Baopuzi

The Baopuzi is a monumental work by Ge Hong, a prominent figure in Chinese Daoism during the 3rd and 4th centuries CE. The book is divided into two parts: the "Inner Chapters" and the "Outer Chapters".1

The "Inner Chapters" focus on alchemical studies and the pursuit of physical immortality. Ge Hong details recipes for elixirs, such as gold cinnabar, and recommends practices like sexual hygiene, special diets, breathing exercises, and meditation. He even describes methods for walking on water and raising the dead. These alchemical methods are associated with the Taiqing tradition, aiming for elevation to the realm of Immortals.12

The "Outer Chapters" present Ge Hong's Confucian perspective, emphasizing ethical principles for social harmony and criticizing hedonism. He believed that eliminating disease and cultivating spontaneity were fundamental for prolonging life, though he admitted he never succeeded in creating an immortality elixir himself.12