Longevity and Immortality

Interest in the subject of immortality has span over a few thousand years and continues till today. Over this long period of time numerous Taoist texts have been written on the subject. One of my favorites is an excerpt from Chuangzi Book XI (Legge/ Sacred Texts) on a purported discussion between Huangdi (the legendary Yellow Emperor) and his teacher, Guang Chenzi on the subject of longevity and immortality:

Guang Chenzi hastily rose, and said, 'A good question! Come and I will tell you the perfect Tao. Its essence is (surrounded with) the deepest obscurity; its highest reach is in darkness and silence. There is nothing to be seen; nothing to be heard. When it holds the spirit in its arms in stillness, then the bodily form of itself will become correct. You must be still; you must be pure; not subjecting your body to toil, not agitating your vital force;--then you may live for long. When your eyes see nothing, your ears hear nothing, and your mind knows nothing, your spirit will keep your body, and the body will live long. Watch over what is within you, shut up the avenues that connect you with what is external;--much knowledge is pernicious. I (will) proceed with you to the summit of the Grand Brilliance, where we come to the source of the bright and expanding (element); I will enter with you the gate of the Deepest Obscurity, where we come to the source of the dark and repressing (element). There heaven and earth have their controllers; there the Yin and Yang have their Repositories. Watch over and keep your body, and all things will of themselves give it vigour. I maintain the (original) unity (of these elements), and dwell in the harmony of them. In this way I have cultivated myself for one thousand and two hundred years, and my bodily form has undergone no decay.'

Huangdi twice bowed low with his head to the ground, and said, 'In Guang Chenzi we have an example of what is called Heaven' The other said, 'Come, and I will tell you:--(The perfect Tao) is something inexhaustible, and yet men all think it has an end; it is something unfathomable, and yet men all think its extreme limit can be reached. He who attains to my Tao, if he be in a high position, will be one of the August ones, and in a low position, will be a king. He who fails in attaining it, in his highest attainment will see the light, but will descend and be of the Earth. At present all things are produced from the Earth and return to the Earth. Therefore I will leave you, and enter the gate of the Unending, to enjoy myself in the fields of the Illimitable. I will blend my light with that of the sun and moon, and will endure while heaven and earth endure. If men agree with my views, I will be unconscious of it; if they keep far apart from them, I will be unconscious of it; they may all die, and I will abide alone!'

Notes:
1) Names of the personalities have been changed to pinyin.
2) Guang Chenzi is acknowledged by Taoists as one of the earliest immortals.
3) Those who practise Taoist inner alchemy may understand what this text is all about. If in doubt do more research or check with your own master.