Guan Jar with Taoist Motifs of Eight Immortals

The Eight Immortals are gods that the Chinese have respected for a long time. The word "Poi Sian" is a term for the eight immortals that comes from the Teochew dialect of Chinese. Which in the Mandarin accent is pronounced "pa-sian". The word "pa" means the number eight, while the word "sian" means a magician. When combined together, they refer to the eight magicians.

The belief in the Eight Immortals is in Taoism. The Chinese believe that the Eight Immortals symbolize good luck, prosperity and longevity. The eight sages are like representatives of males, females, the elderly, children, rich people, dignitaries, poor people, and disabled people, all of the worldly nature.

The Eight Immortals symbolize happiness, good fortune, and longevity. It often appears in Chinese paintings, sculptures, and literature. It is believed that if you worship the Eight Immortals you will receive blessings from heaven for success in life.

In addition, the Eight Immortals also reflect the beliefs and philosophy of Taoism as follows:

• Equality The Eight Immortals have a variety of genders, ages, social status and abilities, reflecting the Taoist belief that all people are equal.

• Seeking Immortality The eight saints represent humanity's quest for immortality, reflecting the Taoist belief that humans can achieve immortality through self-practice.

• Importance of Nature The Eight Immortals often appear in nature, reflecting the Taoist belief that nature is important to humans.

The Eight Immortals have a long history. It is believed to have existed since the Han Dynasty. Legend has it that the Eight Immortals were a group of people who practiced diligently and became saints with superhuman abilities. As shown in the motif strip on the body of this jar, it beautifully represents Taoist art and culture. The Eight Immortals patterns have different names and appearances, and each has a personal weapon or magical item that conveys a different deep meaning, as follows:

1. Li Tie Kuai/ Ti Kuai Li (铁拐李 or Tiě guǎi lǐ) Master of Medicine and the Treatment of Ailments. There is a gourd which is a magical item that can bring happiness to humans. Inside the gourd were five bats flying. which means the five factors of human happiness

2. Han Zhong Li/Hang Jiang Li (汉钟离 or Hàn zhōnglí) is a master of fortune, business, and government. He has a magical banana leaf fan that can wave the dead back to life. For this reason, it is called another name. "Blowing back the soul" or "Blowing back to life"

3. Lu Dongbin/Lu Tangbing (吕洞宾 or Lǚdòngbīn) is a master of trade and industry, an intellectual, a poet, and has a magical 7-star sword which has the power to conquer demons. Defeat demons and bad luck It is considered one of the highest magical swords of the heavens.

4. Zhang Guolao/ Tiong Guolao (张果老 or Zhāng guǒ lǎo) Master of stability. Longevity and good health. The fish drum is a wonderful thing. It is a cylindrical musical instrument that has the ability to emit a sound that reverberates far away.

5. Lan Cai He/ Na Cai Hua (蓝采和 or Lán cǎi hé) Master of Abundance and Flowers. Having a flower basket is a wonderful thing. gives the meaning of being auspicious The basket is filled with flowers that bloom forever and never wither.

6. He Xian Gu/ He Xiangou (何仙姑 or Hé xiāngū) Master of Virtue. Honesty, Gratitude and Agriculture There is a magical lotus flower which is larger and more beautiful than the normal lotus flower. It represents the worship of sacred things to help protect humans from all dangers.

7. Han Xiangzi/Han Xiangzi  (韩湘子 or Hán xiāngzi) is a master of divination, seer, and music, possessing a magical flute. The sound of the flute not only plays a melodious melody that is pleasing to the ear. but also able to captivate the listener's spirit.

8. Cao Guó Jiù (曹国舅 or Cáo guó jiù) Master of rank, honor, government, and honesty. There was a pair of In Yang Pan plates that were magical items. It shows the power of nature by making a loud noise.

Each of them is separated by the 'Sanqingshan' mountain range, and the bottom bar of the bowl is decorated with a Heavenly Horse motif.

Another distinctive feature of this Wanli jar (1572 - 1620) is the pattern of rows of motifs that have been popular since the Yuan period porcelain. It will vary from the top bar to the bottom.

The neck is mostly decorated with floral scrolls and next to the neck is the 'Cloud Collar' motif, which was adapted from the collars worn by the royal elite. It has a picture of chrysanthemum flowers in the edge of the cover, alternating with beaded tassels (Beaded Tassels).