Lesson 4: Mythology of Taoism
Eight Immortals I
The Eight Immortals of Taoism are not strictly Taoist - their stories are appreciated by all who hear them, and they arouse the interest of the Taoist and non-Taoist. The stories that make up the adventures of the Eight Immortals may not all be Taoist in origin. However, it is commonly accepted that the Eight Immortals are tied to Taoist tradition - primarily because of their attainment of immortality. They each have their own individual tales, and tales in which they all travel and work together. First, we shall examine each of the eight on their own.
The first immortal to be examined is Han Zhongli (Chungli Ch'uan). His birth story is similar to the Buddha's, and may have been influenced by it. It is said that his body was covered in auspicious markings and that at an early age he could speak and foretold his eventual immortality. Han Zhongli is often associated with a historical general of the Han dynasty. Legend says that during a military excursion far from his home he became lost in a maze-like system of canyons, and eventually met up with beings that can be described as shamanic-ghosts. He began his quest for immortality here. It is said that among his powers was the ability to turn copper into silver.
We will continue with Lu Dongbin (Lu Tung-pin). He is associated with a historical figure who lived from the Tang dynasty to the Song, and is the alleged author of a collection of Taoist works. It is said his birth was announced with auspicious signs, such as the appearance of a white crane and delightful fragrances. The most popular story of Lu Dongbin tells us that he was intent on studying for a civil service position, but continued to fail. Before his third attempt he encountered a strange man who spoke with him the night before his examination. That night as he slept, Lu Dongbin had a dream that foretold his future in civil service - one that ended in the deaths of his family and his exile. When he awoke the stranger revealed himself to be Han Zhongli, the first of the immortals, who told Lu Dongbin he could study the Tao with him rather than continue his earthly pursuits. Lu Dongbin chose to follow the master and eventually became immortal.
Next we will look at Li Xuan (T'ieh-kuai Li), the immortal with the iron crutch. It is said that he was instructed by Laozi himself. Before becoming immortal he asked his student to care for his body for seven days while he left it on a spiritual flight. He instructed his student to burn his body if he did not return in those seven days. His student was called away to his mother's deathbed on the seventh morning, and decided to burn the body before the end of the day. Li Xuan returned that night and found himself without a body - he decided to enter the body of a man with a wounded leg, and from that point on required the use of an iron crutch.
We will close part one of the discussion of the Eight Immortals with Han Xiang (Han Hsiang), the nephew of a famous Taoist author named Han Yu. His uncle wanted him to focus on study for the civil service, but an encounter with Lu Dongbin started him on the path to immortality. With the powers he gained he was able to rescue his uncle in a snowstorm and predict his eventual popularity with the ruling class.
