tarot - universal goddess tarot
Lan Tsai-Ho is the mountebank of the Chinese Eight Immortals. She poses as a wandering singer, denouncing this fleeting life and its delusive pleasures1. The basket of flowers she carries is full of plants associated with longevity--chrysanthemums, plum blossoms, pine, bamboo, etc. Lan Tsai-Ho is sometimes represented as a woman and sometimes as a young, male child; she may also be presented as a hermaphrodite.
She is often drunk, or pretends to be, and gathers a group of followers while singing and capering through towns. When she has money, she usually throws it on the ground for poor. In the summer she wears thick clothing and a coat, and in the winter she makes her bed in the snow. Truly a foolish woman.
Lan Tsai-Ho dates from the Tang Dynasty (1766-1122 BC). She is said to have obtained immortality by bathing the boils and sores of a beggar, who is believed to have been Li-Tieguai (another of the Eight Immortals) in disguise.
It is believed that one can communicate with the gods by using Lan Tsai-Ho's basket of flowers.2
Lan Tsai-Ho is known for her lightheartedness, playfulness and eccentricities. She appears very carefree, but is aware of the ephemeral quality of life. Interesting, or perhaps contradictorily, many of the supporting symbols in this card focus on immortality--Lan Tsai-Ho's flower basket (see above), the crane, and bamboo.
This card holds a similar meaning to the traditional Fool card-being carefree and spontaneous. Since Lan Tsai-Ho was known to travel throughout China, this card can also point to a journey, especially one that is either unexpected or not particularly well planned. Lan Tsai-Ho also is known for her generosity, a need for which can be indicated by this card.
When working with reversals (or a non-positive meanings), this card can be a warning to avoid drunkenness or excess generosity (giving too much of yourself). It can also mean that the Querent is too rigid.
