《抱一子三峰老人丹訣》

The Baoyizi Sanfeng Laoren Danjue (Three Peaks Elder's Alchemical Formulas of the Embrace-One Master) primarily discusses the distinction between true and false cultivation of nature and life (xingming) in Neidan (internal alchemy) practice, along with common misconceptions in cultivation.

The text begins by observing that since Pangu separated heaven and earth, human existence has been trapped in endless rebirth without liberation. Human life is as fleeting as lightning—youth passes without awakening, leaving only the wait for death in old age. A single mistaken thought at life's end may plunge one into the six realms of rebirth, where the true nature (yuanshen, primordial spirit) enters another corporeal shell, enduring countless kalpas without hope of deliverance.

It then critiques several erroneous cultivation methods:

• Some consume pine and cypress
• Others ingest water while swallowing Fulu (talismanic incantations)
• Certain practitioners obsess over swallowing saliva
• Some focus solely on "expelling the old and absorbing the new" breathing techniques
• Others attempt to absorb the essence of the sun and moon
• Many rely solely on massage and Daoyin (guiding Qi exercises)
• Some practice rigid fasting or grain-abstention
• Others cultivate blindly without understanding
• A few abandon effort altogether

The author condemns these as heretical paths unrelated to genuine dual cultivation of nature and life (xingming shuangxiu). A crucial distinction is drawn between:

• True nature-life: The refinement of yangshen (yang spirit), a luminous coalescence of pure Yang Qi—this is the great accomplishment of celestial immortality (tianxian).
• False nature-life: The formation of yinshen (yin spirit), a turbid condensation of yin qi—merely the minor achievement of ghostly immortality (guixian).

The text satirizes those cultivating yin spirits as children playing games, utterly ignorant of authentic alchemical processes like "extracting lead and adding mercury" (harmonizing yin-yang) or "subduing the dragon and taming the tiger" (mastering mental fluctuations)—the true Golden Elixir (jindan) methods. Mistaking shen (spirit) and qi for xingming is likened to claiming another's wealth as one's own or adopting strangers as kin—mere daydreams. Such practices amount to "drawing cakes to satisfy hunger" or "flowers in a mirror, moon reflected in water"—ultimately empty illusions.

This scripture expounds the essential teachings of cultivating the Golden Elixir (Jindan) path while critiquing erroneous cultivation methods. The main points are as follows:

Many practitioners fail to comprehend authentic Golden Elixir methods, clinging instead to internal visualization techniques (a form of meditation) that genuine masters reject. The Perfected Being of Long Life composed a verse: "If imagining could achieve the Embryonic Immortal (Taixian) state, then women could conceive without husbands." Master Zhang Pingshu (a renowned Song dynasty Daoist) similarly stated: "Even mastery of breathing techniques and visualization cannot compare with the true Golden Elixir path." Zhongli Quan (one of the Eight Immortals) further emphasized: "Without obtaining genuine lead and mercury (neidan terms for essential bodily substances), one can never transcend the cycle of life and death."

Novices often suffer from scattered thoughts and external distractions. The correct approach involves: gathering one's spirit, internally observing the lower Dantian (energy center three inches below the navel), stabilizing the mind, and nurturing Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit). Practice requires perseverance but shouldn't become obsessive attachment, nor should one boast about progress prematurely.

The text specifically clarifies: lead and mercury aren't ordinary spirit and energy—authentic lead and mercury follow strict proportional rules of increase and decrease. Some practitioners discuss abstract concepts like "the formless Dao" while lacking fundamental skills in nourishing spirit and refining Qi. Such cultivation resembles absurdities like withered trees blossoming or night travelers losing their way.

When authentic Golden Elixir cultivation succeeds, it radiates light in all directions with perfect control over condensation and dispersion. Male practitioners must pay special attention to the inner kidneys (located near the waist)—the source of primordial Yang essence, also called the "Crescent Moon Furnace." Both inner and outer kidneys (reproductive organs) belong to the Kan trigram (one of the Bagua). One shouldn't remove the outer kidneys in pursuit of purity, as this damages innate creative potential. The kidneys govern the five organs, while the body also contains three Dantian: the Muddy Pellet Palace at the crown serves as the upper Dantian.

(Note: This scripture primarily critiques superficial cultivation methods, emphasizing that authentic Golden Elixir practice requires proper understanding of key elements like lead/mercury and Dantian. It particularly highlights the importance of protecting kidney Qi for male practitioners.)

The Baoyizi Sanfeng Laoren Danjue (Three Peaks Elder's Alchemical Formulas of the Embrace-Oneness Master) elucidates key locations and concepts in the practice of internal alchemy (Neidan):

The human body contains three crucial energy centers (Dantian): the middle Dantian at the heart position is called the Scarlet Palace, while the lower Dantian located one and three-tenths inches below the navel is termed the Yellow Court Palace—the very crucible where the Golden Elixir (Jindan) is refined and the sacred embryo nurtured. Corresponding to the five organs, each possesses its vital essence (Jing), with all five essences converging in the lower Dantian. This lower energy field bears various symbolic names—Palace of Five Illuminations, Vase Palace, Crystal Water Palace—representing the convergence point of the Five Phases (Wuxing).

The heart belongs to the southern direction's Bing-Ding Fire, while the kidneys correspond to northern Ren-Gui Water, yet these represent merely provisional water and fire. The true water and fire are the lead and mercury (symbolizing Yin and Yang energies in Neidan terminology) contained within them—these constitute the authentic Kan (Water) and Li (Fire).

Practitioners must first comprehend the "host-guest relationship between nature and life" (Xingming binzhu): Regarding spiritual nature (Xing), when the wandering mind scatters like a restless monkey, it acts as the guest; whereas gathering awareness inward to maintain luminous stillness makes one the host. Concerning vital life-force (Ming), mercury (associated with Wood-Fire) floating in the Li position is the guest, while lead (associated with Metal-Water) settling in the Kan position serves as host. As Zhang Boduan (Zhang Pingshu) taught: Only by understanding the inverted logic of Yin-Yang can one distinguish host from guest.

Lead and mercury possess both authentic and artificial forms: True lead-mercury precedes heaven and earth—formless and imageless, representing the genuine Metal of western Geng-Xin (where Metal generates Water). False lead-mercury emerges after heaven and earth's formation, bearing shape and form. The authentic lead-mercury constitutes the formless foundation of creation, capable of generating mercury, which in turn sequentially gives birth to heaven-earth, sun-moon, mountains-seas, human relations, and all phenomena. Metal (lead) as mother of Water (mercury) encapsulates the fundamental principle of cosmic generation.

(Note: The terms lead-mercury and Kan-Li are core Neidan metaphors—lead symbolizes original essence (Yuanjing), mercury represents original spirit (Yuanshen), while Kan-Li signifies water-fire interaction. This passage reveals the essential Neidan principle: returning to the origin through regulating the harmonious interplay of Yin-Yang energies within the body.)

This scripture expounds the core principles of "lead and mercury" (the fundamental substances in Daoist alchemy) within the internal alchemy (Neidan) tradition:

"Mother conceals child in womb" refers to mercury (child of metal) being contained within lead (mother of metal), much like an infant hidden in its mother's belly. Lead's nature is solid and incorruptible, forming the foundational basis for refining the Golden Elixir (Jindan). As the Daode Jing states: "The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of myriad things." True lead represents the primordial source of all existence.

The Celestial Sovereign Huangren (a Daoist immortal), in his commentary on the Yinfu Jing, explains that lead and mercury constitute the root of heaven and earth, the mother of Yin-Yang, from which all things are generated. Whether celestial immortals or sacred beings in mountain grottoes, nothing exists without the "Qi of lead." If one can refine lead and mercury to produce primordial Qi (vital energy), countless divine spirits will spontaneously manifest, leading to the state of immortality.

The specific substances referenced here are:

• Black tin (lead) - mother of the five metals (gold, silver, copper, iron, tin)
• Mercury - called "thief of metals" for its corrosive properties

The alchemical process hinges on Yin-Yang transformation:

1. Black lead transforms into yellow minium (lead oxide) - Yin turning to Yang

2. Yellow minium reverts to black lead - Yang returning to Yin

3. Mercury transforms into cinnabar (vermilion) - Yin becoming Yang

4. Cinnabar reverts to mercury - Yang reverting to Yin

Lead and mercury can also produce five colored substances (corresponding to the Five Phases):

• Black tin yields luminous powder (white)
• Mercury produces light powder

Though these substances aren't the true lead and mercury (referring to pre-heaven primordial Qi), their transformative patterns mirror cosmic creation.

The operation of heaven and earth follows similar principles:

• At winter solstice, earthly Qi ascends (cosmic "lead extraction")
• At summer solstice, celestial Qi descends (cosmic "mercury extraction")

The seasonal cycles resemble the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) in motion, where the Earth phase (Wuji) remains formless yet permeates all seasons.

Immortal Lü Dongbin taught: "The essences of the Five Phases all reside within this alchemical crucible of lead and mercury." The Yinfu Jing states that observing celestial patterns and aligning with natural processes suffices. Lead-mercury transformations manifest diversely—one shouldn't limit understanding to cinnabar producing mercury alone. Consider these symbolic correspondences:

• The solar crow (golden raven in the sun) represents Yin mercury
• The lunar hare (jade rabbit in the moon) symbolizes Yang lead

(Note: These metaphors illustrate the Yin-Yang attributes of lead and mercury. Paradoxically, the sun—typically Yang—represents Yin mercury, while the moon—typically Yin—represents Yang lead, embodying the Daoist principle of "Yin within Yang, Yang within Yin.")

This scripture expounds the core principles of Daoist immortality cultivation, focusing on the "dual cultivation of nature and life" (xingming shuangxiu):

There are five grades of immortals: Celestial Immortals (the highest state where form and spirit unite with the Dao), Earth Immortals, Ghost Immortals, Human Immortals, and Divine Immortals. Only Celestial Immortals attain the realm of freely gathering and dispersing, as described in Master Lü Dongbin's verse: "A single golden elixir (jindan) determines eternal life."

The author, Elder Sanfeng (also known as Baoyizi), after traveling extensively, discovered that few truly understood the essence of cultivation. Authentic practice requires simultaneous cultivation of "nature" (xing, the spiritual aspect) and "life" (ming, the physical aspect) - neither can be neglected.

The foundation of cultivation lies in the heart and kidneys: the kidneys are the root of life (yang, governing qi), while the heart is the source of nature (yin, governing shen). The relationship between spirit (shen) and qi resembles that of mother and child - spirit is born from qi, while qi is nourished by spirit. These terms "shen-qi" and "xing-ming" are specialized cultivation terminology referring to the body's internal energies.

Practical methods include:

• The spirit (consciousness) perceives the external world through the senses, engaging in thought during daytime and dreams at night
• One must stabilize the heart-mind to gather qi in the lower dantian (three inches below the navel)
• The essential formula: maintain jing-qi without dispersion and keep the heart-mind unmoving. Any fluctuation of intention will lead to dissipation of shen-qi

Warnings for beginners:

• Cultivating only nature (xing) without life (ming), such as projecting the yin-spirit, can only achieve the lowest grade of Ghost Immortal
• True cultivation requires mutual guarding of shen and qi while maintaining inner purity

This scripture reveals the fundamental theory of Daoist internal alchemy (neidan), emphasizing the regulation of breath (qi) and consciousness (shen) to attain longevity. Practitioners must maintain mental stability over extended periods, internalizing jing-qi, ultimately achieving the Celestial Immortal state of "marvelous integration of form and spirit."

The Baoyizi Sanfeng Laoren Danjue (Three Peaks Elder's Alchemical Formulas) expounds the core methods of Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation, emphasizing the practice of "calming the heart and stabilizing the mind."

The essential teaching is this: when a person's Shen (spirit) becomes scattered, it dissipates—just as the Yijing (Book of Changes) states, "What cannot be fathomed by Yin-Yang is called Shen." The immortal Liu Zhenren (likely Liu Cao, also known as Liu Haichan) similarly wrote in verse: "A tranquil heart opens the path to heaven; a disordered mind leads to hell's gate." One's Xingming (inherent nature and vital life force) is like precious jade hidden within coarse stone—it requires a skilled artisan (an enlightened teacher) to reveal its true form.

The concrete practice involves:

1. Maintaining daily routines with regular meals while relinquishing distracting thoughts

2. Selecting a quiet chamber, preparing a meditation mat, and wearing loose clothing

3. Sitting cross-legged with an upright posture, free from wandering thoughts

4. Restraining the senses: eyes not gazing, ears not listening, mouth kept closed

5. Breathing softly and continuously, as if it were barely perceptible

6. Focusing attention on the lower Dantian (energy center) three inches below the navel—a vital locus in Daoist physiology

7. Preserving the primordial Yang Qi (innate life force), the key to longevity and transcending the cycle of life and death

The text employs vivid metaphors:

• The "heart-monkey and mind-horse" (symbolizing restless thoughts) must be corralled like livestock
• Grandiose delusions of "wrapping heaven and encompassing earth" will obscure one's Zhenxing (true innate nature)
• The lower Dantian resembles a "sacred grotto that births immortals," containing the authentic Yin-Yang energies and golden Jing (essential substance of the Golden Elixir)

Concluding with a citation from the Shengtian Jing (Scripture of Ascension to Heaven), the text stresses: through Neiguan (inner observation) of the five viscera and six bowels, practitioners must maintain their Qi in luminous purity. Just as an infant cannot leave its mother, cultivators must never abandon the foundational lower Dantian. Neglecting this vital center renders one like a lost traveler without direction.

This scripture primarily discusses the two levels of Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation in Daoism: the minor achievement of releasing the Yin-Shen (shadow spirit) and the major achievement of releasing the Yang-Shen (light spirit).

The practitioner must first attain a mind free of distractions, with consciousness not wandering outward. During practice, one should maintain focus like a hen brooding over eggs and sustain the effort like a dung beetle rolling its ball. The key lies in making the Shen (spirit/consciousness) and Qi (vital energy) guard each other, gathering them in the lower Dantian (energy center three inches below the navel) until forming the "embryonic immortal." Maintaining this unwavering concentration leads to meditative absorption. Within this state, one can release the Yin-Shen—a shadow spirit capable of traveling thousands of miles instantly, invisible to others. Yet this is merely the realm of the "nameless ghost gate." Achieving this level only allows for reincarnation or possession, becoming a void-pure ghost rather than a genuine Yang-immortal.

The true superior practice is cultivating the Yang-Shen, which constitutes the major achievement of celestial immortality. The crux lies in comprehending the "roots of nature and life"—represented by the heart and kidneys corresponding to the Li (Fire) and Kan (Water) trigrams (Li as heart-fire, Kan as kidney-water). The essence-blood within these organs symbolizes lead and mercury (lead as kidney-essence/Yin, mercury as heart-blood/Yang), also called dragon and tiger (dragon as heart-spirit, tiger as kidney-Qi). All enlightened masters through the ages emphasize: the Yang-dragon (heart-spirit) arises from the Li palace (heart), while the Yin-tiger (kidney-Qi) emerges from the Kan position (kidneys). Though different schools use varying terminology—some speaking of water and fire, others of metal and wood—all ultimately point to the essence-blood within heart and kidneys. The heart is the source of blood, the kidneys the foundation of essence.

In essence, the core of cultivation involves harmonizing heart and kidneys, refining essence and blood, enabling the fusion of Yin and Yang energies to ultimately achieve a body of pure Yang.

This scripture discusses the relationship between "lead and mercury" (representing the yin-yang essences within the human body) and "nature and life" (spirit and vital energy) in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) practice, as well as how to understand the timing of cultivation by observing lunar phases.

The text states: Water corresponding to the celestial stems Ren and Gui (northern Water phase) belongs to yin, yet true cultivation of nature and life fundamentally follows the principle of yin and yang qi. When discussing yin-yang in their standard configuration, yang represents nature (shen/spirit) while yin represents life (vital energy). The mercury in the Li trigram (fire trigram) symbolizes original spirit (nature), while the lead in the Kan trigram (water trigram) symbolizes original essence (life).

However, when viewing yin-yang inversely: yang can be seen as yin, and yin as yang. The lead in the Kan trigram, though positioned below (yin), represents nature; while the mercury in the Li trigram above (yang) conversely represents life. This inverted perspective aligns with the creative principles governing celestial movements of sun and moon.

Lead and mercury share a mother-child relationship: lead generates mercury, yet mercury depends on lead. Heaven and earth lack physical heart and kidneys, so they take sun and moon as their heart-kidneys; humans lack sun and moon, so they take heart and kidneys as their sun-moon. The sun contains the golden crow (symbolizing yin within Li's fire), the moon holds the jade rabbit (symbolizing yang within Kan's water). The heart resembles the sun, the kidneys resemble the moon, with their yin-yang transformations following lunar-solar rhythms.

Master Lü Dongbin often used sun-moon metaphors when explaining cultivation methods. The text details lunar phases:

• From 1st to 8th lunar day (new moon to first quarter), yang qi gradually increases to eight liang (half jin)
• At full moon (15th day), yang qi reaches perfection
• After 16th day, yin qi grows until third quarter (23rd day), accumulating eight liang

The waxing moon belongs to metal and fire, the waning moon to silver and water - together symbolizing yin-yang alternation and "dragon-tiger intercourse" (harmonization of essence, qi and spirit). Patriarch Wang Chongyang noted that both quarters total sixteen liang (one jin), implying the need for yin-yang equilibrium. Finally, Liu Haichan (Quanzhen patriarch) revealed this explains the mystery of the "Great Return Elixir" (supreme golden elixir).

Through celestial patterns, this scripture metaphorically teaches Neidan practitioners to seize moments of yin-yang transformation and water-fire balance, achieving perfect integration of jing (essence), qi (vital energy) and shen (spirit).

This scripture elucidates the core principles of Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation:

The Golden Elixir manifests as a perfectly spherical pellet, radiating five-colored brilliance (symbolizing the complete Five Phases) and weighing sixteen taels (corresponding to celestial circulation patterns).

The alchemical process operates through:

• Harmonizing Yin-Yang energies (symbolized by lead and mercury)
• Refinement through celestial fire cycles (breath regulation during practice)
• Ultimately forging the Dragon-Tiger Golden Elixir weighing one jin (384 zhu, matching the 384 lines of the Zhouyi), with vermilion-orange hues like tangerines

Essential components include:

• The Wu-Ji earth (symbolizing spirit-Qi union):
• Wu earth represents primordial Qi from the Kidneys (Kan trigram)
• Ji earth signifies the original Spirit from the Heart (Li trigram)
• The true "Yellow Matron" mediator denotes the state of spirit-Qi fusion, not the physical spleen
• Lead (kidney Jing/essence) and mercury (heart Shen/spirit) unite through Wu-Ji earth mediation

Fire phases are classified as:

• External fire: ordinary flame for smelting metals and cooking
• Internal fire (for alchemical refinement):
• Commoner fire (Jing-based)
• Minister fire (Qi-powered)
• Sovereign fire (Shen-directed)
• The innate spiritual fire must remain quiescent to prevent vital essence depletion

Key practice requirements:

• Requires transmission from an enlightened master
• Demands collected awareness and stabilized vital energies (three fires returning to origin)
• Ultimately concentrates true fire in the lower Dantian to refine the Golden Elixir

Note: Terms like "lead-mercury", "dragon-tiger" and "Kan-Li" are Neidan metaphors using metals and animals to symbolize the transformation of Jing-Qi-Shen within the body. The sixteen-tael measurement system secretly corresponds with Zhouyi numerology, embodying the Daoist cultivation principle of "cosmic-human correspondence".

This scripture expounds the Neidan (internal alchemy) practice of "Dragon-Tiger Golden Elixir" in Daoist cultivation, focusing on refining Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit) through breath regulation and energy circulation.

During practice, one should guide Qi flow with focused intention in the Dantian (energy center) located in the lower abdomen. Like refining medicine in a cauldron, the cyclical movement of Qi within the body causes Yin energy to recede while Yang energy grows. When true Yang Qi circulates upward and downward within the body, it naturally forms a radiant red "Dragon-Tiger Golden Elixir" - the great medicine of immortality.

Human nature and vitality are like precious jade concealed within stone, requiring guidance from a skilled artisan (an accomplished master) to extract and refine. Beginners must start with foundational practices and progress gradually. Just as heaven and earth follow natural patterns of movement, humans inherit the Qi of cosmos. Practitioners must comprehend the principles of Yin-Yang transformation.

The specific method involves: during the Zi hour (11pm-1am), calming the mind and concentrating the spirit to transform the primordial Yang Jing from the lower Dantian into five-colored Qi. This energy will surge like fierce flames through the coccyx (Weilü point), breaking through the Three Passes (coccyx, Jiaji between shoulder blades, and Yuzhen at the occiput), ascending to the Muddy Pellet Palace (upper Dantian) at the crown of the head, then returning to the lower Dantian. This cyclical process fuses Shen, Qi, Jing, and blood into harmony with the celestial orbit patterns.

Upon successful refinement of the Golden Elixir, the "Yang Spirit" or "Sacred Embryo" emerges. Its formation parallels ordinary conception: while mortal embryos form from parental Jing-blood (represented by lead and mercury), the sacred embryo develops through the alchemical process of "extracting lead and replenishing mercury." "Extracting lead" refers to transporting true Qi from the lower to upper Dantian, known as "Waterwheel Rotation" or "Flying Golden Essence Behind the Elbow." "Replenishing mercury" describes the golden essence ascending to nourish the brain before sweet golden water descends from the crown into the mouth.

The entire process emphasizes natural circulation, allowing Jing and Qi to move autonomously until coalescing into the Golden Elixir. This requires persistent practice, beginning with fundamental techniques and progressing systematically.

This scripture explains the specific Neidan (internal alchemy) practice of "extracting lead and adding mercury" in Daoist cultivation. Let me interpret it in modern terms:

During practice, the golden fluid (saliva) in the mouth passes through the throat (the twelve-ringed Chonglou passage) into the lungs. The lungs correspond to Metal in the western direction (one of the Five Phases), represented by the color white. When this fluid transforms into saliva, it flows through the two Qi channels of the lungs into the heart. The heart corresponds to Fire in the southern direction (among the Five Phases), represented by red, where the saliva transforms into blood (mercury). The blood then flows through the heart's two Qi channels into the kidneys, which correspond to Water in the northern direction (among the Five Phases), represented by black. Here the blood transforms into Jing-essence (lead).

Practitioners must maintain this "extracting lead and adding mercury" process continuously day and night. After ten months, the sacred embryo (Neidan) will form. As the perfected Zhang Pingshu described in his poem: "The infant contains pure Qi; ten months perfect the womb to enter sacred foundations."

The cultivation process divides into three stages:

1. One hundred days: Complete medicinal efficacy

2. Two hundred days: The sacred embryo solidifies

3. Three hundred days: The sacred embryo fully forms with complete viscera and bowels

At advanced stages, the Dantian (energy center) will pulsate naturally like a pregnant woman's fetal movements. After ten months of nurturing, the Yang-Shen (cultivated spirit) emerges like a cicada shedding its shell. At this stage, the Yang-Shen possesses the purity of an infant and can condense or disperse at will.

Initial Yang-Shen projection should be gradual:

• First project just a few steps before returning
• Gradually increase to two or three miles
• With proficiency, travel thousands of miles
• Ultimately move freely as effortlessly as stretching one's arm

This constitutes the great method for achieving celestial immortality and eternal life. In the diagram, "Li" represents heart fire, "Kan" represents kidney water, the cicada shedding its shell symbolizes Yang-Shen projection, while the sun and moon represent harmonized Yin-Yang.

The final口诀 reveals this as the fundamental method for cultivating the Dragon-Tiger Golden Elixir (Neidan) and pursuing longevity.

To cultivate Neidan (internal alchemy), one must first understand the ascending and descending pathways of Yin and Yang Qi within the body before commencing practice.

The circulation path of true Qi in the human body operates as follows: Qi originates from the lower Dantian (three inches below the navel), passes through the Weilu point (the lowest vertebra at the base of the spine, also known as the Dragon-Tiger Pass, Caoxi Pathway, or Ninefold Iron Drum), then ascends along three channels—the central spine and its bilateral pathways—to reach the Niwan Palace (upper Dantian) at the crown of the head. From there, it descends back to the lower Dantian, completing this cyclical circulation. The Weilu point and Niwan Palace serve as crucial passageways for the ascent and descent of Yin-Yang energies.

The spine contains three vital passes: the lowest Weilu point is called the Lower Pass; counting upward to the eighteenth vertebra lies the Middle Pass; and three vertebrae above this leading to the Jade Pillow Pass and Great Vertebra point form the Upper Pass, which connects directly to the Niwan Palace. These are what practitioners commonly refer to as the "Three Passes."

During cultivation, one should follow the poetic instruction: "Pierce through the Three Passes to stabilize the Shen (spirit), open the Nine Orifices to harmonize the Qi." Through specific breathing techniques and mindful guidance, practitioners direct their true Qi to break through these three barriers. The Weilu point resembles a nine-holed golden cauldron in structure, which adepts may study by observing skeletal remains.

Upon achieving success in cultivation, one attains the state described as "a shadowless moon disc, unbound by heaven and earth"—a realm of transcendent freedom. The entire process resembles refining the Green Dragon (representing liver Qi) and White Tiger (representing lung Qi) energies within the body's inner alchemical furnace, ultimately forging the Golden Elixir of immortality.

This alchemical verse describes the process and states of Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation in Daoist practice, using metaphorical language to reveal the mystical realm of refining the elixir for immortality. Here's a section-by-section explanation:

The first section outlines key alchemical procedures: Within the human body (where "Kan-water" represents the kidneys and "Li-fire" the heart), harmonizing Yin-Yang (with "infant" symbolizing original essence and "beautiful maiden" representing original spirit). Through a gestation-like cultivation lasting ten lunar months, one refines the Golden Elixir (the "face-preserving pearl") in the Dantian (energy center below the navel). The pregnancy metaphor illustrates the formation of internal elixir.

The second section emphasizes cultivation essentials: Avoid empty talk—the true focus lies in harmonizing heart and kidneys (Kan-Li) and refining essence-energy (mercury-lead). Upon achieving the Golden Elixir (sixteen taels of fire elixir), one ascends to immortality (journeying to Penglai) with celestial recognition (summoned by the Jade Emperor).

The third section describes cultivation states: By regulating fire phases (mindful control during practice), the body's Yin-Yang forces (dragon-tiger) undergo ninefold elixir transformation, ultimately attaining mastery over sun-moon cycles and golden fluid reversion. Here "crimson dragon's blood" signifies heart fire while "black tiger's essence" denotes kidney water—their union nurtures the immortal "infant" (internal elixir).

The fourth section portrays cultivation fruits: With the Golden Elixir completed (the "Five Radiance Palace" indicating the head), the mind becomes lucid as the full moon (heart like bright moon), while one's nature grows placid as still waters (temperament resembling cold pool), maintaining constant awareness (perpetual wakefulness throughout twelve double-hours).

The fifth section addresses cultivation mentality: Though dwelling in worldly chaos (myriad scenes crisscrossing), the heart remains unstained like lotus rising from mud. Practitioners should maintain moon-like mental clarity (heart-moon purifying countless illusions) with spiritual light illuminating all directions (divine pearl shining upon ten quarters).

The sixth section distinguishes dual cultivation: Perfecting spiritual cultivation yields Yin-spirit ghost immortality, while mastering bodily practice produces Yang-spirit transcending life-death. One must restrain the restless mind (securely locking monkey-horse) to preserve authentic nature.

The final sections depict cultivation achievements: After opening the three passes and nine orifices (key points in energy circulation), the Golden Elixir circulates like a waterwheel (internal energy cycling), culminating in spiritual ascension (carefree return to Jade Capital Mountain). The colophon by "Baoyizi, Elder of Three Peaks" claims successful attainment ("winning three thousand eight hundred merits" indicating complete accomplishment).

This alchemical verse employs rich metaphors to outline the complete Neidan process from foundation to ascension, emphasizing the dual cultivation of nature-life and mental purity—a classic guide to internal alchemical practice.