Immortals Celebrating Longevity on their Birthday

"Immortals Celebrating Longevity on their Birthday" is a typical example of a Play on Salvation by Immortals ( 神仙道化劇 Shenxian Daohua Ju ). Ever since the Yuan dynasty, images of immortals and Daoists have been in full swing in the Chinese theatrical arena. Dramas of this kind that have immortals or Daoists as protagonists are called Plays on Salvation by Immortals in the academic world. Usually at the end of such works numerous immortals come out to celebrate longevity. This reunion of immortals symbolizes the infinite charm of life. For example, in the fourth section of Willow in the Southern Town, the Queen Mother of the West ( 西王母 Xiwangmu ) gave a peach banquet and invited all the immortals in eight grottoes. After being saved by Lü Dongbin and becoming immortals, the old willow spirit and the young peach spirit were also at the scene to celebrate longevity on Auntie Queen Mother's ( 王母娘娘 Wangmu Niangniang ) birthday. All the saved spirits said that thereafter they would they would abandon evil and do good in order to attain the right fruit. 群仙慶壽