《上阳子参同契分章注》

Qian and Kun—the Qian and Kun hexagrams in the Book of Changes—are the gateway to the Changes and the foundation of the other hexagrams. Kan and Li hold the whole system together like a framework, as a wheel hub turns its axle. These four hexagrams—Qian, Kun, Kan, and Li—pair Yin and Yang and drive change like the bellows’ air vents, encompassing and governing the patterns of Yin and Yang in motion.

This system is like the rules a craftsman follows when driving a carriage: holding the reins and guiding the horses, he corrects the course with a straightedge, compass, and square, then follows the ruts in the road. Only by keeping to the center can he regulate what moves around him. Its numerical patterns correspond to the ancient systems of pitch and calendar.

A month is divided into five or six stages. The movements of the sun and moon cross like warp and weft, governed by the sun’s rhythm. Together, their cycle makes sixty, with firmness and yielding, Yin and Yang, each having an inner and an outer aspect. At dawn on the first day of each month, the Tun hexagram takes its turn; by evening, it gives way to the Meng hexagram. Day and night are each assigned a hexagram, which rotate in sequence. Even before the month has ended, once the cycle is complete, it begins again. The movements of the sun and moon set the cycle, while the activity and stillness of Yin and Yang each have their appointed times.

Spring and summer mainly draw on the inner aspects of the hexagram images, from the Zi hour through the Chen and Si hours; autumn and winter mainly draw on their outer aspects, from the Wu hour through the Xu and Hai hours. Reward and punishment correspond to spring and autumn; darkness and brightness follow the cold and heat. The hexagram and line statements express benevolence and righteousness, and their joy and anger change with the seasons. In this way, by following the four seasons, the movements of the Five Phases—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—each proceed in their proper measure.

After seeing the Yellow River Chart, Fuxi, the legendary sage ruler of high antiquity, began drawing the Eight Trigrams (Bagua). The Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun put ritual systems into practice, bringing peace to the world. The ancient versions of the Changes followed different sequences: the Xia dynasty’s Returning to the Hidden (Guicang) began with the Kun hexagram; the Shang dynasty’s Linked Mountains (Lianshan) began with the Gen hexagram; and the Zhou Changes (Zhouyi), compiled by King Wen of Zhou, began with the Qian and Kun hexagrams.

In his explanations of the text of the Changes, Confucius said, “Qian and Kun are probably the gateways of the Changes! Qian belongs to Yang, and Kun belongs to Yin.” He also said, “The Zhou Changes begins with Qian and Kun.” When still, the Qian hexagram is single-minded; when active, it moves straight ahead, and so it can bring forth the myriad things. When still, the Kun hexagram gathers inward; when active, it opens out, and so it can bring forth the myriad things in abundance.

The Immortal Master Boyang (Wei Boyang) deeply understood the intentions of the three sages—Fuxi, King Wen, and Confucius. He wrote the Token for Joining the Three According to the Zhou Changes (Zhouyi cantong qi), explaining the Way of the three sages above and guiding people of later generations below. At the very beginning, he states plainly: “Qian and Kun are the gateways of the Changes and the parents of all the hexagrams.”

Shangyangzi explains: Qian belongs to Yang, so it is the “door” of the Changes; Kun belongs to Yin, so it is the “gate.” The Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), the source from which the myriad things of the universe arise before their differentiation, conceives and brings forth transformation. Without the two gateways of Qian and Kun, how could Heaven and Earth establish their positions? How could the sun and moon shine? How could the myriad things transform and come into being? And how could the sages put their Way into practice? Qian moves and proceeds straight ahead, embodying Yang; Kun moves and opens out, embodying Yin. Yin and Yang interweave, giving rise to the Kan and Li hexagrams.

Confucius said, “The Changes contains the Taiji; the Taiji gives rise to the two modes (Yin and Yang); the two modes give rise to the four images; and the four images give rise to the Eight Trigrams.” This describes the sequence of transformations in the Qian hexagram’s “use of nine”: first, by taking the Kun hexagram as its foundation, it forms the Fu hexagram. The Zhen hexagram is then conceived within Fu, which transforms into the Shi hexagram. Kan is conceived within Shi, which then transforms into the Qian hexagram. Gen is conceived within Qian, which then transforms into the Yu hexagram. Zhen emerges from Yu and then transforms into the Bi hexagram.

Kan (☵), representing water, the moon, and Yang contained within Yin, develops from the Bi hexagram. As the Bi hexagram continues to change, it becomes the Bo hexagram; Gen (☶), representing a mountain and the youngest son, then arises from Bo. Thus Zhen, Kan, and Gen—the three hexagrams representing males—are all born from Kun (☷), which represents the earth and Yin.

As Kun puts its six lines into operation, it first joins with Qian (☰), which represents heaven and Yang, forming the Gou hexagram. Xun (☴), representing wind and the eldest daughter, is born within Gou, which then changes into the Tongren hexagram. Li (☲), representing fire and the middle daughter, is born within Tongren, which then changes into the Lü hexagram. Dui (☱), representing a marsh and the youngest daughter, is born within Lü, which then changes into the Xiaoxu hexagram. Xiaoxu gives rise to Xun and then changes into the Dayou hexagram. Dayou gives rise to Li and then changes into the Guai hexagram. Guai gives rise to Dui. Thus Xun, Li, and Dui—the three hexagrams representing females—are all born from Qian.

Yin and Yang, female and male, alternate and combine according to their kind. Qian joins with Kun again, forming the Lin hexagram, which then changes into Tai, Dazhuang, and Guai. This is Yang actively seeking union with Yin. Kun, in turn, responds to Qian, forming the Dun hexagram, which then changes into Pi, Guan, and Bo. This is Yin responding to Yang. Hence the saying that Qian gives birth to the three daughters and Kun to the three sons. Thereafter, the three sons and three daughters take turns combining, like spouses giving birth to one another in succession, and so the sixty hexagrams arise in order. This is what is meant by saying, “Qian and Kun are the parents of the myriad hexagrams.”

What does “Kan and Li form the frame” mean? When a Yang line enters a Yin hexagram, it hollows out the middle of Qian, turning it into Li. When a Yin line enters a Yang hexagram, it fills the belly of Kun, turning it into Kan. Kan and Li therefore inherit the forms of Qian and Kun and become the framework for the transformations of Yin and Yang. The relationship between Qian and Kun, and Kan and Li, is like that between the spokes of a cart and the hub at the wheel’s center: Qian and Kun are like spokes pointing toward Kan and Li, while Kan and Li gather Qian and Kun together, like the hub at the wheel’s center. Laozi said, “Thirty spokes share one hub.” This passage describes the same principle at work in Yin and Yang, both large and small.

In the expression “female and male,” “female” refers to females and is a general term for things of a Yin nature; “male” refers to males and is a general term for things of a Yang nature.

Taken together, the four trigrams Qian, Kun, Kan, and Li represent Yin and Yang joined together, like female and male in union. They work like a bellows, and Yin and Yang wax and wane in turn. “Bellows and its opening” refers to the bellows and the place where air flows out: the bellows symbolizes the portal of Yin, and its opening the portal of Yang. Qian, Kun, Kan, and Li are like a bellows between Heaven and Earth.

All things come into being by following this way of Yin-Yang movement; they are called “things.” Humans come into being by following this way; they are called “people.” Those who cultivate themselves and transcend the ordinary to become sages are called “sages.” Sages are skilled at grasping the workings of creation and at applying the Yin-Yang changes represented by Kan and Li. To grasp the workings of creation is like a master craftsperson using the marking line and square to measure and shape materials: nothing is beyond their ability. To apply Kan and Li skillfully is like a charioteer holding the reins and following the tracks: wherever they go, they can achieve something. Sages can hold the workings of the cosmos in their hands, so that the myriad transformations arise from within themselves.

Sages are skilled at maintaining what is centered and correct, using it to govern external things. They also understand the systems of pitch standards and calendrical calculations, and use them to infer the patterns of vital energy. The “pitch standards and calendrical calculations” were ancient systems for reckoning the seasons and the movements of celestial bodies: pitch standards corresponded to the seasonal phases of creation’s activity, while the calendar recorded the cyclical movements of the heavens. When the Qi of Yang first arises, the pitch standard corresponds to Huangzhong, the first of the twelve ancient pitch standards. The cycle of the heavens begins its reckoning again at the hour of Zi, so the year completes its cycle and Yang Qi is reborn at Zi.

“Five or six sectional periods make a month” means that two solar terms count as one month. Five days make one pentad, and six pentads make one month. A month is about thirty days, and each day is divided into twelve double-hours. Two hexagrams have twelve lines, so two hexagrams are paired with each day as the warp and woof for calculation; sixty hexagrams are paired with each month as its inner and outer aspects.

“On the morning of the new moon, Zhun takes charge; by evening, Meng must take over” means that at the beginning of the month, the Zhun hexagram is in charge in the morning, and the Meng hexagram succeeds it by evening. Zhun has Zhen below and Kan above. Zhen symbolizes the eldest son, who can bring forth again the Yang Qi within Kan and carry out the work of generating the myriad things; hence it is said that “Zhun takes charge.”

With Gen above and Kan below, the two trigrams form the Meng hexagram. Gen symbolizes the young man, who can gather the Yang Qi contained in Kan and cultivate it gently. Thus it is said, “The Meng hexagram should receive.”

“Two hexagrams for each day and night” means that a full day and night correspond to two hexagrams. Yin and Yang are present in all sixty hexagrams, and their alternating activity brings about growth and cultivation. The dark moon and new moon mark the beginning and end of a month; dawn and dusk call for careful attention to activity and stillness within the day; and the four seasons determine the rewards and punishments of the year. Reward those who accomplish good, and punish those who ruin things. In meting out rewards and punishments, one should act in accordance with benevolence and righteousness and keep joy and anger within due measure, thereby aligning with the patterns of the seasons and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water).

This chapter summarizes the main purpose of the Cantong qi: throughout the book, Qian and Kun serve as the gateways to the Yi. It does not discuss Golden Elixir substances and the timing of the firing process in every passage.

More than a hundred people have annotated this book, yet few have deeply understood its hidden meaning. Although Zhenyizi Peng Xiao understood the substances and firing process, he did not clarify the text’s structure. As a result, he interpreted every chapter and section as being about alchemical substances and the work of the elixir cauldron. This may lead later readers to force connections where none exist. One should understand that the Immortal Master wrote this book without repeating himself: the upper section explains the transformations of Yin-Yang and the purpose of refining the Great Elixir; the middle section details the methods of reversal, nurturing, and preventing mistakes; and the lower section uses symbols to describe the process of completing the Elixir. The upper section presents its teachings in sequence, while the middle section lays them out point by point. How could these be lumped together without distinction?

Shangyangzi divided the whole book into chapters and annotated each one. He divided the upper section into fifteen chapters, corresponding to the meaning of obtaining the Elixir at the first quarter; the middle section into fifteen chapters, corresponding to the Elixir’s completion at the last quarter; and the lower section into five chapters, corresponding to the completion numbers of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). He combined related passages into single chapters, carefully examined the Immortal Master’s original intent, and presented it in sequence. Using profound language, he directly pointed out the details of transformation involved in the Golden Elixir, the medicinal fire, and the cauldron vessel, making the teachings easier for later readers to grasp. By following the practice, they may rise from the ordinary world to the sacred realm and become Buddhas or immortals. As for the secret methods transmitted from heart to heart and taught from mouth to ear, he did not dare put them on paper.

Alas, the virtue and capacity of people in the world are shallow, and they are quick to slander. For this reason, the sages of old left teachings for later generations, but did not lightly reveal Heaven’s secrets; instead, they scattered them throughout the classics. The Zhouyi, transmitted from King Wen to Confucius, expounds this Dao; the “Golden Elixir,” transmitted from the Yellow Emperor to Laozi, expounds this Dao as well.

The “Great Vehicle” (Mahayana Buddhism) transmitted by tradition from Shakyamuni and Bodhidharma speaks precisely of this Dao. With compassion, sages employ skillful means to guide people, hoping they will come to understand the Dao. It truly is a ladder for beings to practice upon and a raft to ferry them across, as well as a passage to the other shore that endures through all ages. Who could have foreseen that later generations would each cling to their own opinions, refuse to commit themselves to arduous practice, neglect to seek out a genuine teacher, and fail to understand how things of the same kind resonate with and support one another through Yin-Yang? Instead, each group extols whatever teachings it has heard, straying ever farther from the path.

Some see the Zhouyi and assume it is merely a book of divination and Najia (a method of matching the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to the hexagram lines). How could they understand its principle that “things of the same kind find companions”? Some hear talk of a ding vessel, an implement used in alchemy, and guess that it means smelting metals and minerals. They hear of “gathering” and mistake it for the Three Peaks method of gathering and battling, a bedroom art that seeks to collect vital energy through sexual intercourse. They hear of methods involving deliberate action and suspect heretical teachings; they hear of Wuwei (non-action) and suspect that it means sitting motionless in meditation, sunk in a dead emptiness. They hear of the Great Vehicle and cling to the Chan school’s teaching of emptiness, using it only as a subject for discussion.

They also fail to understand that the sages’ Dao uses Yin-Yang in cultivation in order to transcend Yin-Yang, and uses worldly methods in cultivation in order to transcend the world. How could such people be qualified to discuss the subtle and profound words of the Cantong qi?

In the past, Wang Chongxi grasped Liu Haichan’s intent in the Golden Elixir tradition and attained the Dao. He lamented, “Among the Daoist practitioners in the world, none can understand this Dao; only Zhang Pingshu has managed it.” Zhang Pingshu—that is, Zhang Boduan—met a sage teacher in Chengdu and wrote the Wuzhen pian to instruct later generations. Its meaning is clear and earnest, and its subtle, profound words accord completely with the Cantong qi.

After meeting a sage teacher, Shangyangzi traveled widely, studying with many and seeking instruction. Yet he found that most of what he heard was deceitful talk. Niniwan writes in the Cuixu pian, “In the end, I went to study Chan and saw through so many wild fox spirits.” Today it is not only hard to find someone like Zhang Pingshu; where could one find even someone like Wang Chongxi? Yet some people discourse on Chan and human nature, showing off their shallow, clever opinions. They visit teachers everywhere, but what they say is still mostly deceitful talk. Niniwan writes again in the Cuixu pian, “In the end, I went to study Chan and saw through so many wild fox spirits.”

In recent times, is Wei Boyang (Pingshu) the only one who is hard to find? Where, then, can one find someone like Chongxi? Nowadays, people who talk about Chan and human nature and show off their cleverness are everywhere. Yet among hundreds of millions, it is hard to find even one who can enter this gate and hear the Way of the sages. From this we can see that Chongxi’s words truly came from complete awakening, while Cui Xu’s account is deeply regrettable. The ancients said that those who speak of the Dao are as numerous as hairs on an ox, but those who truly understand it are as rare as horns on a rabbit—how much rarer, then, are those who actually cultivate in accordance with the Dao? A sage of old said, “Most dull people do not understand; they hear it and laugh. Those with the highest capacity understand inwardly; they hear it and grasp the key.” If someone asks what this “aperture” really is, one can tell them: “The aperture is the portal through which Yin and Yang enter and leave.” But would saying this not only deepen their suspicions?

Chapter Two: Qian and Kun Establish Their Positions

Heaven and Earth each establish their positions, and the Dao of change moves within them. Here, “Heaven and Earth” symbolize the Qian and Kun trigrams; “establishing their positions” means arranging the positions in which Yin and Yang correspond. “Yi” refers to the Kan and Li trigrams: Kan and Li are the two transformations through which Qian and Kun exert their functions. These two functions have no fixed line positions. They flow and circulate among the six line positions; their comings and goings have no set place, and their movement up and down follows no constant pattern. They are subtle and hidden, transforming within, encompassing the myriad things, and forming the guiding principles of the Great Dao’s operation. They use the formless to govern the formed; a vessel can perform its function precisely because it contains empty space. Thus, when observing waxing and waning and transformation, the traces of Kan and Li also disappear without a mark.

An argument cannot be invented at will, nor can an explanation arise from nothing. One should cite observable phenomena and effects, assess the subtle changes between Heaven and Earth, infer the meaning of the trigram names from things of the same kind, and use the inherent principles of things as proof. The Wu-Earth within Kan symbolizes the refined Qi of the moon; the Ji-Earth within Li symbolizes the sun’s brightness. The sun and moon together are called “Yi.” Hardness and softness correspond to one another; Earth Qi flourishes at the end of each of the four seasons and runs through their beginnings and endings. Blue-green, red, black, and white each occupy one of the four directions, yet all receive the influence of Wu and Ji Earth in the central palace.

The Xici says, “The exalted and high is Heaven; the humble and low is Earth. From this, the Qian and Kun trigrams are established.” The Immortal Elder explains, “Heaven and Earth each have their place, and within them the Way of change operates.” He further explains, “Heaven and Earth are symbols of Qian and Kun. That they each rest in their proper place means that Yin and Yang are arranged in their respective positions and work in concert. The ‘Changes’ spoken of here refer to the Kan and Li trigrams; Kan and Li are the forms through which Qian and Kun put their powers into effect.”

The Immortal Elder explains this in such detail because his concern is sincere. He does not think that people will refuse to believe; he is simply afraid that their dullness will keep them from understanding. The Xici also says, “Yin and Yang divide and transform, appearing in alternation as yielding and firm; thus the Yi is made up of six lines, which form the hexagrams.”

The “two functions” refer to the use of nine in the Qian hexagram and the use of six in the Kun hexagram. They have a function, but do not belong to any fixed line position. “Use nine: when a host of dragons appears without a chief, good fortune” describes the noble person who follows the Dao and brings De to its highest degree. “Use six: beneficial to remain steadfast” describes Kun’s De as being in accord with the Great Dao. The way of Kun is like the way of a wife, a minister, or the Earth: it does not achieve things independently, but completes them on behalf of others and brings all things to their end.

For this reason, Kun cannot fulfill its function through Yin alone. By following the way of Qian, Kun can move together with its kind. Qian’s use of nine works in concert with Kun, just as “in the southwest, one finds companions”—that is, finding help from one’s kind in the southwest. Through the transformations of Qian and Kun, all things settle into their own nature and life.

Qian’s initiating function, through the use of nine, joins with Kun: Yang contains Yin, and emptiness gives rise to the Li trigram. Kun’s original function, through the use of six, receives Qian: Yin contains Yang, and fullness gives rise to the Kan trigram. In this way, Kan and Li fully reveal the nature of Yin and Yang and put it into effect through change. They contain and nourish the myriad things, while the generative process never ceases.

This is like the sun and moon continually moving in the sky, as the moon waxes toward its first quarter and fullness, then wanes into darkness and begins anew. It is also like the Yin and Yang within the human body, continually changing: at times they appear as Taiji, the integrated state in which Yin and Yang are not yet divided but contain one another, and at times they enter a state of ceaseless transformation. The Dao of change shifts and returns again and again. Through Kan and Li, it reveals the nature of Yin and Yang and, amid transformation, contains and nourishes the myriad things; the generative process never ceases.

The patterns of the Changes are constantly shifting, with no fixed or unchanging state. If the Qian and Kun trigrams do not appear, the principle of change cannot be seen. The sages therefore purified their thoughts, gathered their spirit, and concealed it in the subtle depths, thereby moving against the course of change in the Changes.

In the Zhou Changes written by King Wen, each hexagram has six lines. Hence the saying, “The six positions form a pattern,” and the description of hexagram images circulating and changing among the “six empty spaces.” Yin and Yang come and go, waxing and waning without a fixed measure; the rise and decline of the images above and below are likewise never constant. When the Qian hexagram changes from its first line, it becomes Gou, and changes step by step until it becomes Kun. When Kun changes from its first line, it becomes Fu, and changes step by step until it becomes Guai. Qian and Kun can also transform into the hexagrams of the three sons and three daughters, changing through their interactions. All sixty-four hexagrams can undergo successive transformations. A hexagram, together with its wandering-soul and returning-soul forms—two kinds of transformation in the changing of hexagrams—can thus evolve into eight hexagrams in all. Accumulating these transformations further, one hexagram can be derived into sixty-four, and the sixty-four can in turn multiply through change into 4,096 hexagrams.

The Fu and Gou hexagrams give birth to one another, each receiving the Qi of Yin and Yang and bringing forth the ceaseless generation of all things under Heaven. These changes all follow the way of Yin and Yang. At times, the Qi of Yin and Yang lies hidden within the human body; at others, it is concealed within the particular forms of all things. Sometimes it moves and transforms between Heaven and Earth, embracing all things; sometimes it brings about growth and decline, forming the governing order of the Great Dao’s workings. Without the two forces of Qian and Kun sustaining this order, the wondrous workings of the Great Dao might come to a halt.

“Use emptiness to govern fullness: a vessel can serve its purpose precisely because it contains empty space.” Why speak separately of “emptiness” and “fullness”? Because the unfolding of Taiji has a distinction between the precelestial and the postcelestial. What is precelestial? That which is above form is called the Dao: it is a return from fullness to emptiness. What is postcelestial? That which is below form is called a vessel: it is a passage from emptiness into fullness. Laozi said, “The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of the myriad things.” Haichan, a Daoist figure, said, “Entering from emptiness into fullness is something all can do; returning from fullness to emptiness—how many can manage that?”

If we trace the waxing and waning of Kan and Li—which represent water and fire and are often used to explain the changes of Yin and Yang—then postcelestial things all belong to the realm of visible vessels and physical forms. In the end, they undergo waxing and waning and return to dissolution. Laozi said, “The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of the myriad things.”

Haichan said, “Everything comes into being from nonbeing; but how many can return from being to nonbeing?” From this we may infer the art of transforming and circulating Kan and Li, symbols of water and fire, Yin and Yang. Things of the postcelestial order all have form and impurities, and undergo waxing and waning, decline and extinction. The Way of the precelestial order is different: it endures, enabling people to attain the state of a sage.

Confucius said, “Act before Heaven’s timing, and Heaven will not oppose you; act in accord with Heaven’s timing, and you must follow it.” People of the world simply follow the patterns of the postcelestial order, and so they pass through life and death, endlessly cycling. Sages are skilled at applying the Way of the precelestial order in reverse. Thus they can extend knowledge and investigate things, rectify the mind and cultivate the self, and endure without perishing. The Book of Changes says that to calculate what has already happened is to proceed forward, while to foresee what is to come is to proceed in reverse. Thus the principle of the Changes lies in reverse calculation.

“Words are not carelessly devised” means that the writings of the various schools were each composed according to their authors’ learning and ability, and so vary in quality. This book is a foundational classic of the Dao, and not a single sentence may be added casually, lest later generations be misled. “Discussions do not arise without basis” means that the Immortal Master, the author of this book, took the Three Sages as models, relied on Yin-Yang, drew images from the sun and moon, and consulted analogous things. He composed this book as a ladder for people to enter the Dao and a raft to carry them across the river.

What does “citing evidence to demonstrate results” mean? Examples include the Yellow Emperor’s ascent to Heaven; Chaofu and Xuyou’s withdrawal from worldly life; Laozi’s transformation of the barbarians and their conversion to Buddhism; and the chickens and dogs of Liu An, King of Huainan, who also became immortals. These are all cited as evidence demonstrating results.

What does “examining and measuring the divine and luminous” mean? For example, when the sun and moon join in brilliance, a sign of clarity appears at the time of Gengzi. The saying “The divine and luminous are made manifest through the person” means that whether one can grasp and explain the subtle principles depends on one’s own insight.

“Deriving meanings from related things and forming characters” means interpreting characters by drawing inferences from the relationships between analogous things. The Elixir arises from the moon; water symbolizes the Kan trigram; the sun and moon together form the character “Change”; and the character “head” symbolizes attaining the Dao. These are all ways of using the forms of characters to explain principles.

“Taking principles as proof” means that when Yin reaches its extreme, it turns into Yang, and when Yang reaches its extreme, it turns into Yin. Following the transformations of Yin and Yang gives rise to people and all things; applying those transformations in reverse refines the Golden Elixir.

“Kan-Wu, the moon’s essence” means that the northern position corresponds to the Kan trigram, which contains true Earth—that is, Yang Earth.

The Roof Mansion (Nü) governs the movement of the stars in this region and presides over the hidden, subtle Yang essence. Wu Earth is its gateway. When the Moon passes through, it is as though a hornless rabbit were concealed there. Its interior is white and its exterior black, so it is called “Yang within Yin”: its outward form belongs to Yin, while its inner nature belongs to Yang.

“Li and Ji, the Sun’s radiance” means that the proper position of the south belongs to the Li trigram, which symbolizes fire and the Sun. Within it is true Earth—that is, Yin Earth. The Willow Mansion (Liu) governs the movement of the stars in this region and presides over hidden Yin radiance. Ji Earth is its gateway. When the Sun passes through, it is as though a three-legged crow were concealed there. Its interior is black and its exterior white, so it is called “Yin within Yang”: its inner nature belongs to Yin, while its outward form belongs to Yang.

The ancients called the Sun and Moon together “Yi,” because Yi means the transformation of Yin and Yang. To speak only of Yin and Yang does not reveal the meaning of Yi; to speak only of Yi does not show the distinction between Yin and Yang. Without Earth, things cannot sprout and grow. The movements of the Sun and Moon, too, depend especially on Earth to bring their workings to completion. Thus, as they travel east, the Sun and Moon pass through the Root Mansion (Di), which belongs to Earth; traveling west, they pass through the Stomach Mansion (Wei), also belonging to Earth; traveling south, they pass through the Willow Mansion (Liu), and traveling north, through the Roof Mansion (Nü), both likewise belonging to Earth. When the Sun and Moon receive Earth, their radiance can endure; through the strength of the Sun and Moon, Earth’s virtue and efficacy grow deeper.

Earth’s workings extend through the four seasons in an unceasing cycle. The springtime sprouting and summer growth are aided by Earth; so too are autumn’s gathering and winter’s concealment. Each season therefore has days when Earth is at its height. Earth also remains for a long time at the center, running through all four seasons and bringing the transformation and growth of things to completion. Though blue-green, red, white, and black correspond respectively to east, south, west, and north, they all receive the workings of Wu Earth and Ji Earth, together fulfilling their virtue and efficacy and bringing forth wondrous transformations.

This chapter explains that Yin and Yang each have their own direction, yet Earth is indispensable whenever they are to function. Whether the subject is the Dragon and Tiger, lead and mercury, or the directions north and south, everything ultimately depends on the workings of Wu Earth and Ji Earth. Together they accomplish their work and virtue, driving wondrous transformations.

This chapter explains that Yin and Yang each have their own direction and proper place. In cultivation, anything that requires their use must be harmonized with the help of Earth. The chapter does not discuss gathering, refining, and forming the Elixir through the Dragon and Tiger, Lead and Mercury, or Metal and Water. The previous chapter first explained where Yin and Yang meet; this one goes on to explain how each returns to its own direction. Other commentators failed to clarify the Immortal’s original intent or the connections between the chapters. They mixed together different subjects and interpreted them in relation to one another, leading later readers to think the Immortal had repeated the same point. This happened because they did not see the sequence woven into his subtle words.

Chapter Three: The Sun and Moon Hang as Images

“Yi” means to take images and to transform. Among the images in Heaven and Earth, none is brighter or more prominent than the sun and moon. By observing subtle transformations, we can understand how the myriad things come into being and change: when Yang Qi has passed through, Yin Qi follows; Yin and Yang turn around one another like the spokes of a wheel, moving in and out, now expanding, now contracting.

The Book of Changes has 384 lines. The trigrams and lines provide the basis for taking the tally; the “tallies” refer to the sixty-four hexagrams. From the last day of the lunar month to the first day, the Zhen hexagram begins to receive the tally of the season. At that moment, Heaven and Earth join and exchange their vital essences, while the sun and moon hold one another in balance. The male Yang disperses its mysterious Yang Qi, and the female Yin nurtures and enfolds it. In the undifferentiated union of Yin and Yang, the myriad things first establish their foundations. Nourished and cultivated thereafter, they take on their first outlines, gather spirit, and form bodies. From this, living beings arise in great number, and all creatures that crawl and wriggle come into being as well.

The commentary says that Confucius taught: “In the principles by which change flows through all things, nothing is greater than the four seasons.”

“Yin’e” refers to the edges and outlines of things in their earliest stage. Here, the text uses the union of the sun, moon, Yin, and Yang, and the nourishment through which the myriad things take shape, to explain the foundation of life’s generation.

A note quotes Confucius: “In understanding the changes and reaching through them, nothing is greater than the four seasons. Among the things suspended in heaven and shining brightly, nothing stands out more than the sun and moon.” The Immortal Master explains this once again, citing these words as evidence.

This book takes the motions of the sun and moon as its model and uses them to illustrate Yin-Yang. Suspended in heaven, the sun and moon have their new moon and full moon, as well as the phenomenon of their conjunction. Moving through the world, Yin-Yang has forward and reverse courses, along with transformations that generate and develop things. The sun is called pure Yang Qi (vital energy), and is also known as “Greater Yang.” The moon is called the pure Yin essence, and is also known as “Greater Yin.”

The circuit of heaven measures 365 and one-quarter degrees. When the heavenly bodies complete one circuit over a day and night, this is counted as one day. The sun moves one degree each day, and about thirty degrees make a month. The moon moves a little more than thirty degrees each day; when it circles heaven once, this is counted as a month. The sun’s movement of one degree is counted as one day.

What does “plumbing the spirit’s workings to understand transformation” mean? The workings of Heaven and Earth are supremely wondrous, and the transformations of Yin-Yang are profoundly mysterious. The Dao of Heaven turns from left to right, completing a circuit each day and traveling more than 550,000 li. Earth lies within the Qi of this celestial motion, like a plank floating on water, and appears motionless. The sun’s spirit is the primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth. The sun itself is clear and luminous; all things depend on its intense Yang fire Qi in order to grow, mature, and bear fruit. A note says the sun’s diameter is a little over 845 li. It does not travel along the Yellow Road or the celestial equator, but moves in and out of the region between them. When the days are long, it travels north of the equator; when the days are short, it travels south of the Yellow Road. The terms north and south, inside and outside, arise because the Purple Enclosure, a region of stars, and the Imperial Seat lie in the north; hence the north is called “inside” and the south “outside.” The mysteries of the sun’s spirit cannot be exhausted.

The moon’s spirit is the most refined substance between Heaven and Earth, and its body is entirely black. All things depend on its Yin-water action to be conceived, multiply, and receive nourishment. A note says the moon’s diameter is a little over 670 li, and that it too does not travel along the Yellow Road or the celestial equator. The Yellow Road and the equator are like two intersecting rings, separated by twenty-four degrees. The moon travels between them, about six degrees from the Yellow Road.

The moon is dark by itself, but shines when illuminated by the sun. Yuanduzhi, a Daoist scholar, explained this principle with a black sphere made of leather. Set beneath the eaves in sunlight, the black lacquered sphere reflects light far enough to illuminate a shadowy wall. The moon’s round form is like this sphere: the side lit by the sun shines, while the side beyond its reach remains dark. Thus one side of the moon is often bright while the other is dim.

At the full moon, the sun and moon are opposite one another. At night, the moon rises in the sky while the sun is on the other side of the earth. The moon’s illuminated side faces the world, and its dark side faces the sky, so people cannot see the dark side. On the last and first days of the lunar month, the sun and moon travel in the same direction, with the moon below the sun. The side illuminated by the sun faces the sky, while the side turned away from the light faces the earth. Only when the moon is about twenty-five degrees from the sun do people on earth see it appear faintly. As the two bodies gradually move farther apart, the moonlight grows. When the moon is about nine to more than ten degrees from the sun, people see half its disk illuminated; this is why it is called a “half moon.” After the full moon, its light gradually wanes. The moon’s form, then, does not truly wax and wane. Its apparent phases arise only from variations in how much sunlight it receives.

Some people think that when the sun and moon are opposite one another, the earth blocks them from each other. They do not understand that the heavens are vast and high: even when Yin and Yang Qi are separated, they can still be linked in hidden ways. The places on the moon that seem blemished, however, are shadows cast by the earth. The sun is large, and the moon small; the sun is far from the heavens, and the moon is farther still. In the moon’s changing course, there remains a mystery that cannot be fully revealed. This is the “spirit of the Great Yin”—the subtle, wondrous principle contained in the moon. This is what it means to “probe the spirit in order to understand transformation”: to investigate deeply the wondrous principles and thereby understand how things change.

The Zi hour marks the beginning of the birth of one Yang. By the Si hour, Yang Qi reaches its height; when Yang Qi is at its height, Yin Qi begins to arise. The Wu hour marks the beginning of the birth of one Yin. By the Hai hour, Yin Qi reaches its height; when Yin Qi is at its height, Yang Qi begins to arise. Cold and heat alternate, while warmth and coolness each wax and wane. When Yin Qi reaches its extreme, Yang Qi is born; as Yang Qi recedes, Yin Qi arrives.

Yin attaches to Yang, like the spokes converging at the hub of a wheel: as the spokes gather toward the center, the wheel turns. Yin Qi contracts, while Yang Qi extends.

“The Yi has three hundred and eighty-four lines; take the tallies according to the lines” means that the Yi has sixty-four hexagrams and three hundred and eighty-four lines in all. Each hexagram has six lines, and each line is divided into three tallies, marking the changes of Yin and Yang. One day corresponds to two hexagrams, which together have thirty-six tallies. When Yin and Yang join, there is no need to wait for a full double-hour or to complete all the changes represented by a line. A double-hour has three tallies, for example, but only one of them is used in practice.

As one tally moves, Yang Qi begins to arise beneath Kun, the hexagram symbolizing pure Yin, forming Zhen, which symbolizes the first emergence of one Yang line. Zhen represents one Yang able to subdue one Yin, hence the saying, “Zhen arrives and receives the tally.”

At this time, Heaven and Earth’s Yin and Yang join, and all things seem to receive Qi and come into being from nothing. The sun and moon hold fast to one another, symbolizing the crow in the sun and the rabbit in the moon—ancient emblems of the sun and moon—joining so that they cannot be parted. Yang is firm, vigorous, and upright, carrying out transformation; Yin is yielding and expansive, bringing things to life and allowing them to harbor the seeds of vitality. In darkness and undifferentiated chaos, Yin and Yang meet; female and male thus begin, and their first union establishes the basis for generation and transformation.

“Quanyu” means a beginning. In ancient times, a weighing device was made by starting with the quan, the counterweight, and a cart by starting with the yu, the carriage body. Here, the term refers metaphorically to the beginning of the process by which Creation gives life to all things. Another interpretation takes quan to mean “temporary” and yu to mean “steady”: even work undertaken temporarily must be done steadily and without error.

One manages a single Qi—that is, regulates and nurtures Qi in motion—to cultivate the yin’e, the foundation from which something first develops. Yang essence is gathered and spread, allowing the bodily form to take shape.

This chapter describes the first division of Taiji, when Yin and Yang begin to move in their ordinary, generative course, thereby giving rise to human beings and all things. The scripture says, “All beings emerge by treading this path; nothing that wriggles moves without it.” This means that all living beings come into existence through this process, and every moving creature follows it. People do not understand how the postcelestial Yin and Yang move in their ordinary course to generate all things. Yet they use the metaphors “Tun at dawn and Meng at dusk,” along with references to the foundation and the yin’e, and then claim that these describe the transformations taking place within the cauldron of the restored Elixir. The commentator considers this interpretation incorrect.

The Sage Looks Upward, Chapter Four

Confucius (Zhongni) praised primordial vastness—the state before Heaven and Earth were separated, when all things first began—saying that the Virtue of Heaven and Earth was profound and subtle. A study of the ancient classics shows that all things arise from the primordial beginning. The “Guanju,” as the opening poem of the Book of Songs, likewise symbolizes a beginning. The capping and wedding rites bring Yin and Yang energies into union, while the start of the calendar year is like the sprouting of plants, which gradually grow and flourish.

Sages do not arise without cause. They observe the celestial patterns above and understand the signs through which the Way of Heaven manifests. The celestial patterns advance and recede; all things bend and unfold in response to the seasons. Thus the Classic of Changes (Yijing) encompasses the workings of the Way of Heaven. The Return hexagram marks the first stirrings of all things, as Yang energy is born anew. The eldest son inherits his father’s vital energy and, through the mother’s body, lays the foundation for growth.

The waxing and waning of Yin and Yang correspond to the twelve pitch standards, the ancient system of musical tones. The rise and fall of Qi follow the pivot of the Northern Dipper. On the third day of the month, the first glimmer of moonlight appears, symbolized by the Zhen trigram and associated with the Geng position in the west. On the eighth day, the moon takes the form of the Dui trigram and is associated with the Ding position; at first quarter, the boundary between light and darkness is straight as a cord. On the fifteenth day, the image of the Qian trigram is complete: the moon is full, associated with the Jia position in the east. The toad and Jade Rabbit symbolize the alternating manifestation of Yin and Yang energies within the moon: the toad corresponds to the stages of the trigrams, while the Jade Rabbit represents the release of radiance.

After seven or eight days, the phase of Yang energy’s movement has run its course. It then curves back, draws inward, and gradually declines. On the sixteenth day, Yin energy takes charge. The Xun trigram is associated with the Xin position and symbolizes moonlight appearing at dawn; the Gen trigram corresponds to the Bing position in the south. The last quarter moon appears around the twenty-third day. By the thirtieth day, the Kun trigram’s associated position, Yi, has been reached: the moon sets in the northeast, and its light disappears.

When one phase ends, the next takes its place. The energy inherited from the previous phase begins to grow anew, like a dragon that rises again after lying concealed. Ren and Gui pair with Jia and Yi; Qian and Kun encompass the beginning and end of all transformations. Seven and eight make fifteen, as do nine and six in correspondence. The four numbers together make thirty: Yang energy is spent, and draws inward to lie concealed.

The Eight Trigrams are distributed in correspondence with the stars in the sky. Though they move and shift, they do not depart from the central course. The subtle, primordial Qi cannot be seen directly; its patterns of movement must be inferred and confirmed through corresponding signs. In stillness, observe the celestial patterns and infer their principles from the forms they present. Set up a gnomon as a standard of measurement, using it to observe the seasons and determine what is auspicious or inauspicious. When issuing commands, follow the seasons and do not miss the moment when the images of the trigrams change.

Look upward to examine the Yellow River Diagram (Hetu), the ancient pattern symbolizing the transformations of Heaven and Earth; look downward to trace the terrain and the courses of the waters. From these, examine the human mind, bringing the principles of Heaven, Earth, and humanity together for comparison. In action, follow the seasons indicated by the trigrams; in stillness, rely on the meaning of the hexagram and line statements. When the principles of Qian and Kun are put into practice, the world can be governed.

The Appended Remarks to the Classic of Changes says, “The Changes contains the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), and the Supreme Ultimate gives rise to the Two Modes.” The Two Modes here refer to Yin and Yang. The commentator says that Confucius was praising and describing how Heaven and Earth were not yet divided, and chaos was just beginning to open. Qian and Kun embody the virtue of a chaotic yet subtle and wondrous state. “Primordial Sovereign” refers to the beginning, when Pangu opened Heaven and Earth; the commentator uses this to explain how Confucius investigated events of remote antiquity.

“Guanju” speaks of the proper way of marriage between men and women and of human relationships, and marks the beginning of ritual propriety between husband and wife. When Confucius compiled the Book of Songs, he placed the way of husband and wife at its beginning to show the principle of Yin-Yang harmony without deviation. In composing his commentary on the Classic of Changes, Confucius began with Qian and Kun to clarify that firmness and yielding must work together. The Appended Remarks says that the Way of the Changes accords with Heaven and Earth and can therefore encompass their patterns. By looking upward at the celestial signs and examining the land below, one can understand the causes of darkness and light. By tracing things back to their beginnings and examining their endings, one can understand the principles of life and death.

What is meant by “primordial beginning”? Following the patterns of Yin and Yang, one brings forth the myriad things and establishes human relationships; this is why the marriage of man and woman is spoken of as a union. This is understanding life. What is meant by “returning to the end”? One can move against the inborn Way—returning to one’s original nature and turning from the flow of generation back toward the source—transcending the ordinary and entering the realm of the sage. Thus it is said, “In the first year, shoots sprout and flourish,” like the growth of all things in their first year of life. This is understanding death.

Long ago, Zilu asked about death. Confucius replied, “If you do not yet understand life, how can you understand death?” The commentator reflects that Confucius was skilled at asking questions and discerning the principles of things. It is a pity that Zilu did not go on to ask about the principles of life and death. As a result, he did not clarify the teachings of the Changes for later generations: how to die by following the natural course and how to return to life by reversing the Way; and how cultivation proceeds by harmonizing with De, pursuing the principles of things, fully manifesting one’s nature, and ultimately reaching one’s heavenly mandate.

Therefore, when the sage came into the world, he looked upward at the celestial signs and examined the land below, carefully discerning Yin and Yang. He took Yin as “confirmation” and Yang as “mandate”—the foundation received at birth that shapes one’s life.

What does it mean that “by observing the celestial patterns above, the heavenly tally can be revealed”? The Yin Qi between Heaven and Earth is called the “heavenly tally,” while Yang Qi is called the “heavenly mandate.” Within the human body, Yin Qi is called the “fire tally,” and Yang Qi is called “nature and life.” As Yin and Yang wax and wane, bending and extending in change, the “tally” marks the seasons of advance and retreat. Only by keeping to the right season can one avoid missing the moment. Thus, the principles of the Yijing are all encompassed by the heart of Heaven. The heart of Heaven is the proper position of the Qian trigram; the Zi hour is the gateway through which Yang Qi of the heart of Heaven first arises.

Qian represents Yang, while the heavenly tally represents pure Yin. When firm Qian Yang first arises beneath the two Yin lines, it becomes the Zhen trigram. Zhen is the eldest son, and it is also reborn from the Kun trigram. “Returning” means that one Yang lies hidden among five Yin lines. Kun is the mother, hence the saying, “Establish the foundation of the signs by relying on the mother’s body.”

The pitch-pipe system of ancient China, which matched musical tones to the seasonal nodes, and the movements of the Northern Dipper both correspond to the Zi hour. The pitch of Huangzhong corresponds to the Zi position, and the Dipper’s pivot likewise begins its course there; both correspond to the moment when the first Yang begins to sprout. At dusk on the third day of the month, the moon’s faint Yang light appears in the southwest. Yang Qi arises in the Zhen position in the north, at the bottom of the lunar body; hence the phrase, “Zhen at Geng receives from the west.”

On the eighth day, the moon reaches its first quarter. The Dui trigram corresponds to Ding Fire, and Yang Qi has risen halfway; the boundary between light and dark across the moon’s face is straight as a taut string. At the full moon on the fifteenth day, the sun sets in the west and the moon rises in the east. The Jade Rabbit in the moon seems to pour out its light, and Yang Qi fills the trigram, forming Qian. At daybreak on the sixteenth day, the Xun trigram appears at the Xin position. The Yin tally envelops Yang Qi so that it does not disperse. On the twenty-third day, the Yin tally has covered more than half of the moon’s light, which settles at the last quarter.

“Kun at Yi on the thirtieth day” refers to the end of the month, when the lunar body is completely dark and brightness and darkness merge into one; its light seems to be drawn back into Heaven. In the phrase “losing companions in the northeast,” the northeast is the position of Gen and also the direction of the Ji constellation; Gen is also called the road of ghosts. Applied to the human body, when Gui Water fills and menstrual flow runs, Qi is depleted. As menstruation nears its end and Gui Water is exhausted, one Yang begins to arise again. For this reason, the scripture pairs Ren and Gui with Jia and Yi: Qian Yang begins to return and passes in sequence through the numbers seven, eight, nine, and six. The cycle ends at thirty; at its conclusion, it becomes Kun, and the true Qi is stored away with it.

This shows that the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) each have fixed directions: Qian and Kan lie in the north, Gen and Zhen in the east, Xun and Li in the south, and Kun and Dui in the west. They interlace with the stars and luminaries of the heavens, turning and shifting with the seasons, yet never deviating from the center. This center is the "Heart of Heaven" (tianxin), that is, the Supreme Central Ultimate (taizhong ji), the most subtle origin between heaven and earth, so fine that it cannot be seen directly.

The sage examines ancient affairs and investigates numerical patterns, taking practical efficacy as the test and corresponding signs as proof. He observes the movements of sun and moon and reasons by imitating their forms. It is like the astronomer who sets up a gnomon to measure the shadow of the sun, using it as a standard to infer the seasons and examine fortune and misfortune. Every command issued must accord with the seasons; by calculating the changes of the hexagram lines, one can know when yang qi begins to stir.

Looking upward to the Hetu (River Diagram), one can understand the pattern of the meeting of yin and yang in the image of Qian. Looking downward to arrange the terrain, one can examine in detail the subtle changes of Metal and Water within the body of Kun. Then, examining the human heart, one issues commands in accordance with the times. Action follows the rhythm of the hexagram images; in returning, one follows the first movement shown by the Zhen trigram; in stillness, one holds to the hexagram statements. Qian's primal power is vast: clouds move, rain falls, and the myriad things thereby take form. Qian and Kun together embody the virtues of breadth, brightness, greatness, and gentle steadfastness. When the signs of heaven are clear, the lay of the land is grasped, and the human heart is upright, one can open the gate of the transformations of Qian and Kun, practice the way of Yin-Yang, and cause heaven and earth, and people and things, each to settle and move in accordance with their own naturalness.

This chapter uses the sage examining ancient affairs and observing the heavens as a metaphor, to explain the union of sun and moon and the functioning of Qian and Kun. It asks one to distinguish yin and yang, to know advance and retreat, and to understand the transformations of creation. One should act according to the forms of things and their corresponding rhythms, and be cautious in grasping movement and stillness. In this way, the order of heaven and earth within the body can be regulated. This chapter speaks of these principles, and does not speak of the methods of drawing in and adding within the Dragon-Tiger cauldron.

Chapter Five: The Ruler and Ministers in Governance

The first task in governing a state is to discard old abuses and open new prospects. One must gather together even the subtlest and most hidden matters, and then open up and display the precious resources. One must grasp the essential principles of governance and hold the guiding threads and pivots of moral instruction. When changes occur within the hexagram lines, auspicious and inauspicious outcomes appear outwardly. The movements of the Five Wefts (wuwei, the five visible planets of the solar system) sometimes become disordered and sometimes proceed smoothly, and they bring corresponding changes with the seasons. When the Four-Seven (the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, ershiba xiu) move out of order, deviations arise and their rising and setting fail to accord.

Wenchang (the star deity who governs literary fortune and official evaluation) oversees the records, while the Taifu (the officials who assist the ruler) are charged with inquiry and reproach, and each rank of officials governs its own affairs. The sun moves in accord with the essences of the Five Phases (wuxing), and the moon follows the rhythm set by the Six Pitch-Pipes (the six yang pitch-pipes among the ancient twelve). Five multiplied by six makes thirty degrees, and once the circuit is complete, it begins anew. By examining the beginnings and endings of things, one can discern the threads of survival and decline. At times a ruler becomes arrogant and indulgent, and at the height of prosperity turns against the proper Dao (the Way). At other times ministers are wicked and fawning, and their conduct departs from the standard of law. If the moon's quarters, full phases, waxing and waning show anomalous changes, this is an ominous sign. The officers of law criticize and denounce faults and pursue accountability, so that the ruler is warned. The North Star (chenji), dwelling at the center and receiving its correctness, rests at ease in employing its ministers. When the ruler issues decrees in the Mingtang (the hall where ancient rulers set policy and deliberated), the state can follow the proper Dao and be spared calamity.

The commentary states that the Immortal Elder (Xianweng) uses the difficulty of governing a state as a metaphor for the difficulty of cultivating the elixir methods. From this we can see that governing the people is as hard as restraining the mind and subduing scattered thoughts in the practice of cultivating the elixir.

The commentary explains that the Immortal Old Man (Xian Weng) uses the difficulty of refining the elixir (lian dan) as a metaphor for governing. From this we can see that ordinary people are hard to govern in the way the mind is hard to bind during alchemical practice, scattered and resistant to restraint. Removing old habits and worldly defilement so that everything begins anew is the first step in governing, and it is called dingxin (renewing the cauldron). Restraining anger, curbing desire, and striving to emulate good conduct whenever one sees it is the root of self-cultivation, and it is called gegu (discarding the old). Whether one governs affairs or cultivates oneself, one must begin with oneself. For the most subtle and hidden places, one must first restrain, examine, and regulate. Only then can affairs of state be well governed and the self be well cultivated.

Confucius said: "To govern through De (Virtue) is like the North Star dwelling in its place, with all the stars turning around it." De is not only for governing affairs. It is also the root of all good conduct, and how could one who refines the elixir lack De? Benevolence, compassion, care, discernment, and sincerity are the conduct of those of superior De. Reverence, generosity, trustworthiness, diligence, and kindness are the means of entering the gate of the Dao (Daomen). In refining the elixir and cultivating practice, one should first achieve kindness and diligence. Kindness can win people's hearts, and diligence can get things done. The phrase kai shu bu bao ("opening, spreading, and distributing the treasures") that the Immortal Old Man speaks of means, outwardly, winning the joy of the common people, and, inwardly, treasuring one's true Qi. This is the essential key to both the cultivation of the Dao and the work of governance.

If one constantly bestows favor and spreads De, one can then gather and transform the guiding threads and pivots within it. The gangniu (guiding threads and pivots) refers to holding the leading principle of the laws. One who is skilled at gathering and transforming them will not be oppressed by the laws when carrying them out. When the signs of the hexagram lines change internally, fortune and misfortune will be verified externally, just as the Five Planets (wu wei) show omens of good and ill whenever their motion becomes irregular or falls into its proper course. The compound in the original, whose first character means "to change" and whose second means "to move," also expresses a similar idea. Here it describes the Four Quadrants and the Seven Lunar Mansions (sifang qi xiu), the ancient divisions of the heavens, whose motion goes astray and whose positions shift, each responding to the others above and below.

Wenchang is the principal star of the Taiwei enclosure (Taiwei yuan), an astronomical region. The name also refers to six stars arranged like a basket beside the head of the Big Dipper, called the Nanji Tongxing (the Star That Governs the Southern Pole). It is regarded as a symbol of the Vermilion Bird spirit (Zhuque shen) within the human body, and it governs the register that records a person's name for longevity.

The Star of Xujing (Xujing zhi xing) is the chief and governing star of the Three Platforms (Santai), the foremost of the stars of that asterism. In the human body it symbolizes the Lord of the Bright Hall (Mingtang), presiding over the enlightenment and moral teaching of the people through De (Virtue). The Star of Dongwei Yinguang (Dongwei Yinguang xing) is an assistant star in the Purple Forbidden Enclosure (Ziwei yuan), also known as the Two Stars that Honor the Emperor. In the body it symbolizes the Spirit of the Dark Warrior (Xuanwu). Legend holds that a practitioner who can see this spirit may live a thousand years. The joints and the various spirits distributed throughout the body each govern the regions that belong to them.

Cultivating Neidan (internal alchemy) is bound up with the workings of creation and transformation, and so it is even more difficult than governing the state. Here the text again uses the stars to describe the human body. The phrase "the sun joins the Essence of the Five Phases" means that the positions where the sun meets the five planets differ from month to month. In the first, second, and third months of the lunar calendar (Zi, Chou, Yin), the meeting occurs in the north; in the fourth, fifth, and sixth (Mao, Chen, Si), in the west; in the seventh, eighth, and ninth (Wu, Wei, Shen), in the south; and in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth (You, Xu, Hai), in the east.

In the time of Emperor Yao, the Zi position marked the beginning of the year. In the winter solstice of the year Jiachen, the sun was in the lunar mansion of Xu. When the Taichu calendar (Taichu li) was established in the Han dynasty, the winter solstice sun lay in the mansion of Niu. During the Daayan calendar (Daayan li) of the Tang dynasty, it lay in the mansion of Dou, and from the Song dynasty onward it has lain in the mansion of Ji. This gradual shift in the lunar mansion containing the sun at the winter solstice is called axial precession (suicha). Therefore, when the sun receives the aid of the Fire and Earth phases, its light grows stronger, and when it receives the aid of the Metal and Water phases, its colors become more vivid.

"The moon receives the order of the six pitch-pipes (liu lü ji)" means that the moon moves according to the six pitch-pipes in marking time. The lü belong to yang, and the lü (the pitch-pipes' yin counterparts) belong to yin. The yang number is five and the yin number is six, and together they make thirty. When the moon has traveled thirty degrees, the sun and moon meet again, which is why the text says "when the degrees are exhausted, the cycle begins anew." The cyclical movement of sun and moon produces the crescent, the full moon, the dark of the moon, and the new moon. In the world, the alternation of cold and heat follows the changing phases of the moon, and people pass through birth, aging, sickness, and death as the seasons of cold and heat succeed one another.

To trace back the beginnings of things is to let life endure; to grasp their ends is to keep life from perishing.

Sometimes the ruler is compared to the mind and the minister to the body: the mind is the master self, and the body is the physical form that carries it. If the mind grows proud and complacent, or if the body contends with the mind and does not run according to the proper measures, it will be like the moon falling out of step with its quarters and full phases. Waxing and waning go awry, and calamity follows. Officials charged with enforcing the law will then censure the ruler and inquire into his faults. The Northern Star (Chenji, also called the Southern Pole) moves steadily and commands the constellations with ease, and the Mingtang (the officials who assist the ruler) diligently carry out good governance, so the state has no perverse or disordered affairs. The state may also be likened to the body: when the body is stable and the breath is harmonious, it will not obstruct the cultivation of the Dao.

This chapter uses the governance of a state by its ruler as a metaphor for cultivating the self and refining the elixir. When the right people are appointed and suitable policies are enacted, all under heaven is at peace. When one cultivates oneself and devotes oneself wholeheartedly to establishing one's destiny, the Way of the Elixir (Dandao) is accomplished. Other editions lack the phrase "reforming the old and introducing the new" after "the first of governing affairs." This book has circulated for a long time, and later readers, not understanding its profound and mysterious teachings, introduced many errors across the editions. Zhu Xi corrected several hundred characters, but even he could not complete the task fully. Without the guidance of a true master, it is difficult to distinguish what is authentic from what is spurious.

Chapter Six: Refining the Self and Establishing the Foundation

Cultivate the self within, so that the mind is settled, pure, and empty. Let the light that is inherently yours remain concealed, and turn your gaze inward upon your own form. Gather the gates of the senses and consolidate the root of the spirit. Let the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars seem to sink into hiddenness, and nourish the elixir pearl gently. It cannot be seen, yet it is close within the body and easy to attain. The Huangting (the central region within the body) gradually opens, and the nourishing qi moistens the entire body. Practice begins correctly and is only later perfected; though the foundation has been established, one must not yet rely on it. The true meaning that runs through all things remains obscured, and the world does not know it.

The commentary says: "Nurturing the self" means cultivating oneself without cease throughout one's whole life. Confucius said: “”

The commentary says that "nurturing the self" means cultivating one's body and mind throughout one's whole life. Confucius said: "The gentleman first cherishes his own person before he acts; first makes his mind upright before he speaks; first secures his relationships before he seeks anything. The gentleman who has mastered these three matters is thereby able to preserve himself." The sage reflects deeply and examines human feelings thoroughly. Acting, speaking, and seeking are the essential principles for reaching the sage's realm, and also the key to nurturing oneself. Treasuring jing (essence) and keeping qi (vital energy) abundant is nurturing the self. Facing external circumstances without being swayed by thought is refining the self (lianji). Remaining tranquil in ordinary times yet responding well when matters arise is also refining the self, and so is accumulating virtue and achieving merit.

Working at something with great effort is called lian (refining), and repeating it until it becomes skillful is also called lian. Those who cultivate the elixir must first refine the self, practicing diligently and enduring humiliation. Only then, when the time comes to enter the chamber for practice, will the six sense roots (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind) become stable and the work mature. Only when cultivation reaches the point where nothing remains that must be deliberately forgotten may one truly begin to refine the elixir.

Therefore, the Way of the Great Learning lies in manifesting one's innate virtue (De), understanding others, and abiding in the highest good. Manifesting virtue and understanding others, and ultimately reaching the highest good, accord exactly with refining the self. Knowing where to stop leads to stillness; stillness leads to tranquility; tranquility leads to a peaceful mind; a peaceful mind leads to careful deliberation; and careful deliberation leads to attainment. This accords precisely with the essentials of stillness and emptiness (xuwu). Here "emptiness" does not mean a void with nothing in it. The immortal master says: "The primordial one qi of Heaven (the original qi before the generation of heaven and earth) comes forth from emptiness." This is the ultimate of stillness and emptiness.

"Yuanben" (original root) means seeking from the root of one's own life, and thereby understanding that true jing and true shen (Shen, spirit; some say true qi) are the root of the body. "Yinming" (hidden and manifest) means that ordinary people are often driven by their own cleverness and wisdom, depleting their shen and qi. Those who truly cultivate gather their cleverness and dispel ingenuity. They turn their gaze inward to observe the form, forget the self outwardly, close the outward-streaming gates of the senses such as the ears and eyes, steady the spiritual root, and gather the gaze, nourishing the "zi pearl" (an important symbol in Neidan (internal alchemy) practice). Only in this way can one reach the state of harmonized inner qi flowing freely through the center (huangzhong tongli) and skin that is smooth and lustrous.

"Chuzheng" (initial rectitude) refers to refining the self, while cultivation itself concerns the work at the furnace of alchemical practice. "Ganli" (dry establishment) means fully completing the work of refining the self, and "chixia" (holding on below), mentioned at the end, is the practice upon entering the chamber for formal cultivation.

"One" refers to Ji and Wu, the Heavenly Stems. Only when one understands this "One" has one grasped the mind-method (xinfa) of Wei Boyang, author of the Cantong qi (Kinship of the Three). Confucius said, "My Dao (the Way) is threaded through by a single One." Laozi said, "Attaining the One, all things are accomplished." The Buddhists say, "All dharmas return to the One." Thus it is said, "Heaven's One generates Water," meaning that Water arises from the One.

Here "the One within" refers to the central line of the Kan (Water) trigram. If the One is obscured, Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) gather and Shen (spirit) becomes fixed. If the One is clouded, numinous nature disperses and Qi scatters. One who understands this One can grasp Heaven and Earth, and one who attains it can have the transformations of the myriad things take place within oneself. The subtlety of the One is hard to comprehend without oral transmission from a teacher. Therefore it is said, "This principle is hidden, and the people of the world have no way to know it." And again, "No one knows it, yet there is wonder within it."

The Immortal Old Man's method of Dan (elixir) cultivation first requires "building and fixing the spirit root" (zhugu lingzhu), that is, refining oneself and condensing Shen. Next one must nourish the "Child Pearl" (zizhu), an image in Neidan (internal alchemy), that is, accumulate Jing and Qi. Only when the work of refining oneself is mature can one cultivate the Returning Elixir (huandan). People of the world neither understand the importance of refining oneself, yet they foolishly hope to obtain the medicine and complete the work after half an hour of practice.

Thus the Qingjing jing (Scripture of Clarity and Stillness) says: "Look inward at your own mind, look outward at your own form, and further still at the myriad things, and you see only emptiness. Yet emptiness has nothing to empty. Once what is emptied no longer exists, even 'non-being' is gone, and even 'non-non-being' is gone. Thus one reaches limpid peace and constant quiet, so quiet that even 'quietude' has nothing to cling to."

To ordinary people, this may seem like complete rest and full liberation. Yet why does the text go on to ask, "How could desire arise?" Only when desire does not arise is there true stillness, and only with true stillness can one respond to external things. On closer examination, reaching stillness and responding to things is only the work of a beginner. As for cultivating Neidan, one is still far from truly entering the gate.

For ordinary people, giving alms of vegetarian meals, building stupas, practicing the "Sanfeng caizhan" (Three Peaks Gathering Battle, a bedchamber technique), sitting quietly and reciting scriptures, emphasizing wuwei (Non-Action), or praying and offering sacrifices may all be counted as tending toward good deeds. But to call this cultivating the Dao is to say that one has not yet found the gate of entry. Therefore, the effort of cultivating oneself must not be lacking in the slightest.

Lü Dongbin said: "To cultivate the Seven Returns Elixir (Qi Fan Huan Dan), one must first refine oneself and await the right time (lianji daishi)." The Mud Pellet Perfected (Niwan Zhenren) said: "Those whose words do not connect are not fellow travelers; if the effort is not in place, the matter cannot be brought to completion." Zhang Ziyang also said: "To attain the Nine Cycles (jiuzhuan), one must first refine oneself and guard the mind (lianji shouxin)." How could the teachings handed down by the sages of successive ages not be studied with care?

The True Man of Great Void (Taixu Zhenren) received instruction from Huang Fanggong (the Yellow Chamber Lord), and following his guidance he went to Wuyi Mountain to begin his practice. At the outset of refining the self (lianji), which means disciplining the heart-mind and restraining the body, obstacles and demonic disturbances arose one after another. The True Man of Great Void declared firmly: "Bind the demons and spirits, and slay the Six Ghost Peaks (Liuguifeng)." He then settled his breathing and sat in stillness. As soon as this thought arose, the root of desire was cut off at once. Later students who regard the refining of the self should contemplate this repeatedly.

This chapter addresses only the cultivation of the self and does not discuss "Golden Tiger" (jinhu), "Cauldron Chamber" (dingshi), or similar matters. It is likewise mistaken to interpret the "Three Lights" (sanguang) as Yang Fire (yanghuo), Yin Talisman (yinfu), and Golden Embryo (jintai).

Higher De (shang de), the virtue of the highest level, follows what is natural and does not rely on deliberate seeking to achieve its ends. Lower De (xia de) acts with purpose, and its functioning never ceases. When the upper orifice is closed, it is called "Being" (you); when the lower orifice is closed, it is called "Non-being" (wu). "Non-being" serves to nourish the "upper," and within the "upper" abides a mysterious and wondrous virtue. These two openings each have their own function, and Metal Qi (jin qi) also coordinates with them.

Whoever understands "white" and maintains "black" will naturally attract the luminous qi of spirit (shen ming zhi qi). White symbolizes Metal essence (jin jing), and black symbolizes the root of Water. Water is the pivot through which the Dao turns, its number is one, and it is the beginning of Yin-Yang. Within the mysterious lies the Yellow Sprout (huang ya), a term in Neidan that symbolizes the newly born essential qi. Among the Five Metals, lead is the principal one, and the Northern Chariot (bei fang he che), a practice image for carrying lead-qi through its circuit, is associated with it. Therefore lead is black on the outside yet contains golden essence within, just as one wears coarse cloth while concealing jade, appearing ordinary on the surface.

Metal is the mother of Water, and the mother lies hidden in the womb of her child; Water is the child of Metal, and the son is concealed within the mother's placenta. The most subtle principle grasped by the Zhenren (zhen ren), the perfected person who has attained the Dao, seems both present and absent, like a deep abyss of water that sinks at times and rises at others. It then disperses and spreads outward, each part guarding its proper position.

When gathered, it appears white; once refined, it turns vermilion. Through refinement, its outer layer forms a protective guard, and the white interior is the true essence. Its shape is round and square, about an inch in diameter, and the various qi mingle and condense together within it. It arose before Heaven and Earth and is lofty and honored. Beside it stand walls and gates, shaped like Penghu (peng hu), the legendary immortal mountain. It is enclosed on all sides; though its passageways are many, they are winding and hard to traverse. Its defenses are strict, blocking the intrusion of perverse qi. Its turnings converge and interconnect, serving as safeguards against accidents.

In practice one may set aside deliberate thought, yet one should not fret or labor over it. Spirit-qi fills it, and external things cannot make it stay. Preserve it and it flourishes; lose it and it declines. Whether in motion, in stillness, or at rest, this state accompanies a person at all times.

"Shangde" (Superior De) refers to a person whose de (virtue) is complete, one who accords with nature and yet accomplishes everything. Around the age of sixteen, men and women have abundant jing (essence) and qi (vital energy), which are easily drained through desire. A person of complete de knows how to nourish and guard these, so that jing and qi suffer no loss. If such a person also meets an enlightened teacher and learns the methods of wuwei (non-action) cultivation and of protecting body and mind, he can extend his life. This kind of person is called "one who does everything without doing" (wu bu wei zhi shi), that is, one who fully possesses Shangde. The sage transforms and nourishes the myriad things through the Dao of wuwei, and the great person accomplishes his work through wuwei. These statements all express this principle.

"Xiade" (Inferior De) refers to a person who relies on the workings of creation and draws on the powers of the myriad things. Before the age of sixteen, most people's jing and qi have not yet been depleted, and this state is called "pure Qian," the hexagram made entirely of unbroken lines. Once desire is aroused, the central line of Qian enters the Kun position, Qian is no longer pure, and the empty place within the heart becomes the Li hexagram. From then on, jing and qi are spent day and night. How much of the original essence can remain? A person of the Dao does not wait until the loss is severe. Instead, he practices the methods handed down by the sages for restoring wholeness to the self, and cultivates his way to immortality. This kind of person is called "a person of Inferior De," one who relies on the workings of creation. This is the sage following the Dao of natural nature, and it is also the expression of the spirit person (shenren) applying the methods of youwei (purposive action).

Shangde is wuwei yet does everything. It attains the complete original substance of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) and accomplishes the work of later heaven (houtian). Therefore it is said that it is "not sought through deliberate inquiry" (bu yi cha qiu), meaning it does not arrive through conscious seeking. Xiade is one who acts with purpose and deliberately applies methods. It draws on the functions of creation and accomplishes the work of earlier heaven (xiantian). Therefore it is said that "its use does not cease" (qi yong bu xiu), meaning its function continues without interruption.

The Immortal Master said: "At the beginning, when one acts with intention, no one sees it. Only when the work reaches wuwei do the people perceive it. People see only the wonder of wuwei, but who knows that the cultivation through purposive action is the foundation?" These few sentences fully express the essentials of Golden Elixir (jin dan) practice. Yet cultivation is not easy, and those who follow the Dao do so only out of necessity. Laozi said, "Fine weapons are inauspicious objects, and one uses them only when one has no choice." This is precisely the principle expressed here.

"Shang bi" (closed above) refers to the Kun hexagram (Kun, the Receptive). The virtue of Kun is stillness and contraction. "You" (have) refers to the wu earth (Wu Tu) contained in the Kan hexagram (Kan, the Abysmal), within which lies the true-one Qi of Prior Heaven (xiantian zhenyi zhi qi), the original source Qi. "Xia bi" (closed below) refers to the Qian hexagram (Qian, the Creative). The virtue of Qian is stillness and singleness of purpose. "Wu" (non) refers to the ji earth (Ji Tu) contained in the Li hexagram (Li, the Clinging), within which lies the natural mercury of Later Heaven (houtian ziran zhi gong). Gong, mercury, is a Neidan term; here it refers to an internal component of refinement and cultivation. At this point, the two functions of "you" and "wu" have each been explained in terms of their gateways.

The Daodejing says: "Always without desire, one observes its subtlety; always with desire, one observes its gateways. These two emerge together but bear different names; both are called the mysterious. Mystery upon mystery, the gateway to all subtleties." Practitioners of the Dao need not divide the mind into two places. The mysterious words in the classic are not remote, yet they cannot be fully seen through by text alone, and they often require transmission from a teacher. The Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) was a sage of high antiquity, but without taking Guangchengzi (Guangcheng Master) as his teacher, how could he have understood this Way?

This gateway is difficult to describe, and even the sages could only try their best to convey it. Fuxi drew the hexagrams and first used Qian and Kun to explain it. King Wen deduced the hexagram images and further clarified their meaning. Confucius, in the Yi Zhuan (Commentary on the Changes), developed the meaning of "Qian straight, Kun opening" (qian zhi kun pi). Laozi called it "the gate of the mysterious female, the root of heaven and earth" (xuanpin zhi men, shi wei tiandi gen). Shakyamuni Buddha explained it through "the treasury of the true Dharma eye and the wondrous mind of nirvana" (zhengfa yanzang, niepan miaoxin). All of these teachings point directly to this gateway. Persons of the highest capacity may be able to comprehend it on their own, but its specific functions still require instruction from a teacher.

The "wu" in "wu zhe yi feng shang" (the non serves the above) refers to ji nature (xing), and "you" refers to wu feeling (qing). If ji nature can accord with wu feeling, then feeling will cling to nature, just as righteousness clings to benevolence (ren). "Shang you shen de ju" (above, there is the virtue of spirit that dwells) describes the true-one Qi of Prior Heaven coming forth from emptiness; this is the virtue of spirit. The Immortal Elder (xian weng) once again points out that "wu" is nature and "you" is feeling; when nature accords with feeling, feeling returns to and takes refuge in nature. The "spirit virtue" mentioned here is the true-one Qi of Prior Heaven dwelling above.

The Immortal Elder once more pointed out, "The method of these two cavities is also linked with the metal qi." These two lines are the key to the Cantong Qi (Kinship of the Three), and even across ten thousand generations, someone as clever as Yan Hui or Min Ziqian might not grasp them on their own. Master Yunfang said, "The gate that gives me life is also the door that brings me death. How many people are truly awake and truly understand? At night, even the iron-hearted man must think carefully: to achieve long life without death, one must ultimately cultivate oneself."

Does "the gate that gives me life, the door that brings me death" not refer to the two empty cavities mentioned earlier? The preceding passages only discuss the principles of Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon, and the process of creation. Only here does the text definitively identify the xuanguan (the "mysterious pass," the key gateway or acupoint in internal alchemy, neidan), and then specify the two substances of cultivation, Metal and Water. The author's exposition follows a deliberate order and is not vague generalization. Once practitioners of alchemical methods understand this pass, they must go on to investigate the "Metal" further…

What exactly is qi (qì), the root vital energy that constitutes all things and is used in cultivation? And what function does xiangxu (xiāngxū, mutual dependence and interaction) serve? Only by thoroughly understanding these principles can one refine the elixir.

"Knowing the white, guarding the black" (zhi bai shou hei) means recognizing that gold is pure and white, free of impurities, which is "knowing the white." It also means holding fast to the root of black lead and waiting for the right moment so that water is generated, which is "guarding the black." When water first begins to form, it is called "prior to Heaven" (xiantian), and because it is utterly pure and genuine, it is called "numinous brightness" (shenming).

When gold and water cooperate and become vigorous and abundant, earth, here the term jitu (jǐtǔ, "self earth," the term for the Earth phase), restrains water and refines gold after it appears. Gold and water then fill the furnace, and so it is said that "numinous brightness comes of itself."

"Water is the pivot of the Dao, and its number is one" means that water is the key pivot of the Dao, and its number is one. Water arises from "Heavenly One" (tianyi), and so it is called the beginning of yin and yang. "The mysterious contains yellow sprout" (xuan han huang ya) means that within the profound black lies a yellow sprout. The Yi (Yì, the Commentary on the Changes) says, "Though yin has beauty, it contains it so as to follow the affairs of the king." Here taiyuan (tàiyuán, "Great Origin") refers to water, and "yellow sprout" refers to the elixir. Water therefore contains the elixir, which is why it is called "the mysterious contains yellow sprout."

Black lead conceals white gold, and the heche (hé chē, "river cart," a metaphor in internal alchemy for circulating essence and qi) conceals the yellow sprout. This is like a scholar who carries jade concealed within while outwardly wearing coarse cloth, and therefore draws no calamity.

"Gold is the mother of water" means that the metal of the Dui (Duì) trigram gives birth to the water of the Kan (Kǎn) trigram. The middle line of Kan also belongs to metal, so it is said that "the mother hides the child in her womb." Water is the child of metal, and the renguei (rén guǐ) waters are born from the west. The middle line of Dui belongs to Kan, so it is said that "the child is stored in the mother's womb."

"The perfected person is most subtle" (zhenren zhi miao): here "perfected person" refers to the essence of the Qian (Qián) trigram. Qian's nature is extremely numinous, and its form sometimes appears and sometimes vanishes. "Great abyss" (da yuan) is the symbol of Kun (Kūn). Kun's nature can both sink and float, and its form is soundless and formless, hard to perceive. Qian is able to transform, while Kun bears and brings about the growth of all things. Once Qian and Kun have generated the myriad things, they each spread out and keep their own places.

The text says that "collecting the white" means that lead contains white silver. When it is used to refine inner alchemy (Neidan), the finished product turns vermilion red. If silver is refined on its own, it becomes white lead powder (hufen). External alchemy (Waidan), which uses medicinal substances and a furnace vessel, works in much the same way. The outside must be carefully guarded so that the elixir appears ruddy and red like cinnabar, while the inside must keep its original true white.

"Square and round, a diameter of about one inch, mixed together and bound" says that the elixir is roughly an inch across, square and round in shape, and that its components blend and coalesce. Within what is deep and hard to discern, there is genuine substance. Before the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate, the primordial state before heaven, earth, and Yin-Yang had separated), there was already the primordial True Unity Qi (xiantian zhen yi zhi qi), the source Qi that existed before heaven and earth came into being. It dwelt before the Taiji, which is why it is called "resembling the ancestor of the Lord" (xiang di zhi xian) and praised as "lofty and exalted" (wei wei zun gao).

"Beside it are walls and gates, shaped like the Penghu" says that the form symbolized by the Qian hexagram also resembles city walls and gates, and also the Penghu, the legendary immortal mountain. These comparisons all describe the furnace and its implements. The "one body and self" mentioned in the text also points, through these images, to the cauldron vessel (dingqi). "Encircled and sealed" (huan za guan bi) means tightly sealing the outer perimeter. "Cautious at every passage" (si tong chi chu) means that every external point must be carefully protected. "Tight and secure defense" (shou yu mi gu) requires constant vigilance, never leaving the post even briefly. "Blocking off wickedness" (e jue jian xie) means that entry and exit must follow fixed rules, with a clear boundary between inside and outside, so that one remains alert and the true white substance can dwell safely within.

"Winding galleries connected" says that one should set up a ritual altar and study the methods carefully to guard against unforeseen harm. The immortal elder explains the protective measures item by item, from "encircled and sealed" onward, out of concern for accidental damage. During cultivation, one must also be free of thought and worry and must not fret or toil. This is why the text says, "One may be without thought, but it is hard to be without worry and weariness." Only then can "Shen and Qi fill the chamber" without any loss. Therefore it is said, "Those who guard it flourish; those who lose it perish." A momentary lapse can lead to ruin.

Therefore, whether in motion or at rest, whether resting or acting, the practitioner must not allow even a moment of indulgence or slackness. Only then can the Golden Cauldron Qi (the image in internal alchemy for the vital energy that is refined and nourished) stabilize the two and bring them into mutual harmony and restraint. This is why the text says it "always accompanies a person," that is, it stays with the practitioner at all times.

This chapter directly identifies the essential nature of the two apertures (two key points in cultivation) and explains the roles of Metal and Water. Practitioners who read the Cantong qi (Kinship of the Three) up to this point will understand that the very first step is already difficult to accomplish. Vessels of lower De (practitioners whose capacity has not reached a higher level and who must begin with purposive practice, youwei) cultivate the Way of purposive action entirely through lianji (refining and disciplining the self). If the refinement of the self falls even slightly short, spirit illumination will not arrive.

Chapter Eight: Distinguishing the Orthodox from the Heterodox

Some cultivation methods examine the viscera by means of so-called discernment of right and wrong, and visualize and contemplate within the mind. They tread steps in patterns that follow the constellations, performing the bu Dou (walking the Dipper, a ritual of stepping according to the stellar positions). They also make use of the Liujia (Six Jia, a Daoist numerological system linking heavenly stems, days, and spirit-generals or talismanic methods). They employ yin techniques to subdue and counteract, cling to the arts of Jiuyi (Nine and One), and disturb the yuanbao (the fundamental site of the body's generative transformations). They rely on swallowing breath until their intestines rumble, expelling their correct qi and taking in external evils. They go without sleep day and night, and from the end of the month to the beginning of the next they never rest. Their bodies grow more weary by the day, their spirits become dazed and vacant like those of the feeble-minded, and their hundred vessels surge and churn, unable to settle into stillness and clarity.

They pile up earth to build altars and make sincere offerings morning and evening. They claim that ghosts and spirits manifest their forms, or that they receive responses in dreams. Rejoicing in their hearts, they believe they will surely extend their years, yet they soon die young, their corpses rotting and left exposed. Their many undertakings often run counter to the proper Way, rebellious and losing the essential key to cultivation. Such arts are numerous, numbering in the thousands and tens of thousands. Their convoluted procedures violate the Way of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi (the Huang-Lao tradition of Daoist thought), and they also deviate from the Jiudu (Nine Capitals, the realms of the immortals and the celestial order in Daoist cosmology).

Those who are discerning grasp the essential meaning of these matters and at once see clearly where the correct Way lies. If one diligently practices, unceasingly from morning to evening, and sustains the taking of elixirs and nourishing practices for three years, one can lighten the body and travel far, cross through fire without being burned, and enter water without being wetted. One can appear or disappear at will, and enjoy lasting peace and freedom from worry. Once the Way is accomplished and one's De is complete, one conceals oneself and awaits the proper moment. Then Taiyi (a supreme deity of Daoism) will summon one to dwell in Zhongzhou (the continent of the immortals). When one's merit is fulfilled, one ascends to heaven and receives the registers and scriptures bestowed by the decree of Heaven.

The commentary says that practitioners must first understand the correct Way (zhengdao). If one does not take the matching of yin and yang, and the interaction of Kan and Li (water and fire, yin and yang), as the foundation of cultivation, then all other methods belong to the side gates (pangmen) and left paths (zuodao). These include inwardly observing the five viscera, visualizing (cunxiang) and practicing exhalation methods such as "xi-he" breathing, treading the Dipper (tadou), pacing the Dipper steps (bugang), and forming mudras (jue). Others include the bedchamber arts (fangzhong shu), the so-called "three peaks of ruling women" (yu nü san feng), the "Nine-One" technique, and the five sword techniques. By drawing in breath from external circumstances, these methods disturb the primordial qi (yuan qi). They are regarded as defiled practices and are the lowest of the side paths.

Some people exhale their upright qi and inhale evil qi while fasting and taking qi as nourishment (fuqi). Others sit in meditation for a year at a time, sleeping neither by day nor by night, or set up altars to worship spirits and summon ghostly beings to appear. These too are considered side practices that disrupt the correct Way. They cause spiritual dizziness (jingshen huanghu), agitation of qi and blood, a wandering mind, and restless dreams at night. The methods are many, yet they are often fruitless. Such practice violates the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, and it does not rely on methods transmitted by true masters, which are based on the principle of like joining like in yin and yang. Instead, it invites calamity. How, then, could one form the "pearl the size of a millet grain" (yi shu zhi zhu), a metaphor for the elixir produced? One hopes to prolong life but instead hastens death.

If a person of clear understanding meets a true master's instruction and suddenly awakens, and then diligently cultivates day and night without slackening in the search for the medicine, concentrating on ingesting it and practicing in secret for three years, one may then travel far. After nine years of practice, one may hope to ascend lightly to immortality. After twelve years of steady accumulation, one reaches the state where water and fire cannot harm, dwells carefree in a grotto-heaven, and enjoys lasting bliss at the Jade Pool (Yao Chi). Once the Way is attained, one should remain hidden and not display it, continuing to accumulate virtue (de) and waiting for the right moment. When one's name is registered in the Three Heavens (Santian, one of the heavens in Daoist cosmology), Taiyi (a Daoist deity) will summon one, bestow an immortal office, and move one to the Central Continent. If one's merit is outstanding, one may ascend through the Three Realms, receive further promotions, and be granted immortal registers and charts. Zhang, Ge, Xu Jingyang, Fuqiu, Zhong, and Lü, the immortal perfected of past ages, all attained the Way before, and later practitioners should follow their path.

Chapter Nine: The Two Strings of Dragon and Tiger (Longhu Liangxian)

This chapter sees the Immortal Elder (Xianweng) stressing that in cultivation, a single moment of delusion versus a single moment of clarity, and walking the deviant path versus the correct path, lead to entirely different outcomes. The deviant path invites the condemnation and calamities of the Nine Capitals (Jiudu), while cultivating the correct path allows one to complete one's merit and ascend to immortality. This is an inevitable principle, and there is no need to worry over it repeatedly. As for where exactly to begin and how the stages of practice are arranged, the later text will explain.

The management of fire-timing (huohou, the arrangement of firepower and timing in alchemical refining) cannot be arbitrary, and the Immortal Elder draws on the principles of the Book of Changes (Yijing) to explain it. The crescent-shaped cauldron (a tool of alchemical refining, or in cultivation a symbolic cauldron) is the standard of method. The White Tiger (an alchemical term, often referring to lead) is the key to the refining. The sun of mercury transforms into flowing pearl (the name for mercury in alchemical contexts), and the Azure Dragon (an alchemical term, often referring to mercury) accompanies it. Raising the Azure Dragon of the east to join with the White Tiger of the west, the hun and po (the ethereal and corporeal souls) naturally bind together.

The upper string corresponds to the number eight of the Dui trigram, and the lower string corresponds to the number eight of the Gen trigram. The two strings join their essence, and the forms of Qian and Kun (the symbols of heaven and earth in the Book of Changes) are thereby formed. The two eights combine to correspond to one jin (a unit of weight, about a catty), and the principle of the Changes is thus upright and unbiased.

The commentary says: The Immortal Elder set out the key methods. He then said that the sun of mercury is flowing pearl, and the Azure Dragon accompanies it; raising the east to join the west, the hun and po naturally bind together. The upper string's Dui number is eight, and the lower string's Gen number is also eight. The two strings join their essence, and the body of Qian and Kun is thereby formed. The two eights combine into one jin, and the principle of the Changes is upright and unbiased.

The commentary says that only after reaching this point did the Immortal Elder begin to explain the furnace and cauldron (lu ding), the Dragon and Tiger, and the bowstring qi (xian qi).

The "Crescent Furnace" (yanyue lu) refers to the Divine Furnace of Taiyi, which is the Yin furnace. Its shape lies on its back, like a newborn crescent moon. The White Tiger (baihu) belongs to the Dui trigram (dui gong) of the West and represents the other, the "there," the Jade Pool, and the corporeal soul (po). When Heaven and Earth first separated, it belonged to the "other." The White Tiger is fierce, and it responds when stirred. It holds vast reserves and can nourish all things. Although it also has the power to wound and kill, it embodies a grand and profound majesty.

The Book of Changes (Zhou Yi), in the hexagram Lü (Lǚ), says: "Treading on the tail of the tiger, the tiger does not bite the person; success." It also says: "Walking on a level road, a solitary person who keeps to correctness will be fortunate." Confucius explained, "The heart rejoices and can accord with the way of Qian." He also said, "Proceeding according to one's station is to fulfill one's own aspiration alone." Practitioners of inner alchemy (neidan) know that the White Tiger is to be feared, so it must first be subdued. Once subdued, it can serve as the key to cultivation and no longer harms them.

"Mercury Day" (gui ri) refers to the day of the Li trigram (li gua), which is mercury. The cinnabar within it is called "flowing pearl" (liu zhu). The Azure Dragon (qinglong) belongs to the Zhen trigram (zhen gong) of the East and represents the self, the "here," the Golden Cauldron (jin ding), and the ethereal soul (hun). Once the calamity-fate is stabilized, it belongs to the "self." The Azure Dragon is powerful and able to transform. Once it responds, it passes through, like clouds moving and rain falling, so that all things flow and grow. The Qian hexagram, second line, says: "The dragon appears in the field; it is advantageous to see the great person." Confucius said, "This is the dragon's virtue, correct and centered." People do not understand the Azure Dragon's ceaseless generative function and often suffer its harm instead. If one recognizes it, reveres it, and then harmonizes and subdues it, one can master it and put it to one's own use.

"Raising the East to unite with the West" means joining East and West so that Yin and Yang meet in accordance with due measure. The numbers of the Dui and Gen trigrams are each eight, and Wu Earth flows back and returns to Ji Earth. "The hun and po bind each other" means that the ethereal and corporeal souls restrain one another, so that Metal and Wood are no longer separated. When the two bowstring qi unite, the forms of Qian and Kun are accomplished. For the Way of Change (yi dao) to remain stable, two and eight must be made equal and balanced, forming "one jin" (yi jin). Here, "one jin" refers to a number that has been fully completed.

Numbers build up from small to large. Ten portions of powder make one pill, and one pill is about the size of a millet grain. An amount exceeding one grain is called a "knife-tip" (dao gui), and sixty-four grains make one gui. Ten grains make one lei, and ten lei make one zhu. Two zhu plus four lei make one qian, ten qian make one liang, and eight zhu make one zi. The Shuowen holds that six zhu make one zi, and the Jianyun holds that eight liang make one zi. The commentary considers both claims mistaken. Three zi make one liang, which is twenty-four zhu. Sixteen liang make one jin, totaling 384 zhu. Four liang is also called one ling (lüè). The ancients subdivided zhu and liang so that they would correspond to the numbers of the hexagram lines.

Chapter Ten: Gold Returns to Its Nature

When gold is thrown into a fierce fire, its color may be changed by the burning, but its pure luster does not disappear. Since heaven and earth were first opened, the brightness of the sun and moon has likewise never diminished. The phrase "gold does not lose its one hundred and eighty-four zhu" uses the weight of gold to show that its nature remains unchanged. The lu was an ancient unit of weight, with four liang making one lu. The ancients further divided weight into zhu, which were used to correspond with the number of hexagrams and lines.

Gold enters the fierce fire without losing its nature, just as the sun and moon keep their light though they undergo change. Gold originally arises from the moon, and at the beginning of the month, at dawn, it receives the sun's correspondence. At the end of the month, gold returns to its mother and unites with the sun. It hides its outward form and sinks into the stillness and depths of emptiness. When the gold recovers its original nature, the powerful radiance reappears in the cauldron.

The commentator says: When the Immortal Elder wrote this book, not a single sentence was idle talk. Only here does he state explicitly what function "gold" performs. Without the function of gold, the Golden Elixir (Jindan) cannot be refined, which is why it is called "golden." The gold here is not worldly gold or jade, nor gold mined from earth and stone. It is the subtle principle of the transformations of Heaven and Earth and the reversal of the Five Phases' changes, the gold that arises from the generative process of Qian and Kun (the hexagrams that symbolize Heaven and Earth).

Today, some teachers of shallow understanding become flustered as soon as they hear "Golden Elixir." They speak of cultivation in words, yet do not understand what the Golden Elixir is, and they do not examine the text of the Cantong qi (Kinship of the Three) in depth, thereby misleading the world. The Immortal Elder had in fact already made clear that the "gold" here refers to the function of its divine transformations. Some who read this book fail to understand the substance and function of the true gold within Yin and Yang, and so they guess that it describes the art of smelting over a furnace fire, which is truly regrettable. If the matter were not revealed to the world even slightly, this book, once transmitted for ten thousand generations, would only grow more profound and remote. People unable to glimpse its gateway would abandon their reading, and where, then, would they seek the essential purpose of cultivation?

Those of deep capacity and keen understanding should know that this gold existed, before Hongmeng (the state before Heaven and Earth had separated) and in the beginning of the undivided Taiji (before Yin and Yang had differentiated), originally belonging to Qian. Therefore it is called "Qian gold." When the great transformation of Heaven and Earth was about to occur, in order to repay the grace of chaos giving birth, the first line of Qian was exchanged with Kun, and this gold swiftly entered the palace of Kun, called "the gold within Kun." Kun, receiving this gold, turned its interior from empty to full, and thereby became Kan. The three lines of Kun were originally all centered and empty, and were called "Kun earth"; once this gold filled the center, the image of Kan was formed. Kan occupies the position of the northern Gui (Water) phase. Kan symbolizes water, and because gold is hidden within water, it is called "gold within water."

Gold within water is a treasure of the Prior Heaven (xiantian). It cannot stay long in the Posterior Heaven (houtian) position of Kan, the trigram that symbolizes water, so it transforms into Dui. Dui metal sometimes appears from the northern Kan position and sometimes dwells in the western position of You, which belongs to the West. It therefore gradually forms by day and grows by night. The You position directly corresponds to the Dui trigram, so this metal circulates the Dan Dao (the Way of the elixir) within the Dui position and is called "Dui metal."

Practitioners of alchemy must examine the subtle, probe the root, trace the beginning and end of things, investigate the principles within them, and clarify their origin and foundation. To form the Golden Elixir (Jindan), one must seek this metal. In seeking it, one does not look in the positions of Qian, Kun, Kan, and the like, but searches exclusively in the Dui position. The nature of Dui is akin to that of the Kun moon, so the saying goes: "Things of the same kind are easy to apply effort to; things not of the same kind are hard to use skillfully." The wonder of Dui lies in its ability to take Kun's place in circulating the Dao. Thus, if alchemy with the Golden Elixir departs from Dui metal, all other methods belong to heterodox paths and cannot attain the Dao. The ancient sages and immortals, such as the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, all attained the Dao by relying on Dui metal.

King Wen explained this principle through the Xun hexagram of the Yijing (Classic of Changes). The text of its fifth line states: "Three days before the geng day, three days after the geng day." Confucius, in the Yizhuan (Commentary on the Changes, a work that explains the Zhouyi), said that the Xun and Dui hexagrams are both yielding and both accord with the Way of firm vigor, so the gentleman proclaims commands and carries out affairs accordingly. Geng belongs to metal. The scripture says, "The moon emerges at geng," meaning that the moon appears on a geng day.

Shakyamuni Buddha also relied on this metal to become a Buddha, and for this reason he was called the Golden Immortal (Jinxian). The metal within Dui shares one substance with the Great Yin (Taiyin) of the heavens, the moon. It can generate light and also form the elixir at the same time. The moon in the sky is called Taiyin. Because Dui metal performs the same function as the moon, it is also called Shaoyin (Lesser Yin), and it is further known as "the metal within Yin."

The Great Yin (Taiyin) of heaven, the moon, receives the radiance of the sun, and through it the four seasons come into being. The Lesser Yin (Shaoyin), the yang qi newly born within yin, is symbolized by the Dui trigram (Dui), and its course extends throughout the vast world, transforming and giving birth to all things and to humankind. The Immortal Elders (here referring to the ancient perfected immortals) penetrated the principles of the sages of former ages, understood the root of this "Metal" (jin), investigated its subtle changes, and clarified its marvelous transformations.

Metals in the world can endure without decay. When placed in fire, their color becomes even purer, and even after prolonged smelting they do not lose their weight. How much more so the Dui Metal, which is formed in the furnace of Heaven and Earth's creative transformation. The moon waxes and wanes, and the Dui Metal likewise changes with the seasons. Therefore it is said that its "form remains as constant," appearing unchanging in its shape.

At each new moon (shuo), when the sun and moon meet, the moon receives the sun's light and reveals a first thread of sunlight at the position of gengshen. This refers to the Great Yin of heaven. The Dui Metal of the human world also moves in accordance with the new moon, and by the third day it sprouts the initial yang within the undifferentiated chaos (hundun), within the elixir qi (danqi). This refers to the Lesser Yin of the human world. Thus the scripture says: "Metal originates from the moon's birth; at dawn on the new moon, it receives the talisman from the sun."

What is meant by "Metal returns to its mother"? The place where Metal dwells is called Dui, and the mother of Dui is Kun, the earthly principle that bears and supports all things and represents the receptive force of yin. Dui cannot hold Metal forever, and Metal must also act in its appointed time. The Commentary on the Kun Hexagram in the Classic of Changes (Yijing) says: "Containing its beauty and remaining upright, it manifests in its proper time." This means that one who holds virtue within and keeps to correctness waits for the moment to reveal itself. The subtle point grasped by the sage lies here.

Once Metal begins to function, Dui returns to its mother, and the Metal is stored within Kun, just as when the moon is dark, the sunlight once again encloses the body of the moon. Why is this so? After the dark day (huri) that precedes the new moon, the moon's whole form seems to hide between Heaven and Earth, and the sun shines upon it anew. After the first, second, and third days, the moon follows its orbit, and its light appears again.

This is also like Metal returning to its mother. The true essence (zhenjing) of Metal lies hidden in emptiness and stillness, waiting for the world to draw upon it. From One comes Two, and from Two comes Three; after the turning of cosmic cycles (jieyun) passes, Metal will be generated anew. When this Metal is generated again, it will certainly restore its original nature.

Why is this so? Because "nature" (xing) is the function of the Qian hexagram, which symbolizes Heaven and yang firmness, and Qian's quality is vigorous, upright, and correct. Metal is hidden within Kun (Earth), Kun is hidden within Kan (Water), and Kan is hidden within Dui (Marsh, associated with metal). The metal in Dui unfolds its disposition and recovers its original nature, and then it is returned to the Qian palace. The golden cauldron of the Qian palace regains its metal seed and refines the Golden Elixir. For this reason the elixir is called the "Golden Liquor Returning Elixir" (jinye huandan), meaning an elixir refined from golden liquor and returned to its original position, and the cauldron is called the "Majestic Radiance Golden Cauldron" (weiguang jinding). The phrase "the Majestic Radiance cauldron is xi" refers to the word xi, which has homophonous variants also pronounced xi, and all of these describe a blazing, vigorous fire. This golden alchemy book is protected by the sun, moon, and stars, by the Celestial Dragon Perfected Lord (tianlong zhenzai), and by the spirits of creation (zaohua shenling), and it should therefore be treated with reverence.

Chapter Eleven: The Complete Work of the Two Earths (ertu quan gong)

When zi and wu join, their number is three, and when wu and ji combine, they make five. Once three and five are harmonized, the eight minerals (bashi), the mineral substances used in alchemical work, begin to turn according to the correct method. Breath coordinates with breath and nourishes the vital life force, and with the spirit concentrated in quiet reflection, the yin and yang breaths become like husband and wife.

Yellow earth is the father of metal, and liuzhu, quicksilver (mercury), is the son of water. Water is restrained by the power of earth, so earth can subdue water and keep it from stirring recklessly. The vermilion bird (zhuque), a divine bird symbolizing fire, is the essence of fire, responsible for harmonizing water and fire and for deciding their victory or defeat. When water grows too strong, the fire is extinguished, and in the end both water and fire return to thick earth. The three natures thus converge and return to their common nature and their ancestral origin.

Juzheng, or sesame, prolongs life and extends years, and the returning elixir may also be taken. Metal is firm and does not easily decay or rot, which is why it is the treasure among all things. Practitioners who take the Golden Elixir are said to lengthen their lives. Earth moves through the four seasons, governs the boundaries, and establishes the rules. Golden sand enters the five viscera, dispersing like mist and spreading like wind and rain. Its vapor steams into the four limbs and makes the complexion glossy. White hair turns black, and fallen teeth grow back. An old man returns to his prime, and an old woman becomes a maiden. Those who transform their form and escape the calamities of the world are called zhenren, perfected persons.

The commentary states that the Zi position lies in the north and is the proper position of the Kan trigram, numbered one. The Wu position lies in the south and is the proper position of the Li trigram, numbered two. Within Kan is contained Wu-earth (Wu Tu), numbered five, and within Li is contained Ji-earth (Ji Tu), also numbered five. Wu-earth guards the gate of Kan and governs the true unity of prenatal qi (xiantian zhen yi zhi qi). Ji-earth stands at the gate of Li and gathers the most genuine postnatal mercury (houtian zhi zhen gong). To obtain prenatal qi, one must first open the passage through Wu-earth. To make use of postnatal mercury, one must first stabilize Ji-earth and then bring it into harmony with Wu-earth.

Zi and Wu respond to each other, and Wu and Ji blend together, so the essences of two and five unite and condense in a wondrous way. Wu-qi flows toward Ji-earth and finds its kind within the cauldron. Because these two earth energies join, the union is called "Gui" (the jade tablet, a symbol of conjunction). "The Eight Stones" refers to the Kun trigram, and Qian and Kun are the parents of all the stones. Without Kun, one cannot grasp the guiding principles of Dui or its waxing and waning. When Zi and Wu answer each other and Wu and Ji nourish each other, lead (qian) and mercury (gong) join and condense, like a married couple.

The so-called "return to earth" (gui tu) refers to Wu-earth. Wu-earth generates the metal of Dui, so it is called the "father of metal." "Flowing pearl" (liu zhu) refers to the mercury within wood, and because lead-water nourishes the mercury within wood, the flowing pearl is called the "child of water." Lead-water regards Wu-earth as the force that restrains it, and since Wu-earth holds the central palace, the water does not flow wildly outward.

"Vermilion Bird" (Zhuque) refers to the things of the Li trigram, that is, the essence of fire. When the mind is calm and the breath is smooth, the pulse becomes steady, and then the strength of the various forces can be regulated. Water overcomes fire, fire overcomes metal, and metal overcomes wood. Once these four mutual conflicts are resolved, their functions return to thick earth, which refers to Ji-earth.

"Three natures" refers to Wu-earth, metal, and water. The gate of Kan is called "Wu," and the single line in the middle of Kan is called "Dui metal." Metal in turn gives birth to the water of Taiyi (Supreme One).

Metal (jin), after giving birth to Water, is then restrained by Wu Earth (wu tu, yang earth), and this is the convergence of the three natures. The nature of Wood corresponds to Ji Earth (ji tu, yin earth), and the gate within the Li trigram, which symbolizes Fire, is called "Ji." Wu Earth, Metal, and Water gather in Ji Earth, where their original nature returns. Wood then slowly restrains them, and they finally transform into the Great Elixir (da dan), the pill of Neidan (internal alchemy). This is why it is said that "their nature shares a common ancestor."

"Jusheng" is hu ma, the sesame plant, also called zhi ma. Cooking it into rice and eating it regularly is said to prolong life. Moreover, the Returning Elixir (huan dan), refined from Metal, Water, Wu Earth, and Ji Earth, is the supreme treasure of heaven and earth. A practitioner who subdues it and swallows it can endure as long as the sun and moon. Fu (subdue) means to subdue and gather the innate Qi, and shi (ingest) means to swallow a pill the size of a millet grain. Later readers mistakenly wrote the homophone fu, meaning "to take in," in place of fu, meaning "to subdue," and so failed to grasp the subtlety of the original character. For this reason the immortal master said: "Subduing Qi is not ingesting Qi, and ingesting Qi must begin with subduing Qi. Ingesting Qi alone does not grant longevity; longevity requires subduing Qi." This single character fu expresses the mechanism of reversing natural creation.

"Earth wanders through the four seasons" refers to the months chen, xu, chou, and wei. Earth holds sway on certain days in each season. In the final month of each season, Earth governs for eighteen days, and this is called "wandering." Fire generates Earth in summer, so Earth's virtue is at its strongest then. Because Metal fears Fire, Earth again takes effect in the autumn month of shen. The ancients held that both Water and Earth are born in shen. Earth is born from the summer Fire, while Water arises when the Three Enclosures (San Yuan, star regions in ancient astronomy) reach their corresponding positions. Rising Water can control Fire, and so Earth then generates Metal. At the start of autumn, Earth governs for nine days before giving birth to Geng Metal. In the month of xu, Earth governs for another nine days.

"Guarding the boundaries and fixing the rules" means the following. In the east, Di Earth (the Earth star officer of the Di lodge) guards the boundary of the Azure Dragon. In the west, Wei Earth (the Wei lodge) restrains the might of the White Tiger. In the south, Liu Earth (the Liu lodge) regulates the gate of Li Fire. In the north, Nü Earth (the Nü lodge) stabilizes the gate of Kan Water. In this way, the Qi of cinnabar (dansha) and true metal (zhen jin) can be subdued and returned to the five viscera within the body.

Chapter Twelve: Joining Like with Like (Tónglèi Hétǐ)

When the Golden Elixir (jīndān) first forms, its medicinal power disperses like mist and moistens the body like rain. The elixir's vapor steams outward and spreads through the limbs. Once qi and spirit (shén) are abundant, the complexion grows serene, the teeth grow back, and the hair turns black, so that the person seems to return to youth. The earlier withered and haggard appearance also changes, and one is long spared the calamities of the world. When form and spirit reach a wondrous completeness, the adept becomes a Perfected of Purple Mist (Zǐxiá Zhēnrén), a realized being who has attained the Dao.

This chapter explains that before alchemy begins, one must first harmonize the two Earth phases, Wù and Jǐ (wù jǐ), which represent the nature of Earth. Only then can the qi of Metal and Water be gathered and condensed into the elixir.

Lead powder placed in fire changes color and in the end returns to lead. Ice and snow meeting hot water melt into water. Gold takes sand as its root and is blended with mercury. The transformations of things depend on their nature, and the beginning and end of a process follow one another.

Anyone who wishes to refine an elixir for ingestion should choose materials of the same nature. To sow rice one uses grain seed, and to hatch chicks one uses eggs. Working with like things in accordance with nature makes things easier to form and easier to refine. How can fish eyes pass for pearls, or mugwort grow into a paulownia? Only like unites with like, and where natures differ, no treasure can be made. Sparrows do not give birth to phoenixes, and foxes and hares do not produce horses. Water flows downward and does not burn upward, and fire rises and does not moisten downward.

Many students of the Dao today consider themselves learned and gifted, yet they have never met a true transmission, and so they waste furnace fires and money in vain. They merely guess at the meaning of the scriptures and act at will on their sayings. They grasp neither the thread nor the basis of refinement, and they lose control over the timing of the fire and the proportions of the ingredients.

They pound Qiāng stone-bile (qiāng shídǎn), mica, alum, and lodestone, burn sulfur and yuzhang wood, and mix mud and mercury together, refining them again and again. They then take the five kinds of "stone copper" collected from the bottom of the furnace as auxiliaries and pivots. Yet these materials differ in nature and are not of one kind, so how could they be fused into one body? They attempt the work a thousand times and fail ten thousand times, wishing to appear clever but ending up muddled. From youth to white hair they keep refining, and doubts arise along the way. Turning from the right path and clinging to delusion, they pass from the proper road into a wrong one. It is like looking through a tube: the field of view is narrow, and it is hard to measure the changes that come later.

Hufen, white lead powder, is refined from black lead, and when it meets fire it returns to its original nature. Ice and snow are formed when cold water congeals, and when they meet heat they return to the source of water. Gold mixed with mercury turns white, and when it meets fire it regains the red hue of true gold.

People who are absorbed in desire disturb their original nature, and only by preserving that nature can one hope to live long. What does "gold takes sand as its foundation" mean? What does "receiving harmony from mercury" mean? Practitioners who understand the regularities of creation and transformation and who grasp the changes of Yin-Yang must first accumulate cinnabar (danshen), which belongs to the Li (fire) trigram, and use it to blend the mercury in the Jade Pool. Then they draw water from the Kan (water) trigram to regulate the fire of Li. Here Kan and Li stand for water and fire, indicating that water and fire must be made to complement each other. Once water and fire are in harmony, gold and sand can join and take form. Transformation must be brought about by a genuine substance of the same kind, and from beginning to end, the union of male and female is the key.

The saying "If you wish to refine the immortal elixir, you should use things of the same kind" is indeed accurate. To grow grain, one must use grain seed; to hatch chicks, one must use eggs. To become an immortal, one must likewise rely on genuine things of the same kind, and from beginning to end, the union of male and female must be central.

If one seeks to attain immortality or buddhahood without using things of the same kind, then even if one lives among the common world, sits in meditation for a thousand years, one will ultimately fall into emptiness. If one does not investigate the principle of sameness and instead follows heterodox side paths, such as controlling women through the bedchamber arts or practicing the so-called "Three Peaks" techniques of sexual cultivation, these all belong to the wrong path. This is like mistaking fish eyes for pearls or mugwort for fine timber. How could such people know that true transformation must depend on genuine things of the same kind? Swallows and sparrows cannot give birth to phoenixes; foxes and rabbits, how could they produce horses? They are not of the same kind. The function of water cannot burn upward, and the function of fire cannot moisten downward, because the movement of Yin and Yang must follow natural law.

The Immortal Elder taught that one must seek out a true master, investigate the principle of sameness, and harmonize Yin and Yang before one may speak of the Golden Elixir (Jindan). When I, Ziqiong Weng, first received the private instruction of the True Man of Taixu (Taixu Zhenren), I began by asking him: "Does the Cantong qi (Kinship of the Three) serve to elucidate the Yijing (Book of Changes), or to put the Yijing into practice?" The True Man of Taixu replied: "The Yijing speaks of only two things, Yin and Yang. Only one who can both understand and practice it may be called a sage." Therefore the Yijing says, "In the southwest, one finds a companion," meaning to travel with one's own kind. The Cantong qi says, "Things of the same kind follow one another; where affairs are divergent, a treasure cannot be refined."

First understand the principles, then put them into cultivation practice; this is how the sages proceeded. This does not mean that people of later generations, even with extraordinary talent, may dispense with seeking a true teacher and rely only on the words of old books, guessing at and conjecturing about cultivation methods at will. The Cantong Qi (Token of the Unity of the Three) says: "Things of the same nature can unite with one another; things of differing nature cannot be refined into treasure."

Some people, believing their natural gifts are outstanding, do not seek a true master. They work from the ancient texts and make reckless inferences. Some use Shaozhou's gallstone (shidan) to refine gold; others use Chenzhou's cinnabar and mercury to fire elixirs. They pound and smelt various metals, what they call the Eight Minerals, treat the Three Yellows as if they were of the same kind, and add refined red copper as an auxiliary. The ores and metals they use are not of the same kind as themselves. How could they unite with their own qi and enter the body?

Long ago, in Jiujiang, a Minister Zhang practiced alchemy and took elixirs. Lü Dongbin pitied him for being so absorbed in heterodox paths that he could not return, so he disguised himself as a magician and visited him, intending to save him. Minister Zhang relied on having taken elixirs for a long time and believed he was certain to ascend to immortality, so he did not receive his visitor with courtesy. Lü Dongbin then left. Minister Zhang found only a poem left on his seat: "Pity Minister Zhang of Jiujiang; having taken elixirs, he has lost his sight and his shen and qi are withered. He did not consider that the returning elixir (huandan) has no material substance; to feed on gold and stone instead, how very foolish!" Later he indeed went blind and eventually died.

People of this kind all rely on their supposedly fine natural gifts yet remain deluded. They willingly submit to teachers who mislead them, taking metals and stones as things of the same kind as their cultivation. They exhaust their wealth on taking and firing elixirs, and some never awaken for their whole lives. They are like someone looking at the sky through a tube: how could they know that between heaven and earth there exist true immortals and true sages? Bound by habit, these people will not lower themselves to ask widely, nor will they broadly study or visit masters. Their horizons are narrow, so how could they hear of or understand what is lofty and profound? Yet they hold their heads high and call themselves great men. These people simply squander their exceptional gifts, undone by self-reliance and self-satisfaction.

Chapter Thirteen: "Foreknowledge of the Three Sages" (the title of a chapter in the Cantong Qi, meaning a discussion of matters foreknown by the three sages)

When it comes to the ancient sages, the earliest was Fuxi (Fu Xi). Fuxi began drawing the Eight Trigrams (Bagua), taking their pattern from heaven and earth. King Wen of Zhou continued this tradition, arranging the hexagram images and deducing the line statements (yaoci). Confucius was the most outstanding of the many sages, and wrote the Ten Wings to elucidate the Yijing (Book of Changes).

These three sages were all extraordinary figures born of Heaven. They arose one after another, each appearing in response to the needs of their time. Their accomplishments came in sequence, but their merit admits no higher or lower rank. Later creations built on the foundations laid by their predecessors, and through further deduction examined the fine distinctions within them. Visible things are easy to gauge, but principles with no manifest sign are hard to contemplate. The works of the sages allowed later generations to take them as models and established canonical standards for the world.

I did not originally possess the ability to foresee these principles. It was through learning from my teacher that I was enlightened. They are like a bright light glimpsed through the curtains on a cold night, or like the vision that comes after closing one's eyes and ascending a high terrace. Although the Huo Ji (Records of Fire) contains six hundred chapters, the principles it points to are no different. The scriptures repeatedly and earnestly explain these matters, yet people do not reflect on them seriously. If one traces their source and course, one finds that the hidden and the manifest principles are fundamentally connected. I have spoken of these things privately to worthy people. How could I dare to write them down carelessly as a book?

Even so, if I kept silent and cut off the obligations of the Way, I would incur guilt and punishment. Yet if I wrote what I know on bamboo and silk, I would fear divulging heavenly secrets. I therefore hesitated, sighed again and again, and pondered repeatedly before I wrote these shallow words. The Way of cultivation (liànyǎng) has its own rules, and cannot be fully disclosed. I can only sketch its essential outline, so that its various branches may also reveal their threads.

The commentary explains that the phrase "opposing the Yellow Emperor and Laozi" in the preceding eighth chapter refers to the two great sages, Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor) and Laozi. Here the text elaborates on how these three sages established their teachings and passed them on to later generations, and it reveals their intention to honor the sages who came before them. Yet when we look at later people of shallow learning, who in fact understand nothing but are arrogant, and who even go so far as to slander the sages, how grave must their offenses be?

The scripture says: "As for the earliest sage, none surpassed Fuxi." Fuxi is also written Paoxi or Fuxi. The Commentaries on the Changes (Shiyi, or "Ten Wings," the works that elucidate the Yijing), attributed to Confucius, say: "In antiquity, when Paoxi ruled the world, he looked up to observe the patterns of heaven and looked down to examine the patterns of the earth. He studied the markings of birds and beasts and the advantages and dangers of the terrain. Near at hand he took models from his own body, and far off he took models from things. Thereupon he began to draw the Eight Trigrams (Bagua), in order to penetrate the virtue of the spirits and to classify the conditions of all things."

King Wen arranged the hexagrams and deduced their line statements, thereby revealing the subtle principle of "gaining companions in the southwest." As for "the Ten Wings assist it," this means that the Yijing as a book consists of the trigrams drawn by Fuxi, the hexagram statements composed by King Wen, and the line statements composed by the Duke of Zhou, which together form two sections known as the Zhengjing (the Core Classic). Confucius then composed ten commentary sections after the Core Classic: the upper and lower Tuan Zhuan, the Daxiang Zhuan, the Xiaoxiang Zhuan, the upper and lower Xici Zhuan, the Wenyan Zhuan, and the upper, middle, and lower Shuogua Zhuan. Together these are called the Shiyi (Ten Wings).

These commentaries were originally explanations of the Yijing, yet they are called "wings" rather than "explanations" (shi), because their function is to assist and elucidate the Core Classic. Sages honor their predecessors and also set models for later generations. The scripture is scripture, and the commentary is commentary. To call them "wings" is to make later scholars understand that the sage did not dare to rise above the sages before him, nor did he confuse the Core Classic with the commentaries.

Shang Qu (Shang Qu) transmitted the study of the Yi (Yi), and it later passed to Fei Zhi (Fei Zhi), Meng Xi (Meng Xi), Liangqiu He (Liangqiu He), and others. Fei Zhi held that the Tuan Zhuan (Commentary on the Judgments) was meant to explain the jing (Jing) text, so he divided it up and placed each part after the jing text of its hexagram. Once Fei Zhi's arrangement was handed down, the original order of the jing text fixed by the sages was thrown into disorder. The author holds that Fei Zhi did not grasp the orderly intent behind the sages' arrangement of the jing text. If the order of the jing text could be freely altered, Confucius would long ago have separated the text out and explained it himself.

Fei Zhi's transmitted edition later reached Zheng Kangcheng (Zheng Xuan), who also adopted Fei Zhi's arrangement. Zheng Xuan held that the Wenyan Zhuan (Commentary on the Words of the Text) explained the Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth) hexagrams, so he moved it to follow the jing text of those two hexagrams. Later, Wang Bi (Wang Bi) continued the practice of Fei Zhi and Zheng Xuan. He held that the Xiang Zhuan (Commentary on the Images) explained the line statements, so he moved the Xiang Zhuan to follow each line statement and added markers such as "xiang yue" and "tuan yue" (xiang yue, tuan yue) to each section.

As a result, over several centuries the arrangement of the Zhouyi (Zhouyi) underwent three major changes. The jing text was thrown into disorder, and the original arrangement of the Shiyi (Ten Wings), the ten commentary treatises on the Yijing (Yijing), was also damaged. The author traces the origin of this practice to Fei Zhi and holds that Zheng Xuan and Wang Bi further followed it. For this reason, the Yi in common use today is, in the author's view, less the original Zhouyi than the Yi arranged by Wang Bi.

Many scholars of earlier dynasties attempted to restore the original order of the Zhouyi jing text and the Shiyi. In the Song dynasty, Li Tao (Li Tao), Chao Shuozhi (Chao Shuozhi), Ouyang Xiu (Ouyang Xiu), and others all edited the Zhouyi in the hope of recovering an ancient version. Li Tao said that the twelve chapters of the Zhouyi were first disordered by Fei Zhi and Zheng Xuan and became even more confused by the time of Wang Bi. After his own revision, which he titled Guyi (Guyi, Ancient Yi), he promoted it in the prefectural schools. Chao Shuozhi revised the ancient text again, arranging the jing text into two parts and the Shiyi into ten, and he marked some items as "yiwang" (lost), along with titles such as Shuogua (Shuogua, Discourse on the Trigrams). Ouyang Xiu said that when the Qin dynasty burned the books, the Yijing text survived because it was used for divination, while the Shiyi scattered among the people. After Emperor Wen of the Han widely sought out texts, the only parts of the Shiyi that survived were the Tuan Zhuan, Xiang Zhuan, Xici Zhuan (Xici Zhuan, Commentary on the Appended Statements), and Wenyan Zhuan.

In the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Han, a woman from Hé shàng (the Riverside) dug open an ancient tomb and found a complete copy of the Classic of Changes (Yijing), which she presented to the court. The middle and lower sections of the "Shuo Gua" (Discussion of the Trigrams) chapter, however, had been damaged and could no longer be read. From this it is clear that two of the Ten Wings (Shiyi) were indeed lost. Later scholars treated the "Xu Gua" (Sequence of the Hexagrams) and "Za Gua" (Miscellaneous Hexagrams) as chapters of the Ten Wings, but this was a mistake, since their wording is shallow, and later scholars merely followed the error. Only the Cheng brothers (Chengshi) saw clearly. In their posthumous writings they stated that the "Xu Gua" does not contain the profound principles of the Yijing, and that this view was not in accord with the Dao. Later, Master Hengqu (Zhang Zai) refuted it with forceful arguments, but he too was mistaken; only the Cheng brothers understood that the two lost chapters were different ones.

Zhu Xi said that only the "Qian" hexagram belongs to the original text of the Zhouyi (Changes of the Zhou), and that Wang Bi did not dare to alter it arbitrarily. Zhu Xi also held that the Zhouyi is divided into two parts: the classic text, consisting of the hexagram images drawn by Fuxi together with the hexagram and line statements composed by King Wen and the Duke of Zhou, and the commentary, comprising the ten chapters written by Confucius. The whole work originally had twelve chapters, but some Confucian scholars later altered and confused them. Zhu Xi reorganized and corrected them, establishing two volumes of classic text and ten volumes of commentary, in an attempt to restore the form of Confucius's era. Yet nearly two hundred years have passed since Zhu Xi, and the original form still has not been recovered; there must be a reason for this.

If the Yijing had no Ten Wings (the ten commentary chapters that explain the Yijing), how would the way of the Yi (Yidao) be made clear? How would the hexagram and line statements be connected, and how would transformations be recognized? How would the making of tools draw on the hexagram images? In cultivating the Dao, one who does not understand language cannot grasp the responsiveness between nature and feeling; one who does not understand transformation cannot master the way in which metal and water convert into one another; one who is not skilled at making implements cannot use the cauldron and furnace (the vessels used in refining and cultivation); and one who does not understand auspiciousness and inauspiciousness cannot grasp the principle of counter-flow and compliance. The Ten Wings says, "The Yi contains four aspects of the way of the sages," and it is these that are meant here. Therefore, when the gentleman is about to act or undertake something, he first consults by divination and then makes his judgment according to the statement he obtains.

Those who cultivate the Dao receive the Heavenly mandate as an echo answers a sound. Whether the distance is near or far and the realm deep or shallow, they can foreknow what is about to happen. "Deep" here refers to a state of hazy obscurity beyond words. When the gentleman acts, he must observe within this subtle and unfathomable realm in order to foresee the future. Were he not the most refined person under heaven, who could accomplish this? The Immortal Elder held that the Shiyi (Ten Wings, the ten commentary treatises that explain and elaborate the Yijing, or Classic of Changes) exists precisely to help one understand this principle, and that this statement exhausts the matter.

Sages cultivated the Dao (the Way), and their merit extended to later generations. Yet if later learners lack virtue (De) and wisdom, they struggle to bear these principles and are often obstructed, unable to see or hear them. Fuxi, King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, Confucius, and other sages arose in succession, composing classics and developing principles that became models of teaching for ten thousand generations. The supreme Dao (the highest Way) was made clear by sages born through Heaven, yet learners who seek to comprehend it on their own must still receive instruction from teachers. Even one who considers himself clever, relying on scheming, deliberation, and conjecture, is like someone blocked by an obstacle. If a person of benevolence and wisdom devotes himself to deep study and finally grasps his teacher's intent, his mind opens at once, like a curtain in a room being lifted so that everything becomes clear and transparent. It is also like climbing a high terrace with eyes closed and suddenly being able to see in all four directions.

If a person does not seek a teacher, how can he awaken? With a teacher, one should first test one's understanding against the Cantong qi (Kinship of the Three, a classic on the refinement and cultivation of the Dao). If every sentence is clear and every chapter understood, then one truly understands. If a single phrase remains unclear, one cannot believe or accept the whole. To set this book aside and claim there is another path to the Dao is to deceive people. Why say so? Because this book transmits the principles of Fuxi, which King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius elaborated. For this reason the Immortal Elder called Confucius "the hero among all the sages." A thousand years later, who could surpass Confucius? Consider also the Yinfu jing (Scripture of the Hidden Accord), attributed to the Yellow Emperor, at about three hundred characters, and the Daodejing (Classic of the Way and Its Power) of Laozi, at about five thousand characters. Both accord with this Dao without error. The key lies in understanding their principles.

Thus, the Old Ancestor (Laozi), the Celestial Master (Zhang Daoling), Immortal Elder Ge (Ge Xuan), Immortal Elder Xu (Xu Xun), Lord Fuqiu, and other immortals all began their studies with this classic, the Cantong qi. Works such as Perfected Ziyang’s Wuzhen pian and Yuanduzi’s Jindan nanwen likewise take the Cantong qi as their foundation. Buddhist scriptures and Daoist classics, when compared with one another, also accord with the principles set out in it.

Some people can speak fluently about who a particular master studied under, and who that teacher received the teaching from. Yet when asked about the Cantong qi, most understand little. Such a person is like a seed destined to fall into hell, yet claims that the highest Dao is not found in books and quotes sayings carelessly and blindly. They do not realize that one must first study and examine this book repeatedly, confirming that its principles are true, before beginning cultivation.

Moreover, the book’s reference to “six hundred fire-markers”—using six hundred time periods to explain the timing of the alchemical fire—encompasses the seasons, the images of the hexagram lines, and their corresponding signs. It also contains words of hidden subtlety and precision, and presents its teaching with gravity from beginning to end. If people do not ponder it closely and trace its origins, it is because the realms of the hidden and the manifest coexist. This book speaks to the worthy; how could it readily reveal everything? If the oral instructions were truly given in full, how could the Dao be passed on? To write every heavenly secret on bamboo slips would also expose the signs by which the Dao of Heaven is verified.

In the phrase “hesitating, adding to one’s sighs,” “hesitation” originally names a kind of wild animal. Naturally suspicious, it lives in the mountains and, at the slightest sound, climbs a tree in alarm, going up and down repeatedly. The word thus describes someone unable to make up their own mind. The Immortal Elder says that when he wrote this text, he too hesitated and wavered: crossing a river, he worried for his neighbor and added sighs of his own, bowing and lifting his head as he considered the matter again and again. Although this text is transmitted to later generations, it still conceals within it methods that are allowed to come to light. The oral instructions cannot be given in full; only their general outline is explained, with a few of their details and branches shown in brief.

Chapter Fourteen: The Golden Elixir, the Knife and the Dipper

With metal serving as a dike, water can flow freely once it enters. The count for metal is fifteen, and the number for water is also fifteen. As the furnace approaches its refining stage, the weights of the ingredients must be calibrated; among the five portions, the water is left with a little extra. Metal and water are regarded as the true ingredients, and the weight of the metal remains as it was originally.

Three portions are not placed in the furnace, while the two portions of fire act together with them. The three ingredients contain and sustain one another, transforming in ways that seem wondrous and unfathomable. Beneath the furnace, heat like the sun’s rises as vapor in a short time. The ingredients first melt into liquid and then solidify; this is called the “Yellow Carriage” (the yellow substance formed during the alchemical process).

After refining for a time, the ingredients’ properties begin to diminish, even affecting one’s lifespan. Their form is like gray earth, or dust before a bright window. Pound and blend them, then place them inside the “Red Gate” (the furnace opening or door). Seal the point where the ingredients meet, ensuring that the furnace is tightly and securely closed.

A fierce fire burns beneath the furnace without pause, day and night. At first, use the gentler “civil fire” so that the ingredients can gradually refine; only at the end should the fierce “martial fire” be used. Observe with care, discerning closely the changes in heat and cold. The fire’s course cycles through twelve stages; at the end of each stage, inspect it carefully in person.

As the vapor in the furnace gradually runs out, the ingredients seem to lose their vitality, as though their form and soul were about to perish. Their color turns purple, bright and dazzling, and at last the “Returning Elixir” is complete. Take a small amount and form it into a pill; a single “knife-point measure,” an ancient unit for a very small dose, was considered to have wondrous efficacy.

The commentary says that it is only here that Immortal Master Wei Boyang formally explains how to enter the quiet chamber, attend the furnace, begin to condense the elixir, and place it in the crucible. Those of superior capacity should recognize that this book unfolds in a clear sequence; it does not speak in vague generalities. This chapter of the Cantong qi (The Seal of the Unity of the Three) is especially crucial. Without its detailed explanation, later practitioners of elixir methods who lack guidance from an enlightened teacher would have no idea where to begin and would find the scripture obscure and profound. If readers reach this point still without a clue, they may guess that it is describing the use of the five metals and eight minerals to smelt an elixir. Their efforts would come to nothing, and they might even complain that the sage teacher’s words are deceptive. That would be a great pity. The commentator now offers a brief explanation to dispel readers’ doubts.

“Use gold as a dike” means that practitioners who cultivate and refine the “Ninefold-Reverted Golden Elixir”—a Daoist Neidan teaching about the elixir’s cycles of return and condensation—must understand that “gold” here refers to “the gold within Dui in the west”: the true energy of gold, symbolized by the directions and Five Phases in the Changes. First, discern the true mind and seek this “Dui gold.” Set it in the ritual enclosure, where rites are performed, and guard it carefully, as if building a dike to secure the riverbank and prevent it from washing away. Then wait for this gold to produce water.

The water produced by gold must also be carefully distinguished: is it precelestial water or postcelestial water? Postcelestial water is turbid and cannot be used to refine the reverted elixir. If it is precelestial water, one must still wait for it to clear before using it. The commentary compares this to the clear Jing River and the turbid Wei River. Practitioners refining the elixir must wait until the “Jing River” is clear, remain steady and vigilant, and avoid disturbing it. This is the meaning of “when the water enters, it flows at ease.”

This clear water contains “true gold.” Zhou Xingsi’s phrase “gold gives birth to the beautiful waters” describes the utmost clarity. Before using the gold, one must also know its weight. The commentator says that Dui gold weighs about fifteen liang, close to the measure of one jin. Hence the phrase “the gold is reckoned at fifteen.” Once the gold reaches fifteen liang, it can produce the “beautiful waters.”

“Water is measured in the same way” does not mean that one should use fifteen liang of water as well. It means that the water must be matched with the metal. How much water fifteen liang of metal can produce depends on the actual circumstances, which is why the text says “in the same way.” Thus the Immortal Elder Wei Boyang repeatedly cautions that the quantities of metal and water are to be determined only when one is working at the furnace.

If fifteen liang of metal has already produced five parts of water, the water is excessive and can no longer be used. This is what “five parts of water are too much” means. When the metal has just begun to produce water, the amount is suitable for use only when it reaches two parts. This is the meaning of “the two are taken as true.” These two parts of water must be measured against fifteen liang of metal, hence “the weight of the metal remains as at the beginning.” If the water has reached three parts, it is also unsuitable; this is what “the third is therefore not admitted” means.

When the quantities of metal and water are exactly in balance, two parts of fire must immediately be joined with them. This is the meaning of “fire, two parts, goes with them both.” Once metal, water, and fire are combined, the fire receives the Qi of the metal and is restrained by the water. They congeal into the restored elixir, which can then undergo transformation and manifest its mysterious workings. This is the crucial point when beginning the work at the furnace.

Therefore, the sages took the year as their model for the month; within each month they determined the days and hours and observed the seasonal markers; within each day they selected the hours and matched them to the hexagram lines; and within each hour they regulated the firing process and applied the talismanic timing. “Applying the talismans” here means arranging the firing process according to the timing rhythms used in elixir refinement. The ancient sages regarded refining the Golden Elixir as a matter of great importance, so they calculated the seasonal cycles and devised the “gathering and concentrating method”: the rhythms of the seventy-two pentads of the year were gathered into a single day, and the rhythms of the three hundred and sixty lines were gathered into a single month. A day and night, in turn, was counted as thirty-six talismanic periods, distributed across the twelve double-hours.

According to this calculation, each double-hour contains six pentads. When taking fire for elixir refinement, only two pentads’ worth of fire are used, for a duration that may be longer or shorter. Each double-hour contains one hexagram line, yet the refinement requires less than half a line’s duration. Each double-hour contains three talismanic periods, but the refinement uses only the brief interval represented by one. This is the meaning of “a single talisman, a single decision,” and it is also the purpose of the Yellow Emperor’s discussion of the Yin Conformity Classic (Yinfu Jing).

People know only the wondrous workings of what has form, yet fail to see that the formless and Wuwei (non-action) are the root of these wondrous workings. That is the point being made. The adept cultivating the Golden Elixir gathers 3,600 portions of vital Qi within the brief interval called “one tally” and draws them back into the womb. Here, “one tally” means an extremely short moment in the alchemical process, while “gathering the 3,600 portions of upright Qi” is a term from internal cultivation, describing the collection of Jing and Qi throughout the body.

At this moment, the practitioner seems to seize Heaven and Earth’s creative power and gather the essences of the sun and moon: the earth’s axis is governed by the heart, and Heaven’s pass is held in the hand. The Qi of the paired strings of Dragon and Tiger joins, and the true essences of Metal and Water merge as one. Tortoise and Serpent coil together within the elixir furnace, while the Crow and Hare—the sun and moon—converge and move along the Yellow Path. Black and white reflect one another; hardness and softness alternate. Auspicious signs fill the jade furnace, and purple light shines in the sun. Mars keeps watch in the west, while the Vermilion Bird, the sacred bird of the southern Fire virtue, rises into the sky. Water is then set in motion and Metal Qi circulated, urging Fire into the cauldron. The sun’s Qi steams the ingredients until they congeal into the elixir called the “Yellow Carriage.”

In the initial refinement of Metal and Water, one must carefully regulate and nourish them according to the months and years. But at the crucial moment when the elixir is joined, one need only seize the brief interval of “one tally.” Delay too long, and one harms one’s nature and the Yang Qi of the elixir; any loss will shorten one’s life. This is the meaning of “As the years are about to end, nature is ruined and the years of life are harmed.” The purpose of elixir cultivation is to prolong life, attain the Dao, and become perfected. Yet the slightest mistake can instead damage one’s lifespan. For this reason, the Immortal Master warns later students to proceed with utmost care and precision.

“Dust on the bright window” is a metaphor for the subtle, hard-to-discern aspects of the alchemical method. “Pounding and refining” refers to the joining and tempering of Yin and Yang Qi; “holding and bringing in” means maintaining and gathering it inward; the “red-colored gate” is the gate of the Qian trigram, through which the elixir returns to the chamber of the spirit; “sealing firmly” means closing the breath; and “meeting points” refers to the nine orifices. In cultivation, these apertures and processes must all be kept stable and complete so that no Jing or Qi is lost.

“Flames spread below, their sound steady and diligent day and night” describes the signs that appear in the body when the Yang elixir has just arrived.