《性命要旨》

Looking at the people of the world, some pursue fame and others pursue profit. Those who seek neither are probably few. Only practitioners of the Way, who grasp the fundamental principles of Hunyuan (the state before Heaven and Earth were divided, the original beginning of all things) and take the pivot of Heaven and Earth as the foundation of their lives, are like those who make their own bodies a great furnace and their minds and bodies a great cauldron in order to refine and nourish their true nature. For this reason their hearts are free of attachments, and they accept whatever circumstances bring. They are unlike ordinary people.

In the year I was staying in Hangao (a place name), I happened to meet Old Master Ke Huaijing and Elder Wang Dongting. The two elders were handsome in appearance, refined in character, and graceful in bearing, with an air of having transcended the dusty world. I also observed their daily conduct and saw that the two often rested in quiet places, sitting close together and discussing principles of the Way with great enthusiasm, nearly every day. So I said to them, "Your learning and aspirations lie in cultivating the self. Why not write books to circulate throughout the world, so that later generations may all cultivate wisdom and their nature and life, enter together the realm of longevity and peace, and also achieve enduring merit?"

The two elders replied, "You speak well. However, the Way belongs to all under Heaven, so how dare we claim it as our own? Unless one has made the effort to investigate deeply and encountered an enlightened master's guidance, how could one ever hear of this great Way?"

Before long, the two brought out two books for me to see. After reading them, I learned that the Yangxing Bian (Compilation on Nurturing Nature) was written by Old Master Ke, and the Xingming Yaozhi (Essentials of Nature and Life) was composed by Elder Wang. Reading further, I found that the Yangxing Bian is elegant in its language and profound in its learning, sufficient to continue the Daoist lineage traced to the Yellow Emperor and Laozi. The Xingming Yaozhi is plain in its wording and thorough in its reasoning, and it clarifies the essential secrets of practice in the lineage of Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin. I therefore urged them to have the two works carved for printing, combined into a single volume, and made available to the public.

This book can serve as a convenient guide for those who study the Way in gathering medicinal herbs and refining the elixir (terms of Neidan, or internal alchemy practice). It is also like a compassionate raft that helps people rise above the mundane and enter the sacred. I fear that those who have strayed onto heterodox paths, upon reading this book, may leave their crooked ways and return to the correct Way, and that those deceived by false teachers, upon reading it, may distinguish the false from the true, awaken to what is real, and stay far from heterodoxy. Only then will the two elders' compassion for aiding the world and prolonging life not be wasted. For this reason, without regard for my own shallow ability, I presume to write this preface and record the occasion.

Dated the sixth lunar month of the fifteenth year of the Guangxu reign (1889), on the Tiankuang day (a Daoist festival), Cheng Shouyi, a disciple from Xin'an, respectfully wrote this preface. Hoping to benefit the world, I sincerely wrote this account, setting aside my own shallow learning and presuming to put these words to paper.

Written respectfully as a preface at the Yunhe Mountain Studio on the Tiankuang day of the sixth lunar month in the fifteenth year of the Guangxu reign.

Self-Preface

I have heard that the teaching of mysterious learning (xuanxue), the Daoist study of the Great Dao and its cultivation, began when the Yellow Emperor asked the Way of Guangchengzi, and that Laozi, in writing the Daodejing, expounded its origins and currents. From ancient times to the present, all who attained immortality and the Dao have taken the Yellow Emperor and Laozi as their founding masters.

From my youth I have loved mysterious learning. I gathered alchemical classics and the writings of the various masters, and read widely in the classics, histories, and Daoist texts. For many years, although I came to understand their principles fairly well, I never obtained the secret methods of practice. I therefore wandered in all directions, visiting famous mountains and seeking enlightened teachers, for twelve years.

One day, passing by Kuang Mountain (Lushan), I happened to meet an old man named Tianzhi Wu. His bearing was unconstrained and graceful, and he was clearly no ordinary person. I asked him about profound principles. He replied, "Although you have the affinity for immortality, I fear that you will be diligent at the beginning but slack at the end." I then served him as a disciple and again asked for the methods of cultivation. My master, in his compassion, transmitted the practice of the seven returns and nine revolutions (qifan jiuhuan) and the Golden Liquor Great Elixir (jinye dadan), together with the subtle order of regulating the fire (huohou). I applied my mind to understanding them, and suddenly everything became clear. Only then did I realize that the Great Dao is originally within oneself and can never be obtained by seeking outward.

Later, when I reached the Han lands, I met four or five fellow practitioners, including Ke Huaijing, Li Yunlan, Zhou Junfu, and Ke Zaishu. Together we investigated these matters, and at last we comprehended all their essential points. Only then did I understand that the starting point of cultivation lies in the dual cultivation of nature and life (xingming shuangxiu), the simultaneous nurturing of mind-nature and the root of vitality, and that becoming a true person and attaining immortality both arise from this same principle.

The initial practice of cultivation lies in understanding the mysterious pass (xuanguan), the crucial point in inner alchemy (neidan) where body and mind meet. When the "one yang first stirs" (yi yang chu dong), when yang qi first arises, one directs the mind-intent (shenyi) into the qi cavity (qixue), the place where qi gathers in cultivation, and thereby sets in motion the mechanism of generation and transformation. Then the earth-fruit (diguo) begins to return and grow, and within the abdomen one feels a lively thing moving, like a round pearl rolling about in a dish. Afterward, lead and mercury unite and return to the True Earth, and from the orifice there emerges the True Lead of Prior Heaven. This is called the "medicine's birth" (yao chan).

After the medicinal substances are gathered and placed in the furnace, they must be sealed and quietly nurtured to gather and hold the spirit-qi. Then qi fills the Governing and Conception vessels. At the Zi hour one advances the yang fire, leading qi to gather at the crown of Qian. At the Mao hour one bathes, to increase the lead qi. At the Wu hour one withdraws the yin tally, causing qi to descend and return to the palace of Kun. At the You hour one bathes again, to increase the mercury qi. Here, the Zi, Mao, Wu, and You are the time-names that inner alchemy borrows to mark the stages of fire regulation, and they do not refer simply to ordinary timekeeping.

When the circulation through the heavenly cycle is complete and the lead qi is exhausted, it condenses into a lump of "dry mercury," and this is called the elixir (dan). Next, one must still carry out seven days of gathering the work, so that the mind-intent (shenyi) becomes concentrated and is gathered into the cauldron (ding).

Cultivation begins with the first stirring of the Great Medicine (dayao), and continues with refining and nourishing until a vision like a fiery pearl appears. At that point the Great Medicine is gathered and set moving through the Great Circulation (dazhoutian). It passes through the three rear passes (houSanguan) along the spine, descends through the inner channels to Chonglou (the area of the throat), and settles into the Yellow Court (Huangting), the region of the body's elixir field as described in neidan (Internal Alchemy). The practitioner then quietly nurtures the Dao embryo (daotai), the name internal alchemy gives to the elixir formed within the body. After ten months of nurturing, when the Dao embryo is complete and the vital energy (qi) is abundant, it is moved to the Upper Dantian (shangtian) in the head and takes up residence in Niwan (the central hub of the head, also called the Niwan Palace).

After a hundred days of sitting with eyes closed in quiet nourishment, one begins to see heavenly flowers drifting down like falling petals, which is regarded as a sign that the spirit is about to leave the body (chushen). The practitioner then refines the primordial spirit (yuanshen) so that it can depart the physical form. At first it exits through the crown of the head, and when a golden light grows as large as a cartwheel, one draws it back into the Upper Dantian. Repeating these exits and returns until they become fluent, one can eventually penetrate heaven and earth. Later, one can also manifest countless transformation bodies from oneself. The ancients called this state "a thousand, a hundred million transformations."

Finally, all these transformations are returned to their source. The spirit is refined and returned to emptiness (lianshen huanxu) until the work is perfected and one becomes a permanent guest in the immortal realms. These outlines are meant to ensure that those who study the Way will not confuse the proper order of practice when they read them. The author modestly states that his knowledge is shallow, but he has diligently completed this single fascicle, titled Essentials of Nature and Life (Xingming Yaozhi), to clarify arcane learning and open the gates of the Daoist tradition. He notes that the work is not his own invention. Instead, he cites the oral instructions of the immortals to confirm its teachings. He hopes that all under heaven will practice this Great Dao, ascend to the higher realms, and share in the blessings of heaven.

In the middle of the eighth month of the thirteenth year of the Guangxu era (1887), Wang Dongting of Haiyang wrote this preface at the Moon-Gazing Pavilion of the Beixue Thatched Hall.

Part One: On Nature and Life (Xingming)

Cultivating the Great Dao begins with nature (xing) and life (ming). Only when nature and life are united into one can one grasp the key to practice.

Dongting said: Among all the branches of learning in the world, none is more important than the study of nature and life (xingming). Yet people have long failed to understand it. Therefore I now wish to explain the profound meaning of nature and life.

Before parents give birth to a person, that person's nature (xing) and life (ming) are originally united as one. After ten months in the womb, when the fetus has matured and its breath is full, the body moves, the placental sac ruptures, and it is as if one has slipped and fallen from a high mountain, producing a great cry. At this moment nature and life separate. From then on, nature cannot see life, and life cannot see nature. A person passes from childhood to maturity, then to old age, and finally dies.

Therefore, the adepts of high antiquity, out of profound compassion, taught later students of cultivation to re-enter the "embryonic womb" (baotai) and to remake their own nature and life: to let shen (spirit) and qi (vital energy) enter the orifices (qiaoxue) and join as one. The ancients called this "dual cultivation of nature and life" (xingming shuangxiu), and they held that it alone is the Way of becoming an immortal (xiandao). Sexual union between man and woman is the way of ordinary people. The two share a common principle. In the way of ordinary people, a woman marries a man; in the immortal Way, the relation is likened to a man marrying a woman. In the way of ordinary people, Gong (mercury) goes to meet Qian (lead); in the immortal Way, Qian comes to meet Gong. Qian and Gong are symbolic terms in internal alchemy (neidan), referring respectively to the essence-qi (jingqi) and the spirit-intention (shenyi) used in cultivation, that is, internal elements. The way of ordinary people does not reach "Jiji" (After Completion), but the immortal Way does. Here "Jiji" means the harmonization of yin and yang and the attainment of success in cultivation. The way of ordinary people follows the natural course of generation, while the immortal Way reverses this process in order to cultivate. Following the natural order leads to birth and death, whereas reversing it allows one to endure for ten thousand kalpas (wanjie) and remain long-lived.

In the way of ordinary people, after a woman conceives, a bean-sized object appears below the navel, and one can feel it pulsing. Medical books call it the "embryonic origin" (taiyuan), meaning that the human body begins to develop from this point. The five viscera and six bowels are formed from it, and so are the four limbs and the hundreds of bones.

In this way, a person gains the abilities to see, hear, hold fast, and act. From this, one can also realize benevolence (ren), righteousness (yi), propriety (li), and wisdom (zhi), and further attain sagely brilliance and spiritual subtlety, combining literary talent with martial strategy.

Once this principle is understood, one knows that when ordinary parents unite and a fetus is formed, there is from the beginning a root of life. Cultivators who have formed the Golden Elixir (jindan) also feel that below the navel there is a thing the size of a bean, seeming to pulse. This is the precious root of life, the profound secret concealed by the Dao of Heaven. Sages, immortals, and buddhas left alchemical scriptures and Daoist texts, yet none were willing to state it plainly. They used clever metaphors and symbols and took hundreds of names for it, but what they describe is nothing other than this thing and this key point. If one does not understand this key point and yet seeks to cultivate the Dao, the effort is as futile as wading across water to catch chickens and rabbits, or climbing a mountain to look for fish and dragons.

Patriarch Zhang Sanfeng said that if one does not know the Xuanguan (the mysterious gate, the crucial point in internal alchemy concerning the medicinals, the cauldron, and the refining operations), it is like entering a dark room. Without knowing the Xuanguan, where would one gather the medicine and refine it? Where would the true seed be found, where would the medicinals arise, where would the cauldron be set up, and where would the zhoutian (the cycle of inner qi circulation) begin to turn? From where does the yang fire enter, and from where does the yin talisman withdraw? Where do mao and you (two temporal positions in the refining process) bathe? The whole work of the small heavenly circuit, from beginning to end, must be applied at the Xuanguan.

Once this principle is understood, one knows that what the immortal path calls the union of the "holy father and numinous mother" forms a Xuanguan. Ziyang Zhenren (Zhang Boduan) said: "This gate is not an ordinary gate; it is formed by the union of heaven, earth, qian, and kun." If human life lacked the embryonic origin (taiyuan), one could not bear children; and if the immortal path lacked the Xuanguan, how could one become a buddha or an ancestral master? Those who study should first understand the principle of the Xuanguan before beginning practice, so that the mind has a master. Once this method is obtained, cultivation becomes extremely simple and easy; without it, the process becomes ever more complicated and arduous.

Everything in nature and in the human world has a complementary aspect: where there is heaven there is earth, where there is sun there is moon, where there is male there is female, where there is dragon there is tiger, where there is turtle there is snake, where there is male there is female, and where there is yin there is yang. The Classic of Changes (Yijing) says, "One yin and one yang is called the Dao." Lü Weng said that alchemical texts repeatedly discuss the two words yin and yang, calling them the kings of all methods. Zhang Sanfeng said that a woman without a husband is a resentful woman, and a man without a wife is a lonely man. Nothing in all the myriad things under heaven arises apart from its counterpart.

If one can understand the principle of yin and yang uniting, as indicated by sayings such as "two eights of the same kind" and "three and five joined as one," one will naturally be able to draw inferences from one case to another and suddenly see everything clearly. If one also studies the alchemical scriptures diligently in daily life and carefully contemplates and experiences them, there will be no principle left unclear. Afterward, faith grows firmer and practice more focused, like clouds parting to reveal the sun and sky. Ge Hong's Baopuzi says that some people in the world who love the arts of the Dao have never encountered this method.

Without encountering a true teacher, one has no way of learning that such a wonderful method exists in the world. If one begins cultivation while young, the effects can be seen immediately. If the results do not appear quickly, the teacher is a false master deceiving fools and is not worth trusting.

There are, however, three essential secrets to cultivating the Dao. The first is caiqu (caiqu), which means gathering the jing (essence) and qi (vital energy) needed for practice. The second is yaowu (yaowu), the materials used in neidan (internal alchemy). The third is huohou (huohou), the timing and regulation of the process of refining and nourishing. Beyond these, there is also xuanguan (xuanguan), the key gate or pivot point of practice. Zhang Sanfeng said, "If one does not understand where the xuanguan truly lies, where should the gathered true lead (zhenqian) be placed?" If one knows only the xuanguan but does not understand caiqu, the picture remains incomplete. Zixuan Zhenren (Perfected Zixuan) said, "When the true lead meets the stirring of Gui water (guishui), one must gather it at once."

Neidan practice requires more than knowing how to gather medicinals; one must also understand what the true medicine is. Zhenren Ziyang (Perfected Ziyang) said, "If there is no true seed in the cauldron, it is like boiling an empty pot with water and fire." Knowing how to gather medicinals, identify the substances, and locate the Mysterious Gate (xuanguan), yet not understanding fire-timing (huohou), is equally fruitless. Shangyangzi said that when external fire-timing is set in motion but the qi dynamics within the body do not respond, and the talismanic signs are not sustained, the result is merely wasted effort.

Each stage of practice has its own methods. Mastering fire-timing, such as gentle fire and martial fire, is also like calculating step by step, with exacting precision. The saying "striking the child according to what appears" (jianzi dazi) means adjusting one's methods at every moment in response to the subtle changes in qi dynamics as they arise.

Regulating the breath works the same way. One who knows how to draw qi inward finds the mind growing ever more refined and the breathing ever more faint. After several dozen breaths, at most a hundred or so, the breath naturally sinks and settles into the Lower Dantian (xiadantian), the lower-abdominal site of cultivation, and the breathing then becomes long and deep. If the breath floats in the upper Triple Burner (sanjiao), the qi-transforming zone that Chinese medicine describes as linking the upper, middle, and lower abdomen, the breathing becomes short. It is said that the spirit turtle lives a thousand years precisely because it is skilled at regulating its breath.

In practice, one often visualizes sunlight shining downward, and the sea then naturally rises. Here sunlight, seawater, and tides serve as metaphors for the interaction of Yin-Yang qi dynamics within the body. When the "tide signal" (chaoxin) arrives, primordial qi (xiantian zhi qi) is produced. The Mirror for Entering the Medicine (Ru Yao Jing) says that one who obtains both primordial and acquired qi often appears intoxicated, and this describes precisely the state of body and mind in question.

When the qi of Heaven descends and the qi of Earth ascends, the myriad things begin to grow. The jing-essence and blood-qi of man and woman unite, and only then can a fetus form. Neidan practice likewise borrows this Yin-Yang union to explain the process of refining the elixir. Patriarch Jingyang said, "What I tell you of the secret methods of my school is simply this: to move the sun into the bright moon." He also said that when solar essence (rijing) joins lunar luminance (yuehua), true lead (zhenqian) appears. Ke Huaijing said, "The golden crow in the sun flies into the Cold Palace" (Guanghan), which likewise uses the sun entering the lunar palace as a metaphor for uniting the Yin qi of the heart with the Yang qi of the kidneys. When Yin qi receives Yang qi, it has a foundation on which to settle its life and establish its destiny.

Chaoyuanzi said, "The blood-qi of the south is mercury within cinnabar; the jing-essence of the north is lead within water." Ke Huaijing further said, "When the wind blows the willows, the true nature of lead appears." These sayings borrow alchemical terms such as mercury and lead to show that, once the Yin and Yang qi dynamics within the body have united, true qi gradually emerges.

Spring rain nourishes the peach blossoms, and the true nature of mercury (gong) then becomes manifest. Ma Ziran said: "Lead (qian) and mercury (gong) sit together in the cauldron (ding), and once refined they become a priceless treasure. Summed up, the whole matter lies in the two words 'lead and mercury,' and with them one can read through the books of ten thousand households." Master Zhongli said: "Apart from these two ingredients, lead and mercury, every other teaching is deception that misleads people."

In cultivating the Primordial Dao (xiantian dao), the key lies in grasping the moment of the "first emergence of Yang" (yi yang chu sheng). The winter solstice is the time when Yang qi first stirs within the year; the moment the moon first appears in the geng direction is when Yang first stirs within the month; and the zi hour is when Yang first stirs within the day. Practitioners should understand that a first stirring of Yang also arises within their own bodies, which here refers to the spontaneous erection of the external genitals.

An erection arising without distracting thoughts is called "clear" (qing), while one arising with distracting thoughts is called "turbid" (zhuo). Ke Huaijing said: "When a single Yang has just begun to stir, one can perceive it within oneself. This is precisely the moment when the work of inner alchemy (neidan) begins." Patriarch Huayang said: "When Yang qi begins to sprout, that is the time to begin cultivation. If one can start practice at this very moment, what doubt could there be?"

When the lead returns, a little "mercury" must be used to receive it. This is the moment the present chapter calls "condensing the spirit and entering the qi" (ningshen ru qi), meaning gathering the spirit and drawing it into the breath. Daily practice relies on the stirring of the "Xun wind" (the wind symbolized by the Xun trigram, here referring to the breath), so that the lead is gradually refined into qi.

Master Qiyun said: "When people eat the five grains, they are transformed into yin essence (yin jing). If this is not refined, the substance remains in the body and causes mischief. Simply use the natural breath of the dantian to blow upon the true fire within. Water is above and fire is below; when water meets fire, it naturally transforms into qi. The qi rises in steaming vapor, pervading the body's orifices and flowing through all the vessels. When the practice reaches the point where the body seems to be howling with spirits and demons, the yin essence will be exhausted and the yin demons will dissipate with it." Master Mi Yuanzi further said: "Yin jing……"

The essential energy (jing) produced from the five grains, if it is not vigorously refined by the Xun wind (the wind of the Xun position, referring to the qi of posterior-heaven breathing) and the Kun fire (the fire of the Kun position, referring to the fire-timing used in refinement practice), will remain in the body. There it is stirred by stray thoughts and desires and disturbs the mind-spirit (shen). Therefore one must settle the spirit, regulate the breath, and let the breathing move like a bellows, so that the wind fans the fire, refines the yin essence, and transforms it into qi.

Martial fire (wuhuo) is used for gathering and also for refining lead; civil fire (wenhuo) is used for gentle nourishment and also for enriching mercury. The ancients called this practice "civil cooking and martial refining." The Xun wind is posterior-heaven breathing qi, which is the "mother qi"; the qi of primordial True Unity (xiantian zhenyi) is the "child qi." Using the mother qi to gather the child qi is like a cat catching a mouse, seizing the thief as soon as it appears. Only then has one mastered the method of using the wind.

At the Zi hour, one uses martial fire; at other hours, civil fire. When the bellows are working, this is martial fire; when they are not, it is civil fire. Still, fire-timing cannot be fully mastered alone without a teacher's transmission. The Way of Heaven never stops for a moment, and the Way of the inner elixir should likewise turn constantly. One must cultivate to the state of no breath before the Great Elixir can be accomplished. Primordial qi arises from emptiness, and it appears swiftly and subtly. If a strong awareness arises, one falls into the posterior heaven, and what one obtains is no longer the pure qi of the primordial heaven. If one is even slightly slow, it transforms into turbid essence and leaks out, and it can no longer be used.

The Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality) says: "When you see it, you must not use it; when you use it, you cannot see it. In a state of dim absorption you meet, and in deep, dark obscurity transformation occurs." The ancients used these metaphors very aptly. Yet people today do not understand in their own minds, and then say that the alchemical classics do not explain it clearly. This is truly lamentable.

At each living-child hour (the time when the yang qi in the body is stirring and suitable for gathering), when the outer form becomes erect, one should direct the intent (yi) into the qi cavity (the place where qi is gathered in inner alchemy practice) and refine vigorously with martial fire. After a while, when the yang qi recedes, one nourishes it with civil fire. If this is practiced for about one month, or sustained for a hundred days, the Mysterious Gate (xuanguan) within the body, the key point of sensation and pivot of practice in inner alchemy, will naturally appear. Teacher Tianzhi said: "If a person can recognize these two things, lead and mercury..."

When the two breaths of yin and yang join as one, the mysterious gate (Xuanguan), the critical point in cultivation where yin and yang meet and essence and qi gather, begins to appear. Ke Huaijing says the mysterious gate does not exist originally but comes into being only after shen (spirit) and qi (vital energy) have fused. Shangyangzi says that when the two act upon each other, they give birth to a single whole. The Wuhua Pian (Chapter on the Five Transformations) says that when yin and yang unite, lingzhi and other fungi can grow without roots, and when dry and damp qi nourish one another, the qiuqi (a grub such as the cockchafer larva) can be born without a mother. These statements all explain how the mysterious gate is formed.

Laozi says, "Within the state of utter vagueness there is something; within the state of profound darkness there is jing (essence)." Zhuangzi says that in the Northern Sea there is a fish named Kun. Wei Boyang says, "Know the white, guard the black, and spirit illumination will come of itself." An alchemical classic says, "True lead and true mercury, people do not recognize; revealed is a hook of pure moon." These passages all describe the first appearance of the mysterious gate: beneath the five yin factors, the yang qi begins to stir.

Patriarch Zhang Sanfeng says, "The mysterious gate comes and goes without a fixed position." He also says, "Throughout the Yellow Court, every path is the mysterious gate." The meaning is that the mysterious gate is always manifest, with qi moving lively and active, and it has no fixed location.

Patriarch Lü Chunyang says, "Xuanpin, xuanpin, truly xuanpin: it is not in the heart, nor in the kidneys. Trace back to the first moment of receiving breath at birth, and do not be surprised that the heavenly secrets have all been leaked." The Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Realization) says, "I urge you to seek out the place where life was first received; returning to the origin and restoring the source is the Medicine King." These two passages indicate that the place where the mysterious gate appears is the qi cavity in men and the uterus in women, and the two point to the same location.

The two differ only in how the critical middle point is reversed. What is "the middle"? Cheng Yi says it is not leaning to either side. Those who understand this say, "The junzi practices the Zhongyong (the Mean)"; those who do not understand say, "The xiaoren opposes the Mean." What is "reversal"? The hexagram Tai (Peace), in which Earth is above Heaven, is an example from the Yijing (Book of Changes). One who understands this reversal can use the mysteries of heaven and earth's transformations and accomplish natural change. Cheng Yi says, "If one cannot steal the mystery of creation, how could one attain longevity?" The Yinfu Jing (Classic of the Hidden Accord) says, "This is stealing the mystery." Those who are able to understand how to steal the mystery...

Human beings can take control of their own life and destiny (xingming) and need not simply submit to Heaven's decree. Between heaven and earth there is an empty aperture where Heaven and Earth join; the sun and moon move outside this aperture, and so the myriad things are born and renewed without end. All of this comes from the interaction of Heaven and Earth and the movement of the sun and moon. Yet even with such interaction and movement, how could things grow without "earth" as their foundation? The Five Phases are incomplete without Earth, the Five Metals cannot form apart from earth, the five grains cannot bear fruit without soil, and the Golden Elixir (Jindan) cannot be refined without earth. From beginning to end, the refining of the Golden Elixir depends on "true earth." Here "earth" refers to intention, but not the ordinary intention formed after birth; it is the innate true intention. Master Yin says that true intention is the "Primal Yang of Qian" (Qianyuan), the root of Heaven and Earth, the foundation of Yin and Yang, the origin of water and fire, and the source of sun and moon.

Why must cultivation always culminate in the "Mysterious Pass" (Xuanguan)? Dongting answers: if there is no union at the Mysterious Pass, where would the foundation be established? The Jinbi Guwen says: "The upper bow holds eight taels of gold, the lower bow holds half a catty of water; when the two bows join, their essence forms, and the body of Qian and Kun takes shape." This states exactly this principle. Teacher Tianzhi says that those who cultivate diligently see results quickly; within two or three months, and at most a hundred-odd days, the Mysterious Aperture can be made full. This substance (the inner elixir or refined essence obtained through cultivation) rises to the Heart Palace and descends to the Kidney Mansion, moving across and back, forward and reverse, with nothing able to block it.

The Zhuangzi says: "It transforms into a bird, and its name is the Peng." The names "Bodhi seed," "śarīra pearl," "millet-grain dark pearl," and "ginseng fruit" found in alchemical classics are all different designations for this same thing.

Chapter on Nature and Life, Part Two

Everything described here is a metaphor for the seed, the mysterious gate (xuanguan, the critical acupoint in cultivation), and the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji, the fundamental state before all things differentiate) within the human body. Once practitioners reach this stage, they must not violate the precept against sexual indulgence. Indulgence may cause death in serious cases or madness in minor ones, so one must be strictly cautious.

The medicinals and fire timing, as well as the Lesser and Greater Heavenly Circuits (xiaozhoutian and dazhoutian, the different stages and routes of breath circulation in internal alchemy), must all be practiced according to method. After nine revolutions (jiuzhuan), one may attain immortality. Dongting says that when cultivation fills the mysterious gate, medicinals naturally arise in the furnace. This is called the "Qi of True Unity" (zhenyi zhi qi), also known as the "True Lead of Prior Heaven" (xiantian zhen qian). Zhang Sanfeng said, "Only seek it within your own home; why search outside?" The Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality) also states that refining through nine revolutions allows one to become an immortal. Dongting again points out that when cultivation fills the mysterious gate, medicinals naturally arise in the furnace.

This is called the "True Unity Qi" (zhenyi zhi qi, the original, innate vital energy), and it is also called the "Primordial True Lead" (xiantian zhen qian, the internal alchemy term for innate primal qi). Zhang Sanfeng said, "It lies within our own home; why search outside for it?" The Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality) says, "This supreme treasure is found in every household, but the foolish fail to recognize it fully." Lu Ziye said, "Every household has it, but only a few know this, and fewer still can obtain it." Bai Yuchan said, "Originally, the home contains true gold of its own." The Xiuzhen Shi (Poem on Cultivating Reality) says, "The medicinal materials can be gathered at any time from within one's own home," and also, "Recognize the true seed within yourself, and carefully gather the white lotus from the depths of the sea." In these lines, "home," "every household," and "homeland" all refer to the practitioner's own body and self, and one should not trust the mistaken explanations of false teachers.

In neidan practice, when the medicinal substance is about to form, one may for a brief moment feel the subtle orifices of the body (the fine bodily openings) itching, the limbs becoming soft like cotton, and the mind growing dazed. The medicinal qi inside the vessel (the body) moves outward, and the jade stalk (the penis) stiffens. The alchemical classics call this the "Zi hour of medicine production" (yao chan zhi zi shi, the critical moment when the internal alchemical substance forms). Patriarch Huayang said that this is a sign that appears when the medicine is produced, and there is no need to be startled. Once doubt and alarm arise, the mind will race outward and the qi will disperse. One should therefore immediately stop thinking, maintain stillness and emptiness, and wait for the change. One should not rashly initiate the clock-measured "martial fire" (wu huo, an actively intensified method of refinement), nor should one miss the true moment. Instead, one should calmly observe when the qi begins to stir and when it becomes vigorous.

Master Chongxuzi said, "When you perceive, do not cling to the perception; perceive again and you will reach the true primal energy." "Perceiving without perceiving" means the yang qi has not yet become vigorous, so one should not hastily apply martial fire. "Perceiving the true primal energy again" means the yang qi has become vigorous, and at that point one should promptly begin to gather it.

How can one judge whether the medicine is gathered neither too early nor too late? Zhang Sanfeng said, "The formula of the full moon lies within the formulas; the wonder of the Zi hour depends on oral transmission from the heart." Bai Yuchan also said, "The formula of the full moon is clearly stated; the heart transmission of the Zi hour is indeed true." This is the principle these lines express. Bringing the medicine into the furnace is one phase of fire-timing (huohou). Sealing it and letting it rest is another phase, namely the "gentle fire" (wen huo, a mild, sustained method of refinement). Patriarch Damo said:

"Houcai Mouni" (waiting for the gathering of the Sage) refers to exactly this. Zhang Sanfeng said that once the medicinal ingredients are gathered into the furnace, there is first one stage of waiting: the fire is sealed with the strong flame (wuhuo), and the substance is kept still and undisturbed. Then comes a second stage, in which the flame is changed to the gentle fire (wenhuo). This is what is called the completion of the Golden Elixir (jindan) through the two stages of waiting. Bodhidharma also said that "waiting for the gathering of the Sage" refers precisely to this process.

Zhang Sanfeng further said that beyond these two stages there is a subtle skill of four additional stages, namely the stages of ascent, descent, and bathing (muyu) within the Minor Heavenly Circuit (Xiao Zhoutian). The Minor Heavenly Circuit is one cycle of Qi moving through the body in internal alchemy (neidan). Ascent and descent refer to Qi rising along the Governing Vessel (Du mai) and sinking along the Conception Vessel (Ren mai), while bathing refers to pausing to rest and nourish oneself when the circulation reaches a particular node.

Master Jiwu said that gathering (caiqu) means rising along the Governing Vessel to Niwan (the brain region at the crown of the head), while refining (pengLian) means descending along the Conception Vessel to the Dantian (the abdominal site where internal alchemy is practiced). This one rise and one descent together count as one cycle of the heavens (zhou tian). Xu Jingyang said that the yang line of the Qian hexagram, using nine, accumulates to 216, which is the measure of "drawing lead" (chouqian). The yin line of the Kun hexagram, using six, accumulates to 144, which is the limit of "adding mercury" (tianhong). Together these make up one cycle. "Drawing lead" and "adding mercury" are terms in internal alchemy that use lead and mercury as metaphors for the yin and yang essence-Qi.

Liu Huayang said that twelve movements count as one cycle. Wu Chongxu said that the Yang fire advances thirty-six degrees from the hour of Zi until the hour of Mao, where the fire stops, and this is called bathing. The Yin talisman retreats twenty-four degrees from the hour of Wu until the hour of You, where the talisman stops, and this too is called bathing. The whole of this course counts as one cycle. Here Zi, Mao, Wu, and You are the nodes at which the movement of Qi is marked by the hours and directions.

Chen Niwan said that when the twelve celestial branches move to the Mao position, the Qi of punishment and killing is set in motion, and when they move to the You position, the Qi of generation and virtue appears. This counts as one cycle. The Cantong Qi (Kinship of the Three) uses the twelve months of the year as a comparison, saying that by the spring equinox the elm leaves fall.

At the autumn equinox, when day and night are of equal length, the sprouts begin to grow, and this is counted as one small circulation (xiao zhoutian, the circulation of qi through the body in internal alchemy). There are many methods for practicing the small circulation, which I will not describe one by one here. Some practitioners feel that a few dozen cycles are enough, while others need more than a hundred, or even several hundred. In general, every stirring of qi and every cultivation and nourishing counts as one cycle, and one repeats the practice again and again, cycle after cycle.

Another view holds that after accumulating practice for less than a hundred days, the jing (essence) will no longer leak out and can be transformed into qi. Zhang Sanfeng said that if one works in this way, the foundation-building stage (zhuji, the basic phase of cultivation) can be completed quickly and does not necessarily require a hundred days. Liu Huayang said that "a hundred days" is a name for the stage of refining jing. A young person who practices diligently and forms the elixir quickly may reach the hundred-day mark, but for those in middle age or older, the timing cannot be fixed, and in particular the external yang (the erect state of the male genitals) may no longer appear. Cultivation should reach a stage in which the external yang first arises and can then be made to cease arising.

The external yang ceasing to arise happens because the qian qi (the essential qi of jing refinement in internal alchemy terminology) is exhausted, and one is left with a state like dried-up mercury. The yang organ then contracts and no longer becomes erect. The Buddhist scriptures call this the "concealed form of the Tathāgata's horse-like sheath" (one of the thirty-two marks of the Buddha, in which the male genitals are hidden from view). The Huangting Jing says that when

In internal alchemy practice, mercury (gong, symbolizing the mind-spirit or xinggong, the cultivation of nature) gradually gathers inward, and lead (qian, symbolizing essence-qi or minggong, the cultivation of life) naturally returns to its proper place. Zixian Zhenren (Perfected Zixian) says that when practitioners reach this stage, they come to understand that a master's kindness is hard to repay. They should swear before heaven, earth, sun, and moon to cultivate the Great Dao as a way of repaying that kindness. To fail one's master is like failing heaven, earth, sun, and moon.

Ziye Zhenren (Perfected Ziye) says that using lead is like using a fish trap or a rabbit net. Fish and hares can only be caught with tools, and once they are caught, the tools are no longer needed. Zhang Ziyang says that at the beginning of practice there are concrete actions that outsiders find hard to understand, and only when one reaches the state of wuwei (non-action) does everyone begin to see them clearly. Yet those who know only that wuwei is the essential key do not yet know that youwei (purposive action) is the foundation.

Youzuo (purposive practice) refers to deliberate cultivation, such as the mating of yin and yang and zhuji (establishing the foundation), and it belongs to minggong. Minggong includes tiaoyao (regulating the medicine), caiyao (gathering the medicine), and lianyao (refining the medicine), which together make up deficits and consolidate the root of life. Wuwei refers to lianji (refining the self), and it belongs to xinggong.

Xinggong means removing the sansin (three minds), dissolving the sixiang (four marks), cutting off the liuyu (six desires) and qiqing (seven emotions), and forgetting all worldly thoughts, thereby nourishing the root of nature. Bai Yuchan says that the root of nature (xinggen) and the stem of life (mingdi) share a single source yet have different names and belong to two categories. When the two are united in one place to form the inner elixir, one returns to xiantian yuanqi (primordial pre-heaven qi). This is indeed a sound teaching.

When the refining of the elixir reaches the stage where yang qi is pure and yin qi is exhausted, sunlight naturally appears at the brow. Once that sunlight has appeared three times, one should promptly stop the fire. If one does not know when to stop, there is danger of overturning the vessel.

Zi Yang Zhenren (Perfected Zi Yang) said: If the mind still clings to maintaining the current state and refuses to stop, one day it may run into danger and harm. What is meant by "stopping the fire" (zhi huo) is to cease the acquired Martial Fire (wuhuo, the stronger, actively applied refining fire) and instead use the natural Civil Fire (wenhuo, the gentle, spontaneous state of refinement).

The Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality) says: "There is a natural true firing-time (huohou) of its own, with no need for firewood, charcoal, or blowing." This means that once cultivation reaches this stage, the firing-time should operate naturally, and one should no longer deliberately add force. In this way, the true qi gathers in the cauldron (a metaphor in internal alchemy for the interior of the body where the work is done) and is held deep within, without leaking outward.

Earlier passages said that the small medicine (the more preliminary signs of internal alchemy that appear during cultivation) emerges first and is then gathered. Here it is said that the great medicine (the further-condensed signs of internal alchemy) must first be gathered before it can be born. The method of gathering is to follow the natural true firing-time and apply seven days of practice: let the light of the two eyes turn back and illuminate the cauldron, let the sense of hearing turn back and listen within the cauldron, and concentrate the mind-spirit (shen) on the cauldron. Within one day and night, do this once or twice, or four or five times; for the rest of the time, remain in a state of undisturbed stillness, without attachment.

When cultivation is carried out in this way, by the seventh day the great medicine sprouts within the cauldron. The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: "Day and night for seven days, think and do not sleep." The Yijing (Book of Changes) says, "Seven days, and it returns," and again, "In the return, can one see the heart of Heaven and Earth?" The alchemical classics' phrases "the Heavenly Maiden offers flowers" and "the Dragon Maiden offers a pearl" also refer to images of this kind. As for the small microcosmic orbit (xiao zhoutian) described earlier, ……

The Book of Changes speaks of "the return on the seventh day" and says, "In the return, one sees the heart of Heaven and Earth," describing how yang qi, after its waxing and waning, is born anew. The signs of this renewal that the Dan classics call "the Heavenly Maiden offering flowers" and "the Dragon Maiden offering a pearl" refer to the same process of regeneration.

In the preceding work of the Lesser Heavenly Cycle (xiao zhoutian), one warms the two kidneys with primordial qi (yuanqi), much as medicine is simmered over a slow fire. During practice, one may see golden light before the eyes, hear wind in the ears, sense something like an eagle crying behind the head, feel the body surge, or notice the breath twitching through the nose. Once these signs have appeared, one should take the great elixir (da yao) out of the furnace and proceed to the Greater Heavenly Cycle (da zhoutian). One observes it in stillness, applies it gently, and, when the qi begins to stir, guides it while carefully protecting it. In particular, one must guard against the dangerous places along the route of circulation, for only then can one master the means of passing through them.

The "Five Dragons Hold the Sage" described by Wu Chongxu, and the "transforming of the spirit and entering of stillness" (zhuanshen rudìng) found in the Dan classics, refer precisely to this stage. At this point the great elixir flows of its own accord, vigorous and full of life, and it must rise to the heart region. If it cannot pass through the palace of the heart, it turns downward to the lower dantian (xia dantian) and advances toward the Yang Gate (yangguan). Since the Yang Gate is closed, the qi turns back and strikes the weilu (the lowest section of the spinal column).

If the weilu is not open, the qi will rush along it toward the valley passage (gudao, the anal passage). If the valley passage opens without guarding, the great elixir will leak away and all earlier effort will be wasted. This is the danger known as "descending the Magpie Bridge."

One must guide the qi through with true intention (zhen yi) to avoid this problem. If the great elixir, striking the weilu, still cannot pass through, it will rise on its own, follow the region alongside the spine (jiaji), pass through the Jade Pillow (yuzhen, the area at the back of the skull), and reach the crown of the head (dingmen). The Buddhist scriptures say...

Like an arrow piercing nine layers of iron drums, this describes the situation exactly. The qi (qì) then moves forward and descends to Yintang (yìntáng), the point between the eyebrows. Marrow at Yintang blocks the passage, so the qi cannot flow through. One worries that it will stray into the empty cavity below the nose and leak away, and once it leaks, the earlier effort is wasted. This is the danger known as "ascending the Magpie Bridge" (shàng quèqiáo), the passage that qi crosses in the Yintang region during cultivation, and practitioners must guard against it in advance. One should use true intent (zhēnyì), a focused and undisturbed state of mind, to guide the qi through Yintang and then let it descend through the Twelve-Tiered Tower (shí'èr chónglóu), the passage in the region of the throat. The ancients called this "ingestion" (fúshí), and said: "When a single grain of Golden Elixir (jīndān) is swallowed into the belly, only then does one know that life is not governed by Heaven." Once the Golden Elixir enters the spirit chamber (shénshì), the inner place where the primordial spirit is nourished, it can transform the yin spirit (yīnshén), the consciousness not yet refined. This is called "taking Kan to fill Li" (qǔ kǎn tián lí), which restores Qian and Kun to their proper positions. This is the method of the Great Microcosmic Orbit (dà zhōutiān).

Once the great medicine (dàyào), the essence and qi gathered in cultivation, has returned to the Central Palace (zhōnggōng), the body's inner center, one employs the method of "embracing the origin and guarding the One" (bàoyuán shǒuyī). The practice resembles a dragon nurturing a pearl or a hen brooding her eggs. The ancients called this "nurturing the Dao embryo" (dǎotāi). The Doctrine of the Mean says: "The Dao cannot be separated from us for a moment." The Book of Documents says: "Sincerely hold fast to the Mean," and this is what it refers to.

The primordial spirit (yuánshén) quietly observes within the middle and lower fields (dāntián), the regions of the body where jing, qi, and shen are stored and nourished. It merges with these fields until they become one boundless emptiness, and the primordial spirit nourishes the Dao embryo within. After two or three months of this guarding and nurturing, the signs of primordial qi stirring grow faint, consciousness and habitual tendencies gradually recede, and the true nature gradually becomes clear and sensitive.

After four or five months of guarding, the primordial spirit observes in stillness and eating ceases altogether. This is called the "embryonic immortal" (tāixiān). After six or seven months, drowsiness disappears completely, and the mind and eyes become clear and refreshed. After eight or nine months, the meridians of the whole body stop circulating, and there is no longer any breath through the mouth or nose.

Continuing the nurturing for ten months, the primordial spirit becomes firmly settled and reaches pure Yang (chúnyáng). Huayang (Huàyáng) says: "The Dao embryo passes through ten months of fire-timing, and then one more year of bathing." This refers to the very state in which the meridians come to rest and there is no breath through the mouth or nose.

Ten months of sustained practice must be maintained until the term is complete. At this point the yuanshen (the original spirit, the essential spirit of a person) has become stable and reached a state of pure yang. Huayang said, "Ten months to cultivate the Dao embryo is like one year of bathing practice," which describes precisely this process.

When cultivation reaches this stage, wisdom arises, and the signs of the six spiritual powers (liutong) naturally manifest. The six powers are: the power of exhausting outflows (loujin tong), the heavenly eye (tianyan tong), the heavenly ear (tianer tong), the power of knowing past lives (sumingtong), the power of knowing others' minds (taxin tong), and the power of spirit transformation (shenjing tong). The power of exhausting outflows means the practitioner is no longer bound by afflictions and desires. The heavenly eye means being able to see things ordinary people cannot see. The heavenly ear means being able to hear sounds ordinary people cannot hear. The power of knowing past lives means knowing the circumstances of former existences. The power of knowing others' minds means understanding the thoughts of other people. The power of spirit transformation means being able to change freely or move between different realms.

When jing was refined earlier and its qi no longer leaked outward, the power of exhausting outflows was accomplished. Only after this can the other five powers be attained. As for the heavenly eye...

The power to observe the heavenly scenes is the Heavenly Eye Penetration (tianyan tong). The power to hear words spoken in heaven is the Heavenly Ear Penetration (tianer tong). Understanding the karmic connections of one's past lives is the Penetration of Past Destiny (suming tong), and knowing what others think in their hearts, along with past and future events, is the Penetration of Knowing Others' Minds (xinxin tong). As for the Penetration of Spiritual Transformation (shenjing tong), if one acts through the discriminating consciousness (shishen, the mind governed by discrimination, deliberation, and desire), constantly speaking of the fortunes and misfortunes of the human world, yet fails to guard the master within the heart, one will fall onto the path of demons, which is truly lamentable. Cultivators should possess wisdom and not be driven by the discriminating consciousness. Only then can they transform consciousness into wisdom (zhuan shi cheng zhi) and achieve a firm nature and life and a complete sacred embryo (shengtai).

When the cultivation of the sacred embryo is complete, the spirit and qi are pure, unified, and whole. At this point one perceives only the presence of spirit and not the qi, which shows that the consciousness-nature has ceased and the true nature (zhenxing) has manifested its numinous power. Yet the sacred embryo should not remain in place for too long, lest it suffer the affliction of stagnation (zhitai zhi huan). Therefore one must employ the method of transference (qianyi zhi fa), moving the embryo from the Middle Dantian (zhong dantian) and Lower Dantian (xia dantian) up to the Upper Dantian (shang dantian). Master Yin said: "The five qi all converge at the Upper Primordial, and the three flowers all gather atop the head." One should quietly nourish this for a hundred days until the skill is mature. When one sits with the eyes gently lowered (chuilian, sitting in quiet with the eyes half-closed) and occasionally sees snowflakes falling in profusion, filling heaven and earth, this is the sign of the spirit's emergence.

Suddenly one hears a sound like a thunderclap, and the Primal Spirit (yuanshen), the pure yang spirit formed through cultivation, issues forth from the Heavenly Gate (tianmen), the crown opening through which the spirit emerges. At this moment one must not be frightened, or the golden light will scatter. If strange sights appear, do not cling to them. Once the golden light takes the shape of a wheel, withdraw it into the Upper Dantian and nourish it for seven more days before emerging and withdrawing again. Each emergence and withdrawal should proceed gradually from near to far, and one must never skip stages. The newly formed infant spirit is still very young and may become lost and forget to return. It may also meet heavenly demons who test it and disturb the heart. Therefore, emergence and withdrawal must be undertaken with great caution, and only then may one hope to accomplish the body of Great Void (taixu zhi ti). The ancients said: "As the Dao rises a foot, the demon rises a zhang." Those whose refinement of the heart is not yet mature often suffer harm at this stage. If one can nurture the spirit for three years, as one raises an infant, and allow the yang spirit to mature, then one can naturally ascend to the heavens and descend through the earth. One can enter water without sinking, enter fire without burning, and pass through metal and stone without obstruction. Only after these verifications should one undertake the practice of refining spirit to return to emptiness (lian shen huan xu).

After a further nine years of facing-the-wall cultivation (mianbi xiulian), one attains the perfection of both form and spirit and awaits the summons of the cinnabar register (danshu). Then one may attain the rank of Heavenly Immortal (tianxian) and enjoy boundless blessings and longevity. An old saying goes: "Heaven and earth will one day be destroyed, but the immortal elder's lifespan has no end." Ke Huaijing said: "When all things return to their root, there is only one circle." This is precisely the meaning. The words are plain, but the methods were transmitted by the immortal masters. If later students read earnestly and practice diligently, they will see the results for themselves. If they can detach from worldly dust and refine the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir (jiuzhuan jindan), they will soon stand side by side with Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin.

Anyone, regardless of sex or age, can cultivate the Dao. If one understands the subtle principles involved, they become clear at a glance.

Dong Ting says that men and women both cultivate by working on their own bodies, and the only difference lies in where they first begin. Men begin refining qi (liànqì) at the Kan Palace (Kǎn Gōng), which is the Dantian (dāntián) below the navel that medical texts call the "inner kidney." Women begin refining form (liànxíng) at the Li Position (Lí Wèi), which lies between the two breasts and which the ancients called the "breasts." Liu Wuyuan says, "Refining qi through Taiyang (the Sun) is the principle of male cultivation, and refining form through Taiyin (the Moon) is the essential key of female cultivation." One should understand that "refining qi" means refining "lead" (qiān), and "refining form" means refining "mercury" (gǒng). These "lead" and "mercury" are technical terms of Neidan (internal alchemy) and do not refer to actual metals.

A man who does not understand "true mercury" (zhēn gǒng, a Daoist neidan term for the yang-natured essence and qi within body and mind) has only yang and no yin. A woman who does not understand "true lead" (zhēn qiān, the yin-natured essence and qi within body and mind) has only yin and no yang. For this reason, a man cultivating the Dao must "lower the White Tiger" (gather in and subdue the yang qi), and a woman must "sever the Red Dragon" (tame the menstrual blood). In the final stage of practice, the methods for men and women are the same. A man who understands true mercury understands the key to the final refinement of the form, and a woman who understands true lead understands the key to the final return of the elixir. When Perfected Ziyang speaks of the "later practice growing long," he means that the work of the later stage is even more prolonged and profound.

As people grow old, their spirit declines and their yang qi no longer stirs, so they often worry that they cannot cultivate the Dao. Master Zhang Sanfeng said, "When a person is old, there is still medicine that can cure him. Seek out an enlightened teacher and ask about the method." Were these empty words? There is no need now to search everywhere for a teacher, for I will set out the method for everyone. Some people worry that they cannot manage it, and that is why Master Zhang said the old still have medicine to cure them. Instead of seeking a teacher and asking for the method, here is how it is done. First, choose a quiet room and invite two or three like-minded companions to practice together. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, follow your own inclination and do not force yourself. Practice steadily in this way so that shen (spirit) gathers and generates qi, and qi gathers and generates jing (essence). After a long time, your appetite will gradually increase, your limbs and body will feel light, your Dantian (the lower abdominal site of neidan practice) will grow warm, and the outer yang (the erection of the male genitals) will arise. Then, once you become still, the vitality will stir of its own accord. This change does not come from any special technique. It is simply the natural course of things, just as water left standing for a long time breeds insects. The above describes the cultivation methods for men, women, and the elderly. Next, I will discuss the principle by which true mercury arises.

The Lingyuan Dadao Ge (Song of the Great Dao of the Numinous Source) says: "Do not dwell only on the names of mucus, jing, saliva, qi, blood, and fluids. Trace them to their root and seek their source, and they are all ultimately one and the same substance. This substance has never had a fixed place, but changes with the moment."

The physiological sensations produced by the movement of intention and mind appear in the body as heat, which becomes sweat; in the eyes as sorrow, which becomes tears; in the kidneys as stirrings of desire, which become semen; and in the nose as exposure to wind, which becomes mucus. All of these circulate throughout the body and, in the end, are never separate from the "divine water" (shenshui, the internal alchemy term for subtle substances such as semen in the human body). The principle of divine water is very difficult to express in words, and few truly understand it.

Human life is nourished by True Qi (zhenqi, the innate vital qi of life). Ordinary people, when they fall into deep sleep at night, also experience a stirring of yang qi, yet they do not know how to gather and refine it, and so the opportunity is wasted. The Guizhi (Xingming Guizhi, a classic of Daoist internal alchemy) says that yang jing is generated every day, but people do not understand how to gather it in, so it disperses throughout the body and turns into postnatal "mercury" (gong, the yin-natured essence in internal alchemy that is easily agitated and dissipated). Thus, a person's activities throughout the day are governed by mercury; and at night, as the power of mercury weakens, people drift into drowsy sleep.

In old age, the "sea water" within the body dries up, and the "tidal signals" (here tides serve as a metaphor for the periodic surging of essence and qi) no longer appear. This is because mercury can no longer circulate and nourish, the essence-water is cut off, the channels of qi's movement become blocked, and eyesight dims while hearing declines. Thus it is said that the common people use these essences every day without being aware of it; that is, they do not realize that their qi is constantly being dissipated in everyday life.

If one wishes to preserve "cinnabar mercury" (zhugong, the internal alchemy term for the mind or easily agitated essence) for a long time, one must restrain it with "water lead" (shuiqian, the internal alchemy term for the essence that can gather and govern mercury). The Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality) says: "To subdue it, one must seek out the Lord of Metal (jin gong)." The Cantong Qi (Kinship of the Three) says: "The Sun's flowing pearl (taiyang liuzhu, symbolizing the yang jing that easily escapes) constantly wishes to leave the body; but when one obtains the Golden Flower (jinhua, symbolizing the essence condensed through refinement), it can be made to turn back and become mutually dependent." The text further says: "The woman by the river..."

True nature is supremely subtle, and the function of shen (spirit) is the most profound of all. To subdue it, one must take "huangya" (yellow sprout) as the root. In the scripture, "liuzhu" (flowing pearl) and "nü" (woman) both refer to true mercury, while "jinhua" (golden flower) and "huangya" both refer to true lead.

The alchemical canon says, "Life cannot be established without nature, and nature cannot endure without life." This is precisely the principle at issue. The so-called refining of jing (essence) into qi (vital energy), and of qi into shen, means that the essential and vital energies gradually transform and finally condense into shen. Here shen corresponds to true mercury, and qi corresponds to true lead. Therefore, it can be said that lead generates mercury. The Xingming Guizhi (Essential Teachings on Nature and Life), a text of Daoist neidan (internal alchemy), further observes that people see gold emerging from the moon but do not realize that moonlight originally comes from the sun. This likewise shows that mercury generates lead.

Lead and mercury transform into one another and are then tempered through the alternating action of wind and fire. When the lead is exhausted and the mercury dried, the result is called the Golden Elixir (jindan). The scripture also offers an analogy: a turtle that obtains a luminous pearl is thereby able to shed its shell.

Dragons obtain the fire-repelling pearl and can soar. Serpents obtain the wind-stilling pearl and can live long. Foxes absorb the light of the moon and can take human form. If even these other kinds of creatures can achieve such things, why could a person not refine the elixir? The principle is clear.

Heaven and earth are a Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), the fundamental whole of all things, and each individual thing likewise possesses its own Taiji. Take the Taiji principle within the human body as an example. The human being is itself a Taiji. Lead and mercury are the Yin and Yang within the Taiji. The Xuanguan (mysterious gate), the critical point in internal alchemy practice where Yin and Yang meet and primordial qi condenses, is the Wuji (the primordial state before Yin and Yang are differentiated) within the Taiji.

Fuxi's River Chart (Hetu) describes the principle of the mutual opposition of Yin and Yang in the Xiantian (prior-to-heaven) order, and those of superior De (Virtue) may cultivate according to it. Superior De refers to a body that has retained its childlike innocence and has not been depleted. Yu the Great's Luo Writing (Luoshu) describes the principle of the circulation and transformation of Yin and Yang in the Houtian (posterior-to-heaven) order, and those of inferior De may cultivate according to it. Inferior De refers to a body that has already suffered some depletion. The methods of superior and inferior De differ, yet their final attainment is the same.

True lead is "gold within water," corresponding to the numbers one and four, which is Sun Wukong. True mercury is "wood within fire," corresponding to the numbers two and three, which is Zhu Wuneng. The true earth at the center of the Xuanguan corresponds to the generating number five, which is Sha Wujing. In this way, is it not precisely by combining three and five that one forms the single figure of Tang Sanzang? The white horse symbolizes the correct position held at the center, with De solid within and able to reach through the four limbs. Those who read Journey to the West in the world, if they can understand the principle contained in the two characters "Sanzang," then the Way of the Golden Elixir (Jindan) will be something that cannot fail to be accomplished.

The Cantong qi (a foundational Daoist text on internal alchemy and external alchemy) says, "When three and five unite, they become the utmost essence of heaven and earth." Material of this kind may be transmitted orally through secret formulas, but it is difficult to set down in writing for circulation. It is like needing a boat to cross a river and a net to catch fish. Without a boat, how would one cross? Without a net, how would one catch fish? Without methods of practice, how could one cultivate the Dao? Even someone whose wisdom surpasses that of Yan Hui or Min Ziqian would find it difficult to grasp this through guesswork alone. I now state it plainly, in the hope that like-minded readers will understand it at a glance.

"Superior virtue is non-acting (wuwei) and does not seek through deliberate effort" refers to people whose roots of life (genben) are pure, so their cultivation does not depend on conscious striving. This does not mean doing nothing. Rather, within purposeful study they practice the skill of non-action. By contrast, "inferior virtue acts, and its use never ceases" describes people whose roots have already been damaged. They need a master to transmit the methods and should learn zaijie (grafting and joining, a term in Neidan, or internal alchemy, for replenishing and reconnecting the root of life) as early as possible. Because damage to the root leads to depletion, speaking only of non-action without learning zaijie cannot make up the loss. The scripture uses the phrase "qi decays and blood wanes" to illustrate this and advises prompt reconnection. It also cites Daoist scriptures, Buddhist sutras, and the words of Master Lü (Lü Dongbin), stressing that only by reconnecting the root of life on schedule can one hope to extend one's years.

The author cautions that zaijie must not be mistaken for sexual union with a woman, or for relying on a so-called "female cauldron" to gather essence. The scripture quotes the Qi (Covenant) to show that things of different natures cannot be combined into one. The zaijie the author describes works from within oneself, returning from Later Heaven (houtian) to Prior Heaven (xiantian) and refining two medicinals, "true yin" and "true yang." Alchemical texts call this the "Golden Liquid Great Elixir of Nine Returns and Seven Reversions." Here "lead and mercury" (qian gong) is also an internal alchemy term, referring to the yin and yang medicinals used in practice. Zhang Sanfeng's lines, "Among all the impure substances, none are of the same kind; only true yin and true yang are truly grafted," and "When yin and yang meet, lead and mercury join," both emphasize that zaijie should be based on one's own lead and mercury and must not be understood as dependent on a woman.

With water and fire, the key is to understand their underlying nature; only then can we know what “planting and grafting” means: a cultivation method that brings Yin and Yang energies into contact and harmony. The Dao De Jing says, “These two come from the same source, though they have different names.” Thus, although the classics of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism use different terms, they point to a shared underlying reality. The texts also distinguish things as “lead” and “mercury,” and use “water” and “fire” as metaphors. They offer many ingenious images and names, yet all remain within the scope of Yin-Yang. Ultimately, their meaning lies within the human being. That is why the texts say that even an ignorant, ordinary person who receives and practices this method can immediately rise beyond the common world and enter the realm of sages.

Ziqing Weng, a Daoist practitioner of Neidan (internal alchemy), says that the root of nature and the foundation of life come from the same source but have different names. They belong to two categories, yet ultimately converge and form the Elixir—the refined Qi and essence produced through internal alchemical cultivation. The Elixir then returns to its original source and becomes the primordial, precelestial Qi: the original energy from before the creation of Heaven and Earth.

The primordial, precelestial state is the source of water and fire within the human body. It is also the supreme treasure called the “White Tiger’s First Scripture,” a Daoist alchemical term for a subtle and essential substance in cultivation. Laozi says that there is something undivided and complete, existing before Heaven and Earth: still and vast, standing alone and unchanging. The “reality of the Non-ultimate” described by Zhou Dunyi, the Song dynasty philosopher, refers to this same source.

What do “two” and “five” mean in the phrase “the essences of two and five subtly unite and coalesce”? “Two” refers to the Six in the second position inside, the Yin of the hexagram image; “five” refers to the Nine in the fifth position outside, the Yang of the hexagram image. Inner and outer, female and male, Yin and Yang, harmonize with one another and transform into pure Yang energy. This is what is meant by skillfully nurturing the vast, flowing Qi. Take it into the belly, and the result is like the image in the saying, “A tiny measure on the tongue, and by daylight wings sprout”: a metaphor for swallowing a little divine elixir and ascending to immortality.

Between Heaven and Earth, without the union of Yin and Yang, the myriad things could not come into being. The Yi Jing says that opposing things each have their own number; when Heaven and Earth join, the myriad things are at peace; when Kan and Li—the hexagrams representing water and fire in the Yi Jing—join, the human body and mind are at peace. The secrets of dual cultivation of Yin and Yang are all set out here. Is this not the teaching of Confucianism? To take the point further, the water and fire spoken of in the sages’ cultivation practice, when used in reverse, bring Kan and Li together and thereby bring peace to body and mind. The essential principles of dual cultivation of Yin and Yang are contained in this as well.

Can this really be said not to be a Confucian teaching? To go a step further, the principle of reversing Water and Fire in the work of harmonizing the sacred is what the Book of Changes calls “the man placing himself below the woman”; through this, things are brought to completion. The “Fire” here is no ordinary fire. It arises from Kan Water and can open and clear the channels: this is true Yang. Nor is the “Water” ordinary water. It arises from Li Fire and can subdue rising, steaming Qi: this is true Yin.

Cui Gong says, “Water is true Water; Fire is true Fire.” He also says, “The lead dragon rises; the mercury tiger descends.” Lü Zu says, “Qian lead and Kun mercury are the foundation of the Golden Elixir; dragon lead and tiger mercury are supremely subtle and wondrous.” Patriarch Zhang Sanfeng says, “True Water and true Fire join in accord with Yin-Yang; people of the world, do not make wild guesses. Even if you simply sit empty, practicing Wuwei, you may still lose your life and be buried on Beiman Mountain.” If you do not even understand the principle of Water and Fire, how can you speak of the grafting and joining methods of cultivation?

True Water and true Fire mean that there is Fire within Water, which the Water cannot extinguish; hence it is called true Fire. There is Water within Fire, which the Fire cannot dry up; hence it is called true Water. These are true Yin and true Yang.

If this is still unclear, consider the story in Journey to the West. In one chapter, the Four Sea Dragon Kings’ water cannot put out Red Boy’s fire. In the next, the water of the Four Sea Dragon Kings cannot quench the fire at Fire Cloud Tower either; only the water of Guanyin of the South Sea can solve the problem. Here, “South” corresponds to the Li trigram and belongs to Fire, while “Sea” symbolizes Water. The Water within Fire refers to the true Water in the body; Red Boy’s fire and the fire at Fire Cloud Tower symbolize the body’s true Fire.

“Observing the sound” means attending to the messages that arise within the body. When such a message arrives, water and fire within the body naturally harmonize, reaching the state of “already across” (water and fire joining, Yin and Yang in balance). Lü Zu said, “There is a true signal within; when it arrives, you will surely be startled into awareness.” The Old Man of the Muddy Pellet Palace said, “Jing and Qi arise at their appointed time; when the time comes, consciousness will know.” Zhu Yuanyu said, “When the season arrives, the medicine naturally appears.”

I believe the ginseng-fruit tree in Journey to the West refers to this very “medicine.” If one is planting and nurturing the female cauldron—a Neidan term for the object that receives or cultivates Jing and Qi in practice—there can be no further doubt. Yet knowing only the medicine, without knowing when to gather it or how to control the firing times, is still futile. What is most secret in the alchemical texts is not the medicine, gathering, and firing times themselves, but the changes of separation and union among them. The relation between the inner and outer is indeed difficult to explain. I will try to discuss each in turn below.

“Gathering” means gathering from outside, while “taking” means taking from within. “Fire” refers to the fire of Shen, and “timing” refers to the True Breath—the subtle, authentic breathing cultivated in practice. When gathering and taking are joined, they form the timing of the fire; the timing of the fire is therefore contained in the act of gathering and taking. The scripture thus says that the timing of the fire does not lie beyond gathering and taking, and gathering and taking cannot be separated from the timing of the fire.

When it is time to work at the furnace, practitioners often find it difficult to maintain control on their own. The “Yellow Matron” must preside over the harmonizing of inner and outer; everything follows her command. The Yellow Matron is not a particular person, but the True Intention in the alchemical path—the mind and spirit’s capacity to harmonize and govern Yin and Yang. The scripture calls her “commander of the central palace.” It also says that the infant and the maiden emerge together, only to be led back into the room by the Yellow Matron. This means that once the two forces of Yin and Yang appear, the True Intention must govern them and bring them together. The infant, the maiden, the White Tiger, and the Azure Dragon are all symbolic terms in the alchemical path.

The scripture praises the Yellow Matron for subduing the dragon and taming the tiger, bringing the two into harmony and union. It also says that she can distinguish zi from wu in an instant and determine Qian and Kun even without the markers of hexagrams and line statements. These passages all mean that cultivation continually depends on the True Intention to discern, harmonize, and govern Yin and Yang. The Four Images and Five Phases must all be joined through “Earth,” which symbolizes the harmonizing force at the center.

“Yellow” is the color of the center, while “matron” suggests harmonizing; the Yellow Matron is therefore the one who presides at the center and brings things into harmony. The True Intention is a clear and governing mind in cultivation. Only after receiving the oral instructions passed down by a teacher does one understand that the Yellow Matron points to one’s original face, before one’s parents were born. Zhang Sanfeng’s saying, “The original face is always revealed,” likewise teaches people to recognize this Yellow Matron. Someone asked whether the original face can be seen when it appears. The scripture answers by invoking the Yi: one can experience the Yellow Matron only when the mind is free of thought and action, still and unmoving, yet able to reach understanding through response.

As for the methods of preparing the ingredients and beginning the work, described separately, one gathers True Yang and True Fire, which belong to Wu Earth, and takes True Yin and True Water, which belong to Ji Earth. Taken together, these are the harmonizing of Yin and Yang and the joining of Water and Fire: Wu Earth and Ji Earth merge to form the “knife-and-spoon measure,” an alchemical symbol for the substance produced by the union of Yin and Yang.

From the perspective of the “medicine,” we must first clarify the difference between Ren Water and Gui Water: Ren Water belongs to Yang, while Gui Water belongs to Yin; Ren Water is clear, while Gui Water is turbid. Ren Water is true Lead, the external medicine, because it comes from beyond oneself. Hence the saying, “Lead must be sought outside.” Gui Water is true Mercury, the internal medicine, originally present within oneself. Hence the saying, “Mercury is taken from within the home.” Once the two are brought together and placed in the furnace to be cooked and refined, they are cultivated through practice.

From the perspective of the “fire timing,” gentle fire means sealing and stabilizing, bathing and stopping the fire, and nurturing with warmth. Vigorous fire means gathering precelestial Qi, obtaining true One Lead, and gathering the Yang line from the Kan trigram—the line within Kan. It means taking the “tiger in the water”: drawing white from darkness and obtaining Yang Qi from within Yin.

From the perspective of the circulation of the celestial circuit, what the Yin Talisman describes is the gradual movement of the Dao of Heaven and Earth through the clouds and Qi. When the movement of Qi reaches a certain point, it is the hour of Zi. At this time, one first nurtures it gradually with gentle fire, then shifts step by step to vigorous fire. This is like the Return hexagram at the winter solstice: one Yang rises slowly from beneath the earth until it reaches the summit of Heaven. This is therefore called “advancing the Yang fire,” also known as “Qian employing Nine,” with “nine times nine” representing Yang. Then one gradually shifts from vigorous fire back to gentle fire. This is like the summer solstice, when one Yin descends from the summit of Heaven to the depths of the earth. This is therefore called “withdrawing the Yin Talisman,” also known as “Kun employing Six,” with “six times six” representing Yin.

This is the transformation symbolized by the Return hexagram. If one can apply the art of the Golden Elixir in this way, who could say it will not succeed? The oral instructions are:

Let thoughts not arise and the mind not wander. Hold the light within and silently guard the true breath. Let breathing flow continuously; let gentle and vigorous fire change evenly. In this way, one naturally accords in secret with the rhythms of Heaven and time. This is what it means to master the fire timing of the celestial circuit.

Thus, the Cantong qi uses the waxing and waning of the sixty hexagrams, the seasonal markers of the four seasons, and the waxing and waning of the moon to describe changes in fire timing. Some matters cannot be fully set out here; they are recorded in detail in the Cantong qi. Hence it says:

Immortals do not use the Cantong qi (The Seal of the Unity of the Three, a Daoist alchemical classic) as a makeshift guide to cultivation, nor do they casually transmit the skill of regulating the firing process in alchemy. Without understanding its principles, how could anyone know these things? For this reason, the Cantong qi is honored as the king of alchemical classics through the ages.

In general, the principles explained throughout the book may seem clear. But much of what it says is expressed through symbolic imagery. Do not presume to be clever and risk misunderstanding it. The Perfected One of Ziyang once said: “Words are written to explain images; once you grasp the images, you can forget the words.” It is like setting up images to point to an idea: once you understand the idea, the images can be discarded. Though the words left by the immortals differ, each metaphor conveys a real principle. Be sure to grasp what the images point to, and once you understand, do not cling to the wording. Never hold rigidly to the surface text.

Alas! I hope those who share this aspiration will remain steadfast, study these principles deeply, and read diligently for several years. Then, when they meet a master, they will naturally be able to distinguish the genuine from the false and the orthodox from the heterodox, and so avoid passing by a good teacher right before their eyes. If they do not understand the symbolic language of alchemical books, they may visit teachers of every kind from morning to night; it is no wonder they mistake a deer for a horse and exchange a sheep for an ox. Some take a woman to be an alchemical vessel; others go out to buy young boys. They refuse to admit their own confusion and instead claim that this is what the immortals and Buddhas teach. Alas, how could such a thing make sense? I cannot bear to see people led astray, so I have specially added this chapter to help set them right.

On Refuting Heterodox Practices

Heterodox methods and teachings each establish their own schools and bewilder people’s minds; they must be corrected and clarified.

Dongting says: Today the orthodox Way lies silent and obscure, while heterodox teachings arise everywhere. I have seen some laypeople who cultivate the Way stray into side paths and remain stubbornly unaware of their error.

In the Central Land (China), there are many religious sects. I will name a few: the Clear Stillness sect, the Great Vehicle sect, the Golden Elixir sect, the Jade Pool sect, the Yao sect, the One Finger sect, the Primordial Heaven sect, the Great Wisdom sect, the Lord Lao sect, and the Supreme Vehicle sect. There are also many heterodox sects that I will not list one by one here. Most teach people to abstain from certain foods and recite scriptures, claiming that these practices cultivate good karma; to refrain from killing and release living creatures, claiming that this accumulates merit; and to believe that after death they will surely become immortals and perfected beings, returning to Langyuan, the fabled realm of the immortals, or become Buddhas and return to the Western Heaven. The author argues that such claims mislead people and corrupt public morals, provoking the wrath of Heaven itself; naturally, the authorities will not tolerate them.

In the past, some lay ritual masters—people who conducted sacrificial rites and prayers at home—and ordained Buddhist monks and Daoist priests fabricated ritual registers, documents used in Daoist ceremonies. They claimed these could avert calamities caused by the stars for the sick, extend the lives of the elderly by performing the Dipper Rite, a prayer to the Northern Dipper, set up purification rites to deliver the souls of the dead, or protect a locality by conducting a jiao rite, a prayer ceremony performed at an altar, when people faced disaster. The author argues that these so-called heterodox practitioners have no such powers; in reality, these practices are merely tricks for swindling people out of money. Even the households of princes and scholars are deceived by them, treating these practices as teachings to be passed down through the generations without seriously examining their rationale, and may not even recognize their falsehood.

Others entice people to leave home, shave their heads, change their clothing, and learn the rules of Buddhist monastics, calling this taking refuge in Buddhism. Some establish Chan monasteries, gathering monks from across the land, cauterizing their scalps with moxa, and holding practices such as “the seven-day retreat and walking meditation.” They confer certificates and robes, calling the recipients monks who have received the precepts. When these people grow old and die, their bodies are burned, a practice called “transforming through death into Buddhahood.” Still others pose koans and subjects for investigation, sit quietly in meditation…

To regard blind cultivation and haphazard methods as spiritual practice; to circulate the breath, visualize while sitting in meditation, or confer writings and vestments on others, then call oneself an “ordained monk”; and, upon growing old and dying, burn the body and claim to have “shed the mortal form and become a Buddha”—these are all mere outward forms if they have no proper basis in practice. The same may be true of those who raise public cases for discussion and investigate critical phrases, or sit quietly in meditation.

Some spend their days soliciting donations and accumulating so-called merit by building temples and monasteries, while in reality advancing their own interests. Some swallow the sun’s essence and inhale the moon’s radiance, devoting themselves to the pursuit of immortality. Others tread the Dipper steps and walk the astral circuits, draw talismans and chant incantations, and claim they can capture demons and monsters, using these claims to extort money. Still others use the name of alchemy to work with the Five Metals and Eight Stones, tend the furnace fire, and produce so-called “yellow and white” substances—gold and silver—to swindle people out of their money.

Worse still, some gather men and women in secret rooms at night, face one another naked, join at the navel, and circulate Qi while claiming to transmit the Dao. Or they treat women as “cauldrons”—a term from alchemy for people used as objects of extraction—and collect what is called “the first menstrual blood,” an old Neidan term for a young woman’s first menstrual blood, to form elixirs and vainly seek to ascend to heaven in broad daylight. Such heretical arts are too numerous to list. Many violate moral principles, offend Heaven, mislead the public, and deceive others. Even if their practitioners happen to escape the law, they cannot escape karmic retribution.

Rather than act in these ways, one should turn to proper conduct and return to the right path; that is cause for rejoicing. May good men and women everywhere recognize these abuses, understand their absurdity, and no longer be deceived or exploited by them.

Preface to the Commentary on the Explanation of the Taiji Diagram

The principle of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) is subtle and profound. It is utterly empty, yet contains what is real; formless and without image, it exists before Heaven, Earth, and all things. This is its fundamental nature. When it manifests within the myriad things of the later world, that is its function. It cannot be understood through ordinary knowledge or distinguished by the senses. Deliberately comparing it to something else loses its true meaning, while trying to explain it in words cannot make it clear.

The ancients could only represent it with the symbol “○.” They also called it the Dao (the Way), emptiness, the One Qi of the precelestial realm, Wuji (the Limitless), or Taiji. “Dao” uses a named term to refer to what is nameless. “Emptiness” and “Wuji” describe the time before the myriad things came into being. “The One Qi of Taiji” describes the moment when they were about to come into being. In truth, all these terms refer to the same empty, undifferentiated Qi.

Wuji and Taiji both refer to the Dao; they are not two separate things. In the Yellow River Map and the Luo River Writing, the Dao is represented by the empty center, the “central five.” In the distinction between the precelestial and postcelestial realms, it is represented by the point where Yin and Yang meet.

Every person is born with a numinous, clear aperture within, but sadly it is constrained by one’s innate endowment and obscured by private desires. If we follow the flow of postcelestial Yin Qi, we lose sight of our clear and undimmed root, drift far from home, and forget to return. This is truly lamentable.

I had long yearned to learn the Daoist arts. In the winter of the year Yichou, I was staying in Hangao when I happened to hear that Mr. Wang Dongting cultivated the Dao with great attainment. I went to him as a disciple and asked him about the mysteries of the precelestial and postcelestial realms. He answered with compassion:

In the Yellow River Map drawn by Fuxi, the empty space at the center is the precelestial realm. When Laozi said, “The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth,” “the nameless” referred to this “○.”

In the River Chart of Fuxi (the diagram said to have been seen by Fuxi), the center is empty, symbolizing the precelestial state. Laozi says, “The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth.” Here, “the nameless” refers to nature, symbolized by the circle. Confucians call it “the center within the Yellow Center,” Buddhists call it “the center within emptiness,” and Daoists call it “the center within the ring.” All refer to a point of numinous light formed by the union of Heaven and Earth.

In the Luo Writing of the Great Yu (the diagram said to have been seen by the Great Yu), the center is solid, symbolizing the postcelestial state. Laozi says, “The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.” Here, “the named” refers to life, symbolized by the horizontal line. Confucians speak of “concentrating on the One,” Buddhists of “returning to the One,” and Daoists of “attaining the One.” All refer to a point of true Qi formed by the union of one’s parents.

Precelestial nature and postcelestial life naturally belong together. The same principle underlies the dual cultivation of nature and life. Confucians speak of “one thread running through all,” carrying this “One” through the center; Buddhists speak of “returning to the One,” bringing this “One” back to the center; Daoists speak of “embracing the One,” keeping this “One” at the center. The center must contain the One, and the One must have a center: the center encompasses the One, while the One takes the center as its governing principle. This means that nature does not depart from life, and life does not depart from nature. When nature and life merge, they become this complete “one thing.” Everyone possesses it, and everyone can bring it to full realization. It is no greater in a sage and no lesser in an ordinary person. Even tiny creatures such as mosquitoes, gnats, fleas, and lice are the same in this respect. Shao Yong said, “Each thing is a Taiji,” meaning that each thing possesses its own Taiji in full.

At birth, this “one thing” divides into two. As a person grows to adulthood and the body develops, the two divide again into three. Precelestial nature is then obscured, while postcelestial Qi gradually dissipates: kidney water flows downward and is lost, heart fire blazes upward, and water and fire can no longer aid one another. One gradually declines into old age and death, losing the original path by which one came into the world.

For now, let us begin with the union of husband and wife, comparing the ordinary human path with the path of cultivating immortality. In ordinary life, a matchmaker arranges the marriage, and on the appointed day the woman is sent into the bridal chamber. When the man sees the woman, his postcelestial heart and kidneys join; his external yang rises, forming a “one thing.” He then places this “one thing” inside the woman, and she becomes pregnant. This is the process by which a woman marries a man and proceeds in accordance with the way of reproduction.

The path of the immortals requires understanding this principle inwardly, within oneself. The “woman” within the cultivator’s body also has a “one thing” symbolized by a circle. When the time comes and the infant appears, the precelestial heart and kidneys join; the external yang rises, forming a “one thing” symbolized by a horizontal line. The cultivator then asks the “Yellow Matron”—an image for harmonizing Yin and Yang and connecting the heart and kidneys—to carry it into the “Lichun Courtyard” (a borrowed name for a brothel, here referring to the place where Yin and Yang meet). One strand of true Qi is cast into the “woman’s” circle, and the man too can become pregnant. This is a process of cultivation in which the man is below and the woman above, reversing the ordinary course.

Ultimately, though the path of the immortals and the ordinary path take different routes, their underlying principle is the same; the difference lies only in following the natural course or cultivating in reverse. The text next alludes to a poem in the Yuanyao Pian: “Keep the ‘woman’ where she is, and wait for the young lord to come from outside.” It also quotes the Huixin Ji: “A man aged ninety-three comes to lodge, and a young woman of sixteen prepares his bed.” The Yellow Matron brings them together, making the man and woman husband and wife. They love one another like mandarin ducks in union, their Shen and Qi merging until they are in a state of ecstatic absorption.

After an intense stirring during practice, a subtle movement suddenly appears at the Primordial Aperture, the crucial point referred to in cultivation. One must secure it and seal it away firmly, without dwelling on it further. From this moment, the Sacred Embryo—the inner foundation symbolizing the completion of the Elixir in internal alchemy—has taken shape, and the Great Unity True Essence, the subtle and pure primordial Qi, is stored within the body. The so-called Yuanji says: “One’s own essence and blood join within the body; the Yin and Yang within oneself unite like husband and wife, in a wonder beyond words. When the phoenixes meet, spirit and Qi merge into one, and a person seems intoxicated and entranced.”

The Great Achievement Collection says: “There are husband and wife within oneself; to tell this to the world would surely make people laugh.” In essence, this is the mind teaching passed down in an unbroken line by sages through the ages. One must understand the book’s “Explanatory Notes on the Diagram of the Body” to grasp the principle of immortality. Once this Elixir method is understood, there is hope of completing the Way of the Elixir. I do not exaggerate its claims out of personal preference, nor make grand claims in pursuit of gain. Ever since I fell ill in the year Dingchou, I have grown disheartened. I have regarded high office and generous emoluments as dust, and gold and jade as dirt; nearly twenty years have passed in this way. What else is there worth pursuing? I simply thought that like-minded people who had not met a teacher to guide them would find this difficult to understand. So I arranged for this book to be printed, as an essential guide for those studying the Dao. This is the preface.

Respectfully written in the first month of spring in the Bing Shen year of the Guangxu era by Zhao Baozhen, styled Mu Han, of Yuzhang, at his villa in Xichang.

“Zhouzi’s Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate”

The Non-Ultimate and yet the Supreme Ultimate.

The Supreme Ultimate is the state before Heaven and Earth were opened. What form existed before Heaven and Earth were opened is probably impossible to know. If we infer from the Supreme Ultimate as it is understood within the human body, it must also be called the Supreme Ultimate…

The Taiji exists before the opening of Heaven and Earth. What form existed before Heaven and Earth were opened cannot be known for certain. If we reason from the Taiji within the human body, there must also have been a Taiji before Heaven and Earth were opened. Whether a Wuji existed even before the Taiji is harder still to know. Confucius said, “The Changes contains the Taiji, the source from which the Two Modes arise.” He did not mention the Wuji. What, then, is the Wuji?

The Taiji within the human body comes from the interaction of Yin and Yang. Their state before they interact, when they remain scattered and undivided, is the Wuji. But when Heaven and Earth were still in chaos and Yin and Yang had not yet separated, was there also a Wuji dispersed among them, waiting for them to interact? This overlooks the distinction between postcelestial Yin and Yang and precelestial Yin and Yang. After Heaven and Earth were opened, postcelestial Yin and Yang joined, forming the individual Taiji of all things. Before Heaven and Earth were opened, precelestial Yin and Yang joined, forming the Taiji of Heaven and Earth. Before the precelestial Yin and Yang joined, when they were diffuse and unordered, that was the precelestial Wuji. Lu had doubts about this, while Zhu Xi accepted it and wrote a commentary on the Changes, though he did not explain the reasoning in detail.

When the Taiji moves, it generates Yang. When its movement reaches its limit, it turns to stillness; as it becomes still, it generates Yin. When stillness reaches its limit, movement begins again. Movement and stillness depend on each other and are each the root of the other.

What is the Taiji? It is the state of undivided chaos. Consider the Taiji within the human body: at conception, a point of numinous awareness, bright and crimson, descends along with Jing and Qi, becoming the root of the whole body. In Heaven it is called “life”; in human beings it is called “nature.” To say that it “does not depart from Qi” means that it does not exist independently of Qi. Those who cultivate stillness may naturally encounter it when sitting alone in quiet meditation. Su Dongpo’s poem says:

In the middle of the night, a spark of numinous vitality descends into the “Yellow Court” (the part of the human body that harbors the power of life). This is probably what is meant by this image. Human beings come into being through the transformation of Heaven and Earth, and Heaven and Earth, in turn, also come into being through this process. The Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), the source from which all things emerge before they differentiate, must be like this as well.

The discussion of movement and stillness here differs from Zhang Ziyuan’s view in the Han dynasty. Zhang said that Yin and Yang arise as soon as there is movement; here, movement is said to produce Yang, and stillness to produce Yin. There are two kinds of Yin-Yang: Yin and Yang in mutual opposition, and Yin and Yang in their ongoing flow and transformation. Yin and Yang in mutual opposition arise through movement, just as human beings give birth to boys and girls: without activity, they cannot take shape. Yin and Yang in their ongoing flow and transformation, however, may arise from stillness or from movement. As movement and stillness alternate, Yin and Yang give rise to one another without end, like the seasons: winter passes, and spring comes again. The flow and transformation of Yin and Yang is the unceasing state of utmost sincerity. Zhou Dunyi stated this explicitly, intending to teach people to cultivate utmost sincerity.

That movement produces Yang is easy to understand; that stillness produces Yin is harder. Here, the principle by which Yin is produced is explained in particular. Stillness means a profound, quiet state in which all things lie hidden. Within the year, this quiet state occurs in the two months of Xu and Hai; within a month, during its final five days; within a day, during its final two double-hours. This is the natural order of Heaven and Earth. If people can follow it, they may appear to be moving while avoiding restless action amid movement, allowing the seed of Yin to take shape within Yang. They may also appear to be still while avoiding stagnation in stillness, allowing Yang’s function to emerge within Yin. Thus, it would not be wrong to say that movement produces Yin and stillness produces Yang. Movement and stillness are each the root of the other; this is precisely what Zhou Dunyi meant.

When Yin and Yang differentiate, the Two Modes—the two basic forms of Yin and Yang—take shape. Yin and Yang differentiate on their own; the Taiji itself is not divided into the Two Modes. So even after Yin and Yang have differentiated, the Taiji remains present. If one says that the Taiji turns into Yin and Yang, then the Taiji itself would cease to exist.

The separation of Yin and Yang is their natural differentiation; it does not mean that the Taiji has been split into two parts. Thus, even as Yin and Yang differentiate, the Taiji remains intact. If the Taiji itself were to transform into Yin and Yang, it would be destroyed. How, then, could Heaven and Earth endure?

In the cosmos, Heaven is above and Earth below, separated from each other and unable to communicate. In the human body, Li, one of the Eight Trigrams (Bagua) and a symbol of the heart, corresponds to the heart. Its middle line is taken as yin, giving it the image of the middle daughter. The heart holds one’s nature. Kan, another of the Eight Trigrams and a symbol of the kidneys, corresponds to the kidneys. Its middle line is taken as yang, giving it the image of the middle son. The kidneys hold one’s life.

The ancients said that before birth, nature and life were united as one, forming an immortal body. Once a person leaves the womb, nature no longer perceives life, and life no longer perceives nature. People thus become ordinary and cannot become sages. The separation of Yin and Yang is like a married couple turning against each other and no longer living together; such a household cannot help but decline. This shows that the natural function discussed below is indispensable.

Yang Qi transforms and Yin Qi joins with it, producing the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), which proceed in sequence as the four seasons turn. When I first looked at the Taiji diagram, I was puzzled by its arrangement of Yin and Yang. On the side of yang movement, two yang lines enclose one yin line, forming the Li trigram. According to the Book of Changes (Yi), Li symbolizes the middle daughter and belongs to yin, yet here it is treated as yang. On the side of yin stillness, two yin lines enclose one yang line, forming the Kan trigram. According to the Yi, Kan symbolizes the middle son and belongs to yang, yet here it is treated as yin.

Now the attributes of Yin and Yang are reversed, and even Zhu Xi’s commentary says that Fire belongs to Yang and Water to Yin. The Explanation of the Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate was originally meant to clarify the principles of the Changes. Confucius said, “Yang trigrams contain more Yin lines, while Yin trigrams contain more Yang lines.” How, then, can anyone now dare to overturn Confucius’s words in the Appended Statements? How is this to be explained?

In fact, the transformation of Yang Qi and the union of Yin Qi both require the work of cultivation; they do not happen naturally without study, as sexual union between a man and a woman does. Fire belongs to Yin and Water to Yang according to the ordinary principle. But with the practice of stilling the mind and cultivating oneself, the Fire spoken of is not ordinary fire. It arises from Kan Water—symbolizing kidney water, the Yang within Yin—and can open the channels and vessels. It is called “True Yang.” The Water spoken of is likewise not ordinary water. It arises from Li Fire—symbolizing heart fire, the Yin within Yang—and can subdue the rising, steaming Qi that disturbs the upper body. It is called “True Yin.”

From this we may infer that Wood can generate Fire, yet can also calm its force and nourish Wood; placed in Fire, Wood’s substance is not burned to ash. Metal can generate Water, and can also refine Water into Metal.

Gold sinks to the bottom of water, yet its substance does not disappear. Fire can give rise to Earth. Dry Earth can shelter and sustain Fire, allowing it to remain beneath Earth without going out. This is the sage’s method of reversing Yin-Yang and working with Water and Fire. Otherwise, if Yin is inherently still, how could there be motion within stillness? And if Yang is inherently in motion, how could there be stillness within motion?

When speaking of the Five Phases, the classic says they “proceed in sequence.” This refers to the order in which the four seasons unfold: in Heaven, it is the natural beginning and end; in human beings, it is the natural origin and conclusion. These phenomena may seem to arise naturally, without relying entirely on human cultivation, yet they also contain principles of cultivation, which will be discussed later.

The Five Phases return to Yin-Yang; Yin-Yang returns to Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate); Taiji is rooted in Wuji (the Limitless). These two lines restate what came before and reveal its underlying principle from the opposite direction. At first glance, they may seem to hold little profound meaning. In fact, they describe the work of gathering multiplicity into simplicity—the “one thread that runs through it all,” as Confucius put it. Everything under Heaven can be classified within the Five Phases. To enumerate each thing one by one would be endless. Bringing diverse things together and classifying them within the Five Phases first requires careful observation and inquiry, and then the ability to adapt flexibly. However, if each of the Five Phases is allowed to rest in its proper place…

Once the Five Phases are assigned to separate categories and distinguished from one another, they can no longer use their own power to make up for one another’s deficiencies when they generate one another; nor, when they overcome one another, can they restrain one another’s excesses. The vitality of Heaven and Earth must therefore come to a halt. The Five Phases must be brought together as Yin-Yang, and the Yin-Yang that had been divided must then gradually return to unity.

The Yi Jing says, “One Yin and one Yang: this is called the Dao.” Here, it speaks of the Dao that people can experience and put into practice. If people are to become wholly one with Heaven, then the Taiji is the Dao; Yin-Yang has not yet exhausted its mysteries. Yin-Yang must therefore return to the Taiji before one can fully illuminate one’s nature and establish the Way of life, attaining the state of a worthy person who approaches sagehood. It might seem that one could stop there. Yet does not the Classic of Poetry say, “The Way of Heaven’s operation is without sound or smell”? Although the Taiji has no form, it can still be said to have an image, and so it is not the ultimate. To understand that the Taiji is rooted in the Wuji, one must still go deeper in one’s cultivation. Then Heaven and Earth cannot constrain it, and spirits and gods cannot fathom it. When it disperses, it leaves no trace; when it gathers, it has no form. Since ancient times, had Confucius not appeared, who else could have returned to this Great Dao?

Each of the Five Phases comes into being in its own way, and each has a different nature and disposition. The Taiji gives rise to Heaven and Earth, each of which has its own Taiji. Heaven and Earth then give rise to the Five Phases, each of which likewise has its own Taiji. The Taiji inherent in the Five Phases is not only the same in each; it is also no different from the Taiji that precedes creation. The Taiji is the nature bestowed by Heaven’s Mandate. The Book of Documents says, “Heaven bestows the nature of centrality and correctness, giving all things their constant nature.” “Constant” means that although the myriad things under Heaven are numerous and differ from one another, their nature is without distinction.

Why, then, is it said that each of the Five Phases has its own nature? The answer is that each also has qualities formed by its particular material endowment of Qi. Consider the five flavors used in medicine: some are warming, some cooling. These are examples of their differing qualities. But this refers to the nature shaped by material endowment, not the nature bestowed by Heaven’s Mandate. The true substance of the Wuji wondrously combines and coalesces with the two Qi of Yin and Yang and the refined Qi of the Five Phases—the “Two and Five”—and from this all things take form.

The Five Phases discussed above each have their own nature; this does not refer only to the human body. Within the body, the five organs also correspond to the Five Phases, each with its own nature and its own “Wuji” (the fundamental state before things are differentiated). Yet the Wuji within the postnatal five organs is not the same as primordial Wuji. Primordial Wuji is the Wuji shown in the diagram connecting Water and Fire among the Five Phases. What is true Wuji? It is the point of numinous light mentioned earlier: bright and tinged with red.

What does “two and five” mean? “Two” is the Six in the second place, at the center of the inner trigram, symbolizing a young woman; “five” is the Nine in the fifth place, at the center of the outer trigram, symbolizing a young man. In the trigrams, pairing two with five as a couple conveys this meaning.

In “The Dao of Qian makes the male; the Dao of Kun makes the female,” Qian and Kun refer to the parents, and male and female to their children. If the truth of Wuji arrives first through Qian and Kun responds afterward, a boy is born; if it arrives first through Kun and Qian responds afterward, a girl is born. Qian and Kun each possess the truth of Wuji. Whichever enters first takes the leading role, and the one that follows cannot change this. The Yin-Yang forces of Heaven and Earth generate and transform all things in the same way.

The two Qi of Yin and Yang interact and give rise to all things. As things continually grow and reproduce, their transformations have no end.

Endless transformation is the very expression of utmost sincerity without cease. Among all things, humans are the finest and most spiritually aware. Once the body has taken shape, the spirit develops awareness. When the five inborn natures are stirred, good and evil become distinct, and all manner of events follow.

All of the above concerns the Dao of Heaven, yet the commentary speaks mostly in terms of the human body. This is because the Dao of Heaven is difficult to understand directly, so the body is used to point the way. Humans receive the finest numinous Qi between Heaven and Earth and are the most spiritually aware. Once the body has taken shape, the spirit develops awareness; when the five inborn natures are stirred, good and evil become distinct, and all things arise from this.

What has been discussed so far is all the Way of Heaven, though most of it has been explained by drawing on the human body and mind. Because the Way of Heaven is difficult to understand directly, using the human body to point toward it makes the explanation more familiar and easier for readers to grasp. This passage turns specifically to human affairs and principles.

Why are human beings the most refined and spiritually perceptive of all creatures? Birds receive the Virtue of Fire from the south; shelled creatures receive the Virtue of Water from the north; scaled creatures receive the Virtue of Wood from the east; and furry creatures receive the Virtue of Metal from the west. Human beings alone are the foremost of all things, receiving the Virtue of Earth from the center. As the Zuo Commentary says, people are born by receiving the balanced Qi of Heaven and Earth. Because they receive this balanced Qi, human beings possess the refined energies of the sun, moon, and five planets, and are endowed with many fine qualities. Although sages and ordinary people differ, the spiritual nature they possess is originally the same.

The body is formed from one’s physical constitution; the spirit is bestowed by Heaven’s mandate. The five human virtues—benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness—arise from both Heaven’s mandate and one’s physical constitution. Accordingly, when they are stirred, they may show themselves as either good or evil. If one can follow what is natural without deliberate contrivance, acting in accordance with benevolence and righteousness as the sage Shun did, rather than deliberately trying to perform benevolent or righteous deeds, then one will not only avoid evil but also refrain from clinging to the trace of having done good. What, then, would there be to contrive? People in the world often set out deliberately to do good or evil, and so end up adding contrivance.

Doing evil brings guilt; doing good need not lead one to claim merit. The affairs of life are tangled and numerous. Even if one gives careful attention to every matter, gaps will still appear everywhere, difficult to repair. This is like trying to stop boiling water by ladling it out: removing the firewood from beneath the pot is better. Rather than chasing after details, it is better to work from the root.

The sage establishes standards through centrality, correctness, benevolence, and righteousness, and sets stillness as the highest principle for human conduct—that is, taking tranquility and Wuwei (non-action) as the foundation of cultivation. Centrality and correctness are the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), while benevolence and righteousness are Yin-Yang: the Taiji is the underlying substance, and Yin-Yang its function. Through the learning that understands the substance and comprehends its function, one can cultivate inwardly and govern outward affairs. It might seem that nothing more is needed. Yet the sage is never self-satisfied and continues to value the practice of making stillness one’s guiding principle.

Zhu Xi changed the two characters “guiding principle of stillness” to “guiding principle of reverence,” meaning that reverent attentiveness and single-mindedness should be central. Those who later revered Zhu Xi argued that reverence was better than stillness. They did not understand that reverence often requires effort, while stillness is rooted in what is natural. Stillness means that the mind is spacious and clear, like the Way of Heaven: without deliberate exertion, it naturally brings things to life and transforms them. Even the effortful state of “being single-minded and not distracted” dissolves and is forgotten.

A sage cannot be fathomed by the ordinary mind. With a spirit-like awareness, the sage inclines toward uprightness, benevolence, and reverence, yet this reverence is not forced. Stillness, too, is not something deliberately pursued; it is the natural quiet of one’s inherent nature. Heaven and Earth are vast and boundless, bringing about the transformations of all things without intention. The sage has even wholly forgotten the mind that remains fixed and unwavering.

A sage cannot be fathomed. With a spirit-like awareness, sages incline toward uprightness and benevolence, then return to emptiness and merge into undifferentiated wholeness, leaving no trace of deliberate action. Is this the boundlessness of a human being, a realm without limit, or the boundlessness of Heaven? How could it be measured?

Thus the sage’s De (Virtue/Power) accords with Heaven and Earth; the sage’s radiance accords with the sun and moon; the sage’s actions accord with the order of the seasons; and the sage’s understanding of the auspicious and inauspicious changes revealed by spirits accords with them as well.

All of this comes about without intention. Heaven and Earth do not know that they possess De; the sun and moon do not know that they shine; the seasons do not know that they follow an order; and spirits do not know that they reveal good or ill fortune. They follow their inherent nature and operate naturally, without preconceived notions. The sage alone fully understands the principles of all things and responds to every circumstance with unobstructed ease. The sage never deliberately seeks to accord with Heaven and Earth, yet even their vast expanse cannot exceed the sage’s realm. This is because the sage’s foundation is firmly established, and its workings arise with natural subtlety. From the beginning, the sage has been free of anxiety about gain and loss, or about favoring one thing at the expense of another.

“The noble person cultivates the right Way and thereby finds good fortune; the petty person goes against the right Way and thereby brings calamity upon himself.”

One who need not deliberately cultivate the Way and does not go against it is a sage. Those who cultivate it or go against it are the noble and the petty. The sage has no preconceived notions about good or ill fortune. Having learned broadly, the sage returns to the root and sees into the source. There is no need to force oneself to cultivate the Way, for nothing naturally falls outside its principles; nor is there any need to deliberately restrain oneself from going against it, for one naturally does not transgress. This is what it means to follow nature and act accordingly.

The noble person understands that following principle brings good fortune, and so accepts its discipline and diligently cultivates it. Though people differ in the depth of their cultivation, all can accumulate blessings. The petty person understands that going against the Way brings calamity, yet is enticed by desire and persists in defying it. Though offenses differ in severity, all bring disaster. A person’s spirit and intentions correspond with Heaven and Earth; accordingly, people differ in whether they meet with success or obstruction, and in whether they live long or die young.

Thus it is said: “The Way by which Heaven operates is established through Yin and Yang; the Way by which Earth operates is established through softness and hardness; and the Way by which people conduct themselves is established through benevolence and righteousness.”

Everyone has heard of principles such as Yin-Yang, firmness and gentleness, benevolence and righteousness. The difficulty lies in truly establishing one’s own Dao (the Way). To “establish” it means to settle the mind in the fundamental state that precedes the arising of all things: at ease, fulfilled, open, and free from the pull of desire or attachment to principles and names. Yin-Yang, firmness and gentleness, benevolence and righteousness all arise from this natural, unobstructed state. Their arising never ceases, and they respond appropriately wherever they are needed.

At times it is called Yin, at times Yang; it is called firm, yet it can also be called gentle; it is called benevolence, yet it can also be called righteousness. It is vast and deep, like a spring whose waters never run dry, and it appears naturally as the moment calls for it. The Three Ways of Heaven, Earth, and humanity are distinctions made by observers looking on from the outside; one need not deliberately hold such distinctions in relation to oneself. Drawn inward, it is contained in a single mind; unfolded, it fills the space between Heaven and Earth. To grasp the principle of balance and harmony and thereby bring stability to all things and nourish them—who could do this without complete virtue?

It is also said: “Trace things back to their beginnings, then look back at their endings, and you will understand the principles of life and death.”

Whatever begins must end; whatever lives must die. Though people may not know what lies before birth or after death, they can understand life and death through the signs of their changes. Observe the Return hexagram in the Book of Changes (Yijing), which symbolizes Yang energy beginning to return: when the first movement of Yang appears, one can know that life is beginning to sprout. Observe the gradual emergence of Yin energy, and one can also know that life is moving toward its end. More than this, life is the source of death: by observing a person’s conduct in life, one can infer what their death will be like. Death, too, contains the turning point toward life: by observing the circumstances of a person’s final moments, one can reflect back on their life.

In general, each person receives a Heaven-given allotment at birth, taking in Qi (vital energy) together with their life allotment, while principle is present along with Qi. When principle regulates and guides Qi, the spirit becomes full; when Qi nourishes principle, the spirit and Qi become stable. This is how life is preserved. Death, from another perspective, also contains the possibility of life’s transformation.

For ordinary people, death is also a kind of “life.” Throughout their lives, they are immersed in selfish desires, and the natural order within them has long since faded. Although their Jing and Qi do not immediately dissipate, they lack the power to govern them, so they cannot be sustained for long. Such people are as good as dead while alive, and in death they are truly dead.

Some people become eloquent spirit-ghosts after death, others become unremarkable ghosts who enjoy good fortune, or ghosts who suffer from injustice. The glimmer of spiritual awareness in their hearts is slow to fade, but it lasts no longer than a flash of lightning or a spark from flint. They seem to exist and yet not to exist; they cannot endure for hundreds of years, much less share the life span of Heaven and Earth.

From this we can see that although Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism are all called “the Way,” Laozi’s Fulu (talismans and registers), Buddhist scriptures and mantras, and Confucian poems and prose are not the fundamental purpose of cultivation. This is clear. Thousands of years ago, Laozi spoke of “deep roots and firm foundations,” “guarding the center,” and “embracing the One”: he cultivated life to preserve nature. The Buddha spoke of “harmonizing and gathering” and “resolute attainment”: he cultivated nature to preserve life. Confucius spoke of “fulfilling one’s nature to reach one’s destiny,” and Mencius of “nurturing one’s nature to establish one’s destiny.” These, too, are all dual cultivation of nature and life (cultivating both the mind and one’s life). Such cultivation brings benefit and no harm. Is this not because they had already understood the principles of life and death? The Yijing is truly vast and profound, and its principles reach the utmost limit.

Master Dongting was from Fenghu, Xiuning County, Anhui. Throughout his life he was sincere and wholehearted, glad to accumulate merit and do good, and never gave the slightest thought to fame, rank, or wealth.

From long ago to the present day, my father replied solemnly: “Although the Yinfu Jing and the Daode Jing have been handed down in the world, their language is archaic and obscure, making them difficult for students to understand. Later, treatises on the Elixir appeared one after another, but their contents were only partly revealed and partly concealed. Even after studying them closely, students could not fully grasp their meaning. This is not because the Dao cannot be put into practice; rather, its principles have not been clearly explained.”

The Master was moved by great compassion and therefore wrote Essentials of Cultivating Nature and Life. Once the book was finished, he gave it to Zhaoshou to read. After reciting it, Zhaoshou concluded that the book explained the entire Great Dao of the Anterior Heaven: the cultivation of body, mind, nature, and life. Since ancient times, sages, immortals, and Buddhist practitioners have understood one another in mind and passed their teachings from mouth to ear. Every one of their secret teachings is set out clearly in this book. These are truly vital and precious principles of Heaven and Earth, and writings of rare value in the world.

A gentleman who sincerely cultivates the Real, if fortunate enough to encounter this book, can gradually grasp its profound meaning. By practicing its methods, one can advance through each level and find confirmation at every stage. Only then will one understand the depth of the Master’s Dao and the abundance of his virtue, and how students throughout the world and in generations to come will benefit from his kindness.

Respectfully inscribed with a bow by your foolish nephew, Ke Zhaoping of Fuchuan, in the first winter month (the tenth lunar month) of the Dinghai year of the Guangxu reign (1887).