Lan Caihe ()"Lan Caihe." ''Encyclopedia Britannica.'' https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lan-CaiheDorothy Perkins. ''Encyclopedia of China: History and Culture.'' Page 140. is a Chinese mythological figure, and one of the

Eight Immortals The Eight Immortals () are a group of legendary ''xian'' ("immortals") in Chinese mythology. Each immortal's power can be transferred to a vessel () that can bestow life or destroy evil. Together, these eight vessels are called the "Covert Eight ...

in the

Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...

pantheon. Presence in the Eight makes this figure one of the more familiar out of hundreds of other

Taoist immortals ''Xian'' () refers to a person or similar entity having a long life or being immortal. The concept of ''xian'' has different implications dependent upon the specific context: philosophical, religious, mythological, or other symbolic or cultural ...

. Lan Caihe is the only one of the Eight Immortals whose gender is ambiguous. Lan isn't generally thought to be based on a historical person, but is traditionally said to have been born sometime during the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

(618 to 907 CE), and lived as a

homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

street entertainer Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performance is pra ...

, who wandered all over China, singing philosophical songs. Stories vary about how Lan attained immortality and became one of the Eight Immortals. Lan's emblem is a basket of flowers, and so this immortal is considered the patron of

florists Floristry is the production, commerce, and trade in flowers. It encompasses flower care and handling, floral design and arrangement, merchandising, production, display and flower delivery. Wholesale florists sell bulk flowers and related sup ...

and gardeners.

Name and epithets

According to the ''Hsiu hsiang Pa Hsien tung yu chi,''

epithet An epithet (, ), also byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) known for accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, di ...

s of Lan Caihe include "the Red-footed Great Genius," Ch’ih-chiao Ta-hsien incarnate. Lan was also called the "foot-stomping immortal," which was a reference to the genre of music that Lan performed, "stomping songs," which are described further below. Sometimes Lan Caihe's personal name is said to have been Yang Su (not to be confused with a famous general with that name who died in 606 CE). As such, the name "Lan Caihe" is understood to be a chosen name, or a name in religion.

Gender

The gender of Lan Caihe is unknown. Different writers and artists portray this immortal as an

intersex Intersex people are individuals born with any of several sex characteristics including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical bina ...

person,E.T.C. Werner. ''Myths and Legends of China.'' London: George G. Harrap & Co. 1922. Page 293. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15250/15250-h/15250-h.htm#d0e4611 a man, a woman,Rachel Storm. ''The Encyclopedia of Eastern Mythology: Legends of the East : Myths and Tales of the Heroes, Gods and Warriors of Ancient Egypt, Arabia, Persia, India, Tibet, China and Japan.'' Anness Publishing, 1999. Page 181. a man who looks like a woman, a person who does not fit into contemporary male or female gender roles, or someone who appears as—or dresses as—different genders at different times.

Chinese theatre Theatre of China has a long and complex history. Traditional Chinese theatre, generally in the form of Chinese opera, is musical theatre, musical in nature. Chinese theatre can trace its origin back a few millennia to ancient China, but the Chine ...

portrays Lan as wearing

feminine Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered fe ...

clothes Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials ...

, but speaking in a

masculine Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors con ...

voice, that is, by a male actor wearing a feminine dress without attempting a feminine style of speech.''Land of the Dragon: Chinese Myth.'' Time-Life Books, 1999. Page 111. The ''Kai yü ts'ung k'ao'' holds the view that Lan was male, and having him dress as a woman in contemporary plays was a "highly ridiculous" error.

He Xiangu He Xiangu, birth name He Qiong, is a Chinese mythology, Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoism, Taoist pantheon. She is often seen as the only female among the Eight Immortals (though the sex of Lan Caihe, another ...

is always described as the only woman among the Eight Immortals, which suggests that Lan Caihe is not a woman. According to the ''Xiu Xiang Ba Xian Dong You Ji (),'' Lan Caihe was a man who could not understand how to be a man.Randy P. Conner, David Hatfield Sparks, Mariya Sparks. ''Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol, and Spirit: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Lore.'' Cassell, 1997. Page 212. This could explain why Lan Caihe is sometimes seen as a woman or otherwise.

Appearance

As an immortal, Lan's apparent physical age is uncertain, and varies from one depiction to the next.W. Percival Yetts. ''The Eight Immortals.'' The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. London. 1916. Page 805. https://www.sacred-texts.com/journals/jras/1916-21.htm Depictions most often show Lan as a young person of about sixteen, or a young adult. Lan was more often an old person in earlier depictions, but tends to be a young person in depictions from the past century or two. Legends describe Lan as failing to visibly age over the decades, even before attaining immortality. In connection with this, Lan represents

eternal youth Eternal youth is the concept of human physical immortality free of ageing. The youth referred to is usually meant to be in contrast to the depredations of aging, rather than a specific age of the human lifespan. Eternal youth is common in myth ...

and innocence. Lan Caihe is a wandering musician. This immortal's

musical instrument A musical instrument is a device created or adapted to make musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can be considered a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. A person who pl ...

s appear in depictions in art and have an important role in stories about Lan Caihe. Lan's musical instrument is the

clapper Clapper or Clappers may refer to: Miscellaneous *Clapper, part of a bell *Clapper (musical instrument), consisting of two pieces of wood struck together *Clapper bridge, an ancient form of bridge *Clapper Post, urban postal service of Vienna (XVI ...

(sometimes translated as

castanets Castanets, also known as ''clackers'' or ''palillos'', are a percussion instrument (idiophone), used in Spanish, Kalo, Moorish, Ottoman, Italian, Sephardic, Swiss, and Portuguese music. In ancient Greece and ancient Rome there was a similar ...

), of which there are many types in China. The type used by Lan were sometimes said to be , or else the , which are apparently both types of . Usually clappers are wood or bamboo, but some legends say Lan's were

jade Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...

.Amy G. Poster, Layla S. Diba, Brooklyn Museum of Art. ''Journey through Asia: Masterpieces in the Brooklyn Museum of Art.'' Brooklyn Museum of Art, 2003. Page 76. Lan's clappers were three ''

chi Chi or CHI may refer to: Greek *Chi (letter), the Greek letter (uppercase Χ, lowercase χ); Chinese *Chi (length), ''Chi'' (length) (尺), a traditional unit of length, about ⅓ meter *Chi (mythology) (螭), a dragon *Chi (surname) (池, pin ...

'' longChen Yaoting. Gou Bo, translator. "The Eight Immortals." ''Taoist Culture & Information Centre.'' n.d. Retrieved 29 January 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090129062317/http://eng.taoism.org.hk/daoist-beliefs/immortals-immortalism/pg2-4-8-3.htm (about 72 centimeters; the length of a ''chi'' varies from one time period to the next). Others of the Eight Immortals also carry castanets, including

Cao Guojiu Cao Guojiu, literally Imperial Brother-in-law Cao, is a Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoist pantheon. His real name was Cao Yi while his courtesy name was Jingxiu, and he was better known to his contemporaries ...

, and

Zhang Guolao Zhang Guo, better known as Zhang Guolao, is a Chinese mythology, Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoism, Taoist pantheon. Among the Eight Immortals, Zhang Guolao, Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin, Lü Yan were rea ...

.Stacey Pierson. ''Song Ceramics: Art History, Archaeology and Technology.'' University of London, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, School of Oriental and African Studies, 2004. Page 108. Because of this, sometimes archaeologists dispute which of these immortals is being represented by a figure identified only by its holding castanets. Lan Caihe sometimes uses

cymbal A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs soun ...

s as well. Sometimes Lan uses a flute, but a flute is more common in depictions of the Immortal

Han Xiangzi Han Xiangzi, courtesy name Qingfu or Beizhu, is a Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoist pantheon. He studied Taoist magical arts under the tutelage of Lü Dongbin, another of the Eight Immortals. Han Xiangzi is ...

. Some art of the Eight Immortals show more of them holding instruments, so presence of an instrument is not a certain method to distinguish one immortal from another. In most art of the Eight Immortals, Lan can be recognized as the one that carries a basket of fruit and/or

flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

. Sometimes Lan carries the basket in hand, and other times, slung on a hoe over the shoulder. This basket is Lan's distinctive emblem, and is connected to how Lan is the patron of florists. Lan's basket contains plants and medicinal herbs associated with

longevity The word " longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography. However, the term ''longevity'' is sometimes meant to refer only to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas ''life expectancy'' is always d ...

, including: the magic fungus (lingzhi mushroom, ''Ganoderma lucidum''), which resists decay, and in

Traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of action ...

is used to prolong life;W. Percival Yetts. ''The Eight Immortals.'' The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. London. 1916. Page 781-782. https://www.sacred-texts.com/journals/jras/1916-21.htm sprigs of

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

and

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...

, which as evergreen plants, symbolize longevity; flowering and leafless

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...

, because they show vitality in blooming in early spring from seemingly lifeless branches;

chrysanthemum Chrysanthemums (), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants of the genus ''Chrysanthemum'' in the family Asteraceae. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia and the center ...

s; and heavenly bamboo (''Nandina domestica'') with red berries. As with the emblems of each of the Eight Immortals, sometimes Lan's basket is depicted by itself. As a motif, Lan's basket is popular in decorations for the

Chinese New Year Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar. In Sinophone, Chinese and other East Asian cultures, the festival is commonly r ...

, and represents riches and abundance Lan's flower basket, along with the emblems of the rest of the Eight Immortals, appear in such places as on a Qing dynasty 19th century imperial dragon robe. Lan's flower basket must be distinguished from the giant

lotus flower ''Nelumbo nucifera'', also known as sacred lotus, Laxmi lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more often ref ...

typically carried by one of the other Eight Immortals, He Xiangu.Dorothy Perkins. ''Encyclopedia of China: History and Culture.'' Page 295. He Xiangu sometimes carries a giant ladle with its bowl full of flowers, looking similar to a flower basket. Lan Caihe wears feminine or masculine clothing at different times.Eva Wong. ''Tales of the Taoist Immortals.'' Page 31-32. Sometimes Lan Caihe wears gender-ambiguous clothing. During Lan Caihe's initial mortal existence as a homeless musician, Lan wore a tattered blue gown or dress. This long blue gown is called ''lan shan'' (襕衫), which is traditional attire for men since the Tang dynasty. The gown was fastened with six black wooden buttons, and a waist-belt more than three inches wide. (Some English sources mistranslate this part of the description as a "wooden belt.") Lan wore a shoe on one foot, the other foot bare. The one bare foot is also associated with the 5th–6th century Buddhist monk,

Bodhidharma Bodhidharma was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, and regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. According to a 17th century apo ...

, for whom it symbolized survival beyond death. (Bodhidharma was seen after his own death, walking along carrying a shoe. Then, when people opened his grave to check if his body was there, they found his grave contained only his other shoe.) It's possible that imagery of these two unrelated figures came to be conflated in art. In Lan's case, the one bare foot may represent freeing the soul, as well as disregard for convention. Having a shoe on only one foot could also have a purpose in the genre of music Lan performed, "stomping songs," which are described further below. The ragged clothing and one bare foot, carrying castanets and a string of cash, are Lan's appearance as described in the Huan Chu version of the ''

Liexian Zhuan The ''Liexian Zhuan'', sometimes translated as ''Biographies of Immortals'', is the oldest extant Chinese hagiography of Daoist ''xian'' "transcendents; immortals; saints; alchemists". The text, which compiles the life stories of about 70 mytholog ...

.'' Some depictions of Lan diverge significantly from anything described above.

Early life as a mortal

Scholars believe that only three members of the Eight Immortals are based on real people who historically existed:

Lü Dongbin Lü Dongbin (796 CE – 1016 CE) is a legendary Chinese scholar and poet said to have lived during the Tang Dynasty. Whether he actually lived the two hundred and twenty years cannot be determined. Elevated to the status of an immortal in the C ...

Zhongli Quan Zhongli Quan, courtesy name Jidao, is a Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoist pantheon. He is also known as Han Zhongli because he was said to have been born in the Han dynasty. In legend, he wields a large fa ...

, and

.National Geographic Society (U.S.). ''National Geographic Essential Visual History of World Mythology.'' National Geographic Books, 2008. Page 340. Scholars generally don't believe that Lan Caihe is based on an actual historical person. However, one view is that this immortal may have been based on an actor whose stage name was Lan Caihe, and otherwise went by Xu Jian, during the

Five Dynasties The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (), from 907 to 979, was an era of political upheaval and division in 10th-century Imperial China. Five dynastic states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen conc ...

period (907–960 CE).金乃逯. ''中国文化释疑 (Explaining Doubts in Chinese Culture).'' 北京语言文化大学出版社, 1999. Page 65. Lan Caihe is said to have lived sometime during the

(618 to 907 CE), like others of the Eight Immortals.Stephen Little, Shawn Eichman, Kristofer Shipper, Patricia Buckley Ebrey. ''Taoism and the Arts of China.'' Page 321. Other traditions say Lan lived later, during the

period. The earliest stories about Lan were told as far back as at least the 10th century CE. Lan's air of mystery extends to time period as well as place of origin. Even the Huan Chu version of the ''Liexian Zhuan'' says "Where an Caihecame from is not known." During Lan Caihe's career as a mortal, Lan was a

wandering musician and street entertainer. Lan entertained people in different towns and villages, visiting no longer than a month. Lan drank in wine shops and restaurants, entertaining the patrons with songs. Lan's songs were improvised on the spot, while drunk (or believed to be drunk), and performed in a "half-crazy" way. Lan's voice was famously beautiful, but Lan's songs and attire were so strange that people thought this person was

mentally ill A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...

, so some onlookers said slanderous things. However, the songs were hard to understand because they were intelligent and philosophically advanced, denouncing life and its pleasures, warning that life is short,Margaret B. Duda. ''Four Centuries of Silver: Personal Adornment in the Qing Dynasty and After.'' Times Editions, 2002. Page 117. telling about immortality and the immortals, and urging everyone to seek the

Tao ''Tao'' or ''Dao'' is the natural order of the universe, whose character one's intuition must discern to realize the potential for individual wisdom, as conceived in the context of East Asian philosophy, East Asian religions, or any other philo ...

(the Way). This made the songs "unintelligible to ordinary mortals." Some ballads attributed to Lan survive today. One of Lan's songs went: "In singer Lan Caihe's eyes, how long can your life last? Good-looking faces are just like the green trees in spring, how could they keep this unchanged forever?" Another of Lan's songs also described physical aging and the brevity of mortal life, as follows: Another song attributed to Lan Caihe in the ''T'ai p'ing kuang chi'' refers to the swift passing of generations: Lan's performed in a traditional Chinese music style called stomping songs (). The genre first appeared in the Tang dynasty, and the form practiced by Lan first appeared in the Northern Sung: performed alone, singing and dancing at the same time, using certain types of tunes and patterns, while stomping the foot on the beat of the music, accompanied with a clapper. All classes and parts of the society performed in this style. Lan's habit of wearing only one shoe could have a purpose in stomping one foot while performing. Although Lan seemed to be performing music to earn a living, whenever anybody gave Lan money, the musician used it only to pay for food and drinks, and otherwise didn't use it for their own benefit. Sometimes Lan strung the money on a cord (

Chinese coins Ancient Chinese coinage includes some of the earliest known coins. These coins, used as early as the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BCE), took the form of imitations of the cowrie shells that were used in ceremonial exchanges. The ...

having a hole in the middle for stringing), letting it drag on the ground while walking along, or waving it to the time of their song. Lan gave the rest of the money to the poor. Lan was not concerned about losing money, letting coins scatter from the cord, leaving it bare. While living as a homeless mortal, Lan wore clothing that was generally inappropriate for the weather, without being harmed by it. During the summer, Lan wore a warm undergarment that was quilted or stuffed with cotton and wool. In the winter, Lan slept naked on the snow, so that their hot breath rose like a cloud of steam. The latter resembles

paradoxical undressing Hypothermia is defined as a body core temperature below in humans. Symptoms depend on the temperature. In mild hypothermia, there is shivering and mental confusion. In moderate hypothermia, shivering stops and confusion increases. In severe h ...

, a symptom of

hypothermia Hypothermia is defined as a body core temperature below in humans. Symptoms depend on the temperature. In mild hypothermia, there is shivering and mental confusion. In moderate hypothermia, shivering stops and confusion increases. In severe h ...

(being exposed to too cold of weather), in which people feel strangely as if they are too hot, and take off all their clothes, when really they are in danger of freezing to death. Paradoxical undressing is sometimes seen in street people who die of exposure. This part of the story may also represent Lan's mastery over the body, similar to feats performed by other Taoist immortals. Lan roamed all over China for decades. Elderly people noticed that Lan's face hadn't aged since they had seen Lan during their childhoods. In Taoism, Lan's wandering was seen as a spiritual practice, an "unencumbered lifestyle."Eva Wong. ''Tales of the Taoist Immortals.'' Page 6. This view is expressed in the 20th verse of the

Tao Te Ching The ''Tao Te Ching'' (, ; ) is a Chinese classic text written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Laozi, though the text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion d ...

(The Book of the Way), which says that in contrast with sharp-witted and determined people, a wanderer seems to be confused and drifting, but is directly mothered by the Tao (the Way). In other words, by not intentionally setting out to do things, a wanderer makes it possible for the Way to lead them to where they need to be.

Attaining immortality

Stories vary about how Lan Caihe attained immortality, some of which follow. In one legend, Lan Caihe became

drunk Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ps ...

at an inn at Fêng-yang Fu in Anhui. While intoxicated, Lan Caihe threw down to earth their robe, belt, clappers, and their only shoe. Then Lan Caihe rode a cloud up to

Heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

. In a similar legend, Lan was drinking at a

tavern A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that h ...

in Hao-liang, and heard the music of

pipes Pipe(s), PIPE(S) or piping may refer to: Objects * Pipe (fluid conveyance), a hollow cylinder following certain dimension rules ** Piping, the use of pipes in industry * Smoking pipe ** Tobacco pipe * Half-pipe and quarter pipe, semi-circula ...

, and then a crane flew down and landed on the table on the

terrace Terrace may refer to: Landforms and construction * Fluvial terrace, a natural, flat surface that borders and lies above the floodplain of a stream or river * Terrace, a street suffix * Terrace, the portion of a lot between the public sidewalk a ...

of the restaurant where Lan was eating and drinking. Lan rode the crane up to Heaven, throwing down their sash and only shoe. When onlookers tried to pick up the sash and shoe, the things vanished. In this story, the crane (in some tellings, a

swan Swans are birds of the family (biology), family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form t ...

stork Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family called Ciconiidae, and make up the order Ciconiiformes . Ciconiiformes previously included a number of other families, such as herons an ...

instead) is a celestial being that represents immortality. Another legend says that Lan Caihe helped a

beggar Begging (also panhandling) is the practice of imploring others to grant a favor, often a gift of money, with little or no expectation of reciprocation. A person doing such is called a beggar or panhandler. Beggars may operate in public place ...

. Lan gathered

medicinal herbs Medicinal plants, also called medicinal herbs, have been discovered and used in traditional medicine practices since prehistoric times. Plants synthesize hundreds of chemical compounds for various functions, including defense and protection a ...

and used them to tend to the beggar's sores. The beggar was revealed to be

Li Tieguai Li Tieguai (Standard Chinese, Mandarin: ; lit. "Iron Crutch Li") is a Chinese mythology, Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoism, Taoist pantheon. He is sometimes described as irascible and ill-tempered, but also b ...

, one of the other Eight Immortals, who usually appears as an old beggar who walks with an iron

crutch A crutch is a mobility aid that transfers weight from the legs to the upper body. It is often used by people who cannot use their legs to support their weight, for reasons ranging from short-term injuries to lifelong disabilities. History Crutc ...

, and who uses his powers to help the oppressed. Li rewarded Lan's

kindness Kindness is a type of behavior marked by acts of generosity, consideration, rendering assistant or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward in return. Kindness is a topic of interest in philosophy, religion, and psychology. Kin ...

by granting Lan immortality.John Moore Wickersham. ''Myths and Legends of the World, Volume 4." Macmillan Reference, 2000.

Life as an immortal

Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea - Project Gutenberg eText 15250

In The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea

In a story written by an anonymous author during the Ming dynasty (c. 14th–15th centuries), ''The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea'' (八仙過海; ''bā xiān guò hǎi''), the Eight Immortals chose to all test their talents by ride across an ocean, not upon clouds as they all usually did, but by each placing their personal emblem upon the surface of the sea, and standing upon them to ride across the sea. (This is the origin of the proverb "The Eight Immortals cross the sea, each reveals its divine powers" (八仙過海，各顯神通; bā xiān guò hǎi, gè xiǎn shén tōng). This saying indicates a situation where everybody shows off their skills and expertise to achieve a common goal.) Lan Caihe rode across the sea upon their musical instrument, the jade clappers. During this, the

Dragon King The Dragon King, also known as the Dragon God, is a Chinese water and weather god. He is regarded as the dispenser of rain, commanding over all bodies of water. He is the collective personification of the ancient concept of the '' lóng'' in Ch ...

of the Eastern Sea spied and envied the clappers. The Dragon King stole the instrument and imprisoned its owner. This started a war between the Eight Immortals and the dragons. Eventually the Eight Immortals rescued Lan and the clappers, and defeated the dragons by pushing a mountain into the sea, which ruined the dragons' undersea palace, and killed many.

Guanyin Guanyin () is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara ( sa, अवलोकितेश्वर) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She ...

, the Bodhisattva of mercy, showed up to bring peace. As part of the compromise, Guanyin gave the clappers to the dragons, to make up for their fatalities.E.T.C Werner. ''Myths and Legends of China.'' Page 303-305.

In The Legend of the Shipwrecked Servant

In one scene in "The Legend of the Shipwrecked Servant," the Eight Immortals walked on water to visit a god who lived across the sea. Lan Caihe was the one who noticed that the Immortals' mortal servant couldn't follow them that way, and asked another immortal to build a

raft A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water. It is usually of basic design, characterized by the absence of a hull. Rafts are usually kept afloat by using any combination of buoyant materials such as wood, sealed barrel ...

for the servant. Lan doesn't figure importantly in the rest of the story.E.T.C Werner. ''Myths and Legends of China.'' Page 214.

Religious role

Lan Caihe doesn't receive attention outside of Lan's presence in the group of the Eight Immortals. According to the ''Shih wu yüan hui'', quoted in the 19th century compilation ''Chi shuo ch'üan chén'', the Eight Immortals represent dualities of characteristics: old and young, male and female, rich and poor, honored and humble, warriors and scholars, noble and disabled. Of these, says the ''Shih wu yüan hui'', Lan is supposed to represent the young.Yetts, W. Perceval. “More Notes on the Eight Immortals.” p. 399. Because of carrying a basket of flowers, this immortal is the patron of

and gardeners.Valery M. Garrett. ''A Collector's Guide to Chinese Dress Accessories.'' Times Books International, 1997. Page 32. Because of Lan's career as a street musician, Lan is also the patron of minstrels,Ronald G. Knapp. ''China's Vernacular Architecture: House Form and Culture.'' University of Hawaii Press, 1989. Page 165. though being a patron of musicians is usually attributed to a different one of the Eight Immortals, such as Han Xiangzi, the flutist.

In traditional art and literature

In poetry by Yuan Yishan

Yuan Yishan () (1190–1257 CE) was a poet whose ''hao'' was Hao Wên. In his collected works and biography, ''yi shan xian sheng wen ji ()'', Yuan mentions Lan Caihe in some of his poems. In one sad passage, Yuan compares himself unfavorably with two cultural figures: In the first line, P'an Yo was a poet and official of the 4th century who was famous for his beauty. In the second line, Yuan refers to how Lan Caihe () was sometimes derided in public for wearing a blue gown that was ragged. Yuan uses both figures to express his fear of aging, and feeling ashamed of his clothes as they become worn out as well. Yuan also wrote this poem on a painting of Lan Caihe, in the Chinese tradition of adding calligraphy to illuminate other artists' illustrations: Yuan's poem, above, describes the appearance and behavior of Lan Caihe, and points out that Lan's behavior was no more irrational than that of people who hurry to build mere material wealth.

In The Story of Han Xiangzi

In the 17th century novel

The Story of Han Xiangzi ''The Story of Han Xiangzi'' () is a 17th-century Chinese novel written by (). It is written in vernacular Chinese. The protagonist is Han Xiangzi, one of the Eight Immortals. The novel was written with a clear Daoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism ...

by (楊爾曾), the protagonist is one of the other Eight Immortals,

, the flutist. Lan Caihe has several appearances in this novel. In chapter 20, Lan Caihe materializes an entire remote village, called Three Mountains Village, populated exclusively by eight hundred women. Lan uses this fabricated Village of Beautiful Women to open the mind of Han Tuizhi.Yang Erzeng. Philip Clart, translator. ''The Story of Han Xiangzi.'' University of Washington Press, 2007. Page 281-300.

In popular culture

Television and movies

The Eight Immortals, including Lan Caihe, often appear in television and movies, including the ones listed below. In some of these, Lan Caihe is played by a male actor, and in others, by an actress. This shows that presently Lan Caihe's gender is popularly seen as ambiguous. * 1976 Mainland version of the opera film ''Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea (八仙过海).'' Hao Ruiting plays Lan Caihe. * 1985 Hong Kong version of the ATV TV series ''Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea ( 八仙過海).''

Dion Lam Dion Lam (林迪安; Lam Dik-On) is a Hong Kong action choreographer and actor. Filmography * 1980 ''The Hangman'' * 1982 ''Energetic 21'' * 1983 ''Crazy Blood'' * 1988 ''Mistaken Identity'' * 1989 '' The Killer'' * 1989 ''Ghost Ballroom'' * 1 ...

(林迪安) plays Lan Caihe. * 1985 Hong Kong version of TVB TV series ''

The Yang's Saga ''The Yang's Saga'' () is a 1985 Hong Kong historical fantasy action miniseries based on a series of novels and plays titled ''The Generals of the Yang Family'' produced by TVB. It aired from 23 to 28 September 1985 on TVB Jade, during the stati ...

(楊家將).'' Katie Chan Fook-Sang ( 陳復生) as Lan Caihe * 1985 Mainland version of the movie ''The Legend of the Eight Immortals ( 八仙的传说).'' Yang Jianzhong (楊健忠) as Lan Caihe * 1993 Hong Kong version of the movie ''The Laughing Eight Immortals (笑八仙).''

Sandra Ng Sandra Ng Kwan-yue (born 2 August 1965) is a Hong Kong actress, film director and producer. Life and career The daughter of the actor Kenneth Ng Kam Tsun, Ng was born in Hong Kong, where she attended St. Stephen's Girls' College. Encouraged by h ...

(吴君如) as Lan Caihe * 1996 Hong Kong version of TVB TV series ''Journey to the West (

西遊記 ''Journey to the West'' () is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty and attributed to Wu Cheng'en. It is regarded as one of the greatest Classic Chinese Novels, and has been described as arguably the most popul ...

).'' Mak Ka Lun ( 麥嘉倫) plays Lan Caihe * 1998 Singapore version of the TV series ''

Legend of the Eight Immortals ''Legend of the Eight Immortals'' is a Singaporean television series based on stories about the Eight Immortals in Chinese mythology and adapted from the 16th-century Chinese novel ''Dong You Ji'' (东游记; ''Journey to the East'') by Wu Yuantai ...

(东游记).'' Deborah Sim as Lan Caihe. In this story, Lan is called the Barefoot Immortal (the

Barefoot Immortal Barefoot Immortal (), also known as Barefoot Master, is a Taoist deity in Chinese religion. He is known for his numerous appearances in Chinese operas and Chinese ancient literature ''Journey to the West'' and '' Outlaws of the Marsh''. The ancie ...

is normally a different Taoist immortal from Lan), and achieved immortality with help from Sun Wukong, the monkey king. * 1998 Hong Kong version of TVB TV series ''

Journey to the West II ''Journey to the West II'' is a Hong Kong television series adapted from the 16th-century novel ''Journey to the West''. The series was produced by TVB and was first broadcast on TVB Jade in Hong Kong from October to December 1998. It is a sequel ...

(西遊記).'' Mak Ka Lun ( 麥嘉倫) as Lan Caihe * 1998 Taiwan TV Series ''Li Tieguai (李鐵拐).'' Chien Chia-Ling ( 簡嘉伶) as Lan Caihe * 2000 to 2005. In the animated fantasy television show ''

Jackie Chan Adventures ''Jackie Chan Adventures'' is an American animated television series, created by John Rogers, Duane Capizzi and Jeff Kline, and produced by Sony Pictures Television (originally as Columbia TriStar Television for the first three seasons). The car ...

'', which is loosely inspired by Chinese mythology, Lan Caihe was the Immortal who sealed away a villain, Dai Gui, The Earth Demon, by striking him with a flower. In this story, this immortal was portrayed as a bald older man, wearing black and purple robes. * 2002 Mainland Chinese TV series ''The Story of the Laughing Eight Immortals ( 笑八仙之素女的故事).'' Huang Bin (黄斌) as Lan Caihe * 2006 Mainland Chinese TV series ''Eight Immortals (八仙传奇).'' Tso Shiao-Hu ( 左孝虎) plays Lan Caihe * 2008 Mainland Chinese TV Series ''Eight Immortals ( 八仙全传).'' Nikita Mao ( 毛林林) plays Lan Caihe * 2011 Mainland Chinese TV series ''Lotus Goddess ( 碧波仙子).'' Wan Changhao (万昌皓) plays Lan Caihe * 2014 mainland version of the TV series ''A Legend of Chinese Immortal ( 劍俠).''

Zheng Yecheng Zheng Yecheng (, born 26 August 1993) is a Chinese actor. He graduated from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, majoring in Chinese opera. Biography Zheng made his acting debut in 2012, co-starring in the film ''The Cosplayers''. He w ...

(鄭業成) as Lan Caihe * 2014 Mainland TV series ''The Eight Fairies ( 蓬莱八仙).'' Zhao Xiaosu (赵晓苏) plays Lan Caihe. * 2016 Mainland TV series ''Xianban Campus (仙班校园).'' Gao Jicai (高基才) plays Lan Caihe * The 2018 mainland TV series ''Little Bone: Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea (小戏骨：八仙过海).'' Liu Shijie ( 劉世傑) as Lan Caihe

Images

The Eight Immortals have always been a very familiar and popular motif in art in China, as well as in Japan and

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

. Lan Caihe usually appears together with them, distinguished by the emblem of the flower basket. The following gallery points out Lan Caihe's inclusion in these group portraits, as well as some less common portraits of Lan as an individual. This shows what tends to stay consistent and what changes between different depictions of Lan, including features such as Lan's emblem, age, and gender.

As an androgynous young person

In these pictures, Lan's appearance is neither distinctly masculine nor feminine. This style of depiction is more common. File:Lan Caihe.jpg, A woodblock print of Lan Caihe, as a young person wearing long robes and carrying a flower basket. Originally printed in the Huan Chu version of the

, c. 1206–1368 CE; reproduced 1916 CE. File:Chinese Figure of Lan Caihe, Qing Dynasty, Daoguang Period, 1821-1850, jadeite - Huntington Museum of Art - DSC05256.JPG, A jadeite figurine of Lan Caihe as a young adult wearing long robes and carrying a basket of fruit.

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

, Daoguang Period, 1821–1850 CE. File:Neujahrslampen China 01 EthnM.jpg, A group of New Year's lamps representing the Eight Immortals. Lan Caihe is on the farthest right, as a young person wearing a pink tunic trousers, and carrying a basket of fruit. Qing Dynasty, 19th century. File:Wing Luke Museum - Eight Immortals 01A.jpg, A plaque showing the Eight Immortals. Lan Caihe is second from the left, as a child wearing a blue tunic, pink trousers, white or yellow sash, and carrying a basket of flowers. nd. File:Baxian.png, An illustration of the Eight Immortals. Lan Caihe is on the far right, as a young person in pale clothing, holding a flower basket. nd. File:EightCelestials.jpg, The statue of eight Immortals of Chinese myth in Penglai, Shandong. Lan Caihe is in the middle, holding a large bouquet of roses. nd. File:Eight Immortals, figurines - Sichuan University Museum - Chengdu, China - DSC06171.jpg, A set of figurines of the Eight Immortals, in the Sichuan University Museum. Lan Caihe is second from the left, holding up a basket of flowers. nd. File:Hue-EightImmortals.JPG, A relief of the Eight Immortals at a temple in Hue,

. Lan Caihe is in the middle, as a young person wearing pink robes, holding up a basket of flowers. nd. File:Rhinoceros horn cup with Daoist immortals, Metropolitan Museum of Art.JPG, A rhinoceros horn cup showing the Eight Immortals, Qing dynasty, late 18th-19th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art. Lan Caihe is on the left, holding a basket of flowers. File:The eight immortals.jpg, A needlepoint of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea. Lan Caihe is the standing figure second from the right, carrying a flower basket slung on a hoe. File:Tianjin Haihe Huit Immortels.JPG, Statue of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, in Tianjin, China. Lan Caihe is third from the right, holding a flower basket. 2008. File:Wucheng-cun-P1210739.JPG, A plaque of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, decorating a house in Zhejiang, China. Lan Caihe is third from the left, riding a giant flower basket, instead of riding clappers as in the story. File:八仙过海.jpg, A mural in Sichuan of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea. Lan Caihe is second from the right, in gold, holding a flower basket. File:Chinese - The Eight Immortals - Walters 3535.jpg, A painting of the Eight Immortals. Lan Caihe is on the bottom far right, holding a flower basket.

As a person with facial hair or balding

In these pictures, Lan seems to have been imagined as a more masculine figure, which is less common. File:Album of 18 Daoist Paintings - 16.jpg, Zhang Lu's painting of Lan Caihe, as a bearded man riding a turtle, a symbol of longevity. Many Taoist immortals are shown riding turtles. Early 16th century. File:MET 33 89.jpg, A screen painted by Hasegawa Tōchō, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, showing a few of the Eight Immortals. Lan is second from the right, with a mustache and disheveled hair. Lan wears tattered robes, and carries a flower basket in one hand, and a hoe in the other. 17th century. File:Zhu Wenxin - The Eight Immortals - Walters 3570 - Detail.jpg, A painting by Zhu Wenxin, of the Eight Immortals. Lan Caihe is at the top, as a smiling, balding man holding up a flower basket. 1813 CE.

References

Citations

Sources

External links

* * {{Eight Immortals Eight Immortals LGBT themes in mythology Intersex in religion and mythology Androgynous and hermaphroditic deities Cultural depictions of transgender people Homeless people Buskers Floristry