《上清无英真童合游内变玉经》

The Jade-Protected King Azure Youth Dao Lord (Yubao Wang Qingtong Daojun), a venerated deity in the Shangqing scriptures, had just entered the realm of the Dao (the Way) and floated between the empyrean skies and the cinnabar groves. He looked down upon the cavern seas, drawing in sweet and delicious Jing (essence) Qi (vital energy) that condensed and nourished the Flower Youth. At this moment the solar palaces stood ten thousand li apart, the nine gates opening suddenly. Cinnabar radiance and purple mists reflected one another, the fumes combining into light. The Five Emperors clapped their hands in celebration, the divine crow pecking through the gloom. The Azure Youth Dao Lord concentrated his gaze, his heart Shen (spirit) intersecting with his Jing soul, the Qi of Supreme Harmony generating of itself so that his golden body was harmonious and comfortable.

The Azure Youth Dao Lord, at leisure, waved in invitation. His mental realm was empty and still to the utmost, and from this the Shen manifested. He slept at ease in the Mysterious Palace. The spirits of the Three Origins, Nine Beginnings and so forth had not arrived at the courtyard for a long while. Suddenly a divine person appeared: draped in cloud Qi, moonlight upon his head, heavenly stars winding about his waist. His countenance was as lovely and keen as that of a Jade Perfected, his bones green-moist and yielding. He spoke to the Azure Youth Dao Lord, saying:

Gaze far into the distance and sense the jing (essence) of the sun; sit in stillness to receive the jing of the moon. In this way you obtain “Tianying,” which you use to nourish and refine the golden form (the immortal body achieved through cultivation). At that moment the dual luminaries of sun and moon send forth their radiance, illuminating your body throughout. Within your Dantian (energy center in the lower abdomen used in Neidan practice) zhiying spontaneously arise, jade flowers gleaming with multicolored brilliance.

I shall now impart the essential formula so that you may comprehend “Zhenyi” (the True One, the authentic Dao of the tradition). Upon obtaining Wuying you can accomplish the immortal body. Wuying is the flourishing tender sprout within Qingyang (the generative qi of the East). The True Youth is the only son born of the Azure Youth. Visualize the True Youth within your own body: the moment you think of him, he arrives. Once he has come, he roams together with you, merging and transforming with you. You must summon him according to the proper sequence and must not act willfully.

The qi of your body is transformed into the jing of water, and this is “zhi.” Zhi belongs to Earth and is generated by Fire. Earth is then transformed into the jing of Fire, becoming Shen (spirit). When Shen and qi have accumulated to completion, they form the bones; the jing of the bones constitutes the pupils of your eyes. The eye sockets are the mysterious windows of your body (windows of inner vision). The two eyes, bright as pearls, are your spirit mirrors. They receive the light of sun and moon from above and pour it downward into the Funiu (a visualized location within the body) inside you. All of these are the conditions that allow Wuying to arrive. Wuying is a numinous being; when it comes, you yourself will know it. On the appointed day you should keep watch for it. When it arrives there will be movement at the place where it is, as though something were attaching itself to your body.

To cultivate this method, face the sun, perform the rite of bowing, and offer a prayer. First open the eyes and gaze intently; you will see red qi filling the space before you. Next close the eyes; the red becomes denser and surges like waves. Then close the eyes tightly and look inward with the gaze as if through the eyelids; you will see a precious reddish-purple light containing patterns like a hundred flowers, rotating like a wheel. Then inhale this light-qi through the nose, allowing it to descend from the nape of the neck along the spine, pass through the kidney region, reach the heels, and then return to fill the Dantian. You will still see the light and color as before. At this moment silently recite in the mind:

The spirit (Shen) summons primordial Qi (vital energy) and causes it to connect with oneself; inwardly one visualizes the incoming divine Qi. Spirit and Qi quietly intermingle, like sunlight transforming into flowing mist and haze, washing away my old marrow so that life continues, transforms, and approaches the Perfected Person. Wuying (the inner spirit) together with the Qi of Qingyang causes new sprouts to grow abundantly; the dark and hidden realms thereby become clearly revealed, and the wangliang (spirits of mountains and rivers) lose their traces. The lights of sun and moon merge, nourishing my sacred body, enabling me to ascend to the realm of Jade Preservation and become a minister of the Later Sage.

Moonlight may also be used for this practice. Select the corresponding dates and hours, dwell alone and rest peacefully, waiting with concentrated mind; at the appointed time something ought to enter from the corresponding body part. The correspondences of solar terms with body parts and dates are as follows: the left foot corresponds to Beginning of Spring, dates Wuyin and Jichou; the left chest corresponds to Spring Equinox, date Yimao; the left hand corresponds to Beginning of Summer, dates Wuchen and Jisi; the chest, throat, and head correspond to Summer Solstice, date Bingwu; the right hand corresponds to Beginning of Autumn, dates Wushen and Jiwei; the right chest corresponds to Autumn Equinox, date Xinyou; the right foot corresponds to Beginning of Winter, dates Wuxu and Jihai; the waist, buttocks, and lower body correspond to Winter Solstice, date Renzi. After “the right foot corresponds to Beginning of Winter” the original text repeats an earlier passage and includes disordered phrases; here the correspondences are listed according to context.

On these dates and hours wait with concentrated mind and introduce what is obtained into the Dantian (energy center, the cultivation site within the human body), observing what one has received. It will not necessarily appear at every one of the above locations. But if Wuying accords with the stem-branch of the current year, it will naturally circulate within the body. Cause the two radiances of sun and moon to intermingle, practicing thus every morning. When sitting quietly at night, if a flying light suddenly appears before one, it vanishes upon being seen. After long practice one can stabilize the visualization; within the light a formed image will appear, which is the visualized form of Wuying. Such an image will also appear in the Dantian.

By cultivating in this way one can become a Shangqing Perfected Person. This method is not transmitted to beginners.

When the Azure Youth Dao Lord practiced this method he transmitted the oral instructions from the Eastern Floriate Jade Palace, delivering them to the various Perfected Persons and requiring them to act according to the explicit written regulations.

The above was transmitted by the Eastern Floriate Preserver of Dawn Mysterious Yellow Dao Lord to those who study the Dao.

When this method is practiced in Shangqing, the oral instructions are transmitted from the Eastern Floriate Jade Palace, delivered to the various Perfected Persons, requiring them to act according to the explicit written regulations.

The above was transmitted by the Eastern Floriate Preserver of Dawn Mysterious Yellow Dao Lord to those who study the Dao.