a special building for her to live in, and later Lü Dongbin made her a fairy.
Among the Eight Immortals was a cynical and crazy beggar immortal named Lan Caihe. Lan Caihe, originally a man, but often dressed as a woman in statues or operas, carrying a flower basket. It is said that he was originally born barefoot, and originally had a wooden belt more than three inches wide, wearing boots on one foot and barefoot on the other. In the summer, I wear cotton clothes, and in the winter, I lie in the snow and breathe like steam. Often holding a large clapboard more than three feet long, he walked and sang in the city, singing drunkenly, as if he was crazy, men, women and children followed him. The man gave him the copper coin, but he put it on a long rope, mopped the floor, and did not look back when it was lost. Sometimes when I saw poor people, I gave them copper coins.
Later, he sang in the Haoliang Restaurant to get drunk, there was the sound of the crane sheng, suddenly rose lightly into the clouds, threw off the boot shirt belt plate beat, ran away. His most famous song is: "The song of the blue and the harmony, how can the world be? Red face a spring tree, flowing year a shuttle. The ancients were mixed up and never returned, and today more are coming. Riding the Luan Phoenix to Biluo, Twilight saw Kuwata ShengBaibo. Changjing Minghui in the air, the Gold and Silver Palace Que Gao Saga!
Han Xiangzi, the Prince of Sven among the Eight Immortals, is portrayed as a handsome young man holding a flute. Han Xiangzi, whose real name was Han Xiang, was the nephew of Han Yu, a great writer of the Tang Dynasty and a servant of the Punishment Department. Han Xiang was born as a white crane, who was initiated by Zhong Liquan and Lü Dongbin, and was reborn as the son of Han Hui in Changli County, who lost his father at an early age, was raised by his uncle Han Yue, and when he grew up, he was taught the art of cultivation by Zhong and Lü Erxian, and Han Yue strongly opposed it and reprimanded him.
Han Xiangzi thus became a monk and lived in seclusion in the ZhongnanShan Monastery, where he attained positive results and was listed as the Eight Immortals. Han Xiangzi repeatedly transformed into his uncle Han Yu, but Han Yue did not realize it many times. Later, Han Yu was demoted to Chaoyang, passing through Languan and frozen in the snow. Xiangzi rushed to the rescue and pointed out the degree. Han Yu finally realized that he had also cultivated into an immortal.
The image of Uncle Cao Guo is one wearing a gauze hat, wearing a red-robed official uniform, and holding a yin and yang board (jade plate), which is very different from the dress of other immortals. Legend has it that he was the eldest brother of the Song Emperor Emperor Renzong Cao of Song, named Jingxiu. He is talented and good, and he aspires to be vain, does not seek vanity, and does not like wealth.
Later, because his younger brother was indulgent in disobeying the law and killing people, Uncle Cao Guo was deeply ashamed, so he hid in the mountains and rocks, wore civilian clothes and hats, and carefully considered the mysterious and profound truths. One day, he met two immortals, Zhong Liquan and Lü Dongbin, who asked, "I heard that you are cultivating, what are you cultivating?" He replied, "Raise the Tao." The immortal asked, "Where is the Tao?" Uncle Cao Guo raised his finger to the sky. Erxian asked again, "Where is the heavens?" Uncle Cao Guo used his fingers to his heart. The two immortals smiled and said, "The heart is the heaven, the heaven is the tao, and you have already realized the true meaning of the tao." ”
So he taught him the True Secret Technique, and enlightened him to guide him into the Immortal Team. There is also a saying that when he became a monk, the emperor gave him a gold medal, and then crossed the Yellow River without boat fees, so he mortgaged it, just happened to meet Lü Dongbin, and traveled with him, so he was listed as the "Eight Immortals"