Zhuyang Ce

The Zhuyang Ce, also known as The Strategy of the Vermillion Yang, is a martial arts tome written by Tao Hongjing. It contains the culmination of the everything that Tao Hongjing learned throughout his life, including the teachings of the Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian schools.

History
According to the legends, fifty years ago, on Mao Mountain Tao Hongjing encountered an immortal who handed to him a book named Deng Zhen Jue (登真诀; or The Key to Ascend the Truth). The book consisted of four volumes, three of which Tao Hongjing reorganized into another book named Deng Zhen Yin Jue (登真隐诀; or The Secret Key to Ascend the Truth). The fourth volume, due to its obscure content, was organized into a separate book altogether, with Tao Hongjing combining all the learnings he attained in his life. The book became what is known today as the Zhuyang Ce.

After Tao Hongjing's death, the Shangqing Sect of Mao Mountain fell into disarray due to the sect's involvement in politics. The dissension between the sect's disciples, as well as the civil war that plagued the Liang Dynasty, resulted in the five books of the Zhuyang Ce being scattered across the land.

It was believed that if one read all the five books of the Zhuyang Ce, they would be able to achieve complete enlightenment of martial arts and attain immortality.

Books
Each of the five books of the Zhuyang Ce use one of the five elements to correspond to one of the five viscera in the human body.


 * Shi Shen (识神; or Knowledge of Mind)
 * Gui Po (鬼魄; or Demonic Souls)
 * You Hun (游魂; or Wandering Spirits)
 * Zhuo Jing (浊精; or Turbid Energy)
 * Wang Yi (妄意; or Free Will)