《太上混元真录》

According to the Taishang Hunyuan Zhenlu (Records of the True Origin of the Supreme One), Laojun (Lord Lao) alternately appeared in the world to transmit the Dao and withdrew into seclusion during the Yin and Zhou periods, a span of more than one or two hundred years. He habitually took as his path of cultivation a mind that is as though without mind and a body that is as though without body. He held the Great Void (taixu, the vast and boundless emptiness) as the highest realm, and regarded preserving one's true nature as his treasure. He ceaselessly explored the profound gateways of the Way of Heaven and roamed beyond the eight directions of the world. He breathed in vital energy, keeping Qi in union with the original Shen (spirit), and he treated all things alike, whether great or small, beautiful or ugly. Glory and official emolument were to him no more than weeds. Thus, with a mind of no-mind and a body of no-body, he embraced heaven and earth and nurtured the myriad things. The phrase "a mind that is not a mind" refers to a vastness of the mind's horizon, and "a body that is not a body" refers to a boundless realm of body and mind together. These realms cannot be fully described. Laojun drew upon the Dao from within Wuwei (non-action), and so he was able to use the Dao to enrich the state and to bring harmony to the people.

Therefore, during the reigns of King Cheng and King Kang of Zhou, the world was at peace and punishments were scarcely ever applied. After King Kang died, the crown prince Xia took the throne as King Zhao of Zhou. At that time the Supreme One once again commanded Laojun to travel to the Western Regions to instruct and transform the lands of Tianzhu, Weiwei, Daqin, Anxi, Chubin, and others, and to confer the Hidden Texts of the Eight Heavens (the secret celestial writings transmitted in Daoism) upon King Zhao. King Zhao believed that he had received the fortune of nature's own turning, inherited the destiny of the Five Emperors, and thoroughly understood the principles of Yin-Yang transformation, and so he no longer revered the celestial texts. Laojun, knowing that the Zhou dynasty was about to decline, put away the celestial texts, resigned his office, and returned to his native place, intending to set out for the Flowing Sands.

At that time, to the west of Heaven there was a place called Yinchi, and in the far north there was an isolated country, ninety thousand li from Mount Kunlun, named Changyin. Its people stood forty feet tall and lived eight thousand years, and all of them possessed cultivation of the Dao and De (Virtue). Laojun wished to visit them, and so he said that he was going to Mount Kunlun.

In the first year of Wuji, the guichou year, on the renwu day of the fifth month, Laojun mounted his green ox, rode in a carriage called "Yuyun," and left the Zhou domain toward the west. By then the royal Way of Zhou had declined, and its government decrees and moral teachings could scarcely be carried out. For this reason, Qian Chengshu composed the Hymn to Laojun, which says:

Master Li (that is, Laozi) was truly extraordinary; from the moment of his birth he displayed the endowments of a sage. He devoted himself to the study of profound principles and probed deeply into the subtle and mysterious. By nature he was simple and tranquil, keeping precious wisdom hidden within him without revealing its edge. He expounded the Dao (the Way) as a single thread running through all things, loved the ancient Way, took the sages as his models, and the worthy ones as his teachers.

When the Zhou dynasty declined and morality and virtue fell into ruin, Laozi's teachings were not widely spread. Like a dragon hidden beneath the water, he remained in the stage of concealment symbolized by the first yang line of the Yijing (Book of Changes), yet he still held fast to lofty aspirations. "Haoran" (vast and expansive) describes a grand and noble spirit. The profound legacy and fine reputation he left behind have been handed down for ages.

Xue Daoheng also wrote:

The petty Five Peaks and the narrow Nine Provinces cannot contain my ambition. I will leave the dust of the world far behind, rise on high, and roam far beyond it. The black ox is already yoked, and the purple qi (vital energy) first rises ahead of me. The Xuanmen (the Mysterious Gate, which in Daoism refers to the deep and wondrous gateway) swings suddenly open, and divine transformations spread quietly abroad.

Some scholars who have examined the scriptures (Jing) and the histories point out that the kings and feudal lords before the Zhou and Qin dynasties had no reign-era names and spoke only of "the first year" and "the second year." Not until Emperor Wen of Han were designations such as "Zhongyuan" and "Houyuan" established, and under Emperor Wu of Han came era names such as "Yuanguang" and "Yuanshuo." Yet the scriptures and histories now say that Laojun (Lord Lao) descended to the world in "the first year of Shanghuang, the dingmao year" to assist the Zhou king, and that in "the first year of Wuji, the guichou year" he left the Zhou lands and traveled west. These era names were probably drawn from the calendar of the heavenly realms by figures such as Guiguzi, Master Guo, Celestial Master (Tianshi) Zhang, and Immortal Duke Ge, who used them to correspond with human chronology. Who but a true immortal who has attained the Dao could fully grasp their mysteries? Era names such as "Kaihuang," "Chiming," "Zhuling," and "Shanghe" are likewise unknown to ordinary people.

Others explain that when Laojun is said to have "left Zhou and crossed to the west," this means he gave up his Zhou office and went into seclusion, and then passed quietly through Hangu Pass (an ancient mountain pass). It does not mean that after leaving his post in Zhou he openly journeyed far to the west. At that time the Zhou royal house was in the region of Feng and Hao, and Hangu Pass lay to its east. The Wenshi Neizhuan (Inner Biography of Wenshi) records that, having heard that a sage was passing by the capital, people swept the roads and burned incense to welcome him, waiting for the Perfected (a true person who has attained the Dao) to enter their territory. If the Zhou lands lay east of Hangu Pass, then Laojun's passage through the pass would mean leaving Zhou territory, so how could it be described as "entering" it? On this reasoning, the account that Laojun set out from Laixiang is more credible.

As for the claim that Laojun departed when the Zhou was in decline, this refers to the weakening of governance and moral instruction in the reign of King Zhao of Zhou. Some scriptural treatises say instead that he went west under King You, King Li, King Ping, or King Jing of Zhou. These claims are all forced and far-fetched, and deeply mistaken.

At that time, Laojun (Lord Lao) wrapped himself in purple Qi (vital energy) and rode in a carriage drawn by a green ox. Leaving Master Wuji, Master Guigu, Master Beiguo, and the others, he traveled west until he reached Hangu Pass. The pass lies twelve li south of Taolin County in Shanzhou, where the ruins of the old pass can still be seen.

The Keeper of the Pass was named Yin Xi, with the style name Gongwen. To escape the tyranny and disorder of King Zhou of the Shang, his father had secretly moved to Tianshui in Qinzhou, where the family later settled. The Yin family had accumulated merit and good deeds for generations and enjoyed deep blessings. One day, while napping, Yin Xi's mother dreamed that lightning descended from the sky and circled her body, and that a tall man told her to swallow it. When she woke, a strange fragrance still lingered in her mouth. When Yin Xi was born, his eyes shone like the sun, and the light flickered and moved about him, illuminating the whole room before it faded after a long while. Lotus flowers also sprang up from the floor of the family's hall, bright and radiant. After his birth, his eyes held a sunlike brilliance; he was tall and refined, his arms hung down past his knees, and his bearing was dignified, much like that of a celestial being.

From childhood he loved to study the ancient books and the Yi Jing (Book of Changes), and he was well versed in astronomy and the secret apocryphal arts. Whether observing the heavens or the lay of the land, he could grasp their principles, and not even ghosts and spirits could hide their traces from him. He was broad-minded and not bound by worldly etiquette, and glory and disgrace, joy and sorrow rarely showed on his face. His heart was set on the Dao (the Way); he was carefree and content, and his ambition was to travel far. Later he did indeed roam through mountains and rivers, surveying peaks and valleys. A book recorded that if he came to this place, he would surely attain the Way of the True Person. So he built a thatched tower and devoted himself to contemplating the Dao. When King Kang heard of this, he appointed Yin Xi a grand master. Because he often stood watching from the tower, the residence came to be called "Louguan" (Tower Observatory). Today, north of Mount Zhongnan in Yongzhou, throughout the district of Wenxian Village in Shenxian Township, traces of the thatched tower, altar, and shrines remain, and people of every generation have maintained them.

At that time Yin Xi labored to cultivate his De (Virtue) and did not seek fame or high position, yet his reputation still reached the capital and earned praise. Later he entered the court as Companion to the Eastern Palace. In the reign of King Zhao, he saw purple Qi moving westward in the east and knew that a sage was about to pass through, so he petitioned to be made Keeper of Hangu Pass. Calculating from the signs in the heavens, he concluded that when the yang numbers reached their limit and the Nine Stars were on duty, the Qi of the year and month would converge; ninety days later, a sage would by rights pass through the capital region. As the date drew near, he fasted and practiced visualization, ordered the road swept for forty li, and had incense burned along both sides of the road to await the True Person's arrival. He also instructed Sun Jingyun, who guarded the pass, in advance: if he met a person dressed strangely, in the manner of the ancients, riding in a green-ox carriage, he was not to let that person through.

In the Guichou year, on the twelfth day of the seventh month, a jiazi day, Laojun indeed arrived at the pass in a white carriage drawn by a green ox. The guard said, "The Keeper has given orders; please, venerable elder, wait a moment." He then went in to report: "Just now an old man came from the east in a green-ox carriage and wishes to pass through to the west." Yin Xi said, "Wonderful! The Dao has come! At last I will see the sage!" He immediately put on his seal and sash, went out to greet him, and, with the courtesy due a disciple, invited Laojun to stay.

Yin Xi said, "I humbly beg you to halt your carriage for a while." Laojun declined, saying, "I am only a poor and lowly old man. I live east of the pass, and my fields are west of it. I was just going to fetch some firewood. Why are you stopping me? Please let me pass. I have no Dao or De to speak of. Why do you treat me with such reverence? You have surely mistaken me for someone else." Laojun was deliberately being modest in order to test Yin Xi, and he refused to go on at once. This was the first test.

Yin Xi bowed again and said, "How could you be someone who has merely come to gather firewood? Please stay a little while." Laojun said again, "I have heard that in Zhuqian there is an ancient master who excels at the Way of Wuwei (Non-action), who has neither beginning nor end and endures without ceasing, so I wish to go there to seek the Dao. Some also say that in Daqin there is an ancient master who cultivates the Way of Wuwei, and I was planning to visit him. I am only passing through here. Why do you presume to stop me?" This was the second test.

Yin Xi said again, "Now that I see your countenance, the bearing of a sage, surpassing the ordinary and without equal in the world, you must be the most exalted being in Heaven. Why would you go to remote lands to visit some master? Please say no more such words of refusal, and I beg you to show a little compassion." Laojun asked, "What sign did you see that you could recognize me?" This was the third test.

Yin Xi replied, "Last winter, in the tenth month, the stars in the sky moved westward and passed over the region of Xu. At the beginning of this month, the Rong wind rose three times, and a true Qi like a dragon or serpent appeared in the southeast and crossed the Han River to the west. This is a sign that a True Person has appeared. Since childhood I have studied the ancient books and the Yi Jing, and I have observed the heavens and surveyed the earth; the omens of wind and cloud have never failed to come true. Earlier I saw purple Qi traveling west. The yang numbers culminate in nine, and ninety days later a sage in plain clothing would surely come from the east in a green-ox carriage and pass through the gate. Ever since, day and night I have kept this in mind and longed for the True Person, for a very long time. Now I see that your bearing is extraordinary and your appearance surpasses that of ordinary people; in all my life I have never seen anyone like you. By all I know, are you not a True Person of high antiquity?"

Yin Xi had responded properly to all three of Laojun's tests. Laojun then laughed with pleasure and said, "I knew you were devoted to the Dao, so I came to test you. You have the insight to perceive the subtle, and in time you will attain the Dao and deliver the world." Another account records that Laojun, startled and delighted, stuck out his tongue and said, "Wonderful! You recognized me, and I have recognized you." After the two tested each other like this three times, Laojun at last went on with Yin Xi. The Four Elders of Mount Shang therefore praised them, saying, "Laozi and Master Yin, did they not both honor each other and grasp the subtle signs in advance? Laozi's deliberate modesty was precisely a lesson for later generations."

The Keeper then lodged Laojun in the official residence, served him with the courtesy of a disciple, attending him while facing north, and had abundant food and drink prepared as offerings to him. Laojun then tested whether Yin Xi had a compassionate and generous heart. At that time there was a debtor named Xu Jia, who had been in Laojun's employ for many years at a wage of one hundred coins a day. Xu Jia had originally agreed with Laojun that when Laojun returned from his long journey to the Western Sea, Daqin, and the land of Anxi, he would make up the promised sum in gold. Now, seeing that Laojun was about to depart on a long journey, Xu Jia suspected he would never repay the wages. He lured Laojun with beautiful women, and also went to the Keeper of the Pass to file a complaint, demanding payment from Laojun.

Laojun said to Xu Jia, "You have followed me for more than two hundred years. By our agreement, you are owed seven million two hundred thousand coins. You should have died long ago; you have lived until today only because you carry on your body my Talisman of Life of the Great Mystery." As soon as he finished speaking, the Talisman flew out of Xu Jia's mouth and returned to Laojun, its characters still clear and bright. Xu Jia immediately turned into a pile of white bones. Seeing that Xu Jia had died for betraying his own heart, Yin Xi felt pity, and wishing also to see whether Laojun could bring the dead back to life, he said, "I am willing to repay this debt on Xu Jia's behalf." He prepared the money and said, "I beg you to forgive Xu Jia's past offenses and let him live again."

Laojun, moved by Yin Xi's compassion, said, "Very well." He then cast the talisman onto the white bones, and Xu Jia came back to life at once, restored to his former self. Laojun said to Xu Jia, "I will no longer demand payment from you. You broke the original agreement and departed from the Dao, and that is why you met death. Now I give you back the money." With that, he sent him away.

Laojun tested Yin Xi two or three times, and Yin Xi passed every time. Knowing that Yin Xi would surely attain the Dao, Laojun stayed below the pass for more than a hundred days. Yin Xi bowed and said, "I was born late and my understanding is shallow; my ears and eyes have been clouded by the world, and I have been lost in sounds and sights. Now that I have met a sage, it is as if a deaf man had regained his hearing and a blind man his sight. I wish to entrust my life to you and beg you to teach me the Great Dao."

Laojun said, "Your question reaches deep. The Dao has three grades, all of which take guarding the true as their root. In conducting oneself in the world, take 'the One' as the standard and uprightness as virtue." Yin Xi asked again, "The Dao is divided into three grades. To ascend as an immortal, what should one practice?" Laojun said, "Take the One as the root. If you can understand the One, all things will become clear to you. Shut out desire, enter a quiet chamber to refine the Golden Elixir, and make the ingestion of Qi your foremost practice. If you understand these things, you should hold to them carefully and not lose them."

Hearing this, Yin Xi bowed joyfully and asked, "How is gold refined?" Laojun said, "This is a wondrous art. Since the time of Xuanyuan and Qingxu, no one has attained the Dao except by means of the golden talisman, entering the realm of the Nine Depths and reaching the profound and distant; moving up and down, in and out of emptiness, and rising together by the power of the divine light." Yin Xi bowed again and begged for a full explanation. Laojun then transmitted to him the Taiqing Eight Talismans Jing, the Taiqing Heaven-Observing Jing, the Nine Capitals Jing, the Divine Elixir Jing, the Golden Liquid Jing, and texts and formulas such as the Formula for Entering the Refining of the Nine-Turn Returned Elixir and Subduing Fire.

One formula among them sings: "The Golden Liquid and Returned Elixir flow like an immortal flower, and can soar high into the clouds and ascend the hills of Heaven. The red-yellow substance is quickly refined, and afterward one obtains the pearl of joined female and male. It enables one to rise, transform, and summon food and drink; spirit people and jade maidens can all be my companions. One passes in and out of the heavens without hindrance, in accord with the tallies of Heaven. Its essence condenses like frost and dew and can sink and float at will. If you hear this formula, you will surely come, amazed, to seek it." The Nine Elixirs are, in order: Danhua, Shenfu, Shendan, Huandan, Erdan, Liandan, Roudan, Fudan, and Handan.

Another formula song says: "The vessel's diameter is three to five, its thickness one inch and one-tenth; its mouth measures four inches and eight-tenths across, its lip two inches wide. The body of the vessel is two feet long, with even thickness; its belly has three tiers, and it is warm when set in place. Yin is above while yang Qi moves downward; use the martial fire at the head and tail, and the civil fire in the middle. First use seventy days, and the last thirty; refine within for two hundred days, and adjust the fire evenly. The Yin fire is like white, and the yellow sprout is lead; when the two medicines gather, they assist the practitioner. If you dwell peacefully in the furnace chamber, you will be at ease; coming and going, moving about, you need not leave the door. The medicine gradually matures and its nature becomes pure; in the end it returns to the One, back to the origin. Throughout the whole cycle, take special care, guard carefully, and do not become confused. The road is long, deep, and mysterious; if you can pass through it, you can unite Qian and Kun. Regulate the fire of the zi and wu hours, and purify the po and hun souls; you can then extend your years and enter the realm of the immortals. Those who love the Dao should seek out and read these lines, ponder them carefully, and not discuss them carelessly."

Laojun added, "Refine the divine elixir from mercury, saltpeter-cinnabar, and liquid pearl; take a small portion, and you can ascend to the palaces of Heaven. When the body is made firm and you can ingest Qi, only then can you become an immortal. If you wish to become an immortal, you should first take the Returned Elixir and Golden Liquid, and then nourish your own Shen (spirit), and you will ascend at once and become a True Person. If you do not take the Returned Elixir and Golden Liquid, your efforts will be in vain. People are assailed by cold, heat, wind, damp, ghostly Qi, and the like, and even the god who governs fate cannot save them. Such is the principle of the Dao; how can you not strive? Keep warm, eat a little less, regulate your body, and maintain emptiness and stillness; in emptiness and naturalness, even ghosts cannot harm you. When the span of life is reached, a person naturally dies. Why do I say this? Because the body is not firm and the Shen is not preserved. It is like the growth of all things: they do not seek death on purpose, but simply grow old, wither, decay, and die; people are the same."

"I use this principle to explain it to you. You must work to nourish your Shen and refine the Golden Elixir, and guard yourself early. Those who attain this Dao can live forever without dying and command ghosts and spirits. But if the person is not suitable, then even for ten thousand pieces of gold it must not be transmitted. Do not pass these methods to the foolish, nor to those who agree in words but do not believe in their hearts, lest they mock and slander the divine Dao and increase your offenses. Whether one delivers the world rests with oneself, not with ghosts and spirits. Alas, there are those who, though they possess all things and are as exalted as the Son of Heaven, only indulge their desires and, before a hundred years have passed, turn into a handful of earth; how truly sad. To refine the divine elixir takes only a moment; once the elixir is complete, one becomes an immortal, lives as long as Heaven and Earth, does as one wishes, and enjoys endless happiness."

The Gatekeeper (traditionally identified as Yin Xi, Guardian of the Pass) bowed and asked again: "How does one consume qi?"

Laozi, the Lord Lao, said: "Consuming qi (气, Qi, vital energy) allows you to safeguard your jing (精, Jing, essence) and your vital breath. Only by receiving and understanding the profound meaning of the scriptures can you grasp the essentials of the Way of life, and through this you may pass in and out of the realm of the hidden and obscure. Above, guard the Cloud Gate; below, guard the Spirit Root. The Cloud Gate and the Spirit Root are bodily locations, or key points of qi movement, named in the scriptures. Like clouds, they have no fixed form; like water, they have no visible source. Primordial qi is chaotic and undivided, yet through transformation it can reach a state of clarity and supreme harmony. Observe it carefully and hold to it, and if you persist for a long time, efficacy will naturally arise. The principle is easy to understand, but the practice is hard.

"Those who cultivate life should regard De (德, Virtue/Power) as the carriage of the body, the Dao (道, the Way) as the horse of qi, jing as the root of the hun soul, and the eyes as the gateway of the po soul. When the body moves recklessly, De is lost; when breath leaks outward, the Dao is abandoned; when jing and qi are depleted, the hun is harmed; when the eyes are restless, the po is disturbed. Therefore the sages kept the body still and gathered in the breath, nourished jing and qi and guarded the gaze, so that Dao and De were settled in emptiness and stillness, and the hun and po were held firmly in place. When the body is unified and shen (神, Shen, spirit) is abundant, the Dao can be accomplished. Once the Dao is accomplished, you can respond to every change and feel no fear in the face of danger. If you can cultivate in this way, you will have grasped the essential method of attaining the Dao.

"Human life does not come again, so one must use the method of regulating the breath to guide the movement of qi. Cherish primordial qi and you can attain the Dao; attain the Dao and you will endure. Shen is jing and qi: cherish jing and qi, and the spirit becomes clear; when the spirit is clear, you can live long. Circulating the breath is called 'moving qi,' also known as 'refining qi' or 'the method of long breath.' To practice, lie on your back and make firm fists with both hands (a grip that gathers in body and mind). First rinse the mouth, then swallow the saliva. After swallowing three times, begin to move qi: inhale only through the nose and exhale only through the mouth. Slowly draw the breath in through the nose and guide it inward, without inhaling to fullness, for if you are too full it is hard to exhale. When you first begin, exhale once for every five breaths other people take. Each time you exhale through the mouth, when you feel it is time to stop, release a single gentle breath. Let the body be settled and the breathing harmonious, without deliberately controlling it. If the breath is not harmonious, simply inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, drawing in slowly and never to fullness. If at first it is still not harmonious, stop for the moment and resume once it has settled. In practice, be persistent and do not grow lax.

"When the breath has circulated until the body is at ease and the nasal breathing is harmonious, pure qi will arrive. You will feel your body grow warm and then begin to sweat. At this point do not get up; remain quiet and rest. If you keep this up over a long time, it is said that the 'three worms' (in Daoist health cultivation, creatures believed to harm one's jing, qi, and lifespan) will leave of their own accord, and your thoughts will become clear.

"Often, at midnight when the cock crows, recite this invocation: 'In the east, the Green Sprout; I partake of the Green Sprout, drinking the morning glow, and swallow three times. In the south, the Vermilion Cinnabar; I partake of the Vermilion Cinnabar, drinking the waters of the Cinnabar Pool, and swallow three times. In the central wilds, gazing up at Mount Tai, I partake of primordial qi, drinking the sweet spring, and swallow three times. In the west, the Bright Stone; I partake of the Bright Stone, drinking the numinous fluid, and swallow three times. In the north, the Dark Moisture; I partake of the Dark Moisture, drinking the jade syrup, and swallow three times.' After thirty days of this, the three worms will die, the true shen and true qi will settle naturally, and the hidden corpse-spirits (in Daoist belief, yin spirits lurking within the body and harming life) will no longer return to the heart. Then you will become an immortal.

"Thus I have written for you the Central Scripture of the Jade Calendar (《玉历中经》), in three sections and fifty-five chapters. This scripture was originally stored by the Supreme Sovereign in a bamboo case of the golden casket and jade calendar. Now I entrust it to you; on no account transmit it carelessly. Its essential point is this: the art of nurturing life lies in cutting off worldly distractions, reducing desires, returning to purity and stillness, and protecting primordial qi; harmonize and accumulate the spirit so that life is restored to its original truth. If you wish to cultivate the Dao, you must keep to the Way of naturalness. Do not force the practice of daoyin (guided stretching) and tire the body, and do not practice bigu (grain avoidance) and fast to the point of damaging jing and qi. Do not disturb or overturn the Yin-Yang (阴阳) qi of the Six Jia. If the mind is frenzied and the thoughts are scattered, the shen will leave the body, leaving only dry bones to return to the Yellow Springs. You should dwell quietly in a secluded chamber, nurture the spirit, and think with single-minded focus, and the Dao will naturally appear." The above is recorded in the Records of Spirits (《神记》).

Part Three concerns the source of Yuanqi (primordial qi, the original energy from which all things are formed). The key to harmonizing the natural qi (气) lies in embracing unity and holding to it, so that it does not scatter. Contemplate this carefully, and the Dao (道, the Way) will naturally reveal itself. For this reason, the account here follows the Record of Spirit (《神记》).

Part Three concerns the source of Yuanqi. The key to harmonizing the natural qi lies in embracing unity and holding to it, so that it does not scatter. The way of nourishing life for a single day is to eat one's fill in the morning and eat little in the evening. For a month, it is to follow the waxing and waning of the moon. For a year, it is to stay lean in summer and be well nourished in winter. For a hundred years, it is to restrain one's intake of grain and to eat jujubes. For a thousand years, it is to live in solitude and not join with women. These are called the ways of long life and enduring vision, and their subtleties are beyond counting. Next were transmitted the Scripture of Naturalness (《自然经》), the Scripture of the Calendar Storehouses (《历藏经》), and the Yellow Court Scripture (《黄庭经》, Huangting Jing). Their secrets set out practices such as swallowing qi, ingesting jing (精, essence), visualizing the true spirits (shen, 神), and safeguarding one's lifespan. When the Guan Warden had received the transmission in full, he hid these methods away in separate places and practiced them in private.

The Guan Warden bowed his head to the ground once more and asked, "May I ask what the Great Dao truly is?" Laozi (the Lord Lao) said, "Your bone structure accords with the true Dao. Your eyes shine with a light like the sun, a round halo gleams behind your neck, your five viscera (the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys of traditional medicine) show distinct patterns, and your face bears the mark of the Seven Stars. Above, you match the heavenly signs; below, you follow the patterns of the earth. In every respect you meet the conditions. Therefore, by cultivating your spirit through wisdom, you will step forward in the final kalpa (劫, the closing age of a cycle, when the world declines into disorder) and become the foremost of the realized ones. This is because you accumulated good deeds in your former lives.

"Now I pass the Great Dao on to you. At the highest level of attainment, you may ascend to heaven with your whole body and rise beyond the mortal world, reaching a state of neither death nor birth, of utmost truth and supreme height. You may teach and transform living beings as you please, and across generation after generation deliver countless people. At the middle level, you may become a teacher to kings. At the lowest level, you may settle your own person, keep your family whole, and protect them. When the lives of heavenly and human beings (the beings of the celestial realms and of the human world) come to an end, they too may receive instruction and be reborn. Their fortune and emolument will extend long and far, and in the end all will be brought into the realm of the Dao and return to naturalness (自然). Would you not be willing to practice it?"

Yin Xi bowed and said, "Today, having heard the principles of the Great Dao (the Way), my heart has been suddenly opened and made clear. To meet you again after ten thousand kalpas is truly a bond from past lives. I humbly beg the Celestial Worthy to compose a text for me that makes plain the purport of the Great Dao, and I will surely uphold and practice it."

Laojun said, "You should devote yourself wholeheartedly to this task, so that all under heaven may benefit. Give up worldly eminence and spread the Dao. In this way you will become an immortal."

Yin Xi then resigned his post and returned home, claiming illness. On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of that year, he invited Laojun to his residence. On the twenty-eighth, Laojun bestowed upon him the Wuqian wen (Five Thousand Characters), that is, the Daode Jing (Jing, the Classic of the Dao and De). Today's Louguan is the former residence of Yin Xi, the Guardian of the Pass. It is said that the thatched tower from which he watched the clouds of qi, as well as the carriage in which Laojun rode, can still be seen.

Laojun said, "The main text of the Daode Jing has five thousand characters. It also contains passages that explain and praise the meaning of the scripture, so the whole work in fact runs to somewhat more than five thousand characters. For this reason the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian) says that Laozi spoke more than five thousand words to the Guardian of the Pass in order to set forth the meaning of the Dao and De.

"The Great Dao relies on words to make manifest what cannot be spoken, and relies on images to let people observe the formless Dao. Thus writing cannot exhaust speech, and speech cannot exhaust the intention of the heart. The heart of the sage accords, in profound depth, with the original heart of the Dao. What does the Great Dao take as its heart? It takes the original heart of Heaven and humanity as its heart.

"This scripture is simple and true. Within and without it is clear, open, and empty; it embraces the vast worlds of the ten directions, and all things of heaven and earth are born from it. When the Great Dao disperses, it has neither form nor image; when it appears, it takes on all manner of patterns and shapes. When the sage follows the Dao, he can make its purport plain and can observe its transformations. Through images one comes to know the formless; through forms one perceives the formless Dao.

"This scripture enables people to understand the origin of high antiquity. In the natural world, thirty-six thousand awe-inspiring spirits guard the text, and the workings of Yin-Yang in heaven and earth correspond to what is described within it. These two sections are vast enough to contain heaven and earth, yet fine enough to reach the tip of a hair. The entire work has eighty-one chapters, a number that corresponds to the Nine Regions, the Four Seas, and the numbers of heaven and earth. Therefore, although the text is boundless in its breadth, it can hide Mount Kunlun within a single grain of millet. By studying this scripture, one can quiet the mind and pray away calamities, and one can also use words to illuminate its principles."

Yin Xi bowed to receive the teaching and said, "Though your disciple is dull by nature, I am willing to act in accordance with these words."

Yin Xi continued, "The Wuqian wen sets forth the root of Dao and De. If one studies it with diligence, one's voice can rise to the high heaven of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) and distantly answer the chanting of the many heavens. If the mind is still and one prays for the true Dao, the many wondrous principles will respond and converge. If one looks inward upon one's own body and shadow, Shen (spirit) and qi will endure. When body and mind accord with Dao and De, the many gods will be awed into submission, misfortunes in the realm of darkness will be extinguished, blessings will descend upon the ten directions, the state will be secure, and families will be at peace. Who is truly able to understand these principles?

"The text of Wuwei (Non-action) is not disgraced by being soiled, nor does it gain glory by being adorned. It is not made turbid by being stirred, nor made clear by being settled; this is the natural way. It appears in accord with the Dao and passes on its teaching without end; it is constant and unchanging.

"In later ages some have treated the Daode Jing as a book of Confucian discourse and show it no reverence or respect at all. This is a very great error. This scripture originally came from the Palace of Emptiness and Non-being of the Supreme One, and is the root of all scriptures. Above, it enables people to penetrate the Great Dao; below, it spreads moral teaching in the world. It cannot be fully debated by ordinary thought, nor explained by common argument. If the Supreme One and the many Perfected never cease to chant it, how much more should ordinary people and Daoist priests?"

The Guardian of the Pass (the garrison commander of Hangu Pass) bowed his head again and said, "The two parts, the Daojing (Dao Jing) and the Dejing (De Jing), speak of the laws of heaven and earth. If one wishes to cultivate within the body, how should one proceed?"

Laojun (the Lord Lao) said, "The Dao (the Way) is emptiness and naturalness; De (Virtue) is not claiming credit and not possessing one's accomplishments. One who cultivates this Dao and De can ascend to heaven, become a Perfected One (zhenren, one who has attained the Dao and become an immortal), and live forever without dying. This has been prized since high antiquity."

The Guardian knocked his head and said, "I am guilty, I am guilty. My name is Xi. My understanding is shallow, yet I long for the immortals. I beg you to grant me a single teaching so that I may preserve my life."

Laojun said, "Very well. I will annotate the Wuqianwen (the Five Thousand Characters, another name for the Daodejing) for you, explaining its meaning chapter by chapter and line by line. The main points are as follows.

"'Dao' refers to the Niwan (the seat of the spirit in the head); 'name' refers to the spleen; 'mother' refers to the Dantian (energy center; the lower abdominal site of Neidan, or internal alchemy). The Niwan embodies the virtue of heaven and is located within the head. Purple qi (vital energy) descends from above, all the way to the Dantian. The spleen is the Central Yellow Taiyi (the deity dwelling at the center of the body); yellow qi circulates in the central palace (the center of the body), and its spirit is guarded by Taibai. Within the body there is the One Spirit, and one must not fail to visualize it.

"The Dantian is the Mysterious Female (xuanpin, what Daoists call the source of generation and transformation). It lies close to the spine, within the lower origin. At midnight, one breath of qi descends and circulates throughout the upper, middle, and lower palaces. This subtle practice is called guarding emptiness and nothingness; it also has other names, one of which is Jing (essence). Essence, sweat, fluids, blood, nasal mucus, and saliva are all different names for it.

"'Mystery upon mystery' refers to the left and right kidneys. 'The gateway of all wonders' means that when a person dies, the qi is cut off at the mouth. Fine food eaten in the morning becomes excrement by evening, and so it is called 'foul.' People cultivate the Dao in order to prepare for death, and so it is called a 'gateway.' When a person dies, the qi is cut off at the mouth, and so it is called 'the gateway of all wonders.' If one does good and accumulates merit in the morning but is ruined by evening, then this is what is meant by 'this is not good.'

"'Being and non-being give rise to each other' refers to the mouth and the belly; 'difficult and easy complete each other' refers to Jing and Qi; 'long and short shape each other' refers to the liver and the lungs; 'high and low incline toward each other' refers to the heart and the kidneys; 'sound and voice harmonize with each other' refers to the mouth and ears, and the intestines and stomach; 'before and after follow each other' refers to the two feet.

"'The affairs of Wuwei (non-action)' means maintaining naturalness. 'The myriad things arise' refers to the Six Jia (symbols the Daoists use to represent the movement of the energies of heaven and earth) moving in alternation within the body. What is meant by 'not departing' is that the qi of the Dao circulates in the body; if the qi does not circulate, the body will die. Next comes the circulation of the heart: when the heart-spirit is red and bright, the qi gives rise to the five colors. It passes through the Hidden Pass, enters the Hall of Light, ascends to the Crimson Palace and beneath the Florid Canopy, then descends through the Exhausted Pass and enters the Purple Palace; this is why it is said, 'honor the worthy.'

"In youth, the qi and pulse are full and the spirit is complete, and so people think they can live forever. When old age comes, the spirit gradually departs, and this is precisely the precious thing that is hard to retain.

"'Emptying the heart' means not letting stray thoughts arise in the mind; 'filling the belly' means constantly holding the breath; 'strengthening the bones' means not leaking essence and qi. In this way the qi above and below flows through, and every part of the body is regulated and smooth. This is the general pattern."

Laojun added, "My teaching is profoundly deep and must not be casually transmitted. When the principle of ceaseless generation enters the body, the spirits all remain. The joints and orifices of the whole body penetrate one another, the qi of the Six Jia connects, circulating and interweaving within the body, and its transformations have no end. Guard the center with embryonic breathing (a method of breath regulation that is subtle and deep, as if breathing like a fetus), connecting above with heaven; this is called the Great Dao. Practicing in this way, one can become an immortal, ascend to Taiqing (the Great Clarity, the luminous heavenly realm in Daoist belief), and be granted the rank of Perfected One."

The Guardian knocked his head and said, "I, Xi, receive your teaching. The Way of Heaven is of great weight, and I dare not divulge it. I wish always to remember the Lord of the Dao and to have compassion on all living beings under heaven."

Laojun added, "If you wish to transmit my Daodejing together with its line-by-line explanation, you should choose a jiazi day for the ceremony. Prepare nine thousand coins and one bolt each of fabric in the five colors, dividing them into four portions. Set up a yellow altar, swear the oath with cinnabar red, and announce it to the spirits of August Heaven. Take heaven and earth as your witnesses, and the sun and moon as your covenant. Do not casually show the text I have transmitted to you. If you pass it to an unsuitable person, calamity will fall upon you, even to the point that you die and your name is erased, and misfortune extends to your descendants. Be careful.

"My Dao is emptiness and naturalness, subtle, mysterious, pure, and still, guarding the One. It is not something ordinary, vulgar people should hear. If you wish for long life, you must practice deeply: moderate your food and drink, practice fuqi (ingesting qi, nourishing qi through breath regulation), and visualize the Dao so that your thoughts return to emptiness and stillness. In this way the body can be made deathless and endure for ten thousand generations."

The Guardian knelt and received the teaching, and in the end obtained the Way of long life. Some say that a white horse must be slain to seal the oath at the time of transmission; this is probably a forged passage, and that account is not adopted here.

The Pass Warden bowed again and said, "The great Dao (the Way) is subtle and wondrous, natural and profound. Please expound it for me in particular, so that I may come to understand."

Lord Lao then stood on the Qi-gazing Terrace south of the Warden's residence and taught the Daode Jing. The essence of what he said was this: "I will tell you the heart of the great Dao: the Dao accords with what is natural. If a practitioner can grasp it, those who hear may perhaps put something of it into words. But those who truly know the Dao do not speak much, and those who speak much do not necessarily know it. I speak of it at all because people convey things to one another through sound, and so the Daode Jing is discussed and taught. Speech is a way of confirming things with one another through words, and those who do not understand the Dao are only disturbed by them. Yet those who neither listen nor speak do not necessarily understand the reason either.

"It is like a person who understands music. Such a person can distinguish tones from the strings and grasp the music in the heart, yet cannot necessarily convey it in words. The great Dao is deep and subtle, and those who truly comprehend it seldom say much. Someone hears a sorrowful melody and feels the change in its sound, then urges another to explain it in words, but the one who speaks does not necessarily understand. The intention of the mind drives speech, yet speech itself is no guarantee that a person has grasped the Dao.

"The Dao has no visible form or boundary. It seems dim and indistinct, as though present and absent at once. Consider a tree before it has grown: no branches or leaves can be seen. Once its roots come into accord with earth, water, fire, and wind, and the Qi (vital energy) of the four seasons circulates, plants and trees sprout and grow. The soil firms, the branches spread, and the fruit has different flavors: sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and pungent. The Qi moves in greater or lesser amounts, stronger or weaker, and so the fruits differ. All things come forth from the Dao yet take different forms, each growing and changing in its own way. Yin-Yang and the Qi of the four seasons interact, so that the myriad things receive form and give rise to Shen (spirit). All things nourish the Way of Yin-Yang within them and are born according to their own conditions. There is not just one form of birth. Whether human or non-human, all originate in emptiness and nothingness, and Shen arises from the response and union of these forces.

"It is like a person plucking the strings of a zither, from which the five tones of gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu are sounded. A person's breath and voice likewise arise from body, mouth, and mind. The Dao is the root of all things. It is originally still, dwelling in empty stillness and purity, and so it is said that the Dao is natural. All things come from Taisu (the primordial state before things became differentiated), from the beginning of emptiness and nothingness, and from the source of the dim and mysterious.

"It is like a clear spring at the bottom of a pit ten thousand fathoms deep. Looking down from above, all is dark and hard to make out, and it is difficult even to see the bottom of the spring. The great Dao is deep, dark, and far-reaching, and people do not know how the myriad things are actually born from it. Or consider a person who dies and departs, and no one can see where the soul has gone. When Yin Qi is purely combined, Yang Qi cannot clearly appear. The past and the future are likewise hard to discern. If people cannot yet fully understand the principles before their eyes, how can they know the source of life and death, survival and extinction?

"A person whose wound has healed cannot fully pass on to others what the pain once felt like. Play the notes of gong and shang for a deaf person, and how could that person hear them? Some people are clever and eloquent, able to accept instruction and repeat what they have heard. They believe they understand the words, yet the true experience in their hearts may go unexpressed. And so, if you have lost the root of life, how can you know the source of the Dao? I will tell you the root of life and show you the natural Way.

"After the myriad things are formed, their natures and activities become intertwined. Things are sometimes destroyed and then formed anew, sometimes extinguished and then appear again. From this the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) take shape, and Yin-Yang act upon each other, turning and transforming until they become the Jing (essence) and Qi of all things. When I reflect on the great Dao, I know that it originally comes from the deep and distant dark. The foolish cannot discern this, and so they suppose that things simply arise of themselves. You do not yet have the eye of the Dao, so how can you understand life and spirit?

"False ways can only nourish the body, while the true Dao can nourish Shen. When Shen is pure and genuine and in communion with the Dao, it can make the body appear or vanish, and can even make Shen leave the body and move mountains. The body in the end turns to ashes and dust, so what is there to cling to? The sounds and sights that the ears and eyes crave will leave you with faults, and the scents and flavors that the nose and mouth delight in will also become burdens. The body is the root of affliction: pain and itching, cold and heat, worry and sorrow all come with the body. I too am bound by a body, and I know that taking the body as one's root is a great calamity. Look at the past and the present: who has ever kept the body whole and undecayed forever? Should I go on traveling far for long?"

The Pass Warden bowed and said, "Ascend to heaven, descend to earth, climb mountains, cross seas, I am willing to follow you, and no hardship would make me turn back."

Lord Lao said, "Your Dao is not yet perfected, so how can you travel far? You have accumulated virtue from past lives, and so the Dao may be transmitted to you. If you wish to follow me, first recite these two texts and study them diligently ten thousand times, until your very self returns to what is natural. Only then may you journey with me: ascending to the Nine Heavens to pay respects to my teacher, then descending to the various lands to transform the people and subdue fierce creatures. Now I have told you the essentials of the great Dao and the meaning of its subtle teachings. If you practice diligently, the true Dao will naturally be accomplished.

"Once the Dao is accomplished, your ancestors of seven generations and your parents will all be reborn within lotus flowers. Heavenly food will arrive naturally each day, and you will be able to fly of your own accord, your ears hearing far and deep, your eyes seeing clearly through all things. You will enter water without drowning and fire without burning, and you will possess the six spiritual powers and the ability to reach in all four directions. When the true Dao is perfected, your abilities will be complete, and there will be nothing you do not know or cannot do. Only then may you travel far with me, view the transformations of the ten directions, and examine and deliver the myriad beings. Would that not be good?

"When your Dao is about to be accomplished, I will come to welcome you myself. For now you cannot leave. Among the realized ones who have cultivated the truth through the kalpas of the past, none failed to attain the six spiritual powers by relying on this scripture." The Pass Warden bowed once more and received the teaching.

Laojun (Taishang Laojun, the Supreme Venerable Lord), on the eighth day of the fourth month of the Jiayin year, was preparing to ascend to heaven at the Southern Mountain Lodge beside the residence. Once more he solemnly admonished Yin Xi, Guardian of the Pass: "You must keep a pure fast for a thousand days and cultivate my scriptures (Jing). Three years from now, come find me at the Green Ram Market in Chengdu, and you will receive it." Yin Xi knelt, touched their forehead to the ground, and gave thanks. Laojun then vanished.

In an instant, blazing light rose on every side of the lodge, shining in the five colors of blue, yellow, and the rest. Yin Xi stepped into the courtyard, bowed to the ground, and said, "I beg the divine one to appear once more and grant me one essential secret of cultivating the Dao (the Way), so that I may hold fast to my original source." Looking up, Yin Xi saw Laojun seated upright in midair above the radiant clouds, dozens of zhang above the ground. The figure was like a golden man, with five colors of light streaming from the face. The form flickered between visible and hidden, and the countenance seemed both old and young, impossible to fix.

Then the High Immortals of the Nine Mysteries, the Direct Talismans of the Five Emperors, and the Envoys of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) arrived to receive Laojun. They carried tally staffs, and each body gave off a radiance that lit the four directions. Divine Kings, Warriors, the Azure Dragon, the White Beast, qilin, and lions also appeared of their own accord, ranged before and behind and to left and right. Seeing the majesty of the heavenly host, Yin Xi was overcome with grief and awe, and stood with head bowed.

Laojun said: "I have charged you again and again, and you must remember it and keep it. Cast out the defilements of the heart, still stray thoughts, restrain the urge to contend, and be single-minded in guarding the Dao. When every defilement is gone, all affairs are finished. This is the essential secret of my teaching." Having spoken, Laojun took leave of the assembled immortals and ascended with them to Taiwei (the celestial palace).

That same day, rivers, springs, and ponds suddenly swelled, wells overflowed, and mountains and streams shook. Five-colored light pierced the sky, and the region of Taiwei was lit in blue and red. The Grand Historian Su You said: "A great sage has departed. A thousand years from now, the fame and teachings of this sage will reach this place." King Zhao at once ordered the event carved in stone and buried before the heavenly shrine in the southern suburb. This was the omen that Laojun was about to journey west to teach the barbarians.

At that time, Yin Xi, Guardian of the Pass, held Laojun's instructions deeply in mind. Weeping in remembrance, Yin Xi pleaded illness, resigned the post, and lived alone in a quiet chamber. In calm and tranquility, Yin Xi contemplated the Dao and turned wholeheartedly toward Shouyi (Guarding the One: concentrating the spirit, keeping to the original source, and unifying the mind), until the mind reached emptiness, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action). Yin Xi studied and analyzed in fine detail the subtle words of the Daode Jing, keeping its inner meaning in the heart and not readily passing it on. Gradually the mind grew open and clear, and Yin Xi cherished the teaching and followed it in practice.

On the first day, Yin Xi dreamed of flying to the summit of Mount Tai. On the second day, Yin Xi dreamed of immortals attending in service. On the third day, Yin Xi dreamed of divine light appearing. On the fourth day, Yin Xi dreamed that all the people under heaven came to take Yin Xi as their teacher. Through inner observation and these dreams, Yin Xi realized that the great Dao was contained within the five thousand words of the Daode Jing, and so practiced through purity, stillness, and Wuwei.

The treatise cites the Xisheng Jing (Scripture of Western Ascension) as saying that when Yin Xi (Guan Yin) was attending Laojun (Lord Lao), on the third day he dreamed of a divine radiance, and on the fourth day he dreamed that all the people under heaven came to take him as their teacher and to serve him. Through quiet inward contemplation and through his dreams, he came to understand that the Five Thousand Characters (that is, the Daodejing) contain the Dao (the Way), and so he took up a life of purity and stillness.

The treatise also cites the Xisheng Jing to explain that "the Ancient Master" is an allegorical title used in that scripture, and that it refers to Laojun. When the text says that in Zhuqian (India) there is an Ancient Master whom one might wish to go and visit, these are Laojun's words of admonition to Yin Xi. The later line, "the Ancient Master is my own body," makes clear that the master spoken of earlier is Laojun himself. The key to seeking the Way of immortality lies in finding a true person (zhenren). For this reason the scripture feigns that there is a master in Zhuqian, so that people have someone to go and visit. Once the transmission of the Dao is complete, there is no need to search outward any longer. Laojun feared that those attached to the letter of the teachings would be unable to distinguish expedient explanations from true meaning, and so he stated plainly in the later passage, "that is me."

Some say, "The Ancient Master is my teacher," but this too is allegory. To take it as a factual record is a mistake. If such a person had really lived in antiquity, how could anyone now go and visit him as people once did? Such a reading also fails to accord with the idea of "extinguishing the body and severing existence," that is, not clinging to form or to being and non-being. Seen in this light, "the Ancient Master" is merely the title of a teacher within an allegory. Moreover, names such as "Nameless" and "Having Antiquity" may all be alternate designations of Laojun. Therefore the earlier statement, "the Ancient Master is my own body," should be regarded as reliable.

Another view holds that Laojun once transformed himself and appeared in Zhuqian, and that when he later prepared to return to the Source, he said, "I am now about to depart." The phrase "returning to the One Origin" makes clear that the Laojun manifested in Zhuqian and the Laojun present here are originally one body, with no distinction between them. To help people grasp this, Laojun again displayed his divine powers and let light shine over all under heaven, showing that the sage comes and goes freely and that his virtue is without equal. He did this to awaken and inspire the true persons, so that they would not grow weary of cultivating the Dao. Yin Zhen said, "Now that I have seen the sage's honored countenance with my own eyes, I know that he is the highest and most exalted being in heaven. How could there be any distinction between the remote and the foreign?" These words carry profound meaning.

On the summit of this mountain, Guan Ling (the Warden of the Pass) had earlier built a terrace and lodge, which he used to observe the stars and divine the weather. Later Laojun ascended into the void from this place, and so later generations called it the "Tomb of Laozi" (Laozi Ling). It is not a grave. In the Erya, "ling" means "a great earthen mountain," and that is precisely the sense intended here.

The Lord Lao (Laojun) said: When practicing the method of the "Three Ones" (Sanyi), first visualize the space between the two eyebrows. One inch inward is the "Bright Hall" (Mingtang), two inches is the "Chamber Palace" (Dongfang), and three inches is the "Niwan" (Muddy Pellet). These three places belong to the upper Dantian (energy center), the region of inner cultivation in the upper body. Within the upper Dantian dwells a red infant named "Yuanxian," also called the "Imperial Minister" (Diqing Ren). He stands three inches tall and wears red robes and red shoes.

Next, visualize the heart, which is called the "Crimson Palace" (Jianggong) and belongs to the middle Dantian. Within the middle Dantian dwells a Perfected Person (Zhenren) named "Zidan," also called the "Radiant and Steadfast One" (Guangjian Ren). He stands three inches tall and is dressed as described above. Then visualize the "Gate of Life Palace" (Mingmen Gong), three inches below the navel, which belongs to the lower Dantian. Within the lower Dantian dwells an infant named "Yuanyang," also called the "Valley-Mystery One" (Guxuan Ren). He also stands three inches tall, and his clothing is the same color as described above.

Visualize the infant of the lower Dantian seated before a golden railing-seat and a jade table, with a golden censer and a jade spoon always kept at his side. After refining the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy), visualize the infant of the upper Dantian descending to rest in the middle Dantian, where a figure stands on the left holding a golden censer and jade spoon. Then feed the essence and qi once to the infant of the upper Dantian, and once to the Perfected Person of the middle Dantian. Visualizing in this way provides nourishment equal to about ten mouthfuls of food and drink. Next, visualize the infant of the upper Dantian returning to his original place, then feed the infant of the lower Dantian once, and visualize him returning to his place as well. The practice may then be concluded.

Afterward, visualize white qi as large as a cartwheel covering your body, and then red qi covering the white. When this is done, you may lie down. It is also said that within the Chamber Palace there is a mass of white qi the size of a hen's egg, bright as the moon, illuminating wherever it dwells.

These methods of visualization should be practiced constantly, by day and by night. Thus the scripture (Jing) says: "If you wish to live long, you must make the Three Ones clear. If you can guard the One, the One will also guard you. Whether sitting, walking abroad, entering mountains and forests or the army, or eating and drinking, hold the One in mind. In illness or in worry, do likewise, and there is no wish that will not be fulfilled."

The Lord Lao said: Jing is the root of the circulation of blood and the vessels, and the spiritual force that holds the bones together. When essence and qi are dissipated, the bones wither; when the bones wither, a person dies. Therefore essence must be cherished. The human body is like a state: Shen (spirit) is the ruler, Jing is the minister, and Qi is the people. Qi transforms into Jing, Jing transforms into Shen, and Shen transforms into an infant. The infant further becomes a Perfected Person, and the Perfected Person then becomes a newborn child (chizi), which is the "True One" (Zhenyi). Heaven has three lights, namely the sun, moon, and stars, and humans have three treasures, namely the upper, middle, and lower Dantian. By regularly regulating the breath and cherishing essence and qi, the three Dantian are nourished and the newborn child is preserved. This is the essential point of cultivation. If one single-mindedly guards the One without forgetting it, one may say that all things are complete.

One who guards the One walks between heaven and earth without fear. With long practice, one may see the thirty-six thousand spirits within the body lifting the body together, and ascend to heaven in broad daylight. This is the highest grade of practitioner. The next grade extends life, prolongs years, and averts calamity; this is the middle grade. Those who, when facing danger, still do not forget to guard the One can escape disaster; this is the lowest grade. If, while guarding the One, you have nightmares or see strange things, do not tell others. Simply keep your thoughts upright and guard the One with focus, and no harm will come of it.

The One is the master within the body. If a person can guard the One, the One will also guard that person. Entering the battle line, weapons cannot harm you. Entering mountains and forests, no harmful creatures dare to trouble you. Entering rivers and seas, flood dragons will avoid you. Encountering plague, the ghostly qi will naturally disperse. Even when moving house or breaking ground, there is no need to heed the taboos of malevolent spirits such as the Grand Duke Jupiter (Taisui) or the Great General (Dajiangjun). In your daily comings and goings, you will in the end meet with no misfortune.

The Lord Lao (Laojun) said: If a person wishes to cultivate body and mind, follow the Dao (the Way) and be transformed, pray for blessings and see their wishes fulfilled, gather Qi (vital energy) into Shen (spirit), and prolong life until it lasts without end, the key lies in stillness. Heaven governs through stillness, Earth is settled through stillness, spirits manifest and transform through stillness, and human beings survive through stillness. Thus, when the heart is clear, it can commune with the unseen; when the spirit is tranquil, it receives a response.

When preparing to enter stillness, one should withdraw the hearing, turn the gaze inward, and draw the mind back into oneself. The mind does not wander in idle thoughts, the mouth does not speak carelessly, and the body does not move rashly. In this way, one can see forms that have no shape, hear sounds that have no voice, taste flavors that have no taste, and grasp words that are never spoken. The radiance of the divine will descend, blessings and De (Virtue) will gather, and the Qi of harmony will respond. The state of mind then grows sage-like and luminous, and one's intentions become clear.

If dreams are beautiful yet faint, and one can discern in these omen-like dreams the matter one seeks, then one can know in advance what has not yet come to pass. If one still cannot perceive it, this is because sincerity is not yet sufficient; once sincerity is complete, understanding will come.

The Lord Lao (Laojun) said: "If you wish to enter the meditation chamber (a secluded room for quiet cultivation), you must choose a chu day (an auspicious day in the ancient calendar) for entering. First bathe and fast for twenty-five days, and only then may you enter the chamber and devote yourself to cultivating your own person. Only when the hun and po souls within your body are settled and harmonious is it fitting to enter. When the mind and will are out of harmony, a person becomes agitated, restless within and without, and unable to find stillness. For this reason I explain these changes for those who will cultivate the Dao (the Way) in later generations."

The Lord Lao continued: "While cultivating in the chamber, you may see a red serpent lunge toward your heart. If you are not frightened, you will be able to converse with the Perfected (zhenren, those who have attained the Dao, or true deities). You may also see the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu, a revered Daoist deity) riding in a phoenix carriage, followed by six carriages drawn by red dragons, with three vermilion birds before her. Do not be alarmed by these sights. If someone speaks to you, be careful not to answer. If you feel unwell, do not be afraid; and if the discomfort does not subside, the Perfected will answer on your behalf.

"After the Queen Mother of the West departs, the Great Dao will manifest. When it appears, the sun, moon, and stars may shine above, and Celestial Masters (Tianshi), Perfected, and three vermilion birds may come to play music. Do not gaze at them; nor should you look at the immortals or the jade maidens. If dragons, serpents, birds, or beasts come to assail you, do not be alarmed. All of these are transformations of the Shen (spirit) within your body and are not real. If you simply settle your mind and fix your intention, the visions will vanish of themselves. If an old woman, a young woman, or a strangely formed person appears, do not speak with them or have dealings with them; this is the auspicious course.

"On the twenty-fifth day in the chamber, two women will come and speak to you; pay them no heed. On the forty-fifth day, a scholar will come; do not converse with him either. On the sixtieth day, two bright stars will appear on the roof of the chamber and remain for three days; do not find this strange. On the eighty-fifth day, a white-haired old man riding a white deer will come and call to you, and you should answer: 'I still bear the guilt of my ancestors, which I have not yet repaid, and so I cannot yet reach the state of the worthy.' On the one hundred and fifth day, a Celestial Master will come to examine the merit and virtue of your ancestors, and you should answer: 'Since earlier generations, our transgressions have not yet been exhausted, and that is why I am refining my practice in this chamber.'

"On the one hundred and twenty-fifth day, a thousand carriages and ten thousand horsemen will appear three hundred paces outside the chamber; do not find this strange. On the one hundred and fiftieth day, malevolent spirits will falsely claim to be your parents, wife, and children in order to test you; they are not your kin. Simply keep your body upright, your mind settled, and your focus on your cultivation. After one hundred and eighty days, the chamber will grow bright of its own accord, and you will know the safety and peril, survival and ruin, of the state; after this, the spirit officials of the bodily bureaucracy will all appear. After two hundred and eighty days, the evil illnesses within your body will be eliminated, and malign Qi (vital energy) will be unable to harm you."

"The Nine Chambers (nine successive stages of seclusion) are as follows. The first chamber is the dispelling of wicked thoughts, guarded by three spirits: the Great Yang on the left instructs, the Great Yin on the right assists, and the Great Harmony in the center brings benefit to the practitioner. The second chamber is the rectification of the body in thought, in which the person is joined with Jing (essence) and Qi; ghostly beings remain outside, observing whether you are upright, while the household spirit within the chamber watches to see whether you can succeed. The third chamber is the attainment of rectified thought, in which Jing and Qi merge with the ghostly beings; even if you were living in a bustling marketplace, you should not be startled that spirits appear outside. The fourth chamber is the great rectification of thought, in which a person's Jing and Qi begin to unite with the Shen. In the fifth chamber, the ultimate rectification of thought, the true spirit enters, and the Jing and Qi follow after it; ghostly beings withdraw to the outside, and only then are they truly gone.

"The sixth chamber is the exploration of rectified thought, in which the Shen, the Jing, and the circulating Qi are all upright and each finds its proper place, so that malign Qi, ghostly beings, and evil thoughts are removed. In the seventh chamber, the rectification of the true, the great true spirit descends; the many evils fear it and scatter entirely, leaving only the true spirit. The eighth chamber is the thought of the Mysterious Cavern (Xuandong), in which the body becomes completely one with the true spirit, and for a whole day one no longer thinks of worldly matters. The ninth chamber is the thought of the Great Cavern (Dadong); by this point one has become a Perfected, reclining within the Great Cavern in accord with the Qi, the methods of the Dao are complete, and one is devoted solely to the affairs of the immortals and should no longer concern oneself with human affairs, so great care is required.

"Afterward, the doors must be shut firmly, and the practitioner must no longer meet with ordinary people. Food should be placed outside the door for the practitioner to take as needed; if they no longer take food, do not let anyone disturb them. They will change their form and, when the time comes, depart of their own accord."

The commentary says: People enter a quiet chamber to practice cultivation in order to purify the heart and observe fasts, to recite scriptures, or to take medicines and circulate Qi (vital energy). Others visualize the Perfected Ones, cultivate the heart and Shen (spirit), and devote themselves wholly to seeking the Dao (the Way). Once a practitioner no longer takes medicines or circulates Qi, others should not disturb them. The arrangement and appearance of the chamber should be changed, and the practitioner will leave of their own accord at the proper time.

A person who cultivates the Dao with sincerity and earnest devotion, with a single undivided mind, may come into communion with the subtle and hidden, transform their form and countenance, and ultimately ascend as an immortal. Those who fail to achieve this usually lack sincerity or cannot sustain their practice over time. Can merely keeping the body in a dim, secluded chamber be called cultivating the Dao?

The Pass Keeper (the official guarding the pass) followed the Dao's teachings and practiced for three years until the work was accomplished. The appearance grew youthful and a golden glow rose in the face, a sign that sincere cultivation had reached great depth. After attaining the Dao, the Pass Keeper traveled to Chengdu. The mention of "Chengdu" here borrows a place name to express "great accomplishment in the study of the Dao," using a concrete event as a metaphor.