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Healing & Alternative Health: Chinese medicine
Sex, Drugs, and Taoism:
Notes on Taoist Alchemy & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Part 1 of 2 Parts
by Kevin O'Neil, L.Ac |
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Taoism and Chinese Alchemy have had an important influence on history, especially the history of Chinese Medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine is indeed a sibling of the alchemical traditions. They both have a rich and varied history mixing magic, science, and mysticism, and have attracted some of the most intelligent as well as some of the most insane characters in Chinese legend. Alchemy, the progenitor of both science and modern metaphysics, is an attempt to learn to create change in both the outer world of nature and the inner world of the human through observation and experimentation.
Unfortunately, alchemical practice often fell short of proper observation and safe experimentation. With the maxim "as above, so below," the doctrine of similarity between the macrocosm (Universe) and microcosm (human), alchemy was encoded the idea that observation of the cycles of the seasons and natural elements were applicable to human health and medicine. In some areas, this led to common sense breakthroughs in medical thought. In other areas, such as the search for longevity drugs, it was assumed that just because gold and other minerals didn’t decay like plants did, they would help humans live longer when consumed.
There are some famous figures and movements in Chinese alchemy that are worth knowing about, some in acknowledgement of great achievements, and some in warning of things to “not try at home.” Chinese alchemy, both sexual and chemical, has come up in some current events that are newsworthy, such as the Falun Gong crisis.
There is a strong sexual tradition within Taoist alchemy. The basic theory is that health and spiritual progress are both founded in the "Three Treasures" which are sexual essence (Jing), vital energy (Qi), and spirit/intelligence (Shen). The maxim of this branch of Taoism is "conserve and return the sexual essence, refine it into vital energy, and direct that upward to nourish the spirit, which then can return to the eternal void." It wasn't good enough to avoid sex and ignore sexual energy; a complex series of practices aimed and stimulating sexual energy while avoiding ejaculation developed, with the idea that the semen would rise in the spine to nourish the brain (the traditional saying is "Huan Jing Bu Nao").
Many practitioners believed this in a material sense, and some modern ones, such as Mantak Chia, proclaim that the hormones from retained semen get absorbed into the bloodstream and thus increase health and spiritual consciousness. Both solo and partnered practices were developed. Much of the application of this theory was influenced by monastic Buddhist influence after the Han dynasty, which ended approximately 200 C.E.. Taoism started as a naturalistic religion emphasizing a respectful balance between Yin and Yang. The combination of sexual theory and Buddhist/Confucianist ideas about female inferiority developed the doctrine that Yang was the positive, spiritual world to be attained through avoidance of Yin, which was representative of death, disease, and the feminine. This theory led to the practice of either being celibate or avoiding ejaculation during sexual intercourse.
It is prominently stated in some alchemical texts that men can gain longevity and enlightenment by absorbing or stealing the sexual essence from an aroused or orgasmic woman. However, if he ejaculates, he will lose his own essence to the woman, says the theory. Furthermore, the idea was promoted that for a man to become immortal, he needed to steal the sexual energy from many different women--and the younger the better!
Perhaps the idea that the male seed impregnates a woman and causes new life to grow gave rise to the idea that that seed contains an energy which, if retained, will feed the life force of the man. Semen retention among Taoists may have been an early form of contraception which took on a mystical significance as the teaching was passed on. Despite the original intentions or observerations around sex and semen,
several branches of this theory fueled a deep misogyny on par with the cruel doctrines of St. Augustine and the Catholic Church.
Some writers on Tantra and sacred sexuality have endeavored to promote a healthier view of Taoist sexuality, which is an honorable attempt. R. H. van Gulik, in his rare _Sexual Life in Ancient China_, states that he had previously viewed Taoist sex as a sort of vampirism, but as his study and appreciation of Taoism deepened, he began to see the sacred intention at the core of Taoist sexual practice.
There had been a long and ancient tradition of ritual sex in Taoism. The earlier celebrations were based upon the moon, and involved public group sex. Such groups were persecuted by the government later; it became much more common for a man to have several wives and visit concubines, but not to have church groups of men and women get together for a full moon potluck.
Traditional Chinese Medicine includes the theory that excessive sexual activity-specifically excess ejaculation by the male and excessive childbirth in the female-can cause chronic deficiency diseases. However, TCM doesn't include the concept of sexually transmitted diseases as a vector of disease. While the ancients recognized some diseases occurring more in men who were excessively sexually active, they apparently blamed it on the "loss of essence" and not an infection from a concubine. Chairman Mao had several STDs, according to the biography written by his physician. If you go to Amazon.com and search for The Private Life of Chairman Mao it will come up, and you can use their new "Search within the book" to look for "venereal."
Essentially, Mao had herpes and was passing trichomonas to the many young women he had selected as consorts. His doctor tried to treat him using both Chinese and Western medicine, but Mao didn't care about passing it to others, preferring his belief that he was being strengthened by the variety of sexual partners he had, not infected.
Dr. Li clearly states that Mao subscribed to the Taoist legends about absorbing sexual power from young women through their sexual fluids. Mao suffered from periodic impotence, which his physician concluded was largely psychosomatic based upon political stress or victory. Mao requested injections of deer antler extract, but his physician felt it was too experimental. He agreed to Mao using an impotence treatment from a Romanian physician which his physician agreed to, as he knew it was harmless: injections of Novocain in the gluteus. It didn't work, so Mao discontinued it.
Later Taoist groups didn't judge sexual practices ineffective as much as dangerous. For example, in the Purple Texts (Early Daoist Scriptures, Page 331), swallowing a special talisman written on green paper is reported as more effective and much safer than having sex. "Those Daoists who regularly, when they lie down at night, envision the Grand Sovereign and perform the incantations according to this method and who swallow the talisman at the new and full moon in order to foster the growth of the fetus and essences will achieve transcendence in this fashion. There is no need to bother about techniques to be performed by man and woman together for cycling and augmenting essences. Moreover, intercourse with a woman for the purpose of rising up to the heavens and recycling the pneumas [Qi/breath] in order to become a Heavenly Transcendent are methods more treacherous than fire and water. They lead to death and destruction more quickly than the slice of an axe."
This same text goes on to give the recipe of an elixir which was certainly presented as both safer and more effective than having sex:
"For making this elixir you must locate a spot in the mountain forests that looks down on an east-flowing stream. It should be a spot where humans never pass and where chickens and dogs cannot be heart. Be careful about this.
The drugs for compounding the Elixir of Langgan Efflorescence are as follows:
Red Infant of the Scarlet Mound (cinnabar) 10 lbs.
Solar Cloudsoul of the Cinnabar Mountains (realgar)
5 lbs.
White-Silk Flying Dragon (milky quartz) 1 lb.
Blue-Waisted Middle Daughter (azurite) 5 oz.
Civil Lord of Purple Mound (amethyst) 5 oz.
Volatile Efflorescence of the Cyan Wall (graphite)
5 oz.
Mysterious Pearl of the Northern Thearch (saltpeter)
1 lb.
Yellow Lad of the Nine Numina (sulphur) 5 oz.
Flying Blossoms of Rain Flowers (mica) 5 oz.
Dropped Teeth of the White Tiger (iron pyrite) 5 oz.
White Paste of Flowing Cinnabar (lead carbonate) 1 lb.
Inverted Spirit Bone (Turkestan salt) 5 oz.
Lunar Efflorescence of the Dark Estrade (orpiment)
5 lbs.
All together there are fourteen ingredients. Grind them in order, beginning with the cinnabar granules, five thousand times each...Once the florate elixir is finished, one ounce constitutes a 'transcendent dose.' If one wishes to remain in the mundane world, half an ounce is sufficient." (Bokenkamp, p. 334)
If the ingredients listed, which include copious amounts of mercury (in cinnabar), arsenic (realgar and orpiment), lead, and aluminum (mica), aren't dangerous enough already, the instructions call to put the powdered minerals in a container, pour three pounds of liquid mercury on them, then cook them in a furnace. One ounce is certainly not a homeopathic dose, and would definitely cause some hallucinations on the
hopefully quick road to death due to heavy metal poisoning.
Personally, I'll take the risks of sex over heavy metal poisoning.There were many schools of early Taoism with their own particular flavors of alchemy. Three of the main ones are the Celestial Masters (Tian Shi), the Way of Supreme Peace (Tai Ping Dao), and the Spiritual Treasure (Ling Bao). Celestial Master Taoism started in 142 C.E. when Zhang Dao Ling saw a vision of Lao Zi. It is remembered as relying upon a strict moral code, and confessional rituals for curing diseases.
One of the main groups of Celestial Masters is known as the "Five Pecks of Rice" (Wu Tou Mi Dao) school, as that was the cost of admission into the sect. It declined following the 15th century. In addition to fasts and penitence, this school practiced "He Qi," which is "Joining the Breath Energy." According to the Shambhala Dictionary of Taoism, page 45, He Qi refers to "collective sexual orgies practices since the time of the han Dynasty by the Taoist school of the Way of Supreme Peace... and by Five-Pecks-of-Rice Taoism...
These practices continued until the time of the Sung Dynasty. (He Qi) aims at the unification of yin and yang... thereby nourishing the life principle... It is said that the practice of [He Qi] can enable the practitioner to attain immortality.
[He Qi] ceremonies were held on the days of the new moon and the full moon. After performing the dances of the dragon (a symbol for yang) and of the tiger (symbol for yin) the participants withdrew to private chambers, where they endeavored to have sexual intercourse with as many different partners as possible. We have no details of the precise [He Qi] ritual, because all descriptions of it were deleted from the Taoist canon..."
Some of these beliefs still exist today, and show up in strange news items which are much more meaningful if you know more about Taoist history and Chinese alchemy:
"China Sentences Cult Leader to 12 Years in Prison for Raping Women
Inside China Today/March 6, 2001
Beijing, -- A court in northern China has sentenced a religious cult leader who claimed special healing powers to 12 years in prison for raping his female followers, local reports said Tuesday.
Li Shuhua was recently convicted of raping women during his "healing" sessions by a court in Chaoyang county of Liaoning province, according to Health News.
Li set set up a cult called "White Sun Religion," and convinced his female adherents that if they had sex with him, they would be healed of their ailments.
One woman was so convinced that she would regularly visit Li's home on the first and 15th of each month on the lunar calendar to have sexual intercourse with Li, the report said.
China is on a crusade to wipe out superstition, cults and even some legitimate but unregistered religious groups for fear they would turn into the Falun Gong spiritual movement.
Falun Gong claims 70 million members in China and its members have repeatedly challenged state authority by protesting on Tiananmen Square despite a ban against the group.
China considers Falun Gong the biggest threat to social stability since the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations, outlawing the group in July 1999."
I'm sure many western astrologers and metaphysicians view doing special rituals, sexual or otherwise, on the new and full moon (or another astrologically auspicious time) to have more potency than picking a random time for such a ritual. However, I'm sure most educated spiritual seekers are well aware of the harm caused by sexual abuse, especially when that abuse of power comes from a religious leader such as a priest or spiritual healer.
To be continued. Watch for Part 2 in The Meta Arts' July Issue! |
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Kevin O'Neil,
Licensed Practitioner of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
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Kevin O'Neil, Licensed Acupuncturist, began his Chinese Medicine training in Chinatown, Victoria, B.C. at the International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with Henry Lu, Ph.D. .
After one year, Kevin transferred to the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, where he spent 3 years completing his Master's Degree of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
Upon graduation, Kevin went to China and interned in the HeiLongJiang Chinese Medicine University Hospital, before moving to Tainan, Taiwan to continue his studies of Chinese Medicine, language, and culture.
Upon 'repatriation,' he chose to embrace the Taoist tradition of living in the mountains where the pace of life is more relaxed and the air is clean and clear. Finding Klamath Falls, Oregon to suit these characteristics, Kevin opened his clinic there in Spring, 1999.
Ancient Way Acupuncture & Herbs, Inc.
Medical/Dental Building
905 Main St #409
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
541-884-6377
www.ancientway.com |
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