《洞玄金玉集》Vol. 1

The Collection of Cavern Mystery, Gold, and Jade

A collection of Quanzhen writings included in the Daoist Canon of China.

Contents

Volumes One and Two: Seven-character quatrains

Volume Three: Seven-character quatrains and regulated verse

Volume Four: Long seven-character poems and five-character quatrains

Volume Five: Long five-character poems, five-character regulated verse, chants, and hymns

Volume Six: Six-character poems and songs

Volumes Seven through Ten: Lyrics

The Collection of Cavern Mystery, Gold, and Jade, Volume One

Composed by the Perfected Ma Danyang of Kunlun, who embodies Wuwei and purity

Seven-character quatrains

In Praise of the Perfected One of Compassionate Transformation and Marvelous Practice, Chongyang

At that time, Chongyang Perfected (Wang Chongyang, founder of the Quanzhen tradition) lived in a hermitage on Mount Kunyu. He made himself a headband from blue cloth three and a half feet long, arranging nine layers at the top and sewing nine seams. He said he had seen this headband in a dream and called it the “Nine-Turn Huayang Headband.” The master had a dignified bearing and features like Zhongli Quan. Wearing the headband, he appeared even more radiant and spirited, truly like someone who had transcended the world. This poem is written in his praise.

His features resemble Zhongli Quan’s; he seems to carry an immortal’s treasures. Natural and unrestrained, his spirit shines bright.

Who would know that he is no ordinary person of the dusty world? What he wears is that very blue-cloth Nine-Turn Huayang Headband.

In Praise of the Perfected One of Compassionate Transformation and Marvelous Practice, Chongyang

Wearing a cloud-patterned crown and robes the color of rosy clouds, with a deep-red skirt, he enters a halo of light, as if leaving the mortal world for the purple-clear realm of immortals.

The Perfected One of Marvelous Practice fulfilled his aspiration to spread the Dao, rescuing those in danger, aiding the suffering, and guiding living beings to salvation.

A poem following the original rhyme of Chongyang Perfected

He lives neither in the bustle of the marketplace nor in a village; he no longer thinks of wife and children, nor yearns for grandchildren.

His aspiration is to cultivate the Great Dao within enclosing walls, open the Jade Gate, and enter the Golden Gate—“Jade Household” and “Golden Gate” here are metaphors for the immortal realm reached through cultivation.

Reflections

I studied in the Confucian tradition for thirty years, yet I did not know that the principle contained in a single word could be so vast. By chance, I grasped the principle of Feng Xian, and at once felt my numinous clarity fill the whole vast universe.

Again

The realm of the immortals is vast and remote, empty and elusive. The lofty vault of heaven seems to be the world within my own heart. By day, all is quiet and leisurely, undisturbed by trivial affairs. I come and go above the cinnabar clouds, traveling on flying mists.

Again

I am a carefree guest, wandering among the Three Mountains, and a free-spirited, unbound immortal. With a tranquil heart, I open a world within the gourd; through the Dao of Wuwei (non-action), I cross beyond the bounds of the grotto-heavens.

Written to the rhyme of the poem by the Medicine King Erlang of Chang’an

I wandered throughout the land and passed through Zhongmou, where I met Master Chongyang and received his praise. He promised that, when my practice was complete and I understood the Great Dao, I could enter the grotto-heavens and become one of the thirty-six immortal elders.

[Ten quatrains]

When Perfected Chongyang was preparing to travel to Ninghai, he personally drew a picture and gave it to his disciple Mr. Shi of Liquan County for safekeeping. Yu once dreamed that I was traveling south through Zhongmou, where I met Master Chongyang and received his praise. He promised that, when my practice was complete and I understood the Great Dao, I could enter the grotto-heavens and become one of the thirty-six immortal elders.

[Ten quatrains]

When Perfected Chongyang was preparing to travel to Ninghai, he personally drew a picture and gave it to his disciple Mr. Shi of Liquan County for safekeeping. Yu once dreamed that a celestial crane rose from the ground in the Southern Garden. A month later, Master Chongyang arrived, pointed to the place where the crane had appeared, and ordered that a hermitage be built there for him to live in. Yu also dreamed that I followed my master into a mountain. The next day, my master gave Yu the courtesy name “Mountain Lad.”

Xuan followed his master to Nanjing. At the end of the year, his master was about to pass away and return to the Dao, as Daoists say of an immortal’s departure. Yu asked his master to let him depart from the world as well. His master said, “I already wrote a prophecy on the wall of Daoist Lü’s hermitage in Guanzhong.” Yu then told his master of three wishes. First, he hoped to have his master’s Complete Collection of Quanzhen printed and circulated. His master said, “The matter in Chang’an has already been settled.” Second, he hoped to observe three years of mourning for his master. His master said, “There is a site for my former hermitage in Liujiang Village; you can live there.” Third, he hoped to urge parents throughout the land to abandon worldly life, cultivate the Dao, and become immortals. Having spoken, his master ascended into the rosy clouds.

When I took leave of my master in Daliang, he said, “There is a site for my former hermitage in Liujiang Village; you can live there.” Yu then raised his third wish: to urge parents throughout the land to abandon worldly life, cultivate the Dao, and become immortals. Having spoken, his master ascended into the rosy clouds.

I left Daliang, passed through Luoyang, entered Tongguan, crossed Mount Hua, and arrived in Jingzhao. A Daoist friend persuaded me to stay at Mr. Kong’s hermitage, where I spent several days. Mr. Shi from Liquan came to see me, and we met at a teahouse inside the east gate. When I asked his name, he said he was Shi Fengzi of Liquan and a disciple of the Perfected Chongyang. I was delighted to hear this, for my master had praised him many times.

After we finished our tea, I wandered along the street below Taiping Tower. My Daoist friend Yang Erlang invited me to stay. As we were drinking tea, Mr. Shi arrived and bowed to me again. I rebuked him: “Since you are a disciple of Master Chongyang, why bow so many times? What kind of daily practice is it for a cultivator to bow three times in a single day?” I had already seen that he was reluctant to beg in the streets, so I deliberately provoked him with my words. I wanted to invite him to drink a huan of wine—a term for a measure or price of wine—and asked the host whether that would be convenient. Mr. Shi took money from his clothes. I told him not to use his own money, but to go out and beg for alms to pay for the wine. Mr. Shi gazed at me for a moment, then went into the street to beg. When he returned, he bought the wine. I drank it by myself. Mr. Shi asked me for poems, so I wrote ten quatrains for him. A few of them are given below:

First

What is there to be ashamed of in living like a walking corpse, like dry bones?

Do not fret and brood over food and clothing.

Learn from me: hold out your hand and beg in the street.

To receive alms as circumstances allow—that is a free and easy way to live.

Second

Wealth, status, and glory count for nothing.

A person’s life and nature are the great gifts bestowed by Heaven.

The body, made of fire, wind, earth, and water, is as insubstantial as a bubble;

First see through this temporary, illusory body.

Third

Today, it is right to pay respect to a worthy person,

But do not let your family incur karmic debts by supporting you.

Subdue the distinction between self and others, and go begging for alms;

Then daily life will naturally become free and unhindered.

Fourth

I, Ma Feng, do not crave the wine in the cup.

I only use it to lead you into the street to hold out your hand for alms.

Live as circumstances allow, and help the Dao practice grow;

There is no need to sell medicine to make a living.

Fifth

For now, let coarse wine lift the spirit;

Still, rely on jade liquid—a cultivation term for the vital essence or inner fluids that nourish body and mind—to nurture your inborn nature.

Who can understand that the deeper the intoxication, the clearer the mind becomes? When your work is complete in the future, you will become an immortal of the Three Isles.

Again

To have no wife or children is a gift from Heaven: a life of freedom and ease. You should awaken to this and cherish it. Do not deceive your own heart or mislead others; unseen spirits are always watching you.

Again

Do not dwell on what you once loved. Quickly withdraw from it and seek the Great Dao beyond the dusty world. What you seek is found within your own heart. Only by being impartial and selfless can you accord with the Dao and become its intimate companion.

Again

The secrets of Heaven must not be imparted lightly. Observe carefully whether the worthy have truly understood them. When hardship comes, do not yearn for your hometown. When the time arrives, I will show you the path to long life.

Again

Fleeting fame and profit are difficult enough to obtain; even if they come your way, you will eventually be buried in the earth. Do not think becoming an immortal is a small matter. Only through the merit of cultivation can you journey to Yingzhou, the legendary mountain isle in the sea.

Again

To become an immortal, you must understand completely. Let go of every worldly attachment. In cultivation, you may even feel that your own shadow is one thing too many. When the time comes, an immortal will appear to guide and support you.

Presented to fellow Daoist friends in Chang’an

Every household’s doorway opens onto a road to Chang’an; every courtyard can become a realm of bliss. When the mind’s thoughts are still, you can transcend every state. When you are clear on all three sides, you attain cool ease and freedom.

Matching the rhyme of Guo Zicong, Military Advisor of Chang’an

When the pure light of the spirit shines in fullness, there is no need to struggle to rein in the ape and horse—the unruly mind and desires. In this way, awakening keeps deepening, and the mysterious path opens before you. I wonder whether Fenyang believes this too.

Matching the rhyme of Magistrate Lu

Make your body into a surrounding wall, where the spirit child—the inner spiritual nature or the clarity gained through cultivation—can dwell in peace, free and unbound. Though without a tongue, it can speak words of mystery. Do not let the mind, like an ape and horse, run wild and unruly.

Presented to the brothers Kong of Chang’an and Peng Ziyuan

At the age of forty-eight, I came to Chang’an. I thank you all for regarding me with such uncommon insight.

Today I explain the principles of cultivation to a confidant, laying bare the mystery of the coiling Dragon and Tiger.

Another

Abbot Master Kong, Peng Ziyuan, and all my fellow Daoists have long sought the mysterious Way.

Within the body, nurture the fire of long life; within the vessel, cultivate a state where night never falls.

Another

When the mind is still and the thoughts are pure, one’s nature becomes free and at ease. With an open heart, one is neither constrained nor bound by external things.

To make lead and mercury congeal in the furnace, one must harmonize the Maiden and the Infant in the cauldron. Lead and mercury, the Maiden, and the Infant are coded terms in Neidan (internal alchemy), referring to Yin-Yang essences and vital energies within the body and their harmonization.

Another

Set aside the burdens of family and let go of worldly affairs, and the opportune moment for cultivation will naturally be grasped.

Let the calm and pure Original Qi flow freely, and one will be neither constrained nor bound by external things.

To make lead and mercury congeal in the furnace, one must harmonize the Maiden and the Infant in the cauldron.

Another

Set aside the burdens of family and let go of worldly affairs, and the opportune moment for cultivation will naturally be grasped.

Let calm and pure Original Qi pass through the Dantian (energy center), and let the lucid, awakened Original Shen ascend to the Jade Tower.

Another

Do not become absorbed in outward pleasures or covet desires and fall into anger. Though living amid the secular world, remain in harmony with others, talking and laughing with ease.

I only hope that all of you will set your minds as I have, advance together in cultivation, and become immortals.

Another

Transcend the dust of the world to nourish the spirit; cast aside distracting thoughts and clever contrivances, and accord with the utmost truth of the Way.

To understand the principle of non-contention is to be a superior cultivator; to keep a heart that can endure humiliation is to attain immortality.

Another

Life in the Daoist tradition is open and easeful, and most fitting; yet singing and rejoicing without restraint can also lead one astray.

True joy lies in stillness. Cultivate the natural state, and it is like dancing sleeves soaring among the clouds and rosy mists.

Another

The Daoist of Three-Hair Mountain refines and nourishes the Great Elixir. White snow whirls within the Jade Furnace. “Great Elixir,” “Jade Furnace,” and “snow” are coded terms for Neidan cultivation.

Having understood, one no longer puts on a show of stroking one’s beard in self-satisfaction; instead, one must let others watch closely.

Another

Having understood, one is not ashamed to beg for scraps. How could fame and profit sway my body and mind?

I urge you all not to cling to “being”; follow Ma Yu soon in learning to seek “nonbeing.” Ma Yu was an important figure in the Quanzhen school of the Jin dynasty. “Being” and “nonbeing” refer to the cultivationist understanding of the formed and the formless.

Another

Make haste to focus your mind and rein in thoughts as restless as a monkey. Set the clear, empty Qi in motion so that Metal and Wood may mingle and flow together.

After nine cycles of refinement, the Great Medicine will be formed, and you will be joined for ages with immortal companions in the fairy realm of Yingzhou.

Inscribed on the Hall of Admiration for Antiquity of Wang, Clerk in the Capital Commandery Military Office

Master Wang is by nature devoted to the ancient Way and ever cherishes reverence for antiquity; in his hall, he quietly harmonizes the Dragon and Tiger.

Through cultivation day after day, he grasps the method of reversing Yin and Yang, and the vision of the embryo immortal dancing appears of its own accord.

Another

Master Admiration for Antiquity has an ancient and simple appearance, and has already penetrated the mystery of the Dragon and the Kan Tiger.

On the Hall of Wang Qin’gu, Registrar in the Commandery of the Capital

Master Wang naturally honors the ancient Dao. In the quiet of his hall, he nurtures the Dragon and Tiger—the Yin and Yang energies within the body, in the language of Daoist internal alchemy. As the days and months pass, he gradually understands the practice of reversing Yin and Yang. Then, of their own accord, visions arise of an immortal embryo dancing.

Another

Master Qin’gu has an ancient and elegant bearing. He has fully understood the High Dragon and the Tiger of Kan, terms in internal alchemy that symbolize Yin and Yang, Water and Fire. Having devoted himself to the wondrous and perfect Dao, he even dares to dance in the street with Ma Feng.

Another

Master Qin’gu follows the Dao of remote antiquity and has mastered the true Dragon and Tiger that existed before Heaven and Earth. The Dragon and Tiger emerge from the heights and enter the Kan position, moving freely from east to west. The Enchantress and the Infant—terms in internal alchemy symbolizing Yin and Yang, essence and Qi—are stirred as well and come forth to dance together.

Another

Master Qin’gu understands the Dao of all ages and nurtures and refines the Dragon and Tiger within emptiness. With body and mind serene and still, he reveals his original nature. A carefree spirit-child dances right before his eyes.

Visiting Lecturer Xiao Li at the Ma Stable to See Him Reading the Nanhua Jing

Studying the scriptures and seeking out ancient meanings demand broad learning. Even after fully understanding the Nanhua Jing, another name for the Zhuangzi, one may find oneself more bewildered the more one learns. Better to set aside every worldly concern, break free from one’s bonds, and climb the ladder to Heaven.

Presented to Master Liu, Abbot of the Ma Stable Hermitage

Devote yourself to the Dao until you fully understand its root. Harmonize the Yin and Yang energies and gather them in with care. Let the Three Treasures of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) coalesce, and gather the energies of the four seasons. Then climb the ladder to Heaven.

Presented to Master Liu, Abbot of the Ma Stable Hermitage

Devote yourself to the Dao until you fully understand its root. Harmonize the Yin and Yang energies and gather them in with care. Let the Three Treasures of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) coalesce, and gather the energies of the four seasons. Then journey to Yingzhou, the legendary immortal isle in the sea.

At the Request of Little Zhang of Hu County

A young boy asks about the Dao, but the Dao gives no reply. Keep still and serene, and you can reach the wondrous realm. Hold fast to this family tradition, and in time you may become an immortal.

At the Request of Little Wang of Hu County

The young boy heeds the teaching and cultivates the spirit-child, a term in internal alchemy for one’s pure nature. His destined affinity will carry on the Daoist tradition of Ma Feng. The principle of serenity and Wuwei (non-action) must be fully understood; then, of their own accord, he can ride the clouds to the Palace of Immortals.

Presented to Xu Qingshen of Qingzhen

The world is a house on fire. If you remain lost in it, you will sink too deeply, spending your whole life rushing about over the troubles of your family. Even when you settle matters for others, they can never truly be settled. Better to let go of your concerns, gather in your thoughts, and rest from this day forward.

Presented to Yuan Shijie of Hu County

I meet the immortals, and the immortals meet me. If people cultivate as I do, they can dispel the smoky, fiery atmosphere of the mortal world. Nurture your original Qi and preserve your innate nature; keep free of worldly contamination, and in time you may form the fruit of immortality.

Presented to Dug Wu the Fifth of Hu County

Cultivating immortality requires subduing the self and dissolving the distinction between oneself and others. It also requires nurturing and refining the true fire within water, a metaphor in Neidan cultivation for the mutual aid of water and fire. Reduce stray thoughts, let the mind settle into emptiness and stillness, and keep it free of worldly contamination. When one’s innate nature and spirit congeal into an elixir, cultivation can be brought to completion.

Passing the Kongcui Hall at Hanpi on the Outskirts of Hu County

A Poem Presented to Liang Gu of Yaozhou

Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form; both form and emptiness must be forgotten. Ever since I fully awakened to the truth that “within form there is emptiness,” I have felt the lotus in my heart turn fresh and emerald green, giving off its fragrance.

Pei Gong of Liquan Makes a Request

The children before my eyes have all grown into adults, and their whiskers are silver white. Do not wonder that I look haggard and dispirited: she has taken away my finest spirit.

A Mottled Bamboo Staff Presented to Master He of Chunhua as a Parting Gift for the Road

This bamboo staff is indeed fit to become a dragon. Use it to strike the Three Corpses—the three spirits said in Daoism to dwell in the human body and obstruct cultivation—and the demons and ghosts. Its mottled surface resembles the pattern of tortoiseshell. I give it to a worthy person as a staff for the road; take it with you as you seek the immortal realm of Penglai.

On the Day of the Lower Primordial Festival in the Dingyou Year, Setting Out from the Enclosed Wall

The dance begins, its movements swift and urgent; through it, I recognized the true face that has existed since time immemorial. Master and martial uncle have descended to the world; an auspicious meeting points toward the northwest.

Meeting Again

The master is the Perfected One of Mysterious Conduct, Chongyang, who transforms through compassion; the martial uncle is the Perfected One of Universal Illumination and Clear Stillness, Yuchan.

I had only just returned from Fufeng when I hurriedly looked back again. I made a special visit to Qiyang to see a friend who called himself “Blind.” Meeting my original master once more, I received instruction in the Great Elixir, the essential teachings of Daoist internal alchemy. My master taught me to establish the four directions: east, west, south, and north.

On the Twenty-Eighth Day of Midwinter, Reentering the Enclosed Wall

The fierce wind howls, and the wind horse appears. I wandered through the northwest clouds for more than a month. Then I thought of the place where I had once lived in seclusion, so I returned and leapt once again into the enclosed wall.

Sealing the Doors and Windows

I, the Three-Crested Ma of Kunyu Mountain, sealed the doors and windows tightly, nine layers over. I set Kan and Li in motion—terms often used in Daoist internal alchemy for water and fire, Yin and Yang—and harmonized Geng and Jia, symbols in divination arts for the Heavenly Stems, the passage of time, or the pairing of Yin and Yang. I no longer distinguish south from north or east from west.

〔Quatrain〕

In the early winter of the Wuxu year of the Dading era (1178), I came from Longmen to Taihe Hermitage in Huating and stayed for more than ten days, intending to…

Within the grotto-heavens around Kunyu, Sanji, and Mashan, the doors and windows were sealed tightly, layer upon layer, nine times over.

The positions of Kan, Gao, Geng, Jia, and the rest were set in motion without further distinction between south and north, west and east.

[Quatrain]

In the first month of winter in the Wuxu year of the Dading era (1178), I came from Longmen to the Taihe Hermitage in Huating. After staying for more than ten days, I had intended to leave with a flourish of my sleeve and head for Mount Kongtong. That day I went only as far as Dongshen, where I stayed for a day or two at Master Jiu Gong’s hermitage. At the time, there were Liu Zhaoxin, Pei Daqi, Li Dacheng, and more than ten fellow Daoists from the market town. For several nights in a row, I advised and encouraged them, but not one turned back toward the Dao. The next day, as I was preparing to leave, I composed this quatrain:

When the Dao of the Elixir is refined, a jade-like nature appears; wandering through the northwest, I seek those with the promise of becoming immortals.

If no fine-scaled fish takes the bait, there is no use holding up the fishing rod. Reel it in and go home.

While fishing, Li Dacheng composed a poem following the same rhyme:

I fish out the dull and deluded mind, opening it to clarity; one spark of numinous Yang Qi is enough to make a worthy candidate.

Do not let the dust of the heart obscure your nature; let the wondrous principles of purity enter your heart.

While fishing, Li Dacheng again composed a poem following the same rhyme:

I fish out the dull and deluded mind, opening it to clarity; one spark of numinous Yang Qi is enough to make a worthy candidate.

Do not let the dust of the heart obscure your nature; let the wondrous principles of the mysterious Dao come from within purity.

I also presented Li Dacheng with four poems:

I fish a person out of delusion and lead him free of the sea of suffering; from then on, we walk and sit together, roaming to our hearts’ content.

Clear away the veils within the heart, reveal one’s true nature, and pass it on; grasp the mysterious principles and roam among the Ten Isles, the sea-borne paradises where immortals dwell.

Another:

How glad I am that a worthy man has turned back and joined the Dao; grasp the principles of the world within the pot, and you may roam freely.

Wandering through clouds and lodging by waters need not wear out your feet; naturally, every step brings you where you wish to go, to Yingzhou, the fabled sea-island of immortals.

Another:

With an open heart, roam at ease, keeping company with the Dao; pursue neither fame nor profit, but leave the world’s dust behind and wander.

Though you have not yet returned to the Celestial Cave of Cinnabar Clouds, you have already reached the Jade Isle within the pot.

Another:

What, in the end, are Li Dacheng’s bearing and conduct like? Free of attachment, he surpasses a hundred songs.

His nature is like a lone cloud and a solitary crane, roaming freely; nothing could be better.

Presented to Zhao Gong: a square hat, returned.

Breaking through the darkness and scattering the haze, one is no longer foolish. When one can distinguish black from white, one’s jade-like nature shines forth.

The gentleman in the black cap has grasped a truth as bright as the moon, while the lofty adept of Red Pine faces the clear breeze with pride.

[Quatrain]

Li Jichuan dreamed that Master Cuan, a Daoist figure, taught him a quatrain. I then composed a poem in reply, following its rhyme, to praise him.

Master Cuan once took me as his teacher. He remained steadfast and devoted, never wavering.

After casting off his mortal form, he fully understood the fundamental Great Dao. He came to the human world by chance and left this poem behind.

To Zhang Dawu, Abbot of the Monastery in Huating County

Sincere, earnest words must be heeded: hold fast to the foundations of the Dao, and steady your breath and settle your spirit.

If you let the mind’s unruly monkey and horse run wild as before, beware that unforeseen calamity may befall you.

To a Daoist Friend in Huating County

Ma Feng, moved by compassion, hopes to follow Vimalakirti, who spread the Buddhist teaching as a layman. He is often troubled by the suffering of living beings.

I use poems of counsel to awaken them, hoping they will come to their senses and avoid flying like moths into a flame and meeting their destruction.

To Madam He, Wife of Master Jiao

Your youth has passed, yet you still linger in your dressing chamber. How lamentable that those enamored of the worldly realm fail to notice that time has run out.

Do not wait until your beauty has faded beyond repair to regret it. Seek the mysterious Dao early, and let your hair grow long as you set out on the path of cultivation. “Unbound hair” refers to the Daoist style of wearing the hair loose.

On the Winter Solstice, Digging for Charcoal for Li Zhengguo, Assistant Prefect of Longzhou

At the Winter Solstice, Yang begins to stir, and another year is added to our lives. I laugh at myself: a poet’s labor is truly hard.

I warm my brush with my breath and raise my voice to chant, writing my poem on a jade slip. As soon as a thought arises, I set out to dig for black fuel—charcoal.

Another

Heaven’s Dao treats people in two ways; in the winter month, each person’s lot is different.

The man of blazing vigor feels the heat even in the depths of winter. In the poor, quiet monastery, even with a fire, one still feels cold.

Thanks to Liu Sanlang of Longzhou for the Sheepskin Quilt

Dark clouds blanket the sky, and heaven and earth are one color, with no distinction between them. Snowflakes fall in profusion, sealing off the old pass.

I am deeply grateful to my true Daoist friend from Pengcheng, who gave me a sheepskin quilt to shield me from the winter cold.

Farewell to Longzhou

I travel across waters and through clouds; my comings and goings follow their own rule. Whether I move with the current or against it is hard for others to fathom.

Within it, the hidden workings of Heaven and Earth turn. To understand the fundamental Great Dao is to have truly gained something.

Inscribed on the East Wall of the South Dipper Pavilion at Taiping Palace on Mount Zhongnan, on the Twenty-Ninth Day of the Seventh Month in the Year Gengzi

In an instant, the wind passes, and every trace of dust is gone. Who else would act and cultivate as swiftly as I do?

When those who cultivate and awaken turn back within, they can grasp the wondrous Dao; then the immortal isle of Penglai naturally becomes the road ahead.

On the twenty-fourth day of the eighth month in the Gengzi year, praying for rain in Chang’an

The Barefoot Immortal Ma Feng prayed for rain. His reverent sincerity rose like curling incense smoke, reaching the immortal palace.

When will rain finally fall in enough abundance to soak the fields? “Five times five is always twenty-five”: the phrase repeatedly emphasizes that five and five come together as twenty-five.

Again:

The seedlings are about to wither, and the people are troubled. I light the incense of the heart, and auspicious Qi rises.

Once more, I pray for the Three True Gods to descend together into the human world and send abundant sweet rain, so that autumn may bring a good harvest.

I went to Ma Feng’s prayer for rain; incense from the heart curled upward toward the immortal palace.

When will rain fall in enough abundance to soak the fields? “Five times five is always twenty-five”—again, numbers express prayer and hope.

Again:

The seedlings are about to wither, and the people are troubled. I light the incense of the heart, and auspicious Qi rises.

Once more, I pray for the Three True Gods to descend together into the human world and send abundant sweet rain, so that autumn may bring a good harvest.

Attending a Fast at Gu Mouke and Meeting a Crane

Immortal friends came to the vegetarian feast like clouds and rosy mists. As they walked, each step seemed to bring Mount Gui Peak into view.

I went to visit a worthy recluse beside the Green Lotus Pond; others saw me as an immortal from Yellow Crane Cave.

Quatrain

The elder Yue of Mount Wutai came to visit. As he poured tea, he asked me, “How should we understand the ancients’ saying, ‘Clouds are in the blue sky; water is in the bottle’?”

Elder Yue spoke of the ancients’ words: “Clouds are high in the sky; water is in the bottle.”

But I understood it as though the places of water and clouds had been reversed: the stream reflects the wind and moon, and only after drinking wine do I just now come to my senses.

In Reply to Zhao, the Palace Graduate of Qiyang Town

Talk of the ox cart, the deer cart, and the sheep cart is confused and turned upside down. Few understand the principle and can persist in putting it into practice.

I was fortunate to receive direct instruction. How could I deceive all the people under Heaven, who are just like my own parents?

Again:

The two wheels of sun and moon race on, coming and going. People should ask themselves: how old are we now?

I began studying the Classic of Changes after passing the age of attentive listening—that is, sixty. I hold firmly to my own course and am not misled by my wife’s words.

Again:

How could I deceive all the people under Heaven, who are just like my own parents?

Again:

The two wheels of sun and moon race on, coming and going. People should ask themselves: how old are we now?

I began studying the Classic of Changes after passing the age of attentive listening, and I hold firmly to my own course, unmoved by my wife’s words.

Again:

Though there are many names for it, do not say that cultivating the mysterious has nothing to do with you.

If a learned person is confused by wild, irrelevant delusions, then naturally they will not be misled by the words of the person beside them at night.

Again:

The nine-turn practice—the repeated cycles of transformation in Daoist internal cultivation—depends on movement and practice. Do not say that realizing the mysterious has nothing to do with it.

The principle is mysterious beyond mystery, and people find it hard to understand. Until you have grasped it fully, you must put up for now with others’ ridicule.

You give up one kind of attachment, only to become greedy for another. You admire the potential of sages and immortals, yet still have to endure humiliation and vexation. Metal and Wood meet, positioned between three forces: the mystery within is difficult to put into words. This is neither arrogant talk nor clever deception.

Kan and Li—symbols of Water and Fire, and often of the Yin and Yang forces in cultivation—join together, shift position, and move. What is gained and gained, what comes and goes and changes, never departs from Qian, which here refers to Heaven, Yang, or the Qian trigram. I would like to explain these principles to a kindred spirit, but people cling to their own views and instead accuse me of deception.

The Dao follows what is natural, and each path is different. The mysterious principle is attained through utmost sincerity. Heaven’s secrets are profound; they are not the Dao of ordinary people’s talk. Without meeting a true teacher, one is bound to be deceived.

I have already awakened to these principles, whether or not others are willing to listen. The essential thing in learning the Dao is to realize it through genuine experience. To deceive others is, in truth, to deceive oneself.

The transformations of dragons and snakes are lofty and mysterious, beyond ordinary principles. Without meeting a true teacher, one is bound to be deceived.

I have already awakened to these principles, whether or not others are willing to listen. The essential thing in learning the Dao is to realize it through genuine experience. To deceive others is, in truth, to deceive oneself.

The dragon and snake soar upward, and Qi rises and stirs. The sun and moon dwell in the same palace; the Ten Heavenly Stems cannot explain this. Cultivate in this way and you will surely become an immortal. Do not say that Ma Yu, a Quanzhen Daoist, is deceiving people.

The cultivation taught in the scriptures on becoming an immortal hinges on steadfast observance and practice. Yet those who are confused refuse to act. Some live amid the secular world, tending to household affairs, while boasting of their lofty realization of the Dao. This is plainly a deception of their own hearts.

Matching the Rhyme of Mr. Wang Yin of Yaozhou

When you meet someone who understands the mysterious principles, your heart finds lasting delight. With an open mind, you grasp the Dao and leave the entanglements of the world behind. To follow your nature at ease and neglect worldly affairs becomes a true pleasure. How laughable that busy people do not even realize how busy they are.

Again Following the Rhyme, Presented to the Brothers, Mr. Hou of Hezhong

Cultivate and refine within the pot—a common image in Daoist poetry for the inner realm of cultivation—as emerald clouds stretch on without end. Tend the garden pavilions and create an immortal realm beyond the limits of night. Seize the flying crow and the running jade rabbit—symbols of the sun and moon, and sometimes of Yin and Yang—and the sun and moon will no longer hurry along their courses.

Matching the Rhyme of Lord Lei of Shuzheng County

Even if your fame surpasses Su Qin’s, the Warring States persuader, it is better to restrain your brilliance and conceal your name. To transcend the world and roam freely is true openness. From time immemorial, emerald clouds have stretched on without end. Tend the garden pavilions and create an immortal realm beyond the limits of night. Seize the flying crow and the running jade rabbit, and the sun and moon will no longer hurry along their courses.

Matching the Rhyme of Lord Lei of Shuzheng County

Even if your fame surpasses Su Qin’s, it is better to restrain your brilliance and conceal your name.

By letting go of worldly entanglements, one can roam freely and rest at ease; since the beginning of time, that one point of original nature within the heart has shone of its own accord.

Another

Stillness and purity are the secret to long life. The principle behind setting aside the concerns of wife and children cannot be conveyed through words alone.

After awakening to the Dao, one knows that all things are empty at their core and need not cling to existence. In this way, auspicious opportunities will naturally come.

Written on New Year’s Day

Spring passes into summer, and autumn too will pass; last night, lingering winter vanished swiftly on the wind.

People say that today has added another year to our lives. I say that our fleeting life has lost another year.

Presented to Liu Mengsong of Gaoling, who placed first in the palace examination

Your dream came true, preserving the span of your life for eighteen years; considered carefully, how can this compare with understanding the One Spirit—the realization of one’s nature and the Dao?

Your virtue is lofty and illustrious, untouched by worldly dust; your bearing is dignified and grand, while your original nature is not empty.

An Admonition to Those Who Wander in Spring

Seeking flowers and admiring green, you pursue luxury and pleasure to your heart’s content. How could you ever stop to grieve over fallen blossoms?

If you can grasp the truth of flourishing and decline, withering and fading, then turn your heart toward the Dao and refine cinnabar beyond the world of dust.

On “Matters from the Small Garden,” Admonishing Those Who Seek Pleasures

Cultivating in the pot, one can seek the way of eternal spring; yet you devote yourselves to seeking flowers and admiring green.

Do not become enamored of butterflies dancing lightly and wildly, lest you lose yourself among the flowers and bring harm upon yourself.

Another

When devoting effort to cultivation, focus on grafting and nurturing—the methods of fostering and continuing the practice. Sweet fluids flow without end, leaving fragrance between the teeth.

Those who aspire to cultivate the Dao must cast off the interference of sleep. Only when the heart does not cling to delusions can the Original Spirit, the source of one’s spirit, find its resting place.

Written on a Paper Fan

Sever attachments, forget emotional entanglements, and accept stillness and solitude. When the heart is clear and bright, the spirit comes forth, pure as a white plantain leaf.

The paper fan stirs, and a cool breeze rises; there is no need for a fan of fine white silk to dispel the summer heat.

On Pomegranate Blossoms

Pomegranate blossoms flame red throughout the courtyard; I laugh at peach and plum blossoms for chasing fleeting splendor.

Who would have thought that, by the eastern hedge on a frosty morning, chrysanthemums would be blooming brilliantly, alone claiming all the fragrance of autumn?

[Quatrain]

The gentleman of Jingyezhuang, west of White Horse River, gave me a crooked bamboo staff. I wrote this poem in thanks.

The bamboo staff twists and turns, yet is material for a dragon’s transformation; I thank your family for sending it to me.

When my deeds are accomplished and I have fully awakened to the Dao, I will ride the rosy clouds up to heaven, taking it with me to Penglai, the fabled realm of immortals.

[Quatrain]

I lament that some people know only how to eat and defecate, and have never once paid heed to their life and nature.

This fine timber that may one day become a dragon is deeply grateful to the authorities for sending me here. When my work is truly complete, I will ride the clouds up to Heaven and take this fortunate opportunity with me to seek out Penglai.

[Quatrain]

Alas, some people know only how to eat and defecate, never giving a thought to the great matter of nature and life. Grain is loaded into carts, only to become excrement and be expelled. This cycle goes on and on—when will it ever end? Even if one lives a hundred years, that is only thirty-six thousand days.

[Quatrain]

People often quote an old saying: “First experience all the affairs of the human world; then seek the opportunity to leave it behind.” This saying is not entirely sound.

The affairs of the world have no end. To say that one must experience them all before cultivating the Dao is ultimately impractical. Better to see through worldly affairs and let go of attachment; this itself is a way to understand the mysteries and realize the wondrous Dao.

A Warning to the Foolish

Alas, people are truly foolish. They live in a human world ablaze with troubles, like a burning house, yet remain busy chasing desires. In doing so, they find neither coolness nor peace, and instead become trapped in foulness and filth.

A Warning to Evildoers

I sigh deeply for those who do evil, relying on their power to bully others for their own amusement. If they keep indulging their unruly minds and doing what is wrong, how will they bear falling into the evil realms—the paths and destinations of evil?

Sixteen Formations

The four great elements—fire, wind, earth, and water—make up this body. The eyes, ears, nose, and tongue are like four demon kings, leading the mind astray. Distinguishing self from others and arguing over right and wrong plants karmic causes. Coveting status, money, wine, and sex is like stepping onto an execution ground where one’s life will be cut short.

Distinguishing the True from the False

Indulging in romantic pleasures is ultimately of no benefit. Wine, sex, anger, and wealth are all enemies. Arguments over self and others, right and wrong, lead to the evil realms. Only quiet ease and the cultivation of virtue can carry one aboard the vessel bound for the immortals’ realm.

Urging People to Resolve Firmly to Enter the Dao

How can cotton swords, felt arrows, and paper spearheads—seemingly sharp but powerless weapons—win the rank of an immortal or gain entry to the ranks of Dao cultivators? If a generous and resolute man truly decides to escape the cycle of life and death, he should turn back, examine himself, and set out on the path of cultivation.

Distinguishing the True from the False

Indulging in romantic pleasures is ultimately of no benefit. Wine, sex, anger, and wealth are all enemies. Arguments over self and others, right and wrong, lead to the evil realms. Only quiet ease and the cultivation of virtue can carry one aboard the vessel bound for the immortals’ realm.

Urging People to Resolve Firmly to Enter the Dao

How can cotton swords, felt arrows, and paper spearheads—seemingly sharp but powerless weapons—win the rank of an immortal or gain entry to the ranks of Dao cultivators? If a generous and resolute man truly decides to escape the cycle of life and death, he should turn back, examine himself, and set out on the path of cultivation.

To Fellow Daoist Friends

If you are resolved to cultivate the Dao, do not delay. Repeated hesitation and procrastination will only let even the worthy grow old. We can scarcely foresee what will happen today; how can we be sure we will still be safe and well next year?

Again.

The way to long life has a path that can be followed. Even impermanence itself can make people set aside deluded thoughts and bring mind and body to rest.

Travel freely like clouds and water, seeking companions who share your aspirations; in time, you will meet someone who truly understands you.

Shown to Disciples

Every thought and concern wears down the spirit. How, then, could one let the mind become entangled in worldly attachments?

Cutting off and suppressing all kinds of concerns is ultimately only superficial work. By cultivating and fulfilling one’s nature, one can attain a state of complete purity and wholeness.

Another

The “mountain of self and others” is a pass between life and death. I urge people to topple this mountain, piled up from attachment to the self and a mind that makes distinctions.

Once distinctions between self and others have been erased, the nature of the mind will naturally incline toward goodness, and one can pass beyond the boundary between life and death.

Another

If you wish the original spark of spiritual clarity to appear, you must first quiet the “ape and horse.” They are metaphors for restless, unsettled thoughts and will.

When feelings and thoughts are both clear and still, the Three Elixirs—the three Dantian centers or elixir realms associated with internal cultivation—can coalesce. As the tiger and dragon meet and entwine, the Four Images, symbols of Yin-Yang transformations in internal alchemy, take shape.

Sent to Li Jichuan

To keep one’s intelligence and talent concealed does not mean one is foolish; in this way, one can transcend the boundary between life and death.

Another

If you wish the original spark of spiritual clarity to appear, you must first quiet the “ape and horse.”

When feelings and thoughts are both clear and still, the Three Elixirs can coalesce; as the tiger and dragon meet and entwine, the Four Images take shape.

Sent to Li Jichuan

To conceal one’s intelligence and talent is not foolishness. Only those who can resolutely give up wealth and status are true men of great character.

Those who dare to give up wife and children are true heroes. Those who resolve to cultivate De are worthy of being called companions on my path.

Presented to Lady Lu

Once the lamp of wisdom is lit, its light reaches straight to the heavens; auspicious clouds spread and rise among the Eight Trigrams.

The Golden Elixir, refined through nine turns, fulfills a nature as pure as jade. Then one may set out with ease on the beautiful road to the Ten Isles, the legendary realms of immortals.

Presented to the Hermit Lady Xue of Songxi

In cultivation, extravagance is most to be avoided. Break through all kinds of elaborate affectation and work with plainness and diligence, like refining wheat and hemp.

By repeatedly observing the transformations of Yin-Yang, one can understand the principles of creation and naturally refine the Great Cinnabar Elixir.

Presented to Lady Chai

Wuwei, acting without contrivance, is the great way of cultivation. When thoughts are still and the mind is clear, the lamp of wisdom can be lit.

The light of wisdom shines through the Nine Passes, allowing free passage in and out, and at last one ascends from Mount Kunlun, here an image of the Daoist immortal realm.

Presented to the Hermit Lady Yan of Shuangxi

Devote yourself wholly to the Dao and never turn back; the Eight Flavors of jade nectar, symbolizing the refined essence gained through cultivation, gather to form the Great Elixir.

When the Nine Luminaries, a Daoist term for the nine stars, are harmonized, a nature as pure as jade is fulfilled. When merit is complete, one proceeds to the altar of the immortals.

Quatrain

An official document arrived from the Jingzhao prefecture granting me permission to return to my hometown. I therefore wrote this poem to thank the commander.

The Daoist of Three-Tuft Mountain was fortunate to encounter the right opportunity and came especially to the land of Qin to cultivate, working as diligently as one refines waves of cloud.

I considered returning home on my own, but it is better to remain here, cultivate until my merit is complete, and then proceed to the altar of the immortals.

The Jingzhao Prefecture (an administrative region in what is now the Xi’an area of Shaanxi) issued an official document granting me leave to return to my hometown. I therefore wrote a poem to thank the commander.

The Dong of Three Buns was fortunate to encounter this opportunity and came especially to Qin to cultivate, as if refining the waves of clouds. On reflection, rather than pack my things and return home, I would rather ask someone to strike off my head in the hall.

[Quatrain]

Since I have received permission to return home, I must leave Jingzhao Prefecture. So I wrote this poem.

I once pursued glamour in the world of fame and wealth. How could I lose heart now and turn to cultivation beyond the dusty world? Do not blame me for putting away my fishing rod and leaving. I know that my modest verses cannot match the great hook; my abilities are not enough to make a mark in the arena of fame and gain.

At the Request of Lord An of Hezhong Prefecture

Lord An should understand the Dao of Chang’an. Once he understands it, he can turn his gaze inward. When the mind no longer follows restless thoughts like monkeys and wild horses, and Qi and Shen flow in harmony, the numinous elixir can form.

[Quatrain]

While traveling to teach the Dao and encourage cultivation, I arrived at Huangyang Inn and met Lord Wang, a juren who had passed the provincial examination. In conversation, he mentioned that Huang Yingqing had taken the palace examination and passed the jinshi examination at the age of fifty-three, and had written a poem describing his state of mind. I borrowed his rhymes and composed ten quatrains.

I carry volumes such as the Dao De Jing and the Yinfu Jing over my shoulder. A star crown rests on my head, and I wear a moon cape and cloud robe. The people of the world do not recognize me as a cultivator among mist and clouds; they take me only for a strange man from the Fufeng area with three hornlike topknots.

Another poem: Lord Wang, the juren, also spoke of Huang Yingqing taking the palace examination, passing at fifty-three, and writing a poem about himself. I borrowed his rhymes and composed ten quatrains.

I carry volumes such as the Dao De Jing and the Yinfu Jing over my shoulder. A star crown rests on my head, and I wear a moon cape and cloud robe. The people of the world do not recognize me as a cultivator among mist and clouds; they take me only for a strange man from the Fufeng area with three hornlike topknots.

Another poem:

With the Elixir texts committed to memory, there is no need to carry books over my shoulder. A hemp robe and paper-padded jacket are better than splendid clothes. Now I brush my sleeves and return to Ninghai, with thirteen Daoist companions traveling alongside me.

Another poem:

I vow never again to travel with books on my shoulders, and have no mind to fuss over short caps and light robes. I have repeatedly met with official obstruction while cultivating the Dao and urging people toward goodness; before this occasion, I had already asked to leave three times.

[Quatrain]

At Jingyuan Town in Guozhou, in Jingzhao Prefecture, and at Ganhe Town, I had already encountered obstruction three times.

Another poem:

With a heavy burden on my shoulders, I no longer wish to carry it. Crossing many long roads, I will cast off the clothes worn for the sake of children and grandchildren. Understand the transformations of six times six, and clarity will follow; before and after, one can verify the principle of three times three.

Another acrostic poem:

The □-like mysterious principle need not be carried on one’s shoulders; once the □ formula is transmitted, one can transcend worldly clothes.

Cultivate inwardly and refine the medicine of the Great Dao, revolving the Six Qi and Yin-Yang in an unending cycle. (Some characters are missing from the original, so the meaning remains unclear.)

Begin by taking apart a single character.

Also:

Laboring for the family, with a heavy burden seeming to press on one’s shoulders; coming and going, making a living by selling fur garments.

Look—the secret has been passed down, allowing one to wear green robes with pride. (Some characters are missing from this line, making its meaning difficult to determine.)

Cultivate inwardly and refine the medicine of the Great Dao, revolving the Six Qi and Yin-Yang in an unending cycle.

Begin by taking apart a single character.

Also:

Laboring for the family, with a heavy burden seeming to press on one’s shoulders; coming and going, making a living by selling fur garments.

Look—one has fallen into a deep pit again. How can the fire in the alchemical furnace refine the Three Treasures—Jing, Qi, and Shen?

Also:

Cast aside the ties of home and shoulder no more worldly burdens; speak of the mysterious Dao, not the trade in fur garments.

Clad in a felt blanket, keep the Dao in your heart. Return to the infant’s original state, and give no thought to anything beyond the Three Treasures.

Presented to Xue, a clerk in Wuzhi County:

Awakening in an instant, one no longer bears the worldly burden of the “fiery courtyard” in one’s heart. Wearing hemp clothes is better than dressing in splendid silk robes.

Uphold the principle of purity and Wuwei (non-action); gather Jing, Qi, and Shen and congeal them into Neidan (internal alchemy).

Also:

Leap out of the fire pit and bear no more the burden of family ties; wear a rain cape with ease, better than fine clothes.

Roam among clouds and streams, and set out on the road to Penglai, the isle of immortals. The medicine of the Great Dao is refined of itself and congeals into Neidan.

An admonition to the butchers of Qimen:

The karmic debt incurred by killing will in the end become a heavy burden. Then one falls into the cycle of rebirth and loses the means of clothing and sustenance in this life.

To resolve the karmic debt, one must change one’s livelihood. Take as examples people like Zhao Si and Zhang San, and turn to cultivating the Dao.

A fellow Daoist from Kaizhou roams among clouds and streams, and sets out on the road to Penglai, the isle of immortals. The medicine of the Great Dao is refined of itself and congeals into Neidan.

An admonition to the butchers of Qimen:

The karmic debt incurred by killing will in the end become a heavy burden. Then one falls into the cycle of rebirth and loses the means of clothing and sustenance in this life.

To resolve the karmic debt, one must change one’s livelihood. Take as examples people like Zhao Si and Zhang San, and turn to cultivating the Dao.

A fellow Daoist from Kaizhou asks for a poem:

Ma Feng heads east, bidding farewell to the west. The fellow Daoists on the road, however, must guess why.

Reunited with Master Chongyang in a foreign land, he travels with the clouds and together they journey to Penglai.

A response in the fellow Daoist’s poetic meter:

See through this floating life for what it is, and naturally even one’s own shadow seems unnecessary.

Roam the four directions, where every place leads to the mysterious Dao; guide all people out of suffering.

Written upon seeing Li San, a gentleman of Zizhou, holding a white palm-leaf fan:

Ma Feng has encountered an immortal destiny and wanders at ease; open and unrestrained, he is not bound by worldly conventions.

His true nature is fragrant and fresh as a red lotus; his mind is clear as frost as he unfurls a white palm-leaf fan.

Continuing the poem in response to the verse of Master Geng of Weizhou.

Ma Feng met an Immortal who had attained mastery in cultivation, then practiced in a cave, perfecting his innate nature.

Dragon and tiger coil in the distance, gazing intently at the moon that symbolizes one’s nature. The mind-monkey and will-horse grow quiet and clear, delighting in the lotus within.

[Quatrain]

Daoist friends from Changle saw me off, accompanying me all the way to the foot of Gushan. Together we viewed the traces of the Immortal on the stone. I then composed a short poem for Cha Dian Shi and the other Daoist friends.

Everyone vies to see the Immortal’s traces, but who is willing to give thought to continuing my path of cultivation?

If you devote yourself wholeheartedly, rise above worldly concerns, and turn toward what lies beyond all things of this world, the opportunity to follow the path of cultivation and become an Immortal will naturally come.

[Quatrain]

An old poem was presented by the deputy commandant of Laizhou. Yesterday, Tu Shan Neifeng happened upon it, so I joined the Daoist friends in composing a response.

Everyone vies to see the Immortal’s traces, but who is willing to give thought to continuing my path of cultivation?

If you devote yourself wholeheartedly, rise above worldly concerns, and turn toward what lies beyond all things of this world, the opportunity to follow the path of cultivation and become an Immortal will naturally come.

[Quatrain]

The deputy commandant of Laizhou presented an old poem. Yesterday, Tu Shan Neifeng happened upon it, so I composed a response following its rhymes, and respectfully submit it for your consideration.

The elixir refined in the furnace is beyond price; when has the hermitage ever traded medicine for money?

Yesterday a guest came to visit, and I welcomed him with a warm gaze. Today I sleep in peace, accompanied by the white clouds.

Composed to the Rhyme of Lord Ren’s Poem

By cultivating the wondrous Dao, I have nurtured my original true nature. Virtue does not stand alone; surely kindred spirits will be its companions.

With a tranquil mind, one naturally knows that the inner Golden Elixir will not dissipate. When the heart is clear, who could believe that one’s nature is stained by worldly dust?

Presented to Ma Congshi, Abbot of Huiguang Hermitage in Xigao Village, Huang County

Giving away wealth accumulates blessings, and those blessings rise like a mountain; yet one still cannot escape repeated passage through the cycle of birth and death.

Only by purifying body and mind, within and without, can one break free completely from the cycle of arising and passing away.

On the Withered Bamboo at Quanzhen Hermitage in Huang County

The Daoist path takes longevity as its aim. The heart’s aspiration is to transform the withered bamboo and restore its vitality.

May several bamboo stalks remain green through every season, and may not a single leaf lose its verdant color.

Rejoicing at the Pine Tree’s Revival

I understand the principles governing life’s transformations and can set vitality in motion. Breath spreads through the body, and the body transforms along with it.

Outside the window, it is not only the bamboo that is green; before the hermitage, I rejoice to see the pine green once more.

[Quatrain]

On the third day of the sixth month in the guimao year of the Dading era, Daoist friends from Huang County invited me to witness the pine tree’s revival.

Outside the window, it is not only the bamboo that is green; before the hermitage, I rejoice to see the pine green once more.

[Quatrain]

On the third day of the sixth month in the Year of the Water Hare, Daoist friends from Huang County invited me to stay at Jinyu Hermitage. Within the walls on all four sides, six young pine trees had recently been planted, so I composed three quatrains.

In the sixth month, six pines were planted before the hermitage; sure enough, they reflected the bearing of Ma Feng (the author’s self-designation or Daoist name).

Three times I circulated Qi and spread it forth, without much effort; all six wishes could be fulfilled, with great effect.

Another:

It was the height of the three hottest periods of summer, so the pines were planted; Daoist friends leisurely tried Ma Feng’s method.

I said these six pines would not take root on their own, yet people say that the Three-Bun figure (an immortal or practitioner identified by three hair buns) has true skill.

Another:

On the third day of the sixth month, young pines were planted; the six trees change color and stir in the wind.

I pray that, drawing on the Qi of the Double Ninth, they will flourish; may they prove the power of the Three-Bun skill that people speak of.

A poem matching the rhyme of the poem by the grain commissioner of Dengzhou:

A breath as fine as an ant threads through the meridians; one must understand its principles. With a faint fire to spur it on, the breath begins to circulate.

When the nine apertures (the body’s nine openings) are clear and bright, the Dao fruit can be realized; when the Three Lights (sun, moon, and stars) shine together, a blessed union may be attained.

A poem matching the rhyme of the poem by Zhu Tongjian of Dengzhou:

When Mercury and Lead meet, they depend on diligent refinement; when the Infant and Maiden (metaphors in Neidan for two kinds of Yin-Yang essence) unite, no matchmaker is needed.

The Jade Tiger and Golden Dragon rise from the earth; the Golden Crow and Jade Rabbit descend from the heavens.

A reply to Sun Gong of Ninghai’s palace examination poem:

I only hope you will soon cast off worldly splendor, resolutely turn away, and seek the immortal Way.

Lie on clouds and rest your head on the moon, drinking rosy clouds (the fabled wine of immortals); accept guidance, and behold the Golden Lotus, Jade Flowers, and other visions of the immortal realms.

Another:

I urge you to turn back soon and understand that all things are empty; let go of deliberate striving and keep to the middle way with a Wuwei (non-action) heart.

Cultivate body and mind with the firm resolve of Ma Yu; then, naturally, you will rise free of the mundane and comprehend the true Daoist wind.

Another:

May you awaken and clarify your mind soon; do not bustle about in pursuit of fame and profit.

Seek, beyond the world of dust, the principles that lie beyond the cloudy heavens; even a withered tree without roots may naturally flourish again.

A reply to Fan Xuezheng of Ninghai:

As a school inspector, Lord Fan is a worthy man of his community; in his youth, too, he once pursued fame and profit and displayed his talents.

If you can grasp the profound purpose of my Daoist Way, then gather in your worldly thoughts and restore body and mind within the grotto-heaven.

The Immortal Feng left behind a gourd dipper, and the abbot, Master Jiang, was fated to share it with me. Now I return your sleeveless vest; you should awaken to its meaning and learn from me to roam freely, like a wanderer among the clouds. If you can grasp the mysteries of my lineage, gather in your worldly thoughts, practice diligently, and make up for what is lacking in your cultivation within the grotto-heavens.

I returned the gourd dipper and sleeveless vest to Abbot Jiang and presented him with a poem.

The Immortal Feng left behind a gourd dipper, and the abbot, Master Jiang, was fated to share it with me. Now I return your sleeveless vest; you should awaken to its meaning and learn from me to roam freely, like a wanderer among the clouds.

At the request of the musician Yang Hezhi

Do not show off your cleverness before others; recognize the wondrous spirit within your own nature. When the heart is clarified and desires cast aside, spiritual insight will shine forth. Once your practice bears fruit, you may dwell in Penglai’s foremost palace.

Exchanging the long railing for a staff bestowed by Heaven

A crooked piece of wood exchanged for a staff of bamboo is far better than receiving wealth. Each of us sits at leisure, composing verse when inspiration comes. If you can clear away what obscures you and reveal your true nature, you have the makings of an immortal.

Presenting a staff to Vinaya Master Zhu

Grand-uncle Haichan carried a treasured staff. When his deeds were complete, his steps flowed like clouds, carrying him beyond the Three Realms. Ma Feng understood the meaning of this and gave the staff to whom? Vinaya Chan Master Zhu is truly at ease.

Reflections

Three-bunned Ma Feng, with your Kun arrows, you roam among the clouds and pass your days in freedom. The treasures gained through cultivation always seem too few; looking back at my own shadow, I feel there is too much of it.

Composed at Fan Mingshu’s residence on the twenty-first day of the ninth month, Renyin year

The key to maintaining one’s practice is to keep the spirit platform—the heart—clear. But now fog and haze still veil it; they have yet to lift. Meeting Master Chongyang again, I received his guidance and instruction. A fresh breeze came, and at last the moon appeared.

Poem in the Rhyme of Qi Dacheng

I honor the master’s name in my heart, as though three buns were coiled atop my head. I reflect deeply on the mind that clings to “good” and “weak.” I do not yearn for worldly sights; the flavor of the Dao is sweeter than ripe citrus.

Another

I met the Immortal Feng, cast off distracting thoughts, and rose beyond the world to seek understanding with him. Only then did I realize how to focus the mind in contemplation. I do not yearn for worldly sights; the flavor of the Dao is sweeter than ripe citrus.

Another

I met the Immortal Feng, cast off distracting thoughts, and rose beyond the world to seek understanding with him. Only then did I know the joy of roaming freely and believe that a tranquil, untroubled life is sweet and delightful.

Another

My three junior fellow disciples, Tan, Liu, and Qiu, join me in urging people toward the Dao and seeking understanding within it. Phoenixes dance, and spiritual light appears; dragons and tigers coil together, while the great medicine gained through cultivation is precious and sweet.

Another

Refining “Six Three” in the Eight Trigrams furnace brings one to the subtle and mysterious, with no need to seek guidance outside oneself. Red flames arise from water, adding further wonder and radiance; blue-green lotuses grow from fire and drip sweet dew.

Again:

Gather Jing, Qi, and Shen and congeal them into the Three Treasures. Why keep thinking about a short-lived official post and a long-bearded aide? In the courtyard of the alchemical furnace, one should feel no hardship. Drink a little of the immortal elixir, and it tastes as sweet as honey.

Again:

Three venomous snakes lie hidden in a woman’s heart. One who has awakened to the Dao turns the light of the mind back inward and looks within. Only by withdrawing from desire can one know the pain of being sunk in it; only by savoring purity can one find it sweet.

Again:

The Confucian scholars Qi’er and Li San need no longer lose themselves in books and essays full of “zhi, hu, zhe, ye.” Making a living by writing, they know its hardships; studying the Daoist arts, they find their sweetness.

Again:

The Confucian scholars Qi’er and Li San need no longer lose themselves in books and essays full of “zhi, hu, zhe, ye.” Making a living by writing, they know its hardships; studying the Daoist arts, they find their sweetness.

Another poem, for the young children gathered below the hall:

Ox carts, deer carts, and sheep carts carry the parable of the “Three Vehicles,” enough to help the children below the hall understand. The jade liquid refined through accumulated merit is sweeter than sugar; the flat peaches formed through good deeds and cultivation are sweeter than molded sugar.

End of volume one of the Dongxuan Jinyu Ji.

Dongxuan Jinyu Ji, volume two

Seven-character quatrains

In reply to Yu Tianxi’s curved bamboo staff:

No one need be surprised that I have left my fields behind. This bamboo staff from Fufeng once accompanied me to Taiyuan. I have grown weary of the finery of the official staff and must give it up; this curved bamboo branch, by contrast, brings me back to my true nature.

A poem for the Daoist friend from Laiyang who prepared sugar cakes as an offering:

The offering to the man from Fufeng moves me deeply. Now that I have eaten all the sugar cakes, my heart has nothing left to dwell on. The pot contains marvelous scenes of its own, unlike anything ordinary; the cave holds another clear and bright world, whose radiance is unlike the ordinary kind.

Song and dance:

The children lead me in carefree song and dance, while the high-minded laugh at my uninhibited play. Seeing that this floating life is like a play, I treat it as one; even in abandon, there is an immortal’s bearing.

The pot contains marvelous scenes of its own, unlike anything ordinary; the cave holds another clear and bright world, whose radiance is unlike the ordinary kind.

Song and dance:

The children lead me in carefree song and dance, while the high-minded laugh at my uninhibited play. Seeing that this floating life is like a play, I treat it as one; within my abandon lies an immortal’s bearing.

Achievement fulfilled:

Break the reins of fame, and the world can no longer pull you along; unlock the chains of profit, and the dust of the world can no longer hold you fast.

I cultivated my resolve for many years, like polishing jade from the Three Streams. After nine years of practice, when my merit and cultivation were complete, I could become an immortal who would endure ten thousand kalpas without perishing.

When I went to Laiyang, Lecturer Li, the presiding ritual master at the Yellow Register Purification Altar, presented me with a poem.

Poem

The cold of winter’s third month is all the sharper in a leap month. I cultivate in my hermitage; how could I dare pine for splendid, lavish banquets?

Lecturer Li joked that I had come here only to wield a hoe. He laughed that I had no alchemical scriptures and knew nothing of using alchemical methods to tend the inner fire of cultivation.

Presented to the Hermitage Master Yu at Yutuan, Wendeng: The Hermitage of Fated Encounters

The mountains are beautiful, the water is beautiful, and so are the pines and bamboo. The view before the Hermitage of Fated Encounters leaves my heart refreshed.

This blessed land, so well suited to the Dao, may be called Brocade Stream; this grotto-heaven, an ideal abode for immortals, is just the place to build a home for the immortals.

Names of the Ponds at the Hermitage of Fated Encounters in Yutuan

The pond names are: Jade Flower, Golden Lotus, Dragon’s Roar, Tiger’s Howl, Transformation into Life, Crimson Infant, Queen Mother, Rainbow Cloud Bridge above the Grotto-Heaven Pond, Nine Yangs, and Fulfillment.

The scenes of jade and gold, dragons and tigers, are truly worth seeing. Through cultivation, they transform into images of the infant held in trust, making the path of practice smooth.

Rainbow clouds appear in the Queen Mother’s Grotto-Heaven. At the Nine Yangs Pond, Neidan cultivation reaches completion.

Culmination of Achievement

Cut off desire and relinquish attachments, and you will no longer be tormented by sorrow and distress. Clear away distracting thoughts and forget contrivance, and you will penetrate the profound principle.

When the mind is clear, the incense of the heart—an offering made with purity and reverence—shines forth in three places. When nature and life are both fully understood, the moon of the heart-mind becomes perfectly whole.

Quatrain

I met Lord He in Jingyuan Town. He asked me, “When will you pack up and set out on your travels?” I answered him with a poem.

[The first line is missing.] Between gold and jade flowers they stand apart; once desire is relinquished, sorrow and distress are gone. Clear away distracting thoughts and forget contrivance, and you will penetrate the profound principle.

When the mind is clear, the incense of the heart shines forth in three places; when nature and life are both fully understood, the moon of the heart-mind becomes perfectly whole.

Quatrain

[The first line is missing.] Gold stands apart from jade flowers; beyond [missing text], the Azure Lad urges me on without pause.

[Missing text] asked me, after I went west from Fufeng, [missing text] said on what day I would return east. This poem is composed through a character puzzle that breaks apart the character “wood.”

Quatrain

One day, Lord Du of Jingzhao came to visit me and said, “Ten years ago, I once met Perfected Chongyang. He left a poem inscribed on a rockery, a quatrain with an acrostic formed by breaking apart characters. In the poem, he split the character ‘cloud’ and wrote: ‘Cloud, calm stone makes mountain divide; □ carved, a lone peak rises above the crowd.’ I have forgotten the last two lines and would like you to complete it.” Unable to refuse his earnest request, I shall provisionally indulge his refined wish and continue the poem.

[Missing text.] Cloud, calm stone makes mountain divide; [missing text] carved, a lone peak rises above the crowd.

After fully penetrating Lake Taihu (perhaps a metaphor here for a mind as open and expansive as a lake), it is as though one’s eyes have opened to clarity. Looking again at the realm of form—the world of visible shapes in Buddhist and Daoist contexts—it seems as illusory as floating clouds. Begin each line by taking apart the character for “cloud.”

Matching Tan Xian’s Rhyme, with Acrostic Lines Beginning from Split Characters

□ The lord conducts affairs with uprightness; □ the marquis is wise and worthy, and the family’s ways are generous.

□ Standing tall and full of vigor, he promotes the teachings; □ he returns to view the mountain peaks within the pass.

Another

□ I conduct myself uprightly among my friends in the clouds; □ now I promote the teachings, with generous character.

The remaining two lines are the same as above.

Another

□ I conduct myself uprightly among my friends in the clouds; □ now I practice transformation, with generous character.

□ Then the master points toward the sea of Penglai; □ one attains lasting stillness and turns inward in contemplation. Begin the lines by taking apart the character for “see.”

Two Linked-Verse Poems

□ The Way of Heaven moves with integrity; □ impartial and selfless, it is generous in nature.

□ Its breadth of mind is vast, like the Dharma Sea; □ clear and settled, it rests in quiet contemplation.

Another

□ The worthy abstain from wine and stand upright; □ their practice is earnest, and their temperament gradually grows more generous.

□ Their breadth of mind is vast as the Eastern Sea; □ from the Immortal Isle of Penglai, they contemplate with the eye of wisdom.

Quatrain

The nun Tongshi from the temple at the Jingzhao Terrace Court came to visit. I gave her this poem. Take apart the character for “gather.”

□□ The nun lets go of countless attachments; □□ she also lays down all clinging to self.

□□ When pure cultivation reaches completion, □□ she can ascend beyond, becoming an immortal who abides in forbearance.

Presented to Wang, the Court Clerk

□ The formula is transmitted by an intimate master, not an outward dance; □ within it, the dragon coils and the tiger follows.

□ Suddenly, a night-bright pearl is cast forth; □ the light of one’s nature shines clear, surpassing all ages. Begin the lines by taking apart the □ character.

Another

□ The mind-seal is transmitted, dancing like an infant; □ the methods for taming the dragon and leading the tiger are depicted.

□ Lord Wang thereby grasps the principle; □ in quiet silence, he speaks of past and present. Begin the lines by taking apart the □ character.

Matching the Poem by Yang, the Educational Registrar of Jingzhao Prefecture

□ The Educational Registrar asks about the methods of cultivating the Real; □ the source and origin are explained, and worldly entanglements cast off.

□ The numinous pearl often leaps; □ clouds arise, and one becomes an immortal. Begin the lines by taking apart the character “dot-stroke.”

Another

□ Dao Ma Feng’s brilliance is peerless; □ in this year, the poem by Yang, the Educational Registrar of Jingzhao Prefecture, was composed.

□ The Educational Registrar asks about the methods of cultivating the Real; □ the source and origin are explained, and worldly entanglements cast off.

The numinous pearl leaps and pulses, giving rise to clouds and transforming into immortals. The missing character at the beginning suggests starting by breaking apart the character pie.

Again

Dao Ma Feng, a personal name, is peerlessly beautiful. Year after year, amid clouds and waters, he delights in roaming to the ends of the earth. The missing character at the beginning suggests starting by breaking apart the character hua.

Again

Beneath the mountain peak, one awakens to transcendence; five-petaled flowers often bloom there. The missing character at the beginning suggests starting by breaking apart the character duan.

Again

The Dantian, the place within the body where Daoist cultivation takes place, belongs to the Daoist tradition. Through cultivation, one can cause the “yellow sprouts,” a symbolic term in internal alchemy, to grow. Golden flowers bloom within the jade; in time, one may enter the realm of the immortals. The missing character at the beginning suggests starting by breaking apart the character duan.

Attending the Thousand Daoist Assembly in Ziwuzhen

Golden light flashes at intervals, like the Three Terrace stars shining together. When the oral formula and the knife-point measure, an alchemical term for a small quantity of elixir or medicine, are brought into accord, they give birth to a child. The Thousand Daoist Assembly is established in Ziwuzhen, and Ma Feng arrives in Ninghai. The missing character at the beginning suggests starting by breaking apart the character mu.

[Quatrains]

I have read the poems exchanged by Jianshou of Hu County and several Daoist companions, as well as Yang Qingsou’s “Poems on the Bamboo Scroll, ‘The Dragon of the Sheathed Bamboo in the Eastern Pavilion Passes by, Untroubled.’” Borrowing the original poems’ rhymes, I have written one poem for each.

Again

From what I have encountered, I have gained a little ease. Once sated, I forget cunning and gradually withdraw from worldly affairs. The court-bestowed official sash is bound up with your fate; I drink the cinnabar measure and feel body and mind grow pure and empty. The missing character at the beginning suggests starting by breaking apart the character yi.

Again

A rain cape and a bamboo hat: I have nothing else beyond these. Resolving to become an immortal, I grow distant from all things of the world. Beneath the plants and trees, I delight in chanting; I pass beyond the mugwort. Branches and leaves part, and the belly within is hollow. The missing character at the beginning suggests starting by breaking apart the character yi.

Again

A rain cape and a bamboo hat: I have nothing else beyond these. Resolving to become an immortal, I grow distant from all things of the world. Beneath the plants and trees, I delight in chanting; I pass beyond the mugwort. Branches and leaves part, and the belly within is hollow. The missing character at the beginning suggests starting by breaking apart the character yi.

Again

This body is a temporary joining of the Four Great Elements, yet I still have years to spare. The world’s splendor can all be seen with detachment. With something true within the heart, one can keep to stillness and emptiness, and move freely through the void.

Again

I have grasped the Mysterious Origin, the source of the Dao, and realized the Dao, yet still have time to spare. No longer pursuing drifting illusions, my mind gradually grows open and clear. Knowing that kindred spirits are few, I live amid the dust of the world like a fool, while inwardly remaining true, empty, and still.

Again

The immortal Dao I have attained is still only a beginning. Living beyond the world, I make no distinction between kin and stranger. When the mind’s intent does not run wild, it can bring forth a wondrous treasure; the original nature shines forth, illuminating the Six Directions, above and below and the four quarters.

Again

I have practiced within the Mysterious Gate for more than four years. Thus, blessings and emoluments bestowed by Heaven have come, while worldly dust gradually recedes.

Auspicious Qi rises from among the clouds straight into the heights of the sky. The two Yin-Yang fires engender one another; this is certainly no empty claim.

A Linked-Verse Poem Presented to Xu, the Chief Organizer for the Construction of the Quanzhen Hall in Hu County

Within true words lies the chance to encounter a realized person. People gather together and nurture and refine Qi and spirit within the Golden Lotus. The Daoist gate is quiet and pure; more than four years of cultivation have already passed. Thus one leaves behind the clamor of worldly concerns and enjoys the blessings of Heaven. Auspicious Qi rises from among the clouds straight into the heights of the sky. The two Yin-Yang fires engender one another; this is certainly no empty claim.

Within true words lies the chance to encounter a realized person. People gather together and nurture and refine Qi and spirit within the Golden Lotus. Pure Qi is clear and limpid, condensing into a treasure; the bright pearl shines immaculate. Lord Xu, through your cultivation, have attained Quanzhen.

Presented to Liu Gu of Hu County

A single pill remains within the abdomen; a formula transmitted in person can guide and transform people of the world. The two Yin-Yang fires engender one another, preserving both nature and life. With a clear understanding of one’s disposition and the emergence of one’s original nature, she is called the immortal Liu Gu. (“Beginning by breaking apart two characters” refers to starting a verse by analyzing the shapes of particular characters.)

Presented to Mr. Tian of Bijiazhuang

Since Lord Tian has come here, do not leave empty-handed. I offer instruction by word of mouth to this worthy man, so that his mind may grow still as cold ashes. A numinous spring wells forth, allowing the spirits to rest in peace; suddenly, a thunderclap resounds across level ground. (“Beginning by breaking apart the character Tian” refers to starting a verse by splitting the character’s written form.)

Quatrain

Presented to Ren Shouyi, Ren Tongyi, Song Mingyi, Yu Qingyi, Chunyü Baoyi, Yu Zhiyi, and Liu Zhenyi.

Why do you make light of paper and brush? The pointed brush may be fine, yet it still wears down the mind. If you do not strive, your spirit and Qi will not dissipate. To seek life through such means is like a rabbit growing horns or a tortoise growing fur: both are impossible. (“Beginning by breaking apart seven characters” refers to starting a verse by analyzing the shapes of particular characters.)

Quatrain

On a second visit to Taiping Palace on Zhongnan Mountain, using the rhyme of the preceding poem, presented to Yuandemao, Director of the Palace. Titled “A Rabbit Grows Horns, a Tortoise Grows Fur.” (“Beginning by breaking apart seven characters” refers to starting a verse by analyzing the shapes of particular characters.)

Quatrain

On a second visit to Taiping Palace on Zhongnan Mountain, using the rhyme of the preceding poem, presented to Yuandemao, Director of the Palace, and inscribed on the wall of the Western Fate-Lamp Pavilion in front of the True Lord’s Hall.

The Daoist wanders freely, like clouds and water; today I have come again. The refined vitality of the Jia and Geng cycles brings my inspiration to light. Master Yuan has attained right awakening, untouched by worldly dust; through this, his numinous nature emerges. (“Beginning by breaking apart the character Men” refers to starting a verse by analyzing the shape of a particular character.)

Quatrain

While I was at Taiping Palace on Zhongnan Mountain, Chen, the Deputy Transport Commissioner of Jingzhao Prefecture, and the other officials happened to challenge me with a poem. I quickly composed a reply.

The inner fire’s timing stirs of its own accord; there is no need to rely on a fish trap—that is, a tool used here as a metaphor for expressing or seeking something. The master has his own opportunity to cultivate the Dao.

An ant passing through a pearl: if you can grasp the principle in this, you will understand my heart and dwell proudly among the mountain forests and streams. Begin the opening line by tracing the strokes of the character “water.”

Another poem:

Grasp the subtle meaning of “□ within,” and you will no longer cling to the bamboo fish trap—the saying “catch the fish and forget the trap” means that, once the principle is understood, one no longer remains bound to the method. Your bond with Ma Feng, a Daoist figure, was destined in a former life.

Gather the Kan Trigram, which symbolizes water and peril, and bring it to a single point. With a heart of utmost sincerity, nourish the original spirit spring, a metaphor for the inner vital essence and spiritual nature. Begin the opening line by tracing the strokes of the character “water.”

Matching the Rhymes of Liu, the Magistrate of Zhōuzhì County

Literary flourishes such as “hu” and “zhe” depart from the Daoist realm of Xiyi, the subtle state said to be beyond hearing and sight. Leave worldly affairs behind, and you will naturally stand apart from the ordinary.

You are often in Ma Feng’s company; worldly dust cannot cling to you, and your original nature follows of its own accord. Begin the opening line by tracing the strokes of the character “zhi.”

Another poem:

Since the harm brought by the wind is so great, devote yourself to cultivating the Dao. Taste the jade nectar, and let yourself be intoxicated by it.

Turn the orifices within my body to cultivate the Great Dao. Once this is first spoken plainly, one knows there is a true bodily form within. Begin the opening line by following the stroke “pie.”

You are often in Ma Feng’s company; worldly dust cannot cling to you, and your original nature follows of its own accord. Begin the opening line by tracing the strokes of the character “zhi.”

Another poem:

Since the harm brought by the wind is so great, devote yourself to cultivating the Dao. Taste the jade nectar, and let yourself be intoxicated by it.

Turn the orifices within my body to cultivate the Great Dao. Once this is first spoken plainly, one knows there is a true bodily form within. Begin the opening line by following the stroke “pie.”

Matching the Rhymes of Liu, the Commissioner of the Bamboo Bureau

Radiant, clear, and serene, one naturally becomes open and even-minded. Forget self and things: the principle within is wondrous indeed.

Once the secret instructions have been received, pass them on to others. When the numinous pearl appears, you will be in the company of the immortals and perfected beings. Begin the opening line by tracing the strokes of the character “moon.”

Another poem:

Know that within purity and stillness lies the original nature. The infant within the Qi channels belongs to one who has cultivated to the highest stage.

Refine the Elixir by following the movement of the stroke “pie.” Once it has formed, transform and ride forth in a Mahayana body. Begin the opening line by tracing the strokes of the character “self.”

Matching Liu, the Magistrate’s Rhymes Again

Someone asks me about the simple principles of the Dao. Forgetting self and things, I grasp their mystery.

You have become a good friend to Ma Feng. With your gracious consent, let me follow you forever. Begin the opening line by tracing the strokes of the character “person.”

Another poem:

Once the true nature opens, the original nature becomes clear of its own accord. Through this karmic connection, one can meet a person of understanding.

The flames of numinous light rise up; the sun and moon—often used as images for Yin and Yang Qi within the body—seem to whirl above you. Begin the opening line by following the stroke “pie.”

Matching the Deputy Transport Commissioner’s Rhymes Again

There is no need to travel far in every direction. Wherever you look, each place holds its own wonders.

Treading the clouds before the jade-green cliff, who would be willing to accompany Ma Feng?

Another poem:

Transcend the worldly realm and cultivate the Dao of utmost truth; you know yourself to be no ordinary person.

People speak of women cultivating the Dao: everywhere they look, all appears wondrous.

On the cloud road before Jasper Cliff, who would be willing to follow Ma Feng on his journey?

Transcend the mundane world and devote yourself to cultivating the utmost true Dao; then you will naturally know that you are no ordinary person. People say that women should become pregnant, but I say that men, too, can “carry a child”—here, pregnancy is a metaphor for practitioners nurturing the inner Golden Elixir within themselves.

In Response to Liu Zai

Cut off the senses’ awareness of external sights and sounds, and let mind and spirit return to Xiyi—the subtle, still realm beyond perception. Set the Mysterious Pass in motion, the juncture where body and mind meet in Neidan practice, and you will reach a wondrous state. Where the jade tiger and golden dragon, symbols of Yin-Yang in Neidan practice, soar and move, the Kan youth and Li maiden, symbols respectively of Water and Fire and of Yin and Yang Qi, come and go in company.

Another Poem

Fortunate to encounter the wondrous Dao of the Perfected Chongyang, I received the Dao’s teachings from a master who passed them on to four men from the East. Having grasped how subtle insight connects with the mysterious Dao, I suddenly felt that the Dharma Body—the purified body attained through cultivation—was already within me.

Passing Through Qiyang: Zhao Gongchuo’s Palace Examination Linked-Verse Poem

Day after day, people come to ask about the Way of Eternal Spring. The gentle, harmonious Qi of spring is called the Valley Spirit, the Daoist source that is empty yet responsive and nourishes all things. Shen and Qi appear clear and pure within the treasure vessel, an image of the body’s inner vessel used in cultivation. Those who leave home to cultivate the Dao become immortals in the grotto-heavens. The poem begins by breaking down the character “person.”

Do not remain forever absorbed in spring outings; spring scenery stirs longing and secretly depletes the spirit. When thoughts of the spirit are settled, they can reach the nature of awakening; when one’s nature is free and unimpeded, one can become an immortal. The poem begins by breaking down the character “person.”

In Harmony with Wu Yuansu’s Poem

Use jade nectar, a metaphor for the sweet fluids produced through cultivation, to wash away worldly grime; turn the heart toward the Dao, and the spirit will thereby become steady. In quiet seclusion, think of Yuansu; examine closely, as an ant passes through a pearl’s hole, and you will see the original nature. This poem includes a wordplay clue: “Break down ‘penetrate awakening-nature; nature and spirit rise beyond the ordinary to become immortals,’ beginning with the character ‘person.’” The poem begins with the character “person.”

In Harmony with Wu Yuansu’s Poem

Nectar of □□ flavor washes away worldly grime; the □□ heart turns toward the Dao, and the spirit thereby becomes steady. In □□ seclusion, think of Yuansu; □□, like an ant passing through a pearl, one can see the original nature. The poem includes the character-breaking clue “beginning with the eight characters.” The boxes mark characters missing from, or illegible in, the original.

Another Poem

Words such as “hu,” “zhe,” and “ye” are not truly empty; scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants should all learn to read the wind. First, eliminate the nine corpses and three worms—Daoist terms for inner impurities or desires in cultivation. With resolve in cultivating the Dao, one can then encounter one’s true master. The poem includes the character-breaking clue “beginning with the character ‘zhi’”; characters are missing from the original where boxes appear.

In Harmony with Zheng Chengde, Director of Longzhou

Lord Zheng’s poetic debts pile up day by day, like shuttles passing through. His fondness for riding out on horseback has also softened the atmosphere. Now, by plowing and planting, one can bring forth the herb of wisdom; when merit and virtue are complete, one may sing the Song of the Grotto Immortals. The poem includes the character-breaking clue “beginning with the character ‘qian’”; characters are missing from the original where boxes appear.

Quatrain

On the first day of the eighth month of the eighteenth year of the Dading era, I set out once more to travel in the northwest. Passing through Fengming, I was honored with farewell poems from fellow Daoists. I respectfully continue in their rhyme.

The opening lines of the poem all contain missing characters. The surviving text may be interpreted as follows:

The characters “zhe, ye, yuan, wen, shan,” read together, seem to evoke distant mountains. When one encounters an immortal in the wind, it is as though one has hooked something from a bend in the water.

Water and fire interact to produce the “great medicine,” the elixir spoken of in Neidan practice. Then one returns peacefully, without looking back. “Split the character and begin” is an instruction to read by breaking apart a particular character or selecting parts of it.

Visiting Tingchuan beneath Longmen Mountain, using the previous rhyme again

Traveling northwest, I seek out famous mountains; at Longmen Mountain I fish, then cross a broad bend in the water. The winding bend is like a string of pearls; the scenery around Tingchuan is so lovely that it invites repeated visits and leisurely exploration. “Split yuan and begin” instructs the reader to break apart the character yuan or select parts of it.

Visiting Fengming again, using the previous rhyme again

Wandering among mountains and waters, I gain an insight in my heart, as though I can reach inward and see through things. Why use a bow when no arrows need to be loosed? To understand one’s nature through words is to find contentment. “Split yuan and begin” likewise instructs the reader to break apart the character yuan or select parts of it.

In reply to Wang Quandao, Jieyuan of Longzhou

Master Jing transforms and nurtures the myriad things, with profound merit and virtue; those glad to understand can grasp the reasons behind them. The garden’s scenery has a distinctive, genuine charm; ascending the jade tower surpasses visiting a tavern. “Split lou and begin” instructs the reader to break apart the character lou or select parts of it. Wang had recently built a new tavern, which is why this line appears in the poem.

Another poem

After awakening in the mountains, one’s original nature is no longer lost. Phrases such as “zhe” and “ye” are no tricks for becoming an immortal. Though gold and jade seem to be separated by an obstruction, you can still understand; the principle is passed from mouth to heart, and the Dao that is transmitted is not mistaken. “Split three characters and begin” instructs the reader to break apart or select parts from three characters.

Quatrain

When I was in Huating, I received a fine poem from Zhao, Registrar of Zhongnan County. I respectfully composed a poem in reply, following its original rhyme.

Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants all pursue fame, profit, and achievement. How can they thereby understand the Dao of stillness and harmony? Flames surge in the heart, easily causing confusion and inversion. Only then does one understand that what is called “emptiness” does not mean that nothing exists. “Split gong and begin” instructs the reader to break apart the character gong or select parts of it.

Another poem

The natures of wind and horse are both free and unrestrained; after a woman marries, wherever she goes seems broad and far-reaching. The principle is passed from mouth to heart and put into practice through teaching; when a person awakens, the mind too becomes light and buoyant. “Split feng and begin” instructs the reader to break apart the character feng or select parts of it.

Another poem

To discuss the Dao of immortals, one must seek understanding in phrases such as “zhe” and “ye.” Climbing high to gaze at the sky, one feels there is another sky beyond it. Once the mind has settled, it is fitting to study the Dao; at first, we encouraged one another amid water and clouds. “Split zhi and begin” instructs the reader to break apart the character zhi or select parts of it.

Having met my teacher, I have not yet been allowed to return. The Dao arose in the west, and I drift freely and at ease. “Beginning by breaking apart the character for wind” means taking a character formed from the word “wind” as the opening of the poem.

Again

Speaking of the way of the immortals, one may look up and see another heaven beyond the heavens.

Only when the will is resolute and distracting thoughts have faded is one ready to study the Dao. At first, people urged one another on amid the waters and clouds. “Beginning by breaking apart the character for it” means taking a character formed from the word “it” as the opening of the poem.

Again

Having met my teacher, I have not yet been allowed to return. The Dao flourishes in the northwest, and Mount Zhongnan, a sacred mountain of Daoism, lies nearby.

Lately, I often see people turn toward the good path. Everyone competes to cultivate immortality and takes up residence in a thatched hut, a simple dwelling for spiritual practice.

[Quatrain]

Composed in the rhyme scheme of Mr. Chi of Wendeng County, this poem urges him to visit Longmen and pay his respects to, and seek instruction from, Immortal Qiu.

Pure and free of defilement, even an ordinary person may seek immortality. Visit Immortal Qiu in the mountains, and you can confirm the wondrous, mysterious Great Dao.

I worry that living beings lack the resolve to seek the Dao. Still, I will follow my own path and step into the clouded heavens. “Beginning by breaking apart the character for great” means taking a character formed from the word “great” as the opening of the poem.

To Zhang Dawu

Zhang Dawu will surely meet an immortal one day. A practitioner should first cast off the obscure distractions within their temperament.

Even a slight awakening can lead to samadhi, a state of meditation in which the mind rests on a single object. The moon waxes and wanes, passing through nine cycles of nine.

To Jiao Dajue

The awakened person sets their heart on seeking immortality. Only when unburdened by worldly affairs can one experience the wondrous, mysterious Great Dao.

Now, more than ever, you must keep your mind pure and still, like a bright mirror. Through cultivation, body and mind take shape like jade, and rise to the heavenly realm.

To Pei Daqi

A great vessel takes time to mature; in the end, you will attain the Dao and become an immortal. I sincerely urge you to continue exploring the mysterious and wondrous Way.

Its profound subtleties must be understood with care. By rising above honor and disgrace, you can ascend to a higher heaven.

To Cheng Dachun

May you live as long as the long-lived immortals. Cast off worldly affairs and realize the profound mystery of the Dao.

Seek the wonders above by forgetting your attachments. When attachments fade and the mind grows still, you can ascend to heaven.

To Lìfēi Dàyǐn

May you cultivate in seclusion in Yan and become a hidden immortal. By rising above honor and disgrace, you can ascend to a higher heaven.

To Cheng Dachun

May you live as long as the long-lived immortals. Cast off worldly affairs and realize the profound mystery of the Dao.

Seek the wonders above by forgetting your attachments. When attachments fade and the mind grows still, you can ascend to heaven.

To Lìfēi Dàyǐn

May you live in seclusion in Yan and cultivate yourself into a hidden immortal. With its bright mountains and clear waters, the place naturally reveals the mysterious.

Realize in your heart the subtle and hidden truths, and you can ride the golden light upward into a heavenly grotto.

To Dong Dade

A person of De can fully understand the Way of becoming an immortal. Though dwelling amid the bustle of the city, their heart turns toward the mysterious Dao. They transmit the mind teaching to their disciples, and its wondrous effects appear throughout the myriad things. Deer-drawn and sheep-drawn carts bear their passengers as if carrying them up to the heavenly realm.

Presented to Yuan Dasha

A kind person does not lose sight of the Way of becoming an immortal, but seeks with care the mysteries within the mysterious. Now we fish for the right moment amid perils like a deep pit; you and I have both forgotten the work of mending Heaven.

Presented to Zhao Daci

A loving and benevolent person will in time become an immortal, and grasp a deeper mystery within the mysterious. Going further and experiencing a higher realm, one discovers that within the pot lies another, real world. “Within the pot” here refers to a realm apart, often used in Daoist tradition as a symbol of another world.

Two poems presented to Li Dacheng

The foundation of the Great Vehicle is the Way of the immortals. Having lost one’s original nature, one is bewildered by the mysterious principle. Seeing what is pitiful, one is moved to fish and guide the lost to salvation; thus one mends the world within.

Again

All who cultivate should keep the Way of becoming an immortal in their hearts. By purifying the mind, they can accord with the mysterious principle. Know the Six Ding spirits, the six Yin spirits of Daoist teaching, and nothing can compare with them; the numinous pearl ascends to the Great Luo Heaven, the highest heaven in Daoist cosmology.

In the rhyme of Li Dacheng

A scholar came to visit and spoke of things past; every word was wrong.

Again

All who cultivate should keep the Way of becoming an immortal in their hearts. By purifying the mind, they can accord with the mysterious principle. Know the Six Ding spirits, and nothing can compare with them; the numinous pearl ascends to the Great Luo Heaven.

In the rhyme of Li Dacheng

A scholar came to visit and spoke of things past; every word was wrong. A refined scholar with a mane-like topknot sent word: never betray your original resolve and aspirations.

Again

A man versed in the mysterious principle came from afar to visit. He understood that what he did today was right, and recognized the errors of the past. To congeal the inner elixir requires realization; once a vow has been made, one must all the more never betray the bond between them.

Again

Now a seeker of the Dao has come from afar to visit, understanding that what he did in the past was wrong. Four lines of verse express his original resolve; he vows to follow me and never betray that pledge.

In the rhyme of Elder Jing of the Guangjiao Monastery in Huating

A friend among the clouds and rosy mists beside the rocks; he learned that this scholar came from Longxi. As we toured the monastery gate, our teacher attained an insight; above the stream, lotus blossoms opened, white as jade.

Between gold and jade, true suchness—the real nature of things—comes to light. Oral teachings are passed down from generation to generation, enabling people to transcend the ordinary world and dwell beyond it. Among those who have cultivated Buddhism and Daoism since ancient times, even scholars of old once set out on the road to the Cloud Heavens. The phrase “begin by breaking apart the character ‘wood’” is a cue: the missing character at the start of the poem should be supplied by analyzing the written form.

In keeping with the verse pattern of the patriarch, Perfected Pure Yang (Lü Dongbin), a poem presented to the wealthy Mr. Zheng of Cifu in Huating:

Taking Vimalakirti as his name at his master’s instruction, he takes up the fishing rod with keen interest. Morning and evening he casts fragrant bait, hoping only that Mr. Zheng will not become entranced like a moth drawn to a lamp. The cue “begin by breaking apart the character ‘I’” indicates that the missing character should be read by analyzing the written form of “I”; “begin by breaking apart the character ‘wood’” is likewise a cue to analyze the character.

In keeping with the verse pattern of the patriarch, Perfected Pure Yang, a poem presented to the wealthy Mr. Zheng of Cifu in Huating:

Taking Vimalakirti as his name at his master’s instruction, he takes up the fishing rod with keen interest. Morning and evening he casts fragrant bait, hoping only that Mr. Zheng will not become entranced like a moth drawn to a lamp. Here too, the cue indicates that the missing character should be read by analyzing the written form of “I.”

Four poems presented to Geng Chaolie, an official in charge of household affairs in Pingliang Prefecture:

On the Double Ninth Festival, the master speaks of roaming the world—not of traveling through every prefecture under heaven. He crosses the grotto heavens, the Daoist realms of the immortals, and takes this as his refined pleasure. Seeing through the nets of the dusty world, he no longer worries over worldly affairs.

Another poem:

He speaks of wandering among the clouds and waters within the gourd, an image often used in Daoism for the realm of the immortals. The Dragon Boat Festival is just the time to visit far and wide. Drinking and strolling at ease, his mind opens in an instant; having awakened to the Dao, he is free of worry. The cue “begin by breaking apart the character ‘again’” indicates that the missing character should be read by analyzing the written form of “again.”

Another poem:

When something troubles the mind, ask about it promptly; for now, pay no heed to idle talk and disputes. Before awakening, the spirit is often pulled along by outward appearances. After awakening, one sees that even the body need not be clung to.

Another poem:

Come morning and evening to ask me for guidance; the Way of stillness and purity I teach is without fault. Writings filled with phrases such as “zhi,” “hu,” “zhe,” and “ye” may be fine, but one day even these many affairs may grow tiresome. The cue “begin by breaking apart the character ‘evening’” indicates that the missing character should be read by analyzing the written form of “evening.”

Presented to the Daoist master Zhao of Pingliang Prefecture:

Roaming freely like clouds and water, he comes and goes unbound. Seeing through the many entanglements of the ordinary world, he lets go of attachment in his heart. Thus he can be at ease and unrestrained, becoming a free-roaming immortal.

Linked verse, in which the final character of one line joins to the first character of the next:

The life of cultivation among the immortals is naturally just so. As the green ox moves, jade stalks intertwine. Discern the patterns of transformation clearly, and the Eight Trigrams become connected. When the trigrams and their lines are complete, they can ferry one’s innate nature and spirit across to immortality.

Acrostic with character analysis:

I forget myself and all things, and my mind and nature become at ease. The green ox bellows; jade cords coil around it. When the clouds grow dense, the wind scatters them. When the Eight Trigrams and their lines are complete, they can ferry one’s innate nature and spirit across to immortality.

I set aside all thoughts of distinction, and my mind and nature become calm and at ease. The ox bellows, and the Jade Cord star seems to wind through the sound.

The clouds gather thickly, then scatter at a breath of wind; the nimble spirit hare pounds the elixir of immortality.

I follow what fate brings and pass the days and months.

I lodge in this world and let things take their natural course. The dust and smoke disperse, and my mind and nature are no longer burdened.

The Yellow Sprout—the first stirring of vital essence in Neidan practice—gradually grows, as though hidden deep beneath the accumulated snow. There is no need for an immortal’s robes and cap to be in order; one may wander freely and at ease.

A poetic exchange with the wife of Cao Jieyuan of Fangzhou and with the unrestrained recluse Jia Wuer.

Two currents of fire energy dwell together in one palace, moving in an interwoven course; the Moon General—the phase or juncture of Yin-Yang movement in Neidan terminology—shines forth.

Once you grasp the truth of the Great Dao, you can banish worldly distractions. When the moment arrives, you will naturally avoid sinking into a desert-like predicament.

A poetic exchange with Master Li of Zizhou.

Whoever wishes to learn from me should carefully follow a master. The time has come to receive the oral instructions, leave home, and practice.

Gather the spirit and seek the path out of the world of dust. As a person’s cultivation deepens, new life can be brought forth.

A poetic exchange using the rhymes of a poem by Ju’er Cheng Jieyuan.

I was caught up in a lawsuit and had no choice in the matter. A thousand miles lay ahead, with barrier and ferry crossing after barrier and crossing.

Clouds drifted from the east over Shamen Island. At last I reached Mount Kunyu, resolved to cultivate and seek the truth.

Linked-Pearl poem:

Cultivation and refinement take place within oneself. Too many shadows lie outside the body, so one must leave the ferry crossing of the sea of suffering. Sweet, fragrant fluids pour over the Jade Cauldron, the vessel of Neidan cultivation. When the elixir congeals within it, one may attain the state of a perfected being.

Acrostic character-breaking poem:

Flowing water passes through, irrigating the Dharma Body, the practitioner’s body and mind.

Linked-Pearl poem:

Cultivation and refinement take place within oneself. Too many shadows lie outside the body, so one must leave the ferry crossing of the sea of suffering. Sweet, fragrant fluids pour over the Jade Cauldron; when the elixir congeals within it, one may attain the state of a perfected being.

Flowing water passes through, irrigating the Dharma Body. When the mind’s apertures open, one can awaken on one’s own and leave the ferry crossing of the sea of suffering.

The fire within the heart rises, refining the wondrous joys of cultivation. Ascend the Jade Peak, an immortal realm’s lofty summit, and reveal the state of ultimate truth.

Also:

The wind is still, and body and mind are settled. Leap free of worldly toil and cross the sea of suffering.

With the heart’s fire, cook and refine the Great Elixir; afterward, worship together the True One of Taiyuan, a deity or perfected being venerated in the Taiyuan region.

The Daoist companions of Chao County pooled their money to buy wine and sent it on to the elder Yao to enjoy.

Please do not begrudge this cup of fragrant wine. Share it with the immortal companions among the clouds; it will lift the spirits and add color to the gathering.

The life force of an infant moves like a pulse. After drinking, take the clouds as your companions and travel to the eastern mountain.

The wine official at Dingjiakuaiwu in Ren County, Zhou Prefecture, sent these poems to the old immortal Yao for a drink.

As soon as the mellow wine touches the lips, it brings a clear, bright refreshment; when the intoxication rises, one asks others for more to drink.

The wine’s exquisite fragrance does not come from rice and yeast alone; through cultivation, one can drink an elixir as precious as jade.

These verses begin with characters formed by breaking apart the character “person.”

A poem soliciting wine from the wine inspector of Juxingli Town

Mr. Wuzhuo loves drinking most of all; there is no need to wait for someone to send a formal letter of invitation.

As soon as the mellow wine touches the lips, it brings a clear, bright refreshment; when the intoxication rises, one asks others for more to drink.

The wine’s exquisite fragrance does not come from rice and yeast alone; through cultivation, one can drink an elixir as precious as jade.

These verses begin with characters formed by breaking apart the character “person.”

A poem soliciting wine from the wine inspector of Juxingli Town

Mr. Wuzhuo loves drinking most of all; there is no need to wait for someone to send a formal letter of invitation.

I take up my brush and compose a poem soliciting wine, earnestly asking the wine inspector to bestow a drink so I may enjoy it to my heart’s content.

A poem soliciting wine from the wine inspector of Sha Town

Break the character “you” out of “mao”: the Yin and Yang energies join and turn swiftly.

Jade liquid and the Golden Elixir fly into the precious vessel; once true cultivation is complete, one drinks the mysterious wine spoken of in Daoism.

The verses begin with characters formed by breaking apart the character “you.”

A poem soliciting wine from the wine inspector of Fengqi

It is said that when people refine the Great Elixir—the Golden Elixir of Daoist cultivation—its mysteries are boundless and awe-inspiring.

The spirit is stirred, longing for a clear, pure drink; after cultivation, one gives voice to verse where wine is sought.

The verses begin with characters formed by breaking apart the character “mouth.”

Presented to a Daoist friend at Qimen

With a “mouth” inside the character “door,” it is no longer the character “village”; accumulating De through cultivation brings blessings to one’s descendants.

Foam as fine as wine ants passes through pearls and jade, while the heart’s fire descends with it; the key to cultivation lies at Qimen.

The verses begin with characters formed by breaking apart the character “door.”

Inscribed at the Pavilion of Reunion on the twenty-second day of the ninth month, in the Renyin year

Take care to keep body and mind pure and clear; once one has reached understanding, awakening comes amid calm and natural simplicity.

Heaven and earth are without bounds, and all things turn at ease; on the Double Ninth Festival, we meet at the Pavilion of Reunion.

The verses begin with characters formed by breaking apart the character “ding.”

Matching the rhyme of Qi’s palace examination poem

They say there are only three methods of cultivation—how could that be? The mysteries of Lord Qi are worth investigating together.

Suddenly, awakening comes, and every principle becomes clear; even when taught to share a pear, one can taste its sweetness.

The verses begin with characters formed by breaking apart the character “mouth.”

Again.

The transmitted method of instruction can protect three aspects. After the first flowering of numinous awareness, one should cease profound inquiry and practice.

When one has grasped the Great Dao and cultivated to full attainment, the treasure of the Elixir is especially sweet, like jade nectar. [Beginning by breaking apart the character “mouth”]

Again

The numbers of numinous clarity are six times six and three times three. Let the hidden workings turn; there is no need to investigate them deliberately.

The sun and moon dwell together in the furnace, their radiance growing brighter. Heaven and Earth are gathered within the cauldron, their breath growing ever more fragrant and sweet.

Again

In a plot of land, clouds are plowed and chrysanthemums planted. Free of the notion of self, let the flowers in the heart bloom as they will.

With a jade-like face, one opens a clear, perceptive gaze. The numinous pearl is flawless. [Beginning by breaking apart the character “segment”]

In the rhyme of Vinaya Master Zhu

The kind-hearted Vinaya Master Zhu has awakened fully and understands the course of cultivation.

Clouds trail long behind, as if wrapped around Penglai. The eightfold numinous light shines within Tushita. [Beginning by breaking apart the character “mouth”]

In the rhyme of Ma Hefu

Explain to the world how Fire gives rise to Fire; reveal one’s true nature and bring it to completion.

The spear: awakened fully, one understands the course of cultivation.

Clouds trail long behind, as if wrapped around Penglai. The eightfold numinous light shines within Tushita. [Beginning by breaking apart the character “mouth”]

In the rhyme of Ma Hefu

Explain to the world how Fire gives rise to Fire; reveal one’s true nature and bring it to completion.

The spear is not raised; the lotus of the heart opens. Trusting in the flask, one roams the seas. [Beginning by breaking apart the character “water”]

Again

The halberd has been in the heart for fourteen years. One takes even the meager salary received by others as it comes.

Mutton and wine are both firmly renounced. The fist is empty; one does not clutch money in one’s hand. [Beginning by breaking apart the character “spear”]

In the rhyme of Liu, Assistant Judge of Ninghai

Dwelling in verse, one grows ever more at ease and serene. As water descends and rises, the strength of cultivation grows firmer.

Amid the growth of yellow sprouts and red snow, one wears a crooked cap and wanders freely like an immortal. [Beginning by breaking apart the character “mountain”]

[Quatrain]

The monk Qijian of the Chan monastery in Wendeng County brought out an old hymn to the Arhats and asked me to compose a response in the same rhyme.

The heart’s emerald lotus is fragrant. On reaching the ineffable and still, one gathers oneself in and lies hidden for a time.

The halberd has been cast aside, and true nature shines clear. Pure and lustrous, one wanders freely like an immortal. [Beginning by breaking apart the character “mountain”]

[Quatrain]

The monk Qijian of the Chan monastery in Wendeng County brought out an old hymn to the Arhats and asked me to compose a response in the same rhyme.

The heart’s emerald lotus is fragrant. On reaching the ineffable and still, one gathers oneself in and lies hidden for a time.

Spears and shields have lost their true nature. Clear awareness comes forth, pure and bright as jade, and spiritual radiance appears with it. “Beginning by breaking apart the character wu” indicates that the poem’s opening line or verse is formed by disassembling the written shape of wu.

Next, composing a poem to the rhyme of Yu Tuanguo:

True nature is not yet complete. A secret formula is passed on, setting the Dragon and Tiger in motion to unite. The Deer Cart, the Goat Cart, and other vehicles carry and circulate Qi. When Yang energy arrives, follow the formula in cultivation and become an immortal. “Beginning by breaking apart the character shan” indicates that the verse is derived by disassembling the written shape of shan.

Next, composing a poem to the rhyme of Guo Zhengqing:

Smoke clears and clouds disperse; all distracting affairs are cut away. Now that I have awakened, I seem instead like a fool. The lotus is fragrant, and true spirit appears; my nature is clear and lucid, free of all worldly cares. “Beginning by breaking apart the character da” indicates that the verse is derived by disassembling the written shape of da.

Next, composing a poem to the rhyme of Guo Baian:

If one is willing to let go of attachment while still alive, one can be like a tamed horse and count as my fellow cultivator. The fruits of cultivation are not predetermined by fate; when one’s deeds and practice are complete, one can escape confinement in the underworld. “Beginning by breaking apart the character ren” indicates that the verse is derived by disassembling the written shape of ren.

Next, composing a poem to the rhyme of Guo Liuguanren:

I have composed a piece in clear, measured verse. When my practice is plainly brought to completion, I can resolutely become an immortal. The profound and mysterious principles are made clear, and true nature shines forth, able to endure for ages.

Next, composing a poem to the rhyme of Yu Wulang:

You travel throughout the four quarters of the world. As worldly attachments gradually fade, a fine opportunity for cultivating the Dao will come to you. Life, like precious jade, rests in the hands of Heaven’s Way and is not limited by old age. The Golden Infant—the refined achievement of Neidan cultivation—comes to maturity, and the fruit of the Dao is not far away. “Beginning by breaking apart the character zhi” indicates that the verse is derived by disassembling the written shape of zhi.

[Quatrain]

On my way to Dengzhou, where I had been invited to teach the Dao, I passed Wangchi Inn. Qin Tingyu, the successful candidate, kindly presented me with an excellent poem, and I did my best to continue it in his elegant rhyme.

Immortal nectar nourishes the deer herd, while water buffalo chase one another, with the head-wrapped man among them. When the numinous pearl coalesces, one can realize the true realm of carefree freedom. “Beginning by breaking apart the character ba” indicates that the verse is derived by disassembling the written shape of ba.

Another poem:

A compassionate heart stands out from all others, using subtle principles to encourage the people. Turn your heart back toward the Great Dao and cultivate alongside your fellow practitioners; where Wood Qi joins, inner true nature appears. “Beginning by breaking apart the character ju” indicates that the verse is derived by disassembling the written shape of ju.

Another poem:

The plowing oxen gather into a herd. Once they can be guided and directed, they will follow the Dao cultivator. The momentum of cultivation runs through Heaven and Earth; even without deliberate action, one can naturally realize the true realm. “Beginning by breaking apart the character ba” indicates that the verse is derived by disassembling the written shape of ba.

The wind is still, undisturbed by the crowd’s clamor; a single person rides in a deer cart. Turn east and return—may you awaken to understanding. Now travel west, and cultivate the Real with care. If the mind’s thoughts can be harmonized and guided, they will naturally follow the Dao.

Coming and going, one moves in accord with the forces of Heaven and Earth. Without deliberate action, one may still attain the true Dao.

Again

The wind is still, undisturbed by the crowd’s clamor; a single person rides in a deer cart. Turn east and return—may you awaken to understanding. Now travel west, and cultivate the Real with care.

Another linked-verse poem:

Those who cultivate the Real should live in harmony with fellow practitioners, fearing only that others will disturb them. After a sudden awakening, they should dwell quietly on their own. When the underlying principles are understood and the wondrous Dao appears, they can preserve the true Dao for a long time.

Composed in the rhyme of Mr. Jiang of Qinting:

Lazy and weary, I have no wish to read. The sun and moon dwell together in one palace, their natures and dispositions without distinction. Within, I savor the taste of calm simplicity; I turn toward Peng Island—the fabled mountain in the sea where immortals dwell—seeking only a little of its lingering grace.

Composed in the rhyme of Mr. Ma Dexiu of Fushan:

As soon as people ask, the mind’s gateway can be opened. Deep within the secluded portal lies the Jade Terrace, a symbol of a tranquil and mysterious realm. To reach the depths of mystery, one must awaken through oneself. When the mind is still, one can behold the Tathagata, here a Buddhist term for the state of awakening.

Inscribed on the Three Immortals painted by Sun, the society head of Wenshan:

The simple, undivided person encounters a mysterious transmission, and has been resolved to cultivate for twelve years. As I pace around the walls, I often think of you. If a man can understand the principle within, he should devote himself well to cultivating immortality.

Composed in the rhyme of Mr. Wang of Mizhou:

Suddenly I grasp the springtime meaning of blooming green peaches. Sun and moon shine in concert, illuminating the shores of Kan, a direction or realm associated with the Kan trigram. Who is guest and who is host? They face one another. Once the root is recognized, one no longer clings to bodily form.

Composed in the rhyme of Mr. Wang of Mizhou:

Suddenly I grasp the springtime meaning of blooming green peaches. Sun and moon shine in concert, illuminating the shores of Kan. Who is guest and who is host? They face one another. Once the root is recognized, one no longer clings to bodily form.

[Quatrain]

The Daoist Mingyue, at Yuantong, writes a poem in the original rhyme on the Returning Light Hermitage of Ma Congshi, of Xigao Village in Huang County. “Returning light” refers to the practice of turning the light inward:

With upright bearing, one is truly like a cultivation hermitage. Bright light shines as one turns inward to contemplate. The world’s dust no longer intrudes, and cold turns to warmth. There is no flame or glow from a hearth, yet warmth once more becomes cold.

Laiyang Qi Zheng came seeking instruction.

“□□ is as marvelous as an ant passing through a pearl; □□ brings word of a mysterious method, just as an auspicious time arrives.

□□ shines with radiant brilliance, serves the gods with reverence, and has a beautiful spirit; □□ is one whose nature is simply this, with the surname Qi. Explain it by the method of ‘unraveling silk.’”

Yun Chan came to ask for guidance.

“□□ has now grown deeply weary of noisy and chaotic surroundings; □□ lets go of distracting thoughts and keeps the inner center with undivided attention.

□□ receives the oral formula, and quiet cultivation is confirmed; □□ carries on the inherited tradition, which reached Lord Taiyuan.”

“Ten Poems Composed to the Rhyme of Zhang Dian Shi of Laiyang”

“□□ tends the fire in a single furnace, refining and nourishing me until my Qi and Shen are clear and radiant; □□ dwells at ease in the swallow’s nest, with body and mind freely at peace.

□□ a numinous being comes to awaken and guide me; □□ I drink fragrant sweet dew, and wondrous fluids well up in my mouth.” Here “fire” refers to the timing and regulation of fire in Neidan cultivation, while “fluids” refers to the saliva described in cultivation practice.

Another poem:

“□□ numinous clarity and purity are the work of nature; □□ without deliberate action, nature and life congeal into an Elixir.

□□ passes through the nine orifices like an ant through a pearl; □□ though the inner conditions of the cultivator change, the outward appearance remains that of a child.”

Another poem:

“□□ the sun and moon within the body seem like two pellets; □□ when the work of circulation is complete, one’s nature and disposition become manifest.

□□ having attained the original truth, one shines with brilliance; □□ within it rises a vast and splendid scene.”

Another poem:

“□□ with undivided focus, cast off the cotton robe; □□ the little numinous child rests in peace within the mysterious realm.

□□ a person called ‘Momo’ comes to understanding; □□ behold the Eight Waters and Three Rivers.” Here “numinous child” is a metaphor in Neidan cultivation for inner spiritual nature or the Elixir embryo.

Another poem:

“□□ someone comes to ask how to refine and nourish the numinous sprout; □□ the mysterious method I teach is most precious.

□□ the oral formula is passed from mouth to ear, and the listener should grasp its meaning; □□ so long as one does not become attached to external things, the path of cultivation will not go astray.”

Another poem:

“□□ amid the words ‘hu,’ ‘zhe,’ and ‘ye,’ harmonize the true Qi; □□ Golden Flowers bloom, and one should peacefully abide in the inner center.

□□ the oral formula is transmitted, and cultivation bears fruit; □□ the mind naturally becomes clear and open.” Here “Golden Flowers” is a common image in Neidan texts for cultivation.

Another poem:

“□□ the oral formula reaches the heart, and joy grows; □□ atop the Yang Tower, turn no more to other things.

□□ gather in the numinous light and make it shine; □□ I tell you what will happen in your household.” Here “numinous light” refers to inner Shen and its radiance.

Another poem:

“□□ it is hard for people to place themselves humbly beneath others; □□ one day Golden Flowers bloom, and one should peacefully abide in the inner center.

□□ the oral formula is transmitted, and cultivation bears fruit; □□ the mind naturally becomes clear and open.”

Another poem:

“□□ the oral formula reaches the heart, and joy grows; □□ atop the Yang Tower, turn no more to other things.”

Once again gather in the lucid clarity of your original nature, and I will tell you how things truly stand in your home.

Again

What is hardest for people to do is remain humble. Every day I speak with you about life and death.

These profound words can awaken people from within. Now I agree to practice the Dao alongside you.

Again

The wonder of cultivating the Dao lies in the cloud chamber, where practitioners live and meditate. Turn the mind, and it is like a flower of the heart unfolding, sending out five-colored light.

I urge those of worthy virtue to heed Ma Yu’s teachings. When the Golden Elixir is refined, the path to becoming an immortal is attained.

Again

Where the wind comes to rest, body and mind grow quiet as well. Sever family ties, and the breath of the spirit can become harmonious.

This speaks of the supreme Dao of the Mysterious Origin, the source of the Dao. In stillness and purity, one can cultivate the true Dao.

Dongxuan Jinyu Ji, volume two, ends here.

Dongxuan Jinyu Ji, volume three

Seven-character quatrains

Meeting One’s Destined Companion

Once fully awakened and open in mind, one meets a person bound by affinity. To escape the burdens and distress of the mundane world, one must set aside every hardship and attachment.

Fire born in water symbolizes the harmonizing of Yin-Yang in Neidan cultivation; through this, the subtle workings of the Elixir Way become clear. A lotus born in fire symbolizes the Dao manifesting as a pure and vibrant realm.

Awakening to Oneself

Fleeting profit and fame lure people into pursuit, leaving them exhausted and making their hardships ever greater.

Who would have thought that power and glory melt away as easily as leftover snow? I have awakened to the fact that wealth and splendor are like the scenery of late spring, vanishing in an instant.

Leaving Home

Once I was just like someone ensnared by desire, suffering upon suffering and adding many hardships to my life.

When by chance I had the opportunity to encounter the profound and wondrous Dao, how could I still yearn for family and a life of wealth?

Traveling in Qin

With my hair loose and robes open, I look like a destitute wanderer. My heart is no longer wounded by worry and hardship.

So I came to Ganhe Town in Qin, far away from the life in my hometown, which was like a sea of bitterness.

Giving Rise to Compassion

I vowed to transcend the ordinary world and guide its people. I aroused compassion to relieve suffering, and felt even greater pity in my heart.

I urge people to avoid those bound to them by enmity or debts from past or present lives, and, like me, to gather the spirit and guard the life-giving force and Dao-Qi symbolized by the Dipper’s handle.

Forgetting Thought

I serve as an assistant in the Daoist community, feeling compassion for the worries and hardships of others.

Gazing upon the scenery of the Guanzhong Qin River plain, I no longer long for the beautiful land of my hometown.

Showing This to the Disciples

Those who can free themselves from the bonds of fame and wealth can escape the many hardships of life, which is like a house on fire.

Fire arising in water is a vision of the mind coming to rest; flowers blooming in snow reveal the spring that appears when desire has melted away.

Again

Only by continually reducing desire can one settle the mind and become free of defilement. By calmly nourishing one’s vital energy, cultivation no longer feels arduous.

When nine auspicious clouds appear, Heaven and Earth are blessed; when a single spark of Yang energy begins to stir, spring arrives in the world.

Again

The Three Corpses and Six Thieves—the inner delusions and desires that, in Daoist teaching, disturb the mind and body and tempt people to do evil—are all demons within the heart. Warring against them is exhausting, adding hardship upon hardship.

Use the heart’s treasured sword to slay demons and drive away evil. Calmly nourish your vital energy, without feeling weariness; when cultivation is complete, you can receive wondrous visions in the grotto-heavens, as if in springtime.

Admonitions to the World

Wine, sex, anger, and wealth: these four harm people. Of life’s many troubles, none is more bitter than the distress they bring.

If you covet and lose yourself in the world’s gaudy pleasures, you will never understand the enduring spring of the immortals.

Again

Fire, wind, earth, and water are the four elements that make up the human body, which is only temporarily formed from their union. Why toil and hurry about, only to add more hardship?

Understand the wondrous Dao of the immortals, whose flowers bloom in every season; do not become enamored of worldly flowers that bloom only in the three spring months.

Again

Farmers, scholars, artisans, and merchants all pursue fame and success, enduring hardship as they chase after them.

If you do not know that life is brief and the years hasten people toward old age, how can you understand the benefits of the Dao that brings long life and enduring vision?

I exhaust my mind and grow more weary as I urge butchers, hunters, and scholars to turn their hearts toward the Dao.

Hold to Wuwei (non-action) and do not cling to action. Spreading the Great Dao is better than roaming for pleasure in spring.

Again

Those who transcend the world and wander freely find cultivation neither bitter nor laborious.

Luan birds soar above the Phoenix Tower, revealing the immortal realm of Penglai; tigers roar in the Dragon Palace, revealing spring within the ocean’s hidden treasury.

Again

If your heart is clear as a mirror, why worry about how profound or arduous cultivation may be?

Grasp the true delight within delight, and you will see the scene encircled by walls; dwell in the dusty world with a heart untouched by dust, and that is the spring of transcendence.

Again

Harboring thorns in your heart and secretly deceiving others will only make you burn incense in vain and suffer for nothing.

You should lessen worldly desires and dispel karmic hindrances; store up a kind and peaceful energy, and spring will grow within your life.

Again

Wondrous words of the Dao benefit living beings in all ten directions. During cultivation, abstain from meat and fish, and also refrain from pungent foods.

Drink the ambrosia often: its sweetness awakens the mind and body, yet when clear-headed you seem almost drunk. Gaze for a long time upon the lotus in bloom; its vision is not the spring light of the mundane world.

Profound and subtle words can benefit all people in the ten directions. Uphold the precepts in full, and also abstain separately from fishy, gamey foods and pungent, spicy flavors.

Drink the “ambrosia” often—a metaphor for a pure, fine beverage or the flavor of the Daoist teaching—and at times be clear-minded, at times intoxicated. Contemplate the “lotus” for a long while, until the scene before your eyes seems no longer to belong to spring.

Sent to a Fellow Native

I am no lowly person from the village. How could I ever have willingly endured every kind of hardship? It was only when I encountered a master who taught the principle of Wuwei (non-action) that I ceased to lose myself in the limits of mortal life.

Another

Those who dwell at the ends of the earth should leave their own suffering behind and keep clear of toil. In their leisure, they can view the subtle scenery of the Eight Rivers that encircle Chang’an, and admire the brocade-like spring splendor of the Three Regions, a name for a vast expanse of land.

Another

To study the Dao and cultivate immortality, one must become different from ordinary people, wholeheartedly leaving sorrow and toil behind. When the Dragon and Tiger change places—a Neidan term for the mutual harmonizing and transformation of Yin-Yang, nature, and life—profound wonders emerge. The sun and moon shine upon each other, bringing a beautiful spring.

Another

A resolute and decisive man, generous and bold, should not fear the hardship and toil of spiritual cultivation. Set the workings of transformation in motion, master their wondrous functions, and repeatedly harmonize Yin-Yang; then the transformations of life will fully unfold.

Presented to Xu, an Official Clerk in Jingzhao Prefecture

To be engrossed in worldly desires is like being burdened by emptiness. On close reflection, the suffering and toil one endures ultimately come to nothing. How can this compare with seeking the path to long life? How could it rival the enduring vitality that cultivation brings?

Sent to Liu, a Ritual Officer in Jingzhao

Fame and profit are like intoxicating wine, lulling people into a haze of sorrow and toil. People know only the temporary gains that fame and profit bring; how could they understand the lasting peace and vitality symbolized by Penglai and Yingzhou, the fabled immortal isles?

Another

A person’s life lasts at most a hundred years. Why add toil to suffering? Quickly cast off the “golden fetters” of worldly entanglement, resolve to cultivate diligently, and seek the lasting vitality of the Jade Grotto, an immortal realm in Daoist lore.

Presented to the Elder Zhang Gu and the Women Practitioners of Hu County

A Daoist cultivator must become different from ordinary people. Why add toil to suffering? Quickly cast off the “golden fetters” of worldly entanglement, resolve to cultivate diligently, and seek the lasting vitality of the Jade Grotto.

Presented to the Elder Zhang Gu and the Women Practitioners of Hu County

A Daoist cultivator must become different from ordinary people and set the Three Wonders and Six Xin in motion, terms from Daoist divination referring to stars, heavenly stems, and related concepts. The jade tree stays evergreen, as if watered at every moment; the jade blossoms never fade, untouched by the turning of spring and autumn.

Presented to Wang Gu and the Women Practitioners of Hu County

Cultivate the perfected person with a calm and tranquil mind; there is no need to depend on wine and meat or to eat fishy, gamey, pungent, or spicy foods. Drink three cups of ambrosia, and it is as if you have enjoyed a thousand autumns; receive one immortal peach, and it is like possessing ten thousand years of spring.

Presented to Zhao Gu and the Women Practitioners of Hu County

Those who refine and nourish the elixir through the Wuwei and stillness of the Dao can escape the many hardships of the dusty world.

The immortals’ fruit, free of worry and decay, has ripened in the fabled fairyland of Xuanpu; yet spring in the watery countryside has already faded, and the last days of spring are passing.

Presented to Elder Xin of Liujiang Village

Who is kind and good of heart? It is Mr. Xin, the elder of Liujiang Village.

The dust of the secular world clouds the mind, and realizing the Great Dao is no easy matter. Yet by cultivating the true Way, one can behold spring light within the immortal grotto.

Presented to the young wife of Wang Wude, Wine Supervisor of Qin Town, on leaving the secular world to become a nun

Devoting oneself to the mysterious Dao and entering the true realm brings the joys of the immortals. When has refining Qi through cultivation necessarily been a hardship?

The realm I have realized cannot be sought or obtained from outside. True springtime, of course, is not to be found atop the mountains.

Another

Here is one who has transcended the world, free and at ease, with no suffering in the heart and no sense that cultivation is hard.

Nurture a cool flame in the furnace; refine a transcendent celestial being in the cauldron. When has refining Qi through cultivation necessarily been a hardship?

The realm I have realized cannot be sought or obtained from outside. True springtime, of course, is not to be found atop the mountains.

Another

Here is one who has transcended the world, free and at ease, with no suffering in the heart and no sense that cultivation is hard.

Nurture a cool flame in the furnace; refine a springtime like the Great Medicine in the cauldron.

Sent to Zhang, the junior clerk of Xianyang, and the Daoist companions

All who have traveled the road to Xianyang, in ages past and present, are drawn along by profit and fame, enduring toil and hardship.

What can compare with turning the snowmelt of the Three Ravines? What can compare with cultivating springtime, ever green through all four seasons?

Presented to Gao Changshan of Qianzhou

To become one of the people of Penglai’s Three Isles, there is no need to keep speaking of how hard cultivation is, nor to fear its labors.

Consider this: in Heaven, only two or three years pass, while on earth a million years have gone by.

Presented to Master Shi of Wugong

I carry the teachings of the Immortal Feng to guide people, so they need not worry over the suffering and hardship brought by life and death.

Quiet the heart and let the spirit grow clear; regulate the breath and make it long and even. In this way, one gains a vitality that endures like spring.

Presented to the young Immortal Li of Fengjian

To crave nothing and cling to no worldly desire is to be unlike ordinary people. Serene and at ease, freely wandering—why endure grief and suffering?

The branches of the jade tree spread into countless graceful forms; golden lotuses bloom, and spring lasts through the year.

Presented to He Kongmu of Longzhou

The world is full of people chasing fame and profit, but who truly understands the suffering and hardship involved?

If you understand the mysterious principles of my Daoist tradition, you can quietly bestow the springtime of youth upon the worthy.

Those who cast off worldly attachments such as golden willows and jade fetters understand the way of quietude and Wuwei (non-action), and willingly endure the hardships of cultivation. When cultivation reaches fulfillment, there is no “fulfillment” to cling to. Grasp the Way of emptiness, and you will also grasp lasting youth.

I left Longzhou again and once more visited Longmen Mountain. Li Zihe and Xie Yuan saw me off, and we traveled together to Goudou Fort, where we stayed at the same inn. That night, we heard someone in a neighboring house had died. The mourners’ cries were heartrending, and I was deeply moved, so I wrote this poem for him:

I often hear people weeping for the dead,

yet do not feel the tears brought on by grief in my own eyes.

What good is grieving for others, compared with keeping myself ever alert?

To see the Great Dao is better than looking forever upon spring.

After entering the Dao, Li Zihe and Xie Yuan of Longzhou received the religious name Dajing and the sobriquet Linggenzi.

Do not grieve only for others who have died. You should also lament your own wasted years and fruitless efforts. Hasten to cultivate the Dao, seeking lasting preservation, long life, and the springtime of the Jade Terrace and Langyuan—the immortal realms of Daoist legend.

After entering the Dao, Li Zihe and Xie Yuan of Longzhou received the religious name Dajing and the sobriquet Linggenzi.

Do not grieve only for others who have died. You should also lament your own wasted years and fruitless efforts. Hasten to cultivate the Dao, seeking lasting preservation, long life, and the springtime of the Jade Terrace and Langyuan—the immortal realms of Daoist legend.

The Confucian physician Gao Xiaoshu came to ask for a poem.

Master Gao is a learned Confucian and a skilled physician, often discerning and tasting bitter sophora root and asarum, two medicinal herbs. Yet better than this would be to complete the path to Peng Island, the immortal mountain of Daoist legend, and peacefully enjoy the springtime of the grotto heavens, blessed abodes of immortals.

Presented to Xu Xuanji of Longzhou.

Quietude and Wuwei are the marks of a true cultivator of the Dao; one need not remain trapped in hardship and toil. Accumulate three thousand merits and complete three thousand days of cultivation, passing through twelve circuits of the heavens and twelve years. “Three thousand merits” means accumulating merit through Daoist cultivation; “three thousand days” means practicing over a long period; a “circuit of the heavens” is a cycle of celestial time.

Presented to Dan Shanrou of Longzhou.

Cut off the entanglements of wine, sex, anger, and wealth, and you will be spared the worldly toil of household life. Resolve to turn your heart toward the Dao, and you can become a guest of the Three Islands, the legendary immortal mountains of the sea. Persevere in cultivation, and in time you will enjoy the springtime of the Ten Continents, legendary isles of the immortals.

Presented to Guo Shanneng.

One whose heart is open and who roams freely beyond the world has no sorrow, distress, or hardship. Firmly guard the ancient treasure of the Three Fields, a Daoist Neidan term related to Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit), and you will be able to enjoy the ever-springing immortal realm of primordial beginnings.

Presented to Wei Daoqing.

Belly thrust out, singing at the top of one’s voice: those who delight in cultivating the Dao naturally live without worry or hardship.

Within the gourd—the Daoist realm of immortals—lies a wondrous scene unlike any ordinary view in the human world. Spring is hidden in the grotto-heavens, and its radiance is unlike the springtime of this world.

Presented to Zhang Xuancheng

Unconstrained and free of cares, one lives at ease and without restraint. Cast off a life of toil, and there is no need to endure its hardships.

Pluck the strings of the heart, and it is as though a golden phoenix dances. Seek out the jade trees hidden deep within the immortal realm, and you will see spring light in the Jade Hall.

Presented to Zhao Baling of Longzhou

Those who seem clever and quick-witted are often fools after all. Greedily seeking wealth to support the family, they labor and suffer.

They do not think that a hundred years will pass in the blink of an eye; they only chase, in vain, a moment’s glory and riches.

Seven Poems Presented to Commissioner Xin of Longzhou

Three months after Commissioner Xin of Longzhou took up his post, he met me and urged me to study the Daoist arts. He said, “I have just received three months’ salary.” So I wrote these poems.

Before the rocks, cranes cry out; in the thatched hall, its occupant is glad to see you pass the civil service examination and win distinction.

The scholar hopes to rise to the highest rank of office. I, a leisurely idler, would not trade my long life for an official post.

Another

Ma Feng’s poems are addressed to scholars. Each person has a way of conducting himself and speaks of his own hardships.

The newly appointed official receives three months’ salary; his old friend, who left the dust of the world to cultivate the Dao, has already passed through many springs.

Another

I know how to shake my head and refuse, paying no heed to worldly people. Why, then, do you bring poems and songs for me to read?

You and I are friends of clouds and rosy mists, bound by an affinity and a promise from a former life. Now we are about to complete the springtime of our grotto abode.

Another

The newly appointed official receives three months’ salary; his old friend, who left the dust of the world to cultivate the Dao, has already passed through many springs.

Another

I know how to shake my head and refuse, paying no heed to worldly people. Why, then, do you bring poems and songs for me to read?

You and I are friends of clouds and rosy mists, bound by an affinity and a promise from a former life. Now we are about to complete the springtime of our grotto abode.

Another

Ma Feng cherishes those bound to him by an affinity from a former life. He often gives voice to poems, presumptuously writing to scholars.

I urge you to seek the road to Peng Island—the legendary mountain of immortals in the sea—early. Then you will naturally experience immortal scenery like the spring colors of Dongting.

Another

To whom should this subtle truth be told? I speak of it to my friend from a former life, Lord Xin.

With lotus-like steps, you tread the red-snow path one pace at a time; your tracks in the clouds gradually reach the spring scene where green peaches bloom.

Poem Sought by Lord Xiao of Longzhou, Also Presented to Commissioner Xin

You are one who cultivates with sincerity and tempers your nature. These words are for Commissioner Xin, the prefectural official.

If one day you truly ascend the Three Isles, our meeting today will be as joyful as encountering spring.

Presented to Zheng Chengde of Longzhou and Commissioner Xin, Beginning with Three-Character Phrases

On the □□ Way, to whom was a promise once made? □□—the Three Lords protect Zheng and Xin.

(The original is missing characters. The surviving text appears to ask about a promise made on the Way and mentions the Three Lords guarding Zheng and Xin.)

□□ Wenxuzi, at that time, sang in response to the melody of “Spring at Wuling.”

Presented to Ma Xuanzhong of Huating

Free yourself from the burdens of family and leave worldly life behind, and you will naturally avoid many sorrows and hardships. Cultivating the Dao can dissolve accumulated karmic hindrances; when alchemical practice succeeds, it is like encountering spring after enduring countless tribulations.

Presented to Master Dong Yu of Huating (who entered the Dao at thirteen)

In youth, do not boast of being extraordinary. One who truly cultivates should not fear hardship. Do not show off your youthful black hair before others; who knows that the youth reflected in the mirror is only temporary?

Presented to Lu Zhourui of Baiyan Town

Those who delight in cultivating the Dao and live freely have no labor or worry in their hearts. In a grotto dwelling, they refine elixirs in a golden cauldron; within a flask, they leisurely admire the spring scenery of a jade tower. “Medicine in the golden cauldron” and “spring at the jade tower” are images in Daoist poetry that evoke alchemical practice and life in the immortals’ realm.

Presented to Zhu Xuanjue of Huaping County

Let it be made clear to those who have left home to cultivate the Dao: abstain from meat and the five pungent vegetables, such as scallions and garlic. Do not seek the Way of long life only by coming to consult me; return to the world beyond the secular realm and seek the Way of everlasting youth and agelessness.

Presented to Zheng Shanxin

Those who transcend the mundane world and live freely harmonize the Yin-Yang and Five Phases Qi represented by the heavenly stems Jia, Yi, Geng, and Xin. They often keep company with those who have attained long life in a grotto, and leisurely admire the ageless springtime within a flask.

Presented to Zhao Zhirou of Huaping County

Turn back decisively and become a cultivator who has transcended the mundane world, and you will be spared many hardships and trials. When refining the elixir in the furnace, even midsummer is cool as water; when preparing it in the cauldron, even the depths of winter are warm as spring.

Presented to Cao Jieyuan of Fangzhou

I urge you to recognize the quiet, unhurried life and stop coveting worldly fame and gain. Yet the burden of karmic debts binds people, driving them to toil without respite. Who can know how the years hasten one toward old age? Once spring has passed, one spring is gone forever.

Another

The burdens of supporting a family often lead people astray, keeping them busy with exhausting toil. People suffer through hardship without knowing they are already in the midst of it. Spring has passed—how could it ever be made to return?

Bearing the family’s livelihood alone and providing for everyone, with no one to share the toil, makes the hardship all the heavier.

Exhausting every effort in pursuit of false things, one wastes one’s time and gradually grows old. Only later, upon awakening and turning toward the true Dao, does one seem to grasp springtime.

Again

After awakening, one leaves the world of convention behind. No longer foolish, one is also spared the hardship and toil of worldly labor.

Changing one’s own destiny, one is no longer governed by the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), and transcends the limits of creation. When the cultivation of nature and life advances through the Nine Revolutions, vitality naturally flourishes like spring.

Again

How could someone truly devoted to cultivation still worry about sorrow and hardship?

The Primordial Elixir, symbolizing the Neidan gained through cultivation, congeals into a treasure within the mystery. The Millet Pearl, a metaphor for the tiny yet precious Neidan, is hidden in springtime beyond the dusty world.

Presented to Elder Sha of Ninghai

Those who delight in living within the encircling walls and find joy there—how could they worry about sorrow and hardship?

One can gather in the White Tiger, representing Yin-type vital essence in internal alchemy, so that the elixir Qi does not leak away. One also knows how to guide the Azure Dragon, representing Yang-type vital essence in internal alchemy, and so springtime comes to the cavern dwelling.

Those who delight in living within the encircling walls and find joy there—how could they worry about sorrow and hardship?

The Primordial Elixir congeals into a treasure within the mystery. The Millet Pearl is hidden in springtime beyond the dusty world.

Presented to Master Zhou of Wenshan

Cloaked in a straw rain cape and carrying a staff, one becomes a carefree, self-possessed person. The heart opens wide, clear and unburdened, and one no longer fears speaking of hardship.

Who would believe that the scene of the Grotto-Heaven and the Mysterious Garden—realms of the immortals—holds springtime of its own, even without flowers, grasses, or willows?

Again

Attachment to wealth, wine, and sensual pleasures does the greatest harm to body and mind. Trapped in family life like a house ablaze, one suffers torment and pain.

People often fail to worry about the troubles that may await them in old age, while foolishly clinging to the pleasures of the moment.

Presented to Li Maochun of Chang’an

□ day by day urges one toward old age; □ suddenly one feels its bitterness, astonished and distressed.

□ after awakening, one turns toward the Great Dao; □ how many, Li Maochun of Chang’an?

(The phrase “split apart the character for day” indicates a word puzzle in which the poem is formed by splitting apart the character for “day.”)

Again, beginning by assembling three characters

□□ often praise you as a good person; □□ fear hardship and dread toil.

□□ all know this is because of filial devotion; □□ all pass down the name Li Maochun.

Seven-character regulated verse

[Thanks to the Master]

The Perfected One of wondrous action, Chongyang, took pity on me and transformed me, guiding me to leave home and enter religious life. I therefore wrote this poem to thank my master for his compassion.

During my leisure, I, Shandong, look back on my former life of unrestrained freedom. In those days I was trapped in the family, that house ablaze, my heart full of sorrow.

I endured a thousand kinds of hardship, all in pursuit of wealth and rank. My thoughts tangled into knots, bringing me countless grievances and enmities.

I ponder how to escape the cycle of birth and death. How could a life spent serving wife and children ever come to an end?

I was just preparing to seek a place of refuge when, fortunately, the Immortal Feng, moved by my master’s compassion, came to guide me.

When Shandong had leisure, he would look back on his former life of indulgence: caught up in household affairs, he was weighed down by sorrow. He had endured countless hardships in pursuit of wealth and status, only to find that tangled complications brought many grievances and enmities. On reflection, how could he escape the cycle of birth and death? And when would serving wife and children ever come to an end? Just as he was preparing to seek a place of refuge, fortunately the Immortal Feng drew him out of it, allowing him to wander freely among the clouds.

Again

Shandong cast off the worries brought by household affairs. After entering the Dao, he had no more sorrow or distress. Day after day he roamed in carefree ease, reciting poems and singing; at every moment his mind was calm and open, and he sang with joy. Emerald clouds and purple mists often accompanied him; the bright moon and gentle breeze stayed by his side for long. He guided kindhearted people toward the Great Dao. When his practice and merit were complete, he would journey to Yingzhou, the legendary island of immortals in the sea.

Cultivating De

In the Daoist view, no one is especially dear, and no one is universally kept at a distance. One pities all things, pities the people of the world, and pities oneself as well. When compassion arises in the heart, one goes out to do good and accumulate merit. When the mind is no longer entangled in desire, the spirit becomes clear. One must continually clear away the realm of contrived activity—the changing conditions of the world brought about by causes and circumstances. The garden pavilion without outflows, a metaphor for a pure and flawless state of practice, is renewed day by day. One quietly accumulates good deeds until merit is complete, then rides the clouds away to pay respects to the revered master.

A Personal Account

Having one’s hair arranged in three topknots does not, by itself, make one devout. When someone asks me why, how should I explain what lies behind it? One should honor and revere the master by proclaiming his renown; hold close the resolve of the scholar□.

Who would have thought that Shandong, here in the human world, would be no less than the One-Horned Immortal when he paid homage to the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning? Today I explain this to you in person. When my merit is complete in the future, I will depart upon the clouds.

Again

See through the myriad attachments of the world and understand that, in the end, all return to emptiness. Then begin cultivating early, so that attainment may come early as well. The mind is like a hard-to-tame horse, easily confused by love and desire; thoughts are like monkeys, and with the slightest lapse they grow dull and unaware. Settle and purify Qi and Shen, and the Golden Elixir can condense; harmonize and clarify the two Qi of Yin and Yang, and the jade-like nature will emerge. I tell my fellow cultivators: if you make good use of the wondrous method, all can succeed in cultivation and journey to Peng Palace, the Daoist palace of the immortals.

Again

Those who dote on their wives are not wise; those who are obsessed with beauty are truly foolish.

A moment’s carelessness may invite harm; a slight stirring of thought may leave one bewildered by external demons.

When Jing and Qi are depleted and the marrow exhausted, the body grows thin. When the breath disperses and the spirit weakens, it is as if one were being dragged away by ghost officials.

After I awoke to this, I was filled with alarm. I should have avoided these calamities in good time. Why wait until death is near to sing the “Song of Beating the Basin”—the allusion to Zhuangzi striking a basin and singing after his wife died, here referring to facing death?

Linked Verses of Praise

When the heart is ill, it must be healed by one’s own heart. How could others fully understand the rights and wrongs of worldly affairs?

In seeking the mysterious, one must ultimately find the right path. Do not fight or compete, and do not cling to deliberate cultivation.

Keep the mind tranquil and do good at all times. Hold fast to the essential Way, put it into practice, and aid those in peril.

Treasure De, benevolence, and the resolve to save others. With every movement of the heart and every stirring of thought, let compassion arise.

Regulated Verse

Assistant Minister Wanyan, an official of the Wanyan clan, said to me, “I never expected you would be willing to live in a humble thatched hut on all four sides and lead such a carefree life.” So I composed this poem.

Ma Feng’s home in Ma Family Lane: neither the northern residence nor the southern garden deserves praise.

Wealth and honor are not a true way of life; this ease and freedom are the finer life.

Body and mind leave the world behind and cultivate at a place of practice. Following clouds and waters, one turns toward the mysterious Dao and nurtures one’s Dao nature.

Suddenly, the world before my eyes seems to have grown small. Within the sun and moon in the pot—the cultivation realm beyond the ordinary world—the numinous cinnabar gradually congeals.

Singing of Autumn Scenery

Of the year’s fine scenery, autumn claims a third. This ease and freedom are the finer life.

Body and mind leave the world behind and cultivate at a place of practice. Following clouds and waters, one turns toward the mysterious Dao and nurtures one’s Dao nature.

Suddenly, the world before my eyes seems to have grown small. Within the sun and moon in the pot, the numinous cinnabar gradually congeals.

Singing of Autumn Scenery

The year’s finest scenery lies in the three autumn months. The handle of the Northern Dipper points west; the seasons and the Qi of Yin-Yang move in their appointed cycle.

Gather the breath and draw in Jing to realize the subtle workings of cultivation. Frost descends and the seasons change, in keeping with the cultivation of the Dao.

Chrysanthemums in bloom often call to mind Tao Qian’s quiet contentment; falling leaves bring none of the autumn sorrow of Song Yu.

At dawn, the breeze is clear and the moon over the stream shines bright. Whoever can realize the Dao here may journey to Yingzhou, the fabled island realm beyond the sea.

Presented to Liu Bohu of Gaoling, Who Sat the Palace Examination

In Pengcheng, today’s Xuzhou in Jiangsu, I carefully sought the way beyond the world. Once I grasped the One, the Daoist principle at the root of all things, I let everything go.

Whether sitting or lying down, one may lead a white deer by the reins; whether walking or staying, one may freely guide a blue ox.

Only by remaining calm and still at all times can one truly understand. Sincere practice and the accumulation of merit must be brought to completion.

Once the Nine-Turn Elixir (a term for repeatedly refining and condensing the elixir in internal alchemy) is complete, one may journey to Peng Island, the legendary island of the immortals. Devote yourself to investigating the true patriarch, Liu Haichan, revered as a patriarch of the Quanzhen school of Daoism.

Encouraging the Disciples

In your practice, give up craving beauty and wealth, and never indulge in drink, lest you invite disaster.

Quickly topple the two mountains of “self” and “others,” and swiftly break through the Dragon-Tiger Cavity, a key site in internal alchemy where Yin-Yang, Kan-Li, and other forces are brought together.

Once the elixir is complete, a snow-white pill shines within the Golden Cauldron; the true nature congeals like a ball of frost, gleaming atop the Jade Terrace.

White clouds often drift past the mouth of the cave. When your practice is complete, you may journey to Penglai.

Another Poem

People chase fame and profit, hurrying through each day, unaware that their faces are aging and their temples turning white.

Clinging to wife and children brings endless hardship. Who knows that cultivating the Dao and nurturing De is what endures?

May you quickly preserve your spirit and vital energy, and learn from my diligent cultivation of lead and mercury, terms in internal alchemy that symbolize Yin-Yang, ingredients, or elements of practice, and the Frost Elixir.

When merit and practice have reached completion, the true nature will appear of itself, and together we will journey to Peng Manor.

Taking Li Dacheng into the Encircling Walls to Compose

I live in a humble dwelling in Tingchuan in the northwest, a place well suited to seclusion and rest.

The green bamboo before me resembles several gentlemen; the green pines standing opposite resemble two senior officials.

The flowing water and artificial hills are childlike amusements. Do you understand the meaning of the gentle breeze and bright moon?

If you can grasp why I planted “nine,” you can grow chives and scallions within these encircling walls. This place also holds a promise: those with the right affinity may, in time, reach the Jade Capital, the city of the immortals, by means of their inner radiance.

Presented to Zhang Zhengfu of the Danxia Temple in Qiyang

Part the clouds, lead the cranes, and go to visit Shuanglin; hold close the thunderous zither of Wuwei, moving in accord with nature and without contrivance.

Meet a good friend before the Tower of Blossoming Calyx, and find a kindred spirit beside Kunming Lake.

The treasures within the Three Fields—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian, vital sites in internal alchemy—illuminate the spirit chamber. The infant, a symbol in internal alchemy for refined vital energy or the true nature, enters the channels, then emerges from beneath the brocade quilt.

A luminous pearl rests in your palm; there is no need to struggle up an immortal mountain.

Presented to Li Dacheng and also to Elder Jing

Within the dwelling enclosed by walls, one finds the greatest ease and freedom; the quiet, empty Daoist lodge occupies two rooms.

I deeply cherish the noble aspirations symbolized by bamboo, and feel for the old pines that have endured the passing years and borne their hardships.

Enclosing walls surround the dwelling, leaving the heart at ease and untroubled. The Daoist retreat—the dwelling of a practitioner—is quiet and spacious, occupying two rooms.

I deeply cherish the noble character symbolized by bamboo, and admire the steadfast virtue of pine, which endures through the years like a worthy minister.

Eight channels carry clear water, as if it had been brewed into a mellow wine. The peaks of the Five Sacred Mountains join together, rising like clusters of blue-green lotuses.

Though I am accompanied by a good friend like a Confucian scholar, understanding cannot be complete until the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism have been brought together.

Written for Master Zhang of Jingyang

At sixty-four, as the hexagram of his life was nearing its close, he suddenly awakened. His heart grew dispassionate as cold ashes, and he left the mundane world to travel.

He came to visit me, seeking the true Dao and turning toward right awakening. He explored hidden and subtle principles, devoting himself to practice.

His hair was tied in a child’s double topknot, as if he were friends with the clouds and rosy mists. He raised his hands in a fist salute, as though keeping company with the breeze and bright moon.

He bowed low, then expounded precious teachings. Practicing in this way, he would naturally be able to journey to Yingzhou, the fabled island of immortals in the sea.

Harmonizing with “Sent to the Elder Yue”

Having understood the primal, undivided Dao—the fundamental principle that precedes the myriad things and gathers them into unity—one accords with the supremely wondrous words spoken by Shandong, the sobriquet of Ma Yu.

The phoenix and luan soar into the jade cavern; the dragon and tiger roar as they enter the golden gate. The birds and beasts, along with the jade cavern and golden gate, portray the meeting of Yin-Yang energies in cultivation and their return to the inner landscape.

Within the pot, one refines the essence of Heaven and Earth; inside the cavern, one stirs the foundations of the cosmos.

A millet-sized pearl, an emblem of internal alchemy, contains the sun and moon. In the dim quietude, the mind and spirit remain clear.

Harmonizing with “Gao Neifeng”

If official life means dwelling amid the clamor of the mundane world, why spend a whole lifetime in restless toil?

One should quickly sever every attachment, as decisively as snapping a withered stalk, lest one’s nature drift about like duckweed.

Once free of the sea of suffering, the heart can awaken. Dispel the floating clouds, and the moon will appear of its own accord.

When one’s deeds and practice are complete, one can transcend the higher realms. Only then does one understand that Ma Yu urged people to cultivate the Dao from the depths of his heart.

Harmonizing with “Poem on the Silver Yao Presented by Ning Bogong”

In the countryside lies a precious treasure, exquisite with the Seven Treasures; there grow strange vegetables and extraordinary fruits.

A complete, jade-like powdery shell forms on the outside, while within it gathers a crystal-like substance, touched with the color of frost.

Processed over gentle and fierce fires, its flavor grows more mellow. Boiled again in neem-wood water, its fragrance becomes rich.

I imagine you have already tasted this marvelous delicacy. Now you present it to Shandong at the very time when the Yang energy begins to arise.

Visiting Elder Zhang Detong of Xiulin for the Palace Examination

At Xiulin village, beneath Guifeng Mountain, lives a Buddhist monk who has grasped the delight of the Dao, along with a man who loves the practice of the Dao.

Guided by cranes and clothed in cloudlike mists, they come to seek instruction, investigate the hidden principles, and ask about the wondrous Dao, cleansing themselves of worldly dust.

The cultivation of Wuwei (non-action) and purity is like a dragon coiled low and a tiger lying still. When the Great Dao follows its natural course, it is like a phoenix giving birth to a qilin, bringing forth extraordinary vitality.

If you can meet the Confucian Zhang Zhikuzi, you will be able to discuss together the teachings of the three traditions—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism—and speak of the Dao at length without tiring.

Wu Zhengxin, Zhao Shuangxin, and Wei Lin followed me to Guifeng.

In the company of these three young gentlemen, we roamed the realm of the Nine Immortals; the twelve circuits of the heavenly cycle revolved without end. Here, “heavenly cycle” refers to the circulation of Qi, and also describes the cycles of practice in Neidan (internal alchemy).

Using “nine-three” as a subtle means, one can transform and make use of the workings of “two-six.” These numbers are terms from Neidan practice, referring to changes in Yin-Yang and the timing of the fire process.

Water and fire should be nurtured within the furnace, while Qian and Kun are gathered inside the cauldron. The furnace and cauldron are metaphors for Neidan practice; water and fire, and Qian and Kun, also symbolize the Yin-Yang Qi within the body.

When cultivation is complete and the Golden Elixir shines forth, we will journey together through the clouds to Yingzhou, the legendary immortal island in the sea.

Sent to Lu Dening of Pucheng

The twelve circuits of the heavenly cycle revolve without end.

Use “nine-three” to bring forth its subtle workings, and make use of the workings of “two-six.”

Nurture water and fire within the furnace, and gather Qian and Kun inside the cauldron.

When cultivation is complete and the Golden Elixir shines forth, we will journey together through the clouds to Yingzhou.

Sent to Lu Dening of Pucheng

Do not say that one cannot cultivate while living in the secular world, or that having a family is an obstacle to cultivation.

When facing external circumstances, if the mind and spirit grow confused, it is difficult to nurture the breath. When impediments arise—things or thoughts that disturb cultivation—and the mind wavers, how can you gather and contain Jing (essence) and Qi?

I hope you will awaken, cast off the Three Poisons of greed, anger, and delusion, and learn from me to clarify and quiet the mind, setting aside the Seven Emotions: joy, anger, worry, thought, grief, fear, and fright.

With a sweep of your sleeve, rise free and transcend the sea of suffering. Join your fellow cultivators in discussing the Dao of longevity.

Liu Gong of Yaozhou dreamed of Haichan and later took up cultivation. I composed a poem for him.

Haichan entered your dream and became the Immortal Liu, guiding you to follow me and study the profound Dao.

If someone explains it, how can they know the principle of the wordless Dao? Yet if nothing is said at all, how can one grasp the teachings conveyed through words?

If you can uphold the principle of purity and Wuwei, you will penetrate the subtle mysteries of how creation and transformation unfold.

The principles of Heaven and Earth are all gathered within the Golden and Jade Cauldron. There the divine elixir congeals, and human nature returns to completeness.

Another version

Haichan became the Immortal Liu, guiding you to follow me and study the profound Dao.

If someone explains it, how can they know the principle of the wordless Dao? Yet if nothing is said at all, how can one grasp the teachings conveyed through words?

If you can uphold the principle of purity and Wuwei, you will penetrate the subtle mysteries of how creation and transformation unfold.

The principles of Heaven and Earth are all gathered within the Golden and Jade Cauldron. There the divine elixir congeals, and human nature returns to completeness.

Another version

Why do the people of Pengcheng remain so confused and benighted? Since fate has brought you here, you should enter the gate of purity.

You should grasp the Scripture of the Hidden Tally (Yinfu Jing), a Daoist classic traditionally attributed to the Yellow Emperor and containing just over three hundred characters, and study the Dao De Jing (Classic of the Dao and its Virtue) in depth, a text of about five thousand words.

If you can grasp the “One” within it, you can understand the subtle principle of the “Three”; understand the “Three,” and you will also grasp the root of the “One.”

Do not let dark thoughts cloud your nature like storm clouds; then you will naturally regain the vigor of youth and return to your original state.

In Harmony with Wang, the Daoist Director of Sanshui County

Look at yourself: you have reached the time of life when old age is drawing near. You should understand that the worthy already possess the foundation for becoming an immortal.

Go early to the mountains, forests, springs, and rocks to cultivate the Way, and cast off worldly burdens. Leave the affairs of the monasteries as soon as you can, and let go of your ties to the mortal world.

With a nature rooted in Wuwei (non-action), penetrate the mysteries; in a tranquil state of mind, grasp their subtle principles.

When your merit and practice are complete, go to Peng Island, the fabled mountain of immortals, and tend the incense before the immortal sages Zhongli Quan, Lü Dongbin, and others.

In Harmony with Supervising Envoy Zhou of the Sĩ Office

Rise above the mortal world, roam freely, and follow what is natural; form good connections beneath Mount Zhongnan.

Who could have known I would be so fortunate as to grasp the delight of Wuwei and urge people to free themselves from all kinds of rigid attachments?

Look serenely upon the scene within the pot, a Daoist image for the inner cosmos or a realm of cultivation; diligently mend the grotto-heaven within, the inner world in the cultivator’s own body.

When merit and practice are complete, ride away on the clouds, and together pay homage to Perfected Chongyang, Wang Chongyang.

In Harmony with Sun, Examining Official of the Ninghai Army

May you, Lord Sun, awaken and let go of every concern. Be careful not to let the grime of the mortal world settle upon your nature.

When the work of cultivation brings water and fire into harmony—a common Neidan image for refining Yin-Yang and vital energies within the body—you will no longer be bound by the years of life and death.

Hurry and make the red horse swallow the yellow horse, and the blue ox bellow the white ox: these animal images represent stages of refinement in Neidan practice.

Once the Great Elixir has been refined, its radiance will shine forth. Why worry that the Purple Palace, the celestial court of the immortals, will not send down its decree?

Passing Through Xiushan Village to Request a Purification Ritual

In the Ma family lane, Ma Feng acted with abandon; once he encountered the path to becoming an immortal, he forgot all the affairs of the world.

Regulate the breath and preserve the spirit to bring the Daoist fruit to completion; refine lead and mercury, metaphors in Neidan practice for refining vital energies, and coalesce the cinnabar essence.

Tranquil and pure, its golden light gleams; deep and clear, its jade-like nature is fragrant.

Keep a heart as clear as frost and do not cling to the self’s form. When others come to take fire, you yourself become all the cooler.

At Qiyu Hermitage

Think it over again and again: the most important thing is to cultivate. You must begin cultivating at once, and even then, it may already be too late.

The Kan Tiger (symbolizing Kidney Water and the energy of the Kan trigram) and the Li Dragon (symbolizing Heart Fire and the energy of the Li trigram) must be regularly harmonized and guided, so that the “mind monkey and thought horse”—a metaphor for unruly thoughts and desires—stop racing wildly.

Beyond Purple Gold Mountain, one reaches three key apertures; before the White Jade Terrace, one cultivates nine Dantian, or places where Qi gathers. “Three Essentials” and “Nine Pools” are specialized terms in Neidan cultivation. Thought settles layer by layer, like a melody gradually taking shape on a zither; its clear, harmonious rhythm seems to resonate with immortal music.

A Poem Requested by Zhou Binfu of Fushan County

By chance, an official dispatch brought me to the countryside, where I was able to meet Master Zhou several times. He asked me to compose a poem. Unable to refuse, I urged him to awaken to the truth and let go of greed for wealth.

When the mind is clear and still, the White Tiger (symbolizing the Qi of Kidney Water) can enter the Cinnabar Cavern; when thought is pure, the Azure Dragon (symbolizing the Qi of Heart Fire) can rise to the Treasure Terrace. As Tiger and Dragon coil around and intertwine, the Great Medicine—the essence produced through Neidan cultivation—is refined. The Embryonic Immortal, an inner immortal body described in cultivation, dances and sings on its way to the immortal realm of Penglai.

A Poem Requested by Master Liu of Fushan County

Master Liu, who studies the Dao, listen to what I say: to enter the mysterious gate of the Dao, you must be unwavering in your purpose. Cultivating in stillness and purity is the work of becoming an immortal. How could chasing fame and profit provide the right conditions for seeking the Dao?

The Tiger and Dragon should be harmonized and guided in quiet ease; do not let the Monkey and Horse—the unruly thoughts and desires—run wild. When Shen and Qi are harmonized, the Great Medicine can be refined; the numinous nature of the human being ascends to the Great Canopy Heaven, the highest heaven in Daoist cosmology.

The Dao Affinity of Fushan County

The Tiger and Dragon should be harmonized and guided in quiet ease; do not let the Monkey and Horse run wild.