The Distance from the Immortals: The Evolution of Immortals in Northwestern China During the Han Dynasty

A significant transformation in the Chinese pictorial tradition took place during the Han Dynasty. Stone reliefs, considered here as a representative art form, recorded the evolution of social thought, funeral concepts, and religious beliefs. Images of immortals on stone reliefs from the northwest region of the Han Realm—an area that included both northern Shaanxi and northwestern Shanxi—combined the belief system of the Central Plains with local characteristics. This research explores how divine images in stone reliefs were adapted to local contexts and took on new functions within the frontier environment and what social forces and beliefs drove these changes.