《大洞鍊真寶經修伏靈砂妙訣》

Preface to The Great Cavern's Art of Refining the True Treasure Scripture: Essential Methods for Cultivating and Subduing Cinnabar, Part 4

During the celestial epoch known as Tianyuan, I journeyed from Mount Heng to the Huanglong region before settling in Bin Prefecture. By chance, I encountered a realized Daoist master in a mountain cave who imparted to me the essential methods for refining spiritual cinnabar. The master said: "These methods were transmitted to me by Immortal Xu, who in turn received them from Celestial Master Wu—the latter having inherited them from Master Ding of their shared lineage."

The master continued: The profound mysteries of cinnabar alchemy are truly abstruse and difficult to comprehend. Many seekers, though yearning for the Dao of immortality, remain trapped in worldly existence because they fail to penetrate its true origin. Since ancient times, the records in alchemical scriptures have been deliberately obscure, their secrets rarely transmitted. Deeply regretting this, I now compile the sevenfold refinement method of spiritual cinnabar into seven chapters, supplemented by two sections on the Golden Elixir essentials, prefaced with this explanation to aid future generations of dedicated practitioners.

On the sevenfold refinement of spiritual cinnabar: Cinnabar embodies the essence of the sun, the perfect fusion of Metal (Jin) and Fire (Huo). It resonates with eight mineral correspondences and aligns with the twenty-four solar terms. What we call "cinnabar" (dan) is gold tempered by fire; "mercury" (gong) is fire liberated from gold. Cinnabar contains the complete Yang essence, whereas mercury, having departed its original form, becomes incomplete. Thus cinnabar is the crystallized quintessence of gold-fire, harboring the purest Qi between heaven and earth—the foundation for cyclical elixir refinement and the source of the Great Medicine. Its De (virtuous power) generates the myriad beings, yet its substance remains mysteriously unfathomable. As scriptures state: "This blazing Yang essence, when obtained, reunites the ethereal and corporeal souls." Hence we know that ingesting Yang essence leads to longevity, while absorbing Yin energy turns one into a wandering ghost. Cinnabar represents pure Yang, like the Fire Deity abiding in its rightful southern position.

Cinnabar varies by formation conditions, yet only three types suit superior elixirs: the supreme Luminous Cinnabar (Guangming Sha), the intermediate White Tusk Cinnabar (Baiya Sha), and the tertiary Purple Spirit Cinnabar (Ziling Sha). Impure varieties like stream cinnabar or earthen cinnabar are unfit for high-grade alchemy. In efficacy: one tael of Luminous Cinnabar equals four taels of White Tusk Cinnabar, which in turn equals eight taels of Purple Spirit Cinnabar. The potency of stream or earthen cinnabar cannot compare. Some ask: Since all are cinnabar...

This scripture discusses the characteristics and refining methods of different grades of cinnabar (dan sha) in alchemical practice:

The essence of solar energy condenses to form various grades of cinnabar:

1. Radiant Cinnabar (guang ming sha): Receives the pure and luminous essence of the sun, displaying dazzling crimson radiance

2. White Horse Tooth Cinnabar (bai ma ya sha): Absorbs the sun's gentle and harmonious essence, exhibiting a pearlescent luster resembling white mica

3. Purple Spirit Cinnabar (zi ling sha): Simultaneously assimilates mountain and river energies, manifesting a reddish-purple hue

4. Stream Sediment Cinnabar (xi tu za sha): Formed from turbid and chaotic energies, appearing mixed in color without luster, unsuitable for medicinal use

Refining yield comparisons:

• One jin of Radiant Cinnabar yields 14 liang, ultimately producing 7 liang of supreme treasure
• One jin of White Horse Tooth Cinnabar yields 12 liang, ultimately producing 6 liang of supreme treasure
• One jin of Purple Spirit Cinnabar yields 10 liang, ultimately producing 4 liang of supreme treasure
• Mixed-grade cinnabar yields only 6-7 liang, ultimately producing merely 1-2 liang of supreme treasure

The alchemical principle of "Seven Returns and Nine Reversions" (qi fan jiu huan):

"Return" refers to cinnabar's transformation into gold, while "reversion" signifies gold's return to the elixir form. This process undergoes seven stages of fire refinement (corresponding to the yang number's ultimate seven), each transformation representing purification:

First cycle: Cinnabar refines into silver

Second cycle: Silver further refines into yellow-flower silver

(The subsequent five transformations follow similarly)

The scripture particularly emphasizes: Cinnabar contains the most numinous quality among metals - carrying just one liang repels evil influences, let alone when refined and absorbed into the five viscera. Consuming the Golden Elixir (jin dan) enables daytime ascension to pay homage to the Jade Emperor. The seven returns symbolize seven qualitative transformations through fire refinement into gold, perfectly aligning with the heavenly principle of yang numbers.

This scripture expounds the alchemical process and efficacy of the "Sevenfold-Returned Cinnabar" (Qifan Lingsha) in Daoist internal alchemy (Neidan). The term "Sevenfold Return" refers to the seven cyclical refinement stages of cinnabar:

First refinement: Transforming azurite (a mineral) into granular form, then smelting it into yellow gold.

Second refinement: Converting the yellow gold into red sand, then smelting it into red gold.

Third refinement: Reverting the red gold back to granular form, then smelting it into crimson gold.

Fourth refinement: Transforming the crimson gold again into granules, smelting it into purple gold.

Upon reaching the purple gold stage—the seventh refinement—the cinnabar becomes infused with potent Yang essence. When this purple gold is further refined into granules and fired for seven days, it crystallizes into the luminous "Purple Gold Returned Elixir" (Zijin Huandan).

The text critiques the prevalent misuse of sulfur (shiliuhuang) in alchemical practices, clarifying that both sulfur and mercury (shuiyin) possess imbalanced properties and can never yield a genuine transcendent elixir (xiandan).

It then details the miraculous effects of each refinement stage:

First-Returned Cinnabar: One liang (≈37g) cures all ailments; two liang restores black hair; three liang rejuvenates complexion; four liang extends lifespan.

Second-Returned Elixir: One liang grants bodily lightness and youthful vitality.

Third-Returned: One liang harmonizes the mind with the Dao.

Fourth-Returned: One liang makes the body radiantly translucent.

Fifth-Returned: One liang confers immunity to fire and water.

Sixth-Returned: One liang transcends natural laws, becoming unfathomable to spirits.

Seventh-Returned: One liang enables celestial ascension. Consuming the "Crimson Blossom Ninefold Elixir" (Hongying Jiudan) thereafter secures immortal rank.

The author concludes by revealing his enlightenment in alchemical truth, composing the Seven Chapters on Numinous Cinnabar (Lingsha Qipian) and Two Discourses on the Golden Elixir (Jindan Erzhang) to transmit these secrets to destined practitioners, meticulously documenting fire regulation techniques and ingredient proportions.

This passage discusses the precious nature and usage taboos of cinnabar (丹砂), along with the characteristics of different grades of cinnabar.

The text first emphasizes that this Great Cavern Refining the True Treasure Scripture's Marvelous Formulas for Cultivating and Subduing Numinous Cinnabar was authored by the Hengshan Perfected Chen Shaowei (courtesy name Ziming), containing exceptionally precious content. The scripture states: sincere practitioners who obtain this text must treasure it carefully, as it can bring boundless blessings and longevity; but if carelessly revealed to unworthy individuals, it will bring calamity upon nine generations of ancestors. Transmission requires careful judgment of the recipient's worthiness.

Regarding cinnabar (a crucial material in Daoist alchemy), the text describes it as the fundamental source of all things' spiritual essence, capable of miraculous transformations, and is called the "Crimson Dragon" or "Vermilion Bird." Cinnabar is classified into three grades:

1. The superior grade comes from stone caves in Chenzhou and Jinzhou, displaying various colors

2. The medium grade originates from Jiaozhou and Guizhou

3. The inferior grade is found in Hengzhou and Shaozhou

Quality depends on whether it contains the clear Qi of heaven and earth or turbid Qi. Cinnabar nourished by upright Qi can make one an immortal when ingested; that nourished by partial Qi can still prolong life.

Particular attention is given to the supreme "Luminous Cinnabar" (光明砂): found on white stone beds in Chen-Jin mountains, typically appearing in sets of twelve, resembling unopened red lotuses in dazzling brilliance. Some occur in sets of nine, seven, five, three, or single pieces—with twelve and nine-piece sets being most efficacious. Each set has a central "master cinnabar" weighing over ten taels (ancient weight unit), surrounded by six-to-eight tael "minister cinnabars" arranged like courtiers paying homage to their ruler. Around them scatter one or two pecks of miscellaneous cinnabar.

Selection criteria include: surfaces smooth as lotus flowers, specimens that glow when placed on red silk at night, or those shining white like horse teeth—all being superior grade. Those emitting white light like mica flakes are medium grade. Bamboo shoot-shaped specimens in purplish-red are superior Purple Numinous Cinnabar, while angular pieces emitting blue light are inferior Purple Numinous Cinnabar.

This scripture primarily discusses different grades of cinnabar (vermilion) and their alchemical effects. Cinnabar is classified into superior, medium, and inferior grades based on origin and form:

The finest superior-grade cinnabar comes from Jiaozhou and Guizhou, resembling hibiscus flowers in shape with rounded, lustrous heads. Particularly precious is the "throne-born cinnabar" (zhuoshengsha) that grows at the core of specific mineral veins. Obtaining just one central piece of this primary cinnabar and refining it for consumption can directly nourish the five viscera. When further refined through the "seven reversions and nine returns" (qifan jiuhuan, the repeated purification process in alchemy), it enables complete physical transformation into a flying immortal.

Medium-grade cinnabar appears as translucent granules, with three to four pieces making one jin in weight, while the inferior grade consists of thin yet luminous flakes. Purple cinnabar or reddish-glowing varieties from Hengshan and Shaoyang also rank as inferior. Transparent granular stones found in mountain streams can prolong life when ingested, though they lack the efficacy for achieving immortality.

The scripture specifies three supreme types of cinnabar:

1. Jade Throne Cinnabar (yuzuosha): Enables cultivators to become immortals upon ingestion, requiring absorption of six thousand years of Yang Qi essence

2. Golden Throne Cinnabar (jinzuosha): Only obtainable by those with immortal bone structure through mountain cultivation, causing immediate ascension upon consumption

3. Celestial Throne Cinnabar (tianzuosha): Exclusively collected and consumed by celestial immortals

The text emphasizes that natural cinnabar itself constitutes the "returned elixir" (huandan, ultimate product of alchemy). While ordinary people only recognize jade throne cinnabar, the golden and celestial throne varieties represent higher-tier elixirs that require extraordinary destiny to encounter.

This scripture describes the ancient Daoist method and principles for refining "Lingsha" (cinnabar used in alchemy). The core teachings can be understood as follows:

The refinement of Lingsha must be conducted within the ethereal cosmic environment, under the protection of the Great One (Taiyi, the supreme Daoist deity). The text depicts a miraculous scene where a mountain suddenly splits open, illuminating the entire peak with radiant light. The celestial-grade cinnabar (Tianzuo Sha) is then collected by true celestial officials, becoming forever inaccessible to ordinary humans.

Key considerations for refinement:

1. Discernment of medicinal materials by quality grades

2. Mastery of fire regulation

3. Harmonization of Yin-Yang balance

Specific techniques:

• Yang essence (fire attribute) and Yin essence (water attribute) must mutually restrain each other, like ice and charcoal that cannot coexist yet ultimately achieve equilibrium.
• Cinnabar (Dan Sha) belongs to Yang and requires water-attribute materials for harmonization. Common ingredients include:
• Zengqing (azurite)
• Kongqing (malachite)
• Rock salt
• Mirabilite (Maya Xiao)
• Xuan Ying fossil stone (a specific mineral)

Example formulations:

• Top-grade luminous jade-seat cinnabar (1 jin) with azurite (4 liang), rock salt (6 liang), mirabilite (6 liang), and yellow fossil stone (2 liang each)
• Standard luminous cinnabar (1 jin) with azurite (5 liang), rock salt and mirabilite (4 liang each), and yellow fossil stone (1 liang each)
• Decreasing quantities for lower-grade cinnabar

Refinement process:

1. Grind rock salt and yellow fossil stone into powder, smelt over gentle fire for one day until melted

2. Add mirabilite and continue heating until glowing red

3. Crush large luminous cinnabar pieces to sesame-seed size

4. Place in earthenware vessel with ingredients and water, boil continuously with intense fire for thirty days

5. Finally wash and precipitate the sediment, then place the cinnabar in the alchemical cauldron for refining with alternating Yin-Yang fire regulation (combining gentle and intense heat)

The cauldron capacity should be approximately one sheng (0.5-1 liter). The entire process must strictly follow these methods to produce Lingsha that aligns with the Dao.

This scripture details the ancient Daoist alchemical method for refining "Lingsha" (a type of alchemical material), specifically describing the use of five different types of cauldrons (gold, silver, copper, iron, and earthenware) and precise fire regulation techniques:

The alchemical process follows a strict temporal framework: each 5-day period constitutes one "hou" (phase), three hou form one "qi" (cycle), and the complete refinement requires eight qi (totaling 24 hou or 120 days).

Fire regulation involves a meticulous balance:

• During the initial 5-day hou, four days employ the "Kan trigram" (representing yin fire associated with water) for boiling refinement, while one day uses the "Li trigram" (representing yang fire associated with fire) for sublimation.
• The process begins with seven liang of charcoal fire, increasing by one liang after each complete cycle ("zhuan").
• By the fifth zhuan, black vapor and mercury frost (an alchemical byproduct) become visible.

Operational specifics include:

• Collecting the mercury frost and mixing it with processed rock salt before grinding.
• After twelve zhuan, adding two liang of charcoal per cycle.
• At eighteen zhuan, increasing to three liang as the medicinal substance turns red.
• Beyond twenty zhuan, using four liang per cycle yields hardened, luminous mercury frost.
• Completion at twenty-four zhuan produces radiant red Lingsha.

Post-processing involves:

• Wrapping in salt crystals and sealing with yellow clay.
• Thirty days of intense "martial fire" (fierce heat).
• Sealing in bamboo tubes and burying in cold springs for thirty days.
• Final purification by washing: the floating portion becomes ingestible, while the sediment can be refined into golden liquid.
• The ultimate yield is six liang of glowing golden-star sand.

Note: The term "zhuan" refers to a complete refinement cycle. The Kan and Li trigrams, representing water and fire respectively in the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), correspond to specific fire regulation methods in alchemy. The entire process emphasizes precise fire control and material proportions.

This passage discusses the preparation and ingestion methods of "white horse tooth cinnabar" (a superior grade of cinnabar) in Daoist alchemy:

When refined by fire, the highest grade white horse tooth cinnabar turns bright red, yielding four liang of golden-speckled powder after sedimentation. Medium-grade purple spirit cinnabar produces a purplish-red hue and three liang of golden-starred powder. Inferior cinnabar mixed with clay yields no luster or golden specks even when achieving a purplish-red color. Ancient Daoist immortals all achieved transcendence through refining superior cinnabar (known as luminous cinnabar).

Refinement method:

1. Mix one liang of refined cinnabar with half liang of salt blossoms, first laying the salt at the pot's base before adding the cinnabar

2. Heat until both pot and cinnabar glow red, stirring vigorously over a thousand times

3. Silver-colored metallic liquid will emerge with golden patterns surfacing—this constitutes the "supreme treasure between heaven and earth"

Ingestion method:

1. Combine one liang of refined cinnabar with jujube pulp to form 360 small pellets

2. Consume one pellet daily, completing one liang over a year

3. Observe seven days of purification beforehand, praying eastward at dawn

4. Announce intentions to the Three Pure Ones (Daoism's highest deities) and the True Lord of Purple Tenuity

5. Recite incantations and perform sevenfold prostrations before ingestion

Precautions:

• Abstain from spoiled or stale foods during consumption
• Avoid raw blood, pork, and other impure meats
• Maintain physical and mental purity, as "yang qi delights in cleanliness while yin qi favors filth"
• Purifying body and mind strengthens yang qi, facilitating spiritual clarity and nearness to the Daoist immortal path

The second section outlines alchemy's three progressive stages:

1. Refining authenticity to merge with supreme subtlety

2. Refining cinnabar to unite with supreme numinosity

3. Refining numinosity to fuse with supreme divinity

Ultimately achieving the highest state of unity with the Dao.

(Note: "Subduing by fire" refers to pyrotechnic refinement, "washing-sedimentation" denotes purification through precipitation, while "returning cycles" indicates iterative refinement stages.)

This scripture reveals an ancient Daoist alchemical method for transforming cinnabar into spiritual sand (lingsha). The key steps are:

1. Material Preparation: Take four taels of silver and forge it into a bowl-shaped vessel, placing it inside a porcelain flask with one-sheng capacity. Coat the silver bowl's surface with a medicinal paste made from northern court sand (a mineral), rock salt, and dragon's blood resin (a herbal medicine). Encase it in yellow clay and first fire with gentle heat (wenhuo) for 21 days, then with strong heat (wuhuo) for 14 days.

2. Refining Process: Place the treated silver bowl into the porcelain flask, adding four taels of true mercury (mercury extracted from cinnabar). Maintain five ge of water in the flask while refining with gentle heat for 14 days. Then add another four taels of mercury, continuing gentle heat nourishment for 7 days, finally applying strong heat for 3 days to produce reddish-yellow spiritual sand on the silver bowl's surface.

3. Cyclic Operation: After each collection of spiritual sand, replenish mercury to maintain eight taels in the flask. Repeat this process until the original four-tael silver bowl completely transforms into approximately one jin of spiritual sand, leaving only two taels of bluish-black residue.

4. Final Processing: Boil the obtained spiritual sand in medicinal liquid for 30 days, wash it, then place in a cauldron. Refine using yin-yang fire regulation (alternating gentle and strong heat) for 100 days (divided into 20 cycles of 5 days each), ultimately producing ingestible "subdued fire spiritual sand."

Note: This "mother-child mutual generation" alchemy posits that mercury (child) extracted from cinnabar interacting with the silver vessel (mother) can produce higher-level elixirs. Daoist tradition considers this method a supreme treasure for achieving immortality, hence its secretive transmission.

This scripture details the Daoist alchemical methods for refining "Yellow Blossom Silver" and "Cinnabar Splendor Sand," along with precautions for ingesting elixirs.

Regarding the refinement of Yellow Blossom Silver:

First, the raw material is wrapped in salt and smelted until the metal liquefies and flows out. From one jin of raw material, fifteen liang of product can be obtained, with thirteen liang being Yellow Blossom Silver. This substance is characterized by its yellow-hued surface, white interior, and golden exterior. For ingestion, the elixir must first be buried in earth for thirty days to remove its fiery toxicity. It is then ground into powder and mixed with jujube pulp to form pills. Each liang of material yields 360 pills, with one pill taken daily at dawn while facing east. Regular consumption purifies the heart-mind (shen) and wards off turbid qi, gradually leading the practitioner toward immortal realms.

Concerning the third refinement cycle for Cinnabar Splendor Sand:

This represents an advanced alchemical stage where divine elixirs are forged through the accumulation of yang qi and resonance with true essence (jing). The specific method involves: crafting a crucible from four liang of Yellow Blossom Silver; applying a paste made from one liang each of Puzhou vitriol, rock salt, and sal ammoniac mixed with vinegar onto the silver vessel; encasing it in yellow clay and firing with chaff flames for fourteen days, followed by seven days of intense white-charcoal heat. The product is then transferred to a specially prepared oil flask, where four liang of mercury and five ge of clear water are added for fourteen days of gentle heating. Another four liang of mercury is introduced for seven more days of low-temperature refinement, culminating in one day of intense firing to produce the radiant reddish-yellow Cinnabar Splendor Sand.

The entire process follows yin-yang and Bagua (Eight Trigrams) principles: the first three days employ water boiling (corresponding to the Kan trigram), while the final two days use fire refinement (Li trigram). These methods exemplify how Daoist alchemy (neidan/waidan) integrates mineral transformation with yin-yang and Five Phases theory, pursuing immortality through elixir consumption.

This scripture details the alchemical methods for producing "Azure Gold" and "Miraculous Transformation Cinnabar" in Daoist Waidan (external alchemy) practice.

The Azure Gold preparation process:

1. Begin with seven taels of charcoal, increasing by two taels with each refinement cycle. By the seventh cycle, a yellow-violet mercury sublimate (approximately two taels) will emerge.

2. Collect this sublimate in an alchemical vessel, adding one qian of Puzhou chalcanthite (a mineral), vinegar, and cinnabar. Grind gently with a jade pestle to homogenize.

3. Return the mixture to the alchemical crucible for eighteen celestial periods (approximately 90 days) to complete the Azure Gold refinement.

4. The resulting Azure Gold becomes malleable when melted using salt flowers as a flux, producing a metallic liquid with distinctive azure luster.

Administration protocol:

1. For each tael of Azure Gold, prepare a decoction of half-tael elm fruit and two taels raw licorice root in a silver vessel for fourteen days.

2. Transfer to pale bamboo tubes and bury underground for thirty days.

3. Combine with jujube pulp to form pellets - one tael yields 360 pellets.

4. Consume daily at dawn while facing east, after offering prayers to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities).

5. Prolonged ingestion purportedly purifies consciousness, lightens the physical form, and facilitates attainment of zhenren (perfected being) status.

Regarding the fourth reverted elixir "Miraculous Transformation Cinnabar":

The text describes this substance as an extraordinary amalgam of Azure Gold's essence with mercury. The procedure involves:

1. Fashioning four taels of Azure Gold into a crucible-shaped vessel

2. Preparing an alchemical paste from:

• Half-tael each of red salt, sulfur, borax, and sal ammoniac
• One tael Puzhou chalcanthite
• Vinegar as grinding medium

3. Coating the Azure Gold vessel internally and externally with this paste before kiln-drying

4. Encasing in yellow clay, first firing with chaff for fourteen days, then with intense white charcoal heat for seven days

5. Subsequent processing in sealed vessels with four taels of purified mercury

These methodologies exemplify the Tang dynasty Daoist pursuit of immortality through mineral transmutation, characteristic of classical Waidan traditions. The precise measurements and phased procedures reflect systematic experimentation with inorganic compounds, while the ritualized administration underscores the integration of material and spiritual cultivation.

This scripture details the methods and efficacy of refining "Lingsha" (a type of elixir in Daoist alchemy). It is divided into two main parts: the refining process and the ingestion method.

Refining Process:

First, mix mercury with another material (likely sulfur) in a five-to-one ratio, refining over gentle heat for fourteen days. Then add four taels of mercury and continue nurturing with gentle heat for seven more days. Subsequently, apply intense heat for one full day to obtain four taels of Lingsha. Repeat this process of adding mercury, nurturing with gentle heat, and refining with intense heat until a total of one pound of Lingsha is collected.

Next, refine the Lingsha in the alchemical cauldron:

• Each five-day cycle consists of two days of boiling with water (represented by the Kan trigram) followed by three days of refining with fire (represented by the Li trigram).
• Complete sixteen such cycles (totaling eighty days) until the Lingsha is fully perfected.
• Successful Lingsha will emit golden radiance, display a reddish glow, and can be cast into gold.

Ingestion Method:

For every tael of Lingsha, combine it with half a tael of Yuganzi, one tael of raw licorice, and one tael of purple quartz. Decoct this mixture for seven days, then store it in a bamboo tube immersed in cold spring water for thirty days. After retrieval, mix with jujube pulp and form into small pills—360 pills per tael. Consume one pill each morning while facing east.

Efficacy Description:

Ingestion purges turbid Qi from the body, leading to spiritual clarity. Prolonged use achieves the state of "form and spirit becoming empty and luminous" (a condition of physical and spiritual purity). Ultimately, one may unite with the "Ultimate Truth" and transcend worldly existence.

The scripture concludes by emphasizing that mastering this "method of containing the primordial and refining the true" brings one close to immortality. The fifth-cycle refined Lingsha's power lies in transforming original Jing (primordial essence) into spiritual elixir, then through progressive refinement generating "ten thousand spiritual efficacies"—embodying the Daoist cultivation principle of "returning from turbidity to purity."

This scripture describes the method for refining "Lingsha" (a precious substance in Daoist alchemy):

Lingsha is formed through the reaction between the golden component of premium cinnabar and mercury (quicksilver). It appears bright red with golden speckles, possessing a pure and translucent quality, hence its name "Spiritual Sand" (Lingsha).

The refining process proceeds as follows:

First, prepare the vessel: forge a circular alchemical cauldron (with capacity of approximately four ge) from eight taels of gold, then make a lid using two additional taels of gold. Next, prepare the coating: grind equal portions (half tael each) of sulfur, red salt, Beiting sand (a mineral), and Puzhou vitriol with vinegar into a paste, applying it evenly inside the cauldron and on the lid before drying.

The cauldron must then be encased: wrap the entire vessel with one inch of yellow clay, first calcining it with gentle fire (wenhuo) for fourteen days until completely dry. Subsequently, apply strong fire (wuhuo) continuously for seven days. After cooling, remove the outer clay shell and apply a new fine clay coating (about two fen thick) to the exterior before suspending the cauldron in the furnace.

For the initial refinement: place four taels of mercury inside with two ge of water, sealing the lid tightly. Calcinate with gentle fire for seven days, maintaining five taels of charcoal fire while replenishing water to preserve the two ge volume.

The cyclical refinement continues: after seven days, add another four taels of mercury and continue gentle fire for seven more days. Then completely seal the cauldron and apply intense fire for one full day to obtain five taels of red Lingsha. Repeat this process, each time adding five taels of mercury while maintaining eight taels total within the cauldron. Through alternating gentle and strong fire calcination, one cauldron can ultimately yield thirty taels of Lingsha.

The final result shows that the gold vessel gradually loses its luster through repeated use, its weight diminishing to about four taels as its essence fully combines with the mercury to form Lingsha.

Note: This ancient alchemical record involves heavy metal procedures—modern practitioners must never attempt it. The measurement "ge" refers to an ancient volume unit approximately equal to 20 milliliters.

This scripture discusses the extraction of mercury (true mercury) from various types of cinnabar (dansha) in alchemical practice, along with subsequent methods for refining spiritual cinnabar (lingsha) and controlling the firing process (huohou).

Different grades of cinnabar yield varying amounts of mercury:

• Top-grade luminous cinnabar (guangming sha) produces 14 taels of mercury per catty, containing 2 taels of impurities (stone qi)
• White horse tooth cinnabar (baima ya sha) yields 12 taels of mercury per catty with 4 taels of impurities
• Purple spiritual cinnabar (zi ling sha) gives 10 taels of mercury per catty with 6 taels of impurities
• Common translucent cinnabar (tongming sha) only produces 8.5 taels of mercury per catty, leaving 7.5 taels of impurities

The text specifically warns that mercury extracted from stream sediment cinnabar (xi tu sha) is of poor quality and unsuitable for alchemy. The residue left after extraction is called "stone embryo" (shitai), weighing about one tael and appearing bluish-gray in color.

The alchemical procedure involves these steps:

1. First collect 30 taels of spiritual cinnabar in a golden cauldron

2. Instead of using yin boiling methods, refine according to yin-yang firing cycles over five-day periods:

• Day 1: Refine using the water-associated Kan trigram firing method
• Days 2-5: Sublimate using the fire-associated Li trigram method, gradually intensifying the heat:
• First cycle: 9 taels of charcoal fire
• Each subsequent cycle adds 2 taels of charcoal
• After five cycles, increase by 3 taels per cycle

3. During refinement, multicolored golden frost (wucai jin hui shuang) will form - collect and mix these frost particles with the cinnabar

4. Place the mixture in a mortar, adding:

• 0.5 fen of Puzhou vitriol (copper sulfate)
• 1 fen of yellow sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride)
• Grind with bitter wine (vinegar) for half a day

5. Return to the cauldron for sublimation and fixation using Kan-Li trigram firing methods

6. After 14 cycles (70 days), the spiritual cinnabar will be perfected

Successfully refined spiritual cinnabar exhibits a pomegranate-flower golden-red hue with dazzling radiance, said to make even venomous dragons and malevolent spirits retreat upon sight.

(Note: "Firing process" refers to temperature control in alchemy, while "sublimation-fixation" describes the cyclical process of material transformation through vaporization and condensation.)

This passage discusses the methods for refining and ingesting "Lingsha" (Numinous Cinnabar) and "Shensha" (Divine Cinnabar) in Daoist alchemical practice:

On refining Lingsha:

Numinous Cinnabar is an exceptionally potent yet difficult-to-melt substance. To refine it, one must first construct a furnace from pure earth in a clean location, avoiding any impurity. Mix the Numinous Cinnabar with salt flowers in a cauldron, then smelt it with bellows two thousand times until obtaining a golden-red molten liquid. When solidified, this becomes "Red Gold"—a true gold formed from pure Yang essence after all Yin qi has been refined away.

Ingestion method:

1. Prepare a decoction using Yu Ganzi berries, raw licorice root, and amethyst quartz as previously described

2. Boil in a precious vessel for fourteen days (following the prescribed heat control and dosage)

3. Seal in a cylinder and bury in cold springs or deep earth for twenty days

4. After retrieval, mix with jujube pulp to form pills—each liang (approx. 50g) divided into 360 pellets (size of hemp seeds)

5. At dawn each morning, face east and ingest after offering prayers to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, the highest Daoist deities)

Effects:

Consumption clarifies consciousness, enhances vision, causes the body to emit red light, and aligns one with the ultimate truth of Dao.

On refining Shensha:

Divine Cinnabar represents a higher-grade elixir, coalesced from nine spiritual energies with radiant brilliance. Refinement method:

1. Cast a precious tripod (capacity: 0.5 liters) using nine liang of the aforementioned Red Gold

2. Create a lid with three additional liang of Red Gold

3. Place inside the tripod: one liang each of mineral sulfur, Great Bright Cinnabar, red salt, and Northern Court Salt

4. Seal joints with bitter wine paste

5. After drying, encase in yellow earth clay (about 0.6cm thick)

6. Refine with gentle fire for fourteen days, then intense fire for seven days

The scripture concludes: When alchemy reaches perfection, one attains spiritual communion; through spiritual communion comes divine union; through divine union comes realization of Dao. When the Mysterious True Qi descends upon the perfected, they ascend to the Jade Purity Heaven as exalted immortals. Divine Cinnabar is precisely this treasure coalesced from nine spiritual energies.

This passage details the process of refining "divine cinnabar" (shensha), a Daoist alchemical practice. The entire procedure requires precise control of firing temperatures and material ratios:

First, mix yellow clay and fine gan earth (a type of refined clay) to create a three-fen thick (approx. 1cm) mud layer coating the outer surface of the alchemical cauldron. Place the cauldron in the furnace, adding six liang of purified mercury (zhen gong) with three ge of water (approx. 300ml) inside. Maintain moisture by replenishing water as needed. Begin with gentle fire (wen huo) for seven days, then add three more liang of mercury and continue gentle firing for three additional days. After water evaporation, seal the cauldron and switch to fierce fire (wu huo) for two nights to produce luminous red "divine cinnabar."

Repeat the process of adding mercury (in decreasing amounts: eight, seven, five, then three liang), alternating between gentle nurturing fire and intense refining fire. The complete process yields approximately two jin and thirty-two liang of divine cinnabar.

Next, grind the cinnabar with four liang of sulfur (shi liuhuang) and two liang of Puzhou vitriol (danzi) for half a day. Place the mixture in a golden cauldron and refine using "Li trigram firing technique" (specific temperature control). Each five-day cycle begins with nine liang of charcoal, increasing by two liang per subsequent cycle. After five cycles, increase by three liang each time. If crimson-gold frost (jiang jin shuang) appears, collect it to grind with vitriol and bitter wine (vinegar) before returning to the cauldron.

After twelve complete cycles (sixty days), the divine cinnabar achieves completion, exhibiting purple-red radiance. For smelting, follow the same method as refining numinous cinnabar (lingsha) - adding salt flowers produces red gold (li ji zhi jin). The finished cinnabar elixir can be ingested: divide each liang into 360 pills mixed with jujube pulp, following the administration methods described in previous chapters.

(Note: Mercury, sulfur and other substances mentioned in Daoist alchemy are toxic - do not attempt this process today.)

This scripture describes the method and efficacy of refining the supreme elixir known as "Mysterious True Crimson Mist Cinnabar" (Xuanzhen Jiangxia Sha). Consuming this elixir enables one to undergo bodily transformation, become light as a swallow, radiate light from the entire body, and ultimately attain the status of a superior immortal.

The text details the refining process: First, one must cast a round cauldron from a pound of divine cinnabar's precious gold, lining its interior with a medicinal paste of sulfur, red salt, and other ingredients. After encasing it in yellow clay, refine it with gentle fire (wenhuo) for fourteen days. Then switch to fierce fire (wuhuo) for seven days. Once cooled, rewrap it with sweet earth and add true mercury (zhen gong, i.e., quicksilver) and water. Alternate between gentle and fierce fire through multiple refining cycles. Each cycle requires adding varying amounts of mercury, with refining periods ranging from seven to three days, until the mercury fully transforms into purple-red "Crimson Mist Mysterious Cinnabar."

When successfully refined, this elixir emits multicolored auroral light and weighs exactly thirty-two taels. The scripture emphasizes that this elixir represents the quintessence of divine cinnabar, cultivated through precious cauldron mercury refinement, possessing resplendent radiance like purple mists and crimson blossoms—hence its name "Mysterious True Crimson Mist Cinnabar."

(Note: "Returning the elixir" (fan dan) refers to the number of refining cycles; "gentle and fierce fires" (wenhuo wuhuo) indicate the alternating techniques of small and large flames in alchemical refinement; "sealing securely" (gu ji) means tightly closing the cauldron's mouth; "Northern Court Cinnabar" (Beiting Sha), "Roc Cinnabar" (Dapeng Sha), etc., are all mineral materials used in ancient alchemy.)

This scripture details an advanced Waidan (external alchemy) technique called the "Mysterious True Crimson Mist Cinnabar Elixir." The entire process requires strict adherence to firing techniques and precise material proportions:

First, prepare seven liang of mineral sulfur (a type of mineral) and grind it continuously for a full day using a jade pestle. The powdered material is then placed in a specially crafted "Divine Cinnabar Crimson Gold Treasure Cauldron" and sealed. Using the "Crimson Yang firing method" (a specific gentle heat), refine it for seven days—this constitutes one cycle. After each opening of the cauldron, the resulting cinnabar must be mixed with bitter wine (vinegar), ground again, and returned to the cauldron for further refinement.

The firing technique is particularly nuanced: initially use thirteen liang of charcoal, increasing by one liang each cycle. After the third cycle, increase by two liang per cycle. When iridescent crystalline formations resembling colorful mist (approximately 1.2 qian) appear on the cauldron lid, they must be collected. At this stage, add half a liang of Puzhou vitriol (chalcanthite) and two ge of bitter wine for further grinding before continuing refinement. The entire process requires seven cycles (forty-nine days).

After completing the gentle heat refinement, switch to "martial fire" (intense heat) for one day, adding twenty jin of charcoal in four batches. After cooling for one day, open the cauldron to obtain the radiant "Mysterious True Crimson Mist Cinnabar."

This elixir possesses two miraculous effects: First, consuming it can lead to immortality—mix it with jujube pulp to form pills, taking one pill each morning while facing east. Second, it can transmute metals—a single pill can transform one jin of mercury, lead, tin, copper, or iron into superior purple-gold.

The scripture concludes by emphasizing that this secret method originates from the arcane transmissions of immortal lords in the Great Cavern Treasure Scripture (Dadong Baojing), originally hidden texts from the Nine Grades of Mysterious Chapters that were forbidden to be taught to those with impure intentions. The author compiled this content into seven sections and two chapters out of compassion for virtuous individuals in the mundane world.

This passage comes from the Daoist alchemical scripture Great Cavern Refining the True Treasure Scripture: The Marvelous Formula for Cultivating and Subduing Numinous Cinnabar, primarily addressing the principles of secrecy in alchemical practice.

The meaning conveys: It is strictly forbidden for those with wicked intentions, improper conduct, or bodily impurity to hear or come into contact with these alchemical secrets. There is profound concern that such individuals might divulge the genuine and exquisite methods transmitted by the ancient immortals and sages.

(Additional context: "Cultivating and subduing numinous cinnabar" refers to an important method in Daoist alchemy (Waidan), involving the ritual refinement of minerals like cinnabar through specific ceremonies and firing techniques. "Great Cavern" (Dong) in Daoism represents the most profound realm of spiritual cultivation. This passage reflects the strict transmission system of secret alchemical formulas in Daoism, emphasizing that only those with pure virtue may receive authentic teachings.)