Arcane Compendium of Inner Alchemy 杂著指玄篇
Paul PengArcane Compendium of Inner Alchemy
The compiler of this work is unknown.
It was roughly compiled in the late Song Dynasty and early Yuan Dynasty.
The original book consists of eight volumes and is included in Ten Books of Cultivating Immortality, which is categorized under the Method Section of The Dongzhen Section in The Daozang.
Arcane Compendium of Inner Alchemy
This book is an anthology of Taoist works on Internal Alchemy cultivation, collecting twelve Neidan school works from the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties in total. Its volumes and contents are as follows:
- Master Bai's Alchemy Fire Timing Chart (1 volume), compiled by Bai Yuchan of the Southern Song Dynasty, which illustrates the fire timing in Neidan cultivation with diagrams. At the end of the volume, there are three postscripts by Ye Heshu, Liao Zheng and others, titled Shortcut to the Golden Elixir, Treatise on the Golden Elixir and Treatise on Cultivating Immortality.
- Treatise on Returning to the Origin (1 volume), compiled by Shi Tai of the Northern Song Dynasty, containing eighty-one five-character jue poems that expound the principles and skills of Neidan cultivation.
- The Purple Palace Classic, compiled by Chen Nan of the Southern Song Dynasty, a long seven-character verse that eulogizes the essential gist of Neidan cultivation. It also includes three texts: Marrow of the Yin Fu Scripture, Three Internal Essentials and Three External Essentials, which discuss the profound secrets of Neidan based on The Yin Fu Scripture.
- Treatise on Distinguishing Doubts in Immortality Cultivation, Treatise on the Eternal Life of the Valley Spirit, Treatise on the Ascent and Descent of Yin and Yang and Alchemy Chamber Adages, all compiled by Bai Yuchan, expounding the essential outline of the Neidan methods of the Southern Sect.
- Golden Elixir Four Hundred Characters on the Golden Elixir, compiled by Zhang Boduan of the Northern Song Dynasty with annotations by Huang Ziru of the Southern Song Dynasty, explaining the terminology and essential skills of Neidan cultivation.
- Letter of Gratitude to Zhang Ziyang and Lyric of Gratitude to the Immortal Master for the Letter, compiled by Bai Yuchan.
- Eight Precepts for the World, falsely attributed to Xu Xun of the Jin Dynasty and actually written by Taoists of the Jingming Sect in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, expounding the principles of self-cultivation and social conduct. The so-called Eight Precepts refer to the eight characters: loyalty, filial piety, integrity, prudence, generosity, leniency, tolerance and forbearance.
- Thirteen Odes to Intoxicated Immortality, author unknown, chanting the attainment of immortality through Neidan cultivation.
- Ode to Alchemy Secrets, falsely attributed to Zhong Liquan and presented to Lv Yan, urging unwavering dedication to Neidan cultivation.
- Thirty-Four Odes to Alchemy Treasures, compiled by Xue Daoguang at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, chanting the principles of Neidan cultivation and the essential secrets of collecting medicine and regulating qi.
- Ten Precepts for Cultivating Immortality, author unknown.
- Ode to Health Preservation, compiled by Mr. Xishan, chanting the art of health maintenance and nurturing life.
