Chinese Neidan studies is a special life science. Its ultimate goal is to pursue the complete liberation of human nature, the harmony of wisdom with the Tao, and the transcendent transformation of the physical body, infinite freedom, and the liberation from birth and death. This unique life science has a long and rich history. However, over the past two or three thousand years, its solid theoretical foundation has been rooted in the "Huangdi Neijing", "Yinfu Jing", "Tao Te Ching", "Zhouyi", as well as the famous representatives who reflect these philosophical thoughts, such as Fuxi, Huangdi, Laozi, King Wen of Zhou, Zhuangzi, and Confucius.

Chinese Neidan studies, like Taoism, hold an infinite reverence for the "Tao", and even regard Laozi as the originator of its theory and the model for the cultivation of Neidan studies. For instance, in the "Complete Works of Zhang Sanfeng" compiled by Li Xiyue (dates of birth and death unknown), the founder of the "Western School" of internal alchemy in the Qing Dynasty, it is stated in the "Dao School" : The origin of the Great way begins with Laozi. Laozi passed on his teachings to Yin Wenshi for the first time and to Sanfeng for the fifth time. Although Laozi passed down many teachings, among them, the outstanding figures Yin Wenshi and Wang Shaoyang were divided into different schools, each with its own successors. Today, I will specifically mention Wen Shi. Wen Shi passed on his knowledge to Ma Yi, Ma Yi passed it on to Xi Yi (that is, Chen Tuan, a famous Taoist priest and inner alchemist in the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods), Xi Yi passed it on to Huo Long (that is, Huo Long Immortal, some say his surname was Zheng, and his birth year is unknown), and Huo Long passed it on to SAN Feng. Some people who thought they were from the "Hidden Immortal Sect" began to hide in Guanling and Taibai. Ma Yi's hidden Stone Room, hidden in Huangshan. Xi Yi Yin Taihua The Fire Dragon hides in Zhongnan. Sir Secluded himself in Wudang (Note: The above-mentioned official positions are those of Taibai, Shishi, Huangshan, Taihua, Zhongnan and Wudang, all of which are famous Taoist mountains)... According to Laozi's teachings, the Wenshi School is the highest and the Shaoyang School is the largest. Shaoyang (Emperor Wang Xuanfu of the Eastern Hua Dynasty) passed on his teachings to Zhengyang (Zhongli Quan of the Han Dynasty), Zhengyang to Chunyang (Lu Dongbin of the Tang Dynasty), Chunyang to Wang Chongyang (Wang Zhe of the Song Dynasty, 1112-1170), and Chongyang to Qiu Changchun (1147-1227), initiating the Northern School. Chunyang passed it on to Liu Haichan, and Haichan passed it on to Zhang Ziyang (Zhang Borui of the Song Dynasty, 987-1082), who initiated the Southern School.

The above is a research on the origin and development of certain schools of Neidan after the Han and Tang Dynasties, with Laozi's Daoist lineage as the main line.

In fact, during the Pre-Qin period, that is, before and during Laozi's time, there were many sects of Taoism that branched off from the main source. After the Han and Tang Dynasties, there were also sects that branched off from the main lineage. Just in terms of the content of internal cultivation and refinement, the "Great Dictionary of Chinese Taoism" (published by the Social Sciences Press of China in August 1995) listed them as follows: Fangxian Dao, Xingqi Style, Fangzhong School, Bi Gu School, Taixi School, Jishan School, Dan Ding School, Jin Dan School, Jian Xian School, Neidan School, Qing Jing School, Yin and Yang School And the Wenshi Sect, Shaoyang Sect, Beizong Sect, Nanzong Sect, Dongpai, Xipai, Zhongpai, W桞 sect, Sanfeng Sect, sanfeng Sect, qingcheng Sect, Wudang Yulong Sect, Qianfeng Sect, longmen Sect, Huashan Sect, Wudang langmei Sect, Nanwu Sect, Yushan Sect, Yuxian Sect, Suishan Sect, Yinxian Sect, guanghui Sect, Yanzu Sect, Nangong Sect, Jinshan Sect, xizhu Xin Sect, Yunchao Sect, Tianzhu Guan Sect, jingudong Sect. There are numerous schools such as the Tongbai Palace School, the Bi Dong School, the Huo Shan School, the Jueyun School, and the Jingming Dao.

According to the "Genealogy of the Sects of the True Path" preserved in the Baiyun Taoist Temple in Beijing during the Republic of China period (1911-1949), there were more than ten sects in the line of Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang at that time.

Although there are so many schools of internal alchemy, as long as we follow their main lineages since the Han and Tang Dynasties and identify a few of them, we can grasp the full picture of internal alchemy. There are eight major sects among these schools, namely: the Northern School, the Southern School, the Central School, the Eastern School, the Western School, the Wu-Liu School, the Sanfeng School, and the Nudanfa School.

The following is a brief introduction to the eight major factions.

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