《枕中記》

Interpretation of the First Section of The Record Within a Pillow

Those who cultivate their character and nurture their nature should not distance themselves from friends due to worry and fear. Those who manage a household should not allow their servants to disrespect them out of anxiety. Those who govern a state should not provoke neighboring countries to betray them through apprehension. Those who rule the world should not lose their De (Virtue) because of dread. For worry and reverence are, in truth, the threshold between life and death, the essence of ritual teachings, the root of survival or ruin, the foundation of fortune and misfortune, and the key to auspiciousness or calamity.

To elaborate:

• Scholars without reverence will struggle to establish themselves and gain fame.
• Farmers without reverence will see their crops fail.
• Artisans without reverence will disregard rules.
• Merchants without reverence will find wealth hard to accumulate.
• Children without reverence will lack sincere filial piety.
• Fathers without reverence will show little evident kindness.
• Ministers without reverence will find it difficult to achieve merit.
• Rulers without reverence will bring instability to the nation.

For those who cultivate life, losing reverence leads to: a disordered mind that is hard to regulate, a restless body that cannot find peace, scattered Shen (spirit) and dissipated Qi (vital energy), and a wavering will with clouded awareness. What should live will die; what should endure will perish; what should succeed will fail; what should be auspicious will turn ominous. Reverence is like fire and water—it must never be forgotten for even a moment. A person utterly devoid of reverence will find children turning into adversaries and spouses becoming enemies.

Levels of Reverence:

1. Reverence for the Dao (the Way, natural law)

2. Reverence for the celestial order

3. Reverence for all things in creation

4. Reverence for others

5. Reverence for oneself

Those who understand reverence for themselves will not be bound by others. Those who guard against their own faults will not be controlled by external forces. Those who are cautious in small matters will not fear great ones. Those who remain vigilant in the present will not regret the future. One who grasps this principle will find: aquatic dragons cannot harm them, land beasts cannot injure them, weapons cannot approach them, illness cannot invade them, slander cannot ruin them, and venomous creatures cannot poison them. Truly comprehending this means understanding the great matters of life.

On Prohibitions in Life Cultivation:

Sudden illnesses and premature death often stem from improper diet. The harm of food surpasses that of sensory indulgence—while one can abstain from sensual pleasures for years, food cannot be avoided for even a day. Though eating brings many benefits, its dangers are immediate. Among all delicacies, some have conflicting properties; violating these prohibitions turns them into poison—mild cases lead to chronic illness, severe ones bring sudden disaster.

A special warning: From the summer solstice to the autumn equinox, avoid rich, greasy foods like pastries, as they clash with alcohol, melons, and fruits. Though symptoms may not appear immediately, they will manifest after autumn arrives.

The Pillow Book (Zhenzhong Ji) reveals these principles of health cultivation:

The root of illness often lies in seeking excessive coolness in summer and indulging in unrestrained eating. Most people mistake the day symptoms appear as the beginning of disease, unaware that illness accumulates gradually. Those truly versed in health preservation must exercise caution in subtle matters.

Health cultivation requires practicing the "Twelve Reductions": reduce overthinking, reduce scattered thoughts, reduce desires, reduce overexertion, reduce excessive speech, reduce boisterous laughter, reduce sorrow, reduce indulgence in pleasures, reduce extreme joy, reduce anger, reduce strong preferences, and reduce intense dislikes. These twelve principles form the foundation of health preservation.

Conversely, the "Twelve Excesses" harm vitality: excessive thinking depletes spirit (Shen), scattered thoughts dissipate willpower, numerous desires impair wisdom, overwork injures the body, excessive speech drains Qi, raucous laughter damages internal organs, chronic sorrow frightens the heart, indulgence confuses the mind, extreme joy causes dizziness, anger disrupts Qi and blood flow, strong preferences lead to obsession, and intense dislikes bring exhaustion. Only through moderation does one approach the Dao (the Way).

The longevity of farmers compared to the early demise of the wealthy serves as proof of desire's impact. Thus ordinary people chase profit while Daoists remain detached.

While complete desirelessness is impossible for most, one should harmonize the heart-mind, restrain thoughts, and reduce overthinking—thereby allowing desires to gradually subside naturally.

The renowned physician Feng Junda advised: Keep the body regularly active but moderate in eating. Exercise without overexertion, practice restraint without becoming deficient. Eat less greasy food, control salty and sour flavors, decrease obsessive thinking, restrain joy and anger, avoid excessive travel, and moderate sexual activity. In spring and summer, allow appropriate release; in autumn and winter, focus on storing essence (Jing). Raw fish and meat—cold-natured foods—severely harm the body and should be avoided. Maintain a kind heart and refrain from deceitful acts, as these damage spirit (Shen) and shorten lifespan.

Pengzu cautioned: Overly thick clothing and excessive bedding actually invite wind-cold ailments; rich meats and heavy drinking cause abdominal blockages; obsession with beauty depletes primordial Qi (Yuanqi); decadent music leads to licentiousness; unrestrained hunting induces madness; winning through scheming breeds arrogance. These are the warnings of sages—worthy of deep reflection and personal discipline.

The Art of Nourishing Life from "Pillow Book Records" (Zhenzhong Ji) Explained in Plain Terms:

In cultivating life, be mindful not to walk, sit, listen, or gaze for excessively long periods. Avoid forcing yourself to eat or drink when not hungry or thirsty, and refrain from excessive worry or overthinking. Eat only when hungry, drink only when thirsty. Taking a few hundred steps after meals greatly benefits the body, while eating at night should be avoided—if you must eat after dark, walk five or six miles afterward to prevent illness.

Daily life should include moderate activity both morning and evening (without overexertion). Neither remain in complete idleness nor exhaust yourself to the point of collapse. Just as flowing water never stagnates and a frequently turned door hinge never rusts, constant movement preserves vitality.

The Xiang'er commentary (a Daoist cultivation text) advises: Avoid contentious debates about right and wrong, as this shortens lifespan. When feeling unwell, press the tongue against the palate and swallow saliva repeatedly—this brings swift relief. When a Daoist practitioner falls ill, they may close their eyes to practice "inner vision" (a meditation technique), visualizing heart-fire (a yang energy) burning throughout the body. By concentrating on the flow of Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy), then imagining flames purging the afflicted area, remarkable healing occurs.

[Taboos and Prohibitions]

1. On Jia-Yin and Geng-Shen days (specific lunar calendar dates), corpse-demons become active. Bathe ritually, abstain from marital relations and even conversation with one's spouse—celibacy is ideal these days.

2. When taking herbal medicine, avoid garlic, pomegranate, pork liver, dog meat, and all pork. Complete sexual abstinence is recommended. Never face north when consuming elixirs. On Hai and Zi days (water-element days), spitting is strictly forbidden as it depletes Jing and shortens life.

3. Before entering mountains, walk backward 100 paces from 100 meters away, turn around, then ascend—this prevents mountain spirits and ghosts from causing harm.

4. During immortality practices, abstain from blood foods (meat), otherwise the "Three Corpse Worms" (malevolent spirits residing in the body according to Daoism) cannot be eliminated.

5. Those cultivating immortality must never encounter dead bodies—extremely inauspicious.

6. Throughout the third lunar month, avoid sharing quarters with women.

[Additional Precautions]

• Never sleep on winter's Jia-Zi day (first day of the 60-day cycle)
• Ten Defeats in immortality cultivation:

① Abandon lust

② Commit no wicked or violent acts

③ Avoid drunkenness

④ Maintain physical purity

⑤ Eat no meat from animals corresponding to parents' birth zodiacs

⑥ Abstain from one's own zodiac animal's flesh

⑦ Ideally avoid all meat

⑧ No pungent foods (garlic, onions, etc.) or strong flavors

⑨ Harm no living creatures

⑩ Never urinate/defecate facing north

• Never observe the Three Lights (sun, moon, stars) while facing north
• Never remove clothing facing northward

The Pillow Book Records scripture primarily outlines various taboos and precautions that Daoist practitioners must observe:

Regarding temporal prohibitions:

• Refrain from cursing others or destroying objects
• Avoid defiling the sun, moon, and stars
• Abstain from administering punishments during the Eight Nodes (major solar terms like Start of Spring, Start of Summer, etc.)
• Control anger on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month
• On Liujia days (stem-branch calendar days), avoid consuming scaled creatures
• Specific dietary restrictions: no chicken on Bingshen days, no pheasant on Bingwu days, no alcohol on Yimao days
• Avoid fish on the 9th day of the second month, and abstain from animal organs and plant sprouts on the 3rd day of the third month
• No tree felling on the 8th day of the fourth month, and avoid bloodshed on the 5th day of the fifth month
• No earth digging on the 6th day of the sixth month, and restrain negative thoughts on the 7th day of the seventh month
• No trading of footed creatures on the 8th day of the eighth month, and avoid rearranging bedding on the 9th day of the ninth month
• No reprimanding others on the 5th day of the tenth month, and abstain from bathing on the 11th day of the eleventh month
• Observe purification, incense offerings, and scripture recitation during the last three days of the twelfth month

Violating these taboos registers as grave offenses with the Three Officials (Heavenly, Earthly, and Water Officials), potentially causing soul disturbance, fetal spirit aversion, nightmares, or essence (Jing) leakage. Adherence facilitates immortality, while transgression harms body and mind.

Other critical prohibitions:

• The Heavenly Officials particularly forbid consuming raw blood, burning livestock hair, or incinerating garlic skins and coriander—actions that damage fetal essence and infant spirits
• Practitioners must never exchange clothing or footwear (considered extremely inauspicious)
• Avoid funeral attendance or corpse contact to prevent defilement
• Shun worship of malevolent deities and related objects
• Refrain from holding infants—a major immortalist taboo
• Maintain solitude and focused cultivation during the Eight Nodes
• Regularly purify with incense and bathing

The text concludes with essential techniques for dual cultivation (Yin-Yang practices), including:

• The Yellow Path's crimson Qi exchange
• Seven-nine cycles of essence absorption and expulsion
• Six-one reversion of elixirs through feminine-masculine methods

These represent core Neidan (internal alchemy) practices.

(Note: The described methods involve esoteric Daoist transmissions requiring master-disciple lineages; explanations here remain literal.)

Interpretation of the Pillow Book

To attain the rank of a Shangqing immortal (a high-level Daoist celestial status), virtue (De) alone is insufficient. Even if one teaches and guides others, the Supreme Dao Ancestor (the highest deity in Daoism) will not value this alone. Those impure and false immortals cannot pass through the jade gates of the celestial realm. It is like walking on thin ice over a steep cliff—most will stumble and fail. Even if one survives by chance, they remain nothing but false immortals in a realm of chaos and decay.

Those who aspire to cultivate the Dao internally, nourish their spirit (Shen), and seek immortality must frequently purify themselves through ritual bathing to maintain clarity in their spiritual center. Practitioners must be cautious in all matters—revealing even a single secret or confidential teaching will shorten their lifespan by three days (one "suan" equals three days). During morning rituals, one must wear special clean robes. When entering or leaving the meditation chamber, rinse the mouth and burn incense. When stepping outside, do not look back.

Key Practices for Cultivation:

1. When swallowing saliva, close the eyes and inwardly visualize the Dantian (energy center).

2. When writing talismans (Fulu), face north and use dedicated brushes and ink, always beginning with incense burning.

3. If sudden strange sounds are heard in the ears or the smell of blood is detected in the nose, these are ominous signs. Immediately burn incense, perform ritual bathing, and observe a three-day fast to seek protection from the Three Primes Emperors (the celestial, earthly, and water officials). Accumulate merit through virtuous deeds.

4. Virtuous actions must surpass ordinary standards—comfort orphans, relieve the poor, and aid those in crisis.

5. When purchasing medicinal herbs, do not haggle over prices. Choose reputable and virtuous merchants to avoid provoking envy.

Major Taboos in Daoist Practice:

• Excessive joy or anger harms the will; grief and pleasure damage one’s innate nature.
• Wealth and glory delude virtue (De).
• Indulgence depletes essence (Jing) and vital energy (Qi).
• Clothing and bedding must always be clean.
• Maintain an environment of pure fragrance.
• Completely sever desires (if thoughts of lust remain, the true spirit will not descend).
• What is obtained through yin-energy resonance is not the true Dao.

Daoyin Techniques (Longevity Exercises):

Rub the palms together and massage the face until warm. Practiced consistently for five years, this will give the complexion a youthful glow. Upon waking, first calm the mind, then interlace the fingers behind the neck and lean backward—this movement unblocks the meridians.

(Note: The text emphasizes the necessity of cultivating both internal and external purity—purifying the body outwardly and the mind inwardly—with particular focus on the integration of moral cultivation and virtuous deeds.)

The Pillow Book Records documents ancient Daoist health preservation and cultivation methods, divided into two main parts: physical daoyin exercises and Qi circulation techniques.

The daoyin section details a set of health-preserving movements:

Begin with neck exercises—alternately moving the neck and hands three to four times to promote Qi (vital energy) and blood circulation while preventing wind-cold invasions. Next, mobilize the limbs through stretching and side-bending motions, ensuring each joint is activated three times. Upon waking, apply a thick warm towel compress starting from the neck to behind the ears, then massage the neck along the hairline before rubbing the palms warm to massage the face.

For eye maintenance, regularly massage the inner eye corners while holding the breath until the Qi channels open—repeating this enhances vision. Ear care involves rotating and massaging the ears thirty times to prevent deafness and nasal congestion. Daily regimen includes swallowing saliva twenty-one times at dawn while closing the eyes to internally visualize the Five Viscera and Six Bowels.

The Qi circulation section outlines three essential techniques for transcendence cultivation:

First, preserving Jing (essence) through hundreds of methods for moderating sexual activity. Second, circulating Qi via thousands of breathing techniques. Third, ingesting elixirs through ten categories of medicinal formulas.

Particular emphasis is placed on "fetal breathing" (breathing like a fetus without using mouth or nose) as the supreme achievement—mastery can cure all ailments, dispel epidemics, repel venomous creatures, stop bleeding, heal wounds, and even enable underwater living without hunger or thirst while prolonging life. However, the text cautions that these methods require persistent long-term practice to manifest results.

The Pillow Book Records describes Daoist breath cultivation (Xingqi) methods in three main sections:

First, the miraculous effects of breath cultivation. A true master of this art can make water flow backward by exhaling toward it, extinguish flames by blowing at them, and subdue venomous creatures with directed breath. Practitioners can heal external wounds and stop bleeding, even curing poisoned individuals from great distances through incantations (using the left hand for men, right hand for women). For sudden illnesses, swallowing Qi in sets of twenty-seven breaths (the "three nines" count) brings immediate relief. However, modern people's restless minds often lack the stillness required for such practice.

Second, the concrete practice method:

Begin in a sealed chamber, lying on a soft bed raised about three inches (8 cm), with the body fully relaxed and eyes closed. The breathing technique involves placing a goose feather before the nose - the exhalation should be so gentle it doesn't stir the feather. Start with short sessions (sets of 3, 5, 7, or 9 breaths), gradually extending to twelve continuous breaths for minor accomplishment, or one hundred twenty for major attainment. When treating illness, direct the "harmonious Qi" (Heqi) with intention to affected areas (visualizing the head for headaches, feet for foot pain, etc.).

Key precautions include dietary restrictions (avoiding raw, cold, pungent foods and fish/meat), emotional regulation (preventing extreme joy or anger), and weather considerations (avoid practice during heavy fog, strong winds, or extreme cold). The breathing rhythm should feature longer inhalations through the nose than exhalations through the mouth.

Third, advanced techniques:

The optimal practice time is midnight (11pm-1am, the Zi hour) when Yang Qi first emerges. Count breath retentions silently or with finger tallying - reaching a thousand counts indicates nearing immortality. Complementary practices include: Pengzu's method of combining with Daoyin (therapeutic exercises) for thousand-year longevity; ingesting the Golden Elixir (Jindan) for immortality; and during grain abstinence (Bigu), visualizing the sun (daytime) or moon (nighttime) within the mouth.

Note: The "three nines count" refers to twenty-seven breaths (3×9). "Approaching immortality" describes advanced cultivation attainment. "Harmonious Qi" denotes balanced energetic flow. These methods require proper guidance and should not be attempted without supervision.

Interpretation of "Pillow Treatise: Dietary Principles"

For Daoist cultivators pursuing immortality, dietary regulation follows the natural rhythms of the seasons. The core principle lies in harmonizing food choices with seasonal shifts to nurture the body. Here are specific dietary guidelines:

[Seasonal Eating Principles]

Spring favors pungent foods (to disperse stagnant Qi within the body)

Summer suits salty flavors (to moisten bodily tissues)

Late summer (transition between summer and autumn) benefits from sour tastes (to consolidate Yang Qi)

Autumn calls for bitter foods (to fortify primordial Qi)

Winter demands sweet and rich nourishment (to warm the spleen/stomach and build muscle)

These seasonal foods nourish the five organs and expel pathogenic factors. Key cautions:

1. Overconsumption harms the body—moderation prolongs life

2. Each season requires reducing its dominant flavor (e.g., less sour in spring) to prevent Qi excess

[Classical Supplement]

The Book of Rites presents a slightly different seasonal regimen:

• Spring emphasizes sour
• Summer prioritizes bitter
• Autumn favors pungent
• Winter highlights salty

This approach targets those with weak constitutions, using intensified seasonal flavors to replenish Qi.

[Seasonal Ingredients]

Spring: Lamb and suckling pig with beef fat (beef belongs to Earth; spring’s Wood dominance restricts Earth—thus neutralized by idle beef fat)

Summer: Preserved pheasant and dried fish with dog fat (dog corresponds to Metal; summer’s Fire overcomes Metal—balanced by dog fat)

Autumn: Veal and young venison with chicken fat (chicken relates to Wood; autumn’s Metal subdues Wood—regulated by chicken fat)

Winter: Fresh fish and fowl with mutton fat (sheep associates with Fire; winter’s Water overpowers Fire—moderated by mutton fat)

(Note: "膏" refers to animal fats; "腒鱐" denotes dried game; "犢麛" indicates young livestock meat)

This scripture primarily discusses ancient dietary practices for health preservation, integrating the theory of the Five Phases (Wuxing) with the nature and flavors of food to guide daily eating habits. Here is a simplified interpretation:

On Food Selection:

• It mentions that tender meats like lamb and veal are rich and flavorful, while dried or cured foods like fish jerky and preserved meats absorb the essence of the four seasons. These are best prepared with "xiufei gao" (a specially rendered animal fat).
• It suggests pairings for different meats: beef with glutinous rice, mutton with millet, pork with foxtail millet, dog meat with sorghum, and fish with melons, as these combinations harmonize in flavor.

Seasonal Eating Principles (cited from the Rites of Zhou):

• In spring, meals should be warm.
• In summer, meat should be eaten hot.
• In autumn, sauces should be cool.
• In winter, drinking water should be cold.

Five Phases and Dietary Therapy (cited from the Taijing Jing):

Each organ corresponds to foods of a specific color:

1. Green nourishes the liver: Sweet foods (e.g., rice, beef, dates).

2. Red nourishes the heart: Sour foods (e.g., sesame, dog meat, plums).

3. Yellow nourishes the spleen: Salty foods (e.g., soybeans, pork, chestnuts).

4. White nourishes the lungs: Bitter foods (e.g., wheat, mutton, apricots).

5. Black nourishes the kidneys: Pungent foods (e.g., yellow millet, chicken, peaches).

Dietary Recommendations for Organ-Specific Ailments:

• Liver ailments: Sesame, wheat, dog meat, plums, chives.
• Heart ailments: Wheat, mutton, apricots, Chinese chives.
• Spleen ailments: Rice, beef, dates, winter melon leaves.
• Lung ailments: Yellow millet, chicken, peaches, scallions.
• Kidney ailments: Soybeans, yellow millet, pork, chestnuts, bean leaves.

The text emphasizes balancing the five flavors to strengthen bones, soften tendons, and ensure smooth Qi (vital energy) and blood flow, thereby promoting longevity.

Special Notes on Certain Meats:

• Mutton is highly warming; sheep's head meat is neutral and treats dizziness; sheep stomach nourishes the stomach; sheep milk benefits the lungs.
• Dog meat is warming and tonifies all five organs, but should not be consumed roasted.

Finally, it underscores that true health preservation lies in "guarding the True One" (shou zhenyi, maintaining innate purity). While there are countless methods for consuming medicinal foods, they are often too complex to remember.

(Note: The dietary practices mentioned are for reference only; consult a professional practitioner for actual application.)

Interpretation of the Pillow Book

Having personally verified dozens of effective ingestion methods, I will focus here on those potent divine elixirs (shen dan da yao) with remarkable results. As for those yet unverified, they will not be discussed for now.

Dietary nourishment for longevity should follow a gradual progression: begin with herbs, then move to tree-based substances, and finally mineral-based ones. This is the fundamental principle of ingestion—from coarse to refined, from shallow to deep. People grow up nourished by the Five Grains, so they cannot abruptly abandon them. Common medicines work slowly and cannot immediately satisfy hunger; only through long-term accumulation can they enrich the marrow, naturally reducing reliance on grains. Among the Five Grains, barley is the best—it survives harsh winters and is most suitable for consumption.

Next are acorns. Though not a grain, they nourish the body. When one cannot yet fully abstain from grains, acorns are the ideal choice—they have no strong odor yet are absorbed by the body, no distinct taste yet are transformed within. They aid digestion, stop diarrhea, and strengthen the physique. Dates and chestnuts are also excellent.

[Recipe for Grain Abstinence and Regular Consumption]

Ingredients: 5 jin of powdered poria (fu ling), 5 jin of powdered raw chestnuts, 5 jin of sesame (hu ma, steamed and sun-dried nine times before powdering).

Method: First, boil 5 dou of jujubes in 10 dou of water until reduced by half. Strain to remove skins and pits, then rinse with 1 dou of water to extract all sweetness. Simmer over low heat until it thickens into a syrup. Once cooled, mix with the powdered ingredients and pound ten thousand times. Seal and store. This can replace staple foods without interfering with other elixirs.

[Asparagus Root (Tian Men Dong) Recipe]

Take asparagus root (tian men dong), remove the core and skin, and grind into powder. Take one small spoonful (fang cun bi) per dose, three times daily. Whether at home or in seclusion, persist in this practice—the longer, the better. It can also be brewed into wine for consumption. It treats tumors, masses, epilepsy, madness, expels parasites, eliminates joint rheumatism, lightens the body, and boosts qi. After a hundred days, one may return to youthfulness—the earlier one starts, the better. It is advisable to plant ample yams in fertile soil; steaming and eating them as a grain substitute yields excellent results.

[Poria (Fu Ling) as Food Substitute]

Take 5 jin of poria, pound and sift it, then mix with 3 sheng of white honey. Steam in a bronze vessel (or high-quality porcelain) over water. Once the honey dries, pound thirty thousand times and form into pills the size of phoenix tree seeds. Take thirty pills three times daily. After a hundred days, all ailments vanish; after two hundred days, one gains night vision; after two years, spirits can be commanded; and after four years, jade maidens (yu nü, celestial attendants in Daoist lore) will come to serve.

Plain Interpretation of the Nourishing Life Formulas from Pillow Book Records

Before refining immortal elixirs, one must first observe purification rituals for three days. The medicine should be decocted in a secluded place, avoiding exposure to humans or animals. Only the alchemist should be present, covering the vessel with a wooden lid to prevent exposure. Use only clean firewood for the flame and tend to it with full concentration. The quantity of the medicine can be adjusted as desired. Once completed, the elixir must be sealed tightly—this ensures it remains effective for millennia without spoiling.

Another Formula:

Take three dou of sesame (black or white), carefully selected, and stir-fry in a pot over low heat until fragrant. Then pound and sift it. Mix with three sheng of white honey and decoct as if making Poria cocos pills, pounding thirty thousand times. Take thirty pills the size of wutong seeds every morning. After finishing one dose, the intestines will become robust.

These two formulas differ from ordinary prescriptions: young people are suited for Poria cocos, while those over forty should take sesame. Poria cocos regulates the young, while sesame nourishes the elderly. Both can also be combined—doubling the honey and decocting into pills—making them suitable for all ages without needing separate preparations.

Basic Principles of Longevity Elixirs:

When consuming elixirs, begin with herbal medicines first. Only after confirming their efficacy should one proceed to mineral-based formulas. Medicines have mutual generation and restraint relationships—the slightest error can lead to drastic failure. Only then may one ingest cinnabar (dan sha), ensuring no conflicts arise.

Oil Consumption Method:

Before taking divine medicines like mica, one must first prepare the sesame oil formula: one dou of sesame oil with three jin of finely chopped Chinese chives (xiebai), simmered over low heat until the chives turn black. Strain the residue and mix with warm wine, taking half a sheng per dose, two to three times daily. After a hundred days, the blood vessels will be replenished, and only after a full year can other medicines be taken.

Method for Consuming Jusheng (Superior Sesame):

Stir-fry two dou of sesame and one dou of soybeans separately until fragrant. Take the yellowed beans and mix them with the sesame, then pound and sift. Take five ge per dose, three times daily, washed down with rice water. Alternatively, mix with honey to form pills the size of eggs—take four pills daily. Gradually, hunger will diminish, after which the "Four Stabilizers" formula can be taken to replenish exhaustion.

Mica Consumption Method:

The Materia Medica states that mica is a superior-grade medicine—sweet in taste, non-toxic, capable of descending Qi, strengthening muscles, replenishing Jing (essence), and removing dead skin. It treats external wind-cold-heat pathogens, brightens the eyes, calms the five viscera, and makes one resistant to extreme temperatures. Long-term consumption elevates aspirations, prevents aging, prolongs life, and leads to immortality. It is found in the crevices of Mount Qiyun and Mount Dingbei in Langya, harvested in the second month. Alisma can serve as a guiding herb, but mica fears cicada molts and dew.

The Pillow Book records the classification, medicinal properties, and refinement methods of mica minerals. Based on color and characteristics, mica is divided into eight distinct types:

1. Cloud Essence (Yunying): Yellowish-white with blue hues, suitable for spring ingestion. It lightens the body, enables one to enter water without feeling cold, and extends life by four thousand years.

2. Cloud Pearl (Yunzhu): Bluish-yellow with red tones, ideal for summer consumption. It grants resistance to extreme temperatures and prolongs life by three thousand years.

3. Snow Sand (Xuesha): Resembling ice and snow in color, alternating between yellow and white. Best taken during late summer, it makes the body luminous, withstands wind and cold, and adds two thousand years to one's lifespan.

4. Cloud Radiance (Yunguang): Pure white and translucent, recommended for autumn. It strengthens bones and tendons, unblocks meridians, and extends life by one thousand years.

5. Phosphorescent Stone (Linshi): Bluish-white with black streaks, suited for winter. It allows one to enter fire without being burned.

6. Mother Cloud (Yunmu): Exhibiting all five colors, can be consumed throughout all seasons.

7. Earth Tomb (Dizhong): Mixed with black and hard in texture, found within copper and iron ores. Toxic and unsuitable for ingestion.

8. Actinolite (Yangqi Stone): Reddish and dense, considered the root of the five cloud minerals. Only usable in compound medicines, not for direct consumption.

Refinement methods:

• First remove sand and impurities by soaking in flowing clean water for several days.
• Crush and repeatedly wash over a hundred times until completely purified.
• For long-term preservation, soak in rainwater collected through thatched roofs during the fifth lunar month for one hundred days.
• In the eighth month, use fresh cloth to gather dew from grasses for continued soaking over fifty to sixty days.
• To make powder, sun-dry the material before placing it in leather bags for repeated pounding and kneading.
• Finally sift through fine silk gauze to ensure utmost fineness.

(Note: The references to "extending life by thousands of years" reflect traditional Daoist alchemical (Neidan) expressions, embodying ancient imaginations about the miraculous properties of mineral medicines.)

The Pillow Treatise provides detailed records of two methods for preparing elixirs, focusing particularly on the refinement and ingestion of mica powder. Let us examine them section by section:

First Method for Preparing Mica Powder:

1. Repeatedly wash the mica with water and filter through fine silk until no residue remains

2. Preliminary sifting may be done with coarse gauze before grinding in a dry white basin

3. After grinding, filter and clarify as described earlier using silk cloth

4. Alternatively, first knead in a leather pouch, then sift through fine silk

5. Another approach: soak in dew for one hundred days, sun-dry, pound into fragments, filter the liquid in water, then clarify and dry

6. The final product should resemble flour—fine, luminous powder

7. If still insufficiently refined, boil the powder in dew water, dry after boiling, pound again, and sift through multiple layers of silk

Expedited Usage Method:

Place initially washed mica flakes in a silk bag, alternately soaking in boiling and cold water ten times (changing water each time). Once softened, sun-dry and knead into powder in a leather pouch.

The second method records the mica ingestion formula from Wei Shuqing's Jade Cabinet Plain Text:

1. Take one jin of five-colored mica, break into pieces, and soak for one hundred days in either eaveswater from thatched roofs or autumn dew collected from hundred herbs

2. Knead in a leather pouch, sift through silk, and seal in bamboo tubes

3. Suspend beneath a steamer layered with one dan of white sand, steaming for one day and night

4. Replace with one dan of millet or rice and steam for another day (some versions say one night)

5. Finally, add one sheng of white honey and simmer in a copper vessel using the water-bath method to form pill-sized granules

Administration Method:

Take two pills when stars appear, continuing for 30-50 days before switching to three pills the size of phoenix tree seeds. Optimal timing: ingest one pill at cockcrow. Effects manifest as follows:

• 30 days: body feels light, vision becomes clear
• 50 days: abdominal itching (detoxification response)
• 70 days: expulsion of intestinal parasites
• 80 days: radiant skin
• 90 days: ability to enter water without getting wet, fire without burning
• 100 days: complete physical and spiritual renewal
• 300 days: running speed matches a horse
• One year: attainment of Zhenren (Perfected Person) status

Note: Those over seventy require four hundred days to achieve transcendence. Dosage may be increased—some formulas use two or three jin of mica.

Supplementary Formula:

Take ten jin of cinnamon bark, shave off three jin to pound and sift, then simmer with four jin of scallion stalks.

(Note: The "three worms and latent corpse" refer to Daoist concepts of three parasitic organisms symbolizing pathogenic factors; "Zhenren" denotes an advanced spiritual attainment in Daoist practice.)

Several Daoist Alchemical Techniques and Ingestion Methods from The Record Within a Pillow:

1. Youth Restoration Technique

Pound cloth to extract its juice, mix with cinnamon powder, and place in a fresh bamboo tube sealed with a wooden lid. Hang it above a pot steaming five dou of millet until the grain is fully cooked. Remove and add one jin of mica powder. After one day, it transforms into medicinal liquid. Consume approximately one xiangdou (an ancient measuring vessel) daily, divided into three doses. After thirty consecutive days, one's appearance will become as youthful as a child's.

2. Mica Immortal Formulas (Two Methods)

First Method:

Take one jin each of mica powder and white niter, pound and sift them, then mix with three sheng of white honey. Seal the mixture in a fresh bamboo tube with lacquer and bury it beneath a northern wall for thirty days. Upon retrieval, place it in a bronze vessel until it liquefies. Consuming it for twenty days will make the body glow; after thirty days, dew will no longer cling to the skin; after fifty days, one becomes fireproof; and after a hundred days, immortality is achieved.

Second Method:

Again, mix one jin each of mica powder and niter into a paste, seal it in a jar, and either bury it three feet deep in damp soil or suspend it in a well for ten days. Once transformed into medicinal liquid, take one xiangdou daily, divided into three doses, gradually increasing the amount. This restores youthfulness and imparts radiant skin. The author claims to have personally verified the efficacy of these three methods.

3. Jade Liquor Method

Grind one jin of fine jade into powder and soak it in mica water for ten days until dissolved. Consume half a jin per dose. Other minerals placed in the solution will also dissolve.

4. Properties of Realgar

Realgar has a bitter-sweet taste, a warm nature, and is toxic. It treats ailments such as chills and fevers, ulcers, hemorrhoids, and skin diseases, while also killing venomous insects and repelling evil spirits. Long-term use enhances beauty, lightens the body, and leads to immortality. During the time of Ge Hong (Baopuzi) and Tao Hongjing in the Jiangnan region, realgar was as valuable as gold and a crucial material for crafting elixirs. In his youth, the author yearned for this practice and finally acquired over forty jin of high-quality Wudu realgar (a premium variety from Gansu) at Mount Emei during the Zhenguan era.

The Pillow Book passage primarily discusses the methods and effects of consuming realgar (a mineral medicinal substance).

The text states that realgar was a rare spiritual medicine in ancient times, encountered only during eras of sage-like governance. Among various mineral substances, cinnabar and realgar were considered the most precious, serving as crucial ingredients for achieving immortality through cultivation. However, those indulging in wine and meat often dismissed its efficacy.

Several specific consumption methods are described:

1. Grind realgar into powder, steam it for several days, then mix it with honey to form pill-sized pellets. Taking three daily can expel internal parasites and prolong life. Adding pine resin enhances the effect.

2. Blend realgar powder with clear wine, steam it, then mix with honey to form pills. This method renders one immune to poisons, fearless of aquatic dragons in water, unharmed by weapons, sharpens eyesight, and invigorates the spirit.

3. Combine equal parts realgar and mercury in a bronze vessel, steam for three days and nights until liquefied, then roast over charcoal until turning purple. Finally, mix with honey to form small pills. Long-term consumption purportedly enables communion with divine spirits.

4. Mix realgar with water and pine resin to form pea-sized pills. Consuming these expels parasites and cures illnesses within a hundred days.

The text emphasizes selecting high-quality realgar from Wudu Mountain—only specimens with vivid rooster-comb red hues and luster are suitable for transcendence practices. Yellowish, dull varieties are limited to ordinary medicinal use.

Lastly, it mentions realgar can be consumed in various ways: steaming, soaking in wine, dissolving in water, wrapping in pig intestines for steaming, or blending with pine resin—all methods said to dispel illness and extend life.

(Note: Substances like mercury mentioned here are highly toxic. Ancient transcendence practices are described for reference only—do not attempt to replicate them.)

The Pillow Book Records describes two Daoist cultivation methods and medicinal formulas:

【Method to Eliminate the Three Corpses】

Practicing consistently for one thousand days (approximately three years) can:

1. Remove skin scars

2. Turn white hair black again

3. Regrow lost teeth

4. Summon Jade Maidens (spiritual beings in Daoist practice) to serve, allowing one to command them in preparing meals. Authentic Jade Maidens bear a yellow jade mark on the tip of their nose, the size of a millet grain—those without this mark are demons in disguise.

【Recipe for the Immortal’s Grain Pill】

This divine formula, also known as the Parasite-Control Pill, was transmitted by the Perfected Guo Shaojin to Lady Wei Huacun (a central female immortal of the Shangqing tradition). Its effects include:

• Strengthening bones
• Restoring youthful appearance
• Causing the body to emit light
• With prolonged use, attaining immortality

Production requirements:

1. Must be prepared in a pure, secluded chamber

2. Three days of fasting and ritual purification beforehand

3. All fourteen herbal ingredients must be fresh and of high quality (detailed list with measurements provided)

4. Follow a strict sequence when pounding the herbs: each ingredient is pounded one thousand times (totaling fourteen thousand strikes), then mixed with honey and pounded another sixteen thousand times—thirty thousand strikes in total

5. Formed into pills the size of phoenix tree seeds

Dosage:

Begin with ten pills, increasing gradually to a maximum of thirty. Consistent use for one year is required for results—haste is discouraged. Ordinary users may enhance fertility without adverse effects.

【Supplement】

The Scripture of the Three Primordial Truths records that Master Juanzi (an ancient immortal) advised Su Lin (a Han-dynasty adept): "Those who wish to become terrestrial immortals..."

The Interpretation of Pillow Treatise in Modern Language:

For those cultivating the Dao, the first step is to eliminate the "Three Corpse Worms" (three harmful spiritual entities in Taoist physiology) through herbal remedies. These three parasites are:

1. The Green Maiden Worm: Damages the eyes, causing blurred vision, facial wrinkles, bad breath and tooth loss by eroding the Mud Ball Palace (upper Dantian) in the head.

2. The White Maiden Worm: Harms the five viscera, leading to mental confusion, lack of Qi energy, forgetfulness and melancholy by destroying the bodily fluids of the six bowels.

3. The Blood Corpse Worm: Disrupts stomach function, causing abdominal distension, emaciation, low spirits, chaotic thoughts, excessive hunger, sorrow and even insanity by devouring the soul's dwelling (residence of the Shen).

Attempting to take elixirs without first eliminating these worms is counterproductive—even if one stops eating grains, the worms remain harmful. Disturbed dreams and persistent evil thoughts all stem from these worms disturbing the five viscera' spirits. Those seeking longevity through Dao cultivation must first take worm-expelling pills.

Methods for preparing immortal medicines with ritual offerings:

Before compounding medicines, observe seven days of purification (zhai), bathe and change clothes in a quiet chamber. Select an auspicious sunny day (avoiding inauspicious dates), and at the Yin hour (3-5 AM) set up an altar at a clean northwest courtyard space. Place the medicines on a low table with offerings: one sheng of dates, a pot of wine, and one strip of dried meat. The practitioner should kneel and pray: "Your disciple [name], descendant of the Celestial Worthy, now follows the instructions of the Heavenly Healing Maiden to prepare medicine for the Supreme Unity Deity (Taiji) to prolong life." Repeat prostrations.

All who refine cinnabar, mineral medicines or herbal concoctions seeking immortality must make offerings to the Supreme Unity. Without such rituals, most alchemical attempts fail—even successful preparations become ineffective. During proper offerings, the Supreme Unity may descend personally or send Jade Maidens (immortal attendants) to bless the medicine. For pills, offer before pounding ingredients; for decoctions, offer when lighting the fire; for powders, offer after completion. Arrange the altar with all medicines and offerings facing south, using five cups of wine for the ritual.

(Note: The "Three Corpse Worms" represent Taoist personifications of pathogenic factors, not literal parasites; "Supreme Unity" is a major Taoist deity; "Jade Chamber Immortal Officials" refer to celestial administrators.)

The Pillow Scripture passage primarily discusses Daoist ritual offerings for consuming elixirs and related prohibitions. Here's a modern interpretation:

Ritual Procedures:

Prepare five measures of wine, five slices of dried meat, and two measures of dates as offerings. After lighting incense, perform prostrations. When invoking deities, recite: "We humbly invite the Nine Heavens Perfected Beings, the Supreme Celestial Sovereign of Highest Antiquity (a revered Daoist deity), the Earthly Perfected Sovereign, the Jade Youth of Supreme Unity, the Jade Maiden of Supreme Unity, and the Flaming Envoy of the Canopy Constellation to descend." Then bow again to pray for dispelling calamities and attaining longevity. During the ritual, invite all deities to partake in the medicinal substances together, praying for balanced efficacy to prolong life. The ceremony requires three days of purification (Zhaijiao), maintaining purity, preferably performed alone during the Zi hour (11pm-1am). Conduct this annual offering once, with the sacrificial foods to be consumed only by practitioners.

Elixir Consumption Prohibitions:

1. When taking jade-based medicines, avoid alcohol, pungent vegetables (like onions and garlic), fish, and meat

2. During elixir intake, prevent contact with impurities and exposure to blood - especially avoid seeing coagulated blood

3. When consuming cinnabar or realgar, abstain from blood-based foods (animal blood products), as long-term violation may cause hemiplegia

4. Specific medicinal incompatibilities:

• Pine/cypress contraindicated with pork, dog meat, and fermented beans
• Asparagus root incompatible with carp
• Acorus calamus incompatible with hot foods
• Atractylodes incompatible with peaches, plums, and alcohol
• Coptis root contraindicated with pork
• Sesame incompatible with pork and dog meat
• Solomon's seal incompatible with plums
• Rehmannia incompatible with dog meat

Essentials of Nourishing Life:

Those with robust constitutions should begin cultivation early, while those with withered forms are difficult to treat. These are secret transmissions of immortals, not to be lightly shared. Quoting the Divine Farmer (Shennong): "Superior medicines nourish life, middling medicines nurture nature, and inferior medicines treat illness."

Finally, it mentions that the "Five Sacred Mushrooms" embody the vital essences (Jingqi) of the Five Elder Lords (Daoist deities), among which pine and cypress best absorb heaven-earth essences, remaining evergreen through frost.

The Pillow Book Records documents ancient Daoist methods of prolonging life through consuming pine and cypress. The main content is as follows:

Pine and cypress remain evergreen throughout the seasons, enduring winter without withering, and are thus believed to possess divine efficacy for extending longevity. After extensive verification by immortals and Daoist practitioners, their effectiveness was found to surpass even that of the Five Lingzhi (five precious types of Ganoderma) and other medicinal herbs.

The specific preparation method is as follows: Gather fresh pine and cypress sprouts, three to four inches long, along with their flower buds, during the third and fourth lunar months. Dry them in the shade, then grind them into a fine powder. Mix this with honey to form small pea-sized pills. Before sunrise on the first and fifteenth day of each month, face east, burn incense, and take 81 pills with wine. It is said that consistent use for one year can extend life by ten years, while two years can extend it by twenty.

Additional ingredients can be incorporated based on individual constitution: Add a small amount of hemp seeds (Jusheng) for those seeking to build muscle, or poria (Fuling) and ginseng (Renshen) for those with weak heart function. This medicine can treat a hundred ailments, strengthen primordial Qi, nourish the five viscera and six bowels, sharpen the mind, brighten the eyes, and slow aging. If prepared with morning dew on the seventh day of the seventh month (an important Daoist festival), its effects are enhanced.

When taking the medicine, recite this invocation: "This is the true medicine of the immortals, in harmony with the natural Dao. By consuming it, one may share the lifespan of heaven and earth." During the course of treatment, one must strictly abstain from pork and the Five Pungent Spices (onions, garlic, and other irritants)—a point requiring special attention.

(Note: The ingestion methods mentioned here belong to ancient Daoist longevity practices. Modern readers should not attempt them casually but should seek professional guidance for health preservation.)