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Baopuzi


The Baopuzi (Chinese: 抱朴子; pinyin: Bàopǔzǐ; Wade–Giles: Pao-p'u-tzu; literally: "[Book of the] Master Who Embraces Simplicity"), written by the Jin dynasty scholar Ge Hong 葛洪 (283-343), is divided into esoteric Neipian 內篇 "Inner Chapters" and exoteric Waipian 外篇 "Outer Chapters". The Daoist Inner Chapters discuss topics such as techniques for xian 仙 "immortality; transcendence", Chinese alchemy, elixirs, and demonology. The Confucianist Outer Chapters discuss Chinese literature, Legalism, politics, and society.

The eponymous title Baopuzi derives from Ge Hong's hao 號 "sobriquet; pseudonym" Baopuzi (lit. "embrace simplicity master"), which compounds bao "embrace; hug; carry; hold in both arms; cherish", pu or "uncarved wood, [a Daoist metaphor for a] person's original nature; simple; plain", and zi "child; offspring; master [title of respect]". Baopu is a classical allusion to the Daodejing (19, tr. Mair 1990:181), "Evince the plainness of undyed silk, embrace the simplicity of the unhewn log; lessen selfishness, diminish desires; abolish learning and you will be without worries."

Ge Hong's autobiography explains choosing his pen name Baopuzi.

It has been my plan to preserve regularity and not to follow the whims of the world. My speech is frank and sincere; I engage in no banter. If I do not come upon the right person, I can spend the day in silence. This is the reason my neighbors call me Simplex (Pao-p'u), which name I have used as a sobriquet in my writings. (tr. Ware 1966:10)


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