Legend of Eight Immortals

Name of Chinese national intangible cultural heritage: Legend of Eight Immortals

Applicant: Penglai City, Shandong Province

Item No.: 532

Project No.: I-45

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Folk Literature

Region: Shandong Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Penglai City, Shandong Province

Protection unit: Penglai Cultural Center

Introduction to the legend of Eight Immortals

Applicant: Penglai City, Shandong Province

Penglai City, Shandong Province, is a historical and cultural ancient city close to the mountains and the sea. The natural conditions and cultural environment here give birth to a rich and colorful legend of the eight immortals. The legend of eight immortals was first seen in Taiping Guangji. It was spread among the people and played up by literati and poets in the past dynasties. In the Ming Dynasty, Wu Yuantai's novel "a journey to the east from the source of the Eight Immortals" was first officially identified as the eight immortals of Han Zhongli (Zhong Liquan), Zhang Guolao, Han Xiangzi, tie Guai Li, Cao Guojiu, LV Dongbin, LAN Caihe and he Xiangu. In Penglai Pavilion, the eight immortals drank wine in the wind and enjoyed themselves in a big way, so they showed their gods and passed through the sea, which led to conflicts with the three princes of the Dragon King of the East China Sea. After the mediation of Guanyin Bodhisattva, the two sides stopped fighting and made peace.

The legend of Eight Immortals crossing the sea organically integrates the unique "immortal culture" with the strong secular human feelings. It is a well-known legend of mountains and seas, and its pioneering spirit of fearing hardships and dangers has a profound impact on the general public. The eight immortals are the representatives of different social classes. The legend of the eight immortals has a strong humanistic color and regional style, which provides rich materials for the creation of various art forms such as folk literature and arts, arts and crafts, and has high artistic value.

With the passage of time, coupled with the impact of modern means of communication, the image of the Eight Immortals in the folk is gradually becoming blurred, and the task of protecting and inheriting the legend of the eight immortals has become very urgent.