《黃帝九鼎神丹經訣》Vol. 11

This passage primarily discusses methods for refining mercury and its crucial role in alchemical practices, along with techniques for removing its toxicity.

Ge Hong (a renowned Daoist of the Eastern Jin dynasty) apprenticed under Zheng Yin (Master Zheng) in his youth. Due to his frail constitution, he was unable to perform heavy labor and could only assist with tasks like transcription and cleaning. Zheng Yin advised him: "When studying texts, one should select the essential teachings to put into practice rather than memorize them rigidly. What truly matters is refining the Golden Elixir (Jindan), and mercury is the key material in alchemy."

The finest mercury comes from the Liusha River in Fuling (modern-day Fuling, Chongqing), characterized by its bluish-white hue and soft, tin-like texture, which evaporates when heated. Naturally occurring mercury of this quality is exceedingly rare, though mercury refined from cinnabar is also acceptable.

There are two primary refining methods:

The first involves mixing equal parts cinnabar and mercury in an iron vessel or crucible, heating it over charcoal until the shadow of the sun moves one and a half feet, then pouring the mercury into a basin of cold water and collecting it with paper.

The second method entails placing cinnabar in a bamboo tube, burying it underground with the tube’s opening level with the surface, covering it with mica and three to four inches of soil, then heating it with chaff ash for two to three days to obtain mercury. If unsuccessful, continue heating until the process is complete. This method yields one pound of mercury from one pound of cinnabar.

The text specifically warns that commercially sold mercury may be adulterated and unsuitable for crafting elixirs of immortality—it is best to refine one’s own. Finally, it references the Classic of Herbal Medicine (Bencao Jing), which notes that mercury is cold in nature and toxic, capable of treating skin diseases, inducing abortion, killing parasites, and even melting metals. However, prolonged ingestion requires caution.

(Note: The alchemical methods described here are hazardous, as mercury is highly toxic. Do not attempt to replicate them. This is purely a translation of historical literature and does not endorse its scientific validity.)

This passage primarily discusses the refining methods of mercury (quicksilver) and the different applications of its various types. Ancient practitioners classified mercury into three categories: male mercury (xiong gong), female mercury (ci gong), and divine-flight mercury (shen fei gong), each possessing distinct properties.

The finest mercury occurs naturally within cinnabar (dan sha), exhibiting a bluish-white hue of superior quality. In contrast, mercury obtained through smelting crude cinnabar appears turbid and inferior. Mercury possesses a remarkable capacity to dissolve gold and silver, transforming them into a clay-like substance—a crucial property in alchemical practices (waidan).

Three refining methods are described: Male mercury techniques suit those seeking immortality and ascension; female mercury methods are appropriate for creating spirit-summoning elixirs; while divine-flight mercury can transmute base metals like copper and iron. These approaches must never be mixed—ordinary practitioners often fail due to misunderstanding these distinctions.

The text details the male mercury refinement process: Take ten pounds of cinnabar, mix with precise proportions of clarified butter, and place in a specially crafted iron cauldron. The vessel must measure one chi in width and one-and-a-half cun in depth, with perfectly even surfaces. After pulverizing and sifting the cinnabar into the cauldron, coat it with butter, cover with a blue ceramic jar, then seal with wool and wet clay. This method was so treasured by ancient realized beings (zhenren) that they would refuse ten thousand taels of gold rather than disclose it—only sincere seekers taking sacred vows might receive transmission.

The text notes that the furnace residue adhering to the cauldron (called zhu fen or "mercury ash") proves highly effective against lice. Finally, it emphasizes that these alchemical techniques form the foundation of Daoist practice (daoshu), requiring careful transmission and strict secrecy.

This passage describes several ancient methods for refining medicinal elixirs, primarily focusing on the purification and processing techniques of cinnabar (the raw material for mercury). Here are the specific operational procedures:

When refining cinnabar, special attention must be paid to sealing the container. First use dry grass to ignite the fire, then maintain heat with softwood (such as poplar or willow—woods resistant to insects and decay). The firewood should be pre-soaked in water to maintain moisture and prevent cracking. After lighting, avoid stomping or heavy footsteps nearby, as vibrations may cause mercury to splash into the fire.

Heat from Chen hour (7-9 AM) to Wu hour (11 AM-1 PM). After cooling or leaving overnight, filter the powder through a worn wool sack into a new basin. Wrap three or four liang of the powder with fresh cotton batting, bundle it tightly like a rice-pounding mallet, then gently crush it in an earthenware jar to obtain pure powder. This powder serves as crucial material for making "Six-One Mud" (a sealing material used in alchemy).

Alchemists should consume ample pork and wine, otherwise mercury vapor may invade the body, causing organ blockages, loss of appetite, and long-term physical harm. One jin of premium cinnabar yields twelve liang of refined product, medium-grade yields ten liang, and inferior yields eight liang. This method is precious and shouldn't be casually disclosed. Beginners may practice with ten bundles of dry grass first.

Another method, "Refining Female Mercury": Mix one sheng of lard with ten jin of cinnabar into a paste, then coat the inner walls of the cauldron (alchemical vessel). For making "Divine Flying Mercury," pound and sieve ten jin of cinnabar powder with one jin of yellow alum, forty gardenia fruits, one jin of rock salt, one jin of turmeric root, and one jin of "hutonglu" (a plant). Blend with ox-dung juice into a paste, apply one cun thick inside the cauldron, seal and fire. Ox-dung juice is best collected and stored in the twelfth lunar month, then dissolved in warm water when needed. Dung collected in spring lacks potency as oxen eat fresh grass.

The text also explains alchemical terminology: "Dark Beast Mystic Essence Juice" refers to ox-dung juice; "Sage Unknowing" means red rock salt; "Qu Yuan's Simplicity" denotes hutonglu; "Black Paste Grandson's Fat" indicates lard.

Finally, the mercury purification method: Take one jin of mercury and filter impurities through double-layered fine cloth. Add three sheng of white salt and gently pound until the mercury turns white. Heat with an iron tool until smoke appears, then stop. Add three sheng of three-year-aged vinegar for further processing.

This passage describes several methods used by the ancient Daoist alchemist Hu Gangzi to refine mercury (known as "subdued mercury" in alchemical terminology). In ancient alchemical practices, mercury held great importance, but due to its extreme toxicity, it required special processing before use.

The text first explains that mercury and lead (representing the "Great Yin") naturally occur together, and when isolated, mercury's toxicity becomes difficult to neutralize. The purification must be performed during specific "Triple Yang periods" - days of peak Yang energy like the fifth day of the fifth month or seventh day of the seventh month - using "Triple Yang medicines" to dissolve the toxicity. These special ingredients include: Solar Essence (yellow-white substances), morning dew (left-flavored), and sunset quintessence (gold thief). If incorrect ingredients or timing are chosen, no amount of refinement can eliminate the toxicity.

Five specific methods are then detailed: The first involves boiling mercury for one hundred days in three-year-aged vinegar mixed with sal ammoniac powder. The second uses equal parts yellow sal ammoniac, sulfur, and white sal ammoniac boiled in vinegar for twenty-one days. The third method employs a mixture of oil, honey, and vinegar with small amounts of salt and saltpeter; adding ceruse powder yields snow-white mercury. The fourth method requires simmering mercury in vinegar within an iron vessel over low heat for thirty-six days, extending to one hundred days if solidification doesn't occur. The fifth approach soaks mercury in strong bitter wine, simmering gently for thirty-six days until completely dried.

The text emphasizes maintaining warm (but never scalding) temperatures throughout all refining processes. While these methods appear laborious, they represent effective techniques distilled from ancient practitioners' long-term experimentation. The conclusion notes these procedures actually conceal the mysteries of the "Yellow and White Art" (an alternate name for alchemy), hence their careful documentation for future reference.

This passage documents several specific methods of ancient alchemical practice, primarily focusing on the refinement processes involving mercury (known as "mysterious pearl") and precious metals like gold and silver.

The first method involves boiling two jin of mercury with gold flakes, silver flakes, and medicinal vinegar continuously for thirty days and nights. Particular care must be taken to prevent the liquid from drying out during this process, continuing until the mercury condenses into a snow-white substance. To transform this into an elixir, one must follow the thirty-six mineral water formulas for further purification to remove toxicity before it can be placed in the alchemical furnace. If the substance hasn't fully condensed, the boiling continues until achieving the desired snowy whiteness.

Three specific formulas are then detailed: The Golden Mysterious Pearl method uses one jin of mercury with 2.5 liang of gold and 5.5 liang of refined lead; the Silver Mysterious Pearl method combines one jin of mercury with 1.5 liang of silver and 6.5 liang of refined lead; while the Nine Elixirs Lead Essence method employs two jin of mercury with twelve liang of refined lead. Each method requires specific boiling durations (fifteen, nine, or seven days and nights respectively), continuing until the material turns completely white and pure, followed by drying to eliminate toxicity.

The text also describes a method for creating silver-mercury amalgam paste: mixing four liang of mercury with one liang of silver, formed into cakes and treated in an iron container with finely sifted mulberry wood ash. A practical note mentions that these processing times can be moderately reduced in actual practice, but strict formula verification remains essential.

These techniques all emphasize several critical aspects: precise ingredient ratios, rigorous fire control, thorough detoxification procedures, and achieving the final "snow-white purity" state. Such refinement methods could produce various elixirs and even transform base metals like copper and iron, demonstrating the ancient alchemical pursuit of miraculous material transmutation.

This passage details the specific methods and precautions for refining the "Mysterious Pearl" (Xuanzhu), a type of Daoist elixir. Failure in the refining process may result from excessive vinegar, overly intense heat, evaporation of the medicinal liquid, incorrect herb ratios, or improper use of the "Hua Chi" (alchemical vessel).

Operational Method:

Use an iron pot with walls five fen thick, polished to a smooth finish. Spread a seven-fen-thick layer of mulberry wood ash at the bottom, moistened with vinegar to maintain humidity. The layer should be even—neither uneven nor overly compacted to avoid cracking. On a silk cloth, evenly distribute mercury along with six other medicinal ingredients: sulfur, white sal ammoniac, rock salt, magnetite, lüxian (a type of salt), and ceruse (lead white), each weighing one liang, plus six liang of mulberry wood ash. Crush and sieve the mixture before spreading it over the mercury to a thickness of two fen. Moisten it with vinegar to maintain a porridge-like consistency, ensuring it doesn’t dry out during heating. Control the heat evenly—excessive intensity may scatter the ash and herbs. Replace the medicinal mixture daily. Seal the pot lid with paper to prevent contamination by dust. Following this method for a hundred days will refine the mercury into an elixir. Once complete, grind the product into powder for direct ingestion.

Method of Dry-Serving the Mysterious Pearl (Qianfu Xuanzhu Fa):

Use a wrought-iron pot weighing eight jin, formed by welding two four-jin iron plates, with walls half an inch thick. Drill holes around the rim the diameter of an arrow shaft, reinforcing the surrounding area for durability. After adding mercury, seal the pot securely by welding nails. Apply four layers of ganni (a special mud mixture), each half an inch thick, and sun-dry for five to six days until completely hardened. Then place the pot in a charcoal fire, using bellows to intensify the heat until the pot glows red. Maintain this state for the duration of a meal before letting it cool naturally. The next day, remove it between Chen to Si hours (7–11 AM). Strike the pot to assess the sound—if it resembles the ring of pottery, the process is successful, and the pot’s weight remains unchanged; any other sound indicates failure. If successful, chisel open the pot to retrieve the elixir, but detoxification is required before consumption.

Detoxification Method for the Mysterious Pearl (Qu Xuanzhu Du Fa):

First, boil the refined Mysterious Pearl in a copper pot with one dou of yellow alum water—five jin for high-grade or two jin for low-grade elixir—until the liquid evaporates completely. Separately, burn cow dung and buhuimu (asbestos-like mineral) into ash, then crush magnetite into bean-sized pieces. Boil these in medicinal broth to neutralize toxicity.

This passage details the methods and precautions for refining the "Mysterious Pearl" (a type of elixir). First, boil two types of ash with scalding water, collect the liquid, and simmer the Mysterious Pearl in it for a full day. Then replace it with Thrice-Transformed Left-Flavor (a yellowish-white medicinal liquid) and boil for another day and night. Next, mix with Thrice-Transformed Fine Wine (specifically Vitex wine) and honey, continuing the boiling for another day and night. Afterwards, switch to refined ghee and simmer for three nights. Remove and place in a bronze vessel covered with a bronze lid, then steam within millet grains for three days and nights to completely eliminate toxicity.

The text specifies that Thrice-Transformed Fine Wine refers to Vitex wine, while Thrice-Transformed Left-Flavor indicates the yellowish-white variant. When boiling mercury with alum water, if the vessel cannot fully dissolve it, one may form it into disc-shaped cakes or pound it before boiling—the steaming method follows the same principle. A five-pound tripod vessel can hold two pecks of finely processed medicinal materials.

The secret method of Supreme Mysterious Lord (Tai Xuan Jun) states that whether consuming the Mysterious Pearl dry or wet, to remove toxicity, add one liang of Sweet Yellow (i.e., Mysterious Pearl Essence, also called Mysterious Yellow Earth, sourced from western Hu regions) per pound of the elixir. Magnetite counteracts Mysterious Pearl Essence, while litharge serves as an adjuvant. Using yellow lead, cosmetic powder, or similar materials to retain Mysterious Pearl Essence constitutes folk practices rather than orthodox methods. Substances like yellow arsenic sand and rock salt also deviate from proper formulas.

Additionally, the text records a method for subduing mercury: combine one pound of mercury with two liang of magnetite powder, boil with fermented beast juice (camel urine) over gentle heat—the process shouldn't exceed seven days to determine coagulation. This works because cinnabar detests magnetite and fears brine, and since mercury derives from cinnabar, it inherits these aversions. The Mysterious Pearl and magnetite counteract each other, and Sweet Yellow is likewise feared by mercury. The author emphasizes that foreign substances aren't inherently superior to native ones—the specific mention of magnetite's function aims to inspire sincere Dao cultivators to contemplate and comprehend. Litharge, meanwhile, originates from golden mineral medicines and requires coordination with ginseng-infused water for use.

This passage describes the "Damp-Subjugation Method" (shifu fa) in Daoist alchemical practice, detailing the specific procedures and precautions for processing Mysterious Pearls (xuanzhu, an alchemical material) using silver powder or lead powder:

First, prepare an iron cauldron with a capacity of two to three liters. Seal the furnace with clay according to specific methods, leaving openings for ventilation and smoke channels. Shape the Mysterious Pearls into cakes and place them in the cauldron, then cover them with silver powder (the method for preparing silver powder is explained in detail in Chapter Nine). If silver powder is unavailable, cinnabar-lead powder may be substituted. Next, add five liters of animal fat and one liter of honey, mix thoroughly, and simmer the Mysterious Pearl cakes.

Two timeframes are mentioned: one suggests simmering for thirty days, while another recommends three days (this latter method can alter the properties of copper and iron). For detoxification, one typically simmers for a day and night, but the Damp-Subjugation Method's use of fat indicates subtle differences between longevity techniques and metal-transmutation methods. This parallels how longevity-grade mercury requires cauldrons coated with clarified butter, whereas ordinary mercury uses lard-blended cinnabar for sealing.

The text emphasizes that the Damp-Subjugation Method employs fat and honey for blending, unlike conventional detoxification methods that use wine and honey. This technique can instantly transform the properties of copper and iron. Only mercury processed through this method—when combined with other fire-refined medicinal substances—can produce authentic elixirs. Simply mixing herbs with Mysterious Pearls constitutes the "River Chariot" (heche) method, not true Mysterious Pearl refinement.

A supplementary note explains: if preparing Mysterious Yellow (xuanhuang, an alchemical term for a specific elixir) using mercury or preparing major elixirs, one must first boil the mercury without additives. For less demanding preparations, one may use Ninefold-Refined Lead Essence (jiuzhuan qianjing, lead processed through nine cycles) as base material, or alternatively Fiftyfold-Refined Lead Essence with gold and silver as stabilizing agents.

This passage meticulously records the material ratios, operational sequences, and distinctions between different methods in ancient alchemy, demonstrating the Daoist alchemical tradition's rigorous attention to detail.