The Cantong qi, or Seal of the Unity of the Three, is the main text of Taoist Internal Alchemy (Neidan). In addition to Taoist masters and adepts, it has also attracted the attention of philosophers, cosmologists, poets, literati, calligraphers, philologists, and bibliophiles. Thirty-eight commentaries written between the 8th century and the end of the 19th century, and dozens of related texts are found in the Taoist Canon and elsewhere. The present book is the most complete guide to this vast literature available in any language.
The book is divided into two main parts. Part 1 contains a catalogue of extant and lost commentaries, essays, and other texts related related to the Cantong qi, listing altogether about 150 works with systematic details on their authors, dates, editions, and reprints. Part 2 contains a survey of the textual tradition of the Cantong qi, focused on the composition and contents of about 40 major texts. A final index of authors, editors, titles, and editions facilitates the use of the book.
