About the story that eight saints go across the sea, can saying is Chinese folk circulates the most extensive Taoism fairy tale, it is old almost young all know.

Alleged the Eight Immortals in the legend, point to an immortal group that comprises by 8 immortals of Taoism namely, they are iron abduct plum, Han Zhong leaves, aunt of old, He Xian, La Cai mixes Zhang Guo, Lv Dongbin, Han Xiang child, Cao Guo husband'ses father. About their complete statement, be in Yuan Chaokai only then (1206, 1368) , to Ming Dynasty (1368, 1644) form formally.

And about them the most well-known story is " eight saints go across the sea " , the story says: An immortal invites the Eight Immortals in the legend to attend a banquet and view and admire peony flower, when coming back, they suffer the obstruct of the Dragon King of the East China Sea, result both sides and their ally is divided into two big groups, spread out to match powers argue, final the Eight Immortals in the legend and their friend takes out his a magic weapon respectively, obtain a victory, cross the sea smoothly.

The author holds a kind of such viewpoints to eight saints go across the sea: So called the Eight Immortals in the legend is 8 convict that ancient time is locked up to be in city of present Shandong a fabled abode of immortals actually, everyday they are done to coolie in the seaside by press move, passed in about a year, their everybody had good ability in swimming; Make an appointment to be being done one of these day then finishing hind, sea of one take off swims to an island -- county of present Shandong long island. Although this view is some truer, believed person is not much however.

The fokelore that eight saints go across the sea is one of fokelore with Chinese the most moving ancient time, had become the idiom that people often uses and literary quotation now. Special be in folk, its influence is very extensive, from this the habit of a few custom that extend the meaning comes out circulates even Japanese foreland.