Taoist Internal Alchemy: An Anthology of Neidan Texts

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. Texts 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 is concluded by several tables and by an index of the main terms.

CONTENTS (Texts marked with an asterisk are integrally translated)

Foreword
Sources

1. The Seal of the Unity of the Three (Cantong qi)
2. (*) The Hidden Agreement (Yinfu jing), with comm. by Yu Yan
3. Mirror for Compounding the Medicine (Ruyao jing), with comm. by Wang Jie
4. The Transmission of the Dao from Zhongli Quan to Lü Dongbin (Zhong-Lü chuandao ji)
5. Awakening to Reality (Wuzhen pian), by Zhang Boduan
6. (*) Four Hundred Words on the Golden Elixir (Jindan sibai zi), attr. to Zhang Boduan, with comm. by Peng Haogu
7. Pointers to the Mystery (Zhixuan pian), by Bai Yuchan
8. Model Images of the Golden Elixir (Jindan faxiang), by Weng Baoguang
9. Questions and Answers on the Golden Elixir (Jindan wenda), by Xiao Tingzhi
10. (*) Fifteen Essays to Establish the Teaching (Chongyang lijiao shiwu lun), by Wang Zhen (Wang Chongyang)
11. The Harmony of the Center (Zhonghe ji), by Li Daochun
12. The Great Essentials of the Golden Elixir (Jindan dayao), by Chen Zhixu
13. (*) Rectifying Errors for the Seekers of the Golden Elixir (Jindan jiuzheng pian), by Lu Xixing
14. Principles of the Conjoined Cultivation of Nature and Existence (Xingming guizhi)
15. The Secret of the Golden Flower (Jinhua zongzhi)
16. Discriminations on Difficult Points in Cultivating Reality (Xiuzhen biannan), by Liu Yiming

Tables
Index of Main Terms
Glossary of Chinese Characters
Works Cited