Inner Teachings of Daoism

Zhang Boduan (Chang Po Tuan) better known as Zhang Ziyang or Ziyang Zhen Ren (Perfect Man Ziyang) is the first of the Southern Patriarchs of Quanzhen. In AD 1069 during the Northern Song Dynasty, a certain Perfect man (most likely Liu Haichan) taught Zhang a formula of Inner Alchemical Refinement, to which he devoted himself for a long time. In 1075 in order to strengthen Daoists’ religious devotion, he wrote a book On Realizing Perfection (Wuzhen Pian). In this book, he explained his personal ideas on Inner Alchemy (neidan). After that, many people came to follow him. Zhang became the founder of the Ziyang sect of the Southern Lineage. He also wrote the 400-word Golden Elixir Formula (Jindan Sibai Zi) to summarize basic knowledge of Inner Alchemy Refinement and explain its technical terms. He died at the age of 96.
(Source: www.eng.taoism.org.hk/) (Website made available under Taoism at the Resources link.)

A summarized version of The Inner Teachings of Daoism by Chang Po-Tuan, translated by Thomas Cleary in 1986 is kindly made available by Sister Nona at her website, Daoist Reflections (Self Refinement link provided under links section.). I had stumbled onto her website today. Sister Nona is a practising Daoist and has cultivated Tao for several decades. It is definitely worthwhile to listen to her experiences and comments.

The Inner Teachings of Daoism based on Liu I Ming’s thoughts could be a summary of Zhang’s On Realizing Perfection. After briefly going through the summarized version it can be determined that the book is written by a neidan adept and also one of the better translations by Cleary. (Another good translation is his I Ching Mandalas.) The translation is clear and precise. The inner teachings by Chang Po-Tuan advised on how to cultivate both essence and bodily life in a simple and easy way. No wonder many people followed Ziyang Zhen Ren after he wrote the book.

Therefore it is good of Thomas Cleary (and Sister Nona) to make available to the West such an important neidan book made simple for practitioners.