Tales of the Taoist Immortals
Tales of the Taoist Immortals

Author: Eva Wong

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2001-07-24

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 0834826763

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

As a girl growing up in Hong Kong, Eva Wong heard and memorized many tales told to her by Hong Kong's finest professional storytellers, by actors on the radio, and by her grandmother. These popular tales of the Taoist immortals were also often dramatized in Chinese operas. The stories are of famous characters in Chinese history and myth: a hero's battle with the lords of evil, the founder of the Ming dynasty's treacherous betrayal of his friends, a young girl who saves her town by imitating rooster calls. Entertaining and often provocative, these tales usually include a moral. The immortals are role models in Chinese culture, as well as examples of enlightenment. Some of the immortals were healers, some were social activists, some were aristocrats, and some were entrepreneurs. The tales chosen by Eva Wong here are of the best-known immortals among the Chinese. Their names are household words and their stories are told and retold by one generation to the next.

Tales of the Dancing Dragon
Tales of the Dancing Dragon

Author: Eva Wong

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2007-11-13

Total Pages: 174

ISBN-13: 159030523X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Here, Taoist practitioner Eva Wong offers a colorful treatment of the history and evolution of Taoism, told through traditional teaching tales. These tales, which Wong first heard as a child growing up in Hong Kong, are gleaned from the local storytellers and the uncensored chronicles known as yeshi—the wild history of China, not monitored by the official imperial scholars and historians. The stories are by turns mysterious and intriguing, passionate and violent, and they are peppered with colorful characters, including hermits, politicians, social activists, revolutionaries, scholars, scientists, and mystics. Arranged chronologically from prehistory through the early twentieth century, these stories introduce the schools in the Taoist lineages, and capture the defeats and victories of Taoism, its periods of decadence and decay, and its renewal, maturation, and spiritual triumph. Wong puts these stories into context, and shows that Taoism is a dynamic spiritual tradition, constantly changing—and being influenced by—history.

The Tao of Health, Longevity, and Immortality
The Tao of Health, Longevity, and Immortality

Author:

Publisher: National Geographic Books

Published: 2000-12-05

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 1570627258

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Here is a classic Chinese text on the Taoist arts of longevity and immortality. The text dates from the Five Dynasties (907–960 C. E.) and is attributed to Chungli Ch'uan and Lü Tung-pin—two of the most popular figures of Taoism and Chinese culture. This text focuses on Taoist inner alchemy, a theory and method for transforming the mind from within by using practices such as breath control, calisthenics, meditation practices, and sexual alchemy (the method of gathering energy from a sexual partner). The teachings address the following topics: • The nature of immortality and how it can be attained by realizing the laws of the Tao within us • The art of health • The art of longevity • How to deal with obstacles and recognize spiritual progress The Art of Health, Longevity, and Immortality will be of interest to both beginning students of Taoism and scholars. Wong's introduction includes a concise overview of the evolution of Taoist longevity practices as well as an elucidating section for readers who are unfamiliar with the teachings and practices of Taoist inner alchemy. She also includes a list of helpful hints for reading and understanding each section of the text.

Tales of Immortals
Tales of Immortals

Author: 元央

Publisher:

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 291

ISBN-13: 9787119021423

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Over 100 tales taken from Taoist classics on encounters with the supernatural.

The Eight Immortals of Taoism
The Eight Immortals of Taoism

Author: Man-Ho Kwok

Publisher: Random House (UK)

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A collection of tales and legends about the semi-divine Eight Immortals of Chinese Taoism, each of whom is supposed to have lived as an historical person. However the main role of the Eight Immortals is as symbols of the success of Taoist discipline and magic.

Seven Taoist Masters
Seven Taoist Masters

Author:

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2004-10-26

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 0834825260

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

History and legend are interwoven in this classic folk novel that both entertains and explores the philosophy and practices of Taoism Written by an unknown author, Seven Taoist Masters is the story of six men and one woman who overcome tremendous hardships on the journey to self-mastery. These characters and their teacher, Wang Ch'ung-yang, are all historical figures who lived in the Southern Sung (1127–1279) and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties. Wang is regarded as the greatest patriarch of the Complete Reality school, a highly purified branch of Taoism having a strong affinity with Zen Buddhism. At once an entertaining novel and a Taoist training manual, Seven Taoist Masters brings to life the essentials of Taoist philosophy and practice, both through the instructions offered by Wang—on topics such as the cultivation of mind and body, meditation techniques, and overcoming the obstacles to enlightenment—and through the experiences of its unforgettable characters.

Teachings of the Tao
Teachings of the Tao

Author:

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 1996-12-17

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 0834828871

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"The Tao that can be spoken of is not the real Way," reads a famous line from the Tao-te-ching. But although the Tao cannot be described by words, words can allow us to catch a fleeting glimpse of that mysterious energy of the universe which is the source of life. The readings in this book are a beginner's entrée into the vast treasury of writings from the sacred Chinese tradition, consisting of original translations of excerpts from the Taoist canon. Brief introductions and notes on the translation accompany the selections from the classics; books of devotional and mystical Taoism; texts of internal alchemy; stories of Taoist immortals, magicians, and sorcerers; ethical tracts; chants and rituals; and teachings on meditation and methods of longevity.

Tales from the Tao
Tales from the Tao

Author: Solala Towler

Publisher: Watkins Media Limited

Published: 2017-04-18

Total Pages: 179

ISBN-13: 1786780747

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

31 inspiring stories by Chuang Tzu, Lao Tzu, and other Taoist masters—now presented in one easy-to-read volume featuring over 100 photographs. For thousands of years, students of the Tao have gleaned inspiration and illumination from its parables, and these thought-provoking examples discuss topics ranging from dignity in the face of challenge, to judging character, to how to deal with loss. Whether solidifying a spiritual truth, unravelling a puzzle for contemplation, or providing a moment of humor, these tales are a mainstay of Eastern philosophy. This unique collection brings together the most inspiring, illuminating and downright funny stories from the classical works of Taoist masters, alongside new writing inspired by traditional tales. Set against a backdrop of the mountains, waterfalls and gorges of China, these tales introduce important Taoist ideas about many of the most basic human experiences—including birth, death, loss, pleasure, and how to surrender to the most fundamental experience of the Tao itself. Interwoven with classic Taoist quotations and illustrated with beautiful photography throughout, these engrossing narratives are as relevant today as they were in the great dynasties of ancient China.

Holding Yin, Embracing Yang
Holding Yin, Embracing Yang

Author:

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2005-06-14

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 0834824310

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In Holding Yin, Embracing Yang, Eva Wong presents translations of three key texts containing the highest teachings of the Eastern and Western schools of Taoist internal alchemy—the discipline of cultivating health, longevity, and immortality by transforming the energetic structures of body and mind. The texts are primarily concerned with meditation, breathing practices, and sexual yoga with a partner—all as means for developing within ourselves the same life-giving energy that sustains and nourishes the universe. The texts in this collection offer a clear view of the physical, mental, and spiritual methods of Taoist practice, showing why they are important and how these methods all can work together in the cultivation of mental peace, radiant health, and longevity. This collection will provide inspiration and the essential foundation necessary to begin Taoist practice under the guidance of a teacher. The three classics translated here are: Treatise on the Mysterious Orifice by Xuanweilun (sixteenth century), Discussion on the Cavity of the Tao by Daojiaotan (nineteenth century), and Secret Teachings on the Three Wheels by Sanjubizhi (nineteenth century). Included is an introduction in which Wong discusses the various schools of internal alchemy, as well as their main practices.