refine elixirs (Taoist alchemy); painstaking refinement
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesverb
to refine cinnabar/elixirs (in Taoist alchemy); to concoct pills of immortality
Refers specifically to the Taoist practice of external alchemy (外丹术) using furnaces and minerals. Often associated with the pursuit of immortality in ancient China.
Dào道
shì士
zài在
Zhōng终
nán南
shān山
shàng上
liàn炼
dān丹
。
The Taoist priest was refining elixirs on Mount Zhongnan.
Gǔ古
dài代
dì帝
wáng王
mí迷
xìn信
liàn炼
dān丹
kě可
yǐ以
cháng长
shēng生
bù不
lǎo老
。
Ancient emperors believed superstitiously that refining elixirs could grant eternal life.
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Liàn炼
dān丹
xū需
yào要
tè特
shū殊
de的
lú炉
dǐng鼎
hé和
huǒ火
hòu候
。
Refining elixirs requires special furnaces and precise control of fire.
verb
to painstakingly refine or polish (work, writing, etc.); to grind away at something
Figurative extension describing intense, focused effort on perfecting something, similar to the meticulousness of alchemical refinement.
Zhè这
piān篇
lùn论
wén文
tā他
liàn炼
le了
bàn半
nián年
dān丹
，
zhōng终
yú于
fā发
biǎo表
le了
。
He spent half a year painstakingly polishing this paper before it was finally published.
Zuò做
xué学
wèn问
yào要
nài耐
de得
zhù住
jì寂
mò寞
，
màn慢
man慢
liàn炼
dān丹
。
Academic research requires enduring solitude and slowly refining one's work.