Embroidered banner depicting immortals

This embroidered hanging was designed to be hung at a birthday party celebrating an individual who had reached advanced age. This work depicts a Daoist procession of gods and immortals as they travel through a landscape down to the ocean. Together they present symbols of longevity, harmony, and prosperity.

At the bottom two dragon kings are shown seated on their vehicles as though crossing the rolling waves of the ocean. In the middle ground, the man holding a metal block (an ingot) and a banana leaf is the god of wealth. Behind him on a lotus leaf are the immortals of harmony and unity holding their symbolic attributes—a lotus blossom and  a box. Following them are two young immortals riding a  ram-like mythical beast, respectively carrying lotus flowers  and a peach basket, symbols of fertility and immortality.  Above, five elders are accompanied by sacred cranes,  one of whom presents a banner with the taiji diagram, which symbolizes the unity of the force yin and yang within the Dao.