Zhang Guolao Riding on a Donkey (Zhang Guolao qi lü tu 張果老騎驢圖),

undated

<p>One of the Daoist Eight Immortals, Zhang Guolao embodied good fortune and long life. He is supposed to have transformed out of a bat and is often represented facing backward while riding a white donkey, who could travel a thousand miles a day and be folded up like a piece of paper for storage. On his back Zhang carries Fish Drum, a hollow bamboo drum with two hooked mallets.</p> <p>As a historical figure, Zhang Guolao, also known as Zhang Guo, lived during the Tang dynasty (618-907). His official biography in the Old History of the Tang describes him as a mountain recluse believed to have mastered the secrets of longevity and eventually departed for the sacred northern peak of Mount Heng. </p> <p>The artist Wang Yuanxun was a native of Shanyin, present-day Shaoxing in Zhejiang province. He is noted for his ability to capture the essence of his subjects in paintings of figures, landscapes, birds, and flowers, and for his large paintings of immortals. </p>