《軒轅黃帝水經藥法》

The eighth section of the preface to the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan's Water Classic Pharmacopoeia records:

Since ancient times, the transformations of spiritual Qi between heaven and earth have varied. The universe initially differentiated from a single Qi, forming the Three Powers of heaven, earth, and humanity. Through spiritual refinement, an ordinary human body can be cultivated into sagehood, and common stones can be transmuted into treasures—this is the natural Dao. Vegetation in the mundane world changes through a single cycle of seasons, yet when consumed by humans, it can extend life by a thousand years. How much more potent then is water that has undergone ten thousand years of transformation—could it not assist one in transcending mundanity to attain sagehood? This is simply the principle of nature's way.

There was once a recluse named Xu Jiu who dwelled in the mountains, seeking out alchemical sites far and wide. Despite prolonged cultivation efforts, he failed to achieve success and could only sigh in resignation. Later, by Lotus Stream Cave on Mount Tiantai, he encountered an ancient immortal of unknown origin. The ancient immortal said: "I possess the secret method for refining the Returning Elixir—would you learn it?" Xu Jiu kowtowed and replied: "I've attempted this for years without success." The immortal responded: "Success or failure in elixir-making should not be overly clung to. The Dao of immortals fundamentally requires detachment." After five years of cultivation under the immortal's guidance, Xu Jiu witnessed him transform grass into a dragon, finally comprehending the profound mystery. Bowing reverently, he pleaded: "I beg the master to bestow some small measure of this art." The immortal answered: "You should realize the Great Dao through your own awakening. Now the time is ripe—I shall transmit to you one scroll of the Water Classic."

Before he finished speaking, three men suddenly appeared. The immortal remarked: "These three also share immortal destiny," and thus transmitted the Water Classic to all four. Within six years, all had attained immortalhood. Later, over three thousand individuals obtained this Water Classic, achieving the Great Dao and realizing enlightened mind-nature. The text systematically records various medicinal substances and refinement methods, organized according to Yin-Yang principles into distinct chapters. Its divine efficacy manifests through infinite transformations, never failing. This preface was composed on the Chen day of the Chen month in the Jiazi year.

Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan's Water Classic Pharmacopoeia

First Formula: Divine Cinnabar Mineral Water

Preparation Method:

Take one jin of divine cinnabar, grind into fine powder, and wash three times with well water drawn at dawn, then sun-dry.

Add four liang of brocade-hued dragon bud herb and one sheng of bitter wine (vinegar), then simmer in silver or stone vessel until the liquid evaporates.

Wash again with well water to remove herb residue, then sun-dry.

Take four liang each of chalcanthite and niter, grinding them together into fine powder.

Prepare a living bamboo tube of suitable size. Take a pellet-sized portion of the above powder, filling half the tube with the mixed chalcanthite-niter powder.

(Note: This records ancient Daoist alchemical practices involving heavy metals and other substances—modern readers must not attempt actual preparation.)

"Modern Vernacular Interpretation of the Yellow Emperor's Water Alchemy Classic"

Cinnabar Water Preparation Method:

Grind cinnabar into powder and spread it at the bottom of a container, then cover it with a layer of chalcanthite powder. Seal the opening with lacquer bone powder (a sealing material) and bury it three feet underground in a cool place. After forty-nine days, retrieve it. The mixture will have transformed into a liquid state—pour it into a silver or stone vessel where it will emit radiant light. Dosage: Drinking one small cup (a "clam cup" measurement) can immediately dispel damp turbidity from the body and confer longevity effects. After consumption, one gains the ability to perceive spirits and becomes impervious to extremes of heat and cold. After one hundred days, the body becomes light as a swallow and movement becomes swift as flight. After one year, yin spirits will protect the body, granting power to subdue tigers and dragons along with precognition. Consuming three consecutive cups enables transcendence beyond the three realms, achieving an immortal body.

Realgar Water Preparation Method:

Take one pound of realgar and grind it into fine powder. Wash it three times with well water (the first bucket drawn at dawn), then sun-dry it. Add two taels of wild chives and three sheng of bitter wine (vinegar), then boil in a silver or stone vessel until the liquid evaporates. The resulting reddish-yellow solution primarily serves to subdue all manner of winged and four-legged creatures, with preparation methods similar to cinnabar water.

Pumice Water Preparation Method:

Grind one pound of pumice into powder and wash it three times with well water. Add two taels of kelp powder and three sheng of bitter wine, then boil until the liquid evaporates. After filtering, mix with four taels of ground chalcanthite. Bury five feet deep in a cool place and retrieve after fifty days. Drinking one small cup enables one to enter water without drowning; three consecutive cups establish affinity with dragon kings.

Rock Crystal Water Preparation Method:

Grind one pound of rock crystal into powder and wash three times with well water. Add four taels of red lotus stamen powder and three sheng of bitter wine, then boil until the liquid evaporates. Filter out the remaining stamen residue to complete the preparation.

(Note: The "clam cup" refers to an ancient small wine cup; "flying/running creatures" indicates birds and beasts; "subdue" means to conquer; "without drowning" refers to water immunity. These elixir preparation methods belong to Daoist Waidan [external alchemy] practices. Actual implementation requires professional guidance—do not attempt casually.)

This scripture records several ancient elixir recipes and their purported effects, explained here in modern terms:

First Unnamed Elixir:

Grind four taels each of borax and saltpeter into fine powder, mix thoroughly, and bury three feet underground in a shaded location for forty-nine days following the aforementioned method. Upon retrieval, it transforms into a watery substance to be poured into silver or stone vessels, appearing crystal clear and snow-white. Effects when consumed:

• One ge (ancient measurement unit): Only grants immunity to fire, allowing one to walk through flames unharmed
• Two ge: Body becomes feverish as if lying on burning coals, yet one can still sleep peacefully
• Three ge: Enables sitting calmly in fire day and night without fear, as if in an ordinary room

Seventh Elixir - Actinolite Water:

Grind one jin of actinolite into powder and rinse three times with well water. Add two taels of asbestos powder and three sheng of vinegar (bitter wine), boiling until the liquid evaporates. Wash away the asbestos residue with well water, then mix with four taels each of borax and saltpeter. Bury three feet deep in sunlight for forty-nine days. After transforming into liquid, pour into silver/stone vessels. Consuming two ge allegedly enables flight one hundred feet above ground and extends lifespan by three hundred years.

Eighth Elixir - Jade Water:

Soak one jin of jade with four taels of carpesium, half-jin of flying squirrel feces, and one sheng of weak fermented water for twenty-one days. Then boil with three additional taels of carpesium, four taels of flying squirrel feces, and three sheng of vinegar until dry. Wash away herbal residue with well water and sun-dry for half a day until the jade crumbles naturally. Mix with four taels each of borax and saltpeter, then bury in shade for forty-nine days. The resulting blue crystalline liquid, when consumed as three ge, purportedly extends life by one thousand years - the true "Jade Nectar."

Ninth Elixir - Golden Crystal Water: Grind one jin of golden crystal stone into powder, rinse three times with well water. Boil with two taels of divine dragon bud herb and three sheng of vinegar until dry. After washing away herbal residue...

These records reflect key characteristics of ancient alchemy (Waidan):

1. Emphasis on specific ingredients, precise ratios, and complex preparation processes

2. Use of special burial methods (yin-yang orientations, specific depths and durations)

3. Claims of extraordinary powers (fire resistance, flight) and longevity

4. Employment of traditional processing techniques like "water flying" (rinsing and sedimentation)

Note: The ge measurement unit's exact value is lost to history. These elixirs' purported effects lack scientific basis - do not attempt reproduction.

This scripture documents the "water method" (a technique for creating medicinal solutions through burying ingredients) from ancient Daoist alchemy. Below is a modern explanation of its key procedures and principles:

Method for making gold solution with saltpeter:

Take four liang of saltpeter and grind it into fine powder, following the previously mentioned method. Bury the ingredients three chi deep in a shaded location. After forty-nine days, retrieve it—it will have transformed into a yellow medicinal solution. Pour this solution into a silver or stone container, adding half a ge (an ancient measurement unit) of the solution for every jin of mercury. Stir, and the mercury will solidify automatically. If heated with a fire fan, it will turn into a golden liquid that solidifies into bright red gold when poured out, though it possesses no other special properties.

Preparation of silver crystal solution:

Grind one jin of silver crystal into powder and wash it three times with well water. Add two liang of crane’s crest grass powder and three sheng of bitter wine (vinegar), then boil in a silver or stone vessel until the wine evaporates. After filtering out the grass residue, mix in four liang of saltpeter and grind evenly. Bury it three chi deep in a sunny spot for thirty days. The resulting solution will be white as jade. Add half a ge of this solution per jin of mercury and stir—it will solidify quickly. Blowing on it with a qi fan can refine it into high-quality silver, and it can also be used to transform cooked mao (an alchemical material) into treasure.

Preparation of other stone solutions:

Methods for the eleventh to twenty-first stone solutions (such as azurite and malachite) are similar to that of the silver crystal solution, except half a liang of wolfberry must be added during boiling. These solutions can all solidify mercury and transform the essences of various birds and beasts.

Special preparation of magnetite black stone solution:

Grind one jin of magnetite and wash it three times with well water. Add two liang of hemp leaf powder and three sheng of bitter wine, then boil together. After filtering, mix in four liang of saltpeter and bury it three chi deep in a shaded spot for forty-nine days. The resulting solution will be black and crystalline. Consuming one ge of it has no special effects.

Notes:

1. The ge mentioned in the text is an ancient small measurement unit, roughly equivalent to 1–2 milliliters today.

2. "Subduing fire" (fuhuo) refers to the alchemical process of fundamentally altering a substance’s properties.

3. These methods reflect the characteristics of ancient "water method alchemy," where ingredients absorb the essence of heaven and earth through burial.

4. Do not attempt these methods today, as they involve toxic substances like mercury.

Interpretation of the Xuanyuan Huangdi Shui Jing Yao Fa (Yellow Emperor's Water Classic Medicinal Methods) in Modern Language:

Chapter 23: Inebriated Maograss Water

This preparation can protect the body from harm amidst weapons and effortlessly dissolve various hard substances.

Preparation method:

1. Grind three liang of arsenic trioxide (a mineral medicine) into powder, place in an iron cauldron, and cover with a bowl lid

2. Add three dou of mulberry leaf ash solution, simmer first with strong then gentle flame

3. When the ash solution has evaporated, remove the substance and refine in a gan crucible

4. Boil ten liang of red mineral (mao) to extract its juice, mix with one liang of the prepared powder

5. After the sizzling stops, pour into boiling liquor and reheat in a black cauldron

6. Repeat this process three times until the substance turns snow-white

7. Finally, boil every ten liang of mao with six liang of mountain-ze gen mineral to obtain white fluid

Effects: The successfully prepared elixir appears white as congealed fat, can be preserved for millennia without deterioration, and possesses world-benefiting properties.

Chapter 24: Amethyst Water

Ingredients: One jin of amethyst, two liang of madder root, three sheng of bitter wine (vinegar), four liang of saltpeter

Preparation steps:

1. Grind amethyst into fine powder, wash three times with well water

2. Add madder root powder and bitter wine, boil in silver/stone vessel until wine evaporates

3. Wash away madder residue, mix thoroughly with saltpeter

4. Bury three chi deep in sun-facing earth for forty-nine days to complete

Effects: The crimson-purple final product can counteract alcohol toxicity when taken in three clam-shell measures, but has no other notable effects.

Chapter 25: Blackstone Water

Ingredients: One jin of blackstone, two liang of chebulic myrobalan, three sheng of bitter wine, four liang of saltpeter

Preparation method:

1. Grind blackstone into powder, wash three times with well water

2. Add myrobalan powder and bitter wine, boil in silver/stone vessel until wine evaporates

3. Wash away myrobalan residue, mix with saltpeter

(Subsequent steps resemble amethyst water preparation)

Note: "Morning well water" refers to the first drawing at dawn; "bitter wine" indicates vinegar. These formulas belong to ancient alchemical traditions—modern readers should not attempt replication.

The Classic of Medicinal Waters by the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan records several extraordinary elixir preparations primarily used for metal transmutation and life extension:

The first is the Elixir of Rejuvenation:

Grind medicinal ingredients into fine powder and bury it three feet deep in sunlit earth. After forty-nine days, retrieve it to obtain a luminous black liquid. Drinking a small cupful restores youthfulness—imparting rosy complexion, turning white hair black, curing illnesses, and extending lifespan by three thousand years.

The second is Yu's Surplus Mineral Water:

1. Grind one jin of yu's surplus mineral into powder, wash three times with well-drawn morning water

2. Add two liang of dianthus powder and three sheng of bitter wine, simmer in silver/stone vessels until wine evaporates

3. Filter and mix with four liang of saltpeter

4. Bury three feet deep in sunlit earth for thirty days to complete

Effects: Transforms silver, copper, iron, or tin into pure gold upon dipping, and solidifies mercury into treasure.

The third is Golden Sprout Mineral Water:

1. Grind one jin of golden sprout mineral, wash three times with morning well water

2. Add four liang of pagoda tree seeds and three sheng of bitter wine, simmer until dry

3. Filter and mix with four liang of saltpeter

4. Bury three feet deep in shaded earth for forty-nine days

Effects: Similarly transmutes base metals into pure gold.

The fourth is Yellow Crow Mineral Water:

1. Grind one jin of yellow crow mineral, wash three times with morning well water

2. Add two liang of lily bulb and three sheng of bitter wine, simmer until dry

3. Filter and mix with four liang of saltpeter

4. Bury three feet deep in sunlit earth for forty-nine days

Distinctive feature: Produces clear ringing sounds when metals are dipped, instantly transforming them into pure gold.

Note: All methods emphasize using silver or stone vessels (never metal or ceramic) and strict adherence to burial depth/duration, reflecting ancient alchemy's ritual precision. "Yellow and white substances" denote gold/silver, while "chuhua" refers to the transformative process.

"Yellow Emperor's Classic of Water and Medicinal Methods" Modern Interpretation:

Article 28: Wheat-Gold Mineral Water

Take one jin of wheat-gold mineral and grind it into fine powder. Wash it three times with well water drawn at dawn (known as "well-flower water"). Add four liang of powdered fairy spleen herb (a medicinal plant) and three sheng of vinegar (bitter wine), then simmer in a silver or stone vessel until the vinegar completely evaporates. Wash again with well water to remove any herbal residue, then add four liang of finely ground saltpeter and process using the same method. Bury the mixture three chi deep in a shaded area for forty-nine days until it transforms into medicinal water. Transfer the resulting deep-yellow liquid into a silver or stone container. This water can be used to transmute yellow and white metals (gold and silver). Immerse the objects in this solution until the bubbling sound ceases, and they will transform into purple gold.

Article 29: Purple Mica Stone Water

Grind one jin of purple mica stone into powder and wash it three times with well-flower water. Take four liang of powdered polygala root (a medicinal herb) and simmer it with three sheng of vinegar in a silver or stone vessel until the vinegar dries. Remove the herb residue with well water, then add four liang of finely ground saltpeter and process as before. Bury the mixture three chi deep in a shaded spot for forty-nine days to produce the medicinal water. This solution can instantly transform yellow and white metals into purple gold, though the resulting quality may vary.

Article 30: Azurite Stone Water

Grind one jin of azurite stone into powder and wash it three times with well-flower water. Add two liang of powdered dalbergia incense (a fragrant resin) and simmer with three sheng of vinegar in a silver or stone vessel until the vinegar evaporates. Remove the incense residue with well water, then add four liang of finely ground saltpeter and process as described earlier. This time, bury the mixture three chi deep in a sunlit location for forty-nine days to obtain an emerald-green medicinal water. Drinking a small cup of this liquid and then rubbing benzoin resin on the philtrum (the center of the upper lip) allows one to face a specific direction in times of danger and depart without looking back—rendering oneself invisible to others. This is a method of concealment.

Articles 31–32: Silver-Sprout Stone Water and White Mother Stone Water

The preparation methods for these two medicinal waters are identical to that of cinnabar water, except for the additional inclusion of one liang of immortal sprout powder. Their transformative effects are as miraculous as divine cinnabar water, but the details cannot be fully disclosed due to their profound mystery. Carelessly revealing this method may bring misfortune upon nine generations of ancestors (jiuzu). Note: Dragon sprout is another name for immortal sprout.

This scripture records various medicinal herbs used in Daoist alchemical practices along with their efficacies. These herbs are all bestowed with the elegant designation of "Dragon Sprouts," with each plant having corresponding alternative names and specific applications:

1. Dujie Longya (Motherwort), Yinxu Longya (Scallion), Didan Longya (Dodder Seed - can be used with arsenic and sulfur), Qingshu Longya (Spring Tree), Dipan Longya (Lotus Leaf Flower), Daosheng Longya (Bamboo Weaving), Cebai Longya (Arborvitae Seeds), Youmiao Longya (Chickweed) - these herbs can be used to refine the "Five Metals and Eight Minerals" (an alchemical term referring to various mineral materials) and preserve the "Fetal Radiance" (the essential essence of the elixir).

2. Xianli Longya (Leek), Huabao Longya (Peony), Yihua Longya (Peony), Yuzhi Longya (Lettuce), Jinmai Longya (Dock), Wuxin Longya (Pinellia - can be used with cinnabar to transform copper) - these herbs assist in refining the "Dan Yang" (a superior elixir) capable of transmuting base metals into precious red gold.

3. Jinsi Longya (Pokeweed), Jinrui Longya (Chrysanthemum), Sangsun Longya (Mulberry Leaf - can be used with sulfur), Changsheng Longya (Frost-resistant Herb), Sanhuang Longya (Rehmannia), Erqi Longya (Lotus Leaf - can subdue mercury), Xianyi Longya (Usnea - can prepare Five Metals and Eight Minerals to transform and subdue cinnabar), Xuanqiu Longya (Eggplant - can transform copper) - these herbs can prevent the dissipation of sulfur.

4. Zijin Longya (Pokeweed), Biyu Longya (Bamboo), Muer Longya (Jew's Ear Mushroom), Baixue Longya (Scabies Herb), Dijin Longya (Clothes Pattern), Tianren Longya (Acorus), Cisha Longya (Arisaema), Weigan Longya (Sugarcane - can transform copper) - these herbs can prevent the dissipation of realgar.

5. Tianyan Longya (Lotus Flower), Naidong Longya (Selfheal), Zhongyang Longya (Yellow Herb), Qinglong Longya (Kudzu Vine), Yongqing Longya (Pine Tree), Jinjing Longya (Euphorbia), Chanshu Longya (Trumpet Vine), Qinzhu Longya (Pine Dwelling), Jinse Longya (Dodder Seed), Yuying Longya (Willow Catkins), Diding Longya (Plantain Seed), Chizhao Longya (Spinach), Tiesuo Longya (Half-shell), Weitang Longya (Duli'er) - these herbs can be used to refine mercury; when combined with cinnabar through nine cycles of refinement (jiuzhuan), they become Great Medicine (superior elixirs).

This passage essentially constitutes a comprehensive manual of alchemical herbs, documenting the specific applications of various plants in alchemical practices—including how to combine them with mineral materials—and the alchemical effects they can achieve.

This scripture records various herbal aliases and their efficacies used in ancient alchemical practices, primarily detailing how these plants were employed in elixir refinement. The text enumerates over twenty herbs collectively called "dragon sprouts," each annotated in parentheses with their common names:

For instance, "Jade Vessel Dragon Sprout" refers to radish, "Black Stone Dragon Sprout" to black beans, "Golden Garden Dragon Sprout" to Sichuan pepper, and "Sweet Dew Dragon Sprout" to licorice root. Some plants could be combined with cinnabar for refinement ("subduing cinnabar"), others with metallic minerals ("subduing the five metals and eight minerals"), while certain varieties could alter cinnabar's color to enhance its value ("transforming its hue to shine like treasure").

A concluding quatrain summarizes the method: when collecting these dragon sprout herbs at their peak vitality, one must harvest the entire plant—roots, shoots, leaves, and branches—then refine them through specific techniques to produce genuine spiritual medicine capable of subduing and transmuting even metallic ores.

(Note: This ancient alchemical text uses "subduing" to describe herbal processing that alters mineral properties. "Five metals and eight minerals" denotes various metallic substances, as practitioners believed such refinement could produce immortality elixirs or transmute base metals.)