《種芝草法》

Method for Cultivating Numinous Mushrooms

The Yellow Emperor asked: "May I inquire about the method for cultivating numinous mushrooms as recorded in the Stone Chamber?"

The response cites the words of Laozi from the Seventh Scripture: "People of the world know that life is joyful and death is sorrowful, yet they do not understand where life truly comes from. Though thousands of medicinal substances enter the body, the most they can achieve is extending life to a thousand years—a few centuries at best. In the end, they cannot elevate one to immortality or grant an audience with the Celestial Sovereign (the highest deity in Daoism)."

Among woody medicines, pine resin is the finest, for when pine trees grow, they produce abundant resin, and their fruits can be consumed. Among herbal medicines, the most effective are ronghua (glory flower), huangjing (Solomon’s seal), tianmendong (asparagus root), and shanjiao (mountain yam). These must be taken daily without interruption for a hundred days before effects manifest. Yet even they cannot grant longevity equal to heaven and earth. Later alchemists exaggerated their claims and misled students—this grieves me deeply.

Substances like the Eight Minerals, the Ninefold Cycled Golden Elixir, mica, and jade nectar require abstaining from sexual activity and meat during consumption, yet they still cannot make the body light enough for ascension. It is said that immortals consume ziying (purple essence)—is this mere empty talk?

In the places where yin and yang converge within famous mountains, upstream from clear springs, and among trees and rocks, numinous mushrooms also grow. These mushrooms absorb the essence of mountains, waters, wood, and earth. They can also be cultivated on cinnabar, gold, zengqing (azurite), and realgar. However, unless one possesses supreme virtue (De) that moves the spirits, even encountering them will not allow one to see them, and seeing them will not allow one to consume them.

The reason these mushrooms can instantly confer immortality is that they absorb the essence of four substances, embody the harmonious qi of heaven and earth’s yin and yang, and form their vital fluids through medicinal vapor—all in accordance with the natural order of creation. Their efficacy far surpasses that of the four substances themselves. Nowadays, people merely grind these substances and ingest them—this is the crudest method. Instead, they should be finely chopped and placed in an alchemical furnace. When the essence rises, it should be collected and consumed—this effect surpasses that of a hundred herbal medicines.

The key lies in obtaining the purest qi of heaven and earth, guiding the essence of these four substances to ascend and form new life—would this not be far more effective? When the essence rises to the furnace’s crown, it is time for me to depart. Thinking of all beings destined to return to dust—how sorrowful! Now I record this discourse on the Celestial Mushroom—only those with an innate destiny for immortality may obtain it. If one’s ancestors bear transgressions and one lacks sufficient sincerity..."

This scripture records the Daoist longevity practice known as the "Method for Growing Numinous Mushrooms," detailing cultivation techniques for spring, summer, and autumn seasons:

At the beginning of spring (Lichun), dig a three-foot square pit in the yin position (northeast) east of one's dwelling. Wrap sheep dung with powdered azurite (a mineral pigment), mix in seeds of Celosia argentea, and cover with soil. After seven days, azure clouds will appear, and in one hundred days, blue-green lingzhi mushrooms will grow. Harvest them at dawn on yin-mao days (tiger-rabbit days) wrapped in blue cloth while performing the Yu Steps (a Daoist ritual walking pattern). After sun-drying for a hundred days, grind and ingest them—tradition claims this enables celestial ascension within three months.

At summer's onset (Lixia), excavate an eight-foot square pit south of a southern mountain. Blend cinnabar and realgar powders with Scrophularia ningpoensis roots before covering. Crimson clouds manifest after sixteen days, yielding red lingzhi in eighty days. Gather them at noon on si-wu days (snake-horse days) wrapped in red cloth. When consumed after drying at daybreak, this allegedly cures all ailments and grants supernatural abilities like water-walking.

For autumn commencement (Liqiu), dig a six-foot square pit north of a western mountain. Combine molten gold with crane's-knee grass and clear wine—said to attract white cranes. The text sternly warns: These methods require absolute secrecy and should never be casually transmitted. Practitioners must withdraw from worldly affairs and abstain from meat, lest calamity strike. Each mushroom type demands specific harvesting protocols and consumption taboos, with strict adherence to celestial timings, directional alignments, and ritual purity.

This scripture describes a secret method for cultivating and harvesting lingzhi (the immortal mushroom in Daoist tradition), along with its miraculous effects after ingestion. Here is the modern interpretation:

Method for cultivating yellow lingzhi:

1. First cover the soil with an ancient hu measure vessel - after six days, white clouds will gather above it

2. After sixty days, yellow qi (vital energy) will rise like steam from the soil to connect with the white clouds

3. In one hundred days, yellow lingzhi will grow, appearing like young sprouts

4. Harvesting must occur during the shen-you hours (3-7 pm) on shen-you days, spreading a six-foot white silk cloth in sunlight

5. Perform the Yu Steps (a special Daoist walking ritual), harvest with a golden knife, bow twice before leaving without looking back

6. After shade-drying for one hundred days, take three finger-pinches to ingest

Effects: Rejuvenates the elderly, turns white hair black, regrows lost teeth, enables aerial flight, with celestial maidens attending

Method for cultivating purple lingzhi:

1. On the winter solstice, dig a five-foot deep pit on a mountain's northern shade

2. Bury three jin of realgar (mineral medicine) in bronze vessels, pouring two jin of sesame oil

3. Cover with another jin of realgar powder - after five days, black clouds will gather

4. In fifty days purple qi will connect with the black energy, growing purple lingzhi in one hundred days

5. At night it emits light illuminating one li (about 500 meters)

6. Harvest on specific days with a horn knife and five-foot black silk, performing rituals without looking back

7. After shade-drying for one hundred days, ingest while facing north at designated hours

Effects: Reverses aging - the Life-Sovereign Taiyi deity dispatches immortal officials to guide the practitioner, granting a celestial body impervious to fire/water and all toxins

Final exposition:

The yin-yang energies of heaven and earth generate all things, just as yang mirrors draw fire and yin mirrors draw water naturally. When cinnabar is alchemically processed into mercury, it demonstrates universal transformability. These four types of lingzhi all confer immortality - after ingestion, one transcends mundane food and gains command over dragons, tigers, and spirits. The text emphasizes these transformations manifest through authentic yin-yang resonance.

(Note: The described procedures involve esoteric Daoist rituals - modern readers should not attempt them casually)

This scripture reveals the esoteric method and efficacy of cultivating "Zhi Grass Planting" (zhong zhi cao), an important Daoist practice involving the ingestion of sacred herbs:

The cultivation process must be guarded as carefully as locking treasure in a golden cabinet, for celestial secrets must never be carelessly disclosed. Only those with innate immortal bones (xian gu) will encounter this method. Practitioners must diligently maintain upright physical posture during cultivation.

When cultivated with sincere devotion, the Director of Destinies (Siming), the Daoist deity governing life spans, will erase one's name from the register of death. This grants longevity matching heaven and earth, enabling free travel through the Nine Heavens (jiu tian, the Daoist cosmological concept of nine celestial layers) and unimpeded movement through the Six Directions (liu he, the spatial dimensions of the universe).

At advanced stages, practitioners attain vast spiritual powers (shentong) and omniscient awareness, with blessings extending limitlessly. Such are the ultimate achievements of the Zhi Grass Planting method.

(Note: Zhi Grass Planting constitutes a crucial ingestion practice in Daoism. By consuming specially cultivated numinous herbs like lingzhi mushrooms combined with breath regulation techniques, practitioners achieve life extension and ascension to immortality.)