The legend of the fairy Magu has already been handed down in a text from the Jin Dynasty (265–420). There it is reported that she lived at the time of Emperor Huan (reigned 147–167 AD) and, as the sister of a Daoist, eventually attained the status of an immortal herself. As a popular figure in Chinese folk religion, numerous temples were built to her. In a basket that she carries on a bamboo pole over her shoulder, she collects lucky flowers or the mushrooms of immortality (lingzhi). She often appears as the companion of the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu).
Magu is depicted here as an elegant lady with the small, red-painted lips typical of the late Qing period. Behind her stands the Deer of Long Life with white horns, and around her flutter red bats (fu), also symbols of good luck (fu). The painting is therefore a typical congratulatory picture, which might have been given with best wishes for a long and happy life on a sixtieth or seventieth birthday.
Yang Yingxuan came from Kunming in the province of Yunnan. He was a famous figure and flower painter whose depictions were particularly praised for their realism. In his time, no one else is said to have been his equal.