《上阳子金丹大要》Vol. 2

In the past, some people took ordinary lead, mercury, cinnabar, and sulfur to be substances for making elixirs. This was like a blind person leading the blind, and it is truly regrettable. Now I will explain the principles clearly to the world.

When we speak of “substances,” we must understand that they arise from things, yet they are neither the ordinary metals, stones, plants, and trees of the world nor objects with tangible form and substance. Even so, they are obtained through what has tangible form. They resemble gold, but are not worldly gold; they resemble water, but are not ordinary water. In the methods of elixir cultivation, substances are divided into inner and outer substances.

Outer substances are sought by finding the precelestial True One Water within Kan, then obtaining from that water precelestial lead that has not been disturbed, and gathering from the lead the precelestial Qi of the Great One. This Qi is the white within darkness, the Yang within Yin. This is precisely what the Wuzhen pian means when it says, “Take the solid center within the Kan position.”

True One Water is also the essence and Qi of the True One. It is the matrix of Heaven and Earth, the source of Yin and Yang, the foundation of Water and Fire, the sovereign of the sun and moon, and the ancestor of the myriad things. The Qiqi tu says, “Kan is Water and the moon; in the human body, it corresponds to the kidneys.” Here, Kan is one of the Eight Trigrams (Bagua), commonly used to symbolize water and the moon, and it also corresponds to the kidneys in the human body.

The kidneys store the essence that gives rise to life. Within this essence is pure Yang Qi, which can rise upward. Essence belongs to Yin, while Qi belongs to Yang; hence the saying that lead is soft and silver is hard. The tiger belongs to Metal, and Metal can generate Water. When Yin and Yang are taken in reverse order, the mother is concealed within the child’s womb. Thus it is said, “The tiger is born within the water”: the tiger is associated with lead and symbolizes Yang within Yin. This is the outer substance described in the Upper Palace.

The “inner medicine” involves seeking the innate, true One’s fluid within the Li trigram, which symbolizes fire and the sun and corresponds to the heart in the human body. This fluid then serves as the medium for setting in motion the sand that has long accumulated innately; within the sand, one further employs innate, utterly true mercury. Here, “mercury” means “black within white, Yin within Yang.” The Wuzhen pian (Awakening to Reality) speaks of “transforming the Yin within the abdomen of the Li palace with a single touch”; this is what the phrase means.

The Qiqi tu says that Li belongs to fire and symbolizes the sun, and corresponds to the heart in the human body. The heart governs the storage of blood. Blood contains the true One’s fluid, which flows downward. Blood belongs to Yang, while fluid belongs to Yin; therefore, sand belongs to Yang and mercury to Yin. The dragon belongs to Wood, and Wood can generate Fire. In taking these substances according to the reversed course of ordinary principles, the mother is concealed and the child revealed: Wood is concealed within Fire, hence the saying that the dragon emerges from Fire. The dragon is also associated with mercury; this is “Yin within Yang.” All of the above concerns only the inner medicine.

Yingchanzi says that those who study the Dao ordinarily should begin with the outer medicine and then cultivate the inner medicine. Those of superior ability, with deep foundations and an inborn understanding of the Great Dao, can skip refining the outer medicine and cultivate the inner medicine directly. The inner medicine follows Wuwei (non-action), in which nothing is left undone; the outer medicine involves deliberate action and specific practices. The inner medicine has no form or substance, yet truly exists. The outer medicine has form and function, yet is ultimately illusory. The outer medicine concerns the physical body, while the inner medicine concerns the Dharma body—the state of body and mind that practitioners describe as transcending the physical body. The outer medicine belongs to the way of the terrestrial immortal, while the inner medicine belongs to the way of the celestial immortal. The outer medicine emphasizes cultivating life; the inner medicine emphasizes cultivating nature. Since the Dao manifests through the transformations of Yin and Yang, the elixirs are also divided into inner and outer.

Wumingzi says that the Li trigram is Yang on the outside and Yin within, while the Kan trigram is Yin on the outside and Yang within. Using inner Yang to transform inner Yin can turn it into the Qian trigram. The Golden Elixir, for example, is Qi of utmost Yang, congealed within the sea of Yin. Once extracted, it is used to transform one’s own Yin mercury with a single touch, thereby turning oneself into a body of pure Yang.

Shangyangzi feared that his explanation might not be thorough enough, so he repeatedly clarified his meaning, patiently leaving behind the secrets of the elixir method in the hope that later practitioners would understand. He cited the Ancestral Master Haichan’s “Song of the Golden Elixir”: to transcend the ordinary and enter the sacred requires two methods of elixir cultivation, the Yin Elixir and the Yang Elixir. To cultivate the Yang Elixir, one must obtain the treasure of the precelestial realm, which contains the five colors and enfolds the Great Dao. To cultivate the Yin Elixir, one must discern precelestial Qi and use the root of nature—the source of a person’s original nature—to safeguard the root of life, the foundation that sustains it.

The Yang Elixir is the external elixir, also called the external medicine. The claim that creation and transformation take place in the “two-eight furnace” means that Yin and Yang Qi unite and transform within the furnace and cauldron. The elixir forms in less than half an hour and is at once complete. The Yang Elixir described here is the truly unitary Qi that existed before Heaven and Earth. It is also called “true lead,” the “divine water of the Flower Pool,” or “true gold.” Zhenyizi said that when Heaven and Earth had not yet formed and all things remained in chaos, true lead attained the One before taking on form; only afterward did Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and the myriad things gradually come into being. A successful practitioner gathers true lead and places it in the suspended-womb cauldron, a vessel used for elixir refinement, then draws mercury into its chamber. This is called the external elixir.

The Yin Elixir is the internal elixir, also called the internal medicine. After obtaining the external elixir and placing it in the cauldron, the practitioner must also use the Yin-Yang talismanic fire—the timing and intensity of cultivation coordinated with internal breathing and intention—and methods such as “drawing out and replenishing” to regulate the fire and nurture the elixir. The Ancestral Master Danyang said: the liquid in the heart descends, the Qi in the kidneys rises, and when they reach the Yellow Chamber, a symbolic bodily site in internal alchemy, they mingle without dispersing, and the elixir coalesces.

The Wuzhen Pian says: do not merely keep watch over the medicine furnace and observe the timing of the fire; simply attend to Shen and breath, letting them move naturally. “Shen and breath” here means the coordination of spirit and breathing. Zhuangzi says that the breathing of a True Person is deep, as if it came from the heels. Guang Chengzi says there is no need to hurry to set the elixir stove and River Cart in motion; one need only be as prolonged and steady as a crane brooding over an egg or a tortoise breathing. Tortoise breathing, heel breathing, and spirit-breathing have different names but the same method. This is called the “true fire,” and it is also the internal medicine.

After taking the elixir, if there is no true fire and original Qi to nourish the sacred embryo, the embryo of the elixir in internal alchemy, one should sit quietly and attend to spirit and breath. Heaven’s One generates Water, which corresponds in the human body to Jing; Earth’s Two generates Fire, which corresponds to Shen. A person’s Jing and Shen sustain the whole body, set Yin and Yang in motion, and harmonize the breath. Practitioners use breathing to direct spirit and Qi, then use spirit and Qi to draw upon Water and Fire, refining and nourishing the embryo through them. Embryonic breathing continues without interruption, moving between Kan and Li, symbols of Water and Fire, Yin and Yang. When Kan and Li interact, they generate liquid gold. Once the liquid gold returns, the elixir is complete.

The Yinfu Jing says, “There is a wondrous vessel here, from which the myriad forms arise.” The Supreme One says, “The place inside a vessel that is empty of everything is precisely where it performs its function.” The Longhu Shangjing describes this cauldron vessel: its center rises in a rounded shape, like Penghu, the legendary mountain of immortals; its opening and closing are sealed with fine precision, and spirit and Qi (vital energy) circulate within it. The furnace is modeled on it as well.

The Huangting Jing says, “The two openings for entering and exiting correspond with the Yellow Court (Huangting), the center of inner cultivation in the body. Breathe within emptiness, and you will see my form.” Perfected Master Boyang says, “This is the principle by which the two openings correspond, and the Metal Qi joins with them.” Perfected Master Ziyang says, “First take Heaven and Earth (Qian and Kun, symbolizing Yin-Yang) as the cauldron vessel; then gather the Crow and Hare (the ingredients symbolizing the sun and moon, Yin and Yang) and refine them by cooking.”

Shangyangzi says: The two openings of the cauldron vessel correspond with the Yellow Court; breathe within emptiness, and you will see your own form. What Perfected Master Boyang describes is precisely the principle by which these two openings correspond and the Metal Qi joins with them. Perfected Master Ziyang, meanwhile, says to first use Heaven and Earth as the cauldron vessel, then gather the ingredients of the Crow and Hare and refine them by cooking.

Shangyangzi says that the “cauldron vessels” used in alchemical cultivation have many different names; there is no single way of referring to them. Without guidance from a learned master, it is difficult to judge what each name means by relying on guesswork alone. The cauldron vessels are also called the Qian-Kun Cauldron Vessels, the Khàn-Lí Enclosure, the Mysterious Pass and Its One Aperture, the Great One’s Spirit Furnace, the Spirit Chamber and Yellow Room, the Primordial Chaos Elixir Cauldron, the Yang Furnace, the Yin Cauldron, the Jade Furnace, the Golden Cauldron, the Crescent-Moon Furnace, the Suspended-Womb Cauldron, the Twenty-Eight Furnace, the Cinnabar Cauldron, the Upper and Lower Crucibles, the Inner and Outer Cauldrons, the Golden Chamber, the Majestic Radiance Cauldron, and the Eastern Yang Furnace of Transformation, among other names. Though the names are many, their uses also differ.

Take, for example, the terms “inner cauldron” and “outer cauldron.” The inner cauldron refers to the lower Dantian, the place within the body where Jing, Qi, and Shen are cultivated and refined. It is located roughly three inches below the navel. Some say it lies behind the navel and in front of the kidneys; others place it where the navel is at the front and the kidneys at the back, or below the navel and above the kidneys. Shangyangzi believes that all these claims are like shooting at a target in the dark, and are difficult to get right. A person of the Dao should instead identify the essential place of the lower Dantian.

The lower Dantian is where Shen and Qi return and are stored. It covers an area of about four inches and is called the “Great Central Pole,” meaning that it lies at the center of the body, between above and below and in all four directions. It is also called the “Great Sea,” because it is said to be able to store the blood and Qi of the whole body.

The Wuzhen Pian says, “When true Jing has returned to the Golden Chamber, one bright pearl will never move.” Li Qing’an says, “When union in the Qian Palace is complete, a single point falls into the Yellow Court.” Both passages refer to the inner cauldron, that is, the Spirit Chamber—the place where Shen and Qi gather and are nurtured in internal cultivation.

The Outer Cauldron is also called the Valley Spirit, the Spirit Vessel, the Mysterious Pass, the Gate of the Mysterious Female, the Gate of the Myriad Wonders, and the “wondrous aperture of being and nonbeing.” These names are like the sound of keys heard by someone who is deaf: their literal meaning alone is hard to understand. What practitioners must recognize is the place where the work is carried out and the substances are refined and gathered. The Perfected Ziyang said, “To make the Valley Spirit endure forever without dying, one must take the Mysterious Female as its foundation.” Ye Wenshu explained the Mysterious Female as the single point of primordial unity between the two kidneys. Wumingzi criticized this explanation as mistaken, arguing that the Mysterious Female consists of two things: without these two things, how could the myriad beings come into existence? He therefore said that both Neidan and Waidan originate from them. The sages secretly transmitted the mystery within and called it the Crescent Moon Furnace and the Suspended Womb Cauldron.

The “Song of the Cauldron and Vessels” in the Cantong qi describes their form in verse: it specifies the circumference, diameter, length, thickness, and dimensions at the waist, and discusses the positions of Yin-Yang, the firing times, and the blending of ingredients. Terms such as “yellow sprouts and lead” in the song belong to the language of alchemy. The text then quotes the Wuzhen pian, saying that the vessel is one chi and five cun around, hollow within for five cun, and one chi and two cun long; its shape resembles Penghu and also the human body. It is divided into three levels, corresponding to the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The furnace mouth is shaped like an upturned moon and measures one chi and two cun around, with additional dimensions for its lip and ring. For this reason, Zhang Sui called it the Crescent Moon Furnace.

This passage describes an outer furnace. The immortal masters used furnaces, cauldrons, and vessels as metaphors so that later students could grasp the teaching more easily. The author holds that without a true master’s detailed explanation, it is difficult to understand the deeper meaning from verses and written texts alone. Although Ye Wenshu said that he had understood after meeting a master at Dantian, he should not have speculated about the Mysterious Female without a teacher’s transmission. Having received that transmission, later students should grasp the essentials of cultivation and not become fixated on words or the outward appearance of vessels.

The text goes on to explain the Yin Furnace and the Yang Cauldron. The Crescent Moon Furnace is the Yin Furnace; within it is the Yang energy of the Jade Medicine, also called the “tendon energy of the tiger.” Its mouth curves upward like a crescent moon, hence its name. In the Yin Sea to which it refers, the innate, natural True One Fire gradually grows. The Cinnabar Cauldron is the Yang Cauldron; within it is the Yin energy of Mercury, also called the “tendon energy of the dragon.” It is called the Suspended Womb because it does not rest on the ground, but seems to hang inside the stove. The cauldron is set eight cun into the furnace, and its belly runs straight from top to bottom. The author repeatedly cautions that such descriptions should not be understood only by their literal wording or the shapes of physical objects; the key is to grasp their meaning.

The Subtle Practice of Gathering: “Gathering” means discerning the right moment and applying the methods when gathering and refining the Neidan (internal alchemy).

The Yinfu Jing says, “The key to the hidden workings of creation is unseen and unknown to the people of the world. When the noble person grasps it, they are content to remain in poverty; when the petty person grasps it, they treat life lightly.” The Huangting Jing says, “The Mysterious Eminence, a place near the throat, is where breath passes and vital essence gathers. Quickly guard this vital essence, and maintain careful self-restraint.” The Cantong qi says, “What is gathered is like white; once refined, it becomes red.” It also says, “Above the Mao and Bi lunar lodges, the Zhen trigram appears as a sign. Yang energy begins to sprout, like the ‘Hidden Dragon’ in the Initial Nine line of the Yijing.” The Jinbi Jing says, “A magnet draws iron: even with an obstruction between them, they communicate unseen.” Master Zhengyang says, “The intermingling of being and nonbeing is the foundation of alchemy.” The Perfected One Ziyang says, “When lead meets the arising of Gui water, gather it at once.” He also says, “When sweet dew descends, Heaven and Earth unite; where the yellow sprout grows, Kan and Li meet.” Zhu Zhen’s Commentary on the Changes says, “At the end and beginning of the lunar month, the Kan moon and Li sun meet at the times of Ren and Gui.” It also says, “At dusk on the third day, the sign of the Zhen trigram appears, and the moon rises from the Geng direction.”

Master Shangyang says, “In reading the books, one must understand the intent of the ancients: the place where Heaven and Earth unite and the yellow sprout grows is precisely the moment when Kan and Li meet.” Zhu Zhen’s Commentary on the Changes says, “At the end and beginning of the lunar month, the Kan moon and Li sun meet at the times of Ren and Gui.” It also says, “At dusk on the third day, the sign of the Zhen trigram appears, and the moon rises from the Geng direction.” These statements use the phases of the moon, directions, and Yin-Yang trigrams to describe the union of Yin and Yang in Neidan practice, the first emergence of Yang energy, and the process of discerning the right moment for gathering and refining.

Shangyangzi says: “When reading, one must grasp what the ancients meant. What use is it to recite the words without understanding them? Take expressions such as ‘the Sun and Moon meet at Ren and Gui’ and ‘at dusk on the third day, Zhen begins to arise.’ These cannot be understood by guesswork; all the less so if one has merely glanced over them once.

“Expressions such as ‘Being and Nonbeing enter one another,’ ‘when Gui is born, gather swiftly,’ and ‘Heaven and Earth unite, Kan and Li interact’ cannot be understood through conjecture alone. They speak of subtle and precious truths that must be transmitted directly by a genuine teacher. What does ‘interact’ mean? It means interacting in a way that does not interact. What does ‘unite’ mean? It means uniting in a way that does not unite. What does ‘gather’ mean? It means gathering in a way that does not gather. What is it to gather in a way that does not gather? It is to break open primordial chaos—the undivided state before Heaven and Earth took shape—and gather in a way that does not gather. What is it to interact in a way that does not interact? It is to bore through Hundun, the undivided state of chaos, and interact in a way that does not interact. What is it to unite in a way that does not unite? It is to unite in a way that does not unite amid the indistinct, deep, and mysterious realm.

“When primordial chaos has yet to divide, one must seek the state before Taiyi, the original stage before the universe took on any visible form. After Hundun has divided, one must investigate the moment when ‘Gui is born.’ In the deep realm beyond form and image, one seeks the truth. What is primordial chaos? It is like an egg at the moment it first forms, and is also close to the meaning of ‘Central Yellow,’ which points to an inner center. What is Hundun? The Moon rises from the Geng-Shen direction, and Zhen first arises in the direction of Mao and Bi. The egg’s division into form can help one understand the state before Taiji began to unfold. The Moon’s appearance in the Geng direction allows one to infer the moment when ‘Gui is born’ and returns. What is the indistinct, deep, and mysterious realm? It is an exhortation to search deeply for the source of your own life, so that the seed may fall in the Palace of Intercourse of the Qian House, an inner place symbolized by Qian.

“Wumingzi says: ‘Gui is born’ means that the hour of Chou is approaching. The Venerable Ziyang says: ‘The White Tiger’s foremost scripture is the supreme treasure; the divine water of the Flower Pond is true gold.’ Xiangchuanxi says: ‘When Gui falls on the Zi hour, gather swiftly; do not miss the appointed time.’ These passages discuss the act of gathering. But ‘Gui’ and ‘Zi’ here do not carry the literal meanings of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, nor does ‘Zhen’ refer to the wording of a particular line in the Book of Changes. Shangyangzi’s essential point is that Kan and Li meet at Gui, the Moon appears and Zhen arises, and the indistinct, deep, and mysterious realm, the egg, and Taiyi—all these must be sought within the human body. Therefore, the Winter Solstice does not occur at the Zi hour.”

Master Shangyang said: “When we now speak of ‘gathering and taking’—the process in Neidan cultivation of gathering the elixir ingredients and refining Jing and Qi—we must first clarify what serves as its instrument and what Shen guides the process.

“Master Yuanduzhi said: ‘The inner clarity of awareness in a person belongs to “nonbeing”—that is, Shen. The currents that blend and circulate without cease within the body belong to “being”—that is, Qi.’ The Patriarch Zhengyang said: “Whose power makes it possible to ascend to Heaven and enter the Earth? For wondrous efficacy and spiritual responsiveness, one must rely on Shen.” The ‘thing’ spoken of here is Shen: the meaning is that Shen must serve as the instrument for gathering and taking.

“Master Danyang said: ‘Quickly cast down the distinction between self and others, and swiftly break open the Cavity of the Dragon and Tiger.’ The Cantong qi says: ‘The three treasures of ears, eyes, and mouth must be closed, so they do not communicate outward. The Perfected One lies hidden in the abyss, floating within the circle.’ These words all teach single-minded focus: settle body and mind, and quietly await the opening of the Cavity of the Dragon and Tiger. They also teach gathering and holding the mind and Shen, while concentrating on the moment.

“The Cantong qi also says: ‘The Qi of the Li Palace gathers in the Qi that nourishes and defends; the Kan Palace no longer uses the hearing of the ears, and the Dui Palace no longer uses the speech of the mouth. Speak little, and accord with the state before things have separated. Lock these three places, relax the body, and dwell peacefully in an empty, quiet room. Return your thoughts to emptiness, and let no distracting thoughts arise.’ This means gathering in sound, sight, and speech, and quietly awaiting the right moment.

“When gathering the elixir ingredients, one must guard them closely and exercise the greatest care. The Yi Jing, in its Hexagram Fu, says: ‘In Fu, is what appears not the very heart of Heaven and Earth, giving life to all things?’ It also says that on the day of the winter solstice, the former kings closed the passes, merchants and travelers ceased their journeys, and the ruler did not tour the regions. These are all teachings in the Yi Jing on careful vigilance and restraint.

“The Poem on Pointing Out the Mystery says: ‘Close the mouth, lower the eyelids, and watch in silence; white snow fills the sky, crisscrossing everywhere. Gather the earnest Qi and do not let it disperse; quietly await the rise of the solitary moon.’ Here, ‘Dui’ refers to the mouth, ‘curtain’ to the eyes, and ‘white snow’ to Waidan (a term used here in Neidan for the ingredients gathered and refined in cultivation). Master Zhengyang uses these words to warn later generations to exercise such care and restraint when gathering and taking.

“Guangchengzi said to the Yellow Emperor: ‘Guard the inner self carefully and close the outer senses; knowing too much can bring harm. I will guide you above the Great Brightness, so you may reach the source of utmost Yang; then I will lead you through the Gate of Mysterious Darkness, so you may reach the source of utmost Yin.’ He also said: ‘That thing has no end, yet people all think it has a terminus; that thing cannot be measured, yet people all think it has limits.’”

Shangyangzi says: “To reach the utmost is to establish the foundation for living as a human being and for cultivation. The sources of utmost Yang and utmost Yin are an immeasurable, unfathomable gate—the ‘Mysterious Female’ (the deep source that gives birth to all things).

“Perfected Ziyang says: ‘Once you seize the cinnabar mercury in the Earthly Soul, the Heavenly Soul will naturally come to subdue water-metal.’ The Earthly Soul is the tiger’s bowstring Qi, referring to the Yang Qi in the Kan trigram. The Heavenly Soul is the dragon’s bowstring Qi, referring to the Yin Qi in the Li trigram. The tiger belongs to lead and holds the place of ruler and master, so it is taken first to seize and subdue mercury. The dragon belongs to mercury and holds the place of minister and guest, so it is used afterward to subdue lead. Thus, the tiger uses the fire of Yang within Yin to cook the Qian dragon; the dragon then releases the fire of Yin within Yang in response. When lead and mercury work together and condense into an elixir, it must be gathered in good time and stored in the Golden Chamber, the site where the Neidan elixir is condensed.

“A poem by an ancient immortal says: ‘Fragrance arises from foulness; sweetness comes from bitterness.’

“Weng Zhengyang says: Gather the medicine above the Nine Palaces, the symbolic regions of cultivation within the body, and bring it into the Yellow Court, the central region of internal cultivation. Then draw lead from below the Crooked River, another symbolic site of cultivation within the body, and transport it upward to the Inner Court. Jade Liquid and Golden Liquid are themselves the Reverted Elixir. Circulating them refines the body and sends water Qi upward. Ruler’s Fire and People’s Fire are originally used to refine the body; circulating them refines the elixir and drives fire Qi downward.

“The Five Qi paying court to the Origin, the Qi of the five viscera gathering in the primordial spirit, follows its own timing in circulation. The Three Flowers gathering at the crown, Jing, Qi, and Shen converging at the top of the head, likewise follows its appointed days. When Shen and Qi gather in abundance, demonic disturbances are easily drawn in. Refine the self with the pure, true fire, and the traces of the Three Corpses—the spirits said in Daoism to dwell in the body and hinder cultivation—will be cut off. Once the medicine is refined, it is like the sea drying up. Circulate the Rosy Nectar, the fluid produced through internal cultivation, to bathe in it, and one may enter water without stirring a ripple.

“It is also said: When the dragon and tiger unite, they transform into the Yellow Sprout, a sign that the Neidan elixir is beginning to form. Draw out lead and replenish mercury, and the Great Medicine is refined. In the Mysterious Warrior Palace, the region symbolizing the body’s northern direction and Kidney Water, Golden Crystal has just begun to sprout; beneath Jade Capital Mountain, the region symbolizing the head in internal cultivation, true Qi has only just begun to rise. Set the River Cart, the method of conveying Jing and Qi along the meridians, in motion until it reaches the crown, and pour Jade Liquid into the Central Thoroughfare, the channel at the body’s center. Set the dragon and tiger Qi in motion so that Golden Crystal ascends; nurture the Embryonic Immortal, the true spirit gestated through Neidan cultivation, and thereby bring forth true Qi.”

Shangyangzi says: A wise and enlightened teacher guides those who seek the Dao with the greatest care, always fearing that the instruction may be incomplete. Cultivation is a matter of great importance. It is not a technique like tending a fire and boiling something. As for where to begin and how to gather the ingredients, these cannot be understood merely by hearing or seeing. So I will explain “gathering” once again.

By gathering, I mean gathering precelestial Qi and obtaining true lead of the One (an alchemical term for the fundamental ingredient symbolizing innate true Yang in Neidan cultivation). It means gathering the Yang line from the Kan trigram and obtaining the tiger within water; gathering white from darkness and obtaining Yang from within Yin. None of these expressions refers to the heterodox practices of gathering essence and taking blood, entering the bedroom to replenish the brain, or returning essence, much less the so-called “three peaks” method of gathering through sexual acts. Such practices belong to the conduct of vulgar and ignorant people. They do not seek a true teacher but mislead one another and pass on errors. In this way, they lose the Dao themselves and damage the true methods of the Dao.

Those who have cultivated deeply should investigate the origin of human life, understand the original mind that existed before the Taiji formed, and contemplate the mystery of creation before it began. The scripture uses the phases of the moon and the changing trigrams of the Yi to explain the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang. At the dark moon and new moon, the moon’s light disappears, as though it borrows the sun’s light to shine again. “In the southwest, one finds a companion” refers to Kun receiving assistance: sunlight appears from the Geng direction, forming the Zhen trigram. Investigating this far makes clear that people are born by receiving the precelestial Qi, which is empty, mysterious, and pure. It also clarifies the saying “the mother has a mother” and shows that true lead has a source.

What is the source of true lead? After the undivided chaos that existed before Heaven and Earth separated began to differentiate, the Qian trigram changed into Xun and later into Li. Its true Yang then resided within Kan. Thus the metal hidden in Kan originally belonged to Qian; this is what is meant by the source of true lead. What does “the mother has a mother” mean? Before Heaven and Earth took shape, the undivided whole contained a subtle, numinous sign. This is “the mother of the mother.”

Once practitioners understand the principles of gathering and have grasped the origin of life, they must also examine the cycles and timing. In a month, only one day is suitable for gathering; in a day, only one double-hour; and each double-hour is divided into six periods, of which only two are used for gathering. The remaining four are called “uniting the Elixir.” The key to uniting the Elixir is to swiftly bring one’s own mercury and lead together at this time. The practitioner regulates the breath so that Qi moves through the four directions, then reverses its course from the Great Mystery Pass to the Celestial Valley point and swallows it into the Golden Chamber. This describes the Neidan work of kindling the fire, circulating it, and beginning the practice.

Thus Zhenyizi says, “Establish the furnace and cauldron; set the heavenly mechanism in motion.” At first, nothing has form, like the chaos before Heaven and Earth separated. When the fire is kindled and the talismanic cycles are set in motion, it is like the start of a new year, when growth begins to gestate. The Cantong qi says, “The energies of capping and marriage join together; the first year then sprouts and grows.” This describes the beginning of receiving Qi. An old song says, “Yellow sprout is refined from lead and mercury; within the Yin shell, the radiance of Yang is held.” This is called “a man bearing a child.” The practice of sitting upright and facing a wall is also revealed here.

The Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger (Longhu Jing) says that Earth Qi moves through the four seasons, maintaining boundaries and establishing the proper order. Earth’s De occupies the position of ruler. It is like laying down weapons and pacifying the four quarters, bringing peace to the world.

The scripture also says that Kan contains the Yang essence of Metal, while Li contains the Yin light of Fire. Metal and Fire contend; Water and Earth overcome one another. Earth Qi holds sway in Metal’s direction and governs Metal, Fire, Water, and Earth, bringing the forces that contend and overcome one another into balance. The world is thereby brought to peace. This is described as the De of Earth in the central palace—that is, the work of the Yellow Emperor.

The text further says that the Mysterious Maiden, a legendary female immortal, demonstrated the sequence of Yin-Yang transformations. The two Earths, Wu and Ji, are of greatest importance and accord with the celestial timing and tally. Cinnabar is the father of mercury; Wu-Ji Earth is the mother of gold. The Perfected Ziyang says that without Wu-Ji Earth to harmonize Li Fire and Kan Water, they cannot form the Elixir, even when the Four Symbols—the four elements present in Yin-Yang transformation—are contained within them. Wood and Metal cannot meet if they are kept apart; they must be brought together and harmonized through the “Yellow Matron,” a mediator symbolizing Wu-Ji Earth.

Shangyangzi says: Without Earth, the Five Phases are incomplete. Without Earth, the five metals cannot form; without Earth, the five grains cannot bear fruit; and without Earth, the Golden Elixir cannot be refined. Thus, in each of the four directions between Heaven and Earth is a constellation associated with Earth: in the east, Di Earth; in the south, Liu Earth; in the west, Wei Earth; and in the north, Nü Earth. These constellations also share the celestial palaces of the four cardinal directions with the Sun and Moon. This is the symbolic placement of Earth within the system of constellations.

Nü Earth in the Kan trigram corresponds to Wu Earth, while Liu Earth in the Li trigram corresponds to Ji Earth. This is the symbolism of the Golden Elixir. Earth Qi is distributed throughout the four seasons, but it comes into its full power only at the end of summer and beginning of autumn. Without Earth’s action, Metal cannot form. In the Five Phases, Wood overcomes Earth; but without Earth, how could Wood grow?

Lead, mercury, cinnabar, silver, and Earth are used here to explain the relationships among the Five Phases. Lead originally arises from Dui, yet, like a mother who has withdrawn and a child hidden within, it must be sought in Kan, for Kan contains Wu Earth. Adding lead to mercury is called “sending Wu to join Ji”: when Wu Earth and Ji Earth unite, the golden flower naturally condenses. Swallowing it is called “drinking a measure of elixir.” “Knife” refers to the lead within Wu Earth; “measure” refers to Wu and Ji Earth joined as one.

Ji Earth in the Li trigram supports the radiance of the Sun and occupies the Horse position. That is why the daytime is hot in summer, while winter days, too, have some warmth. The Horse position is where Yin Qi begins to emerge, and the Sun belongs to Yang; Ji Earth is therefore Yin within Yang, symbolizing the Dragon’s bowstring Qi. Wu Earth in the Kan trigram supports the radiance of the Moon and occupies the Rat position. That is why winter days are warm and summer nights are cool. The Rat position is where Yang Qi begins to emerge, and the Moon belongs to Yin; Wu Earth is therefore Yang within Yin, symbolizing the Tiger’s bowstring Qi.

The Dragon and Tiger contain the true Earth of Wu and Ji. Thus, when the Dragon and Tiger join, Wu and Ji unite; when Wu and Ji unite, lead and mercury gather; and when lead and mercury gather, the Reverted Elixir condenses. Those who truly cultivate the Way should grasp the meaning here and not cling to the literal wording. To seek the original meaning, they must also discern what lies beyond the words; to investigate the mystery, they must also awaken to the hidden teaching within it. Why is this so?

Master Shangyang said: The great work of refining the Golden Elixir depends entirely on the two crucial functions of Wu Earth and Ji Earth. If one does not understand them, they go their separate ways like clouds and mud; once understood, they attract each other like a needle and a mustard seed. It is like two sovereigns meeting: they need an envoy to manage the ceremony and communication between them. When two countries are at war, someone must likewise mediate between them and make peace. The magpie bridge in the heavens and the ferryboat in the human world are also means of connecting two sides.

An army of a million must have a general to command it; ending hostilities and governing civil affairs require a minister to take charge. Thus Wu and Ji Earth are called the “Yellow Matron” and are also compared to a matchmaker. Wu Earth is also called the “river chariot,” symbolizing the guarding of boundaries; Ji Earth is also called the “ox cart,” symbolizing adherence to established rules. The metaphors in Golden Elixir texts each refer to something specific, and each has its proper occasion. True Immortals and supreme sages, wishing to guide later generations out of hardship and show them that the Way of the Golden Elixir can cultivate longevity and transcend the world, used names and metaphors to make it easier to understand.

The Wuzhen pian says: “The red dragon and black tiger each dwell in east and west; the Four Images mingle within Wu and Ji.” This means that the Golden Elixir is formed through the union of Wu and Ji. When Wu and Ji unite, Kan and Li—the trigrams of Water and Fire—naturally join; the symbolic forces of Dragon and Tiger gather within Wu and Ji, and soon condense into a single essence. Ingest this essence and return it to the “Golden Chamber,” the place symbolizing the storage and nurturing of Jing and Qi in internal alchemy. Then apply the Yin-Yang talismanic fire—the process of cultivation based on inner Yin-Yang transformations—to refine it into pure Yang.

Wang Dao said: “The sun shines three times; the moon shifts three times.” When the sun and moon rise in the east and illuminate the west, the vital force of the White Tiger in the west, associated with the virtue of Metal, enters the depths of the mysterious darkness and transforms into the Six Wus. When the sun and moon travel westward and illuminate the east, the vital force of the Azure Dragon in the east, associated with the virtue of Wood, enters the mysterious darkness and transforms into the Six Jis. When the sun and moon stand at the meridian and illuminate the north, the vital force of the Vermilion Bird in the south, associated with the virtue of Fire, enters the mysterious darkness, takes shape, and transforms into black lead. It remains forever in the profound state that precedes the opening of Heaven and Earth. This is the root of all things between Heaven and Earth, and the ancestral Qi—the primordial vital energy—of the Golden Elixir.

“On the Wondrous Use of the Fire Phases”

The Jinbi Jing says that when beginning the firing process in alchemical refinement, the heat should first be gentle and mild, like the initial movement of the Yin-Yang lines. The Wuzhen Pian says that even if one recognizes the ingredients cinnabar and black lead, this is of no use without understanding the fire phases. Wang Dao says that in refining the divine elixir of liquid gold, everything depends on the fire phases. Fire is the parent of the ingredients, and the ingredients are the offspring born of fire.

Master Wei Lü said that nothing surpasses the Yellow Emperor’s method of the Golden Elixir for fully realizing the Way of nature and life. The mystery of the Golden Elixir lies in the “fire record,” the method for recording and mastering the fire phases. The subtlety of the fire record symbolizes Kan and Li—Water and Fire—interacting to bring about transformation and wondrous effects. It is therefore obvious that a great practitioner who does not understand lead, mercury, and the fire phases cannot refine the elixir. In the past, Cui the Elder passed the Tianyuan Ruyao Jing to Patriarch Chunyang, presumably so that he would study the fire work in depth. Those who study the Dao should devote themselves to learning it.

Chan Master Daoguang said, “The sages pass on the ingredients but not the fire phases; since ancient times, few have truly understood them. Do not treat the Great Dao as child’s play. You should investigate it carefully with the immortals.” The Perfected One of the Niwan said that one should sweep away shallow, minor techniques and distinguish the methods for the fire phases and gathering the ingredients. Take only one substance, “gold in water” (a Neidan term for the Jing and Qi gathered in cultivation), and place it within the creative process of emptiness. Let the channels throughout the body return to their original source. When the pulse has settled and the breath is at rest, the elixir begins to congeal.

The Huangting Jing says, “Understand how to use the male to guard the female, and you will escape decline; understand how to see black in white, and you should immediately sit in stillness and hold to it.” Elder Qiyun said that the human body contains “three dou and three sheng,” and that fire cannot burn without the aid of wind. This image of wind assisting fire illustrates the importance of coordinating the fire phases with the movement of Qi during cultivation.

The commentary on the Wuzhen Pian explains: “‘The female within the male’ refers to the dragon’s cord-like Qi, that is, mercury; ‘Yang embraced within Yin’ refers to the tiger’s cord-like Qi, that is, lead. Only when the two substances unite can they produce an elixir the size of a millet grain. Take it into the Dantian in the abdomen, and it will transform the Yang soul and dissolve the Yin po-soul.”

The fire phases can be described through the hours of the day. At the hour of Zi, the first Yang is born, and the pure Yang Jing and Qi in the kidneys rise. At this time, advance the Yang fire, corresponding to the Returning hexagram in the Yijing. At the hour of Wu, the first Yin is born, and the Qi of utmost Shen in the heart descends. At this time, advance the Yin tally, corresponding to the Encountering hexagram.

Shangyangzi said: The essentials of the firing process are exceedingly secret, and the sages have never passed them on lightly. Now I will reveal a little of them. Without fire, the medicines cannot come into being. Once the medicines mature, the fire also merges into them. Without the medicines, the fire cannot arise. When the firing process reaches its proper point, the medicines are refined. The mysteries of the firing process cannot all be treated alike; each step has its own precise order. How could one fail to examine them carefully?

When Metal is joined with Fire, its direction is southwest. Thus, on the third day after a geng day, Yang begins to sprout within Gui Water. At this time, one should first investigate the meaning of chapter forty-eight of the Cantong qi (The Seal of the Unity of the Three), a Daoist classic on the principles of alchemy. Then one will understand: seek the root in the source of Heaven and Earth, and trace the origin to the mother of Yin and Yang. This takes place amid profound obscurity, in a state of indistinctness and dimness, where the source of the water is perfectly clear and utterly still. Master Ziyang said, “White snow arises within emptiness; yellow sprouts begin to grow in stillness.” This is one of the secrets of the firing process.

When gathering the medicines, one uses strong fire. A period of time is divided into six phases, but only two phases are used to gather the medicines and apply the fire; there must not be the slightest error. One should deeply understand the meaning of chapter forty-nine of the Cantong qi. Master Ziyang said, “The medicines form in the Mysterious Aperture; the firing process begins in the Yang Furnace.” This is one of the prohibitions of the firing process.

Although the medicines have been gathered, when placing them in the cauldron one must still distinguish their weights, down to the smallest measures. Do not use too much, lest the excess cause harm. Master Ziyang said, “The Wood Mercury is but a speck of red; the Metal Lead is three catties of black.” The Cantong qi says, “It is called the First Cauldron; what it contains is as small as a large millet grain.” This is one of the subtle formulas of the firing process.

Afterward, True Lead returns to the Golden Chamber. Divide it evenly into twelve sections, and at each section advance the fire and carry out the talismanic procedures according to the proper sequence of the firing process. Master Wei said, “The twelve sections proceed in a cycle; at the end of each section, one must still take charge personally.” This is one way of applying the firing process.

When Mercury has been added and Lead drawn out, and the Lead is exhausted and the Mercury dried, the Golden Elixir has been completed and the infant—an image of the inner spirit achieved through the Elixir Way—is about to appear. The Cantong qi says, “After a thousand turnings, its radiance shines in profusion; after ten thousand, it can be seen.” This is the completion of the firing process.

The sage masters repeatedly admonish those who come later to use the medicines with great care and to manage the firing process with meticulous attention. Master Ziqing said: How could people of shallow worldly understanding, or beginners, know that the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and the celestial and terrestrial immortals gather medicines every day without pause, gathering ever more without end? How could they know that the mountains, rivers, and Earth, along with all living beings, keep the firing process moving at every moment, never stopping, so that it runs on and on without limit?

Such are the medicines and the firing process: follow the ordinary course, and one remains mortal; reverse the ordinary course, and one can become an immortal. The ancients said, “When the Five Phases are reversed, the Earth becomes the Seven Treasures; when the Five Phases proceed in their ordinary order, the entire Dharma Realm is like a pit of fire.” Master Ziyang said, “The White Tiger’s first menstruum is the supreme treasure; the divine water of the Flower Pool is true gold.” He also said, “Gather according to the proper time, and distinguish what floats from what sinks; when advancing the fire, be sure to guard against danger.” Once great practitioners have received the true formula from a sage master, how could they fail to understand the firing process?

An ancient song says, “Lead is the mother of the Yellow Sprout; the Yellow Sprout is born from Lead. Even after obtaining the Golden Flower, one must still use Lead.” This means that Lead is the Metal Mother in the Central Palace, able continually to generate True Mercury. Once Mercury has congealed into the Elixir, Lead is no longer used.

The Nameless Master said, “When the mind is empty, there is no self; all things are void, and the mind is pure. If you wish to make body and mind full, refine Lead until Mercury is dry; do not stir your Jing and Qi.” Jing is Mercury. Guarding Mercury to make oneself full leads to a hall filled with gold and jade. This is what Laozi called “embracing the One,” holding fast without letting go of the fundamental source. The “One” is the Elixir. Embrace this source and let the mind return to stillness and emptiness; only when the mind is empty and free of dust is it truly full. Refine Lead to restrain Mercury, drying it until the body is transformed; then hold fast to the source and make the mind empty and still. In this way, the mystery manifests, and one joins with the Dao in truth. Those who cultivate the Elixir must not recklessly stir their Jing and Qi before Lead has been refined into Metal. If Jing and Qi are insufficient, the Golden Elixir will be difficult to complete.

A great practitioner said: Sovereign Fire and Minister Fire, which symbolize different levels of the firing process, are originally used to refine the body. By turning the firing process, one can smelt the Golden Elixir and make the fire descend; this must therefore follow a method. Water flowing downward is the ordinary course. To reverse it means to make water rise. How could water rise by itself?

Master Zhengyang said: Jade Liquor and Golden Liquor, names for Jing and Qi in internal alchemy, are originally used to refine the Returned Elixir. By turning the practice, one can refine the body and make water rise; this must have its corresponding method. This is what it means to reverse Yin and Yang.

It is like a household: the master stays at home, while a guest comes from outside—that is the ordinary arrangement. To reverse it is to make the visitor the master and the person who originally lived in the house the guest. It is also like a woman marrying a man, as is customary. Reversing this arrangement means that the man enters the woman’s family as a son-in-law. This is called marrying into the wife’s family, or becoming a husband who cares for his wife’s parents. Though the man came from outside, he becomes the master of the household. This is what is called “taking by reversal”: great practice, reversing the ordinary course to become an immortal. If fire still rises and water still flows downward, people and all things remain in their ordinary state; they are not immortals.

The Chapter on Transformative Powers and Subtle Functions

Patriarch Zhongli said, “Seek out immortals and companions in the Way, and learn the art of alchemy. Carefully select cinnabar and sulfur, then refine them into the Great Reversion Elixir.”

Venerable Haichan said, “Set the firing times in motion according to the hexagram images, and complete the circuit of the heavenly cycle. Then a child will be formed in the lower Dantian (energy center). Suddenly, a rumble breaks out, like thunder erupting from beneath the earth. The Gate of Qian, which symbolizes the opening of Yang energy, swings wide, and light shines across ten thousand miles. The practitioner turns and bursts through the Great Mystery Pass, a crucial juncture in cultivation. Only upon reaching this stage does one truly become an immortal.”

The Cantong qi says, “In sleep, spirit and Qi embrace one another; when awake, too, attend to their changes. The complexion gradually grows lustrous, and the joints become firm and strong. Dispel all forms of Yin and evil Qi, then support and establish pure Yang Qi. When cultivation proceeds without interruption, true Qi moves like clouds and rain. It flows continuously, like spring rain nourishing all things, or water released as ice and snow melt. It runs from the head down to the feet, then eventually rises again, moving back and forth without end. True Qi fills and circulates throughout the body.”

Shangyangzi said, “When practitioners attain success, they cultivate without interruption, and true Qi moves like clouds and rain. It flows continuously, like spring rain nourishing all things, or water released as ice and snow melt. It runs from the head down to the feet, then eventually rises again, moving back and forth without end, filling and circulating throughout the body.”

Shangyangzi says: Those who have reached a deeper stage of cultivation take in “knife-point” (daogui, a prepared elixir or elixir liquid), then circulate their own “Jade Fungus” (yuzhi, the refined essence and Qi of internal alchemy) to warm and nourish it. While working with the firing times, they may suddenly feel true Qi surge up the middle of the back to the Niwan Palace, a cultivation site within the head, and hear a faint sound. It may seem as though something touches the brain from the crown of the head. A little later, they may feel beadlike drops of liquid, each like a sparrow’s egg, flow from the upper palate down the throat. The liquid tastes cool as ice and snow, sweet and fragrant. These sensations are regarded as signs that the Golden Elixir has been restored through the Golden Liquid. At this point, one should slowly swallow the liquid back into the Dantian, the cultivation site in the abdomen. Afterward, the sensation often recurs. With the eyes closed and attention turned inward, one may seem to see the internal organs clearly, as if lit by a lamp. In time, a golden radiance may appear to envelop the body.

The Old Man of Niwan says: “I once cultivated for a year. The six pulses had stopped, and Qi had returned to its root.” Laozi says: “Concentrate the essence and gather Qi, and you can reach a state of softness, like an infant.” Both sayings refer to warming and nourishing. This means relaxing the limbs, gathering in the senses and thoughts, and maintaining a state of undivided wholeness throughout the day, without a moment’s interruption. It is like a hen incubating an egg: the warmth must never cease, and only then will the work of drawing out and adding to the ingredients take effect.

“Drawing out and adding to” refers to lead restraining mercury. Here it means that after lead has restrained mercury, one continues to tend the fire each day, gradually adding to and nourishing the mercury. As the mercury increases, the lead diminishes. In time, the lead is used up and the mercury dries out, finally transforming into cinnabar. This is called the pure Yang substance of the Golden Elixir restored through the Golden Liquid. Thus the physical form transforms into Qi, and Qi transforms into spirit: this is called the “infant,” also known as the “Yang Spirit.”

The Scripture of the Yellow Court says: “I watch the child growing and wandering within me, and ask, ‘Whose child is this, living inside my body?’” Zhengyang Xi says: “The child is young and not yet grown; its development depends entirely on the mother’s nurturing grace.”

During the Jingding era of the Song dynasty, an immortal named Lan Yangsu refined the Great Golden Elixir of the Golden Liquid and entered Yue Mountain, where he remained in the womb for a long time. Later, he received a message from the Old Man of Haichan, delivered by Li Yuxi. He clapped his hands and laughed aloud; a thunderclap sounded at the Gate of Heaven on his crown, and then he departed. He is the Master of Long Laughter of Yue Mountain, as he is known today.

The Patriarch Chunyang says: “I truly underwent nine years of tending the fire; then, suddenly, one day, the Gate of Heaven at the crown of my head burst open. When the perfected person appears, great spiritual powers follow, and from then on even the celestial immortals may offer their congratulations.” When cultivation reaches this stage, the great work of the Golden Elixir is complete.

The Seventh Scroll of Shangyangzi’s Essentials of the Golden Elixir

The Sixth Scroll of Shangyangzi’s Essentials of the Golden Elixir

This passage appears to describe the actual course of fire-phase cultivation: suddenly, the Celestial Gate—the key point for cultivation at the crown of the head—opens, and the Realized Person appears, displaying great supernatural powers. At this stage, one may celebrate the attainment of celestial immortality. The great work of Golden Elixir cultivation is now complete.

The Seventh Scroll of Shangyangzi’s Essentials of the Golden Elixir

The Sixth Scroll of Shangyangzi’s Essentials of the Golden Elixir

This passage appears to be missing some text. The original may have read: “The great cultivator reverses the ordinary course and takes the opposite path to form the Elixir. Master Zhengyang said…” The text that follows then continues with a quotation from Master Zhengyang.

The Seventh Scroll of Shangyangzi’s Essentials of the Golden Elixir

Written by Chen Zhixu, the Shangyangzi of Zixiao Jiangong

Chen Zhixu, the Shangyangzi of Zixiao Jiangong, was the author of this book.

What One Should Know

What one should know about directing the fire and applying the talismans: matters to understand when managing the fire phases and putting talismanic methods into practice.

The Perfected Bo Yang said: The sun-catching mirror, used to kindle fire, must borrow the sun’s light to produce a flame. The square vessel, used to collect water, could not gather liquid without the light of the stars and moon. Though the Yin and Yang energies are subtle and remote, they can still resonate with one another and bring forth transformation. How much more so with the human body and mind, which are close at hand: the key lies within one’s own heart. When Yin and Yang are joined, water and fire become signs of their workings.

He also said: Nature, a person’s inner disposition, dwells within, so its foundations must first be established. Emotion, the activity of the feelings, works outwardly and must be guarded as one would fortify a city wall. When the inner and outer walls are both secure, people and all things can be at peace.

The Scripture of the Yellow Court says: Those who cultivate the Dao should live at ease, in quiet solitude, nurturing nature and life, and maintaining emptiness, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action).

Master Yuandu said: People who cultivate the Dao today often have not received the true transmission and do not understand what Ping Shu meant when he said, “If you have not refined the Returning Elixir, do not enter the mountains.” They only want to escape the bustle and seek quiet, withdraw from the world and live apart from others, abandon their wives and children, and distance themselves from ordinary life. They live alone in deep mountains and secluded valleys, taking pride in this, as if cultivating the Dao meant casting aside worldly life.

Master Wuming said: Before applying the firing process, one must first determine the timing, distinguishing the Zi and Wu hours, then align Yin and Yang as the basis for transformation. The six-four trigrams are arranged according to the Yin Talisman, while the Yang Fire proceeds in accordance with the twenty-four solar terms. The Celestial Pass, the key to guiding the movement of Qi in cultivation, is held in the hands; the Earth Axis, corresponding to the body’s inner foundation, is kept in the heart. The pivotal workings of the seventy-two pentads are gathered in the crucible, the symbolic vessel in which the ingredients of Neidan are refined. The vital energy of the year’s 3,600 days is then drawn together and made to enter the embryo, the symbol of the formation of the inner elixir.

When applying extraction and replenishment to regulate the firing process and inner refinement, one must be careful and focused, closely discerning danger. There must be no momentary deviation or slightest confusion. In this way, one can outwardly receive the correspondences of Yin-Yang transformation and inwardly give rise to the body of True Unity. If the mind is not applied with care and the seasonal timings fall into disorder, the Maiden, a Neidan symbol of Yin essence and Qi, will escape, and the spirit embryo cannot form.

Master Yingchan said: At the initial stage of gathering the ingredients, one must first recognize when the Heavenly Gui, the sign that essence and Qi are stirring, arises. At the middle stage, one must understand how to harmonize the True Breath, the subtle breathing of cultivation, so that the breath circulates through the Six Vacuities, the empty spaces within and beyond the body. The breath travels in reverse from the Great Mystery Pass, a key point in the movement of Qi, to the Heavenly Valley point in the head, where it joins; then it descends to the Yellow Chamber, a symbolic region around the spleen and stomach in Neidan cultivation, and enters the Central Palace, the body’s central area of inner refinement.

Shangyangzi says: “‘Moving the fire’ means making use of both inner and outer fire. ‘Fire’ is the medicinal fire used in alchemical refinement; ‘timing’ is the rhythm of the fire’s stages; and ‘steps’ are the procedures coordinated with those stages.

“When the sages began refining the elixir, they had to understand how lead and mercury meet and respond to one another. When the True One’s lead—a key substance in Neidan practice—is about to arrive, they use their own mercury, another Neidan substance, to receive it. This is what it means to make use of inner and outer fire. When lead and mercury unite, they form an elixir the size of a millet grain. This is then gathered into the Golden Chamber and serves as the seed of the elixir.

“Moving the fire begins at the Zi hour, when the hexagram Fu (Return) governs the signs of time. Yang fire is then advanced swiftly; this is called ‘beginning the work.’ Advancing the fire’s stages is also called ‘field combat.’ This field combat is the union of the Dragon and Tiger—the merging of Yin and Yang Qi. At this point, use three parts martial fire, and keep the initial period of practice short.

“When carrying out the time signs, advance the Yin talisman at the Wu hour, when the hexagram Gou (Coming to Meet) is in command, concealing the Yang fire within it. This is why carrying out the time signs is also called ‘laying down the work and guarding the citadel.’ The citadel is guarded because the furnace’s foundation has already been established. From then on, one need only nurture it gently and bathe it, taking care to prevent even the slightest error. At this point, use seven parts civil fire, and let the later period of practice be long.

“However, the fire stages represented by the hexagrams Fu and Gou must both be sought within oneself. One must discern the source from which one’s own life arises in order to grasp their meaning; there is no need to cling rigidly to words and hexagram images. The Perfected One Ziyang says in the Four Hundred Words on the Golden Elixir: ‘The fire’s timing need not be fixed to particular hours; the winter solstice does not necessarily fall at the Zi hour.’ Those who study and practice should reflect on this carefully.”

What You Should Know About the New Moon, Full Moon, Half Moons, and Dark Moon

Yanduzi says: “A single spark of Yang essence—Yang vital energy in Neidan practice—is secretly stored within the mountain of the body. It is neither in the heart nor in the kidneys, but at the one aperture of the Mysterious Pass, a key gateway in Neidan practice. If those who study and practice do not recognize Yin and Yang…”

Yanduzi says: “That single current of pure Yang essence and Qi is hidden within the human body. It is not in the heart or the kidneys, but in the ‘one opening of the Mysterious Gate’—the crucial point in cultivation. If cultivators do not understand the changes of Yin-Yang or recognize the right timing for practice, they cannot return their essence and Qi to their source and will only grope about within themselves. They mistake clear and alert mental activity—the ‘cognitive spirit,’ or acquired consciousness—for what is truly fundamental, and so stray farther and farther from the Way.

“The Book of Changes says: ‘Bring yourself into accord with the brightness of the sun and moon, and with the sequence of the four seasons.’ Zhu Zhen explains in his Commentary on the Book of Changes: At each dark moon, the last day of the lunar month, and new moon, the Kan trigram, which symbolizes the moon, and the Li trigram, which symbolizes the sun, meet in the directions represented by Ren and Gui.”

Shangyangzi says: At zi hour on the first day of each month (from eleven at night to one in the morning), the sun and moon unite at the Gui position. At dusk, they meet again around the Xu and Bi mansions. This serves as a metaphor for the fire phase just beginning. At this time, pure Yin reaches its utmost, and faint Yang is about to emerge. This is called the “Hidden Dragon.”

At dusk on the third day, the moon appears at the Geng position, and true Yang begins to sprout. Geng belongs to the southwest. The Book of Changes says, “In the southwest, one finds a companion, and so goes together with one’s kind.” The Cantong qi says, “The marvelous function transforms into the Zhen trigram; on the third day, the moon appears at Geng.” At this point, the elixir ingredient has just begun to emerge. The water source is utterly clear and has not yet been disturbed; it is in a state of having Qi but no material form. The practitioner should seize this moment, observe wisely, and take the moon’s changing phases as a model. It is like the moon first receiving a breath of Yang, or like the lowest line of Kun joining the first line of Qian to become the Zhen trigram. This symbolizes the birth of one Yang within the human body’s pure Yin. As my master said, “The inborn breath of primordial Qi comes from the void; it transforms Mercury and gathers it into the cauldron.” At this time, Yang Qi first spreads through the cauldron, and cinnabar and Mercury begin to establish their foundation.

Perfected Zixian says: “Clear and turbid intermingle, while Metal and Wood are separated at the Gate of Wu and Ji; nature and emotions unite, while Yin and Yang gather at the pass of life and death. Gather the primordial Qi from before Heaven and Earth were divided, seize the vital essence from the moment the Dragon and Tiger first unite, and place it in the Yellow Chamber, the inner space used for alchemical practice, to refine the supreme treasure.”

At you hour on the eighth day, the moon rises to the middle of the sky, its face straight as a taut string. This is called the “First Quarter,” when half a catty of Metal is obtained. The Longhu jing says, “Kun changes once more and becomes the Dui trigram; on the eighth day, the moon appears at Ding.” The moon here serves as a metaphor for Lead and Mercury in the cauldron gradually gathering into a flowing, pearl-like substance. At this time, the Qi of Metal and Water settles. One no longer advances the Yang fire or carries out the timed progression of the fire phase; one need only bathe, cleanse the heart, and remain still and clear.

The fifteenth day is the full moon, when the sun and moon face one another and form a pearl within Yin. At this time, the three Yang lines within Yin are complete, forming the Qian trigram, just as the moon receives the sun’s light and becomes full. This symbolizes the cauldron’s Lead-water growing abundant, true Yang reaching fullness, the fire burning brightly, and the Qi of Metal becoming strong as the elixir is about to take shape. The Qi of Metal and Fire binds firmly with Mercury; Mercury and its mother substance join together and do not wish to part.

At dawn after the full moon, the moon appears at the Xin position. The Qian trigram begins to transform into the Xun trigram, reflecting the pattern by which Yin and Yang succeed one another. First, pure Yin joins with faint Yang and produces the elixir ingredient; later, Yin Qi envelops Yang Qi and refines it into the elixir. The Xun trigram follows the Yin Talisman; Yin Qi gradually increases, enfolding and stabilizing the Yang essence so that it no longer moves restlessly or disperses. Thus cinnabar sinks into the womb, with Yang contained within Yin. This is called “returning to the root.”

At dawn on the twenty-third day, the moon appears at the Bing position. The middle line of Kun joins the middle line of Qian to form the Gen trigram, and the elixir ingredient in the cauldron naturally congeals. At this time, the Qi of Yin and Yang settles once again. One neither carries out the Yin Talisman nor adds Water; one need only bathe and cleanse away distracting thoughts. This is called the “Last Quarter,” when half a catty of Water is obtained. The First Quarter takes half a catty of Metal, and the Last Quarter takes half a catty of Water; together, the two quarters make one catty, used to congeal the cinnabar. The Cantong qi says, “The essence of the two quarters joins, and the forms of Qian and Kun are thereby completed.”

At dawn on the twenty-eighth day, the moon appears at the Yi position. By this time, the Qi of Yin and Yang is fully abundant, and Metal and Mercury have congealed into an embryo. The Qi of Kan and Li circulates in the cauldron and flows through the six positions that symbolize the four directions of Heaven and Earth. This is a metaphor for the entire process by which the Golden Elixir begins and reaches completion. At the end of the month, on the dark-moon day, the sun and moon meet again at the Ren position. Yin Qi reaches its utmost, and Yang Qi is about to emerge once more.

Master Shangyang said: Although the meaning of the passage has been made clear, those who study the path to immortality must put it into practice and experience it for themselves. The moon’s dark phase, new moon, quarter moons, and full moon—its different stages from waning to fullness—should be understood through changes in the human body. Do not cling to the words or their outward images.

The moon is Yin by nature. If it did not receive Yang energy from the sun, how could it wax after waning and shine again? Human beings are like the moon. At around sixteen, before reaching maturity, the body and mind have not yet become divided, and Yang energy is complete. Jing and Qi are therefore abundant, though the impulse to discharge them begins to arise. Before that discharge occurs, one is called “pure Yang,” and also a “True Person”—someone whose body and mind remain undivided. That is why Guang Chengzi once told the Yellow Emperor: “The eyes do not see, the ears do not hear, the heart holds no discriminating thoughts, and the spirit abides within the body. Only then can the body endure.”

Once Jing is discharged, it is as if a measure of Yang energy is lost and a measure of Yin energy enters. The change is like “Li,” one of the hexagrams in the Classic of Changes, which represents Yin and Yang intermingled. From then on, desire arises, simplicity gradually fades, and Jing and Qi steadily diminish. They decline again and again, until Yang energy is exhausted and Yin is complete. Those who do not understand the Way of “returning the Elixir of Golden Liquor”—a Daoist Neidan term for refining and nurturing Jing and Qi so they return to their origin and restore life—will die when Yang is spent and Yin is complete. Practitioners understand how to reverse this process. So, before Yang energy is exhausted, they begin cultivation early, support true Yang, gather the ingredients and regulate the firing times—the terms used in Neidan cultivation for Jing and Qi, and for the stages and measures of practice—and refine them into the returning elixir to restore life. This is like the moon receiving the sun’s radiance and energy and recovering its light.

To guard against danger and preserve what must not be lost, one should understand this.

Yuanduzhi says: Even if those who study Quanzhen Dao receive a teacher’s general guidance on how to begin, they will achieve nothing if they do not understand the stages and details of cultivation. Even if they know that Shen and Qi must depend on one another, they will achieve nothing if they do not understand the union of lead and mercury—the joining of Yin-Yang Qi, symbolized by lead and mercury. Even if they understand this union, they will achieve nothing if they do not understand how nature and life are brought together. If they merely make reckless guesses about the firing process—the regulation of advance and retreat and their rhythms in cultivation—they will ultimately accomplish nothing.

Zhenyizi says: If the Yang Fire—the stage in which Yang Qi advances during cultivation—is used past its proper time, the balance of water and fire will be lost, turning severe winter into scorching heat. If the Yin Talisman—the stage in which Yin Qi retreats—is mistimed, cold and heat will disrupt one another: even midsummer may grow cold, with heavy frost falling. Gold in the cauldron and cinnabar in the palace will fail to develop, and pests will breed in the furnace and cauldron. In a severe case, mountains will collapse and the earth will split as the metal tiger and water dragon, symbols of Yin-Yang Qi, surge without cease. In a milder case, violent rain and wind will arise, and the Kan youth and Li maiden, symbols of water and fire, of Yin and Yang Qi, will run wild and scatter.

It is clear, then, that even if one recognizes lead and mercury as symbols, without understanding how to regulate the firing process and guard against the dangers of cultivation, all efforts will ultimately be in vain.

Master Shangyang said: Carefully guarding against danger is essential when refining the Golden Elixir. In the past, when the Perfected Man Ziqing Bai received instruction from Old Man Niwan, he was already sixty-four years old. Eager to gather all the materials needed for elixir refinement, he endured great hardship and finally brought Mercury and Lead together, placing them in the elixir cauldron to be refined by fire. Because he had always been clever and confident, he failed to exercise enough caution during the stage of nurturing the elixir. He did not guard against danger or notice that the Mercury and Lead had dispersed beyond recovery. So he wrote a poem to ease his frustration.

The poem says: “Eight ounces of the essence of sun and moon, half a catty of cloud and mist, light as a single feather, yet heavy as a thousand-weight mass of iron; white as snow in the sky, red as the blood of an orangutan. Gathered into a jade gourd, it was hidden away, its secret never revealed. At midnight, wind and thunder suddenly raged, while smoke filled the open space. The scene and its taste left me like a mute who has bitten through his tongue, with bitterness too deep for words. I laugh heartily and consign the whole affair to laughter, refusing to let it vex and inflame me. I must mend my fishing rod and cut another length of autumn bamboo.”

Does this story not show how important caution is? Had the Perfected Man Bai not been resolute, how could anyone mend a fishing rod and cut bamboo to try again after failure? Later, he obtained the Immortal Master Ziyang’s Four Hundred Words on the Golden Elixir. The master instructed him to make his safeguards thorough and proceed with care. Only then was he able to attain the Dao.

Carefully guarding against danger was not simply a matter of the Perfected Man Bai’s resolve in starting over. It was also because he received the Immortal Master Ziyang’s Four Hundred Words on the Golden Elixir and followed its instructions to maintain strict safeguards that he ultimately attained the Dao.

There are many kinds of danger to guard against; it is not just a matter of one thing.

At the beginning of gathering the medicine, the Sun and Moon are coming together, and the Dragon and Tiger are about to unite. At this moment, the True Person has already withdrawn into the abyss, while the floating Qi carefully holds to the center of the compass—the central point on which the mind is focused in practice. The Three Treasures (Jing, Qi, and Shen) must now be sealed, so the mind must be wholly focused and the spirit gathered. Otherwise, life itself may be put at risk. Master Ziyang said, “The White Tiger’s first menstruum is the supreme treasure; the divine water of the Flower Pool is true gold.” He also said, “Gather the medicine in accord with the right moment, and distinguish the sinking from the floating; when advancing the Fire, be sure to guard against danger with care.” This is the most crucial point in the initial stage of practice, and it is the first kind of danger.

When gathering the medicine, if Yin and Yang are out of balance and the Sun and Moon do not move in season, the outer Fire may have been kindled while the inner tally—the response of the Yin-Yang Qi dynamic within the body—remains blocked and unresponsive. The effort will then be wasted. This is the second kind of danger.

If the Fire’s timing is misjudged and the measure of water and mercury—the balance used to regulate water and Fire—is wrong, the source and its flow will be mixed, and the medicine impure. Even if one strains in vain to carry out the process, the inner tally will remain blocked and unresponsive, bringing harm instead of benefit. This is the third kind of danger.

After obtaining the millet pearl—the gathered Golden Elixir medicine—and placing it in the cauldron, one must nurture and protect it with gentle warmth, and calm the sovereign of the heart, the mind and spirit. If it is not tended properly, the medicine may be ruined by the Fire. This is the fourth kind of danger.

Some practitioners have endured hardship and passed through danger again and again, yet still feel fear in their hearts. Even if they have obtained the Elixir, while it is being gently nurtured in the cauldron they must clear away every such attachment, so that old anxieties do not disturb the mind and spirit. This is called “cleansing thoughts and washing the heart,” or “bathing.” If attachment and concern remain, the mercury and lead—terms in alchemy commonly referring to the Yin and Yang Qi—may scatter and fly away. This is the fifth kind of danger.

When the embryo is complete after ten months, and it is time to shed the shell and change cauldrons, one must guard the Yang spirit—the pure Yang spirit cultivated in practice. If it is allowed to leave the body too easily, it may lose its way once it has gone out and have no place to return to. This is the sixth kind of danger.

After the Elixir is formed, one must still distinguish the true from the false. If one’s practice and attainment are not yet complete, all kinds of extraordinary visions may suddenly appear, even seeming to reveal everything that happens in the world. These may be demonic obstacles, not genuine states of realization; one must not mistake them for proof that one has become a sage with a numinous Elixir. Such false and perverse visions may exploit a practitioner’s belief that they have supernatural powers, leading them onto a deviant path and disrupting correct practice. At such times, one must stand firm in wisdom and preserve one’s original nature. This is the seventh kind of danger.

These seven matters all demand careful vigilance. If even one is left unguarded, the practice may fail and may even lead to loss. Patriarch Zhengyang said, “Even after realizing the mind of Wuwei and freedom, one must still nurture and protect one’s original nature. Throughout the year, one must continue to bathe and guard against danger, lest one sink into decline; one must devote oneself all the more to practice.” For this reason, I say that guarding against danger with care is essential to cultivating the Golden Elixir.

The Perfected One of Ziyang said, “In the months and hours corresponding to the Rabbit and the Rooster, the Qi of Punishment and the Qi of Virtue arrive at the gate, revealing the signs of the medicine.”

Shangyangzi explained: “The Rabbit and the Rooster refer respectively to Mao and You. Those who study the Dao must understand Mao and You, but these do not point to just one thing. They can refer to Mao and You in Heaven and Earth, or to those within a year, month, day, or hour.

“Mao and You in Heaven and Earth are determined by the lunar mansions: Di, Fang, and Xin belong to the direction of Mao, and Fang is associated with the image of the Rabbit; Wei, Mao, and Bi belong to the direction of You, and Mao is associated with the image of the Rooster.

“Mao and You in the year are the spring and autumn equinoxes: the spring equinox belongs to Mao and is called the Center of Harmony; the autumn equinox belongs to You and falls in mid-autumn.

“Mao and You in the month refer to the eighth and twenty-third days. On the eighth, the moon is waxing toward fullness and at first quarter; at the You hour, it rises to the center of the sky. On the twenty-third, the moon is waning and at last quarter; at the Mao hour, it stands in the sky.

“Mao and You in the day refer to sunrise and sunset. Sunrise belongs to Mao, when all things begin to stir; sunset belongs to You, when all sounds and activity gradually subside.

“Mao and You within an hour belong to a method of cultivation that gathers together different scales of time. A year is condensed into a month, with two and a half days making one period; then a month is condensed into a day, which is divided into six periods. In this way, the rhythm of the seventy-two periods of the year can be gathered into a single day.

“From this we can see that the rhythm of a year can be condensed into a day, and the rhythm of a day in turn into an hour. Practitioners must discern Mao and You within the hour and understand how that hour is divided into six periods. When gathering the medicine and taking lead—that is, gathering and refining substances in Neidan (internal alchemy), using symbolic terms such as lead and mercury—only two of the six periods are used, as though taking one part out of three. The remaining four periods have other subtle uses.”

“Punishment and Virtue”—the two forces that cause all things to wither and grow—refers to “two and eight,” that is, the two temporal positions of Mao and You. Mao and You are the seasons when Yin and Yang meet and tend toward balance. Yang Qi is called “Virtue”: it enables all things to grow. Yin Qi is called “Punishment”: it causes all things to decline.

In the month of Mao (the second lunar month), Yang Qi has reached four parts, while Yin Qi has fallen to two. Yin Qi is about to recede, and because it governs the force that withers and kills, that force has not yet entirely disappeared, even though Yin Qi in the month of Mao can no longer overcome Yang Qi. At this time the elm trees die back, so Mao corresponds to “Punishment.”

In the month of You (the eighth lunar month), Yin Qi has reached four parts, while Yang Qi has fallen to two. Yang Qi is about to recede, and because it governs the power of growth, life remains present even though Yang Qi in the month of You can no longer overcome Yin Qi. At this time the wheat sprouts, so You corresponds to “Virtue.”

Venerable Zhengyang said, “All this is the waxing, waning, and transformation of Qi, subtle and difficult to perceive. One must remain wholly focused on preserving one’s original intention.”

The Mindset to Maintain During Bathing

The Poem on Pointing Out the Mystery says, “There is no special secret to the work of bathing. It depends entirely on nurturing and caring well, as a wet nurse tends a baby. When the Five Phases are harmonized and Yin and Yang flow smoothly, it is like a family sitting and walking together.”

Wumingzi says: When Yang Qi moves to the center of Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang each account for half. It is neither cold nor hot, but mild and balanced, corresponding to the Tai hexagram. At this point, one no longer advances the fire timing; this is called “bathing.” When Yin Qi descends to the center of Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang again each account for half. It is neither hot nor cold, but cool and balanced, corresponding to the Pi hexagram. At this point, one also ceases to advance the Yin Tally; this too is called “bathing.” Here, “fire timing” and “Yin Tally” are terms in Neidan cultivation used to describe the movement of Yang Qi and Yin Qi. “Bathing” means temporarily slowing the progress of cultivation so that Yin and Yang become balanced and the movement of Qi can be nurtured.

Master Shangyang said, “‘Bathing’ refers to the moment when the Qi of Yin and Yang is exactly balanced and the Qi of lead and mercury has settled. The two Qi then unite naturally. At this time, there is no need to continue adding fire or to run the timing cycles, lest the elixir be harmed. One should simply cleanse the mind, dispel distracting thoughts, and carefully nurture the process. This is why it is called ‘bathing.’

“What, then, is bathing? A person who has made progress in cultivation lets go with ease of the feelings brought on by the day’s worries, grief, deliberations, and hardships, along with attachments and desires for what one loves. Not a trace of concern remains. The body is like dead wood, the mind like cold ashes: this is called bathing.

“Patriarch Chunyang said, ‘Wood by nature delights in stillness; nurture the mind-monkey and keep it calm.’ Patriarch Danyang said, ‘When fire rises within water, the mind returns to stillness; when flowers bloom in snow, the springtime in one’s thoughts recedes.’ He also said, ‘Ordinary people lack a tranquil mind; those who cultivate the Dao have no dust in their minds. This is cleansing.’

“The times for bathing roughly correspond to the hours of Mao and You, the hexagrams Pi and Tai, the conditions of warmth and coolness, and the symbols of punishment and virtue. At this stage, one should stop adding fire and guard the furnace of the elixir. Hence it is called bathing.

“The Cantong qi says, ‘Observe the fire timing with utmost care; examine closely whether cold and heat are in harmony. Run through the twelve periods in cycles, and when each period ends, inspect it yourself.’ The Jing of Master Cui says, ‘When the medicine receives Qi, it may seem auspicious, yet one must guard against its turning inauspicious. Once the fire timing is sufficient, do not harm the elixir. The subtle wonders of Heaven and Earth do not readily reveal the workings of transformation.’

“When the Perfected Ziyang and Bai Ziqing discussed the method of bathing, they said that Mao and You are merely borrowed terms for the hours. Do not cling to external times and symbols; instead, recognize when the medicine and fire timing have reached the proper stage, and bathe then.

“An ancient verse says, ‘Punishment and virtue together set in motion the workings of life and death, approaching the gates of two and eight. Cinnabar must be bathed; pour spirit water to nourish the numinous root. Close the mouth of Dui and preserve the lead and mercury. Shut the passes; there is no need to run the fire timing again. The furnace will grow warm of itself.’

“When a cultivator’s work reaches this stage, how could they fail to proceed with care?”

The proper measure of the changes that give life and take it away must be understood.

The Perfected One of Ziyang said: Those who refine the Golden Elixir of Liquid Return—a term in Neidan practice—must thoroughly understand Yin-Yang and deeply comprehend the transformations of creation. They must bring the two Qi of Yin and Yang together on the Yellow Path, a Neidan term for the route along which Qi moves and converges, and return Jing, Qi, and Shen—the three vital constituents—to the Primordial Palace, where primordial Qi gathers in cultivation. They must bring the Five Phases together and harmonize the Four Images, the four states formed by the changes of Yin and Yang. Thus, the dragon’s song and the tiger’s roar, the husband leading and the wife following, symbolize the mutual resonance and coordinated movement of Yin-Yang Qi.

My former teacher once said: Those who study the Dao must truly master both the inner and outer medicines, along with the complete methods for using each, and bring them into accord with the transformations of Heaven and Earth. Only then can they attain the true formula that has been transmitted. A difference as slight as a hair’s breadth can lead to an outcome far removed from the intended one.

Master Shangyang said: “Life and death are the workings of the two forces of Yin-Yang, symbolized by the Dragon and Tiger. The Dragon represents Yin contained within Yang and governs generation and growth. Thus it can raise clouds and bring rain, nourishing all things. Yet the Yin within the Dragon also has a withering, death-dealing aspect. It is like a person whose Yang energy is exhausted, leaving only pure Yin: that person dies. The Tiger represents Yang contained within Yin and governs withering and death. Thus it summons the wind and roars as though ever bent on killing. Yet the Yang within the Tiger also has a generative aspect. It is like a person whose Yin energy is exhausted, leaving only pure Yang: that person can become an immortal.

“When these two forces of Yin-Yang follow the natural order, they generate human beings; when their workings are reversed, they form the Neidan, or inner elixir described in Daoist cultivation. If one ceases to follow the ordinary course of generating people and multiplying the myriad things, one can refine the elixir. This is what ‘life’ means here. What, then, does the Dao generate? Surely it is Heaven and Earth, human beings, the Five Phases, and the myriad things. Surely it is also beings endowed with spiritual insight, wisdom, and sacred powers of transformation.

“What, then, is to be ‘killed’? The thieves to be killed are the afflictions of ignorance, as well as the thieves of delusion created by heterodox doctrines. Patriarch Jingyang slew them with the swords of five young women; the Sovereign Lord Chunyang slew them with the Three Pure Ones’ sword; the Buddha slew them with the Vajra King’s precious sword; and the monk Deshan struck them awake with his staff at the gate. Hence the saying: ‘To protect life, one must kill; only after killing all can one dwell in peace.’ A patriarch also said: ‘Slay the demons and destroy the sprites, and you will attain long life.’ ‘Demon’ means delusion; ‘sprite’ means ignorance. If delusion and obscurity are dispelled early, the Way of long life can be fulfilled. Practitioners must understand that even the slightest error may prevent the elixir from forming. They must therefore fully grasp the principles of Yin-Yang, life, and death. Once they understand them, they need not worry that they will fail to become immortals.

“As for the terms ‘image,’ ‘line,’ and ‘zhu’ in the trigrams: ‘zhu’ is used to measure and determine weight; a ‘line’ is used to model and put principles into practice; an ‘image’ is used as a model; and a ‘trigram’ is like something hung up for people to see, serving as a standard by which they may act. Lines and zhu explain differences in weight, while images and trigrams explain changes of advance and retreat. The 384 lines make up the 64 hexagrams; the 384 zhu make up 16 liang, or one jin. The full measure of a jin and the complete number of hexagrams are metaphors for the Neidan nearing completion. Practitioners must learn to distinguish the light from the shallow, and the heavy from the deep; they must also know when difficulty calls for retreat and when ease allows advance. These principles serve to guide the use of the inner and outer medicines of the Golden Elixir.

“The Dao De Jing says: ‘Being and nonbeing give rise to each other; difficult and easy complete each other.’ It also says: ‘To deal with what is difficult, begin with what is easy; to accomplish what is great, begin with what is small.’ And it says: ‘Therefore the sage always treats difficulties with care, and so has no difficulties in the end.’ If the Fu hexagram and the Zhen hexagram mark the beginning of gathering the medicine, then ‘half a jin’ is the measure of the dose to be taken. Take the hundred lines as an example: thirty lines belong to the gentle fire, and seventy to the fierce fire. From this, one can see that gathering the medicine is no easy matter. When the hexagram count is complete and the medicine has been refined, the elixir has reached its full measure of ‘two eight, one jin.’ The Record says that 216 is the number of counting rods for Qian, while eighteen multiplied by eight gives 144, the number of counting rods for Kun. When the numbers of Yin and Yang are both complete, the Golden Liquid Elixir has been refined.”

End of Volume Seven of Shangyangzi’s Essentials of the Golden Elixir.

Shangyangzi’s Essentials of the Golden Elixir, Volume Eight

Written by Shangyangzi Chen Zhixu of the Purple Empyrean and Crimson Palace

What You Must Know

What You Must Know About Shedding the Womb and Changing the Cauldron

The Mirror for Compounding the Medicine by Lord Cui says, “Steal the workings of Heaven and Earth; seize the work of transformation.” It also says, “When the embryo first forms, you must recognize your original destiny; when the embryo is finally shed, you must observe the Four Directions.” The Venerable Ziyang says, “After the seasonal cycle has run its course, one can shed the womb and undergo spiritual transformation. One’s name is entered in the registers of the immortals, and one’s rank is that of a perfected person. This is the moment when a great man achieves success and makes his name.” The Perfected One Ziqing says, “The so-called Golden Elixir is obtained by gathering the ‘two eights’ of medicinal ingredients—a metaphor for substances in Neidan cultivation—and forming an embryo that matures over three hundred days. The key to cultivation lies not in swallowing saliva or breathing in Qi, but in gathering primordial Qi and settling the spirit. Practice relies solely on oral instructions, and the method is exceedingly simple. It is neither form with visible color nor emptiness without substance: within the formless, one nurtures an infant; within Yin, one refines Yang Qi.”

Master Shangyang said: Once people who have made progress in cultivation have received instruction from a true master, they should first gather and restrain their spirit if they have not yet obtained “True Lead,” the medicinal substance that symbolizes primordial Qi in Neidan cultivation. They must not indulge their desires. In their everyday dealings and relationships, they should remain detached, as if present yet not attached; set aside emotional turmoil, quiet distracting thoughts, and wait for the medicine and the firing process to arrive.

Thus the Patriarch Chunyang said, “The sevenfold return and restoration of the Elixir lie within the person; first refine yourself and await the right time.” This means that the key to forming the Elixir lies within oneself: first cultivate one’s nature, then wait for the appropriate moment. The Elder Ge’s Scripture of Clarity and Stillness says, “If people can cast off desire, their hearts will naturally become still. When the heart is made clear, the spirit will naturally become lucid. Then the six desires will not arise, and the three poisons will be dispelled.” Here, the “six desires” refers to various cravings, and the “three poisons” to afflictions such as greed, anger, and delusion.

When the human heart remains empty and still, it becomes clear; sitting quietly brings calm. Speaking little and avoiding distracting sounds helps preserve the spirit and protect life. Much talking depletes Qi; excessive joy can let emotions run unchecked; anger disturbs the mind; excessive grief and worry damage the spirit; greed and exhaustion deplete Qi and Jing. None of these is suited to cultivation.

If one obtains primordial True Lead and joins it with “Mercury,” a Neidan term for another essential medicinal substance, then masters the firing process and skillfully nourishes and protects the medicine while harmonizing spirit and breath, the Elixir will mature and the embryo take complete form. One can then realize the “Infant,” the Neidan term for the state achieved when the Elixir is complete, and become a perfected person.

After three or nine years of accumulating merit and practice, some retain their physical form and remain in the world, aiding and teaching others, like An Qisheng and Lan Caihe. Some enter public service to set matters right and govern the affairs of the world, like Dongfang Shuo and Lord Dou. The Seven Perfected Ones, the Five Patriarchs, and others guided living beings with compassion; the patriarchs Zhang, Ge, Xu, and Fuqiu responded to the times to save people from calamity, then ascended to heaven by imperial command.

For those who have succeeded in cultivation, pursuing a higher level of attainment makes transferring the embryo and changing the cauldron no difficult matter. What is this higher level of cultivation?

Shangyangzi says: Once the embryo formed in the previous stage of cultivation—the inner elixir—has reached completion, the person has become a Realized One, one who has attained the Dao. At this point, they relocate to the Upper Elixir, the upper Dantian in the head, and again regulate body and mind, remaking Yin and Yang. The fruits of cultivation continue to unfold, like a son having a son of his own, with transformations without end.

Ziyangweng says, “In one year, a child is conceived, and each child rides a crane.” The Realized One of the Niwan says, “In one year, a child is conceived; the child has a son, and the grandson in turn has descendants.” Only upon reaching this state of generation upon generation can one be called a great man. If one acts in accord with the right moment to establish merit, one’s body may return to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the highest heaven revered in Daoism.

The Patriarch of Danyang says: When spirit is full and reaches the Great Void, nothing can obstruct it. Heaven may collapse, the earth may sink, mountains may be shattered, and seas may dry up; all things with form and appearance will ultimately decay. Only those who have attained the Dao, with spirit united with the Dao, can endure through endless ages without perishing. If their merit also benefits their nine generations of ancestors, they may ascend together to Shangqing in broad daylight.

Seven Things to Know Next

Master Shangyang said: “To seek the Dao, one must study every day. The most important thing in study is to make steady progress and remain focused. Laozi said, ‘I was not born a sage; I came to understanding through study.’ Confucius said, ‘Even in a small place with only ten households, there must be someone as loyal and trustworthy as I am; yet they do not love learning as I do.’ He also said, ‘I never tire of learning, nor do I grow weary of teaching others.’ He further said, ‘When a noble person learns the Dao, they will care for others; when a petty person learns the Dao, they will be more readily guided by instruction.’

The True Classic of the Southern Florescence (Zhuangzi) records that Nanbo Zikui asked Nü Yu, ‘Can the Dao be attained through study?’ Nü Yu replied, ‘Certainly—but I fear you are not the right person for it. Buliang Yi has the makings of a sage, but does not understand the sage’s Dao. I understand the sage’s Dao, but do not have the makings of a sage. I would like to teach him the Dao; perhaps he really could become a sage. Even if he cannot, it is not difficult to explain the sage’s Dao to someone who has the makings of one.’ Confucius said, ‘Those who understand from birth are the highest; those who come to understand through study are next; those who study only when they encounter hardship are below them; and those who remain unwilling to study even in hardship are the lowest.’

When Śākyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, heard half a verse, he was willing to give up his life in pursuit of the Dharma. The Yellow Emperor followed the direction in which Guangchengzi lived, advancing on his knees to approach him and ask, ‘How can I cultivate body and mind so as to endure for a long time?’ Among the great sages of antiquity, none understood the Great Dao without first learning. Yet today some people boast falsely and refuse to ask with humility. When, then, will they ever hear the Great Dao?”

Shangyangzi said: The Dao is transmitted in two ways. One can be explained face to face; the other must be transmitted from mind to mind. The relationships between ruler and minister, parent and child, elder and younger siblings, husband and wife, and friends belong to the Dao of human relationships and social norms. They can be taught face to face and do not require transmission from mind to mind.

What must be transmitted from mind to mind is the teaching that “what Heaven bestows is called nature, and acting in accordance with that nature is called the Dao.” The principle of following one’s nature is what Confucius meant by “one thread running through it all,” and what Mencius meant by “accumulating rightness until it gives rise to vitality.” The principles governing human relationships and social norms can be taught even to children. Appointing officials to uphold these norms has also been an established practice throughout successive dynasties. By contrast, earlier sages’ commentaries say little about the path of cultivation that involves following one’s nature and accumulating rightness. If a worthy person or gentleman encounters a sage master who transmits the teaching by word and mind, can accept it without alarm or doubt, and cultivates themself in accordance with the principles of accumulating rightness and following one’s nature, they may be called a great sage. Only then will they understand that the Dao of human relationships and social norms is included within it.

Refining cinnabar, sulfur, mercury, and other substances is one method of cultivation. It can be explained face to face and does not belong to mind-to-mind transmission. What requires such transmission is the principle of “Wuwei, yet nothing is left undone” and of “acting without intending to act.” Here, “Wuwei and action” refers to the Great Dao of the Golden Elixir, the practice of alchemy centered on inner cultivation. Ordinary people can follow instructions to refine cinnabar, mercury, and other substances in a furnace, so this method can be taught openly. But even accomplished practitioners may feel doubt when a master orally teaches them the “active” method of primordial True Lead—the fundamental medicinal substance sought through inner refinement. If they receive their master’s guidance in the active method of the Golden Elixir and practice it diligently, they may be called immortals.

Sitting rigidly without moving, guarding one’s nature, and observing fasts and precepts belong to the way of seated meditation and can be taught face to face. What truly requires transmission from mind to mind is only the orthodox teaching.

The wondrous mind of Nirvana—the subtle teaching of mind that transcends words and distinctions—and the path that points directly to the human mind and reveals one’s nature so that one may become a Buddha can be transmitted only through a meeting of minds. A few sentences cannot make it fully clear. The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye—the wisdom that sees into the true Dharma—points directly to the human mind and belongs to the highest One Vehicle.

Keeping the fast and sitting in meditation are teachings that ordinary people, even children, can understand. The One Vehicle, however, may leave even the gifted and highly perceptive with doubts, despite their gaining some insight from the Buddha’s spoken teaching. Thus, when Shakyamuni taught at the assembly on Vulture Peak, five thousand people walked out. And the Fifth Patriarch Hongren passed the Dharma not to Shenxiu, but to Lu—the name refers to Huineng. This shows that the Dao can be transmitted through a meeting of minds, but cannot be conveyed through words alone.

Han Xiang attained the Dao and became an immortal, yet Han Yu once wrote: “Knowing you have come from afar with good intent, I hope you will gather my bones by the miasmal riverbank.” Was Han Yu a person of poor spiritual capacity? Zhu Xi, courtesy name Huian, traveled widely to seek learning, yet Cui Zixu did not transmit the Dao to him. Did Zhu Xi not wish to seek the Dao? These examples show that the Great Dao cannot be explained in words: what can be fully explained through conversation alone is not the Great Dao.

Ge Xianweng was sixty when he finally met his master, and Bai Yuchan was sixty-four. Both later attained the Dao. This shows that the Dao depends on transmission between master and disciple through a meeting of minds.

Shangyangzi said: There are three ways to awaken to the Dao. In the Commentary on the Book of Changes, Confucius said, “Seek evidence nearby in yourself, and far away in the myriad things.” This is what is meant by the Dao. Practitioners can seek it in both the near and far—in themselves and in the myriad things—and may awaken to it at any moment.

In the Classic of Clarity and Stillness, Ge Xianxi said, “Look inward at your own mind, and see that the mind has no fixed substance; look outward at your own body, and see that the body has no fixed substance; look from afar at the myriad things, and see that they too have no fixed substance.” This, too, is what is meant by the Dao. Practitioners can seek it through six approaches: inward, outward, and from afar; through the mind, the body, and the myriad things. They may awaken to it here and now.

The Buddha said, “Not mind, not Buddha, not thing.” This, again, is what is meant by the Dao. Practitioners can begin their search with these three—the mind, the Buddha, and things—and may awaken to it at once. This is what is meant by “the three awakenings to the Dao.”

The sages of the Three Teachings all taught people to seek the Dao in the myriad things, treating the Dao as a thing. One should consider this carefully and not pass over it lightly. The Dao is one thing among the myriad things, and the myriad things are all things within the Great Dao. Thus Laozi said, “The named is the source of the myriad things.” He also said, “Profound and far-reaching, it seems to be the source of the myriad things.” In these statements, “thing” is used to refer to the Dao.

Alas, ordinary people are content with commonplace views and unwilling to seek higher understanding. Some gather their spirit through the doctrine of solitary Yin and deficient Yang, sitting motionless; some abstain from food and observe precepts, withdrawing from the world; others put common cinnabar, lead, and silver into a furnace to refine them. All these practices are misunderstandings, not true awakening. If one can grasp the principle in the words of this book, one will experience an extraordinary great awakening.

Shangyangzi said that those who transmit the Great Dao fall into three levels: upper, middle, and lower.

People of the upper level are learned and virtuous, speak little, and take pleasure in doing good. They can give up wealth and status, treating only their own cultivation of the Dao as essential. Such people approach the stature of superior adepts and may be taught the Great Dao.

People of the middle level are plain and unpolished. Once they hear of the Great Dao, they believe in it without doubt. They can let go of affection and attachment, devote themselves to cultivation, and avoid disputes over right and wrong. They are called adepts of the middle level. They already share the aspirations of superior adepts and may be taught the Great Dao.

People of the lower level may have little knowledge, yet they are honest and trustworthy, glad to do good and reject wrongdoing. They are willing to set themselves aside, heed others, and put what they learn into practice. They are called adepts of the lower level. Their aspirations deserve praise, and they too may be taught the Great Dao. Thus, all who attain the Great Dao press forward with courage and diligence, cultivate steadfast wisdom, and stop evil while promoting good. The single word “good” is a ladder and a ferry for entering the Great Dao.

If ordinary people regularly heed teachings on goodness and act on them with courage, they may be called adepts of the lower level. Their aspirations deserve praise, and they too may be taught the Great Dao. Thus, all who attain the Great Dao press forward with courage and diligence, cultivate steadfast wisdom, and stop evil while promoting good. The single word “good” is a ladder and a ferry for entering the Great Dao. If you keep good thoughts, the Kidneys will not recklessly deplete Jing and Qi. If you often speak good words, the heart and Shen will not scatter and dissipate. If you view things with good will, the Lungs can settle the corporeal soul. If you regard things with good will, the Liver can nourish the ethereal soul. If you often think of good deeds, the Spleen and Stomach can generate the movement of Qi, allowing the middle burner to flow freely and remain in harmony. How could great cultivators fail to do good?

Shangyangzi said that there are three prohibitions for students of the Dao. The first concerns someone who aspires to cultivate the Dao but, because of wealth and status, is arrogant and unwilling to seek instruction humbly or make a vow to keep an agreement. This is called resorting to cunning schemes. One should be wary of such a person and not transmit the Dao to them. The second concerns someone who has heard a little about minor methods from heterodox schools and then insists on arguing, showing off their shallow cleverness. This is called boasting and showing off. One should also be wary of such a person and not transmit the Dao to them. The third concerns someone who is half-hearted and doubtful about the Dao, gives no thought to the great matter of life and death, yet values money and treats their own life lightly. This shows that they do not understand how to cherish the Mandate of Heaven. One should be wary of such a person and not transmit the Dao to them.

Shangyangzi said that those who seek the Dao must abandon three kinds of conduct. The first concerns someone who, though gifted, enjoys debating and judging the Daoist arts of the ancients; who is half-hearted and doubtful about the Dao, unconcerned with the great matter of life and death, and values money while treating their own life lightly. This shows that they do not understand how to cherish the Mandate of Heaven. One should be wary of such a person and not transmit the Dao to them.

Shangyangzi said, “Those who cultivate the Dao should rid themselves of three faults. First, some people are clever and capable, yet enjoy criticizing the conduct of the ancients. This shows a lack of De and should be corrected. Second, some people have decent character, yet enjoy arguing over right and wrong and making casual judgments about past and present. This shows a narrow mind and should be corrected. Third, some people admire the Dao and Buddhism and speak of cultivation, yet inwardly turn away from the right path and follow falsehood. This shows a lack of honesty and should be corrected.”

Shangyangzi said, “Those who cultivate the Dao take four different attitudes toward wine, sex, wealth, and temper. Ordinary people can become drunk after only a little wine. Their usual dignity turns into frivolity and boisterousness, their honesty into flattery, their integrity into greed and indulgence, and their gentleness into arrogance and conceit. Wine causes people to lose their De and lose sight of their original nature. It is like the many demons hidden in mountain forests and marshes, difficult to notice under ordinary conditions. When a wildfire suddenly breaks out and burns the forests and marshes, the demons have nowhere to hide. If people do not drink, they will not lose their original discipline; if the forests do not catch fire, the demons will not appear. Those who truly cultivate abstain from wine and sit quietly, gathering their Jing and Qi and settling their Shen. They do not let wine disturb them. This is how they differ from ordinary people.

Many people in the world are harmed by sensual pleasures. Ordinary people indulge their desires and crave without satisfaction. They are like mayflies that mistake a lamp’s glow for beauty and its flames for delight, rushing toward the light again and again despite knowing the danger. So it is with people who become absorbed in passion and desire: their Jing and Qi gradually run out, yet they find it hard to give up their cravings. Desire stirs the mind and spirit; when a thought arises, Qi scatters. As Shen and Qi are depleted, life too begins to decline. Beauty has no blade, yet its power to harm exceeds that of swords and spears.

Those who have succeeded in cultivation may appear to visit taverns and brothels just like ordinary people, but inwardly they are different. They do not cling to appearances as something real. They understand that appearances are not fixed or unchanging, and can recognize their impermanence even within them. This is how they differ.

What does it mean to “not regard what is not form as form”? It is like a lotus whose fragrance carries for ten miles: the flower has visible form, while its fragrance is formless. Cultivators do not value the flower or its fragrance in themselves. What they value is the “trust” within them—the enduring and genuine foundation. Neither flower nor fragrance can last, but the lotus seed endures. The seed can bring people peace of mind; here, “trust” points to what is worthy of cherishing. The Dao De Jing says, “Its essence is supremely true; within it is trust.” This is the same idea.

What does it mean to “understand that forms are not real or fixed things”? It is like clear river water, which can carry a boat and ferry people to the other shore. Once they reach the other shore, both boat and water are merely means of crossing. The patriarchs also said that once cultivation of the Dao is complete, one can set aside the elixir chamber and its implements and leave them behind. This is precisely the point.

What does it mean to “recognize the formless within forms”? It is like the dark clouds that gather after a long drought and bring sweet rain, then soon disperse when the rain stops. If one goes looking for the rain clouds afterward, they are nowhere to be seen, yet the grains and all living things have been nourished and can grow. The Vimalakīrti Sutra says that bodhisattvas enter busy, well-traveled streets to benefit living beings, and also enter houses of prostitution, manifesting the way of desire. This is what it means.

What does “form has no fixed form” mean? It is like the precious moon, which waxes and wanes twelve times a year, passing through the new moon, full moon, first quarter, last quarter, and the dark of the moon. Though the moon’s appearance keeps changing, its course follows its own stable pattern.

Master Shangyang said: This matter should be discussed in detail. Three days after the new moon, it takes the shape of a rabbit, and its light gradually steadies. By the eighth day, the moon’s face is nearly full; this is called the “upper bow.” On the fifteenth day, the moon stands directly opposite the sun, its brightness complete, and everyone in the world looks up at it. Yet after reaching fullness, the moon gradually wanes and cannot remain that way for long. To see its radiance again, one must wait for the moon to pass once more through its changes, from new to full, from the bow to the full moon. The Book of Changes says, “Join your De with that of Heaven and Earth, and your brightness with that of the sun and moon.” It also says, “By tracing things back to their beginnings and forward to their endings, one can understand the principles of life and death.” These words speak precisely of how nothing remains fixed and unchanging.

Ordinary people are never satisfied in their pursuit of wealth. They hoard what they gather and refuse to spend it, even planning to leave it to their brothers and descendants. They do not understand the waxing and waning of Heaven, Earth, the sun, and the moon. Take Shi Chong, for example: he was as wealthy as a state, yet his hoarding of wealth brought resentment. He was killed, his household ruined, and the disaster also ensnared Lü Zhu. A true cultivator, upon acquiring wealth, uses it to seek medicines. Once the medicines are obtained and the Golden Elixir has been refined, the cultivator gives away all remaining wealth. This is what sets such a person apart from ordinary people.

Ordinary people contend to prove their strength and vent their anger, disturbing mind and body. They use lawsuits to oppress the poor and weak, and seize whatever they think they can take, heedless of cause and effect or of life and death. They do not understand that regret, calamity, and danger often arise in this way. What they gain through contention is little; what they lose is much. Take Xiang Yu, for example: once a peerless hero, he was ultimately defeated and trapped at the Wu River. After his death, his body was cut apart; to later generations, he seemed no more than a Han dog of prey. How could anything people fight over compare with what he once possessed? The “Qi” valued by true cultivators is not the contentious spirit known to the world, but the “Qi of the True One,” which precedes Heaven and Earth—the primordial, precelestial source of Qi in Daoism. Master Shangyang said: “Cultivating to become an immortal or a Buddha depends entirely on this precelestial Qi of the True One. Without it, there can be no cultivation and no long life.” This is what sets such a person apart from ordinary people.

“The Dao (the Way) is inherently difficult to name in words, so it is only provisionally called the ‘Dao.’ The Yinfu Jing and the Daode Jing were the earliest texts to record these principles. Only later did alchemical scriptures describing the stages of immortal cultivation gradually appear. How could the true oral instructions possibly be explained clearly through written words alone?

By a fortunate turn of fate, I met a sage teacher. As I listened to him speak, astonishment and doubt suddenly arose in me, and only then did I understand that profound principles need not be explained at length. Yet how easy is this matter to understand?

I point especially to the direction in which creation and transformation operate: first, one must grasp and gather the Primordial Qi, the source Qi sought through cultivation. What exactly is the Primordial Qi? Unless you have met a true immortal master, do not try to guess.

Qi moves from the four directions, each according to a fixed sequence: the first transformation becomes water, the second sand, the third mercury, the fourth gold, and the fifth forms the Golden Elixir, revealing purple flowers. These are alchemical terms describing successive stages in the transformations of Yin-Yang and the ingredients during cultivation.

Only by recognizing the Mysterious Gate and the Female Gate—respectively, the crucial gateway in cultivation and the Yin root—can one arrange the furnace and cauldron and establish the positions of Qian and Kun. Both Neidan (internal alchemy) and Waidan (external alchemy) arise from this. Do not mistakenly assume that the “great sea” in the poem refers only to the geographical Kunlun Mountains.

Following ordinary human inclinations makes one a mortal; reversing them in cultivation can make one an immortal. What is meant here is neither herbs and plants nor ordinary lead. Who can understand the positions of the “moon hare and sun crow”? Those who do understand instead mock people for turning Yin and Yang upside down.

The moon does not shine without the sun’s illumination. Human beings are inherently Yin and must also restore Yang Qi. To return to the root and restore one’s original nature, one must draw on the Kun body, which symbolizes the root of Yin, to replenish Qian firmness, which symbolizes the strength of Yang.

The Qi of moon-lead in Wu-Kan moves with the tiger; the fire of sun-mercury in Ji-Li travels with the dragon. The white-bearded Laozi, a familiar immortal figure in Daoism, possesses great powers: driving the tiger and following the ox, he crosses the water and heads east.

The tiger is the hardest thing to explain. Even after finding it, its mystery remains unfathomable. The place where Yang Qi first stirs and Gui Water first comes into being is called “before the Great Changes,” the state prior to the beginning of Yin-Yang transformation.

The alchemical foundation contained in “before the Great Changes” is real, and the crow and hare, symbols of the sun and moon, naturally unite. Lord of the East, symbol of the sun or Yang Qi, do not leave the chamber. Only when a companion comes from the West is the one who takes charge revealed.

In the water, the thing called the “Metal Lord” (Jing Gong, a name for the yang essence and Qi in Neidan practice) lies ten thousand leagues from the Western Mountain. The Yellow Emperor proclaims the virtue of Earth at the proper time, using intention to welcome it into the Central Palace, the Dantian region at the body’s center.

The changes of a year can be gathered and contemplated within a month; the changes of a month can likewise be completed within a day. An hour is divided into six periods, but in practice only two are used. In an instant, one may gather the “Mysterious Pearl,” a metaphor in Neidan practice for essence and Qi condensed into a single substance.

A year has 384 yao lines, in which Yin and Yang repeatedly transform; nothing is empty or without substance. The earth, mountains, and rivers all contain precious things. Ge Xian, or Ge Xuan, a Daoist figure of Eastern Wu, once praised the “Flowing Pearl”—a Neidan term for Qi that circulates and condenses—in sixty poems.

To locate the center of the body, the area in front of the kidneys and below the navel is called the Yellow Chamber, a place where essence and Qi are refined and nourished in Neidan practice. Use Wu Earth as a medium to guide it into union with Ji Earth. When Metal Qi returns to its original nature, it is like a bridegroom returning home.

The yang elixir forms in the Yin Sea, as a single line of yang Qi is hidden within the Kan trigram, which represents water and yang concealed within Yin. Gather it into the Li trigram, which represents fire and Yin concealed within Yang, and gently refine and nourish it. This is the inverted practice spoken of by the immortals.

The Yellow Chamber lies below the navel, in front of the kidneys, before the Kan trigram. Use Wu Earth as a medium to bring it into union with Ji Earth. When Metal Qi returns to its original nature, it is like a bridegroom returning home.

The yang elixir forms in the Yin Sea, as though a single line of yang Qi were hidden within the Kan trigram. Gather it into the Li trigram and nourish it gently. This is the immortals’ method of reversing Yin and Yang in cultivation.

One line in the Kan trigram has already turned beyond the Li trigram. The sea of desire gradually grows calm, and its waves subside. As the time of Punishment and Virtue—the waxing and waning, advance and retreat of Yin and Yang—approaches, perform the “bathing” at the proper time. In Neidan practice, bathing is a stage of regulating the breath and maintaining stillness, without reckless movement. Also attend to waxing and waning, and guard against deviations before they arise.

On the eighth day, when the moon is waxing toward its first quarter, Metal Qi weighs half a jin. The Golden Cattail rides the tiger, and the two may clash. In cultivation, excess and deficiency are both unsuitable, so the measure must be handled with care. When the time corresponding to the Kui lunar mansion arrives, know when to draw out or add to the fire, and patiently nourish the spirit.

The Yin form has received the illumination of yang Qi. The male and female Qi unite and enter a process of transformation and generation. Essence as white as snow fills the body, and spring begins to stir. Guard the body and nourish the breath as though cradling an infant.

Fetal breathing gradually takes shape. The breath rises along the spine and reaches the Muddy Pellet, the Neidan practice site at the crown of the head. Qi accumulates layer upon layer, like a pellet falling into glue. After passing through the “twelve-storied tower,” the region of the throat and its cultivation passage, one senses fragrance arising and sweet fluids welling up.

Once the Way of Return has been mastered, nine and seven unite. This is “Wood and Metal, Three and Five, Becoming One,” a Neidan expression for the Qi of Wood, Metal, and the other Five Phases converging into unity. When the breath is full and the spirit strong, the time comes to change the embryo. Guard it as one would a young child; do not let it depart easily.

Nature is Shen, and life is Jing. Know that nature and life belong to “nine and seven”: this is Wood and Metal, Three and Five, Becoming One. When the breath is full and the spirit strong, it is time to change the embryo. Guard it as you would a child, and do not let it wander far away.

Nature is Shen, and life is Jing. Know that nature and life return to the Heart Sovereign, for the heart governs the order of body and mind. Shen, nature, and life all move with intention. Once intention stirs, a person distinguishes good from evil.

The right path for cultivating the Golden Elixir is still often unknown. “Breathing out to Heaven and breathing in from Earth” is a way of testing one’s attainment; it refers to methods for breathing and circulating Qi during cultivation. The Guanyin method seeks its foundation at the heels. Those who practice breath retention should also work this out from there.

Seeking wealth and finding a Dao companion are both matters that may arise in cultivating the Golden Elixir. Wealth is not hard to find, but a suitable companion is rare. A Dao companion and material support can provide much help from the outside for cultivation. Why, then, must an aspiring immortal insist on living deep in the mountains?

These matters have all been explained plainly. Without “material medicine” as a foundation, there is no point in speaking idly of refining the elixir. “Material medicine” is a Neidan term for the substances and essential conditions on which elixir refinement depends. Sadly, many wealthy and powerful people are led astray by false teachers and set on the wrong path of cultivation.

Those with ambition and courage can learn the Way of becoming an immortal. By accumulating merit and doing good deeds until they reach the number “three thousand,” they can attain the transformation of the spirit and ascend in broad daylight to the Nine Heavens. In this song, these are presented as ordinary and attainable goals.

“Song for Dispelling Doubts”

Shangyangzi said that he came to the Dao late. It was not until he was forty, in Hengyang, that he met his teacher. In the past, he did not believe that people with ambition and courage could learn the Way of becoming an immortal. Nor did he believe that, after accumulating merit and doing good deeds to the number of three thousand, they could undergo spiritual transformation and ascend in broad daylight to the Nine Heavens.

Shangyangzi lamented that he had found the Dao too late. It was not until he met his master in Hengyang at the age of forty that he began to believe in the possibility of long life. After hearing his master’s teaching, his doubts vanished. When he lowered his head and touched his nostrils, he became certain that the way of the immortals had a genuine lineage. He felt that much of what he had done and thought in the past had been mistaken; he had not known the true methods of the Dao.

These methods hold profound mysteries. The key lies in “constantly observing its aperture”: continually attending to the “aperture,” the crucial point where the Dao manifests. This aperture is plainly before our eyes, yet those with shallow understanding laugh when they hear of it. After receiving this method, Shangyangzi dared not keep it to himself. He wished to discuss it and distinguish the true from the false with those who genuinely understood the Dao. Today, some people talk idly about heaven and earth but do not understand the Great Dao. The various unorthodox paths and crooked methods have already been outlined in Song of the Jade Void. Without that single spark of innate, genuine insight, the rest of these complicated practices easily lead one astray.

The Great Dao is simple by nature and cannot be fully expressed in words. One need only grasp its subtle aperture to bring heaven and earth to rest. But people have lost the centered and upright path, and instead have devised 3,600 side paths. Some count or hold their breath, using breath control as a method of cultivation. Others compound elixirs and minerals, or search for herbs such as pinellia and scouring rush. Many have harmed their lives in this way; even ginseng can cause harm when used improperly. The poem also cites the “Pure Yang Way” and “Zhang the Minister” as examples of people who went blind or suffered a decline in spirit after taking medicines. The Reverted Elixir spoken of in Neidan has no concrete form, yet people insist on swallowing mineral drugs. This is a serious misunderstanding.

Some regulate their breathing, sit in meditation, and observe the breath at the nose, comparing cultivation to fish in a spring pond or insects in winter hibernation. Yet without understanding the subtle principle involved, they may reach old age without accomplishing anything. Some focus on one spot and visualize golden light, taking it to be the Dantian, the body’s center for cultivation. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, but it is improper to teach the method to others when one knows it may not work. Others imitate heaven, earth, sun, and moon, drawing breath into the Mysterious Female, the Daoist source of life and the meeting place of Yin and Yang. They also massage, stretch and bend, practice breath work, blow out air, swallow saliva, and use a gnomon to calculate the hours. These practices may seem reasonable, but they do not necessarily accord with genuine cultivation. Relying on visualization alone does not mean that one’s innate nature has been realized.

The poem goes on to criticize various unorthodox methods. Some stimulate the coccyx and shake the spine, swallow thick saliva, or even treat semen and urine as materials for cultivation. Others specialize in collecting menstrual blood from women and call it the “Great Yang Elixir.” Some make “autumn stone,” a medicine prepared from urine, and treat urine as a secret treasure, demanding payment before they will pass on the method. Still others enter the bedroom with a partner and wait for intercourse in order to collect essence and replenish the brain. Such practices are absurd and perverse; they cannot bring long life or ensure the well-being of one’s descendants.

Some consume foul substances or swallow milk and urine. Others have men and women engage in intercourse, treating their essence and blood as materials for compounding an elixir. Some, intent on preserving their lives and original Qi, insist on drawing vital fluids from women, yet achieve nothing even in old age and instead blame people such as Huang Guzi. Others take noises in the head or rumbling in the belly for the “dragon’s roar and tiger’s howl,” and perform all sorts of stretching, pulling, and contracting movements, believing these to be signs of progress. The poem regards them as nothing but wasted effort.

So-called “life-preserving formulae” and “numinous branches” are also said to be methods of Yin and Yang elixirs, though their transmission is full of errors. Some list visualization, contraction, attraction, extraction, breath holding, and other methods one by one, with the list growing longer through each retelling. Others cobble together ideas such as Bodhidharma, returning to emptiness, observing things, and knowing the embryo. They predict when people will live or die, then arrange so-called “five centers” for them at the moment of death, though they have no real understanding. The Eight Pieces of Brocade and the Ten Eulogies are also pressed into service as cultivation methods. When one’s allotted span is exhausted, such practices may be of no use. Others speak of celestial and yin demons, or the heavenly pass, claiming to see certain signs at midnight in a Jiazi year, or calling the circulation of Qi and movements of the fingers secret methods. Through these examples, the poem warns against mistaking the many names and techniques for the true path.

Some promote the Indian Scripture on Embryonic Breathing, a text on breath retention and embryonic breathing, claiming it can preserve the body and prolong one’s stay in the world. Shangyangzi argues that those who truly attained the Dao in ancient times did not rely on such elaborate doctrines. What matters is guiding people onto the right path. Others drink wine freely while observing purification fasts, or give up cooked food and refuse to burn firewood. They have accumulated neither merit nor provisions in past lives, yet hope to change their fate in this life through such practices. Still others stubbornly sit in meditation, clinging only to empty Wuwei, as if guarding an empty house and an old fence. They lack food and clothing, suffer cold and hardship, yet never reflect on whether their method is effective.

Some hold strings of plain beads and devote themselves to reciting the Buddha’s name. They despise meat and wine and yearn only for the Western Pure Land, without regard for east, west, north, or south. Others perform many rituals and pray everywhere, or read scriptures all day, yet still cannot free themselves from greed, anger, and attachment. How can they expect to prolong their lives? Those who are cultivating should not adopt such methods indiscriminately, lest they accumulate still more karmic debts. If they meet a true master, they should promptly become a disciple and seek instruction; sometimes a single word of guidance can bring a person to awakening. Those who have not heard the true teaching need not hurry to teach others, since many side paths can disturb a person’s nature. To seek the true heart of the mysterious Great Dao, one should study The Awakening to Reality closely.

Some wandering Chan practitioners call themselves “Chan monks.” They speak of great capacity and great function, yet merely argue over who wins and who loses, refusing to go to Mount Tai to seek the guidance of the old woman—a reference here to an elderly woman or Daoist who instructs practitioners. Some Chan monks shave their beards and hair, thinking outward appearance can stand for cultivation. But marching in ranks with dignified bearing does not amount to truly understanding the mind and seeing one’s nature. Clear-sighted masters sometimes take the seat and berate the Buddha and the patriarchs, using shouts, blows with a staff, or a pointed finger to provoke insight. Today, however, some treat these as ordinary sayings and fail to grasp their deeper meaning.

Clever people like to discuss the principles of human nature. Their arguments sound impressive, but they may not truly understand nature or the Great Dao. Yan Hui’s “sitting in forgetfulness” and Zengzi’s “Yes” are cited to show that the ancients valued inward realization. Some recite The Great Learning, expound The Doctrine of the Mean, and revere Zhu Wengong (Zhu Xi), seeking to rectify the mind and make their intentions sincere through commentaries on the text. But the work of making one’s intentions sincere cannot be confined to textual interpretation.

Some wear the Seven Stars on their heads and call themselves Zhengyi, an important Daoist tradition, yet may not know the gate of the Mysterious Female. The Dao De Jing, with its more than five thousand characters, says that once one “attains the One,” all things can be set in order. Yet few people truly grasp its meaning. Some live in the mountains and forests and call themselves Daoists, but do not know what the Great Dao really is. They have never even heard what the Golden Elixir is, much less understood life and death.

Those who wander from place to place call themselves Quanzhen, a Daoist tradition and a term for its practitioners, yet busy themselves only with morning and evening routines for maintaining the body. The patriarchs left behind the “knife and measure,” a name for the exceedingly subtle essentials of elixir practice. How many people today truly understand them? Zhengyang Weng—said to be Zhongli Quan—pointed out in Song on Dispelling Delusion that this principle is actually clear and its teaching not complicated. He only hoped that everyone might understand it, but some have too little good fortune and remain deluded.

Human life is like a wave on water, gone in an instant. Having gained a human body, we should not waste our time. If we are fortunate enough to meet a wise master who can guide us, we may find the chance to take the road to the “Great Luo,” the highest celestial realm in Daoism.

Five Poems Praising the Sword

Do not assume that the path of Golden Elixir cultivation is always dark and hard to understand. Hearing of it, demons and strange spirits tremble with fear. Guard it as carefully as you would cherish a treasured sword suspended high in the Great Void, the vast expanse of empty space. Use it to slay the “tiger” and nourish the “dragon’s liver.” In Neidan cultivation, the tiger and dragon are symbols for the energies of body and mind that must be harmonized and refined.

This sword can save people, and its merit is immense. When needed, it can also strike swiftly and reveal its might. It can repel demons from the ten directions and transform demonic realms into precious realms.

The three-foot Moye, a legendary sword, hangs high in the air, its divine power awe-inspiring and its presence enough to make evil spirits tremble. Guard it as carefully as you would cherish a treasured sword. Use it to slay the tiger and nourish the dragon’s liver.

This sword can save people, and its merit is immense. When needed, it can also surge into action and reveal its might. It can repel demons from the ten directions and transform demonic realms into precious realms.

The three-foot Moye hangs high in the air, its divine power awe-inspiring and even heroes hold it in reverence. Neither ordinary people nor sages dare lift their heads to gaze directly at it. A beam of divine light shines between the constellations where the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl dwell.

This sword is neither copper nor iron, still less gold. It was not forged in an earthly furnace. It is, from the beginning, the essence of Heaven and Earth. Know that it can both slay and bring new life.

Immortals cannot attain the immortal Way without the sword; and unless one is an immortal, the sword’s art will not be taught. To explain the wondrous subtlety of the Golden Elixir, cultivation must first be established in the Heaven within Earth, the place within the body where Heaven and Earth meet and Yin-Yang come together.

Fifty Poems to Awaken the Eye

What happened forty years ago is now entirely changed. Only by meeting a true teacher through good fortune could I receive the subtle essentials. From this day on, let go of grievances and resentments, cultivate the true body, and ride a crane to ascend.

There truly are arts for long life and immortality, but ordinary people have little affinity and find them hard to bear. Lead, silver, cinnabar, and mercury each require their proper proportions. Only those whose De is deep and whose kindness is far-reaching are worthy of this cultivation. Wei Boyang was a renowned alchemist of antiquity.

Officials at court, dressed in purple and adorned with gold, fill the hall. Banquets are hurried, and carriages and horses clamor. Such, for the most part, is the state of the world these days. Better to gather the spirit and refine the Golden Elixir in a quiet place.

It turns out that much in this world is unreal and unreliable; only the Reverted Elixir, formed through refinement in Neidan cultivation, can nourish and protect body and mind. Though ministers and generals hold high rank, they worry over affairs of state; Daoist practitioners, meanwhile, nurture the medicine sprout in the elixir furnace.

Officials at court fill the hall; banquets are hurried, and carriages and horses clamor. Such, for the most part, is the state of the world these days. Better to gather the spirit and refine the Golden Elixir in a quiet place.

Much in this world is unreal and unreliable; only the Reverted Elixir can nourish and protect body and mind. Though ministers and generals hold high rank, they worry over affairs of state; Daoist practitioners, meanwhile, nurture the medicine sprout in the elixir furnace.

Before meeting a teacher to receive instruction, one always feels that the Way is hard to understand. After hearing its subtle principles, however, cultivation seems almost an ordinary matter. One should gather spirit and Qi into the Golden Cauldron, a symbol in Neidan cultivation for refining Jing, Qi, and Shen, as early as possible. Once the body has declined and perished, the flesh will in the end be buried in the wilderness.

Begin cultivating the Elixir early. Do not hesitate, and do not wait until you have made a name for yourself and achieved success. Time passes swiftly, and the fortunes and misfortunes of human life are hard to predict.

Even if you begin cultivating only now, you are already late. Hearing these words, you should quickly turn your thoughts inward and reflect. What are all the noisy music and gathered crowds for? The heroes of old have long since been carried away wrapped in their shrouds.

People rush about in the world, chasing fame and achievement, while cultivators of the Dao urge them earnestly to practice. Once the Elixir is complete, look back at the world: the fame and achievement once pursued will have vanished beneath the weeds.

Before I had heard of the Great Dao, I was readily loved and respected by others. Since recently learning the Way of Long Life, however, people along the road have been talking about me, as though everyone knew my name.

Pay no heed to the clamor and idle gossip. Simply work diligently to seek the ingredients (a Neidan term for the vital essence and other elements needed for cultivation). When the Seven Returns and Nine Reversions (a Neidan term for the process of refining and transforming vital energies, then returning them to their source) are complete, the troubles and idle resentments of the past will turn to dust.

Once you have succeeded in cultivating the Dao, slander will be passed down like an inscription on a stele. Pay no heed to idle, malicious words. Simply work diligently to seek the ingredients. When the Seven Returns and Nine Reversions are complete, the old resentments will turn to dust.

After attaining the Dao, slander will ultimately return to the earth. Indeed, it can make the cultivator more steadfast. True awakening is sweet as nectar. Since ancient times, people have often met the practice of the Dao with anger and discontent.

There is no need to take people’s cutting remarks to heart. Their laughter can instead remind me to remain steadfast in the Great Dao. So long as I keep adding medicinal fire to the spirit furnace (a Neidan metaphor for the furnace in which body and mind are cultivated), one day I will meet kindred spirits in heaven.

Those who have done good without falling short will surely meet a master. They should discern the hidden meaning in the master’s words. Without good deeds, it is difficult to meet a master; even after receiving a master’s instruction, one may still remain doubtful.

Hold a Scripture of the Elixir in your hands and ponder it in silence. By turning the light inward and reflecting on yourself, you can return to the right path. Go further and inquire into the Aperture of Emptiness (a Neidan term for recognizing the still, formless place in cultivation). When you reach the realm where immortals are chosen, you will surely rank among the foremost.

Zhuang Zhou held ambitions as vast as the great Peng bird and rode the wind southward to the sea, flying ninety thousand li. His writings contain many parables. Who could have imagined that later generations would draw on them to explain the Elixir Dao and compose Elixir scriptures?

The free and unrestrained are willing to endure hardship in their search for True Lead (a Neidan term for the vital essence or substance sought in cultivation). In the end, aspiration carries one beyond the world, but the practice of refining the Returned Elixir and seeking its ingredients still depends on the trials of everyday life.

A poem in Lü Dongbin’s Qin Yuan Chun, written under the name Chunyangzi, clearly sets out the key principles concerning the ingredients of the Elixir method. It says that a crow flies over Qujiang and the new moon hangs above the mountain, marking the cyclical sign Gengshen.

Even without reading scriptures or practicing cultivation in a dedicated way, one may still roam freely through the world. At times, it is as though one has drunk up all the waters of the Western River, then refined them into a golden wheel that shines over the Nine Provinces.

People throughout the world celebrate heroes and their many heroic deeds. The line “A crow flies over the bend of the river; the new moon hangs above the mountain peak on Gengshen” uses images of the crow and hare, the moon, and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to hint at the right moment and signs for cultivating the Golden Elixir.

Some people neither read the scriptures nor practice cultivation, and only want to pass their days at ease in the world. At times, they also claim they will “drink up all the waters of the Western River,” refine the Golden Elixir, and shine across the Nine Provinces. “Drinking up all the waters of the Western River” is an exaggerated metaphor for cultivation, not a literal call to drink an entire river.

The heroic deeds of the world ultimately vanish into emptiness. Only the Way of the Golden Elixir is considered spiritually wondrous, able to let a person wield supernatural powers in the Great Luo Heaven, a high celestial realm in Daoism.

The true master repeatedly teaches with solemn emphasis that the third day of the eighth month is the time of “Gui’s birth”—the moment when “the first Yang stirs,” and Yang energy begins to emerge. Those who search only for the winter solstice, a solar term, may be wasting their effort. This refers to the stirring of Yang energy in Neidan cultivation, not simply to the calendrical winter solstice.

The crow and hare, which respectively stand for the sun and moon, undergo inverted transformations. When the moon first appears in the Geng position, “true lead” is present—a Neidan term for the essential true Yang sought in cultivation. The key to the Golden Elixir lies here. It is not hard to understand, so do not assume that an immortal master never taught it in person.

Refine the body and transform it into Qi, then bring Qi back to Shen. Without true Yang energy, all the toil of cultivation is in vain. After opening primordial chaos and dividing the processes of creation, one must also understand that beyond one’s ordinary self there is another “body” sought through cultivation: the true body spoken of in Neidan.

Cultivation does not use the lead and cinnabar of common belief. Instead, one must continually raise the “treasured sword” to cut down demons and evil influences. The sword is a metaphor for cultivation, meaning the severing of deluded thoughts, corrupt Qi, and the like. If someone asks about immortals, the answer is “white horse teeth” in the furnace—a Neidan term for a symbolic ingredient used in refining the Elixir, not literal horse teeth.

Even if the Jade Emperor asks about the ingredients of the Elixir, they must be taken from the crescent-moon furnace, a vessel shaped like a crescent and also a symbol of Neidan cultivation. If a hero swallows a single pellet of the Golden Elixir, it is like carrying a child for a year: pregnancy is used as a metaphor for the Elixir ripening within the body.

“A spark of Yang essence is hidden in the mountain of the body” means that a thread of Yang essence is concealed within the physical form. When words accord and the secret instructions are understood, one can return to the source. Those who are confused may doubt as much as they like; the essential point is not difficult.

What is refined is the Metal within Kan. Kan is the Water trigram; here the phrase is a Neidan term for true Yang. Without a master’s transmission, it is difficult to grasp through one’s own efforts alone. When a secret like a treasure vault suddenly opens, one understands that “wood is not wood, and without it no forest forms.” These references to wood and forests are all alchemical metaphors and should not be taken literally.

Within the Li trigram lies a Yin line, symbolizing the true substance of Kun Earth. The Yang force within the Kan trigram is called Qian Metal. At the beginning, the Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth moved in their natural order, so Qian and Kun followed one another, alternating death and life in a cycle that continues to this day.

Lower the curtain, quiet the mind, and accord with Complete Perfection. One must also know that beyond the body there is another “body”: the true body attained through cultivation. This is a clear sign that the Golden Elixir is manifesting; it is not cultivated for external things or for other people.

Above the bend of the river, the new moon shines. Earth’s Qi responds to the tides, and celestial signs respond to the stars. Those wishing to probe more deeply into the mysterious secrets of Neidan may look before the Pavilion of Immortal Lü at the sight of golden sand rising.

Wood and Metal, common alchemical names for the Qi of the Wood and Metal Phases, are cut off from one another, occupying the west and east. Cloud Qi rises, the dragon sings and the tiger roars, and the wind follows. The two forces are far apart, but fortunately Wu and Ji, names for Earth Qi, can bring the female and male into union.

Subduing the dragon and taming the tiger, metaphors for harmonizing the Yin and Yang Qi within the body, is not difficult. Once subdued, they can be gathered at the Jade Lock Pass, an inner alchemical gate. The sun and moon meet clearly in the cauldron. Why worry that the Great Return Elixir will not be formed?

What seems to be doing nothing contains its own activity. The white within Kan, the Yang Qi contained in the Kan trigram, must return to Li, the Li trigram that symbolizes Yang within Yin. At the first arrival of the water source in its utmost clarity, a spark of numinous light appears, though others do not know it.

Practitioners must recognize the Yellow Sprout, an inner alchemical term for newly arising True Yang Qi. Whoever understands the Metal Lord, a term often referring to True Yang or Metal Qi, can bring Yin and Yang back together as one family. Before Heaven and Earth were divided, this was called the Great One, the undifferentiated origin. When it was divided, the River Cart, a metaphor for the movement of Qi in internal alchemy, came into being.

Within the Suspended Womb Cauldron, a metaphor for internal cultivation, refine the Flowing Pearl, an inner alchemical term for nimble True Qi or Elixir fluid, and rejoice as Metal Qi returns to its original nature. The sages of the Three Teachings—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism—followed the same fundamental path; only later generations took different roads.

White clouds drift freely past the front stream. Whether an immortal dwells there is unknown. When my Jade Furnace, a metaphor for the alchemical furnace, has refined the Elixir through nine transformations, I will ride upon five-colored clouds and attend a feast at the Jade Pool.

How many people live amid wealth and honor, only to see them vanish in the blink of an eye? Better to seek the secret of the Golden Elixir and become an immortal who lives forever.

With the formula but no resources, the work is difficult to complete; with both the method and the resources, one can become an immortal. Ancestor Danyang was once a wealthy man of the eastern region, yet he gave up his vast fortune.

Those who seek immortality should hasten to cultivate, diligently sowing and tending the fields within the Dantian, the inner cultivation center in Daoist practice. People say that the Golden Elixir is for the wealthy and honored. Who knows that through its cultivation one may also seek long life?

Lesser reclusion means withdrawing to the mountains and forests; greater reclusion means remaining in the midst of the marketplace. Even in the dusty world, subtle and profound transformations are at work. Ordinary people have yet to understand the Way within the marketplace; there is no need to retreat into remote mountains and grotto heavens.

Before the Return Elixir is formed, do not hurry into the marketplace. The Elixir’s essential seed is often found among noisy crowds. The infant and the young maiden, inner alchemical symbols for the two forces of Yin and Yang, joyfully unite; afterward, within the circle, the center of inner alchemical circulation, the Great Return Elixir is nurtured.

Red and white lotuses grow in the water; rising from the mud, their colors shine all the brighter. The lotus stalk stands upright, the lotus root is hollow, and the seedpod is full; the practitioner…