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He Xiangu
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He Xiangu, wood sculpture, 18th century; in the Musée Guimet, Paris.
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He Xiangu, wood sculpture, 18th century; in the Musée Guimet, Paris.
He Xiangu, wood sculpture, 18th century; in the Musée Guimet, Paris.

He Xiangu

Chinese mythology
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Also known as: Ho Hsien-ku
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Wade-Giles romanization:
Ho Hsien-ku
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He Xiangu, in Chinese mythology, one of the Baxian, the Eight Immortals of Daoism. As a teenaged girl she dreamed that mother-of-pearl conferred immortality. She thereupon ate some, became ethereal, and found she could float across the hills at will. She returned home each evening carrying herbs collected during the day.

Artists depict her as a beautiful woman often adorned with a lotus flower. An early legend relates that during a sumptuous birthday party for Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of the West, she and the other Immortals became intoxicated with heavenly wine (tianjiu) and the fragrant surroundings. Though He Xiangu vanished after receiving a summons from Empress Wu Hou (7th century ce), someone caught sight of her 50 years later floating on a cloud.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Matt Stefon.