《九轉靈砂大丹資聖玄經》

The Ninefold Cinnabar Great Elixir Scripture of Profound Sagehood

First Scroll: Purity

At that time, the Supreme Ultimate Perfected Being (a high-ranking Daoist immortal) was seated upon a seven-jeweled jade terrace atop Mount Fuluo in the Great Valley of Yucha, within the Western Jade Kingdom. Surrounded by partridge trees, he presided over an assembly of countless immortals from the three thousand great chiliocosms, burning incense of hundredfold harmony. Thirty-six thousand exalted immortals, wondrous adepts, celestial demons, and practitioners of esoteric paths gathered for this convocation.

Perfected Being Baoji (an accomplished adept) contemplated: "In the past, I attained immortality through cultivating the elixir path. Now I grieve for sentient beings and future practitioners. Those who refine elixirs and transform metals and minerals for ingestion—whether golden-white silver frost, four-pistil eight-luminance elixirs (referring to various forms of alchemical substances), or the supreme ninefold-refined treasures that enable fleshly transcendence—have all failed in their endeavors."

Thereupon, Perfected Being Baoji adjusted his robes and headdress, approached the seat of the Supreme Ultimate Perfected Being, and prostrated in inquiry: "How must this disciple cultivate to convene assemblies as you do? Though I attained the Dao through alchemy, I lament that practitioners in this Dharma-ending age consistently fail when refining the five-metal elixirs. I implore your compassionate guidance—what principles must one follow to successfully prepare the golden elixir medicine? What specific methods transform these substances?"

The Supreme Ultimate Perfected Being replied: "Your question is most apt. The foundational principle of elixir refinement is this: The crucible must have three legs representing Heaven, Earth, and Humanity (San Cai). Its upper and lower halves symbolize the two modes of Yin and Yang. The legs stand four inches tall corresponding to the four seasons; the furnace depth measures eight inches harmonizing with the eight solar terms (major nodes of the 24 solar terms), with eight apertures at its base representing the eight directional winds. Twenty-four pounds of charcoal embody the twenty-four solar terms.

Through the mutual transformation of Yin and Yang and the intermingling of water and fire: The water above represents the clear Qi of Heaven, while the fire below signifies the turbid Qi of Earth. When celestial Qi descends and terrestrial Qi ascends, their intermingling and ultimate unification constitute the essential process for refining the 'Great Elixir of Dual Qi.' Seizing the creative work of a thousand years within twelve double-hours—this is the primary secret of elixir refinement."

(This constitutes the first section of "The True Parents Chapter of the Numinous Cinnabar Great Elixir," primarily expounding the foundational principles of alchemy and the symbolic significance of the crucible and furnace.)

To refine the Great Elixir of Cinnabar, one must first select superior spiritual herbs as the mother material. When setting up the alchemical furnace, choose a tranquil mountain forest location with flourishing feng shui, avoiding the four inauspicious directions (directions of malevolent influences).

The specific steps are as follows:

1. Take four taels of white Yang Jing (pure Yang essence) and sixteen taels of Solar Palace liquid (supreme Yang essence), mix and stir-fry them into a bluish-gold substance, representing the green Qi (Wood-phase energy) of the East, associated with the Heavenly Stems Jia and Yi.

2. Grind the mixture into powder using a willow pestle in a stone mortar, then place it in the alchemical cauldron. Employ the "water above, fire below" method (a special heating technique where water is positioned above fire). Begin the firing at the hour of Yin (3–5 AM) and continue for a full day and night to achieve the transformative work of a thousand years. Upon removal, the substance will appear red, representing the crimson Qi of the South, associated with the Heavenly Stems Bing and Ding.

3. Cut the red cinnabar into lotus seed-sized pieces and place them in a fine cloth bag to hang. In the cauldron, use mulberry wood ash liquid, adding three taels each of borax, sal ammoniac, green salt, and alum. Boil for a day and night, then remove, wash, and dry in the sun.

4. Next, boil the cinnabar in petroleum for two shichen (four hours), then wash and dry again. Coat each piece with white sand honey, followed by lead frost and lead yellow flower, at which point it will turn yellow, representing the yellow Qi of the Center, associated with the Earthly Stems Wu and Ji.

5. Take one jin of the mother material powder and mix it with equal parts of black plum, dianthus, ephedra, and polygala. Stir-fry until yellow, then blend with bitter wine (vinegar). Combine one jin of mother material with four taels of cinnabar, seal the mixture, and place it in the furnace. Cover it with two inches of Wanqian ash (a special fuel ash) and gently nurture it for seven days.

6. After cooling, remove the now-black cinnabar, representing the black Qi of the North, associated with the Heavenly Stems Ren and Gui. Melt the cinnabar in a large pot until it becomes liquid. Grind equal parts of anemarrhena, croton, castor, saltpeter, and sea salt into powder, wrap them in paper, and drop them into the liquid seven times.

7. Finally, repeatedly sprinkle saltpeter until the liquid becomes clear and radiant white, representing the white Qi of the West, associated with the Heavenly Stems Geng and Xin. This completes the first transformation (yi zhuan) of the Great Elixir, and the resulting product is called "Mother-Derived Quicksilver."

(Next Chapter: The Sacred Embryo of the Great Elixir of Cinnabar)

Take one jin of the previously refined Mother-Derived Quicksilver and swiftly crush it into powder... (remaining steps to be continued)

This scripture describes the ancient Daoist alchemical method for refining the "Nine-Cycle Divine Cinnabar Elixir" (Jiuzhuan Lingsha Dandan). The detailed procedure is as follows:

First, prepare the materials: Use magnetic lodestone to remove iron impurities, then select four taels of lustrous mirror-grade cinnabar. Take a silver container and begin by spreading two taels of mother mercury-silver powder (a mercury-infused silver powder) at the bottom. Alternate layers of cinnabar and mother mercury-silver powder until the container is filled, finishing with four taels of the silver powder on top. Seal the container's seams with red halloysite (a red mineral).

Next, cover the container's mouth with Kunlun paper (a special paper), then apply a finger-thick layer of salt clay. After drying, place it in an ash basin. Support the container on an iron tripod and surround it with approximately two fingers' thickness of Wanqian ash (a special furnace ash). Heat gently with a "civil fire" (low flame), maintaining even temperature for fourteen days. After cooling, carefully remove and split open the container to reveal the refined cinnabar "supreme treasure."

Transfer this refined cinnabar into an iron container, add two taels of mercury, and seal it as before. Continue fire cultivation for seven days. After cooling overnight, the mercury will desiccate. Repeat this mercury-adding process seven times until the container is full (maximum five taels).

Finally, grind the desiccated mercury into powder, optionally mixing it with other medicinal substances (such as calomel, golden-foot arsenic, or arsenic sulfide). Seal and refine again for fourteen days. After extraction, first melt one tael of "true parents" (likely referring to a foundational material), then gradually incorporate the desiccated mercury. Pour the liquefied mixture into molds to produce "true quicksilver."

This text meticulously documents ancient alchemical techniques—material selection, fire regulation, and sealing methods—demonstrating the Waidan (external alchemy) tradition's pursuit of metallic transmutation. Note that substances like mercury and arsenic mentioned here are toxic; modern readers must never attempt to replicate these dangerous procedures.

This scripture describes the refinement methods for the "Nine-Cycle Numinous Cinnabar Elixir" in Daoist alchemy, focusing specifically on the third and fourth cycles of the alchemical process.

The third cycle, titled "Jade Pond White Lotus Chapter," involves the following steps:

The previously prepared cinnabar and processed mercury (totaling ten liang) are placed in a lidded crucible. Following the established method, three liang of mercury are added every seven days until the vessel is full. After removing the processed mercury, the crucible undergoes seven days of empty cultivation before mother medicine is added and calcined into supreme treasure. The extracted cinnabar and mercury can be reused to cultivate longevity mercury (referring to recyclable mercury). To increase the cycle count, four liang of luminous mirror-surface cinnabar may be mixed with one jin of powdered genuine gold and four liang of chensha (native mercury). Four liang of Jade Pond White Lotus cinnabar is ground into powder, separated by Kunlun paper (a special filter paper), sealed according to the previous method, and placed in the ash pool (a temperature-controlled furnace) for twenty-one days of fire cultivation. After cooling, the cinnabar transforms into golden nuggets known as "Bone-Transforming Solar Cinnabar," a highly potent substance called "Golden Valley Seed."

The fourth cycle, "Immortal Palm Moonlit Pool Chapter," proceeds as follows:

The Golden Valley Seed cinnabar is placed in the crucible, with three liang of mercury added every seven days. Following the established sealing method, it undergoes fire cultivation in the ash pool. When the vessel becomes full, the extracted processed mercury appears pale yellow, while the underlying cinnabar and mercury mixture (totaling ten liang) serves as mother medicine. The pale golden mercury is ground into powder and placed in a clean crucible with supplementary materials like chalcanthite (copper sulfate) and natural salt for further refinement.

Notes:

• In Daoist alchemy, "cycle" (zhuan) refers to the number of refinement iterations, with nine cycles representing the highest attainment.
• "Fire cultivation" denotes the temperature-controlled nurturing process.
• Mercury serves as both raw material and crucial medium in alchemical operations.
• The "ash pool" was an ancient device for maintaining constant temperature.

Interpretation of the Jiuzhuan Lingsha Dadan Zisheng Xuan Jing

Chapter Five: The Golden Lotus of the Purple Mansion

Place ten taels of "golden valley seeds" (alchemical material) into a vessel. To obtain "golden bamboo shoots" (golden crystals), irrigate them with mercury boiled with chalcanthite, which will then form the golden shoots. For "jade bamboo shoots" (white crystals), use mercury boiled with alum. If unboiled mercury is poured directly, a pale golden substance will form after seven days, but its energy (Qi) will be insufficient. Once the vessel is filled, remove the contents and cultivate them with dried mercury-gold powder. After smelting, superior gold can be obtained—a rare treasure of the world. Take ten taels of "Purple Mansion Golden Lotus Seed Sand" as the mother material for further irrigation. When the energy is fully nourished, the poured mercury will gush forth like a spring.

Chapter Six: The Gushing Spring of the Purple Mansion

Place ten taels of Purple Mansion Golden Lotus Sand into a vessel and irrigate it with three taels of mercury. If cultivated in the morning, results can be harvested by evening. Repeat the irrigation until the vessel is full, then remove the contents and cultivate them with dried mercury-gold powder before refining. This process can transform all metals back to their original essence. Refine ten taels of lower-layer cinnabar-mercury seven times to obtain the "Sevenfold-Returned Golden Elixir" (a supremely profound elixir). Unless one is born with celestial affinity and receives guidance from a master, success is nearly impossible.

Chapter Seven: The Sevenfold-Returned Golden Elixir and the Reverted Elixir

Take four taels of Gushing Spring Golden Sand without irrigating it with mercury. Instead, grind cinnabar into fine powder and place it into a clean vessel, sealing and cultivating it according to the prescribed method. After forty-nine days, allow it to cool, then remove and immerse it in well water for seven days to neutralize its "fire toxicity" (the elixir’s harsh heat). Grind it into powder and mix it with jujube pulp to form pills. If administered within three days after death, a single pill placed in the mouth can revive the deceased. Consuming it grants immortality, and it can also transmute base metals into treasures.

Chapter Eight: The Primordial Spirit Liquid and the Golden Elixir

Grind the Reverted Golden Elixir into powder and place it into a clean vessel, sealing and cultivating it for sixty-four days. After the furnace cools, remove the contents and bury them seven feet underground to eliminate fire toxicity.

This scripture details the methods and effects of refining the "Ninefold Cycled Numinous Cinnabar Elixir." After seven days of refinement, the elixir is ground into powder and mixed with jujube pulp to form pills the size of mung beans. Long-term consumption extends life and grants immortality. When used in transmutation (a Waidan technique), this elixir can transform base metals into gold.

During the ninth refinement cycle of the Golden Elixir, the Numinous Liquid Returned Elixir (an advanced preparation) must be ground into powder, sealed in a special vessel, and refined with fire for eighty-one days. After cooling, it's buried ten feet underground for fourteen days to "dispel fire toxins" (remove the elixir's fiery Qi and toxicity). The resulting preparation is similarly formed into mung bean-sized pills:

• One pill extends lifespan
• Two pills confer immortality
• Three to five pills enable bodily transformation, making the practitioner light as a swallow
• One hundred pills allow daytime ascension and transcendence to immortality

The scripture also records two marvelous transmutation techniques:

1) Boiling ten catties of black lead in a cauldron at intense heat, then adding one zhu (an ancient weight measure) of Ninefold Cycled Elixir, which swiftly transforms it into nine catties of silver

2) Boiling ten catties of mercury in an iron cauldron with ten liang of chalcanthite (a mineral), then adding five zhu of Ninefold Cycled Elixir after boiling, which rapidly produces nine catties of gold

The Great Lord Lao (Taishang Laojun) specifically warns: Such secret methods must not be casually transmitted. Withholding them from worthy recipients constitutes "concealing celestial treasure," while revealing them to unworthy persons amounts to "leaking celestial mysteries"—both offenses bear grave karmic consequences.

Finally, the Perfected Baoji (a Daoist immortal) led an assembly of transcendents in seven circumambulations, vowing to practice these methods for universal salvation. The text emphasizes these as "supreme perfected secret formulas," admonishing later students to study their principles thoroughly yet guard them strictly, never revealing them carelessly.

This scripture details the fire control methods for refining "Dual-Qi Cinnabar" and "Great Spirit Cinnabar Elixir," representing the alchemical techniques of Daoist Waidan (external alchemy).

Regarding Dual-Qi Cinnabar refinement:

Begin during the Yin hour (3-5 AM), initially using four liang of fire. Increase to six liang during the Mao hour (5-7 AM), then to half a jin (eight liang) in the Chen hour (7-9 AM), progressively building up to one, two, and eventually three jin. The total charcoal consumption should be twenty-four jin of peeled, purified charcoal. By the Shen-You period (3-7 PM), the cinnabar will naturally congeal. Subsequently, maintain it with gentle fire for three double-hours until the charcoal burns out and steam ceases, allowing the fire to extinguish naturally. After cooling the crucible, select the hardest portions as premium quality. If insufficiently hardened, reforge with azurite (a refining material). This constitutes the martial fire (intense heat) method for Dual-Qi Cinnabar. An alternative tradition suggests the four inauspicious days (sisha ri) yield optimal results for alchemical work.

Concerning the civil fire (gentle heat) method for Great Spirit Cinnabar Elixir:

Day one uses two liang of top fire, day two three liang, day three four liang. On day four, apply five liang top fire plus four liang side fire (totaling seven liang), and day five employs four liang top fire with two side fires of one liang each (half jin total). Beyond this point, no additional fire should be applied to avoid damaging the "mother cinnabar" (base material). During days six and seven, use half jin of fire during each of the four cardinal hours (midnight, noon, dawn, dusk), continuously replacing spent charcoal with fresh pieces. This represents the standard civil fire technique.

An alternate civil fire control method:

Days one and two both use one liang top fire; day three adds one-and-a-half liang side fire (totaling two-and-a-half liang). Divide the glowing charcoal into four strips placed three finger-widths from the crucible (hezi), separated by loose grass ash. Day four increases side fire to three liang divided into eight strips similarly positioned. Cover the top with three-finger-thick ash, leaving a central vent. Day five employs five liang side fire divided into twelve surrounding strips (two-and-a-half finger-widths distant) plus one liang top fire (six liang total). Crucially maintain even heat—excessive flame damages the mother cinnabar, while dying fires require immediate adjustment with tongs.

These methods meticulously document ancient alchemical fire control techniques, specifying charcoal quantities, flame intensity, and temporal precision, demonstrating the exacting standards Daoist alchemy demands for firing processes.

This passage records the preparation method of "Nine-Cycle Numinous Cinnabar" from ancient Daoist alchemical practices, belonging to the practical techniques of Waidan (external alchemy). I'll explain the key procedures:

On fire regulation:

Furnace fire management requires special attention during alchemical operations. When no charcoal remains atop the furnace, immediately use iron tools to stir and replenish. Test the ash temperature by hand—when it feels as hot as the crust of a thermal mud pool, wait briefly before adding more fuel. Maintain fixed quantities, continuing this process for six to seven days with a total charcoal consumption of half a jin (approx. 300g). Renew the fire daily during the four key temporal nodes: Zi (23:00-1:00), Wu (11:00-13:00), Mao (5:00-7:00), and You (17:00-19:00) hours. This constitutes the foundational "civil fire" refinement method.

Yin-processing of sulfur:

Take half a jin each of sulfur and zuowei (a medicinal herb), adding one sheng (approx. 0.6L) of mulberry wood ash solution. First grind the sulfur into fine powder, place it in bamboo tubes, then boil with vinegar and ash solution for three shichen (about 6 hours).

Yin-processing of mercury:

Prepare various alumin compounds including white alum, green alum, yellow alum, chicken-dung alum, and willow-catkin alum. Combine with one jin mercury, one sheng vinegar, two sheng mulberry wood ash solution, plus two qian (approx. 7.5g) each of borax and arsenic mineral. Grind all ingredients, place in an earthen pot, and boil with vinegar and ash solution for five shichen (about 10 hours). Afterward, separately drain the sulfur and mercury preparations before proceeding to the "refining azure-gold" stage.

Refining azure-gold procedure:

1. First finely grind sulfur and melt into liquid in an iron cauldron

2. Add mercury, stirring with an iron spoon

3. If anomalous flames appear (termed "ghost flames" by ancients), sprinkle with previously prepared vinegar paste

4. Stir until slight color change occurs, then wrap in five layers of premium paper

5. Encase in raw silk and bury in damp earth for two to three shichen

6. After cooling and hardening, pulverize and place in the alchemical vessel

7. Apply "upper fire, lower water" heating method, gradually intensifying the fire

8. Refine for eight shichen (about 16 hours) to obtain "Dual-Qi Crushed Cinnabar"

9. The entire process consumes twenty-four jin charcoal

Yin-processing formula for Dual-Qi Cinnabar:

Requires two qian each of yellow alum, white alum, green salt, Sichuan pepper, sanguisorba, asarum herb, croton seed, sal ammoniac, arsenic, aconite, calamus, and borax, combined with three sheng mulberry wood ash solution and one sheng vinegar.

(Note: These alchemical records hold historical research value, but contain highly toxic substances like mercury and arsenic—do not attempt reproduction.)

This passage describes the specific method for refining the "Ninefold Transmutation Numinous Cinnabar Elixir":

First, high-quality medicinal ingredients must be ground into fine powder and placed in an earthenware cauldron. Then prepare the "Twin-Qi Lotus Seeds" (a special alchemical material), wrapping them in silk cloth and suspending them at the center of the cauldron. Use gentle fire to simmer for "one fu period" (an ancient time measurement approximately equivalent to two modern hours) as the standard duration.

After completing this stage, the medicinal compounds are transferred into a "chamber" (a sealed alchemical vessel) for "nourishing" (referring to prolonged refinement through controlled heating). The entire process requires nine cycles of purification and transformation to achieve the precious "Numinous Cinnabar Elixir."

This text records a crucial stage in the Daoist alchemical method of "Ninefold Transmutation Golden Elixir," demonstrating the ancient art's precise control over fire regulation, timing, and specialized vessels. The process embodies the sophisticated material practices of internal alchemy (Neidan) where temporal cycles and material transformations mirror cosmic processes of purification.