《周易參同契發揮》Vol. 3

This passage explains the core principles of Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation, using concepts from the Daode Jing to illustrate the movement of energy within the human body.

The phrase "Superior De (Virtue) follows Wuwei (non-action) and does not seek through examination" refers to the original Shen (spirit, or innate consciousness) residing peacefully in the Mysterious Palace (the upper Dantian, located in the brow region) while maintaining a state of silent non-action. On the other hand, "Inferior De acts, and its function never ceases" describes the continuous circulation of Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) in the Feminine Abode (the lower Dantian, below the navel), flowing like an unbroken breath. Here, Laozi’s words are borrowed to reveal the mysteries of the Kan (Water, Yin) and Li (Fire, Yang) cavities within the body.

"Closing above is called 'having'" means that the Li Palace (where the heart’s fire resides) appears substantial yet conceals True Water (kidney essence). "Closing below is called 'not having'" means that the Kan Door (where kidney water resides) appears insubstantial yet conceals the Crimson Dragon (heart fire). When the original Shen settles in the upper Dantian, the Jing-Qi naturally rises—the key lies in sealing the Eight Gates (the body’s energy apertures) to prevent energy leakage. The Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality) uses metaphors: just as the Eldest Son (Yang) drinks the wine of the West (Metal), and the Young Maiden (Yin) opens the flowers of the North (Water), once Yin and Yang meet, one must immediately seal the Yellow Chamber (upper Dantian).

The mutual relationship between these two cavities (upper and lower Dantian) is crucial: if the lower Dantian is not sealed, the fire energy cannot gather; if the upper Dantian is not sealed, the "elixir" (Jing-Qi) cannot ascend. The Wuzhen Pian states that energy must be returned to the Earthen Cauldron (lower Dantian) for storage, then harmonized with the Flowing Pearl (energy of the upper Dantian)—the two must work in unison. Here, "Flowing Pearl" and "Earthen Cauldron" are alternative names for the Kan and Li cavities.

"Knowing the white, guarding the black, and the divine light will come of itself" explains the essential method of cultivation: white represents the Golden Essence (primordial Qi), while black represents the Water Foundation (kidney essence). Neidan practice takes kidney water as the foundation, and the Golden Essence arises from within the water. Thus, understanding the principle of white (primordial Qi), one must guard the black (kidney essence); by guarding black, white naturally becomes apparent. How does one guard it? Like a cat watching a mouse hole—the body unmoving, the eyes unblinking, the mind free of distractions. "Divine light" refers to the celestial mechanism. To grasp this profound principle, one must first empty the heart; when the heart is empty, the Shen condenses, and when the Shen condenses, the breath naturally harmonizes.

This passage elucidates the core principles of Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation. It begins by explaining that when breath regulation (fixed breathing) achieves equilibrium, both Yin and Yang Qi within the body simultaneously arise. When these two forces each weigh "half a catty" (totaling one catty in balance), one naturally attains resonance with the divine. This mirrors the concept in the Li Sao: "Do not disturb your own hun and po (ethereal and corporeal souls); let them operate naturally." By maintaining a state of emptiness and stillness in the depths of night, one aligns with the Dao (the Way) without forcing anything.

Both Zhang Boduan (Purple Yang Zhenren) and Zhu Xi recognized this as fundamentally identical to the essential method of immortality cultivation that the Yellow Emperor received when he sought the Dao from Guangchengzi. In the text, "water" symbolizes the pivot of the Dao, represented numerically as "one"—the origin of Yin and Yang. The "mystery containing yellow sprouts" hidden within water refers to "lead" (an alchemical term). Externally black yet internally concealing essence (golden flower), lead resembles a wild-eyed hermit in coarse robes carrying precious jade. The "Northern River Chariot" (metaphor for kidney Qi circulation) moves like the celestial emperor's carriage following the Milky Way. When true lead (primordial Qi) within water is refined by true fire (the heart-mind), it ascends along the Governing Vessel to the "Kunlun" (crown of the head).

Metal gives birth to water, making metal the mother of water, and water the child of metal. Water concealing metal resembles a mother nurturing a fetus—understanding this reveals the source of alchemical "herb gathering." During cultivation, the state of the "true person" (original spirit) is subtle, now present, now absent, like floating and sinking in an abyss. Xiao Zixu (a Song dynasty Neidan master) described the "yellow flower path" atop Mount Kunlun (the Governing and Conception Vessels) as the route guiding the spirit's cyclical circulation. Practitioners must comprehend the rhythm of Qi's advance and retreat, allowing Yin and Yang to each maintain their proper positions.

This passage primarily explains the Neidan principles of water-fire interaction and lead-mercury fusion, emphasizing the essential method of Yin-Yang balance and spirit-Qi communion. Through metaphors of Five Phase mutual generation and mother-child concealment, it illustrates the transformative process of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit).

This passage explains the key methods and principles of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice in Daoism.

Regarding the application of fire times in alchemical practice, the Zi period (11 PM - 1 AM) marks the initial emergence of Yang energy and is suitable for advancing the fire, while the Wu period (11 AM - 1 PM) signals the gradual growth of Yin energy and requires withdrawing the fire. As Yang Xubai states in his "Verses on the Golden Elixir's Purity," one must discern the proper advancement and withdrawal of fire before the alchemical furnace, and recognize the fluctuations of rising and sinking within the Qian-Kun cauldron. Here, "white gold" refers to the primordial essence (Yuanjing), while "cinnabar mercury" denotes the heart-mind (Shen). In practice, one must draw the primordial essence from the kidney water (northern water) to serve as the mother of the elixir, since essence and spirit share the same origin and generate each other. Daily cultivation requires applying fire times to gradually eliminate the turbid postnatal energy (lead qi) and replenish the pristine prenatal energy (mercury). As Chen Momo explains in his "Treatise on Honoring the True," practitioners must guard the lower Dantian (northern palace), using kidney water (heaven's primal water) as foundation while coordinating with the celestial cycle fire times—as essential as oars to a ferry. Those who understand only the combination of lead and mercury without mastering fire application will see even formed elixir embryos dissipate.

Concerning the coordination of inner and outer furnaces, the outer furnace refers to tempering with true fire, while the inner furnace denotes the settling place of the golden elixir. Hao Guangning describes in his "Anthology of Supreme Antiquity" that when cultivation reaches a certain stage, a pearl-like radiance (li pearl) appears above the head while the golden elixir naturally stabilizes in the Dantian—manifesting the outer fire's tempering and the inner elixir's consolidation.

Finally, the text discusses the paramount Niwan Palace (upper Dantian). Though modern people often speak of the "heart within the square inch," the human body actually contains three square-inch void regions in the upper, middle, and lower Dantians, interconnected through energy channels. The head contains nine palaces, with the Niwan Palace at the center—as the "Yellow Court Scripture" states: "Within this square-inch space it resides." The Niwan Palace is the ancestral cavity of the body's myriad apertures; once this aperture opens, all bodily cavities follow suit. Predating heaven and earth in origin, it holds exalted status, guarded by strategic passes and protected with complex structures resembling the layered defenses of Penglai immortal isles against external pathogenic invasions.

This passage explains the significance and cultivation methods of the "Mud Ball Palace" (泥丸宫, the crown point at the top of the head, regarded in Daoism as the upper Dantian). Located at the highest point of the body like the summit of Mount Kunlun, it is the dwelling place of the primordial spirit (Shen), equivalent to the celestial realm of Xuandu (玄都, the highest heavenly domain in Daoism), where all divine beings gather.

Surrounded by the seven orifices (eyes, ears, nose, and mouth) like protective walls, with the "Chamber of Light and Yellow Gate" (洞房黄阙, key acupoints in the head) positioned in front, its structure resembles the immortal isle of Penglai. In practice, one must close the eyes to gaze inward, turn the hearing inward, and sever sensory connections with the external world. As the internal Qi circulates, the Vermilion Bird (朱雀, symbolizing the heart's fire) soars around the Jade Terrace (琼台, referring to the heart).

The essence of cultivation lies in single-minded concentration, like a dragon guarding its pearl or a hen incubating its eggs—steadfast and unbroken. Even amid external disturbances or demonic illusions, the mind must remain pure, cutting through distractions as if wielding an axe. Constant vigilance is required, like two young attendants guarding a cave entrance, ever ready to rein in wandering consciousness.

Tan Changzhen (谭长真, a Song Dynasty master) wrote in The Collection of Water and Clouds (水云集): "Do not let idle thoughts linger on the Spirit Terrace (灵台, the heart), for only then can the divine embryo (神胎, the inner elixir) form." A mind free of distractions harmonizes the breath, naturally coalescing into the supreme treasure (内丹, the inner elixir); a mind clouded by delusions disrupts the breath, scattering the vital essence (Jing). Thus, cultivation demands a state of no-thought, avoiding worry and mental strain.

When the spirit and Qi fill the body, they must be firmly retained—preservation brings vitality, while loss brings decline. Whether in motion or stillness, this state must be maintained at all times. Through prolonged accumulation, as the Great Harmony Qi (太和之气, the primordial energy) suffuses the body, one must guard it with even greater care, never relaxing for a moment.

The text later critiques misguided practices: forced inner visualization, ritual pacing of the stars (踏罡步斗), calculating auspicious hours (六甲), using dark arts to suppress Yang energy, reckless breathing exercises, and depriving oneself of sleep. These methods only exhaust the body, cloud the spirit, and disrupt the meridians. Others build altars and offer sacrifices morning and night, boasting of ghostly apparitions and dream revelations, convinced they prolong life—yet they hasten death instead. These hundreds of techniques, deviating from the natural Dao of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi (黄老), are all departures from the true path.

The world circulates three thousand six hundred methods of nurturing life, with dozens of schools of thought so convoluted that people struggle to choose. Some methods involve closing the eyes to visualize the five organs (cunsi technique), others require stepping in the patterns of the stars (bugang tadou), while certain practices involve making offerings to deities at specific hours—how can these be considered the true Great Dao of the Golden Elixir (Jindan)?

Those who cultivate heretical paths are even more absurd: some use the "nine shallow, one deep" method of sexual union (fangzhongshu) to regulate the firing times (huohou), only to disrupt their primal Qi; others rely solely on breathing exercises as their "medicine," ending up with empty, rumbling stomachs; some sit rigidly pursuing a state of vacuous stillness, practicing asceticism day and night without sleep; while others shake their heads, clench their fists, and strain their muscles, causing meridian disorders and toxic abscesses. There are even those who build earthen altars to make morning and evening offerings, only to dream of spectral encounters and become deluded by demonic influences. At first, these practitioners may feel self-satisfied, believing they are prolonging life, but in the end, they perish prematurely, their bones decaying. These are all erroneous practices that violate the classics of the Yellow Emperor and deviate from Laozi’s true intent. When disaster strikes due to such stubborn delusion, whom can they blame?

Thus, Wang Liangqi composed the Song of Dispelling Delusion, and Chen Niwan wrote the Ballad of Luofu, enumerating over three thousand heretical methods in the world—all to prevent later generations from losing the orthodox transmission and straying onto wrong paths. If today’s cultivators carefully study the works of these two sages, they will surely recognize their own mistakes and deeply reflect.

The Perfected Wei Boyang authored the scripture Zhouyi Cantong Qi, which shines like a lamp in darkness and serves as a compass for the lost. He hoped that later seekers with affinity could grasp the true meaning through these words and thoroughly understand the correct path of cultivation. His compassionate intention to aid the world is profound—yet some dismiss the scripture as mere empty talk, unwilling even to glance at it. This is self-abandonment, truly lamentable!

As the Perfected Qiu Chuji stated in Mingdao Ji: "Attaining the Dao does not come from rigid sitting morning and night or putting on a show of cultivation." Refining the Ninefold Reverted Golden Liquid Elixir (the highest method of Daoist practice) is entirely different from those minor heretical arts. It requires severing worldly affairs, devoting oneself wholeheartedly, and practicing diligently without cease, day and night.

This scripture primarily discusses how the cultivation of Neidan (internal alchemy, the Daoist method for attaining longevity) requires unwavering focus and dedication. Peng Zhenyi (a Daoist perfected being) once said that those determined to pursue the path must distance themselves from sensual pleasures, abandon fame and wealth, retreat to sacred mountains (places of spiritual practice), sever mundane social ties, seek fellow cultivators, and engage in ceaseless, secret practice day and night—only then can they hope to succeed. Without fulfilling these requirements, all efforts will be in vain.

Some misunderstand the practice, believing that cultivation is sufficient if done only during specific hours (midnight and noon). Huangfu Lüdao (a practitioner) once observed Wang Sanyi (another practitioner) using a timekeeping device to track these hours and pointed out that cultivation should continue uninterrupted throughout all twelve double-hours—how could it be limited to just midnight and noon? Just as the Dao of heaven operates without pause, how can spiritual practice be intermittent?

Ma Danyang (one of the patriarchs of the Quanzhen tradition) wrote in Jianwu Ji (Collected Gradual Awakenings) that the master’s kindness is too profound to repay, vowing to enter seclusion and devote himself wholly to cultivation. The term "ringed walls" refers to the secluded space for practice, isolating oneself from worldly distractions.

Later, the scripture mentions that after three years of cultivation, one attains the state of "light ascent and distant roaming"—fearless of fire or water, capable of appearing and vanishing at will, free from sorrow. When merit and virtue reach perfection, Taiyi (one of the highest Daoist deities) will summon the practitioner, elevating them to the immortal realm.

Some ask why it is said that "refining the elixir takes only a moment," yet also requires "three years of ingestion." Cuixu Pian (Treatise of Emerald Emptiness) explains: the "moment" refers to the instant the Golden Elixir forms, while the three years denote the nurturing period afterward—like a mother patiently raising an infant—without rushing to emerge from seclusion. After this three-year refinement, one achieves the miraculous state of a body light as smoke, walking as if flying, roaming freely, impervious to water and fire.

When one attains lasting inner peace and freedom from worry through cultivation, it remains essential to silently accumulate merit in the human realm by guiding lost souls toward enlightenment—only then can true transcendence be achieved. As Zhu Linggen instructed Huangfu Lüdao to mentor later seekers, and as the immortals of Golden Flower Cave (Jinhuadong) warned Yang Xubai not to focus solely on solitary retreat but to universally deliver all beings—how can a Daoist practitioner seek only personal perfection?

The records of alchemical timing (huohou) are not empty words but can be verified through the principles of the Yijing (Book of Changes). Ancient texts like the Fire Chronicles (Huoji) contained six hundred chapters, yet Peng Zhenyi's Golden Key to the Reverted Elixir (Huan Dan Jin Yaoshi) reveals they all expound the same truth. Just as the Yijing's sixty hexagrams expand into six hundred variations—with sixty corresponding to a month's alchemical timing—the six hundred chapters represent a ten-month cultivation cycle. Thus, all fire-phasing records find their basis in the Yijing.

In alchemy, the Crescent Moon Furnace (Yanyue Lu) serves as the cauldron, with the White Tiger (baihu, representing kidney essence) as the refining pivot. Mercury (gong, symbolizing the heart-mind) flows like pearls, requiring the Azure Dragon (qinglong, liver qi) to harmonize with it. When East (Azure Dragon) and West (White Tiger) unite, the hun and po (ethereal and corporeal souls, representing yin and yang qi) naturally attract each other.

Specifically: The Crescent Moon Furnace belongs to the Kan position (northern kidney water), governed by the White Tiger; the Flowing Pearl Palace resides in the Li position (southern heart fire), directed by the Azure Dragon. "The White Tiger as the refining pivot" means essence-qi (jingqi) gathers in the dantian while true fire arises below the navel. "The Azure Dragon accompanies it" refers to guiding liver qi downward to merge with kidney qi. These eastern and western positions mirror the Kan and Li trigrams, with hun-po symbolizing the sun and moon's movements. The origins of dragon-tiger qi and the generation of lead-mercury share the same principle.

The Great Elixir Formula of King Yi's Crimson Dragon (Wang Yi Xuan Chi Long Da Dan Jue) states: "Understanding how the dragon follows the tiger reveals the mystery of mercury joining lead." The Treatise on Returning to Life (Fuming Pian) similarly records: "The master instructed to blend the Azure Dragon's mercury (heart-mind) with the White Tiger's lead (kidney essence)—only through their fusion and refinement by water and fire can the elixir form." When dragon and tiger qi intersect and Kan-Li unite, they condense heaven-earth essences into the Elixir Mother (danmu). The method is profoundly simple: just let the eastern dragon's hun (ethereal soul) naturally unite with the western tiger's po (corporeal soul), and the fusion of yin-yang qi will forge the Golden Purple Elixir (zijin dan).

In Wang Baoyi's commentary on the Golden-Blue Dragon-Tiger Scripture, the key to elixir refinement lies in harmonizing the yin-yang and water-fire elements. When water and fire merge, the dragon (representing yang qi) and tiger (representing yin qi) energies within the alchemical cauldron achieve harmonious fusion, ultimately forming the golden liquid (referring to the Golden Elixir). During the refinement process, if one maintains inner emptiness and stillness while focusing the shen (spirit) on the qi cavity (Dantian), the natural coordination of east-west (metal-wood attributes) and the fusion of north-south (water-fire attributes) will spontaneously occur. This allows the Four Symbols and Five Phases to converge and condense without any forced effort.

The text uses the waxing and waning of the moon as a metaphor for the firing process in alchemy: the first quarter moon (around the eighth day of the lunar month) corresponds to the Dui trigram, showing a half-moon, while the last quarter moon (around the twenty-third day) corresponds to the Gen trigram, also appearing as a half-moon. The union of these two phases resembles the complete form of the Qian-Kun cauldron (the alchemical vessel), encompassing all the secrets of the medicinal ingredients and firing techniques. "Two eighths make one jin" means that each quarter moon represents half a jin (totaling one jin), symbolizing the sum of the 384 lines in the 64 hexagrams of the Book of Changes. In actual practice, refining the elixir does not require counting precisely 384 zhu (a unit of weight) but rather signifies the symbolic balance of yin and yang.

The Awakening to Reality states, "When two eighths are matched, they naturally unite," and the Ultimate Dao Scripture speaks of "silently adjusting the two eighths," both emphasizing the equilibrium of equal yin and yang. Obsessing over exact calculations of breath counts would instead deviate from the simplicity and naturalness of the alchemical Dao. As the Returning to Life Scripture says, "Like attracts like"—yin and yang qi naturally merge. The Great Compendium of the Golden Elixir also points out, "Through the gate of two eighths, one attains realization," illustrating that harmonizing yin and yang leads to the true essence of the alchemical path.

This scripture employs the properties of gold and the moon as metaphors for the principles of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice. It states that while all things in the world are damaged by fire, only true gold remains unharmed. This is because gold embodies the characteristics of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water): when molten, it flows like water; when struck, it sparks like fire; when pliable, it resembles wood; and in color, it mirrors earth. Thus, true gold becomes increasingly durable through refinement, never losing its original weight.

Since the dawn of creation, the sun and moon have maintained their complete forms and radiance because the essences of Yin and Yang mutually sustain and complement one another. The scripture particularly emphasizes: in nature, nothing shines brighter than the sun and moon; in alchemical practice, nothing is more vital than the relationship between gold and fire. Here, gold symbolizes the moon, while fire represents the sun. People may recognize that the moon emits light, yet they often overlook that moonlight is actually reflected sunlight. The moon itself is dark—its waxing and waning depend on how much sunlight it receives. On the first day of the lunar month (new moon), the moon aligns with the sun; by the third day, a faint glow appears; by the eighth day, it forms a half-moon (first quarter); by the fifteenth, it becomes full (full moon); thereafter, it gradually wanes until the twenty-third day, when it returns to a half-moon (last quarter), and by the thirtieth day, it is entirely dark (dark moon).

This principle serves as an analogy for alchemical practice: true gold (the essence of Neidan) is like the moon, initially transformed from the sun’s true fire (primordial Yang Qi). When the moon first receives sunlight at the month’s beginning, it parallels the initial condensation of primordial Qi in alchemy; when the moon darkens at month’s end, it resembles the withdrawal and storage of Jing (essence) and Qi within the body during practice. The nature of gold (Neidan) must ultimately return to its source (its mother), just as moonlight originates from the sun.

On the last day of the lunar month (晦日), the Metal element (referring to True Lead, representing primordial Jing in Neidan terminology) resides in the Kun Palace (the abdominal Dantian), coexisting interdependently with the Fire element (True Mercury, representing the heart-mind). This resembles the moon at month's end—though its outline is invisible, the sun and moon still secretly commune. At this time, Shen and Qi sink deeply into the source of life, like the moon disappearing beneath the ocean's surface. The Metal (True Lead) returns to its intrinsic dark nature, just as the moon is inherently dark, only appearing bright by reflecting sunlight—now merging with solar essence, it reveals its original form.

The practitioner should focus on maintaining this state of darkness without seeking illumination. Through persistent cultivation, spiritual clarity will spontaneously manifest. Suddenly, the cauldron furnace (Dantian) will erupt with radiance as the fire energy intensifies, mirroring the crescent moon's reappearance on the third day (庚 symbolizes the western Dui trigram representing the new moon), where darkness transforms into light and True Lead (black silver) transmutes into True Mercury (white silver).

The Water phase (子) corresponds to the number one, the Fire phase (午) to two—their sum being three. The Earth phase (戊己) corresponds to five. When three and five unite as eight, this reveals the principle of the "Eight Minerals" (fundamental substances in alchemy). Though Water and Fire inherently conflict, Earth's mediating function (Earth restrains Water to generate Metal; Water restrains Fire to generate Wood) acts like a matchmaker uniting partners, harmonizing all three into unity. Once this equilibrium is established, the entire cultivation system becomes coherent and self-regulating.

The Dao of respiration imitates cosmic movement: Yang Qi ascends like inhalation, Yin Qi descends like exhalation. Neidan breathing (internal Qi circulation) differs from ordinary respiration—it represents the union of heart-fire (Dragon) and kidney-water (Tiger). During exhalation, heart-fire descends to meet kidney-water (Earth's root); during inhalation, kidney-water rises to connect with heart-fire (Heaven's root). This internal respiration generates storm-like dynamism, ultimately condensing into the Golden Elixir. As the Hunyuan Treasure Scroll states, one must allow Yin-Yang energies (the Dark Maiden representing Yin, the Infant representing Yang) to circulate freely where Qi naturally flows (the Dantian). Practitioners need only focus inward, following Qi's natural rising and falling—through sustained practice, breath merges into seamless unity, culminating in self-forgetfulness.

This scripture elucidates core principles concerning the "Perfected Being" (Zhenren) state and the generative-restraint relationships of the Five Phases (Wuxing) in Daoist internal alchemy (Neidan) practice.

Regarding the realm of the Perfected Being, the text reveals that when practitioners achieve complete unity of body and mind ("merged as one like husband and wife"), a vital energy center called the "True Golden Cauldron" emerges between the navel and kidneys. The Yellow Court Scripture (Huangting Jing) describes this as a crucial gateway where "the gate of life stands before, the secret door lies behind." Here, Perfected Beings perform profound abdominal breathing ("breathing through the heels"), fundamentally distinct from ordinary shallow throat breathing. Mastering this deep respiration enables practitioners to take command of their innate vitality ("my destiny rests with me, not subject to the potter's wheel").

The latter section explains Neidan principles through Five Phases theory: Yellow Earth (spleen) generates Metal (lungs), which in turn generates Water (kidneys). "Flowing Pearls" symbolize mercury (representing the spirit/shen), which solidifies into true gold when entering Water. However, excessive Earth Qi ("Earth flooding Water") disrupts Water's flow. This requires regulation by the Vermilion Bird of the South (heart fire): through its heating action, kidney Water boils, propelling Metal Qi upward. When excess Water Qi enters the Li Palace (heart fire domain), fire counteracts it, achieving the harmonious state of "water and fire in mutual completion."

The passage highlights key Neidan elements: advanced breathing techniques, strategic use of the three Dantian (energy centers), and dynamic Five Phases equilibrium—culminating in the perfected state where "the three intrinsic natures unite as one."

This passage explains the principles of mutual generation and restraint among the Five Phases (Wuxing) in Daoist alchemy and the marvelous effects of cultivating the Golden Elixir (Jindan).

In the Five Phases system, Earth restrains Water - when Water encounters Earth, its flow ceases. When the natures of Water and Fire meet Earth, they form a fusion of three qualities (Water, Fire, Earth), ultimately returning to the Kun Palace (referring to the Dantian or lower abdomen). The combination of these three qualities is like discovering a shared origin.

Even common medicinal herbs like sesame (jusheng) can prolong life when consumed, let alone the Great Returning Elixir refined through nine cycles of transformation. The Golden Elixir contains the essence of Heaven and Earth, with its metallic nature eternally incorruptible, making it the most precious substance among all things. This is why immortals particularly treasure the Golden Elixir, specifically calling it "golden" rather than naming it after other elemental properties.

Earth circulates through the four seasons (positioned in the Chen direction during spring, Wei in summer, Xu in autumn, and Chou in winter), capable of harmonizing Water and Fire. During cultivation, Earth in the Kun position (lower Dantian) assists in "gathering the medicinal essence" (collecting Jing and Qi), while in the Qian position (upper Dantian) it regulates the "firing times" (breathing and mental focus) - this is what's termed "maintaining boundaries and established rules."

After the Golden Elixir enters the body, vital essence (Jing) circulates through the meridians: passing through both kidneys, the spinal ridge, heart, brain, and returning to the Dantian. This process produces extraordinary sensations: like mist dispersing, sudden wind and rain, awakening from a dream, recovery from serious illness, with spiritual energies merging like conjugal union, and bodily comfort resembling post-bathing freshness. These are actual cultivation experiences, not mere metaphors.

Upon ingesting the Golden Elixir, its potency permeates all limbs and bones, making one's complexion radiant. White hair turns black again, lost teeth regrow, elderly men regain youthful vigor, and aged women become maiden-like. This transformative effect on physical form enables practitioners to evade the ravages of aging.

This scripture elucidates the process and principles of attaining the state of "Zhenren" (True Person) through cultivation of the Golden Elixir (Jindan), the supreme practice of Daoist internal alchemy (Neidan).

Upon obtaining the Golden Elixir, the practitioner must nurture it continuously day and night, allowing the vital energy (Qi) to permeate the entire body, reaching every limb and bone. This naturally results in clear spirit and refreshed energy, with one's appearance becoming youthful—white hair turning black, lost teeth regrowing, elderly men restoring their robust physique, and aged women regaining maiden-like features. This complete transformation, transcending the mortal condition, is called becoming a "Zhenren."

Humans, together with Heaven and Earth, are called the "Three Powers" (Sancai) and should share their longevity. Yet while Heaven and Earth endure eternally, human life spans barely a century, because humans remain merely one phenomenon within the cosmic order. Only through cultivation—stealing the creative mechanism of Heaven and Earth—can one refine the Great Golden Liquid Elixir (Jindan) to achieve equal longevity with the cosmos, truly becoming a "Zhenren." Reaching this state elevates one beyond the ordinary into sagehood, freeing the spirit from bodily constraints to wander carefree beyond the dusty world.

The scripture employs several analogies to illustrate cultivation principles: when lead powder (hufen) is cast into fire, it reverts to lead; when ice meets hot water, it melts back to water—both examples of nature's tendency to return to its origin. Refining the Golden Elixir requires cinnabar as the primary material combined with mercury, as they share the same elemental nature. Just as millet seeds produce millet and chicken eggs hatch chicks, only like can beget like. Fish eyes cannot become pearls, mugwort cannot grow into timber, and sparrows cannot give birth to phoenixes—all due to fundamental differences in kind.

Finally, it emphasizes that cultivation must follow the principle of "like attracting like": water flows downward and cannot burn upward, while fire ascends and cannot moisten downward. Cinnabar and mercury both belong to the metal phase (Jin), hence they mutually accomplish the alchemical work. Just as bamboo requires bamboo for grafting and eggs require eggs for hatching, the cultivation must identify the true "lead and mercury" (Neidan terminology for Yin and Yang energies) to align with the profound mysteries of the Dao.

When Yin and Yang energies resonate with each other, this follows the principle of like begetting like. Just as millet must be planted to harvest millet, or eggs must be used to hatch chicks—only by following nature's patterns can transformation be effortlessly achieved. To abandon what is of the same kind and seek transformation elsewhere would be like expecting fish eyes to become pearls or weeds to grow into timber—how can different categories produce mutual change? Swallows beget swallows, sparrows beget sparrows; one cannot expect them to produce phoenixes. Foxes nurse foxes, rabbits nurse rabbits; they cannot nurture foals. Fire's nature is to blaze upward—can it be forced to moisten downward? Water's nature is to moisten downward—can it be compelled to blaze upward?

Therefore, those who wish to refine the elixir of immortality must use substances of the same category. Only when like combines with like can success be achieved; to violate this principle is to fail in crafting the treasure. In truth, each person's body contains its own microcosm of heaven and earth, complete with its own Yin and Yang energies. Yet the Huan Yuan Pian speaks of "stealing the essence of heaven and earth" from external sources, claiming one can obtain the so-called "qi of the holy father and spiritual mother of sun and moon" through brief union. We must understand that the qi within us comes from our flesh-and-blood parents. Only by cultivating the qi of our true primordial parents (referring to innate primordial qi) can we transform our mortal flesh into pure Yang and attain the realm of celestial immortality, achieving longevity equal to heaven and earth.

Alas, some remain confused, failing to recognize that the same Yin and Yang as heaven and earth exist within themselves. Instead, they search externally for so-called "matches," absurdly taking young girls as "true lead" (a Neidan term symbolizing innate primordial Jing), even fabricating stories about the Yellow Emperor, the Dark Maiden (Xuannü), and the Plain Maiden (Sünü) to justify depraved teachings that cater to literati desires. Thus, many wealthy families became obsessed with these corrupt "harvesting" techniques, often losing their lives as a result—the Tang dynasty chancellor Xiahou Zi being a prime example.

Ge Hong (known as Baopuzi) compared such practices to "using a teacup to hold boiling water or wrapping fire in feathers." Tao Hongjing (known as the Hermit) wrote in the Zhen Gao that it was like "embracing jade while leaping into a fiery pit or burying a dead dog in a golden coffin." Dongweizi bluntly called it "swinish behavior," while Li Shangyin (known as Yuxisheng) termed it "seeds of hell." All authentic alchemical scriptures throughout history have sternly condemned these techniques, for they harm others and ultimately destroy the practitioner themselves.

The Nanhua Zhenjing (i.e., Zhuangzi) states wisely: "Do not exhaust your body, do not agitate your vital essence (Jing), and thus you may live long." Never has there been any valid doctrine about "attaining immortality through women." Who invented these heretical teachings? To this day they continue to mislead later generations, tarnishing the pure reputation of true adepts—standing as the most harmful among all deviant paths.

The world is full of intelligent and diligent individuals who, despite their remarkable talents, waste their energy and resources in vain due to never encountering a true enlightened master. Relying solely on book knowledge, they speculate recklessly about alchemical methods, failing to find the correct path or grasp the proper measure. Some tinker with minerals like qiangshidan (orpiment), mica, arsenic sand, magnetite, and sulfur, sealing furnaces with Yuzhang clay to refine mercury or smelting five-colored copper alloys, deluding themselves into forcing the fusion of incompatible substances—such efforts are doomed to fail, and the more they rely on petty cleverness, the more foolish they reveal themselves to be.

As the Wuzhen Pian (Awakening to Reality) wisely states: Even if you surpass the wisdom of Yan Hui or Min Ziqian, without receiving the genuine oral instructions, you will never penetrate the profound mysteries of the alchemical scriptures. Most alchemists in the world mistakenly regard tangible substances like cinnabar and mercury as the foundation of cultivation, unaware that the true Golden Elixir (Jindan) is a treasure born from "non-being"—the mineral references in the scriptures are merely metaphors. Sadly, people cling to external objects, exhausting their wealth and studying until their hair turns white, only to end in futile labor, ultimately doubting the validity of the immortal path.

In truth, the Dao is supremely simple—a single phrase of genuine transmission can illuminate it. Yet precisely because it is so plain and unremarkable, people find it hard to believe. Even more lamentable are those who, having received the true transmission, later grow doubtful midway and ultimately stray from the path. The Neizhi Tongxuan Mijue (Secret Instructions on Inner Illumination) points out: Those who rely on their own intelligence to judge arbitrarily, even when hearing the correct teachings, will rarely grasp their true meaning. The key to cultivating the Dao lies in seeking guidance with an open mind. If one always clings to subjective preconceptions, it's like viewing the sky through a bamboo tube—how could one ever behold the full majesty of the Great Dao?

Those who cling stubbornly to their own views and deviate from the Great Dao (the Way) are like travelers who persist in going astray and refuse to turn back. They perceive the Heavenly Dao as if peering at the sky through a bamboo tube—their vision is so narrow, how could one possibly discuss with them the profound and boundless mysteries of the future?

(Note: Here, the allusion "peering at the sky through a bamboo tube" symbolizes limited understanding, seeing only a tiny fragment of the whole. The author criticizes such obstinate individuals for being incapable of grasping the profound cosmic truths revealed in the Zhouyi Cantongqi [The Kinship of the Three, a foundational text of Daoist alchemy].)