《上清太玄集》Vol. 1

The Dao of the Highest Clarity (Shangqing), the transcendent realm revered in Daoism, nurtures and transforms the myriad things, bringing them harmony and flourishing while opening up the panorama of Heaven and Earth in motion. What sets the myriad things in motion before they come into being is the Dao; what begins anew after an ending is nature. When loyalty and trust have no guiding principle, Virtue is held within a realm of emptiness and profound depth. Its image is like fine jade interlaced, its radiance faint yet harmonious. To appreciate the sound of refined music, greet the dawn bright with primordial Qi, and spread one’s wings to roam freely: this is the way to let the mind wander in the Dao.

Tracing things back to their roots, the Dao is so vast it has no bounds, yet so small it has no core. Heaven is round and Earth square; each has its own form and name. Between them, primordial Qi swirls and blends. The sun and moon rise in the east and set in the west, cycling without end. The radiance revealed through the transformations of Heaven and Earth is reflected in the human heart and in the myriad things, bringing them into clear view. Nothing among the myriad things escapes the influence of this order of movement.

The path of virtuous action is expressed in everyday practice. Look upon the “Great Image,” the Dao in its entirety: it has no form or shape. Insist on giving it a definite form, and it can no longer be seen. The Dao’s radiance fills everything naturally, without limit. Thus even Li Lou, famed for his exceptional eyesight, had not truly grasped this wisdom. Listen for the “Great Sound,” the Dao’s fundamental tone: it is silent and without sound. Turn it into a specific sound, and hearing itself will be disturbed. The Dao’s subtle workings flow freely and have no fixed bounds. Thus even Shi Kuang, famed for his keen hearing, had not truly mastered this way of listening. The highest wisdom, acuity, adaptability, and openness all arise when living beings receive the Great Dao and dwell in a plain and natural state.

In examining things and probing their principles, one should remain calm and balanced, keeping an unhurried bearing. Observe deeply with subtle insight, letting the mind and spirit grow clear and still. To flaunt one’s brilliance is to become obscured amid confusion; where vitality appears, signs of decline are already concealed. Let go of clever contrivance, release worry and fear, and return to a steady, peaceful state. Only by grounding oneself in an honest and expansive Virtue can the roots of misfortune be cut off.

By cultivating the Great Dao and attaining the Dao to become perfected, one can establish fine merit and virtue. The transformations and workings of the Three Realms—the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm—must rely on something in order to reach their full expression.

First, all things arise and perish in accordance with change: this is the substance of the Dao. The Dao takes form through resonance: this is its wondrous function. When its function reaches a state that seems to be doing nothing, it has reached its utmost.

Second, the moment arrives among the myriad phenomena, and people look upward as the eyes that open the unenlightened are revealed. Bright, yet not dazzling, it therefore appears as colorless. The color within the colorless is color at its utmost.

Third, a tally aligned with emptiness does not cling to “existence”; if one clings to existence, one cannot be empty. Emptiness that can be realized is what is called true emptiness. Bringing these principles together and allowing them to permeate one another carries one beyond ordinary bounds.

Chapter Five: Firming Nature, Bringing Forth No-Birth

Firm up one’s nature so that the mind gives rise to no deluded thoughts. When the mind finds joy, it can accord with change. Those who respond skillfully will meet no obstruction throughout their lives. Through the outward practice of meditation, let body and mind relax and open, reaching a state of spacious stillness; in this way, the human way can connect with the Way of Heaven. Let the breath become harmonious and smooth, its Qi (vital energy) blending and merging in resonance with omens, until it is clear, pure, and refined; in this way, the Chong Qi (primordial Qi that harmonizes Yin-Yang) can join with primordial Qi. Gaze upward with concentrated spirit: auspicious signs appear, and the numinous crow—a divine bird symbolizing good fortune—descends. Two radiances shine upon one another, showing that the eyes have joined with the light of the sun and moon.

Thus, the wondrous transformations of the Six Caverns of Flying Mystery, a subtle realm of Daoist cultivation, accord with the Three Palaces, the three vital Qi centers within the body. Divided, they are the nine Qi; gathered, they are the One True. The transformations of the One True lie in Wuwei (non-action), through which things come naturally to completion.

Chapter Six: Gain and Loss

The methods for gain and loss differ. Those who attain the Dao cherish Jing (essence) and Qi, preserve life and tend to Shen (spirit), hold fast to the Great Dao, and cultivate De (Virtue/Power). Those who lose the Dao are self-important and greedy, sink into desire, let their minds scatter and their spirits grow clouded, forget their roots, and conceal their true nature. To understand the mystery and distinguish the false, so that numinous power may emerge, primordial Qi be opened, and the mind made clear—this is the work of rousing firmness and resolve.

Chapter Seven: Gathering the Mind and Concentrating Thought

Gather your thoughts and concentrate, and you can become calm and peaceful. Deep within, it is as though a precious jade casket were hidden; your bearing is much like that of an infant. Those skilled at regulating body and mind and following the natural order act appropriately and make no mistakes. An upright nature can also respond keenly to changes in things.

Quiet the mind, and it will not be disturbed by the confusion of what the eyes behold. When desire grows to its utmost, it is instead brought under restraint. Give the mind a place to rest, like an uncarved inkstone; carried to its utmost, vigilance can become protection. When the changes within inner feelings and principles are fully understood, the forms and positions of the myriad things are no longer fixed. The key lies in applying “transformation without artifice”—the way of change that follows nature without showing human contrivance.

Chapter Eight: The Great Dao Is Vast and All-Embracing

The Great Dao is mighty and all-embracing, boundless in expanse, and there is nothing it cannot contain. Above, it governs the limitless and upholds the guiding order of Heaven. Heaven is round and displays the celestial patterns; the sun, moon, and stars hang high, shedding light without pause, by day and by night. The wondrous workings of the Dao flow through them, and nothing among the myriad things fails to accord with this light.

Below, it governs the limitless and commands the laws by which Earth, yielding and receptive, bears all things. Earth is square and displays the contours of the land. Valleys shift with fullness and emptiness, releasing the Qi of transformation and nurturing in season, so that all things may grow. All of this unfolds within the movement of the Dao.

The Dao is supremely vast and great, with nothing beyond its embrace; yet it is also supremely minute and fine, entering everywhere. When it extends outward, it merges with the principles of the myriad things. Since the myriad things arise and gather from the same underlying mechanism, nothing is beyond reconciliation.

Chapter Nine: The Dao That Is Not the Dao

“The Dao that is not the Dao” means that although the Dao is present in the mind, one does not cling to an idea of the Dao. By following the inherent order of things, forgetting the entanglements of external objects, and preserving one’s inner truth, one can attain the proper measure.

When one responds only to external things and the mind is swept along with them, casting aside the natural order and retaining only desire while losing one’s foundation, trouble follows. The wise understand this: what seems like not deliberately seeking to see is truly seeing; what seems like not deliberately responding is truly responding. Respond to things without clinging to the act of response, and let change proceed in accord with the moment; then one can fully know the limitless Dao.

Chapter Ten: The Path of Inner Stillness and Penetrating Understanding

“The path of inner stillness and penetrating understanding” refers to the way in which the mind grows still and becomes clear. Understanding this principle can sharpen the mind’s discernment. Stillness can restrain agitation, and uprightness can put a stop to what is crooked.

Follow the laws of change, stabilizing the root and returning it to unity. Remain balanced and do not act rashly, and you can move with the current into a spacious, ordinary state. This is the source from which all things begin.

Inner tranquility is the path to clear understanding. Use stillness to master movement, and uprightness to suppress what is crooked. Follow the laws of change, so that what is fundamental becomes firm and returns to unity. Keep to peace and do not act rashly, and you can open the way to a realm of lasting abundance.

Chapter Eleven: Nothing Is Beyond Transformation

When nothing is beyond transformation, this is called “Great Penetration.” The ability to receive all streams without overflowing is the Dao’s depth and breadth. Gathering emptiness and stillness without becoming full is the Dao’s hidden depth. Blending the Qi of all things without becoming self-satisfied is the Dao’s vastness. Acting within the court without showing off one’s sharpness is the Dao’s constant way. Amid comings, goings, and changes, appearing obscure yet never losing discernment is the Dao’s pattern. Following all things and acting without end is the Dao’s transformation. Understanding the wondrous principles while never losing their source is the Dao’s trustworthiness. Accepting Heaven’s mandate without making choices is the Dao’s virtue. Those who turn away from these principles may hold many offices and possess many implements, but who can prove that they have attained the true Dao? Such conduct only drives them toward destruction.

Chapter Twelve: Casting Off the False and Preserving the True

Cast off falsehood and preserve what is true; forget cunning and put an end to distracting thoughts. Stop pursuing things that are hidden and unfathomable, and make the heart sincere and the will steadfast. Remain tranquil, and the disturbances of the outside world will not unsettle you. Peacefully preserve your simple nature, and keep your spirit and Qi steady and enduring; only then can you clarify the heart. Hold fast to loyalty, observe the prohibitions, and harbor no selfish thoughts. Joyfully nurture a noble and expansive Qi, so that your character becomes simple and harmonious; only then can you establish trustworthiness. To cultivate virtue, be modest and reserved, without drawing attention to yourself. Let your inner nature be pure and generous, and keep the simple way within; only then can you accord with the Dao. The true Dao moves on its own, while the polluted way will be exhausted. If you understand these things yet remain obstructed, you have not understood their meaning.

Chapter Thirteen: The Utmost Freedom and the Utmost Measure

The utmost freedom and the utmost measure concern two states of mind: delusion and awakening. Those who are deluded cling to illusions; those who are awakened cultivate what is true. Truth cannot be seen with the eyes: if you insist on looking, you will instead be confused by external things. Illusion cannot be discerned by the mind alone: if you insist on judging, you may mistakenly believe that you have attained wisdom. Let the spirit fill a realm as empty as a mountain valley; once abundant, let it still roam in every direction. Those who can cross barriers and bring things and principles into accord can sit peacefully in a garden of splendor.

Chapter Fourteen: Turning Away from Awakening and Joining the Dust

Turning away from one’s nature and following the ways of the world leads one far from the Great Dao. To value what has form above what is formless is to lose it in the end after gaining it, and so bring calamity upon the body. To value what is useful above what is useless is to forget one’s original mind even while preserving what one has, and so bind the spirit. To value visible colors above the realm beyond color is to obscure one’s nature by discerning external things, and so harm the eyes. To value audible sounds above the realm of silence is to let one’s original intent disperse through speech, and so disturb the ears. To value change above the unchanging realm is to strive to rescue things and interfere recklessly, thereby clouding Shen (spirit). Those who uphold the right Dao, return to simplicity, and think carefully while remaining keen are skilled at cutting away these failings.

Tao Tianqiong Hui, Chapter Fifteen

Tao Tianqiong Hui (the chapter title; the meaning of the characters is unclear): why suffer injury and let others drive you? Clamor and ostentation arise only because people become attached to things. Secrecy and favor, too, can lead people to overstep their bounds. Yin Sun Yanzhao (a personal name or proper term in the text; the specific referent is unclear) suddenly came to an understanding, drew in the numinous gaze, quieted Shen and breath, and by sitting upright attained the state of nature. To take nature as something that must simply be so is called “not-so.” To understand “not-so” and still follow what is natural is the perfection of nature.

Eulogy

They seek the true Dao and follow its precepts, their aspirations and wishes earnest and unwavering. Through purification and stilling the mind, they wash body and spirit clean, cleansing away defilement and pungent foods. The Two Majestic Spirits (a Daoist divine name or ritual designation; the referent is unclear) are Chan Yi (the meaning is unclear), sweeping away sharpness and worldly dust. They forget attachment to the body yet preserve its form, cast off falsehood and retain what is true. Their essential nature is like drifting wisps, yet their function is like Linbian (the meaning is unclear). Jade Void (a Daoist realm of purity and emptiness) fills their form; Lingbao (a collective term for Daoist deities, scriptures, and methods) makes them still purer. They support the light of dawn and receive Shuyi (the meaning is unclear), joining with the Dao and ascending to the realm of morning. Primordial Chaos (the primordial Qi before Heaven and Earth divided) gathers as the ancestor; the Great One (the source of the cosmos) is undifferentiated and whole. To pass through the precelestial state and undergo transformation is called generating Shen.

Treatise on Clarity and Illumination

Chapter One: The Way of Shangqing

The Dao of Shangqing (the Highest Clarity, a subtle and exalted realm revered in Daoism) transforms with exquisite subtlety and without end. Primordial Qi divides, and from this the heavens and earth come into being; Yin and Yang Qi unite, and the sun and moon shine forth. Heaven, earth, and humanity—the three powers—each have their corresponding forms, and all things grow and multiply. One nourishes the spirit and circulates the breath, preserving and refining primordial Jing (the body’s fundamental essence and vital energy). As primordial Jing gathers and transforms, forms appear through resonance. In response, the thousand perfected immortals can all preside over its workings; in communion with it, the myriad sages descend together. The thousand perfected immortals and myriad sages are everywhere. To perceive and understand this is called refining primordial Jing through fusion. As primordial Jing gathers and transforms, forms appear through resonance; in response, the thousand perfected immortals can all preside over its workings, and in communion with it, the myriad sages descend together. The thousand perfected immortals and myriad sages are everywhere. To perceive and understand this is to grasp the essential key to the subtle Dao of refining through fusion.

Chapter Two: The Luminous Brilliance of Mysterious Yang

Mysterious Yang (the profound and subtle Qi of Yang harmony) shines with crystalline radiance, illuminating the ten directions. It gives forth an essence like fine jade and emits auspicious light like a jade emblem; it reaches upward to the Dao of Heaven and extends downward to cover the earth. It opens and sets in motion the pivot of transformation among the myriad things, the key that drives countless changes. Without receiving its endowment, things cannot grow; without communing with it, spirits cannot manifest their powers. It nourishes every wondrous function, its radiance shining throughout the five directions as it flows on without pause.

Chapter Three: The Radiant Splendor of Unimpeded Clarity

Unimpeded Clarity (a light that is empty, still, and penetrating) shines brilliantly, as though breaths interweave and rays reflect one another. Its flames are bright as the splendor of the sun and moon, and like beacon fires they illuminate heaven and earth. Its brilliance gleams, circling everywhere and back again, revealing numinous transformations; it opens out suddenly, as though able to encompass the islands in every direction. Within, it blends and condenses into a pearl, passed down through numinous wisdom. It ascends to the palace among the crimson clouds and sits peacefully at the gate of the Nine Yang Heavens. The Celestial Emperor commands the immortals and perfected beings to prolong life, extending their years and keeping them from decline.

Chapter Four: The Substance of the Primordial Origin

The substance of the Primordial Origin (the beginning of all things) is pure white, empty, and yet full. It is pure and unadorned, attached to no particular thing; calm and quiet, without fixed form. Within the formless lies the source of form, and so it can give life and nourishment to every kind of form.

The Dao of the Primordial Beginning (the cosmic origin revered in Daoism) is pure, empty yet full, unalloyed and detached, without form. Its formless substance can give rise to the forms of all things; its colorless substance can unfold their colors. It is neither simply nonbeing nor simply being, yet being and nonbeing alike accord with it naturally. It is neither moving nor still, yet it responds to the changes between motion and stillness.

Heaven does not acquire its clarity from elsewhere, nor does Earth become tranquil through an external force. Without communion with the Dao, things cannot transform and bring forth life; without receiving the Dao, spirits cannot reveal their wondrous powers. The constant principle of the Supreme Dao (the highest Dao) is always present. People live within it and use it every day without knowing it exists, just as fish live in water without knowing water.

If fish knew water, they would avoid the dangers of deep pools and refuse fragrant bait. In time, they could grow into great fish, leap across the perilous waters of Lüliang, and reveal the form of a transforming dragon. Only then would they have understood water’s wonder. If people know the Dao, they too should dwell in quiet places, cast off ostentation, restrain their cravings and desires, preserve their original Qi (the vital energy at the source of life) within, and cultivate the numinous wind (the lively state of spirit and Qi) without. With long practice and perfected effort, they can pass through the Mysterious Barrier (a crucial threshold in cultivation) and transform into feathered immortals. When realized beings (those who have attained the Dao) transmit the methods of cultivation, this is the essential way to attain the Dao.

Chapter Five: Refined Contemplation Within and Without

Through careful contemplation from within outward, the heart contains luminous wisdom. One cultivates the true form with jade-like purity, transforming the body until it seems bloodless. The body is cool and clear as frost; this describes preserving Jing (essence) and nurturing life. To cultivate the numinous wind outward, letting the spirit soar as if spreading its wings, lightening the body and rising into the mysterious realm, where life and death are beyond reckoning and one can pierce metal and stone and roam beyond the world of dust: this describes the essentials of refining the spirit and joining with the Dao.

Chapter Six: The Pivot of Motion and Stillness

Grasp the pivot of motion and stillness, using it skillfully without forcing it. Understand the state before chaos divided and things took form, and know as well what lies beyond the vast empty valley of the Great Cavern. In stillness, let the mind become clear, spacious, and free of attachment; stand apart, allowing the Qi of the whole body to flow without obstruction. In movement, circulate original Qi within and release the radiance of Shen (spirit) outward, merging body and mind with the Great Void. Let the whole body respond and become full, gathering Qi in the abdomen (the place where Qi converges).

Return to the source, and all becomes pure and unalloyed; realize the ancestral Dao, and the realm becomes deep and unfathomable. Therefore, practitioners should set Qi in motion as though plucking a zhu zither, without clinging to views of annihilation or permanence.

Chapter Seven: The Division of Primordial Simplicity

The realm of Tai Su (the primordial and pure ground of being) is surrounded by three layers. The first is the “Palace of Yidi”: vast and open, without bounds, it covers and sustains all things, nourishing everything without exception. The second is the “Land of Huayang,” where the radiant light of Futong flows and shines in every direction, nurturing all things and bestowing its grace. The third is the “Homeland That Nourishes Me,” where the Qi of transformation spreads and rises into the realm of Linlang. Auspicious signs gather there, and its splendor is magnificent; all things blend within it, gestating and taking form.

Chapter Eight: The Body Arises from Turbid Substance

The human body is formed from turbid matter, so the mind must be purified as though washing away accumulated grime. When the mind is still and free of desire, one’s words and actions become dignified and commanding. In acting, follow emptiness and stillness; through stillness, the breath becomes full. When Qi is abundant, Jing can be preserved; when Jing is abundant, Shen can be preserved. If Shen is not clear and perceptive, the Dao is not clear; if Qi is unsettled, one’s nature and temperament are unclear. Settle both the hidden and the manifest, and one can communicate and unite with the Dao, entering into accord with the true realm. The power by which one reaches that realm enables one to transcend the bounds of innate transformation.

Chapter Nine: The Dao Is Exalted and Has No Rank

The Dao is exalted, yet has no fixed rank or title; nothing can rival it. It unfolds and gives rise to the myriad things, encompassing the vast and manifold principles of their workings. Though the Great Dao is so vast that nothing in the world can adequately describe it, it still manifests as an image without form. Mountains collapse, and wings of wind … enable one to transcend the bounds of innate transformation.

The Dao is so exalted that no title or rank can define it, and nothing else is uniquely comparable to it. It expands and generates all things, governing the vast, countless transformations. Even if the Great Dao cannot be likened to any particular thing, there is still an invisible “image” through which it may appear.

Mountains collapsing, winds and thunder raging—none can convey the Dao’s power and presence. Yet the Dao is not entirely without sound: it has a “sound” that surpasses ordinary sounds. Piercing the nine layers of earth and reaching deep into the Yellow Springs cannot convey the Dao’s depth and distance; yet it remains unfathomable, as though it had no bottom. Gazing up to the Three Heavens and ascending to the vast firmament cannot convey the Dao’s height; yet it remains immeasurably high, as though it had no summit.

The sun, moon, and stars shining together and casting their light in every direction cannot compare with the Dao’s clarity. The emptiness of space—open, unobstructed, still, and without trace—cannot compare with the Dao’s void stillness. The Dao is supremely mysterious: the root of all methods. It is supremely deep and subtle: the source of the “Three Vehicles” (three levels or paths of cultivation). Its wisdom is limitless and its spiritual workings impossible to fathom. How could it be compared with that of ordinary sages? This is what is meant by the highest principle of the Mysterious Origin.

Chapter Ten: Utter Sincerity Is Without Deceit

Utterly sincere and true, free of deception, it follows its nature and gives rise to no deluded thoughts. From this, the mind and nature open a path, appearing like a dragon that reveals the radiance of the sun and moon. Like a spirit, it assists the Mysterious Capital (the Daoist name for the wondrous celestial realm), revealing a form that covers Heaven and Earth like the feathers of a phoenix. Its passage leaves no trace; whatever it encounters seems leveled and without a mark. Through circling movement it brings about transformation, dwelling always in the realm of Mount Tai and Mount Hua (symbols of an immortal realm or an exalted domain).

Chapter Eleven: The Transformations of Spiritual Mechanisms

The principles behind marvelous, wondrous transformations are divided into six kinds, all governed by the same laws.

First, regulate and nourish the body so that the breath flows freely, the Qi of the five organs circulates throughout, and the seven apertures—the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and other openings—are unobstructed. Second, investigate deeply the subtle and profound principles, broadening and clarifying understanding, fully illuminating the myriad phenomena until nothing lies beyond its reach. Third, let primordial Qi (the original vital energy) circulate throughout empty space and bring forth and nurture the myriad things, so that all things are in harmony. Fourth, keep harmonizing Qi (Qi that flows and brings things into balance) abundant, and sustain the body’s inner transformations without interruption, so that the breath becomes harmonious and returns to the unified origin. Fifth, let the Embryonic Light (the inner light-spirit described in Daoist teachings) remain subtle and hidden, its gaze flickering like streaming stars, the constellations arrayed in profound abundance, so that all things retain their radiance. Sixth, let the Divine Sovereign (the spirit who governs divine transformations) manifest and transform, shining like the sun as it rises high and races across the sky, so that pearls, jade, gold, and stone all gleam.

These accord with the Three Palaces (the upper, middle, and lower residences of spirits and Qi within the body) and are called Qi within Qi, Shen within Shen, and Dao within Dao. The Three Vehicles (methods of cultivation at different levels) merge into one, like the scene of utter emptiness within the Great Void.

Chapter Twelve: Radiant Illumination and All-Knowing Clarity

When radiance shines everywhere, all things become clear. Who can attest that this is true wisdom? If one seeks clarity only in its application but does not accord with the constant Dao, or remains only in realization without rousing oneself to clear awareness, one misses the essential point. When failings grow grave and desires run deep, one drifts with the current and loses the source, abandons the root to pursue the branches, and departs from the standards of the Great Dao; in the end, one comes to ruin. To nurture goodness, one must seize the right moment and cultivate with sincere reverence. When the heart becomes open and awakened, and Shen and Qi are pure, tranquil, and harmonious, one can become indistinguishable from the Dao of the Great Void.

Chapter Thirteen: Resolute Integrity and Purity

Be upright and incorruptible in your aspirations, pure in your conduct, careful in your actions, and sincere in your intentions. Treat others with gentleness and kindness; keep your heart clear and still; conduct yourself with respect and humility; act with understanding and ease.

To be upright and incorruptible in your aspirations is to preserve your true nature, seek no private gain, and embrace the Great Dao without partiality. To be pure in conduct is to live amid the dust of the world without being tainted, keeping the heart spotless and unblemished. To be careful in one’s actions is to do nothing unreasonable and take no action contrary to the Dao. To be sincere in one’s intentions is to be honest and loyal, not to curry favor, and to hold true convictions free of deviant thoughts.

Treating others with gentleness and kindness allows one to accord with Heaven’s mandate and transform Qi (vital energy) into divine clarity. Keeping the heart clear and still makes it transparent, unstained, and free of selfishness. Respect and humility allow one to respond to things without obstruction, adapting to change without fixed methods. Understanding and ease allow one to become one with the Dao, pure and free of admixture. To keep doing good without treating it as a burden is an important path to attaining the Dao.

Chapter Fourteen: Gathering Jing and Nurturing Qi

Nurture Jing (essence) and Qi, and preserve and cultivate Shen (spirit) and one’s true nature. Then the whole body becomes light and graceful, the figure drifting as if borne by the wind. Riding the currents of Qi through the Six Emptinesses—the void above, below, and in the four directions—one roams beyond the vast world. No matter how things change, one is never misled, and can respond to the moment and to Heaven’s mandate. In facing change, one never loses the constant Dao.

Moving downward, one is calm like the earth, bringing forth and transforming the myriad things. Without deliberate effort, one’s work comes naturally to completion. Moving upward, one is clear like the sky, encompassing all things in meticulous detail. Without display, one’s radiance naturally shines forth. By holding fast to inner balance and correctness without losing them, one accords with the transformations of the void and governs the myriad spirits. Without relying on instruction, one naturally grasps the proper measure.

Even a sage of expansive vision and profound understanding, who travels to every quarter and reaches Mysterious Yang—the realm reached by subtle Yang energy—does not equal the all-encompassing reach of Heaven and Earth, which cover and sustain all things.

Chapter Fifteen: The Dao Is Ever Without Form

Without relying on instruction, one naturally grasps the proper measure. Even a sage of expansive vision and profound understanding, who travels to every quarter and reaches Mysterious Yang, does not equal the all-encompassing reach of Heaven and Earth, which cover and sustain all things.

The Dao (the Way) is always in a state without form or substance. It blends with primordial Qi (vital energy) and runs through the source of all things. It follows the workings of Heaven and Earth, nurturing all things and bringing them to maturity; all these functions are contained within it. Whether they are beings born from the womb, from eggs, from moisture, or through transformation, or creatures that move instinctively and possess spirit, none can live without relying on its grace. Water, grain, mountains, rivers, fields, metals, stones, grasses, and trees all receive its true Qi. Anyone who understands this should guard their Jing (essence) and Qi so they do not dissipate; nourish their vast, upright Qi so it does not diminish; and preserve and refine their body and spirit, becoming one with the Dao. This is the principle of “the mysterious within the mysterious.”

Eulogy:

At the beginning of high antiquity, Heaven and Earth turned, and mysterious Yang Qi brought forth all things. The Divine Emperor of the Opening Origin, a deity revered in Daoism, appeared in an instant as the fetal radiance, a spiritual light connected with life’s source. The bright, balanced Qi shone in all directions, reaching up to the azure sky and down to the Sea of Origin. In the Golden Hall, refined Qi gathered; in the treasure cavern, auspicious signs assembled. Its radiance was fine as jade dust, its clarity pure as frost and ice. It nourishes the Elixir body, the inner body and mind formed through cultivation, and illuminates the wondrous methods of transformation. The subtle principles of the Great Dao are inexhaustible, and its eternal true nature is unfathomable. Embrace and preserve the primordial Qi; know contentment and keep to your place. Though the physical body dies, the spirit does not perish.

Treatise on Perfect Clarity

Chapter One: Before Chaos Was Opened

Before Heaven and Earth were formed, all things were blended into one, suspended in a hazy darkness. Their shapes could not be seen, nor could they be distinguished. In that dim, chaotic state, how could clarity appear? When the Qi of primordial vastness gathered and joined, Heaven and Earth began to divide. Primordial Qi emerged, and the most refined Qi began to move. Yin and Yang rose and descended, above and below, and the rising and sinking of all things thereby settled into order. Heaven and Earth are vast, covering and bearing all things. The sun and moon reveal their forms and illuminate all things. All things, in turn, receive the Qi of Heaven and Earth and grow. The Dao runs through all things and transforms them, reaching a wondrous state. There is nowhere it cannot reach and nothing it cannot accomplish. By following the Dao’s essential nature and using its true character, one establishes forms and reveals their wondrous workings. By following the right way and keeping faith, one can accomplish the work of a sage.

Chapter Two: The Utmost Nonbeing of the Dao

The Dao reaches a state without form, yet its workings can transform and generate the myriad things. “Being” is the result of wondrous transformation; “nonbeing” is stillness brought to its utmost. The alternation of movement and stillness appears as the patterns of the heavens and the forms of the earth. When Qi circulates and changes within, holding it fast can preserve one’s spiritual nature and, in turn, safeguard life. If it is allowed to disperse, Jing and Qi will scatter, affecting one’s nature. What is said to shine forth without leaving a trace, yet respond naturally, is so because Yang Qi has preserved itself. Preserving oneself allows one to unite with the true Dao; craving the myriad things instead entangles the body. When body and mind are free from harm, one can transcend the constraints of Heaven and Earth and become unparalleled.

The Third Chapter: The Flourishing Pattern of Qiyi

In the cycle of calamity described by Qiyi (a proper name in the scripture), the way can be discerned through feathered ascent. Through toil, the practitioner undergoes transformation: restraint and opening proceed from the outside inward. First it is made to sink; then, through the force of counteraction, it is brought lower still. What is called harmonious nurturing gathers inward and opens outward: first it is made to rise, then its floating movement is brought under control. The sun moves above, the myriad things endure below, and Qi dwells in between. Without superior attainment in the Dao, who could reach this state?

The One Qi sinks and circulates. The way of harmonious nurturing gathers inward and opens outward: first it is made to rise, then its floating movement is brought under control. The sun moves above, the myriad things endure below, and Qi dwells in between. Without superior attainment in the Dao, who could reach this state?

The Fourth Chapter: The Governance of One Qi

The movement of One Qi—the fundamental Qi shared by all things—divides and gives rise to forms. Once form has been established, return to the original truth; when cultivation of the Dao reaches its utmost, one can perceive the imperial image, the grand patterns of Heaven and Earth in motion. What does it mean to penetrate the source, precede primordial chaos, understand all four directions, and make clear the principle of returning to the one true Dao? It means cultivating one’s nature and then safeguarding life, allowing body and mind to become clear and undergo transformation, rising lightly like a bird’s feathers and returning to the original state of the prenatal. When the laws of the prenatal can shift one’s position, one can return to the imperial image.

The Fifth Chapter: Transformation in Primordial Unity

The Primordial Unity, the source from which all things arose before Heaven and Earth had differentiated, gives birth to the myriad things, and the forms of Qi (vital energy) differentiate along with them. The movements and stillness of all things, their rising and sinking, follow certain patterns. Heaven and Earth each settle into their proper place; mountains and marshes exchange Qi; rivers and valleys alternately fill and empty. In emptiness and stillness, wondrous workings become manifest. Does this describe the Jing (essence) and Qi generated by the Dao (the Way), or the blood vessels formed by De (Virtue/Power)? Seen from above and below, it seems like a woven whole, yet also like breath flowing within it—much like the workings of the maple tree. It is close at hand, yet cannot be approached; insist on drawing near, and it will seem far away. It seems distant, yet cannot be kept apart; deliberately distance yourself, and it will seem close beside you. Only those who understand transformation can find the proper place between distance and nearness. Without tracing the signs of things, who could understand the principles within them?

The Dao Governing the Forms of Things, Chapter Six

The Dao that governs the forms of all things is blended into empty stillness. Its nature is vast and its presence abundant. To discern its workings among the myriad things, one must grasp the subtle principles within them. Only by following the patterns of things can one proceed along their faint traces; only by understanding the Great Dao can one grasp its true and hidden principles.

The Dao takes firmness as its substance and softness as its function. The union of pure firmness and softness is the culmination of change in the images of the Yi. The Dao gives birth to the myriad things, and De enables them to grow. Heaven and Earth took shape through the differentiation of clear and turbid Qi, while the sun and moon move along their courses. All things are created through the transformations of nature. When change is about to arise, it is often settled through the way of stillness. To settle the myriad things is to return them to the Dao.

The Celestial Body of the Primordial Beginning, Chapter Seven

The Primordial Beginning of Qian, the foundation through which the Way of Heaven creates the myriad things, is vast and open, able to gather and connect them all. The gathering of every wondrous power has its source in the many mysterious principles. One who truly cares for the world will naturally be cared for by the world; this reflects my utmost Jing. One who follows the world will naturally be followed by it; this reflects my utmost Shen (spirit). Reside at the center, act with integrity, and reach a wondrous accord with the Dao. Preserve the original form of the Way of Heaven and let the myriad things follow their own nature.

The Intention of Sincerity and Reverence, Chapter Eight

Inner sincerity, reverence, and solemnity, together with an upright intention, depend above all on inward reflection. One must recognize the deep and quiet aspect of human nature. Without this, one acts hastily before understanding and falls into confusion. To appear outwardly proud and self-assured while inwardly lax and indolent is to be profoundly lost and deeply bewildered. What does it mean to remain keenly perceptive in silence, to understand things and thereby attain insight? The sage takes emptiness as its essence and wondrous transformation as its function. The lively gaze follows the course of principle and shimmers with light; grasping the highest truth within it is like illuminating the space between Heaven and Earth.

Chapter Nine: Embracing the One and Returning to Simplicity

By holding fast to purity and oneness and returning to simplicity, one can attain the state of Revealed Plainness, in which one’s unadorned nature comes forth. Only by restraining desires before they arise can one reach the Primordial Image. Returning to the Dao is a return to the state of the Divine Sovereign, the sacred origin. If one loses pure oneness, pursues obscure and intricate traces and reputation, and then falls into resentment and arrogance, one will be troubled by them for life. By investigating the principles of things, one can understand the constant Dao. The wondrous mystery of the Dao reaches a state in which nothing is beyond its penetration: it illuminates the myriad mysteries and enters the Mysterious Gate, the passage leading to the Great Dao.

Chapter Ten: The Truth of Excellent Goodness

The true state of the highest goodness is unmixed with external things. It is pure and still, empty and open, vast and deep; it can respond to things and transform without limit. It moves without ceasing and returns to oneness with Heaven and Earth. If feelings and nature are not focused, they go against the Dao and bring regret and distress. If one cultivates with sincerity, one can draw near to one’s nature. To embrace truth is to cast off falsehood; to uphold the right way is to remove what is crooked and delusive. Its presence is like the unity of Heaven and Earth: its power appears and then gives rise to transformation naturally, and it is adept at perceiving subtle forms. Understanding and returning to the ultimate oneness, maintaining a state of purity and unobstructed integrity, and relying on the force of the Qian Dao—the robust, self-renewing course of Heaven—one can put the power of transformation to use.

Chapter Eleven: The Vastness of the Primordial Yuan

The Primordial Yuan—the fundamental vital energy received by all things between Heaven and Earth—is vast without bounds, remote and profound, with no fixed limits. Its Dao grows ever greater; how can one come into accord with it? Signs appear amid the changes of bending and extending, and the numinous, clear eye perceives them in a fleeting glimpse. The practice of the utmost spiritual Dao lies in gathering it into everyday conduct.

The scripture also says to gather the mind and thoughts into profound stillness, and to bring governance to a single focus. Who, having grasped the principles of things, would willingly remain ignorant? One should leave confusion and enter awakening, uphold De and guard against danger. With clear wisdom, one should aid the Great Dao, letting its radiance spread across the world; then the myriad things will follow its teaching. Each thing rests in its proper place, and each takes charge of its own destiny. To practice the Dao in this way, extending its beneficence in all directions—is this not the beginning of the Way of Profound Mystery?

Chapter Twelve: The Dao’s Way Rests on Purity

The Dao’s way takes purity as its foundation: deep and clear, constant and unmoving. Zhongyuan, the empty and formless realm of distant darkness, is so profound that it has no end. Yin and Yang rise and descend in their courses, and the myriad things likewise rise and fall, changing with them.

Gentleness is a form of De, and bringing beauty and goodness to completion is its effect; both change with the times. The forms of the myriad things change, yet in the end return to their original nature. Making clear their connection to the beginning also brings their end into understanding. In the realm of the Great Mystery, utmost De can harmonize the myriad things; those who rise high and strive forward dwell at the Palace of Highest Clarity, the Daoist realm of pure, empty immortals.

Chapter Thirteen: The Opening of the Origin of the Myriad Transformations

The transformations of the myriad things begin here, and ultimately return to the One Truth. The transformations of the One Truth reach everywhere, with nothing beyond their scope, and omit nothing, however minute. By gathering the many principles of mystery, one can understand the signs of the Primordial Beginning.

Ascending to Linhui, the sublime realm of the immortals, one enters profound stillness, gathers radiant flames, and draws near to the subtle. Its patterns are complete and rounded, without edges or corners. Following transformation, ordering the myriad things, nourishing the Primordial Yuan, and surveying the many forms—all this takes shape before the Great Beginning, the primal state before Heaven and Earth were formed.

Chapter Fourteen: The Awkwardness of Feeding the Storehouse

The Dao of cultivating the storehouse is so vast that nothing lies beyond its power to aid. It is like surging waters, boundless and immense, moving unpredictably, revealing its traces as its radiance flows. Why, in discussing the profound principle called “completion,” should we also speak of “ears of grain”? If matters have not yet arisen, their subtle signs will be missed, leaving one trapped by flaws and obstructions. The sagacity of the sage appears as silent composure and sudden ascent; this is the work of supporting what is hidden and bringing wisdom to light. As sunlight shifts and shadows cross and flow, the sage’s De (Virtue/Power) also becomes manifest. Those who spread the teachings can govern and protect all beings between Heaven and Earth.

Chapter Fifteen: At Last, Reaching the Dao

To reach the Dao at last is neither to cling to deliberate action nor to regard the principles of nature as random and disorderly. The realization and transformation manifested by the Dao are pure, subtle, and free of admixture; their gathered radiance is beautiful, and they are the source of all phenomena.

Yizi said, “I already have a teacher.” Someone asked, “Is that truly so? Who is your teacher?” Yizi replied, “The Dao that existed before Heaven and Earth is the beginning of the Dao, and it has never changed from beginning to end. The source of the Dao and the primal generation of its transformations can be my teacher.”

The divine spirit is vast and boundless, extending throughout the Brahma realms—the sacred heavens. It is deep and mysterious, without fixed limits. Heaven and Earth arise from it, and all transformations exist through it. The Dao changes with every direction, and its transformations have no end; it responds in accordance with different things, and its responses are without limit. Those who can understand the many appearances can apprehend the marvelous mystery of the Dao of which I speak.

Reading

The true teaching of Shangqing was founded by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. The Way of Great Mystery extends everywhere without limit, and its wondrous transformations are inexhaustible. The perfectly bright precious mirror illuminates the ten directions; the cultivator’s Dao-eye—the wisdom that perceives the Great Dao—is complete, and the sun and moon shine upon one another. The heavens gleam brilliantly, and the earth shines everywhere. Divine might is resplendent, pure and belonging to Yang harmony. It preserves harmonious Qi, bringing benefit and well-being to all things. Its numinous source gives life to all things; its wisdom reaches everywhere, traverses Heaven and Earth, and blends as one with the firm, vigorous Dao of Qian.

End of Volume One of the Shangqing Taixuan Ji

Volume Two of the Shangqing Taixuan Ji

Collected Works of the Great Mystery of Shangqing, Volume Two

Composed by Marquis Hou Shanyuan of Gushe

Treatise on Fuyang

Chapter One: The Sacred Realm of Jade Clarity

The sacred realm of Jade Clarity was opened and revealed by the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. No darkness there is beyond illumination. It is like the source from which all things in Heaven and Earth emerged, and like the Great Simplicity described in the Classic of Changes. Plumb its depths, and they have no end; try to measure it, and it cannot be known. It has neither name nor form. Precisely because it is originally formless and nameless, there is no form or name that cannot appear through it. The movements of the sun and moon and the cycles of the myriad principles all take it as their root. The Way of Heaven operates everywhere without exception; whatever the human mind senses is also connected with it. They come and go, meeting and joining, while form and essence have no fixed boundary. What has no fixed direction is precisely what is present everywhere.

Chapter Two: Glimpsing the Manifest and the Unsurpassed

Several passages in this chapter are difficult to decipher. Its general meaning is that unless one can settle the mind and Qi and preserve clarity, it is difficult to inherit the teachings of the sages of old. Later, some people of heterodox paths strayed from the correct Way, craving advancement and rushing toward success. Who among them could still calmly apprehend the Great Dao? Is this not lamentable? The Mysterious Master said: “To observe things and thereby gain insight is just so. The myriad forms have no fixed traces; at the moment they first appear, their beginnings are already contained within them. The Utmost Dao moves day and night, never ceasing. If you can be free of desire, remain quiet and steadfast, and cultivate your allotted life, perhaps you can achieve this.”

Chapter Three: The Existence and Demise of the Hidden and the Strange

Life and death are profound and obscure, and they are not the same; within life there is death, and within death there is life. Between life and death, who can remain without straying from the correct Way?

Someone said: “I have been conscripted by the authorities of the underworld and placed under the control of the Mysterious Master. I want to restore my life and nature.” The Mysterious Master heard this and laughed. “If your head were cut off, could you still discern and answer? If your life and nature were harmed, who would be able to see or hear?” The person fell silent for a long while. At last he understood, felt at ease, and was filled with joy. He said: “Now I understand. This must be the Way of following and nurturing life, then?”

Here, “the authorities of the underworld” refers to the governing institutions of the realm of the dead. The story uses questions about life, death, and bodily injury to prompt reflection on life and its root.

Chapter Four: The Marsh That Encompasses All Directions

The marsh encompasses all directions. Who can accord with it? It is deep and unfathomable, vast and boundless. Even in its elusive obscurity, it has not lost its original substance; the traces that eventually appear still do not reach its true essence.

Zishan said: “If you can open the Original Qi and bring it into accord with Heaven and Earth, observe with undivided attention, contemplate with focused thought, and make your mind and spirit clear, you can move at ease along the Way of the ‘Three Clarities.’”

Those skilled at reasoning things through and understanding what is subtle and wondrous know that misfortune and good fortune cannot be determined in advance. Those who are wealthy and share their blessings with others first treat people with virtue; those who are poor yet single-mindedly pursue wealth and profit often receive their blessings later. As for life and death, survival and extinction, gain and loss, and change, these matters differ in their underlying principles, yet are also interconnected. Xuanzi says that if people can understand and explain things this way, they will be convinced.

The eyes do not necessarily see clearly, and the ears do not necessarily hear distinctly. The discernment of sight and hearing has its limits, and can also be obscured by external things. How does sunlight make things visible? How do sounds correspond to things and reach the ear? Though things pass back and forth through the air, how could anyone thereby hear every sound at daybreak? Taoyi says, “Emptiness is not absolute emptiness, and things are not isolated and unchanging. All things exist naturally according to their own nature; the principle of nature is constant. Nothing lies outside this natural principle.”

A state that is deep and strong is like water’s power to restrain an abyss; measured movement and stillness, properly guided, bring stability. Following principle and keeping the mind tranquil, all things seem to abide within it; holding fast to this quietude brings ease to the heart. Yushi says the mind may be as clear as the eyes, yet, like water stirred and the heart of ice disturbed, it cannot truly settle the abyss. Only when still and unmoving, clear and open, empty, quiet, and pure, can one discern what is subtle and remote.

By following change, one can reach the constant Way. The insight gained by contemplating what is deep is like Yan’s fleeting thought in an instant; only by settling the spirit and joining with the mysterious Dao can one remain true to what is real. Through all-embracing contemplation, one can attain clear discernment, yet discernment at its utmost may appear dull. Profound and expansive words are not necessarily the finest argument. Xuanyang says, “Bring together the flowing radiance of all things and unite their manifold transformations; only then can one understand the principle within them.”

The workings of the mind are without end, and the heights of cultivation are unfathomable. If we probe deeply into these transformations, we find no fixed method. Who, then, could ever exhaust them? You are naturally perceptive, gifted in writing, clear-sighted, and keen of hearing.

Meng said, “That is not so. Your mind feels uneasy because your gaze is not focused enough. To discern fine details, like sunlight shining on all things, is what it means to be keen of hearing; to understand how things are, as nourishment sustains the body, is what it means to be clear-sighted.”

On hearing this, Xuanzi laughed and said, “They trouble themselves so much, yet all have strayed from the right path. My mind does not depend on eyes and ears, yet it can attain clear sight and keen hearing. It is not confined to a single body, yet it can appear in many bodies. It reaches the utmost without having to exhaust all things; it accomplishes without deliberate effort; it arrives without walking; it works with skill without being shaped or polished. Nothing is absolutely possible or impossible; nothing is absolutely achievable or unachievable. Even if its light shines everywhere and its transformations are boundless, it cannot be fully described. It reaches what is natural without clinging to the idea of ‘the natural’; thus, nothing is beyond its capacity.”

Chapter Ten: Probing and Understanding the Divine Workings

Investigate the traces of wondrous arts and perceive the truths revealed among the myriad things; analyze the transformations of Heaven and Earth and grasp the source from before Chaos was divided. Climb to the heights to subdue the souls, and gather the spirit in a single thought so that wandering souls may return to stillness. Like essence condensed in a cauldron, pursue change with swift urgency. Let the mind sink into the ancient Dao and open itself to the order of the stars’ courses. Crystal clarity coalesces into auspicious clouds, and jewel-like radiance spreads and mingles. A Water Spirit rules the Palace of the Sun, while a Fire Spirit dwells in the Hall of the Moon. Within utmost Yang lies the hidden depth; embrace simplicity and return to purity. Radiance illuminates the Earth’s Gate, and splendor shines upon Heaven’s Gate. Mount Kunlun pours forth jade elixir; rivers, lakes, and seas flow with nourishing fluids. Ascend to the numinous realm and recover one’s nature; the transformations of all things ultimately return to their source. The use of Wuwei (non-action) is the most useful; without displaying spiritual powers, one is wondrous of oneself. Floating and sinking each settle into their proper form; the clear and the turbid naturally separate. Hard, stubborn vessels gather in one place, and the judgments of the wise arrive there too. Change arises through loss and fullness, sending away the old and welcoming new life.

The Dao’s principle turns like a jade wheel, and the eyes are clear as an ice wheel. Alter the empty and the solid, transform appearances, and command change without being stained by dust. Keep the heart broad and the mind far-reaching, enduring through great tribulations and remaining for ages.

Treatise on Penetrating the Truth

Chapter One: The Beginning of the Great Origin

At the beginning of the Great Origin, it came into being before Heaven and Earth. It gives rise to transformations without end and governs the myriad things as they follow their nature; hidden and profound, beyond measure, it is the source of all change. Vast, clear, boundless and limitless: this is the subtle essence of the Supreme Dao.

The “Sound of the Great Beginning” echoes in the distance, while the spirit roams between water and moon. It does not depend on anything tangible to take form, yet is as utterly real as the source of life. Cool and serene, open and at ease—perhaps this is the realm of following one’s own Dao.

Chapter Two: The Chapter on the Origin’s Transformation and Pervasive Reach

The workings and transformations of the Dao bring the primordial Qi into communication and allow one to obtain the pure Qi represented by Liu Chun. Spirits cannot disturb those with whom he is closely bound, and ghosts cannot harm them. Even if one acts clumsily and sees only a little, as long as one grasps the subtle principle, remains calm and content at heart, there is nothing that cannot return to the Dao.

Another interpretation says: A loyal and sincere person does not slacken. Looking up toward a lofty pavilion and moving house, abandoning the old dwelling, damages Jing and Qi and obscures one’s true original essence. If one can bring the primordial Qi into communication and obtain Liu Chun’s Qi, one will be free from disturbance by spirits and ghosts. Though one may act clumsily and see only a little, grasping the subtle principle and remaining calm and content at heart can still lead one back to the Dao. This likely means that there is a proper principle one can follow.

Chapter Three: Wuran Responds to Yang

Wuran responds to Yang (Yang Qi naturally responds). If the mind and spirit are even slightly scattered, Jing and Qi cannot be brought to focus. So even if one begins in confusion and bewilderment, steady practice can eventually bring one to full understanding. Who, then, could obscure the way for such a person?

A high-minded adept like Guo Zhanzhan can also apprehend the foundation of the Great Mystery (the profound and subtle Great Dao). Even across a thousand li, one can gather Jing and Qi, discern the principle, and set the mind and spirit in motion with the wondrous agility of a flying elixir. One can trace the path of feathering into immortality back to its source and reach the realm of the Great Dao. How, then, could worldly attachments still hold one back?

Chapter Four: Teng Yi and Mai Ban

Teng Yi and Mai Ban (a proper name or technical term here): their Dao does not arise from force. Let the mind roam at ease and open into understanding; let the spirit enter it unhurriedly. How vast the Great Dao is! Its substance is empty and unobstructed, bound by no form or trace.

Someone asks: “Are you speaking of the gifted? Their ears can turn to listen, their eyes can see clearly—isn’t this achieved with just a flick of the gaze? Surely only a sage can attain this.” Sages open into the Great Dao with ease and enter it unhurriedly. Unconfined by distinctions of light and darkness, they proceed to the realm of wondrous transformation. Thus they do nothing, yet there is nothing they cannot do.

Chapter Five: The Storehouse of the Primordial One

The Storehouse of the Primordial One (where primordial Qi gathers and is stored) lies at the mysterious center. Spirit and Qi continue in an unbroken succession of transformations, spreading in all directions like outstretched wings.

What appears by day is “emptiness that is not empty”; what appears through Wuran is “being that is not.” From this, the spirits become manifest and the Dao comes forth. Those who can investigate what lies between emptiness and substance can apprehend the principles of being and nonbeing.

Fish and dragons dwell deep in the abyss, unconstrained by the Dao of supreme goodness. Wild geese move their Qi without violating the principle of true original essence. Ah, how complete it is! With mind and sight clear and still, how could one easily measure the depths of the Great Dao?

Chapter Six: Harmony with the Dao and Pure Essence

The Great Dao is transcendent, pure, and subtle. Its vital breath flows in harmony, bringing forth auspicious Qi throughout Heaven and Earth. It pours out a lush radiance like fine jade, making fragrant orchids flourish in the wilderness. Blue peaches, golden millet, and spirit herbs that gladden the heart all receive the good fortune it bestows.

The scripture says: “Muzi” is calm and clear, dignified and cautious in bearing. The mind holds no restless thoughts chasing illusory mists and clouds, nor any infatuated, clinging views. Its subtle nature is revealed anew. Such a person may be said to understand the Great Dao and be worthy of the name sage.

Chapter Seven: Subtlety, Purity, and Brightness

The Great Dao is subtle and pure, radiant and bright. Even if one’s outward form is beautiful, how can true clarity be attained when one’s appearance is disordered? If one’s conduct is feeble and listless, how can it be upright and in accord with the true Dao?

The scripture says: “The blind man” suddenly awakens and rises proudly amid the harmony of the myriad forms. He devotes himself to understanding their principles and guides the myriad spirits to follow the Great Dao in their own way. Such a person may be said to understand the Great Dao and be worthy of the name sage.

The Great Dao is subtle and pure, radiant and bright. Even if one’s outward form is beautiful, how can true clarity be attained when one’s appearance is disordered? If one’s conduct is feeble and listless, how can it be upright and in accord with the true Dao?

The scripture says: “The blind man” suddenly awakens and rises proudly amid the harmony of the myriad forms, devoting himself to understanding their principles and guiding the myriad spirits to follow the Great Dao naturally. In this way, all things above and below become interconnected, and the many changes one undergoes ultimately return to the righteous Dao.

Chapter Eight: The Spirit’s Unfathomable Transformations

Spirit’s wondrous transformations have no fixed place. Though still and in Wuwei (non-action), they set all things in motion. The Great Dao appears within the formless and extends without limit, so nothing lies beyond its reach.

The scripture says: “Jingzi” builds it up. How could it be set in motion by external things? “Nieshi” is clever, but that does not mean he dismisses the subtle Dao. Though these two seem steadfast, they have not yet grasped its essential principles deeply.

The scripture also says: What seems close at hand must not be deliberately approached; if you insist on drawing near, you will move farther away. What seems distant must not therefore be shunned; if you shun it, you will come closer to it. Neither the dull nor the clever can escape this principle.

Chapter Nine: Guiding the Myriad and Seeking the Way

To guide the myriad things and seek the path of the Great Dao, one must pursue its root. The essences of Yin and Yang appear in turn, each arranged with its own order, like precious treasures on display. To investigate the ancient Dao deeply is like ascending, transformed and feathered, to a palace above the crimson clouds.

“Huozi” shines with spiritual radiance amid Heaven and Earth. Emptiness, stillness, and purity are signs of good fortune. But this does not mean that seeing with the eyes and watching alertly is the highest wisdom, nor that closing one’s eyes, looking at nothing, and doing nothing is superior.

The scripture says: “The use of what is useless” works through the formless; “the transformation without transformation” changes all things without leaving visible traces. As for the primordial, fundamental substance of the Dao, it has been revered since ancient times.

Chapter Ten: Distant Sorrow and Generation

Observe how things come into being and change at close range, and you will find that, according to the ultimate principle, the myriad things arise naturally, without any mind that acts deliberately. The workings of Wuwei (non-action) leave no trace when put into practice; shapeless transformations take place without appearance. As for the original image, this expression has a long history.

Chapter Ten: Observing Generation from Afar

By observing the generation of the myriad things at close range, one can understand that, according to the ultimate principle, the Dao (the fundamental pattern underlying all things) is pure and unmixed, subtle and clear, profound and undivided. The Qi of the sun and moon respond to each other and so flow through one another; Shen Qi (subtle vital force) rises and descends, sustaining the body in stillness. The governing Qi within a person ascends and descends, while the guest and host Qi (Qi that work in concert) harmonize and the Yin-Yang Qi circulate. The transformations of Shen (spirit) appear as the images of the myriad things; life takes root and guides them into union with the true origin, the primordial Qi. Refined thought spreads broadly and condenses into the Elixir Body, the form of Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation; it reaches through the Nine Yangs, a state in which Yang Qi is abundant and unobstructed, and gathers into form. As for “the mysterious within the mysterious,” its depths unfold layer upon layer, ultimately reaching a state beyond comprehension.

Treatise on Subtle Insight

Chapter One: Broadly Observing the Good

Broadly observing the myriad things should lead back to simplicity and stillness. “Dark” means that sound cannot be heard; “bright” means that forms merge and become manifest. When harmonized with the ordinary, benevolence and virtue emerge from this. Who among those whose hearts are still lacks right conviction?

Ni said to Yuanzi Jing: “The lustrous sheen of giant-peak Kun jade accords with the brilliance of precious jade. Empty, still, clear, and radiant in its fullness: this is the essence of the supreme Dao. It does not mingle with external things; harmonized with the ordinary, benevolence and virtue emerge from it. Who among those whose hearts are still lacks right conviction?” Ni again said to Yuanzi Jing: “The lustrous sheen of giant-peak Kun jade accords with the brilliance of precious jade; empty, still, clear, and radiant in its fullness, this is the essence of the supreme Dao. It does not mingle with external things; it is the very source of the supreme Dao.”

Chapter Two: The Constant Way as a Hanging Mirror

The key to discerning the constant patterns of things lies in a mind that is broad and far-reaching, able to accommodate the myriad things. Hence it is said: “Nothing is absolutely acceptable, and nothing is absolutely unacceptable.” This is the Dao that can be spoken of. What is neither constant nor not constant is the constant Dao. Life and death merge with the myriad things; the ultimate principle is profound and subtle.

Ni said: “Muzi Zhou spoke of the surname Yaoyu; its essence is deep and pure. Its virtue is bright and undivided—what is there to proclaim?”

Chapter Three: The Feng Tuning Fills the Young Ones

The vessel is full and warm; the myriad things flourish in harmony. How vast it is! The years and Heaven and Earth wear upon one another, and the myriad things change along with them. Neither things nor I are constant and unchanging; nor are I and things separate from one another.

Ni said: “Liuzi Tong spoke of Dongwei’s chastity, and of the transformation of He Song, Mao Zhi, and Lao after their labors, when they awakened in a radiant flash. This bears witness to the morning scene of Huiyu Yi.”

The Chessboard, the Hewn Bank — Chapter Four

If serving and providing for others only become burdens, leaving the heart entangled with external things, where can one flee or find release? In the end, such conduct will become false and insincere. It is like mist rising and falling, never turning into rain or dew, merely gathering and dispersing in vain. How could one entrust affairs of state to a lineage already in decline?

Ni says: This concerns Li Zizheng. He secretly sought the profound principles within his heart, and his spirit was expansive. In the purity of the morning, his mind could clearly discern and pursue his true nature.

Complete, Strong, Refined, and Beautiful — Chapter Five

Seeking to cultivate strength and refinement, managing one’s appearance and pursuing wealth, will instead bring hardship. If one devotes oneself to enriching what is within, one can commune with spiritual illumination. Those who attain true simplicity are forgiving and follow the course of Heaven.

Now it says: This concerns guiding Ziming and rousing him to awareness, so that even when confronted by a rhinoceros or tiger—the fierce beasts of ancient legend—he can foresee life and death in the face of danger. His mind is free as a gourd floating on water, yet still as a stone resting in silence; it is also open and responsive. This state of penetrating adaptability comes close, in a general sense, to what preceded the Great Beginning—the primordial state before Heaven and Earth took form.

The Celestial Pivot Turns and Opens — Chapter Six

The Celestial Pivot, the hub of the Northern Dipper and also the center of the Dao’s movement, turns, opening and closing; the altar ground lies at its center. Those able to take it as their model possess a grand bearing. To regard it as shameful is to lose its essential meaning.

The scripture says: Receive the purest Qi of Heaven and Earth, follow their most wondrous movements, and observe and guide the clear, empty, still state. Then whatever one seeks will each find its proper place.

Ni says: This concerns Wang Zilin Ting. He was exceptionally attuned to the principle of completeness and understood the changes between fullness and emptiness. He penetrated the mysterious and approached the utmost spiritual potency, and could also apprehend the principles of Shaowei—a star name that here refers to subtle, mysterious truths.

Flourishing and Manifest, Open and Unconstrained — Chapter Seven

In its movement, it manifests and unfolds, extending throughout the openings of the body and the embryonic breathing used in internal cultivation to regulate breath and nourish Qi. It also returns to the subtle realm, revealing a state that is deep and pure. In managing affairs, one does not greedily seek contentment or covet lofty, illusory things.

The scripture says: One dwells among the myriad things and yet stands beyond them. Virtue accords with the divine; one calmly and joyfully nurtures goodness, holds the true nature within, governs the body, and returns to the original state. In this way, one accords with the subtle essence of the Supreme Dao.

Ni says: This concerns Zhang Zihua. His bearing and spirit were upright and clear. He could discern what was subtle, be forgiving, and follow the Dao, without becoming entangled with external things. This is the virtue of being at ease with oneself and forgetting the body.

Those of high, bright goodness can keep their true nature within and master their physical form, allowing body and spirit to return to the wondrous image of the Dao. This is a state that accords with the essence of the Supreme Dao. The commentator says: If Zhang Zihua’s delicate style and fine-grained analysis do not accord with the orthodox Way, they will run counter to the Dao. Only those whose minds are not disturbed by external things possess the virtue of being at ease and forgetting the body.

End of Volume Two of the Shangqing Taixuan Ji.

Written by Hou Shanyuan of Gushe

Inscription on the Great Constancy’s Mysterious Brightness and Emptiness

The teachings of Daoism are boundless: they can guide the lost and clarify the doctrines of the founding masters of its traditions. Their writings are vast and expansive; even those of exceptional intelligence may not fully fathom their meaning. Their reasoning is subtle and profound, and the ordinary and foolish find it even harder to discern their source. They investigate hidden principles whose wondrous realm of true emptiness defies measure; they encompass the myriad forms and gather the many perfected immortals under their care.

The Dao’s lofty realm is seldom seen, and its remote profundity is hard to put into words. The highest principle arises from Qianyuan, the foundation of Heaven’s movement; the wondrous workings of images arise from Taiyi, the primordial state before Heaven and Earth were divided and change had yet to appear. The Dao governs all forms, bringing the myriad things into unity; it gathers all principles within the mind, so that the myriad things move according to a single pivot.

The Dao is constant and unchanging, yet it runs through daily life. But who truly understands it? Heaven sends down sweet dew to nourish flowers and plants, yet people taste sweetness and bitterness differently. Mysterious words are passed on to all, but the results differ according to whether each person is deluded or awakened. If things flower but bear no fruit, all life loses its vigor. If intelligence lacks purity and integrity, virtue declines. To lose the orthodox Way is to turn toward the strange and deceitful; to appear to do good while straying from the path is to become demonic and perverse.

When the heart is at ease and understands the mysterious principles, the mind is clear and intentions are upright. Outwardly, one responds to the luminous, wondrous workings of the Dao; thus virtue is complete and spirit abundant. Then one may enter clearly into the Primordial Image, the Dao’s original form, and silently ascend to the central heavens. The sky is clear, with no drifting clouds to obscure it; the Qi of the four seasons is bright and pure. The earth connects the lands of the Hua and the Yi, and all things display colors of purity and simplicity.

The Dao is empty, still, and formless; De is bright and upright; Qi is fresh and harmonious; wisdom is keen and penetrating. Forget the body and ascend into the wondrous image, and you may roam in the Jade Capital of the Most High, the celestial realm of Daoist legend.

A hymn of praise follows.

Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) respond to one another, allowing them to bend, extend, and transform with ease. Forget external form and preserve the inner essence; rein in sharpness and dispel turmoil. The dragon roams amid auspicious radiance, while the tiger gives a long cry among auspicious clouds. Flames blaze in the heavens; where the earth splits, light and darkness intermingle. The Great Dao is open and accessible, bright and upright; virtue is proper, tranquil, and pure. The heart contains many mysteries, while outwardly it manifests the virtue of benevolence. Though it has no concrete form, it is an image that transcends form; though it displays no marvels, it possesses a wondrous subtlety of its own. Its numinous, mysterious light shines brightly and abundantly, and its star-like form can be glimpsed indistinctly.

Inscription on the Original Shen of the Great Brightness Grotto of Universal Deliverance

Before the Great Change, when Heaven and Earth had yet to take shape, the two forms of Yin and Yang had not yet divided, and Heaven and Earth were empty, still, and profound. Original essence stirred and surged; true Qi flowed and circulated. Gradually, forms emerged between Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon became luminous, and the order of the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity—began to take shape. All things were born in its wake.

Among all things in Heaven and Earth, only human beings are endowed with the greatest spiritual refinement. Yet people differ in wisdom and foolishness. The foolish are blinded by narrow understanding; failing to comprehend, they lose the Great Dao, and by the end of their lives can scarcely be saved. The wise understand that all things are interconnected. They rectify themselves and govern things, and so they do not lose sight of the Great Dao’s foundation. Lingzhi mushrooms, fungi, orchids, and fragrant herbs seen in dreams all possess fragrance; failing to distinguish among them is a fault. The phoenix and the pheasant, the qilin and the calf may seem alike; lacking the discernment to tell them apart is regrettable.

A Great Person is one who can guide the upright Qi of Heaven and Earth and channel the refined Qi of emptiness. Within, they contain the radiance of Shen; their virtuous influence has no fixed bounds. Ordinary things cannot do this: they know that things change and alternate, but do not recognize their source; they understand how things enter, depart, and transform, but cannot see their gateways or origins.

When Shen descends, it accords with the principles of stillness and the Earth’s repose. It abides by the Earth’s patterns and transforms along with all things, manifesting the weighty, sustaining, boundless virtue of Kunyuan, the Earth’s fundamental Qi. When Shen ascends, it accords with the principles of elevation and the Heaven’s repose. It moves in harmony with the stars, manifesting the universal, inexhaustible virtue of Qianyuan, the Heaven’s fundamental Qi.

Shen is calm, and its radiance shines forth. Clear and discerning, it is like a perfectly rounded mirror. Empty, still, and vast, it has no equal; merging with the original Qi of the Great Beginning, it extends without limit. Thus, the practitioner should forget external form and return to the inner essence, preserve and embrace the original Qi, and return to the primordial state before things have appeared, thereby understanding the fundamental reason things operate as they do.

Eulogy:

The Great Dao is vast and its radiance shines everywhere; virtue is expansive, deep, and boundless. Shen and Qi rise and descend in motion; Heaven floats above and Earth sinks below, while transformations continue without end. Thus, by forgetting external form and returning to the inner essence, preserving and embracing the original Qi, and returning to the primordial state, one can understand the fundamental reason things operate as they do.

The Great Dao spreads its radiance everywhere; its De is vast and profound. Shen and Qi rise, while breath descends; Heaven floats above and Earth sinks below. The hun and po are settled, Yang Qi embraced and Yin Qi borne on the back. The crow flies and the hare runs, a metaphor for the movements of the sun and moon; the tiger roars and the dragon cries, describing how Yin and Yang Qi respond to one another. A seal hangs at the moon’s pointed crescent; a sword falls into the center of rippling water. Jade is planted in fire; gold is found beneath the water. A precious osmanthus glows amid azure clouds; jade shines like pure white feathers. Mysterious light penetrates the body, and the complete celestial image fills the hairpin.

Selections from the Subtle Inscriptions of the Great Perfection

The scripture says, “The five colors dazzle the eyes; the five tones dull the ear.” To perceive things and thereby know them is called “Shen”; to hear things and thereby understand them is called “sagacity.” Li Lou had exceptionally keen eyesight, yet this came at the cost of his hearing. Shi Kuang had exceptionally acute hearing, yet this harmed his sight.

Dongwei says, “The key to observing widely is to rescue oneself and return to purity. What is meant by ‘darkness’ is listening for sounds so faint they are hard to detect; in this way one can hear the sounds made by things a thousand li away. What is meant by ‘brightness’ is dissolving and dispelling the forms of things; in this way one can see the forms of things a thousand li away.”

Erzhi says, “That is not so. My cultivation makes the eyes clearer and the ears more acute. By following the vast realm of the Great Dao, one can observe the colorless color, and nothing remains unseen. By expanding one’s capacity to perceive great sounds, one can hear soundless sound, and nothing remains unheard.”

Mengshi says, “You are mistaken. Your mind is troubled because your eyes glance hurriedly and fail to see clearly. A vision that seems blurred and indistinct instead shows that hearing has reached its utmost; hearing that seems confused and indistinct instead shows that vision has reached its utmost.” Deng Xi says, “That is sheer deafness and blindness. If one sees with the eyes of all under Heaven, nothing remains unclear; if one listens with the ears of all under Heaven, nothing remains unheard; if one reasons with the minds of all under Heaven, nothing remains unknown. These three abilities must take non-action as their foundation.”

The Mysterious Master heard this and laughed. “You still depend on something. Look at how they labor their minds and spirits and exhaust their bodies: they have already lost the right way. My mind does not rely on sight or hearing, yet it reaches true clarity; it is not confined to a single body, yet it extends through many bodies. In this way, one reaches the utmost without seeking to exhaust everything, achieves without deliberate action, arrives without walking, and attains skill without making. Nothing is absolutely possible, and nothing is absolutely impossible; nothing is absolutely achievable, and nothing is absolutely unachievable. Even if one gives oneself over to unfettered freedom and looks all around, this realm cannot be fully described. Once one reaches the true state, there is no need to make a deliberate display of being a certain way. And by clinging to no fixed form, there is nothing one cannot be.”

A hymn in praise.

The mysterious Dao (the Way) contains the highest virtue and benevolence. Those who hear and understand the Great Dao can perceive the first signs of things as they emerge, and their minds and spirits become clear and open. They settle the hun and po souls, let go of delusion, restrain their outward radiance, and preserve their true nature. Body and mind can rise and descend, bend and stretch, and move back and forth. The bright Yang qi becomes still and unfolds; its numinous radiance is held within the heart. The Five Talismans (fulu, talismans used in Daoist cultivation or ritual) gather, and clouds in three colors appear. The mind remains calm and expansive, clear and tranquil, preserving simplicity and purity. Within the body, the qi of Metal circulates, and mysterious radiance illuminates Yuchen, the Daoist realm of clear emptiness.

Inscription on the Primordial Images of Taiyi’s Emptiness and Sublimity

The qi of Taiyi (the supreme deity or primordial source honored in Daoism) gathers in Yuxu, the subtle realm of clear emptiness, and clouds in three colors appear. The mind remains calm and expansive, clear and tranquil, preserving simplicity and purity. Within the body, the qi of Metal circulates, and mysterious radiance illuminates Yuchen.

The Great One’s Jade Void—the supreme realm of the source—is governed by the subtle and mysterious True Dao. It brings forth the earth and the heavens, bestows primordial Qi (vital energy), and creates the forms of the myriad things. It has neither beginning nor end. It enacts the highest De (Virtue/Power) and universally brings aid to the people. All living things depend on its Qi; things born through transformation receive its essence.

It silently maintains itself and never strays even slightly. When it gathers itself in and becomes still, it is quiet and free of thought; when it opens out and responds to things beyond itself, its forms shine forth brilliantly. The True Origin descends, and its wondrous transformations have no bounds. It holds the vastness within itself and reflects a light like gold and jade. Lingzhi mushrooms blanket the fields, preserving life and extending good fortune. This is the still Way that corresponds to the earth.

Primordial Qi rises, reaching straight to the lofty reaches of heaven. Its realm is remote and vast, extending throughout the heavens. Its form contains the essence of heaven and rests peacefully among the jade groves of the immortals. When it reaches the wondrous state of maturity, able to respond across great distances, it follows the ascending and floating Way that accords with heaven.

The Three Terraces—the celestial star officials—gather together, and the Five Blessings arrive as one: longevity, wealth, health and peace, love of virtue, and a peaceful end. When one merges with the Middle Origin, keeps the heart pure and steadfast, and gathers wisdom beyond outward form, the essential Way is easy to encounter. Yet Ge Hong read ten thousand volumes and still did not fully grasp its meaning; though Hui Shi possessed five cartloads of books, he could not enter its mysteries. The golden books and jade registers, sacred scriptures, can be understood only with a teacher’s guidance; precious texts and secret transmissions can be comprehended only through oral instruction passed from master to disciple.

To reveal this Way carelessly brings calamity upon nine generations of ancestors; to transmit it with care spreads blessings throughout the ten directions. This method belongs to the sacred realm of Jade Purity, to the Primordial Elders of the Void Sovereign, and to the realm of the supreme and utterly real. It is the key to leaving the body, transforming one’s form, entering the sacred realm, and passing through the Gate of Double Mystery. Guard it closely. Do not pass it on to an unsuitable person; do not pass it on to an unsuitable person.

Ode:

The splendid domains of the Upper Clarity Immortals extend above and join the Central Realm below. Their radiant splendor moistens the auspicious signs sent down from heaven; vermilion light shines forth in glory. Essence and Qi coil through the halls; lush, numinous breath surrounds them and fills the granaries. Snow colored blossoms adorn golden branches; frost flowers gather on jade cassia trees. They contain the vastness of divine excellence and wondrously transform it into the luminous Yang Qi. The Jade Heavens’ array of terraces reflects the stars. Ascend to the sacred realm, behold the Primordial Sovereign, and open the heart. May blessings endure, life be long, and the age be peaceful.

Inscription on the Great Tranquility, Empty Brahma, and Perfect Communion

Before chaos had divided into distinct forms, there was only stillness and emptiness; nothing existed. Primordial Qi began to flow, and pure breaths responded to and stirred one another. Thus the “True One”—the unified source at the beginning of all things—came into being. The True One answered the signs and omens, and divine beings appeared and brought forth transformations. So something arose from nothing, and what had arisen returned to nothing.

The Great Dao is vast enough to embrace everything, with nothing beyond it, and so boundless that it cannot be exhausted. It is also small enough to be hidden and formless, with nothing within it, and so subtle that it cannot be measured. The Qi of Yin and Yang gradually mingled and emerged, while Heaven and Earth remained within chaos. Clear, open, and luminous breaths filled all forms with light; turbid, stagnant, and dim breaths caused the true, vast Qi to dissipate.

The Four Births and Six Destinies—the different kinds and realms through which living beings transmigrate—come and go. When will this ever cease? The Five Aggregates, the five constituents of the body and experience, and the Nine Evils, the nine delusions or obstacles to cultivation, arise along with sound and form. When will they be brought to a complete end? If you can resolutely turn back and establish a firm, unwavering resolve, raise the blade of wisdom and split open the mountain of attachments to take the jade within; wield the divine sword and plunge into the sea of suffering to seek the pearl.

Mysterious radiance has no shape or form. Gather it within, and forget contrivance and deluded thoughts. Nurture Jing and Qi and hold fast to primordial Qi, and you can open Heaven’s Gate, the passage to the Great Beginning, the universe’s original state. Embrace the Great Dao and keep to the True One, and you can merge into the realm of spiritual Yang. Roaming through the myriad lands, you will suddenly attain a complete unity. Nourishing all things like a confluence of rivers, you will embody Heaven and Earth’s power to bring forth and transform all things through Yin and Yang.

The Supreme Dao is empty, still, and free of attachments, yet it holds countless workings within. When divine beings fill the inner self, benevolence appears outwardly. Then the Three Hearts and Great Wisdom, and the Five Eyes in perfect clarity—terms from Buddhist and Daoist cultivation for fully perfected mind and insight—are complete. Respond to all things without clinging to outward appearances, shining with clarity like the sun and moon. To take “emptiness” as something real and cling to it is like a blind person entering a room, unable truly to see. To know what one does not know is true knowing; to see what one cannot see is true seeing. Cultivating the Dao in this way, one can practice through the Mysterious Gate and understand the transformations of all things under Heaven.

A hymn says:

The Great Dao has no fixed form; those who accord with it flourish. Within empty stillness is a wondrous, numinous wind; a hidden, mysterious realm comes into view. When the Great Dao is thus realized, cultivation proceeds through the Mysterious Gate and reaches an understanding of the transformations under Heaven.

A hymn says:

The Great Dao has no fixed form; those who accord with it flourish. It is empty and still yet wondrously alive, hidden and mysterious, with the light of the Elixir at its center. The Great Simplicity, the undivided, unadorned source, is clear and radiant; its precious blossoms shine with divine light. The Five Directions are pure and harmonious, and the distant reaches of the Eight Directions are clear and tranquil. A canopy like blue-green jade spreads overhead, and an August Sovereign dwells in the Violet Heavens. Primordial Qi becomes auspicious clouds, and the realm of emptiness and Brahma reveals auspicious signs. Golden tablets and jade books bear phoenix-shaped seals and dragon-shaped chapters. One’s name is entered in the registers of immortals, and the principles therein are extraordinary.

The Dao has no fixed location, while De is revealed through achievement and loss. Those whose conduct accords with the principles of things need not proclaim their “De.” Only those who distinguish and examine particular things identify them by name. I and others share the same source; right and wrong, too, belong to the same Qi. To discern what is right within error, then to discern the bias within what is right—how is all this unlike a waking dream? It is like sharp implements scraping against one another. In the end, who can say exactly what it is?

Those who understand the principles of things can set aside their physical form and cleverness, let go of attachment to the body, and abandon contrived knowledge, thereby putting subtle, responsive capacities to use. Riding the single Qi within the Great Void, they move above the Image Emperor, sovereign of the myriad forms, and the Three Luminaries, the realm where light appears. They roam through vast and distant reaches, enter the realm of “nonbeing,” and become one with all things. How, then, could water, fire, or a keen blade harm them?

Yet so long as the Three Corpses—the three impure breaths or spirit-worms said in Daoism to dwell in the body and hinder cultivation—remain undestroyed, the Six Desires, the cravings of the six senses, cannot cease. Harmonize the Yang essence, and the treasured talisman of the Nine Qi may be obtained; refine away the Yin substance, and one may accord with the pure, undivided Dao. In the Golden Furnace, the fire blazes; a phoenix, bearing the moon of the sea in its beak, rises into the sky. In the Jade Tripod, the liquid boils; a dragon, swallowing a precious pearl, frolics in the water. Lead congeals and mercury gathers; rosy clouds like cinnabar laurel drift and turn, and the elixir is thereby refined.

Specks of starlight rise to the Purple Palace, where their radiance becomes clear, resonant music, its lingering notes spreading through the Pure Capital, the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor. The Jade Palace, abode of the immortals, rises in tier upon tier of emerald hues, its precious light bright, its beauty immaculate. Thus the Supreme Dao is revealed.

A hymn says:

Dao and De are the root and source of all things; Yin-Yang exist before particular forms. When the myriad things first take shape in the womb, all is dim and indistinct, blended into one. The Four Images return to unity, revealing mysterious simplicity; between Heaven and Earth, blue and vermilion then emerge as distinct. Yellow radiance sweeps away impurity, and purple Qi gathers into lead. The radiance of Qi shines through the Three Realms; the light of Jing illuminates the Nine Heavens. The Most High Void Emperor and the numinous immortals of the Middle Heaven, together with the perfected beings of the Clear Tenuity, Precious Transformation, and Yu’yu Heavens, ascend to the Towering Firmament Terrace. Through calamities beyond counting, their existence endures without end.

“Inscription on the Mysterious Truth of the Primordial Beginning and the Blended Things”

Before primordial Qi had divided, it held within it the essence of a dim, undifferentiated chaos. When the single Qi first began to divide, the forms of Heaven, Earth, the sun, and the moon appeared. Only after Heaven, Earth, and humanity—the Three Powers—were established did the paths in the four directions gradually become clear. When Yang Qi flourishes, spring brings forth life and summer nourishes growth; when Yin Qi reaches its utmost, autumn gathers things in and winter seals them away.

Before Heaven and Earth were divided, they contained the deep, hidden essence of primordial chaos. As the One Qi began to differentiate, the forms of Heaven, Earth, the sun, and the moon came into view. The three powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity—were thereby established, and the four directions gradually became distinct. When Yang Qi flourishes, spring brings forth life and summer nurtures growth; when stillness reaches its utmost, autumn brings the harvest and winter gathers things in. All things in the world possess a spiritual nature and turn their hearts toward the Dao, as though facing the sun. A thousand perfected beings follow nature and master the myriad things, always with their backs to Yin and their faces to Yang.

The mind and spirit are opened and made clear in the hope that the True Origin—the life-giving essence at the beginning of things—will unite with oneself. The mind and spirit are made responsive and free in their adaptations so that one may perceive the subtle patterns of Heaven and transcend bodily form. The sun and moon, the two spirits, shine with pure, white brilliance; the One Qi surges forth, harmonious and clear. The Dao, profound and mysterious, issues from Heaven, the Qian; the Dao, deep and still, takes form in Earth, the Kun. Deep reflection enables one to forget the body and disperse stray thoughts; careful self-examination brings understanding to completion and the spirit to fullness. The mind is clear as jade dust, bright and pure as autumn frost: still, empty, simple, and detached, ancient and true, peaceful and at ease.

Music from the lands of Zheng and Wei may sound, yet hearing is not disturbed; splendid colors may flash before the eyes, yet clear sight does not confuse the heart. Even when entering water or walking through fire, the body remains unharmed; even when receiving emptiness or touching solid things, one moves with ease and without danger. Transformations are endless—why is this? Because one holds fast to pure, subtle Yang Qi. Before anything happens, the will should already be clear and firm. Reside in Wuwei (non-action), sever anxiety, dispel distracting thoughts, forget the impulse to increase desire and affection, and remove the distinction between self and others. Embrace and guard the spirit, letting it neither scatter nor be lost; then one can receive emptiness and touch solid things safely and without danger. Transformations are endless because one holds fast to pure, subtle Yang Qi. With the will clear and firm, reside in Wuwei, sever anxiety, dispel distracting thoughts, forget the impulse to increase desire and affection, and remove the distinction between self and others. Embrace the spirit and guard the One, gathering the spirit and concentrating solely on unity; remain pure and free of admixture, and silently pay homage to the Emperor of Forms, the divine lord of the Dao. This is the way of natural longevity.

A hymn in praise of the Dao says: The Dao endures through ages, and De flourishes; Heaven is dark and mysterious, Earth dim and yellow. Sun and moon shine with harmonious brilliance, and the stars glitter. In the swirling vapor, talismanic characters take flight; the primordial essence pours forth Yang harmony. All things penetrate the mysterious Dao, and a thousand kinds of spirits respond to auspicious signs. The spirit’s Qi transforms, white as mercury; the essence’s Qi condenses, like lead frost. Jade springs ring and tinkle; Metal Water chimes with a clear sound. The Three Qi flow like rosy clouds, and cinnabar blossoms appear amid multicolored auspicious clouds. In the emerald mountain realm dwell immortals and perfected beings; above the azure void stands the Star Emperor.

Inscription of the Cavern of Yin and Yang, Divine Mystery of High Antiquity

Before the Long Han and Chi Ming eras—the remote cosmic ages described in Daoist teachings—Heaven and Earth were dark and empty, without light, sunk in stillness and silence, with no known beginning. Later, True Essence stirred into motion and primordial Qi flowed; Heaven and Earth took shape, and from them all things were born.

Among all things, human beings are the most precious. With proper cultivation, one can rise; losing the right path, one will sink. If one can turn one’s gaze inward, return to the source, understand how all things return to unity, and enter a wondrous, all-embracing state, then by remaining yielding and dwelling in emptiness, concealing one’s presence and drawing in one’s radiance, the Dao will advance day by day and De will flourish. Excessive discernment in any matter can invite humiliation; making things too explicit can bring confusion; gaining too much often leads to loss, and clinging to what one has may end in losing it. If one understands when to advance and withdraw, when things are full and when they are diminished, and does not depart from Heaven and Earth’s centered way, how could good or ill fortune, advantage or harm, bring one to ruin?

A person of De remains clear without seeming pure when clarified, and does not become turbid when stirred: wondrous and free of forced action. Adornment does not make them more radiant, and defilement cannot bring them shame: they are deep, mysterious, and follow nature. In the dim and elusive depths, something subtle and real exists; amid what appears and disappears, there is also something trustworthy and substantial. It has no fixed form, yet can take form; it is no particular thing, yet reveals the images of all things. It encompasses Taiji, the source from which all things in the cosmos arise, and governs the four directions. It abides at the margins yet rests in the wondrous realm; it leaves external things behind and preserves its true nature. Its principles remain constant, though their manifestation differs from the ways of the world. The Dao it follows connects with all things; to understand and put it into practice is to transform customs.

To lose this Dao is to lose one’s true nature and fall into illusion, drifting and sinking like foam on the water until the great current carries one away. Awakening, by contrast, allows one to shed the bodily shell and nourish Jing and Qi, while Shen’s radiance shines inward. The mind is empty, still, and pure, without blemish, like clouds dispersing to reveal a clear sky and bright sunlight. Then the radiance of Great Clarity, the pure realm described in Daoist teachings, becomes manifest, revealing the supreme reality. The De of the Primordial Beginning extends everywhere, and the Dao reaches everywhere. One who understands the mysteries of spirit and the principles of change, responds in accord with the signs of Heaven, and moves at ease amid mysterious transformations can ascend the wondrous ladder and rise to the Palace of Jade Dawn, the abode of Daoist immortals.

Eulogy:

The wondrous Dao has no fixed form or trace. It rests in a seamless stillness among the primordial hills. Waters surge against the cinnabar pool, while beams of radiance stream through the cloud chamber. Its numinous sounds ring clear and far-reaching; heavenly melodies chime like jade. Jing and Qi circulate, and golden light shines forth. Spirits soar, radiant with the luster of jade. Auspicious Qi, woven of dark and yellow, rises; blessings appear amid emptiness, clarity, and purity. The body is full and bears Yin, while the solemn gaze holds Yang within. Rosy clouds in nine colors shine together, and the Qi of the One Truth blazes forth. A star condenses in the realm of Yuluo, and the Jade Empyrean rises high.

The Great Dao existed before Taiji, the primordial state before Heaven and Earth were differentiated; the highest transformation of De was already at work when Heaven and Earth first came into being. The chaos was deep and shadowed, silent and without light; yet in a hazy instant, something appeared. It was no ordinary thing, and so it is called the Utmost Essence. The Utmost Essence has no fixed form; its image emerges from a mysterious, profound radiance.

Forget your own form and merge into the body: this is emptiness containing emptiness. Forget your own vastness and nourish the root of the primordial beginning: this is Qi containing Qi. Forget your thoughts and let radiance shine forth: this is Shen containing Shen. The image of Shen is like a bright pearl suspended in the air. The pearl has no fixed substance or shape, yet it appears in response to whatever it encounters. Joined with water, it takes the form of water; joined with fire, it takes the form of fire; joined with metal and stone, it takes their form; joined with nothingness, it takes the form of nothingness.

Look up at the blue heavens: the higher you gaze, the farther they seem. Sink down into the Yellow Springs: the deeper you descend, the more solid they seem. It extends in all eight directions, vast and boundless. In Heaven it appears as celestial phenomena; on Earth it appears as physical forms. Within the boundless Great Void, Shen is held in reserve. The wondrous workings of Shen set change in motion, responding everywhere.

Follow the body, and the body transforms into Qi; follow Qi, and Qi transforms into Shen; follow Shen, and Shen transforms into emptiness; follow emptiness, and emptiness transforms into the Dao. The Dao follows the harmonious, rounded image of Heaven, whose pattern is like the ordered courses of the stars. The stars’ courses, in turn, follow the primordial source of the Great Beginning. Those able to discern change before Heaven and Earth came into being are called recluses of distinction. This is the realm of those whose achievements are complete and whose names are renowned.

Eulogy (the following is a passage of praise):

The Shangqing Mysterious Realm (the realm of Shangqing) holds truths that are still and profound. The original spirit rises and descends, moving back and forth within it, while all the myriad forms of Heaven and Earth likewise shift and change. It brings Heaven and Earth into being and sets the course of events from ancient times to the present in motion. At Yanling, phoenixes sing; among the valleys and streams, the echoes of dragons’ cries resound. Brahmic chants issue from the celestial realm of Miro, and wondrous sounds carry in all directions. Sunlight illuminates the cinnabar osmanthus, while moonlight shines upon the jade-like woods. Splendid, harmonious scenes flourish in profusion, and mysterious auspicious Qi fills the mountains. The realm transcends the confusion of worldly things, its heart pure and steadfast. Having passed beyond forms and the secular world, it inspires even the most eminent sages to come and pay their respects.

“Inscription on the Light of the Ten Thousand Brahmic Heavens of Great Nonbeing”

The Dao may seem empty and nonexistent, yet once it opens and becomes manifest, it cannot be said to be wholly absent. De may seem substantial and real, yet in its responses and manifestations, it is not a fixed, graspable thing. It is silent and wordless, void and clear. Its auspicious Qi is abundant and flourishing, and mysterious good fortune fills the mountains. It transcends the confusion of worldly things and preserves a pure, steadfast heart; its realm lies beyond outward forms, inspiring the reverence of the most eminent sages.

The Dao may be called “nonbeing,” but once it opens and manifests, it cannot be said to be wholly absent. De may be called “being,” but it manifests in response to resonance; it is not a fixed, substantial existence. The Dao is silent and uncontentious, profound and constant in its stillness.

The Valley Spirit—the wondrous capacity of the Dao’s empty essence to bring forth and transform—emerges and changes without cease, setting the sun and moon in motion as they rise and set. Primordial Qi, the foundational energy that forms heaven, earth, and all things, circulates upward and downward, following the rise and fall of heaven and earth. Yin and Yang alternate in their workings, and all things come into being; cold and heat shift and change, and the year takes shape. The four directions open through, and all affairs are at peace; the nine Qi harmonize, and Yin and Yang unite. When the Dao is made clear, the true is never apart from the false; when the Dao is obscured, the false is never apart from the true. Delusion and awakening travel the same road and ultimately return to the essential point; immortals and ordinary people follow different paths, each according to its own mystery.

Turning away from awakening and joining the dust of the world lets the hun spirit wander and sink into illusion. Upholding the right way and dispelling delusion and falsehood brings the hun and po souls to rest, as though ascending to a realm of clarity. Sound without sound is the Great Tone; the True Person hears it without being disturbed. Form with color is a realm of sublime clarity, yet a dull and mean-spirited mind cannot comprehend it. If one loses sight of the constant principle and thinks one sees what is in fact absent, one falls into stubborn emptiness—the mistaken view that everything is void. If one accords with the Dao’s essential point and understands that knowing should not be clung to, one can ultimately return to true reality, the genuine and unfalse essence.

Great wholeness seems deficient because its wellspring of wisdom is abundant yet concealed. Great purity seems sullied because it draws in its radiance and does not display it. Hold fast to the primordial source, contain emptiness and stillness, and gather the Jing and Qi so their vitality flourishes. Regulate all things with a generous and gentle mind, bringing each appropriately into accord. In the Three Ones—the cultivation principle of uniting Jing, Qi, and Shen—let go of distinctions, blending inner and outer without boundaries. Then the images of the precelestial realm appear, and the Dao becomes clear.

An ode says:

The Great Void, vast and deep, receives all things into itself when touched by resonance. Heavenly Truth has its own appointed return, impartial and selfless. Clear and luminous, it turns in a rounded course like the Jade Balance; its sound is pure as a jade chime, and it roams like the Jade Pivot, the instrument used in ancient times to observe the heavens. To portray its form, one can only draw analogies from forms suited to each thing. It is empty yet never exhausted; it can be gathered and restrained without being diminished. Deep, cool, and wondrously beyond measure: above, the Upper Origin shines with purity; at the center of heaven stands the Purple Tenuity. The spirits contain the most refined Qi, and the stars, too, shine with lucid radiance.

End of volume three of the Collected Works of the Supreme Mystery of the Upper Clarity

Volume Four of the Collected Works of the Supreme Mystery of the Upper Clarity

Composed by Hou Shenyuan of Gushe

Inscription on the Golden Radiance and Jade Countenance of the Great Beginning

A noble person, in conducting themselves in the world and cultivating the Dao, should strictly observe the laws of the state and carefully follow the profound truth revered by Daoism. They should cast off greed and distance themselves from worldly clamor; continually accumulate merit and show compassion for orphans and widows; persist in doing good, cherish the elderly, and pity the poor and vulnerable. They should honor the virtuous and their good deeds without slackening, and teach the stubborn and ignorant without becoming proud or self-righteous. Let those above and below live in harmony, with compassion as the foundation of De.

Keep the heart upright and one’s outward conduct dignified. The gateway to the highest Dao is quietude and purity. Even amid many affairs, the heart should not lose its calm. Put an end to deluded thoughts, and the mind will no longer wander outward. Understand how to restrain fullness and guard against depletion, and you will know when to advance and when to withdraw. Even while at ease, reflect on danger, and you will discern the principles of survival and decline.

Being and nonbeing support one another; movement and stillness arise from the same source. Stillness is called the Dao; its operation and transformation are called Shen (spirit). The mind is tranquil, yet responsive; though it resonates with external things, it does not cling or act rashly. Bring the primordial Qi (vital energy) into harmony and let the breath grow full; perceive the hidden, profound principles of the Dao. Gather the Yang soul until it is bright and pure; transform the Yin soul so that its original radiance appears. The stars gather and concentrate their mysterious light, while the Dao dispels the world’s showy, superficial ways.

Probe the highest principles: if you hear the true Dao in the morning, you may gladly die by evening. Though such a person’s body dies, their spirit does not perish. Why, then, envy the three blessings enjoyed by Pengzu, the legendary long-lived figure? This does not mean that long life and enduring vision are impossible; it is simply that one does not seek the hundred-year lifespan of Lin Lei, another legendary figure. Why not consider this: a body of form brings sorrow and trouble and must, in the end, come to emptiness. Only by reaching the formless and imageless can one truly transcend all things in the world. Guard the Dao with care and cultivate it diligently. Once merit is complete and one’s reputation established, what difficulty is there in shedding the ordinary body and ascending to immortality?

Eulogy:

Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate), source of the transformation of all things, is lofty and profound, vast and mysterious; it can penetrate and save all beings. As the primordial Qi (the vital energy that constitutes Heaven, Earth, and all things) waxes and wanes, all things come into being. The spirit of the landscape shines brightly; the moon’s pure light glimmers beautifully. Precious jade is hidden in the mountains, and golden blossoms unfurl among the grasses. It nourishes a whole realm and enriches a hundred rivers. With no thoughts or desires, one accords with the mysterious principle; clinging to desire leads into peril. To lose the Great Dao is to become like a ghost; to awaken to the Great Dao is to ascend to immortality. Transcend endless transformations, and the Dao that existed before the Heavenly Emperor will appear.

Inscription on Purifying the Heart in the Clear Realm of Taiyuan Chen

The Dao (the Way) is silent and still, never exhausted, yet it can appear through the changing of things and has no fixed form. De (Virtue/Power) is clear and visible, yet does not assert itself; as things change, it settles each in its proper place.

The Classic of Changes (Yijing) uses the images of the hexagrams to explain how the sun, moon, and heavens and earth move. The positions of the lines show the waxing and waning of Yin-Yang, and the changes between obstruction and free passage. In the Kan trigram, a yang line lies between two yin lines, symbolizing fullness at the center. In the heavens, this corresponds to the moon; in the human body, to the ears. The ears can clearly hear every kind of sound, like wind and thunder, so it is said: “To know through hearing is sagehood.” In the Li trigram, a yin line lies between two yang lines, symbolizing emptiness at the center. In the heavens, this corresponds to the sun; in the human body, to the eyes. The eyes can discern the beauty of mountains, waters, and other sights, so it is said: “To know through seeing is spirit.”

Looking up, one takes the patterns of heaven as a model; looking down, one takes the earth as a model. When the mind and spirit are empty, still, and far-reaching, one can observe how the images of the hexagrams change with things. Understanding change makes it possible to grasp the patterns of darkness and light. Examining the beginnings of things and tracing them to their ends makes it possible to understand the principles of life and death. The Classic of Changes says: “Trace the footprints of things and seek out what is subtle; probe what is profound and extend your inquiry to what is distant.” Distant things cannot be fully fathomed, and the principles close at hand are difficult to measure. No one can fully explain why the transformations of the mysterious and profound are as they are.

Even when it is damaged or depleted, the Dao’s essence is not lost; even when one trusts and follows it, its form cannot be seen. Heaven and earth endure without ceasing, but who can rise and remain above through accomplishments alone? Some follow the Dao but lack steadfast purpose and conviction, and turn back halfway. This is what that saying describes.

Eulogy:

Its vastness holds a wondrous, subtle splendor; verdant mountain shadows fall across ridges like jade. Moonlight rises in the east as sunlight sinks in the west. The Dao shines forth in the mysterious realm, while De accords with the courses of the stars. The clouds are cool and clear, as if washing away dust; primordial Qi gathers, bringing purity to the heart. Immortals descend from heaven, and the gathered sages and perfected ones arrive together. Gold ornaments adorn their waists, jade vessels hang from them, and auspicious jewels are pinned in their hair. White feathers trail their radiance; clear, resonant tones issue from instruments cold as jade. The jade chimes are struck softly, and elegant music begins.

Inscription on the Mysterious Brightness of the Great Clarity and the Jade Stellar Mansion

Above the celestial tiers of the wondrous Great Clarity, nothing has not been brought forth by it. The Celestial Emperor manifests light, and there is no shadowed place that it cannot illuminate. The two divine breaths contain a pure, unadorned substance, and shone forth before the sun and moon appeared. The One Qi waxes and wanes, spreading beyond Heaven and Earth. Within the mysterious lies a mystery deeper still, whose traces may be pursued without end; within the wondrous realm lies a realm more wondrous yet, beyond the reach of even the most focused thought.

Hui Shi was skilled in debate, yet could not discern its face through argument. Duanmu was skilled in speech, yet had no words with which to inquire into it. Li Lou, famed for his extraordinary eyesight, could not see its form, even in daylight, when he opened his eyes wide and gazed intently. Shi Kuang, famed for his keen hearing, could not hear its sound, even at night, when he tilted his ear to listen closely. Even one who rises above all classes of beings and becomes their guide still cannot fully understand its principles. Even one who forgets bodily form and vital energy, enriches the spirit, enters the guiding principles of the Dao, and merges with the Great Beginning—the primordial state before Heaven and Earth and the myriad things took shape—still cannot fathom its mysteries completely.

Yet through cultivation as refined as jade, the golden form—the precious, pure body described in Daoist teaching—becomes ever more genuine and replete. Precious teachings are stored in a jade case, while impure substance dissolves away. The ocean spirit gathers refined Qi and takes on a form like cinnabar’s bloom. The Three Ones—the union of Jing, Qi, and Shen—become one, and vital essence spreads the workings of Heaven’s secret. The heart is at ease, like stars suspended in the sky, shining serenely; it rests as if returned to the time before anything had begun.

A eulogy says:

The Dao of Great Clarity is pure, single-minded, true, and sincere. The wind of Heaven is lofty and clear; the moon over the sea is cold and solitary. Gazing up at the high heavens, one conceals one’s traces; bending toward the dusty world, one forgets all striving. The jade ridge of the immortal realm rises high, its nourishing waters run deep; the Mysterious Essence gleams like jade, holding the secrets of the Heavenly Dao.

A eulogy says:

The Dao of Great Clarity is pure, single-minded, true, and sincere. The wind of Heaven is lofty and clear; the moon over the sea is cold and solitary. Gazing up at the high heavens, one conceals one’s traces; bending toward the dusty world, one forgets all striving. The jade ridge rises high, its nourishing waters run deep; the Mysterious Essence gleams like jade, its wondrous substance luminous without end. Radiance flows and turns, and auspicious Qi reveals signs of good fortune. The Primordial Chaos gathers into a refined image, while a cinnabar-colored form revolves like a pearl. Within, it holds the brilliance of the stars, wandering at ease in the wondrous realm of the immortals.

The Dao (the fundamental principle of the cosmos) is silent and still, empty and formless. It has continued from ancient times to the present, existing on its own and never changing. It has no shape, yet it has shape. Look for it from the front, and you cannot see where it begins. It has no concrete form, yet it gives rise to the forms of all things. Follow it in your search, and you cannot see where it ends.

Call it vast: it encompasses Heaven and Earth, yet “vast” still cannot describe it. Call it small: it runs through grains of sand and blades of grass, yet “small” still cannot describe it. Search for its traces, and you will find no fixed direction; the farther you pursue it, the more profound it seems. Turn your attention inward, and if you sense something, it feels all the nearer. In moments of disorientation and confusion, when it seems impossible to see anything clearly, you can still hear it within. It is deep and unfathomable, hidden in the most subtle places. If you discern the pure, undivided principle within it, you will find that it shines forth in the world. Elusive and hard to grasp, it nevertheless sets the most wondrous powers in motion.

The wondrous source returns to unity. From there it guides transformation, dividing into three functions: first, gathering the Qi of Yin-Yang; second, bringing forth the essences of the sun and moon; third, collecting the finest energies of Heaven and Earth. Understand these principles and cultivate them, and after a thousand days you may attain achievement. Become wholly one with the Dao, and you will comprehend xiangwang—the elusive image that seems both present and absent, a metaphor for the Dao. When xiangwang connects with the mysterious Dao, you can pierce metal and stone, travel through water and walk through fire, tread on blades, and enter places of danger. Your transformations will be myriad and without end. Why are you unafraid when you encounter things in the world? Because you have held fast to undivided Qi. Those who can do this are called virtuous adepts who cultivate the Real, and they possess sacred accomplishments.

Eulogistic Verse

Within, the mind joins with the deep and mysterious realm; without, it connects with the sun, moon, and stars. The Dao returns to nonbeing, while De is expressed in three ways. Mysterious images become clear, and even the subtlest thoughts shine with light. The Qi of the four seasons is clear and bright; the spirits of the Five Viscera are settled in quiet emptiness. A splendid headdress crowns the head, and the bearing is like one riding on clouds. A cool breeze drifts from beyond the heavens; the moon hangs cold above the pool. Vast and remote, it seems dim; silent and still, it shines like a torch. Both concealment and manifestation are clear and distinct—truly wondrous and auspicious.

Inscription of the Great Mystery’s Treasure of Prosperity and Star Emblems

The Primordial Mystery, the source of the Dao, spreads its teachings far and wide, and all things respond; nothing fails to answer its call. The Dao and De lay the foundations of all things, and nothing comes into being apart from them. The vast Great Void has no bounds. Heaven and earth stretch away into immeasurable distance, yet take on visible form. Qian and Kun, Heaven and Earth, bring forth transformation, through which all things assume their forms. Yin-Yang receives primordial Qi, turning and alternating, each succeeding the other.

A life that receives the gift of transformation does not undergo life only once. Could a life conceived in the womb forever possess just one form? The patterns of the stars appear in heaven, revealing signs of good and ill fortune. The myriad things take shape on earth, making the principles of being and nonbeing discernible. Changes in the human world allow us to understand the moments for movement and stillness.

Buddhist practitioners opened this path and called it “Buddhahood.” Confucian sages pursued moral principle and called it “sagehood.” Daoists who understood the principles of the Dao called it “immortality.” Though their traditions differ, they share the same source; in the end, what they call the Dao is one and the same.

Thus the true gods of Heaven and the earth deities, divine beings and sovereign lords, the sun, moon, and stars, immortals and perfected sages, jade maidens and golden youths, the officials and clerks of the heavenly court, ancient Buddhas and arhats, the eight classes of celestial dragons, and the Four Benevolences and Three Realms of Beings in Buddhism—all of these, along with mountains, rivers, great lakes, the Huai and Ji rivers, pearls, jade, gold, and stone, as well as such things as the dark and the yellow, the sweet and the bitter, and beings born from wombs, eggs, moisture, or transformation; those with form and those without form; those with appearance and those without; those that transform and those that do not, even those that are neither transformed nor untransformed—all honor the supreme Dao alike. That which moves in accord with the transformations of all things and penetrates them all is the spirit of the Limitless.

When the spirit is in a lowly place, it appears as a ghost; in the middle, as a human being; and above, as a star. The stars dissolve their visible forms and return to the state before the Great Change, before Heaven and Earth were divided and the myriad things took shape. The precelestial Dao has no origin, yet it penetrates all things. To understand this is to reach the source of the Supreme Dao.

Eulogy:

Profound and mysterious, pure and refined; the subtle, hidden principles of the natural order. The teachings of the three traditions—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism—and all that belongs to Heaven, Earth, and the human world are contained within it. Though divided into three traditions, their mystery ultimately returns to a single essence. Even while dwelling on what exists, one must recognize original nonbeing; in observing emptiness, one grasps what is real. The body dissolves, and awareness grows clear; wisdom penetrates all, and spiritual nature appears. The spirit roams to the sea’s farthest edge, while the soul flies toward the distant heavens. Drunk, one embraces the radiance of precious jade; asleep, one lies among the clouds beneath the sun. The nine-colored stars shine and revolve, and through them the myriad teachings reach completion.

Inscription on Nourishing the Spirit amid the Great Darkness and Brightness—a title meaning an inscription on profound, clear principles and the cultivation of the spirit.

The Dao is the formless, empty underlying reality; De is the Dao’s wondrous, transformative activity. The underlying reality and its activity depend on one another, and together they are called “Great Penetration.” Great Penetration describes the principles by which primordial true Qi and spirit move.

True Qi is light, subtle, clear, and bright—simple yet refined. Jing Qi is open and free, drifting beyond the ordinary. The Original Shen is vast and profound, beyond measure. In stillness, it seems dark and difficult to discern, yet awareness remains. When it appears, it shines brilliantly, while the mind’s thoughts fall away. It opens up the scenes of Heaven and Earth, dark and yellow, as things change; following the right course, it reveals the patterns of Yin-Yang obstruction and flow.

It slips quietly in and out with wind and cloud, and in an instant passes through the waves of rivers and seas. When settled, it reveals the beauty of mountains and streams; when full, it nurtures the growth of grasses and trees. It shines brilliantly, casting the radiance of gold and jade; it can also stir a vitality like the transformations of fish and dragons. Thus, it is not altered by external things, yet can take on form and color; it is not carved, yet naturally assumes shape; it needs no urging, yet moves swiftly; it acts without deliberate effort, yet brings all things to completion. Nothing is necessarily possible or impossible, and nothing is something it can or cannot do. Mysterious and far-reaching, its marvels are without end; its spiritual essence roams freely, reaching the vast, empty realm.

A hymn in praise of the Dao:

The highest Dao is the root of the myriad teachings, passed down through the generations by sages. It does not depend on outward images, nor does it need words to give it a name. Though it seems useless, its activity is inexhaustible; though it seems to do nothing, all things arise naturally. Yin Shen and Yang Shen open the mystery; a single Qi runs through the hidden principles of the Dao. Dragons roam the azure sky, while phoenixes spread their wings across the crimson heavens. The jeweled realm shines brilliantly, and the fields of sacred mushrooms are lit with radiance. The Dao is centered and strong, pure and complete, embodying the pure Yang vigor of Qian. It transcends the distinction between what changes and what does not, and exists before the Emperor of Images.

Inscription on Ascending the Celestial Dipper from the Mysterious Heights of Jade Purity.

The Dao’s radiant insight penetrates the depths of the mysterious and remote. It begins with “Primordial Oneness,” the original source that gives rise to all things and unifies them, at the dawn of the precelestial realm. The Sovereign of Images, who symbolizes the source of the myriad forms, emerges from the myriad Brahmās, the vast cosmos, and brings forth primordial Qi to govern the Three Primordials, the three foundational levels that order Heaven and Earth. Heaven and Earth are clear and pure; the sun and moon shine bright. Subtle radiance illumines all things, mysterious and far-reaching, flowing through without obstruction. The Dao cherishes all beings and benefits them, moving in harmony without display.

In an instant, one can grasp the inconceivable mystery through transformation; then, in a flash of understanding, one realizes that the formless has its own substance. The mind is settled amid the cosmos and merges with the Middle Primordial, the middle of the three levels of Heaven, Earth, and humanity. In the empty, tranquil chamber of the heart, light arises. This is called an auspicious sign.

In stillness, the Dao gives rise to wondrous workings; when these workings respond, they in turn communicate with the Dao. They are not perceived by sight or hearing, yet appear as auspicious signs sent down from Heaven, enhancing the sacred and unfathomable workings of the Dao. Neither moving nor still, the clear emptiness enables Lingbao, the Daoist deities and their teachings, to respond and manifest. Still and remote, it holds within itself every kind of function; indistinct and elusive, it reveals many forms of benevolent virtue. O mysterious Dao: supreme De and wondrous efficacy, it opens out in vast expanses, its roots deep and distant, as though joined to the source of the stars’ courses.

Praise:

Jade Clarity (Yuqing), mysterious and exalted,

Emperor One (Diyi) ascends to the station of the stars.

Across the shadowy ford of primal chaos

appears the crimson celestial pattern of the Primordial Beginning.

The Vermilion Sovereign (Danhuang) rides forth in splendor;

the Qi of Lingbao nourishes pure harmony.

The spirit’s intent settles amid the cosmos;

mysterious radiance shines upon the celestial winds.

Yellow blossoms spread their immaculate light;

subtle colors illuminate the gleaming registers.

Forget the body and accord with the myriad forms;

unite with the Dao, and wondrous workings arise.

Radiance shines in interwoven beams,

brilliant and pure as lustrous jade.

The Middle Primordial reveals its grand aspect:

this is the true realm of mystery.

Hymn:

Once, the source of the heart was dim and blocked;

now it is clear and open, and the Dao-eye,

the inner wisdom that perceives the Dao, has awakened.

Joyfully I see the blue sky spread like a jade table,

as the twin wheels of sun and moon roll apart

the piled layers of cloud.

“Inscription on the Mysterious Spirit’s Journey through the Taiji”

To cultivate the Dao and seek what is true, one must first honor the Three Treasures of the Dao, the scriptures, and the teacher; show filial respect to one’s parents; and guard against jealousy and greed. When meeting followers of Confucianism, Buddhism, or Daoism, do not make distinctions between them. When meeting the four communities of practitioners from different walks of life, join with them in forming wholesome ties. Treat every being with a spirit as respectfully and sincerely as one would treat one’s parents.

In daily life, be humble and cautious, and speak little. When alone, cultivate wisdom and guard the heart. Walk calmly and slowly, and speak softly. When seeing things, learn to move beyond their outward appearance and grasp that “the Great Image has no form”: the Great Dao has no fixed shape, yet is clear and manifest. This is how one understands the wondrous principle. When hearing sounds, learn to grasp that “the Great Sound is rarely heard”: the sound of the Great Dao is exceedingly subtle and difficult to hear. Attaining true understanding in this way is the wondrous gateway to the realm of the sages.

When the heart is at ease, the Qi above and below harmonizes and flows freely, and the body seems to become one undivided whole. Jing and Qi are pure and formless, clear and bright as dark frost. When responding to things beyond oneself, forget the body and let clear Qi circulate. Yin and Yang Qi mingle; the mind becomes vast and still, pure as the light of heaven. In this way, inner and outer become one, and the movement of Qi flows throughout. Gradually one reaches the wondrous realm of the Dao and experiences the state in which “beauty becomes beautiful.”

Li Shifang understood this principle, forgot the moon’s reflection in the water, and in the end ascended to truth and became an immortal. Lie Yukou personally pursued the principle to its depths, riding the numinous wind into the realm of the sages. The Dao is not far from people; people have distanced themselves from the Dao. Alas, most scions of great families are absorbed in wine and sensual pleasures, and bewildered by fame and rank. They lose the source of the wondrous Dao and fall into the evil paths of ruin. If they can turn back and reflect, cleanse themselves of worldly thoughts, gather their minds, and receive the Supreme Dao and practice it sincerely, they can cast off their mortal condition and ascend to the mysterious realm.

In praise:

With the Dao and De (Virtue) in one’s heart, nothing surpasses goodness and beauty. Within the profound mystery lies precious insight, like a treasure before one’s eyes. Dispel demonic influences and baleful Qi (vital energy); blunt the force of those who flaunt their brilliance and pride themselves on it. Preserve what is true and discern what is false; hold fast to the right way and dispel misguided thoughts. In the furnace, a phoenix-like radiance appears; in the cauldron, dangers as fierce as a dragon in the sands are subdued. The stars of the south shine brightly, while the Heavenly Emperor of the north spreads rosy clouds. The spirit roams the celestial realms, where the stars illuminate China. The Jade Capital and Golden Palaces—the heavenly halls—are the dwelling of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning.

Inscription on the Supreme Beginning Giving Rise to Spirit and Transforming into Form

The Great Dao is mysterious, and its Virtue is subtle and refined. It can make the spirit whole and bring one into communion with the divine. It sinks and rises between Heaven and Earth, ascending and descending between Yin and Yang. It gathers in the transformations of the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and Humanity—and governs the growth and changes of the four seasons. It links the primordial Qi and augments the breath, blending all things together as essence and Qi circulate. When the Great Dao is put into practice, mountains and rivers become beautiful; when all things respond to it, the sun and moon shine more brightly. It has radiance without dazzling, silently accordant with the Dao’s true purpose. It acts without taking pride in itself, nurturing and shaping the forms of all things. Form and spirit alike attain the wondrous state, each resting in its own true nature.

To nourish the spirit, the five Qi—azure, vermilion, pale, white, and dark—are essential each day. To nourish the body, one attends to the five flavors: sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty. When flavor reaches the flavorless, it is called true flavor; when color reaches the colorless, it is called true color; when sound reaches the soundless, it is called true sound. The Great Dao is vast, leaving nothing beyond its reach; it is also minute and subtle, responding to everything. Accord with Heaven, and there is clarity; accord with Earth, and there is peace; accord with mountains, and there is beauty; accord with water, and there is coolness. Accord with emptiness, and there is transformation into whiteness; accord with all things, and there is growth; accord with form, and there is substance; accord with the celestial patterns, and there are stars. The stars hang high, pure and bright, arrayed in their place in the Radiant Clarity. Mysterious Qi brings long life and enduring sight, bestows good fortune, and prolongs life. The assembled Perfected enjoy blessings and longevity, all thanks to the nurturing influence of the Supreme Great Dao.

Hymn

Following the course of Heaven, it transforms the human relations of the world. Its majesty makes Virtue manifest; its radiance illuminates form and the celestial patterns. The stars hang high and pure, arrayed in their place in the Radiant Clarity. Mysterious Qi brings long life and enduring sight, bestows good fortune, and prolongs life. The assembled Perfected enjoy blessings and longevity, all thanks to the nurturing influence of the Supreme Great Dao.

Follow the movement of Heaven’s Dao and foster the transformation of human relationships in the world. Dignity shines forth, virtue is made manifest, and brilliant radiance holds true nature within. In stillness of mind, one understands the subtle principles of the Dao and brings Jing and Qi together, making the spirit whole. The heart is clear as a cloudless sky, focused on treasured patterns that symbolize Daoist methods and Fulu (talismans and registers). Wisdom joins with the misty currents of primordial Qi that fill Heaven and Earth. Within the wondrous realm of primordial spirits and precious treasures, refinement and substance are both present. The people put the Great Dao to use in daily life, and all things are thereby nurtured and return to simplicity. The sunlight is bright, and the spirit serene. Recluses who cultivate the Dao among hidden clouds; perfected ones who dwell in mysterious valleys.

Inscription on the Spirit-Containing Countenance in the Precious Mirror of the Great Void

Cultivate virtue, uphold benevolence, and openly put the Dao’s methods into practice. Secretly accumulate spiritual merit, clear the mind and still stray thoughts, dispel worry, and forget cunning. Draw in your radiance like jade concealed within stone; hide your traces like a pearl hidden in a clamshell. Those whose gaze is dim and whose minds are closed are easily lost among appearances and their many forms. Only through the wisdom eye can one reach the wondrous source and broadly understand the principle of non-arising, which transcends birth and death.

Take Heaven’s Dao as your standard and practice the Dao, moving high above like the Sun and Moon. Take Earth’s square form as your measure, and wield the power of the Li Pearl, a legendary luminous jewel, and the revolving pivot of the ancient celestial instrument, setting transformation in motion. The subtle principles of the Three Palaces—the three divine palaces above, within, and below—unfold; the Six Caverns, realms of mystery, are deep and radiant. Examine being and nonbeing, discerning the principles by which things sink and rise; consider movement and stillness, and understand the patterns of ascent and descent.

The fire blazes in the golden furnace, strengthening Yang and opening the Dao-body. In the jade cauldron, the liquid is boiled, and snow-like essence rises to nourish spirit and body. In empty stillness and clarity, radiance appears; gentle and light, one enters water without sinking and treads on fire without being burned. Roam through the vast reaches of Heaven and Earth, passing mountains, rivers, lakes, and marshes without hindrance. Let body and mind merge with perfect radiance, crossing the clouds and mist without being obscured. Transcend the Five Phases and stand before the myriad methods; draw near to the distant and keep apart from the near, and encounter the Dao of the Primordial Beginning wherever you turn.

Before the divisions of the Primordial Beginning had appeared, its form could not be seen. The Great Dao accords with mystery and subtlety, and its sound cannot be heard. It is neither utter nothingness nor actual existence, and endures through the ages without decay. It neither wavers nor scatters, but persists through the pure, unified nature of harmonious Qi. Investigate its principles inwardly, and nothing among the myriad things will remain unclear; put them into practice, and every path will open.

Communicate with primordial Qi, causing Qi to enrich Jing, Jing to enrich form, and form to enrich the stars. The stars shine brilliantly as they move through Taiqing, the clear and empty celestial realm described in Daoism. Pure, subtle, and supreme—this is called complete attainment.

The eulogy says:

The Great Dao has no fixed form and endures in the depths of mystery and distance. At the beginning, it differentiated into a single Qi, then followed its patterns to give rise to the Three Powers. Heaven and Earth gathered their numinous essence; the sun and moon condensed their luminous vital energies. Spirit and Qi mingled, their radiance vast and splendid. All things shone with light, complete and clear. The radiance of Yang Qi gathered within the cauldron, while Yin’s material form shed its former shape. The Great Dao is still and profound, yet through resonance it can commune with the spirits. Pure and white, it embodies the virtues of origination, flourishing, and steadfastness. It is strong and centered, yet also yielding and light. Through this, the cultivator enters the wondrous realm, becomes a sage perfected being, ascends to the Jade Empyrean, and takes a place among the stars.

The Yinfu Jing says that the crucial mechanism lies in the eyes. The Yellow Emperor asked, “I do not understand why the crucial mechanism is said to lie in the eyes. What does this mean?” The Perfected One of Heavenly Truth replied, “The Dao reaches far away, to the distant lands in all eight directions, yet nearby it is right between the brows and eyelashes. In its vastness, it encompasses Heaven and Earth; in its subtlety, it runs through every hair.” Guangchengzi said, “The numinous mechanism stirs within; between the eyelashes, it seems as if a flash of lead-colored light is in motion. That is why it is said that the spirit’s mechanism lies in the eyes.” When numinous light appears in the eyes, this is a sign that the spirit’s mechanism has been activated.

The hidden mechanisms of the Nine Heavens can all appear before one’s eyes. A “mechanism” is the pivot of change and movement: it can summon Yang Qi and draw in Yin Qi, grasp the hinge on which the beginning and movement of all things turn, and allow clear Qi to emerge and dark Qi to enter. This is why the crucial mechanism is said to lie at the corners of the brows, on either side of the eyes. The azure point between the brows connects upward to the Muddy Pellet Palace, a site of cultivation in the head, and downward to the body. The two kidneys, meanwhile, are the gates of Mao and You, symbolizing the portals through which the Qi of Yin and Yang enters and leaves.

Kangcangzi said, “My body joins with my mind, my mind with my Qi, my Qi with my spirit, and my spirit with emptiness. Even the most subtle presence or sound, whether far away beyond the eight directions or near at hand between my brows and eyelashes, once it reaches me, I will surely know it. Whether it is perceived by the seven orifices and four limbs of the body, or known by the five organs within the heart and abdomen, it is simply known naturally.”

Liezi said that the spirit belongs to Heaven and the bones and body to Earth. The clear Qi that belongs to Heaven disperses, while the turbid substance that belongs to Earth solidifies. When the spirit leaves the body, each returns to its source; this is why it is called a “ghost.” “Ghost” means “return”: to return to the dwelling place of one’s original nature. That dwelling place is the realm of Great Emptiness. The Yellow Emperor said, “The spirit enters its portal, and the bones return to their root. What, then, can remain of me?”

The Most High, an honorific for the Dao, said, “The Dao is empty, yet its function is inexhaustible; it seems never to be filled, deep and distant as the source of all things. Draw in its sharp edges, untangle its confusion, temper its radiance, and mingle with the dust. It is profound and obscure, as though it exists. I do not know whose source it is; it seems to have been there before the Lord of Heaven.” Lü Gong also quoted these words, describing the Dao as the source of all things.

Lü Gong said, “The lead cauldron grows warm, and its light shines through the curtain.” Xu Shenweng explained that the “lead cauldron” refers to the human body; in Neidan practice, lead often serves as a symbol for the essential Qi and other elements of cultivation. When “lead and the cauldron first unite,” numinous light fills and shines forth. With the eyes closed, it is as if one can see a curtain. “Curtains and drapes” here refer to what is seen through inner observation with the eyes shut. Zhixuanzi said, “Gather the spirit in the body’s inner chamber, close the eyes, and lower the curtain.” The phrase “the workings of creation vie with one another” means that a person uses the work of the spirit in accord with the movement of Heaven and Earth’s creative transformations. This is the person’s numinous power.

Haichanzi composed this verse: “The warm lead cauldron enters the Central Origin, the cultivation region in the middle of the body, and gives forth three radiances to nourish the auspicious lotus. Once the lotus is perfected, one naturally gains access to the sacred and wondrous Dao; with every step, numinous light is before the eyes.”

Song Qiqiu said that what the eyes cannot see may be seen with the aid of a bright mirror, and what the ears cannot hear may be sensed through the breath of stillness and emptiness. The spirit is within oneself, while seeing and hearing rely on external things. He also said, “The chime I hear in my ears is heard by me; the flower I see with my eyes is seen by me. My day and night correspond to the day and night of external things.” Therefore, one cannot simply say that daytime is bright and nighttime dark. Perhaps only a “Great Person,” one of lofty attainment, can harmonize darkness and light.

He also said, “Water is clear and pure, yet when it freezes into ice, its clarity is no longer apparent. The spirit is originally luminous, yet when it gathers into bodily form, that form does not appear luminous. When ice melts, it regains its clarity; when the body dissolves, it regains its radiance. One who understands that after death one can return to one’s original nature may roam through the capital of the Most High.”

Water is clear and pure, but once it freezes into ice, it is no longer clear. The spirit is lucid and transparent, but once it gathers into bodily form, it is no longer manifest. When the ice melts, clarity returns; when the body dissolves, the spirit returns. If you can understand that after bodily death one returns to one’s original nature, you can roam in the capital of the Highest One, the supreme heaven of Daoist teaching.

End of Volume Four.

Volume Five

Composed by Hou Shenyuan of Gushe.

Seven-character quatrains

The summit of Mount Kunlun splits open as a fire dragon soars aloft; heavenly light shines over the jeweled banquet in the Purple Tenuity palace. A grain of numinous cinnabar glitters brilliantly—only then do we know the Dao’s power has wondrous might.

At the banquet beside the Jade Pool, they vie for glory beneath the solitary sun. Its radiance pierces the dusty world, until all things seem to vanish. In the lonely vastness of the Great Void, who keeps me company? A crystal curtain reflects the luminous pearl.

Golden light shines brilliantly as auspicious clouds drift by; all is pure as jade, without a trace of dust. The two deities Yun and Su unite, appearing as a single form: this is the subtle art of the Immortal Maiden Cuiwei.

A drop of red dew falls upon the lotus, nourishing the numinous sprout and bringing it to fresh life. A tiny bud has just begun to open, seeming to smile as it greets the sun; Lord Shu responds with a branch of spring.

The marvelous and the decayed are both no more than empty names. People of the world drift through the dust, trembling at favor and disgrace. How much better to shed the body and return to the undivided beginning. When rabbits meet, worldly eyes still look down on one another.

A three-foot Dragon Spring sword rings out in the night. It cuts down evil and banishes demons, endowed with the power to commune with spirits. Its blade holds radiance within and is unstained by the blood of a black serpent. Then it ascends to the Jade Heaven, transformed into a brilliance like jade.

Yin and Yang energies meet within the palace, where pure Yang is held fast. The radiant treasure of the sun shines bright as mysterious frost gradually condenses. Heaven and earth and all things return to the ancestor of the Primordial Beginning. Alone, one stands in a remote and empty realm, as if dwelling in the imperial homeland.

In the quiet, empty hall, a person reclines half leaning. The spirit’s radiance winds its way through, clear and bright within. Even when the moon sinks into Xianchi, where the sun is said to set, its light can still be seen among the cold woods.

Yin and Yang energies meet within the palace, where pure Yang is held fast. The radiant treasure of the sun shines bright as mysterious frost gradually condenses. Heaven and earth and all things return to the ancestor of the Primordial Beginning. Alone, one stands in a remote and empty realm, as if dwelling in the imperial homeland.

In the quiet, empty hall, a person reclines half leaning. The spirit’s radiance winds its way through, clear and bright within. Even when the moon sinks into Xianchi, a few stars can still be seen among the cold woods.

A bright sun rises through sparse woods, its pure, clear energy filling the view and refreshing the spirit. Realizing the Dao as a whole makes clear that the Dao can be spoken of. The mysterious image soars away, straight into the depths of the blue sky.

By using methods of external and internal refinement, one guards the Jia Dragon—the Yang Qi of Wood—and the Water Palace outwardly, while inwardly directing the Geng Tiger—the Yin Qi of Metal—into the Flame Palace, the place where the Elixir is refined. Refine them together until they become a single, pure and subtle whole, in accord with the primordial Qi that governs the workings of Heaven and Earth and with the winds of high antiquity.

After sitting in meditation, every distracting thought vanishes. The mind becomes clear and peaceful, and a sudden coolness arises. Yang Qi gathers and takes form as Yin Qi recedes. Unawares, one’s spirit wanders to the realm where the Northern Emperor presides.

Those whose hearts are generous and whose resolve is strong can answer the summons to take part in the Immortals’ selection. It is as though the summit of Kunlun were split open, releasing a dazzling radiance. The Mysterious Pearl, a symbol of the Neidan or spiritual essence, appears and merges with the Qi of Jade Yang.

With a humble and settled mind, one can grasp the elusive and silent substance of the Dao, and come to understand the supreme mysteries of the Mysterious Origin, the source of the Dao. The Valley Spirit, the inexhaustible, still spirituality of Daoism, rises like raindrops into the Moon Palace, while starlight fills the sky and nourishes the numinous light between the brows.

Lead essence, a term in alchemy symbolizing Yin essence, rises as auspicious clouds within the Golden Cauldron. It is refined into a flawless pearl whose radiance shines across sea and sky. A single Elixir pearl can permeate the Dharma Realm, its light spreading through the Nine Heavens and the realm of pure emptiness.

The Azure Dragon and the tiger unite in the red furnace. The Qi of the Mysterious Female, the gateway through which the Dao brings forth all things, breathes freely like a cinnabar phoenix. The blazing light of Samadhi True Fire, the inner fire generated through focused practice, breaks through the darkness and confusion of the past.

The two spirit energies mingle and shine as they flow into the center. Points of cool, clear light merge with Jade Yang. Wondrous celestial signs appear in radiance, while the deep, hidden heavenly gates recede from view. The Jade Tower lies locked away, and emerald clouds encircle the immortal abode.

Leisurely riding a white deer, one arrives at the Jasper Pool and waits to enter the Moon Palace and pluck a sprig of cassia. The Great Brahma realm stands vast and majestic; only the scene of the Dao appears. The stars then transform, nourishing the numinous light between the brows.

The Precious Essence Youth gathers the Moon’s essence. Flames propel the spirit upward, trailing purple clouds. The blended essence and Qi flow against the current and ascend beyond the heights of the heavens, unimpeded by misty waves or clouds.

Master Thick De carries the appearance of a fool, yet within he has shed the coarse blood and Qi of the ordinary world, and his skin is as pure as ice. Calmly comprehending the wondrous principle, he returns to the image of the Source and rises to the center of Heaven to pay his respects to Ziwei, the celestial realm where the sovereign of the North Star resides.

The pure, lofty Qi of Brahma stirs gently, first mingling with the imperial realm. The Elixir’s light shines with mysterious brilliance and reaches the Great Dao. Jade Dawn, whether the name of a Daoist deity or a pure celestial realm, cannot be reached merely through quiet cultivation in a thatched hut. It is reached through sudden awakening and by holding fast to the pure, Wuwei (non-action) Heaven.

Heaven and Earth stretch boundlessly, and the myriad forms begin to arise. The primordial Qi of Heaven blends with pure emptiness. Mysterious Yang pervades all things and holds their spiritual nature within it; in the end, all are transformed into flawless, pure pearls of five colors.

Black mercury and red lead are refined into a jade-like essence that nourishes the brows and eyes. Golden and green radiance reflects the mysterious vital energies. In the cold forest, precious osmanthus trees congeal numinous cinnabar, which delicately adorns fine jade like langgan and scatters like auspicious starlight.

With both hands clasped firmly in the customary Daoist meditation gesture, gather the spirit and enter stillness. You can then penetrate the mysterious realm, dissolving every impurity in body and mind until no residue remains, and congealing it all into a five-colored pearl.

Black mercury and red lead are refined into a jade-like essence that nourishes the brows and eyes; golden and green radiance reflects the mysterious vital energies. In the cold forest, precious osmanthus trees congeal numinous cinnabar, delicately dotting fine jade like langgan and sending out auspicious starlight.

Clasp both hands firmly and focus the spirit on understanding the mysterious workings. The practitioner must remain wholly concentrated and never waver. When the Celestial Cauldron—the symbolic vessel of internal cultivation—is fired open, the precious pearl in the heart bursts forth, like a child braving the snow who appears beside a jade stream.

Dark waters and red clouds reflect against the blue sky. The Azure Dragon and White Tiger, symbols in Neidan practice for corresponding Yin-Yang vital energies, enter the abyss. They unite beneath the sea and absorb the marrow of the numinous turtle, gradually refining it into a string of perfectly rounded black pearls.

Within the aligned cauldrons, the spirit roams into a vast, undifferentiated realm. The Qi of heaven interweaves, and flames surge upward. The Three Primal Energies, which form the basis of the cosmos or of bodily cultivation, secretly congeal and return to the image of Qian, the symbol of Heaven. Vast and profound, boundless and limitless, they merge into the Dao.

Auspicious Qi and clouds fill the field of vision; the true, refined Qi of the heavens transforms into the Elixir Infant, a symbol of spiritual attainment in Neidan practice. The numinous wind does not drift away with the willow catkins, but flies into the Flaming Palace, a symbolic chamber of inner cultivation, accompanied by the morning star.

Then one passes through Yangguan and follows the old road onward, looking clearly in every direction and roaming freely. The pure essence of jade is not like light, drifting mud-cotton; it pierces the open sky and reveals a single point of clear radiance.

The primordial Qi of Chaos flows, and pure, sacred Qi rises. The wisdom sun that reaches to Heaven shines brilliantly. In stillness and concentration, by what power are the myriad things reflected? The Mysterious Pearl, a symbol of the essence or clarity attained through inner cultivation, descends and illuminates the realm of Great Clarity.

Heaven’s wind and the sun over the sea brighten the realm of Huqing. Golden light flows between above and below, scattering precious crystals. Questioning the Dao brings sudden understanding and brilliant clarity; the mind’s vision shifts, its radiance shines, and the eyes too become clear and bright.

Pure, sacred Qi circulates and converges like a hundred rivers. One glance from a majestic, lucid gaze stirs numinous mist. Lying at ease in the cloud-covered mountains feels like entering the dream of Huaxu, that legendary vision of peaceful harmony; it is no longing for the comforts of Chang’an’s bustling streets.

The red sun is half hidden among emerald mountains, while green mist glides lightly over the water. There is no need to fish for the brocade carp; it is fine to return empty-handed. What use, then, is a thousand-foot fishing line?

Break through the sea gate in search of Wangxiang, the formless, elusive presence of legend; open the empty valley and seek the Mysterious Pearl. Who is worthy to be entrusted with the supreme treasure of the Celestial Court? These words are addressed to the resolute men of the human world who aspire to cultivate the Dao.

It seems that the human world has been drunk for forty years. Suddenly waking, one discovers that one is still in a dream. Forget the body, and a road to the clouds opens of its own accord; then ascend to the Southern Palace and take one’s place in Yuchen, the celestial palace where the immortals dwell.

A quiet, empty house stands with its door half open. Beyond the sparse fence, green peaches and red apricots bloom in silence. Beneath the south window, one pillows the spring breeze and falls asleep. Such ease is not… (The original ends at “not comparable,” leaving the sentence unfinished.)

A drunkard asks about forty years of springtime. Suddenly waking, he discovers that he has been dreaming. Forget the body and cast off the restraints of mind and body: a path to the heavenly realm then opens, leading upward to the Southern Palace, where one takes one’s place in Yuchen, the celestial palace.

A quiet, empty house stands with its door half open. Beyond the sparse fence, green peaches and red apricots bloom in silence. Beneath the south window, one pillows the spring breeze and falls asleep. This scene is unlike Zhuang Zhou’s dream of the butterfly.

The mist around Cangjiao, a constellation, disperses, and the red sun shines brightly. The haze above the river fades, leaving the azure sky clear. The reclusive sage, having forgotten the body, feels open and at ease; the divine being who walks through snow sees with lucid eyes.

Last night I sat alone in stillness until deep into the night. I guarded the inner elixir furnace, nurturing the vital essence within, and my whole body was at peace. Through the curtain I suddenly glimpsed a sparse white shadow. It was moonlight illuminating Langya, perhaps a scene lovely as fine jade.

Qianyuan Taiyi, the primal source before Heaven and Earth divided and all things first arose, contains vast and subtle principles. Through refining and nourishing the body, Jing and Qi flow like molten gold, and purple Qi rises. At home, an auspicious immortal child gazes at the sun and smiles. For whom, then, does the whole sky shine so brightly?

The vermilion door opens wondrously, and the green grotto stands wide. The Five-Spirit Immortals wander freely within. Amid dragon-shaped coils of incense smoke, a thousand poems are composed; wine is poured into amber cups and drunk by the hundred.

In a trance, the soul journeys to the abode of Taiyi, the spirit or realm that represents the source of the cosmos. Talismanic script flutters like clouds and smoke, while the brush moves like a dragon and serpent. Auspicious signs descend from Heaven and appear in the human world; ten thousand points of flowing, radiant essence blend into the brightness of all things.

Seen from afar, it reaches the jade heavens of the immortals; up close, it seems to rest between the brows. All things embody their innate nature, subtle and pure. At first, one searches for traces, tracing them back to the primordial ancestor. The Great Brahma Heaven lies silent and still, transforming into a rainbow of jade.

The body grows withered, but the will remains firm, wholly devoted to the Dao. Embrace Shen and guard the One, gathering the spirit and holding fast to one’s true nature, and life can be prolonged. Longevity does not require remaining in the human world forever: within the pot lies another heaven and earth, with sun and moon of its own.

How can an earthen furnace be made to boil the Golden Liquid? The stone pool is bottomless, and all things flow and merge within it. Surging waves crash toward the Ox and Dipper constellations, yet I alone steer a tiny, insubstantial boat.

The dull and foolish, their minds clouded over, still look outward, though the sea’s eye lies plainly before them. In the cinnabar heavens, Jing and Qi flow, shimmering with light; the blue eyes faintly sense a pure, cold radiance.

Sleeping peacefully at night and stirring at dawn, one no longer clings to feelings and desires. Gradually, one feels the balanced Qi rising from below to above. Between the Cangjiao stars, the red sun is half revealed, bright and clear; in the distant mountain range like an eyebrow, a band of azure sky stretches, pure and serene.

At midnight last night, the moon shone brightly, and the old road leading to the Jade Empyrean remained clear. Looking out across a thousand miles, through the length and breadth of Heaven and Earth, all things were originally reflected in the same perfect, luminous moon.

Auspicious Qi spread outward, and the light of the Elixir shone across the blue sky. Flecks of leaden radiance nourished brows like patches of lingzhi. The numinous child intended to go to the Yang Lodge, yet followed the phoenix carriage and phoenix towers as they flew away.

Let Mercury and Lead congeal, refining them into a radiance like a jade rainbow. The body changes along with them, and the face reveals a starlike brilliance. Transcending the world, one leaps upward into the celestial realm: this is the might of the true wind and Dao Power by which August Heaven acts.

The dark Qi filling the eyes turns entirely into warm, life-giving Qi, and lead frost forms in the cinnabar cauldron. A black serpent draws in the blood of the azure dragon, while an elephant, unseen, breathes out light in the night.

Since ancient times, all things in the world have been no more than transient lodgings, like dust and grime; yet people do not know what the innate true nature is. Disciples hurry about, searching in vain, hoping only to see the person who has now become so difficult to encounter.

Waves raised by the winds of Mount Kunlun surge through the Jade Pool, scattering flowers like fine jade in every direction. Radiance illuminates the Great Void and reveals auspicious signs; essence spreads through the clear and subtle reaches of the Nine Heavens.

The Earth Soul, the Heaven Soul, and the essences of the sun and moon gather to form bright, blazing True Yang. In the merging and blending, the wondrous wind joins the three Qi as one; after circulating three times, they congeal once more into a single point of starlight.

Nurturing and refining body and mind begins with restraining the six emotions and desires. Calmly keeping to simplicity is the foundation of cultivating the Dao. Who can understand the quiet meaning of Mount Yu? Clouds drift away without intention; the moon shines naturally.

The numinous Qi of the Three Officials—Heaven, Earth, and Water—continues without end, while five-colored jade flowers shine across the Nine Heavens. Heaven-bestowed auspiciousness naturally congeals into the image of the True One; this hidden, mysterious image flies deep into the Great Clarity.

The furnace fire blazes, its flames leaping; the cauldron boils and surges like waves, while jade liquid wells up without cease. As the Elixir method turns, Elixir light fills and brightens the eyes. The myriad spirits are at ease, and body and mind naturally become clear and peaceful.

The Northern Abyss and the Southern Elixir each have their appointed time. Their two spirit Qi swiftly converge, bringing forth the workings of Heaven’s mystery. Together they bring about a transformation that returns all things to one. After seven cycles of repeated refinement, they become perfectly integrated and transcend the old ways of speaking.

Dense mists and baleful Qi inspire dread. In the darkness, a black, egg-shaped object appears from the Mudball Palace, an image used in head cultivation. The spirit wind sweeps through, and the middle of the sky suddenly clears. Bearing the shadow and containing the light, it leaves no mottled traces of blood.

In the depths of Dongyuan, the Qi of true excellence merges with the realm of clear emptiness, and the radiant Golden Elixir illuminates the roads in all nine directions. The embryo spirit—the inner spirit and Qi gathered through cultivation—has returned to unity within the body. A shadowy, egg-shaped substance emerges from the Mudball Palace, the cultivation center above the head. The spirit wind sweeps across the central heavens, as if washing away conflict; the light-bearing Chengying holds its radiance, and the color of blood grows indistinct.

In the depths of Dongyuan, the Qi of true excellence blends with the realm of clear emptiness, and the Golden Elixir shines in all directions. The embryo spirit returns to unity, containing numinous substance within and forming a mysterious pearl.

Layer upon layer of light mist rises straight to the Cinnabar Heaven, the lofty reaches of the immortal realm. It seems within arm’s reach, and the road there is not far. Where earth and sky meet, fragrant grasses spread without end; the spirit wind circles, causing new shoots of jade fungus to grow.

In the realm of clear, undefiled emptiness, sunlight travels and shines each day, illuminating the vault of heaven in a wondrous sight. Suddenly, the cultivator forgets the body, and the spirit journeys far, crossing the sea gate to arrive in the realm of numinous yang.

The Dao and De are wondrous beyond measure; within the mystery lies a deeper mystery. This mysterious communion reaches back to the realm before Heaven and Earth came into being. The cinnabar wind passes through eyes bright as stars, and the cultivator flies into the heavenly realm of Huayang Taiyi.

A soft glow of rosy clouds pierces the purple mist. The wind of Yuyu falls still, and plants and trees stretch far and wide. The sun soul, symbolizing the yang aspect of internal cultivation, senses in advance the arising of numinous excellence. Its radiance breaks through Cinnabar Hill and reveals the heavenly realm.

Leaning on a pine, one climbs Jade Radiance Peak, whose many slopes rise high into the clouds. The moon soul and sun soul are separated from one another, yet meet between above and below, revealing a youthful appearance.

The moon’s radiance is pure and bright, like the Milky Way pouring down, illuminating Heaven and Earth as clear Qi fills all around. The soul Qi is transformed and nourished, making Great Simplicity—the pure, original Qi—shine brightly. In the end, it becomes an immortal maiden and ascends to the heavens.

In the north, the dark waters lie veiled in vast mists, and their water Qi pours into the Flame Palace, the dwelling of the Red Emperor. The waves then subside, and the dragon sleeps in peace; black lead, a term in Neidan for a yin substance, is completely transformed into purple-gold frost.

The dragon’s abyss in the waters reflects the sea pearl. In the deep of night, Heaven and Earth are like a clear mirror of jade fluid. The immortal maidens’ eyes gleam brightly as they behold Li’e, an immortal woman, appearing in the emerald capital.

The fragrance of phoenix marrow and dragon fat fills the four directions. Their radiance gathers and brightens the eyes. Another wondrous light shines in the clear sky, where a Golden Elixir illuminates the realm of Great Clarity.

Seek the mystery within, and there is a deeper mystery still; search outward for the heavenly realm, and above it lies another, higher heaven. Look up at it, and it seems ever more distant, as if without end. Before one knows it, the spirit has flown beyond the presence of the Emperor of Images, the supreme deity of Daoist thought.

When the mind is still and dim, the Dao has not yet been perfected. Split open the haze of primordial chaos, and layer upon layer of hidden mysteries comes into view. You yourself master the number nine-five, gathering within you every kind of function, while your spirit and soul travel far into the eighteen heavens.

The Dao of nature has no form from the beginning. To take this formless Dao and hold it as a real thing is merely to use a name provisionally. Recognize that brilliant, radiant sun; only after penetrating the mysteries will you perceive the clarity of the Great Void, boundless and open.

Within the Great Cavern of the Mysterious Origin lies the Numinous Treasure. Within the Supreme One’s emptiness, the inner true nature is concealed. Would you know what the original truth is? It does not deliberately display supernatural powers, yet it can manifest wondrous transformations. That is its wonder.

I am merely chanting at leisure verses from the heavens. Do not make wild guesses from the shallow ideas of the world. I point you directly to the path of cultivating the true: the Dao leads to a realm of numinous clarity.

Within the Great Cavern of the Mysterious Origin lies the Numinous Treasure. Within the Supreme One’s emptiness, the inner true nature is concealed. Would you know what the original truth is? It does not deliberately display supernatural powers, yet it can manifest wondrous transformations. That is its wonder.

I am merely chanting at leisure verses from the heavens. Do not make wild guesses from the shallow ideas of the world. I point you directly to the path of cultivating the true: the Dao leads to a realm of numinous clarity, close at hand between the brows.

Part the cold mist and reveal the vast sky. The bright moon over the sea is clear, and all things appear distinctly. Standing alone in a realm of stillness, I find nothing to equal it. The Elixir Embryo, the infant of internal alchemy, roams freely, riding the celestial wind.

The spirit wind surges, breaking through the clouds and washing the heavens clear as frost. Only then does the solitary moon appear, delicate and bright atop Jade Peak. Its radiance pierces the Mysterious Crucible, the inner alchemical vessel, and suddenly brings the mind and spirit to wakeful clarity.

In years past, my mind was dim and my source of thought blocked. Today all is clear: the Dao-eye, the inner eye that perceives the Great Dao, has opened. With joy I see the blue sky like a jade table, as twin wheels grind through layer upon layer of white cloud.

Turn the Mysterious Pass, the opening where Qi transforms in cultivation, and the whole scene revolves with it. The numinous crow flies past, and the blue sky suddenly opens wide. The realm of the One Truth appears in an instant; both eyes shine clear and bright, and I recognize the precious mirror, like the morning sun.

A clear sun shines over heaven and earth; two points of Original Jing illuminate the Valley Spirit, the still and empty source that gives rise to transformation. Within the Treasured Benefit Cavern of Numinous Power, Heavenly Gui, the vital essence associated with the generation of life, flourishes. Jade blossoms bloom everywhere, and spring fills the Jade Capital, the celestial city.

The Jade Clarity Primordial Beginning Great Luo Heaven, the Daoist highest heaven, is majestic, surpassing all the emperors who came before. Within the Golden Palace of Purple Tenuity, the Elixir Embryo appears, radiant and beautiful.

The Sun Essence Youth has a graceful face; feathered canopies and jade blossoms are veiled in purple clouds. With the aid of Mysterious Yang, the precious mirror is opened, and jade starlight flies into the Deep Abyss of Great Clarity, the distant and tranquil celestial realm.

Two beams of light, sharp as frost blades, shine upon Great Hua, the immortal mountain. They split open the crown of heaven, allowing the Elixir Embryo to roam free and reveal its lovely face.

The Sun Essence Youth has a graceful face; feathered canopies and jade blossoms are veiled in purple clouds. With the aid of Mysterious Yang, the precious mirror is opened, and jade starlight flies into the Deep Abyss of Great Clarity.

A frost-bright double-edged sword gleams on Mount Taihua, a sacred Daoist mountain. It cleaves the vault of heaven and enters Dragon Sand, a hidden realm of cultivation. The essence and Qi of Cinnabar Yang transform into ten thousand points of pure radiance, all belonging to the Purple Palace of the Primordial Lady, a revered female immortal.

The vast, noble Qi becomes a clear breeze, passing through emerald windows. The cultivator rises above the world of dust and joins with True Yang, the pure Yang Qi of internal alchemy. United with the mysterious Dao, they forget clever designs and let scattered thoughts subside. Spiritual light shines in response, and ghosts and demons naturally vanish.

Gold and green gleam together as jade-colored radiance dances through the air. The Cinnabar Blossom, the essence gathered through internal alchemy, is exquisite; purple clouds gather and return. Two young attendants gather herbs and cross a cold stream. Whether what they have found is true or false, no one can know.

With a wondrous method, the cultivator refines and nourishes the measure of a dagger, a name for the elixir. The Lead Cauldron, a metaphor in internal alchemy, warms gently as the firing proceeds with restraint. There is no need to blow upon it deliberately or exert force. Snowflakes rise of their own accord within the elixir furnace, an auspicious sign of Yin and Yang refining one another.

Wash away the weariness of the dusty world and clear the myriad thoughts. Move the spirit into the Sea, gathering intention in the lower Dantian, and transform it into the Cinnabar Embryo of internal alchemy. The immortal maiden Huayuan calls to the cultivator and smiles, pointing toward Jade Capital, the celestial city, deep within the clouds.

Twin phoenixes welcome the immortal into Verdant Shadow, the deep green of secluded mountains. Purple smoke slowly rises, illuminating crimson robes. Where fragrant breezes stir in the jade tower, golden flames rise naturally from the furnace, sending up snowflakes.

Wash away the weariness of the dusty world and clear the myriad thoughts. Move the spirit into the Sea and transform it into the Cinnabar Embryo. The immortal maiden Huayuan calls to the cultivator and smiles, pointing toward Jade Capital, deep within the clouds.

Twin phoenixes welcome the immortal into Verdant Shadow. Purple smoke slowly rises, illuminating crimson robes. Where fragrant breezes stir in the jade tower, golden flowers dance up and down within the furnace.

Alone, move the spirit and enter a realm of pure stillness and luminous emptiness. Let the mind grow clean and clear, without a trace of dust. With pure radiance, illuminate the jade casket, a precious box symbolizing the inner realm, and let light appear layer upon layer. The Heart Cauldron, a metaphor in internal alchemy, opens wide, reflecting a clarity like an ice vessel.

Within, understand one’s true nature; outwardly, penetrate the profound principles. Mysterious light illuminates the Yang Pass, a cultivation aperture, and the Great Dao emerges from it. Inner and outer realms are clear, pure as jade; their radiance meets and shines forth.