Spiritual Alchemy: Centered on the Concept and Iconography of the “Three Corpses 三屍”

Daoist Inner Alchemy (Neidan 內丹) takes the joint perfection of the physical body and the spiritual body as its core pursuit. Therefore, in its practice system, besides physical cultivation, spiritual cultivation is also an indispensable component, and the two together constitute the fundamental principle of “dual cultivating of xing and ming” (Xingming Shuangxiu 性命雙修) in Neidan theories. Spiritual cultivation in Neidan usually includes two aspects: one is the positive cultivation and elevation of inner-nature; the other is the confrontation with destructive spiritual entities. The common saying of “eliminating the Sanshi” (Qu Sanshi 去三屍) in Neidan texts is a typical representative of the latter. The “Three Corpses” (Sanshi 三屍) is an important category in Neidan theory, but relevant academic research remains relatively inadequate. An in-depth exploration of the concept of the Sanshi and its corresponding images helps to deepen the understanding of the theoretical, practical, and philosophical connotations of Neidan.