《抱一函三秘诀》

In Fuxi’s Preheaven Bagua diagram, the Qian trigram through the Zhen trigram are arranged in a counterclockwise direction, while the Kun trigram through the Xun trigram are arranged clockwise, forming a coiling pattern around the Preheaven Bagua. Heaven and Earth occupy the upper and lower positions; the energies of mountain and lake communicate, thunder and wind stir one another, and water and fire do not repel each other.

Qian and Kun occupy the upper and lower positions, symbolizing Heaven and Earth as the foundation from which all things transform and come into being. Kan and Li lie at the center, symbolizing the key to change in things. The single Yang line in the Qian trigram is called “nature,” and is also known as “Yang essence” or “Heavenly soul”; it is also likened to a silver ore. This refers to the three fundamental meanings contained in a single Qi.

This single Yang is also called the “Original Spirit.” After conception, the Original Spirit is hidden in the Kun palace. The scripture describes its movements and transformations through the phrases “hidden in Hai, emerging in Ren, born in Zi, flourishing in Gui,” referring to the directions or temporal stages of Hai, Ren, Zi, and Gui. Transformed from a single Qi, the Original Spirit returns to the central palace and becomes the “Elixir Mother,” the root of the Elixir in Neidan cultivation.

“Now to clarify the human condition after conception” means that what follows will explain the human condition after conception.

After the essences and Qi of the parents unite, the primordial One Qi—the source Qi that existed before Heaven and Earth—responds and gathers, giving rise to life. It is something that suddenly attaches itself and comes forth, and is called “nature.” It is concealed in the Kun Palace, here referring to the region of the two kidneys. From the moment a person is conceived, it carries on the seed of their nature. It is not a substance formed by the coagulation of the parents’ blood and essence. Those who cultivate the Dao should understand this deeply: it has no form or substance, yet it has Qi; it is my original, true self.

Before birth, this true nature is called “Yin Metal,” and is also known as the “Metal Mother” or “Metal Consort.” Metal is inherently Yang, but because it has not yet manifested in form and remains in an undivided, chaotic state, it is called Yin Metal. This illustrates how Yin and Yang transform into one another and arise in alternation.

After birth, this true nature is also called “Yang Lead.” A physical phenomenon offers an analogy: before lead ore takes shape in a mineral deposit, it first receives the subtle, numinous Qi of Heaven and Earth and forms a silver bell. The silver bell is condensed from numinous Qi; once it is made into a mirror, black lead then coagulates. Before a person is born of their parents, there is likewise an “empty-Qi golden embryo,” and so it is called the “original true seed.” Just as numinous Qi condenses into a lead mirror, the parents give form to an uncarved body, within which the original true nature takes up residence. For this reason, nature is called “true lead.” Lead is the mother of all metals, and the generation of all things between Heaven and Earth likewise depends on lead Qi. The Daoist scripture says, “The named is the mother of the myriad things”; this is precisely the principle it describes.

Zhenyizi said: “Point directly to the numinous root of Heaven and Earth and take it as the ancestor of the medicine; clearly discern the sacred mother of Yin and Yang and take it as the foundation of refining the Elixir.” This refers to the same thing. It is the essence and Qi arising from the first intercourse of Heaven and Earth, also called “flowing crystal” or “earthly soul.” In the Five Phases, it belongs to Water; this is what is meant by “Heaven One generates Water.” Though it belongs to Water, it is called “Yang Lead” because the Water contains the Yang nature of Metal. It is therefore also called the “sacred mother of Yin and Yang,” a name that conveys the principle by which lead and silver generate one another. This principle and the one described earlier as “flowing Metal” have different names but related meanings. Ponder them carefully, and the subtlety of creation will become clear. It is the source of the One Qi and is also called “primordial essence.”

The Metal Mother resides in the Kun Palace. The Qi arising from its wondrous function rises along with Yang Qi. The Classic of the Dragon and Tiger says, “Metal and Fire take charge in their proper turn”; this refers to that process. Metal represents the Yin embryo, and Fire represents Yang Qi. One Yang line of the Qian trigram joins with Kun to form Zhen; two Yang lines join to form Kan; three Yang lines join to form Gen. One Yin line of Kun joins with Qian to form Xun; two Yin lines join to form Li; three Yin lines join to form Dui. Thus the Elixir scriptures say that within the Six Emptinesses—the spaces in which Yin and Yang respond to and transform one another—the Eight Trigrams arise: Kan, Li, Kun, Zhen, Dui, Qian, Xun, and Gen. Kan and Li are generated from within them, with Zhen and Xun serving as their gateways. This describes the rising and descending of Yin and Yang, and their fluctuations and transformations.

The Diagram of King Wen’s Later Heaven Bagua arranges the Nine Palaces according to the numerical principles of the Hetu. The principle of the Nine Palaces also derives from the total of fifty-five, but the ten is not listed separately. Instead, it is lodged within the five, so the ten is included as well. Ten represents completion; since the myriad things cannot remain at the point of completion, it is left empty. In the Nine Palaces, the numbers add up to fifteen in every horizontal and vertical line, symbolizing the Kan and Li trigrams.

The numbers in the diagram are positioned as follows: nine above, one below, three at the left elbow, seven at the right elbow, two at the left shoulder, four at the right shoulder, six at the left knee, eight at the right knee, and five at the center. The center represents the abdomen and digestive organs and is also called “Central Yellow.” The image resembles an infant seated upright at the center, governing the eight directions. The horizontal and vertical sums are all fifteen, an intricate mystery that is difficult to describe fully.

The same diagram is also used to explain the form of the human body at the beginning of conception.

The “Golden Embryo of Pre-Heavenly Empty Qi” is the original substance of natural emptiness, and the pure, true, undivided essence and Qi. Before the parents join, it exists as one with Hundong, the undifferentiated state of chaos. The Daoist scripture’s words “Nameless, the beginning of Heaven and Earth” refer to this state. When the parents begin to join and their essence and Qi respond to one another, numinous Qi suddenly responds and attaches itself within them; it is provisionally called “spirit.” This Qi has not yet taken shape in the mother’s womb. It alternately lies hidden and appears. Once essence and blood coagulate, it moves back to the central palace and is called the “Elixir Mother.” It gathers and contains lead and mercury—Daoist internal alchemy terms for Yin-Yang essence and Qi—and forms the sacred substance, the pivotal hub of the alchemical method. Although all that has been described is one and the same thing, it has different names; these do not refer to two separate things and should be carefully distinguished.

The spirit chamber, understood in internal alchemy as an inner space likened to an empty dwelling, is the foundation that makes alchemical practice possible, so cultivation must begin here. The Classic of the Dragon and Tiger says, “The spirit chamber is the pivot of the Elixir.” The human organs are filled out against one another, leaving almost no gaps; only the spirit chamber is empty. It is like an unoccupied room, which can receive people precisely because it is empty, or like a vessel, which can hold things precisely because its interior is hollow.

The Dao De Jing says, “Doors and windows are cut to make a house; it is because the house is empty inside that it serves as a house. Clay is kneaded to make a vessel; it is because the vessel is empty inside that it serves as a vessel.” Thus, all things between Heaven and Earth have their own spirit chambers: Heaven and Earth take emptiness as their spirit chamber, while all things take the womb as theirs. Human conception in the womb is likewise possible because there is a spirit chamber to receive the embryo. People grow old and die because Shen (spirit) loses its support; when the body declines, how can one survive without a place to dwell? Therefore, recognizing the spirit chamber is the most important foundation of internal alchemy.

In the human body, the Sea of Marrow—the place where the brain’s marrow resides—is Heaven, while the essence chamber, where Jing (essence) is stored, is Earth. The two Qi of Yin and Yang rise and descend between them. The spirit chamber lies between this Heaven and Earth, reaching upward to the Yellow Court, an important inner landscape in the middle of the body, and downward to Guanyuan, an important point below the navel. The “upper cauldron” and “lower cauldron” mentioned in the scriptures refer to this. In cultivating the Golden Liquid Restoring the Elixir, the practice of refining internal alchemy through one’s inner Jing and Qi, one first visualizes the original nature within the spirit chamber; this is why it is called “lead.”

After visualizing the spirit chamber, one must also know how to let go of the visualization: first visualize, then forget it. Only then can this be called stillness. To preserve one’s original state and let it abide in the spirit chamber is called “the original.” When external things arrive and the mind is stirred in response, Yin Qi begins to grow. This is no longer stillness, and the original state is lost. If one can avoid being drawn in by external things, act without adding deliberate thought, and yet remain focused on a single object, then one will respond naturally when things arrive. This is the method of guarding Shen.

If every thought ceases and all reflection is forgotten, so that one does not respond at all when things arrive, this may look like stillness and concentration, but it belongs to a stagnant Yin state, like the dry sitting of a Chan practitioner. These two approaches—guarding something and giving no response at all—are both teachings of a lesser order. The Dao De Jing says, “Always without desire, observe its subtlety; always with desire, observe its boundaries.” A Buddhist scripture also says, “People are led by external things; if they can transform external things, they are the same as the Tathagata, the awakened one.” These sayings describe the function of the spirit chamber.

Someone asked, “The Tathagata is a Chan practitioner. How can he also illustrate the function of the spirit chamber?” The answer was: “Can people such as Shakyamuni, Bodhidharma, and Puhua really be outside the Way of the Golden Liquid Restoring the Elixir? Puhua once called Linji ‘a young fellow with only a pair of eyes.’ Does this mean that Linji understood only the Nature School, the tradition of practice centered on realizing the mind and seeing one’s nature?”

The “first preserve, then forget” described above means being able to respond when external things arrive, then returning to the source after responding. If one does not cling to self-display, but responds to things while always remaining still, and is not drawn in by external things, one can stand out in complete clarity and become the substance and function—the foundation and operation—of the Great Elixir. Once the spirit chamber has become stable, one can gather the two Qi of Yin and Yang as the ingredients of the Great Elixir. In practice, one must also grasp the right moment clearly, with the precision of a water clock or a sundial.

Calibrate the body as a clock—the clepsydra was an ancient timekeeping device—and you can perceive the cycles of Heaven and Earth. When the spirit is settled and the breath is harmonious, the inner state accords with the seasons outside. When the spirit is dull and the breath hurried and disordered, the seasons can easily seem out of joint.

A day is divided into twelve double-hours. The scripture uses the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, along with directions—Ren, Gui, Gen, Jia, Yi, Xun, Bing, Ding, Kun, Shen, Xin, and Qian—to organize the seasons and align them with the twenty-four solar terms, forming the annual rhythm of climate. Choosing the right time to practice gathering the medicinal essence is therefore no small matter. Although the day is divided into twelve double-hours and a hundred periods, the crucial moments in the growth and development of all things under Heaven and Earth occur at transitions in the cycles marked by Jia, Geng, Ren, and Bing. Once these moments have passed, the time is no longer suitable.

Each day, at the Jia and Geng double-hours, practitioners gather the numinous Qi that is stirring to life between Heaven and Earth. This is called “gathering the medicine.” These two double-hours correspond to the phases when Yin and Yang are evenly balanced at the moon’s first and last quarters, and are like the seasonal points of the spring and autumn equinoxes. During practice, the breath through the nose can be used to discern the right moment: at the Zi double-hour the left side is open, at Chou the right side is open, and the same pattern continues through the other double-hours. At the transitions between Hai and Zi, Yin and Mao, Si and Wu, and Shen and You, the breath flows freely on both sides. These are the essentials of the four key moments: Jia, Geng, Bing, and Ren.

Zi and Wu are the thresholds where Qi advances and recedes; Mao and You are the gates through which Qi enters and exits; and Yin and Shen show the signs of Qi rising or descending. Each of these six double-hours has its own function, together called the “functions of the six elixirs.” Yin is the time when Yang Qi begins to rise. To gather the medicine at the Jia double-hour, practitioners should sit down at the end of Yin and focus the mind inward, keeping the spirit settled within the body. What they attend to is the “One Qi,” the primordial Qi from which, according to the scripture, the Five Phases and all things arise. It is also called “lead in the cauldron,” “Water,” or “nature”—symbolic terms in Neidan practice.

Once nature and life have congealed into form, Yang Qi lies concealed at Hai, stirs into activity at Ren, arises at Zi, and flourishes at Gui. When Zi arrives, it rises accordingly; the scripture then turns to the One Qi stored in the kidneys.

At the hour of the Rat, primordial Qi (the original vital energy believed to precede the activities of later life) rises from the kidneys and passes through the Dantian, the Sea of Qi, the Yellow Court, and the Spirit Chamber. The scripture holds that this is the primordial energy present when Heaven and Earth first separated.

At the hour of the Monkey, if the breath through the nose is unobstructed, apply the method of “Yang Fire.” Close the excretory openings, called the “Heavenly Kitchen,” so that Shen and Qi embrace within the body: nothing escapes outward from above, and nothing leaks out below. True Qi is warmed and nourished within, again and again, until what is called “Heavenly Trust” gradually appears. The meaning of “Heavenly Trust” is discussed later. Continue this method until the hour of the Hare. After that hour, acquired Qi is no longer suitable for gathering and refining.

Yin Qi begins to arise in the Sea of Marrow at the hour of the Horse, then descends along the Yang Pass to the two barriers. The hour of the Monkey is when Yang Qi lies hidden. To gather the medicine at the hour of Geng—a Neidan term for gathering the Jing and Qi generated within the body—sit quietly at the end of the hour of the Monkey, preserving Shen and guarding the mind as at the hour of the Tiger. When the breath through the nose becomes unobstructed, the hour of Geng has arrived.

When Qi reaches the two barriers, apply the warm-water method and close the two lower openings, the sites of excretion. Qi then passes directly along the Magpie Bridge—a Neidan term for the channel connecting the upper and lower movements of Qi—into the Spirit Chamber, where it embraces Shen. This is called the Jing born of the first union of the Dragon and Tiger. Continue this method until the hour of the Rooster. If Qi passes beyond the two barriers, it becomes acquired Qi and is no longer suitable for gathering and refining.

When nothing leaks out below or escapes above, Shen and Qi can unite, allowing all things to communicate, the myriad spirits to return to one spirit, and the myriad forms of Qi to return to one Qi. Thus the scripture says, “The methods for observing the Way of Heaven and following its movement are all contained here.” It also says, “The key to the harmful disturbances of the nine apertures lies in the three essentials.” The nine apertures are the seven upper openings and the two lower ones. The three essentials are to let nothing escape above, let nothing leak out below, and refrain from reckless movement in the middle. The principles of “letting nothing escape” and “letting nothing leak out” are explained in this chapter; the key to “remaining still” is found in the previous chapter’s teaching, “Respond to things and return to the source.”

In this way, one can witness “Heaven’s signs”—the confirmations that appear during cultivation—and the spirits will manifest naturally. When Heaven’s signs arrive, one first feels at ease in the body, then the movement of Qi gradually flows through. From this, one knows that Qi within the body is steaming and circulating. Suddenly, the true spirit comes into being, and the cultivator experiences the vision of “white light arising in an empty chamber”: the mind is clear and still, as though light has appeared. At this point, the spirits can be seen.

When such a vision occurs, do not be alarmed or doubtful. Simply let the mind and spirit settle in the spirit chamber, the inner place where the spirit is kept, and the vision will settle of its own accord. This is called bringing the two Qi together along the Yellow Path, gathering the three natures in the Palace of the Origin, bringing the Five Phases together, and harmonizing the four images. Only then can the elixir ingredient—the essence and Qi condensed through cultivation—be considered mature.

If the timing of cultivation is wrong, then even working the fields in season, like a farmer, will not yield the treasure. The Book of Documents says, “Respectfully appoint the seasons for agriculture.” The Mencius says, “Do not neglect the farming seasons.” Timing is the key to cultivation; how could it be taken lightly?

Understanding how to gather the elixir through the Five Phases.

When the essence and blood of the parents join and unite with the fundamental nature inherent in the person, nature and life are formed. The part shaped from the parents’ essence and blood is called “life”; the fundamental nature inherent in the person is called “nature.” What nature contains is Shen (spirit); what the body produces is Qi (vital energy); and when Qi condenses, it becomes Jing (essence). Jing, Qi, and Shen together form the body and enable life to grow.

If a person is skilled in cultivating and preserving them, Shen can become stable. When Shen is stable, Qi becomes stable; when Qi is stable, Jing can also be kept firm. Only when Jing, Qi, and Shen are all stable can the body be preserved. If even one of the three grows weak, all may be harmed together, and ultimately all may be lost. A poem says: “Jing nourishes the numinous root, and Qi nourishes Shen. Beyond the true principle, there is no other truth. The immortals will not plainly reveal their secret; if they explained it too clearly, people would laugh at them.”

The instructions say: First, keep the innate, original, undivided Shen—the Shen that is pure and whole from the beginning—within the “chamber.” This is Wu Earth, also called Yang Earth, and represents nature. Then apply the subtle method so that the Qi that arises enters the chamber. This is Ji Earth, also called Yin Earth and known as the “Yellow Dame,” and represents emotion. The transformations of cinnabar and mercury occur because Yin and Yang respond to one another and bring forth one another, thereby giving rise to emotion.

Original Qi is stored in the Kun palace, a site symbolizing receptivity and gestation. Once its movement is set in motion, the Golden Embryo continues to form there and is transformed, rising upward. For this reason, the Kun palace is also called the “chamber of lead essence.” In the scripture, “metal and fire” refers to the Golden Embryo as metal, and to the aroused Yang Qi as fire—that is, true lead. In the methods of the Elixir, the functions of metal and fire are crucial. As Qi circulates and changes, it enters the central palace and is then called cinnabar, belonging to Wood. When Yang Qi reaches the sea of marrow, the place associated with essence and marrow, Yin arises at its limit. This is called “drawing mercury from cinnabar” and belongs to Fire. The scripture calls this “transforming into cinnabar and mercury.” Cinnabar and mercury embody the functions of metal and Water, for they represent Yin and Yang.

At the time of Jia, the Qi of the three Yangs is in command: Qi rises and becomes cinnabar, called “half a jin of metal.” At the time of Geng, the Qi of the three Yins is in command: Qi descends and becomes mercury, called “half a jin of Water.” Together they make the number sixteen. Through their transformation within the chamber, the Great Elixir is refined. Cinnabar and mercury unite as one, then are added to lead to form silver. This completes the Five Phases and is what is called the “root of the single Qi,” known as original Qi.

Metal and Water share the same source: Kan (Water) flows into Wu. Wood and Fire also share the same source and return to Ji. Master Zhang says: “If Li and Kan are not joined through Wu and Ji, then even though they contain the four images, they cannot refine the Elixir. It is precisely because each contains true Earth that the Golden Elixir can return to its source.” Whoever understands this principle has grasped the fundamental ingredients for refining the Elixir.

Diagram of the Numbers of Heaven and Earth: Fifty-Five

The numbers of Heaven are one, three, five, seven, and nine; the numbers of Earth are two, four, six, eight, and ten. Together, the numbers of Heaven and Earth total fifty-five.

Diagram of the Generative and Completed Numbers of Heaven and Earth

This diagram explains the numerical patterns by which Heaven and Earth generate things naturally. Water, Fire, Wood, Metal, and Earth are each matched with numbers according to Yin-Yang. The odd numbers one, three, five, seven, and nine are called “generative numbers,” while the even numbers two, four, six, eight, and ten are called “completed numbers.”

Earth’s six occupies the northern position of Kan and becomes lead as Yin Qi in the center of Kan gathers into true Qi. Heaven’s seven returns to the southern Palace of Li and serves as mercury. Earth’s eight occupies the eastern Palace of Zhen and serves as cinnabar. Heaven’s nine returns to the western position of Dui and serves as gold. Earth’s ten occupies the central palace, enabling the myriad things to come into being. This expresses the subtle principle of alchemical cultivation. Lead, mercury, cinnabar, and gold here are all symbolic terms borrowed by Neidan (internal alchemy).

The Numbers by Which Creation Generates

The Eight Trigrams arise from the numerical patterns of Heaven and Earth. Heaven’s numbers are the odd numbers one, three, five, seven, and nine, totaling twenty-five. Earth’s numbers are the even numbers two, four, six, eight, and ten, totaling thirty. Together, the numbers of Heaven and Earth total fifty-five.

The number of the Great Expansion is fifty: five is subtracted from fifty-five as the foundation of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). In actual use, forty-nine are employed; one is then subtracted to symbolize the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) in its unmoving state.

Diagram of Subtracting to Reveal Creation

First, subtract one, two, three, four, and five, representing Water, Fire, Wood, Metal, and Earth respectively. Then subtract another set of one through five, indicating that the foundation of the Five Phases has already been deducted. The remaining twenty-five serve as the root of the Five Phases and reveal true Earth. Twenty-five corresponds to the Yang numbers one, three, five, seven, and nine.

At this point, only Wu Earth is revealed. Then take five, three, and fifteen from the root numbers and subtract one through five in sequence; in this way, the substance and function of the returning Elixir are revealed. “Returning Elixir” here refers to the elixir substance sought through Neidan cultivation and its function.

Diagram of the Reversal of the Five Phases

Diagram of the Mutual Use of Kan and Li

Qi (the vital energy of life and cosmic force described in Daoism), numbers, and the forms and functions of the myriad things are discussed here in terms of yang numbers. It is not enough to see only Wu Earth (yang Earth among the Five Phases); one must also divide the root numbers “five, three, fifteen” in turn by one, two, three, four, and five to understand the substance and function of the Reverted Elixir (the elixir formed through Neidan cultivation).

Diagram of the Inversion of the Five Phases

Diagram of the Mutual Use of Kan and Li

On the Substance and Function of Qi, Numbers, and Things

Qi appears as “wealth” (the original text uses this character); numbers begin from it, and the myriad things arise from it as well. The scripture says, “The Dao gives birth to One.” This is the foundation of the growth and decline of all things, and the beginning of primordial Qi.

The circle represents Qi; when the circle is unfolded, it becomes number. The circle and the number unfolded from it differ in form but share the same principle. They are not two separate things: this is what is meant by “they emerge from the same source but have different names.” Each number contains “One,” and every thing contains Qi. Thus, one plus one makes two, one plus two makes three, one plus three makes four, and one plus four makes five. These five steps describe the generation of numbers. One plus five makes six; adding successively up to ten completes the next five steps.

Qi divides into Yin and Yang, while numbers divide into odd and even. Yin-Yang and odd and even combine, and the myriad things arise from this union. Thus, the numbers of Heaven are one, three, five, seven, and nine; the numbers of Earth are two, four, six, eight, and ten. From one to five lie the foundations of all things. Because the foundations continually generate, the myriad things flourish without end. From six to ten lie the origins of all things; these origins enable things to return to their roots, recover their source, and go back to their original state. The numbers of generation act upon one another, and their foundations mutually generate one another. Thus, Heaven’s one combines with Earth’s six; Earth’s two with Heaven’s seven; Heaven’s three with Earth’s eight; Earth’s four with Heaven’s nine; and Heaven’s five with Earth’s ten, making a total of fifty-five. The numbers of Heaven add up to twenty-five and govern generation; the numbers of Earth add up to thirty and govern completion. The principles of number unfold without end. This is the principle by which the myriad things continually come into being.

Considered further through the principle of returning to the root and restoring life, Heaven’s one belongs to Water, Earth’s two to Fire, Heaven’s three to Wood, Earth’s four to Metal, and Heaven’s five to Earth. These are the Five Phases. The Five Phases transform from the formless into wondrous, subtle Qi and then appear as formed things, generating and transforming without cease. Yet the Five Phases also restrain and overcome one another: when a later phase takes shape, the earlier one transforms in response.

Earth’s six is lead, Heaven’s seven is mercury, Earth’s eight is cinnabar, Heaven’s nine is gold, and Earth’s ten is the elixir. These names describe the substances and transformations involved in Neidan cultivation.

The Five Substances—the materials or stages that change in sequence during the processes of refining and cultivation, such as lead, mercury, cinnabar, metal, and the Elixir—refer to physical substance moving from solidity back to emptiness and returning to its original source. In other words, it returns to its root and recovers its original nature. These substances nourish one another and bring about transformation: although their forms change, their nature does not.

Lead is the mother of the Five Metals, as well as the source of Qi—the fundamental energy that constitutes all things—and the root of number. Someone asked: If lead is the mother of the Five Metals and the root of Qi and number, why not say, “Heaven One generates Earth Lead,” instead of “Heaven One generates Water”? The answer is: Before “Heaven One generates Water,” what generated Heaven One? A human being has a body, and the spirit gives rise to that body; once the body has formed, the spirit remains within it. It is like a fruit’s kernel: the fruit comes into being through its kernel, yet once the fruit has formed, the kernel remains concealed inside it. All things are like this. What is there to doubt?

Lead Qi transforms into mercury; mercury condenses into cinnabar; cinnabar can transform into treasure; and treasure condenses into the Elixir. The Elixir is the starting point from which all things return to their original nature—that is, the return to the root and source. Thus, only when metal returns to its original state is it called the “Returning Elixir.” Qi transforms into mercury, mercury condenses into cinnabar, cinnabar transforms into treasure, and treasure becomes the Elixir. This sequence of material transformations reveals its underlying patterns and numerical principles, through which one may also discern the wondrous principle of spirit.

“Heaven One, Earth Six” corresponds to lead and also represents lead’s nature. Heaven One follows upon Earth Six to form the Returning Elixir. Qi transforms into mercury, mercury condenses into cinnabar, cinnabar transforms into treasure, and treasure becomes the Elixir. The numerical transformations of Heaven One and Earth Six help us understand lead and the nature of lead.

Heaven One follows upon Earth Six to become mercury. This means that all things are contained within nature, and that feeling arises from it. Lead symbolizes nature, while mercury symbolizes feeling: this is the principle being described here. Seven is the root of number, and it contains Six; therefore, mercury is said to arise through the transformation of lead. This is an account in terms of numerical principles.

Earth Two follows upon Heaven Seven to become cinnabar, showing that cinnabar is formed by mercury condensing, just as feeling arises from nature. Subtract one from eight and seven remains—is this not mercury? Heaven Nine follows upon Earth Eight and is called metal, showing that treasure is formed through the transformation of cinnabar.

When emotional consciousness returns to its true nature and goes back to its source, this is called “subtracting one from nine” in numerical terms, leaving the number eight. This is called “sand.” “Earth ten” is called “elixir”: it means returning to the source and restoring the original, that is, gold returning to the beginning of its true nature. Only upon reaching this stage is it called the “Reverted Elixir.” Subtract one from ten and nine remains: the number returns to its true nature and goes back to its source. Then subtract one from nine, leaving eight; this is called “sand.” “Earth ten” is called “elixir”: it means returning to the source and restoring the original, that is, gold returning to the beginning of its true nature. Only upon reaching this stage is it called the “Reverted Elixir.” Subtract one from ten and nine remains; the number that is left is still contained within it. If it is not gold, what is it? Thus, every number contains “one,” and every thing contains Qi (the vital energy that forms all things and drives change).

Since Qi and numbers are as described, the principles of things can also be understood from them. For example, silver within lead is like the true Shen (the genuine spiritual awareness contained in one’s nature) within one’s nature. Lead reveals silver through the silver it contains, and silver in turn reappears from lead. In the same way, one’s nature gives rise to true Shen through numinous Qi, and true Shen returns to one’s nature. This is like “one” being contained in numbers and Qi being contained in things. The saying “the mother is hidden in the child’s womb, and the child is born from the mother’s belly” describes precisely this relationship.

From this we can understand how Yin-Yang generates things, and the principles by which gold and lead return to their source. Practitioners must, at the proper time, preserve Shen within the spirit chamber (the place in internal cultivation where Shen is held and gathered). This is called “true lead.” Then they use the Qi set in motion by subtle function to impel and transform it, turning it into the medicinal substance. This is sand and mercury, and also emotional consciousness.

The scripture says, “Refine silver within lead, and a wondrous substance will naturally emerge.” Silver is the essence of gold and takes on the color of lead. “Northern numinous water” is the pivot of the Dao and the source of Yin-Yang; this is the foundation of elixir refinement. Master Zhang says, “White within black is the mother of the elixir; the male containing the female is the sacred embryo.” He also says, “To keep the mercury in cinnabar within the golden cauldron, first place the silver of the water in the jade pool.” He further says, “Swallowing saliva and taking in Qi are practices of human cultivation; only when there is a medicinal substance can transformation arise. If the furnace contains no true seed, it is like boiling an empty pot over a fierce fire.”

Thus it is said, “Know the white, yet keep to the black; know the male, yet keep to the female.” This speaks of the substance of the Great Elixir’s medicinal ingredients. The mercury within sand refers to Yin contained within Yang.

The “mercury fluid” mentioned here is also called “Yang Cinnabar and Yin Mercury.” The scripture says, “The Li Fire rises from beneath the Kan Water, while mercury dwells within the water.” Here, “cinnabar” refers to mercury: Qi undergoing transformation. Its ascent begins at the Zi hour (midnight), rising from the Kun Palace, which symbolizes Earth and the Yin direction. The Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger (Longhu Jing) says, “Probe the hidden depths until transformation reaches its limit; when Yang Qi stirs, Yin Qi recedes.” It also says, “Once the golden essence transforms, the Azure Dragon receives the talismanic mandate.” These passages describe this process.

At the Shen hour (three to five in the afternoon), Qi reaches the Spirit Chamber, a term in alchemy for a place within the body where cultivation takes place. Following the method, one guides it into the chamber, as the scripture says: “At this time, the Spirit Chamber refines and cultivates essence and Qi; Metal and Fire revolve and shift in turn.” Qi responds to lead and transforms into cinnabar. This is called “the mating of Dragon and Tiger,” the union of Yin and Yang Qi, and is also called “half a catty of Metal.” “Refining lead” means the Yang Dragon rises. The scripture says: “Yin and Yang blend; essence and fluid envelop the primordial Qi. The myriad forms arise from emptiness, each responding and transforming according to its kind.” The wondrous efficacy of the Elixir and the way to longevity both arise from this. The Perfected Zhang says: “When sweet dew descends, Heaven and Earth unite; where the Five Phases are complete, Kan Water and Li Fire blend.” This, too, describes the same process.

At the Si hour (nine to eleven in the morning), Qi reaches the Qian Palace, which symbolizes Heaven and the Yang direction. This is what the Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger means when it says, “The Yang pattern ends at the Si hour.” Yang Qi reaches its height, and Yin Qi then begins to form; this is called “drawing mercury from cinnabar.” Here, “mercury” refers to water. It is also called the “Maiden” (a Neidan term often symbolizing Yin Qi or water) or the “Flowing Pearl”: the Qi that sets the wondrous operation in motion. At the Wu hour (noon), Yang Qi is at its height and Yin Qi begins to grow. Hence the saying, “Mercury is in the Sea of Marrow,” the traditional medical term for the brain and its marrow. The Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger says, “Pure Yin emerges from the Li Palace at the Wu position,” and also, “Red water flows and transforms into mercury.” “The Maiden plays with the ringing cauldron” means that Yin Qi circulates within the vessel. “When the moon is full, it naturally begins to wane; after sixteen turns, it starts to diminish” describes the rhythm of Yin and Yang waxing and waning.

At the Geng hour, mercury is brought into the chamber according to the prescribed method. This is called “mercury cast into lead.” It is also known as “half a jin of water,” “forming the treasure,” and “white gold and silver.” Water crystal symbolizes the descent of the Yin Tiger. It is also called “Yin returning to the Yang chamber,” and “two liang of white joining at the mysterious pass.”

Thus the scripture says: “The Primordial Lady begins to refine mercury; within the spirit chamber lies the Qi of the Cavern of Emptiness. Mysterious white Qi gives birth to the Golden Duke, who stands majestically and establishes the beginning of all things. With three and five mutually sustaining one another, the flying crystal is nourished.” This describes the process.

The Perfected Zhang also says: “If you wish to use true lead to retain mercury, when they draw near, they must not be separated from their family. If Wood and Metal are kept apart, they cannot meet; they must rely on the Yellow Matron to draw them together.” The nature of Wood accords with Metal, while the disposition of Metal is close and kind to Wood. Only when the two mingle and unite as a couple does one begin to perceive that the primordial Qi already contains the seed of gestation. He also says: “Whose household is the Maiden of Beauty, two-eight? From what place comes the young man, nine-three? They call themselves the liquid of Wood and the essence of Metal; when they meet Earth, the three natures unite.”

Another passage says: “The woman wears blue-green robes, and the young man is clad in white silk. When you see them, you must not make use of them; when you make use of them, you must not see them. The two meet in a trance, and transformations take place in deep darkness. In an instant, flames leap up, and the Perfected One appears.” These words explain the principles by which things transform and the process by which Yin and Yang rise and descend.

Some people take lead and mercury to be Yin and Yang, but this is incorrect. It is acceptable to call lead “Yang lead,” but that does not mean lead itself is Yang. To identify lead and mercury directly with Yin and Yang is to practice manipulating Jing, Qi, Shen, and the hun soul; it is not the Way of Returning. The Perfected Zhang says: “Lead and mercury are not the two Qi of Yin and Yang, and the mind’s activity is not Zi and Wu. How, then, can lead and mercury be considered Yin and Yang?” Here, lead refers to nature; nature contains Shen, just as lead contains silver. To refine silver from lead, one must use fire to smelt it. If lead and mercury were Yin and Yang, how could they smelt themselves? The two Qi of Yin and Yang clearly refer to cinnabar and mercury. Thus the scripture says: “Cinnabar and mercury each dwell in their own place, and only then can they be revealed…”

If lead and mercury are taken directly to mean Yin and Yang, how could they refine and transform themselves? The so-called two Qi of Yin and Yang are the principles behind the transformations of cinnabar and mercury. A scripture says: “Cinnabar and mercury each occupy their own position; Yang Qi rises and Yin Qi descends, their radiance spreading in both directions, with the number three in their enumeration.” This is explained through the symbols of water and fire.

Cinnabar and mercury both arise through the transformation of the same primordial Qi. Mercury responds to lead and congeals into cinnabar; mercury is then extracted from the cinnabar. As in the mutual generation of mother and child, this reveals the principles by which substances transform. These principles include the patterns of return, ascent, and descent: when Yang Qi develops to its utmost, it gives rise to Yin; when Yin Qi develops to its utmost, it gives rise to Yang.

Yin and Yang can also be called the Dragon and Tiger. The Dragon and Tiger correspond to the sun and moon; the sun and moon to the hun and po souls; the hun and po to Wood and Metal; Wood and Metal to Water and Fire; Water and Fire to Kan and Li, the Water and Fire trigrams of the Eight Trigrams (Bagua); and Kan and Li to men and women, husbands and wives. These correspondences show how all things transform into one another. Master Zhang said, “One must thoroughly understand Yin and Yang and deeply grasp the principles of creation and transformation.” That is the point.

The Dragon belongs to Yang and symbolizes the ascent of Yang Qi; the Tiger belongs to Yin and symbolizes the descent of Yin Qi. The sun is used to illustrate the ascent and descent of Yin and Yang: Yang contains Yin, just as cinnabar contains true mercury. Without Yin, Yang cannot reveal its brilliance, so it is called “female fire” and belongs to the southern Li trigram. The moon illustrates the descent of Yin Qi and also symbolizes the waxing and waning of the human body’s spirit and vitality. Yin contains Yang, just as lead contains true silver. Without Yang, Yin cannot show its luster, so it is called “male metal” and belongs to the northern Kan trigram.

The “Four Images” are the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. They correspond respectively to Wood and cinnabar, Metal and silver, Fire and mercury, and Water and lead. Among the “Five Phases” (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), the Metal Mother is associated with Wu Earth. When Yin and Yang generate and respond to each other, they form nature and disposition. Ji Earth, together with the Four Images, makes up the Five Phases.

The Dragon and Tiger represent the mechanisms by which Wood and Metal transform. Wood by nature rises, but cannot rise by itself, so it is represented by the Dragon. Metal by nature descends, but cannot sink by itself, so it is represented by the Tiger. The workings of Wood and Metal also depend on Water and Fire: rubbing Wood can produce Fire, while Water moistens it; striking Metal can produce Fire, while smelting turns it into liquid. The workings of Water and Fire, in turn, are expressed through the mutual coordination of Kan and Li.

Within Kan (one of the Eight Trigrams, symbolizing water) is a yang line; within Li (one of the Eight Trigrams, symbolizing fire) is a yin line. Kan and Li represent the changing relationship of Yin and Yang as they rise and descend. After being refined by fire, the pattern reveals the quality of water once more. Metal struck produces fire, and when melted becomes liquid again. These transformations of water and fire all express the interaction of Kan and Li.

Yang Qi can rise, and Kan then circulates through Wu; Yin Qi can descend, and Li then returns to Ji. In practical use, Wu and Ji govern the transformations of Kan and Li. The image of a crow in the sun symbolizes yin contained within yang; the image of a rabbit in the moon symbolizes yang contained within yin. The essential Qi of Yin and Yang each has its corresponding aspect: the sun’s radiance governs daytime and belongs to Li and Ji. As sunlight and moonlight alternate, the moon’s essential Qi, represented by Kan and Wu, becomes manifest at night.

All of this concerns the principles by which Yin and Yang depend on one another, bring one another to completion, and work through their mutual rising and descent. The two kinds of Qi within Kan and Li are not fixed. Accordingly, the substances or essential energies represented by alchemical terms such as lead, silver, cinnabar, and mercury can also transform into one another and give rise to one another. The so-called “inversion of Kan and Li” is the basis of water and fire’s transformations: Yin and Yang rise and descend, the sun and moon meet, water and fire depend on each other, and Wood and Metal also undergo transformation.

Perfected Taiyi said, “In the art of reversing the Five Phases, the dragon is born from fire.” Here, “mercury” symbolizes the yin aspect. When the Five Phases do not proceed in their usual order, the tiger is born from water; “tiger” symbolizes lead. Perfected Zhang also said, “The male tiger is yin within yang; the female dragon is yang within yin. The dragon is born from fire.”

An alternate name for the Golden Elixir restored through liquid gold.

Practitioners of the Dao often speak of Yang Lead and Yin Mercury. If Lead and Mercury are simply assigned to Yin and Yang respectively, their deeper relationship—how each is rooted in the other and how they generate one another—will be missed. Lead is Yang within Yin; Mercury is Yin within Yang.

Lead condenses from “Silver Qi,” with silver symbolizing primordial Qi. Silver belongs to Yin Metal and serves as a metaphor for the spark of spiritual awareness a person possesses before being born to parents. It comes from the Qi of emptiness and nothingness: it has no form, yet it has breath, and it has endured without interruption through the ages. At death, the whole body returns to Yin. When the hun soul disperses, it becomes the Yin po soul. A ghost must attach itself to some form for its appearance and expression to become visible; without something to attach to, it has neither shape nor form. Later, in reincarnation, the essence and blood of the parents respond and set the process in motion, and Jing and Qi take shape. Thus, before birth, a person is called Yin Metal; after birth, their innate nature is called Yang Lead. Yin Metal is also known as the Metal Mother, the Metal Consort, or the Metal Ground—that is, the spiritual root.

Mercury is born from Lead and belongs to Yin; its root, too, lies in the kidneys. Yang essence rises with Qi, and when Yang reaches its peak, Yin is born. Ancient alchemy used “drawing Mercury from cinnabar” as a metaphor for this process, hence the name Yin Mercury. Mercury is therefore Yin within Yang. If Lead and Mercury are treated simply as Yin and Yang, the practice is no longer the return of the Elixir through liquid gold—the Neidan practice described through symbolic substances such as Lead and Mercury—but instead becomes a technique for manipulating essence and hun and po souls.

Cinnabar and Mercury are the substances that symbolize Yin and Yang. Cinnabar and Mercury correspond to Yin and Yang; Yin and Yang correspond to the Dragon and Tiger; the Dragon and Tiger correspond to the sun and moon; the sun and moon correspond to the hun and po souls; and the hun and po souls correspond to Wood and Metal. Mercury belongs to Metal, and Metal in turn returns to Yang; it is also associated with Water, Fire, and the transformations of creation. Wood and Metal further symbolize man and woman, who in turn symbolize husband and wife. Through these correspondences, one can discern how things generate one another through mutual interaction.

Although Lead and Silver are respectively called Yang and Yin, these names also express the way Yin and Yang generate each other between inner and outer aspects. Silver and Lead are Metal Lead—that is, the union of Metal and Water. Even when the discussion begins with Wood and Metal rather than Cinnabar and Mercury, it reveals the presence of both Metal and Water, and the connection between the primordial and the acquired. Lead condenses through Qi, and Lead can be refined again and again. Silver Metal is born from Water, and Metal can in turn be born within Water. Innate nature arises through the Qi of emptiness, and innate nature can itself transform and give rise to things of primordial truth from nothingness. This is why the process is called “the child giving birth to the mother.”

Cinnabar and Mercury generate one another: Cinnabar condenses from Mercury, and Mercury is then drawn out of Cinnabar. This is like Fire arising from Wood, while Wood can in turn give rise to Fire. It is Yin giving birth to Yang, and when Yang reaches its peak, Yin is born—like a son giving birth to his mother.

The mutual generation of Lead and Silver is called the Five Phases moving in their ordinary sequence. “The Tiger is born in Water” refers to Metal Lead emerging from Kan Water. The mutual generation of Cinnabar and Mercury, by contrast, is called the art of reversing the Five Phases. “The Dragon emerges from Fire” refers to Wood giving rise to Fire. Metal gives rise to Water, and Wood gives rise to Fire; Water and Fire correspond to Kan and Li, the trigrams that symbolize them, revealing the workings of transformation in creation.

The moon serves as a metaphor for the waxing and waning of a person’s spirit, while the sun represents the rising and descending of Yin and Yang in the body. They are also related to changes in Rong and Wei—the Qi and blood circulating within and around the body—and to variations in cold and warmth. Kan Wu symbolizes the essence within the moon, while Li Ji symbolizes sunlight. The key to using the Elixir of Return lies in bringing Wu in Kan and Ji in Li together. Lead is called the Metal Lord and corresponds to Wu Earth; Mercury is called the Maiden; and the Yellow Matron symbolizes feeling and corresponds to Ji Earth.

“Ding Gong” symbolizes fire, while the “infant” symbolizes the Yang spirit—the pure Yang spirit cultivated through practice. Diagram of the Dao’s Transformation and Mysterious Principle Returning to the Limitless is the title of the diagram. It means that the Dao’s transformations and mysteries return to the Limitless: the formless, imageless, undivided origin.

Immortal Zhang says: Take the inner substance from the Kan position—the water position in the Eight Trigrams, symbolizing Yang within Yin—and use it to transform the inner Yin of the Li palace—the fire position in the Eight Trigrams, symbolizing Yin within Yang. In this way, one becomes a body of Qian’s vigor, a state of pure Yang strength. Whether one remains hidden or rises aloft is governed by the mind and intention.

“Explanation of the Diagram of the Limitless” refers to an account illustrating the principle of the Limitless. “In accordance with the time” means acting according to the season or the opportune moment.

At the appointed time, one settles the spirit in the chamber through inner observation and focused contemplation. This is called “gathering and containing true lead.” The primordial Qi of pre-heaven transforms into cinnabar. When cinnabar reaches the Li Palace, the position symbolizing the heart’s Fire, it becomes mercury; when mercury returns to the chamber, it becomes silver. This is what is meant by “returning to the root and restoring life”: Yin and Yang are brought back into balance, with Yin held below and Yang embraced within.

True Yang is hidden inside the chamber of Yin. This is the foundation on which pre-heaven Qi condenses into the “Golden Embryo.” It operates day after day, exercising its wondrous function, and then returns to its original state. Thus the Jing of the Dragon and Tiger says: “Yang Qi stirs from the Kun position, which symbolizes Earth and Yin, and the sun’s shadow moves to its southernmost point. The Five Planets form a line, and the sun and moon meet. Golden cinnabar moves according to its place, while the breaths respond to one another. The Canopy of Flowers shines from above, and the Three Terraces lend support below.” The scripture also says: “The two poles of Yin and Yang return to oneness; the wondrous place of the spirit’s light is hard to discern. Silver is refined from lead, and the spirit’s subtle substance comes naturally into being.”

The “silver” spoken of here means that the essence of gold appears in the form of lead; “Northern Spirit Water” is the pivot of the Dao. Its number is one: it is the beginning of all Yin-Yang transformations, and so it can give rise to silver and lead and transform them into yellow cinnabar. Lead holds its place among the Five Metals. Black on the outside, it changes to reveal silver essence within, like a rough garment concealing precious jade. Silver is the child nurtured by lead and hidden inside it; lead is silver’s mother, with the silver child concealed in her womb.

This transformation is subtle and remote, seeming both present and absent. When fired in an ash pool, the lead sinks and the silver rises, revealing bright white silver. It can serve as material for making a golden shell; this is the process by which the water of gold’s essence returns to the yellow liquid. Even a substance only one inch square can accord with the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The principle is this: silver gives rise to mercury within lead, and mercury condenses through lead into cinnabar. Mercury is then extracted from the cinnabar, and it becomes silver once more. When silver has formed and the lead is spent, this is called “returning the Elixir”—the method of cultivation by which primordial Qi returns to its origin.

An ancient scripture says: “When one speaks of using lead, one does not use lead; the work must be done within lead. When the time comes to use lead, treating lead as merely lead is a mistake.” Thus, the “withdrawal and replenishment” spoken of in cultivation means withdrawing lead and adding mercury. To withdraw lead is to refine away Yin; to add mercury is to gather in the Yin nature and return it to Yang. As Yin mercury is gradually stripped away and returns to Yang, one reaches pure Yang.

The key to Elixir cultivation lies in observing the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang and the transformations of the myriad things, applying oneself diligently and wasting no time. One must still the spirit, allow no distracting thoughts, and hold to the way of gentleness, quietude, and single-mindedness, so that the breath becomes focused and gentle. Only when the ingredients are complete may one enter the chamber to cultivate; one should also avoid being preoccupied with fame or profit. The sun and moon pass swiftly. If one is stirred by external things, becomes unsettled, and cannot gather oneself, then a single movement of the mind carries one away with those things. This dissipates the spirit and primordial Qi, leaving cultivation without result. Be deeply alert to this; never take it lightly.

Primordial Qi (the source energy before Heaven and Earth separated and before the myriad things came into being), also called the “embryo of the Golden Elixir in the empty Qi,” is Shen. Shen belongs to Yang; in symbolic language, it is called “gold,” or “silver ore.” It is what remains undamaged through successive cycles of cosmic change, the original substance—that is, a person’s innate nature. Nature belongs to Yin; in symbolic language, it is called “lead.” Lead forms within silver ore and, in turn, encloses the silver. This is like innate nature containing Shen, while true Shen is hidden within innate nature. Gold and lead depend on each other and give rise to the human form. A person’s speech, actions, bearing, and stillness all come from them. They reside between the two kidneys, where the root of life lies; this is called the “ancestral medicine and foundation of the Elixir” (the basis on which alchemical cultivation depends).

The Qi that circulates and changes in daily life arises from this source. It stirs at the hour of Zi (midnight) and is called “Yang Fire.” As the root of life rises with this Qi, it is like something carried by a moving cart: when the cart moves, its cargo moves with it. If one can use the proper method to restrain this stirring Qi and draw it into the Central Palace (the central area of the body used in cultivation), the root will gradually grow stronger, and one will not become weakened and exhausted. If one lets it run unchecked and dissipate, it will be steadily depleted through the activities of daily life, eventually leading to old age and death.

The poem says:

The numinous chamber, where the mind and spirit dwell, is clear and pure as an ice vessel;

It allows only the Original Spirit to reside within.

If even a single distracting thought or attachment is kept there,

One cannot attain clarity and emptiness throughout one’s life.

The “Method of Mindfully Recognizing the Spirit” says that at the center of the body is an empty space one inch square and round, hence the name “Spirit Chamber,” the inner place where spirit is preserved and nurtured. When the mind grows still and enters meditative absorption, spirit and Qi circulate. The Crimson Palace and Yellow Court are both names for inner chambers of the body in Neidan cultivation. During practice, the practitioner exhales at the root and inhales at the tip, joining root and tip; this is described as a way to prolong life.

The key here is not ordinary breathing, but allowing the breath gradually to cease and return to stillness. “Seal the Heavenly Kitchen and breathe only once” is likewise a cultivation expression for gathering in the breath and settling body and mind. The two streams of vital essence pass through Penghu—a legendary Daoist immortal mountain, also used to refer to a site of cultivation within the body—and the Yellow Court. In this way, the two Qi of Yin and Yang naturally unite, a process called “the union of the Dragon and Tiger.” The scripture uses “great man” to mean someone capable of undertaking this cultivation.

Essentials of the Fire Timing: The key points for regulating the fire timing during cultivation.

The “fire timing” begins with the sexagenary cycle and refers to the month in which the winter solstice falls. In cultivation, the fire timing shifts with the twelve double hours and the twenty-four solar terms, as though another world were contained within the vessel.

For example, if one begins to circulate the fire at the Zi hour on the winter solstice, this is when the first Yang is born. A Yang line appears beneath the Kun trigram, which symbolizes pure Yin, transforming it into the Zhen trigram. This represents thunder beneath the earth and forms the Fu hexagram, symbolizing the first stirrings of Yang energy. At the Chou hour, another Yang line appears beneath Kun, forming the Dui trigram and the Earth over Lake Lin hexagram. At the Yin hour, the Yang lines increase to three, forming the Tai hexagram. At this point, Yang fire reaches the position of Kun, and Yang energy gathers beneath the earth. All things begin to grow, so the Yin hour signals the rising of Yang energy, like spring.

The mnemonic says: begin the fire at the Ren position, advancing one line every two double hours. The mind and spirit remain settled, the breath calm; Qi neither goes out nor comes in. By the end of the Yin hour, at the Jia position, when Metal and Fire meet, the circulating fire approaches the spirit chamber—the place where spirit is stored in Neidan cultivation—and the Elixir gradually condenses.

At the Mao hour, a fourth Yang line appears, forming the Thunder over Heaven Da Zhuang hexagram. The mnemonic says, “At Mao, do not advance the fire; at You, do not circulate the talisman.” The Mao and You hours are called bathing: in cultivation, they are stages when the fire is paused and adjusted as it enters and withdraws, while the golden sand moves calmly. The eldest son inherits the father’s body, symbolizing the start of the fire’s action.

At the Chen hour, a fifth Yang line appears, forming the Lake over Heaven Guai hexagram, which indicates fire rising to Heaven. At the Si hour, all six Yang lines are in place and the course of Yang fire is complete, forming the pure Qian hexagram. The Cantong qi (Token for Joining the Three) says, “The eldest son inherits the father’s body; through the mother, the signs and foundations are established.” This refers to the Kun hexagram giving rise to the Zhen, Dui, and Qian configurations.

Another mnemonic says: continue advancing the fire from the beginning of the Chen hour until the end of the Si hour, bringing Metal and Fire close to the Sea of Marrow—a Neidan term for an inner region associated with the brain and marrow. When Yang fire reaches its height, the practice shifts to circulating the talisman. Once Yang energy is sufficient, the Yin talisman begins to circulate. True Mercury, a Neidan term often referring to Yin-natured vital essence, gradually appears and condenses into the substance of the Elixir.

At the Wu hour, a Yin line appears beneath the Qian trigram, forming the Xun trigram—that is, the Heaven over Wind Gou hexagram. At the Wei hour, two Yin lines appear beneath Qian, forming the Gen trigram—that is, the Heaven over Mountain Dun hexagram.

At the hour of Shen, three Yin lines form, becoming the Pi hexagram. Yang Qi gradually withdraws into concealment, and True Mercury congeals into form. At the hour of Wu, a Yin line appears beneath the Qian hexagram, forming the Xun hexagram—specifically, Wind over Heaven, Gou. At the hour of Wei, two Yin lines appear beneath Qian, forming the Gen hexagram—specifically, Mountain over Heaven, Dun. By the hour of Shen, all three Yin lines are in place, forming Pi. Yang Qi gradually withdraws into concealment, True Mercury congeals into a body, and Yin Mercury descends. The myriad things within the Spirit Chamber—the place likened in Neidan cultivation to the womb in which the Elixir is nurtured—gradually become full, like all things ripening in autumn.

The formula says: Begin circulating the talismanic fire from the Bing position. Continue for three double-hours, until the mind is settled and the breath steady, with Qi neither entering nor leaving. From the end of Shen through the hour of Geng, Metal and Water press forward and shift in turn, circulating through the two passes—the two apertures along the Qi’s pathway—and crossing the Magpie Bridge, the channel linking the route of Qi circulation, into the Spirit Chamber. The Mysterious Pearl, a metaphor for the Elixir in Neidan cultivation, gradually congeals.

At the hour of You, four Yin lines form. The Yin Qi of the Xun hexagram has taken shape, while Yang Qi gradually withdraws into concealment. This is the Wind over Earth, Guan hexagram. The formula says: After circulating the talisman from the hour of Mao, do not add more fire. This is called bathing: it allows the Golden Sand, a Neidan term for the Elixir that has been refined, to rest and be gently warmed.

At the hour of Xu, five Yin lines form, becoming the Bo hexagram. Yin Qi gradually falls away, and Yang Qi returns to its root: this is the Mountain over Earth, Bo hexagram. At the hour of Hai, all six Yin lines are in place, forming the pure Kun hexagram. This signifies returning to the root and restoring life, going back to the origin and returning to the source. Though situated within Yin, it embraces Yang; Yang Qi will be reborn at this time. The formula says: Begin circulating the talisman anew at the start of Xu, and return to Original Ren by the end of Hai; on the first day, Yang Qi is reborn. This cycle continues without end. After ten months, the embryo of the Neidan is complete. It must be carefully nurtured and cultivated with sincerity. The slightest deviation from what is proper will bring regret and error, causing Original Qi to dissipate.

This is the process by which Qian gives rise to the Xun, Gen, and Kun hexagrams. The Kan and Li hexagrams arise within the six spaces, and the Qi within them forms Water and Fire. The transformations and workings of the Yin Talisman and Yang Fire run through the whole course of cultivation and are of utmost importance. The application of the firing process involves rising and descending, advancing and retreating, as these hexagrams show. Its subtlety lies in attuning the firing process to the breath of Heaven and Earth. Yang Fire and the Yin Talisman must not be stirred recklessly. Only through proper regulation can the Red Dragon, a metaphor for Yang Qi, descend and distribute Qi, while White Mercury, a metaphor for Yin essence and energy, congeals into form. This reveals the signs of the Reverted Elixir and nurtures the root, ultimately bringing about a transformation through the shedding of the embryo and the attainment of immortality. If the timing is ever misjudged, even by a little, or if too much fire is used or the water is improperly balanced, Sand and Mercury will separate and fail to unite; the Red Dragon will escape, and the Maiden, a metaphor for Yin essence and energy, will flee.

The Perfected Zhang says: Even if one understands cinnabar, a term in alchemy that often refers to the medicinal substance or materials for internal alchemy, and black lead, another alchemical term that often refers to materials for internal alchemy, it is still not enough without understanding the firing process: how to manage timing, degree, and rhythm in cultivation. The practice may seem ordinary; its key lies entirely in maintaining it without interruption. Even the slightest deviation means the Elixir cannot be formed, so how could one fail to be cautious?

Here, “fire” refers to a state in which the mind and spirit are settled and the breath comes to a stop; the Qi of the six pulses returns to its root, and the Qi of the three palaces—the bodily regions containing the upper, middle, and lower Dantian—is full. Once the sea of marrow in the upper body, the spirit chamber in the middle, and the Dantian below have all reached this state, it is as though the sun and moon were still and the celestial bodies had ceased their courses, with no distinction between day and night. The mind and Qi are pure and unmixed, forming what is called the state of “true Yang”; from this, the internal Elixir begins to coalesce.

If the sealing is not secure, the Metal Qi—the refined vital energy described in internal alchemy—will disperse, and the Elixir will be difficult to form. These words reveal only part of the secret.

Diagram of Entering the Chamber (a schematic guide to cultivation in a quiet room)

When entering the chamber to cultivate before the winter solstice, first spend fifteen days gathering and stabilizing the spiritual root—the foundation spoken of in cultivation. Then spend another fifteen days carefully visualizing Shen and Qi between the two kidneys. When the hour of the Rat begins on the night of the winter solstice, start advancing the Yang Fire—the inner-cultivation Qi circulated at specific times. This marks the formal beginning of the year’s cultivation. Once Shen and Qi are stored in the kidneys, the Yang Fire circulates and Shen and Qi move along with it. This is called “True Gold Fire.” Gold and fire circulate and propel one another, while the foundation lies in the kidneys.

From root to tip, the spirit chamber—the imagined dwelling place of Shen and Qi in inner cultivation—is the “tip.” When root and tip join, the embryo forms and the elixir congeals. Thus, on exhaling, focus the mind on the root; on inhaling, focus it on the tip. When the cycle of seasonal markers has run its course, the Great Elixir can be refined.

For example, to advance the Yang Fire on the night of the winter solstice, begin at the end of the Hour of the Boar and the start of the Hour of the Rat. Following the oral formula, kindle the fire at the Ren position; one cycle corresponds to three double-hours. At this time, let the breath neither enter nor leave, and keep the mind focused inward. The Yang Fire moves from the Hour of the Rat, through the Hour of the Ox, and reaches the Jia position at the end of the Hour of the Tiger. Gold and fire continue to propel one another, pressing toward the spirit chamber as the elixir gradually congeals. Stop advancing the fire at the Hour of the Rabbit. During the Hours of the Rabbit and the Rooster, let the breath flow in and out. This is called “bathing the golden cinnabar,” allowing the inner-cultivation Qi to settle and rest for a time.

At the Hour of the Dragon, advance the fire again according to the oral formula. By the end of the Hour of the Snake, gold and fire have moved to the Sea of Marrow—the deepest part of the brain, as described in traditional inner cultivation. When the Yang Fire’s movement reaches its utmost point, shift to circulating the Yin Talisman, the inner-cultivation method that corresponds to the Yang Fire. This is also called “warming the water.” Following the oral formula, begin circulating the Yin Talisman at the Bing position. Let it run for three double-hours, with the breath still neither entering nor leaving. The Yin Talisman moves from the Hour of the Horse, through the Hour of the Goat, and reaches the Geng position at the end of the Hour of the Monkey. Metal and water continue to circulate, entering the spirit chamber through the Two Passes and the Magpie Bridge—the channels through which Qi travels in inner cultivation—and the Mysterious Pearl, the refined elixir of Neidan, gradually appears. Stop circulating the talisman at the Hour of the Rooster. During the Hours of the Rabbit and the Rooster, let the breath flow in and out and settle into repose; this is still called “bathing the golden cinnabar.” At the Hour of the Dog, circulate the talisman again according to the oral formula. At the end of the Hour of the Boar, it returns to the Primordial position, where a Yang impulse is born anew. It returns to the root and beginning, and Shen and Qi are regenerated from there.

By taking one Great One Elixir the size of a grain of millet each day, a year’s work completes the Return Elixir. The year comprises 360 days, or 4,320 double-hours. Subtract the periods during the Hours of the Rabbit and the Rooster when one bathes in the golden water and stops advancing the Yang Fire and circulating the Yin Talisman; counting the breath flowing in and out during those periods, this time amounts to two months, or sixty days. The remaining 300 days—ten months—are devoted to sustaining the cycles of fire timing and refining the Return Elixir of Xu-metal liquid.

Transformation into Spirit through Leaving the Womb

After the sacred embryo has been successfully cultivated, practice must continue indoors. This stage may last about one hundred days at most, or as little as sixty. Only then can the sacred embryo leave the body. If you have not mastered the instructions for this stage and venture outside the room too soon, you may be struck by a violent surge of Qi. This can make the crown bone hard and render emergence even more difficult.

The instructions say: Carefully guard the sacred embryo in the Sea of Marrow, the place where the brain’s marrow resides. Keep it present as usual until suddenly, like a peal of thunder, the Gate of Heaven—the aperture at the crown of the head—opens and the sacred embryo emerges. The emerged embryo is identical to your own body. Even then, you must not let it act freely. Instead, gradually train its use until it can come and go and travel without hindrance. The scripture describes its spiritual freedom, able to “pass through gold and pierce stone, roam throughout the Three Realms, and manifest in all ten directions,” going or staying as it chooses.

Instructions

Sit cross-legged and upright, with your eyelids lowered slightly. Draw in the outer apertures, such as the mouth and nostrils, so that the mind and spirit are focused and the breath is calm. Lift and draw from below, and draw in from above, joining the two breaths to warm and nourish the limbs and the whole body. Let the breath rise through the Twelve-Storied Tower, the Daoist term for the throat. When the mouth fills with saliva, send it downward with the breath, directing the intention to the Original Palace, the fundamental seat referred to in internal cultivation, such as the Dantian. Then lift and draw again, inhale, part the lips slightly, and repeat. Continue for as many repetitions as you can sustain; stop when you feel strained.

During the day, wipe the couch clean, shut the windows, and sit quietly. At night, lower the curtains, keep your eyes open, and lie down in repose.

Gently curl upward; silently raise.

Outside the Kun position are six upper apertures; outside the Qian position are three lower apertures. Together they make nine apertures.

Until the apertures have opened, you must keep your mind and spirit rooted in the source. The bellows and key—here, a metaphor for directing the workings of Qi in internal cultivation—are used to bring forth subtle effects. Their essential workings are so secret that even the finest brushwork cannot describe them. The Immortal said, “All eighty-four thousand apertures are opened by a single key.”

End of The Secret Instructions on Embracing the One and Containing the Three.