Chen Yingning – Revived inner Alchemy Science in 20th Cen. China; List of Books

Daoist Immortal Chen Yingning (1880-1969)

​Original Chinese Language Article By: http://www.tzdaojiao.com

(Translated by Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD)

Translator’s Note: Chen Yingning was considered something of a Daoist genius who personally preserved authentic Daoist practices as imperial China gave way to modernism and transitioned into a new era. It is interesting to note that although Chen Yingning was a strict expert of spiritual Daoism, nevertheless, he lists the masters of the Wu Liu School (the precursor of the Qianfeng School) as being not only legitimate Daoist practitioners, but also representatives of the ‘highest’ form of Daoist self-cultivation.
ACW 29.3.2016

Chen Yingning (陈撄宁) [1880-1969] was a famous Qing Dynasty and modern scholar of the spiritual Daoism (道教 – Dao Jiao) tradition. He was from Huaining County, Anhui province, and his Daoist name was Yuan Dun Zi (圆顿子). When young, his family privately educated him at home, and as a consequence he had a very deep understanding of Confucian philosophy (儒学 – Ru Xue). When he was 15 years old, he suffered from illnesses and switched to the study of traditional Chinese medicine (中医 – Zhong Yi), and admired the Daoist monastics who practised the method of pure self-cultivation (清修法 – Qing Xiu Fa). This was the origination of his interest in ‘studying Immortality’ (学仙 – Xue Xian). In 1905, Chen Yingning attended the Anhui Higher Academy for Politics and Law, but soon dropped-out due to ill-health. He then travelled into the hills in search of authentic Daoist teachers and friends who could initiate him into the ‘Immortal Study that Extends Life’ (仙学养生 – Xian Xue Yang Sheng). At the beginning of the Republic of China, Chen Yingning spent time in the ‘White Cloud Temple (白云观 – Bai Yun Guan) where he spent three years studying the ‘Orthodox Daoist Canon’ (正统道藏 – Zheng Tong Dao Zong), as well as other books about health, astronomy, philosophy, medicine and law, etc. However, the subject of health always took priority. During the Sino-Japanese war, he worked in Shanghai practising medicine – treating the wounded and assisting the refugees. When Shanghai fell to the Japanese, Chen Yingning lost all his family, his books and his written notes in the destruction. In 1956, he participated in the building of the ‘China Daoist Association’ (中国道教协会 – Zhong Guo Dao Jiao Xie Hui), and the following year was elected as the Vice President of the China Daoist Association. In 1960, he was appointed to the CPPCC National Committee twice, and sat three times on other committees. In 1961, Chen Yingning became the second President of the China Daoist Association, where he assisted the government in the application of its policy toward religion. This required the Daoist religion to demonstrate solidarity with the government in the implementation of Socialist reconstruction in China. He also contributed toward good academic research regarding Daoist practice and philosophy. The three religions (三家 – San Jia) of Confucianism (儒 – Ru), Buddhism (释 – Shi), and Daoism (道 – Dao), although distinct on the surface, all share a profound and underlying reality. However, he believed that the ‘study of Immortality’ was unique because its roots are very old and goes back a very long time in China’s history. Its fundamental aspect is ‘beneficial practice that extends life’ (益寿延年 – Yi Shou Yan Nian) with the emphasis upon ‘achieving a long life’ (长生久视 – Chang Sheng Jiu Shi). Chen Yingning believed that an ‘Immortal’ being (仙人 – Xian Ren) is defined as:

‘The essential essence (精 – Jing) and empty spirit (神 – Shen) integrated through practice, so that they form the underlying and unified essence of the state of Immortality.’

Chen Yingning was of the opinion that ‘Immortal Study’ (仙学 – Xian Xue) is a complex subject with many different and distinct aspects, but that within spiritual Daoism, the practice evolves mainly around internal (内 – Nei) and external (外 – Wai) Daoist energy centre self-cultivation (丹道 – Dan Dao). Authentic ‘Immortal Study’ involves three distinct and genuine practises:

1) Divine-Sky Source Spirit Energy Centre Self-Cultivation Nourishment (天元神丹服食 – Tian Yuan Shen Dan Fu Shi) as advocated by Li Qingxu (李清虚), Chen Xubai (陈虚白), Wu Shouyang (伍守阳), and Liu Huayang (柳华阳) in their Daoist self-cultivation methods.

2) Earth Source Spirit Energy Centre Self-Cultivation Transformation (地元灵丹点化 – Di Yuan Ling Dan Dian Hua), which is an external method of ‘smelting’ energy centre self-cultivation.

3) Human Source Golden Internal Energy Centre Self-Cultivation (人元金丹内炼 – Ren Yuan Jin Dan Nei Lian), which refers to the ‘Integration of the Three’ (参同契 – Can Tong Qi), and the ‘Enlightened Truth Text’ (悟真篇 – Wu Zhen Pian), and other similar energy centre self-cultivation classics.

Chen Yingning taught that practising the external ‘source’ energy centre self-cultivation only achieves a certain level of development, the student should progress to the practice of ‘Human Source Golden Internal Energy Centre Self-Cultivation’ thus changing the emphasis of training from ‘external’ to ‘internal’. Master Zhuang (庄) refers to this process as building a ‘deep and solid root’ (深根固蒂 – Shen Gen Gu Di)’ and ‘Guarding the Unity of Harmony’ (守一处和 – Shou Yi Chu He) as the correct theoretical basis of Daoist self-cultivation. The human-body is strengthened and developed through the refinement of ‘essential nature’ (精 – Jing), vital energy (气 – Qi), and empty spirit (神 – Shen). This is how the practice of ‘Essence of Life Body-Mind Self-Cultivation’ (性命双依 – Xing Ming Shuang Yi) is correctly performed, with the cultivation of ‘Life’ (命 – Ming) being the central key.

Chen Yingning spent over 60 years studying spiritual Daoism to a very high level of refinement. He did not agree with the earlier trend that stated ‘philosophical Daoism has many approaches and multiply methods’, but instead believed that ‘orthodox Daoism’ should be divided into three main categories:

a) Daoist Thought (道学 – Dao Xue)
b) Daoist Attainment (道通 – Dao Tong)
c) Daoist Self-cultivation (道功 – Dao Gong)

He wrote 14 important texts including the general reference works of the ‘Four Book Comprehensive Table of Contents Summary’, and other reference sources designed to explain philosophical Daoism, such as ‘Daoist Bibliographical Classification’, and so on. His other texts include:

Yellow Court Classic Commentary (黄庭经讲义 – Huang Ting Jing Jiang Yi)
Sun Non-dual Female Energy Centre Self-Cultivation Verse Note (孙不二女丹诗注 – Sun Bu Er Nu Dan Shi Zhu)
Spiritual Source Great Dao Song Vernacular Annotation (灵源大道歌白话注解 – Ling Yuan Da Dao Ge Bai Hua Zhu Jie)
Supreme Oneness within Multiplicity Essence of Life Body and Mind Cultivation 24 Energy Centre Self-cultivation Pill of Immortality Connecting Statement (最上一乘性命双修廿四首丹诀串述 – Zui Shang Yi Cheng Xing Ming Shuang Xiu Nian Si Shou Dan Jue Chuan Shu)
Treatise of Essential Life (论性命 – Lun Xing Ming)
Surangama Sutra (楞严经 – Leng Yan Jing) Ten Kinds of Immortality (十种仙 – Shi Zhong Xian)
Chapter 50 Research (第五十章研究 – Di Wu Shi Zhang Yan Jiu) – Laozi (老子)
South China – Internal and External Text (南华 – 内外篇 – Nan Hua – Nei Wai Pian)
Oral Formula Catching Mystery Record (口诀钩玄录 – Kou Jue Gou Xuan Lu)

In his later years he wrote:

Empty Spirit Classic Decline Weak Stillness Self-cultivation Recuperation Law (神经衰弱静功疗养法 – Shen Jing Shuai Ruo Jing Gong Liao Yang Fa)
Stillness Self-cultivation General Statement (静功总说 – Jing Gong Zong Shou)

He was also the Chief Editor of ‘Spiritual Daoist Knowledge Compilation’ (道教知识汇编 – Dao Jiao Zhi Shi Hui Bian) and ‘Chinese Spiritual Daoism Historical Outline’ (中国道教史提纲 – Zhong Guo Dao Jiao Shi Ti Gang), and so on.

©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2016.

Original Chinese Language Source Article: http://www.tzdaojiao.com/NewsShow.asp?id=613