See Ge Hong for biographical information.
"Baopuzi (Master Embracing Simplicity), a famous Chinese ancient book written by the Taoism master Ge Hong in the Jin Dynasty (265-420), consists of Baopuzi Neipian (inner chapters) and Baopuzi Waipian (outer chapters). It was regarded as the Taoism Canon.
The Baopuzi Neipian mainly describes the prescriptions of supernatural being, apparition change of ghosts, health preservation and secrets of longevity, and avoidance of disasters and cure of disease. These contents belong to the Taoist school, and they can be concretely concluded as follows: elaborate the noumenon of universe, demonstrate the existence of supernatural being, describe the manufacturing method and application of wonder drugs and pills of immortality, discuss the study and applications of various arts of necromancy, astrology and medicine, etc., list the bibliographies of Taoist canons, and illuminate the universality for common people to cultivate vital energy.
Baopuzi Waipian is mainly about social affairs, which belongs to the scope of Confucianism. Moreover, this book also testifies the author's development of his thoughts from the Confucianism to Taoism. Its concrete contents can be concluded as follows: discuss the gain and loss of current affairs, sneer the common customs, explain the method to rule common people; appraise occurrences in human life, advocate self-denying and waiting for the right moment to demonstrate one's ability; persuade king to appoint able people, love people, restrain desires and fully come into power; discuss the importance of talented people, moral self-cultivation and writing books.
In a word, Baopuzi integrates the metaphysics, Taoist theology, arts of necromancy (astrology and medicine, etc.), pills of immortality, ancient cooking vessels of pills, magic figures or incantations, Confucianism and immortality into a whole system. As a result, it establishes the theoretical system of Taoist supernatural being."--Cf. chinaculture.org

Added keywords: acupuncture, Chinese medicine, Daoist foundations, Taoism, Taoist sources of Chinese medicine; sinology, Daoism in Chinese thought.

Local access dig.pdf. [Larre-Flutes et Champignons.pdf]

“…collection of scriptures that came to be termed Daozang 道藏 (Daoist canon) grew over the centuries. Since the Tang, the imperial court sponsored its publication on at least five occasions. None have survived. A new version was compiled between 1406 and 1445 and was the first to be printed (in 1447). It is often referred to as the Zhengtong Daozang 正統道藏 (Daoist canon of the Zhengtong era)…..Much of what the Daozang contains cannot be found elsewhere and it is therefore an important source for historians and not only of Daoism.”
“There are a number of modern reprints: Daozang, 1120 ce, Shanghai: Shangwu, 1923-26 (sometimes called the Hanfenlou 涵芬樓 edition); facs. Rpnt. Yiwen, 1962. Rpnt Xinwenfeng, 60 ce., 1977 (this edition)….N.B. The Index of Zhonghua Daozang volume contains author/title indexes. The Index of Zhonghua Daozang (Fabrizio Pregadio, comp., Golden Elixer, 2009) enables location of Zhengtong Daozang texts in the Zhonghua Daozang and vice-versa.” - - Cf. E. Wilkinson, Chinese history, a new manual: 4th ed. (2015), p. 382