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The Living Dead

An Interpretation of the Metaphor of Death in Daoist Inner Alchemy

Bibliographic Data

ID3307450
AuthorsQiongke Geng (0009-0007-1869-0643, Xiamen University, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume15
Issue12
Pages1482
Publication date2024-12-05
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel15121482
OpenAlexW4405073642
LanguageEN
Citations received1

This article explores the metaphor of death in Qing 清 Dynasty Daoist inner alchemy (neidan 內丹) scriptures, which require practitioners to consider themselves dead or living dead, and argues that this metaphor of death can be traced back to the connotation of the "living dead" proposed by the founder of Complete Perfection (Quanzhen 全真), Wang Chongyang 王重陽, in the Jin 金 Dynasty, who demonstrated his desire for the return of Dao by digging a grave for himself and referring to himself as a living dead man. In addition, this paper also analyzes the psychological connotations represented by the living dead, pointing out that it contains a profound theme of death and rebirth

Aesthetics · Alchemy · Art · Connotation · Dead body · Epistemology · Literature · Metaphor · Perfection · Reflexive pronoun · Theology · Chinese history and philosophy · History · Philosophy

  • Illustrating Dan

    Open Access•Yifan Huang•Religions•2026

Unique citing works1
Citations per year1
Citation span2026 - 2026 (1)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 1

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