Eight Immortals: Han Xiangzi

Philosopher Han Xiang, or more popularity known as, Han Xiangzi. He has a talisman which is a flute that produces music that can give life, make flowers bloom and soothe wild animals. Because of this life giving ability of his flute, Han Xiangzi became a protector of flautists. He is also the patron of musicians and of the middle class.

Han Xiangzi is a nephew of a prominent poet and statesman of the Tang dynasty whose name is Han Yu. It is said that Han Xiangzi tried to persuade Han Yu to renounce his political career and pursue Tao while Han Yu suggested that Han Xiangzi should renounce Tao and pursue a political career. Han Xiangzi filled an empty goblet with excellent wine and also caused flowers to spring up and bloom to try to convince Han Yu. Within the mist of the flowers words could even be seen which is said to have been:

“Lost on the far Qing Mountains, I cannot find my way;
Snowdrifts cover the Lan Pass and my horse can do no more.”

Some time afterwards Han Yu was sent off to a minor post and to do it in a place called Chaozhou. While heading to Chaozhou Han Yu was caught in a snowstorm and Han Xiangzi appeared. Han Yu asked for the name of the place, with the answer being “The Lan Pass.” The words seen in the mists were correct. A bit later Han Xiangzi told Han Yu that he will be back in good health and reinstated into his former post, it indeed happen to Han Yu‘s luck.

Han Xiangzi doesn’t have a so glamorous story of how he became immortal, as it is said that he was in a sacred peach tree and fell out of it which is said how he obtained immortality. But it also said that he enjoyed exploring his surrounding mountains, playing his flute and commune with nature itself, which is where he encountered one of the Eight Immortals, Lu Dongbin, who became his mentor.