《胎息精微论》

Those who understand the Dao (the Way) will not suffer injury from Heaven; those who conceal De (Virtue/Power) within themselves will not be harmed by Earth. When Dao and De unite, the body will not grow old. Nourish yourself with the inner Qi (vital energy) of Great Harmony—the peaceful and pure primordial Qi—taking primordial Qi as the foundation. Cultivate in stillness and purity, forget the burdens of the body, and allow body and mind to relax. When the mind is free of distracting thoughts, the viscera become settled. By deeply experiencing the Qi of Great Harmony, one can live long and keep the spirit clear and bright. When none of the various breaths stir recklessly, the mind remains as calm as flowing water, and one persists in practice without slackening, one attains the Dao.

Each time one enters the quiet chamber, one must guard the Qi of Mysterious Origin, the original Qi. Mysterious Origin is the One Qi. Within the One Qi there is a still more hidden origin, and that is my life; within life there is life, and that is my physical form; within the physical form there is form, and that is my Jing (essence); within Jing there is Jing, and that is my Qi; within Qi there is Qi, and that is my Shen (spirit); within Shen there is yet Shen, and that is my natural innate nature. De takes the physical form as its carriage, the Dao takes Qi as its horse; the hun soul takes Jing as its root, the po soul takes the eyes as its gateway. When the body is exhausted, De scatters; when Qi dissipates outward, the Dao departs. When Jing and Qi are depleted, the hun is also harmed; when the eyes move recklessly, the po grows weak. Therefore one should maintain stillness and cherish Qi, preserve Jing and Qi, and treasure the spirit, so that Dao and De cohere and become firm, and the hun and po remain at peace. This is to conceal the Great Dao without displaying it.

When one obtains authentic Qi, the skin becomes moist and lustrous; when one obtains the root of the Dao, the hands and feet perspire slightly. When Jing and Qi are abundant, one does not feel hunger or thirst. Embryonic breathing like that of the tortoise and dragon—a continuous, long, and subtle respiration—extends without interruption, lasting long and never exhausted. Drinking from the Mysterious Spring (the inner Jing and Qi), ascending into Highest Clarity (the Daoist realm of pure emptiness), and returning from old age to youth—these are all the natural workings of the Dao. The Great Dao is not far away; it lies within one’s own body. By cultivating with a refined and subtle mind, life can be prolonged.

Among those who cultivate the Dao today, some ingest and refine the Qi of the Five Sprouts, the eight directions, the four seasons, and the sun, moon, and stars; some also complain that their practice yields no results. They merely imagine Qi entering through the crown of the head and the nostrils. Although the ancient scriptures record this method, few have succeeded by it, and ordinary grain-eaters find it even harder to accomplish. Thus many who cultivate Qi miss the essential point and labor in vain. Once one has grasped the introductory method, one must still comprehend the secret key; the crucial thing is to be diligent without retreat and never to slacken.

The embryo congeals from within Qi; Qi arises from embryonic breathing, and the embryo is likewise formed by Qi. When Qi is clear it condenses into an embryo; when Qi disperses it scatters outward. Once embryonic breathing is established, the myriad illnesses naturally vanish and spirit-beings dwell within. The Three Ones (the three important inner deities of the body in Daoism) guard the middle Dantian (energy center), and the corpse-worms (the inner pathogens that Daoism holds to harm the person) also perish. Gradually one can communicate with immortal spirits.

Among those who study the Dao today, some follow ancient formulas, while others have received methods that do not accord with reason. All of them close the mouth and constrict the nose, believing that the longer the breath the better, without realizing that this clogs the five viscera, accumulates damage to the upright Qi, and completely violates the principle of natural breathing. This only wearies body and mind in vain and brings no benefit. If one deliberately blocks the mouth and nose in order to practice embryonic breathing, that is even less reasonable. Since the Qi of the mouth and nose cannot flow freely, it injures the lungs—of what use is that?

In cultivating inner Qi, little effort is required yet results appear relatively quickly. The secret lies entirely in settling the spirit and stilling the thoughts, so that the mind-spirit is not agitated. Then the breath will flow freely, the joints will open and stretch, and the primordial harmonious Qi will be stored within the body, remaining undissipated throughout the day; the skin becomes moist and lustrous, and the hands and feet perspire slightly. The way of long life has its secret right here. When inner Qi is abundant, one will not hunger or thirst. At first the practice is somewhat difficult, but after long practice it comes to feel marvelous. When Qi is not exhausted, the spirit will not be disordered; the Dao too will arrive just as Qi does. Cultivating with a sincere heart, one can attain spiritual illumination.

When Qi is sufficient, the teeth become firm and the eyes bright; the sinews and bones grow strong, and the embryonic spirit (the inner spirit spoken of in embryonic-breathing practice) also flourishes. The countenance has luster, and walking is light and swift; the heart is without greed, and the spirit does not cling to glory and splendor. The Mysterious Father and the Infant (designations in Daoist cultivation for the inner origin and the state of pure, authentic life) remain stable and do not tilt; the hun and po guard the original root, and the Three Ones become naturally authentic. One must forever treasure the Great Dao and quietly guard the spirit. The spirit naturally becomes numinous, and the Dao grows daily more firm. When the cultivation of embryonic breathing and primordial Qi succeeds, one can become a Perfected Person. The mystery of embryonic breathing is entirely herein.

This Neizhen Miaoyong Jue (Instructions on the Marvelous Functions of Inner Truth) states that if a person wishes to attain longevity, they should cultivate the root of life. The root of life begins with Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy): Jing and Qi condense to form the body; the body carries Qi, and Qi is in turn the foundation by which the body is sustained. The scripture illustrates this through the growth of a fetus in the mother’s womb: the fetus is first conceived below the mother’s navel, then communicates with the mother’s breathing, and after ten months form and Shen (spirit) gradually become complete, whereupon it is born.

The infant initially preserves a state of pure simplicity and naturalness. As the years increase, a person encounters sounds and colors, thoughts proliferate, Shen is continually expended outward, and the simple root accordingly weakens. The scripture therefore maintains that the practitioner should restrain the pursuit of external things, return to the origin and recover the source, and grasp the essentials of “fetal breathing” (taixi). Here “fetal breathing” is a Daoist term of inner cultivation, referring to the regulation of breath, the concentration of Shen and the nourishing of Qi, so that Shen and Qi unite; it employs the quiet, continuous state of the fetus in the mother’s womb as a metaphor for inner cultivation.

The Zhongtai Jing (Scripture of the Central Embryo) says that within the body there is likewise a “mother and child” relationship: Qi is the mother, Shen is the child. Physical form and Qi exist first, and only afterward Shen; Shen is born from Qi, and therefore Qi is called the mother and Shen the child. The sage is not drawn by external affairs, external colors, or external sounds, but constantly causes Shen and Qi to unite, allowing them to circulate with the breath among the viscera. Through prolonged practice, Shen gradually becomes clear and luminous and is able to illuminate and inspect the five viscera; Qi likewise gradually harmonizes and reaches throughout the four limbs. The scripture takes as an example the Yellow Emperor, who quieted his mind and inwardly visualized for three months, concentrating on a single Shen, to show that concentrating Shen and nourishing Qi can cause the light of Shen to pervade the five viscera; the saying of the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture), “what accumulating Jing brings about, and concentrating on humaneness,” is also cited to illustrate this cultivation.

Ordinary people often allow their thoughts of Shen to rush about outwardly. Although the Qi of respiration circulates within the body, Shen cannot peacefully abide within it. The scripture compares Shen to a master and the body to a dwelling: if the master does not tend to the interior of the dwelling but only bustles about outside, the dwelling will gradually become empty and fall into ruin. If one merely follows natural breathing, the function of Qi is mainly to pass through the viscera and digest food and drink, and it cannot achieve what the scripture describes as nourishing Jing, replenishing Qi, and extending years to prolong life. Therefore the scripture quotes the Nanhua Jing: “The breathing of ordinary people is with the throat; the breathing of the True Person is with the heels,” using “heels” as a metaphor for breathing that reaches deep into the root. The practitioner should use Shen to govern the breath, causing exhaled Qi to descend and inhaled Qi to rise, so that Qi circulates up and down throughout the body. If every single breath can cause Shen and Qi to unite, this is called “the fetus is formed from swallowing Qi, and Qi rests from having a fetus within.”

The scripture next turns to desire and Jing-Qi. It holds that when desire is aroused, Jing-Qi easily disperses along with it; those who do not know how to regulate and gather it find it difficult to control, and thus deplete the body. The cultivator of the Dao (the Way), by contrast, causes Shen and Qi to unite and to circulate with the breath, not allowing Jing-Qi to stagnate or be lost. The text quotes phrases from the Huangting Jing such as “bland and without flavor, the nourishment of heaven and humanity,” to explain that even if the practitioner feels desire stirring, they should with the mind of the Dao guard and hold Jing-Qi so that it does not disperse with the thought of desire. The saying of the Daojing (Daode Jing), “When transformation occurs and desire arises, I will still it with the nameless uncarved wood,” is here interpreted as using a simple and settled state to calm desire; “Concentrate Qi to achieve softness—can you be like an infant?” means to nourish Qi with single-minded concentration, making body and mind supple, and restoring a natural state like that of an infant.

If fetal breathing has not yet been accomplished, Shen cannot govern Jing-Qi, and Jing-Qi easily moves with desire; even forced suppression is then hard to make effective. If fetal breathing is accomplished, Jing-Qi has that which masters it, and even if desire appears, one will not be drawn along by it. The scripture calls this state “the truth of fetal breathing, reversing Jing into Shen,” that is, through regulating and nourishing Jing-Qi, transforming it into spiritual illumination.

Talking emptily of nothingness all day long only depletes the mind and Shen (spirit). It is better to gather the mind-intent inward and concentrate upon oneself. When the breath of Qi (vital energy) continues without interruption, the path of cultivation naturally becomes unobstructed. The rising and falling of Qi within the body flow like smoke and clouds. This is the method of practice followed in cultivating the Seven Origins and the Three Elders (the internal deities spoken of in Daoism). I turn neither west nor east. After practicing, the body is often made as light as the wind; by following this method one can rise into the air and fly.

Even if worldly people encounter the “One,” they may not grasp its true meaning. Each act of visualization may instead cause the Shen and Qi to scatter and dissipate. They know only to pursue the myriad things with single-minded effort, unaware that they thereby deplete themselves day after day. I urge you to seek the true Dao (the Way); first you must distinguish the genuine Dao. The world contains many Daoist Jing (scriptures), which often lead people into confusion. Opening books and leafing through records only disturbs the mind and Shen. If one does not understand this method, it is impossible to preserve oneself. How regrettable that people originally possess their own true Dao yet fail to draw near to it, ultimately sinking into the dusty world in a state of benighted confusion.

Those who cultivate authenticity and study the methods of the Dao must focus above all on guarding the Shen (spirit) and Yuanqi (primordial Qi, the innate original vital energy). They nourish Jing (essence) and Qi, preserve the body, and keep the bones firm with abundant marrow. Shen is the root of life and the source of the Dao; Yuanqi is the foundation of Shen, the body is the dwelling of Yuanqi, and the heart is the residence of Shen. Excessive expenditure of Jing-Qi leads to exhaustion, excessive use of Yuanqi cuts it off, and excessive use of Shen weakens it. Human life therefore depends on Shen for its existence; Shen in turn continues only by relying on Yuanqi and Jing-Qi. When Yuanqi declines, Shen grows feeble; when Yuanqi is abundant, Shen is robust. If Shen is weak and Yuanqi insufficient, how can the body as dwelling be preserved? Regulating Yuanqi and nurturing Shen must therefore be practiced with cautious adherence. Regret that comes only after the hun and po have scattered merely invites injury and ruin.

The principle may be illustrated by a lamp: lamp oil is the root of the lamp; once the oil is exhausted, how can the lamp continue to burn? The Yellow Emperor’s Neidan (internal alchemy) speaks of the “gate of the seven returns.” The Neidan referred to here means the bodily essences themselves—jinye (fluids), saliva, blood, Jing, brain, and Yuanqi. To nourish Shen one must first nourish Yuanqi; to nourish Yuanqi one must first nourish the brain; to nourish the brain one must first nourish Jing; to nourish Jing one must first nourish blood; to nourish blood one must first nourish saliva; to nourish saliva one must first nourish water.

“Water” here denotes the jinye transformed from the essences of the five viscera. The essence of Yuanqi gathers in the mouth beside the teeth and is called water. The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) states: “Irrigate the essences of the five viscera with clear, moist jinye to cultivate the linggen (spiritual root); the seven jinye circulate and nourish the head. The body then radiates luster, Yuanqi is fragrant as orchid, evil qi is expelled, and the countenance becomes as moist as jade.” This describes the function of swallowing saliva. While jinye remains in the mouth it is called water; once swallowed and arrived at the lungs it is called saliva. Saliva is white and is therefore classified under Metal; the lungs belong to Metal among the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Acted upon by the heart meridian, saliva flows into the heart and transforms into blood. Blood is red and is therefore classified under Fire; the heart belongs to Fire. Acted upon by the kidneys, blood flows into the kidneys and transforms into Jing. Jing is moistening and is therefore classified under Water; the kidneys belong to Water. Kidney Jing, acted upon by the brain meridians and corresponding with spleen qi, rises to the brain—the Niwan (Mud Pill), which belongs to Earth. Two meridians descend from the Niwan to the kidneys; kidney Jing that ascends to the Niwan transforms into brain matter. The brain is yellow and is therefore classified under Earth.

Two meridians from the brain descend along the spine to a point three inches below the navel, called the Qihai (Sea of Qi, the gathering place of primordial Qi in Daoism and traditional medicine). When brain marrow is full the Qihai flourishes; when the Qihai flourishes Yuanqi is abundant; when Yuanqi is abundant, clear, and harmonious, Shen can arise. Water nourishes the ten thousand things; when water dries up, the ten thousand things wither. The Huangting Jing says: “The clear water of the Jade Pond irrigates the linggen; if one cultivates it earnestly the body can endure long.” These words set forth the way of nourishing life.

It is regrettable that people of the world indulge in desire and arbitrarily expend Jing-Qi. The Huangting Jing observes: “Yuanqi is ruined and Shen is scattered; a lifespan that could have been long is shortened by oneself.” It continues: “Like breaching the sea and emptying its accumulated waters, branches and leaves fall, trees wither and lose their verdure. When Yuanqi perishes and jinye leaks away, the self can scarcely be preserved. Those who seek longevity must be especially cautious in sexual matters. Why perform acts that harm life and bring sorrow to Shen?” There are many varieties of fangzhongshu (arts of the bedchamber, Daoist methods of cultivation concerning sexual activity and the preservation of life); their essential point is “returning Jing to replenish the brain,” that is, causing Jing-Qi to return and nourish the brain. For beginners whose Yuanqi has not yet begun to circulate freely, the subtleties of this practice remain difficult to grasp.