清乾隆 白玉八仙紋方蓋匲 「乾隆御賞」刻款

This present white jade square-shaped lian box and cover decorated with the Eight Daoist Immortals appears to be extremely rare. The Adventures of the Eight Daoist Immortals, Baxian are described in the story The Eastward Travels of the Genii and are also found in the play, 'The Eight Genii Cross the Sea'. They are Cao Guojiu, the patron of actors and the theatre; Han Xiangzi, the patron of musicians; He Xiangu, the patron goddess of the home; Lan Caihe, the patron of gardeners; Li Tieguai, the patron of apothecaries; Lu Dongbin, a philosopher who fights the demons of the world, and is also the patron of barbers; Zhang Guolao, an Imperial official and the patron of painters and calligraphers; and finally Zhongli Quan, the head of the Immortals, is said to possess the Elixir of Life.