《洞真太上三元流珠经》

The Dongzhen Taishang Sanyuan Liuzhu Jing (Scripture of the Flowing Pearls of the Three Primes of the Most High, of the Cavern of Perfection) is a method practiced by the Siming (Director of Destinies, the divine office that governs human lifespan and the registers of fate). Its mysteries are vast and its status exalted, surpassing the Five Classics. When receiving this method, one must use three hundred and sixty-five white genuine pearls, round, regular, and bright, each as large as a paulownia seed, corresponding to the degrees of the movements of the stellar lodges and the days of the conjunctions of the sun and moon. One must also prepare twenty-four feet each of crimson and yellow silk, and swear an oath before the Yin-Yang spirit officials, seeking the way of continued flourishing and harmony, and thereby corresponding to the twenty-four Qi (vital energy; the twenty-four kinds of qi spoken of in Daoism). The recipient must form a covenant and observe a pure fast, and only after making a report may the method be transmitted. This method is transmitted once every three hundred years; once five persons have received it, transmission ceases and it may not be passed on further. This is the method administered by the Siming among the ducal ministers of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate).

The point one inch upward and inward between the two eyebrows is called the Mingtang (Hall of Light); at two inches it is called the Dongfang (Cavern Chamber); at three inches it is called the Dantian (energy center); at four inches it is called the Liuzhu (Flowing Pearls). Within the Palace of Flowing Pearls dwells the Lord of Upper Taiyi (the honored deity who presides over this palace), whose throne is luminous, situated above the Purple Chamber. The Siming comes and goes here, reporting human destiny registers to the Lord of Upper Taiyi: if there are faults, years of life are reduced and the date of death is recorded; if there is merit, the name is removed from the death registers and entered in the life registers. Those who hope to extend their years and attain longevity should carefully follow this method, accumulating merit without transgression, so that the Siming may submit a memorial requesting the Lord of Upper Taiyi to increase the allotted lifespan and prolong the years. The original text then states that although one has not yet attained the profundity of the “Female One of the Four Palaces,” this is in fact already the advanced method of the “Male One of the Five Offices”; at this point the original text contains repetitions and fragmentary phrasing.

Those who cultivate the eight volumes of the Taiwei Huangshu (Yellow Book of the Grand Tenuity), if they can be diligent and rigorous, will behold the Flowing Pearls; if they do not behold the Flowing Pearls, they will sink into eight lifetimes of transmigration, coming and going in suffering, unable to ascend into the mysterious realm. The key to ascending to the mysterious lies in the Flowing Pearls: when the Flowing Pearls illuminate the Upper Palace and their radiance streams through the Nine Bureaus, inner and outer become thoroughly luminous without obstruction, and one can roam freely above the Nine Heavens and feast in the realm of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing).

Nine Platform Talismans

The above are the oral instructions of Perfected Master Feng of Shangqing (Highest Clarity).

To cultivate the Dao of longevity, one must first treat illnesses, avoid the presence of vacuous pathogenic Qi (vital energy) in the body, and also regulate problems such as depletion of the brain marrow, insufficiency of fluids, or turbidity and stagnation. If these issues are not first properly addressed, even taking medicines and supplements or practicing Qi circulation and cultivation will bring no benefit to the body.

In former times there was a Daoist named Wang Zhongfu who from his youth yearned for the Way of the immortals and often practiced methods such as attracting the Three Sceneries and ingesting rosy clouds. The “Three Sceneries” refer to the essences of the sun, moon, and stars; “ingesting rosy clouds” is a method of ingesting Qi and visualization in Daoist cultivation. He cultivated for more than forty years yet felt no benefit; his son also studied these methods and after eighteen years of cultivation ascended in broad daylight.

Later the Zhenren of Nanyue suddenly descended before Wang Zhongfu and told him: “You cannot attain the Dao and become an immortal because your body has a serious illness, your brain marrow is depleted, the fluids cannot nourish the body, and the numinous fluids are insufficient. Even if you absorb the essences of the sun, moon, and stars and ingest rosy clouds while circulating Qi, it still brings no benefit to the body.” Wang Zhongfu then took medicines to treat his illness while continuing his cultivation. After another eighteen years he too ascended in broad daylight. Now he resides in Xuanzhou, appointed as the Zhenren of Zhongyue, in charge of the affairs of the Nine Mysteries, and remains there to this day.

Those who cultivate the Dao must cherish their primordial Qi, nourish their Shen (spirit), take medicines to regulate and treat diseases, so that the Brain Palace is replenished and the Mysterious Jing (essence) is not depleted; only then is it appropriate to store the Shen, ingest the numinous, and absorb the Three Sceneries. Here “Brain Palace” and “Mysterious Jing” are specialized terms in Daoist health-preserving cultivation, referring respectively to the Jing-Qi of the brain marrow and the Jing-Qi that sustains life.

If one frequently engages in sexual intercourse, causing leakage of Jing-Qi, the breath will become turbid, the Shen dissipated, and the Jing-Qi depleted and exhausted. Even holding precious Daoist Fulu (talismans and registers) such as the Mysterious Stem Jade Register or the Golden Book of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), or immortal registers, one cannot recover the loss of vitality. My former teacher once warned me about this: “For those who cultivate the Dao, a single act of intercourse will deplete the efficacy accumulated from one year of taking medicines and cultivation; two acts will deplete two years’ efficacy; more than three, and all previously accumulated medicinal power will be completely dissipated.” Therefore those seeking the Dao and immortality should be especially cautious in this regard, regarding indulgence of desire and depletion of Jing as a great taboo in nourishing life.

Those who cultivate the Dao should cherish their primordial Qi and nourish their Jing (essence) and Shen (spirit). When holding the breath they should do so in moderation; when exhaling they should do so slowly and gently. They should also refrain from speaking too much or shouting loudly, lest the Shen grow fatigued and the primordial Qi be damaged. Cultivating in this manner is the true practice of nourishing life.

Anyone who visualizes Shen and Qi and cultivates the way of the true immortals should not lend their clothing to others to wear, nor wear items that do not belong to them. Headcloths, coarse garments, shoes and similar articles must all be kept clean and bright. The scriptures hold that the three hun and seven po (a person’s souls) sometimes reside in these objects; filthy and contaminated Qi is shunned by the five spirits (the directional spirits within the body).

On each of the eight seasonal nodes (the four beginnings of the seasons, the two equinoxes, the two solstices and other such points) one should observe fasting and purification and plan acts of goodness, thereby cultivating toward the Dao. One must not quarrel or become angry on these days, nor administer punishments; these are taboos of heaven and humanity, and violating them constitutes a grave offense.

When studying and realizing the Great Dao or reciting sacred scriptures, after every ten or twenty characters one should lick the lips once or twice and swallow the saliva; after every fifty or one hundred characters one should knock the teeth two or three times. This serves to communicate with the spirits, harmonize the blood and Qi, make the saliva abundant in the mouth, and allow Diyi (a Daoist deity) to dwell securely within the body. This is what is meant by the primordial Qi circulating without labor or damage, opening without leaking outward.

Students cultivating the Dao must not weep or shed tears, nor spit saliva excessively, as these deplete the fluids and greatly exhaust the brain marrow. Therefore the perfected ones and Daoist priests often employ the methods of exhaling and inhaling and swallowing saliva to harmonize the six fluids (the bodily fluids).

The days of Jia-yin and Geng-shen are times when the corpse ghosts (the spirits and demons within the body according to Daoism) compete to cause disorder, and the Shen easily becomes agitated and turbid. On these two days one must not share a bed with one’s spouse, nor converse or meet with them. One should observe fasting and quietude, refrain from sleep, remain cautiously on guard, and eliminate all desires.

On each of the five Mao days one should fast, enter a quiet chamber, face eastward and perform worship in the heart, visualize the spirits, circulate the primordial Qi, and await communion with the divine; one may also express one’s wishes as desired. If practiced regularly, the Jade Maiden (a goddess in Daoism) will descend to attend.

On one’s natal day (the day whose heavenly stem and earthly branch correspond to the year of birth) one should face the corresponding direction, knock the teeth three times, bow again in the heart, and then softly recite the incantation:

Taiyi (the deity who governs the origin of life) fills life. The Three Qi (vital energy), the three primordial qi that constitute both life and heaven and earth, combine to become true, and the fetal origin thereby becomes manifest. Regular practice of this cultivation will cause the Jade Maiden (the female immortal who serves the divine perfected ones) to descend and offer protection.

On each of one’s natal days (days corresponding to the year and day of birth), face the corresponding direction, knock the teeth three times, make two bows in the heart, and then reciting in a low voice:

“Taiyi fills life, the Three Qi combine to become true. Within the fetal chamber the scenery of the upper realm appears; the mother is Xuan, the father is Yuan. They nourish my five viscera and gather my Jing (essence) and Shen (spirit). They infuse the jade liquid downward (the term used in cultivation for the saliva in the mouth) and pay homage upward to the Niwan (the site of internal cultivation in the head). At night they refine and nourish the seven Po; at dawn they harmonize the three Hun. On the right Jade Flower protects life; on the left Golden Dawn utters a long cry. Cause me to attain the Dao (the Way) and become an immortal, to command the numinous spirits and to command the Zhenren, always to keep the fluids of life abundant, flying through the ten layers of the heavenly realm.”

After reciting, make bows in the heart to the four directions, knock the teeth three times again, and swallow saliva three times. This is called “the Dao of the Supreme One’s Incantation for Life, Secretly Homaging the Fetal Origin.” Regular practice can cause the Hun and Po to remain peacefully settled, attaining longevity and immortality.

Whenever one enters a quiet chamber to burn incense, one should make a bow in the heart toward the seating place, knock the teeth, and silently recite a prayer. One may state what one seeks according to one’s own intention, but must be concentrated and sincere; only then can one hope to receive a response from the spirits.

Ordinarily one should often practice Cunsi (visualization through imaginative contemplation in cultivation), recognizing one’s own form and appearance and striving to visualize it clearly, as if it were right before one’s eyes. Visualize that one’s face constantly has the radiance of sun and moon illuminating the whole body: the sun on the left, the moon on the right, nine inches from the face. After visualizing, knock the teeth three times and reciting in a low voice:

“The Upper True of the Primordial Fetus (the true god of the upper realm within the fetal origin), the Double Scenery of the Two Mysteries (the two mysterious radiances of sun and moon), the right hand embraces the seven Po, the left hand grasps the three Hun. Cause my spiritual brightness and physical form to coexist for a long time.”

After reciting, knock the teeth twenty-one times and swallow saliva seven times. This is called “the Dao of the Imperial Lord Recording the Form, Embracing the Hun and Controlling the Po.” It can make one intelligent and lead to deathless longevity. If one cannot remember the incantation, one may simply perform the visualization. Those who study the Dao should first restrain and regulate the Hun and Po, eliminating the corpse ghosts (the yin evil qi that, in Daoist cultivation concepts, can disturb a person).

On the last day and first day of each lunar month, as well as on Gengshen and Jiayin days, one should observe fasting and remain in quiet purity, enter the inner chamber, bathe to wash away bodily dust and dirt, and sit upright in proper posture. Remaining without sleep yields even better results.

With a cinnabar brush, make a mark just below the inner canthus of the left eye; then with a realgar brush, make a mark just below the right nostril, applying it so that it slightly enters the nostril’s rim. After marking, first knock the upper and lower teeth together three times and softly recite the incantation:

“The two lights of the sun and moon intertwine, cinnabar and realgar radiate their luminous brilliance; with Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) subdue vacant evils so that corpse impurities sink and perish; harmonize the hun and po souls so that form and Shen (spirit) unite as one; grant me immortality without death, a long and complete lifespan, intelligence and clear perception, and lasting enjoyment of blessings.”

After reciting, knock the teeth three more times and swallow the saliva in the mouth three times. Then press and pinch with the right index finger below the inner canthus of the left eye and with the left index finger below the right nostril, seven times each. Press gently without lifting the hands. The ritual is thereby complete.

The Jing (scripture) states that these two locations are the portals through which the seven po (the corporeal souls tied to the physical form in Daoism) wander and through which corpse impurities enter and exit; they are also gathering places of damaged Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) together with evil Qi. Therefore the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) of cinnabar and realgar are employed to block the paths of the corpse ghosts, while the transforming power of the two lights of sun and moon is used to eliminate licentious evil Qi. This is a superior method transmitted by Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). Regular practice harmonizes and renders compliant the hun and po souls, disperses corpse impurities, and thereby leads to immortality as an immortal with spiritual communication and clear perception. After three years of practice, thoughts of sexual desire vanish.

In the Shangqing school the methods of knocking the teeth and swallowing saliva each follow their own regulations, and their sequential order is likewise prescribed; they must not be mixed, lest the true spiritual Qi (vital energy) become disordered. Knocking the teeth serves to communicate with the original Shen (spirit); swallowing saliva serves to harmonize the true Qi (vital energy). By taking in this harmonized Qi one attains clear perception.

In all methods belonging to the Shangqing tradition, the techniques of knocking the teeth and swallowing saliva each follow their own precise regulations, and the prescribed sequence of steps must be observed. These practices are not to be mixed together, lest the true spirits become disordered. Knocking the teeth serves to summon the divine spirits, while swallowing Qi (vital energy) serves to harmonize the true Qi. By means of the circulation of the six kinds of fluids one absorbs and attunes the harmonizing Qi, and through the drum-like sound of knocking the teeth one sequentially stirs the spirit consciousness.

When cultivating the Shangqing methods, before performing rites or reciting incantations one must first gently knock the upper and lower teeth together, without striking them from side to side. It is best to knock three times with each cycle of inhalation and exhalation. After the rites and recitations have concluded, the teeth are knocked once more, and only then may one swallow the circulated Qi and fluids. This procedure is called “calling the spirits and harmonizing the true,” and it is a method of cultivation for seeking ascent to immortality.

I have often seen people who do not understand these methods mistakenly rearrange the steps given in the scriptures and thereby confuse the proper order. Such practice brings no benefit and is truly a matter of regret.