The Eight Immortals did not emerge as a group until the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368 CE). It is doubtful if they were indeed historical figures. Each of them has a personal mythology traceable to the Han (200 BCE- 220 CE) and Song (960-1279) dynasties. They are also associated with Eight Trigram directions in the Classic of Change or Yijing 易经. The only female of the group, He Xiangu is usually depicted holding a lotus flower, lingzhi mushrooms, peaches or even a ladle.
