《太清经断谷法》

Take the roots of pine trees that grow facing east, peel off the white inner bark, slice it finely, dry it in the sun, and pound it to fragments. Eat until as full as possible. According to the scripture, this allows one to forgo grains; drink water when thirsty.

To ingest Poria (a medicinal fungus commonly used in Daoist longevity arts), scrape away the black skin, pound it into powder, place it in an earthenware vessel, and soak it in pure wine so the wine covers the powder. Cover with another earthenware vessel, seal it well, and let it steep for fifteen days. Remove and consume it as food. The scripture records the phrase “ru bo mu ri san,” which is suspected of textual error and whose meaning is unclear. One may also take about one fangcunbi (an ancient small spoon for measuring medicinal powders). The scripture states that after taking it one will neither hunger nor thirst, and it can eliminate illness and prolong life.

Another method takes one jin each of Poria and cinnamon, grinds them to powder, and forms them with white honey into pills the size of an egg yolk, taken three times a day. The scripture calls this Zhang Chang’s method for “crossing the world” (transcending ordinary existence to attain longevity).

Another method uses three jin of Poria powder, two jin of white wax, three jin of hemp-seed oil, one jin of pine resin, and one dou of white honey. First boil the white honey three to five times, then add the pine resin, hemp-seed oil, and white wax in turn, waiting for each to boil before adding the next. Finally add the Poria powder, stir thoroughly while hot, and form pills the size of a plum pit. Take one pill daily, or twice a day. The scripture states that after taking this one can go a thousand years without hunger.

Another method takes three sheng of Poria powder, five jin of white wax, and three jin of white honey, combines them, and steams the mixture for as long as it takes to steam one shi of rice. Turn it out and form pills the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take ten pills each time; if still hungry, take another ten. The scripture states that after one hundred days hunger ceases, after which one takes a single pill daily. While using the medicine, abstain from other foods. In addition, pound thatch-root juice and steam it together with this preparation; the scripture claims that after one hundred days of ingestion, jade maidens (celestial goddesses of Daoist legend) will descend.

Another method

Grind five sheng of Fuling (Poria, a medicinal herb commonly used in Daoist ingestion practices) into powder together with seven jin of pine resin, five jin of white wax, three jin of white honey and two sheng of Shu su, then steam the mixture until it is as thoroughly cooked as one shi of rice. Remove it and roll it into pills the size of parasol-tree seeds. Take ten pills each time, gradually increasing the dose until hunger is no longer felt. After ten days switch to one pill daily and cease all other food, though a little wine may still be drunk.

This is the procedure followed by Master Cifa according to the formula. While in Chengdu he employed it and many monks and laypeople were thereby relieved; quite a number also cultivated the Dao and attended lectures, so it was believed that one could thereby transcend the dusty world. The method derives from the Wufu Jing.

Another method begins by boiling four dou of white rice in six dou of water until cooked, then straining out the residue to yield four dou five sheng of rice broth. Place the broth in a watertight vessel and allow it to settle and clarify. Add five jin of finely crushed wheat ferment, leave for two nights, then steam-cook. Next add five sheng of rice ferment once the temperature is suitable; after two or three nights, when a pleasant aroma appears, steam-cook again and add two sheng of rice ferment, leaving for one or two nights.

Stir in one sheng of fine honey. Place five jin of selected Fuling powder in a new silk bag, loosely tie the mouth, and immerse the bag in the wine without letting it sink to the bottom. Press the bag by hand so that the liquid enters it. Seal the vessel and leave for twenty-one days before removing the contents.

The day before taking this preparation one should eat a fine meal and purify body and mind with fasting. The following morning swallow a pellet-sized pill, accumulating one jin by evening; children may take half a jin. It is said that thereafter one never hungers or thirsts for life. Cold water may be drunk but not hot water. Any grain or other medicine consumed is said to be expelled at once. Thereafter take two pills at noon each day, never more than three. This wine itself must not be drunk, nor may ordinary wine. The method is regarded as the most effective of grain-cutting techniques; prolonged use is said to cause spirits to descend and transmit magical arts.

While ingesting Fuling, sour flavors and heating foods are strictly forbidden.

Ingestion of Wei: take one shi of wooden material, wash and pound it, soak overnight in two shi of water, boil until reduced by half, then add five sheng of clear wine and continue boiling to obtain one shi; strain out the dregs. The original text is fragmentary at this point and the remainder cannot be determined.

First, wash one shi (a unit of weight) of "chengzhimu" (the original name of an herbal ingredient; its exact identity is unclear) and pound it into pieces, then soak it overnight in two shi of water. Boil it until the water has reduced by half, add five sheng of clear wine, and boil again until one shi of liquid is obtained. Strain out the dregs, then simmer the liquid slowly over low heat. Add two sheng of soybean powder and one sheng of asparagus root powder (tianmendong), stir until evenly mixed, and shape the mixture into pills the size of pellets. Take three pills each morning. The scripture (Jing) says that these pills can substitute for food for those living in the mountains or traveling far, and that they enable one to withstand wind and cold, prolong life, and avoid illness. This is the method used by Cui Yezi (a personal name); the asparagus root must have its core and outer skin removed.

Another method

Take one shi of chengzhimu and boil it in one shi of water. As the water diminishes, keep adding more, until the total added reaches three shi and the ingredient has boiled down to a soft, mushy consistency. Strain out the dregs and put the liquid into a copper vessel to simmer. Make soybean powder into cakes two cun in diameter, and eat three each day, holding them in the mouth and letting them dissolve slowly rather than swallowing them all at once. The scripture (Jing) says that this allows one to cease eating grain (bigu, abstaining from grains) and attain long life.

Another method

Take two shi of chengzhimu and boil it in three shi of water, adding water gradually during the boiling until the total amount of water used is about ten shi and five dou. Then strain out the dregs, pour the liquid into a copper vessel, add five sheng of white honey, five jin of pine resin, and five jin of jujube paste, stir until evenly mixed, and simmer over low heat until thick. Take one pill each day, about the size of a hen's egg. The scripture (Jing) says that after taking it one will not feel hunger, and that it also dispels all illnesses and prolongs life. The pine resin used here must be refined beforehand.

Another method

Take one shi of chengzhimu, chop it finely, and put it in a pot. Bring it to a boil three times and draw off the liquid. Then add two shi of water and boil the ingredient until soft and mushy; combine this newly extracted liquid with the earlier liquid, add one sheng of green millet powder and five sheng of white honey, and simmer over low heat until thick. Eat two cakes each day. The scripture (Jing) says that one will not feel hungry while going about daily life, that one's strength will not decline, and that one may attain long life.

Another method

Take one shi of chengzhimu and extract its liquid; then add two shi of water and boil the ingredient until soft and mushy. Combine the liquids, add one sheng of green millet powder and five sheng of white honey, and simmer over low heat until thick. Eat two cakes each day. The scripture (Jing) says that one will not feel hungry while going about daily life, that one's strength will not decline, and that one may attain long life.

At the end of the original text there is another heading, "another method" (youfa), with no content following it.

Take one shi (an old unit of capacity) of wood, chop it fine and chew it to pieces, then add two shi of water and boil it until the liquid has reduced. Add another shi of water and boil for a full day, until the wood is cooked soft. Strain out the dregs and continue simmering, adding three sheng of rice flour, one sheng of salt, and half a sheng of fermented soybeans, and cook until the rice is done. Pour the mixture into a bronze vessel and warm it over a chaff fire until it can be shaped into cakes. Each cake should weigh four liang. At the start, eat two cakes a day; when hungry, eat five cakes at one sitting. After five days, eat four cakes a day; after ten days, three cakes a day; after one month, two cakes a day. Thereafter, it is said, one need not eat anything for a full year, and one will feel neither hunger nor the approach of death, attaining long life.

Another method:

Take five jin of shu (an herb used in Daoist dietary formulas), pound it and press out the juice. Use the juice to blend three jin of powdered poria (fuling), and roll the mixture into pills the size of a parasol-tree seed (wutong seed). Swallow three pills each at midday and in the evening; it is said that this prevents hunger and aging. With long-term use, it is said, the spirits of the Six Jia and Six Ding (the Liujia and Liuding deities of Daoist tradition) will descend, and one may command them.

Another method:

Take wood shavings with wine. Steam the shavings, dry them in the sun, then soak and dry them again; repeat until three jin of shavings have been prepared, then roll them into pills the size of a parasol-tree seed. Swallow three pills each at midday and in the evening; it is said that this prevents hunger and aging. With long-term use, it is said, the spirits of the Six Jia and Six Ding will descend, and one may command them.

Another method:

Take the wood shavings with wine, steaming, sun-drying, soaking, and drying them again, repeating the process nine times. Take three fangcunshi (the amount held by an ancient measuring spoon) each day; it is said to prevent hunger and extend life. The best time to gather the wood is in the eleventh and twelfth lunar months and in the first and second lunar months. Anyone who takes wood-based preparations must avoid eating peaches.

Taking huangjing (Solomon's seal):

Cut one shi of huangjing into small pieces and add two shi and five sheng of water (another account says six shi). Simmer over a gentle fire from morning until evening. When it is cooked, remove it and let it cool, then knead it apart by hand, place it in a cloth bag, and squeeze out the juice. Dry the dregs in the sun and pound them into powder, then return this to the pot together with the juice and simmer until it can be rolled into balls the size of a hen's egg. Take one ball a day, divided into three doses. It is said that this cuts off the need for grain, eliminates all illnesses, and makes the body light and vigorous and slow to age. Take only a small amount and keep at it without interruption; there is no need to take more. If there is a lapse, drink water when thirsty. The scripture calls this the finest formula, and says it comes from the Wufu (Five Talismans).

Another method:

Crush polygonatum (huangjing) and extract three sheng of its juice. If the juice cannot be extracted by pounding, add water, pour it over the pulp, and squeeze out the liquid. Separately take three sheng of fresh rehmannia (dihuang) juice and three sheng of asparagus root (tianmendong) juice, combine them with the polygonatum juice, and simmer over low heat until reduced by half. Then add five jin of white honey and continue cooking until the mixture can be rolled into pills. Take one pill at a time, about the size of a pellet, three times a day. It is said that taking it this way prevents hunger and improves the complexion.

Alternatively, one may extract only three sheng of polygonatum juice and heat it in a double boiler until it can be rolled into pills. Take one pill a day, about the size of a hen's egg, twice a day. It is said that after thirty days one no longer feels hunger, and one walks as swiftly as a galloping horse. The center and outer skin of the asparagus root must be removed.

Another method:

Take one dan of polygonatum root, wash it clean, scrape off the outer skin, and boil it in two dan of water. Then boil the polygonatum in five sheng of wine until the taste of the wine is fully cooked out, squeeze out the liquid, and set it aside in a sealed container to steep. Boil the spent polygonatum dregs again until thoroughly soft, squeeze out the liquid, and combine it with the earlier juice. Let it settle and clarify, take the clear liquid from the top, place it in a copper vessel, and cook it in a double boiler until it is as thick as malt sugar. Roast soybeans until done and grind them into a fine powder, then blend this with the polygonatum paste and form pills about the size of a hen's egg. Take one pill at a time, three times a day. It is said that after taking it one feels no hunger, and after a hundred days one can run fast enough to keep pace with a galloping horse. Roasted sesame seeds (huma) may be used in place of the soybeans, or rice flour may be added; food prepared this way is fragrant, delicious, and stills hunger. This method appears in the Wufu (Five Talismans), a Daoist text. Polygonatum is best harvested in winter and in the second and third months of spring. While taking polygonatum, avoid fruits such as plums.

Taking Weiwei (Solomon's seal):

The leaves of weiwei are usually gathered in the second and ninth months, then chopped, dried in the sun, and processed. Take one square-inch spoonful (a small ancient measure for powdered medicine) each time, three times a day. It may also be prepared as a food-cake following the method used for polygonatum. It is said to regulate the channels of Qi (vital energy), strengthen the sinews and bones, and treat wind stroke, contracted sinews and vessels, and muscular spasms. It also lessens facial wrinkles and improves the complexion. Taken over a long period, it is said to prolong life and bring one to the state of an immortal.

Taking Tianmendong (asparagus root):

Take ten jin of dried asparagus root and one sheng of apricot kernels, pound them into a fine powder, and blend with honey. Take one square-inch spoonful each time, three times a day, with another dose at night. It is said that Gan Shi once took this food and called it "the immortal's provisions."

Another method.

Take three shi (an ancient unit of volume) of tianmendong (asparagus root), remove the inner core and outer skin, and press out one shi of juice. Simmer it over a low flame until five sheng remain, and skim off the foam. Add one sheng of white honey and two sheng of roasted hu ma (sesame) powder, then stir continuously until the mixture can be rolled into pills. Next, make cakes from crushed rolled soybean, three cun in diameter and half a cun thick. Take one cake a day. It is said that after a hundred days one feels no hunger, the flesh becomes moist and glowing, and life is prolonged. One may also add three sheng of rehmannia juice and simmer it together. This formula is called the finest of its kind and comes from the Wufu (Five Talismans).

Another method

Peel the asparagus root, steam it until cooked, and place it in a pot to simmer over a low flame. Add soybean flour equal to one quarter of the amount, and blend until the mixture turns yellow, after which it is ready to eat. Each serving is three pieces the size of a hen's egg. It is said to stop hunger and improve the complexion. The best harvest times are the second and eighth months. Anyone taking asparagus root must avoid eating carp.

Taking juesheng (hu ma, sesame)

Choose plump, glossy, jet-black sesame, in any quantity. Winnow it clean and steam it so that the heat penetrates evenly. Remove it after about the time it takes to eat a meal, and dry it in the sun. The next morning, steam and dry it again, and repeat this nine times in all. Alternatively, in strong sunlight, steam and dry it three times a day for three days, which also makes nine. When it is dry, moisten it with a little hot water and pound it in a mortar until it turns white, then dry it again. Winnow off the husks, roast it until fragrant, and pound it to a powder quickly while it is still hot. It may be taken freely, two or three sheng a day. It may also be mixed with honey and made into pills the size of a goose egg, taking five a day, or blended with maltose syrup, or taken with wine. The dose is gradually reduced. It is said that after a hundred days of taking it, illnesses no longer recur, and after a year the body and face become smooth and glowing, so that water does not cling to the skin when bathing. After five years, neither water nor fire can cause harm, and one can walk fast enough to keep pace with a galloping horse.

The Baopuzi says: This formula was originally unknown in Jiangdong. In the jiazi year of Emperor Hui of Jin's Yong'an era (304 CE), war broke out in Luoyang, and someone obtained it there. On the first day of the eighth month of the second year of Yongxing (305 CE), while living as a guest in a temporary residence, I recorded this formula and regarded it as an important secret method.

Another method:

Take one shi of grain that has been steamed nine times, add three jin of xialing (狭苓), and mix with honey to form pills. Take them according to the method given above. It is said that results come fairly quickly.

Yet another method:

Take one dou and two sheng of steamed grain, twenty-four liang of xialing, and eight liang of alisma (泽泻), and pound the mixture thirty thousand times. Each dose should be about the size of one whole pill, taken three times a day.

Yet another method:

Take one dou and two sheng of steamed grain, twenty-four liang of xialing, and eight liang of alisma, and pound the mixture thirty thousand times. Each dose should be about the size of one whole pill, taken three times a day. The mixture can also be made into honey pills and prepared in advance to carry when going on military campaign. Taken while traveling through mountains and crossing waters, it is said to prevent fatigue and emaciation; and when food is available, one may eat as usual without observing any dietary restrictions.

Yet another method:

Take one shi of raw sesame seeds (胡麻), rub off the husks, steam them for a day, then dry them in the sun and pound them to a coarse powder. Add one shi and five sheng of water to a pot and steam again until the water has reduced by five sheng. Then remove the grain, place it in a wooden basin, and pour hot water over it all the way through. Add one sheng of wheat bran, stir it into a paste, then strain out the liquid and simmer it until only one third remains. After that, place it in a bronze vessel and heat it over simmering water, cooking until it can be shaped into pills. Take three pills each time, each about the size of a hen's egg. The scripture (Jing) states that after a hundred days of taking it, the flesh becomes full and strong and one's lifespan becomes limitless.

Those who feel very hungry when they first begin taking sesame may eat one meal of white rice porridge during the first five days. They then gradually reduce this to one meal every ten days, and after prolonged use they stop eating altogether. While taking sesame, one must avoid rank and fatty meats, unclean things, and raw vegetables. If diarrhea does not stop, boil dried perilla leaves (苏叶) and drink the infusion.

The scripture also states that taking it prolongs life and increases longevity.

Method of Ingesting Mixed Rice and Wheat

Take four sheng of rice and four liang of genuine musk, and mix them together evenly. The scripture says that if this is eaten in a single full meal, in an amount equal to what would be obtained from steaming and cooking one shi of rice, it can sustain a person for four years.

Yet another method.

This text, the Taiqing Jing Duangu Fa (the Method of Grain Avoidance from the Taiqing Scripture, Jing), records several methods of "grain avoidance" (duangu), the practice of replacing ordinary cereal foods with particular prepared substances.

The first method calls for five thousand apricot kernels, pounded to a pulp. From this, about two dou of white liquid are extracted and boiled down to eight or nine sheng. The liquid is then used to soak one sheng of rice, or five at most, and one should not add too much. Once the rice has been steamed until it gives off vapor, a portion of powdered white lead (hufen) is sprinkled over it, and the apricot liquid is poured in and stirred. The rice is then mixed through and steamed again until the liquid is fully absorbed, by which point it should resemble jujube paste. It is prepared the evening before and eaten the next day. This amount is said to feed two people, or, if eaten continuously for a hundred days, to keep a person free from hunger for a year. If one later wishes to take other medicines, drinking a broth of mallow greens will purge it from the body.

Another method takes polished non-glutinous rice, millet, wheat, hemp seeds, and roasted soybeans, five ge of each, and adds one jin of white honey. The mixture is cooked down once and eaten the following day. It is likewise said to feed two people, or, if taken for a hundred days, to spare one from hunger for a year. Afterward, if one wishes to take other medicines, mallow broth will expel it.

A further method uses the same ingredients in the same quantities, five ge each with one jin of white honey, cooked down once. The mixture is then placed in cold water and rolled into pills the size of plums, which are swallowed one at a time. This is said to leave a person free from hunger for life. Another account omits the millet. This method appears in the Wufu (Five Talismans).

Yet another method takes one sheng of green millet and three jin of red halloysite (chishizhi), soaks them in enough water to cover them completely, and leaves them in a warm place for two or three days, until a film forms on the surface. The mixture is then pounded and shaped into pills the size of plums. Three pills a day are said to keep one free from hunger and thirst, and after drinking water, one can travel a thousand li without fatigue. This method also appears in the Wufu.

The last method takes one shi of polished non-glutinous rice, soaks it in water for twenty-one days, then grinds it into flour and dries it in the sun. The flour is cooked into gruel, and one sheng of flour makes three batches. According to the original text, eating this gruel supplies a day's needs without any decline in strength, keeps the complexion unchanged, and leaves the body light and vigorous and the eyes bright.

As the scripture describes, first mix three sheng of barley meal with one jin of Shu su (a type of perilla-family plant), and blend them with five sheng of hot water into a paste, letting the meal soak through. Dry it in the sun, then lightly roast it until yellow and fragrant. Add water and boil it until the liquid is fully absorbed. Next, grind it finely and stir in one jin each of licorice and wood shavings, two jin of poria (fuling) meal, and one sheng of salt. Take two fangcunbi (an ancient unit of measure) each time with water, three or four times a day; when thirsty, an additional dose may be taken, up to a maximum of five ge. The scripture (Jing) says that when one comes upon cooked grain or vegetables, one may take one jin of each, mix them with two jin of poria meal and one sheng of salt, and use them according to the method above. If one simply encounters prepared meals or vegetables, one may also eat them without any restriction. When in perilous circumstances or during famine, one may take this preparation, which is said to keep a person free from hunger for a long time and to prolong life.

Another Method

Take one shi (an ancient unit of capacity) of barley, and three jin of Shu su paste, and boil them in four sheng of water to make a broth. Add the paste to the broth and let it melt. First eat a full meal, and afterward take the preparation in small amounts. The scripture states that in this way one will feel no hunger, the body's chills and fevers will be regulated, and life will be prolonged.

The Simple Method of Guarding the Center (Shouzhong Jingyi Fa)

Take three sheng of soybeans capable of sprouting, and rub them in the hands until the beans become glossy and warm. First eat a tasty meal, then swallow all the beans at once. The scripture says this can sustain a person for fifty days, or even a hundred days, without hunger. When thirsty, drink water, and eat nothing else. When one wishes to stop this practice, drink two sheng of hot porridge, and the beans will be expelled.

Another version of the practice is to bow to the sun twice a day, and each time take one sheng of soybeans, chewing them repeatedly in the mouth before swallowing, three times a day. According to the scripture, with persistence one can go a hundred days without hunger; when thirsty, drink water, and eat no other food. When one wishes to stop, again drink two sheng of hot porridge. From the second day onward, the one sheng may also be divided into three doses; for children, the amount is halved. Another account holds that swallowing two to three sheng of the flesh of red beans can also sustain a person for a year. One may also roast soybeans until yellow and grind them into powder, taking three sheng at a time, which is said to allow a person to go without food for five to ten days. Afterward, if one wishes to purge them, one may take one fangcunbi of ashes of mallow stalk, followed by lard and cheese, and these too will bring about expulsion.

First chew the wax until it is about the size of a chuan (an ancient unit of length), softening it thoroughly. Then add a fat jujube and chew the two together until both are dissolved, and swallow. This is said to reduce fever, dispel illness, and serve for grain avoidance (bigu, temporarily abstaining from grain). Others say that eating a piece of wax one square cun in size each morning allows one to go the whole day without food.

Another method: dry black mulberries in the sun and pound them into powder. Take three he (an ancient unit of volume) with water each time, three times a day, and hunger will not be felt.

Another method: mix three jin each of ox butter, sheep butter, pine resin, and honey, and simmer them together for a day.

Another method: dry black mulberries in the sun and pound them into powder. Take three he with water each time, three times a day, and hunger will not be felt.

Another method: mix three jin each of ox butter, sheep butter, pine resin, and honey, then simmer them together and eat the result. It is said that one will not feel hunger for three years.

Another method: mix one sheng each of asparagus root powder (tianmendong), pine resin, and honey, and simmer them together. Form the mixture into pills the size of a parasol-tree seed, and take three pills at noon and three in the evening each day. They may also be made into pills the size of a crossbow pellet. It is said that after taking them one feels no hunger and one's complexion improves. This is also called "Cui Wen's secret formula." In preparing it, the core and the outer skin of the asparagus root must be removed.

How to Resume Eating Grain after Grain Avoidance

While taking any of the Shouzhong medicines (the medicines used for grain avoidance), one must eat nothing else. When thirsty, drink only a small amount of cold water. If one later wishes to resume eating grain, one should first take mallow seed decoction (a decoction made from mallow seeds and other ingredients) to help expel the medicine, and only then begin to eat.

On the first day of resuming food, cook one he of rice into a thin porridge and eat it three times a day. After two days, eat two he of rice daily; after another three days, five he; after another three days, seven he; and after another three days, one sheng. Only after continuing this for a full month may one return to one's ordinary diet.

Mallow Seed Decoction

Take one sheng of mallow seeds and one jin of dugao, add five dou of water, and boil it down to two sheng. Strain out the dregs and sip the liquid slowly in several portions until it is finished. It may also be cooked with rice into a thin porridge and drunk. Shu perilla (shusu) is also good.

(At the end of the original text there is another "alternative method," but the text that follows it is not given.)

Grind mallow seeds (kuizi) and saltpeter (xiaoshi, niter) into fine powder in equal parts, and take one square-inch spoonful (fang cun bi, an ancient measuring spoon for small doses) with rice soup, twice a day. Continue for ten days; only after the medicine is finished may one eat grains again.

Alternatively, take one sheng each of mallow seeds and saltpeter, add three sheng of rice, and boil until only one sheng remains. Divide this into three portions and take them over the course of the day.

Another method is to crush hemp seeds and cook them thoroughly, then drink five sheng of the liquid; one should expect to purge afterward. It may also be prepared as a thin, watery drink. While taking it, it is best to eat rich, fatty, oily foods that ease the bowels regularly.