《太清中黄真经》

The Taiqing Zhonghuang Zhenjing (Scripture of the True Central Yellow of Great Purity)

"Zhonghuang" (Central Yellow) refers to the venerable deity who dwells at the center and governs the four directions; "Zhen" (True) refers to the cultivation of a body that has attained Wuwei (non-action); and "Jing" (scripture/classic) is the road leading to the great Dao (the Way). The scripture was compiled by the Nine Immortal Lords, with commentary by the Perfected One Zhonghuang, and is also known as the Treatise on the Womb Repository (Taizang lun).

The so-called Treatise on the Womb Repository explains how a person is conceived and takes shape, and how to nourish body and mind from within. Human beings receive their form between heaven and earth, and the body is formed by the coalescence of Qi (vital energy). Yin-Yang unite, and each person comes into being according to their own conduct and endowment. Bones and flesh are rooted in Jing (essence) and blood, while spiritual consciousness is rooted in primordial Qi, which is why people differ in temperament, intelligence, and fortune. The scripture seeks to show the relationship between the body's outward form and inner cultivation: only by understanding the functions of the five viscera can one speak of cultivating the self. Practice must also follow proper methods and be sustained with perseverance; otherwise, even someone who believes themselves skilled will find it hard to truly enter the path.

Within the body are the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Following them brings fewer illnesses, while opposing them brings harm. The head corresponds to heaven and the feet to earth. The scripture also likens the seven orifices (the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and other openings) to the sun, moon, and stars, holding that when these passages are open, the Qi of the heart and bones is abundant, and the breath is harmonized, this supports the practice of the Dao and the prolonging of life.

While a person is still in the mother's womb, the roots of consciousness have already formed, and among these, the mind's consciousness is the most important. When consciousness stirs, a person acts; likewise, cultivating the Dao depends on the mind to preserve the Shen (spirit) and to practice visualization. The Hun soul belongs to Yang and the Po soul to Yin; both enter the womb with the person, and the many spirits each take their place. In the womb, the infant makes no sound of breathing and remains undisturbed by the outside world. After birth, the senses gradually awaken, and eating, drinking, and desire arise with them. If consciousness is left to be led by desire, one may become dim and blind. For this reason, the scripture stresses single-minded concentration and visualization in practice, and warns against letting the mind scatter.

Form and spirit depend on each other: when spirit leaves the body, the body decays; when the body loses its spirit, life is lost. The five viscera correspond to parts of the body: the liver governs the sinews and manifests in the nails; the heart governs the vessels and shows in the complexion; the spleen governs the flesh and corresponds to the lips; the lungs govern the skin and correspond to the body hair; the kidneys govern the bones and correspond to the hair of the head. The scripture further says that salty flavors harm the sinews, bitter flavors harm the bones, sweet flavors harm the flesh, pungent flavors harm the Qi, and sour flavors harm the blood.

The Yuhua lingshu (Divine Writings of the Jade Splendor) says that Yang Qi is related to Qi, while Yin is related to flavor; flavor nourishes the body, the body depends on Qi, and Qi in turn returns to Jing. Food and drink at first nourish the body, but in excess they turn around and damage it; when the Qi of grain is too strong, primordial Qi weakens, and a person easily passes from vigor to decline. The scripture therefore advocates adjusting one's diet by season. In spring, eat less sour and more sweet food to nourish the spleen Qi. In summer, eat less bitter and more pungent food to nourish the lung Qi. In autumn, eat less pungent and more sour food to nourish the liver Qi. In winter, eat less salty and more bitter food to nourish the heart Qi. In the last eighteen days of each season, eat less sweet and more salty food to nourish the kidney Qi. The scripture holds that nourishing oneself in this way helps one live long; and that cultivation and visualization of the spirit can enable a person to ascend to heaven as an immortal official, though not necessarily to reach an exalted immortal rank.

The sages valued first restraining desire and protecting Jing and Qi, and only then regulating diet to preserve life. The scripture's phrase "feed on the womb's Qi, drink the numinous origin" refers to using cultivation to nourish primordial Qi and absorb numinous Qi, in pursuit of deathlessness and the restoration of youth. A scholar who devotes themselves wholeheartedly to study can move from the shallow to the profound and reach the great Dao; one with a heart for practice can also perceive that the Way of Heaven is not far away. To study without aspiration is foolishness; to not study, and so have no means of understanding principle, is ignorance.

The Zhunxuan lu (Register of the Standard of Mystery) says that a person without aspiration will find it hard to succeed at anything. The Xuanyuan zhang (Chapter of Mysterious Origin) says that if one keeps to the methods of nourishing the body, the Yin spirits will not seize one's aspiration; and that in studying and practicing the Dao, one must especially avoid carelessly divulging secret methods. Even someone who obtains precious Fulu (talismans and registers) and scriptures of the Daoist tradition will find it hard to attain the Dao if they treat the deities with disrespect and reveal secret matters.

The scripture also uses the "three worms" as a metaphor for the inner obstacles that must be removed in practice. Until the three worms are eliminated, the practitioner is like someone who must cross land thick with brambles; only after they are destroyed can one reach the "Land of Huaxu." Huaxu is not an ordinary place in the human world but a legendary realm of the immortals: there is neither cold nor heat, neither insects, snakes, nor fierce beasts. People dwell in halls and terraces, with clothing and food provided naturally and no need for the toil of farming; whatever one wishes to eat is there, springs and fine wine overflow, flowers and trees stay evergreen, and auspicious birds and beasts call in harmony. Yet the approach to this realm is overgrown with brambles, and only those who disregard the frailty of the mortal body and persist in practice can hope to cross them. The scripture uses this to describe how, in cultivation, one must endure weakness, loneliness, and loss of appetite; once the three worms are removed and body and mind are at peace, one can reach a state of inner stillness and attain the "embryonic immortal" (taixian, an immortal state achieved through inner cultivation).

The scripture also describes the stages by which the immortal path is accomplished, explaining the clothing, dwellings, and food of the immortals, and cautions that these teachings should be explained only to those with real aspiration for the Dao and never casually revealed. According to Daoist precepts, divulging the secret methods of the heavenly registers invites misfortune, and treating the precepts lightly may cause a person to lose their aspiration for the Dao. Only those who keep these matters carefully secret and devote themselves single-mindedly to the Dao can hope to succeed in cultivation.

The whole scripture comprises eighteen chapters in a single volume, titled the Taizang Zhonghuang jing (Scripture of the Central Yellow of the Womb Repository). The scripture states that the eighteen chapters correspond to the five viscera, six bowels, and seven orifices of the human body, and that the entire work returns to "the One," signifying that all forms of practice ultimately return to the great Dao. The book gives concentrated treatment to the methods of consuming Qi to nourish life and of cultivating oneself toward attaining the Dao.

Chapter One: Inner Nourishment of Body and Spirit. This chapter has five sentences and thirty-five characters. It teaches that inner cultivation takes the nurturing of life as its foundation: one's conduct should be upright, one's expression clear, and one's record detailed and earnest. The methods of nourishing life through the ingestion of qi (Qi) are amply set out here, and the path to ascending to Heaven and attaining the Dao (the Way) opens from this point. The author took up the brush to record these teachings and compiled them into this chapter, which is placed below.

"Inwardly nourish body and spirit, and remove cravings and desires" means that in cultivating body and mind, one must first reduce desire. The Dongyuan Jing (scripture) says that the way of cultivation begins with removing cravings, so that the five spirits within, which correspond to the five organs, are settled. One then cuts off grain and food, so that the heart is unshaken and the six viscera become as clear as a bright candle. If one persists in the practice, body and spirit (Shen) will be filled with strength.

"Devote yourself to stillness and concentration, and the body becomes like jade" means to apply oneself wholeheartedly to quietude and settled mind, so that the body becomes pure and firm. Human thoughts are many and tangled, and they rise and fall with external things. One should therefore keep oneself quiet and often alone, not stirred by the crowd or the outer world, with few thoughts within and little craving without. Cultivating in this way, one's original qi will become abundant.

"Take only the Primordial Harmony and put away the five grains" means to be nourished solely by the qi of primordial harmony and no longer eat the five grains. The commentary holds that people usually rely on the five grains to sustain the body, yet do not realize that excessive eating also damages it. It then records a concrete method of qi ingestion. One chooses the three months of spring and, in a clean room, sets up a table and a warm bed with mats, burning incense constantly. At midnight, when yang energy first arises, one calms the mind and clicks the teeth thirty-six times, clasps the hands in a firm grip, and lies on one's back with eyes closed. As the breath is exhaled, one closes the mouth and puffs out the cheeks, then slowly swallows the qi. When one feels full, one stops; when hungry, one swallows again.

If the mouth feels dry after swallowing qi, one may drink a small amount of sesame broth to moisten the intestines and nourish the qi; goji berry broth may also be taken. The commentary continues that, during the period of swallowing qi, one should avoid other soups and liquids as far as possible. After ingesting qi, there may be dark yellow or reddish urine, oppression in the chest, and similar effects. The text says there is no need for alarm, and one should keep the mind unchanged. As to cutting off water and grain, the length of time is for each person to judge and cannot be fixed uniformly.

The text divides the Dantian (energy center) into the lower, middle, and upper Dantian. It holds that as qi gradually becomes abundant, the three centers fill in turn: when the lower Dantian is full, the organs feel no hunger; when the middle Dantian is full, the body no longer feels weak; when the upper Dantian gathers, the complexion is radiant and the spirit clear. Once all three are filled, one can settle the body and nourish the spirit, and go on to practice embryonic breathing (taixi), a discipline in which the breath becomes so fine that it resembles the breathing of a fetus. The commentary also warns that alternating between eating and fasting scatters the will, and that craving various flavors likewise hinders cultivation. The scripture illustrates this by saying that salty, sweet, pungent, and sour flavors harm the five organs and disturb the spirit. It adds that by keeping to the precepts against desire and moderating food and drink, and passing through the different stages of practice, one may gradually reach states such as inward vision of the five organs, being beyond the deception of ghosts and spirits who cannot take visible form, and finally having one's name entered in the registers of the immortals of Heaven.

"Surely you will reach the Vast Heaven and receive the true register" means that after successful cultivation one obtains the true register of the immortal realm, a symbol of recognition by Heaven, whether as an immortal's register or a ritual register. The commentary says that those who attain ascent through flying alchemy may become immortal officials of the lower heaven; those who practice visualization, inward observation of the five organs, and the Way of the "Three Ones" may attain the rank of immortal official in the upper heaven; and those who perfect embryonic breathing may receive the register of ascent to true immortality in the Vast Heaven and be raised to the rank of True Venerable of the middle heaven.

"A hundred days of focused refinement, and the qi nourishment is complete" means that after a hundred days of devoted practice, the qi of the three Dantian will be full. The commentary stresses that ingesting qi, swallowing the mist, and abstaining from grain are not things accomplished in a short time. Practitioners of the Dao should first guard themselves with virtue (De), and then remove anger and any thought of harming others. If these faults are not removed, or if one's conduct runs against the teachings, cultivation will hardly succeed. The Taiwei Xuanzhang also says that when cravings are removed, greed and anger cast off, and the five organs settled, the essence (Jing) and spirit naturally become abundant.

The mystery of practicing qi-ingestion (shiqi) lies in the fact that many of its key principles are not easy to grasp. If a practitioner learns only how to abstain from the five grains, the hun and po souls may be disturbed and the Three Corpses (sanshi) will grow restless. As for the most crucial points of the method, not everyone can understand them.

If a practitioner's inner cultivation is not yet stable, then on meeting various obstacles they may wrongly conclude that the method has no effect, when in fact they have simply failed to grasp its principles. Those who have achieved success in inner cultivation can go without hunger merely by swallowing the saliva in their mouths. How much more so when they devote themselves to qi-ingestion (fuqi: exhaling and inhaling, swallowing and drawing in the breath).

When one first begins to ingest qi, its effect is still faint. In the early stage, the stagnant, impure qi accumulated in the body is gradually expelled, and one may feel weak and limp in the limbs. Do not be afraid at this point. It is because the original Qi (Yuanqi) has not yet reached the abdomen and stomach. Keep swallowing the breath and let it circulate gradually, and the body will improve from day to day. Hold your resolve firm and concentrate on Guarding the One. When the lower Dantian (energy center) is filled with original Qi, hunger and thirst will fade away. Even if no result appears at first and the skin and complexion look yellow and gaunt, there is no need to fear; they will gradually recover. If the will is not focused, and one eats while practicing, the qi-ingestion will hardly be effective and failure will come again and again. Insufficient inner cultivation and too many attachments will likewise lead to failure.

The Taiyuan Jing (Scripture of the Great Origin) says that there are many methods of abstaining from grain (xiuliang: ceasing to eat the five grains), and that for the Dao to take effect quickly, it takes at least nine years; if one wishes to ingest qi, one should hold firm for a hundred days and abstain from all broths and liquids. If the will does not waver, the Three Corpses will dispel themselves, and the practice will not easily fail. Practitioners often let the mind and spirit (Shen) waver through restlessness, agitation, and heavy doubt; the Three Corpses then become active, stray thoughts arrive in swarms, and it becomes hard to gather in the Shen. In that case, even if one ingests qi, one easily gives up halfway and achieves little.

If the qi of grain has not yet been exhausted, how can one distinguish the breath? The qi is hard to retain and easily dissipates. In practicing qi-ingestion, one hopes the breath will reach the five viscera quickly; apart from medicinal decoctions, all other food must be forbidden. After forty-nine days, the grain qi in the body will vanish of itself; if one eats even a little, it will be hard to remove.

If you wish to make the breath circulate and clarify the inner organs, you should take in original Qi. After fifty consecutive days without eating, close the eyes and visualize inwardly: the qi in the spleen rises from the heart and spreads to the four limbs. Lying on your back, recite this invocation: "The center, Wu and Ji (the central qi represented by the Five Phases' direction and the Heavenly Stems), holds original Qi within; the power of yellow is firm, and by turning it one can bring about regulation and healing. Danyang (spirit name of Yang qi), do not shirk the toil; Zhuyin (spirit name of Yin qi), deliberate together with it. When the breath reaches the four limbs, the yellow clouds of qi will flourish greatly." Practice every day at the fifth watch, when the rooster first crows, and do not disturb the timing. If you persevere for twenty-seven days, it is said that in inner contemplation you will see the spleen qi as thick as a yellow cloud, passing through the four limbs. Afterward you can also use this qi to blow out a candle flame, even extinguishing it from a hundred paces away as if a great wind had suddenly risen; you can also raise a yellow cloud to veil your body so that others cannot see you. This is the Zhonghuang method of closing the qi. If you do not practice at the start of the fifth watch, or cannot persevere, missing even a single day may render it ineffective.

When the qi ingestion has not yet reached the four limbs, the body may be weak, but so long as your resolve is firm, there is no need to fear. The Dadong Jing (Scripture of the Great Cavern) says: "Hold on as you did at the very beginning, and you will have more than enough to accomplish the great Dao."

The first worm dwells in the upper Dantian in the brain (where the head and mind reside). The Dongshen Xuanjue (Mysterious Instructions of the Cavern of Spirit) says that the upper worm is white tinged with blue and is named Peng Ju; it makes people greedy for desires, infatuated, and dull. Those who cultivate the Dao should restrain these cravings. Even if one does not completely abstain from the five grains, as long as one cultivates with this attentiveness constantly, the upper corpse will cease of itself after a year; if one only abstains from the five grains but does not renounce greed and desire, how could the worm be destroyed?

All kinds of stray thoughts will stir your mind together and make you constantly think of the flavors of food; once a thought arises, the mind feels as if it had fallen ill. If there is no inner cultivation to support body and mind, you will be deluded and disturbed by the Three Worms.

The second worm lives in the Mingtang (Bright Hall; the location of the middle Dantian). The Dongshen Xuanjue says that the middle worm is named Peng Zhi, white tinged with yellow, and dwells in the middle Dantian; it makes people greedy for wealth and prone to joy and anger, disturbs the clear qi, keeps the three hun souls from settling, and obstructs the movement of the seven po souls. The Dongxuan Jing (Scripture of the Cavern of Mystery) says: "Without joy or anger, the middle corpse is afraid; without greed or craving, harmonious qi is ever abundant; in sitting you will see the Original Yang, and the many spirits will all gather."

It makes your hun spirit fly about in dreams and your thoughts drift unsettled: at times you imagine sweet and delicious flavors, at times you waver between advancing and retreating and can hardly keep to a constant course; the spirit grows muddled as if mad, and in the end your practice fails and you return to eating the five grains. If you understand this, you can hold steady in peace, and your cultivation of the Dao will naturally flourish.

The third worm dwells in the abdomen and stomach, in the lower Dantian, and is named Peng Jiao, white tinged with black; it makes people covet clothing, indulge in wine, and crave sensual beauty. As long as the practitioner's mind is settled, the Three Corpses will die of themselves and no longer hinder the practice.

Keep yourself plain and free of attachments; once the Three Corpses are eliminated, the various anxious thoughts will subside as well. While qi-ingestion is not yet smooth, the practitioner will contend and wrestle with the Three Corpses: sometimes prone to anger, sometimes sorrowful and brooding, sometimes especially craving flavors. They cause the mind and spirit to become disordered and lose their proper course; if you can hold your resolve, the Three Worms will depart.

The Taishang Shengxuan Jing (Scripture of the Supreme Ascension to the Mystery) says that if one holds firm in resolve while ingesting qi, the upper worm will die within a month and the second worm will have nowhere to cling. So long as one persists in qi-ingestion, the upper worm dies on the thirtieth day, the middle worm on the sixtieth, and the lower worm on the ninetieth; if the will does not shift for a hundred days, the body will be healthy and the spirit clear, and one will not decline for a long time. If one sometimes eats and sometimes fasts, so that the resolve turns back, the practice will not be effective.

In this way one will be able to see the qi of the Five Sprouts and Nine Perfected. The Five Sprouts refer to the qi of the Five Phases, born in a person's five viscera; the Nine Perfected refer to the Dao of the Nine Heavens. The five viscera correspond to the Nine Heavens, so the qi of the five viscera is also called the qi of the Nine Heavens. Once the original Qi has been cultivated to completion, one will naturally recognize and employ the qi of the Five Phases, and it is said that one can then make the breath flow freely, reaching everywhere without obstruction.

The Five Sprouts (wuya, the qi of the five viscera) dislike pungent, sour, and similar flavors. If the five flavors are never interrupted, the numinous qi of the five viscera has difficulty arising, and a person remains forever led about by desires and stray thoughts. If one reduces the intake of grain and water in the diet, there is no need to worry that the Five Qi will fail to grow. Once the Five Qi have arisen, the five emotions and aspirations naturally come into harmony; once the five viscera are full and robust, original qi (Qi) gathers; once original qi gathers, the Five Spirits (Shen) become manifest. When the Five Spirits are manifest, a person comes to regard worldly affairs lightly and is no longer burdened by the world.

This is because the Three Worms (the Three Corpses, sanshi, spirits said to dwell within the human body, record a person's faults, and report them to the Director of Destinies) long for a person to die early. Hiding within the body, they search out transgressions, and on every gengshen day they report to the Director of Destinies. If a person is not vigilant, does not cultivate body and spirit (Shen) early, and does not moderate eating and drinking, then as the years advance and strength declines, both body and spirit wither and wane. Even if one's resolve is as firm as pine or bamboo, one may still accomplish nothing. When life reaches its end, regret comes too late.

For those who practice fuqi (the ingestion of qi, regulating the breath, exhaling and inhaling, and nurturing original qi), the most essential thing is to guard the spirit (Shen) in stillness, put a stop to cluttered affairs, and render the activities of the Three Worms ineffective, so that the movement of spirit and qi (Shen and Qi) yields tangible results. In this way the Five Spirits can be settled, and one gradually attains understanding of the profound principle.

Once the heart and spirit (Shen) are clear and still, one's will and intention naturally become luminous, and one transcends the ordinary and attains insight, as though a realm of carefree ease, like drifting mist and rosy clouds, lay right before one's eyes.

By nurturing body and mind and clearing away stray thoughts, one can penetrate principles that are wondrous and profound. If the turbid Qi (vital energy) that comes with food and drink can be expelled, the channels and vessels within the body become naturally free-flowing, and the five viscera manifest a numinous light—that is, Shen (spirit) and Qi. The principle in this is deep and hard to fathom.

In this way, you can sit in stillness and come to know the Dao (the Way) of life and death. If you can restrain and cut off the various flavors of food and drink, some attainment may be possible after a hundred days. At that time, all manner of numinous Qi will lie hidden within the body; the subtle workings of life and death will seem as though they can all be seen, and one may even come to know conditions beyond the heavens and in the offices of the underworld.

Use the breath to warm and nourish the sinews and bones, so that strength reaches every joint. With both hands in wogu—the cultivation gesture of holding the thumbs in the palms and curling the fingers around them—let the breath course unseen and connect throughout, opening all the pores and orifices of the body.

The Taixi Zhili Jing (Scripture on the Principles of Embryonic Breathing) records: After practicing fuqi (the ingestion of Qi) for fifty days, even if one has not yet completely given up food and drink, one may choose a clear, bright time when the midday sun is at its height, spread a clean, soft mat indoors, loosen the hair, and lie upon it, with both hands in wogu placed beside the two flanks. Then tap the teeth seven times, set the mind upright, and close the eyes. If there is a slight feeling of tightness in the chest, grip firmly in wogu, allowing the sinews and vessels gradually to ease and extend, so that numinous Qi moves unseen between bone and flesh, and fluids together with the Qi of perspiration moisten the skin.

This should be practiced often. Over time, the complexion becomes lustrous, strength doubles, the hair looks as if newly washed, and the beard becomes like black silk. If one does not know how to hold the breath in order to refine the bodily form, and how to employ Yuanqi (primordial Qi) so that it circulates among the hairs, then even if one fasts in cultivation and seeks long life, one will still lack the luster of Jing (essence), Qi, and Shen, no different from tiles, stones, grasses, and trees.

The hundred orifices—the apertures throughout the human body—communicate with one another, and all are presided over by Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy). The hundred orifices connect with the acupoints, and the acupoints connect with the meridians. The acupoints of the eyes communicate with the liver, and the liver meridian in turn links with the heart; thus, when sorrow fills the heart, tears flow. The acupoints of the upper palate communicate with the nasal meridian, and the nasal meridian connects with the heart meridian, so that in sorrow one feels a sour ache in the nose. The nasal meridian also communicates with the brain meridian; therefore, when heat arises in the brain, the nose becomes dry.

The Dongshen Mingzang Jing (Scripture of the Luminous Repository of Dongshen, the Cavern of Spirit) says that the hundred vessels circulate among one another, the hundred orifices correspond to one another, the joints are mutually linked, and the bones cohere with one another. If a single acupoint is blocked, every kind of illness may arise; if a single meridian is obstructed, the channels and collaterals throughout the body fall into disorder. Therefore, practicing the ingestion of Qi and regulating the breath can keep the meridians open and free. If one who cultivates the Dao (the Way) can keep the stomach and abdomen free of accumulated stagnation, the hundred spirits will gather in the body; cold and heat cannot intrude, and the primordial Qi can be harmonized and settled. Poisons cannot do harm, and the spirits of the five viscera are able to stand guard; fierce beasts dare not attack, and the gods of the earth will also protect and sustain. The body can be concealed or made manifest; bone and flesh accord with mysterious transformation, and one can thereby attain the wisdom of the sages.

Thus the power to expel pathogenic influences and to regulate the joints and bones throughout the body all returns to oneself. The hundred passes and the nine joints are all dwellings of the spirits; when the viscera and bowels are free of deviant Qi, the myriad spirits gather. The commentary says that deviant Qi is the Qi of grain; when upright Qi circulates, scars, blemishes, and Qi that enters from outside naturally recede.

When the mind is tranquil, one can penetrate the principles of things and clearly distinguish the true from the false; from this lucid insight one is able to tell the deviant from the upright. Understanding the true Dao, one can endure for a long time, bringing form and spirit through the gate of deathlessness and ascending above the Nine Heavens.

The Dao of lasting existence lies in single-minded firmness and steady perseverance.

The method of preserving life over the long term depends above all on concentrated cultivation and a steadfast resolve; if the mind is not single-minded, it is difficult to penetrate the profound and subtle principles. Once the circulation of Qi (vital energy) is unobstructed, one must cherish one’s own bodily form and Shen (spirit), and come to understand the path of cultivation that leads toward deathlessness.

In cultivation, what most readily creates obstruction? The crucial point lies in the stage of forty-nine days. The commentary explains that after one begins to ingest Qi, one must gradually expel the turbid residues left by food and drink and cut off water and grain. By about the forty-ninth day, the channels and vessels of the body should gradually become open; when one turns the gaze inward in inner illumination, it is as bright as candlelight, the worldly mind is also set aside, and the five viscera are calm and at peace. If one cannot persevere, the cultivation already accomplished will be entirely lost. One must therefore maintain the practice with care and eat little of the various flavors, salty and sour among them; if one eats a great deal, it is difficult to expel grain-Qi, the turbid Qi formed by food and drink.

The five flavors—salty, sweet, pungent, sour, and the rest—readily harm the five viscera. When the savor of food enters the mouth, it clouds the mind and also affects the channels within the body, so that grain-Qi congeals, stagnates, and remains in the abdomen. If one wishes to reach the goal of cultivation as soon as possible, one must resolutely cut off such food and drink.

When grain-Qi lingers, the spirit-Qi of the six bowels grows weak, and the numinous clarity of the various parts of the body and of the nine orifices—the apertures of the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and the like—is also affected. This is because spirit-Qi has not gathered in the Dantian (energy center), and the spiritual light cannot illuminate the viscera and bowels.

If one can maintain the practice with care and complete a full hundred days of cultivation, the various vessels become open, clear, and bright, like a bright mirror. The luminous spirits of the six bowels appear distinctly and are no longer hidden; they also manifest to the practitioner and convey the state of mind. The commentary interprets this as the spirits of the five viscera naturally revealing themselves.

The lingering of the Qi of food and drink obstructs cultivation and makes progress difficult. Broadly speaking, grain-Qi that is full and stagnantly accumulated is precisely the obstacle to cultivation.

The refined essence left after grain is digested in the body cuts a person off from spiritual nature, entwines the five viscera, the six bowels, and the vessels and channels, and leaves the channels of Qi (vital energy) clouded and stagnant.

The commentary says that the essence of grain Qi turns into things such as saliva and mucous film, which cling among the five viscera and six bowels, the joints, and the sinews and vessels, so that one finds it hard to grasp profound principles. Those who practice fuqi (cultivation by regulating the breath and swallowing and taking in Qi), after fifty or sixty days, may feel that the residue in the stomach and intestines has already been fully expelled and suppose that nothing else remains in the abdomen; in fact, the essence of grain Qi has not yet been discharged. Thoughts then arise of wanting to eat and of fearing that one’s cultivated attainment will dissipate. The mind grows urgent instead, anxious beyond endurance, and one may also be harassed by “corpse-ghosts” (here meaning malign influences and the like that obstruct cultivation).

What is later expelled may resemble pus and blood, spoiled fat, or the droppings of birds; this is a sign that the grain Qi is about to be discharged. After another twenty or thirty days, if foreign matter appears that resembles saliva or a thin membrane, that is the form in which the essence of grain is expelled. If in the past one ate and drank while also practicing fuqi, cultivating only off and on, and only after more than a year abstained from food completely, the effects can still appear gradually. If these foreign substances do not appear, there is no need to be surprised. Once the grain Qi recedes, the vessels and channels become unobstructed, and the body, within and without, seems as if lit by candlelight. The Dadong Jing (Great Cavern Scripture) says that beginners in fuqi likewise feel that the residue in the intestines has been fully expelled; seeing the broths and water they drink soon discharged from the intestines, they suppose the abdomen is already empty, when in fact the grain Qi has not yet been expelled. If the grain Qi has been entirely eliminated, thoughts of craving food no longer arise; body and mind settle, suddenly open and at ease, and one need not fear illnesses brought on by solitude, emaciation, and the like. Worries about slipping backward in cultivation and finding it hard to persevere should be carefully considered; one ought not give up lightly. If one can for a time cut off broth and water and has already persisted for about thirty days, yet then shrinks back and cannot continue, it is like digging a well and, having already seen the water, failing to draw it—truly a pity.

If the Yuanshen (a person’s original, fundamental spirit) cannot return, on what can it rely? How can those whose mind and intent have not yet gotten through fathom the principle in this?

The commentary says that if grain Qi still remains among the viscera and bowels, Shen (spirit) and Qi cannot rest securely in the Dantian (energy center; in Daoist cultivation, the site where Jing (essence), Qi, and Shen are stored and nourished). Practitioners of the Dao (the Way) therefore grow dull and unknowing, and fail to perceive the wondrous efficacy close at hand.

Alas, this mysterious palace contains twelve-storied towers and pavilions; who would have known that in the end it would become the nest of the Three Worms (sanchong; what Daoism calls parasites in the human body, or agents of disease)?

The commentary says that if one does not cultivate the bodily form and the spirit, the palaces of the body become the place where the Three Worms dwell.

The Three Worms’ Dwelling, Chapter Nine

The Three Worms (sanchong) reside in the three regions of the human body, that is, the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers) commonly spoken of—the three sites of cultivation within the body. If a person cultivates with care according to the teachings of the sages and skillfully employs the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) within the body, there is no need to worry about death, nor will calamities intrude.

Primordial Qi (yuanqi, the original Qi within the human body) is abundant and circulates, constantly moving through the body before finally returning to the Dantian. Once the grain Qi transformed from food and drink has been exhausted, one can distinguish the primordial Qi, which is the Qi of the Nine Immortals.

The True Qi (vital energy) of the Nine Immortals (a pure primordial Qi gained through cultivation, as spoken of in Daoism) often manifests its efficacy of its own accord. Once the Three Worms (creatures that, in traditional Daoist belief, dwell in the body and deplete Jing (essence) and Qi) have perished, the body returns to peace. The Dadong Yuan Jing says: “When the Three Worms perish, Shen (spirit) and Qi grow abundant.” In cultivation one must turn inward and contemplate the Qi in the five viscera, making it as lively and responsive as divine spirits; as for the method of dwelling in the world while roaming in concealment, the details are given in the chapter on Embryonic Breathing.

Breath circulates together with the body itself, and respiration arises from this. When Shen and Qi are abundant, breathing and the movement of Qi give rise to transformations like clouds and mist, and the practitioner naturally attains the art of concealment and transformation, moving without hindrance.

The Qi gained through cultivation gathers in the Dantian (energy center; the place within the body that Daoist internal cultivation regards as where Qi collects), gleaming and flickering. Commentators say that after one succeeds in the practice of ingesting Qi, Qi congeals in the Dantian in the shape of an egg, bright as a candle flame, able to illuminate several li, so that no place within the body remains unseen. This is what is called the Qi of the Three Dantians, which naturally appears in this state.

The sinews and bones grow strong, and the body becomes calm and steady. The Sanguang Jing says: “Refine the marrow until it is like frost; exchange the bones until they are as hard as steel.” After a thousand days of ingesting Qi, one’s strength becomes twice that of ordinary times; thereafter one may even travel a thousand li in a day, beyond the reach of a swift horse.

The heart-mind and Shen rest at ease, the emotions are cheerful and unobstructed, thought is free and unbound, the spirit ranges high, and the inner state is bright and clear. Commentators say that those who succeed in the practice of feeding on Qi find that the heart-mind and Shen are often relaxed and joyful, their feelings lofty and far-reaching, and they no longer prize ordinary worldly life.

Practitioners gradually cease to delight in the five flavors, and may even sense something rotten among them; they can also detect a rank, decaying odor within the five fragrances. Commentators explain that this is because one can trace from the surface back to the source and see the dregs and decay of food, and so these sensations arise; it is a sign that “heavenly Qi” has come to circulate freely.

The skin becomes firm, fair, and clear, and the sinews and bones grow clean and robust. Commentators say that the chapter on Embryonic Breathing sets out in further detail a method for refining the bones.

When cultivation reaches a certain stage, one’s name is removed from the registers of the underworld and entered in the immortal registers of the celestial realm. Even while seated, one can perceive the affairs of the underworld offices and command divine spirits, until at last one inwardly unites with the Embryonic Immortal (the immortal form gestated from internal Qi in Daoist cultivation) and naturally attains the Dao (the Way). Commentators say that when embryonic breathing reaches five hundred breaths, one enters an extraordinary realm: the underworld register is erased and one’s name is entered in the immortal registers of the Three Heavens; at a thousand breaths, the hun and po souls can roam the upper realms.

The true immortal of embryonic breathing attains the state of breath-retention by ingesting primordial Qi (vital energy); when true Qi is guarded within, embryonic breathing is formed. The commentary says that one must first ingest Qi for two hundred days, and only after the five viscera have gradually grown empty and still may one learn embryonic breathing. Practice is carried out in a quiet, windless sealed chamber, with body and mind relaxed and attention held in concentrated mindfulness, gradually extending the time of breath-retention. Daoist Jing (scriptures) regard the cutting off of breath as death, and regard retaining the breath and guarding Qi as the way of becoming an immortal; they also say that the practitioner may see scenes of hun and po souls, ghosts, and spirits. On meeting such scenes, one should keep the mind and Shen (spirit) settled and give rise to no fear. The commentary further stresses that a reliable companion should be at hand to attend to one. After successful cultivation, it is said that the soul-spirit may roam the upper realms together with the three hun souls and the primordial Shen. This method demands caution; once it has been accomplished, not the slightest leakage is permissible.

The five-colored feathered robe and the glow of rosy clouds are not obtained from outside. The point is that when cultivation reaches the raising of the bodily form, the Qi of the five viscera transforms into cloud-wings. The commentary states that after the form is refined and one ascends to heaven, the five-colored feathered robe naturally appears. The Zhongtian Yujing describes it as thin and light as a cicada’s wing, its radiance inexhaustible. The cicada drinks Qi and rides the dew, and so grows its wings; if a person ingests primordial Qi, one can be as though clad in a heavenly robe and meet with no obstruction.

This chapter discusses the visualization and cultivation of the true Qi (Zhenqi) of the five viscera. The scripture compares the Qi (vital energy) of the five viscera to the sprouts and blossoms of lingzhi that nourish life, and holds that primordial Qi (Yuanqi) transforms and generates the human body, linking inner breath, spirit, and the body with one another. Through regulating the breath, concentrating the spirit (Shen), and visualizing the Qi of each organ, the practitioner can gradually enter “fetal breathing” (Taixi)—a state of cultivation in which the breath becomes deep and still, as if one had returned to the condition of the fetus.

The liver belongs to the east and to Wood, and its color is blue-green. The scripture says that in practice one should visualize blue-green Qi rising from the left flank; after continued cultivation, the blue-green Qi will appear like clouds. It also says that this Qi may be used to regulate and treat others’ heat illnesses, epidemic swellings, scabies, ringworm, and the like. If a patient’s liver color appears withered and lifeless, the condition is considered difficult to cure. After the breath is held a thousand times, the blue-green Qi circulates throughout and settles into stability.

The heart belongs to the south and to Fire, and its color is red. One visualizes in the heart a mass of red Qi the size of an egg, which gradually rises to the crown of the head and disperses. If one continues to practice according to the oral formulas and methods recorded in the scripture, the red Qi will appear like the light of fire and may be used to treat cold illnesses. If the patient’s complexion turns blue-green, the case is considered difficult to save. The scripture also cautions that cultivation through visualizing spirit and Qi should not be made known to others.

The lungs belong to the west and to Metal, and their color is white. At the chou hour, the practitioner may visualize between the lungs a Qi like a white pearl, its radiance gradually rising to the space between the eyebrows, while reciting the oral formula. After forty-nine days of continued practice, it is said that the lung Qi will appear like white clouds, able both to illuminate treasures beneath the ground and to discern a person’s good and evil. The scripture stresses that in employing the Qi of the five viscera one must understand the generation and overcoming of the Five Phases (Wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water): for cold conditions use the heart Qi, which belongs to Fire; for heat conditions use the kidney Qi, which belongs to Water. If the Qi is used inappropriately, it will not be effective.

The spleen belongs to the center and to Earth, and its color is yellow. The scripture says that by holding the breath a thousand times and visualizing the yellow Qi each day, after forty-nine days of continued practice one will be able to see the spleen Qi; thereafter, it is claimed, one can pass through walls and conceal one’s bodily form.

The kidneys belong to the north and to Water, and their color is black. The practitioner visualizes black Qi lying low in the lower origin (Xiayuan—the lower part of the body, the region associated with the root of life) and guards the Gate of Life (Mingmen). The Qi of the five viscera may all be visualized together at the beginning of the fifth watch, so that it manifests from the crown of the head. One may also refrain from visualizing each of them separately and from reciting incantations, but the effect will be slower and a full hundred days will be required.

The scripture further says that the cultivation of ingesting Qi requires an upright mind and will, together with the concurrent cultivation of inner practice and conduct, so that the inner and the outer support each other. After success in cultivation, it is said that one can commune with ghosts and anomalies, essence-sprites, and local deities; yet before one has obtained the “True Registers of the Three Heavens” (Santian zhenlu—high-ranking registers conferred in Daoism), one must not arbitrarily command these spirits, lest harm be incurred. If one can perfect fetal breathing and obtain the formula for ascending the body, one may then practice “corpse liberation” (Shijie—the Daoist art of transformation by leaving the form behind and departing from the ordinary human body) and move about in the world.

The final passage describes one method of corpse liberation: on a geng or xin day, at the geng hour, burn incense in a clean room and place a dragon staff, shoes, and similar items at the head of the bed; dress, cover oneself with a quilt, lie down with the head toward the west, visualize oneself as already dead, and silently recite the incantation seven times. According to the scripture, after forty-nine days of practice one may later take up any object at hand and silently recite the incantation, so that the body seems to leave its original place and others see only the object left behind, believing the practitioner has died; afterward one can still resume one’s original form. The scripture warns that this art may be used only for proper purposes and must be kept carefully secret; if one covets wealth and sexual indulgence, one will be punished by the gods.

The True Palace of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)—the upper-realm immortal palace spoken of in Daoism—stands amid the azure sky. Vermilion gates and lofty terraces rise tier upon tier, and jade towers stand ranged beside one another like towering peaks.

The palaces of the upper realm arise within a deep and mysterious domain, condensed from five-colored Qi (vital energy). The earth of the lower realm, by contrast, is borne up by condensed watery Qi, and so it cannot transform freely, nor is it firm, lasting, or level enough. The upper realm takes eight kinds of precious treasure as its ground and seven kinds of treasure as its vessels and implements. Its palaces are spontaneously composed of the seven treasures, neither built nor set in motion by human effort. The sun and moon of the upper realm are formed from the Jing (essence) and Qi of the seven treasures, while the sun and moon of the lower realm are formed from the pure Qi of Yin-Yang. What the lower realm calls one year of three hundred and sixty days corresponds to a single day of twelve double-hours in the upper realm. The Taihuang Jing (scripture) says, “Do not feed on the Jing of the soil; in life, dwell in the City of Taiyi.” This means that bodily form and spirit-consciousness can transcend and depart together.

The Jasper Halls—palaces adorned with fine jade—shine with brilliant color, their emerald hues rich and vivid. The radiance of the seven treasures passes freely within and without, with nothing to obstruct it. A thousand galleries and ten thousand towers reflect one another, yet the Great Immortals and the Perfected still dwell beyond these palaces.

Within the palace, crimson clouds and purple Qi often unfold in gentle harmony, and between the jade walls and golden beams all is delicate and bright. The Xuangong Yutang Jing says, “Walls of white jade, beams of yellow gold, frames of blue coral, couches of red jade. Offer the delicacies of the Nine Heavens, and pour the immortal nectar of the Eight Jades.”

Phoenixes dance and luan birds sing, and the immortals roam freely amid song, dance, and chant. “Dance of the Celestial Phoenix” and “Song of the Empyrean Luan” are also the names of musical pieces of the immortal realm.

Jade delicacies and golden immortal nectar may be enjoyed at will. The Jiuyan Xuanchu Jing says that each day the delicacies of the Nine Heavens are presented ten times and the immortal nectar of the Eight Jades is offered seven times—that is, one eats ten times and drinks eight times in a single day.

Those who cultivate embryonic breathing (taixi), a method of regulating the breath and nourishing Qi, may take their place among the superior immortals of the Nine Perfected.

The True Immortals of the Nine Qi (the perfected immortals who command the nine kinds of true Qi, vital energy) wear magnificent garments: brocade robes, gauze as thin as cicada wings, and flowing cloud-skirts, with cicada-shaped pendants hanging at their waists. On their heads they wear celestial crowns, whose jade ornaments strike against one another and give forth sounds of rising and falling pitch, as if the five musical notes were interwoven; on their feet they wear brocade shoes embroidered with nine patterns, the ornamentation lavish, like a host of stars set into the wall of heaven.

Clad in rainbow-like immortal robes, they proceed to Taiyi to have audience with the Lords of the Nine Heavens. Numerous fairy maidens in multicolored dress hold banners and streamers; the hundred spirits lead the carriages, and jade lads accompany them. Before the procession are dragon pennants, and behind it tiger banners; to left and right stand guards such as the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger. The immortals’ feathered robes flutter in the wind, while the orthodox Qi of the eight directions goes ahead to clear the way. They then ascend into the lofty heavens and enter the Mysterious Palace of Taiwei.

The Mysterious Palace of Taiwei is the place in the heavens that administers the registers of life and death for the world below. At each turn of the four seasons and at the eight nodal periods, the officials report these name-registers up to the heavens. The officials here are said to number four hundred thousand in all.

Above the Taiwei Mysterious Palace (the celestial palace spoken of in Daoism) lies the vast and lofty heavenly realm. There, whether the wind stirs or rests, its sound is like music played upon the sheng and the yu.

Palaces and towers rise in lofty splendor, tier upon tier, so deep and remote that the eye cannot take them all in.

The practitioner’s lifespan gradually lengthens, clothing grows light and supple, and the body itself gradually becomes tall and great. Upon reaching the Nine Heavens (the ninefold heavenly realms spoken of in Daoism), the feathered robes and ceremonial regalia of each heaven are more abundant than those of the one before; the feathered robes are lighter still, and the human form taller still. The colored ornaments upon the body are bright and magnificent, and the distances over which the sun and moon are seen to travel grow ever more remote.

This is the state in which, as the movements of the mind direct the body, one at last attains freedom and passes beyond the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm).

One who quiets the mind to discern principle and cultivates the true Dao (the Way) may become a sage. The nine criteria of practice form the gateway by which the cultivator of the Dao finds a secure place in life, and in walking and dwelling, in movement and stillness, one never departs from them: first, take compassion as one’s clothing; second, take the cessation of craving and the casting off of attachment as one’s food; third, take the rectifying of thought as one’s carriage; fourth, take singleness of will as one’s ability; fifth, take humility and lowliness as one’s bed; sixth, take accord with right principle as one’s implements; seventh, take diligent bestowal of benefit as one’s house; eighth, take the cultivation of emptiness and stillness as one’s dwelling; ninth, take giving in secret as one’s undertaking. If one who cultivates the Dao does not observe these nine criteria, one will grow ever more distant from the Dao.

The nine practices of the gate of emptiness are the road that leads to the realm of ultimate truth, and the Great Dao does not depart from these criteria of practice. If one who cultivates the Dao does not observe the nine practices, one will grow ever more distant from the Dao.

By upholding the “Nine Practices of the Empty Gate” (nine methods of cultivation leading toward clarity, stillness, and Wuwei [non-action]), one can set out on the path to supreme truth. The Great Dao (the Way) does not contend with people or give way to anger. Whether in movement or at rest, this must be maintained continuously and without interruption; when the Yin spirit (Yinshen—the subtle spirit, Shen, within the body) turns its gaze back upon itself, the divine spirits continually extend their protection and aid.

If the mind is upheld without slackening, cultivation of the Dao readily succeeds. The various practices become a true use of mind only when one does not cling to mental notions; practice carried out through mental notions must in the end return to the Heavenly Dao and reach the state of no-mind. What is called no-mind is not the total absence of mental activity, but rather cultivating by means of mental notions while remaining unattached to them.

Only when selfish thoughts and delusive notions are removed can one be called true. The miscellaneous affairs of the mundane world are called gou (“the contingent”); removing these stray thoughts is chu (“elimination”). Clearing away mental notions and stilling deliberation allows the various practices to return to clarity and stillness.

Proceeding in accord with embryonic breathing (taixi—the Daoist method of regulating respiration so that the breath becomes fine, subtle, and prolonged) enables one to enter the Gate of Heaven (Tianmen—the portal leading to the celestial realm or the Great Dao). In practicing embryonic breathing, the essential point lies in doing good; attaining the state of no-thought is the path that leads to the supreme Dao.

The Mysterious Origin (Xuanyuan—the root-source of the Dao) and right principle lie stored within. The practitioner should gather in body and mind, preserve and nourish the self, avoid partiality and delusion, and cultivate with a settled heart, so that the bodily form accords with the true Dao. The Dongxuan Jing (Scripture of the Cavern of Mystery) says: “When the heart harbors no crooked bias, the various spirits will be full and sufficient.”

When the Three Regions (sanbu—the upper, middle, and lower sites within the human body) are clear and still, primordial Qi (vital energy) can be firmly retained; when the Six Viscera (liufu—the gallbladder, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, bladder, and triple burner) are harmonized, they can transform and generate a million spirits. When the Three Origins (sanyuan) are clear and still and the Six Viscera are harmonized, true Qi returns to true practice; when these two aspects come together, the spirits of the Five Viscera (wuzang) and the Six Viscera naturally respond in harmony.

The myriad spirits within the Six Viscera unite with true Qi, so that cultivation returns to genuine practice; when the two come together, the spirits of the Five Viscera and the Six Viscera naturally resonate in response.

The myriad Shen (spirits) of the six fu (bowels) each have their own station, and this has always been so. By using the Qi (vital energy) of primordial harmony—the original Qi innate to the human body—to nourish oneself in purity and stillness, one can bring the Qi of grain and food to complete exhaustion.

The large intestine is the bowel-residence of the lungs, and within it is stored the Yuan Shen (the governing spirit within the human body). After the five zang (viscera) and six fu have been made pure, the myriad Shen each settle securely in their places. The scripture says that the large intestine governs the lungs, and that the center of the bridge of the nose may be observed for the color of the Qi. The large intestine weighs twelve liang, is one zhang and two chi in length and eight cun in width, lies to the left of the navel, coils through twelve bends, and can contain one dou and two sheng of water and grain, corresponding to the twelve double-hours. Within it are twelve Shen, each dressed in robes and caps of the color proper to its own station, taking turns by the hour to guard the one who cultivates the Dao (the Way). When the Qi of water and grain is exhausted and original Qi is abundant, these Shen become manifest.

Within the kidney residence are the inner palace ladies (the divine beings of the kidney spoken of in the scripture), corresponding outwardly to the ears; the ears are their gateway. The Neishen Jing (Scripture of the Inner Spirits) says that Jing (essence) and Qi return to the kidneys; the kidneys are like the rear palace, in which palace ladies are arrayed, and the breath of the kidneys is received by the ears. The left kidney belongs to the stem Ren and the right kidney to the stem Gui, and Qi circulates between the two ears. In the kidneys there are five hundred Shen. Among them the Yuan Shen presides over all the Shen and also governs a person’s will. If a person is often angry, the kidneys are injured; when the kidneys are injured, the will is lost, and the Yuan Shen is damaged as well. Therefore one who cultivates the Dao should refrain from anger. When practice is accomplished, the inner Shen manifest and guard the cultivator.

The bladder is paired with the kidneys and is the bowel-residence that receives the fluids. The circulation of the Sea of Qi (Qihai, the place within the body where breath gathers) is an important pathway of cultivation. Kidney Qi unites with the bladder; from there the fluids circulate, corresponding to the root of the tongue. The fluids should constantly moisten the sides of the tongue. If the mouth lacks fluid, one who practices Fuqi (the cultivation method of regulating the breath and absorbing Qi) and has not yet succeeded should speak little, so as to preserve the fluids. Too much speech dries the mouth, and a dry mouth is unfavorable to the circulation of Qi. In the bladder there are three hundred and sixty Shen, corresponding to the number of the year. When the breath has been successfully cultivated, these Shen become manifest. The Shen practice the way of being without greed, and so the cultivator of the Dao should likewise be without greed, bringing mind and intention into accord with the principle of the Shen. The Dadong Shengxuan Jing (Scripture of the Great Cavern Ascending to the Mystery) says that when one’s conduct accords with the Shen, the Shen appear; when cultivation of the Dao is accomplished, one may return to Heaven. These Shen manifest together with Taixi (the cultivation method of nourishing body and mind through breathing) and guard those who draw near to the Great Dao.

If you are able to see the various Shen within the body and never disclose this matter throughout your life, the Shen will constantly come to assist you.

Those who practice this method should keep the secrets of the celestial deities and single-mindedly hold fast to their own resolve in cultivation. If they never divulge them, the celestial deities will protect and bless them.

No scripture (Jing) transmitted from the celestial realm may be displayed at will. The Taiguang Jing has thirty-three chapters; already no one in the world knows them, and casual transmission is strictly forbidden. How much more so the wondrous oral formulas in the Zhonghuang Zhenjing, which are secrets within secrets and must be guarded with especial care.

Before scriptures of this kind are displayed, one should first bow to the Jade Immortal Envoys of the Three Perfected, and then read with full concentration. The Jiaoling Ke says that if one wishes to open and display the scriptures of the Three Perfected and the like, one should choose a jiazi day, burn incense in a clean room, visualize in the mind the Perfected One of Nanhua, and invite the True Lords of the Three Heavens to bear witness together. One then faces east, bows four times, and states that, in seeking the Dao (the Way), one is opening the true writings of the Great Sages of the Nine Heavens, showing them only once. In this way one may receive the aid of the hundred numinous spirits, return in person to Taiwu (the realm of void that Daoism regards as the primordial origin), and have one’s name enter the celestial realm. The scriptures must not be shown to three people; one must never leak them lightly. If one opens and displays the scriptures at will without following the scriptural teachings, one will invite calamity. The blame is not light, and the matter must not be treated with disrespect.

Those who violate these instructions will suffer abnormal calamities, and their descendants will also come to harm; this should be especially avoided. The scripture warns that residual misfortune and punishment will be passed down from generation to generation, so one must be exceedingly cautious.