《道樞》Vol. 30

The Pivot of the Dao, Volume Thirty (A Modern Chinese Interpretation)

Volume title and source

This volume is titled Volume Thirty of The Pivot of the Dao and was compiled by Ziyouzi Zeng Zao.

The Five Phases of Lead and Mercury

(In brief: draw in the moon’s radiance and the sun’s essence; when the Four Symbols are complete, the River Chariot sets in motion.)

Tanxuanzi, who lived on Yellow Crane Mountain and was associated with Cao Shengtu, said: “I met Lord Yang in Dangyang and received the essential truths from him. From this we know that to obtain the great medicine of the Golden Elixir, one must first study the Five Phases in depth, then thoroughly investigate the sun and moon. Only when the Four Symbols are complete can the River Chariot of the Five Emperors be brought forth.”

The River Chariot refers to the spirit-water, a symbol in inner cultivation for life and transformation. It comes alive when it meets fire and is born when it encounters water. Through a thousand refinements and transformations, its true nature remains unchanged: this is the supreme treasure between Heaven and Earth. Tanxuanzi then sang:

“One attains it by attaining the One, and transformation comes through the Golden Liquor, the essence of metal and water. The Golden Liquor leads to the way of the immortals; seek it among the Five Phases. To recognize true lead and mercury: when one water meets one fire, they appear in the central palace, the Dantian, and take the lead. Water and fire unite as one thing; the two things become husband and wife. Matched as husband and wife, they circulate through a hundred moments in Kan and Li, the water and fire trigrams of the Bagua that symbolize the union of Yin and Yang. From this comes cinnabar, the embryo of the inner elixir, whose form is like a pearl. Though it comes from Li, the fire, cinnabar is not red by nature. Meeting water, it returns to the substance of water; meeting fire, it becomes Golden Liquor. It sheds its embryo and casts off the dark haze—the dark haze being the impurities of unrefined lead. The Golden Elixir must never be made with lead: use lead a thousand times, and every attempt will fail. A split bamboo must be mended with bamboo; a broken tree must be joined with wood. When a person’s Qi is replenished from outside, all things become foreign to them. Thus we know that the source of lead and mercury lies only in the Five Phases.”

“Metal governs four, the number and position associated with Metal. It is born when fire receives the tally, and can bring something from nothing and return something to nothing. Thus the Four Symbols become complete and give rise to white metal. This is the Qi of the sun’s essence and the moon’s radiance: it can condense into whiteness and become water. It is called the flowing pearl, Golden Liquor, or divine elixir. When the full measure of the utmost Yang, nine times nine, has been reached, it becomes the elixir that transcends the world.”

“Wood governs three. When fire first mingles the Qi, Wood receives the tally and contains the utmost essence of the Origin. Through its union with Earth, it takes its place and becomes a parent once more; the two generate buds and shoots in turn. It matches the transformations of Heaven and Earth, establishes itself, and responds faithfully to the position of Jia in the East, the Azure Dragon’s place. This is the Azure Dragon. Thus in summer it can condense snow that resembles winter ice: this is the Way of reversal, in which Yin and Yang turn about and cold and heat exchange places.”

“Water is numbered one and occupies the North. The alchemical scriptures say: Heaven gives birth to the Mysterious Maiden, making her Yang; at its utmost, Yin arises, descending from Heaven. The lead, silver, cinnabar, and mercury of the world…”

Reading note (not part of the original scripture)

Terms such as lead and mercury, the River Chariot, cinnabar, the Four Symbols, and the husband and wife of Kan and Li often refer in Neidan to the refinement of Jing, Qi, and Shen, and to water and fire, Yin and Yang. They should not be understood only as metals used in an alchemical laboratory. “Never use lead” often serves as a metaphor for not becoming attached to external things or mistaking impurities for the medicine.

This passage draws on alchemical terms such as lead, mercury, and the Five Phases to explain the principles of Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation. The mercury it mentions is not real quicksilver but a symbol. It contains the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth and pours into the Wuji (Ultimate Void, the undivided, pre-cosmic state of primordial origin). This is what is called the "River Chariot" (Hechē), the path along which primordial qi circulates up and down the Du and Ren channels. The author first raises a question: since the Five Phases arise from celestial phenomena, how can they be coordinated with them? The discussion that follows develops from this question.

The author then uses the human relations of father, husband, wife, and son to describe the generating relations among the Five Phases, speaking of "the father of Earth," "the husband of Metal," "the wife of Water," and "the son of Wood." Wood receives the yin and yang talismanic qi and grows, and this is the fundamental basis of the generating cycle of the Five Phases.

The imperishable nature that lies between heaven and earth is that on which all things depend for their existence. It gives things their forms, dislikes death and loves life, can ascend to the ninth heavens, and can bring existence out of nonexistence and turn existence back into nonexistence. The reason sages can last as long as heaven and earth is that they cultivated the One (Yi).

When yin qi retreats to the position of yang, this is the substance of the Returning Elixir (Huandan), the result of dual cultivation of nature and life. Refining mercury into dust gives this image. Cinnabar contains mercury, and lead contains silver. When the Li Maiden, which in alchemical usage refers to the yang within yin symbolized by the Li trigram, returns to her true nature, cultivation is complete.

Earth dwells at the center and governs the numbers of the Five Phases. Its virtue is greatest among the four seasons, and it nourishes the myriad things and steadies the four directions. The Elixir Classic states: "Earth gives birth to a yellow male; this is where extreme yin gives rise to yang." The essence of Earth is true lead. Used in accordance with its nature, it brings longevity; used against it, it harms the myriad things. If the mercury does not fly away, it becomes the mother of the flowing pearl (quicksilver), with lead as its root. When the root is established, the sprout appears; when the mercury is subdued, the elixir is formed.

Yet none of these are things to be sought outside oneself. Therefore the Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth that the author speaks of are not the substances that ordinary people understand by these words.

What follows is from the section of the Zhenyi Pian (Treatise on the True One). A wandering scholar says: the Dao can generate Heaven, Earth, spirits, ghosts, and emperors. Laozi says: "I do not know whose son it is; it precedes the Lord on High (Shangdi). I reluctantly name it Dao." The Dao lifts up Heaven and Earth, moves the sun and moon, turns the four seasons, and brings the myriad things into being. Heaven has five stars, the spirits have five emperors, the earth has five sacred peaks, the human body has five viscera, the four corners have five directions, and even the five grains, five colors, and five tones all arise from it. The Dao is present everywhere.

Thus Laozi said: "The Dao generates One, One generates Two, Two generates Three, and Three generates the myriad things." The myriad things teem, and each returns to its root. This return to the root is called stillness, and stillness is called restoring one's destiny (Fuming). This means that the Dao's transformations begin in One and end in One, so they never exhaust themselves through countless changes. If one can hold to the One throughout, the principle of the Dao becomes clear. What, then, is the "True One" (Zhenyi)? It is the root of the Dragon and the Tiger. When the Dragon and Tiger transform, the elixir is formed. Joining the Dragon and Tiger returns one to the origin and restores the primordial, so that nature and life return to their source.

Those who could fully cultivate both nature and life, and roam freely throughout the cosmos, did so because they understood the “True Unity” of the Great Dao. Why, then, do later students of the Dao who also wish to preserve their bodies and remain in the world fail to understand this True Unity? They do not know the root of the transformations of Dragon and Tiger, but are misled by their many different names. Some take the liver for the Dragon and the lungs for the Tiger. They say that the liver is green, corresponds to spring, and is matched with the Eastern Jia-Yi Wood; because Wood is where Qi burgeons, it is called the Azure Dragon. They say that the lungs are white, correspond to autumn, and are matched with the Western Geng-Xin Metal; because Metal is where Qi becomes austere and contracting, it is called the White Tiger. This is to know only the “forms” of Dragon and Tiger. Others take the heart for the Dragon and the kidneys for the Tiger. The heart is the Dragon because the Qi of the Jia-Yi Azure Dragon can transmit its life into the heart’s Fire: Wood within Fire is called the Yang Dragon. The kidneys are the Tiger because the Qi of the Geng-Xin White Tiger can transmit its life into the kidneys’ Water: Metal within Water is called the Yin Tiger. This is to know only the “functions” of Dragon and Tiger. To know their forms and functions but not their root is not the Dao of which I speak.

True Unity is the Qi and fluid of our own body. Why can it not be recognized? Original Qi arises between the two kidneys and moves in and out amid the obscure and unfathomable. It has no sound to hear and no color to see. It is called the Primordial Sea, and also the Numinous Root. Fluid arises within Qi, and Qi arises within fluid; Qi and fluid engender one another, joining without separation. This is what is meant by “Heaven’s One gives birth to Water” and by the Great One containing True Qi. Students of the Dao do not understand the joining of Dragon and Tiger or the reversal of Yin and Yang. They treat their names as different and divide them, thinking that the Dragon is simply the Dragon and the Tiger simply the Tiger. They may know that when fluid is transmitted to the Li Palace it transforms into blood in the heart, and call it the Yang Dragon, yet they do not investigate further: blood contains fluid, within which the Qi of the Yin Tiger is concealed. They may know that when blood is transmitted to the Kan Palace it transforms into Jing in the kidneys, and call it the Yin Tiger, yet they do not investigate further: Jing contains blood, within which the Qi of the Yang Dragon is concealed. Are these the only things given different names and divided apart? The heart’s Fire may be called the Li Maiden, the Sun, the Vermilion Bird, the Damsel, the Red Phoenix, the Golden Crow, Lead, Red Snow, the Burning Mountain Talisman, or the White Horse Sprout. Though the names are many, in truth they all point to one principle.

The Yang Dragon takes the water in the kidneys as its substance. It may also be called Kan, Great Yin, the Black Tortoise, the Infant, the Turtle, the Jade Rabbit, Mercury, Black Water, the Turtle Drinking from the Sea, or the Red Dragon’s Foot. These are all different names for the Yin Tiger. They are comparisons drawn from things in the world, which is why the explanations are so varied. If one clings only to the outward names and loses sight of the root, the discussion will scatter ever further, with nowhere to arrive. Those who understand the matter can bring the Five Phases and the Four Images into harmony, and distinguish things clearly through the Eight Trigrams and the Nine Palaces. They then regulate the firing times, act according to the forward and reverse movement of Yin and Yang, use Qian and Kun as the vessel, refine the essences of the sun and moon, and grasp the workings of creation. Only by attaining the essentials of the Returning Elixir can one enter the realm of long life and enduring vision.

The Yellow Emperor said, “The universe is in my hand; the workings of creation are within my body.” This is as it should be. In my view, the source of cultivation does not lie in the Five Metals and Eight Minerals, nor in swallowing rosy clouds or gathering Qi. The essential process is this: Qi gives rise to fluids; fluids become blood; blood becomes Jing; Jing becomes a pearl; the pearl becomes Mercury; Mercury becomes cinnabar; and cinnabar becomes the Golden Elixir. The Yellow Emperor also said: “Heaven and Earth rob the myriad things; the myriad things rob humanity; and humanity robs the myriad things. These three forms of robbing arise in mutual succession, yet humanity alone suffers harm, because people do not know how to preserve life well.” Those who know how to preserve life keep Shen whole and restore Jing. If one understands that the Dao’s true unity lies in Qi and fluids, refines Qi and fluids to give rise to the Dragon and Tiger, unites the Dragon and Tiger to bring about transformation, and makes the Nine Returns and Seven Reversions blend into one and return to the Real, then what difficulty is there in keeping Shen whole and restoring Jing? I have heard the formula for the Golden and Jade Returning Elixir: the source that produces the great medicine of a knife-tip measure is in fact rooted in Qi and fluids. Is this not the true unity I speak of?

The Zhengyi Chapter (Qi is received from Earth and congeals through Water; movement and stillness alternate, and harmonious Qi rises)

The Perfected One of Zhengyi said: “The Qi of the five directions joins in correspondence and returns, ultimately coming back to the One. The One is the root of the Great Dao and the gate through which the myriad things transform. When Lead yields its place, Mercury is born anew; when Metal moves against its proper position, Water produces fluid. Water moistens the Earth, and the Yellow Sprout emerges. The Yellow Sprout does not grow in the spleen. Rather, it forms when Qi is received from Earth and congeals in Water, passing back and forth without measure.”

《The Pivot of the Dao》: A Plain-Language Interpretation

On Internal and External Alchemy

In essence and function, Neidan (internal alchemy) and Waidan (external alchemy) are one and the same. Movement belongs to Heaven, stillness to Earth; from their alternation, Qi (vital energy) in the center comes forth. This central Qi is the first step in forming the Great Elixir. The head moves and the tail follows; there must be no delay or lingering.

Within this process there is a “woman” who does not conceal the fire: the fire essence blazes with intensity and illuminates the empty sky, while the myriad forms of Heaven and Earth are joined in a single domain. Through nine couplings and nine turnings, separation and union do not last long. It flies into the Purple Palace, turns its pure Yang, and refines its Yin soul. One Elixir and one mystery do not complete each other; Bing and Gui belong to one family, and the Three and Five converge. Then fasting arises naturally, and no residue remains in the intestines. If the residue has not been fully cleared, the true Qi does not respond. Once it does respond, it is like a sound heard of itself in an empty valley. In time, it is like the ringing of a jade bell; within the ears, a lovely maiden becomes faintly and clearly audible.

My body is the lord of the myriad spirits, and the myriad spirits arise from me. A man does not spill his Jing (essence); a woman keeps her blood within. If there is no stagnation throughout the twelve two-hour periods, then at the hour of noon something will naturally come to respond. At midnight, all are in the Yang Palace: Yin encounters Yang, and Yang encounters Yin; one reverses, one follows. Their coming is profound. Within Yin there is also a hidden tiger: the dragon’s heart is yellow, the tiger’s skin black. Though unseen, it is concealed to preserve the true. The number of jade is nine times nine, established at Mao and beginning at You; this is the essential method.

What is the “indistinct thing” of which the Great Emperor speaks? It is a single point of essence. I possess three treasures: one settles, one turns. When they reach nine turnings, the child gate opens, and they fly into the brain. In the brain is the platform of jade spirit, facing the Dantian (energy center). The Dantian does not lock the path of the sun and moon; the Original Spirit enters and leaves through it. Thus it is said: the Elixir in one furnace is refined by nine fires.

On the Two Passes

(The Qi of the upper and lower passes circulates through them; between them is the Jade Female, who can control their key.)

Master Gaoshang said: Put on a robe and sit upright on a large bed with a thick cushion. At midnight, regulate the inhalation and exhalation so that the Qi is harmonious and the spirit settled. Then join your palms and press the tips of both thumbs against the hollow of the throat. Gently draw in Qi through the nose and hold it. Next, separate your hands and press the two thumbs against the arteries on either side of the hollow of the throat. Move the middle fingers of both hands toward the back of the neck, pointing to the Celestial Pillar—the vertebra at the base of the skull and the surrounding area—to draw in Qi.

The Pivot of the Dao: A Plain-Language Interpretation

(Continuing from the previous passage) Press until the pulse beneath your fingers grows very tight. When your breath is held to its limit, immediately release the fingers of both hands. This is called “one passage.” Then regulate your breathing until it is even; when the Qi flows smoothly, repeat as before. Perform nine passages each day. After several days, your fingers will release by themselves during practice, and your head will begin to sway on its own, as if you were about to faint. Do not support or steady yourself: doing so will injure the Qi. Stay in a dark room. When you see a golden wheel covering your head, your spirit will become clear, old illnesses will disappear, and your body will feel light and at ease. This is proof that primordial Qi has risen through the brain’s gateway and opened all the body’s passes. This method is called “Releasing the Fingers at the Mysterious Pass.”

At the hour of the Rat, wearing only a thin covering, sit upright with your body straight. Use the middle fingers of both hands to press as hard as a strong warrior on the pulse beneath the lower abdomen, at the outer genital area and along the inner-thigh crease. Draw in a little Qi through the nose and hold it. When your breath is held to its limit, quickly release your fingers, as you did at the previous pass. Perform nine or three passages each day. With time, harmonious Qi will naturally flow down into both thighs and the feet, as if hot water were being poured over them, and old illnesses will be removed. These two passes can regulate the spirit and direct the Qi. The effects come more quickly once you can open the passes; the more often you practice, the better.

The Three Origins

(To regulate the six Qi, do not block the three origins. Let go of anxious thoughts and calm the spirit: this, too, is the gate of life.)

The Perfected One Taibai said: A person has three origins. When the three origins are blocked, the six Qi fall into disorder. The upper origin governs the head and everything above it; the middle origin governs the area below the head and above the navel; the lower origin governs the area below the navel and above the waist.

To settle the harmonious Qi of the origins, first remove the hair from the spirit chamber—that is, the nose. Then let go of anxious thoughts and calm the spirit, regulating the Qi day and night until it is very subtle. When it is slight, it is the gate of life; when it is strong, it is the road to death. Why? Drawing breath in through the nose and expelling it through the mouth produces contrary Qi. The key is to regulate the breath until it is very subtle. If it becomes strong, it turns into Yin Qi, stirring the primordial Qi and causing harm.

If beginners indulge in wine and meat, have toxic Qi in the mouth, or have harmed their internal organs, they should inhale through the nose and exhale with a gentle “ha”—thirty or twenty times. The exhalation should be light and subtle; do not rush or expel the breath forcefully. Inhale through the nose…

A Plain-Language Interpretation of Daoshu

It is easy to open the mouth, but difficult to keep it closed. Let the breath flow in and out gently; do not exhale forcefully. Forceful exhalation can readily cause illness in the five viscera and six bowels (the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys; and the gallbladder, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, bladder, and Triple Burner). Forcibly holding the breath in and then suddenly gasping it out a moment later is even more harmful. So exhalation must not be uncontrolled. When the mouth opens wide, Qi rushes out, and Original Qi (the vital Qi that is the basis of life) is depleted along with it.

Even when breathing in through the nose, do not forcibly close it off; doing so makes the breath rapid and labored.

Of the Three Origins (the upper, middle, and lower Dantian), the Middle Origin (where the heart resides, called the Crimson Palace, whose color corresponds to Fire) is the most revered. Baopuzi says: the heart is the ruler, intention is the minister, and Qi is the people. When one meditates in stillness and lets thoughts fall away, Original Qi comes naturally.

If beginners rush to seek the Mysterious Pearl (the “pearl” refined within the Dantian) through inner vision, they are like people trying to catch fish by climbing a tree. I have never seen anyone truly succeed this way.

When I practiced cultivation and refinement, if my joints and energy pathways were blocked and I fell ill, I would focus the mind on the Middle Origin and kindle a fire to burn through the blockage. In a short while, the pathways would open, and once they opened, I would recover. The heart is the Crimson Palace, and the Crimson Palace is the color of Fire. I use the blazing fire within the heart to pass through the body; it not only opens the Qi pathways but can also dispel Yin malign influences.

Close the eyes and tap the teeth; let the spirit dwell in the positions of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams). Clench both hands, hold the breath, and use intention to imagine the fire of the Middle Origin burning through the body. When this is done, guide the Qi and keep it in the Lower Origin (the Dantian below the navel).

In ancient times, Guangchengzi used accumulated fire to burn the five toxins—that is, the five grains and five flavors. If they are not burned away, they obstruct the pathways of Qi. But the burning must not continue for long, or it will cause agitation; therefore, one should guide the Qi. The method is to quiet thoughts and worries and let the spirit’s dwelling grow faint and subtle. Then Original Qi will naturally spread throughout the body.

Original Qi is present in all the joints and openings. Once it has spread throughout the body, remain still and settled, and let thoughts fall away; if thoughts persist, the spirit cannot be preserved. The way to become still lies in the Lower Origin: in the Lower Dantian there is a Mysterious Pearl, round in shape and luminous. Within the light, I hold the pearl’s form in the Sea of Qi (the Dantian below the navel), letting the breath flow in and out, each breath circling around the pearl. Once enough Qi has entered, whether it seems to move or remain still, it naturally gathers amid a state of seeming awareness and seeming absence, and rests in the Sea of Qi. Thus, the Middle Origin pours into the pearl of the Lower Origin.

Note: The passage above discusses breathing, focusing the mind on the Three Origins, kindling the “fire” of the Middle Origin, and cultivating the pearl in the Lower Origin. These are common themes in Daoist inner cultivation. Specific practices should be approached cautiously and with proper guidance and understanding; they should not be attempted on the basis of written instructions alone.

《A Pivot of the Dao»: A Plain-Language Interpretation

Once Qi (vital energy) has settled in this way, one must understand the relationship between the “middle origin” and the “lower origin.” The middle origin belongs to Yang and is called the “male”; the lower origin belongs to Yin and is called the “female.” The Scripture of the Yellow Court (Huangting Jing) says, “Know the male, keep to the female; know the white, keep to the black.” This is what it means. Why? The middle origin must be kept in the place of the lower origin, so that left and right, white and black, unite as one. The mind should be clear and still, and the attention focused. When there is no wanting and no thinking, emptiness and stillness arise naturally. Then the primordial Qi is settled: outside Qi does not enter, and inside Qi does not leave. In harmony with Heaven and Earth, one’s life can have no end.

The Yellow Emperor once sent Wangxiang—said to be a spirit, vague and formless, sunk in thoughtlessness—to the Red River to seek the Mysterious Pearl. The Red River here is a metaphor for blood, the Mysterious Pearl for Qi, and Wangxiang for a state of complete thoughtlessness and freedom from worry. The Mysterious Pearl cannot be obtained through restless, reckless striving; it can be found only in silence and stillness. The Dao lies in the “mysterious pivot”: clever contrivances and reckless action injure the body, while clinging to scheming thoughts shortens life. Only when one is free of schemes can the heart be pure and clear, and only then can one speak of transcending the world and ascending.

The Chapter on the Three Dwellings

(Qi as the substance of transformation and nourishment: when Qi does not flow, both body and spirit dwell in stillness.)

Huayangzi—that is, Shi Jianwu of the Tang dynasty—said: The Book of Changes says, “Jing (essence) and Qi form things; wandering souls bring about change.” Among all forms, nothing deserves greater protection than primordial Qi. When primordial Qi dwells, Shen (spirit) dwells; when Shen dwells, the body dwells. When all three are settled, life is in my hands. How could it depend entirely on Heaven’s decree? We can see that people are born from Qi, and Qi in turn is able to dwell through Shen. A person’s Qi is like a fish’s water: without water, the fish dies. Shen is the child of Qi, Qi is the mother of Shen, and the body is Shen’s dwelling. This is the essential principle of self-cultivation and the foundation for preserving the body.

I have observed the movement of Qi: it issues from the limbs like smoke and clouds, and shines within the body’s small inner space like the sun and moon. I have also observed the stillness of Shen: a hundred evils cannot unsettle its integrity, and countless movements cannot disturb its clarity. The Scripture of Great Peace (Taiping Jing) says, “Shen is the Dao: when it enters, it becomes numinous and bright; when it emerges, it becomes pattern and form.” These are all small attainments of the Dao. In the past, I wore myself out in thought amid the world of official service. Now I arrive here naturally, without thinking. Is this not the efficacy of the Dao?

Immortal Yin, a realized master in the Neidan (internal alchemy) tradition, said: When the mind governs Qi for a long time, Qi and Shen unite, and the central palace has a master; only then can the body endure. Like the sun and moon circling through the heavens and Earth turning in its course, life can be without end. Huayangzi once composed an inscription for this: “Primordial Qi and true Jing can preserve all forms.”

A settled Qi within the body brings lasting peace.

The Four Spirits

(The Golden Gate and Jade Portal conceal a mysterious seal; follow the seasons and advance toward sagehood.)

The Sun, responding to the signs of the Dao, revolves to the left. Within it are the energies of wind and thunder. This is the Azure Dragon, and also the Vermilion Bird.

The Azure Dragon produces the natural essence of the Sun, which shines downward upon the Li position—the southern Fire position among the Bagua, corresponding in the body to the heart and chest. The Vermilion Bird belongs to Fire and can digest grain. It corresponds internally to the spleen, and its energy spreads in all directions, though its original place is the Kun position, the southwest position of Earth in the Bagua.

The essence of the Sun is like mercury. Mercury resides in the lower Dantian—the lower abdomen beneath the navel, which the ancients called the place of original Yang and the sea of Jing. Because it is in the Kun position, it gives rise to the Great Yin.

The Great Yin is the Qi of Earth revolving to the right, and it also symbolizes Water. This is the Black Tortoise, and also the radiance of the Moon. Why is it said that the Moon’s radiance descends below the Gate of Heaven? Heavenly Qi descends and reaches the limbs, while the many energies gather toward the Li position. Beneath it is an opening called the Spirit of the Valley, connected above to the Mudball Palace—within the crown of the head, where the brain and spiritual awareness reside. This is what is called the Sage’s Pass. Within the Golden Gate and Jade Portal lies a hidden mysterious seal. When the scripture speaks of “the root of Heaven and Earth,” it means this place.

The Perfected Sun (Sun Simiao) said: from the Returning Hexagram to the Pure Yang Hexagram, the count of Yang reaches its limit; from the Retreating Hexagram to the Pure Yin Hexagram, the count of Yin is exhausted. As Yang advances and Yin recedes, they must be harmonized according to the four seasons. Understanding the waxing and waning of the Five Phases—their six declines and six prosperities—is the most fundamental principle of cultivating the Dao.

Thus, the two Qi of Yin and Yang can produce within the body the natural white clouds, as well as the essence of the Sun and the radiance of the Moon. When they are cooked and refined together, this is called the Four Images (also called the Elixir of the Four Spirits). How is this carried out?

Take in Yang Qi and slowly turn it to the left at its root position, coordinating with the natural breathing of Heaven and Earth. In practice, from the hour of Zi to the hour of Chou, Yang can overcome Yin.

Yin Qi is Jing, and is called the Maiden. Using the method of the Three Chariots, transport it to the Mudball Palace. Thus the south and north meet, the Four Images are complete, the Five Phases become harmonious, the Bagua arise on their own, and the Nine Palaces come together of themselves, bringing one into accord with the creative transformations of Heaven and Earth.

At the beginning of practice, open the Gate of Heaven, and sweet dew arises below. Practice with full attention; when fluids well upward, they are the divine waters of the Flower Pool. What is the effect of Yang Qi? The answer is: the demons have been defeated, and killing Qi surges to Heaven; after five days… (the passage may continue in another chapter).

This chapter uses the language of Neidan (internal alchemy). By pairing the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise with the Sun’s essence, the Moon’s radiance, mercury, and the Maiden, it describes focused intention, breathing, the hours of Zi and Chou, and the ascent and descent between the Dantian and the Mudball Palace. The Golden Gate and Jade Portal, the Spirit of the Valley, and the mysterious seal refer to key inner passages in the body. The Four Images, or Elixir of the Four Spirits, describe a state achieved by refining Yin and Yang and Jing and Qi together; they are not a Waidan (external alchemy) recipe.

A Plain-Language Reading of The Pivot of the Dao

Bodily Responses During Cultivation

A sense of fullness gradually develops below the navel, the lower back and spine feel open and unobstructed, and bowel and bladder functions become regular. After about thirty days, there may be an episode of “release” around the navel—that is, purging or expelling impurities—as foul Qi in the navel is gradually cleared. After sixty days, another release may occur, during which the root of an illness and things like parasites are discharged. After ninety days, there may be a further release, with blood passing—described as a dark red discharge resembling chicken or duck droppings.

After one hundred and eighty days, old skin may peel away like bran, and the external genitalia may feel as if they are splitting with pain. In the third year, there may be a sensation in the abdomen like being pierced by needles; this is a response said to indicate that the root of an illness is about to be expelled. Some people feel weak and limp, which is described as a sign that grain Qi, wind Qi, and Yin Qi are about to emerge. Pain may spread from the abdomen to the waist and then throughout the body, reaching the heart; this is said to show that the power of the medicine—that is, cultivation—is taking effect.

There is no need to impose excessive dietary restrictions. After a year, the abdomen (Dantian, the energy center) becomes full, and the body feels light and nimble. A rough, hard, or loosening sensation near the left and right sides of the third thoracic vertebra is said to signal that Yin toxins in the Five Viscera are about to emerge. Sores may also appear in the mouth, the skin may become rough and dry, and the beard and hair may fall out. These are all described as normal responses during cultivation; after continuing the practice for about five days, they should improve.

After two years, the hair may fall out; over time, the body’s surface becomes smooth and lustrous. Someone asked what happens when Yin Qi (Yin toxins and residue) is expelled. The reply was: if the tongue feels rough, this is a sign that Yang Qi is beginning to circulate. If, in the sixth year, the body feels cold, this is a sign that Earth Qi is rising. At times, the joints and bones may ache for five or six days in succession; this is said to indicate that the body’s 360 joints and bones are opening.

After one hundred days, the body feels light, the fluids become sweet, the two kidneys seem to pulse, and the area below the navel feels as if it is boiling. After two years, the joints in the crown of the head are said to increase to seventy-two. Excretions from the front and back may resemble beans or peach gum; if they are then refined with fire, they can become bodily fluids and, in turn, serve as a great medicine.

After three years, the body feels light and strong, almost as if it had no physical form, and is less easily affected by cold or heat. The scripture says: “Open its apertures and close its gates, and you will never be troubled throughout your life. Block its apertures and take charge of its affairs, and you will never be saved.” One who knows how to close them well needs no bolt: the Six Thieves—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—cannot open them. This is sacred water, metal within water, and must be repeatedly refined by fire. This also concerns the “Earth”: without a foundation in Earth—the lower Dantian and one’s root—one must not act rashly.

The Five Precepts Chapter (Fragment)

The chapter title means: nothing causes greater harm than lustful desire in the taking of life; be good at preserving the One Spirit, keeping it in the Celestial Valley (the upper Dantian, or Niwan Palace).

Chunyangzi (Lü Dongbin) said: “The Yang of Heaven, the Yin of Earth, the Qi of things, and the Shen of humans…”

(The text does not continue in this surviving fragment.)

The passage above records signs of efficacy during Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation. In alchemical scriptures, the described purging, peeling skin, pain, and loss of beard and hair are often treated as phenomena in a process of expelling impurities and transforming one’s constitution. They should not be directly equated with medical conditions according to modern medicine. Cultivation methods should be understood with guidance from a recognized lineage and an experienced teacher; they should not be imitated independently.

The foundation of nature and the Dao, the root of De (Virtue/Power), and the ancestral gate of life are the substance of the Dragon and Tiger, the names for essence and blood, and the head of lead and mercury. The soul is seen as three, and the corporeal soul as seven—this is the source of the “True One.” Within oneself, refine the Qi of the Dantian (energy center) and give rise to the spirit that is natural. Throughout the twelve double-hours, keep the original, true Qi of Heaven and Earth entering the Dantian Palace: within, have no deluded thoughts; without, form no intentions. Neither going out nor coming in, neither going nor arriving, let the spirit settle and become calm of itself. This is the method of the True One.

Preserving life depends on the true; entering emptiness depends on the spirit. When inner and outer unite, they are like the spirit within the womb. It is lamentable when practitioners do not understand this principle and instead seek other lineages elsewhere.

The way to preserve life and empty the spirit lies in extinguishing passion and attachment, and removing hatred and aversion; in keeping the One Spirit in the Celestial Valley, around the Mud Pill Palace at the crown of the head; and in moving the Three Lights through the Scarlet Court, in the region below the heart or around the Dantian, to raise and lower the Five Qi. Let the Eight Trigrams conceal their numinous power at mao and you, and let the measures of the circuit of Heaven correspond to day and night. After nine years, one may enter Wuwei (non-action). I have five precepts, which are also the foundation of the Great Dao: “cut off deliberation” preserves the inner Qi; “refrain from all desires” preserves the Qi of the heart; “use little flavor” preserves the Qi of the blood; “restore the body’s fluids” nourishes the numinous root; and “guard the Celestial Valley” settles the spirit of the embryo.

Ziyou of the Supreme Wandering says: Nothing in the Dao is greater than the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Water is born in Shen, flourishes in Zi, and returns to its storehouse in Chen; therefore Shen, Zi, and Chen form the configuration of Water. Fire is born in Yin, flourishes in Wu, and returns to its storehouse in Xu; therefore Yin, Wu, and Xu form the configuration of Fire. Metal is born in Si, flourishes in You, and returns to its storehouse in Chou; therefore Si, You, and Chou form the configuration of Metal. Wood is born in Hai, flourishes in Mao, and returns to its storehouse in Wei; therefore Hai, Mao, and Wei form the configuration of Wood. The configuration of Earth is the same as that of Water.

When Yang first stirs and the Water of the Kidneys begins to arise, put on a robe and sit upright. Hold the hands firmly and gather the spirit; move the essence of Metal to the Mud Pill, the upper Dantian, and form sweet dew in the sea of marrow. This is the practice of the “elbow-back method,” referring to forms of internal cultivation that reverse the flow and direct it upstream. Zi is the configuration of Water: although water moistens and flows downward, at the hour of Zi, when its power reaches its height, it turns back. Containing the true Qi, it flows upstream, heralding Yin—the image of Yang Qi beginning to rise.

When Yin first arises and the Fire of the Heart threatens to blaze, fold the hands and cross the legs, and quiet the spirit and intention… The following passage continues with “the trigrams of the circuit of Heaven proceed in sequence, and the subtle workings of the Five Phases,” and describes the circuit of Heaven in coordination with the Five Phases, the Tun and Meng hexagrams, and the sequence of the trigrams.

This passage explains how Neidan (internal alchemy) practice arranges methods such as “joining,” “refining the liquid,” “gathering the medicine,” and “restraining the Yang barrier” according to the twelve double-hours, Five Phase configurations, and hexagram images. It also shows how the withdrawal and replenishment of Water and Fire are expressed through the hexagram Qi of the celestial cycle.

“Recognize the true One at the Cinnabar Terrace, transform jade liquid in the Sea of Blood, and practice this joining”: recognize the “true One” at the Cinnabar Terrace, where the spirit and Qi gather in the Dantian (energy center) or brain; transform Jing and Qi into jade liquid in the Sea of Blood, commonly associated with the lower Dantian and the flow of Qi and blood; and practice this “joining of Yin and Yang.” The hour of Wu belongs to the Fire configuration. Fire rises; when Yang reaches its peak at noon, it turns back, the true liquid descends, and Qi returns to its root.

“Cultivate Water and refine the liquid at the hour of Chou”: at the hour of Chou, the spirit-water descends. Use the tongue to stir the upper palate, rinse the mouth, and swallow the jade liquid. It passes through the “Ninefold Tower” (the throat) and the liver and gallbladder, then rises to the heart. This is cultivating Water and refining the liquid. Water is considered afflicted at Chou: in the Five Phases, Water is strongest at Zi, while related systems associate Chou with the Metal storehouse, among other explanations. Si, You, and Chou form the Metal configuration; Metal generates Water, and Water’s storehouse is at Chou. Chou is adjacent to and joined with Zi, hence the saying that “Chou contains the Water of Zi.”

“Cultivate Fire and gather the medicine at the hour of Wei”: at the hour of Wei, heart-Fire descends. Breathe gently and continuously, inhaling more than exhaling; cook and refine the liquid and blood, transmit them to the Yellow Court (the middle Dantian), and pass through the lungs and viscera on the way back to the kidneys. This is cultivating Fire and gathering the medicine. Fire is considered afflicted at Wei. Hai, Mao, and Wei form the Wood configuration; Wood generates Fire, and Fire’s storehouse is at Wei. Wei is adjacent to and joined with Wu, so “Wei contains the Fire of Wu.”

“Restrain the Yang barrier at the hours of Xu and Hai”: at these hours, heart-blood is transmitted to the kidneys and, in response to Yin Qi, transforms into Jing. This is the extreme of Yin’s flourishing and Yang’s decline, and also the time to gather Fire and collect the medicine. Regulate the breath, keep the spirit present, close the mouth and swallow the breath, and gently puff out the lower abdomen. When warmth arises below the navel and around the kidneys, lift the body slightly. If it is not yet warm, increase the effort gradually, so that Jing and blood return to their source. This is the practice of restraining the Yang barrier. Yin, Wu, and Xu form the Fire configuration; the Fire of Yin and Wu gathers in the storehouse at Xu. Xu is adjacent to Hai, where Wood begins and Wood Qi is present. Since Wood generates Fire, the interval between Xu and Hai can be used to “rescue the Fire” and gather it for refinement.

Someone asks: “The twelve hexagram Qi of the celestial cycle contain only Metal, Wood, and Earth, with no Water or Fire. If one does not withdraw and replenish, what can complete the practice?” The answer is that the twelve hexagram Qi of the celestial cycle themselves constitute the structure for withdrawing and replenishing Water and Fire; the subtlety of this process lies in the times of the hexagrams Tun and Meng. To explain it through these hexagrams: Kan is Water. Through one change it becomes the Water over Lake hexagram, Jie, with its line at Si; through another change it becomes the Water over Thunder hexagram, Tun, with its line at Yin. If one practices withdrawing and replenishing the number of Water according to the Tun hexagram, one should use the Yin position.

This passage uses a system that links the timing and stages of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice with the cycles of the hours, Five Phase configurations, and the Na Jia system of the Classic of Changes (Zhouyi). Terms such as “jade liquid,” “Yellow Court,” and “restraining the Yang barrier” are traditional expressions in practices of guiding and circulating Qi. They are best understood within the context of a teacher’s transmission or a systematic alchemical tradition, rather than treated as medical conclusions apart from bodily practice.

The Pivot of the Dao: A Plain-Language Interpretation

(First section: Hexagram images and the timing of withdrawing and adding the fire)

This passage discusses the “fire.” The first change produces “Fire over Mountain,” with its line in the Chen position; the second produces “The Cauldron,” with Fire over Wind, its line in the Hai position; the third produces “Before Completion,” with Water over Fire, its line in the Wu position; and the fourth produces “Youthful Folly,” with Mountain over Water, its line in the Xu position. If one follows the method of withdrawing and adding the fire count according to the “Youthful Folly” hexagram, the Xu position should be used. Thus, among the qi of the twelve hexagrams, the key lies between “Sprouting” and “Youthful Folly”: one may withdraw Water and add Fire, or withdraw Fire and add Water. The subtleties of the Five Phases and the work of cultivation are largely contained in this.

Chapter on the Seven Spirits

(The words of the Inner Classic are vast and inexhaustible; the marvels of the five organs and seven spirits lie within them.)

Qibo said: Each of the five organs stores a spirit. What does each one store? What they store is a person’s spirit qi. The liver stores the Hun, the lungs the Po, the heart the Shen, the spleen intention and discernment, and the kidneys Jing and will. Each organ has one store, so why are two stores attributed only to the kidneys? This does not mean that both kidneys govern storage. The left is the kidney; the right is the Gate of Destiny. The Gate of Destiny is where the essences of all the spirits reside and where primordial qi is anchored. In men it stores Jing; in women it supports the womb. Thus, although the kidneys form a left-and-right pair, when discussing “storage” they still occupy the place of a single kidney.

The lungs are the canopy of the five organs, and the heart is their focused essence. The eyes are their opening. The heart governs the vessels, and the vessels govern the skin; the liver governs the sinews, the spleen the flesh, and the kidneys the bones. These are the domains governed by the five organs. Looking for too long injures the blood; lying down for too long injures qi; sitting for too long injures the flesh; standing for too long injures the bones; and walking for too long injures the sinews. These are the harms caused by the five forms of overexertion. All illnesses arise from qi: anger makes qi rise, joy makes it slacken, grief makes it dissipate, fear makes it descend, cold makes it contract, heat makes it leak, fright makes it chaotic, exertion depletes it, and excessive thought knots it. If these nine movements of qi do not occur, what illness could arise?