Posts by Purple Cloud Institute
Purple Cloud Podcast #31 Yan Liu: Healing With Poisons
In this episode we talk to Yan Liu about the long history of the use of poisonous medicine in the Chinese medicine tradition, particularly in the medieval era. We delve into topics such as the similarities and differences in the use of poisons in the Western and Chinese traditions, the use of poisons in alchemical…
Read MoreDaoism Series 41: The Jade Emperor
Daoism Series 41: The Jade Emperor Collected Scriptures on the Origin and Cultivation of the Superior Jade Emperor上玉皇本行集經, translated as Combined Scriptures of the Founding Acts of the Jade Emperor on High by the recently passed away Kristofer Schipper, is tentatively attributed to Zhang Liang 張良 (c. 3rd century BCE – 186 BCE), courtesy name…
Read MoreAn Archaeology of the Qiao Vessels: The Sea of Marrow
An Archaeology of the Qiao Vessels: The Sea of Marrow The following is an excerpt from Will Ceurvels’ forthcoming ‘An Archaeology of the Qiao Vessels’ by Purple Cloud Press It is an in-depth look at the Qiao vessels of the eight extra channels, a subject next to nothing has been written on, in regards to…
Read MoreMaster Ren Gang’s The Heart Treasure of Taijiquan (excerpt 4)
Master Ren Gang’s The Heart Treasure of Taijiquan (excerpt 4) translated by Mattias Daly The passage below comes from Ren Gang’s ‘The Heart Treasure of Taijiquan’ translated by Mattias Daly and available on our website with free shipping worldwide at the reasonable price of 20 USD: https://purplecloudinstitute.com/…/the-heart-treasure…/: Straightening the waist is done to establish the…
Read MoreDaoism Series 40: The Dragon Gate’s Core Methods [Commentary on chapter 3 excerpt]
Daoism Series 40: 龍門心法 The Dragon Gate’s Core Methods [Commentary on chapter 3 excerpt] The following excerpt is from the Commentary by Li Shifu on the third chapter ‘Breaking through Obstructions and Hindrances’ of The Dragon Gate’s Core Methods (Purple Cloud Press forthcoming) by Wang Changyue (?-1680), a very influential Daoist during the Qing Dynasty…
Read MoreThe 49 Barriers of Cultivating the Dao: Barrier 4
This is the 4th of 49 Barriers from ‘The 49 Barriers of Cultivating the Dao” (available here: https://purplecloudinstitute.com/product/the-49-barriers-of-cultivating-the-dao/ ) to be posted online in their entirety. The book also features extensive endnotes as well as hundreds of pages of commentary by Daoist renunciate Li Shifu (abbot of Five Immortals Temple) as well as explanations of…
Read MoreChinese Medicine Series 10: Explanations of Channels and Points Vol.2
Chinese Medicine Series 10: Explanations of Channels and Points Vol.2 The following post is an excerpt from《Explanations of Channels and Points Vol. 2》from the chapter ‘The Foot Shàoyīn Kidney Channel 足少陰腎經’ translated by Michael Brown and edited by Allen Tsaur. Typesetting is in its final stage and the title is already available on pre-sale at…
Read MorePurple Cloud Podcast #30 Tsai Ling-yi and Chen Po-Hsun: Chinese Medicine and Education in Taiwan
In this episode we talk to Tsai Lingyi and Chen Po Hsun, two Taiwanese Chinese medical doctors and academics in the field of Chinese medical history. We discuss how they have simultaneously navigated the Chinese and Western medical worlds, and discuss how the Chinese medicine exists in Taiwan within and outside of the official system.…
Read MoreChinese Medicine Series 09: Complete Compendium of Zhang Jingyue [pt 5]
The following is an excerpt from Chapter 13, ‘Sovereign Fire and Ministerial Fire’ 君火相火論十三 from The Complete Compendium of [Zhang] Jingyue Vol.1-3, ‘Eight Principles, Ten Questions and Mingmen Theory’ translated by Allen Tsaur. The book can be purchased on our website at a reduced rate: https://purplecloudinstitute.com/…/complete-compendium…/ 余向釋内經，於君火以明相火以位之義説固詳矣。而似猶有未盡者，及見東垣云：相火者下焦包絡之火，元氣之賊也。丹溪亦述而證之。予聞此説嘗掩口而笑，而覺其不察之甚也。由此興感因再繹之。 Previously, I have annotated the Nèijīng, so for…
Read MoreThe 49 Barriers of Cultivating the Dao: Barrier 3
The 49 Barriers of Cultivating the Dao: Barrier 3 This is the 3rd of 49 Barriers from ‘The 49 Barriers of Cultivating the Dao” (available here: https://purplecloudinstitute.com/product/the-49-barriers-of-cultivating-the-dao/ ) to be posted online in their entirety. The book also features extensive endnotes as well as hundreds of pages of commentary by Daoist renunciate Li Shifu (abbot…
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