《九轉流珠神仙九丹經》

This scripture details the method for refining the "Nine-Cycle Flowing Pearl Divine Elixir," primarily involving the alchemical reactions between mercury, lead, and other minerals. Here's a modern interpretation of key elements:

The cinnabar (zhusha) used for the divine elixir comes from numerous locations, much like relatives scattered across the land. Daoist practitioners must maintain precepts and cultivate themselves while journeying to the Five Sacred Mountains to gather medicinal ingredients. The term "four thousand sons" refers to the cost of purchasing mercury, while "gold-silver addition" denotes the mixture of lead and mercury.

When mercury (referred to as "Bright Son") and lead ("River Chariot") combine in an earthen crucible, they react violently—like quarreling spouses needing separation—hence requiring "mouth-teeth" (metaphorical tools to control the reaction) for restraint. Their interaction produces "mysterious yellow" (an alchemical product), a process requiring repeated steam distillation in bamboo tubes a hundred times over.

To prevent the medicinal properties from dissipating, one must seal the crucible with a three-part-thick paste of oyster shell powder, red halloysite, and vinegar, applied both inside and outside. After drying in shade for ten days, the refining may commence. When mercury and the mysterious yellow undergo nine cycles of sublimation, they form violet crystals as beautiful as scallion flowers—marking complete medicinal fusion, like reconciled spouses achieving perfect yin-yang harmony.

The "earthen cauldron" refers to specially crafted ceramic crucibles; "volatile essence" denotes easily evaporating compounds; and "mysterious yellow" represents lead-mercury reaction products. The entire process demands precise fire control and hermetic sealing—all vividly depicted through spousal metaphors.

This scripture describes the method for refining the "Ninefold Golden Elixir" (Jiuzhuan Jindan) and its miraculous effects after ingestion. During the alchemical process, one must use feathers from a three-year-old rooster to collect the sublimated medicinal essence (referring to the ascending vapors of the elixir), while blending the elixir's quintessence with juice from white-necked earthworms. Merely adding a minuscule amount (one daogui, an ancient measurement) of the powdered elixir to a pound of lead and mercury, then placing it over intense flames, will instantly transform the mixture into gold.

Ingesting this Golden Elixir bestows extraordinary powers: the adept immediately ascends to heaven, beholding the host of celestial deities; their vision becomes so acute they can see ten thousand miles away; within a single day, they traverse ten thousand miles of rivers without needing boats or bridges, riding instead upon clouds and Qi. They may ride dragons as steeds and chariots of clouds, following the Great One Perfected Being (Taiyi Zhenren, a revered Daoist deity) into azure clouds, entering celestial palaces to commune with immortals. The practitioner's body becomes as eternal as the sun and moon, free from the constraints of cosmic laws.

In the celestial realms, one witnesses the Great One Perfected Being seated among divine immortals, accompanied by sacred creatures like spirit turtles and immortal toads. The heavenly scenery is sublime: the musician Boya plays the qin while jade maidens sing in chorus, the fairy Qingyao dances, and the music stirs profound emotions. The scripture particularly emphasizes precise dosage—one cheng of elixir mixed with a pound of mercury or lead-tin alloy yields perfect gold; excess makes it too hard, while insufficiency renders it too soft.

The Great Unity Zhenren (a high-ranking Daoist immortal) once lamented while drinking: "When I think of my parents' early passing, my heart is overwhelmed with grief. In their lifetime, they suffered greatly from illness yet never obtained effective medicine. Later, when I consumed the Divine Elixir (xianyao), no pathogenic qi could harm me—all ailments were cured, and I've remained free from disease ever since. By fortunate cultivation, I've attained longevity, roaming the mortal realm with fellow immortals for ten thousand years. If you devote yourself to studying this method, you too may achieve the Dao and become immortal."

The method for refining the "Flower of Cinnabar" elixir is as follows: First, prepare four ingredients—alum, rock salt (rongyan), natural soda (luxian), and arsenic-containing mineral (yushi)—and calcine them for twenty days. Then gather seven materials in specific proportions: left-spiraling oyster shells from the East Sea (Daoists believe left-spiraling organisms possess greater spiritual potency), red halloysite, and talc. Pound these ten thousand times into powder. Place the mixture in an iron vessel and smelt continuously with intense fire for nine days and nights. When the materials turn fiery red, grind them again, sift, and blend with premium rice vinegar to create what's called "Six-One Mud."

Coat both the interior and exterior of a red clay crucible (preferably from Xingyang, Luoyang in Henan, or Yingchuan, each costing fourteen to fifteen qian in Han dynasty currency) with this divine mud to a thickness of three fen. Sun-dry for over ten days until completely hardened. Separately, smelt lead powder (hufen) until golden, then combine with xuanhuang (a mercury-sulfur compound) in proportion. Blend with "Flower Pool" solution (vinegar infusion) into paste, pound repeatedly, and apply another layer to the crucible before another ten days of sun-drying.

The crucible capacity should be 8 sheng to 1.5 dou (Han measurement units). Before filling with "Crimson Child" (mercury), ensure perfect sealing. Use horse dung (tongqing) as fuel, maintaining a gentle flame five inches from the vessel. The quantity of materials may be adjusted according to one's means—the poor may refine less, the wealthy more.

This scripture describes the precise method for refining the "Nine-Cycle Flowing Pearl Divine Immortal Nine Elixirs." The process begins by using chaff fire (rice husk flames) to smelt continuously for nine days and nights, then pushing the fire beside the cauldron (alchemical vessel) to burn for another nine days and nights. Next, place the cauldron over the fire to smelt for nine more days and nights, finally encircling half the cauldron with flames for a final nine-day cycle. This completes four nine-day periods—thirty-six days of controlled firing—after which the elixir is left to cool for one day.

At this stage, crimson elixir powder will be seen adhering to the upper walls of the cauldron, which must be collected using a rooster’s feather. The elixir manifests in purple-red hues—some resembling five-colored jade, others like shooting stars, some as red as cinnabar, and others as white as frost or snow. From each pound of raw material, twelve taels (historically, one pound equaled sixteen taels) of finished product can be obtained. If the elixir does not scatter, it is called "Elixir Blossom" and must be blended with dragon fat (a precious medicinal substance) and rolled into pellets the size of small beans.

When this elixir is placed over intense flames with bellows-driven air, it transforms into gold within the time it takes to eat a meal. Similarly, combining one pound of mercury with twenty-four zhu (an ancient weight unit) of properly controlled firing will also yield gold. The finished elixir must be stored in gold or silver tubes. For ingestion, take a portion the size of a small bean, bow twice facing the sun, and consume it.

If the elixir fails to form, the process must be repeated. In this case, blend it with mystic water (specially treated water) and dragon fat to maintain moisture, then seal it in a reddish-yellow earthen cauldron and smelt with intense fire for thirty-six days. Thus, the entire process spans seventy-two days in total.

Begin the alchemical work on an auspicious day, either Jiazi or a "day of removal" (as deemed favorable in Daoist tradition), after observing three days of purification. The ideal number of participants is two or three, who must work in harmony. Maintain cleanliness throughout, avoiding all impurities. During the elixir’s flight and refinement, set offerings beside the cauldron: clear wine, incense cakes, yellow millet rice, jujubes, pears, and other tributes, arranged on three altars with three cups of wine each.

When making offerings, burn incense, kneel, and pray: "This disciple [name] now refines the Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir, beseeching the divine immortals, the Mysterious Maiden, the Pure Maiden, and the Jade Maidens of Green Waist to aid in its completion. May the Great Dao Lord, Lao Jun, and the Supreme Harmony Lord grant this disciple the elixir of immortality." Then perform the wine ritual, kneel nine times, and continue: "May the Dao Lord and the Mysterious Maiden ensure the elixir does not scatter, the firing is precise, the medicine’s color pure, and its transformation into gold and silver effortless. May its consumption elevate one to the Purple Palace (celestial realm), conferring immortality and realization as a perfected being." Finally, present red fruits such as tangerines.

A crucial warning: During the refinement of divine medicine, prevent the ignorant, women, children, or those in mourning from approaching or witnessing the process.

This scripture expounds the taboos and specific methods of refining the elixir of immortality. The content can be understood as follows:

When refining the elixir, one must avoid several types of people: those with improper conduct, the envious, gossipers, and non-believers in Daoism. Their presence will cause the alchemical process to fail. Particular care must be taken to keep guests and women away from the refining site, as absolute tranquility is essential for successful elixir preparation.

Ignorant people often disbelieve Daoist methods and doubt the miraculous efficacy of elixirs, so they must never witness the refining process. During preparation, carefully inspect all vessels—even a hairline crack in the crucible or a hole the size of an ant's nose will cause the medicinal potency to dissipate. Though ore may remain, its essence will be lost, rendering such inferior elixirs ineffective when ingested.

A genuine divine elixir requires only one zhu (an ancient weight unit, approximately 0.65 grams) to transmute one jin of mercury into gold. If gold cannot be produced, the elixir is unqualified and must not be consumed. The Mysterious Woman (Xuannü, a Daoist goddess) taught: "True gold can save the world and deliver people, while false gold only harms oneself." Using one zhu of elixir combined with one jin each of lead, tin, and mercury can produce gold or silver, but the proportions must be precisely measured.

Elixirs should be ingested at dawn facing east, accompanied by ritual prostrations. Those with superior spiritual capacity may achieve ascension in seven days, middling practitioners in seventy days, while ordinary people require one year. Before ingestion, one must observe purification rituals and bathe with five aromatic substances—otherwise the medicine will prove ineffective. The Danhua crucible (a special alchemical vessel) yields optimal results when used with the Flying Spirit Talisman (Feishen Fu).

The scripture's second section explains the origin of the "Divine Talisman Elixir" (Shenfu Dan): This elixir derives from the essences of the Sun and the River Earl (Hebo, water deity). The so-called solar essence refers to mercury, which fundamentally comes from cinnabar (zhu sha). Born in the Fire position of Bing-Ding (south, corresponding to the celestial Mars), cinnabar originates from fire—fire being the child of the sun. The northern positions Ren-Gui belong to Water (corresponding to the moon), producing magnetite (i.e., lead), whose essence aligns with the North Star. The "lingering resonance of the River Earl" refers to mercury, which must be measured in specific proportions during refinement.

This scripture reveals the esoteric method for refining the "Ninefold Reverted Elixir" (Jiuzhuan Huandan). The primary ingredients are lead and mercury (referred to in Daoism as the "Riverbank Maiden"), processed through nine cycles of sublimation and nine cycles of precipitation.

The specific procedure: First place one jin of lead oxide into an iron vessel, heat it with charcoal fire, then add seven jin of mercury. Apply intense flame for calcination. Soon, golden and purple-red essence resembling shooting stars will emerge, which should be collected with an iron spoon. After nine refinements and three transformations, the final product is called "Elixir's Golden Blossom," also known as "Mysterious Yellow Essence" or "Seal of Heaven and Earth."

Other mentioned ingredients:

• Azurite, alum, rock salt, and sulfur serve as auxiliary materials
• "Ziming" refers to fire regulation and also symbolizes mercury
• Lead has multiple aliases: Stone of Great Yin, Metal Lord, River Chariot, Riverbank Maiden, and Stone of Instant Transformation

Special emphasis: Commoners who substitute ordinary mountain stones for lead in alchemy are fundamentally mistaken. True Daoist practitioners exclusively use lead oxide for elixir refinement. This elixir can transmute mercury into the Reverted Elixir—a genuine immortal's medicine that only sages can fully comprehend.

The text concludes: Lead corresponds to the northern Kan position, symbolizing Great Yin. Understanding the mystery of "One" (referring to lead) grants insight into all things. Metaphorical terms like "Maiden" (lead) and "Worthy Scholar" (mercury) represent the coded language of alchemical terminology.

This passage explains the essential methods of ancient alchemy and points out the mistakes people commonly made when preparing elixirs. Those alchemists who did not understand the art liked to use materials such as qiangli stone bile. This strayed entirely from the true path, and could never produce a genuine elixir.

True masters of alchemy used only two essential materials: cinnabar and lead. Cinnabar represents the sun, associated with the Li trigram and the direction of noon; lead represents the Great Yin, associated with the Kan trigram and the direction of midnight. As the sun and moon complement one another, like husband and wife, cinnabar is Yang and the husband, while lead is Yin and the wife. Magnetite belongs to the category of lead and is associated with the Great Yin; cinnabar belongs to the sun, and realgar belongs to Earth. Their respective numbers are one, nine, and five, adding up to fifteen. For this reason, initiates call it the “Way of Three and Five.”

The method is as follows: mix nine jin of mercury (the Essence of Dark and Yellow) with one jin of lead, place the mixture in a red-clay crucible, and heat it over a fierce fire. After heating it from dawn until sunset, a golden-yellow essence will form. It has many other names, including Yellow Sprout, Yellow Lightness, Yellow Pool, and Yellow Dragon. Mix this essence with specially prepared Dark Water to form a pellet of mud, then seal it inside the red-clay crucible with Six-and-One Mud, a specially prepared sealing clay. Apply three layers of cloth inside and out, then let it dry in the shade for ten days, making sure no air can escape.

Next, heat it gently with horse manure or rice husks for eighty-one days. Choose days marked geng or xin, the Heavenly Stems that the ancients used to signify gold. To test the finished Golden Elixir, take a small pinch and expose it to a fierce fire. It is successful only if it melts completely into a golden substance; if it scatters in the fire or leaves residue, it is a failed elixir and must not be consumed. The whole process emphasizes the coordination of Yin and Yang and careful control of the firing. Only by receiving this true transmission can one produce a Golden Elixir of immortality.

The passage stresses that anyone who does not understand the Yin-Yang principles of Three and Five will die even if they manage to make and consume an elixir. Truly mastering the secrets of combining cinnabar (the father) and male lead (the mother)—the “Three Wonders and Six Instruments”—is more valuable than becoming a lord, minister, or general. Alchemical terms such as “Essence of Dark and Yellow” and “Six-and-One Mud” refer to formulas specific to Daoist Waidan (external alchemy).

This passage details the methods and effects of refining the "Mysterious Yellow Elixir" (Xuanhuang Dan), a Daoist alchemical preparation. The complete refining process requires eighty-one days (nine times nine), hence this elixir is also called the "Subdued Elixir" (Fu Dan) or "Purple Powder" (Zi Fen).

The prescribed administration method involves kneeling and facing east at dawn on a Jiazi day (the first day in the traditional sexagenary cycle) to ingest a pill the size of a small bean. Continuous consumption for one hundred days purportedly cures all diseases, even severe mental disorders.

The refinement process demands meticulous precision: Mercury (referred to as "Divine Husband") and lead (called "Bright Offspring") must be combined in a red clay crucible. This mixture, termed the "Child-Bright Medium," undergoes heating (called "compression") until achieving a distinctive mysterious yellow hue indicating proper transformation.

The specific procedure involves placing three jin of mercury into a red clay crucible coated with three fen-thick Mysterious Yellow mud. After sealing with Liu Yi mud (a special alchemical cement), the vessel is heated for nine days and nights using horse dung and rice husk fuel, following the Elixir Flower method. The mercury sublimates and adheres to the crucible's interior as violet-red crystalline deposits resembling frost, emitting five-colored radiance.

These crystalline formations are collected with a feather brush and may be combined with yellow dog's gallbladder or carp's gallbladder. The mixture is then returned to the crucible, covered with one cun of Mysterious Yellow powder, and sealed for further refinement. According to the text, three jin of mercury yields sufficient elixir for one person's immortality attainment, as the potent formula produces only ten liang of elixir from one jin of mercury.

The text employs spousal metaphors (husband-wife) and aquatic imagery (fish-water harmony) to describe the ideal mercury-lead fusion, emphasizing that proper yin-yang harmonization is essential for successful elixir production. The entire process requires strict adherence to seasonal timing, specialized vessels, and precise fire regulation.

This scripture describes the preparation and effects of an elixir called the "Divine Talisman Returned Elixir" (神符还丹). The method involves sealing the alchemical vessel (丹釜) with clay to prevent leakage, then exposing it to sunlight for ten days until completely dry. Gentle heat is then applied—never strong flames, as this would crack the vessel and waste the precious substance. After nine days and nights of continuous heating, the fire is extinguished. Following a day of cooling, purple essence that has ascended within the vessel is collected by gently brushing with a feather, yielding the prized elixir.

For ingestion, the elixir is mixed with Dragon Paste (龙膏, a mystical medicinal substance) and rolled into pellets the size of small beans. Each morning, the practitioner faces east, kneels in reverence, and consumes one pellet. After one hundred consecutive days, miraculous abilities manifest: one may travel alongside jade maidens and immortals with effortless speed. When crossing rivers or seas, applying a mixture of the Divine Talisman Elixir with either Gentian Paste (龙胆膏) or carp gall (鲤鱼胆) to the soles of the feet enables walking on water without getting wet or drowning. The elixir also cures all ailments, grants longevity, and after the hundred-day regimen expels the Three Corpses (三尸虫)—the three harmful parasites Daoists believe reside in the human body.

The text explains that earthen dragon paste and fish gall belong to yin energy, while mercury represents yang. Thus, the yin properties restrain and stabilize the volatile yang medicinal qualities. Such elixirs are extraordinarily precious, with their refining secrets known only to realized beings—True Humans (真人), Divine Humans (神人), and Transcendents (仙人).

The passage then introduces a third elixir called the "Divine Elixir" (神丹), distinguished by its iridescent colors. Its primary ingredients, realgar (雄黄) and orpiment (雌黄), are sourced from the sunlit Wudu region (武都), with pure white varieties being most superior. High-quality specimens can ward off weapon injuries and cure countless diseases. The purest materials yield a sublime essence—a single spoonful worth ten thousand coins. Refining requires two red earthen vessels sealed together to prevent dispersion. The formula specifies two pounds of realgar and one pound of orpiment (totaling three pounds), soaked for a hundred days in the Hua Pool (华池, a vinegar solution used in alchemy) before processing.

This scripture meticulously documents the ancient method and efficacy of refining the "Nine-Cycle Divine Elixir" (Jiu Zhuan Shendan). For alchemical preparation, medicinal materials must first be ground ten thousand times in a stone mortar until powdered, then placed in a red earthenware crucible. A one-inch layer of Xuanhuang powder (a mineral mixture for alchemy) is applied to cover all surfaces—top, bottom, left, and right. The crucible is then completely sealed with Liu Yi mud (a blend of six minerals for hermetic sealing) to prevent any Qi leakage. After sealing, it must be sun-dried for ten days before initiating the refining process with horse-dung fire (a low-temperature gentle flame).

The entire alchemical process unfolds in four nine-day-and-night cycles: In the first stage, the flame is kept five inches from the crucible; in the second, the fire moves to the lower half; the third employs intense flames; and the fourth surrounds the entire vessel. After thirty-six days, once cooled, the sublimated elixir powder is collected by gently sweeping with a chicken feather. This powder is then mixed with "dragon fat" (a mysterious medicinal liquid) and refined again. Following the same method for twenty-seven additional days, the resulting essence—called "flying essence" (Fei Jing)—becomes the Divine Elixir capable of bestowing immortality.

Effects vary by recipient: Daoist practitioners achieve immortality within a hundred days; ordinary people require a year; even servants, chickens, or dogs can attain the Dao through ingestion. After consumption, celestial beings (Zhenren, Jade Maidens, Jade Youths) alongside mountain and water deities will arrive to escort and serve the adept. However, ingestion must occur in secluded locations—deep mountain stone chambers or vast marshes—emphasizing that "immortality is not predestined but earned through cultivation."

Key technical points include: Dragon fat is essential to spiritualize the elixir; realgar and orpiment must be refined in precise thermal phases; and the crucible requires repeated sealing with Liu Yi mud specially prepared from oyster shell, red halloysite, and magnetite. These details exemplify ancient alchemy's extreme precision in material ratios and fire control.

This scripture discusses the taboos and specific methods for refining the elixir of immortality. It first emphasizes the necessity of cultivating and refining the elixir in places far removed from worldly affairs, preferably in deep mountain caves or uninhabited marshlands. Practitioners must avoid contact with ignorant worldly people and abstain from participating in mundane events like weddings or funerals. Only through solitary quiet cultivation can the Jade Maidens and divine immortals descend to offer assistance.

The text points out that ordinary people, obsessed with wealth, are unwilling to refine divine elixirs and instead rely on medicinal herbs for health preservation. However, herbs can only cure illnesses—not grant longevity. Since herbs buried in soil will decay and those boiled will scorch, unable even to preserve themselves, how could they possibly bestow eternal life upon humans?

The scripture then details the method for refining the fourth type of immortal elixir, the "Returned Elixir" (Huandan). It requires nine mineral ingredients: arsenopyrite, alum, hematite, rock salt, oyster shell, red halloysite, fossilized dragon bone, mica, and talc. These must first be calcined for one day and night, then ground into powder and mixed with vinegar to form a paste. This paste is applied inside and outside an earthen crucible to a thickness of five fen (approximately 1.5 cm), then left to dry in shade for ten days before adding mercury.

Next, seven additional materials are added sequentially: realgar, azurite, alum, sulfur, bittern, Taiyi Yu Yu Liang (a legendary mineral), and arsenopyrite—each separately ground into powder. Mercury is placed at the bottom layer, with other ingredients added in order.

Finally, the crucible is sealed with Liu Yi Ni (a special sealing clay) mixed with vinegar. After drying in sunlight for ten days, the crucible is placed atop five iron pillars, elevated nine cun (about 27 cm) above the ground. A slow fire fueled by horse dung or rice chaff is maintained five cun (15 cm) below the crucible, burning continuously for nine days and nights before intensifying the flame. The text implies that consuming this perfected elixir can elevate an entire household to immortality.

This scripture details the method for refining the "Ninefold Cyclically Transformed Golden Elixir" (Jiuzhuan Jindan) and its miraculous effects after ingestion. During the alchemical process, a damp cloth must cover the cauldron continuously for nine days and nights, being rewetted whenever it dries. After eighty-one days of this procedure, the elixir will manifest in five colors, at which point it should be gently collected using a chicken feather.

The method of ingestion involves mixing the elixir with flower nectar and well water, taking only a "knife-point measure" (daogui, an ancient minimal unit) each time. After consumption, one must rest quietly in a stone chamber, becoming free from hunger and thirst. Should thirst arise, drink from mountain springs; if hunger occurs, eat twenty dates or chestnuts. Take the elixir once daily while meditating on the divine spirits.

After one hundred days of continuous use, vermilion sparrows and phoenixes will circle above one's head, and celestial maidens will descend. At two hundred days, one gains the ability to wander with immortals. After a full year of adherence, the Great Unity Deity (Taiyi Shen, the supreme Daoist divinity) will come to receive the practitioner. When applied to coins used for purchases, the money will return automatically. Dusting the elixir powder around one's eyes wards off malevolent spirits.

The text concludes by noting that mixing a knife-point measure of this elixir with one jin (Chinese pound) of mercury can transform it into gold through refinement. However, to produce "true gold," one must additionally incorporate "dragon fat" (longgao, a legendary substance) and refine the mixture for another nine days and nights.

This scripture records the alchemical methods and effects of two types of elixirs from the Jiuzhuan Liuzhu Shenxian Jiudan Jing (Scripture of the Ninefold Cyclically Transformed Pearl-like Divine Immortal Elixirs), as transmitted by the Great Clarity Perfected Being.

The fifth elixir is named the "Edible Elixir" (Erdan), with its primary ingredients sourced from the Changsha and Wuling regions. The text mentions "Zhu's child" referring to mercury, "Wuling's scholar" indicating realgar, and "Taiyi's sentence stone" being limonite (a mineral substance). The preparation method is as follows: grind one jin of mercury and one jin of realgar into powder, layer the realgar powder over the mercury, then cover with another jin of limonite powder. Place these materials in an earthen crucible, seal it with Liu-Yi mud (a specialized Daoist alchemical sealing compound), and let it dry. First, heat with horse dung or chaff fire for nine days and nights, then refine with charcoal fire for another nine days and nights. The resulting elixir will adhere to the crucible's inner walls. It requires the use of "Ziming's matchmaker" (fire) and "the worthy scholar" (gold) combined with mercury, along with medicinal ingredients like aconite, dragon fat, and Shaoshi's human hero, finally blended with egg yolk. Consuming just a small amount (one daogui measure) enables instantaneous flight over ten thousand li. Within thirty days, one gains full flight capability and can command myriad spirits as attendants—including jade maidens and green-waisted celestial officials—ultimately ascending to heaven in a carriage of spontaneous transformation.

The sixth elixir, named the "Refined Elixir" (Liandan), employs even more exquisite materials. It primarily uses cinnabar from Yue township in Ba commandery, selecting only specimens with bright red, pearl-like coloration. Unlike common folk materials, this refinement requires "earth dragon fat" (a special alchemical agent) combined with the "eight flying-flow minerals": Ba cinnabar, Yue cinnabar, realgar, orpiment, azurite, alum, magnetite, and chalcanthite. These materials are proportionally blended with one dou each of dragon fat and earth dragon fat, then mixed with two dou of yellow dog's bile. Finally, three jin each of oyster shell and red halloysite are combined with rice vinegar to form a paste-like auxiliary substance.

The text particularly emphasizes that both elixirs facilitate ascension to immortality and grant power to command divine beings. The "Edible Elixir" produces more immediate effects, bestowing supernatural abilities upon ingestion, while the "Refined Elixir" emphasizes meticulous material selection and precise alchemical procedures.

This scripture describes the method and efficacy of refining the "Soft Elixir" (roudan), a type of immortal pill. First, prepare an earthen alchemical furnace (tufu), coating both its interior and exterior with a special three-fen-thick mud mixture called "Six-One Mud" (liuyi ni). This mud should be blended with Mysterious Yellow (xuanhuang, a mineral substance) and Left Taste (zuowei, likely an acidic agent) until it reaches a clay-like consistency. Then, place three jin of mercury inside, seal it tightly to prevent leakage, and let it sit undisturbed for ten days.

For the refinement process, apply gentle heat gradually, following the same method used for refining the foundational "Elixir Flower" (danhua). Maintain this for twenty days. Once completed, collect the sublimated essence (feijing) from the upper layer and mix it with Dragon Grease (longgao, possibly an animal fat) to form small pills the size of mung beans. To enhance its potency, one may also add Quepen (a medicinal plant).

The elixir possesses miraculous effects: a ninety-year-old man who consumes it may regain fertility; an eighty-year-old woman may conceive after taking it; officials who ingest it will receive immediate promotions; and writing with it on phoenix wood (wutong) will prevent servants from fleeing. The remaining dregs can cure all manner of illnesses.

The scripture emphasizes that purification and fasting (zhaijie) are essential during refinement—otherwise, the elixir will lose its efficacy. It also mentions combining "River Maiden" (henü, referring to mercury) with "Famed Lead" (mingqian, high-quality lead), alluding to the alchemical reaction between mercury and lead.

For practitioners, the text warns that abstaining from grains (bigu) is mandatory—only water may be consumed, and sexual abstinence is strictly required. Violating these precepts will inevitably lead to failure in refinement. Women may also consume the elixir to attain immortality, but they must observe the same disciplines.

This scripture primarily describes the refining methods and efficacies of two immortal elixirs - the eighth elixir called "Subduing Elixir" (Fudan) and the ninth called "Cold Elixir" (Handan).

The eighth elixir, named Subduing Elixir, appears dark purple in color and emits multicolored smoke. This elixir can expel ghosts and ward off evil spirits; when used to draw talismans (fulu) on doors, it kills malevolent spirits and prevents theft. The refining method involves using a red clay crucible or dragon-eared crucible, coated inside and out with a three-fen thick layer of Mysterious Yellow Blossom (a mineral substance) or lead powder, then sealed with Six-One Clay (a mixture of six materials). After placing mercury inside and sealing it dry, the crucible is fired with horse dung or chaff flames for nine days and nights. Then the upper and lower crucibles are swapped and the firing continues, repeating this process nine times. Finally, the refined upper essence is mixed with dragon fat (borneol camphor) and refined for another ten days to produce powdered elixir. For consumption, one kneels facing east at dawn and takes a small spoonful (daogui) with well water to achieve immortality. Carrying an elixir the size of a jujube pit wards off ghosts and evil, and when dwelling alone in mountain caves, tigers and wolves dare not approach. Women carrying a soybean-sized portion can similarly repel spirits and prevent theft.

The ninth elixir, called Cold Elixir, primarily uses gold and silver as main ingredients, combined with five mineral substances: one jin each of mercury, realgar, orpiment, azurite, arsenolite, and magnetite (with mercury requiring two jin). First, mercury is placed in a crucible coated with Mysterious Yellow, followed by the powdered minerals. The refining method resembles previous processes, requiring dragon fat for harmonization and ten days of repeated refinement. The resulting elixir appears white as snow, with efficacy similar to the previously mentioned Elixir Blossom. The four auxiliary materials (azurite, magnetite, arsenolite, and Mysterious Yellow) collectively nurture the primary medicine, just as four children jointly serve their mother.

This scripture details the method for refining the "Nine-Cycle Flowing Pearl Divine Immortal Nine Elixirs," representing a secret formula of Daoist Waidan (external alchemy). The entire process must follow strict procedural steps:

Begin by placing mercury into an earthen crucible (a ceramic alchemical vessel), then sequentially add orpiment, azurite, realgar, and finally lodestone as the top layer. Seal the container with Six-One Mud (a special Daoist sealing compound mixed from seven ingredients), ensuring no qi escapes. To prepare the sealing mud, combine equal portions of dragon-fat yellow earth (half a liter each), first scraping off any loose surface soil from the vessel.

Before sealing, apply oyster-shell red stone脂 mud to the container's seams at a thickness of three fen (approx. 1 cm), followed by an outer layer of dragon-fat yellow earth at the same thickness. After drying for ten days, blend with Ziming (possibly referring to a specific time or material) and maintain gentle heat for slow refinement. The divine medicine will condense like stalactites on the vessel's upper surface. After nine days and nights of continuous firing, extinguish the flame and allow cooling.

When collecting the elixir, use rooster feathers to sweep it up, then ingest it with dragon-fat or yellow dog’s bile. After a hundred days of consumption, the body becomes light as a swallow, all ailments vanish, and a Qingyao (immortal attendant) will accompany the practitioner. The Jade Maiden Director of Fate will inscribe one’s name in the immortal registry. Another hundred days of consuming the returned elixir erases mortal records of life and death, transferring the name to the celestial register. This grants supernatural abilities—walking through walls, earth-diving, teleportation, riding clouds to traverse ten thousand miles daily—until finally abandoning worldly attachments to ascend as an immortal.

The ninth elixir’s refinement method mirrors the "Elixir Flower Technique," using the same earthen crucible and sealing process. Fire regulation follows the "first gentle, then fierce" principle: nine days of gentle heat (low flame) followed by fierce heat (high flame). The vessel must be thoroughly dried—the longer the drying time, the better. Even a hairline crack will dissipate the elixir’s potency.

All alchemical mud must be ground flour-fine and sifted. For mixing, use premium vinegar (called "left-flavor" or Huachi, an alchemical term for vinegar solutions). The optimal harvesting periods are the fifth day of the fifth month or seventh day of the seventh month, with the former preferred. Dragon-fat liquid, dragon-fat marsh, and dew from mulberry leaves should be collected by wringing their juices through cotton cloth.

The "Nine Cauldrons" represent the nine elixirs, with all eighty-one transformations originating from the first elixir. Those attaining the Dao ascend to the Grand Pure Realm (highest heaven), where the substances naturally transmute through fire regulation. Among the Five Phases, the interplay of water and fire holds the deepest mystery; metal and wood unite like husband and wife, while the sun, moon, and stars embody Yin-Yang essences—with fire as their sovereign. The closing lines metaphorically describe the elixir’s power, mentioning "Lingyang Ziming" (an alchemical patriarch) subduing the four directions—likely implying the elixir’s capacity to conquer ailments and harmonize Yin-Yang. The Azure Dragon and White Tiger (symbolizing eastern and western constellations) represent the elixir’s balanced Yin-Yang forces.

This scripture describes the concrete operational methods and theories of ancient Daoist alchemy, specifically focusing on the process of creating an elixir of immortality using lead and realgar (two mineral substances).

The text begins by depicting auspicious omens that appear during the alchemical process—phoenixes, vermilion birds, and tiered golden towers within which the Dark Warrior turtle manifests. When perfected beings (those who have attained the Dao) ingest this elixir, they can ascend to the nine heavens and wander freely in the Great Purity realm (the highest celestial domain in Daoism), with the elixir's essence shining like crystalline frost.

The term "lead-yellow blossom" is explained in detail: lead in alchemy is called the "canopy blossom," and when combined with realgar, it covers and preserves lead's essential qualities. Lead belongs to Yang, and when it encounters the Yin nature of realgar, the two substances merge into a state of primordial chaos that prevents the dissipation of the elixir's essence. This mutual embrace of Yin and Yang embodies the alchemical principle of "Yin embracing Yang."

The specific preparation method involves taking one jin (approximately 500 grams) of high-quality realgar and placing it between two earthenware crucibles made from yellow clay. The seams must be sealed with a mixture of white dog hair and mud (alternatively, red halloysite, oyster shell powder, or lime may be used), with the seal being approximately three fen (about 1 cm) thick. The ideal drying period is seven to ten days in shade. During firing, reeds should be used as fuel, and the crucibles must be regularly inspected for cracks—any discovered require immediate resealing.

Three clay sparrows (likely serving as temperature indicators) should be placed atop the vessel during firing. When all three sparrows have dried completely, the elixir is perfected. The firing must maintain moderate heat—neither too intense nor too weak. A successful elixir will appear snow-white, crystallized like stalactites. If the process fails, the entire procedure must be repeated according to the original method.

Finally, the elixir must be gathered using seven feathers from the left wing of a three-year-old white chicken, then placed in a bronze vessel or plate. Additionally, two hundred jin of pig intestines must be prepared (likely for subsequent processing), thoroughly cleansed beforehand. The entire refining process demands meticulous attention to detail and precise control of firing conditions.

This scripture records a special elixir preparation method in Daoist alchemy (Waidan) and its miraculous effects after ingestion. It describes the process of steaming medicinal pellets wrapped in animal intestines:

First, the intestines must be thoroughly cleaned, filled with medicinal powder, and tied at both ends before being placed in a steamer. A substantial amount of millet (approximately 1 hu 5 dou to 2 dan in measurement) should be spread beneath, with continuous steaming for three days and nights, during which the intestines must be regularly replaced. The final elixir forms pellets the size of bullets. After three days of ingestion, all parasites in the body will die, and after ten days, the corpse will emit light at night.

The ingestion method requires particular care: one must face east and perform ceremonial bows at dawn before taking it, or wait until sunrise on cloudy days. After persisting for one hundred days, the practitioner will feel no cold even when wearing thin clothes in winter. At this stage, "Jade Maidens with Blue Waists" (daughters of the Wind Earl) will descend. The text specifically warns against taking these celestial maidens as wives, emphasizing they should be reverently served. After one hundred and fifty days, another "True Jade Maiden" (daughter of the Celestial Emperor) adorned with nose-jade will arrive.

The text vividly depicts miraculous interactions with these maidens after elixir ingestion: they bring jade blossoms (Yuying) and jade wine (Yujiu) - immortal delicacies that enable celestial travel and meetings with sages. It concludes by mentioning a twelve-year purification period (one ji), revealing these maidens are daughters of the Celestial Emperor, White Emperor, and Wind Earl who freely roam rivers and seas.

The latter part contains two supplementary formulas: First, a mixture of Wudu realgar (a mineral) with honey; Second, a "Divine Water" preparation - soaking large crabs in lacquer for three days until they dissolve into medicinal liquid, which should be taken with clear wine and is said to command hundreds of spirits.

This scripture describes an immortality cultivation method involving the consumption of "divine water" combined with clear wine. Practitioners are instructed to drink specific quantities of this water (ranging from half a cup to six cups) according to a fixed cycle, with fifteen-day intervals between each consumption. As the practice progresses, miraculous phenomena manifest: first the expulsion of intestinal parasites, followed by the appearance of a three-foot tall immortal who offers guidance, then the attainment of extraordinary running speed, enhanced vision and hearing, the darkening of white hair, and the regrowth of teeth—ultimately achieving the state of rejuvenation.

The text mentions that during specific celestial stems and branches combinations (days marked by Jiazi, Jiaxu, Jiashen, Jiawu, Jiachen, and Jiayin), deities will descend. Practitioners may then perceive the "Ocean Chart" (symbolizing boundless realms), the "Sun-Moon Chart" (representing yin-yang harmony), and finally reach the "Heaven-Earth Chart" state—merging with cosmic forces until their form becomes indistinct, without shadow or sound.

The latter section details the preparation method for this divine water: from the first to fifth lunar month, practitioners must collect one dou of water on specific dates (the first day of the first month, the second day of the second month, etc.), adding various freshly sprouted herbs and flowers before sealing and storing it in shade. From the sixth to eighth months, fresh blossoms are added without increasing the water volume until the final collection on the ninth day of the ninth month completes the process. This method, called the "Immortal Feng Gang Technique," emphasizes strict secrecy and forbids casual transmission.

This scripture records a miraculous elixir formula called the "Resurrection Prescription" (起死方) and its extraordinary effects. According to the transmission from the immortal Lü Gong (courtesy name Wenjing), this medicine can revive the dead and even make flesh regrow on bare bones.

The preparation method is highly meticulous: specific medicinal roots must be gathered during precise solar terms—five jin of bamboo roots on the first day of the first month, five jin of pine roots on the second day of the second month, five jin of cypress roots on the third day of the third month, five jin of honeysuckle roots on the fourth day of the fourth month, five jin of ophiopogon roots on the fifth day of the fifth month, and five jin of asparagus roots on the sixth day of the sixth month. These ingredients must be washed, shade-dried, pounded, sifted, then sealed in a white ceramic urn for one hundred days. One must also select an auspicious day (Wangxiang day) for purification rituals, pound the medicine fifty thousand times in a sealed chamber, and finally store it in an oiled pouch.

The administration method is equally unique: taken five times daily—at dawn, noon, sunset, midnight, and cockcrow. Each dose measures one square-inch spoonful (方寸匕, an ancient unit), taken with clear wine followed by five dates. Maintaining mental purity and cultivation for one hundred days is said to lead to attainment of the Dao (得道).

The scripture describes the elixir's wondrous effects: it can resurrect the dead (recording Lü Gong's use of it to revive over a hundred corpses), prolong life, prevent graying hair and tooth loss, and maintain a radiant complexion. Practitioners who take it can abstain from grains, feel neither hunger nor thirst, and become immune to all poisons. More remarkably, users gain supernatural powers—commanding wind and rain, walking on water unscathed, entering fire unharmed, and even shapeshifting at will. However, the text specifically notes that to obtain transformative powers, one must combine it with the foot of a green snake gathered while traveling eastward in the fifth month.

This scripture records secret methods for refining immortal elixirs and gathering lingzhi mushrooms. Regarding the elixirs, the text states that once successfully prepared, they can render one invulnerable to weapons, enable cloud-riding without leaving traces, cure all ailments, and summon spirits. The specific method involves prying open a corpse's mouth with a knife, inserting five spoonfuls of the elixir to revive the dead. For shape-shifting abilities, one must use the placenta of a child born on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month as an ingredient—such an elixir can serve two people.

Lingzhi mushrooms are categorized into fungal, herbal, woody, and fleshy varieties, typically growing near mountain springs beneath ancient trees. Authentic lingzhi display five colors: vermilion like cinnabar, black like lacquer, white like frost, yellow like purple gold, green like mallard feathers, purple like newly dyed silk, and pink like peach blossoms. The test for authenticity is to dry them in shade for a hundred days—only those retaining their hues are genuine.

Before mountain expeditions to gather lingzhi, practitioners must observe purification rituals (zhaijiao), avoiding funerals and postpartum women, abstaining from meat, wearing white robes, and carrying white chickens, a peck of white salt, or a white dog. Lingzhi mushrooms range from single to nine-layered varieties—consuming them grants immortality, the ability to fly thousands of miles, see through objects, and command spirits.

Harvesting requires avoiding specific time periods: spring avoids tiger-rabbit days (Yin-Mao, Jia-Yi), summer avoids snake-horse days (Si-Wu, Bing-Ding), autumn avoids monkey-rooster days (Shen-You, Geng-Xin), and winter avoids pig-rat days (Hai-Zi, Ren-Gui). Collection methods vary by color: green lingzhi must be gathered at sunrise from the east on Jia-Yi days using a wooden knife, wrapped in nine feet of blue cloth; red lingzhi at noon from the south on Bing-Ding days using a fish-shaped knife with eight feet of red cloth; yellow lingzhi at dusk from the northwest on Wu-Ji days using a golden knife with one foot of yellow cloth; black lingzhi must be harvested at midnight.

This scripture details the methods for gathering and ingesting various spiritual herbs, along with their miraculous effects.

Regarding collection methods: To gather white ganoderma (白芝), one must go westward at sunset on a Gengxin day (days associated with the Metal phase in the Five Phases system), cut it with a wooden knife, and wrap it in six feet of white silk before carrying it away. Other spiritual herbs also require specific timings, directions, and tools for collection.

The text elaborates on the effects of four millennial spiritual creatures: A thousand-year-old bat, pure white in color and hanging upside down from trees, grants immortality when eaten raw. A thousand-year-old spiritual turtle, with horns on its head and a glowing five-colored shell, can be roasted and ground into powder; consuming it three times daily ensures longevity. A thousand-year-old swallow’s nest, facing north, grants immortality when roasted and eaten. A thousand-year-old swan (鵠), small in size and crowing once every two hours, has bones that, when roasted and powdered, confer longevity when taken three times daily.

The Huainan Divine Formula records seven natural spiritual herbs, each corresponding to cosmic principles: The fruit of Rehmannia (地黄) embodies the essence of the ineffable (恍惚之精); mulberry mistletoe (桑寄生) embodies the essence of Yang Qi; chrysanthemums (菊花) embody the essence of Yin Qi; poria fungus (茯苓) embodies the essence of Wood; plantain seeds (车前子) embody the essence of thunder and lightning; broom cypress fruit (地肤子) embodies the essence of stars; and bamboo fruit (竹实) embodies the essence of the Supreme Unity’s celestial blossoms. These seven herbs correspond to the Big Dipper, the sun, the moon, and the Five Phases.

The ingestion method is as follows: After preparing the seven herbs in specific proportions and observing nine days of purification (斋戒), one pinches a three-finger scoop (三指撮) of the mixture during the transition of seasons, taking it with well water at dawn while facing east. On Yang days (odd-numbered days), take it once; on Yin days (even-numbered days), take it twice. After forty-nine consecutive days, the practitioner will suddenly vanish and ascend as an immortal.

The text records an instance from the first year of Tianfeng (a Western Han era reign title): A man named Chen Yongbo from Nanyang had a nephew who disappeared after twenty-eight days of taking the formula. Chen Yongbo himself also vanished after twenty-eight days. At seventy-eight, Chen’s son Zengzhi attempted the regimen under the supervision of his uncles and brothers—bound with ropes and confined indoors—yet he too mysteriously disappeared after twenty-eight days. Though the original formula required forty-nine days for effect, the Chen family members all achieved immortality prematurely.

(Note: The "square-inch spoon" [方寸匕] was an ancient unit for measuring herbs, roughly equivalent to 1 gram; a "three-finger scoop" [三指撮] refers to the amount pinched between three fingers.)

This scripture primarily discusses the collection methods and usage precautions for several types of immortal medicines. Poria cocos (a type of medicinal fungus) grows beneath pine trees on Mount Hua in the western sacred peak, with specimens resembling tortoises being the genuine variety. Bamboo fruits and mulberry mistletoe (plants parasitic on mulberry trees) originate from Lantian, while raw rehmannia (a medicinal herb) comes from Weicheng and should be harvested in the fourth lunar month. Bamboo fruits resemble rice grains in shape, and broom cypress fruits require removal of their outer husks before use.

The text also introduces the concepts of "yang days" and "yin days": the five celestial stems Jia, Bing, Wu, Geng, and Ren represent yang days, while Yi, Ding, Ji, Xin, and Gui signify yin days. In ancient Daoist alchemy (Waidan), selecting auspicious days for herb gathering or elixir preparation was of paramount importance, with yang and yin days each having distinct applications and taboos.

These contents belong to the materia medica knowledge within Daoist alchemical practice, documenting practical information about specific medicinal materials including their geographic origins, morphological characteristics, and optimal harvesting times.