Religious taoism is the practices that sprung up from the ideas of lao tze and others of the philosophical school and were answers to problems that these ancient masters shed light upon.Religious daoism was also created for the masses and fuse's ideas from shamanism and other popular belifs that were a big part of those chinese that lived at the time.Although not popular in the west religious taoism still thrives in the east and is well integrated in to the modern life style of those chinese that still practice it.

Religious taoism has many folk heroes respected ancestors and a whole panthon of gods and most practicioners of religious taoism have there favorites who they relate to and respect.This can be because of a specific deed that the god performed of perhaps because the god is acociated with an affliction or a cure that that person seeks.

The chinese usualy hold festivals for gods or heroes in rememberance for a deed done or a sacrifice made for the good of the many.One example of this is the dragon boat festival.

I have met and talked to many daoists and most of them know of the existance of the eight immortals yet suprisingly few knew who these people were or what they did.Although I know there are some of you who frown on religious daoism as impure daoism I think even these people should be aware of a subjectthat has dominated daoist art and liturature since its beginings.The eight immortals orPa Hsien are one of the most popular groups of deities and represent a cross- section of the population,from rich to poor,old to the young showing anybody can become an immortal. Here I have listed there seniority according to age:

1.Chung-li Ch'uan.was born in the shensi province and became an officer in court and went on to become martial of the empire in 21 BC.In old age he retired to the mountains in shansi to become a hermit.It was said that he couldturn copperand other base elements in to silver which he destributed to the poor.Whenhe became an immortal a stalk was supposed to have come to take him to the P'eng-lai Isles the abode of the immortals.He was posthumously awardedthe titleof true active principal.In the Tang dynasty he supposedly came down fromheven to teach and pass on his secrets to Lu Tung-pin the sixth of the eight immortals His emblem is a fan of fethers or the peach of immortality.He represents millitary personnel.

2.Chang-Kuo Lao.a famous hermit of shansi province frequentlyinvited to the court finaly in 684 AD he made his way to the capital butdropped dead in front of the gates of a tempel.althuoght his body decayed and was eaten by worms he recovered and went to the heng-chou mountains in ping-yang.In 746 AD he fell illand died but when his tomb was opened it was found to be empty.He is reputed to have travelled backwards on a white donkey which could fold up like a map,and which resumed its proper shape once he had blown water on it.His emblem is a peacock feather or a peach of immortality and he represents the old.

3.Lu Tung-pin.born AD 755 in shansi died 805 he beame an official in770 and is the reputed author of the kung kuo ko a classic on morality he met Chung-li first of the eight immortals in an in were tired from his journyLu Tong-pin fell asleep and dreamed of how his life was mapped out in front of him.When he woke up he became Chung-li's diciple and lerned the magical arts. Hewas a skillful fencer,and it was said that the fire dragon gave hima magic sword which could make him invisible.After studing with Chung-li hepassed the test of ten temptations then travelled around generally doing good.He is portrayed carrying a sword and also a horsetail fly-whisk,symbolising he could fly through the air.He represents scholars.

4.Ts'ao kuo-chiu:

Brother of empress Ts'ao and brother-in-law to emperor Jen Tsung.

Ts'ao kuo-chiu's emblem is the court writing tablet and he represents the nobility.

The younger brother of Ts'ao Kuo-chiu had been struck by the beauty of an official's wife and had the official killed. The wife was soon jailed for not complying with his wishes. She escaped from prison and came accross the imperial procession of Ts'ao Kuo-chiua. She lodged a complaint about his brother. Ts'ao Kuo-chiau had her beaten with iron poles and left for dead. She managed to recover, however, and found someone in the court willing to listen to her story. After the scandal was known, the younger brother was executed and Ts'ao Kuo-chiu was exiled and fled to the mountains. He became a recluse, clothing himself only in plants. The immortals Chung-li and Lu Tung-pin met him and taught him the secrets of perfection.

5.Li T'ieh-kuai:

Li's emblem is the the iron crutch and a "gourd of life preserving medicine". He represents the sick.

Called "Li with the Iron crutch", his official name was Li yuan .He is belived to have studied Daoism under the spirit of Lao Tze. Upon completing his instruction, he was called to heaven by the Master.Before he left he told his own pupil to look after his body. However, his pupil, Lang Ling, received a message that his mother was on her death bed and he rushed to be by her side.When Li Yuan returned returned, he found his body had been mutilated and eaten by wild animals. He had to enter the body of a begger who had recently died of starvation nearby. Unfortunatly, the body was unkepmt and lame and he wanted to exchange this body for another. But Lao Tze advised against this, and gave him a gold band for his hair and an iron crutch to lean on. It is said that he went to the house of Lang Ling, who was making preperations for his mother's funeral, and poured the contents of his gourd into her mouth, bringing her back to life.

6.Han Hsing-tze:

Han's emblem is the flower basket and he represents the cultured classes.

Lived between AD 768-824. He is said to be the disciple of Lu Tung-pin, the third of the immortals, and was said to be wildly eccentric. He was dropped off the top of the immortalizing peach tree, attaining immortality on the descent. He is believed to have been capable of running a thousand li per second.

7.Lan Ts'ai-ho:

Lan Ts'ai-ho's emblem is the lute; he represents the poor.

The origin, indeed the sex of Lan Ts'ai-ho, is obscure. It is said, "Though he was a man, he did not understand how to be one". Supposedly of the Tang dynasty, he roamed around in tatty blue gown, a black wooden belt and one only shoe. In summer he wore padded under clothes and in winter he slept in the snow. One day, drinking to heavily at an inn, he passed out and was carried to heaven on a cloud.

8.Ho Hsien-ku

Born in AD 700. She is portrayed as a young maiden holding a magic lotus, given to her by Lu Tung-pin. She was born near the "Mother-Of -Pearl" Mountains In a dream she wastold to powder some semi-precious stones and eat them. She attained her immortality by doing this and spent her time floating around the mountains picking berries until she disapeared in AD 750.

NOTES(1) There are many more who have attained immortality, but these eight are the most widely known, and they are usually shown together. I may in time write a piece on some of the other immortals or daoist gods.

NOTES(2) Some times the eight immortals are shown with a three legged toad. The toad was formerly Ch'ang O, wife of Hou I, the Celestial Archer. She stole the elixir from her husband who had been given it by the Qeen Mother of the West. Although she attained immortality she was not pure so took on the guise of a three legged toad.