《上清洞真九宮紫房圖》

The Shangqing Dongzhen Jiugong Zifang Tu (Scripture of the Nine Palaces and Purple Chambers of Supreme Clarity's Cavern of Perfection) describes the distribution of nine major palaces in the human head and their corresponding divine system:

From the forehead to the back of the head, the nine palaces are arranged in sequence: Three-tenths of an inch above the space between the eyebrows lies the Shoucun Shuangtian (Upper Dantian Palace). One inch inward is the Mingtang Palace (Hall of Light), two inches the Dongfang Palace (Cavern Chamber), three inches the Dantian Palace (Elixir Field), four inches the Liuzhu Palace (Flowing Pearl), and five inches the Yudi Palace (Jade Emperor’s Abode). One inch above the Mingtang Palace is the Tianting Palace (Celestial Court), above the Dongfang Palace is the Jizhen Palace (Ultimate Truth), above the Dantian Palace is the Xuandan Palace (Mysterious Elixir), and above the Liuzhu Palace is the Taihuang Palace (Great Sovereign).

The three Dantian (energy centers) are specifically located as follows: the space between the eyebrows is the Upper Dantian Palace, the heart’s Jianggong (Scarlet Palace) is the Middle Dantian Palace, and three inches below the navel is the Lower Dantian Palace. The Upper Dantian houses the Chizi (Red Child, representing the primordial spirit, or Yuan Shen), the Middle Dantian is inhabited by the Zhenren (True Person, representing the Yang spirit), and the Lower Dantian is the residence of the Ying’er Dijun (Infant Lord, representing the primordial essence, or Yuan Jing).

Each palace is guarded by specific deities:

• The Shoucun Shuangtian contains structures such as the Huangque (Yellow Watchtower), Zihu (Purple Gate), Jiangtai (Scarlet Terrace), and Qingfang (Azure Chamber). The left and right ears correspond to the Jiangtai and Huangque, respectively, where two great deities stand guard, responsible for welcoming the comings and goings of perfected beings.
• The Mingtang Palace is jointly governed by the Mingtong Zhenjun (True Lord of Bright Youth, left), Mingnü Zhen’guan (True Official of Bright Maiden, right), and Mingjing Shenjun (Divine Lord of Bright Mirror, center). All three deities wear multicolored brocade robes, fasten crimson bells at their waists, and hold crimson mirrors in their mouths, appearing in the form of infants.
• The Dongfang Palace is co-ruled by three true deities: Wu Ying Gongzi (Lord of No Heroism, left), Bai Yuanjun (Lord of White Origin, right), and Huang Laojun (Lord of Yellow Elder, center). This palace serves as the path of ascension.
• The Dantian Palace is square-shaped, with each side measuring one inch.
• The Liuzhu Palace governs the movement of fate, embodying profound mysteries.
• The Yudi Palace is inhabited by the Yuqing Shenmu (Divine Mother of Jade Clarity), while the Tianting Palace is the dwelling of the Shangqing Zhennü (True Maiden of Supreme Clarity).

These palaces form an internal cultivation system within the human body, with their resident deities collectively maintaining the harmonious circulation of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) for practitioners.

The Shangqing Dongzhen Jiugong Zifang Tu (Scripture of the Nine Palaces and Purple Chambers in the Supreme Clarity Cavern of Perfection) describes the mystical architecture of nine sacred palaces within the human body and their resident deities:

The Palace of Ultimate Perfection (Jizhen Gong) serves as the abode of the Imperial Consort of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji Difei). The Palace of Mysterious Cinnabar (Xuandan Gong), measuring approximately one square inch, contains purple chambers and green sanctuaries filled with crimson mist. This domain is governed by the True Lord of the Great One of the Muddy Pellet (Niwang Taiyi Zhenjun) — a crucial deity residing in the head region. His appearance resembles a newborn infant. Seated upon a golden bed within jade curtains, he wears purple embroidered robes and carries the "Flaming Bell" at his waist. This ethereal bell, though formless, emits radiant red light; its chime resonates across a hundred thousand miles, being a treasured artifact of the Supreme Yellow Great One (Zhonghuang Taiyi Zhenren), the paramount deity of the Highest Clarity tradition.

The True Lord of the Great One sits alone in the Palace of Mysterious Cinnabar without attendants, hence his title "Great One True Lord." The text emphasizes that the "Three Ones" (referring to the upper, middle, and lower Dantian) constitute the spiritual foundation of the human body — the vital nexus of all deities, the source of bodily fluids, and the dwelling place of hun and po souls with their essential Qi (Jing-Qi). The stomach resembles a square vessel receiving nourishment, while the brain's rounded emptiness nurtures authentic Qi. At the pinnacle of cultivation, body hairs stand erect as pores emit mist, one's Virtue (De) merges with heaven and earth, and one's state aligns with the Dao. Thus this realm is called the "Muddy Pellet" (Niwang) — representing the highest divine manifestation within human form.

The scripture concludes by mentioning the Palace of Supreme Radiance (Taihuang Gong) as the residence of the Supreme Empress (Taishang Junhou), an important Daoist goddess. Through its metaphorical depiction of the body as sacred architecture, this passage expounds the Neidan (internal alchemy) concept of "deities within the body" and the locations of crucial energy centers.