The Lu Xixing 陆西星

Lu Xixing (1520-1601, alternatively 1606) was a native of Xinghua County, Yangzhou, during the Ming Dynasty. His courtesy name was Changgeng and his literary name was Qianxu. In his youth, he was a scholar (zhusheng, a title for students pursuing the imperial examination) with exceptional talent, and his reputation was prominent in his hometown. After failing the imperial examination nine times, he abandoned Confucianism to become a Taoist priest. He claimed that in the 26th year of the Jiajing reign (1547), Lü Dongbin (a renowned Taoist immortal) descended to his Beihai Thatched Cottage and personally taught him the secrets of alchemy, thus enabling him to obtain the true lineage of internal alchemy.

He inherited the Taoist doctrines of Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin, advocating nannü shuangxiu (dual cultivation of men and women), simultaneous practice of xing (physical nature) and ming (life essence), and attaching great importance to yishou yinqiao (focusing one’s will on the Yinqiao Meridian).

He wrote Binweng Ziji (Autobiography of Elder Bin) and Daoyuan Huilu (Collected Records of Taoist Karma) to document the origin of Taoist doctrines. Later Taoists revered him as the founder of the Eastern School of Internal Alchemy.

In his later years, he studied Buddhist scriptures, aiming to integrate Taoism (based on Laozi’s teachings) and Buddhism into a single system. He delved into profound Taoist and Buddhist truths, expounding on the principles of harmony between the two. He authored 15 works on alchemy and annotations to Taoist classics, which were compiled into Fanghu Waishi (Records from Beyond the Square Vessel). These include Laozi Daodejing Xuanlan (Profound Insights into Laozi’s Tao Te Ching), Huangdi Yinfujing Ceshu (Interpretive Analysis of the Yellow Emperor’s Hidden Talisman Classic), Zhouyi Cantongqi Ceshu (Interpretive Analysis of the Zhouyi Cantongqi), Cantongqi Kouyi (Oral Explanations of the Cantongqi), Wushang Yuhuang Xinyinjing Ceshu (Interpretive Analysis of the Supreme Jade Emperor’s Heart Seal Classic), Cuigong Ruyaojing Ceshu (Interpretive Analysis of Elder Cui’s Classic of Medicine Introduction), Lvgong Baizi Bei Ceshu (Interpretive Analysis of Elder Lü’s Hundred-Character Stele), Jindan Sibaizi Ceshu (Interpretive Analysis of the Four Hundred Words on the Golden Elixir), Longmeizi Jindan Yinzheng Shi Ceshu (Interpretive Analysis of Dragon-Browed Master’s Poems Verifying the Golden Elixir), Qingtian Ge Ceshu (Interpretive Analysis of the Clear Sky Song), Wuzhenpian Xiaoxu (Short Preface to the Wuzhenpian), Jindan Jiuzhengpian (Correcting the Essentials of the Golden Elixir), Jindan Dazhi Tu (Diagram of the Great Essentials of the Golden Elixir), Xuanfu Lun (Treatise on Profound Skin), and Qipo Lun (Treatise on Seven Refutations). In addition, he wrote other works such as Nanhua Fumo (Supplementary Notes on the Zhuangzi), Lengyan Shuzhi (Exposition of the Essentials of the Shurangama Sutra), and Lengyanjing Shuoyue (Concise Explanations of the Shurangama Sutra).