For a Zhenyi practitioner, ethical discipline and inner alchemy are understood as two sides of the same coin: the refinement of qi depends upon the refinement of conduct. At the heart of this discipline stand core virtues such as compassion and benevolence toward all beings, truthfulness and sincerity in word and deed, humility and modesty, and a life of contentment and simplicity that rejects excessive desire. These qualities are not merely moral ideals but practical safeguards, ensuring that practice unfolds in harmony with the Dao rather than being driven by ego or craving. Acting in accordance with wu wei—non‑interference with the natural order—means allowing actions to arise in attunement with the Dao, rather than through force or manipulation.

More concretely, the Five Precepts provide a clear ethical framework: refraining from killing or harming living beings, from stealing or taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from lying or false speech, and from the use of intoxicants. These precepts stabilize body, speech, and mind so that inner work can proceed on a firm foundation. They are complemented by a broader commitment to purifying the heart‑mind, gradually abandoning anger, greed, hatred, and other destructive emotions that disturb inner stillness. In this way, moral restraint is understood as a form of subtle alchemical work, transforming coarse impulses into clarity and calm.

Respect for the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the teachers—anchors the practitioner in a living lineage of wisdom. This reverence naturally extends to honoring teachers and elders, and to cultivating loyalty and filial piety within family and community life. Ethical life in this tradition is therefore not limited to private cultivation; it also expresses itself as charity, assistance to those in need, and a sincere concern for social harmony. Environmental stewardship and living in harmony with nature likewise reflect the same orientation, recognizing that the Dao pervades the natural world and that harming it ultimately harms one’s own cultivation.

For those engaged in inner alchemy, these ethical commitments take on an explicitly practical dimension. Virtue (de) is regarded as a prerequisite for authentic alchemical transformation, and mental discipline and emotional regulation are treated as essential components of practice. Dietary moderation, lifestyle simplicity, and the maintenance of ritual purity—especially around formal observances and meditation—serve to protect and refine the subtle energies being cultivated. Regular meditation and self‑reflection then become the means by which ethical insight deepens, allowing conduct and inner realization to gradually converge in a life lived ever more fully in accord with the Dao.