Needlepoint representing the god of Longevity and Eight Immortals

This embroidered satin is believed to have been presented to the Qianlong emperor (1711–1799) on his sixtieth or seventieth birthday, and would have been displayed in an imperial setting for the emperor’s personal enjoyment. It depicts the Daoist god of longevity, Shouxing, followed by his young attendant and a small, spotted deer. Shouxing carries a peach of immortality in his hand and a gourd and sacred fungus—a concoction for a Daoist elixir of immortality—around his belt. He wears a robe adorned with the repeated shou character, standing for longevity. The border depicts eight Daoist immortals surrounded by flowers that symbolize good luck.