The Baopuzi is divided into two main sections: the "Inner Chapters" and the "Outer Chapters." The Inner Chapters focus on the alchemical arts, including the preparation of elixirs, while the Outer Chapters explore spiritual practices, such as meditation and inner alchemy.
| Feature | Public Domain PDF (e.g., Ware, 1911) | Exclusive PDF (Modern Scholar Edition) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Partial (skips alchemy recipes) | Full (20 Inner + 50 Outer Chapters) | | Language | Archaic Victorian English | Contemporary academic English | | Footnotes | Minimal (<50) | Extensive (>500) | | Chinese Text | No | Yes (Embedded) | | Searchability | Poor (Scanned image) | High (OCR Text layer) | | Price | Free (Public domain) | $15–$50 (Limited distribution) | baopuzi english translation pdf exclusive