《修丹妙用至理论》

The fundamental purpose of cultivating life is to preserve one’s own person. When the body is properly nourished, the Shen (spirit) can remain; when the Shen remains, one can succeed in becoming a Zhenren (True Person). To reach this state, one must ingest the most exquisitely refined medicines, and only then gradually attain numinous communion. Among the sages of antiquity, quite a few understood this method.

Yet later generations who admire the cultivation of the Dao often exhaust their family fortunes, seeking arduously year after year until they grow old, and one never hears of anyone who has truly achieved anything. Why is this? They not only fail to clarify the principles they themselves have observed, thereby missing the teachings of their predecessors, but also consider their own knowledge sufficient, and so cannot grasp the fundamental truths involved.

Some swallow saliva and guide the Qi (vital energy), taking this to be cultivation practice; some abandon the physical form and still the mind in concentration, calling it “Zhenyi” (True Unity, a Daoist cultivation state pointing toward original authenticity and unification). Worse still, some take the dregs of the Five Metals such as gold, silver, copper, and iron, together with the Eight Stones of various mineral medicines, and recklessly calcine them in hopes of success. These are merely the doings of those of shallow insight—how could they pursue the mysterious and profound purport of the Dao?

Although the methods of cultivating the Dao are many, the fundamental path for transcending the mundane cannot be separated from Huandan (Returned Elixir, a cultivation method of refining and nourishing the elixir so that it reverts to original authenticity). Having been fortunate enough to encounter the opportunity and receive transmission from my master, how could I dare cultivate it only for myself? I have therefore tentatively written nine chapters, entitled Huohou Jue (Secrets of Fire Phasing), roughly compiled into one volume to leave for later seekers. Those who cultivate the Dao must not transmit it casually to others, lest they incur blame and implicate the Nine Mysteries and Seven Ancestors (a Daoist term referring collectively to remote ancestors and later generations of the clan). Be sure to be cautious, be sure to be cautious.

“Guaqi-” is residual title or wording from the original, with no following content visible.

The Dao (the Way) begins from “One,” and “One” is the root of the generation of the medicine. The ancients took the winter solstice as the time when yang Qi (vital energy) first arises: first one yang is born, forming the Fu hexagram; then two yangs are born, becoming the Lin hexagram; three yangs born, the Tai hexagram; four yangs born, the Dazhuang hexagram; five yangs born, the Guai hexagram; and when six yangs are complete, it becomes the Qian hexagram.

When the fifth month arrives at the summer solstice, yin Qi begins to grow: first one yin is born, becoming the Gou hexagram; then two yins born, the Dun hexagram; three yins, the Pi hexagram; four yins, the Guan hexagram; five yins, the Bo hexagram; and six yins complete, the Kun hexagram. Starting from the first birth of one yang, through the rising and falling changes of Yin-Yang, it sequentially experiences the twelve hexagrams, cycling over and over to complete one round of climatic change.

The medicine in the ding (cauldron) is like a fetus in the womb. In the ding, water is above and fire below, following the Yin-Yang transformations. The medicine successively presents the sour taste of Wood, the pungent taste of Metal, the bitter taste of Fire, and the salty taste of Water; finally, in the alternation of the four seasons, it returns to the central palace, presenting the sweet taste of Earth.

Fire Timing Two

Each year from the winter solstice onward, yang Qi begins to rise from the Yongquan (acupoint on the sole of the foot). At this time the Fu hexagram takes charge, until the Qian hexagram, successively passing through the six yang hexagrams. This stage is the yang timing.

The original text at the end repeatedly shows “bitter, salty, Earth taste and sweet” as well as “Fire Timing Two,” overlapping with the previous content and appearing to be a duplication from copying or typesetting.

At the winter solstice, Yang Qi (vital energy) begins to rise from Yongquan (the acupoint on the sole of the foot). The Fu hexagram (the hexagram symbolizing the initial birth of Yang Qi) takes command and progressively evolves to the Qian hexagram; these six hexagrams represent the stages of Yang Qi’s circulation. At the summer solstice, Yang Qi reaches its peak and Yin Qi begins to grow. The Gou hexagram (the hexagram symbolizing the initial birth of Yin Qi) takes command and progressively evolves to the Kun hexagram; these six hexagrams represent the stages of Yin Qi’s circulation.

A year of twelve months sequentially passes through the twenty-four solar terms. Practitioners accordingly attune themselves to the Tianfu (the operational patterns corresponding to heavenly timing) and the 360 degrees of the celestial cycle, calculating day and night according to the water-clock (an ancient timekeeping device). Within the Shending (the symbolic furnace-tripod of elixir refinement) they grasp the true Qi and blend and nourish mercury and lead (the symbolic substances of Neidan internal alchemy). This is the essential principle of employing Huohou (the mastery of timing and measure in the cultivation process).

A year consists of 360 days, which according to the ancient time system converts to 4,320 double-hours. Each day is divided into day and night, each assigned one hexagram, yielding a total of 720 hexagrams. The scripture states that by this means one can gather 4,320 years of true Qi and collect it within the Golden Tripod. The sages further compressed this lengthy cycle: one month is calculated as 360 double-hours, assigned 360 Yao (the lines that compose the hexagrams), corresponding to the 360 days of a year; thus the 4,320 years of true Qi corresponding to one year are gathered within a single month.

They next compress the climatic cycles represented by the sixty hexagrams into the sixty double-hours of a Chou day, taking this as a minor cycle totaling 360 Yao and corresponding to the circulation of one year. Thus the scripture says that the 360 Yao contained in one month of a year, together with the 4,320 years of true Qi, can be further gathered within five days.

Next, taking two and a half days as one cycle, totaling 30 double-hours, corresponding to 30 days and assigned 360 Yao, symbolizes the climatic circulation of one year. In this way the 4,320 years of true Qi contained in five days are compressed into two and a half days. From this one further extracts 30 hexagrams totaling 180 Yao, corresponding to the circulation of half a month, or 15 days.

These 15 days are then assigned to the twelve double-hour directional positions: the six double-hours from Zi to Si are assigned 180 Yao, symbolizing the 180 days from after the winter solstice to before the summer solstice, that is, half a year; the six double-hours from Wu to Hai are likewise assigned 180 Yao, symbolizing the 180 days from after the summer solstice to before the winter solstice, likewise half a year.

Overall, the 360 double-hours of one month correspond to one year; one year totals 4,320 double-hours, which in turn symbolize 4,320 years. In calculation one must deduct the Muyu (the stage of pausing the fire, regulating the breath and resting in cultivation) corresponding to the two directional positions of Mao and You: after subtracting 720 double-hours from the yearly total, one actually applies Huohou according to the time-count of ten months. The resulting 3,600 double-hours symbolize 3,600 years and also correspond to the 360 degrees of the Tianfu. As for the method of Muyu, it is separately transmitted in the oral formulas and has never been written down since ancient times; those who obtain the oral formulas should carefully keep them secret.

Elixir Formula Three

True lead eight liang and true mercury eight liang, the two medicines together totaling one jin. According to the traditional system of weights, each liang is divided into twenty-four zhu, making a total of three hundred and eighty-four zhu. This number corresponds to the number of lines in the hexagrams of the Yijing (Book of Changes), and is matched with the three hundred and sixty days of a year and the twenty-four solar terms, in order to arrange the fire timing for refining the elixir.

In the calculation, sixty days must be deducted, referred to as the months of Mao and You, which constitute the period of “bathing” for the Golden Elixir (Jindan). The remaining three hundred days amount to three thousand six hundred shichen. When refining the elixir, the fire timing should be arranged according to the number of hexagram lines so that it corresponds to the three hundred and sixty days of the year and the twenty-four solar terms. The text states that from this one obtains the “black” symbolizing three thousand six hundred years, serving as the accumulated number for the completion of the true elixir; it is here that the efficacy of the elixir method becomes apparent.

The fire timing is also indicated by jin and liang: half a jin in the first month, one jin in the second month, one and a half jin in the third month, two jin in the fourth month, two and a half jin in the fifth month, two jin in the sixth month, one and a half jin in the seventh month, one jin in the eighth month, half a jin in the ninth month, and four liang in the tenth month. It is increased once every ten days and then gradually reduced. If it is judged that the medicine has already been refined, one must wait until it has cooled and become settled before opening it, lest the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) be lost.

The fire arises at the Yin hour (from 3 to 5 a.m.), becomes vigorous at the Wu hour (around noon), and returns to concealment at the Xu hour (from 7 to 9 p.m.). Calculated over one thousand and eighty shichen, this yields three cycles of the great number of heaven and earth. By this time the medicine has turned red and radiates brightly, and is therefore called the “Lesser Returned Elixir.” Internally the elixir contains the five colors, while its external form is unified as one. The crucial point is to employ the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) in correspondence with the months, to infer the hexagram qi, and to arrange the fire timing of each stage completely.

A person requires ten months of gestation, and the elixir likewise requires ten months of refinement before emerging from the womb. The generation of the human being and the refining of the elixir are interconnected, and the transformations of Yin-Yang naturally coincide. The Huangdi Jing says: “The movements of the sun and moon each have their fixed numbers, and the large and the small each have their regulations; the accomplishments of the sages arise from this, and the functioning of the Shen (spirit) is also manifested thereby.” This is precisely the principle involved.

Someone asked: “The Jade Pot Ode says that the yellow sprout matures only in the tenth month, while Master Haichan says that in the eighth month the autumn stone opens as it gazes at the moon. What does this mean?”

Here the “tenth month” refers to the rhythm of the fire phases in elixir cultivation; the “eighth month” refers to a stage in the movement of Qi (vital energy). Cultivating the great elixir cannot be separated from the principles of Yin-Yang (yinyang) transformation. If Yin and Yang fall out of balance or the qi of the trigrams becomes disordered, the work cannot succeed. When earlier cultivators discussed these matters they did not intend that one should cling to the literal wording. The Treatise on the Dragon and Tiger states: “Accumulate three years of practice, taking one hundred days as a single period.” It also says: “Grasp the timing of Mao and You and circulate the fire phases of Kan and Li.” These statements all contain metaphors and mutually illuminate one another as inner and outer. Without the oral explanations transmitted by a teacher they are not easy to make clear.

Someone further asked: “Once the elixir is refined, can it be seen directly with the eyes?” The reply was: “In former times Yin Changsheng said that the color of the elixir changes according to its degree of maturity: when old it appears purple, when tender it appears green, and when ripe it appears red. If it were completely invisible, how could he have spoken in this way?”

A further question followed: “Does this refer to Waidan (external alchemy)?” The answer was: “Does it refer only to Waidan? The five metals and eight minerals certainly belong to external objects, yet they are merely the dregs of form, inanimate things that possess no principle of longevity. The essential point of cultivation is that the inner true Qi corresponds with the outer signs of response; this is the work of the returned elixir. At the same time one must follow the climatic cycles of Yin and Yang and must not err.”

The Perfected of Great Mystery said: “The harmonious Qi of the human body begins to rise from the winter solstice, ascending from Yongquan. Yongquan is the point beneath the center of the sole of the foot.” By the eleventh month the Qi has risen to the knees; by the twelfth month … The original text continues at this point with the words “this is the work of returning the elixir,” yet the connection of the sentences appears to have a lacuna, so that the precise meaning is incomplete.

In these passages “fire phases” refers to the grasp, during cultivation, of timing, process, and changes in the movement of Qi; “Mao and You” together with “Kan and Li” are terms borrowed from the stems-and-branches and the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) in order to express the circulation of Yin and Yang.

The Perfected of Great Mystery (Taixuan Zhenren) said: The harmonious Qi (vital energy) within the human body begins to rise from the Yongquan point (the acupoint at the center of the sole) at the winter solstice. In the eleventh month it reaches the knees, in the twelfth month the thighs, and in the first month the waist; this is called “the completion of the three Yang.” In the second month it reaches the shoulders, in the third month the neck, and in the fourth month the crown of the head; at this time pure Yang is at work. At the summer solstice the Qi again begins from the Yongquan point; in the fifth month it reaches the knees, in the sixth month the thighs, and in the seventh month the waist; this is called “the completion of the three Yin.” In the eighth month it reaches the shoulders, in the ninth month the neck, and in the tenth month the crown of the head; at this time pure Yin is at work. This describes the transformations of Yin-Yang between heaven and earth, which are in fact also manifested within the human body.

Master Dongping said: Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) must know how to observe the waxing and waning of Qi and to grasp its transformations; they must take and employ the “four snakes and two rats” (a metaphor in the original text whose specific referents are unclear). This statement carries great significance; the essential points of cultivation all lie within it, and it also concerns the crucial matter of harming or preserving one’s nature and life. When a gentleman understands the principle contained therein, he can take and employ the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and the Jing (essence) of Yin-Yang, causing them to return to their origin, to revert to the root and recover authenticity, and to return to the True One (the original, unified state spoken of in Daoism). If a petty person comes to know these principles yet acts rashly, he will instead harm himself. Knowing this, how can one fail to be cautious? The Laozi says: “My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice; yet throughout the world no one can truly understand them, and no one can truly put them into practice.” This is precisely the situation described.

The later portion of the text is fragmentary or repetitive: after “Jia-Geng Zhen, Yi” the passage about “if a petty person obtains it” is repeated, and at the end there appears again “Jia-Geng Wu,” making it impossible to produce a coherent reading on this basis.

On the eighth day of each month, the moon appears in the twilight, corresponding in position to “Geng.” The moon belongs to Water, and Water is generated by Metal, therefore it is called “half a catty of lead of the upper string.” On the twenty-third day, the moon appears at the “Jia” position, near the direction of the sun’s rising. Water overcomes Fire, and Fire in turn causes Metal to dissipate, so it is called “half a catty of mercury of the lower string.”

Here the waxing and waning of the moon together with the generation and overcoming among the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) serve as a metaphor for alchemy: the two kinds of Qi (vital energy) intermingle and congeal, like the union of husband and wife; the Kan and Li hexagrams (Water and Fire) mutually assist, depending on each other from above and below, and meet in the central palace (the site of internal cultivation at the center of the body). They contain the Qi of the Five Phases, conceiving and giving birth to the “yellow sprout” (the term in Neidan (internal alchemy) for the newly generated elixir Qi). This is like a person’s birth, all receiving Qi to form the physical body. The Dao (the Way) of nature cannot be thoroughly understood through cleverness or intelligence; the great elixir that is refined likewise takes shape according to this same process.

The Yuanhuang Shang Jing (scripture) says: “Below the initially generated cyan Qi, the moon and the sun each rise by half and combine into one. It enters the golden chamber from the jade pool, the size of a pellet, yellow in color like an orange; within it is a delicious taste, sweet as honey. If you can obtain it, you must carefully guard it and not lose it; if you can cultivate it earnestly, you can attain the completeness of the heavenly Dao.” This is exactly the principle being described.

Five Phases, Sixth

Heaven first generates Water; Water’s nature is to moisten downward. It corresponds to Xuanwu (the divine beast of the north), the north, the Kan hexagram, the kidneys, the color black, the salty taste, and among substances it corresponds to lead. It is generated by the Zheng Qi of Qian Yuan (the fundamental primordial Qi of the heavenly Dao), and is called —

Heaven One generates Water. The nature of Water is to flow downward and moisten all things. It corresponds to Xuanwu (one of the Four Symbols of Daoism, representing the North), positioned in the north, paired with the Kan trigram, belonging to the kidneys, colored black and tasting salty. In the symbolism of alchemy it corresponds to lead. Lead is generated from Qian Yuan (the fundamental primordial Qi (vital energy) of Heaven) and is called the “Middle Son.” Outwardly it resembles Taiyin yet inwardly contains Yang, and is named the Jade Rabbit. When Yin Qi reaches its extreme it generates Yang Qi, so that gold appears within lead; this Yang essence is called True Sand.

Earth Two generates Fire. Fire’s force surges and rises upward. It corresponds to Zhuque (one of the Four Symbols of Daoism, representing the South), positioned in the south, paired with the Li trigram, belonging to the heart, colored red and tasting bitter. In the symbolism of alchemy it corresponds to sand. Sand is generated from Kun Yuan (the fundamental primordial Qi of Earth) and is called the “Middle Daughter.” Outwardly it resembles the sun yet inwardly contains Yin, and is named the Golden Crow. When Yang Qi reaches its extreme it generates Yin Qi, so that mercury appears within sand; this Yin essence is called True Mercury.

Heaven Three generates Wood. The nature of Wood is that it may be bent or straightened. It corresponds to Qinglong (one of the Four Symbols of Daoism, representing the East), positioned in the east, paired with the Zhen trigram, belonging to the liver, colored azure and tasting sour. In the symbolism of alchemy it likewise corresponds to mercury. The text states that when the Yin Qi within Kun Qi reaches its extreme, mercury is generated, therefore mercury belongs to Yin and is True Mercury. Kun first receives Qian Qi and generates it, called the “Eldest Son,” also known as the Fire Flower, which is the Heavenly Soul. All things grow by means of it, and it is also called Wood Essence.

Earth Four generates Metal. The nature of Metal is that it may be altered according to the form in which it is cast. It corresponds to Baihu (one of the Four Symbols of Daoism, representing the West), positioned in the west, paired with the Dui trigram, belonging to the lungs, colored white and tasting pungent. In the symbolism of alchemy it corresponds to gold. It is generated from the conjunction of Qian Qi and Kun Qi, called the “Youngest Daughter,” also known as the Water Flower, which is the Earthly Po. All things take form by means of it, and therefore it is also called the root of the Great Elixir.

Heaven Five generates Earth. Earth can grow crops and is the mother-body of all things. It corresponds to Gouchen (the central divine beast in the Daoist symbolic system), located in the Central Palace, belonging to the spleen, colored yellow and tasting sweet. In the symbolism of alchemy it corresponds to the “Four Yellows.” Lead and mercury combine and nourish each other through the action of Earth; when the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) is sufficient, Yellow Sprouts are generated. The Yellow Sprouts are the enclosing walls of cinnabar, that is, the Golden Cauldron.

To refine the Great Medicine there must be a cauldron as the containing vessel. The Four Symbols must also be complete, Water and Fire must intermingle, and lead and mercury must unite. When Dragon Qi becomes sufficient, Yellow Sprouts are generated. The Yellow Sprouts are the enclosing walls of cinnabar, that is, the Golden Cauldron.

In refining the Great Medicine a dinglu (cauldron and furnace) is required as the vessel that contains and processes it. The Four Images must also be fully present, Water and Fire must intermingle, Lead and Mercury must unite, Dragon and Tiger must respond to each other, and the gua qi (hexagram Qi) must be brought into harmony, never violating the transformational laws of Yin-Yang, before the True Elixir can be refined. The expressions “Four Images,” “Lead and Mercury,” “Dragon and Tiger,” and “gua qi” are technical terms of Neidan (internal alchemy), each referring to a set of mutually cooperating forces or states that arise in the course of practice.

The Jing (scripture) states: “Solitary Yin cannot generate growth, solitary Yang cannot bring things to completion; only when Yin and Yang cooperate with each other can the Dao (the Way) flourish.” This describes the genuine relationships of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) within cultivation. If one knows only that the Five Phases generate one another and remains unaware that they can also restrain one another, the Five Phases cannot actually be employed. Only the Zhenren (perfected person) can discern the precise moments of their application and, by means of this method of restraint, refine an elixir that may be ingested, thereby transcending the domain of Yin-Yang, dwelling independently in the realm of Pure Yang, and attaining an efficacy equal to that of Creation.

The Jing further states: The sprout belongs to Metal, Metal being used to restrain Wood; the sand belongs to Fire, Fire being used to melt Metal; Lead belongs to Water, Water being used to extinguish Fire; when the force of Water grows excessive, Earth is used to suppress it. To accord with the nature of things of the same kind while simultaneously restraining their momentum constitutes the principle of “counter-restraint.” The method of cultivation set forth here already far exceeds ordinary worldly understanding.

Yaozheng 7

The “lead” and “mercury” spoken of here are technical terms in the art of alchemy, not the ordinary metals lead and mercury of the world; the “four yellows” is likewise a specialized designation used in alchemy. The scripture holds that these substances already existed before heaven and earth took form, condensed from the two Qi (vital energy) of Yin-Yang. Through their mutual combination they generate “yellow sprouts” (huangya, an alchemical term denoting the key substance in the formation of the elixir), and this is what is called “three-five-one.”

Qingxiazi said: “If yellow sprouts were truly lead, one ought to throw the lead ten thousand li away; if yellow sprouts are not lead, yet one must still begin from lead.” This means that lead is the root-source of yellow sprouts, and yellow sprouts arise from lead. Once the “golden flower” (jinhua, an alchemical term referring to the achievement that appears in the process of refinement) has been obtained, lead is no longer used. The author considers these words to have revealed the crucial secret of alchemy, yet ordinary people find them difficult to comprehend.

Even so, although true lead has already been obtained, if mercury has not united with it, the result remains merely “solitary yang” (only the yang aspect) and cannot be refined into elixir. This is because the “dragon-and-tiger Qi” that symbolizes the union of Yin-Yang has dissipated, and the fire-phasing has not been properly mastered. Therefore Wei Boyang (an Eastern Han alchemist, traditionally regarded as the author of the Zhouyi Cantong Qi) also remarked that when silver is refined within lead, if one can grasp the marvelous technique, the silver will naturally be transmuted into ash.

Lead sinks below while silver floats above; this is called “yellow sprouts.” Its nature is mildly warm and its flavor sweet; it is regarded as a precious treasure for extending years and lengthening life. Yet the yang aspect alone cannot independently form the elixir; it must still combine with mercury to produce yellow sprouts in which male and female are paired. This is precisely the meaning of the scripture.

Someone asked: “Since lead and mercury are not things ordinarily seen in the world, on what grounds can one say they truly exist?”

The reply was: “Lead and mercury refer to the essence of heaven and earth, the root of the sun and moon, the marrow of Yin-Yang, and the origin of water and fire. They symbolize the union of dragon and tiger and the complementarity of hardness and softness. Their operation and transformation begin from ‘one’ and ‘three’ and ultimately return to ‘five’; they are called the mother of all things. Therefore the Heavenly True Sovereign said that in heaven there is the ‘Mysterious One,’ generated from the sun and named ‘Flowing Pearl,’ which is the gateway to all manner of mysterious realms. If one can comprehend and firmly remember this oral formula, longevity may be attained.

“There are also ‘three persons’ within the human body, each occupying a different place; if they can be held together as one, one may become an immortal king. This is true mercury. How could it lack a real referent, and how could it not be called a medicine?”

The terms “lead,” “mercury,” “dragon and tiger,” “water and fire,” and the like are all symbolic terminology of Neidan (internal alchemy). They serve to illustrate the harmony of Yin-Yang, the cultivation of body and mind, and the pursuit of the way of longevity. “Three persons” is a specific expression in the scripture, referring to inner existences at different positions or levels within the human body. A passage in the middle of the original text is repeated; the translation combines it according to its meaning.

Someone asked: “Since lead and mercury are genuine medicinal substances, why is there still talk of ‘sheng’ (life)?” The reply was: The Secret Instructions of Lord Liu says, “If you wish for longevity, you should cultivate the life that originally belongs to you.” Juanzi also said, “Seeking the Dao (the Way) and cultivating long life is like grafting a tree: using the life you already possess as the rootstock, you cultivate the life that is yet to come. This is the principle of life’s unceasing continuation, and that is why it is called the ‘Great Medicine’ (the elixir of immortality sought through alchemy). If a person can take it, how could they not rise above ordinary people of the world?”

Even if a clever person finds the entrance to the practice, without understanding fire timing (huohou, the method of regulating the fire’s intensity, the timing, and the rhythm in alchemy), even following the cyclical operations of Heaven’s seasons still falls short of true mastery. Otherwise the elixir scriptures would not speak of “the matching of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and the linking of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams)” (employing the relationships among the Five Phases and the Bagua to illustrate the coordination of the various factors in alchemy). Nor would Taiyi Zhenren have said, “Although the Golden Elixir (jindan) possesses the marvelous power of lead and mercury, the principle lies in the ingenious use of the Five Phases.”

From this we know that later generations of those who study the Dao are often confused and rarely succeed, most likely because they do not handle the fire timing properly and because the coordination of the Five Phases is not thorough enough. Perfected Lord Bao said, “Refine it in the eighth month; collect the elixir at the winter solstice.” Xiaoyaozi said, “In seven days it is fired into white horse’s teeth.” Qingxiazi said, “The elixir is completed in ten months,” and also, “In three months the medicine is ready and appears reddish-purple.” Why do these descriptions of fire timing differ? The phrase “three years of work, a ten-month fetus” refers to the essential periods of time needed for the cultivation; the various masters merely sketch their methods of application. When we examine the ultimate outcome they all seek, there is actually no difference.

The elixir altar is constructed in three layers, using clean, high-quality earth that is preferably free of sand, gravel, and other impurities. Its four sides are laid out at prescribed intervals, representing the four seasons as well as the pure Yang Qi (vital energy) that prevails in the fourth lunar month. Each layer stands one chi two cun high, corresponding to the twelve months of the year and the twelve double-hours of a day.

The furnace is set upon the altar so that the height of its body is flush with the altar surface, symbolizing the Bagua (Eight Trigrams). The elixir ding is then placed on the furnace; it measures three chi in height, representing the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The ding rests on three legs, illustrating how the Three give rise to the myriad things. Nine Palaces are arrayed upon the ding, standing for the Nine Stars. There are ten defects of the ding that require careful attention and must be inspected thoroughly.

The lowest layer of the altar measures three zhang six chi across, corresponding to the three hundred sixty days of the year; the middle layer is two zhang four chi wide, matching the twenty-four solar terms; the uppermost layer is one zhang six chi wide, reflecting the traditional measure of one jin as sixteen liang.

Prior to opening the altar, one must observe fasting and ritual purification while burning incense, arrange mirrors and swords, suspend colored silks, and set out gold, silver, tokens, and coins. Thereafter the master ascends the altar together with the disciples and regulates the fire according to the trigram images and the solar terms in order to complete the Great Medicine. Such preparations serve to show that the work of refining the elixir must never be undertaken carelessly.

Nine Turns Nine

Nine Turns refers to the process of refining the medicinal ingredients in the Shen (spirit) cauldron according to a definite fire timing. Each turn is completed after one hundred days. Three turns together amount to three hundred days, corresponding to the round number of “three years,” with the aim of seizing the efficacy of one thousand two hundred years of the Heavenly Talisman’s Zhengqi (proper Qi, vital energy). Three successive sets of three turns make Nine Turns, corresponding to nine years and intended to seize the efficacy of three thousand six hundred years. Only then is the Great Elixir considered fully refined. Thus the Neijing (Inner Classic) states “a single wheel of fire, nine years of elixir boiling,” referring precisely to this method of elixir cultivation.

The Perfected Zhang Guo said: “White mercury gives birth to cinnabar, black lead transforms into yellow sprouts; three threes combine to make the number nine, and the transformations number three in all.” Some also hold that after the Nine Turns the elixir must be refined once more, becoming Eighteen Turns, which accounts for the theory of completion in three years. The Bifa (Complete Methods) says: “One year is the Small Return, two years the Intermediate Return, three years the Great Return.” It further states: “If the medicines have not been refined for a full year, although they may be ingested, the primordial Qi will ultimately prove insufficient.” The essential point of these accounts likewise lies in the necessity of three transformations before the elixir can be completed.

The Huangting Jing says: “Penetrate the Heavenly Dao (the Way) and preserve the mysterious root. Even upon reaching one hundred and twenty years of age, cultivation remains possible; to continue guarding the Dao beyond this span is truly difficult.” Therefore one must wait until the Nine-Turn Eight-Jade Elixir has been refined, and only then cultivate the Great Elixir by circulating the fire according to the hexagram images; this point must be examined and understood with great care.