Li Tieguai, also known as “Tieguai Li” or “Mr. Tieguai”, is the oldest immortal of the Eight Immortals of Taoism. According to legend, his surname was Li and his given name was Xuan, or alternatively Li Ningyang, Li Kongmu or Li Hongshui. There are many legends about him.
During the reign of Emperor Shennong, Li Tieguai was known as Gushen, and around the same time as Chisongzi, he was the rain master during the reign of Emperor Shennong. According to the “Comprehensive Mirror to the Past” (Liji Shenshen Tongjian), “There was a god in Changhuai, also a practitioner of Buddhism. He rode a six-winged goat, with a crooked horn on its head and six wings on its ribs. He moved like lightning, patrolling the world, and the people followed his example. He ruled for 300 years, and then disappeared.” Regarding this ancient god, who “moved like lightning,” Chisongzi once told the immortal Wan Qiu that he “practiced Buddhism and developed the technique of extracting the primordial spirit, and even changed his name to Li Ningyang. Unfortunately, he did not attain the true way.” This Li Ningyang was the immortal Li Tieguai, who attained the Dao through the practice of Laozi Wanquiu.
Li Tieguai changed with the times. The ‘Continued Examination of Literature and Documents’ says: ”Li Tieguai, also known as Li Hongshui, a native of Shaanxi during the Sui Dynasty, nicknamed Guai'er, also known as Tieguai, often begged in the city, and people despised him. Later, he threw his iron staff into the air, turned into a dragon, and rode it away.”
The Book of Collected Commentaries quotes the Complete Examination Series as saying: Li Tieguai also went by the alias Li Kongmu. He had a foot ailment, and the Queen Mother of the West enlightened him and granted him the Iron Staff, which he used to go to the capital to meet Zhongli Quan, the great Han general. He was granted the title Purple Mansion Shaoming Lord by the Queen Mother.
The “Comprehensive Mirror to Record the Miraculous” (vol. 5) and “Complete Biography of Immortals” (vol. 1) and other Daoist classics often describe him as a Daoist hermit, a burly man who retreated to a cave in Dangshan. One day, he received an invitation from the Supreme Lord Lao Tzu to attend a Daoist gathering on Mount Hua. Before leaving, he told his disciples, “I will attend the gathering with my soul, and return after seven days. If I don't, please burn my body.” It is said that his soul is hidden in the liver and his spirit in the lungs. When the primordial spirit goes out, the soul follows, leaving only the spirit to guard the corpse, which is “the primordial spirit leaving the shell”. After giving these instructions, he left his primordial spirit to go to Mount Hua to join Lao-jun's tour, while his disciple guarded his master's body day and night. Unexpectedly, on the sixth day, the disciple's family came to report that his mother was critically ill and urgently wanted to return to see him. He was restless and could hardly wait. It was not until the next day at noon that he did not see his primordial soul return. Helplessly, the disciple cremated his body and went home to fulfill his filial duty. Soon his primordial soul rushed back to the Dangshan Cave, but when he saw that he had lost his body and had no form to cling to, he felt like a lonely ghost. Suddenly he noticed a starving corpse in the forest, dying. He had a brainstorm and thought, “Why not use it to return to my body!” He immediately entered through the corpse's temple and stood up. After that, he noticed that the thatched roof was not right, so he hurriedly ran to the river and looked in the water. He saw a reflection of a person: unkempt hair and a beard, big eyes, a flat stomach, and pacing his feet. The appearance was very ugly. He was shocked and quickly poured out the immortal pills that Laojun had given him and swallowed them. Suddenly someone said behind him, “The thatched roof and the thatched eaves, the broken windows and the broken pillars, this room is so ugly, how can it be a place to stay!” He looked back and it turned out to be Taishang Laojun. Upon hearing this, he suddenly felt that the shell he had obtained was really ugly, and he wanted to jump out of his body. Laojun hurriedly stopped him and said, “The shape of Tao does not lie in appearance. I will give you a golden hoop to hold back your unruly hair, and an iron crutch to support you as you pace. As long as you perfect your cultivation, you will become a true immortal with an extraordinary appearance.” So he did as the old man told him, cupped his hands around his eyes to hold back his soul, and called himself Li Kongmu. This is the origin of the world-famous Mr. Tie Guai.
During the Ming Dynasty, it was also said that Li Tieguai was a disciple of Lü Dongbin. Yue Baichuan wrote “Mudongbing Dute Guai Li Yue” (literally “Lü Dongbin guides Tieguai Li Yue”), which says that Tieguai's surname was Li and his given name was Yue. There is also “Tieguai Li Dujin Tongyu” (literally “Tieguai Li guides the golden boy and jade girl”). The image of Tieguai Li often shows him carrying a gourd full of medicine on his back, wandering the rivers and lakes, treating people's illnesses. After his achievements were complete, he was made an immortal by the Jade Emperor.
Zhongli Quan is one of the Eight Immortals of Taoism and one of the Five Northern Patriarchs of Taoism. He is also known as “Han Zhongli”. According to legend, his surname was Zhongli, his given name Quan, and his style name Yunfang. Later, he changed his name to Jue, his style name to Jiedao, his Daoist title to Zhengyangzi, and his sobriquet to Yunfang Shengsheng. The Quanzhen Daoists revered him as the Patriarch Zhengyang.
According to the records in the ninth volume of “A General History of Immortals” and the third volume of “The Complete Biography of Immortals”: Zhongli Quan was Zhongli Zi in the Han Dynasty, surnamed Zhongli and named Quan. He was from Xianyang in Jingzhou (now Xianyang in Shaanxi). Zhongli Quan's style name was Jiedao, and his nicknames were Guzi, Zhengyangzi and Yunfangshengshi. His father Zhongli Zhang was a general in the Eastern Han Dynasty and was awarded the title of Marquis of Yantai for his meritorious service in the northern border defense. His elder brother Zhongli Jian was a Zhonglangjiang. As for his origins, the book records that a giant stepped into his mother's room in broad daylight and said, “I am the ancient Yellow God, and I shall be reborn here. Suddenly there was a strange light several zhang (Chinese unit of length) high like a blazing fire,” and his mother became pregnant. He was born as big as a three-year-old child, with a naturally lucky appearance: “round head and broad forehead, thick ears and long eyebrows, deep eyes and upturned nose, square mouth and big cheeks, lips and face like red beans, far-reaching arms and long legs.” What is even more strange is that after his birth, he neither cried nor ate day or night. On the seventh day, he suddenly said, “My body is in the Purple Mansion, and my name is inscribed in the Jade Capital.” Everyone was shocked by his words, because the Purple Mansion and the Jade Capital were the palace of the Jade Emperor. And because he had “known the importance of things since childhood,” his father named him Quan, hoping that he would weigh the world's affairs carefully and choose his path. When he grew up, he served as the Han Dynasty's Grand Counselor, but was demoted to the military post of Nankang Commander after criticizing Li Jian for his inappropriate border defense strategy. Later, he resumed his official duties in the Jin Dynasty and led troops together with the general Zhou Chu. He was ordered to lead an expedition against the Tibetans, but was defeated. He retreated to the mountains and met the Taoist master Wang Xuanfu, who enlightened him and passed on the secrets of immortality, the golden elixir and the Green Dragon sword technique. Soon after, he met Hua Yang Zhen Ren, who taught him the Taiyi Dao Gui, the internal alchemy of fire symbols, and he was able to understand the “Way of the Mysterious”. Later, he went to Kongtong Mountain to seek the Dao, met Taishang Laojun, and obtained his true position. The Jade Emperor bestowed upon him the title of “Immortal of the Left Palace of Taiji”. Since then, Zhongli Quan has either hidden or appeared, changing at any time. From the Wei to the Jin dynasties, he became a general at the border. He changed his name to “Jin Chongjian”, with “Jin” and “Zhong” both meaning “gold” and “heavy”, and “Chongjian” meaning “reappear”. The meaning is that Zhongli Quan had reappeared. However, he suffered repeated defeats in battle and became disheartened, retiring to the Zhongnan Mountains to live in seclusion. From then on, he no longer served as a general and did not care about fame or fortune. It was not until the Tang Dynasty that he reappeared and converted Lü Dongbin.
Books such as the Song History and Yijian Zhi also regard him as a friend of the ancient sage Chen Tuan. The biography of Chen Tuan states that he transformed into the Daoist monk Zha Ji, while the biography of Wang Laozhi states that Mr. Zhongli taught Laozhi the Dao of alchemy. It was not until the Yuan and Ming dynasties that his immortality and alchemy practices became more widely known.
Zhongli Quan is depicted with his chest bared, a palm-leaf fan in his hand, large eyes, a red face, two small tufts of hair on his head, and a carefree expression, as if he doesn't care if the sky falls. The Complete Tang Poems includes three quatrains he wrote in a tavern in Chang'an, the first of which is the most widely circulated. It reads:
I always carry a jug of wine with me, whether I'm sitting or lying down, so that my eyes never fail to see the imperial capital.
The world is vast, but I have no name, I disperse the world as a husband.
This poem has become a true portrayal of his life's thoughts.
Lu Dongbin is not only the immortal with the greatest influence and most widely rumoured of the Eight Immortals of Taoism, but also one of the “Five Northern Patriarchs” of Taoism. His surname was Lu, his given name Yan, his style name Dongbin, and his sobriquet “Miao Tong Zhenren”. His full name was “Chunyang Yanzheng Jinghua Fuyou Dijun”, and later generations called him Chunyang. The Quanzhen Taoist religion reveres him as “Lu Zu”.
His origins are particularly miraculous. According to the Fourteenth Volume of the Comprehensive Mirror to the Immortals of Past Generations, his mother, Lady Wang, gave birth to him on the fourteenth day of the fourth lunar month in the year bingwu of the Zhenguan reign (627–650) of the Tang dynasty, at the hour of the snake, when “heavenly music filled the air, a crane came floating down from the sky and entered her embrace”. There are various legends about Lü Dongbin's name and deeds. Some say that his surname was Mu, his given name Yan, his style name Dongbin, and his sobriquet Chunyangzi. He was from Zhaoxianli, Yongle Town, Pusan County, Tangpu; some say that his name was Lü Yan and he was from Hezhongfu (now Yongji County, Shanxi); some say that he was from Jingchuan; and some say that Lü Yan's style name was Dongbin and his courtesy name Xiyun and that he was from Jiujiang. In fact, all these people were incarnations of Lü Dongbin. Lu Xian Zi Shu Zhuan says: “Lu Xian was originally a member of the Tang imperial family. He fled the disaster of Empress Wu and escaped with his wife. He changed his surname to Lu, lived in the mountains, was named Yan, and his style name was Dongbin. His wife died again, and he was known as Chunyangzi.” In “Lu Xian Feijian Ji” (The Flying Sword of Lu Xian), it is said that he was born on the fourth day of the fourth lunar month at the hour of the snake in the year 798 of the reign of Emperor Tang Zhenyuan (785-805). Because the pattern on the palm of his hand was like a mountain with three mouths, he was named Yan, with the style name Dongbin. This was his birth year, month, day and hour, and all four of them were male numerals, so he was given the name Chunyangzi. It is also said that Lü Dongbin passed the imperial examinations during the reign of Emperor Yizong of the Tang Dynasty (reigned 859–873), but fled to the rivers and lakes to avoid the chaos in the world. There is also the legend that he was the grandson of Lü Wei, a trusted official in the Ministry of Rites of the Tang Dynasty, and the son of Mu Rang, the prefect of Haizhou. Because of his many setbacks in officialdom, he turned to Daoism. There is also the saying that he was a member of the family, surnamed Li, and when Empress Wu Zetian overthrew the Tang Dynasty and wiped out the Tang royal family, he and his wife retreated to live in hiding between the green waters and red mountains. Because his surname was Lv, they lived under the overhang of a cliff, hence the name “Cave Hermit”; they often lived in caves, hence the name “Cave Hermit”. The Song Dynasty History: Biography of Chen Zhi, on the other hand, describes him as “a recluse from the Western Regions, skilled in swordsmanship, over a hundred years old. He was agile and could travel several miles in a short time. He often came to (Chen) Zhaizhai,“ which roughly translates as ‘a Taoist priest with a graceful bearing and profound cultivation.
According to the records of ’Yehang Chuan” and other books, before Lü Dongbin became immortal, he was trapped in his career. He went to a wine shop in Chang'an and first met Han Zhongli, telling him about his lifelong frustration. Han Zhongli then influenced him with the saying “a dream of yellow sorghum.” In his sleep, Lü Dongbin experienced the ups and downs of his life. When he woke up, the rice porridge had not yet been cooked. He immediately felt a connection and even bowed to Han Zhongli as a master, asking him to help him transcend. Han Zhongli then tested Lü Dongbin with ten trials related to life and death, wealth and sex, but Lü remained unmoved. Han Zhongli then gave him the Golden Elixir and the Divine Art of the Spirit. Later, he met the True Lord of the Fire Dragon and was taught the method of bowing to the sun and moon. He also acquired the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique from the True Lord of the Fire Dragon. His Taoist practices incorporated Buddhist teachings, and his goal was to save the world with compassion. He changed the practice of alchemy and internal energy cultivation, and his swordplay was known for its three cuts: “one cut for greed and anger, two cuts for lust, and three cuts for trouble.” He made a great vow to devote himself to Taoist practices and save all living beings. He first lived in the Zhongnan Mountains, where he received the secrets of the Han Dynasty alchemist Zhongli, and cultivated his Taoist practices. He then traveled the world, always calling himself a Daoist, slaying dragons and eliminating harm, and was respected by the people. According to the “Complete Biography of the Immortals” and other records, he also believed that the Bodhisattva was the way to heaven, and evil was the step to hell. He said, “Heaven and hell are not the result of someone in charge, but are shaped by the heart of man.” So he used this to convert people, sometimes hidden, sometimes visible, and the world could not measure it. He once helped Liu Meichan and Wang Chongyang become immortals, and founded the northern and southern schools of Taoism. The Yuan emperor Taizu of Song called him the True Lord of the Pure Yang School of Righteousness and Enlightenment, and the Wu emperor also called him the Lord of the Pure Yang School of Righteousness and Enlightenment.
The deeds of his cultivation and transformation are recorded in the book “The Records of Lüzhu”, which is divided into six volumes and is now included in the orthodox Taoist canon. The image of the immortal has long been integrated into folk culture, and traces of his spiritual presence can be found all over the place. Today, the Zhongnan Mountain Ningyang Cave Taoist Temple is the place where he first met the Eastern Emperor and sensed the unpredictability of worldly affairs. Later, he travelled the world, stopping in Handan, where he gave his pillow to Lu Sheng, and wrote poems on the wall of the Shen family home next door, using pomegranate peel. Everywhere he went, his descendants built temples and worshiped him. Nowadays, his legacy is widespread and deeply rooted in the folk culture, and he is known to women and children alike. There are many temples and shrines dedicated to him all over the country, and he is often worshipped, especially on the 14th day of the fourth lunar month, his birthday, when the ceremonies are even more solemn.
Zhang Guolao was a Daoist priest from the Tang Dynasty. According to the New Tangshu, Zhang Guolao was a Daoist priest from the Tang Dynasty who was adept at sorcery. He once lived in seclusion in Zhongtiaoshan, Hengshan, and traveled between Fen and Jin. He lived to be hundreds of years old, and people at the time respectfully called him Zhang Guolao. Volume 6 of “A General History of Immortals Throughout the Ages” says: There was an old man called Zhang Guolao in Zhongtiaoshan. He claimed to have been born during the reign of Emperor Yao, was knowledgeable, loved to wear plain clothes, and lived in seclusion on the mountain's north side, studying under Xuan Nu. During the Tang Dynasty, he became a Taoist priest and was called Zhang Guolao because he looked old and appeared to be very old.
Taiping Guangji, vol. 30, says: “Guo often rides a white donkey that can travel tens of thousands of li a day. When he is not riding, he folds it up. It is as thick as paper and is kept in a hatbox. When he rides it, he sprays it with water and it becomes a donkey again.” When the Tang emperors Taizong and Gaozong heard of his reputation, they summoned him to the capital, but he did not respond. When Empress Wu Zetian (r. 684–705) summoned him to leave the mountains, he feigned death halfway there and did not go. In the twenty-first year (733) of the Tang Emperor Xuanzong's Kaiyuan period (713-742), the court sent an emissary, Pei Wugu, to invite him, and he entered the palace. Tang Xuanzong repeatedly asked about immortals' cultivation practices, but Zhang Guolao never answered or passed on any knowledge. Seeing that Zhang Guolao's face was aging, Xuanzong asked him why people who had attained the Dao looked like that. Zhang Guolao said that he was a person from the Bingzi year of Emperor Yao and had served as a Zhongshi. Xuanzong believed him without a doubt. One day, when the emperor went hunting, he caught a large deer. Zhang Guolao said, “This is a fairy deer, already a thousand years old. It was originally the deer of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty in the Shanglin.” The emperor was surprised and asked, “How do you know?” Zhang Guolao said, “When Emperor Wu released it, he tied a bronze tablet to the lower left antler.” The emperor immediately sent someone to check, and sure enough, there was a two-inch bronze tablet under the antler, but the writing on it had already decayed. Zhang Diaolao added that the deer was already 852 years old. Emperor Xuanzong and his ministers were very impressed, so they released the deer back into the mountains. Soon after, Emperor Xuanzong promoted him to the rank of “Yinqing Guanglu Grandee” and bestowed the title “Master Tongxuan”. He also wanted to marry him to Princess Yuzhen. Zhang Guolao sang: “Marrying a princess, rising from a humble home to a noble one, while it is pleasing to others, it is terrifying to me.” He resolutely refused the summons and implored to be allowed to return to the mountains. On his way back, he turned into a pheasant and perished in Puwu County, Hengshan. His disciples all said that he had “become immortal by dissolving the body”. Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty then built a temple in his place of becoming immortal to worship him. Later, people wrote a poem about Zhang Guolao based on his name, deeds and reputation, which goes:
How many people in the world are like this old man?
He doesn't ride a donkey backwards and looks back at everything.
There is also a saying that has been passed down in the folk tradition that uses objects to replace the figures of the Eight Immortals. It is called “the secret Eight Immortals” and refers to the gourd, fan, flower basket, Daoist love letter, lotus whisk (or sword), flute and ruler. The Daoist love letter refers to Zhang Diaolao. Folk legend has it that he often carried a love letter on his back, rode a donkey backwards, travelled all over the place, and preached Daoist love letters to persuade the world.
Lan Caihe is one of the Eight Immortals. The “Journey to the East” describes him as a barefoot immortal born as a young hermit who has seen through the world. According to the “Continued Immortal Biography” by Shen Fen of the Southern Tang Dynasty, Lan Caihe was originally a wandering Taoist priest, ragged and dark, wearing a wooden belt more than three inches wide. He would wear one boot and go barefoot, carrying a big clapper in his hand, often singing and dancing drunk in the marketplace. In summer, he wears cotton padding; in winter, he lies in the snow. He breathes heavily, as if he is mad, but not really mad. Young and old follow him, amused by his antics. He answers people's questions and makes everyone laugh with his comments. When he walks, he jingles his boots, and he sings all the time. His songs are full of meaning, but no one can understand them. If someone gives him money, he will tie a long string to it and let it drag on the ground behind him. If he sees someone who is poor, he will give the money away or give it to a restaurant, and travel around the world. People have seen him when they were children, and again when they were gray-haired. His face looked like Gu Yanwu's. Later, he sang and danced on the bridge, got drunk and fell asleep in a restaurant. Suddenly, there was the sound of a cloud, cranes, flutes and drums. He then levitated into the clouds, threw down his boots, shirt, belt and board, and slowly disappeared. His most famous steps are:
Stepping and singing Lan Caihe, how can the world be geometric?
A beautiful woman is like a spring tree, and time flies like a shuttle.
The ancients wandered away and never returned, while the present generation comes and goes in ever greater numbers.
In the morning, I ride a phoenix to the blue sky; in the evening, I see white waves form in the mulberry fields.
The eternal glory shines in the sky, and the golden and silver palaces tower high and proud!
The legend of Lan Caihe is recorded in Lu You's “Book of the Southern Tang” and in Volume 22 of “Taiping Guangji”. Lan Caihe was originally a man, but in some plays he is often portrayed as a woman.
Han Xiangzi is a young man with a bamboo flute in one hand, which is equivalent to the image of a gentle scholar.
According to the “Youyang Zazhu” (Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang), Han Xiangzi's real name was Han Xiang, and he was the nephew of Han Yu, a great writer and vice minister of justice in the Tang Dynasty. Han Xiangzi was a wild man who could perform strange feats. However, Han Xiang, Han Yu's nephew, was actually a man of the court. He passed the imperial examinations in the third year of the Changqing reign (823) and rose to the rank of Da Lixing. Han Yu once wrote the poem “Left for Lan Pass to My Nephew Xiang” as a gift. Han Yu also had a nephew who liked the Daoist immortals and could make flowers bloom and wine appear. Han Yu once wrote the poem “Xuzhou Gift to My Nephew” as a gift, saying, “He claims to have miraculous skills and knows the workings of the heavens.” Later generations regarded these two men as one and called him Han Xiangzi, and included him in the immortals' ranks. According to the Ming Dynasty biography “The Complete Biography of Han Xiangzi” by Yang Er, the daughter of the Han Chancellor, Lingling, was talented and beautiful. The Han Emperor wanted to give her in marriage to his nephew, but the Chancellor firmly refused. The Emperor was furious and had him dismissed and sent into exile. Lingling died of sadness and was reborn as a white crane. The crane was enlightened by Zhongli Quan and Muchong Bin, and was reborn as the son of Han Hui of Changli County, whose nickname was Xiangzi. He lost his parents at a young age and was raised by his uncle Han Yu. After Xiangzi grew up, he was taught the art of cultivating immortality and Taoism by the immortals Zhong and Lu. Han Yu was very angry and tried his best to stop him, so he retreated to the Zhongnan Mountains to practice Taoism, and later achieved the right result and was ranked among the Eight Immortals. According to the “Qingsuo Gaoyi Qianji” (Pre-Collection of Qingsuo's High Discussions), Volume 9, Han Yu encouraged Xiangzi to study Confucianism. Xiangzi then wrote a poem to Han Yu to express his aspirations, which read:
"Green mountains and caves in the clouds, this place is my home.
I eat the nectar of the night and chew the red clouds in the morning.
I play the jade tune on the zither and refine white cinnabar in the furnace.
A golden tiger in a treasure cauldron, white crows in a field of reishi.
A single core contains the whole of creation, a three-foot sword slays demons.
A single gourd ferments in an instant, a single flower blooms in a blink.
If someone can emulate me, we can together admire the immortal flowers. Han Yu was unconvinced after reading it and asked Xiangzi, “Do you really have this ability?” Xiangzi immediately found a flowerpot, scooped up the soil and covered it, and said after a while, “The flowers have already bloomed.” He took out the flowerpot and saw two green flowers growing in the soil, with gold characters in the middle of the leaves. Han Yu read them carefully and realized they were a pair of couplets: “Where is your home with the clouds across the Qinling Mountains, and the snow surrounding the Lanmen Pass, preventing the horses from advancing?” Han Yu did not understand the meaning of the couplet. Later, he submitted a petition to dissuade Emperor Tang Xianzong from welcoming the “Buddha's bones” to the capital. Emperor Tang Xianzong was furious and demoted Han Yu to the position of prefect of Chaozhou. On the way to take up his post, someone came towards him in the snow. This person was Xiangzi, who came up to Han Yu and said to him, “Do you still remember the couplet on the flowers back then?” Han Yu thought carefully and replied, “Yes, I remember.” Xiangzi said, “What I'm talking about is today's event. This place is named Langguan.” Han Yu asked a passer-by about the place, and sure enough, it was called Langguan. He was convinced that Xiangzi was extraordinary, and he sighed repeatedly, saying to Xiangzi, “I'll make up a complete poem for you!” and he composed the following:
A single petition reaches the heavens,
I want to eliminate the evils of the imperial court,
I'm willing to sacrifice my remaining years. Where is your home, with the clouds blocking the view of Qin? The snow surrounds Langguan, and the horse cannot go forward.
I know you have come a long way for a reason. I hope you will collect my bones by the riverbank.
In short, Han Xiangzi repeatedly transformed himself to convert his uncle Han Yu, but Han Yu never woke up. Han Yu was the Assistant Minister of Rites, but because of his advice to welcome the Buddha's bones, he was demoted to Chaoyang. On the way, he passed through Langguan, where the snow was piling up and he could not move forward. Han Xiangzi came out to convert him and protected him until he reached his post. At the time, there was a crocodile infestation in Chaoyang that was plaguing the people. Han Yu wrote the “Crocodile Sacrifice” to drive it away, and Xiangzi then used magic to help, and the crocodiles fled every day. After hearing about this, Emperor Tang Xianzong felt a bit wronged by Han Yu, so he issued an edict allowing Han Yu to return to Beijing and resume his post. Han Yu knew in advance and pretended to be dead and unable to take up his post. Afterwards, he hid in Zhuowei Mountain to study the Dao, and later finally achieved enlightenment.
Among the Eight Immortals is one who is dressed very differently from the other seven. He wears a black hat and a red court robe, giving him the appearance of an official. He is Cao Guojiu. According to legend, he was the grandson of Cao Bin of the Song Dynasty and the eldest brother of Empress Cao. His name was Yi and he was also known as Jinglin. According to the Records of the Immortals, Volume 7, the Commentary on the True Meaning, and the History of the Immortals of the Dynasties: Cao Guojiu was naturally intelligent and kind-hearted from an early age. He did not like wealth or glory, and loved to be alone. However, his younger brother was a tyrant who did not obey the law and caused trouble in the village. The uncle was ashamed of him and even retreated to the mountains and rocks, devoting himself to the Dao. Later, he met Zhongli Quan and Muchong Bin, who asked him, “I hear you are very cultivated. What are you cultivating?” The uncle replied, “I cultivate the Dao.” They asked again, “Where is the Dao?” The uncle did not give a direct answer, but pointed to the sky with his finger. The immortals asked again, “Where is the sky?” The uncle pointed to his heart with his finger again. The immortals laughed heartily, saying, “The heart is the sky, and the sky is the way. You have seen the true face of the way.” So the immortals taught the country cousin the secret arts of immortality and initiated him into the ranks of the immortals. Some say that when the country cousin left home to become a monk, the emperor gave him a gold plaque. Later, when he was crossing the Yellow River by boat and ran out of money, he used the gold plaque as collateral for the boat fare. Later, he met Lü Dongbin, realized the way, and traveled with him, becoming one of the Eight Immortals.
He Xian Gu is the only female immortal among the Eight Immortals, and there are various theories about her background: one says that she was Zhao Xian Gu (named He, or with the homophonic surname He because she held a lotus flower in her hand) who was converted by Lü Dongbin; another says that she was transformed by Xu Shengchen attaching himself to the corpse of a He family woman, as seen in the “Taoist Genealogy”; and yet another says that she was He Xiugu from Zengcheng County in Guangdong. Later, Taoism combined these theories to create a complete image of He Xian Gu.
As for her life story, the “Comprehensive Mirror to the Immortals of All Ages” says that He Xiangu, the original name of He Xian'gu, was the daughter of He Hao, born on the seventh day of the third lunar month of an unknown year during the reign of Empress Wu of the Tang Dynasty (684-705), and ascended to the heavens on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month of an unknown year during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong (705-710). It is said that when He Xian Gu was born, “purple clouds surrounded the room, and there was a six-millimeter dot on her head, shining brightly and extraordinary. She was quick-witted and different from others.”
As for her experience of becoming a Daoist immortal, the books “Comprehensive Mirror to Immortals of All Ages”, “Collection of Immortal Biographies” and “Continued Comprehensive Examination” record that when He Xian'gu was thirteen years old, she went into the mountains with a female companion to pick tea, lost her companion and got lost. She met Lü Dongbin at the foot of the East Peak and was given a peach, which he said, “Eat this and you will ascend in the future.” He Xian'gu ate it and the Daoist priest showed her the way home, saying, “You can always meet here again.” After returning home, she was never hungry or thirsty for several months, and she knew everything that was going on in the world. She had a dream in which a divine being taught her to eat mica powder, which would make her body lighter. She followed the advice and vowed never to marry. She went back and forth between the mountain top, flying like the wind. Every morning she would go out and return in the evening with mountain fruits to offer to her mother. Later, she went without food and spoke in an unusual way. Empress Wu sent an emissary to summon her to the palace, but she lost the emissary on the way. The villagers worshipped her and built a building for her to live in. The curious among the scholars and officials often visited her to ask about their fortunes. During the Jinglong period (707-710), she ascended to heaven in broad daylight. In addition, Song Dynasty writer Li Changling's “Le Pu Lu” also records He Xiangu's fortune-telling and predicting of good and bad fortune. The text reads: “When He Xiangu was still in the world, a chief clerk suddenly received a heavenly book, the words of which were unrecognizable. She asked the immortal, who said, 'The heavenly book says: the chief clerk will receive ten taels of gold and be demoted for five years. ' In fact, this was He Xiangu using the will of heaven to warn corrupt officials.
Today, Zengcheng County in Guangdong still has a temple dedicated to He Xiangu. The temple gate has a couplet that reads: 'Millennia of footsteps have left traces in the well of immortality, and generations of people in their finery worship the ancient shrine. There is a story behind this: Legend has it that He Xian's parents did not want their daughter to become a nun and so found her a husband. After choosing an auspicious date, the groom's family was preparing to welcome her, when He Xian quietly asked the immortals to take her away in the well in the backyard. She was in such a hurry that she only managed to take one shoe with her, leaving the other behind on the well platform. Every year on the seventh day of the third lunar month, which is the birthday of the fairy, people from all over the neighborhood gather here to sing opera or hold religious ceremonies, making it a lively and bustling place.

    李铁拐又称“铁拐李”、“铁拐先生”，为道教八仙中资历最老的神仙。相传姓李，名玄，或称“李凝阳”、“李孔目”、“李洪水”。关于他的传说记载甚多。
神农时，李铁拐名古神氏，大约与赤松子同时，为神农时的雨师。据《历代神仙通鉴》卷一载：“长淮有神氏，亦菩修炼之学。出驾六蜚羊，头弯一角，肋排六翅，其行若电，巡行天下，人民从其化。治世三百岁，亦隐而不现。”对于这位“其行若电”的古神氏，赤松子曾对仙人宛丘说其“菩导出元神之术，更姓名日李凝阳。惜未得真道”。这个李凝阳便是从老子宛丘修行而得道的仙人李铁拐。
李铁拐又应时而化，《续文献通考》曰：“李铁拐，或云隋时陕人，名洪水，小字拐儿，又名铁拐，常行丐于市，人皆贱之。后以铁杖掷空，化为龙，乘龙而去。”
《集书诠真》引《通考全书》称：李铁拐又化名李孔目，有足疾，西王母点化其升仙，授以铁拐，前往京师度汉大将军钟离权。得王母封紫府少明君。
《历代神仙通鉴》卷五与《列仙全传》卷一等道经多称其为得道隐士，形貌魁伟，遁隐于砀山洞中。一日受太上老君之约，欲赴老君华山仙会，临行前对弟子说：“我欲以魂至华山赴老君圣会，游魂七日当返，若不返，请将吾魄焚化。”相传他魂藏于肝，魄藏于肺，元神出游时魂即跟随，只留下魄守护尸壳，即“元神出壳”。吩咐完以后，他即出元神赴华山从老君游，弟子则日夜守护着师父躯壳。不料第六天，弟子家人来报，老母病危，急欲归视，连坐立不安，好不容易敖到第二天中午，也不见其元魂归来，无奈之下，弟子将其肉体火化，回家尽孝道去了。不久他的元神赶回砀山洞，见失其躯壳，无形魄可依，好似孤鬼游魂。忽然他发现林中有一饿殍，奄奄一息，灵机一动，心道：“何不借以还身！”立即从饿殍囟门而入，站起来以后，发觉茅头不对，急忙跑到河边一照，只见水中映出一人：蓬头虬髯，巨眼坦腹踱足，模样十分丑恶。他大吃一惊，急忙从葫芦里倒出老君所赠仙丹，一口吞下，仍不变其形。突然身后有人说道：“草脊茅檐，毁窗折柱，此室陋甚，何堪寄寓！”回头一看，原来是太上老君。闻此言，他顿觉所得之壳实在丑陋，欲将元神跳出，老君急止之道：“道形不在于外表，你这副模样挺好。我赠你金箍束你乱发，铁拐拄你踱足。只要功夫圆满，便是异相真仙。”于是他按照老君所言，以手扪两眼如环，守住魂魄，并自号李孔目。这便是世称铁拐先生的来历。
明朝时，民间又传说李铁拐为吕洞宾的弟子，岳百川著有《目洞宾度铁拐李岳》说铁拐姓李名岳。另外还有《铁拐李度金童玉女》等。铁拐李的形象常背一药葫芦，浪迹江湖，行医治病，后功行圆满，被玉皇大帝封为上仙。
钟离权即为道教八仙之一，又为道教北五祖之一。亦标“汉钟离”，相传姓钟离，名权，字云房。后改名觉，字寂道，道号正阳子，又号云房先生，全真道尊为正阳祖师。
据《历代神仙通鉴》卷九、《列仙全传》卷三记载：钟离权即汉代钟离子，姓钟离名权。京兆咸阳(今陕西咸阳)人。钟离权字寂道，号和谷子，又号正阳子，又号云房先生。其父钟离章为东汉大将，以征北胡有功，封为燕台侯。其兄钟离简为中郎将。至于其出身，书中有这样的记载，有一巨人大白天踏进其母室，道：“吾乃上古黄神氏，当托生于此。顿时异光数丈如烈火”，母孕而生。其出生时如三岁小儿一般大，天生一副福相：“顶圆额广，耳厚眉长，目深鼻耸，口方颊大，唇脸如丹，乳远臂长”。更为奇怪的是，其出生后昼夜不响不哭不吃，第七天突然说道：“身游紫府，名书玉京。”顿时语惊口座，因为紫府和“玉京”为玉皇大帝的宫城。又因为他“自幼知识轻重”，其父便为之取名“权”，希望他能好好衡量世事，选择去向。他长大后任汉朝谏议大夫，因表李坚边事不当而谪为南康知军。后又复仕于晋，与偏将周处同领兵事，奉诏出征吐蕃，结果战败，隐遁山林，得遇东华先生王玄甫，经过一番指点，悟得真道，受传长生真诀，金丹火候与青龙剑法。不久又遇华阳真人教以太乙刀圭，火符内丹，得以通晓“玄玄之道”。后他又往崆峒山访道，谒见太上老君，得其真位，玉皇大帝封其为“太极左宫仙人”。此后，钟离权或隐或现，随时而化，从魏到晋，又做了边关大将。曾改名“金重见”，“金”、“重”，“钟”也，“见”同“现”，意为我钟离权又重来，结果他作战屡屡大败，心灰意冷，到终南山隐居去了，自此再也不为将军，不为名利，直至唐代，他才出来，度化了吕洞宾。
《宋史》、《夷坚志》等书又视其为陈抟老祖之友，《陈抟传》中称他化为坐吉道人“钟离子”，《王老志传》中则称钟离先生以丹道授老志。直到元明时期，他的神仙方术才更广为人知。
钟离权的形象是坦胸露腹，手摇棕扇，大眼睛，红脸面，头上扎着两个小譬，神态怡然，一副天塌下来也不在乎的模样。《全唐诗》中收有当年他题于长安酒肆的三首绝句，其中第一首流传最广，诗曰：
坐卧常携酒一壶，不教双眼识皇都。
乾坤许大无名姓，疏散人间一丈夫。
此诗即成为其人生思想的真实写照。
吕洞宾既是道教八仙中影响最大，传闻最广的仙人，又是道教“北五祖”之一，姓吕名岩，字洞宾，号“妙通真人”，全称“纯阳演政警化孚佑帝君”，后世称目纯阳，道教全真道尊称他为“吕祖”。
他的出身特别神奇，据《历代神仙通鉴》卷十四载，其母王夫人于唐贞观(627-650年)丙午四月十四日巳时，“天乐浮空，一自鸿似鹤，自天而入怀”，于是生下他。关于吕洞宾的身名事迹有多种传说，有的说他姓目名岩字洞宾，号纯阳子，唐蒲卅蒲坂县永乐镇招贤里人；有的说他名吕岩，河中府(今山西永济县)人；有的说为京川人；有的说吕岩字洞宾，一字希云，九江人；其实这些人均为目洞宾所化。《吕仙自叙传》说：“吕仙本唐宗室，避武后之祸，挟妻而遁，因易吕姓，以山居，名岩，字洞宾，妻又死，号纯阳子。”《吕仙飞剑记》中则称其诞生时乃唐贞元(785-805年)十四年(798年)四月初四巳时，因其“掌心之文，有一山三口之异，乃取名岩，表字洞宾，以此生年、月、日时并属，其四皆是阳数，因号为纯阳子”。也有说吕洞宾曾在唐懿宗(859-873年在位)时进士及第，为避世乱而遁隐江湖；也有传说他是唐礼部恃郎吕渭的孙子，海州刺史目让的儿子，因仕谴多蹇，转而学道，还有说他是唐代宗室，姓李，武则天改朝歼灭唐宗室子孙，于是携妻子隐居于碧水丹山之间，因姓吕，居于崖石下，故名岩，常洞栖，故号洞宾；《宋史·陈持传》中则称他为：“关西逸人，有剑术，年百余岁。步履轻捷，顷到数里，数来(陈)持斋中”，大致为一风神绰约，修养极深的道士，总之说法不一。
据《夜航船》等书记载，吕洞宾得道成仙之前，曾困顿于仕途。至长安酒肆，初遇汉钟离，向其述说平生不得志之事，汉钟离遂以“黄梁一梦”感化。吕洞宾在睡梦中尽平生兴衰，醒来时米粥尚未煮熟，顿时感晤，连拜汉钟离为师，求其超度。汉钟离于是以生死财色“十试洞宾”，洞宾皆心无所动，于是授以金液大丹与灵宝毕法。后又遇火龙真君，传以日月交拜之法，又得火龙真人天遁剑法。他的道术揉杂佛理，以慈悲度世为修道目的，改丹铅黄白之术为内功，改剑术为三断：“一断贪嗔，二断爱欲，三断烦恼。”使其剑闻名天下。并发大愿潜心修道，尽度天下众生。初居终南山，又亲受汉钟离上真秘诀，修炼成道。遂游历天下，每称回道人，斩蛟除害，为民所敬。据《列仙全传》等书记载，他还认为菩为通天堂之路，恶为入地狱之阶，说：天堂地狱，非果有主之者，时由人心自化成耳。于是以此化度行人，或隐或现，世莫能测。曾传度刘梅蟾、王重阳真人，开道教南北二宗。元世祖封其为纯阳演正警化真君，武宗又号纯阳演正警化孚佑帝君。
有关他修道行化的事迹，有《吕祖志》一书辑录传世，共六卷，今收入正统道藏中。目仙形象，久入民间，其灵踪仙迹，遍布各地。如今终南山凝阳洞传道观即为其初遇东华帝君、感晤世事莫测之地。其后他云游人间，逆旅邯郸，将枕头授给卢生，又于东邻沈家作诗，用石榴皮写在墙上，俱为一时佳话。他所到之处，后人都要为之建造观宇，岁时祭祀。如今他的仙迹广泛而深入民间，妇孺皆知，全国各地建有许多吕祖庙观，时常加以奉祀，尤其是每年的农历四月十四吕祖诞辰之日，斋醮祭祀更为隆重。
张果老为唐代道士张果，《新唐书·方技传》载，张果原为唐代道士，擅长法术，尝隐居恒卅中条山，往来汾晋之间，寿数百岁，时人尊称张果老。《历代神仙通鉴》卷六称：中条山有张果老，自称尧时生人，学问洲博，爱穿素袍，隐居山之阴，就学于玄女。唐时化为道士张果，因模样长得老，显得岁数大，故人们称其为张果老。
《太平广记》卷三〇曰：“果常乘一白驴，日行数万里。休则重叠之。其厚如纸，置于巾箱中；乘则以水噀之，还成驴矣。”唐太宗唐高宗闻其名，曾征召入京，皆不应。武则天时(684-705年)，奉召出山，半道佯死，没有去成。唐玄宗开元(713-742年)二十一年(733年)，朝廷派遣使臣裴晤固请，乃入宫。唐玄宗多次寻问神仙修炼之事，始终不语不传，玄宗见其面容衰老，问他得道之人为何如此，张果老自称为帝尧丙子岁时人，曾任侍中之职。玄宗深信不疑。一天，玄宗外出打猎，捉得一只大鹿，张果老见之曰：“此仙鹿也，已满千岁，本是汉武帝上林之鹿。”玄宗奇道：“如何得知？”张吊老曰：“武帝舍放时，以铜牌系于左角下。”玄宗立即派人查验，吊然鹿角下有一块两寸铜牌，但上面文字已凋落。张吊老又说此鹿已有八百五十二岁，玄宗与群臣十分敬佩，于是将鹿放归山林。不久玄宗擢其为“银青光禄大夫”，赐号“通玄先生”。并欲以玉真公主嫁之。张果老唱道：“娶妇得公主，平地升公府，人以可喜，我以可畏。”坚决不接召，恳请还山。归途中羽化于恒山蒲吾县，其弟子皆称他“尸解成仙”。唐玄宗遂在其成仙处修了一座栖霞观来祀奉他。后来人们根据张果老的身名事迹，给他题了一首诗，诗曰：
举世多少人，无如这老汉。
不是倒骑驴，万事回头看。
如今民间还流传着一种用物品来代替八仙人物的说法，叫做“暗八仙”，指的是葫芦、掌扇、花蓝、道情简、莲花拂尘(或宝剑)、笛子和尺板八种东西。其中道情简就是暗指张吊老。民间传说他常常背负一道情简，倒骑毛驴，云游四方，宣唱道情以劝化世人。
蓝采和为八仙之一，《东游记》称其为赤脚大仙降生，形象是一位看破红尘的青年隐士。据南唐沈汾《续仙传》载，蓝采和原为一游方道士，衣服褴褛，六娉黑，木腰带，阔三寸余。一脚着靴，一脚赤足，手持大拍板，往往于市井中带醉踏歌。夏天穿棉絮，冬天卧于雪中，气出如蒸，似狂非狂。老少皆随之，机谐谑，人问则答，每言皆使人笑倒。其行则振靴，口中以歌，歌辞极多，皆为仙意，人莫能测。人若以钱与之，遂用长绳穿之，施地行，或散失亦不回顾。见到贫穷之人即将钱散之，或施与酒家，周游天下。人有为儿童时见之，及斑白时又见之，颜状如顾。后踏歌于濠梁，醉卧酒楼，忽有云鹤笙箫声，遂轻举于云中，掷下靴衫腰带板拍，冉冉而去。其最有名的踏为：
踏歌蓝采和，世界能几何。
红颜一春树，流年一掷梭。
古人混混去不返，今人纷纷来更多。
朝骑鸾凤到碧落，暮见桑田生白波。
长景明辉在空际，金银宫阙高嵯峨！
关于蓝采和的传说，陆游《南唐书》和《太平广记》卷二二均有记载。另外蓝采和本为男子，但后来有些戏剧常以女装为扮。
韩湘子为一手执竹笛的英惶少年，相当于斯文公子形象。
据《酉阳杂俎》记载，韩湘子本名韩湘，为唐代大文豪、刑部侍郎韩愈的侄孙，性狂放，能奇术。但韩愈的侄孙韩湘实为官场中人，曾在长庆(821-825年)三年(823年)考中进士，官至大理丞。韩愈曾作《左迁至蓝关示侄孙湘》等诗相赠。韩愈另有族侄，喜好仙道，学仙能造逡巡花和倾刻酒，韩愈曾作《徐州赠族侄》相赠，诗日：“自云有奇术，探妙知天工。”后人将此二人视为一人，称韩湘子，列入仙班。据明杨尔《韩湘子全传》记载：汉丞相安抚之女灵灵有才貌，汉帝欲将其赐婚皇侄，安抚坚辞不允。汉帝大怒，将其罢职发配。灵灵郁郁而死，投生为白鹤，白鹤受钟离权、目洞宾点化，投生为昌黎县韩会之子，乳名湘子，幼丧父母，自叔父韩愈抚养。湘子长大成人后，得钟、吕二仙传授修仙学道之术。韩愈十分气愤，竭力阻拦他，于是便隐遁终南山修道，后得正果，名列八仙之位。据《青琐高议前集》卷九记载，此间韩愈曾劝勉湘子习儒学，湘子于是作了一首诗给韩愈表达他的志向，诗云：
青山云水窟，此地是吾家。
子夜餐琼液，寅晨咀绛霞。
琴弹碧玉调，炉炼白朱砂。
宝鼎存金虎，芝田养白鸦。
一瓤藏造化，三尺斩妖邪。
解造逡巡酒，能开顷刻花。
有人能学我，同共看仙葩。
逡巡酒就是瞬间酿成美酒， “顷刻花”就是眨眼便可开花。韩愈看后表示不信，问湘子道：“你真有此能耐？”湘子立即找来一个花盆，撮土盖上，一会儿说：“花已开矣。”取开花盆，只见土中长出两朵碧绿的花，叶子中间有金字，韩愈仔细一读，为一副对联：“云横秦岭家何在，雪拥蓝关马不前。”韩愈不解其意，后来上表劝阻唐宪宗迎“佛骨”进京，宪宗大怒，将韩愈贬为潮州刺史，赴任途中，有人踏雪迎面而来，此人正是湘子，来到韩愈面前，对韩愈说道：“您还记得当年花上的对联吗？”韩愈仔细一想，连声答道：“记得，记得。”湘子说道：“我说的就是今天的事，此地即名蓝关。”韩愈向路人一打听，此地果然名蓝关，于是深信湘子道行不凡，恺叹再三，对湘子说道：“我为你凑一首完整的诗吧！”遂赋道：
一封朝奏九重天，夕贬潮阳路八千。
欲为圣朝除弊事，肯将衰朽惜残年。
云横秦峙家何在？雪拥蓝关马不前。
知汝远来应有意，好收吾骨瘴江边。
总之，韩湘子多次变形，度化其叔韩愈，但韩愈始终不能醒悟。韩愈官至礼部侍郎，即因谏迎佛骨，被贬至潮阳，路经蓝关，雪拥不前，湘子出而度化，护进至任。时潮阳有鳄鱼祸患百姓，韩愈作《祭鳄鱼文》驱之，湘子遂施法相助，鳄鱼逃之天天。唐宪宗听说后，觉得有点冤枉韩愈，于是下诏让韩愈目京复职，韩愈事先知道后，佯装死亡不能赴任。事后隐遁于卓韦山学道，后来终于修成正果。
八仙中间有一位身着打扮与其他七位迥然不同的仙人，其头戴乌纱帽，身穿红袍朝服，一副当官的形象，他就是曹国舅。相传他是宋曹彬之孙，曹太后的长弟，名佾，又传名景林。据《列仙全传》卷七、《集说诠真》、《历代神仙史·宋仙列传》等书记载：曹国舅自幼天姿聪颖，心地善良，不喜财富，不幕荣华，酷爱清虚。然而他弟弟为人蛮横，不守国法，为患乡里。国舅以之为耻，连归隐山岩，一心向道。后遇钟离权和目洞宾，问他：“听说你很有修养，你修的是什么东西？”国舅答曰：“我修的是道。”又问道：“道在什么地方？”国目没有直接回答，而是用手指了指天。二仙再问曰：“天又在什么地方？”国舅又用手指了指心。二仙大笑道：“心就是天，天就是道。你看到了道的本来面目了。”于是二仙授给国舅还真秘术，度其进入仙班。还有的说曹国舅出家的时候，皇帝曾赐给他一面金牌，后来他船渡黄河时没有盘缠，就将金牌抵给了船夫。后来遇到了吕洞宾，悟道与之同游，名列八仙。
何仙姑为八仙中唯一的女仙，关于她的身世有多种说法：一说为吕洞宾度化的赵仙姑(名何，或以手持荷花而谐音姓何);一说为徐圣臣附何氏女尸所化，见于《道谱源流图》;一说为广东增城县的何秀姑。后来道教将这些说法加以综台，塑造了一个完整的何仙姑形象。
对于其身世，《历代神仙通鉴》说何仙姑原名何秀姑，为何豪之女，生于唐武后(684-705年)某年农历三月初七，中宗时(705-710年)某年八月初八飞升。并说何仙姑出生时“紫云绕室，顶有六毫，光辉熠熠，资度非凡，夙性敏慧，与众不同”。
对于其成道经历，《历代神仙通鉴》、《集仙传》、《续通考》等书记载：何仙姑十三岁时，随女伴入山采茶，失侣迷径，在东峰下遇吕洞宾，赐给一桃，曰：“食此，他日当飞升。”何仙姑食之，道士指归路，曰：“后可常会于此。”归后几个月，自是不饥不渴，洞知人事休咎。复梦神人教食云母粉，可得轻身，因饵之，誓不嫁，往来山顶，其行如飞。每朝出，暮持山果归奉献其母。后又辟谷，言语异常，武后遣使召至阀，中路复失之。乡人神之，为构楼以居。士大夫之好奇者多谒之以问休咎。景龙(707-710年)中白日飞升。此外，宋李昌龄《乐菩录》还记载了何仙姑占卜休咎、预知祸福之事，文日：“何仙姑在世间时，一主簿忽得天书，字不可识。以问仙姑，仙姑日：‘天书言：主簿受金十两，折祈禄五年。’”其实这是何仙姑借天命以警贪官。
如今广东增城县还保留有一座何仙姑庙，庙门有副对联曰：千年履迹遗丹井，百代衣冠拜古祠。这里面有一段故事：相传何仙姑的父母不愿女儿出家修道，于是给她找了个婆家，择定良辰吉日后，婆家准备迎娶，何仙姑遂在后院井中悄悄问仙去了，走时自于匆忙，只穿了一只鞋，另一只鞋却遗留在井台上了，于是连有“履迹遗丹井”的说法。每年农历的三月初七为何仙姑的诞辰日，四乡八邻的人都要云集在这里，或唱大戏，或做道场，热闹非凡。