Chang Kuo-lao
- proper noun
- Literature
- Chang Kuo-lao is often depicted in art as a wise old man riding a donkey backwards.
Examples
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Chang Kuo-lao is often shown riding a donkey backwards in traditional Chinese paintings.
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The tales of the Eight Immortals, including Chang Kuo-lao, are well known in Chinese folklore.
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Many temples in China have statues depicting Chang Kuo-lao as an old man with a bamboo drum.
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In Chinese folklore, Chang Kuo-lao is celebrated as a symbol of wisdom.
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Chang Kuo-lao rides his donkey backwards, which is quite unusual.
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According to legend, Chang Kuo-lao is one of the Eight Immortals who possess magical powers.
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Many stories in Taoist mythology feature Chang Kuo-lao and his adventures with the other Immortals.
Synonyms
One of the eight immortals in Chinese Taoist stories shown as an old man riding a donkey backwards
A Taoist immortal from Chinese stories who rides a donkey backwards and uses magic
Surface Forms
Morphology
Chang + Kuo-lao
This is a proper name from Chinese mythology; the components 'Chang' and 'Kuo-lao' are not meaningful English lexical items, so knowing them as words would not let a B1 learner infer the mythological role. Understanding this MWE requires cultural and encyclopedic knowledge of Taoist folklore rather than composition of constituent meanings, so it is not derivable from its parts.
Etymology
Chang Kuo-lao is one of the Eight Immortals from old Chinese stories and is often shown riding a donkey backwards. One popular story says he could fold his donkey into a small box or ride it backwards to show he did not follow normal rules, and that strange picture helps people remember he is a 'wise' and 'magical' figure.
