The Neidan Sect 内丹派

A Taoist sect that inherits and focuses on the cultivation of internal elixir (neidan). In contrast to the Waidan Sect (external elixir sect), the Neidan Sect adopts the terminology of external elixir and yellow-white arts (alchemy), but the meanings are fundamentally different.

The Neidan Sect regards the human body as a cauldron and furnace, with essence, qi, and spirit as the "medicines," breath as the "wind," and thoughts as the "fire." The degree of using thoughts and breath is regarded as the "fire control," and the condensed combination of essence, qi, and spirit is called the "returned elixir." Due to differences in internal cultivation methods, the Neidan Sect of Taoism is further divided into different schools, such as the Wenshi Sect and the Shaoyang Sect.