《大丹直指》

The Great Master Qiu Chuji (founder of the Quanzhen lineage of Daoism) begins his Direct Instructions on the Great Elixir by elucidating: Ancient immortal scriptures state that observing the Dao's celestial movements and following nature's principles suffice. Heaven and earth originally existed as undifferentiated primordial Qi (vital energy). In supreme stillness, movement arose, dividing into the two energies of Yin and Yang—the light, clear Yang Qi ascended to form heaven, while the heavy, turbid Yin Qi descended to form earth.

These two energies maintain dynamic equilibrium: Celestial Qi (Yang) first descends to commune with terrestrial Qi, reaching its limit before rising again; terrestrial Qi (Yin) does not naturally ascend but is drawn upward by celestial Qi, only to descend again at its apex. This ceaseless rhythm of ascent and descent gives birth to sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and seas, which in turn nurture all beings. All creatures require the harmonious interplay of Yin-Yang energies for growth, and must further absorb the refined essences of sun and moon to reach maturity.

Though sun and moon follow fixed orbits, they require the regulating influence of the Big Dipper's Celestial Pivot star (known in Daoism as the "Great Sage of the Central Heaven"), specifically the seventh star Alkaid at the dipper's handle. As this pivot star shifts with the hours, it orchestrates the orderly movement of celestial bodies. It is precisely this precise cosmic rhythm that enables the perpetual regeneration of all life.

Humans share this celestial origin: Initially formed when parental Yin-Yang energies unite to create an embryonic pearl, containing innate primordial Yang Qi within, wrapped in vital essence and blood, connected to the mother via the umbilical cord. In the womb, the fetus:

• First develops kidneys, with other organs following sequentially
• By the tenth month, naturally covers its face with hands while the nine orifices remain closed
• Depends entirely on maternal nourishment, maintaining the undifferentiated purity of prenatal existence

When the fetus's Shen (spirit) and Qi reach fullness, the umbilical cord ceases transferring vital energies, and the infant turns head-down for birth. At the moment of separation:

• Hands spontaneously open
• Prenatal Qi disperses through the nine orifices
• Breathing shifts to mouth and nose

Thus the transition from prenatal celestial existence to postnatal earthly life is complete.

The primordial yang true Qi (pre-heaven yang Qi) stored at the point one cun and three fen: people have never become intimate with it; instead, deluded, they forget the original face (their true self-nature) and dissipate it at every moment, so that they fall ill and die young. Worry and anxious thought, joy and anger, sorrow and pleasure also wear it away. The navel is located within the human body and is called the Central Palace, the Mansion of Life; the Primal Chaos Spirit Chamber; the Yellow Court; the Dantian (energy center); the Spirit-Qi Cavity; the Orifice of Returning to the Root; the Pass of Restoring Life; the Primal Mist Orifice; the Baihui (Hundred Meetings) acupoint; the Gate of Life; the Taiyi Divine Furnace; the Original Face; and so on—it has many different names. This place contains Jing (essence) and marrow, connects the hundred vessels, and nourishes the whole body. It is pure and naked, utterly bare, with nothing that can be grasped or concealed. Ordinary people cannot draw near it because they are pulled about by the seven emotions and six desires and forget their original abode. The Qi of breathing reaches only the Qihai (Sea of Qi; here referring to the upper diaphragm and lung region) and moves back and forth. Since it cannot reach the Central Palace, the Mansion of Life, to connect with original Qi and true Qi, Metal and Wood remain separated from one another; how then can Dragon and Tiger copulate—a metaphor for the union of Water and Fire, Jing and Qi—and generate the pure? Nor do they know the pivot of circulation (what the Yinfu Jing calls “Heaven sends forth the killing mechanism” refers to this); how then can Qi and liquid circulate so as to refine Shen (spirit) and form? The heart belongs to Fire; within it is stored the Jing of true yang, named mercury, Wood, and Dragon. The kidneys belong to Water; within them is stored primordial yang true Qi, named lead, Metal, and Tiger. First cause the two Qi of Water and Fire to intersect above and below and to connect in their ascent and descent; use intention to draw them out, extract true Jing and true Qi, blend them in the Central Palace, and use Shen-fire—the fire of intention in Neidan (internal alchemy)—to cook and refine them, causing the Qi to circulate throughout the whole body. When Qi is full and Shen is strong, they form the Great Elixir. This not only brings long life and increased longevity; if one cultivates both merit and practice, one may ascend to the rank of sage. Respectfully and carefully, it is described in detail below. Every person is inherently complete; each is originally perfect.

The Diagram of the Reversal of the Five Phases and the Fire Timing of the Celestial Circuit discusses the reversal of the Five Phases and the fire timing of the celestial circuit. Heaven and Earth ascend and descend; the sun and moon come and go; one opening and one closing; advance and retreat, survival and destruction. The Yi says: “It is perhaps only the sage who understands advance and retreat, survival and destruction.” The Diagram of the Return and Recurrence of the Three Fields and Flying the Golden Jing Behind the Elbow discusses the return and recurrence of the Three Fields (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian) and flying the golden Jing behind the elbow. In the indistinct and vague there seems to be something; in the deep and dark there seems to be Jing. The clear is the source of the turbid; from this one gradually enters the true Dao (the Way). The Diagram of the Return and Recurrence of the Three Fields and the Golden Liquid Returning Elixir discusses the return and recurrence of the Three Fields and the Golden Liquid Returning Elixir. After the elixir is formed, the Qi of the five viscera naturally returns to the primordial true, refining the form and transforming the bones. The Diagram of Inner Observation, Raising Fire, Refining Shen, and Union with the Dao discusses inner observation, raising fire, refining Shen, and union with the Dao. This is the flame. The Formula and Diagram of the Reversal of the Five Phases and the Copulation of Dragon and Tiger is the oral formula for the reversal of the Five Phases and the copulation of Dragon and Tiger, together with an appended diagram.

The oral instructions say: The dragon is the true yang Qi (vital energy) that rises with the heart fluid; restrain it so that it does not leak upward, and when it meets kidney Qi it naturally joins with it. The tiger is the true one water within kidney Qi; restrain it so that it does not run away downward, and when it meets the heart fluid it naturally intermingles with it. When dragon and tiger copulate, one obtains a grain-like substance the size of a millet seed; this method is called “dragon-tiger copulation,” and by this alone the “medicine” (the substance gathered in alchemy) can be seen. In the method of gathering the medicine, people mostly practice at the zi hour, when kidney Qi arises, and at the wu hour, when the heart fluid descends. If nothing interferes, this is all right, but if there are affairs to attend to, one will miss it. They do not realize that one should emulate the wonder of Qian and Kun: the arousal of kidney Qi is precisely the zi hour, and the descent of the heart fluid is precisely the wu hour; one need not be bound by fixed times—practice can be done at any time.

The initial method is this: close the eyes and look inward at the central palace (Dantian, energy center); cut off worries and forget thoughts; calm the mind; let the mouth fill with saliva, neither spitting it out nor swallowing it. At this point one performs the practice of “drinking the daogui” (a metaphor for ingesting the elixir); there is another oral formula that I dare not write out explicitly. Slightly gather the body inward, but do not raise it upward; sit cross-legged with the legs folded, straighten the body, and sit upright (do not use the lotus position; simply sit as usual). With the left hand, scoop up and support the external kidneys (testicles); with the right hand, cover the gate of birth (the navel); block the Dui gate (the mouth); open the heavenly gate (the nose, which is the gate of the mysterious female); and one must cut it off with a single stroke (distracting thoughts). Then inhale through the nose (the in-breath corresponds to inhalation, breath, Yin, and water; it need only be soft, so that there is no sound within the nose), and with the intention gently send it into the central palace, all the way to the Weilü (the tip of the tailbone—what is called piercing open the Chaos Pool and splitting the Hongmeng aperture). When the Qi is full, gently release it from the Jiaji Three Passes (the three apertures along the back) through the nose (the out-breath corresponds to exhalation, dissolving, Yang, and fire; release it gently so that there is no sound in the ears); let the Qi come out by itself, but the intention must not leave the central palace (intention is nature, Shen (spirit), true earth, and the Yellow Dame). The inhaled breath enters the central palace and joins with the primordial yang true Qi (the scripture says: “Connect to the boundless Qi of heaven and earth; continue the limited body received from father and mother”—this is heaven and earth uniting in their De (Virtue/Power)). Cause the two Qi of water and fire to move up and down and to cooperate with each other (like the ascent and descent of heaven and earth), drawing together the true Qi in the kidneys (lead, tiger) and the wood in the heart (wood Qi).

This scripture elucidates the core practice of "dragon-tiger copulation" (longhu jiaogou) in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation. Here, the "dragon" refers to the true water (yang dragon) generated from the heart's fire, while the "tiger" signifies the true fire (yin tiger) produced from the kidney's water. During practice, these two forces must intermingle within the body's central palace (the yellow court, or Dantian region).

When the practitioner attains the state of "embryonic breathing" (taixi)—where respiration becomes subtle and the shen (spirit) and qi (vital energy) merge—a special energy called "Great Unity Embracing Truth" (taiyi han zhen) emerges within. Initially as small as a millet grain, this energy gradually coalesces through sustained practice. The practitioner may experience sensations like warmth in the Dantian and spontaneous saliva production, though these profound experiences defy verbal description.

The method emphasizes precise fire control (huohou): practicing once daily for three hundred days causes the internal energy to condense into a vermilion pellet—the Neidan (internal elixir). Just as a dragon gains flight with its pearl, so does a human achieve longevity through this elixir. Master Shi particularly clarifies that authentic dragon-tiger copulation pertains not to liver-lung functions but to the interplay of yin-yang energies between heart and kidneys.

The text underscores the principle of mutual containment: yin harbors yang, and yang embraces yin. Practitioners who fail to grasp this mystery labor in vain. Through the inverted Five Phases method (reverse cultivation), the yang dragon arises from the heart's fire (Li Palace) while the yin tiger manifests from the kidney's water (Kan Position). With persistent practice, the body's zhenqi (true qi) grows daily until the condensed "mysterious pearl" (Neidan) bestows extended life or even immortality.

Note: The phrase "winter solstice not at midnight" serves as a metaphor—true cultivation timing depends not on external hours but on discerning internal qi dynamics.

The moment when the two entities Yin-Yang intersect is the root of the Dao (the Way); only when the five directions—the directional positions of the Five Phases—have circulated completely does it acquire the name “elixir.” The Fire-Phases Diagram (Huohou tu) says: only when heart Qi (vital energy) circulates is there true fire. The “fire” referred to in circulating fire and conducting the phases denotes heart, Shen (spirit), nature, Li (the Li trigram, which belongs to fire), the sun, and intention. Earlier, when probing and gathering the medicinal substance and when the two Qi rise and descend, if intention is not used to guard the Central Palace (Zhonggong), how can the medicinal substance halt, and how can it circulate? The sage concealed this and returned the sun (the sun, fire) to the inch of earth (the Central Palace). The hours of Xu and Zi are in fact intention; the so-called coming and going of Shen and nature without fixed time, with no knowing of their direction, means precisely this. As soon as the two Qi rise and descend and one gathers the medicine, one then adds the time and circulates fire in the Central Palace. The Fire-Phases Diagram says: from the outside, gather the years, gather the months, gather the days, gather the hours, and place them in the center; the Jing (scripture) says, “The Dipper’s handle moves through the Zhou Tian; in humans, it is the ability to gather and cluster.” It also says that if the fire practice takes three thousand days, its wondrous use has no fixed method—a single time-period is enough. The Central Palace directly faces the Zi Palace (a Neidan [internal alchemy] term referring to the Dantian [energy center] region); with a single pointing of intention, one Yang naturally arises. The scripture says, “The moon’s fullness lies in oral instruction; the wonder of the Zi hour is transmitted from heart to heart.” The two Qi are like the two halves of the moon; when the two half-moons join, it becomes full. When intention reaches the Central Palace, that is the Zi hour.

Starting from the Fu hexagram (the first arising of one Yang), practice proceeds until the three Yang and the settling of both water and metal, when there is warmth from the bladder to the navel, corresponding to the Tai hexagram of Earth over Heaven. At this point one need only hold fast to not alighting on a single dust (no thinking, no conceptualizing); only then can the dragon and tiger copulate (the union of Yin and Yang Qi). Gradually Yang Qi rises upward until the whole body is warm throughout, corresponding to the Qian hexagram. The medicinal substance (a Neidan term referring to the Jing [essence] and Qi produced by cultivation) penetrates the crown, seething and rolling like wind and rain, like tides and waves. When the medicine is ripe and transforms into golden liquid, it descends naturally like a cold spring; this corresponds to the Gou hexagram. It gradually turns cool until it reaches Ji, corresponding to the Pi hexagram; the fire Qi in the Dantian gradually weakens, corresponding to the Bo hexagram—this is one Zhou Tian. This method is called the fire phases of the Zhou Tian.

When applying it at the time, slightly draw in the body, gently contract the ribs and abdomen, concentrate the breath and count to fix the measure of zhu and liang (the amount of fire phases), silently move the heart Qi down to the Dantian; let the nasal breath be continuous, as if present, and use it without exertion. One need only let intention remain constantly in the Central Palace; intention is the child of Shen, Shen is the mother of Qi; Shen drives Qi, and that Qi naturally enters from the Weilü cavity (at the lower end of the coccyx) into the three Jiaji passes (the gateways ascending along the spine), going straight up to the Lulu cavity and the Heavenly Pass (Tian Guan, located in the brain).

This passage explains the methods of "River Chariot Circulation" (Heche) and fire regulation in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) practice. During cultivation, the kidney Qi (northern upright energy) must be transported upward through the spine (River Chariot) to the crown of the head (Kunlun, or Muddy Pellet Palace), then returned to the lower Dantian (energy center), forming a cyclical movement. The key lies in using intention (ji) to activate the Celestial Pass (acupoint at the crown), achieving the mysterious state of "spiritual mechanism operating unseen."

The practice formula indicates that when Shen (spirit) and Qi combine, they form the embryonic form of the internal elixir, while breath settles below the navel to establish fetal respiration. Seasonal variations must be observed: four liang of fire in spring, six in summer, eight in autumn, and two in winter. For the practice of "Dragon-Tiger Copulation" (union of heart and kidneys), there are three phases: during the first hundred days, use five liang of fire from You to Hai hours (5-11 PM); the second hundred days require ten liang (3-11 PM); the third hundred days need fifteen liang (11 AM-11 PM). After three hundred days, the Golden Elixir (Jindan) coagulates, generating pure Yang energy. Fire regulation is measured using prayer beads—one hundred thoughts equal one zhu, and twenty-four zhu make one liang.

The essential principle states: only when intention transforms through abdominal circulation does it become true fire; only by combining saliva swallowing with breath regulation can the elixir coalesce. Master Shi (Huayang Zhenren) emphasizes: the heart belongs to Yang and governs fire, while the kidneys belong to Yin and govern water. During practice, heart Qi must descend to the Dantian ("advancing fire"). Regular practice replenishes deficiency and boosts Qi—one year's cultivation equals ten years of primordial energy restoration. The Dragon-Tiger method enables true Yin from kidneys and true Yang from heart to coalesce into millet-sized elixir. After three hundred days of sufficient fire regulation, Yin energy becomes internally refined, naturally harmonizing with the celestial cycle's fire phases.

The text clarifies: without Dragon-Tiger Copulation, ordinary health preservation uses only basic fire regulation; when combined with Dragon-Tiger practice, it becomes the elixir-refining method of "adding and subtracting fire"—five liang refines Jing (essence) into mercury, ten liang transforms mercury into elixir.

Cinnabar is brought to fifteen liang; when the cinnabar is refined into elixir, for three hundred days the fire timing (huohou) must not deviate by a hair, and naturally the elixir is completed. The Qi of pure Yang is generated. Refining the five viscera internally is called refining Qi into Shen (spirit); refining the four limbs externally is called refining the form and ingesting Qi. If one does not refine the five viscera or the four limbs, but simply completes the elixir, one may also naturally attain longevity. If one uses the method of refining the form and is called an earth immortal, form and spirit are both wondrous. If one uses the method of refining Qi and is called a divine immortal, one can abandon the shell and transcend the ordinary.

The Perfected One (zhenren) says: If one forges the physical form but does not engage in sexual union, the yin ghosts will grow strong. In firing the Golden Elixir, do not let the fire dragon fly away. When beautiful women and talented scholars are in their prime, even a meeting at dusk when flowers fall is difficult. Though it does not avoid the host’s liver and intestines being about to break, when the moment arrives one must close the Yangguan (the gate of Jing). If one does not practice fire timing or internal refining, this belongs to the method of small accomplishment.

Peace, joy, and prolonged life, with the three passes (sanguan) behind the back unobstructed, is called the return and repetition of the Three Fields (santian). Employing the Five Phases in the central palace is called the inversion of the Five Phases. Gradually entering middle accomplishment, this is the way of long life and deathlessness, called the land-bound immortal. If it is transmitted to an unworthy person, the guilt reaches back to nine generations of ancestors; be sure to be cautious, be sure to be cautious.

This method is called Zhouhou Fei Jinjing (Flying Golden Jing from Behind the Elbow). In this method, after the Zi hour and before the Wu hour, at the time when Qi arises, drape clothes and sit upright, use Wogu (clenched fists) and Cunshen (gathering the Shen). First visualize, then ascend; first ascend, then lean the body back; protrude the chest and arch the spine—this is opening the middle pass. Sitting evenly and lifting the head is opening the upper pass. First ascend, then visualize; lower the waist beginning from the abdomen, gradually lift the waist and raise the body, and at the same time protrude the chest and arch the spine—this is opening the lower pass. After this, when the heat of Qi becomes abundant below the upper pass, only then may one lift the waist, raise the body, and sit upright. With one impact all three passes are penetrated, replenishing the brain and marrow. Naturally the complexion becomes rosy, the bones strong, the skin fair and clean, and the body light and agile. This is called the method of returning from old age to youth and attaining long life without death. If young people practice it, they may not grow old; if old people practice it, they may return to youth.

Oral formula: The Golden Jing behind the elbow is moved according to the stages; preserving the body, bending and lifting, one passes through the three passes. If students can comprehend the profound and subtle principle, returning from old age to youth is naturally not difficult.

This is the meaning of the formula of the return and repetition of the Three Fields and Zhouhou Fei Jinjing: Huayang Shi Zhenren says that at the Zi hour one merges the essence Qi of the lungs into the kidneys, and this is called Golden Jing. Golden Jing is the time when metal and water have not yet separated, when the Qi of the lungs and kidneys join and become one. The method at that time is to move it upward from the lower pass at the Weilü cavity to the Jiaji.

Inner Qi (vital energy) is transported from the middle spinal pass (a gate of the Du Mai, or Governing Vessel, in the back), through the middle pass, to the upper pass of Jade Capital (Yujing, the region of the upper Dantian, the energy center), opening the gates and apertures in sequence. Thereafter, with one thrust it opens the three passes (the Weilu, Jiaji, Yuzhen, and other gates) and enters directly into Niwan (the Mud Pill Palace at the crown). This not only replenishes cerebral deficiency, prolongs life, and restores youth; at the same time it draws out kidney Qi without disturbing the Yellow Court (Huangting, the middle Dantian). One need only use the fire below to cook and refine, and pure Yang Qi is born. For an elderly person who has grown old, if he has previously put effort into internal cultivation according to the preceding method and practiced it in conjunction with other methods—this method must not be practiced alone—then he can return to youth; in less than a hundred days his face becomes rosy, his bones strong, his Qi vigorous, and his body light. If one practices the three together—Dragon-Tiger copulation (longhu jiaogou, the union of heart and kidney, water and fire), the fire phase of the celestial circuit (Zhou Tian huohou, the fire timing in the circulation of Zhou Tian), and the rest—this is drawing and adding lead and mercury (drawing kidney Qi and adding heart Qi), and one can gradually prolong life.

In the method of drawing and adding, if while gathering the medicine and operating the fire one is disturbed by Yin demons (disturbances in cultivation) and they enter through evil thoughts, so that one fears being unable to hold them and the kidney Qi follows the momentum and leaks downward—this is called danger, and one should immediately draw and add. Outgoing Qi is lead (referring to Qi in the kidneys); adding mercury means incoming Qi, which is mercury (referring to Qi in the heart). If incoming Qi reaches the middle palace and is retained, then guide the outgoing Qi with intention through the Weilu point (the tip of the coccyx), raise the body and arch the spine, and draw up the external kidneys (the genital region), causing Qi to enter from Weilu into the double pass at Jiaji, go straight up to the heavenly pass (the Yuzhen pass), and enter Kunlun (the crown); make the dragon not rush upward and the tiger not run downward, and evil thoughts immediately cease. If one feels the Qi has not passed through, arch the spine again and draw up again until the Qi passes; this is called the completion of flying the golden essence behind the elbow (fei jin jing). At first it takes effort; over time it becomes easy.

The Perfected One (Zhenren) says: “On the crown it is as if wearing a flower from the Toad Palace (the moon); in the morning one roams Peng Island (the immortal isle of Penglai) and at dusk returns home. One can mount the Qian horse and ride the galloping dragon; one can employ the Kun ox and drive the tiger cart.” It also says: “At the foot of Jade Capital Mountain the sheep fight; by the bank of the Golden Water River the stone tiger sleeps peacefully. A golden needle picks out a pair of butterflies, which circle and fly to the palace of the King of Chu.” In general, the high takes the low as its foundation, and the deep takes the shallow as its beginning. If one practices only Dragon-Tiger copulation, it merely supplements deficiency and boosts Qi, invigorates the blood, and preserves the complexion; if one practices only the fire phase, it can only improve the skin and strengthen the sinews and bones; if one practices the method of flying the golden essence, it can only restore youth, strengthen the bones, and lighten the body; if one can practice all three formulas together, it is very beneficial. Because when dragon and tiger unite, one thing like a grain of millet returns to the Yellow Court; if one does not use the fire phase, one cannot refine it into congelation. The so-called Zhou Tian fire is precisely the fire phase in the circulation of the celestial circuit.

If one merely lets empty Qi (vital energy) remain in the Dantian (energy center) and cannot bring about the copulation of dragon and tiger—the union of Yin and Yang Qi—then the mysterious pearl (the pearl of Neidan, or internal alchemy) cannot remain stable. These two methods are inherently interdependent and must be used together. If the method of drawing kidney Qi into the brain “behind the elbow” is not complete, the Yang within Yin will rush forward and assail the pure Yang elixir; this is the mystery within mystery and the wondrous within the wondrous. After one hundred days, sweet saliva arises in the mouth, the body has a divine radiance, the bones are strong, the face is red, the skin is white, and the abdomen is warm. After two hundred days, one gradually becomes averse to meat and fish, constantly smells rare fragrances, walks as if flying, and sleep and dreams naturally decrease. After three hundred days, food and drink naturally cease, cold and heat are naturally endured, saliva, sweat, nasal mucus, and tears naturally disappear, and illness and calamity naturally dissolve. In stillness one sometimes hears distant music, and in a dark room one gradually sees a red glow. If these scenes appear, do not doubt them; they are the first signs of effect. Practice with utmost sincerity, and the miraculous phenomena cannot all be recorded.

The diagram of the formula for the return and cycling of the Three Fields (upper, middle, and lower Dantian) and for the Golden Liquid Returning Elixir (a Neidan practice). The lungs are called the Canopy (Huagai); the throat is called the Multi-storied Tower (Chonglou); the mouth is called the Jade Pool (Yuchi) and the Dui Gate (Duihu); the nose is called the Heavenly Gate (Tianmen) and Heavenly Pillar (Tianzhu); the space between the eyebrows is called the Jade Hall (Yutang); the forehead is called the Heavenly Court (Tianting); the crown is called the Heavenly Palace (Tiangong); the ears are called the Double Market Gates. Kidney Qi transmits to liver Qi; liver Qi transmits to spleen Qi; spleen Qi transmits to lung Qi; lung Qi transmits to heart Qi; heart Qi transmits to spleen Qi; spleen Qi transmits to kidney Qi. This is called the circulation of the Five Phases, and is known as the Small Returning Elixir. The Upper Field enters the Middle Field; the Middle Field enters the Lower Field; the return and cycling of the Three Fields is known as the Great Returning Elixir.

In this Golden Liquid Returning Elixir method, one must lift the waist and raise the body into an upright sitting posture; close both ears and not allow the ear openings to leak outward; touch the tongue to the upper palate; when cool, fragrant, sweet saliva appears, swallow it without rinsing the mouth. In the above-mentioned “flying golden essence behind the elbow,” as one successively opens the passes and clears the orifices, one reaches the point where a single Qi rushes through the Three Passes; the golden essence enters the brain, replenishes the marrow, and boosts Qi; afterward the face becomes red, the bones strong, the complexion youthful, and the body light. One should follow the proper time; simply lift the waist and sit level, neither leaning back nor bending forward. When you feel true Qi enter the brain, quickly press both palms tightly against both ears; then kidney Qi will naturally enter the brain, transform into golden liquid, and descend like water poured over ashes. Each day apply fire in the amount of one or two liang, only fearing too much or too little fire: too much fire Qi causes headache, while too little fire means the golden essence will not fly upward. One must increase or decrease the fire regimen. If the practice of fire is too fierce and the whole body becomes intensely hot, do not advance the fire further, for fear that the flames will scorch.

Headaches with eyes burning as if scorched by the sun, mouth ulcers and tongue sores—these are signs of excessive medicinal substances (referring to internal Jing-Qi) harming the body during cultivation. One should reduce the "fire intensity" (huohou, the degree of energetic application).

Allow the intention to withdraw from the Central Palace (the heart region) and naturally regulate the fire of breathing, thus preventing mutual harm. The key lies in eliminating external distracting thoughts and evil imaginings. At this stage, the method of "bathing" (muyu, a Neidan term referring to adjusting fire intensity to relax body and mind) must be employed. When cultivation reaches the delicate moment where Metal (lungs) and Wood (liver) Qi achieve balance—poised between ascending and descending—maintaining proper awareness is crucial, ensuring the mind remains utterly free of distractions. The emergence of distracting thoughts is like being covered in dust—dust belongs to Yin, and Yin Qi constitutes demonic obstructions. When obstructed by these demons, the Three Passes (Weilü, Jiaji, and Yuzhen) become blocked. One must sever distracting thoughts; only with pure intention will Yin and Yang Qi naturally harmonize, enabling the formation of the Great Elixir (Neidan).

The master said: Washing away dust and grime is "bathing." The Golden Elixir (Jindan) scripture states: When the alternating forces of Restraint (convergence) and Virtue (generation) bring the medicinal substances (Jing-Qi) to specific positions, the Golden Elixir requires bathing. Just as during the second lunar month when Yin and Yang alternate and spring warmth brings flowers, an unexpected cold snap may prevent fruit from forming—this is called "Virtue containing Restraint," akin to demonic Yin interference during cultivation. Conversely, during the eighth month's autumn coolness, if warm weather causes plants to bloom again, this is "Restraint containing Virtue"—like suddenly receiving harmonious Yang Qi while maintaining proper awareness. Thus, the essence of bathing lies in recognizing precarious moments, with its subtlety residing in understanding increase and decrease.

The specific oral instruction is: When the River Chariot (true Qi) circulates to Kunlun (the crown of the head), tightly close the Twin Market Gates (eyes and ears). At this moment, if thunderous vibrations arise within the body, immediately gather them like sweet rain showering the entire body—this is the secret of the Three Dantian's Jing-Qi circulation and the return of the Golden Fluid to form the Elixir.

Huayang Zhenren said: The previously mentioned Dragon-Tiger Union (heart-kidney interaction) and the Celestial Cycle fire techniques, when practiced correctly, can extend life by two to three hundred years. Their core lies in the transformative work of the inverted cycling of the Five Phases. The Golden Fluid Returning Elixir not only nourishes the brain and replenishes marrow but, through extracting Lead (refining Jing) and adding Mercury (transforming Qi), can even reverse aging. When the brain and marrow are full, guided by specific methods, the Divine Water (saliva) will flow down from the upper palate—cool, sweet, and refreshing—descending through the lungs to settle in the Yellow Court (middle Dantian). This is the Golden Fluid Returning Elixir. Like alchemically refining cinnabar into gold, once the Golden Elixir is formed, one may achieve longevity and prolonged vision. However, without persisting in the preliminary practices and attempting to directly cultivate the Golden Fluid Returning Elixir, the Divine Water will not descend naturally, ultimately making success difficult to attain.

During cultivation, if one forcibly directs the "water" (referring to cerebrospinal fluids) downward from the crown, it not only fails to produce the sweet taste of divine nectar but may instead lead to cerebral deficiency and illness, offering no benefit to most practitioners.

The progression of cultivation manifests as follows: Initially, one gradually perceives warm Qi sensations in the Dantian (lower abdominal region) and the Yellow Court (middle Dantian area). When authentic Qi ascends, one hears sounds resembling wind and rain. As practice deepens, crystalline metallic clinking sounds emerge within the crown, while the "Heavenly Pool" area (inner cheek region) experiences golden liquid boiling and flowing downward like cool spring water. This golden nectar sometimes flows across the face, surges upward to the brain, forms dewdrop-like formations, or descends from the upper palate into the mouth with extraordinary sweetness.

With continued practice, the crown's interior produces harmonious music resembling sheng pipes, zithers and se lutes - or celestial sounds like crane calls, ape cries, cicada songs and chime resonances - all transcending worldly acoustics. Beginners may initially hear thunderous roars in dreams, indicating authentic Qi breaking through cranial sutures to connect the Nine Palaces (major head acupoints). When the primordial Shen first enters the Central Palace (heart region), sudden sensations of ascension may occur - one must remain composed.

During seated meditation with closed eyes, practitioners may feel sudden movements of massive invisible objects - manifestations of the immature Yang Shen (externalized primordial spirit) that should never provoke alarm. As cultivation progresses and Yang Shen strengthens, it gains freedom to appear, disappear and transform infinitely. Remember: all phenomena should be observed without attachment, for fixation leads to illusion.

The Perfected Being (Daoist adept) declares: "Jade nectar descends from heaven, / Spiritual medicine forms though seas may dry. / Drink this wine until fully sated, / Eastward journeys need no stairs. / Divine water flows from heights supreme, / Through the Yellow Court in lightning stream."

Regarding the secret method of "Five Qi Returning to Origin: Solar Refinement of Form" - this intermediate practice leads to immortality. So precious that even fathers withhold it from sons, its improper disclosure brings calamity. Exercise utmost caution.

This "Solar Refinement" method, ideally practiced at winter solstice's Yang birth but adaptable to all seasons, involves: sitting upright in stillness, closing eyes to eliminate distractions, silently circulating the heart-fire (intentional fire) until Mother Qi (primordial energy) naturally fills the limbs. Practitioners enter breathless non-breathing states, applying effort through effortless action.

Seasonal practice guidelines: Maintain unwavering spinal alignment as Five Qi (organ energies) surge from the Dantian; sit in perfect equipoise as kidney Qi refines bones - eventually achieving feather-light bodies capable of cloud-riding. The liver's Wood Qi then...

(Continuing from the preceding text, this refers to the liver.) The true qi of the liver refines the sinews, making them firm as jade, so that one can run and catch up with a galloping horse. The true qi of the heart refines the blood, making it white like fat, so that one can endure cold and heat for a long time. The true qi of the lungs refines the skin and flesh, making them lustrous and moist like snow, so that one can exchange bones and transform the body. The true qi of the spleen refines the flesh, making it hard as stone, so that one can transform qi like metal. Once the elixir is formed, the true qi of the five viscera returns and pays court to the true origin; the qi gathers and does not disperse. Next, using the method described earlier to circulate and apply the work, inwardly it penetrates the five viscera and outwardly spreads through the four limbs. The five qi refine the form, congealing and stabilizing it without decline; this is called the wondrous unity of form and spirit and a lifespan equal to Heaven.

Oral instruction: After the elixir is formed, the five qi naturally return to court; only when the true qi is pure and genuine can the primordial spirit manifest. One who refines the form and exchanges the bones is not an ordinary person; naturally such a person enjoys long life and enduring vision and transcends things beyond the world.

“The Meaning of the Oral Instructions on the Five Qi Returning to Origin and the Sun Refining the Form” is the doctrinal meaning of the oral instructions on the Five Qi Returning to Origin and the Sun Refining the Form. The Perfected One says: When the Golden Fluid Returning Elixir transforms into a golden substance, within it is born pure yang qi; this is “qi within qi.” At this point one is already an immortal on land, able to share the lifespan of Heaven and Earth. The high Perfected Ones of past and present further raise the pure yang qi in the elixir and ascend it into the four limbs; this is called the Sun Refining the Form and Transforming Qi. Naturally form and spirit are both wondrous; following the five qi, one exchanges bones and transforms one’s appearance, and naturally endures cold and heat. The formerly decayed and feeble posture becomes upright after refinement; the formerly withered appearance becomes ruddy and moist. Not only does one return to youth from old age, but the body becomes light and the bones strong; one rises on the wind and travels across the mist, and is called a Flying Immortal of the Southern Palace, a feathered guest amid the dust. Although one has not yet discarded the shell and ascended as an immortal, one can already rise and soar freely; such a one ranks as a superior grade among earth immortals and a lower grade among divine immortals. All this is because the five qi of the Dantian refine the form and outwardly pervade the four limbs. The efficacy of refining the form is by no means small.

The Perfected One says: When the five horses (a metaphor for the five qi) are not yet regulated, gold and water (the alchemist’s medicines) lie hidden; the one dragon (a metaphor for the primordial spirit and true fire) constantly rides the fire cloud and soars. To roam throughout the world takes only half a day’s effort; there is no need to straddle a phoenix or ride a dragon. Even before the five qi are fully harmonized, the elixir is already accomplished; the qi of the first yang spreads outward, and the fire flutters lightly.

“The Diagram and Oral Instructions for the Union of Spirit and Qi and the Jiji of the Three Fields” is the diagram and instructions for the union of spirit and qi and the mutual completion (Jiji) of the Three Fields (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian). This is a method of intermediate accomplishment, capable of long life and deathlessness. The spirit-water in the crown descends, and the true qi of the Dantian rises; this is called Jiji. With a single impact it strikes through the Three Passes (the upward gateways of Neidan) and enters the brain; this is called Flying the Golden Essence Behind the Elbow. This method is called the Jiji of Water and Fire. In this method, one cultivates in level sitting during the middle of the hour when yang qi is arising.

This passage of scripture discusses the methods of the “Golden Liquid Returning Elixir” (jinye huandan) and the “mutual completion of the Three Fields” (santian jiji) in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation. During practice, one first straightens the waist and back, closes the Three Passes (sanguan; three important gateways in the body), and causes the divine water in the ears—referring to the saliva in the mouth—to descend. At the same time, one lifts the waist and contracts the abdomen, inhales deeply through the nose, and silently visualizes the heart fire rising upward.

When the body trembles, the golden essence (jingjin; the Jing—essence—and Qi in the kidneys) rushes open the Three Passes and enters the brain. After practicing to a certain level, one feels the face flush, the skin become white and moist like ointment, and the body light and buoyant. At this point one may again lead the golden essence into the crown of the head, tightly close both ears to prevent kidney Qi from leaking outward, and cause Jing and Qi to gather in the Heavenly Palace (tiangong; the upper Dantian, energy center). As the golden essence descends, it flows down from the upper palate like falling ashes, producing a cool, sweet divine water; after being swallowed, it returns to the Yellow Court (huangting; the middle Dantian). This is the “Golden Liquid Returning Elixir.”

Next, one should lift the waist and contract the abdomen, silently circulate the heart fire, and secretly guide the true Qi of the Dantian to rise. At the same time, coordinating with the breath, let the true Qi fill the four limbs. In this way water and fire (the Qi of the heart and kidneys) meet at the throat, which is called Jiji (After Completion).

The oral formula says: The divine water at the crown enters the middle Dantian, and the true Yang within the elixir returns to the upper Dantian. When water and fire unite, this is Jiji; thus Jing and Qi can ascend to the Great Luo Heaven (Daluo Heaven, the highest realm).

The Perfected One (Zhenren) says: Clay, after being fired, becomes tile and can last a thousand years; wood, burned into charcoal, can last a hundred years. If a person wishes for long life, they must cultivate the method of Jiji; this is the combined effect of returning the elixir and refining the form. The Golden Liquid Returning Elixir can transmute [the body] into the Golden Elixir, and solar refining of the form (taiyang lianxing) can make the body like jade. When water and fire meet at the throat, this is the time of Jiji; at this time one should practice during the hours of the Tai hexagram (which symbolizes the harmony of Yin and Yang).

Each time one practices, the Golden Elixir produced is about the size of a golden grain; each grain generates golden light in the Yellow Court, and after being transported throughout the body, the golden light can fill the room. This is not only for immortality but also the time for preparing to shed the shell and ascend as an immortal.

The Perfected One also says: The sun and moon (the two luminaries) can forge the Pavilion of Seven Treasures; Jing and Qi circulate like jade nectar. After water and fire unite, the Tai hexagram is formed; Yin and Yang ascend and descend together, and water and fire intermingle as they enter the lower Dantian. After attaining the perfect state of Jiji, true Qi is abundant, and a single grain of Golden Elixir can enable a person to live for ten million years.

This passage of scripture mainly discusses three methods—the Golden Liquid Returning Elixir, solar refining of the form, and the mutual completion of the Three Fields—and is an essential formula for advanced Neidan cultivation.

The method of long life and deathlessness is called the middle accomplishment method (the intermediate stage of Neidan cultivation); one must begin with the lesser accomplishment method (the preliminary stage), and once it has produced results, practice continuously. If one’s practice remains unerring, the effects will naturally come quickly. If one does not cultivate the lesser accomplishment method but directly seeks the middle accomplishment and hopes for long life without death, not only will results be slow, but one will also waste effort and fritter away time. When Huandan is due, the divine water does not descend; when refining the form, the elixir fire does not rise; when Jiji (After Completion) is due, water and fire do not interact. Instead, such people slander immortals as illusory and deathlessness as nonsense, not realizing that they themselves have skipped stages and rushed ahead in practice.

If dragon and tiger (Yin-Yang, water and fire) copulate and combine to form Jing, and with sufficient fire timing the elixir is formed; if one uses golden essence to replenish the brain and, through the work of emptiness and stillness, causes the Huandan to transform into the Golden Elixir; if one uses elixir fire to refine the true body and also practices the Jiji method alongside it, then the result is excellent beyond compare. If one does not cultivate the six methods (six gateways) together, yet urgently seeks to refine pure yang Qi, refine Qi into Shen, urgently seeks the true spirit from refining Qi, and refine Shen to unite with the Dao, then these practices—the Golden Liquid Huandan, the sun refining of the form, and the Jiji of the three Dantian fields—should not be undertaken in this manner.

These three formulas have often been secretly transmitted across myriad kalpas by the highest Perfected Ones (high Daoist immortals) of ancient and modern times. In the middle accomplishment method, Huandan, refining the form, and Jiji are required because remaining in the world in bodily form is impossible without the Golden Elixir, extending life is impossible without refining the form, and exchanging the bones is impossible without Jiji; through this, deathlessness also has no ugly form. The Zhenren (Perfected Person) is rarely frail, and immortals can also change their form while retaining an ordinary appearance; if one does not cultivate Jiji and keeps mortal bones, then in the future when one discards the shell (abandons the flesh body) and leaves the world, transcending as Shen will also be delayed.

After Huandan, refining the form, and Jiji, in one hundred days of stillness the Four Images (the Qi of the four directions and four seasons) encircle one, and in inner observation the five Qi are abundant and intermingling; after two hundred days one sees golden flowers with the eyes, the body has a circular halo, green Qi emerges from the crown, and purple mist fills the room; after three hundred days the Shen becomes numinous and knows past and future matters, true Qi can dry external mercury (Waidan mercury), the body is light enough to tread wind and smoke, and the bones are firm enough to equal Heaven and Earth. Do not doubt when you see these states; these are minor verifications (preliminary effects). Practice with utmost sincerity, and the divine wonders cannot be fully recorded.

The heading “Dadan Zhizhi, Upper Volume” indicates that this text is the upper volume of Dadan Zhizhi (Pointing Directly to the Great Elixir).

This scripture expounds the Neidan (internal alchemy) practice of "Five Qi Converging to the Origin" as taught by Qiu Chuji (Daoist name Changchunzi), patriarch of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) tradition. It details how to cultivate the qi of the five viscera during specific time periods to ultimately achieve the state of spirit-qi unity and celestial ascension.

The practice requires selecting auspicious days and hours: During the mao hour (5-7am) on jia/yi days (heavenly stems jia or yi), cultivate liver qi; at the wu hour (11am-1pm) on bing/ding days, cultivate heart qi; during the you hour (5-7pm) on geng/xin days, cultivate lung qi; at the zi hour (11pm-1am) on ren/gui days, cultivate kidney qi. The spleen requires no separate cultivation as its qi naturally elevates with the other four organs. No practice is performed on wu/ji days.

The method involves: In a quiet chamber, light an incense stick, knock teeth twenty-four times, sit upright with proper posture, internally visualize the targeted organ while maintaining deep, even breathing. When stillness reaches its peak, genuine qi will emerge within; when qi becomes abundant, the original spirit (shen) will manifest. This state resembles yet transcends dreaming, with palpable sensation of ascending spirit-qi. Strict adherence to the designated hours is essential because the spirit follows the Five Phases' (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) daily qi circulation. After one hundred days of consistent practice, when qi becomes replete and spirit fully manifests, the practitioner may achieve celestial ascension—transcending mere longevity.

Key mnemonic: Practicing during corresponding hours ensures accuracy; when the five viscera's spirits converge, the "River Chariot" circulation occurs (a Neidan term describing qi circulation along the Governing and Conception vessels). After perceiving authentic visions during meditation, remain vigilant against interference from yin-demons and external pathogens.

Master Huayang further explains: Using the Dantian's pure yang qi, twenty-four days of liver cultivation on designated days produces a blue qi mass; after twenty additional days, the yang-spirit manifests. Qi serves as spirit's vessel while spirit governs qi. Heart, kidney and lung practices follow identical principles. The spleen's spirit and qi ascend naturally with seasonal energies. During inner vision meditation, one might perceive mountain-river landscapes within the body—this signals the need to guard against the Seven Corporeal Souls and Three Corpses (Daoist concepts of internal pathogenic spirits) that may infiltrate as yin-ghosts, obstructing the yang-spirit's ascent. Special internal vision fire-kindling methods refine qi; where qi gathers, spirit appears—timing precision being crucial. When the five directional qi reveal their true colors and the five qi's yang-spirits manifest authentic forms, ascension becomes attainable.

This passage explains the advanced Neidan (internal alchemy) practice of "inner observation with fire ignition" in Daoist cultivation. When practitioners reach a certain stage, the pure Yang Qi rises to the celestial palace at the crown (referring to the upper Dantian, or Niwan Palace), marking the crucial moment when the original spirit (Shen) merges with the Dao.

If cultivators consistently maintain the "fire timing" (a method regulating breath and intention) for three hundred days, they can achieve rapid results through this method alone—even without specifically practicing the Golden Elixir return or physical refinement. The technique involves using pure Yang Qi from the Dantian combined with cosmic Qi to refine the five organs, known as the "shortcut of seizing merit and combining methods."

Those seeking immortality must cultivate three advanced practices: the Golden Fluid Elixir return, solar Yang physical refinement, and the harmonious circulation through the three Dantian (upper, middle, and lower energy centers). As the scripture quotes an immortal: "The three islands (three Dantian) glow with purple mists like phoenix plumage, while the nine heavens' red sun refines the dragon essence (original Jing)."

The Zhonghuang Jing records: "The liver corresponds to the east and manifests blue Qi when refined; the kidneys correspond to the north and manifest black Qi at the proper time." When pure Yang Qi fills the five organs, the original spirit ascends to the celestial palace bearing its true color.

The "Diagram of Inner Observation with Fire Ignition for Spirit Refinement and Dao Union" represents the supreme method for transcending ordinary existence:

• Circulating pure Yang Qi from the elixir to the limbs is called "body burning"
• Directing it into the organs is called "spirit refinement"
• Projecting it beyond the body is called "demon subjugation"
• Ascending to the crown is called "shedding the husk" (spirit liberation)

The practice yields these effects:

The seven corporeal souls (Po) forget physical form

External demons retreat

Nine parasites are expelled

Yin ghosts perish swiftly

The Three Corpses (malevolent spirits within the body) vanish completely

This "inner observation with fire ignition" method has no fixed schedule—one may practice whenever possible. Key requirements include:

Maintaining seated stillness throughout the day with inward-focused awareness

Unwavering concentration

Proper upright posture

Silently observing the five organs to distinguish truth from illusion (authentic awareness from distractions)

Guarding against Yin demons disturbing true nature

The specific practice involves:

Elevating one's form during seated meditation

Activating pure Yang Qi from the Dantian to refine the organs internally

Guiding Qi to attach to inner visions and ascend to the crown

Externally refining the limbs until golden light manifests

Thus the original spirit soon merges with the Dao

Ultimately achieving liberation and ascension

Special vigilance is required against:

Yin ghosts, external demons, the Three Corpses, and seven Po

These may assume false forms to disturb true nature

And mix with Yang spirit to hinder Dao union

Therefore, practitioners should follow Qi's cyclical movement day and night:

At mao hour (5-7am) observe the liver—blue Qi appears

At wu hour (11am-1pm) observe the heart—red Qi appears

At you hour (5-7pm) observe the lungs—white Qi appears

At zi hour (11pm-1am) observe the kidneys—black Qi appears

When the five authentic colors manifest

The true realm within the "gourd" (Dantian) transcends the mundane

Its majestic presence surpasses imperial grandeur

This scripture discusses the illusory phenomena and countermeasures encountered during "igniting the fire" (activating the body's true Yang Qi) in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) practice.

During cultivation, when the pure Yang Qi within the body refines the five organs in accordance with the sun and moon's movements, genuine spiritual manifestations may appear, ascending to the celestial palaces. However, at this stage, Yin ghosts (negative energies) and external demons (disturbances) will create false visions to confuse practitioners. These illusions may manifest as magnificent ceremonial processions, boisterous reed-organ music, or a confusing mixture of true and false appearances.

The key to distinguishing truth from illusion lies in continuously stimulating the true fire of the Dantian (energy center): Firstly, it can burn away illusory forms; secondly, it subdues demonic obstructions; thirdly, it eliminates the Three Corpses (the three malevolent spirits believed to reside in the human body according to Daoism); fourthly, it disperses the Seven Po (corporeal souls); fifthly, it consolidates the Yang Shen (spiritual consciousness). During tranquil inner observation, one may see various human figures within the flames—those singing joyfully while ascending are one's own Yang Shen, while those weeping as they depart are the Yin ghosts within the body. After the flames extinguish, body and mind return to purity, but one must remain vigilant against the ten types of demonic obstructions that may reappear.

The scripture details ten types of demonic obstructions, of which the first four are described here:

The first is the Six Desires Demon, manifesting as delightful music to the ears, beautiful flowers to the eyes, sweet tastes in the mouth, and extraordinary fragrances to the nose—all bringing physical and mental pleasure;

The second is the Seven Emotions Demon, appearing as gentle breezes and warm sunshine, sudden thunderstorms, or the abrupt transition from celebratory music to mournful weeping—all causing emotional fluctuations;

The third is the Wealth Demon, conjuring visions of jade towers and pearl curtains, golden beds with jade canopies, and floors strewn with precious treasures of extravagant luxury;

The fourth is the Power Demon, displaying the majestic dignity of generals and ministers, magnificent carriages and horses, and beds covered with official robes and ceremonial tablets—all symbols of authority and status.

Practitioners must understand that these seemingly wonderful scenes are all demonic illusions—one must not indulge in or identify with them, lest they obstruct the manifestation of true spirit. The essential method lies in maintaining inner observation of the true fire to clearly distinguish reality from illusion.

This scripture discusses the ten types of demonic obstacles (illusions that hinder cultivation) that practitioners may encounter during their spiritual practice, along with methods to overcome them.

When a practitioner engaged in prolonged serene cultivation suddenly encounters the following visions, they must never mistake them for reality:

The fifth demonic obstacle is familial attachments: witnessing scenes of children falling ill, parents passing away, siblings separating, or spouses parting—all sufferings involving flesh and blood.

The sixth demonic obstacle is visions of calamity: seeing oneself trapped in raging flames, falling off cliffs to certain death, suffering execution, being poisoned, or attacked by wild beasts—all perilous situations.

The seventh demonic obstacle is battle scenes: observing armies dense as storm clouds, the cold glint of swords and spears, arrows flying in volleys, and fierce enemy soldiers charging in pursuit—visions of bloody combat.

The eighth demonic obstacle is false divine manifestations: beholding the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities), the Jade Emperor, the Ten Kings of Hell, the Four Sacred True Lords, the Nine Luminaries, the Five Directional Heavenly Emperors, and the Three Officials with their majestic celestial processions soaring through the skies.

The ninth demonic obstacle is sensual temptations: witnessing processions of jade maidens singing and dancing, the harmonious sounds of sheng and xiao flutes, feathered robes swirling gracefully, and beautiful women raising golden cups to urge one to drink in lively banquets.

The tenth demonic obstacle is feminine seduction: seeing groups of heavily made-up beauties feasting in luxurious settings at night, clinging and coquettish in sheer silks, competing to offer their affections in voluptuous scenes.

The scripture explains that practitioners engaged in prolonged pure cultivation who suddenly encounter these extravagant visions may mistakenly believe they've reached true celestial realms. If they indulge in these illusions, they'll remain trapped in false realms, becoming merely "earthbound immortals" (those who haven't attained the Great Dao) rather than transcending worldly existence.

The correct method is: During cultivation, one must focus on inner observation (monitoring the Qi movements within), using the pure Yang Qi from the Dantian to refine the Qi of the five viscera. When the true Shen (spirit) manifests, one will see five-colored radiance, hear celestial music, and witness heavenly processions ascending. At this point, Yin ghosts and external demons may disguise themselves in various forms to infiltrate the celestial palace. One must immediately activate the inner true fire, causing these illusions to scatter like routed armies, their cries fading as the celestial music grows stronger. After this fiery phase passes momentarily, one will behold cool, exquisite mountains and rivers—this is the true "grotto-heaven" realm of Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation.

However, one must remain vigilant as these demonic obstacles may reappear. At such moments, maintain clear awareness as if in a state between dreaming and waking, between intoxication and sobriety, allowing the true spirits of the five viscera to return to the celestial palace's center while keeping the mind upright. By preserving one's true self amidst these wavering states, one can continue progressing in cultivation.

Do not mistake deluded thoughts for one’s own child, or take heterodox states for true states; otherwise, not only will you be unable to escape the mortal frame (the ordinary physical body), but you will also fall into heterodox paths, becoming either mad and deranged or arrogant, wild, and perverse, so that Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) are depleted and damaged and the wisdom of Shen is insufficient. How pitiful! Therefore the demonic states are explained in detail here.

Raising the body and igniting the fire—in Neidan (internal alchemy), raising true Qi and activating true fire—one should not shrink from doing it often; one must constantly practice inner observation (inward contemplation), day and night, until, when the fire rises, one feels that there is not a single thing between Heaven and Earth. Looking upward, there is only Heaven; looking downward, only Earth; looking in the four directions, all is empty and without anything. In stillness one often hears music and suddenly smells an extraordinary fragrance; at that very moment there is a verification unlike before. The limbs constantly feel like an ascending dragon; this is the time when an immortal is about to cast off the shell (discard the physical body). Before one sits in meditation there is red light, shaped like a lotus; the whole body is filled with true Qi, whose color is like golden light. The true Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) combines and becomes Jing (essence); when Qi and Shen, these two extraordinary treasures, combine, it becomes the natural Dao. Draw Shen back and return it again into the Huangting (the Dantian, or energy center, within the body); when true water retreats and hides, one can attain long life and deathlessness. Wherever one goes, the yin spirit (the spirit not yet pure Yang) manifests; riding the wind and treading the clouds, one goes and returns within the dusty world, with no more hunger, thirst, cold, or heat. If one returns the raised spirit to the heavenly palace and trains the spirit to leave the shell, this is called Zhenren (Perfected). If the shell is cast off in the mountains for a hundred days, jade is born in the mountains; if the shell is cast off in water for a hundred days, jade is born in the water; when the casting off of the shell is complete and the true body emerges outside, this is called an immortal. One should return to the Three Isles (the immortal isles in the sea) and not remain within the wind and dust. The so-called casting off the shell and ascending to immortality has five essential formulas, which are listed on the left.

In the Chart of the Formula for Casting Off the Shell, Ascending to Immortality, and Transcending the Ordinary to Enter Sagehood, the character shi (recognition) is marked; it also says wu (nothingness), which is the wondrous Dao of Wuwei (non-action); there are also the two characters kong (emptiness) and fa (method). This method is called refining the form and merging with the Dao, casting off the shell and ascending to immortality. This method has no fixed time, and clearly has five methods. Haichanzi (Liu Haichan, a patriarch of Neidan) used the crane soaring to the Heavenly Gate (a symbolic image for emitting the spirit): in stillness he let the true nature go forth like a crane soaring to the Heavenly Gate, and naturally there was a body beyond the body. The Jade Patriarch of the Twelve Zhenren of the Western Mountains said: use the flower tree to emerge; in stillness, turning back to look by means of the flower tree, one does not lose the original nature; after emerging, one naturally divides into a form outside the body. The Yellow Emperor used the fire dragon to emerge: in stillness, transform into a fire dragon and leap upward, and naturally there is a body outside the body; this is called the pure Dharma body. Both Zhenren Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin used the red tower to emerge: in stillness, ascend a three-story red tower, and when each level has been ascended, jump, and naturally cast off the shell. What has been discussed above is the work of refining Shen and merging with the Dao, casting off the shell and ascending to immortality; when the work is complete, it naturally succeeds. Here it speaks of this monk.

When a practitioner enters deep meditation, if only the yin spirit (the yin spiritual body) leaves the body, this merely results in becoming an ethereal ghost immortal, not a true pure-yang divine immortal. This approach to cultivation is illusory and ultimately leads to little achievement—a common misconception among many practitioners.

The true method of cultivation is this: First refine Jing (essence) into Qi (vital energy) to form the Neidan (internal alchemy), which generates pure-yang Qi. Then refine Qi into Shen (spirit) to attain the genuine spiritual body of an immortal. Only through this process can one transcend the ordinary and enter the sacred, achieving true liberation through "casting off the husk and ascending to immortality" (abandoning the physical body to ascend). This is the unchanging orthodox path to immortality across all ages.

The essential teaching states: When cultivation reaches completion, the yang spirit must depart from the "divine capital within"—the physical body—without being entangled by its worldly allure. One must master the five key principles of transcendent immortality and refine the immortal body to break free from the mundane world.

Regarding the true meaning of "casting off the husk and ascending to immortality": After refining Qi to form the immortal body, practitioners should not cling to prolonged worldly existence but instead turn inward to refine the spirit and unite with the Dao (the Way). Subdue the inner demons, and all obstacles will dissolve; focus on refining the spirit, and the primordial spirit will coalesce. One must decisively relinquish the mortal shell—otherwise, they risk being trapped in delusion, at best becoming an earthbound "land immortal" incapable of ascension.

Since ancient times, cultivators have understood: Where there is a physical body, there are constraints; only without attachments can one attain true freedom. When the practice reaches the state of Wuwei (non-action), how could one remain attached to the bodily form? Thus, transcendence is achieved by the spirit departing through the crown of the head. Yet ordinary people, ignorant of cultivation's true principles, mistakenly believe that simply discarding the body leads to immortality.

If one merely sits rigidly in stillness, cutting off all thought and resisting external influences while guarding the spirit like withered wood or dead ashes, the spirit that barely manages to leave the body will only be the yin spirit. Even if it succeeds in exiting, the process is arduous. The method of casting off the husk transmitted by realized masters throughout history is not difficult—when the Neidan is perfected, pure-yang arises naturally, and the primordial spirit manifests. Through inward observation, one recognizes the right moment and follows the steps to emerge like a fiery dragon from the crown. At this stage, there is a body beyond the body, yet nothing unnatural appears. Initially, movement may be limited to a step or two, gradually extending to three or five miles. Once coming and going become effortless, the physical form can be entrusted to the mountains and rivers, while the immortal joins the eternal companions of Penglai. The key lies in solid foundational work—each stage must be verified without error, and immortality will be attained naturally. The methods of spirit liberation left by the highest adepts were intended precisely for...

Students who have long been busily engaged in practice, never pausing day or night, may find that during inner observation (inward visualization) Shen and Qi gather; their only fear is that they will mistake demonic states (the illusory disturbances that arise in cultivation) for reality and fall into heterodox paths, vainly exhausting their mental effort and ruining their previous achievements. Hence the circumstances of demonic states are explained in inexhaustible detail. There is also the fear that when students’ practice reaches inner observation, the demonic states dissolve and Shen and Qi gather, and they enter all at once into the heavenly palaces (the Daoist heavens), where the splendor is ten thousand times greater; one still fears they may mistake this for an immortal realm. Therefore one cannot but further set out the oral instructions for discarding the shell (abandoning the physical body and letting the Yang Spirit emerge from its shell). Discarding the shell is not difficult; only when the practice is accomplished does it accord with naturalness. Thus the oral instructions contain flowered trees and black canopies (symbolic scenes in elixir instructions that mark the original body), which are used to summon Shen back into the shell; they contain cranes soaring and dragons leaping, which are used to raise the Yang Spirit, causing Shen to leave the physical body, discard the shell, and ascend as an immortal. Among eminent Daoists past and present, if anyone rashly transmits the method without preserving secrecy, his nine generations of ancestors (the nine ancestral generations) will suffer the pains of hell. Therefore cultivators of truth, when their practice is complete, will naturally ascend; this is not something that can be omitted; students ancient and modern should all be cautious and vigilant.

The secret of the Golden Elixir (Jindan) lies in only two things: nature and life (xingming). Nature belongs to Heaven and constantly lies hidden at the crown of the head. Life belongs to Earth and constantly lies hidden in the navel. The crown of the head is the root of nature. The navel is the stem of life. The one root of nature and the one stem of life are the source and foundation of Heaven and Earth. Below the navel is the Yellow Court (Huangting, the Dantian). The Yellow Court is constantly guarded at the crown and the navel; this is called the threefold Yellow Court, which is what the Huangting Jing says: “With a lute heart in threefold harmony, the embryonic immortal dances.” The lute symbolizes harmony. When a person is born, the placenta is knotted at one’s own navel and connected to the mother’s heart palace; it is cut at the navel, and this is what is called the “stem.” The stem is the life-stem; the root is the nature-root. Only because of the fear of leaking heavenly secrets are there teachings with a thousand names and myriad forms, using many metaphors. The nature in the crown is also called Lead, Tiger, Water, Metal, Sun, Intention, Kan, Kun, Wu, Chanü (the Maiden), the Jade Pass, and so on; all are alternate names for the same root of nature. The life in the navel is also called Mercury, Dragon, Fire, Root, Moon, Po (the corporeal soul), Li, Qian, Ji, the Infant, the Golden Terrace, and so on; all are alternate names for the same stem of life. The crown belongs to Wu Earth, the navel to Ji Earth; the two “earth” components combine to form the character gui, and so Lü Xianweng (Lü Dongbin) called it Daogui (a byname for elixir pills). In the final analysis it is only the two things, nature and life; what the thousand scriptures and ten thousand treatises discuss is precisely this.

Each day, from dawn to dusk is the daytime; from dusk to the end of the fifth watch (the “sha” point) is the nighttime. Whether walking, standing still, sitting, or lying down, by day cultivate the practice of the life-stem in the navel; by night cultivate the practice of the nature-root at the crown gate. The concluding phrase “no early, no late” indicates that cultivation makes no distinction between morning and evening; both morning and evening one should apply effort in this way.

At night, when neither hungry nor full, one should practice regularly. In one hundred days the elixir coagulates. In three hundred days the great medicine is refined to completion. In three years the embryonic immortal (the immortal embryo formed through Neidan, internal alchemy) is accomplished. Naturally, a yang spirit emerges from and enters the crown gate (the fontanelle at the top of the head). Coming and going, there is no obstruction. This is called the wonder of the true elixir.

During the day, one who cultivates the “root of life” (mingdi; the root of life, referring to the navel) need only rub the palms together until warm and cup them firmly over the navel wheel (the navel area). Focusing the intention single-mindedly and keeping it only at the navel wheel, without thinking or imagining, merely abiding in quiet stillness, one will feel the divine water (in Neidan, the kidney water and fluids) descend to the navel area. True fire is activated and leaps from the Dantian (energy center) below the navel straight up to the crown gate. Let it happen naturally, without counting the number of times; simply keep the mind single-pointedly at the navel wheel. If one wishes to rest, whether walking or staying still, do so according to convenience without restriction. After a long time the Dantian feels like fire; the spirit is joyful and wonderful, and the marvel is difficult to describe.

At night, one who cultivates the “root of nature” (xinggen; the root of mind-nature) need only touch the tongue to the upper palate, gradually close the two apertures of the throat, and make the breathing subtle. Focusing the intention single-mindedly and keeping it only at the crown gate, without thinking or imagining, merely abiding in quiet stillness, one will feel true fire rolling and surging upward from below until it reaches the crown gate. If one wishes to rest, or to walk or stay, all is according to one’s intention, unrestricted. After a long time, within the top of the head one gradually seems to hear from afar the sound of celestial music, and a true fragrance issues from the nose. The marvel is difficult to describe; the secret of the Golden Elixir is entirely here.

With one inhalation, original Jing (yuanjing; original essence) rises upward; with two exhalations, mysterious transformation causes the crown gate to open. People of the world do not know what the true dragon and tiger (metaphors for true Yin and Yang, water and fire) are, but merely guess about them within the Dantian.

Select the month from the year, the day from the month, and the hour from the day. One must beware of starting the fire when the Wei mansion (one of the twenty-eight lunar mansions) is at the dark of the moon (month’s end), and advance the fire when the Dou mansion (one of the twenty-eight lunar mansions) is at the new moon (month’s beginning).

Original Qi (yuanqi; vital energy) is the Shen (spirit) within Qi; accumulated Jing is the Qi within Jing. The first stirring of one yang is the Zi hour (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.). At this time the handle of the Northern Dipper has just turned; this is the true Zi hour. Another method: for the ninth month, count upward from the Zi hour according to the rule; when the count has passed “Yu,” take the ninth month as the Zi hour; only then is it the true Zi hour. At this time there is breath in both nostrils. The Metal Lord and the Maiden are the framework of Kan and Li (water and fire, Yin-Yang); that is, the Frost Descent in mid-ninth month is taken as the Winter Solstice of the eleventh month.

Each month, one regularly starts counting from the Xu hour; at every hour one may see the Pojun star (the seventh star of the Northern Dipper). The Tiangang (the handle of the Northern Dipper) advances one position; the “living luminary” (the flexible application of stellar fire timing) is not transmitted to outsiders. When the mid-qi seasonal node is obtained and the sun is crossed, that is the monthly general. The breath does not issue from the mouth or throat. The mysterious pass (xuanguan; the key aperture in Neidan) is just one cun and three fen inside the navel; the original Qi of father and mother is called the cauldron.

The two kidneys resemble the tripod cauldron of an alchemical furnace. When the mind activates and cultivation begins, this marks the moment to ignite the elixir fire. The fire (heart's fire) and the tiger (true yang within kidney water) mutually fuse, producing an essence (the medicinal substance) as precise as the measuring blade-guī (a minute unit). Through breath (the xūn wind) working like bellows, the vital energy (qi) circulates within the dantian (the "splendid chamber"), which constitutes the crucial process of advancing the fire and regulating its intensity.

In practice, special attention must be paid to the mǎo hour (5-7 AM) and the yǒu hour (5-7 PM). The innate primordial qi activates during the chǒu hour (1-3 AM), while postnatal cultivation should align with one's birth hour (original life hour) and the hour of flourishing vitality (hour of strongest life force). As for the transcendent states of shedding the mortal body and transforming the spirit, these require calculating the seasonal hours of flourishing vitality based on one's birth chart.

This method follows two cultivation rhythms: completing one grand celestial cycle in a year, or accomplishing one minor celestial cycle in a day. Daily practice must seize the zǐ hour (11 PM-1 AM) and wǔ hour (11 AM-1 PM), along with seven key periods including the hour of flourishing vitality. Five hundred and sixty hours form one hòu (cultivation cycle), encompassing critical phases like gentle nurturing, purification (cleansing body and mind), regulation of growth and restraint (balancing yin-yang), subduing inner demons, and bodily transmutation—all completed within this cycle. Remember to guard these secrets carefully; they must not be lightly disclosed.

As the twelve realized adepts of Western Mountain (Daoist cultivation masters) once said: When ordinary people speak of heaven's profound mysteries, they often speculate wildly without grasping the truth. Mortals lack the wisdom to discern authenticity; even when encountering the true Dao, they frequently criticize it falsely.

(This passage originates from the second volume of Dà Dān Zhí Zhǐ [Direct Instructions on the Great Elixir], primarily explaining the crucial aspects of fire regulation and temporal selection in neidan practice.)