《大洞金华玉经》

To obtain and receive the cultivation methods of the Great Cavern (Dadong zhi jue) and to practice the Superior Way of the Cavern One (Dongyi Shangdao) together with the method of the union and transformation of the Female One (Ciyi Hebian), one must first recite the Superior Vows of the Emperor Lord (Dijun Shangyuan) and the Hidden Book of the Golden Flower of the Eight Chambers of the Mysterious Mother (Xuanmu Bajian Jinhua Yinshu). These are forbidden scriptures treasured in the bosom of the Emperor Lord of the Nine Heavens.

When transmitting them to a disciple, one must first announce the purification (gaozhai): observe a fast of one day before and after the transmission, then perform a pure fast of one hundred days before the transmission may take place. Alternatively a medium fast of seventy days or a lesser fast of thirty-nine days may be observed. Master and disciple should jointly fast and cultivate arduously, and only then transmit to one another. If one transmits without examining the suitability of the recipient and without fasting, the master who transmits the scripture will encounter a deadly calamity while the recipient will lose both eyes. If the fasting is insufficiently sincere and rigorous, the master will fall ill and the recipient will lose the power of speech. The heavier punishment upon the scripture master serves to prevent casual perusal of the text; the misfortunes that befall the disciple warn them to guard their mouth and protect their eyes with caution. Violations of the prohibitions, in severe cases, bring disaster upon seven generations and implicate the ancestral spirits as well.

Upon receiving this scripture (jing), one must immediately cultivate according to its methods without violation, slackness, or interruption. The covenant against leaking the scripture must also be observed in full accordance with the above regulations. Treat the scripture master with the three kinds of fasting rites as respectfully as one would serve a sovereign or a father. Cultivate in a secluded chamber amid quiet mountain forests, concentrating as if no one else were present. Visualize the Five Spirits (wushen, the five deities within the body) dwelling in the Purple Chamber (zifang, the spirit chamber within the body) as if the true numina were truly present there.

One must not accept items transmitted outside close relationships such as those of ruler and minister, master and disciple, father and son, or brothers. One must not enter dwellings that are not appropriate to these relationships. The scripture further admonishes that one should not be greedy for an abundance of gifts, nor for spacious dwellings, nor for excessive clothing. This teaches contentment and self-restraint so that one may guard the unity and hidden stillness of the inner heart.

Cultivate the subtle awakening of the Heavenly Dao, cutting off all entanglements and worldly distractions. Manifest De (Virtue/Power) through arduous practice, concealing one’s traces without revealing any sign. Three meals a day taken in mountain streams suffice; continue the cultivation with a hidden and sincere heart. Only then can one’s reputation reach the immortal realm inhabited by the Five Elders (Wulao, honored Daoist deities) and one’s De ascend above the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing). Internally guard and concentrate the Shen (spirit), remaining as pure as bright jade and keeping garments and cap unsullied by defilement. Visualize the Three Primes (sanyuan, the three primordial spirits within the body) in the Niwan (the spirit chamber in the head), guard the Nine True Ones (jiuzhen, the nine true deities within the body) within the physical form, circulate the Qi (vital energy) of the Five Flowers, and breathe the jade fluid. Morning and evening seek immortality in Kongtong (a legendary immortal realm), and even in sleep and rest open the divine illumination in the Great Wilderness (Taimo, a vast and profound domain). Remain diligent and tireless, never slacking. Only such a person may discuss the gateway of the Great Cavern and join in exploring the mysteries of cultivating the Dao.

Those who uphold this scripture may ascend the Three Mornings (Sanchen, a Daoist immortal realm) and roam the Great Empyrean. Those who violate it will sink into the Three Springs (Sanquan, the depths of the underworld) and enter the Great Darkness (Taiyou, the nether realm).

To transmit this scripture (jing), the student who receives it should rest in quietude, allowing the spirit-mind to sink into the Great Desert—the remote, empty, and silent realm—and remain diligent without slackening, holding fast from beginning to end. Only such a person may be spoken with about the Gate of the Great Cavern, the path of entering the methods of Great Cavern cultivation, and be allowed to seek in advance the mysteries of the Dao (the Way). Those who follow it can ascend the Three Mornings, the heavenly realms of Daoism, and roam the Great Empyrean; those who go against it will sink into the Three Springs, the netherworld, and enter the Great Darkness.

The one who transmits this scripture should confer the text and the oral formulas in successive stages, never imparting them all at once. The oral instructions for practice are given first, so that the student may cultivate according to the formulas through visualization—the focused contemplation of seated meditation—refine the Five Forms, the bodily configurations associated with the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), hold the mind upon the Purple Chamber, the dwelling of the divine Perfected within the body, wash away defilement and still the passions, concentrate on guarding the One, and wait morning and evening for spiritual response. The Great Elixir is hidden and mysterious, and is therefore called the Scripture of the Golden Flower; what the Jade Dawn of the Three Primes, high Perfected beings of Daoism, transmitted is the Essence of the Female One, a refining essential indicated in the scripture. Only after cultivating the Female One according to the oral formulas for three years may one then recite the Perfect Scripture of the Great Cavern in Thirty-Nine Chapters. Now that these oral formulas have been received, one may also cultivate on their basis; by practicing according to the formulas, the way of the immortals is certain to be attained, and it is not necessary to read through the entire Perfect Scripture of the Great Cavern.

So long as visualization brings a response and the mind is firmly settled in sincere reverence, one can unite with the True Spirits and meet the scenes of the divine Perfected, and the Three Primes will then appear. The practitioner obtains this scripture as a descent from the realm of mysterious emptiness; Huang-Lao—the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, also honored as Perfected in Daoism—proclaims the talismanic mandate, circulating numinous Qi (vital energy) and drawing down radiant light; the Five Elders, the directional Perfected of Daoism, scatter their brilliance; the practitioner receives the scripture in midair and immediately ascends into the Great Nonbeing, the empty and lofty heavens.

The Chapter of the Twelve Vows of the Imperial Lord lists these wishes: to wish for Heaven, to wish for Earth, to wish for Wind, to wish for Clouds, to wish for Yin, to wish for Yang, to wish for Great Space, to wish for Great Nonbeing, to wish for Great Void, to wish for Great Existence, to wish for Self-Generation, to wish for the Generation of Spirits. The Chapter of the Eight Gates of the Mysterious Mother Walking Between lists these wishes: to wish that the Mysterious Mother, the divine mother of Daoism, be born together with me amid the living Qi, and dwell together with me in the empty realm; to wish that she be with me in the realm of Great Existence, generating ourselves together and generating spirits together. Further, to wish that the Mysterious Mother be born together with me amid the living Qi, exist together with me between sun and moon, be preserved together with me above the Nine Heavens, partake together with me of the things of nature, drink together at the Gourd River, rest together in Jade Perfection, lodge together in the Immortal Hall, and roam together through the Three Mysteries.

In another quiet chamber you should constantly recite this scripture, never forgetting it even for a moment. To do so is to make a vow in your heart to the Sovereign Lord (Dijun, a revered Daoist deity) and also to open the eight kinds of wholesome vows.

Even now the immortals of the Five Sacred Mountains and the fairy maidens of the Divine Land still drink nectar and savor precious fruits while declaring great vows and setting forth the eight kinds of wholesome vows. They hope thereby to reach Taisu (the pure original source spoken of in Daoism), to follow the Three Primes (Sanyuan, the three primes of Heaven, Earth, and Water), to resolve to ascend into Xiaochen (the high heavenly immortal realm), to become Jade Perfected (Yuzhen, immortals who have attained the Dao and become authentic), to deliver their ancestors of seven generations, and to enter Guanghan (the cool lunar palace immortal realm). How much more, then, should ordinary people living in the world and trapped by the Five Turbidities (Wuzhuo, a term used in Buddhist and Daoist scriptures for the defiled age) cultivate on behalf of themselves and their ancestors. Having heard this yet failing to put it into practice—how can that be permissible?

Even if a person’s form and spirit diligently cultivate with hardship throughout an entire lifetime, if the ancestors of seven generations still have karmic offenses that have not been liberated, one will in the end find it hard to hope for immortality. Therefore one must make a great vow and clearly state the eight kinds of wholesome vows in order to dissolve the accumulated entanglements. Only after the ancestors of seven generations have received blessings and protection can you yourself hope for long life without death. Long life without death is the root of attaining the Dao and the starting point of becoming an immortal. Those who resolve to cultivate this Dao—how can they fail to strive for lasting existence?

The Twelve Superior Vows of the Sovereign Lord of the Nine Heavens and the Text of the Eight Interval Spirit Gates of the Mysterious Mother of the Nine Numina can reverse the primordial Qi (yuanqi), penetrate the five directions, avert disasters in the world, bless and protect the ancestors of seven generations, and enable one’s own person to become a divine immortal. One should, in a secluded and quiet secret chamber, diffuse fragrance and arrange the incense smoke correctly, then recite the Scripture of the Golden Flower of the Great Cavern (Dadong Jinhua Jing):

Polar Heavenly Sovereign, Sovereign Lord of the Great Unity, Purple Void of Jade Clarity, Two Luminaries Bright and Complete, Unsurpassed Great Dao, Three Primes of Grand Simplicity, Five Elders of the Four Directions, Six Canopies and Seven Dawn Stars, Eight Superiors and Nine Numina, Hidden Dao Returning the Origin, Mysterious Mother of Five Penetrations.

At the end of the original text the wording “in a quiet secret chamber … and recite the Scripture of the Golden Flower of the Great Cavern, saying” appears repeatedly, and the final sentence seems incomplete; the foregoing has been rendered according to the extant wording.

The Northern Polar Heavenly Emperor, the Taiyi Imperial Lord, Jade Clarity of Purple Vacuity (the pure and wondrous realm spoken of in Daoism), the Two Luminaries in bright completeness, and the Unsurpassed Great Dao (the Way) all please graciously hear this prayer. The Three Primordials of Grand Simplicity, the Five Elders of the Four Directions, the Six Covers and Seven Mornings, the Eight Superiors and Nine Numina, Hidden Dao Returning to the Origin, the Mysterious Mother of Five Penetrations, the Golden Flower High Immortal, the Destiny-Governing Celestial Master (Tianshi, who oversees the registers of fate), the Great Shen (spirit) Presiding over Life, and the Heavenly Qi (vital energy) of Grand Subtlety, please accept this Zhaijiao (purification ritual of setting up an altar to pray to the deities) and grant protection.

First I pray that the Nine Mysterious Ones (a Daoist term for ancestors) protect the hun and po souls and support the spirit, so that the clear and bright true primordial Qi gathers upon me. I look upward to invite the Unsurpassed Great Immortal of Five Penetrations and look downward to invite Hidden Dao Returning to the Origin, that the sinful karma accumulated over seven lifetimes may be dissolved, blessings received, and I enrolled in the Immortal Mansion of the Southern Palace. May the fragrance of incense be sprinkled throughout the portals of the eight directions.

May the powers of Heaven, Earth, Wind, and Cloud from the four directions unite as one, so that I am recorded in the registers of long life. May Heaven cover and protect the embryonic origin, Earth assist the growth of numinous radiance, divine winds blow from the eight directions, and auspicious cloudy Qi fill the space between. Together with the Imperial Lord I ride the wind to ascend into Shangqing (the lofty and wondrous heavenly realm spoken of in Daoism), gazing remotely toward the mysterious northern region and unfastening my sash in the Jade Court. May this fortunate celebration extend to the seven generations of ancestors, so that the fathers and grandfathers in the netherworld may also be delivered; may the four directions all be unobstructed and lifespan endure until the sun and moon come to an end.

The prayers of the second layer likewise comprise four items; may the Imperial Lord receive and record them: I pray for Yin, I pray for Yang, I pray for Grand Space, I pray for Grand Nonbeing (these referring to the vast empty realms); I pray for the dwelling places of the Three-Five Luminous Shen and of the Seven-Nine, as well as the Primordial Father of the Imperial Lord (the father deity honored by the Imperial Lord), that the beginning of life may be made secure. May the Jade Emperor peacefully station his divine carriage, constantly present in my dwelling. I visualize the Purple Chamber (the inner dwelling of deities), Niwan and Taokang (the inner divine chambers spoken of in Daoist inner cultivation), condense Yin Qi, firmly protect the blood Qi, and cause the hun and po souls to generate the radiance of Great Yang; may the numinous void shine, Grand Nonbeing be vast and enduring, the nine kinds of vacuous Qi unite with me, and confer upon me the yellow lower garment (symbolizing sacred and honorable attire). May the seven generations of fathers and ancestors receive these blessings and enter the Immortal Mansion of the Southern Palace.

The prayers of the third layer likewise comprise four items: I pray to dwell long in the immortal mansion, and also pray for the various realms of Grand Vacuity and Great Possession (the vast heavenly realms spoken of in Daoism), that the divine intention abide in the Nine Heavens and the physical form wander in the realms inhabited by true immortals. May the Imperial Lord unite with me, enabling me to come and go among the Seven-Nine heavens; calamities depart from the dwelling, good fortune arrives nearby, evil words dissipate, and harmonious good words bring auspiciousness.

I further pray for the generation of my own life: may Heaven and Earth be the father, the deities the generative and nourishing power, and harmonious Qi the mother. May Returning Origin Five Penetrations remove the stains of sin, causing the blessings of the seven generations of ancestors to become manifest, transcending life and death in lasting peace.

May the High Sovereign and the Imperial Lord respond in unison, the sounds of praise rising straight to the cloudy empyrean, echoing through the eight directions, all things flowing unobstructed; efficacious proclamations ascend to the heavenly realm, a thousand true ones and myriad sages jointly confer blessings. From one kalpa to the next, constantly receive the twelve kinds of celebratory fortunes. The Imperial Lord’s grace and De (Virtue/Power) are vast, and all manner of blessings return therefrom.

Again I pray that the Xuanmu of the Eight Intervals (one of the honored deities of Daoism) compose the wondrous immortal chants of the Eight Intervals, gazing and illuminating with the eyes of the Nine Spirits.

The first wish: May Xuanmu and I be born together amid the generating Qi (the primordial Qi of the initial birth of heaven and earth, filled with vitality), so that purple immortal light shines upon the void and celestial beings correspond and unite with me. I wish to ride the true Qi of flying to heaven, travel by driving feathers, and proceed together with Xuanmu; to delight body and mind with heavenly music, far from all sorrow, so that the ancestors of seven generations rejoice together and receive the protection of the upper spirits.

The second wish: May Xuanmu and I exist together between the sun and moon, at the meeting of sun, moon, and stars. May the Great Emperor travel in the same carriage as Xuanmu, the vehicle adorned with cyan yak-tail banners and a green canopy, equipped with a magnificent chariot and embroidered cape, wearing brocade garments and a jade belt; carrying the Five Elders (Daoist deities) and serving as guests together with the Four Greats (the four directions or four seasons and other elements of heaven and earth). May we enter the splendid and cool realm and, when traveling, look down upon what lies beyond the eight directions.

The third wish: May Xuanmu and I be preserved together within the Nine Heavens, so that true Qi condenses into a perfect radiance; with a peaceful mind concentrating on inner refinement, the Qi of the spirit hall overflowing and connecting with myriad spirits. May my body ascend to the Nine Empyreans, accumulating profound blessings and De; loosening the sash to roam the realm of Kongtong and riding the wheel to climb the layered heavens. May I enjoy the auspicious blessings of seven generations and after rebirth still be human; may I preserve the Dao of Great Truth, sharing longevity with the sun and moon.

The fourth wish: May Xuanmu and I dine together in the natural realm, forever departing from the Three Paths (the three destinations or circumstances that cause suffering) and long returning to nature. May we enjoy jade grains like the Seven Treasures and the Golden Elixir gleaming with purple light; plucking hidden zhi with the right hand and picking night-glowing treasures with the left, together with phoenix embryos, tiger froth, cloud-lang, qiong-frost and other immortal rarities. After tasting these marvelous flavors the body can soar into the void.

The fifth wish: May Xuanmu and I drink together the waters of the Pao River. The river flows through ten thousand layers of cliffs, clear and sweet; in the swirling water there is jade Jing, spiritually moist like azure. The current injects upward into the distant heavens, its source leading to the divine hall; waves surge and churn, stirring the great emptiness. May I float in the vast clear realm, drinking and rinsing, ascending Dongmeng and raising both hands to welcome the morning in the rosy glow, enjoying wondrous joy amid the Canglang. After passing seven trials and attaining the Dao to become immortal, with vast blessings; vowing at the Nine Rivers, finding peace and well-being wherever I go.

The sixth vow is that Xuanmu (Mysterious Mother, a Daoist goddess) rest together with me in the immortal realm of Yuzhen (Jade Perfected). That place is vast and majestic, tranquil and lofty. The Five Elders (Wulao, honored Daoist deities) stand arrayed within the chamber, while Yuhua (Jade Efflorescence) manifests numinous auspicious signs. The Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu) rides a flying chariot and drives a feather-adorned carriage, touring together with me in the courtyard of the Nine Mysteries (Jiuxuan). May I take my oath in the land of the Nine Rivers, so that wherever I go all may be peaceful and successful.

The sixth vow is that Xuanmu rest together with me in the immortal realm of Yuzhen. That place is vast and majestic, tranquil and lofty. The Five Elders stand arrayed in the chamber, while Yuhua manifests numinous auspicious signs. The Queen Mother of the West rides a flying chariot and drives a feather-adorned carriage, touring together with me in the courtyard of the Nine Mysteries. May I accumulate blessings for my seven generations of ancestors, receive a womb and obtain new life, with my body dwelling securely in a jade-like immortal realm and my spirit-consciousness resting in complete and perfect brightness.

The seventh vow is that Xuanmu repose together with me in the immortal hall, a place profound and marvelous, a numinous dwelling surrounded on all sides by mysterious radiance. Vermilion palaces are constructed with phoenix-shaped structural members, their light illuminating the towers and pavilions; gold beds and jade couches are set out within, purple curtains hanging before gates resembling dragon portals. The Mysterious Sovereign (Xuanhuang) occupies the superior seat, the Celestial Perfected (Tianzhen, true persons of the heavenly realm) occupy the middle seats, and I sit at their right. May I be clad in brocade and embroidery, accumulating great fortune through successive generations, obtaining immortal scriptures and being reborn.

The eighth vow is that Xuanmu wander together with me amid the Three Mysteries (Sanxuan), setting the carriage and horses free to race toward the Great Wilderness, then driving onward to tour the Three Mysteries. The Five Elders support and guide the way, the Queen Mother of the West proceeds beside me; the wheels whirl over the sacred mounds, the carriage comes to rest above the Nine Heavens. May the Most High (Taishang) establish my immortal register, conferring rank and position so that I become a Perfected Person (Zhenren); may the way of “Ci Yi Jiu Hun” (Female One and Nine Mixings, a Daoist cultivation term) select one person from among billions of living beings. The Cavern Scriptures (Dongjing) resound throughout the eight directions, and seven generations of ancestors all attain immortality; after passing through successive kalpas, we may still frequently gather in the Eight Chambers.

Where are the Eight Chambers? May I forever form a karmic connection with them. The Five Elders send down blessings, causing the Dao and De (Virtue/Power) to flourish and all things to thrive, with myriad primordial qi (vital energy) arising and generating upward, firmly protecting the Niwan (the inner elixir palace in the head). The vows having been fully spoken, may my lifespan equal that of the sun and moon. How great is the Dao that generates through emptiness and non-being! Xuanmu comes and goes in movement and stillness, traversing the Eight Gates.

The way of the great mixing of the returning wind combined with the Imperial One: visualize (cunsi) and cultivate the nine charts.

When practicing this Jing (scripture), first visualize and invoke all the deities. Once completed, close the eyes. Visualize these deities transforming into white Qi (vital energy) that resembles smoke, entering the mouth from the mysterious void. After lingering a moment, the white Qi seems to exit through the lower orifices of the body and also through the orifices of the genitals; it then disperses from the centers of both feet and both palms, encircling the entire body like a canopy, wrapping the hands and feet from above and below, and finally mingling with the Qi of the whole body.

One seems to drift up and down together with the white Qi amid the smoke, mutually invisible.

After a long time the white Qi suddenly becomes dense purple cloud Qi, which again enters the head through the mouth, then reaches the region of the five viscera and fills the abdomen.

After remaining a moment, the purple clouds again disperse from the centers of both feet, both palms, the major orifices of the body, and the orifices of the genitals, encircling the entire body.

A short while later the purple clouds gather once more and rise, filling the interior of the abdomen. After a long time they again disperse from the centers of both feet, both palms, the major orifices of the body, and the orifices of the genitals, encircling the entire body; they then pervade above and below, merging completely with the purple clouds so that the two can scarcely be distinguished.

A moment later, visualize the Qi of the purple clouds filling the space around the body and the entire room; then visualize wind Qi exhaled from the mouth, fanning the purple clouds so that they swirl, overturn, intertwine, and condense with one another.

Suddenly the purple clouds transform into a Zhenren in male form, resembling a newborn infant and four fen in stature. He is called the Venerable Lord of the Great Cavern Emperor One, named Fu Ningzai, courtesy name He Mujing. He is one of the deities who guard the Death Pass (the life-and-death barrier spoken of in cultivation); these deities assemble by means of the swirling wind Qi and ultimately transform together into this venerable Emperor One.

Visualize this Venerable Lord entering your mouth, pausing beneath the tongue, then rising directly from under the tongue into the Purple Chamber of the Six Harmonies Palace (Zifang Liuhe Gong, that is, the Niwan Palace, the inner landscape chamber at the center of the head), sitting upright there and facing outward. The Venerable Lord holds your Five Registers in his left hand and your Five Talismans in his right hand.

To the left of the Venerable Lord’s mouth is sunlight nine fen in diameter; to the right is moonlight one cun in diameter. From between mouth and tongue the Venerable Lord exhales the Qi (vital energy) of the whirling wind, stirring the radiance of sun and moon. The light of sun and moon fills the Six Harmonies Palace in a dense, flourishing atmosphere, sometimes white, sometimes red. Direct this light and Qi downward into your five viscera, six bowels, and all the joints of the body so that the interior and exterior become thoroughly luminous and transparent, as bright as day. Visualize for a time, forgetting the self, until the rite comes to a natural close.

In the illustration it is enough to sketch the figure lightly between the eyebrows. When visualizing, follow the eighth diagram, enlarge the image, and place it within the Purple Chamber of the Six Harmonies Palace, that is, the Niwan Palace.

Then silently recite in the heart:

“Great Cavern Sovereign One, Honored Spirit of Grand Simplicity! You are Father and Ning, Mother and Jing (essence), formed by the union of the two. A hundred Perfected mix together; a single revolution and generation begins. My body congeals eight kinds of vapor, transforming into the primordial infant within the womb. The precious light of sun and moon shines through my bodily form. Taiyi dwells above, uniting with the Sovereign. The treasures of the Niwan Palace are preserved, the five viscera shine with brilliance, remaining long in harmony with sun and moon. I hold the Cavern Scripture, ranked among the immortal elders, my Shen (spirit) ascending to Shangqing. By the thirty-nine chapters I hold the golden talisman in the Feathered Court.”

This is the cultivation method of the “Great Mixing of the Whirling Wind with the Sovereign One.” The scripture concludes that although the transformations are myriad, the essential purport of the Dongzhen Taiyi method has hereby been fully set forth.

Every night, visualize in the mind the “Dadong Diyi Zunjun” (Venerable Lord of the Great Cavern Sovereign of the One, a deity contemplated in Daoist inner visualization practices), located at the center of the renzhong (philtrum) below one’s nose. During the day, visualize him inside the mouth, on the outer side of the upper teeth, between the renzhong below the nose and the upper lip. The image of the Venerable Lord always faces outward. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, constantly visualize him in the mind. He holds the sun in his mouth; the sun is nine fen in diameter, its radiance illuminating ten thousand zhang and shining together with one’s own body.

The so-called “One” is the True One of the Sovereign Lord; all the various things generated from the “One” ultimately return to the “One.” When reciting the Dadong Zhenjing (Great Cavern True Scripture), also visualize the Diyi Zunjun in front of oneself, with the deity’s mouth facing one’s own mouth so that they confront each other as if listening to the sound of the recitation, thereby dissolving the entanglements accumulated over seven generations.

The taboo name of the Diyi Zunjun is “Fu Ningzai,” and his style name is “He Mujing.” Day and night, constantly recall him and never forget. The scripture states that this allows one to avoid myriad trials, eliminate a thousand kinds of calamities, expel demons, and attain the realm of immortals.

If any part of the body is in pain or feels uneasy, immediately visualize the Diyi Zunjun and have him exhale from his mouth a white Qi (vital energy) like sunlight, which fumigates and illuminates the painful area, whereupon the pain is healed.

The appearance of the Diyi Zunjun resembles a newborn male infant, unclothed and only four fen in height. This is what is called “Dahun Fantai”: returning to chaos and reverting to the embryonic beginning, revealing the true form of original generation.

Dadong Neifa Cunxiu Cixiong Zhenyi Shisan Tu

The palaces are arranged according to the directions of the Nine Palaces from front to back, so that the deities obstruct one another and cannot easily be seen facing each other; thus it is difficult to draw them as frontal images. Now, following the order of arrangement, the diagrams are drawn on the right side. If they were drawn as frontal views, the images would be obscured; if drawn in profile, the visualization would not be properly aligned. Therefore, in cultivation one should visualize the true deities of each palace sitting upright and facing forward. If there are three true deities, let two of them face each other, visualizing according to the explanation in the Yinjuzhu. The one cun of the head together with the Mingtang (Hall of Light) totals one cun; although the images are drawn frontally, they are still placed on the right. Carefully contemplate this and practice the visualization and cultivation accordingly for nine years, and one will be able to ascend to heaven in broad daylight.

“Dadong” (Great Cavern) refers to two Zhenren (Perfected Ones, realized immortals who have attained the Dao in Daoism) standing opposite each other, visualized according to the “Yinju Zhu” (a method of visualization used in cultivation). The “Shoucun” at the crown of the head and the “Mingtang” (Hall of Light, an inner landscape site in the body according to Daoism) between the eyebrows together measure one inch in length. Even when rendered as a frontal image, it should be depicted on the right side. Through meticulous visualization and persistent cultivation, after nine years one can ascend to heaven in broad daylight.