In ancient China, cranes were often regarded as a symbol of longevity, and were compared to "riding cranes to the west". As an auspicious spirit bird, cranes are accompanied by immortals, so there are euphemisms for death, such as riding cranes to the west, riding cranes to immortals, riding cranes to the west, and riding cranes to become immortals.
Reasons for using Crane Journey to the West:
1. In ancient China, cranes were often regarded as a symbol of longevity and were greatly influenced by Buddhism. Buddhism believes that people will be in the western paradise after death, so it is compared to "driving a crane to the west."
2. As an auspicious spirit bird, cranes are accompanied by immortals. Therefore, there are euphemisms for death, such as going west, visiting immortals, dying in the west, becoming immortals and so on.
Driving a crane to the west is a euphemism for the death of an old man. You can't use it indiscriminately. In addition, there are words such as "drive back to Yaochi" and "go to Wonderland early".
4. The origin of traveling by crane to the west: The word "traveling by crane to the west" comes from the legend of Wang Xizhi, a calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. In his later years, Wang Xizhi worked behind closed doors and concentrated on reading and writing. On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, his son Wang Xianzhi came to the shore of Jianhu Lake in Huiji. He met a monk and gave Wang Xizhi a trust.