Traditional art abounds with familiar groups of deities and immortals that appear throughout daily life: the Eight Immortals, the Three Star Gods of Fortune, Prosperity and Longevity, the Two Immortals of Harmony and Union, bodhisattvas, and arhats. Such divine figures embody people's faith and aspirations, offering comfort and reassurance to all who behold them.

But how did these divine figures first come together as distinct groups? Some of the deities and concepts featured in this exhibition date back to the pre-Qin and Han periods. Over the course of centuries, some deities were supplanted by others, while others were brought together into larger groupings. During the Ming and Qing dynasties in particular, a period with a marked fondness for auspicious themes of celebration, blessing, and longevity, artists continually reimagined and reinterpreted these subjects, enriching established iconographic traditions with new narratives and inventive visual ideas.

Drawing on a wide range of media—including painting, bamboo, lacquer, ivory carving, porcelain, and jade—this exhibition offers a visual feast and an invitation to explore the origins of these comforting divine ensembles and discover how they first made their debut.