This essay compares Cheng Xian (Becoming an Immortal) with Water Margin’s Cui‑ping Mountain episode. It explores how friends push men into irreversible choices, contrasting worldly outlawdom with Taoist immortality and questioning noble‑intentioned cruelty.
In ancient Chinese mythology, plants and flowers can cultivate spiritual awareness over centuries, transforming into demons or immortals. Journey to the West features such beings, notably in Chapter 64, where tree spirits—including the Apricot Immortal—play pivotal roles.