What do you think of the terms ‘internal’ and ‘external’ as used in Chinese fantasy novels?

[RainingFish]

If you’ve read much in the way of Chinese cultivation or martial arts novels, you’ve probably heard the term ‘external things’ being used in a negative light. I’ve often thought about the difference between 'internal' and 'external' in Chinese fantasy. Different authors seem to categorize it differently, but one thing you can be sure of is that something being called an ‘external thing’ is never a good thing.

One author I read even categorized martial arts skills as ‘external things,’ and I really wish I could ask him if the martial arts people learn are external, then where exactly are they? Can they be detached and given to someone else? Anyway, I only saw one author categorize them that way, so maybe they’re just weird.

It’s interesting exactly where people draw the line, though. Like eating Dan is usually all right, but eating some other things isn’t. Or when some MC with a system that helps increase his cultivation comments on other people using external things. Is the system not external?

Anyway, as far as I can tell, internal means that something is part of one's self, and external means it’s not part of one's self, and some things like spiritual energy can be 'refined' into part of one's self, while others can’t and are thus external things.

If I were to describe cultivation in Chinese novels. I’d say cultivation means strengthening the ‘self’ to achieve transcendence, which is a gradual process of separating the self from the universe (i.e., non-self). The ultimate goal of transcendence is sometimes described as detachment, which means the complete separation of the internal from the external, basically meaning the cultivator becomes their own ‘universe,’ free of external constraints.

Anyway, I’m curious what other people’s thoughts are on the terms internal and external as used in Chinese fantasy novels.

 

[NotaNuffian]

If you’ve read much in the way of Chinese cultivation or martial arts novels, you’ve probably heard the term ‘external things’ being used in a negative light. I’ve often thought about the difference between 'internal' and 'external' in Chinese fantasy. Different authors seem to categorize it differently, but one thing you can be sure of is that something being called an ‘external thing’ is never a good thing.

One author I read even categorized martial arts skills as ‘external things,’ and I really wish I could ask him if the martial arts people learn are external, then where exactly are they? Can they be detached and given to someone else? Anyway, I only saw one author categorize them that way, so maybe they’re just weird.

It’s interesting exactly where people draw the line, though. Like eating Dan is usually all right, but eating some other things isn’t. Or when some MC with a system that helps increase his cultivation comments on other people using external things. Is the system not external?

Anyway, as far as I can tell, internal means that something is part of one's self, and external means it’s not part of one's self, and some things like spiritual energy can be 'refined' into part of one's self, while others can’t and are thus “external thing’s.

If I were to describe cultivation in Chinese novels. I’d say cultivation means strengthening the ‘self’ to achieve transcendence, which is a gradual process of separating the self from the universe (i.e., non-self). The ultimate goal of transcendence is sometimes described as detachment, which means the complete separation of the internal from the external, basically meaning the cultivator becomes their own ‘universe,’ free of external constraints.

Anyway, I’m curious what other people’s thoughts are on the terms internal and external as used in Chinese fantasy novels.

I am a bit blanked by your explanation, but here is my two cent.

Oftentimes people refer to Internal and External in cultivation is referring to the method of cultivation. Sitting down in lotus position and meditation and practising qi (soft) kungfu like taichi is considered internal method, practising hard kungfu like punching rocks and taking drugs like Dan is considered external method.

Both methods are often considered to be correct as long as they do two things; allows growth in power and not cause too much detriments in ones body.

External is often seen as bad because they use the metamorphosis method which literally translates to "rip and tear until it's done and let body grow back stronger"

From the phrase itself you can understand how external method is scary, it literally requires selfharm and therefore it is bad.

As to why eating Dan can be considered external? Most authors will understand that while drugs can be good, it is still a foreign substance and every medicine has its side effect.

As for MC cheat system, it is often seen as innate until it isn't.

 

[RiceballWasTaken]

If you’ve read much in the way of Chinese cultivation or martial arts novels, you’ve probably heard the term ‘external things’ being used in a negative light. I’ve often thought about the difference between 'internal' and 'external' in Chinese fantasy. Different authors seem to categorize it differently, but one thing you can be sure of is that something being called an ‘external thing’ is never a good thing.

One author I read even categorized martial arts skills as ‘external things,’ and I really wish I could ask him if the martial arts people learn are external, then where exactly are they? Can they be detached and given to someone else? Anyway, I only saw one author categorize them that way, so maybe they’re just weird.

It’s interesting exactly where people draw the line, though. Like eating Dan is usually all right, but eating some other things isn’t. Or when some MC with a system that helps increase his cultivation comments on other people using external things. Is the system not external?

Anyway, as far as I can tell, internal means that something is part of one's self, and external means it’s not part of one's self, and some things like spiritual energy can be 'refined' into part of one's self, while others can’t and are thus external things.

If I were to describe cultivation in Chinese novels. I’d say cultivation means strengthening the ‘self’ to achieve transcendence, which is a gradual process of separating the self from the universe (i.e., non-self). The ultimate goal of transcendence is sometimes described as detachment, which means the complete separation of the internal from the external, basically meaning the cultivator becomes their own ‘universe,’ free of external constraints.

Anyway, I’m curious what other people’s thoughts are on the terms internal and external as used in Chinese fantasy novels.

its just a buzzword