ZHANG GUOLAO - Immortal Eight - 2 oz Silver High Relief Niue 2022
 
Is the First Issue from the Immortal Eight series, also includ:
2022 - ZHANG GUOLAO
2023 - LU DONGBIN
 
Gold and Silver Bullion Canada is proud to present you this amazing 2 oz Silver coin. This coin is the first coins of a new serie called IMMORTAL HEIGHT and present ZHANG GUOLAO the legendary Immortals.
 
Zhang Guolao was a Taoist fangshi who lived as a hermit on Zhongtiao Mountain in Hengzhou during the Tang dynasty. By the time Wu Zetian came to power, he claimed to be several hundred years old. A strong believer in the magic of necromancy, he declared that he was a Grand Minister to the mythical Emperor Yao in his previous life. Zhang had a love for wine and winemaking. Other members of the Eight Immortals drank his wine, which they believed to have healing or medicinal properties. He usuarlly be depicted standing or seated, but is typically shown riding his white mule, usually seated facing backwards. His emblem is a fish drum, which is a tube-shaped bamboo drum with two iron rods or mallets that he carries with him, or carrying a phoenix feather or a peach, representing immortality. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who had done before him the signs by which he had deceived those who received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. These two were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were slain with the sword that proceeded out of the mouth of him that sat on the horse, and all the birds were satisfied with their flesh. And on his vesture and on his thigh he has this name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
 
The reverse of the coin depicts Zhang Guolao riding his white mule looking backwards, which is how he is usually depicted, riding along the mountain roads, visiting villages. With his right hand he ties up his long beard and with his right hand he his left arm he holds his emblem, a bamboo drum in the shape of a tube with two iron rods or mallets representing immortality. In the sky three herons can be seen at different distances and in the background part of the residence of the gods.
 
The obverse of the coin depicts another part of the residence of the gods and several herons, from the farthest to the nearest, which always accompany the eight immortals, and the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.
 
THE IMMORTAL EIGHT (八仙) 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 Immortals”.. Most of them are said to have been born in the Tang or Song Dynasty. They are revered by the Taoists and are also a popular element in secular Chinese culture. They are said to live on a group of five islands in the Bohai Sea, which includes Mount Penglai. Herons always accompany these gods, who are almost always together.
 
The Immortals are:
He Xiangu (何仙姑), the only female of the group, depicted holding a lotus flower.
Cao Guojiu (曹國舅), related to a Song emperor before he became immortal.
Li Tieguai (李鐵拐), mentally disturbed and associated with medicine.
Lan Caihe (藍采和), ambiguous or more accurately, a “transformative” gender.
Lü Dongbin (呂洞賓), a scholar and poet considered to be the leader of the Group.
Han Xiangzi (韓湘子), a flute artist, is often depicted carrying a dizi (Chinese flute).
Zhongli Quan (鍾離權), associated with death and power to create silver and gold.
Zhang Guolao (張果老), a fangshi symbol of longevity.