SHOU HSING

Pinyin Shou Xing, in Chinese mythology, one of three stellar gods known collectively as Fu-Shou-Lu. He was also called Nan-chi Lao-jen (Old Man of the South Pole). Though greatly revered as the god of longevity (shou), Shou Hsing has no temples. Instead, birthday parties for older people provide a fitting time for visitors to bow before his statue, which is draped in silk embroidered robes. Artistic representations often depict Shou Hsing as a bearded old man with a high brow and a crooked staff in one hand. He holds the peach of immortality in his other hand. A stork or turtle is often added as a further symbol of longevity, which the Chinese view as a special blessing.