Xian (Taoism)

Xian (Chinese仙/仚/仙, Pinyin Xian, W.-G. Hsien ) referred to in Chinese mythology and Daoism, the immortals. For these divinized sometimes is also called " Holy " is used. You are a very common motif in Chinese legends and Chinese mythology.

Xian were mostly men, but also included every now and then to women. The Immortals were characterized during his lifetime by supernatural forces and magic abilities and were deified after their death. It is said that they traveled through the country and in the western Kunlun Mountains, the location of the "Queen Mother of the West ", Xiwangmu, or lived on islands in the eastern sea. The Xian also be attributed to different forms, according to which there are heavenly, earthly and detached from the body of Xian.

Xian applies in Daoism as the ideal of religious direction. In some schools of Daoism the merging of chi in the dan tian means ( energetic center of man) the production of a "holy embryo " ( Shengtai ), is given to the eternal life.

The best known are the so-called Eight Immortals Immortals (Ba xian ): Lü Dongbin Li Tieguai, Zhongli Quan, Han Xiangzi, Cao Guojiu, Zhang Guolao, Lan Caihe, He Xiangu. From them can be found in Chinese art numerous representations. Although Lan Caihe was temporarily represented as a woman, He Xiangu was the only woman among the Eight Immortals.