《金液还丹百问诀》

Once there was a man named Li Guangxuan, a native of Bohai. His parents died while he was still young, leaving the household with several servants and a store of gold and pearls that had grown quite large. When Li Guangxuan had just turned twenty he began traveling by boat with fellow villagers, shuttling back and forth through the Qing-She and Huai-Zhe regions to trade. Later he crossed the sea again and met a Daoist; the two shared the same vessel. Morning and evening the Daoist conversed with Li Guangxuan as they passed through Silla, Bohai, Japan and other lands.

Li Guangxuan said to the Daoist, “Are there no people or affairs worth seeking in the Central Plains? Why must one cross the ocean and travel so far?”

The Daoist replied, “In this world I am like a floating cloud, with nothing else holding my heart, and that is why I voyage across the sea.” Li Guangxuan found the Daoist remarkable and thereafter discussed the Dao with him day and night.

The Daoist asked Li Guangxuan, “How much property remains in your family?”

Li Guangxuan answered, “I lost my parents in childhood. I have several brothers and servants, and the family fortune amounts to tens of thousands.”

The Daoist said, “Since your household is so well provided, why continue to risk the winds and waves in pursuit of further gain? The vast ocean with its rolling waves—if the ship should founder, one would be swallowed by the fish. What wisdom is there in that?”

Li Guangxuan replied, “I do not cross the winds and waves for the sake of wealth. I often reflect that human life in this world is like a dream or an illusion. The rosy clouds of dawn and the morning dew—how long can they last? Life is like a spark from flint, a flash of lightning, gone in an instant. Given that this is so, is it not worth careful thought? The old graves have not yet dried when new ones appear one after another. Gold and silver piled high upon the ground ultimately have nothing to do with us; jade heaped to the sky cannot grant longevity. Therefore I venture across the sea to distant lands, wishing only to seek Zhenren (True Persons) and to consult those who possess the Dao, asking what methods there may be to rescue and preserve life. I reached foreign shores yet never met any worthy and accomplished person from whom I could learn, so I am returning home for the present. I truly set out with this intention, not for material goods.”

The Daoist said, “You are still young, and by rights you ought to love glory, wealth, and honor. With such intelligence, you truly have the capacity of a great vessel. There is no need to worry whether you possess the affinity to become an immortal; so long as you cultivate with sincerity, you will certainly obtain the true Dao.”

Guangxuan returned temporarily to his hometown, his heart sincere and not motivated by wealth.

The Daoist said once more, “You are still young, and by rights you ought to love glory, wealth, and honor. With such intelligence, you truly have the capacity of a great vessel. There is no need to worry whether you possess the affinity to become an immortal; so long as you cultivate with sincerity, you will certainly obtain the true Dao.”

Hearing the Daoist’s words, Guangxuan replied, “I, Guangxuan, am no more than an earthworm in my shallowness; how could I ever transform into a dragon? I am like a parrot driven into exile; how could I compare to a phoenix? I dare not aspire to complete enlightenment; I only hope to learn a little. If the master does not disdain my ordinary dullness and offers even slight guidance, I will remember and be grateful for the rest of my life. How could I dare to betray such kindness?”

The Daoist asked, “Do you wish to prolong your years and preserve your life, or do you seek the Golden Elixir (Jindan) great medicine (the supreme elixir method pursued in Golden Elixir cultivation)?”

Guangxuan answered, “I dare not make a choice. Whatever the master understands, I hope you will bestow the teaching, and I will practice it for life.”

The Daoist then said, “The Golden Elixir great medicine cannot easily be obtained unless one meets a perfected person (one of high attainment who holds the authentic transmission). As for preserving life and extending years, I happen to know the proper methods. If you are willing to study them, I have nothing to hide.”

Guangxuan replied, “I am young and foolish; how would I dare to say that I can receive this mysterious and profound teaching?”

The Daoist said, “The Dao (the Way) is within the human body; there is no need to seek anything else outside. If you can remain far from sexual activity, abandon worldly entanglements, rest your head on stones and drink from springs, dispel vexations and abide in quietude so that the primordial Qi does not scatter, then it is possible to attain longevity. Primordial Qi is the undifferentiated fundamental Qi within the human body and the very foundation of life. When the mind is settled, Qi can remain; when the heart-spirit is active and scattered, Qi dissipates accordingly. Therefore those who have attained the Dao settle their breathing, avoid controversies of right and wrong, refrain from looking about in all directions, keep the breath from escaping outside the nose, and constantly hold their intention visualized in the Dantian (energy center), the place of concentrated mind during inner cultivation. If the upper, middle, and lower three Dantians—the three sites within the body described in Daoist inner cultivation—are all replenished, life may be preserved for a long time. Together with inhaling clear Qi and exhaling turbid Qi, rinsing the mouth to generate saliva and swallowing it, these are methods of extending years and benefiting longevity, as well as ways of consolidating and protecting the body. An ancient song says: ‘Qi is the medicine that adds years; Jing (essence) is the fungus that continues life. People of the world rush about in confusion; if they cannot seek it within themselves, whom else can they seek?’ This is precisely the principle. If one practices this unremittingly morning and evening, the method of extending years and attaining long life can be obtained.”

The Daoist then asked Guangxuan, “Have you seen my beard, hair, and appearance?” Guangxuan replied, “The master’s beard and sideburns differ from those of ordinary people; the hair is jet-black, the face like a child’s, the lips ruddy, and the teeth white.”

The Daoist said, “By cultivating this method of the Dao one can attain such an appearance. I am now more than one hundred years old and have never been ill. Do you know who I am?”

Guangxuan bowed once more in gratitude and said, “Though I am young, I have been able to hear the great Dao. Could it be that the master, in his compassion, has instructed me and revealed the key to cultivation? I shall remember and follow it all my life, ever mindful of your kindness.”

Later, Guangxuan disembarked on the eastern shore. The Daoist said he was going to travel through Silla and Bohai and thus took leave of Guangxuan. Tears streaming without cease, Guangxuan bowed in farewell to the Daoist and returned to his native place. Once home, he devoted himself single-mindedly to practicing the supreme Dao (the Way)—the highest methods that the Daoist had transmitted—without lingering over a life of worldly splendor, and afterward left his hometown to travel once more. He drifted upon the vast seas and dwelt on Cloud Island for more than ten years, cultivating and disseminating the supreme Dao according to the guidance of the accomplished master. Later his Qi (vital energy) and physical strength increased greatly, and his appearance and bearing also differed from those of ordinary people. Because people who had formerly shared a boat with him recognized him, they called him “Haike” (one who lives year-round upon the sea).

One night Guangxuan reflected: People of the world still pursue inquiries into worldly affairs—surely there is a method for transcending the dust of the mundane realm and the way of the Golden Fluid (the method of refining the elixir by means of golden liquid)? If I merely remain here, I shall have no opportunity to encounter it. Thereupon he left Cloud Island and gradually came to the land of China, traveling to famous mountains everywhere, visiting all of the Five Sacred Peaks, gazing upon and paying reverence to the sacred precincts, sincerely seeking out those who cultivate the Dao, and specifically searching for lofty gentlemen who possess the Dao.

He first traveled to Taiyue (Mount Tai, the Eastern Peak) and then visited the other mountain ranges. On the third day of the eighth month in the year jiyou he arrived at the Dongyan Monk Temple on Shaoshi Mountain of the Central Peak Songshan, where he stayed for more than ten days. Later he slowly climbed southward, viewing the mountain crags and gorges. After walking some five or six li, he suddenly encountered a person beneath the pine woods by the roadside: this person’s form and complexion appeared somewhat aged; he held a bamboo staff from whose tip hung three gourds, wore a coarse-cloth short robe, and had his head wrapped in a long cloth, his attire differing from that of ordinary folk. The person asked Guangxuan, “From what place have you come?”

Guangxuan answered, “My home is in the region of Bohai; I once dwelt on Cloud Island for many years. Recently I returned from overseas and have been traveling everywhere in search of famous mountains and scenic spots; only today have I arrived here.”

The person asked Guangxuan again, “Each person in life has his own path; you wander the famous mountains alone—what matter is it that you seek?”

Guangxuan said, “I have sought the way of the Golden Fluid (a Daoist alchemical term referring to the method of cultivating the Golden Fluid Returned Elixir), first for myself and second to elevate those in the world who share an affinity, which is why I came to arrange this meeting with you. It is not solely for my own sake.”

The old man said, “If you indeed possess such sincerity, I can transmit the Dao (the Way) to you. Were it only for yourself, the way of the immortals would not be conferred upon you. I hold this Dao, and you may receive it.”

Upon hearing this, Guangxuan shed tears, bowed twice, and said, “How can the marvelous Dao of the immortals be transmitted lightly? Heaven and Earth would surely reproach it, and ghosts and spirits would surely hold one accountable. I am willing to offer my humble life, follow you, Master, in seeking this learning for several decades, toiling day and night, and only then earnestly plead for your compassion in granting me the profound and mysterious methods of the Dao.”

The old man said, “It is not so. If you lacked benevolence, even a lifetime of diligent seeking would not allow this Dao to be transmitted to you. I see that you display immortal bones (the bone physiognomy regarded as indicating the aptitude for cultivating the Dao and attaining immortality), and that the foundation of your practice is already mature. Now that we have met, the time is precisely right. You need only concentrate with sincere intent and listen as I speak.”

The Master then set his bamboo staff aside and sat upon a rock. Another rock lay before him, so he said to Guangxuan, “Sit down and listen as I expound the Ultimate Dao.”

Guangxuan said, “You, Master, are about to transmit the Ultimate Dao; how could I dare sit down casually?”

The Master said, “Just sit. The Ultimate Dao is mysterious and far-reaching; even if we discussed it all day we might not exhaust it, so how could I let you stand listening for long? Sit and hear me.”

Guangxuan bowed once more and then knelt to listen.

The Master said, “What is called the Returned Elixir (a notion in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) or Waidan (external alchemy) concerning the reconstitution of the elixir) does not consist in seeking some other medicinal substance. It takes the True One (referring to the fundamental Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy), or original source, spoken of in cultivation) as its basis, with lead and mercury mutually dependent and taking the Yellow Sprout as the root; only thus can it be refined.”

Guangxuan rose, bowed twice, and asked the Master, “I see that cultivators of the Dao throughout the world all speak of the Yellow Sprout, yet they do not understand the principle involved. Of what, exactly, is the Yellow Sprout composed, and with what medicinal substances is it refined?”

The Master said, “Only when lead is refined out from within lead is it the true supreme treasure. Mercury—the mercury substances used in alchemy—receives metal-mercury; when lead and mercury unite, they generate Qi (vital energy), and this is called the ‘Yellow Sprout’ (huangyazi). Has an ancient song not said: ‘The Yellow Sprout is refined from lead and mercury; within Yin is held the quintessence of Yang Qi. If one does not understand the principle of the Yellow Sprout, completing the Reverted Elixir (huandan) will remain endlessly remote. When people of the world refine ordinary medicines, they all take the yellow flower of lead for the Yellow Sprout. The yellow flower is a lifeless dead thing—how could one obtain the elixir of the immortals from it? The Yellow Sprout does not lie among external medicines; its quintessence must be drawn from the imagery within. Once one reaches the realm of the Yellow Sprout, gold and silver are no longer worth boasting of.’ This is precisely the meaning.”

Guangxuan said, “I have seen it stated in the Jinshi Wu Xianglei (Five Mutual Categories of Metals and Stones): ‘Lead is violently poisonous—how can it be used to refine the supreme treasure?’”

The Master said, “Although lead is poisonous, this is because people of the world do not know how to take and use it. It is like croton seed (badou) among medicines, a poisonous drug—it is not without toxicity; yet if one knows how to use it correctly, it can treat many illnesses. Lead is the same. The Taozhi pian says: ‘Within lead there is gold; within gold there is a treasure. One who can recognize the treasure—the worthy may thereby attain the Dao (the Way). Better to cultivate the gold within lead than to refine the treasure within gold.’ What is spoken of here is not ordinary lead of the world. People of the world take lead as it is and refine it, hoping to obtain the Yellow Sprout; among ten thousand, hardly one succeeds, because they do not recognize the lead meant here.”

Guangxuan said, “Are there two kinds of lead?”

The Master said: “Lead is not two separate things. It is like raising a child: if one cuts flesh from the parents and places it in the mother’s abdomen hoping a child will then be born, that child will likely fail to take form; yet if one leaves the parents behind, from where would the child come?”

An ancient song says: “The tripod originally has no tripod, the medicine originally has no medicine. Speaking of using lead is not merely using lead; one must apply effort within the lead.” The Yellow Sprout (an alchemical term referring to the key substance generated in the elixir) is lead; apart from lead there is no way to obtain the Yellow Sprout. Although the Yellow Sprout is not identical with lead, it begins to generate from within lead. Lead is the father of the “sprout,” and the “sprout” is the child of lead; the child is hidden in the mother’s abdomen, and the mother also dwells within the child’s embryo. If one can “know the white and guard the black” (comprehend the manifested aspect while guarding the hidden aspect), the wondrous mechanism will naturally appear. This is the principle spoken of. All the scriptures praise the function of lead. If one abandons lead it is like discarding the parents yet wishing to obtain a child.

Another ancient song says: “Do not destroy my lead, so that my nature and life may be preserved; do not destroy my cart, so that I may return home.” Here the “River Cart” is a term of Neidan (internal alchemy), commonly referring to the process of circulating Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy). Once lead is interrupted the River Cart cannot operate, and the cultivation work will have no effect. It further says: “The mysterious and wondrous thing is born from the Metal Lord, standing firmly established from beginning to end.” It also says: “One thing contains the five colors, forever becoming the blessing of the immortals.”

The “Taozhi Pian” says: “One” corresponds to the number of Water and is the beginning of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). It takes its image from the color of the north and contains the Five Phases. Cultivating it, one can unite with the Dao (the Way) and comprehend the principle of nature. Thus it is able to generate Heaven and Earth, transforming into Yin-Yang; subsequently it causes the solar Jing to return to the lunar cavern, condensing essence within the formless, generating the Jing of purple Qi, secretly uniting with the true Dao. Such mysteries can be glimpsed only by immortals.

Worldly people do not understand how to employ it, and thus a discrepancy of a hair’s breadth leads to an error of a thousand miles; how can one fail to clarify it? An ancient song says: “Speaking of using lead is not merely using lead; one must apply effort within the lead. When the time comes to use the lead, if one obstinately treats lead as a physical object one is instead in error.” It also says: “Using lead is not merely using lead; lead is the old Dantian (energy center).” This means that in cultivation one cannot abandon lead but must know how to employ it correctly; causing Yin and Yang each to obtain their proper order, and after comprehension one can achieve success. The principle resides in the lead; one must carefully experience it.

The “Song of Yuanyangzi” says: “True Yin and true Yang are the Dao, right before the eyes, with no need to seek them far away. Ordinary people year after year refine the divine elixir, and upon casually seeing colors of green and yellow they consider themselves to have obtained the method. Those with the will to cultivate the Dao should seek the correct principles and not let the mind and Shen (spirit) be wasted in vain. Provided one can obtain the genuine Yellow Sprout, if a person takes it they can enjoy long life without decline.” From these words the meaning therein can be understood.

Guangxuan said, “I have heard people of the world say that cinnabar and mercury are the Yellow Sprout. Why is this?”

The master replied, “This is not the speech of those who cultivate the Dao (the Way). Cinnabar and mercury possess no constant nature and have no fixed form; they themselves cannot constitute yin, nor can they give birth to yang. Li Qichan said: ‘Cinnabar and mercury dwell together in one place, yet two women in the end do not recognize each other. If they can scarcely settle themselves, how could they be refined into the Great Medicine?’

“The Yellow Sprout refers to the mutual gestating of Kan and Li (the trigrams representing water-fire and Yin-Yang), the mutual generation of metal and water, the pairing of Yin-Yang as man and woman unite; from the formless it transforms into the formed, yin Qi (vital energy) is activated and yang Qi conjoins, and only thus can it be refined, in accord with the root principle. The Song of Perfected Lord Yin says: ‘The true Qi of the north acts as the river chariot (the power or symbolic image that circulates the medicinal substances), the Qi of Jia and Yi in the east condenses into golden sand. The two forces of Yin-Yang nourish each other and merge into one; after the Vermilion Bird (the divine bird representing fire, here symbolizing the regulation of fire phasing in refinement) has been applied in circulation, the golden flower is produced. The generation of the golden flower is the treasure of heaven and earth; if a person grasps this principle, they can accomplish the Ultimate Dao.’ From this it may be known.”

Guangxuan further said, “I have also heard some people of the world take gold and silver to be the Yellow Sprout; some grind powdered cinnabar together with silver and regard that as the Yellow Sprout; some take unprocessed silver as the Yellow Sprout; still others take riveted lead, refined lead, desiccated lead and the like, or litharge, to be the Yellow Sprout. What principle do these claims have?”

The Master said: None of these is it. All such materials are things that possess form and substance, their quality stubborn and stagnant. Taken for refinement, they only become withered in color and emaciated in form; taken for burning, they only turn into flying dust and earthen ash, finally drying into powder, and in the end nothing whatsoever is achieved. These things are merely isolated Yin Qi (vital energy) and meager Yang Qi, yet they presume to be compared with the true numinous medicine. Ingested, they scorch and injure the five viscera; swallowed, they moreover deplete one’s lifespan. How can they be likened to the Yellow Sprout (an alchemical term referring to the key form in which the elixir is generated), still less be said to accord with the Great Dao (the Way, the fundamental principle spoken of in Daoism)?

The so-called Yellow Sprout is lead and mercury united as one, Metal combining with Wood, Dragon and Tiger interlocking, Water and Fire mutually restraining each other; then emotion is made to unite with nature, and the po (the spiritual constituent associated with the physical form and Yin Qi) is made to follow the hun (the constituent associated with Yang Qi and spiritual activity), thereby forming the foundation of reversion (the return from dispersion to union, the reversion to the origin). One must also understand the principle of respiration, so as to bring about the conjunction and gestation of Yin-Yang, making both the mother-body and the child-body complete; only then can one obtain the essence of Heaven and Earth and receive the Primordial Chaos (hunyuan, the original state in which Heaven and Earth were undivided and the ten thousand things unborn) Great Dao.

An ancient song says: “Metal does not reveal its bodily form, nor does Wood manifest its shape.” It also says: “The Wood Jing (essence) of cinnabar unites only upon meeting Metal.” And another line: “Converge the self and bind the po-Qi, to fill the hunger of the tiger; when the tiger comes to devour, the Jing (essence) within the body is then generated.” These sayings have already made it quite clear.

Guangxuan said: Since it is said that the Yellow Sprout is refined from lead and mercury, and Metal and Water can moreover generate one another, I remain puzzled and have not grasped the principle therein. I earnestly request the Master to give further explicit instruction.

The Master said this is like planting a tree. To grow good fruit one must first till the soil and clear the land, then choose good earth and wait for the proper season, together with harmonious winds and rains and the impetus of the seasonal periods, so that harvest comes only at year's end. Refining the Yellow Sprout (a Neidan (internal alchemy) term for the key medicine or stage formed during elixir refinement) follows the same principle: blend lead and mercury, match Kan and Li (symbols of water and fire mutually assisting), let water and fire interact, wait until the fire timing is complete, and natural transformation occurs with wonders beyond compare. Once the Yellow Sprout is refined, the Great Dao (the Way) is easily attained.

An ancient song sings: “Lead-mercury sprout, lead and mercury paired with Kan and Li, water and fire succeeding one another, when the time is fully sufficient, natural transformation, nothing to compare. If the Yellow Sprout is completed, the Great Dao is easy.” It further sings: “Lead-mercury sprout, lead-mercury sprout, together with the three flowers, gather my Qi (vital energy), congeal into sand, first hearing the sun, apply added fire, the wheel of five colors, enter the Shen (spirit) splendor, once as envoy, the Dao without evil, when the three are prepared it emerges as the immortal family.” The principle herein can be understood from this.

Guangxuan said: Having obtained the Yellow Sprout and understood its root, how then is the Supreme Medicine to be refined? I ask the Master for instruction.

The Master said: The Supreme Medicine is refined using only the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), without mixing in anything else. If other kinds are mixed in, the Supreme Medicine cannot be refined. An ancient song sings: “Take the Azure Dragon of the East, pair it with the White Tiger of the West; add the Vermilion Bird of the South, then unite with the Black Warrior of the North. Explore the profound mystery therein, do not stray from the Dao of the Center.” The principle herein can be understood from this.

The Five Phases spoken of here are the same-category elements belonging to lead and mercury themselves; only with these can the elixir be refined. Mixing in unrelated things, it cannot be refined. It is like a family consisting only of parents and of husband and wife, with no outsiders mixed in; so it is with the Five Phases of lead and mercury. After being modulated and subdued into medicine, the bones, flesh, Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), blood, and vessels must all be complete before it is suitable to ingest. An ancient song says: “Why speak only of Metal Wood Water Fire Earth? That which can retain the form and preserve the spirit is Dragon and Tiger.”

Those who study the Dao, if they do not understand the Jing and Qi of the Five Phases and merely force others to be recognized as their own parents, are mistaken. Wood governs Qi, bones symbolize the Tiger; blood governs Water, flesh symbolizes Earth.

The method of immortality without death belonging to the Dao resides in the “Li Palace” (Ligong, the Li position among the directions of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), also frequently used to designate the corresponding location within the alchemical furnace). Once this method is understood, one knows that Metal presides among the Five Phases (Wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

The essence of the Five Phases must be joined with mercury; substances of differing natures cannot be used to pair with it.

The song formula of the great master Helan Qiu likewise states: “The Green Dragon rises, the White Tiger crouches, the Dark Warrior takes flight, the ruler withdraws to his place, and the Yellow Dragon then condenses of itself in the center. The mother loves the child, and the child loves the mother. A cloud forms in the furnace; ingesting a small dose, nothing remains impossible.” This is precisely the principle being described.

Guangxuan asked: “Although the Great Medicine is accomplished by subduing Dragon and Tiger, and the essence of the Five Phases also participates in the refining of the medicinal substance, when it is time to ingest it, what is most important to employ as the pill?”

The master replied: “On the day of supporting the medicine there is only a single ingredient: the fetus formed from the divine water of mercury, refined into a powder of purple-gold color whose hues contain the five colors, thereby symbolizing that the Five Phases have already coalesced into form. This is called the ‘Golden Liquid Returned Elixir’ (Jinye Huandan, the returned elixir refined from golden liquid). From ancient times the immortals have all practiced this same method. An ancient song says: ‘Mercury alone can be refined into immortal medicine; to transmit this method, subduing the fire is the most difficult. If one encounters the River Chariot (Heche, a metaphor in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) for circulating jing and qi), one can refine the purple liquid returned elixir. From ancient times the immortals have all practiced this same method. Mercury alone can be refined into immortal medicine; if refined into purple powder, in the blink of an eye it transforms into Golden Liquid Elixir. The true orthodox method of the Golden Elixir (Jindan) was never red to begin with; mercury alone is the most subtle and mysterious. Using a small dose to catalyze it can serve as proof of efficacy; those who ingest it can live forever without dying and become true immortals.’ Another song says: ‘Again take the extracted and refined mercury, return it to the furnace to burn and refine, transforming it into sand. The elixir fetus receives the qi of the Five Phases; when the fire timing reaches sufficient months, the yellow sprout appears. Those who have lost the way cannot see it; though it is clearly right before their eyes, it is as if separated by the ends of the earth. If one can arrive at the realm of the River Chariot’s circulation, there lies the method of the immortal lineage.’ These words can illustrate the principle involved.”

Guangxuan asked further: “If mercury after the fire has been subdued can truly become the supreme immortal medicine, then from ancient times there have been no few people who have refined cinnabar and mercury and caused them to subdue fire. Why is it that after ingesting it they are unable to extend their years and benefit their lives? And when used to catalyze other substances it likewise proves useless? How is this to be explained?”

The master replied: “This is because they have not mastered the secret and marvelous arts of the immortals, have not followed the principles set forth in the immortal scriptures, and have not adhered to the laws of the Five Phases.”

The Master said: These practices have all failed to grasp the marvelous methods of the immortals for refining the elixir. They neither follow the principles set forth in the immortal scriptures nor prepare according to the laws of the Five Phases (Wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and thus they cannot obtain the essences of the sun and moon. Some mix various materials together indiscriminately; others employ methods that diverge greatly from the true arts of the Dao. Even if they refine a thousand catties of a substance that appears already fire-subdued (its nature stabilized after being processed by fire), it remains no different from tiles and stones. Not only can it not be used for transmutation, but ingesting it may injure the body and shorten one’s lifespan.

Therefore the Biography of Perfected Wang states: In ancient times two brothers took one catty of mercury and spent three years firing and refining it in Yangshan Valley. The resulting product, once fire-subdued, displayed the color of red glass. Believing it to be the immortal medicine, each ingested half a catty. When the sixth month arrived they still had to walk wearing cotton-padded garments and required others to support them. They had hoped thereby to prolong their years and increase their longevity, yet instead they suffered the disaster of bodily harm. This suffices to show that when the type of medicine is incorrect and the methods and techniques are mistaken, such consequences follow. The key lies in seeking the genuine medicine; if one can find the true origin, there will be no error.

Guangxuan said: Since the Yellow Sprout (Huangya, an alchemical term denoting the fundamental material of the elixir) is the root of the Great Medicine, formed from the Five Phases, and its source is already understood, how may one know the place from which it issues forth into the world? I still do not know what quantity is required, nor from what time the firing and refining should commence in order to bring it to completion. I earnestly request the Master, out of compassion, to instruct me once more.

The Master said: The supreme treasure refined by the immortals has prescribed measures for the medicinal ingredients, yet one cannot merely dispute quantities and thereby stray from the Great Dao (the Way). Firing the Golden Elixir (Jindan) likewise has its proper times and degrees of heat, but one cannot judge solely by the shape and form of the furnace. The tripod contains Qian and Kun (Heaven and Earth, Yin-Yang). Fire is applied from the zi hour turning toward the wu hour, and one must understand the firing schedule revealed by the hexagram images. When the fire then circulates from the wu hour onward to the hai hour, the elixir begins to manifest its radiance.

This is like a fetus in the mother’s womb, which must wait until the days are sufficient before it matures; or like a chick within the egg, which can hatch only when the proper moment arrives. The medicinal measures take two paired with eight, and the firing completes one full circuit of Heaven (cycling repeatedly according to the double-hours or hexagram positions). Only then may one speak of the dragon stirring clouds and rain, the tiger roaring before the cliffs. In this way one obtains the elixir that extends years and prolongs life; it is no ordinary thing of the mundane world.

An ancient song says: “Two and eight combine; sixteen is the lead Jing (essence). When yang Qi (vital energy) arises, begin applying fire; when yin Qi is exhausted, one must cease the fire. When the stars complete one circuit, the supreme treasure becomes numinous.” Tao Yinju’s lyric “Wang Jiangnan” also says: “The medicine of longevity is originally refined from the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). The two gates of zi and wu open; the four seasons of mao and you revolve. The firing schedule accords with Qian and Kun, and dragon and tiger naturally swallow one another.” This is precisely the principle spoken of.

Guangxuan said: Now that I have understood the regulations of the Great Elixir, this is truly a matter that sentient beings encounter only through karmic affinity. I have also seen in many scriptures and oral instructions mention of the solar hun, lunar po, White Tiger, Azure Dragon, cinnabar, River Chariot, True Lead, True Mercury, and other such designations. The names are numerous and cause confusion; I do not know which among them is the accurate name. I request the Master to explain, so that many doubts may be resolved and later generations may know that the immortal Dao has a path that can be sought, departing from the vexations of the dusty world.

The Master said: The various names in fact all speak of one and the same principle. The solar hun is the yang Jing (essence); the lunar po is the yin body. The Azure Dragon belongs to Wood and is positioned in the East; the White Tiger belongs to Metal and is positioned in the West. River Chariot and Golden Fluid are names used by the immortals to designate that which is obtained through elixir refinement; True Mercury and True Lead are appellations employed by those of penetrating understanding. So long as one comprehends the laws of transformation within, why hesitate? These statements do not go beyond the Five Phases, nor is there any other principle.

Guangxuan said: “I have also read the Huangdi Yinfu Jing, which states that there are hundreds of methods for refining the Golden Elixir (Jindan), yet the crucial marvel lies in the shenshui huachi (Spirit Water and Flower Pond, an alchemical term referring to the key foundation upon which the refining of the Golden Elixir depends). I do not know what the shenshui huachi actually is. If one departs from the huachi, can the Golden Elixir still be accomplished? Please give me some instruction so that I may forever dispel my doubts.”

The Master said: “If one departs from the huachi, the Golden Elixir cannot be refined. Even if there are a hundred or a thousand methods, they are all vain and empty. If one grasps the principle of the huachi, one can reach an extremely mysterious and marvelous realm. Therefore the Yellow Emperor, having obtained this method, ascended to the True (attained the Dao and became an immortal), and Ma Ming also attained the Dao because of it. The principle of the huachi has already been explained in detail in the preceding chapter on the Five Phases (Wuxing). The Song of Yuanyangzi says: ‘The shenshui huachi is a secret principle rarely seen in the world; when it is transmitted, it is not allowed to be known by ordinary people. People often take ordinary worldly lead and mercury to analogize it, causing others to believe these claims.’”

Guangxuan said: “I have also seen many Jing say that ‘the Three-Five and the One are the most refined and essential things between Heaven and Earth.’ What does this sentence refer to?”

The Master said: “This has already been explained in detail previously. Now that you ask again about the ‘Three-Five,’ it too belongs to the proper numbers of the Five Phases and is nothing else; originally it is not an ordinary thing of the mundane world. You ought to continue investigating in order to understand the root. Have you not read the ancient song? The song says: ‘Yin Kan vainly confuses the One; Yang Li takes a five-colored form. Not knowing the reason for the Three, one fully embraces the spirit of Wood. To refine the medicine one must thoroughly understand the secret formula; the Mysterious Pass is well-versed in the ancient Jing. If you, sir, accomplish the jade elixir, you will ride the heavenly chariot of five-colored clouds.’”

Guangxuan said: “There are no fewer than tens of thousands of medicinal substances in the world; why is it that only the Golden Liquid Reverted Elixir (Jinye Huandan, an elixir or method of cultivation in Daoist alchemy) can extend years and prolong life, even enabling one to ascend to the True? What is the principle in this?”

The Master said, “You still do not understand. Listen carefully as I explain. No one in the world is born without receiving the Qi (vital energy) of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) that constitute all things. The heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys likewise cannot be separated from the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases. The Returned Elixir (the elixir produced through alchemical refinement) is also like this.”

The Master continued, “The Returned Elixir is a medicine refined by extracting the Jing (essence) and Qi of the Five Phases and containing the spiritual light of all things. It possesses the wondrous efficacy of purple gold and is also called ‘flowing jinye.’ Taking it, how could it fail to make the four limbs strong and the five viscera firm? Naturally one may hope for longevity, and the affinity for transcending the dusty world is thereby accomplished. These principles lie right before our eyes.

“The deluded merely seize upon what an ancient song says: ‘When golden sand enters the five viscera, the medicinal power disperses like wind and rain; steaming permeates the four limbs, making the complexion radiant; the aged recover their prime, old women become youthful; white hair turns black again, fallen teeth regenerate; they are called sons of the True Person, transcending the dusty world and free from the calamity of death.’ From this they suppose they have understood the elixir method.

“Mineral medicines also belong to the Five Phases, yet they cannot on that account be counted as the Great Elixir. If mineral medicines are taken untreated, they harm the body because of their toxicity; after processing by subduing fire (refining and treating medicines with fire methods), they lose their medicinal nature like rubble and can only treat minor ailments. How can they be compared with the Great Elixir? The principle is already clear, and the true root of the elixir method has not been lost.

“Herbal medicines wither and flourish according to the four seasons and can scarcely withstand severe cold; even when different medicinal flavors are combined they merely regulate conditions such as wind-dampness. How can they compare with a supreme medicine such as the Great Elixir? The true methods of the Dao are profound and far-reaching; one must distinguish the genuine from the false in order to understand their depth.”

Guangxuan asked, “Taking the Golden Elixir (Jindan) great medicine can confer longevity and even ascent to heaven. That being so, I do not understand what the world still needs it for.”

The Master said, “How foolish you are! Does the Golden Liquid Returned Elixir (Jinyi Huandan, the elixir of Daoist alchemy) truly have no practical efficacy? This elixir must be refined for a full year, with the fire phases completed over ten months. When the furnace is opened, the purple powder transforms into gold; lifting the lid of the crucible, the Yellow Sprouts (Huangya, the yellow crystals or medicinal substance that appear in the alchemical process) shine and gleam, fully endowed with the five colors as a hundred numinous spirits gather. First use it to transmutate mercury, which immediately becomes gold, serving as verification of the elixir. After ingesting it, the sinews and bones can be permanently strengthened; it can both rescue nature and life and support the family estate. These are by no means empty words.

An ancient song says: ‘Cinnabar, oh cinnabar, it can save nature and life and benefit the family estate; it can save my life and also aid my household.’ The Recluse Tao (generally referring to the Daoist figure Tao Hongjing) also states in the Wang Jiangnan: ‘When the ten months are fulfilled, opening the crucible reveals a mass of red light.’ There are also several flakes resembling leftover snow that contain the five colors; the Spirit Water that Unbinds the Embryo (an alchemical term denoting the marvelous liquid generated during the formation of the elixir) tinkles with crystalline sound, its fragrance rich and wondrous. This is what is called refining the supreme treasure.”

Guangxuan asked: “Besides being subdued by the Yellow Sprouts, this supreme medicine, and transformed into gold, what other medicinal substances can overcome mercury and turn it into a supreme treasure?”

The Master said: “Apart from the Yellow Sprouts as this supreme medicine, how could any of the various other medicinal substances possibly subdue mercury?”

Guangxuan asked again: “Why is it that none of the other medicinal substances can subdue it?”

The Master said: "Mercury (shuiyin) is the purest and most refined substance between Heaven and Earth, and it is also the essential spirit of the five metals. Free flow is its inherent nature, and it does not admit impurities without cause. Hence the common saying: 'There is no false mercury, and no genuine asafoetida.' This speaks to a principle of authenticity, and from it we can see that no other substance may be mixed into it. The Yellow Sprout (Huangya, an alchemical term for the refined essence produced through cultivation) is in essence mercury itself. It absorbs the essence of the Five Phases (Wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and receives pure Yang qi (Qi, vital energy); after the accumulation of months and years, its foundation becomes firm and its Shen (spirit) and Qi complete. When mercury has been refined in this way, what could it fail to accomplish? The Commentary on the Yinfu Jing (Jing, scripture) says: 'The flying rat cuts off the ape's path; the River Chariot subdues the mercury.' If foreign matter is mixed in, the refining cannot be completed. Another verse says: 'The Maiden by the River, wondrous and divine in her spirit; at the touch of fire she scatters in flight, yet takes no stain of dust or dirt. Ghosts hide and dragons conceal themselves, and no one knows where she dwells. If you wish to refine and take her, the Yellow Sprout is the root.' From this, one may understand."

Guangxuan said: "Master, you have not yet heard my full account. Your guidance into these deep and subtle principles has made me wholly understand the Way of the Golden Liquid (the Golden Elixir in liquid form), and I have suddenly grasped the gate of the Dragon and Tiger (an important image in alchemy). For many years I was at sea, grieving in vain over the ten thousand miles of waves; now, here in the mortal world, I have suddenly glimpsed the realm of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest realm revered in Daoism). Although I now know the path to immortality, I pity the people of this world, and so I wish to raise a few further questions, hoping that the Master will point out the road, so that the confused and benighted may all reach the true source. This is the sincere wish of your disciple."

The Master said: "Your name has long been recorded on the Cinnabar Terrace (Dantai, the Daoist register of immortals, or a sacred place). My teaching is deep and subtle, yet there is nothing in it that must be kept secret and withheld. Whenever you ask, I will explain it clearly. Do not harbor doubt and squander your life in vain."

Guangxuan said: "I fear that people of the world do not understand lead and mercury (the two symbolic substances commonly used in alchemy), nor do they comprehend the Five Phases, and so they find it hard to grasp these deep and subtle principles of mine. Whenever you ask, I will explain it clearly. Do not harbor doubt and squander your life in vain."

Guangxuan said: “I worry that people of the world do not understand lead and mercury (important medicinal substances in elixir alchemy) and do not comprehend the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). They take all sorts of yellow minerals to produce mercury, treat eight kinds of ores as the highest-grade elixir, search everywhere for materials such as roasted alum, realgar and orpiment, and even employ magnetite, sal ammoniac, blue vitriol, green vitriol and the like as well. They mistake the miraculous talisman frost for black tin and take the so-called holy medicine ‘Ignorance’ for green salt; they repeatedly refine it with fire and process it by water-flying, guarding the elixir furnace for three years and personally watching the furnace for five years. In the end they exhaust the firewood of the mountain valleys while refining, wear themselves out in body and mind after all their efforts, yet produce nothing and can only blame the elixir formula. I now ask for instruction: in seeking these mineral medicines, among the five kinds of alum, is there ultimately any key substance that can be made into mercury? I earnestly beg the Master to show compassion and point it out.”

The Master said: “The questions asked by people of the world are precisely… and can only blame the elixir formula. I now ask for instruction: in seeking these mineral medicines, among the five kinds of alum, is there ultimately any key substance that can be made into mercury? I earnestly beg the Master to show compassion and point it out.”

The master said: All affairs in the world, even the most minute, must follow the principles of things so that related objects constrain and depend upon one another and take from one another according to like categories before any matter can succeed. If one can thoroughly investigate the principles and regularities within and discover the forms and categories corresponding to the aim, what affair could not be accomplished and what foundation could not be established? The Zhouyi says: “Water flows toward moist places, fire tends toward dry ones; clouds arise following the dragon, wind is born following the tiger; when the sage arises, the ten thousand things become manifest.” This speaks of how things correspond to one another according to principle. Likewise, water can communicate with oils and milk, glue and lacquer complement each other, snow and frost alike congeal—this speaks of the principle of like taking from like. This principle is not difficult to understand.

Mercury is regarded as the soul of gold, the Jing (essence) of the five metals; it shares the same root with lead and the same body with water. According to the mutual generation of the Five Phases (Wuxing), Metal generates Water; only by allowing Qi (vital energy) to be transmitted and Jing produced can the supreme medicine be refined. The methods of refining mercury are endlessly varied, and the world has nothing comparable of the same category. The Taozhi pian says: “Metal is the mother of Water, the mother hidden within the son’s womb; Water is the son of Metal, the son concealed in the mother’s placenta.” This means Metal and Water mutually contain and gestate each other; Water is stored within Metal and born through the workings of creation. The son inherits the father’s body and also lays the foundation for the mother; here it is said that sand arises from Metal and mercury thus flows forth. Nourishing mercury with gold so that it inherits the form of gold and grows accords with the Dao (the Way) of nature and ultimately returns to the subtle and marvelous; this cannot but be pondered deeply.

If one uses drugs of dissimilar categories such as alum to refine it, one violates the nature of Metal, loses the root and transmission of the medicines, cannot revert the elixir, and cannot generate metal-water. This is like making sparrows and gulls nest together, mice and cats share a den, or using glue to mend a pot and lacquer to smear on sores; even exhausting a hundred years, success is utterly impossible.

An ancient song says: “Worldly people love the counterfeit and do not love the genuine, vying to mix mineral drugs into mercury. Old women and maidens turn into smoke and disperse; cengqing and lodestone each draw near to their own kind. Processing alum and chalcanthite, they exhaust their family fortunes; many, arrogant and negligent, finally turn vainly to dust. Only if they encounter an immortal explaining the fundamental principles will they understand: even with white hair they never find the cause of success.” This sufficiently illustrates the point.

Medicinal stones number roughly seventy-two kinds, or more than a hundred in some counts. Ancient people of the Dao distinguished their sour, salty, bitter, and astringent qualities and composed treatises: some after grinding treat the various illnesses of the world; others after cultivation and compounding serve to ward off evil influences. These uses are not equivalent to refining the supreme medicine that confers longevity. Even with other mysterious formulas and the most exhaustive study of refining procedures, they can at best temporarily preserve complexion and hair; how could they long preserve sinews and bones?

Those confused, ignorant, restless, and shallow people of the world wrongly transmit techniques, falsely claiming to speak of the way of immortals. They wish to refine alum together with lead and mercury; some grind and mix with a willow-wood mallet, some add mulberry leaves then boil in vinegar and steam in honey; washing with water or wine often consumes many days. They claim the sealing firmer than iron and stone, the covering unmatched by anyone; yet after three years of refining, only a heap of ashes remains in the furnace and tripod. They then say chickens and dogs offended the medicine furnace, or interference occurred just as the medicine was about to complete, causing the dragon-and-snake transformations to vanish. In truth they do not know their methods fail to accord with principle, yet they place the blame upon the true immortals. Such people are found everywhere in the world.

Still others exhaust every kind of stone under heaven and every variety of alum within the seas, as well as copper essence, iron essence, malachite, and earth-green, depleting their wealth yet achieving nothing. Their minds grow ever more confused, their Shen (spirit) ever more unsettled, yet they do not believe immortal formulas are hard to obtain easily, still less understand that the Great Dao need not be so complicated. They say the numinous elixir is not among humans, that the supreme medicine is born beyond the seas, and so they go to Persia seeking white alum and purple alum, and to the lands of the Huihe seeking diamond and jade powder. After years of wandering and believing all manner of talk, even if they actually obtain these things they are useless. Hair turns white from worry, body and mind suffer, and they even lose their lives. All this because they do not understand the natures of the medicines nor how medicines combine according to category. Alum belongs to the stone category and cannot be the same as Metal; since mercury is said to be the soul of gold, how can mineral drugs be used to refine it?

The so-called supreme medicine is purple gold. It displays five colors, can complete the body and complete gold, and can arise through transformation from a single substance; these five colors correspond precisely to the five viscera. An ancient song also says: “When gold is refined, life can be preserved; if gold is not refined, one merely wastes oneself in vain.” These words are no empty transmission. After the great medicine is refined, the golden liquid changes form; it was originally mercury, so why use drugs such as alum? This is truly like categories mutually requiring and complementing one another. The fundamental principles spoken of earlier, people do not understand, going so far as to fish on the mountain or hunt rabbits in the sea—completely reversed, truly lamentable.

Guangxuan said: Since the Great Medicine is formed by the condensation of Golden Fluid (the essence obtained from elixir refining), alum ought not to be mixed into it. Yet I see that people of the world commonly use the Five Metals (gold, silver, copper, iron, tin and other metals) as vessels to refine and fix mercury. After many years of trying every possible method, none have succeeded, and their efforts have been wasted. What is the reason for this?

The Master replied: The Five Metals are merely mundane substances of the human world and are not the same as the Supreme Medicine. This has already been explained in detail in the Huangya Pian (Chapter on Yellow Sprouts); you should study it carefully. In the art of elixir refining there are profound and hidden methods as well as subtle and mysterious points, all of which must be personally transmitted by a master before one can grasp the principles of the elixir’s transformation. People of the world lightly trust vague talk, merely following ancient formulas and randomly compounding mercury in hopes of obtaining the Supreme Medicine, without knowing that the gestation and transformation of the Five Phases (Wuxing) within it is like a woman carrying a child, while the mutual matching of lead and mercury is like a hen incubating an egg. The ultimate true marvelous Dao (the Way) transforms without limit; even the slightest error will disorder the sequence of changes.

Therefore Tao Zhi’s “Wang Jiangnan” says: “In refining the Returned Elixir the most important thing is personal transmission. If one only believes in old formulas, one will inevitably go astray in the end, turning this way and that without being able to complete it; do not blame the immortals.” The lyric “Pusa Man” also says: “Every household has the medicine of longevity, yet when people of the world take and use it they all get it wrong. The timing is like soaring and descending; I ask you, where will you look for it? Clearly seeing it yet not recognizing it, they insist on seeking it in lead; this thing is not in the Yellow Sprouts, wasting years in vain.” Thinking it over carefully, this principle has indeed already been stated very clearly.

Guangxuan further said: The Master once remarked that the Four Yellows and Eight Stones (a class of mineral medicines used in elixir refining) contain none of the principles of the Great Dao and cannot combine with mercury. Yet I have also seen that this one substance, Dragon-Light Yellow, as soon as it is melted into liquid, can immediately turn mercury into sand. What is the reason for this?

The master said, “You still do not understand; let me explain it carefully to you. Mercury is a body of pure Yin, while sulfur is merely something that possesses the outer form of Yang. When pure Yin is constrained by this false Yang, it will temporarily change form but cannot remain so for long. If it encounters true Yang qi (vital energy) to constrain it, Yin and Yang can remain interdependent from beginning to end; this is the great principle of the operation of Yin-Yang.

“Sulfur is the jing-fluid of alum stone, alum stone is the jing of iron, and magnetite is the root of iron. Cinnabar and magnetite can subdue sulfur, causing it to turn immediately into purple powder; these substances issue from the same source. Sulfur is the descendant of iron, and mercury is the jing-soul of gold. Although the two qi can combine for a time, they ultimately cannot succeed. Only by carefully investigating the principle within can one clearly discern their roots.”

Guangxuan said, “The alum stones the master speaks of cannot subdue mercury, nor can they truly unite with mercury. Yet I have seen that when green vitriol and qing salt are mixed they can process mercury, turning it into powder or a frost-like substance. What is the reason for this?”

The master said, “Mercury is the jing-soul of gold, and green vitriol is the jing of iron. Viewed in terms of the Five Metals as a whole, the two qi of gold and iron issue from the same origin; but if we speak specifically of lead and mercury, iron and copper are quite distant. Therefore, although green vitriol can temporarily turn mercury into powder, when it is further fired and refined the mercury reverts to its original form and in the end still cannot succeed, remaining just as if it had never been subdued.”

The master continued, “Mercury is the jing-soul of gold, and green vitriol is the jing of iron. Viewed in terms of the Five Metals as a whole, the two qi of gold and iron issue from the same origin; but if we speak specifically of lead and mercury, iron and copper are quite distant. Therefore, although green vitriol can temporarily turn mercury into powder, when it is further fired and refined the mercury reverts to its original form and ultimately cannot succeed, the effect being the same as if it had not been subdued.”

Guangxuan said, “Since alum stone is like this, why can qing salt also be used together with alum stone for mercury?”

The master said, “Salt and mercury have no resemblance at all. It is only that when alum stone subdues mercury, salt can help change its color and has no other function. This is like flying and burning pihuang: if a layer of salt is spread over it the color will turn white; if no salt is spread the color will not turn white. This is merely a trivial matter, unrelated to the Great Elixir. You need only investigate the principle thoroughly and your doubts will be dispelled.”

Guangxuan said: “Master, you mentioned that lead, mercury, and the Five Phases (Wuxing) are the foundation for refining the Great Elixir, while all sorts of alum stones and medicinal substances have nothing to do with this. Only by deeply comprehending the principle of Ultimate Truth can one grasp the great principle involved. Yet I have also seen many people collecting large quantities of boys’ urine, repeatedly filtering and pouring it, or boiling and decocting it, extracting the condensed frost-like substance, then clarifying it and straining out the residue, claiming that this is the root of the Five Phases and the origin of the Ultimate Medicine. Some ingest it, while others use it to continue refining cinnabar and mercury. What is the reasoning behind this?”

The master replied: “This is an absurd practice carried out by deluded people. Boys’ urine is simply what forms after a person has eaten food; beyond that, what special quality could it possibly have? If it truly possessed the power to confer longevity and nourish the body, then the urine people excrete every day ought to prolong life, making it unnecessary to go to the trouble of decocting it to extract the residue. Cultivators who foolishly treat this substance as something that can extend years are truly confused. Those who have strayed from the true Dao do not understand the genuine principle; even after decoction and refinement, the result is nothing more than a powdery frost, little different from ordinary salt crystals—how could it ever transform into the Ultimate Medicine? One must carefully investigate the principle at work and not believe the claims of ordinary folk. The Three Islands (legendary immortal mountains) are not distant, nor are the Nine Heavens (the celestial realm) beyond reach.”

Guangxuan continued: “I have also seen many people gathering mulberry firewood ash to decoct and refine, saying that it is the foundation of the Ultimate Medicine and can be used to refine cinnabar, mercury, and Zengqing (a mineral medicine employed in Daoist Waidan, or external alchemy). When asked for their basis, they cite the Song of Yin the Perfected Lord, which states: ‘The dragon resides in the Zhen position corresponding to six and eight.’ Six times eight equals forty-eight, which they take as the numerical value of the character ‘sang’ (mulberry). They also quote a verse: ‘Gather it before the silkworms eat, refine it after transmutation by fire.’ They further mention Fan, Cao, Yuanxu, and the turtle that descended bearing the quality of a sage, regarding this as the root of the Great Medicine rather than any other substance. What exactly is the principle here? Please explain it once more, Master.”

The Master said, “The fundamental principle of the Great Elixir—the elixir method pursued in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) or Waidan (external alchemy)—has already been explained with great clarity in the preceding discussion, and contains no falsehood or error. What is called ‘mulberry firewood ash’ is merely a device for confusing people; it is also a notion passed from fool to fool, utterly without foundation. The Song of True Lord Yin states: ‘The dragon occupies the Zhen position corresponding to six-eight; the tiger’s number originally arises in the first palace.’ The ‘forty-eight’ spoken of there refers to the number of the Great Medicine and may also indicate directional positions; it does not allude to the character for ‘mulberry.’ Ordinary people, failing to grasp the principle, arbitrarily take empty and illusory things as the genuine medicine, just as a deer chases sunlight or a monkey scoops the moon’s reflection from the water—in the end they obtain nothing and only squander their mental energy.

“The Great Medicine consists entirely of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and contains no other ingredients. Even if alum stone is added, it still cannot be refined into elixir. Still farther from the true principle is the practice of treating mulberry wood or purple-colored substances as elixir materials. The Cantong qi says: ‘A solitary rabbit does not nurse a horse; swallows and sparrows do not give birth to a phoenix.’ This is precisely the meaning.”

Guangxuan said, “I have also seen people of the world often collect the fumes from the Ao Tu, declaring them the essence of wood and assigning them to the position of the Azure Dragon. They then cite the Song of Yuanyangzi: ‘To know that cinnabar is the essence of wood, shift it to the western position and unite it with metal. Where do the deluded seek dragon and tiger? In the midst of vagueness the inquiry is the obscure and remote.’ They suppose the verse refers to those very fumes.

“Others seek the well salt of Yongzhou, or else use Taiyin Xuanjing (the mysterious essence of Great Yin, a Daoist alchemical term denoting substances of a yin nature), matching it to the White Tiger as its emblem, and they quote the mnemonic: ‘Lu Yi joined in attachment, the force of three mouths; forty multiplied, then mutually guarded. The central field may nourish eleven persons; horizontal eyes below gaze left and right.’ They claim this is the way of the true dragon and true tiger. What, then, is the key to the Great Elixir? How are these statements to be understood? I beg the Master to instruct me.”

The Master said, “The ultimate true and marvelous Dao is not distant; it is only that people of the world cannot perceive it. Absurd talk is easy to recognize, yet the ignorant remain long beguiled by it. Therefore only by setting ignorance and wisdom in contrast with each other can one clearly discern the root of the Great Elixir.”

The Master said: The truly subtle and mysterious Dao (the Way) is not far away; it is simply that people of the world cannot see it. Absurd words are easy to recognize, yet the ignorant are often confused and fail to understand. Therefore the wise and the foolish are distinct from one another, and jade cannot be mixed up with ordinary stones—this is truly something to be regretted and pitied.

The so-called “supreme medicine” is something spiritually animated, thoroughly penetrating, and capable of transformation: above, it can grant access to the name-registers of the immortal realm; below, it can extend a person’s lifespan. Those who obtain it naturally understand the principles of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water); those who lose it remain forever obscured by the myriad phenomena. Once the Golden Elixir (Jindan) is refined to completion, poverty and illness can be forever eliminated.

As for things such as soot, dust, and dark essence, they are merely lifeless, dead objects of this world, no different from tiles and rubble. Burning and refining them cannot generate blood and Qi (vital energy); the more one refines them, the more Jing (essence), Qi, and Shen (spirit) are depleted. How, then, could they undergo transformation and be refined into the Great Elixir? The principle is clearly right before our eyes, yet people of the world cannot see it. Therefore the Song of Yuanyangzi says: “Only the true dragon and true tiger are truly kindred substances.” The saying that “the essence of Wood resides in the West” refers to the wondrous principle of Yin and Yang mutually nourishing each other—how could it be speaking of soot, dust, minerals, and the like?

Yuanyangzi was originally a person of penetrating understanding, not one of the ignorant. How could he use the words of an enlightened person to confuse stubborn and dull minds? To interpret his verses as empty and absurd is a grave error indeed. The so-called dragon and tiger are the original substance of the Returned Elixir, and also the key to lead and mercury; the immortals all understand this principle, and what the scriptures say is not wrong.

The Inscription on the Golden Elixir says: “The true position of cinnabar is originally not in the place of redness; arranged according to the four seasons, it occupies the position of the South.” The South belongs to Bing-Ding Fire, so cinnabar appears red in form; mercury extracted from cinnabar belongs to Jia-Yi Wood of the East, and its image thus corresponds to the Azure Dragon. The original nature of black lead is not black; it contains within it an essence like jade, possesses the De (Virtue/Power) of the Five Phases, and belongs to Ren-Gui Water of the North, so its outward form is black; the Jing-Qi extracted from lead belongs to Geng-Xin Metal of the West, its color is white, and its image thus corresponds to the White Tiger.

There is also a verse that says: “If the Five Phases do not operate according to their usual sequence, the dragon is born from fire; when one applies the technique of reversing the Five Phases, the tiger appears from water.” The Rhapsody on the Office of the Golden Elixir also says: “Fire turns eastward and becomes the dragon; water turns westward and becomes the tiger.” The Song of Li Bingchan says: “The Great Yin resides in the South, the Great Yang dwells in the North; the Wood within Fire is called mercury, the Metal within Water is called lead. Refine them in the vessel of the Central Palace, and cause them to unite according to the principle of like assisting like; Yin Qi comes and goes, stirring Yang Qi into motion, with the dragon and tiger as verification.”

The dragon and tiger within the Divine Elixir possess spiritual nature—how could one place lifeless things such as soot, dust, minerals, and dark essence on a par with the supreme medicine? Upon repeated reflection and examination, this principle cannot possibly be wrong. Do not believe the words of foolish people, lest you be confused and stray from the true Dao.

Guangxuan said: “The Dao (the Way) of the reverted elixir that you have explained, Master, has already fully set forth its profound and mysterious principles. I have heard that in former times the King of Huainan refined the ‘Autumn Stone,’ producing a supreme medicine which, when ingested, enabled him to ascend to heaven and become an immortal, yet I do not know what the Autumn Stone actually is. The elixir scriptures also frequently mention the title ‘Saint Unknowing’; people of the world say it refers to green salt, but I do not know whether this is so. I earnestly request that you, Master, resolve my doubts.”

The Master replied: “The Autumn Stone refined by Liu An, King of Huainan, is none other than the Great Elixir itself; no other medicinal substances were used. A single thing often has many names, and the sages likewise name things differently according to the times. ‘Green Golden Tiger’ refers to the elixir’s original color of congealed white; among the Five Phases (wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) its directional position belongs to the West and corresponds to autumn, hence this designation. It is also identical with names such as ‘Yellow Sprout’ and ‘River Chariot’ for the elixir.

“‘Saint Unknowing’ is likewise not some other medicinal substance, but the inner substance of the elixir itself, the profound key of lead and mercury (important symbolic substances in elixir alchemy). When the Qi (vital energy) of the Five Phases mutually constrain and harmonize, it generates bodily form; when the myriad phenomena gather and constitute a complete form, the blood vessels too receive nourishment. Immortals seeking the true Dao still find it difficult to know fully, and sages pondering it cannot fathom it, therefore it is called ‘Saint Unknowing.’ It has no other path, and is certainly not green salt; to identify it as green salt is a misunderstanding of worldly people.”

Guangxuan said further: “What you have spoken of, Master, concerning the medicinal substance combining with the Five Phases to form a body, encompassing the myriad phenomena with form and Shen (spirit) complete, lead and mercury interacting, tiger and dragon mutually containing and gestating; after ingestion it can make the five viscera firm and the skin moist; used in refining, it can subdue mercury and transmute it into gold, transforming poverty and relieving others. What principle do these things speak of? Why is it called the ‘Great Reverted Divine Elixir’? And which immortal first awakened to this wondrous Dao?”

The Master said: Gold is generated from Water, and mercury (quicksilver) is the Jing (essence) and po of gold. In accordance with the generating relationships of the Five Phases (wuxing), they issue from one and the same root, yet even after ten thousand years they still cannot spontaneously unite as one. Lingyangzi was originally a sage of the Taichu era and a lofty adept of high antiquity. Having grasped this root, he secretly transmitted it as a mysterious method of the Dao.

Therefore in cultivation one matches South with North and West with East, so that the four directions combine with one another without departing from the central way. After circulating the fire timing for a full year and opening the furnace in the tenth month, the seven returns are completed without loss and the nine restorations likewise attain fullness. When the dragon soars and the hun returns, the tiger conceals itself and the po resumes its place, this is called the “Marvelous Formula of Purple Gold” and the “Divine Elixir of Seven Returns.”

An ancient verse says: “Nine restorations, seven returns, three and five returning to one; dragon and tiger conjoin and enter the spirit chamber. Fierce fire in the ash pool refines the essences of heaven and earth, and the work of the golden-liquid returning elixir is thereby completed.” Terms such as “fire timing,” “opening the furnace,” and “dragon and tiger” are all technical expressions in Neidan (internal alchemy) that describe the pairing of the medicines and the process of refining and nourishing.

Guangxuan said, “Master, you have opened the path leading to the Heavenly Dao, elucidated the profound gates of the Dao, recounted the arts that confer immortality, and indicated the methods of longevity, enabling people to distinguish true from false and to understand right from wrong. Now I still have some doubts that I need to consult you about.

“I see many people in the world gathering herbs in the hope of refining them into mercury. They regard Lingnan as not distant and the northern frontiers as if they were just outside the door, collecting medicinal plants and plucking fragrant branches everywhere. Baskets are filled with red celery, lettuce and the like; crates are piled high with zhangliu, houseleek and similar plants. Some pound the herbs to pieces and then fry them in oil and boil them in water for a long time; others take earth-gall and extract its juice, also gathering Tian Gong grass, washing it and discarding the roots; they mix human amaranth together with horse amaranth and use gentian along with dodder. They have not yet refined any sand, yet they already eagerly hope to obtain gold. People of this sort are as numerous as hemp and ants; they exhaust their wealth, tax their minds and bodies, and in the end achieve nothing at all, then they blame Heaven and Earth. They do not know how this matter ought to be viewed. I earnestly request the Master to explain in detail so that I will not remain confused and waste my spirit in vain.”

The Master said, “Although human beings belong to one kind, there exist all sorts of dullness and intelligence; each person is endowed differently and their natures also vary. The intelligent and the foolish…”

The Master said: Although people all belong to the same kind, they differ in foolishness and intelligence. Their innate endowments are not the same, and their temperaments also vary. Intelligent people can grasp the principles in their hearts, while foolish people cannot see them clearly even when the principles are placed right before their eyes. This is like cloud Qi rising to the heavens while tiles and rubble remain on the ground: the cloud Qi cannot be pressed down, and the tiles and rubble cannot be lifted high. Since human foolishness or intelligence is like this, how can it be easily changed?

Mercury is generated by means of Yin Qi (vital energy) and is the Jing (essence) of mysterious water (a Daoist alchemical term for the refined essence of mercury). It takes ten thousand years to form and, when combined with the five metals, becomes their hun and po souls. It is heavier than gold, of a pure and unsullied quality that admits no contamination by dust. These characteristics all lie plainly in view—what is there that is difficult to see?

Herbs grow in spring, flourish in summer, wither in autumn, and perish in winter. Their branches and leaves lack firmness, and their roots and stems cannot last long. After processing they readily turn into foam; after burning they are nothing but ashes. To claim that herbs can be coagulated and refined into mercury is to speak of a difference as vast as that between heaven and earth. This is enough to show that ignorant people greedy for profit delude the world by asserting that herbs can yield mercury; such claims are entirely empty and false.

Some in Hebei say that such herbs exist in the Three Wu region, while others in Lingnan say they can be produced in the Two Shu area. These are all unfounded rumors that do not accord with actual principles. Such talk has been passed down from generation to generation, and the errors are truly lamentable. The wise can naturally distinguish the truth, while the foolish have no way to comprehend it.

Guangxuan said: Having heard the Master’s instruction, I now understand the principle. The color of a pine pavilion is obvious to the eye, and the shapes of jade and ordinary stone are utterly distinct. All confused thoughts have vanished, and obstructed ideas have been instantly resolved. Still, I do not yet know whether herbs can actually be coagulated into mercury.

The Master said: Hair growing on a turtle, whether long or short; horns growing on a rabbit’s head, whether fine or not—these things are simply impossible.

Guangxuan said: “Medicines formed from plants and herbs are originally as rare and hard to obtain as turtle hairs or rabbit horns. Those able to cultivate with them and thereby transcend the world are all hermits who have risen above mundane dust and extraordinary figures of the mountain wilds. Some have gone many years without eating the five grains; others have cultivated authenticity for years and long since been enrolled in the registers of the immortals. Their Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) are abundant and can be firmly held in the upper, middle, and lower Dantians (energy centers). Therefore taking the medicines proves efficacious and the herbs display their effects. This may be called inner cultivation corresponding with outer medicines, both inner and outer work having reached completion—how then could they fail to extend years, benefit life, and transcend the dusty world?

“As for ordinary people, they neither understand the Great Dao (the Way) nor grasp the genuine methods of cultivation. Their greedy desires never cease and their pursuits know no end. They imagine that accumulating jade and stones can lengthen lifespan or that piling up gold can retain the years, yet they only indulge in arrogance and self-satisfaction, constantly seeking luxury: not a day without craving fine flavors, not a moment without loving splendid clothes. The Qi of the seven orifices continually dissipates and the three Dantians cannot be stabilized. Even if ten thousand miraculous medicines were at hand, taking them would be wasted effort; even consuming the Nine-Turn Divine Elixir (the repeatedly refined Golden Elixir) would likely bring no benefit. Such people are truly pitiable, yet there is no way to help them. You need only follow what I have taught and you will certainly obtain the Great Dao.”

Guangxuan continued: “The Golden Flower Great Dao and the Divine Water Mysterious Gate—those who receive their true transmission may ride a white deer westward to Kunling; those with the affinity to encounter this Way may mount a green ox and gaze eastward toward Fusang. Once cultivation is complete, one can last as long as Heaven and Earth and correspond to the transformations of rivers. Unexpectedly, during a casual journey I chanced to meet a true person who had attained the Dao. He did not withhold the profound and mysterious arts of cultivation simply because I am a mundane and ignorant person; his explanations were precise to the last detail, with not the slightest omission.

“Yin Jun formerly transmitted the true writings and is indeed worthy of being honored as a teacher by later generations. Taishang Laojun restoring Xu Jia to life was likewise a profound kindness. This grace is more than I can bear, and upon reflection my gratitude is inexhaustible. Now I wish to gather the medicines needed for alchemy, prepare all the materials, and carefully study, fire, and refine them in this mountain. I do not know what deeper meaning you attach to my intention. Please offer further guidance; I am willing to follow your teachings.”

The Master said: “This mysterious and wondrous art of the Dao (the Way) is exceedingly rare in the world. Since you have been able to comprehend it in its entirety, you must strictly keep it secret. Do not discuss it with those who have no connection to it, and do not associate with people who are not in accord with the Dao. The slightest negligence in leaking the heavenly secrets and casually transmitting it to those unworthy of receiving it will not only bring calamity upon your seven generations of ancestors, but will also invite your own destruction. You must treasure and conceal this secret method and not treat it as an ordinary matter.

“Although this mountain is famous, it is too close to a great metropolis. Now that warfare has just broken out, weapons of war are everywhere, the world is in turmoil, and the Central Plains have been trampled. Armies frequently pass through this area, and the common people have scattered to hide. How could this be a suitable place for refining precious medicines and cultivating the divine elixir? The Wu-Yue region has many deep mountains, and Jiang-Zhe also possesses numerous blessed lands, such as Mount Luofu, Mao Ridge, Mount Lu, and Mount Tiantai. At present these places are all peaceful and undisturbed; they are where the multitude of sages take refuge and where the worthy dwell. You may select a secluded, profound, and scenically outstanding location to cultivate the Great Medicine and refine the Golden Elixir (Jindan). In this way you will surely avoid demonic obstacles and ultimately ascend the path to the heavenly realms. What I have said contains no error; you should follow it without doubt.”

Guangxuan said: “This disciple is of humble origin, like an insignificant being beyond Heaven, Earth, and the ten thousand things. I have been practicing the regulation of breath and the circulation of Qi (vital energy), yet have not attained purity and maturity. Within the upper, middle, and lower three Dantians (energy centers), I have never yet encountered the Mysterious Pearl (the key symbol in Neidan [internal alchemy] cultivation). I have almost wasted a hundred years in vain, never expecting suddenly to meet a true sage. The doubts in my heart have been dispelled, the path leading to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest heavenly realms venerated in Daoism) has suddenly opened through, and the meritorious work of the Golden Fluid (the essence in Neidan cultivation) has finally become clear. Your kindness is as deep as the ocean, your virtue as heavy as mountains; I do not know how this humble and lowly life can repay it.”

The Master said: “You have the affinity to meet with me. All the profound and mysterious Dao that I have mastered I shall transmit to you. I observe that worldly human affairs are chaotic and entangled, the path of human life is hurried; people do not know that they themselves are as fleeting as morning dew, yet they only greedily seek glory, wealth, and official stipends.”

The Master said: “That you and I have been able to meet is a matter of karmic affinity. All the profound and mysterious Dao (the Way) that I have mastered I now entrust entirely to you. I see worldly affairs in turmoil and people rushing about on the roads, unaware that the body is as fleeting as morning dew, yet they greedily pursue glory, wealth, and official salary; nor do they realize that life is as fragile as a lamp flame in the wind, and they devote themselves solely to making a living. Such people I truly pity. You need only record the principles I have explained and the teachings I have transmitted to you, spread them throughout the world, help those of karmic affinity, and guide the multitude—this will suffice to repay my kindness; I seek nothing else. You too must concentrate on cultivation and soon ascend the immortal path. Within the gourd there are sun and moon of their own; the scenery of heaven and earth in the grotto-heavens is also greatly different from that of the mundane world. Do not linger long attached to the splendors of the human world. Listen carefully, and stay away from those who are unsuitable.”

Upon hearing this, Guangxuan wept, bowed twice, and stood to one side.

The Master asked: “When you were at sea, did you ever drink Mysterious Wine (Xuanjiu, a wine of mysterious significance in Daoist narratives)?” Guangxuan replied: “I am merely an ordinary person of the mundane world and have never encountered it.” The Master then took a gourd ladle from his bamboo staff and had Guangxuan go to a mountain stream to fetch water. Guangxuan descended the mountain, drew water from a rocky spring, and brought it before the Master. The Master took the ladle, poured half the water onto the ground leaving only half, then produced a pill about the size of a bean, reddish-purple in color, placed it in the ladle, and plugged the mouth of the ladle with a tree leaf. He sat upon a rock among the trees, and after a long while the contents of the ladle transformed into wine. The wine was reddish-purple, its fragrance assailing the nostrils, quite unlike ordinary wine of the world. The Master first drank one cup, then had Guangxuan drink all that remained.

After Guangxuan had finished drinking, he immediately felt his Shen (spirit) clear and his Qi (vital energy) refreshed, the joints of his four limbs relaxed and open, and the sensations of his body different from the ordinary, as if he had transcended the dusty world. He bowed once more in thanks to the Master, then stood to one side.

The Master said: “The sky has already grown late; you return to your lodging first. I am weary and intend to go to the rear mountain, and shall stay in a thatched hut on the southern face of the peak, near the water. If you have free time, you may come find me.”

Guangxuan said, “This disciple has some free time and would like to escort the Master back to your residence. May I?”

The Master replied, “I am already tired, and I imagine you are weary as well. You go back first and come over the mountain to find me tomorrow.” With that, he took his bamboo staff and walked southward, his steps as swift as flight. Although a small path led onward, Guangxuan gazed from afar and saw the Master, like a wisp of cloud, cross over the mountain ridge and vanish in an instant.

Guangxuan looked with melancholy in the direction of the Master’s departure, returned to the mountain temple, and did not sleep all night. At first light he followed the path the Master had taken, finding it unobstructed all the way to the southern face of the peak. There the path ended; pine branches and hanging vines blotted out the sky, the sounds of mountain streams mingled with the cries of apes, white clouds drifted with flying birds, and not a single human figure was to be seen. He could only gaze vainly at the southern cliff. Only then did Guangxuan understand that the Master was no ordinary person dwelling in the mundane world. He stood there for a long time, filled with melancholy and sorrow, yet with nowhere to seek him. He therefore returned to his lodging, wrote down the secret essentials the Master had taught, and circulated them in the world, hoping to find like-minded worthy gentlemen who would study them with care.

The Formula of a Hundred Questions on the Golden Liquid Returning Elixir is complete.

[Collation note] The character “cai” originally appeared as “jian”; it has been emended according to the Haike Lun.