This is a complete set of eighteen Luohans, also referred to as Arhats, 'Destroyers of the Passions', or 'Worthiness'. As Buddha's apostles, Luohans probably originated in Kashmir and were first mentioned as sixteen Arhats in the Mahayanavataraka, which was translated into Chinese in AD 437. A full transcription of these sixteen names was given in AD 653 by the pilgrim Xuan Zang. The additional two are probably adopted by the end of the 10th Century, these being the Arhats who tamed the Dragon and the Tiger, symbolic of the East and West respectively. As the animals are also found in Daoist imagery, and Luohans are frequently portrayed seated on a dragon or tiger, it could also be interpreted as the triumph of Buddhism over Daoism