Notes:
Lan Caihe and Li Tieguai are two of the eight immortals, a legendary group of Daoist figures said to have lived during the Tang or Song dynasties in China. In Chinese art they generally appear as a group, though evidence survives suggesting that the worship of individual Daoist immortal figures was prevalent during the Han dynasty. Each immortal figure is associated with unique special powers or attributes, and the individual figures are easily identifiable by aspects of their appearance or associated emblems. For example, in this drawing Lan Caihe is depicted holding a hoe; he is known as the patron deity of florists and gardens as well as a poor travelling performer. Meanwhile, Li Tieguai is an immortal who, as a beggar before attaining immortality, dressed in rags and walked with the aid of a crutch. As an immortal he is associated with benevolence towards the poor and easing the suffering of the sick, easily identifiable by the calabash bottles in which he stores his medicines. Together, these two characters are distinguished from the other six immortals through their connection to a lifestyle consisting of roaming as wandering beggars. Within the teachings of Daoism, wandering was often linked with being unencumbered by worldly burdens, and being led by the true cosmic ‘way’ (tao) through life rather than by personal desires or ambition.
