《太清經斷穀法》

Interpretation of the "Great Clarity Scripture's Methods for Abstaining from Grains"

To prepare the pine root method:

Take the white inner bark from east-facing pine roots, chop and dry it, then grind into fine powder. When consumed to satiety, this enables grain abstention (stopping consumption of the Five Grains). When thirsty, simply drink water.

Method for Consuming Poria Cocos (Fuling):

1. Scrape off the black outer skin of poria cocos and pound it into powder. Soak it in pure rice wine within a ceramic vessel, ensuring the wine fully submerges the herb. Seal the container for fifteen days before opening. Take portions the size of a chess piece, three times daily. Alternatively, ingest a measured dose using an ancient medicine spoon (方寸匕 fangcunbi), which alleviates hunger and thirst while dispelling illness and prolonging life.

Zhang Changdu's Alternative Formula:

Grind one pound each of poria cocos and cinnamon bark into powder, mix with white honey, and form into pills the size of egg yolks. Take three pills daily.

Recipe for Millennial Satiety (不饥方 Buji Fang):

Combine three pounds of poria powder, two pounds of white wax, three pounds of hemp seed oil, three pounds of pine resin, and one dou (ancient unit ≈ 10 liters) of white honey. First simmer the honey until lightly bubbling, then sequentially add pine resin, oil, and wax. Finally, blend in the poria powder and form into pills the size of plum pits. Take one pill twice daily.

Hundred-Day Grain Abstinence Formula (百日辟谷方 Bairi Bigu Fang):

Steam a mixture of three sheng (≈ 3 liters) of poria powder, five pounds of white wax, and three pounds of white honey for the duration required to cook one dan (≈ 60 kg) of rice. Form into pills the size of phoenix tree seeds. Begin with ten pills daily, reducing to one pill after a hundred days. Consume with steamed Chinese chive root juice. Tradition holds that after a hundred days, a Jade Maiden (玉女 yunü, a Daoist celestial attendant) may descend.

Chengdu's Benevolence Formula (济世方 Jishi Fang):

Steam five sheng of poria powder, seven pounds of pine resin, five pounds of white wax, three pounds of white honey, and two sheng of Sichuan perilla (蜀苏 shusu) into phoenix-tree-seed-sized pills. Start with ten pills daily, tapering to one pill after ten days. Moderate wine consumption is permitted. The Scripture of the Five Talismans (五符经 Wufu Jing) records this formula's remarkable efficacy during its charitable use in Chengdu.

Preparation Notes:

Boil four sheng of cinnabar (朱砂 zhusha—caution: toxic due to mercury content; likely a transcription error here) in six dou of water. Filter to obtain four dou and five sheng of liquid. After settling, add five pounds of finely ground wheat-based ferment (小麦曲 xiaomai qu).

(Note: Ancient grain-abstention techniques belong to Daoist cultivation practices. Modern readers should not attempt these methods. Some ingredients, like cinnabar, are toxic. This text preserves original formulations for research purposes only.)

This scripture records several ancient Daoist methods of bigu (grain abstention) through herbal preparations. Here is a modern vernacular interpretation:

The Poria Cocos Method:

Ferment five sheng of glutinous rice wine for two nights, adjusting with two to three sheng of fresh brew depending on temperature. When the aroma intensifies, mix in one sheng of honey. Place five jin of poria cocos powder in a new silk bag—tied loosely—and submerge it in the wine (ensuring it doesn't sink). Knead the bag to saturate the powder. After sealing for twenty-one days, consume the preparation. Begin with purification rituals; take pellets the size of sling bullets daily from dawn to dusk—one jin for adults, half for children. This grants lifelong freedom from hunger and thirst, though only cold water may be drunk. Avoid sour and heating foods during the regimen.

The Atractylodes Macrocephala Method:

Take one dan of atractylodes, wash and pound it, then steep overnight in two dan of water. Boil until reduced by half. Add five sheng of clear wine and continue boiling. Filter one dan of the decoction and concentrate it over low heat. Blend in two sheng of soybean powder and one sheng of asparagus root powder (with cores and skins removed), forming pellet-sized pills. Take three pills each morning to replace meals—ideal for reclusion or travel, providing cold resistance and longevity. This was the secret formula of Master Cui Yezi.

Alternative Preparations:

1. Boil atractylodes until soft, remove residue, mix with soybean powder, and form two-inch discs. Dissolve three daily in the mouth, swallowing gradually.

2. Concentrate the decoction, add five sheng of honey, five jin of refined pine resin, and five jin of jujube paste. Simmer to a paste and consume three egg-sized portions daily.

3. Triple-boil atractylodes for its essence, then blend with one sheng of millet powder.

These methods emphasize specific herbal preparations to sustain life without grains. Note that these are ancient esoteric practices—their formulations and dosages require expert guidance. Modern practitioners should not attempt them without proper supervision.

The Taiping Jing Duan Gu Fa (Great Clarity Scripture Methods for Abstaining from Grains) records several methods of grain abstention (bigu) through consuming medicinal preparations:

First Method:

Simmer five sheng of honey over low heat until it forms a paste. Consuming two honey cakes daily sustains one without hunger, maintains vitality, and achieves longevity effects.

Second Method:

Take one dan of white atractylodes rhizome (Baizhu), simmer with two dan of water until reduced, then add another dan of water and cook for a full day until thoroughly softened. After straining, mix in three sheng of rice flour, one sheng of salt, and half sheng of fermented beans. Cook the mixture and dry it in bronze vessels over gentle heat to form cakes weighing four liang each. Begin by eating two cakes; if still hungry, consume up to five. Gradually reduce intake: after five days take four cakes daily, after ten days three cakes, and after one month two cakes. Eventually one may abstain from grains year-round without hunger.

Third Method:

Pound five jin of white atractylodes to extract its juice, mix with three jin of poria cocos (Fuling) powder, and form pills the size of phoenix tree seeds. Take twenty-seven pills morning and evening to maintain freedom from hunger and aging. Prolonged use may enable summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding (Daoist guardian deities). Note: Baizhu should be harvested between November and February, and peaches must be avoided during the regimen.

Methods for Consuming Solomon's Seal (Huangjing):

1. Finely chop one dan of Solomon's seal, simmer with two dan five sheng (some texts say six dan) of water until thoroughly cooked. After cooling, knead to extract juice for further decoction. Dry the remaining dregs, powder them, and combine with the decoction to form pills the size of egg yolks. Three pills daily enable grain abstention, disease prevention, and bodily lightness. Maintain long-term use, drinking water when thirsty.

2. Pound Solomon's seal to extract three sheng of juice (if extraction fails, rinse with water before consumption). Add three sheng each of fresh rehmannia juice and asparagus root (Tianmendong) juice. Simmer until reduced by half, then incorporate five jin of white honey to form pills. Three pellet-sized pills daily not only facilitate grain abstention but enhance beauty. Alternatively, directly decoct three sheng of the juice into pills - consuming one egg-sized pill daily for thirty days eliminates hunger and grants swift movement. Note: Remove the core and skin from Tianmendong.

3. Take one dan of Solomon's seal roots, thoroughly washed and scraped clean, then simmer with two dan of water (specific administration details are incomplete in the original text).

This scripture introduces four Daoist dietary methods for nourishing life. Here is the modern interpretation:

【Vinegar-Stewed Soybean Method】

Stew five sheng of soybeans in vinegar until fully saturated. Filter and seal the liquid, then cook the residue to extract more juice. Combine both liquids, clarify, and simmer the clear upper layer in a bronze vessel over water until syrupy. Mix with roasted soybean powder to form dry provisions. Take an egg-sized portion three times daily—this sustains one for a hundred days without hunger while lightening the body. Black sesame may substitute soybeans; rice can enhance flavor. Recorded in the Five Talismans Scripture (Wufu Jing), optimal harvesting seasons are winter or early spring (2nd-3rd lunar month). Avoid plums during consumption.

【Solomon’s Seal (Huangjing) Method】

Gather leaves in February or September, slice and sun-dry before grinding. Take one square-cun spoonful (approx. 2-3g) thrice daily. Alternatively, prepare as medicinal pellets using standard processing techniques. Unblocks meridians, strengthens sinews/bones, treats wind-stroke and muscle rigidity, improves complexion/wrinkles. Prolonged use extends lifespan.

【Asparagus Root (Tianmendong) Methods】

1) Pound 10 jin dried root with 1 sheng bitter apricot kernels, blend with honey. Take 1 spoonful thrice daily plus once nightly—this is Gan Shi’s (Han dynasty fangshi) "Immortal’s Provisions" recipe.

2) Extract juice from 3 dan of peeled/cored roots, simmer to 5 sheng. Add 1 sheng honey + 2 sheng sesame powder, stir into pills. Coat with soybean flour, form into 3-cun thick, half-cun cakes. One daily for 100 days eliminates hunger and moisturizes skin. Adding 3 sheng rehmannia juice enhances effects.

3) Peel/pound roots, simmer with ¼ soybean flour to make egg-sized pellets. Best harvested February/August. Avoid carp during use.

【Black Sesame (Husheng) Method】

Select plump black sesame, steam/sun-dry nine cycles (or thrice daily for three days). After drying, moisten slightly, pound until white, re-dry, remove husks, roast fragrantly, then immediately grind. Consume freely 2-3 sheng daily as meal replacement. Worm-eaten sesame is also usable.

(Note: Ancient measures—fangcunbi spoon ≈2-3g; dan/sheng volumes varied by dynasty.)

The Taijing Jing Duan Gu Fa (Great Clarity Scripture on Grain Abstinence Methods) records several methods of bigu (grain abstinence) through ingesting specific medicinal preparations:

The first method involves mixing honey with herbs to form goose egg-sized pills, consuming five daily. These may also be taken with syrup or wine. Consistent use gradually reduces food intake—after one hundred days, illness ceases; after one year, the skin becomes lustrous and water-repellent (clothes remain dry when washed); after five years, one becomes impervious to water and fire, able to run swiftly as a galloping horse. Ge Hong (Baopuzi) noted this formula originated outside Jiangdong, circulating after the Luoyang upheaval in the first year of the Yong'an era (304 CE) during the Western Jin dynasty.

A faster-acting method requires jiuzheng (nine-times steamed) herbs totaling one dan (~60 jin), combined with three jin of fuling (poria mushroom) and honey to form pills.

For military campaigns: steam one dou two sheng of herbs (~7.2 jin), add twenty-four liang of fuling, eight liang of zexie (alisma rhizome), and pound thirty thousand times. Take thrice daily or form into honey pills for portability. This enables fatigue-free marches through mountains and rivers, with no dietary restrictions when eating is desired.

The sesame (huma) method: steam one dan of raw sesame after removing husks for a full day, sun-dry and pound, then re-steam with water until reduced to five sheng. Add one sheng of maltose to ferment, decoct into a paste, and form egg-sized pills. Initial use causes extreme hunger—transition by eating plain rice porridge every five days, gradually extending intervals until complete abstinence. Avoid meat and raw vegetables during use; for diarrhea, drink perilla leaf decoction.

Additional methods:

1. Mix four sheng of rice with four liang of musk—one meal sustains four years without hunger.

2. Extract juice from five thousand apricot kernels, boil to eight or nine sheng, soak rice, then steam with sesame powder to form date-paste cakes. A two-person portion lasts one hundred days, sustaining a year without hunger. To terminate effects, drink mallow vegetable soup.

(Note: Ancient measurements—1 dan ≈60 jin; 1 dou ≈6 jin; 1 sheng ≈0.2 jin)

This scripture records several methods used by ancient Daoist practitioners for bigu (grain abstinence), primarily through ingesting specially formulated pills or powders to sustain vital functions. Here are the explanations in plain terms:

First Method:

Combine five ge (about 100 ml each) of polished rice, millet, wheat, hemp seeds, and roasted soybeans with one jin (approx. 500g) of honey. Boil once and form into plum-sized pills. Swallowing one pill is said to eliminate hunger for life. An alternative version omits millet and comes from the Five Talismans Scripture (Wufu Jing).

Second Method:

Soak one sheng (approx. 1 liter) of green sorghum with three jin of red halloysite (a mineral medicine) in water until fully submerged. Keep in a warm place for two to three days until mycelium grows on the surface. Pound into plum-sized pills and consume three daily to avoid hunger. When thirsty, drink water—this is claimed to enable walking a thousand li (about 500 km) without fatigue. Also from the Five Talismans Scripture.

Third Method:

Soak one dan (about 60 kg) of polished rice for 21 days, then grind into powder and sun-dry. One sheng of this powder can be boiled into porridge three times; consuming it for a day maintains strength, preserves a healthy complexion, and grants lightness of body and clarity of vision.

Fourth Method:

Mix three sheng of barley flour, one jin of Sichuan butter, and five sheng of hot water into a paste. Sun-dry, then roast over low heat until yellow. Add one jin each of licorice and atractylodes powder, two jin of poria powder, and one sheng of salt. Grind finely and sieve. Take two spoonfuls (about 4g) per dose, three to four times daily; up to five ge (100 ml) when thirsty. Can be taken with meals. During famines, this is said to sustain lifelong satiety and prolong life.

Fifth Method:

Simmer one dan of barley with three jin of Sichuan butter paste and four sheng of water into a soup. Consume slowly after a full meal to dispel chills and fevers while extending longevity.

Simplified Methods:

1. Select three sheng of sproutable soybeans and rub them until glossy, warming the body. After a hearty meal, swallow them all at once—claimed to suppress hunger for 50 to 100 days (drink water when thirsty). To end the fast, consume two sheng of hot porridge to expel the beans.

2. Alternatively, bow to the sun twice daily while chewing and swallowing one sheng of soybeans each time; reduce intake after three days. Halve doses for children.

3. Two to three sheng of red adzuki beans can sustain a year.

4. Directly ingest three sheng of soybean powder for ten days without eating. To stop, take one cun (3 cm) spoonful of sunflower stem ash, followed by lard or cheese to aid expulsion.

"Methods of Grain Abstinence from the Taiqing Jing" Explained in Plain Language

[Methods of Grain Abstention]

1. Wax and Jujube Method: First, chew a piece of wax the size of a chess piece until it becomes very soft, then add a fat jujube (from Yishi) and continue chewing. Once fully dissolved, swallow. This stops heat and dispels illness, aiding in grain abstinence (stopping the consumption of grains). Alternatively, holding a one-inch square piece of wax in the mouth daily can prevent hunger for a whole day.

2. Mulberry Berry Method: Dry black mulberries, pound them into powder, and take three ge (about 60 ml) with water each time, three times a day to avoid hunger.

3. Mixed Paste Formula: Combine three jin each of beef tallow, mutton tallow, pine resin, wax, and honey, boil together, and consume. This can sustain one for three years without hunger.

4. Asparagus Root Pill: Mix one sheng of powdered asparagus root (with core and skin removed), one sheng of pine resin, and one sheng each of wax and honey, then boil and form into pills the size of phoenix tree seeds. Take three pills morning and evening, each the size of a pellet, to avoid hunger and maintain a rosy complexion. This is the secret formula of Master Cui Wenzi.

[Reintroduction of Food]

After grain abstinence, avoid miscellaneous foods. If thirsty, drink only small amounts of water. To resume eating:

• First, take Kui Seed Decoction to fully expel the effects of the medicine.
• Initially, consume one ge (about 20 ml) of rice porridge per day, divided into three portions.
• After two days, increase to two ge daily.
• After three days, increase to five ge.
• After another three days, increase to seven ge.
• Finally, reach one sheng (about 200 ml).

A full month is required to gradually return to a normal diet.

[Kui Seed Decoction Recipes]

1. Basic Version: One sheng of kui seeds and one jin of lard, boiled in five dou (about 10 liters) of water until reduced to two sheng. Strain and drink slowly. Alternatively, cook with rice into thin porridge; Sichuan purple perilla is even better.

2. Saltpeter Version: Equal parts kui seeds and powdered saltpeter, taken with rice broth (one fangcunbi, about 1 gram), twice daily. After ten days, the medicine’s effects will be fully expelled, allowing food reintroduction.

3. Hemp Seed Method: Pound hemp seeds, boil, and drink five sheng, or prepare as a liquid meal. During recovery, eat rich, fatty foods to aid the process.

Note: Grain abstinence (duangu) is a Daoist cultivation method where specific medicinal substances replace grains for health preservation. Strict adherence to dosage and food reintroduction procedures is essential. Measurements like ge and sheng are ancient volume units; practical application requires professional guidance.