Psychoactive Substances in Daoist Practice: A Cultural and Historical Perspective
Qiongke Geng
Religions April 2, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/rel17040438 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Perfection Perspective graphical Consumption sociology Transcendental number Epistemology Environmental ethics Social science Jungian analytical psychology |
| Key points | Argues that Daoism's ritual use of psychoactive substances integrates material practices with transcendental pursuits to achieve perfection in body and spirit. |
Abstract
This paper systematically investigates psychoactive substances and their ritual consumption practices within the Daoist cultivation tradition. As a category of Daoist ingestive (fushi 服食) culture, these substances, derived either from specific botanicals or through artificial synthesis, are ceremonially administered to induce mystical experiences in practitioners, ultimately facilitating their mystical union with Dao. Based on research into relevant Daoist scriptures, this article classifies Daoist psychoactive substances and analyzes how these substances are integrated into Daoist cultivation practices. Research indicates that Daoism’s utilization of psychoactive substances transcends mere physiological stimulation. Through a distinctive approach that integrates material practices with transcendental pursuits, it embodies the Daoist cultivation of achieving perfection in both body and spirit.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 19
- The Varieties of Self-Transcendent Experience Review of General Psychology May 1, 2017
- Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Journal of Humanistic Psychology June 19, 2017
- From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health December 16, 2019
- Lifetime experience with (classic) psychedelics predicts pro-environmental behavior through an increase in nature relatedness Journal of Psychopharmacology June 20, 2017
- Culture, context, and ethics in the therapeutic use of hallucinogens: Psychedelics as active super-placebos? Transcultural Psychiatry October 1, 2022
and 14 more in the library