《上清丹元玉真帝皇飛仙上經》

The Shangqing Danyuan Yuzhen Dihuang Feixian Shangjing (Highest Scripture of the Jade-Perfected Imperial Sovereign's Ascension to Immortality) and Shangqing Zijing Junhuang Chu Ziling Daojun Dongfang Shangjing (Highest Scripture of the Purple Essence Sovereign Lord's Primordial Purple Numinous Dao Monarch's Inner Chamber) are combined into a single scroll.

This scripture records esoteric methods for ascending to the Shangqing Heaven (one of Daoism's highest celestial realms) through cultivation. Practitioners must accomplish the following:

First, purify body and mind in mountain forests far from worldly distractions, maintaining thirty consecutive days of fasting (a purification ritual before Daoist practice). By persisting in this cultivation for fifteen years, one may attain the realm of a Shangqing Zhenren (high-level perfected immortal).

During practice, prepare golden vessels and crimson (deep red) offerings for the scripture master (an immortal teacher who transmits the text), signifying adherence to the vow against casual disclosure. The specific cultivation method is as follows:

At sunrise each day, burn incense and arrange a mat in the courtyard, clicking the teeth twenty-four times and performing nine prostrations. Then sit quietly to regulate the breath, visualizing nine hundred zhang (about 2,700 meters) of flowing purple radiance descending from the sun to envelop the entire body. Next, swallow the essence of this radiance in forty-nine portions, filling the five viscera and six bowels with light. During this, silently recite the incantation: "Primordial Essence, Great Spirit, Purple Radiance Flourishing..." (invoking the radiance to purify the body and unite with the Dao).

Then visualize a Jade Consort (immortal maiden) beneath the solar disk, wearing a crimson headscarf and brocade robes, holding a purple radiance talisman (a Daoist ritual object) as she approaches. Concentrate and silently recite her name three times: "Shangqing Danyuan Crimson Terrace Wondrous Numinous Jade Consort, taboo name Yu Dongzhu, styled Jing Mingying," praying to ride the purple radiance and ascend to the Solar Palace (an immortal palace within the sun), attaining longevity equal to the Dao.

Finally, visualize the Jade Consort taking your hand as you mount the purple radiance and soar toward the sun. At advanced stages of practice, the body will gradually feel lighter—a sign of imminent ascension.

The scripture particularly emphasizes that cultivation demands absolute focus, without the slightest distraction. All methods originate from secret transmissions of the Shangqing Crimson Terrace Imperial Ultimate Palace (an immortal palace in the Shangqing Heaven) and may only be practiced by "destined Zhenren" with an immortal affinity.

This scripture describes a Daoist visualization practice focused on cultivating body and mind through contemplating the essence of sun and moon. Here's a detailed explanation:

When practicing, visualize yourself immersed in solar radiance, where you'll see the Supreme Purity Cinnabar Origin Jade Perfection Imperial Sovereign (a revered Daoist deity) seated upon purple clouds. This divine being appears as an infant wearing crimson brocade jade garments, with five luminous moon pearls hanging at the waist and a vermilion sun held in the mouth that emits nine purple rays. Each ray terminates in a jade essence the size of a hen's egg, with hanging radiance about nine inches long. These jade essences manifest in nine colors: purple, deep red, azure, white, yellow, greenish-blue, green, dark blue, and bluish-black, with their lights flowing and transforming.

Next, visualize the Jade Consort (a female immortal) standing at the deity's right side while you kneel before the divine presence. Offer sincere prostrations nine times while reciting the invocation: "Supreme Purity Cinnabar Origin Jade Perfection Imperial Sovereign, Supreme Dao Lord, named Longjing Teng, styled Jiangxi Liao" (repeat three times).

Begin the visualization practice by first receiving the bluish-black jade essence. As it enters your mouth with slight warmth, imagine it descending to the lower Dantian (an energy center three inches below the navel). Then sequentially visualize: the dark blue essence entering the Dantian, the green essence settling at the Bright Hall (acupoint between eyebrows), and the greenish-blue essence entering the Chamber of Light (a vital cavity near the heart). These four essences should be precisely positioned, shining like the sun. Subsequently, guide the purple essence to the left kidney, red to the right kidney, deep red to the heart, azure to the liver, white to the lungs, and yellow to the spleen, allowing the jade radiance to illuminate and interconnect the five viscera, achieving unity of form and spirit. After clicking the teeth nine times, continue reciting invocations before the Imperial Sovereign.

The text then describes merging with sunlight for a period before returning to ordinary awareness. At high noon, sit upright facing south with hands resting on knees, visualizing nine hundred feet of crimson solar rays connecting to your body. Simultaneously imagine the Jade Consort descending along these rays holding a purple jade vial containing golden jade nectar. After drinking nine mouthfuls, feel the nectar permeating your five viscera like mist, causing your entire body to emit red light.

This scripture meticulously records the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) tradition's visualization techniques for cultivating the five viscera and purifying body-mind through contemplating solar-lunar essences and jade substances.

This scripture outlines a complete Daoist cultivation method, focusing on achieving immortality through visualization (cunxiang) of solar and lunar essences. Here's a section-by-section explanation:

The first part describes solar visualization practice:

Envision the "Exalted Perfected Solar Emperor of Qionghua" (the solar deity) residing within the sun, who holds the secrets of cosmic movement. Visualize consuming the solar essence (jade-vessel yellow nectar) until your five viscera radiate brilliance, restoring youthful vitality. Then imagine ascending the crimson jade platform within the sun, sharing celestial rest with the Jade Consort (solar palace nymph).

The lunar visualization method follows:

At midnight, face the moon in ritual posture. Visualize white and rosy light within the moon containing the "Lunar Golden Perfected Upper Clarity Divine Mother" (lunar goddess) wearing lotus crown and yellow robes. She holds a golden tray bearing a luminous pearl resembling the full moon. After tapping teeth six times and reciting incantations, visualize swallowing this divine pearl until its radiance permeates your entire body.

The third section details talismanic practices:

Create two types of fulu (talismans) - the "Purple Dawn Talisman of the Solar Emperor's Jade Perfected" (written in vermilion, carried in crimson pouches) and smaller talismans inscribed on azure paper. Consume them facing east on odd-numbered days (1st, 3rd etc. of lunar month), washed down with Mystic Spring (immortal water).

Final effects of cultivation:

If a practitioner maintains this method for fifteen years without violating prohibitions, they will become an "Upper Clarity Perfected Being" (Shangqing zhenren). Such adepts can ride flying dragons accompanied by jade attendants through the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji) paradise. By ingesting solar and lunar essences (jade quintessence and divine pearls), they ultimately transform nine types of jade essence into the Ninefold Cyclically Transformed Golden Elixir (jiuzhuan jindan), filling their body with divine Qi (Shenqi). After fifteen years, these essences materialize as nine-colored divine dragons and luminous chariots that carry the cultivator to ascension in the Upper Clarity Heaven (one of the Three Pure Realms).

Note: "Cunxiang" refers to the crucial Daoist practice of visualizing deities and celestial realms to commune with cosmic forces; "Fulu" are ritual implements bearing special symbolic inscriptions; "Shangqing" denotes the influential Shangqing (Upper Clarity) tradition that emerged during the Wei-Jin period.

This scripture records the transmission lineage of the Shangqing Danyuan Yuzhen Dihuang Feixian Shangjing (Highest Scripture of the Jade-Perfected Imperial Sovereign's Ascension to Immortality from the Shangqing Red Palace). The main content reveals:

This classic was transmitted by the Supreme Perfected Lord Wang (a high-ranking Daoist immortal official) to the Great Mystery Perfected Lord Mao (a realized Daoist master of the Mao lineage) and the Wenshui Perfected Lord Cai (a realized master of the Cai lineage). These initiation ceremonies were conducted in secret at the Shangqing Crimson Terrace Palace of the Imperial Ultimate (a sacred celestial palace in the Daoist paradise). The scripture primarily documents the specific methods and disciplined stages (jie du, cultivation protocols) through which the Jade Consort of the Imperial Sovereign (a revered Daoist deity) attained immortality.

The Shangqing Danyuan Yuzhen Dihuang Feixian Shangjing serves as a vital classic guiding practitioners in ascension techniques (feixian, flight to immortality) through specialized cultivation methods.