《道樞》Vol. 16

Chapter Sixteen of The Pivot of the Dao: “The Source of Numinous Power” (A Plain-Language Reading)

Perfected He—often identified in Daoist tradition with the Immortal Maiden He—says: The root of life lies in the true breath. This is not breath held by force or counted deliberately, but the original breathing that resonates with the Great Dao. The Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) spreads its subtle principles throughout. A person who can hold fast to “attaining the One and never losing it” is said to know how to preserve it well.

The palace chambers—the dwelling place of body and mind—must be empty, still, spacious, and open for the spirit to settle there. If one relentlessly labors and struggles within the “numinous court,” one instead drains away the blood and Qi. Joy, anger, sorrow, and anxious thought are all worms that eat away at the body. If one remains deluded and unaware, Qi becomes disordered and the spirit has nowhere to rest. When primordial harmony is exhausted, the spirit departs.

When the sprout is still tender, it must be sheltered and nourished. Root awareness is easily altered, and good crops cannot grow in a barren field. That is why people often say that nine years are needed for the process to reach maturity. The mysterious response arises without intent, yet its speed is beyond imagining.

The true mind is mindless. Only when movement and stillness are both forgotten does one leave desire behind. Shen (spirit) belongs to one’s nature; Qi (vital energy) belongs to one’s life. When Shen does not race outward, Qi naturally settles. Which is closer, nature or life, and which more distant? If the root is lost, what can serve as a foundation? Only by merging into one and then forgetting that “one” can a person become one with the arising and ebbing of primordial Qi. Even the penetration of metal and stone is then no difficult matter. “Seated, it is present; standing, it is absent”—it comes and goes in an instant. This Dao is easy to understand but difficult to practice. When practice reaches the point of forgetting that one is practicing, the Dao is complete.

Holding the breath and counting breaths is not the Dao I speak of. Focus the Qi and make it supple, and Shen will remain of its own accord. Let the true breath flow back and forth in peaceful ease. In time it becomes continuous and unbroken, returning to the primal life force; the numinous spring then flows without being drawn. The thirty-six thousand cycles constitute a great accomplishment, with the rhythms of Yin-Yang and the seasons contained within them. As the passes and channels are warmed and dissolved, the sinews and bones are transformed, and radiance shines through everywhere. The Three Peng—three worms within the body, symbolizing desires and Yin stagnation—leave the dwelling of the Yin corpse; the myriad realms pay court at the palace of the Red Emperor, and the Perfected One takes his place on the Cinnabar Terrace. How could this be achieved in a day or a night? It depends only on returning to the original truth. Victory over demonic obstacles rests on the power of wisdom and a spirit of emptiness and detachment.

What should serve as the foundation at the outset? One must clear away the scenes that arise in thought and take hold of the spirit that appears in dreams. This is the very basis for cultivation.

A Plain-Language Interpretation of The Pivot of the Dao

1. General Principles of Cultivation

Neither scattering nor becoming stagnant is the essential principle of cultivation; neither clinging to the square nor clinging to the circle is the subtle Dao.

Only by regulating and circulating what is within can one accomplish the true body. Seeking breath and techniques solely from outside is not the right path. If Original Qi does not flow on without interruption, the spirit cannot be at peace. When a tree’s roots rot, its branches and leaves must wither. Mucus, saliva, essence, and blood, traced back to their source, all come from one origin. They change with circumstances, under the direction of the mind: heat in the body becomes sweat; sorrow felt in the eyes becomes tears; arousal in the kidneys becomes essence; wind sensed in the nose becomes mucus. Though these fluids flow and spread everywhere, they serve only to nourish the body. At the utmost subtlety and refinement, all remain within spirit-water—a mystery difficult to put into words.

True Qi nourishes human life. I remain calm and free of selfish desire, observe purification to quiet my mind, and restrain my speech. Thus I obtain the sweet liquid of ambrosia and dew; hunger and thirst disappear, and my original purity comes to light. At first, cultivation is strenuous; once the work is complete, one is free and at ease. Even amid effort, one must make room for leisure to nourish the Original Spirit. How can the mind find leisure? By being able to release or restrain it at will. What method should one use inwardly? Practice great stillness in perfect calm. If body and spirit are not yet complete, and one cannot yet fulfill one’s life, one should at least fulfill one’s nature. Those who pride themselves on being “capable of many things” often go against the path of cultivation, like smoke and mist that cannot become rain and dew.

Cultivation must take spirit and Qi as its foundation; if they are unsettled, all effort is in vain. The subtlety of Nonbeing is hard to grasp or hold. To nourish an infant, one must protect its mother. I set aside clever argument and abandon cleverness, nurture my vital essence, and willingly appear dull. There is no need to force success or failure. Without forcing things, one’s substance can naturally endure; when one does force things, one seeks to become an immortal. Whether one feels certain or uncertain, one need only make the mind firm. Then the true spirit will not scatter, and one can return to the Origin.

2. The Central Source Chapter

(The Azure Dragon of the Fang Lodge, the White Tiger of the Shen Lodge, governed by the Zhen Star—the mother of all things)

What is the great medicine spoken of in tradition? Look up to the heavens: the Fang Lodge is the Azure Dragon, the essence of mercury; the Shen Lodge is the White Tiger, the essence of lead. These two Qi are supreme treasures. The sun is the Vermilion Bird, the spirit of fire; the moon is the Black Tortoise, corresponding to cinnabar and lead. From these, one refines…

Brief explanations of specialized terms

• Returning to the Origin: The spirit and Qi return to their source and rise to the center of Heaven, a sign that cultivation has reached completion.
• Great Stillness: An inner-cultivation state in which the mind and spirit are settled and unmoving.
• Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise: Here, the stellar lodges and the Four Emblems serve as metaphors for alchemical terms such as lead and mercury, sun and moon, and water and fire. They do not refer only to the four directional beasts of feng shui.

To understand the “Great Medicine” and establish a foundation for cultivation, one must first grasp the central Earth of Wu and Ji. Earth is formed by the planet Saturn, also called the Guarding Star. It can bear all things and may be called the mother of all things.

Mercury is born from cinnabar, and cinnabar can in turn transform back into mercury. In this process, the original form of cinnabar is not seen; after returning to the root and restoring its origin, it becomes cinnabar again. Thus the Azure Dragon is the abode of cinnabar, where Yin and Yang naturally unite and gather their essences. The White Tiger is the abode of “black metal”: rough and brownish on the outside, yet holding fine jade within; black without and white within. Once refined, it becomes true lead. The realized masters of antiquity said that this is the essence of the divine dragon. The Eight Lords of Huainan called it “Autumn Stone.” What does “Autumn Stone” mean? Geng belongs to Metal and corresponds to the west; Xin is associated with stone… When mercury emerges from cinnabar, it is “divine water”; divine water is also the spirit of mercury. In the east, Wood governs Jia and Yi; in the south, Fire governs… Cinnabar is red, belongs to Yang, and resides in the south. The Dragon and Tiger are these two currents of Qi. They warm and unite within the cauldron, like a human embryo taking shape: Jing and Qi blend and join, giving rise to signs of formation. Then water establishes the four seasons, bringing the Great Returning Elixir to completion. The two essences unite in a form like blossoms of milk, each restraining the other.

From the first emergence of Yang in the eleventh month, through pure Yang in the fourth month, and then to the first stirrings of Yin in the fifth month, Yin and Yang give rise to one another and serve as each other’s go-between, until they unite of their own accord. When Yang reaches its extreme, Yin is born within Jiawu. Take the Yang trigrams: from Zi to Wu, the six trigrams enter the position of the Qian palace. (The six trigrams belong to the Qian palace.) Cinnabar comes from metal; mercury returns to lead. The medicine ripens in the cauldron as the two Qi shift and circulate, like a person in the womb. Yin and Yang act as go-betweens and bring it to completion; its subtle workings are like those of a spirit. When frost and snow descend in the tenth month, the Yellow Sprout has ripened within, its color warm and lustrous. Once the Yellow Sprout is formed, the Dragon and Tiger have naturally undergone a miraculous transformation. After the Elixir is complete and consumed, one should guard the One and preserve Shen, with the heart united with the Dao.

I once sat cross-legged: I rocked each hand forward and back thirty-six times; then, with the left hand joining the right, I rocked the “Heavenly Pillar” thirty-six times on each side. I clenched my hands in the firm-grasping posture, then rocked the “Pulley” as if turning a wheel. (The following text may have continued with specific practice instructions; the scripture ends here.)

An Excerpt from The Pivot of the Dao (Dao Shu), in Plain Language

In visualization, there are thirty-six pairs of “flying together.” The turning Lu Lu (a wheel often used in internal cultivation to symbolize the spine or the circulation of Qi) also turns thirty-six times. Shape the hands as if drawing a bow: pull the right hand back and turn the head to look left. Then curl both hands like hooks and reach forward and upward with force. Perform each movement thirty-six times. Next, gently tap the upper and lower teeth together, rinse the mouth with saliva to moisten the teeth, and then swallow forcefully three times. Only then begin the fire practice, which circulates inner fire to refine and cultivate Jing and Qi.

Match the hours of the day with the number of liang and the number of rotations. At the Zi hour, use four liang, making nine rotations per liang, for a total of thirty-six. At the Chou hour, use eight liang, for a total of seventy-two rotations; at the Yin hour, twelve liang, or 108 rotations; at the Chen hour, sixteen liang, or 144 rotations; at the Si hour, twenty liang, or 180 rotations; at the Wu hour, twenty liang, with six rotations per liang, for a total of 120; at the Wei hour, sixteen liang, or ninety-six rotations; at the Shen hour, twelve liang, or seventy-two rotations; at the Xu hour, eight liang, or forty-eight rotations; and at the Hai hour, four liang, or twenty-four rotations. This method is not practiced at the Mao hour, which belongs to Yin, or the You hour, which belongs to Yang.

The Central Yellow Chapter (Its general meaning: the five grains can nourish the body, but they can also diminish life. Taking “Original Harmony” can steady the body and prolong life.)

Human beings receive form in the womb. Jing and blood are their root, while spiritual awareness and original Qi are their foundation. Therefore, one must first understand the five zang organs: original Qi fills and congeals into substance, is generated by the five zang organs, and corresponds to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). The seven apertures open through, like the seven luminaries shining overhead. Within the human abdomen are the proper Qi of the Five Phases. Follow it, and there is no illness; go against it, and harm results. The head resembles Heaven, and the feet resemble Earth. The Qi of the heart, the bones, and the joints all belong to what is called “great”—this is the body that serves as the dwelling place of Shen. In this way, cultivating the Dao becomes easy, and life can be prolonged. The Dao makes use of the mind and awareness: if one can employ the mind while letting go of attachment and emotion, one can ascend straight to the Ninth Heaven. This is the essential point.

In the womb, an infant is silent and still, in accord with the ultimate principle. Once born, the six senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and thought—begin to stir. The body grows by relying on the five grains, and greed and anger arise together; one acts under the direction of the senses. The mouth craves external flavors and forgets its original awareness; the body is driven by inner desires and loses its true nature. When Shen leaves the body, the body falls apart; when the body separates from Shen, life departs. Yet people fail to understand that skin and flesh correspond, and sinews and bones form one another: the liver corresponds to the sinews, and its outward expression is the nails; the heart corresponds to the vessels, and its outward expression is the complexion; the spleen corresponds to the flesh, and its outward expression is ….

A Plain-Language Interpretation of The Pivot of the Dao (Dao Shu)

1. The Five Organs and Their Correspondences with the Body’s Surface and the Five Flavors

Correspondences between the outer and inner body: The outer surface of the lips corresponds to the lungs and is associated with the skin; the outer surface of the hair corresponds to the kidneys and is associated with the bones.

The five flavors harm the five organs: Too much salt harms the bones, excessive bitterness harms the blood, too much sweetness harms the flesh, excessive pungency harms Qi (vital energy), and too much sourness harms the sinews. Who can truly understand the reason behind this?

Qi belongs to Yang, while flavor belongs to Yin. Flavor nourishes the body, and the body depends on Qi; Qi, in turn, transforms into Jing (essence). At first, these nourish one another, but over time they often come to damage one another: Jing depends on Qi for nourishment, yet Qi can be harmed by Jing; the body depends on flavor for nourishment, yet flavor can damage the body. Thus, when grain Qi becomes excessive, primordial Qi weakens, and a person moves toward old age.

2. A Seasonal Diet for Health

• Spring (about seventy-two days): reduce bitter flavors and increase pungent ones to nourish the lungs.
• Summer (about seventy-two days): reduce sour flavors and increase sweet ones to nourish the spleen.
• Autumn (about seventy-two days): reduce pungent flavors and increase sour ones to nourish the liver.
• Winter (about seventy-two days): reduce salty flavors and increase bitter ones to nourish the heart.
• The end of each season (about eighteen days): reduce sweet flavors and increase salty ones to nourish the kidneys.

With this kind of regulation and care, one may hope to live for three hundred years.

3. Cultivation and Grain Abstinence

First, eliminate desires to nourish Jing; then abstain from grain to preserve life. Taking in fetal Qi and numinous essence is the Way to immortality.

4. The Land of Huaxu and the Three Peng

There is a Land of Huaxu, the Court of the Most High, extending thirty li in every direction. Flying brambles cover its heights, and tribulus thorns cover its lowlands. To reach the Land of Huaxu, one must first pass through them. The flying brambles and tribulus thorns are like the Three Peng—the three parasites that Daoism holds to dwell within the human body. Once the Three Peng have been completely expelled, one can ascend to the realm of the Fetal Immortal.

5. The Nine Immortal Lords’ Eighteen Teachings on the Dao

The Nine Immortal Lords say: The essential teachings of the Dao can be set out in about eighteen chapters. A scripture says, “Cultivate stillness and concentration alone, and the body will be like jade; take only primordial harmony and eliminate the five grains.” What does this mean?

When the mind follows its circumstances, one should first settle in purity: Within, put an end to thoughts and worries; without, put an end to desire. Then primordial Qi will naturally become abundant. People take the five grains to build up their flesh, unaware that they are in fact a source of harm to the body. Another scripture says: “Salty, pungent, and sour flavors damage the fluids of the five organs; when flavors enter, the teeth grow dull—this is what is meant by the mind’s mirror.”

6. A Spring Cultivation Method (Practice at the Zi Hour)

During the three months of spring, prepare a quiet, clean room with a table, a bed, and bedding. At the Zi hour (when the first Yang begins to arise), quiet the mind and spirit, click the teeth thirty-six times, clench both hands, then lie on your back with your eyes closed. When the breath goes out, close the mouth and puff up the cheeks until they are full; swallow the breath.

Note: “Three Peng” refers to the three parasites within the body that Daoist cultivation seeks to expel. “Fetal Immortal” and “numinous essence” are terms from internal cultivation. The Land of Huaxu represents an ideal realm of cultivation. The seasonal correspondences among flavors and organs express the traditional principle of adapting health practices to the time of year.

Swallow the saliva by the method of “du shu,” as though sending it down into the abdomen. A gurgling sound will arise in the belly. Continue until you feel hungry, then take it again. After the Qi has entered, if your mouth becomes dry, drink sesame liquid (take three large sheng of black sesame seeds, remove the skins, and steam and sun-dry them nine times; finely grind three liang of poria into powder. First add three liang of sesame powder, then the poria powder, and boil for several moments. Add a little cream and honey). After practicing for a long time, the Qi will flow freely and settle naturally, and you can stop drinking the sesame liquid. In time, the residue in the intestines will be gone, and you will only need to swallow Qi, which will descend of its own accord like a liquid decoction to below the navel.

When first taking Qi, do not be alarmed if your urine is yellow. If you keep drinking decoctions and the residue in your intestines remains, you will ultimately be unable to discern right from wrong clearly. If you wish to stop eating grain, judge your own capacity; there is no fixed limit on how long to continue. It may be thirty days, fifty days, or a hundred days. The three Dantian naturally fill in sequence: after thirty days, the lower Dantian is full, Shen and Qi are sufficient and do not leak away, and you feel no hunger; after sixty days, the middle Dantian is full, the body is neither weak nor wasted, and your steps are strong; after ninety days, the upper Dantian is full, the inside becomes dense and settled, while the outside grows plump. Then the three burners are balanced and full, Shen is concentrated and the body clear. With no desires or thoughts, you can settle your mind in the realm of the sages and learn the way of the embryonic immortal.

If you alternate between eating and abstaining, your resolve will become scattered and you will crave various flavors. The Qi of grain will then be difficult to dispel, a grave obstacle for anyone seeking immortality. This is one method of nourishing the body and Shen from within. The scripture says: “If you can guard this, the Three Corpses will depart, and you will behold the Nine Perfected Ones and the Qi of the Five Teeth.” What does this mean? Taking saliva prevents hunger; how much more so, then, does taking Qi? Thus, when one abstains from grain, the hun and po souls are transformed, and the Three Corpses are stirred. Yet at the beginning of taking Qi, whether after fourteen or twenty-eight days, once the filth and residue have been expelled, you may gradually feel weak and find your limbs powerless. This is because the original Qi has not yet reached its destination. Do not be afraid; persevere until the lower Dantian is full, and hunger and thirst will pass. At first the skin may look sallow and thin, but later it should become bright and lustrous. If you continue this practice while also eating, it will have no effect.

Generally, to make the Qi reach the five organs quickly, you must stop drinking decoctions and abstain for fifty days. Close your eyes and visualize the Qi within the spleen. Let it rise from the heart and spread to the limbs as you lie on your back.

The Pivot of the Dao (Dao Shu): A Plain-Language Interpretation

Invocation (General Meaning of the Incantation)

The center, Wu and Ji, holds primordial Qi within. Its color is yellow, and its inside is firm. Used in this way, it can regulate Cinnabar Yang. Do not refuse the Vermilion Mound; together, discuss how to reach the limbs. Great yellow clouds rise. Then, at the hour of Chou (between one and three in the morning), practice without fail for twenty-eight days.

Yellow Qi in the Spleen and Its Extraordinary Powers

Within twenty-eight days, the Qi in the spleen may appear, dense as yellow clouds, and extend into the limbs. In time, this Qi can extinguish a candle and blow out a flame from a hundred paces away. Like a great wind, it can raise clouds and mist to conceal the body.

The Three Corpses (Three Worms)

The Three Corpses: one dwells in the palace of the brain—the palace of the brain being the upper Dantian (energy center)—and is white-blue in color. It makes people think about food and drink, indulge their desires, and become unsettled in mind. Another dwells in the Hall of Light—the Hall of Light being the middle Dantian—and makes people covet wealth and bribes, indulge in pleasure and anger, and become mentally dazed. The third dwells in the abdomen and stomach—the abdomen and stomach being the lower Dantian—and makes people love fine clothes, give themselves over to alcohol and sex, and become emotionally confused.

If one can focus the mind and firmly take in its Qi, the upper worm will die after thirty days, the middle worm after sixty days, and the lower worm after ninety days. Then the Five Phases’ (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) proper Qi will be present within the five organs, moving in response to the Nine Heavens, with nothing beyond its reach. This subtle method of taking in Qi is the second gate of practice.

The Bitter and Noxious Five Teeth

The scripture says: “The Five Teeth are bitter and noxious; what is meant by the flavors pungent and sour?” When the Five Flavors are not brought to an end, the numinous Qi of the five organs cannot arise. This is the bitter and noxious practice of the Five Teeth, the third gate of practice. The Five Teeth generally refers to practices of the mouth, such as rinsing and tapping the teeth. Here, the emphasis is on avoiding excessive saltiness and maintaining harmony among the Five Flavors to nourish the numinous Qi of the five organs.

Purifying the Will Like Mist and Clouds (Firming the Fists to Refine the Body)

The scripture says: “Steam the sinews and expose the bones until the channels are reached; firm the fists, secretly communicate, and open the hundred apertures. What is meant by this?”

After fifty days of taking in Qi, if one has not yet been able to give up food and drink, wait for a clear day. At noon, sit in a private room, prepare a bed and mat, and spread the hair over the pillow. Then gradually place the hands in the firm-fist posture—clenching the fists to gather and contain Qi, usually held beside the ribs. Tap the teeth seven times, steady the mind, and close the eyes. If a slight feeling of oppression arises, exert force while maintaining the firm-fist posture. Little by little, the sinews and channels slowly open, and numinous Qi gradually passes among the bones and flesh. Saliva and sweat moisten the skin. With repeated practice, one’s complexion naturally brightens and strength doubles. Hold the breath and refine the body; primordial Qi flows through the hair, and the hairs begin to quiver. This is purifying the will like mist and clouds, the fourth gate of practice.

The Spirit of All the Apertures

The scripture says: “The hundred apertures are connected; each has its own spirit. What is meant by this?”

The hundred apertures connect to the hundred points, and the hundred points connect to the hundred channels. Above the eyes are two points that connect to the liver channel; the liver channel connects to the heart channel. The passage that follows may continue by discussing the relationship among the eyes, heart, and spirit. This section focuses on how the body’s apertures and channels connect, allowing spirit and Qi to circulate throughout.

Terms such as upper, middle, and lower Dantian, firming the fists, taking in Qi, and the Three Corpses are briefly explained according to their common meanings in Daoist inner practice, without extending them into exaggerated claims about religious efficacy.

This passage describes how, during Qi ingestion and fasting, the body’s channels, residues from grain Qi, and nine levels of practice correspond to one another. It presents a sequence of stages in Daoist cultivation.

The Relationship Between the Heart, Nose, and Brain (the Fifth Stage)

Grief in the heart brings tears. An opening in the upper brain connects with the nasal channels, which in turn connect with the heart channels. That is why grief makes the nose sting, while heat in the brain dries it out. The hundred channels correspond to the hundred openings, and the hundred gates connect with the hundred joints. When one opening closes, illness arises; when one channel is blocked, an entire network falls into disorder. For those who ingest Qi, all the channels flow freely, nothing remains in the stomach or abdomen, and neither cold nor heat can invade or toxins cause harm. Only then can the myriad spirits gather within the body, and wounds, scars, and intrusive Qi disappear. This is what “the hundred openings connected to one another” means: the fifth stage.

The scripture says: “What is the thing called a grievance? What does it mean to be wrapped in seven times seven?” Once the dregs are gone, the most important thing is to cut off water and grain. A period of forty-nine days is crucial. Gradually, the hundred channels open fully; inner awareness shines like a candle; worldly thoughts are suddenly cast aside; and the Five Viscera become calm and harmonious. If one cannot steadfastly preserve Jing (essence) and Qi, all previous work is wasted. This is the “Way of enduring life,” the sixth stage.

The scripture says: “The stagnant child’s spiritual achievement has a difficult path; grain in its fullness is generally what causes illness.” What does this mean? When grain Qi is dense and full, it obstructs the Five Viscera; Shen and Qi fail to cohere, and the numinous light cannot shine. The flavors—salty, sweet, pungent, and sour—constitute the seventh stage.

The scripture says: “The essence of grain is cut off from the numinous; it winds around the Six Bowels and darkens the channels.” What does this mean? The essence of grain Qi becomes saliva and membranous matter, winding around and enclosing the Five Viscera and Six Bowels, joints, sinews, and channels. After ingesting Qi for fifty or sixty days, one may see that the dregs are gone, yet not realize that the essence of grain Qi has not left. A desire to eat then arises, and one’s emotions and spirit grow scattered, leaving one nearly shaken by the Three Corpses. Later, the urine may look like pus, blood, spoiled fat, or chicken droppings. This means that grain Qi is about to leave the body. After another twenty or thirty days, something like saliva or membrane may be expelled; that is the essence of grain Qi. This is the eighth stage.

The scripture says: “By oneself, one recognizes the primordial, harmonious Qi of the Nine Immortals.” What does this mean? Once grain Qi is exhausted, one can recognize primordial Qi. The Three Worms’ dwelling place constitutes the ninth stage.

The scripture says: “From you, movement and breathing arise; dwelling within the Dantian, it shines brightly.” What does this mean? When Shen and Qi are abundant, movement and breathing can raise clouds and mists, allowing one to become invisible and move without hindrance. When the Qi in the Dantian is steady and full, it rises and descends, gathers into a form like an egg, and shines with light.

Brief Background

• Qi ingestion means taking in Qi through breathing practices and visualization, often combined with grain abstention, or avoiding the staple grains.
• The Three Corpses/Three Worms are beings believed in Daoism to inhabit the human body, encouraging desires and shortening life. The aims of grain abstention and Qi ingestion include driving them out.
• The Dantian is a place in the lower abdomen where Qi is cultivated internally; it is often described as gathering like a pearl and shining with light.
• “Wrapped in seven times seven” and “forty-nine days” are numerical symbols for the schedule and thresholds of cultivation. Different versions and commentators explain them differently. Here, they are taken to mean that after the dregs are gone, one must strictly abstain from food and drink for a period of time.

Overall, the passage describes a sequence: the channels and openings connect; one abstains from grain and preserves Jing; the saliva and membranes formed from grain Qi are expelled; and finally, when Shen and Qi are abundant, the Dantian shines. Step by step, one “exhausts grain and recognizes the primordial.”

After several li of cultivation, the sinews and bones become strong, and the body becomes peaceful and harmonious. This is the tenth kind within the “Nine Immortals’ True Qi.” The scripture says: “For the true immortal of embryonic breathing (taixi), when the Qi of food is eliminated, closing the true Qi forms embryonic breathing.” What is embryonic breathing? After practicing Qi-ingestion for two hundred days, once the Qi of the five viscera has become full, one may begin to learn embryonic breathing.

First, prepare a quiet, sealed room. Spread thick felt and several layers of matting, and raise the pillow four fingers high so that it is level with the body. Let go of distracting thoughts, clench the hands in the firm grip (wogu), and lie down on the back to sleep. At first, hold the breath, gradually increasing from ten breaths to fifteen, thirty-five, fifty, and up to one hundred breaths, keeping the mind and spirit unmoving. Counting the twelve double-hours of a day and night, one should reach a total of one thousand six hundred and fifty breaths. While holding the breath, the breathing seems to be cut off; the po-soul (corporeal soul) remains guarding the body, while the hun-soul (ethereal soul) roams upward to the celestial realms.

After reaching one hundred breaths, the hun spirit should manifest. At this time one may see the po. The po belongs to the Yin spirits and does not wish the person to live; there are seven of them, wearing black garments and black caps and holding black seals, called the “Mysterious Mother” (Xuanmu). If one sees the Mysterious Mother, one should concentrate and silently pray: “Mysterious Mother, Mysterious Mother, you are the master of my body. Please nurture my sinews and bones and do not leave my body. I will go roaming in heaven together with the Hun Father.”

Next one will see three spirits, each leading a five-inch-long corpse-form, wearing vermilion garments and vermilion caps and holding vermilion seals. They lead more than a hundred spirits in the Upper Origin Palace (Shangyuan Gong) that govern the brain to leave the body. Afterwards, between the two Dantians a current of Qi will appear, shaped like white clouds, luminous and translucent. At this point one must carefully call the names of the three hun-souls: the first is called Shuangling, the second Taiguang, and the third Youjing. After being guided by this Yang spirit, the spirits in the brain palace will carry the light spirit to roam upward to the celestial realms.

When the hun spirit has just left the body, one will feel as if emerging from a dark chamber, and may also see ghosts and spirits of strange shapes and various sizes. As long as one is not afraid and waits until these scenes disappear, it may be considered smooth. Therefore, those who cultivate this way must find like-minded companions to live with, lest, after seeing anomalous phenomena, fear arise in the mind and the body be unable to leave. Companions should record the breath count for the cultivator. This is the eleventh kind among the “True Immortals of Embryonic Breathing.”

The scripture also says: “The true Qi of the five viscera is the sprout and flower of the numinous mushroom.” What does this mean? The liver belongs to Wood; Wood generates Fire and is restrained by Earth. It comes from the East, and its color is blue-green. After receiving Yang Qi, this Qi lies hidden within the body; by holding the breath and concentrating for one thousand breaths, the blue-green color will circulate and coagulate. When practicing, begin at the zi hour; one should....

Classic: The Pivot of the Dao

Modern Interpretation:

In one course of practice, from the first day through the fiftieth, visualize a current of Qi within the body, like blue clouds. This can treat illnesses such as floating heat, seasonal epidemics, swelling, scabies and itching, and sudden coughing. This Qi belongs to the Fire of the Heart: it is generated by Wood and controlled by Metal, comes from the south, and is red. It receives the Qi of Vermilion Yang and lies hidden through a thousand breaths. The red Qi should be released at the hour of the Horse. At that hour each day, visualize this Qi and make the heart as large as an egg. The red Qi gradually spreads from the crown of the head. Recite the incantation: “In the south, Bing and Ding; the Red Dragon dwells there. Yin spirits, yield your place; Yang officials, come down to welcome me.” With sustained visualization, the Qi will appear; once put to use, it works of its own accord. After fifty days, the red Qi will shine like fire and can treat cold-related illnesses.

The Lungs belong to Metal. They are generated by Earth and controlled by Wood, come from the west, and are white. After taking in and retaining the Qi for a thousand breaths, the white color should appear. At the hour of the Ox each day, visualize its Qi as a white pearl, its light resting between the eyebrows, and recite: “In the west, Geng and Xin; the mysterious darkness of Taiwei. Within, you correspond to the six viscera; without, you are the spirit of the Lungs. You appear above the breath and wander in the Dantian. Protect my life firmly; through this, I attain immortality.” After completing this visualization once, then continuing for forty-nine days, Qi in the Lungs will appear like white clouds, bright enough to illuminate the earth below. All treasures can be seen, as can people’s good and evil; one can see the inside by observing the outside.

If you do not practice the method of visualizing the Five Qi, you must instead take in Qi for three years before you can see the Qi within the five viscera. This is because one does not understand the principles of generation and control, cold and heat: for cold, use the Qi of the Heart, which belongs to Fire; for heat, use the Qi of the Kidneys, which belongs to Water. Thus, without knowing how to use Qi, the practice will have no effect.

The Spleen belongs to Earth. It is generated by Fire and controlled by Water, comes from the center, and is true yellow. After holding it for a thousand breaths, the yellow color will flourish. Visualize its Qi once each day, at no fixed hour. After forty-nine days, you will see its Qi for yourself and be able to pass through walls and barriers unseen by others.

The Kidneys belong to Water. They are generated by Metal and controlled by Fire, come from the north, and are black. They are the lower origin and govern the chamber of life. Within them is the true essence; keep it in mind and do not forget it.

At the beginning of the fifth watch, each day, visualize the color of the spirit Qi of each of the five viscera. Stop once their Qi has all emerged from the crown of the head; there is no need to visualize them one by one. This method works slowly, and its effects appear after more than a hundred days.

The true Qi of these five viscera numbers twelve. The scripture says… (The passage provided does not continue.)

The Pivot of the Dao: A Plain-Language Interpretation

“What does it mean that the True Palace of Taiji dwells in the azure void?”

The “True Palace of Taiji” is in the azure void. What does this mean? It is a palace in the upper realm. In the upper realm, the sun and moon are formed from the essence of the Seven Treasures; in the lower realm, they are formed when Yin and Yang support the breath. One year of 360 days in the lower realm corresponds to twelve double-hours in a single day of the upper realm. This “True Palace of Taiji” is the thirteenth tier. The scripture says, “Higher still, enter the Vast Heavens and reach the Great Tenuity.” What does this mean? It is the fifth hall among the Nine Heavens. These “True Immortals of the Nine Qi” are the fourteenth tier.

“The scripture says, ‘By quietly cultivating the truth, one becomes a sage; the Nine Practices are set forth in the gateway of emptiness.’ What does this mean?”

The “Nine Practices” are: first, to wear compassion as one’s robe; second, to take restraint and relinquishment as one’s food; third, to ride upon a rectified heart; fourth, to make single-minded purpose one’s wealth; fifth, to use humility as one’s bed; sixth, to make compliance with righteousness one’s vessel; seventh, to make diligent generosity one’s house; eighth, to make cultivation of emptiness one’s dwelling; and ninth, to make giving alms one’s adornment. This “Mysterious Palace of Great Tenuity” is the fifteenth tier.

“The scripture says, ‘All practices are real when the mind is free of intention; through the mind’s movement, the mind finds its way back to Heaven.’ What does this mean?”

The mind that is free of intention arises because there is a mind. This “Gateway of Emptiness of the Nine Practices” is the sixteenth tier.

“The scripture says, ‘The six repositories and ten thousand spirits are ever-present.’ What does this mean?”

The large intestine’s repository is governed by the lungs. The bridge of the nose, at its center, serves as an indicator of complexion. It weighs twelve liang, is one chi and two cun long, and eight cun wide. The large intestine has twelve convolutions and stores one dou and two sheng of food and water. Within the twelve double-hours there are spirits, each wearing clothes and a headdress of its corresponding color; there are eleven of them. When the Qi of food and water is exhausted, these spirits appear.

The kidney repository governs the inner palace. Outwardly, it corresponds to the ears, which serve as the dwelling’s gates. Jing governs the kidneys. The kidneys are the rear palace, where palace women are arranged within: Ren on the left and Gui on the right. They circulate through the two ears, guarded by the Original Spirit. Anger injures the kidneys; when the kidneys are injured, one loses one’s resolve and the Original Spirit. Anger is forbidden in the Dao. The kidneys unite their Qi with the bladder and correspond upward to the root of the tongue. Qi and fluids flow back and forth; thus the two bladder repositories together form the gate of fluids, while the Sea of Qi circulates as the vital passage.

Before Qi cultivation is complete, one should moderate one’s speech to nourish the fluids. Within are 360 spirits, corresponding to the positions of the year. Once the Qi is formed, one should consistently uphold conduct free of greed; then one should see the spirits and unite with their principle. This passage on the “six repositories and ten thousand spirits” is the seventeenth tier. (The phrase “are ever-present” is followed by a detailed account of the six repositories. In keeping with the structure of the original, this section is concluded here; its tier may correspond to a palace name given later.)

Notes

The upper and lower realms, the True Palace of Taiji, Great Tenuity, and the Gateway of Emptiness of the Nine Practices belong to the Daoist canon’s sequence of celestial palaces and names for stages of cultivation. The text’s references to the thirteenth tier and beyond correspond to statements such as “the thirteenth” and “the fourteenth” in the original.

The discussion of the “six repositories,” including the large intestine, kidneys, and bladder, combines inner-body medicine with imagery of spirits residing within the body. The plain-language interpretation states this directly and avoids adding further doctrinal claims.

The Pivot of the Dao in Plain Language

Seventeenth Section: The Abode of the Myriad Spirits

The scripture says: “Do not divulge the Celestial Writ.”

What, then, does “preserving one’s resolve” mean?

It means never divulging Heaven’s secrets, from beginning to end; never carelessly revealing the essentials of cultivation or its inner meaning; and remaining wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao with steadfast purpose. If you can do this, the Celestial Spirits will secretly protect and assist you.

Eighteenth Section: Do Not Divulge the Celestial Writ

The “do not divulge the Celestial Writ” mentioned above—keeping its secrets, guarding your words, and remaining steadfast in your resolve—is the subject of the eighteenth section.

Brief explanations of terms (for comparison with the original)

Abode of the Myriad Spirits refers to the abode of the “myriad spirits” within the body or relied upon in cultivation. It is associated with methods such as guarding and gathering the spirit. Here it is a section title and need not be interpreted too expansively.

Celestial Writ here can be understood as secret essentials, talismanic writings, or methods of cultivation transmitted by Heaven and not to be divulged lightly.

Preserving one’s resolve means maintaining one’s purpose and keeping the mind focused, without wavering in response to external circumstances.

Divulging means revealing a secret. In the context of cultivation, it can also refer to essence, Qi (vital energy), or spirit dispersing outward. This passage chiefly emphasizes keeping Heaven’s secrets and maintaining discretion and resolve.