What are A Priori and A Posteriori in Taoism? 什么是先天与后天

An important concept in Taoist philosophy and esoteric practices, it is most prominently embodied in Internal Alchemy.

What are A Priori and A Posteriori in Taoism?

Internal Alchemy expounds on essence, Qi, and spirit, all of which are divided into innate and acquired aspects. The innate is characterized by stillness, non-action and formlessness; the acquired by motion, willful action and form. The innate is inborn, abiding by nature without artificial refinement; the acquired is attained through cultivation and learning, accessible to ordinary people. The innate is formless and transcends time and space, uniting with The Dao; the acquired is tangible and exists within the realm of real time and space.

The Dao is the innate noumenon prior to the birth of the universe, yet also permeates all things in heaven and earth as their foundation and operating principle. The innate represents the realm of the metaphysical Dao, while the acquired denotes the realm of the physical concrete forms.