《太上灵宝净明中黄八柱经》

Human life is endowed with upright Qi (vital energy) and comes into being by according with harmonious Qi. Within the body there is pure and unitary Qi, which preserves the most genuine primordial Qi. Only when Yin-Yang is harmonized does illness fail to arise; only when the bodily form is firm and stable can one guard the Danyuan (the root of Jing [essence] and Qi within the human body). Only when primordial Qi is not depleted can life be complete. Therefore, the Dao (the Way) of the Central Yellow takes uprightness and fitting propriety as its foundation.

One who understands this foundation will neither slant away from nor go against the correct Dao, nor fall into impropriety and bias. Such a person understands the respective positions of above, below, and the four directions, knows why things exist, and can penetrate the root causes on which their continued existence depends. Knowing where one stands, one does not lose direction; penetrating the principle of continuance, one does not let the mind’s intent slip away. To discern direction and to understand the mind’s intent is called the correct Dao. Only one who has truly entered deeply into the Dao can achieve this. If one does not enter deeply into the Dao, one abandons the root to chase the branches, cannot return to the true center, and the Dao of the Central Yellow goes astray.

“Center” refers to position, and “yellow” refers to color. Understanding its position, one will not become lost; recognizing its color, one will not cling to color either. Only by clinging neither to position nor to color can one obtain what truly ought to be obtained. Now, when the Qi of the Yellow Heaven (Qi symbolizing the center, the true middle) fills the chest, one can understand one’s own original authenticity, without confusion or error. This is called “xin” (sincere trust).

What is meant by ultimate sincere trust? Trust lies within one’s own person, like the Huangzhong mode (a pitch in ancient musical theory that symbolizes the center). When the Qi of central harmony manifests, the year’s harvest is abundant. If a person can be like this, one may guard the One (exclusively guarding the mind and Shen [spirit] so that they become concentrated and settled). When the cultivation of guarding the One succeeds, the Eight Pillars (the eight foundational supports of cultivation spoken of in the scripture) are established; once the Eight Pillars are established, the Golden Elixir shines with brilliant light. When three thousand merits have been accumulated, one can pace the void and ascend (treading emptiness and rising into the immortal realm).

Beneath the title “The Second Chapter: The Scene of the Yellow Court,” only the chapter title is given; the main text is not provided.

When primordial chaos first opened, the principles of heaven and earth on the Divine Continent stood revealed. As the human body took form, the functions of the five sense organs—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body—became manifest as well. Heaven and earth were established, and Qian and Kun (heaven and earth, Yin-Yang) took shape, just as a swarm of bees builds its comb and ants heap up their nest. Beyond heaven and earth there are heavens and earths still; within the six directions (above, below, and the four quarters), could there not be yet another six directions? To grasp the principle of Qian and Kun and the meaning of the six directions, one may examine them in one’s own person: within the human body, too, heaven and earth each rest in their rightful place.

The Capital of Azure Radiance is the proper palace of the liver; the Mansion of Crimson Brightness is the proper chamber of the heart; the Vista of White Radiance is the proper station of the lungs; the Commandery of Dark Mystery is the proper tower of the kidneys. The spleen occupies the center and is known as the Yellow Court (Huangting). Its halls are of gold and its gates of jade; the jade gate is like the mouth of a valley, colored like steamed millet. In the palace dwells the Perfected (zhenren) Ma, wearing robes woven of gold thread and seated, in the manner of a youth, upon a golden lotus. His name is Ruizhu, and his style name is Yaoxian. One who can recognize his features may share the longevity of heaven.

Keep watch over these palaces and mansions; by constantly visualizing and holding in mind the divine perfected beings within them, one may enter a realm profound, far-reaching, and mysteriously subtle.

Empty Four Valleys, Chapter Three

The eyes are where the light of Shen (spirit)—the inner brightness of the spirit—gathers; the ears are where harmonious sound—the sound of attunement—gathers; the mouth is where the numinous spring—pure, clear fluids—gathers; and the nose is where pure fragrance gathers. One who understands the Dao (the Way) of the Central Yellow—the path of cultivation that takes inner rectitude, emptiness, and stillness as essential—sees so that nothing the eyes behold fails to accord with proper seeing, and thus the light of Shen shines bright; hears so that nothing the ears receive fails to accord with proper hearing, and thus harmonious sound grows deep; does not let the mouth eat and drink recklessly, so that the numinous spring remains pure; and does not let the nose smell mixed vapors recklessly, so that true fragrance becomes fragrant. All of this comes about of itself.

When evil desires do not come to intrude, upright Qi (vital energy)—Qi that is pure, correct, and peaceful—becomes manifest. When upright Qi is manifest, this is called “empty tranquility,” that is, emptiness, stillness, and peace. Empty tranquility is like a bellows: it can be worked up and down, and upright Qi accordingly converges and circulates, yet does not lodge and stagnate in any one place within the body. The mind within is vast and far-reaching, open and lucid—this is the state in which upright Qi is manifest and one rests in emptiness and stillness.

Not allowing the mind and Shen to drift into delusive thoughts is true cultivation. Once one can return to what is genuine, one can attain the Dao. The Dao need not be sought outside; it is originally within oneself. Should the four valleys once lose their purity, a person departs from the Dao. Taking emptiness and stillness as one’s functioning, the inner mind becomes rounded, integrated, and thoroughly transparent. When the light of the spirit turns back to shine inward, one can enter a realm of calm and clarity. It is like a great house whose windows on all four sides stand high, open, and bright: dwelling within, one naturally sees with clarity. Therefore one must set the Central Yellow aright. What is called the Central Yellow is making the four valleys empty, still, and luminously clear.

“Blocking the Two Openings,” Chapter Four

The “two Dui” are the two portals through which Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) leak away. People are prone to early death and aging because the orifice in front injures Jing, while the orifice behind injures Qi. When Jing is damaged and cannot be firmly retained, one indulges desire and acts recklessly; this is called the “Dui of unrestrained flow.” When Qi is depleted and easily exhausted, and is then discharged at will, this is called the “Dui of thieving flow.”

Those skilled at nurturing Jing and Qi exercise restraint beginning with their thoughts. Deliberation arises from the spleen, so distracting thoughts must be stilled; the generation of Qi is bound up with food and drink, and food and drink are likewise governed by the spleen, so the diet must be moderated. When distracting thoughts are stilled, true Jing can be firmly held within the body and will not be shaken by craving for beautiful form. When the diet is moderated, true Qi can be preserved within the body and will not be scattered by craving for fine flavors. Once the proper principle of these two orifices is understood, the middle field (Zhongtian—the midsection of the body, the inner region spoken of in cultivation) can be stabilized and nourished. When the middle field is stable, it contributes to longevity. Therefore, in cultivating the Dao (the Way) of Zhonghuang (the Central Yellow), these two orifices must be sealed.

Opening the Two Caverns, Chapter Five

The “two caverns” are important sites of the spirit palace (the place within the body, as spoken of in cultivation, where Shen (spirit) and Qi reside). They are also the root from which the medicine of immortality is generated, and the channels along which Qi and fluids circulate. The crown of the head is the “Cavern of Qianling”; if it can be opened, it may serve as the portal through which Qi enters and leaves. The upper palate is the “Cavern of Yushen”; if it can be opened, it may serve as the pass through which essence-fluid enters and leaves.

For those who cultivate Zhonghuang, the four valleys (the passages through which food and drink enter the body) are empty, so external pathogens cannot invade; the two Dui are sealed, so the inner upright Qi does not disperse recklessly. They therefore still distracting thoughts and moderate the diet. By guiding Qi upward so that the auspicious clouds (Qingyun—cloud-Qi symbolizing the harmonious atmosphere of cultivation) pass in and out of the gate of Qianling, Shen may take flight. By taking the fluids in the mouth, rinsing and swallowing them, so that numinous fluid wells forth from the spring of Yushen, one may irrigate the golden cauldron (the inner organ or realm of cultivation) and cause the wholesome grain to grow lush. Only by obtaining the essential method of Zhonghuang for opening the caverns can one be said to have entered the ranks of the great immortals. To understand and master these essentials is the foundation of attaining the Dao.

The body is the dwelling in which spirit (Shen) abides. In terms of physical form, it may be called the “hall of the brows” (meiyu); in terms of Qi (vital energy), the “hall of Qi” (qiyu); and in terms of innate nature, the “hall of great stability” (taiding zhi yu)—a calm and lucid abode. If one wishes spirit to abide long within the body, the best means is to raise the pillars. The pillars are the main frame of a house, and primordial Qi (yuanqi), the innate and fundamental vital energy, is like the foundation. Only with primordial Qi as the foundation can the eight pillars stand secure.

What are the eight pillars? Making four places empty and freely open is called the “pillars of fivefold luminosity” (wuming zhi zhu); drawing in two orifices is called the “two poles” (liangji); and opening two cavities is called the “supporting beams” (fudong). With primordial Qi as the base and spirit as the roof, once all is covered and settled, spirit can dwell within. In this way innate nature is stabilized and the Dao (the Way) of one’s own person is preserved. The Dao is vast and without bounds. If a person neither sinks nor drifts, a place of rest can be found and the root of life understood. Knowing how to become settled, occupying a fitting position, and setting aright what ought to be set aright, the relation between guest and host is established.

The “guest” spoken of here is comparable to lead and mercury, and the “host” to the heart and the kidneys. Only when heart and kidneys are properly aligned can the Qi of lead and mercury arise; only then may the golden cauldron (jinding), a symbol of refining and nourishing, be set in place and the “great cooking” (dapeng), a metaphor for cultivation by means of the cauldron, be carried out. Thus those skilled in cultivation and study take the body as a secure dwelling and treat seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing as wind and rain. When the eight pillars are raised and the walls set firmly in place, the trouble of disturbance by wind and rain is removed.

One must therefore first grasp the principle, and then discern the appearances that arise in the course of cultivation. Laying the foundation and fixing the orientation is like a ruler establishing a state: facing south, with the back to the north, and governing in accordance with the light. This is the principle.

Chapter Seven: The Proper Position

The Dao resides in the fitting place of central rectitude. When one comprehends the Dao of central rectitude, the mind all at once becomes clear. What is meant by becoming clear all at once? It is like choosing a dwelling: each is settled in its own place…

What is called the Dao (the Way) is to occupy a position of uprightness and balanced harmony. When one grasps the Dao of true centrality, the mind within suddenly opens and becomes clear throughout. What is meant by suddenly opening and becoming clear? It is like choosing a dwelling site by divination: each quarter has a residence suited to it. In front there should be a hall, and behind, living chambers; left and right, front and back, each has its corresponding place—the Azure Dragon on the left, the White Tiger on the right, the Vermilion Bird in front, and the Dark Warrior behind—each keeping to the direction where it belongs. From this one arranges the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), the eight directions and trigram images, establishes the three fields—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers) spoken of in cultivation—understands the transformations of rising and descending, and discerns the seasons and their nodal times; then one can know the principles of nature.

If I do not cling to “clarity,” clarity appears of itself. If I am not stained by external things, staining will not obscure the luminous nature. No state of clarity is greater than “freedom from stain”: one is neither drawn into entanglement by external things nor swayed by them. Recognizing true fruition, preserving true authenticity, taking the correct path, and leaving partial byways, one can rest at ease in perfect harmony, fittingly unmoved. This is the root of upright stability, and also the key to discerning where the cauldron and furnace lie. Once one clearly recognizes where the cauldron and furnace are, one may seek the reverted elixir—the completed elixir spoken of in Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation.

Chapter Eight: Correct Nature

A person has a correct nature and also a deluded nature, yet nature is originally only one; there are not two. Hold to this single original nature and remove deluded thoughts, and the correct nature can be restored. The correct nature is upright and unwavering; it does not depart from the position it ought to keep. This is the root of upright stability, and also the key to discerning where the cauldron and furnace lie. Once one clearly recognizes where the cauldron and furnace are, one may seek the reverted elixir.

Chapter Eight: Correct Nature

A person has a correct nature and also a deluded nature, yet original nature is fundamentally one whole; there are not two kinds. Hold to original nature and remove deluded thoughts, and one obtains its correct nature. The correct nature is upright and does not lose its proper place. It is upright without being bound by the name “uprightness”—why, then, cling to correctness? What is called correctness is bringing what is not correct back to correctness; once the incorrect has returned to correctness, it too becomes correct. Following the place that original nature ought to keep, and according with true authenticity—this is called correct nature.

Original nature is naturally tranquil and even. Because it is even, it can penetrate; because it penetrates, it can be clear. A luminous, limpid original nature is called correct nature.

Chapter Nine: Undifferentiated Containment

The Central Yellow (Zhonghuang) is not something conceived by subjective intention; it inheres in an undivided, seamless understanding. The Eight Pillars of the Central Yellow (Zhonghuang bazhu) do not come from painstaking thought either; once the Central Yellow is present, the eight pillars naturally follow. Only when the pillars are raised can a house be completed; only when the foundation is firm do the pillars stand secure. By inquiring from this undivided understanding, one can grasp the principles of Heaven and Earth; only by grasping those principles can the root of centered uprightness be established.

Thus, without understanding the Central Yellow, one cannot truly be said to know the human being. The distinction between rich and plain in food and drink also expresses the Central Yellow; when the disturbances of right and wrong are cut off and the mind is no longer entangled, this too expresses the Central Yellow. Understand the Central Yellow, and the great Dao (the Way) becomes manifest.

The Eight Pillars of the Central Yellow is a Daoist technical term in the Jing (scripture). Here the Central Yellow is likened to the foundation and pillars of a house, to show that only by grasping the Central Yellow can one understand the principles of Heaven and Earth and establish centered uprightness in daily life and in one’s thoughts.