《幼真先生服内元炁诀》

The human physical form is sustained by Qi (vital energy), the primordial life-force spoken of in Daoism, while Qi in turn depends upon the physical form for its existence. When Qi is abundant, the form can be preserved; when Qi is exhausted, the form dies. Therefore those who nourish life through cultivation must regulate and nourish the physical form and cultivate the primordial Qi in order to preserve life. Form and Qi depend upon each other and neither can be lacking; this point is perfectly clear.

I have long admired the Great Dao (the Way) and have widely sought out scriptures (Jing) and oral formulas for cultivation. I myself have practiced circulating Qi and upholding the true Dao for more than thirty years, yet what I have heard and seen has never fully satisfied me. During the Tianbao era I encountered Perfected Wang Gong of Luofu. He had returned from the Northern Peak and was resting, leaning on his staff, beside a post-station pavilion, where we happened to meet. Sensing that he was no ordinary person, I approached and spoke with him; indeed he proved to be a gentleman who had transcended the mundane world and achieved success in cultivating the Dao. Seeing the earnestness of my quest, he took pity on me and transmitted the methods of Tuna (regulating the breath by inhaling and exhaling) together with the essential techniques for nourishing the body. This profound kindness cannot be expressed in words.

Wang Gong often said that the key to cultivating the Dao does not lie in the scriptures but is transmitted through oral formulas. Methods of ingesting Qi such as the Two Luminaries, the Five Sprouts, and the Six Wu are all techniques for absorbing external Qi. External Qi is forceful and vigorous and is not suitable for ordinary people to practice. As for internal Qi—that is, embryonic breathing (Taixi), a deep method of respiration and nourishing Qi spoken of in Daoism—it originally resides within the human body and need not be sought outside. Without encountering a Perfected One and receiving the oral formulas, relying solely on one’s own groping will result only in fruitless toil and ultimate failure.

The material now compiled all inherits the essential formulas transmitted by the Perfected One in order to elucidate his teachings; it is not something I have arbitrarily decided upon according to my own views. Wang Gong often said to me: “Lord Lao said, ‘My fate is in my own hands, not in those of Heaven.’ He also said, ‘I share one Qi with Heaven and Earth and circulate together with them; how then can Heaven and Earth determine my life and death?’” This is indeed the essential meaning among discourses on cultivating the Dao. Those who study and put these methods into practice should ponder them repeatedly and receive the instruction with reverence. Having been fortunate enough to obtain these oral formulas, one must transmit them with caution and not leak them, lest misfortune be incurred.

Anyone wishing to ingest Qi (vital energy) should first choose a dry, clean, and open location. The room need not be spacious; what matters is sealing any cracks that let in drafts and regularly burning incense around the surroundings. The interior should be free of any damp or foul atmosphere. The mat and bedding should be thick and soft, and the legs of the bed slightly raised.

The Zhen’gao states: “When the bed is high, ghosts cannot blow upon it.” This means that ghosts and spirits are said to make use of earthly Qi to blow upon people, thereby subjecting them to the harassment of evil influences; a bed height of about three chi is sufficient.

Spread the bedding so that the temperature is comfortable; in winter it is better if it is slightly warmer. Raise the pillow a little more than two inches so that the head and back lie roughly level. Whenever the Qi (vital energy) first stirs after midnight, or upon first waking at the fifth watch, slowly exhale the turbid Qi from the abdomen nine times and then stop. More precisely, the practice need not be confined to the fifth watch; whenever the weather is mild and the abdomen empty, one may proceed.

First close the eyes and knock the teeth thirty-six times in order to awaken the bodily Shen (spirits). Then pinch the sides of the eyes with the fingers and press the nose; rotate the ears left and right, and rub the face and eyes. This is the method the ancients called “the daily regimen of the Perfected Person.” One may also, according to the season, combine it with Daoyin (guiding-and-stretching exercises) so that the joints open and flow freely.

Next press the tongue against the upper palate and wait until saliva has filled both the interior and the exterior of the mouth; then swallow the saliva so that it enters the stomach, visualizing the Stomach Shen (spirit) receiving it. Repeat this three times and stop. The practice is called “rinsing and swallowing the numinous fluid”: the swallowed saliva nourishes the five viscera and brings luster to the complexion. The entire sequence is essentially as described.

Then quietly relax the spirit so that the mind becomes as still as withered wood and the body as empty and loose as a discarded garment. Practice inner vision and reverse listening (withdrawing sight and hearing so they do not chase outward), eliminate all miscellaneous thoughts, and then proceed to wash the Qi. Throughout the exercise keep the eyes closed and perform the firm grasp (clenching the thumbs inside the palms); open the fingers only when about to disperse the Qi. The firm grasp seals the passes and orifices, prevents Jing (essence) and Qi from leaking outward, and resists pathogenic Qi.

Those just beginning to ingest Qi should not yet use the firm grasp, because the pathways of Qi circulation are still obstructed. Only after one hundred days or half a year, when the Qi is felt to flow smoothly and the palms begin to sweat, may the firm grasp be adopted. The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: “Close and block the Three Passes, grasp firmly and congeal the Shen; rinse and swallow the golden liquor, ingest and receive the jade blossoms. Persist in this and one will no longer be afflicted by the Three Worms; with long-term practice one naturally flourishes in health and vigor.”

The Second Formula of Washing the Qi

The five viscera of the human body each have their corresponding Zhengqi, the orthodox Qi (vital energy) that circulates normally as primordial Qi. When sleeping at night one should keep the mouth closed and regulate the breath. Upon waking, before preparing to ingest Qi, first move the body so that food accumulated from the previous night is digested and the old Qi expelled; only then may one regulate the breath and ingest Qi.

The specific method is as follows. Close the eyes and form the grasping-firmly mudra with both hands, clenching the thumbs so they remain hidden in the palms. Lie supine, rest the two fists beside the breasts, keep the knees taut, and at the same time lift the back and body. Hold the breath, agitate the Qi in the Qihai (the Dantian (energy center) region below the navel) so that it circulates from the interior outward, then exhale in the manner of the sound “he.” Repeat this nine times or eighteen times (one nine and two nines referring respectively to nine and eighteen repetitions) and then stop. This is called Taoqi, or rinsing the Qi, meaning first to circulate and expel the old Qi. Once this is completed, proceed to regulate the breath.

The Third Formula: Regulating Qi

The nose is the Heavenly Gate and the mouth is the Earthly Door: one must inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth without reversing the two. If the method of breathing is mistaken the Qi becomes rebellious and chaotic, thereby giving rise to illness. Therefore one must be especially careful during Tuna (exhaling and inhaling) and must not allow the sound of the breath to become loud enough to hear oneself.

Regulating the breath may be performed five times, seven times, or up to nine times until the Qi is even and gentle. This is called Tiaoqi, or regulating Qi. After Tiaoqi is finished, swallow the Qi. When sleeping at night one should hold the breath closed and must not open the mouth to expel Qi.

The Fourth Formula: Swallowing Qi

When ingesting internal Qi, first follow the preceding method of regulating the breath, which may be done five times, seven times, or up to nine times so that the Qi becomes even and gentle; this is Tiaoqi. After regulation is complete, swallow the Qi. During nighttime sleep one should hold the breath closed and must not exhale through the mouth.

The essential point in cultivating internal Qi (vital energy; the primordial Qi within the body) lies in swallowing it correctly. Ordinary people take swallowing the external breath as ingesting internal Qi without knowing how to distinguish them, which is indeed a mistake. Those who practice Tuna (regulated breathing) should carefully discern this distinction and not confuse the two.

All people are born endowed with the primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth. Within the body there is an inherent pattern for the circulation of this primordial Qi. Whenever one swallows or performs Tuna, the internal Qi and the external Qi respond to one another. The internal Qi in the Qihai (Sea of Qi) rises with the exhalation as far as the throat. When the exhalation has reached its end, immediately close the mouth and continuously stimulate the throat by swallowing, producing a muffled, continuous gurgling sound in the throat. Then men allow the Qi to descend along the left side and women along the right side, drawing it into the twenty-four sections of the body (that is, the various joints throughout the body), which can be heard distinctly like dripping water. In this manner the internal Qi and the external Qi correspond with each other and can be clearly distinguished.

Guide the Qi with the mind’s intention and then massage with the hands so that it enters the Qihai as quickly as possible. The Qihai is located three cun below the navel and is also known as the lower Dantian (energy center). For those just beginning to ingest Qi, the upper Jiao (the chest and diaphragm region of the upper body) is not yet unobstructed, so the hands may be used to massage and help the Qi descend rapidly. If the Qi is already circulating smoothly, massage is unnecessary.

After closing the mouth, swallow continuously three times and then pause. This is called “Yunxing” (Cloud Movement) and is dry swallowing, that is, swallowing without the aid of saliva in the mouth. First moistening the oral cavity and then swallowing the saliva is called “Yushi” (Rain Bestowal). Beginners in the practice of ingesting Qi, whose Qi has not yet begun to circulate freely, must wait for one complete circuit after each swallow and must not swallow three times in succession at once. Once the Qi is circulating freely, the number of swallows may be gradually increased until modest results appear. Only after one year of cultivation may one begin to allow the Qi to circulate continuously; only after three years of successful practice may one ingest Qi at will.

Those newly learning to ingest Qi, whose Qi has not yet begun to circulate freely, may find that it still does not descend after swallowing. In this case, simply swallow once as a trial. As long as one feels a muffled sensation of Qi and hears the gurgling sound descending, it is regarded as having entered the Qihai.

Xingqi Jue (Formula for Circulating Qi), Chapter Five.

The formula says: The two acupoints near the lower Dantian (energy center) at the lower back communicate with the channels in the spine and reach directly upward to the Niwan. Niwan is the name of the palace chamber in the brain.

Each time one swallows Qi (vital energy) three consecutive times, one immediately visualizes the lower Dantian and uses the mind to send the obtained inner primordial Qi (the original Qi obtained from internal cultivation) into those two acupoints. Then one visualizes two streams of white Qi being drawn upward along both sides of the spine, entering directly into the Niwan. The Qi steams throughout the body, spreading everywhere, as if traveling downward all the way from the hair, face, head and neck, both arms, and fingers, then entering the chest and arriving at the middle Dantian. The middle Dantian is the place where the heart-Shen (spirit) resides. After the Qi has infused the five viscera, it passes through the lower Dantian again, reaches the “Three Stars,” then spreads through the knees, lower legs, and ankles, descending to the Yongquan point, which is the center of the soles.

This is what is called “distributing the one Qi to regulate, stirring it with thunder, and moistening it with wind and rain.” It is like the earth having sources of spring water: without the shaking of thunder, it cannot moisten all things. If a person does not cause the turbid and noxious Qi within the body to circulate and be cleansed, they will feel uneasy. Although the body has saliva that is suitable for rinsing and swallowing, it can only nourish the five viscera and make the complexion radiant; it ultimately cannot reverse the Jing (essence)-Qi to replenish the brain. One must through union make the Qi reverse its course upward and swallow the inner Qi; one must through breathing in and out to guide and employ it.

Therefore, the method of circulating and cleansing and the principle of employing the breath take their model from Heaven and imitate Earth. During practice, visualize the turbid, evil, stagnant pathogenic Qi and stagnant blood in the body being cleansed by the upright Qi and all expelled from the tips of the fingers and toes; this is called “dispersing Qi.” At this time, stretch the fingers without forming the hand gesture that secures Qi. Performing this once constitutes one complete circuit. After the circuit, one may regulate the breath; if the arms feel difficulty, then again drum and swallow Qi as previously. Close the breath while drumming and swallowing, reaching thirty-six breaths, which is called small accomplishment.

If one has not yet completely cut off food and drink, after reaching this stage, one should eat less so as to keep the abdomen empty and quiet. Whether sitting or moving about, as long as the abdomen is empty one may swallow Qi. Doing this ten times in a day and a night naturally reaches three hundred and sixty swallows. If one has practiced ingesting Qi for a long time, one may also swallow three hundred and sixty times in a single session, which is likewise called small accomplishment; reaching one thousand two hundred swallows is called great accomplishment, also known as “great embryonic breathing.” Closing the breath and counting to one thousand two hundred breaths also counts as great accomplishment; however, at this time the complexion may be dull and lack luster.

In addition there are methods of refining Qi, closing Qi, depositing Qi, distributing Qi, and so forth; these are recorded in detail elsewhere in the text, and practitioners may consult them.

Cultivate Qi (vital energy), the original life force spoken of in Daoism, in order to nourish and regulate the physical form. When you have leisure, enter a quiet chamber, remove your clothes, unbind and let your hair hang loose, lie on your back, and stretch both hands outward without clenching the fists. First comb the hair until it is smooth so that it hangs down upon the mat. Then distribute the Qi (making the breath slow, even, and unhurried). After evening out the respiration, swallow the saliva; once it has been swallowed, hold the breath. When you have held it to the utmost limit, still the mind, banish distracting thoughts, and allow the Qi to circulate freely within the body. If you feel tightness in the chest, exhale; if the breathing becomes rapid, regulate it once more. Once the breath is calm and even, resume the practice.

Ten such repetitions may then be concluded. Those just beginning to ingest Qi who are not yet proficient may, in their spare time, gradually increase the number of cycles from one up to ten. After becoming skilled they may slowly raise the count to twenty or fifty. If the whole body perspires, this is regarded as a sign that the practice has taken effect. During practice one must settle the mind and harmonize the breath, and one must also avoid strong wind blowing directly from outside. Practice only when the mind is clear and alert; do not practice when the Qi is disordered or when drowsiness arises. One may practice diligently at ordinary times, and also whenever the limbs feel restless or uncomfortable. Daily practice is not required; so long as the spirit is fresh and clear, even intervals of five or ten days need not be rigidly observed.

The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) states that this practice can eliminate calamities, ameliorate illness, remove fear of the dangers of tigers and wolves, and help delay aging and prolong life.

The Seventh Formula of Yielding Qi (Weiqi Jue)

The method of yielding Qi (allowing the breath to circulate naturally without forcing it) is to make the body’s Qi peaceful and the body and mind comfortable. It may be practiced whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down.

When cultivating Weiqi (depositing Qi)—that is, regulating, nourishing, and settling one’s own Qi (vital energy)—one should keep the breath peaceful and the body and mind at ease. The practice may be done whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. Simply regulate the Qi according to one’s own breathing rhythm: one may lie in a forest or sit quietly, set aside distracting thoughts, and allow the mind to become still and profound, as if merging into one with the vastness of space, then regulate and hold the breath.

Each time one holds the breath, one may begin with ten or twenty breaths, but this should follow what is natural. Do not forcibly control it with intention, nor struggle against the breath. After some time, the Qi ought to disperse through the pores of the entire body rather than being exhaled from the mouth. If this cannot yet be achieved, there is no need to force it; one may repeatedly practice regulating the breath. It is even better if one can gradually extend the holding to several tens of breaths or more. This may be practiced while walking, standing, sitting, or lying.

Persistent practice, the text says, can open and unobstruct the passes and orifices throughout the body, give the complexion a radiant luster, and leave the spirit clear and refreshed and the breath pure and harmonious, so that one always feels as clean and comfortable as after a bath. If there is any disharmony in the body, one may also practice holding for several tens of breaths or more, seeking peace and ease.

The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: “When one is upright and respectful and does nothing by force, the hun and po souls can become settled; when the heart-spirit is clear and bright, it unites as one with the self.”

The Formula for Holding the Breath, Eighth (the eighth section of the complete work, which discusses the method of holding the breath and regulating respiration).

Sometimes when a cultivation method is unsuitable, one may happen to fall ill. One should then quickly enter a secluded chamber, arrange the hands and feet according to the method of swallowing Qi (vital energy) described earlier, regulate the breath evenly, and swallow the Qi down. Visualize the site of one’s own pain or discomfort, hold the breath, imagine the Qi being injected into the afflicted area, and then use the mind’s intention to guide it in attacking the diseased place. When the breath is held to its limit, exhale. Afterwards swallow the Qi again, repeating the process and treating it with intention according to the previous method. If the breath becomes hurried, stop and wait until it is even before continuing. One session may consist of twenty to fifty repetitions. If the afflicted area feels as though it is sweating, comfortable, and moist, then cease.

If the condition has not lessened, one may practice every day at midnight or at the fifth watch, and also apply this treatment with the mind’s intention multiple times during the day. If the illness is in the head, face, hands, or feet, direct the intention toward the afflicted place. The scripture says that in this way there is no illness that cannot be cured. From this it can be known that the action of the mind guiding Qi surpasses that of guiding it by the hands; stop when the afflicted area is comfortable and moist. If the condition still has not improved, practice every day at midnight or the fifth watch, and also treat it with intention many times in the daytime. For illness in the head, face, hands, and feet, apply it specifically to the afflicted area. The scripture considers that this can bring about recovery. The mind guiding Qi is as if aided by Shen (spirit), and its efficacy is difficult to fathom.

The Ninth Formula: Distributing Qi

To distribute Qi to others and treat their illnesses, first select the Qi of the corresponding direction according to the viscera in which the other person is ill, and distribute it into the patient’s body. The patient should face that direction, settle the mind and Shen (spirit), clear away distracting thoughts, and then the distribution of Qi is performed. After the distribution of Qi is finished, have the patient swallow the Qi. The scripture holds that this can disperse ghosts, evils, and pathogenic Qi so that they no longer invade.

The Tenth Formula: The Six Xi

The six Qi refer to the six methods of exhalation and inhalation: “xu,” “he,” “yan,” “chui,” “hu,” and “xi.” Five of these Qi each correspond to one viscera, and the remaining one corresponds to the Triple Burner (the three functional regions of upper, middle, and lower spoken of in Chinese medicine).

“Yan” corresponds to the lungs, which communicate with the nose. If the nose is imbalanced in cold and heat, or if there is discomfort from excessive labor, one may swallow Qi and perform exhalation-inhalation according to this method; the scripture also says that this method is used to regulate sores and scabies on the skin. If there are these symptoms, regulate them according to the corresponding method, and the scripture considers it can bring about recovery.

“He” corresponds to the heart, which communicates with the tongue. If the mouth is dry, the tongue rough, the breath obstructed, or if one is invaded by various pathogenic Qi, one may use “he” exhalation to regulate it. For great heat, open the mouth wide and “he”; for slight heat, open the mouth slightly and “he,” while concentrating the intention.

“Hu” corresponds to the spleen, which governs the central palace (the center of the body). If there is slight fever, irregular breath, distension and fullness in the abdomen or stomach, or stuffiness and discomfort in the chest and abdomen, one may use the “hu” method of exhalation to regulate it.

“Chui” corresponds to the kidneys, which correspond to the ears. Concentrating on this breathing method can regulate kidney-related discomforts.

“Hu” corresponds to the spleen, which resides in the middle jiao (the central region of the body between the chest and abdomen). If the body feels slightly feverish, the spleen and stomach are disharmonious, with abdominal distension and fullness or stifling of Qi (vital energy) and discomfort, “hu” can be used to regulate these.

“Chui” corresponds to the kidneys, which correspond to the ears. If the waist and abdomen feel cold and the yang path (male reproductive function) is weakened, “chui” can be used to regulate. “Xu” corresponds to the liver, which is connected to the eyes. Ancient texts say: “When liver Qi is exuberant, the eyes become red.” When the liver is uncomfortable, “xu” can be used to regulate.

“Xi” corresponds to the sanjiao (the upper, middle, and lower regions of the body and their functions in traditional Chinese medicine). If the sanjiao is disharmonious, “xi” can be used to regulate. Although each breath has its own regulatory effect, imbalances of cold and heat in the five viscera and sanjiao, excessive taxation and injury, invasion by wind pathogens, and disharmony of the Qi mechanism ultimately all relate to the heart. The heart corresponds to “he”; using “he” to regulate these conditions can bring recovery, so there is no need to be restricted to the six breaths.

Tenth Formula for Harmonizing the Xi Fluids

The formula states: When a person consumes the five flavors, the various tastes return respectively to the five viscera; each viscus produces turbid Qi, which is expelled together through the mouth. The six breaths and the Qi of the sanjiao also circulate through the mouth. Various filthy turbid Qi mix together to form turbid Qi. Each time one exhales upon waking, the breath leaving the mouth is often foul-smelling. One should carefully observe the breath in order to judge the body’s condition.

If the mouth is dry and scorched, bitter, the tongue astringent, saliva scant with no fluids present, or the throat painful on swallowing so that one cannot eat, this indicates excessive heat. At such times the mouth should be opened wide to exhale “he.” After each exhalation the breath must be fully expelled from the mouth. After ten to twenty “he” exhalations, strike the heavenly drum (lightly tapping behind the ears with the fingers as an auxiliary action in breath regulation) seven or nine times; then stir the fluids in the mouth with the tongue—this is called the Flower Pond (Huachi)—and swallow them. Repeat the “he” exhalations and swallowing of fluids until the heat Qi recedes. When cool, sweet fluids arise in the mouth, it shows that the heat has receded and the five viscera have returned to harmony.

If the fluids in the mouth are clear, cold, thin and tasteless, or if after too many “he” exhalations the heart feels empty, food is flavorless and even water cannot be swallowed, this indicates cold. At such times “chui” should be used to warm and nourish, regulating according to the warming method; when the mouth feels comfortable and the heart Qi is peaceful and warm, one should stop.

The Huangting Jing (Jing, scripture) says: “The clear water of the Jade Pond irrigates the numinous root; if one can cultivate it carefully, one may long endure.” It also says: “Rinse and swallow the numinous fluid and disasters will not dry one up.” This means that if one earnestly practices rinsing the mouth with its own fluids and swallowing them, life can be prolonged and calamities avoided.

After ingesting Qi (vital energy), diet must follow a definite order. Suitable foods bring benefit, while unsuitable ones cause harm; harmful foods should be given up for a long time, and beneficial ones may be eaten regularly.

Every morning at dawn a small amount of light water porridge or sesame porridge is beneficial to the body, regulating spleen qi and replenishing the jinye (fluids). At midday, light soups and cakes are also good, but they must not be eaten while still hot, lest they disturb the zhengqi (upright qi) within. Onion soup is likewise suitable; rice should be japonica or barley. Those who ingest Qi may eat these foods in all four seasons, though not necessarily every day; they can be chosen according to the needs of the moment. If one wishes to eat meat, deer flesh may be prepared as white jerky; during periods of zhai (fasting and purification), however, meat must not be consumed.

When the Thirty-six Animal Spirits (deities that take turns by day and are symbolized by birds and beasts) are on duty, do not eat the animals that correspond to that day’s spirit. Dates, chestnuts and similar foods, as well as pounded cakes, may all be eaten. It is better to eat sparingly and with caution; never eat to fullness, for overeating injures the body and especially obstructs the movement of heart qi. Hot soups and radish soups should be avoided. Salty, sour and pungent foods should also be gradually reduced. After every meal, exhale the turbid qi of the food from the mouth so as to prevent illness.

Those who ingest Qi should keep the intestines and stomach clean. Raw or cold foods, sour, slippery, sticky or greasy items, as well as stale, hard, rotten or indigestible things, ought not to be eaten. If such foods are eaten by chance, the passages they travel through may ache slightly, so caution is required. Only soft foods are appropriate. Before each meal first swallow Qi three to five times, then eat, so that the Qi precedes the food; at the same time swallowing three to five raw peppercorns is also beneficial. After the meal swallow three more. This is said to aid digestion, guide the Qi downward, open the sanjiao (the three regions of qi mechanism in the upper, middle and lower body), harmonize the five zang organs, expel turbid filth, digest accumulated food and support zhengqi. The benefits of long-term practice are many and are set out separately in the Taiqing Jing.

There is a specialized method for ingesting pepper. If discomfort appears it should be expelled at once and not left inside the body, lest it become an illness. On an empty stomach one may freely drink one or two cups of clear wine—warm in winter and cool in summer—which is said to support the upright and expel the heterodox; yet one must never drink in excess, for too much easily leads to intoxication, which injures shen (spirit) and shortens life. If one meets a person of high rank and is obliged to drink, after drinking one should open the mouth and exhale several times, thereby driving out the turbid qi produced by the fermented mash. In ordinary times even if one slowly drinks one or two sheng one will neither become drunk nor affect one’s diet, nor will the flavour of the wine grow weak.

When encountering the filthy and unclean qi of childbirth, death, the six domestic animals and the like, do not let them enter the gate and still less approach them. If they cannot be avoided, turn away at once, passing with one’s back to the wind and eyes closed, then drink one or two cups of wine to wash away the filthy qi. If the chest and abdomen feel distended and uneasy, regulate the breath, exhaling turbid qi and inhaling fresh qi while using the intention to guide it downward; one may also massage with the hands and then swallow pepper and drink wine to help it disperse. If it still will not disperse there is no need to force the matter—simply allow it to be expelled. Such a condition arises from obstruction of the upper jiao (the qi mechanism of the upper body) and must ultimately be regulated so that the qi mechanism returns to harmony.

Oily, greasy and pungent foods easily damage zhengqi and should be especially restrained. If the practice of ingesting Qi is persisted in, the text says that in one year the qi mechanism will be opened and in three years blood and qi will become abundant. Once the work is completed, even if some transgression occurs, harm will not easily follow. Swallowing Qi a thousand times each day is not excessive. If the practice can be continued without interruption, one may gradually return from old age to youth.

The text further says that Qi transforms into jinye, jinye into blood, blood into jing (essence), jing into marrow and marrow into tendons. In one year the qi is renewed, in two years the blood, in three years the vessels, in four years the flesh, in five years the marrow, in six years the tendons, in seven years the bones, in eight years the hair and in nine years the physical form. At that time the thirty-six thousand true spirits within the body all transform into immortal children, and one is called a zhenren (Perfected Person). Diligent cultivation without slackness will cause the joints to connect and the five zang to become firm. The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: “Thousands upon thousands and hundreds upon hundreds are connected with one another; ones and tens are stacked like mountains.” In this way the inner heart is at peace and the outer body is stable; one is uninvaded by cold or heat, unharmed by weapons, and able to ascend and transform, with a lifespan equal to that of the sun, moon and stars.

To cut off food and drink entirely, one should diligently cultivate according to the methods described earlier for three years. By then Jing (essence) and marrow will be abundant, the bones and Qi (vital energy) strong, the hundred Shen (spirits) will each occupy their proper positions, and the Three Corpses (the three inner spirits of Daoism that incite evil and deplete life) will flee. One will gradually lose any desire for the odors of the Five Flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty) and will often prefer not to eat. When one truly wishes to fast completely, fasting can then be undertaken without difficulty.

Whenever emptiness is felt in the abdomen, one should swallow Qi (the Daoist practice of ingesting and gathering inner vital energy), without regard to morning or evening and without setting any time limit. After a long period one will naturally know the right moments, without needing every detail explained. At this stage the body is already solid with Jing and robust, the hundred Shen rest securely in their places, the Three Corpses have departed far away, and one no longer desires the Five Flavors; if one truly wishes to fast, fasting is then possible. As soon as the abdomen is empty, swallow Qi without concern for hours or deadlines. With prolonged practice one will naturally master the inner timings, and further elaboration is unnecessary.

Is medicine still required at this point? Those who ordinarily take medicines often cannot devote themselves all day to ingesting Qi, always treating the taking of medicine as the primary task, so that the body likewise struggles to become solid with Jing and strong. This of course shows that cultivation has not yet reached completion, and it is not the method to which superior practitioners of the Dao apply their minds. The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) states: “The essence of the hundred grains comes from the earth; the Five Flavors appear beautiful on the surface yet carry a demonic, fishy odor within; they disturb the Shen and throw the fetal Qi into confusion. How then can one return from old age to youth? Why not consume the essence of plants and trees and attune Jing and Qi? Thereby one attains immortality and enters Huangning (the state of purity and stillness spoken of in Daoism).” This is precisely the principle involved.

The Fourteenth Formula for Guarding the True

Most people in the world greedily cling to desires and thereby damage the body and shorten the lifespan. This has been so from ancient times to the present. If one does not take precautions early, of what use is regret after the fact?

People only begin to cherish life when they are at the point of death, only think of performing good deeds once their karmic offenses have already been fixed, and only seek medicine after illness has already taken form. It is like the heavenly net already spread open—how then can one be saved? Therefore the wise and insightful cultivators of the Dao cherish the life that has not yet been exhausted, guard against misfortunes that have not yet arisen, and attend to nourishing and regulating the body before disease has formed. Thus they leave behind the turmoil of the dusty world, gather and restrain the mind-spirit, and return toward the Great Dao (the Way).

The “Dao” spoken of here is Qi (vital energy), the primordial Qi that circulates within the human body. Qi is the master upon which the mind-spirit relies, while the mind-spirit takes Jing (essence) as its root, and Jing in turn is the foundation of life. Only by cherishing Jing and valuing Qi can one truly value life, and only then can body and mind tend toward harmony.

The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: “One must carefully guard the square-inch place within the chest so that the essence-spirit may be preserved, and the body can then return from old age to vigor. Nurture and care for oneself as one would support a jade tree; one must urgently consolidate and guard the Jing-Qi in order to receive nourishment.” The scripture further says: “If one wishes for long life, one must be especially cautious in matters of the bedchamber. If one indulges the desires it is like walking toward death, causing the spirit-soul to weep in grief. It is as when seawater is repeatedly poured out and exhausted, or when the leaves fall completely and the tree withers, losing its verdant green.”

If one wishes for long life and enduring vision, there is none who can achieve it without cherishing Jing-Qi and nourishing the primordial Qi. The so-called “internal regulation of the yin elixir” refers to the method of containing, nourishing, and regulating Jing-Qi within the body; people of the world often do not understand this method. Even if one concentrates wholeheartedly on practicing Qi, without knowing how to restrain desires one will still inevitably incur misfortune.

Therefore it is people who themselves turn away from the Dao; it is not that the Dao abandons people. It is that people do not know how to preserve life; it is not that life of itself departs from people. The gentleman who cultivates body and mind need only nourish himself and constantly examine himself.

The Fifteenth Formula of Ingesting Qi and Embryonic Breathing.

Jing (essence) is Qi (vital energy), and Qi is the Dao (the Way). When practicing, first knock the teeth together thirty-six times, then turn the head in a full circle to the right, stretching the neck like a turtle. Raise the qi of embryonic breathing (taixi) to the throat and immediately swallow it; do this three times. Then close the mouth and use the tongue to rub inside and outside the oral cavity, waiting until saliva is generated and fills the mouth, then tilt the head back and swallow. In this way the saliva is sent upward to nourish the Niwan (the Mud Pill, the site at the top of the head, within the brain, of which Daoist teaching speaks), and also moistens the five viscera below.

Laozi said that sweet rain moistens the ten thousand things, while the saliva generated by embryonic breathing moistens the five viscera. Persist in cultivation day and night without slackening, and one can become a Zhenren, a Perfected Person who has succeeded in cultivating the Dao: upward, one may attain the realm of the immortals; downward, one may increase one’s span of life. Wherever the body has pain or illness, imagine sending qi to that place of affliction, and the pain will be healed. True qi (zhenqi) drives out turbid qi (zhuoqi); the turbid qi then rushes upward or is discharged downward. If one feels clear and refreshed in spirit, the qi will harmonize of itself.

Therefore the sage said: Human beings dwell in the midst of qi, and qi also exists within the human body; people cannot be separated from qi, nor can qi be separated from people. Humans depend on qi in order to live, and without qi they die. The principle of life and death lies entirely in qi. As long as one recites, practices, and comprehends this method of qi, one cannot die even if one sought to. The original text at this point repeats this passage on qi and life and death once more.

Every night at midnight and at the fifth watch, one may stretch out both legs, form the wogu gesture (a Daoist health-cultivation hand posture of making a fist with the fingers drawn in), and extend both hands five cun from the body; the pillow should not be higher than two cun. Close the eyes and swallow qi according to the method described above. After combing and washing, drink a cup of warm wine; it is said this assists embryonic breathing, moistens the Six Fu (a general term for the six bowels), and allows the movement of qi to reach all the passes and orifices throughout the body.

This is a method secretly transmitted by the immortals of Mount Emei, and it must not be casually passed on. Lord Lao (Laojun) said that lingzhi and jade essence (yuying)—the wondrous essences of which Daoism speaks—are both within the human abdomen. To go to famous mountains and great marshes gathering herbs to ingest is to be far removed from the Dao. My principle is very simple; one need only follow it. Upon rising in the morning, stretch out both legs and regulate the breath until it is even. Cross both hands behind the head, pull the hands forward while pressing the head backward, then hold still. Do this three times. Next, cross the hands and pull forward two or three times; then pull to the left and right two or three times. After finishing, swallow saliva twenty times. If the four limbs or the body feel uncomfortable, stir the saliva in the mouth with the tongue and swallow another twenty or thirty times. It is said that once the movement of qi flows freely, illness will be cured. This method is worth a thousand pieces of gold and must not be lightly transmitted; if it is passed on to an unsuitable person, calamity will befall three generations.