《内丹还元诀》

Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) must first clearly understand the Five Phases (wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and the Four Symbols (here referring to the symbols coordinated with the Five Phases and the viscera). They next need to grasp the method of cultivation that inverts Yin-Yang, together with the techniques for using the “Seven Treasures.” The scripture declares that the true [missing character] of the Nine Immortals must be sought among the viscera, and that the correspondences of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) within the body, as well as their origins, must likewise be understood. These particulars will be explained one after another in what follows, which will also list Neidan (internal alchemy) terms such as lead, mercury, and yellow sprouts.

The Five Phases spoken of here correspond respectively to the liver, lungs, heart, kidneys, and spleen.

The liver corresponds to the East and Jia-Yi Wood. The liver belongs to Wood and contains [missing character] within it, known as the “Azure Dragon.” This rises from both sides of the spine along the left meridian, flows into the eyes, and becomes tears; the tears are called “True Water.” The remaining [missing character] of the liver flows to the left of the “upper ling,” and this circulation is termed “Golden Fluid.”

The lungs correspond to the West and Geng-Xin Metal. The lungs belong to Metal and contain [missing character] within them, known as the “White Tiger.” This rises from both sides of the spine along the right meridian, flows into the nose, and becomes mucus; the mucus is called “True Metal.” The remaining [missing character] of the lungs flows to the right of the “upper ling,” and this circulation is termed “Returning Elixir.” The statement in the Neidan Jingshuo that “above there is Golden Fluid Returning Elixir” refers precisely to this location.

The heart corresponds to the South and Bing-Ding Fire. The heart belongs to Fire and contains [missing character] within it, known as the “Vermilion Bird.” This rises along the three “Treasure Stairs” on the front of the body, following the central meridian, enters beneath the tongue, and becomes saliva, which is then swallowed down into the heart. The scripture says it forms a cavity in the heart, also called “True Fire.” The remaining [missing character] in the blood flows to the right of the “upper ling,” and this circulation is termed “Spirit Water.”

The “□” appearing in the original text is a missing character. Expressions such as “upper ling” and “Treasure Stairs” may also involve problems of transmission or decipherment, so the related meridians and sites can only be described as they stand in the source. The discussion here employs the movements of the viscera, meridians, and fluids in order to set forth the symbolic terminology of Neidan cultivation.

The kidneys belong to northern Ren-Gui Water and are the water viscera of the human body. Within the kidneys there is Qi (vital energy), called “Xuanwu” (in Daoism, Xuanwu is the deity of the north). This Qi travels upward along the vessel pathways on the right side of the abdomen, enters the ears, circles through the heavenly realm, and then descends back into the kidneys. Residual Qi from the kidneys flows to the right side beneath the tongue; this fluid is called the “Flower Pond.” The statement in the Neidan Jingshuo that “within it there is the Shen (spirit) water of the Flower Pond” refers precisely to this.

The spleen belongs to central Wu-Ji Earth and is the earth viscera of the human body. Within the spleen there is Qi, called the “Victorious Snake.” This Qi travels upward along the Victorious Path that flanks the spine on the back, enters the lungs, and there transforms into saliva called “True Earth.” Residual Qi flows into the inner lips, called “Yellow Sprouts.”

The so-called Four Images are the Golden Elder, Fang, the Infant Elder Brother, and the Yellow Granny. The first of these is the Golden Elder, referring to the saliva in the lungs. Someone asked, “Saliva belongs to Yin, so why is it called the Golden Elder?” The reply was that the Golden Fluid of the Returned Elixir above, the Shen water of the Flower Pond, and the Yellow Sprouts mutually harmonize and thereby form Yang; because Yang is above and Yin below, it is termed the Golden Elder. It is also compared to the sun in the heavens: the sun is purely Yang, and the three-legged crow within the sun belongs to western Geng-Xin Metal; being Yin within and Yang without, it too is called the Golden Elder.

The second is the Young Girl, referring to the acupoint in the heart. Someone asked, “The acupoint belongs to southern Bing-Ding, Fire belongs to Yang, and the acupoint likewise belongs to Yang, so why is it called Fang?” The reply was that the saliva above belongs to Yin while the blood below belongs to Yang; this is Yang within Yin, and therefore it is called Fang. It is also compared to the moon in the heavens: the moon is purely Yin, and the rabbit within the moon belongs to eastern Jia-Yi Wood; being Yang above and Yin below, it is therefore called Fang.

The third is the Infant, referring to the Jing (essence) and Qi in the kidneys. Kidney Jing originally belongs to Yin, so why is it called the Infant? This is because a man as a whole belongs to Yang, yet the Jing within the body belongs to Yin, constituting Yin within Yang, and is therefore called the Infant. This is what is meant by the saying of “Kan Male and Li Female.”

The so-called “Yellow Dame” (Huangpo) refers to the saliva in the spleen; this saliva is also called “True Earth.” Someone asked, “The spleen belongs to yin, and saliva likewise belongs to yin, so why is there no pairing of Yin-Yang?” The answer given is: “The spleen is upper yin and saliva is lower yin; the two together remain solitary yin, and that is why it is called the Yellow Dame.”

The so-called “Inner Seven Treasures” are the fluids (jinye), water, saliva, blood, Shen (spirit),, and Jing (essence). The scripture then lists the correspondences between human respiration and vocal sounds and the viscera: the Qi (vital energy) inhaled through the nose belongs to the liver, and the Qi exhaled belongs to the lungs; blowing from the mouth belongs to the kidneys, the he breath belongs to the heart, and the xi sound belongs to the spleen. It goes on to list a number of correspondences between other manifestations and the viscera, but the original text has many missing characters, and this passage appears twice, so it cannot be fully deciphered.

At the end of the scripture, the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) are matched to the viscera: the liver is paired with the Zhen trigram, symbolizing thunder; the gallbladder with the Xun trigram, symbolizing wind; the heart with the Li trigram, symbolizing fire; the small intestine with the Kun trigram, symbolizing earth; the lungs with the Dui trigram, symbolizing marsh; the large intestine with the Qian trigram, symbolizing heaven; the kidneys with the Kan trigram, symbolizing water; and the bladder with the Gen trigram, symbolizing mountain. In the original text the trigrams for the lungs, the kidneys, and so on are written as “Zhen,” which does not agree with the usual trigram correspondences; they have been arranged here according to the viscera and symbolic terms given in the context, and the original may contain errors.