Qiu Chuji (Traditional Chinese: 丘處機; alternately rendered Kiu Chang Chun; Daoist name: Changchun (長春 or Perpetual Spring); 1148 – 23 July 1227) was a Quanzhen Daoist, the most famous of Wang Chongyang’s seven disciples or “Seven Immortals”. He was also the founder of the Dragon Gate Taoism. He once gave advice to Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire and the greatest of Asiatic conquerors, to abstain from rampant slaughter after long journey to nowadays northern Afghanistan to meet the king.

History

In 1219 Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire and the greatest of Asiatic conquerors, invited Changchun to visit him in a letter dated 15 May 1219 by present reckoning. Changchun left his home in Shandong in February 1220 and journeyed to Beijing. Learning that Genghis had gone West, he winter there. In February 1221, Changchun left, traversing eastern Mongolia to the camp of Genghis’ brother Ujughen near Lake Buyur in the upper Kherlen-Amur basin. From there he traveled southwestward up the Kherlen, crossing the Karakorum region in north-central Mongolia, and arrived at the Altai Mountains, probably passing near the present Uliastai. After traversing the Altai he visited Bishbalig – modern ürümqi – and moved along the north side of the Tian Shan range to Lake Sairam, Almaliq (or Yining City), and the rich valley of the Ili.

From there, Changchun passed to Balasagun and Shu City and across this river to Talas and the Tashkent region, and then over the Syr Darya to Samarkand, where he halted for some months. Finally, through the Iron Gates of Termit, over the Amu Darya, and by way of Balkh and northern Afghanistan, Changchun reached Genghis’ camp near the Hindu Kush.

Returning home, Changchun largely followed his outward route, with certain deviations, such as a visit to Hohhot. He was back in Beijing by the end of January 1224. From the narrative of his expedition, written by his pupil and companion Li Jichang) we derive some of the most vivid pictures ever drawn of nature and man between the Great Wall of China and Kabul, between the Aral and Yellow Seas.

Authorship of Journey to the West – Xiyou Ji – has sometimes been attributed to Changchun, but this is incorrect. Such confusion may have arisen from its similarity to the title of Changchun’s travel description, Travels to the West of Qiu Chang Chun (Qiu Changchun Xiyou Ji).

Of particular interest are the sketches of the Mongols and the people of Samarkand and its vicinity, the account of the land and products of Samarkand in the Ili Valley at or near Almalig-Kulja, and the description of various great mountain ranges, peaks and defiles, such as the Chinese Altay, the Tian Shan, Bogdo Uula, and the Iron Gates of Termit. There is, moreover, a noteworthy reference to a land apparently identical with the uppermost valley of the Yenisei.

After his return, Changchun lived in Beijing until his death on 23 July 1227. By order of Genghis Khan, some of the former imperial garden grounds were given to him for the foundation of a Daoist monastery, the White Cloud Temple that exists to this day.

Regarding this article

It is heard “Guiding Points on Internal Alchemy Practice” was written by Qiu Chuji. It carries lots of direction for some unclear yet important points in the course of internal alchemy practice, which include eight extra meridians, breathing, mysterious pass, how to harvest elixir ingredients, how to combine mind and breathing, how to revolve water-wheel, how to do embryonic breathing and so on. For serious internal alchemy practitioners such article really can be a help. It is in Chinese and people have to have a good mastery of Chinese before reading it with no difficulties. People can click the following link to download it.