《上清洞真九宫紫房图》

The Nine Palaces Purple Chambers refer to the nine palace positions of the spirit chambers in the head; “Purple Chambers” are the palaces in which the various Shen (spirits) of the body reside during practices of visualization and contemplation.

The expression “entering rearward” denotes a measurement taken from between the two eyebrows inward into the head toward the rear. Three fen inward from between the eyebrows is the Guarding-the-Inch Double Fields; one cun inward is the Bright Hall Palace, two cun is the Grotto Chamber Palace, three cun is the Dantian (energy center) Palace, four cun is the Flowing Pearl Palace, and five cun is the Jade Emperor Palace. One cun above the Bright Hall Palace is the Heavenly Court Palace, one cun above the Grotto Chamber Palace is the Ultimate Truth Palace, one cun above the Dantian Palace is the Mysterious Cinnabar Palace, and one cun above the Flowing Pearl Palace is the Grand Emperor Palace. In this way the head is provided with a total of nine palaces.

The Upper Dantian Palace is located between the two eyebrows, the Middle Dantian Palace is the Crimson Palace within the heart, and the Lower Dantian Palace is three cun below the navel; together they are called the Three Dantian. The Red Infant resides in the Upper Dantian, the Perfected One resides in the Middle Dantian, and the Infant Emperor Lord resides in the Lower Dantian. There is also the Upper Prime True One Emperor Lord dwelling in the Dantian, and therefore it is said that two Shen jointly govern the Dantian Palace. In cultivation one must hold to the Dao (the Way) of the Three Primes True One, which means concentrating on these three Dantian and the Shen that inhabit them.

Within the Guarding-the-Inch Double Fields are set up the Yellow Watchtower, Purple Portal, Crimson Terrace, and Azure Chamber, arrayed on left and right. The left side of the Guarding-the-Inch is the Crimson Terrace and the right side is the Yellow Watchtower; the Perfected Ones within the palace come and go by passing between the Yellow Watchtower and the Crimson Terrace. As the Daoist Jing (scriptures) explain, the terraces and watchtowers placed on left and right serve to monitor irregular Qi (vital energy) and to greet the Perfected Ones in their arrivals and departures. Two great Shen also reside in the Guarding-the-Inch Double Fields.

In the Mingtang Palace the Perfected Lord of the Bright Youth sits on the left, the Perfected Official of the Bright Maiden on the right, and the Divine Lord of the Bright Mirror in the center. These three Perfected Ones jointly preside over the palace. They wear robes of colorful brocade, four bells of red jade hanging at their waists and red mirrors held in their mouths; the bells themselves are of red jade. Their features are those of infants. They sit facing outward, though at times they turn toward one another.

Three Perfected Ones dwell in the Dongfang Palace: Young Lord Wuying on the left, Lord Baiyuan on the right, and Lord Huanglao in the center. Together they govern the palace. This is known as the Way of the Flying Perfected.

The Dantian Palace occupies the exact center of the body and measures one cun on each of its four sides.

The Liuzhu Palace is the seat of Siming, the deity who governs the length of life, and it is here that the marvelous Qi of the Dao circulates.

The Yudi Palace is inhabited by the Divine Mother of Jade Clarity.

The Tianting Palace is the dwelling of the Perfected Maiden of Highest Clarity.

The Jizhen Palace is occupied by the Imperial Consort of Taiji.

The Xuandan Palace measures one cun on each side. Within it stand purple chambers and green inner rooms filled with vermilion vapor. The Perfected Lord Taiyi of the Niwan presides there, his form resembling a newborn infant. He sits upright on a golden couch amid jade curtains, clad in a purple embroidered brocade robe with Flowing Fire Bells at his waist. The bells have no solid substance yet emit a crimson glow; when shaken their sound carries a hundred thousand li. They are the treasured bells of the Perfected One of Central Yellow Taiyi of Shangqing. The Perfected Lord Taiyi sits alone facing outward and without attendants, and is therefore called the Perfected Lord Taiyi.

The Three Ones constitute the root of human spirituality, the source of life for the hundred gods, the gathering place of the bodily fluids, and the jade chamber that houses the hun and Jing. Thus the stomach resembles a square pond that receives food, while the brain palace, being round and empty, is the fitting residence for the true spirits. The hairs of the whole body stand erect and vapor seems to rise from the thousand orifices. Because a person’s De fully embodies the Dao of Heaven and Earth and communicates with the Great Mystery, it is called Niwan. Niwan is the Shen that dwells within the human bodily form.

The Taihuang Palace is inhabited by the Consort of the Most High.

Here ends the Shangqing Dongzhen Jiugong Zifang Tu.