The Road to Cultivating Immortals: The Two Channels of Taoist Alchemy.
The fundamental goal of Taoist cultivation is to attain enlightenment and become immortals, and the way to achieve this goal is mainly divided into two channels: self-cultivation and taking pills. Eating pills can be divided into two categories: eating ready-made elixirs and refining pills yourself. In ancient times, people's pursuit of immortality promoted the development of Taoist cultivation, and alchemy activities were even more enjoyable.
Journey of the Mystical Elixir: The Amazing Experience of Searching for the Elixir.
The amazing experience of searching for the elixir falls into two main categories. One is to venture to overseas inaccessible places, look for immortals, and ask for elixir, peach, elixir, wine, etc., in order to prolong life. The other is through one's own alchemy, which was not uncommon in ancient China. Some dignitaries and nobles even continued to refine the pill during the Qing Dynasty, not hesitating to eat death and refine death, because they pursued to become immortals by eating the elixir, and believed that they would become immortals after death.
Superstition and reality: heavy metals in elixirs.
In this pursuit of immortality, some alchemists use pills that contain a lot of heavy metals. These ingredients can cause a toxic reaction, creating illusions or feelings of pleasure that can lead to the misconception that they are immortals. This superstitious belief was greatly spread at the time, and today we know that it is actually a manifestation of heavy metal poisoning, reminding us to pay attention to the problem of heavy metal residues in our diet.
Mythology and Martial Arts: Journey to the West and the Legend of the Condor Heroes have different orientations.
In literary works, Journey to the West frequently mentions the elixir, and Taishang Laojun often refines the elixir. The Legend of the Condor Heroes involves relatively little elixir and pays more attention to internal cultivation. This reflects the author's profound knowledge of history and culture in his creation, and accurately grasps the cultivation tendency of different historical periods.
The peak of alchemy in the Tang Dynasty: the pinnacle of Wai Dan cultivation.
During the Tang Dynasty, the cultivation of the Taoist Wai Dan reached its peak. Since the Tang Dynasty was a period of great revival of Taoism, the art of immortality was highly regarded. Emperors pursued pills to prolong their lives, but it also led to the death of many emperors from pills. Emperors such as Taizong of the Tang Dynasty and Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty even took the elixir all year round, and the Taoist believers were also extremely active.
Inner Dan Replaces Outer Dan: A Change in the Direction of Taoist Cultivation after the Tang Dynasty.
However, as people's awareness of the toxicity of the pill increased, the Taoist Outer Dan technique gradually weakened and was replaced by the cultivation technique of the Inner Dan. During the Song Dynasty, the cultivation of Wai Dan was no longer popular, and believers paid more attention to internal cultivation. By the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties, there had been a brief revival of the Waidan, but it was no longer a widely believed and used method.
The Evolution of the Art of Seeking Immortality: From Finding Immortals to the Road to Alchemy.
In ancient times, the desire of the powerful to pursue immortality drove various attempts. From the period of searching for immortals and seeking immortal medicine, he experienced the frustration of not being able to find it, and gradually evolved into a method based on alchemy. Alchemists such as Ge Hong and Tao Hongjing systematized alchemy, laying the foundation for later alchemy activities.
The contribution of the alchemist: the pioneer of ancient science and technology.
In the process of exploring the art of immortality, the alchemist not only accumulated rich cultivation experience, but also involved a lot of knowledge in chemistry and medicine. Gunpowder, medical prescriptions, copper smelting technology, and many other achievements came from the hands of alchemists. These alchemists may represent the pioneers of the most advanced understanding of the natural world at that time, and they played a huge role in the development of mankind in the process of exploration.
The Glorious Age of Alchemy: The Interweaving of Science and Superstition.
From the perspective of modern science, the practices of the ancient alchemists seem to be ignorant. However, looking back at history, they were the most advanced and cutting-edge people of the time, who thought deeply about and explored the natural world. In the interweaving of superstition and reality, alchemists ushered in a new era of ancient science and technology, leaving valuable contributions to the progress of mankind.
Conclusion: The journey of pursuing immortality.
Although the alchemists' pursuit of immortality may seem beyond the rational in modern times, their spirit of exploration and curiosity about nature still deserve our respect. Today, although we use modern medicine and technology, our pursuit of birth, aging, sickness and death has not stopped. We might as well reflect on whether the pursuit of ancient alchemists is the continuation of our modern people's pursuit of immortality?
In this article, the author details the historical background, development and evolution of alchemy activities in ancient Taoist cultivation, as well as its contributions to science, medicine, and other fields. In plain language, the article tells the ancient alchemists' pursuit of immortality, presenting a rich and fascinating picture.
First of all, the article sorts out the two main channels of ancient Taoist cultivation, highlighting the two methods of cultivating oneself and taking pills. This provides the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the entire cultivation system, while at the same time provoking reflections on the theme of immortality. Through the description of the two elixirs, the article reveals the absurdity and superstition in them, especially the discussion of heavy metal components, so that readers have a deeper understanding of the pursuit of ancient people.
Secondly, the article cleverly integrates the perspective of literary works, and shows the author's profound knowledge of history and culture through the comparison between Journey to the West and the Legend of the Condor Heroes. This contrast not only forms an interesting echo in the article, but also makes it easier for readers to understand the changes in the direction of cultivation in different historical periods. This shows the author's profound interpretation of the literary work and adds a lot to the article.
In addition, the article provides a detailed analysis of the reasons for the prosperity of alchemy during the Tang Dynasty and the later decline of Waidanshu. By enumerating the examples of the Tang Dynasty emperors dying from pills, readers have a more intuitive understanding of the relationship between superstitious beliefs and power at that time. The later process of replacing the outer pill with the inner pill shows the historical process of people's increasing perception of the toxicity of the pill.
Finally, the article emphasizes the contributions of alchemists in science and medicine. Through the introduction of gunpowder and medical prescriptions, it is revealed that the alchemists have accumulated a wealth of medical and scientific knowledge while exploring the art of immortality. This link between ancient superstitions and actual science makes the article richer in depth.
Overall, the article is informative, well-organized, and compact. Through a comprehensive analysis of the ancient Taoist cultivation techniques, it not only presents a historical picture of ancient people's pursuit of immortality, but also provides readers with a new perspective on the development of ancient science.
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