Taoist Immortals

 

Early immortal

 

Early representation of immortals as winged beings walking on clouds
and holding a zhi ("numinous mushroom") in their hands.

Source: Nanyang Wenwu yanjiusuo (Nanyang Institute for Cultural Heritage), ed.,
Nanyang Handai huaxiangbei (Han-dynasty stone reliefs from Nanyang, Hunan), fig. 171
(Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, 1990).