《太清风露经》

Among Heaven and Earth, humans are the most honored. Nothing a person possesses is more worthy of cherishing than longevity.

Provided one undertakes cultivation, the genuine methods of the Dao (the Way) are not difficult to accomplish and can produce results relatively quickly.

Longevity itself is already of great value, still more so when one can command the myriad spirits and ascend into the heavenly court.

There is more than one way to seek longevity. Gathering and refining minerals, metals, and herbs may yield some results, yet they exhaust body and mind; moreover, such methods cannot compare with the way of “inhaling the wind and drinking the dew” (a form of practice that takes breathing and the natural Qi (vital energy) as its content).

This cultivation need not leave a single room, nor occupy a long span of time; from start to finish it can be completed in the speaking of a few words. The practitioner ought to remove impurities, establish an altar, purify through fasting and abstinence, and follow the liturgy in practicing the Dao; wash the hands, rinse the mouth, bathe and cleanse the body, then strike the chime, burn incense, and invoke the Void. The incense Qi spreads in all directions and can disperse demonic and noxious Qi. Thereafter immortals will of themselves transmit the mysterious essentials: sometimes through inner realization in one’s own heart, sometimes through instruction in dreams. How could the affairs of immortals be something others can fully explain? Even if explained, people may not believe. If one does not believe yet forces the practice, how can the efficacy ever be complete?

The Dao of Heaven does not speak, yet the four seasons proceed in due course; the De (Virtue/Power) of Earth does not speak, yet the myriad things grow from it. The Mysterious Female (Xuanpin, the fundamental principle that generates all things and harmonizes Yin-Yang) continues without end and returns to nature. The Dao is mysterious and more mysterious still, the gateway to all wonders.

The Mysterious Female governs respiration; the left and right sides operate according to the principle of Yin-Yang. The Earth Portal (here referring to the gate associated with breathing and the practice of exhalation and inhalation) varies in blowing and exhaling. The following phrases such as “Heaven and Earth without zhuo sui” are unclear in meaning and may contain scribal errors.

Guide the Qi so that it flows freely, like regulating a watercourse; once it has been opened and made smooth, the original text reads “fu jin jin,” whose sense is obscure. The use of the body should emulate heavenly principle; by attaining Wuwei (non-action) one verifies the mind of the Dao.

The Qi of the Great Cavern (Dadong, the vast and profound realm spoken of in Daoism) constantly communicates with the winds of Heaven and Earth; the Qi of Kunlun Mountain undulates and circulates, penetrating the Three Gorges. By secretly observing the transformations of Yin-Yang, cold and heat, and the winds, one responds to hunger and satiety, surplus and deficiency—this is the subtle root. Cultivation from beginning through the middle to the end should be well begun and well concluded, so that nature, Qi, and Shen (spirit) all become unobstructed.

Two kinds of jingqi (the clear and luminous Jing (essence) between heaven and earth) gather together, augmenting the jinli (the sweet immortal dew spoken of by Daoists). When the breath surges to the Yongquan (the acupoint on the soles of the feet), it can then flow freely without obstruction.

If the mysterious mechanism cannot operate, it is not the true essential teaching.

Chapter Four: Gu Ying

The caverns are unfathomably deep; even the mountains guarded by the Five Sacred Peaks and the waters of the Four Seas are difficult to fully identify. The thorns on the immortal path of the Heavenly Gate have already been cleared away. The harmonious jingqi and the clear breezes are infinite and beyond counting. The tuoyue (a metaphor for the drumming of respiration or the qi mechanism) gradually fills to abundance, and life then has no exhaustion. The Jade Ultimate and the Great Cavern (heavenly realms spoken of in Daoism) can also gradually be recognized.

Chapter Five: White Stone

A cinnabar phoenix soars among the White Stone Mountains. Outside the White Stone Mountains the “laop fei”—the original wording is corrupted and cannot be reliably interpreted. One should know that subtle flows of water enter the Heavenly Gate. The methods and forms of seeking immortality ought to resemble those of an infant.

Chapter Six: Mysterious Gate

An immortal wind soughs within the Mysterious Gate (Xuanmen, the profound portal of Daoist cultivation). After closing it, one repeatedly counts and passes through a certain number of days. The harmonizing and regulating of Yin-Yang is likewise. After undergoing one thousand two hundred cycles, it is as if floating and sinking in deep waters. Indeed, one has not forgotten the exhortations of Master Zhang.

Chapter Seven: Jade Hut

The scene within the Jade Hut (Yulu, the body-mind or inner dwelling of the practitioner) is tranquil and still. Regulating the breath and refining the nourishment requires a period of time before it becomes pure and refined. Hold and swallow the saliva, imagining it ascending to the heavenly court; respectfully contemplate Xiaqiusheng (a personage or immortal appellation in the original text).

Chapter Eight: Great Summary

A cinnabar phoenix soars in the cinnabar cave. Within the Great Cavern the “laop ji”—the original wording is corrupted and cannot be reliably interpreted. The path walked by the immortals leads toward the heavenly horizon; sea swallows return to the Flower Pond (Huachi, the designation in Daoist inner cultivation for the pool of saliva in the mouth). A thousand mountain peaks and numerous valleys resound in unison. Unused garments lie in the quiet chamber. The waters spread forth, and the Xiaoxiang region appears pure and clear. The golden chang (a term whose meaning in the original is unclear) is cut off. When the flames blaze intensely, the qiongshui (jade-water, the jade liquid spoken of by immortals) diminishes; a scenic breeze gently arises over the sea. Breathing accords with Yin-Yang; exhaling and inhaling cause the qi of cold and heat to be somewhat reduced. Xuanhuang (the qi of heaven and earth, or of Yin-Yang) performs opening and closing; the qi of Metal and Wood transform and give forth radiance. The Great Dao is not the ordinary “dao” of common speech; it is like empty space, with nothing upon which to rely.

Chapter Nine: Empty Valley

At the beginning of Taiyi, at the origin of Taichu—the following text is originally corrupted and cannot be read in a coherent manner. Discernible sentences state: the sun, moon, and stars (the “Three Luminaries”) …, the four seasons operate without pause. When Metal qi arrives, Earth qi then ceases; when the Five Phases are about to conclude, another phase arises. It is neither yielding nor rigid; it is both life and as if not born. Later in the text there again appears “at the beginning of the earth’s Taichu” together with wording concerning the Three Luminaries, the four seasons, and the Five Phases, but it is likewise corrupted and cannot be reliably translated.

Neither yielding and weak nor rigid and hard; it seems not to grow, yet it is growing. The De (Virtue/Power) of the earth remains constantly thus: appearing without change, yet unceasingly transforming and generating. The Dao (the Way) of Heaven is vast and enduring, and it is likewise.

When thunder and rain dissipate, dragons scatter and fly; when wind arises in the mountains, insects and beasts become active, and tigers no longer hide. After Heaven and Earth have been blocked, they turn again to unimpeded harmony; the sun and moon alternate in their courses, as if their radiance recedes along with them.

Burning and tending the gardens and orchards, inspecting the borderlands. The numinous tortoise breathes in and out within the secluded halls; small insects stretch comfortably under the morning sun.

Removing one’s clothes, allowing the bodily form to fly and move freely; letting the hair hang loose, casting off frost and snow. Auspicious clouds grow dense, and the cinnabar phoenix soars.

Sweet dew descends, the waters of the Jiang and Han rivers swell magnificently; harmonious winds arise, and the hundred flowers become fragrant.

Bells and chimes resound with ringing, resonant tones; the people take their places in sequential order, the ranks neat and endowed with ritual measure.

Yin-Yang as the two modes generate the Four Images, and the Four Images generate the Bagua (Eight Trigrams). The myriad things transform, yet not all are generated thereby; the myriad things grow, yet not all change in accordance therewith.

Alas that Yan Hui (a disciple of Confucius) possessed outstanding talent yet failed to attain longevity; how joyful that an infant’s crying does not leave its voice hoarse.

O sun and moon, you illuminate the earth and shine upon the myriad things; O tiger and dragon, you utter long roars and resonant chants.

Among fowl there are the roosters that perch on high and belong to Yang; the pheasants are the birds of the Tanze region.

The gate of the Xuanpin (Mysterious Female, commonly used in Daoism to refer to the origin that generates and transforms all things) remains constantly open, the spring pool profound and bottomless. The Fusang (legendary place of the sunrise) indicated by the Zhen direction fully reveals the blue-green of the spring mountains; verdant colors are distributed in Nanlü (one of the ancient twelve pitches, also used to mark seasonal directions), gazing afar at the Western Peak and sensing the Qi (vital energy) of autumnal Metal.

The Water King sinks into the yin cold, chilly winds reach the ears, intense fire warms the heart. Opening the spring pool, its depths are fathomless; the Zhen direction points to Fusang, the blue of the spring mountains unfolds, verdant hues distributed in Nanlü, gazing at the Western Peak and feeling the Qi of autumnal Metal.

Closing the Heavenly Gate can avert fire disasters; drawing upon the fire of the human world to contend with prolonged overcast rains. When the Maotou (name of a constellation) displays pointed rays, close the Yang Pass to prevent bandit incursions; when the Fang and Xin mansions (names of constellations) blaze with fire Qi, open the northern window to seek coolness.

Anticipate the inauspicious omens of the spiritual tortoise, without violating the admonitions of the Yu officials (those in charge of mountains, marshes, birds, and beasts).

The Heavenly Pillar leans westward, the Earth’s Cord is severed eastward. The condition of the host of stars—here the original text has corrupted wording, difficult to interpret with certainty; do not abandon the endeavor of refining stones to repair the heavens.

The hundred rivers rush and converge; one must constantly apply effort to dredge the channels. Clear winds continually blow and disperse. Facing the floodwaters, rest at ease as if situated in an empty realm. One thousand two hundred, Zhang, sagely method, one five seven, all belong to the Heavenly Ancestor (the original phrasing is incomplete, meaning hard to determine).

It appears to be rinsing the mouth yet is not merely rinsing; it appears to be bathing yet is not merely bathing. Employ the wind to guide the Shen (spirit) Qi, and use dew to nourish the dwellings.

To settle the Shen (spirit) while arranging a proper dwelling, one must cultivate the way of wind and dew (nourishing the spirit by means of wind and dew) and cut off grain foods, which is the practice of bigu. A gnomon is erected on a high terrace to observe the length of the sun’s shadow; ash is scattered in a sealed chamber to observe the speed at which the Qi (vital energy) moves. The heavenly wind proceeds without obstruction, and the Qingji and Yangtze rivers flow far into the distance. The wind is used to guide the Shen, and the dew to nourish the dwelling.

To settle the Shen while arranging a dwelling, one cultivates the way of wind and dew and practices bigu. A gnomon is set up on a high terrace to measure the length of the sun’s shadow; ash is scattered in a secret chamber to observe whether the breath is slow or rapid. The heavenly wind is unimpeded, and the Qingji and Yangtze flow without cease.

Why should human life be anxious over coming and going, birth and death, weeping and laughter, or the distinctions of right and wrong, gain and harm? When the mind and eyes are not entangled by the hall of emptiness, then regret, calamity, and good fortune will not arise in the empty valley.

Exhortation, Chapter Ten

Wind operates in the heavens, while grains grow upon the earth. Animals and plants are originally not of the same kind. Only by according with their respective natures can they grow; to go against those natures is to suffer harm. If pungent and sour foods are eaten morning and evening, all manner of deviant Qi encroach upon the upright Qi—how then can the upright Qi endure? Fragrant orchids and rich, fatty meats alike impair the Shen-Qi. When form and temperament have both grown haggard and the Shen-Qi has already dispersed, where can the body find a place to settle? By drawing near to the Heavenly Dao (the Way), the body may return to that Dao; by preserving the Shen, the Shen may repay human life. Be frugal in consumption and diligent in action. Should the Jing (essence) and marrow be exhausted, one will ultimately become dust beneath the grave. The accumulation of merit and the achievement of cultivation do not arise of themselves; nor do they come through causes and conditions or the power of ghosts and spirits.

Admonition, Chapter Eleven

Be frugal in taking and diligent in doing. If the Jing and marrow are exhausted, one will turn into dust under the tomb. The accumulation of De (Virtue/Power) and the fruits of cultivation are not obtained spontaneously; they do not arrive by means of causes, conditions, or the agency of ghosts and spirits. All things in the world possess their constant patterns. To destroy or misuse them contrary to principle is to inflict harm. By cultivating an upright nature, blessings arise of themselves; by neglecting the methods of the Dao and slighting its teachings, the very root is injured.

Cleansing, Chapter Twelve

Having cut off the grains of the mundane world, one must wash body and mind so that the interior becomes pure. Earthly medicines may be ingested, yet the mysterious springs and immortal prescriptions remain entrusted to dreams. Only upon receiving the instruction of the immortals does one come to know that the Heavenly Dao is vast and profound.

Void, Chapter Thirteen

The palaces of the immortals rise into the empty air; even without leaving courtyard and chamber, vitality may still be seen. The Great Dao is deep and hard to fathom; wind blows between the twin watchtowers. The waters of the Heavenly Ford are boundless, and the waters of the Cinnabar Pool are clear. Clay that has been kneaded and hollowed out can be formed into a dwelling; the useful and the useless each possess their own worth—this is the genuine ultimate Dao.

If the Lingyuan (a person's primordial Shen [spirit] and primordial Qi [vital energy]) does not scatter, the body and life can endure for a long time; if one is lifted up and departs, one becomes an immortal in the Liaoyang Palace.

Chapter Fourteen: Resolving Doubts

The Liji records that Zeng Shen inquired of Confucius; Confucius spoke of the words of Laozi. The teacher cites the words of the former master, and what the former master transmitted is not in error.

Chapter Fifteen: Treating Illness

The Heavenly Gate is associated with Metal and Wood, while the Earthly Door separately governs the Six Qi. When heat arises in the mouth, use the “He” method to regulate Heart Fire; when the ears grow cold, use the “Chui” method to regulate Kidney Water.

When Lung Qi is unwell, employ the “Si” sound together with nasal breathing to regulate it; when Liver Qi is unwell, use the “Xu” sound to regulate it, so that the eyes will not become dry and tearless. When the chest and abdomen feel oppressed, utter the two sounds “Wu” and “Ji”; if one cannot distinguish which of the Jiao it is (the three locations of the Qi mechanism: upper Jiao, middle Jiao, or lower Jiao), then emit the “Xi” sound to regulate.

“Two Yangs attacking one Water” means two kinds of Yang Qi invading one kind of Water Qi; consequently the Qi mechanism of the Earthly Door cannot find peace. When treating illness as it presents, one should fully employ the six methods of regulating Qi, so that breathing and exhalation-inhalation methods such as “Chui” and “He” can respond to changes of cold and heat.

Why does the Xuanpin (Mysterious Female, referring to the portals of breath entering and exiting within the body) continue without cease? And why is breathing so ordinary? In general, the Qi mechanism is often not easily unobstructed. Close the door and remain in stillness, using the “Si” sound with nasal breathing to regulate Lung Qi and the “Xu” sound to regulate Liver Qi; when the chest and abdomen are oppressed, utter the two sounds “Wu” and “Ji”; when unable to distinguish the Triple Jiao, emit the “Xi” sound.

“Two Yangs attacking one Water,” the Qi mechanism of the Earthly Door cannot be at peace. When treating the illness at hand, one should completely apply the six methods of regulating Qi, enabling exhalation methods such as “Chui” and “He” to harmonize cold and heat.

The portals of the Xuanpin continue without interruption, and breathing appears to be merely an ordinary affair; yet the Qi mechanism is mostly difficult to unblock, therefore one should shut the portals and concentrate on performing the regulation.

Disperse the mysterious luminous Qi so that it becomes manifest; rub and stroke the body to allow the fiery Qi within to circulate. Beneath the round heavenly canopy, even accumulated snow will melt; poisonous miasma will also transform into a harmonious wind.