Understanding Taoist Classics


Interpreting the Ancient Codes

Interpreting the ancient codes shrouding the esoteric Chinese arts is one of the great challenges facing any serious student or teacher of Taoism. Download the free paper now.

Interpreting the Ancient Codes of Taoist Alchemy

“Studying the classic Taoist texts is important for every serious student of Nei Dan. Our teachers transmit the methods of cultivating Ming (命) or Life, but it is up to us to cultivate our own Xing (性) or Nature. The classics not only connect us to our lineage, their richly layered imagery, symbolism, and seeming [...]

Interview with Fabrizio Pregadio

Fabrizio Pregadio, one of the foremost translators of Taoist Alchemy classics, answers several question about his work translating some of the most important texts of Nei Dan. Here is a selection of questions and his answers from the interview. The full interview can be found in the paper Interpreting the Ancient Codes available as a [...]

Have You Tasted the Peach?

Real Taoist and Buddhist philosophy is experiential. It is a practical method of living in the world. Even if there is a large body of scholarly work and scriptures written about it, at the end of the day, it is a practical method of living.

You cannot just read about it or think about it.

You have [...]

The Hidden Potential of Kung Fu and Chinese Boxing

Real Chinese Internal Boxing*, or Nei Jia Quan as it is called in Chinese, is designed to get you home alive. It is not designed for sport or for entertainment.

But there’s more to it than that. Much more.

One thing most people don’t realize is that these arts are not just for fighting. It is true [...]

Exporting Chinese Culture

Generally speaking, the first part of any culture that gets exported is its products. It is pretty easy to understand why we got silk, spices, and china from China before we got philosophy and Kung Fu. Trade goods don’t need context, just cash.

China has been trading with the west for thousands of years. But where [...]