Chinese alchemy is a part of the larger tradition of Taoism Taoism refers to a variety of related philosophical and religious traditions that have influenced Eastern Asia for more than two millennia, and have had a notable influence on the western world since the 19th century. The word 道, Tao (or Dao, depending on the romanization scheme), literally translated as "path" or "way", (although some argue[who?] it has longer history than Taoism), which centers on the tradition of body-spirit cultivation that developed through the Chinese understandings of medicine Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness and the body. These Chinese traditions were developed into a system of energy practices. Chinese alchemy focuses mainly on the purification of one's spirit and body in the hopes of gaining immortality Immortality is the concept of living in a physical or spiritual form for an infinite or inconceivably vast length of time through the practice of Qigong Qigong is an internal Chinese meditative practice which often uses slow graceful movements and controlled breathing techniques to promote the circulation of qi within the human body, and enhance a practitioner's overall health. There are also many forms of qigong that are done with little or no movement at all, in standing, sitting and supine and/or consumption and use of various concoctions known as alchemical medicines or elixirs An elixir is a sweet flavored liquid (usually containing alcohol) used in compounding medicines to be taken orally in order to mask an unpleasant taste and intended to cure one's ills, each of which having different purposes.
Alchemical medicines were valued for two main reasons. First they granted transcendence and immortality and secondly they made it possible to summon benevolent spirits and expel demons. The alchemical practices outlined in Waidan or 'external alchemy' and Neidan Neidan, or internal alchemy, spiritual alchemy was a concept in Taoist Chinese alchemy or 'internal alchemy' are intended to increase life span or produce immortality amongst the people using these methods.
According to J.C. Cooper's "Chinese Alchemy: The Taoist Quest for Immortality," Taoism had two distinct parts, the classical Tao Chia, which was metaphysical and stemmed primarily from Laozi According to Chinese tradition, Laozi lived in the 6th century BC. Historians variously contend that Laozi is a synthesis of multiple historical figures, that he is a mythical figure, or that he actually lived in the 4th century BC, concurrent with the Hundred Schools of Thought and Warring States Period and Zhuangzi Zhuangzi allegedly lived during the reign of King Hui of Liang and King Xuan of Qi, in the span from 370 to 301 BCE. Zhuangzi was from the Town of Meng in the State of Song (now Shāngqiū 商丘, Henan). His given name was Zhou (周, Zhōu). He was also known as Meng Official, Meng Zhuang, and Meng Elder (蒙吏, Méng Lì; 蒙莊, Méng Zhuāng,, and the more popular Tao Chiao, which was the popular, magical and alchemical side of Taoism. Cooper states that a common viewpoint is that "classical Taoism [Daoism] was original but was too austere and rarefied for the general populace ... [but] Tao Chiao fulfilled the day-to-day needs of the people."
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