The Crisis and Turning Point of Cultivation Deviations in Daoist Neidan: A Study on the Phenomenon of Zouhuo Rumo (走火入魔) and Its Contemporary Therapeutic Implications

Current research on Daoist neidan (內丹, Internal Alchemy) has primarily focused on its philosophical frameworks, practical methods, and therapeutic benefits; however, systematic inquiry into the mechanisms of failure during practice remains limited. This study investigates the long-neglected yet pivotal phenomenon of zouhuo rumo (走火入魔, fire deviation and entry into demonic states) within Daoist cultivation, especially as it emerges in the context of dual cultivation of xing and ming (性命雙修). Through textual and hermeneutical analysis, this study traces the historical evolution, semantic transformation, and causal structure of the term, revealing its dual function as both a technical deviation and a religious warning. Findings indicate that zouhuo rumo arises from the interplay of impure self-refinement, loss of mental focus, improper fire phases (火候), and illusory disturbances, reflecting a profound psychosomatic imbalance rooted in the practitioner’s mind-nature (心性). Daoism interprets this state as mokao (魔考, demonic trials in Daoist cultivation), a transformative mechanism designed to refine inner alignment. On this basis, this study proposes a three-stage healing pathway—Spirit Preservation and Breath Stabilization (存神定息), Inner Vision and Self-Reflection (內觀返照), and Transformation of Form and Refinement of Essence (化形改質)—and constructs a Daoist cultural healing model that integrates moral cultivation, breath regulation, and introspection. This model provides a non-pathologizing cultural framework for enhancing psychological resilience, reconstructing meaning, and addressing contemporary spiritual and psychological crises.