《太上洞玄灵宝投简符文要诀》

At cockcrow, when the sky has just grown light, face east and click the teeth nine times. Rub the hands together until they are warm, and with the palms wipe the face and eyes nine times. Then raise the head, recite the invocation, and ingest the Qi (vital energy) of the azure sprouts—the Qi gathered and taken according to direction. When facing south, proceed in the same way, clicking the teeth three times; when facing west, click the teeth seven times; when facing the center, click the teeth twelve times and wipe the face and eyes; when facing north, click the teeth five times. In every case follow the method set out above.

Each day at cockcrow, settle body and mind, concentrate the Shen (spirit), and quiet the Qi, and carry out the practice in sequence: first ingest the Qi of the azure sprouts of the east, then the Qi of the south, the center, the west, and the north, by the same method as before. When the Qi of the five directions has been fully practiced, click the teeth thirty-six times and swallow Qi twenty-five times, then recite the general invocation:

“The white stone stands high and sheer; proceed in due order. The spring source surges into the cavern and is transformed into jade liquor. Drink it, and long life is attained, and one’s span of years is likewise increased.”

When the recitation is finished, stir the upper and lower parts of the mouth and the center with the tongue until the saliva is abundant, then swallow it in three portions. Next, draw in Qi twenty-five times until the breath is full, and swallow it. The whole practice is then complete. The method of ingesting the “Five Cloud Sprouts” is given in other fascicles.

Tianzhen Huangren (the Celestial Perfected Sovereign) says: Whoever cultivates the Dao (the Way) of the flying immortal, and practices such methods as deliverance into extinction, liberation by the corpse, and hidden transformation, wishing to transcend the cycle of birth and death, to roam freely with the turning of time, and not to be bound by Taiyin—the dark yin realm of the underworld—should write the “Limitless Inner Sounds of the Jade Characters of the Various Heavens,” the sacred characters and their sounds and meanings pertaining to the various heavens, in cinnabar on white silk, wear them on the body, and cultivate according to the Jing (scripture). The practitioner’s mind is free of defilement; the five viscera are clear and harmonious, the six bowels are at peace, and one reaches a state of empty clarity and Wuwei (non-action). Persisting for eight years, one can penetrate the various heavens, see the ten directions while sitting in stillness, the host of spirits descend in turn, jade light arises from the body, one rides a dragon carriage in swift flight, and ascends to heaven in broad daylight.

This jade chapter is a gateway to the supreme Dao, transmitted only once every forty thousand kalpas. Cultivation should follow the method above of writing the Jing in cinnabar, and should be carried out in accord with the four seasons.

In spring—the first, second, and third months—write the Jing in cinnabar, face the direction then in command, click the teeth nine times, and then make the invocation, saying:

The Great Brahma soaring through the heavens (Feitian Dafan, the vast Brahma-Qi—Qi, vital energy—that streams across the sky) extends through all eight directions. Nine kinds of primordial Qi fill the azure heaven, all under the dominion of the Spirit King. The currents of the Five Unions and Eight Assemblies (Wuhe Bahui, the moments when numinous energies join and gather) spread through the void of space, shining with radiance. Above, the Dragon-Han age (Longhan, the remote cosmic kalpa of which Daoism speaks) is opened and becomes the root of the immortals; below, it illuminates the Ninefold Darkness (Jiuyou, the obscure land of the dead) in the long night. Souls amid suffering are delivered, and withered remains glow with color once more. The body is transformed into a winged form and clothed in five-colored garments; one rides a blue-green carriage drawn by azure dragons and flies through the air.

Today a memorial is offered up to the azure heaven, just at the time of the azure heaven’s first Yang. May every wish be fulfilled, and may one merge as one with primordial Qi; may one ascend into the formless realm and shine with light forever. The body is transformed into a winged form and clothed in five-colored garments; one rides a blue-green carriage drawn by azure dragons and flies through the air. Today a memorial is offered up to the azure heaven, just at the time of the azure heaven’s first Yang. May every wish be fulfilled, and may one merge as one with primordial Qi; may one ascend into the formless realm and endure forever.

When the recitation is finished, swallow the talismanic script, tilt the head back and swallow eight breaths of Qi, and then stop.

In summer—the fourth, fifth, and sixth months—write the talismanic script in cinnabar, face the ruling direction (Wangfang, the quarter corresponding to the season then in command), click the teeth eight times, and pray:

The celestial script (Tianshu, the talismanic writings of the heavens) is spread open; Brahma-Qi circulates, and the crimson brightness shines forth. Above, eight passages are opened, and the Qi of the Five Unions communicates and displays its numinous power. The great cycle opens its moment, and the Qi of Cavern Yang (Dongyang, the clear and penetrating Yang Qi) refines and transforms Jing (essence). The jade writing gleams with light, and the Three Luminaries—the sun, the moon, and the stars—appear of themselves. Below, beings in the midst of life and death are delivered, so that everything possessed of form is saved. Today is an auspicious day, and the Great Sage descends to the altar court. Windows are opened in the ninefold night of darkness, and the dwellings of the underworld become bright and pure. The Three Evil Paths (San’edao, the realms of suffering such as the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals) come to rest, and the Dao (the Way) that I cultivate is brought to fulfillment. The Five Emperors protect and deliver, so that one may ascend to the Splendid Capital (Huajing, the immortal realm of the heavens). In the Forest of Seven Treasures one rejoices for a long time and enjoys years without end.

When the recitation is finished, swallow the talismanic script, tilt the head back and swallow eight breaths of Qi, and then stop.

In autumn—the seventh, eighth, and ninth months—write the talismanic script in cinnabar, face the ruling direction, click the teeth seven times, and pray:

The Qi of Soaring Mystery and the Eight Assemblies congeals and becomes a Perfected Person (Zhenren). The “sixty-four characters” gather under their control the Celestial Moon and the Celestial Root (the fundamental numinous Qi of the heavens). They open the gate of life and death, save the dead, and restore withered bones to human form. Souls in the underworld disperse their gloom and receive the primordial Qi of the Upper Mystery (Shangxuan, the heavenly realm). This day is auspicious; may every wish be declared and fulfilled. The host of spirits comes together in assembly; I wish to become an immortal. The light of my body unites with the Dao; I wish to become a Shen (spirit). May I ride the white clouds and ascend to the Imperial Dawn (Dichen, the dawn-heaven where the Celestial Emperor resides); may I rejoice in the supreme realm of the Seven Treasures and befriend the Perfected.

When the recitation is finished, swallow the talismanic script, tilt the head back and swallow eight breaths of Qi, and then stop.

Note: In the original autumn prayer, the text following the “sixty-four characters” is incomplete or disordered in the slips; the passage concerning the “Celestial Moon” and the eighth and ninth months also repeats what has already appeared. The translation has been arranged according to the wording that survives.

In the winter months—the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth—one should write the talismanic script in cinnabar, face the “King” (the honored deity toward whom the rite is directed), knock the teeth five times, and offer this prayer:

The jade characters (the sacred talismanic script) open the gates of the dark obscurity; light flows and circulates, shining upon the portals of the upper realm. The Qi (vital energy) of the eight directions condenses and becomes the True, and pure practice (the cultivation of purity) transforms into colored clouds. The Divine King calls forth the light, and the three images of heaven, earth, and humanity stand suddenly revealed. Five-colored radiance encircles me and illumines my soul. Today, at this very time, I look up and pray that the Imperial Lord show grace, bestow the scriptures (Jing), and confer the true writ upon me. May favor like jade liquor pour through in mutual infusion, so that the storehouses of the five viscera (the five organs) generate clear and harmonious Qi; may my body grow feathered wings, transform into an immortal, and fly upon the morning light. May I come forth from the dark places and enter the realm of the Dao (the Way). Once again I look up and pray that the Imperial Lord show grace, bestow the scriptures, and confer the true writ upon me. May favor like jade liquor pour through in mutual infusion, so that the storehouses of the five viscera generate clear and harmonious Qi; may my body grow feathered wings, transform into an immortal, and fly upon the morning light. May I walk out of the dark obscurity and enter the formless realm, and spontaneously come to attain immortality. May my ancestors of seven generations together return to the Upper Prime (the heavenly realm), in joy and ease.

When the prayer is finished, swallow the talismanic script, tilt the head back, swallow eight breaths of Qi, and then stop.

The Celestial Perfected August One (Tianzhen Huangren) says: This prayer is a spontaneous chapter formed by the converging Qi of the four directions and the harmonious sounds of the eight directions. Those who cultivate it will be sung of from afar by Heaven above; the Three Realms (such realms as heaven, earth, and humanity) will set forth rites to welcome them; and the myriad gods will set their robes and caps in order and guard this numinous writ. If one ingests the talismanic script, offers the prayer, and swallows Qi according to the seasons, then after one hundred days the various heavens will register the practitioner’s merits, and the Earth Officials will delete the records of sin from the rolls; after eight years, divine perfected beings will descend in person. At that time the body will put forth a jade light and be able to penetrate the profound realm of emptiness and nonbeing; sitting in stillness, one will behold the Dao of spontaneity. Even in death, one can cause the corpse to live again and be reborn as a human being, passing through the cycles of transmigration without perishing, and at last transcend birth and death to become an immortal. The Great Dao is exalted and the method exquisitely subtle; only once in ten thousand kalpas does the chance to cultivate it arise. If one rashly divulges it or treats this method with neglect, one will personally suffer the punishment of the River Source and endure the torment of the wind-blades through ten thousand kalpas, and in the end will never become an immortal. This is an old regulation established by Mingzhen, and it should be kept strictly secret.

When going out and coming in beneath the Azure Heaven of the East, one should knock the teeth nine times and visualize nine-colored dragons leading before and behind. Nine layers of azure cloud encircle and cover the whole body; then one silently prays:

Chiming (a kalpa-era name in Daoism) opens the charts and registers of the heavenly realm, and the Qi of the eight directions returns to the true Dao. O Great Deity, the Azure Emperor (the Heavenly Emperor of the East), you who preside over the mysterious talisman-slips, your teaching spreads beyond the Nine Heavens and winds about my person. May the numinous sounds accord with the writings of the eight directions and the sixty-four chapters, so that I may see clearly into heaven and earth and unite with the Dao of the immortals; may the dragon carriage come and bear me up to the chariot of the Imperial Lord.

When the prayer is finished, draw in Qi nine times, swallow each breath in turn, and then stop.

When entering or leaving the Southern Red Heaven, one should click the teeth three times, visualize the Vermilion Bird and the phoenix circling and flying before the body, and three layers of red cloud descending from above to encircle the body, and then silently recite:

“Three kinds of Qi (vital energy) come and go in circling motion, and a phoenix comes flying through the clouds; eight characters in jade tones cast their splendor upon Ziwei (the central pivot of the heavens). This day is auspicious and greatly to be celebrated, and the Dao (the Way) I cultivate is suddenly thrown wide open. I take vermilion cinnabar (symbolizing the numinous elixir of the immortals) as my food and raise my head to draw in numinous Qi; water and fire arise within the body, and, draped in red garments and feathered robes, I ascend into the sky and proceed along the phoenix ladder. Encircling the body, silently recite:

“Three kinds of Qi come and go in circling motion, and a phoenix comes flying through the clouds; eight characters in jade tones cast their splendor upon Ziwei. This day is auspicious and greatly to be celebrated, and the Dao I cultivate is suddenly thrown wide open. I take vermilion cinnabar as my food and raise my head to draw in numinous Qi; water and fire arise within the body, and, draped in red garments and feathered robes, I ascend into the sky and proceed along the phoenix ladder. Circling the heavens of the eight directions, the ancestors of seven generations travel onward with me as well.”

When the recitation is finished, draw the Qi into the body and swallow it in three draughts.

When entering or leaving the Western White Heaven, one should click the teeth seven times, visualize the white tiger and the lion leading the way on the left and the right, with seven layers of white cloud encircling the body, and then silently recite:

“Seven kinds of Qi gather in the numinous realm, and the honored deities of the heavens of the eight directions are present here. The white tiger drives the carriage, and the lion supports its shafts. The seven kinds of Qi wind about and do not disperse, refining me into an immortal. The body gives forth a golden light, and the lungs are illumined by the white clouds. Within the body and without, all undergoes transformation, and one ascends through the gate of the grotto-heaven. The ancestors of seven generations emerge from the dark night, and the souls of the dead in the Nine Darknesses are set free! Released from the three kinds of sinful karma and the five kinds of suffering, the roots of evil are cut off completely; together we enter the abode of blessing and goodness and naturally receive felicity. Through a hundred million kalpas we may still bring deliverance to living beings, enduring in accordance with the course of time.”

When the recitation is finished, draw the Qi into the body and swallow it in seven draughts.

When entering or leaving the Northern Dark Heaven, one should click the teeth five times and visualize the feathered canopies borne by flying turtles densely arrayed on the left and the right, with five layers of dark cloud encircling the body. Divine lads and jade maidens, wearing feathered robes with garments fluttering, stand in attendance before and behind and silently offer this prayer:

“The Dark Heaven revolves, and radiance flows, ascending to Shangqing (the higher celestial realm of which Daoism speaks).” One stops upon reciting the character zhi (“stop”).

The passage that follows states once again: when entering or leaving the Northern Dark Heaven, one should click the teeth five times, visualize the feathered canopies of flying turtles on the left and the right, five layers of dark cloud encircling the body, and divine lads and jade maidens standing guard before and behind, and then silently offer a prayer. At this point the original text does not record the words of the prayer.

The Mysterious Heaven (the deep, secluded celestial realm of the north) wheels through the sky, and light and shadow spread across Shangqing (the higher celestial realm spoken of in Daoism). Dayou (the name of a Daoist heaven) opens the cycles of transformation, and the eight characters hang high and bright. The Flying-Mystery Qi (vital energy) clears the void, and a penetrating sound arises of itself. The five Qi (those corresponding to the Five Phases) stretch on and interweave, pouring into my body. I put on the crown and fasten the sash, take my place in the divine office of the Northern Army, and receive refinement until I attain the numinous and subtle. The kidney palace is transformed into an immortal realm, luminous and pure within and without. I fly through the Three Realms and roam in feast at the Purple Court (a palace of the heavens). Ancestors of seven generations celebrate together in lasting joy. Dwelling in the Grove of the Seven Treasures, I cast off the old embryo and receive a new form. Death in the Long Night is destroyed, and my name is entered in the Southern Palace. Listed on the Yellow Register (the Daoist roll of immortals and perfected beings) and the White Slips, I enjoy long life through generation after generation.

When the recitation is finished, draw in Qi and swallow five times, then stop.

If you sincerely wish to cultivate the Dao (the Way), become an immortal, and not die, you should first remove the Three Worms (the harmful worms within the body spoken of in Daoism) and the hidden corpses in the heart (filth believed to lie latent in the body and obstruct cultivation). Each day, practice the ingestion of Qi for the span of three hundred and sixty breaths: swallow once every thirty breaths, rest once every ninety breaths, and complete four rounds a day. From midnight until the cock crows, regularly make this invocation:

“Green Sprouts of the East: ingest the green sprouts, and drink the morning florescence.” Swallow three times, then stop.

“Vermilion Cinnabar of the South: ingest the vermilion cinnabar, and drink from the cinnabar pool.” Swallow three times, then stop.

“Wilds of the Center, the Great Mountain rising aloft: ingest the primordial Qi, and drink from the Sweet Spring.” Swallow three times, then stop.

“Bright Stone of the West: ingest the bright stone, and drink the numinous liquid.” Swallow three times, then stop.

“Dark Nourishment of the North: ingest the dark nourishment, and drink the jade syrup.” Swallow three times, then stop.

When this has been done for a full thirty days, the Three Worms will all die and the hidden corpses will flee, while the orthodox spirits and the orthodox Qi will settle. The hidden corpses will not return to the heart, and you will become an immortal.

The twenty-four characters above are used to summon the Supreme Thearchs of the Nine Heavens and the charts and registers of the immortals. One who cultivates the way of immortality should, on the jiazi day of one’s own root destiny (the day whose stem-and-branch pair matches that of the year of one’s birth), when it coincides with the Beginning of Spring, write in blue-green ink on a slip of white silver-wood, record the year, the month, and one’s name, and cast it down beneath a steep cliff. After nine years, immortal officials will arrive and bring about one’s attainment as a true immortal.

The thirty-two characters above should, on the jiazi day of one’s own root destiny when it coincides with the Beginning of Summer, be written in cinnabar on a white wooden slip, with one’s name and the year and month recorded, and cast down beneath a steep cliff at a renowned site among the numinous mountains. After nine years, immortal officials will arrive and bring about one’s attainment as a true immortal.

The preceding thirty-two characters should be written in cinnabar on a white wooden slip on the day of the Beginning of Summer when one’s natal stem-branch coincides with jiazi. One then adds one’s name and the year and month, and casts the wooden slip into the peaks of a numinous mountain. After nine years, immortal officials will come to receive one, and one may become a flying immortal.

The preceding forty characters concern the jade slips used by the gods and immortals. They should be written in yellow pigment on a white wooden slip on a day of the Spring Equinox, the Summer Solstice, the Autumn Equinox, or the Winter Solstice when one’s natal stem-branch coincides with jiazi. One then adds one’s name and the year, month, and day, and casts the wooden slip onto the ridges of a numinous mountain. After nine years, immortal officials will come, and jade maidens will also arrive; at that time one may become an immortal.

The preceding forty-eight characters should be written in white pigment on a wooden slip on the day of the Beginning of Autumn when one’s natal stem-branch coincides with jiazi. Following the method already described, the wooden slip bearing one’s name is cast upon a renowned mountain.

The preceding forty characters concern the charts and registers that record the names of the various Perfected and of the gods and immortals. Those who seek immortality and study the Dao (the Way) should, on the day of the Beginning of Winter when one’s natal stem-branch coincides with jiazi, write them in black pigment on a white wooden slip, note the name and the year and month on the lower part of the slip, and then cast the wooden slip into the peaks of a numinous mountain. After five years, immortal officials will come in accordance with the prescribed rites.

The preceding forty characters concern the charts and registers that record the names of the various Perfected and of the gods and immortals. Those who seek immortality and study the Dao should, on the day of the Beginning of Winter when one’s natal stem-branch coincides with jiazi, write them in black pigment on a white wooden slip, note the name and the year and month on the lower part of the slip, and then cast the wooden slip into the peaks of a numinous mountain. After five years, immortal officials will arrive and dispatch five Jade Maidens of Grand Mystery, so that the practitioner’s name is entered in the registers of the immortals.

The method of cultivating the “Green Sprout” (here referring to visualization and guiding-and-pulling practice coordinated with the green Qi (vital energy) of the East) is to be carried out according to the method of guiding the nine Qi of the Azure Heaven of the East. Each year, at cockcrow on the day of the Beginning of Spring, one enters the chamber, faces east, and performs nine salutations. When the salutations are finished, one sits level and clicks the teeth nine times; tooth-clicking is a common practice in Daoist visualization rites. One then visualizes the Eastern Anbao Hualin Azure-Numen Primordial Elder Lord, whose surname is Yan, whose tabooed personal name is Kaiming, and whose style name is Lingweiyang. He is nine cun in height, wears a jade crown of azure essence, and is clad in an azure feathered robe condensed from the nine Qi. He rides in a carriage drawn by an azure dragon, with banners raised. The Jia-Yi Hulao officials and others, nine hundred thousand in all, attend him as he descends from the Azure Heaven of the nine Qi into the chamber.

After a short while, one visualizes the green Qi coming into being, dense as cloud and mist, enveloping one’s body, then entering through the mouth and reaching directly to the seat of the liver. One next visualizes the Wood Star shining brightly in the east, its radiance illuminating the whole body, so that all of this is clear and distinct. When the visualization is complete, one opens one’s eyes, turns the face upward, and makes an invocation, saying:

The Azure Heaven of the Nine Qi is the superior Jing (essence) of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. The Venerable Deity Huanglao, clad in an azure feathered robe, dispatches the celestial officials so that light shines through the four directions, falls upon my body, and brings all things clearly into view. When the visualization is complete, open the eyes, raise the head, and offer this prayer:

The Azure Heaven of the Nine Qi is the superior Jing of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. The Venerable Deity Huanglao, clad in an azure feathered robe, dispatches the celestial officials so that the Year Star (Jupiter) shines forth in brilliance. Radiance spreads and fragrance circulates, nourishing and cleansing my body. I draw in the morning glow from above, ingest it, and guide in the essence of Wood, so that the Green Sprout (Qingya)—the refined Qi (vital energy) transformed from the Wood Qi of the East—is firmly nourished, the body is protected, and aging is slowed. The liver is filled, and jade mushrooms grow of themselves. One’s years of life are lengthened and the reckoning of kalpas recedes; the countenance returns to the ruddy freshness of an infant. The Five Qi harmonize and blend, so that a person endures in lasting accord with Heaven and Earth.

When the prayer is finished, draw in the azure Qi and swallow it in nine draughts; then ingest the twelve-character red jade script written for the direction. These twelve characters are the name of the Azure Heaven of the Nine Qi. Whenever one guides the Nine Qi of the Azure Emperor and ingests the Green Sprout, the characters are written in red on white paper and, once the visualization is complete, swallowed all at once.

Each day at cockcrow, just as the sky begins to brighten, face east and click the teeth nine times. Rub the palms together until they are warm, and with the palms wipe the face and the eyes nine times; then raise the head and pray:

Green Sprout of the East, I ingest the Green Sprout and nourish it with the morning glow. When the prayer is finished, lick the outer surface of the upper teeth three times with the tongue until saliva fills the mouth, and swallow it in three draughts. Then draw in the azure Qi and swallow it in nine draughts, so that the azure Qi settles and is secured in the liver. In this way the method is completed.

The method for cultivating the Cinnabar Sprout and guiding the Cinnabar Heaven of the Three Qi of the South is as follows. On the day of the Beginning of Summer, at cockcrow, enter the chamber and face south. Lick the lips three times until saliva fills the mouth, and swallow it in three draughts. Then draw in the azure Qi and swallow it in nine draughts, so that the azure Qi settles and is secured in the liver. In this way the method is completed.

The method of cultivating “Danya,” an internal cultivation practice related to the fire Qi (vital energy) of the south, and of guiding the Qi of the southern Three Qi Dan Heaven, is as follows.

Whenever the day of the Beginning of Summer arrives, at cockcrow one enters the chamber, faces south, and performs three bows. One then sits upright, clicks the teeth three times, and visualizes the True Elder Lord of the Cinnabar Numen of Prosperous Yang of the Brahma Treasure of the South (a deity of the south). His surname is Dongfu, his taboo name is Jiyan, and his courtesy name is Chipiaonu. He stands three inches tall, wears a red headcloth and a jade crown, and is clad in a flying robe woven from the cinnabar feathers of the three Qi. He rides a cinnabar dragon that draws a jade carriage, with a red banner raised. The divine officials attending him, including Bingding Yuelao and others, three hundred thousand in all, descend from the Three Qi Dan Heaven into the chamber.

After a short while, one visualizes these deities transforming into red Qi, bright as fire, penetrating and enveloping one’s body, entering through the mouth, and reaching straight to the palace of the heart. One then visualizes the Fire Star (Mars) shining brilliantly in the south, its radiance illuminating one’s body, and keeps each of these images clear and distinct. When the visualization is complete, one opens the eyes, turns the face upward, and offers this invocation:

Three Qi Dan Heaven, numinous child of the vermilion palace. Supreme Elder of the Primordial Beginning, riding a crimson dragon. Clad in a flying robe of cinnabar feathers and draped in a brocade cape of brilliant light. Commanding the celestial officials and regulating the movement of Yin-Yang. The three Qi pour forth radiance and flood my Crimson Palace (the place where the heart resides). The Infant (the deity within the heart) guards and steadies me, refining and nurturing Danya, so that my countenance glows. In the morning I draw in the vermilion sunlight, and jade mushrooms (immortal herbs symbolizing spiritual medicine) fill my body. Grant that I may pass through the kalpa years, and that this decaying body may return from old age to youth. May my lifespan equal that of Heaven and Earth, enjoyed forever without end. Within my body water and fire mingle, and transformation has no fixed form.

When the invocation is finished, one swallows the visualized crimson Qi in three draughts, and then ingests the twelve characters of the southern Red-Script Jade Text.

These twelve characters are the names of the Three Qi Dan Heaven. When guiding the three Qi of the Red Emperor and when ingesting Danya, one must in every case write the twelve characters in red ink on white paper; after the visualization is complete, the paper is swallowed. In daily practice, at cockcrow, just as the first light of day appears, one should face south, click the teeth three times, then rub the palms together until they are warm, massage the face three times with the warm palms, and then turn the face upward and offer the invocation:

Cultivate the southern vermilion elixir (Zhu Dan), representing the vermilion Qi (vital energy) of the south; ingest the vermilion elixir and drink the water of the elixir pool. Then pass the tip of the tongue along the outer side of the lower teeth, lick the lips, and rinse the mouth until it is filled with Jade Spring (Yuquan, the term for saliva in Daoist Neidan [internal alchemy] cultivation). Swallow the Jade Spring in three portions, then draw in the red Qi and likewise swallow it in three portions, settling and securing it within the palace of the heart. In this way, this method of cultivation is complete.

Cultivate and nourish the yellow teeth—here meaning to cultivate the teeth and nourish the bodily form by means of the Qi of central Earth—and guide the twelve Qi governed by Wu and Ji (the heavenly stems that represent the center and belong to Earth), that is, the Qi of the Central Yellow Heaven. Ordinarily, at the spring equinox, the summer solstice, and the autumn equinox, lick the lips and rinse the mouth until it is filled with Jade Spring, and swallow it in three portions; then draw in the red Qi and swallow it in three portions, settling and securing it within the palace of the heart. In this way, this method of cultivation is complete.

Cultivate and nourish the yellow teeth, and guide the twelve Qi governed by Wu and Ji, that is, the Qi of the Central Yellow Heaven. Ordinarily, at cockcrow on the days of the four solar terms—the spring equinox, the summer solstice, the autumn equinox, and the winter solstice—enter the chamber and, facing the direction corresponding to that day, perform twelve salutations. When the salutations are finished, sit upright and click the teeth twelve times, visualizing the Jade-Treasure Primordial-Numen Elder Lord of the Center, a Daoist deity. His surname is Tongban, his personal name is Yuanshi, and his courtesy name is Hanshuniou. He is one chi and two cun in height, wears a crown of yellow-essence jade, and is dressed in a five-colored feathered robe. He rides a jade carriage drawn by a yellow dragon and raises a yellow banner. Twelve myriads of attendant Shen (spirits), among them the officers of the Wuji Canglao, follow him as he descends from the Yellow Heaven of the Twelve Qi into the chamber.

In a short while he transforms into a dense yellow Qi, like colored clouds pouring forth radiance, which streams through and envelops my body, enters by the mouth, and reaches directly to the spleen mansion. Next, visualize the Earth Star shining brightly at the center of heaven, its light illuminating the whole body, with every scene clearly visible. Then open the eyes, raise the head, and offer this invocation:

“Great Mountain of the Central Yellow, primal Qi courses between heaven and earth. In heaven is the Elder Lord, who holds the four quarters in his comprehensive grasp. He rides a carriage drawn by a yellow dragon and wears a five-colored feathered robe; he turns the Nine Heavens and sets the celestial bodies in motion. The Earth Star shines brightly, and its radiance streams abroad; the fragrance of jade blossoms and aromatic zhi fills the four quarters. The Elder Lord fashions, transforms, and infuses my body, so that the spleen mansion is clear and unobstructed. I nourish my teeth and take in Jing (essence) and Qi, causing the myriad Shen to gather; I draw in the hun and po souls and refine the Shen of the Eight Awes. Within and without are equally luminous, and life endures without decline. I attain communion with the true Dao (the Way) and the divinities, and ascend into the celestial palace of Taiwei.”

When the invocation is finished, draw in the yellow Qi and swallow it twelve times, then ingest the sixteen characters of the Central Red-Script Jade Writ, a text of Daoist Fulu (talismans and registers).

The sixteen characters above are the name of the Yellow Heaven of the Center. In accordance with it, one guides the twelve breaths of Qi (vital energy) of the Yellow Emperor and ingests the yellow sprout (the Jing [essence] and Qi spoken of in Daoist cultivation). All of this is written in red characters on white paper. When the visualization is complete, one swallows it in a single mouthful.

Each day, at cockcrow, just as the sky grows light, face the Wang direction and click the teeth twelve times. Then rub the hands together until they are warm and massage the face with them twelve times. After that, raise the head and make this invocation:

Center, Wu and Ji, lofty and towering is Mount Tai. I ingest Jing and Qi, and drink of the sweet spring.

When the invocation is finished, stir with the tongue the Xuanying beneath the tongue (what Daoism calls the place where the fluids of the mouth gather), take the fluid, and moisten and lick the lips. Just as the sky grows light, face the Wang direction and click the teeth twelve times. Then rub the hands together until they are warm and massage the face with them twelve times. After that, raise the head and make this invocation:

Center, Wu and Ji, lofty and towering is Mount Tai. I ingest Jing and Qi, and drink of the sweet spring.

When the invocation is finished, stir with the tongue the Xuanying beneath the tongue, take the fluid, and moisten and lick the lips. Repeat this three times, then swallow the fluid. Next, draw in the yellow Qi and swallow it in twelve portions, so that it settles and is anchored in the spleen. With this, the method is complete.

The method of cultivating the white sprout (the Jing and Qi corresponding to the west and the color white) and of guiding the Qi of the White Heaven of the Seven Qi is as follows. Each year, on the day of the Beginning of Autumn, at cockcrow, enter the chamber and, facing west, perform seven salutations. When the salutations are finished, sit upright and click the teeth seven times, and visualize the Imperial Elder Lord of Brilliant Numen of the Golden Gate of the Seven Treasures in the west (a venerated Daoist deity). His surname is Shangjin, his given name is Changkai, and his courtesy name is Yaopobao. He is seven cun tall, wears a crown of pure white jade on his head and a white feathered robe on his body, rides in a carriage drawn by a white dragon, and raises white banners. Seven hundred thousand officials, elders of the Geng-Xin lineage, attend him. He descends from the White Heaven of the Seven Qi into the chamber and, in a moment, transforms into bright, pure-white Qi, spreading through the air like banks of cloud, pouring over and covering one’s body, then entering through the mouth and going straight to the lung mansion. One also visualizes the Metal Star shining brightly in the west, its radiance illuminating oneself and the chamber; in a moment it transforms into bright, pure-white Qi, spreading through the air like banks of cloud, pouring over and covering one’s body, then entering through the mouth and going straight to the lung mansion. All of the scenes above must be visualized clearly. Then open the eyes, raise the head, and make the invocation:

The seven gates of the Golden Numen shine with brilliant radiance, illuminating the magnificent realm of the west. Within it is the White Sovereign (Suhuang), the abode of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun). The White Sovereign rides a white dragon, his whole body encircled by seven towering kinds of Qi (vital energy). He wanders among the jade gates and disperses Jing (essence) and Qi into the crimson clouds. The Metal Star sends forth its brilliance, and fragrant lingzhi flourish in abundance.

Wondrous marshes nourish my body, so that I come to have pure white teeth. The luminous stone radiates a bright gleam and will not perish even through myriad kalpas. I ingest it with flowing spring water and nourish it with the Qi of Great Harmony. The Supreme Thearch of the Nine Heavens bestows jade blossoms upon me, prolonging my years and preserving my youthful appearance, so that bright white radiance fills my entire body. I shall endure together with heaven and earth, as long-lasting as the three luminaries—the sun, the moon, and the stars.

After the recitation, draw in white Qi seven times, swallowing once each time, and then ingest the twelve characters of the Red Writ in Jade Script of the West.

These twelve characters are the names of the White Heaven of the Seven Qi of the West. Guiding the seven kinds of Qi of the White Emperor and ingesting the “white teeth” (Suya—in Daoist cultivation, the teeth that symbolize pure white Jing and Qi, or a related method of ingestion) are both to be written in red characters on white paper. When the visualization is complete, they are swallowed together. Ordinarily, at cockcrow, just as the sky begins to brighten, one faces west, clicks the teeth seven times, rubs the two palms together until they are warm, massages the face seven times, raises the head, and invokes:

“Luminous stone of the west: ingest the luminous stone and drink it with numinous liquid.”

When the invocation is finished, lick the teeth with the tongue, then lick the lips and rinse the mouth, filling it with “jade spring” (Yuquan—a Daoist term for the saliva in the mouth), and swallow this in three portions. Then draw in white Qi seven times more and swallow it, so that the white Qi settles and is secured in the lung mansion (that is, the lungs). This method of cultivation is then complete.

Cultivate the “Xuan Ya” (the Daoist name for the teeth), and apply the method of guiding the Five Qi (vital energy). Whenever the day of the Beginning of Winter arrives, at cockcrow enter the chamber, face north, and perform the five rites. When the rites are finished, sit upright and knock the teeth five times, visualizing the Mysterious Elder Lord of the Five Numina, Dongyin Shuodan Yujue of the north (the divine lord who governs the Five Qi of the north). His surname is Heijie, his name is Linghui, and his courtesy name is Yinhouju. He is five cun in height; he wears a jade crown of mysterious essence on his head and a black feathered robe on his body, rides in a jade carriage drawn by a black dragon, and raises a black banner. Leading five hundred thousand attendant spirits (Shen), he descends from the Mysterious Heaven of the Five Qi into the chamber. Soon the divine lord transforms into masses of luminous black Qi, their radiances overlapping and flashing like meteors, penetrating and enveloping one’s own body, entering through the mouth and reaching straight to the kidney residence. Then visualize the Water star of the north shining brightly, its light illuminating the whole body so that everything is clearly visible. Then open the eyes, raise the head, and offer this invocation:

Mysterious Heaven of the North, the Five Qi spread numinous influence abroad. In heaven there is a great deity, the god of primordial Jing (essence) from the first beginning of creation. Driving a dragon carriage and raising his banners, he banquets as he roams the Upper Capital. Today is an auspicious day; felicity and numinous Qi descend everywhere. Immortal mushrooms drift and scatter, filling the four directions. Jade Maidens pour wondrous sweet dew into my body, filling and settling the kidney palace, making the original primordial Jing firm and causing decayed teeth to harden and grow anew. The storehouses of the five viscera take in true Qi and communicate upward with divine illumination. The Elder Lords of the Five Directions descend to receive and guide me, so that I may soon become an immortal. Transforming water and fire, I don an azure feathered robe; I fly through the Great Void and roam as far as the Purple Court. My lifespan equals that of the sun, the moon, and the stars, enduring through ten thousand kalpas.

When the invocation is finished, swallow the black Qi in five draughts, and then ingest the twelve characters of the Red Script Jade Writing of the north.

These twelve characters are the names of the Mysterious Heaven of the Five Qi of the north. Whenever one guides the Five Qi of the Black Emperor and ingests the Xuan Ya, the twelve characters must be written in cinnabar on white paper; as soon as the visualization is complete, swallow them at once. On ordinary days one may also, at cockcrow when the first light of heaven appears, face north, knock the teeth five times, rub the two palms until they are warm, and wipe the face and eyes five times, then raise the head and invoke:

Mysterious nourishment of the North: I ingest the mysterious nourishment, and take jade syrup as my drink.

After this is finished, press the tongue against the outer side of the lower teeth, then lick the lips and rinse the mouth until it fills with saliva—which Daoism calls the Jade Spring (Yuquan)—and swallow it in three portions. Next draw in black Qi (vital energy) and swallow it in five portions, so that it stands guard in the kidney residence, the place where the kidneys lie. This method is then complete.

Whenever one cultivates the Five True Writs of the Numinous Treasure, contemplates the divine immortals, hopes that what one seeks will receive a timely response, and invites the Perfected of the Nine Heavens into the chamber, one should swallow the breath in five portions so that it stands guard in the kidney residence. This method is then complete.

Whenever one cultivates the Five True Writs of the Numinous Treasure, contemplates the divine immortals, hopes that what one seeks will receive a timely response, and invites the Perfected of the Nine Heavens into the chamber, and if one wishes to become an immortal, one should, on a jiayin day or a yimao day after the Beginning of Spring, bathe and observe ritual abstinence. At dawn enter the quiet chamber, face east, and perform the rite nine times. Then sit upright and click the teeth nine times, thereby informing and awakening the Shen (spirit) within one’s own body.

When this is done, close the eyes and visualize the Azure Emperor Lord of the Eastern Peak, Mount Tai—the divine lord, the Azure Emperor of the east—and keep in mind his surname, personal name, and style name. He is nine cun and nine fen tall, wears a heaven-reaching precious crown made of azure jade, and is dressed in an azure feathered robe. He comes riding an azure dragon, attended by twelve Jade Maidens of the Azure Waist. They descend from the east into the practitioner’s chamber.

After a while, visualize the Azure Emperor Lord transforming into the form of a newborn infant, dwelling within azure Qi. Following that azure Qi, he enters through one’s own mouth and goes straight to the liver. Then visualize red Qi arising in the heart, passing through and encircling the liver residence. The azure Qi and the red Qi mingle and fuse, clinging together like successive layers of auspicious clouds and mist. When one feels a warm heat within the liver, swallow the Qi in nine portions, then raise the head and offer this invocation:

“Within the nine gates of the azure heaven, the First Sovereign stands guard. He comes and goes among the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), roaming and feasting in resplendent immortal palaces.”

The closing passage—“they cling together, like auspicious clouds of layered mist; when warmth is felt in the liver, swallow nine times and, looking upward, invoke”—appears more than once in the original text. The rendering above follows its place in context and reads it as one continuous whole.

Within the ninefold gates of the Azure Heaven dwells the First Sovereign (the deity who governs the immortal realm of the Azure Heaven). He passes in and out of the realm of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing; the supreme immortal realm venerated in Daoism), banqueting and roaming in magnificent celestial palaces; he guards the numinous mountains and dispatches Goumang (the Wood deity of the East). He commands the ninety million layers of heaven above the azure auroras, riding a feather-adorned carriage drawn by twelve flying dragons. Qingyao attends him on the left, and divine youths guard him on the right. They hold name-registers and azure jade slips, verify the immortal registers, and present them to the celestial palace.

Today Wang Ji comes forward to state his petition. He wears the Red Writ (a Daoist talismanic scripture) on his person, and his name has already been entered in the hall of the Celestial Emperor. May the gods, may the immortals, please inscribe me in the ledgers of the immortal registers. May the celestial deities turn their cloud carriages about and descend to my dwelling. May the Three Qi (vital energy; the primordial energies spoken of in Daoism) commingle, transforming my bodily form into the state of a newborn infant, settling the liver palace and drawing in light. May numinous light pour through my whole body, so that my countenance shines with a golden radiance. May I peacefully attain the realm of the natural and spontaneous and commune with the divinities; may I obtain long life and endure as long as Heaven and Earth.

When the recitation is finished, draw in the azure Qi and swallow it nine times in succession.

Practicing according to this method for nine years will summon nine Qingyao jade maidens and cause the numinous officials of the Eastern Peak, Mount Tai, to descend, so that they may fulfill the practitioner’s wishes and convey the petition upward to the Nine Heavens. If the parents of the living or of the dead have been punished or impressed into labor for their offenses, or have been enrolled under the Eastern Peak, the divinities will thereafter communicate with one another, the charges will be cleared, and the practitioner too will be released from culpability and ascend to the Hall of Blessings. This method is exceedingly precious; it is a bridge linking the living and the dead and leading toward liberation.

Ordinarily, on a bingwu day or a dingsi day after the Beginning of Summer, one bathes and observes abstinence, enters the chamber at noon, faces south and performs three salutations, then sits upright and clicks the teeth three times, thereby summoning and informing the spirits of one’s own body.

When this has been done, close the eyes and visualize the Red Emperor Lord of the Southern Peak, Mount Heng (the Fire deity of the South). Silently recite his surname, given name, and courtesy name, and visualize him as three cun and three fen in height, wearing a heaven-reaching precious crown of red jade, dressed in cinnabar-red feather robes, and riding a red dragon. Twelve jade maidens holding red gui tablets attend him, descending from the south into the practitioner’s chamber.

After a short while, visualize the Red Emperor Lord transforming into the likeness of a newborn infant, abiding within red Qi, entering with the breath through the practitioner’s mouth and going directly to the heart. Then visualize yellow Qi arising in the spleen, threading around and encircling the heart palace, so that the yellow and red Qi mingle and fuse, bright as a blazing flame. When warmth is felt in the heart, swallow three times. Then raise the head and offer this prayer, saying:

The three streams of numinous Qi (vital energy) brought forth by the transformations of the Southern Cinnabar Heaven gather at the Jade Gate of the South. There a great deity dwells, named the Numinous Lord of the Red Emperor. He wears red robes and bears Fulu (talismans and registers), with flying cloud patterns embroidered on his garments. Riding a vermilion dragon, he rises into the void and descends upon the clouds.

Mount Heng, the Southern Marchmount, is a numinous mountain revered by all the gods. Divine spirits pass in and out of the realm of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing)—the threefold heaven spoken of in Daoism—and ascend to the realm of the Nine Mysteries. The Red Gui (a red jade tablet) attends beside them, and jade youths stand guard over the Perfected. They hold slips and registers inscribed with red ledgers and jade script, by which they verify the ranks and order of the immortals and report upward matters of greater and lesser weight.

Today the Great King opens the gate of immortality upon the numinous peak. We invite the exalted deities above to turn and descend to the Three Gates within my body—the apertures in the practitioner through which one communicates with the spirits. We ask the deities to transform into an infant, to settle the heart and Shen (spirit) and to guard the hun and po souls, so that the two breaths may mingle and enfold the root of my life. May I long accompany Zhurong (the fire god of the South), riding auspicious clouds, roaming at ease in the South, and enduring together with Heaven and Earth.

When the recitation is finished, inhale the red Qi three times, swallowing it down each time. In cultivating this method, one may invite the numinous officers of Mount Heng, the Southern Marchmount, to descend, and summon three Jade Maidens of the Red Gui as signs of numinous response and as agents to be dispatched. In this way petitions may be conveyed and wishes fulfilled, and all that is sought will proceed smoothly. Whether for the living or the dead, the sin-registers of their parents, their criminal liabilities, and the records of banishment to the Southern Marchmount may all be annulled; the names of punishment disperse, and they may be raised to serve as celestial officials. This method is profoundly mysterious and of great importance, and it can open a way through for the affairs of life and death.

After the spring equinox, the summer solstice, the autumn equinox, and the winter solstice, when one meets the days Wuchen, Wuxu, Jichou, and Jiwei, one bathes and keeps a fast to purify the mind. When sunlight enters the room, one goes into the quiet chamber, faces the reigning direction, and performs twelve salutations; then one sits upright, clicks the teeth twelve times, and summons and addresses the spirits (Shen) within the body.

When this is finished, close the eyes and visualize the Yellow Emperor Lord of the Central Peak, lofty Mount Song—the deity who dwells at the Central Peak—keeping in mind his surname, personal name, and courtesy name. Imagine him one chi and two cun tall, wearing a yellow jade crown that reaches to Heaven, dressed in a yellow feathered robe, and riding in a carriage drawn by a yellow dragon, with twelve yellow-and-white jade maidens attending at his sides. He descends from the Central Peak into the practitioner’s quiet chamber. After a while, visualize the Yellow Emperor Lord once more, now transformed into the form of a newborn infant, resting in yellow Qi (vital energy); with the breath he enters through the practitioner’s mouth and goes straight to the spleen palace, the inner palace where the spleen resides.

Next, visualize white Qi arising in the lungs; the white Qi passes through and encircles the spleen palace. The yellow and the white Qi mingle, turning like yellow cloud-Qi in the sky. When warmth is felt in the spleen, swallow the yellow Qi in twelve draughts. Then raise the head and offer this invocation:

“Yellow Origin of the Central Heaven, you hold all the numinous spirits of the four directions under your command. The Central Peak, where Wu and Ji reside, is the seat of the supreme Jing (essence) of the Primordial Beginning. The great deity, the Yellow Emperor, rides a flying carriage; twelve yellow dragons serve the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) in Heaven; jade maidens guard him, and divine youths obey his command. You open the immortal mountains, collate the charts and registers, enroll the immortals, and fix the rolls of names; you pace the Central Peak and bestow numinous Qi by means of white jade. Please turn back your true numen, condescend to descend, and pour numinous Qi into my body. Cause the various breaths to blend and transform, and cause the aged emperor to become an infant; settle and secure the spleen palace, make the inner palace abundant and flourishing, and let the body bring forth extraordinary marks, bright within and without. May I join with the Perfected, gain passage to the pure realms of the Nine Heavens, and in my heart ride the carriage of the Yellow Emperor, ascending in flight to the Jade Court.”

When the invocation is finished, draw in the yellow Qi once more, swallow it in twelve draughts, and then stop.

If one cultivates according to this method, the scripture (Jing) says that the numinous officials of the Central Peak and the Five Emperors will descend into the quiet chamber and send the twelve yellow-and-white jade maidens to the practitioner’s side, helping one to commune with the spirits and to make report to the Nine Heavens. The scripture also says that if the registers of sins and the penal names of one’s parents in this life and in former lives are bound to the Central Peak, all can be released: the registers of sins are destroyed, one’s name is entered in the immortal registers, and one leaves the Earth Officials and ascends into the Hall of Blessings. Both the living and the dead obtain peace, and one is able to save and deliver many people.

Usually, in the evening (the “bu hour”) on a gengshen day or a xinyou day after the Beginning of Autumn, one writes talismanic script and registers it in the name-roll of the immortals. In this way one may leave the Earth Office (the underworld bureau that governs the souls of the dead), ascend into the Hall of Blessings, turn the affairs of life and death toward open passage and peace, and bring deliverance to beings without number.

Usually, in the evening on a gengshen day or a xinyou day after the Beginning of Autumn, one bathes and observes fasting and purification, enters a quiet chamber, faces west and performs seven obeisances, then sits upright and clicks the teeth seven times, thereby summoning and informing the Shen (spirits) of one’s own body (the deities who govern the various parts of the body). When this is done, one closes the eyes and visualizes the Lord White Emperor of the Western Marchmount, Mount Huayin (the deity of the West venerated in Daoism), silently reciting his surname, given name, and style name. He stands seven cun and seven fen tall, wears a precious heaven-reaching crown made of plain jade, is clad in white feather robes, and comes riding a white dragon, followed by twelve maidens dressed in white and adorned with white jade, descending from the Western Marchmount into the practitioner’s chamber.

After a while, one visualizes the Lord White Emperor transforming into the form of a newborn infant, dwelling within white Qi (vital energy) and, following the Qi, entering the practitioner’s mouth and going straight to the lungs. One then visualizes black Qi arising in the kidneys, passing through and encircling the palace of the lungs. White Qi and black Qi mingle and fuse, like layer upon layer of auspicious clouds surging up into the sky. When warmth is felt in the lungs, one swallows the breath in seven draughts. Then, raising the head, one offers this invocation:

O Heaven formed of the Seven Qi, Golden Hall of the Plain Sovereign (the immortal palace where the White Emperor dwells)! Great deity of the White Emperor, pray settle and guard the West. The numinous mountain of Huayin is honored as Divine King. Draped in flying robes of white feathers, he raises his banners and travels riding a dragon. He roams above in the realm of mysterious azure, entering and leaving the resplendent palaces. Great deity of the White Emperor, pray settle and guard the West; the numinous mountain of Huayin is honored as Divine King; draped in flying robes of white feathers, he raises his banners and travels riding a dragon; he roams above in the realm of mysterious azure, entering and leaving the resplendent palaces. He presides over the name-registers of the immortals and inscribes the immortal tablets in every quarter. On this fine and auspicious day, the myriad sages banquet upon the peaks. Divine spirits wander amid nine-colored auspicious clouds, their radiance streaming and scattering. The essence of Metal flashes; white stone gleams with a moist luster. The mountains are opened, numinous responses appear, and divine majesty spreads through the four quarters. I wish to attain the Dao (the Way) and become an immortal; I wish to gain long life. If what I seek can be realized, then nothing will fail to be auspicious. I pray that you receive and enroll me, so that I may penetrate the true Dao and transform my bodily form; may the transformation be accomplished of itself, and may I fly together with the Qi. The body light, the bones airy and nimble, I ascend in flight to the immortal palace of the Purple Chamber.

After the preceding steps are finished, inhale the white Qi (vital energy) and swallow it in seven portions; one may then stop. It is said that when this method is practiced, the White Emperor, numinous official of the Western Peak, will descend and send seven jade maidens of pure white to open, for the practitioner, the pass of communion with the spirits, so that whatever is sought can be conveyed up to the Nine Heavens. The charges and punishments recorded against the practitioner and the practitioner’s parents in the registers of life and death kept at the Western Peak are all remitted; the registers of guilt erase themselves, their names are entered in the registers of the immortals, they leave the Five Paths (the five destinations of sentient beings in the cycle of rebirth), and they ascend forever into the Hall of Blessings. Both the living and the dead obtain deliverance, and blessings descend of themselves.

Ordinarily, on the Renzi and Guihai days after the Start of Winter, at the hour of Zi, one bathes, clears the mind, and observes the fast, enters the chamber, faces north, and performs the five rites of homage, then sits upright and clicks the teeth five times, thereby awakening the divinities within the body. One then closes the eyes and visualizes the name and taboo-name of the Black Emperor Lord of the Northern Peak, Mount Heng (the deity of the north). He is five cun and five fen in height, wears a precious heaven-reaching crown of dark jade, is clad in a black feathered robe, and comes riding a black dragon, with twelve Jade Maidens of Great Mystery attending behind him, descending from the Northern Peak into the practitioner’s chamber.

After a short time of visualization, the Black Emperor Lord changes into the form of a newborn infant, abiding amid black Qi; with the breath he enters the practitioner’s mouth and goes straight to the palace of the kidneys. One next visualizes green Qi arising from the liver and coiling about the palace of the kidneys, so that the green and black Qi mingle and fuse, dim and far-reaching like blue-green clouds and mist. When warmth is felt in the kidneys, swallow the breath five times. Then raise the head and offer this invocation:

“The five Qi issue from the Dark Heaven, and the Qi of Jing (essence) flows down from above. Qi binds together and becomes numinous, and is called the immortal lodge. Settled to guard the Northern Peak, Mount Heng, it is the place where the Black Emperor roams and dwells. He roams and feasts in Beidan, riding a dragon and driving a carriage. Today falls on an auspicious day, and the myriad spirits open the immortal chart. The five Qi come and go, congealing into the numinous, and this is called the immortal lodge. Settled to guard the Northern Peak, Mount Heng, it is the place where the Black Emperor roams and dwells. He roams and feasts in Beidan, riding a dragon and driving a carriage. Today falls on an auspicious day, and the myriad spirits open the immortal chart. The five Qi circle about, and clouds of good omen spread on every side. Immortal lads hold the slips and registers, and Great Mystery bestows the Fulu (talismans and registers). Please enter me in the registers of the immortals and write my name upon the golden register. I pray that the Perfected One will graciously descend and become one with the newborn infant. The two Qi of Yin-Yang interweave, coursing through and pouring into my body. The spirit Xuanming upholds and guides me, making me a companion of the immortals. Forever I shall enjoy the blessings and longevity of heaven and earth, and through ten thousand kalpas this shall not come to an end.”

In the scriptural text (Jing), the wording “after the Start of Winter, Renzi and Guiyue” in one place is suspected of being a textual error; later the text writes instead “on the days of Renzi and Guihai after the Start of Winter.” The invocation also contains repeated sentences.

After the five swallowings of black Qi are completed, the ritual comes to an end. It is said that those who cultivate this method will be visited in visible form by the Numinous Officers of the Northern Marchmount (Beiyue lingguan) and the Black Emperor (Heidi), who dispatch five Jade Maidens of Great Mystery (Taixuan yunü) to serve at one’s command. Through them the practitioner may convey requests, so that prayers ascend to the Nine Heavens (Jiutian). If the charges and penal records of the living, the dead, and their parents fall under the jurisdiction of the Northern Marchmount, these too are annulled, freeing them from the Three Evil Paths (san’edao, the three wretched destinations spoken of in Buddhism) and allowing them to ascend to heaven. This is an exceedingly sublime method, capable of broadly delivering all beings.

When cultivating this method, one should constantly keep the mind peaceful and still, focused and clear. In this way the spirits readily respond. If one can master the proper regulations, within a year one will see the directions in which the spirits come and go and appear, and celestial officials will come to receive one, so that one may broadly deliver all beings.

When cultivating this method, one should constantly keep the mind peaceful and still, focused and clear. In this way the spirits readily respond. If one can master the proper regulations, within a year one will see the directions in which the spirits come and go and appear, and celestial officials will come to receive one. Demonic spirits will disperse and submit, not daring to come forward and interfere; the mind grows keen and wise, able of itself to discern fortune and misfortune. The Five Marchmounts and the Five Emperors (Wuyue wudi) will constantly keep company and remain in communion with the divinities, so that one may attain immortality while sitting at ease.