The Qiu Zhao'ao 仇兆鳌

Qiu Zhao'ao (1638—1713) was from a family specializing in Neidan (Inner Alchemy) in the Qing Dynasty and was well-versed in the technique of Nannü Shuangxiu (Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation, a practice combining both male and female energies in Taoist inner alchemy). A native of Yin County, Zhejiang Province, his courtesy name was Cangzhu and his literary name was Zhiji.

From a young age, he showed exceptional talent and possessed a profound innate aptitude for Taoist practice (Daogen). Initially, he studied under Huang Zongxi, a great Confucian scholar, delving into the profound principles of Xingming (the cultivation of one’s nature and life essence in Taoism). He was able to draw inferences about other cases from one instance and was erudite and versatile.

During the Kangxi reign, he passed the imperial examination as a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and entered the Hanlin Academy (the imperial scholarly institution). He enjoyed high reputation at that time and eventually held the official post of Libu You Shilang (Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel).

Later, he withdrew from official life at the height of his career to dedicate himself to Taoist practice. He once collaborated with Tao Susi from Kuaiji to conduct in-depth research on the esoteric principles of Danjing (Taoist inner alchemy classics) and mastered the profound theories of the I Ching (Book of Changes).

He also traveled extensively to famous Taoist mountains and sacred caves across the country. During his stay in Wuyi Mountain, he met an extraordinary person (Yiren, often referring to a Taoist master or hermit with profound wisdom) who instructed him on the true interpretation of the Cantong Qi (The Kinship of the Three, a classic Taoist inner alchemy text). Through this, he gained a deep understanding of the esoteric teachings of the Southern School (Nanzong) of Taoism.

After returning home, he built the "Qiyun Thatched Cottage" where he engaged in intensive cultivation of the Yin-Yang inner alchemy method. He verified his insights through mutual learning and practice, and after years of cultivation, he attained a serene and transcendent state, embodying the demeanor of an immortal or a Taoist sage (Xianfeng Daogu).

His works include Sishu Shuoyue (Concise Explanations of the Four Books), Du Shi Xiangzhu (Detailed Annotations on Du Fu’s Poems), Wuzhen Pian Jizhu (Collected Annotations on the Awakening to Reality), and Guoben Zhouyi Cantong Qi Jizhu (Collected Annotations on the Ancient Version of the I Ching’s Cantong Qi).

Xiao Tianshi, a modern scholar of Taoism, commented on Qiu’s representative work Nanzong Zhengmai Wuzhen Pian Tiyao (Summary of the Awakening to Reality: The Orthodox Lineage of the Southern School) as follows: "Qiu Zhao’ao, styled Zhiji, was an erudite and great scholar of the Kangxi period. He attained enlightenment through the pure cultivation of the Yin-Yang Pin Dadan (the Great Elixir of Yin-Yang Quality, a core practice of Southern School inner alchemy). He compiled annotations on the Wuzhen Pian from ten scholars, and placed this summary at the beginning of the book. Although he had mastered the essential teachings, it is a pity that there are still slight flaws, just like a white jade with minor blemishes."

(Refer to Daojia Yangshengxue Gaiyao (Outline of Taoist Health Preservation) by Xiao Tianshi)