Systematic Discussion on the Eight Immortals Story (Construction and Evolution of Religious Mythology in Neidan Dao)

Author: Wu Guangzheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The author of this book has conducted a "fish out of water" style of comprehensive research on the Eight Immortals, systematicallying the origins and evolutions of thirteen stories such as "The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea," "The Eight Immortals Celebrating Longevity," "Lü Dongbin Playing with White Peony," and "Snow Blocking the Blue Pass." This research expands the connotation and extension of mythology, approaching it from the combined perspectives of religious history, literary history, and cultural history. It points out that the origin of the Eight Immortals dates back to the Southern Song and Jin dynasties, and that the legend of the Eight Immortals is a mythological-literary reinterpretation of internal alchemy religious concepts, religious rituals, and religious ceremonies. As the religious background gradually faded, the legend permeated various aspects of Chinese literature, culture, and the lives of the people. On this basis, the author also attempts to reflect on previous cultural research and literary historical narrative paradigms, proposing some unique insights.