Here is one simple illustration of Daoist inner alchemy. The basic view of the body was that it consists of a series of combustion chambers connected by various passages. Qi and blood flow through these passages (or should flow through them) and are transformed in various ways through the heating that takes place in the various "burners" or "cauldrons" in the body. The vessel-like object just below the right shoulder is labeled "heart." The tripod vessel (recall the Shang bronze vessels) is the major combustion area in the body. The key to good health and immortality is to keep this machinery running smoothly and efficiently.

We will see more of Daoist views of the body throughout the chapter. For a more complex Daoist diagram of the inner workings of the body, #click here.#

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