《上清三真旨要玉诀》

Wearing ritual robes sewn with “Seyuan” adornments, one holds the solar Jing (essence) in the left hand and the moonlight in the right, and infuses the essences of sun and moon into the Niwan Palace of the Upper Residence (the palace of spirit-consciousness above the head). Three times one calls upon the Shangbao Zhenren (an honorific title of a Shangqing immortal), so that the five Qi (vital energy) within the Taixu (the vast and boundless void) flow with essence, nurturing and contemplatively illuminating one’s body, and so that the Qi of the five flavors enters the mouth and is swallowed five times. One then raises the head and recites the incantation:

“Exalted Supreme True Sovereign, Five Emperors of the Great Void, I pray you protect my Niwan Palace. Let the mysterious and wondrous light shine upon the Five Forms (the five bodily constituents that make up the human person); let the radiance of sun, moon, and stars be bright, and let sun and moon shine through. May flying clouds and streaming roseate vapors send down jade Jing, nurturing and pouring into me, so that my countenance is refined and my hun and po souls are preserved, the Shen (spirit) soul arises of itself, transformations are inexhaustible, and I ascend into the Purple Court (the dwelling place of the immortals).”

When the recitation is finished, one draws in Qi five times and then stops.

After the life-mandate incantations of the five directions have been recited, rub the two palms together and then wipe the eyes with the hands. Cultivated in this way for five years, the countenance will display a golden luster, the five viscera will be filled with vitality, the Jade Storehouse (the place within the body where Jing and Qi are stored) will be protected, and one will at last accomplish the Dao (the Way) of divine immortality. The Three Palaces (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy center) within the human body) will be unobstructed, the true numen will manifest, and one will be able to ride emptiness and mount the void, ascending in broad daylight. In practice one must keep strict secrecy and must not transmit the method lightly.

Those who cultivate this superior method, recite it a full ten thousand times, and hope for the descent of the true numen in order to become immortal should, on the days of the Eight Nodes (Start of Spring, Spring Equinox, Start of Summer, Summer Solstice, Start of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Start of Winter, and Winter Solstice), deliver a name-card to the mountain of their natal destiny on the Numinous Mountain (the mountain corresponding to one’s personal natal destiny) and present a memorial to Yuqing (the dwelling place of the exalted deities of Daoism). Continued without interruption for three years, one’s name will be registered in the Azure Palace, the documents will be affiliated with the Jade Emperor, one will be attended by the guards of Yuhua (Jade Blossom), and welcomed by Jinchen (Golden Dawn).

This is the True Formula of Jade Jing, a chapter treasured by the Imperial Lord. One who obtains this formula should, it is said, ascend as an immortal before long. If one recklessly divulges this divine text, the punishment will bring calamity upon nine generations; even one’s own person will perish and the bodily form be destroyed, forever sealed away at Heyuan (the River’s source). The cultivation must be kept secret. What is said is no empty speech.

On the day of the Summer Solstice, upon the mountain corresponding to one’s own natal destiny (the natal marchmount), face south at noon, click the teeth thirty-two times, then raise the head and softly recite the incantation:

“Mysterious and wondrous Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) shine with bright radiance, and the Shen (spirit) of Yuanshi Tianzun, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, manifests. The light of the sun, moon, and stars of the four directions, together with the primordial Qi of the eight directions, interweaves in its movement and fixes the guiding order of the celestial realm. The Baiyuan Shen brings release to the dead, and the Yuanying Shen allows life to continue. The memorial is presented to the numinous marchmount, so that the realm of Yuqing—Jade Clarity, the Heaven of Pure Subtlety spoken of in Daoism—may hear it. May the exalted celestial worthies record my true name. I respectfully await the summons to proceed to the Purple Court, the dwelling of the immortals. Spirits of the Three Officials and the Nine Bureaus, pray all listen with due care.”

After the recitation, swallow the Qi nine times, then turn to face north and kneel upright, reciting the slip-incantation as set out below. When this is finished, bury the slip bearing the memorial on a high and steep rocky peak.

On the day of the Start of Autumn, at noon, face the southwest, click the teeth thirty-two times, then raise the head and softly recite the incantation:

“Flowing firelight shines toward the four directions, and soaring radiance opens into brightness. The primordial Qi of the eight directions reflects one another in brilliance and together takes its place in the guiding order of the celestial realm. The divine spirits of the Nine Beginnings proclaim the dawn and communicate upward with the imperial spirits. The memorial is presented to the numinous marchmount, and Donghua, the immortal realm of the East, registers the name. Long guard the mysterious dwelling, and rest at ease in the Purple Court. May the Three Officials and the Nine Bureaus place me among those granted long life, so that my years may equal Heaven’s and I may forever enjoy Huangning, the state of peace and great tranquility.”

After the recitation, swallow the Qi nine times, then turn to face north and kneel upright, and recite the slip-incantation according to the rite that follows. When finished, bury the slip.

On the day of the Autumn Equinox, at noon, face west, click the teeth thirty-two times, then raise the head and softly recite the incantation:

“Shaoyin, the Yin Qi of autumn and winter, begins to move, and the roads of the eight directions open. The three emblems—Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon, and the stars—circulate in harmonious accord and fix the beams and pillars of the celestial realm. Yuanshi Tianzun sets the proper sequence in order and brings the four directions into mutual harmony. The memorial is presented to the Mysterious Marchmount, the sacred mountain, and ascends to Yujing, the immortal realm where the Celestial Emperor dwells. May the exalted Supreme Worthy have Wuying, the name of a deity, register the name. The Three Officials bring release to the dead, and the Nine Bureaus protect the favorable course of all affairs. Thereafter the divine officers of the Three Realms come to receive me, so that I may ride the void and harness the mist, flying through the Great Void.”

After the recitation, swallow the Qi nine times, then turn to face north and kneel upright, and recite the slip-incantation according to the rite that follows. When finished, bury the slip.

On the day of the Start of Winter, at noon, face the northwest and click the teeth thirty-two times. After the recitation, swallow the Qi nine times, then turn to face north and kneel upright, and recite the slip-incantation according to the rite that follows. When finished, bury the slip.

At noon on the day of the Start of Winter, face the northwest, knock the teeth thirty-two times, then raise the head and recite the incantation: “Mysterious Yin presides over the clear dawn; the course of the four seasons returns to the Dao (the Way) of Heaven. The primordial Qi (vital energy) of the eight directions converges and circulates, and the cyclical measures of Qi between Heaven and Earth turn and begin again without end. The Supreme Thearch issues a command: today is an auspicious day and a favorable hour, when one’s name may be memorialized, one may enter the pure and tranquil celestial palaces, and one may be enrolled as a minister of the Celestial Thearch. Receiving the Mandate of Heaven, one has audience with the Jade Dawn. Beifeng (the northern place that governs the underworld) removes my register of death, and Nangong (the celestial palace that administers the registers of life and death) records my name.” After the recitation, swallow Qi nine times, then face north and kneel in the formal long kneel, reciting the tablet incantation according to the ritual prescribed in the text that follows. When this is finished, bury the written tablet.

At noon on the day of the Winter Solstice, face north, knock the teeth thirty-two times, then raise the head and recite the incantation: “Yin Jing (essence) stirs the primordial Qi; the Feathered Dawn rides upon the Qi of the dark underworld and proceeds. The two lights of the sun and moon move in turn, revolving according to the warp and weft of the Heavenly Dao. The Nine Thearchs jointly preside over this movement, replacing my title and bestowing a new name of immortal and Perfected. The memorial ascends to the celestial court, and a covenant is registered in the Jade Court. The Five Marchmounts (the celebrated mountains of the five directions) and the Three Offices (the divine bureaus in charge of the relevant affairs of the celestial departments) guard and secure my life by their majestic authority, so that I may share the radiance of the sun and moon and share the peace of Heaven and Earth.” After the recitation, swallow Qi nine times, kneel in the long kneel, and recite the tablet incantation according to the ritual. When this is finished, bury the written tablet.

At noon on the day of the Start of Spring, face the northeast, knock the teeth thirty-two times, then raise the head and recite the incantation: “Yang Qi appears, proclaiming a new beginning; mysterious and subtle Qi rises, illuminating the clear dawn. The two movements of Yin-Yang shine forth in turn, and the measures of the Qi of Heaven and Earth return to their original truth. The Supreme Thearch has a command, making known to me the numinous and wondrous scripture (Jing). I cast and present the written tablet to the divine marchmount, forever retaining the prospect of ascending in flight and becoming an immortal. The Three Officials and Nine Bureaus (the divine offices of the celestial realm that administer affairs of every kind) ferry me across the source of the River, so that my name is entered in the registers of the Celestial Thearch and I long remain an honored guest of the Jade Court.” After the recitation, swallow Qi nine times, then face north and kneel in the long kneel, reciting the tablet incantation according to the ritual set out in the text that follows. When this is finished, bury the written tablet.

At noon on the day of the Spring Equinox, face east, knock the teeth thirty-two times, then raise the head and recite the incantation: “The essential Qi of the celestial realm spreads abroad; vast and flood-like clear Qi flows. Riding the morning Qi, one travels in due course through the Five Stars. The Yellow Register (the document used in Daoism for Zhaijiao (purification ritual), the registration of names, and similar rites) illuminates the hun and po souls; Donghua (the immortal realm of the east) protects life. One long enjoys the longevity of the Limitless, and after passing through a hundred million kalpas opens upon a new birth. The tablet writing is memorialized and presented to the Jade Palace (the dwelling of the Celestial Thearch); the Northern Thearch removes the old register of my name, so that I may roam the obscure, mysterious, and lofty regions, my form drifting and wandering in the immortal realm of Purple Clarity.” After the recitation, swallow Qi nine times, then face north and kneel in the long kneel, reciting the tablet incantation according to the ritual. When this is finished, bury the written tablet.

At noon on the day of the Beginning of Summer, face the southeast and click the teeth thirty-two times. Raise the head, gaze into the sky, and recite: “The Qi (vital energy) of the eight directions interweaves and spreads abroad, setting the quarters in solemn order and dancing through the heavens; with five circlings and seven turnings, transformation suddenly comes to pass. After three refinings and nine trials, one can change one’s appearance and lengthen one’s life, so that radiant blessings surround the body and one forever retains the station of a superior immortal.” When the recitation is finished, swallow the Qi nine times. Then face north and kneel upright, recite according to the rite the incantation written on the slip, and when that is done bury the slip.

The disciple of the Most High Purple Void Jade Emperor of the Great Cavern and the Three Luminaries, Master Xuanjing of the Eastern Marchmount, He Xuanming, fifty-six years of age, courtesy name Zifangguo, born in the first month, having received the threefold earnest mandate, ought to conduct himself with care in the station of a subject. Face north and kneel upright, recite according to the rite the incantation written on the slip, and when that is done bury the slip.

The disciple of the Most High Purple Void Jade Emperor of the Great Cavern and the Three Luminaries, Master Xuanjing of the Eastern Marchmount, He Xuanming, fifty-six years of age, courtesy name Zifangguo, born in the first month, having received the threefold earnest mandate, ought to conduct himself with care in the station of a subject. After the true spirits of the numinous mountains of the Five Marchmounts, the Three Officials and the Nine Bureaus, and the Twelve River Sources have been opened, the name and title of your subject Xuan are memorialized upward to the Jade Clarity (the celestial realm in which the revered deities of Daoism dwell).

The foregoing is written in cinnabar on a silver piercing-slip. After facing north and reading through the words on the piercing-slip, insert the piercing-slip beneath the mysterious crag, and do not let anyone else obtain it. Then face north and bow twice, kneel upright and read the text of the slip through to the end, click the teeth nine times more, and in a low voice recite the incantation: “Primordial Emperor, Most High Jade Perfected, father and mother of the golden immortals, Jade Blossom and Purple Dawn, who command the myriad Qi, who examine the cultivation of perfection and lead the immortals: report upward to the Azure Palace (an office of the celestial realm), so that the talismanic mandate proves efficacious and the immortal station is achieved; let the name and title be entered in the register of immortals and set forth before the Imperial Lord. Respectfully opening hereby the Nine Bureaus, the Three Officials, and the River Sources, may my name be entered in the azure register of immortals, to endure forever.” When the recitation is finished, bury the slip.

This is a subtle oral formula handed down by the Imperial Lord, transmitted only to those whose innate capacity is complete and who are destined to become immortals. At every festival, proceed according to the method set out above. Within three years, deliver piercing-slips to the numinous marchmount twenty-four times, and the True Sovereign will register an immortal name for that person, while the Imperial Lord will further bestow twelve jade lads and twelve jade maidens. If one carelessly divulges this precious secret formula, the blame will fall upon oneself. One ought clearly and scrupulously to observe the precepts of the Mysterious Gate, keep the matter secret, and carry out the cultivation.

The Jade Essence Formula says: If you are able to dwell in seclusion among the mountains and cultivate in clarity and stillness, you should choose a ren day or a gui day, engrave in black the Jade Script of the Nine Heavens upon a blue-green stone, and bury it to the east of your dwelling. At the moment of burial, face east, click the teeth nine times, and recite the incantation: “Azure…”

The Jade Essence Instructions say: If you are able to live in seclusion, cultivating your practice and observing fasting and abstinence among the mountains, then on a ren day or a gui day you should inscribe the Jade Script of the Nine Heavens on blue-green stone, write it in black, and bury it to the east of the place where you dwell. When burying the stone, face east, click your teeth nine times, and recite the incantation:

“O blue-green, deep and hidden! O blue-green, deep and hidden! Sacred peak of Mount Tai, the nine Qi (vital energy) gather into essence, enduring, numinous, and darkly obscure. Blue waves surge through the three Dantian (energy centers); four feet and six eyes. From the palaces where the Higher Perfected dwell, proclamation is made to the four quarters: of the thousand kinds of numinous beings and the ten thousand kinds of spirits, none fails to submit and heed with caution. The Jade Emperor has already issued his command; those who defy it shall be put to death.”

After the recitation, bury the stone nine chi (Chinese feet) deep. This is a superior method by which the Imperial Lord uses the Jade Script to suppress and subdue spirits. The specific text is as follows:

“This Imperial Lord received the Jade Script of the Nine Heavens transmitted by the Elder of the Nine Heavens. Written in black upon blue-green stone and buried to the east of the mountain where one dwells, it is used to subdue the myriad demons, to cause divine immortals and Perfected to come and meet one, and to have jade maidens guard one’s bodily form. Be sure to keep it carefully secret, and do not transmit it to others.”

The Jade Essence Instructions further say: On a jia day or a yi day, one should inscribe the Jade Script of the Nine Heavens on red stone, write it in blue-green, and bury it to the south of the mountain where one dwells. When burying the stone, face south, click the teeth nine times, and recite the incantation:

“Essence of the red Cinnabar Yang, myriad spirits of Mount Huo in the south: lush and abundant are the notes of the panpipes and the winds of Qi, descending into the dark obscurity. The imperial officials each have their offices; the Jade Script is buried to the south of the mountain where one dwells. The mandate of Huangning descends from Heaven—who dares not heed it with caution? Those who resist are slain; those who offend suffer punishment.”

After the recitation, bury the stone nine chi deep. This is a superior method by which the Jade Imperial Lord uses the Jade Script to suppress and subdue spirits. The specific text is as follows:

“This Imperial Lord received the Jade Script of the Nine Heavens transmitted by the Elder of the Nine Heavens. Written in blue-green upon red stone and buried to the south of the mountain where one dwells, it is used to subdue the myriad demons, to cause divine immortals and Perfected to come and meet one, and to have jade maidens guard one’s bodily form. One who obtains the true instructions of the Jade Essence and cultivates them in due sequence will be able to ascend to Heaven in broad daylight. Be sure to keep it carefully secret, and do not transmit it to others.”

The Jade Essence Formula (Yujing Jue) says: Choose a wu day or a ji day, inscribe the Nine Heavens Jade Text (Jiutian Yuwen) in yellow characters on a white stone, and bury it on the western side of the mountain where one dwells. When burying the stone, face west, knock the teeth nine times, and recite the incantation:

“Baihao Jieluo, Suyun Xuan’a; myriad essences of the Western Marchmount, ride the Qi (vital energy) upon surging waves. The Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi) issues the command and brings the Three Floresences (Sanhua) under control; the four regions and the eight Qi open through the nine. Baihao Jieluo, Suyun Xuan’a; myriad essences of the Western Marchmount, ride the Qi upon surging waves. The Primordial Beginning issues the command and brings the Three Floresences under control. The breaths of the four directions and the eight quarters all come under my command. Those who transgress shall be cut down; those who offend shall be held to account.”

When the recitation is finished, bury the stone nine chi underground. This is a superior method by which the Imperial Lord (Dijun) uses the Jade Text to secure and protect the spirits. Its wording is as follows:

“The Imperial Lord received the Nine Heavens Jade Text from the Elder of the Nine Heavens (Jiutian Zhangren), wrote it in yellow characters on a white stone, and buried it on the western side of the mountain where he dwelt, in order to subdue the myriad demons, cause immortals and Perfected Ones (Zhenren) to come and meet him, and have jade maidens guard his person. The Jade Text will manifest of itself, and the practitioner will be able to ascend to Heaven in broad daylight. This method must be kept strictly secret and must not be transmitted.”

The Jade Essence Yang (Yujing Yang) says: Choose a geng day or a xin day, inscribe the Nine Heavens Jade Text in white characters on a black stone, and bury it on the northern side of the mountain where one dwells. When burying the stone, face north, knock the teeth nine times, and recite the incantation:

“Northern Mount Heng (Hengshan) is where the Jing (essence) and Qi of the Chronogram Star (Chenxing) reside. The dark, profound, and far-reaching black numinous light accords with the breath and puts forth the power of the spirits. The Supreme Thearch (Shangdi) has issued a command: the Jade Text is used to secure and protect life. The Three Ways (Sandao; the sacred powers or principles of which Daoism speaks) raise their awesome might, and those whom they subdue must not be regarded lightly. All of you must carefully obey the command and restore each your true form.”

When the recitation is finished, bury the stone nine chi underground. This is a superior method by which the Imperial Lord uses the Jade Text to secure and protect the spirits. Its wording is as follows:

“The Imperial Lord received the Nine Heavens Jade Text from the Elder of the Nine Heavens, wrote it in white characters on a black stone, and buried it on the northern side of the mountain where he dwelt, in order to subdue the myriad demons, cause divine immortals and Perfected Ones to come and meet him, and have jade maidens guard his body. The true formula will become manifest of itself, and the practitioner will be able to ascend to Heaven in broad daylight. This method must be kept strictly secret and must not be transmitted.”

Yujing Yang said: On a bing day or a ding day, one should carve the Jade Text of the Nine Heavens in red characters upon a yellow stone and then bury it at the center of the mountain where one dwells. When the stone is about to be buried, face north, click the teeth nine times, and recite this incantation:

“Yellow primordial Qi (vital energy), profound, remote, and lofty, presides over the five directions. Heaven above sends down the fundamental ordinances, restraining demons and evil and subduing the various kings; it protects and aids Huabo, so that the demonic kinds are brought under control together. The imperial spirit of Tianyi obeys the mandate of the Nine Yang; the jade text of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning secures and fills the central palace where the bright spirits dwell.”

After the recitation, bury the stone nine chi deep. This is the superior method by which the Imperial Lord uses the jade text to secure and fill the bright spirits. The wording is as follows:

This Jade Text of the Nine Heavens was received by the Imperial Lord from the Elder of the Nine Heavens. Written in cinnabar on a yellow stone and buried at the center of the mountain where one dwells, it can subdue the myriad demons, cause immortals and Perfected to come and meet one, and have jade maidens guard one’s person. The ranks of the true Dao (the Way) will become manifest of themselves, and in the end one may ascend to Heaven in broad daylight. This method must be kept strictly secret and must not be transmitted to anyone to whom it should not be transmitted.

The above is the superior method of Jade Essence for securing and filling the mountains. The Imperial Lord obtained it from the Elder of the Nine Heavens, who passed on the oral instructions by word of mouth. According to the secret regulations of the Higher Perfected, seven hundred years must pass before it may be transmitted to a person whose bone physiognomy corresponds to this method. Without a jade name—the name-register of those authorized to receive and transmit this method—one must not presume to expound it, still less casually divulge the divine text. Otherwise punishment will follow, implicating seven generations of ancestors, and calamity will also fall upon oneself. Whoever receives this method must be cautious and observe this secret text.

Transmission of this formula and its related essential words must follow a definite ritual order. Prepare a golden fish, a jade dragon, forty chi of blue-green patterned silk, nine pairs of golden clasps, and one hundred chi of natal-destiny silk for the covenant oath—silk associated with the recipient’s natal destiny. Only after the covenant has been announced during a fast of reverent purity, within a pure and secluded chamber, may the transmission take place. If the covenant oath is broken, both master and disciple incur guilt. Ghost-officials examine every person who transmits or receives this method, so both parties must act with caution.

The Jade Scripture (Jing) of the Queen Mother of the West on Cherishing the Spirits in Daily Life

Copied by Lady Purple Tenuity

When one wakes from sleep at night, one should regularly change position. Then quickly close both eyes, click the teeth nine times, and swallow the saliva three times. After this, curl the tongue back toward the throat, shake the head and neck seven times, and with the hands gently massage both sides of the nose—up and down, left and right—several dozen times, while softly reciting the incantation:

The Supreme Lord of the Nine Heavens nurtures and preserves the infant origin with the Qi (vital energy) of the Three Origins. The Most High sets a radiant splendor in motion, and within the Jade Chamber Jing (essence) and Qi are stirred into action. The Seven Gates summon the spirits, and the Nine Chambers receive the light, so that the ears become keen and the eyes bright, opening a way through to the true Dao (the Way) and to the spirits. The Marchmount at the Center of Heaven brings the harmonious Qi into even balance and peace. The Proud Maiden shows a bearing like clouds; the Bright Youth is radiant, refined, and graceful; Mysterious Hearing is clear and lucid; and the Hundred Pavilions shine in full brilliance. They nurture and preserve the Qi of the Upper Origin, passing back and forth within the Golden Court.

The Five Viscera circulate their radiance, and the ears and eyes constantly retain their vitality. The terrace of Shen (spirit) stands lofty, and the pillars and beams remain firm and do not tilt. The Seven Po are moistened, nourished, and refined, while the Three Hun rest settled, clear, and calm. Taiyi walks hand in hand with me; the Qi of the Five Elders merges together; and the Shen Wuying assists and protects. Every kind of baleful calamity disperses, and whatever is wished for can be accomplished. Sun and moon guard the gates, and the mind and Shen circle within the light of the auspicious stars. Whatever the immortals and perfected ones transmit and proclaim, the myriad Shen reverently obey.

When you wake from sleep, recite the incantation in just this way, and do not forget. Even after the true Dao has already been cultivated and attained, it should still be practiced often. This is a superior method in the Most High Queen Mother of the West’s Jade Jing (scripture/classic) of the Precious Shen for Daily Rising and Resting. It can make the ears and eyes acute and the memory strong.

When the recitation is finished, next even out the breath through the nose, so that the nasal passages stay open and neither mucus nor filth arises. The breath reaches freely in every direction, and the face remains youthful. This method can also gather in the Three Hun and Seven Po and keep one clear of the host of demons. It is a wondrous method of daily rising-and-resting cultivation practiced by the immortals and perfected ones. It is called “rising and resting” because it is a cultivation that ought to be carried out in the course of ordinary daily life. When you have finished, wipe the face and the eyes with both hands until they grow slightly warm, and do this often.

The Queen Mother of the West says: When a person is about to grow old, the skin of the face commonly begins to change first from below the eyes; in a person who has little Qi within the body, change commonly begins first from between the nostrils. These two places are like gates between the inside and the outside of the skin, and like passes through which Qi and strength come and go. Therefore, persisting in this method day by day can prevent the skin from decaying and keep Qi and strength constantly healthy and at peace.

The Queen Mother of the West’s Jade Jing of Precious Life without Death.

Transcribed by the Lady of Purple Tenuity (Ziwei Furen).

The Jade Scripture of Deathlessness (Wusi Yujing) says: With the hands, press and massage beside “Huating,” slowly guiding the Qi (vital energy) of Tianzhen upward until it reaches the space between the portals and the window openings. This is the pass through which Qi and strength circulate; therefore, in the ordinary round of daily activity and rest, one should constantly practice this method, so as to clear the skin and flesh and keep Qi and strength ever secure and harmonious.

The Queen Mother of the West’s Jade Scripture of Precious Birth and Deathlessness (Xiwangmu Baosheng Wusi Yujing), transcribed by the Lady of Purple Tenuity.

The Jade Scripture of Deathlessness says: With the hands, press and massage beside Huating, slowly guiding the Qi of Tianzhen upward into the chamber where Shen (spirit) and brightness dwell, so that the Qi of the Jade Valley fills the Celestial Mountain. The inner source manifests the Mysterious Numen (Xuanling), and the host of demons of themselves are washed clean. In this way one may live long and not die, and the register of one’s name returns to the abode of the Imperial Lord (Dijun). You should harmonize the Qi of Tianzhen and press and massage this deep, hidden source.

“Tianzhen” lies between the two eyebrows, at the two inner corners of the heads of the brows; this is the place from which numinous Qi is guided into the chamber above.

“Neiyuan,” the Inner Source, lies on both sides above the philtrum beneath the nose, between the small apertures under the nose and the hollows; it is the portal at which the Mysterious Numen appears and evil demons are destroyed.

“Huating” lies beneath the two eyebrows, directly opposite the center of the brows; it is the crossing that opens the way to sight and vision.

Each morning, just as one is about to rise, and each evening, on the point of falling asleep, firmly close both eyes, press the tongue backward toward the throat, and swallow the saliva three times. Then, with the hands, press these three places, twenty-seven times at each—three nines. While pressing, keep the hands applied to the skin and do not lift them. Practiced regularly, this can enable a person to live long and not die, to enter into resonance with the spirits, to open the way to sight and vision, and to cut off and annihilate the ways of the myriad ghosts.

When the pressing is finished, softly recite the incantation:

“Most High Void Sovereign, open and spread abroad the Jade Court. The golden chamber is bright; the kingfisher terrace is lush and flourishing. I hold command over the Three Ways, destroy ghosts and specters, and nourish the arising of numinous Qi. I am free of death, and free also of birth; ever-living and at ease, I draw the spirits down in response, open the way to sight and vision, and cut off and annihilate the ways of the myriad ghosts.”

The Supreme Void Sovereign (Taishang Xuhuang, the supreme deity of emptiness) opens and unfurls the Jade Court. Golden palaces shine in brilliance, and emerald terraces and pavilions flourish in lush green. I uphold the Three Ways (the three great principles of the Dao as taught in Daoism), destroy ghosts and evil, and enable living beings to endure. I can both transcend death and attain the state beyond birth and extinction, abiding forever in freedom. I reverse old age and return to youth, making the hun and po souls gentle and pure and settling the five spirits. Riding the chariot of the circling numinous wind, I turn north to pay homage at Yuqing (the abode of exalted Daoist deities), ascend to the Great Non-being (Taiwu), become one with the sun, and at last become a Perfected Person (zhenren). The Imperial Lord unites with the hidden darkness; the Three Nothings have nothing to declare, and the myriad spirits all reverently obey.

When King Zhuang of Chu was on the throne, the market officer Song Yuanfu was kind-hearted and, year after year, personally swept the marketplace. After a long time, a beggar came to the market and stayed for a full month, singing a song every morning:

“Heaven gives birth to the Golden Flower; the inner source reveals the workings of Yin-Yang. The Jade Valley joins the realm of mystery, and fine jade interlocks in mutual support. The Qi (vital energy) of Heavenly Perfection stands above the sun, and the flying medicine (the numinous elixir used by immortals) discloses its marvel. At dawn one rides the heavenly horse, circling toward the abode of divine mystery. The immortal enters the chamber and, with this, sweeps away the hundred demons.”

When the beggar was about to leave, he inscribed the same song on the market gate. No one in the marketplace of Chu understood its meaning; only Song Yuanfu suddenly grasped something within. He suspected the man was an immortal, yet still did not understand the intent of the song, so he bowed again and again and begged for instruction. After a long time, the beggar told him, “I am indeed a Perfected Person. These words set forth the method of the Dao transmitted by the Queen Mother of Kunlun, a method that can preserve life and confer deathlessness; whoever understands it can live long.” He then secretly transmitted the essential instructions to Song Yuanfu. Twenty years later, Song Yuanfu ascended to heaven in broad daylight. He now dwells in Xuanzhou (the Mysterious Isle) and ranks among the immortal ministers. The beggar in the marketplace of Chu was none other than Master Redpine (Chisongzi), the Perfected of the Southern Marchmount (Nanyue). Dividing his form and manifesting an appearance, he came briefly into the dusty world, wandered through noisy and defiled places, and sought out and guided those with a destined affinity.

The Pure Numinous Perfected, Lord Pei (Qingling zhenren), expounds the Scripture of Divine Treasure (Shenbao jing).

In seeking the essential instructions of the Great Dao (Dao), one must first make the eyes clear and the ears keen, for this is the root of cultivation and of carrying matters through. The eyes and ears are like the steps by which one seeks the true Dao, and they are also the gateways that command the numinous marvels and observe the myriad things.

In cultivating the essential Dao (the Way), one must first make the eyes bright and the ears keen, for these are the root of getting things done. The ears and eyes are the ladder by which one seeks the true Dao and the gateway that gathers and governs numinous Qi (vital energy); gain and loss are established through them, and survival and destruction are likewise managed by their means. The text of the Jing (scripture) is now copied out for people to read, so that it may be practiced accordingly.

The Upper Chapter on Dispelling Demons says that the ears should often be pressed on both sides, with no limit to the number of times. This is called “ordering and maintaining the city walls,” meaning to regulate the ears so that one’s name is entered in the imperial register. The nose should also often be pressed on both sides, again with no limit to the number of times. This is called “irrigating the Central Marchmount,” meaning to nourish the nose so that one’s name is entered in the imperial record.

The two instructions above come from the oral teaching of Lady Li of Radiant Numinosity of Fangzhang Terrace (a female immortal in Daoist legend). The transmission took place on the night of the twelfth day of the ninth month.

A Daoist Jing says: Frequently press with the hand the small hollow behind each eyebrow twenty-seven times; then, with the palm and fingers, rub below the eyes and above the cheekbones, and lift and pull the ears thirty times. The rubbing and pulling need only be repeated; one need not keep to any fixed hour. When this is done, wipe the forehead upward with the hand twenty-seven times, beginning between the two eyebrows and wiping up to the hairline. Then swallow saliva at the side of the mouth, with no limit to the number of times. If this is done regularly, the eyes will gradually grow clear and bright; after a year of practice, one will be able to write at night. It may also be done quietly among a crowd; do not speak of the method.

The small hollows behind the two eyebrows are called the “Mansion of Upper Non-Being and the Six Harmonies.” They govern the generation of brightness within the eyes, harmonizing and moistening the luster of Jing (essence) and Qi and making the pupils clear. This is the “supreme Way of the Perfected Person’s sitting and rising,” also called the “Inner Jing of the Perfected Person’s Constant Dwelling.” The Perfected Person admonishes: “If you wish to write at night, you must regularly cultivate ‘Constant Dwelling.’” A Perfected Person can observe from every direction, reach through the four quarters, and make even distant places bright because they regularly cultivate “Constant Dwelling,” causing the brightness of Shen (spirit) to shine.

The area below the eyes and above the cheekbones is called the “Ultimate Way of Clarifying Vision, Guarding the Chamber, and Returning to Infancy.” Lifting and pulling the ears is to cultivate deeply the art of bright illumination. Doing this can regulate the related vessels, disperse blood and Qi so that no signs of skin disease arise, make the eyesight bright and mysteriously all-illuminating, and harmonize the spirit. All these effects are due to the spiritual brightness brought about by regularly cultivating “Constant Dwelling.”

Looking downward with the eyes while raising the head is one practice of the method called jueming baoshi guiying (“clarifying the vision, preserving the chamber, and returning to infancy”). Exercising by lifting and pulling the ears with the hands allows one to grasp more deeply the art of reflective inner contemplation. Practiced in this way, the Qi (vital energy) and blood of the head and face are dispersed, so that skin disorders are less likely to appear; the eyes remain clear, and Shen (spirit) and Qi are abundant. When a person is about to grow old, decline often begins with the ears and the eyes, and the signs of aging likewise tend to show themselves first around the eyes.

The method of cultivation is as follows. Each morning and evening one concentrates the spirit and regulates the breath. After a period of time, one places the hands on the forehead and visualizes within the mind the red infant (chizi), symbolizing inner life and original Qi, while also visualizing the sun and moon shining brightly together. One then visualizes the Upper Prime (Shangyuan)—one of the Three Primes (Sanyuan) spoken of in Daoism—in a state of joy, and successively holds in contemplation between the brows the “three nines,” stopping when the count is complete. This is called the method of paying homage to the Three Primes with the hands, so as to make the brain firm and the hair strong.

Next, one presses and strokes all around the head with the hands, smooths the hair in its natural direction, and gathers it together, doing this as many times as possible. In this way the Qi and blood of the head are opened and circulated, and the Qi of wind and dampness is prevented from congealing and stagnating. When this is finished, one presses each of the four corners of the eyes eighteen times, until the vision feels clear and objects appear bright. This is a method for regulating the spirit of the eyes, and it too should be repeated; if practiced over a long period, it is said that one can see the hundred numina (bailing)—the various spirits and deities.

The Chizi Jing (Scripture of the Red Characters) says: Frequently cover the mouth and nose with the hands and gaze inwardly toward the eyes for a time; fluid will then arise in the hands. Afterward, rub the face and the eyes with the hands. If this is done regularly, the body may come to bear a fragrant scent.

The Taishang Tianguan Yujing (Jade Scripture of the Celestial Pass of the Most High) says: Frequently press with the hands the two corners of the eyes nearest the bridge of the nose, while holding the breath. When the breath moves freely, stop, exhale, and begin again. Practiced regularly, the eyes become able to discern things with penetrating clarity.

Both of the above methods are said to come from Lady Wei of the Southern Marchmount (Nanyue Wei furen), a female immortal revered in Daoism.

The Danzi Zishu Sanwu Shunxing Jing (Scripture of the Purple Writ in Cinnabar Characters on the Orderly Course of the Three and the Five) says: When sitting in stillness, one should close the eyes and visualize inwardly, seeing the five viscera together with the intestines and stomach; with long practice, these will naturally be seen clearly.

The Taisu Danjing Jing (Scripture of the Cinnabar Prospect of Great Simplicity) says: In ordinary times one should rub the whole face with both hands while closing the eyes and visualizing inwardly, seeing the five viscera together with the intestines and stomach; with long practice, these will naturally be seen clearly.

The Scripture of Great Simplicity and Cinnabar Radiance (Taishu Danjing Jing) says: Frequently rub the face with both hands until the hands grow warm, then gently stroke up and down along the face so that the entire face is massaged. This can make the complexion radiant and smooth, free of wrinkles and spots. If one persists for five years, the complexion will be like that of a young girl. This is what is called “the mountains and rivers are open to the flow of Qi (vital energy), ever full and never depleted.”

The Scripture of Cinnabar Radiance (Danjing Jing) says: First rub both hands together until they are warm, then wipe the face and the eyes with the hands. Afterward, stroke along the hair as if combing it, and rub the two arms with the hands in turn. In this way the hair will not turn white, and the pulse will not become floating and large.

The “Massage Chapter on Essence Radiance” of the True Scripture of the Great Cavern (Dadong Zhenjing) says: After waking, one should even the breath and sit upright. First cross the hands and place them behind the neck, then tilt the head back and look upward, so that the neck and the hands press firmly against each other. Do this three or four times. It can harmonize Jing (essence) and Qi, keep the blood vessels unobstructed, and prevent wind pathogens from invading. Long-term practice offers the prospect of freedom from illness and of prolonged life.

Then flex and extend the body, stretch both hands out toward the four directions, extend them backward, and draw them out to either side, so that all the joints of the body are set in motion. Perform each movement three times.

After waking, first wipe around the lips and behind the ears with a hand cloth or a thick cloth until every place is warm. Then rub the head along the hair, as if combing it. After a short while, rub the hands together again and massage the face and eyes with the warm hands. Practiced over a long time, this can brighten the eyes, keep pathogenic qi from disturbing the body, and also keep the body clean and free of grime. When all of this is finished, swallow the saliva in the mouth thirty times, so as to guide the circulation of the body’s fluids.

The above passage comes from the Great Cavern Scripture of Essence Radiance (Dadong Jingjing Jing).

The Jade Scripture of the Queen Mother of the West on Massage for Reverting the Embryo (Xiwangmu Fantai Anmo Yujing) was transcribed by Lady Purple Tenuity (Ziwei Furen).

In the way of nurturing life, the ears and the eyes are of the greatest importance. Looking at things in a scattered, indiscriminate way dims the eyes; excessive worry blocks the ears. Both of these disorders arise from within the mind and gradually accumulate into illness; they are not caused by external pathogenic calamities. What is called “the difficulty of hearing the Dao (the Way)” does not mean that there is any difficulty in the hearing of the teaching itself…

The methods of nurturing life give first place to protecting the ears and eyes. If what one sees is disordered and confused, the eyes grow dim; if worry is excessive, the ears become blocked. Both of these faults arise from within the heart-mind. Accumulated over a long time, they turn into illness; they are not misfortunes that come from outside. In what is called “the difficulty of hearing the Dao (the Way),” what is difficult is not hearing the principle, but putting the principle into practice. In what is called “the difficulty of practicing the Dao,” what is difficult is likewise not beginning to practice, but persisting all the way to the end. If the ears and eyes are disturbed by confused thoughts and one is unwilling to clear away the difficulties, then even if one’s feet tread the towers of the immortals and one’s hands grasp the dragon chariot, there is still no benefit.

“Returning-the-embryo massage” is a method for regulating and nourishing the ears and eyes. It should be practiced on the yang days of each month; the first day of the month counts as a yang day. On the morning of every yang day, or when one wakes after lying down at night, before preparing to rise, quickly close the eyes and face one’s own natal direction (the direction belonging to the year of one’s birth). Rub the two palms against each other until they are slightly warm; then, with the left and right palms respectively, wipe and press the two eyes and the ear gates (the points in front of the ears). Then cross the two palms, join them behind the neck, and do this nine times. Next, visualize that in each of the two eyes there are clouds of Qi (vital energy) in the three colors purple, red, and yellow, descending into the two ears. After a short while, silently recite this invocation:

“O three-colored cloud-Qi within the pupils, O True Lord Who Brightens the Eyes: radiant Qi infuses the brilliance of Jing (essence) and opens the gate that communicates with the illumination of Shen (spirit). The cloud-rites of the Great Mystery, the jade numina spreading the text, guard and uphold the two eyes, open the nine orifices, set the hundred joints of the whole body in response, let the fluids flow back to the Niwan—the upper Dantian (energy center) within the head—raise the body into the Jade Office, and place one in the ranks of the Higher Perfected (realized persons who have attained the Dao).”

When the invocation is finished, swallow the fluids three times, then open the eyes. Do this often at ordinary times. It may be practiced whenever one rises on a yang day, and need not be limited to morning or evening. If one persists for three years, it is said that the ears become acute and the eyes clear.

When combing the hair, regularly face one’s own natal direction. As one begins to comb, silently recite this invocation:

“The Great Thearch spreads numinous Qi; the Five Elders gather back the illumination of Shen. The mysterious quintessence within the Niwan guards and upholds Jing and Qi, so that they long endure. The left hand gathers the Qi of the hidden moon; the right hand draws in the root of the sun. Heaven, earth, and the four directions are all purified and transmuted, and the hundred spirits all receive grace.”

If one does this often, it is said that the head will not ache.

The Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Lühua Jing (scripture) says that, when combing the hair, one should face the “royal ground” (the direction suited to practicing this method). Just as one begins to comb the hair, softly and silently recite this invocation:

Imagine a mysterious radiance within the Niwan Palace, the upper Dantian (energy center) inside the head, and by this means preserve Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) so that they long remain undiminished. On the left is the Hidden Moon, and on the right the Root of the Sun. Refine and nurture body and mind with clear Qi, so that the hundred Shen (spirits) of the body are all nourished. When this is finished, swallow the fluid in the mouth in three portions. If one can do this regularly, the hair will not fall out and will gradually grow. One should comb the hair often, giving it several extra strokes, but not so hard as to cause pain; an attendant may also comb it in one’s place. In this way the blood vessels remain open and the roots of the hair stay firm.

The two items above are methods transmitted by An Jiuhua and required to be put into practice.

When sitting or lying down, the nostrils should preferably face one’s benming direction, the direction corresponding to the year of one’s birth; the same applies when eating and drinking. If one cannot face the benming direction, it is also good to face the northeast or the northwest as a regular practice, for these two directions are regarded as the gateways through which the hun and po, the ethereal and corporeal souls, pass in and out between Heaven and Earth.

At bedtime, often sway the body to the left and to the right several dozen times. Then, with both hands braced behind the body, raise the head toward the sky and sway left and right twenty-one times. After this, sit upright, raise the hands and point them toward the sky, and hold for a while. Next, rub the two palms until they are warm, wipe the eyes with the hands, then wipe as far as beside the ears, and hold for a while there as well.

Then silently recite the invocation: “Striking before and pointing behind, a distinguished guest of the Celestial Emperor; glancing left and looking right, the great capacity of long life; raising the head and panting while taking food, Taiyi, the Great Unity, attains the utmost; averting the eyes, the dragon lies hidden, and the Director of Destinies shares the same quill; eating and drinking the embryonic origin, one joins the gate-towers of Kunlun; circling and inverting the paired taboos, the Perfected share the same intent.” After the recitation, gently draw in Qi and hold the breath, visualizing at the navel a mass of red Qi the size of a pearl entering the nose from outside the body. Do this three times. When the whole sequence of massage and breath regulation has been completed, it is said to make the joints and Qi channels throughout the body flow freely, so that one lives long and suffers few illnesses.

The Central Method of Inner Vision of the Purple Degrees and Blazing Radiance (Zidu Yanguang Neishi Zhongfang) says that one should regularly lie down with the eyes closed, the body settled and secure and the breathing faint, making oneself seem asleep so that others cannot notice. Then, within the mind, one looks into the distance and listens toward the four directions, concentrating the ears and eyes on what lies ten thousand li away. With long practice, one can gradually come to see things ten thousand li distant; with devoted cultivation, one may even see events occurring a million li away. One also often hears the sound of metal and jade striking together and the music of strings and bamboo flutes. This is a subtle and refined method of cultivation. The “four directions” mentioned here merely refer in a general way to every direction. In practice one should first choose a single direction and concentrate attention there. At the beginning one usually perceives nothing at all; after prolonged practice, the spirit naturally enters a realm of subtle refinement.

The “Superior Method of the Great Invocation for Suppressing Evil,” recorded in the Most High Inner Chapters of the Great Cavern True Scripture (Dadong Zhenjing Gaoshang Neizhang), is an advanced invocatory method for warding off evil. Whenever one passes along a dangerous road, near a ghost shrine, or through a place that stirs doubt and fear in the mind, one curls the tongue backward against the throat and swallows the saliva three times. Then, with the index and middle fingers of the left hand, one pinches thirty-six times the spot below the nostrils at the root of the philtrum, that is, on the inner side of the nasal septum. As soon as the count is finished, one immediately presses the place with the hand and does not release the fingers. This area near the nasal septum is called the Mountain Source (Shanyuan), and is also known as the Ghost Well, the Spirit Pool, the Root of Evil, or the Soul Platform. After the pinching, one clicks the teeth seven times, covers the nose with the palm, closes the eyes slightly, and then recites the invocation.

The Vermilion Bird (a red divine bird) soars through the sky, and its awesome power gathers within. The Mountain Source is guarded on all four sides, and the evil spirits in the Ghost Well scatter and flee. The Spirit Pool exhales its breath, and the root of evil lies hidden away. The Soul Terrace is bright on every side, and the Jade Chamber (the jade-adorned immortal palace) rings out with clear, resonant sound. The Jade Perfected One (the true deity of the Jade Capital realm) sits majestically upright, guarding the Hall of Light (the spirit chamber within the human body). Hands radiating light like purple mist, with divine radiance crowning the head, the deity holds and recites the Cavern Scripture (a Dao scripture of thirty-nine chapters). Within the scripture are the dragon and tiger that ward off evil, able to cut through the dungeons of the underworld and slice apart mountain ridges; there are fierce beasts and charging oxen, blades gripped in their mouths and spears swallowed whole; there are divine sparrows and venomous dragons that overturn mountains and seize the heavens, their six heads spewing raging fire.

The deity still presides in the Hall of Light, hands radiating purple mist, divine radiance crowning the head, reciting the thirty-nine chapters of the Cavern Scripture. The dragons and tigers that ward off evil, the divine beasts that sever dungeons and cleave ridges, and the divine sparrows and venomous dragons that grip blades, swallow spears, overturn mountains, seize the heavens, and spit fire from six heads all stand as guardians. They are kings who devour ghosts and monsters, and gods of thunder and lightning. They drive the stars, racing and charging in every direction, striking with thunderbolts and scorching with flames, advancing against the wind. The Heavenly Birds deploy their ranks in formation, all arrayed at my side, spewing flames ten thousand fathoms high to cleanse all ill omens. The host of spirits clears the road before me and seals off the mountain villages; the thousand gods and hundred numinous powers bow their heads together in homage. The Marsh Lieutenant carries the incense burner and burns incense for me. Wherever I am, and wherever I pass, the myriad gods come forth to welcome me.

When the rite is complete, knock the teeth together three more times, then open the eyes and lower the left hand. Press the hand upon the Mountain Source, and the gate of the Ghost Well will close; press it upon the Spirit Pool, and the root of evil will dissolve; press it upon the Soul Terrace, and the Jade Perfected One will hold the pass. Through this one communes with the Numinous Root, the heavenly beasts come to stand guard, the thousand kinds of spirits and monsters are cowed into submission, and none can violate my true body. This is the natural principle of the Dao, and its efficacy will manifest of itself.

The “Mountain Source” (Shanyuan) beneath the nose is where the pathogenic influences and bodily fluids of the whole body gather, and it is also the portal through which upright Qi (vital energy) and pathogenic Qi communicate. If the Shen (spirit) of the heart is not upright, pathogenic Qi arises from this place; if the Shen of the heart holds to what is true, it can keep every kind of pathogenic Qi from entering. The decisive point lies in how one oneself employs and regulates it, and for that reason the omens of good and ill fortune also become manifest.

The “Hall of Light” (Mingtang—in Daoist inner contemplation, the abode of the divinities in the region of the face and the nose) is likewise where the spiritual Qi of the whole body converges. It is bound up with the body in life and death; it is the dwelling of the seven Po (the seven kinds of soul in a person) and the residence of the three Hun (the three kinds of spirit-soul in a person). If one preserves and nourishes the spiritual Qi within it, one can enter deeply into inner contemplation; if one abandons the Dao (the Way) of cultivation, the body will gradually waste away and decay. Thus the decisive point lies in how one oneself governs body and mind, carefully according with this place and guarding it, so that one may be at peace and not bring on worry and regret.

The four items above come from the “Opening Chapter of the Most High” of the Dadong Zhenjing (Great Cavern True Scripture; Jing: scripture/classic).

The Perfected of the Great Void (Taixu Zhenren) says: Wind illness commonly arises near tombs, in cold, damp places of Yin (Yin-Yang), where the waters of underground springs are blocked and stagnant. For this reason the Earth Official (Diguan, the deity who administers the affairs of the underworld) sets the Qi of water churning, which often leads to wind-obstruction (fengbi: invasion by wind pathogen, with numbness of the limbs or difficulty in movement). When wind-obstruction is severe, the whole body cannot move; when it is milder, one side of the body is paralyzed, or the hands and feet lose the ability to move.

One often dreams of being in an old dwelling toward the northeast or the northwest, and may also see the place where the spirit-bed stands. This is precisely the point of coming into contact with the Qi within the tomb. The northeast of a burial ground is called “Severed Life” (Jueming), and the northwest is called “Nine Calamities” (Jiu’e); both are inauspicious directions of the tomb. If one dreams that the deceased appears there, the omen is even clearer. If such dreams come often, on waking one should lie face upward, knock the teeth three times, and then offer this invocation:

“Supreme Mystery of the Great Origin, Purple Heaven of the Nine Capitals, who orders the souls and protects life, Perfected of Lofty Purity: I bear the supreme method, and have received instruction in the inauspicious land…”

“Grand Origin of the Upper Mystery, Purple Heaven of the Nine Capitals, you who order the souls and protect life, True Person of Lofty Purity: I bear the superior method and have received instruction in the Great Mystery. Long life and enduring vision are mine; my body takes flight and my form becomes immortal. Tombs and graves remain forever at peace, and the lawsuits of ghosts are blocked at the passes. The hun and po souls are harmonious and content; malign Qi (vital energy) does not rise in fumes. Demons, sprites, and malignant specters—should they dare to encroach upon my Shen (spirit)—the Northern Emperor rebukes and restrains them, gathering their Qi into the abyss. Having obtained the register of the Supreme Sovereign, I respectfully present this memorial to the Jade Dawn.”

Chant an invocation of this kind twice, then tap the teeth three times, and one will no longer dream of graves, ancestral tombs, or the ghosts of deceased members of the household. This is a secretly transmitted invocation of the Northern Emperor (Beidi, the deity of the north who governs ghosts and spirits). Anyone minded to cultivate may practice it in this way; those who often have nightmares or dream of inauspicious things may also carry out the method accordingly, so as to extinguish ghostly Qi and drive off evil sprites.

When the arm cannot be raised, it is because wind-toxin Qi has sunk and stagnated in the channels and vessels, congealing and adhering so that the bones grow numb and fail to move freely. One may treat it with acupuncture and moxibustion, or one may proceed according to the winding invocation of the Northern Emperor (one form of the Northern Emperor’s method of invocation). If it is performed repeatedly one hundred times, the illness will likewise be eliminated. First slowly massage the affected arm with one hand, and after a time stop; then close the eyes and observe inwardly, swallow the saliva three times, tap the teeth three times, and silently recite the invocation in the mind:

The Four Mysteries of the Most High, the Five Blossoms and Six Courts, the three Hun souls and seven Po souls, the Heavenly Pass and Earthly Jing (essence), the Shenfu (storehouse of Shen, spirit) and the Ying and Wei, the Celestial Embryo of Upper Brightness, the hundred Shen of the four limbs, and the myriad numina of the nine joints all receive registers bestowed by Yuchen (a revered deity of Daoism) and are registered in Yucheng (the palace-city of the immortal realm). Jade Maidens attend at one’s side, and Jade Lads protect one’s life, so that the practitioner forever stands equal with the two lights of the sun and the moon, ascends in flight to the immortal realm of Shangqing (Supreme Clarity), and endures together with the sun and moon until the destined cycles of Heaven and Earth come to an end, then transcends and ascends, enjoying Great Peace.

Drifting evil winds and illness Qi (vital energy), ghostly demons, and the Yin Qi within graves entangle one another, invading my four limbs, injuring my primordial Qi, and throwing the proper rhythm of flourishing and decline into disorder. May the Celestial Stalwarts of the Most High (divine generals of the heavenly realm) manifest the awesome might of dragon and tiger, cut down ghostly demons and inauspicious things, and destroy wind-evil; may the calamities clinging to my body, the entanglements of litigation, and the hundred poisons all hide away and disperse, restoring me to normal, bright as the sun and moon. If calamity appears and harms me, may Beichen (the North Star, commonly regarded as the exalted station that commands the stellar deities) seize and annihilate it; if evil beings come to invade, may Qianming display supreme might. The prayer is ended.

The method of massage recorded in the Taishang Luchun Sanhua Jing (scripture/classic of the Most High on Registering Purity and Scattering the Blossoms) says: regularly, at the time when Qi is generated (according to the traditional reckoning of the hours, that is, when Yang Qi begins to arise), swallow the jinye (saliva) fourteen times, then massage the places where the body is uncomfortable, while praying toward the direction in which the sovereign resides: “Left Mystery and Right Mystery, the three Shen unite as one True; Left Yellow and Right Yellow, the six blossoms correspond to one another. Wind-evil and malign diseases lie hidden in the four quarters; jade liquor flows and moistens, passing freely above and below. Within the body water and fire are harmonized, and every inauspicious thing is driven out, so that I may live long and ascend as a flying immortal, my body ever at peace, healthy, and strong.” When the prayer is finished, swallow the jinye fourteen times more. If this is done regularly, one may remain free from disease; one should also quickly knead the painful place twenty-one times.

The item above was transmitted on the twenty-second day of the tenth month by Lady Youying of the Canglang Yunlin Palace.

The Xiaomo Shangling Jing (Scripture of the Superior Numina Who Dispel Demons) says: if the interior of the body is not at peace, one should repeatedly knead the affected place twenty-one times.

The item above was likewise transmitted on the twenty-second day of the tenth month by Lady Youying of the Canglang Yunlin Palace.

The Scripture of the Supreme Spirit for Dispelling Demons (Xiaomo Shangling Jing) says: if you feel uneasy within the body, curl the tongue backward until it presses against the throat, repeatedly rinse the saliva in the mouth, and then swallow it. After a short while the uneasy ailment will clear of itself, and you will at once feel the body open, loose, and comfortable.

The item above comes from the Xiaomo Shangling Jing Shu.

Unsettled dreams arise because the po—one of the human spiritual souls—joins with deviant Qi (vital energy), disturbing the heart and Shen (spirit), and seeks to intrude when the guard of one’s Shen and Qi has slackened. Whenever you have a nightmare, simply face north and report the circumstances of the dream to the Most High Lord of the Great Dao (the Way), Taishang Dadaojun. Say it at most four or five times, and the nightmare will disperse of itself.

The oral formula of the Azure Lad (Qingtong jun) says: if you have a nightmare at night and wake feeling it to be inauspicious, immediately turn the pillow over and recite:

“The Jade Maidens of Great Numinosity serve the True Dao and guard the hun and po; the Golden Lads of the Six Palaces come to protect the gate of life and turn evil matters into good.”

The oral formula of the Azure Lad says further: if you have a nightmare at night and wake feeling it to be inauspicious, immediately turn the pillow over and recite:

“The Jade Maidens of Great Numinosity serve the True Dao and guard the hun and po; the Golden Lads of the Six Palaces come to protect the gate of life and turn evil matters into good. Please report this matter upward to the Three Origins (Sanyuan), the exalted deities of the heavens in Daoist teaching, so that I may live long and never grow old, riding the radiance of the sun and moon and traveling upon the clouds.”

After reciting, swallow the saliva in the mouth seven times, click the teeth seven times, and then go on sleeping. Do this four or five times, and the nightmare will likewise disperse completely. This invocation can both dispel nightmares and turn ill omens into auspicious signs.

The above was transmitted on the night of the thirteenth day of the eleventh month by Lady Youying (Youying furen), a female immortal of Daoist legend.

The subtle signs of Heaven are a numinous pivot, enabling those of penetrating insight to find a fitting direction. When the heart within is calm and lucid, and Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) are empty, still, and nourished, one draws in the Qi of Great Harmony—the pure, harmonizing breath between Heaven and Earth—and body and breath grow quiet and at ease. Then a sound as clear and resonant as jade arises, as if the myriad breaths were answering one another in the hidden dark.

Qi is the root upon which spiritual luminosity depends in order to work, and it is also the source of clear Qi and turbid Qi. When Qi moves in the mysterious realm, Heaven is clear and bright; when Qi fills and nourishes the body, a person can continue to live. The growth and decline of life, and the changes of birth and death, depend for the most part on how one accords with and regulates the breath.

To practice the method of ingesting the Six Qi—taking in Qi of differing qualities through breathing—one usually begins in keeping with the time of Heaven, around the joining of the Chou and Yin hours as dawn draws near, and one must also carry it out according to the direction and the season then at hand. At that moment the morning glow first appears, Danyang, the newly risen sun, sends forth its light, the radiance of early morning opens, and it is precisely when the vermilion Yang Jing (essence) becomes manifest.

First visualize the sun, about the size of an egg, resting in the Niwan, the upper Dantian (energy center) of the head. When the visualization is complete, breathe out once and picture this Qi as black; it is called “corpse Qi.” Then breathe out a second time and picture it as white; it is called “old Qi.” Then breathe out a third time and picture it as blue-green; it is called “death Qi.” While exhaling, concentrate on the visualization and sustain it for a time. Expelling Qi of these three colors together forms part of the method of exhaling the Six Qi.

Then slowly inhale yellow Qi four times, swallowing the saliva three times after each breath, and complete three such rounds. Next visualize the sun in the Niwan rising out through the eyes and coming to rest before the mouth, nine cun from the face; with the eyes closed, one seems to see it. Then, by means of the sun, draw in red Qi seven times; after these seven, swallow the saliva three more times and stop. Then rise and sit, move the four limbs, bow and lift the head, bend and stretch, so that the joints and the Qi of the vessels are harmonized and free. When all of this is finished, visualize the swallowed saliva as blue-green.

At night one may also, following the method of visualizing the sun, visualize the moon in the Niwan. This is fitting from the night of the first day of each month through the fifteenth. From the sixteenth to the thirtieth the moon’s Qi gradually declines, as if the embryonic Qi within the moon were diminished, and it is not suitable to visualize the moon at night.

This method is said to be exceedingly subtle, and through it the practitioner may attain the Dao (the Way) and become an immortal. By breathing out and in, swallowing saliva, and regulating the breath, one brings the respiration into accord with the Qi of luminous truth, and summons and gathers the five methods of swallowing Qi, so that the body follows what is natural. The hun soul returns to the Jiangzhai, the dwelling of the heart’s spirit, and the po soul returns to the Niwan; thus one gains long life. How could this be compared with seeking only Yin Qi in a secluded valley and vainly beseeching spirits? It is like trying to cross the sea on foot, or driving a cart of hair up a volcano—things hardly possible to accomplish. How can one fail to be cautious? How can one fail to be cautious?

The foregoing is taken from the Xiwangmu Xujue (Narrative Instructions of the Queen Mother of the West).

In the yichou year—that is, on the night of the fourth day of the seventh month in the third year of the Xingning reign—the Eastern Minister, Lord of Destinies (Siming Dongqing Jun, the divine lord who keeps the registers of allotted life), descended. Seven attendants came with him, driving a fur-covered carriage past a fiery mountain. How could one fail to treat this with caution? How could one fail to treat this with caution!

The foregoing is taken from the Xiwangmu Xujue.

In the yichou year—that is, on the night of the fourth day of the seventh month in the third year of the Xingning reign—the Eastern Minister, Lord of Destinies, descended, and seven attendants entered the room. One held a purple ceremonial standard; one held a splendid pennant; one held the “Shijue Lingshan” (a Lingbao ritual implement); one carried a pouch containing thirty-two sections of Fulu (talismans and registers); three bore a white ivory casket that seemed to hold scrolls; and one more grasped a flowing-gold fire bell. The attendants all wore red.

The Lord of Destinies was far smaller in stature than his two younger brothers. He wore an embroidered skirt of blue-green brocade, a purple woolen mantle over his shoulders, and a hibiscus crown. His two younger brothers came with him and stood in attendance at his side. He ordered the company to sit; only then did they sit, and afterward they talked for a long time.

On the night of the sixth day of the seventh month the Lord of Destinies descended again, remained a long while, and admonished them, saying:

“If you can truly model yourself on mysterious perfection and hold to the regulations, staying clear, still, and sparing in desire, rising above the common run, drawing in your sharpness and dwelling hidden on high; if you comprehend and accord with the higher Dao (the Way), your mind deep and firm, still as the water of an abyss and standing fast as a mountain; if you immerse yourself in the pure, still, and mysterious scriptures (Jing), cherish the life of Shen (spirit), set aside worldly attachments, and harmonize body and mind by the Dao of pure numinosity until the heart is clear, bright, and empty—then the Five Paths (the five states of thorough attainment spoken of in cultivation) will become manifest, and passion and delusive thoughts will recede. Bring desire back to plain simplicity and enter the empty, silent, and profound; neither look nor listen amid the turmoil of the world. Only thus can one draw near, from afar, to wondrous perfection, awaken once more to mysterious insight, bring inner De (Virtue/Power) to fullness, and let outer numinosity appear. Do this, and you may mount a cloud carriage and rise into the heights, to be entered in the cinnabar register of the Lord of Destinies (the name roll of the immortals).

“If the spirit is scattered and thoughts are tangled, the root of life is not secure. If Qi (vital energy) shifts with the dust of the world and the mind cannot truly settle, one will only wear out body and mind to no purpose among the mountains and forests, and for those not yet awakened this is indeed harmful. This Dao is subtle—yet is it easy to find? It is also truly difficult, and not easily gained.”

At midnight on the fifth, visualize the image of the sun appearing in the heart, then draw the sun in through the mouth so that it illuminates the interior of the heart, and let your own heart shine together with the sun. When the visualization of their meeting is complete, you should feel warmth in the heart, as if lit by the glow of rosy clouds. After a little while, offer this prayer:

“The light of the sun nourishes Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy), refining and nurturing the cinnabar heart within the body; as their radiances shine upon one another, the perfected Shen (spirit) will come to meet.”

When the prayer is finished, swallow the fluids in the mouth nine times. On the fifteenth, the twentieth, and the twenty-ninth, cultivate in the same way. The scripture says that this can make the mind clear and open and the hearing keen, leave the passes and orifices throughout the body unobstructed and lucid, give the face a luster like jade, and endow the body with a golden sheen. After five years of practice, Taiyi (a revered deity of Daoism) will send a precious carriage to receive the practitioner and convey them up to Taixiao (the lofty heavens). The number of times one practices may be arranged according to individual circumstances; these particular days need not be chosen.

The method above comes from the inner method of the Red Lord of the Southern Marchmount (Nanyue Chijun) recorded in the Scripture for Dispelling Demons (Xiaomo jing). The scripture restates it: practice can leave the passes and orifices unobstructed, the face like jade, and the body lustrous with gold; after five years of cultivation, Taiyi will send a precious carriage to receive one and convey one up to Taixiao. The frequency of practice may be arranged flexibly and need not be bound to these days.

It further says: when eating, do not speak of death, and do not leave food exposed, lest a host of malign Qi be drawn in. One should also bathe often: on every Jiazi day (one of the days of the stem-and-branch cycle) one ought to bathe; if this cannot be managed, one may bathe on the first day of each month. The scripture holds that this enables a person to attain numinous subtlety. There is no harm in bathing many times; what is to be feared is that a person cannot manage to do so. Bathing washes away the Qi of corpse-impurity and allows true Qi to enter the body.

The above is a command transmitted by the Mysterious Teacher, Lady Wei (a female immortal revered in Daoism), and it ought to be carried out.

The Taishang Jiubian Shihua Yixin Jing (Supreme Scripture of Nine Transformations, Ten Transmutations, and Renewal) says that if one steps on something filthy, or comes to a place regarded as unclean, one should first bathe and wash the body and loosen one’s clothing, so that the body may be freed of impurity. The method is to take ten liang of bamboo leaves and four liang of peach-tree bark with the outer layer pared away so that the white inner portion remains, add one hu and two dou of clear water, and boil them in a pot without letting the water boil over. When the decoction is ready, bring it to a suitable temperature and use it to bathe the body; every kind of impurity can thereby be removed. Using this water to dispel filth can also prevent and treat illnesses such as damp impediment, sores, and itching.

Bamboo is hollow and white within, while peach wood is held to drive off malign influences and purge impurity, and so these two materials are used to clear filth from the body. When the divine immortals of heaven descend to wander and then return, they likewise wash themselves with this water. Worldly ways of expelling impurity—water prepared with Fulu (talismans and registers), the recitation of incantations, or rinsing the mouth—none of them equal this formula. It is better to proceed in this way when bathing, but one must not use this water to wash the head. What is called the “plain broth for refining the corpse” (a white medicinal liquid used in cultivation rites) is precisely suited to washing the body. This is a most marvelous secret method.

The foregoing is the method whose use was commanded by Lady Wang of Purple Tenuity, of the Mysterious Dragon Feather Palace.

One ordinarily chooses the tenth, seventeenth, and twenty-seventh days of each month and carries out the practice in the deep quiet of night, when the effect is better. Facing north, if one sees a large star at the mouth of the Northern Dipper, one styles oneself “Celestial Master (Tianshi) and Libationer, your servant So-and-so,” bows the head twice in salute, and respectfully makes report, petitioning to be granted long life.

At ordinary times, at dusk, one lightly presses the corners of the eyes and visualizes the light of Shen (spirit), making it bright and reddish-yellow. This is regarded as an auspicious sign and must be kept constantly in mind. Within the human form there is one principal Shen who commands the myriad spirits, and one must not let the intent of Shen fall into disorder. When preparing to sleep, one should think of the Shen within the body; when rising, one should likewise think of the Shen within the body. These are the three methods.

The above is drawn from the Dao Yao (Essentials of the Dao).

Just before dawn one rises, first bending the left hand and dipping the index finger in salt, then extending the right hand and likewise dipping its index finger in salt. The two hands are rubbed together while one prays: “The daughter of the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu) is named Yiyu; please bestow on me the elixir medicine, that I may hold it in my mouth.” The salt is then held in the mouth, and Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) are gathered to rub and temper the body. Each morning one holds and swallows the saliva fourteen times. This can dispel blurred vision, brighten the eyes, carry sight to a distance, and make the scenes in all four directions clear. After the saliva has been swallowed fourteen times, the eyes are massaged with the fingers fourteen more times, so that they become bright and are not easily clouded. This is what is called the method of moistening the hands with saliva and massaging the eyes.

The foregoing is taken from the Jiudu.

One then clicks the teeth, striking thirty-six times as if knocking at the Heavenly Gate (Tianmen, the portal of the head), swishes the saliva in the mouth, and swallows it in three portions. This is called “sounding the Heavenly Drum” (Ming Tiangu), and its purpose is to visualize the myriad spirits within the body, the deities who guard it.

The foregoing is drawn from various classical texts.

After rising in the morning, one sits facing east, rubs the hands together until they grow warm, and massages from the forehead upward to the crown of the head, eighteen times in all. This is called the Niwan (the spirit chamber of the head).

The hands are then warmed by rubbing once more, and the face is massaged up to the hairline; one stops after three circuits. If the massage can be continued over the whole body, that is better still. This is called “Qian bathing” (Qianyu), a method of nourishing life by rubbing the body with the hands until it grows warm.

The hands are next rubbed together until warm, passed over the forehead, and used to grasp the two ears separately, drawing them up and down fourteen times. It is said that this can keep a person from deafness throughout life.

One then contracts the nostrils and holds the breath. With the right hand passing over the crown, the left ear is drawn fourteen times; changing to the left hand and passing it over the crown, the right ear is drawn fourteen times. It is said that this can prolong life.

One then rises and dresses. When the sash is tied, the Wu–Ji (wù-jǐ) orientation must be followed. In a Jiaxu ten-day period, for example, one faces Yin; in a Jiayin period, Wu; in a Jiashen period, Zi; in a Jiawu period, Xu; in a Jiachen period, Shen; and in a Jiazi period, Chen. To tie the sash according to the Wu–Ji orientation means that doing so can make a person long-lived and free from cold.

When setting out, first step forward with the left foot and recite “Qian”; then step with the right foot and recite “Yuan”; then step again with the left foot and recite “Heng”; then with the right foot and recite “Li”; and finally step with the left foot and recite “Zhen.” This completes the sequence, which is called “Xingbu Qianyuan” (a ritual of stepping in a set order while reciting the accompanying words).

When going to invite the deities, state your own name and report to the Left Duty Spirit, the Right Duty Spirit, the Earth Director of Destinies, the Azure Lady, and the Lord of the Gateway (spirits who guard the doorway). Ask that so-and-so’s name be removed from the “Register of the Dead” (the roll on which the dead are recorded), and that so-and-so be allowed to enter through the gate and meet with the Lady. The words may be spoken softly or recited silently in the mind; they should not be said in a loud voice.

When urinating, face the direction corresponding to the “Six Ding” (Liuding, six guardian deities in Daoism). If the present time falls in the Jiazi ten-day cycle, urinate toward the Mao direction; in the Jiaxu cycle, toward Chou; in the Jiashen cycle, toward Hai; in the Jiawu cycle, toward You; in the Jiachen cycle, toward Wei; and in the Jiayin cycle, toward Si. This is the method of facing the directions of the Six Ding when urinating.

The eight items above come from the Ziran Jing (Scripture of Spontaneity).

Before eating, first state your own name, and then recite: “With my body I establish the Dao (the Way); with my body I stand as the Celestial Storehouse. Father of the Dao, Mother of the Dao, Perfected Persons, immortals, divine persons, and sages, I eat and drink together with you. Divine lads and jade maidens stand in attendance on my left, holding my register of immortality, so that life follows upon life without end.” This is the formula for praying for protection before a meal.

The foregoing comes from the Daoyao (Essentials of the Dao).

The method of cultivating the ingestion of the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) of the sun and moon is as follows. On the morning of the first day of each month, when the sun has risen to a height of about three zhang, gaze at the sun from afar, form the wogu (a Daoist hand gesture for cultivation, made by bending the fingers into a fist), tread the Yubu (a Daoist ritual pace), and with the mouth draw in the Jing of the sun from a distance. After inhaling fourteen mouthfuls, swallow them. Cultivated in this way, it is said that one may take three people into the home of someone ill with an epidemic so that those who go along are not infected, and that long perseverance can also bring longevity.

On the third day of each month, when the moon rises from the Geng direction (a bearing in the west, tending westward), clench both hands in the wogu, walk toward the southwest, face the moon and tread the Yubu, and with the mouth draw in and drink the Jing of the moon from afar, swallowing fourteen times. It is said that one will then be free of illness throughout the year, and may also enter a house of mourning without being affected, because the light of the sun and moon can shine away defilement.

These two methods are called “eating the sun and drinking the moon,” and the scriptural text says that they can eliminate every kind of Qi.

Born together with the Dao (the Way) and dwelling in one hall with the divine spirits, the Perfected Person So-and-so—one who has attained the True through cultivating the Way; here “So-and-so” stands in for a personal name—is often said by others to have already died. When the right ear rings, recite this passage.

Dwelling together with the Dao and sharing one chamber with the divine spirits, the lifespan of the Perfected Person So-and-so can thereby dispel calamity and misfortune. When the right ear rings, recite this passage.

Born together with the Dao and dwelling in one hall with the divine spirits, the Perfected Person So-and-so is often said by others to have already died. When the right ear rings, recite this passage.

Dwelling together with the Dao and sharing one chamber with the divine spirits, the lifespan of the Perfected Person So-and-so shall come to an end together with Heaven and Earth. When the right ear rings, recite this passage.

Sharing one chamber with the Dao and sharing the same efficacy with the divine spirits, the lifespan of the Perfected Person So-and-so shall accord with Heaven and Earth. When the back of the right ear rings, recite this passage.

Whenever one goes out at night, call upon Tianpeng, a divine general who guards and drives off evil, bidding him to stand in front and together drive away tigers and wolves. When traveling by night, recite this passage.

Each morning and evening, face north and first visualize the Qi (vital energy) of the five viscera: imagine the liver Qi as blue-green, the heart Qi as red, the lung Qi as white, the kidney Qi as black, and the spleen Qi as yellow. Once the Qi of the five viscera has settled in the mind’s visualization, click the teeth thirty-six times, and then offer this invocation:

Tianpeng, Tianpeng; Slaying Youth of the Nine Primordials; Commander of the Five Stalwarts; Lord Gaodiao of the North; the Seven Governors and the Eight Numina; the Vast Ferocity of the Most High; the long-skulled giant beast, holding the imperial bell in its hand. White owl of the Three Dawns, sternly driving the kui-dragon; Divine King of the Awesome Sword, who cuts away malign spirits and extinguishes every trace of evil. Purple Qi rises to Heaven; cinnabar-red clouds shoot straight into the sky; devouring demons and ghosts, the body lies crosswise drinking the wind. A gray tongue and green teeth, an old man with four eyes; celestial stalwarts and mighty warriors overawe the south and resist baleful evil; celestial steeds gallop and roar, overawe the north, and grip sharp blades in their mouths. Three hundred thousand soldiers and commanders guard my gate upon gate; corpse-ghosts are driven off a thousand li, and all that is inauspicious withdraws. Should any petty ghost dare come to harm me, brandish the great axe that cleaves open Heaven and sever the bodily forms of the demons; by the blazing blood of the Flame Emperor and the bone-burning might of the Northern Emperor, shatter their skeletons. The divine general Tianyou annihilates the evil kind; once the divine blade falls, the ten thousand ghosts scatter of themselves.

This passage discusses several Daoist methods that use incantations, tooth-knocking, visualization, and the pressing of parts of the body to subdue ghosts and spirits and to settle the hun and po souls, and it urges practitioners to be cautious and to keep the practices secret.

What is called “incanting against ghosts” means knocking the teeth once, as a rhythmic beat, while reciting a four-character spell. The scripture says that every ghost and demon under heaven will fear and submit upon hearing this spell; if any ghost or demon seeks to do harm, it will disperse as soon as it hears the incantation, and even the Great Demon of the Northern Emperor (the deity who governs ghosts and spirits in the north) fears it. A practitioner who regularly uses this method can travel the world and bring spirits and ghosts to obedience. One must not, however, speak of this spell casually to others; it should be cultivated in secret. The master further warns that, when body and mind are not yet pure, one must not perform the spell rashly, and must exercise the utmost caution.

The “Great Prohibition Method of Taiyi Enveloping Heaven” prescribes that at cockcrow one grip firmly (clenching both hands and gathering the fingers in a specific way), “wear the Celestial Pillar” (in Daoist terminology, a visualization or cultivation method related to the head), and knock the teeth fourteen times. One then visualizes twelve parental deities encircling the head, twenty-four divine beings distributed within the body, and twenty-four worthy deities surrounding the body and abiding upon the earth. Next, one blocks the “great aperture” (a technical term used in the scripture for a site of the body) with the left heel, grips still more firmly, presses the tongue backward toward the throat, and holds the breath. One visualizes sovereign Qi (vital energy) before the body, and further visualizes the gods of the whole world, the spirit officials of the mountains, rivers, and Five Sacred Peaks, together with all the common people, coming from heaven down to earth to pay homage and to submit in awe. When the visualization is complete, one breathes slowly once more.

The scripture then again sets forth the “Great Prohibition Method of Taiyi Enveloping Heaven,” stating that the seven po (the seven po spirits in the Daoist conception of the human hun and po) reside by day beneath the left eye and by night at the philtrum below the nose. Each morning and evening, one secretly presses the corresponding place three times with the index finger of the right hand and softly recites: “The seven po, refined and purified, rest unmoving, forever accompanying the three hun and lying hidden in the imperial court (the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor); preserve and harmonize the Three Primes (the three fundamental forms of Qi—of heaven, earth, and humanity, or within the body—as Daoism teaches), and penetrate the true Dao (the Way) and spiritual nature; every baleful calamity is extinguished, I attain long life, and at last become a Perfected Person, ascending to the heavenly court.”

This is the “Method of Taiyi for Subduing the Seven Po.” The scripture states that regular practice of this method enables the three hun to guard the body and the seven po to remain settled, so that one is spared death; when cultivating it, one should avoid being seen by others.

When one undertakes the purificatory retreat and enters the chamber, one must first drive out malign influences and guard against every kind of disturbance, then relax body and mind and offer prayer. Facing north, click the teeth thirty-six times, and then in a low voice invoke Yuqing Qiong Yuanjun (Qiong Yuanjun of Jade Clarity, a revered deity of Daoism):

“The Great Demon Kings of the Six Heavens have been subdued, and the dark, hidden places have returned to emptiness. Giant beasts are clad in red armor; venomous dragons bear four mouths; white rats cry out toward heaven, raising their claws and shaking their fur. The host of spectral creatures conceal themselves, and malign influences and demonic sprites are all destroyed. The heavenly troops stand in orderly ranks and obey command; the divinities of the Five Sacred Peaks come to pay court; wind and fire go forth on campaign at command; the winds of the Nine Heavens surge and beat with fierce force; and brilliant light shines forth.”

Then once more straighten the body, close the eyes and draw in the gaze, purify body and mind, and harmonize the Three Palaces (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian, energy centers, within the body). Silently recite in the mind: “Destroy the malign influences and demonic sprites; the heavenly troops stand in orderly ranks and obey command; the divinities of the Five Sacred Peaks come to pay court; wind and fire go forth on campaign at command; the winds of the Nine Heavens surge and beat with fierce force; and brilliant light shines forth.”

Next, visualize the Six Courts (the six places within the body where divine Qi, vital energy, resides), so that the Imperial Lord sits at ease and the assisting deities all become manifest together. Harmonize the breath and the fluids within the body, pay homage to the Nine Numina (nine numinous deities), and let the Shen (spirits) of the five viscera rest in calm and orderly fashion while the fluids fill the body and spread through it. Baiyuan (a deity within the body) awakens true nature, and Wuying (a deity within the body) disperses the impulse of life. The inner radiance is deep and luminous, and the four virtues are harmonized and evenly balanced. The inner precious light is bright and pure white; the heart-spirit chants and savors Dongqing (the realm of pure stillness and profound seclusion); Taisu (the primordial pure Qi) manifests its images, and one’s lifespan is thereby made secure.

On one’s benming day (the personal day of allotted fate, determined from the heavenly stems and earthly branches of one’s birth), and in any place where mind and spirit are shaken and ill at ease, one should close the door, remain quietly apart, and concentrate one’s thought. Click the teeth three times, settle the breathing, hold the body upright facing north, visualize within the mind, and pray in a low voice:

“Luole nachao, Fangnai guanlian, Banmu bodui; Danmo the giant snake; Hecha the white rat; Danli the great demon. True fragrance spreads far and wide; vacant numina stand towering in the empyrean. They survey fortune and misfortune in full, open the caverns and clear the hidden depths, dance and glance over every kind of being, and gather in the profusion of ordinances. Across a hundred regions and a thousand paths, nothing fails to open into vast emptiness. Heaven and earth are brought to one measure; who could claim the power to mar them?”

The two items above come from the incantation methods of the Dongzhen Jinxuan Bajing Yulu (Jade Register of the Eight Effulgences of Golden Mystery, in the Dongzhen cavern). They must not be recited at will, and should be treated with caution.

At the time of “Great Cold” (Dahan), inhale through the nose and swallow three times in succession without a break. This is what is called “swallowing to take in Qi.” Once it is done, stop.

The two items above come from the incantation methods of the Dongzhen Jinxuan Bajing Yulu (Jade Register of the Eight Effulgences of Golden Mystery, in the Dongzhen cavern). They must not be recited at will, and should be treated with caution.

At the time of “Great Cold” (Dahan), inhale through the nose and swallow three times in succession without a break. This is what is called “swallowing to take in Qi.” Once it is done, stop.

In great heat, inhale through the nose and then swallow slowly; or inhale through the nose and then exhale through the mouth. Done this way, the sensation of heat will subside.

These two passages come from the Huangzi Xingqi Jing (Scripture of Master Huang on Circulating Qi).

At that time, eighty-five thousand Vajra spirits (protector deities), wishing to safeguard the true Dharma and subdue the hearts of beings in both the realm of the shades and the human world, recited this incantation:

Thunder and fire illuminate the void, and divine light shines into dark places. Venomous dragons hold the four quarters, and spirit tigers encircle the eight directions. On the head is a cap of the Seven Stars, and the feet tread upon the Dipper and Ox lunar lodges. Divine blades are arrayed like stars, and golden hooks gleam with numinous light. The Primal Lord commands his mighty divine soldiers, who leap and stride through the void. Above, they cut off demons and evil; below, they destroy wandering spirits. They pull out livers and gallbladders, split open bowels, and sever the meridians. Striking left and slashing right, they then boil their foes and cut off their heads; they sever the source of the demonic Qi (vital energy) and rein in the multitude of vengeful ghosts. Ghost envoys are devoured, and the followers of shamanic cults are crushed and swallowed whole. They beat drums and dance, drink blood and eat flesh; their bodies reek and their bones are foul. The Wangliang (spirits of mountains and rivers) run riot in disorder, rank, violent, and wretched, their thoughts and their appearance alike given to flattery and slander. The divine pestle smashes their skulls, and the envoys too are crushed and swallowed whole. The followers of shamanic cults beat drums and dance, drink blood and eat flesh; their bodies reek and their bones are foul. The Wangliang run riot in disorder, rank, violent, and wretched, their thoughts and their appearance alike given to flattery and slander. The divine pestle smashes their skulls, and the golden blade cuts open their bellies. Those who hide malice and secretly harm others are suddenly brought to submission. In the left hand is a golden talisman, in the right the written record of their offenses; the golden bell of Taiyi (the Supreme One) and the jade tally of the Void Sovereign are held in hand. Whoever knows his fault and still refuses to repent will be hung up and beheaded. What demon could fail to perish, and what spirit-creature could fail to be wiped out? The Six Spirits have nowhere to hide, and beneath the Seven Stars blood-light splits in every direction. Above are the Celestial Masters (Tianshi), below are the Vajra spirits, and together they proclaim the command to subdue evil Qi, as numinous light issues from their mouths. They bestow drink from the waters of the Cinnabar Pool and give dark frost as food, so that the radiance of the five viscera is brought forth, enduring and lasting without end.

At that time, the great ghost kings, with four eyes and bodies flashing lightning, likewise helped to safeguard the true Dharma, dispel calamities, and guard the ritual space. They inspect for treachery, correct wrongdoing, and subdue the wicked and all heterodox followers; those who do not believe in the true Way are likewise among those to be subdued. Then they recited this incantation:

A divine wind sweeps away filth and uproots the source of evil. The Six Heavens (the forces of malign spirits in Daoist belief) lose their vital essence, and the Five Poisons dissolve their grievances. With golden heads and iron teeth, they devour ghosts and demons and destroy the souls of the dead. The glow of peachwood lights up every door, and the radiance of sun and moon shines upon the courtyard. The killing force, like a shooting star, fills the surroundings with brightness and leaves no room for fear. The hundred vessels flow freely like rivers, and the seven channels are set in order; the spirit is at peace and the body at ease, enduring long and never dying.

The two incantations on the right come from juan seven of the Taishang Yuqing Jing (Scripture of the Jade Clarity of the Most High), in the chapter “The Dao (the Way) Transforms the Four Yi” (Daohua Siyi pin).

Hymn of the Palaces of Fengdu (the palace compounds where the ghosts and spirits of the underworld dwell):

The thearch-spirit of Zhoujue is displayed; Liangshi meets the layered slopes; blazing like smoke in the upper sky, surging like the splendor of radiant light; Wucheng bears the divine blade; Tianzhao swallows the clear river; the Changhe Gate overlooks the cinnabar well; the Cloud Gate rises dense and sheer:

The thearch-spirit of Zhoujue is displayed; Liangshi meets the layered slopes; blazing like smoke in the upper sky, surging like the splendor of radiant light; Wucheng bears the divine blade; Tianzhao swallows the clear river; the Changhe Gate overlooks the cinnabar well; the Cloud Gate rises dense and sheer; Qifei links the wondrous canopy; Lianwan likewise spreads over the demons; the Six Heavens lie across the northern way; this is the home of ghosts and spirits.

These are the names of the palace compounds of the Six Heavens. Reciting this passage can drive away ghosts and malign influences.

Stillness and open understanding hold one’s feelings in trust; mysterious Qi (vital energy) gathers in the sounds that rise and fall. Though the lofty wheels stand at uneven heights, one still seeks the place ten thousand ren above. Those who cultivate the Dao remain pure and self-possessed, their mind and spirit joining the numinous and marvelous realm; yielding to the changes of the world, they lodge their intent in the secluded mountains and forests. All agree to seek together the principles beyond this world, and to dwell quietly in one another’s company upon the Eastern Mountain. This passage gives voice to feeling and entrusts it to affinities yet to come.

One drives on toward the broad expanse of Mount Fengdu; transcendent tracks pass beyond the land of the shades. Within the void the myriad things are already present, and what has form and substance is not eternal. Once one grasps the boundary between being and non-being, one may agree to meet at the Hao and the Liang; when eyes meet, the mysterious principle is already understood, and the affairs of ghosts and spirits are naturally forgotten. This passage concerns the profound and mysterious purport that lies between human beings and ghosts and spirits.

Mount Luofeng lies in the north, in the gui sector. The mountain is 2,600 li high and 30,000 li in circumference. Beneath it is a grotto-heaven, 15,000 li in circumference. Both on the mountain and within the grotto-heaven are palace halls where ghosts and spirits dwell: six palaces on the mountain and six within the grotto, each one thousand li in circumference, together called the palaces of the ghosts and spirits of the Six Heavens. The palaces on the mountain are the outer palaces; those in the grotto are the inner palaces; the two follow the same plan.

The first is the Zhoujue Yintian Gong (Palace of the Yin Heaven of Zhoujue); the second is the Taisha Liangshi Zongtian Gong (Palace of the Ancestral Heaven of Taisha Liangshi); the third is the Mingchen Naifan Wucheng Tiangong (Heavenly Palace of the Martial City of Mingchen Naifan); the fourth is Tianzhao Zuiqi…

Celestial palaces refer to the palace halls of heaven. After reciting the names of these six celestial palaces, one should click the teeth six times and then lie down to rest; in this way the Qi (vital energy) of ghosts and evil can be driven off and kept away. After worthies and sages pass away, they must first pass through Mingchen, the third celestial palace, to receive their official duties. Human fortune and misfortune, auspicious and inauspicious outcomes, together with allotted fate, culpability, and calamity, are administered by Tianzhao, the fourth celestial palace. The Lord of the Northern Dipper governs this palace.

The ghost official’s prayer says:

“I am a disciple of the Most High (Taishang, a revered deity of Daoism), and I command the six heavens of the lower realm. The officials of the six heavens all come under my jurisdiction; they are not under my jurisdiction alone, but are also governed by the Most High. I know the names of the six celestial palaces, and therefore I am able to attain long life. Whoever dares to offend, the Most High will sever your bodily form.”

The foregoing is taken from the fifth juan of the Zhen’gao Chanyouwei (Declarations of the Perfected: Elucidating the Hidden and Subtle).

The Shangqing Sanzhen Zhiyao Yujue (Jade Instructions on the Essential Purports of the Three Perfected of Highest Clarity) ends here.

Note: The Dunhuang manuscript P-2576V is damaged at both the beginning and the end and bears no title. The extant scripture comprises 399 lines in all; the first 215 lines do not appear in the Daozang (Daoist Canon), while the latter half is identical with the Shangqing Sanzhen Zhiyao Yujue preserved in the Daozang. The first half of the Dunhuang manuscript has now been collated with the Daozang text into a single piece, yet the text remains incomplete. Furthermore, what is preserved in the Daozang……

The wording of the Dongzhen Scripture of the Queen Mother of the West on the Daily Regimen for Treasuring the Spirit (Dongzhen Xiwangmu Baoshen Qiju Jing) is essentially the same as that of the present book, and the two may be used to check one another.

The character “南” has been supplied on the basis of the context; the character “文” has been supplied on the basis of parallel passages of the same kind. The characters “和,” “内,” “视,” “自在,” “有,” “药,” and others have been supplied on the basis of the Baoshen Jing. The character “按” originally read “紫” and has been emended according to the Baoshen Jing; the character “游” originally read “旋,” and the character “营” originally read “莹,” and these too have been emended according to the Baoshen Jing.

Collation with the Dunhuang manuscript: these notes rely solely on the Dunhuang manuscript to correct miswritten characters and to supply characters omitted in the Daozang (Daoist Canon) edition.

In note 14 the character 见 is supplied from the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 15, 赤字经 appears in the Dunhuang manuscript as 原景赤字经 (Jing, scripture/classic). In note 16 the character 亦 is supplied from the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 17 the character 大 appears in the Dunhuang manuscript as 水.

In note 18 the Daozang edition has a superfluous character 力 after 使, which is deleted on the authority of the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 19 the Daozang edition miswrites 头 as 项, which is corrected according to the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 20 the Daozang edition miswrites 反胎 as 及中胎, which is corrected according to the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 21 the Daozang edition has a superfluous character 经 after 摩, which is deleted on the authority of the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 22 the Daozang edition miswrites 就 as 笼, which is corrected according to the Dunhuang manuscript.

In notes 23–25 the character 常 is supplied from the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 24 the character 发 is supplied from the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 26 the character 手 is supplied from the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 27 the character 使 is supplied from the Dunhuang manuscript.

In note 28 the base text reads 五飞, which is changed to 五龙 on the authority of the Baoshen Jing. In note 29 the character 面 appears in the Dunhuang manuscript as 向. In note 30, 造始 appears in the Dunhuang manuscript as the single character 告. In note 31 the Daozang edition miswrites 日 as 目, which is corrected according to the Dunhuang manuscript. In note 32 the Daozang edition miswrites 录 as 绿, which is corrected according to the Dunhuang manuscript.