Xian refers to a person or similar entity having a long life or being immortal. The concept of xian has different implications dependent upon the specific context: philosophical, religious, mythological, or other symbolic or cultural occurrence. The Chinese word xian is translatable into English as:(in Daoist philosophy and cosmology) spiritually immortal; transcendent human; celestial being (in Daoist religion and pantheon) physically immortal; immortal person; an immortal; saint (in Chinese alchemy) alchemist; one who seeks the elixir of life; one who practices longevity techniques (or by extension) alchemical, dietary, or qigong methods for attaining immortality (in Chinese mythology) wizard; magician; shaman; sorcerer (in popular Chinese literature) genie; elf, fairy; nymph; 仙境 (based on the folk etymology for the character 仙, a compound of the characters for person and mountain) sage living high in the mountains; mountain-man; hermit; recluse (as a metaphorical modifier) immortal [talent]; accomplished person; celestial [beauty]; marvelous; extraordinary (In new-age conception) seeker that takes refuge in immortality ; transcended person [self] recoded by the "higher self"; divine soul; fully established being
