NEIN-TAN Chin., lit. “inner cinnabar” ; the inner elixir, the inner alchemy. In the language of the Taoist School of the Inner Elixir nei-tan refers to the development of an immortal soul from the three life-preserving energies: the essence (ching), the vital energy (ch’i) and the spirit (shen). This process often is described in the language of the Outer Alchemy (wai-tan), which endeavors to produce an elixir of immortality (ch’ang-sheng pu-ssu) by combining various chemical substances. The Inner Alchemy compares the melting pot of the Outer Alchemy to the human body in which the essence and the life force corresponding to the chemical substances employed by the Outer Alchemy are fashioned into a sacred embryo (heng-t’ai) with the help of the mind.
In the practice of nei-tan the inner amalgamation and sublimation are brought about by taming and sublimating the thought processes of the mind. All processes that normally result in the death of a person can be reversed by concentrating and purifying the life energies within the body, thus making them independent of the world of the senses.
By various meditative breathing techniques the practitioner causes a new being the so-called sacred embryo to develop within him. This sacred embryo is synonymous with our idea of an immortal soul and like the soul leaves the dying body at the moment of death to ascend to Heaven. Taoists frequently refer to the sacred embryo as the golden flower, which opens when the adept has attained enlighten ment. In a philosophical sense the enlightenment of the followers of the inner elixir consists in a return to nothingness. The goal of the Inner Alchemy therefore is the same as that of the philosophical Taoism (tao-chia) of Lao-tzu or Chuang-tzu: to become one with the Tao by balancing yin and yang (yin-yang).
The practice of nei-tan began to replace those of the outer elixir during the Sung Dynasty. It was particularly widespread in the School of the Realization of Truth (ch’üan-chen tao) and its various branches and strongly influenced by Buddhism, especially Zen.
The most famous representatives of the School of the Inner Elixir were Wei P’o-yang, Chen T’uan, and Chang Po-tuan. One of the most important Inner Alchemy texts is the T’ai-i chin-hua tsung-chih, known as The Secret of the Golden Flower.
The main teaching of the School of the Inner Elixir states that the three vital energies of man ching, ch’i, and shen have both a material, visible aspect, which is active within the body, and an immaterial, invisible aspect, which is active in the universe. Practitioners of the Inner Alchemy perform meditative breathing exercises with the aim of purifying the essence and transforming it into ch’i and thereafter purifying ch’i and transforming that into shen (lien-ching hua-ch’i, lien-ch’i hua-shen). The final stage of the nei-tan path consists in purifying the mind and returning to nothingness (lien-shen fu-hsü), i.e., integrating the self with the universe.
The strengthening of one’s own essence is a prerequisite for the successful practice of nei-tan. Frequently, various sexual techniques (fang-chung shu) are employed to that effect. However, many Taoist scholars categorically reject such practices, the most important of which consists in “returning the essence [semen] to strengthen the brain” (huan-ching pu-nao).
The actual work of the inner alchemist begins with the creation of channels within himself along which the energy can circulate. The first of these is the so-called lesser celestial circulation (hsiao-chou-t’ien), which begins at the heart and from there descends via the middle of the abdomen to the kidneys. In Taoist texts this path of the inner circulation is often related to the five elements (wu-hsing), the annual seasons, the cardinal points, physical organs, animals, etc.
The lesser circulation forms the basis for the greater, which engages the whole of the body, in that the energy rises from the lower end of the spine along the vertebral column to the top of the head and from there, via the face, chest, and abdominal surface, back down to the end of the spine. The ascending current of energy is referred to as tu-mai, or the controlled path. Its most important centers are situated:
- at the lowest point of the spine,
- at the level of the kidneys,
- at the halfway point of the vertebral column, and
- at the connecting point between the spine and the head.
The topmost of these centers is the so-called upper cinnabar field (tan-t’ien), or, more specifically, the ni-huan. The descending channel is called jen-mai, or involuntary path. Its most important centers are the middle and lower cinnabar fields, the yellow castle (huang-t’ing) in the middle of the abdomen, and the hall of light (ming-t’ang) between the eyes.
Alchemical texts sub-divide the whole circulatory path into twelve sections that are symbolized by hexagrams from the i-ching or by signs corresponding to the twelve months of the year or twelve two-hour periods of the day.
In addition, the texts often describe the ascent and descent of the energy as a fusion of k’an and Ii or of dragon (yang) and tiger (yin), whereby the actual aim of nei-tan is realized.
Detailed description of the practice of Inner Alchemy may be found in Chang Chung-yuan 1963; Wilhelm 1938; Miyuki 1984.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen. Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Books on Nei-tan
External links: Neidan / Ching / Ch’i / Shen / Wai-tan / Ch’ang-shen pu-ssu / Enlightenment / Taoism / Tao-chia / Lao-tse / Chuang-tse / Yin-yang / Ch’üan-chen tao / Buddhism / Wei P’o-yang / T’ai-i / Fang-chung shu / Huan-ching pu-nao / wu-hsing / Tan-t’ien / I-ching