《神仙養生祕術》

"Secret Arts of Divine Immortals for Nourishing Life" Chapter 10: The Spiritual Cinnabar Chapter (Modern Interpretation)

This records alchemical methods transmitted by a Daoist master from Mount Taibai during the Tang dynasty, later documented by official Liu Jingxian of the Later Zhao period, and collated by the Song dynasty Daoist practitioner Baoyizi. It primarily describes three types of elixir preparation methods:

First Method [Ling Sha (Spiritual Cinnabar)] Formula:

• Spiritual Cinnabar Stone (7 jin)
• Mercury (1 jin)
• Sulfur (4 liang)

Preparation Steps:

1. First melt the sulfur, then add mercury and stir-fry until it forms a sandy texture before removing from heat

2. Select specialized ceramic vessels from renowned production centers like Xiangyin, Jiading, or sand-fired pots. Seal the opening with refractory clay (Ganni) to create a three-inch thick layer, allowing it to dry in shade

3. Invert an iron oil lamp holder over the vessel mouth, keeping water inside the lamp at all times

4. Seal the joint with clay, leaving a small vent hole, and secure the lamp with iron wire

5. Place in a furnace with charcoal (120 jin) and smelt from dawn until next morning

6. At noon, open the furnace, break the vessel to extract the elixir, then grind into fine powder called "Heart Vermilion"

7. Alternative methods exist for refining Spiritual Cinnabar specifically

Second Method [Heart Vermilion] Formula:

• Mercury (1 jin)
• Sulfur (4 liang)

Preparation follows similar steps with key differences:

1. After grinding, repeatedly process with five buckets of water using basins or urns

2. After settling, distinct layers emerge: top layer becomes Plate Vermilion, middle layer Secondary Vermilion, and bottom layer Heart Vermilion

3. Separate layers with a knife, sun-dry, then preserve wrapped in silver paper

Third Method [Fixed Mercury] Formula:

• Mercury (1 jin)
• Black Tin (1 jin)
• Mountain-Marsh Silver (1 jin)

Special Technique:

1. Craft separate containers from black tin and mountain-marsh silver

2. First seal the mercury inside the silver container

3. Then place the silver container inside the tin container (creating double encapsulation)

(Note: These alchemical processes involve heavy metal manipulation and should not be replicated today. Historical terms: "Xiangyin/Jiading vessels" refer to famous alchemical ware production centers of the era; "Ganni" indicates refractory sealing material; "Fushi" denotes specific temporal cycles in traditional Chinese timekeeping)

Secret Techniques of Immortal Nourishment in Plain Interpretation:

The fourth method, "Whitening Transformation":

Prepare a silver container placed inside an iron tripod (alchemical vessel), add red halloysite and raw honey to seal the opening, binding it tightly with iron wire. Place it in a quiet alchemical chamber, heating with 250 jin of charcoal from the Xu hour (7-9 PM) until the Mao hour (5-7 AM) the next day when the tripod is opened. At this stage, the black tin and mercury will have transformed, yielding two jin of "mountain-marsh" (a Daoist alchemical term referring to a specific mineral compound) ready for various applications.

Formula: Grind to fine powder equal four-ounce portions of sal ammoniac, chalcanthite, realgar, orpiment, niter, dried alum, mountain-marsh, and green salt. Prepare one liter of solution using camphor willow root, salt, wine, and vinegar. Take four ounces of Yunnan copper and place it in a crucible (small alchemical furnace), heating with bellows until molten. Add two qian of sal ammoniac and stir thoroughly, followed by two liang of the prepared medicinal powder and one liang of mountain-marsh. Continue bellows-blending until complete, then cool to obtain precious material for versatile crafting.

The fifth method, "Hair Removal":

Grind equal one-ounce portions of mountain-marsh, white alum, sal ammoniac, mercury, white iron, chalcanthite, and niter. First temper half a jin of copper in a crucible until achieving peach-blossom coloration. Place two liang of copper in a charcoal furnace, adding five qian of mountain-marsh and half qian of sal ammoniac while operating bellows. Incorporate two-and-half qian of the prepared powder. After cooling, process the material through a "slippery pool" (cooling vessel) three times before re-smelting to obtain rare material for crafting exceptional implements.

The sixth method, "Contraction Technique":

Cast ten jin of white tin into plates measuring three inches long and one inch wide, each with a small hole at the top threaded with an iron pin the size of a mung bean. When used, suspend these plates in a pool without touching the bottom. Objects created through this method possess extraordinary efficacy rarely seen in the mundane world.

(Note: The frequently mentioned "mountain-marsh" refers to specially prepared mineral compounds in Daoist alchemy; "crucible" denotes ancient small-scale alchemical furnaces; "slippery pool" indicates cooling vessels or water containers for material processing)

The Secret Arts of Divine Immortals' Nourishing Life records several ancient alchemical techniques and craft secrets, here explained in accessible terms:

【Secret Metalworking Method】

Metal plaques are smelted in iron cauldrons through four stages: the first forging lasts 21 days before recasting, the second 81 days, the third 150 days, and the fourth 300 days. The final "subdued fire" process (a Neidan term referring to prolonged calcination that stabilizes material properties) takes 600 days, after which the object is hammered into shape. For refined implements, an additional 600-day forging creates treasures that remain unchanged for millennia.

【Compost Pit Construction】

Build a circular brick compost pit 2 zhang 7 chi in diameter (~8m) and 5 chi deep (~1.5m), sealed with hemp-reinforced lime mortar. Erect a latrine above for waste collection. Construction must be conducted secretly, accompanied by offerings of spirit money (ritual paper offerings) to deities. Disclosure of this method is strictly forbidden.

【Verdigris Production】

Cast 10 jin of copper into plates. Boil vinegar in a copper vessel with 1 jin of sal ammoniac (mineral salt). Continuously pour this solution over the copper plates for two hours, then scrape off the formed verdigris (basic copper carbonate). Repeat until only 30% of the copper remains, then roast the verdigris for use.

【Beaded Thread Crafting】

Grind yellow ox kneecaps into pea-sized beads and drill holes. Prepare over 100 silver foils and 1 qian of "golden foot dust" (likely gold powder). Grind ingredients finely, mix with saliva, and wash seven times. When threading beads, apply silver foil through reed tubes and secure with cotton. Re-process if luster fades until colors become permanent. This method creates adjustable jewelry.

【Eight Immortals Formula】

Records an eight-flower prescription:

Equal 2-liang portions of mulberry flowers, pagoda tree flowers, gardenia blossoms, honey locust flowers, white crane orchids, buddleia flowers, coltsfoot, and kerria flowers are ground into powder. Melt 1 jin of honey in a copper pot, add aged scallion whites, and adjust consistency using the "honey dripping water" method (likely viscosity regulation with honey).

(Note: Specialized terms like "subdued fire" preserve Daoist alchemical characteristics. Some techniques involve heavy metal manipulation—modern readers should not attempt replication.)

This records six ancient Daoist medicinal formulations for health preservation, all being topical ointments prepared by grinding various flowers and herbs into powder then blending with honey:

The first formula:

Grind the medicinal ingredients into fine powder. Take one jin of honey and melt it in a bronze pot over heat. Add 5-7 scallion whites aged over one year, stirring by hand until the honey forms cohesive droplets when dripped into water. At this point, add one liang of medicinal powder and half qian of turmeric powder. Remove from heat while stirring thoroughly, then place the pot in a water bath to cool and solidify. The ointment can be used as needed.

The other five formulas follow the same basic preparation method, differing mainly in their herbal combinations:

• The second formula uses seven types of flowers including pine pollen and viola, one liang each
• The third formula uses eight medicinal ingredients including hibiscus and dodder flowers
• The fourth formula uses eight flowers including pine pollen and datura
• The fifth formula uses seven flowers including calendula and cassia occidentalis
• The sixth and most complex formula contains sixteen ingredients including chrysanthemum and datura

Key preparation principles:

1. Must use a bronze pot for heating the honey

2. Must test honey viscosity using scallions aged over one year

3. All medicinal ingredients must first be ground into fine powder

4. Turmeric powder must be added at the end (half to one qian each time)

5. The finished product requires water bath cooling to solidify

These formulas belong to the external application methods of Daoist "ingestion" (fushi) health preservation practices, absorbing floral essences through the skin for nourishing effects. Note that ingredients like datura and henbane contain alkaloids—modern usage requires caution.

The Secret Arts of Divine Immortals for Nourishing Life records several methods for preparing ancient longevity elixirs:

First Formula:

Take one liang each of pearl flower, wild cherry blossom, peony, spring flower, white peony root, medicinal flower, and golden bellflower (dried and ground into fine powder). Melt five jin of honey in a bronze cauldron, add five jin of juice pressed from aged scallions, then mix in one and a half jin of the herbal powder to form a dough. Shape into marble-sized pills (each weighing two and a half qian). For use, melt one jin of honey in a bronze cauldron, add one pill, and wait until fully dissolved (when sweetness disappears) and droplets hold their form in water. If color appears too pale, add one qian of turmeric powder.

Seventh Formula:

Combine one liang each of bluebell flower, honeylocust blossom, ginkgo flower, mulberry flower, dogwood flower, wintersweet, and watermelon flower. Melt one jin of honey in a bronze cauldron, stir in aged scallion whites until thickened (droplets hold in water), then add one liang of herbal powder and one qian of turmeric. Remove from heat and mix thoroughly before use.

Eighth Formula:

Grind equal parts of golden corydalis, white corydalis, trichosanthes root, licorice, mulberry yellow, and buguyn into powder. Melt one jin of honey in a bronze cauldron, stir in aged scallion whites until thickened, then add half a liang of herbal powder and half a qian of turmeric. Remove from heat and blend. A verse states: "Golden corydalis paired with trichosanthes root, licorice, mulberry yellow and buguyn combined—one jin of hundred flowers with half a liang of herbs, this method surpasses gold refinement for nourishing life."

Ninth Formula (Sacred Wax Method):

Combine ten jin of mung bean flour, two jin of gardenia, and one jin of goose-yellow wax. Melt in a bronze cauldron, then add one jin of flour (incorporate one liang of pine pollen if available, otherwise use half a jin). Remove from heat, mix thoroughly, and pour into a dry container for storage.

Tenth Formula:

Grind five jin of gypsum and four liang of turmeric into fine powder. Melt one jin of wax, blend in half a jin of the herbal mixture, then remove from heat and stir before transferring to a dry container.

Eleventh Formula:

Mix ten jin of benzoin resin with five jin of eggplant stem ash. Boil the benzoin in one bucket of water until all vapor dissipates completely.

The Secret Arts of Divine Immortals for Nourishing Life contains several ancient recipes for crafting health-preserving wax pills. Here is a modern interpretation of the methods:

Recipe Twelve:

Melt the ingredients in a copper pot over heat, using one jin (approx. 500g) of material. Add one jin of turmeric and two qian (approx. 7.5g) of other medicinal herbs. After removing from heat, stir thoroughly and pour into a dry basin to cool and solidify.

Recipe Thirteen (Sunflower Seed Wax):

Take one dou (approx. 10 jin or 5kg) of aged sunflower seeds, roast until fragrant, remove the husks, and grind into powder. Mix with one liang (approx. 37.5g) of turmeric powder. Separately, melt ten jin of wax in a copper pot, then combine with the powdered mixture. Remove from heat, stir well, and pour into a dry mold to set.

Recipe Fourteen (White Wax Method):

Melt five jin of Chinese tallow tree oil in a copper pot, strain, and mix with ten jin of melted wax. After removing from heat, stir thoroughly and divide into three portions.

Recipe Fifteen (Yellow Wax Method):

Boil four liang of pine pollen, two jin of yellow rice flour, and two liang of gardenia fruit in water to create dye, then sun-dry. Melt one jin of wax in a copper pot and combine with the dyed mixture. Remove from heat and pour into a basin to solidify.

Recipe Sixteen (Compound Medicinal Wax):

Grind one jin of mung bean flour, one jin of calcite, half a jin of sunflower seed powder, one jin of clam shell powder, and one and a half liang of turmeric into fine powder. Mix with five jin of melted wax and divide into three portions. Additional fragrant herbs should also be melted and stirred in.

Recipe Seventeen (Pine Pollen Wax):

Grind four liang each of pine pollen, alum, calcite, and clam shell powder into fine powder. Combine with three jin of melted wax and divide into two portions.

Supplementary Method for Light Powder (Mercury Sublimate):

Take one jin of mercury and four liang of sulfur. First melt the sulfur, then add the mercury and stir-fry until it forms a sandy texture. Combine with four liang of litharge and two liang of saltpeter, then ferment (three days in spring/summer, seven days in autumn/winter). Finally, spread the mixture on an iron tray, cover with a ceramic basin sealed with red stone and honey syrup, and process.

(Note: Mercury, sulfur, and other substances mentioned here are toxic. These ancient alchemical methods are provided for historical reference only—do not attempt to replicate them.)

Secret Arts of Divine Immortals' Nourishment of Life – Modern Interpretation:

1. Alchemical Method (Waidan):

Seal the medicinal ingredients in a vessel using grease, then apply alternating gentle and intense charcoal fires beneath it. Begin firing at dawn and cease at midday. After cooling, open the container to find the medicine congealed on the basin's surface. Collect this substance with a wooden spatula for storage in a wooden box, with each dose measuring four liang. The basin's base will yield a frost-like powder (a white crystalline substance), while the upper layer produces calomel (a mercury compound) – representing an exceptionally refined alchemical technique.

2. Seven-Jewel Warm-Cool Sulfur Cup:

Formula: Imported sulfur (one jin divided into four portions of four liang each), cinnabar, heart-red pigment, chalcanthite, calomel, indigo, lead carbonate, and verdigris – each ingredient one liang, individually powdered. For use, place three qian of the mixture in a small cup (preferably a Chuzhou porcelain vessel), add water, and cover with raw silk cloth (with a central hole) on a tea tray. May be steeped in wine overnight for morning consumption on an empty stomach. Taken warm in winter and cool in summer, it treats various types of lower abdominal deficiency-cold disorders.

3. Simple Sulfur Cup:

For treating lower abdominal deficiency-cold, follow the same preparation method as the Seven-Jewel Cup, using only one piece of sulfur (size irrelevant).

4. Bronze Whitening Technique:

Formula: Chalcanthite, dried alum, refined silver ash, mercury, deer antler ash, and sal ammoniac (each five qian). First melt white iron in a crucible, blend with mercury while hot, then powder the mixture. Separately melt silver with sal ammoniac and borax, then pulverize. Finally powder the dried alum, chalcanthite, and deer antler ash. Combine all eight ingredients into a fine powder. Clean bronze ware three times with soapberry water before applying the powder with a leaf rub, then wrap in paper. Repeat weekly for three weeks as one course – a closely guarded method not to be casually disclosed.

5. Sacred Candle Crafting:

Formula: Four liang white fragrant resin, four liang sulfur, and four liang sophora pods (harvested in August). Crush the sophora pods first, then blend and melt with the resin and sulfur before pouring into seven-inch bamboo tubes. One such candle can burn continuously for a month – a truly marvelous creation.

6. Oil-Conservation Formula:

(Original text provides no specific content)

This passage records several ancient Daoist health-preservation formulas and preparation techniques, which I will explain in detail:

1. Duckweed Herb Formula

Collect duckweed, roof pine (Wason), milkwort (Polygala), yellow lead oxide, and clam powder during the sixth lunar month. Take one liang (approx. 37g) of each ingredient and grind into fine powder. For application: mix one qian (approx. 3.7g) of medicinal powder per liang of oil. This prepared medicinal oil can be used for one month.

2. Sacred Candle Crafting Method

Gather two jin (approx. 1.2kg) of sophora pods harvested in August, one jin of white benzoin resin, and four liang of sulfur. First crush the sophora pods, then melt the benzoin in a clay pot. Add the crushed sophora and simmer together before finally incorporating the sulfur, stirring evenly with a sophora branch. Pour the mixture into bamboo tubes seven cun (approx. 23cm) long and thumb-thick. After drying in shade, remove the candle wicks. Each candle prepared this way can burn for sixty days.

3. Ink Stick Preparation

Using ten liang of pine soot ink and four liang of donkey-hide gelatin, boil with patchouli, spikenard, ginger juice, and Chinese honey locust pods. After filtering, add three gold leaves and two silver leaves to mix with the ink soot. Pound ten thousand times to form ink cakes. Season in ash beds for varying durations according to seasons: five days in spring, three in summer, seven in autumn, and ten in winter.

4. Special Honey Processing ("Dead Honey")

Place one jin of pure honey in an oil-free iron pan, adding ten old scallions from the previous year to boil. When scallions soften, replace with ten fresh scallions and continue simmering. Alternate between gentle and vigorous heating, testing by dripping into water: qualified honey should neither disperse nor stick to teeth or hands. The processed honey will turn golden yellow.

5. Hundred Flowers Paste Formula

Use one and a half liang of the white inner layer of horsehide, combined with one and a half liang each of mulberry flowers, honeylocust flowers, sophora flowers, asparagus root, scallion flowers, dodder seeds, wintersweet flowers, buddleia flowers, and chrysanthemums. Grind into fine powder and mix thoroughly. Add one and a half liang of this powder per jin of honey, stir evenly, then pour into cold water to solidify into blocks. This "dead honey" secret formula can be used freely.

These formulas demonstrate ancient Daoist utilization of natural materials and specialized processing techniques, primarily for health cultivation and ritual purposes. Note that some ingredients (such as sulfur and heavy metals) in these ancient formulas may pose safety concerns for modern usage.

This scripture records several secret formulas and methods for Daoist health cultivation and spiritual practice. Let me explain them one by one:

1. Elixir Formulas for Health Cultivation:

• The first elixir uses ingredients like honey locust flowers, licorice, and trichosanthes root, boiled together with hundred-flower honey. After filtering, the mixture is shaped into medicinal cakes. The scripture states this holds greater value than alchemical gold-making.
• The Miaoling Dan (Marvelous Spirit Elixir) formula: Grind eucommia bark, schizonepeta, and poria cocos into powder, then chew with cypress leaves. It's said to satisfy hunger during emergencies.
• The Zhiming Dan (Life-Knowing Elixir) formula: Combine nine ingredients including costus root, poria cocos, and mercury, fused with pine resin and yellow wax into pills. Take with glutinous rice porridge first, then swallow with frankincense tea. Reportedly sustains practitioners for days without hunger.

2. Mantra Water Method:

• Chant the incantation "Om, Thunderbolt Fire Lord, by Imperial Decree I Summon" while visualizing solar energy blowing into water. Drink the water while maintaining the mantra, said to aid mental clarity during grain abstention (bigu).

3. Bigu (Grain Abstention) Testimony:

• Records how Tang Dynasty imperial physician Yan Zhongshan survived wartime chaos by leading his family in consuming these elixirs, successfully practicing bigu for 49 days to preserve their lives.

4. Immortal Wine Formula:

• Brewed from glutinous rice, yeast, and malt, likely serving as medicinal wine to assist cultivation practices.

These methods reflect the Daoist tradition of prolonging life through elixir consumption and bigu practice. They involve special ingredients and administration methods that modern practitioners should not attempt lightly, particularly formulas containing toxic substances like mercury. The techniques demonstrate the integration of material alchemy (waidan) with spiritual cultivation in classical Daoist practice.

The Secret Arts of Divine Immortals for Nourishing Life contains several health-preserving formulas, which can be explained in modern terms as follows:

The first is a wine-making recipe:

Take one liang (approx. 30g) each of cinnamon bark, black aconite, honey, and Sichuan pepper, two liang of ginger, two liang of peeled apricot kernels, and one jin (approx. 500g) of shenqu (a fermentation starter). Grind all ingredients into fine powder. Steam two sheng (approx. 2 liters) of millet until cooked, mix with the powdered herbs, and seal in a jar for three days. Remove and pound into walnut-sized pellets, then reseal for seven days. When preparing the wine, steep one pellet in five sheng of hot water, cover with damp paper, and the aroma of wine will soon emerge.

The second is the Longevity Formula with Rehmannia:

Sun-dry fresh Rehmannia root (a Chinese herb), grind it into powder, and mix with honey to form pellets the size of phoenix tree seeds. Take three times daily with wine for 39 consecutive days. After 100 days, the complexion will glow; three years of use may prolong life.

The third is the Tribulus Formula:

Collect Tribulus fruit in July or August, dry it, remove thorns, and grind into powder. Take two spoonfuls three times daily with plain water without interruption. After one year, the body resists both cold and heat; after two years, white hair darkens and teeth regenerate; after three years, the body becomes light and vigorous.

The fourth is the Grain Abstinence Formula:

Stir-fry four sheng of black soybeans until cooked, remove skins, then boil four sheng of hemp seeds and mash them. Take one spoonful three times daily with water. After ten days, one can fast without hunger and withstand extreme temperatures.

The fifth is the Sophora Seed Formula:

Gather Sophora seeds in early October, place them in a porcelain jar, and seal upside-down with a bowl for 21 days. This formula promises ageless longevity, though the original text omits specific usage details.

These formulas represent ancient methods for health cultivation and spiritual practice, using ingredients still available today. Note that historical weight measurements differ from modern standards—one liang equals roughly 30 grams. For practical application, consult a professional herbalist.

This scripture primarily discusses ancient Daoist longevity practices and bigu (a cultivation method of achieving satiety through special dietary regimens).

Regarding the ingestion method:

Begin on the first day of the lunar month by taking one pill daily with water, gradually increasing the dosage by one pill each day until the full moon (the 15th day), then decreasing by one pill daily in reverse. Cyclical adherence to this regimen enhances night vision and vital energy over time.

Bigu requires mental tranquility as preparation. The formula consists of:

• 1 dou of glutinous millet (stir-fried with 6 liang of light oil and cooled)
• Salt powder
• Sichuan ginger
• Prickly ash (10 liang each)
• 3 sheng of turnip seeds
• 5 sheng of dried jujubes

Grind these six ingredients into fine powder. Take one large spoonful mixed with fresh water three times daily. As hunger or thirst arise, physical strength will gradually recover. Fruits and herbal teas may be consumed, but meat is strictly forbidden.

Notably prohibited animals include:

Horses exhausted to death, donkeys force-fed to death, cattle overfed to death, sheep with reddened eyes, pigs that died naturally, turtles infested with parasites, pregnant hares, and scaleless fish. Ancient texts warn these cause illness.

Another bigu formula:

This secret recipe was obtained from a hermit of Taibai Mountain during the Yongning era (an ancient reign period). Steam 5 sheng of black beans three times, sun-dry, and remove husks. Soak 3 sheng of hemp seeds overnight, then sun-dry. Grind both with bean meal, knead with glutinous rice porridge into fist-sized pellets, and steam overnight. Consuming three pellets induces fullness—the first meal sustains for seven days, the second for forty-nine days, the third for three hundred days—while improving complexion. For thirst, drink hemp seed broth. To resume normal diet, decoct 3 ge of mallow seeds as tea.

These methods emphasize gradual progression and observance of taboos, serving both cultivation purposes and famine preparedness.

This passage comes from the Daoist health cultivation classic Secret Arts of Divine Immortal Nourishment, discussing methods for regulating the spleen and stomach:

Drinking appetite-stimulating beverages ("opening drinks") to regulate the stomach cavity ("guiding the stomach's interior"), allowing the body's Yin and Yang Qi to naturally harmonize ("awaiting Chonghe"). This practice causes no bodily harm ("non-damaging"). The formula was inscribed on stone tablets ("engraved in stone") and preserved at the Taiping Xingguo Temple in Yangjun Bie Mountain during the Han Dynasty.

Contextual notes:

1. "Chonghe" (harmonious blending) is a key Daoist concept referring to the harmonious fusion of Yin and Yang energies.

2. "Stomach interior" is a traditional Chinese medical term denoting the gastric cavity.

3. Taiping Xingguo Temple was a renowned Buddhist monastery during the Song Dynasty, indicating this health preservation method was valued by both Buddhist and Daoist traditions.

4. The text emphasizes dietary regulation for health maintenance, embodying the Daoist principle of "medicinal foods sharing common origins" in nourishment practices.