The Wuliu School 伍柳派

The Wuliu School is a school of internal alchemy cultivation in Taoism.

Master Wu was a direct descendant of the Longmen Branch of the Northern Sect, and he styled himself as the eighth-generation disciple of the Longmen Branch. This school was founded by Wu Shouyang and Liu Huayang during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Wu Shouyang (1574-1644), also known as Chongxuzi, was a native of Ji'an, Jiangxi. "At the age of ten, he resolved to understand the Confucian classics and came across the seven works of Ancestor Chongyang. At thirteen, he first had unusual aspirations, always seeking the truth and yearning to escape the mundane world. At sixteen, he could comment on literary works and did not compete in the two imperial examinations at the school. At twenty, he gave up on fame and fortune, completely abandoning his Confucian robes and shabby shoes" (Records of the Integration of Immortals and Buddhas: The Cultivation Song of Master Wu).

He met Cao Huanyang and received the "Complete Essence of the Integration of Immortals and Buddhas". He also extensively studied the books of immortals and sages, comprehended the true meaning, and wrote Direct Discourse on the Correct Principles of Heavenly Immortals and Records of the Integration of Immortals and Buddhas.

Liu Huayang (1736-?) was originally a Confucian scholar who achieved success in the imperial examinations. Later, he abandoned Confucianism and converted to Buddhism, then left Buddhism and returned to Taoism. "He consulted almost all teachers of the three teachings" but failed to thoroughly understand the essence of the "wisdom-life". Fortunately, he met Master Wu Chongxu, who imparted the secret essence to him, and "suddenly realized the Dao, knowing that the Dao of wisdom-life is the inherent spiritual essence within himself". He then wrote The Scripture of Wisdom-Life and Proof of the Golden Immortal.

This school strongly advocates pure and quiet cultivation and the integration of immortals and Buddhas. Both Wu and Liu did not discuss Yin-Yang or men and women, emphasizing that alchemy cultivation only uses the innate and avoids the acquired, with particular emphasis on the cultivation of the "spark of true Yang"—the innate primordial Qi. They believed that both internal and external medicines originate from the innate primordial Qi. The so-called external medicine refers to "the primordial Qi, although hidden in the Dantian since birth, has a time when it arises outward. It is by taking this Qi that arises outward and returning it inward that, although it is generated internally, it comes from outside, hence called external medicine" (Direct Discourse on the Correct Principles of Heavenly Immortals: Direct Discourse on Medicines).

The so-called internal medicine refers to the great elixir refined by collecting the external medicine, "which is not related to the outside at all, only moving in the place where it arises. Because it never leaves the inside, it is called internal medicine" (ibid.).

The external medicine is generated first and then collected, while the internal medicine is collected first and then generated, "but in fact, it is just this one Qi". As for the "cauldron and furnace", Yin-Yang theorists mostly use men and women as metaphors, but Wu Shouyang clearly stated that the external cauldron refers to the form of the Dantian, and the internal cauldron refers to the Qi in the Dantian.

Wu Shouyang clearly stated at the beginning of Direct Discourse on the Correct Principles of Heavenly Immortals: "This Qi and spirit are what the Dao of immortals refers to as the dual cultivation of nature and life. And it is said that we discuss the two Qis today to clarify the principles of humans becoming immortals and Buddhas." Both Wu and Liu took the Dao of immortals as the foundation and incorporated Buddhist methods for practice: they not only verified and discussed The Yellow Court Scripture, The Scripture of Embryonic Breathing, and Treatise on Sitting in Forgetfulness but also quoted The Shurangama Sutra, The Great Prajna Sutra, and The Avatamsaka Sutra, integrating immortals and Buddhas into one. Compared with the Northern Sect, the alchemical methods of the Wuliu School are more cumbersome and not as simple as those of the Northern Sect. They elaborated in detail on refining oneself, medicines, cauldrons and instruments, fire phases, effects, Ren and Du meridians, danger prevention, as well as Qi subduing, embryonic breathing, true intention, and the small and large heavenly cycles.

Because its theories are simple and straightforward, its guidance is clear, and it integrates immortals and Buddhas, its influence spread both domestically and internationally. However, it still has shortcomings in fully expounding the profound essence of Taoism and Buddhism. Therefore, the practices of this school are more suitable for health preservation and disease prevention.