Name/Title
The Eight Immortals Stone StatuesDescription
Stone statues of the eight immortals holding their respctive instruments. They standon clouds and fabric sways in the wind around them.Context
The “Ba Xian 八仙” or Eight Immortals are a group of famous legendary figures
that have attained immortality. The Chinese word Xian denotes a spiritual being
who is light, graceful, worldly and created through poetic imagination. The
legend of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea is perhaps one of the best-
known tales of the Daoist literature. The following categories represent the immortals; old, young, male, female, civil, military, rich, poor, afflicted, cultured and noble. Most of them are said to be born in the Tang or Song dynasties but it was
not until the Yuan dynasty that the term of Eight Immortals was applied to this
group as we know today.
In modern day, this revered group is still a popular theme in art in the
Chinese community such as the stone carvings in SDCHM. As immortals
they collectively represent long life, and images of them are associated with
birthday celebration. A peach in hand further symbolizes longevity. Each of
The figures hold a unique instrument that can bestow life or destroy evil.Lexicon
Legacy Lexicon
Object Name
Sculpture, StoneDimensions
Height
23 inWidth
10 inDepth
8 in