This is to study the popularity of Lu Dongbin (Lu), who has been the most beloved immortal of China since the Song dynasty, during the Ming dynasty focusing on the literature and illustration of the day. Lu’s character in the literature texts of the Ming dynasty reveals different characteristics comparing to those of previous era. This could be reviewed by means of two different aspects of his character: the expansion of denotation and the deepening of implication. In respect of the expansion of denotation, Lu became one of the Eight Immortals at the late Yuan dynasty. However, he took the leadership of the Immortals and made the stories together with the remainder in the literature of the Ming dynasty. And the story stating that Lu was in conflict with a Buddhist monk Huanglongchanshi and lost his sword to Huanglongchanshi and then concentrated on his self-cultivation appeared. This story implies tension between Buddhism and Taoism as well as the most dramatic tension among the anecdotes of Lu. Further a love story between Lu and prostitute Baimudan was created and greatly beloved by people. This story gave the vitality enabling Lu’s character to survive until today. In parallel with the expansion of denotation, the deepening of implication proceeded. Ten time trials by Zhongliquan, learning progress of alchemy (the art of making elixirs), swordsmanship of his valuable sword imply Lu’s accomplishment of immortal. All these also denote his personal growth and progress about reaching the immortality. Lu’s icons in the illustrations of the Ming dynasty appeared independently or together with the Eight Immortals. In the illustrations where Lu appeared independently, immortal Lu’s image was transformed from a serious and scholastic image of previous era into an image of the immortal appeared on folk beliefs. Moreover Buddha dust appeared on Lu’s illustrations during the Ming dynasty, but there’s no such records saying that Lu holds Buddha dust on related literature. In the meantime, immortals in the illustrations of the Ming dynasty often portrayed as the ones that hold Buddha dust. Then we could infer that Buddha dust shown on Lu’s illustration is probably a reflection of such a tendency. During this period of time Lu’s image was almost completed as shown on his illustration today. From these we could recognize that he wears his valuable sword when he performs Taoist magic and punishes the wicked, while he doesn’t wear his sword when he loses his magical power and conceals himself. A great change on Lu related illustrations during the Ming dynasty could be found on baxiantu. The theme of baxiantu could be divided into baxianguohai and baxianqingshou. Baxianguohai and baxianqingshou commonly reflected the prosperity gospel of folks and frequently appeared on various ornaments and everyday goods. Baxiantu has its own implication, then Lu’s individual character doesn’t close up. We could realize that Lu’s character appeared on the literature and illustrations of the Ming dynasty ware affected by the change of society and religion. Commercial development and growth of civilians changed Lu’s character to meet practical requirements of time. The decline of Taoism and Quanzhenjiao removed a grave religious countenance from Lu and made him an intimate immortal close to folks. And The Eight Immortals were widely propagated among folks at this period of time, accordingly Lu, a member of the Immortals, could continually keep his vitality. This change on Lu’s character during Ming dynasty is a progress of his returning from an immortal of folks during the Song and the head of Taoism during the Yuan.