《气法要妙至诀》

Practicing this subtle method of Qi (vital energy), those who truly attain the Dao (the Way) can make their lifespan as long as heaven and earth. Human beings originally possess six kinds of Daoyin (methods of regulating the breath and guiding Qi), though they may not necessarily know their names and functions: blowing can expel cold Qi, the “he” exhalation can expel oppressive and restless Qi, the “xu” exhalation can expel accumulated phlegm, swallowing can expel Qi of fatigue and depletion, the “hu” exhalation can expel warm-heat Qi, and the “xi” exhalation can expel wind Qi. This means that people naturally employ these methods from the moment they are born.

Qi Method

In a room about one zhang square, open a small window. Eat every day at the wu hour (around noon). After eating one’s fill, keep the diet light and bland, eating little strongly flavored food, so that the breath may circulate easily. At the zi hour (around midnight), knock the teeth fourteen times.

There is also a method for taking warmth: rub the two hands against each other, then rub the face, the body, the hands and the feet. This is called ganyu (dry bathing, a dry rubbing massage that does not rely on water).

With both hands, gather up the hair. After this is done, sit upright, hold the breath, and swallow the Qi down to the Sea of Qi (the Dantian energy center region below the navel). One may take in Qi once and then swallow once, or take in Qi twice and then swallow once, or take in Qi three times and then swallow once. After swallowing five times, gently expel a small amount of Qi from the mouth. This is called “one tong” (one complete passage).

Even if one feels physically weak, one should not force the practice to the point of exhaustion. At the beginning the practice will be very difficult, and it is not easy to grasp the essentials; after practicing for a long time, one will naturally come to understand the proper measure and know what degree is suitable for oneself. These secrets cannot be fully explained by speech alone, nor can they be completely set down on paper.

If one feels as though the body is ailing, one may close the eyes and hold the breath until one feels extremely stifled and can hardly endure it, the body and abdomen heaving, sweat appearing, and slight panting arising. When the panting has become even and the sweat has receded, this counts as one tong. After completing ten tong, the illness will improve.

From the zi hour to the wu hour belongs to yang Qi, and one may fuqi (ingest and swallow the breath); from the wu hour to the zi hour belongs to yin Qi, and one should not ingest Qi. Taking Qi through the nose is proper Qi, which may be ingested; taking Qi through the mouth is deviant Qi, which must not be ingested. The nose is called the Gate of Hun (hunmen), the mouth is called the Door of Po (pohu): hun belongs to the pure, po belongs to the turbid, and therefore one should take Qi through the nose.

One should also combine this with brief Daoyin movements: wherever the body feels uncomfortable, apply them to that place; it is not necessary to practice every kind. The twelve tonifying methods follow the same principle. After daybreak, having completed one round, eat once so that the food may digest and disperse; then relax and rest, and practice again according to the method of taking Qi at the zi hour.

The Thirteen Stills of Lord Lao (according to the sense of the text, a method of quiet sitting and visualization transmitted by Lord Lao). When practice continues until noon, one may drink honey decoction, sesame drink, or soups boiled separately from turnip seeds or Huangjing; one or two small sheng of wine may also be taken, all of which are said to be beneficial. In ordinary times a jujube pit should be held in the mouth so that the saliva generated there moistens the interior of the body; otherwise the mouth will become dry. Day and night one concentrates on visualization, progressing naturally with the passage of days and seasons, without applying deliberate force and without fatigue, simply by continuously and gently guarding body and mind.

In the course of practice it is said that on the first day the body has sensations, on the second it is as if one were in a dream; on the third day there is awareness in the lower abdomen, on the fourth rumbling within the belly, on the fifth heat in both eyes, on the sixth heat in both feet, on the seventh the Shen (spirits) become manifest, on the eighth the Qi (vital energy) circulates like clouds, on the ninth it penetrates through from above to below, and on the tenth spirit light moves within the body. The original text then repeats the changes of the third through tenth days and adds that dizziness may occur in the first three days; on the twenty-eighth day one may sense foreign objects or strange phenomena, on the fortieth the Qi (vital energy) increases, and on the sixtieth one returns to the ordinary state.

If at the outset the urine is reddish-yellow, jujube soup may be drunk; if the stools are dry, hard, and difficult to pass, mallow-seed soup (a decoction of mallow seeds) may be taken. After ten days of practice the complexion may become sallow; after twenty days intestinal and stomach activity changes; after thirty days fatigue lessens; after forty days the complexion improves; after fifty days the six fu-organs (gallbladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, bladder, and triple burner as understood in Chinese medicine) become harmonious; after sixty days one returns to normal; after seventy days one’s aspirations grow lofty. At this time it is fitting to be quiet, gather in the mind-spirit, and guard the mysterious Dao (the Way), while taking substances such as cinnabar, realgar, and orpiment; it is said that in this way one need not fear cold or heat. Although wine can assist the Qi (vital energy), it disturbs the Shen (spirit) and should not be drunk in quantity. After a hundred days of practice one can communicate with the spirits; if herbal medicines are taken at the same time, one will no longer grow weak or emaciated. Caution is required so that the Qi (vital energy) is not allowed to leak and disperse.

When the Qi (vital energy) is about to arise, a misty swirling of Qi appears in the abdomen; one should inhale, then blend and regulate the Qi until it is even and peaceful, visualizing it issuing from all the pores of the body without allowing it to be expelled downward—this is called “refining Qi.” Refining Qi is most difficult within the hundred days; even if one errs once or twice, the practice must be resumed, and only then can success be attained.

After the saliva flows forth it should be swallowed rather than spat out—this is called “refining jin.”

Even when the excreted urine is as clear as water, it is said to be so pure that it may be drunk—this is called “refining ni” (a cultivation expression concerning the transformation of urine).

The Huainanzi states that if one wishes for longevity, the abdomen must be kept clear and pure; if one wishes never to die, there must be no turbid stagnations in the abdomen. In this way one will not feel cold in winter or hot in summer. This is the method of circulating Qi (vital energy) employed by animals such as turtles, snakes, and swallows: during respiration the Qi is not allowed to enter or leave through the nose or mouth.

If cultivation is persisted in for one hundred days, light will shine upon the body; after two hundred days both interior and exterior become luminous; after three hundred days one can communicate with the spirits (Shen); after four hundred days one can perceive the inner from the outer; after five hundred days one can endure cold and heat; after six hundred days one can conceal or reveal oneself; after seven hundred days one can come and go without obstruction. After eight hundred days of cultivation a woman will be attended by jade maidens and a man by jade youths; after nine hundred days one can see ten thousand li distant and know all things. After nine years of cultivation one becomes an immortal; after twelve years one becomes a True Person (Zhenren).

Another account states that after one year of cultivation the Qi changes; after two years the blood changes; after three years the vessels change; after four years the muscles change; after five years the marrow changes; after six years the sinews and bones change; after seven years the skin changes; after eight years the hair changes; after nine years the physical form changes and one becomes an immortal. Within the human body there are thirty-six thousand spirits. The practitioner can ride the clouds and harness dragons, command wind and rain, and dispatch ghosts and spirits. At one hundred and twenty years the spirits assemble, unite with the Great Dao, merge as one with the void, and attain the realm of the True Person.

The Method of Regulating Qi

After midnight lie on your back with the pillow laid flat, extend both arms and legs with the feet one chi apart. Then stretch out the hands so that each is five cun from the body, clench the fists, hold the breath, and mentally concentrate on any part of the body that feels unwell, using the Qi to strike against it. After some time, slowly open the mouth, slightly release the Qi, and exhale the impure Qi. Repeat this six or seven times to complete one round. When refining the Qi, allow it to return to the afflicted area and disperse there; when exhaling, make it so gentle that you cannot hear the sound yourself. Only thus can the practice be sustained over a long period.

The spleen occupies the center of the body and is called the “Central Palace,” its position like that of a sovereign. The Qi of the four seasons arises from the primordial Qi, so the viscera surrounding the spleen are like its ministers. If a person can firmly maintain this cultivated state, even to the point of being unable to hear their own breathing, then the practice can be continued indefinitely.

The spleen occupies the center of the body, like a monarch seated at the center. The four kinds of Qi (vital energy) that circulate around the primordial Qi are generated from the primordial Qi and therefore reside outside the spleen, like ministers. If a person can stabilize the primordial Qi so that it remains long in the spleen palace (the dwelling place of the spleen), the nine orifices of the body surface (the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the mouth, and the front and rear lower orifices) will forever cease their inhalation and exhalation.

The spleen has nine orifices: five holes arranged transversely and four longitudinally. These orifices serve to store and nourish Jing and Shen; nine times nine equals eighty-one, which is also the number for preserving the Dao (the Way). The spleen is the residence of Shen (spirit), enabling Shen to abide there for a long time. The spleen dwells in the center like a monarch and possesses orifices. If a person can keep the primordial Qi remaining firmly in the spleen palace, the nine orifices of the body surface will forever stop breathing in and out.

The true Qi of the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers) all rely on the spleen for storage and nourishment. If the spleen Qi can be retained, the body can remain long and stable. Shen depends on Qi to stand, and Qi depends on Shen to exist; Shen and Qi nourish each other and therefore can endure. Without studying Daoyin (methods of regulating the breath, stretching the body, and other practices for nourishing life), this path of cultivation is difficult to accomplish. The Huangting of which the immortal practitioners speak is an important staircase in cultivating the Dao.

Even if the ambition for official career has not yet faded and married life has not yet been discontinued, one may still pursue study and practice as long as a quiet lodging, a secluded garden, or other places suitable for leisurely enjoyment can be found. Those who wish to learn Daoyin must first abstain from meat and fishy foods and reduce sexual activity. By restraining preferences and desires, the spirit can unfold and become bright; by abstaining from meat, fishy, and pungent foods, Shen and Qi can be preserved.

When practicing Daoyin, first pluck out the hairs from the nostrils, keep the mouth and teeth clean, and change into clean new clothes. The dwelling should be sheltered by low trees, and the pillow should be soft and low so that the head is not raised, otherwise the breath will not be harmonious. Primordial Qi is stored in the spleen and cannot emerge of its own accord; it must borrow external breath: Qi is inhaled through the nostrils into the spleen, activating the primordial Qi, and then exhaled through the nostrils. The movement of Qi is originally like this, and its entry from the outside into the interior of the body is likewise a natural principle.

The Method of Regulating Breath (Jieqi Fa)

First close the mouth and quietly observe the external Qi (vital energy of natural respiration) entering through the nose. Gauge the extent of the inhalation; when the inhalation reaches its limit, guide the original Qi from the spleen (the fundamental Qi of the human body) to follow the breath back out through the nose. When exhaling, gauge that two parts of the breath have already gone out, then begin to control the exhalation, leaving one part to halt. In controlling the exhalation, grasp the starting point of the original Qi’s movement; if you fail to control the original Qi, let it recede back into the spleen and wait for the next external Qi to enter before exhaling again. Use intention to gauge during inhalation and apply control during exhalation, repeating this without interruption.

What is called “regulating Qi” means using human intention to control the breath, so that the breath will halt of itself. If a person does not control it, the breath naturally exhales; if it is restrained, the breath is governed by human intention and no longer moves on its own.

Qi is governed by Shen (spirit), so Shen is able to command Qi; Qi in turn can act upon the body. From this it can be known that intention is Shen. When controlling the breath one must close the mouth so that Qi does not exit from the “Heavenly Gate” (tianmen, the orifice at the crown of the head).

Qi is governed by Shen, so Shen is able to command Qi; Qi in turn can act upon the body. From this it can be known that intention is Shen. When controlling the breath one must close the mouth and not allow Qi to exit from the Heavenly Gate; if the “Earth Door” (dihu, the lower orifice) opens, Qi will leak out through the Earth Door, so one should keep the mouth constantly closed. If the breath feels somewhat stifled, one may open the Earth Door and release a little Qi, then close it again after releasing. This means that a small amount of Qi needs to be released before harmony is attained; once the proper method has been mastered, one should as far as possible refrain from releasing any Qi.

When first beginning to circulate Qi, inhalation should be slow and exhalation fast: control three times then exhale once; exhalation should be fast while control is slow. The only concern is failing to grasp it properly when controlling the original Qi; this is said to be called “refining seven-eight.” If one can control the breath to seven or eight tenths, even without deliberately controlling it one may gauge the exhalation so that only one-third is released, and there will be no error in the mind. Once the breath has been regulated, then practice according to the method commonly used by the sages. Persist in the practice and exhalation will gradually become slower; the slower the exhalation, the more smoothly the original Qi is regulated, and it becomes less likely to go out of its own accord.

The following are auxiliary methods of Daoyin (guiding and stretching) and of swallowing and taking in the breath.

Wang Gong said: Those who study Daoyin (nourishing life through methods such as regulating the body and regulating the breath) include some who use the circulation of Qi (vital energy) to cut off grain diet and also teach others not to eat. To keep the body from becoming too weak and emaciated they employ swallowing Qi as an aid to Daoyin. What is called “swallowing Qi” means swallowing the coarse, heavy breath downward. One performs it by quickly closing the mouth, sending the Qi into the throat, and then swallowing consecutively thirty or twenty times, after which the abdomen feels full and distended. The Qi merely coils and resonates inside the abdomen, filling it. Although this is a different method of cultivation it still belongs to the same category as Daoyin. If one can conserve original Qi so as to obtain a feeling of satiety, that is the most subtle among subtle methods.

Essential Secrets of New Signs in Daoyin

Those who study Daoyin need only practice diligently for one or two months for the body to become gradually harmonious. Because each person applies a different amount of effort, the extent to which Qi descends also varies gradually. When Qi moves downward it feels like mosquitoes crawling. When Qi arrives below the solar plexus and fills that region, pressing or lightly tapping with the fingers produces a sound, indicating that Qi has reached below the solar plexus and is gradually entering the abdomen. Frequent probing with the finger pads that yields a drum-like resonance in the abdomen is said to mean that Qi has returned and entered; subsequently Qi gradually descends to the navel and circulates around the abdomen. Careful observation then allows one to perceive the length and size of the abdomen.

After the unhealthy contents of the abdomen have been completely expelled, Qi reaches Yongquan (the acupoint on the front part of the sole of the foot), then slowly continues downward to the center of the foot before penetrating the hands and the head. The head is the most difficult to open; only when Qi has circulated throughout the entire body is the process considered unobstructed. When Qi pervades the four limbs, flows through all the meridians of the body, and the interior is thoroughly unobstructed, this is called “minor attainment.”

Qi is divided into Yin and Yang: a cooler sensation on the right side and a warmer sensation on the left side is called “minor attainment.”

Employing Yang Qi during Yang hours while the left side remains still, or employing Yin Qi during Yin hours while the right side remains still, is likewise called “minor attainment.”

From the zi hour to the si hour (approximately midnight until before noon) belongs to Yang time; from the wu hour to the hai hour (approximately noon until before midnight) belongs to Yin time. Employing Yang Qi in Yang time without movement on the left, or employing Yin Qi in Yin time without movement on the right, is also called “minor attainment.”

From the hour of Zi to the hour of Si belongs to the Yang hours; from the hour of Wu to the hour of Hai belongs to the Yin hours. The division of day and night is determined according to these hours. When employing Yang Qi (vital energy) during the Yang hours, hold the mind-intent on the left side without moving it; if one wishes the Qi to circulate on the right, turn the mind-intent toward the right. If the mind-intent is not placed on the left, the Qi will not circulate. When employing Yin Qi during the Yin hours, place the mind-intent on the left, following the same method as during the Yang hours.

Regulating the breath should be kept even and prolonged, just as in the practice of quiet sitting. If one is solely intent on regulating the breath, this is merely using the mind-intent to guide it in moments of leisure, and it must not be employed recklessly. Being able to regulate the breath evenly and for a long time is called “small attainment.”

If the right side becomes hot, use Yin Qi to guide it across, imagining the Yang side and the Yin side connecting and merging with each other. If the left side becomes hot, use Yang Qi to guide it across, imagining the Yin side becoming cool so that Yin corresponds with the heat on the Yang side. This practice is called “directing the Qi,” and is also termed “small attainment.”

“Directing the Qi” refers to the time of regulating the primordial Qi. When the primordial Qi wishes to sink downward, one must guide it with the mind-intent, turning it from the right toward the left. If it cannot be moved, first guide it toward the left and then turn it toward the right. In other words, during Yang hours when using Yang Qi, guide it to the left; during Yin hours when using Yin Qi, guide it to the right, the method being the same as for the Yang hours. If there is an ailment in the body, guide the Qi and mind-intent to the affected place, without being restricted by Yin or Yang hours; simply swallow the primordial Qi and, when it wishes to sink downward, then guide it, without circulating the Qi haphazardly. Being able to regulate the breath continuously and evenly is also called “small attainment.”

When people first hear of “directing the Qi,” they often laugh: What sort of thing is Qi, that it should obey a person’s command? The Qi spoken of here is the functioning of Shen (spirit); the mind-intent is the manifestation of Shen’s spiritual luminosity. Shen-intent guides the Qi, and the Qi is then able to be regulated and to circulate. Being able to make the Qi even and lasting is also called “small attainment.”

When people first hear of “directing the Qi,” they often laugh: What sort of thing is Qi, that it should obey a person’s command? Qi is the functioning of Shen, and mind-intent is the manifestation of Shen’s spiritual luminosity. When Shen-intent employs the Qi, the Qi can then move the body; this is precisely the activity of Shen, so what is there to find strange? When Shen wishes to move, Qi draws the body to follow in movement; when Shen wishes to walk, Qi draws the body to walk; when Shen wishes to go outward, Qi carries the body outward; when Shen wishes to rise, Qi carries the body to rise. This is the manner in which Shen employs Qi.

Ordinary people can maintain their physical strength only by eating, and can move only by treading upon the ground. If one can skillfully employ Qi, then Shen-intent can cause the body to walk and move as if in emptiness. From this it may be known that mind-intent is the functioning of Shen’s spiritual luminosity.

When cultivating Yang Qi (vital energy), concentrate the intention on the jade stem (the male genitalia), causing the Yang Qi to circulate while emitting only Yang Qi and not depleting the bone Jing (essence; here referring to the Jing of the body). If this can be accomplished, the jade stem will become increasingly firm and solid, which counts as a slight attainment.

In winter, imagine that Yang Qi from the bedchamber enters the body, and feel warmth throughout the entire body; this also counts as a slight attainment. When the weather is hot, sit at home and imagine Yin Qi entering the body, feeling cool and refreshing; this also counts as a slight attainment.

If the wife later gives birth, this is called “later-wife attainment,” and also counts as a slight attainment. After Yang Qi enters the body and one feels warmth throughout the entire body, this also counts as a slight attainment.

Using Qi to harmonize the body, with the abdomen becoming fuller day by day, this also counts as a slight attainment. Frequently shedding skin from the body also counts as a slight attainment.

Employing Yin Qi to make the body feel as cold as iron and as hard as stone also counts as a slight attainment. Employing Yang Qi to be able to climb steep high mountains and sheer cliffs also counts as a slight attainment; if one can make the body light and vigorous and walk with ease, this also counts as a slight attainment.

In summer, at the edge of the woods, employing Yin Qi to make the leaves of plants and trees become moist and glossy also counts as a slight attainment.

If someone suffers from a cold-and-heat illness, using techniques of harmonizing Yin-Yang Qi to massage them, the illness is cured right away; this also counts as a slight attainment.

Upon hearing the sounds of zither strings, pipes, and other musical instruments, being able to foresee good or ill fortune also counts as a slight attainment. Being able to perceive things with insight, seeing the appearances of ghosts and Shen (spirits) so that they cannot conceal themselves; the mind being able to detect subtle intentions and possessing extraordinary wisdom—these also count as slight attainments.

Regarding peculiar arts and methods, ancient artifacts and treasures, even if others do not recognize them, one can comprehend their origins or functions; this also counts as a slight attainment. Myriad Shen coming to attach themselves and attending at one’s side also counts as a slight attainment.

It is considered a subtle and marvelous attainment when the Qi (vital energy) within the body can generate and mobilize the Qi of another person’s five viscera. One stores the primordial Qi (the fundamental Qi of the human body) inside so that it has no coming or going at all; once breathing has become even and calm, the breath is then circulated to a place without orifices, where its entering and exiting cannot be perceived. Lord Wang said: “This is called escaping the register of names and fleeing the register of corvée, no longer under the jurisdiction of Taiyin (here referring to the divine official who oversees the underworld or the yin registers); it is extremely mysterious.”

Through refining the flesh and bones, the body becomes light, agile, and pure, as if floating upward, communicating with the Great Void (the vast empty cosmos) and the spirits of heaven and earth, able to transform freely. This is the highest realm of Daoyin (cultivating the body through regulating posture, circulating Qi, and similar methods). Yet this has not yet reached the stage of wandering together with the “inner true spirit,” and is therefore said not to have entered the rank of the Zhenren; only those who attain this level are called “Zhenren.” This subtle method of Qi is the Longgang method transmitted by Master Zhang Guo, and it is extremely mysterious.

Master Qinxin said: The Zhenren’s surname was Zhang, given name Guo; Emperor Xuanzong of Tang bestowed the title “Master Tongxuan.” He seemed to have come into the world by chance, and people did not know whose descendant he was. Observing his miraculous transformations and unhindered freedom, he appeared to be a lofty Zhen of high antiquity (an immortal who had attained the Dao). Someone asked whether he had ever held office in the world. Tradition holds that in a Bingzi year he served as Qishi, but this is not recorded in the histories; the oral formulas of the Qi method he transmitted are also not found in other immortal scriptures. Therefore these contents are a secret treasure of the Daoist tradition.

If one can cultivate it with a quiet mind for twenty-one days, one will be able to see through the intestines and stomach, restore youth and delay aging, ride the clouds and soar aloft, ascending into the morning mists, as if it could be accomplished merely by lifting the foot. However, this method may be transmitted only to those whose Qi-image accords with the Dao (the Way). One must be extremely cautious.

Master Qishi said: There are three obstructions in a person's abdomen, and one also feels blockage at the pit of the stomach. When first beginning to practice fuqi (ingesting Qi (vital energy) according to specific methods of regulating the breath and taking in Qi), one often feels fullness below the heart and in the stomach; at this time one should eat somewhat less. After prolonged practice, one will feel the Qi passing downward. When the Qi reaches the obstruction below the viscera, one feels fullness in the abdomen; continuing the practice, one then feels the Qi arriving at the Dantian (energy center) below the navel (the site of Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation in the lower abdomen). Only then does one begin to feel the Qi circulating in the body. After practicing until the Qi enters the Jiu Zhong (thus in the original text, referring to the chest area), and sensing the Qi emerging from the Jiu Zhong, one can use it to treat illness in others.

When first learning, one must practice with focused concentration in a quiet place without interruption. The Qi will gradually enter the abdomen. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or in other places, this does not hinder the practice. However, if the Qi in the stomach has not yet descended to the navel and abdomen, it cannot pass into other parts of the body, and the practice will not readily produce results.

When first learning fuqi, after inhaling one should pause the breath momentarily, feeling as if holding the breath until it is full; when exhaling, emit only about one-third, let the remaining Qi linger for a moment, then swallow it down. After swallowing, repeat the practice until the abdomen feels full, at which point one may stop.

One must practice in four periods of the day and night, namely morning, evening, the zi hour, and the wu hour. When first learning to take in Qi, the Qi wants to enter the Dantian but easily becomes scattered; one must make the breaths connect with one another. Once the Qi has entered the Dantian, even if one no longer practices fuqi, it will not be lost.

If one feels fullness in the heart region, do not practice fuqi for the time being; here the original text has the wording “交3少甘草桂心,” which appears to contain a corruption, seemingly mentioning licorice and cinnamon heart, but the specific method cannot be determined from the text. After the fullness dissipates, the Qi returns to the Dantian. If the abdomen is not yet full, this indicates that the Qi has not yet reached a state of fullness. When the primordial Qi descends, one naturally feels a slight sensation of oppression.

When beginning to practice ingesting Qi (vital energy), practice once each in the morning and evening, using both the prone and supine postures; at midnight and noon practice only the supine posture.

When practicing the supine posture, the pillow should be low. Lie on your back facing upward, draw both shoulders together, keep both knees taut, and extend both hands straight along the sides of the body close to the ribs. Then swallow Qi ten times, whereupon the Qi will fill the Dantian (energy center; the sea of Qi in the lower abdomen). After the ten swallows are complete, pause slightly, then according to your own intention send the Qi into Jiu Zhong (the body part mentioned in the original text).

When practicing the prone posture, let the abdomen lie flat against the bed, prop the chest up with a quilt, extend the hands and feet straight, then swallow Qi ten times. Each swallowing of Qi must be guided by intention so that the Qi travels downward along the back, passing through Shu Zang (the viscera location mentioned in the original text). When practicing Qi in the morning and evening, first do the prone posture then the supine; each swallow of Qi should produce a sound, and you should use intention to send the Qi into the Dantian. When leading the Qi down along the spine you should also produce a sound. Ten swallows in each posture is sufficient. If you cannot produce the sound, even three or five swallows do not count as enough; you must learn to produce the sound. If you do not know how to guide with intention, it is merely wasted effort.

When swallowing Qi, always let the Qi pass slowly through the depths of the throat; do not use excessive force, otherwise it easily causes coughing.

Between each swallowing of Qi there should be an interval of ten breaths; also pause, attend to some everyday matters, then continue unhurriedly, guiding the circulation of Qi with intention.

Apart from the four prescribed practice sessions each day, if at other times you feel there is little Qi in the abdomen or that your physical strength is insufficient, you may also swallow Qi as you please, with no limit on the number of times.

When first beginning to ingest Qi and the practice is not yet stable, the Qi will often descend into Shu Zang; one should gradually stabilize the Qi, then guide it with intention so that the Qi disperses.

When first learning to ingest Qi, the mind and intention should be peaceful and settled; do not doubt or be afraid. Fear in the heart makes it difficult for the Qi to circulate. If the bodily condition is harmonious, one should swallow Qi according to one's own wish while holding a joyful mood.

When first beginning to practice fuqi (ingesting Qi), the cultivation method of circulating Qi (vital energy) by regulating the breath and swallowing it, the mind should be peaceful and at ease, without doubt or fear. Fear makes it difficult for the Qi to circulate. After the body is harmonized, one ought to feel joy and contentment in the heart, without craving fame or official honor. In this way one progresses day by day, and the mood becomes exceedingly cheerful.

During practice one should not think of eating. The mind must be calm and free of distracting thoughts; only then is it easy to achieve results. If thoughts of food suddenly arise, one must restrain oneself, set the thought aside, and pay it no heed. Those who can do this will not think of eating even if they spend the entire day facing guests and abundant meals.

Fuqi should be practiced at regular times so that the Dantian (energy center)—the place in the abdomen where Qi gathers according to Daoism—remains constantly full. Even if one goes out during the day to attend to affairs, one should not completely abandon the practice on that account. Occasionally missing one or two double-hours is of no consequence. Once the cultivation of fuqi has already produced results, even if one does not practice all day, the Qi will still be naturally sufficient; such marvelous effects are inexhaustible.

After fuqi has yielded results, one should feel the Dantian below the navel filled. Even shouting loudly, reading, or conversing with others all day will not diminish the strength of Qi. One should still walk about a little so that the Qi moves downward. The Jing (scripture) says that after great success in fuqi, eating and drinking do not hinder the circulation of Qi: after eating one’s fill and swallowing Qi, the Qi will still produce a sound and reach down to below the navel. Once the practice is accomplished, eating and circulating Qi can be combined, and the downward movement of Qi does not hinder fuqi.

If one wishes to use the Qi to push the feces in the abdomen until they are completely expelled, one may refrain from eating for twenty days; this is even better. Eating does not hinder the circulation of Qi; after a full meal, swallowing Qi still produces a sound as it travels down to below the navel. Once accomplished, one may also circulate Qi while eating, and the downward flow of Qi does not interfere with fuqi. If one eats as soon as the Qi enters the head, the ideal effect cannot be achieved.

When practicing “fuqi” (ingesting Qi [vital energy], a cultivation method of nourishing the body by regulating the breath and storing Qi), one may drink a small amount of medicinal wine each day. If one wishes to eat, a little honey-ginger decoction may be taken so that the sensation of hunger will settle, yet one still must not eat much. If one can persist over a long period, it is best to gradually refrain from eating any food at all. As long as the mind is utterly sincere, one can commune with the spirits and have nothing to fear; even if the body or chest feels oppressed or uncomfortable, there is no need to worry excessively, for it will improve with time.

Do not eat fruit, for fear that it will cause discomfort in the abdomen and that residual food will become filthy and stagnant, obstructing the circulation of Qi in the body. During cultivation one should remain with an empty stomach so that the Qi can circulate. If one practices for a long time, one will notice that one’s mental state is different, the four limbs will become stronger day by day, and the body will feel indescribably fresh and light.

After practicing Qi for some time, it is said that one can discern a person’s good or evil from their eyes and understand the interior by observing the exterior. If one can cultivate with concentrated attention for twenty-one days, one can “see inwardly” (visualize the conditions within the body through cultivation) the intestines and stomach; if the mind is not sufficiently focused, one must practice longer before any insight is attained. Thereafter one can also see inwardly the five viscera and employ the Qi with clarity; the wondrousness of this Qi method is beyond words. When the practice is done correctly, it can also make the skin firm so that one does not become emaciated; if the method does not follow the proper norms or if one lacks firm willpower, one will become weary and weak.

The original Qi (the fundamental Qi that sustains vital activities) of ordinary people always enters and exits through the mouth and nose. The practitioner should find means to prevent the original Qi from leaking out, allowing the Dantian (energy center; the sea of Qi in the abdomen, traditionally regarded as the place where Qi is stored) to remain constantly full; in this way one will not hunger, the Shen (spirit) will be lucid, and one may even attain immortality. When ingesting Qi, if the Dantian is full and one feels oppressed, let the Qi disperse from the four limbs or the crown of the head; above all, do not allow the Qi to leak from the mouth and nose.

Even eating all kinds of food can only render the body bloated and obese, easily inviting a hundred illnesses and gradually leading to death. Ordinary people who drink wine and eat meat may appear strong for a time yet easily fall ill; they are also readily harmed by miasma, epidemics, or gu poison. If one can ingest and refine original Qi over a long period, it is said that no poison can injure one and all diseases can be cured; after long practice one will naturally know this.

When first practicing the ingestion of Qi, if the Qi rushes up and is expelled through the mouth and nose, one should swallow the saliva (the fluid in the mouth) and not swallow the Qi along with it, lest one inhale external Qi.

When first learning to ingest Qi (vital energy) through swallowing and regulating the breath, one tends to swallow a relatively large amount of qi and may therefore experience abdominal bloating, rumbling and churning in the intestines, and a sense of bodily unease. At such times one should frequently use mental intent to guide the qi circulating through the intestines so as to expel accumulated feces. Once these have been completely discharged, the abdomen is empty, the qi remains within it, and one feels settled and at ease.

If the accumulated feces have not yet been fully expelled and the intestines still churn uncomfortably, one may allow one or two evacuations; afterward the abdomen will feel spacious and relaxed. Even if some qi dissipates along with the excretion, one may continue swallowing qi to replenish it. During practice, one should always keep the Dantian (energy center, the gathering place of qi below the navel) filled with qi, and then cease the exercise.

Over the course of one day and one night, qi is ingested during six double-hours: zi, yin, chen, wu, shen, and xu. The scripture holds that during these six periods the Dantian is open and able to receive qi.

Textual notes: In the original, “闲” should be emended to “闭” according to the meaning of the passage; “当” should be “常”; and “交” should be “咬”.