《云笈七签》Vol. 12

He had his writings carved on stone steles, hoping thereby to bring glory to his state, but had long since forgotten the story of Ge Gui. Later, he dreamed that two divine beings reproached him: “You enjoy wealth and honor yet have forgotten how you came by them. How can this be?” He awoke drenched in sweat and remained terrified for a long time. He then went in person to Yunlin, burned incense, and prayed for blessings. Afterward, he ordered craftsmen to measure the timber and choose an auspicious day, and built the South Palace’s soaring pavilion, with forty rooms in all. He also erected lofty halls, long corridors, tiers of gate towers, and secluded chambers. He melted metal and carved stone steles, sparing no effort in whatever could be done.

He assigned the land taxes from Jiulong to Atun at the foot of the mountain, to transport and store supplies. Grain piled up like mountains, and craftsmen arrived one after another. He wrote the stele inscription himself and had it carved beside the cave entrance, then built a tall tower above it. He selected seventy child attendants for daily sweeping and cleaning, and set aside five hundred mu of fertile fields to supply the granary of the fasting hall. After guarding the region for more than twenty years, he was granted a royal title. That year was his birth-year sign, Dingmao, and also the year Ge Gui died.

Sixth: Gengchu Administration

This mountain rises 390 zhang above the plains. It lies west of Mianzhu County in Guanghan Commandery, five li from the county seat and 280 li from Chengdu. Immortals often visit the mountain, and it is said to dispel calamities and nurture body and mind. According to tradition, Zhang Li attained the Dao here. The mountain contains two stone chambers and three dragon heads, with the Huai River winding around them. This administration (a site for Daoist cultivation or ritual) corresponds to the celestial Tail Lodge. Once opened by a Daoist priest, its presiding master can oversee its affairs from beginning to end.

Seventh: Qinzhong Administration

The principal deity enshrined at this administration is an immortal. It lies nine li east of Deyang County in Guanghan Commandery, 200 li from Chengdu. The mountain rises steeply, and tradition says that Han Zhong became an immortal there. A great river lies before the mountain, and a road to the east leads toward the Han and Luo river regions. A large stone stands directly in front of the administration site, marked with copper. This administration corresponds to the celestial Winnowing Basket Lodge. Once opened by a madman, its presiding master can oversee its affairs from beginning to end.

Eighth: Zhendu Administration

This mountain lies in Jintang County, Huai’an Army, 150 li from Chengdu. It contains lingzhi mushrooms and divine medicines, which are said to grant a thousand years of life when taken. A large stone stands on the mountain, marked with copper. This administration corresponds to the celestial Winnowing Basket Lodge. Once opened by a madman, its presiding master can oversee its affairs from beginning to end.

The mountain is in Jintang County, Huai’an Commandery, 150 li from Chengdu. It is home to sacred mushrooms and divine medicines; taking them can grant a person a thousand years of life. The mountain is 280 zhang high. A pool lies before it, with five divine fish in its waters. In ancient times, Wang Fangping met the Grand Supreme Lord Lao here. This sanctuary, a Daoist site for cultivation or ritual observance, corresponds to the Dipper Lodge. If a woman opens this sanctuary, its period of efficacy can last seventy years.

On the fifth day of the tenth month of the first year of Wuji, the True Wuji Grand Supreme, a revered Daoist deity, established the eight essential Qi formulas required when founding a sanctuary as methods to be kept in the palm.

First: Changli Sanctuary

The mountain lies forty li east of Jintang County, Huai’an Commandery, and 150 li from Chengdu. It was where Li Babo of Shu Commandery first studied the Dao. Li Babo was the teacher of Tang Gongfang. He traveled among the famous mountains of Shu and often visited the city of Chengdu by day, then spent the night on Mount Qingcheng; this is why he was called “Babo.” On the mountain’s southern side is a stone chamber that can hold eighty people. Three Dragon Gates stand before it as markers. This sanctuary corresponds to the Ox Lodge. If people whose minds and spirits are disordered and confused open it, its period of efficacy can last five hundred years.

Second: Lishang Sanctuary

Master Jizi studied the Dao here and became an immortal. The sanctuary is twenty li east of Deyang County, Guanghan Commandery. On the mountain are two stone chambers and a sacred well. White deer, white cranes, and white doves often come to drink at the well. A stone stands before the sanctuary, linking it to Mianwu Sanctuary. To the west is Red Stone Creek, marked by three pine trees. The mountain rises 2,900 zhang above the surrounding plain. In ancient times, Wei Shuqing of Zhongshan attained the Dao here. This sanctuary corresponds to the Maiden Lodge. If the poor and lowly open it, its period of efficacy can last one hundred years.

Third: Yongquan Mountain Spirit Sanctuary

Long ago, Ma Mingsheng of Guanghan cultivated the Dao and attained immortality. The Most High Lord Lao once manifested here and made his home here. This sanctuary—a place where Daoist immortals are said to dwell and cultivate—lies within Xiaohan County, Sui Ning Commandery. A spring on the mountain can cure the people’s illnesses; everyone who drinks from it recovers. For generations, people have therefore used its water as prayer water, blessed in ritual. The sanctuary is two hundred li from Chengdu. Nearby, cliffs rise a hundred zhang above the Mian River, where macaques, gibbons, and many kinds of birds often gather. The sanctuary corresponds to the Xu lunar mansion. It was discovered by a wild man and governed for thirty years. Though the mountain is small, it is high, and paths for visitors run along all four sides.

Fourth, Choujing Sanctuary

It lies in Xinjin County, Qianwei Commandery, one hundred and ten li from Chengdu, with Mount Min between them. The sanctuary corresponds to the Xu lunar mansion. It was discovered by a wild man and governed for thirty years. Though the mountain is small, it is high, and paths for visitors run along all four sides.

Fourth, Choujing Sanctuary

It lies in Xinjin County, Qianwei Commandery, one hundred and ten li from Chengdu. The Min River flows through this area. The mountain rises one thousand seven hundred zhang above the plain. Tradition says that Xuanyuan, the Yellow Emperor, studied the Dao here. Mountain ranges link together around the sanctuary, and the Wei River lies to the northwest. The mountain also has lingzhi mushrooms and immortal medicines that can preserve nature and life. The sanctuary corresponds to the Wei lunar mansion. It was discovered by a noble and governed for fifty years.

Fifth, Beiping Sanctuary

It lies in Pengshan County, Meizhou, one hundred and forty li from Chengdu. A pond on the mountain is about two hundred paces around. Divine lingzhi mushrooms and medicinal herbs grow in it; eating them allows one to live on alongside Heaven for a long time. Tradition says that Wang Ziqiao of Yue attained the Dao and became immortal here. The sanctuary corresponds to the Shi lunar mansion. It was discovered by a Daoist master and governed for forty years. It is also called the Doushan Sanctuary.

Sixth, Benzhu Sanctuary

The mountain lies in Xinjin County, Shuzhou, one hundred and twenty-five li from Chengdu. It is one thousand three hundred zhang high. There is water on the mountain, and an aromatic grove near the sanctuary. To the north is a dragon’s cavern, with an underground passage leading straight to Mount Emei. Pine trees grow on the mountain; tradition says this is where Guo Zisheng attained the Dao. Behind it is a bamboo grove, and fifteen li to the west lies a route to Heming Mountain. Divine dragons often swim in the water in front. The sanctuary corresponds to the Bi lunar mansion. It was discovered by an official of Longmen and governed for five hundred years.

Beyond lies a stand of bamboo. Walk fifteen li west from there, and you will reach Heming Mountain. A divine dragon often plays in the waters ahead. This zhi (a Daoist administrative center and place of cultivation) corresponds to the celestial mansion of Bi. Officials from Longmen discovered and opened this site, whose period of flourishing lasted five hundred years.

Seventh: Mengqin Zhi

This mountain lies west of Taideng County in Yuexi Commandery, twenty li from the county seat and 1,420 li from Chengdu. The zhi is separated from Yuexi Commandery by a river. A small hill stands before it, and a great mountain behind, rising about a thousand zhang. Tradition says that Yi Yin once studied the Dao on this mountain. It bears zhiying fungus and Golden Liquid herbs, whose use can free one from the mortal world. Later, Zhao Sheng of Hanzhong Commandery also attained the Dao here. This zhi corresponds to the celestial mansion of Kui. A mortal discovered and opened the site, whose period of flourishing lasted ninety years.

Eighth: Pinggai Zhi

This mountain lies in Xinjin County, Shuzhou, eighty li from Chengdu. Beneath the front mountain stands a jade figure, thirteen chi tall. Tradition says that Cui Xiaotong of Wu Commandery once studied the Dao on this mountain and later became a flying immortal. A great river lies to the west, a long mountain to the south, and a level plain to the north; Longmen lies in between. This zhi corresponds to the celestial mansion of Lou. Yin beings discovered and opened the site, whose period of flourishing lasted one thousand years.

On the seventh day of the first month in the second year of Wushang, the Wuwei Great Dao, Mysterious Truth, set down in the palm the essential instructions for the eight grades of zhi Qi.

First: Yuntai Mountain Zhi

Twenty li east of Cangxi County in Langzhou, Brazil Commandery, this mountain can be reached only after climbing for eighteen li. It lies 1,370 li from Chengdu. Celestial Master Zhang once stayed here with 370 disciples, teaching the Dao and transforming the people. After living there for two years, he ascended to Heaven in broad daylight. A year later, his wife also ascended. Thirty years after that, Zhao Sheng and Wang Chang likewise achieved ascension in broad daylight.

In front of the administrative seat—a Daoist site established for cultivation and teaching—lay the great Ba River. On the mountain grew a peach tree that flowered once every three years and bore fruit once every five. It clung to a height of seventy zhang above a bottomless ravine. Only Zhao Sheng managed to pick its peaches with his own hands; no one else could reach them. This administrative seat corresponded to the lunar mansion Wei. It had a statue of a master in human form, erected by the person who founded the site. The master in charge of the seat governed there for fifty years.

Another account says that in Yuntai Mountain, a jade maiden rode a white crane, an immortal rode a white deer, and an immortal master came to welcome Celestial Master Zhang as he ascended to Heaven. The people saw this with their own eyes. One account identifies this place as Mount Tianzhu. In front of the Yuntai administrative seat was a site where a stele had been erected.

The Record of Events at the Yuntai Administrative Seat says: Shi Cun was from the state of Lu and had once been a disciple of Confucius. He practiced the Great Elixir method, a method of alchemical cultivation involving ten refinements over three hundred years. He carried out ten refinements over three hundred years without success, learning only the arts of transformation. Later, he met Zhang Shen, who served as the official in charge of the Yuntai administrative seat. Shi Cun often carried a pot about the size of five sheng. He could transform it into a world of its own, with a sun and moon inside, just like the human world. At night he stayed inside the pot, calling it “Pot Heaven”; people called him “Lord of the Pot.” In this way he attained the Dao and remained at the administrative seat.

The Second Jinkou Administrative Seat.

This mountain lies in Jiangyang County, Hanzhong Commandery, 2,920 li from Chengdu. Chen Anshi once cultivated the Dao on the mountain and later attained the Dao and became an immortal. Anshi was from Jingzhao. The Hanzhong River flows past the mountain’s foot. The mountain is also called Pingyuan Mountain. Chang Mountain lies to its west and Liuhai to its east. It is a dwelling place of emperors, with a Green Dragon Gate. The site governed here corresponds to the lunar mansion Mao, and is also a dwelling place of immortals. If ordinary people dig into this site, the seat of government may prosper for five hundred years.

Third: Houcheng Mountain Seat of Government

It lies in Shifang County, Hanzhou. In the past, Yuan Ziran cultivated immortality on this mountain and attained the Dao. A great river lies to the mountain’s left, with tiered ridges behind it. The mountain contains divine lingzhi, a legendary medicinal fungus of the immortals; taking it can extend one’s life by a thousand years. The mountain is also called Huangling Mountain. Chang Mountain lies to the south, a Green Dragon to the north, and pines and cypresses mark the east. The site governed here corresponds to the lunar mansion Bi. If ordinary people dig into this site, the seat of government may prosper for eighty years.

Fourth: Gongmu Seat of Government

It lies in Shifang County, Hanzhou, one hundred li from the seat of government. In the past, Suzi cultivated the Dao on this mountain and became an immortal. The mountain is also called Beifengxian Mountain. A stone ledge lies to the south, and a waterfall descends from the north. The site governed here corresponds to the lunar mansion Zui. If a sick person digs into this site, the seat of government may prosper for seventy years.

Fifth: Pingwang Seat of Government

This mountain lies in Xinjin County, Shuzhou, one hundred li from Chengdu. In the past, Li A, a native of Shu Commandery, cultivated the Dao on the mountain and became an immortal, ascending to Heaven in daylight. The site governed here corresponds to the lunar mansion Shen. If a Daoist priest digs into this site, the seat of government may prosper for twenty years. Three tiers of Caoxi lie to the north, and Te Mountain marks the south.

Sixth: Zhubu Mountain Seat of Government

It lies within Pujiang County, Qiongzhou, one hundred and fifty li from Chengdu. Wang Xing, a native of Shu Commandery, cultivated the Dao here and became an immortal. The mountain is also called Qiuchang Mountain. A stone chamber and jade hall lie to the south, with pines and cypresses growing in front. The site governed here corresponds to the lunar mansion Jing. If a worthy person digs into this site, the seat of government may prosper for eighty years.

Seventh: Yuju Seat of Government

Inside Chengdu’s southern gate, on the seventh day of the first month in the first year of the Yongshou era under Emperor Huan of the Han, the Most High Lord Lao rode a white deer here, while Celestial Master Zhang rode a white crane. They rested seated on a four-legged jade couch, and so the place was called “Yuju Headquarters” (a headquarters established by Daoists). It corresponds to the Ghost Lodge among the Twenty-Eight Lodges. It is said to have been opened by the “Thousand-Fathom Great Man” and to have flourished for three generations.

Eighth: Beiman Mountain Headquarters

It is located in Luoyang County, the Eastern Capital. The Liang River lies to the left of the headquarters, and Wuchengzi attained the Dao here. Rhubarb grows to the east, and the Yong Spring flows south. This place corresponds to the Willow Lodge. It is said to have been opened by an immortal sage and to have flourished for sixty years.

The sixteenth chapter of the Statutes of Xuandu says: “‘Headquarters’ is where a person’s life and soul belong.” The Illustrated Record of the Famous Mountains of the Five Marchmounts states:

Yangping Headquarters belongs to Metal and corresponds to the Horn Lodge; Lutang Headquarters belongs to Metal and corresponds to the Neck Lodge; Heming Headquarters belongs to Wood and corresponds to the Root Lodge; Zhiyuan Headquarters belongs to Earth and corresponds to the Room Lodge; Gegui Headquarters belongs to Fire and corresponds to the Heart Lodge; Gengchu Headquarters belongs to Fire and corresponds to the Tail Lodge; Qinzhong Headquarters belongs to Water and corresponds to the Winnowing Basket Lodge; Zhendu Headquarters belongs to Metal and corresponds to the Dipper Lodge.

These eight headquarters are of the highest grade. All were established by the Most High Lord Lao in the first year of the Han’an era under the Later Han.

Changli Headquarters belongs to Earth and corresponds to the Ox Lodge; Lishang Headquarters belongs to Fire and corresponds to the Girl Lodge; Yongquan Headquarters belongs to Wood and corresponds to the Emptiness Lodge; Choujing Headquarters belongs to Fire and corresponds to the Rooftop Lodge; Beiping Headquarters belongs to Metal and corresponds to the Encampment Lodge; Benzhu Headquarters belongs to Wood and corresponds to the Wall Lodge; Mengqin Headquarters belongs to Fire and corresponds to the Legs Lodge; Pinggai Headquarters belongs to Earth and corresponds to the Bond Lodge.

These eight headquarters are of the middle grade, and were established in the same manner as described above.

The Yuntai Center belongs to Wood and corresponds to the Mao lunar mansion; the Jinkou Center belongs to Wood and corresponds to the Pleiades; the Houcheng Center belongs to Earth and corresponds to the Net lunar mansion; the Gongmu Center belongs to Metal and corresponds to the Turtle Beak lunar mansion; the Pingwang Center belongs to Water and corresponds to the Three Stars lunar mansion; the Zhubu Center belongs to Metal and corresponds to the Well lunar mansion; the Yuju Center belongs to Water and corresponds to the Ghost lunar mansion; and the Beimang Center belongs to Earth and corresponds to the Willow lunar mansion.

These eight centers—the Daoist administrative seats and the territories under their jurisdiction—belong to the lower grade. They were established in the manner described above.

The Gangdi Center belongs to Water and corresponds to the Star lunar mansion; the Baishi Center belongs to Metal and corresponds to the Extended Net lunar mansion; the Zhongmao Center belongs to Water and corresponds to the Wings lunar mansion; and the Jushan Center belongs to Earth and corresponds to the Chariot lunar mansion. The Map says that these four centers lie northeast of the capital.

These four centers were added by Celestial Master Zhang. Added to the original twenty-four centers, they bring the total to twenty-eight, corresponding to the twenty-eight lunar mansions.

The Pinggong Center belongs to Water and is paired with the Yongquan Center; the Gongmu Center belongs to Earth and is paired with the Choujing Center; the Tiantai Center belongs to Earth and is paired with the Benzhu Center; the Laixiang Center belongs to Metal and is paired with the Changli Center; the Zunling Center belongs to Metal and is paired with the Yuntai Center; the Daiyuan Center belongs to Metal and is paired with the Yuntai Center; the Heli Center belongs to Fire and is paired with the Lishang Center; and the Liyuan Center belongs to Metal and is paired with the Changli Center.

These eight centers were added later by the Celestial Master to correspond to the eight grades. Distributed across the Four Seas, they guard and protect the state and guide the people through religious teaching.

The Lower Volume of the Taizhen Code says that there are also four separate centers: first, the Jushan Center; second, the Zhongmao Center; third, the Baishi Center; and fourth, the Gangdi Center.

Externally, these four are called “separate centers”; internally, they are called “supplementary centers.” The supplementary centers complete the set of twenty-eight centers, and are therefore distinct from the “three groups of eight separate centers.”

The second category is called the “Wandering Administrations” and consists of eight sites: first, the Jiyang Administration; second, the Pingdu Administration; third, the Hefeng Administration; fourth, the Cimu Administration; fifth, the Huangjin Administration; sixth, the Taihua Administration; seventh, the Qingcheng Administration (written as “Qingcheng Mountain” in the Wufu Jing); and eighth, the Emei Administration. Together, these eight are called the Wandering Administrations.

The third category is called the “Paired Administrations” and consists of eight sites: first, the Daiyuan Administration; second, the Zunling Administration; third, the Laixiang Administration; fourth, the Tiantai Administration; fifth, the Bamu Administration; sixth, the Pinggong Administration; seventh, the Lili Administration; and eighth, the Liyuan Administration. Together, these eight are called the Paired Administrations.

The fourth category is called the “Principal Administrations.” It consists of twenty-four sites, divided into lower, middle, and upper grades.

The eight lower-grade Administrations are: first, the Beimang Administration; second, the Yuju Administration; third, the Zhubu Administration; fourth, the Pingwang Administration; fifth, the Gongmu Administration; sixth, the Houcheng Administration; seventh, the Jinkou Administration; and eighth, the Yuntai Administration.

The eight middle-grade Administrations are: first, the Pinggai Administration; second, the Mengqin Administration; third, the Benzhu Administration; fourth, the Choujing Administration; fifth, the Beiping Administration; sixth, the Yongquan Administration; seventh, the Lishang Administration; and eighth, the Changli Administration.

The eight upper-grade Administrations are: first, the Zhendo Administration; second, the Qinzhong Administration; third, the Gengchu Administration; fourth, the Gegui Administration; fifth, the Liyuan Administration; sixth, the Heming Administration; seventh, the Lutang Administration; and eighth, the Yangping Administration.

The fifth category is called the “Constellation Administrations” and comprises twenty-eight sites. This category is also known as the “Upper Administrations,” “Inner Administrations,” “Great Administrations,” or “Principal Administrations.” According to tradition, on the seventh day of the seventh month in the first year of the Shanghuang era, the Supreme Mysterious Elder, the Great Lord of the Great Dao, established the three grades—upper, middle, and lower. “Essential Instructions on the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions” is the title of the following section.

The Horn mansion (one of the Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon in the east) corresponds above to the realms of the Limitless, emptiness, and formlessness, and below to Yangping Mountain.

The Neck mansion corresponds above to the realms of the Limitless, emptiness, and naturalness, and below to Lutang Mountain.

These are divided into upper, middle, and lower grades.

Essential Guide to the Twenty-Eight Mansions

The first, the Horn mansion, corresponds above to the realms of the Limitless, emptiness, and formlessness, and below to Yangping Mountain.

The second, the Neck mansion, corresponds above to the realms of the Limitless, emptiness, and naturalness, and below to Lutang Mountain.

The third, the Root mansion, corresponds above to the realms of the Limitless, the Mysterious Origin, and Wuwei (non-action), and below to Heming Mountain. The administrative domains associated with these first three mansions govern those born in the year of the Dragon.

The fourth, the Room mansion, corresponds above to the realm of Empty Brightness and below to Liyuan Mountain.

The fifth, the Heart mansion, corresponds above to the realm of Cave Brightness and below to Gegui Mountain. The administrative domains associated with these two mansions govern those born in the year of the Rabbit.

The sixth, the Tail mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Three Ones and below to Gengchu Mountain.

The seventh, the Winnowing Basket mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Three Origins and below to Qinzhong Mountain. The administrative domains associated with these two mansions govern those born in the year of the Tiger.

The eighth, the Dipper mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Three Fives and below to Zhenduoshan Mountain. The administrative domain associated with this mansion governs those born in the year of the Ox.

These are the eight supreme administrative domains of the upper grade.

The ninth, the Ox mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Nine Heavens and below to Changli Mountain.

The tenth, the Girl mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Five Cities and below to Lishang Mountain. Together with the preceding three mansions, it governs those born in the year of the Ox.

The eleventh, the Emptiness mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Primordial Spirit and below to Yongquan Mountain.

The twelfth, the Danger mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Dantian (energy center) and below to Choujing Mountain. The administrative domains associated with these two mansions govern those born in the year of the Rat.

The thirteenth, the Room mansion, corresponds above to the realm of Changxian and below to Beiping Mountain.

The fourteenth, the Wall mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Golden Beam and below to Benzhu Mountain. The administrative domains associated with these two mansions govern those born in the year of the Pig.

The fifteenth, the Legs mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Six Storehouses and below to Mengqin Mountain.

The sixteenth, the Bond mansion, corresponds above to the realm of the Lord Taiyi and below to Pinggai Mountain.

The eight middle-grade administrations above are governed by the Mysterious Elder, a Daoist deity.

The seventeenth, the Wei Lodge: its upper administration is at Five Dragons, and its lower administration is at Mount Yuntai. (Together with the three preceding administrations, these govern people born in the Year of the Dog.)

The eighteenth, the Mao Lodge: its upper administration is at Following Heaven, and its lower administration is at Mount Jinkou.

The nineteenth, the Bi Lodge: its upper administration is at Six Ding, and its lower administration is at Mount Houcheng. (These two administrations govern people born in the Year of the Rooster.)

The twentieth, the Zui Lodge: its upper administration is at the Twelve Branches, and its lower administration is at Mount Gongmu.

The twenty-first, the Shen Lodge: its upper administration is at Returning to the Body, and its lower administration is at Mount Pinggang. (These two administrations govern people born in the Year of the Monkey.)

The twenty-second, the Jing Lodge: its upper administration is at Restraining Spirits, and its lower administration is at Mount Zhubu.

The twenty-third, the Gui Lodge: its upper administration is at Formlessness, and its lower administration is at Mount Yuju. (This administration does not correspond to a person’s birth year.)

The twenty-fourth, the Liu Lodge: its upper administration is at Gathering the Origin, and its lower administration is at Mount Beimang. (These three administrations govern people born in the Year of the Goat.)

The eight lower-grade administrations above are governed by the Most High, a supreme Daoist deity.

During the first and seventh months of the second year of the Han’an era, the Most High divided the twenty-four administrations into upper, middle, and lower groups of eight, corresponding to the twenty-four solar terms, and bestowed them upon Celestial Master Zhang Daoling.

The twenty-fifth, the Xing Lodge: its upper administration is at Separating Forms, and its lower administration is at Mount Gangdi.

The twenty-sixth, the Zhang Lodge: its upper administration is at Preserving Qi, and its lower administration is at Mount Baishi. (These two administrations govern people born in the Year of the Horse.)

The twenty-seventh, the Yi Lodge: its upper administration is at Five Jades, and its lower administration is at Mount Zhongmao.

The twenty-eighth, the Zhen Lodge: its upper administration is at the Golden Hall, and its lower administration is at Mount Ju. (These two administrations govern people born in the Year of the Goat.)

The Four Administrations Established by the Celestial Master:

On the seventh day of the first month of the first year of the Jian’an era, the Celestial Master set out from the twenty-eighth, the Zhen Lodge. Its upper administration is at the Golden Hall, and its lower administration is at Mount Ju. (These two administrations govern people born in the Year of the Goat.)

On the seventh day of the first month in Jian’an 1 (196 CE), the Celestial Master established four lower administrations, called the “Preparatory Administrations,” to complement the earlier twenty-eight lunar lodges. The lodges’ administrative seats were established according to celestial phenomena, and across the generations, religious teachings were founded in keeping with the times. In every age of tribulation, someone was commissioned to become the Celestial Master. Each in turn explained the teachings, aided the people, and guided living beings, in the hope of bringing peace to the world. After the Lord of Great Peace appeared, he would create additional offices and raise ranks according to each person’s abilities and virtue, until they were admitted among the ranks of the immortals.

On the seventh day of the seventh month in Han’an 1 (142 CE), the Celestial Master established four administrations and entrusted them to the Successor Master—the heir to the Celestial Master’s lineage—to correspond with the twenty-eight lunar lodges:

First, the Gangdi Administration, on Lanwu Mountain, corresponding to the Star Lodge.

Second, the Baishi Administration, on Xuanji Mountain, corresponding to the Zhang Lodge.

Third, the Jushan Administration, on Fanyang Mountain, corresponding to the Yi Lodge.

Fourth, the Zhongmao Administration, on Yuandong Mountain, corresponding to the Zhen Lodge.

This account of the four administrations is broadly similar to the earlier one, with a few differences.

In the second year of Taiyuan, on the seventh day of the first month, the Lineage Master established eight grades of itinerant administrations—administrative seats for traveling and spreading the teachings: the Emei Administration, Qingcheng Administration, and Huangjin Administration, all within Shu Commandery; the Taihua Administration, within Jingzhao Commandery; the Cimu Administration, in the area around Chengshi Mountain; the Hefeng Administration, within Shangdang Commandery; the Pingdu Administration, within Ba Commandery; and the Jiyang Administration, within Shu Commandery.

The Lineage Master was the son of the Successor Master and was named Lu. At Yangping Mountain, he attained the Dao of liberation from the corpse—a cultivation achievement in Daoism in which one casts off the mortal body and transcends through the immortal Dao. He also established another administration, called the Lineage Master’s Administration. The Successor Master’s Administration and its registrar, an official responsible for clerical affairs, both belonged to the Celestial Master’s lineage; one further administration was established as well.

According to the ninth chapter of the Statutes on Offices and Administrations of the Mysterious Capital, the Daiyuan and Pingdu Administrations were itinerant administrations. From this we can see that the Emei Administration and the others also belonged to this category.

Scroll Twenty-Nine: Receiving One’s Birth and Accepting One’s Mandate, Part One

Petition for Receiving the Mandate

The “Treatise on the Endowment of Primordial Unity” says: Human beings are born between Heaven and Earth, formed by receiving the harmonious blend of the two Qi of Yin and Yang. Among all things, they are the most honored and most spiritually refined. They gather the essence of the Five Phases and take their place among the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity. They share in the virtue of Heaven and Earth. Surely they are worthy of being cherished.

The “Scripture of Inner Observation” says: Heaven and Earth mingle their essences and Qi; Yin and Yang move and transform, and through this people receive life. In the first month of pregnancy, the fetal membrane forms and essence and blood begin to gather. In the second month, the embryo takes shape and its form first appears. In the third month, the Yang Shen transforms into the three souls; the souls begin to move, and life takes root. In the fourth month, the Yin spirit transforms into the seven Po, which quietly guard the body. In the fifth month, the Qi of the Five Phases differentiates into the five viscera, settling the spirit. In the sixth month, the Qi of the six pitch standards corresponds to the six bowels and nourishes the spirit. In the seventh month, the seven apertures open, allowing light to pass through. In the eighth month, the spirits of the eight radiant scenes are complete, and the true spirit descends. In the ninth month, the various parts of the body gradually take shape, arranged like rooms in a palace, stabilizing essence and Qi. In the tenth month, the breath is full and every part of the body has formed.

The Qi of “Primordial Harmony” continually nourishes the body and circulates without pause. Taiyi dwells in the brain and oversees all the spirits; Siming dwells in the heart and receives the Qi of life; Taokang dwells in the navel and guards the root of essence and Qi; Wuying dwells on the left and governs the three souls; Baiyuan dwells on the right and restrains the seven Po. These spirits extend throughout the body, keeping its spirit and Qi from dispersing into emptiness. This is the meaning of the “Book of Changes: Appended Statements” when it says, “The Way of Qian brings forth the male; the Way of Kun brings forth the female.”

The “Scripture of Causes and Conditions” says: When people first acquire a body, it comes from nonbeing. The yellow and white Qi move back and forth; Qi mingles and essence condenses. People receive Heaven’s intent and follow Earth’s disposition, taking shape through the transformations of Yin and Yang. In the first month of pregnancy, the fetal membrane forms, and the Qi of the Udan Heaven flows downward through the whole body.

In the second month of pregnancy, the qi of the Heaven of Immeasurable Life descends and permeates the fetus in the mother’s body. In the third month, the fetus’s hun and po souls gradually take form, nourished by the descending qi of the Heaven of Sumeru. In the fourth month, the po soul is formed, nourished by the descending qi of the Heaven of Stillness. In the fifth month, the five organs begin to grow, nourished by the descending qi of the Heaven of Untroubled Joy. In the sixth month, the six bowels are complete, nourished by the descending qi of the Heaven of Transformation in Response to Sound. In the seventh month, the body’s openings become clear, nourished by the descending qi of the Heaven of Brahma’s Assistants. In the eighth month, the body takes shape and joins with the spirit and qi, nourished by the descending qi of the Heaven of Clear Brightness. In the ninth month, divine spirits descend into the fetus, nourished by the descending qi of the Heaven of Nonattachment and the Heaven of Untroubled Joy.

There are eighteen thousand celestial spirits and eighteen thousand spirits within the body, thirty-six thousand in all. Once the spirit and qi are full, the fetus is born in the tenth month. While the fetus is in the mother’s womb, the Three Origins—the upper, middle, and lower currents of qi described in Daoism—nourish it, while the Nine Qi, the nine kinds of qi that make up the human body, give it form. Jupiter corresponds to the liver, Venus to the lungs, Saturn to the spleen, Mars to the heart, and Mercury to the kidneys. The seven stars of the Northern Dipper open the seven apertures of the human body. These stars send down seven child spirits to guard the body. Their qi gathers into a single star, which hangs three feet above a person’s head. For those who do good, this star is bright and large; for those who do evil, it is dim and small. Good deeds accumulate and blessings follow; evil deeds accumulate and calamities arise. When the star’s light falls and vanishes, the person dies.

The Scripture on Generating the Spirit says: A person is conceived and formed as a fetus, nourished in the mother’s womb by the Three Origins, while the Nine Qi gather to give it shape. By the ninth month, the divine spirits have spread throughout the fetus and its qi is full, so it can make a sound.

The Scripture of the Chapters on the Generation of Spirits says: When a person is conceived, the Three Origins—the primordial Qi of Heaven, Earth, and humanity—nurture the child in the mother’s womb, and the Nine Qi gather to form its body. In the ninth month of pregnancy, the spirit and Qi are fully distributed and the primordial Qi is abundant, so the infant can make sounds. In the tenth month, its spirit and Qi are complete, and the Nine Heavens celebrate the event.

Taiyi, a revered Daoist deity, holds the talismanic mandate; the Emperor Lords assess the child’s allotted destiny; the spirits who oversee registers enter the name in their records; the Spirit of Fate determines its lifespan; the Five Emperors watch over its birth; and the Holy Mother protects the birthing chamber. The spirits between Heaven and Earth and the deities of the Three Realms all stand guard. The Marshal of the Nine Heavens stands in the courtyard, faces east, and recites the Precious Chapters on the Generation of Spirits nine times. When a boy is born, the assembled spirits chant “Respect,” and the Spirit of Fate answers reverently. When a girl is born, they chant “Obedience,” and the Spirit of Fate responds with reverent compliance. Only then can the infant be born. If the Marshal of the Nine Heavens does not proclaim the chapter of destiny, and the spirits do not chant in response, the infant ultimately cannot be born.

For a person to return to the world and attain human form, to have the body refined by the Qi of the sun and to stir Heaven and Earth—this is a distinction beyond words. The Celestial Perfected, the terrestrial deities, and the gods of the Three Realms all descend together to protect and support the person. This is no ordinary occurrence. Nor is one’s birth lowly or insignificant.

If you can cherish your body, preserve your spirit, value your primordial Qi, and hold fast to your root, you may endure without death or decay, become an immortal, and ascend with your body and flesh intact to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the highest heavens of Daoism. You will share the virtue of the Three Origins and unite with the Nine Qi. But if you act in the opposite way, you will bring death and ruin upon yourself. How could that not be tragic?

At birth, a person’s head is round like Heaven, and the soles of the feet are flat like Earth. The hair is like the stars, the eyes like the sun and moon, the eyebrows like the Northern Dipper, the ears like the altars of state (the political order and the people), the mouth like rivers, and the teeth like jade. The four limbs correspond to the four seasons, and the five viscera to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). How vast and precious it is that the human form accords with Heaven and Earth, and life with the Dao and De! We should take good care of it.

Long ago, the Celestial Perfected One of Primordial Reality, a Daoist immortal, told the Yellow Emperor on Mount Emei: “A person’s body is like a state. The chest and abdomen are like its palaces; the limbs, extending outward, are like the countryside and borderlands; and the joints and bones, each with its own place, are like the officials. The spirit is like the ruler, and the blood like the people. To understand how to nourish the body is to understand how to govern a state. If the people are cared for, the state can be at peace; if the breath is harmonized, the body can be preserved. When the people scatter, the state perishes; when the breath is exhausted, the body dies. A state that has perished cannot be restored, and the dead cannot live again. Those who have attained the Dao remove hidden dangers before calamity arises, treat illness before it takes shape, and remain vigilant in times of calm and peace, rather than regretting only after events have passed. The people are hard to nurture but easy to disperse; the breath is hard to preserve but easy to exhaust. Only by clearly understanding how to apply severity and benevolence can one preserve the principles of good governance; only by giving up cravings and desires can one preserve primordial Qi. How could we fail to cultivate diligently? How could we fail to strive for attainment?”

Records of the Embryonic Essence in the Supreme Transformation of the Supreme One’s Nine Elixirs

The scripture on the supreme transformation of the Nine Elixirs was received by the Lord Emperor of Great Tenuity from the Jade Youth of the Three Heavens. It describes the supreme transformation through nine revolutions, the return and circulation of essence and Qi, the gathering of Shen, and the dissolution of the roots of knots in the Purple Embryonic Chamber, which are associated with embryonic essence and the womb.

The Writings on the Ninefold Elixir Transformation is a classic concerning nine-stage cultivation. The Lord Emperor of Taiwei, a revered Daoist deity, received this text from a Jade Youth of the Three Heavens, a celestial immortal attendant. Following the method of nine transformations, he cultivated until Jing and Qi turned back and his awareness of Shen became settled. He dispelled the source of the purple womb nodules—illnesses associated with coagulation in the womb and body—and then used Jing and Qi to nourish the original fetal essence. This cultivation can also cause numinous Qi to guard the intestines and bowels, fill the inner body and let the breath flow outward, clear the nine apertures, refine the marrow and transform the bones, and enable every joint throughout the body to receive true Qi. This method is subtle and profound, and is kept secret in the Palace of Numinous Capital, within the golden chambers and jade halls of the Nine Heavens. According to the Four Directions’ Clear Regulations, a Daoist text of precepts, it is transmitted only once in ten thousand kalpas. Those without a numinous name—a ritual name bestowed in Daoism—cannot hear of it even if they dwell in Shangqing. Anyone who violates the numinous prohibition will be punished by divine warriors. Secretly cultivating this Way makes it possible to ascend to immortality in broad daylight.

The Venerable Master of the Nine Heavens said to the Jade Youth of the Three Heavens: “Heaven and Earth move and converge, and the two forces of Yin-Yang contain true Qi. Yin-Yang Qi descends and corresponds to the Nine Mysterious Realms, the remote depths of the Nine Heavens. The Elixir Qi circulates nine times and congeals into Jing. Jing transforms into Shen, and Shen then changes into a human being. Thus the human body takes its model from Heaven and Earth, and the movement of Qi follows nature. The Qi of nature is all Jing of the Nine Heavens. It transforms into a human body, dwells in the mother’s womb, and is nourished there. After nine months of pregnancy, the vital energy is full and the breath of the Nine Heavens fills the body; in the tenth month, the child is born.

“When the fetus congeals and receives breath, there may be good fortune or misfortune, long life or early death, and differences in the length of one’s lifespan. These all derive from one’s innate foundation. If the congealed Qi is impure, it will stagnate in the stomach and damage the six viscera and bowels. The body and awareness of Shen will become unstable, and the body will be unable to receive numinous Qi. If deathly Qi enters the nine apertures, how can life be preserved? People know only to cultivate and study, but do not understand this root. Now I will tell you: cultivate the true Qi within the body, and, as life develops, dissolve its coagulations. Nourish the many Shen within, and the body will naturally radiate light. The inner organs will become clear, Shen will dwell securely in its palace, and the myriad Qis will converge. In this way, one can become an immortal. Guard this method carefully; do not spread it lightly.”

When an ordinary person is conceived and born, the “Nine Elixirs” take shape: the essence of life condensed from the Qi of the Nine Heavens. In the mother’s womb, the person gradually develops in accordance with the Qi of the Nine Heavens. Once the Qi is full, consciousness is complete as well. Thus, within the womb, a person is originally able to know their past destiny, the root of their life, and the causes and conditions behind their rebirth through the cycle of reincarnation. The Qi of the Nine Heavens transforms and gives form to the body. But after birth, when a person sees sunlight and their vision opens to take in the sun, moon, and stars, they forget why they came and through what causes and conditions they were born.

This is because the womb’s fundamental blockage and stagnation become firmly knotted at the “Three Passes,” the bodily gateways associated with the movement of Qi. The five viscera and six bowels also fall out of harmony, while stagnant, lifeless Qi blocks the entrances and prevents the gateways of the spirit from opening. As a result, people forget their origins and the causes and conditions of their birth. If a numinous perfected being, a spirit who has attained the Dao, takes up a body and manifests in the world, it nurtures and refines a precious, pure embryo, then passes briefly through the “Purple Gate,” a sacred portal of transformation, to walk among humans. Such a being is exceptionally gifted and naturally radiant: it can perceive wondrous realms and then ascend to the Nine Heavens. It is no longer a human formed by the condensation of essence and Qi, who receives Qi and is born through the womb.

Ordinary people are born by receiving the Qi of the Nine Heavens: Qi condenses into essence, essence transforms into an elixir, and the elixir then changes into a human being. The formation of the embryo and the nurturing of its spiritual qualities follow the natural order. For example, someone born in the seventh month receives the Qi of the Heaven of Poluoda in the womb during the tenth month; someone born in the eleventh month receives the Qi of the Heaven of Fanjiamoyi; someone born in the twelfth month receives the Qi of the Heaven of Brahma’s Attendants; someone born in the first month receives the Qi of the Heaven of Manifesting Responses; someone born in the second month receives the Qi of the Heaven of Untroubled Joy; someone born in the third month receives the Qi of the Heaven of Serene Stillness; someone born in the fourth month receives the Qi of the Heaven of Suyan; someone born in the fifth month receives the Qi of the Heaven of the Highest Meditation, Goodness, and Immeasurable Life; and someone born in the sixth month receives the Qi of the Heaven of Immeasurable Abundance.

A person’s embryo takes shape over ten months. By the sixth month, it has received the Qi of the Nine Heavens in full. In the seventh month, after ten months of gestation, the Qi of Heaven and Earth is abundant. The fetus receives the Qi of the sun’s movement, and then is born.

All those who cultivate the Dao in pursuit of immortality should understand how to refine and nourish the body through the “Nine Elixirs,” release the knots of stagnation among the “Five Spirits,” guide primordial Qi back to the root of life, and dispel the deadly Qi from the “Three Passes.” After nine rounds of refinement and ten transformations, the joints throughout the body become clear and free-flowing. Only by breaking the constraints inherited from the womb can one recognize one’s true self. Once one knows the true self, one can become a high immortal.

Without learning these methods, the Three Palaces cannot become clear and open; deadly Qi cannot be dispelled, and the stomach cannot receive numinous Qi. Qi scatters, the spirit and soul wander, the spirit of the Red Child is unsettled, and the palaces within the body lie empty and neglected. Evil forces then take advantage of this and enter the body. From this arise all manner of illness, and life itself becomes difficult to preserve—a truly lamentable state.

Yang Qi is red and is called “Mysterious Cinnabar”; Yin Qi is yellow and is called “Yellow Essence.” When Yin and Yang join, the two kinds of Qi send down their essences, giving birth to spirits and forming the embryo, in correspondence with the Nine Heavens. The Qi of the Nine Heavens descends and spreads through the Dantian (energy center), where it combines with Jing and Qi and gathers at the Gate of Destiny to form the foundation of life. This process must pass through nine stages, known as the “Nine Elixirs”: Qi transforms above and congeals below, and in the end a person is formed.

In the first month, the fetus receives Qi; in the second, it receives spiritual nature; in the third, it begins to contain the potential for transformation; and in the fourth, Jing and Qi gather. In the fifth month, the head and body begin to take shape; in the sixth, the physical form is completed; in the seventh, the spiritual positions are arranged; in the eighth, the nine apertures become clear and open; and in the ninth, the endowment of Heaven’s Qi reaches throughout the body, at which point the fetus can make sounds. In the tenth month, the Director of Destiny enters its name in the register and grants it life, and the person is born. Thus, a person receives the Qi of the Nine Heavens and inherits the essence of Yin and Yang. This is called the “Nine Elixirs,” through which the body is formed.

Having been born human, one should return to the true self, harmonize the Five Viscera, release the constraints of the womb, and dispel deadly Qi. Then one can naturally become an immortal.

◎ Method for Releasing the Twelve Knots of the Womb (a method for releasing the twelve constraints inherited from birth in the womb)

While a person is still in the mother’s womb, they receive the Qi of the Nine Heavens—the primordial energy of the celestial realm in Daoist teaching—and gradually take form as Jing and Qi gather. After birth, twelve knots remain from the womb, coiled within the Five Viscera. When the flow of Qi in the Five Viscera is obstructed, the knots cannot be undone and will not disperse on their own. Thus, illness arises when the knots become congested, and life ends when they become fixed. If the twelve knots from the womb can be undone, then even if a person wishes to die, they will be unable to do so.

Four knots lie in the upper part of the womb: one within the Niwan, the inner palace at the top of the head; one in the mouth; one between the cheeks; and one in the eyes. To undo these four upper knots, practice as follows:

Choose the day corresponding to your birth year in the sexagenary cycle. At dawn, enter a quiet chamber, burn incense, face northwest, and bow nine times. Pay homage to the Primordial Father of the Nine Heavens, a divine fatherly figure of the Nine Heavens, and click your teeth nine times. Then call the Primordial Father by name three times. Afterward, turn southeast and bow three times, calling the Dark Mother of the Nine Heavens, the divine motherly figure of the Nine Heavens, by name three times. Then turn back toward the direction associated with your birth year, sit upright, close your eyes, and visualize the Primordial Father: he is nine cun and nine fen tall, wears a dark yellow and plain silk sash of numinous power, and has a cap adorned with seven tiers of pearls and jade and a crown of advancement without limit. He dwells in the Village of Cinnabar Numinous Power, in the Cavern of Primordial Mystery, within the Jade-Treasure Palace of Taiji, above the Nine Heavens. Riding a flying carriage formed from blue-green clouds, accompanied by twelve flying dragons and twenty-four immortals, he comes from the northwest and descends into the realm of the Niwan within your body.

Next, visualize the Mysterious Mother, the maternal divinity within one’s original spirit. She is six inches and six tenths tall, dressed in a long sash of nine-colored frost silk that shines with azure divine light and bears embroidered patterns. She wears the precious crown of the Purple Origin and Mysterious Yellow. She dwells in the Jade-Treasure Cavern Abode of the Seven Reflections Cinnabar Chamber in the Jade Grove, above the Nine Qi and the Infinite, in the Upper Clarity Ward of the Nine Lights. Riding a flying-feather canopy of purple clouds and accompanied by twelve phoenixes and thirty-six jade maidens, she comes from the southeast, enters Jia’s body, and resides in the face’s Cavern Chamber, the divine chamber within the head and face.

Then visualize the parents transformed into azure and yellow Qi, circling toward one another in the Upper Clarity Ward. Riding a flying-feather canopy of purple clouds, and accompanied by twelve phoenixes and thirty-six jade maidens, they come from the southeast, enter Jia’s body, and reside in the face’s Cavern Chamber. Next visualize the parents transformed into azure and yellow Qi, circling and joining; at last, they settle above the head and face. When the visualization is complete, click the teeth nine times and softly recite:

Jia has received the nurturing transformation of the Nine Spirits, yet the Qi within the body is not yet pure and harmonious. The channels and joints are obstructed and hardened, blocking the numinous gates. I respectfully report, in accordance with my original destiny, to the High Morning Primordial Father and the Mysterious Mother. I ask them to shine down upon my body, so that the Eight Radiances—the gods and vital essences within the body—may shine together and unite with the perfected spirits of the Nine Heavens. Together, may they release the obstructions above and the knots at the roots of the womb throughout the body; turn back the numinous Qi and guard the gates; and coalesce the Nine Apertures into an immortal embryo, refining it within the body. May the Nine Elixirs gather the spirit, may azure Qi transform into crimson Qi, and may the two Qi mingle and flow on without end, granting me a lifespan as enduring as the sun, moon, and stars, and an eternity of unending years. When the recitation is complete, swallow the Qi eighty-one times. The rite is concluded.

Next, visualize the King of the Heaven of Boundless Measure, Yudan. His surname is Hun, and his tabooed name is Yinyin Si. He wears a nine-colored fur robe, seamless and marked with natural patterns, and a radiant sun-disc upon his head. He dwells within the Purple Gate of the Mysterious Terrace of the Heaven Without End. Riding a jade carriage drawn by nine qilin, he is attended by twenty-four jade immortals.

Next, visualize the King of the Heaven of Boundless Life, the Highest of the Highest, Good Meditation. His surname is Xi, and his tabooed name is Yinyin Qi. He wears a nine-colored fur robe patterned with clouds and has the Radiant Moon upon his head. He dwells within the Purple Gate of the Mysterious Terrace on the Jade Terrace of the Seven Treasures in the Vermilion Grove of the King’s Realm.

Then visualize the King of the Heaven of Boundless Life, the Highest of the Highest, Good Meditation. His surname is Xi, and his tabooed name is Yinyin Qi. He wears a nine-colored fur robe patterned with clouds and has the Radiant Moon upon his head. Riding a blue flying-feather canopy drawn by twelve mysterious tortoises, he is accompanied by thirty-two high-ranking celestial officials and jade youths.

Next, visualize the Heavenly King of Xuyan Heaven, one of the Nine Heavens. His surname is Wang, his given name is Zhi, and his taboo name is Pengyu. He wears a robe embroidered with clouds of the Three Patterns in nine colors and a Heavenly Origin Jade Treasure Radiant Crown. He resides in the Palace of Numinous Capital in the Jade Capital of Heaven. He rides a nine-colored flying swan and three plain-colored flying clouds, with fourteen Numinous Jade Maidens following at his side.

Next, visualize the Three Heavenly True Kings descending together and taking their places above your head and face. They transform into Qi of three colors—green, purple, and yellow—which blend into layers of clouds and mist. This enters your body through your mouth, ears, and nose, reaching your temples and face. Then tilt your head back and pray:

“Three Heavenly Kings, Numinous Immortals of the Nine Mysteries, please loosen the knots and blockages in my head and face, transforming them into the Nine Elixirs. In the natural order, you descend from the Golden Gate, bringing down Jing and Qi; you join the cloud Qi of the Three Zhen, then flow into my body, bringing my spirit to completion. Sweep away the Qi of death and sever the roots of the womb, so that the numinous radiance becomes calm and firm, far removed from every danger and calamity. Layer upon layer, the knots and blockages are loosened; joint by joint, True Qi is received. Mysterious light spreads everywhere, pouring into the deep spring. Let my name be entered among the Nine Heavens; let me return to my origin and be reborn in the womb, transformed into an immortal. Within, may I be pure and clear; without, may I be full and abundant; may spirit and radiance be perfected both inside and out.”

When the prayer is complete, tilt your head back and swallow the breath nine times, then stop.

Next, visualize the “Eight Divine Youths of the Upper Region” of the head—the eight deities contemplated as residing there in Daoist visualization practice. Close your eyes and visualize the brain spirit, named Jueyuanzi, with the courtesy name Daodu. One inch and one fen tall, it wears white brocade robes and a three-beam jeweled crown. The hair spirit is named Xuanwenhua, with the courtesy name Daoheng. Two inches and one fen tall, it wears dark cloud-brocade robes and a crown of the Wuji worthy. The skin spirit is named Tongzhongzhong, with the courtesy name Daolian. One inch and five fen tall, it wears yellow brocade robes and a flying skirt, with a jeweled crown of the Three Qi. The eye spirit is named Xujiansheng, with the courtesy name Daotong. Three inches and six fen tall, it wears ceremonial robes in five colors and a crown reaching to Heaven. The spirit of the crown of the head and marrow is named Lingmougai, with the courtesy name Daozhou. Five inches tall, it wears white brocade robes and a plain skirt, with a three-beam jeweled crown. The spirit of the nape is named Yilifu, with the courtesy name Daozhu. Three inches and five fen tall, it wears soft robes the color of white jade and a crown of the Dark Origin. The nose spirit is named Chonglongyu, with the courtesy name Daowei. Five inches tall, it wears white brocade robes and a plain skirt, with a three-beam jeweled crown. The spirit of the nape is named Yilifu, with the courtesy name Daozhu. Three inches and five fen tall, it wears soft robes the color of white jade and a crown of the Dark Origin. The nose spirit is named Chonglongyu, with the courtesy name Daowei. Two inches and five fen tall, it wears a flying skirt of plain brocade in blue and yellow, with a crown for far journeys. The tongue spirit is named Shiliangzhi, with the courtesy name Daoqi. Seven inches tall, it wears a deep-red brocade flying skirt and a worthy’s crown. All these deities appear like infants. Together they are established in the face, each guarding its corresponding place. Then click the teeth eight times and softly recite:

The eight deities of the Upper Radiance unite and become true. They gather the Qi of the Nine Elixirs and transform it into my body. A thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen scatter like clouds and mist, encircling my head and face as they descend, spreading numinous Qi and divine power. The upper region releases knots and blockages; the middle region dispels the roots of the womb; the lower region removes accumulations, allowing the Three Passes to flow freely. The Eight Radiant Deities guard my body, so that I may share in long life with the numinous Qi. The Lord Emperor and the Dark Mother turn and descend to the realm of High Dawn, bestowing Jade Radiance upon me and keeping me in the bright realm of the immortals. Restore my appearance and rosy complexion, transforming my face into the likeness of a Golden Immortal. My form moves swiftly like lightning, heading straight for the Gate of the Sun. Raise my head and swallow the Qi of the eight directions; hold my breath, then take the Upper Transformation Talisman of the Nine Elixirs and Yang Spirit.

Within the womb are four places where knots form, meaning points in the body where Qi becomes congealed. The first is among the five viscera, the second in the Great Granary (the stomach), the third in the large intestine, and the fourth in the small intestine. To release these four knots, a practitioner should enter a quiet chamber at noon on the day corresponding to the cyclical sign of their birth year, burn incense, face northwest, and perform nine prostrations in reverence to the Primordial Father, the father of primordial Qi, calling his personal name three times. Then the practitioner should turn southeast, perform three prostrations in reverence to the Mysterious Mother, the mother of primordial Qi, and call her personal name three times. Next, facing the direction associated with their current age, they should sit upright, click their teeth nine times, close their eyes, and visualize the Primordial Father.

Visualize the Primordial Father as nine cun and nine fen tall, wearing a sash of dark, yellow, pure, and numinous hues, and a cap adorned with seven measures of pearls and jade, together with a Worthy Advance Crown of Limitless Reach. He dwells in the Jade-Treasure Palace of Supreme Ultimate in the Nine Heavens, in the Cavern of Origin, in the Village of Cinnabar Numinousness. Riding a flying carriage of emerald clouds, attended by twelve flying dragons and twenty-four immortals, he comes from the northwest and descends into the practitioner’s five viscera.

Next, visualize the Mysterious Mother as six cun and six fen tall, wearing a nine-colored sash of blue-green treasures, divine radiance, brocade, and frost-white gauze, and a purple, primordial, dark-yellow treasure crown. She dwells in the Jade-Treasure Palace of the Cavern of Origin, in the Upper Clarity Village of Nine Radiances, among the Seven Reflections of the Jade Forest, above the Limitless Realm of the Nine Qi. Riding beneath a feathered canopy of purple clouds and flying essence, attended by twelve phoenixes and thirty-six Jade Maidens, she comes from the southeast and descends into the practitioner’s five viscera.

Then visualize the Father and Mother transforming into blue-green and yellow Qi, mingling into a round shape like the sun. It illuminates the five viscera, filling the body within and without with brilliant light. Then raise your head and pray aloud, saying:

The two primordial energies of the father’s spirit and the mother’s essence harmonize and gather, condensing and transforming into the Nine Elixirs and forming a fetus like purple jade. It receives the radiance of Taiwei Heaven, and its life is governed by the Nine Spirits. The Imperial Lord exercises divine power, spreading and infusing true Qi into the life within. The channels of the five viscera take shape, and the six bowels become clear and unobstructed. The passages of the stomach open, the senses grow keen, and the nine apertures become bright. Old blockages disperse, and the newly formed fetus grows more abundant and full. Through transformation, gathering light, and refining the marrow, one can wear a crown of nine stars and a sash of nine stars; three kinds of radiance protect the whole body as one flies into the Emperor’s court. When the visualization is complete, swallow forty-five breaths, then stop.

Next, visualize the Heavenly King of Tranquil Heaven. His surname is Jin, and his personal name is Fenyi. He wears a luminous leather robe patterned with seven-colored dragons and a crown of Yin Essence and nocturnal radiance. He governs heavenly affairs atop the jade terrace of the Vermilion Palace of Heaven, riding the Eightfold Radiance Flying Wheel and attended by twelve Jade Immortals of the heavenly realm.

Then visualize the Heavenly King of Heaven Beyond Pride and Pleasure. His surname is Ning, and his personal name is Guzengmi. He wears a mottled robe patterned with nine-colored flying frost clouds and a crown of Azure Radiance and the Mysterious Essence of Jupiter. He governs heavenly affairs on the nine-tiered jade terrace of the Illuminated Vermilion Chamber in the Heavenly Origin Palace.

Then visualize this Heavenly King of Heaven Beyond Pride and Pleasure riding a chariot of vermilion clouds drawn by white deer, attended by thirty-six Jade Immortals of the Upper Palace.

Then visualize the Heavenly King of Heaven of Transformative Response. His surname is Yao, and his personal name is Qiongdi. He wears a luminous leather robe patterned with nine-colored flowing light and cloud brocade, and a crown of white radiance and the essence of Venus. He governs heavenly affairs in the Vermilion Illuminated Chamber of the Upper Palace in the Celestial Jade Grove, riding a purple celestial wheel drawn by flying phoenixes and attended by thirty-six Jade Immortals of Great Truth.

Visualize the three Heavenly Kings descending together and entering the five viscera within my body. They transform into red, white, and black Qi, mingling like cloud and smoke. Entering through the heart’s aperture, they encircle the five viscera throughout the body. Then softly recite the invocation:

The nine elixirs gather numinous Qi, and three kinds of breath weave together and unite. Mysterious, pure breath fills the body and descends within, making both the inner and outer body bright and radiant. The Great Granary—the digestive system, including the spleen and stomach—opens freely, and the stomach and intestines are thereby transformed into an immortal body. Cut away and dissolve the body’s knotted stems, and disperse its old foundations. The three breaths unite as one; through nine transformations, spirit is gathered. Return Jing and Qi to the Jade Womb, the place where internal cultivation stores and nourishes them, to bring your own transformation to completion.

The mysterious yellow Qi of nine colors flows, and Jing and Qi infuse the body’s fluids. Wash away internal stagnation so that no filth or dust remains within the body. Numinous branches unite into a beautiful form, and numinous roots are planted. All the body’s openings become clear and luminous, and every joint becomes cool and pure. The bones transform into light and rise aloft, ascending to the purple heavens. The process of cultivation and transformation is complete.

Thereafter, continue following the method described above: return Jing and Qi to the Jade Womb, gather the mysterious yellow Qi, infuse the body’s fluids, and wash away stagnation until the body’s openings are luminous and clear and every joint is cool and pure. At last, the bones transform into light and soar upward, ascending to the purple heavens. When this is complete, tilt your head back and swallow the nine breaths, then cease cultivation.

Next, visualize the eight divine beings of the organs in the middle section. Close your eyes and silently recite their names and courtesy names in order:

The deity of the throat is named Bailiu Fang and has the courtesy name Daotong. He is eight cun and eight fen tall, wears a robe patterned with nine colors, and a purple Zichen crown with a flat top. The deity of the lungs is named Sulingsheng and has the courtesy name Daoping. He is eight cun and one fen tall, wears a white brocade robe of flying clouds, and a Jiuyuan jeweled crown. The deity of the heart is named Huoyangchang and has the courtesy name Daoming. He is nine cun tall, wears a deep red, single-layer robe patterned with designs, and a Yuchen Baotian crown. The deity of the liver is named Kaijun Tong and has the courtesy name Daoqing. He is seven cun tall, wears a blue-green skirt of flying feathers, and a three-beam crown. The deity of the gallbladder is named Longde Ju and has the courtesy name Daofang. He is three cun and six fen tall, wears a skirt in blue-green, yellow, and green, and a crown of the Worthy One Advancing to the Highest. The deity of the left kidney is named Chunyuan Zhen and has the courtesy name Daoqing. He is three cun and seven fen tall, wears a skirt that shimmers with five colors, and a crown for distant travels. The deity of the right kidney is named Xiangdi Wu and has the courtesy name Daosheng. He is three cun and five fen tall, wears a white brocade single-layer robe, and a jeweled crown of the Three Qi. The deity of the spleen is named Baoyuan Quan and has the courtesy name Daoqian. He is seven cun and three fen tall, wears a yellow brocade skirt for flying, and a purple Zichen crown.

After visualizing these eight deities, see them all in the form of infants, dwelling together in the five viscera, each in its proper place. Then knock the teeth eight times, raise your head, and recite this prayer:

“The Eight Radiances of the middle section transform upward through nine stages. They become essence and jade womb, gathering Qi at the Purple Tenuity. Refine and nourish the hun and po souls, so that all the spirits return together. May the Emperor Lord undo bonds and obstructions, clearing the nine apertures. May the Dark Mother send down numinous Qi, so that every part of the body receives radiance. May the interior be full and the exterior abundant, and may its brilliance never fade. May I ride together with the Eight Radiances in a carriage and ascend on high. May my appointed destiny inform the messenger, who will act according to your will. Help me turn and rise upward, and open the wondrous gate.”

When you have finished the prayer, raise your head and swallow eight mouthfuls of Qi. This completes this section of the practice. Then take the “Talisman for Refining the Fetal Essence and Training the Spirit” (a talisman taken during cultivation).

There are four knots in the lower part of the womb: the first is in the bladder, the second in the genital region, and the third behind the anus.

“Center” refers to four places where obstructions have formed between the two feet. To release the four knots in the lower body, the practitioner should burn incense at midnight on the day of their birth, when generative Qi begins to enter the room. First, face northwest and bow nine times, calling aloud the name of the Primordial Father—the father deity envisioned in practice—three times. Then turn to the southeast and bow three times, calling aloud the name of the Mysterious Mother—the mother deity envisioned in practice—three times.

Next, sit upright facing the direction of the Grand Year Star. Knock the teeth together nine times and, with eyes closed, envision the Primordial Father. He is nine inches and nine tenths tall, wears a sash of dark and yellow plain spirit silk, and has on his head a headdress adorned with seven measures of pearls and jade, together with a cap of the Limitless Worthy of Advancement. He dwells in the Palace of Jade Treasures in the Jade Palace of Supreme Ultimate, above the Nine Heavens, in the Land of Cinnabar Spirits, within the Cavern of the Origin. Riding a flying carriage of blue-green clouds, accompanied by twelve flying dragons and twenty-four immortals, he comes from the northwest and enters the practitioner’s body, taking his place between the five organs and the bladder.

Then envision the Mysterious Mother. She is six inches and six tenths tall, wears a nine-colored sash of brocade and frosted silk, woven with the divine radiance of blue-green treasure, and has on her head a purple-origin, dark-and-yellow treasure crown. She dwells in the Palace of Jade Treasures in the Cinnabar Chamber of Seven Reflections in the Jade Grove, above the Limitless Nine Qi, in the Land of Nine Radiances, within the Upper Clarity. Riding beneath a feathered canopy with flying spirits amid purple clouds, accompanied by twelve phoenixes and thirty-six Jade Maidens, she comes from the southeast and enters the practitioner’s bladder, then descends to the feet.

Next, envision the father and mother transforming into two streams of Qi, one blue-green and one yellow. They merge into a round form like the sun, illuminating the whole body until it shines both within and without. Then raise the head and pray aloud:

The Qi of Yin-Yang joins and becomes clear and radiant. Above, it transforms into the Dark Elixir; below, it becomes Yellow Essence. Within the body lies the embryo-breath of life, changing without taking any fixed form. The Imperial Lord watches over and illumines it, while numinous Qi enters through the nine apertures. The twelve regions gather into form, then spread out and fill the Yellow Court, the body’s spiritual center. The Eight Scenic meridians—eight spiritual regions within the body and their channels—open through, and Qi like purple jade congeals in the stomach. The three souls are refined, and the seven Po souls settle. The myriad spirits guard and protect; inside and outside the body are brought into harmony. The Three Regions and Eight Scenic Realms were born together with me; they help me ascend, rising to the Heaven of Jade Clarity. When the recitation is complete, swallow Qi twenty-four times to finish.

Next, visualize the Heavenly King of Brahma’s Retinue, the presiding deity of Brahma’s Retinue Heaven. His surname is Jing, and his personal name is Wuyunmai. He wears a nine-colored robe of flowing clouds and flying dawn, and a crown of flowing cinnabar, crimson treasure, shining stars, and dark essence. He dwells in the Palace of the Seven Reflections, high in the southern heavens. He rides a jade carriage of flowing rosy clouds and cinnabar mists, beneath a feathered canopy, followed by twelve Jade Immortals of the Upper Palace.

Next, visualize the Heavenly King of Brahma’s Body, the presiding deity of Brahma’s Body Heaven. His surname is Xuan, and his personal name is Ninghong. He wears a nine-colored robe of primordial phoenixes and flying clouds, and a crown of dark dawn, celestial stars, and flowing essence. He dwells in the Purple Jade Terrace in the City of Dark Phoenixes of the Ninth Heaven. He rides a flying wheel of white qilin and pure clouds, followed by thirty-two immortal youths of Taihua.

Next, visualize the Heavenly King of Parītta. His surname is Wang, and his personal name is Lingchan. He wears a seamless, nine-colored robe of dark cloud and precious substance, and a crown of the boundless, flowing Yellow Essence of the Stabilizing Star. He dwells in the Chamber of Nine Bends in the Great and Wondrous Palace of Youjing, within the Tomb of Heaven. He rides a carriage of five-colored clouds, followed by twelve Jade Youths of the Great Mystery.

Visualize the three Heavenly Kings descending together into my body to govern the bladder, down to both feet. They transform into Qi of purple, green, and azure, mingling like clouds and mist. They enter through the genital region and spread through the bladder, the anus, and the space between the feet, illuminating the body inside and out. Then recite this prayer:

The Three Heavens nurture the embryo-breath; the nine Qi gather and form spirit. Above, they transform into the Dark Elixir; below, they turn into an immortal. The two Qi of Yin-Yang join and descend, taking form as my body. The six stomachs reveal their jade-like essence, and the nine organs receive true Qi. The twelve junctions, each …

The Qi of the Three Heavens gives rise to the embryo’s origin; nine kinds of primordial Qi congeal to form Shen. Rising upward, it is refined into the Mysterious Elixir, the immortal medicine within the body; transforming downward, it enables a person to become an immortal. The two forces of Yin and Yang meet and descend, bringing my body to completion. The six stomach chambers gather essence, and the nine palaces receive true Qi. The twelve regions congeal into joints, each severing the root of illness. Filthy Qi is swept away, and the five kinds of numinous Qi fill the whole body. The Mysterious Mother exhales Jing, refining it until it becomes bright and pure. Golden Immortals protect the spirit, while Jade Radiance congeals into texts. My name is entered in the Azure Palace, where the registers of celestial officials are kept, and I retain my immortal status in the Realm of the Imperial Dawn, abode of exalted celestial spirits, for all time. When this is complete, raise your head and swallow the primordial Qi nine times. The practice is then finished.

Next, visualize the Eight Radiant Youths of the lower body, the inner deities imagined during visualization. Close your eyes and visualize and invoke the stomach deity: his name is Tong Zhuyu, his courtesy name Daozhan, and he is seven cun tall. He wears yellow brocade robes and a flying skirt, and a purple crown of the Level Heaven of the Dawn. Visualize the deity in the winding intestine: his name is Zhao Tengkang, his courtesy name Daohuan, and he is two cun and four fen tall. He wears a deep red ceremonial robe and a three-tiered crown. Visualize the deity in the small and large intestines: his name is Peng Songliu, his courtesy name Daochu, and he is two cun and one fen tall. He wears a yellow and red flying skirt and a jeweled crown of the Jade Dawn and Heaven. Visualize the deity in the torso: his name is Shou Hengbo, his courtesy name Daoling, and he is nine cun and one fen tall. He wears a nine-colored ceremonial robe and a jade crown of the Flying Dawn. Visualize the deity in the chest and diaphragm: his name is Guang Yingzhai, his courtesy name Daozhong, and he is five cun tall. He wears white brocade robes and a flying skirt, and a crown of the Worthy of the Ultimate. Visualize the deities at the two flanks: his name is Pi Jiama, his courtesy name Daocheng, and he is four cun and one fen tall. He wears a red and white skirt and a jeweled crown of the Nine Origins. Visualize the deity at the left Yin and right Yang regions: his name is Fu Liuqi, his courtesy name Daogui, and he is two cun and three fen tall. He wears a blue, yellow, and white skirt and a crown of the Far Traveler. Visualize the deity at the right Yin and left Yang regions: his name is Bao Biaoming, his courtesy name Daosheng, and he is two cun and three fen tall. He wears a blue, yellow, and white skirt and a three-dyed crown.

After visualizing the Eight Radiant Youths, imagine them all as infants, each dwelling in the corresponding place in the body. Their retinues and chariots are numerous, spread around the genital region, bladder, anus, and between the feet. Then click the teeth together eight times, raise your head, and pray aloud:

The eight luminous energies in the lower region—the eight numinous energies within the human body—spread out, and the spirit and Qi (vital energy) rise, transforming into immortals. Conceal and hold the original Qi, nourish the essence and Qi, and refine and nurture the embryo’s foundation amid purple vapor. The Primordial Father of Great Unity and the Mysterious Mother unite; the two essences of Yin-Yang flow through and nourish the body, sustaining its inner true nature. The Lord Emperor registers me among the immortals, and the Spirit in Charge of Destiny alters my allotted years. The blockages condensed within the body have dispersed, and the nine apertures—the body’s nine openings—are clear and unobstructed. The hun and po souls are stable, commanding the assembled spirits. They rise together with me and arrive together at Yuchen, a Daoist immortal realm. When finished, tilt your head back and swallow saliva eight times, then stop.

Next, visualize the inner spirit of the One Dao, named Dai Wuma, with the courtesy name Daojisheng. It is two cun and five fen tall, dressed in a purple brocade skirt patterned and radiant with ornament, and wearing a Wuji jinxian crown. It is located in the Dantian (energy center) below your navel and presides over the body’s three regions and the twenty-four true spirits within them. Then click your teeth thirty-six times and quietly recite this prayer:

Great Spirit above the Mysterious, presiding over all without exception. Settle and guard the hidden valley; let essence flow beneath the purple canopy. The assembled perfected beings attend the spirits; the three regions guard one another. The Lord Emperor illumines the seat; the Mysterious Mother rejoices in peace. The Nine Origins share one tally; the Spirit in Charge of Destiny prolongs the years. The Three Mornings shine as one; bind me to the perfected ones.

When the prayer is complete, tilt your head back and swallow twenty-four breaths, then stop. Afterward, put on the inner talismans of the three passes and twelve fetal knots. The talisman diagram appears in this scripture.

The four knots in the upper region secure a person’s Mud Ball—the upper Dantian in the head—causing the radiance of the face to wither and injuring the person’s hun soul. The four knots in the middle region cause baleful energy to gather and settle in the Great Granary—the stomach—driving away the person’s wandering hun soul and summoning demons and malign influences, so that dreams become confused and unsettled. The four knots in the lower region seal the body’s rear opening, obstruct the nine apertures, and sever the root of life. The Lord Emperor instructs the spirits: in accordance with the Jade Writ of the Nine Heavens, undo these knots and blockages and destroy the sources of every calamity.

Scroll Thirty, “The Section on Receiving Life and Destiny,” Part Two

The Method for Establishing the One Emperor by Joining the Three and Five

A person receives life from the Heavenly Hun (soul) and takes shape through the Primordial Spirit. They turn through the Nine Qi and are born by receiving the Qi of the Great One (Taiyi). The Five Spirits open the Three Paths and gather in the Hidden Palace. Thus the mysterious fluid—a wondrous liquid that nourishes body and mind—circulates within the body, spreading out to moisten it throughout. The sun and moon shine across the six directions of the empty expanse; the mouth and eyes set spirit and Qi in motion. Clouds move and rain falls between Heaven and Earth, and a person’s virtue thereby resonates with Heaven and Earth. Within the womb, the process of transformation and growth has its own arrangement; when the five conditions of generation are complete, the person takes shape. This is how human formation works.

The five causes are the Five Spirits, and the Three Paths are the true Three Paths. The Five Spirits are the Heavenly Hun; the Three Real Ones are the Qi of the Dao. The Nine Heavens are where transformation in the womb takes place, and the Great One is the source of life. The sun and moon embody the Dao of Heaven; the mysterious fluid embodies Heaven’s nourishment; the Six Emptinesses embody Heaven’s radiance; the Hidden Palace is Heaven’s treasury; spirit and Qi embody Heaven’s transformative work; and the Primordial Spirit is the transformation of the Sovereign Lord. These accounts of the Nine Heavens all describe the transformations of the Sovereign Lord in their union. Transformation unfolds into the Nine Palaces, whose intermingling changes ultimately return to unity.

If you wish to cultivate yourself in the hope of attaining rebirth, you should begin with the root of life. The root of life is the Primordial Father and the Mysterious Mother: the Primordial Father governs Qi, transforming and regulating life; the Mysterious Mother governs Jing (essence), transforming and condensing Jing and Qi into an embryo. Jing and Qi bring one another to completion, like Yin-Yang giving rise to each other and clouds and rain joining in turn. When Jing and Qi unite with the Dao, life begins, and numbers such as three and five arise with it. At first, a person receives the numbers three and five, then the numbers seven and nine. These numbers extend throughout the body, which takes shape and moves toward harmony. Three, five, seven, and nine are the fundamental numbers that precede the manifestation of the form of the Dongzhen Sovereign Lord. Practitioners must also accumulate good deeds and establish merit, undergoing nine transformations until they become numinous beings. Only when their merit and practice are complete do they attain human form.

The body and spirit accompany one another: when the spirit departs, life ends; when the spirit remains within the body, life continues. Therefore, the Three Primes are the beginning of the Dao, the Sovereign Lord is the root of the Dao, the Great One is the transformation of the Dao, the Nine Heavens are the Dao’s mystery, and the Nine Palaces are the Dao’s…

“Dark Elixir” refers to the Jing, Qi, and bodily fluids cultivated in Daoist practice; it is a bridge leading to the Dao. Practitioners may use it to contemplate the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (the three sites within the body where visualization and cultivation take place), seeking to become immortals. In the morning, they visualize their spirit and intention extending throughout the Six Directions (the four quarters of heaven and earth). At night, they keep their attention in the Mudball Palace (the upper Dantian in the head), firmly preserving fetal essence and maintaining joy in their hearts. Those who seek to learn the Daoist arts must take this as their bond with the Way. Anyone who encounters this scripture must likewise contemplate the three Dantian, guard the Mudball Palace, preserve fetal essence, and remain joyful before discussing the Daoist arts with them.

Visualize Taiyi (the supreme divine being, or source deity, in Daoism), blending and uniting yourself with the Celestial Sovereign of Before (the deities of the prenatal state). Let both Yin and Yang preserve spirit and Qi, allowing the clear, expansive breath to flow throughout the body. Constantly unite the Primordial Qi of the Nine Heavens with the Qi within the body. Once you understand these essentials, you can keep the whole body settled for a long time, while bodily fluids and blood-Qi naturally come into being. The Yang aspect guards the Gate of Life, while the Yin aspect protects the Chamber of the Spirit. When Taiyi never leaves the body, you can endure as long as heaven.

Thus, the Hidden Talisman of the Most High says: “Preserve the Yang aspect and keep watch over the Yin aspect; even Heaven and Earth cannot bring you to extinction.” Through this practice, the Five Spirits (deities associated with the five viscera) protect the body, and the five viscera produce their vital essence. The numinous spirit dwells in the Crimson Palace (the place of the heart), the Sovereign Lord guards the Mudball Palace, the hundred spirits are made secure, and fetal essence is sealed within the Gate of Life. After long practice, one will see the spirits of the Three Ones (deities residing in the upper, middle, and lower Dantian) at night. At dawn, the Sovereign Taiyi and the Celestial Sovereign of Before descend and manifest in the practitioner’s sleeping quarters.

Practitioners should purify themselves, observe abstinence, cut off worldly distractions, close off improper paths, limit socializing and visiting, and focus on guarding the One. They should practice the Way diligently morning and evening, without slackening. Bathe with the Five Fragrances, prepare a separate, quiet room, and burn incense all around it while awaiting the arrival of True Qi. In cultivating the Great One Way, one must especially avoid the smell of blood, foul odors, and impure vapors. If one weeps, the Sovereign Lord will be startled and disturbed; if one cries aloud, Taiyi will become still and motionless. Then the Nine Qi will stagnate and cease to transform, while the spirits of the Three Ones will grieve and be unable to keep watch. When the Nine Qi cannot transform, the spirits of the Three Ones likewise congeal. If this stagnation lasts, vital energy will leak away, and old Qi will take the opportunity to enter. The intrusion of old Qi is a sign that illness is approaching and death is drawing near.

Thus, the perfected person regards the sound of weeping as a sign of death and severance, and crying and shedding tears as a way for Jing and Qi to leak away. How could a practitioner fail to take care to avoid them? If one sees a corpse, or grieves and weeps for a long time, the Lord Emperor will incur guilt and be demoted to the abode of the Great Highest One, Taiyi, where he will be examined and punished in the realm of mysterious emptiness. Within the next three years, his descendants may die. Those who do not practice the Great One Way naturally cannot be compared with its disciples.

Thus corpses, mourning, impurity, sorrow, and tears are all matters especially taboo when cultivating and visualizing the Lord Emperor Taiyi. After receiving the scriptures—that is, after receiving transmission of the Dao—one must not see a corpse. If one sees forty-nine corpses, one cannot attain long life, and one’s life will surely be cut short during cultivation. If one sees twenty-four corpses, one must pass temporarily through the Great Yin, the shadowy realm of the underworld, before ascending to become an immortal. This is because the image of a corpse is reflected in the eyes, while the corpse’s foul Qi lingers and entangles one’s thoughts and remains in the Crimson Palace, the inner abode of the heart and spirit. Once the Crimson Palace has retained these images, they remain in memory even if the mind regards them as taboo. Therefore, one should leave for a time any place where a corpse is exposed, so that it does not obstruct the spirit within. The eyes have already recorded its image. You must be careful!

Seeing blood, funerals, impurity, lamentation, and tears are all especially taboo to Taiyi. By practicing purification regularly, one can keep Taiyi present within the body. The practitioner can then more readily make contact through utmost sincerity and immediately meet Taiyi, bringing stability to life and joy to the heart. After cultivating in this integrated way for eighteen years, one can ascend to the morning heavens in broad daylight. This is the perfected person’s practice for returning to youth.

Visualize the Three Ones, the three deities within the body; preserve the essence of Taiyi and bring it to meet the Lord Emperor in the Grotto Chamber, the divine chamber in the head. The Nine Spirits will then come into being within your body and assist your spirit, enabling you to become a perfected immortal, preserve long life, and stabilize your Embryonic Soul, the soul-spirit that forms the foundation of human life. Baiyuan, one of the deities within the body,

The gods Wu Ying, Lord of the Peach, Siming, Taiyi, and others join with the Five Spirits to hold the registers of names and talismanic decrees. Each of the Five Spirits has its own charge, yet together they work with the nine transformations, bringing the Three and Five into accord so that they can pass through all changes. Thus the True Spirits in the three palaces can guard their places, and every part of the body is nourished by numinous Qi. The precious register of names bestowed by the Celestial Emperor stabilizes the practitioner’s allotted lifespan. They move through the mists of emptiness, opening and joining the subtle Jing and Qi, and suddenly the twenty-four True Spirits come into being.

These True Spirits open the Upper Origin above and connect with the Eight Netherworlds below; to the left they pay court to the Six Jia spirits, and to the right they command the Six Ding spirits. Yuhua guides the essence of the sun, while Taiyi unites with the practitioner’s body. Then a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen come to welcome the practitioner, whose entire body rises into the dawn sky and ascends in broad daylight.

True Persons who cultivate the Way of Taiyi can all ascend to the Three Heavens. Hence the phrase: “Raising the whole body to ascend at dawn, rising to heaven in broad daylight.” At cockcrow they ascend to the realm of emptiness and reach above the Three Heavens. “Broad daylight” refers to the sun at noon, while “ascending at dawn” means rising just as the cock begins to crow. For this reason, when visualizing Taiyi and bringing the spirits into accord, practitioners often choose the time of cockcrow, when the vital energy of Heaven and Earth begins to stir.

Each of the Nine Heavens has nine palaces, each containing a deity; together these are called the Celestial Sovereigns. The Nine Souls transform into the Nine Qi, which then transform into the Nine Spirits. Each governs one palace, hence the name Nine Palaces. Within the Great Clarity are the Great Essence and Great Harmony; within the Cavern Chamber are the Hall of Illumination and the Crimson Palace. Together these are called the Six Abodes. The upper part is called the Celestial Abode, and the lower part the Cavern Terrace.

The name “Three and Five” has several interpretations and locations. One interpretation identifies them as the Three-Five Imperial Lords within the Great Clarity; another identifies them as the Three Ones within the Dantian. A further interpretation groups together the register-bearing spirits—the Lord Taiyi, Baiyuan, Siming, Lord Taokang, and others—as the Three and Five. The Three True Ones and Five Spirits each have their own palaces. When the Three True Ones dwell in their proper palaces, the Five Spirits ascend to meet the Imperial Lord. To the Imperial Lord’s left is the Elder Master, and to his right the Old Lord Xuanyi. These deities are collectively called the Nine Lords within the Limitless. The foremost among them is the “True One.” The Nine Lords are True Spirits that arise naturally from the souls of Heaven.

Those who know how to gather the spirit and visualize the Nine Lords, while concentrating their thoughts on the Three True Ones, can make their own spirit and Qi circulate back and forth among the Three and Five, cycling within the bounds of seven and nine. This keeps the Celestial Emperor’s spirit dwelling within them, while the Five Spirits uphold the registers of names in an unceasing cycle. In this way they are certain to rise to heaven in broad daylight—and what they gain is far more than freedom from death.

The Scripture of the Most High Divine Empyrean says: The human soul arises from Nonbeing and is distributed among the body’s nine palaces, the chambers of the spirits within the body. The Dao moves in the eight directions and often dwells in the Crimson Palace, the palace of the heart spirit within the body. When the three palaces join and transform, they form the Purple Chamber, a chamber of the spirits within the body. To find the Purple Chamber, one must first pass through the Hall of Light, another important chamber of the spirits within the body. A practitioner who understands these principles should open the Golden Gate, which lies within the Grotto Chamber. It also says: Blend these vital energies and spirits, allowing them to enter and leave the Imperial Region, the realm of Great Clarity. When Three and Five unite as one, one can become an Immortal King.

This passage describes the moment of inner union: the method of cultivation in which the Three Real Ones and Five Spirits come together. The Imperial Region is the realm of Great Clarity. Thus, the middle section of the Great Cavern of Truth Scripture says: Two elder spirits occupy the positions on the left and right, and the Imperial Soul must be distributed between them. The numbers Three and Nine transform above and below; the Great One, the ruling spirit who dwells at the center, stands at the root. The Five Spirits guard my register of life, while the Spirit of Life’s Mandate, who governs lifespan, seals my gate of death. The nine palaces unite as one, the Six Directions—above, below, and the four quarters—shine clearly, and the inner Real Spirits thereby manifest.

The passage explains the locations of the various palaces within the body and then brings their transformations together in harmony. This Way is the Most High’s precious foundation for cultivating long life, the guide to establishing the Imperial Spirit within the body, the beginning of the Dao, the foundation of the Immortal Lineage of the Life Palace, the secret chapter of the Imperial Register, and the wondrous essence of the Cavern of Truth method. It is an important scripture for cultivating the nine palaces.

The Most High says: A human being is formed when Jing and Qi gather and blood accumulates to create a fetus. As the bones gradually take shape, fluids and bodily humors are continually produced and distributed. The body suddenly begins to develop, taking shape little by little in a dim, indistinct state; it slowly acquires its various forms, then finally leaves the mother’s body and is born. At this point, nine divine beings enter the body, and the five viscera come into being through a mysterious process. Parents know only how the birth begins; they do not realize that the divine beings have entered the fetus.

Within the human body is a venerable divine being whose dwelling place is not fixed. It moves throughout the body, passing nourishment along and sending the fluids that sustain life throughout the whole body. This divine being comes from outside and gathers within, bringing human life into being. It is distinct from the three hun souls and seven po souls: it is born through the parents’ conception, from the union of spiritual nature and Qi. The Venerable Divinities dwell separately in the nine palaces. Called the “Nine True Lords,” they can transform and manifest throughout the body, taking on countless forms. By practicing these methods of visualizing the divine beings, one can enter and leave water and fire, and the five viscera will grow of themselves. Through long-term fasting and secluded cultivation, one can preserve one’s true nature.

This Jing is also known as the Central Scripture of the Nine True Ones, the Flying Writ from Heaven, the Revelatory Text of the Foreign Lands, and the Numinous Writ of the Divine Land. Though it has four names, they all refer to the same book.

First Method of the True Ones

At dawn, the Great Divinity is in the heart, where it is called the “Lord of Heavenly Essence.” At this time, fold your hands over your knees, hold your breath, close your eyes, and turn your awareness inward to visualize the Lord of Heavenly Essence seated in your heart. Visualize the Great Divinity breathing purple Qi from the mouth, encircling the heart in nine layers. When you have finished, knock your teeth together nine times, then swallow the saliva in your mouth in nine portions. Afterward, pray:

“Great Lord of Heavenly Essence, appear within my heart. You wear red robes and a red headcloth; a divine book hangs at your left side, and a tiger-patterned ornament is tied at your right. From your mouth pours purple radiance, nourishing the heart spirit and bringing the hun and po souls to stillness. The heart grows of itself, and I will be able to become a flying immortal.”

Second Method of the True Ones

At the hour of the Dragon, the Great Divinity disperses and appears throughout the hundred bones of the body. It is called the “Lord of Firm Jade.” At this time, fold your hands together and settle your mind. The heart grows of itself, and I will be able to become a flying immortal.

At the hour of the Dragon, the Great Spirit divides into many forms and fills all the bones throughout the body. It is called the Lord of Firm Jade. At this hour, place both hands on the knees, hold the breath, and close the eyes. Turn inward and visualize the Lord of Firm Jade entering every bone in the body. Then exhale white Qi through the mouth, imagining it winding around the bones in nine layers. When finished, knock the teeth nine times, swallow the saliva nine times, and recite the invocation:

“Great Lord of Firm Jade, please enter my bones. You wear white robes and a white crown, carry Dragon Writings at your left side, and bear the Golden Perfected at your right. You exhale white Qi, making my bones firm and solid. May my white bones never decay, and my sinews never perish. May vitality awaken in every joint of my body, so that I may ascend and become an immortal.”

The Third True Method

At the hour of the Snake, the Great Spirit divides into many forms and flows into the Qi, essence, and blood throughout the body. It is called the Lord of Primordial Life. At this hour, place both hands on the knees, hold the breath, and close the eyes. Turn inward and visualize the Lord of Primordial Life moving through the blood vessels and seminal fluids throughout the body. Then exhale yellow Qi through the mouth, imagining it winding around the outside of the meridians and apertures in nine layers. When finished, knock the teeth nine times, swallow the saliva nine times, and recite the invocation:

“Great Lord of Primordial Life, please infuse my body of blood from end to end. You wear yellow robes and a purple crown of Primordial Essence, carry Tiger Registers at your left side, and bear Dragon Writings at your right. You exhale yellow fluid, making my blood and Qi firm and replenishing what is depleted. May essence and Qi be abundant, and fluids plentiful. May the Nine Spirits dwell together in my body, so that I may ascend and become an immortal, joining with Heaven and Earth.”

The Fourth True Method

At the hour of the Horse, the Great Spirit dwells in the liver and is called the Lord of Azure Clarity. At this hour, place both hands on the knees, hold the breath, and close the eyes. Turn inward and visualize the Great Lord of Azure Clarity entering the liver and sitting peacefully within it. Then exhale azure Qi through the mouth, imagining it winding around the liver in nine layers. When finished, knock the teeth nine times, swallow the saliva nine times, and recite the invocation:

“Great Lord of Azure Clarity, please enter my liver. You wear azure robes and a jade-green crown, carry a Tiger Insignia at your left side, and bear Dragon Script at your right. You exhale azure Qi, nourishing the liver and guiding the spirit Qi. May the liver, this ‘Azure Storehouse,’ naturally bring forth life and help me ascend as a Celestial Immortal. May the Great One protect my essence and Qi, calm my ethereal and corporeal souls, and bring my spirits under control.”

The Fifth True Method

At the hour of the Goat, the Great Spirit within the body dwells in the spleen and is named Lord Nurturing Radiance. Place your hands on your knees, hold your breath, and close your eyes. Turn your attention inward and visualize Lord Nurturing Radiance arising spontaneously; this enables you to ascend and become a Celestial Immortal. The Spirit Taiyi guards Jing and Qi, embraces the hun and po souls, and keeps them in check.

Fifth True Method

At the hour of the Goat, the Great Spirit within the body dwells in the spleen and is named Lord Nurturing Radiance. Place your hands on your knees, hold your breath, and close your eyes. Turn your attention inward and visualize Lord Nurturing Radiance entering the spleen and settling there. Then exhale green Qi from your mouth, letting it circle the spleen nine times. When finished, tap your teeth nine times and swallow your saliva nine times. Then pray:

“Great Spirit Nurturing Radiance, please come and dwell in the spleen. You wear green robes and a lotus crown; a jade bell hangs at your left side, and divine might accompanies your right. From your mouth you exhale green numinous Qi, nourishing the spleen and sustaining the hun and po souls. The spleen’s Qi then arises of itself, and the practitioner can ascend to become a Realized Immortal.”

Sixth True Method

At the hour of the Monkey, the Great Spirit within the body dwells in the lungs and is named Lord White Origin. Place your hands on your knees, hold your breath, and close your eyes. Turn your attention inward and visualize Lord White Origin entering the lungs and settling there. Then exhale five-colored Qi from your mouth, letting it circle the lungs nine times. When finished, tap your teeth nine times and swallow your saliva nine times. Then pray:

“Great Lord White Origin, please come and settle in the lungs. You wear a dragon-patterned robe and a crown of Yellow Dawn Radiance; you hold the Imperial Register in your left hand and the Numinous Text in your right, with a profound book at your left side and tiger markings at your right. From your mouth you exhale the five Qi, regulating the lungs and harmonizing the saliva. The lungs’ Qi then arises of itself, and the practitioner can ascend to immortality through the Purple Gate.”

“Tap the teeth” means gently bringing the upper and lower teeth together; “swallow the saliva” means swallowing the mouth’s natural fluids. Both are common practices in Daoist visualization cultivation.

At the hour of You (5–7 p.m.), the Great Spirit divides and disperses its form, dwelling between the two kidneys. It is called Lord Mysterious Yang. To practice, place the hands together on the knees, hold the breath, and close the eyes. Visualize Lord Mysterious Yang entering the body and sitting upright between the kidneys. Then exhale bluish Qi through the mouth, imagining it circling the kidneys in nine layers. When finished, knock the teeth nine times, swallow saliva nine times, and offer this prayer:

“Great Lord Mysterious Yang, please enter the kidneys and sit upright. You wear a purple robe and a Fuchen headcloth; you carry a dragon talisman at your left side and a phoenix design at your right. From your mouth comes a bluish radiance that nourishes the kidneys’ numinous root. The Qi of the kidneys naturally springs forth, enabling me to become a flying immortal, ascend north to the Mysterious Gate, and roam freely through the Heavenly Pass.”

The Eighth True Method

At the hours of Xu and Hai (about 7–11 p.m.), the Great Spirit dwells in the gallbladder and is called Lord Joined Radiance. To practice, place the hands together on the knees, hold the breath, and close the eyes. Visualize Lord Contained Radiance entering the body and sitting upright in the gallbladder. Then exhale five-colored Qi through the mouth, imagining it circling the gallbladder in nine layers. When finished, knock the teeth nine times, swallow saliva nine times, and offer this prayer:

“Great Spirit of Contained Radiance, please come and sit upright in the gallbladder. You wear brocade robes and a purple crown; you carry divine light at your left side and the Jade Perfected at your right. From your mouth comes five-colored Qi that nourishes the gallbladder and strengthens the hun souls; it harmonizes Jing and Qi, replenishes the blood, regulates fluids, and makes the body firm. Enable me to ascend and become a flying immortal.”

The text’s instructions to “hold the breath,” “turn inward and visualize,” and “knock the teeth and swallow the fluids” are practices of Daoist visualization cultivation. Holding the breath means briefly suspending respiration; turning inward and visualizing means closing the eyes and contemplating the spirits and the body parts where they reside; knocking the teeth and swallowing the fluids are corresponding practices performed in the mouth.

At the hour of Zi (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.), the Great Spirit resides in the Grotto Chamber in the head—the symbolic palace where the gods dwell within the head. He is called Lord Wuying. Sit upright at this time, place your hands together on your knees, hold your breath, and close your eyes. Turn your attention inward and visualize Lord Wuying seated in the Hall of Light—the chamber of the gods within the head—and the Grotto Chamber. Imagine him exhaling purple Qi, which circles the head nine times. He then exhales purple Qi that circles the inside and outside of each eye nine times, followed by the tongue nine times, and finally the teeth nine times. Each of the four areas is circled nine times, for a total of thirty-six. When finished, click the teeth together thirty-six times, then swallow the saliva in thirty-six separate gulps. Clicking the teeth and swallowing saliva are common practices in Daoist visualization and cultivation.

Offer this prayer: Great Lord Wuying is the highest deity among the Three Primes (upper, middle, and lower). He guards the Grotto Chamber and resides in the Muddy Pellet, the chamber of the gods at the center of the head. The Yellow Tower and Golden Chamber transform into the Nine Perfected Ones. He wears a robe patterned with dragons and a sash patterned with phoenixes, and a skirt of purple, emerald, and blue. He holds true essence and wears an ornate crown; a jade ornament hangs at his left, and a tiger-patterned adornment is tied at his right. The sun and moon lie beneath him, and purple vapor issues from his mouth. Qi flows throughout his body between the teeth and tongue. The Yellow Tower and Golden Chamber transform into the Nine Perfected Ones. He wears a robe patterned with dragons and a sash patterned with phoenixes, and a skirt of purple, emerald, and blue. He holds true essence and wears an ornate crown; a jade ornament hangs at his left, and a tiger-patterned adornment is tied at his right. The sun and moon lie beneath him, and purple vapor issues from his mouth. Qi flows between the teeth and tongue as he pays homage to the Bright Stars. It enters and leaves the realm of emptiness from the Dantian, calls the Po and summons back the Hun, gathers Jing and Qi, and stabilizes the fetal origin, bringing lasting peace to the Six Directions (heaven, earth, and the four quarters). In the end, he ascends to the Celestial Palace of Taiwei and is appointed to serve as a Perfected Official.

After completing this Nine Perfected Ones practice, the Muddy Pellet is guarded, the eyes’ radiance endures, the Five Viscera nourish themselves, and the blood vessels preserve their fluids. If one temporarily enters Great Yin, the netherworld, and the body passes through the domains of the Three Officials (Heaven, Earth, and Water), the Nine Perfected Ones summon back the Hun and Po, while Taiyi, the deity who governs life, protects the remains. The three…

Original Qi protects the body, while the Great High One (a revered deity in Daoism) watches over and guards the soul and its components, keeping the bones and flesh from decay and the five organs from decline. A person can pass from death to life, dwell in Yin and in Yang, and move in and out of the realm of emptiness, undergoing transformation together with Heaven and Earth. This comes from Daoist practitioners carefully cultivating stillness and nurturing the body, attuning themselves to and drawing in the Qi of the Nine Zhen (the true Qi spoken of in Daoism), which responds to them. The refined Qi of the Three Origins (the upper, middle, and lower origins in Daoism) flows as fullness and decline alternate. The Great One (a revered deity in Daoism) embraces my corpse, restoring it to its original form. Mysterious, indeed—mysterious! Profound, indeed—profound! When holding the breath, hold it to the utmost; when exhaling, make the breath fine and subtle. Let the breath enter and leave the realm of emptiness, continuing without a break until it can no longer be perceived, even by oneself.

The Method of Great Cavern Wind-Reversal and Union with the Emperor One

Perform this method once every sixty days. It should be done during one of two periods on the day of one’s birth destiny (the personal destiny day determined from one’s birth date): before noon or after midnight. Choose a suitable time, close the room’s door, quiet the mind and gather the spirit, turn inward to observe yourself, regulate the breath, and silently forget the body. Envision and recite the deity’s name once, keeping the mind and spirit focused on the vital place. Burn incense nearby until its fragrance fills the room, then perform the method. If any part of the body hurts, point toward the painful area and call upon the deity there to heal it.

“Wind-Reversal and Union” is a method for cultivating the Way of Emperor One. It should be practiced on the day of one’s birth destiny; if that day is unknown, choose a Jiazi day. One may sit or lie down, as is comfortable and steady. Then silently recite the deity’s name: “Crimson Boy of the Subtlety of Great Tenuity, Essence of a Thousand Radiances, courtesy name Master Huìyuán, also called Three Intertwined Sashes, also called True Sealer of the Emperor.” Frequently envision this deity guarding the blood palace below the root of the tongue. The Crimson Boy sends out red Qi from the mouth, which circles the entire body. The root of the tongue is a gateway through which death Qi enters and leaves. Have the Crimson Boy guard it closely, so that blood is generated abundantly and rises to gather at the Muddy Pellet (a term in Daoist internal alchemy for the upper Dantian in the head). When the Muddy Pellet is firm and bright, the deities within the body can each remain in their proper place.

The Exalted Spirit of Great Unity, titled Wuyou Shou and styled Gui Huichang, is also known as Xieming and Jipin. He constantly guards beneath my Jade Pillow. The rear gate of the Numinous Pellet—the seat of spiritual awareness within the head—is the passage through which death qi enters and leaves. The Exalted Spirit of Great Unity guards it closely, causing the Numinous Pellet to return to true qi. In this way, seven generations of ancestors receive protection.

The Exalted Spirit of Great Unity, titled Wuyou Shou and styled Gui Huichang, is also known as Xieming and Jipin. He constantly guards beneath my Jade Pillow. The rear gate of the Numinous Pellet is the passage through which death qi enters and leaves. The Exalted Spirit of Great Unity guards it closely, causing the Numinous Pellet to return to true qi. In this way, seven generations of ancestors receive protection; through the mystery, they are reborn, their names are entered in the registers and presented to the Jade Emperor, and they enjoy enduring peace.

The Lord-Emperor Yan Lingfan, styled Lü Changling and also known as Qishen and the Divine Elder, constantly guards the palace between my eyebrows, beyond the Purple Gate. The palace beyond the Purple Gate is the passage through which death qi enters and leaves. The Lord-Emperor guards it closely, causing the Canopy—the movement of qi in the head—to enter between the eyebrows and rise into the Purple Chamber, the dwelling place of the spirits within the body. In this way, the karmic offenses of seven generations of ancestors are dispelled, their blessings increase, and they are able to ascend to the imperial palace.

The Left Lord Young Master Wuying, Xuanyuanshu, styled Hefuzi and also known as Lord Element, the Divine Lord, constantly guards the gate beneath my left armpit, behind the liver. The gate behind the liver is the passage through which death qi enters and leaves. The Divine Lord guards it closely, causing the left armpit to shine with jade-colored light and guiding the spirits into the eyes.

The Right Lord Baiyuan Dongyang, Yulingbiao, styled Xuanyijue and also known as Zhujing and Qicheng, constantly guards the gate beneath my right armpit, behind the lungs. The gate behind the lungs is the passage through which death qi enters and leaves. The Lord Baiyuan guards it closely, causing the organs on the right side to shine with a golden radiance and guiding the spirits into the Palace of the Six Qi, the dwelling place within the body of the spirit energies corresponding to the six kinds of qi. In this way, seven generations of ancestors can be reborn, and the whole body can ascend into the Jade Chamber.

The Central Director of Destiny, the Elder Lord (the spirit who governs the registers of life and protects the heart spirit), is called Li Mingchu and styled Xuandu Qing. He is also known as Shenzong and Shenlinghua. He constantly guards the four-aperture gate in the heart chamber of my Crimson Palace (the dwelling place of the heart spirit). The four-aperture gate is a portal through which death qi enters and leaves. The Elder Lord of Destiny guards it closely, enabling true principle to arise within my heart and five-colored radiance to shine from the Crimson Palace. From his mouth he exhales a breath like purple clouds, filling and coursing through my five viscera.

The Lord Tiao Junhai Daokang of the Gate of Destiny is styled He Jingyan. He is also known as the King of Destiny and the Root of the Womb. He constantly guards the position of the outer palace of the Gate of Destiny, at the aperture within my navel. The outer palace of the Gate of Destiny is a portal through which death qi enters and leaves. Tiao Junhai Daokang guards it closely, allowing the qi within my navel to circulate and flow, filling it with yellow clouds. The Three Destinies (three currents of qi related to the foundations of life) take root, and the womb’s knots are loosened and cleared. In this way, my ancestors and parents of seven generations encounter no obstruction; calamities from past lives and old transgressions are dispelled; and, in every generation, they attain deliverance and ascend to the palace of the Celestial Emperor.

The Supreme Infant, Xuanning Tian, Lord of the Celestial Emperor in the Muddy Pellet (the spirit palace within the head), is styled Sanyuan Xian. He is also known as Bo Wushang and Bo Shihua. He constantly guards the nine-aperture gate within my Muddy Pellet. When the nine apertures are open, one can ascend to the palace of the Celestial Emperor.

The Supreme Infant, Xuanning Tian, Lord of the Celestial Emperor in the Muddy Pellet, is styled Sanyuan Xian. He is also known as Bo Wushang and Bo Shihua. He constantly guards the nine-aperture gate within my Muddy Pellet. This gate is a portal through which death qi enters and leaves. The Supreme Lord of Heaven guards it closely, making the Muddy Pellet as firm as jade. Golden radiance illumines true nature, the body gives rise to precious light, and the nine apertures receive numinous qi. In this way, my ancestors and parents of seven generations dwell in peace from age to age, the karmic offenses of former lives are released, and all ascend together to the Pure Realm (the tranquil and pure immortal realm spoken of in Daoism).

The Lord Yunzhu, the Primordial Elixir Sovereign in the Heart Dantian Palace of the Crimson Palace, is styled Zi Nandan. He is also known as Sheng Shangbo and Yang Yunju. He constantly guards the portal at the upper end of the great vertebra at the back of my neck. The Gate of the Bone Crown is a portal through which death qi enters and leaves. The Central Elixir Sovereign Yunzhu guards it closely, allowing all the bones to receive true qi and a sunlike radiance to appear at the great vertebra. In this way, my ancestors and parents of seven generations attain the natural way of long life and ascend to the Southern Pole Palace.

Below the Gate of Destiny, the life gate at the waist in traditional health cultivation, dwells a spirit called the Primordial King of the Yellow Court. His name is Beginning Bright Essence, his courtesy name is Primordial Yang Flourishing, and he is also called “Embryonic Infant” or “Original Bo Shi.” The scripture says that if one can illuminate this spirit, one’s parents and ancestors for seven generations will naturally attain the Way of life and ascend to the Southern Pole Palace to become immortals.

The Primordial King of the Yellow Court constantly guards the area beneath the body’s two sides, at points likened to axle ends. This place is called the “lower gate.” The scripture regards the lower gate as an opening through which death Qi enters and leaves. The king firmly guards it, causing the blood vessels throughout the body to gather and the spirit and Qi to remain undispersed. He can also pull one away from the Earth Gate and enable one to transcend the Eight Calamities, the various trials said to beset cultivators.

In the Muddy Pellet Palace, where the spirit court is located in the head, dwell nine perfected spirits. Among them, the Supreme Emperor Chang, whose courtesy name is Ancestral Spirit Primordium, constantly guards the area around the mouth. The scripture likewise calls this area a gate of death Qi. The Supreme Emperor Chang firmly guards it, allowing essence Qi to enter the body while stale Qi is expelled. The light of the spirit accompanies the body, shining with immense radiance. In this way, one’s parents and ancestors for seven generations can be freed from guilt and calamity, and the cultivator can enter the Jade Chamber of the Emperor Lord while alive.

In the gallbladder dwell eight perfected spirits. Among them, Lord Containing Radiance, whose courtesy name is Dark Essence of the Northern Terrace, constantly guards the lower joint of the central bone in the back. The scripture regards this as a gate of death Qi. Lord Containing Radiance firmly guards it, so that the backbones receive life-giving Qi, the openings at the lower joint remain closed, and harmful Qi cannot intrude. The body is illuminated by true light.

In the two kidneys dwell seven perfected spirits. Among them, Lord Dark Yang, whose courtesy name is Master of Netherworld Light, constantly guards the “Earth Gate” near the tailbone. The scripture calls the Earth Gate at the end of the spine a gate of death Qi. Lord Dark Yang firmly guards it, allowing life-giving Qi to lie hidden in the Earth Gate and divine fluids to nourish the tailbone. The six kinds of bodily fluids become harmonious and abundant, and the foundation of life grows deep and firm.

The six perfected spirits in the lungs are named Lord Jade of the Upper Element, styled Youth of the Middle Southern Realm, Liang. He constantly guards the twelve passes on the outside of my neck. These twelve passes are gateways through which death energy enters and leaves. Lord Jade of the Upper Element guards them closely, allowing the radiance of the Jade Flower of the Supreme Lord to shine upon the place where the spirits dwell, bringing the Qi of Jade Dawn into the Palace of Cinnabar Origin, dissolving the blockages of seven generations of parents, and enabling them to be reborn in the immortal homeland of the Great Ultimate.

The five perfected spirits in the spleen are named Lord Who Nourishes Radiance, styled Son of Great Flourishing. He constantly guards the root gateway deep in my throat. This gateway at the root of the throat is where death energy enters and leaves. Lord Who Nourishes Radiance guards it closely, letting jade light and golden perfection illuminate the root of the throat, while the spirit Qi of the Great Emperor moves between the three palaces.

The four perfected spirits in the liver are named Lord Azure Brightness, styled Youth of the Luminous Wheel. He constantly guards the gateway of my stomach passage, beneath the fatty membrane. This place beneath the membrane is where death energy enters and leaves. Lord Azure Brightness guards it closely, causing the Qi of the Three Pure Ones to shine forth, while the spirits of the Five Stoppages guard the passages in and out, and the jade liquid and saliva moisten the stomach passage.

The three perfected spirits in Jing and blood are named Lord Original Life, styled Son of Yellow Tranquility, the Mysterious One. He constantly guards the root beneath my nostrils. This root beneath the nostrils is where death energy enters and leaves. Lord Original Life guards it closely, allowing Shen to flow freely through all the joints of the body and blood to fill every joint. The Qi of the myriad numinous beings supports the body from the sides, while the soul of the Great One guards it.

The two perfected spirits in the bones and joints are named Lord Firm Jade, styled Pearl of Condensed Feathers. He constantly guards my Storehouse of Great Sustenance—the place of the spleen and stomach—and the entrance to the five intestines. This entrance is where death energy enters and leaves. Lord Firm Jade guards it closely, making the Yellow Court—the inner palace in the body’s central region—pure and fragrant, eliminating the Three Corpses, and keeping the Qi of the Middle Origin constantly abundant. An imperial radiance shines without ceasing, surging upward to the Muddy Pellet—the inner palace in the head—and then spreading through the sinews and bones.

The one perfected spirit in the heart is named Lord Heavenly Essence-Liquid, styled Flying Life, Eminent Hero.

There is a True Spirit within the heart named Lord of Heavenly Essence and Fluid, styled Lofty Hero of Flying Life. He constantly guards the place in my chest called the Mouth of the Four Extremities. The Mouth of the Four Extremities is a gateway through which deathly Qi enters and leaves. Lord of Heavenly Essence and Fluid guards it closely, bringing vitality to the Five Viscera and enabling every part of the body to receive true Qi. Purple numinous fluid spreads through the chest, while red Qi gathers among the hundred spirits. At last it rises to the Jade Heaven, where he wears feathered robes and a tiger-striped skirt.

The true male spirit of the Nine Origins is named Restraint and Regulation, styled Three Yangs. He constantly guards the Gate of Hidden Dawn below my left ear. The Gate of Hidden Dawn is a gateway through which deathly Qi enters and leaves. Restraint and Regulation of the Three Yangs guards it closely, sharpening the hearing endowed by Heaven and making even hidden places bright. True Qi moves like clouds, passing to and fro through the Mudball, the dwelling place of the spirits in the head.

The female spirit of the August One is named Returning Above, styled Imperial Daughter. She constantly guards the Gate of Hidden Dawn below my right ear. The Gate of Hidden Dawn is a gateway through which deathly Qi enters and leaves. Returning Above, the Imperial Daughter, guards it closely, causing the radiance of dark and bright Qi to shine upward and illuminate the Mudball. The sound of Great Emptiness, the realm of void and stillness, echoes only within the body. Cloud-like Qi, dark as mysterious metal, moves in harmony and flows to the gateways. The Gate of Hidden Dawn is a gateway through which deathly Qi enters and leaves. Returning Above, the Imperial Daughter, guards it closely, causing the radiance of dark and bright Qi to shine upward and illuminate the Mudball. The sound of Great Emptiness echoes only within the body, while cloud-like Qi, dark as mysterious metal, moves in harmony through the whole body, reaching the state of Great Harmony, where Yin and Yang are balanced.

The Left Prime Lord of Purple Silk is named Shrouded Gloom, Bladeless, styled Lofty One of Peaceful Arrival. She constantly guards my head and face, preventing all manner of baleful Qi from entering and destroying countless spirits and monsters. She also causes purple clouds to rise to the Mudball, fills the nostrils with Qi of Great Simplicity, covers the mouth and teeth with auspicious clouds, and gathers numinous Qi like a jade grove in the hair and skin. She can also disperse the corpse filth accumulated over seven lifetimes and release the sins, grievances, and enmities of seven generations of ancestors, enabling one to ascend to the palace of the Celestial Emperor and, upon returning to the true Dao, be born again.

The Central Prime Lord of Yellow Silk is named Round Blossom, Yellow Blade, styled Lofty One of Great Expansion. She constantly guards my chest and abdomen, subduing demons and ghosts and erasing the traces of the Three Corpses, spirits said in Daoism to dwell in the human body and hinder cultivation. She also spreads yellow clouds throughout the limbs and body, fills the Great Granary—the stomach—with golden fluid, sends upward a radiance like the morning sun, and sets the Qi of Great Truth in motion, shining brightly. She can also release the sins of seven generations of parents, enabling them to be reborn in the Southern Palace.

Lady White Essence of the Right (Baisu You Yuanjun), the goddess who governs the lower part of the body, is named Qiming Xiaoren, with the courtesy name Jinmen Shang. She keeps watch over the body’s lower pass, from the lower abdomen to the soles of the feet. She clears and disperses the three kinds of foul Qi (vital energy) that have long accumulated, and brings the corpse ghosts and earth ghosts beneath the ground to rest. She also makes the bright-jade-like bodily fluids rise, freeing the ancestors in the underworld from their sins, lifting the roots of calamity from seven generations of parents, and allowing them to be reborn in the Southern Palace.

Lady White Essence of the Right, named Qiming Xiaoren, with the courtesy name Jinmen Shang, keeps watch over the body’s lower pass, from the lower abdomen to the soles of the feet. She clears and disperses the three kinds of foul Qi that have long accumulated, and brings the corpse ghosts and earth ghosts beneath the ground to rest. She also makes the bright-jade-like bodily fluids rise and gather at the utmost point of the genital region. The wondrous, pure-white Metal Qi flows in reverse, filling the two “wan” (a bodily term in the original text). The spleen is nourished by the Qi of the Nine Numina, and the feet give rise to the mysterious, weighty Qi of clouds. In this way, the ancestors are freed from their sins in the netherworld, the roots of calamity for seven generations of ancestors disperse, and the dead are reborn in the Southern Palace and enter the imperial palace in peace.

The Lord of Fate at Midday, the deity who governs life, is named Jiesheng and guards the lunar position in my left hand. Lord Peach, named Fangying, guards my right hand. The boy in my left eye is named Feiyun, and the boy in my right eye is named Chenying. The boy in the lungs is named Suming. These spirits each guard the eyes and gather the vital essences above the floral canopy, enabling the Five Spirits to hold fast to the body’s five apertures. Their radiance fills the solar position, demonic Qi cannot enter, and the Baihui point can receive numinous Qi.

The Lord of the Primordial White Qi in the Womb, who governs the white Qi of the fetal origin, is named Wuxuanzi, with the courtesy name Yushangsheng. The Essence and Soul of Taiyi, the vital essence and soul possessed by Taiyi, is named Xuanguizi, with the courtesy name Shengchang. Together, these two spirits guard the gateway above the five viscera, at the base of the Adam’s apple. The base of the Adam’s apple is the passage through which deathly Qi enters and exits. The two spirits guard it firmly, allowing the Qi of the Three Florescences to enter the Palace of the Imperial One and the fluids of the Nine Luminaries to arise beneath the Six Embryos. In this way, calamities afflicting the Seven Mysteries disperse, the entanglements of seven generations of ancestors are undone, and the cultivator ascends to the hall of the perfected immortals to stand alongside Taiyi.

The green Qi in the throat enters the Palace of the Imperial One, and the fluids of the Nine Luminaries arise beneath the Six Embryos. Calamities afflicting the Seven Mysteries disperse, the entanglements of seven generations of ancestors are undone, and the cultivator ascends to the hall of the perfected immortals to stand alongside Taiyi.

The Lord of Green Qi in the Adam’s apple is named Anyanchang, with the courtesy name Heheying. The Essence and Soul of the Primordial Sovereign is named Baogu Tong.

The spirit named Ming Tian Shen and the spirit named Shen Ming Gu Shen jointly guard the upper opening of the stomach. This opening is a gateway through which dead Qi enters and leaves. The two spirits keep it under close guard, allowing golden liquid to spread throughout the body, jade radiance to shine upon the souls, divine nectar to fill the intestines, and the Emperor’s Qi to strengthen the nine orifices. In this way, seven generations of ancestors can escape the suffering of the underworld and be reborn as Dark Immortals; karmic knots accumulated in the past can be dissolved, and in this life one can also escape the root of birth from the womb.

The Lord of Black Qi in the central section is named Bin Laisheng, with the courtesy name Jing Shangmen. The true essence-soul of the Emperor is named You Taisheng, with the courtesy name Guan Shangsheng. The two spirits jointly guard the opening of the nine intestines, below the Hidden Source. Below the Hidden Source is a gateway through which dead Qi enters and leaves. The two spirits keep it under close guard, causing the Most High’s Qi to spread through the abdomen and the spirit of Taiyi to move through the bones of the whole body. The body thereby shines with jade radiance, while the face retains a golden sheen. Seven generations of ancestors and one’s parents can be released from their sins in the underworld, and karmic knots accumulated across the generations can be dissolved in turn. Thus one ascends to life in the Emperor’s chamber and dwells in peace within the Whirling Palace.

The Lord of Yellow Qi within the womb is named Zu Mingche, with the courtesy name Shen Wuji. The essence-soul of the Celestial Emperor is named Li Weicang, with the courtesy name Fazhu. These two spirits jointly guard the root of the two openings inside the lower abdomen. This is a gateway through which dead Qi enters and leaves. The two spirits keep it under close guard, causing the roots of the sun and moon to grow beneath the two openings, the Qi of the Five Emperors to fill the place of utmost Yin, essence to abound, and the five fluids to become plentiful. Seven generations of ancestors and one’s parents can be reborn, and calamities and karmic knots accumulated over past lives can also be dissolved. Through this, the practitioner ascends to life in the Southern Palace and obtains the Qi of the immortals.

The Red Qi Lord of the Blood, the god who governs the red primordial Qi in the blood, is named Hun Lizi, with the courtesy name Shuhuo Jian. The Spirit of Life and Soul, the god who governs life and the soul, is named Faxi Zi, with the courtesy name Qingxuan. These two gods jointly guard the blood vessels and joints throughout my body, dwelling beneath the Severed Joint. Beneath the Severed Joint lies the Gate of Death Qi. The two gods guard this place closely, filling the six organs with the fluids of the Five Constants—the body’s five kinds of vital essence and fluids—and filling the flesh and blood with numinous moisture and jade-like radiance, the essence that nourishes the body. Thus the Severed Joint does not become hollow, and the Earth Gate is filled. The scattered Qi of the Seven Ancestors gathers again, allowing me to regain life in the Southern Pole Heaven, become a Jade Immortal, unite with the Dao, and preserve Dao and De.

The Primordial Favor of the Upper Mystery fills my flesh and blood; the Severed Joint does not become hollow, and the Earth Gate is filled. The scattered Qi of the Seven Ancestors gathers again, allowing me to regain life in the Southern Pole Heaven, become a Jade Immortal, unite with the Dao, and preserve Dao and De.

The Lordly Father of the Upper Mystery, named Gao Tongsheng, with the courtesy name Zuo Huiming; the Mysterious Mother of the Lower Mystery, named Shuhuo Wang, with the courtesy name You Hui Guang; the Great One of the Imperial Sovereign, named Chong Mingkong, with the courtesy name You Liao Wu; the Venerable Gods of the Nine Emperors, named Ri Mingzhen, with the courtesy name Zhongdi Sheng; the Spirit of Taichang, named Yang Tangwang, with the courtesy name Baling; the Soul of the Celestial Emperor’s Nine Gates, named Lu Huidao, with the courtesy name Jueming; and the Imperial Soul of the Heavenly Order, named Zhao Wua, with the courtesy name Guangshen. These seven gods guard the root of my innate life. The root of innate life is the fundamental knot of life deep within the womb. May the womb chamber, the source in which life is nurtured, always be clear and open; may the Seven Ancestors return to the womb, so that my life endures. May it accord with the talismanic mandate of the Three Heavens, and may my life last as long as the sun.

There are thirty-nine Gates of Death in my body, and the Supreme Venerable God has assigned deities to guard them all. They hold sunlight in their mouths and wield the moon’s brightness in their hands, illuminating my Gates of Death so that I may live long without dying and my body remain forever. I recite the Great Cavern Perfect Scripture, one of Daoism’s important scriptures, …

The golden sound produced in chanting rises upward, reaching the Court of Supreme Emptiness, the lofty celestial court. It loosens knots and dispels calamities, rescuing the souls of seven generations of ancestors and enabling them to be reborn and gather in the Southern Palace. Generation after generation, they may be entered in the registers of immortals; the roots of the Three Paths of Suffering—hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—are eradicated, and they rise by successive stages into the Upper Clarity heavens.

The Lord Lao of the Three Su, named Laozhangshang and styled Shenshengdao; the Left Immortal of Orthodox Unity, Zhong Chengzi, also called Dibin and styled Huo: they can rescue the souls of seven generations of ancestors, enabling them to be reborn and gather in the Southern Palace, entered generation after generation in the registers of immortals, with the roots of the Three Paths of Suffering eradicated as they rise by successive stages into the Upper Clarity heavens. The Lord Lao of the Three Su is named Laozhangshang and styled Shenshengdao. The Left Immortal of Orthodox Unity, Zhong Chengzi, is also called Dibin and styled Sihua. The Right Immortal of Orthodox Unity, Qu Wenzi, is also called Guangjian and styled Linghe. They guard the philtrum beneath my nose, the area between my nose and upper lip.

The Central Lord Lao of the Mysterious One, named Lin Lingtian and styled Lingshidao, guards the tip of my penis. The Black Emperor of the North, named Bao Chenghe and styled Beidai, guards the inside of my bladder. The White Emperor of the West, named Zhang Anxing and styled Xihua, guards my scrotum. The Red Emperor of the South, named Changlaijue and styled Nanhe, guards my mouth and tongue. The Azure Emperor of the East, named Diaoliangji and styled Qingping, guards the outside of my five viscera.

The Five Directional Emperors, the two Lord Lao figures, and the Left and Right Immortals together protect my innate destiny and guard my body. They release the spirits of my deceased ancestors and bring blessings to seven generations of my clan. Generation after generation, they loosen knots and dispel calamities, eradicating the roots carried from the womb. Fetal breathing, Jing and Qi, blood radiance, and golden liquid and jade spring are all within my mouth and tongue. The Azure Emperor of the East, Diaoliangji, styled Qingping, guards the outside of my five viscera. The Five Directional Emperors, the two Lord Lao figures, and the Left and Right Immortals together protect my innate destiny and guard my body, releasing the spirits of my deceased ancestors and bringing blessings to seven generations of my clan. Generation after generation, they loosen knots and dispel calamities, eradicating the roots carried from the womb. Thus I ascend to the Southern Palace, become an Imperial Guest, enter the Eight Radiances—the eight divine lights borne by immortals—and ride the jade wheel. Looking upward, I rise through the nine heavens and ascend to immortality in broad daylight.

The name of the Imperial Lord above is Zhaole Jing; his courtesy name is Zhongxuan Sheng. He is also called Qi Fei and Chang Fu. The Imperial Lord in the Crimson Palace—the dwelling place of the heart spirit—is named Qingzhong Guangjian; his courtesy name is Sihua Ling. He is also called Youche Bo and Dong Shihua. The Imperial Lord who assists and supports the lower part of the Yellow Court is named Yuanshang Ming; his courtesy name is Guxia Xuan. He is also called Fengshen Bo and Fengguang Sheng. These three Imperial Lord spirits guard me as I enter the chamber of the Imperial One, preserve my original life, and ensure that my name is entered in the registers of the Nine Heavens, where I may endure forever.

After reciting these names of blessing, close your eyes again and visualize these spirits transforming into white Qi, like white smoke. It enters your mouth from the Dark Tiger and remains there for a long time. Next, visualize the white Qi surging out through the openings in the lower part of your body and at the Jade Stalk, as well as through the openings on the soles of both feet and the palms of both hands. It surrounds your whole body, so that your hands and feet above and below merge with the white Qi. Your entire body becomes like white smoke, with the upper and lower parts indistinguishable from one another. After a long while, the white Qi suddenly turns into purple clouds, which continue to swirl within you. Then they enter through your mouth and rise into your head, filling the spaces between the Five Viscera and the abdomen.

After a little while, visualize the purple clouds surging out through the large openings on the soles of both feet and the palms of both hands, as well as through the opening at the Jade Stalk. They surround your whole body and mingle with the purple Qi rising above and below, so that the two can scarcely be distinguished. A moment later, visualize the purple Qi filling the space around you and the entire room. Then visualize wind Qi blowing from your mouth, setting the purple clouds in motion. The purple smoke swirls and coils around, then suddenly condenses into a Perfected One in male form, as if formed from the clouds of new birth. He is four inches tall and bears the title “Venerable Lord of the Great Cavern, the Imperial One.” His name is Fu Ning Zai, and his courtesy name is He Mu Jing.

The spirits who guard the Deathly Pass return with the wind and transform together, forming this Venerable Lord of the Imperial One. Next, visualize the Venerable Lord entering your mouth and coming beneath your tongue. From beneath your tongue, he rises straight to the Purple Chamber, the Palace of the Six Directions—a divine palace envisioned in inner-view cultivation—and sits facing outward. In his left hand he holds your Five Talismans.

With his right hand, he holds the five texts of “Zhao,” the name practitioners use for themselves. To the left of the revered lord’s mouth—the noble divine lord held in visualization—is the light of the sun, nine fen in diameter; to the right is the light of the moon, one cun in diameter. The revered lord exhales the Qi of Returning Wind, swirling and flowing Qi, which stirs the light of the sun and moon. Their radiance grows strong and dense, appearing white or yellow. Let the light and Qi enter Zhao’s five zang organs, six fu organs, and every joint, making the body bright and clear inside and out, like broad daylight. After a long while, forget the self and enter stillness in a hazy, indistinct state. When the rite is complete, recite silently in the heart:

Great Cavern, Emperor One; exalted spirit of Great Simplicity. Father Ning and Mother Jing unite as one, and together give birth. A hundred true spirits blend into one, cycling without end; from this, all things first come forth. Eight kinds of vapor condense within my body and transform into the Original Infant. The precious light of the sun and moon shines through my form. Taiyi dwells above, alongside the Celestial Emperor. The Mudball Palace, the upper Dantian within the head, receives protection; the five zang organs shine with radiance. Forever united with the sun and moon, I hold the Cavern Scripture in my hands. I take my place among the Immortal Lords, rise at dawn into Highest Clarity, the Daoist realm of the upper heavens, and become an Immortal True One in the Feathered Court, charged with the thirty-nine chapters of Golden Talismans.

Each night, visualize the revered lord, Great Cavern Emperor One, at the center of the philtrum beneath Zhao’s nose. During the day, often visualize him inside the mouth, at the upper teeth. This rite is the Way of Returning Wind’s union with Emperor One; it can transform in myriad ways. With this, the practice of Cavern Truth, the Great One, is complete.

At night, one should often visualize (hold clearly in the mind) the Venerable Lord, the Great Cavern’s Imperial One, seated precisely at the center of the philtrum beneath one’s nose. During the day, visualize him inside the mouth, just beyond the upper front teeth, within the skin of the philtrum beneath the nose, near the palate. The divine lord’s image should always be seated or standing facing outward. In daily life, one should also keep him in mind. Visualize the Venerable Lord holding the light of the sun in his mouth: its radiance, nine fen in diameter, shines for ten thousand zhang, illuminating one’s body until it is clear and bright throughout.

The “One” is the True One possessed by the Emperor. All things transform from the “One” and ultimately return to it. When reciting the Cavern Scripture, one should also visualize the Venerable Lord, Imperial One, before oneself, with his mouth facing one’s own so that they face each other. Let him hear the sound of one’s recitation of the Cavern Scripture; in this way, the karmic knots accumulated over seven generations can be dissolved.

The Venerable Lord, Imperial One, is named Fu Ningzai, with the courtesy name Hemujing. One should remember him continually, day and night, without forgetting him. This can help one avoid various trials, dispel many calamities and demons, and attain immortality. If any part of the body is painful or uncomfortable, one should quickly visualize the Venerable Lord, Imperial One, and have him breathe forth white, sunlike luminous Qi from his mouth to warm and illuminate the affliction until it is healed. The Venerable Lord, Imperial One, appears like a newborn infant, unclothed and only four cun tall. This is what is called the “Embryonic Origin of the Great Cavern,” the original, true form of the body.

On the day of your birth destiny, determined from the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches of your birth, you should regularly read the thirty-nine chapters of the Great Cavern Perfect Scripture (Dadong Zhenjing), once each time. To recite and study it over a long period is an auspicious undertaking. You must accumulate ten thousand recitations. When this period of practice is complete, you will be able to command the clouds of nature and ride a dragon carriage ringed with eight-colored light, leading a great host of chariots and horses, and ascend to immortality in broad daylight. After completing ten thousand recitations, reading it once each year will suffice.

If the Lord’s cloud dragon is slow to come and receive you, the longest you will wait is seven hundred days: the practitioner may suddenly die in the human world and immediately ascend to Heaven. You should firmly uphold “the Female One” (Ciyi), the Daoist practice of guarding the inner original Qi and divine spirits, so that the Five Spirits, corresponding to the five organs, harmonize and unite. Focus your mind on circulating Returning Wind, a method of regulating the breath in internal cultivation and turning the movement of Qi back upon itself. In this way, you can ride with ten thousand mounted attendants and ascend to immortality in broad daylight. After completing ten thousand recitations, reading it once each year will suffice. If the Lord’s cloud dragon has not yet come to receive you, you will wait no more than seven hundred days before suddenly dying in this world and immediately ascending to Heaven. You should firmly uphold the Female One, bring the Five Spirits into harmony and unity, focus your mind on circulating Returning Wind, attend the assembly of the Imperial Worthy, and recite and study the thirty-nine chapters of the Cavern Scripture (Dongjing). In this way, the path to becoming a perfected immortal will be complete, and your meeting with the cloud dragon will surely be within reach. The roots of karmic offenses will be dispelled, and your ancestors will enjoy blessings and longevity. You should practice diligently.

The Great Subtlety Emperor, Taiyi Who Creates Form, the Purple Origin Inner Spirit, and the twenty-four Perfected Beings were all born through the transformations of blended primordial Qi. They govern the essence and Qi of the immortals and Perfected Beings. They can undo knots in the body’s womb-like chambers, open and clear Guanyuan—the important region in the lower abdomen—and command the twenty-four spirits. If practitioners cultivate and remember the names of these spirits, they can have them guard the whole body and protect its primordial essence. To release blockages in the body, one should first recite an invocation; only then can the bodily gateways be opened.

These spirits are the root from which primordial Qi condenses. They also form the body and endow it with spiritual power. Linked to the Great Dao, they are surrounded from head to toe by cloudlike numinous Qi. They can summon jade carriages and dragon mounts, arrayed in thousands upon thousands, and merge with the practitioner, enabling a person to ascend by day. This is the method, transmitted by the Taiyi Perfected Being and the twenty-four spirits, of visualizing the Mysterious Origin Emperor and rising aloft on the wind.

In daily practice, steady the body and quiet the mind, keeping the breath even and the form relaxed. Close the eyes and turn inward in visualization; forget the body and focus wholly on holding the spirits in mind. After burning incense and washing the hands, preserve the spirits and guard the true, as though seeing the spirits’ radiance gather in the number thirty-eight, its light gentle and far-reaching. After practicing in this way for eighteen years, the Most High will command the Great Subtlety Emperor, the five Taiyi spirits, and the Lord of the Way who gives birth to the blended spirits to come with the twenty-four Perfected Beings. Riding in carriages and on divine beasts, they will harness the wind and gather the clouds, carrying the practitioner upward with the breath to ascend by day.

When visualizing the spirits, avoid associating with those whose nature is incompatible with yours. Dwell in a secluded place and keep away from distractions, so that the spirit may gather and the mind become clear and still. Focus on the visualization, abide in emptiness and stillness, settle the hun and po souls, and relax the body. Then you will be undisturbed by every kind of harm; ghosts, phantoms, and evil spirits will withdraw, calamities will disperse, and the blessings received from the spirits will be beyond counting. Before beginning the visualization, first click the teeth together twenty-four times. Then settle the hun and po souls, relax the body, and proceed with the visualization.

The spirit of the brain is named Jue Yuanzi, with the courtesy name Dao Du. It is one cun and one fen tall, and pure white in color.

The spirit of the hair is named Xuan Wenhua, with the courtesy name Dao Heng. It is two cun and one fen tall, and deep black in color.

The spirit of the skin is named Tong Zhongzhong, with the courtesy name Dao Lian. It is one cun and five fen tall, and yellow in color.

The spirit of the eyes is named Empty Mirror Youth, with the courtesy name Dao Child. He is three inches and six fen tall and wears five-colored robes.

The spirit of the nape and marrow is named Numinal Canopy, with the courtesy name Dao Circuit. He is five inches tall and wears plain white robes.

The spirit of the spine is named Beneficial Calendar Assistant, with the courtesy name Dao Pillar. He is three inches tall and wears robes of pale white jade.

The spirit of the nose is named Surging Dragon Jade, with the courtesy name Dao Subtlety. He is two inches and five fen tall and wears robes of blue, white, and yellow.

The spirit of the tongue is named First Ridge, with the courtesy name Dao Fork. He is seven inches tall and wears bright red robes.

These are the names of the Eight Youthful Spirits of the Upper Eight Scenic Realms, the inner spirits residing in different parts of the body. During practice, first visualize their forms in your mind. They should appear faintly within the body, like infants, each dwelling in its proper place. After completing the visualization, knock your teeth together eight times, then swallow the saliva in your mouth eight times, and softly recite:

“Spirits of the Upper Eight Realms, enter my body together. The Sovereign Lord and the Mysterious Mother, the five spirits, each appear in their proper form. Let my body become capable of transformation, changing and flowing in accord with the true Dao. May a thousand chariots and ten thousand riders ascend together to the Celestial Dawn. White Origin and Numinal Hero nourish Great Guest with the Qi of the Dao. The eight spirits guard my body, while Jade Radiance holds the breath of mist. In a hazy trance, I pass through ten cycles and enter the Gate of the Sun.”

When first beginning the visualization, call the spirits by name three times. After reciting the invocation, call their names three more times, aloud. Follow this same method when practicing the upper, middle, and lower sections.

At dawn, noon, and midnight, visualize the twenty-four spirits in sequence, then recite the invocation and call their names as described above. Call each spirit by name aloud three times, following the same method for all three sections.

Every morning, at noon, and in the middle of the night, visualize the twenty-four deities within the body, recite their names in order, and offer prayers and invocations in the same way as described earlier.

The Gao Shang Bao Shen Ming Ke Jing Shuo records three methods of clicking the teeth. Clicking the teeth on the left and right sides is called “striking the Heavenly Bell”; clicking the teeth on the right side against one another is called “beating the Heavenly Chime”; and clicking the upper and lower front teeth together is called “sounding the Heavenly Drum.” If you suddenly encounter danger or an ominous event, strike the Heavenly Bell thirty times. When passing through mountains and forests, warding off evil spirits, or performing a powerful invocation of the divine, beat the Heavenly Chime. When visualizing and contemplating the Dao, or summoning perfected spirits, sound the Heavenly Drum. Clicking the teeth may seem to be a single action, but it has distinct forms involving the left and right sides, and the upper and lower teeth.

Evil forces fear the sound of the Heavenly Bell; mountain spirits are subdued by the vibration of the Heavenly Chime; and when summoning deities, the sound of the Heavenly Drum inspires solemn reverence. The subtle, mysterious sounds each have their own proper measure. Their delicate effects must be stirred from within the heart: they cannot be obtained by relying on a single method or by chance. The same applies to all forms of cultivation and ritual practice. Although the principles of clicking the teeth are varied, the sounds and uses represented by the bell, chime, and drum are distinct. Thus, methods of cultivating the Dao must not be confused, and ritual techniques must not be mixed together. Confusion leads to obscurity and disorientation; mixing them brings disruption and decay. This does not mean that profound principles have no underlying unity. Rather, if one does not follow the proper sequence in practice, it is difficult to attain the Dao or verify the efficacy of the methods. The fundamental cause is taking the wrong path in seeking what is true. If one follows only outward forms, one’s actions can easily violate ordinary norms.

Striking the Heavenly Bell thirty times means using it by itself to dispel inauspicious influences when no other prayer or invocation is being performed. When carrying out a particular ritual, click the teeth the number of times specified by that ritual; there is no need to strike them thirty times in every case.

The deity of the throat is named “Hundred Streams Released,” with the courtesy name “Way Pervades.” The deity is eight cun and eight fen tall and wears a nine-colored robe.

The deity of the lungs is named “Unadorned Spirit Arisen,” with the courtesy name “Way Balanced.” The deity is eight cun and one fen tall and is entirely white.