Cobie

I gather from this convo that “qi” / “chi” is ‘sexual arousal’?

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Empty your mind” as referring to me, the reader. A simple bit of advice from a self-help book. That’s how I read it. : )

Is this not interfering with nature which would be rather un-daoist ?

Clearly not.

traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), system of medicine at least 23 centuries old https://www.britannica.com/science/traditional-Chinese-medicine Laozi 604 BC - 499 BC

“… Laozi, and Zhang Daoling as well as Zhuangzi. … Although these three are credited with the creation of alchemy, there is no definitive proof to suggest … that they were responsible for its creation.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_alchemy

Oh, I had thought TCM preceded Laozi. Do you mean TCM started with the developing of the ‘internal’ alchemy?

Agreed. Thanks for elucidating. : )

Religious persecution by “zealous Taoist” emperor Wuzong: “The religious persecution reached its height in the year 845 CE, ultimately confiscating the Buddhist temple properties, destroying 4,600 Buddhist temples and 40,000 shrines, and removing 260,500 monks and nuns from the monasteries.[9] Emperor Wuzong's reasons for doing so were not purely economic. A zealous Taoist, Wuzong considered Buddhism a foreign religion that was harmful to Chinese society.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Wuzong_of_Tang

That sounds positive to me. : )

Did Laozi endorse it ? Is it promoted anywhere in the DDJ ? I read somewhere it was TCM that started the poisoning of people, with putting cinnabar and lead in medicine.

Taoism became the state religion under the reign of the emperor Xuanzong … still considered one of the most prosperous and stable in the history of China and the high point of the Tang Dynasty. https://www.worldhistory.org/Taoism/ In the early half of his reign he was a diligent and astute ruler. … his late reign ending in the An Lushan Rebellion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Xuanzong_of_Tang

Sounds interesting, what is it? Welcome to the forum. : )

That resonates with me, same here. Welcome back to the forum. : )

In the ‘way of the water’. Nice one. Welcome to the forum. : )

I agree. Which bit of the DDJ would illustrate best this revising of the text?

Very wuwei 無為 that. Welcome to the forum.

That’s what I think too. : )

That’s all the OP says.

What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so. (Mark Twain)

Love said you already have your own wings I will not give you more feathers (Rumi)