Daoism
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Most downloaded papers in Daoism
This study surveys the introduction of astrology into East Asia with a primary focus on the Buddhist experience of Indian and Iranian astrology during the eighth and ninth centuries. It is argued that prior to the introduction of Esoteric... more
This paper surveys some of the main features of the view of the human body in Daoist Internal Alchemy (Neidan 內丹). The first sections discuss three different terms that refer to the body; the metaphors — cosmological, political,... more
Daoist hagiographic works depict the so-called "immortals" (xianren) as extraordinary human beings endowed with several powers, the most important of which is the ability to reach a life span of indefinite length with their ordinary... more
"Under an allusive poetical language and thick layers of images and symbols, The Seal of the Unity of the Three (Cantong qi) hides the exposition of the teachings that gave birth to Taoist Internal Alchemy, or Neidan.... more
"In this dissertation, interdisciplinary research demonstrates how Chinese people affiliated with different religions and ideologies of the Song period (960- 1279 CE) utilized artistic, literary and visual representations to merge the... more
In Livia Kohn, ed., Time in Daoist Practice: Cultivation and Calculation (St. Petersburg, FL: Three Pines Press, 2021), 247-67.
"Originally written for Chinese readers, this book provides a clear description of the Taoist practice of Internal Alchemy, or Neidan. The author outlines the stages of the alchemical practice and clarifies several relevant terms and... more
This bibliography is mainly addressed to students of my courses on Daoism. The earliest version dates from 1998. From time to time I update it, adding new materials and omitting a few of the older ones. The present version contains works... more
The current study is the transcription of a lecture given to the Contemplative Studies Initiative at Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island) in 2011. The transcript was prepared and edited by Aranyelixír Kiadó (Budapest, Hungary),... more
Introduction: The most common association we as modern people have with the word " alchemy " is probably the image of our medieval ancestors in a smoky dungeon struggling to transform lead into gold. Certainly this aspect (called ... more
""This paper examines convergent discourses of cure, health and transcendence in fourth century Daoist scriptures. The therapeutic massages, inner awareness and visualisation practices described here are from a collection of revelations... more
Final unedited draft of the online version published in the "Oxford Bibliographies in Chinese Studies".
"This book contains four essays on Internal Alchemy by Isabelle Robinet, originally published in French and translated here for the first time into English. The essays are concerned with the alchemical principle of "inversion"; the... more
Part 1: The oldest Daoist seals appear in the Eastern Han dynasty, growing in importance and complexity throughout the middle ages. In particular, the so-called Yue Seal had an enduring reputation in Daoist healing and exorcism, its... more
This study explores the introduction and development of foreign systems of astrology in medieval China (Tang to Ming periods), in particular the practice of horoscopy, and how such models were implemented within a Chinese astronomical... more
Chan 禪Buddhism’s rise to popularity in the Song dynasty produced far-reaching effects within Chinese religious culture. This paper examines the ways in which doctrinal, literary, and mythological elements, drawn from Chan sources, were... more
This study examines the planetary icons found in East Asian art, arguing that they should be divided into three sets: Indian, zoomorphic and Iranian-Mesopotamian. It is demonstrated that the Indian icons are earlier representations of the... more
This article provides an analysis of the problematic of foresight in traditional Chinese thought, articulating it with current developments in the epistemology of futures studies, planning theory, and strategic management. It is argued... more
In Chinese martial arts circles, differences of interpretation concerning the origins of the art of taiji quan are not new. In fact, they are at the heart of a century-old debate that generally divides scholars and practitioners. Chinese... more
Freedom from disease, physiological signs of well- being, and avoidance of death appear as consistent themes in many writings from preimperial and imperial China, but there were no direct analogues to a conceptual category like the... more
Final unedited draft, submitted for publication in Tim Wright, ed., Oxford Bibliographies in Chinese Studies. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019. [https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/page/chinese-studies]
We have been lied to about what real Pythagorean harmonics alchemy is. The lie started with Philolaus who wrote a book, even though he was not a real practitioner of the Pythagorean training, requiring five years of silence meditation as... more
Mysticism and quietistic self-cultivation practices have long been associated with the classical Daoist texts of Laozi 老子 and Zhuangzi 莊子. The concern with longevity has primarily been associated with the figure of Laozi and the religion... more
This second part of the study of Daoist seals focuses on types, building on Wang Yucheng’s earlier studies. They come in four: 1) seal script; 2) heavenly scripts; 3) talisman-inspired; and 4) graphic. The underlining criterion is the... more
This anthology presents complete or partial translations of sixteen important works belonging to the Taoist tradition of Neidan, or Internal Alchemy. While the selections are far from covering the whole field of Neidan—a virtually... more
The Cantong qi is the main text of Taoist Internal Alchemy (Neidan). In addition to Taoist masters and adepts, it has also attracted the attention of philosophers, cosmologists, poets, literati, calligraphers, philologists, and... more
This text was presented at the Left Forum and later appeared in revised form in the book Between Earth and Empire
Awakening to Reality (Wuzhen pian) is one of the most important and best-known Taoist alchemical texts. Written in the eleventh century, it describes in a poetical form, and in a typically cryptic and allusive language, several facets of... more
It was C.G. Jung who first mentioned the idea of a more universal aspect of sexuality. In his work AION he criticized the purely concretist interpretation of the term sexuality by Sigmund Freud. He was convinced that the Gnostics, who... more
Overview of the history of Chinese Buddhist astrology with a special focus on Iranian elements in the Qiyao rangzai jue 七曜攘災決. Kotyk, Jeffrey. "Iranian Elements in Late-Tang Buddhist Astrology." Asia Major 30, no. 1 (2017): 25-58.
Published without my consent in AION (Annali dell’Università degli studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”), 32 (2015): 81-108.
Fulltext pdf for download with permission of the publisher. Available in print at www.threepinespress.com and Lulu.com. This monograph presents Twofold Mystery Teaching (chongxuanxue), its historical context, major representatives and... more
This essay is part of my series exploring the validity of the existence of “Classical Daoism” or Daojia 道家, “(Early) Daoism.” “Wuwei” is commonly taken to be a Daoist concept. My treatment of Wuwei differs from Edward Slingerland’s... more
This text was originally written for the tenth anniversary issue of the Journal of Environmental Thought and Education (Japan). This is an expanded and revised version (June 20, 2018). Links to several earlier versions are included.
At the end of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Daoist inner alchemy had a significant influence on the medical theories of some of the most prominent scholar physicians in Jiangnan China. In this article, I zoom in on Zhang Jiebin’s... more
This essay new explores cosmogony and cosmology in early China. Cosmogony refers to the creation or origin of the universe and cosmology to how the universe operates. We find that texts now labeled as Daoist – the Laozi and Zhuangzi, for... more