Daoism Research Paper
Emily Jackson
Eastern Religions
Research Paper
The Daoist practice of Alchemy In the Daoist tradition, there is a heavy focus on looking within and refining the natural and tangible energies of the body. The ultimate goal of this practice is to discover the inner source or essence, also known as jing, which means “unattached structive energy.” An important part of Daoism is realizing that all one needs to align with Dao, or The Way (of nature) is already contained within. With proper cultivation, a studious “adept” may be able to access these primordial essences and possibly achieve immortality. There is a distinction between “external” alchemy, (waidan) a process of concocting an “elixir” (medicine) to be ingested, and “inner” alchemy, …show more content…
This concept relies heavily on the interdependence and correlation between opposites, and the importance of balance, a concept which is very important to the fundamentals of alchemy: “There is a two-way traffic of similarity and dissimilarity, there are complimentary qualities but also tensions and a pull in the opposite direction, but it is a tension of balance and not of antagonism and, as seen in the alchemical symbolism, the opposites can transform each other” (Cooper, 21). Apart from the overall symbolism, the very chemicals themselves have important meaning to the practice of external alchemy: “Sulfur as yang, solar, fire, symbolizes the Will of Heaven, the active principle. Quicksilver as yin, lunar, the waters, is the passive and limiting power. Salt, the “crystallization”, as the result of the action and reaction of the yin-yang, is the neutral zone in which the contrary forces are stabilized and reconciled. This also represents the work within the individual” (Cooper 70). In using fire to melt these substances, alchemists view it as a process of returning the metals back to their original form, a goal that inner alchemy strives to as well. As consistent with the Dao, things are the most pure in their original
Eastern Religions
Research Paper
The Daoist practice of Alchemy In the Daoist tradition, there is a heavy focus on looking within and refining the natural and tangible energies of the body. The ultimate goal of this practice is to discover the inner source or essence, also known as jing, which means “unattached structive energy.” An important part of Daoism is realizing that all one needs to align with Dao, or The Way (of nature) is already contained within. With proper cultivation, a studious “adept” may be able to access these primordial essences and possibly achieve immortality. There is a distinction between “external” alchemy, (waidan) a process of concocting an “elixir” (medicine) to be ingested, and “inner” alchemy, …show more content…
This concept relies heavily on the interdependence and correlation between opposites, and the importance of balance, a concept which is very important to the fundamentals of alchemy: “There is a two-way traffic of similarity and dissimilarity, there are complimentary qualities but also tensions and a pull in the opposite direction, but it is a tension of balance and not of antagonism and, as seen in the alchemical symbolism, the opposites can transform each other” (Cooper, 21). Apart from the overall symbolism, the very chemicals themselves have important meaning to the practice of external alchemy: “Sulfur as yang, solar, fire, symbolizes the Will of Heaven, the active principle. Quicksilver as yin, lunar, the waters, is the passive and limiting power. Salt, the “crystallization”, as the result of the action and reaction of the yin-yang, is the neutral zone in which the contrary forces are stabilized and reconciled. This also represents the work within the individual” (Cooper 70). In using fire to melt these substances, alchemists view it as a process of returning the metals back to their original form, a goal that inner alchemy strives to as well. As consistent with the Dao, things are the most pure in their original