《太上黄庭中景经(上清元命真人李千乘注)》

Huanglao Huangting Jing

The Dongfang Jing states that the human body resembles a great hall whose central room is the Huangting, wherein Huanglaojun dwells. Huanglaojun is none other than Yuanshi. The Guishan Lujing records that Huanglaojun presides over instruction in the Shangqing Jinzhu Mansion. “Huang” is the color of centrality and rectitude; “ting” denotes the midpoint of the four quarters. Viewed in the external cosmos, the Huangting occupies the center of heaven and earth, above the clouds and mists; viewed within the body, it lies between the brain, heart, liver, and spleen. Those who cultivate the Dao, through visualization and the refinement of form and Shen (spirit), seek winged transformation, longevity, and liberation from the mundane world; hence the name Huangting.

Visualize celestial deities guarding the crown of my head.

Note: Scriptural commentaries hold that the Qi (vital energy) of the Three Origins generates the twenty-four scenic deities, who reside in the cavern heavens of the body’s upper regions. One such scenic deity occupies the palace of the brain spirit. The human brain comprises nine lobes, each producing a true deity arranged in definite directions, encircling the Dantian (energy center) and facing outward to ward off misfortune. These nine deities face upward, south, east, west, north, and other directions respectively. The Ershisi Shen Xingshi Jue states that the brain spirit resides in the brain marrow within the crown at the precise center of the head’s nine palaces, measuring one cun and one fen in length and five-and-a-half fen in height, seated facing forward and guarding the Dantian.

The hair resembles the stars, numbering more than ten thousand strands.

The Hair Shen (spirit) in charge of the hair is named Xuanfu Hua, courtesy name Daowei. He stands two cun and one fen tall, of a purely black complexion, located inside the skin and outside the fatty tissue, circulating along the hair roots and occupying the very crown of the head.

Among the ten thousand things, humans are the most honored. Contained within the human body are heaven and earth, the sun, moon and stars, the altars of soil and grain (the state and the earth gods), the principles of hardness and softness, and every other phenomenon; nothing fails to correspond with heaven and earth. The body is likewise furnished with a Son of Heaven, Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, twenty-seven items, twenty-seven grandees, eighty-one primordial scholars, together with one hundred twenty commanderies, one thousand two hundred counties, eighteen thousand townships, thirty thousand sixty pavilion chiefs, eighteen marquises and similar offices. Palaces and towers, residences, gates, the stove god and the well god are also established within. Those who understand how to cultivate after eating and drinking can attain longevity.

Therefore the round head symbolizes heaven and the square feet symbolize earth; the hair stands for the stars, the eyes for the sun and moon, the eyebrows for the Northern Dipper, the ears for the altars of soil and grain, the mouth for rivers and seas, and the teeth for jade and precious stones. The term “lun” means orderly arrangement. The origin of the hair necessarily converges to a single point; this also expresses the meaning of visualizing the Shen.

The hair curls and coils, its luster resembling black jade. Hair winds and twists upon itself, so that one need not loosen the bun while combing. The face possesses a Divine Court, the dwelling of the Shen. The hair bun is the Jing (essence) of the brain; when sorrow fills the heart the hair withers and scorches. When marrow is plentiful the bones are firm and Jing together with Qi (vital energy) are not dissipated.

The exact center of the crown is named Tongtian. The location on the vertex one cun inward from the hairline is called Tongtian, the place where the Shen reside.

“The countenance of Kong De is as large as a coin.” The Daodejing states that “the form of great De (Virtue/Power) merely follows the Dao (the Way).” The Dao is the portal of the myriad mysterious realities. The coin-sized region at the crown of the head corresponds to this significance.

Celestial stars and harmonious Qi gather here. The head corresponds to the Three Terrace stars; the stars of heaven and the Nine True Lords dwell upon it.

This region nourishes a person’s marrow and moistens the linggen. Inside the Crimson Palace (the inner seat of Shen and Qi) the Three Luminaries—inner radiances symbolizing the sun, moon, stars and the like—unite in luminous purity and nourish the true body. “Linggen” refers to the tongue, which is the very root of the human being.

Harmonize the six fu organs of the lower body (gallbladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, bladder, and triple burner) with the five palaces (heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys), so that the noxious Qi (vital energy) within the body is expelled through the navel portal.

The “lower Dantian (energy center)” spoken of here (the site of inner cultivation in the lower abdomen) is connected to the root of life. It is the foundation of life and Shen (spirit), as well as the gateway that regulates the five Qi and distinguishes Yin-Yang. Fine food ingested in the morning turns by evening into filthy matter and turbid Qi—this is the process being described.

One must also visualize the two eyes, distinguishing their black and white. The eyes are the bright mirrors of the body. The incantation of Lady Lin says: “The pupils hold three clouds; the two eyes are True Lords.” The Purple Book of Cinnabar Characters states that one should constantly visualize the three deities within the eyes, allowing the heart-spirit to return to the real and to contemplate inwardly; thus one can see the five viscera and the intestines and stomach, and with long practice one may become an immortal.

Visualize the left eye as the sun, with a celestial deity within it. This deity is named Shangming, courtesy name Yingxuan, also called Feiling; he is one inch in height and wears dark-colored robes. Surrounding the left eye are twelve goddesses who encircle and guard it.

Visualize the right eye as the moon; the deity is named Taiyi, courtesy name Chenying, also called Mingzhu. At cockcrow, visualize the azure Qi of the east arriving from the moon and filling the Niwan (the inner cultivation site in the head); from the Niwan rises azure smoke, which then surges forth from the eyes and gradually transforms into two boys in azure garments, with the appearance of infants.

The deity in the right eye is one inch in height and wears white silk clothing. Around the right eye there are likewise twelve goddesses who encircle and guard it.

The sun and moon are the two eyes, three inches apart from each other. Between the two eyes, visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper arrayed within.

Visualize the Imperial Minister among the seven stars of the Northern Dipper residing in the Mysterious Palace in the center of Heaven. The location of the Mysterious Palace extends from the tip of the nose upward to approximately five cun at the hairline. During cultivation, sit upright facing east at midnight with hair unbound and invoke the Three Perfected of the Upper Prime. Among these Three Perfected is the Infant Elder; they have distinct facial appearances, each with their own portals. The Seven Governors are arranged among them, resembling the Purple Chamber of the North Pole. The perfected Shen (spirits) of the face each occupy their proper positions; in visualization, they may be regarded as the Jade Towers within the Purple Chamber of the North Pole.

Upon the head resides the Primordial One Five-Flower Lord, who is also the Shen of the five viscera.

Taiyi is located in the head. The head corresponds to Heaven, and the round disk symbolizes solidity; its form measures seven cun in length and is capable of transforming into a Shen.

The ears symbolize the unobstructed passage of day and night, being empty, luminous, and acute. In cultivating the Dao (the Way), one must first make the eyes bright and the ears keen, for the ears and eyes serve as the ladder for seeking the true Dao and as the portals for communicating with the numinous and wondrous realm. In ordinary practice, one may frequently massage the sides of the eyes to brighten the vision and clarify the hearing; in this way, one can govern the inner palaces of the body and have one's name registered in the records of the Jade Emperor.

The Yellow Court is the Perfected One within the brain, presiding over the gate of hearing. When a heavenly Shen descends into the brain, its form appears as a red elixir. The ear Shen is named Jiaonü, also known as Kongxian, with the courtesy name Youtian; it is three cun in height and wears a blue-green headscarf.

The nose Shen constantly resides upon the nose, observing the hundred Shen. The Dadong Jing (Great Cavern Scripture) states that the nose Shen is named Shanyuan, also called Guijing. Within the nose are the mountain peaks of the Three Primes; the nose Shen is able to inspect the myriad Shen and serves as the master who distinguishes the orthodox from the heterodox. Visualize the nasal orifices as unobstructed with fragrant breath; this can guide the numinous Qi (vital energy) to infuse the entire body, thereby harmonizing the various Shen.

In the nose there is a True Person, wearing golden immortal robes, two cun in height, seated facing outward, located above the philtrum of the human body and governing the nasal region.

The Shen (spirit) of the nose is named the Central Peak, residing in the center and internally connecting to the two orifices of the brain. The pure and true Qi (vital energy) generated from the Dantian (energy center, the site in the human body for refining and cultivating Jing (essence) and Qi) is the place where pathogenic Qi and orthodox Qi gather, as well as the vital pathway for the circulation of breath throughout the body. First block the mountain sources, ghost wells, and other places of entry and exit for pathogenic Qi; then regrets and worries will not disturb one, allowing longevity without calamities.

Keep the clear and empty Shen-Qi peacefully settled in the center, so that the mind is not confused and can clearly distinguish the four directions. During fasting one should constantly eliminate biased and selfish thoughts; accomplishing this, one will not be deluded. The ears, nose, and tongue each abide in their proper positions, together called the “four directions.”

Visualize in the mouth a mass of brilliant red Qi, square in shape. Nourish the breath and cultivate Jing, just as the Yijing says: “Contemplate one’s own chin, seeking the nourishment needed from the mouth.”

Saliva in the mouth gushes forth like jade liquid, resembling golden grain. Here “jade liquid” refers to the saliva of the mouth; “golden grain” describes the state of not eating the five grains but inhaling wind and drinking dew.

In the mouth there is a True Person named Chixu Zhangren, courtesy name Suming, located below the Mysterious Gate (the portal of the mouth). He is seven cun and one fen in length, three and a half cun in height, facing outward and wearing red clothing. “Strong” describes him as solid and vigorous. He can absorb the jade liquid, moving left and right and circulating repeatedly without fatigue.

These images are like the Dipper and the Yue first appearing, then receiving the four directions… The original text is unfinished here.

The Zhenren holds a yue (an ancient weapon, here symbolizing the cutting off of evil spirits) in order to prevent the intrusion of pathogenic qi. Originally this was a method for regulating and gathering the spirit. Those who cultivate the Dao should first collect the hun and po souls and eliminate the corpse-ghosts (the impure pathogenic qi that, according to Daoist teaching, obstructs cultivation).

One regularly performs this on the last day of the lunar month, on gengshen days or jiayin days. After a purifying fast one enters a quiet chamber, uses a cinnabar brush to mark a point below the inner corner of the left eye, then a realgar brush to mark a point below the right nostril. One then withdraws into a valley for quiet cultivation, recites the incantation in a low voice, knocks the teeth three times and swallows the saliva three times. Next one presses beneath the right nostril with the left index finger and beneath the left eye with the right index finger, seven times each without lifting the hands, after which the rite is complete. The scripture states that these two sites are the portals through which the three hun and seven po enter and exit, and also the places for slaying essence-pathogens and blocking their pathways. The jing-qi of cinnabar and realgar can obstruct the roads of the corpse-ghosts; this is a superior method of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). Practiced in this way it can make the hun and po harmonious, disperse filth, render the heart-spirit penetrating and the vision clear. After three years of practice, desires and miscellaneous thoughts recede, the four limbs generate no disease, and one thereby attains long life.

The spirit is three cun in length and wears clothing of dark yellow.

(The spirit is located in the first section of the brain, dwelling within the bone; it is three cun long and one cun seven fen and a half high, sitting facing outward.)

One causes the spirit to settle peacefully in the palaces on the east and west sides.

(Within the body there are male and female True Lords arranged according to yin-yang directions. On the left and right sides there are palaces such as the Dongfang and Mingtang; the Zhenren dwells in the center, sitting facing one another. The Zhenren is three cun long and one cun seven fen and a half high.)

One causes the spirit to settle peacefully in the palaces on the east and west sides.

(Within the body there are male and female True Lords arranged according to yin-yang directions. On the left and right sides there are palaces such as the Dongfang and Mingtang; the Zhenren dwells in the center, sitting facing one another.)

The Zhenren supports the region of the throat so that the five flavors may nourish the body.

(Here the so-called “Yellow Springs” refers to the interior of the chin, above the throat. After food enters the mouth, chewing and swallowing are all supported by the Zhenren.)

The marvelous efficacy of this set of Daoist methods is sharp and penetrating.

Humans are born of the Dao (the Way) and nourished by Shen (spirit) and the luminous deities, yet they often remain unaware of this. The myriad things likewise come into being through this power, though they cannot see it; it operates silently within the body and at times manifests infinite transformations.

The Shen has a body seven cun in height and wears crimson-red clothing.

This Shen resides in the Jade Pillow, that is, the marrow paste within the brain, sitting facing forward and clad in cinnabar-red garments.

The assembled Shen jointly transform, generate, and nourish the qi of the Five Constants in the human body.

The Perfected One is the sovereign who commands the host of Shen as well as the Five Constants and Yin-Yang. “Host” means a great multitude gathered together. The Perfected One transforms, generates, and nourishes the human body.

The Great Tube (Xuanying, referring to the area below the tongue and above the throat) is flourishing and luxuriant, situated above.

The Great Tube is Xuanying, also called the Lower Tube, located below the tongue and above the throat, receiving the breath from above and below. Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) circulate within this tube, filling it to abundance. It is eight cun in length and is therefore called “Fan” (luxuriant).

One who understands the way of circulating the tongue can thereby extend the years and attain longevity.

The tongue is the activating mechanism of “Wuying”; if cultivated and employed properly, it can harmonize the firm and the yielding and lead toward long life.

The root of the tongue is as red as jade, resembling cinnabar.

“Jade” is a designation for the tongue. The tongue can mobilize the functions of the body so that the firm and the yielding are dissolved and brought into harmony.

The tongue governs the discrimination of flavors and can also communicate with the Sweet Spring (Liquan, referring to the saliva in the mouth).

The tongue is the official orifice of the heart; when the tongue is harmonious, the five flavors can be distinguished. Liquan refers to saliva.

Gaze downward to contemplate the twelve-fold links within the throat.

The Shen of the throat is named Huben; it is the passageway for the circulation of true Qi and also the source of the fluids. The throat is also called the Layered Hall, located below the lower jaw, hence the instruction to “contemplate downward.” The Crimson Palace (the inner-landscape site in the chest) has twelve-layered towers corresponding to the pavilion chiefs of the twelve double-hours.

Qi passes downward from the throat and flows to the space between the two breasts.

The throat extends downward to the space between the two breasts. The two breasts are called the Heavenly Storehouse, and the Perfected One of the Jade Hall dwells therein.

Within there is a pair of immortal Perfected Ones in whom Yin and Yang are united.

The left breast belongs to Yang and corresponds to the pavilion chief of the twelve double-hours.

Qi passes downward from the throat and flows to the space between the two breasts.

Below the throat, the space between the two breasts is called Tianfu (Heavenly Storehouse), where the Jade Hall Perfected One (Yutang Zhenren) resides. Within it there is a pair of Immortal Perfected Ones matched according to Yin-Yang. The left breast belongs to Yang and is the dwelling of the male immortal; the right breast belongs to Yin and is the dwelling of the female immortal. The two Immortal Perfected Ones have bodies about eight cun long and four cun high; they sit facing each other like a husband and wife, and are therefore called “husband and wife.” They hold jade halberds and guard the four directions. Here “hold” means to grasp; the “jade halberd” is the weapon used by the Perfected Ones to protect the throat. The “four directions” refer to the areas above and below the chest diaphragm together with the inner and outer sides of the two breasts.

If food and drink do not stagnate and accumulate, how could they fail to descend? Once the Upper Jiao (Shangjiao, the upper part of the body including the chest, heart, and lungs) is unobstructed, food and drink will not remain stagnant and can also flow smoothly into the Lower Origin (Xiayuan, the fundamental root of the lower body). Visualize the lungs having five leaf-like lobes that shine brightly like jade. The Five Viscera are arranged according to position, with the lungs occupying the highest place and facing the chest directly. The lungs have five lobes that, like gauze, illuminate the regions above and below the chest as well as the inner and outer sides of the two breasts.

If food and drink do not stagnate and accumulate, how could they fail to descend? Visualize the lungs having five leaf-like lobes that shine brightly like jade. The lung lobes are bluish-white and clear, as white as ice and frost. Ice and frost are white and luminous. The lungs correspond to the west; the west belongs to Metal and is the proper position of Metal Qi (vital energy). Zou Zhen covers the heart and guards the four directions. The lungs lie above the heart, so they are said to cover the heart. “Zou” refers to the soldiers of the immortal realm; “wei” carries the sense of guarding and drawing near. The lung lobes hang down toward the surroundings and approach the heart, therefore they are said to guard the four directions.

Above the lungs there is a Mysterious Child resembling moonlight. The lung Shen (spirit) is named Haohua, courtesy name Xucheng, and dwells within the lungs. He is four and a half cun in height, wears white clothing, and sits facing the Big Dipper. The moon belongs to Yin Jing (essence); the lungs likewise govern Yin, and therefore moonlight is used as a metaphor for the lung Shen. The lungs are the canopy of the heart and lie above the liver, and are therefore said to be bright. The lungs cover the heart like a canopy; situated above the liver, they are able to illuminate.

The interior of the lungs is spacious and unobstructed, with Qi circulating up and down. The lungs are the place that stores the Hun and Po. The Hun is light and floating in nature, and the nose communicates with heavenly Qi; the hanging lung lobes shield the internal orifices, so that Qi passes freely from above to below. It is as large as a sharp orifice and can communicate with Taichang.

By nourishing the primordial Qi (vital energy), one enables the spirit to communicate with the spiritual brightness; by nourishing Jing (essence) and Qi, the Shen (spirit) becomes clear and luminous. The lungs are light and floating in form, internally connected by subtle orifices through which Jing and Qi circulate, naturally rising and descending.

If Jing and Qi become deficient and are cut off, the methods of cultivating the Dao (the Way) lose their efficacy, and the Shen disperses.

Once the Dao leaves the human body, the person dies, just as a fish cannot survive when the water dries up. All the myriad spirits scatter—is this not extinction?

In cultivating body and mind, one must carefully regulate the breath. Holding the breath, also called refining Qi or embryonic breathing (Taixi), is a method of breath regulation. The scripture states that from midnight to noon belongs to “living Qi,” while from noon to midnight belongs to “dead Qi.” One should often, during the time of living Qi, lie on the back or recline, close the eyes, grasp firmly (clenching the fists to gather the spirit), hold the breath and silently keep watch, gradually increasing the number of times the breath is held. The scripture holds that this can cause the body spirits to appear and the five viscera to become stable; with prolonged practice, it can also fill the interior with Shen and Qi, leaving the body free of illness.

Guiding the breath prevents the accumulation of cold and heat and the stagnation of food and drink. The scripture says that a person has thirteen thousand five hundred breaths in one day and night. If one can nourish the primordial Qi, the orifices and meridians of the body become unobstructed, and stagnant Qi can disperse. Raising the head and contracting the nose can draw Qi upward. The turtle-breathing method (imitating a turtle retracting its head and holding its breath) causes Jing and Qi to descend; the snake-guiding method (imitating a snake’s coiling and stretching) causes Qi to rise and circulate throughout. A person should close the mouth and breathe gently, allowing Qi to enter the Dantian (energy center). If one can master the regulation of breath, the body can be filled with Shen and Qi and then fly up to the Purple Clarity (the lofty heavenly realm spoken of in Daoism). The scripture considers this the realm that can be attained through breath-regulation cultivation.

Above, there is flowing Shen-Qi, manifesting in five forms.

The Wind Earl and the Rain Master harmonize the Qi (vital energy) of Yin-Yang.

The Wind Earl is named Bijun and titled Changzhai; the Rain Master is named Fengxiu and titled Futu. They have correspondences in every part of the human body: at the brain aperture they are called “Temple,” at the nape of the neck “Official,” at the tip of the spleen “Millet,” in the large intestine “Wind Earl,” and beside the navel “Rain Master.” The Yijing (Classic of Changes) says that the interaction of Yin and Yang constitutes the Dao (the Way). From the self one may infer the myriad things, and from the myriad things one may also perceive the self. The Nanhua Jing states that Heaven and Earth are both within the human body. The myriad things are contained within the body; the body’s natural operation likewise manifests subtle and mysterious transformations.

Fuxi and Nüwa sometimes appear and sometimes remain hidden.

Fuxi is one of the Three Sovereigns, and Nüwa an ancient sovereign. They established institutions and laid the foundations for the creation of things. In the three palaces and five viscera of the human body there are also the kingly Shen (spirits) they represent. The stomach circulates through the body as if it were the storehouse presided over by ancient emperors.

Fuxi and Nüwa sometimes appear and sometimes remain hidden.

The stomach is also called “Taicang,” the place of storage and transformation in the body, resembling the treasury inherited from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

The lungs correspond to the western Tai Bai star and belong to the land of Huayin.

The lungs correspond to Yongzhou among the nine ancient provinces and govern the Western Peak, Mount Hua.

When the lung Shen manifests outwardly, it is the White Tiger.

The Dadong Jing says that the lung Shen is Baiyuan Jun, who resides in the Dongfang Palace. When he travels forth he rides a white tiger, sometimes mounting white Qi; he is attended by Taihe Jun, leading two thousand six hundred riders.

The heart appears purple, five cun long, pointed in shape and directed downward.

The heart is the Emperor Lord, located below the lungs and above the liver, corresponding to the area above the coccyx. The heart is also called “Jianggong,” the sovereign of the whole body that rules over the “myriad people” within it; none of the Shen summoned by the breath fail to arrive. “Pointed” refers to the apertures in the heart, which correspond to the eight gates and are the portals for the entry and exit of the myriad Shen.

The heart is like the Numinous Root, supporting the center of the body.

The “Numinous Root” is the root of life. Jade fluid transforms into clear water to nourish it. If the practitioner can cultivate the three-cun place within the heart, life can be made long-lasting and the heart-Shen can dwell securely in the center.

The bright pearl appears in red and white hues, shining as brightly as the sun.

The Bright Pearl (referring to the heart) is located at the center of the body. (The spiritual root is the root of life. Jade fluid transforms into clear water to nourish it. If you can cultivate this three-inch place, it will endure for a long time, dwelling at peace in the center of the body.)

The Bright Pearl appears in two colors, red and white, and is as bright as sunlight. (The Bright Pearl is the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) within the heart. The complexion should resemble white silk lit by rosy clouds.)

The heart contains three orifices, through which the breath flows unobstructed. (The heart has three openings, and Jing-Qi circulates through them. The phrase “tangtang” describes the breath spreading out expansively.)

One morning the Perfected One of a Thousand Chariots guides the spiritual Qi into the Hall of Light (the site one inch inward from between the eyebrows). (Those who cultivate the Dao must still the mind and relax the body, enter the state of sitting in forgetfulness, and shut out external things; they allow inner intelligence to merge with the Qi of clarity and brightness, so that bodily form and Shen (spirit) illuminate one another. One can then behold a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen within oneself. The place one inch inward from between the eyebrows is called the Hall of Light.)

Jing-Qi gathers at Mount Huo in the south (here indicating the directional position of the heart). (In the directional correspondences of the Five Phases (Wuxing), the heart corresponds to the region of Yangzhou, and also to Mount Heng and Mount Huo.)

The Heart Lord (the spirit of the heart) is subtle and marvelous, clothed in the color of the sun. (The child-spirit of the heart is also named Yaomiao, “the Subtle and Marvelous.” What Yaomiao designates is precisely the original color of the sun.)

He guards the green-azure radiance and the blazing scarlet, wearing red shoes on his feet and a vermillion crown upon his head. (“Zhenlü,” dense green, refers to the hair of an immortal, and may also refer to the bright vermillion radiance within the heart; “wearing the floriate canopy” means wearing a canopy upon the head, and “Vermillion Bird” refers to the red crown ornament.)

He protects the body with the Bright Sash of Nine Measures and is clad in red martial robes. (Commentators offer two interpretations. According to one, the upper, middle, and lower sections of the body each have nine spirits: the Nine Qi of the Upper Origin serve as canopy-envoys, the Nine Qi of the Middle Origin as remonstrating counselors, and the Nine Qi of the Lower Origin as ceremonial heralds, amounting to twenty-seven great spirits in all, each governing spiritual beings and presiding over the operations of the body. According to the other, “Nine Measures” refers to the nine orifices, and “Bright Sash” to the interwoven red channels that guard the body like weapons; the upper section has nine transformations, the middle nine apertures, and the lower nine names, thereby communicating with the Nine Provinces.)

The fluids transformed from ingested water and grain flow from the east of the Great Yang. (“Huali” refers to the fluids generated by the transformation of water and grain. After these fluids descend from the upper body, they must still be received and transformed: one circulates the Qi of the heart and then proceeds to the liver; the liver belongs to the east, and so the text says “east of the Great Yang.”)

One should be like an infant, rendering the spirit limpid and clear.

(The Infant refers to the heart-Shen (spirit). It is nine inches long and four and a half inches high, wears red robes, and sits facing outward.)

When the heart-Shen goes forth, it rides a cinnabar chariot driven by three pairs of spirits. The cinnabar chariot symbolizes the true red color of the heart. The heart dwells in the Crimson Palace, the palatial residence of the heart, also known as the Mansion of Primordial Yang. When the heart-Shen goes forth, three layers of red Qi (vital energy) become manifest. The heart governs the south and corresponds to the human face; when it travels, the Elder of the South Pole leads an escort of three thousand six hundred cavalry.

A high canopy, a vermilion carriage, and red hanging curtains accompany it. “Long” means high. Both the canopy and the carriage body take red as their emblem; the commentary states that the carriage body is transformed from a cinnabar serpent.

The Cinnabar Bird (the Vermilion Bird) holds the Qi of the Fulu (talismans and registers) and beats its wings in flight. The commentary regards the appearance of the Vermilion Bird as a manifestation of the decline of external signs; therefore in cultivation one must fill oneself with the watery Qi symbolized by the Dark Warrior (Xuanwu). “Talisman” here refers to Qi: the Qi of the human body moves from below upward, and the manner of its ascent resembles a flying bird raising its wings.

The Cinnabar Bird beats its wings in flight, coming and going above and below, and discourses on the talisman-Qi of the Nine Stars. The Qi of the Nine Stars comes and goes above and below. The nine Qi transform into nine spirits that exist within the human body. The Dadong Jing (Scripture of the Great Cavern) states that the nine souls of the Heavenly Sovereign transform into nine spirits.

When the mind’s thought is concentrated and unified, the Shen of the five viscera become clear and still; in this way one can transcend life and death. “Ji” means thought or intention; “ceng” has the sense of change; and “qingshen” refers to the Shen of the five viscera. Commentators say that if a person nourishes the breath through embryonic breathing (taixi), one can change life and death and attain the realm of immortality.

When Shen and Qi migrate and turn, one can cut and fashion garments according to the Dao (the Way) of Heaven. The heart is the ruler of the body and is able to govern action. If the inner heart is subtle and mysterious, and the intention is sincere, upright, and quiet, then the Qi of the five viscera will respond in kind.

Descending, one passes the Great Wall and crosses the Nine Beams. Mount Kunlun has five cities and twelve towers; within the human body there are corresponding palaces and mansions, located in the lower region. The “Nine Beams” refer to the nine Qi of the lower origin.

The liver belongs to the east and to Wood, is green in color, has seven lobes, and is attached to the mansion of the gallbladder. The liver belongs to the east and, in the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), to Wood. Commentators say it has three lobes on the left and four on the right, and that its color is like white silk. The liver is connected with the gallbladder, and so they are together called the “two towers”; there are also corresponding palaces and mansions in the lower part of the human body.

The liver appears green in color and consists of seven lobes, with the gallbladder attached beside it.

The shape of the liver resembles a wild duck spreading its wings in flight; it also resembles a magpie or a myna (that is, the hill myna) flying beneath the sun. According to the commentary, when the liver Qi (vital energy) is abundant, it is like a bird soaring high, as if ascending toward the sky and entering the midst of the sun.

Many spirits (Shen) reside within the liver, each governing particular domains. The liver spirit is called “Tianying Jun” (Heavenly Reflection Lord), also known as “Gongzi” (Young Lord) or “Hanming” (Containing Illumination), and is the original Shen of the liver. The Lingbao Jing (Lingbao Scripture) refers to him as “Yuanying Gongzi, Baiyuan Zunshen” (Young Lord of Primordial Glory, Venerable Spirit of White Origin); the commentary states that he descends to dwell in the human body, residing in the Niwan Palace (the divine mansion in the head according to Daoist teaching).

The liver contains the Qingyang Palace, in which dwells the Wuying Zhenren (Perfected One of No Flowering), who oversees the registers of human life and death. “Die” means Jing (essence) and Qi, while “Ziting Xiang” (Purple Pavilion Village) refers to the eyes. The commentary holds that the Qi of the eyes corresponds to the liver: if a person consumes turbid food and drink and the liver Qi becomes excessive, the eyes grow dim; if a cultivator of the Dao keeps the mind vacant and still with abundant liver Qi, the eyes become bright. When Tuna (the cultivation method of regulating breath) is practiced properly, the liver and gallbladder become full, Jing and Shen are harmonized, Jing and Qi coalesce and remain stable, and they do not easily decline.

The spirits of the liver wear garments of green light, because green is the original color of the liver and also corresponds to the Wood phase of the East among the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

The liver spirit stands eight cun in height, wears green clothing, dwells in the Mingtang Palace, and when traveling rides a carriage in the form of a green dragon. His accompanying officials include the Dongji Laoren (Elder of the Eastern Extreme) and three thousand six hundred mounted attendants.

The liver spirit corresponds above to Suixing (the Year Star, Jupiter), its constellations corresponding to the Jiao and Kang lunar mansions; it also corresponds to the Eastern Peak Daizong (Mount Tai), belonging in direction to Qingzhou.

The gallbladder lies within the liver, situated among the liver lobes, and contains a greenish liquid called “lüjiang” (green slurry).

The gallbladder is about the size of a parrot’s egg, situated in the center and yellow in color.

The Formula for the Practices of the Twenty-Four Shen states that the gallbladder appears in the three colors cyan, yellow, and green, and is as large as a hawk; what is called cyan-yellow-white refers to the fluids within the gallbladder.

The gallbladder Shen (spirit) is three cun in height and wears cyan garments. This Shen is named Longyue (Dragon Leap), three cun and eight fen tall, cyan-yellow in appearance, and sits facing outward. The Jing (essence) Qi (vital energy) of the gallbladder transforms into a tengshe (soaring serpent) that can avert disasters; the tengshe is also called the Azure Dragon. The nature of the gallbladder is firm, strong, and valiant, able to drive away inauspicious influences. The term “fei” refers to poisonous insects; some take them to be the Three Corpses worms. The gallbladder Shen is also named Guidei, charged with resisting evil harms from the four directions.

Among the six fu organs, the gallbladder is the most courageous and robust. Whether a person’s conduct is upright or deviant is bound up with the gallbladder Qi: when the gallbladder Qi is upright, one remains safe and at peace; when the gallbladder Qi is deviant and disordered, harm may be invited. The gallbladder Shen constantly resists evil harms from without. The so-called “gui” means law or rule; the gallbladder Shen uses its valor to defend and hold off external enemies. Cultivation of the superior Dao (the Way) likewise cannot do without the function of the gallbladder.

The stomach can hold three sheng and is associated with the sun and moon. The stomach is also called Taicang (Great Granary); it operates in accord with the five viscera and moves according to the transformations of the four seasons. The stomach is the gathering place of water and grain, and also the starting point from which the large intestine conveys; spirits reside here.

The exterior of the stomach is white; the interior is moist and reddish, with patterns. Within the stomach there is harmonious Qi, which is the true Qi; the so-called Weiwang refers to the Zhenren (Perfected Person) in the stomach. When stomach Qi circulates freely, the five viscera become bright and clear; when stomach Qi is blocked, the five viscera become dim. The stomach is the place where numinous Qi passes and gathers, and also an important pass that sustains the entire body. The movement of Qi, like clouds traveling and rain descending, all begins from here.

When thirsty, the water one contemplates should be Jade Fluid (Yujiang).

When hungry, one should visualize a yellow grain within the body. Here “grain” refers to the swallowed saliva, which in visualization is regarded as nourishing food for the body; “yellow” is the proper color representing the center.

Within the body there is a deity named Huangdi Zi (the Child of the Yellow Emperor), three inches in height, wearing yellow clothing and sitting facing outward, responsible for digesting food. He transforms and circulates in the Dantian (energy center), able to make all illnesses recede.

Within the body there is a deity named Huangdi Zi (the Child of the Yellow Emperor), three inches in height, wearing yellow clothing and sitting facing outward, responsible for digesting food. He transforms and circulates in the Dantian (energy center), able to make all illnesses recede.

The spleen is the palace of the Yellow Court (Huangting), the central hub of the body in inner cultivation visualization, and it is of a true yellow color. The spleen lies horizontally above the stomach, presenting a bright yellow hue. The two sides of the spleen resemble two segments of sharp, solid wood, tightly adjoining the stomach—that is, the two sides of the Tai Cang (Great Granary, another name for the stomach).

Its shape resembles a metal pendant ornament, mixed yellow and white in color and brightly luminous. The commentary notes that this is the appearance of the outer fatty membrane when the spleen is afflicted with disease.

Practitioners of the Dao should keep the Three Passes (the bodily apertures spoken of in cultivation) in harmony, making the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) stable and the body healthy and firm. The spleen is located on both sides of the Tai Cang, as if constantly wrapping and protecting it while making the palace of the Yellow Court unobstructed.

Its shape resembles a metal pendant ornament, mixed yellow and white in color and brightly luminous. The commentary notes that this is the appearance of the outer fatty membrane when the spleen is afflicted with disease.

Practitioners of the Dao should keep the Three Passes in harmony, making the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) stable and the body healthy and firm; the spleen seems to wrap and protect the stomach while making the palace of the Yellow Court unobstructed.

Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) should keep the Three Passes constantly unobstructed and harmonious, thereby protecting the root and nourishing Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy). When the Three Passes are in harmony, the five viscera remain settled, and the body will not become ill.

The spleen spirit is nine cun in height and draped in yellow radiance. The spleen itself is nine cun long and wears yellow garments. It is one of the Eight Scenery Spirit Children. When the practitioner visualizes the spleen spirit, its form is three cun long and lies horizontally above the stomach; in the morning it transforms into Laojun, and at night it becomes the Taiyi Lord of the Hall of Light.

The spleen spirit rides a blue-green chariot drawn by dragons in flight. The spleen is also known as the Palace of the Hall of Light and the Grand Venerable Mansion, which contains the Jade Maiden of Mysterious Radiance. She is a goddess of the Dantian (energy center) who goes forth in a yellow dragon chariot, accompanied by three thousand six hundred riders belonging to the Yellow Elder Lord.

It connects upward to Zhenxing, the planet Saturn, and is situated in the Shaoshi Hall. Zhenxing corresponds to the Mysterious Chamber. Shaoshi designates the Central Peak, that is, the region of Yuzhou.

The spleen governs the transformation and generation of the five flavors and nourishes the four limbs. The spleen differentiates the five flavors while restraining and commanding the four directions.

Thus one can remain free from the sensation of hunger and gain insight into spiritual brightness. When Jing-fluid is plentiful in the body and Shen (spirit) and Qi are at peace, one neither hungers nor thirsts, attaining long life and enduring vision; concentration and wisdom likewise arise of themselves in completeness.

The kidneys are black, positioned on either side of the spine near the navel. They occupy the Water Palace in the lower body, three cun below the navel and attached to the spine. The left is called the Mansion of Life, the right the Grand Harmony; the left is Situ and the right is Sikou. The kidneys lie on the inner flanks of the navel, governing the movement of Triple Burner Qi and infusing the fluids so that they circulate. Yuanyangzi said that cold and heat generate one another and that male and female each possess their own forms. Within the kidneys dwell two spirits dressed in blue-green: the left is a man wearing a sun-shaped headdress, the right a woman wearing a moon-shaped headdress. At midnight, if one concentrates fully on visualizing Jing and Qi, it becomes possible to perceive them.

The kidney spirit is the size of a fist and shaped like an inverted cup. The lower Dantian is the root of a person’s life and the residence of the spirits, storing the five Qi. The left is blue-green, the right yellow, the upper black, and the lower white. The man on the left wears a sun-shaped headdress and the woman on the right a moon-shaped headdress. The original annotation at this point repeats the visualization method already described above.

It also resembles a large rat, as if seated upon a barrier platform. (The kidneys are shaped like a crouching ox and about the size of a rat. “Platform” refers to the shape of the kidneys; their location is the Mysterious Pass Platform.) It is as light and agile as an entirely black bird beating its wings as it flies toward one. (The color of the kidneys resembles black lacquer, and their form is like both a rat and a bird. When embryonic breathing—a cultivation method that nurtures body and mind through inner respiration—is sufficient, it stirs the kidney Qi (vital energy), causing the Qi of both kidneys to rise and soar as if a bird were about to beat its wings and take flight, the breath surging unceasingly.) When Jing (essence) and Qi fill the body, it becomes lustrous, moist, and pleasing. (When true Jing is abundant, the body appears glossy and moist.) Within it are contained many formless Shen (spirits) of the myriad things. (Formless things arise from formed things and lie hidden within them, able to gestate the “Red Infant.”) This is the palace of great treasures in the human body, located in the heavenly region within the body (the area that symbolizes the upper heavenly realm).

What is called "useless" is precisely what is most worth treasuring; to appear to do nothing yet constantly be fulfilled, nothing is more profound than the Dao (the Way). Thus, within the three tiers of heaven there are nine divine beings each. On the right is the Director of Destiny (Siming), on the left the Director of Records (Silu), and in addition there is the Left Commandant of Justice. All of them swiftly record people's good and evil deeds, leaving nothing out, whether inward or outward.

The kidneys are called the Lord of Mysterious Origin and the Master of Primal Yang. The Gate of Life (Mingmen) is also called the Jade Capital, which is the lower Dantian (energy center; the site of internal alchemical cultivation in the lower abdomen). It is the place where Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) go in and out and where the spirits dwell, located behind the navel. For this reason, practitioners who seek the true Dao withdraw from the dusty world, live in seclusion among quiet mountain crags, and cut off human affairs. They fear that offending against the impure Qi of women would harm the divine person within the lower Dantian, and that the Underworld Bureau (the divine office of the netherworld that governs life and death) would in turn shorten their lifespan.

The Scripture of the Three Ones (Sanyi Jing) says: On a jiazi, wuzi, or renzi day, at midnight, call out: "The divinity of the Northern Pole is named Mysterious Penetration, the Jade Maiden. I, so-and-so, wish to obtain the Golden Liquid, the Jade Fluid, and the Sweet Spring to drink." Then quiet the mind and visualize white Qi between the kidneys, and visualize the Director of Destiny on the left and the Director of Records on the right, calling out: "Director of Records, and the Six Ding Jade Maidens, please strike so-and-so from the register of the dead." These words must all be spoken aloud. One who can recognize and know the names of the Three Ones within the body can attain long life. The Yi (Book of Changes) says that the Director of Destiny stands on the right and the Director of Records at the side, and that one calls upon the Director of Records and the Six Ding Jade Maidens to be removed from the register of the dead; these words must be spoken aloud. One who knows the names of the Three Ones can attain long life. The Yi also says: "The greatest treasure of the sage is called position." This means that all things and phenomena exist within the human body.

The spirit is six cun tall and wears reddish-brown clothing.

(This deity is named Xuanming, with the style name Yuying. He is six cun and seven and a half fen tall, wears white clothing, and sits facing outward.)

When he goes forth, he rides the Black Tortoise-Serpent (Xuanwu) and drives the divine tortoise.

(The Xuanwu and the divine tortoise are symbols of the north. The kidneys are the palace of obscurity, within which dwells the Lord of the Great One (Taiyi). When the Lord of the Great One travels, he rides the Xuanwu and the flying tortoise, accompanied by the Old Man of the Northern Pole and three thousand six hundred mounted attendants.)

He bears water upon his head, and the water flows upward and downward, moistening the Nine Provinces.

The two sides of the kidneys are called “stream waters,” in which dwells a divine turtle, namely Xuanwu. Through breathing it regulates and nourishes the Qi (vital energy) within the body, causing the Qi to divide and flow to both sides, then to reach the four limbs and circulate throughout the entire body. The Sanyi Jing states that a divine turtle resides in the kidneys, also known as Xuanwu; it disseminates water Qi, moistens the body so that it penetrates the nine orifices, and corresponds with the Nine Provinces.

When the hundred meridians and orifices are all filled and harmonized, the body can be at peace.

The upper, middle, and lower parts of the body each have nine orifices. The divine turtle bears water Qi on its back, so that the nine orifices above and below together with the hundred meridians all receive harmony and moisture; thus the body remains stable.

Above, stars correspond with the interior of the body and jointly provide protection and support.

Corresponding stars are stored within the five viscera, and internal circulation likewise resonates with the stars in the heavens. Practitioners who have reached a profound level of cultivation possess a clear and luminous mind, able to unite with the De (Virtue/Power) of Heaven and Earth and to accord with the patterns of stellar movement, as if body and mind communicate with all phenomena of Heaven and Earth. The Huiyuan Xingshi Jue records that when performing the practice according to the method of bugang tadou (the Daoist ritual of pacing the Dipper according to the positions of the Big Dipper stars), one visualizes a Perfected One riding starlight descending from the Northern Dipper, flying into the mouth and then entering the liver, causing radiance to illuminate the five viscera so that both interior and exterior become clear and bright. Upon completion, face north and swallow saliva nine times.

Below, it is connected with and supported by Mount Heng.

Among the upper and lower four directions of the body, the north belongs to the lower region; Mount Heng is the Northern Peak and belongs to the ancient astrological field of Jizhou. The Qi here unites with the “Jade Spring,” which refers to the lower Dantian (energy center). The Dadong Jing states that the yin Qi of the three luminaries of sun, moon, and stars transforms into the Three Officials, who respectively reside in the upper, middle, and lower Three Palaces; within the Three Palaces there are nine deities, and the Lords of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Three Primes govern a person’s lifespan.

The deity is six cun in length and wears garments of dark yellow.

This deity is named Ying’er (the Infant), with the courtesy name Yuanyangzi, also called Guxuan; it is six cun long and one cun eight fen high, wears red clothing, and sits facing outward.

Twelve divine consorts dwell together with him within the curtains.

The divine consorts include the Jade Maiden of the Azure Waist, the Jade Maiden of Mysterious Light, and others; they reside with the mother deity inside the curtains, that is, within the Dantian, jointly guarding the Lower Prime (the seat of primordial Qi in the lower part of the human body).

Five-colored radiance sparkles, illuminating the four directions.

The region below the navel unifies and governs the five viscera, and is therefore called the “Five Lights.” The five viscera surround the navel and are distributed in the four directions, hence the term “Four Directions.”

The four colors of green, red, white, and black lie on the outside, while the center is yellow. The kidneys are situated on the outer side of the navel, close to its upper part, and are therefore called “Outer Yellow.”

Around the navel there are five layers of guards, with the portals on all four sides standing open. Above and below they interconnect, and the five viscera also interpenetrate one another. The five kinds of Jing (essence) Qi (vital energy) circulate and flow within it, thereby harmonizing the five Qi. The so-called “Four Gates” refer to the closed places surrounding the navel; they communicate upward to the crown of the head and downward penetrate the wrapping of the viscera.

The empty space in the middle is the location of the spleen; the “Spirit Terrace” refers to the dwelling of the heart. The navel lies below the “Flowered House” and is called the “Lower Sea.” It overall governs and communicates the six Qi, with closed places on all sides; it communicates upward to the crown of the head and downward through the wrapping of the viscera. The viscera are connected with the heart.

The Vermilion Tower stands two cun high, and they communicate with one another. The Shangqing Jing says that within the navel there are the Yellow Palace Gate, Golden Chamber, Silver City, and Vermilion Tower, which form the inner residence of the “Emperor One Lord” and are also the treasure palaces of the three true Shen (spirits).

The spirit maiden sports in the center. The Formula of the Activities of the Twenty-Four Shen says that the spirit maiden is named Zhu Yuanma, courtesy name Daojisheng: in a man’s body she resides within the penis; in a woman’s body she resides in the uterus. She is two cun and two fen in height, purple in color, sitting facing outward, and able to enable men and women to procreate.

The immortal scriptures say that in the human navel there are Kunlun, Weak Water, and the abyss of Mysterious Darkness, with the sun and moon circulating therein, similar to the Kunlun spoken of in the outer world. Only those who have achieved success in cultivation can see these scenes in inner vision. Many immortals fly and roam upon it, just as the sun and moon in the heavens shine upon the earth and make all things bright; the human body is the same, with the light of the sun and moon shining into the navel and causing the viscera to remain constantly bright. At night the sunlight travels into the stomach and illuminates the navel. Therefore the navel is regarded as corresponding to the center of the Three Origins of heaven and earth.

Riding the Wuji, one travels between Yin and Yang. Here “Yin-Yang” refers to the spirits that preside over Yin and Yang in the lower Dantian (energy center). The two Qi (vital energy) of Yin and Yang transform and intermingle here, giving birth to the myriad things, and are therefore called true spirits.

One rides six azure dragons arrayed on the left. The left belongs to Yang, and the azure dragon likewise belongs to Yang. “Six” is formed from “three,” symbolizing the beginning of the generation of life and the foundation of the formation of the physical body. Immortal scriptures say “three on the left, seven on the right, nine upon the head, one under the feet,” so those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) seek the genuine by preserving “three” and “one.”

The white tiger holds a bow, arrayed on the right. The right belongs to Yin, and the white tiger symbolizes Yin; the curved form of the bow symbolizes Yang. The scripture thereby illustrates the conjunction of Yin and Yang, indicating that transformations must be carefully weighed.

The vermilion bird opens the way in front, holding the five weapons. The vermilion bird corresponds to the heart, located above the spleen, and therefore leads in front. The “five weapons” refer to the spirits that respectively guard the five viscera.

The Dark Warrior proceeds behind, carrying a drum. The Dark Warrior corresponds to the kidneys, located on both sides of the spine, and is therefore arrayed to the rear; below the kidneys it adjoins the bladder, hence it is said to carry a drum.

A thousand spirits and ten thousand riders range in protection. Within the human body there are thirty-six thousand true spirits and twelve hundred jing (essence) lights that jointly protect the physical form. Those who attain an advanced stage of cultivation of the Dao can relinquish attachment to the body and to clever intelligence, nourish jing, qi, and shen (spirit), and it is as though they possess a thousand chariots with ten thousand riders in attendance. The Xisheng Jing states: “Shen generates form, form generates shen; without shen, form cannot grow of itself; without form, shen cannot achieve completion alone.” This means that shen and form are mutually dependent; the practitioner who examines inwardly can commune with the spirits and accomplish the immortal Dao.

The chariot rises loftily, ascending into the Nine Heavens. When the legendary immortal Heming Zi He has succeeded in cultivation, corresponding responses arise; a host of immortals escorts the chariot as it mounts to the Nine Heavens.

One holds fast to my Yellow Spirit and wanders the eight directions. The “Yellow Spirit” refers to the Huangting, the central spirit within the human body; the “eight gates” refer to the eight directions. When inner cultivation is complete, the practitioner can travel through the six directions and wander the eight directions.

Uniting with the Great Dao, they greet and receive one another.

(Continuing from the preceding passage: by “raising, directing, crossing, and responding,” one may ascend to the Nine Heavens.)

Hold fast to the Yellow Shen (spirit) within my body (that is, the primordial Shen of the Yellow Court) and circulate through the portals of the eight directions.

(The Yellow Shen is the Shen of the Yellow Court; the “eight gates” refer to the eight directions. When a practitioner’s inner cultivation is complete, they can travel throughout heaven and earth and wander the eight directions.)

Unite with the Great Dao (the Way), mutually responding and receiving one another.

(When the practitioner nourishes the Shen according to the method of “raising, directing, crossing, and responding,” a response is obtained, union with the Great Dao is achieved, and one ascends to the Purple Pole.)

Then return once more to the center of my own body.

(The Heavenly Dao is not distant; after passing through the numbers of three and five it still returns to oneself. This so-called return does not mean that the physical form actually goes back to some place, but that the form is returned to the Shen and finally enters the realm of mysterious stillness.)

The primordial Shen comes and goes in a vague and indistinct state, the facial appearance changing without constancy.

(The Laozi says: “Within the vague and indistinct there is a thing.” The Zhen’gao states that the face is a person’s “measured dwelling.” The Xisheng Jing (scripture/classic) says that regularly rubbing the face with both hands, wiping repeatedly along the rise and fall of the facial contours until heat arises, can give the complexion luster and prevent wrinkles and spots; if continued for five years, the complexion will resemble that of a young girl. Here the method of rubbing the face is used to illustrate the nourishing of Qi (vital energy), so that the breath becomes full and abundant.)

No one can know whether it truly exists or has vanished.

(Those who truly understand the Great Dao will not become feeble or exhausted.)

Therefore it is said that the five viscera and six bowels each have their governing Shen.

(The five viscera and six bowels each have spirits that preside over them.)

The patterned images of heaven and earth gather in the Dantian (energy center).

(“One” is the root of the Great Dao. The Great Dao together with the “One” transforms and generates the myriad things, giving rise to the Three Powers; a human being obtains the “One” and thereby takes form, and thus the five viscera and six bowels each possess their own Shen. The human body is thereby divided into three sections; by storing and nourishing the three sections and holding fast to the “One,” one can unite with the Dao. If one understands how to hold the “One,” all affairs have their foundation. Here the “One” refers to the Jing (essence) and Shen within the body.)

If one can truly comprehend and put it into practice, one will find the method of transcending the dusty world.

(“Cheng” means truly or indeed; “fang” means method or path. By being able to hold and nourish one’s own person, one obtains the way of crossing over the world.)

The place one inch below the navel is called the Dantian.

(The lower Dantian is also known as “Beneficial Mechanism,” “Jing Dew,” “Intersecting Yin,” and “Gate of Life”; it is the seat of the life Qi governed by the right palace of the Triple Burner.)

The intestines curve and coil, connected to the spine.

Three cun below the navel is called Guanyuan (a vital point in the lower abdomen). The large and small intestines attach to both sides of the spinal column, receiving from the stomach and coiling around the navel. Fluids circulate through the intestines; the clear and the turbid among them each have their proper destinations: the clear fluids transform into urine, while the turbid matter is expelled as feces. Commentators hold that if one thoroughly grasps this principle, even while abstaining from food and drink one can still keep the Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) clear and refreshed.

The region of Guanyuan measures about three cun both vertically and horizontally, its four sides intersecting like a vermilion enclosing wall. Situated at the center of the body, it is also known as Guanming or Yemen (the Fluid Gate): men store Jing (essence) here, and women conceive the fetus here.

Guanyuan always occupies the space between the two central pass-gates, that is, the precise midpoint between the two kidneys.

The Shen is five cun in height and draped in golden patterned ornaments. Commentators say one should visualize this Shen morning and evening (contemplating the inner spirits according to the method of visualization), which can prevent a person from declining; they also give its height as two cun and one fen.

This Shen can become large or small, its transformations inscrutable. The term “Shen” means that it can wondrously transform the myriad things and cause change to arise of itself, circulating throughout the entire body.

Visualize downward toward the Tianmen (Heavenly Gate) while following the Mingmen (Gate of Life, here referring to the navel). A Shen named Taohaijun (Lord Peach Child) governs the beginnings of life and of Jing-Qi; he is regarded as the primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth, the root of Yin-Yang, and a precious portal within the human body. Human life is ruled by Taohaijun; the hun soul transforms into seminal fluid and thereby comes into being.

One chi from the navel, the spirits likewise undergo transformation.

In the lower body there is a place about one chi in length, situated below the genitals and above the womb, in front of the anus and behind the urethra; it is the meeting place of the two yin. A Perfected One named Zhiming (Controller of Destiny) dwells here. A person’s years of life and whether the lifespan is long or short are all governed from this place. Taiyi (the Great One, a revered deity in Daoism) transforms the hun and po souls, corresponding with the spirit of Siming and uniting with the Hun Emperor Lord. This place is therefore known as the seat governed by the spirit of Siming, who oversees a person’s years and the length of life. The assignment of a person’s fate register is also connected with it. It has another name: Linghua Shenzong (Divine Ancestor of Numinous Flower).

Two spirits in female form stand in attendance nearby. If they are allowed to decline and fall into disharmony, they will disturb a person’s body and mind.

The “two women” refer to the spirits within the genital region, residing below the Mingmen (Gate of Life). Yin-Yang intercourse is all related to this place. If the original Shen (spirit) is exhausted and Jing (essence) does not circulate, a woman may miscarry while a man will suffer internal depletion of Jing and Qi (vital energy), and calamity will follow. Those who wish to extend their years must gather Jing and Qi and turn their gaze inward. Those who wish for longevity must gather Jing and Qi so that the form returns to its original source. People all know that life is precious, yet they often find it difficult to restrain sexual activity. When Jing and Qi leak from the Weilü (the region at the base of the spine), the Qi mechanism becomes turbid and Jing fluid is lost. The scripture holds that this depletes the brain and marrow, causing gradual weakening and the gradual loss of the original Shen. The Xisheng Jing (Scripture of Western Ascension) says that people treat life lightly and die early because they themselves pollute and damage body and mind; it is not Heaven and Earth that destroy them, nor ghosts and spirits that harm them. Those who cultivate life should stay far from worldly turmoil, draw near to mountain forests, restrain the senses and cultivate the form, in order to preserve the upright Qi of body and mind.

It can influence both great and small affairs of a person, causing the mind and Shen to become confused.

If one can clearly distinguish right from wrong and remain untroubled by external things, what is there to be confused by? The mind will naturally become clear and the intention settled.

When the intention is concentrated and one examines the three Shen, illness leaves the body.

The “three Shen” refer to the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers), the places within the body where Jing, Qi, and Shen gather according to Daoist internal cultivation. When the practitioner’s mind and will are sincere, they can communicate with the Shen.

In this way one can possess the foundation of being at peace and taking delight in the Dao (the Way) (being content in cultivating the Dao and taking the Dao as joy).

(After a single period of cultivation one can achieve lasting results once and for all and obtain longevity; what more is there to say thereafter? Only the “Three-One” (Sanyi, the Daoist principle of the unification of the Three Origins) within the Heavenly Dao is the primary gateway of cultivation, and Qian-Kun (Heaven and Earth, Yin-Yang) is its manifestation.)

Cause Qian and Kun to unite so that the Six Palaces (the six locations related to bodily and mental functions) become stable.

(The Three Origins generate the Six Palaces. The mind-Shen (spirit) remains silent and still, without reckless movement; even if there is some response, one does not thereby generate reckless distinctions. Taking silent Wuwei (non-action) as the foundation, one thereby causes the thoughts of the mind to return to stability.)

Understand the pivotal opportunity of change in things, penetrate the principle of the True Shen (spirit), exhaustively investigate the principles of affairs, and fully realize one’s original nature.

(The primary gateway is Qian-Kun.)

Cause Qian and Kun to unite so that the Six Palaces become stable.

(The Three Origins generate the Six Palaces. The mind-Shen (spirit) remains silent and still, without reckless movement; even if there is some response, one does not thereby generate reckless distinctions. Taking silent Wuwei (non-action) as the foundation, one thereby causes the thoughts of the mind to return to stability.)

Understand the pivotal opportunity of change in things, penetrate the principle of the True Shen (spirit), exhaustively investigate the principles of affairs, and fully realize one’s original nature.

(The original annotation here suspects that the text has errors or omissions; the general purport is that everyone should begin from inner cultivation; when cultivation is accomplished one can avoid disasters and stay far from chronic illnesses. Recite according to the secret formulas, comprehend the essential meaning therein, deeply investigate the obscure and subtle mysteries, cause the Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) to circulate and transform, and regulate the breathing so that the physical form and inner Qi unite and each returns to its proper place. The five viscera thereby generate spiritual illumination, and the Three Dantian (upper, middle, and lower energy centers) become full; when evil influences invade they can be expelled, causing ghosts and sprites to flee far away. The practitioner can also be spared from floods and harm from fierce beasts. This method should be secretly transmitted through five paths, guarding the Huangting (Yellow Court, the inner central palace), and transmitted to worthy scholars; those who receive the method will obtain blessings and protection and be able to have an audience with Taishang (the Most High, a Daoist deity).)

The Scripture of the Central Landscape of the Yellow Court of the Most High.