Shou Xing, also known as the South Pole Old Man Star, the star name (it mainly points to the bright star near the South Celestial Pole), the god of longevity in ancient mythology, is also a god in Taoism, and is originally a star name.
And Tianguan, Emperor Wenchang and called Fu Lu Shou three officials, like, Fu, Lu, Shou three stars high, the house is happy, auspicious and wishful!
According to historical records, in the cold winter of the eighth year of Jiayou in the Northern Song Dynasty, an old Taoist priest of unknown origin appeared on the streets of the capital, he was short and strong, with a huge head, a protrusion of the frontal bone as if it was a large tumor, a silver white hair fluttering, holding a crutch that zigzags like a dragon and snake, and the appearance was quite like a fairy wind and bones. Some curious people secretly depicted his strange appearance. The deeds of this strange man soon spread among the people and attracted the attention of Zhao Shu, the newly enthroned Song Yingzong.
Emperor Zhao Shu was eager to know how much longevity he could enjoy, and after hearing about this, he couldn't wait to invite this old Taoist into the palace to ask. However, in the face of the emperor's inquiry, Lao Dao did not answer directly, but asked the emperor for wine to drink. Zhao Shu, who knew his huge amount, ordered to offer a stone of treasured palace wine, but Lao Dao only drank less than seven buckets and left drunk. The next day, Si Tianjian reported that he had observed a change in the sky, and the Antarctic birthday star seemed to fly to the emperor's constellation, asking the emperor if he had sensed it. Song Yingzong suddenly became enlightened when he heard this, and was eager to invite Lao Dao into the palace again, but unfortunately, at this time, Lao Dao had already disappeared without a trace.
This anecdote is included in the Song Dynasty document "Seeing and Hearing Records", and the image of the mysterious old Taoist is regarded as a true portrayal of the birthday star of Antarctica, and an auspicious pattern of praying for longevity is made based on the depiction. Elements such as sika deer and bats are common in these pictures, which imply "Lu" and "Fu" with the help of homophony, expressing the good wishes of wealth and prosperity after a long life. Since the Antarctic Old Man Star was regarded as the embodiment of the birthday star in the ancient Chinese constellation system, this kind of picture wishing longevity is called "Antarctic Old Man Picture" or "Antarctic Immortal Weng Picture".
It is worth mentioning that the birthday star Antarctic old man is sometimes mistaken for another important Taoist immortal, the Antarctic Immortal Emperor. In fact, the Antarctic Immortal Emperor, also known as the Jade Halal King, is the source of the power of the gods of the Thunder Tribe, controlling the climate change of the four seasons, controlling the wind, rain, thunder and lightning, dispatching all kinds of ghosts and gods, and the key cardinal who controls the life and death of all things in the world. Although both are associated with the Antarctic azimuth, they each assume different functions and symbolic meanings within the Taoist lineage of immortals.