《太上除三尸九蟲保生經》

Interpretation of the Taishang Chu Sanshi Jiuchong Baosheng Jing (Scripture of the Supreme One on Eliminating the Three Corpses and Nine Worms to Preserve Life)

[Method for Cultivating the Three Hun Souls]

Within the human body reside three hun souls (tai guang, shuang ling, you jing), dwelling beneath the liver. They appear as small figures clad in green outer robes and yellow inner garments. On the third, thirteenth, and twenty-third nights of each lunar month, these souls may wander away from the body. To prevent this, practice the following:

1. Lie flat on your back without a pillow, stretch your legs straight, and cross your hands over your chest.

2. Close your eyes, hold your breath, and tap your teeth three times.

3. Visualize a red light the size of an egg in your heart, spreading through your throat and enveloping your entire body like flames.

4. When you feel a gentle warmth, softly recite the names of the three hun souls and chant the incantation:

"Three souls of the Purple Tenuity Mysterious Palace—tai guang brings stability,shuang ling offers protection,you jing preserves life. The divine treasure of the Jade Chamber shares life with me; do not recklessly depart. If you must wander, ascend only to the celestial realms; if hunger or thirst arise, drink only immortal dew. Swiftly, as commanded by the law!"

This practice stabilizes the soul-spirits and wards off demonic influences.

[The Harm of the Seven Po Souls]

The seven po souls are ghostly entities formed from Yin and malevolent qi, responsible for:

• Nightmares, teeth-grinding, and sleep-talking
• Hypocrisy, lustful dreams, and nocturnal emissions
• Greed, envy, deceit, and cunning
• Leading people astray and hastening death
• Craving sacrificial offerings from the living

[Nighttime Soul-Calming Incantation]

Recite this before sleep each night:

"I have received the teachings of the Three Sovereigns of Antiquity, ingested the elixir’s immortal qi, and expelled all inauspicious forces. Swiftly, as commanded by the law!"

Persistent practice ensures peaceful sleep and protection from all evils.

[Essential Note]

To fully eradicate the Three Corpses (the three malevolent spirits believed in Daoism to reside within the body), one must first devote themselves to Daoist cultivation, transform worldly habits, and supplement with medicinal remedies. Otherwise, efforts will be in vain.

(Note: The "Three Corpses" mentioned in the scripture refer to the Upper Corpse Peng Ju, Middle Corpse Peng Zhi, and Lower Corpse Peng Qiao—malevolent spirits that inhabit the body and record transgressions. "Jade Essence" denotes immortal dew, and the "Three Sovereigns" refer to the ancient Heavenly Sovereign, Earthly Sovereign, and Human Sovereign.)

This scripture discusses the harmful effects of the "Seven Po" within the human body and methods to subdue them. The Seven Po are accumulations of yin energy that resemble demonic entities, generating various desires in people.

The dangers posed by the Seven Po include:

1. Causing excessive greed, overexertion, and stagnation of qi and blood

2. Making people prefer filth and dislike purity

3. Turning individuals into walking corpses, gradually leading to death

4. Inducing flattery, cunning behavior, and obsession with sensual pleasures

5. Committing evil day and night, hastening premature death and subsequent fall into the ghost realm

The scripture enumerates the specific names of the Seven Po: Shigou (Corpse Dog), Fushi (Hidden Dung), Queyin (Sparrow Shade), Tunzei (Thief Swallower), Feidu (Flying Poison), Chuhui (Filth Remover), and Choufei (Foul Lungs). These yin souls deplete a person's shen (spirit) and must be restrained.

Cultivation methods:

1. On the 1st, 15th, and last day of each lunar month when the Seven Po are particularly active, special vigilance is required

2. Specific practice: Knock teeth seven times while silently reciting the names of the Seven Po (women knock teeth fourteen times, reciting twice)

3. Then sit in meditation with the "Wogu" hand gesture (a specific mudra), concentrating on reciting incantations to invoke deities like the Jade Emperor to help suppress the Seven Po

Laojun (Laozi) states: The yin souls represent turbid corpse energy residing within the body. Daoist practitioners must refine their physical form by regulating the hun (ethereal soul) and subduing the po (corporeal soul). Indulging the yin souls to deplete yang energy leads to loss of vital energy and susceptibility to death.

The scripture further explains: The hun desires to ascend to heaven while the po seeks to descend to earth. Spiritual cultivation involves harmonizing these opposing forces—a fundamental Daoist practice theory.

At its core, this scripture teaches specific rituals and incantations to subdue internal yin souls, maintain physical and mental purity, and ultimately achieve the goal of Daoist immortality.

This passage discusses key Daoist cultivation practices concerning the "Three Corpses and Nine Worms" (sanshi jiuchong) and the refinement of hun (ethereal soul) and po (corporeal soul):

On Hun-Po Cultivation:

Human life activity consists of the interplay between hun (yang spirit) and po (yin form). The hun naturally ascends while the po tends to descend. The sages teach us to regulate breathing and concentrate spirit (cunjing yunqi) through cultivation, ensuring the Five Shen (spiritual aspects of the five organs) remain undisturbed. The essential method involves using yang qi to refine the yin po, gradually eliminating all yin impurities from the body - this constitutes the path to longevity. Classical texts state that humans consist of three hun and seven po (ten components total), with the Yellow Court Scripture (Huangting Jing) emphasizing the importance of gathering and retaining these soul aspects to prevent dissipation.

On Three Corpses and Nine Worms:

The scripture describes how after death, people may become "corpse-guarding ghosts" (the Three Corpses), appearing as black-haired children or dog-horse hybrids. These entities cause disturbances like headaches, fevers, and nightmares, but can be subdued through elixir consumption.

An evidential account follows:

Two brothers drank from a spring infused with medicinal herbs and expelled foul substances resembling the Three Corpses and Nine Worms. Upon opening their alchemical furnace, they discovered pills emitting violet light and exquisite fragrance. They divided the elixir three ways: one portion buried to nourish the earth, one scattered in rivers to benefit fish, and one reserved for healing. Sincere ingestion produced remarkable transformations within ten days - regrown beards, healed sores, white hair turning black, and new teeth emerging.

(Note: The Three Corpses and Nine Worms represent parasitic entities believed to record human transgressions and report to celestial authorities; hun-po cultivation forms a vital longevity practice in Daoism through yin-yang harmonization.)

Plain English Interpretation of the Scripture of the Most High on Eliminating the Three Corpses and Nine Worms to Preserve Life:

In the ninth month of the third year of the Guanghua era (900 CE) during the Tang dynasty, Daoist Yang Yuanyi from Mount Qingcheng reported to the county office: Between 3-5 AM that day, two individuals ascended to immortality on clouds from a thatched hermitage along the northern and southern ridges of the water stream. Witnesses described swirling valley mists, white cranes circling overhead, and fragrant vapors permeating the creek. Suddenly, a blue-robed immortal attendant (in Daoism, these are youths who serve transcendents) appeared holding a crimson ceremonial staff, accompanied by dragon-and-phoenix mounts. They invited the two to board cloud chariots for an audience at the Celestial Palace (the "Golden Tower" refers to the residence of the Heavenly Emperor), after which the group gradually ascended skyward. Only traces of elixir refinement and a stone stele remained at the site, though specific details are now lost to history.

[Detailed Analysis of the Three Corpses]:

1. Upper Corpse Peng Ju (nicknamed A-He):

• Location: Muddy Pellet Palace in the head (upper Dantian, deep between the eyebrows)
• Harms: Causes dizziness, blurred vision, nasal discharge, deafness, bad breath, and facial aging. Makes people obsess over carriages, horses, and sensual pleasures. Like a green worm, it erodes the body's Qi, leading to emaciation and premature death. Also records human transgressions during sleep to report to the celestial courts.
• Countermeasures: Ingest cinnabar, lingzhi mushrooms, and other elixirs. Practice all-night cultivation during Gengshen Days (important Daoist fasting dates).

2. Middle Corpse Peng Zhi (nicknamed Zuozi):

• Location: Crimson Palace in the heart region (middle Dantian)
• Harms: Triggers forgetfulness, dry mouth, blurred vision, organ diseases, frequent nightmares, nocturnal emissions, and night sweats, resulting in early mortality.
• Countermeasures: Maintain emotional equilibrium. Consume arborvitae seeds and similar elixirs.

3. Lower Corpse Peng Jiao (nicknamed Jixi):

• Location: Stomach and lower limbs
• Harms: Depletes vital energy, induces various illnesses, promotes lust and sexual excess. Makes people vulnerable to ghostly disturbances at night, eventually exhausting their Jing and blood.
• Peculiarity: Compels humans to perform sacrificial rituals for its benefit.

Key Cultivation Principles: Through ingesting elixirs (like cinnabar and lingzhi), maintaining mental purity (serene detachment from five emotions), and practicing at auspicious times (Gengshen nights), one can eliminate the Three Corpses. When Jing and Qi become stable, the path to immortality nears. Even incomplete eradication can prevent premature physical decay.

Interpretation of the Taishang Extermination of the Three Corpses and Nine Worms Scripture for Health Preservation

Physical exhaustion, weakness in the lower back and legs, and frequent urination are all signs of pathogenic Qi (vital energy) invasion. If not treated promptly, these conditions can develop into severe illnesses, leading to the "five exhaustions and seven injuries" (five types of overexertion and seven types of internal damage), and may even attract "corpse-attachment" (a deadly pathogenic force). These ailments can cause the afflicted to fall into the ghostly realms after death, relying solely on ancestral offerings for sustenance. Consuming medicinal decoctions containing mercury, cinnabar, or genuine lead can eliminate the Yin-pathogenic Qi within the body and restore health.

The human body harbors nine major parasitic worms:

1. Fu Worm: 4 inches long

2. Hui Worm: 1 inch long

3. Bai Worm: 1 inch long

4. Rou Worm: Resembles rotten plums

5. Fei Worm: Size of a silkworm ant

6. Wei Worm: Resembles a toad

7. Ge Worm: Resembles melon seeds

8. Chi Worm: Resembles larvae

9. Qiang Worm: Black in color

Additionally, there are countless tiny worms (as fine as mustard seeds) invisible to the naked eye, which are the root cause of various skin diseases, including:

• Itchy skin
• Leprosy
• Malignant sores, ringworm, and scabies
• Hemorrhoids with pus discharge
• Maggots in the genital area
• Tooth decay and loss
• Unexplained bleeding
• Foul body odor

A detailed explanation of the three most harmful worms:

Fu Worm (4 inches long, with whiskers and teeth):

• Drains Jing (essence) and blood, causing fatigue and shortness of breath
• Triggers nausea and pain in the five viscera
• Migrates within the body, causing stabbing pain in the chest and ribs
• Provokes cravings for raw or cold meat
• Leads to night sweats, frequent urination, and lower back pain
• Ultimately depletes the body's primordial Qi (vital energy), leading to death
• Prevention/Treatment: Consume alum solution, Guanzhong (herb), or cinnabar

Hui Worm (also called Hui Worm, exists in male-female pairs):

• Parasitizes near the heart, feeding on blood
• Causes heart pain, breathlessness, and heavy joints
• Leads to difficulty urinating and pale complexion
• Makes one dull, lazy, and prone to spitting clear fluid
• If it grows to a foot in length, it gains spiritual awareness by consuming heart blood
• Prevention/Treatment: Suppress by drawing the "Zhenyi Talisman" (Fulu) with cinnabar, or consume mercury-based preparations

Cunbai Worm (1 inch long, capable of reproduction):

• Its offspring can grow to 4–5 inches
• Causes bizarre cravings, such as:
• Raw rice
• Raw tea leaves
• Raw fish
• Raw fruit
• Charred meat

(Note: The mercury, lead, and other heavy metal remedies mentioned here are highly toxic and prohibited in modern medicine. This translation faithfully reflects ancient medical content—do not attempt these methods.)

The Scripture of the Supreme One on Eliminating the Three Corpses and Nine Worms to Preserve Life describes the harm caused by various parasites in the human body and their treatments. Here’s a plain explanation:

The human body harbors many types of parasites that can cause emaciation, weakness, sallow complexion, excessive phlegm, and general debility. These worms move chaotically in the abdomen, forming painful lumps of Qi (vital energy), which may lead to dysentery or even rectal prolapse. If one consumes chicken during this time, the parasites multiply aggressively, boring holes through internal organs and eventually causing fatal breathlessness. Mercury and cinnabar (minerals used in Daoist alchemy) can be used to kill these worms.

One type of flesh worm resembles rotten plums and feeds on human blood, draining vitality, weakening muscles and bones, causing itchy skin, and drying the flesh until it turns black. These parasites reside in the upper abdomen, intensifying lustful desires and depleting Jing (essence) to the point of death. One must urgently take Two-Qi Cinnabar Elixir to eliminate them.

The worms in the lungs look like silkworms or red ants, consuming vital energy and causing excessive phlegm, coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, sleepless nights, and hoarseness. In severe cases, they lead to bloody coughing, protruding ears, raised shoulders, a jutting sternum, and constant drowsiness. They may also trigger bloody diarrhea, hemorrhoids, or even contagious consumption. Medicines like Ocean Fish Elixir and Golden Flower Powder can treat them.

Stomach worms resemble toads or tigers, inducing constant hunger and cravings for raw, cold, or sweet foods, resulting in mouth ulcers, nasal congestion, itchy skin, stiff limbs, nausea, and vomiting. In extreme cases, they attack the kidneys, causing death. One must first nourish the heart and spleen with Moonlight Essence (a Daoist cultivation term referring to lunar energy) and then dissolve the Yin spirits with Sunlight Essence (solar energy), which will melt the worms and restore a healthy complexion.

All these parasites severely endanger health and must be treated promptly with medicine—otherwise, they may cause sudden death.

The Scripture of the Supreme One on Eliminating the Three Corpses and Nine Worms to Preserve Life (Taishang Chu Sanshi Jiuchong Baosheng Jing) explains in plain terms:

Within the human body reside three primary parasites (sanshi) and nine secondary parasites (jiuchong), which harm health:

1. The "diaphragm worm" (gechong) causes mental dullness, reticence, and excessive sleepiness. Those afflicted often experience nightmares during sleep—dreaming of falling from mountain cliffs or ships sinking in storms. While people may mistake this for "ghost oppression" (sleep paralysis), it actually stems from yin energy disturbing yang energy. Prolonged affliction depletes vital essence (jing), leading to premature aging. Consuming cinnabar elixirs (lingsha) can treat this condition, with effects as revitalizing as parched seedlings receiving rain.

2. The "red worm" (chichong) weakens primordial qi (yuanqi), manifesting as back pain, tinnitus, blurred vision, night sweats, nocturnal emissions, and loss of appetite. These worms trigger abscesses, ulcers, and similar ailments. The text recommends first taking elixirs like "mind-calming cinnabar" (zhenxinsha) and "soul-pacifying medicine" to consolidate essence and ensure smooth qi-blood circulation, after which the parasites will naturally perish.

3. The "black worm" (zhechong), leader of the parasitic host, is as small as a mustard seed. It causes various skin diseases: dandruff, genital eczema, hemorrhoids, and in severe cases, tooth decay with foul odors. At its worst, it may induce leprosy, alienating even family members.

Ancient sages left behind elixir formulas (using cinnabar, mercury, alum solutions, etc.), advising purification through bathing and fasting (zhaijie) before ingestion to eradicate the three corpses and ensure health.

The scripture further records: When Master Zhang studied Daoism under Elder Wang, the Perfected Immortal Sun (Sun Simiao) transmitted worm-expelling methods. Later, the eminent Daoist Zhao Xiyi of Qingcheng Mountain in Western Shu (Sichuan) inherited and transmitted these techniques at the invitation of the Pengzhou governor.

This scripture recounts a story of eliminating the "Three Corpses and Nine Worms" (malevolent parasites believed in Daoism to inhabit the human body) through cultivation:

My friend Chen Lingzhang, a native of Dongping, traveled to Sichuan during the Yuanhe era of the Tang dynasty to practice Daoist cultivation. In the early Changqing era during summer, he undertook a hundred-day grain abstention (bigu, a fasting practice) at the home of his fellow practitioner Li Xuanhui, focusing on qigong exercises and ingesting elixirs containing solar essence (yangjing) and mercury. Consuming only three cups of water daily, on the 97th day he felt slight abdominal discomfort that intensified into urgent bowel pressure. Li Xuanhui remarked that after ninety days without food there should be no waste, suggesting this was extraordinary. When Chen expelled the matter into a basin, they discovered a squirming mass of fatty membrane. After washing it, they found two black, six-legged worms with half-inch whiskers, their eyes and feet crimson like the legendary "Yi Yang" insects found on summer willows. To everyone's astonishment, these creatures were hard as stone.

Chen Lingzhang sighed: "So such worms have been hiding in our organs—how could humans achieve longevity?" After expelling them through elixir consumption, his complexion became childlike, his hearing and vision sharpened, and he later retreated to Mount Qingcheng as a recluse. He recorded this experience and drew the worms' forms to warn future generations.

The scripture describes these "Fetal Life-Knowing Worms" as kin to "Flying Corpses" (disease-causing pathogenic qi in Daoist thought). They subsist on the body's grain-qi (food essence) and vital essence (jing), generating harmful tendencies: envy of virtuous paths, affinity for evil, fear of yang energy, and irritable temperaments that lure people toward corruption. Through emotions like greed, anger, and ignorance—as well as sexual desires—they deplete the body's primordial essence (yuanjing), becoming sources of illness that ultimately exhaust victims to death.

These worms particularly crave meat and roasted foods, causing organ dysfunction that manifests as dizziness, foul breath, body odor, itchy skin, dandruff, and hair loss—gradually destroying the body while the parasites move freely within.

The Scripture of the Supreme Purity on Eliminating the Three Corpses and Nine Worms to Preserve Life primarily discusses methods for removing the "Three Corpses and Nine Worms" (Daoist concepts of malevolent parasitic entities believed to inhabit the human body).

1. The Laojun (Lord Lao) Prescription for Expelling Parasitic Worms:

This formula uses nine medicinal herbs, including guanzhong, white sparrow reed, and shuqi, each targeting specific types of parasites. The preparation involves finely chopping and dry-frying the herbs until fragrant, then grinding them into powder and mixing with honey to form pill-sized balls resembling wutong seeds. Dosage begins with five pills taken three times daily, gradually increasing to ten pills. Continuous use for thirty days yields visible effects, while sixty days purportedly cures all ailments and completely expels parasites. Before taking the medicine, one must observe fasting (maintaining physical and mental purity) and consume the pills with sincere devotion for efficacy.

2. The Supreme Purity’s Secret Method for Refining Cinnabar and Mercury to Remove the Three Corpses:

This method employs cinnabar, taiyang powder, and xuhuang, first stir-fried over low heat until turning purple, then processed through specialized alchemical (neidan) techniques to form wutong-seed-sized pills. Seven pills are taken daily on an empty stomach, avoiding mutton blood and mallow greens. It is said to stabilize the shen (spirit), consolidate jing (essence), nourish blood, enhance complexion, cure illnesses, and strengthen the body.

3. Application of the Six Jia Talismans (Liujia Fu):

Every ten days, ten "Six Jia Talismans" (fulu) are ingested alongside the aforementioned cinnabar-mercury elixir. When inscribing the talismans, one must first knock the teeth three times, kneel, and bow while invoking the names of the Six Jia deities (e.g., Jiazi deity Wang Wenxiang), requesting their divine presence to imbue the brush.

Note: The alchemical (waidan) and medicinal practices described here belong to ancient esoteric traditions. Modern readers should not attempt them without expert guidance. Substances like mercury are toxic, and the methods recorded in Daoist scriptures must be understood within their proper context.

This scripture records two ritual methods in Daoism for expelling the Three Corpses and Nine Worms (Daoist belief holds that humans harbor three corpse spirits and nine types of parasitic worms that harm health):

The first method involves drawing divine talismans (fulu):

1. Summon the deities Jiawu Shen, Jiachen Shen, and Jiayin Shen along with their attendants to descend and inhabit the writing brush

2. Burn incense in a purified chamber while inscribing the talisman

3. On an "Expulsion and Destruction Day" (a Daoist-designated date suitable for exorcism), write the talisman with cinnabar and ingest it

4. On Gengshen Day (when the Three Corpses ascend to heaven), special nighttime precautions must be taken:

• Apply cinnabar below the left eye and realgar to the right nostril
• Recite incantations praying for exorcism and transcendence
• Press below both nostrils seven times each with fingers to block corpse-ghost pathways

The second method involves a Jiazhi Day (first of the sixty-day cycle) ritual:

1. At three time periods (dawn, noon, sunset) collect one liter of east-facing water each time

2. At night, face east while drinking the water and chanting

3. The incantation petitions divine water to eradicate corpse worms, transforming misfortune into blessing

Finally, a medicinal formula called "Worm-Control Pills" is recorded:

Primary ingredients include:

• Aconite (5 liang, must be processed)
• Frankincense (5 liang)
• Costus root (5 liang)
• Hemp seeds (7 sheng)
• Dried rehmannia root (6 liang)
• Rhubarb (5 liang)
• Acacia gum (5 liang)
• White atractylodes rhizome (7 liang)
• Southern dogwood root bark (collected precisely at noon during Dragon Boat Festival, 5 liang)

These methods combine talismanic magic, ritual practice, and herbal medicine, exemplifying the Daoist cultivation approach of employing multiple means to expel internal pathogenic influences.

This scripture records a Daoist elixir formula and preparation method called the "Supreme Scripture for Eliminating the Three Corpses and Nine Worms to Preserve Life."

The primary medicinal ingredients include:

1. Columnar heartwood (5 liang)

2. Cloud Mushroom Essence (5 liang)

3. Cinnabar (5 liang)

4. Stone-grown calamus (10 liang after sun-drying, soaked in clear wine)

Preparation method:

Each of the thirteen ingredients must be pounded three thousand times separately, then mixed together with white honey and pounded an additional eight thousand times, totaling fifty thousand poundings. The finished product must be carefully stored in an airtight container, protected from air leakage or contamination.

Administration method:

Facing east at dawn, initially take seven pill-sized portions (about the size of small beans), gradually increasing by one pill each time, taken with wine. This medicine nourishes the body, dispels calamities, stabilizes the hun and po souls, and replenishes Jing (essence) and blood. After completing one course, it eliminates grain worms (parasites) - when these worms die, the Three Corpses (three malevolent spirits believed to reside in the human body according to Daoism) will also wither.

Method for preparing Cloud Mushroom Essence:

Place mica powder (5 liang) and realgar (4 liang, sifted to extreme fineness) in a bronze vessel and heat over low flame until slight color change occurs. Transfer to bamboo tubes sealed with pine resin. Hang beneath a rice steamer and steam until one dan of rice has been cooked. After steaming, the three substances will fuse into a congealed fat-like consistency, then mix with additional pine resin (total 10 liang). Hang under the roof for twenty-four days, then pound ten thousand times to complete the Cloud Mushroom Essence.

Important precautions:

1. Observe purification (zhai) for three days before preparation

2. After making Cloud Mushroom Essence, observe seven more days of purification before creating the worm-eliminating pills

3. During purification, abstain from the Five Pungents (onions, garlic, etc.) and Five Meats

4. Prevent women, chickens, or dogs from witnessing the process

5. Prepare in a separate chamber

6. Use only highest quality ingredients

7. Optimal preparation dates: 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 11th days of the lunar month

8. Face east during preparation with an incense altar and spirit tablets

9. Avoid preparation during cloudy, windy, or rainy weather

The scripture concludes by emphasizing this formula's supreme importance as a secret transmission, mentioning that ancient immortals like Cultivated Ram Lord, Mulberry Hill Master, and Dongfang Shuo also practiced this method.

This scripture records several Daoist cultivation methods, primarily concerning the expulsion of the "Three Corpses and Nine Worms" from the body, the preparation of elixirs, and the practice of observing the Gengshen Day.

The first section presents a medicinal formula for eliminating the Three Corpses:

Both Cui Wenzi and Shang Qiuzi ingested this medicine to practice grain avoidance (abstaining from the Five Grains) and ultimately attained immortality. The formula originates from the Su Xian Neizhuan, consisting of five liang of elm seeds, two liang of wolfberry root, and four liang of dried lacquer (which must be separately heated until it smokes). These three ingredients are ground and sifted into fine powder. At dawn, one should first eat a small amount of food, then pinch the powder with three fingers and wash it down with well water. After five days, the three worms will be expelled. Initially, this may cause emotional despondency or sorrow—a sign that the worms are being purged.

The second section details the formula for the Great Clarity Eight-Jade Elixir:

It requires eight minerals: cinnabar, realgar, azurite, sulfur, mica, halite, niter, and orpiment. The preparation method follows the Four Divine Elixir technique, with detailed procedures recorded in the Scripture on Flying and Subduing Various Minerals.

The third section describes the Gengshen Day cultivation practice:

On the Gengshen Day, one should visualize:

1. At the head, the Supreme Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) and the Muddy Pellet Perfected Being (Niwan Zhenren), wearing distant-journey crowns and black robes, seated in a dark-light canopy, observing the mouth, eyes, ears, and nose while purifying the breath (this is called the "Upper One," which controls the hun and po souls).

2. At the heart, the Supreme Thearch (Taishang Dijun) and the Crimson Palace Perfected Being (Jianggong Zhenren), wearing nine-sun crowns and red Daoist robes, seated in a vermilion canopy, observing the condition of the limbs and ensuring the liver, spleen, gallbladder, and kidneys are as pure as five-colored jade (this is called the "Middle One," which controls evil energies).

3. At the navel, the Great Yellow Elder (Taihuang Laojun) and the Yellow Perfected Being (Huang Zhenren), wearing ten-spirit crowns and yellow robes, seated in a yellow brocade canopy, observing the intestinal tract and orifices to make them as clear as white silk (this is called the "Lower One," which controls the digestive system and the body). Through this practice, the Three Corpses cannot cause disturbances.

The concluding section presents the Supreme Perfected Being's oral instruction:

On the spring day of Yimao, the summer day of Bingwu, the autumn day of Gengshen, and the winter day of Renzi, before sleep, grind one fen each of cinnabar, realgar, and orpiment into powder. Wrap it in cotton to form a jujube-sized bundle and plug the nostrils (this is a secret method for eliminating the Three Corpses and refining the Seven Po souls—it must be kept confidential). At noon the next day, bathe in east-flowing water, tidy the bedding, provide new clothes for the Three Corpses, and cleanse the nostrils.

The Scripture of the Supreme One on Eliminating the Three Corpses and Nine Worms to Preserve Life details Daoist cultivation methods for removing the "Three Corpses and Nine Worms." In Daoist belief, the Three Corpses are three malevolent spirits residing within the human body that cause mischief, while the Nine Worms represent nine types of parasites that harm health.

The practice involves several steps:

First, thoroughly clean the bedroom, including beneath the bed, ensuring the entire space is purified. Then lie down, hold your breath, clench your fists, and silently recite the incantation: "The Dao of Heaven operates with constant principles; now is the time to cast off the old and welcome the new. Bathe on this auspicious day, and the true Qi will naturally arise. The Three Corpses scatter and vanish, while the hun and po souls find tranquility. The Seven Po are refined, and the Primordial Spirit (Yuanshen) becomes intimate with me." This mantra is crucial for purging internal impurities and reshaping the body.

Master Zhao (likely a Daoist priest who transmitted this method) advised: The optimal time for practice is during the midnight zi hour (11 PM–1 AM) on the "establishment days" (special dates in the Daoist calendar). Stand quietly in the courtyard facing due east. After regulating your breath, tap your teeth together thirty times, then gently raise and lower your head fourteen times while swallowing saliva. Next, swing both arms back and forth fourteen times while silently reciting: "I beseech the Five Divine Officials of Southern Prosperity and their 120 celestial generals to eradicate my Three Corpses, enabling me to travel the world in peace and overcome calamities." After finishing, slowly turn and return to bed. Persist in this practice, and the Three Corpses will be destroyed.

During leap months, practice alone in a purified space, maintaining absolute silence—even avoiding sounds from livestock or birds. This method is simple, practical, and won't cause mental confusion.

Another worm-elimination technique: On spring days governed by the Heavenly Stems jia or yi, kneel facing the direction of Jupiter (the Year Star) at night and concentrate on chanting: "May the Bright Star of the East protect my hun and po souls, granting me longevity like the pine and cypress while cleansing the Three Corpses and Nine Worms within." Regular practice in clean locations is ideal. This method originates from the Virtuous Lord of Joyful Life (a celestial official governing vitality), utilizing the Five Phase principle of Wood overcoming Earth to eliminate Earthly Corpses.

For the lunar month's final day: At moonrise, face east and perform the Yu Steps (a Daoist ritual walking pattern), reciting the incantation "Nuogao Nuogao" (a divine summons) three times. Understand this: The moon holds the Jade Rabbit and Toad, the sun cradles the Three-Legged Golden Crow, waters conceal snakes and fish, earth teems with ants and mole crickets, while human bellies harbor roundworms and parasites. (These three lines of the mantra must be kept secret.)

This scripture discusses the Daoist practice of "eliminating the Three Corpses and Nine Worms" (in Daoism, it is believed the human body harbors three harmful "corpse worms" and nine "parasites" that must be removed through cultivation). The key methods include:

First is the method of performing "Yu Steps" (Yubu): Begin by stepping forward with the left foot, then the right, and finally bringing the left foot to meet the right—these three steps form one cycle. This special gait, traditionally attributed to the ancient Great Yu who tamed the floods, is used in Daoism to expel malevolent influences.

Next is the practice of nail trimming: Finger nails should be cut on Yin days (the 3rd day of each lunar month), and toe nails on Wu days (the 7th day). On the 16th day of the eleventh lunar month, the collected nail clippings should be burned to ashes and ingested.

The method transmitted by Master Jiang (likely an ancient Daoist practitioner): At high noon on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month, close your eyes while facing west. Visualize (cunxiang) green Qi emerging from both eyes, red Qi from the heart region, and yellow Qi from below the navel. Envision these three Qi currents circulating around your body until you feel enveloped in radiant light. After sustaining this state, tap your teeth fourteen times and swallow saliva fourteen repetitions. This "body-refining method to eliminate the Three Corpses," when practiced long-term, is said to make the body emit a fragrant aroma.

Daily cultivation recommendations: At cockcrow (before dawn), rinse your mouth with "sweet spring" (liquan, referring to saliva) and swallow it in three portions. On Wu days (days marked by the heavenly stem Wu), upon waking, gradually regulate your breath and avoid speaking to others immediately.

The scripture concludes by mentioning an "illustrated cultivation visualization chart" that may have accompanied these practices, though no specific description survives. The entire Scripture of the Most High on Eliminating the Three Corpses and Nine Worms to Preserve Life primarily transmits methods—including specialized footsteps, breathing techniques, visualizations, and ingestible substances—to cleanse the body of harmful "Three Corpses and Nine Worms," achieving the goal of nurturing life and prolonging longevity.