The Quest for Immortality in Daoism
Which of the two Taoist groups uses alchemy in an effort to gain immortality?
a. Quanzhen School
b. Zhengyi Dao
c. Way of the Celestial Masters
d. Shangqing School
The Shangqing School is most associated with the use of alchemy to achieve immortality in Daoism, aligning with their practices that centered around special potions and elixirs. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is: d. Shangqing School.In the quest for immortality, Daoist practices included various methods such as meditation, abstinence from certain foods, and the creation of special potions or elixirs. This search for eternal life was particularly prevalent among the Shangqing School, which incorporated alchemy into its spiritual practices.
Different Daoist groups had varying beliefs and practices. For instance, the Way of the Celestial Masters, founded by Zhang Daoling, focused on purification and protection from demons rather than alchemical practices for immortality. Ultimately, Daoism as a whole nurtured a complex system of beliefs that offered a variety of spiritual paths, with the Shangqing School most famously associated with alchemical attempts to achieve immortality.