Li Xiyue

Li Xiyue (1806-1856) was a famous inner alchemy master( 內丹 Neidan ) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Originally he was named Yuanzhi and styled Pingquan. After becoming a Daoist, he was renamed Xiyue with the style Hanxu and the title "Man of Changyi Mountain". When young, he was very clever and studied in the Nine Peaks School of Li Jiaxiu. At the age of 20, he became a member of the county school. He was good at playing the Chin and liked wine and poetry. Later, when living on Ermei Mountain to recuperate himself, he encountered Zheng Pushan, an eminent Daoist, and respected Zheng as his master. According to legend, Li learned essential formulae from Zhang Sanfeng and Lu Dongbin. Li's works include Notes and Commentaries on the Thirteen Supreme Scriptures ( 《太上十三經注解》 Taishang Shisan Jing Zhujie ), Secret Pointers of the Three Chariots ( 《三車秘旨》 Sanche Mizhi ), Talks on the Gist of Dao ( 《道竅談》 Dao Qiantan ) (collected in Vol. 36 of the Collection of Daoist Scriptures Outside the Canon( 《藏外道書》 Zangwai Daoshu ) ), Notes and Commentaries of the Rootless Tree ( 《無根樹注解》 Wugenshu Zhujie ) (collected in Vol. 5 of the Collection of Daoist Scriptures Outside the Canon), Nine Stages for Refining the Mind ( 《九層煉心》 Jiuceng Lianxin ),the Narration of Posterior Heaven ( 《后天串述》 Houtian Chaunshu ), etc. His transmission of the way of inner alchemy was called the Western School ( 西派 Xipai ) with the lineage generation names of Xi Dao Tong, Da Jiang Dong, and Hai Tian Kong. 李西月