THE EIGHT IMMORTALS OF THE TAO. r ST RELIGION 75 



The Eight Immortals form a popular object for the 

 artist's brush also, especially the scene of their crossing the 

 Eastern Sea. Earthern dolls shaped as the Eight Immortals 

 are very common in the artist's studio too. Children delight 

 to have these dolls, since their lives are worthy of emulation. 

 " Carved specimens of the Eight Genii are also sometimes 

 found ... in which the natural twistings of the roots 

 or fibres of shrubs and plants have been utilised with skilful 

 touches here and there to heighten the effect."* Creeping 

 plants also are often seen twisted into the forms of Eight 

 Genii, and mounted en frameworks of wire, and are objects 

 of admiration, in fact, the theme of the Eight Immortals 

 enters into almost any kind of aesthetic and fancy work. 

 These all go to show the immense popularity accorded by 

 the Chinese people to them, and in them, we see the 

 embodiment of the ideas of perfect but imaginary happiness 

 which possess the minds of the Chinese people. 



Note. — An illustrated article by W. Perceval Yetts, ir» 

 The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and 

 Ireland, Vol. XLVIIir P p. 773-820 should be consulted.— Ed. 



* J. Dyer Ball : Things Chinese. 



