Thanks for the question.
Probably because of a misunderstanding. Taoism doesn’t believe in death. A person who has seen through the “red mist” of confusion becomes the sage. And a sage knows that there is only Tao. All the “myriad things” are how the Tao appears at that moment.
The sage understands that while there is a body and there are thoughts, he or she is the One single Totality that happens to get called Tao. His or her self was seen to be a lie - this is seeing through the “red mist”.
One of the ways of seeing through the “red mist” is something that has been described as a process, that was then taken on by alchemists.
When the mind is clear of thoughts, and the energy of the body has settled, it is possible that a sensation is felt in the body between the middle and lower tantien. A presence may be realised. This might not be enough for awakening to occur. However, if a person looks into this presence they might then understand what it is. And they may also see it outside of them. Then the realisation that the inner and outer is the same, that there is no self in the middle, drops all the problems associated with a self.
And seeing that the observer is the Presence itself, and this is alone, untouched, and always at peace, they see that they too are this, and they are not a they.
Alchemy is not a process of becoming. It is a process of clearing to see what is already present, like sifting a stream to find the gold that would otherwise remain unseen.
People who have not seen through the “red mist” of self-belief, remain confused by its thoughts and emotions. They believe that if they work hard enough, if they learn specific skills, and learn the movement of the three drops of energy as it begins to settle then they will become immortal and be known by heaven.
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