Chifeng sui

Illustration of a Daoist engaged in "sleep practice" in the Chifeng sui.[1]

The Chifeng sui (Chinese: 赤鳳髓; pinyin: Chìfèng suǐ), known in English as the Marrow of the Red Phoenix, is a Chinese medical compendium composed during the Ming dynasty by Zhou Lüjing (周履靖). Born to an upper-class family, Zhou was groomed for politics; after being diagnosed with tuberculosis, however, he embarked on a quest for self-healing and eventually became a Daoist ascetic. Dated to 1578, the Chifeng sui contains numerous "longevity methods" collected by Zhou over the years.

  1. ^ Kohn 2012, p. 110.