《马王堆帛书十问》

The Mawangdui silk manuscript known as the Ten Questions lists such titles as the Ten Questions, Conjoining Yin-Yang, Discourse on the Ultimate Dao (the Way) under Heaven, Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth, Miscellaneous Prohibition Formulas, Formulas for Nourishing Life, Abstaining from Grain and Ingesting Qi (vital energy), and the Diagram of Guiding and Pulling.

In the Ten Questions, the Yellow Emperor asks the Celestial Master (Tianshi): By what do the myriad things move? By what do grasses and trees grow? By what do the sun and moon give light?

The Celestial Master replies: Observe the regular patterns of Heaven and Earth, and one will know that Yin-Yang is the root. When the myriad things lose the harmony of Yin and Yang, they cannot go on growing; only when they gain the harmony of Yin and Yang can they flourish. When food, drink, and breathing accord with Yin-Yang, one can commune with spiritual illumination.

The method of regulating and nourishing Yin Qi is to keep the five viscera empty and still and the chest open and expansive, neither letting stray thoughts knot and congest nor forcing reckless movement. Once the heart and Shen (spirit) are settled, breath arises, and the sounds of the body become harmonious with it. Do not inhale more than five times; send the Qi to the mouth, then gather it into the heart. When every part of the body is nourished and Jing (essence) and Qi are abundant, one can reach a mysterious and subtle state.

Drinking water, likewise, should not exceed five times; take the sweet savor in the mouth as the measure, then let the fluids nourish the five viscera so that the bodily form gradually becomes full. When Qi and blood circulate to the skin and the tips of the hair, the vessels grow unobstructed, Yin fluid in turn fills out, and it then unites with Yang Qi. The body is strong and does not easily decline; food and drink nourish the form—this is the wondrous method of reaching through to spiritual illumination. The above is the Celestial Master’s method of regulating and nourishing Shen and Qi.

The Yellow Emperor asked Dacheng, “Why do the common people lose their luster, their complexions turning dull and greenish? How can the skin be made fine, soft, and smooth, fair and radiant?”

Dacheng replied, “If the ruler wishes the complexion to be fair and radiant, he should observe the inchworm (an insect that changes color according to what it eats). What the inchworm eats is linked with the transformations of Yin-Yang (yinyang): if it eats something green, it turns green; if it eats something yellow, it turns yellow. Whatever the ruler eats, his complexion changes accordingly. The ruler ought regularly to eat foods that belong to Yin, supplement them with fine cypress seeds (the seeds of the cypress tree), and drink the quintessence from the springs of beasts. In this way one can slow aging, restore the vigor of one’s prime, and make the skin moist and luminous.

One then receives Yin Qi (qi, vital energy) and lets it gather; next one takes up the Jing (jing, essence) of flying creatures, such as the sparrows of spring, the yuanzi, and the like, and stirs the male bird to call. When the male bird calls, Jing Qi is produced. If one can truly ingest these things, the Yuce (here referring to a certain substance or method used in cultivation) can be regenerated. The most wondrous practice is to gather by following the natural course and to do so properly, to seal and store the Yudou (an aperture or site related to receiving and storing Jing), and, once it is full and abundant, to proceed in sequence, sending it on with the yuanzi. If one cannot gather by following the natural course and do so properly, one uses “” to settle it. If one can truly ingest these things, one may even bring the dead back to life.”

This is what Dacheng called the “way of eating bird Jing to raise the dead.”

The Yellow Emperor further asked Cao Ao, “If one cannot gather by following the natural course and do so properly, one uses ‘’ to settle it. If one can truly ingest these things, one may even bring the dead back to life.” This passage speaks of the method Dacheng described, of consuming the Jing Qi of birds in order to seek the raising of the dead and their return to life.

The Yellow Emperor asked Cao Ao, “Why do the common people lose their lives, and by what means are they able to go on living?” Cao Ao replied, “□□□□□, and take in the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) within it. When the breaths of both partners come into harmony, gently move the body. If one can move the body and stir the five voices (the sounds or breath-sounds the body produces), Jing and Qi will enter the body. The weak may thereby become full and strong, the robust may long maintain their vitality, and the elderly may also prolong their years.

The key to prolonging life lies in knowing how to employ Yubi (jade closure—the method of regulating Jing and Qi so that they do not leak away). When Yubi is practiced at the proper time, the Qi of Shenming (spiritual illumination) accumulates. Once Jing and Qi have accumulated, signs will certainly appear. Yubi can secure and retain Jing and Qi, so that Yuquan (the jade spring; here referring to semen) is not lost. The hundred illnesses will not encroach, and thus one can attain long life.

The essential way of joining Yin and Yang is that one must first settle the heart and Shen (spirit) and conserve Jing and Qi. The body and the breath nourish one another. Hence it is said: if at the first joining one does not emit Jing, the ears and eyes become keen; if at the second one does not emit Jing, the voice and breath rise clear and strong; if at the third one does not emit Jing, the skin takes on a luster; if at the fourth one does not emit Jing, the spine and the two flanks suffer no harm; if at the fifth one does not emit Jing, the buttocks and thighs grow strong; if at the sixth one does not emit Jing, the hundred vessels throughout the body flow freely; if at the seventh one does not emit Jing, one is spared calamity and illness for the whole of one’s life; if at the eighth one does not emit Jing, one can extend one’s lifespan; if at the ninth one does not emit Jing, one can attain communion with spiritual illumination.

This is the method Cao Ao described for regulating and nourishing Shen and Qi through the joining of Yin and Yang.

The Yellow Emperor asked Rongcheng: “When the common people first begin to form a pure and substantial nature and a body, how do they obtain life? Once the body has taken shape, through what is life then lost? Why are people divided into good and evil, and why are there also differences between dying young and living long? I wish to know why a person’s Qi (vital energy) becomes abundant or depleted, expansive or drawn in.”

Rongcheng replied: “If the ruler wishes to live long, he must follow and observe the regularities by which Heaven and Earth move. The Qi of Heaven has its full moon and its waning moon, and so it can keep moving for a long time; the Qi of Earth passes through cold and heat over the year, and the land is sometimes steep and sometimes level, each giving way to the other, and so the earth endures and does not decay. The ruler should likewise discern clearly the conditions of Heaven and Earth and apply these regularities to himself. The movements of Heaven and Earth leave signs that can be observed, yet the subtlety within them even a sage may not be able to master; only one who understands the Dao (the Way) can comprehend it.

The most refined power of Heaven and Earth is born without trace, grows without form, and reaches completion without a body. Those who obtain it live long; those who lose it die young. Therefore, one skilled at nurturing Qi and gathering Jing (essence) stores up formless, traceless Jing-Qi, so that Shen (spirit) wells up in abundance like a spring; draws in sweet dew and turns it into a reserve; and drinks a numinous spring as sweet as jade, taking this as the rule of daily life. Cast aside harmful cravings and worldly habits, and Shen and the body can take form in gentle harmony.

The way of regulating the breath is to guide Qi to the extremities of the body, so that Jing-Qi arises and does not fail. When Jing-Qi fills the body above and below, cold and heat can be settled. Breathing should be deep and prolonged, so that new Qi is easily retained. Old Qi makes a person age; new Qi brings long life. One skilled at regulating Qi lets the old Qi disperse at night and lets the new Qi grow full at dawn, so that the breath reaches the nine orifices (the openings of the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and the like) and replenishes the six fu (the six hollow organs within the body).

Regulating food and drink and regulating the breath also have their prohibitions: in spring avoid turbid yang Qi; in summer avoid hot winds; in autumn avoid frost and mist; in winter avoid cold yin Qi. Only by avoiding these four harms and then breathing deeply does one aid longevity.

When regulating the breath at dawn, exhalation should accord with Heaven’s seasons, while inhalation should be full and ample, as if one were storing Qi in a deep abyss. In this way old Qi is exhausted day by day and new Qi grows full day by day, and the body takes on a luster. Filling the body with Jing-Qi allows one to endure. When regulating the breath in the daytime, breathing should be light, fine, and unhurried, so that the ears are keen and the eyes bright, the mind is calm and joyful, stagnation and decay do not accumulate within, and the body suffers few calamities and illnesses. When regulating the breath in the evening, inhale deeply and exhale slowly, so that the ears are not disturbed by sounds from outside, and one may fall peacefully asleep. When the hun and po souls rest securely in the bodily form, one can live long. If one wakes at midnight, do not change the posture of restful sleep; breathe slowly and deeply, so that all six fu are nourished, and extend the breathing as far as possible.

To nurture Shen, one must make the breath penetrate deeply into the couli (the textures between skin and muscle). The subtle art of regulating Qi can turn a person from decline to vigor. Eating with a joyful mind and using food to nourish the body—this is the gathering of Jing-Qi. Regulating Qi has its fixed method, and the key lies in storing Jing-Qi; when Jing-Qi is full it should be appropriately discharged, and when it has been depleted it should be replenished. Both replenishing and draining must seize the right moment and employ the corresponding methods. As the breath moves out and in, one should also cultivate body and mind, so that the inner state is clear and pure. What illness, then, could there be?

When people fall ill, it is mostly because yin Jing leaks away, the channels and vessels grow stagnant, joy and anger lose their proper measure, and they do not understand the great Dao, so that vital Qi departs. Ordinary people do not know how to nurture life and rely only on shamans and physicians; by the age of seventy the bodily form has often already failed, and many injure themselves through strain and exhaustion—truly a cause for sorrow. How are life and death to be mastered? One who comprehends the principles can regulate them: fill the lower region, seal and store Jing-Qi, and keep Qi from leaking outward. The heart-mind can govern life and death; who else could bring it to ruin? Guard it with care and do not lose it, and one can live long age after age, in peace, joy, and longevity. Longevity comes from continually storing Jing-Qi.

One whose vital force is abundant can observe the signs of Heaven above and discern the earth below; one who has ability naturally manifests the marvelous, and thus can attain release of the bodily form. One who understands the great Dao moves as if rising above the clouds, can set out from the heights, travel far like flowing water, and ascend like a dragon; the movement is swift, yet no fatigue is felt. Wuchengzhao takes the four seasons as aid and Heaven and Earth as the standard, and grows together with Yin-Yang. As long as Yin-Yang endures, Wuchengzhao regards it in mutual contemplation; a person of the Dao can do the same.

In drinking wine and eating the five flavors, take the regulation of Qi as the standard. In this way the eyes can be bright and the ears keen, the skin lustrous, and the hundred vessels full, and yin Qi too is made abundant. Whether in labor service, in social dealings, or on a distant journey, one can endure without tiring, and therefore can live long.

Yao sought instruction from Shun: “Nurturing Qi (vital energy) in accordance with the Dao (the Way) of Heaven brightens the eyes, sharpens the ears, gives the skin a healthy luster, fills the blood and Qi, and allows Yin Qi to grow vigorously. In this way one can sustain sexual union for a long time and travel far without fatigue, and thus attain long life.”

Yao asked, “What is most precious under Heaven?” Shun replied, “Life is most precious.” Yao asked further, “How should one nurture life?” Shun said, “One must carefully harmonize Yin-Yang.” Yao asked, “A person has nine orifices and twelve joints (the joints of the body), each in its proper place. Why is Yin Qi born together with a person, yet declines and perishes before the body?” Shun replied, “It is not used for nourishment through food and drink, nor allowed to take part in thought. One only avoids its name and conceals its form, yet uses it frequently and does not know moderation. Therefore, although it is born together with the body, it declines and perishes before the body.”

Yao asked, “How, then, should one nurture it?” Shun replied, “One must cherish and treasure it, and also learn to regulate it. The diet should be appropriate, so that the root of the body is strengthened, and one’s affairs should be conducted with composure and restraint. In sexual union one ought to hold back and exercise moderation, and not readily drain or deplete oneself; even after desire is satisfied, one should not emit Jing (essence) at will. In this way Jing and Qi will accumulate, primordial Qi will be abundant, and even at the age of one hundred the body’s condition can still surpass what it was before.”

This is the Dao of bedchamber cultivation and of nurturing Qi as taught by Shun. The arts of the bedchamber take moderation in sexual union and the preservation of Jing and Qi as their essential principle.

Wangzi Qiao’s father asked Pengzu, “Of a person’s Qi (vital energy), what is it that counts as Jing-Qi?”

Pengzu replied, “In a person’s Jing-Qi, nothing is more important than the Jing (essence) of reproduction. When Jing-Qi is pent up and blocked, the hundred vessels fall ill; when Jing-Qi cannot be kept full, one cannot flourish and beget offspring. A person’s lifespan is therefore closely bound to Jing-Qi. To cherish and nurture Jing-Qi, one must also join this with other methods of care. Thus those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) employ daoyin, massage, and the like: they move both hands, push and rub along the arms, and then massage the abdomen along the Yin-Yang channels. One must first breathe out the turbid Qi within the body and then breathe in clear Qi, so that respiration communicates with Jing-Qi, and the regulation of diet must likewise be matched to Jing-Qi. Jing-Qi should be tended with the same care as in raising an infant.

An infant is easily restless and often stirs in response; one must be cautious and must not deplete Jing-Qi at will. In this way one can sustain sexual life for a long time and can also travel far, and so there is hope of longevity. Regulate the breath and cultivate body and mind, making the interior firm and Jing-Qi replete—how then could illness remain? When a person meets with sickness and calamity, it is mostly because yin Jing leaks away and the hundred vessels are stagnant and obstructed; and such people are often immoderate in joy and anger and do not understand the great Dao, so that the Qi of life departs.

The temperament of ordinary people is dull and benighted, and they rely only on shamans and physicians. Even if they live to seventy, the body can scarcely avoid aging and sinking into oblivion, and in conducting their affairs they readily bring harm upon themselves—truly a cause for sorrow. Where, then, does the destiny of death and life lie? Those of penetrating understanding are able to master it: they earnestly gather in the lower burner, seal and store Jing-Qi, and do not let it leak. If mind and will can command life and death, who can bring such a person to ruin? Guard it with care and do not lose it, and one may live long, with peace, joy, and longevity through the generations. Longevity comes from the continual accumulation of Jing-Qi.

When life is flourishing, one may look upward to the signs of heaven and downward sow seed in the earth. One who has the capacity will surely commune with Shen (spirit), and so be able to liberate and transform the bodily form. One who understands the great Dao moves as if mounting the clouds and ascending into the realm of the clustered jades. Flowing water can travel far, and the dragon can rise high, swift yet without feeling toil. … Wucheng Zhao … does not die. Wucheng Zhao takes the four seasons as his aid and heaven and earth as his standard; he lives together with Yin-Yang. Yin-Yang does not die, and Wucheng Zhao contemplates it in mutual regard; those who possess the Dao are likewise so.

Emperor Pangeng asked Gou Lao, “I have heard that a person can strengthen the body’s power through sexual union and, by absorbing the Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) of Heaven, prolong life. How should I act so as to practice this Dao (the Way) of nurturing life?”

Gou Lao replied, “The ruler ought to prize those things that are born together with the body yet age sooner than the body itself. The weak can be made strong, those whose lives are short can have their years extended, and those who are wanting can be made to increase their grain. This method sometimes attends to emptiness and sometimes to fullness, and nurturing must be kept within due measure. First, relax the four limbs, straighten the spine, and curve the buttocks; second, part the legs, move the genital region, and contract the perineum; third, close the eyes, shut out sounds from outside, and inhale until Qi fills the chest and abdomen; fourth, hold the five flavors in the mouth and drink the pure essence of a clear spring; fifth, send Jing and Qi upward and draw in the Qi of sunlight. One should stop when the fifth has been reached, and in this way the Shen (spirit) grows more at ease day by day.”

This is the method Gou Lao taught of sexual union, diet, and the nurturing of Shen and Qi.

Yu the Great asked Master Gui, “I have governed the world with discerning eyes and ears and with wisdom. I pacified the sunken lands and, following the rivers, brought the floods under control. By the time I reached Mount Kuaiji, I had been regulating the waters for ten years. Now my four limbs will not move freely, and my household has fallen into disorder. What should I do?”

Master Gui replied, “The foundation of governing affairs must begin with oneself. When the blood and Qi (vital energy) ought to circulate but do not, this is called ‘kuanyang’ (blockage calamity), and it is the source of every kind of extremely severe illness. Neither the continuity of blood and Qi nor the system of the sinews and vessels may be neglected. One should harmonize diet, shift one’s preferences among flavors, guide the body with conscious intention, and then regulate it through movement. Without food and drink, the body cannot be filled out nor the sinews and joints nourished; without conscious intention, the deficiency and fullness within the body cannot be perceived; without movement, the four limbs cannot be set in motion nor illness and pain removed. Thus, both on waking and before sleep, one should draw and stretch the body; this is called training the sinews. To bend again after extending is called training the bones. When every movement is appropriate and Jing (essence) and Qi are abundant, they well up like a spring. Cultivate according to this method, and in what generation could vitality fail to be restored?”

Yu the Great then drank milk, took wine and foods of many flavors, and regulated his Qi by means of intention. In time his sight grew clear and his hearing keen, his skin took on a luster, his hundred vessels became full, and his reproductive Qi grew vigorous as well. He thereby brought peace to his wife, Hou Yao, and tranquility returned to the household. What Master Gui transmitted was the method of nurturing Shen (spirit) and Qi.

Wen Zhi paid his respects before King Wei of Qi. King Wei consulted him about the Dao (the Way) of nourishing life and said, “I have heard that you, sir, are thoroughly versed in the Dao of nourishing life. I have just finished the sacrifices at the ancestral temple and have no time to listen in detail. I wish only to hear what is most essential; two or three sentences from you will suffice.”

Wen Zhi replied, “In my teaching, the Dao of nourishing life comprises three hundred chapters, and diet is the most fundamental of all.” King Wei asked, “Please explain in detail: what must one observe in diet?” Wen Zhi said, “Mellow wine and Chinese chives.”

King Wei asked, “Why are Chinese chives worthy of such esteem?” Wen Zhi answered, “According to tradition, when Houji sowed the crops, many plants and trees had already perished, and only Chinese chives could grow for a thousand years; they received their name for this reason. Chinese chives are the first to receive the Qi (vital energy) of Heaven’s seasons, and they can also absorb the Qi of the earth over a long time. Thus, when people whose bodies are cramped and contracted, or who are timid, eat them, their bodies relax and open; when those with poor eyesight eat them, their eyes grow bright; when those with poor hearing eat them, their ears grow keen. Eaten through the three months of spring, they can lessen illness and strengthen the sinews and bones. Chinese chives are therefore called the king of the hundred plants.”

King Wei said, “Well said. And why is wine also worthy of esteem?” Wen Zhi answered, “Wine is the Qi transformed from the quintessence of the five grains. Once drunk, it disperses and flows within the body, enters the texture of the flesh, penetrates everywhere, and does not stagnate in any one place. Wine is therefore regarded as the medium through which the hundred medicines circulate.”

King Wei said, “Well said. Yet some things seem not to agree with what you have said. When Chinese chives are prepared as food in spring, why are they so often paired with eggs rather than with wine?” Wen Zhi answered, “Pairing them with eggs is also acceptable. The chicken is an animal of yang nature (Yin-Yang). It can make a person’s Shen (spirit) and thoughts lucid and the hearing acute; with head raised and wings spread, it is full of vitality. When eggs are eaten together with Chinese chives in spring, they likewise allow the efficacy of the food to circulate freely, and so those who nourish life eat them.”

King Wei said, “Well said. Why does diet deserve to be valued so highly?” Wen Zhi answered, “What diet concerns is not human life alone. Wild ducks, wild geese, swans, the susu (a legendary kind of bird), the yuan, the shan, fish, soft-shelled turtles, and all kinds of small wriggling creatures depend on eating in order to live; diet is also what enables them to grow. Diet can promote the digestion of food and cause the power of medicines to disperse and move freely. Diet is to the body as fire is to metal. If one goes without food for a single night, even a hundred days may not restore one. If food cannot be digested, it will remain in the body like chunju (possibly a kind of accumulated, stagnant substance), bringing on discomfort in the heart and abdomen, abdominal fullness, numbness and pain, and difficulty in movement. Those who nourish life therefore prize diet.”

King Wei asked, “I often drink wine in the evening, and sometimes I continue into the night. Is this harmful?” Wen Zhi answered, “It does no harm. Consider birds and beasts: if they eat in the morning, they rise and move early; if they eat in the evening, they move somewhat later. When the sky grows bright, the myriad things receive the light; when the sky grows dark, the myriad things return to dimness. The Dao of nourishing life is to accord with the order of the times and, once a matter is completed, to stop. The Qi of food quietly enters the body and slowly transforms it. By midnight, □□□□□ Qi gathers at the six extremities (the ends or furthest points of the body). When the six extremities are full and firm, the interior of the body is replenished and the exterior is likewise calm; sores and ulcers, abscesses and swellings, obstruction of the throat, and similar ailments do not readily arise. This is the highest attainment of the Dao of nourishing life.” King Wei said, “Well said.”

King Zhao of Qin met Wang Qi and asked him about the Dao (the Way) of long life, saying, “I have heard that some people, by taking in Yin Qi (vital energy), make the body’s movements vigorous, and by drawing in breath, make the Shen (spirit) clear and lucid. What should I do in order to prolong my years and lengthen my life?” Wang Qi replied, “In the morning one should face the sun and moon and draw in their quintessence and radiant Qi; eat pine and cypress, and drink the quintessence in the spring water from which beasts drink. In this way one can slow aging and restore youth, and the flesh and skin will be moist and lustrous. During the three months of summer one should avoid the Qi of fire and use sunlight instead of fire to cook food; thus the spirit will be keen and the mind intelligent.

“The method of nurturing life through the sexual joining of man and woman takes stillness of the heart as its strength. Let the mind be calm and level like water, and let Jing (essence) and Qi be stored within the body like numinous dew; carefully uphold the method of nurturing life, and do not let the heart within be startled or thrown into turmoil. When one hears the five tones, one should finely discern their responses and distinguish long from short; draw in the mist of Shen-Qi, drink the sweet dew of heaven, and lead them into the five viscera, so that Jing and Qi lie stored deep within the body. At dawn practice dragon breathing—breath drawn out long and continuous like a dragon—and both breath and bodily form will become firm and vigorous., near water, and Jing and Qi will be abundant, robust, lasting, and long. When the Shen-Qi within is harmonized, the hun and po are settled, the five viscera are solid, the complexion is like jade and its luster even greater, one’s lifespan matches that of the sun and moon, and one becomes one of the refined elite between heaven and earth.” King Zhao of Qin said, “Good.”

The Union of Yin and Yang (Yin-Yang)

Whenever one is about to practice the art of nurturing life through the union of Yin and Yang, one first takes the hand, extends the wrist, strokes the inner side of the elbow, and presses close beside the armpit, then moves upward, reaches near the neck, strokes the place, and then covers [from this point the sense of the original is fragmentary]. Wang Qi said, “One’s lifespan will match that of the sun and moon, and one will become one of the refined elite between heaven and earth.” King Zhao of Qin said, “Good.”

Whenever one is to practice the arts of the bedchamber for nurturing life, one first takes the partner’s hand, then strokes from the wrist along the arm, passing the elbow and the side of the armpit, upward to the nape of the neck, then circling the shoulder and neck, downward through the quepen (the hollow above the collarbone), across the space between the breasts, and along the chest and abdomen up to the chest, before entering the xuanmen (here meaning the genital region as spoken of in the arts of the bedchamber) and regulating the jiaojin (the intersecting sinews and vessels within the xuanmen). Only in this way can the body remain long secure and well, enduring together with Heaven and Earth.

What is called “jiaojin” refers to the vessels that meet within the xuanmen. One must know how to press, stroke, and regulate them so that the whole body feels pleasure and ease. Even if there was at first no wish for sexual union, the partners will draw close, embrace, and fully enjoy the pleasures of the bedchamber.

When the pleasures of the bedchamber begin, five signs of desire appear. First, Qi (vital energy) rises and the face grows warm, and one should kiss slowly. Second, the breasts grow firm and the nose perspires, and one should embrace slowly. Third, the tongue becomes thin and moist, and one should take it slowly into the mouth. Fourth, the lower body secretes fluid and the thighs grow damp, and one should caress slowly. Fifth, the throat grows dry and saliva is swallowed, and one should rock the body slowly. Together these are called the “five signs of desire.” Only when the signs are complete should one go further: first press upward without entering, so that Qi rises and the face grows warm; then, in order, kiss, embrace, take into the mouth, caress, and rock. When Qi arrives, enter deeply and thrust upward to ease the heat, then withdraw downward again. Do not let Qi come to a stop, lest the woman’s Jing (essence) and Qi be exhausted beyond measure.

After this one should carry out the “ten movements,” coordinated with the “ten intervals” and interspersed with the “ten cultivations.” Once union has reached a certain stage, one then guides Qi through the zongmen (the pass through which Qi circulates), observes the eight kinds of dynamic signs, listens to and distinguishes the five sounds, and examines the ten manifestations.

The “ten movements” means that the acts of union increase step by step in number: ten times, twenty times, thirty times, and thereafter forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety, up to one hundred times, alternating entry and withdrawal without emitting Jing. Each stage has its corresponding benefit for nurturing life: once makes the ears and eyes keen; twice makes the voice clear and bright; three times gives the skin a luster; four times strengthens the back and the sides of the ribs; five times makes the buttocks and thighs robust; six times makes urination free and unobstructed; seven times makes the genitals firm and vigorous; eight times moistens and glosses the flesh and skin; nine times makes the spirit penetrate freely; and ten times keeps the body in lasting health. This is called the “ten movements.”

There are ten movement postures. The first is called “tiger’s roam”; the second, “cicada clinging”; the third, “inchworm,” the way an inchworm bends its body as it crawls forward; the fourth, “granary corner,” like the corner of a grain storehouse; the fifth, “locust spread”; the sixth, “ape’s crouch,” the way an ape squats; the seventh, “toad”; the eighth, “hare’s dash,” the way a rabbit runs; the ninth, “dragonfly”; and the tenth, “fish peck,” the way a fish opens its mouth to peck at food.

There are ten methods of regulation: upward, downward, to the left, and to the right; a little faster and a little slower; with the intervals a little sparser and the frequency a little denser; and with the movement a little shallower and a little deeper.

There are eight movements. The first is “joining hands,” the second “extending the elbows,” the third “straightening the heels,” the fourth “side hook,” the fifth “upward hook,” the sixth “crossing the thighs,” the seventh “level leap,” and the eighth “vibration.” “Joining hands” means drawing the abdomen close; “extending the elbows” means rubbing upward and pressing firm; “straightening the heels” means extending the heels so as not to enter too deeply; “side hook” is for rubbing from the side; “upward hook” is for rubbing downward; “crossing the thighs” means crossing the legs so as not to thrust in too deeply; “level leap” is for keeping the entry shallow; and “vibration” means having one’s partner hold this posture for a long time.

“Chixi” means that the breath is rapid and short; “chuanxi” means that the breathing is rapid and forceful; “lei’ai” refers to the continuous uttering of plaintive cries, and only after the jade stalk (yuce) has entered does an itch begin to be felt. “Huo” is a very heavy moan, carrying a strong salty-sweet savor; at “nie,” the body vibrates, and one wants it to go on for a longer time.

In a state of drowsiness, the man’s Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) are at their height; in the early morning, the woman’s Jing and Qi gather and accumulate. The man nourishes the woman’s Jing and Qi with his own. The channels in front then pulse, and the Qi and blood within the skin all become active. What is blocked can thereby be opened, and the organs inside the body receive this conveyance of nourishment and grow full.

The signs across the ten times are as follows. When the first is finished, a clear fluid flows out; the second time, the odor is like burnt bone; the third time, it becomes dry; the fourth time, a paste-like substance appears; the fifth time, the odor is fragrant; the sixth time, it becomes slippery; the seventh time, chi (slowness) appears; the eighth time, a fatty substance appears; the ninth time, it becomes viscous like glue; the tenth time, mei appears. After mei appears, it becomes slippery again, and the clear fluid flows out once more. This is called the “great culmination” (da zu). The signs of the great culmination are sweat on the nose and white lips; the hands and feet all begin to move, the buttocks leave the mat, and the person rises and departs. If depletion from this brings on illness, life is in danger. At this moment the Qi of Zhongji, a vital point on the lower abdomen, is full and expands; Jing and Shen (spirit) return into the viscera, and spirit illumination (shenming) is thereby brought into being.

The Yellow Spirit (Huangshen) asked the Left Spirit (Zuoshen): “Yin-Yang, the nine orifices, and the twelve joints all come into being together with a person. Why is it that one thing among them alone declines and dies first?”

The Left Spirit answered: “In one’s activities it is not allowed to labor to excess, the emotions of grief and joy are not allowed to deplete it, and food and drink are not taken to excess. Its surroundings are too dark and yin for it to meet Yang Qi; and it is then suddenly used with violent force, without waiting for it to grow strong and mature, and without knowing how to avoid the clash of the two heats. It is therefore quickly damaged. People avoid speaking its name and conceal its form, yet they constantly put it to use without measure. Thus, although it comes into being together with the body, it alone declines first.”

When arousal arises, if the penis cannot become fully erect, the Qi (vital energy) of the muscles has not yet arrived; if it becomes erect but is not firm, the strength of the sinews has not yet arrived; if it is firm yet lacks a sensation of warmth, the Qi has not yet arrived. Forcing use when the Qi of the muscles is insufficient brings a feeling of limp weakness; forcing use when Qi is insufficient leads one to hold back. When muscle, sinew-strength, and Qi have all reached their proper state, this is called the “three attainments”—that is, all three aspects are in place.

The highest Dao (the Way) under Heaven may be spoken of as a means of nurturing life. It nourishes the myriad things as water does, and it circulates and transforms like the Qi of spring and autumn. What has already passed can no longer be seen, nor can its efficacy be gained; what is about to arrive cannot be blocked off, and one ought to receive the benefits it brings. Alas—one must be careful! In matters of spiritual illumination, the essential point lies in knowing how to seal and store. If one carefully masters “Yubi” (Jade Closure—the method, in the Daoist arts of the bedchamber, of regulating and storing Jing, or essence), the efficacy of spiritual illumination will arrive.

In all cultivation of the body, the first priority is to accumulate Jing and Qi. When Jing and Qi are abundant, one should exercise restraint; when Jing and Qi are insufficient, one should replenish them. Both replenishment and restraint are to be arranged according to whether Jing and Qi are in surplus or in deficit. In practice one should sit together in mutual accord, and take care to close the buttocks, the nostrils, and the mouth, letting each open and close at the proper moment. Jing and Qi come and go without warning and are on the point of being lost—by what means, then, can they be stopped?

Emptiness and fullness each have their constant measure; apply them with care, and do not forget. Do not weary yourself, and do not exhaust yourself. In this way the sinews and bones can be made strong; then nourish them further with Yuquan (Jade Spring—saliva), and eat fragrant foods. Let the breath move in and out with subtlety, and wait until Jing and Qi are full—this is the constant method. When the three Qi arrive in harmony, the body becomes firm and strong. Do not weary yourself and do not exhaust yourself, and the sinews and bones will be strong; nourish with Yuquan, eat fragrant things, let the breath move in and out with subtlety, and wait for Jing and Qi to become full. Once the three Qi have come into harmony, the body will be firm and vigorous.

If one wishes to cultivate the body, one must carefully grasp these words. Gathering in Jing and Qi by means of Yubi can bring one to a state of single-minded concentration and long life. The first movement makes the ears and eyes keen; the second movement makes the voice clear; the third movement gives the skin a luster; the fourth movement strengthens the spine; the fifth movement makes the buttocks and thighs sturdy; the sixth movement makes elimination free and unobstructed; the seventh movement makes the body firm and strong; the eighth movement raises will and Qi; the ninth movement brings one’s person into accord with the essence bestowed by nature; the tenth movement causes spiritual illumination to arise.

The nurturing of Qi (vital energy) comprises two kinds of methods: the “eight benefits” and the “seven losses.” If one does not know to adopt the eight benefits and avoid the seven losses, then with the advance of years Yin Qi gradually declines: at fifty, the capacity for daily activity begins to fail; at sixty, the ears and eyes are no longer acute; at seventy, the lower body is exhausted and the upper body deteriorates, Yin Qi can no longer perform its function, and semen, urine, and the like trickle and leak away.

There is a definite method for restoring vigor to those who have grown frail: avoid the seven losses so as to relieve the ailments afflicting the body, and adopt the eight benefits so as to replenish primordial Qi. In this way the elderly may become robust once more, and those in the prime of life are not easily weakened.

The gentleman dwells in comfort and eats and drinks as he pleases; the texture between skin and muscle is fine and close, Qi and blood are abundant, and the body is light and agile. If one is hasty to engage in sexual intercourse yet does not understand the Dao (the Way) of proper nurturing, illness will arise, with symptoms such as sweating, panting, distress in the chest, and disordered breathing. If this is not regulated and treated in time, heat will be generated within the body. Medicines and acupuncture are used to regulate the Qi inside the body, and nourishing substances are taken to assist the body outwardly; if one still forces sexual intercourse and again does not understand the Dao of nurturing, sores and swellings will develop, even to the point of swelling of the scrotum. When Qi and blood are excessive yet fail to circulate freely, the orifices of the upper and lower body also fall into disorder, and ulcerous sores then arise. Therefore, one who is skilled in employing the eight benefits and avoiding the seven losses will not contract the five kinds of illness.

The eight beneficial practices are these: the first is called “regulating Qi” (zhiqi), the second “inducing the fluids” (zhimo), the third “knowing the moment” (zhishi), the fourth “storing Qi” (xuqi), the fifth “harmonizing the fluids” (hemo), the sixth “accumulating Qi” (jiqi), the seventh “awaiting abundance” (daiying), and the eighth “steadying the incline” (dingqing). The seven harmful practices are these: the first is called “blockage” (bi), the second “leakage” (xie), the third “exhaustion” (jie), the fourth “thwarting” (wu), the fifth “agitation” (fan), the sixth “severance” (jue), and the seventh “waste” (fei).

The method of applying the eight benefits is as follows. In the early morning one rises and sits upright, straightens the waist and back, relaxes the buttocks, draws in the perineum, and presses downward; this is called “regulating Qi” (vital energy). When eating, one lets the buttocks sink, straightens the waist and back, and draws in the perineum so that Qi flows freely; this is called “inducing the fluids.” Partners first sport and take pleasure with one another, and only when their desires are in accord do they join in sexual union; this is called “knowing the moment.”

During union one relaxes the waist and back, draws in the perineum, and presses downward; this is called “storing Qi.” The movements should not be hasty or frequent, and advance and withdrawal should be coordinated and even; this is called “harmonizing the fluids.” After union one withdraws, lets the partner rise, and releases feeling; this is called “accumulating Qi.” As the end draws near, one holds the waist and back still and does not move, gathers Qi and presses downward, and waits quietly; this is called “awaiting abundance.” Afterward one stretches the body and waits for feeling to be released; this is called “steadying the incline.” These are what are known as the eight benefits.

The seven harmful practices are as follows. Pain felt during union is called “internal blockage.” Sweating as a result is called “external leakage.” Continuing without cease is called “exhaustion.” Having intense desire yet being unable to complete the act is called “frustration” (fu). Panting and disordered breathing during union is called “agitation.” Forcing the act when there is no desire is called “severance.” Feeling excessively fatigued because of union is called “waste.” These are what are known as the seven losses.

Therefore, one who is skilled at using the eight benefits and avoiding the seven losses can make the ears and eyes keen and the body light and vigorous, strengthen Yin Qi, prolong life, dwell long in peace, and enjoy life.

From birth, a person need learn only two things: breathing and eating. Beyond these, nothing is free of the need for study and practice. What sustains life is food and drink; what wears life away is indulgence in desire. For this reason, when the sages arranged the union of man and woman, they always observed a definite measure and method.

The union of man and woman has ten postures. The first is called “tiger flow” (hu liu), the second “cicada clinging” (chan fu), the third “thought turned outward” (si wai), the fourth “inchworm” (chi huo), the fifth “granary corner” (qun jiao), the sixth “locust spread open” (huang zhe), the seventh “breathing inward” (xi nei), the eighth “ape crouching” (yuan ju), and the ninth “toad” (chan zhu); the tenth is called “hare dashing” (tu wu), “dragonfly” (qing ling), and “fish nibbling” (yu zuo). Together these are known as the “ten postures” (shi shi). Some of these names are specialized ancient designations for postures, and their precise forms can no longer be determined with certainty.

In cultivating this Dao (the Way) there are the “ten cultivations” (shi xiu): evening out the Qi (vital energy), settling diet and its flavors, regulating measure and tempo, making the body full and substantial, seizing the right moment, opening the body’s functions, moving gently, waiting until the Qi is replete, harmonizing the condition of life, and settling the body. There are also the “eight ways” (ba dao): moving upward, downward, to the left, and to the right, entering deeply, withdrawing shallowly, moving quickly, and moving slowly.

When the ten cultivations have been duly prepared, the ten postures set out in order, and the eight ways flexibly combined with them, union may begin. One must attend to the breathing and to the body’s responses, so that Qi and blood circulate and the sinews and vessels relax and open. One then observes the eight kinds of movement, discerns where the Qi resides, and listens so as to distinguish the five sounds, thereby judging the sequence of the movements and how they are to be matched.

The so-called “eight movements” (ba dong) are receiving with the hands, extending the elbows, surging level, straightening the heels, crossing the thighs, vibrating, hooking from the side, and hooking upward. The so-called “five sounds” (wu yin) are the sound of breathing in the throat, panting, intermittent sighing, the sound “huo,” and the sound of teeth biting together. By observing the sounds, one can understand the other’s intention; by observing the movements, one can know what the other enjoys and where the body is open and unobstructed.

Each of these movements has its meaning. Receiving with the hands indicates a wish that the abdomens press together; extending the elbows indicates a wish to stroke upward and brace against; hooking from the side indicates a wish to stroke from the side; crossing the thighs indicates that the movement has gone too deep; straightening the heels indicates that the entry is not deep enough; hooking upward indicates that the lower part has not reached the vital place; surging level indicates a wish that the movement be shallower; and vibrating indicates that the sensation is the most fitting. These methods of observation are together called the “eight observations” (ba guan).

The text also sets out the “five signs” (wu zheng). When the Qi rises and the face grows warm, one should exhale slowly; when the breasts grow firm and sweat appears at the tip of the nose, one should embrace slowly; when the surface of the tongue is thin and moist, one should press close slowly; when the lower body secretes fluid and the thighs grow damp, one should caress slowly; when the throat grows dry and saliva gathers in the pharynx, one should rock slowly. These responses are also called the “five desires” (wu yu); only when the signs are all present does one proceed.

An erection that is not firm enough shows that the response of skin and flesh has not yet arrived; firmness without sufficient solidity shows that the strength of the sinews has not yet arrived; solidity without a feeling of warmth shows that the Qi has not yet arrived. Only when all three conditions are present may one enter.

The text then describes the changes in secretions over the course of union. At the end of the first time they are cool and clear; after the second, the odor is like that of decayed bone; after the third they are dry; after the fourth they are like paste; after the fifth they are fragrant; after the sixth the seminal fluid, the Jing (essence), is like millet and sorghum; after the seventh it is viscous; after the eighth it is like fat; after the ninth it is greasy; and after the tenth the process reaches its end. Once it has ended, lubrication returns, and the Qi of early morning is then expelled.

The first is called “jiguang” (hairpin radiance), the second “fengji,” the third a name ending in hu (瓠, “gourd”), whose opening character is illegible in the text as received, the fourth “shufu” (the pill-bug), the fifth “gushi” (grain kernels), the sixth “maichi” (wheat teeth), the seventh “yingnü,” the eighth “fanqu” (turning away), the ninth “heyu,” the tenth a name beginning with chi (赤, “red”), whose second character is illegible, the eleventh “chizhujiu” (nine red pearls), and the twelfth a name ending in shi (石, “stone”), whose first character is illegible. Once these methods have been mastered, they should not be lightly abandoned. When a certain degree of attainment is reached, the body shows corresponding signs: one strokes the hair along the grain of the body, places the hands between the waist and the abdomen, the lips gradually turn white, and sweat runs down to the hollows of the knees. This practice is to be repeated several hundred times.

Each person has a method suited to himself, but this is no reason to neglect the woman; women likewise have methods suited to themselves, and only those skilled in their use can master them. Do not bestow them casually, and do not deliberately force a regulation; do not hasten to put them into practice, and do not harbor doubt. One must proceed slowly and with endurance, keeping the movements slight and under continuous control. If one senses that the point has been reached, place the hands between the waist and the abdomen until the lips turn white and sweat runs to the hollows of the knees, and then repeat the practice several hundred times.

Each person has a method suited to himself, but this is no reason to neglect the woman; women likewise have methods suited to themselves, and only those skilled in their use can master them. Do not bestow them casually, and do not deliberately force a regulation; do not hasten to put them into practice, and do not harbor doubt. One must proceed slowly and with endurance, keeping the movements slight and under continuous control. If one senses that the point has been reached and yet does not stop, the woman will be greatly pleased.

In “throat breathing,” the breath moves downward and the yin region takes on a luster; in “panting,” the Qi (vital energy) rises, the two intermingle, and the body opens of itself. In the practice whose name begins with lei, the remaining character being illegible, the buttocks move urgently and draw “fengji” along with them; in the practice called “huo,” something sweet is held in the mouth, and one begins only after a strong itching is felt; in the practice called “nie” (biting), the body trembles, and even after one stops, the movement must be continued for a time. Thus the male belongs to Yang and Yang lies on the outside, while the female belongs to Yin and Yin lies on the inside (Yin-Yang, yinyang). Wherever the part is male, stroke its outer surface; wherever the part is female, stroke its inner side. This is the pattern by which Yin and Yang transform, and the principle by which female and male unite. If one cannot act in this way, the fault lies in not having grasped the proper measure. The essential point of sexual union between man and woman lies in slowness and endurance. If one can be slow and enduring, the woman will be very joyful: she will draw near to her partner as to a brother, and cherish him as she would her father and mother. One who can master this method is called a tianshi (天士, one who has attained the Dao).

The Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth (Taichan shu; the chapters concerned with seeking offspring and with gestation)

Yu asked Youpin: “I wish to bring about the increase of people and the birth of children. What must one do to achieve this?” Youpin replied: “After the menses have ended at the beginning of the month, wait three further days. If one can be slow and enduring, the woman will be greatly pleased: she will draw near to her partner as to a brother, and cherish him as she would her father and mother. One who can master this method is called a tianshi.”

Yu asked Youpin: “I wish people to multiply and bear offspring. How can one conceive a child?”

Youpin answered: “After the menstrual flow (that is, menstruation) at the beginning of the month has already been discharged, intercourse three days later will produce a child. Conception on the first day yields a boy; conception on the second day yields a girl. Thus, when a person is conceived, they enter into darkness, and at birth they likewise emerge from darkness; only then do they begin to become a human being.

“The first month of pregnancy is called liuxing. Food and drink must be fine and carefully prepared, and sour broth must be thoroughly cooked. Do not eat anything acrid, spicy, fishy, or rank. This is called zaizhen.

“In the second month, the fetus begins to form a fatty paste. Do not eat acrid, spicy, fishy, or rank food. The dwelling must be quiet, and the man must not overexert himself, or else the joints of the whole body will be afflicted by pain and illness. This is called shicang.

“In the third month, the fetus begins to form fat. Melons and fruits display changes at night. At this time the fetus does not yet have a fixed form, and it may be influenced by whatever it encounters. Therefore, rulers and nobles should keep the pregnant woman from contact with dwarfs and from watching macaques, and she should not eat a certain kind of ginger or broth made of hare. If one wishes for a boy, set out bows and arrows and a male pheasant, ride a stallion, and look upon a male tiger; if one wishes for a girl, wear hairpins and earrings and fasten on pearls. The fetus will be influenced by these things and change accordingly. This is called neixiang chengzi (the fetus forms its inner image according to what the mother sees and comes into contact with).

“In the fourth month, the Qi (vital energy) of Water is imparted to the fetus, and the fetus begins to form blood. For food one may eat rice and wheat and consume fish…. Use a bland diet to make the blood pure and clear and the eyes bright.

“In the fifth month, the Qi of Fire is imparted to the fetus, and the fetus begins to form Qi. One should rise somewhat later… bathe, wear thick clothing, and dwell in the main hall; in the morning, draw in the light of heaven and avoid the illnesses brought by cold Qi. For food one may eat rice and wheat and drink broth of beef and mutton, seasoned with zhuyu; do not eat…, so as to nourish and preserve Qi.

“In the sixth month, the Qi of Metal is imparted to the fetus, and the fetus begins to form the sinews. One may… labor, go out to wander in the countryside, and often watch running dogs and horses; one should eat…. This is called altering the couli (the texture of the skin) and the sinews….

“In the seventh month, the Qi of Wood is imparted to the fetus, and the fetus begins to form the bones. One should live in a dry place and not remain constantly still…. Food and drink should avoid cold…, so that the teeth will be fine.

“In the eighth month, the Qi of Earth is imparted to the fetus, and the fetus begins to form the skin…. This is called making the couli (the texture of the skin) dense and compact.

“In the ninth month, the Qi of Stone is imparted to the fetus, and the fetus begins to form the fine body hair…. One should attend to this with care.

“In the tenth month, the breath of Qi gathers and coalesces…, and it becomes the fetus.”

Anyone who handles a birthing woman’s placenta must wash it clean with clear water.

One method is to wash the placenta carefully first, then wash it again with …, and place it in an earthenware basin, allowing neither insects nor ants to crawl in and not letting it see the sunlight. In this way the infant may be free of scars, with fine, smooth skin, and live long. Another method is to bury the placenta beneath a mat; it is said that this can keep the child from developing sores and scabies. … is to be drunk on a certain day.

If many boys have been born and no girls, and a girl is wanted, bury the placenta beneath a Yin wall; if many girls have been born and no boys, bury the placenta beneath a Yang wall as well. There is also another account: wrap the placenta in cloth from a steaming vessel, and then bury it.

A pregnant woman may boil the head of a white male dog and, alone, eat the meat and drink the broth; it is said that the child will grow up fair and clean, and that delivery will also be easy. If one wishes the child to be strong, have the pregnant woman eat mare’s meat at the time of ….

When the pregnancy has not yet reached three months, swallow two jueweng (vessels for insects or insect pupae, as the text puts it); it is said that a boy will be born. Another account says: take three green-backed insects from a queweng (sparrow pot) and swallow them raw; it is said that one will certainly bear a boy.

One method is to take, at the time of …, hao (artemisia) and mu (male) …. When the pregnancy is less than three months, there is likewise the account of swallowing two jueweng in order to bear a boy. Another account is to take three green-backed insects from a queweng and swallow them raw; it is said that this never fails. There is yet another method: pound together three things—hao, mu, and piaoxiao (mantis egg-cases)—and take them; it is said that one will certainly bear a boy, and this method is called one that “has already been tried.” … half a sheng of voided urine, … hard and with little juice.

There is still another method: take the larvae from a honeycomb and a dog’s genitals, dry them in the sun, pound them, and give them to the pregnant woman to take; it is said that she will bear a boy. There is also … fresh fish … to be eaten. … dried in the sun and pounded, put into wine, … after the pregnant woman takes it, she gives birth to …. At three months of pregnancy, one must not …. … cause … to bear a boy.

One method is to take a black …, have the man alone eat the meat and drink the broth, while the woman sits on a mat of guan rush. If a girl is wanted, boil a black female …, have the woman alone eat the meat and drink the broth, and sit on a … mat.

The way to seek a child is to find the “herb of the nine lineages” and have husband and wife together brew it into wine and drink it.

At the time of birth, first take moist, clean earth from the marketplace and spread it into a platform three or four chi square and three or four cun high. After the child is born, place him on the earth; do not use …; let the infant remain on the earth so that the whole body is covered with soil, and only then bathe him. It is said that this can make the child strong and vigorous.

As soon as the child is born, immediately burn the birth bedding and put it into water, … bathe the infant; it is said that this can keep the child from developing sores and scabies. Then take half a cup of the water already used to bathe the infant and have the mother drink it; it is said that the mother, too, will be left with no other illness.

After a woman has given birth, have someone else hold her …, carry away … and wash the placenta clean, wrap it in new cloth, bind it in three places, and place it in a … vessel. The mother herself carries it, walks into a mountain valley … three times, sets it down, and leaves, not looking back on her return; afterward have someone else bury it properly.

Miscellaneous Prohibition Formulas

If a dog often barks beside the altar or in front of the gate, paint talismanic markings (Fulu) five chi above the well. If husband and wife are not in harmony, paint them five chi above the gate. If one wishes to win the favor of a person of high standing, paint them five chi to the left and five chi to the right of the gate. If one often has nightmares, paint them seven chi below a certain place. If mother-in-law and daughter-in-law frequently quarrel, paint them five chi above the gate. If an infant often cries, paint them five chi above the window. These practices belong to the prohibition arts of painting talismanic objects in order to drive off inauspicious influences and seek peace and calm.

When one is engaged in a lawsuit, write the other party’s name in the center of the sole of the shoe.

Take the tails of two female birds, burn and refine them, and then ingest them; this can make others fond of oneself. Take the head of a dog facing east or west, burn and refine it, and then ingest it.

When husband and wife have separated, take one’s own left eyebrow, put it into wine, and drink it; it is said that this can bring the other person back. Take four left claws of male birds and four left claws of young women, boil them down in a pot, grind and prepare them, and apply them to the body; this can make the other person return. Take the tails of two female birds, burn and refine them, and then ingest them; this can make others fond of oneself. Take one’s own left eyebrow, put it into wine, and drink it; it is said that this can bring the other person back.

Formulas for Nourishing Life

When the Aged Cannot Rise

Much of the text following “When the Aged Cannot Rise” cannot be made out. The surviving portion includes such wording as “decoct, and also grind and prepare, apply, and the person will obtain it,” meaning that the materials are decocted, ground and prepared, and then applied externally. It then repeats the procedures of taking the tails of two female birds, burning and refining them for ingestion, and placing the left eyebrow in wine to be drunk.

“Unable to rise in old age” means that one is elderly and frail, and finds it hard to rouse oneself or get up. The section then introduces a liquid made from dianji (a kind of plant).

The method is as follows. Take three dou of dianji cut into pieces about one cun long, nodes included, and boil it in water. Use the harder, noded parts of huancao (a plant used for fuel) as the fuel. After the water comes to a boil, put out the fire, let the contents settle, and then continue boiling. If this procedure is not followed, two and a half dou of dianji may be used instead. Put the decoction into an old earthenware vessel, add two dou of steamed shumi (a relatively sticky grain), and wait until it ferments and matures. When the liquid turns sour, take one sheng and drink it close to the place where one lies down. The text also notes that the juice may be strained off and then poured over again with the liquid so that it becomes sweet-and-sour before drinking. The scripture says that this liquid enables a person to recover quickly and get up.

The method of making wine mentioned at the beginning has missing characters, so its exact content cannot be determined. In preparing li (sweet wine), millet, rice, and similar ingredients are taken and brewed; once the rice li is ready, a moderate amount is drunk every morning.

If one finds it difficult to get up in the morning, rice porridge may be cooked in the morning and eaten hot until one is full. Done in this way, one will be able to rise after two days. Thereafter, rice porridge may continue to be used for restorative care. There is also a passage on drinking water: one drink should not follow another too closely; if a certain regimen has already been carried out, cold water may be sprinkled over the body and water then drunk. After eating and drinking, one practices exhalation and inhalation and the circulation of Qi (vital energy) as the text describes: first breathe Qi out over the mouth, then tilt the head back, then slowly exhale through the nose, and then regulate the breath. The end of the text notes that this method also applies to the elderly, but the specific procedure is incomplete because of missing characters in the original.

A further method of taking the preparation is added: on the fifteenth day of the fifth month, gather lai and lan, dry them in the shade, and grind them; then grind white pine resin, take equal parts of it and of the former, and carefully wrap them in a leather pouch. Take it once a day, each time a three-finger pinch of the powder, placed in wine and drunk. The text says that this practice helps to strengthen the body and to make the circulation of Qi and blood smooth, and that it may be taken both morning and evening.

Chan: On the fifteenth day of the fifth month, gather 乡軵, place it in the yao, and fill the yao full. The yao is five… long; … it, set it in a yan (an ancient steaming vessel), and steam it with a ji between. After it … upon the ze, take it out and repeat …. When … cannot be known [the original is damaged here and cannot be reliably interpreted], take from the medicinal substance in the yao an amount the size of one grain of millet,  [the final character is missing].

The first item: In the fifth month … prepare fuling (Poria); when it turns yellow, then …. The yao is five… long; … it, set it in the yan, and steam it with a ji between. After it … upon the ze, take it out and repeat …. When … cannot be known [the original is damaged here and cannot be reliably interpreted], take from the medicinal substance in the yao an amount the size of one grain of millet,  [the final character is missing].

The first method: in the fifth month gather poria (Fuling), and when it has just turned yellow… … prepare a generous amount and store it carefully.

Another method: to treat the middle region… … this vinegar….

Brewing wine to drink: soak wheat in three dou of good wine…, and drink it once it has been brewed into wine. For a man…, boil xie (Chinese chive) in sweet liquor and take it.

Treating the genital region: take one male…, use it raw and pound it…, then dry it in the shade and grind it to powder. The amount used is comparable to… …. Let the medicinal liquid soak dried meat for three days, eat a four-cun length of the dried meat, and it is said that one should continue for sixty-five times.

Another method: take twenty wasps, put them into one cup of sweet wine…, and drink it at noon; it is said to show effect after ten times. As for the result….

Another method: take one hundred wasps and soak them for a day and a night in one cup of good sauce. Remove them, then mix the soaking liquid into moist porridge or dry provisions, and at each meal wash down, with wine, a dose the size of a three-finger pinch.

Lü Ledao of Pingling said: remove the worms from river snails, dry them in the shade, and grind them to powder. If one intends to use twenty portions, take seven pinches; if one intends to use ten portions, take three pinches, and wash them down with one cup of wine.

Wheat-and-eggs: a person who takes this over a long period beats… eggs into wine every morning and first drinks one portion. On the second day drink two portions, and on the third day three portions; then again drink one portion, two portions on the following day, and three on the day after that. Continue in this way until two… eggs have been used up. It is said to make a person robust and improve the complexion.

Another method: in the eighth month gather the fruit of tulu, dry it in the shade, peel out the kernels, grind them to powder, and wrap them in leather. In spring, mix the powder with the liquid of a female bird’s egg, roll it into pills the size of mouse droppings, dry them in the shade, place eight pills in bean sauce, and eat them with meals.

Another method: in spring take one bird’s egg, beat it into… dry roasted grain, roll it into pills the size of ox lice, and eat them in quantity; this is said to be beneficial.

Another method: …. What has already… dried….

Treating the genital region: soak… … in sauce and place it inside.

Sprinkling the man (which, according to the sense of the text, means helping a man become robust): … three dou, and soak one dou of catalpa fruit in it. After five days use it to “sprinkle the man”; it is said to make a man robust. Eating more of it is said to be beneficial.

Another method: …. What has already… dried….

Treating the genital region: soak… … in sauce and place it inside.

Sprinkling the man: … three dou; soak one dou of catalpa fruit for five days, and use it to help a man become robust.

Scorching (heat-stimulation therapy): it is said that on the fifteenth day of the fifth month one takes boluo, soaks it…, wraps it in cloth, dries it in the shade, and then… heats it. As for the result….

Another method: take dried ginger, cassia, biaotiao, snake…, and other medicinal materials in equal amounts, grind them to powder, and blend them with honey or jujube fat into pills about the size of a fingertip. Wrap each pill in loosely woven cloth, place it in the genital region, and let it produce a feeling of warmth.

Another method: in the fifth month take three dou of puboluo and two dou of peach fruit, pound them together, put them into an earthenware jar, and pour in three dou of good vinegar. Seal the lid and bury the jar so that its mouth lies about three cun below the ground; seal the top tightly and level it with the surface. Heat and steam it by day without letting the fire go out. After four days remove it and strain off the dregs. Soak three chi of cloth in the medicinal liquid, dry it in the shade, and soak it again, repeating until the liquid is used up. Wrap the cloth carefully so that it does not crease. For use, take a piece the size of the palm and insert it into the nostril; it will itch slightly and feel warm. Applied to the arm, it makes the arm itch intensely, grow stiff, and feel hot. Do not let the medicinal liquid touch the face, or the itching will be unbearable. The amount of cloth may be increased or decreased in this same proportion.

Sweet and pleasant food is added to the liquid of the Jing (scripture/classic); the dregs are strained off, and the juice is used to soak and nourish a xi (the name of an animal, though exactly which one is unclear). It is then given to a woman to eat, so that she finds it sweet and agreeable. Ox cheek is dried by roasting and ground fine; dried ginger and jungui (a spice) are added, and all of this is placed together in a pouch, soaked in vinegar, and then put into the body.

Another method is to take the liquid and make a stew with beef or venison for eating, and to have the woman herself reach her hand into her jie-[illegible] (the original character is unclear, and what it refers to is unknown).

There is yet another method: pare off a soft material, remove the harmful parts on it, then chop it fine and boil it in water. Once the odor has dispersed and the broth has cleared, take the liquid, filter out the turbid portion, and boil the clear liquid until it has cooked dry. After it is dry … set it aside for a moment, then sprinkle it with water, prop up seven or eight … and taste [illegible] (the end of the text is missing, and the exact procedure is hard to determine).

The first method: take a bird that lays eggs but does not incubate them, and use one part of it to feed four parts of something else. After the material has been wetted by splashing, set it in a shady place to dry; once it is dry, continue the process.

Another technique: take a house gecko (shougong, a wall lizard). After treating it very thoroughly by the prescribed means, bury it beneath an opening to the stated depth. Wet it by splashing with water, set it in a shady place to dry, and continue once it is dry.

Another technique: take a house gecko, treat it very thoroughly by the prescribed means, and bury it beneath an opening at the stated depth. Use water to extract its juice, then use that juice to stain a woman’s arm. When the woman becomes intimate with a man, the stain is damaged; at that point, he departs.

Place a house gecko in a new jar, then put the jar into a cinnabar vessel (a container for cinnabar) and let the gecko eat what is inside. After it dies, grind the remains and draw a pattern on the woman’s arm or body. When she later becomes intimate with a man, the pattern does not appear. The text then turns to removing hair.

To remove hair, first bathe in fresh milk, washing the lower body before bathing the whole body. The fine, soft hair will then fall away.

Another method: boil the neck of a white infant together with earthworms, mix in spiderweb and bitter gourd, quench the mixture with an iron implement to obtain the juice, and apply that juice to the affected place.

Another method: in the fifth month, gather the indicated substance and apply it with sweet wine.

For severe swelling, grind willow bark, work it together with fat or ointment, and apply it to the swollen area. After healing, wrap the place in cloth.

To facilitate sexual intimacy, the prescription is as follows. Cut dianji root into one-inch sections, take twenty-three sections, and wash them thoroughly. Then take a wholly black male creature, fold its wings closed, and take the hearts, brains, and chests of three of the indicated animals. Boil them with two sheng of water in an old iron steamer. Use firm reeds with closely spaced nodes as fuel and bring the mixture to a full boil once. Remove it, discard the dregs, and use the medicinal liquid to boil the heart, lungs, and liver of a wholly black male dog raised for more than one year. Firm, closely noded reeds and jue are among five ingredients. These are eaten as food, in whatever quantity is desired.

The first kind treats a certain symptom that follows recent sexual intimacy (jinnei, after intercourse). Take plantain herb, steam it while still fresh, and use two large handfuls. Place the plantain in a cloth bag. When it is to be taken, simply remove some and eat it.

One method for treating “zhong”: Take the part of fenqun gathered just as it begins to grow, dry it in the sun, and then dry it in the shade. Once it is dry, combine it with five parts of barnyard millet, two parts of mendong, and one part of poria, and pack the mixture in a cloth bag. When it is to be taken, simply remove some and eat it.

Another method for treating “zhong”: Take the part of fenqun gathered just as it begins to grow, dry it in the sun, and then dry it in the shade. Once it is dry, combine it with five parts of barnyard millet, two parts of mendong, and one part of poria. Pound them together and soak them in just enough water to cover the herbs. Strain off the liquid and use it to soak grave fungus, again with only enough water to cover it. Then remove it, dry it in the sun until it is completely dry, and grind it. Each dose is a pinch taken up between three fingers, swallowed with half a cup of liquid.

Jin (a therapy of rubbing the body with a cloth)

Take a creature able to serve this purpose, and while it is still fresh and alive pluck out its hair, leaving only the tips of its two wings. Tie it to a pole and let it rub against a beehive. If the hive is large, let it continue; once it has been frightened, move it elsewhere so that it dies. After death, strip away the outer parts, take its flesh, pound and work it carefully, and dry it on cloth in the sun. When it is dry, mix in jujube fat—an oil or paste made from jujubes—and spread it on a cloth. Then rub the feet with the cloth four or five times and stop. Two cloths make one course of treatment. For a person whose feet lack Qi (vital energy) and strength, this method can increase that Qi and strength.

One method for treating “jin”: Take yangsi, dry it on cloth in the sun, then mix in jujube fat and spread it on a cloth. Rub the feet with the cloth four or five times and stop. Two cloths make one course of treatment. For a person whose feet lack Qi and strength, this method can increase that Qi and strength.

The first method is to make a kind of cloth. Take one sheng of yangsi, one sheng of red ants, and twenty ban-[character form unclear], and soak them together with half a dou of fine [name of substance unclear]. After covering the mixture, [text unclear], draw off the liquid and soak one chi of fine cloth in it. Once the cloth is thoroughly saturated, dry it in the sun, then soak it once more. When the liquid is used up, take the sap of the paper-mulberry and the yitong tree [text unclear], apply it to the soaked cloth, and, after it has dried, store it carefully. When needed, rub it against the yuce (a staff or tally made of jade), and the horse will be startled. Yangsi [description of form unclear] resembles a small [name unclear] and stings people.

The second method: [opening of the formula unclear]. Take two and a half dou of linben, one pinch of panshi (about as much as can be grasped with three fingers), and five sticks of cassia twig, [text unclear]; then take half a [unit of measure unclear] of pu-[name of substance unclear]. Using the xiuzai [a sour seasoning or liquid] prepared in the third month, boil it until fully cooked; [text unclear], bring it to a boil, and then, with a cloth, lightly [action or part unclear]. [Final clause], it stings people.

The third method uses the same ingredients as the second. Using the xiuzai [a sour seasoning or liquid] prepared in the third month, boil it until fully cooked; [text unclear], bring it to a boil, then cover its [part unclear] with a cloth and take the juice. Done in this way, it can make the skin firm and keep it from sagging, and can also render a man’s zu [condition unclear].

The first method: Take two qiu pods (the seed pods of a kind of plant), pound them, drench them with three parts of water, sort them carefully, and soak them in a cloth. When the time comes, take them out, dry them □□□, and soak them again and again.

The second method: Shade-dry the kidneys of a male rat and pound them; blend in eggs of the yi bird, and spread the mixture on a new cloth. [Illegible character.] Use it to dab men and women.

The third method: Take one dou of fuying and divide it into two portions. Soak one portion in zai and dry it in the sun. In winter set it on [illegible character], boil it to a full rolling boil, and at once remove the fuxuan, □□□□. Treat the rest according to the preceding method, then use it to soak the cloth until the liquid is used up. When this is finished, [illegible character] and soak the cloth, and use it to dab the man, so that the woman too may [illegible character].

The fourth method: Place luo on [illegible character], boil it to a full rolling boil, and at once remove the fuxuan, □□□□. Treat the rest according to the preceding method, then use it to soak the cloth until the liquid is used up. When this is finished, [illegible character] and soak the cloth, and use it to dab the man, so that the woman too may [illegible character].

The fifth method: Take four dou of luo, four dou of fine lao, one quarter sheng of tianmu, taoke (the down on the peach fruit when it is still small, about the size of a jujube), fourteen heads of male lou, and half a sheng of □□□□□□□□□, and soak them all together in the lao. When they have soaked, draw off the juice and soak it with □□□ cloth □□ until the juice is used up. □ Use it: if, while it is wet, one □□ handles the jade scepter (yuce), then the horse grows spirited. What is called tianshe is a □□□ that feeds on peach and plum blossoms. Taoke is the down on the peach fruit when it is small. The male lou is the xiequan □□□□□□□□□□□□□. The form of □□ resembles gan skin.

The sixth method: Burn □fu, and stretch the cloth over its □□□□□□□□□□□□, where there is □□□□□. Wipe and rub the woman with the cloth, and only then does the horse [illegible character].

Lightening the body and increasing strength.

The first method: One who wishes the body to be light and vigorous takes what a person □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□, together with □, and makes of it something to be taken after meals. In spring and autumn □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□, take four dou of each, and together with □□□ regulate and nourish □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□ [illegible character].

“Clearing the center and benefiting Qi” (chuzhong yiqi) means regulating the middle burner and replenishing vital energy and strength. Much of the text that follows in the original is missing. The surviving words mention taking a certain material, preparing it as food, and taking it after meals; they also record the use of four dou in each of the spring and autumn seasons, and the nourishing of the body with a certain substance. Because of these gaps, the specific materials and methods cannot be determined.

These formulas are collectively called “chu zhong yi qi,” referring to the replenishment of the middle Qi (vital energy) and the strengthening of physical vigor by means of medicines and ingestion. The original text contains many damaged words and phrases; what follows interprets only the content that survives. In the text, “ye” means to grind or pound, “cuo” means to pinch up a small amount with the fingers, and “hou fan” means to take the dose after a meal; “yin gan” means to dry away from sunlight, and “wan” means to make into pills.

One formula has various animal meats and fats dried in the shade and ground, with a three-finger pinch taken at each dose. Another lists avian medicinal materials, zexie, zhu (a medicinal of the cangzhu or baizhu type), sour jujube, and the like; after grinding, these are blended with pine resin and made into pills to be taken after meals, and the dose may be increased or decreased as appropriate.

One formula calls for gathering wan (the name of a medicinal herb) in spring and autumn, drying it in the shade and grinding it, then grinding the seeds of dongkui; the two are used together and taken in the amount of a three-finger pinch, and are said to replenish the middle Qi. There is also a formula in which several ingredients, including fangfeng, are ground, and a three-finger pinch is taken after meals.

One method is to slice beef thinly, place pieces of bixie (the name of a medicinal) one cun long between the beef, bring them to a boil, take them off the fire and boil them again, repeating this three times, then remove the beef and eat it. The broth and the bixie are kept and used again to cook meat; after this has been repeated three times, the medicinal is discarded. The original text states that in this way a person may gradually grow strong without being harmed, and may eat as much beef as desired.

Another formula dries bai yuanben (the name of a medicinal) in the shade and grinds it, then blends it with horse sauce into pills the size of a fingertip; the later wording on preparation and use is damaged. There are also formulas that grind and combine medicinals such as mandong, xie (the written form is damaged), and fangfeng.

One formula grinds jungui (a medicinal of the cinnamon type), xixin, qiu, oyster, and qinjiao in set amounts, and a three-finger pinch is taken after meals; it is said to make a person strong.

The remaining records include grinding medicinals while wet and then storing them, for those who have drunk wine and eaten their fill to smell; mixing medicinals and processing them with materials such as the blood of a rooster, then wrapping them in cloth; and formulas prepared from spotted animals gathered in autumn, animal juices, and the like. These passages are damaged in many places, so that the specific drug names, steps of preparation, and methods of use cannot be fully identified.

At the end is recorded a medicine made with the meat of a large male rabbit, bixie, zhu, and other ingredients: the rabbit meat is skinned and the intestines removed, the medicinals are placed inside the meat, it is dried in the shade for a hundred days, and it is then wrapped and stored. After each meal a three-finger pinch is taken; the original text says this can keep a person strong for many years. The wording on use in the final sentence is still incomplete.

The first item calls for four medicinal ingredients—xixin, dried ginger, jungui, and wuhui—each ground and prepared separately. Four parts of xixin are used, and two parts each of dried ginger, jungui, and wuhui. Once mixed, a pinch taken between three fingers is used each time as a medicine to be taken after meals. It can supplement Qi (vital energy) and give the complexion a moist luster.

The second item calls for two liang each of baifu, hongfu, and fuling, ten pieces of fresh ginger, and three chi of cassia, each ground and prepared separately and then blended with two dou of pure, mellow vinegar. Separately, take ten □ of carcass meat from an executed horse and carefully slice it into thin pieces about a finger’s width in thickness. Soak the slices in the vinegar, turn them repeatedly, then remove and drain them. After draining, air-dry them in the shade and then dry-roast them. Once □□□□ has come to a boil, soak and dry-roast them again by the same method until the vinegar is used up. Dry-roast them to the stage of □ preparation, then strike and cut them into sections with a mallet so that they become moist and glossy; dry-roast them once more □□□ until they attain a □ luster. Next, □□□□□□□□□□□□□ apply a lacquer coating to them, and when dry store them carefully. Eat three cun in the morning, during the day, and with the evening meal, in each case after first eating □□□□□□□□□□□□. □□□ After each has been ground and prepared separately, mix them in equal amounts to serve as a medicine taken after meals.

“Ge ye” means that the medicinal materials are processed or ground separately; “sanzhi cuo” is the amount pinched up with three fingers; and “hou fan” means that the medicine is taken after meals. In the original text, □ marks missing characters, and some steps of preparation cannot be fully deciphered.

The account titled “Yong Shao” (“Using Less”) states that young men have relatively little desire, and that the Jing (essence) and blood within the body may be taken, blended, and made into pills the size of sour jujubes, to be taken before meals. After a single dose, the therapeutic effect described in the original text appears. The formula that follows is fragmentary, and the specific medicinal ingredients and their quantities cannot be determined.

The account titled “Zhi Li” (“Treating Strength”) states that blood is taken, blended, and made into pills the size of sour jujubes, to be taken before meals. The original text claims that a single dose produces results. The formula that follows is likewise fragmentary. In another passage, only wording such as “the body itches or does not itch” can be made out; the rest of the content is missing.

The account titled “Hei Fa” (“Blackening the Hair”) is a method for turning the hair black and augmenting primordial Qi (vital energy). The text that follows concerns the processing of medicinal materials, the control of heat, preparation and grinding, and wrapping, but much of the writing is fragmentary. One can only discern references to sustained heating with fire, grinding to prepare the medicine, and such content as “the eighth month serves as the medicine.”

Making sweet liquor. In the brewing, one and a half jin of gypsum are used, and medicinal materials such as “□ben” and niuxi (Achyranthes root) are then added; the exact quantities and the subsequent steps contain missing characters. The general sense of the original is that two dou of liquid are added to the medicinal materials, the juice is taken, and the result is then treated according to the method described.

Increasing physical strength. This formula is used to clear uncomfortable Qi (vital energy) from the heart and chest. The fruit from within the pods of the pagoda tree is taken and used according to the method stated in the original. If intense itching is felt, the dosage is reduced; if there is no sensation of itching, the dosage is increased, so that the body reaches a state of slight itching or of no itching. The specific intermediate steps contain missing characters.

Prolonging life. In the valleys around Taishi and Shaoshi there is a kind of stone called pianshi (“paired stone”). The smaller pieces among them are taken and used according to the formula; if itching occurs, the dosage is adjusted so that the body is slightly itchy or not itchy. The wording in the formula concerning the concrete method of use is fragmentary.

Another longevity formula says: take the dried meat that has come off a xingma (the name of a horse, or of a kind of horse; the original is unclear), combine it with one sheng of wuhui (a poisonous medicinal material, usually referring to herbs of the aconite type), soak them in strong wine, and then strain off the dregs. Separately prepare medicinal materials such as mendong (Ophiopogon), five portions each of bixie and niuxi, and add drugs including pagoda-tree pods, jiegeng (Platycodon), and hou□; grind them together, soak them in four dou of strong wine without removing the dregs, and wrap them in a leather bag. When taking the medicine, use a three-finger pinch each time and swallow it before meals. The original states that after six mo taken continuously, physical strength can be increased and life prolonged; the precise dosages and several drug names cannot be determined because of damage to the text.

After mica, pine resin, and the other medicinal substances have been refined, roll them into pills with wheat flour. While making them, do not touch the pills directly with the hands. Form each pill about the size of a sour jujube, then take and swallow one pill. Increase the dose by one pill each day for ten consecutive days; thereafter decrease it by one pill each day for another ten consecutive days. Taken repeatedly by this method of increasing and decreasing the dose, the preparation can prolong life and slow aging.

Laoli Zhong (a medicinal wine, or a formula for taking medicine): Take stems of the lacquer tree and combine them in equal measure…… Take four and a half dou of the clear juice, prepare it at the time of…… and then use it for brewing. Take eight pieces of smoked wuhui (aconite)…… Take lacquer and nodes…… place them in the wine, and carefully seal the mouth of the jar so that…… After the brew has matured, process it further with……

The first formula: Take nine dou…… First place two sheng of…… into it; after ten days, refine it…… Remove it from the vessel…… Taken for one hundred days, it can leave the intestines free of disease.

The first method is to brew a medicinal wine. Chop the slender twigs and nodes of the lacquer tree into small pieces, taking one dou of each. Soak them in water, then use the liquid drawn off to boil ziwei and other materials. Next add one dou each of qu (ferment) and wheat qu. After these have been prepared according to the season, soak grains such as millet and rice, one dou of each, and moisten them with the qu liquid, proceeding as in the ordinary cooking of grain.

Take wuhui (three pieces, a medicinal of the aconite type), five portions of dried ginger, and a certain medicinal that has been scorched. After these three ingredients have been lightly prepared, put them in. First place the medicines in a ying (a wide-mouthed pottery vessel for holding wine), then lay the brewed millet mash on top, pour the qu liquid evenly over it, and sprinkle on a further ten dou of good wine. Do not stir, and seal the mouth of the ying. After the time required to cook ten meals of grain, add wuhui, dried ginger, and the scorched medicinal again in the same way, and place the millet mash, the qu liquid, and the good wine into the ying in that order. Again do not stir, and seal the mouth. After eleven days the wine has matured.

When the ying is opened, do not strain the contents. Let the clear wine flow out slowly until it runs dry; then add more wine and pour it through, repeating this three times. Drink one cup with meals. If the body itches after drinking, the affected places may be rubbed and massaged. Taken for one hundred days, it is said to brighten the eyes, sharpen the hearing, and strengthen the four limbs, and it can treat certain illnesses as well as pianku (paralysis of one side of the body).

Treatment

Take four dou of snails and soak them in vinegar for two days. Remove the snails, then use the snail liquid to soak a certain kind of meat. Dried dog meat and the like are likewise soaked in the snail liquid; afterward… It is said that eating one cun of the dried meat allows one to overcome a single person, and that eating ten cun allows one to overcome ten people.

Zhejiao

Burn the xiu to ash and grind it fine. Wrap the ash in a certain kind of ox. This can bring about “xihu zhejiao” and increase one’s strength. The meanings of “zhejiao” and “xihu” here are unclear.

Walking

Take one small bundle each of feilian, fangkui, shiwei, jiegeng, and ziwei, and three pieces of wuhui (a poisonous medicinal plant). The text that follows is damaged in many places. Then take five cun of… a white teng-snake, or a gray-green geng-snake three or four cun long; a number of further characters cannot be made out. Grind each ingredient fine, blend them with a certain substance, or form them into pills like jujube paste, the size of sheep droppings, and take a dose every fifty li. The later text mentions “yinjun chu Luo…” and “seven hundred”; the original is fragmentary.

Walking

Take one small bundle each of feilian, fangkui, shiwei, jiegeng, and ziwei, and three pieces of wuhui. Many characters below are missing. The passage seems to refer again to the zhejiao procedure described above, and it says that the preparation can increase one’s strength.

Another version

Take five parts of wuhui and three parts of longkui, together with set amounts of shiwei, fangfeng, and futu, and dry them in the shade. …Remove the… from them. After the five medicinal ingredients have been prepared, place them in wine and soak them for a full day and night, then strain off the dregs. Use the resulting medicinal liquid to soak rice that has been washed. After the time it takes to eat a meal… dry it in the air; once it is dry… dry it again, repeating the process until the medicinal liquid is used up.

Another version

Take two parts of wuhui and one part of… bone of “Beinan Chenyang…,” grind them fine, and wrap them in three layers of fine, white, new cloth. Horse fat… a fat chicken… Then boil a kind of roof moss that grows to about the length of a middle finger, and put it into the… liquid. Remove the moss and place it in a pouch. …Afterward discard it and bury the… dregs. When setting out on a journey, soak the preparation, and, facing east, draw a cup of water and set it…; wait until… then take it out, and drink it after seeing the sun. The original is damaged in many places here, and the exact steps cannot be confirmed.

These passages involve various medicinal ingredients and procedures such as ingestion and soaking. Among them, “wuhui” is the name of a poisonous plant. The above merely restates the surviving text and should not be used as a basis for preparing or taking any such preparation.

Grow the moss until it is as long as a middle finger, and soak it in the juice of. After the moss is taken out, place it in a bag; later discard it and bury the residue. Afterward, when setting out, soak it with, then take one cup of eastward-flowing water, put in, and, once has passed, drink it while facing the sun.

One account says: take dog, three, and half a portion of wuhui (a poisonous plant of the aconite type); grind them and make them into.

Another account says: a person who must hurry on the road takes, consumes one dou (a traditional Chinese measure of volume), and then takes.

One account says: soak it in dark, overcast weather and dry it in the sun by day; after it has been used,, and one may then walk a hundred li.

When traveling and taking lodging, recite to oneself: “South of the great mountains, Heaven; is before me; the city walls are incomplete; use the Golden Pass.” Then perform the Yubu (the Daoist pacing method of pausing every three steps), say, “With fresh thorn two cun long,” and circle about the center while drawing a ring.

Another account says: face east and call out, “I respectfully announce to the Lord of the East, the Bright Star (a deity or stellar spirit of the east): the one who dares come to the place where the circle is drawn and tread upon that broken tile—who is it?” Then likewise circle about the center.

One who wishes to walk quickly and get ahead may take the xi (hemp fiber or cloth) used by a woman who has never had sexual union with a man and carry it in the bosom; when a whirlwind is seen, cast it into the wind. After the wind stops, then and wear it on the body.

Swift travel. To hurry quickly along the road, one may take the xi from an oxcart and carry it on the body; if one wishes to walk fast, tie it tightly.

One account says: if one wishes the feet not to hurt while walking, wait until the wind has stopped and then carry it on the body.

Swift travel. To hurry quickly along the road, one may take the xi from an oxcart and carry it on the body; if one wishes to walk fast, tie it tightly.

One account says: if one wishes the feet not to hurt while walking, face south, perform the Yubu three times, and recite, “What water never dries up, and what road is never exhausted? Let me.” Finally, take protruding ink and place it in the shoes. under Heaven the source. Where there is Qi (vital energy), one can live; where there is no Qi, one dies. This is. If there is fury yet erection does not occur, it is because the Qi of the skin and flesh is insufficient; if there is erection but it is not firm, it is because sinew-strength is insufficient; if it is hard but not hot, it is because Qi is insufficient. If one forces the act when the Qi of the skin and flesh is insufficient, it will droop; if one proceeds when sinew-strength is insufficient, one will draw back; if one proceeds when Qi is insufficient, one will grow slack. Therefore the sage must.

Tang of Shang traveled to the Jasper Terrace and arranged in the Southern Palace, asking how, in the sexual union of man and woman, the condition of both parties might be brought into harmony without injury to the body. The reply was: what benefits life is food and drink, and what harms procreation is unrestrained desire; therefore the sage must have a method. The methods include: the first, called “junchu” (river-deer butting); the second, “yuanju” (grasping and holding); the third, “chanfu” (cicada clinging); the fourth, “chanzhu” (the toad); the fifth, “yuzuo” (fish nibbling); the sixth, “qingling” (the azure spirit); and the seventh, “tuwu” (hare darting). There are also such names as “yunshi” (cloud stone), “hu ” (gourd), “zhuohun” (washing away the dusk), and “fu ” (crouching).

In addition, attention is given to different movements—high and low, left and right, deep and shallow—and to such manners as “huo,” “biting,” “,” and “shaking.” Essentials such as “settling the flavor,” “bringing forth Qi,” “laboring the substantial,” and “the proper seasons and times” are also mentioned.

In the □ discourse it is said: On an auspicious day in the third month, Yu entered the Xuan chamber (the name of a room or palace hall). His appearance and complexion became robust and handsome, as if he had recovered the vigor of his youth. After E saw him... within the month there were those who set things in order, struck, and thereby made something manifest... not one of those people had failed already to... bear a vital, heroic air.

People of today... My beard and eyebrows have already withered and changed; my blood and Qi (vital energy) are insufficient, and there is no pleasure in my heart... I do not wish to speak. The king's countenance... amid the stupor there came again some awakening. Southern E... the woman... could not stop. Western E... Yu said: The illness has already taken firm hold. If one still cannot stop, I fear that excess will leave one unable to awaken. Lesser E replied... Yu asked her the reason for this.

Lesser E stepped forward and answered, "A woman's pleasure... In childhood there was illness: the breath would suddenly surge and then suddenly decline, and the wholesome Qi within the body could not be harmonized." Yu said, "Well spoken! I wish, through the Dao (the Way) of uniting Qi (a method of nurturing life by the sexual union of man and woman), to make men and women abundant in offspring. How should this be done?" Lesser E said, "In every case, the Dao of uniting Qi must..." She added, "Why do you not... Let the breath neither grow congested nor suddenly surge and suddenly decline; bring the wholesome Qi into harmony." Yu said, "Well spoken!"

As for my blood and Qi now... Take what is deep and rich, and use it to replenish the five viscera... at night... white... from the upper left down toward the lower right, and do not be impatient for quick success.

“Shiyin” concerns methods of harmonizing the breath and moving the body through diet and daoyin (guiding exercises). Diet continually affects the yin Qi and yang Qi (vital energy) within the body, and so it must be combined with daoyin. The text mentions drawing the body toward the right while bending the left foot.

“Quegu shiqi” discusses bigu (abstention from grain) and fuqi (the ingestion of Qi). Those who practice bigu eat shiwei, and gradually increase and decrease the amount in accordance with the phases of the moon: beginning on the new-moon day (the first day of the lunar month), they add one segment each day until the fifteenth day, when they stop; from the sixteenth day they reverse the adjustment, reducing by one segment each day until the last day of the month, when the original amount is restored, so that the changes correspond to the waxing and waning of the moon. If one feels heavy in the head, light in the feet, or otherwise unwell, one regulates this with “xuchui” (a breath-regulation method of exhaling and blowing), and stops once one feels comfortable.

Those who eat grain consume material food, while those who ingest Qi rely mainly on breathing and on exhalation and inhalation. When practicing xuchui, one adjusts the Qi in the course of exhaling. The scripture also prescribes the number of morning and evening breathing exercises according to age—for example, a person of twenty performs twenty times each morning and evening, and a person of thirty performs thirty times each morning and evening—and one practices according to these numbers. Practice in spring likewise adopts the corresponding numbers.

The scripture lists, by season, the climatic Qi that should be avoided, and says that one may nourish oneself with clear, gentle Qi such as zhaoxia (morning glow) and hangxie (the vapor of night dew). In spring one should avoid zhuoyang, in summer tangfeng, in autumn shuangwu (frost and mist), and in winter lingyin; these are considered unsuitable to take in. Zhuoyang is turbid Qi that spreads in all directions, and also includes the mist at sunrise; tangfeng is a scorching wind that causes a person to suffer heat; lingyin is cold Qi whose chill penetrates deep into the bones. Names such as zhaoxia refer to the clear Qi that the scripture says may be used for nourishment.

The scripture further uses the analogy “those who eat grain eat the square; those who eat Qi eat the round”: eating grain corresponds to the “square” and symbolizes earth, while eating Qi corresponds to the “round” and symbolizes heaven. The text that follows continues to distinguish the various kinds of Qi according to season, day and night, and climate, and links “fu” of different colors with such Qi as zhaoxia, leiguang, and shuyang, explaining that in nourishing oneself one should discern changes in the climate and avoid inhaling Qi that is unsuitable.