Chinese alchemy

Chinese alchemy is an ancient practice blending philosophy, spirituality, and medicinal science, focused on transforming the mind and body. It aims at achieving spiritual immortality, health, and harmony by refining internal energies (qi) and balancing yin and yang. Practitioners use meditation, herbal remedies, breathing exercises, and sometimes alchemical rituals to cultivate vitality and spiritual insight. Historically, it also involved the creation of elixirs (including ingestible substances), though modern understanding views these as symbolic or metaphorical pursuits rather than literal chemical experiments. Overall, Chinese alchemy emphasizes inner transformation as a path to well-being and enlightenment.