Lue met him, and going to sleep dreamed that he was promoted to a very high office and was exceptionally favoured by fortune in every way.  This had gone on for fifty years when unexpectedly a serious fault caused him to be condemned to exile, and his family was exterminated.  Alone in the world, he was sighing bitterly, when he awoke with a start.  All had taken place in so short a space of time that Han Chung-li’s wine was not yet hot.  This is the incident referred to in Chinese literature in the phrase ’rice-wine dream.’  Convinced of the hollowness of worldly dignities, he followed Han Chung-li to the Ho Ling Mountains at Chung-nan in Shensi, where he was initiated into the divine mysteries, and became an Immortal.

In A.D. 1115 the Emperor Hui Tsung conferred on him the title of Hero of Marvellous Wisdom; and later he was proclaimed King-emperor and Strong Protector.

There are various versions of the legend of Lue Tung-pin.  One of these adds that in order to fulfil his promise made to Chung-li to do what he could to aid in the work of converting his fellow-creatures to the true doctrine, he went to Yuech Yang in the guise of an oil-seller, intending to immortalize all those who did not ask for additional weight to the quantity of oil purchased.  During a whole year he met only selfish and extortionate customers, with the exception of one old lady who alone did not ask for more than was her due.  So he went to her house, and seeing a well in the courtyard threw a few grains of rice into it.  The water miraculously turned into wine, from the sale of which the dame amassed great wealth.

He was very skilful in fencing, and is always represented with his magic Excalibur named Chan-yao Kuai, ‘Devil-slaying Sabre,’ and in one hand holds a fly-whisk, Yuen-chou, or ‘Cloud-sweeper,’ a symbol common in Taoism of being able to fly at will through the air and to walk on the clouds of Heaven.

Like Kuan Kung, he is shown bearing in his arms a male child—­indicating a promise of numerous progeny, including literati and famous officials.  Consequently he is one of the spiritual beings honoured by the literati.

Han Hsiang Tzu

Han Hsiang Tzu, who is depicted with a bouquet of flowers or a basket of peaches of immortality, is stated to have been a grand-nephew of Han Yue (A.D. 768-824), the great statesman, philosopher, and poet of the T’ang dynasty, and an ardent votary of transcendental study.  His own name was Ch’ing Fu.  The child was entrusted to his uncle to be educated and prepared for the public examinations.  He excelled his teacher in intelligence and the performance of wonderful feats, such as the production from a little earth in a flower-pot of some marvellous flowering plants, on the leaves of which were written in letters of gold some verses to this effect: 

    The clouds hide Mount Ch’in Ling. 
      Where is your abode? 
    The snow is deep on Lan Kuan;
      Your horse refuses to advance.