The author of "Baopuzi" is Ge Hong.
"Baopuzi" is a Taoist classic compiled by Ge Hong in the Jin Dynasty. The inner and outer chapters of Baopuzi consist of eight volumes. The 20 inner chapters discuss the art of immortals spitting out talismans and seals to encourage governance; the 50 outer chapters discuss the gains and losses of current affairs, the status of personnel, and the purpose of the poems. They are full of famous names and principles.
Ge Hong (about 283 years - about 363 years), whose courtesy name was Zhichuan, also known as Baopuzi, was known as Xiaoxianweng in the world. He was a native of Jurong, Danyang (now part of Jiangsu). Taoist priests, Taoist scholars, alchemists, medical scientists, and scientists during the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
Ge Hong was born into a wealthy family in the south of the Yangtze River. He lost his father at the age of 13 and his family fell into decline. Since the age of 16, he has read extensively in classics, history, and hundreds of schools of thought, and is famous for his Confucianism. Later he learned Taoism from the alchemist Zheng Yin. In the second year of Tai'an in the Western Jin Dynasty (303), Zhang Chang and Shi Bing rebelled in Yangzhou. The governor-general Gu Mi appointed Ge Hong as the commander-in-chief of the generals. Because of his merits in breaking the ice, he was promoted to General Fubo. In the first year of Yongxing (304), he went to Luoyang to search for different books to expand his knowledge. At that time, the Eight Kings were in chaos, and they were displaced in the Xu and Henan states. They suffered from the war, so they became passive and cynical, and then began to think of living in the mountains and forests, taking food and nourishing their bodies.
At the beginning of Xianhe (326-334), Situ Wang Dao summoned Ge Hong to serve as the governor of Buzhou, transferred him to Situ Peng, and moved to consult to join the army. Ge Hong heard that Jiaozhi produced cinnabar and asked to be appointed as the official. When he was passing through Guangzhou on his way to his appointment, the governor Deng Yue expressed his willingness to provide his raw materials to make elixirs in Luofu Mountain. Ge Hong then decided to suspend his trip to his appointment and lived in seclusion in Luofu Mountain.
Ge Hong's main achievements
Ge Hong inherited and transformed the early Taoist theory of immortals. In "Baopuzi Neipian", he not only comprehensively summarized the immortal theory of pre-Jin Dynasty theory, and systematically summarized the immortal alchemy before the Jin Dynasty, including Shouyi, Xingqi, Daoyin, etc.; at the same time, it combined the immortal alchemy with the Confucian Gangchang Mingjiao, emphasizing that those who want to be immortals should be loyal, filial, benevolent and trustworthy. Book.
Ge Hong was proficient in medicine and pharmacology, and advocated that Taoist priests should also practice medical skills. "In the early days of ancient times, those who were Taoists would not fail to practice medical skills in order to save themselves from immediate disasters." He believed that if Taoists did not also practice medical skills, once their illness "hits them," they would be "unable to attack and treat them." Not only would they not be able to grow into immortals, , even his own life can hardly be saved.
Under the guidance of the belief that refining and taking golden elixirs can lead to immortality, Ge Hong has been engaged in alchemy experiments for a long time. In his alchemy practice, he has accumulated rich experience and understood certain properties of matter. Characteristics and chemical reactions, which are also the forerunners of modern chemistry.
Reference for the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia-Baopuzi