A Study Of Chen Zhixu's(Shang Yangzi) Life And His Thought About Inner Alchemy

Shang yangzi,Chen Zhixu(1290-?),is a famous master of inner alchemy in the mid-ending term of Yuan Dynasty. He wrote several books and influenced almost the whole southern china. He also founded a subgroup of inner alchemy school,which contained more than one hundred people. Study of Chen Zhixu's life and his thought of inner alchemy,is significant to understanding the development of inner alchemy in the mid-ending term of Yuan Dynasty.The dissertation includes three parts:introduction,text and conclusion. The introduction,reviewing the history and present situation of studies in this topic,illustrates the value of this study. In addition,this aspect also illustrates the approach of this paper.The text has two chapters respectively detailing the two hearts of this paper --his life and his thought of inner alchemy.Chapterl studies Chen Zhixu's life-and-death time,his masters and his successors. Through this study,the author conclude that Chen Zhixu did be teached both southern and northern school's thought of inner alchemy,and did understand both pure practice and sexual practice. This chapter also details the sequence,edition and content of his four books.Chapter 2,closely linking his books,studies Chen Zhixu's thought of inner alchemy. This chapter mainly discusses the theory basis of his thought and his detailing of the procedure of inner alchemy practice.In the last aspect,the author mainly studies the cause of the integration,which occurred between the two schools (southern and northern) of inner alchemy. And studies Chen Zhixu's remarkable contribution to this event,which goes with the tide of historical development.