Eight Immortals of Chinese Mythology statues

From right to left

LAN CaiHe
蓝采和
The strolling singer, either a woman or a young boy,
shown with a flower-basket; patron deity of florist.

ZHANG GuoLao
张果老
Said to have lived in the 7-th or early 8-th century,
shown as a rule with his mule, and carrying a bamboo tube-drum
with iron sticks; he is the emblem of old men.

HAN XiangZi
韩湘子
Said to be the nephew of the Tang Dynasty statesman and scholar Han Yu,
is often shown with a flute, and patron deity of musicians.

LU DongBin
吕洞宾
Born c. 755 AD, died 805 AD, shown with a fly-whisker,
is dressed as a scholar, and honored as such.
He also had a magic sword with which he performed freak feats,
for which reason he is also the patron deity of barbers.

Zhongli Quan
钟离权
Usually shown with a fan; he represents the military man

CAO GuoJiu
曹国舅
Said to have been connected with the Sung Imperial family,
and is generally shown with castanets or a jade tablet of admission to court;
patron deity of actors.


LI TieGuai
李铁拐
"Iron-crutch Li", who always carries a crutch and a gourd;
he is the emblem of the sick.

HE XianGu
何仙姑
A woman, said to have lived in the late 7-th century,
shown with a lotus blossom or flower basket, and occasionally
with a peach and sheng reed-organ.