《九转金丹秘诀》

The Secret Instructions on the Nine Turns of the Golden Elixir, passed down by Chen Pu, Master of the Mudball Palace, divides the alchemical process into nine stages: the first turn is called “Lowering the Elixir,” the second “Conjunction,” the third “Nourishing Yang,” the fourth “Nourishing Yin,” the fifth “Changing the Bones,” the sixth “Changing the Flesh,” the seventh “Transforming the Five Viscera and Six Bowels,” the eighth “Nurturing the Fire,” and the ninth “Ascending.”

The first turn begins with four apertures beneath the tongue. Two connect to the heart, and the other two connect to the body’s fluids. In Daoist internal alchemy, descriptions of this kind use body parts and the movement of Qi and fluids to explain the key points and processes of cultivation.

The poem says that the first turn’s effects are like those of a precious pearl: mountains, rivers, and the cosmos seem able to shine through the luminous body. Beneath a red lotus leaf lies the Elixir Cavity; Red Water flows through it, nourishing the “Nine-Hour Pearl.” “Elixir Cavity” refers to the crucial site of alchemical refinement. “Red Water” and “Nine-Hour Pearl” are terms from internal alchemy that depict the movement and gathering of Jing, Qi, and bodily fluids within the body.

Neidan cultivation begins with “one” and is completed through nine transformations. “One” is the starting point from which all things come into being: Heaven’s One generates Water, Earth’s Two generates Fire, Heaven’s Three generates Wood, Earth’s Four generates Metal, and Heaven’s Five generates Earth. The sequence of the Five Phases begins with one. Neidan cultivation likewise begins with “one” and proceeds step by step to “nine.” Nine is the limit of yang numbers; when the count reaches nine, the fruit of the Dao is complete.

The scripture compares the newly formed Neidan to a precious pearl. This means that Heaven’s One true Water—the essence and Qi in Neidan cultivation—is stored in the gallbladder. Yin and Yang unite, then descend and condense into an elixir. When the elixir first forms, it resembles a clear, glistening dewdrop. Calling it a “pearl” expresses the care with which the Neidan is treasured.

The human body is formed through the union of the father’s essence and the mother’s blood. This is the union of bodily forms. Neidan, by contrast, is formed through the union of the heart’s Fire and the kidneys’ Water. This is the union of Qi. Thus, the union of bodily forms gives rise to a person, while the union of Qi refines an elixir. After the Neidan has formed and descended, the practitioner seems to travel in spirit beyond the body and merge with the Qi of Yin and Yang. Forgetting the physical body, the practitioner feels that mountains, rivers, Heaven, Earth, and all things are contained within the body, while the self seems to transcend all things in Heaven and Earth. Only a point of light in the heart remains perceptible. This is what the scripture means by the descent and formation of the Neidan. In the phrase “mountains, rivers, and the cosmos pass through the numinous body,” “body” means the physical body: mountains, rivers, Heaven, and Earth all seem to be contained within it.

“Red lotus” in the scripture refers to the tongue. Beneath the tongue are two apertures connected to the heart and also related to bodily fluids. When a person is ill, the fluids beneath the tongue diminish and true Qi is depleted. At the beginning of cultivation, therefore, the tongue is used to seal these two apertures, preventing true Qi from leaking out and allowing the divine Water—the body’s fluids—to circulate freely.

“Red Water” refers to the heart’s fluids, that is, saliva and other bodily fluids. At the beginning of the ninefold cultivation, every ninth day one takes nine breaths, each time drawing in nine mouthfuls of breath. With this practice, the fluids beneath the tongue will circulate naturally and nourish the five organs; hence they are called the “nine-stage pearl.”

“Yellow Essence Treasure” refers to the central Yellow Qi within the body, which is drawn from the gallbladder. The spring wind urges all things to grow, and the vitality of Heaven and Earth seems to gather around the practitioner. Once the breath flows freely, the channels throughout the body open as well.

The practitioner regulates the body internally, allowing the two streams of Qi on the left and right to circulate separately. When their force grows abundant, it seems to shine everywhere. The Qi rises like smoke and gradually fills the body. Yin and Yang Qi come into harmony step by step, like husband and wife joining together.

The commentary explains that the Qi present at the beginning of Heaven and Earth is called “central Yellow.” Hidden in the gallbladder, it is the root of nature and life, and its taste is somewhat bitter. The roots of plants and trees are often bitter too, for the growth of all things depends on vital energy. In Neidan cultivation, one first gathers the Qi apertures beneath the tongue, allowing the gallbladder’s vital energy to rise toward the space between the throat and tongue. A faint taste of bitterness indicates that Elixir Qi is circulating. Then “mercury water”—a Neidan term that metaphorically denotes Yin essence used in cultivation—coalesces, and the Elixir takes shape.

The vital energy of Heaven and Earth stirs in spring; all things can grow only when they receive it. People, too, store vital energy in the gallbladder. When the gallbladder Qi is set flowing freely, it is as if spring has come through all four seasons, and the first turning of the Neidan work begins. As the vital energy rises, one tastes bitterness. Once Yin and Yang are harmonized, the spirit and Qi seem to extend beyond the body, while the four directions of Heaven and Earth seem to lie below the knees. At this point, the vast, noble Qi fills Heaven and Earth; the hundred channels flow freely, and the Qi apertures throughout the body open. This is the scene of the Neidan descending.

“Setting the workings of creation in motion” refers to the method of circulating Qi at the beginning of cultivation. First, gather the two Qi apertures beneath the tongue so that the breath does not escape. The Qi on the left rises through the channels on the left and enters the brain; the Qi on the right rises through the channels on the right and enters the brain. After passing through the brain, the two streams enter the “Mudball Palace,” a Neidan term for the upper Dantian in the head, and join into one. They then descend through the “twelve linked rings of the layered tower,” the series of connected passages in the throat, enter the Heart channel, and travel to the Dantian, opening the gallbladder aperture. The vital energy within the gallbladder then rises through the channels linking the heart and gallbladder, opening the tongue aperture. A bitter taste on the tongue indicates that the vital energy has arrived and the Elixir is about to descend. Next, gather the tongue aperture and let the Qi on the left and right continue rising; this brings a sense of surging force. Once the gallbladder aperture closes, the vital energy rises gently through the throat passages to beneath the tongue. A bitter taste filling the mouth indicates that the vital energy is circulating.

“Husband and wife” is a metaphor for Yin and Yang: the husband belongs to Yang, and the wife to Yin. When the vital energy circulates, Yin and Yang can harmonize, and the Qi of the heart and kidneys comes together. This is why the text says they “gradually conspire together.”

When beginning cultivation, first nourish the five internal organs through diet. Do not go hungry, but do not eat until overly full either. The mind must be calm and free of worry before one can enter the Dao (the Way).

Usually, at the end of the second night watch and the beginning of the third—around eleven o’clock at night—finish washing, settle the mind and spirit, enter a quiet room, burn incense, and sit cross-legged. Close the eyes and gather the mind inward until the breath becomes even. Then curl the tongue backward to close the two openings at its root, and briefly hold the breath. Gradually, one may feel a current of Qi (vital energy) rising on each side along the Taiyang channels—the channels on either side of the head—from the roots of the back teeth. The currents pass through both temples and enter the crown of the head. When the two currents seem to meet and merge, this counts as one round. Then keep the eyes closed and wait quietly for a short while. Repeat the tongue-curling method and wait for Qi to rise from the back teeth, pass through the temples, and enter the crown, where the two currents are felt to join. Do this three times each night.

After practicing for several nights or days, one may gradually feel Qi flowing from the Niwan Palace, an acupoint inside the crown of the head, into the brain. It then descends through the Twelve Rings of the Chonglou, a Daoist term for the throat, passes through the spinal gate, and runs through the Tail Gate at the base of the spine. It then surges forward through the heart region and passes through the gallbladder. The navel and chest feel warm, and the mind feels somewhat at ease. This is called the true descent of Qi.

After practicing for several more nights, one may gradually feel Qi reach the heart region, where it brings a faint warmth or seems to well up. Warm Qi then rises from the heart through the Chonglou, and a slightly bitter taste appears in the mouth. This is explained as the central yellow Qi emerging from the gallbladder and Yin-Yang coming into harmony—a sign that the Elixir is about to descend.

From then on, each night before beginning practice, arrange for someone to stand guard outside the door and keep other people, cats, and dogs from entering, so that the practitioner is not startled. For the two or three rounds of practice each night, a small table may be placed crosswise in front of the seat. When the Qi suddenly stirs and the body seems to grow larger and the spirit becomes energized, one may then seem to see the house, people, mountains, and rivers all within one’s body, and may even lose the sense of where the hands and feet are. At that point, immediately press down on the table with the hands, close the eyes, and focus on a faintly shining ball of light in the heart, round like the sun. When it suddenly falls into the Dantian, the abdominal site of alchemical practice, this is called the descent of the Elixir.

After the Elixir descends, do not open the eyes at once. Gradually gather the mind inward and settle yourself until the limbs return to their usual state. If the hands or feet feel numb, wait until the experience has subsided and you are fully alert before opening your eyes. Then drink ginseng soup and go to sleep. The next morning, eat congee and take a day or two to recuperate. The scripture says that after the Elixir descends, all illnesses are dispelled and no disease remains to trouble the practitioner.

During the second turn, Yang Qi has already formed and begins to gather Yin Qi. The Qi of kidney water combines with the fluid of heart fire, blending according to the pairing of Ding Fire and Ren Water.

The Neidan, like a divine pearl, races like lightning into the “Eastern Sea”—a term in Daoist internal alchemy for the kidney region or the area around the Dantian. From time to time, it flashes with numinous light, illuminating the elixir body, purple-gold in color.

The gestation of the Neidan is compared here to a fetus at two months. When the elixir first descends, it is the essence of true Yang. Shen belongs to Fire and is associated with Ding Fire in the south; the kidneys belong to Water and are associated with Ren Water in the north. Lü Zu says, “From the south, take the marrow of the cinnabar phoenix for Fire; from the northern sea, seek the essence of the black tortoise for Water.” The second turn nourishes Yang Qi, allowing the radiance of heart fire to respond below. The third turn nourishes Yin Qi, allowing the fluid of kidney water to rise and unite with it. True Water and true Fire are paired above and below; the Qi of Ding and Ren together warm and nourish the true elixir, allowing it to continue forming and transforming.

When the Neidan first descends, it is nourished in the heart and cultivated with true Fire. After the first turn is complete, the elixir travels down the channels of the heart and settles in the Dantian, where it is then warmed and nourished with true Water. This is the practice of the second turn. Once the elixir is stored in the Dantian, one sits quietly in a peaceful room. At times, a light may suddenly appear, as though a golden orb were shining from within the elixir embryo. This is called moonlight.

Gazing Southward at the River

The mysterious pearl—the true elixir—descends, and the elixir chamber lies in the Central Palace, the heart region. Regulate the breath for nine breaths, repeating the breathing cycle. Red waves of light sometimes burst forth toward the east, and a radiance like the sun appears; the heart and kidneys then communicate with each other.

When the number six is reached, transformation follows. Repeat the breathing cycle for six breaths, nourishing the Yin aspect of the work. Fire rises from the Sea Gate toward the Imperial Seat; Water ascends from the lotus calyx to assist Ding Fire. Purple lightning pierces the exquisite aperture.

The mysterious pearl mentioned here is the true elixir. At the beginning of the first turn, the elixir descends within the channels of the heart; hence the phrase “the elixir chamber lies in the Central Palace.” “The elixir descends” refers to the birth of the Neidan in the first turn. The descriptions of Fire rising from the Sea Gate toward the Imperial Seat after the descent, Water ascending from the lotus calyx to assist Ding Fire, and purple lightning appearing all depict the movement and union of the Neidan.

The “Mysterious Pearl” mentioned in the text refers to the True Elixir. At the beginning of the First Turning, Elixir Qi descends into the heart network, or heart vessels. Hence the Elixir Cavern is said to lie in the Central Palace, the center of the body, and the descent of Elixir Qi marks the First Turning.

After Elixir Qi descends, the breath is held nine times every nine days; this counts as one round. Repeated in this way, nine rounds make eighty-one cycles, which is why the practice is called the “Repeated Nine Count.” When the work of the nine nines is complete, the True Yang Elixir is full. It then flows from the heart network into the Dantian, where it is stored in the Water Palace—the place of Kidney Water—to nourish Yin Qi. “The sun rises in the east” symbolizes the abode of ocean water, that is, the Kidney Water in the Dantian. The spirit and Qi of the Elixir are stored in the heart to nourish the True Fire; Elixir Qi then turns into the kidneys to nourish the True Water. When Water and Fire are harmonized and Yin and Yang blend, this is called “the communication of heart and kidneys.” The Second Turning is complete, and the Third Turning begins.

During the Third Turning, the breath is held every six days; six holds count as one round, and six rounds—thirty-six cycles—make a complete cycle. This nourishes Yin Qi, and so the practice is called the “Repeated Six Breaths.” The “Yin work at the Sea Gate” refers to the Dantian and the Kidney Palace. The True Elixir is stored in the Dantian, and the measure of Elixir Yang gradually becomes full. At noon, the spirit and Qi rise from the Dantian, and warmth ascends to the heart to pay homage to the “Emperor’s Seat,” which refers to the heart. The lotus calyx refers to the tongue. Once the inner Yin measure represented by the six sixes is full, the “divine water of the lotus pool” beneath the tongue moistens the heart network and nourishes Elixir Qi; this is why the text says “assisting Ding Gong.” “Ding” refers to Heart Fire. When True Water and True Fire support one another, the work of Water and Fire in harmony is complete.

When Yin and Yang are harmonized and the Qi of the True Elixir is full, a divine radiance appears on the face. Sitting quietly at midnight and turning the gaze inward, one can clearly perceive the inside and outside of the organs and directly see the Mysterious Pearl being nourished in the Dantian. This is called “seeing through to luminous clarity.”

After the elixir descends into the body, the first turn is complete. On the ninth, nineteenth, and twenty-ninth days of each lunar month, at noon, sit cross-legged in a quiet room. Keep your eyes closed and your posture upright, and click your teeth nine times. When your mind and spirit are in accord with your breathing, hold your breath, counting nine breaths each time; this counts as one round. Open your eyes and rest for a while, then hold your breath for nine counts again as before.

At the beginning of the practice, one or two rounds will gradually bring on a sensation of warmth; after five rounds, the warmth will be quite pronounced. Continue to nine rounds, practicing with full concentration until the inner fire is sufficient and in accord with Heaven and Earth. There is no need to be bound by the number of rounds or the length of time practiced. Sometimes, after holding the breath for nine counts, you may feel warmth within. The Four Spirits (the spirit energies within the body) become harmonious and at ease, the mind and spirit stir, and a stream of warmth descends to the Dantian (the inner abdomen, where cultivation takes place). This marks the completion of the second turn. After this, do not continue practicing according to the count of nine breaths.

The Third Turn

In the third turn, Yang Qi enters the left chamber, and the Mysterious Pearl (the Neidan) gradually shines with a vivid red light.

The spirit powers nurture the fire, causing the Neidan to take shape; the sounds of Heaven (the breath of nature) constantly spur the work of transformation.

The explanation says: When the Neidan completes its third turn, use the onset of Yin in the cycle of Heaven’s timing to nourish and protect the body’s true Yin Qi. Once Yin Qi has accumulated sufficiently, the elixir enters the Dantian and flows to the left side of the ribs. The limbs will sweat, thereby subduing the corpse Qi (the impure energies within the body represented by the Three Corpses). After the third turn is complete, there will no longer be the souls of the Three Corpses.

The numinous pearl is the Neidan. From this point on, Yang Qi is abundant. It is said that the urine, stool, nasal mucus, and saliva will all take on a pinkish color, corresponding to a body of pure Yang. When the elixir’s light appears and you can see a bright pearl like a wheel of fire beneath the left ribs, this shows that the third turn has reached completion.

At the end of each lunar month, rub the crown of the head with your left hand and, while inhaling, urge on the elixir fire so that the Five Viscera grow warm. This is considered the best state and is called “nurturing the fire”; it is used to set the Neidan in motion. Gradually, you will feel as though there is something in the Dantian. When you inhale, the Neidan moves in response, which is why it is said to begin taking visible form.

Something gradually begins to form in the rear Dantian (energy center). When the exhaled breath enters the body, the Elixir takes action; this is therefore called “dividing into forms.” When the Qi of Heaven and Earth harmonizes, it surges and gives rise to sound. This is called the “music of Heaven.” Before a person’s nine openings—the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, and the front and rear openings—are unblocked, they cannot hear this sound. After three turns, the nine openings gradually open and hearing grows keen; one can then hear the music of Heaven day and night.

Looking South Across the River

The hair gradually thins, and at the third turn Yang Qi begins to circulate. The embryo’s color slowly turns red as Yin Qi contracts. As the years pass, support Yang in growing strong, nurture the firing process, and tend the center.

The embryo gradually takes shape, but its vague outline can be made out only at the fifth turn. The breath still moves in and out slowly, and the form remains very small. Drink “Jade Flask Elixir” morning and evening at the appointed times—a term in cultivation that refers to sweet saliva—and the music of Heaven resounds like a reed ensemble.

Commentary: At the third turn, the Yang number is complete, so the Yin Tortoise—referring to the genitals—gradually contracts, and activity in the stomach and intestines also diminishes. In a single month, urination and bowel movements together occur only ten times. This indicates that the practitioner is gradually entering the state of Earth and approaching the Way of non-leakage, in which essence and Qi do not escape from the body. The six lines of the Qian trigram are all Yang, symbolizing pure Yang.

Through rubbing the crown of the head and regulating the breath, one nurtures the firing process within the body. The Elixir embraces the Sacred Embryo, the embryo of the inner Elixir formed through cultivation, and it is about to take shape, though the Five Peaks—here referring to the body’s major parts—are not yet fully developed. At the eighth turn, the embryo begins to move and resembles a baby three or four inches tall, though its features are still indistinct. At this point, Yang Qi is full, but Yin Qi has not yet been brought forth. The Sacred Embryo has a hun soul but not yet a po soul, so the breath still moves in and out slowly and the form remains small.

Once the Sacred Embryo takes shape, during seated meditation and breath regulation one can often see its face and radiance. Sweet, dew-like saliva often wells up at the Yongquan point on the sole of the foot and can be swallowed. Once the seven openings are clear and bright, one can hear celestial music.

After the Elixir enters the left side beneath the ribs, the work of the third turning is complete. On the sixth, sixteenth, and twenty-sixth days of each month, and on days of the month whose dates are divisible by three or six, at midnight during the Zi hour, wash and rinse, then enter a clean, quiet room. Sit upright with your legs folded, click your teeth six times, gather the spirit and calm the Qi, close your mouth, and regulate your breathing. Six breaths count as one cycle; finish after six cycles. During the month, practice three times on days whose dates are divisible by three or six. Continue through the end of the month. At midnight then, follow the same method: enter the quiet room, sit with your eyes closed and legs folded, gather the spirit and calm the Qi, close your mouth, and regulate your breathing. Six breaths count as one cycle; finish after six cycles. Practice three times during the month on days whose dates are divisible by three or six, and continue until month’s end.

At midnight on the last day of the month, sit in the quiet room with your eyes closed and legs folded, following the method above. First, massage the crown of your head with your left hand and the coccyx (the end of the spine) with your right. According to the number of months you have practiced, massage each place forty-nine times. Hold your breath while massaging. Once you have counted the full number, pause briefly until your breathing settles, then repeat the massage three times. If you feel the Qi of the heart and kidneys meeting in the diaphragm, the Elixir’s Qi stirring faintly and filling the five viscera, and a heat like fire within the five viscera, these are signs that the fire process is underway.

Sometimes, on a day whose date is divisible by three or six, or at the end of the month, you may suddenly feel the Elixir stir beneath the left ribs, as though a gently warm stream of Qi passes through the Dantian and enters beneath the ribs, hot as fire. After the Elixir’s Qi has stirred for a while and then settles, the work of the fourth turning is complete. From this point onward, do not practice according to the “number of layered heavens,” the count of practices that advances through successive levels.

Fourth Turning: Seal the Qi at the Yang Gate, Using the Nose as the Heavenly Aperture and the Mouth as the Earthly Aperture

In the fourth turning, Yin Qi enters the right pass, the Sacred Embryo—the image used in Neidan cultivation for the maturation of the Elixir’s Qi—comes alive, and the complexion takes on a rosy glow.

Perfect radiance fills the room, and the spirit meets no obstruction. It is as if you hear drums and music, freely wandering in delight, departing and returning.

The commentary says: The left belongs to Yang, and the right to Yin. After the fourth turn, the inner Elixir returns to the right, corresponding to the number of Yin within the body. From this point on, Yin and Yang within the body are complete. The third turn nourishes Yang, and the Sacred Embryo—the inner true self formed through cultivation—gives birth to the hun soul. The fourth turn nourishes Yin, and the Sacred Embryo gives birth to the po soul. After the Elixir has undergone four turns, both the hun and po souls of the inner Sacred Embryo have taken shape. The vital essences of the Five Sacred Peaks unite with one’s inner form; this is the true body that appears when the spirit emerges. After the fourth turn, the Qi of Yin and Yang is abundant. Sitting upright with the body aligned and the breath held, the inner radiance of the spirit appears at the crown of the head, enveloping the body like a full moon. Awareness can travel beyond the body and come and go unhindered. Even while seated indoors, one can see in all four directions and foresee good and ill fortune.

“Watching the Southern River”

The inner Elixir has returned and completed four turns of circulation; the Qi of Yin and Yang is abundant. Sitting upright and holding the breath, the inner radiance of the spirit appears at the crown of the head, enveloping the body like a full moon. Awareness travels beyond the body and comes and goes unhindered; even seated indoors, one can see in all four directions and foresee good and ill fortune.

“Watching the Southern River”

The inner Elixir has returned and completed four turns of circulation. At the six periods of the day, the Qi of the Yang Gate is sealed away. The Three Passes—the three gates spoken of in cultivation—are fully open, in accord with Ding and Ren, the Heavenly Stems that here signify the union of Yin and Yang. Like a turtle swimming in water, one lets oneself rise and sink.

Awareness comes and goes, reaching everywhere without hindrance, and can penetrate the thoughts of others. The spirit travels freely and often manifests its form. A round radiance surrounds the whole body, extending a thousand xun; neither cold nor heat can disturb it.

The fourth turn nourishes the Yin Qi within the body. The Neidan is stored beneath the right ribs; the nose is the “Heavenly Aperture,” and the mouth is the “Earthly Aperture.” Breath exhaled through the nose belongs to Yang, while breath exhaled through the mouth belongs to Yin. On the nights from the third to the sixth day of each lunar month, quiet the mind and hold the breath, stopping it from entering or leaving through the nose. This allows Yang Qi to descend through the body and fill the five viscera, nourishing Yin Qi. Once the nasal aperture is closed, the Flower Pond—the saliva in the mouth—fills and flows downward to moisten the heart’s vessels. Water and Fire mingle within the body: heart Qi descends, and kidney Qi rises. Ding and Ren unite, symbolizing the harmony of Yin and Yang. The Yin-Yang measure needed for the Sacred Embryo—the embryonic form of the Neidan cultivated within—has now been fulfilled.

The Neidan lies beneath the right ribs and rises and falls with the breath, like a turtle floating freely up and down in water. It shines with light that envelops the whole body, taking the shape of the moon and protecting the practitioner from the rigors of heat and cold. The practitioner’s mind can communicate with others and discern their good and evil. The Infant, another name for the Sacred Embryo, enters and leaves the body and roams across the four seas. The practitioner is then entered in the register of immortals.

After being refined within the body, the inner elixir (the elixir qi) passes through the nose and mouth and reaches the area behind the right ribs. There, the practice of the fourth revolution begins. On the sixth, sixteenth, and twenty-sixth days of each month, at the Zi hour (midnight), first wash and rinse, then enter a quiet room. Sit with legs crossed and eyes closed. Tap the teeth thirty-six times, gather the mind, and regulate the breath. Then hold the breath through the nose, remain still and quiet, and wait for the true qi to move.

When the qi of the inner Dantian (energy center) passes through the tongue, saliva wells up in the mouth. This is called “Jade Pond saliva.” When the mouth is full and the saliva is about to overflow, swallow it slowly and guide it to the heart. The scripture calls this saliva “spirit water.” When spirit water reaches the heart, it stirs “spirit fire”—the corresponding inner yang energy—which warms the Five Viscera, brings sweat to the whole body, and relaxes the limbs. On the nights of the Three Primordial Festivals—the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primordial Festivals—practice in the same way, slowly swallowing the saliva and guiding it to the heart. Repeat this three times, then stop. The scripture says that spirit water and spirit fire together warm and nourish the original essence, the vital essence at the root of life.

After this warming and nourishing, practitioners sometimes perform the “Three Passes,” the three gates through which qi moves during cultivation. The inner elixir stirs in the ribs, its sound like thunder. A current of hot qi enters the Dantian; fire seems to shoot from the nose, after which the inner elixir returns to the Dantian. This is the fifth revolution. From this point on, practitioners no longer cultivate the method of “closing the yang gate,” a practice for sealing in yang energy.

The Fifth Revolution

After Yin-Yang has changed and turned five times, the practice is complete. The infant, a symbolic image of the original spirit in inner alchemy, grows to one chi in height and begins to wield yang essence.

In dreams, one roams across the Four Seas; on waking, one still clearly remembers what was seen. Coming and going, moving and acting, one follows what is natural and walks freely wherever one pleases.

The commentary says: The fourth turn nourishes Yin within the body, the third nourishes Yang, and the fifth harmonizes the inner and outer, bringing the measures of Yin and Yang to completion. In this way, the work of creation and transformation is accomplished. The sacred embryo—the spiritual form formed through Neidan cultivation—has also matured and can manifest supernatural powers at will. Hence it is called “creation and transformation accomplished.”

After the fifth turn, the sacred embryo of Neidan has matured, and the spirit body has grown to more than a foot in height. From this point on, the cultivator gathers the Sun’s essence to nourish external Yang and obtain the power of Heaven and Earth’s creation and transformation.

Ordinary people have no inner foundation of cultivation, and their spirit is scattered, with nowhere to settle. By day, the spirit resides in the heart; at night, it leaves the body. Once asleep, the spirit cannot remain settled, and people themselves do not know where their bodies are. Their souls then enter the netherworld and gather with ghosts. Unaware in their dreams, they cannot see the body’s Four Great Elements—the earth, water, fire, and wind that constitute the human body—falling apart. Their consciousness follows the ghosts, and, according to their accumulated merit, they are reborn in Heaven or Hell. None of this is under their control. Those who do not know their own bodies are like people swept along by the current.

When a perfected person who has attained the Dao completes Neidan cultivation, spirit and body unite, and external things cannot tempt them. Their souls therefore lie hidden and at peace; no evil forces can intrude, and they have nothing to fear. They can escape life and death, with complete control over their own fate. Their spirit comes and goes, and their actions and transformations are difficult to fathom. This is what the alchemical classic means by saying, “The perfected person does not dream.” The consciousness of one who has attained the Dao is unimpeded; the soul rests within the body, moving freely without obstruction.

Looking South at the Yangtze

A bright pearl comes from the right, and violet lightning enters the Elixir Citadel—the Dantian region in Neidan cultivation. Within, the infant is nurtured until it transforms into a red elephant. When the fifth turn arrives, Yang essence is gathered, and fire is born from water.

The Ghost Mountain is set ablaze, and violet lightning surges upward. The cultivator roams freely between Heaven and Earth, sleeping like a great whale resting on a sandbank. In harmony with the passage of time, they move with the four seasons.

It is explained that when the fifth turning is complete, Yin and Yang Qi have accumulated in sufficient measure. A sudden true fire then arises from the mysterious pearl of the internal Golden Elixir within the body and flies from the right side of the ribs into the Dantian. Its sound is like thunder, and its light like fire. This shows that the inner Yin and inner Yang within the Elixir Pearl have both returned to the Dantian, bringing the fifth turning to completion. Within the sacred embryo—the image of the internal Elixir formed through cultivation—the Real Person has already been perfected and can enter and leave through the crown of the head. The figure is more than a foot tall.

The third turning nourishes Yang, and the fourth nourishes Yin. By the fifth turning, both Yin and Yang within the body are fully developed. Once the five turnings of Dantian cultivation are complete, one can draw upon the creative power of Heaven and Earth, gather the essence of the sun, and cultivate the path of external Yang. Cultivation proceeds from within outward, advancing step by step in the proper order.

Thus, after the fifth turning, when one encounters a day of the “three nines” within a month, one gathers the essences of the sun and moon to nourish and protect the sacred embryo. The method of cultivation uses water to seek fire and Yin to seek Yang, bringing water and fire into mutual aid and harmonizing Yin and Yang. The saying “fire arises from within water” means that ordinary people accumulate Yin Qi beneath the Dantian, a place called the “Ghost Mountain.” When the whole body becomes pure Yang, the Yin mountain and Ghost Mountain are burned away, and the Yang Palace and Spirit Court are established. Master Lü says, “The talisman that burns the mountain is a fearsome sight to ghosts.” This refers to that very process.

The cultivator may send out the spirit at will and travel across the four seas, deciding freely whether to stay or depart. Even in sleep, one can remain aware of oneself. Upon waking, the spirit-consciousness has already gone out, allowing one to look back from outside at one’s own original form, as though a great whale were lying on the shore. After the fifth turning, the work of transformation is complete: one shares De with Heaven and Earth and shines with the same brightness as the sun and moon. The transformations of the Elixir Way within the body then unfold in step with the seasons.

Formula:

When the inner elixir returns to the Dantian (energy center), the work of the fifth turning is complete. The Yin-Yang within the body is now abundant. Next, one gathers and refines the Yin-Yang Qi (vital energy) of the outer world to attain the Great Dao (the Way). On the ninth, nineteenth, and twenty-ninth days of each month, as well as on the three-nine days, sit cross-legged facing south at noon, with eyes closed and turned toward the sun. Once the breath has settled, stop breathing through the nose, so that the breath no longer enters or leaves. This prevents true Yang from leaking out, fills the body with true Qi, and sets the inner True Fire in motion and circulation.

At this time, one senses the whole body glowing red, with light filling the room. After one or two ke (about half an hour to an hour), a cool, clear Qi gradually arises in the Dantian and passes straight to the heart, like a crystal pearl floating above it. Then, with eyes closed, resume breathing. Inhale through the nose eighty-one times, drawing the inhaled Qi into the heart. When the Qi of sunlight reaches the heart, one gradually feels the Qi there begin to stir, while something in the Dantian leaps like a fish. This shows that Yin and Yang are in harmony. Stop after eighty-one inhalations. Continue this practice for three years to complete the work. After three years, stop gathering and refining the essence of the sun and begin gathering the moon’s radiance, here meaning the moon’s essence.

Sixth Turning: The Sun Has Five Colors; Practice for Three Years. The Moon Has Nine Rays; Practice for One Year

In the sixth turning, one gathers and refines the moon’s radiance in the Dantian, transforming the fetal origin—the inner essence and Qi nurtured through Neidan (internal alchemy) practice—while the shadows of the hun and po souls likewise sink into profound depths. The work is complete after three years of practice. After three years, stop gathering the sun’s essence and begin gathering the moon’s radiance.

Yang cinnabar, a yang-natured elixir or refined inner essence, can transform the bones, while Yin Qi diminishes the fleshly body. Once the transformation is complete, the body becomes pure and flawless, like fine jade.

By the time one reaches the sixth stage of transformation, the Yin-Yang Qi within and beyond the body has matured. The sacred embryo—the inner immortal body formed through cultivation—is complete, and the perfected person has become one with the inner body. On every full-moon night, one gathers the moon’s radiance, meaning the moon’s vital essence, to accumulate Yin Qi. This is why the practice is called “playing with the moon’s radiance.”

At the fifth stage, true Yang Qi reaches completion, and the hun soul transforms into Shen. At the sixth stage, true Yin Qi reaches completion, and the po soul transforms into Qi. The hun and po souls become connected within and beyond the body. When moving about by day, the practitioner no longer casts a shadow and becomes one with the sun’s pure Yang Qi. From then on, ghosts and spirits cannot see them, and Yin and Yang are beyond measurement. Thus the way of the true immortal is accomplished, which is why it is said that “the shadow withdraws into the distance.”

Ordinary people’s flesh and bones are turbid and heavy, and their Yin-Yang Qi is impure, so they cannot ascend to Heaven and attain the Way. After the perfected person completes the fourth stage, they gather the sun’s essence at the fifth stage and draw it into the Dantian, where it congeals into Yang sand. The Yang sand congeals within the body and penetrates deep into the marrow, then disperses with sweat. This is why the process is called “Yang sand replacing the bones.”

At the sixth stage, the practitioner gathers the moon’s radiance and draws it into the Dantian, where it congeals into Yin powder. After a year of gathering the moon’s radiance, the Yin powder dissolves within the body and nourishes the immortal flesh. At this time, blood is often discharged with the urine. The scripture interprets this as the retreat of ordinary flesh and the growth of immortal flesh, which is why the process is called “Yin dissolving the flesh.”

A flaw in jade means it is not true jade; likewise, ordinary people’s flesh and bones are too turbid and heavy to become those of a perfected person. After the sixth stage, ordinary bones are replaced by immortal bones, and ordinary flesh by immortal flesh. When the transformation is complete, one becomes an immortal of flawless purity and unity.

“Gazing South of the River”

When the sun’s essence is full, the Yin po soul transforms into the formless. At every full moon, one opens the “earth gate”—the inner alchemical portal for gathering the moon’s radiance. The divine tortoise, a symbolic image in Daoist Neidan, continually drinks the essence of blue jade, the clear and gentle vital energy of the moon. Body and mind then become pure as water.

Yang cinnabar is red, while yin powder has a faint green tint. Yin powder transforms the muscles; yang cinnabar transforms the bones. The mortal body is completely transformed into a wondrous sacred embryo, which ascends as swiftly as a shooting star.

When the yin and yang numbers are complete, and the hun and po souls are harmonized within and without, the body no longer displays its form or shadow. This is the state of the True Person. At the sixth turn of cultivation, on each night of the full moon, one must circulate the kidney water of the north and bring it together with the heart fire of the south. This harmonizes water and fire within and beyond the body, thereby congealing yin powder. Yin powder is attuned to the transformations of Heaven and Earth and is used to nurture the sacred embryo.

The “spirit tortoise” refers to the tortoise in the kidney water. Master Lü says, “People do not recognize the sea-turtle child they drink; ghosts cannot bear to look at the talismans burned on the mountain.” This is what he means. Gather the moon’s essence and draw it into the inner region called the “Palace of Spirit Water.” After the spirit tortoise drinks it, it becomes pure as jade and cold as something formed from yin energy. Yin powder arises within the Northern Pole, and so the tortoise serves as its symbol.

Yang cinnabar congeals from the sun’s essence. It belongs to yang, is crimson, and symbolizes the sun. Yin powder congeals from the moon’s radiance. It belongs to yin, is green, and symbolizes the moon.

Once the bones and flesh have both been transformed, the embryo’s muscles, bones, skin, and flesh are no longer mortal in substance; they have all become immortal in nature. The hun soul unites with spirit, and the po soul unites with Qi. Everything returns to stillness and becomes an undivided whole. When both body and spirit attain a wondrous state, they unite with the Dao and realize the true.

A practitioner may preserve the spirit without necessarily transforming the body. Constrained by bodily form, the spirit may leave the body while the body remains unable to move; even when cultivating through a borrowed corpse, one cannot escape the limits of one’s original form. When the elixir method reaches its sixth turn, the mortal body is transformed into an immortal substance, and both form and spirit attain a wondrous state. Wherever the mind and spirit go, the body follows, rising to the nine heavens as swiftly as a cloud or a star.

When the elixir practice reaches the sixth turn, one must gather the moon’s essence. At each full moon, on the fifteenth day of the lunar month, one can shed the mortal form and attain the body of an immortal. Body and spirit both reach a wondrous state: wherever the spirit goes, the body follows. One ascends to the Nine Heavens as swiftly as clouds and stars.

After the elixir practice reaches the sixth turn, at midnight on the fifteenth of each month, wash and rinse, then sit facing the moon. Hold the breath and close the mouth so that no breath enters or leaves, preventing the true Qi—the life force cultivated in practice—from escaping. Visualize the true Qi filling the six viscera: the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and the organ systems that include the gallbladder and stomach. The kidneys’ true Yin—the Yin essence stored there—the sun’s essence, and the Qi within and around the body should all be as clear and bright as crystal.

After a quarter or half an hour, visualize the true water in the kidneys responding to the heart’s fire—the Yang energy governed by the heart-mind. A stream of heat descends from the heart into the Dantian, the lower-abdominal site of internal alchemy practice, and settles there like a wheel of fire in a glazed dish. Then slowly open the eyes, exhale through the nose, and face the moon to draw in its Qi, gathering it in the Dantian. Stop after sixty-four breaths.

Halfway through the inhalations, visualize the true Yin in the moonlight stirring the true fire in the Dantian, so that water and fire mingle like boiling soup. The whole body begins to sweat, and the channels throughout the body open and flow freely. Stop after completing all sixty-four breaths. Practice this way for three years, and one’s cultivation will advance to the seventh turn.

At the seventh turn, the body becomes light and supple, as though able to ascend by flight. The numinous light and held breath fill the Elixir City, the Dantian in internal alchemy practice. After a thousand days and nights of cultivation, one seems no longer to need the five grains, and true fire arises within. The Kun Gate, a Daoist term associated with Yin and the body’s gateways, opens, and one bathes the sea whale.

After the elixir has completed the sixth turn, Yin-Yang and the inner and outer aspects are fully developed. The bones and muscles of an ordinary person are transformed into immortal bones and immortal flesh, and no trace of anything mundane remains anywhere in the body. The immortal body is light, nimble, and pure, and can therefore naturally ascend to the heavens. The inner elixir gathers the spirit-soul and the physical body, so the body also becomes lighter.

After the elixir has completed the seventh turn, Yin-Yang and the inner and outer aspects are brought into still greater harmony. At this point, one must hold the breath for ten days to bring its mysterious efficacy to completion. The scripture also says that after the seventh turn, one must hold the breath for a thousand days so that Yin-Yang may be fully harmonized. Once the thousand-day period is complete, spirit and Qi unite, the Five Viscera are renewed, and inner and outer return to purity and unity. The elixir’s radiance illuminates the six hollow organs, while the true fire—the power of refining and nurturing in inner alchemy—courses through the Five Viscera. The grains and worms within the organs all turn to water. From then on, the stomach and intestines are full and no longer tainted by the ordinary world of food and cooking. One no longer eats common food: when hungry, one eats immortal fruit; when thirsty, one drinks jade nectar, living unlike ordinary people.

Once the inner elixir has been completely transformed, the penis disappears, leaving only an opening called the “Kun Gate,” which symbolizes the yin portal. Whenever the divine elixir’s fire grows strong, on a day of three nines—since nine is traditionally a yang number, and three nines mark the height of yang energy—one places the elixir pearl in water and sets it in motion, letting it emerge through the Kun Gate. It breathes in the water and plays freely there. After an hour or two, one guides the elixir pearl back to the elixir chamber to regulate the excessive heat.

“Looking South over the River”

The body is translucent as sunlight; after seven turns, it flies wherever it wishes. Seated in stillness among the secluded, tranquil mountain crags, one lets the breath come and go until it ceases, the Qi firm and settled. One can go without eating ordinary grains.

Once the fire-stage is complete, return to the source; the breath grows clear and pure. When the ninth stage of bathing arrives, open the “Earth Gate”—a symbol of the yin portal—and gather fire in the moon while seeking ice in the daylight. The Five Viscera are replaced and renewed.

Explanation: After the seventh turn, both body and spirit reach a state of refinement, and all the organs within become instruments of immortality. One can walk in sunlight, the body translucent and luminous, its color like red jade; one can fly through the air, roaming freely in every direction, while the Five Viscera are renewed.

After seven transformations, the human body and spirit reach a wondrous state, and every part within the body becomes an immortal’s organ. When moving about by day, the body is clear and luminous, its color like red jade; one can also rise into the air and move about freely. In general, the key is to bring the inner and outer into smooth harmony, so that body and mind shine like the sun and moon. The heart and kidneys correspond respectively to Fire and Water. Yin and Yang must mingle with one another, and spirit must unite with the breath.

Then one must go deep into rocky valleys and sit in meditation for hundreds, even thousands, of days, holding the breath through the nose and no longer breathing the air of the outside world. This harmonizes and settles body and mind. Once the body is thus filled and complete, one stops eating worldly food and thereby reaches a state of freedom and ease. As for bigu, or avoiding grain, it is described as a special attainment and a path of cultivation. After a thousand days of breath retention, the spirit-fire stirs within, washing away the qi of grain until one no longer feels the desire to eat. At this point, one returns to the root and restores the origin, keeping to stillness with undivided attention.

Thus it is said that after refining and nourishing oneself, the breath becomes clear and pure. If the spirit-fire stirs and the Five Viscera grow hot, one should enter water on the days of “three nines”—specific days determined by Yin-Yang numerology—to purify the true cinnabar, the elixir obtained through internal refinement. The true cinnabar shines like a wheel of fire, appearing from the “Earth Gate,” an aperture symbolizing a Yin passage. Hence the phrase “opening the Earth Gate moon”: the moon symbolizes Yin, while the spirit-fire is supremely Yang. “Gate” refers to the Yin aperture; Yang light emerges through this Yin aperture called the Earth Gate, which is why the process is called “taking fire from within the moon.”

The sun belongs to Yang, and the tongue is a Yang aperture. Spirit-water, the saliva described in internal refinement, flows out through the tongue aperture; hence the phrase “seeking ice from the sun.”

In the fifth transformation, the bones are changed; in the sixth, the flesh; and in the seventh, the Five Viscera. The Five Viscera are also called the “Five Inner Organs,” and here they are compared to the Five Sacred Peaks. Hence the phrase “the Five Inner Organs are changed anew.”

When the Elixir has reached the seventh turning, one should leave the human world and enter the deep mountains, or sit in stillness in a rocky cavern or mountain valley. One should hold the breath and gather the spirit until breathing through the mouth and nose ceases. Let True Yin and True Yang join within the abdomen, draw in the power of Heaven and Earth’s creation, and let it return to the limbs. After a thousand days, all five viscera will have been renewed, and fetal Qi will have transformed into the Immortal Abode—a realm within the practitioner regarded as the dwelling place of the immortals. At this point, one will feel the aperture at the crown of the head open and release blackish-red Qi: the fetal Qi is dispersing. When the full thousand days have passed, the crown aperture closes, showing that the fetal Qi has been entirely expelled and the seventh turning is complete.

Afterward, the five viscera are firm and no longer affected by cooked food. If the Elixir fire in the viscera sometimes flares up, enter the water and hold the breath through the nose. Let the spirit fire within the Elixir Pearl emerge from the “Earth Portal”—here, the lower aperture described in cultivation—and float on the surface, churning like an ox at play in water. Wait until saliva wells up beneath the tongue like a spring; then the Elixir fire will subside. Draw the Elixir Pearl back in so that it reenters the Earth Portal. Only when the region of the eighth turning has been cultivated and the fire’s toxins eliminated should one cease entering the water to regulate the breath.

The Eighth Turning

During the eighth turning, the region of Return to the Origin hangs downward. Following the method of fetal breathing, it circulates throughout the body to nourish the inner infant—a symbolic figure in Neidan cultivation.

Sometimes the Elixir fire flares up and scorches the Elixir Cavern. One must then go deep into a cold spring to subdue the Red Tortoise, a Neidan term for something within the body that must be regulated in cultivation.

The commentary says: While an infant is in the mother’s womb, its breath rests calmly within the placenta. It cannot breathe the air outside as it will after birth. Pure divine water—a Neidan term for the body’s Jing, Qi, and bodily fluids—enters without causing harm. The infant’s navel is joined to the umbilical cord, as though the cord were held in its mouth, and breath flows back and forth without interruption. This is natural fetal breathing, the state of breathing in the womb, and so the infant remains unharmed.

After the alchemical practice has reached the eighth turn, a “belt of earth” grows from the navel, like an infant’s umbilical cord. The practitioner returns to life’s original state, hence the phrase “the belt of earth hangs down to restore the origin.” An infant uses the umbilical cord to circulate the Qi of fetal breathing and remains unharmed; a perfected person, one who has succeeded in the Dao, uses the belt of earth to circulate the Qi of the heavenly cycle within the body and thereby attain longevity. Here, the red turtle is also used as a metaphor for the Elixir Pearl, a symbol of Neidan.

After the eighth turn, one must continue refining and nurturing the true fire within the body so that it does not cause burning or harm. Whenever the fire Qi stirs, hold the belt of earth in the mouth and close the breath. On the ninth day, true water rises from the Dantian, the Neidan practice site below the navel, like a surging spring, reaching the twelve rings of the Towering Chamber—the successive apertures of the throat. The Elixir Pearl seems to float in divine water, like a turtle playing in the water. From then on, the true fire no longer causes harm, and there is no further danger from the Elixir’s heat. Hence the lines: “At times the fire flares and burns the Elixir chamber; deep in the cold spring, the red turtle plays.”

“Gazing South of the River”

When inner and outer transformations take place, the eighth turn marks the beginning of the return to the origin. The belt of earth hangs down, governing the Gate of Kan, an inner alchemical aperture associated with the kidneys and water. The Qi of fetal breathing circulates throughout, passing through the Gate of Heaven, an aperture in the head. In this way, the Dao of the Great Beginning is preserved.

Body and mind return to unity, while red and black Qi often gush forth. When the Elixir fire stirs, it seems to scorch the inner landscape; when the cold spring surges up, the “monkey offspring,” an inner alchemical image in the scripture, bathes in it. Divine water and the red turtle swallow and absorb one another.

When the Elixir reaches its eighth transformation, the body’s outer form and its five internal organs are completely transformed. A “belt region” reappears below the navel, and its shape resembles that of an infant. This is called “returning to the root and restoring the origin,” meaning a return to life’s original state. The “belt region” is the band-shaped area below the navel, arising from the navel itself. It corresponds to the northern Kan trigram, so it is called the “Kan household, Heaven’s gate.” The “Flower Pool” is an inner aperture in cultivation. The scripture’s phrase “the belt region runs through the mouth” describes the movement of the related breath.

In cultivation, one circulates the breath through the circuit of Heaven, regulating the firing process. At this point, the Elixir practice unfolds as though Heaven and Earth were just beginning to form. The Neidan is purely Yang, without a trace of Yin, and is therefore called the “pure, undivided body.”

“Black and red” refers to the Qi of the spirit fire. When the Elixir reaches its eighth transformation, Qi comes from the heart and often enters and leaves through the nose. Practitioners commonly see Qi in black and red, hence the phrase “Qi often spurts forth.” The Elixir fire may cause imbalances, so it must be controlled with “spirit water”—the inner water Qi used in cultivation to harmonize and restrain the fire. In this way, signs of excessive Elixir fire no longer appear.

The “Elixir” referred to here is the numinous pearl within the heart, also likened to the lively, restless “monkey grandson” of the heart-mind. The “red tortoise” refers to the fire spirit. The Elixir floats in water, shaped as though a tortoise were swallowing water.

When the Elixir reaches the eighth turn, a “belt” forms at the navel. If the Elixir fire is still hot and the five viscera feel dry and heated, close your eyes and sit quietly. Connect the belt beneath the Flower Pool (the place in the mouth where saliva gathers), allowing the breath to circulate through the body and flow throughout it. After holding the breath, the true water in the Dantian (energy center) will increase day by day. On the ninth day, spirit water rises to the twelve rings of the Towering Staircase (the twelve joints of the throat), where the Elixir Pearl is held within it to dispel the fire toxin. From then on, there will be no more trouble from dryness and heat. At midnight on the ninth night, hold the breath and guide the spirit water through the Mud Pill Palace (an acupuncture point at the top of the head), then down along the Spinal Channel (the middle of the back) and back to the Dantian. This completes the practice for this stage.

The Ninth Turn: The Practice Reaches Completion

When cultivation through the nine turns is complete, the Dao of freedom and the immortal’s fruit of realization are fulfilled. One must also accumulate three thousand meritorious deeds before becoming an immortal.

The Celestial Court issues an imperial decree written on golden books and jade tablets. The cultivator steps onto auspicious clouds and travels to the Ninth Heaven to pay court.

Explanation: When the Elixir reaches the ninth turn, the fruit of realization sought through cultivation is fulfilled. One must also accumulate three thousand deeds of worldly virtue, bringing one’s outward merit to completion, before ascending to heaven. Thus, after Xu Jingyang succeeded in refining the Elixir, he first rid the world of the harm caused by a flood dragon before ascending. After Sun Simiao succeeded in refining the Elixir, he first healed the illnesses of the people before ascending. Both had to perform meritorious deeds and acts of kindness before rising. On the day of ascension, celestial music welcomes them, with the Shao pipes playing in concert. After passing through the Heavenly Gate, cultivators are assigned duties according to their merits and practice, and enter the ranks of immortals, from then on enduring as long as Heaven and Earth.

The Instructions on Internal Elixir was written by Chen Puchong; the Secret Instructions on the Golden Elixir’s Nine Turns was transmitted by Master Mud Pill, Chen Pu.

Song of the First Turn: The First Turn

Beneath the tongue are four apertures: two lead to the heart, and two to the bodily fluids.

The effect of the first turn is like a precious pearl: numinous energy flows through mountains, rivers, and the cosmos, reaching throughout the body. Beneath the red lotus leaves lies the Elixir cavity; the Red River flows through it, condensing into the Nine-Hou Pearl.

The phrase “the effect of the first turn is like a precious pearl” means that the true Water of Heaven One is stored in the gallbladder. Once Yin-Yang is harmonized, it descends and condenses into the Elixir, taking the shape of a dewdrop.

Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation begins with “one” and is completed through nine transformations. “One” is the source from which all things arise: Heaven’s one gives birth to Water, Earth’s two to Fire, Heaven’s three to Wood, Earth’s four to Metal, and Heaven’s five to Earth. The sequence of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) begins with “one,” so Neidan cultivation also begins with “one,” transforming gradually until it reaches “nine.” Nine is the highest Yang number; counting to nine signifies that the Dao’s fruit has been attained.

When the Neidan first forms, true Water gathers and congeals into an elixir, at first taking the shape of a bright jewel like a dewdrop. The “true Water” referred to here is the Heavenly One’s true Water stored in the gallbladder. Once Yin and Yang are harmonized, it descends and forms the elixir. “Jewel” is a reverent name expressing the value placed on the Neidan.

People are born through the union of the father’s essence and the mother’s blood: this is the union of physical forms. The Neidan, by contrast, congeals through the union of the heart’s Fire and the kidneys’ Water: this is the union of Qi (vital energy). Thus, the union of physical forms gives birth to a person, while the union of Qi’s dynamic forces forms the elixir. When the elixir descends, the practitioner’s spirit wanders beyond the body. Yin and Yang come into harmony, and the practitioner enters a state of sitting in forgetfulness, forgetting the physical form. It is as though the heavens and earth, mountains and rivers, the four directions and above and below, and all things are contained within the self, while the self in turn stands apart from the heavens, earth, and all things. At this moment, one senses only a point of light within the heart, like the sun: this is the scene of the Neidan’s descent and formation. “Mountains, rivers, and the cosmos shine through the numinous body” describes how all things in heaven and earth seem to permeate the spiritually luminous body.

Beneath the red lotus leaves lies the elixir cavern.

There are two apertures beneath the tongue: the one on the left connects to the heart, and the one on the right to the gallbladder. True Qi (the body’s vital energy) flows through them, allowing the qi of the spirit to move freely. When a person’s mind and body are unsettled or the body feels unwell, the fluids beneath the tongue dry up because True Qi has been depleted. The first step in the nine-turn practice is to seal these two apertures with the tongue, so True Qi does not escape and the divine water (saliva) can circulate.

“Red lotus” refers to the tongue. The apertures beneath it connect with the heart and with the body’s fluids. When a person is ill, the fluids beneath the tongue diminish and True Qi is depleted. The first step in the nine-turn practice is to seal the two apertures with the tongue, preventing True Qi from leaking out and encouraging the divine water to circulate.

The Red Waters Flow; the Nine Cycles Differ

“Red waters” refers to the body’s fluids and marks the beginning of the nine-turn practice. Every nine days, take nine slow, gentle inhalations, swallowing the fluids in nine small mouthfuls with each inhalation. The fluids will then arise naturally beneath the tongue and circulate, nourishing the Five Viscera. “The nine pearl-like cycles” refers to the nine inhalations and swallows in this process.

Gazing Southward over the River

Seal the apertures beneath the tongue to allow the gallbladder qi to flow freely.

The “yellow central treasure” must be sought within the gallbladder. The spring breeze brings forth all things; Heaven and Earth accompany me, and the hundred channels throughout the body naturally open and flow freely.

Carry out the work of transformation, drawing together the fires on the left and right. Their force surges and shines in all directions; smoke rises and shrouds the towers. Yin and Yang qi are like husband and wife, gradually joining together.

The “central yellow treasure” must be sought within the gallbladder.

The Original Qi generated by Heaven One is called “Central Yellow.” It is stored in the gallbladder and is the foundation of nature and life. Its taste is bitter. Even without paying much attention, people can notice that the roots of plants taste bitter too. From this, we know that nothing can grow without vital energy.

In Neidan cultivation, one first gathers in the two openings beneath the tongue, connecting them with the vital energy stored in the gallbladder. When this energy rises to the space between the throat and tongue, a faint sense of bitterness indicates that it is moving. One then gathers the spirit and refines the Elixir. Another account says that when the vital energy reaches the throat and tongue, Mercury Water condenses, and the Neidan forms from it. “Mercury Water” is a technical term in Neidan, often referring to the essence and energy associated with changes in body and mind during cultivation.

The Spring Emperor issues his command, and all things grow. All things can sprout only by receiving the Qi of spring. If a person can set the Qi in the gallbladder in motion, the Neidan can be formed.

The vital energy of Heaven and Earth sprouts in spring, and all things can grow only by receiving it. People, too, live through vital energy, which is stored in the gallbladder. If a person can set the gallbladder Qi in motion, they can complete the first turn of Neidan cultivation, just as spring governs the emergence and growth of life among the four seasons.

“Qian and Kun beneath the knees, keeping company with me; the hundred vessels flow freely of themselves” means that vital energy rises, a faint bitterness is sensed in the mouth, and Yin-Yang Qi comes into harmony. The mind and spirit seem to rise beyond the sky; at that moment, the four quarters of Heaven and Earth appear to lie beneath the knees. Vast, noble Qi fills Heaven and Earth, the hundred vessels in the body flow freely, the openings throughout the body open, and the Neidan descends into form.

“Set creation in motion, drawing the fire from both sides” means using the workings of creation to operate the firing process simultaneously on the left and right sides of the body. “Fire” is the Neidan term for the process of refining and cultivation, including the regulation of its firing times.

When beginning the practice, first seal the two openings beneath the tongue so that the breath does not escape. Qi from the left enters the brain by way of the left temple; Qi from the right enters by way of the right. Both streams pass through the brain and reach the Niwan Palace at the crown of the head—the central point in the head described in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy)—where they unite. The Qi then descends along the route called the “Twelve Rings of the Chonglou,” enters the Heart channel, and passes to the gallbladder, opening its orifice. The Qi that arises in the gallbladder then moves upward along the channels connecting the Heart and gallbladder to the tongue orifice, making the tongue taste bitter. This is taken as a sign that the vital energy has begun to flow and that the Elixir is about to descend.

“Creation and transformation” refers to this initial stage of practice: Qi moves upward along the channels of the Heart and gallbladder to the tongue orifice. The bitter taste on the tongue signals that vital energy is flowing and the Elixir is about to descend.

The scripture also says that, when beginning the practice, one must first seal the two openings beneath the tongue to prevent the breath from escaping. Qi from the left enters the brain through the left temple, and Qi from the right enters through the right Taiyin area. Both streams pass through the brain and enter the Niwan Palace at the crown of the head, where they unite. They then descend along the “Twelve Rings of the Chonglou,” enter the Heart channel, and pass to the gallbladder, opening its orifice. The Qi arising in the gallbladder then moves upward along the channels of the Heart and gallbladder to the tongue orifice, making the tongue taste bitter. This indicates that vital energy is flowing and the Elixir is about to descend.

“Vigorous Qi surges up to fill the cosmos; bitter smoke curls upward through the rings of the tower” means that the vast, upright Qi surges forth and fills Heaven and Earth, while the bitter Qi curls upward through the “Twelve Rings of the Chonglou.”

Once the gallbladder orifice opens, the vital energy curls upward through the “Twelve Rings of the Chonglou,” reaches the area beneath the tongue orifice, and fills the mouth, producing a bitter taste. This is taken as evidence that vital energy is circulating.

Next, seal the tongue orifices so that the Qi on both sides moves upward, producing a surging rise. After the gallbladder orifice closes, the vital energy curls upward through the “Twelve Rings of the Chonglou” and rises from the openings beneath the tongue. A bitter taste filling the mouth indicates that vital energy is circulating.

“Man and wife gradually conspire together” means that, once vital energy begins to circulate, Yin and Yang gradually harmonize, and the Heart and Kidneys join and unite. Hence the phrase “gradually conspire together.” Here, “man and wife” refers to Yin and Yang: the man represents Yang, and the wife represents Yin.

When the Qi (vital energy) flows freely, Yin-Yang can come into harmony, and the heart and kidneys can resonate with one another. This is why they are said to gradually come into coordination.

“ Husband and wife” is a metaphor for Yin-Yang: the husband belongs to Yang, and the wife to Yin. When the vital energy circulates, Yin-Yang can come into harmony, and the heart and kidneys resonate with one another. This is why they are said to gradually come into coordination.

Instructions

When beginning practice, first regulate your diet so that the five organs are at peace. Do not become excessively hungry or eat too much. Also keep your mind settled, free of worries and distracting thoughts; only then can you begin cultivation on the Dao (the Way).

When beginning practice, first harmonize the five organs through your diet. Do not go hungry or eat too much. Only when your mind is quiet and free of worries and distracting thoughts should you begin cultivation.

At the end of the second watch and the beginning of the third—around eleven at night to one in the morning—first wash up, then enter a quiet room, burn incense, sit cross-legged, and close your eyes to focus your spirit.

Once your breathing is even, curl your tongue back and press it against the two openings at its root, then gradually hold your breath. Sense a current of Qi on each side along the Taiyang channels. Each current travels downward from the roots of the back teeth, then passes through the Taiyang region and rises to the crown of the head, entering the Niwan Palace—the place within the head where, according to Daoist teaching, spiritual energy gathers. This counts as one cycle.

Once your breathing is even, first curl your tongue back and press it against the two openings at its root, then gradually hold your breath. Gradually sense a current of Qi on each side along the Taiyang channels, surging upward from the roots of the back teeth and passing through the Taiyang regions on both sides before entering the crown of the head. When you sense the two currents meeting, that counts as one cycle.

Then open your eyes and pause briefly before closing them and focusing your spirit again. Curl your tongue as before, and stop once the Qi reaches the Niwan Palace. Practice this three times each night.

Close your eyes and pause briefly, then curl your tongue as before. Stop once the Qi reaches the Niwan Palace. Three repetitions each night are enough.

At times, after practicing continuously for several nights, around ten days, or half a month, you will gradually feel the Qi reach the Niwan Palace, an acupoint inside the crown of the head. The Qi then flows into the Twelve-Ring Tower beneath the brain, the Daoist internal alchemy term for the passage in the throat. It passes through the Jiaji, the channel between the vertebrae in the back, and rises through the Weilü, the area at the base of the spine. When the true Qi enters the heart and runs through the gallbladder, you may stop practicing.

After practicing for several more nights, around ten days, or half a month, you will gradually feel the Qi flow from the Niwan Palace into the brain, then pass through the Twelve-Ring Tower, the Jiaji, and the Weilü as it rises. The true Qi then enters the heart and runs through the gallbladder. Next, the stomach feels warm, and the mind becomes slightly calm and relaxed. This is a sign that the true Qi is descending.

Over several nights or days of practice, you will gradually feel the Qi flow from the Niwan Palace into the brain, pass through the Twelve-Ring Tower, the Jiaji, and the Weilü, then surge into the heart and run through the gallbladder, as described above. The navel and stomach feel warm, and the mind becomes slightly calm and relaxed. This is the descent of the true Qi.

Continue practicing for several more nights. Gradually, you will feel the Qi reach the heart, where a faint warmth arises. At times, you may sense the Qi in the heart gently stirring. Warm Qi also rises from behind the heart, passes through the Twelve-Ring Tower, and reaches the area beneath the tongue. Gradually, the mouth tastes slightly bitter. This indicates that the Qi of the Central Yellow, an internal alchemy term for the Qi at the body’s center, is issuing from the gallbladder. Yin and Yang are coming into harmony, and signs that the Elixir is descending will soon appear.

After this, practice for several more nights. Gradually, you will feel the Qi reach the heart and a faint warmth arise there; at times, the Qi in the heart gradually stirs. Warm Qi rises from the heart through the Twelve-Ring Tower, and the mouth tastes slightly bitter. This is the Qi of the Central Yellow and Yin Qi issuing from the gallbladder. Yin and Yang are coming into harmony, and signs that the Elixir is descending will soon appear.

After this, practice for several more nights. Gradually, you will feel the Qi reach the heart, followed by a faint warmth. At times, the Qi in the heart gradually stirs. Warm Qi rises from the heart through the Twelve-Ring Tower, and the mouth tastes slightly bitter. This is the Qi of the Central Yellow issuing from the gallbladder as Yin and Yang come into harmony; signs that the Elixir is descending will soon appear.

After this, whenever you begin your practice in the evening, have someone stand guard outside the door to keep other people, cats, and dogs from entering and startling you. At about the third practice session each evening, place a small table across the front of your seat. As you circulate the Qi, you may feel your breath surge and your body gradually grow larger, while your spirit seems to rise up. You may then see the rooms, people, mountains, and rivers all within your body, and even feel that your hands and feet have vanished. If this happens, immediately press down on the small table with your hands and close your eyes. You will then feel a small, bright orb in your heart, round like the sun, suddenly descend into the Dantian, the place of practice below the navel. This is called “the descent of the Elixir”: the internal elixir descending.

After the Elixir descends, do not open your eyes at once. Slowly gather your spirit and guide it back into your limbs and body. Your hands and feet will regain their usual sensations, though they may tingle slightly. After sitting quietly and observing for a while, open your eyes, drink ginseng soup, and then sleep until the next day. For the following day or two, eat less porridge and take some time to rest. According to the scripture, this completes the practice of the Elixir’s descent. Once the Elixir has descended, all illnesses will be dispelled, and you will no longer suffer from disease.

After the Elixir descends, do not open your eyes at once. Slowly gather and settle your spirit until the mind is calm. Wait until your limbs return to normal. If your hands or feet feel numb, remain still until you are fully settled and alert before opening your eyes. Then drink ginseng soup and sleep. The next morning, eat porridge and rest for a day or two, following the same method used when the Elixir descended. The scripture says that after the Elixir descends, all illnesses will be dispelled, and the calamities of falling ill and suffering will no longer occur.