《证道一贯真机易简录》Vol. 2

The Patriarch said, “The most foolish take the heart and kidneys to be Kan and Li, the liver and lungs to be the Dragon and Tiger, spirit and breath to be the mother and child, and the vital fluids within the body to be lead and mercury. How deplorable!”

Dao Guangzu asked, “From where does the body arise? And from where does life come?”

Shangyangzi of the Three Commentaries said, “Unless an enlightened master explains the key substance, True Lead, in full, trying any of the three thousand six hundred heterodox methods will be no more than wasted effort.

“True Lead is present in every household, and everyone can see it. Yet people spend their lives in a daze, lost in delusion and oblivious to the passage of time. Alas! Without meeting a genuine teacher, who could recognize it?

“Those who study the Dao today are unwilling to make the effort to seek a teacher. They merely memorize a few anecdotes from earlier generations and rely on quick wits and clever repartee to show off their intelligence, never considering that they may have understood things incorrectly. What use is a glib tongue? Even eloquence that flows like a river may instead become an obstacle to entering the Dao. It only reveals shallow learning and limited understanding. How could such a person have the vision to comprehend the Great Dao and be willing to set aside attachments and preconceptions to seek a teacher?”

He also said, “Without receiving oral instruction from a genuine teacher, even if you know the substances used in the alchemical method, you cannot form the Elixir.

“Most of the learning and skills found among the Nine Schools and the Hundred Traditions can be written down, or worked out through clever reasoning. The Golden Elixir, however, must be taught step by step by a genuine master; it cannot be grasped through subjective speculation alone. Even after finding a teacher, one cannot form the Elixir if one has only heard a general explanation of the vessel—the symbolic implement and conditions for cultivation—but does not know when the substances arise; knows the substances but does not understand the firing process—the timing and measure of cultivation; understands the firing process but not inversion—the alchemical practice of reversing the ordinary course; or understands inversion but not the subtle work of refining oneself—cultivating body and mind and nurturing one’s nature. Nor can one succeed without understanding how method and resources are to be used together.”

Foolish people who have never met a true teacher do not know that there is a method for cultivating the Returning Elixir (huandan), the elixir formed through Daoist internal alchemy and often used to refer to the Jing, Qi, and Shen gained through cultivation. They make wild claims out of thin air and indulge in arrogance, using sharp words, affectation, and deception to mislead people of their time. Even after going so far astray, they refuse to turn back and examine their own faults; they give no thought to wrongdoing or the rewards of good deeds. Since I began following my teacher’s instructions, whenever I see such people, I have wanted to warn them and guide them back to the right path. But the ignorant and shallow-minded are stubborn and difficult to teach. Alas! Zhuang the Immortal (Zhuangzi) said, “That man had been tattooed and had his nose cut off.” How profound those words are.

The Golden Elixir is a supreme treasure. There is no need to seek it in remote mountains and secluded valleys; one should seek it instead within the methods of the world.

In the Three Commentaries, Patriarch Daoguang says: “Massage and breathing exercises, including regulated breathing, are all lesser paths. Using what one eats to nourish another is what is called the Golden Elixir.”

The Gate of the Mysterious Female (xuanpin), the gate through which Yin and Yang bring forth transformation, is the root of Heaven and Earth. Among those in the world who study the Dao, no one understands this. Without guidance from a true teacher, who could understand it?

Younger people who study the Dao are unwilling to ask others for guidance. If they understand that another school possesses a medicine for long life and immortality, that is a supreme treasure for cultivating the self and a sound means of seeking longevity.

This principle is incomparably subtle. Without a true teacher to transmit its secret, who could grasp its mystery?

In the Three Commentaries, Lu Ziye says: “Unless you receive guidance from a true teacher and understand what True Lead (zhenqian), the crucial substance or energy used in internal alchemy, actually is, as well as the stages of cultivation, never try to proceed by force.

“This Dao brings True Yin and True Yang into reverse union. It wrests life from the momentum of decline; it is not the ‘Three Peaks’ method of sexual conquest, a licentious practice disguised as bedroom arts.

“Where Qi moves in and out, and where Yin and Yang meet, how could you understand these things by guesswork and force, without a teacher transmitting them mind to mind and imparting the oral formula?

“Without a teacher’s oral instruction, where could you even begin cultivating?”

Shangyangzi says in his Commentary on the Cantong qi: “The secrets passed from heart to heart and mouth to mouth for progressing from an ordinary person to sagehood, and for becoming a Buddha or an immortal—I would not dare write them in a book. Alas! People of the world have shallow capacities and little De, and are quick to respond with slander.”

This Dao is like a staircase guiding beings in their cultivation and a ferry carrying them across; it is also a bridge to future generations. How can later people cling to their own opinions, fail to set a firm resolve to seek out a true teacher, and remain ignorant of the principle that Yin and Yang of the same kind unite? If they cultivate solely on the basis of what they have heard from others, they will stray further and further from the right path.

Some see the Zhouyi and assume it is merely a book of divination and Na Jia. How could they know that it also teaches the principles of like kinds uniting and friends coming to one another’s aid? Some hear of a “cauldron vessel” and guess it means a furnace for smelting metals and minerals; they hear of “gathering” and guess it means sexual techniques for taking in and replenishing essence; they hear of “action” and suspect it means heterodox, wicked arts; they hear of Wuwei (non-action) and think it means nothing more than sitting in meditation amid emptiness and stillness; they hear of the “Great Vehicle” and become fixated on the emptiness taught in Chan Buddhism. Such people only talk; they do not investigate the Way of the sages. The sages cultivate by relying on Yin and Yang, thereby transcending Yin and Yang; they cultivate by relying on worldly methods, thereby escaping the world.

The sun in the heavens has twelve degrees and joins with the sun in a conjunction. The lesser Yin in the human realm also has twelve degrees, and observes the scriptures through the method of making the form invisible. These teachings describe the right path, in which Yin and Yang each occupy their proper place and work together.

Only when Yin and Yang are harmonized can the spirit of illumination arise.

The human body symbolizes the moon, from which the Golden Elixir—the gathering of Jing, Qi, and Shen achieved through Neidan cultivation—can be produced.

The Cantong qi says: “Investigate feeling and nature, bring them into accord, and through transformation let them aid one another.”

Qi that comes from outside can be used to refine the Elixir and can also lead a person into a sacred realm.

Cultivating the Great Elixir is, in its original state, no different from the moment when life first receives primordial Qi. The only difference is that one follows the natural process of generation, while the other reverses that process through cultivation.

When female and male, as kinds of the same class, unite, Yin and Yang interact and respond to one another. The union sought by men and women is intended to reverse the mechanism of generation.

Foolish people mistake Wuwei (non-action) and stubborn emptiness—regarding everything as void and still—as the Dao. They pass their days in a daze, leaving themselves to live or die as they will. Such people bear grave offenses within the religious tradition, and cannot even be said to be cultivating.

Refining the Golden Elixir requires medicines of the same kind. Yin and Yang must respond to one another, like female and male joining, for transformation and generation to occur. If one lives alone, cut off from the world, how could the Qi that transforms and generates all things arise? Just as there can be no way of reproduction and growth with only females and no males, so too one must find the primordial Qi—the original energy believed to generate all things and make the Elixir—if one is to refine the Return Elixir sought in Daoist internal cultivation. Without a master’s guidance, the secrets of cultivation are difficult to understand. Even someone wiser than Yan Hui or Min Ziqian could not grasp them alone.

The primordial Qi must be sought at the source from which one’s own life arose.

From ancient times to the present, countless people have loved the Dao. Yet few have succeeded in cultivation without meeting a true teacher.

Foolish people in the world hear only that someone meditated for many years or went into seclusion a few times, and conclude that such people attained the Dao. How could they know the story of Mazu grinding a brick at Mount Heng? How could they understand the principles of Yin and Yang responding to one another, swallowing and transforming, and generation and extinction?

Revere the supreme Great Dao. Are sages born knowing it from Heaven? No. They, too, must rely on a teacher’s instruction.

If people do not seek a teacher, how can they awaken on their own? Those wishing to pay their respects to a teacher may first use the Cantong qi (a major Daoist alchemical classic) to assess them: only someone able to explain every sentence in the book and fully understand every chapter can be considered a true teacher. If even one sentence is explained vaguely, it is hard to inspire confidence. If one truly meets a teacher who transmits the true method and cultivates accordingly, attaining the realm of the sages and becoming a perfected person will be within reach.

The Cantong qi says: “I had no prior knowledge; I came to awaken because a teacher gave me guidance.”

Chen Xianwei says: “If a person’s roots of goodness have matured and their desire to seek the Dao is earnest; if they study the scriptures of the immortals, investigate the writings of sages, humbly seek out fellow practitioners, and sincerely pay their respects to a teacher and ask for instruction, then becoming a perfected person will be within reach.”

The Cantong qi says: “I had no prior knowledge; I came to awaken because a teacher gave me guidance.”

Chen Xianwei says: When a person’s foundation for cultivating the Dao has matured and their aspiration toward the Dao is especially earnest, they will study the scriptures of the immortals and examine the sacred classics, humbly seek out fellow practitioners, and sincerely ask teachers for guidance. In the end, they will surely meet someone who has received the true transmission and obtain the oral instructions for cultivation.

Bai Yuchan says in his Commentary on the Zhi Xuan Pian: Through cultivation, one can restore youth, extend life, and become a long-lived person. To return to the root and source, one must unite Heaven and Earth, join the Dragon and Tiger, and gather and refine the elixir to extend life. Those who know these things must not pass them on carelessly. Even to one’s own son, if his aspiration for the Dao is not steadfast, one must not lightly transmit the secret method of returning the elixir. Otherwise, it is said, Heaven will punish the offender, and even the ancestors may be implicated and sink into ruin.

Bai Yuchan says: Master a single oral instruction, and you can grasp principles that transcend the ordinary world; all the teachings of side paths will then be clear to you.

Patriarch Sanfeng says: The true classics are transmitted by true teachers, and the highest Dao is passed down by those of virtue.

Shangyangzi says in his Commentary on the Cantong Qi: If you cultivate the Dao but do not understand how words express things, you cannot grasp the resonance between nature and temperament. If you do not understand the patterns of change in things, you cannot comprehend the transformation of Metal and Water. If you are not skilled at making implements, you cannot master the function of the cauldron and furnace. If you do not know how to judge good and ill fortune, you cannot understand the principles of moving with or against the current.

Shangyangzi says: When people’s Qi and blood gradually weaken, they should seek the way of returning to the root. In this way they can restore an aging body, return to an infant-like state, and ultimately attain long life.

Lu Ziye says: If people in the world were not confused and deluded, everyone could accomplish this.

Shangyangzi says: Those who have not yet heard of the Great Dao should hasten to seek a teacher. Those who have already heard of the Great Dao should go on to seek the elixir. No one can know in advance how long a person will live.

Shangyangzi says: Through fortunate circumstances, I met a wise and enlightened teacher. When I heard him speak, I was at once astonished and puzzled. Only then did I realize that the mysterious principles of the Dao require very few words. How easy could it possibly be to obtain them?

The scripture quotes the Dao De Jing: “When those of the highest capacity hear of the Dao, they diligently put it into practice. When those of middling capacity hear of the Dao, they sometimes believe and sometimes doubt.”

When people of the highest capacity hear of the Dao—the fundamental order and path of cultivation taught in Daoism—they practice diligently. Those of middling capacity hear it with doubt and uncertainty. Those of the lowest capacity laugh and refuse to believe.

Patriarch Niwan said, “Once you have grasped the secret of ‘binding clouds and capturing the moon,’ and received the oral instructions, what difficulty could there be in practicing? If you can truly gather cloud Qi as though binding clouds to a mountain, and capture the moon’s subtle essence, then the words of the ancients have found their meaning. Why worry that you cannot cultivate to ascension?” “Binding clouds and capturing the moon” is an image for cultivation: using formulas to gather and refine Jing, Qi, and Shen within the body and mind.

Perfected Zixian said, “The principle is exceedingly simple, and cultivation is not beyond reach. But without deep merit and practical good deeds, it is difficult to meet a true teacher.”

Xiao Zixu said, “Since ancient times, the most wondrous principles have never been complicated. It is simply that people of the present age have not fully understood them.”

Bai Yuchan said, “These mysteries are simple and easy to practice precisely because they are secrets of Heaven. That is why they lie dispersed and concealed in the alchemical scriptures, unwilling to be revealed lightly.”

Zhang Ziyang said, “Those who understand find the Dao simple and easy. Those who do not understand find that the more they study, the more complicated and difficult it becomes.”

The Wuzhen Pian says, “The work of cultivation is not difficult, and the substances sought are not far away. If the principle were spelled out, people would only laugh.”

Xue Zixian said, “Immortals are unwilling to explain the principle completely. If they explained it too clearly, their listeners would only laugh.”

Shi Xinglin said, “Simple words often amount to only half a sentence. The proof and results of cultivation sometimes appear in an instant.”

Shangyangzi said, “Without meeting a true teacher, it is difficult to discuss the arts of the Dao. But once you hear a subtle principle, it seems ordinary and natural.”

Patriarch Zhongli said, “This principle is perfectly clear; there is little in it that is difficult or complicated. The trouble is that some people have scant blessings and remain deluded.”

The Huangting Jing says, “The highest Dao is not complicated; the key is to preserve one’s true nature.” It also says, “Ultimately, the way of nourishing life is not difficult.”

The Cantong Qi says, “The text is concise and easy to understand; what it describes is likewise simple and free of complication.”

Patriarch Qiu Changchun said, “The key to gathering and cultivating the Jing and Qi needed for practice is to follow a teacher’s guidance.”

Patriarch Qiu Changchun also said, “To guide the White Tiger—a term in Neidan for a certain kind of inner Jing or Yin force—back home to be nourished and brought under control, one must obtain the method transmitted orally by a teacher.”

Qiu Zu (Qiu Chuji) said, “The stars above Mount Emei, the moon amid the tides of the North Sea. The secrets of Heaven must be transmitted privately by a master; do not tell them to ordinary people.”

Qiu Zu said, “If a person obtains the oral formula for cultivating the Dao, they can practice well. Seek ‘lead’ (a term in Neidan cultivation) early, so that nature and life may be sustained.”

Qiu Zu said, “The subtle, true formula depends on oral transmission. If a person obtains the method, they may hope to become an immortal. The moon amid the tides of the North Sea: the secrets of Heaven must be transmitted privately by a master; do not tell them to ordinary people.”

Qiu Zu said, “If a person obtains the oral formula for cultivating the Dao, they can practice well. Seek ‘lead’ early, so that nature and life may be sustained.”

Qiu Zu said, “The subtle, true formula depends on oral transmission. If a person obtains the method, they may hope to become an immortal.”

Qiu Zu said, “Do not take Wuwei (non-action, meaning not acting recklessly or striving deliberately) to be the whole of the Dao. Know that cultivation also involves practical methods of practice.”

Qiu Zu said, “Becoming an immortal or a Buddha is indeed possible, and one can truly transcend the cycle of rebirth. So seek a teacher and fellow practitioners early.”

Qiu Zu said, “It is said that there is ‘gold in water’ (a metaphor in Neidan cultivation); call into a mountain valley, and an answering voice will resound.”

The Cantong qi (The Seal of the Unity of the Three, a Daoist Neidan classic) says, “Three, Five, and One are the purest essence between Heaven and Earth. They can be transmitted through an oral formula, but are difficult to set down in a book and pass on.”

Xu Zu (Xu Xun), in The Record in the Stone Casket, says, “This formula is extremely secret and must not be transmitted openly; it can only be passed on orally.”

Zhang Sanfeng said, “A single formula revealing Heaven’s secret is worth ten thousand pieces of gold.” He also said, “I advise those of talent and virtue not to show off their cleverness. Without meeting an enlightened master, do not force yourself to guess.”

The Patriarch Bodhidharma said, “I do not expound the Dharma or discuss the scriptures. Through a direct, individual transmission, I point people straight to their original nature.”

Ma Zu’s Song of Returning the Elixir says, “There is no need to say much about the subtle and profound formula. It is right before you; people simply have not noticed it.”

It also says, “It is right before you, easy to see. Those who truly obtain and use it find its wonder beyond compare.”

The Patriarch Niwan said, “A road lies plainly before people, yet they do not know where it is. If they sit dryly awaiting it in emptiness and stillness, they will only grow dim and gain nothing.”

The Single Stroke That Breaks Delusion says: “The incantations used by those who truly practice must be personally transmitted by a master. I urge the deluded to cross out once and for all the impulse to act on their own judgment and follow their private desires.”

It also says: “Lead and mercury”—terms often used in alchemy as metaphors for Yin-Yang, Jing, and Qi—“move together, and the dragon and tiger, symbols of the two Yin-Yang forces, are right before your eyes. Only by understanding the roots of life in the human body can you learn to grasp the transformations of creation.”

The Treatise on Holding to the Center says: “Casting off the old self and bringing forth a new one is the secret to becoming an immortal. Setting aside your own fixed views and accommodating others is the way to accord with the transformations of creation.”

Lü Zu (Lü Dongbin), in The Three-Character Formula, says: “This Dao is not the Dao people usually speak of. It concerns the roots of nature and life, and the key to life and death. To speak of it sounds unpleasant, yet its practice has wondrous effects. Everyone dislikes it, and everyone laughs. The crucial point is to act contrary to convention. Do not find it repulsive, and do not weigh gain against loss. Once you obtain it, you will see results at once. ‘Earth over Heaven, Peace’—the name of a hexagram in the Book of Changes, symbolizing the union of Heaven and Earth and the free passage of Yin and Yang—is an auspicious sign.

“Mouth meets mouth, and aperture meets aperture. Swallow it into the belly, and understanding will come naturally. The medicine lies in renewal, revealing signs of the prenatal state. Examine the space between the eyebrows and set it in motion according to the method of reverse circulation; even the turbid dregs within the body will continue to transform. The remaining two elements are where the subtlety lies.

“To practice this method, people today call it … Qi must be full and firm, and Shen must not be dissipated. Without practice, you will simply grow old in vain. Recognize the true formula, and even in old age you can return to youth. Do not tell those who do not understand it. This method accords with the Great Dao. Jing, Qi, and Shen are the medicines of eternal life. Keep them whole in stillness and concentration, and confirm them through awakening. In the end, ride a phoenix and await the Heavenly Emperor’s summons.”

Zhang Sanfeng said: “I entered Mount Song, where I was fortunate to receive the formulas directly from the Immortal Fire Dragon. Fire Dragon ordered me to leave the mountain, seek companions who shared the Dao, and search for ‘lead’—an Neidan term for the essential medicine or power needed in cultivation.”

The inscription at Qingyang Palace says: “The prenatal Dao is transmitted directly by the immortals. Immortals, immortals—sleep peacefully among the flowers.”

The Scripture of the Jade Thread says: “Without receiving the true transmission, the hardest thing to attain is faith. Once you have entered the orthodox path, the hardest thing to forget is the pull of desire.”

The Scripture of the Mysterious Cavern says: “Home, immortals—sleep peacefully among the flowers.”

The Jade Thread Scripture says: “Before receiving true instruction, the hardest thing is to awaken faith. After entering the true gate of the Dao, what is hardest to forget is the deep feeling and concern within one’s heart.”

The Cavernous Mystery Scripture says: “There are precious treasures already in the home; it is only that worldly people are obscured by barriers and cannot understand.”

Lü Zu’s Song of the Cauldron and Vessel says: “You must meet a true teacher and receive the authentic oral formula. Only then can someone point out Yin-Yang and the Three Grades of the Elixir—the levels or kinds of practice in Neidan—and you can quietly await the right moment.”

Lü Zu’s Song of Gathering Gold says: “This wondrous secret must be imparted by a teacher. Without meeting a true teacher, practicing in vain will bring no result. Once you have received the oral formula, do not treat it lightly. The perfected ones, whose virtue and cultivation run deep, would not exchange the secret they transmit for ten thousand taels of gold if the recipient were unworthy.”

The Patriarch Zhengyang says: “The Crystal Palace above the Hall of Containing the Origin clearly reveals the realm where immortals dwell. Because your heart for the Dao does not waver, I have passed this on to you. We made an oath and sealed it by personally sprinkling our blood. Do not disclose it carelessly to ordinary people; even with a trusted friend, do not rush to transmit it. Do not fault me for repeating these words: anyone who treats the Dao lightly will surely suffer unseen retribution.”

The Song of Striking the Yao says: “The Matchmaker Huang Po brings the two sides into perfect harmony, with timing precise to the smallest fraction. The oral formula is transmitted face to face by the master.”

Lü Zu says: “The methods of cultivation do exist; it is only that people in this age refuse to give them careful thought.”

“People do not recognize true Yin and true Yang. When they appear, they are like a clear, pure crescent moon.”

The Essentials of the Mechanism for Gathering the Real says: “The oral formula must still be passed from mouth to ear by the master. Following it, one can reach the mysterious Dao. Understand how the firing process begins and the numinous light emerges, and you can draw forth the Azure Dragon and Wondrous Lead—Neidan terms for the Yin-Yang ingredients or vital energies involved in cultivation.”

Shangyangzi says: “The primordial Qi that precedes acquired form is shaped like fine rain or mist, like dust in the light beside a bright window, or like a pearl the size of a millet grain. Its principle is easy to understand, and the work of cultivation is easy to accomplish; at the outset, there is nothing difficult about it.”

“Those who widely practice good deeds and have no debts to repay will eventually meet a teacher. They must grasp the mystery in the teacher’s words. Without good deeds, it is difficult to meet a teacher; even if one receives instruction, doubt will remain.”

Ma Danyang says: “A teacher’s kindness is so great that it can never be repaid. I vow to uphold my heart for the Dao until death, and to cultivate the Way of the utmost truth in a place of quiet practice.”

The Song of Knocking the Yao says, “The methods for cultivating life require a teacher’s transmission; the way of cultivating nature requires personal insight. Whether you can rise from the ordinary to the sacred and surpass the common lot depends on your own efforts.”

The Admonitions of Metal and Stone says, “Without transmission from the divine, it may be difficult to find the true formula. If you wish to learn the immortal secret of the ‘mother and child,’ you must cultivate your mind and nature before refining the elixir.”

The Song of Awakening to Truth says, “The truly subtle secret comes from a compassionate heart; a full moon seems to rise above the head, while spring snow seems to fill a furnace of red flame.” These verses use moonlight, furnace fire, and spring snow as metaphors for the scenes that arise in cultivation.

The Admonition for Pointing the Way Out of Confusion says, “A teacher is hard to find, so first you should accumulate De and do good. In this way, you may move a teacher to offer guidance and fulfill your heartfelt wish to seek the Dao.”

Zhang Sanfeng said, “Only now do I understand that the Dao is right before me, and believe that the way of the Golden Elixir truly has an orthodox lineage.”

The Correct Principles of Celestial Immortality says, “Whether in a past life or this one, whether a sage or an ordinary person, people possess foundations that may be genuine or false, and those who study the Dao face different circumstances. In this life, I have benefited from the protection of my father’s integrity and accumulated virtue. My family also had fields, a home, and shops that could be sold. I endured every hardship, searching day after day for a teacher, serving my teacher day and night and supporting the work of the Dao. Only after nineteen years did I receive the complete true transmission.

“When I think of past lives, some people had neither the protection of relatives nor property to sell. Though they endured every hardship, they never encountered a true teacher and could only be reborn in this life. I also worry about those who will seek the Dao in generations to come. Some may be born poor, without a father’s protection or property to sell, and unable to bear the hardships of seeking a teacher. Even if hardship inspires them to resolve to seek the Dao, their determination may not be strong enough. For this reason, I had to compile this book and leave it for later generations of people who aspire to seek the Dao, to help strengthen their resolve.

“I have also recorded the hardships of resolving to seek the Dao and searching diligently for a teacher, to encourage people in generations to come to pursue the Dao wholeheartedly and persevere. Those who aspire to the Dao in the future should strive earnestly.”

Zhongli Quan (Patriarch Zhongli) once tested Lüzu (Lü Dongbin) in ten ways. Qiu Changchun (Qiu Chuji) followed Wang Chongyang and likewise endured countless hardships. Wu Chongxu repeatedly sought instruction from Cao Huanyang, a Daoist whose surname was Cao, for twenty years. He met his master in the third month of the year jisi, in the Wanli era (1569), and did not receive the complete oral instructions until the third month of the year wuzi (1588)—exactly twenty years later. At first, he often lamented that his fortune was too slight to receive his master’s guidance all at once and without delay. Only now did he understand: the longer one waits for instruction, the deeper one’s foundation in the Dao becomes. Otherwise, how could one surpass ordinary people and leave a teaching for later generations?

Bai Yuchan, a Daoist of the Neidan school, said, “One may have to wait ten years to meet a true master.” He also said, “On a night in the seventh month of the year guiyou, I explained the essentials of the Elixir method; it was not until the spring rains of the year yihai that I had finished explaining everything.”

The secret methods transmitted by the Great Immortals are rarely seen by ordinary people. Sometimes they are passed on in the human world only once after a hundred calamities; sometimes a person receives secret guidance in just a few words. One must be cautious when teaching: if three people are present, do not speak of it. With six ears—that is, three people listening together—it must not be transmitted.

The Guiding Principles for Cultivating Nature and Life says, “The great Dao of stillness, purity, and emptiness is difficult to encounter, but easy to cultivate; its effects simply come slowly. Minor methods of peripheral schools are easy to encounter but difficult to cultivate, though their effects come quickly.”

The True Words on the Dao of Singing says, “The principles contained in the word ‘Elixir’ are exceedingly subtle. One must meet a true master and receive genuine oral instructions. Even after meeting a true master and receiving genuine teachings, one must still cultivate with unwavering resolve and sever worldly entanglements. Understanding the mind and seeing one’s nature is the first level of practice; Kan and Li, Water and Fire—terms in Neidan cultivation symbolizing the union of Yin and Yang—make up the second level; refining the body and cultivating its transformations, a practice said to transform the body through cultivation of form and spirit, is the third and final level. As for ascending to immortality, one must accumulate three thousand merits and complete eight hundred good deeds before there can be hope. The shallow and impatient cannot count on attaining even one chance in ten thousand through luck.”

The Collected Teachings on the Dao says, “This matter is exceedingly rare in the world; ordinary people cannot know it.”

“Though there are ten thousand volumes of Elixir scriptures, in the end they all come down to ‘the rising sun.’” [The original does not explain what “the rising sun” refers to.] “Only when the essence of Yin and Yang is refined and the eight hundred good deeds are complete can there be hope. The shallow and impatient cannot count on attaining even one chance in ten thousand through luck.”

The Collection on Transmitting the Dao says, “Few people in the world know this matter; it is not something that just anyone can grasp.”

“Though there are ten thousand volumes of elixir texts (works discussing Neidan cultivation), in the end they all come down to ‘the morning sun.’ Among the changes of Yin-Yang, the most essential content is nothing other than ‘the Dragon and Tiger.’”

Patriarch Zhongli said, “From ancient times to the present, few have known this matter, and sages do not speak of it lightly. It conceals the unfathomable secrets of Heaven and Earth and is indeed a secret teaching of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest deities revered in Daoism). I worry that your resolve may be weak, your studies unfocused, your mind unsettled, or your questions insincere. If so, I would bear the blame for revealing the sages’ essential secrets, bringing no benefit to either of us.”

Zhang Sanfeng said, “To understand what the inner and outer Yin-Yang truly refer to, one must cultivate in accordance with the ordinary laws of the world, and thereby reach the realm beyond the world. Following the course of life’s growth is the path of ordinary people; only by reversing that course can one form the internal elixir. This single sentence surpasses tens of thousands of words of instruction, so there is no need to speak further of purity and Wuwei (non-action).”

The Secret Song of Patriarch Lü says, “I will tell you the secrets of the cyclical years Jiazi and Dingchou, and reveal the riddle of ‘the great melon at the eastern gate.’”

The Essentials of Lead and Mercury says, “The higher secrets of Heaven cannot be passed on casually. If they are taught to someone of shallow capacity, they will surely bring blame.”

The Supreme One’s Mysterious Song says, “To meet a suitable person and fail to teach them goes against the Dao; to teach someone unsuitable at random is to divulge Heaven’s treasure. Teaching someone truly suited to receive it brings profound merit; if it is taught recklessly, one’s ancestors for seven generations will face judgment in the underworld.”

The Commentary on the Scripture of the Celestial Pivot says, “A person who aspires to seek the Dao and requests instruction in the scriptures and methods must prepare gifts, show respect through material offerings, and swear an oath before Heaven. Only then may the teaching be transmitted. This shows that the methods are not passed on lightly.”

Chongxu Zi says in Collected Sayings on the Unity of the Immortals and Buddhas: “Since antiquity, whenever perfected immortals have transmitted the true methods of the Dao, they have had to follow the prescribed liturgical rules, observe purification and abstinence, and perform an offering and announcement ritual. They also had to prepare tokens of faith, make a blood oath, swear before Heaven, and submit a memorial to the divine seats of the Supreme Emperor, the Three Terraces, the Northern Dipper, the Southern Dipper, the Three Officials, the Four Sages, the Five Emperors, and the Lords of Destiny, requesting authorization. Only then could the methods be transmitted. Each time a method was transmitted to one person, all the divine beings and perfected sages between Heaven and Earth had to be informed. If someone presumptuously tried to obtain a method with money, or transmitted it privately through deceit, both master and disciple would be investigated and punished. How could such matters be treated without due care and caution?

“Thus, the Brief Outline of the Clear Regulations of the Four Poles says: ‘The formulas for extending life and restoring youth may be transmitted only when one encounters a truly suitable person. In accordance with their oath, master and disciple must offer eight liang of gold, ninety full measures each of five-colored silk and gauze, and five pairs of gold rings. Master and disciple must observe purification and abstinence together for ninety days, and transmit the method only after making offerings to the sun and moon. Whoever violates the regulations or betrays the oath will be investigated and punished by the Three Officials on the left and right.’ It also says: ‘Methods involving gold and cinnabar must be accompanied, as prescribed, by offerings of gold and silk, and an oath sworn before the Nine Heavens never to disclose the secret methods.’ It further says: ‘If a method is transmitted without an oath, both the master and the recipient will be investigated by the Three Officials.’ And again: ‘To transmit without a pledge is to violate the Way of Heaven; to transmit without an oath is to divulge Heaven’s treasure.’

“The Supreme One’s Regulations and Ordinances also says: ‘When transmitting to a disciple, both master and disciple must observe strict purification and abstinence before the method can be transmitted. If the master fails to determine whether the other person is suitable and transmits without observing purification and abstinence, the master will die and the recipient will lose both eyes. If purification and abstinence are not undertaken with sincere and earnest intent, the master will fall ill and the recipient will lose the power of speech.’

“The Supreme One’s Scripture of the Three Fives and One Qi says: ‘Among the true methods of the Celestial Immortals is the Dragon Embryo Golden Liquor Ninefold Elixir, which enables one to live long and see far into the future. These methods are subject to a rule that they may be transmitted only once every forty years; the regulations must never be violated by disclosing them at will. Those without an immortal register must not hear of them. Only when someone truly has faith, sincerely observes purification and abstinence, and remains steadfast after being tested may the method be transmitted to them. If they still hesitate and harbor doubts, the method should be kept secret and not transmitted. When someone sincerely seeks to study and makes a solemn oath, the Supreme One will command the relevant sovereigns and other deities to confer Fulu (talismans and registers), the credentials of Daoist office and ritual power. For those who wish to study the immortal Dao of Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) and the Golden Elixir of returning the cinnabar, the Supreme One will personally dispatch the Jade Emperor of the Immortal Dao, Ziwei, to confer a talismanic warrant, the credential for transmitting secret methods. Only after receiving Fulu may one proceed to obtain a response warrant; only after receiving the warrant may the fire medicines—the substances and formulas used in alchemical work—be transmitted in secret. These methods are therefore difficult to encounter and difficult to understand. After completing the Dao and ascending, one may be verified by Fulu and return to one’s original office; verified by the talismanic warrant, one is enrolled among the ranks of the immortal perfected.’”

Wealth

Shangyangzi wrote in a poem: “If you have obtained the methods of cultivation but lack the wealth to support them, it is difficult to succeed. Only when both the methods and the means are in place can you attain the Way of the Immortals. Ancestor Danyang was originally a wealthy man of Dongzhou, yet he gave up his immense family fortune.”

Yuanduzhi said: “The word ‘wealth’ has two meanings. In general, the resources needed to accomplish the work of the Dao come from ‘wealth for the Way’—material support for cultivation. It is like a raft that helps someone cross a river: a means of reaching realization. Before the Dao has been cultivated to completion, one must rely on material resources; once the Dao is complete, possessions are of no use.

People in the world do not understand the deeper meaning of giving wealth—providing material support—and giving the Dharma—transmitting the Daoist teachings. Poor cultivators in the mountains and forests often depend on households of virtue and means to complete their cultivation. These two kinds of giving support one another and together make the work of the Dao possible. When the Dao is attained, the alchemical chamber and implements prepared earlier are not thereby lost. The cultivator leaves them behind and departs.

Alas, some people in the world have cabinets full of gold and silver and wealth piled as high as mountains, yet do not believe in the Way of long life. They willingly become ghosts beneath the springs. What benefit is there in spending a thousand pieces of gold on their funeral after death? But if a wealthy household lacks loyalty and filial devotion, benevolence and righteousness, a person of the Dao will steer clear as soon as word gets out, not daring to enter its doors. This is the warning expressed by Wumingzi: ‘Amid heaps of gold and jade, one has no part in it.’ The cultivator fears being abandoned by the Dao as a result.”

Shangyangzi said: “Yang Qi lies hidden, and to seek it one must have wealth to support the search. Without such means, it is hard to obtain. The Perfected Ziyang once relied on Ma Chuhou, and Wang Chongxi also received support from the Honorable Fu of Han.”

When Shi Xinglin transmitted the teachings to Xue Zixian, he said: “If cultivation lacks the support and protection of a wealthy household, it can easily invite criticism. One may go to a large town with convenient transport and rely on someone of means in order to cultivate.”

Xue Daoguang, a Daoist practitioner of internal alchemy, said: “The hardest thing is to meet a true teacher and friend; the easiest is to attain the Great Dao. I now hold high office and am a person of standing. I have made friends with those who cultivate the Great Dao and practice alchemy. In an extremely short time, I refined an elixir pearl the size of a millet grain and attained the Dao on the spot. This is a case of attaining the Dao with ease. Yet those who occupy high office, wear purple sashes, and carry golden seals have gates and courtyards as deep as the sea. People of the Dao glimpse them from afar and turn away. This is a case of finding a teacher and friend with great difficulty.

“Some say, too, that meeting a teacher and friend is easy, while attaining the Dao is hard. Today, there are people who own nothing, with a hundred coins hanging from their walking sticks, wandering alone across the land, yet they receive the Great Dao in person because they planted the roots of goodness for cultivating the Dao long ago. But the reins of the dragons and tigers—a metaphor in internal alchemy for Yin-Yang and the forces of the ingredients—are easy to loosen, while the lock of the knife and the measure, referring to the crucial ingredients or timing needed for alchemy, is hard to open. Though they obtain the ingredients, they do not know how to grasp the right moment; they want to refine lead, but have no way to begin. This shows once again that meeting a teacher and friend is easy, while truly attaining the Dao is difficult. How can one possess both, secretly understand the Mysterious Pass, the crucial opening in internal alchemy, and meet, in a moment that comes once in a thousand years, immortal beings from realms like the Ten Continents and Three Islands?”

The Baopuzi, a name referring to Ge Hong and his work, says: “The Nine Elixirs and Golden Liquid are the highest methods in the immortal arts. But they are a great undertaking and enormously costly, so they cannot easily be accomplished at once. Preserving Jing and Qi and cherishing one’s primordial Qi are what matter most.”

The Baopuzi says: “When seeking a teacher who understands the methods of cultivation, one should use these funds to purchase the ingredients. If one can meet a teacher who truly possesses the secret arts, one will surely attain longevity and transcend the world.”

The Baopuzi says: “My teacher did not speak falsely. I was simply poor, without means, and ill-fated, beset by many hardships.”

The Baopuzi says: “One will then attain longevity and transcend the world.”

The Baopuzi says: “My teacher did not speak falsely. I was simply poor, without means, and ill-fated, beset by many hardships.”

The Baopuzi says: “Knowing the methods of alchemical refinement but lacking the means to put them into practice is really no different from knowing nothing at all—a cause for deep regret. Those who know the methods are often poor and hungry, without the money to obtain everything required. The wealthy, meanwhile, do not know these methods. Even when they hear of them, almost no one believes them. And if someone does believe a little, they may have plenty of gold and silver but begrudge spending cash on the medicines, fearing that their money will be wasted and they will gain nothing in the end. So no one is willing to try.”

The Baopuzi says: “The great medicines used to refine the Golden Elixir and ascend to Heaven must all be bought with money; they are not things one can simply gather at hand.”

The Baopuzi says: “I received this Daoist method more than twenty years ago, yet I am so poor that I cannot produce even a single load of goods. Unable to begin the refinement, I can only sigh. There are people in the world with cabinets piled high with gold and silver and wealth stacked like mountains, yet they know nothing of this method for attaining long life and avoiding death. Even when they hear of it, they find it exceedingly hard to believe.”

The preface to True Instructions on the Golden Elixir records that Master An said to Sun Jiaoluan: “If you can help me escape the cycle of life and death, I will not begrudge passing on the secrets I know to you.” Ruohai worried that he would not have enough funds for alchemical work, so he also asked his friend Dao Xuan Chenzi to make up the shortfall.

Jiaoluan said to his son: “If you help me with this, surely you will be like my teacher was to me back then?” His son then invited Lord He and Lord Jiang to contribute funds, making up what was lacking so they could barely assemble the cauldron, furnace, qin, sword, and other items.

The Song of the Gourd says: “Visit a wise master and seek the oral instructions. If you do not provide the goods needed for cultivation, the master will not pass them on. Setting up the furnace and cauldron requires ritual wealth; only when that wealth is assembled can one buy the liquid gold.”

Lu Ziye says in the Three Commentaries: “Even if you understand the subtle work of refining the self—cultivating the mind and disciplining body and spirit—if you do not know that ritual wealth must be complete in both respects, you still will not succeed in making the elixir.”

I have received my master’s oral instructions and know that no other method surpasses them. The difficulty is that my own strength is insufficient and my will is weak, so I cannot put them into practice. I once read that the ancient Ge Hong, known by the courtesy name Baopuzi, had obtained this Daoist method for more than twenty years but, because his household had little savings, could not cultivate it and could only sigh in vain. To think again and again of these words is truly heartrending!

In the Three Commentaries, Shangyangzi says, “The most important thing in cultivation is to prepare the resources needed for the Way.”

Shangyangzi also says, “The poor worry that they have no money or possessions. Once they have money, they worry that they have no suitable place. Once they have a place, they worry that they lack the things they need. Once they have those things, they worry that they have no companion. The companion meant here is someone who assists and supports the cultivation from outside. Take care to seek such a person, first gather the resources needed for cultivation, and then choose a place.”

Shangyangzi says, “To move him through the spirit, you should also please him with material gifts.”

In the Three Commentaries, Patriarch Daoguang says, “The immortal elder Zhang Ziyang met the great man of Qingcheng and received the wondrous Way of the Golden Liquid Return Elixir, a term in Daoist Neidan for an internal elixir cultivated from Jing, Qi, and Shen. He lamented that forming the elixir was no easy matter, so he wrote the Wuzhen Pian to establish ties with fellow cultivators of the elixir.”

The Correct Principles of Celestial Immortality says, “The means by which Perfected Qiu assisted the state are recorded in the History of the Yuan. Cao Huanyang guided Wu Chongxu and passed on to him the means of supporting the cultivation of the Way, asking only that he commit them to memory. Cao Huanyang instructed him: ‘Use these means only if there is a genuine need to support the Daoist teachings. If there is no need, set them aside. Do not use them to commit misdeeds for worldly purposes, or you will incur grave consequences.’”

Shangyangzi says, “To obtain this treasure, you must use wealth to support it. Ample means can establish a crucible for the Elixir, help others, and bring the work of the Way to completion. Only by using material gifts to invite someone can you understand and gain their sincere heart. Then even the wish-fulfilling Mani jewel, a priceless treasure, will not be difficult to obtain.”

True material resources can establish a crucible for the Elixir, help others, and bring the work of the Way to completion. Only by using material gifts to invite someone can you understand and gain their sincere heart. Then even the wish-fulfilling Mani jewel, a priceless treasure, will not be difficult to obtain.

Perfected Master Wang Ding said, “When ordinary people seek the treasures of Heaven, they must rely on treasures of the human world.”

The Yin Perfected One said in the Treatise on the Subtlety of the Six: “To seek this Dao, one must have financial resources. Without them, it is difficult to attain the Dao. One also needs three like-minded fellow alchemists to cultivate together.”

The Bright One Returns to the Golden Register by Mou Fu Pu says, “I wish to return to simplicity and authenticity, but my strength is slight, the undertaking immense, and it is difficult to make plans.”

Master Shangyang said, “Benevolence, compassion, discernment, and honesty are the qualities of those of noble virtue. Respectfulness, generosity, trustworthiness, diligence, and benefiting others are gateways to the Dao. One should begin by benefiting others and being diligent: only by being willing to give can one make others willing to help. To seek the finest treasures, one must rely on the wealth of the human world.”

The Patriarch Lü said, “If someone does little good and is greatly miserly, then even ten million immortals will refuse to come to their aid.”

Dong Zhongshu’s Veritable Record of Li Shaojun recounts: “Although Li Shaojun possessed the method for long life and immortality, his family was poor. He therefore went on a mission to the Han court, taking the opportunity to seek financial resources. Once his Daoist work was complete, he departed.”

Perfected Master Ziyang said, “The mystery of the Golden Elixir lies in the fact that a cultivator must have foundations laid in past lives, benevolent virtue accumulated by their ancestors, and abundant financial resources before they can hope to succeed.”

The Teachings of the Western Mountain says, “Only after Zhang Pingzhu received support from Ma Duyun could the undertaking be completed; only after Xue Daoguang received support from Zhang Huanwei could he refine the Golden Elixir.”

The Baoji Sutra says, “When a bodhisattva-mahāsattva cultivates the Dāya Pāramitā—here referring to the perfection of giving—they use the wealth of worldly life and death as provisions, seeking the immortal wealth of immortality, like sweet dew.”

Zhang Daoling had his disciples take turns contributing rice, silk, and implements, and over time these accumulated into considerable wealth, which was used to buy medicinal herbs, compound elixirs, and practice qi circulation and the methods of ingesting elixirs. For this reason, the material resources needed for cultivating immortality were indispensable. He often told his disciples, "You need only imitate my practice of qi circulation, daoyin (guiding and stretching exercises that regulate body and mind through breath and bodily movement), and the bedchamber arts (ancient techniques concerning sexual union and the nourishment of life). As for gathering the Nine Cauldrons (the vessels used in alchemical refinement), the most essential secrets were transmitted only to Wang Chang."

Master Baishi was a disciple of Elder Zhonghuang. In his cultivation he emphasized the Way of sexual union and regarded the Golden Liquor Elixir (the elixir described in Daoist refinement practice) as the supreme medicine. Initially his family was poor and could not afford the medicines, so for more than ten years he raised sheep and pigs, lived frugally, and accumulated property. Only when his family's wealth reached ten thousand taels of gold did he begin to purchase and take the medicines in quantity.

The Perfected Ge Xuan said, "I received this Way more than thirty years ago, yet I lamented that I lacked sufficient Dharma wealth (the material resources needed to practice the Dharma) and could not accomplish this subtle Way, thereby repaying the boundless kindness of the Great Dao. Later, when the conditions were ready, all matters were successfully fulfilled. Later students should not be perplexed by this, but should act in the same manner."

The Shangyao Lingjing states, "It is often said that the Golden Elixir emerges from the households of the wealthy and powerful."

Lü Zu's Ode to the Yellow Crane states, "Relying on the aid of both Dharma and wealth, seek out the great households, as a sound strategy for accomplishing great undertakings."

Sa Zu's Song of Realizing the Way states, "If you follow my words, you should early on study the Cantong Qi. The book explains it very clearly: cultivating spirit and qi is not difficult. First, you must prepare your Dharma wealth. Cultivation has several essential tasks: accumulate much hidden virtue and often act with kindness to help others. To seek the Way, you need only apply your mind within the bustle of the human world; there is no need to wander about the mountains."

The Biography of Zhang Sanfeng says: "Master Huolong was a senior disciple of Elder Tunan. My teacher saw that I sincerely sought the Dao, so they first taught me the practice of refining the self (liànjǐ), which means cultivating one's mind and nature and rectifying one's own conduct. Then they gave me the formula for obtaining the medicine, explained the subtle changes of fire timing (huǒhòu), and described the essentials of nourishing the process (wēnyǎng) and the stage of sloughing off the mortal form (tuōtāi). Finally they explained the aim of returning to emptiness (xūwú), and all of this was described in full detail. From this I understood that on the path of cultivation, both method (fǎ) and wealth (cái) are indispensable. I had long wandered in search of the Dao and was quite fond of doing good, so my money was nearly spent. How could I possibly fulfill my long-held wish? Without my noticing, my face had grown clouded with worry. My teacher found this strange and asked me about it. Tearfully, I drew close and explained the reason. My teacher once again transmitted to me the cinnabar transforming medicine and ordered me to leave the mountains and cultivate. From then on I built an alchemy chamber (dānfáng), and with these funds I set about the great task of completing the Dao."

The Flower of One Branch says: "This too was my destined opportunity. Fortunately I met Shen Wanshan, who was generous and willing to share his wealth freely, and he transmitted to me the cinnabar transforming medicine and ordered me to leave the mountains and cultivate. From then on I built an alchemy chamber, and with these funds I set about the great task of completing the Dao."

The Flower of One Branch goes on to say: "This too was my destined opportunity. Fortunately I met Shen Wanshan, who was generous and willing to share his wealth freely. Yet his resources were limited, and he could not fully support me, so I had no choice but to refine the work myself at the furnace fire."

Verses on Seeking an External Patron says: "The golden blossoms are brilliant and bright, but without money cultivation is hard to accomplish. I dare not speak of it to others, so each of us can only reckon in private. I searched far and wide for an external patron (wàihù), one who could provide financial support, and at last I met a person of great discernment. The heavenly secrets I have kept hidden in my heart for several decades."

It also says: "My only regret is that I have no money. Day and night I pray to heaven: have pity on me, and help me!"

The Inscription at Qingyang Palace says: "Refining the millet pearl (liàn shǔ zhū), the important achievement of internal alchemy (nèidān), requires both method and wealth. Wang the Perfected was fortunate to meet a predestined companion, Xue Daoguang, yet still had to return to secular life. The place where Bodhidharma attained the Way was the Lichun Courtyard, which must have been a street of flower houses and willow lanes. Stop boasting about quiet non-action (qīngjìng wúwéi) and sitting motionless in meditation."

Essentials of the Golden Elixir says: "Some people gain the assistance of like-minded companions, and so their cultivation easily succeeds. Others lack the material resources needed to refine the elixir, and so their cultivation cannot succeed."

Shangyang Zi said: "I was able to set out on the path of cultivation because my ancestors accumulated virtue in earlier generations, and because Heaven and Earth showed me their compassion and protection. I wandered through the human world until I was nearly forty, when I was fortunate enough to meet my teacher, who transmitted to me the supreme Dao (the Way). After receiving this teaching, I feared breaking my oath and failing my master's expectations, so I worked diligently to clear away my past shallow learning, bad habits, afflictions, and karmic consciousness (the consciousness patterns formed by afflictions and karmic forces). Yet the resources needed for cultivation have remained out of reach, and this has gone on for two years."

Zhang Sanfeng's Wugen Shu (The Rootless Tree) says: "One must make good companions and prepare the Dharma-resources (fa cai) needed for cultivation."

Shao Yong's poem "The Lean-To of Peace and Contentment" asks: "How might I find the leisure to tour the jewelers' shops? I cherish the jewels of people, yet I worry about money."

The postscript to the Record of the Unified Teachings of the Immortals and Buddhas states: "If one has the means to support cultivation, one should pass these teachings on to like-minded people to help them practice. If one lacks the means, one should use this to form friendships with companions who will uphold the practice. Beyond this, if there are people whose family has accumulated virtue across three generations and whose hearts incline toward goodness, they may both assist the master in cultivation and lend active support to him. Even if their strength is limited and they can only share part of the burden on his behalf, that is acceptable. The ancients called this 'mutual aid in both Dharma and resources' (fa cai liang ji), and this is what is meant here." Here, "Dharma and resources" (fa cai) refers to the transmission of the Dao's methods and the material support needed for cultivation.

Longmei Zi said: "To ride a crane and roam among the immortal realms, one must rely on material support. Lesser people will laugh at this, which is why sages do not speak of it lightly."

Longmei Zi also said: "I have been guided and nurtured by a True Person, but I have long lacked resources and so have been unable to complete my practice. Worried day and night, I have watched thirty-six years pass in the blink of an eye. In the autumn of the Mid-Autumn Festival I composed a poem in which I sighed: 'Holding the heavenly mechanism, I have lived through six-times-six autumns; arriving at this night of this year, the sorrow is too heavy to bear. The subtle work cannot be accomplished without three people, and the marvel within the millet cannot be won through two-times-eight cultivation. To penetrate the Dao, the turtle and snake still need a blessed land; to know how to fly off to Yangzhou on a crane, one also needs support. Who will lend me the force to rise on the whirlwind, so that we may ascend together to the immortal realms of the ten directions?'" In the poem, "six-times-six" and "two-times-eight" are numerical expressions that stand for the years and effort required for cultivation, and the "turtle and snake" is a common symbolic image in Daoism.

Baopuzi's Liuzhu Ge (Song of the Flowing Pearl) says: "Flowing pearl, flowing pearl, you have worn out my body and mind. I have wandered the four seas and read every kind of Daoist book, busy all day and neglecting sleep and meals. I have visited many friends to seek instruction and exhausted the mercury needed for alchemy. Thirty years have passed day by day, and I have often sighed. Now I am sixty, and I fear I will fall into the three paths of suffering (the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals, as described in Buddhism). Fortunately, my master transmitted to me the Way of the primordial qi in its emptiness and the method of harmonizing true yin and true yang. With each inhalation and exhalation, I nourish myself with jade fluid, so that the flowing pearl circulates through the bridal chamber (an inner alchemical term for the site of cultivation within the body). The Perfected (one who has attained the Dao) has delivered me from my difficulties. This is what a great man pursues."

The following passages discuss "wealth" in the alchemical classics of the furnace and elixir.

The Dongtian Midian (Secret Canon of the Cavern Heaven) says: "I was fortunate to meet a most enlightened master, who showed me the method of attaining long life and enduring vision (living long and extending one's years). He told me that one must prepare material resources before one can accomplish the work of immortality. Otherwise, even if one embraces the Dao all one's life, one will remain in the state of seeking the Way without attaining immortality. Therefore he taught me the arts of yellow and white (the methods of refining gold and silver), and so on."

It also says: "I have devoted myself to studying this art, not in pursuit of wealth and rank, but to raise the various things I need and to use them as a ladder for continuing my cultivation of the Dao. Moreover, inner cultivation and outer refinement share the same principle and ultimately reach the same goal. That is why I hurried to undertake this work."

"Heat departs and cold comes; spring follows autumn, and frost has settled on the head of the young without my noticing. Where are the palaces of the Qin and the towers of the Han now? Brave warriors and wise counselors have also passed away. Quietly considering that this life is like a dream or an illusion, why should I toil in pursuit of marquis-ship? I wish to shed worldly bonds, but I lack the material wealth needed for alchemy. Where can I seek it?"

"I long to learn the way of long life, but my purse is empty. Pitiful, with no path to the land of the immortals. I have roamed for many years, my mind always occupied with studying the principles. I seek the arts of yellow and white as the foundation of alchemy, not out of greed for gold, silver, and jewels, nor from a wish to become a rich man. Should I one day be fortunate enough to receive my immortal teacher's instruction, the kindness will weigh as heavily as a mountain, and I will not forget it."

Qingxia Zi says: "The stipends of the immortals and the elixir methods of Laozi can help you study the Dao and become an immortal."

The Jinkui Cangshu (Golden Coffer Collection) says: "The implements and resources needed to practice the inner path cannot be secured with a few thousand pieces of gold."

Companions

Zhongli Ancestor's True Formula (Zhenjue) says: "The blessings of the immortals and Laozi's Golden Elixir (jindan) are all meant to help you study the Dao (the Way) and attain immortality."

The Golden Casket Library (Jinkui Cangshu) says: "The means and wealth needed to cultivate inner Dao cannot be secured with a few thousand taels of gold."

Zhongli Ancestor's Song of the True Formula says: "This elixir is not for ordinary people to use. It is a treasure that Heaven uses to support and nourish those who cultivate the Dao. If ordinary people obtain it, they will use it to buy fields and property to leave to their descendants."

The Preface to the Record of Receiving Aspirations (Chengzhi Lu Zixu) says: "Since antiquity, immortal masters have relied on the arts of refining gold and silver to aid inner cultivation."

Tao Suye says: "Refining furnace fire is not undertaken to seek wealth and rank. Used to perfect oneself, it can assist the cultivation of inner alchemy (Neidan). Used to perfect others, it serves the function of aiding the world and saving people."

The Record of Receiving Aspirations (Chengzhi Lu) says: "To seek the wealth needed for refining elixirs in order to assist the cultivation of the Dao, one must first cultivate virtue so that it accords with Heaven."

It also says: "The Way of the sage is not easily attained by ordinary people. Xu Jingyang (a legendary Daoist immortal) attained immortality by means of this method. Once the elixir is complete, one must never boast of one's skill. One should promptly undertake the affairs of dual cultivation (shuangxiu) and settle worldly entanglements." Here, "yellow and white" refers to the arts of refining gold and silver, and "means and wealth" refers to the material resources needed to cultivate the Dao. The specific meanings of "dual cultivation" and "settling worldly ties" must be understood within the cultivation context of that book.

Tao Suye says: "The arts of the yellow-white Golden Elixir are beyond the reach of the vast majority of cultivators. This is because the patriarchs left them to aid cultivation, and Haotian (the August Heaven) bestowed them on those who possess virtue. Lord Xu (Xu Zhenjun, that is, Xu Jingyang) first refined the yellow and white elixirs, and only afterward settled his worldly ties."

Tao Suye says again: "The arts of the yellow-white Golden Elixir are beyond the reach of the vast majority of cultivators. This is because the patriarchs left them to aid cultivation, and Haotian bestowed them on those who possess virtue. Lord Xu first refined the yellow and white elixirs, and later had Xu Jingyang cultivate them as well. Although this resulted from his outstanding merit and profound virtue, the yellow and white elixir can indeed serve as the material resources needed for cultivating the Dao."

Shangyang Zi says: "Seeking material resources and searching for a cultivation companion are both undertaken to refine the Golden Elixir. Material wealth is not hard to obtain; finding a companion is the difficult part. Once you have a companion and resources, you have many external aids. To attain the immortal Way, why must one go deep into the mountains?"

Shangyang Zi (Shangyang Zi) said, "Once a practitioner has received the transmission from a true teacher, the first step is to form ties with a fellow cultivator (tongxiu daoyou). Master Xue said, 'I have people collect the elixir of long life, and every year I seek a kindred spirit across the sea.' He also said, 'For many years I have traveled the lakes and seas looking for companions in the pursuit of immortality, and I will not stop until I become an immortal.' The Patriarch Nini said, 'Without like-minded people to encourage and remind one another, one may fail to master the fire timing (huohou) in refining the elixir.' Chen Huqiu said, 'Every day I anxiously search for fellow seekers, and though I have travelled all over Dongwu, I have never met a suitable one.' From this we see that finding a companion who truly understands you can make up for each other's shortcomings and together accomplish the Great Dao (Dao). Some people, though they have found a good partner, have not yet attained the Dao. If they have sufficient material resources, it is fitting for them to support one another and exchange what each needs, so that each may help the other succeed."

Zhongli Patriarch (Zhongli Zu) said, "In the mortal world, it is very hard to find a companion to cultivate the true (xiuzhen) with."

He also said, "Wealth is not difficult to obtain, but companions on the Way are hard to find."

Lüzi (Lüzi) said, "A pure companion, one who shares the same aspirations and whose mind is in accord with one's own, is the most precious of all. From this we know that the immortals and Buddhist adepts of antiquity also received the help of Dao companions. Therefore, when the Twenty-Sixth Patriarch took leave of his king, he said, 'I hope Your Majesty will cultivate the most sublime Dao, and not forget to offer protection from the side.' Both Gushan and Xue Zixian wrote the line 'ten years on lakes and seas.' When I read this, I was deeply moved and could not help but sigh in admiration again and again."

Xue Daoguang (Xue Daoguang) said, "When three like-minded people cultivate together, they must guard carefully against danger, and the work of circulating qi and advancing the fire (xingqi jinhuo) requires especially close attention."

The Qiaoyang Jing (Qiaoyang Jing) says, "The spirit settles within the cauldron (ding), and the radiance of the elixir does not leave its place. At this time, a true Dao companion is needed to watch over and protect from the side. Food and drink, cold and warmth, and all the affairs of daily life should be arranged in advance so that these matters do not disturb the mind."

Lü Zu's Huanghe Fu (Huanghe Fu) says, "To cultivate nature and life (xing ming) together, one must first form ties with a companion of one's own heart to serve as an aide."

The Qiaoyao Ge (Qiaoyao Ge) says, "Seek out those of resolute will, and inquire after the worthy and capable. Together, set up the furnace and cauldron, and refine this mortal body."

Longmei Zi (Longmei Zi) said, "To cultivate nature and life together, one must first form ties with a companion of one's own heart to serve as an aide."

The "Song of Striking the Trigrams" (Qiaoyao Ge) says: "Seek out people of resolve, and search for worthy scholars; together establish the furnace-cauldron and refine the body of the ordinary person."

Longmei Zi says: "Those who assist must respond to one another and cannot be missing; three people of one heart support each other. The Kuigang (a Daoist term for star spirits or spirits who guard the directions) sits in the central seat and serves as the chief officiant, while another person is responsible for planning the placement and arrangement of the furnace-cauldron. One must also examine and fix the positions of the cauldron and the string, so that the Dragon and Tiger (forces that internal alchemy (Neidan) commonly uses as metaphors for the interaction of yin and yang, or of lead and mercury) qi circulates. The fire timing must be finely adjusted, attending to both martial fire and civil fire (metaphors in alchemical practice for different degrees of intensity in operation). Throughout, one must keep clear command from beginning to end, and above all rely on the one who plans the affairs to transmit and remind carefully."

Lü Zu says: "To avoid falling into danger, one needs someone to call out and remind."

The Xianfo Hezong explains that this sentence has two readings. First, when beginners in the Lesser Heavenly Cycle (xiao zhoutian, a stage of internal alchemy in which breath circulates through the body) begin to settle, if they feel hunger or thirst and wish to eat, they should not give rise to vexation over it. Second, during nourishment in the Greater Heavenly Cycle (da zhoutian, a deeper stage of whole-body circulation), one worries that stillness will become too deep and lapse into torpor, and therefore needs someone to remind.

The Tianxian Zhengli says: "The difficulty lies in finding a suitable companion. The days of cultivation practice are many, and one needs someone to attend and support over the long term to guard the practitioner against danger. Yet the attendant may fail to persist until the protection of the Way (Dao) is complete. Some grow suspicious and weary because the time is long and progress slow. Others gradually lose faith in the Way because of illness or disaster in the body, or upheaval in the family. What is meant by doubt is suspecting that this method may not be true, or doubting whether cultivation can succeed at all. What is meant by bodily calamity is that the fellow practitioner falls ill or meets disaster. What is meant by upheaval in the family is that the protector's parents, wife, or others suffer a grave misfortune, or are inexplicably drawn into disputes, grievances, and wrongful entanglements, and so change their intention to guard the Way. Such cases occur often. The Baopuzi says: 'Those who cultivate the Way often fall ill just as the matter is about to succeed, and in the end fail to fulfill their wish.' This is what is meant by such a situation."

Someone also said: "Finding a companion of like mind is difficult, because that person may not come from the same home region as you, nor may they be someone you have long known. If a person's conduct is poor, it may not show during a brief encounter. If deep and hidden evil thoughts lie within the heart, they are also hard to detect in everyday dealings. The wicked deeds and seeds of calamity left by one's ancestors are even harder to discern from afar. These are all reasons why Heaven will not transmit the Great Dao (Dao, the Way) to such a person. Even when one meets someone of complete virtue and firm resolve, and by chance they encounter each other in the master's home, it is still difficult to trust one another at once. Having never known each other, and not knowing whether the other has genuine moral cultivation or is corrupt or upright, one naturally dares not believe lightly. From this one can see all the more clearly why finding a companion for cultivating the Dao is so difficult."

The Song of the Gourd (Hulu Ge) says: "For seven days in primordial chaos (the state before heaven and earth were divided and before the myriad things were distinct), one dies and is reborn, relying entirely on a companion to harmonize water and fire." Here, "water and fire" is a term from internal alchemy (Neidan), referring to the yin and yang, and the bodily and mental qi (vital energy), that must be harmonized in practice.

The Rootless Tree (Wugen Shu) says: "Entrusting one's intention to a true confidant, guarding one's practice with caution, and constantly worrying that the handling of the furnace fire is improper." Here, the "furnace" and the "timing of the fire" (huohou) are metaphors in internal alchemy, referring to the conditions, progress, and timing of cultivation.

Earth

Master Peng (Peng Zhenren) said: "Seek out numinous mountains and blessed lands (places of quiet and auspicious suitability for cultivation), build an alchemy chamber (a quiet room for refining and practicing), set up a star altar (a platform for worshipping the stellar deities and conducting related rites), install the furnace, cast the cauldron chamber, and make genuine fellow Daoist practitioners your companions, arranging every matter in full. Only when all of these are complete one by one may cultivation begin."

Lord Yin (Yin Zhenjun) said: "Without a suitable place, do not rashly begin cultivation. One must act in secret, guard carefully, and preserve the mysteries between heaven and earth so that they are not lost. The transformations of this medicinal substance are subtle and difficult to fathom."

Zhenyizi said: "Stay away from the allure of sound and beauty, restrain your cravings and desires, and rid yourself of the heart that seeks fame and profit. Go to the numinous mountains, sever ordinary social ties, associate with immortal companions, and live in seclusion to cultivate yourself, diligently day and night, and only then is there hope. If these things cannot be done, then even tireless effort will come to nothing."

The Patriarch Niwan (Niwan Zu) said: "Do not draw close to graveyards or polluted fields, and avoid places where war has been fought or where people often die violent deaths. If a site gathers spiritually refined vital energy (lingxiu zhi qi), it is a blessed land and may also be regarded as a small cavern-heaven (xiao dongtian) for seeking immortality and cultivating the Dao."

He also said: "Quiet and secluded mountain forests are the most suitable, though living in a city or in the countryside is also acceptable. When the terrain and soil are solid and thick, the foundation of cultivation is firm. If one chooses a place carelessly, disaster may soon follow."

He further said: "The alchemical chamber (dan shi) should face the direction of Wood, which is east, toward the sun. The west side should have bright windows, so that one can see the light where renowned people dwell. When evening brings darkness, do not shut the chamber up tightly." Here, "alchemical chamber" refers to the room used for alchemical work or cultivation practice, and "golden wall" refers to the western wall of the house.

Lü Zu's Rhapsody on the Yellow Crane (Huang He Fu) says: "Choose a suitable place, and be careful to keep the secrets of cultivation guarded. Set up an alchemical chamber and prepare implements appropriate to practice."

The Awakening to Reality (Wu Zhen) says: "Know that a true recluse may dwell even in the court or the marketplace. Why must one hide deep in the mountains, alone with one's tranquility?"

The Admonition on Gold and Stone (Jin Shi Gao) says: "A busy place is not necessarily in the marketplace, and a quiet place is not necessarily in the mountains. If one wishes to understand the principle of the elixir of longevity, then facing external circumstances without the mind being stirred is the way of the Great Return (da huan). " Here, "facing circumstances without a mind" means remaining undisturbed when confronted with various affairs and situations, and "Great Return" (da huan) is an important term in Daoist internal alchemy (neidan).

The Heavenly Immortal's True Principles (Tianxian Zhengli) says: "What is called a blessed land is one untouched by war, not seized by powerful families, and not near the thoroughfares where people crowd. It is also free from the disturbance of bandits, and yet not too far from the city, so that food can be easily obtained. One should also keep away from forests, to avoid being startled by birdcalls and wind. The house need not exceed one zhang in height. Its walls should be double-layered, its interior should have moderate light, and the beds and seats should be spread with thick cushions. Add simple vegetables, tea, and plain meals. Regulating one's diet and settling body and mind are not difficult to achieve."

The Debates on Cultivating Reality (Xiuzhen Bian Nan) records a question: "If one lives in the marketplace or at court, one inevitably encounters worldly affairs and human entanglements. How can one concentrate on cultivating the Dao?" The reply: "The marketplace and the court are precisely the places where great function can be exercised and great opportunities opened..."

Disputations on Cultivating the Real (Xiuzhen Bianan)

Someone asks: "When one lives in the marketplace or at court, one cannot avoid dealing with human relationships and worldly affairs. How can one devote oneself wholeheartedly to the Dao?" The answer is: "Living in the marketplace or at court is precisely where one can play a great role and encounter great opportunities. This is a superior method of cultivation. The Golden Elixir (jindan), the goal pursued in internal alchemy (neidan), is found among people, so it should be sought in the court and the marketplace. The ancients chose great cities and relied on powerful people for this same reason."

Volume Three: Cauldron, Furnace, Talisman, and Fire

Cauldron and Furnace

Master Wuxia said: "Practitioners speak of several kinds of cauldron and furnace. There is the cauldron and furnace of refining the self (lianji), which is the work of refining one's mind and nature. There is the cauldron and furnace of obtaining the medicinal substance (de yao), the cauldron and furnace of attaining the elixir (de dan), and the cauldron and furnace of nourishing and warming (wenyang). When one first begins the work and grasps the timing of the fire (huohou), one must be able to remain among desires without craving them and remain in the world without being stained by it. For the moment, practice in accordance with the states of Li and Gou, and sit upright, abiding in the body of the Dharma King."

Someone asked Baopuzi (Bàopǔzǐ), "I have heard that those who pursue the Dao (the Way) of long life should know of two mountains. Is this true?"

Baopuzi said, "There are indeed two mountains, though they are neither Huashan nor Huoshan, nor Songshan or Daishan. The first is called the Mountain of Great Origin, which is hard to recognize yet easy to seek. It lies neither in heaven nor beneath the earth, and it neither sinks into water nor floats upon it. It is exceedingly deep and remote, its slopes lofty and rugged, filled with harmonious qi, and shen (spirit) moves to and fro within it. Within the mountain is clear, deep jade fluid, which constantly nourishes all things. There are one hundred and twenty spirit palaces and offices, each with its own duties, gathered together. Li and Kan (the hexagrams symbolizing the yin-yang positions of fire and water) each occupy their places. Xuan zhi (lingzhi-like immortal herbs) grow abundantly, the crimson tree (a legendary immortal tree) grows alone, and the treasures produced are all different. Layers of gold and jade rise high, and sweet springs well up at the mountain's corners. Cultivators who seek to return to youth drink from these clear springs. If you can cultivate this Way, you may be compared with immortals such as Red Pine (Chisongzi) and Prince Qiao (Wang Ziqiao). This is the first mountain.

The second is called the Mountain of the Long Valley, lofty and dark, where mysterious qi drifts and jade fluid falls in profusion. The Golden Pool and the purple immortal palaces both lie within its boundaries. The foolish and reckless will ultimately die; those who attain the Dao and ascend this mountain will endure without decline. They eat huangjing (a herb commonly used in Daoist longevity practice) and in the end ascend to immortality. This is the second mountain. Since antiquity these matters have been kept secret and not transmitted, so you must concentrate and contemplate them."

Someone said, "I would like to hear the methods by which a true person guards the body and cultivates the physical form."

Baopuzi said, "This is a profound question. Beneath the azure canopy, the essences of the moon and sun turn and rise, merging into one. They enter the golden chamber from the jade pool and condense like a pellet, yellow as a tangerine. Within is a wonderful flavor, sweet as honey. If you obtain it, you must guard it with great care and never lose it. Once it departs and cannot return, the body will decline and die.

There is also a pure white qi, subtle and profound, which winds upward three times along the Youguan (the pass through which qi moves within the body). The Middle Dantian (zhōngdāntián, one of the energy centers within the human body) shines brightly, incomparable to anything else. Settle it in the Mingmen (mìngmén, the Gate of Life, the vital gate of the body), and the form will not decay. If you obtain it, you must guard it with great care and never lose it. Once it departs and cannot return, the body will decline and die. This method is deep and subtle and difficult to transmit; it is a secret oral instruction from a master. One who understands it need not fear the myriad ghosts or weapons."

The Baopuzi says: "The world is so vast that people cannot fully grasp even the things within their own sight, let alone the profound and subtle matters that lie far beyond them."

The Baopuzi says: "Those who understand the Xuansu (Mysterious and Plain) arts, the ancient bedchamber practices for nourishing life, hold that only the bedchamber arts (fangzhong, ancient sexual cultivation methods) can free a person from worldly bonds, that only qi circulation (xingqi, regulating the breath and guiding the flow of vital breath) can prolong life, and that only guided movement (daoyin, bodily exercises coordinated with breathing) can delay aging."

The Baopuzi says: "The Xuansu arts are like water and fire. Water and fire can harm people, yet they can also benefit them; everything depends on whether one knows how to use them. The benefits of Master Peng's method (Pengzu zhi fa, the bedchamber regimen attributed to the legendary Master Peng) are probably not as great as the texts claim, and few people practice it correctly. In general, its essential principle is that the more partners one has during intercourse, the better. But without understanding its proper techniques, even one or two partners can quickly bring a person to an early death." Jiyizi comments: "Today some people use the name of the Three Peaks harvesting method (sanfeng caizhan, a practice of gathering and refining essence through intercourse) and claim it is Master Peng's bedchamber art. This truly deceives people!"

The Baopuzi says: "There was a Daoist from the Wu region who, wherever he went, set up concubines, and when he left, he abandoned them. This too was a remarkable form of conduct."

The Baopuzi says: "In former times, at Huanqiu (a legendary place name), there were many large serpents, and precious medicinal herbs also grew there. The Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) intended to ascend to that place."

The Baopuzi says: "If one fully masters the principles of bedchamber practice, it is said that one can attain the body of an immortal, and can also eliminate calamities and transgressions, turning misfortune into blessing."

Shangyangzi says: "In earlier times there was an immortal named Song Xuanbai who cultivated the great Way of the Golden Elixir (jindan, the path of seeking longevity through refining the inner elixir). Yet he feared that old age would arrive swiftly. He endured great hardship, mingled with the mundane world, refined the dust-laden qi of ordinary life, and at times practiced bigu (abstaining from grain) and fuqi (ingesting qi). Wherever he went, he sometimes used gold and silk to provide for several concubines, and when he left, he abandoned them. His many unusual deeds were such that no one in the world could see through them."

Ge Hong states in the Biographies of Immortals (Shenxian zhuan): "The union of man and woman is like the mutual generation of Heaven and Earth. One must nourish the body with shenqi (spirit and breath), keeping body and mind in harmony. Heaven and Earth follow the pattern of union, and so their movement never ends; if people go against the Way of union, they will suffer harm and decline. One who avoids the conduct that injures the body and masters the means of harmonizing Yin and Yang has found the path to long life."

Ge Hong also states in the Pillow Book (Zhenzhong shu): "The Primordial Lord and the Supreme Mystery Holy Mother (a Daoist deity) mingled their breath and condensed their essences, thereby recalling the qi of the Upper Palace. At that time the two qi of Yin and Yang interpenetrated and filled the cosmos; the breath pervaded Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang harmonized and united, and fullness and completion arose of their own accord. The rise of the Great Dao has nothing more fundamental than this."

The Baopuzi states: "Even if one takes a thousand kinds of tonic medicines and enjoys rich feasts of beef, mutton, and pork, there is no benefit if one does not understand the bedchamber arts (the Daoist longevity methods of harmonizing Yin and Yang and regulating the essences and qi)."

The immortal Liu Gen says: "If one does not understand the affairs of the bedchamber, and also does not cultivate xingqi (regulating breath and qi), daoyin (guided bodily movements that stretch the sinews and harmonize the blood and qi), or take divine medicines, one cannot become an immortal."

Wu Xian said to Emperor Wu of the Han: "I indeed know that this is a matter that accords with the natural Yin and Yang, a technique practiced within the palace, and truly difficult to speak of openly. Moreover, in actual practice it often runs counter to ordinary human feeling, so very few are able to accomplish it."

Zhang Liang, in his Commentary on the Yinfu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Accord), states: "Guiguzi said: 'Even one whose destiny is lowly may attain longevity without death; the Yellow Emperor drew on the essence qi of young women to achieve resonance.'" He also says: "The key lies in the young woman acting in accordance with the proper time. Guiguzi said: 'When the moment arrives, it passes in an instant. Act too early and you overshoot; act too late and you fail to keep up.'"

Cao Pi, Emperor Wen of Wei, wrote in the Dian Lun (Discourse on Authority): "Zuo Ci practiced the bedchamber arts (fangzhong shu, methods that take the Way of yin and yang between men and women as their subject of cultivation), and through them he could prolong his life. However, those who lack deep affection cannot carry them out."

Zhong Changtong said: "Gan Shi, Zuo Yuanfang, and Dongguo Yannian practiced the Rongcheng Arts (Rongcheng shu, a bedchamber method attributed to the ancient immortal Rongcheng Zi), employing the methods of sexual union between men and women, and all of them were recruited by the Prime Minister."

Dongfang Shuo, in the Shenyi Jing (Classic of Marvels), said: "If men and women do not form marriages, they can still accomplish the Dao of immortality on their own." Zhang Maoxian explained: "This means that they do not live together as husband and wife."

The Shenyi Jing also says: "When the Queen Mother wished to go east, she ascended and could reach it. Yin and yang depend on each other, and only through their union does the effect become more subtle."

The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Classic) says: "The Dao Father and the Dao Mother face each other and gaze; the Master Father and the Master Mother cause the Danxuan (the mysterious elixir) to unite." Here, Danxuan is a Daoist cultivation term referring to the mysterious qi or state that appears when yin and yang unite.

The Shenyi Jing also says: "When the Queen Mother wished to go east, she ascended and could reach it. Yin and yang depend on each other, and only through their union does the effect become more subtle."

The Huangting Jing also says: "The Dao Father and the Dao Mother face each other and gaze; the Master Father and the Master Mother, and the Danxuan arises from this."

Shangyangzi said: "Without true parents, whatever is born is false."

Zhang Sanfeng said: "Heaven existed first, and only then was there a mother; without a mother, there is also no heaven."

The Baopuzi (Master Embracing Simplicity) says: "Honor it as you honor your mother, and fear it as you fear a tiger."

The Diamond Sutra says: "What is called 'the mark of oneness' cannot be spoken of. Ordinary people, however, cling to it and become attached to it."

The Dadong Xian Jing (Classic of the Immortals of the Great Cavern) says: "Through a thousand kinds of union and ten thousand kinds of meeting, realization arises naturally."

An ancient verse says: "A sentient being comes to sow seed; planted in the earth, the fruit grows out of the ground." It also says: "The land was already there, and from the land blooms the flower of awakening."

Tao Hongjing (also known as Tao Yinju), in the Zhen Gao (Declarations of the Perfected), said: "The mysterious union and encounter yield a true Dao that is not deviant. Although the names of male and female partners are borrowed for the explanation, there was no defiling conduct at the beginning."

The Huanghe Fu (Rhapsody on the Yellow Crane) says: "Setting up the furnace and cauldron, one takes as model the two heavens and earths, inner and outer; refining and nourishing the self, one builds a foundation so that oneself and the other stand as steadily as a single state." Here, "furnace and cauldron" is a term from Neidan (internal alchemy) that uses a vessel as a metaphor for refining body and mind.

Again it is said: "Although they are spoken of as 'this' and 'that,' they are in truth not the arts of the bedchamber or the practice of drawing in yin to nourish yang. If one clings only to oneself, how could one grasp the moment of transformation like the great roc soaring south?"

Zhang Sanfeng said: "One must understand the principles of inner and outer yin-yang, and also clarify what the 'same kind' that corresponds to oneself actually refers to. Cultivation relies on the methods of the world to reach a state that transcends the mundane. Following the way ordinary people are born and reversing that process, one can form the Neidan (internal alchemy). This one sentence surpasses a thousand words."

The Wugen Shu (Tree Without Roots) says: "Flowers and wine are the metaphors through which immortals of past and present have cultivated the Dao. Open this door and I will tell you: without 'flowers' and without 'wine,' the Dao is difficult to attain." Here "flowers" and "wine" are the coded language of Dandao (the Way of Alchemy), and do not refer simply to worldly flowers and wine.

Again it says: "The place where the elixir is born lies in the kun (southwest) direction. In yin-yang numerology, kun belongs to yin, and it is also used to refer to the human body."

Again it says: "Relying on an external lead cauldron and innate medicinals, I transform my incomplete body and lay the foundation for becoming a sage."

Zhang Sanfeng's Poem on the Xiantian (Prenatal) reads: "Whose young maiden, just fourteen years old, has a brilliant light between her brows? When others see her, desire arises in them, but I regard her as my own mother. A single spark of the elixir is born, and a fragrant vapor rises through my whole body. In an instant the mercury within me is refined away, and my body is transformed, becoming a body of pure yang." In this poem, the "maiden," "lead," and "mercury" are all coded terms of Daoist alchemy, describing images of cultivation such as the interaction of yin and yang and the refining of Jing (essence) into Qi (vital energy).

The Yizhi Hua (One Branch of Flowers) says: "What one waits for is only the maiden's lotus opening." Here the "opening of the maiden's lotus" is likewise a symbolic expression of alchemical practice.

Again it says: "I do not envy her beauty, as lovely as a flower. I only wait for her sweet dew-like spring to arise." This emphasizes waiting for inner signs in cultivation, such as the appearance of sweet dew and bodily fluids.

Again it says: "How would I dare to be reckless? I beat the bamboo drum and play the zither among the flowers, my mind as still as water." Through the imagery of flowers, instruments, and performance, this passage describes the inner scenery of cultivation and the focused, tranquil state of the practitioner.

The Shangyao Lingjing (Mirror of the Supreme Medicine) says: "The breath grows calm and long, the elixir flower blooms, and a jade figure appears before the eyes." The "elixir flower" and the "jade figure" are both symbolic visions of Neidan practice.

Lü Zu's Hundred Chapters says: "Seek out and acquire the vessels needed for an alchemical chamber; the 'five thousand, four-eight' is the number of spring." The phrase "five thousand, four-eight spring" is an alchemical term that points to a specific count of hours or to a rhythm of refining.

Lü Zu also says: "Primordial Qi (the Qi of Xiantian) is called emptiness, and circulating it keeps the sinews and bones from decaying. To know the root of mercury, seek out the Emperor's Son; to inquire into the origin of lead, visit the Immortal Maiden." Here "mercury," "lead," "Emperor's Son," and "Immortal Maiden" are coded terms for the elements of cultivation, such as yin and yang and the essences and vital energies of the body.

The Qiaoyao Ge (Song of Striking the Lines) says: "One man and one woman correspond to heaven and earth; one male and one female accord with qian and kun." This uses the union of man and woman as a metaphor for the harmonious pairing of heaven and earth, yin and yang.

The Dingqi Ge (Song of the Cauldron and Vessel) says: "The cauldron and vessel are originally the body of a man and a woman, and the great medicine, in the end, is Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit)." Here the "cauldron and vessel" refers to the foundation and carrier of cultivation, while the "great medicine" refers to the Jing, Qi, and Shen condensed through practice.

The Xiuzhen Poem says: "Within the bedchamber of man and woman lies the very substance of the Dao (Dao), and the physical body together with the real world provides the foundation for refining the lead and medicine."

It also says: "The true body and mind, and the fruit of cultivation, lie hidden within the cave. If one can find the path leading to the mysterious realm, then a person who was originally impoverished can at once enter the treasure land."

It further says: "Recognize the true seed that is originally one's own, and carefully gather the white lotus from the bottom of the sea."

And it says: "The materials needed for refining the elixir can be drawn from one's own self at any time."

Patriarch Yuchan says: "Originally, one's own fruit lies hidden within the cave. If one can find the path leading to the mysterious realm, then a person who was originally impoverished can at once enter the treasure land."

He also says: "Recognize the true seed that is originally one's own, and carefully gather the white lotus from the bottom of the sea."

And he says: "The materials needed for refining the elixir can be drawn from one's own self at any time."

Patriarch Yuchan further says: "Originally, there is true gold within oneself."

The Four Hundred Characters says: "The scenery in one's own garden is beautiful, and the wind and rain arrive just as the spring grows deep."

Lu Ziye says: "This 'lead' is possessed by everyone, but unfortunately people do not recognize it."

He also says: "Everyone has this thing in their home, yet how many can recognize it, and how many can bring it back within themselves?"

Zhang Sanfeng says: "It is within oneself. Why then seek it outside?"

Bai Yuchan says: "One should truly recognize that man and woman are simply what they are called, and not forcibly describe them as Kan and Li (terms from the Yijing and inner alchemy that symbolize water and fire)."

Patriarch Tieguai says: "Practice carefully before the furnace, and do not indulge in desire. Do not loosen your robes or untie your belt. When the time comes, gather the medicines symbolized by peach blossoms, willow catkins, and lamplight. I now reveal this ladder to heaven, pointing far off toward the self-possessed realm within the white clouds."

He also says: "The white-haired old man faces the red-cheeked maiden, and through a skillful union, immortals are gathered within."

The Song of Striking the Lines says: "Hold firmly to the mind-spirit in the land of flowers and willows, and cut off lust. Sex is the medicine, and wine is fortune and emolument. Even while immersed in wine and sex, one can remain unbound. It is precisely by awakening to the way of longevity amid flowers and wine that one astonishes ghosts and spirits."

Do not break the precepts, and do not indulge in sexual desire. Breaking the precepts causes one's original nature to sink into decline, and indulging in desire forfeits the very root of longevity. Genuine cultivation of the Way (Dao) can be reached only through those who are able to reverse ordinary inclinations and overcome habitual momentum.

It is also said: "Seeking the realized person (one who has attained the Dao) in the flower lanes and willow alleys, one finds that the realized person is at ease and at play amid the flowers."

The Breaking Delusion with a Single Stroke states: "Those who truly practice cultivation dare to walk into the flower lanes and willow alleys. In advising the deluded, do not dismiss this engaged form of cultivation outright, mistakenly believing that practice must take place only in the mountains."

An inscription at Qingyang Palace states: "Cultivation must also pass through places such as the flower lanes and willow alleys. Do not go on understanding stillness and non-action (wuwei) as sitting motionless."

The Cantong Qi (Kinship of the Three), a classic of internal alchemy (neidan), states: "Things of the same kind join easily, and things of different kinds are hard to combine skillfully. Swallows and sparrows cannot give birth to phoenixes, and foxes and hares cannot give birth to horses."

Zhang Sanfeng states: "When the natures are alike, the work is easy to apply. When the inner medicine (neiyao), the vital essence generated within the body during practice, becomes unobstructed, the outer medicine (waiyao), the substances or energies taken from or aided by the outside world in practice, also becomes unobstructed."

The Wuzhen Pian (Understanding Reality), a classic of internal alchemy, states: "When bamboo is broken, it must be mended with bamboo; to hatch chicks, one must use eggs."

Zi Yang (Zhang Boduan) states: "When bamboo is broken, it must be mended with bamboo; when a person is weakened, they must rely on lead (qian), the key medicine or essence used in practice, to restore themselves."

Zhang Sanfeng states: "Torn clothing is mended with cloth, and withered trees are nourished with soil. What should be used to mend a person who has been harmed and weakened? One must rely on the subtle workings of yin and yang transformation and the movement of creation."

Lü Zu (Lü Dongbin) states: "A broken pot must be mended with iron, and rotted clothing must be repaired with cloth. When a person grows old and lacks true metal qi (jinqi), the vital energy required for refinement, how many out of ten could return to life from the brink of death?"

The Zhengdao Yiguan Zhenji Yijian Lu (Record of the Simple and Easy True Mechanism of Consistently Realizing the Dao) says: "Yang qi sprouts at the yin hour (3 to 5 a.m.) and belongs to the pure essence of Wood. Yin qi sprouts at the shen hour (3 to 5 p.m.) and belongs to the pure essence of Metal. When Wood is thrown against Metal, nothing escapes injury, so Yin qi can weaken Yang qi. When women apply rouge and powder, they are imitating the whiteness of Metal. For this reason, Daoists who have perfected themselves as Zhenren (Perfected Persons) all attend closely to these changes, examine their subtleties, and distinguish the rise and decline of Yin and Yang."

"I employ the Azure Dragon (symbolizing Wood and Yang), while my counterpart employs the White Tiger (symbolizing Metal and Yin). I take the Vermilion Bird (symbolizing Fire) from my counterpart and refine my Black Tortoise (symbolizing Water). This is the Way of not dying. It is also said that women's feelings often urge them toward Yang, yet outwardly they restrain themselves and will not openly seek Yang. This means that Metal will not yield to Wood. Yang natures are fierce and impetuous but loose in their resolve and conduct. When they are together in leisurely company, however, they become gentle in speech, yielding in manner, and humble in bearing. This means that Wood fears Metal. One who cultivates this Way in the household of the Great Gate will live to two hundred and eighty years and still have the face of a child."

In the Sanzhu (Three Commentaries), Lu Ziye says: "Without passing through the Golden Elixir (the core of Neidan, or internal alchemy), one cannot attain the status of Celestial Immortal. So what, then, is the Golden Elixir? Alas, it was originally something I already possessed, but it has been deposited with the Kun household (the Receptive, the feminine side). What are the 'two things' spoken of? They are my counterpart and myself. When our minds are in accord, we become like husband and wife joyfully united in affection, and from this the Golden Elixir is obtained."

In the Sanwang (Three Goings), Daoguang Zu says: "True Yin and True Yang are things of the same kind that correspond to one another. This supreme treasure is found in every household, but because it is so close to people, it is carelessly discarded. People do not realize that it is the very ladder by which one ascends to Heaven."

In the Sanzhu, Shangyang Zi says: "Who is willing to believe in the word 'subtle' (miao)? The world is absorbed in desire, yet I am able to discern the principle within desire itself."

"The great medicine of the Golden Elixir is inherent in everyone. Whether one dwells in the marketplace or at court, one may cultivate it. It is regrettable that many people, on seeing the dragon, do not recognize the dragon, and on seeing the tiger, do not recognize the tiger. How many, then, are able to reverse the ordinary course and cultivate in the reverse direction?"

The root of this method of practice lies within human society and everyday life, and it must likewise be sought in the human world.

The Golden Elixir (Jindan) is a treasure that everyone inherently possesses, and every household has it. Yet the ignorant are deluded and do not awaken to it. Ordinary people who occasionally hear of it do not believe or accept it, and instead slander it.

Following the course of natural generation and transformation, one becomes an ordinary father and mother. Cultivating in reverse of this process, one becomes a spiritual father and holy mother. The qi of ordinary parents gives form to the body, and this is called the ordinary Way (changdao). The qi of the spiritual father and holy mother can form the elixir, and this is called the true source (zhenyuan).

Yin and Yang can unite only with their own kind. Examples of such kinship are Heaven and Earth, the Moon and the Sun, and Woman and Man, who are paired with one another. Mercury (gong) must likewise be paired with Lead (qian). Here, Mercury and Lead are terms of Neidan (Internal Alchemy) that refer to the complementary Yin and Yang medicinals that must work together.

When people fixate on working only upon the self, their paths of cultivation multiply into a hundred or a thousand varieties, most of which are deviant side paths (pangmen) that stray from the proper Way. The Immortal Elder, out of compassion, directly pointed out that one should pursue the root from which a person was first given life. Is this not disclosing the heavenly secret?

He further said: "If one clings only to the self, how can one return to the original source and come back to the root? And by what means could one restore Yang and transform the bones? (In Neidan practice, this refers to recovering the primordial qi and transforming the condition of body and mind.) A true practitioner who seeks the primordial true lead must begin at the Great Beginning, where qi was first received and life took its root, and only then can one obtain that primordial, pure and unified true qi."

In the Sanwang, Lu Ziye said: "The South belongs to the Li trigram and represents myself; the North belongs to the Kan trigram and represents the other. Take the central line of the Kan trigram and return it into the Li trigram of my own side, so that Li becomes Qian."

"Heaven and Earth, Kan and Li, all ultimately lie within the human body."

"The medicinal substance emerges from the Kun position in the southwest. If you wish to seek the Kun position, must you leave the human body and look elsewhere? The principle has already been explained very clearly, and it must be remembered. I only fear that, when the moment of encounter comes, one will still fail to recognize the true mechanism."

The union of Yin and Yang depends on their being of the same kind. "The matching of Two and Eight" depends on encountering the appropriate person. To obtain one's kind is to obtain the right person, and to obtain the right person is to obtain one's kind.

The Book of Changes (Yijing) says: "When man and woman unite, their essence (jing) and qi combine, and so the myriad things continue to multiply without end." My own body too first came into being through the union of my parents. If there were only a father and no mother, or only a mother and no father, how could this body exist? The essentials of alchemical refinement (liandan) follow the same principle as the formation of life. They differ only in direction: follow the natural course of generation and a human being is produced; reverse that course and an elixir can be refined. The difference between forward and reverse is immense.

In the Three Annotations (Sanzhu), Dao Guangzu says: "The 'husband and wife within the vessel' (huzhong fufu, a metaphor for the union of yin and yang in cultivation) is the ladder that leads to Zifu (the celestial abode, the divine mansion of the immortals in Daoist belief). The way of the immortals is in fact close at hand. It only seems distant because people have lost their way."

"The 'true-one qi' (zhenyi zhi qi, the pure, undivided, original vital energy) of the other party is the mother of heaven and earth. My own true-one qi is the child of heaven and earth. To subdue the child qi with the mother qi is like a cat catching a mouse, so that it cannot escape."

"Qian and Kun are what are called the true dragon and the true tiger. The sun and moon are the breaths of yin and yang that the dragon and tiger manifest."

"Take heaven and earth as the model, so that things of the same kind couple and condense, and thereby transform."

"The dragon is not in the East Sea, and the tiger is not in the West Mountain. Heaven originally has no such substances, so how could they be in the mountains? Every person possesses these roots within themselves. If one cultivates in reverse, one may hope to form the returning elixir (huandan, the elixir produced by internal alchemy). It is regrettable that people of the world, though close at hand, fail to recognize it."

"Heaven and earth give birth to the myriad things, and within the human body there are also treasures."

"This Way is very near to people, within the self itself, and one should hasten to apply oneself to cultivation. If what one seeks does not accord with one's own root, the more one seeks, the less one obtains. If one can find something of the same kind to join with, why strain to force it?"

Bai Yuchan says: "What appears to be merely a flesh body wrapped in thick blood contains within it priceless true treasure. If one can begin from this, one can reach the subtle and spiritual realm."

Peng Zu said, "Using people to treat people is the true method."

In his autobiographical writings, Ge Hong sighed, "In the mountain forests, there is no Great Dao."

Bai Yuchan said, "Ignorant worldly people, who do not understand the practices for transcending the mundane world or the principles of the Returning Elixir (huandan, the Daoist internal-alchemy teaching of refining and condensing essence and qi into an elixir), speak carelessly. They insist that cultivating the Dao and refining the elixir must take place deep in the mountains and secluded valleys, and that one must abandon wife and children. These people are truly pitiful. The mountains contain nothing but plants, trees, birds, and beasts, all of them alien to cultivation. How could one cultivate the Dao and refine the Returning Elixir there?"

Shangyangzi, in the Three Annotations (Sanzhu), said, "Foolish people of the world do not read the alchemical scriptures. They believe that cultivation requires living deep in the mountains, far from towns, and leaving behind wife and children, and that one need only follow nature and sit in meditation to be practicing the Dao. How could they understand the application of true Yin and true Yang?"

He also said, "People today take solitary Yin and lone Yang, sitting quietly alone in the mountains, to be the Dao, and they seek longevity through it. What a great error! They do not realize that when Yin and Yang are cut off from one another, no transformation can occur."

"Whenever people see a place of striking mountains and beautiful waters, they all declare it suitable for cultivation. Since ancient times, countless people have taken the wrong path because of this. They do not realize that in the great rivers and secluded valleys there are only trees, stones, and deer. None of these are the same kind of substance needed for alchemy, and none can be used to form the Great Returning Elixir. To refine the Returning Elixir, one must seek what is of the same kind, and so one should instead practice seclusion within the marketplace."

The Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality) says, "Do not enter the mountains before the foundation elixir (pi dan, the basic elixir of alchemical cultivation) has been completed, for there is no required 'lead' (a key alchemical term for the essential medicinal substance used in refining the elixir) either inside or outside the mountains. This supreme treasure is found in every household, but fools cannot fully recognize it."

The text also asks, "Why must one necessarily keep solitary stillness deep in the mountains?"

In the Three Annotations (Sanzhu), Lu Ziye says: "To preserve my own life and make my body whole, without harming the other party yet still gaining benefit for myself, how marvelous this is! And what is the gold within water (an internal alchemy term referring to the true yang qi concealed in the water of Kan)?

"Mercury (an internal alchemy term, often symbolizing the mind-spirit or yang qi) is something my side has from the start. Lead (an internal alchemy term, often symbolizing kidney qi or yin qi) is the undying prescription of the other side.

"The other party belongs to the Kun position (symbolizing yin), and I belong to the Qian house (symbolizing yang). By drawing on the qi of Kun, I preserve my body, and though the other party is not harmed, I gain. How marvelous this is! What, then, is the gold within water?

"Mercury is what my side has from the start, and lead is the undying prescription of the other side.

"The other party is Kun, and I am Qian. By drawing on the breath of Kun, which nurtures all things, I plant a spiritual root beneath my own foundation, and so the embryonic breath (taixi, an internal alchemy image for the qi condensing into form) can be formed.

"Call the turtle back to me, and summon the phoenix to the other party. The turtle and phoenix are images used in internal alchemy to represent the two yin and yang qi movements.

"Use Kan (symbolizing water, yang within yin) to attract Li (symbolizing fire, yin within yang), so that the two join and take in the medicinal substances. Li is my own self.

"When a righteous person practices deviant methods, those methods will also return to rectitude. When a deviant person practices righteous methods, those methods will also return to deviance. The Way of the golden elixir is, in its essentials, just this."

In the Three Annotations, Shangyang Zi says: "The cauldron vessel (the alchemical furnace, here referring to the body and mind that bear the transformations of yin and yang) is the Numinous Father and Holy Mother, that is, the Qian man and the Kun woman. The medicinal substances are the qi of the Numinous Father and Holy Mother, that is, the essential qi of the Qian man and the Kun woman.

"The furnace concerns both parties, and Qian and Kun symbolize male and female, yin and yang.

"Within the body given by ordinary parents, refining these essential qi through transformation to form the elixir is like imitating the creative processes of Heaven and Earth.

"A solitary yin cannot give birth, and a lone yang cannot grow. Only when yin and yang join in pure sincerity can the seed of the elixir be obtained. Ah, how marvelous!

"The eldest son of Qian is Zhen (one of the Eight Trigrams, symbolizing thunder and the stirring of yang qi), who yields mercury. The youngest daughter of Kun is Dui (one of the Eight Trigrams, symbolizing marsh and yin qi), who yields lead.

"Since the other party has suffered no loss, I too am able to accomplish the work.

"If the two households did not each unite their respective 'two earths' (an internal alchemy term referring to the corresponding essential qi of both parties), how could the one qi move back and forth? And how could the golden elixir return to its origin?

"Zhen dwells in the east, and Dui in the west. If you wish to seek the Dui position, can you possibly leave that person behind?"

The mercury within the Zhen palace (one of the eight trigram directions) belongs to me, while the lead within the Dui palace belongs to the other.

If I do not nourish it with virtue (De) and bestow upon it the kindness of benevolence, how could it obey my direction when matters arise?

Three Commentaries (Sanzhu). Dao Guangzu says: "To cultivate oneself into a Celestial Immortal (Tianxian), one must seek out what is of the same kind. The Kinship of the Three in Accord (Zhouyi Cantong Qi) says: 'What is of the same kind is easy to put into practice; what is not of the same kind is hard to bring to skillful success. To refine elixirs for ingestion and attain immortality, one should use things of the same kind.' Human beings receive the upright qi of heaven and earth and are conceived and born by relying on what is of the same kind. Therefore, true lead is the mother-qi, and my essential qi is the child-qi. Is this not the most subtle sameness? These two substances depend on each other and unite in feeling, and only then can transformation occur and spiritual efficacy be attained."

Shangyang Zi, in his commentary on the Cantong Qi, says: "Following the circulation of yin and yang gives life to people and all things; reversing the circulation of yin and yang will certainly produce the Golden Elixir (Jindan). The ancients called the sun and moon together 'Yi' (change), because 'Yi' refers to yin and yang.

"The Dui trigram receives Ding fire and uses it in place of the Kun trigram to practice the Way.

"Sages and worthies who cultivate this path can transcend the ordinary and enter the sacred; those of crooked and deviant mind who cultivate this path will lose their lives.

"Whoever accomplishes good deeds is rewarded; whoever ruins affairs is punished.

"One yin and one yang is the principle of the Yijing; stabilizing concentration (ding) in the Li palace is the foundation of Chan Buddhism; seeking the mystery in the Water Palace is where alchemy is done. Though the names are divided into three, the principle is in fact one. Observing the methods of cultivation of these three teachings, their essential point lies in seeking what is of the same kind; only by possessing the same kind can one succeed. Combining true yin and true yang qi with a mutually affectionate counterpart, how could a spiritual elixir fail to form? The lesser yin Way of the Dui trigram spreads throughout the vast world, transforming and giving birth to all things and humankind.

"The sun and moon hang in the sky, with the new moon, the full moon, and the times when they meet face to face; yin and yang exist in the world, and also have the regularities of forward and reverse motion and of generation and transformation."

When Confucius compiled the Book of Odes (Shijing), he placed at the head of the collection poems about husbands and wives, such as "Guan Ju," to establish the principle that relations between men and women should be proper, and that Yin-Yang should harmonize without falling into disorder. When Confucius wrote the Commentaries (Yizhuan) to explain the Classic of Changes (Yijing), he placed Qian and Kun at the beginning, to show that the firm and the yielding must be paired.

Those who wish to attain immortality or buddhahood, if they do not obtain the conditions for union with their own kind, will achieve nothing in the end, even if they enter many yuan (cultivation sites or quiet chambers) and sit in meditation for a thousand years.

Bai Yuchan, in his Commentary on the Zhixuan Pian (Pointing to the Mystery), says: "If you seek the great medicine and it can walk on foot, this shows it is a living thing. If you seek gold and water and it can be taken in hand, this also shows it is a living thing."

This treasure is found in every household, and everyone can cultivate it.

It is neither gold, nor wood, nor sand or stone. It was originally within oneself. When Shakyamuni was first born, he revealed the principle of it. Why, then, did he later convey it by holding up a flower before the assembly?

Wang Mu was originally an ordinary woman, and Ge Hong's family was very poor. The experiences of these two immortals are both worth emulating, but it is regrettable that, though they urged others earnestly, few listened.

Why, for living beings endowed with feeling and nature, was it later necessary to convey meaning by holding up a flower?

Wang Mu was originally an ordinary woman, and Ge Hong's family was very poor. The experiences of these two immortals are both worth emulating, but it is regrettable that, though they urged others earnestly, few listened.

To be free of feeling and attachment, one need not fear a body as soft as cream. Only when one lets go of both emptiness and form is one a true man. Knowing the method of joining the firm and the soft, one can use the spring Qi of the first arising Yang to breathe life back into what is withered and dry.

Flowers and fruit are not outside Heaven and Earth, nor apart from the human body. The infant and the zhanü (a term in internal alchemy representing the two cultivation elements of Yin and Yang) cannot unite without a go-between. If a person of destined affinity comprehends this, they may attain immortality. Alas! One need only wait for the day when the Earth Mother blooms, and then the Yellow River will be wholly clear.

The Zhixuan Pian says: "I earnestly charge the gentlemen who cultivate the Dao to hold firmly to the hairless fierce tiger." The commentary says: "One who knows how to hold the hairless fierce tiger is not far from the Dao."

Talisman

Gourd Song

Master Patriarch An passed this implement and this song on to his father-teacher, along with a gourd. It is also called the "Male Sword" (xiongjian), a tool used for entering the chamber to cultivate and to refine elixirs and gather medicinals. If the implement has not found a suitable person, it does not dare to be transmitted. For this reason the Master Patriarch handed down these formulaic verses so that those who cultivate the Way could share their knowledge. Recorded by Sun Ruzhong.

The gourd is truly marvelous, two gourds turning around one another. Within the gourd lies the Golden Elixir, and whoever swallows it will attain longevity. It is neither large nor small, as though heaven and earth were contained within a single inch. How Kan Water and Li Fire (symbols of Yin-Yang, water and fire) are inverted and employed depends entirely on this gourd. The eldest son seizing the maiden's treasure uses the male and female hexagrams to figure the union of Yin and Yang. One must distinguish whether the medicinals are young or mature and grasp the timing of gathering and refining, for the fire-degrees and measures must not err by a hair. Dragon and Tiger (symbols of the two forces of Yin and Yang) unite in the Yellow Court (the cultivation site within the human body). If one carelessly practices the Three-Peaks technique (a kind of bedchamber art), then one's nature and life will be harmed.

Lead contains Gui Water (guishui), a substance of Prior Heaven, yet gathering the Gui Water from within the lead does not necessarily mean the elixir can be refined. In employing slow fire and martial fire, one must understand the numerical principle of "six-sixes," and regarding the timing before and after the strings, one must comprehend the changes of "three-threes." The bamboo tube is to be struck and the zither strings plucked, and one must reckon from the beginning the count of three hundred and seventy-five. When lead is cast into mercury, an immortal embryo can be formed. At this point I withdraw to the guest position and let it take the primary position.

One must bow to a true master and request oral instructions, for the master will not readily disclose the methods. Setting up the furnace and tripod (the vessels for refining elixirs, also referring to the arrangement of cultivation methods) requires "dharma wealth" (facai). Only by preparing this dharma wealth can one obtain the Golden Fluid (jinye), an alchemical term for a precious elixir or cultivation attainment. The practitioner must know how to recognize the authentic lineage and select nine transmitters in Chixian Shenzhou (China). The Mother of Li Mountain sets up an altar at the Ao Terrace, and the Unborn Venerable Mother ascends the throne. She bestows a numinous elixir, which one swallows into the belly, and thereafter life and death are held in one's own hands.

After passing through seven days of chaos, one is as though dead and then revived, relying entirely on the partner's cooperation to harmonize water and fire. Yin-qi gradually recedes and Yang-qi gradually grows, and returning to youth is as effortless as turning over one's palm. I had heard long ago that the elixir could preserve one's countenance, but only now do I believe that the words of the immortals are true. The conduct of cultivation appears wondrous, yet when described it sounds strange, and it is no wonder that fools laugh until they fall over backward.

The Dharma gate indicated by this gourd is a single transmission pointing directly to the essence, and without the gourd one will find it difficult to gain entry. This gourd is worth a thousand pieces of gold, and since antiquity immortals and buddhas have not dared to treat it lightly. If one is fortunate enough to meet a true transmission, one may become a companion of those at the Longsha assembly (referring to practitioners who have attained the Way and gather together).

Patriarch Lü (Lü Zu) says in the Song of Gathering Gold (Caijin Ge): "Before the medicine is gathered, first erect a kuangkuo (kuāngkuò, a framework used in cultivation to define the scope of practice). At the moment of union, one must make use of the tuoyue (tuóyuè, bellows, a metaphor for the method of stirring the movement of Qi); the function of the tuoyue must draw close to oneself."

The Secret Essentials of Gathering the True (Cai Zhen Ji Yao) says: "A flute has no finger-holes, and one need not use the bin (the text's character is used as written, and its referent is unclear). Simply play it at once, and the Qi will circulate of its own accord. When only one or two things are used, the space above the Niwan (Nǐwán, a cavity or location within the head) naturally generates wind."

It continues: "Draw close to the chest, cross the two thighs, and stir the mechanism of the mind within. Assist this with movements at both sides, linking the shoulders as one walks, and the zhenqi (zhēnqì, true Qi, the vital Qi of life) will begin to move. This is the true secret of playing the qin: one need not pluck the frets, yet a clear and resonant sound will arise."

The Wuqi Tree (Wúgēn Shù) states: "To gather the medicine, one must rely on the boat of the method of crossing over."

Zhu Yuanyu says: "In the language of the Yijing (the Book of Changes), it is called the hexagram; in the language of internal alchemy (neidan), it is called the talisman."

The Correct Principles of the Celestial Immortal (Tianxian Zhengli) says: "The disciples who receive the talisman and the tally are granted the decrees of the Supreme Emperor."

The Record of the Origins of the Unity of Immortals and Buddhas (Xian Fo Hezong Yulu Qiyin) says: "Moreover, the talisman and tally transmitted directly through the lineage of Patriarch Qiu were also passed on to him."

Patriarch Lü's Scripture on Proving the Dao (Zhengdao Jing) says: "The orifice of centrality and harmony and the subtle Dharma gate are contained within the mysterious mechanism of the assembly. Dwelling in the Middle Way, one can accomplish clear understanding. Non-being responds to being, and emptiness and substance both rest within the balance of centrality and harmony."

Patriarch Lü's Golden Jade Scripture (Jin Yu Jing) says: "To transmit the bala (bālài, a term for a stage of practice), in order to clarify its essential mechanism; to understand the dishā (dìshà, another term for the stages of practice), and one can forget the attachment of the mind's intent. The melody of the drunken realm ends at shen and zi; the three calls in the dream begin at gengshen."

The Kinship of the Three (Cantong Qi) says: "Gather the vessels and wait for the right moment, and do not violate the hexagrams or the monthly ordinances."

It also says: "The method of these two orifices requires that the golden Qi also cooperate with one another."

It further says: "Mao and you are the dividing place, separating the host and guest sides. The dragon calls to the tiger, and the tiger draws in the essence of the dragon."

The Awakening to Reality (Wu Zhen) says: "First take qian and kun as the cauldron and the vessel, then gather the medicines of the black crow and the white hare to refine them. Since these two things have already been driven into the yellow path, how could the Golden Elixir fail to form?"

He also said: "Strike the bamboo to awaken the Tortoise Spirit (guiling), so that it swallows the jade fungus (yuzhi); pluck the zither to summon the Phoenix Spirit (fengling), so that it drinks the dosage spoon (daogui). Lately the whole body has begun to show a golden radiance, and these principles must not be told carelessly to ordinary people. Yellow Path (Huangdao), how could the Golden Elixir (Jin Dan) be made to stop sprouting?"

He also said: "Strike the bamboo to awaken the Tortoise Spirit, so that it swallows the jade fungus; pluck the zither to summon the Phoenix Spirit, so that it drinks the dosage spoon. Lately the whole body has begun to show a golden radiance, and these principles must not be told carelessly to ordinary people."

Tao Susi said: "A practitioner who has achieved accomplishment knows how to use the method of retraction (zhuishe) when one acupoint divides into two places, and then both passes can be opened. One who does not know this method will find both passes blocked."

Shangyang Zi said: "The methods of Golden Elixir cultivation are extremely subtle. How could the functions of the points where the elixir is formed be limited to a hundred?"

Zhu Yuyu said: "The stars of the cosmic circuit (zhoutian) move without rest, and there is nowhere that does not move, save only the Celestial Pivot star (Tianshu), which remains still. In the human body, the Celestial Pivot corresponds to the Celestial Valley Primal Spirit (tiangu yuanshen), the primal spirit residing within. It responds at every moment, yet remains forever tranquil. In refining the elixir, every advance and retreat of the fire timing (huohou) must accord with this unmoving pivot."

The Xianfo Hezong Yulu says: "The Celestial Guard (Tiangang) is also called the Central Yellow Golden Star (Zhonghuang Jinxing), the Ladle Handle (Doubing), and also the Heart of Heaven (Tianxin)."

The Jin Si Baolu says: "The Pole of the Northern Dipper (Beidou Douji), the pivot of the Dipper, governs the revolution of the four seasons, and all eight solar nodes (the four stations, the two equinoxes, and the two solstices) follow its order. The Pole itself rests in stillness, while the Dipper's bowl and handle turn of their own accord. Let the two eyes draw each other, and let the upper and lower pass the energy between them. Circulate in stillness; do not force the transport in haste."

The Qi says: "Beside it stand walls and gates, shaped like the Penglai Pavilion (Penghu, the legendary immortal mountain). Surrounded on all sides, with doors closed, its center rests in stillness, while the Dipper's bowl and handle turn of their own accord. Let the two eyes draw each other, and let the upper and lower pass the energy between them. Circulate in stillness; do not force the transport in haste."

The Qi says: "Beside it stand walls and gates, shaped like the Penghu Pavilion. Surrounded on all sides and furnished with gates, the qi moves through it yet wavers without settling. Guard it closely to block the intrusion of evil qi; let the passes throughout the body connect with one another to guard against accident. To keep the mind free of thought is not difficult; what is difficult is not letting oneself be troubled and exhausted by worry."

The Wu Zhen Pian says: "The Gate of the Mysterious Female (Xuanpin zhi men), the gate of generation and transformation in Daoist teaching, is little known to the world. Do not mistake the mouth and nose for it, and do not presumptuously practice breath-regulation."

"The Northern Dipper (here referring to the pivot symbolized by the Celestial Guard and the Ladle Handle) is like the throat and tongue of Heaven. It is responsible for weighing the transformations of Heaven and Earth and governing the operation of the cosmic circuit, just as a net has its main cord and a garment has its fastening knot."

The Rootless Tree (Wugen Shu) says: "Turning the Kuigang (a name for stars, here referring to the pivot that turns like the stars) and the Doubiao (the handle of the Big Dipper) refines the true sun and moon in a single furnace."

The Guide to the Center (Guizhong Zhinan) says: "A body the size of a square inch can join the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The Xuanguan (Mysterious Pass), the single aperture where qi-movement converges in Neidan (internal alchemy), sits at the very center of Heaven and Earth. Its left and right divide Yin and Yang into the Two Forms, and its upper and lower positions establish the Three Powers. It turns like the Dipper's handle and can refine the true sun and moon in one furnace.

"This single aperture, the Xuanguan, opens to the Xuanmen (Mysterious Gate) on its left and to the Pinhu (the portal associated with the receptive, yin principle) on its right. Above, it pierces the Celestial Pass, and below, it connects to the Earth Axis. It is open on all eight sides, delicate and spiritually luminous, shaped like the isle of Penglai."

The Four Hundred Characters (Sibai Zi) says: "A mysterious orifice, formed where Qian and Kun, Yin and Yang, come together. It is called the Shenqi Xue (the Cavity where Shen-spirit and Qi meet), and within it are the Essences of Kan and Li (Kan and Li stand for water and fire, and also symbolize the Yin and Yang Jing-essences)."

The Essence of the Dragon and Tiger (Longhu Jing) says: "The center rises up, shaped like the Penglai peak of the immortals. The gate is closed and fine, and shen-qi circulates within it."

The Cantong Qi (Cantong qi) reads "The Yinfu Jing (Scripture of the Hidden Talisman) says: 'Within it is a marvelous instrument, from which the myriad phenomena arise. The Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and the Jiazi cycle (the sexagenary system of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches for reckoning time) both contain the subtle mechanisms of transformation.'"

The Yellow Court Scripture (Huangting Jing) says: "Clothed in a robe of crimson brocade and clouds, wearing the tiger tally." It also says: "Wrapped in a phoenix garment, holding the tiger tally in the mouth." And it says: "Moving in and out within the unfathomable mechanism."

The Yellow Court Scripture says again: "Clothed in a robe of crimson brocade and clouds, wearing the tiger tally; wrapped in a phoenix garment, holding the tiger tally in the mouth; moving in and out of the single aperture, joining with the Huangting (the core spirit-qi seat within the human body)."

Master Zhengyang says: "Quickly bring down the mountain peaks of myself and others, and hastily break open the Longhu Xue (the Dragon-Tiger Cavity, where Dragon and Tiger meet and Yin and Yang are refined together)." He also says: "Piercing heaven and entering earth, whose power do we rely on? This wondrous function is spiritually efficacious and must be borne by Shen." Shangyangzi says: "The 'Shen' spoken of here is a real thing; that is to say, it must be taken as the means by which the gathering is achieved."

Shangyangzi says again: "Now, those who speak of gathering and refining, what should they use as the means of their gathering? And what do they take as the Shen of their refining?"

Shangyangzi says: "This thing contains a great mystery, and the mystery lies in constantly observing its aperture. This aperture is plainly before one's eyes, yet when people of inferior capacity hear of it, they burst out laughing at once."

Tao Sushi said: "Between heaven and earth, is it not like a bellows? The waxing and waning of yin and yang, the circulation of true qi, and the wondrous workings of medicinal substances and fire timing all operate in the rising and falling, coming and going. They cover and penetrate yin and yang, so that the qi of heaven and earth communicates. All of this must be set in motion by means of the bellows, so the bellows is the gateway through which yin and yang connect."

Shangyang Zi said: "The bellows symbolizes the gate of yin, and the key symbolizes the door of yang."

The Maiwang says: "The 'Mysterious Female' (the profound and generative source spoken of in Daoism) is the undifferentiated Supreme Ultimate (Taiji) within the human body. It contains yin and yang, and so it is called the Mysterious Female. Shen and qi return to their root here, and sun and moon are joined like a matched pair of jade tablets here. If a person can use this to establish the foundation of cultivation, the Valley Spirit (the innately empty, numinously aware original nature) will not perish.

Yet the 'Gate of the Mysterious Female' carries a deeper meaning that few in the world understand. The Mysterious Female is the root of inner alchemy (Neidan) cultivation and the place where true essence (Jing) is restored. The Valley Spirit is the name given to the innately empty nature that responds to things with subtle efficacy; it is the original nature of a person. It stands apart and endures on its own, unaffected by change or destruction.

But it is very difficult to practice in stillness. Once one has shaken off scattered thoughts, one easily sinks into drowsiness; even when right mindfulness appears, clinging to it leads one into fixed locations and forms, while clinging to nothing may turn into a dead emptiness. The key here is to have the mind-spirit follow the breath. When the breath is harmonized, the spirit naturally returns; when the spirit returns, the breath also naturally settles. In this way spirit and qi join and cohere, the empty aperture appears, and the Mysterious Female becomes manifest. Only after understanding and accomplishing this step may one proceed to refine the self and gather medicine (the cultivation of nourishing the mind-nature and gathering and refining essential qi in the practice of inner alchemy)."

Maiwang says: "The Gate of the Mysterious Female (Xuanpin zhi men) is the place where things go in and out, the place where Yin and Yang meet, and also the place where the Golden Elixir (Jindan) is generated and transformed. The medicinal substances are hidden within it. The Cantong qi says: 'These two orifices act upon each other, and the Metal Qi (jin qi) also responds mutually.' One of deep cultivation who understands, within the relation by which one orifice divides into two, the method of retrieval (zhuishe zhi fa, the method of gathering in and guiding the Yin and Yang Qi), can open both orifices through. One who does not understand this method will find both orifices blocked. Golden Elixir practice values Metal Qi, and Metal Qi must rely on the method of retrieval before it can generate transformation."

Shangyang Zi says: "The Outer Cauldron (waiding) is also called the Valley Spirit (Gu Shen), the Sacred Vessel (Shenqi), the Mysterious Pass (Xuanguan), the Gate of the Mysterious Female, the Gate of All Wonders, and also the Wondrous Orifice of Being and Non-being (you wu miaoqiao). If one lists these names one by one, it is like a deaf person hearing others discuss keys and locks: one still does not understand the essential passage. Know that the Mysterious Female was originally two things. Without these two things, how could the myriad things be born?"

Guizhong Zhinan says: "What connects above to Heaven and below to Earth is the cauldron vessel (dingqi). Once one understands the 'below' aspect, the key points of practice become easy to grasp."

Guizhong Zhinan further says: "The Mysterious Female is the source of Yin and Yang, and also the dwelling place of Shen and Qi. Shen and Qi are the medicinal substances used in the cultivation of nature and life (xingming), and they are also the root of embryonic breathing (taixi, breathing that moves within one as a fetus does), the source of respiration, and the way of consolidating the root and nourishing the primal vitality (gubeng peiyuan). The embryo is the place where Shen is stored, and the breath is the source that nourishes the embryo. The embryo is born from the breath, and the breath comes to rest because of the embryo. Without breath the embryo cannot take form, and without Shen the breath has no master."

Xiao Zixu says: "Zi, Wu, Mao, and You are the four cardinal positions. The Mysterious Pass, this single orifice, is the mechanism that governs these four cardinal positions."

Zhang Ziyang says: "Last night I caught it, passed it through the nostril, and placed it on my staff."

Shangyang Zi's Five Verses on the Staff (Zhuzhang Wushou) says: "Who knows that it has, in truth, no master?"

Xiao Zixu again says: "Zi, Wu, Mao, and You are the four cardinal positions. The Mysterious Pass, this single orifice, is the mechanism that governs these four cardinal positions."

Zhang Ziyang (a Daoist internal alchemist) said: "Last night I already caught it, pierced its nose, and placed it on my staff." Here the vivid images of "catching, piercing the nose, and mounting on the staff" describe gathering in and mastering a practice object that is hard to grasp.

Shangyangzi (a Daoist scholar), in his "Five Poems on the Staff," says:

"Who knows you possess such divine power? You prop up the earth and support the heavens, and your merit is great. Since antiquity, sages and ordinary people alike have relied on you to settle their lives. Without you, even immortals would find it hard to exert their skill."

"Mercury is like an iron rod, and lead is like brocade. Relying on it to turn the axis of Kun (symbolizing earth, the yin aspect), one then draws back Qian (symbolizing heaven, the yang aspect). A single staff can serve two purposes, and there is nothing complicated about it. Once one grasps its secret, one will go to Xichuan to buy black lead (a term in Neidan, or internal alchemy, referring to lead-based medicinals used in alchemical refining)."

"In the stone chamber, all the buddhas do this, yet the master of the Lotus Palace carries the staff crosswise over the shoulder. At Yanyang's assembly, no one understood its meaning, so they could only keep the plantain company for evening meditation (evening Chan practice). These lines use Buddhist figures and scenes of meditation to show the different ways the staff is used in cultivation."

"Who knows how to use the head of the staff nimbly? By the time it flashes like lightning or shoots like a meteor, it is already too late. Arranging the Northern Dipper and the southern constellations into a carrying pole, one frightens demons into not daring to raise their brows."

"Since birth, one has exhausted every stratagem, all for this one black caltrop (a thorny black plant, here describing the staff). Who understands this small divine power? Immortals take it as the ladder by which they ascend to heaven."

Quanyangzi's "Rhapsody on the Gate of the Mysterious Female" says: "The Mysterious Female (Xuanpin, the profound and dark place in Daoist thought where life is conceived and born) is the single orifice on which the great elixir is ultimately rooted. It is like a valley within the void, and also the gate through which yin and yang enter and exit one another. Establishing the cauldron and the vessel, setting them apart in height and facing each other, within them lies a mechanism that turns in seamless unity."

Quanyang Zi, in his "Rhapsody on the Gate of the Mysterious Female" (Xuanpin zhi Men Fu), writes: "This aperture, the Xuanpin (the gate in internal alchemy where yin and yang meet and generate primordial qi), is the root where the Great Elixir (Dan) condenses. It is like an empty valley, and it is also the doorway through which yin and yang enter and leave one another. The cauldron (ding) and the furnace (lu) stand at different heights, facing each other, yet the subtle workings of the qi's opening and closing cannot be fully explained in words."

"Immortals cultivate on this foundation. Primordial qi constantly circulates above and below, which is why there are the terms Lead Furnace (Qian lu) and Mercury Cauldron (Gong ding). Few understand names such as Jade Gate (Yu que) and Golden Pass (Jin guan). The Xuanpin is vast and boundless, and it is hard to name. Because it links yin and yang, it is called a 'gate,' and it is also called the 'cauldron and furnace,' and within it lie lead and mercury (terms in internal alchemy for the yin and yang essences of qi). To the east it joins the Valley of Fusang, and to the west it reaches the summit of Mount Taihua. By means of the subtle essence of the 'two earths,' it brings the two together, and it sits between the two half-moons, dividing them equally. It is so large that it has no boundary, and so small that it has no inside or outside. Its lower part is called the Female (pin), and its upper part is called the Mysterious (xuan)."

"The Cinnabar Cauldron (Zhusha ding) and the Crescent Furnace (Yanyue lu), both terms for the place of alchemical refinement in internal alchemy, operate secretly within the same qi-movement, and the Gate of Returning to Destiny (Fuming guan) and the Root-Returning Cavity (Guigen qiao) are contained within it as well. This gate joins and separates yin and yang, opening and closing without end, like the sun and moon moving back and forth without rest. Its upper part is called the Heavenly Pass (Tian guan), and within its middle lies Gan Jia; its lower part is called the Earthly Door (Di hu), and within it lies Kun Gui. It has no edge, and it is not a physical form. One opening and one closing is called a gate. The upper and lower parts correspond to one another, vast and complete. The primordial qi flows in and out and circulates through it."

"Everyone originally has this aperture, but it is not a visible gate, so few people know of it. Heaven and earth are constantly joining one another in their coming and going, and spirit and qi are always merging in an unbroken continuity. Now we must open the chaotic, undivided cavity and build a foundation for focused practice. According to the twelve double-hours, the lower Female corresponds to the Zi hour; according to the Bagua, the upper Mysterious corresponds to the Li trigram. The gate can be described in parts, but the cavity is a single whole. This is why Master Zi Yang explained in detail these words that few understand. Otherwise, why would Laozi have said that all things 'emerge together' (tong chu)?"

"The deep Female gate seems hidden in the depths of the vast sea, and the lofty Mysterious pass seems to sit upon Mount Kunlun. Yin and yang are one black and one white, with clear boundaries, yet they are neither a concrete form nor mere emptiness, so they are difficult to describe. The Four Cardinal Positions (si zheng), which are the four directional or temporal points of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, are arranged from here, and yin and yang move back and forth among them. The movements of the sun, moon, and stars also converge and turn according to the rhythms of the lunar phases: dark moon, quarter, new moon, and full moon. The two words Xuanpin are subtle and profound. To refine the qi of the Xuanpin requires dedicated effort. Below, the White Tiger (Baihu) governs the key to initiating the fire timing (huohou); above, the Azure Dragon (Qinglong) stirs changes like rising clouds."

"Alas, the side paths and minor methods often confuse people. Some proudly advertise their own teachings, considering themselves wise, yet they do not explain the principles behind them, so how could they agree with the immortal scriptures? To equate yin and yang directly with the Xuanpin is only idle visualization. To treat the mouth and nose as the Xuanpin leads people to exhale repeatedly through the mouth, exerting themselves in vain. If one can abandon heterodox doctrines, return to the correct path, and know the true route of practice, one can investigate the subtle and enter the refined. Why linger only outside the wall of the gate?"

"Consider further the wondrous workings of this qi. How does the single qi circulate and connect, and where is its root stored? How does the harmonious primordial qi (yuanhe zhi qi) move within the body, and what is the key to the joining of yin and yang? One can also examine more closely: since there are the White Tiger and the Azure Dragon, why speak of the Black Tiger and the Red Dragon? Why say the Mysterious is above and the Female below, or the Mysterious is on the left and the Female on the right? One should know that wood accompanies fire, with wood hidden within fire and stored there; metal dwells with water, with metal lying concealed within water. This is what is meant by 'Mystery upon mystery, the gateway to all wonders' (xuan zhi you xuan, miao zhi you miao), and the principles of creation cannot be exhausted in discussion."

Fire timing (huohou) refers to the regulation of breath, intention, and the state of body and mind in alchemical practice and cultivation. Perfected Xue Zixian said: "The sages transmitted the medicinals but did not transmit fire timing, because since ancient times very few have truly understood fire timing." Master Chongxuzi, however, held that fire timing cannot be transmitted only in the sense that it must be followed in accordance with one's own condition and quietly guided. If one can comprehend the principles set forth by the sages of earlier generations, one can grasp the essentials of practice from the breath itself.

The key to fire timing lies in experiencing it through the breath in its true and natural state. The breath arises in accordance with the mind; when the mind grows still, the breath too becomes calm, and each breath returns to the root, which is the foundation for the formation of the Golden Elixir (jindan). The line of Patriarch Haichan, "Opening and closing the mechanism of creation of heaven and earth, refining in a single furnace the true sun and moon," speaks to this same principle.

The phrase "The true person hides in the deep abyss, drifting and guarding the center of the compass" means that Shen (spirit) is used to govern Qi (the vital energy, which Daoism regards as the life-force), and Qi is used to settle the breath. The breath opens and closes like a bellows, and the yin and yang qi rise and fall along with it, yet both inhalation and exhalation should follow what is natural. One concentrates on holding onto Qi, softening body and mind, and containing the light of Shen without letting it scatter outward. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, this state is to be sustained without interruption, as though present and yet barely perceptible.

Practice should be like a pregnant woman nurturing a fetus or a young dragon nurturing a pearl, gradually gathering, condensing, and forming step by step, until the skill matures and everything merges into one. Between motion and stillness, one must also attend to adjustment at all times: thoughts must not arise recklessly, for when they do the fire becomes too fierce; intention must not scatter, for when it does the fire goes out and grows cold. One should keep the fire timing neither inclined nor biased, adjusting gathering and releasing appropriately, so that Shen and Qi guard one another and the mind is at peace, as if enveloped in primordial chaos.

This is what is meant by the fire-seed never being cut off and the cauldron always remaining warm: there is no break between breaths, and the fire timing does not deviate by a hair. Practicing for one moment makes that moment a full circuit; practicing for one period makes that period a full circuit; practicing for one day makes that day a full circuit. Practice for a hundred days is called "Establishing the Foundation," and ten months is called "Embryonic Immortal." Beyond this, the later accounts of the Yang qi of the primordial sea sprouting, fire arising within water, heaven and earth circulating, and qian and kun returning and reversing, all depend on the turning of a single breath. As for the changes of fire timing such as bathing, nurturing, advancing and retreating, and drawing and adding, although they secretly accord with the transformations of heaven's season, the practitioner should not force them to be controlled. Thus, what about fire timing could be untransmittable?

The Jinbi Jing says: "When the fire first begins to kindle, the warmth rises slightly, like the stirring of a hexagram's lines."

Wang Dao said: "Fire is the parent of the medicine, and the medicine is the child of the fire."

Shangyang Zi said: "The timing of the fire (huohou) is the most hidden, and the sages do not transmit it lightly. Let me now briefly reveal its principles. Without fire, the medicinal substances cannot be produced; when the medicine is fully refined, the fire also dissipates. Without medicinal substances, the fire cannot be kindled; when the fire timing is reached, the medicine is completed. The subtleties of fire timing cannot be treated uniformly, for there are specific methods arranged according to different stages."

Bai Zi said: "The timing of the fire is the most hidden, and the sages do not transmit it lightly. Let me now briefly reveal its principles. Without fire, the medicinal substances cannot be produced; when the medicine is fully refined, the fire also dissipates. Without medicinal substances, the fire cannot be kindled; when the fire timing is reached, the medicine is completed. The subtleties of fire timing cannot be treated uniformly, for there are specific methods arranged according to different stages."

Bai Suqing said: "How could shallow-minded worldly people and latecomer ordinary practitioners understand the Way of the Primordial Heavenly Worthy (Yuanshi Tianzun), or the principles of celestial immortals (tianxian) and earthly immortals (dixian)? They gather and refine the medicinal substances day after day without ceasing, and so the medicine grows ever more familiar and ever more abundant without end. Nor could they understand the mountains, rivers, and great earth, or all living things endowed with spirit. These beings apply the fire timing at every moment without pause, and so the fire timing, as it operates, becomes ever more continuous."

Tao Suli said: "The fire timing is one in its general principle, yet when subdivided it has several kinds. The fire within lead is the initial-crescent qi of the White Tiger; the fire within mercury is the initial-crescent qi of the Azure Dragon. The fire of the second and seventh is the first course of the White Tiger. The fire of the cosmic cycle (zhoutian) is the drawing-in and adding-on across the ten months. There is the martial fire (wuhuo), which runs from beginning to end and is used for refining the self and nourishing the elixir; it belongs to the yin fire of Later Heaven. There is the civil fire (wenhuo), which lies in the intermediate stage and is used when a single sign yields the elixir; it belongs to the yang fire of Prior Heaven. There is an external fire, which emerges as the Geng stem on the third day and in which the Zhen trigram receives the sign; it is the qi of the union of Heaven and Earth. There is an internal fire, which is gently harmonized in a quiet, empty chamber so that victory and defeat are balanced; it is the primordial qi of the body. There is also the fire of the union of Ren, Zi, and Miao, three..."