When the Eight Genii Crossed the Sea，Each of Them Displayed His/Her Prowess

八仙过海

This allusion¹ is from a folk legend concerning the Eight(Taoist)Immor-tals crossing the sea at the same time. The legend has many versions.The“eight immortals²" are from Taoist mythology³ and among the best known dei-ties. They are the symbols for good fortune throughout China. The earliest descrip-Lions date from the Tang Dynasty(early 7th century)，but their present grouping was not established until the Ming Dynasty(founded in 1368).The immortals are:Zhang Guo-lao，Lu Dong-bin，Cao Guo-jiu，Han Zhongli，Li Tie-guai，Han Xian-zi，He Xian-gu，and Lan Cai-he. The Eight Immortals are a favorite theme of artists and are portrayed⁴ on fans and porcelain⁵. They also figure prominently in many lit-erary works. It is said when they crossed the sea at the same time，each displayed his/ her own supernatural prowess. Later，this idiom has been used to refer to those who have their respective means or skills to vie with each other.

八仙过海的典故是个关于八位神仙一同过海的民间传说。有关八仙的传说，历来不尽统一。在中国，他们被视为好运的象征。有关八仙的最早记录出自唐朝，而现在的说法则是在明朝形成的，即张果老、吕洞宾、曹国舅、汉钟离、铁拐李、韩湘子、何仙姑、蓝采和八人。/又仙深受艺术家的喜爱，常被绘制在扇面、瓷器之上。他们也是文学作品中的重要人物。相传他们八人同时过海时各显神通。后以“八仙过海”比喻处理问题各自有一套办法，或各自显示本领、互相竟赛。