The Blue Sea Changes into a Mulberry Field

According to the Biographies of Immortals ( 《神仙傳》 Shenxian Zhuan ) by Ge Hong, Immortal Lady Ma, in her meeting with Wang Fangping, said that since their previous meeting, she had witnessed the blue sea change into a mulberry field three times. 'Just now', she said: 'when I was at Penglai, I found the sea was shallower, seemingly half of its original depth. I guess it will change into a field again in a very short time.'

This story mirrored Chinese understandings about all changes in the universe and the difference in the concept of time between immortals' world and human society. In an immortal's eyes, all things in the human world are changing constantly and rapidly. In the changing world, however, lies the unchangeable, which makes an immortal go beyond all changes. It was also the reason why Lady Ma could repeatedly witness the blue sea change into a mulberry field.