Posts by Purple Cloud Admin
Podcast Ep.11 – Josh Paynter: Parting Clouds
Daoism and healing in China have a long, intertwined history. Beyond the more widely known Chinese therapeutic techniques such as acupuncture and herbal prescriptions, Daoists have incorporated other more esoteric modalities in the healing of illnesses such as incantation and talismans. In this episode, we talk in depth with Josh Paynter, co-founder of Parting Clouds…
Read MoreOn the Prohibition of Alcohol in Buddhism
This post provides the background story for the prohibition of alcohol in Buddhism. It was translated as part of extensive footnotes for the Commentary on the 33rd Barrier, the Barrier of Greeding for Alcohol [tan jiu guan贪酒关] by Xing De, abbot of Five Immortals Temple: This story of Buddha’s disciple is recounted in the《Mahāsāñghikavinaya》[mo he…
Read MoreJourney To The West (Excerpt) – All the Spirits Encounter Vicious Attacks
The following translation was catalyzed by an initial comparison of Wu Cheng-En’s [吴承恩] book the 《 Journey to the West》with the Chinese source text by Qiu Chu Ji [丘处机]. The author felt that some layers and nuances of meaning may have been lost in Wu Cheng-En’s interpretation and a new version would be warranted: 诸神遭毒手弥勒缚妖魔…
Read MoreHerbal Legends: He Shou Wu 何首烏 Pt.2
The emperor Hanwu was very ambitious to expand the Chinese Kingdom and to unify it. He employed martial as well as diplomatic strategies to achieve his goal. The present-day province of Sichuan did not yet belong to the empire, thus in order to win it over, he sent his officer Sima Xiangru as diplomat into…
Read MoreNose Snuff- Powder 鼻烟粉
鼻烟粉 Nose Snuff- Powder Ingredients: 枇杷叶、吉梗各25克，苍耳子、薄荷各18克，川穹、白芷各10克，辛夷花15克。 Pi Pa Ye 25g Jie Geng 25g Cang Er Zi 18g Chuan Xiong 10g Bai Zhi 10g Xin Yi Hua15g Bing Pian 3g Preparation: Grind Xin Yi Hua and Cang Er Zi separately [very fluffy and woolly]. Sift out as much fine powder as possible, with 100 mesh sieve,…
Read MorePodcast Ep.10 – Leslie De Vries: The Thread That Runs Through Medicine
Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism all have a long history of influence in the development in Chinese medicine, which is perhaps most apparent in the syncretic traditions of the Wen Bu Xue Pai 溫補學派(School of Warming and Tonifying) doctors of the Ming Dynasty. In this episode we talk with Leslie De Vries about one of these…
Read MoreHerbal Legends: He Shouwu 何首烏 (Fleeceflower)
A long time ago a man named He Shouwu lived in present-day Henan Province, in the prefecture Nanhe. His grandfather was called He Nengxi and his father He Yanxiu. His grandfather’s original name was He Tianer and his constitution was extremely weak. He suffered from many ailments and was unable to father any children. He…
Read MoreThe Great Taboos of Ge Hong
Part I Great Taboos 又大忌不可以甲乙寅卯之岁，正月二月入东岳；不以丙丁巳午之岁，四月五月入南岳；不以庚辛申酉之岁，七月八月入西岳；不以戊己之岁，四季之月入中岳；不以壬癸亥子之岁，十月十一月入北岳。不须入太华霍山恒山太山嵩高山，乃忌此岁，其岳之方面，皆同禁也。 Furthermore there are great taboos: It is not permitted to enter the Eastern Ridge [Mount Tai] in the first and second lunar months of the years of Jia [甲], Yi [乙], Yin [寅] and Mao [卯]. It is not permitted to enter the Southern Ridge [Mount Heng]in the fourth and…
Read MorePodcast Ep.9 – Dolly Yang – Prescribing Guiding and Pulling
Dao Yin or “Guiding and Pulling” has a long history in China stretching back thousands of years to the occult shamanic traditions of ancient times, and its influence is still very much present in modern Qigong practices. The Zhu Bing Yuan Hou Lun, or the “Treatise on the Origins and Symptoms of Medical Disorders” was…
Read MoreThe Nature of Man: Excerpt from Wang Feng Yi’s “Discourse on Transforming Inner Nature”
(六) Chapter 6 三性 San Xing The Three Inner Natures ⼈有三性、 ren you san xing, People have Three Natures: ⼀天性、 yi tian xing, First, Heavenly Nature; ⼆禀性, er bing xing, Second, Endowed Nature; 三习性。 san xi xing. Third, Acquired Nature. 天性是纯善⽆恶的, tian xing shi chun shan wu e de, The Heavenly Nature is pure, benevolent…
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