《古文龙虎上经注》

The practice of alchemy must begin with the spirit chamber (the crucial site in Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation that holds and transforms the elixir Qi (vital energy)), which is the hub where the elixir takes form. Mercury is the root of all minerals. Cinnabar and mercury occupy two separate sides, appearing in Yang or hidden in Yin, their radiance circulating between both. Their combined number is three, symbolizing water and fire.

The Cantong Qi (a Daoist alchemical classic) states: “Qian and Kun are the gateway of the Book of Changes.” To call the spirit chamber the hub of elixir formation means that it corresponds to Qian and Kun. In the human body Qian corresponds to the head and Kun to the abdomen; these may also be understood as the upper and lower tripods and furnaces. The head is the upper Dantian (energy center), while the abdomen contains the middle and lower Dantians. The alchemical path takes the Book of Changes as its metaphor. The Dipper and the ten hexagrams stand for the various minerals, and cinnabar and mercury stand for Kan and Li. The Li hexagram belongs to fire, symbolizing the sun and Yang Qi, with “emerging” as its function; the Kan hexagram belongs to water, symbolizing the moon and Yin Qi, with “entering” as its function. The number of Kan is one and that of Li is two; together they make three. Thus cinnabar and mercury are said to display the image of water and fire.

The above is Chapter One.

To unify and adjudicate is to act as a king governing the realm: employing military force to suppress rebellion and civil virtue to soothe and win over; occupying the center with the De (Virtue/Power) of Earth to command the four directions, laying down weapons so that the four quarters are at peace. The numbers of Kan and Li are one and two; north and south alone form the warp, and therefore they stand first among the seventy-two minerals. The firm and the yielding serve as each other’s interior and exterior, while Yin-Yang follow the natural Dao (the Way).

The “female and male” (pinmu, the two types of hexagrams that pair Yin-Yang) occupy the center and govern the periphery. This speaks of the principle by which a sovereign campaigns against rebels and pacifies those who submit. Laying down weapons and bringing warfare to an end in order to stabilize the four quarters embodies the principle of Yin-Yang covering and commanding the myriad things.

Taking the Li hexagram of the south and the Kan hexagram of the north as the warp, and the remaining hexagrams as the weft, they combine to form sixty hexagrams, distributed across thirty days. These serve to symbolize the circuit of the heavens as well as the seventy-two hou of the year (the seventy-two seasonal periods into which the ancients divided the year). Thus the sixty hexagrams may be likened to seventy-two “shi” (thus in the original text). The Qian hexagram is firm and vigorous; the Kun hexagram is yielding and compliant. Kan belongs to Yang; Li belongs to Yin. All of these are relationships that arise naturally and correspond to one another as inner and outer.

The foregoing is Chapter Two.

Metal and Fire take turns being on duty; Metal and Water mutually contain and receive one another. Male and female unite as one body, and in their functioning there is inherent order.

The tenth section of the Zhouyi Cantong Qi says: “Of images that appear and are clearly manifest, none is greater than the sun and moon.” This scripture correspondingly states: “Of images that appear and are clearly manifest in the way of the elixir, none is greater than Metal and Fire.” Here Metal and Fire are Kan and Li: Kan corresponds to the water of the kidneys, and that which water generates is Metal; Li corresponds to the heart, and that which belongs to the heart is Fire.

The Zhouyi Cantong Qi says that the Zhun hexagram is on duty and the Meng hexagram knows what it receives; here it is said that Metal and Fire are on duty, and Metal and Water mutually contain and receive. The general sense is that in the morning the Zhun hexagram takes duty, and in the evening the Meng hexagram receives; from this, Kan and Li unfold into the sixty hexagrams, taking these two hexagrams as the starting point. Therefore the Zhouyi Cantong Qi speaks of their function, while the present text speaks of their substance. Yin and Yang, female and male, stir and agitate one another, forming the sixty hexagrams and thereby constituting a complete whole. From Zhun and Meng one proceeds to Jiji and Weiji; within a single month the sixty hexagrams complete their circuit—how could there not be order in this?

The foregoing is Chapter Three.

The transformations of Jiji and Weiji (symbolizing the two states of things completed and not yet completed) are exceedingly subtle and marvelous. When the movement reaches its end, it begins again. Taking the initial nine (the first yang line of a hexagram) as the measure of the cycle, yang Qi (vital energy) moves gently, and one day and night accords with the measure of the sun and moon’s course.

Counting from the first of each month to the ninth corresponds to the yang number nine; from the sixteenth one begins counting from six, corresponding to the yin number six. Yang qi arises from the zi hour (midnight) and ends at the si hour; yin qi arises from the wu hour (noon) and ends at the hai hour. Thus the alternation of day and night corresponds to the waxing and waning of Yin-Yang.

The above is Chapter Four.

The Zhou calendar accords with the heart of Heaven: the yang yao (representing yang qi) conclude at the si position, while yin qi begins to stir from the wu position and terminates at the hai position.

This passage concerns the transformations of the twelve months of the year, that is, the changes of fire timing throughout the year. From the Fu hexagram to the Qian hexagram it shows yang qi gradually increasing; from the Gou hexagram to the Kun hexagram it shows yin qi gradually increasing.

The above is Chapter Five.

Water and Fire each occupy one direction, holding the boundaries of their positions and thereby producing cold and heat; East and West respectively display benevolence and righteousness, and the transformations of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) form the four seasons. In this way Yin-Yang interact; by according with the principle of the Three and the One one grasps the pattern within.

Water belongs to the north, Fire to the south; yang qi is born from the zi position and yin qi from the wu position, laying the foundation of cold and heat. The east governs spring, the west autumn. Spring generates, autumn kills: yang qi arises at zi and reaches fullness at mao, thus symbolizing the practice of benevolent virtue; yin qi arises at wu and grows vigorous at you, thus presenting the image of stripping away. In practicing benevolence one takes the image of plants sprouting and crystalline light soaring; in establishing righteousness one takes the image of the myriad things withering while the roots are nourished. In this manner both yin and yang exercise the functions of the Five Phases.

The “Three” refers to the fluids of the heart, lungs and liver above, the “One” to the fluids in the kidneys below. These four all take the earth of the central palace as their root, and therefore the Cantong Qi states that the Five Phases operate according to the proper pattern.

The above is Chapter Six.

“The Spirit Chamber is set in position, and transformation occurs within it”: Once the Spirit Chamber (the furnace-cauldron that in alchemy symbolizes Qian and Kun together with the conjunction of Yin-Yang (yinyang)) has been properly arranged, transformation takes place therein. The Spirit Chamber spoken of here consists of an upper and a lower furnace vessel; “setting in position” means arranging the female and male materials so that they combine according to the regulations of elixir refinement. The “transformation” referred to here denotes the two alchemical materials, cinnabar and mercury. Cinnabar and mercury symbolize the two functions of Metal and Earth; their positions have no fixed, unchanging place: sometimes they fly toward Zhang and Yi in the south, sometimes they turn toward Xu and Wei in the north, coming and going without constancy and possessing no regular location above or below.

Nevertheless, these two materials ultimately unite as one, returning to the Central Palace, encompassing all the various medicinal substances, and becoming the foundation from which the completed elixir is refined.

The Cantong Qi states that Qian and Kun serve as metaphors for the Spirit Chamber, Yin and Yang as metaphors for female and male, and cinnabar and mercury as metaphors for Kan and Li. Metal and Earth are further paired with Qian and Kun: Qian belongs to Metal, Kun belongs to Earth. Thus Kan and Li are the two functions of Qian and Kun, while cinnabar and mercury symbolize the two functions of Metal and Earth. Zhang and Yi represent the south, Xu and Wei the north. That cinnabar and mercury come and go without regularity and have no constant place above or below means that, once the two materials have fused into one, it is as though the hundred bones, the nine orifices, and the five viscera and six bowels of the human body all arise from this; it is likewise like the evolution of Kan and Li that produces the sixty hexagrams. Therefore the elixir resembles the root that encompasses the myriad things; in observing its generation and transformation one cannot fail to understand the sequence involved.

The foregoing is Chapter Seven.

Being and Non-being mutually constrain each other. The Vermilion Bird (the divine bird representing the fire image of the south) burns in empty space, its purple radiance shining like the sun, and thereupon cinnabar and mercury vanish.

The Cantong Qi employs the vanishing of Kan and Li as a metaphor for the vanishing of cinnabar and mercury. The sixty hexagrams take Kan and Li as their foundation, while the Golden Elixir (jindan) takes cinnabar and mercury as its foundation. Once the hexagram images have formed, Kan and Li no longer function; similarly, after the elixir has transformed and displayed its purple radiance, the original cinnabar and mercury are no longer used. Thus the elixir Jing say: “Use lead without using lead; one must work within the lead.” Here true fire is mentioned once more, referring to true lead.

The foregoing is Chapter Eight.

Oral formulas cannot be fabricated at will, nor are their principles established out of thin air. They employ concise wording to clarify profound meanings, guiding people to seek the Dao (the Way) of the luminous spirits, then deduce and verify them through the images of the lines and hexagrams, expressing them by means of the principles of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

In Kan (one of the Eight Trigrams [Bagua], symbolizing Water) there is the masculine Metal Jing (essence), and in Li (one of the Eight Trigrams, symbolizing Fire) there is the feminine Fire light. Metal and Fire interact with each other while Water and Earth constrain one another. When Earth flourishes in the position occupied by Metal, the three substances of Metal, Water, and Earth together return to emptiness. The forces of the four directions gather, and the world attains peace and stability. All this is circulated and transformed by the Central Palace (the central position), which is the merit of Earth’s De (Virtue/Power) and the Yellow Emperor.

The Cantong Qi says: “In Kan there is the lunar Jing of Wu Earth, in Li there is the solar light of Ji Earth.” This is close to the saying “masculine Metal Jing in Kan, feminine Fire light in Li.” The substance stored in Kan is Metal, which when it flows and transforms outward becomes Water; the substance stored in Li is Fire, which after flowing out combines with spleen fluid and transforms into Earth. Although the Metal in Kan and the Fire in Li attack each other, and although Water and Fire conquer each other, they also cooperate like husband and wife. The spleen belongs to Earth and lies between the heart and the lungs; it can first generate the Metal fluid in the lungs, after which the lung fluid continues to take part in this mutually generating transformation.

The three substances of Metal, Water, and Earth together return into emptiness, therefore Chapter Forty-one says “directly enter emptiness.” After the three have returned to emptiness, the Wu and Ji within Kan and Li can then circulate the sixty hexagrams, gathering from the four directions just as the four seasons bring about the growth of all things. Is this not meritorious?

The above is Chapter Nine. Metal and Fire refer to True Lead (an important term in alchemy). In elixir methods, clarifying the principle of Metal and Fire is most crucial. By thoroughly investigating the subtleties therein one can circulate the sixty hexagrams, causing the Qi (vital energy) of the four directions to gather, just as the four seasons nurture all things. Is this not meritorious?

The above is Chapter Nine.

Gold and Fire refer to true lead (an important medicinal substance and symbol in alchemy). In the principles of the elixir Dao, nothing is more prominent than the action of gold and fire. Investigating the subtle changes therein, one may follow the Dao of transformation: Yang Qi (vital energy) is activated and Yin Qi recedes. Yin-Yang blend and transform, finally returning to “Nine-One” (an alchemical term indicating the state of Yin-Yang conjunction). In the precious cauldron (the ding furnace used in alchemy), various medicinal substances interact; they total three hundred eighty-four zhu in all. By the ancient system of measures, twenty-four zhu equal one liang, sixteen liang equal one jin.

The Jing (essence) Qi of gold, after transformation, enables the Green Dragon (a symbolic designation within the elixir Dao) to receive the talismanic mandate. At this time, the Shen (spirits) refine and convert its Jing Qi, gold and fire rotating and impelling each other in transformation. The male Yang Qi presents the image of emerald-dark water, the female Yin Qi the image of ochre-yellow gold; Yin and Yang interpenetrate, Jing fluid envelops primordial Qi, and so the myriad phenomena arise by means of emptiness. Resonance and change each have their categories; the numinous wondrous operations of the many elixir methods all connect with this; the Dao of longevity, too, invariably issues from it.

The Cantong Qi says: “The hexagram images and principles set forth by the Yi have nothing more conspicuous than the sun and moon.” Correspondingly, the principles of elixir methods have nothing more conspicuous than gold and fire. The “gold and fire” in this case are the Kan gold and Li fire referred to in the nine chapters (gold and fire symbolized by the Kan hexagram and Li hexagram respectively). Resonance and change each have their categories; the numinous wondrous operations of the many elixir methods all connect with this; the Dao of longevity, too, invariably issues from it.

The Tongqi says: “The Yi uses hexagram images to make things manifest; nothing is more evident than the sun and the moon.” This serves as a metaphor for the conspicuous signs of elixir refinement, of which nothing is more evident than Metal and Fire. Here “Metal and Fire” refers to the Kan Metal and Li Fire spoken of in the Nine Chapters: Li symbolizes the sun and yang, Kan the moon and yin.

From the first day of the lunar month the moon receives the sun’s light and gradually becomes visible. Before the first-quarter moon, Yin-Yang each occupy one half and the three yin and three yang have not yet united. After the first quarter, yang Qi (vital energy) gradually flourishes and begins to seek union with yin; by the fifteenth all three yin have joined with yang and transformed into yang. From the sixteenth onward yin Qi gradually flourishes and yin in turn seeks union with yang; before the last-quarter moon all three yang have transformed into yin. At this point the three yin and three yang finally separate into two kinds.

Thus the interval from first quarter to last quarter is regarded as the stage of mixed Yin-Yang intercourse. The practitioner draws upon the abundant yang Qi after the first quarter to gather “half a jin of Metal,” and upon the abundant yin Qi before the last quarter to gather “half a jin of Water.” Here “half a jin” equals eight liang; one liang contains twenty-four zhu, and the combined zhu of Metal and Water exactly correspond to all the line images of the Yi.

Once Metal and Water have fused into a single body they must still be fired and refined inside the Shen (spirit) chamber (the inner locus of elixir work that symbolizes the meeting of Yin-Yang), following the rhythm of Yin-Yang waxing and waning; from this the Golden Elixir is completed. The phrase “Fire and Metal circulating together” means that Fire and Metal revolve and shift without cease.

The foregoing is Chapter Ten.

Thereupon the Original Sovereign (Yuanjun, the spirit or governing presence in elixir refinement) begins to refine mercury. The Shen chamber encompasses a realm of profound emptiness and void; the mysterious white transforms into the Metal Lord and loftily establishes the initial foundation. Matching and holding one another through the “three fives,” Jing (essence) and Qi soar and fly, gradually moistening and nourishing.

The Cantong qi likens Qian and Kun to the “spirit chamber” of elixir refinement, namely the upper and lower furnace vessels. Mercury (an elixir-alchemy term denoting mercury or the medicinal substance corresponding to it) is generated from the Li trigram, while lead is generated from the Kan trigram; the pairing of lead and mercury resembles the union of husband and wife. This likewise echoes the way of the royal consort and the marital couple described in the Guanju, marking the beginning of the joining of Yin-Yang. Three and five refer to the two trigrams Kan and Li. Only after Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) take flight and nourish one another can they mutually abide; this is like the union of husband and wife, which must likewise begin from the original foundation.

The foregoing is Chapter Eleven.

The Mysterious Maiden (Xuannü, a female immortal of Daoist legend) recounts the sequence: the two Earths of Wu and Ji are prized for matching the celestial tally. The operational pattern of the celestial tally gradually becomes manifest; if the waxing and waning of Yin-Yang proceeds all the way to complete stripping away, it becomes difficult to accord with the mysterious schema. Therefore, in elaborating the principles of elixir refinement, the two trigrams of Qian and Kun are no longer explained separately.

Wu and Ji are the Wu within the Kan trigram and the Ji within the Li trigram; the celestial tally consists of arranging the sixty hexagrams in sequential order so as to correspond to the waxing and waning of Yin-Yang Qi within thirty days. Yet when yang Qi reaches the thirtieth day it is exhausted. If transformation ultimately halts at the point of exhaustion, the function of the mysterious diagram cannot be brought into play. Yin-Yang circulate without end, cycling repeatedly, and thus can be used to deduce the transformations of elixir refinement. In the human body the head corresponds to the Qian trigram, the abdomen to the Kun trigram, the heart to the Li trigram, and the kidneys to the Kan trigram. Apart from these four trigrams the sixty hexagrams are employed as the celestial tally, so Wu, Ji, Qian, and Kun are not discussed further here.

The foregoing is Chapter Twelve.

Cinnabar is the father of mercury, and Wu and Ji are the mother of yellow gold; the bell pitches correspond to the twelve pitch-standards, and the pivot of the Northern Dipper is used to establish the numerical sequence of three and nine. The Red Child (a Daoist term for a spirit corresponding to fire and yang Qi) moves within the Vermilion Bird (the divine bird symbolizing the south and fire), transforming to become the Azure Dragon (the divine beast symbolizing the east and wood).

The Kun trigram initially transforms, becoming ten hexagrams, and is then employed as the celestial tally.

The foregoing is Chapter Twelve.

Cinnabar and mercury interact with each other like father and son; Wu-Ji (the central position of Earth) is the mother of yellow gold. The Zhonglü (twelve musical pitches) correspond to two and six, and the Dipper Pivot of the Northern Dipper (the hub star of the Big Dipper) indicates three and nine. The Red Child (heart-spirit) plays with the Vermilion Bird (fire-spirit), transforming and becoming the Azure Dragon (symbol of the eastern Zhen trigram).

The Kun trigram initially changes into the Zhen trigram. On the third day the moon appears in the Geng direction; Mao and You represent east and west respectively, so that dragon and tiger correspond to each other. The Kun trigram changes again into the Dui trigram; on the eighth day the moon appears in the Ding direction, at this time the first-quarter moon, symbolizing half a jin of gold. The Kun trigram changes a third time into the Qian trigram; on the fifteenth the three yangs are complete, the moon is full and shines toward the Jia position in the east; gold and water combine, moistening the sun. The red essence flows and transforms into mercury, and the Old Woman (symbol of the yin spirit) plays with the bright tripod vessel.

The above is Chapter Thirteen.

After the moon is full it naturally wanes. On the sixteenth day the circulating force begins to withdraw; the Qian trigram first wanes, changing into the Xun trigram, and at the approach of dawn the moon appears in the Xin direction. The Qian trigram wanes again, changing into the Gen trigram; on the twenty-third day it is the last-quarter moon, symbolizing half a jin of water, and the moon appears at the Bing position in the south. The Qian trigram changes a third time into the Kun trigram. On the thirtieth day the moon moves to the Kun-Yi position, concealing itself in the northeast, and the moon also sets in the Yi position. After the Kun-Yi moon has become completely dark, Earth, Wood and Metal undergo change, and then the Zhen dragon is born from the Kun trigram.

What is spoken of here as cinnabar and mercury are the Kan and Li trigrams discussed in the seventh section. The preceding text calls Kan and Li the foremost of the seventy-two minerals, therefore they are called here the “mother of yellow gold.” All elixir stones are generated from Kan and Li, so it is said that “the myriad images arise relying on emptiness.” The twelve pitches correspond to the fire timing of the year; the pointing of the Dipper Pivot of the Northern Dipper starts from the Chen position and ends at the Xu position, therefore it is said “establishing three and nine.” The Red Child refers to the heart-spirit, the Vermilion Bird to the fire-spirit, and the Azure Dragon is the symbol of the eastern Zhen trigram.

The above is Chapter Fourteen.

The Qian and Kun trigrams encompass the beginning and end of one cycle. In the thirty days mentioned earlier, the Kun trigram successively generates Zhen, Dui and Qian, while the Qian trigram successively generates Xun, Gen and Kun. The Eight Trigrams (Bagua) are arranged in sequence and manifested, shifting and transforming without losing their central correctness; regulating the fire timing for sixty days, the change thus manifests as the eastern Zhen trigram.

The above is also Chapter Fourteen.

The Qian and Kun trigrams encompass the beginning and end of one cycle. In the thirty days mentioned earlier, the Kun trigram successively generates Zhen, Dui and Qian, while the Qian trigram successively generates Xun, Gen and Kun. The Eight Trigrams (Bagua) are arranged in sequence and manifested, shifting and transforming without losing their central correctness; regulating the fire timing for sixty days, the change thus manifests as the eastern Zhen trigram.

The beginning and end of cosmic transformation unfold as follows: At first heaven and earth had not yet taken form; all was a chaotic unity, nothing but empty space. Later, Yang Qi (vital energy) began to sprout within this empty space, just as the Kan trigram (symbolizing water and Yang within Yin) of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) arises from pure Kun (the Kun trigram symbolizing complete Yin). Thus the Kun stage ends and the Kan stage begins. Subsequently the Qi of Kan generates Zhen and Dui, eventually developing into the Qian trigram (symbolizing pure Yang), and the clear, light Qi forms above.

When Yang Qi reaches its extreme, Yin Qi has already begun to sprout within pure Yang, just as the Li trigram (symbolizing fire and Yin within Yang) arises from pure Qian. Therefore the Qian stage ends and the Li stage begins. Li Qi descends, transforming into Xun and Gen, finally developing into the Kun trigram, and the heavy, turbid Qi condenses below. This is how heaven and earth take form.

However, the present Jing (scripture) describes this process as regulating the fire over sixty days; the Zhouyi Cantong Qi analogizes it instead from dawn to dusk, from the Tun hexagram to the Meng hexagram, then to Jiji and Weiji, until the alternation of darkness and light, which more closely accords with the transformations of natural creation.

The above is Chapter Fifteen.

The Shen Shi (spirit chamber, which in elixir refinement symbolizes the alchemical furnace or the inner space of cultivation) has a form it takes as its image, like a hen’s egg, difficult to contain in ordinary vessels. The Five Mountains (here referring to the five viscera) stand tall within it; in the secluded depths there is that which is stored, they interpenetrate and become the hub of circulation. When fire is first applied, the fire timing is mildly warm, like the initial change of hexagram lines. Above it bears the Jing (essence) Qi of Qian; below it relies on the bodily form of Kun; in the middle it lets mercury Qi flow and harmonize, making it correspond with the Three Powers of heaven, earth, and humanity.

The transformations of Qian drive the movements of the sun, moon, and five stars; Kun remains still and conceals Yang Qi. The Shen Shi operates according to this, and only then can the Golden Elixir (Jindan) be refined. Ought not the vessel used for refinement to be firm? It encompasses the changes of flying and coagulating, opens and closes the numinous portals, and is a profound and subtle treasury.

Note: The Five Mountains refer to the five viscera; “dong” means there is something stored within. Golden Jing refers to the Qi of Qian Yuan residing above; Kun Yuan refers to the earthly form below. Flowing mercury refers to the Qi of the five metals. The Three Lights refer to the sun symbolized by Li, the moon symbolized by Kan, and the five stars. The “Hetu pattern” spoken of in the Zhouyi Cantong Qi refers to celestial phenomena; “earthly form” refers to Kun Yuan. When the human heart contemplates heaven and earth and extracts the elixir, this is called corresponding with the Three Powers of heaven, earth, and humanity. Both vessel and treasury refer to the elixir.

The sixteenth chapter on the right states that “Hetu wen” refers to the star patterns of the heavens while “di xing” refers to the configuration of the earth. The human heart-spirit (Shen) observes heaven and earth in order to seek out and gather the Golden Elixir from them; all of this belongs to the Three Talents of heaven, earth, and humanity. The so-called “vessel-palace” is simply the container or the location in which the elixir resides.

The forces of cosmic creation and transformation are like a cave from which a spring gushes forth, and yang Qi (vital energy) sprouts from within the yin of Kun. At this moment the sun’s shadow reaches its southern extreme, the five planets align in a line, the sun and moon conjoin, gold and sand are combined according to the prescribed measures, and respiration likewise corresponds.

“Spring cave” denotes the kidney region. The kidneys belong to Kan of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), symbolizing a single yang just beginning to arise from within pure yin; this corresponds to the Jianzi month (the eleventh lunar month) and to the hour of midnight. Thus the alignment of the five planets symbolizes the generation of precious Qi within the five viscera. Thereafter, at the conjunction of sun and moon, the weights are determined according to regulation in zhu and liang, and the sand and mercury are gathered into the spirit chamber (the repository of the elixir, symbolizing the site of internal refinement). The sun corresponds to exhalation and the moon to inhalation. The Huangting Jing (scripture) saying “the sun rises and the sun sets, the moon’s breathing is preserved” refers precisely to this.

The seventeenth chapter on the right describes the floral canopy hanging high (symbolizing the sovereign dwelling above and looking down) while the Three Platforms (star names, here representing assistants) support from below. The office charged with overall command and record-keeping must be strictly guarded and secured, and all parties examined as to whether they are fulfilling their duties.

“Floral canopy” indicates the ruler residing above and overseeing his ministers; here it refers to the Qian trigram (symbolizing heaven and yang) occupying the crown of the head and issuing commands downward. The “platform assistants” refer to Kan and Li (respectively symbolizing water and fire) who carry out the sovereign’s mandate, assisting and governing the regions under their charge so as to prevent leakage. They must also be examined for competence before being employed; this concerns exhaling the old Qi and inhaling the new.

The eighteenth chapter on the right states that fire is used to refine the earth of the central palace so that metal may enter the northern water. These three substances—earth, water, and metal—undergo transformation after sixty days. This is the crux of natural change: brightness sometimes appears and sometimes conceals itself. If the quantity of earth is excessive the proportions become unbalanced; if the weight of water is inaccurate the substances occupy the same space yet cannot unite. Hardness and softness resist one another and fail to blend. This is not the fault of the fire; the responsibility lies with the earth. Earth guards the central palace while the dragon envelops the four directions.

Use fire to refine and transform the Earth of the Central Palace (referring to spleen Earth). The heart fluid flows out and meets the spleen fluid, thereby transforming into Earth. Metal refers to the lung fluid; the lung fluid enters the Gate of the Mysterious Female (a Daoist internal alchemy term referring to the place in the body where Yin-Yang meet), meets the kidney fluid, and thus becomes “enter” [as in the original text; the meaning here is unclear and there may be a textual error]. The north belongs to Water, so these three substances of Earth, Water, and Metal first reside among the three palaces, then enter the Dantian (energy center), thereby transforming into the Golden Elixir.

The original continues: “Hence later it perishes. Like the Earth numbers...” Here the wording is repetitive and suspected of textual corruption, making precise interpretation difficult. The general meaning of what follows is that if the quantity of Earth is excessive while the quantity of Water is unstable, hardness and softness will conflict with each other; even if they occupy the same place, they ultimately cannot blend, and so it is said that they each remain separate. This is not because fire cannot refine the Golden Elixir, but truly because there is too much Earth. Only when the quantity of Earth is appropriate can the dragon and tiger, lead and mercury—the four—mutually generate and combine to completion.

On the right is Chapter Nineteen.

When the Three Lights (usually referring to the sun, moon, and stars) operate in accordance with the proper measures, they can bring about great peace; when the five viscera receive inner nourishment, the four limbs become coordinated and harmonious. The images of Water and Fire recede and hide, their radiance contained within and thereby luminous; Metal and Water reflect each other, their radiance gathering and concealing itself. By regulating the fire timing and warmly nourishing the Water Qi (vital energy) so that once set in motion they can all transform, one may follow the Dao (the Way) to seek the path of the elixir.

The “Three Lights” refer to the moon within Kan and the sun within Li, and also include various metallic substances. When taking and using these materials, one must accord with a definite measure, neither exceeding nor falling short, in order to attain the ideal state. When taking and using is done with due measure, the remaining portion can also serve a function, being used to nourish the five viscera within the body and to bring the four limbs into harmonious coordination.

The water of the Kan palace refers to the jing (essence) fluid within the kidneys. If one is able to consolidate and contain it, not allowing it to be dissipated at will, it will gradually gather and contract, revealing no traces; its transformations remain hidden and unseen. Therefore the radiance of metal and water is stored within, bright and moist yet not exposed outwardly, concealed inside the body in order to nourish the four limbs. This is what the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) means by “internally governing the six palaces as the source of the nine fluids.” If one further regulates the fire phasing in order to warm and nourish it, both metal and water can be transformed into Neidan (internal alchemy). Is this not cultivation that is close at hand within the body itself?

Chapter Twenty

When water and earth are paired together, it is as if jadeite gives rise to colorful clouds; yellow and black blend their essences, and a purple radiance spreads beneath the sun. Water is able to transform and generate the ten thousand things; only the sage understands the principle contained therein.

Here “earth” refers to the spleen and “water” to the kidneys. The functions of the spleen and kidney viscera cooperate with one another, and thus they are said to be paired. “Jadeite giving rise to scenic clouds” means that the five-colored radiances are complete. If the fluids of the spleen and kidney viscera are able to meet and unite in the Dantian (energy center), they will transform into the purple Golden Elixir, whose brilliance can contend with the sun. The spleen is able to transform and generate the fluids that nourish the heart, lungs, liver and other viscera, using them to nourish the five viscera, the hundred bones and the nine orifices; the practitioner may perhaps understand this. If the kidney water is not dissipated wantonly, it will nourish from within the four limbs, the hundred bones and the nine orifices, causing the body’s vital force to become abundant. The subtle mystery spoken of here can be known only by the sage. Therefore the Cantong qi says: “The people of the world do not know it.”

Chapter Twenty-One

The De (Virtue/Power) of metal honors the color white; one refines lead in order to obtain yellow. After there is resonance with the corresponding direction, the essence is generated in the central palace. Melted gold does not fly away and scatter; when it is burned, smoke and clouds rise from the earth. This speaks of the principle whereby being and non-being transform into one another. The Cantong qi says: “The people of the world do not know it.”

“Gold” is prized in its white form, and lead is refined in order to obtain yellow. When it resonates with the Qi (vital energy) of the Central Palace (the directional position occupied by Earth), yellow gold condenses and does not fly away; when fired, smoke and clouds rise from the Earth. Being and Non-being constrain one another. Above dwells the Azure Dragon; two “Non-beings” take one “Being” as their root. Such numinous and wondrous transformations are difficult to fathom.

The “gold” spoken of here is what the later text calls “silver, the Jing (essence) of gold”; “lead” is the mother-body of gold. Lead is refined in search of yellow because Kan contains Wu Earth: the Kan trigram is born from within pure Kun and therefore carries the nature of Earth. When it is refined with fire it can become yellow gold. Thus the Cantong qi says “first liquid, then congealed,” and names this “yellow lifting.” Only when the yellow color appears can it resonate with the Earth Qi of the Central Palace, causing it to condense without dissipating.

“Being” refers to the Yang Qi within Kan, also called the Tiger, and likewise to the lunar po. The Azure Dragon refers to the hun of the liver; it is called “Dragon” in order to evoke the dragon’s capacity for transformation. The fire of the Li palace can further refine it, and therefore it is said that “two Non-beings take one Being as their root.”

— Chapter Twenty-Two

When silver is refined within lead, a divine and wondrous substance is generated of itself. Silver is the Jing of gold; the color of lead belongs to the numen of the North. Water is the pivot of the Dao (the Way), its number is one, and it is the beginning of Yin-Yang, and therefore it is able to generate silver.

After lead has been transformed into yellow dan, it lodges in the directional positions of the five metals. Lead’s exterior is black, its color receiving the Qi of the North; yet internally it contains the Jing of silver, like one who wears coarse cloth while concealing beautiful jade, appearing outwardly wild and unrestrained. The Cantong qi says: “Know the white, guard the black, and spiritual illumination comes of itself.” White symbolizes the Jing of gold; black symbolizes the root of water. Only by guarding this watery root does the Jing of gold arise from it, and thus it is said that “spiritual illumination comes of itself.” This is precisely the meaning of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) not circulating in their ordinary sequence, Metal being generated from Water.

Once lead has been transformed into yellow dan, it then lodges in the positions of the five metals. This is also what is meant in the twenty-second section by “resonating with the position, it is generated in the Central Palace.” From this it can be seen that the various things generate one another in sequence, transforming into each other in an unending cycle of production.

— Chapter Twenty-Three

Within lead is hidden the seed of silver, and silver lies latent inside the lead. Lead is the mother of silver, and silver is concealed within the mother like a fetus. That purely authentic thing is subtle, hidden, and profound, seeming to exist yet seeming not to exist. Place the materials in the ash pond and heat them: the lead sinks down and the silver floats forth; the silver appears pure white, becoming a treasure that can then be further refined.

Lead can generate silver. At first, silver is hidden within lead, just as a child is hidden in the mother’s womb; it has no visible form, nor any boundary that can be sought. For example, when silver is refined in the ash pond, one relies on the fire timing to cause the lead to draw forth the silver. When the fire qi (vital energy) roasts vigorously, the lead sinks down and the silver appears. Nowadays, the silver within Kan (Kan symbolizes water, and also refers to related substances in elixir refinement) still needs to be melted with the aid of the recumbent moon (an image of the fire timing or apparatus used in refining). In this way, lead naturally sinks and silver naturally emerges; the silver quality appears pure white and is revealed, so by continuing the refinement one can produce gold.

The Golden Jing (the essence of pure metal) takes the shell as its form, with water encircling the yellow liquid. Its form is about one inch in size and contains the Three Talents of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity (Heaven, Earth, and Human). When Heaven and Earth had not yet separated, chaos was like a chicken’s egg, perfectly round with a bulge in the center, shaped like Penghu (a legendary immortal mountain in the sea).

When the vessel is closed tightly and densely, the marvelous function operates within it. The furnace and ao (here referring to the elixir-refining furnace and its form) take their model from this, sealed tightly and firm all around.

The so-called “the shell is the Golden Jing”: the Cantong qi says “use gold as the dike,” which conveys this very meaning. The gold here is that which is generated by the lead-mother. In “water encircling the yellow liquid,” the water refers to the clear water of the Jade Pond born from the Li palace; the yellow liquid refers to the spleen fluid. “The substance of an inch in diameter” refers to the Dantian (energy center). Among the Three Talents, Li originates from Qian, Kan originates from Kun, and the spleen occupies the center; together they symbolize the human body. When Heaven and Earth were undivided, the myriad things mixed into one mass, like a chicken egg; if marvelous qi circulates within it, it can transform and generate Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things. Therefore the form of the elixir-refining furnace also takes its image from this.

The elixir method emphasizes winding coordination and mutual constraint, just as in an egg. Within the egg the Qi (vital energy) of life circulates, enabling it to gestate and transform into all things of heaven and earth; the structure and function of the furnace and ding take their model from precisely this situation.

Chapter 25

When things coordinate in a winding manner and mutually constrain one another, transformations proceed without error. This is a natural principle; marvelous changes have no fixed pattern. A magnet can attract iron, and even when something stands between them they communicate secretly; how much more an egg that originally has no life, which once its parts are coordinated can gestate living beings. The functions of metal and earth likewise always appear together with mercury.

What is called “winding communication” is termed “quge” in the Zhouyi Cantong Qi (abbreviated Tongqi, a Daoist elixir classic), probably referring to a curved passageway that joins at the tail. When a magnet attracts iron it can still communicate secretly even with an obstruction in between; how much more the furnace and ding, which by nature possess a structure of curved connections and mutual constraints, just as the various parts inside an egg coordinate with one another. Metal belongs to Qian and occupies the upper position; earth belongs to Kun and occupies the lower; mercury belongs to humanity and occupies the middle.

In the tenth section of this classic earlier, metal and fire are called “lead”; this chapter speaks only of mercury. In general the jing (essence) fluids generated by the heart and kidneys are both regarded as precious substances and are therefore collectively termed “lead and mercury.”

Chapter 26

The Huoji (a treatise on elixir fire) was not written out of thin air; it solemnly explains the preceding text. Since the elixir method has already been elucidated, no further doubts should arise. Therefore the author further elaborates these secret instructions, appending them after the Huoji in the hope that students will not become confused when taking the symbols therein as models.

Both the Huoji and the Tongqi serve to interpret the Longhu Jing. When the discussion reaches the twenty-sixth section the author laments that later students do not understand the principles involved, and so at the end of the work he again writes a preface to the Huoji. The phrase “solemnly explaining the preceding text” here refers to a renewed explanation of sections thirteen, fourteen and fifteen, while also mentioning once more the contents of the fourth and fifth sections.