Taoism holds that after a Taoist priest attains the Tao, he can abandon his physical body and ascend to immortality, or leave no remains, but only entrust an object (such as clothes, a staff, a sword) to the world and ascend to heaven, which is called "shijie" (corpse liberation). Li Xian and others annotated in The Book of the Later Han Dynasty·Biography of Wang Heping: "Corpse liberation means that when one is about to ascend to immortality, one pretends to be a corpse to be liberated and transformed."
Specifically, the methods of corpse liberation mainly include: fire liberation, water liberation, weapon liberation, staff liberation, sword liberation. In addition, there are many other methods such as the Taiqing corpse liberation method, the Taiyi corpse guarding method, the Taiji transformation and escape method, Bao Jing's corpse liberation method, the Taiyin body refining, the water and fire refining of the corpse form, the Yin-Yang LiuJia method of refining the physical form, etc., with various names.
Corpse liberation technique was an immortality technique believed in by early Taoism. Due to its fictional nature, it was often questioned by the world. Wang Chong called it a "false and absurd" technique in Lunheng·Dao Xu Pian (On the Falsity of Tao). By the Sui and Tang dynasties, corpse liberation had been regarded by Taoists as the inferior way to become an immortal. The Quanzhen School in the Jin and Yuan dynasties completely abandoned it because it denied physical immortality.
The Daoist Concept of "Shijie" (尸解) - Liberation by Means of a Corpse
In Daoist philosophy, Shijie (尸解) represents a fascinating concept of spiritual liberation where an accomplished Daoist priest achieves immortality by discarding the physical body. This profound transformation allows the adept to ascend to the heavens, often leaving behind only a symbolic object such as clothing, a staff, or a sword.
"The term 'Shijie' means that one is about to ascend to immortality, pretending to be a corpse to achieve transformation."
— Commentary to the Book of the Later Han: Biography of Wang Heping
Methods of Liberation (尸解法)
火解 (Fire Liberation)
Achieving immortality through fire, where the adept appears to perish in flames but actually transcends the physical form.
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水解 (Water Liberation)
Liberation through water, where the practitioner appears to drown but actually transforms into an immortal state.
兵解 (Weapon Liberation)
Liberation through apparent death by weapons, where the adept transcends during violent conflict.
杖解 (Staff Liberation)
Achieving immortality by leaving behind a staff as the only physical remnant of one's existence.
剑解 (Sword Liberation)
Transcending the physical realm by leaving behind a sword as the symbolic representation of one's earthly form.
Other Methods
Including Taiqing Shijie, Great One Corpse Guarding, Yin-Yang refinement, and Water-Fire purification methods.
Historical Evolution & Criticism
Shijie techniques were central to early Daoist practices of immortality but faced considerable skepticism due to their metaphysical nature. The Han Dynasty scholar Wang Chong (王充) criticized these methods in his Lunheng: Discourse on the Dao and Emptiness as "fabricated and illusory."
By the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907 CE), Shijie had been demoted to the lowest category of immortality techniques among Daoist practitioners. The Quanzhen (全真) School of Daoism during the Jin and Yuan dynasties (12th-14th centuries) completely rejected Shijie as it contradicted their doctrine of physical immortality.
Cultural Significance
Despite its decline in religious practice, Shijie remains culturally significant as:
- A representation of the Daoist pursuit of transcendence
- An early exploration of mind-body dualism in Chinese philosophy
- A symbolic framework for understanding spiritual transformation
- A recurring theme in Chinese literature and folklore
The Daoist concept of Shijie represents humanity's eternal quest to transcend physical limitations. Though the specific practices have evolved, the underlying aspiration for spiritual liberation continues to resonate across cultures and eras, reminding us that the most profound transformations often leave the slightest material trace.
