The idea of throwing away prestige in favor of the quest for Daoist enlightenment has become a cultural metaphor for the Chinese people. It illustrates the ideal of lack of illusion about the vanity of life. Kung Peng-cheng sees a basic similarity between hermits, seekers of immortality, and wandering martial artists.
建立功業後捨棄功名，尋仙問道，成為中國超越生命型態的典型。