Shou Xing on a Deer

Shou Xing is the god of longevity and health. He was extremely popular in China. Standing Shou Xing usually has a staff in one hand, to which is tied a gourd (a symbol of prosperity) with pure crystal water (a symbol of life), and a peach (a symbol of longevity) in the other. He was depicted as an old man with a skull jutting upwards and a special forehead. Often Shou Xing was accompanied by a deer and a crane - symbols of prosperity and longevity. In the East, there was a tradition of giving a figurine with an image of Shou Xing to close and significant people, with wishes of health, longevity, happiness, wealth and joy.