《周易参同契注(储华谷)》

The Commentary on The Token for Joining the Three According to the Zhou Changes, annotated by Chu Huagu, is included in The Daoist Canon of China: Daoist Studies of the Changes and comprises three volumes. The original title credits Chu Huagu as commentator, though the period in which he lived is unknown. The base text comes from the Taixuan section of the Orthodox Daoist Canon, collated against the Wenyuange edition of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries text of Zhu Xi’s An Examination of Variants in The Token for Joining the Three According to the Zhou Changes.

The Token for Joining the Three According to the Zhou Changes, Volume One

Annotated by Chu Huagu

Qian and Kun are the gateways of the Changes and the parents of all the hexagrams. Kan and Li form its framework, like the axle and hub of a wheel, turning at the center.

The Changes is formed through the union of Qian and Kun. Yin and Yang move back and forth, opening and closing as they transform; hence they are called “gateways.” Qian and Kun interweave to produce the sixty-four hexagrams; hence they are called “parents.” Kan contains the Yin nature of Kun, while Li contains the Yang nature of Qian. Together, Kan and Li form the framework for the transformations of Yin and Yang. They reside within Qian and Kun, and the movement of their central lines is like an axle turning a wheel hub.

The four hexagrams Qian, Kun, Kan, and Li are the crucial pivots through which Yin and Yang unite and give birth to the myriad things. The central lines within the myriad things embody the subtle workings of Qian and Kun. Thus, one must hold the transformations at the center and thereby regulate their outward movement.

The above explains the substances used in alchemical cultivation.

The numbers governing transformation are arranged according to musical pitch standards, the calendar, and numerical reckoning. The seasonal markers of each month are divided into periods of five or six days, and the changing warp and woof of Yin and Yang are all regulated according to the sun’s course. Together, the sixty hexagrams are arranged in sequence, with firmness and yielding each assigned their inner and outer positions. At dawn on the first day of each month, the hexagram Tun takes charge; by evening, Meng succeeds it. One hexagram governs the day and another the night, taking turns in sequence. The hexagrams Jiji and Weiji continue the cycle until the end of the month and the break of dawn. When one cycle ends, it begins again.

A month consists of thirty days. Each pair of hexagrams governs one day, so together they correspond to sixty hexagrams. The two hexagrams have twelve lines in all: six yang lines and six yin lines. This corresponds to the twelve double-hours, the twelve tones of the pitch pipes, the twelve months of the calendar, and the twelve-year cycle of the calendar. The sequence begins with “Sprouting” (Zhun) and “Enveloping” (Meng), ends with “Already Fulfilled” (Jiji) and “Not Yet Fulfilled” (Weiji), and then repeats.

This chapter takes the month as its scope and explains how to arrange the firing times in alchemical practice.

The cycle is set by the days and their cyclical signs, and both action and quiet abiding must attend to the early and late hours. In spring and summer, follow the inner movement, from the hour of Zi through Chen and Si. In autumn and winter, follow the outer application, from Wu through Xu and Hai. Rewards and punishments correspond to spring and autumn; darkness and brightness accord with cold and heat. The statements attached to the hexagram lines express benevolence and righteousness, which should appear as joy or sternness in keeping with the season. By following the four seasons in this way, the movements of the Five Phases each find their proper order.

The twelve double-hours correspond to the climatic changes of the twelve months. The periods from Zi through Chen and Si, and from Wu through Xu and Hai, divide the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang represented by the winter and summer solstices. Rewards and punishments correspond to the spring and autumn equinoxes, while the benevolence and righteousness expressed in the line statements correspond to the balance of penal measures and virtuous governance at those equinoxes.

This chapter takes a single day as its scope and explains how to arrange the firing times in alchemical practice.

Heaven and Earth each occupy their place, and the Changes operate between them. The Heaven and Earth spoken of here are the hexagrams Qian and Kun. “Establishing their places” means that Yin and Yang each take their position and work in coordination. The Changes here refers to the hexagrams Kan and Li. Kan and Li embody the activity of Qian and Kun. They are not fixed in any particular line position, but flow through the places represented by all six lines. Their comings and goings have no fixed location, and their upward and downward movements follow no constant pattern. Hidden deep within, they rise and descend in transformation, encompassing the myriad things. They are the guiding principles by which the Dao operates.

The Changes uses the transformations of the sun and moon as symbols. Here, “the Changes” refers to the Kan and Li trigrams. Their middle lines embody the wondrous workings of the Qian and Kun trigrams. Yin-Yang Qi advances and recedes, rises and falls along the six lines, so changes in the middle lines are central to the transformations of Daoist cultivation. Kan and Li alone contain the central Qi of Qian and Kun; human beings, too, are born receiving the central Qi of Heaven and Earth.

This chapter explains the essential nature of Kan and Li through their middle lines.

Only by using emptiness to govern what is full can a vessel serve its purpose: because its interior is empty, it can hold things. Following this principle through the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang, Kan and Li, too, can fade away and become invisible.

A vessel is useful because it is hollow, so the empty Li can contain the full Kan. Li’s emptiness belongs to “nonbeing,” while Kan’s fullness belongs to “being.” When Li’s central Yin line changes into Kan’s central Yang line, the result is the pure Yang Qian trigram, and Kan and Li lose their original forms. Thus, the function of Kan and Li as vessels depends on emptiness. Following the changes in Yin and Yang’s waxing and waning, Kan and Li eventually disappear.

All these changes arise from the wondrous workings of the middle lines. They show that the transformations of the Changes operate through the union of Yin and Yang.

This chapter explains the functions of Kan and Li through their union and generative relationship.

Statements should not be made up at will, nor arguments produced from nothing. Evidence must be cited, results observed, and the conclusions tested against the standard of spiritual illumination. Compare things of the same kind, analyze the structure of the written characters, and verify your understanding by investigating the underlying principles. Kan contains Wu Earth, symbolizing the essence of the moon; Li contains Ji Earth, symbolizing the radiance of the sun. Together, the sun and moon are called “Changes,” with hardness and softness paired together. Earth is strong in each of the four seasons and connects the beginning and end of things. Blue-green, red, white, and black each correspond to one of the four directions, yet all receive the Qi of the central palace. This is the function of Wu and Ji.

Kan and Li can unite, and the sun and moon can come together, because Kan contains Wu and Li contains Ji. Wu and Ji represent what occupies the center. They also show Yin and Yang rising and descending within, regulating outward changes from the center. In this way, the transformations of the Changes operate within them.

This chapter also touches on the essential nature of the substances used in cultivation.

The Changes is a system of symbols. Among the things suspended in the heavens and shining brightly, none are more significant than the sun and moon. Only by probing what is hidden and subtle can one understand transformation. When Yang Qi withdraws, Yin Qi arrives.

The Yi is a book about taking images as models. Nothing in the sky displays the changes of light more clearly than the sun and moon. From the ceaseless patterns of their movements, we can understand subtle changes: as Yang Qi withdraws, Yin Qi arrives; Yin and Yang gather and disperse like spokes at the hub of a turning wheel, alternately expanding and contracting.

At dawn on the new moon, the Zhen trigram, which symbolizes the first stirring of Yang Qi, appears and responds to the timing of Heaven. At this moment, Heaven and Earth conceive Jing and Qi, while the sun and moon meet. The masculine Yang spreads the mysterious breath; the feminine Yin transforms and nourishes the yellow body of Kun. Yin and Yang mingle and join, laying the foundations for the myriad things. Jing and Qi move through the body and nourish its form, allowing Shen to gather and take shape. All kinds of life arise in this way, even tiny insects and ants.

From the meeting of the sun and moon, we can grasp how Kan and Li join and give birth. From the Zhen trigram responding to Heaven’s timing, we can see the moment when a single Yang returns. Kan belongs to Water and symbolizes masculine Yang. Its Yang line contains the Yang of Qian and conveys Heaven’s mysterious Qi to Li. Li belongs to Fire and symbolizes feminine Yin. It transforms the Yin line at its center, turning Kun’s yellow body into the body of Qian.

This chapter explains the principles of advancing the firing process in alchemy and the union of Yin and Yang.

Thus Confucius praised the original state of Heaven and Earth, before differentiation, and explained the vast yet still and empty Virtue of Qian and Kun. Looking back to antiquity, he called it the Sovereign of Primordial Beginning; the poem “Guanju” portrays the beginning of relations between men and women. Marriage joins Yin and Yang Qi, allowing primordial Qi to arise and grow.

The meeting of the sun and moon is Heaven and Earth conceiving Jing and Qi. Human beings and all things are born from the Jing and Qi conceived by Heaven and Earth. In the Yi, Confucius explained how the union of men and women gives rise to the myriad things. In the Book of Songs, he established the beginning of the human relationship between husband and wife, showing how Yin and Yang attract each other.

This chapter explains the medicinal substances.

Sages do not appear from nowhere. They observe celestial signs and understand Heaven’s response to its timing. Heaven’s timing advances and recedes, and the changes by which all things bend and stretch move in response.

To observe the Way of Heaven and follow its course means to understand that the alchemical firing process described by the Yi trigrams must accord with the advances and retreats of Heaven’s timing. The next chapter will discuss this in detail.

The Changes (the Zhouyi) encompasses the patterns of Heaven and Earth’s movement, while the Return hexagram marks the first stirring of Yang Qi. The eldest son, represented by the Zhen trigram, inherits the nature of his father, represented by the Qian trigram, and relies on his mother, represented by the Kun trigram, to establish his foundation. The waxing and waning of Yin and Yang correspond to the rising and falling of the pitch pipes and follow the turning of the pivot of the Northern Dipper.

On the third day of the lunar month, the moon shows a faint light. It corresponds to the Zhen trigram, receives the position of Geng, and lies in the west. On the eighth day, it corresponds to the Dui trigram and receives the position of Ding. The moon is then at first quarter, its shape straight and level like a taut cord. On the fifteenth day, the image of the Qian trigram takes shape: the moon is full, corresponding to the position of Jia in the east. The toad and Jade Rabbit in the moon symbolize the shared brightness of the Qi of the sun and moon. The toad’s eyes change with the hexagram’s phases, while the Jade Rabbit breathes forth new light.

The Return hexagram reveals the root of life’s vitality in Heaven and Earth; its corresponding solar term is the winter solstice. Among the signs of the seasons, none is more subtle than the first emergence of Yang. Yang Qi begins with a single Yang line; Yin and Yang then alternate in their growth and decline until Yang reaches its fullness, corresponding to the position of Jia in the east. The toad and Jade Rabbit in the moon symbolize the shared brightness of the Qi of the sun and moon: the toad’s eyes change with the hexagram’s phases, while the Jade Rabbit breathes forth new light.

Yin and Yang each have six lines, waxing and waning in turn to accord with the twelve pitch pipes. Their bending and extending, rising and descending, correspond to the rotation of the Northern Dipper’s pivot. When the first line of the Kun hexagram changes, it becomes the Zhen hexagram; thus it is said that Zhen depends on Kun for its birth. This teaching comes from Fuxi’s Earlier Heaven arrangement of the trigrams.

This chapter discusses the timing of the movement of Yang Fire.

After the hexagram changes of the seventh and eighth days are complete, the moon gradually wanes, its curved shape sinking lower. On the sixteenth day, the next phase begins: the Xun trigram corresponds to the position of Xin, symbolizing daybreak, while the Gen trigram corresponds to the position of Bing in the south. The twenty-third day is the last quarter. On the thirtieth day, the moon corresponds to the Kun trigram and the position of Yi in the northeast, and its light is extinguished. The phases of Yin and Yang follow one another in succession, cycling without end, as new Yang Qi rises again like a dragon.

This chapter discusses the timing of the movement of the Yin Talisman.

Ren and Gui pair with Jia and Yi; Qian and Kun govern the whole course from beginning to end. Seven and eight sum to fifteen, and nine and six also correspond to one another. Together, the four numbers make thirty; once Yang Qi is exhausted, it lies hidden. The eight trigrams are arranged in sequence and reveal their radiance, shifting with the course of time while never losing their centered balance.

Ren and Jia correspond to Qian; Yi and Gui correspond to Kun. Seven, eight, nine, and six are the completed numbers of the Five Phases in the Luo Shu. Their values combine to make fifteen: fifteen corresponds to the three lines of the Qian trigram, and fifteen to the three lines of the Kun trigram. Together, they also correspond to the ten Heavenly Stems. The Sun and Moon move and meet once every ten days, repeating this cycle without end. The Eight Trigrams are arranged in the four directions, and the Sun, Moon, and stars move accordingly without straying from the center. This refers to the twenty-eight lunar mansions distributed across the eight directions, with the Northern Dipper revolving in the center of the sky. The boundaries between Yin and Yang changes in the firing times used for alchemical cultivation must likewise not be transgressed. “Center” here refers to the solar terms of the winter and summer solstices.

This chapter discusses the Na Jia firing times: the use of correspondences between the trigrams of the Yi and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to determine the firing times and timing for alchemical cultivation.

The Dao of Heaven is subtle and mysterious, and cannot be observed directly. One must therefore infer its measures and verify them through signs. Observe celestial phenomena in daily life and compare them with their forms; set up a gnomon and measure its shadow as a standard for judgment, using this to determine the auspicious and inauspicious times of the seasons. Issue instructions in accordance with the seasons, without missing the moment when a trigram line stirs. Look upward to examine the patterns of the Yellow River Chart, downward to study the lay of the land and the flow of water, and also take human affairs into account, considering Heaven, Earth, and humanity together as the Three Powers. In action, follow the rhythms indicated by the trigrams; in stillness, rely on the image statements of the Yi. By applying the way of Qian and Kun, the world can be governed. How could one fail to exercise care?

The Dao of Heaven is profound and remote, beyond easy scrutiny, so the images of the Yi’s trigrams must be used to understand it. Setting up a gnomon and observing celestial cycles is precisely a way to avoid missing the moment when a line moves. This refers to the moment when the first Yang is born: one must grasp the pivotal instant of its stirring and act in accordance with the timing, so that Kan and Li can join and the pure Yang body of Qian can be refined. The Northern Dipper revolves near the celestial pole, revealing the changes of Heaven’s Dao through advance and retreat, flexion and extension. The tides change with the Moon’s waxing and waning, showing the patterns of Earth’s movement. When the time comes to close the passes and merchants cease traveling, this reflects how people respond to the seasons. Whether in movement or stillness, one follows the principles of the Yi; this explains the importance of grasping the moment when a line moves.

This chapter gives a general account of Yin Talisman and Yang Fire—the principles governing the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang and the application of the firing times. The next chapter explains specifically how to regulate the firing times when Yang first comes to life.

“The beginning of governing” refers to the hour of the Rat, when Yang energy first stirs and Kan and Li—the trigrams representing Water and Fire, Yin and Yang—come together. “Enclosing and regulating with subtle care” means that at this time one should withdraw and remain still, neither going out nor acting recklessly. As the saying goes, “block the openings and close the gates,” so as not to injure the faint Yang energy just beginning to arise. In this way, Yang at the hour of the Rat can grow naturally, gradually reaching the harmony of Yin and Yang symbolized by the Tai hexagram. The practitioner tracks the movement of the Dipper’s handle—the handle of the Northern Dipper, which the ancients used to determine the seasons—to discern the proper times of day. Hence this is called the key that governs change.

This chapter discusses the first arising of Yang; the next explains the rules for advancing the Fire.

“Hexagram lines and images move within; signs of fortune and misfortune arise without” means that the firing times symbolized by the hexagram lines turn within, while signs of fortune and misfortune appear externally. The five latitudes—the five planets as named by the ancients—show signs that change with the seasons as they move in proper or reversed order. If the Four Sevens, the twenty-eight lunar mansions, move in disorder, deviations will follow. Wenchang, the name of a star, oversees the records and requests a discussion of the rules for advancing the Fire. The Taifu, officials who assist the ruler, are charged with inspection, while each official manages the duties within their own sphere.

The firing times and hexagram images turn within, while signs of wondrous transformation appear without. If one acts too early or too late, the five planets fall out of order, and the twenty-eight lunar mansions become disordered as well.

This chapter explains that losing the proper firing times causes such deviations.

One should bring together the essences of the Five Phases and arrange them according to the monthly ordinances and the Six Lü, the ancient system used to determine musical pitches and seasonal divisions. Five multiplied by six gives thirty degrees. Once a full cycle has run its course, it begins again. By tracing the beginning and examining the end, one can grasp the course of change through which things endure or perish.

The passage means that the Zhen and Xun trigrams alternate in their movements, and once the cycle ends, it begins anew.

This chapter explains that following the proper firing times should proceed in this way.

If a ruler becomes arrogant and self-indulgent, a single thought can fill the mind with opposition to the Dao. If ministers are deceitful and act outside the proper norms, then the Moon’s phases—first quarter, full, waxing, and waning—will fall into disorder, bringing calamities and misfortune. The officials responsible for law will impeach and censure them, reporting their faults to the ruler.

Hardness and softness lose their proper principles, while movement and stillness miss their fitting times.

This chapter explains that when the union of Kan and Li does not accord with the proper rules, these consequences will follow.

The Chenxing and the stars around the North Pole each remain in their appointed places, revolving calmly and subordinate to what lies below. Just as the court issues its decrees from the Hall of Enlightened Rule, ensuring that the state is spared calamity, so the cultivator must cultivate the self inwardly and maintain a state of quiet emptiness. The original source gives rise to brightness, illuminating the body within. Gather in the senses of hearing, sight, and speech; do not let Jing and Qi leak outward, and firmly nurture the numinous root. Let the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars seem to sink from view, gently nourishing the “pearl-child,” the essence of Neidan practice. Though invisible, it is close at hand and easy to seek. Yellow Qi gradually permeates the body within, moistening the skin. When the beginning is properly set, cultivation can come to a good conclusion; when the foundation is firmly laid, later work has something to rely on.

Grasp the right moment and do not act rashly; turn your gaze inward toward the body. Gather in the senses and strengthen the numinous root. Let the Three Lights seem to sink from view, gently nourishing the pearl-child. Though invisible, it is close at hand and easy to seek. Yellow Qi gradually permeates the body within, moistening the skin. When the beginning is properly set, cultivation can come to a good conclusion; when the foundation is firmly laid, later work has something to rely on.

Grasp the right moment and govern through Wuwei (non-action); the Three Lights will naturally sink from view. When the interior is full, this will show on the outside, and the body and skin will be nourished. The discussion of the Five Planets—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—moving in disorder or in harmony, and what follows, all explains how changes in the hexagrams and their lines take place within first, with good or ill fortune appearing outwardly afterward.

This chapter describes how the union of Yin and Yang must accord with a definite pattern, and what follows from it.

“One” conceals itself, so people cannot understand it. Those of high De (Virtue/Power) follow their natural course and do not rely on observation or seeking; those of low De act deliberately, and their use of it has no end. When the upper aperture closes, this is called “having”; when the lower aperture closes, this is called “not having.” “Not having” serves “having,” while a wondrous De abides above. This describes the method for using the two apertures, upper and lower, and the way Metal and Water work together.

Know the white and keep to the black, and the spirit will naturally arrive. “White” refers to the essence of Metal; “black” refers to the foundation of Water. Water is the pivot of the Dao, and its number is called “One.” It is the beginning of Yin and Yang, concealing deep within it the yellow sprout—the essence that symbolizes life just beginning to stir in Neidan practice. It is also the ruler of the Five Metals and corresponds to the northern River Cart, an image that carries symbolic substances such as lead and mercury in alchemical practice. Thus lead is black on the outside, yet conceals golden splendor within. It is like wearing coarse cloth while cherishing jade: outwardly plain, even foolish in appearance.

Metal is the mother of Water, and the mother is hidden in the womb; Water, in turn, is the foundation of Metal. Water is the pivot of the Dao, and its number is called “One.” It is the beginning of Yin and Yang, concealing deep within it the yellow sprout. It is also the ruler of the Five Metals and corresponds to the northern River Cart. Thus lead is black on the outside, yet conceals golden splendor within. It is like wearing coarse cloth while cherishing jade: outwardly plain, even foolish in appearance. Metal is born from Water, while Water is concealed within Metal’s womb. The wondrous state of a perfected person seems to be and not to be, like something in an abyss, sinking and rising in turn. Then these things withdraw and spread out, each abiding in its proper place.

“Water is number one” (in the numerology of the Five Phases, Water corresponds to the number one) conceals Yang Metal, just as black lead conceals silver. Few people know this. “One” is the Kan of supreme De, the virtue of depth and reserve symbolized by the Kan trigram. Kan belongs to supreme De and is “being”; Li belongs to lesser De and is “nonbeing.” Li serves by receiving and holding. It continues without interruption, seeming to exist yet remaining elusive, so its function never ceases and it can nourish supreme De.

The mercury within Li can change only with the aid of Yang Metal, while Yang Metal must also be refined by Li Fire to yield its essence. The two therefore depend on one another. Know that Metal is concealed in Water and hold fast to Water: Metal will then appear naturally, because the mother hides the child gestating within her. Water is number one and its color is black, hence the phrase “hold fast to the black.” “Make the One clear” also implies concealment, expressing the way the two depend on each other. Know that Metal is concealed in Water and hold fast to Water: Metal will then appear naturally, like a child hidden within its mother. Water is number one and belongs to the color black, hence “hold fast to the black”; “make the One clear” likewise suggests covering and concealment.

This chapter explains the method for seeking the medicinal substances—the subtle ingredients used in alchemical practice.

Seen from afar, it looks white, yet when prepared it becomes vermilion. After refinement, a protective layer forms around it: white surrounds a firm core. It is about one inch across, with its parts blended and joined together. It came into being before Heaven and Earth and is lofty and noble. Walls and gates stand around it, and its form resembles Penghu, the legendary island of immortals. It is enclosed on every side, with passages that extend in all directions yet twist and turn, making them difficult to traverse. Its guards are strict and secure, keeping out what is harmful. Its winding towers connect with one another to guard against the unexpected. By holding fast to it, one can be free of thoughts, yet find it difficult to feel worry or weariness. Shen and Qi fill the chamber; nothing can hold them back. Those who protect it flourish; those who lose it decline. Whether moving, still, or at rest, one should keep it constantly by one’s side.

This chapter describes the state of the holy embryo—the inner alchemical body formed through Neidan practice—once it has taken shape. The key is to protect and nourish it.

This is not a method of calculating by the calendar and hiding the medicinal substances, nor a method of turning one’s gaze inward and dwelling on thoughts. It is also not a practice of following prescribed steps in coordination with the Dipper stars and the days of the Six Jia. If one clings to “nine-one” in the Yin method of cultivation, confusion and disturbance will follow, stirring the hidden womb. If one swallows black Qi and makes it rumble in the stomach and intestines, then exhales the proper Qi while inhaling harmful influences, one will lie awake day and night as the stomach and intestines rumble without cease. The body must be protected and nurtured.

These practices are not orthodox methods handed down through the generations. They consist only of turning one’s attention inward in visualization and letting the mind dwell on imagined things. While stepping, practitioners imitate the movement of the stars, using the Six Jia (a Daoist system for reckoning dates in conjunction with the heavenly stems and earthly branches) to mark the days. They follow a sinister and deviant path, disturbing the Inner Source (a term in Daoist inner cultivation for the body’s internal root). They also swallow dark, impure substances, making their stomachs and intestines rumble: they expel upright Qi and take in corrupt influences. Staying awake day and night, they suffer constant rumbling in the stomach and intestines, become utterly exhausted, and grow dazed, almost like madmen. Qi and blood surge through all the channels, leaving them unable to settle into clarity and stillness.

They build ritual altars wherever they go, worshiping and making offerings to the gods morning and evening. They claim to see the forms of ghosts and spirits, or to receive divine responses in dreams; this fills them with joy, and they assume they are sure to prolong their lives. Yet they suddenly die young, their corpses left exposed to decay. Their conduct often runs counter to the right Way, violating it and losing sight of its essential principles. They multiply all kinds of prohibitions and protective measures by the thousands, yet from beginning to end they oppose the Way of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi (the Daoist thought represented by Huangdi and Laozi). Their various practices also depart from the Nine Capitals (the dwelling places of immortals in Daoist tradition).

Where the meaning is readily understood, no commentary is provided; the same applies to what follows.

Those who understand will grasp the central teaching and suddenly see the correct path of cultivating the Dao. They must practice diligently, without slackening day or night. After three years of following the correct methods of ingestion and cultivation, they can lighten their bodies, rise into flight, and travel far in every direction. They can enter fire without being scorched and enter water without getting wet. They can appear or vanish at will, and enjoy lasting happiness without worry. Once they have completed their cultivation of the Dao and perfected their De, they withdraw from the world. Taiyi (one of the supreme deities revered in Daoism) then summons them, and they move to the Central Continent (a region of the immortal realm in Daoist tradition). When their merit is complete, they ascend to Heaven and receive an immortal register and a heavenly mandate.

This chapter discusses the attainment of the Dao.

The Fire Record (a record of the firing stages used in alchemical work) is not invented out of thin air; it explains its principles by drawing on the Book of Changes (the Zhouyi). The crescent moon is used as a metaphor for the alchemical furnace: the White Tiger (a symbol in alchemy) is the key to the refining process, and Mercury, called the Flowing Pearl, is accompanied by the Azure Dragon (the alchemical symbol paired with the White Tiger). Taking what belongs to the East and joining it with what belongs to the West, the Hun and Po naturally become bound together. The waxing half-moon corresponds to the number eight of the Dui trigram, and the waning half-moon corresponds to the same number. When the essences of the two halves join, the substance of Qian and Kun (the two trigrams of Heaven and Earth in the Book of Changes) takes shape. The two eights together correspond exactly to one jin, a traditional unit of weight. In this way, the principles of the Book of Changes are set right and do not deviate.

Metal and Water dwell together means that Metal Essence and Water Qi unite. Thus, the Kan moon (the Yang within Water) and the White Tiger (a symbol of Metal) are refined together in the crucible. Wood and Fire occupy the same position means that Wood Qi and Fire Qi unite, so that the ethereal and corporeal souls draw and restrain one another. The waxing half-moon corresponds to the number eight of the Dui trigram, and the waning half-moon also corresponds to eight. When the essential Qi of the two halves of the moon unite, the substance of Qian and Kun (Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang) takes shape. The two eights together make one jin, in accordance with the principle of the Yi; their movement is upright and without deviation.

Metal and Water dwelling together means that true Yang within Water unites with Metal Essence; Wood and Fire occupying the same position means that Wood Qi unites with Fire Qi. The Flowing Pearl (an elixir refined within Water) accompanies the Azure Dragon (a symbol of Wood Qi). Taking Wood Qi from the East and joining it with Metal Qi from the West means allowing Li Fire (a symbol of Fire) to receive Kan Water (a symbol of Water), then restoring them to the pure Yang substance of Qian. The first through the eighth day make up the waxing half-moon, and the fifteenth through the twenty-third make up the waning half-moon. Thus the two eights together make one jin: this is the moment when the elixir ingredients mature.

This chapter explains the elixir ingredients through the Four Images (symbols of Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire).

Gold cast into a fierce fire does not change color, nor does its bright essence diminish. Since the opening of Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon have never lost their radiance, gold has never changed its weight, and the forms traced by the sun and moon have remained constant. Gold originally arises from within the moon. At dawn on the first day of the month, it receives the sun’s talismanic fire. At the end of the month, gold returns to its mother and joins with the moon. It gathers in its form and sinks into stillness and emptiness; once gold recovers its original nature, its majestic radiance appears in the crucible.

The Metal within Kan refers to the true Yang elixir. Refined in Li Fire, it can endure without decay. Here, the Metal Essence within the moon serves as a metaphor: it receives the sun’s fire yet keeps its radiance as before.

The previous chapter surveyed the Four Images as a whole; this chapter focuses specifically on Metal as the true elixir.

The numbers of Zi and Wu combine to make three, while Wu and Ji are called five. When three and five are brought into harmony, the Eight Minerals (mineral substances used in alchemical refining) come under a governing principle. The breath nourishes itself in turn, while one quietly waits for the elixir Qi to rise gradually, as if a man and woman were joining as husband and wife.

Yellow Earth is the father of Metal, and the Flowing Pearl is the mother of Water. Water regards Earth as the force that overcomes it; Earth holds Water in check so it cannot surge forth. The Vermilion Bird (a symbol of Fire Essence) governs Fire Qi and regulates the relative strength of Water and Fire. When Water grows too strong, Fire is extinguished. Once both Water and Fire have declined, they return together to thick Earth. When these three qualities come together, they return to a shared source.

Zi Water belongs to One, Wu Fire to Two, and the Wu-Ji Earth to Five; together they make Eight. The “Eight Minerals” here refers to substances such as water, fire, and earth combined. Kan and Li—water and fire—are like husband and wife, symbolizing mutual breath and the birth of all things. The qualities of Metal, Water, and Fire return to Earth, blend with one another, and ultimately become one. The nature of all things comes from a single source, and in the end they all return to it.

This chapter discusses the union of Yin and Yang.

Giant-seed (sesame) is said to help prolong life, and the refined Returned Elixir can be consumed. Metal is hard and does not decay or rot, so it is regarded as the treasure of all things. Practitioners take elixirs in the hope of extending their lives. Earth moves between the four seasons, maintaining boundaries and establishing measures. Golden sand enters the Five Viscera, spreading like mist and moving like wind and rain. Its medicinal power reaches the limbs and gives the complexion a healthy glow. White hair turns black again, and lost teeth grow back. An old man regains the vigor of youth, while an old woman becomes a beautiful young girl. Those who change their appearance and escape the calamities of the world are called perfected beings.

This chapter describes the effects of the True-Yang medicine, which is said to bring about the transformations described above when taken.

When white lead powder is put into a fire, its color changes, but in the end it returns to lead. Ice and snow melt away when they meet warm water. Gold takes sand as its foundation and relies on mercury to harmonize it. Material changes follow the nature of each substance, with what comes before and after always linked in succession.

Those who seek to become immortals through ingestion and cultivation should use materials of like nature. To grow millet, one sows millet seed; to hatch a chicken, one uses a chicken egg. When things of the same kind accord with nature, they are easy to nurture and easy to refine. A fish’s eye cannot serve as a pearl, and mugwort cannot be made into a wooden box. Only things of the same kind can join together; when their natures conflict, they cannot be refined into a treasure. Thus, sparrows do not produce phoenixes, and foxes and rabbits do not give birth to horses. Water flows downward and cannot burn upward; fire rises upward and cannot moisten downward.

Many people in the world study the Dao, confident in their exceptional intelligence, yet never encounter the true opportunity. In the end, they waste their time, fuel, and money. They rely only on what books say, concocting things according to their own subjective notions. They have no clear direction and cannot judge the proper measure. They grind and gather stone gall, mica, alum, and magnetite, then smelt sulfur and yuhuang, mixing earth with mercury in their preparations. They also place five-stone bronze below the furnace as an auxiliary vessel. But these materials differ in nature and inherent qualities: how could they possibly unite as one? Repeated attempts often fail again and again. They mean to transmute the substances into treasure, but their efforts come to nothing. Some continue refining until their hair turns white, yet doubts arise along the way. They depart from the right path and cling to confusion, leaving the straight road for crooked side paths. Their view is like peering through a bamboo tube: their field of vision is narrow, and they can scarcely discern the direction ahead.

The human nature already has the necessary conditions within it. The true Yin contained in the Li trigram cannot undergo transformation without true Yang. How can things of different kinds join together? Gold, stone, and the like are merely external things.

The true sage above all others is Fuxi. He drew the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) and devised diagrams of the celestial patterns. King Wen of Zhou was the foremost ancestral ruler of the dynasties. He organized the hexagram images and developed the statements for the hexagrams and their lines. Confucius, outstanding among the many sages, wrote the Ten Wings—the ten commentaries that explain the Zhouyi—to help clarify the classic. Fuxi, King Wen, and Confucius were all brought forth by Heaven. They arose in succession, responding to their times as they governed the affairs of the world. Though their abilities differed in degree, their achievements and Virtue (De) were fundamentally alike.

The institutions they established carried on what came before, and when they worked out the principles of things, they examined them carefully and weighed their subtle distinctions. Things with visible traces are easy to assess; principles without signs are difficult to plan for in advance. They set down rules for conduct that people could follow and compiled the Book of Songs and the Book of Documents for the world. I had no foresight beyond that of ordinary people; I came to understand through my teacher’s guidance. It felt as though a curtain had been drawn aside: I opened my eyes and climbed to a high terrace, where everything became clear. The six hundred chapters of the Fire Record, which describe the rules for timing and methods of refinement and cultivation, all point to the same principles. Their words explain these matters repeatedly and with care, yet people do not read them deeply or reflect on them. If one traces their source and development, one finds that the fundamental principles of darkness and brightness are connected from the beginning.

I have privately explained these teachings to worthy people. How could I dare write them down lightly in a book? If I keep silent, I fear I may be guilty of cutting off the transmission of the Dao and face punishment. If I set my thoughts down on bamboo and silk, I fear revealing Heaven’s secret mandate. Torn between these choices, I can only sigh toward Heaven and reluctantly write these inadequate words. The way of refinement and cultivation has its own rules. I cannot bear to state everything in full, so I have outlined only the main points, allowing readers to see how the various details follow from and develop out of them.

I cite the three sages Fuxi, King Wen, and Confucius to show that these principles originate in the hexagram images of the Zhouyi and are also connected with the Yellow River Diagram and the Luo River Writing.

Zhen, Xun, Li, and Kan proceed in the forward direction by eight, three, seven, and one, respectively, and by six as well; Qian and Dui proceed in reverse by four. Kun and Gen proceed once forward and once in reverse. Together, these make the fifteen numbers of the Emperor’s Pole. Master Wei says that Heaven bestowed the Yellow River Chart on Fuxi, who then adapted its numbers using those of the Luo River Writing, thereby forming the Earlier Heaven Eight Trigrams. Viewed together, the Earlier Heaven trigrams and the Yellow River Chart reveal the ingredients and timing of the firing used in alchemical cultivation. This is how the sages penetrated the Dao and understood the patterns of creation and transformation.

When Qian and Li join, it is like a yang furnace whose substance is Qian, with Li dwelling within it. When Kun and Kan join, it is like a yin cauldron whose substance is Kun, with Kan dwelling within it. When Zhen and Li meet, a dragon emerges from the fire; when Dui and Kan meet, a tiger is born in the water. These images all point to the same meaning: two ingredients interact, just as a son is born from his mother. The moon first appears at the position of Zhen and reaches fullness at Qian; it begins to wane at Xun and disappears at Kun. This, in turn, explains how the firing changes with the seasons marked by the winter and summer solstices. The Way of Heaven is vast and boundless, and only the images of the Yi can clarify it; the principles of the Yi are subtle and profound, and only sages can reveal them. This teaching was first disclosed by three rulers and later explained by Lord Wei; it seems indeed to have originated in the Yellow River Chart.

Use metal as a dike, and water enters it and flows safely. The number of metal is fifteen, and the number of water corresponds to it. Tend the furnace fire and set the weights precisely; the measure of water exceeds it by five parts. Take these two as the true ingredients, with the weight of metal equal to its original amount. Add no third substance; the fire’s number, two, acts together with them. The three substances contain and sustain one another, producing transformations of unfathomable subtlety.

Beneath the furnace lies the image of a black sun, briefly concealed. The ingredient first turns to liquid and then congeals; this is called the “Yellow Carriage.” If the refining is prolonged too much, it harms one’s nature and shortens one’s life. The body turns to ash and earth, like dust before a bright window.

Gold and water are present in one place. When gold is brought forth, water enters along with it. Gold is associated with the number nine and water with the number six; together they make fifteen. Of these fifteen, water accounts for six, already more than one fifth. Gold and water are both true medicines used in alchemical refinement, hence the saying, “The two are taken as the true.”

Wood depends on the action of Metal, while Metal’s nature must in turn be brought to completion through water. Only when all three work together can they serve as medicines. Water is like a fetus hidden within its mother, so it enters the furnace along with Metal. When fire rises beneath the furnace, transformation begins. Water, Metal, and fire are all, at their root, expressions of the natural order. Metal restrains Wood; water draws in Metal; then fire refines Metal. Wood itself does not take part directly in the refining, so the scripture speaks of “three substances” and does not count Wood among them.

When Yang Qi reaches its height, liquid appears first; when Yin Qi begins to arise, solidification follows. The resulting state is called the “Yellow Carriage”: the sky is dark and the earth yellow; the Kun hexagram represents the earth and also evokes a great cart. At this stage of cultivation, Yang Qi is at its height and Yin Qi has just begun to arise, as the Qian hexagram gradually transforms into Kun. When the Way of Kun reaches its limit, the scene known as “dragons battling in dark and yellow” appears: the body turns to ash and earth. This is the first true manifestation to appear in cultivation.

This chapter describes Yin Qi beginning to arise after Yang Qi has reached its height.

Pound, blend, and combine the medicines, then place them inside the red furnace gate. Seal the joint at the furnace opening tightly, ensuring it is whole and secure. Let fierce fire rise beneath the furnace, burning without interruption day and night, with the heat maintained in a steady, measured rhythm. Begin with gentle fire, allowing the medicines to refine steadily; apply fierce fire only at the end. Observe the firing process carefully and adjust the heat and coolness with discernment. Let the cycle proceed and repeat through its twelve stages, inspecting it anew at the end of each stage.

When the medicinal Qi is spent and life seems about to end, ease the fire for a time, so that the hun and po souls do not perish. As the medicine changes color, it gradually turns purple and gleams brilliantly, until at last the Reverted Elixir is complete. Grind it into powder and take only one pellet at a time; one dao gui—a tiny ancient unit of measure—is the most wondrous dose.

Use the Four Images—four symbols that correspond to changes such as Yin-Yang and the Five Phases during cultivation—to seal the mouth and nose and gather the mind, so that the heart is free from thought and action. This strengthens the foundation of cultivation. When Yin Qi recedes and Yang Qi begins to arise, the Kun trigram transforms into the Qian trigram. Qian represents deep red, hence the phrase “gallop into the red gate.”

“Gentle fire” is the mild heat used at the beginning of advancing the fire in alchemical cultivation, the process of refining the Neidan (internal alchemy). The fire must not flare up too quickly. At first, gentle fire brings the Qi of firmness and softness into harmony; once the conditions are ripe, the heat can be increased. At the start, when the fire is kindled, its force is mild and faint; this is called “wild battle.” In the middle, gentle fire nurtures the process; this is called “irrigation.” At the end, fierce fire completes the refinement; this is called “cooking and frying.” These names describe the different stages of advancing the fire.

As the color gradually turns purple, the Elixir is visibly complete. Purple symbolizes the Qian trigram and also corresponds to deep red. Here, the text invokes the changing lines of the third line of the Yi hexagram and the top line of the Zhen trigram, which ultimately resolve into the firm and vigorous Qian trigram. The line statement says, “Inform the duke; use a jade tablet.” The Yi hexagram changes to reveal the image of Qian, and the jade tablet, an ancient ritual object made of jade, symbolizes gold and jade; hence the name “knife and tablet.” Kan and Li unite through the two Earth stems, Wu and Ji, which represent the Qi of Earth, and form the body of Qian. This is why the word for “tablet” is composed of two “earth” elements. When the fire has reached full strength, Kun transforms into Qian. Then, after passing through the Three Offices—the Daoist offices of Heaven, Earth, and Water—the Yin soul fades and the hun and po souls settle. This is the second true sign.

This chapter describes Yin Qi reaching its extreme, at which point Yang Qi begins to arise.

The numbers of the Five Phases are derived concisely, without needless complexity. When water strikes fire, the flame is abruptly extinguished. The sun and moon encroach upon one another, as often happens on the dark and new moons, at the end and beginning of the lunar month. When water grows strong, Kan water usurps Yang Qi; when fire weakens, Li fire is as though daylight has dimmed. Yin and Yang wax and wane, interact, and transform: this is the natural course of things.

This describes the state discussed in the previous chapter, in which the body seems to turn to ash and the Qi of life is nearly spent. It is like the sun and moon encroaching upon one another, their light obscured—an effect caused by Kan water overpowering Li fire.

Names identify the states of things, while words express their qualities. Only when Metal, which symbolizes Yang Qi, returns to its original nature can it be called “returning the Elixir.” I do not dare invent these teachings out of thin air; I have simply followed the Sages’ writings in explaining them. Ancient books contain accounts titled “Dragon and Tiger”; the Yellow Emperor praised the Golden Flower. The Prince of Huainan refined autumn stone, and Wang Yang further refined yellow sprouts. The worthy can persevere in cultivation; the unworthy should not travel with them. From ancient times to the present, the principle has been one and the same. When speaking with one another, we should also state our respective plans. Those who study must strive harder, keeping the teachings in mind and pondering them deeply. The most essential principle has already been explained plainly, clear and evident, with nothing concealed from me.

This commentary explains that the Yang nature represented by Metal returns to the utmost Yin nature represented by Water. This is what is meant by “returning to its root”: going back to the source and cultivating in accordance with it. Feeling arises from nature, and nature returns to its source; hence this is called “returning the Elixir.” It means the same as “guiding feeling to unite with nature,” as stated in the middle section.

This chapter discusses the refinement of the returned Elixir.

End of Volume One of The Token for Joining the Three (Zhouyi Cantong Qi)

The character qi is written as “wu” (“nonbeing”) in the Kaoyi edition.

The phrase “loses its companion” is written as “loses its brightness” in the Kaoyi edition.

The character you (“young”) is written as xiao (“to imitate”) in the Kaoyi edition.

The character yao (“line”) has been supplied based on the meaning of the surrounding text.

This character has been supplied based on the meaning of the surrounding text.

The term “subtle and secret” appears as “secret and subtle” in the Kaoyi edition.

The character li (“to violate”) has been supplied based on the meaning of the surrounding text.

The phrase “a strong pavilion passes beyond and bequeaths to the master” appears as “the knot passes beyond and transfers the master” in the Kaoyi edition.

The term “drawing forth brightness” appears as “concealing brightness” in the Kaoyi edition.

The phrase “its number is called one” appears as “its parts are each one” in the Kaoyi edition.

The character qian (“lead”) is written as bi in the Kaoyi edition.

The term “seemingly” appears as “apparently” in the Kaoyi edition.

The term “encircling all around” was originally written as “encircling the market”; it has been changed to “encircling all around” in accordance with the Kaoyi edition.

The term “external malign influences” appears as “new malign influences” in the Kaoyi edition.

The term “intestinal rumbling” appears as “the dark and new moons” in the Kaoyi edition.

The term “morning and evening” was originally written as “morning and dusk”; it has been changed to “morning and evening” in accordance with the Kaoyi edition.

The phrase “the heart is joyful and the mind pleased” appears as “the heart is fearful, and the mind joyful and pleased” in the Kaoyi edition.

The term “premature death” was originally written as “Heaven’s decree”; it has been changed to “premature death” in accordance with the Kaoyi edition.

27 “Zhangyan” is supplied based on the meaning of the surrounding text.

28 “Ao” is supplied based on the meaning of the surrounding text.

29 The “Kaoyi” edition writes “Xi” as “Xi” with a different character.

30 “Breath in and out, nurturing one another” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “snort and inhale, coveting desire.”

31 “Standing in gratitude” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “standing in thought.”

32 “Zhen” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “tian.”

33 “Coming together” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “joining together.”

34 The original text reads “compass and square”; here it has been emended in accordance with the “Kaoyi” edition.

35 “Hei xu” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “heavy black.”

36 “Encountering” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “encountering and planting.”

37 “Fan ci” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “yu ci.”

38 “Refining and maintaining” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “refining and governing.”

39 “Chan nature” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “mixed nature.”

40 “Zhi.”

37 “Fan ci” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “yu ci.”

38 “Refining and maintaining” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “refining and governing.”

39 “Chan nature” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “mixed nature.”

40 “Wei” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “dai.”

41 “Looking up and down” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “looking down and up.”

42 “Look more closely” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “must look closely.”

43 “Qi suo” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “hei suo.”

44 “Brightness” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “glory.”

45 “Devouring one another” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “eating and drinking together.”

46 “Golden flower” is written in the “Kaoyi” edition as “golden splendor.”

Zhouyi Cantong Qi, scroll two.

Qian (Heaven, symbolizing strength) is firm and strong; Kun (Earth, symbolizing gentleness and receptivity) is yielding and mild. The two join and complement one another, each embracing the other. Yang Qi receives Yin Qi, and female and male depend on one another. Only when the two work together can they accord with the transformations of nature, allowing Jing and Qi to unfold and circulate.

Kan (symbolizing Water, the Yang within Yin) and Li (symbolizing Fire, the Yin within Yang) take the foremost positions. From them, illumination emerges and spreads. The Dao’s hidden depths and mysteries are beyond measure and cannot be depicted in diagrams. Through observation and inference, the sages consulted the proper sequence and laid out the fundamental laws of the hidden and profound. The four blend into one and enter the realm of nonbeing.

The sixty hexagrams move in sequence and spread out like a carriage bearing all things. A dragon-horse is harnessed to the carriage, and an enlightened ruler guides it forward in accord with the times. When Yin and Yang are in harmony, the journey proceeds smoothly along a level, straight road. Take a crooked path, and obstacles arise, even bringing the state to ruin.

Qian and Kun (Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang), along with the female and male, refer to the substances used in alchemical practice. Yang Qi is received from within Yin. The Kan trigram, which symbolizes water and Yang contained within Yin, governs receiving and bestowing, sending Yang Qi to the Li trigram, which symbolizes fire and Yin contained within Yang. The Li trigram governs taking in, keeping Yang Qi within Kan. This is Yin and Yang working together, each containing the other.

One must follow the transformations of Nature for Jing and Qi to unfold. Once the principle by which Kan and Li unite and give birth is understood, the Six Yang Qi contained in Nature must also serve as the timing of the firing process, so that Jing and Qi can spread throughout the body. Kan and Li appear at the beginning of the text because they represent the roots of all things. The “medicine” spoken of here is the Mysterious Qi, the subtle and profound primordial Qi. It is the first Qi to arise when the Three Qi—Mystery, Origin, and Beginning—are born, and is therefore also called “Mysterious Darkness” or “Mysterious Foundation.”

“Entering directly into emptiness” means that the Four Images converge, ready to fill the Qi of emptiness in the Li palace. Following the firing process through a full cycle according to the sixty hexagrams, if one does not miss the proper timing, the breath will become harmonious and smooth, without obstruction or danger. In “the Dragon and Horse take up the reins,” the Zhen trigram symbolizes the dragon and the Qian trigram the horse. The growth from one Yang line to six Yang lines signifies the stages for advancing the fire.

From “Kan and Li crown the opening” through “joining in order with the Mysterious Foundation,” the text speaks of the substances. “The four merge in primordial chaos and enter directly into emptiness” speaks of the union of Yin and Yang. The passages from “the sixty hexagrams complete their cycle” onward speak of the firing process. For a practitioner to advance the firing process is like a wise ruler governing the state in accordance with the seasons. That is why the scripture uses the emperor, king, sovereign, and ruler as metaphors: following the Way of Heaven and harmonizing Yin and Yang, they ensure that the sun, moon, and stars each follow their proper courses, bringing peace to the world. Applying this principle to governing a state is the work of an emperor; applying it to cultivating oneself is the practitioner’s work.

When a noble person speaks a good word at home, people a thousand miles away respond to it; when they speak an evil word, people a thousand miles away reject it. Words have such far-reaching effects, so a noble person must speak with care.

When a noble person remains at home, if his words are correct, even people a thousand miles away will respond. This passage concerns a ruler commanding ten thousand chariots. Though dwelling deep within his palace, he must issue commands in accord with the rhythms of Yin-Yang. He should keep his abilities in reserve and await the right moment, without violating the patterns of the hexagrams and months. The Tun hexagram corresponds to the months of Zi and Shen; the Meng hexagram corresponds to Yin and Xu. Each of the other sixty hexagrams also has its corresponding dates. Here, only two hexagrams are given as examples; the whole system cannot be explained in full.

In establishing moral principles and instituting punishments, one should govern through De with a compassionate heart. To go against the patterns brings danger; to follow them brings good fortune. One should act according to the calendar and seasonal divisions, with sincere focus and careful discretion; wait closely for the right dates and examine the waxing and waning of Yin-Yang.

Viewed broadly by month and seasonal division, the winter solstice corresponds to the Fu hexagram. In a more fine-grained reckoning by solar terms, however, the winter solstice corresponds to the Zhongfu hexagram. The line statements are set out first; their meaning is profound.

Wu, Wu, Wu, Geng, Geng, Geng

Zi, Xu, Shen, Chen, Yin, Zi

Take the Tun hexagram as an example. Its first line, Geng Zi, corresponds to the winter solstice, when the first Yang is born. The Wu Shen associated with the sixth line in the fourth position corresponds to the spring equinox, the time of bathing. “Bathing” is a Neidan cultivation term for a specific stage of regulation during practice.

Bing, Bing, Bing, Wu, Wu, Wu

Yin, Zi, Xu, Wu, Chen, Yin

Take the Meng hexagram as an example. Its first line, Geng Zi, corresponds to the winter solstice, when the first Yang is born. The Wu Shen associated with the sixth line in the fourth position corresponds to the spring equinox, the time of bathing.

Bing, Bing, Bing, Wu, Wu, Wu

Yin, Zi, Xu, Wu, Chen, Yin

Take the Meng hexagram once more as an example. Its first line, Wu Yin, corresponds to the summer solstice, when the first Yin is born. The Bing Xu associated with the sixth line in the fourth position corresponds to the autumn equinox, the time of bathing.

These two hexagrams illustrate how to determine the times of the spring and autumn equinoxes and the winter and summer solstices. Thus the text below says that the winter and summer solstices alter the measure of the seasons; if the calculation goes awry, the process becomes irregular and misaligned. The waxing and waning of Yin-Yang at the spring and autumn equinoxes alternate in both directions and cannot be made to correspond to the times measured by the water clock. Hexagrams such as Tun and Meng can establish the seasonal positions of the equinoxes and solstices; the mysteries of Yang Fire and Yin Talisman are contained in them.

When even the smallest detail is out of order, regret and calamity may follow. If the timing of the winter and summer solstices is even slightly off, the seasonal signs of Yin and Yang fall into disorder: bitter heat comes in the depth of winter, and frost and snow fall in midsummer. If the spring and autumn equinoxes are not timed accurately, they no longer agree with the time measured by the clepsydra. Winds and rains become unbalanced, floods and droughts alternate, locusts swarm, and mountains collapse and the earth splits. Heaven displays portents of disaster, and drought and other anomalies occur one after another.

A filial child who devotes themself sincerely to filial duty can move the Imperial Pole (a reference to the emperor, who rules the world from its center, or to the supreme order). What begins nearby, in a person’s words and conduct, can have effects far away, across different regions. One’s intentions may bring calamity or blessings; they may help bring peace or give rise to war. All these outcomes arise from people’s thoughts and actions.

The winter and summer solstices mark the seasonal points for dividing Yang Fire from Yin Talisman. The spring and autumn equinoxes determine the proper times for killing and giving life, and for bathing. If the movements of Yin and Yang differ even by a hair’s breadth, Yang Qi may become excessive and Yin may lose its proper place, bringing regret and calamity. If a ruler fails to model themself on Heaven and Earth and follow Yin and Yang, portents of disaster will occur. The fundamental principles for cultivating oneself and governing the world are one and the same.

This chapter says that failing to follow the seasonal timing of the two hexagrams leads to the consequences described above.

Activity and stillness each have their proper measure and should abide by established standards and laws. The four seasons proceed in their appointed order, and people’s Qi remains in harmony with the Qi of Heaven and Earth. Firmness and yielding each have their bounds and do not encroach on one another. The Five Phases each keep their proper place and are not arbitrarily increased or diminished. The movement of the Changes cycles without end, at times contracting and at times extending, in a continual back-and-forth transformation.

The winter and summer solstices and the spring and autumn equinoxes each have clear boundaries that do not cross one another. Activity and stillness are always timely. Act before Heaven’s timing, and that timing will not be defied; act in accord with Heaven’s timing, and you will carry it out.

This chapter says that following the seasonal timing of the two hexagrams should be done in this way.

At the dark moon and the new moon, when the old month ends and the first crescent appears, Yin and Yang Qi come together and circulate between them like the two halves of a tally. All things remain in an undivided, primordial state, with Yin and Yang following one another. Jing and Qi nourish and moisten, setting change and circulation in motion. The workings of the spirits of Heaven and Earth are profound and beyond measure. One should follow the natural course of things to bring oneself to rest, conceal one’s outward traces, and quietly nourish the inner self.

The moon’s bright light first appears in the northeast, in the region corresponding to the Ji and Dou lunar mansions. It then follows its course to the right, and the lunar disk gradually begins to show the light of the new moon. The moon sinks into darkness as deep as an abyss, then appears again in form, giving off a subtle radiance.

The next chapter uses the pre-Heaven Bagua (Eight Trigrams) to explain the stages of cultivation through the moon’s waxing and waning. This chapter first describes how moonlight comes into being: at the dark moon and new moon, the Sun and Moon join like matching discs. The moon conceals its outward form and nurtures its lunar essence; only afterward does its light gradually emerge from the northeast.

When the moon passes above the Bi lunar mansion, the Yang Qi of the Zhen trigram begins to stir. Yang Qi begins in this way, still concealed, like the “submerged dragon” in the first nine line of the Qian hexagram. Yang Qi is established through the number three, while Yin Qi is carried through by the number eight. Thus, around the third day of the month, the moon takes on the image of Zhen; around the eighth day, it takes on the image of Dui. At the second nine line, Yang Qi becomes visible, like the “dragon appearing in the fields”: its light is bright and even. Around the fifteenth day, the virtues of Yin and Yang gradually become complete, and the form of the Qian hexagram takes shape. The third nine line, which says, “The superior person is active and vigilant throughout the day, and in the evening remains alert as if in danger,” symbolizes the moon’s light gradually waning and the need to watch for changes in the movement of Qi. Waxing and waning gradually take turns, until the cycle finally returns to its beginning.

This is the timing of the Yang fire: the stage of cultivation centered on the gradual growth of Yang Qi.

The Xun trigram continues this process, and the practitioner should keep the timing of the fire in view at all times. At the fourth nine line, “perhaps leaping into the depths,” one must be cautious in advancing or withdrawing, for the path is dangerous at this point. The Gen trigram governs stopping and advancing or withdrawing; cultivation must not exceed its proper bounds. Around the twenty-third day, the moon reaches its last quarter, and one must follow the timing of the half moon. The fifth nine line, “the flying dragon is in the heavens,” symbolizes Yang Qi rising to its height. The fifth six line indicates that Kun (Yin) receives Yang Qi and brings its movement to a close, joining beginning to end. Yin nurtures the many Yangs within it, as a mother’s womb bears children who in turn continue the generations. When the movement of the Yang numbers reaches its end, it begins again at that very point. Follow the course and nature of things so that Yin and Yang transform and join one another. The upper nine line, “the overbearing dragon will have cause for regret,” symbolizes Yang Qi in excess, with Yin and Yang clashing in the open country. The “use of the nine,” which speaks of change without fixed form, is the principle that governs the course of cultivation.

This is the timing of the Yin Talisman: the stage of cultivation centered on Yin Qi gathering in and receiving Yang.

Following the patterns of the celestial bodies, Yin and Yang rise and descend, circulating through the six lines. Their changes are subtle and difficult to observe directly. Thus, Yin and Yang have no fixed positions. This is the fundamental principle of the Book of Changes (Yijing).

This passage describes changes in the firing process during alchemical cultivation. Drawing on the cycle of the six lines in the trigrams of the Book of Changes, it explains how Yin and Yang Qi rise, fall, and move. The firing process has no fixed, unchanging position. The stirring of a single Yang line does not necessarily correspond to the winter solstice, the hour of Zi, or dawn on the first day of the lunar month. These seasonal markers and times are simply used to illustrate the changes.

Dawn on the first day of the month corresponds to the Return hexagram, when Yang Qi begins to flow freely. Breath moves smoothly back and forth; when a sundial is set up to measure the sun’s shadow, Yang Qi reveals its faint but vigorous signs. The Yellow Bell pitch standard corresponds to the Zi month, when the vitality of all things begins to appear. Gentle Qi spreads widely, and people’s lives gradually return to normal. With the Approach hexagram, the furnace fire unfolds like spreading branches, opening a bright path. Its light grows stronger, and the days grow longer. The Chou month corresponds to the Great Lü pitch standard, when the ascent and descent of Yin and Yang begin to harmonize.

By receiving Yang Qi from above, the Peace hexagram takes shape. Firmness and gentleness descend together, and Yin and Yang meet: Yin gradually recedes as Yang grows. In the Yin month, Yang Qi turns like a wheel, moving in accord with the season.

Next, the cycle proceeds through the Great Strength hexagram, as Yang Qi takes its place and enters the Mao month. The elm seeds fall, returning to their roots. The forces of punishment and De hold each other in check, and from this point the lengths of day and night begin to equalize.

With the Breakthrough hexagram, Yin Qi withdraws and Yang Qi rises and advances, like feathers being washed clean and accumulated dust being shaken off.

In the Qian hexagram, Yang Qi is vigorous and abundant, and its radiance reaches in every direction. Yang Qi reaches the end of this phase in the Si month, corresponding to the Zhonglü pitch.

The Coming to Meet hexagram marks the beginning of Yin Qi’s return. Its first sign is like recognizing winter’s chill from the frost beneath one’s feet. The cold spring at the bottom of a well corresponds to the Rui Bin pitch of the Wu month. At this time, Yang Qi withdraws to the guest’s place, and Yin Qi becomes dominant.

With the Retreat hexagram, Yang Qi leaves its former position, gathers in its essence, holds De within, and waits for the right moment, lying hidden in darkness.

In the Standstill hexagram, Yin and Yang are cut off from one another and cannot communicate; even shoots cannot grow. Yin Qi extends, while Yang Qi is suppressed, seeming to vanish without a trace.

The balance of the Contemplation hexagram reveals the conditions of mid-autumn: tender seedlings are nurtured, and withered plants can revive. Seeds of shepherd’s purse, wheat, and other plants sprout, taking advantage of the seasonal Qi to emerge.

With the Stripping hexagram, the branches decay and the body disperses. The power of Qi transformation is exhausted, and even the most refined Shen Qi is lost. When the Dao’s movement reaches its limit, it returns to the root of the Kun hexagram. It follows the patterns of the earth and receives the timing of Heaven, continuing to spread forth and nurture the myriad things.

The hexagram Bo symbolizes the decay of the limbs and the dissolution of the body. Once Jing and Qi are exhausted, even the utmost Shen is lost. When the Dao’s movement reaches its end, it returns to its beginning, the root represented by the hexagram Kun. It always follows the patterns of the Earth, receiving the Dao of Heaven and bringing about change.

The changing cycles of the fire phases over the twelve months repeatedly explain the meanings of the hexagrams Tun and Meng. According to the Najia diagram, Yang Qi begins to rise in the northeast, at the Yin position. Thus, in the first lunar month, the hexagram Fu begins at dawn on the first day; this shows that “one Yang” does not appear only in the month or hour of Zi.

The chapters above all discuss the fire phases: the patterns of Yin and Yang waxing and waning, and of timing advancing and receding during cultivation.

The profound and mysterious principles may seem far apart, yet they are connected. Yin and Yang move according to a definite rhythm, giving birth to all things and forming the source of Yin and Yang. Heaven and Earth are vast and deep, their transformations elusive and hard to fathom; people cannot know where they began. If one loses one’s bearings at the outset, one strays from the right path; once one understands their patterns, one can become their master. Nothing that is level stays level forever before turning toward decline: this is the natural law of the Dao. Change and waxing and waning alternate and depend on one another. The cycle ends in Kun and begins again in Fu, joining link to link without cease. If rulers can follow and apply this pattern, they can sustain the way of governance over time.

Yin and Yang move in cycles through the hexagrams, including Fu and Gou, each becoming the root of the other. When rulers understand this pattern and govern all things in accord with the Dao of Heaven, they can make their rule endure. Rulers occupy the center of the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity. By putting the Five Affairs—the five duties and virtues a ruler must cultivate—in proper order, they bring harmony to Heaven and Earth. By following the changes of Yin and Yang and grasping the right times for nurturing life and imposing punishments, they can secure a lasting dynasty, peace for the people, and prosperity for the state, establishing a fitting way of governance and enjoying the Five Blessings. This is how the Yellow Emperor was able to ascend: it shows that he understood both the substance and the function of the Dao. By contrast, if a ruler is arrogant and complacent and fails to establish a sound way of governance, droughts and floods will come in turn, the waxing and waning of the Moon will fall out of order, winter will become hot and snow will fall in summer. In such circumstances, long life is hard to attain. Whether emperor or commoner, one thrives by attaining the Dao and declines by losing it. The next chapter therefore goes on to discuss how those who cultivate the Dao can apply this pattern.

This chapter discusses the role of the Dao in imperial governance.

If you wish to cultivate your nature and extend your life, you should carefully consider how things end and trace them back to their beginnings. The body received by a person originally arises from nonbeing. Original Jing—the vital essence at the source of life—spreads like clouds and begins to take shape by relying on Qi, the energy that forms life and all things. Yin and Yang govern its movement, and the hun and po souls dwell according to them: the Yang spirit is called the Sun Soul, and the Yin spirit the Moon Soul. The hun and po serve as one another’s dwelling places.

Nature governs the inside of the body, like the boundaries established within a city; emotion governs the outside, like the walls and outer defenses built around it. When the city’s defenses are complete, the activities of life within the human body can be settled. Yin and Yang govern its movement, and the hun and po souls dwell according to them: the Yang spirit is called the Sun Soul, and the Yin spirit the Moon Soul. The hun and po serve as one another’s dwelling places. Nature governs the inside, like setting boundaries; emotion governs the outside, like building walls and outer defenses. When these defenses are complete, the people and all things within the body can be settled.

At this point, emotion joins with Qian and Kun, the trigrams in the Book of Changes that represent Heaven and Earth. The Qian trigram is active and strong; through it, Qi spreads and Jing flows. The Kun trigram is still and receptive, becoming the dwelling place of the Great Dao. After strong Qi has acted, it withdraws; gentle Qi transforms and nurtures all things, helping them grow. “Nine returns and seven reversals” and “eight returns and six abides” are terms in Daoist cultivation for changes in Yin and Yang and the circulation of Jing and Qi. Men belong to white, women to red; Metal and Fire restrain one another. Thus Water can settle and Fire can be harmonized—this is the beginning of the generation of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

The highest good is like water: clear and without flaw. The image of the Great Dao cannot be captured in a diagram. It transforms and flows, spreading everywhere, each part dwelling independently.

Before birth, a person is originally a single, pure mass of true Qi. It changes from formlessness into form: Qi transforms to create the body, which then provides a place for the hun and po souls to dwell. The sun’s hun belongs to the Yang spirit, and the moon’s po belongs to the Yin spirit. Yet the Rabbit of the Room constellation, which belongs to the sun among the seven eastern lodges, is found in the moon; and the Crow of the Net constellation, which belongs to the moon among the seven western lodges, is found in the sun. The central lines of the Kan and Li trigrams are likewise interchanged: Yin and Yang cross over and dwell within one another.

Nature is the hun; emotion is the po. If one’s original nature can use one’s emotions and intentions to guard itself, one will not lose one’s original purity. The Kan male, symbolizing the Yang within the Kan trigram, receives a line from the Qian trigram, becoming active and releasing Jing and Qi. The Li female, symbolizing the Yin within the Li trigram, receives a line from the Kun trigram, becoming empty and still, and receiving what is offered. In this way, the nine Fire and seven Metal naturally return to their source, while the eight Wood and six Water also return to their roots. The completed numbers of the ancient divination diagram known as the Luo Shu illustrate the Four Images—the four states formed through the changes of Yin and Yang. Metal is white and Fire is red, hence the sun is said to have red and white aspects. Metal is the true Yang hidden within the Kan male; Fire is the true Yin hidden within the Li female. This is the function of Metal and Fire. The earlier passage speaks of the Four Images as seven, eight, nine, and six; the later passage mentions only Metal, Water, and Fire. This means the same as saying that “the three things contain and receive one another.” When the Four Images unite as one, they become the true One, whose form cannot be described in words. When the Four Images disperse, each of the Five Phases receives the Qi of a direction.

This chapter explains how a practitioner of the Dao puts these principles to use.

Its shape is like an egg, with black and white mutually sustaining one another. Though no more than an inch in either length or breadth, it is the beginning of life. The limbs, five organs, sinews, and bones gradually take shape. After ten months, the child leaves the womb and is born. An infant’s bones are soft and can bend; its flesh is supple, like lead.

This passage explains how the Dao mentioned in the previous chapter appears in bodily form.

A solar fire mirror, a concave bronze mirror used to kindle fire, needs the sun to produce a flame. Without the light of the stars and moon, how could the Fangzhu, an implement used to collect water, gather droplets? Though the Qi of the sun and moon is deep and distant, their influences can still respond to and communicate with one another. How much more so for a person, who is close at hand: the key lies within the heart and mind. Yin and Yang are joined with the sun and moon, and the changes of Water and Fire serve as proof.

If external things can respond to the sun and moon to obtain Water and Fire, how much more does a person already possess true Yin and true Yang? Following the principles of the sun and moon, one makes Kan and Li unite and give rise to transformation. What difficulty could there be in that?

The ears, eyes, and mouth are a person’s three treasures. They must be firmly gathered in, so the senses do not race outward and scatter. A practitioner—here called a “True Person”—should remain still and guard within, as though sinking into an abyss, holding to the inner standard through every rise and fall. Even as the body bends and turns, gather the mind and observe yourself; every opening and closing, advance and retreat, should accord with the proper measure. Keep this inner pivot within yourself, and you will not be depleted in movement or stillness. The Qi symbolized by the Li trigram moves through the body and protects it, while the function symbolized by the Kan trigram does not depend on the keen discernment of ears and eyes. The harmony symbolized by the Dui trigram is not expressed through speech. Speak little, and accord with nature in its undivided, unformed state.

Since these three are crucial points in cultivation, relax the body and settle in a quiet room. Entrust the mind to emptiness, making freedom from thought your usual state. Even when faced with circumstances that are hard to fathom and liable to unsettle you, remain focused and steadfast, allowing the spirit to scatter nowhere. In sleep, Shen and Qi continue to embrace one another; on waking, observe the changes in body and mind. The complexion gradually becomes lustrous, and the joints grow stronger. Once the various evil Yin energies have been dispelled, pure Yang Qi can take root. With uninterrupted cultivation, murky Qi like a veil of gloom may gradually disperse. The body’s fluids flow like spring rain nourishing the earth and snow melting away: they descend from the head to the feet, then rise again. Qi circulates back and forth without end, filling the body.

Returning is the proof of the Dao; weakness is the foundation of De. Cultivation is like hoeing away filth accumulated over the years, gradually bringing even the finest details into harmony and flow. Turbidity can become clarity; after a long darkness, brightness can return.

Once the Sacred Embryo—the inner image of Jing and Qi formed through cultivation—has taken shape, it must be carefully sealed and protected, nourished through Wuwei, and guarded with a clear, wakeful mind. Its effects will then appear naturally: darkness gives way to brightness, turbidity to clarity, and even the finest details gradually come into harmony and flow. The body, too, will slowly transform from the Kun body, which symbolizes Yin softness, into pure Qian, which symbolizes Yang strength.

The previous chapter described the image of the Sacred Embryo; this chapter explains how to nourish it.

People often pursue trivial details without understanding that the Great Dao has both shallow and profound aspects. They abandon the right path for crooked byways, seeking quick results, only to find themselves unable to make progress. This is like a blind person trying to find the way by means of a staff, or a deaf person trying to discern the notes of a melody; like trying to catch a hare in water or find fish and dragons on a mountain; like sowing wheat and expecting to harvest millet, or using a compass to draw a square. They exhaust their strength and wear down their spirit, yet see no results even after a whole year. If you wish to learn the method of taking in substances—the Daoist practice of consuming specific medicines or refining and nourishing Jing and Qi—its essentials are in fact simple and not complicated.

When the meaning of the words is clear, no further separate explanations are needed.

The Sun’s Flowing Pearl, Mercury within Li’s Fire, always seeks to leave the human body. When it finally obtains Golden Flower, Yang Metal, the two turn to depend on one another. They transform into a white liquid, which hardens as it congeals. Golden Flower acts first, then, after a short while, melts into water, taking a form like horse teeth arranged lengthwise and crosswise. Yang Qi then comes to harmonize them, and feeling and nature join of themselves. Before Yin Qi arrives, quickly gather and restrain them, and seal the portals shut. The loving mother takes charge of nurturing; the filial son repays her kindness. The stern father issues commands, instructing his strong offspring. The Five Phases—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—take turns in their proper seasons, relying on and generating one another. Fire can melt Metal, and Metal can restrain Wood, preventing it from flourishing. Three, Five, and One are the most subtle principles between Heaven and Earth. They can be passed on orally as a formula, but are difficult to teach through writing.

The Flowing Pearl is the Mercury of the Li trigram, which symbolizes Fire. Its nature is to rise upward, and it disperses easily. Yang Metal, with its watery nature, restrains it; when the two join in a subtle union, they can congeal. Golden Flower acts first, and soon turns into water. This is because when Metal and Fire combine, Fire can melt Metal and transform it into water. That is why the text later says, “Fire’s nature melts Metal.”

“Yang then goes forth to harmonize; feeling and nature join of themselves” refers to Yang’s feeling and Yin’s nature fitting together and naturally blending. Qi then returns to the Primordial Sea, a term in Neidan cultivation for the fundamental place deep within the body. This can stop the loss and leakage of vital energy and make the breath long and steady. That is why the practice must be done before Yin Qi arrives. “Fire does not blaze upward” means that all distracting thoughts have ceased, so the ghostly path—the route through which baleful Yin energies move—can no longer be traversed. Hence the instruction to gather and seal the portals.

Yang Metal restrains Wood and prevents it from generating Fire. If the Fire grows strong, it will bring calamity, so it must be controlled. That is why the text later says, “Metal fells Wood’s flourishing.” When the Li trigram receives one line from the Kun trigram, it symbolizes the way of the mother. Li dwells in the south and governs summer, whose duty is to nurture growth; hence the phrase “the loving mother nurtures.” When the Kan trigram receives one line from the Qian trigram, it symbolizes the way of the father. Kan dwells in the north and governs winter, whose severe cold brings things to stillness and decay. Though this harshness seems harmful, it is also a way of bringing all things to completion; hence the phrase “the stern father.” The meaning of “Three, Five, and One” is explained in the notes below.

This chapter discusses the transformations produced by the union of Kan and Li, which respectively symbolize Water and Fire.

Zi turns on the right, while Wu moves eastward; Mao and You stand on opposite sides, fixing the positions of the Dragon and Tiger. The Dragon calls to the Tiger, and the Tiger draws in the Dragon’s vital essence. They take each other in, each craving nourishment from the other’s essence, then swallow, chew, and devour one another.

Mars (Yinghuo) keeps to the west, while Venus (Taibai) crosses the sky. The Qi of decline descends, and nothing escapes withering. The weasel watches the mouse; the crow fears the hawk. Each has its own role—who would dare make a sound?

The Zi position turns to the right and moves over You; the Wu position rotates eastward and moves over Mao. When You moves over Wu, it coincides with the shortest day, when the Pleiades are in charge. This is when, at midwinter, Yang first begins to arise. At this time, the union of Yin and Yang can take place. The text’s “two names” refer to the Dragon and Tiger, and phrases such as “take each other in” describe this union: at first they crave one another, then they unite, and finally they take each other in. Through practice that proceeds from shallow to deep, one naturally reaches the union of Kan and Li, symbolizing the joining of Water and Fire, Yin and Yang.

“ Mars keeps to the west; Venus crosses the sky” refers to the Wu position moving over the western You position. Mars occupies Wu, coinciding with the longest day, when the Fire star is in charge. This is when, at midsummer, Yin first begins to arise. Yin governs decline and contraction, and all things draw in and wither. At this time, the Yin Talisman—the methods of practice corresponding to the movement of Yin—comes into effect. Those who study the Dao should understand the changing interplay of Yin and Yang represented by Zi and Wu, and make the Metal Tiger subdue the Wood Dragon so that it cannot fly away. This is like the dog watching the mouse and the crow fearing the hawk: each plays its part.

This chapter explains the essentials of applying Yang Fire and the Yin Talisman.

If one has not grasped the principles involved, one should not speak rashly. Some have exhausted their family fortunes, leaving their wives and children hungry and poor. Since ancient times, countless people have taken an interest in this Way, yet few have truly encountered the right opportunity and succeeded in cultivation. Searching widely for rare and precious medicines can instead lead one away from the Great Dao. If one does encounter the right opportunity and catches a glimpse of its signs, one should compare things according to their kinds and investigate how they change from beginning to end.

The Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) overcome one another, yet they can also transform into one another’s parents. The maternal side contains nourishing fluid; the paternal side conveys and bestows. When the two gather Jing and Qi and spread through the formation of things, even metal and stone can become firm and endure. If one can remain cautious and focused, without allowing Jing and Qi to disperse, one may hope to attain the Dao. This is like raising a pole and seeing its shadow, or calling into a valley and hearing an echo: once one has truly grasped the first signs, the effects will appear in turn. Is this not proof of efficacy? These are the most wondrous signs between Heaven and Earth.

If someone swallows an inch of wild kudzu and one liang of croton seed, they will stiffen and collapse as soon as it enters the mouth, unable to lift their head and look upward. At that point, even if King Wen of Zhou divined with yarrow stalks, Confucius interpreted the hexagrams, Bian Que applied acupuncture, and Wu Xian beat a drum to perform rites, how could any of them revive the person and make them stand up and run again?

The commentary explains “the Five Phases overcome one another” as follows: when Metal encounters Water, Metal weakens; when Wood encounters Fire, Wood is subdued. “They become one another’s parents” means that Wood normally generates Fire, yet Fire in turn nurtures Wood; Metal normally generates Water, yet Water in turn contains Metal. The mother’s nourishing fluid and the father’s act of conveying and bestowing refer to Yang Qi being imparted and Yin Qi receiving it.

“He shang fang” is wondrous and numinous: when it meets Fire, it soars away, leaving not the slightest trace of dust. Ghosts and spirits hide, dragons vanish, and no one knows where it is. If one wishes to subdue it, Yellow Sprout—the key medicine or fundamental substance in alchemical practice—is the basis.

The commentary says that the Li hexagram symbolizes Fire and corresponds to the direction of midday; geographically, it belongs to the “wilderness.” It also says that Li corresponds to the Three Rivers region within the Zhou domain, hence the name “He shang fang.” These names and symbols were not chosen arbitrarily. Once Li Fire is activated, it brings calamity; when ghosts, spirits, and dragons go into hiding, their whereabouts become even harder to discover. To subdue it, one must still take Yellow Sprout as the basis.

“Li” symbolizes movement and is located in the south, at the Horse position. In the Zhou dynasty’s geographical divisions, this area belonged to the Three Rivers region, so Li is called “the moving thing above the river.” Establishing names and determining their symbols is not arbitrary. Once the Li fire is kindled, calamity follows. This explains that when a person’s nature grows restless, if it does not return to the right path, it will become scattered and lose its original truth—just as one may enter and leave without knowing where to return. It is like the mercury in cinnabar: when it meets fire, it flies off and vanishes.

Look nearby at the human body and far away at the myriad things: the principles are the same. This passage means the same as the earlier chapter on the “sun’s flowing pearl.” The “flowing pearl” is the moving thing spoken of here, that is, the fire within the Li trigram; the “yellow sprout” is the golden flower, that is, the metal within the Kan trigram.

This chapter discusses the ingredients.

If the myriad things do not follow the way of Yin-Yang, they go against the Way of Heaven and the original Qi. When a hen broods over eggs alone, the chicks that hatch are not fully formed. Why? Because Yin and Yang have not yet joined in an unbroken union; Three and Five have not met, and firmness and softness remain apart. The subtle workings by which the myriad things come into being and change are the natural results of Heaven and Earth’s own movement: when fire is kindled, it burns upward; when water flows, it moistens downward. These things do not happen because a teacher directs them, nor can people make them take a different form.

Observe the union of male and female: firmness and softness join together, bound so closely that they are hard to separate. This is natural; it is not controlled through a craftsperson’s skill. For example, when boys are born, their bodies lie face down, while girls lie face up. People receive the original Qi in the womb, and at birth this form appears. The circumstances of death likewise reflect this pattern. Their parents did not teach them to be this way; rather, the pattern of life was already determined by the workings of Yin-Yang at the moment of union and conception.

The point here is that Yin alone cannot bring forth life, nor can Yang alone. Their union—like the union of Kan and Li—occurs naturally and is not forced into being by human effort.

The Yang Qi within Kan, which represents water, the moon, and Yin, is called “male”; the Yin Qi within Li, which represents fire, the sun, and Yang, is called “female.” The sun spreads light and warmth, while the moon unfolds its radiance. The moon receives the sun’s changes, and only then does its form avoid waning. If Yang Qi loses its proper measure, Yin Qi will cover the sunlight. The dark moon, the new moon, and the mutual obscuring of sun and moon all show Yin and Yang out of balance and encroaching upon one another. When the Yang form diminishes and Yin rises above it, calamity follows.

Man and woman depend on one another, just as the moon is nourished by receiving the sun’s changes. Yin and Yang, female and male, respond to one another according to their corresponding categories. Metal can transform and produce water, whose nature is to flow everywhere. Fire can transform and produce earth; earth restrains water and prevents it from flowing unchecked. Thus the man actively sends forth outward, while the woman quietly receives inward. If this exceeds its proper limit, it is restrained by the yielding feminine side. The Po, associated with the body and Yin, serves to restrain the Hun, associated with Yang and spiritual activity, so that it does not become unbridled. In cultivation, cold and heat must be balanced, and advance and retreat must accord with the right moment. Yin and Yang each find their harmony, and each displays its corresponding signs.

The commentator says: The sun and moon, man and woman, and female and male are all metaphors for the principle of Yin-Yang joining together. To lose the rules of their union is like an eclipse of the sun or moon. Water arises within Metal, and water combines with the Qi of Metal. Water would naturally overcome the fire of Li, but the fire of Li can in turn produce earth, which restrains water and keeps it still. “The man acts outwardly and sends forth; the woman is still inwardly and stores within” means the same as Yang Qi sending forth and Yin Qi receiving. The Po restrains the Hun as feeling and thought protect one’s nature; it also symbolizes Metal overcoming Wood. “Not being excessive” means that one’s nature is not led astray by desire. In cultivation, one must follow the seasons of Yin and Yang’s waxing and waning. Advancing the fire and resting the cycle of the fire (terms in alchemy for applying and pausing the firing process) must both be done with due measure. Only then can Yin and Yang unite in harmony and each display its corresponding signs.

Cinnabar (red mercury sulfide) is the essence of Wood; it must obtain Metal to unite with it. Metal combines with water, and Wood accompanies fire. When the four are mixed and brought into unity, they appear as the image of the Dragon and Tiger. The Dragon belongs to Yang and has an odd number; the Tiger belongs to Yin and has an even number. The liver, associated with the color green, is the father; the lungs, associated with white, are the mother; the kidneys, associated with black, are the child; and the spleen, associated with yellow, is the ancestor. The liver, lungs, and kidneys belong to one family and ultimately all return to Wu and Ji (Earth).

The commentator says that the Four Images unite and then return to Wu and Ji; this has already been explained in the preceding commentary. The whole passage discusses the union of Yin and Yang.

Forceful and yielding qualities rise in turn, each passing through different periods and directions. The Azure Dragon dwells in the east and the White Tiger in the west, corresponding respectively to the Mao and You positions. Here, the directions of celestial bodies are linked to the solar terms and to the transformations of Yin and Yang. Punishment and Virtue move together, seeming to welcome one another when they meet: Punishment governs severity and concealment, while Virtue governs emergence and growth.

In the second lunar month, the elm’s leaves fall. The character “□” is incomplete, so its intended reference cannot be determined; it arrives at the Mao position. In the eighth lunar month, wheat grows, and the celestial signs indicate that its position is in the You sector. The Zi position lies in the south and the Wu position in the north; they cross one another and serve as the guiding framework for movement. The numbers nine and one symbolize a cycle: after an ending, a new beginning follows. Original Qi is stored in the Xu and Wei lunar mansions, and at the Zi position it disperses vital essence.

As Yang Qi grows, Yin Qi wanes; as Yin Qi wanes, Yang Qi grows. This is the process by which forceful and yielding qualities alternate and transform. The twenty-eight lunar mansions correspond to the twelve chen (time and directional positions marked by the twelve Earthly Branches) and extend across the twelve celestial divisions (an ancient system that matched regions of the sky with regions on earth). Thus, they pass in turn through the various positions and divisions. The later passage about the Azure Dragon lying in the east while facing west, and the White Tiger …, describes how the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang work together with changes in direction.

The directions shift as the calendar progresses. The Dragon position lies in the east but faces west; the Tiger position lies in the west but faces east. Mao and You stand opposite one another, which is why it is said, “The Dragon is in the west, the Tiger in the east.” The Jing of the Dragon and Tiger (Longhu Jing) says that north and south form the meridian; from this we can tell that Mao and You form the latitude. Thus Mao and You make up the latitudinal axis of the directions.

Mao belongs to De (Virtue/Power) and governs birth; You belongs to punishment and governs killing. Because Mao and You stand opposite one another, birth contains killing and killing contains birth. Thus, when plants wither in the second month, this can be described as Xin Metal in Xu meeting Yi Wood; when wheat shoots grow in the eighth month, it is Yi Wood in Chen meeting Xin Metal. Since Mao occupies You’s position, Zi naturally occupies the south and Wu the north, interlocking to form the governing order. The Jing of the Dragon and Tiger refers to this change of positions with the words “Zhang’s wings fly over Xu and Wei.”

Zhang Ziyang, a Daoist and Neidan practitioner of the Northern Song, understood this principle deeply. That is why he wrote, “On the fifteenth of the eighth month, admire the moon’s radiance”—a reference to the time when the essence of Metal is at its height. The fifteenth of the eighth month falls in the middle of autumn. At night, the Xu constellation presides, in keeping with the season for observing the heavens in midautumn. At midnight, the Xu and Wei constellations stand directly opposite the position of Zhang. At this time Zi is in the south, Wu in the north, the Dragon in the west, and the Tiger in the east. Punishment and De meet together, and the positions of Heaven and Earth seem to turn upside down. Metal and Water fill out, and the form of the medicine attains the image of pure Qian.

The numerical cycle of nine and one turns again and again, ending only to begin anew. The Kan trigram belongs to one, and the Li trigram to nine. Kan one is added to Li nine, then nine is added back to one; they cycle between them, each serving as the other’s beginning and end. The text then says, “Contain the source in Xu and Wei; spread the essence at Zi.” Fire at Wu is conceived in the position of Zi, hence “contain the source in Xu and Wei.” Kan Water conveys to the Li trigram the pure vital energy contained in its central line, adding Zi to Wu; hence “spread the essence at Zi.”

This chapter explains how the form of the medicine attains the image of pure Qian.

“‘Guan-guan’ cry the ospreys, on the river islet. A lovely, graceful maiden: a fitting mate for a noble man.” The male and female birds accompany one another in pairs, just as the male and female do not live apart but are matched with each other. The union of the tortoise and snake symbolized by Xuanwu, the northern spirit often depicted as a combined tortoise and snake, likewise signifies the joining of Yin and Yang, returning pure vital energy to the Li trigram. This too explains how the form of the medicine attains the image of pure Qian.

Ospreys accompany one another in pairs on sandbanks in the river. A beautiful and virtuous woman is the ideal partner of a noble gentleman. The male does not live alone, and the female does not remain solitary; the Black Tortoise—a divine creature formed from a tortoise and a snake—and the coiling dragon support one another. All this shows that Yin and Yang, female and male, depend on each other and are each indispensable.

If two women lived together in one room, however beautiful they might be, they could not become husband and wife. Even if skilled persuaders such as Su Qin and Zhang Yi served as matchmakers, however eloquent and artful their words, and however hard they tried to reconcile the matter, they could not make the two women into a married couple. Even if their hair fell out and their teeth rotted away with age, they would never come to know one another in this way. If the substances used in refining elixirs are not of corresponding kinds, if their names and properties differ, or if their proportions fail to meet the proper rules, the fundamental principles will be lost. Even if the Yellow Emperor personally tended the furnace, Taiyi, a divine being, descended to preside over it, the Eight Immortals supervised the refining, and the King of Huainan managed the fire; even if a high platform and altar were built, its steps paved with jade, precious offerings arranged, and a register held while one knelt in prayer, petitioning the gods and spirits; even after bathing, fasting, and waiting with hope, it would still be to no avail. This is like mending a pot with glue or treating a sore with iron, trying to dispel cold by adding ice or to drive away heat with hot soup, or making a tortoise fly and a snake dance: such efforts only depart further from what is natural.

Here, the pairing of man and woman is used to explain the principles of elixir refinement: Yin needs Yang as its partner, and the substances must be of compatible kinds and properly proportioned. Sacrifices and rituals alone cannot remedy a mismatch between the substances. The scripture also says, “Yin still depends on Yang,” meaning that Yin must rely on Yang. This reiterates the meaning of pairing and union expressed in the “Guanju.”

This concludes the middle volume of the Commentary on the Zhouyi Cantong Qi.

The following collation notes describe differences between the base text and the Kaoyi edition, as well as cases where characters were added or changed on the basis of another version. Note 1 changes “discuss” to “illustrate” to fit the meaning. Note 2 restores the omitted character “good” on the basis of the Kaoyi edition. Notes 3 through 5 record variant readings: “issue commands” / “give orders,” “dust-time” / “wait for the right time,” and “month of the hexagram” / “day of the hexagram.” Note 6 adds “by means of” to match the sentence pattern above. Notes 7 through 47 continue to record variants and editorial changes item by item.

In these notes, “originally reads” and “originally omitted” refer to the wording or omission in the base text. “Changed” or “added on the basis of the Kaoyi edition” indicates that the text was adjusted according to that edition. Some entries in the notes are repeated, the numbering is incomplete, and a few quotations are fragmentary, so their collation comments can only be understood from the text that survives.

The sages of old cherished the wondrous Dao and held fast to an unadorned, genuine nature. They took and refined the Nine Tripods—the golden vessels used in alchemy—and withdrew from the world to cultivate. They nurtured Jing and Qi, along with spirit, so that their Virtue ran through the Three Origins—the three foundations of Heaven, Earth, and humanity in Daoist thought. Jing and Qi filled the meridians, strengthening the sinews and bones. All harmful influences were dispelled, while vital Qi remained for the long term. With time, the body was transformed, and at last they attained the Dao and became immortals.

Moved by compassion for later generations who longed to seek the Dao, the sages followed the traces of the ancients: they pointed out and sketched ancient writings, compiled them into illustrated books, and passed them down to posterity. They revealed the branches while concealing the roots, and used the names of various minerals to obscure the writings within. Even when seekers obtained these books, they often kept them treasured away and never understood them in their lifetimes. Fathers passed them on to sons, and grandchildren received them from their ancestors; the books were handed down from one generation to the next, yet people remained confused and gained no genuine knowledge or insight. As a result, officials found their careers faltering, farmers neglected their fields, merchants abandoned their goods, and men of purpose were left in poverty. Deeply saddened by this, I have gathered and written down these words.

The wording here is concise and the meaning clear; the matters discussed are treated briefly, without needless elaboration. The reasoning is orderly, and the content can be examined against the facts. The quantities of the ingredients are fixed, and should be followed in sequence. I have therefore explained them in verse, making this a gateway to understanding the hidden meaning. The discerning reader should reflect carefully and investigate the matter in light of their own understanding.

The Nine Tripods are golden tripods. In the numerical sequence of generation in the Luoshu, “nine” belongs to Metal; it also corresponds to the number of Yang Metal in the Qian trigram. The tripod is the vessel that holds metallic ingredients for refining.

This chapter begins by discussing the ingredients used in alchemy.

Among the patterns and signs in the world, none is more immense than Heaven and Earth themselves. Their mutual interaction and response have effects that reach across ten thousand miles. When the River Drum star draws near Xingji, an ancient division of the sky, the people are all filled with alarm. If the changes in the sun’s shadow occur abnormally early or late, they will bring nine years of calamity. When the ruler observes anomalies revealed by celestial signs, he reflects on himself and corrects his faults. As the positions of stars such as Tianshu and Tianxuan shift higher or lower, calamities and dark Qi recede. The waters around the Yangtze and Huai rivers may dry up, while the streams flow together into the sea.

The Yin and Yang, female and male Qi between Heaven and Earth circulate back and forth between the hours of Zi and Wu, the midnight and midday periods in the twelve-hour system. Yin and Yang change according to the fundamental temporal positions of Yin and Shen; their Qi comes and goes in a recurring cycle. Follow the course of the Northern Dipper and observe the star Yaoguang, the Dipper’s seventh star. By tracking the direction of its handle, one can determine the order of the seasons and years.

The cauldron and vessel each take their images from Qian and Kun, symbolizing Heaven and Earth. The boundary where they meet represents the junction of Yin and Yang. The cauldron and vessel joining together is like Metal and Wood, originally far apart, which can be brought into harmony only through the Dao (the Way).

“River Drum approaches Xingji” means that Fire comes to the position of Metal and draws near to it. The passage describes Li, which should be below but instead occupies the upper position. Since Li Fire naturally rises, Water and Fire fail to unite, and cannot receive the Qian Metal within Kan. This goes against the principle of “the Dragon low, the Tiger high,” losing the key to bringing them into harmony. Hardness and softness resist one another rather than blending, and the true medicine scatters in every direction. Hence the text says, “the people are all alarmed.” Here, “the people” is a metaphor for the substances of the medicine. The Wuzhen pian says, “The Tiger is called the mountain’s summit, the Dragon the sea,” likewise describing Fire below and Metal above. The earlier phrases “blazing Fire spreads below” and “below is the sun” also clearly indicate the arrangement of the upper and lower positions.

“Sun’s shadow heedlessly advances and retreats” refers to the timing of advancing and withdrawing the Fire. If advance and retreat lose their proper measure—advancing prematurely when one should not, or retreating arbitrarily when one should not—the disaster of “nine years of flood” will follow. The text uses irregular solstices and equinoxes, alternating floods and droughts, collapsing mountains, and ruptured earth to illustrate Fire timing that is out of season.

Once the ruler recognizes the error and corrects it, the high and low positions at the crucial point return to their proper arrangement, and the Five Qi (the Qi of the Five Phases) regain their order. Perverse and harmful Qi then recedes, the waters of the Yangtze and Huai naturally flow together into the sea, and the medicine returns to its origin.

“The male and female of Heaven and Earth circle between Zi and Wu” describes the true Yin and true Yang represented by the male Kan and female Li, moving between Zi and Wu. “Yin and Yang take Yin and Shen as their ancestors” means that the Yin Talisman and Yang Fire begin at Yin and Shen. According to the Na Jia diagram, when the moon rises from the positions of Zhen and Geng, the Yang line begins to stir, and the Yang Fire begins. When the moon reaches the positions of Xun and Xin, the Yin line begins to change, and the Yin Talisman begins. In the Earlier Heaven trigrams, Zhen lies at Yin and Xun at Shen, so Yin and Shen mark the two solstices. The moon rises from the Yin position and sets at Shen; after setting, it rises again. Hence the sun and moon emerge and withdraw in an unending cycle. “Hold the balance to establish the primordial cycle” means following the movement of the Northern Dipper to determine Na Jia and the Fire timing. Yuan and Ji are names of stars in the Dipper.

In summary, “River Drum approaches Xingji, the people are all alarmed” is a metaphor for operating contrary to the rules, causing the substances of the medicine to scatter. “The sun’s shadow heedlessly advances and retreats; for nine years one suffers calamity” is a metaphor for failing to follow the Fire timing, so that Water loses its nature. “The crucial point has its low and high positions” describes correcting the error, restoring proper measure to the operation, dispelling harmful Qi, and bringing calamity to an end. The waters of the Yangtze and Huai flowing into the sea are a metaphor for the medicine returning to its origin after one follows the rules and observes the Fire timing. Zi and Wu refer to the substances of the medicine; Yin and Shen refer to the Fire timing. By following the movement of the Northern Dipper, the changes at Yin and Shen govern the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang, and the advance and retreat of day and night.

This chapter explains in detail the method of sexual union, using the joining of Yin and Yang as a metaphor for alchemical cultivation. It concludes with a discussion of the firing process: how to control the heat and the duration of refining.

Place the ingredients in the cauldron and steam them over a strong fire. The White Tiger, symbolizing the Yin ingredient, leads the way, while the Azure Fluid—the blue liquid, also referring to the alchemical solution—follows to bring things into harmony. The Vermilion Crow, or Vermilion Bird, symbolizing the Yang counterpart, flies and plays, displaying five-colored light. It meets a net and is pinned down, unable to rise. It cries out mournfully, like an infant longing for its mother. Then it is turned over and cast into a boiling cauldron, where its feathers are damaged.

Before even half a water clock has elapsed, something like dragon scales surges up inside the cauldron, shining with five colors and shifting unpredictably. The liquid boils and churns without ceasing for a long time. The various substances cross and overlap, pressing against one another. Their form also resembles ice in midwinter; stalactite-like deposits emerge along the rim of the cauldron. The irregular, intermingled substances pile up in layers and support one another.

When Yin and Yang are properly matched, they can remain together in quiet ease. The Azure Dragon, symbolizing the Yang counterpart, occupies the sixth position in the Fang constellation, where the breath of spring stirs in the eastern Mao position. The White Tiger occupies the seventh position in the Mao constellation, where the breath of autumn appears in the western You position. The Vermilion Bird occupies the second position in the Zhang constellation, corresponding to the southern Wu position. The three meet together, like members of one family guiding one another.

At the root, there are only two ingredients; in the end, they are summed up in the numbers three and five. Three and five combine and return to unity, all gathering in the same place. Refine them according to the method described above, and measure the required number of days according to the established standard.

The White Tiger and Azure Fluid represent Metal and Wood. When the Vermilion Bird, which symbolizes Fire, receives the support of Wood, it can generate Fire; by nature, it soars and darts about. Metal can overcome Wood and also draws on Water to suppress the Vermilion Bird, making it seem caught in a net and unable to take flight. When Li Fire, the trigram that symbolizes Fire, cannot develop, it returns to Zhen Wood, the trigram that symbolizes Wood. The dragon’s scales then show five colors and gleam brightly: Zhen symbolizes the dragon, while Li symbolizes culture and illumination. Dog’s teeth, winter ice, balustrades, and stalactites are all sights that actually appear in the alchemical process.

The Azure Dragon can soar into the air. When Li Fire cannot develop, it returns to Zhen Wood, and the dragon’s scales show five colors and gleam brightly; Zhen symbolizes the dragon, while Li symbolizes culture and illumination. Dog’s teeth, winter ice, balustrades, and stalactites are all sights that actually appear in the alchemical process. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird correspond to the three images mentioned earlier—the White Tiger, Azure Fluid, and Vermilion Bird—and restate the principle. The same applies to Fang six, Yi seven, and Zhang two. Fire is generated by Wood, and Water by Metal; these three images together encompass all Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). The numbers of Fang six, Xu seven, and Zhang two add up to fifteen, representing the alchemical ingredients. In discussing the firing times—the control of heat and timing in alchemy—the number three times five, or fifteen, is also taken as the number of Yang Fire, and the dates are selected accordingly.

The Dragon and Tiger are originally two separate images. When Fire acts upon them, they combine to form three times five; with Water added, they become the Four Images, which ultimately all return to Wu and Ji (Earth) and blend into one. Whenever the text discusses the firing times, it next discusses the joining of the alchemical ingredients; whenever it discusses the joining of the ingredients, it next discusses the firing times. This pattern should be examined carefully.

This chapter describes the phenomena that appear when the alchemical ingredients join.

The Neidan (internal alchemy) elixir first appears white, then turns yellow. Its red color spreads from within to without, running through both inner and outer. This stage is called the “First Crucible,” and the condensed elixir takes the shape of a single large millet grain. These changes occur naturally; they do not depend on sorcery or deceptive methods.

The vapors of mountains and marshes rise and mingle, forming clouds and bringing rain. When soil dries, it crumbles into dust; when fire goes out, it leaves ash. Oak-bark dye can turn things yellow, while indigo dye can make them green. Boiled leather becomes glue, and certain plants can be fermented into wine. Materials of the same kind readily interact and bring about change; materials of different kinds cannot so easily produce the same effects.

This wondrous method calls for careful discernment and must not be dismissed as empty words. Its teachings have been passed down through later generations and remain clear and verifiable, bright as the stars of the Milky Way and plain to see, like rivers flowing into the sea. One must reflect and investigate repeatedly, examining things from every angle. Only through a thousandfold, ten-thousandfold accumulation of inquiry may one discern its principles. Sometimes the spirits reveal them to a person; sometimes the mind and spirit suddenly grasp them. By tracing things back to their source and following their clues, one can find the way in. The Way of Heaven favors no one and rejects no one; it often passes these teachings on to the worthy and wise.

The Li trigram, which symbolizes fire, contains Yin Fire. At first it is white; when it meets lead, it turns yellow. Once the firing process is complete and the elixir has been refined, it becomes red and then purple. The red runs from within to without, embodying the “Great Red” associated with the Qian trigram. When the millet-sized elixir bead condenses into shape, it is called the “First Crucible,” signifying the completion of cultivation in the Way of the Elixir. The words of sages and worthies, too, follow established rules and sequence.

This chapter describes the signs that appear when the firing process is complete and the elixir has been refined.

Five Correspondences

The Cantong qi (Token for Joining the Three) originally laid out its subject matter in a rather complicated way, without fully bringing it together. Some subtle points were left incomplete, and other passages were missing or unclear. The text is now compiled anew: omissions are supplied, hidden meanings explained, and related passages linked together, so that its central teaching is consistent and its conclusions do not conflict. This chapter is therefore also composed, under the title Five Correspondences, to clarify fully the principles and reasoning of the Zhouyi (Book of Changes).

The five directions complement one another, each with its own corresponding and matching relationships.

Yi corresponds to floating stone, Jia to sinking stone; Ding to the gentle fire, Bing to the fierce fire; Ji to things in general, Wu to medicinal substances; Xin to ordinary silver, Geng to ordinary gold; Gui to true lead, and Ren to true mercury. The numbers three, two, five, four, and one correspond respectively to Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Once these symbolic numbers and their correspondences are understood, the principles of human nature and innate nature in the Zhouyi can also be grasped.

The five positions work together, each with its corresponding match.

Yi is floating stone, Ding the gentle fire, Ji things in general, Xin ordinary silver, and Gui true lead; three corresponds to Wood, two to Fire, five to Earth, four to Metal, and one to Water; Jia is sinking stone, Bing the fierce fire, Wu medicinal substances, Geng ordinary gold, and Ren true mercury.

These are the precelestial numbers of the Luoshu—a diagram that symbolizes the transformations of Heaven and Earth through numerical patterns and directional arrangement.

The Zhouyi’s principles of human nature and innate nature each have their own order. By investigating the teachings of Huangdi and Laozi, then comparing and examining them, one can learn to put them into practice. The arts of the furnace and fire—the techniques of refining elixirs in a furnace and crucible—also have a sound basis. These three teachings all arise from the same fundamental principle and follow the same path.

The teachings of Huangdi and Laozi originate in the Zhouyi, while the teachings of the furnace and fire draw on Huangdi and Laozi. All three arise from the Zhouyi and discuss the principles of things and of human nature.

Branches, stems, flowers, leaves, and fruit may all differ, yet their foundation lies in the root, and they never lose their essential nature. What is said here is indeed true; examine it carefully and do not misunderstand it.

Just as trees send out shoots and branches in spring, flower and spread their leaves in summer, and bear fruit in autumn, the source of their growth still lies in their roots. This is what is meant by “the roots remain intact”: their original nature has not been lost. The progression from the hexagrams Jiaotai and Dazhuang to the pure Qian has its source in the Fu hexagram, which takes the winter solstice as its beginning. The subtle workings of returning to the root and restoring the origin cannot be separated from the Qi of Yang, which first comes to life at the beginning of the Zi hour on the winter solstice. This is a principle secretly transmitted by the sages and perfected beings. Those who study the Dao need only understand how the first stirring of Yang works: the hexagrams Lin, Tai, Dazhuang, and Guai will then transform naturally, without being forced by human effort. For this reason, the classic deliberately uses the scene of midwinter to explain this point.

This chapter leads into the next by using the roots of trees as a metaphor for the winter solstice. It says: “In midwinter, bamboo and trees all suffer breakage.” The branches and shoots of spring, the flowers and leaves of summer, and the fruit of autumn all arise from the time when winter has withered and damaged the branches and leaves. Original Jing—the essential energy at the root of life—lies hidden in the roots and receives the impulse to grow when Yang first returns.

“In midwinter, bamboo and trees all suffer breakage. Support the Qi of Yang, quiet and unhurried; the ruler, too, deeply conceals himself. Follow the seasonal order and say nothing. The Dao of Heaven is vast and profound; the Great Mystery, so deeply subtle, cannot be depicted. It is empty, still, and without form; even its boundaries and traces disappear. Do not mistake error for the beginning of a matter, or words will turn back and harm you. Set out these four images separately to enlighten those who come later in their ignorance.”

This uses the winter solstice—the seasonal marker when Yang energy begins to emerge—to explain the moment when “Yang first arises.” When nurturing the emergence of Yang energy, one should be as cautious as traveling merchants who set out on a journey and a ruler who withdraws into seclusion. This is like what the Returning hexagram says: “Merchants and travelers do not go forth; the ruler does not inspect the regions.” If those who study the Dao do not understand the guiding principles, these teachings must be brought to light again. The author does so out of deep concern for later generations. The terms Shu and Si are distinguished, along with the Four Images; Lead and Mercury both correspond to Ren and Gui. Ren is Li within the Qian trigram, and Gui is Kan within the Kun trigram. There is profound meaning in this.

These two chapters focus specifically on the essentials of regulating the firing process in cultivation when Yang first arises.

I am a humble person, living in a secluded mountain valley, old and without accomplishment. I cherish simplicity and have no liking for empty reputation or honor. Dwelling in a remote, modest place, I care nothing for fame; I hold fast to quietude and detachment, hoping only for peace in the world. I live in Yanzhan, a place name, and have therefore written this piece, singing of the Great Changes (Zhouyi) and explaining the teachings left by the three sages Fuxi, King Wen, and Confucius. I have examined their meaning and brought them together in a unified discussion.

These principles are plain and easy to understand, so I have not supplied annotations.

The key is to follow the patterns of things and bring the spirit to full expression. Then wondrous transformations can proceed without obstruction, and peace can prevail throughout the world. Expressed as a calendar, these principles can guide later generations for a long time; applied to the ordering of government, they can be put into practice without causing disturbance. They guide people to cultivate their nature inwardly, in keeping with the Dao of Huangdi and Laozi—the natural way revered by the Daoists. Those of profound De can return to the root and recover the origin. The Dao is close at hand, within the heart, and never apart from oneself. By holding fast to the One—the Daoist principle of single-mindedly abiding by the Dao—one can preserve it over time. Add to this the practices of ingesting substances and cultivation, arranging and applying the feminine and masculine substances in their proper order; eliminate the Wudu method and set aside the Eight Minerals, mineral substances used in ancient alchemy. Only by applying these methods with care can one succeed. These, too, are valued by the world.

I set out three lines of transmission, whose branches connect and intertwine. Though their names differ, they all come from one source. These words are not an empty piling up of phrases; they are meant to make the writing harmonious and complete. There is likely genuine truth in them, as a little examination will show. If I were to elaborate on falsehoods, I would only invite needless blame. I have therefore named this work the Cantong Qi (Token for Joining the Three), so that readers may investigate its first indications. Its wording is concise and its meaning far-reaching; scholars of later generations should follow it.

By following the principles revealed in the Luoshu, the ancient numerical diagram, wondrous transformations can proceed without obstruction. A little examination will reveal the genuine truth within. If I were to elaborate on falsehoods, I would only invite needless blame. I have therefore named this work the Cantong Qi (Token for Joining the Three), so that readers may investigate its first indications. Its wording is concise and its meaning far-reaching; scholars of later generations should follow it.

When put into operation according to the principles of the Luoshu (a diagram used in antiquity to explain the transformations of Heaven and Earth), it allows wondrous transformations to circulate freely and brings peace and stability to the four seas. When applied openly, it can be used to establish the calendar and distinguish the seasons. By bringing order to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), it can establish standards of governance and administer state affairs. This is how emperors put it to use. When applied to self-cultivation, it enables one to return to the root, restore primordial Qi, and preserve the One—the fundamental Dao spoken of in Daoism—so as to endure. This is how Dao cultivators put it to use.

By adapting to the times and avoiding harm, one dwells among the mountains and forests. One roams through vast, empty realms and keeps company with ghosts and spirits. The body transforms, and one becomes an immortal, returning to stillness, without sound or trace. Once in a hundred generations, one may appear briefly, freely wandering among the people of the world. Robes of feathers flutter as one travels in all directions. King Tang once faced a troubled age, when floods and droughts followed one another. The branches and leaves of plants withered and yellowed, losing their lush, flourishing color. When auspicious people support and bear one another up, they can live long and securely.

These four-character concealed phrases were written by Wei Boyang. They appear earlier, beneath the character “Shu.”

Song of the Tripod and Vessel

Kun (the Yin trigram in the Book of Changes) is the tripod, containing Kan (the trigram representing water); Qian (the Yang trigram in the Book of Changes) is the vessel, containing Li (the trigram representing fire). Taken separately, they are Qian and Kun; brought together, they are the tripod and vessel.

Round three-five, an inch and a fraction.

“Round three-five, an inch and a fraction” means that Yin and Yang unite, and three and five return to one. Kun serves as the tripod and contains Kan; Qian serves as the vessel and contains Li. Separately they are Qian and Kun; together they are the tripod and vessel. This is precisely what “round three-five, an inch and a fraction” describes. Perfected Person Peng considers the wording and meaning of this phrase to be connected. “Round” refers to the union of Qian and Kun.

An opening, four-eight.

“Opening” refers to the Gate of the Mysterious Female, a Daoist term for the gateway through which Yin and Yang transform, bringing forth life and entering and departing. All things emerge, enter, and transform through it; it encompasses the Four Images (the four states arising from the evolution of Yin and Yang) and the Eight Trigrams. The tripod embodies the images of Metal and Water, while the vessel embodies those of Wood and Fire. The Kun tripod contains three Yang lines, and the Qian vessel contains three Yin lines.

Two-inch lips.

This refers to the place where the two Qi energies of Yin and Yang meet, divide, and unite, also called the “mutual channel.”

A foot and two long, evenly thick.

The tripod has six Yang lines, and the vessel has six Yin lines, corresponding to the twelve double-hours. Yin and Yang are distributed evenly.

The above describes the union of the tripod and vessel; the ingredients required for alchemical refinement are also all in place.

Three at the navel.

Heaven has a “navel,” meaning its center. This expression appears in the Treatise on Astronomy from the Jin dynasty. Earth…

The preceding passage has discussed the joining of the vessel and cauldron, and the preparation of the ingredients.

At the center of the alchemical furnace is the “navel.” Heaven, too, has a navel: its center, corresponding to the celestial phenomena described in the Treatise on Astronomy in the Book of Jin. Earth and humanity each have their own center as well. These centers are gateways where the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity—join and give birth. For Heaven and Earth, this is their root; for human beings, it is the place that nourishes the “mysterious female,” the Daoist gateway of generation and transformation.

Through seated vigil, warm Qi descends. Yin Qi is above, while Yang Qi moves downward.

This is the method for advancing the fire, bringing Water and Fire to the state of mutual completion, in which Yin and Yang are harmonized. The cauldron issues from Kun, which represents Yin, and the vessel from Qian, which represents Yang. These are what are called the upper and lower pots.

This describes the principles for gathering and refining.

Use martial fire at the beginning and end, and civil fire in between.

This describes the rhythm of advancing the fire.

This describes the fire cycle of the celestial circuit: the method of adjusting the fire at set intervals during alchemical refinement.

Begin with seventy and end with three tens; the quantity of two hundred and sixty must be evenly apportioned. The fire of Yin essence is white by nature; when it encounters lead, it produces a yellow sprout.

The White Tiger, symbolizing Yin and the cauldron, has the number seven; the Azure Dragon, symbolizing Yang and the vessel, has seven lodges. Each possesses seven apertures. When the two sevens meet, they help bring the sacred embryo—the nascent inner elixir formed through cultivation—to completion.

Observe the workings of the brain and bring them to stillness; then ascend into the mysterious realm.

Once the sacred embryo has formed, it rises to the upper palace to be nourished.

This describes the formation of the sacred embryo.

When the sacred embryo dwells at the center, it can be kept stable and secure. It moves back and forth, yet does not leave the body’s gate. It continues to grow and flourish, while one’s nature, feelings, and sense of rightness become pure.

In the end, return to unity and go back to the source. Completing one full cycle is arduous. Guard it closely; do not become confused or drowsy.

The path is long, deep, and mysterious. Whoever can penetrate it will unite Qian and Kun. A touch of “knife and measure,” a metaphor for a small amount of elixir, moistens and purifies the soul.

Those who delight in seeking the Dao should search out its root, examine the Five Phases, and determine their proportions. Reflect carefully on these principles; there is no need to say more.

Keep them deeply concealed and guard them with care. Do not disclose the essential instructions.

This describes the nurturing of the sacred embryo.

Riding a white crane and borne on dragon scales, one roams through the Great Void and pays homage to the Immortal Lords. Receiving talismans and registers bestowed by Heaven, one is titled a Perfected One.

This describes the spiritual transformation that follows the shedding of the embryo.

A verse of praise follows.

Qian symbolizes the outer dwelling of the Li trigram, while Kun symbolizes the outer enclosure of the Kan trigram. The true Yin Qi resides within Li, and the true Yang Qi within Kan. Here, the Kan and Li trigrams are used to explain the inner relationship through which Yin and Yang unite.

The Li trigram receives Ji, a Yin stem, as though it were the wife; the Kan trigram receives Wu, a Yang stem, as though it were the husband. When the sun and moon unite, Wu and Ji become the pivot that harmonizes Yin and Yang.

The side called the “guest” rises, while the side called the “host” descends; formless Qi governs tangible things. The numbers by which the so-called “medicine” and “substance” are matched follow the images of two and eight in the Hetu (Yellow River Diagram).

The doctrine of the “Five Thieves” explains the operation of the firing process, while the doctrine of the “Supreme Pole” corresponds to the number patterns of the Luoshu (Luo River Writing). Cultivation takes as its model the Yi drawn by Fuxi, deriving and selecting talismanic correspondences according to the trigrams and their lines. The Kan trigram occupies the center.

The Li trigram receives Ji, a Yin stem, as though it were the wife; the Kan trigram receives Wu, a Yang stem, as though it were the husband. When the sun and moon unite, Wu and Ji become the pivot that harmonizes Yin and Yang.

The side called the “guest” rises, while the side called the “host” descends; formless Qi governs tangible things. The numbers by which the so-called “medicine” and “substance” are matched follow the images of two and eight in the Hetu.

The doctrine of the “Five Thieves” explains the operation of the firing process, while the doctrine of the “Supreme Pole” corresponds to the number patterns of the Luoshu. Cultivation takes as its model the Yi drawn by Fuxi, deriving and selecting talismanic correspondences according to the trigrams and their lines.

The true master Lord Wei (Wei Boyang, traditionally honored as the author of the Cantong qi and a master of alchemy) instructed me and awakened me from ignorance. I bowed again and again in reverence, honoring him as a model for all ages.

The secrets of the firing process, passed down through thirty generations, can only be transmitted orally from master to disciple. If one can accept them in faith and practice them as instructed, one can cultivate for a long time and become an immortal of the Jade Pool.

The lower volume of the Commentary on the Seal of the Unity of the Three According to the Book of Changes comes to an end.

The following is a record of textual variants in the wording of the main text, explaining differences among editions: “zhengqi” appears as “zhengqi” in the Kaoyi edition; “kui” appears as “du”; “shiyun” appears as “shiyun”; “hugou” appears as “xuangou”; “yuanji” was originally “wuji” and was changed to “yuanji” on the basis of the Kaoyi edition; “jiaoji” appears as “jianji”; “zhizhu” appears as “zhizhu”; “zhengyin” appears as “zhengyang”; “yisuo” appears as “ersuo”; “bude” appears as “buneng”; “fangfu” appears as “jishi”; “wushixu” appears as “shishixu”; “bieshu” appears as “biexu”; “guiguo” appears as “duguo”; “quanrong” is the same in both editions; “yanran xianju” appears as “yuanke yanwen”; “geyin” appears as “geshu”; “suoqu” appears as “zhiqu”; “chang chi er” appears as “chang er chi”; “qingli chun” appears as “xingqing chun”; “benyuan” appears as “benyuan”; and in “fu youxuan,” the word “fu” has another reading, “ji,” in a version of the Kaoyi edition. The Kaoyi edition does not contain the six characters represented by “daogui zhan, zheng po hun.”