《紅鉛入黑鉛訣》

The "Red Lead into Black Lead Formula" Explained in Plain Language:

This scripture describes key operational procedures in ancient alchemical practice:

1. Alchemical Vessel Construction:

• Special clay (native soil) is shaped into an egg-shaped container (shenshi, or "divine chamber"), approximately 7 inches long and 5 inches wide
• Characteristics of premium clay: fine texture resembling yellow wax in color, or appearing bluish-black, gritty when ground, sometimes containing cinnabar particles
• The red lead (alchemical material) is sealed within this container, completely encased in a one-finger-thick layer of clay

2. Furnace Specifications:

• Total furnace height: 1 chi 2 cun (approx. 14 inches), circumference: 1 chi 5 cun (approx. 18 inches)
• Internal space: 5 cun (approx. 6 inches), wall thickness: 1 cun 1 fen (approx. 1.3 inches)
• Top opening resembles an inverted pot with a 3 chi 2 cun (approx. 38 inches) wide rim
• Maintain internal water level at 8 cun (approx. 9.5 inches) depth

3. Material Ratios and Fire Regulation:

• Combine 8 taels of yang mercury (alchemical mercury) with 8 taels of yin mercury in the cauldron
• Ignite at specific auspicious times (yang day, yang hour)
• Fire control: initial stage uses 5 taels of fuel for one day-night cycle, later increased to 13 taels, finally reaching 1 jin (16 taels)
• After continuous refinement for 30 days, 2 taels of the product can transmute 1 jin of mercury into silver, with further capacity to transform copper

4. Special Terminology Explained:

• Black lead (innate lead): purified lead processed through ash baths to remove impurities
• River chariot (heche): refers to the cyclical transformation process of elixir within the cauldron
• Direct correspondence (zhifu): indicates fire regulation methods synchronized with specific temporal requirements

Note: The term "fu shi" refers to a 24-hour cycle, while "dianhua" (transmutation) describes using elixirs to alter metal properties. These procedures involve ancient chemical experiments—modern readers should not attempt replication.

This passage discusses the essential techniques of fire regulation and cauldron usage in ancient Daoist alchemy (Neidan), divided into several key aspects:

Concerning the construction of the alchemical cauldron:

One must fashion an egg-shaped vessel with perfectly smooth interior and exterior surfaces. The two halves should fit together as precisely as male and female counterparts, with a three-inch wide opening tapering to a pointed base two inches deep.

Regarding fire regulation:

1. Daily fire intensity corresponds to specific temporal periods: three liang (taels) during the Zi hour (midnight), four liang during the Yin hour (3-5am), five liang during the Mao hour (5-7am), etc.

2. During golden elixir (Jindan) refinement, fire and water must be proportionally balanced (one jin of fire to one jin of water), with water gradually reduced as fire intensity increases.

3. The six periods from Zi to Si hours (midnight to noon) belong to Yang, requiring gradual fire increase; the six periods from Wu to Hai hours (noon to midnight) belong to Yin, requiring gradual fire decrease.

4. Daily fire modulation should be divided into 384 increments (zhu), with 64 zhu adjustments per two-hour period, executed in gradual progression.

Concerning monthly fire regulation:

1. Each lunar month divides into six phases (liuhou) of five days each.

2. Phase one begins with one liang of fire, increasing by one liang every 30 hours to reach two liang by the sixth day.

3. Phase two starts at three liang, gradually increasing to four.

4. Phase three increases from five to six liang.

5. Phase four begins fire reduction from six back to five liang.

6. Phase five decreases from four to three liang.

7. Phase six reduces from two to one liang.

8. The alchemical cauldron must be replaced monthly (called "cauldron renewal"), with nine cauldrons used consecutively over nine months.

These methods represent the precise fire control techniques ancient Daoist practitioners employed when refining the "Returned Elixir" (Huandan), emphasizing focused attention and gradual, systematic adjustments.

This scripture primarily explains the operational methods of two Daoist alchemical practices: fire regulation and elixir preparation.

The first section details furnace fire control techniques:

During the alchemical process, whenever replacing the cauldron (changing containers) or entering a new lunar month, the fire intensity must be adjusted according to specific patterns. In the initial months, increase the fire by one or two liang (Chinese ounce) each time, reaching nine liang by the ninth month's beginning. Thereafter, increase by one liang every thirty shichen (ancient time unit, 1 shichen = 2 hours) - at sixty shichen, the second phase uses eleven liang, and so forth. After peaking at fourteen liang in the fourth phase, gradually decrease until reaching ten liang in the sixth phase. Beyond the ninth month, maintain a base fire intensity, adding red-hot charcoal during adjustments to keep flames visibly surfacing while strictly controlling measurements.

The second section explains elixir preparation and ingestion methods:

1. Duration and efficacy:

• 15 days of refinement: One liang can transmute one jin (catty) of mercury into "White Dao" (basic elixir)
• 30 days: Two liang becomes ingestible
• 18 months: Half liang transmutes one jin of mercury; ingesting 1.5 liang prevents all ailments
• 2 years: One fen (ancient weight unit) transmutes one jin mercury; ingest three fen or half liang
• 3 years: Minute amount (knife-point measure) creates "Red Dao" (advanced elixir) from one jin mercury; one fen grants immortality
• 5 years: Trace amounts transmute iron and mercury; ingest seven sesame-sized pills
• 9 years: Transforms all metals/minerals; three pills expel the Three Corpses and Nine Worms (Daoist pathogenic entities), granting longevity to humans and animals

2. Ingestion method:

Mix elixir with honey to form sesame-sized pills. Consume the prescribed amount during eight solar terms (major seasonal nodes) or on jiazi days (60-day cycle), facing the sun while kneeling, chanting incantations before ingestion.

The third section describes mercury transmutation:

Grind medicinal powder with mercury, place in a pot, sprinkle additional powder as covering, seal with porcelain, wrap in damp paper, then heat within ashes.

This passage describes the "red lead entering black lead" refining method from ancient Daoist Waidan (external alchemy) metallurgy, specifically the techniques of yellow-and-white alchemy (ancient transmutation practices). Here's a plain explanation:

The refining process begins with half a jin of material (red lead) that is gradually heated, much like cooking rice, with the fire intensity slowly increased over approximately half a day until the substance turns completely red. Once the material solidifies into a hard mass, continued firing transforms it into a liquid state. The resulting substance becomes precious alchemical material.

Key operational details:

• The dosage depends on the practitioner's years of cultivation. Typically, this elixir is used to transmute mercury into gold or silver.
• Adding two liang of this "mercurial silver" (alchemical product) per jin of copper or brass (known as tou stone) produces refined silver.
• This "mercurial silver" can be recycled for further mercury refinement.

Dosage ratios by cultivation years:

• 1 year cultivation: 3 liang of elixir transmutes 1 jin of mercury
• 2 years cultivation: 2 liang transmutes 1 jin of mercury
• 3 years cultivation: 1 liang transmutes 1 jin of mercury

Detailed refining method:

1. Place mercury in a sealed alchemical cauldron, burying it in ash (about 5 cun thick)

2. Apply graduated firing: first 5 liang of fire for one day-night cycle, then increase to 7 liang, then 12 liang, finally reaching 1 jin of fire intensity

3. After half a day of intense "martial fire" heating until red-hot, open the cauldron

4. Just 1 liang of this elixir can transmute 1 jin of mercury into silver

Important notes:

• The alchemical cauldron requires annual replacement
• Dosage decreases progressively with cultivation experience
• This process ultimately yields precious elixirs

(Note: "White purity" refers to the elixir's grade of refinement, while "fu period" denotes an ancient time unit approximately equal to one day-night cycle)