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Taoist Immortal Lu Dongbin (Lu Tung Pin) -

An Introduction
Patron of Taoist Inner Alchemy

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by Elizabeth Reninger
Updated March 18, 2017

The most well-known of the Eight Immortals – and sometimes portrayed as their leader - is Lu Dongbin (also spelled Lu Tung-
Pin), who is considered, in various contexts, as the patron of jugglers, magicians, barbers and neidan: a true Renaissance man!
What we know of his historical life was that he was a Tang dynasty scholar and poet.

Lu Dongbin’s emblem is the magic two-edged sword, which dispels evil spirits, and gives him the power of invisibility.

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 Taoist Immortal Lu Dongbin. Wikimedia
Commons

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 When he wakes from this dream - in which he had lived an entire life, rising to fame then descending into poverty and despair - he
discovers that his millet is not yet cooked. The insights born of this experience lead Lu Dongbin to become a disciple of Zhongli
Quan, and enter the path of the Tao.

Lu Dongbin: Patron Of Inner Alchemy

As patron of Inner Alchemy, Lu Dongbin has inspired countless Taoist practitioners to explore the Three Treasures: Jing
(reproductive energy), Qi (life-force energy) and Shen (spiritual energy). Such explorations may happen in the context of taiji,
qigong,
He’s alsomartial arts or
frequently Taoist
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transform the more
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to bouts Jing into the more subtle Qi, and the more subtle Qi into the most subtle Shen. Eventually, the three
of drunkenness.
"substances" circulate continuously, as in the Microcosmic Orbit. The Nei Jing Tu is a visual representation of the transformations
As befitting an Immortal, Lu Dongbin's early life was filled with auspicious events. At the moment of his birth, for instance, the
that happen within the body and mind of an Inner Alchemy practitioner.
room was filled with a wonderful fragrance, and lovely, supernal melodies. Lu's life, however, was not without its difficulties. Twice
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he attempted to pass a top-level civil service exam, but failed. Yet, befitting an Immortal, this failure was transformed into the
greatest of gifts. The story of this transformation is known as the "Yellow Millet Dream."

Lu Dongbin's Yellow Millet Dream

In the story, Lu Dongbin meets up with an old man who, unbeknownst to him, is his destined teacher, Zhongli Quan. The young Lu
has just put on a pot of millet, to cook. The old man takes out a pillow, and invites Lu to take a nap.

As he sleeps, Lu Dongbin dreams that he did indeed pass his civil service exam, rose to fame, and (in certain versions of the story)
married a beautiful woman, with whom he had wonderful children. But then, in the dream (in certain versions of the story), he is
accused of crimes, loses his position and all his wealth, is betrayed by his wife, and his children die.

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 iseme
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Dream Parable

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is
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