What is the Wuliu Sect 伍柳派?

The Wuliu Sect is a school of Taoist inner alchemy cultivation. Master Wu was a direct descendant of the Longmen Branch of the Northern Sect and called himself "the eighth-generation disciple of Longmen". The Wuliu Sect was founded by Wu Shouyang and Liu Huayang in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

This sect advocates quiet cultivation and the integration of immortality and Buddhism in alchemy practice. Both Wu and Liu refrained from discussing yin-yang, men and women, emphasizing that alchemy practice only uses the innate, and avoiding the acquired. They particularly attached importance to the cultivation of the "innate ancestral qi" of "a single point of true yang", believing that both internal and external medicines originate from the innate ancestral qi.

The so-called external medicine refers to "the ancestral qi, although hidden in the dantian since birth, has a time when it generates and emanates outward. It is by taking this qi that emanates outward and returning it to the elixir field. Although it is generated internally, it comes from outside, hence it is called external medicine". The so-called internal medicine refers to the refined elixir obtained by collecting the external medicine, "which is entirely unrelated to the outside and only moves in the place where it originates. Because it never leaves the inside, it is called internal medicine". (Direct Discussion on the Correct Principles of Heavenly Immortality·Direct Discussion on Medicines)

Compared with the Northern Sect, the alchemy method of the Wuliu Sect is more cumbersome and not as simple as that of the Northern Sect. It elaborates in detail on refining oneself, medicines, cauldrons and utensils, fire phases, effects, Ren and Du meridians, danger prevention, as well as qi retention, embryonic respiration, true intention, small and large heavenly cycles, etc.

Due to its plain reasoning, clear guidance, and the integration of immortality and Buddhism, it has exerted a wide influence. However, since the Wuliu Sect integrates the essence of the superior teachings of both Taoism and Buddhism but still has some inadequacies, its techniques are more suitable for cultivation aimed at health preservation and disease prevention.