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The Encyclopedia of Taoism
The Encyclopedia of Taoism provides comprehensive coverage of Taoist religion, thought and history, reflecting the current state of Taoist scholarship. Taoist studies have progressed beyond any expectation in recent years. Researchers in a number of languages have investigated topics virtually unknown only a few years previously, while others have surveyed for the first time textual, doctrinal and ritual corpora. The Encyclopedia presents the full gamut of this new research. The work contains approximately 1,750 entries, which fall into the following broad categories: surveys of general topics; schools and traditions; persons; texts; terms; deities; immortals; temples and other sacred sites....
Commentary on the Mirror for Compounding the Medicine
The "Ruyao jing" (Mirror for Compounding the Medicine) is one of the most famous texts of Taoist Internal Alchemy, or Neidan. Written in the 10th century and attributed to Cui Xifan, it describes the foundations of Internal Alchemy in 20 short poems of four verses. Because of its symbolic and cryptic language, it has been subjected to different and sometimes conflicting interpretations. This book contains the first complete translation of the "Ruyao jing" and of the commentary by Wang Jie, who lived in the 14th century. Wang Jie - also known as Wang Daoyuan and as Hunran zi (Master of the Inchoate) - was a second-generation disciple of the great Neidan master, Li Daochun. His commentary is c...
Great Clarity
This is the first book to examine extensively the religious aspects of Chinese alchemy. Its main focus is the relation of alchemy to the Daoist traditions of the early medieval period (third to sixth centuries). It shows how alchemy contributed to and was tightly integrated into the elaborate body of doctrines and practices that Daoists built at that time, from which Daoism as we know it today evolved. The book also clarifies the origins of Chinese alchemy and the respective roles of alchemy and meditation in self-cultivation practices. It contains full translations of three important medieval texts, all of them accompanied by running commentaries, making available for the first time in English the gist of the early Chinese alchemical corpus.
Awakening to Reality
Awakening to Reality (Wuzhen pian) is one of the most important and best-known Taoist alchemical texts. Written in the eleventh century, it describes in a poetical form, and in a typically cryptic and allusive language, several facets of Neidan, or internal alchemy. The present book presents the first part of the text, consisting of sixteen poems, which contain a concise but comprehensive exposition of Neidan. In addition to notes that intend to clarify the meaning of the more obscure points, the book also contains selections from a commentary dating from the late eighteenth century, which is distinguished by the use of a lucid and plain language. ⿿ Fabrizio Pregadio has taught at the University of Venice (1996-97), the Technical University of Berlin (1998-2001), and Stanford University (2001-08). He is the author of Great Clarity: Daoism and Alchemy in Early Medieval China (Stanford University Press, 2006) and the editor of The Encyclopedia of Taoism (Routledge, 2008).
The Seal of the Unity of the Three
Under an allusive poetical language and thick layers of images and symbols, "The Seal of the Unity of the Three" ("Cantong qi") hides the exposition of the teachings that gave birth to Taoist Internal Alchemy, or Neidan. Traditionally attributed to Wei Boyang and dated to about 150 CE, "The Seal of the Unity of the Three" is concerned with three major subjects - Taoism (the way of "non-doing"), Cosmology (the system of the "Book of Changes"), and Alchemy - and joins them to one another into a unique doctrine. The charm of its verses, the depth of its discourse, and its enigmatic language inspired a large number of commentaries and other works, and attracted the attention not only of Taoist masters and adepts, but also of philosophers, cosmologists, and poets. In addition to a complete translation, this book contains a detailed introduction to the history and the teachings of "The Seal of the Unity of the Three," explanations of each of its sections, and notes on its verses. Also included are several tables and pictures, an index of main subjects, and the complete Chinese text.
Foundations of Internal Alchemy
Originally written for Chinese readers, this book provides a clear description of the Taoist practice of Internal Alchemy, or Neidan. The author outlines the four stages of the alchemical practice and clarifies several relevant terms and notions, including Essence, Breath, and Spirit; the Cinnabar Fields; the "Fire Times"; and the Embryo. The book is based on the system of the Wuzhen pian (Awakening to Reality), one of the main sources of Internal Alchemy, and contains about two hundred quotations from original Taoist texts. Table of Contents Foreword, vii INTRODUCTION, 1 The Basis: Essence and Spirit, 3 STAGES OF THE ALCHEMICAL PRACTICE IN AWAKENING TO REALITY, 11 The Four Stages, 13 "Laying the Foundations," 15 Main Points in the Practice of "Laying the Foundations," 20 The Functions of Essence, Breath, and Spirit, 36 Terms Related to the "Coagulation of the Three Treasures," 52 Conclusion of the Stage of "Laying the Foundations," 63 "Refining Essence to Transmute it into Breath," 65 "Refining Breath to Transmute it into Spirit," 99 "Refining Spirit to Return to Emptiness," 109 CONCLUSION, 119 The "Arts of the Way," 121 Tables, 123 Glossary of Chinese Characters, 133
The Routledge Encyclopedia of Taoism
The Routledge Encyclopedia of Taoism provides comprehensive coverage of Taoist religion, thought and history, reflecting the current state of Taoist scholarship. It contains hundreds of entries authored by an international body of experts which cover areas such as schools and traditions, texts, persons and sacred sites. Terms are given in their original characters, transliterated and translated. The encyclopedia is thoroughly cross-referenced and indexed, and also includes a chronology and bibliography. It is invaluable for students and scholars in the fields of religious studies, philosophy and religion, and Asian history and culture.
Taoist Internal Alchemy
This anthology presents complete or partial translations of sixteen important works belonging to the Taoist tradition of Neidan, or Internal Alchemy. While the selections are far from covering the whole field of Neidan-a virtually impossible task, given its width and variety-they are representative of several lineages and branches. d104s have been selected in this perspective and are arranged chronologically, in order to provide an overview not only of Neidan, but also of the history of its discourses and practices. Four of the sixteen texts are integrally translated. Six texts and two commentaries are translated in this book (entirely or partially) for the first time into English. The book ...
The Seal of the Unity of the Three: Vol. 2 - Bibliographic Studies on the Cantong Qi: Commentaries, Essays, and Related Works
The "Cantong qi" is the main text of Taoist Internal Alchemy (Neidan). In addition to Taoist masters and adepts, it has also attracted the attention of philosophers, cosmologists, poets, literati, calligraphers, philologists, and bibliophiles. No less than 38 commentaries written through the end of the 19th century are extant, and dozens of texts found in the Taoist Canon and elsewhere are related to it. The present book is the most complete guide available in any language to this vast literature. The book is divided into two main parts. Part 1 contains a catalogue of extant and lost commentaries, essays, and related texts, listing altogether about 150 works with details on their authors, ed...
Cultivating the Tao
Cultivating the Tao is a complete translation of one of the main works by the renowned Taoist master Liu Yiming (1734-1821). Divided into 26 short chapters, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the basic principles of Taoism and an introduction to Taoist Internal Alchemy, or Neidan, authored by one of the greatest representatives of this tradition. Liu Yiming was an 11th-generation master of the Longmen (Dragon Gate) lineage. Having recovered from severe illness in his youth, he undertook extended traveling that led him to meet his two main masters. In 1780, he settled in the Qiyun mountains, in the present-day Gansu province. Since then until his death he devoted himself to teaching and writing. His works mainly consist of writings on Neidan and of commentaries on major Neidan scriptures. Liu Yiming grafts Internal Alchemy onto the teachings of the Book of the Way and Its Virtue (Daode jing) and of the later Taoist tradition. Few other masters have illustrated the relation between Taoism and Internal Alchemy as clearly as he does in this book.
