Zhongli Quan

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Zhongli Quan (鐘離權 or 鐘离權 in pinyin: Zhōnglí Quán), or Chung-li Ch'üan in Wade-Giles, is one of the most ancient of the Eight Immortals (the oldest is Iron-crutch Li) and the leader of the group. (Some people consider Lü Dongbin to be an informal leader.) He is also known as Zhongli of Han (漢鐘離) because he was born in the Han Dynasty. He possesses a fan which has the magical ability of reviving the dead.

From Yantai (燕台 yan4 tai2), Zhongli Quan was a general serving the Han Dynasty. According to legend, bright beams of light filled the labour room during his birth. After birth he did not stop crying until seven full days had passed.

In Daoism, he is known as 正陽祖師 (Zhèn Yáng Zú Shī), literally the True-Yang First-Master. He is Master Cloud-chamber (雲房先生 Yún Fáng Xiān Shēng) in accounts describing his encounter with Lü Dongbin before achieving immortality.

He has a very rare double-character surname, Zhongli.

[edit] Depiction

Depicted with his chest and belly bare and holding a fan.

Topics in Chinese mythology v • d • e</div>
General topics:	Creation myth · Astrology · Dragons · Religion in China · Folk religion ·List of deities · I Ching
Important beings:	Deities · Three August Ones and Five Emperors
Eight Immortals:	Zhongli Quan · Lü Dongbin · Elder Zhang Guo · Philosopher Han Xiang Iron-crutch Li · Immortal Woman He · Lan Caihe · Royal Uncle Cao
Mythical creatures:	List of mythical creatures
Mythical places:	Xuanpu · Yaochi · Fusang · Queqiao · Penglai · Longmen · Di Yu
Literary sources:	Shan Hai Jing · Shui Jing Zhu · Hei'an Zhuan · Fengshen Yanyi Journey to the West · Baishe Zhuan · Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio