《红铅入黑铅诀》

A spirit chamber (shenshi, the vessel that holds the ingredients during the refining of the elixir) is made of pure gold and shaped like a parrot. Red lead (a term of alchemy whose exact referent varies from text to text) is hidden inside the spirit chamber and sealed tightly with native earth (a particular earth material used in the refining), and the seams of the opening are sealed as well. The outside must also be wrapped in native earth, about one finger thick. It is then placed inside the cauldron. The lower cauldron is made of native earth, and the upper vessel is made of pure gold. The exterior and the joints are sealed again, and the whole assembly is suspended in the "ao" (the apparatus or location described in the original text). Through the coordinated use of water and fire, the refining is completed in ninety days.

Black lead is also called prenatal lead. Take natural black lead and place it in an ash pit, then remove its outer black coating until it is perfectly clean. This material is called the "Nine-Times-Refined Essence" (Jing). It can change in every direction, and its marvelous uses have no fixed limit.

Instructions on the Cauldron Vessel

Some native earth is fine and smooth like yellow wax, and some is bluish-black. When ground and washed, it reveals grains of stone and sand. Some looks like sesame seeds of varying sizes, and some is yellow and shows cinnabar when crushed. This kind of earth is highly potent. Pound it, sift it, and mix it into clay; the more thoroughly the clay is worked, the better, and it is used to make the cauldron vessel.

The cauldron vessel measures one chi and two cun in total length, with a circumference of one chi and five cun, a hollow interior of five cun, and a thickness of one cun and one fen. The body is open from top to bottom, with the mouth flaring outward, shaped like a pot or cauldron lying on its side, with the lip folded upward. Its circumference is about three chi and two cun.

At the center, the horizontal length is one chi, and the lip circles around it, rising two cun high. Water enters the cauldron from above to a depth of eight cun.

Instructions on Making Mercury and Placing It in the River Chariot

Half a catty of Yang mercury (yang-natured mercury, a class of materials in alchemy) and eight taels of Yin mercury (yin-natured mercury) are combined and placed in the tripod chamber, then sealed and secured according to the method. The "Four Killing and Punishing Restraints" (the days and directions that, according to numerological techniques, are chosen because they restrain the materials) are used to schedule the operation. On a Yang day and during a Yang hour, the fire of the Zhifu (the fire regulated by the talismanic timing scheme) is applied, with the flame rising one inch above the base of the tripod. The vessel is covered and kept running continuously, and is constantly buried and packed firmly in plant ash. When the Zhifu is employed, the advance and retreat of the fire must be governed by the "Formula of the Six Phases of Advance and Retreat."

The spirit chamber (Shenshi, the furnace chamber used for refining) is made solely from native earth. The true gold is set inside the chamber, then drenched with mercury and sealed. It is placed in the tripod and cauldron and refined with water and fire until it undergoes transformation. This process is called the "River Chariot" (Hechē).

Half a catty of Yang mercury and eight taels of "worldly quicksilver" are combined, placed in the tripod and cauldron, and sealed. A round furnace platform is built and buried in ash, with the mouth of the tripod facing upward and ash five inches thick covering it on all sides, while fire is kept running continuously above it. At the start, five taels of fire are used; after one fushi (a prescribed cycle of firing), this is increased to thirteen taels, and after another fushi, to one catty. Another record states: use only this one catty of fire, and refine continuously day and night for thirty days. Afterward, take two taels of the finished product and use it to transmute one catty of mercury into white silver; then take these two taels of silver and use them in turn to transmute one catty of copper, turning the copper into great silver.

Tripod and Cauldron

Local clay is formed into a clay blank shaped like a "parrot" (the vessel shape as named in the original), seven inches long and five inches wide. While the blank is still damp, it is cut open and then dried in the sun. Each of the two halves has a mouth three inches wide, with the base tapering gradually to a point, and each is two inches deep; inside and out, both are shaped according to the parrot form. The rims of the two halves are made in a female-and-male fitting, and they must close tightly without any misalignment. This is the tripod vessel used in the refining.

Fire Phases for Replenishing Qi

At the Zi hour, use three taels of fire; at the start of the Yin hour, four taels; at the middle of the Mao hour, five taels; and at the start of the Si hour, six taels. Another record states: at the middle of the Wu hour, use six taels; at the start of the Shen hour, five taels; and at the middle of the You hour, four taels. Yet another record states: at the start of the Hai hour, use three taels.

Fire Phases for the Golden Liquid

The original text gives only this heading and lists no specific content.

The original text contains many repetitions and variant readings, so the above follows its surviving wording in sequence. The meanings of terms such as "parrot form" and "worldly quicksilver" are unclear, and they have been retained as in the original or translated literally for the time being.

The total quantity of fire is one jin, and the total quantity of water is likewise one jin. Fire takes one as its number and water takes fifteen; water takes six as its number and fire takes ten. Once the numerical principles are understood, advance the fire phase (huohou) according to the hour: as the fire advances, the water recedes, and as the water's force grows, the fire's force diminishes.

The six double-hours of Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, and Si belong to the rising of yang qi (Qi), and are the time for advancing the fire. The six double-hours of Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai belong to the withdrawal of yin qi, and are the time for retreating the fire. Divide the quantity of one jin into 384 zhu, and arrange the advance and retreat of the fire phase within a single day; each double-hour then advances or retreats by sixty-four zhu. The fire must be advanced gradually; another edition reads, "advancing the fire requires following a gradual progression." Retreating the fire likewise must proceed gradually. One should harmonize it with great care and focus the will single-mindedly in refining the Returned Elixir (a Neidan term, referring to the elixir obtained through inner cultivation).

Secret Instructions on the Advance and Retreat of the Six Phases Governed by the Fire's Duty Talisman

A month is divided into six phases, each of five days. Yin and Yang (Yin-Yang) each occupy two and a half days, that is, thirty double-hours make up one qi. The two qi of Yin and Yang together form one phase, which is used to refine the Returned Elixir.

Secret Instructions on the Advance and Retreat of the Six Phases Governed by the Fire's Duty Talisman

A month is divided into six periods (hou), each lasting five days. Yin-Yang, the two forms of Qi, each take up two and a half days, that is, thirty double-hours make up one Qi; two Qi together make one period, and six periods make one month. After each month passes, the earth-spirit chamber of one tripod (the apparatus used in alchemical refining to hold and guard the furnace and tripod) is replaced. By the ninth month, the nine tripods are complete. Another version says: ten tripods may also be arranged at will, and it is acceptable either to change the tripods or not to change them.

Another version records the method of shifting the fire as follows. On the first day of the first month, at the start of the first period, use one liang of fire. After two and a half days, or thirty double-hours, increase it to two liang; when sixty double-hours are reached, move on to the next period. On the sixth day, at the start of the second period, use three liang; after thirty double-hours increase it to four liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period. On the eleventh day, at the start of the third period, use five liang; after thirty double-hours increase it to six liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period.

On the sixteenth day, at the start of the fourth period, continue to use six liang; after thirty double-hours reduce it to five liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period. On the twenty-first day, at the start of the fifth period, reduce it to four liang; after thirty double-hours reduce it again to three liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period. On the twenty-sixth day, at the start of the sixth period, reduce it to two liang; after thirty double-hours reduce it again to one liang, and at sixty double-hours the month comes to an end.

Another version says: on the first day of the second month, at the start of the first period, use two liang of fire; after two and a half days, or thirty double-hours, increase it to three liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period. Thereafter, each time the tripod is changed and a new month begins, the amount of fire in each period is one liang greater than in the previous month.

By the ninth month, at the start of the first period, use nine liang; after thirty double-hours increase it to ten liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period. In the second period use eleven liang, increasing after thirty double-hours to twelve liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period. In the third period use thirteen liang, increasing after thirty double-hours to fourteen liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period. In the fourth period use fourteen liang; after thirty double-hours reduce it to thirteen liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period. In the fifth period reduce it to twelve liang; after thirty double-hours reduce it again to eleven liang, and at sixty double-hours move on to the next period. In the sixth period reduce it to ten liang; after thirty double-hours reduce it again to nine liang, and at sixty double-hours the amount of fire reaches the prescribed measure.

From the tenth month onward, the fire phasing proceeds as usual. Another version says: thereafter, the fire phasing of the ninth month is adopted as the standard, and the weights (jin and liang) for advancing and withdrawing the fire follow this standard, with no further distinction between months.

When increasing or decreasing the amount of fire, one must separately add fully burned charcoal and keep the surface of the fire always exposed. Only in this way is the fire phasing governed according to the prescribed weights.

After fifteen days of waiting and observation carried out according to the method, one liang of the medicinal material can transmute one jin of mercury into a white substance called "White Dao" (白道). After thirty days of waiting, the finished medicine may be taken, two liang at a time.

After one year of waiting, half a liang of the material is used to transmute one jin of mercury into "White Dao." The dose is one and a half liang each time, and it is said to protect one from all kinds of illness.

After two years of waiting, one fen of the material is used to transmute one jin of mercury into "White Dao." The dose is three fen each time, though another account says that half a liang may also be taken.

After three years of waiting, a daogui (刀圭, a very small measure of medicine) is used to refine one jin of mercury into a red substance called "Red Dao" (赤道). The dose is one fen each time, and it is said to allow one to remain in the world for a long time without dying.

After five years of waiting, a daogui of the material is used to transmute one jin of iron together with mercury into "Red Dao." The dose is a pill about the size of seven hemp seeds.

Two years of waiting.

After three years of waiting, a daogui of the material is used to refine one jin of mercury into "Red Dao." The dose is one fen each time, and it is said to allow one to remain in the world for a long time without dying.

After five years of waiting, a daogui of the material is used to transmute one jin of iron together with mercury into "Red Dao." The dose is a pill about the size of seven hemp seeds.

After nine years of waiting, the finished medicine is said to be able to transform the five metals, the eight minerals, and even tiles and rubble into treasures, each displaying its own original color. If three pills are taken, the Three Corpses and Nine Worms are said to be expelled from the body. Another version says that this medicine grants long life without death, and that not only humans but also birds such as parrots, and animals such as dogs, will not die after taking it.

When taking the medicine, form it into pills with wood honey, each the size of a hemp seed, and take them according to the stated years and dosages. Choose a day when one of the Eight Nodes (the eight seasonal turning points of the year) coincides with a jiazi day. Holding the medicine in both hands, kneel facing the sun, silently recite "Heavenly Truth" (天真), and then take the medicine.

Method for Transmuting Mercury

Grind the mercury and the medicinal material together and place them in a crucible, then sprinkle a small amount of the material over the top. Cover the mouth of the crucible with a ceramic vessel (甍器), wrap damp paper around its sides, and set the crucible in empty ashes. Heat it from a distance with a fire of about half a jin, for about the time it takes to eat a meal. Then gradually increase the heat and burn it for about half a day. Once the vessel glows red, wait a little longer, and the substance will congeal into a hard lump. Bury it in ashes and calcine it with fire. Another version says that once the refining has taken shape, it becomes a treasure.

As the years of "guarding and circulating" (shouyun, tending the process at a set heat and duration) change, the medicinal materials and the amounts used also differ. The mercury that has been refined serves as the medicinal material, and gold and silver are produced by the jin and liang (catty and ounce). This is then used to transmute copper and tin into "great silver": for every catty of metal, two ounces of mercury-silver are used. The mercury-silver recovered from this batch is returned to continued shouyun refining as the medicinal material for the next stage. One then turns to refining the mercury base, until no more mercury is produced, after which it is tended for only one more year.

Another text records: during shouyun, three ounces of medicinal material may be used to refine one catty of mercury, called the "White Way." After two years of tending, two ounces of material are used to continue refining one catty of mercury, also called the "White Way." After three years of tending, one ounce of material is used to refine one catty of mercury, again called the "White Way."

Formula for Refining Mercury to Make Gold and Silver

Place two portions of mercury in a ding or fu (a vessel used for refining), seal it tightly, and shape it into an altar form. Bury it in ashes with the mouth of the vessel facing upward; the ashes should be spread five inches thick, and fire is applied from above. At first use five ounces of fire material. After one futime (a term from alchemy for a prescribed period of heating), increase it to seven ounces; after another futime, increase it to twelve ounces; then raise it gradually to one catty. After a further eight futime, heat the vessel fiercely on all sides until it glows red, and after about half a day open it and take out the contents. One ounce of this medicine, used to transmute one catty of mercury, yields the "White Way."

Transfer the medicine to another vessel and heat it day and night with one catty of fire material, tending it for one year. Afterward, half an ounce of the medicine transmutes one catty of mercury into the "White Way." Change the vessel again; after eight futime, once more heat fiercely on all sides until red, and after about half a day take it out. One ounce of medicine can then transmute one catty of mercury into the "White Way."

After this, change the vessel again and tend it day and night for one year with one catty of fire material; half an ounce of medicine transmutes one catty of mercury into the "White Way." Change the vessel again and tend it for one more year with one catty of fire material; half an ounce of medicine transmutes one catty of mercury, with the same result. Change the vessel once more and tend it for two years with one catty of fire material; one and a half fen (one-tenth of an ounce each) of medicine transmutes one catty of mercury into the "White Way." Change the vessel again and continue tending for two years; one fen of medicine transmutes one catty of mercury. The vessel should be changed every year, and the refining method is the same as above. By using the appropriate amount of medicine according to the number of years, and transmuting metals with it, precious treasures can be produced.