《庚道集》

The first volume of Collected Works on the Alchemical Way records two essential alchemical methods: the Arsenic Refinement of Danyang Technique and the Cinnabar Boiling Method.

Regarding the Arsenic Refinement of Danyang Technique:

Select half a jin of pure, impurity-free arsenic and grind it to the size of small beans. Wrap every two liang in white paper before placing it in a coarse cloth bag. Collect and dry Prunella vulgaris herbs in summer, burn them to ash, then steep in boiling water to produce a concentrated solution. Suspend the medicine bag in this solution for boiling. Continuously replenish the herbal decoction while boiling for five to six days. When the cloth bag becomes lighter, the liquid thickens, and smoke emerges, continue boiling for seven to eight days. By this stage, the arsenic will have dissolved, with only negligible insoluble impurities remaining. Transfer the liquid to another vessel and slowly evaporate over low heat until a dark brown-black mass forms. After complete drying, seal it in an alchemical crucible with ash padding at the bottom. Apply heat at one-and-a-half liang intensity (maintaining a distance of one-and-a-half inches from the crucible) for three days, then gradually increase to two liang intensity for twenty-one days. After thirty-five days, open the crucible for inspection—success is indicated by an ash-white color with a moist surface. If smoke still emerges, pulverize the substance, reseal, and refine for another month until it turns yellow and dry, melting under fire without emitting smoke. The final product should become a white, lustrous stone-like substance resistant to fire. This refined arsenic powder serves excellently as a "receptacle lining" (kui, the inner container material for alchemical processes).

Regarding the Cinnabar Boiling Method:

Take two liang of high-quality cinnabar and suspend it in a mixture of Houttuynia cordata juice and rice vinegar for seven boiling cycles. Then wrap it in the boiled herb residue and seal it in a vessel for slow calcination (placing a water container beneath enhances the effect). Processed cinnabar is then placed in a "receptacle" (kui) made from the previous herb residue, adding one liang of cinnabar and refining it three times during the mao-you hours (dawn and dusk). After extraction, wrap it in Kunlun paper and an outer layer of refined alum before sealing it in the mother receptacle for twenty-eight days of refinement, gradually increasing heat from one-and-a-half to two liang. The resulting product can serve as an inner receptacle for refining frost powder. To prepare frost powder, divide four liang of raw material into small pieces—first wrapping them in white paper, then in fine silk bags. The refined frost powder becomes crystal-hard and translucent.

(Note: "Fu" denotes a complete refinement cycle; "kui" refers to sealed alchemical containers or lining materials; "mao-you" indicates specific temporal phases.)

This passage describes the concrete methods ancient Daoist adepts used to refine elixirs, divided into two main parts:

The first part details a process using silver foil to encapsulate the elixir. Pure silver foil is first applied directly to the body, or alternatively used to wrap the elixir before placing it in a specialized sand container (dead sand crucible). The procedure involves layering—first spreading a base layer of sand, then adding a stratum of medicinal powder, repeating this alternation until the container is filled, finally capping it with more dead sand and sealing with salt-clay. After complete drying, the vessel is placed inside an arsenic box (dead arsenic crucible) and sealed using specific techniques. It's then fired with a two-tael flame for forty-nine days (seven times seven days). Upon extraction, if no smoke emerges when tested with fire, the refinement is successful. One qian (about 3.7g) of this elixir can transmute one tael (about 37g) of base metal into superior treasure. Should the sand container lose potency, the sand and refined powder can be ground together—one qian of this mixture can similarly transform one tael of metal.

The second section explains alum processing methods. Using one jin (about 600g) of white alum (not ordinary alum), combine it with concentrated buckwheat ash solution and boil in porcelain until the liquid evaporates. Then slowly dry it over gentle heat before sealing in a porcelain jar. Bury this in an ash pool and fire with a two-tael flame for three fu periods (approximately thirty days) until ready for use.

The text clarifies that so-called "black donkey juice" actually refers to paper mulberry tree sap (a plant extract). Eight taels of medicinal material should be divided into four portions, each wrapped in two layers of white paper and then encased in coarse cloth before being suspended in herb juice for boiling. During boiling, the bags must be frequently agitated to ensure thorough dissolution. Any undissolved residue should be collected for reboiling. Initially, adding eight taels of material with ash frost will increase the total weight. After one month of sealed storage, upon opening, three to four months later the ash frost will disappear, leaving behind snow-white medicinal residue.

Finally, when using Chinese wolfberry ash solution, lay paper at the bottom of a bamboo sieve and slowly pour hot water to soak the ashes, allowing the liquid to drip through finely. Collect this in clean porcelain vessels.

This passage describes specific operational methods in ancient alchemical practices, divided into several key stages:

The first part explains the purification of medicinal liquids. The clear liquid must be carefully decanted into another vessel, with repeated sedimentation processes until all residue is completely removed before proceeding to boiling. This constitutes the fundamental principle of alchemical preparation.

Regarding the processing of eight mineral medicines (the "Eight Stones"), they must undergo repeated boiling and refining processes with precisely controlled fire management over extended periods. The specific method involves pouring alum water over the medicinal materials, collecting the crystallized deposits, then using these crystals as raw material for another round of pouring. After nine such cyclical repetitions (known as "Nine Returns"), the final product can be used to refine elixirs (for nourishing cinnabar and mercury as ingestible medicine).

The text then details the cinnabar refining method (calcination technique): Take one liang of pure cinnabar and place it in a small crucible, sealing it tightly with metal (geng) to ensure airtightness. This is then placed in a specialized container (gan pot) with a water-cooled copper distillation apparatus above, surrounded by water for additional sealing. After calcination with twelve jin of charcoal for approximately one day, the cooled result yields mercury that has sublimated and condensed on the metal lid as a white, dry substance. Repeating this process yields about four liang of pure mercury, suitable for refining other medicines (such as the Three Yellows).

Two special refining methods are subsequently recorded:

The first is the Nine Returns arsenic powder method, where coarse powder of rhubarb, gallnut, gardenia, Sichuan pepper, and asarum is mixed with ginger juice, honey, and concentrated vinegar for a day's boiling until the powder turns black. After drying, it's calcined together with arsenic trioxide.

The second is the arsenic boiling method, where eight herbs—terminalia chebula, polygala, kochia, achyranthes root, sophora flavescens, anemarrhena, genkwa, and euphorbia pekinensis—are placed in a silk pouch and boiled in river water for a full day before drying and powdering. The text concludes with a special lamp-burying method for calcining arsenic powder.

These methods are described as "techniques of the immortals," representing the secret foundations of alchemical practice. The entire process emphasizes repeated purification (Nine Returns), strict sealing (Xuantai method), and precise fire control, reflecting ancient alchemy's meticulous pursuit of material transformation.

This passage describes the specific operational method of "transmuting red silver" in ancient Daoist alchemy, belonging to the Waidan (external alchemy) tradition. The entire process consists of several key steps:

First, prepare the alchemical apparatus: Bury an oil lamp in the ground, coat its interior with animal fat (referred to as "Hai-zhihuo" or pig-fat fire), then sequentially add silver-bearing mineral powder (argentiferous ore dust), "frost powder" (mercury compounds), and processed arsenic trioxide. Each layer of material must be evenly spread, with the seams sealed using herbal ash paste (made from ground ivy and plantain seed ash). Heat with three jin of fire, withdrawing the flame after two jin have been consumed, then cover with cold ash for cooling.

This calcination process must be repeated three times. Through this treatment, the arsenic and mercury compounds undergo marvelous transformations: the arsenic "nourishes the silver body" (enhancing silver's quality), while the mercury powder "transforms into red substance." The text metaphorically describes this stage as "the field crops having been sown," indicating the preliminary transmutation of alchemical materials.

The subsequent passage details advanced "transmutation methods": First use mineral pigments to convert the "red silver" (likely copper-bearing substance) into an "infant" (alchemical term for the nascent elixir base), then bathe it three times in the "Jade Pool" (a symbolic purification vessel). Next, nourish it three times with "Celestial Mother's Milk" (refined arsenic trioxide) to remove its red hue. The proportion is one liang of red substance to one and a half qian of Celestial Mother's Milk.

Finally, apply "Divine White Snow Elixir" (the mercury powder) in three stages of transmutation to complete the "infant's" metamorphosis into "Celestial Immortal Bone" (high-grade elixir). The text also mentions using "mountain-lead" (specific lead compounds) and "aged frost" (seasoned mercury compounds) to adjust the elixir's form.

The conclusion explains different formulation ratios: "Major Seven Frost" (70% mercury powder) produces superior grade, equal proportions yield medium grade, while "Three-Seven ratio" creates inferior grade. It emphasizes the interactive relationship between the "Chanü" (mercury), "infant" (lead) and "mother sand" (base materials), stressing the need to adjust quantities according to practical circumstances.

This passage explains the method of refining the "Ninefold Golden Elixir" (Jiuzhuan Jindan) in Daoist alchemy, where ordinary minerals are transformed through nine cycles into divine elixirs. Each cycle involves specific material ratios and precise fire control.

The first cycle uses arsenic (pi'kui) to refine cinnabar (zhuling). In the second cycle, the cinnabar spontaneously purifies itself into higher-grade cinnabar. The third cycle then refines this cinnabar into mercury-infused sand (gongsha), which already contains the vital energies (Qi) of heaven and earth.

During the fourth cycle, the mercury sand grows crystalline formations resembling jade bamboo shoots. The fifth cycle re-refines these crystals back into cinnabar. The sixth cycle employs cinnabar in specific measures (either half a jin or one jin sixteen liang), refined according to celestial patterns. The resulting elixir can be mixed with mulberry bark juice into pill-sized pellets; consuming these extends longevity, and they can also be used to process mercury.

The seventh cycle involves refining cinnabar with orpiment and realgar in the alchemical chamber (shenshi), producing the "Golden Mother" (jinmu). Its color transitions from white to red, ultimately achieving a radiant vermilion-gold hue—a sign of returning to primordial purity. The eighth cycle continues cultivating orpiment and realgar with cinnabar, yielding a substance capable of transmuting cinnabar and silver.

The ninth cycle uses orpiment and realgar as its foundation, producing a supreme elixir that can process large quantities of mercury. Each cycle requires meticulous fire regulation: the first four cycles use two liang of fire morning and evening, increasing to three liang on the third day, then four liang after three to six days. Cycles five to seven maintain four liang daily after seven days of standard methods. The supreme elixir requires forty-nine days (qishi jiutian) of steady, moderate fire—never excessive.

The entire process emphasizes the concept of "cycles" (zhuan), where progressive transformations elevate the substance's quality until reaching the realm of "endless cycling" (zhuanzhuan wuqiong). This reflects Daoist alchemy's pursuit of material transmutation and spiritual sublimation.

This passage records the experience of Song Dynasty Daoist priest Cui Fang (courtesy name Wenzhenzi) in learning to refine the "Azure Golden Elixir." While serving in Wugang County, Hunan, Cui encountered a local man named Li Bi—over seventy years old yet with a ruddy complexion—who transmitted to him the Azure Golden Elixir method passed down from Perfected Lord Wei.

The primary ingredients of the Azure Golden Elixir were sulfur and mercury, combined in a two-to-eight ratio within the water-fire cauldron (shuihuo ding) and subjected to nine cycles of refinement. Cui's initial attempt failed when the mercury reverted to its original state. Later, he sought guidance from Master Lan Yangsu at Mount Heng, who revealed the crucial technique: during refinement, the sulfur dosage must be gradually reduced—adding two taels of sulfur in each of the first six cycles, then ceasing sulfur additions from the seventh cycle onward. This was because sulfur represents extreme Yang while mercury embodies extreme Yin, requiring progressive harmonization. After nine refinement cycles, the mixture required external furnace calcination at specific temperatures to eliminate residual sulfur, ultimately causing the mercury to independently congeal into the elixir.

After grasping these principles, Cui succeeded in every subsequent refinement. The elixir was classified into three grades: the superior grade extended life, the medium grade cured illnesses, and the inferior grade brought wealth to sustain households. However, Master Lan particularly emphasized that refinement must be conducted with benevolent intentions and charitable generosity—never with greed or stinginess—for true success. The text concludes by noting this was Cui Fang's record of Perfected Lord Wei's alchemical method, compiled with his disciples' assistance and annotated by Lan Yangsu.

(Note: The "water-fire cauldron" refers to specialized Daoist alchemical equipment; "nine cycles" indicates repeated refinement stages; "subduing" describes stabilizing medicinal properties.)

This scripture describes the nine-cycle alchemical method for refining "Azure Gold" (a type of Daoist elixir). The specific process is as follows:

First, blend two parts sulfur with eight parts mercury, stir-fry them to form Azure Gold, then grind it into extremely fine powder and place it in a water-fire cauldron for smelting. The entire refining process consists of nine stages: In the first cycle, use the 2:8 ingredient ratio; maintain the same method in the second cycle; halve the ingredients in the third; carefully control the fire in the fourth; use seven and a half qian of sulfur in the fifth; half a liang of sulfur in the sixth; refine seven times in the fire during the seventh; ensure complete elixir formation in the eighth; and only the ninth cycle marks successful completion.

The scripture particularly emphasizes that this nine-cycle Golden Elixir possesses miraculous efficacy—capable of reviving the dead. Each cycle requires meticulous stir-frying, totaling forty-five jin of charcoal fire. The finished elixir must undergo a "sand-nourishing" process, where it is simmered with lead in the "Flower Pool" (an alchemical vessel) until transforming into a snow-white, crystalline treasure.

A method for testing efficacy is mentioned: Tie one pellet to a crane's head, then have dozens of archers shoot arrows from fifty paces away—if none hit throughout the day, this proves the elixir's potent protective power. The entire process demands strict adherence to fire control and ingredient proportions, severely testing the alchemist's concentration.

Upon successful completion of the elixir refinement, one must first offer the obtained Golden Elixir (Jindan) in gratitude to the celestial and earthly deities (heavenly sacrifices and earthly offerings), while simultaneously distributing aid to orphans, widows, the poor, and the sick (accumulating hidden merit). Such actions build virtuous merit (De). One must not cling to worldly pleasures, for only then can transcendence from the mundane be achieved. The heavens protect those who perform good deeds, granting them the Dao of longevity and perpetual vision, ultimately enabling ascension to the golden palaces of the immortals (in Daoist terminology, celestial abodes are called "golden towers") to roam freely in the Jade Capital (Yujing, the highest heavenly realm in Daoism).

Next follows the specific alchemical method of the "Cold Forest Jade Tree Gushing Spring Technique":

First, refine the cinnabar elixir: Take two taels of high-quality sulfur and eight taels of mercury, grind and mix them thoroughly, then place the mixture into a porcelain cauldron (water-fire vessel). Seal the mouth of the cauldron with salt-clay and bind it tightly with iron wire. Place water-charcoal fire beneath the cauldron, and during heating, position five bowls of water atop the cauldron lid until no sound emerges from within. After extinguishing the fire, remove the refined cinnabar and cut it into dice-sized pieces.

Grind equal portions of Sichuan pepper, white aconite, Sichuan aconite root, and arisaema rhizome into fine powder. Place the cinnabar pieces into a raw silk pouch, tied securely with silk thread. Pour aged rice vinegar into a sand bowl and suspend the silk pouch above the vinegar using bamboo sticks (the "hanging embryo" method, ensuring no contact with the bowl's base). Once the vinegar evaporates completely, remove the pouch, wipe the cinnabar dry with soft cloth, then coat it with iron-salt powder as an outer "encasement" (protective layer).

Prepare a leak-proof sand box from Xinzhou. First, lay a base of high-quality silver filings, or arrange small silver beads in a single layer. Arrange the cinnabar pieces like lotus seeds atop the silver beads, then cover with another layer of silver beads. Any remaining cinnabar pieces may be placed intermittently, finishing with a final covering of silver beads. On the topmost layer, place a sheet of Kunlun paper (high-quality paper dyed with premium ink) sprinkled lightly with salt.

Seal the box's opening with a mixture of saltwater and white clay (a type of white adhesive earth), bind it tightly with iron wire, and fashion a carrying loop. Encase the exterior with an additional layer of salt-clay approximately one fen thick, continuously polishing it to ensure density and prevent cracking, then allow it to dry in shade for later use.

Prepare another sugar jar large enough to contain the sand box. First, take temple spirit-money ashes and heat them until glowing red... (subsequent steps are incomplete in the original text)

This passage describes the ancient alchemical method for refining "Lingsha" (Numinous Cinnabar), presented in two parts:

The first part details the process of nurturing Lingsha with charcoal fire. The procedure involves placing raw materials in a vat: first lining half the height with paper ash, then inserting the nested containers (alchemical vessels), and covering them with more paper ash. Premium white charcoal (the best being from Luzibiao in Jiande County, Yanzhou) is cut into three-inch segments, weighed, and burned red before being placed in the vat, maintaining about two to three inches from the container top. The nurturing lasts five consecutive days with gradually increasing fire intensity: four taels on the first day, five on the second, up to eight taels by the fifth day. Fire is replenished only at dawn daily, aligning with the sun's celestial motion. After completion, the Lingsha is extracted. The process allows cyclical refinement—four taels of silver vermilion can nurture one tael of Lingsha. Accumulating sufficient quantity enables using Lingsha powder to refine mercury.

The second part explains preparing "Qingjintou" (Azure-Gold Head): combining two taels of Lingsha sulfur slurry with eight taels of pure white mercury (black mercury is prohibited), grinding in a mortar with half a cup of rice vinegar. The mixture is poured into a sesame-oiled iron pan and stir-fried over gentle heat until granulated. After regrinding and repeated frying, the final product—Qingjintou—is obtained. It's then placed in a crucible (gan pot), covered with a Jian bowl (water-filled), and sealed with a medicinal paste of red stone, calcite, and yellow lead. The vessel is bound with iron wire, featuring two rings for handling.

The text emphasizes the critical importance of charcoal quality, specifying that only white charcoal from Jiande County meets requirements, rejecting alternatives. Strict adherence to fire control and procedural precision governs the entire refining process.

This passage meticulously documents the usage methods and precautions for the "iron fire tongs" (a specialized alchemical tool) in ancient elixir-making techniques. The entire process requires extremely precise operations:

First, the iron fire tongs must be slowly dried over gentle heat until completely moisture-free before adding a small amount of medicinal powder. Then apply layers of salt-clay (a mixture of salt and yellow earth), drying each layer thoroughly. The drying fire must not be too strong to prevent the medicinal properties from dissipating. Only when the salt-clay layer reaches over one inch in thickness can the fire intensity be increased. Next, place the iron fire tongs into the alchemical furnace, erecting two vertical iron rods on either side of the furnace with a horizontal iron rod between them to suspend the "water-fire cauldron" (a double-layered alchemical vessel).

The water-fire cauldron must be filled with water, which should be replenished promptly when depleted. Begin with a small amount of charcoal, gradually increasing up to eight catties. The charcoal must be densely packed, burning only to the middle section of the cauldron to prevent Qi leakage. If excessive ash accumulates, it should be removed and the charcoal repacked. If flames flare up, use a baffle to shield the air vents. When the charcoal burns out or the water reduces to about five cups, remove the water-fire cauldron and transfer it to another furnace for cooling.

After cooling, first remove all salt-clay, then dismantle the iron wires and separate the water cauldron. Gently tap the lower section of the fire cauldron with the back of a knife before carefully opening the upper section to retrieve the elixir. Grind the elixir into extremely fine powder. For secondary refinement, add ten taels of cinnabar, one tael of raw sulfur, preferably with some qingjintou (a mineral substance), then grind and mix before resealing and refining using the previous method.

When preparing salt-clay, use high-quality yellow earth mixed with paper fiber (residue from papermaking) and four taels of salt, kneaded one day in advance with water. The feet of the water-fire cauldron should be fashioned with paper-fiber salt-clay to create interlocking joints, with six or seven ventilation holes pre-drilled and dried for use. Without ventilation holes, the cauldron may float unsteadily. After placing the medicinal substances, seal small holes with consolidation medicine, using finely ground red halloysite mixed with rice vinegar to seal all joints.

A crucial final note: Sulfur must be ground to extreme fineness before mixing with mercury, grinding continuously from mao hour (5-7 am) to you hour (5-7 pm), or from chen hour (7-9 am) to xu hour (7-9 pm) until fully integrated with no visible particles. The grinding process must never be interrupted—even a brief pause could require days to regain proper fusion. When placing in the cauldron, apply slight heat, and the cauldron itself should be pre-warmed with fire.

This passage describes several specific operational methods in ancient alchemical practices, primarily involving furnace sealing techniques, material processing, and mercury refinement. Here are the key steps explained in modern terms:

Regarding furnace sealing (固济法 Guji Fa):

Mix eight parts salt with two parts clay in vinegar, then pound the mixture a thousand times to create sealing material. The furnace should be constructed with seven layers of bricks, and firing may only commence after the sealant has completely dried. Begin with four charcoal pieces at the base, ensuring the flames remain pure in color. Gradually increase the heat until it reaches the cauldron's midsection, then stop. An alternative method uses red halloysite (a mineral) mixed with a small amount of needle iron oxide (hematite), blended with vinegar and salt for superior results.

About calcination methods:

Follow standard water-fire calcination for one full day-night cycle. During the second firing stage, add sulfur. For the third stage, replace the water cauldron with a covered earthenware vessel. Place the water cauldron beneath while heating from above. This method embodies the Yin-Yang balance principles of the "Ji Ji" (既济, After Completion) and "Wei Ji" (未济, Before Completion) hexagrams from the Yijing (易经), as transmitted in the secret teachings of Chen Benren from Tiantai Mountain, emphasizing strict confidentiality.

Creating the Hua Chi (华池, metal-dissolving solution):

Combine lime and stove ashes with boiling water, kneading the mixture into disc-shaped containers. Use these to simmer metals with cinnabar (灵砂) until the solution turns white, indicating success.

Mercury purification techniques:

First wash the mercury with rice until the grains no longer discolor white; then scrub it with rush stems until they cease turning black.

Processing refined mercury (熟汞):

Select translucent cinnabar, grind it into powder, and mix with charcoal dust using glutinous rice soup. Pack this into a crucible (甘锅) in a honeycomb pattern. After drying, bury another crucible filled 80% with water underground. Invert the cinnabar-filled crucible above it, sealing the joints with paper-reinforced salt clay. Once dry, apply five catties of charcoal fire from above. When the upper crucible glows red, cease heating. Upon cooling, the refined mercury will collect in the lower water vessel—typically yielding only 0.8 tael of mercury per tael of cinnabar.

Preparing subdued cinnabar (伏火朱砂, detoxified cinnabar):

Simmer four taels of cinnabar in rice vinegar until dry, then coat it with ink-vinegar to blacken. Enclose this in a silk pouch, brush with egg white and ink, and air-dry. Next, wrap the cinnabar with coix seed powder and honey to form balls. Place these in a sand container layered with crushed coix leaves at the bottom, adding the cinnabar balls before covering with more leaves. Finally, seal the container with pig liver mixed with clay.

This passage describes two ancient Daoist methods for transforming metals: one turns brass (known as "toushi") into gold-like appearance, and the other into silver-like appearance.

The first method involves tightly binding the container with iron wire in a cross pattern, drying it, then sealing it with a mixture of daylily root juice and clay. Heat is applied gradually from the bottom with charcoal until the entire vessel is thoroughly fired. Next, a paste made from iron vitriol powder (a mineral powder containing iron) mixed with water is applied to the brass. After leaving it overnight, the surface is repeatedly polished with cloth, resulting in a golden sheen.

The second method uses mercury combined with gotu kola and powdered new brick, ground together until the mercury dries. This mixture is then rubbed onto the brass to produce a silvery finish. An alternative formula mentioned in parentheses suggests using a blend of mint and alum powder for polishing.

These techniques belong to the ancient alchemical practice of "huangbai shu" (yellow-and-white techniques), which involved chemical processes to alter the appearance of metals. A crucial warning: mercury is highly toxic, and these methods should never be attempted today.