Reference

The Xiang'er commentary interprets the phrase "Those who die without perishing are longevous" from the Daodejing in a way that emphasizes the spiritual aspect of life and death. According to the Xiang'er, the body is inhabited by spirits that survive as long as qi (vital energy) is present. The commentary suggests that by practicing the Way and preserving one's qi, a person can attain a form of immortality where the spirit lives on even after the physical body dies. This interpretation aligns with the broader Taoist concept of achieving harmony with the Tao, which can lead to spiritual longevity beyond physical life. For more detailed insights, one can refer to scholarly works such as the article "Forming Spirits for the Way: The Cosmology of the Xiang'er Commentary" available on Harvard's website or the detailed study "A Collated and Critical Study of the Xiang'er Commentary to the Laozi" found in open-access libraries.[Sources: Wikipedia on Shijie (Taoism), Harvard scholar article, and open-access library resources]