An immortal who did good, liked ladies and wine
By Zhang Qian |
May 23, 2013, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
LYU Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals in Chinese legend, is famous for teaching Taoism, kindness, compassion and wielding a magical sword. He is typically depicted in scholar's robes, wearing a sword at his back.
A Confucian scholar, poet and swordsman, Lyu was a wanderer known and beloved around China, especially in the north. He was revered for his good deeds and the saying "dog bites Lyu Dongbin" (狗咬吕洞兵，不识好人心) which means that one fails to recognize good and repays it with cruelty or a bad turn.
Lyu was also an historic figure in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). He is worshipped as the ancestor of the Quanzhen sect in Taoism, having been the teacher of its founder Wang Chongyang.
But like the other colorful seven immortals, Lyu had his flaws and eccentricities. In some tales he is an ardent ladies' man (stories have been sanitized), he has bouts of drunkenness and as a "young" immortal had such a fierce temper that he changed the course of a river.
But it's the good and compassionate Lyu, considered by many the de facto leader of the Eight Immortals, who is worshipped today on his birthday, the 14th day of the fourth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
In Taoist temples, especially those of the Quanzhen sect, there will be rituals - praying, chanting, burning incense and playing music.
A Chinese proverb goes, "Like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each person shows his or her special prowess" (八仙过海，各显神通), meaning everyone makes their own contribution in their own way. To become immortal, according to the tale, the eight mortals are required to pass various tests, with the final being crossing the sea on their own. Lyu crosses the sea by standing on his flying sword.
There are a number of versions of the Eight Immortals, the best known being Wu Taiyuan's "The Provenance of the Journey to the East" in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The eight are Tieguai (Iron Crutch) Li, Han Zhongli, Zhang Guolao, Lan Caihe, He Xiangu, Lyu Dongbin, Han Xiangzi and Cao Guojiu.
Lyu (originally Lyu Yan) was born in Shanxi Province and legend has it that while his mother was giving birth, glorious music filled the room and a white crane flew into the bed curtain and disappeared.
Lyu was a brilliant child, capable of repeating long passages after brief perusal and making polished, impromptu speeches. He failed the imperial examinations, however, and then traveled around, writing poetry and visiting taverns.
One day he met Han Zhongli (another future immortal) in a tavern in Chang'an, the capital, and they began drinking. After Lyu fell asleep he dreamed that he excelled in the imperial exams, rose to great influence in court and then lost everything, finally shivering in the snow.
When he woke up, he saw that Han was still cooking the millet (called yellow rice) he started before Lyu dozed off. Suddenly he realized that all fame and fortune were just like dreams, short and unreal. He decided to follow Han and study Taoism. He would pass 10 tests to become immortal.
His tavern dream of fame and fortune "huang liang yi meng" (a dream within yellow rice (黄粱一梦) is a proverb about unrealistic dreams.
It is said that after the eight became immortal, Lyu decided to remain in the human world to help others before he himself would ascend to his position in heaven. There many stories of him helping the poor and the sick, protecting lost sheep and even showing prostitutes the path of righteousness. Unlike other immortals, he did not shy from taverns and brothels but tried to help lost souls there, it is said.
A Confucian scholar, poet and swordsman, Lyu was a wanderer known and beloved around China, especially in the north. He was revered for his good deeds and the saying "dog bites Lyu Dongbin" (狗咬吕洞兵，不识好人心) which means that one fails to recognize good and repays it with cruelty or a bad turn.
Lyu was also an historic figure in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). He is worshipped as the ancestor of the Quanzhen sect in Taoism, having been the teacher of its founder Wang Chongyang.
But like the other colorful seven immortals, Lyu had his flaws and eccentricities. In some tales he is an ardent ladies' man (stories have been sanitized), he has bouts of drunkenness and as a "young" immortal had such a fierce temper that he changed the course of a river.
But it's the good and compassionate Lyu, considered by many the de facto leader of the Eight Immortals, who is worshipped today on his birthday, the 14th day of the fourth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
In Taoist temples, especially those of the Quanzhen sect, there will be rituals - praying, chanting, burning incense and playing music.
A Chinese proverb goes, "Like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each person shows his or her special prowess" (八仙过海，各显神通), meaning everyone makes their own contribution in their own way. To become immortal, according to the tale, the eight mortals are required to pass various tests, with the final being crossing the sea on their own. Lyu crosses the sea by standing on his flying sword.
There are a number of versions of the Eight Immortals, the best known being Wu Taiyuan's "The Provenance of the Journey to the East" in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The eight are Tieguai (Iron Crutch) Li, Han Zhongli, Zhang Guolao, Lan Caihe, He Xiangu, Lyu Dongbin, Han Xiangzi and Cao Guojiu.
Lyu (originally Lyu Yan) was born in Shanxi Province and legend has it that while his mother was giving birth, glorious music filled the room and a white crane flew into the bed curtain and disappeared.
Lyu was a brilliant child, capable of repeating long passages after brief perusal and making polished, impromptu speeches. He failed the imperial examinations, however, and then traveled around, writing poetry and visiting taverns.
One day he met Han Zhongli (another future immortal) in a tavern in Chang'an, the capital, and they began drinking. After Lyu fell asleep he dreamed that he excelled in the imperial exams, rose to great influence in court and then lost everything, finally shivering in the snow.
When he woke up, he saw that Han was still cooking the millet (called yellow rice) he started before Lyu dozed off. Suddenly he realized that all fame and fortune were just like dreams, short and unreal. He decided to follow Han and study Taoism. He would pass 10 tests to become immortal.
His tavern dream of fame and fortune "huang liang yi meng" (a dream within yellow rice (黄粱一梦) is a proverb about unrealistic dreams.
It is said that after the eight became immortal, Lyu decided to remain in the human world to help others before he himself would ascend to his position in heaven. There many stories of him helping the poor and the sick, protecting lost sheep and even showing prostitutes the path of righteousness. Unlike other immortals, he did not shy from taverns and brothels but tried to help lost souls there, it is said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
