《上阳子参同契分章注》Vol. 3

How could one achieve the Way of the Immortals by making reckless guesses and acting as one pleased? Moved by compassion, the Immortal Elder opened the furnace in which the elixir is refined and deliberately composed this text as a rule for cultivation through the ages. Its wording is concise and its meaning easy to grasp, as in the line “The True Person sinks into the deep abyss.” The matters it describes are plainly stated, and its principles are not complicated, as in the phrase “Metal returns to its original nature.” This book is precisely a text that sets out these points one by one.

The upper section consists of fifteen chapters, revealing the changes of Yin-Yang and the process of elixir refinement from beginning to end. The middle section also consists of fifteen chapters, detailing the quantities of the ingredients and the measures governing the firing process. The lower section consists of five chapters, explaining how to emulate the patterns of Heaven and Earth and thereby complete cultivation. Later readers can examine these points and compare them with the principles they contain, making them easier to understand and study. The numbers, quantities, and firing stages described in the text each follow their own rules. With a master’s guidance, one can cultivate step by step according to these methods and thereby refine the elixir.

“Disordered words” refers to statements that borrow names to conceal errors; “apertures” refers to profound and mysterious principles. This classic is a vessel for crossing a great calamity and a lamp of wisdom on a dark road. Sages and worthies of later generations should consider it carefully and apply it with discernment. Only sages can understand the Great Dao, and only the worthy are suited to hear of it. Therefore, a father must not pass it casually to his son, nor should a minister offer it lightly to his ruler.

Does this mean that the Way of the sages is not to be transmitted? The concern is only that the recipient may lack virtue and be unable to bear it; if it is passed on carelessly, they may later stumble and fail. This is what is meant by: “The wise consider it carefully and devote themselves to understanding it.”

Chapter Thirty-Two: Emulating the Patterns to Achieve Success

Among the laws that govern the world, none is greater than Heaven and Earth themselves. When the celestial patterns shift, it is as though deep ravines stretch for tens of thousands of miles. When the River Drum star approaches Xingji, one of the ancient divisions of the sky, the people are all alarmed. If the shadow of the sun moves strangely, now forward and now backward, disaster will follow after nine years. When a ruler sees such signs, he should reflect on himself and correct his faults. The pivot of the sun and moon’s courses rises and falls, and the Qi of calamity then circulates and disperses. When the waters in the Jiang-Huai region run dry, their flow returns to the sea.

The changes of Yin and Yang, of the female and male forces between Heaven and Earth, move back and forth between Zi and Wu, the earthly branches marking directions and times. Yin and Yang begin their changes at Yin and Shen; as they enter and leave, they cycle without end. Follow the course of the Northern Dipper and observe the Yaoguang star at the tip of its handle; use the Heng star within the Dipper to establish the order of the year’s seasons.

Place the substances in the Zeng Mountain, a symbol of the vessel used for steaming, and build a strong fire beneath it. The White Tiger, an image in alchemical practice, leads in front, while the Azure Fluid, an alchemical liquid or medicinal symbol, harmonizes behind. The Vermilion Bird, another alchemical image, flies and frolics, displaying five colors. Suddenly a net spreads over it, pressing it down so that it cannot fly. It cries out in grief like an infant longing for its mother. It tumbles upside down into boiling liquid, and its feathers are broken.

Before half the water clock has run down, the substances in the vessel begin to rise and turn like fish scales and fins. Five-colored lights shimmer, changing without fixed form. The liquid in the vessel surges and boils without pause. The substances lie in layers, crisscrossing and joining together. Their shapes resemble ice in midwinter and stalactites like fine jade. They rise and fall, mingle and pile up, supporting one another.

Once Yin and Yang have been harmonized and joined, they remain together in calm and quiet. The Azure Dragon, the image of the East, dwells at the sixth degree of the Fang mansion, as spring Qi stirs in the eastern Mao position. The White Tiger, the image of the West, dwells at the seventh degree of the Mao mansion, as autumn Qi flourishes in the western You position. The Vermilion Bird, the image of the South, dwells at the second degree of the Zhang mansion, where pure Yang Qi converges at the southern Wu position. When the three come together, they are like a family gathered in intimacy.

At root, there are only two basic substances; as they develop and change, they appear in different levels, such as three and five. The three and five combine into one, and in the end gather in two places. Prepare them according to the method described above, observing the prescribed number of days. They first turn white, then yellow, then red, and finally black, with the colors changing from the outside inward. This is called the “First Cauldron”; the substance produced is about the size of a large millet grain.

All these transformations arise naturally; they are not the work of delusion or artifice. The Qi of mountains and marshes steams against itself, rising as clouds and forming rain. When earth dries, it becomes dust; when fire goes out, it turns to earth. The process is like using cypress bark to dye something yellow or indigo plants to dye it green, like boiling hides to make glue, or fermenting grain with yeast and malt to make wine. Materials of the same kind are readily worked together, while different kinds are difficult to transform with skill.

This subtle method requires careful examination; it is certainly no deception. Passed down to later generations, it is clear in its order and can be tested. It shines like stars stretching across the Milky Way and is as clear as rivers flowing into the sea. In studying it, one must strive to understand it thoroughly and examine it repeatedly from beginning to end. Read it a thousand times, and its meaning and structure will become clear; read it ten thousand times, and its principles will gradually emerge. At times, the spirits may offer insight; when the mind is clear, understanding may also come suddenly. Search out the beginning and trace the threads, and you will surely find a way in. To enter the Great Dao, do not cling to fixed choices; transmit it to those of worthy character.

As Shangyangzi’s commentary says, “The Way of the sage is vast enough to contain Heaven and Earth, yet subtle enough to penetrate the tiniest speck of dust.” The Doctrine of the Mean says, “One can reach the greatest breadth and still exhaust the subtlest principles; one can attain the highest clarity and still follow the ordinary, upright Way.” The Dao is a treasure hidden by Heaven. It is not set out plainly in books, but passed on through speech from teacher to student. The sages, compelled by necessity, used all kinds of metaphors to point the way for later generations.

When the Yellow Emperor asked Qibo for guidance, he began by saying, “When essence is deficient, replenish it with flavors; when the body is deficient, replenish it with Qi—the fundamental force of life.” This single sentence fully reveals the foundation sought in Golden Elixir cultivation. Later, King Wen wrote the hexagram judgments for Fuxi’s Classic of Changes, including “In the southwest, one gains companions”; this too reveals a method for replenishing Qi. Confucius then said, “Those of the same sound respond to one another; those of the same Qi seek one another.” This, too, points to principles of replenishing Qi.

Laozi said, “The gate of the mysterious female is called the root of Heaven and Earth.” This explicitly names the gateway for replenishing Qi. The Token for Joining the Three (Cantong qi) sets out, one by one, the essentials of cultivation: the ingredients, the cauldron and furnace, the weights and measures, and the timing of the fire. Its teaching, “The Metal Qi supports and aids itself; the perfected person lies hidden in the deep abyss,” is the clearest and most earnest of all. The next section uses images drawn from the natural world to compare them with the principles of cultivation. Across generations, the sages have transmitted teachings founded on the same principles. Thus the so-called Great Elixir of Nine Returns of Golden Liquid—the attainment of internal alchemy—is, in the end, nothing more than replenishing that one Qi.

Yet Yin must be replenished with Yang, and Yang with Yin. This takes the Qi of the Supreme Ultimate as its foundation and uses the name “Golden Elixir” to describe it. What are Gold and Elixir? When Qian first comes into being, it is called Gold; when Kun first comes into being, it is called Elixir. At first, Qian is the Supreme Ultimate, and the Golden Elixir lies in Kun. At first, Kun is the Supreme Ultimate; Qi transforms and becomes Elixir. Qian’s Metal is spread through Kun, and as it circulates, the Metal hides in Dui. Metal in Dui generates Water, and when Water first comes into being, there is already Elixir. The Elixir is in the tiger’s enclosure, which is why it is said that the tiger is born in water. The tiger dwells in the west. For the Elixir to unite, the dragon must first be subdued. The dragon dwells in Wood, and its transformations appear in Li. Since Li contains Yin Fire, it is said that the dragon emerges from fire.

The dragon dwells in the azure heavens corresponding to the nine Qi of the east. The Azure Emperor, the deity of the east, governs it and makes it the sovereign force; from it, the myriad things come into being.

The White Tiger dwells in the western Plain Heaven of seven Qi, and belongs to white Yin Fire; hence it is said that the Dragon is born from fire. The Azure Dragon dwells in the eastern Vast Heaven of nine Qi. The Azure Emperor governs it with a key, making it the ruler, through which all things are brought forth and nurtured. The White Tiger dwells in the western Plain Heaven of seven Qi. The White Emperor stirs it with bellows, setting creation in motion so that all things may transform and arise. From west to east, the distance is more than ten thousand li.

Here, the Immortal Elder uses “Heaven and Earth” as a metaphor for the Li and Kan trigrams; “Golden Cauldron” for the Mysterious Channel, the hidden passage used in alchemy; “River Drum” and “Star Record” for the meeting of Yin and Yang; “shadow of the sundial” and “advance and retreat” for the movement of the Qian Dragon; and “the Emperor looks down” for sudden insight and understanding. “Key” and “harmful Qi” signify gathering in and sealing the movement of Qi. “Female and male” refer to the Zi and Wu times; “entering and exiting” to the Yin and Shen times. “Steaming Mountain” is the remote and mysterious gate, while “Waving Dipper” is the door to what is indistinct and unfathomable. “White Tiger” refers to Metal; “Vermilion Bird” to Metal within Fire. The “net” is a metaphor for beginning the alchemical work, and the “boiling cauldron” for the crucible. “Cauldron boiling” and “surging violently” describe vigorous movement of Qi; “piled up one upon another” indicates an abundance of the ingredients. “Lan-gan” and “stalactite” are images of the Elixir beginning to appear; “mixed together” and “crossed pillars” indicate the joining of Yin and Yang’s virtues. “The Azure Dragon in the Room” signifies entering the Elixir chamber and completing the work; “the White Tiger in Mao” signifies obtaining the ingredient and returning it to the furnace; “the Vermilion Bird in Zhang” signifies that Shen has united with Qi.

The “two things” are Lead and Mercury; “three and five” means the gathering of the Five Phases; “one” refers to the water within Kan, and “two” to the furnace within Li. “First white, then yellow”: white represents Metal, and yellow the form of Earth. “Red and black reaching inside and out”: red represents the appearance of Fire, and black the substance of Lead. When the Five Phases are complete and Yin and Yang unite, this is called “one cauldron,” no larger than a millet grain. It is this that the scripture describes when it says, “The Primordial Beginning hangs a precious pearl, as large as a millet grain, in the midst of empty mystery.”

“Nature’s spontaneous workings” refers to the principle by which Yin and Yang transform and operate naturally, responding to one another. It does not mean a deviant or false path, nor the sexual techniques of heterodox schools or other illicit arts.

“Vapors from mountains and marshes rise and mingle” uses the rising, mingling moisture between mountains and marshes as a metaphor to explain how the Golden Elixir forms through the interaction and condensation of Yin and Yang Qi. “When the mud is exhausted, dust is formed” is a metaphor for true Qi entering the crucible and eventually condensing into an elixir. Yellow dye comes from the cork tree, and green dye from the orchid; boiling hides makes glue, and fermentation makes wine. These are all metaphors: obtain the Golden Liquid, and you can refine it into the Returned Elixir.

“Work is easily done with matching kinds” means that when Yin and Yang each find their corresponding counterpart, the work proceeds with ease. For example, Qian takes Kun as its kind, and Kun takes Dui as its kind. When Yin and Yang are harmonized, the work of refining the elixir can readily be completed. “With an unlike seed, skill cannot succeed” means that when the elements do not correspond, the work is difficult to accomplish. For example, Dui takes Xun as its seed, and Yin takes the female as its seed. If, as in “two women living together,” the matching counterpart is absent, how could transformation be brought about? This wondrous art calls for clarity, care, and precision; it is certainly no empty claim.

“Transmitted to those who come after countless ages” means that this book and the Dao it explains are like the stars in the sky, visible to all; they are also like rivers that ultimately flow into the sea, with no other source or course. Even after countless ages, this principle cannot be departed from. One should study it closely and ponder it repeatedly. With much reading, one may feel that the spirits have offered guidance, and may come to understand its meaning intuitively.

When sages and worthies write books, the final chapter always echoes the opening. The first chapter of the upper volume of the Cantong qi says, “Qian and Kun are the gateways of the Changes.” In the final chapter it says plainly, “Trace the beginning and search out its threads, and you must find its gateways.” Thus the text seeks back from the beginning and ultimately returns to the beginning. The Way of Heaven is impartial and continually transmits the Dao to the worthy. Those who study the Dao should reflect carefully.

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Wondrous Function of the Crucible and Vessel

This chapter originally followed “Modeling after Forms,” since the vessel itself also takes the forms of Heaven and Earth as its model. Peng Zhenyi believed that the passage’s wording and reasoning were closely connected, while its sentences were fragmentary, so it would be more suitable placed later. This view is mistaken. The writings of immortals, perfected beings, and sages have their own careful arrangement and should not be moved about arbitrarily. Moreover, every line here has three characters, with lines rhyming in harmony, following a formal pattern of its own. So I have restored it to this place, in accordance with the original.

“Roundly comprehend the three and five; an inch and a measure” explains in detail the meaning of “three, five, and one.” Whenever this book mentions the “three and five,” it includes Chapter Eleven, “The three and five are already in harmony”; Chapter Twenty-Four, “The three and five with the one: the utmost essence of Heaven and Earth”; Chapter Twenty-Six, “When the three and five do not interact, hardness and softness separate”; and Chapter Thirty-Two, “At root there are only two things, but at the end they become three and five.” This chapter places “three, five, and one” at the beginning so that readers may fully understand its meaning: the vessel holds the mystery of the “three and five,” the medicinal substances embody the true meaning of “one inch,” and the firing process is expressed by “one measure.”

“Round” means mature and fully understood, and also clear and unobstructed. If one fully grasps the essential meaning of “three, five, and one,” one can refine the Great Elixir. If people fail to understand this principle and cling only to the vessel’s dimensions in inches, their understanding is too shallow.

Confucius said, “The numbers three and five transform and combine in alternating patterns.” By understanding transformation, one can form the patterns of order between Heaven and Earth; by probing the principles of number, one can establish the forms of all things under Heaven. The Wuzhen pian also says: “‘Three, five, and one’ is only three characters, yet few across the ages have truly understood it. The East belongs to Wood and has the number three; the South belongs to Fire and has the number two. Together they make five. The North belongs to Water and has the number one; the West belongs to Metal and has the number four. These too make five. Wu and Ji occupy the center, and five is the generating number of Earth. The three families meet and form an infant. This infant is the ‘one,’ containing the true Qi; only those who understand can grasp the key that leads to sagehood.”

In the numbers of Yin-Yang, Qi is primary; the Qi of the Five Phases arises from numbers. Thus the azure Qi of the East belongs to Wood and has the number nine. It is the Qi of the Primordial Beginning and also represents benevolence. Wood’s generating number is three; it belongs to Yang strength and also symbolizes Jing.

The Ancient Scripture of the Dragon and Tiger says, “Transformation becomes the Azure Dragon.” The Azure Dragon belongs to Yang Wood. The red qi of the south has the number two, symbolizing prosperity and ritual propriety. Fire’s generating number is two; it belongs to the soft and also symbolizes blood. The scripture says, “Cinnabar is the father from whom mercury flows.” Here, mercury belongs to Yin Fire. Yang Wood generates Yin Fire. The Li trigram contains Yin within Yang and represents the middle daughter, so the Li daughter takes Zhen Wood as her father. Wood and Fire are paired; their generating numbers, two and three, combine to make five, forming “mercury within cinnabar”—that is, “I,” and also the vessel. This is what the Perfected Ziyang means when he says, “The Golden Tripod seeks to retain the mercury within the vermilion.”

The white qi of the west has the number seven, symbolizing benefit and righteousness. Metal’s generating number is four; it belongs to the female and also symbolizes liquid. The scripture says, “Female Yin is ochre-gold.” Here, gold belongs to Yin Metal. The black qi of the north has the number five, symbolizing constancy and wisdom. Water’s generating number is one; it belongs to the male and also symbolizes qi. The scripture says, “Male Yang is emerald-dark water.” Here, dark water belongs to Yang Water. Yin Metal generates Yang Water. The Kan trigram contains Yang within Yin and represents the middle son, so the Kan son takes Dui Metal as his mother; Metal and Water dwell together. Their generating numbers, one and four, combine to make five, forming “metal within water”—that is, “the other,” and also the vessel. This is what the Perfected Ziyang means when he says, “First, lower the silver within water into the Jade Pool.”

The yellow qi at the center belongs to Ji and also symbolizes Shen (spirit). Earth’s generating number is five; it belongs to Wu and also symbolizes trustworthiness. Laozi says, “Within the obscure and profound, the indistinct and unclear, there is essence. This essence is real and not false; within it is trustworthiness.” Wu and Ji unite to form the gui tablet. “The essences of two and five subtly join and congeal” refers to the coagulation of the Golden Elixir. This is called “three, five, and one,” and is also the tripod and vessel. Taken together, “three, five, and one” make nine, returning to the original number nine of the eastern azure qi. This is called the “Ninefold Return Great Elixir.”

“Four by eight at the mouth, two inches for the lips” means that the mouth is four eight-fen lengths long, and each of the two lips is two inches wide.

The numbers in “four at the mouth, eight, and two inches at the lips” are explained by commentators as four plus eight, which makes twelve, and then two more, making fourteen. “Fourteen” symbolizes the moon in the sky just as it reaches fullness; the full moon represents pure Yang. When Yang energy is completely abundant, a Golden Essence of Yang is generated within the cauldron. This is what is meant by the “Great Elixir of Nine Cycles”—the elixir formed by refining and concentrating Yang energy in Neidan (internal alchemy).

The mouth and lips are the gateway where Metal energy meets, so they are compared to the mouth of a cauldron and the rim of a vessel. Four plus eight plus two makes fourteen, and also hints at the subtle meaning of the “Seven Returns,” a Neidan term for the process by which essence and energy return and are refined. The commentators say that the Immortal Elder’s profound intent is concealed within the words. To see only the characters for “mouth” and “lips” and then search for the precise dimensions of an alchemical cauldron is to misunderstand the scripture. The vessel used for the Golden Liquid Great Elixir takes Heaven and Earth, Qian and Kun, as its model. Trying to measure its dimensions would be like trying to measure the whole cosmos: there is no way to do so.

The furnace and fire of alchemy take Heaven and Earth as the furnace and Yin-Yang as the fire. The human body, too, is like a small cosmos; thus, in cultivation, the body serves as the furnace, while Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) serve as the fire. This does not mean using a furnace and cauldron made of metal or stone for alchemical work.

“Length one foot and two inches, with even thickness” means that the length is one foot and two inches, and the thickness is uniform. In light of the passage above, the commentators emphasize that such descriptions of measurements explain the symbolism of Neidan, rather than refer to actual alchemical equipment.

The commentary says that “twelve spans” refers to the twelve months of the year, and “lasting” means that every year has twelve months. “Thick” means excessive; “thin” means insufficient. Practitioners should understand that each year has twelve months, and each month has a moment when Metal and Water engender one another. The “cauldron vessel” refers to the furnace and cauldron used in alchemical practice. If the vessel is too thick, it tends toward excess; if too thin, it grows weak. “Evenness” means adjusting and maintaining proper balance; regulation means carefully examining the timing.

The ancient sages compressed the rhythm of the year’s seventy-two pentads into a single day. Each double-hour is divided into six pentads, and each pentad contains three tallies. Practicing at the pace of just one tally is called “tally-pentad.” Only when thickness and thinness are balanced, and regulation is precise down to the slightest measure, can one refine the Great Elixir.

“Level the abdomen with three; sit with the body hanging, warm.” This means: bring the abdomen level with some point (the reference of “three” is unclear); while seated, let the body hang downward and keep it warm.

The commentary says, “‘Abdomen’ refers to the inside of the alchemical vessel used for refining the elixir. ‘Aligned’ means shining in time with the moon. ‘Three’ refers to the third day of each month. ‘Sitting’ means sitting quietly and waiting. ‘Descending’ means coming down. ‘Warmth’ refers to the activation of Yang Qi (the vital energy of Yang).”

Why does it say “shining in time with the moon”? The moon in the sky is called Great Yin. On the third day of each month, a single ray of Yang light first appears in the Geng-Shen direction, symbolizing the Zhen trigram. Zhen consists of one weak Yang line beneath two Yin lines. The situation inside the alchemical vessel is similar. The vessel on earth is called Lesser Yin. On the night of the third day of each month, a single ray of Yang Qi appears in the Ren-Gui direction, symbolizing the Fu hexagram. Fu consists of one Yang line hidden beneath five Yin lines.

Why does it say “sit, descend, and warm”? After obtaining the vessel, the practitioner must sit quietly and wait on the night of the third day of each month, until the fire Qi descends and reaches a state that is neither cold nor dry, but mild and warm. At this time, Yang Qi will activate in the Ren-Gui direction, symbolized by the single Yang line of the Fu hexagram hidden among five Yin lines. When Yang Qi is about to activate, the elixir should be refined without delay.

Yin is above; Yang rushes down below.

The commentary says, “‘Yin’ is the water inside the vessel; ‘Yang’ is the fire inside the alchemical cauldron. Water above and fire below is Water and Fire Already Joined. Yin above and Yang below symbolize the Earth-Heaven Tai hexagram. The Purple Yang Immortal’s words, ‘Let him occupy the place of host, while I occupy the place of guest,’ describe this situation.”

Use Martial Fire at the beginning and end of the firing process, and Civil Fire in the middle. Begin with seventy and finish with three tens, making two hundred and six in all; regulate the process evenly and precisely.

The commentary says: “‘Martial Fire at the beginning’ means using Martial Fire to refine the self in the early stages of cultivation, applying a firm and vigorous degree of heat to train body and mind. ‘Martial Fire at the end’ means using Martial Fire to warm and nourish the elixir in the final stage, regulating the heat to tend and protect it. Between the two, a single talisman-period of Civil Fire is used to refine the elixir; this heat is gentler and subtler.

“‘Seventy at the beginning’ refers to the great difficulty of accumulating the work of refining the self; ‘thirty days at the end’ means that special care is needed during the warming and nourishing stage. Seventy days and thirty days, together with the two hundred and sixty days in between, make three hundred and sixty days, exactly the number of days in a year. According to this analogy, seven tenths of the year are spent refining the self and three tenths warming and nourishing. If the warming and nourishing lasts one year, refining the self must first be carried out for three years.

“The Civil Fire used in refining the elixir is applied only during the middle, single talisman-period, which is about half an hour; hence the phrase ‘skillfully regulate it evenly.’ This period of Civil Fire is not included in the total of seventy days, thirty days, and two hundred and sixty days, and students should distinguish it carefully. The four words ‘beginning,’ ‘end,’ ‘final,’ and ‘initial’ refer to the stages before and after. The Civil Fire in the middle has a separate meaning and should not be counted together with those periods.

“When people see ‘seventy’ and ‘thirty days,’ they often assume these refer to Civil Fire taking up three tenths and Martial Fire seven tenths. They do not understand that the elixir texts often conceal their crucial points instead of stating them plainly. Once one understands that the instant of ‘one talisman’ is the moment when the elixir is obtained, the meaning of the Civil Fire in the middle becomes clear.

“‘Yin Fire is white; Yellow Sprout is lead; two sevens gather together, assisting the cultivator’: Yin Fire is white, and Yellow Sprout belongs to lead. The two ‘sevens’ gather together to assist the cultivator.”

The commentary says: The Earth number two generates fire, and the Heaven number seven causes the fire to congeal into cinnabar. This is the completed number of “Yin Fire,” formed by combining one and seven. The Heaven number one generates water, and the Earth number six causes the water to congeal into lead. This is the combined number of the “Yellow Sprout,” also formed by combining one and seven. The numbers of lead and fire combine; this is called “the two sevens gathering together,” or fourteen. Gather the lead and fire represented by this number fourteen in the crucible, and their effects can assist the practitioner in ultimately refining the elixir.

Nurture the heart and spirit, regulate the brain, and let the mysterious Qi rise. When awareness settles in the center, it can be steadied and preserved. It circulates back and forth without ceasing, yet never leaves the body. As cultivation gradually deepens, one’s nature and temperament become pure; in the end, one returns to unity and to the original beginning. One must treat the process with the careful respect of a ruler and minister toward one another. A full cycle of cultivation demands great effort. Guard it closely; do not lose yourself in confusion or torpor. The road ahead is long, deep, and mysterious. If you can penetrate its workings, you will unite with the principles of Heaven and Earth. A small dose of elixir alone can purify the soul and bring long life in the realm of the immortals. Those who delight in cultivating the Dao should investigate its roots, examine the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), and determine their measures. Reflect carefully on these principles; there is no need for many words. Keep the fruits of cultivation hidden and guarded, and do not pass them on lightly.

The commentary says: The meaning of this passage is fairly straightforward. It admonishes practitioners who have already obtained the medicine not to grow lax or neglect their practice, and not to leave it even for a moment, but to follow it diligently and carefully. Every line of the scripture is clear and needs no further explanation. Once the elixir has been refined, the “infant” within—the symbol in Neidan for the newly formed original spirit or elixir body—gradually grows. One may continue cultivating for another nine years to deepen one’s attainment.

Mounting a white crane and riding a divine beast symbolized by dragon scales, one roams through the Great Void, pays audience to the Immortal Lords, and has one’s name entered in the registers of Heaven. Such a person is called a Perfected One: one who has attained the Dao.

The commentary says: This passage describes the state in which the Elixir has been refined, the Dao fully realized, and the merits of cultivation brought to completion. Yet the results attained by those of profound merit cannot all be fully expressed. The highest Dao is treasured by Heaven, and only those with good innate qualities and superior wisdom, who cultivate diligently without slackening and cultivate nature and life together, can reach a state in which body and spirit are subtly perfected and they unite with the Dao in truth. Such people possess profound merit and, as the eulogy says, can pay audience to the Immortal Lords and be called perfected beings.

Everyone can achieve this merit and attain freedom. Do not give up because the task seems difficult, and do not neglect cultivation because you feel your affinity is shallow. Laozi, Zhang Daoling, and Ge Xuan were all human beings; they did not descend from Heaven. Shakyamuni and Bodhidharma were also human beings; they did not rise up from beneath the earth. With steadfast resolve and vigorous effort, anything can be accomplished. Those who aspire to cultivate should reflect deeply and put their efforts into practice.

“Chapter on Filling Gaps and Supplying What Was Omitted,” Chapter Thirty-Four

The Cantong qi presents only a general outline. Its contents are not sufficiently focused, some sections are overly expansive, many details are incomplete, and its omissions are rather unclear. We now compile further material to fill those gaps and clarify what is profound. We connect related passages so that the aims of the different sections accord with one another and their references align. This is why we compose this chapter and name it “Three Similarities.” In this way, the principles, emotions, and nature discussed in the Zhouyi are all made clear.

Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui mark the positions where the Qi of the Five Phases correspond with one another: Yi is Wood, Ding is Fire, Ji is Earth, Xin is Metal, and Gui is Water. These are associated with the Yin Heavenly Stems and concern such matters as ascending and floating, civil fire, worldly silver, and true lead.

Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren likewise each have their corresponding associations: Jia is Wood, Bing is Fire, Wu is Earth, Geng is Metal, and Ren is Water. These are associated with the Yang Heavenly Stems and concern such matters as descending and sinking, martial fire, the medicinal substance, worldly gold, and true mercury. Here, the correspondences between the Heavenly Stems and the Five Phases are used to explain how Yin-Yang, the regulation of the fire, and the medicinal substances each have their own relationships in the process of refining the Elixir.

The nature, principles, and conditions of the Zhouyi (Great Changes) each follow a definite order. By comparing and examining the principles applied and investigated by the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, one can grasp them. The work of tending the furnace fire—that is, alchemical cultivation—truly has a basis. All three paths arise from the same root, yet each leads along its own way.

Branches, stems, flowers, leaves, and fruit all grow from the root. When the root remains unchanged, each keeps its own original form. What is said here is true and carefully considered, not empty talk. It is like the depths of winter, when bamboo and trees are battered by the cold. At such a time, Yang Qi must be supported, merchants and travelers should restrain their activity, and the ruler must remain deeply secluded and still. One should follow the season; when the time comes, close one’s mouth and say nothing. The Way of Heaven is vast and profound. The Great Mystery, the fundamental principle hidden in profundity, has no form: empty, still, and invisible. It extends without limit, as though dissolving into tracelessness. If it is misunderstood, the order of things is lost, and words turn back to harm the speaker. These four images—figures and metaphors used to explain the principles—are set out separately so that later students may understand what was originally difficult to see.

The commentary says: This chapter supplements and fills in what was omitted earlier. It preserves oral instructions, but keeps them hidden from view. At this point, the commentator should grasp the profound meaning contained in the phrase “capture the unicorn.” Moreover, the text warns, “Close your mouth; there is no need to speak,” and also says, “Words can turn back and harm you.” Taken together, these two passages carry a very deep meaning.

The commentary also says: This book can bring people great liberation and great spiritual powers. Those who hear it cannot be harmed by snakes or tigers; those who recite it need not fear outbreaks of pestilence or dysentery; those who understand it are not confined by the underworld; and those who cultivate according to it attain ease and joy. Wherever this book is kept, golden light continually shines across the sky, and white light appears in the void. Anyone who sees it can add sixty-six years to their lifespan. The blessings gained by honoring and trusting this book are boundless—how much more so for those who steadfastly cultivate and diligently put it into practice?

“Chapter Thirty-Five: Preface to the Self-Narration for Future Generations.”

I am an ordinary person from Kuaiji, in the area of present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang, much like an aged and ungainly recluse in a secluded valley. My nature is plain; I have no liking for power or splendor. I live quietly in a remote, humble place, set little store by fame or profit, and devote myself to calm simplicity, hoping only for peace in the world. In my unhurried leisure, I have written this work.

In verse, I explain the principles of the Great Changes, or Book of Changes (Yijing). I examine the teachings handed down by the three sages Fuxi, King Wen, and Confucius, explore their meaning, and bring them together in a connected account. My purpose in writing is to follow the patterns of things and clarify the principles of spiritual transformation, so that wondrous changes may proceed without obstruction and peace may prevail throughout the world. These teachings can serve as signs for reckoning the calendar, for later generations to follow; they can also guide the ordering of government affairs, without making their implementation cumbersome. They further lead people to cultivate their inner nature and understand the Huang-Lao teaching of following nature’s course. When De (virtue and power) is deep, one can return to the root and recover the origin. The Way lies within one’s own heart and is never apart from oneself. Hold fast to unity without letting go, and it can endure.

One may also combine this with methods of ingesting medicines—cultivation practices involving elixirs or health-promoting substances—and prepare the male and female medicines according to the prescribed method. Remove the medicinal substances produced around Wudu and the other mineral ingredients used in external alchemy, and set aside the various mineral medicines. Only by handling the materials with care can one produce what the world values. The related teachings are set out in three parts, their branches and threads connected to one another. Though their names differ, they all have their source in the same tradition. These words are not an empty piling up of phrases: their forms are balanced and their language harmonized, and they likely contain truths worthy of careful study. If I were to elaborate falsehoods, I would only bring needless blame upon myself.

For this reason, the book is titled The Seal of the Unity of the Three (Cantong qi), meaning that things are compared, joined, and brought into a coherent whole. It offers a brief account of the work’s main outlines. Its words are few, but its meaning is vast, and readers in later generations should treat it with respect. Those who cultivate the Dao should follow the times and avoid calamity, taking refuge among forests, mountains, and ravines. They wander through broad and hidden realms, close to spirits and gods. In the end, they transform their bodies and become immortals, returning to stillness and silence. Even after a hundred generations, they can continue to roam among humankind, spreading their wings and flying east, west, south, and north.

Shang Tang once lived through an age of hardship, when floods and droughts followed one another. The leaves and branches of plants withered and lost their fresh, flourishing appearance. When people of good fortune support and uphold one another, they can cultivate body and mind in safety and live on for a long time.

Shangyangzi restates this idea in a verse: “In safety, one may live long.” Longevity has no calamity or limit. The Great Dao is beyond thought and discussion; how could the Golden Elixir, the elixir or state sought through internal alchemy, be so easily altered? From the phrase “fire, arrayed and separated” onward, the commentary repeats the earlier passage about floods and droughts, withered plants, and people of good fortune supporting one another.

The commentary says: Shangyangzi once again explains this meaning and composes a verse—a rhymed text for expressing doctrine and making it easy to recite and retain:

“Be peaceful and secure, and you may attain long life, enduring through countless kalpas without decline. The Great Dao is profound and beyond comprehension; how could the Returned Elixir of internal alchemy be easily altered? Fire serves as its function, and Metal as its substance; Earth can restrain Water, and only then is perfection achieved. First subdue the sixteen ounces; as Yin and Yang wax and wane above and below, swallow and take it in. Always follow the prescribed methods in combining and ingesting the elixir, so that Jing and Qi return to their roots and are restored.

Herbs and trees have no part in the aims of the Elixir Way; metals and stones, too, are all set aside. Examine and apply the laws of creation and transformation: what people prize is nothing more than lead. Keep still and clear, and you may attain true cultivation; work diligently, and seek to accord with nature. The Highest Sages cherish the Golden Scripture, accumulate merit, and form generous bonds of affinity. Refine and nourish the primal beginning of the mysterious origin with Jing and Qi, so that the Most High may continue the essence of life.

The blade is keen and lofty; it nurtures the Heavenly Emperor and upholds the Highest Mystery. The Mud Pill, the upper Dantian in the head, shines with divine radiance: a brilliant red light returns to the eight directions. The Great Luo Heaven stands level with Jade Capital, as phoenixes of cinnabar fly to and fro. The Cavern Chapters resound through the Nine Capitals; ghosts, spirits, demons, and monsters bow their heads and confess their transgressions. Willow branches sprinkle sweet dew, setting forth and proclaiming teachings of true mystery. Vast spiritual power spreads the primordial Brahma Qi; through the kalpas, it is ceaselessly proclaimed by the Golden Mouth.

After fasting, recite it once, and grave illnesses will gradually recover. Recite it seven or nine times, and the movements of Heaven and Earth will seem to turn back. Recite it a hundred or a thousand times, and your name may be entered before the Jade Emperor. Recite it ten thousand times without interruption, and a golden lotus will bloom in fire. Your name will be listed in the Formless Realm, and you will be granted a pass to cross the Great Thousand World. Golden youths scatter heavenly flowers; jade maidens oversee the feasts of precious jade. The numinous wind resounds through the heights, and Brahma Qi fills the fields of lingzhi. The Five Elders record merit in their registers, while the spirits of the four directions jointly verify the celestial documents. Colored clouds veil feathered canopies, and purple smoke rises in the Realm of Great Clarity.

Far above the remote Kalpa of Longhan, after your merit has been assessed, you will proceed to the realm of Yingxian. Ten thousand feet of golden light shine forth, enduring through a billion kalpas without end. At last, at the Assembly of the Nine Suns in Divine Empyrean, you will become an immortal of lofty, wondrous insight.”