Shengtai (Chinese 聖 胎) literally means the Sacred Embryo, and in Chinese Daoism is the ultimate goal of inner alchemy (Neidan), the formation of a pure body within the physical body through continued meditation, and sublimation techniques. The body of the adept is compared with the kettle of the outer alchemists (Waidan). In it, the three worlds or the vital forces Jing (Essence, Body), Qi (Life Energy, Soul) and Shen (Spirit) corresponding to the chemical substances of the Waidan are continuously generated, intercepted, , to the Sacred Embryo. This embryo must then be constantly nurtured and promoted. Finally, it expands and forms a unity with the body of the practitioner. The extensively described meditation exercises resemble those of Indian alchemy in many parts.
The new human being or sacred embryo thus created is also referred to by the Daoists as a "golden flower", as grain grain, pearl and finally as a pearl child. The Sacred Embryo is considered to be the "immortal soul," which also transcends the physical death of the adept and leaves the mortal shell as a pure body. The practitioner then became the Hsien, the immortal.
A secondary correspondence is the gold man (Chrysanthropos) of Zosimus of Alexandria and the other "Humans" (homunculus) in the retorts of the occidental alchemists. The appearance of the homunculus was often not understood as an objective, but only as a by-product (parergon) of the laboratory work. For those who sought not the "philosophical" but only the vulgar gold, like the Chinese followers of Waidan, were not primarily based on enlightenment and spiritual-personal perfection. Instead, on the production of a concrete, gain and advantage-creating medicine (elixir), a transformation substance (stone of the wise) or drug of immortality (Chang-sheng bu-si). Edit source text Single-level Edit source text
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