Joseph Needham translates shijie as "release from the mortal part",[7] which is more appropriate than "release from the corpse" because the first step in achieving shijie transcendence is to abandon one's corporeal body.[8] Anna Seidel points out that shi in the term shijie denotes "all the corruptible aging factors of the physical body," rather than the corpse itself.[1] Fabrizio Pregadio cites a classic Daoist text that clearly uses the word shi to denote "not specifically a corpse, but in general the 'mortal body', either living or dead". Harper notes that xingjie "release from the form" is thought to be synonymous with shijie "release from the corpse", which for the Daoist believer, marked the moment of xian transformation when a new, immortal physique was perfected and the mortal body sloughed off, leaving behind a husk-like corpse (or an object such as a sword or staff) as evidence that the adept had achieved shijie (citing Maspero 1981: 445–48).

It emphasizes the cyclical nature of existence and reflects the Taoist view that life and death are part of a continuous process, which is essential for understanding Taoist immortality practices. Shijie highlights the importance of harmony with nature, which is central to Taoist practices aimed at achieving longevity and immortality. Discuss how shijie influences specific practices aimed at achieving immortality in Taoism. By understanding shijie, practitioners learn that achieving immortality involves more than rituals; it is about cultivating inner peace and connection with the universe. Evaluate the philosophical implications of shijie on our understanding of life, death, and spiritual practices within Taoism. This perspective fosters a deeper understanding of spiritual practices within Taoism, where achieving immortality is not merely about extending life but engaging fully with the universe's rhythms.

They do not use xingjie to denote a specific Daoist practice or method, but as general ways of transcending one's limited individuality.[35] While shijie and xingjie are both instances of transcending the mortal body, they are not exactly the same, "release from the corpse" requires undergoing death but "release from the form" does not.[8] Harper notes that xingjie "release from the form" is thought to be synonymous with shijie "release from the corpse", which for the Daoist believer, marked the moment of xian transformation when a new, immortal physique was perfected and the mortal body sloughed off, leaving behind a husk-like corpse (or an object such as a sword or staff) as evidence that the adept had achieved shijie (citing Maspero 1981: 445–48).

Taoism (or Daoism) is both a philosophy and religion. It originated in China, and it emphasizes the idea of "going with the flow." Taoism favors the natural world and centers around a core concept that the Tao—literally "way"—flows through all things. But what does Taoism teach about death and the afterlife? ... Transformation ...

If Confucianism came to stand for the foundational philosophy of this ethos of self-sacrifice, the Daoism of the Zhuangzi came to stand for its opposite, the escape from societal pressure into an individual path of freedom. While thus important to literati scholars, the work was also significant for Daoist religious practitioners who often took ...

The distinction between philosophical Daoism and religious Daoism is widely influential yet highly controversial. The current popular empirical methods often overlook the vicissitude of the concepts underlying the reception history of this distinction. Therefore, this article adopts the method of intellectual history, based on the transmission and transformation of the concept of philosophy ...