Biography of Chen Yingning (陳攖寧)
Chen Yingning (陳攖寧, 1880–1969) was a highly educated Chinese scholar and Taoist practitioner, and a key modern figure in the investigation of Taoist internal alchemy (neidan). Prepared in youth for official life through classical study, his fragile health led him to search beyond conventional cures and into Taoist health practices and cultivation methods.
Encouraged by an uncle, he immersed himself in Taoist literature and practice, including the Daozang (Taoist Canon), and visited temples and masters in search of reliable methods. He later devoted his life to neidan research and renewal through xianxue (“the study of alchemy”), publishing widely and organising study circles in Shanghai. In 1938 he founded the Shanghai Xianxueyuan (Academy for the Study of Alchemy). His influence reached Fu Qinglong’s family, stimulating research and practice within this modern continuity of Southern internal alchemy.
Early Education and Search for Health
Chen Yingning was born in Huaining (Anhui Province) and received a classical education intended for official life. His fragile health became a decisive turning point: when conventional cures failed, he began seeking reliable methods of restoring vitality, which led him into Taoist health preservation and internal cultivation.
Daoist Study and the Daozang (Taoist Canon)
Encouraged by an uncle, Chen deepened his study of Taoism through intensive reading and direct investigation. He engaged deeply with the Daozang (Taoist Canon) and visited temples and masters, combining textual scholarship with practical inquiry. This approach shaped his later role as a scholar-practitioner of internal alchemy.
Marriage and Shared Interest in Practice
In 1916, Chen married Dr. Wu, who shared his interest in Taoist practice. Their partnership supported a life devoted to research and cultivation, grounded in discipline and long-term investigation.
Neidan Research, Publications, and “Xianxue”
Chen devoted the rest of his life to the investigation of neidan (internal alchemy). Through texts and magazines, he reached a wide Chinese readership and formed an alchemical circle in Shanghai. He argued that Taoist alchemy needed modernization and clarity, and centered his work around xianxue — “the study of alchemy” — as a research-based field grounded in practice.
Shanghai Xianxueyuan (1938)
In 1938, Chen founded the Shanghai Xianxueyuan (Academy for the Study of Alchemy) in the French Concession of Shanghai. In this context, Fu Qinglong’s father, and the young Fu Qinglong, met Chen and were stimulated to research and practise neidan — an influence that later became relevant within the Taoist-Lifestyle.Com internal alchemy lineage context.
Chinese Taoist Association and Final Years
In 1957, Chen was asked to serve as secretary-general and vice-head of the Chinese Taoist Association. In 1961, he became its president. During the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), he was regarded with suspicion as a representative of traditional culture and suffered harm. He died of lung cancer in 1969.
Legacy and Significance
Chen Yingning remains a pivotal modern figure for Taoist internal alchemy: a scholar-practitioner who combined classical learning with disciplined inquiry, and who helped shape modern neidan research culture through xianxue, publications, and organised study. Within Taoist-Lifestyle.Com, his role is acknowledged as part of the modern continuity of Southern internal alchemy practice connected to the Fu Qinglong transmission line.
Acknowledgment of Gratitude
Taoist-Lifestyle.Com acknowledges Chen Yingning (陳攖寧) with deep respect for his lifelong dedication to Taoist internal alchemy. Through his work on xianxue (“the study of alchemy”), his publications, and the founding of the Shanghai Xianxueyuan (1938), he helped preserve and clarify a modern culture of neidan research and practice. Within our lineage context, his influence is honoured as part of the continuity of Southern internal alchemy and its disciplined approach to long-term transformation through practice and investigation.
Faq
What is xianxue (仙學) in Chen’s work?
In Chen Yingning’s view, xianxue is the systematic study of alchemy — combining practice, investigation, and textual research rather than relying on belief or vague theory.