《三洞珠囊》

The “Fourth Biography in the Daoist Traditions” records: Ren Dun, courtesy name Shangneng, was from Bochang. During the Yongjia era, he entered Yunyang Mountain to cultivate the Dao; Yunyang Mountain is another name for Maoshan. He took red ochre, a mineral medicine, and sometimes went among the people. He always carried scriptures and liturgical documents, teaching the local people. As a result, people from near and far calmly accepted his instruction. Ren Dun privately sighed, “Although people all say they long for the good Dao, most only like it on the surface. They have yet to find people who are truly wholehearted and steadfast toward one another.”

It also records: Du Jiong, courtesy name Zigong, became firm in his faith and diligent in cultivating the Dao as a young adult. He honored the Zhengyi tradition and, when young, took part in the Celestial Masters’ register rites, ceremonies for conferring registers and administering religious affairs in the Zhengyi tradition. He used these practices to instruct people and helped many in need. He was pure and self disciplined, and aided others with humility, seeking no offerings from his followers. He therefore established a ritual center for Daoist practice and rites, widely proclaiming methods of rescue and protection. These methods proved effective whenever they were put into practice.

It also records: When Lu Na was serving as Minister of the Secretariat, he developed sores at the age of forty. He told Du Jiong, “For several generations, my family members have not lived long. As they approached death, they all suffered from this kind of sore.” Du Jiong submitted a petition to pray for the removal of the affliction, then gave him Lingfei Powder, a medicinal preparation used in Daoist arts. He said, “The calamity destined for you has passed. You can live to the age of seventy.” Later, things happened just as he had said.

Volume Five records: Yan Junping, personal name Zun, was from Chengdu. He cultivated the Dao to preserve himself. When speaking with someone’s son, he guided him through the principle of filial piety; when speaking with a subject, he guided him through loyalty and righteousness; and when speaking with a younger brother, he guided him through the duty to obey an elder brother. He took up whatever people were discussing and guided them toward goodness. The people of Shu were transformed by his teaching, and more than half followed his advice.

It also records: Liu Ningzhi, courtesy name Zhian and childhood name Changnian, was from Zhijiang in Nanjun. He lived south of Mount Heng, gathering and consuming medicinal herbs.

It also records: Liu Ningzhi, courtesy name Zhi’an and childhood name Changnian, was from Zhijiang in Nanjun. He lived south of Mount Heng, gathered and took medicinal herbs, and studied the Celestial Master’s methods for teaching the people. He and his wife both wore the appropriate tokens and helped those who had met with disaster or danger. Their interventions often proved efficacious.

Volume Six records: Zhu Huikai, courtesy name Zhiyuan, was from Wucheng in Wuxing. He made observance of the precepts and cultivation of De his foundation, and made helping others part of his daily life. In the eighth year of the Daming era under the Qi, famine struck throughout the realm. Huikai had a little grain at home, and gave it all to the poor, helping the people of his village. Three people who had been hungry for a long time died after eating their fill. Their families went to the county office and falsely accused Huikai of feeding them to death. The magistrate laughed and said, “Beggars eat their fill and die, then blame their host? The law has no such offense.” The matter was therefore not pursued.

Volume Seven records: Master Lu was summoned by Emperor Wen of the Song and entered the palace to explain principles and expound the Dao. He spoke without pause from morning until night, earnestly advising others and never growing weary.

Volume Eight records: Tao Hongjing, courtesy name Tongming, was from Pingyang in Weijun and called himself “Recluse of Huayang.” He enjoyed doing good in secret and aiding those in hardship and poverty. He also often helped others through various efficacious acts. He gave medicine to the sick, benefiting people near and far.

Volume Nine records: Pan Hong, courtesy name Wensheng, was from Shanyin in Kuaiji. He was naturally generous in relieving hardship. One winter, he made warm clothing several times and gave it to the poor; after each batch was distributed, he continued to gather materials and make more. He also gave medicine to the sick, helping people near and far.

Volume Nine also records: Pan Hong, courtesy name Wensheng, was from Shanyin in Kuaiji. He was naturally generous in relieving hardship. One winter, he made warm clothing several times and gave it to the poor; once it had been distributed, he continued to gather materials and make more.

Volume Ten records: Zong Chao of Dongxiang, courtesy name Yilun, was from Qianzu in Gaomi. He lived through years of famine many times and always gave away large amounts of food. People from near and far came to him, especially in great numbers at noon each day. Every winter, he made many short padded jackets and lined jackets, giving them away as circumstances allowed so that others could distribute them on his behalf.

It also records: Yan Jizhi, courtesy name Jingchu, was from Jurong in Danyang. He cared little for wealth and was generous in giving, aiding those in hardship and poverty and befriending people of principle. If a county official was troubled by illness or distress, Yan would quietly perform the proper rites of prayer and exorcism on the official’s behalf, paying the expenses himself. When the time came to offer thanks and fulfill vows, he would do that as well.

Fang Qianzhi, whose courtesy name was Daochong, was from Bai County in Zhaojun, Jizhou. After entering Mount Qiantianmu, his virtuous conduct transformed the people of the surrounding villages. They turned away from wrongdoing and toward goodness, came to study and follow benevolence, and together devoted themselves to the Great Dao.

“Covering bones and burying the dead” means burying human remains; “aiding the poor and rescuing those in urgent need” means giving support to the impoverished and helping people in crisis. Prince Shaoling repeatedly sent people to invite Fang Qianzhi, but he refused to meet him. When the envoys arrived at his lodging, they would sometimes encounter him, and he would give them generous gifts.

There is also a record of the “Great Teaching.”

“Covering bones and burying the dead” means burying human remains; “aiding the poor and rescuing those in urgent need” means giving support to the impoverished and helping people in crisis. Prince Shaoling repeatedly sent people to invite Fang Qianzhi, but he refused to meet him. When the envoys arrived at his lodging, they would sometimes encounter him, and he would give them generous gifts.

Zhang Xuanche, whose courtesy name was Wenju, was from Yiyang Commandery in Sizhou. At the end of the Liang dynasty, when the realm was in turmoil, he joined others in migrating east to make a living. He barely managed to survive, yet always shared a cooking pot with the hungry. By nature, he was kind and modest, and never pushed ahead of others. He always let them use the pot and fire first. Even when they managed to cook a small amount of food, he always ate last. He did this day after day, growing weaker until he eventually died, emaciated and frail. Because he always put himself after others, later writers said that in this way he “lived a second life,” as though he had been granted life anew.

Chu Ya, whose courtesy name was Xuantong, was from Qiantang in Wu Commandery. At the end of the Liang dynasty, he lived in seclusion on Mount Gouqu, a Daoist sacred mountain in the area of present-day Mount Mao. He delighted in giving to others, cared little for money, and never tired of helping people. When the crops in his fields ripened, he shared them with the poor. When living with others, he often rose early to sweep and clean, fetch water for everyone, and gather firewood for beggars. At times, he planted melons in summer and simply let people come and pick them.

It is also recorded that Zhang Min, whose courtesy name was Gaoming, was from Xuancheng. He planted pine and catalpa trees with his own hands. Though he once received property bequeathed by another person, he kept none of it. He took particular pleasure in helping and giving to others, and did not accumulate wealth. Whatever he received for conducting ritual services, he gave away as soon as it came into his hands. Whenever someone faced danger or hardship, was carrying prohibited items that were difficult to transport, or was prevented from helping themselves because a companion had been held up by public or personal business, Zhang Min would find a way to shoulder the burden or carry the load for them, doing all he could to help them out of their predicament.

One night, during a ceremony on the altar, the weather was bitterly cold. Zhang Min bared his left hand to hold a candle and kept at it until dawn. Whenever he presided over ritual services for others, he personally took on the menial work, cleaning away filth and doing everything he could. In hot weather, he always gave his tent to someone else; in cold weather, he offered his clothes and bedding to others.

Volume Thirteen records that Meng Daoyang, whose courtesy name was Xiaoyuan and whose ordinary name was Meng Yuan, was from Pingchang. He was naturally kind and generous, and devoted himself to providing relief and giving to others. In years of famine, when many people starved to death, he often prepared food to distribute to those in need. He frequently regretted that his family was poor and that he could not give as much as he wished.

Volume Fourteen records that Sun Youyue, whose courtesy name was Xuanda, was from Yongkang County in Dongyang Commandery. He eagerly taught and welcomed students; hundreds would often turn to him for instruction and take him as their teacher.

It is also recorded that Shuangzibian lived during the Liang dynasty. He abstained from grain, observed prolonged fasting, and practiced with great discipline. He set out from Guangzhou to spread the teachings, and people in the Nanhai region honored him as their master.

It is also recorded that Xu Mingye was from Chigang in Fufeng Commandery and lived during the Taiqing era of Emperor Wu of Liang. He became a monk when young, observed long periods of fasting and vegetarianism, and often traveled among mountains and rivers, making it his duty to help others. When famine struck and the people suffered, Xu always found ways to provide relief. He gave food to anyone who came seeking help and personally led his disciples in plowing fields and sowing seeds. Once the rice harvest began to yield a little, he went around inviting the poor to reap as much as their strength allowed. If he met someone suffering from the cold, he took off his own clothes and gave them away; in the depths of winter, he himself wore only a thin cloth robe.

Whenever he entered the city to perform meritorious works—acts of praying for blessings on others and accumulating virtue—he distributed the goods he received among people in the donors’ homes and never carried anything out through the city gate. If someone fell ill, even while Xu was preparing for or taking part in a meritorious rite, he would find a way to go to them; without his visit, the sick person might not survive. If he suddenly hurried away after arriving at someone’s home, that household was sure to suffer a calamity.

Scroll Fifteen says: Lu Yichong, courtesy name Jingyou, was from Yudu in Haiyan. From a young age he devoted himself to practicing Daoist methods. He treated people equally, without regard to rank, and was skilled at bringing people comfort. For this reason, people near and far trusted and relied on him.

It is also recorded that Zou Rong, courtesy name Wenhui, was from Zhang’an in Linhai. He became a monk when young, often performed tasks for others, and treated everyone fairly and impartially.

Scroll Sixteen says: Yin Zhongkan was from Chen Commandery and once served as Attendant to the Heir Apparent, an official who assisted the crown prince. From a young age he followed the Way of the Celestial Masters, receiving the registers of a zhi—a local Daoist organization or community of practice—and of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity), a Daoist school and its lineage. He devoted himself to carrying out Daoist practices and was not reluctant to spend money. When someone in his household fell ill, he personally made petition talismans, used to submit prayers to the deities. These practices often produced evident results. People from his village and those around him sometimes came to ask him to perform rites. He would choose an auspicious time to go and help them, bringing them considerable benefit.

The eighteenth scroll of the Pearl Bag of the Three Caverns says: Deng Yuzhi, whose courtesy name was Xuanda, was from Xinye in Nanyang. He once dreamed that a crow spat out a seal and gave it to him. From then on, when people in the area fell ill, he used the seal to treat them and save their lives. He neither drew talismans nor submitted memorials, yet the patients recovered.

It also says: Zhuge Lin, whose courtesy name was Maolun, was from Langya. He devoted himself sincerely to the Dao and kept himself pure. He often abstained from grain foods—that is, practiced bigu—to heal others, and used the same method to treat himself. He took no medicine, drinking only water blessed through a Daoist ritual, and the patients recovered. During the Taiyuan era, a tumor suddenly appeared on Zhuge Lin’s eyelid. He went to the Daoist community and asked for ritual water to wash it. Before long, his condition gradually improved.

It also says: Puyang’s place of origin is unknown. He devoted himself to cultivating the Dao, and his prayers and petitions often received a response. Zheng’s daughter suffered from a limp in both feet, so she went to Puyang to ask for water to wash them. The leftover water was used to irrigate a dead jujube tree in the courtyard. The tree unexpectedly began to grow again, and the daughter’s feet healed as well. After Emperor Jianwen of Jin deposed the heir apparent, he remained without an heir. Puyang was then living in the palace and secretly prayed about the matter. At the third watch of the night, a mass of yellow Qi rose from the southwest and fell straight into a chamber. That very night, Empress Dowager Li conceived the future Emperor Xiaowu. This was said to be a manifestation of the power of the hidden Dao.

The twentieth scroll of the Pearl Bag of the Three Caverns says: Ji Huiyan was from Yuhang in Wuxing. She left home in childhood and became a Buddhist nun, but later left Buddhism and became a Daoist nun. She went to live on Mount Tianmu, abstaining from grain and taking in substances for nourishment. Whenever someone was critically ill, she gave them a talisman, and all the patients soon recovered.

The first scroll of the Biographies of the Immortals says: At the foot of Mount Tai lived a man called Stone Father, who sold medicine at the market and claimed to be three hundred years old. Later, an epidemic spread, and tens of thousands of people died. The chief administrator went to Stone Father to ask for help. Carrying a vermilion banner and a supply of yellow medicinal powder, Stone Father traveled throughout the region. Everyone who drank the powder recovered. It is said that he cured tens of thousands of people.

The second part of The Biographies of the Immortals records: Chang Rong was a Daoist from the Changshan area who claimed to be the daughter of the Yin king. She lived on the roots of penglei plants, and people often saw her. It was said that she lived for more than two hundred years, yet still looked about twenty. She gathered purple gromwell and sold it to dye shops, then gave the money to orphans and widows. For many generations, she continued to do good in this way. It is said that more than ten thousand households made offerings to her.

Volume Three of The Biographies of Immortals records: Shen Xi was from Wu Commandery and had once studied the Dao in Shu. He could avert calamities, treat illness, and help the people.

Volume Four records: Huang Luzi’s surname was Ge, and his given name was Yue. When treating people, he could heal a patient even if the patient’s name was sent from a thousand li away; he did not need to meet them in person.

Volume Five records: Shen Jian was from Danyang and was skilled at treating illness. Anyone who saw Shen Jian recovered, no matter how serious their condition.

Volume Eight records: Wang Yao, whose courtesy name was Boliao, was from Poyang. He often treated people, and it was said that there was no illness he could not cure. He performed no rites and used neither talisman water nor needles or medicine. When treating someone, he simply spread an eight-foot length of cloth on the ground, sat on it, and neither ate nor drank. Once the patient recovered, he left. If an evil spirit was causing trouble, Wang Yao would draw a prison on the ground and call out to it. The spirit would then take visible form and be confined in the prison, sometimes as a fox, an alligator, or a snake. Wang Yao would then kill and burn it, and the patient would soon recover.

Volume Nine records: Li Changzai was from Shu Commandery. He cared for the seriously ill and could restore them to health in three days; those with milder conditions recovered in one day. If he judged a patient’s illness incurable, he would not go to treat them.

It is also said: Gan Jun was from the North Sea region. He had suffered from leprosy for decades, and every medicine he tried failed to cure him. One day, he saw an old man selling medicine in the street. The man’s surname was Bo and his given name was He. Gan Jun went up to him and asked for treatment. Master Bo said, “Your illness can be cured. If you truly want to recover, come tomorrow at cockcrow to the magnolia tree north of the bridge. I’ll teach you there.”

At cockcrow the next day, Gan Jun hurried to the agreed place, but Master Bo had already arrived. Angrily, he said, “Don’t you want to be cured? Why are you late?” He then arranged to meet Gan Jun at midnight the following night. Gan Jun kept watch at the meeting place from sunset, and before long Master Bo arrived. Gan Jun asked, “Wasn’t this the time we agreed on?” Master Bo handed him two scrolls of plain silk, written in white silk, and said, “With this book, you can not only cure your illness but also attain long life.” Gan Jun bowed in thanks and accepted the scrolls. Master Bo added, “When you return, make a copy of this book and expand it to one hundred and fifty scrolls.”

Gan Jun grasped the principles in the book. He applied them inwardly to cultivate himself and nurture his nature, and outwardly to ward off calamities and cure illnesses. Everything he did proved effective. He lived among ordinary people for more than three hundred years. Later, after successfully cultivating the Dao, he became an immortal and departed.

The Dengzhen Yinjue records: The Perfected One of Southern Mount Heng in the South Pole, Lord Zuo the Transcendent, and the Supreme True Lord of the Great Void was surnamed Chi and named Zhongying. When he first studied the Dao on Mount Jinhua, he suddenly fell gravely ill, and remained so for sixteen years. Later, the Youth of Azure—the immortal from Daoist legend—transmitted to him the Scripture on Wisdom and the Dispelling of Demons. Though still ill, he supported himself and recited it three thousand times. His illness then completely disappeared.

The seventh chapter of the Traditions of Daoist Learning records that Lu Xiujing, whose courtesy name was Yuande, was from Dongqian in Wuxing. In the seventh year of the Dashi era under the Song, during the fourth month, Emperor Ming of the Song was unwell. Lu Xiujing led a group in performing the Three Origins dew purification rite, a Daoist Zhaijiao ritual held on particular dates, to pray for the welfare of the state. On the twentieth day, the sky grew dark, strong winds rose, and a light rain began to fall. During the second watch, as they chanted again, a mass of yellow cloud Qi suddenly appeared in front of the hall. It was shaped like a jeweled canopy and rose from the ground to a height of about ten zhang, covering the open space before the steps. In a moment, the cloud showed five colors, casting its light on the eaves and window lattice as it circled for a long time. Then it suddenly turned toward the scripture platform, gradually dispersed, and vanished. More than a hundred people were present watching the rite, and all saw it. When the matter was reported to the emperor, his illness was cured, and people regarded the event as an auspicious omen.

The book also records that Meng Jingyi, whose courtesy name was Fuming, was from Anqiu in Pingchang. The Prince of Jingling in the Liang dynasty obtained a Lingbao Jing. After reading it, he threw the scripture to the ground. Before long, a virulent sore appeared on his hand and caused extreme pain, so he sent Master Feng to repent and make amends on his behalf. Master Feng wrote a penitential text for him, expressing his remorse and apprehension in detail. Although his illness improved somewhat, he eventually died of it.

Volume Eighteen records that Lou Anle was from Qiao Commandery. His wife, Lady Fu, suffered from wind sores for more than ten years. She tried many treatments without being cured and eventually died of the illness.

Volume Eighteen also records that Lou Anle’s wife, Lady Fu, suffered from wind sores for more than ten years, and neither seeking doctors nor taking medicines cured her. She devoted herself to the Daoist tradition, hoping to receive its aid. In the sixth month of the seventh year of the Yuanjia era under the Song, a violent storm suddenly arose, and the house of Lou Anle’s elder brother collapsed. Fearing that her own house might also collapse and crush her, Lady Fu suddenly ran into the courtyard. She forgot that her legs had been impaired, and her movement returned to normal. The account’s author considered this a result of her faith in Daoist teachings, and not something that could be credited to medicine.

The Classic of the Eight Gates of the Mysterious Mother says: The immortal Zhao Chengzi took the Five-Stone medicine, refined from five minerals. When its effects took hold, he died on Mount Xuan in Shanggu, Youzhou. Six years later, someone entered the mountain and saw that Zhao Chengzi’s corpse had rotted around the abdomen, with the Five Stones protruding from it. He took the mineral medicine and swallowed it, then left. Four or five years later, the Five Stones flew back and reentered Zhao Chengzi’s mouth. Zhao Chengzi immediately returned to life and became an immortal, his face gleaming like jade. The Five Immortal Lords, five exalted deities of the immortal realm, rebuked the person who had stolen and taken the Five Stones. Because he had stolen the Five Treasured Stones, sores covered his face. They spread throughout his family, and everyone, young and old, fell ill and died. In the end, his entire clan was wiped out.

The First Scroll of the Scripture of Divine Incantations says: Green Qi brings sudden death; red Qi brings swelling illnesses; yellow Qi brings diarrhea; white Qi brings cholera; and black Qi brings lawsuits. Red-Headed Demons carry these forms of Qi throughout the world, using them to punish evildoers.

The Hidden Instructions for Ascending to Perfection says: Cui Wenzi, whom the Biographies of the Immortals identifies as a native of Mount Tai, once treated the sick with medicine at the foot of the mountain. The Red Lord fell ill on Mount Jinhua for sixteen years, then attained the Dao and became an immortal through “wind dissipation.”

The Declarations of the Perfected, Scroll Five, also says: “He attained the Dao through wind dissipation.”

The Zhen’gao says that wind illness may arise when dampness gathers around burial mounds and underground water channels become blocked. According to Daoist teaching, when the Earth Official—the divine office in charge of the earthly realm—sets water vapors against one another, this can readily cause wind impediment, a disorder in which wind influences bring on numbness, weakness, or paralysis in the limbs. In severe cases, the whole body becomes immobile; milder cases may involve paralysis on one side of the body, or a loss of sensation and movement in the hands and feet.

If someone often dreams of going northeast or northwest, passing a familiar old residence, or seeing a spirit grove—a grove or place associated with the dead and their graves—the dream is interpreted as a sign that they are about to come into contact with the atmosphere of a tomb. The northeast of a burial ground is called “Subtle Severance of Life,” and the northwest “Nine Perils.” Both are regarded as inauspicious directions within a cemetery, where disputes between ghosts and spirits are likely to arise. Dreams of the dead appearing in these places are taken as confirmation of the omen.

Those who often have such dreams should, upon waking, lie on their backs, click their teeth together three times, and recite this invocation:

“Great Primordial, Highest Mystery, Purple Heaven of the Nine Capitals; order my soul and guard my life. Perfected One of Lofty Purity, I have received the highest teaching and instruction from Great Mystery. May I live long and behold the distant future; may my body fly and become immortal. May tombs remain forever at peace, and may disputes among ghosts be blocked and treachery suppressed. May my soul and spirit be harmonious and joyful, and may evil vapors vanish like smoke. Wandering ghosts and shapeless spirits, how dare you disturb my spirit? The Northern Emperor strikes and subdues you, gathering your vapors into the abyss. May I receive a register from the August Sovereign. I respectfully submit this petition to Jade Morning.”

After reciting it twice, click the teeth together three more times. The scripture says that practicing this method will prevent further dreams of graves and deceased family members. It may also be used by those who often have inauspicious nightmares; in this way, ghostly vapors disperse and evil spirits retreat.

It is also said: When the arm cannot be raised, stagnant, toxic wind Qi remains in the meridians, congealing and clinging to the joints; this is what causes the condition. Acupuncture and moxibustion are suitable treatments, and the patient will recover after receiving them. The “Invocation for Receiving the Northern Emperor and Bending and Stretching” (a prayer addressed to the Northern Emperor) is also suitable. Perform it one hundred times, and the illness will disappear.

First, slowly massage the affected arm with one hand, and stop after some time. Then face forward with eyes closed, turn your attention inward, swallow saliva three times, click your teeth three times, compose your mind, and quietly recite this prayer:

“Supreme Four Mysteries, Five Flowers, and Six Courts; Three Hun Souls and Seven Po Souls, Heavenly Gate and Earthly Essence; Spirit Palace, Nourishing and Guarding Forces, Heavenly Embryo, and Supreme Radiance. The hundred spirits of the four limbs, the myriad numinous beings of the nine joints, receive registers at Jade Dawn and inscribe books in Jade City. Jade Maidens attend my person; Jade Youths guard my life. May I forever shine alongside the sun and moon, ascend to the realm of immortals, and endure for as many years as the sun and moon. In time, may I transcend the mundane world, ascend to immortality, attain the Dao, and enjoy peace. Dispersed wind evils have gathered into illness; the Qi of ghosts and spirits assails me. Demons, the Qi of graves, and Yin Qi circle back and forth, invading my four limbs and damaging my vitality. Supreme Heavenly Warriors, let the Dragons and Tigers display their might: cut down ghosts, evils, and ill omens, and at once destroy the wind evils. Investigate and punish what works harm in secret; make the hundred poisons retreat and evil vanish, restoring me to my former state, so that I shine alongside the sun and moon. Whenever an act of harm is discovered, let the Northern Dipper subdue and destroy it. If evil spirits come to attack, may Heaven manifest its authority.”

Long ago, a man named Tang Lan lived in the Linlü Mountains. He was once struck by evil spirits and became unable to move his whole body, like a limp cloth sack. Later, a Daoist taught him to massage himself according to this method, and his illness was completely cured. This is the “Northern Emperor’s Bending and Stretching Method.” It is effective for various illnesses involving stiffness, cramping, and difficulty moving; it is not limited to wind impediment that prevents movement of the arm. Tang Lan now lives on Mount Hua. He obtained the “Rainbow Elixir Method,” a method of alchemical cultivation for attaining immortality, and achieved eternal life by refining and taking the elixir.

Zheng Zizhen was Kang Cheng’s grandson and now lives on Mount Yangzhai. When he first began cultivating the Dao, both his legs were unable to move, and he suffered for many years. Later, he received acupuncture and moxibustion, along with a prayer technique called “the Twisting and Turning Invocation.” After a hundred days, he had fully recovered.

Wind pathogens enter the body when its Qi is weak, taking advantage of its vulnerability. When the body is depleted, illness seizes the opportunity to attack. Now that his condition has improved, if he can reduce travel and exertion, the wind illness will surely be dispelled. We should now work to contain and eliminate the “Qi of tomb affliction” (a Yin force believed to cause illness). We can also submit a memorial to the celestial realm; I will make the appeal on his behalf. In this way, the Qi of tomb affliction will be cut off.

In the past, just as Deng Yunshan was about to attain the Dao through cultivation, both his hands suddenly became immobile. I sent someone to tell him to apply moxibustion at the two points called “Wind’s Return” and “Curved Ford.” Six or seven days later, he was able to practice the Five-Animal exercises. Once the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion had passed, he was told where to apply moxibustion. At the same time, he visualized inwardly and practiced the Daoist methods, while his body carried them out as well; the effect was no different from performing the practice in person.

In the past, Zhao Gongcheng’s legs dragged, and he could not stand. From morning until night, he would continually visualize himself bowing to the Most High. After thirty years of this practice, a Perfected One of the Most High bestowed on him a dose of “Flowing Light Sandalwood Powder” (a Daoist elixir). He was then able to rise and walk, and eventually attained the Dao. He now lives below Mount Heming.

It is also said: After lying down at night, when you wake, visualize the sun’s image held in the afflicted hand. Let its red radiance travel backward along the arm to the elbow and armpit. After a long while, the sun’s radiance will suddenly become flames, burning the arm until it is illuminated throughout, inside and out. When finished, silently recite the invocation:

“Four Luminaries of the Upper Origin, the Qi of sun and moon divide. Flowing light shines forth; its essence pours in and the soul congeals. Divine fire scatters radiance, sweeping away impurities and refining smoke. It penetrates the wind Qi completely; the myriad evils burn and transform into fire. Let it burn the arm so that the inside and outside are illuminated and fully penetrated. When this has continued for a long time and is complete, then silently recite the invocation.”

The Upper Origin Qi, as Daoism calls it, sets the essences of the sun and moon in motion and brings them into balance, so their radiance shines forth. It also causes bodily fluids to flow through the body and the Hun and Po souls to become settled. It makes the spirit-fire emit light, washes away impurities, refines turbid Qi, clears the flow of wind Qi, and burns away all manner of evil influences. In this way, people may attain long life and keep their limbs whole. It also restrains harmful ghosts and demons and delivers them to the Northern Dipper, the Pole Star and the divine offices under its command.

Those who cultivate the Dao should first treat illness, so that no pernicious influence remains in the body and neither Qi and blood nor brain and marrow are depleted; bodily fluids should also be kept from becoming turbid and stagnant. If illness is not treated first, taking medicines or practicing Qi circulation will bring the body no benefit.

Long ago, a Daoist named Wang Zhongfu devoted himself to the Dao of the immortals from a young age. For more than forty years, he practiced methods such as drawing in the essences of the sun and moon and “dining on rosy clouds,” a practice of absorbing their vapor, yet he felt no benefit. His son practiced these methods as well and, after eighteen years, ascended to Heaven in broad daylight. Later, the Perfected One of Mount Heng suddenly appeared and told Wang Zhongfu, “You cannot ascend to Heaven and transcend the world because you have a serious illness. Your brain palace is depleted, your sinews and vessels are not adequately nourished by bodily fluids, and your inner spiritual fluids are not yet full. Even if you draw in the true visions and practice dining on rosy clouds, your body will still gain no benefit.” Wang Zhongfu then treated his illness with medicine while continuing his cultivation. After another eighteen years, he too ascended to Heaven in broad daylight. He now dwells on Xuanzhou, where he has received Daoist books and become a Perfected One of the Central Marchmount. He oversees the offices of the Nine Mysteries and remains there to this day.

The Fenggang Oral Instructions says: When a Daoist falls ill, they should close their eyes and turn their gaze inward toward the heart, kindling a fire within it to burn through the whole body. They should visualize the body being consumed by the fire while continuing to hold its form clearly in mind, until the state of their spirit seems to become visible; then the illness will be cured. This practice of concentrating on and visualizing the fire within the body is said to be a secret and highly efficacious transmission.

The seventh volume of the Declarations of the Perfected says that before Li Zheng entered the mountains to cultivate the Dao, he too suffered from wind impediment, a condition caused by wind perniciousness that brings numbness, pain, or impaired movement in the limbs. It took a long time for him to recover.

Another account says that Fan Boci was from Guiyang. His family had originally been devoted to worldly pursuits. Later, he suddenly developed a deranged and demonic illness and was bedridden for many years. He invited ritual masters to perform rites to dispel it, spending a great deal until his family’s wealth was gradually exhausted, yet his illness remained uncured. When he heard that the Great Dao was quiet and simple, and required little expense to cultivate, he changed his mind. He learned that Shen Jing was a Daoist who cultivated the Dao diligently and had often succeeded in curing illness. Fan Boci therefore abandoned his former worldly life. After cultivating the Dao for fifty days, he had fully recovered. Later, he entered Mount Tianmu and consumed sesame seeds, eventually becoming the Perfected One Xuanyi.

Volume Eight of the Zhengao says: In the past, Bao Zhu was from Jibei. He suddenly developed “reversing wind” (a kind of wind illness), but later recovered completely. He entered Mount Tianmu and consumed sesame seeds, eventually becoming the Perfected One Xuanyi.

Volume Eight of the Zhengao also says: In the past, Bao Zhu was from Jibei. He suddenly developed “reversing wind,” which twisted his mouth and eyes. The malign wind Qi entered his mouth, and his upper and lower teeth clattered against each other without stopping, making a loud noise day and night. He lived to the age of 127.

Volume Nine of the Zhengao says: Yang Xi’s third daughter has recently been ill and confined to bed. She has improved somewhat lately, but is still unable to go out.

Another account says: Xu Yufu mentioned that the younger brother of Yang the Gentleman was seriously ill and extremely weak.

Volume Ten of the Zhengao says: Xu Que, courtesy name Xixuan, was once enfeoffed as Marquis of Duxiang under the Jin dynasty. Later, he developed a wind illness and became unable to speak. He died in the second year of the Long’an era, aged seventy.

Volume Four of the Daoxue zhuan says: At that time, an epidemic was raging, and people hurried to Wu Meng to ask for water. Finding that too many people had come, Wu Meng fetched river water from an area extending one hundred paces in every direction and let people take as much as they wished. All the sick people who drank it recovered.

Another account says: The Daoist priest Shu Daoyun suffered from malaria for three years, and treatment failed to cure him. Wu Meng transmitted the Poem of the Three Sovereigns to him and told him to recite it. As soon as he had learned it by heart, his illness was immediately cured.

Another account says: The Daoist priest Shu Daoyun suffered from malaria for three years, and treatment failed to cure him. Wu Meng transmitted the Poem of the Three Sovereigns to him and told him to recite it. As soon as he had learned it by heart, his illness was immediately cured.

The third passage says that someone fell seriously ill, and his family and friends sought treatment everywhere. Zheng Jian (a person’s name) said, “This illness can be cured.” After several days of treatment, the patient recovered.

It also says that Kang Hou (a person’s name) was very wealthy, and his daughter had been ill for many years. He had consulted many doctors and appealed to all kinds of deities, but her condition never improved. Zheng Yimen (a person’s name) said he could cure her, but Kang Hou arrogantly refused to receive him. Seeing Zheng Yimen arrive in worn-out clothes and barefoot, he assumed the man was mad and did not believe he had any skill. Zheng Yimen said he could cure an illness that had persisted for years and asked Kang Hou to let his daughter come out. Kang Hou flew into a rage, believing that after being ill for so long, his daughter could not possibly come out on her own. To his surprise, she suddenly asked her family who wanted to see her, then dressed herself and walked out. Kang Hou was astonished. Zheng Yimen said, “The young lady has recovered. She can go back inside now.” Only then did the whole family trust his medical skill, believing that his cures were remarkably effective.

The fourth volume says that Ren Dun, courtesy name Shang, was skilled at treating illness. Even when a patient’s condition was extremely grave and people considered it beyond hope, most were saved if Ren Dun treated them. There were many such cases. He usually said little, but sometimes foretold good or ill fortune, and events later unfolded as he had predicted. When people who were ill came to ask him about their condition, if he replied, “There is nothing much to worry about,” the patient was certain to survive. If he remained silent, the patient could not be saved.

It is also recorded that Du Jiong, whose courtesy name was Zigong, was skilled at treating people’s illnesses and could also foresee the good and evil in the world. Long Zhi of Shangyu and Si Shen of Qiantang were both spirit mediums who communicated with ghosts and spirits through divination, prayer, and similar practices. Jealous of Du Jiong’s reputation for Daoist arts, they often tried to entrap and slander him. When someone told Du Jiong about this, he said, “Those who slander the righteous Way will soon suffer punishment unseen.”

Before long, Long Zhi’s wife died suddenly, and Si Shen developed a hidden illness. Both reflected on their wrongs, sincerely submitted, and apologized to Du Jiong. Their afflictions were cured at once. Later, Si Shen fell ill again. Du Jiong told him, “You are concealing a ghostly object, and that is why malign forces are troubling you.” Si Shen immediately admitted his fault, saying, “I really am hiding a chest of fine clothes.” He climbed up and took down the chest. After he burned it, his illness was completely cured.

It is also recorded that Wang Xizhi fell ill and asked Du Jiong to treat him. Du Jiong said to his disciples, “The illness of the Right Army Commander Wang cannot be cured. What use would it be for me to go?” More than ten days later, Wang Xizhi died.

It is also recorded that when Lu Na was serving as Director of the Department of State Affairs, he was forty years old and suffered from sores. He told Du Jiong that the members of his family had all lived short lives for generations, and that each had suffered from this same illness before dying. Du Jiong submitted a memorial on his behalf to pray for his recovery, and also gave him Lingfei Powder, a medicine or elixir used in Daoism. Du Jiong said, “The tribulation allotted to your lifespan has passed; you can live to the age of seventy.” As it happened, events later unfolded just as he had said.

The fifth volume records that Anqiu □, whose courtesy name was Zhongdu, was a man of the Chengdi era and came from Changling in the capital region. When he became gravely ill, his disciple Yun Shadu carried him to a tree in the courtyard. Anqiu suddenly regained consciousness, and his condition began to improve. It was the middle of winter, yet he smelled the fragrance of plums. Opening his eyes, he saw two bright red plums growing on the tree’s withered branches. When Yun Shadu reached out to catch them, they fell of their own accord into his palm. Anqiu ate the plums, and his illness vanished completely. His body felt light and his eyes were clear. He then left with Yun Shadu, and no one ever knew where they went.

It is also recorded that Guo Wen, whose courtesy name was Wenju, was from Henei.

It is also said: Guo Wen, whose courtesy name was Wenju, was from Hanoi. He contracted an epidemic and was in grave condition, but refused to take medicine, saying, “My fate does not depend on medicine.” He went more than twenty days without eating and did not grow thin. He later died and was buried in Lin’an County, Yuhang.

It is also said: Liu Ningzhi, whose courtesy name was Zhian and childhood name was Changnian, was from Zhijiang in Nanjun. From a young age he suffered from weakness, often experiencing dizziness, blurred vision, and mental confusion. This condition lasted for many years and grew increasingly severe.

Volume Seven records: Lu Xiujing, whose courtesy name was Yuande, was from Dongqian, Wuxing, during the Song dynasty. He lived as a recluse on Yunmeng Mountain to cultivate the Dao. Once, he briefly descended the mountain to seek medicine and stayed at his family home for several days while passing through his native place. His daughter suddenly fell gravely ill, and his family repeatedly begged him to treat her. Lu Xiujing sighed and said, “I have already severed my ties to wife and children and entrusted myself to the wondrous Great Dao. This return home is no more than a traveler lodging for a night; how could I feel attached again?” With that, he swept out of the room and left without looking back. The day after he departed, his daughter recovered.

It is also said: Lu Xiujing had long suffered from a respiratory illness. He carried medicine into the mountains and lived in a separate hut. Before long, the hut suddenly caught fire, and his disciples tried to put it out. Lu Xiujing said, “There is no need to save it. The hidden workings of the Dao do not permit me to keep medicine with me. My illness will heal on its own.” A few days later, it did indeed heal.

Volume Eight records: Gu Huan, whose courtesy name was Xuanping and whose other courtesy name was Jingyi, was from Wu County, Wujun. Many people in Baishan Village suffered from illnesses believed to be caused by evil spirits, and the villagers came to seek his help. Gu Huan went to the village, lectured on the Laozi, and constructed a scene depicting hell. After a while, he saw many foxes and softshell turtles—water creatures resembling large turtles—walk into hell of their own accord. The sick people then all recovered.

Volume Ten records: Fang Qianzhi, whose courtesy name was Daochong, was from Bo County, Zhao Commandery, Jizhou. He gave up drinking when young and never held a wine cup again, even in old age. Even when ill, he took no decoctions and never received acupuncture or moxibustion. He left his fate to take its course and gave no thought to his own safety or well-being, keeping instead the relief of others in mind.

It is also said: Zhang Xuanche, whose courtesy name was Wenju, was from Yiyang Commandery. While discussing learning and the Dao with his fellow townsman Zhang Guisun, Zhang Guisun suddenly developed a wind illness and could no longer get up or move about. Zhang Xuanche therefore put aside his studies and cared for him personally. He cleaned Zhang Guisun’s chamber pot, attended to him when he came and went, and looked after his meals. He did so for three years without ever considering it a hardship. People of the time admired his sense of duty and steadfast character.

Volume Twelve records: Jia Leng, whose courtesy name was Xuanmiao, was from Chengdu in Shu Commandery. In his youth, he had been a Buddhist monk. After warfare broke out, he returned to lay life, and only began following Daoism in his later years. He once argued with several Daoist practitioners over right and wrong. In old age, he fell ill: his lips and teeth could no longer meet, and he spoke with difficulty, which hindered him from expounding the Dao. He sighed, “I have now contracted this illness. I fear it was brought on because I offended the Dao. Much of the doctrinal writing I composed has also been lost.”

Volume Fifteen records: Huan Kai, whose courtesy name was Yanshu, was from Dantu in Donghai Commandery. At the beginning of the Liang dynasty, three ancient lacquer shoots appeared in a sandy clearing beside Mount Kunlun. Hidden inside them were three sections of the Taiping Jing, transmitted by Lord Gan and written on yellow silk. The villagers found this remarkable, so they built a quiet chamber where the scriptures had appeared and set up offerings there. Huan Kai then asked the villagers for one section, brought it back to the capital, and presented it first to Lord Tao. Lord Tao said, “These are indeed ancient copies handed down by Lord Gan.” After hearing that Huan Kai had taken the scripture to the capital, he came down with malaria, and none of the various treatments worked. When Tao Zhenbai heard of this, he said, “This illness may have been brought on because you removed the scripture. Why not return it to where you found it?” Huan Kai followed his advice and returned the scripture. His illness soon cleared up.

Volume Sixteen records: Kong Lingchan, whose courtesy name was Lingchan, was from Shanyin in Kuaiji Commandery. After his mother died, he observed mourning and became known for his filial devotion. From then on, he gave up wine, meat, and delicacies, eating only thin porridge and vegetables and wearing coarse cloth. He resolved to live this way for the rest of his life. His father was in the capital at the time and knew nothing of it. Later, Kong Lingchan went away, and only then did his illness recover.

Volume Sixteen says: Kong Lingchan, whose courtesy name was Lingchan, was from Shanyin County in Kuaiji Commandery. After his mother died, he observed mourning with deep filial devotion and became known for his conduct. From then on, he stopped drinking alcohol and eating fine dishes. He ate only thin porridge and vegetables, wore plain hemp clothes, and kept this up for the rest of his life. His father was then in the capital and knew nothing of this. Later, Kong Lingchan left home to visit his father in the capital. Seeing how thin and haggard he had become from mourning, his father could not bear it and ordered the cooks to prepare fine food for them to share. Out of respect for his father’s loving concern, Kong Lingchan reluctantly ate a few bites, but became ill as a result. His father understood that this came from his innate nature of benevolence and filial devotion, which could not be changed, and stopped pressing him.

Volume Nineteen says: When Emperor Ming of Qi was ill, he often summoned Daoist masters to perform Zhaijiao (purification rituals) in the inner palace. He heard that the Daoist priest Yan Zhiming of Jinling, whose courtesy name was Huishi, was among the masters reciting scriptures, and greatly admired him, feeling that his condition improved as a result. After the ritual ended, Yan Zhiming returned to his quarters. At night, the emperor often found it difficult to sleep, so he ordered Yan to be brought into the palace to recite scriptures before him. Listening to him made the emperor feel calm and at ease. The emperor granted Yan Zhiming a decree valid in perpetuity and provided him with a carriage and ox for carrying imperial orders. He also gave him gifts when he traveled, earning him the respect of both Daoists and laypeople.

Volume Twenty says: Fangdeng, the heir to the throne and son of Emperor Yuan of Liang, was gravely ill. Consort Xu gathered her thoughts, purified herself, and sent someone to the lady official Li Ling’s residence to hold a prayer rite at Hualin Hall. That night, Consort Xu dreamed of two young attendants dressed in blue, whose clothing and appearance were unlike those of ordinary people. They said they were attendants at Hualin Hall and had been sent to tell her that the patient had taken a stone from the altar grounds. The stone should be returned, and he would recover. When Consort Xu awoke, she immediately asked the heir about it. He said that a stone had recently been taken while work was being done on the mountain pond. He ordered it returned, then sent his reader-in-attendance, Wang Xiaosi, into the mountains to perform Zhaijiao, rites of repentance, and other ceremonies to make amends. The heir soon recovered.

Volume Four of The Biographies of Immortals says: When someone fell ill, they would seek treatment from Sun Bo of Hedong. Sun Bo did nothing special; he simply declared that the patient would recover, and the patient did indeed recover.

The seventh account says: Dong Feng, whose courtesy name was Junyi, was from Houguan. During the reign of Sun Quan, ruler of Wu, he returned to Yuzhang and lived at the foot of Mount Lu. A man had suffered from leprosy since childhood and was now near death. He went in person to Dong Feng, kowtowed, and begged him for treatment. Dong Feng had him sit in a room, covered his eyes with five layers of cloth, and told him not to move. He also instructed the man’s family not to come near.

The patient said he heard something approach and lick him. The pain was unbearable, and no part of his body was left untouched. He guessed that the creature’s tongue was about a foot wide and its breathing was as heavy as an ox’s, but he never knew what it was. After a long time, it went away. Dong Feng still told him not to move and instructed the family not to come near. The patient again said he heard the creature approach and lick him. The pain was unbearable, and no part of his body was left untouched. He guessed that its tongue was about a foot wide and its breathing was as heavy as an ox’s, but he did not know what it was. After a long time, it went away. Only then did Dong Feng enter. He removed the cloth covering the patient’s eyes, had him wash himself with water, and then told him to leave, saying, “You will recover now. For a while, do not expose yourself to the wind.” More than ten days later, the patient’s whole body turned red and his skin peeled away. The pain was unbearable, but after he washed with water, it stopped hurting. More than twenty days later, the sores on his skin had healed, and his skin had regained the smooth softness of congealed fat.

It is also said that Dong Feng lived in the mountains and never farmed. He treated people without accepting payment. Those who recovered from serious illnesses were to plant five apricot trees for him; those who recovered from mild illnesses were to plant one. After several years, there were more than a hundred thousand apricot trees, growing thickly into a forest.

The ninth account says: Lord Gui was governor of Xuzhou. He had suffered from leprosy for ten years, and no doctor could cure him. He heard that Lord Gan had the Way…

Ninth account: Lord Gui was governor of Xuzhou. He had suffered from leprosy for ten years, and none of the doctors could cure him. Hearing that Lord Gan possessed Daoist arts, he went to visit him. Lord Gui brought several hundred attendants and an impressive retinue. When they arrived at the gate, Lord Gan did not come out to greet him; after Lord Gui entered the room, Lord Gan did not rise either. Lord Gui bowed and explained why he had come.

Lord Gan asked, “What have you come here for?” Lord Gui replied, “I have fallen ill with this grave disease for no apparent reason, and have come especially to seek a cure from a divine adept.” Lord Gan said, “You have brought so many attendants that I thought you had come to learn the art of robbing travelers. If you truly trust the person who will treat your illness, dismiss your attendants and stay here on your own to tend the horses. Then there may be a chance of curing your disease.” Lord Gui therefore sent his attendants away and stayed with Lord Gan to tend the horses. Three years passed, yet he still had not seen Lord Gan treat him, and he did not know whether his illness had been cured.

Another account: Lord Mao studied the Dao in Qi, later attained the Dao, and then presided over cultivation on Mount Mao. When someone who was ill came to seek treatment, Lord Mao had ten eggs boiled and placed inside a tent. After a while, he tossed the eggs back to the patient one by one. The patient would peel each egg: if it contained no “yolk,” the illness would be cured; if it contained “earth,” the illness would not be cured. This was treated as a common method for assessing an illness. The eggshells remained as they had been, with no sign that they had been cracked open.

Tenth account: Feng Junda was from Longxi. Whenever he heard that someone was ill and gravely near death, he would treat them with medicine as soon as he encountered them, whether or not he knew them. Every patient recovered immediately.

It is also said: Zhao Qu, whose courtesy name was Zirong, was from Shangdang. He suffered from severe leprosy, and the sores on his body had reached a critical stage. Someone advised his family to abandon him while he was still alive, saying that if he died at home, his descendants would inherit the disease for generations. His family therefore prepared a year’s supply of food for him and sent him to a stone chamber deep in the mountains. Fearing that tigers or wolves might devour him, they blocked the chamber’s entrance from the outside with firewood.

Zhao Qu was grief-stricken and resentful, and wept day and night. After more than a hundred days had passed, one night he suddenly saw three people arrive in front of the stone chamber. They asked him who he was. Zhao Qu replied, “I am a poor man with no one to rely on.” Knowing that no one normally traveled through the deep mountains and dense forests, he realized that the visitors must be spirits. He told them what had happened to him, bowing his head and pleading for help. The divine beings passed through the barrier of firewood as if they had turned into clouds, entering without hindrance. They asked Zhao Qu whether he truly wanted to be cured and whether he could take medicine. Zhao Qu said, “I have behaved badly and committed many misdeeds. Now I have contracted a terrible illness, been shunned and abandoned by my family, and am on the verge of death. If cutting off my feet or slicing off my nose could save my life, I would willingly endure it. How could I refuse merely to take medicine? I only ask the divine beings to grant me a way to live.” The divine beings gave him five dou of pine nuts and five dou of pine resin, saying, “Take these, and they will not only cure your illness but also free you from the ordinary world. Once you have finished taking them, your illness will be cured; stop taking them when you recover.”

Before Zhao Qu had finished the medicine, his leprosy was completely cured, and his body grew strong again. He returned home. At first, his family thought he was a ghost. When he explained everything that had happened, they were overjoyed. Zhao Qu then continued taking the medicine for two years. His appearance gradually grew younger, his skin became smooth and lustrous, and he could run fast enough to catch up with flying birds.

It is also said: Elder Chen lived on Mount Zhu Yu and was already more than six hundred years old. The people of Mount Zhu Yu built him a house and made offerings to him in each of the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Elder Chen neither ate nor drank, and undertook no particular cultivation practices. When one of his worshippers fell ill, they would take a vessel to him and ask for water used in the offerings. After drinking it, the sick person would recover. But if the sick person’s allotted lifespan had run out, Elder Chen would not give them water. “Yu” is pronounced “yu.”

Chapter Thirty-Three of the Taiping Jing says:

A Perfected One asked, “Why do ordinary people so often fall ill?”

A divine being replied, “It is because the spirit of the liver leaves the body and wanders outside, taking a long time to return; as a result, the eyes cannot see clearly. When the spirit of the heart leaves the body and is no longer within the heart, the lips turn bluish-white. When the spirit of the lungs leaves, the nose becomes blocked. When the spirit of the kidneys leaves, the ears become deaf. When the spirit of the spleen leaves, the mouth can no longer taste sweetness. When the spirit of the head leaves, a person’s vision grows dim and blurred. When the spirit of the abdomen leaves, the center of the abdomen becomes deeply uncomfortable and can no longer digest and transform food properly. When the spirits of the limbs leave, a person can no longer move on their own.

“The nature of spirits and Jing-Qi (essence and vital energy) is to dwell in places of stillness and clarity, not in places of filth. To make the spirits return, one should observe purification and hang images representing the spirits in the incense chamber. In this way, all illnesses will be dispelled. If one does not observe purification, the spirits will refuse to return to the person’s body. They will even ascend to Heaven together and accuse that person. Thus illnesses accumulate, and deaths follow one after another.”

Volume Forty-Five of the Taiping Jing says: Heaven does not resent people for having houses to live in. It resents them for digging the earth excessively and too deeply, wounding the land—sometimes reaching its “bones,” sometimes its “blood.” Springs are the earth’s blood, and stones are its bones. The earth is humanity’s mother. When people dig into her carelessly and harm her, making her ill and distressed, people too become prone to illness and short lives.

Whenever people dig or disturb the soil, they should go no deeper than three feet. Digging one foot touches Yang Qi and belongs to Heaven. Digging two feet touches the Qi that enables all things to grow and belongs to harmony between Heaven and Earth. Digging three feet touches the earth’s own Qi and belongs to Yin. Digging farther down harms the earth’s body and brings misfortune. In ancient times, people followed the valleys and lived in caves, without building with beams and pillars, and so they fell ill less often. In later generations, people dug too much, and illness became widespread.

Someone else asked: “Nowadays, some people live near flowing water and do not dig wells. Why, then, are they still often ill and short-lived?”

The reply: “It is because Heaven and Earth have already grown angry, and their anger can also affect those nearby. People bear the consequences together, like brothers who are affected when one member of a household commits an offense. From this we can see that digging the earth often brings water to the surface. Water is the earth’s blood vessels—how could this fail to make the earth ill?”

Someone else asked: “Nowadays, some people have not disturbed the soil; they have only built houses and moved in the very next morning. Yet the houses still seem to bring misfortune. Why is this?”

The reply: “It is because they acted at an inauspicious time and offended a spirit that brings misfortune.”

“Which spirit did they offend?”

“There is more than one spirit, and it is impossible to forcefully name them all.”

Someone asked, “Some people dig into the earth nowadays and remain safe, with no illness or misfortune. Why is that?”

The reply was, “Digging into the earth always causes harm. But when the ground is benevolent, the harm may not become apparent at once; over time, it may still injure people. When the ground is malign, the harm comes quickly. Large-scale digging brings great misfortune, while small-scale digging brings lesser misfortune. This is because disturbing the earth angers it, causing the spirits to send down calamities and make people ill or injured.”

Someone else asked, “Nowadays, people build houses on low-lying fields beside rivers and the sea. Sometimes there is no need to set posts or beams, and digging less than three feet underground brings up water. What should they do?”

The reply was, “This too causes harm. They should dig as shallowly as possible. The earth’s surface is like the skin, while the ground below is like the meridians close beneath the skin. When a person’s skin is thick, it is harder to draw blood; but if blood is drawn, the person is still injured. Thin skin bleeds easily, and bleeding is just as much an injury. The harm done to a person does not depend on whether their skin is thick or thin: if blood appears, harm has been done. People do not want to be harmed, and when they are injured, they grow angry with the earth. How could they wish to see the earth itself injured? Heaven and Earth are the root of human life, the parents of Yin and Yang. How can children harm their own parents?”

Someone else asked, “People naturally receive food and drink from their mother. What is wrong with digging a well to draw water to drink?”

The reply was, “That is not the same. Drinking spring water that comes from the mother is like drinking milk. Spring water is like a person’s milk: the earth has springs that provide water for people to drink. Would it be acceptable, without cause, to pierce a mother’s skin and drink her blood?”

The Taizhen Code of the Highest (Taizhen ke shang), a Daoist text on Zhaijiao purification rites and precepts, says: “A purification rite performed for a grave illness, to save a life, is called a ‘Rite of Duty.’ It lasts three days and three nights. A person of high virtue serves as the presiding ritual master, and five people serve as attendants. Participants should be wholehearted and devoted, and should love the Dao and its teachings. Those who have received registers—that is, those who have undergone the transmission of Daoist talismans and registers—may also take part in the rite. Those who do not love the Dao and its teachings, or who have not cultivated their virtue, may not participate.”

It is also said: When praying for the removal of disasters and misfortune on behalf of one’s parents, teachers, sovereign, or fellow practitioners, anyone serving as a ritual officer who is sincerely reverent and willing to perform the fast may take part in the fasting rites, even if they have not yet received registers (Daoist ritual registers that confer the status of a Daoist). If they are not genuinely willing, they cannot use participation in the fast to seek spiritual advancement.

It is also said: When performing a fasting ritual to avert grave disasters, illness, and misfortune for one’s parents, teachers, sovereign, or fellow practitioners, the ritual officers should make a solemn confession on an open-air altar. They should let their hair down, smear mud on their foreheads, and bow to the Thirty-Two Heavens. During the ritual, they should also submit memorials at the Zi and Wu hours (midnight and noon). If they pray with sincere effort and earnestness, their prayers will surely be answered. The ritual should follow the prescribed teachings and use the Fast of Smearing and Charcoal, a penitential rite involving practices such as smearing and charcoal. Fasting rituals have different forms. This one also calls for lighting seven lamps to bless one’s ancestors and extend their lives, and setting five lamps each at the well, stove, gate, and pavilion to pray for wisdom and good fortune.

It is also said: When the ritual master expounds the Dao, all the ritual officers should bow with sincere diligence and follow the prescribed order of rites without omission. This is done to pray for the sick, so that they may gradually receive blessings and recover. If they fast sincerely for three consecutive days and the ritual proves effective, the ritual master will be granted thirty years of life, and the assisting ritual officers twenty years. The same proportion applies according to the number of days spent fasting.

End of volume one of The Pearl Satchel of the Three Caverns.

The Pearl Satchel of the Three Caverns, volume two

Compiled and revised by Wang Xuanhe, a Daoist adept of the Tang dynasty.

Chapter on Poverty and Frugality.

The fourth chapter of the Daoist Biographies says that Fan Chai was from Langzhong in Baxi Commandery. Some people wrote his name as “Fan Chai” using a different character. He was refined in his bearing and never claimed in advance that he could see the future or spoke of divining good and bad fortune. Quiet and untroubled by desire, he remained silent all day. He braided scraps of worn cloth and wove them with cord into a netlike garment, which he draped over himself to cover his body as best he could. He walked barefoot in both winter and summer, yet his feet never cracked. He did not sleep in any season. His voice and skin were like those of a young woman, and his features were handsome. He always met people with a smile. Everyone respected him and enjoyed his company.

In the fourteenth year of the Taiyuan era under the Song, 389 CE, he came to Jingzhou and lived among the reeds at the far end of Fucheng Islet in Zhijiang County, Nanjun Commandery. He also had a shelter, but it could not keep out the wind or frost. He made a bed from mulberry-wood branches, wedged bundles of grass between them, and owned only an empty bamboo basket and a clay bottle. He slept leaning against his carrying pole and using it as a pillow. At times he carried the pole as he begged for food. For ten days at a stretch, he would go without refined millet, glutinous millet, wine, sweet fermented drink, other delicacies, or fruit, eating only coarse millet, vegetables, and soup. He ate about a sheng each time, then could go for more than ten days.

He walked quickly and spoke in haste; unless one listened intently, it was almost impossible to understand him. He often sat upright with a solemn expression, and his attitude did not change according to the other person’s rank. He did not speak with prominent people of the world. He kept his eyes closed, did not listen to music, and often lay down talking to himself. When people asked him about it, he would say, “Wang Jianwu has come.” After a while, he seemed to be conversing with someone. His words and replies were orderly, but it was difficult to question him further or verify what he said.

The book also says that he owned nothing at all; even his bamboo basket and clay bottle were empty.

Others said that from a distance his clothes looked mottled in color, and he wore a tattered cloth cap. All these things had been in use for decades and looked very unclean. But when people came close, they found him fragrant and spotless.

The fifth fascicle also records: Liu Ningzhi, courtesy name Zhian and childhood name Changnian, was from Zhijiang in Nanjun. He refused all gifts of money and goods from nobles and officials, and divided the family’s property and lands among his younger brothers and nephews. He rose from poverty and lived only in a humble hut enclosed by earthen walls. He would not use anything he had not worked for himself. He and his wife managed their livelihood together, content with a poor and frugal life and unconstrained by worldly conventions. He often pushed a cart laden with pods into the city with his wife, buying and selling at the market according to the going prices to make ends meet. Any surplus grain they had, they gave away to others. Even when famine struck and their food ran out, he did not change his principles. His wife was the daughter of Guo Quan, governor of Liangzhou. Her family sent her a generous amount of money and goods, but Liu Ningzhi gave it all to relatives, until nothing remained. His wife raised no objection.

It also records: Liu Ningzhi was by nature fond of mountains and streams, so he took his wife and children across cliffs and ridges and built a small thatched hut. His wife and children went with him. After that, no one knew where they had gone.

The tenth fascicle records: Dongxiang Zongchao, courtesy name Yilun, was from Qianzu in Gaomi. Prince Wei of Luling, a member of the Liang imperial house, built him a residence and covered corridors, all magnificent and imposing, and provided every finely crafted implement needed for practicing the Daoist Way. Yet the thatched hut where the master lived remained unchanged, and he kept his clothing and bedding plain. He often sat on a round section of a dead tree trunk; over time, the impressions of his knees were left in it. When his plant-fiber cap and rush mat wore through, he did not replace them.

It also records: Yan Jizhi, courtesy name Jingchu, was from Jurong in Danyang. He gave up his family’s estate to enter the Dao, ate a vegetarian diet, and wore coarse cloth, with not an inch of silk on his body.

The eleventh fascicle records: Zhang Ze, courtesy name Shihe, was from Wu County in the commandery of Wu. He devoted himself to practicing the Daoist Way and adapted to circumstances, speaking when it was time to speak and keeping silent when it was time to be silent. Though poor, he was content with a frugal life, and even in hardship he felt no distress.

Yu Chengxian, courtesy name Chongguang, was from Yanling in Yingchuan. He was thoroughly versed in the Laozi and Zhuangzi, and was of lofty character. He lived austerely and frugally, wearing plain cloth and sleeping on a grass mat. He observed vegetarian fasting for more than forty years. In his daily life, he devoted himself to lecturing on the scriptures and explaining the Dao.

Meng Daoyang, courtesy name Xiaoyuan, also known as Yuan, was from Pingchang. Kind by nature, he wore plain cloth for clothing and lived on vegetables, seeking nothing else. He practiced diligently and with concentration, never growing weary or slack. In both cold and heat, he persisted in cultivating the Dao and performing ritual bows.

Dai Sheng, courtesy name Shirong, was from Qu’a in Jinling. He left home to become a monk when young. His family was poor, and he once worked for Liu Biao, a local man-at-arms who enjoyed hunting. Dai Sheng therefore left him and went to practice on Mount Mao.

Kong Lingchan, courtesy name Lingchan, was from Shanyin in Kuaiji. After his mother died, he stopped eating wine and delicacies at banquets. For the rest of his life, he subsisted on thin gruel and vegetables and wore plain clothes, holding unwaveringly to his resolve.

Deng Yuzhi, courtesy name Xuanda, was from Xinye in Nanyang. He lived in seclusion on the Southern Marchmount (Mount Heng), traveled alone, and had no fixed dwelling. In every season, he wore only a tattered monk’s robe. During mourning, he let his hair hang loose. For the rest of his life, he subsisted on thin gruel and vegetables and wore plain clothes, holding unwaveringly to his resolve.

Deng Yuzhi, courtesy name Xuanda, was from Xinye in Nanyang. He lived in seclusion on the Southern Marchmount, always traveling alone and living without a fixed abode. In every season, he wore only ragged patched robes. During mourning, he did not bind his hair; when it grew long, he cut it. He lived during the Yongming era of the Qi dynasty.

The first volume of the Biographies of Immortals records: “In winter, You Bozi often wore a single-layer garment, while in the height of summer he wore thick padded clothes. His appearance changed from year to year. Decades later, he had grown even more robust, though people of the time did not know why.”

The fourth volume of the Shenxian Zhuan records: “Kong Yuan was from Xuchang. He often ate poria and pine seeds, dressed simply, and ate a plain, light diet.”

Jiao Xian, courtesy name Xiaoran, was from Taiyang in Hedong and lived to the age of 170. He often ate white stones and built a small grass hut by the mountainside. When his clothes wore out, he went to the market to sell firewood and buy old clothes to wear. In winter, he always wore a single-layer garment, yet his complexion was ruddy. When resting, he often appeared as comfortable as someone drinking wine in the height of summer.

The “Retiring from the World and Concealing One’s Reputation” category.

The Dadong Jing, Part Two, says: The Lord of the Great Dao, the Most High (a revered Daoist deity), concealed his form in the profound regions of the eight directions, drawing in his radiance and merging with the myriad things. Vast and deep, subtle and all-pervading, he appeared amid layers of rosy clouds, displaying divine wonder and beauty. His breath filled the land of Yan (a legendary immortal realm), as he quietly joined in Heaven and Earth’s creative transformation. Silent and profound, he was originally without form or substance. In the vast emptiness, he let himself transform, appearing as the myriad things, then at once dissolving away.

The Biographies of Daoist Learning, Chapter Five, records: Dongfang Shuo, whose courtesy name was Manqian, was from Yanci County in Pingyuan Commandery. His inner cultivation was noble and pure, though his outward conduct seemed unconventional; his nature was clear, though he often spoke in ways that seemed muddled. He was broad-minded, exceptionally talented, eloquent, open-hearted, widely read and well informed, able to draw connections between things, and skilled in many arts.

Yan Junping, whose given name was Zun, was from Shu Commandery. He wore no clothes that did not please him and ate no food that did not suit him. He often earned his living by fortune-telling in the markets of Chengdu. Once he had made a hundred coins in a day—enough to live on—he would close the door and draw the curtain, devoting himself to cultivating the Dao. He was quiet and profound, sought no empty fame, and made no show of his virtue. He lived in seclusion for many years without changing his principles, never held office, and died at home in his nineties.

Volume Six records: Zhu Huikai, whose courtesy name was Zhiyuan, was from Wucheng County in Wuxing Commandery. By nature he loved solitude, often content with quiet and stillness, concentrating on thought and inner cultivation, and frequently declining visitors. When someone asked how he could remain so quiet and withdrawn, he replied, “When it comes to movement, the four quarters of Heaven and Earth are not wide enough. When it comes to stillness, this small room is already enough.”

Volume Eight records: Tao Hongjing, whose courtesy name was Tongming, was from Pingyang County in Wei Commandery. During Emperor Ming’s reign, he lived at Zhongling, withdrew into seclusion, and built a residence where he kept himself deeply hidden.

Volume Thirteen records: Yu Chengxian, whose courtesy name was Chongguang, was from Yingchuan. The court twice summoned him to serve as registrar for his province, but he did not take office. Later, the court sent another official to appoint him. He then shut himself away in seclusion, and the envoy could not see him.

The categories of Daoist priests subject to official summons and recall.

The “Biography of Daoist Studies, Chapter Seven” records that Lu Xiujing, whose courtesy name was Yuande, was from Dongqian County in Wuxing. He lived in seclusion on Waterfall Mountain on Mount Lu, where he cultivated the Dao. Emperor Ming of the Song sought to promote Daoism and widely searched for eminent men of virtue and renown. Admiring Master Lu’s bearing, he sent messengers to summon him.

In the third year of the Taishi era, in the third month, the emperor issued an edict instructing Wang Jingzong, Governor of Jiangzhou, to invite Master Lu with due courtesy and escort him to the capital. Master Lu declined on the grounds that he was ill, but repeated imperial summons followed. For a time, the emperor could not secure his attendance, and his admiration and longing only deepened. Messengers from the palace came and went without pause, convinced that Master Lu would eventually arrive.

Master Lu then said, “His Majesty is wise and perceptive, and esteems a person as unworthy as me from afar. He lowers himself to summon me, which fills me with gratitude for his profound kindness, as well as with shame and apprehension. Even Laozi left his post as an official at the royal court to assist the Zhou house, and the Immortal Lord Jinxi once served the Wu court. If perfected beings who have attained the Dao can humble themselves and respond to the needs of the age, who am I to look only to my own cultivation?” He then instructed his disciple Chen Piaozhi to set out for the capital.

When they had just reached Jiujiang, the Prince of Jiujiang asked about the relative merits and differences between Daoism and Buddhism. Master Lu replied, “Buddhism speaks of remaining in Qin, while Daoism speaks of the Jade Emperor, the heavenly sovereign revered by Daoists. Though their paths differ, they ultimately point toward the same end.” The prince praised his answer.

On their arrival in the capital, the emperor ordered the senior secretary Ji Lin to convey his message and invite Master Lu to stay in the rear hall. Master Lu did not wish to accept this arrangement, and instead lodged temporarily at the Biaoqi Hanghuke Monastery, a residence for visiting guests. The court repeatedly sent people to inquire after him, and officials and commoners alike followed his arrival with great interest. The emperor then ordered the Prince of Jian’an, Situ, and Yuan Can, the Chief Minister, to host a formal banquet in his honor. A seat was set aside for a worthy guest, and eminent men of the court were invited to gather at a solemn Buddhist temple.

At the time, those skilled in discussing profound principles argued with the force of a rushing river, while learned monks displayed their sharpest reasoning. Confucian and Buddhist participants challenged and debated one another. Master Lu spoke concisely, clarified the principles, resolved disputes, and blunted the sharpest arguments. The prince was full of praise, and people near and far were all convinced and delighted. After the gathering, Master Lu submitted an account of the discussion to the emperor.

Ten days later, the emperor summoned everyone to the Yanxian Hall in Hualin Garden and attended in person, accompanied by princes, ministers, and other officials. Wearing a deer-headband, the headwear worn by Daoist priests, Master Lu paid his respects to the emperor and took his seat. The emperor became solemnly respectful and personally questioned him about the principles, seeking their fundamental roots. Master Lu expounded the mysterious gateway of Daoism and explained its line of transmission. His discussion reached the most subtle and profound matters, and his expression was exceptionally refined. The emperor was greatly pleased.

The prince then asked, “Why does Daoism not speak of a second life?” Master Lu answered, “A scripture says, ‘I do not know who its parents are, yet it existed before the Lord of Heaven.’ Since it is said to have a beginning, it must also have an end; and since there is a beginning and an end, there must also be a middle. The Zhuangzi says, ‘Just as something comes into being, it also comes to an end.’ Such statements all indicate the three ages: past, present, and future. It is simply that the wording is concise and the principles profound, so people of the world have not yet understood them.”

The court tried to retain Master Lu with honors and official posts, but he remained indifferent. Emperor Ming of the Song therefore ordered the construction of Chongxu Abbey in the northern suburbs, receiving him with due respect, building residences for him, and inviting men of the Dao from far and wide. Master Lu vigorously promoted Daoism and deeply expounded the hidden meanings of its scriptures. The court and the wider community alike took an interest in Daoism, and both monastics and laypeople turned toward it. Daoism reached the height of its flourishing during this period.

Volume Eight records: Tao Hongjing, courtesy name Tongming, was from Pingyang in Wei Commandery. He devoted himself to the teachings of Huang-Lao and mastered various Daoist methods. He called himself “the Recluse of Huayang.” At first, he lived on Mount Juqu in Jurong County. He climbed the mountain cliffs and declared his intention to withdraw into quiet seclusion. After Emperor Ming of Qi ascended the throne, he feared that the spirits had not yet been pacified and repeatedly urged Tao Hongjing to travel to famous mountains throughout the realm to pray and pay his respects. Tao Hongjing then visited five commanderies, a journey that lasted three years. When his mission was complete, the emperor welcomed him back and had him reside at Zhongling. The emperor often sent people to visit him, sometimes several times a month, and repeatedly bestowed gifts of money and goods, allowing him to request whatever he wished. Correspondence between the court and people inside and outside the capital consequently became frequent and extensive.

Volume Nine records: In the second year of the Jianwu era under Qi, Tao Hongjing was summoned by imperial decree to visit famous mountains in the east to pray and search for scriptures.

It also records: Jiang Fuchu was from Yixing and often traveled to Maoshan, where he resolved to live in seclusion. Emperor Gao of Qi had once built a Daoist temple on the mountain. In the second year of the Jianyuan era, the emperor issued a decree inviting Jiang Fuchu to practice at Chongyang Temple.

Volume Twelve records: Meng Zhizhou lived during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang and was widely learned. When Prince Jinghui of Liang was stationed in the region, he invited Meng Zhizhou to lecture at Guangzhai Temple. The monk Fayun also came and presided over the lectures. Fayun’s learning was profound and unmatched, and at first he looked down on Meng Zhizhou. Later, the two met and spoke, and Fayun argued with great force. Yet when Meng Zhizhou explained the principles, his reasoning was clear and thorough, earning the admiration and praise of the assembled monks.

Volume Fourteen records: Sun Youyue, courtesy name Xuanda, was from Yongkang in Dongyang. He abstained from grains, eating only hemp meal, pine nuts, and other plant foods. In the third year of the Yongming era, the emperor issued a decree summoning him to serve as the head of Xingshi Temple.

Volume Sixteen records: Kong Lingchan was from Shanyin in Kuaiji. He studied the essential teachings of Daoism in depth and read widely in the writings on immortality. Emperor Ming of Song built Huaixian Temple beside the Yu Cave and ordered him to reside there. Later, he was promoted to Grand Master of Palace Counselors and also served as a Gentleman Attendant to the Emperor. The emperor gave him a deerskin head covering, a coarse fur robe, bamboo tablets, silk, and other gifts. The emperor wrote to him in his own hand: “You possess the bearing of the ancients, so I have given you clothing suited to a mountain recluse. When you have some free time, you may come and visit me.”

Volume Nineteen of The Pearl Satchel of the Three Caverns records: Xu Shizi, whose courtesy name was Dewei, was from Donghai. When Emperor Wu of Chen established the Monastery of the Void, he once said to Xu, “You have the bearing of an ancient worthy.” He then gave him garments for retreating into the mountains and said, “Once I ascend the imperial throne, you may come and visit me.”

Volume Nineteen of The Pearl Satchel of the Three Caverns also records: When Emperor Wu of Chen established the Grand Monastery of the Void, he appointed Xu Shizi as its abbot. Six or seven years later, Xu Shizi died at the monastery. Emperor Wen issued an edict demanding an explanation. When he learned that the monastery did not even have a coffin for Xu’s burial, he ordered the court to provide everything needed for the funeral.

Offering Documents to the Mountain and Water Dragons

The fourteenth section of the Scripture of the Cavern Spirits says: Those who practice longevity and visualize the spirits should take the benevolence of mountains and the numinous wisdom of water as the basis for their conduct and meditation. Follow the mountains’ benevolence, and one will be calm and long-lived; follow the wisdom of water, and one will be active and joyful. Joy is akin to water, and longevity resembles a mountain. Dwelling among mountains and gazing at flowing water is a way to seek long life. One should offer written petitions to the mountains and waters, submit one’s name, and pay homage to their spirits. The Numinous Emperor and Lords will protect the virtuous, enabling them to spread benevolence and wisdom and become immortal spirits who attain longevity.

At the hour of the Tiger or Horse on one of the Eight Seasonal Festivals, take a tablet of white hibiscus wood and write on it in cinnabar: “Your descendant, [name], of [province, prefecture, county, township, and village], resolves to seek long life, to be entered in the registers of the Taiqing Immortal Realm, removed from the register of the dead, and recorded in the tally of the living.” Fill the tablet with writing. Then go into the mountains, face the Mountain King, burn incense, open the incense burner, and bow twice. After reading the tablet, bow twice again, kneel for a long time, wrap it in blue paper, and wind blue silk around it. Bow twice more, then place it on a rock. Do not let anyone see you. Gather up the incense burner and return without looking back.

Next, take a boat to the middle of the current and bow twice. Face the Water King, open the incense burner, and make your devotions with sincerity. After reading the tablet, bow twice again, wrap and bind it as before, then tie a clean stone to it and sink it in the water. Beginning at the Start of Spring, perform the ritual described above twenty-four times within three years, and the divine perfected beings will be moved to descend. If you miss even one observance because of public or private business or an unforeseen circumstance, you must begin again from the start. If the full number of observances brings no response, this means your effort is insufficient and your practice lacks care. Continue to accumulate merit and perform good deeds, and cultivate yourself with reverence. Persist for a long time, and the spirits will descend, enabling you to know good and ill fortune and understand what is hidden and what is manifest. Continue until you attain the Dao; only then may you stop.

The Shang Scroll of the Red Writ and Jade Instructions records that the Divine Treasure of Primordial Beginning, a revered Daoist deity, issued a command to the Water Emperor to erase people’s charges of sin. The petition used for the prayer reads:

“I, so-and-so, a disciple of the Yellow Emperor of the Divine Treasure, was born in such-and-such year, month, and day, and am now such-and-such years old. I wish to attain the Dao of the immortals and live forever without dying, so that the Three Primes—the heavenly, earthly, and watery primes in Daoist teaching—may endure forever. I respectfully beseech the Water Emperors of the Nine Palaces, the sources of the Twelve Rivers, and the great water deities of the Yangtze, the sea, the Huai, the Ji, and other waters to erase my charges of sin and report this to the Nine Heavens. Please permit the document to be sent to the Water Palace and carried by a golden dragon. On the first day of such-and-such month in such-and-such year, I, so-and-so, respectfully make this petition in such-and-such place in such-and-such country.”

This prayer is to be written in cinnabar on a silverwood tablet, wrapped in blue paper, and bound with blue silk. A golden dragon carries it into the abyss where the Three Rivers meet. At first, nine golden clasps are used to attach the tablet as it is sunk into the water; the next time this method is performed, they are no longer needed. During the ritual, when the recitation reaches “the three passages are all complete,” the tablet is cast into the clear, cold abyss. Facing north, the practitioner clicks their teeth three times. After reading the tablet, they offer this invocation:

“Supreme Emperors of the Five Elders of Primordial Beginning, Perfect Ones of the Ten Directions, and numinous immortals of Mount Taihua: the Red Writ conveys its command, reaching every place in the unseen world. Above, I report to the Nine Heavens and ask that the jade document be sent down. I report to the sun, moon, five planets, and the seven stars of the Northern Dipper; to the Five Sacred Peaks and the numinous mountains of the four directions; and below, to the rivers and seas, the Twelve Water Sources, the Water Emperors of the Nine Palaces, and the great deities of the deep waters.

“Today I respectfully make my petition and state all my wishes. Please cast the jade tablet into the water and erase my charges of sin. May my ancestors and kin through every generation, even if their offenses are bound up with one another and have tainted me, all receive this absolution, and may the roots of their offenses be cut off. Please enter my name in the Water Palace and report it to the Celestial Emperor. May my ancestors of seven generations and my parents escape the Eight Difficulties—the eight obstacles encountered in cultivation or in life—and ascend to the Nine Heavens, where they will receive food and clothing naturally. May my offenses disperse, so that all the spirits may hear of it. Please have the golden dragon make an oath with the water officials and carry the document. I respectfully ask that the matter presented here be carried out.”

The scripture states: The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning and the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure addressed the sacred mountains of the Five Peaks, seeking to remove sins and attain immortality.

The memorial reads: “Lingbao Huangdi Xiansheng, so-and-so, was born in such-and-such a year and month and is now such-and-such years old. His destiny belongs to the Yellow Emperor, and his name is entered on Mount Tai. He wishes to become an immortal, live forever without dying, transcend the world, and ascend to Shangqing, the lofty celestial realm of Daoism. Perfected beings of the Five Peaks, who govern those sacred mountains, you are supremely divine and numinous. I earnestly ask you to erase my name from the register of sins and report it to the Nine Heavens. Please go to the sacred mountain and have the golden dragon deliver this document.” At the end, the memorial specifies the first day of a certain month in a certain year, at a certain hour, and names the mountain in a certain kingdom where the petition is presented.

Once the document is written, it is inscribed in cinnabar on a silverwood tablet, wrapped in blue paper, bound with blue silk, and fastened with nine golden buttons. The golden dragon is then buried in the mountain associated with one’s birth destiny. The ritual is performed as described above. Upon reaching that mountain, face east and click the teeth nine times. Then read the entire tablet and pray:

“The Mysterious Elder reveals the light; the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning watches over the truth. The Supreme Sovereign and the Five Elders, the celestial emperors of the five directions, send down a red talismanic document. The source of Heaven and Earth governs the Three Primordials, the three fundamental vital energies of Daoism. Please gather the vital energies and summon the spirits, hastening my whole body’s ascent to immortality. The supreme talismanic command reaches throughout the ten directions of heaven. The sun, moon, and stars, the sacred mountains of the Five Peaks, and the great deities in the world above and below, as well as in the underworld, watch over all beings, govern their registers of names, and open the pass to the southern gate of Heaven.

Please take charge of the jade tablet and record my name. Erase my register of sins so that I may ascend and become a subject of the Heavenly Emperor. May my ancestors through the generations and my relatives of the nine kinship groups all receive deliverance, suffer no more the Five Paths and Eight Calamities—the torments of transmigration and its many disasters—and leave the Three Evil Paths of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals far behind. May their souls rise to the Nine Heavens and be freed from birth and death, enduring through countless kalpas. Today I present this memorial; may all the myriad spirits hear it. Please seal the pact with the Perfected Officials using the golden buttons, carry out the matter as requested in this memorial, and have the golden dragon deliver the document.”

It is also said: The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (a revered Daoist deity) and the Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure (a revered Daoist deity) informed the Earth Emperors of the Nine Regions, divine beings who govern the land: “If you wish to dispel your sins, register your name, and seek to become an immortal, you may follow the ritual document below.”

The document reads: “The Yellow Emperor’s Numinous Treasure Master, so-and-so, aged such-and-such, born in such-and-such a month, whose destiny register belongs to the Nine Heavens and whose name register is administered by the Lord of the Central Dipper. I wish to seek the gods’ aid in becoming an immortal, to live long and transcend the world, and to ascend to Shangqing, the Daoist realm of immortals. I beseech the Central Emperor, the Nine Regions, the Yellow Gods of Wuxu and Jiji, and the Five Emperors of the Earthly Court to remove my name from the register of sins, record it, and report it to the Great Mystery. I request admission to the Central Palace, the submission of my name tablet, and the recording of my name. I now make this request sincerely and of my own free will, sending this document by means of a Golden Dragon. On the first day of such-and-such a month in such-and-such a year, so-and-so, from such-and-such a village in such-and-such a commandery or kingdom, submits this document.”

According to the prescribed procedure, the document is to be written in cinnabar on a silverwood tablet, wrapped in blue paper and bound with blue silk, then attached to nine golden knobs and a Golden Dragon and buried at the center of the residence. The ritual is to be performed as described above. In the courtyard, the officiant faces the direction of the sovereign and clicks their teeth twelve times. Tooth-clicking is a Daoist ritual practice for concentrating the spirit and circulating Qi. After reading the text on the tablet, the officiant recites this invocation:

“Heaven opens and Earth expands; the Nine Qi divide and manifest their spirits. The Three Luminaries share one seal; the ten directions shine clear. The Five Elders and August Emperors open the way to truth and guide the living. The cinnabar writings and jade texts trace their purest origins to Yao. Let the proclamation reach all beneath Heaven, to the sovereign spirits of the Nine Regions. Today I submit this petition above; let the myriad immortals confirm my life. I wish to become an immortal; please enter my name in the jade register. Great August Emperor of the Earthly Court, erase my punishments for sin. Submit my tablet to the Upper Palace and enter it in the resplendent blue register. May I rise and soar, sharing the numinous power of Heaven and Earth. May my nine generations of kin, their bones long decayed, flourish once more. May their souls ascend to the Southern Palace and receive transformation in the immortal court. On this auspicious day I proclaim my petition; may all the spirits hear it. I present the golden knobs as a pledge of my heartfelt sincerity. May my request be granted as stated, and carried by the Golden Dragon.”

This invocation beseeches the spirits of Heaven and Earth and the Five Elders and August Emperors, revered Daoist deities, to open the registers of immortality and guide the seeker. The officiant asks the Great August Emperor of the Earthly Court to erase the seeker’s punishments for sin, submit the name tablet to the Upper Palace, and enter the name in the resplendent blue register, so that the seeker may ascend and become an immortal. The officiant also asks that the decayed bones of nine generations of relatives flourish again, and that their souls ascend to the Southern Palace to receive transformation in the immortal court. Finally, the officiant offers the golden knobs as a pledge, asks the spirits to grant the request, and sends the document by Golden Dragon.

A Daoist scripture further says: “If you wish to deliver the people of the various heavens, they can escape their decayed bodies and regain the life of flourishing growth; their souls can ascend to the Southern Palace and receive transformation in the immortal court. Proclaim the decree on an auspicious day, and all the spirits will hear it. Let the golden knobs attest to your sincere pledge, ask that the request be carried out as presented, and send the document by Golden Dragon.”

The Dao says: If one wishes to save the heavens and all living beings, freeing them from the five paths of reincarnation and the eight kinds of calamity, sparing them the suffering of the three evil paths, and allowing them to encounter the Dao in every lifetime, one should submit the Three Primordial Jade Tablets (jade name tablets presented to the deities of the Three Primordials) on one of the eight seasonal festivals or on a Jiazi day. These tablets are used to cancel sins accumulated in the past and report one’s name to Heaven. In each matter, one must make three reports to the heavens and to the Three Officials and Nine Offices (the Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water and their subordinate offices). The divine offices in each place pass the reports among themselves, and Heaven verifies the person’s identity. The gods then honor and protect them; the Five Emperors attend and guard them; the divine offices of the Three Realms welcome them, and the gateways are set in order. The earth deities throughout the world, along with the spirits of the sun and moon, come to pay homage, while the myriad demons and spirits dare not intrude. So long as one’s resolve is firm and pure, everything one seeks can be achieved. One’s ancestors and parents can then escape the Three Destinies and Five Sufferings (the evil paths and their torments, including hell, the hungry ghosts, and animals) and ascend to Heaven. The blessings and good fortune of this life and lives to come repay one another like a shadow following its form or an echo answering a sound. The Three Officials and Nine Offices keep records of people’s merits and faults; this principle is perfectly clear.

The Third Scroll of the Pearl Bag of the Three Caverns

Compiled and edited by Wang Xuanhe, a Tang dynasty wandering Daoist adept.

Taking Food and Drink

The second section of the Biographies of the Immortals says: Abstain from food and cease consuming grains to eliminate grain qi; then, through breathing and daoyin (physical exercises coordinated with the breath), expel the old qi and take in the new.

The first section of the Jade Characters of Inner Sound says: If you wish to become an immortal and live forever, you should eliminate the Three Worms (impure beings said in Daoism to dwell in the body and harm cultivation) and the hidden corpses in your heart and abdomen (impurities concealed within the body). Each day, at midnight when the cock crows, pray:

“From the east, receive the new.”

The first section of the Jade Characters of Inner Sound says: If you wish to become an immortal and live forever, you should eliminate the Three Worms and the hidden corpses in your heart and abdomen. Each day, at midnight when the cock crows, pray:

Pay respects to the Azure Bud (the green vital energy of the East). Consume the Azure Bud, then drink the Morning Radiance (the pure vital energy of dawn); swallow three times, then stop. Pay respects to the Vermilion Elixir (the red vital energy of the South). Consume the Vermilion Elixir, then drink the Cinnabar Pool (the red numinous liquid); swallow three times, then stop. In the central field, the Qi of Wu and Ji is abundant. Consume the essence and vital energy, then drink the Sweet Spring (a delicious spring water); swallow three times, then stop. Pay respects to the Bright Stone (the luminous vital energy of the West). Consume the Bright Stone, then drink the numinous liquid; swallow three times, then stop. Pay respects to the Dark Nourishment (the dark vital energy of the North). Consume the Dark Nourishment, then drink the Jade Syrup (a delicious substance like jade); swallow three times, then stop.

Practice in this way for thirty days, and the Three Corpses (spirits said in Daoism to dwell in the human body and impede cultivation) will all die, while the Hidden Corpse (an impure, baleful thing lurking within the body) will depart. The true spirits and true Qi will settle of themselves. The Hidden Corpse will no longer return to the heart, and you will be able to become an immortal. This is the Method of the Five Buds of the Five Directions, also known as the Five Kitchens Method.

Thus Laozi’s Classic of the Five Kitchens says: “Cultivate Great Harmony (the balanced, pure primordial Qi), neither diminishing nor increasing it. It has no taste when sampled and no fragrance when smelled. If you can hear of this method and cultivate it, your life will unite with the True Stars. Once you have received and upheld it, you will never fall away from it, and will naturally enjoy lasting peace.” The Scripture of the Forty-Four Methods of the Supreme One’s Yellow Register also contains instructions for food invocations (a practice that accompanies consumption with the recitation of invocatory words).

The Upper Scripture on the Celestial Patterns says: “The people of antiquity lived long because they did not eat grains in their daily lives.”

The Scripture of Great Being says: “The five grains are tools that wear away life. They cause the five organs to decay and the breath to weaken, thereby shortening one’s lifespan. Once these foods enter the mouth, it is hard to hope for longevity. If you wish to avoid death, keep your intestines free of residue.”

Volume Seven of the Biographies of Daoist Learning records: “Lu Xiujing, courtesy name Yuande, was from Dongqian in Wuxing. Though he lived amid worldly affairs, in his heart he upheld integrity and simplicity. From a young age he practiced grain abstention (a method of cultivation that involves eating no grains) and lived alone.”

Volume Sixteen records: “Tao Yan, courtesy name Aijing, was from Xunyang in Lujiang.”

Tao Yan, style name Aijing, was from Xunyang in Lujiang. At fifteen or sixteen, he began taking substances for health and abstaining from the grains. At first he still ate wheat-based foods; later, he ate only dates.

The Lingbao Scripture on the Rules and Ceremonies of Purification and Abstinence, Part Two says: If Daoists still eat the grains, they will become hungry when they stop eating. When taking medicine, they should follow the prescribed schedule and take it before noon. After noon, they may drink plain water, but should eat nothing more. In the morning, they may drink congee; at noon, they may eat vegetables.

The Great Code, Part Two says: All who have received registers for inner and outer rites and are learning the Way of becoming an immortal should take medicine, regulate their breathing, and swallow Qi to dispel evil and treat illness. Those who have not yet given up the grains should eat at set times: congee in the morning, and soup with rice at noon, accompanied by some dried vegetables and fermented beans. This is only to stave off hunger. They must not focus on pleasing the palate or crave fragrant, delicious flavors. They should carefully regulate their Qi, dispel evil, and treat illness. They should not kill living creatures, nor set out a lavish spread of rich, fresh meat. They should also avoid eating too much sauce or vinegar, since excess harms their nature. They must not eat until full; it is best to leave a bite or two at each meal. After eating, they should get up and walk about, allowing body and mind to settle into harmony.

Before and after eating, they should reflect on the profound grace of the ancient sages, be grateful for their care and protection, and offer the universal wish that all living beings may eat their fill. Practitioners should aspire to receive the immortals’ foods, such as sweet dew and fungus essence, so that they will no longer hunger or consume the dusty flavors of the mundane world. When accepting food given by others, they should thank the donor and silently wish that the donor may enjoy abundance and peace, and be well fed for many years; that together they may receive the flavor of the teachings of the Way; and that they may be spared calamity and decline, with no further worry of hunger or thirst. They should also keep in mind the practice of giving food, sharing both the sustenance of the teachings gained through cultivation and ordinary food with all living beings, never begrudging it or regretting it, and never resenting others, so that all may live together in lasting harmony and joy.

After the first meal, any leftover food should be taken outside and scattered among the mountains and waters, beneath rocks and trees, or beside fences and walls. It should not be thrown onto rooftops, lest insects or birds peck holes in the roof and cause leaks or damage.

The Jing of the Supreme One’s Forty Prescriptions on Yellow Silk says that when Daoists eat, they should hold their chopsticks in the left hand and tap them three times against the edge of the plate, then quietly recite this prayer: “The Two Mysteries rise upon the Dao; the Four Extremes are clear and still. The Lord Emperor Taiyi, the hundred spirits are peaceful in yellow. Receive the roots in the Three Palaces; nourish the numinous spleen. Offer up the Supreme Harmony; partake of the five fragrant flavors. The life of the soul-embryo, the seven fluids flow and settle. The hundred passages are open and harmonious; the Five Viscera shine with splendor. The two Emperors unite their radiance; fly upward to Shangqing.” Here, the prayer asks that the spirits be at peace and that every part of the body be nourished and its Qi and blood brought into harmony, so that the practitioner may ultimately ascend to Shangqing, the higher heavens in Daoism. After eating, one taps the plate three more times. This practice is called “the Way of the Soul-Embryo Receiving Fragrance and the Hundred Spirits Partaking of the Roots.” The scripture says that practicing it regularly clears the mind, calms the breath, and brings peace to the soul and spirit. It also wards off evil and calamity and preserves good fortune.

The ninth chapter of the Traditions of the Immortals says that Jie Xiang, whose courtesy name was Yuanze, was from Kuaiji. He went into the mountains and met a female immortal. Bowing his head, he asked her how to attain long life. She said, “The vital energy in your body, sustained by food and drink, has not yet been exhausted. Abstain from grain for three years, then come back to see me. I will wait here.” After abstaining from grain for three years, Jie Xiang returned to the same place. The female immortal was indeed still there. She then passed on to him a text called the Jing of Returning the Elixir and said, “With this scripture, you can become an immortal; there is nothing else you need to do.”

The Jing of the Nine Florescences says: “‘Yue’ is the root of rosy clouds, and rosy clouds are the essence of the sun. Partaking of them causes the body to develop a jade-like radiance. This is a method of cultivating by reflecting the light of rosy clouds and ascending to Shangqing.”

The Ritual Manual for Fasting before the Three Sovereigns says that practitioners take “Yue” as the root of rosy clouds, which are the essence of the sun. Partaking of them causes the body to develop a jade-like radiance. This is a method of cultivating by reflecting the light of rosy clouds and ascending to Shangqing.

The Ritual of the Three Sovereigns’ Purification says that practitioners of the Dao should eat twice a day, once at noon and once at midnight, when life-giving Qi is at its height. Both meals should be taken during a period of flourishing life-giving Qi, avoiding the hours when deathly Qi is strongest. At other times, one should not eat casually, even a very small amount, or one will offend the deathly Qi. This rule does not apply when illness makes it necessary to gather and take medicinal herbs, to take medicine or nourishing foods, or to abstain temporarily from grain; in such cases, one may decide according to one’s own condition. Food and drink serve to nourish and protect the body; when the body is at ease, the spirit can be at ease too. Those who are not troubled by hunger will find their practice easier to bring to fruition. If hunger leaves them weak and emaciated, it will be difficult for them to accomplish their cultivation.

The text also says that at the prescribed meal times, one should burn incense, quiet the spirit, and make offerings to the sages of old. With eyes closed, visualize the deities before you descending to partake of the offerings, and continue for a short while. At the same time, vow to extend this spirit of offering to all living beings, wishing that they too may be nourished.

The Scripture of the Five Talismans of the Cavern of Mystery says that consuming the essence of the moon can prolong life and bring longevity, while consuming the essence of the stars can enable one to ascend to the Great Clarity (Taiqing), the upper celestial realm in Daoist belief.

The Second of the Hidden Instructions for Ascending to Truehood says that consuming cloud sprouts—a term for the refined essence of cloud Qi in Daoist cultivation—can end the consumption of grain and dispel the foul Qi of the corpse.

The Fourth of the Hidden Instructions for Ascending to Truehood says that consuming cloud sprouts enables one to cultivate the Way of True Oneness, a practice of concentrating on preserving one’s original nature and returning to unity, while guarding primordial Qi and swallowing saliva. If one still feels hungry, one may eat foods such as noodles, then gradually reduce grain and give up whole grains. One must not suddenly stop eating altogether in a single day. “Diminish it, and diminish it again” means reducing it gradually until one reaches Wuwei (non-action).

The Scripture of Golden Tablets and Jade Characters says that those who cultivate through ingestion and abstain from grain must avoid alcohol, meat, and the pungent foods known as the five acrid plants, such as onions and garlic. They should also bathe, change into clean clothes, and burn incense. This teaching also appears in the Wondrous Scripture of Great Being.

The Mystical Scripture of the Great One, Cavern of Truth says that if one cannot abstain from grain and cleanse the intestines through ingestion practices in order to devote oneself to cultivating the True, one should at least limit pungent and rank foods, including blood and meat, and completely give up mixed foods, meat and other animal products, and pungent dishes, so as to preserve life.

The One Hundred and Fourteenth Chapter of the Taiping Jing says: The Lord of the Blue Ladle gathers flying roots and swallows sunlight. He takes the Open Radiance Spirit Talisman and the Moonlight Talisman, then takes two other talismans to bind the Three Hun Souls and restrain the Seven Po Souls. He wears a star-pattern talisman and consumes Flower Elixir, Yellow Water, Returning Water, Hard Rings, Phoenix Brain, pine pears and plums and dates, as well as a substance called “Silver Purple Gold.” He takes Cloud Fat, eats bamboo shoots, and wears the Five Spirits Talisman. Once all these methods are mastered, one can transform without limit, transcend the Three Realms, and roam among the four directions of Heaven and Earth.

The seventh chapter of the Dengzhen Yinjue says: Those who consume the Five Minerals may also eat nine times in a single day, allowing the breath in the gateways throughout the body to circulate in purity and harmony. They may also go a whole year without feeling hunger, regain their youth, and return from old age to infancy. When food is available, they eat; if they do not eat, they remain unharmed. This is a wondrous method of the High Immortals and an efficacious practice for grain abstention.

Tao the Recluse’s commentary says: Though one eats nine times a day, the breath one takes in flows and changes without turning into bodily fluids. Even after a year without eating, one’s appearance becomes more radiant.

Lord Qing says: Cultivate with dried-stone □ rice and Eastern Azure Vermilion Essence. A single dose extends one’s lifespan by a thousand years; take it daily, and one’s lifespan grows each day.

The Perfected Person of Pure Efficacy also says: In Mount Huo there was a Dao student named Deng Bo who ate no food, yet his appearance became more radiant.

Lord Qing says: Cultivate with dried-stone □ rice and Eastern Azure Vermilion Essence. A single dose extends one’s lifespan by a thousand years; take it daily, and one’s lifespan grows each day.

The Perfected Person of Pure Efficacy also says: In Mount Huo, the Dao students Deng Boyuan and Wang Xuanfu received the methods of consuming Green Essence □ rice and swallowing sunlight. After visualizing and practicing these methods, thirty-four years passed; they could then see the Five Viscera within their bodies and write at night in the dark.

It also says: Steaming green rice three times is an unusual method.

It also says: Eating flour can readily reduce the need for grain. It may also nourish and strengthen the body and make one feel full more easily. Once the stomach and intestines are filled, they are no longer empty and slack.

After taking □, no number of calamities can harm the body, and illness cannot intrude. It can also dispel all kinds of distracting thoughts, eliminate the Three Corpses—spirits believed in Daoism to dwell in the human body, prompt wrongdoing, and damage health—and sharpen the ears and eyes, while making one’s steps as light as flight. The commentary explains that cinnabar and azurite (here referring to the elixir or related medicine being taken) can nourish the spirit and foster original Qi, helping to ward off epidemics and disasters so that illness and calamity no longer assail the body. When the spirit is calm and content, there is no worry, grief, or distraction. Once one stops eating grains and other foods, the corpse worms within the body gradually disappear. The liver and kidneys become clear and moist, the ears and eyes keen and bright, the sinews and bones strong, and one moves with the lightness of flight.

It also says that when a famine leaves no grain, or poverty makes grain unaffordable, one can subsist on southern candleberry alone. It may also be combined with poria, mixed with honey, or blended with pine and cypress leaves.

It further says that grain abstention (bigu) by itself does not necessarily make a person live forever. Sometimes it is necessary to abstain from grain in order to follow a method of cultivation: gradually freeing oneself from the burdens of eating and physical labor, then taking medicines in hopes of achieving results more quickly.

It also says that gradually shifting from eating grain to grain abstention brings about slow changes in the six bowels, the organs responsible for digestion, elimination, and related functions.

It is also said: In the realm of spiritual response, nothing is easier than drawing down the Seven Luminaries—the sun, moon, and five planets. In cultivation, nothing brings early achievement more easily than the Nine Ways. For preserving and protecting life, nothing is more secure than the Life-Quelling Method. For defense in an emergency, nothing is more effective than the Spirit-Confusion Method. For medicines that act quickly, what can compare with Azure Essence, a life-nourishing substance in Daoist teaching? And for the response gained through prayer and worship, what could be better than morning worship and thanksgiving to the gods?

Taking the Five Minerals, five refined mineral medicines, can stabilize and strengthen the five viscera. Even if a person dies temporarily, the bones remain white as jade. The Seven Po, the seven souls associated with the body, keep watch nearby; the Two Hun, the person’s two souls, guard the body; the Three Origins, the three vital energies or spirits associated with human life, settle into calm repose; and the Great Spirit, the spirit that governs life within the body, withdraws and hides within. Breath continues to flow through the flesh, so that the body seems still alive. Thus, although the body may decay and fall apart, as long as the viscera and bowels remain intact, its appearance is still lifelike. The marrow does not dry up, the sinews and vessels remain connected with the brain and marrow, the Hun and Po keep watch, and the Three Palaces—the upper, middle, and lower residences within the body—are at peace. The Great Spirit therefore does not undergo its nine transformations within the body, but remains hidden for a long time in the Grotto Chamber, the dwelling place of spirits within the body. Only when the time for revival arrives does the Great Spirit once again circulate throughout the whole body.

The time until revival may be forty, twenty, or ten years, or three years, depending on one’s own circumstances. At revival, blood and Qi are gathered and the flesh nourished; bodily fluids form anew, and the body’s appearance is restored. The revived person may even look better than before dying. This is what is meant by a Perfected One, a person who has attained the Dao, refining and nourishing the body in the Great Yin, the deep and still realm of Yin, and changing appearance among the Three Offices, the system of spirits associated with Heaven, Earth, and Water.

The Lord Emperor of Heaven said: “Refining and nourishing the body in the Great Yin can make the form surpass what it was before. After taking the Nine-Turn Elixir, refined through repeated cycles, one’s bearing becomes dignified and upright, and one’s complexion is like numinous clouds. One can then ascend the Gate of the Taiji Palace, cherish the scriptures, and become a Perfected One.”

The passage also cites the teaching that the Lady of Jiuhua, Anren, refined her body in the Great Yin and changed her appearance among the Three Offices. Its meaning is the same.

The Lord Emperor of Heaven said: “Refining and nourishing the body in the Great Yin can make the form surpass what it was before. After taking the Nine-Turn Elixir, one’s bearing becomes dignified and upright, and one’s complexion is like numinous clouds. One can then ascend the Gate of the Taiji Palace, cherish the scriptures, and become a Perfected One.”

The Consort An of Jiuhua also said: “Do not let worry and toil obstruct the Dark Abode, where the mind and spirit dwell; do not let grief and longing disturb the Crimson Ford, the channel of spirit and Qi within the body. Be still and detached, and gaze deeply within. Turn back to behold your own reflection and live in harmony with it. Let your movements of bowing and rising accord with the turning of the four seasons. Practice each day, and you can become perfected. Gaze into the distance: everything you see has already joined with the spirit.”

The fourth, fifteenth, eighth, fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth, fifth, and third days, as well as the twelfth day of each month, are days for paying homage to Jade (making ritual obeisance to the Jade Deity). The ninth, eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, fourth, second, second, first, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth days of each month are days for paying homage to Taisu (the realm of pure emptiness, regarded in Daoism as the original source).

The first, twentieth, twenty-seventh, sixth, twentieth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth days of each month are days for paying homage to Taisu. The first, twentieth, twenty-seventh, sixth, twentieth, third, and sixth days of each month are days for paying homage to Taiji (the state in which Heaven and Earth have yet to divide, or the fundamental basis of all things, according to Daoism).

On the seventh, eleventh, and fifteenth days of each month, visualize the Mysterious Elixir (an internal elixir or spiritual substance contemplated during cultivation). On the first, eleventh, sixteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-sixth days, visualize the Precious Mirror. In this practice, imagine the two eyes transforming into radiant precious mirrors that illuminate your whole body. On the first, fifteenth, and twenty-seventh days of each month, ingest the Mingtang Talisman and the Huangxiang Talisman (Daoist talismans swallowed according to ritual procedure).

On a Dingmao day, pay homage to Lord Qingtong (a Daoist immortal). On Jian and Chu days (two of the twelve daily designations in the traditional calendar), visualize the Three Ones (the three divine beings unified within the body). During the Yin hour (3–5 a.m.), visualize the three sections of the Upper Radiance Talisman and ingest Xuanzhen (the true Qi or spiritual substance cultivated in Daoist practice). On a Mao day, ingest mist and the image of the sun, then ingest the sun’s rays, the Seven Stars Talisman, and the Jiejie Talisman; pay homage to Taiwei and Yuchen, and ingest the Three Qi-Filled Dragons. During the Xu hour (7–9 p.m.), ingest the essence of the moon, Xuanzhen, and the moon’s rays. During the Hai hour (9–11 p.m.), draw in water, recite invocations to the Three Clouds, Five Shoots, and Six Palaces, and visualize the Great Lord. At bedtime, recite an invocation to the Sword Ring, then visualize the Northern Dipper, the Lower Radiance, and the Five at the Head.

During the Chen and Chou hours, visualize the paired luminaries. All of these are methods of Daoist cultivation.

Other methods, such as ascending through the Mysterious and performing the circling steps of repayment, and restraining the souls, also belong to the arts of cultivation.

The Shangqing Scripture for Dispelling Demons says that Langya Yuhua, the Seven Yangs, and the Five Practices of Contemplating the Head are all methods of cultivating the Dao. At the hours of Chen and Chou, practitioners should visualize the radiance of the sun and moon at either side of the body. These are forms of visualization practice, cultivated through focused contemplation.

The scripture also says that practicing the method of “Ascending to the Mysterious, Flying Steps, and Returning Thanks” can summon and restrain the hun and po souls. This, too, is a method of cultivating the Dao.

The Shangqing Scripture for Dispelling Demons also lists many names of numinous medicines and objects from immortal realms, such as Langya Yuhua, the Seven Yang Sun Infants, the Liquid of the Nine Lin, the Essence of the Eight Qiong, the Purple Syrup of the Four Pistils, the Five Pearls, the Three Blossoms of Flying Gang, the Bright Moon of the Twin Pearls, Orchid-Gold Liquid, the Jade Bottle of Sweet Dew, the Elixir Powder of the Divine Lotus, the Linked Camps of Cloud Branches, the Morning Gathering at Langxu, and the Pure Fullness of the Western Sovereign. Practitioners rinse their mouths with these numinous substances and swallow them; after they have been refined within, practitioners can enter the Purple Court, the dwelling place of perfected immortals in Daoist tradition.

The scripture further says that a practitioner’s visualization can extend in all four directions: east to the waters of the Weaver Maiden at the Eastern Pole, west to Chang Geng and the Yu Abyss, south to the root of sunlight, and north to the city of liquid Yin.

It also says that practitioners gather the patterned nai fruit of the Mysterious Expanse in the north, tilt their heads back to rinse and swallow the vermilion honey of Cloud Mountain, pluck the cinnabar mulberries of Fusang in the east, and bend down to reach for the patterned algae of the Long Abyss. They then blend the Flying Jade of the Nine Transformations above and swallow the treasures of azure and mystery, radiant as rosy clouds. Other numinous substances are also listed: the rings congealed in the Great Void, the Pure Infant held in the arms, the Purple Flood Dragon Child, the Nine-Pouched Phoenix Brain, the Hidden Mushroom of the Supreme Ultimate, the Sun Path of the Crimson Tree, the Rainbow Pear of the Most High, the Great Herb of the Celestial River, the Huge Pearl of the Southern Palace, the Old-Age Support of the Western Consort, and the Dragon Blossoms of the Three Beams. These are all immortal treasures sought by the numinous consorts. Those who obtain and consume them can multiply their divine bodies and travel along countless paths.

It is also said: Shangqing’s secluded Zhi and Taihe, the mottled dragon’s black embryo, and the patterned tiger’s white foam all come from the Western Mound. The Sevenfold Mystery Flying Nodes, Nine-Holed Jade Pearls, Cloud Elixir and Jade Fluid, the rich essence of Langyuan, Zhongshan White Glue, Golden-Born Green Spread, the stone marrow of Langfeng, Black River Coral, Mengshan White Secretion, the jade lung of Lingqiu, the golden fluid of the Azure Luan, Eastern Blossoms and Vermilion Gourds, Ninefold Knotted Bonds, and Purple Hemp of Taiwei are all precious numinous beings from the realms of the immortals. Jade Blossoms and Jade Fruits, the whale waves of Flowing Abyss, and crimson jades of the Red River are likewise. To the north, draw water from the well of the Supreme Ultimate; at the center, receive and guide the pulse of patterned vermilion. In the Cloud Court grows divine peach; in the Kun Garden is jade fluid. There are also Night Essence and Sun Grass, Azure Fluid and Green Reed. Draw down divine light from above and drink the Dark Rapids below; reach up to pluck the jade essence of Xuanyuan and bend down to gather the purple veins of the garden hill. The divine peach of the Cloud Court, jade fluid of the Kun Garden, Night Essence and Sun Grass, Azure Fluid and Green Reed, along with divine light, Dark Rapids, jade essence, and purple nai, are all numinous medicines and rare treasures from the realms of the immortals. Whitewater numinous clams and the red chives of the Eight Heavens are treasures that grow only once in ten thousand years, their radiance passing through nine generations. Whoever can obtain and consume them possesses an exceedingly precious treasure of the Most High.

It is also said: the smoke produced by refining the Nine Stones, elixir fluid and jade nourishment, flowing pearls of Xunshou, the stone essence of mottled blossoms, golden fluid from the elixir furnace, purple blossoms and rainbow petals, the Nine Transformations of Great Clarity, the syrup of the Five Clouds, dark frost and crimson snow, the leaping Three Yellows, White Fragrance of the Eastern Sea, Azure Coins of Canglang, surplus grain of the high mound, flying fields of Jishi, the Returning Elixir of the Great Void, the dark firmness of Primordial Simplicity, Long-Radiance Flowing Grass, and Cloud Children Flying a Thousand Miles can all make people ascend and render their bodies light and nimble.

It is also said: the Thirty-Six Zhi, smoke produced in the flying furnace, the moon’s radiance in Yang Water, and the rich essence of the Five Dukes can nourish and settle the Five Viscera, transform one’s appearance, and bring about bodily metamorphosis. Num­inous things such as wondrous flowers, cloud flakes, gold powder, and jade softness can also prolong life, even to ten thousand years.

It is also said: the Dark Water Cloud Blossom Elixir, the midst of the Five Yellow Powers, essence-rich dry stone □ rice, wondrous flowers and cloud flakes, gold powder and jade softness can also prolong life, even to ten thousand years.

It also says that taking the Essence of Dark Water and Cloud Radiance, the essence within the Five Yellow Lights of Lush Spirit, stone □ rice, the vermilion blooms of the gathered greens, the fruits of White Chariot and Flying Joint, and the yellow essence of Flowing Crow and Purple Wood can prolong one’s life by a thousand ages.

It also says that pine and cypress shade-grease, the hidden essence of mountain ginger, sweet flag, ophiopogon, giant sesame, yellow essence, chrysanthemum, goji berries, cliff honey (honey from mountain cliffs), poria, peach bark, alisma, fragrant Solomon’s seal, coptis, cimicifuga, rehmannia, red arrow (gastrodia), vermilion blooms, and numinous flying ice-cinnamon bring some benefits when taken, but cannot make a person ascend into the azure heavens.

The Scripture of the Mysterious Classic of the Cavern of Truth of the Great One says, “The Great One draws in purple smoke.” Here, “the Great One” is the spirit within the human body. The Scripture of the Eight Elements says, “The radiance of the moon and the qi of the sun’s brilliance shine upon the Eastern Well.” The Diagram of the Twenty-Four Generations says, “At dawn, arrange the essences of the Five Planets; at noon, absorb the fluids and qi within the sun; at night, consume the yellow radiance of the moon.” The Nine Chapters of the Yang Songs of the Eight Elements says, “Raise your head and draw in essence like jade pearls; then lower your body and feel the spirit become manifest and the apertures of the heart grow clear.” These passages describe cultivation through visualization, breathing, and absorbing the essences of the sun and moon.

The Seventh Chapter of the Hidden Instructions for Ascending to Truth says: “After long years of effort, remaining diligent and tireless, strengthening the body, cultivating the breath, and properly practicing with medicines, the Five Fats—the essence that fills the body—will transform one’s appearance; this is the liquid of Dark Water. The Seven Yangs—the transformations of Yang qi—will change one’s constitution; this is the essence called Qu. To refine the form like a crane and ascend into emptiness is the Nine-Turn Elixir; to soar like a dragon and ride the sun into heaven is the Radiant Langgan Flower. Once cultivation is properly achieved, these states will appear: the Five Fats transforming one’s appearance, the liquid of Dark Water, the Seven Yangs changing one’s constitution, the essence of Qu, the crane refining its form and rising into emptiness, the Nine-Turn Elixir, the dragon soaring and riding the sun, and the Radiant Langgan Flower. Receiving the bestowed document on the Jade Steps allows one to proceed to Taiwei, the celestial palace; receiving an appointment in the Jade Chamber allows one to proceed to Yuchen, where the revered celestial beings reside. In this way, my cultivation of the Dao will be complete.”

It also records many names for ingesting elixirs and practicing cultivation: the blossoms of flying langgan, an immortal’s precious stone resembling jade; rinsing the mouth with Dragon Embryo; drinking Jade Essence; taking the Golden Elixir; drawing in the Nine-Turn Elixir; taking the Numinous Treasure Elixir; practicing the Way of the Nine Perfected; and such substances as White Langgan Frost, Ten-Turn Purple Radiance, Hidden Transmigration White Haze, Spirit-Dissolving Stone Essence, and Golden-Light Numinous Pills.

The arts associated with these names include the residue of the Quchen Elixir in the Golden Sword Scripture; the licorice-pill formula of Guo Shaojin, the Right Perfected Lord of the Nine Palaces; the formula for taking wood from Master Chang Sang; Bian Que’s formula for reviving the dead; sesame powder; poria pills; Nine-Lin Jade Liquid; Eight-Jade Flying Essence; and the immortal pills made by the Most High, also known as the Eight-Jade Elixir. Other methods include the Taiji Perfected One’s green □ rice; the Numinous Formula of the High Immortal; the Taiji Perfected One’s formula for gathering and ingesting cloud-bud jade; Master Gaoqiu’s formula for the Four-Fan Immortal Powder; the Queen Mother of the Turquoise Terrace’s formula for the Four Youthful Spirits; and the fetal-breathing method for taking the Most High’s Eight-Jade Flying-Essence Elixir.

The scripture also lists such practices as restoring the spirit and guarding the po-soul; the Yellow and Red Inner Perfected; the “Preserve the Numinous” pine-soot and flowing blue-purple pills; and the “Initial Spirit, Remove the Root” worm pills. It mentions cultivation materials such as Red Elixir, Golden Essence, Stone Radiance, and Water Mother. The “method for taking the sun’s Qi” means gathering and ingesting the sun’s vital energy, while the “method for taking the moon’s essence” means gathering and ingesting the moon’s essence. The text also lists practices and visualizations for nurturing and preserving oneself and transforming the body, including Yellow Qi and Yang Essence; concealing Heaven and hiding the moon; Yellow Water and Moon Radiance; Circling-Heaven Jade Essence; Ringed Hard Water-Yang; Green Reflecting Red Tree; White Fruit on a Crimson Tree; Green-Fruited Langgan; Flowering Elixir, Taiji Hidden Zhi; and the stone marrow, stone essence, and golden essence of the Nine Perfected and Five Lords.

Other cultivation methods include dissolution and refinement; reversing the course; ingesting the essence of jade liquid and tidal brain; the mind-mirror; the Way-Implement of the Hundred Spirits; guarding the Way within the Mysterious; escaping through transformations and manifestations; concealing one’s form; methods of dissolution; refining the Nine Essences and Qi to transform into the Sovereign; preserving the mind and refining the hun-soul; dissolution with a ritual staff; walking on water without drowning; flying free of the bonds; the Nine Numinous Bright Mirror method of guarding the Mysterious and White; swallowing the sun’s radiance; ingesting cinnabar clouds; and guarding the Five Viscera while containing the sun. Other methods include taking Qi; consuming the sun’s essence and cloud-Qi; circling back; ingesting the Qi and images of the sun and moon; visualizing the sun within the heart and the moon in the Niwan, the numinous aperture at the crown of the head; practicing the Nine Breaths; ingesting the Three Qi and Mysterious Perfected Qi; taking in mist; ingesting the Qi of the Five Planets; and taking in the morning Qi of the sun and moon.

Fetal Qi Elixir, Sand’s Hidden Essence, Golden and Jade Purple Nectar, Eightfold Jasper Crimson Liquid, Dragon Fetus and Phoenix Brain, Cloud-Lang Jade Blossoms, Nine-Cauldron Cloud Powder, Rainbow Elixir and Stone Brain, Ninefold Blossom Elixir, Northern Nurturing Fire Elixir, Flowing Pearl Elixir, Furnace-Fired Elixir, Min Mountain Elixir, Rainbow Elixir Liquid, Cloud Blossom Elixir, Singing Elixir, Golden Liquid, Guiding the Immortals in Eight Directions, Yellow Essence in Stone, Cloud Nectar, the Supreme Ultimate Perfected One’s Bequeathed White Powder, Green Essence Stone Rice, Flowing Light Powder, Immortal-Making Pills, Insect-Cutting Pills, Alisma and Cypress-Seed Pills, and Alisma and Wood Powder are all names listed in scriptures for elixirs, ingestible formulas, or cultivation-related methods.

Chapter Seven of Ascending to Perfection records: “Five-Stone Cloud Fat (the essence refined from five kinds of minerals). Lord Azure Lad said: The fat of the Five Lords can stabilize and protect the five zang organs that sustain life, refine and nourish one’s appearance, and transform the body.” The following material comes from Chapter Four of Instructions on Five-Stone Cloud Fat, quoted and annotated in Hidden Instructions for Ascending to Perfection.

Volume Three also lists such names as Langgan Elixir, Quchen Elixir, Nine-Turn Elixir, Five Lords’ Stone Fat, Green Essence Stone Rice, Four Stabilizing Pills, Four Lad Attendants’ Powder, Four Fan Powder, Licorice Pills, Primordial Spirit Pills, Poria Pills, Sesame Pills, Flowing Azure Pills, Flowing Refined Fat, and Ingesting Wood.

Another account says: “Plugging the ears with cinnabar and yellow mineral can dispel corpse qi; this is an important method for refining the hun-soul.” The so-called “Method for Cutting Off the Corpse-Soul” includes the following practices: its aim is to sever and eliminate the Three Corpses; ingesting cloud sprouts can end grain consumption and dispel corpse qi; Primordial Spirit Pills can kill the grain worms and dry up the Three Corpses; the purple writings of the Five Phases are used to remove the Three Corpses; ingesting white awn can eliminate the Three Corpses; and one must also bathe regularly to cleanse and refine the corpse-soul.

It also says that after taking medicinal pills, one should stop eating the five grains and undertake grain abstinence and quiet cultivation in the mountains and forests. Reducing grain intake is intended to cleanse the stomach and intestines. With pure fasting, grain abstinence, and five years of taking “□ rice,” one can give up grains altogether. Swallowing “cloud sprouts”—the Daoist term for the essence of cloud Qi—can also enable grain abstinence. To give up grains, one should first take the Primordial Spirit Pill and the Great One Pill of the Four Guardians; these can also be used for grain abstinence. Without abstaining from grains first, one cannot hear the teachings of the Great Cavern, an important Daoist scripture and method of cultivation. Yet methods of grain abstinence have long existed among ordinary people. All nine of these accounts consider grain abstinence beneficial.

It also says that taking licorice pills reduces the appetite. Continuing to eat some grains can also aid the cultivation of immortality. One may then take “□ rice” while still eating grains, without departing from one’s usual diet. This strengthens the body, dispels illness, and nourishes the skin. Afterward, one can climb the mountains, chant the Cavern scriptures, and discuss the subtle principles of the Mysterious.

Both of these accounts consider it better not to abstain from grains.

“Qibai spirit vegetables” are taken together with Chinese chives, which is why the preparation is called a “combination.” “Cao Xuanqing” refers to the essence of black jusheng—that is, black sesame seeds. Cloud herb is the essence of plants and trees, named for its cloudlike moisture. It also serves as a metaphor for clouds holding water and for the fluid within plants. “Xuan” describes its color, while “qing” refers to its nourishing nature.

“Hui li huaying” refers to white honey. It is a sweet brew made from the essence of many kinds of flowers and herbs; honey is the essence of Earth. “Wuguang qixie spirit vegetables” refers to Chinese chives. The character xie is pronounced “hu mai.” “Five” means that the roots are not dug up in the fifth month, to avoid harm from the strong Fire energy. “Seven” is the number of Metal. White chives taste pungent, and pungency belongs to Metal, so chives are called the essence of Metal. “Spirit vegetables” means uncanny or extraordinary vegetables.

“White plain flying dragon” refers to white quartz: “white plain” describes its shape and color, while “flying dragon” conveys its hidden, changing nature. “Mysterious water, jade liquid” refers to water that is the essence of the dark and pure; “jade liquid” also means the juice of quartz. White quartz is also called “cloud-fat of the flying dragon”: “flying dragon” is a name for quartz, and “cloud fat” refers to cloud-fat herb. It is also known as “the refined paste of the five stones.” “Hua” means essence, and “paste” means xuanfei, a rich, nourishing substance.

“To fan the eastern radiance of the southern candle and summon the vermilion spirit of the first shoots” means to use the essence of the southern candle, a substance of Yang energy, to draw forth the numinous energy concealed in the eastern sunlight. “First shoots” refers to the tender new leaves of the vitex tree, and “vermilion spirit” to a fresh, pure red elixir.

After taking this preparation, the fluids of the five organs become harmonized and settled, and all the joints throughout the body are nourished and replenished. As a result, there is no longer any danger of depletion or desiccation.

It also says that practitioners must persist in rinsing and drinking the Hua Spring each morning—a spring symbolizing pure, nourishing essence—and absorbing the subtle vital energies of the five directions. They should tap their teeth and stimulate the Jade Pool, the saliva in the mouth, breathe the clear, mysterious Qi, and practice the “Cloud Sprout” method, rinsing the mouth with the pure spring to nourish the saliva. This helps moisten the body and keep both the breath and constitution healthy.

The scripture goes on to say: “When the Flower-Rich Youth”—a divine being or cultivation term associated with consuming substances and nourishing life—“fills and guards the stomach in the □ direction, amid empty blue, honey can make the old young again and clear and brighten the eyes. Absorb the subtle vital essence of the empty direction, beat the drum in the Jade Pool, breathe the mysterious clarity, and use the Cloud Sprout method as well. Rinse and wash with the pure spring to help replenish moisture; then both Qi and constitution will be healthy.” It also says: “The Flower-Rich Youth, when filling and guarding the stomach in the □ direction amid empty blue, can use honey to make the old young again and make the eyes clear and bright. Empty blue guards and nourishes the fluids; thus the intestines are full and □ light.”

It also says: “Thus, after a thousand counts”—the specific meaning is unclear and may refer to the number or duration of cultivation practices—the effects begin to manifest. Lifespan then increases with the passing years, and the longer one lives, the more deeply the medicine takes effect; in the end, one can ascend to the celestial court. After taking a full dose, life no longer declines. ‘The Five Clouds give birth to the body; the body’s spirit, Qi, and essence…’ The Green Youth says: ‘A lifespan of a thousand years’ refers to this very dose. Hence the saying, ‘A thousand counts bring one opening’: taking ten doses can bring a lifespan of ten thousand years. The elders of the five directions descend upon those who cultivate the Green Essence; when divine spirits possess them, they become perfected beings.”

The Taiji Perfected One’s blue-essence dry stone □ rice is a spiritual recipe used by the high immortals. A commentary explains: “This plant has the vital energy of blue essence, and substances such as cinnabar and azurite are added to it to make dried rice; hence the name ‘blue dry stone □ rice.’ The character ‘□’ is pronounced ‘xun.’ This is a spiritual recipe used by the high immortals of the various palaces, not a lower form of cultivation. The blue rice produced on the western mountain of Yuzhang and the blue dragon rice of Wu and Yue are both this kind of rice.”

Blue rice is loose in texture and readily absorbs the properties of medicinal substances. Pound the branches and leaves of the Nanzhu plant and extract their juice; soak blue dragon rice in the juice, then prepare it as medicine and take it. Nanzhu is a tree, but it resembles a herb, which is how it got its name. It is also known as “monkey medicine,” “male continuation,” “houzhuo,” “weina tree,” and “king of herbs and trees,” among other names. It grows in the mountains of Songgao and Shaoshi, Baodu and Jitou, and many other famous mountains; it is not confined to these places. It is especially abundant in the Jiangdong region of Wu and Yue. Local people call it “monkey shu” or “dyer shu.” Its fruit resembles that of the gardenia, and its shape is like a vegetable flower. The Inner Biography of Lord Wang, the Perfected One of Clear Emptiness records its method of use in greater detail.

The Precious Scripture of the Upper Origin says: “If people consume the vital essence of the king of herbs and trees, they can communicate with the spirits; if they consume the fluids of the blue candle, their lifespan will never end.” Here, “blue candle” refers to the blue-essence Nanzhu. The scripture holds that taking it enables one to become an immortal.

It also says: Regularly rinsing the mouth with the Dark Pool (the saliva in the mouth) can nourish the six fluids. The commentary says that diligently cultivating the Way of “Cloud Sprouts” can replenish the Qi of the six viscera. Kongqing is a superior elixir for people of empty radiance and youthful appearance; it includes both mineral and herbal medicines. Jing wood, which the Yin Talisman of the Six Jia says is also called yanglu, kongshu, and zhuangjing, is a medicine that nourishes the Qi of the viscera. The Inner Scripture of the Six Jia of Shangqing records the Supreme Method of Inner Contemplation of the Five Emperors in the Jade Palace of Shangqing, the Supreme Method of Inner Contemplation and Spirit Communication through the Six Jia of Shangqing’s Numinous Flight, and the Supreme Method of Consecrating the Numinous Flight of the Perfected One of Clear Emptiness.

The Scripture of the Eight Elements says: The Sun’s essence is red and contains metal essence; it is the quintessence of stone radiance and the Water Mother. Refine it within the Sun’s soul, and its essence-light will shine forth in eight rays. After taking it, Jing and Qi will fill the hidden pass, the body will radiate a wondrous brilliance, and one’s lifespan will equal that of the Sun and Moon. The Moon’s yellow radiance should be bathed in numinous light as it passes through the Eastern Well on the twenty-fifth day of each month, cleansing and brightening its rays until its vivid yellow radiance appears. Those who wish to become immortals should gather this yellow radiance at the Eastern Well on that day and take the Yang essence within the Moon’s soul. Let it moisten the body’s nine apertures and settle the Shen Qi in the palaces of the five viscera; cultivating this Way makes it possible to ascend to the Moon Court. The Moon’s soul is within the Eastern Well, which is the gateway through which the Sun and Moon’s light communicates.

The Scripture of the Three Origins and the True One says: After Su Lin took the Preserving-Spirit Pine Soot, Flowing Azure-Purple Pills, he was able to ascend to the Moon Court. The Moon’s soul is within the Eastern Well, which is the gateway through which the Sun and Moon’s light communicates.

The Scripture of the Three Origins and the True One also says: After Su Lin took the Preserving-Spirit Pine Soot, Flowing Azure-Purple Pills, he could live forever, pass out of Yin and enter Yang, and shine with a complexion as bright as jade.

It also says that the Perfected One Juanzi declared: If one is determined to take immortal medicines, one must first eliminate the Three Corpses (spirits believed in Daoism to dwell in the body, harm a person’s body and mind, and record their misdeeds). Until the Three Corpses are eliminated, even abstaining from grain and the five flavors will not kill the worms within the body. One will feel heavy and sluggish, and dreams will be unreal, often turned upside down and confused. Evil thoughts and desires cannot be dispelled because the Three Corpse worms remain within the body and disturb the Five Spirits (the spiritual beings within the human body).

It is also said that the method of refining an Immortal Elixir is the practice of the Supreme One’s Eightfold Appropriate Flying Essence Elixir. There is also a method for preparing a pill that subdues the spirits of insects. It is further said that Master Qin Gao received methods for stabilizing and controlling the breath and extending life, and practiced arts that replenish Jing and Qi and return them to their source.

The Upper Scripture of the Precious Sword says that the Taiji Curved Dawn Eightfold Radiance Flying Essence is called the “Numinous Elixir of the Taiji Hidden Radiance and Recorded Form.” After taking it, one can soar above the clouds and fly through the open sky.

The Three Origins Jade Register says that the True King of the Nine Heavens rides a nine-colored phoenix.

The Scripture of the Three Ways in Their Proper Order says that the Lord of the Primordial Origin of the Southern Pole received the essential instructions for following the three ways in their highest and proper order. These include methods for using yellow Qi and Yang essence: gathering and guiding the radiance of numinous clarity, drinking Imperial Blossoms, and tilting the head back to swallow the Qi of the Flying Root; visualizing the Seven Luminaries—the sun, moon, and five planets—within Purple Dawn. The Three Radiances, symbols of the light of the sun, moon, and stars, shine down from above. The Seven Essences guard the carriage, the Five Numinous Ones weave around it, and the divine spirits of the Four Offices form a written register. The Western Tortoise establishes the adept’s Immortal Register, and the name is entered in High Dawn.

The Fourth Scroll of the Hidden Instructions for Ascending to Perfection says that the Perfected One of Taiji consumes the cloud buds of the Four Extremities.

The Upper Scripture of the Precious Sword says that the immortal mushroom and herb of Hu are flowers that carry one aloft; there is also an incense of restored life, which comes from Jade-Honey Mountain.

The Scripture of the Golden Root says: “Feast on rosy clouds, swallow the breath, and chew the Mysterious Root.”

The Great Existence Upper Scripture says that the Three Ones of the Celestial Emperor in the Muddy Pellet are the sovereigns of the spirits throughout the body, the root of life for all the gods, the source of bodily fluids, and the jade chamber where the hun and essence reside. Thus, the stomach pool is square in form, fit to receive food, while the brain palace is round, open, and receptive, suited to the peaceful dwelling of the Perfected Spirits. The body hair stands like a forest, and smoke seems to rise from its thousand openings. Virtue is complete and in harmony with Heaven and Earth, blending into the deep and mysterious realm; hence it is called the “Muddy Pellet.” The Muddy Pellet is the spirit that dwells in the upper part of the human body.

It is also said that, inward from the space between the eyebrows, Bright Child, the Perfected Lord, is on the left, and Bright Woman, the Perfected Lady, is on the right; in the middle…

It is also said that about one inch inward from the space between the eyebrows are Ming Tong, the True Lord on the left; Ming Nü, the True Officer on the right; and the Divine Lord of the Bright Mirror in the center. Together, these three deities govern the “Palace of Brightness,” the inner palace corresponding to the area between the eyebrows in the human body. Four jade bells hang from their waists, and they hold jade mirrors in their mouths. Both the bells and the mirrors are made of red jade.

When a Daoist feels afraid, they can visualize these three deities ringing their jade bells, sending the sound up to Taiji, the heavenly realm in Daoism. They can then visualize the deities spitting out their jade mirrors, whose light shines for ten thousand leagues. Seeing the three deities breathe red Qi into their mouths and fill them with it can calm a thousand kinds of demons and dispel ten thousand kinds of ghosts. When hungry or thirsty, a Daoist can inhale and swallow this red Qi. After a while, they can visualize themselves breathing out red Qi and filling their mouths with it, then inhale and swallow it; it is said that this brings fullness in moments.

In addition, every morning they should swallow the saliva in their mouths thirty times, then rub their faces and massage their eyes, making these practices part of their daily routine. They should visualize the saliva transforming into nourishing fluid.

The Scripture of the Cavern of Truth of the Mysterious Classic of the Great One says: To visualize and absorb the Qi of the sun and moon, first understand their forms. The sun’s body is round, while its shadow-image is square; the moon’s essence is square, while its form is round. The sun’s shadow is concealed within the sun’s body, and the moon’s essence is hidden within the moon’s form. The sun’s shadow is red, and the moon’s image is yellow: these are the souls of the sun and moon. Only after understanding this method can one… square image.