卧游仙云: 中国历代绘画的神仙世界

Among the five major existing religions in China (Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Roman Catholicism, and Protestantism), Taoism is the only one originating here. Formed in the second century during the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), its religious belief can be actually traced back to the remote antiquity. For this very reason, it has kept a widespread and far-reaching influence upon the Chinese people across the world. Painting can reflect various aspects of social life by typical scenes, and help people appreciate the life of people in different ethnic groups, living in different times and areas, understand histories and realities, and drew their own inspirations. Fairy tales in Taoism have provided abundant materials for Chinese painting. Until now, paintings of fairies in Taoism have become wonderful representative works of Chinese painting. This book presents some representative Taoism paintings, and gives a brief introduction of the fairy tale behind each painting.