《龍虎還丹訣》

This passage comes from the first scroll of The Dragon-Tiger Reverted Elixir Formula (Longhu Huandan Jue), authored by Jinlingzi, which primarily explains the principles of refining the Great Reverted Elixir and the properties of mercury, its key ingredient.

The so-called Reverted Elixir (Huandan) is, in essence, the concentrated essence of the Nine Heavens, containing the true water and true fire of the Twenty-Four Authenticities (a Daoist cultivation term referring to vital bodily apertures), harmonizing internal and external forces. By circulating the Qi (vital energy) of the Five Viscera (the Five Spirits) to accumulate energy, it ultimately forms cinnabar sand. When essence (Jing) and Qi reach their peak, they produce immortal elixirs like Purple Blossom and Crimson Splendor. The alchemical process requires the transformative power of golden energy from the central palace of Wuji (the Dantian), ultimately completing in the palace of Li (the heart). Only after nine cycles (nine refinements) can the elixir succeed. The pure Yang energy (Yangjin) undergoes transformation and circulation, combining with the attributes of the Five Directions (the Five Phases), ultimately transcending the Three Primordials (Jing, Qi, Shen) and returning to the original truth—this is what is called the "Reverted Elixir."

The true formula for the Reverted Elixir has been secretly preserved by immortals since ancient times. Although classics like The Scripture of Gold and Jasper (Jinbi Jing) and The Seal of the Unity of the Three (Cantong Qi) contain some records, mastery can only be achieved through oral transmission from a teacher. For a cultivator seeking longevity, the first step is to discern the quality of medicinal materials, recognize true mercury and true lead (the core ingredients of alchemy), and understand the properties of metals and ores. Among these, lead and mercury are the foundation of alchemy.

Regarding mercury (a crucial alchemical material), the scripture lists its many alternate names: the Maiden by the River, the Child of Longevity, the Sun’s Flowing Pearl, the White Tiger’s Brain, and others. Jinlingzi explains that mercury is the quintessence of the Five Yang energies, formed through the convergence of the Five Spirits, dwelling within cinnabar, and belonging to the fiery nature of the South. Ordinary ores mostly contain Yin energy, making them stubborn and far less effective than mercury. Once transformed into Ren water (primordial water), it gains a light, mutable nature capable of resonating with all things. It contains the essence of the Eight Minerals, with golden essence (Jing) within. High-grade cinnabar possesses extraordinary spiritual potency—carrying just an ounce can ward off evil and repel demons, not to mention its effects when refined into the Five Viscera and merged with the Five Spirits. Cinnabar is fundamentally the essence of the sun, symbolizing the reign of the Red Emperor (the fire deity of the South) and embodying the mystery of the mutual generation of metal and fire.

This scripture elucidates the core principles of "Dragon-Tiger Reverted Elixir" (a supreme alchemical preparation) in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy), along with methods for evaluating grades of cinnabar.

Regarding the essence of the elixir: The Golden Elixir (Jindan) emerges from the dynamic interaction between metal and fire. The "Crimson Dragon" and "Vermilion Bird" denote different states of the elixir. When metal undergoes fiery refinement, it transforms into cinnabar; when fire dissipates leaving purified metal, it becomes mercury. This quintessential metal-fire essence contains the purest energy between heaven and earth, serving as the foundational material for crafting the Reverted Elixir. When Yin-Yang harmonize, they generate all things; when separated, they manifest mysterious transformations.

Concerning efficacy: Ancient texts attest that this supreme Yang essence can restore displaced hun and po souls while prolonging life, representing the highest-grade elixir for transcendence. The finest natural cinnabar requires no refinement and can be ingested directly as spontaneously formed Reverted Elixir.

On cinnabar grading: Though all cinnabar embodies pure Yang essence, its quality varies across dozens of regional types, much like differences in spiritual capacity among humans and animals. The hierarchy includes:

• Superior grade from stone caverns in Chenzhou and Jinzhou (modern Hunan and Guizhou), exhibiting chromatic varieties
• Medium grade from Jiaozhou and Guizhou (modern Guangdong-Guangxi region)
• Inferior grade from Hengzhou and Shaozhou (modern Hunan)

Particularly noteworthy are the characteristics of supreme "Luminous Cinnabar": Found on stone beds in Chenjin Mountain, it typically grows in clusters of twelve (called a "throne"), with nine-crystal formations being most spiritually potent. Each cluster centers around a "Monarch Pearl" weighing over ten liang, surrounded by six-to-nine-liang "Minister Pearls." The periphery contains mixed sands (1-2 dou volume) from which one may select brilliant ruby-hued specimens shaped like hibiscus blossoms. Another superior variety called "White Horse Tooth Cinnabar" features white exterior and luminous interior resembling equine teeth.

These natural cinnabar formations embody the Daoist alchemical concept of "Monarch-Minister-Assistant-Envoy," demonstrating how nature itself contains perfect elixir configurations.

This passage provides a detailed explanation of different grades of cinnabar (a crucial material in Daoist alchemy) and their effects. The highest-grade Purple Numinous Cinnabar resembles bamboo shoots in shape and exhibits a reddish-purple hue. Inferior purple cinnabar appears as angular stone fragments with a bluish glow.

In the Jiaogui region, cinnabar that grows in clusters or is mined from rocks—particularly specimens with lustrous surfaces resembling hibiscus flower heads—is classified as premium quality. Granular varieties weighing one jin (approx. 500g) containing three to four translucent particles are considered medium grade, while transparent flaky pieces rank as inferior. Purple cinnabar from the Hengshao region, even when exhibiting reddish light, remains classified as low-grade.

Riverbed cinnabar with translucent particles can prolong life when refined and ingested, though it cannot achieve immortality. Earthbound or river-mixed cinnabar contains too many impurities for use in superior elixirs.

The supreme variety is "Throne-Grown Cinnabar" (formed at the core of specific mineral veins), particularly the central "Monarch Cinnabar." When refined and consumed, it nourishes the five viscera with remarkable efficacy. Ingesting the Seven-Return Nine-Cycle Elixir (repeatedly refined through alchemical processes) enables ascension to immortality. Authentic premium cinnabar, when properly refined, forms hibiscus-head shapes with smooth, translucent surfaces.

The text highlights several special "Throne Cinnabar" varieties:

• Jade Throne Cinnabar: Attainable by ordinary practitioners through merit accumulation and cultivation, enabling immortality
• Golden Throne Cinnabar: Requires innate immortal bone structure; only reclusive transcendents can harvest and consume it, causing immediate ascension
• Celestial Throne Cinnabar: Reserved exclusively for heavenly officials

Jade Throne Cinnabar transforms into Golden Throne Cinnabar after six millennia of absorbing Yang essence, turning golden-yellow with five concentrically arranged central particles surrounded by four or five smaller beads. After sixteen thousand more years of essence absorption, it evolves into Celestial Throne Cinnabar.

This scripture reveals the ancient alchemical secrets for identifying the quality of cinnabar (mercury sulfide ore) and refining mercury. It describes five distinct grades of cinnabar:

The supreme grade is "Luminous Cinnabar" (guangming sha), exhibiting a jade-green hue with a nine-layered core structure surrounded by seventy-two smaller particles, suspended in empty space under the guardianship of the Great One deity (Taiyi, one of Daoism's supreme gods). One jin (ancient measurement unit) of this cinnabar contains only two liang of stony impurities, yielding fourteen liang of refined mercury.

The second grade is "White Horse Tooth Cinnabar" (baima ya sha), containing four liang of impurities per jin and producing twelve liang of mercury. The third grade, "Purple Numinous Cinnabar" (zi ling sha), bears six liang of impurities and yields ten liang of mercury. Common stream cinnabar and earthly cinnabar are of inferior quality with higher impurity content.

The text particularly emphasizes that Luminous Cinnabar absorbs the sun's pure essence—consuming one liang of it equals the potency of four liang of White Horse Tooth Cinnabar, which in turn equals eight liang of Purple Numinous Cinnabar. Lower-grade cinnabar containing turbid qi cannot compare.

The crux of alchemy lies in obtaining "True Mercury" (zhen gong, the purest form), which must be refined exclusively from superior-grade cinnabar without mixing varieties. The refining process requires sealed bamboo tubes (made from tendon bamboo) as vessels, specifically using sections with tightly spaced nodes divided into three segments, with the upper segment perforated. This purified mercury is called "Mother-Child" (zi mu), serving as the core material for elixir preparation.

Finally, the text mentions the secret method of Jin Lingzi (an ancient alchemist): when mercury droplets fall onto gold vessels, they generate cinnabar called "Golden Throne Cinnabar" (jin zuo sha). Authentic pure mercury must be refined from top-grade cinnabar while containing the dual qi of water and fire.

This passage meticulously documents the ancient alchemical processes for refining mercury and preparing elixirs, which I will explain section by section:

Regarding mercury extraction: First, line a specially designed hollow bamboo tube (with middle sections) with two layers of thick wax paper. Fill it with finely ground cinnabar (vermilion), bind tightly with hemp rope, and steam for one day. Then coat the bamboo tube with three-fen thick yellow clay, bury it flush with the ground, and compact the surrounding earth to prevent qi leakage. Stack firewood above the tube and burn continuously for a full day—the fire must penetrate the upper bamboo sections so mercury flows perfectly into the lower section. If incomplete extraction occurs due to insufficient heat, continue burning until completion.

Important note: Though cinnabar and mercury share the same origin, directly extracted mercury cannot be used for Golden Elixir (Jindan) preparation without special processing (the "internal water and fire method" described below).

Mercury refinement method: Take one jin of mercury and three liang of natural sulfur stone, grind into powder and place in a porcelain bowl. Heat over gentle flame while stirring rapidly until it turns bluish sand-like substance. Transfer the mixture to a one-sheng capacity porcelain bottle, sealing its mouth with two-fen thick clay. Fire in a furnace with charcoal for three days—first surround the bottle with one jin of charcoal, then after three days switch to intense fire (wuhuo), applying five jin of charcoal in two batches. Immediately seal any blue smoke emission with diluted clay. After complete combustion and cooling, the mercury fully transforms into purple sand.

Further processing: Mix the purple sand with one jin of black lead. First melt the lead in a cauldron, add the ground purple sand, then stir vigorously after removing from heat until fully fused. Return to the cauldron, seal with two-fen thick salt layer, and refine with intense fire for half a day to obtain purified "numinous mercury" (refined mercury). This method is called the "internal water-fire technique."

The alchemist Jin Lingzi concluded: Yang essence belongs to fire, yin essence to water—when yin and yang restrain each other, water and fire interact harmoniously. Only through this mutual transformation of yin-yang can mercury be completely extracted from cinnabar.

This scripture primarily explains methods for selecting materials and discerning true lead (one of the essential ingredients in alchemical practices) during elixir refinement, along with key techniques for creating the Reverted Elixir (Huandan).

When selecting cinnabar (the primary material for alchemy), one must avoid specimens contaminated by impurities. If the cinnabar has been exposed to defilements such as contact with corpses, its crimson outer layer will peel away, leaving only smooth particles—such material is unusable. Only cinnabar of pure color and superior quality should be chosen to refine high-grade mercury.

Regarding true lead, the scripture lists several of its esoteric names: Lizhi Stone, Yellow Essence (Huangjing), Mysterious Flower (Xuanhua), White Tiger (Baihu), and others. Authentic lead must be extracted directly from unrefined tin ore through roasting, preserving its primordial Qi. This true lead is mentioned in texts like the Dadong Zhenjing (Scripture of the Great Cavern) as part of secret transmissions, not to be lightly disclosed. Both lead and tin embody the Qi of the Northern Water phases (Ren and Gui—representing the yin and yang aspects of Water in Daoist cosmology). Tin receives the essence of Ren, while lead inherits the Qi of Gui, containing yin-refined vitality. Impure lead will struggle to harmonize with mercury.

The refinement of the Great Reverted Elixir (a pill believed to confer immortality) follows the principle of "seven returns and nine reversions." Here, "return" refers to cinnabar transforming into gold, while "reversion" signifies gold reverting to elixir. The text states that consuming this elixir enables daylight ascension to behold the Jade Emperor. The furnace and cauldron must align with the triad of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity: the cauldron uses 24 taels of medicinal gold (corresponding to the 24 solar terms), with eight taels reserved for the lid. Construction begins on the Wushen day (Earthly Branch shen) within the Jiachen cyclical period, using pure soil gathered from the southwest shen direction. The furnace's inner diameter measures 1.2 chi, with three tiers and twelve gates, each fitted with a door. Primary ingredients include premium luminous cinnabar, supplemented by lead, sulfur, red salt, and niter (molarprick). The Seven-Return Nine-Reversion Elixir is a divine medicine granting longevity and flight. The specific method involves pounding one jin of cinnabar to sesame-seed fineness, blending it with rock salt and niter, then boiling for forty days to temper the medicinal properties through yin-yang harmonization.

This passage details the method for refining the "Mysterious True Crimson Mist Cinnabar" elixir. During the alchemical process, materials are placed in a cauldron with fire regulation following Yin-Yang principles, using a five-day cycle: four days under the Kan trigram (symbolizing gentle civil fire) and one day under the Li trigram (representing intense martial fire). Five such cycles (totaling twenty-five days) constitute one "hou" (period), and three hou (seventy-five days) form one "qi" (phase). After eight qi comprising twenty-four hou (approximately 120 days), the cinnabar achieves complete "fire submission" (preliminary refinement).

Next, the elixir must be wrapped in salt crystals, sealed with yellow clay, and placed in a metal cauldron for thirty days of martial fire refinement, producing a substance called "Yellow Fire Silver." Through two further transformations, this becomes gold. Repeating this sevenfold refinement yields the perfected "Mysterious True Crimson Mist Cinnabar." Consuming it grants immortality and enables the transmutation of mercury and base metals into treasures.

Subsequently, fifteen taels of this crimson mist cinnabar are combined with one catty of true lead (lead's essence) and five taels of mineral sulfur in a cauldron. Each "zhuan" (cycle of sixty days) requires additional yang sulfur, using a golden cauldron and a specially constructed furnace. Beginning at midnight on a Jiazi day, the process culminates in extraordinary omens: purple qi soaring skyward, eclipsed sun and moon, and trembling mountains and rivers. The successful elixir rises like a nine-petaled lotus, precisely weighing fifteen taels without discrepancy. The cauldron's base retains twenty-four taels of purple-golden ashes—a mere sesame seed's worth can transmute a catty of mercury, transforming all metals into supreme treasures.

Ancient immortals recorded that while sevenfold refinement yields potent effects (consumption enabling transcendence), it remains incomplete. Residual impurities bind the elixir to the Five Phases. Only the ninefold-refined Golden Elixir (Jindan) radiates circular halos of purple qi, transmuting anything it touches without loss through further firing. This perfected elixir remains cool even in flames; ingesting it grants immediate ascension as a highest-rank immortal.

A final admonition: These methods are reserved for virtuous and sincere disciples. Recipients gain boundless blessings, but reckless disclosure brings calamity upon nine generations of ancestors—this is no idle warning.

This passage reveals the secrets and essential practices for refining the "Dragon-Tiger Returned Elixir" (the highest grade of Golden Elixir in Daoism), emphasizing that genuine cultivation is indispensable for attainment.

First, practitioners are cautioned to be discreet and not reveal their aspirations to ordinary people. Whether dealing with sages or fools, discernment is crucial. Jinlingzi (likely the author's self-reference) states that refining the Great Returned Elixir is extraordinarily difficult. The true path to the elixir requires first gaining celestial approval before its benefits can manifest in the human realm. Without long-term accumulation of virtue (De) and diligent practice aligning one's conduct with the Dao's truth, success is impossible.

The sages taught: human life vanishes swiftly like flowing water, the physical body decays rapidly. The gap between life and death is vast—without the numinous elixir, there is no other means to transcend it. Those who obtain the Returned Elixir can ascend to the Three Pure Heavens (Sanqing, the highest Daoist paradise), enjoy longevity spanning countless kalpas, be attended by jade maidens, and possess boundless treasures. These are all manifestations of the world's vital Qi (energy) coalescing.

Historically, numerous elixir varieties have been transmitted, such as the Yellow Emperor's Nine-Cauldron Elixir, Laozi's Returned Elixir, Langgan Elixir, Quchen Elixir, Divine Talisman Elixir, White Snow Elixir, and Five Numinous Elixirs—totaling twenty-four types, some even imported from the Western Regions. Though various formulas circulate in the world, none are completely or accurately recorded. Even when documented, they employ coded Yin-Yang terminology for concealment. The sages collectively guarded these secrets—the true essentials were never written down; what appears in texts are never the authentic transmissions.

If one relies solely on intellect to follow written clues or logical deduction in elixir refinement, such cleverness only distances one further from truth. This approach cannot even glimpse the mysteries of basic stages like "Yellow Sprouts" (initial elixir formation) or "Golden Water" (alchemical term). The crux lies in mastering fire phases (temperature control during refinement)—the Qi must be uniform and consistent. Insufficient fire phases render the elixir no different from rubble, let alone the long journey of cultivation ahead.

Oral transmission from an enlightened teacher is essential, and disciples must select methods suited to their capacities while maintaining focused resolve. Only extraordinary determination can achieve extraordinary feats. Success demands prolonged diligence and hardship. Otherwise, even retreating to deep mountains, severing worldly ties, or moving deities to impart knowledge—all such efforts are futile. One might as well indulge in fine wine and silken robes.

The author confesses no innate understanding but gained insight through years of serving teachers and enduring hardships: the Kan (Water) and Li (Fire) hexagrams from the Yijing are the elixir's foundation. Cinnabar (alchemical material) belongs to the southern Fire position yet contains mercury; black lead belongs to the northern Water position yet contains silver. Silver is lead's essence; mercury is cinnabar's treasure. When essences separate and return to their positions, this manifests the "Azure Dragon and White Tiger" (representing lead and mercury respectively). The scripture states "using lead without using lead"—this profound meaning requires heartfelt comprehension.

This passage outlines the essential principles and taboos of elixir refinement. It first clarifies that ordinary lead and mercury cannot be used directly in alchemy—one must employ the true essence of lead (zhenqian) and the authentic mercury extracted from cinnabar. Notably, lead from Jiazhou (modern Leshan region in Sichuan) possesses the unique property of counteracting mercury's fluidity, making it crucial material for alchemical work.

Practitioners must select sacred mountains or blessed lands as their cultivation sites, as ordinary locations may attract demonic interference. It's advisable to collaborate with two or three like-minded companions, as larger groups risk discord. Auspicious dates and hours should be carefully chosen according to the "Three Caverns Essential Registers and Precious Scripture" (San Dong Yao Lu Bao Jing).

During practice, adepts must: relinquish worldly distractions, maintain inner purity, and regulate emotions to stabilize the spirit. Avoid overexertion, abstain from meat, and stay clear of spiritually polluted areas like graves. Never dine at the same table with women, while maintaining regular eating habits and emotional equilibrium. Bathe every seven days and minimize idle social interactions to prevent contamination by turbid yin energies.

When formally commencing furnace work, prepare a written declaration stating one's birthplace, birth date, and name—acknowledging mortal origins while expressing sincere desire to prolong life through authentic elixir refinement. Then invoke the Great Unity Emperor (Taiyi Dijun) and the Four Directional Deities for protection. Starting at noon, summon the directional spirits while visualizing their forms and performing twenty-four tooth-tapping rituals. Recite two incantations petitioning divine guardians to preserve the elixir's potency.

Successful elixir consumption demands even stricter cultivation: practice benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom while maintaining bodily and mental purity. Dwell in clean environments, avoiding places of death and defilement. Most crucially, absolute secrecy must be maintained—never reveal one's attainment of the spiritual medicine to others.

This scripture primarily describes two alchemical methods: the Golden Flower Reverted Elixir formula and the Yellow Flower Danyang formula.

The Golden Flower Reverted Elixir is prepared by mixing eight taels of lead with eight taels of mercury, grinding them thoroughly with vinegar (zuowei) until fully integrated. The mixture is then wrapped in gan clay to form a spherical shape. Once dried, it is placed in a refining furnace with ashes at the base and calcined over gentle fire for sixty days. After removal, it is ground again with vinegar, rewrapped, and calcined for another sixty days. Subsequently, two taels of silver powder (made from pure silver finely ground) are added every ten days, totaling eight additions over eighty days. The entire process spans 360 days of controlled heating. The resulting elixir, when consumed in just one pellet, is said to extend life for countless kalpas.

The Yellow Flower Danyang formula discusses the properties of pihuang (an arsenic-containing mineral): it resembles realgar in nature—warm in property yet toxic—and is sourced from the valleys of Lizhou. Prolonged contact with lead turns it black like iron. The text specifically warns against storing lead-based substances alongside minerals like qinglü. Pihuang pairs well with danyang (likely another alchemical ingredient). The passage then describes the interactions among four yellow minerals (orpiment, realgar, sulfur, and pihuang), noting that realgar, after eighty-one refinements, can allegedly revive the dead.

Finally, the text mentions an anecdote involving Wang Huan, a Tang-dynasty official, who used realgar, hinting at the miraculous efficacy of these minerals. The passage as a whole reflects ancient alchemy’s understanding and application of mineral properties, as well as its pursuit of immortality through elixir refinement.

This passage elucidates the method for refining the "Dragon-Tiger Reverted Elixir" and the characteristics of its ingredients. It first describes the concrete procedure: realgar and mercury are placed in an iron cauldron and continuously ground while heated over gentle fire. If fire is not used, the mixture can be cooled and ground again—within a single day, it will form sand-like elixir pellets. If high-quality realgar is unavailable, arsenic sulfide from Lizhou in Hunan can serve as an adequate substitute.

The text then details how to identify medicinal materials: genuine realgar should be rooster-comb red in color, with a fine, lustrous texture and a distinctive aromatic scent. While arsenic sulfide is of secondary quality, specimens displaying bright yellow hue, well-defined edges, and easy fracturability indicate superior grade. Notably, realgar from Wudu is considered the finest, followed by arsenic sulfide from Lizhou.

The scripture proceeds to explain the alchemical principles: refining "Dan-yang" (referring to copper) is exceptionally difficult due to copper's complex nature—red externally yet harboring bluish-black within. Using Five Phases theory, it characterizes different metals: iron belongs to Southern Fire manifesting red, copper to Eastern Wood manifesting blue-green, silver to Western Metal manifesting white, lead and tin to Northern Water manifesting black, while gold belongs to Central Earth manifesting yellow.

Finally, it emphasizes the crux of alchemical practice: one must comprehend the generative and restrictive relationships among metals, master the "mother-child compatibility" pairing method, and understand each metal's hardness and softness. Gold and silver are particularly noted for their stability—remaining unchanged even when buried for millennia—while other metals eventually turn to dust. Yet through this elixir formula, metals can be rendered fire-resistant and earth-imperishable.

This scripture reveals the mysteries of Daoist alchemy, focusing on the special methods for transforming ordinary metals into precious substances. The text explains that altering the Yin-Yang creation (referring to the fundamental nature of matter) is no easy task—it requires exceptional spiritual affinity and innate talent. Those destined to attain immortality who obtain efficacious alchemical secrets early in life need only apply a minuscule amount of medicine (measured in daogui, an ancient unit approximately 1.2 grams) to a crucible during smelting to produce genuine treasures.

However, for those not specifically devoted to this path, one must thoroughly investigate material properties, extensively study esoteric texts, understand the hierarchical relationships between primary and secondary ingredients (the sovereign-minister compatibility principle), and grasp various taboos. Medicinal materials have hard and soft natures—some require subduing, others require latent processing. Temperature control involves two distinct methods: "resisting fire" and "subduing fire," while raw and processed ingredients yield entirely different effects. Though lead and mercury (qiangong, i.e., cinnabar) may serve as auxiliary materials, the process primarily relies on the four yellows: realgar, orpiment, arsenopyrite, and sulfur.

Though authentic celestial alchemy encompasses numerous methods, all are closely guarded secrets. Even when formulas are transmitted, they remain deliberately obscure, making success nearly impossible for later practitioners. This stems both from insufficient diligence among students and their failure to comprehend the sages' profound intentions. Improper use of crucibles, furnaces, bellows, or other tools—or imprecise fire control—makes seizing the fleeting moment within the black flames exceptionally difficult.

Working with processed materials proves relatively straightforward, whereas using raw ingredients presents significant challenges. The formulas recorded here exclusively employ raw materials, with mastery depending on timing material transformations—particularly during critical stages like melting, extraction, ingredient addition, and fire regulation. The text also details material densities: gold weighs one jin per cubic cun, silver fourteen liang, lead and tin nine and a half liang, iron six liang, jade nine liang (some records say ten), white stone three liang, and earth two liang. Each substance possesses inherent characteristics, with mercury (gong) being especially unique—it contains the quintessential essence of the Five Yang Divine Spirits and cannot be simply compared to other materials.

Only tempered copper and silver share similar weights, textures, and malleability; apart from color differences, they closely resemble each other and can mutually transform. The Five Metals Formula records: realgar transforms iron, orpiment transforms tin, arsenopyrite transforms copper, and sulfur transforms silver and mercury. These four yellow minerals can even turn iron into copper, copper into silver, and silver into gold—just as rice grains become rice, following nature's fundamental laws. Like magnets attracting needles or amber attracting mustard seeds, substances inherently resonate through natural correspondences.

This scripture describes the ancient Daoist practice of alchemy (Waidan) where adepts transformed base metals into precious ones through specific methods. It provides detailed instructions for the "Elixir of Cinnabar Yang" formula, a particular alchemical preparation.

The recipe requires four ingredients: thirty taels of orpiment (realgar ore, with the bright red, cockscomb-shaped variety from Lizhou, Hunan being the finest quality), eight taels of stibnite (another arsenic-containing mineral, preferably in golden flake form), two taels of hutonglu (a ginger-shaped mineral), and two taels of salt roasted until it changes color.

The preparation process is remarkably intricate: First, pound the orpiment into powder, take thirty taels and place it in an iron cauldron, then add sesame oil in proper proportion. Simmer over gentle heat continuously for nine days and nine nights. If the oil thickens, it must be replaced with fresh oil. Afterwards, transfer the material into a cloth bag and steam it in the center of a bamboo steamer for seven days, allowing the oil to permeate the sand and turn it red.

The text refers to "Imperial Male and Imperial Female" (indicating orpiment and stibnite) requiring this specific treatment—both to eliminate toxicity and enhance their metal-fusing properties. If the raw materials are of inferior quality, repeated refinement can purify them. Orpiment from Lizhou produces the best results, while that from other regions yields lesser effects. Stibnite undergoes similar processing but must not be prepared in the same vessel as orpiment, as both substances share softening properties.

A final note explains that different materials may be steamed simultaneously in the same steamer provided they maintain sufficient distance to avoid interaction. The scripture additionally cites the Lead-Tin Classic, which records an alternative method using cinnabar and orpiment ground together and boiled with vinegar.

This passage details the specific operational steps of the "Flying Frost Method" in ancient alchemical practices, belonging to the Waidan (external alchemy) techniques. I'll explain it section by section:

During alchemical refinement, gentle Wenhuo (slow fire) should be used to simmer the liquid until fish-eye-sized bubbles emerge. After maintaining this for two shichen (approximately four hours), the essence is extracted. If the effect is unsatisfactory, egg whites can be mixed with medicinal paste, sealed in porcelain ware, and steamed in a clay pot for seven days and nights. An alternative method involves adding red salt (a type of crimson mineral salt) to transform copper vessels, turning them yellow.

The text compares the quality of different salts: powdered salt is inferior to granulated salt, which in turn is inferior to well salt, and well salt is surpassed by lake salt (naturally occurring salt from salt lakes). In practice, the first three grades of salt should be pounded, sifted, and evenly mixed before dissolving in vinegar. The medicinal powder is then blended in and sun-dried. This process must be repeated twice until the substance reaches a semi-dry state suitable for the crucible (alchemical furnace).

Each crucible (alchemical vessel) should contain approximately twenty liang (about 750 grams) of material. Begin by laying a base of lime at the furnace bottom, no thicker than one fen (about 3 mm), compacted before adding the medicinal powder. When loading the material, form it into an arched shape without touching the walls. Then cover with two spoonfuls of powder, gently pressing by hand to bond the medicine with the lime, finally topping with another layer of lime about two fen thick.

Cover the alchemical furnace with a specially tall basin (fifteen inches higher than ordinary basins), applying Wenhuo first then Wuhuo (first gentle then strong fire) for two shichen. After cooling, open the furnace to find frost-like elixir condensed on the upper walls—white, soft, fine-textured, and smooth as powder. These elixirs form plate-like sections about one inch thick with natural surface patterns.

Note: The term "Flying Frost" refers to crystalline elixirs obtained through sublimation in ancient alchemy, while "Wenhuo and Wuhuo" denote fire regulation techniques—gentle and strong fires respectively. These methods are considered hazardous by modern standards and should not be replicated.

This passage details the specific operational methods for refining the elixir known as "Reclining Furnace Frost." During the alchemical process, if the filamentous substances do not completely ascend to the upper basin, the remaining material—which exhibits different coloration—should be collected separately for later use. Should incomplete sublimation occur due to improper fire control, the material may be reprocessed.

This Reclining Furnace Frost possesses a unique characteristic: it renders substances pliable rather than brittle like ordinary frost. In many alchemical methods, single-sublimation white frost proves ineffective—insufficient quantities yield no results, while excessive amounts harden the material, a common issue. Yet Reclining Furnace Frost can be used liberally without ever causing hardening, marking its distinctive quality.

For refinement, select high-quality arsenic trioxide (a mineral ingredient) which becomes usable after reverse-sublimation treatment. Alternatively, one may employ oil-boiled or steam-processed sublimated frost. Master Kong (likely referring to a particular alchemist) also considered single-sublimation white frost most effective, aligning perfectly with this method.

Operational specifics: Every two liang of Reclining Furnace Frost can transmute one jin of Dan Yang (an alchemical material), divided between two crucibles (alchemical vessels), each containing approximately eight liang. The medicinal quantity must be moderate—neither excessive nor insufficient. Divide each liang into six pellets, administering three consecutively per transmutation. When the metal liquefies, pierce to the crucible's bottom with a tool. After complete melting, stir twenty times before adding more pellets. Repeat this process before pouring into the Hua Chi (elixir containment vessel), swiftly stirring and breaking the mixture with willow branches.

Should the elixir's whiteness prove insufficient, repeat the transmutation until achieving pure whiteness. Special caution is required during raw material transmutation regarding crucible temperature—sudden thermal contrasts may cause molten metal splattering and material loss. Deeper crucibles prove most effective, particularly when achieving complete metal liquefaction during transmutation.

According to Daoist scriptures, the process of refining elixirs produces miraculous metals such as yellow silver, white gold, and red silver. These metals have various names: crimson gold, bright red gold, Li-ji gold, azure gold, and treasure gold. They are formed through reactions between cinnabar, the "Four Yellows" (realgar, orpiment, sulfur, and azurite), and mercury-silver compounds. These metals exhibit extraordinary color transformations—some appear blood-red and encased, others resemble rehmannia roots, while some display indescribable blended hues. These are all extraordinary characteristics of immortal elixirs that ordinary people cannot discern.

The refining methods document techniques for transforming cinnabar into red silver: mercury is boiled and condensed in iron vessels with green vitriol (copper sulfate) and other medicinal substances, producing a substance resembling Danyang copper with a luminous halo. Different practitioners employ varying methods—some obtain one pound of product from one pound of raw material, while others achieve proportional conversions. Some processes occur with astonishing speed, instantly forming silver-like substances, while others require repeated operations—first solidifying mercury into sand-like particles, covering it with porcelain bowls to harden, then crushing it to combine with fresh mercury. Through such cycles, the quantity can be increased to hundreds of pounds.

In silver mines of Raozhou and Xinzhou, there exists a purplish-red ore resembling "Bright Cinnabar" (high-grade vermilion) that can be directly smelted into silver, though its yield is remarkably low—only fourteen or fifteen taels of silver per pound of ore. This rare mineral isn't documented in ancient texts, leading some to speculate it might be a unique variant of silver ore. The green vitriol and azurite commonly used in refining red silver are colloquially called "danfan" (blue vitriol).

(Note: The "Four Yellows" mentioned refer to mineral combinations frequently used in Daoist alchemy; "Danyang" indicates high-quality copper; "Bright Cinnabar" denotes superior vermilion; "danfan" refers to copper sulfate crystals. These refining methods belong to ancient alchemical practices involving toxic substances like mercury—modern attempts are strongly discouraged.)

The cinnabar you refine (mercury and sulfide compounds) can yield four to five or six to seven liang per batch, with a reddish hue resembling Danyang copper. The specific method involves boiling mercury with minerals like vitriol (copper sulfate) and green vitriol (ferrous sulfate) in an iron cauldron. From each jin of mercury and cinnabar raw materials, only four liang of reddish metal is produced. This is actually iron substance, not a true mercury product. Some claim that since vitriol and green vitriol contain copper, mercury can absorb copper – this view is likely incorrect and unrelated to alchemical principles.

Through personal experimentation with measured ingredients, I've observed that each boiling process reduces the iron cauldron's weight by five liang, with the final product weighing only four and a half liang. This confirms the substance indeed transforms from iron. During alchemical operations, if the vessel is overfilled or the fire too fierce, mercury scatters like fine needles; if medicinal materials are ground too coarsely, they're lost with the decoction. Many mistakenly believe all lost mercury transforms into "red silver," causing later practitioners to abandon the art after failures – a fundamental misunderstanding.

So-called "red silver" is essentially iron. Iron naturally has impurity halos, and when combined with green vitriol's staining, becomes as difficult to purify as copper. Contemporary alchemists dismiss this technique due to its challenges, but my years of research reveal: the iron substance absorbed by mercury is actually iron's quintessential essence (Jing). When using mercury to refine iron, the resulting iron essence is exceptionally pure, making it ideal for casting bronze mirrors – these iron mirrors reflect more brilliantly and profoundly than ordinary ones, proving they contain iron's true essence.

How to verify this? Mercury possesses remarkable spiritual sensitivity that rejects impurities. When combining with iron, the cauldron's surface shows no corrosion, yet over time, mercury miraculously extracts and fuses with iron's essential energy. This mirror-crafting technique is genuinely profound, defying conventional explanation.

People today only value mercury, yet completely overlook the importance of iron. I regret my shallow skills and meager cultivation, having failed to master the secret techniques passed down from the Yellow Emperor. If one could refine golden paste (a metallic compound) and realgar (a mineral medicine) through specific methods to create mirrors, their quality would rival that of ancient masterpieces. Using this method today would produce supreme iron mirrors surpassing even the famed ancient mirrors of Taiyuan.

What people now call "red silver" appears with iridescent surfaces and soft texture resembling worked copper, yet they don't realize it embodies the essence of the Five Metals. When I refine mercury into red silver, this substance can transform into either copper or iron for mirror-making, and even convert copper into silver. This method is now perfected, with its principles fully verifiable.

Method for refining cinnabar into red silver:

Select one jin of premium cinnabar (whole grains unnecessary, only requiring bright red luster), mix with lard and boil for thirty-five days. Then simmer in honey water for fifteen days, followed by steeping in the Hua Chi (alchemical vessel) for seven days. Finally, wrap the cinnabar in alum clay and submerge it into a gan earth crucible containing molten lead, ensuring direct contact with the bottom. After seven days, add red earth, yellow alum, and sal ammoniac to obtain radiant red silver—also called "red gold"—with silvery exterior and crimson interior, dazzling in brilliance.

Alternative method:

Take one jin of unprocessed mercury and stone sulfur calcined into sand, roughly crush and wrap in double-layered silk bags enclosed in bamboo mesh. Steep in mulberry ash water or red crow's left essence (two medicinal solutions), adding one jin of yellow lead. Suspend the bag in the liquid without touching the bottom. Simmer over "fish-eye bubbles" heat for seven days, then pour into a crucible for bellows smelting to obtain peach-blossom-hued red silver.

Regarding the azure-coagulated red silver method:

Among dozens of blue-green ores, zengqing (a copper ore) is supreme. Resembling coptis root or strung pearls, its pieces measure half to one cun long—some straight, some curved, with two or three connected. Its color shifts between deep and light emerald, often interlaced with golden veins that glisten in sunlight. The zengqing from Jurong Mountain is now exceedingly rare, commanding prices surpassing gold.

This passage documents several ancient alchemical methods for extracting "kongqing" (a copper-bearing mineral, an important ingredient in Daoist alchemy) and producing "red silver" (an alchemical product).

The kongqing ore found in Zizhou, Sichuan, has hollow centers with vibrant green coloration. Specimens containing moisture exhibit a greenish hue resembling bayberries at their tops. Larger pieces are marble-sized with solid cores, while those from Jurong and Zizhou occur in shard-like fragments resembling broken bowls—these show green coloration without the vivid emerald tint, yet all are suitable for use. Another variety called "baiganqing" emerges from clay deposits in Ganzhou, presenting bright pea-sized nodules so soft they can be indented with fingernails, revealing even more intense coloration at broken surfaces. Locally termed baiganqing, this mineral remains undocumented in ancient immortal recipes or pharmacopeias.

Other varieties include changpianqing, baiqing, and yumuging from Raozhou and Xinzhou—all variegated green ores currently used to produce intermediate alchemical products called "sand." Pigment-makers wash and grind these colorful minerals, which many households employ for mercury refinement with excellent results. An alternative theory suggests aged copper transforms into green compounds, which further evolve into blue-green minerals—these specimens show the faintest halos and rarely form usable sand.

First method for producing red silver:

1 jin (500g) of refined baiganqing powder, 0.5 jin of processed stalactite (vinegar-boiled), and 1 jin of mercury. Combine ingredients in a flat-bottomed vessel and simmer over gentle heat maintaining fish-eye sized bubbles. Gradually add starchy water to prevent violent boiling—after one full day, sand will form. Subsequent vigorous boiling for 2-3 days with added water improves results, increasing yield while lightening coloration. This yields 6 liang (225g) of red silver. When using green ores, combining with chalcanthite and malachite typically reduces halo effects.

Second method:

2 liang (75g) of premium green ore, 6 liang of alum, 6 liang of chalcanthite from Jurong, combined with 1 jin of mercury. Thoroughly grind and mix all ingredients before standard boiling. Adding 4 liang of black bean hulls during processing eliminates halos.

Method for refining sand from qinghua flowers:

1 jin of qinghua, 4 liang of alum, and 1 jin of mercury. First blend qinghua with alum, then take two spoonfuls to intensively grind with mercury. Boil vigorously for 30-50 cycles, remove and wash once. Repeat until complete reaction occurs, yielding a faint red product.

The text concludes with methods for producing red silver from chalcanthite. These processes demonstrate ancient alchemists' systematic exploration of mineral reactions—controlling fire intensity, ingredient ratios, and reaction durations to pursue material transformations.

This scripture primarily discusses the identification and refinement methods of shidan (stone gall, a mineral used in alchemy). Authentic shidan is found in the valleys of Puzhou (modern-day Yongji, Shanxi), resembling broken comb teeth with a turquoise-like pale green hue that turns white when heated. High-quality shidan appears bluish-green and is graded into different tiers, while inferior varieties resemble wet yellow mud and can only be used to refine powder by heating with mercury. The shidan from Xuanzhou (modern-day Xuancheng, Anhui) is inferior to that from Jurong (modern-day Jiangsu), with efficacy differing tenfold.

Premium shidan from Jurong resembles fragmented tiles—hard, heavy, and vividly green with deep undertones. It remains unaffected by summer humidity or wind erosion, ranking second only to Puzhou’s. For alchemical purposes, mid-grade or lower quality is acceptable. Some shidan forms naturally in mountain caves, appearing slightly lighter in color than refined versions and similarly flaky, though rare. Counterfeiters sometimes blend taiyin xuanjing (another mineral) with Jurong shidan, boiling them in copper vessels to mimic Puzhou’s product, making authentication challenging and requiring meticulous inspection.

Qingfan (green vitriol or melanterite) from Taiyuan (modern-day Shanxi) outperforms Xuanzhou’s. Alchemical refinement demands pristine soil conditions. A verse by Celestial Master Xu of Tianmu Mountain advises: refine with "white pearls and jade water" (possibly mercury and other materials) in a flat-bottomed cauldron, alternating gentle and fierce fire while monitoring rising sounds. Initial refinement for three double-hours (six hours) yields a semi-finished product; overnight heating transforms it to a coppery hue. Focus like a general wielding a sword, undeterred by complexity. Beware toxic "white frost litharge" (likely arsenic trioxide), while yellow vitriol and shidan dazzle in color. Use iron cauldrons or earthen crucibles, alternating heat for five double-hours (ten hours). Burn incense when opening the furnace—such elixirs grant immortality to those destined.

Finally, the method for refining shidan sand: Take one jin (≈500g) each of Jurong shidan and mercury. Use a flat-bottomed cauldron (5–10 liters), scrubbing its base clean with stone to remove grease. For used cauldrons, heat until glowing before scrubbing. Add water to submerge the mercury by half an inch, just enough to cover both mercury and ingredients.

This passage describes a specific method for refining cinnabar in Daoist alchemy known as "Dragon-Tiger Reverted Elixir," detailing the process of using stone gall (a mineral medicine) and mercury.

The procedure is as follows: First, place one or two whole pieces of stone gall (unbroken) atop the mercury. Heat gently over a low flame until the water produces bubbles the size of fish eyes. If the water level drops, ladle in hot water and pour it slowly along the edge of the pot to disperse the liquid evenly. After boiling for the duration of two meals, filter the mixture once—each filtration should yield at least one liang (about 37 grams) of cinnabar. When filtering, apply some pressure to compact the residue for better results. Repeat this process until the ingredients are exhausted. While boiling for just one meal’s duration is sufficient, longer heating improves efficacy.

Alchemists from Jurong (a place name) typically use two liang of stone gall per batch, as more medicine yields more cinnabar. The key technique is to maintain shallow water and a gentle, slow flame. This method uses only pure water, with no additional medicinal additives. When the mercury spreads across the pot’s bottom like a pancake, one can blow aside the water’s surface to observe. While increasing the heat, note that the mercury will disperse toward the pot’s edges—a sign of the medicine’s transformative power.

When collecting cinnabar, always scrape the pot’s bottom clean with a porcelain shard. A small handled pot (a diàozi) can also be used for refining. Additionally, during the initial refining of stone gall, impurities must be removed by washing only with warm water. Avoid boiling it with other medicines, as this would impair efficacy. If boiling is necessary, use only alum in a porcelain vessel.

The text further details the "Green Stone Gall Method": Combine one jin (about 600 grams) of Jurong stone gall, one large spoonful of salt, and one jin of mercury, grinding until no granules remain before transferring to a pot. Fill with water to 70% capacity. When the mixture reaches a gentle boil, cover with a sand basin, leaving a small opening for ventilation with a twig. Occasionally sprinkle a little water over the basin. After two days, approximately six liang of refined material can be obtained. If half to one jin of previously refined material is added and boiled again for two or three days with medicinal liquid, the yield improves—though the color becomes lighter. Finally, an "Outer Halo Technique" (a method for removing impurities) is mentioned, but its specifics are not elaborated.

This scripture primarily discusses two alchemical methods: the cinnabar pellet technique and the gallstone mercury amalgamation method.

The cinnabar pellet technique describes using chalcanthite (a mineral) from Xuanzhou (modern Xuancheng, Anhui) to refine mercury. The specific procedure involves boiling ten catties of chalcanthite—if the mercury isn't fully extracted, an additional three to five catties should be added. It particularly emphasizes avoiding other medicinal herbs, as they would compromise the purification process. The resulting cinnabar (mercury compound) must be boiled with smilax china root (a plant similar to sarsaparilla) for two to three days until the color lightens, then cooked with yellow earth for another two to three days to obtain a snow-white product. The text meticulously differentiates between three similar plants, specifying that only one particular type of smilax root yields optimal results.

The second method, gallstone mercury amalgamation, involves taking one tael each of mercury and chalcanthite, simmering them with a small amount of vinegar over gentle heat for half a day, then adding half a tael of powdered chalcanthite while gradually introducing rice vinegar (carefully avoiding boiling) until complete mercury reaction occurs. The resulting cinnabar is then boiled with five taels of powdered chalcanthite for five days and nights to produce a tea-dust-like elixir, said to transmute three taels of mercury per tael of this preparation.

The text also mentions "diamond root" (also called silver sprout), a red vine growing on silver-bearing mountains, noting that each catty should be processed with sixteen catties of vine material. When combined with a specific medicinal solution (prepared from red bird spring water and yellow alum), its efficacy is significantly enhanced.

This passage details the ancient alchemical method for producing "Red Silver Sand" (红银砂子), a technique belonging to Waidan (external alchemy) practices. Let me explain section by section:

There are two methods for producing the sand: The first uses one tael of raw material with four taels of mercury (水银), requiring seven days of refinement. The second employs one tael of material with seven taels of mercury, taking twelve days. Fire regulation is crucial—initially only about one tael's worth of heat should be applied, though slightly stronger fire can be used after the sand fully congeals.

Regarding the selection of copper-bearing mineral pigments (土绿): The finest quality comes from copper-rich valleys in Xuanzhou, Raozhou, and Xinzhou. This premium pigment appears light-colored and soft, crumbling to powder when rubbed between fingers. Medium-grade material has a stone-like hardness. Northern variants resemble pure green rice flour—fine and impurity-free.

The refinement process: Take half a catty of high-quality pigment (only half a catty if from Daoyongzhou), two taels of salt, four taels of alum (calcined to ash first), and one catty of mercury. First grind the ingredients with rice vinegar, then thoroughly mix and grind with mercury. Spread the mixture evenly in an iron pan like fish scales, leaving one-inch gaps between portions.

For boiling: Use slightly vinegary water, reserving two taels of alum and one tael of salt. Add water until it covers the mixture by one finger's width. Simmer with gentle heat (so mild you can touch the pan's bottom) for half a day. Gradually increase to small fish-eye-sized bubbles for another half day. Adjust heat accordingly—two full days and nights complete the process.

An alternative method: Crush two or three taels of pre-made sand as a "starter catalyst" (药引) to accelerate reactions. After completion, add another half or full catty of pigment and boil for one or two more days—yielding purer-colored sand in greater quantity. Some suggest reusing previously made medicinal solutions for higher yields with fewer impurities. Finally, grind all products into fine powder.

This scripture records two methods for refining "sand" (a Daoist alchemical term referring to solid substances obtained through chemical reactions), primarily using mercury combined with other minerals.

The first method is a secret formula transmitted by Master Liu: Take five liang of green vitriol (the highest quality comes from the north), one jin of mercury, and one jin of terre-verte (a fine, powdery northern variety). Grind these materials in a mortar with vinegar, then pour the mixture into a new pot and boil it over intense fire (high heat) until it completely dries into a sandy substance. Next, boil it with alum for a full day, repeatedly wash it with clam powder, then rinse it with salt for half a day. Afterward, boil it separately with black plum, sugar, and soap pod, each for one day, grinding and washing each time to remove black impurities. Finally, add yellow lead (litharge) and "frost" (likely a crystalline substance), grind the mixture, divide it into sixteen portions, wrap them in salt, dry them in the sun, and refine them in a furnace. The result is four liang of a red, silver-like substance called "pellet sand."

The second method for refining red silver sand involves mixing one jin of sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride), one jin of terre-verte, and one jin of alum, grinding them together, and placing them in a jar lightly covered with salt. Heat the mixture for a period before switching to high heat. Separately, prepare a solution from slaked lime and "red bird" (possibly hematite) mixed with vinegar and rice water, which is then used to decoct the sand. The mercury must first be ground with ten liang of prepared medicine before being added to the pot. The entire refining process must last a full "fu period" (an ancient time unit, roughly equivalent to two hours).

The scripture emphasizes that the final product should be pure white like jade, with no trace of mercury remaining—only then is it considered a supreme elixir. These intricate refining processes reflect the ancient alchemists' exploration of material transformation, employing repeated dissolution, precipitation, and calcination in pursuit of so-called "elixir" refinement.

This passage details the operational methods of "Dragon-Tiger Reverted Elixir" in ancient alchemical practice, broken down into key procedural steps:

The refinement method for white lead (alchemical lead preparation): Take one jin of lead, add two jin of raw pine resin, and melt the lead into liquid using intense fire. First add a small amount of pine resin with a pinch of salt while stirring continuously. Gradually add the remaining resin and salt until all two jin are consumed. The lead will transform into ash-like powder, which is then smelted in a gan crucible to obtain over ten liang of snow-white lead preparation.

The method for forming "sand grains" (alchemical term for fixing mercury into solid state): Combine one jin of earth malachite, five liang of white alum, and five ge of salt, grinding them together. Mix one jin of high-quality yellow earth with paper fiber, pounding it into clay to form a box about two cun thick. Place the mixture inside this box and dry slowly, then apply martial fire (intense heat) once, taking care not to crack the container. After cooling, the contents will appear purplish-red and can fix one jin of mercury. Constant stirring is required during each operation. This formula can be reused, with each jin of earth malachite divided for two applications.

The Hua Chi method (a specialized container treatment): Thoroughly mix lime with fine wine until achieving a consistency like pancake batter. An alternative version uses earth malachite sand and yellow earth to fix mercury.

Another formula: Take two jin of native mercury and eight liang of white alum, pulverize and sieve them, then slowly sprinkle with two sheng of rice vinegar while stir-frying. Common vinegar may substitute if premium rice vinegar is unavailable. After drying, grind into powder and use half the quantity.

A crucial operational note emphasizes timing control: avoid excessive stirring during the process. When complete reaction occurs, the mercury becomes fully fixed. After washing, add four to five liang of processed medicine for further refinement with remarkable effects. For each jin of material, incorporate four liang of white lead, stir thoroughly in the crucible, then pour into molds and press thin. Place on ashes for intense firing, optionally using bellows. Crucially, create openings in the vessel to drain molten lead into the ashes, leaving only red silver. Repeating this process three times ensures complete lead removal.

This scripture primarily discusses the ancient Daoist alchemical technique of "forming cinnabar granules" (jieshazi), belonging to the practical methods of external alchemy (waidan). Here is the modern interpretation in procedural steps:

First, mix one jin of mercury with medicinal substances and grind until fully integrated, then place in a flat-bottomed pot. Add vinegar solution (an acidic liquid), maintaining a liquid level one cun above the mixture at all times. Simmer gently over low heat for half a day (maintaining a slight bubbling resembling fish-eye bubbles). If vinegar solution is unavailable, diluted vinegar can substitute. Through this process, the mercury will coagulate into granular form.

Next, take the resulting granules and mix with another jin of medicinal substances, repeating the grinding and simmering process for another half day. Afterward, wash thoroughly and perform "extraction and purification" (chousheng guzhu), ultimately yielding seven liang of high-quality product, far superior to conventional methods.

The second section details the "cinnabar granule" formula: Take approximately three dou of mulberry wood ash, steam it over rice straw bedding, then repeatedly filter with hot water to obtain two dou of ash solution (each dou weighing eight jin). The ash chunks should be broken into marble-sized pieces—over-grinding may cause clogging. The filtered liquid must appear jade-green to qualify.

Use this ash solution to simmer three sheng or more of mercury in a vessel for three days, continuously replenishing the soaking liquid. Ensure airtight sealing during operation. Simultaneously, prepare arsenic trioxide purified three times (called "flying frost"), which is combined with mercury in a bamboo tube (peeled to paper-thin walls, about three cun long).

After filling the bamboo tube, place it in a pot and simmer with the aforementioned ash solution. When the tube blackens, pour out the contents and repeat this process three times. Alternatively, fermented vinegar or hot limewater may substitute for the ash solution. Finally, follow the "Four Divine Elixir" method to obtain a frost-like substance.

The complete formula contains five ingredients: Solar Mystic Essence, Lunar Mystic Essence, yellow alumite (select golden premium quality), sal ammoniac (choose bluish-black variety), mixed with the previously obtained frost and ground together. Line the pot's base with salt, layering salt along the sides (rice grain thickness), covering both top and bottom with salt. Fire with charcoal (gentle flame at eight parts, strong flame at four parts), carefully controlling the heat intensity.

Finally, wrap the resulting frost-like substance in white wax, rolling it to double-paper thickness, then form into marble-sized pellets. Separately, cook five he of flour into a pool solution (about six sheng), and immerse the pellets in batches into this molten solution five times. Press into molds for final shaping.

These intricate alchemical procedures reflect ancient Daoist explorations of material transformation, involving toxic substances like mercury and arsenic that demand extreme safety precautions.

This passage documents several concrete operational methods for refining elixirs and metals in ancient Daoist alchemy, belonging to practical records of Waidan (external alchemy). Here is a modern interpretation presented step by step:

Regarding the method for refining alum ash: First, heat a clean pit with mulberry wood fire. Mix vinegar (known as "bitter wine" in ancient times, referring to vinegar or fermented liquid) with dried alum, then pour the mixture into the pit while it is still hot. Cover it tightly with a basin and seal it. After cooling, open it—one liang (about 37.5 grams) of this processed alum can be used with one jin (about 600 grams) of raw material. First dry it in a pot, then place it in the pit to soften. This material is suitable for making frost-like substances but not for forming pills.

The formula for refining "red silver": Take five liang of "earth green" (a soft, bluish-green mineral with a texture resembling lead white), five liang of white alum, and half a jin of "red bird" (likely a cinnabar-like mineral). Thoroughly grind and mix one jin of mercury with these materials, then simmer them in a pot over gentle heat for half a day (until noon). Once fully solidified into a sandy texture, about four liang of product can be obtained. First, spread a one-cun (about 3 cm) layer of salt at the bottom of the pot, then sprinkle a small amount of crushed white alum powder. Wrap the sandy product in thin silk, pressing gently to compact it—just enough for the silk to fully enclose it. After wrapping, place it in the pot, cover it with white alum and silk, then finally seal it with salt. Cover with a basin and seal tightly, then refine over intense heat for half a day.

Another formula: Use one jin of mercury, six liang of "green seed," two liang of red ochre, and two liang of lead (which can be added later). Grind the first three ingredients in a sand basin with a small amount of salt over a hundred times. Once the pot is heated, scoop the mixture into it with an iron spoon and boil over intense heat from Yin hour (3–5 AM) to Chen hour (7–9 AM). A silvery-white product can be obtained. For every jin of product, add one liang of yellow lead (litharge), stir-fry, grind, and then use.

Mercury purification method: Place the sandy product in a container made of "cold-water stone" (a type of mineral), spreading the sand in a thin layer—do not pile it too thick. Cover it with salt, then seal it with ash on top. Heat with moderate fire until no more material flies out from the bottom of the vessel. The cold-water stone container must first be heated until red-hot, then immediately removed from the fire, covered with a basin, and sealed until cooled before use.

The "reverse sand extraction" method: Take a "sweet pot" (an alchemical vessel), spread sand at the bottom, then fill it with concentrated saltwater and compact it. Roast it near the fire until the salt dries.

This scripture describes two alchemical methods in detail: the extraction of mercury and the preparation of red bird sand (chìniǎo shā).

Regarding mercury extraction: A clay-sealed flask containing a small amount of water is placed in an earthen pit. Begin with gentle heat (wén huǒ) to warm the vessel evenly, then switch to strong fire (wǔ huǒ). After cooling, open the vessel to collect the crude mercury. This raw mercury must first be boiled with vinegar, then ground and washed with warm starch water, followed by rinsing with warm water, and finally ground with salt to obtain pure mercury.

The preparation of red bird sand is more complex: The "red bird" substance is actually a byproduct of cosmetic powder (nì fěn) production, primarily composed of mud gall (ní dǎn) and salt. The quality from Huainan region surpasses that from the north, with fresher materials yielding better results. The process involves placing red bird material in a large urn, pouring boiling water to dissolve it completely while stirring vigorously, then adding cold water. After settling for a full day and night, the clear upper layer is decanted into a cauldron for boiling. Using a thin-edged scoop, collect the soft, silkworm feces-like sand that forms at the bottom. These sand particles must be maintained in a porcelain bowl with small amounts of medicinal liquid, requiring frequent turning. The entire process—adding water, stirring, settling, and boiling—must be repeated until all sand is extracted. Finally, the collected sand is placed in a porcelain vessel and boiled for four shichen (approximately eight hours) with the clear liquid from the red bird solution, followed by daily grinding and washing until it transforms into mercury.

The text particularly emphasizes that without regular grinding and washing, or if stirring is insufficient, the sand will settle at the bottom and fail to transform. It also mentions a verification method: Pure water weighs one liang per shēng (about 0.5kg per liter), so before preparation, one should weigh the water first and then measure an equal amount of red bird clear liquid to ensure precise proportions.

This passage describes two ancient methods for refining "Red Sparrow Sand" (a material used in alchemical practices) from the Waidan (external alchemy) tradition:

The first method involves boiling the sand in medicinal decoction for four shichen (an ancient time unit, approximately two hours per shichen). During boiling, constant stirring is required to prevent sticking, using martial fire (intense heat). The old decoction must be discarded and replaced with fresh liquid every shichen. After completing the boiling process, the sand is dried and weighed. According to this method, one liang (approx. 37g) of sand can be combined with two liang of mercury, then boiled together with Gleditsia seed and plum juice—a technique differing from other alchemists' approaches. The resulting sand doesn't require additional gold powder and directly yields "red gold."

The second method uses pure Red Sparrow juice (a plant extract) for boiling, eliminating the need for frequent scraping. When the liquid reduces completely, the sand naturally precipitates at the vessel's bottom. The remaining decoction, left overnight in earthenware, forms white crystalline deposits resembling saltpeter (an ancient mineral), sometimes called "white stone gall." Though lacking luster, this sand remains usable for alchemy. The boiling vessel develops persistent blue stains that resist fading.

Detailed refining instructions follow: First layer two dou (approx. 20 liters) of coarse rice husks as a base, mix with Red Sparrow material and a small amount of husks, then percolate to extract juice. If percolation continues the next day, the juice turns turbid. After clarification, boiling yields abundant but dull crystals. The author considers this inferior to the first method, recommending additions of Jurong gallstone (a mineral) and knotweed ash for better results.

Finally, the alchemist Master Su claims: Single-boiling Red Sparrow yields sand at the vessel's base; subsequent three-shichen boiling in plant ash produces premium dry sand—yielding over ten liang per jin (approx. 600g). Official Cui Zhongcheng reportedly used this sand to craft gold vessels, employing 40-50 liang batches that produced exceptionally pure gold. This confirms ancient claims about the sand's gold-enhancing properties, as its exceptionally malleable nature surpasses ordinary gold's softness.

This passage describes ancient alchemical methods for processing cinnabar (red mercury sulfide) and mercury. Cinnabar is softer than gold or silver. The process begins by placing three jin of mercury in a sand basin, adding cinnabar and vinegar sediment (the dregs of vinegar), then grinding the mixture into a paste-like consistency. After repeated grinding and washing, when sand particles appear in the mercury, they are collected. The material is then boiled with emblic myrobalan (Phyllanthus emblica) and licorice root to remove toxicity, ultimately producing a silver-colored paste.

The key to the "fire-subduing method" (a detoxification technique for minerals) lies in controlling the mercury ratio. Typically, one jin of cinnabar requires four liang of mercury, though skilled practitioners can use seven or eight liang. Higher mercury content increases the difficulty of refinement but yields more remarkable results when successful. With proper handling, the mercury can be completely absorbed, producing elixirs with significantly reduced toxicity.

Another method involves placing cinnabar granules (not powdered) in a silk or bamboo-woven bag, then boiling it with clean water and yellow lead (lead oxide) for seven days. Cinnabar is then added and simmered until the mixture turns white, after which it is sealed and stored for another seven days. Alternatively, the unsealed mixture can be boiled continuously for fourteen days.

A complete fire-subduing technique involves combining one jin of earth-processed mercury with half a jin of white crystalline substance. After boiling until dry, a small amount of salt is added and pounded before being sealed in a cauldron for ten days of firing.

Finally, the "salt cabinet method" is described: Mix one jin of salt, four liang of niter (potassium nitrate), and four liang of white alum, then melt them over fire. After cooling, add five liang of alum stone and one liang of litharge (lead oxide), refining with fierce fire (intense heat). Then incorporate five liang of magnetite, grind finely, and fire for seven days with moderate heat for optimal results. If using common salt, it must first be dried—five liang of processed niter per jin of salt, ground to flour-like fineness. Roasting until reddish enhances its efficacy.

These methods reflect ancient alchemists' exploration of mineral reactions, showcasing complex techniques developed through repeated experimentation. The mentioned "fire-subduing" process is a crucial Daoist alchemical procedure aimed at reducing material toxicity through pretreatment.

This passage explains two ancient Daoist methods for refining elixirs, focusing primarily on the processing of mineral ingredients. I will explain them in two parts:

The first method details the process for treating silver ore: First, boil the ore in alum water for the duration of a meal, then proceed to calcination. During calcination, begin by spreading a layer of salt over an inch thick at the bottom of the cauldron, then sprinkle crushed alum powder in the center. Wrap the ore in thin silk gauze, pressing gently to make the ore adhere to the fabric—just enough to fully enclose it. Place the wrapped ore atop the alum during calcination, then sprinkle more alum to cover the edges of the silk. Next, spread the salt to completely bury the silk wrapping. Seal the vessel tightly with a frost basin, securing it firmly with iron wedges to prevent mercury vapor from escaping. Maintain intense flames from morning until evening. After cooling, open the basin to find a mixture of frost-like substance and mercury. Remove the salt to collect the purple powder; if it produces a metallic sound when struck, it is ready for furnace use.

The second part addresses the challenges of processing red silver ore: Red silver ore is particularly difficult to refine because inferior medicinal ingredients are often used. Some practitioners working with lead and mercury make slight errors in preparation and fail—how much more difficult with ordinary stones and herbs? Raw and processed medicines have different properties, making it extremely challenging to transform the mundane into the true essence. This emphasizes the necessity of discerning the quality of ingredients, understanding their properties, and mastering precise measurements and preparation sequences. When methods are correct, true elixirs can be produced; the slightest error leads to failure, reminding practitioners to apply these techniques with utmost care.

Finally, the method for washing ore: All types of ore must never be washed with cold water—only warm water should be used, and mixing with other medicines must be avoided, as this can cause surface scaling that complicates processing. First repeatedly wash the ore with warm water until clean, then grind it with salt and rice grains. Next, soak it in barley water and plum brine. Store in a large urn and maintain at low heat for ten days to allow thorough fermentation. When ready for use, boil the ore with pokeberry root to complete the preparation for various refining processes.

These methods reflect the meticulous requirements of ancient alchemy in mineral processing, demonstrating the Daoist alchemical pursuit of "transforming the mundane into the true" through practical procedures.

This passage describes specific methods from ancient alchemy (Waidan) for processing cinnabar (mercury sulfide) and refining mercury. First, purified cinnabar is shaped into small strips and placed in an iron cylinder containing weathered lime. Alternating between gentle and fierce heat for over a month, each pound of raw material yields ten taels of purified product.

The impurity removal process involves grinding cinnabar with gypsum (a mineral medicine), alum, and pokeberry root in specific proportions, followed by triple rinsing to thoroughly eliminate impurities. The refined mercury is then placed in a container lined with gypsum, using vinegar-mixed gypsum as an insulating layer of precise thickness. After heating with alternating gentle and fierce flames, it is transferred to a crucible for further processing.

To prepare the gypsum container: gypsum is mixed with brine into a paste-like consistency and processed repeatedly until it becomes snow-white. When firing the gypsum, intense heat must be applied quickly before sealing and cooling.

For removing impurities from "red silver" (possibly silver-bearing minerals), a mixture of calomel (a mercury compound) and a mineral medicine called Jurong Danzi is ground together. A solution of lime and white horse urine is first prepared, in which the medicinal mixture is boiled for two days before cooling. This is then combined with half a tael of processed saltpeter to form a mass, which is fired with alternating gentle and fierce heat for another two days. One tael of this agent can purify one pound of raw material to a snow-white state.

Finally, the construction of a "medicine cabinet" (likely a reaction vessel) is detailed: a mixture of special raw alum, bluestone, litharge, and Jurong Danzi is blended with vinegar and fired in a porcelain jar for seven days, with vinegar replenished daily. The longer this vessel is used, the more effective it becomes. The text also mentions a method for processing saltpeter, though the details are incomplete.

These techniques reflect ancient alchemists' understanding of mineral purification and chemical reactions, involving multiple physical processes and controlled heating cycles. They demonstrate the sophistication of early chemical craftsmanship.

This passage documents two methods of "creating red silver halos" from ancient Daoist alchemical practice (Waidan). The first method requires preparing one liang of saltpeter (xiaoshi), grinding it into powder and pressing it flat in a porcelain cup, then layering it with two layers of salt powder and pressing flat again. Cover with another porcelain cup without sealing. Heat alternately with gentle and strong flames until the salt liquid completely evaporates, at which point the elixir is complete.

The second method is more complex: First take eight liang of lead and two liang of mercury, mix them in porcelain ware without sealing, and heat until melted but not overheated, continuing for ten days. Then grind into sand form, adding orpiment, saltpeter, alum, and salt for purification, grinding and washing repeatedly over twenty times. Boil the purified substance for one day, then add half liang of mercury to the lead mixture, continuing the fire refinement for another ten days. The resulting substance can be used to transform other materials and works particularly well when combined with frost medicines.

The text provides detailed formulas for "creating red silver halos": Premium arsenic (or rat poison as substitute if unavailable) layered half-cun thick, covered with two-cun thick wall soil, refined three times repeatedly. One jin of white frost, four liang of subdued fire saltpeter, and four liang of sulfur require one full day of gradual refinement. Mix and grind the sulfur with saltpeter before placing in the cauldron, sprinkle with a small amount of saltpeter powder, seal and refine for one cycle, repeating this process three times.

Finally, it mentions using three liang of Xuzhou petroleum, stir-fried briefly in an iron pan (copper preferred), then poured while hot into five ge of strong vinegar and stirred to create "vinegar petroleum." Mix the refined frost medicine with the petroleum, dry it, then add twelve liang of saltpeter and two liang of alum, grind and place in a jar for ten days of refinement. Melt the final product with strong fire into liquid form—four liang of this substance can transform one jin of base material into premium white frost. Special note: The refining vessel should be frequently tested with cold water to monitor temperature.

This passage details specific methods for processing metals and minerals in ancient alchemical practices, divided into several operational steps:

Concerning the preparation of fire-subduing medicine:

Begin by grinding one liang of alum (white alum) with three fen of saltpeter (mirabilite) into fine powder, spreading it in a layer on a porcelain bowl. Place one liang of refined saltpeter powder in the center of this layer. Heat gently over low flame for a full day, then gradually increase the fire until glowing red. At this stage, add one liang of mercury, allowing over 90% to react. Grind this mixture into extremely fine powder—grinding for one or two days yields better results. Then incorporate half a liang of previously processed alum and other materials, grinding them together with the mercury-medicine powder. Use salt crystals as a base layer in a flask, about one cun thick. After sealing, fire with medium heat (combining civil and martial fires) for 7-10 days (longer durations are preferable), heating from the flask's top until red-hot. The resulting medicine will appear bluish-purple, said to be capable of processing ten jin of cinnabar sand until it turns pure white.

Regarding the removal of oxidation layers from metal surfaces:

Create a stirring tool by mixing one part lime, two parts yellow earth, and one part salt into rod form. Use this to stir substances in the crucible, replacing the rod when it blackens until no further discoloration occurs. The blackened portions can be burned off for reuse. Lime proves particularly effective for oxidation removal, though brittle in nature. Important note: perform stirring before adding the base material (primary ingredient), otherwise silver components may be damaged. Alternatively, make a paste from talcum powder and vinegar to coat tool surfaces—this prevents noise during firing while inhibiting oxidation, with one treatment providing lasting effectiveness. Processed materials should be stored in deep, wind-protected chambers.

Methods for processing red silver and cinnabar sand:

Require close integration of the sand with cold-natured medicinal substances like magnetite, saltpeter, alum, mirabilite, and salt. These techniques originate from Master Huo's (an alchemist) practical experiments at Longxing Temple in Yangzhou.

This passage documents various methods employed by ancient Daoist practitioners to remove metallic impurities during elixir preparation, focusing specifically on techniques for eliminating "yun" (the oxidized layer or impurities on metal surfaces). Here are the detailed procedures:

The first method was transmitted by Daoist Li Jingyang: Combine shuishi mu (a type of mineral) with oyster shells and a small amount of glutinous rice to form medicinal cakes. Wrap metal granules in a single cloth layer to thin them, then bury them in a pit over two chi deep for one hundred days. If impurities remain, extending the burial to one year yields better results. Remarkably, even burying without any additives proves effective. A similar approach involves burying thin metal sheets to remove yun.

Other impurity removal techniques include:

Boiling with fulonggan (hearth soil), lime, coal ash, and mulberry ash until achieving a pure white state; or using emblic fruit in the boiling process. Another method involves repeated soaking, steaming, and filtering with lime water—the number of repetitions isn't fixed until essence (Jing) is extracted. Form the material into balls for calcination before filtering, repeating this three to five times before using the product to wash metal granules.

Metal-specific treatments: Boil raw iron with two liang of calcined gypsum until the liquid turns black, then change the water, continuing until white liquid emerges. This method originally served for processing chalcanthite and orpiment lumps. Another formula combines two liang of orpiment, two liang of gypsum, and one liang of salt for boiling—iron vessels must be avoided.

Specialized techniques include: Grinding salt for three days with daily rinsing until achieving a milky liquid; concentrating purslane juice then adding niter, crude saltpeter, and emblic juice; triple-soaking "red silver" (an alloy) for yun removal; grinding and washing with pokeberry root and ginger; boiling metal granules with lime and silkworm excrement juice; ten rounds of boiling with perilla oil; boiling mercury-treated red silver with raw aconite; and refining with wine-drinkers' urine (some claim elderly urine works better).

Additional methods feature: Boiling metal granules with orpiment in sand pots, adding salt for seven or fourteen days; boiling mercury-treated red silver with abutilon; and yun removal using white mume (slightly more effective than black mume—note to remove pits). These diverse approaches demonstrate the extensive purification expertise of ancient alchemists.

This passage documents various methods ancient Daoist alchemists used to remove "cloudiness" (impurities in elixirs) during medicinal preparations, which can be understood in modern terms as follows:

The first method involves boiling Huangya (a primary product of lead-mercury alchemy) in a sand basin for seven days to eliminate impurities. Alternatively, boiling bat droppings achieves the same purifying effect.

Another technique uses mashed lotus leaf juice formed into cakes, dried in shade for storage, and later boiled as a cleansing agent when needed. For grinding sand, adding a small amount of crushed clam shell powder enhances the process. Some practitioners would hold water in their mouth briefly before hand-rubbing materials to remove impurities.

Hongyin (an alchemical term referring to copper compounds) and sand impurities can be removed by boiling with pine resin. A mixture of white willow root glue, crude saltpeter, and lime, when ground and boiled together, proves equally effective. Particularly outstanding results come from wrapping shidan (natural chalcanthite) in yellow clay before boiling.

Steeped grass-infused water eliminates impurities from Danyang (an alternate name for mercury). Another mercury purification method involves mixing its sediment layer with yellow clay and salt into a paste for firing. Impurities are also removed by stirring antelope horn with pine torchwood, then repeatedly filtering the ash residue.

Boiling sand in rice husk ash water for seven days—with six to seven daily changes of the cleansing liquid—thoroughly purifies the material. Equal parts powdered limestone and xuanjing (two mineral medicines) can dissolve sand impurities when added during melting, a method also effective for mercury purification.

When Hongyin becomes thin during melting, adding knotweed ash water removes impurities. Some alchemists boiled knotweed seed ash to obtain Shuangfu (a purified state). Historical records describe mixing sand into a silver-paste consistency with knotweed ash—when boiled with ash for less than half a day, it transforms into dry fragments, demonstrating remarkable sand-condensing properties.

The text concludes with a detailed purification method: Take two jin of densely compacted sand, first grind and wash it in warm saltwater using a willow wood pestle, repeating this twenty times until achieving pure whiteness. Then boil it in porcelain with glutinous rice water, adding one sheng of pitted dark plums (or fermented brewing liquid as alternative). This two-day boiling process forbids adding other herbs, requiring four daily washings throughout.

This passage details the meticulous process of refining cinnabar (mercury sulfide) in ancient Daoist alchemical practice, belonging to the technical methods of Waidan (external alchemy). The procedure involves repeated washing, grinding, and steaming to remove impurities (referred to as "halos") from the cinnabar.

The cinnabar must first be washed and ground repeatedly in warm rice water, avoiding cold water at all costs. During each washing, a small amount of hutonglv (a mineral reagent) is added—approximately one qian (about 3.75 grams) divided into four portions. This substance proves particularly effective for processing copper and iron minerals in removing impurities. Alternatively, water boiled with aged earthen wall soil can substitute for rice water.

For the actual operation, add a small amount of limewater to a mortar and grind using a willow wood pestle. After twenty rounds of washing, immerse the material in a bowl containing half a bowl of rice water. For every jin (about 600 grams) of cinnabar, add one fen (about 0.375 grams) of naosha (ammonium chloride), then let the bowl sit in a warm place for a full day until impurities become visible. Stir with a fine comb-shaped tool and wash thoroughly by hand.

Next, combine the cinnabar with two sheng (about 2 liters) of salt in a large iron mortar, pounding it into a bluish mud-like consistency using strong manpower. Wash three times daily while continuing to add salt and pound. Then boil for one day with urine-treated ash, followed by another day of pounding with salt—replacing the salt three times daily as before. Subsequently, boil for another day with urine-ash solution. After three days of such treatment, impurities should be eliminated. If any remain, switch to boiling with vinegar solution containing alum, salt, black plum, and gypsum for two additional days.

Should impurities persist, mix the cinnabar with fulonggan (furnace hearth earth), baishantu (chalk), and lime, then process in ash and charcoal for two days. As a last resort, add one liang (about 37.5 grams) of huangdan (lead oxide) per jin of cinnabar and stir-fry in porcelain ware over low heat. Finally, boil for one day in sugar water to remove black impurities, or use concentrated rice vinegar with soapberry pods for two days to eliminate black halos. Each treatment must conclude with thorough washing.

This text meticulously documents the complete ancient alchemical process for purifying cinnabar, demonstrating the rigorous approach of Daoist Waidan in material preparation. The various minerals and chemical substances mentioned reflect profound contemporary knowledge of mineral pharmacology.

This passage describes a specific method for refining the "Dragon-Tiger Returned Elixir" in ancient Daoist alchemy (Waidan). The entire process requires strict adherence to procedural steps:

First, processed cinnabar (alchemical material) is shaped into small strips and placed in an iron cylinder containing weathered lime, then sealed and calcined over low heat for one month. Approximately fifteen taels of product can be obtained per catty of raw material, taking care to prevent the cinnabar from contacting cold water during processing. One tael of sublimated frost (a mineral reagent) must be ground and mixed in during refinement—if unavailable, raw frost may be substituted.

The mixture is divided into sixteen portions and formed into pellets, each wrapped first in fine salt and then in clay. Three to five small holes are pierced in each clay ball, which are sun-dried before being placed in the alchemical cauldron. The cauldron's base should be lined with fine yellow earth or lime, covered with a sealing layer of charcoal ash. Begin with gentle heat (wenhuo) for one day, gradually increasing the fire until the cauldron's base glows red for about the duration of a meal, then allow it to cool before opening.

Collect all sublimated mercury (termed "flying mercury" in alchemical terminology), including any that has settled in the ash. Subsequently, apply fierce heat (wuhuo) until the cauldron glows red again. After cooling, break open the clay balls to retrieve the cinnabar. This material must then be boiled for half a day with smoked plum, white alum, and salt before drying and repeating the clay-wrapping calcination process.

Next, mix the product with mercury and sublimate it three to five more times in the cauldron. Finally, place the substance in a crucible, cover it with powdered ox dung and a small amount of salt, and heat slowly. The text particularly warns that lighter materials require careful handling during bellows operation to prevent dispersal by air currents.

The scripture notes that using Persian white alum and hutong resin (two alchemical reagents) yields superior results. The final product, when molten, produces better effects when directly poured into the Flower Pond (alchemical solution vessel) than when dried and transferred. This elaborate refining process—demanding precise control of firing temperatures and material proportions—exemplifies the meticulous craftsmanship of ancient alchemical practice.

This passage describes several methods from ancient Daoist alchemy (Waidan), primarily concerning metal purification and elixir preparation processes. Let me explain in several parts:

The first method mentions using a mixture of water, wine, crude saltpeter (mangxiao), alum, and fats. Another approach involves creating a thick solution with saltwater or using Gleditsia sinensis (soap pod) extract—the higher the concentration, the better the result—yielding a pure white substance free of impurities.

If the results are unsatisfactory, the materials can be remelted in a crucible (heat-resistant alchemical vessel). The specific method is: for every jin of raw material, add no more than two liang of "frost medicine" (likely a mineral-based reagent), then repeatedly refine it according to the Danyang school's method. After pouring the molten liquid into molds to form ingots, encase them in clay balls and repeat the process thirty times daily. Then return them to the crucible for smelting, adding two liang of "mother material" (base substance) per ten liang of product. This mother material must be sourced from pure mountain or marsh minerals without the slightest impurity—a crucial step.

The purification process is described in detail: after thorough stirring in the crucible, pour the mixture into a pool to cool, forming thin sheets. Special care must be taken to ensure complete lead separation, as any residue affects quality. After multiple rounds of smelting, encasing, and purification, if purity remains insufficient, add another six liang of mother material, making a total ratio of twenty liang. Then incorporate wall soil, alum, sal ammoniac, and salt to remove surface impurities, firing the mixture into thin sheets. Repeat the scorching process three or four times, scrubbing with salt between each. Finally, boil in a flask for the duration of a meal, repeating this seven times until absolute purity is achieved.

The later-mentioned "red silver method" (hongyin fa) was comprehended by Jinlingzi through studying alchemical texts. Red silver (likely a copper-silver alloy) must be refined according to Danyang school techniques. If results are poor, grind the red silver into powder and mix with an appropriate amount of mercury (excess mercury makes purification difficult). After processing, add more mercury and lead for thorough blending, then spread evenly in a furnace for sealed smelting. The furnace interior should be lined with clay made from yellow earth and paper fiber.

These methods demonstrate how ancient alchemists employed repeated smelting, purification, and mixing processes to prepare elixirs and metallic materials, reflecting Daoist alchemy's exploration of material transformation. The techniques highlight the meticulous experimental approach underlying the quest for the Golden Elixir (Jindan), where each procedural detail—from mineral selection to thermal cycling—carried profound cosmological significance within the framework of Yin-Yang and Five Phases (Wuxing) theory.

This passage describes specific operational procedures in ancient alchemical practices, focusing on two distinct methods: the "Dragon-Tiger Reverted Elixir Technique" and the "Red Silver Suizi Method."

Regarding the Dragon-Tiger Reverted Elixir Technique: Begin by laying a base of fine yellow earth approximately five layers thick, topped with an additional inch of soil. On the first day, apply gentle heat (wenhuo, "civil fire") to slowly warm the vessel, ensuring mercury does not vaporize upward. On the second day, slightly increase the heat intensity. On the third day, apply fierce heat (wuhuo, "martial fire") to drive the mercury upward for condensation. After cooling, open the upper vessel to collect the mercury, then extract the lead from the furnace and refine it in a specialized crucible (peichi). A critical note: the furnace must remain free of impurities like alum, as these would turn the mercury into frost-like particles and impair the lead's efficacy. If purification is incomplete, repeat the process.

An alternative refining method is mentioned: grind red silver sand (an alchemical material) with lead, add a small amount of salt, and refine using conventional heating techniques.

For the Red Silver Suizi Method: Take eight taels of purified red silver and combine it with two taels of high-quality mountain-mineral ore. Each crucible should ideally hold ten taels of this mixture. Stir thoroughly until molten (tuo state), then pour into a deep pot. Place three jin of mercury atop the mixture, seal the vessel, and heat with gentle fire. Maintain a temperature akin to midsummer heat before gradually intensifying the flames. Inspect every two days—if mercury surfaces, reduce the heat. After twenty days, remelt and recast the mixture, repeating this twenty-day cycle six times until all impurities are eliminated, yielding the "true treasure" (superior elixir).

Special instructions: During the first melting, add sal ammoniac (naosha) and a small quantity of chalcanthite (danzi), then boil with mercury for one day to ensure thorough integration. An alternate approach involves grinding four taels of molten mixture with northern sal ammoniac, chalcanthite, and "unicorn scorpion" (mineral-based medicinal ingredients), blending with rice vinegar to form a paste for external application. Encase this in yellow clay approximately 1.2 inches thick, first firing with chaff flames for twenty-one days, then with white charcoal for three days before removing the clay shell. Four taels of mercury can thus produce cinnabar.

Note: The "peichi" refers to specialized crucibles used in ancient alchemy; "wenhuo/wuhuo" denote controlled heat intensities; "tuo" describes molten metal mixtures. These methods reflect Daoist practitioners' meticulous processes of repeated purification and material combinations in elixir preparation.

This passage documents the specific operational procedures of the "Sui Zi Method" in ancient Daoist alchemy (Waidan), a mercury-based elixir preparation technique. The entire process requires precise control of firing temperature and timing, with extremely meticulous operations.

First, take one jin of "red silver" (alchemical term referring to silver-bearing minerals) and four liang of base material, totaling twenty liang, placing them into a thin-walled crucible. If the crucible walls are too thick, they must first be thinned; after heating until the color matches the flame, clean thoroughly. Then add three jin of mercury, combined with small amounts of chalcanthite (copper sulfate) and sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride), boiling with water for one day to ensure thorough amalgamation with the crucible.

The entire refining process consists of three stages, each lasting twenty days. The first stage begins with gentle fire (low heat) followed by martial fire (high heat). After twenty days, remove impurities and return the material to the crucible. This process is repeated three times, totaling sixty days to complete the refinement. During preparation, substances like salt and alum must be used to purify the mercury.

An alternative method involves treating the crucible with medicinal compounds: take one liang of northern sal ammoniac, one liang of rock salt, and one liang of dragon's blood resin, grinding them into powder and mixing with wine to form a paste. Coat the inner crucible walls with this mixture, then encase with a 1.2-cun layer of yellow clay. First fire with moderate heat for fourteen days, then with intense white-charcoal heat for three days.

The text notes these formulas can be adjusted according to practical circumstances, particularly requiring flexibility when adding auxiliary materials (Sui Zi). The entire technique demonstrates ancient alchemy's rigorous demands regarding material ratios, fire control, and operational sequences.

This passage describes the concrete methods for elixir preparation. First, a silver crucible must be prepared. Then the medicinal clay is formulated: take one liang of alum ash (calcined alum residue), one liang of sal ammoniac (natural ammonium chloride mineral), one liang of fire-processed saltpeter (specially treated to remove explosive properties), and two liang of table salt. These materials are ground into fine powder and mixed.

During preparation, vinegar is used to blend these powdered ingredients into a clay-like consistency. This medicinal clay is then evenly applied to coat both the interior and exterior of the silver crucible, forming a protective layer. After complete encapsulation, the crucible is continuously calcined for seven days using chaff fire (a gentle flame from burning rice husks). Subsequently, white charcoal (high-quality wood charcoal) is used for "one fu period" of calcination (an ancient time unit, approximately equivalent to two hours). Only after completing this entire process is the refinement considered finished.

This records a specific operational procedure in Daoist Waidan (external alchemy), where elixirs are prepared through precise material ratios and controlled firing techniques. "Fire processing" (fuhuo) is an alchemical term referring to the pretreatment of certain raw materials to reduce their volatility.