The female elixir method was conceived from Taoist qigong health preservation and developed continuously. With the appearance of internal alchemy, a relatively systematic theory was initially formed in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. As a branch of inner alchemy, female alchemy naturally goes beyond the scope of inner alchemy in terms of fundamental purpose, basic theory and cultivation methods, but it is different from male alchemy in some important aspects. The differences are as follows: First, there are differences in the guiding ideology and theoretical basis of training. For example, the cultivation of Qi is an essential basic link of Inner alchemy. In men, this link is completed by "refining qi", while in women, it is necessary to refine qi by "transforming qi with blood". This is determined by the physiological characteristics of women. Second, there are differences in specific culture methods. This is mainly reflected in the fact that female practitioners have a unique method of "cutting the red dragon", that is, by practicing to stop menstrual blood excretion. Third, the effect of culture is different. Nv Dan-fa believes that female cultivation is more likely to produce results than male cultivation in various stages, such as refining qi, transforming spirit and returning to deficiency. This is mainly because of the psychological characteristics of women. There are about 30 kinds of traditional female elixir works, among which the most important ones are French by Sun Buer Yuan Jun, Elixir Secret by Sun Buer Yuan Jun, Female Elixir, Ten Cases of Canned Female Elixir, Reminding Female Elixir, Female Elixir, etc. These works describe in detail the methods of female elixir.
Female Dan is divided into seven schools:
First, Nanyue Wei Girls' School. Also known as existentialism school, based on Huang Tingjing. Emphasis is placed on thinking about body and mind, and gas accumulation comes true.
Second, the Mu Chen School. Also known as the foreign elixir school. Mu Chen passes by Xu Xun and Wu Meng. Xu Xun's "Stone Letter" and Wu Meng's "Copper and Iron Coupon" are both classics, which spread to Tianyuan Shen Dan for cooking and eating. practice
Third, Zhongtiaoshan Laomu School. Also known as fencing school. The cultivation of Dao by fencing can be divided into "Fa Jian" and "Dao Jian".
Fourth, Xie Xiangu School. Xiangu's name is Xie Ziran, and she practiced Buddhism when she was a virgin, so she is also called Notre Dame School. The virgin has not crossed yet, and her body is naturally full of vitality. There is no need to lay the foundation. We can start with the quiet method directly, and there is a book called "Zhong Qing Huang Zhen Jing" which focuses on this method.
Fifth, Cao Zhen's benevolence school. Cao Wenyi is a real person. She takes Song of Lingyuan Avenue as the main course, aiming at abstinence, indifference, flexibility and harmony.
Sixth, Yuan Jun School. Also known as the quiet faction. Yuan Jun is Sun Buer, also known as quiet separation. In order to spread the lunar alchemy, we should start by cutting off the red dragon. Sun Buer Yuan Jun's French and Two Poems on Kundao Kung Fu focus on this method.
Seventh, women's double major. Divided into three times. The last one had a double-repair and double-success tactic. In the middle, there is the technique of picking yang and nourishing yin, and in the bottom, there is the method of nourishing yin and nourishing beauty.
Because of the complexity of female Dan and the ideological bondage of long-term feudal society, the cultivation of women is much more difficult than that of men. Many women who are interested in practicing go astray, such as "General Gan Kun, I don't know who is different from Dan;" Others converted to the porch and mistakenly called the air cavity one-third inch below the navel of men the porch of women; Some people don't understand women's practice and are eager to cut the red dragon; Self-reliance, not seeking the master formula, jump the red dragon; There was a persistent porch, which accumulated gas and became ill, leading to death; Others don't know the temperature, kung fu and order after Gong Dan cut the red dragon. Those who are angry and troubled, especially those who want to become immortals; Mistakenly believe in three aunts and six grandmothers, drop immortals, carry spirits, walk in the shade, look at flowers and water, lose your virginity in the wind, or lure prostitutes; Others secretly led a good woman to make a furnace tripod and became a huangpo, which was ruined; There are good women who are confused by the imperial family and are willing to become immortals for the furnace tripod, and then lose their glory. " See Preface to Female Dan edited by He Long in Qing Dynasty. It can be seen that women need great courage and perseverance more than men.