Customer Reviews

The Inner Teachings of Taoism

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This is a great taoist alchemy treatise. The root text by Chang Po Tuan is presented along with enlightening commentaries. It has helped me understanding the "Secret of the Golden Flower" translated by Richard Wilhelm and introduced by C.G. Jung and revealed the meaning of so many symbols of taoist alchemy.
Not a very easy reading but it's worth the effort.

Cleary did a remarkable translation of this complicated topic giving the reader an opportunity to comprehend the alchemical symbolism of Taoism.

What is wisdom, what is Tao, is not [easily] named. The fundamental challenge with this book is the very intellectual orientation provided in this translation by Thomas Cleary.

The inner alchemy of the Tao is reached through mystical realization. My concerns with this book is that it is overly wordy and abstract thought-oriented. Abstraction being something that prevents you from experiencing reality. If you are into wordy books then you might like this but it is not beginner material.

Chang Po-Tuan was a Confusian who was also exposed to Chan (Zen) Buddhism. He sought out the esoteric side of Eastern thought after being unable to pass the civil servant examinations. He supposedly was taught by Li Ts'ao who was trained by Chung-li Ch'uan and Lu Tung-Pin. So Chang's thought is influenced very much by the Southern School of Taoism. Chang's presentation seems to be a blending of Confusian, Chan Buddhist, and Taoist thought. At it's core the text by Chang Po-Taun makes up very little of this book.

The futher explanation of Changs text is by Liu I-Ming. But keeping everything straight is difficult as the words of Clearly comprise the core of this book. It's almost false advertising to claim this is a book conveying the teaching of Chang.

The majority of the verbose rub of this book is coming from Thomas Cleary, who is not always known for his clarity, and certainly not for brevity. (In fact, the beginner to Eastern thought would do well to stay clear of Cleary.) It is Part 2 of this book, perhaps entirely of Cleary's authorship where the book digresses into diagrams and becomes unhinged from Chang Po-Tauns original works.

Taoism is about mystical, neo-shamanic alchemical experience. There is no feeling of integration with the Tao in this book. There is lots of detail about relationships of this or that theoretical concept. In other words there is not the clarity or the freedom that you usually encounter with being in relationship with the Tao. The totality of this book presents a view of walking the path of the Tao that is unforgiving and fraught with danger. The need for constant vigilance to be kept from danger (hence the need to memorize the arcane processes). This is not the Tao that Lao Tzu is talking about.

For the beginner the better places to start are Eva Wong (Tao of Health). There are also a number of QiGong works that are woven with Taoism such as Spiritual Qi Gong by David Twicken. There are also a number of good selections from Mantak Chia.

If you are looking for good QiGong to get started with then see Chunyi Linn and Spring Forest QiGong.

Keep it real. There is no mirror on which to collect dust.

it is difficult to get lost along the way when you have a book like this in your possession. i've given away a couple copies as gifts. i've recommended this book to several people. this book is sold in taoist temples throughout china. buy this book! a great handbook for taoists everywhere, and people everywhere.

One of the best books written on taoist alchemy you will ever find. If you are a serious practitioner i think this book is a must have. Genuinely puts to rest the age old ideas people have that there is some mystical pill for immortality. Very well written and translated. Great read for anyone interested in the deeper meanings of taoist alchemy or willing to give the tao a try.

I am fairly new to the Tao, or after reading this book i think it would be more appropriate to say that i have long forgot this thing they are forced to label as the "Tao". As i was reading this book i felt as if it was written for me. Before i randomly purchased this book i had read books on Taoism, i was left feeling very murky. Never knowing if i took away anything of benefit. My mind was centered on material elements of alchemy. Reading about all these wonderful elixirs of immortality and the elements of refinement wondering how i would find water and fire within myself to purify the lead and mercury that were "hiding" somewhere in my body.

If you had any feelings like i did, questions about how to find these "magical" items to become and immortal, or if you ever thought of immortality in a physical sense then this book is definitely for you. It is not something that will make you a Taoist master overnight and possibly not ever. But it will allow you to start focusing on what Lead and mercury truly are and how to refine you own vitality energy and spirit. I view this book as an arrow to help you find your way back to the correct path of nature. I cannot say that i have shed the perceptions of our physical world, but at least now i can eliminate one more false path which would have ended in a life long search for something that doesn't exist anywhere other than inside of myself.

This book has taught me a very important lesson. I need to stop lying to myself and accept what is as it comes. I hold the key buried somewhere deep inside of my conditioned mind just waiting for a chance reveal itself to me if i would only let it. Thank you.