《九转青金灵砂丹》

The Nine-Turn Green-Gold Numinous Sand Elixir records an ancient method of external alchemy (Waidan). The ingredients are one jin of mercury and four liang of sulfur.

The text states that one should choose a yang day and construct a furnace from more than ten clean earthen bricks. The furnace body stands about two chi high, round above and square below, with iron bars, charcoal fire, and ventilation openings arranged inside. Once the furnace is prepared, the iron pot is thoroughly dried, then wiped with ginger dipped in vinegar and coated with a little yellow wax. The sulfur is first melted, after which the mercury is added and the mixture is stirred constantly. If small flames appear, rice vinegar is sprinkled to extinguish them before stirring resumes. When the material has turned cyan, it is cooled, removed, finely ground, and sieved; this is called “green-gold head.”

Next comes the “first turn of fire-subdued numinous sand.” A set of ding vessels is washed, dried, and allowed to cool. The green-gold-head powder is then gently placed in the fire ding. Red halloysite mixed with vinegar is applied around the mouth of the ding, which is then covered with the water ding to carry out the so-called “subduing-fire” treatment.

Here “subduing fire” (fuhuo) is an ancient alchemical term referring to the processing of substances by sealed heating and similar methods in an attempt to render them no longer combustible or explosive; red halloysite (chishizhi) is a mineral medicinal material. The scripture describes historical alchemical operations, not a safe modern manufacturing method: heating mercury and sulfur produces toxic vapors, and sealed heating may also pose serious danger.

Clean a pair of ding (cauldrons) thoroughly by washing and then dry them by heating. Once the ding have cooled, use a spoon to gently pour the previously prepared azure-gold head powder into the fire ding without filling it to the brim. Mix red halloysite with vinegar and coat the mixture around the mouth of the ding; place the water ding on top, press it down firmly, and bind everything tightly with iron wire. Seal the entire exterior of the ding with six-yi salt mud and suspend the assembly with iron rods.

Arrange five jin of charcoal blocks neatly inside the furnace, placing the hardest charcoal at the bottom. Take five liang of kindling charcoal and suspend the medicine ding inside the water ding above the charcoal fire. Fill the water ding eight-tenths full with boiling water. Fan air through the furnace doorway to ignite the fire, beginning with a gentle fire and later increasing to a fierce fire. The water in the water ding must neither boil over nor run too low; add or replace water frequently. Should any leak appear in the sealing mud, patch it at once with thin mud applied by a bamboo spoon. Continue firing until the furnace has cooled completely.

The following day remove the ding and open it. Numinous cinnabar hangs congealed from the bottom of the water ding. Collect this material; it is the transmuted elixir. The sand can be fashioned into treasures. The secret methods of the outer furnace are preserved separately.

Second Transmutation: Chongyou Elixir

Grind the fire-subdued numinous cinnabar to a fine powder. First add four liang of sulfur. After the sulfur has melted, pour in the previously prepared sand powder and fry the mixture together until it turns reddish-purple. When the substances have combined and congealed while hanging at the bottom of the ding, take the product out; this is the transmuted elixir. The sand can be fashioned into treasures. The secret methods of the outer furnace are preserved separately.

Second Transmutation: Chongyou Elixir

Grind the fire-subdued numinous cinnabar finely. First introduce four liang of sulfur. Once the sulfur melts, add the previously made sand powder and fry until the whole becomes reddish-purple and thoroughly mixed. If a few sparks appear, quench them immediately with vinegar. After cooling, remove the material, grind it fine, and pass it through a sieve. Load it into the ding according to the earlier procedure, seal it securely, and place it in the furnace. Use five jin of charcoal once more, ignite the fire and replenish the water exactly as before. After one fushi (an ancient alchemical timing unit whose precise length varies with the method), allow the furnace to cool, then open the ding. The sand has condensed at the bottom of the water ding; collect it as the transmuted elixir.

A small quantity of ash remains in the fire ding. This is the sulfur leftover from the previous transmutation, now refined into what is called “true dead sulfur ash.” Store it; it may be used to treat dysentery and cold disorders. Mix it with cooked rice and form pills the size of tung seeds. Take three pills each time, washed down with jujube decoction; the effect is said to be immediate.

Third Transmutation: Purple Cloud Elixir

Place the Chongyou Elixir (Chongyou Dan) in a vessel and grind it into a fine powder. Take three liang of sulfur, put it in a pot, and melt it into a liquid; then pour in the elixir powder and stir-fry them together until the color turns purple and the mixture is evenly fried. After it has cooled, take it out, grind it fine, and pass it through a sieve. Then, following the previous method, load it into the ding (alchemical cauldron), seal it securely, and place it in the furnace. Heat with five jin of charcoal, boil water in the water ding, and add or reduce the fire according to the previous method, continuing for one fu-period (a prescribed duration of refining). After the furnace has cooled, take it out and open the ding. The sand still sublimes and collects on the underside of the water ding according to the previous method. Take out the refined elixir and store the ash. Then, following the previous method, load the elixir into the ding, seal it securely, place it in the furnace, use five jin of charcoal, boil water in the water ding, regulate the fire according to the previous method, and refine for another fu-period. After the furnace has cooled, take it out and open the ding. The sand still sublimes and collects on the underside of the water ding according to the previous method. Take out the elixir and store the ash according to the previous method for later use.

Fourth Turn

Place the Purple Cloud Elixir (Zixia Dan) in a vessel and grind it into a fine powder. Take three liang of sulfur, put it in a pot, and melt it into a liquid; then add the elixir powder and stir-fry until evenly mixed. After it has cooled, take it out, grind it fine, and pass it through a sieve. Then, following the previous method, load it into the ding, seal it securely, and place it in the furnace. Heat with five jin of charcoal in the furnace, and change the water in the water ding according to the previous method, refining for one fu-period. After the furnace has cooled, take it out, open the ding, remove the elixir, and proceed to the next turn of refining; store the ash as well.

Fifth Turn

Place the Fourth-Turn Elixir in a vessel and grind it into a fine powder. Take two liang of sulfur and put it in a pot; once the sulfur has melted into a liquid, pour in the elixir powder and stir-fry until evenly mixed. After it has cooled, take it out, grind it fine again, and pass it through a sieve. Then, following the previous method, load it into the ding, seal it securely, and place it in the furnace. Use five jin of charcoal, operate the water ding and change the water according to the previous method, refining for one fu-period. After the furnace has cooled, take it out, open the ding, remove the elixir sand, and prepare to continue with the next turn of refining.

Sixth Turn

Place the five-turn elixir into the vessel and grind it into a fine powder. Take two liang of sulfur and put it into a pot, heating it until it melts into a liquid; then pour in the elixir powder and stir-fry them together until evenly mixed. After it has cooled, take it out, grind it finely and pass it through a sieve. Then, following the previous method, load it into the ding, seal it well, and place it into the furnace. Still use five jin of charcoal to start the fire, and add hot water to the water ding; change the water at regular intervals, continuing for one fu-shi (an ancient unit of time in alchemy, usually referring to twelve double-hours, or one full day and night). After the furnace has cooled, take it out, open the ding, sieve the medicinal powder, and again following the previous steps load it into the ding, seal it firmly, place it in the furnace, heat with five jin of charcoal, and change the water in the water ding, continuing for one fu-shi. After the furnace cools, take it out, open the ding, and then place cinnabar into the turn to continue the firing process.

Seven-Turn Returning Elixir

Place the six-turn elixir in and grind it into a fine powder. Take one liang and five qian of sulfur, put it into a pot, and heat it until it melts into a liquid. Pour in the elixir powder and stir-fry until it turns a cyan color. After it cools, take it out, grind it finely and sieve it, then following the previous method load it into the ding, seal it firmly, and place it into the furnace. Use five jin of charcoal to start the fire and change the water in the water ding. At this stage, the elixir will not fly up of its own accord, so it is necessary to use a “duyue” to urge the fire. The duyue is made of paper and shaped like the bellows used by silversmiths; place it at the air inlet of the furnace to blow air. When a sound comes from the medicine ding, do not be afraid. Nourish and refine in this way for one fu-shi. After the furnace cools, take it out and continue the turning process.

Eight Turns

Place the returning elixir in and grind it into a fine powder. Take one liang and five qian of sulfur, put it into a pot, heat until melted into liquid, pour in the elixir powder, and stir while frying. After cooling, take it out, grind finely and sieve, then following the previous method load into the ding, seal firmly, place in the furnace, start fire with five jin of charcoal, and change water in the water ding. Once the elixir has been subdued and no longer rises, use a “chongyue” to urge the fire and continue nourishing and refining for one fu-shi. After the furnace cools, take it out and place it into the turn to continue refining the elixir.

Nine-Turn True Yang Elixir

Place the eight-turn elixir in and grind it into a fine powder. Take one liang of sulfur, put it into a pot, heat until it melts into a liquid, and pour it into the ding, while also changing the water in the water ding. Once the elixir has been subdued and no longer rises, use a “chongyue” to urge the fire and continue nourishing and refining for one fu-shi. After the furnace cools, take it out and place it into the turn to continue refining the elixir.

(In the text, “turn” refers to the sequential stages of the refining process; “ding” is the container that holds the medicinal substances and is sealed.)

Place the eight-times transformed elixir in a pot and grind it into a fine powder. Separately take one liang of sulfur, place it in the pot, and heat it until it melts into a liquid; then pour this into the elixir powder and stir-fry until the powder becomes a uniform white powder. Once it has cooled, remove it, grind it finely, and sieve it. Following the previous method, put the powder into the ding (cauldron), seal it thoroughly, and place it in the furnace. Fire it using five jin of charcoal; likewise change the water in the ding according to the previous method, continuing for one day and night.

After the furnace cools, open the ding. The elixir will have condensed within the ding in the shape of a silver bowl. Chisel it out, smash it, and place it in a clean porcelain bottle. Seal the bottle mouth with oiled silk, bind it tightly with thread, and finally pour molten yellow wax over it to seal the mouth securely. Dig a pit three chi deep, set the medicine bottle at the bottom, and cover it with earth. Leave it for seven days and nights to disperse the “fire poison” remaining from the firing. After the prescribed time has elapsed, take out the elixir, grind it finely in a mortar, sieve it, and then mix it with black donkey’s milk to form pills, each approximately the size of a small Chinese parasol tree seed. When the pills have dried, store them in the furnace. At this point the elixir is fully refined.

Before taking the elixir, one must offer rites of thanks to Heaven, Earth, and the gods. To ingest it, soak seven red dates in hot water and swallow three pills at dawn; it is said this can keep a person free from illness. Young and vigorous people, however, must not take it.

The elixir must be refined in a clean place. During the process, women and those with hidden illnesses must be avoided, and chickens, cats, and dogs must not be allowed to see it. If these prohibitions are violated, according to the scriptures the elixir will not be efficacious.