The Li Pu 李朴

Li Pu (?–1670) was a native of Wuxian County (present-day Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province) during the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. His courtesy name was Tianmu, and his Taoist title was Daoist Zizhong.

From childhood, he studied under Daoist Chaozhen, delving into the great Dao of Jindan (Golden Elixir, the core theory of Taoist inner alchemy). He mastered the Dongyuan Method (Cave Origin Method) of Bai Zqing (a renowned Taoist alchemist). Li Pu’s mind resonated with the divine essence; regarding all Taoist talismans, incantations, and gangjue (awe-inspiring formulas for ritual practice), he did not rigidly adhere to ancient traditions, yet whatever he practiced always yielded effective results.

In the autumn of the 9th year of the Kangxi reign (1670), he passed away due to illness. His disciples privately conferred upon him the posthumous title "Mr. Chongbai" (Mr. Pure and Transcendent). He authored works such as Huandan Zongzhi (The Essential Purpose of the Returning Elixir) and Huohou Zongyuan (The Fundamental Origin of Alchemical Fire Phases), which have been passed down to later generations.

(Source: Suzhou Fu Zhi [Gazetteer of Suzhou Prefecture])