Among so many scholars of NeiDan thought in Chinese, in modern age, the most representative scholar is DaoShi Liu Yi-Ming(1734-1821) at Qing dynasty. He wrote various works on NeiDan thought, which are compiled in DaoShu ShiErZhong(the Twelve Kinds Ta...
Among so many scholars of NeiDan thought in Chinese, in modern age, the most representative scholar is DaoShi Liu Yi-Ming(1734-1821) at Qing dynasty. He wrote various works on NeiDan thought, which are compiled in DaoShu ShiErZhong(the Twelve Kinds Taoist Books). Liu Yi-Ming appeared at the age of matured NeiDan thought, and was the 11th successor of LongMen sect of QuanZhenJiao and a Taoist philosopher at the end of Qing dynasty.
The early Taoism pursued to become a transcendental person through WaiDan or external elixir thought which considers that taking alchemically treated unchangeable Jin's attribute will attain long and immortal life. However, harmful consequences caused by its side effects were occurred continuously, so that new practice methodology was required to pursue. It was the reason to shift importance from WaiDan to NeiDan. The aim of NeiDan practice is also the fundamental goal of Taoism, long and immortal life, and becoming transcendental being through enlightening on Dao. Taoist thought had grounded as the basis of practice system in specification process of its methodology. Comparing to Confucianism and Buddhism, Taoism could not developed elaborate and detailed philosophical theory, but it had developed the aspect of practice in very minute degree, which are the difference to the former two.
In the NeiDan practice methodology, the process of Dan refining by abreast practice of both nature and life has been transmitted with change and derivation into various theories and practice methodologies in accordance with sects. General process of NeiDan practice can be summarized into five stages, namely, ZhuJiLianJi, LianJingHuaQi, LianQiHuaShen, LianShenHaiXu, and LianXuHeDao. In NeiDan practice, DingLu, YaoWu and HuoHou are three important factors. DingLu designates human body, HuoHou relates with controlling breath according to level of Dan refining, and YaoWu means medicine for Dan refining.
The reason to be absorbed in NeiDan thought of Liu Yi-Ming derived from his sickness at youth and interesting on Taoism, which made him to meet two Taoist master and to learn their teaching, and finally connected to his enlightenment on Dao. Unlikely to Taoist priest, he remains quite a number of works, in which he wrote more than twenty kinds of commentaries and books related with I-Ching, and many important Dan-Jings in history. The characteristics found out from his NeiDan thought can be summarized as follows:
First is the three religions unification thought which forms important feature of his NeiDan thought and practice methodology. Liu Yi-Ming considered that three religions, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, are differentiated in their focuses, however, their origin, essence, goal, and fundamental practice methodology are concurrent and mutually connected.
Second, He was to lay foundation of NeiDan thought based on I-Ching. He reinterpreted scriptures of I-Ching from the view point of NeiDan thought, and claimed oneness of NeiDan thought and I-Ching. Also, he clearly elaborated that I-Ching is not a text for foretelling, but for explicating the principle of NeiDan thought, i.e. abreast practice of both nature and life.
Third, he suggested the abreast practice of both nature and life as the principal direction. abreast practice of both nature and life means harmonious and holistic perfection of the both, in the mental aspect of nature and in the physical(or Qi) aspect of life. Futhermore, he emphasized that "beginning with postnatal nature and returning postnatal nature to congenital nature", and "life is apriority, nature is posteriority." He characterized nature practice and life practice as sudden enlightenment of inaction and gradual practice of action, respectively. That is to say, nature practice means a training to become one with inactive and natural Dao through momentary enlightenment, and life practice is an Taoist exercise to change body into congenital Qi by gradual efforts. Also, he emphasized on accumulation of virtuous(De) actions for enlightening Dao. In such way, the both Dao and De are simultaneously utilized, and interior and exterior are achieved together; then practice of saint will be accomplished harmoniously.
Fifth, Lui Yi-Ming had categorized YaoWu, a necessary factor to form Dan, into true and false, and interior and exterior, and has asserted that it can be clearly comprehended by mutually connecting its interior and exterior with sequence and stage of Dan refining, nature and life, and degree difference of DingLu. Also, he divided operation of HuoHou into HaiDan(returning Dan) and DaDan(great Dan). HaiDan is mainly taking and refining external Yao(medicine), and DaDan is practicing internal Yao. Those two are basic types of JinDan(golden elixir) categorized by Liu Yi-Ming. The former makes to accomplish long life, the latter makes to realize unification with non-originated and eternal Dao and accomplishment of WuSheng(non-life).