Chinese Mythology: The Eight Immortals crossing the sea
Hěnjiǔhěnjiǔqiányǒuwèifēichángliǎoderénmentōngguòdexiūliànbiànchénglexiānrén

A long, long time ago, there were eight very remarkable people who, through their hard work and training, became immortals.

Zhèwèixiānrénfēnbiéshìhànzhōngzhāngguǒlǎohánxiāngtiěguǎidòngbīnxiānláncǎiháiyǒucáoguójiù

These eight immortals are: Han Zhong Li, Zhang Guo Lao, Han Xiang Zi, Tie Guai Li, Lu Dong Bin, He Xian Gu, Lan Cai He, and Cao Guo Jiu.

Yǒutiānzhèwèixiānrénfēichángkāixīndezàipéngláihuìmenzhǔnbèiledùnfēngshèngdehǎixiāncān

One day, the eight immortals were very happy to meet at Peng Lai Pavilion, where they prepared a sumptuous seafood dinner.

Měiréndōuyòngdebǎoshànzihuāzhèxiēshéndedōng西zuòchūlepiàoliàngdecàipánhǎochīdecài

Everyone made beautiful plates and delicious dishes with their magic things like fans and lotus flowers.

menbiānchīzheměishíbiānzhejiǔbiékāixīn

They had a particularly good time eating the food and drinking the wine.

Chīzhechīzhetiěguǎiránshuō :“ péngláifāngzhàngyíngzhōuzhèsānzuòshénshāntīngshuōbiéměimenkànkànba !”

As he ate, Tie Guai Li suddenly said, “The three sacred mountains of Peng Lai, Fang Zhang and Ying Zhou have been heard to be particularly beautiful, so why don’t we go and have a look!”

dexiānréndōujuédeshìhǎozhǔdòngbīnshuō :“ mendōushìxiānrénleyòngzuòchuánjiùyòngdeshùguòhǎiba !”

The other immortals thought it was a good idea, and Lu Dong Bin said, “We’re all immortals now, so we don’t need to take a boat, so let’s use our own spells to cross the sea!”

jiādōuzàntóngshìmenjuédìngyòngdebǎoguòhǎiyóuwán

Everyone agreed, so they decided to use their respective magic weapons to cross the sea for a swim.

Dàolehǎibiānxiānfēnfēnliàngchūdebǎo

When they reached the beach, the Eight Immortals showed their magic weapons.

Hànzhōngchūjiāoshànwǎnghǎirēngshànzijiùbiàndegēnzhāngchuángyàngtiàoshàngsuízheshànzipiāoxiànghǎi

Han Zhong Li took out his banana fan and threw it into the sea, the fan became as big as a big bed, he jumped on it and floated with it to the sea.

xiānneduǒhuāfàngjìnhǎihuāxiàzijiùbiàndegēnpányàngzhànzàihuāshàngměidexiànghuà

As for He Xian Gu, she put a lotus flower into the sea, and the lotus flower became as big as a millstone at once, and she stood on the lotus flower, which was as beautiful as a painting.

dexiānréngānshìruòdōudebǎorēngdàohǎiyòngdeshùguòhǎi

Not to be outdone, the other Immortals all threw their magic treasures into the sea and used their respective spells to cross the sea.

Měiréndōuzhǎnshìledeshénnéngzàihǎimiànshàngyóuzài

Everyone demonstrated their amazing ability to be free on the sea.

mendedòngjìngtàileliándōnghǎilóngwángdōubèijīngdòngle

Their commotion was so loud that even the Long King of the East Sea was startled.

Lóngwángwéishìyǒurénzàidǎoluànjiùpàixiābīngxièjiàngchūláichákànjiéguǒxiànshìxiānzàiguòhǎi

Thinking that someone was causing trouble, the Long King sent his shrimp soldiers and crab generals out to check it out, only to find that it was the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.

Lóngwánghěnshēngjuédexiāntàixiāozhānglejiùpàibīngchūláigānshè

The Long King was angry and felt that the Eight Immortals were too arrogant, so he sent his soldiers out to intervene.

xiānjuédelóngwángjiǎngjiùlóngwángchǎolelái

The Eight Immortals felt that the Long King was unreasonable, so they quarreled with him.

Lóngwángxiàlìngzhuāzhùláncǎixiānrénjiànzhuàngfēnfēnshàngqiánbāngmánglóngwángdeshǒuxiàlelái

The Long King ordered to capture Lan Cai He, and when the other immortals saw this, they came forward to help and fought with the Long King’s men.

Zuìhòuxiānháibàilelóngwángdeliǎngérzixiābīngxièjiàngxiàdedōupǎole

Finally, the Eight Immortals also defeated the two sons of the Long King, and the shrimp soldiers and crab generals ran away in fear.

Lóngwánggèngshēngleqǐngláilenánhǎiběihǎi西hǎidelóngwángduìxiān

The Long King became even more angry and invited the Long Kings of the South, North and West Seas to deal with the Eight Immortals together.

menxiāntāotiānlàngxiǎngyānxiān

They raised a monstrous wave and tried to drown the Eight Immortals.

Dànshìcáoguójiùdebáiyúnbǎnyǒushuǐdeshénzàiqiánmiànkāixiānréngēnzhelànggēnběnshāngdàomen

But Cao Guo Jiu’s white cloud board had the divine power of avoiding water, and with him in the lead and the other immortals following, the huge waves could not hurt them at all.

Jiùzàishuāngfāngyàozhàngdeshíhòunánhǎiguānyīnguòzhèzhìzhǐleshuāngfāngdezhēngdòurànglóngwángfàngleláncǎi

Just when the two sides were about to fight a big battle, Guan Yin, the South Sea Goddess of Mercy passed by and she stopped the fight and made the Long King to release Lan Cai He.

xiāngǎnxièguānyīnránhòuyòngdebǎochéngfēnglàngdeyóuwánle

The Eight Immortals thanked Guan Yin, and then each of them used their own magic treasures to ride the wind and waves to continue their tour.

xiāndōuyǒudebiénéngmenyòngdefāngshìchuàngzàole

Each of the Eight Immortals has their own special abilities, and they work miracles in their own way.

Xiànzàirénmenchángyòngxiānguòhǎixiǎnshéntōngláixíngróngxiēyòngbiédenéngchuàngzàochūderén

Nowadays, people often use the phrase “The Eight Immortals cross the sea and each of them displays his or her own special abilities” to describe those who have created miracles with their special abilities.

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