《道樞》Vol. 7

Commentary on the Huangting Pian (Yellow Court Chapter) from the Daoshu, Volume Seven, Section Six

Huangting Pian (Explanations of the inner landscape fall broadly into two schools, but at their root lies the phrase si wu xie, "thinking without deviation.")

I. The Crimson Palace (Jianggong) and the Three Souls

The person's Crimson Palace (Jianggong, the region above the heart, belonging to the realm of Shangqing, Highest Clarity) is called Zixia (Purple Mist), the place where the most spiritual qi formed by the mingling of the Five Phases within the body gathers.

The three souls are as follows. The first is Taiguang (Embryonic Light), which resides in the upper dantian. The second is Shuangling (Clear Spirit), which resides in the middle dantian. The third is Youjing (Dim Essence), which resides in the lower dantian.

The lower dantian is the Lower Guanyuan, also called the Mingguan (Life Gate), Jinguan (Metal Gate), Xuanguan (Mysterious Pass), and Sisheng guan (Gate of Death and Life).

II. The Two Kidneys and the Circulation of Yuanqi

The two kidneys are the left, which belongs to Shaoyang (Lesser Yang), and the right, which belongs to Taiyin (Greater Yin). They connect upward to all the vessels and join at the terminus of the channels, and they are the secret gate of the body. The qi generated by the two kidneys is like the qi of the sun and moon. It constantly moves in and out with the breath: it pours inward into the Shengmen (Gate of Life) and rises into the Niwan (Mud Pellet, the upper dantian), flowing up and down through the body as the sun and moon move through the sky.

Whether one is in motion or at rest, during each breath the heart should constantly hold this intention.

Yuanqi (Primordial Qi) issues from the lower dantian and flows to the whole body. In the daytime, when yang reaches its peak, yin is born, so the qi gathers at the Niwan. Yin and yang push and transform one another in an endless cycle, one day and one night, like the constellations arrayed across the sky.

If one can take in qi and consolidate essence, obtaining the marvel of the regulating tally, then the numinous qi condenses and transforms, filling the three fields (the upper, middle, and lower dantian) like purple vapor and white clouds. When it rises, it becomes cloud; when it descends, it becomes rain, which is used to irrigate the five viscera and nourish the root of life.

One draws in the jinye (bodily fluids) from above and does not let the qi leak out below. When qi and fluid are full, they are like water welling up from a deep well, naturally flowing without end, passing through the nasal gate and entering the mouth, moistening the whole body. In this way, Huangqian (Yellow Lead) and Zigong (Purple Mercury) are produced. Refined at the proper times and led into the dantian, they pass through all the joints of the body and naturally leave the dark chamber to illuminate the gate of true yang. Hence it is said, "Return the purple, embrace the yellow, and enter the dantian" (huí zǐ bào huáng rù dāntián). This is precisely what it refers to.

III. The Jade Pool and the Numinous Fluid

The mouth is the Yuchi (Jade Pool). The numinous fluid within it is all generated when the spleen and stomach digest grain and water and transform them. Its source lies at the joint behind the elbow. It surges up to the Lulu guan (Windlass Pass) at the throat, and from there it divides into four channels. The lower two channels pass from behind the crown into the area beneath the crown and pierce the two openings of the tongue, and so on...

(If the classic has further passages below, they can be added and translated afterward.)

Note: This chapter belongs to the Daoist inner landscape (neijing) tradition of the Huangting texts. It discusses the three souls, the three fields, kidney breathing, the Niwan, Huangqian and Zigong, the Jade Pool, and related topics. It is closely connected to the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) and to the literature on internal alchemy (neidan). Technical terms have been kept where possible, with brief explanations in parentheses to aid comparison with the original sources.

The Lower Teeth (the Gaps Between Teeth) and the Two Channels Above

The lower teeth, at the gaps between them, are related to this. The two channels above enter the Niwan (Mud Pellet, the Dantian at the crown of the head), pass through the two apertures of the upper palate, and connect with the upper teeth. When the qi is not regulated, water and grain are not transformed, the qi of the spleen and stomach slackens, and the Jade Pool (the saliva in the mouth) dries up.

The Scripture Says: "Not Sleeping Day and Night Becomes Perfected"

"Not sleeping" does not mean staying awake. It means removing the turbid, murky qi of Yin. The Nine Emperors Elixir Scripture says: "By day, swallow the numinous fluid; by night, lie low with the true qi." After a long time, the qi wheels turn on their own among the Three Palaces (sangong), with a sound like waves. Then the heart joins with qi, qi joins with shen (spirit), and everything becomes harmonious and clear. One no longer chases external things and enters a state of unmoving stillness.

Visualizing the Yellow Court (Cun Huangting)

What is meant by visualizing the Yellow Court? One closes the eight gates, locks the Golden Pass (jinguan), and clarifies the Numinous Terrace (linghai). One sweeps clean the chamber of Yin and causes the two qi to meet in the Toad Palace (the Dantian), in order to refine the Jade Elixir and fill the blood and brain.

The ears, nose, mouth, heart, and the gates of life (the ears, nose, and other paired orifices) must not be opened carelessly. One should turn the gaze inward and listen inwardly, cutting off all external perception. This is called "closing the two doors of the seven jade flutes."

Cultivating the Great Return: First Secure the Three Essentials

Those who cultivate the Great Return must first secure the three essentials: the ears, the eyes, and the mouth. Then they close the Golden Pass. In this way, the Mysterious Spring of Supreme Unity (Taiyi Xuanquan) dissolves at the Dark Pass (youguan) and rises through to Kunlun (the crown of the head).

The Nine Subtle Immortal always carries the tiger tally, which is the gold within water. The spleen is the Transverse Ford (hengjin). The spleen is one foot long, and its Transverse Ford is three cun and six fen long. It lies below the heart and is called the Palace of the Yellow Court. The heart and spleen are like father and son, for fire is born from earth, and the Numinous Terrace is where it dwells.

The Nose Is the Central Peak

The nose is the Central Peak (zhongyue). Qi exhaled from the left nostril is Yang, and qi exhaled from the right nostril is Yin, so Yin and Yang are never fixed day or night. Observe how it moves: it first gathers in the Dantian, then flows to the inch-pulse (cunkou), converges at the nose, passes through the five viscera, and returns to the Gate of Life (mingmen).

Bian Que said: "With two exhalations, the pulse travels three cun. With one inhalation, the pulse travels three cun. With a settled breath, the pulse travels six cun. In a day and night of 13,500 breaths, the pulse makes fifty circuits of the body." The way of this circulation is like a ring with no end. "Ying" (nutritive qi) is Yang, "wei" (defensive qi) is Yin……

Note: This text is a discourse on internal alchemy (Neidan) in Daoist cultivation. It involves inner-body images such as the Niwan, the Yellow Court, the Toad Palace, the Three Palaces, the Golden Pass, the Mysterious Spring of Supreme Unity, and Kunlun, along with fire-timing (huohou). It is best read alongside inner-landscape texts such as the Yellow Court Scripture (Huangting Jing). Technical terms have been kept where possible, with brief explanations in parentheses.

Commentary on the Daoshu (Pivot of the Dao), in Plain Language

On Yin and the waxing and waning of vitality: if the Yin qi (yin qi) weakens by even a single breath, the body feels cold. If the weiqi (defensive qi, the yang qi that guards the surface of the body and warms the flesh) increases by a single breath, the body feels hot. When the Shen (spirit) can govern the Qi, the breath does not cease, like that of a fetus in its mother's womb. This is what is called taixi (embryonic breathing). It rises up to the qiguan (Qi Pass) and descends to the qihai (Sea of Qi), and it does not tire or scatter as breathing through the mouth and nose does. Why does the breath of a true person (zhenren) come "from the heel," that is, from the depths? When qi is stored in the Xiayuan (Lower Source, the region of the lower Dantian and Sea of Qi), the breath is long and far-reaching. When it rises above the Sanjiao (Triple Burner), the breath is short and hurried.

Master Ge Hong (Ge Hong) said: the spirit tortoise and the noble crane fast for a thousand years because they are skilled in breathing. Beneath the tongue there are three openings: the left is called Quanjin (Complete Fluid), the right is called Yuye (Jade Fluid), and the center is called Xuanying (Dark Breast). Each releases sweet spring water that irrigates the Sea of Qi. The Sea of Qi is the Mingmen (Gate of Life), the shore between life and death. Shen, Qi, and Jing (essence) are called the three treasures of the body. Preserving them requires three essentials. First, begin with daoyin (guided movements and breathing, bending, stretching, and circulating the breath) to open all the joints, keep the blood vessels smooth and steady, and keep the limbs healthy. Second, practice diligently in many disciplines, embrace and regulate the hun and po (ethereal and corporeal souls), and so preserve the myriad spirits in full. Finally, refine the original root and "fly" toward sun and moon, so that one returns to one's true nature. When Jing, Qi, and the true nature are unified, and one attains the One, one can become an immortal.

The essence of governing the body lies in visualization (cun xiang), which divides into two kinds: wangxiang (false imagining) and zhenxiang (true imagining). With eyes closed, if one visualizes five-colored qi, or transforms into sunlight and moonlight, or pictures the forms of dragons and tigers, or the image of an infant, or contemplates a red pearl, or sees a golden elixir appear, all of these are false imaginings. With eyes closed and turned inward, letting the Shen perceive the Qi and the Qi perceive the Shen, then Qi becomes the embryo of the spirit and the body becomes the master of Qi. When spirit and qi merge in this way, it happens naturally. This is true imagining. Once sun and moon have been sufficiently nourished, one may move freely through the pores and the whole body.

The lungs govern Qi. They are the Huagai (Canopy), like a parasol shielding the heart. Below, they connect to the Mingguan (Life Gate, the lower pass), and above, they pierce the Shenlu (Spirit Hut). If Qi does not flow freely, the nose becomes blocked. Therefore one should visualize the Baiyuan (White Origin, the true qi of the lungs), quietly regulate the six qi (liuqi), namely xi, xu, he, chui, hu, and xi (six breathing sounds), and so remove obstruction and stagnation. What is the White Origin? It is the true qi of the lungs.

Those who can truly care for the body must first master the circulation of qi. When qi is vigorous, the blood is nourished. When the blood is nourished, the essence becomes solid. When the essence is solid, the spirit becomes clear, and the "four seas" are abundant. What are the four seas? They are the qi, blood, essence, and marrow. The key lies in guarding against the wu shang (five injuries): excess saltiness injures the heart, and excess bitterness injures the lungs... (The text continues in this manner, guarding against an imbalance of the five flavors to protect the five viscera.)

Note: In the original, after the phrase "excess sweetness injures the lungs," the text continues with the "five injuries" corresponding to the five viscera for saltiness, sweetness, sourness, and pungency, along with other sections of discussion.

Commentary on the Dao Pivot (Daoshu)

Excess in diet or daily routine harms the body. Eating too much sour food damages the spleen, too much spicy food harms the liver, and too much sweet food injures the kidneys, and these are not the only dangers. Looking at things too long harms the blood, lying down too long harms the qi, standing too long harms the bones, sitting too long harms the flesh, and walking too long harms the sinews. Those who understand these principles and regulate their blood and qi properly can, at the higher level, investigate the "Seven Returns" (qifan) in depth, and at the lower level, probe the "Nine Reversions" (jiuhuan). By refining the true yuan (zhenyuan) and subduing the golden liquid (jinye), blood can transform into milk, qi into cloud, bone into gold, and marrow can congeal like frost.

The liver stores the hun (ethereal soul), which is lodged there. Restraining anger controls yin, and gathering excessive joy nourishes yang. One yang arises at the zi hour (about 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.), and by the si hour (about 9 to 11 a.m.) the six yangs reach their peak. Ordinary people, when their true qi reaches its extreme, tend to dissipate. One who has penetrated the way of life, upon seeing the extreme, recognizes that within it a yin is born again. Yin reaches its limit at the hai hour (about 9 to 11 p.m.), the end of the six yins, and within it a yang is born again. As yin and yang propel one another in unending generation, shen becomes whole and jing is restored, and one can endure as long as heaven and earth. What is this method? It is using the fire timing of "the seven-day return" (qiri laifu) to gather the hun, recover the po (corporeal soul), and refine the elixir to form the embryo.

The Kidney Hall is the Mysterious Pass (xuanguan), the place in internal alchemy (neidan) where the kidneys, the life gate (ming), and the Mysterious Pass communicate. The heart and kidneys join as a single channel, whose whiteness is like a thread and whose connection is like a ring. Its breadth is one inch and two fen, and it envelops the essence of the whole body. It is the primordial One of the Nine Heavens (jiutian zhenyi), the harmonious spirit and wondrous qi, and the deep root of the vital essence that sustains life. The five viscera and six bowels, the hundred joints and hundred vessels, the golden saliva and jade fluid, and the light of sun and moon all reside in the kidneys. If one can constantly preserve and consolidate them, the two seas of water respond to a fixed timing, the tidal signal arises naturally, and it reaches the Life Gate (shengmen). What is the Life Gate? It is the door of the hidden pass, the movement of water. At the winter solstice the royal qi (wangqi) reaches its extreme, and when qi is extreme it condenses into frost and hardens into ice. If one can fill out the kidneys, this condenses into white gold (baijin). Receiving the refining of Li fire (lihuo), it becomes the reverted elixir (huandan).

Fire at its extreme blazes upward, and water at its extreme flows downward. Therefore when yin is extreme there is no yang, and when yang is extreme there is no yin. When water and fire reach their limits, human effort cannot forcibly control them. One who understands this examines the principle of the waxing and waning of yin and yang. Such a person cleaves open primordial chaos (hongmeng), opens the process of creation, raises the sun and moon to ascend Kunlun (Kunlun), and thereby accomplishes reverse cultivation and unites the Seven Returns. First the essence rises to the brain and becomes cloud; then it penetrates the bones and becomes marrow. When the marrow is full, the bones become firm...

The Dao Pivot (Daoshu) passage explains how refinement of the form and refinement of Qi (vital energy) advance layer by layer, and how the "three fields" (santian) and "three passes" (sanguan) are used in practice.

Begin with the progression from firmness to growth. When the body is solid, the flesh grows dense; when the flesh is dense, the sinews become supple; when the sinews are secure, the blood becomes abundant; when the blood is full, the Qi grows strong; and when Qi surges upward, the hair flourishes. The spleen, which Daoists call the "Golden Terrace" (jintai), is the great root of primordial Qi (yuanqi). It digests grain and regulates the movement of Qi. The spleen channel descends to the "Gate of Life" (mingmen), which lies one inch and three fractions below the navel and is called the "Jade Ring" (yuhuan), that is, the Lower Dantian (energy center). The Gate of Life is not merely the right kidney but the gate on which nature and life depend. One should regularly nourish the fire within the spleen so that the earth Qi is full, the body is robust, and its root is firm. When the spleen is full and Qi abundant, the complexion glows like cinnabar. The spleen is about a foot long and lies above the Great Granary (taicang). When it is strong, the five viscera are unobstructed; when it is weak, the limbs lack strength.

In former times, Guiya Zi (Zhang Yong, posthumously Duke Zhongding) saw Master Xiyi (Chen Tuan) sitting close to a fire in the height of summer, wearing a cotton cap and heavy clothes. When he asked the reason, the master replied: "I guard this single pool of Qi and cannot contend with the cold and warmth of creation." The gallbladder is the Jing (essence) of the six fu-organs. It governs strength and vigor, and it corresponds externally to the pupils and the bridge of the nose. After refining the Three Primes of Qi for a long time, the light of the five viscera can shine through at night, and when the three hun-souls are at peace, dreams diminish.

Each of the three fields has its own chamber, one inch and two fractions across. The rising of yang and the falling of yin, which the sages described as dragon and tiger, are difficult to subdue. The three passes in front of the body are the nose, the eyes, and the heart. The three passes behind are the coccyx (weilü), the back of the elbow, and the lulu, the pivot of the spine. The three passes outside the body are the mouth, the hands, and the feet. Inhalation and exhalation, advancing and retreating, cannot lack any of these. One who knows the three fields should visualize refining the upright Qi of the north. Gathering it follows fixed times, and returning it follows fixed measures. Then transformation occurs naturally, and one may obtain the Nine-Mystery Golden Liquid Great Elixir (jiuxuan jinye dadan).

The "Earth Gate" is the mouth, and the "Emperor's Homeland" is the center of the forehead. Let the breath move in and out clearly and mysteriously. Visualize igniting the fire and circulating the River Chariot (hech), which means Qi ascending along the Governing Vessel, without leaving the breath. Here one refines the fluids so that they enter the Mysterious Palace. The lead and mercury within the kidneys rise upward, the upper and lower gates are sealed so that nothing leaks, and the sacred embryo is formed. Extend and retract the tongue, rinse with saliva, and swallow the fluid as if a river were flowing into the five viscera, unceasing. Nourish the three fields, purify the six fu-organs, secure the spirit chamber (shenshi), and shut the gates against evil. Only then do the five viscera congeal.

Use the refined essence of jing and qi to nourish the great transformation's yuancell (yuan bao, the most basic "seed" of life). Let the qi settle in the Spirit Palace (shengong, the upper dantian, where the spirit-qi of brain and heart dwells), and let the dan (the pure qi condensed through cultivation) return to the brain. Then one can "turn decay into flourishing" (bian xiu wei rong), moving from decline toward vitality.

When the work of the three fields (santian, the upper, middle, and lower dantian) is accomplished, the practice of "retaining essence and stopping the embryo" (liu jing zhi tai, holding essence in and keeping it inwardly sealed as in embryonic breathing) comes to completion naturally. The three qi (essence, qi, and spirit, or the qi of heaven, earth, and humanity) turn clockwise through the Gate of the Brain (naohu, behind the head, around the upper dantian). The six yang qi wind counterclockwise around the Palace of Qian (qiangong, the place of pure yang in the head and brain). As they flow up and down together, the hundred barriers (baiguan, the joints and passages of the whole body) all open, and the nine orifices (the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and the front and rear lower openings) become clear and unobstructed.

The Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) qi of the north governs the Bedchamber (donghuang) and the Metal Chamber (jinshi), and it consists of the two qi of Kan (water) and Li (fire). When Kan and Li join, the essences of sun and moon naturally unite and gather in the three fields. The Metal Chamber lies in the lower origin, which is the kidney palace, and is called the Sea of Longevity (shouhai). If the Tail Gate (weilü, the lower end of the Governing Vessel) is not held in check, the sea of life will dry up. This is why it is said that the essential key to long life lies in restraint, and why one must guard carefully against fangzhong (the bedchamber, sexual indulgence) and quickly correct its excesses.

Practitioners should inwardly observe the three chambers and nine rooms so that inner and outer are thoroughly penetrated. Then they should swirl and swallow the jade fluid of the Five Fangs (wuya, the five viscera: heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney). Next, close the Life Gate (mingguan), lower the Golden Lock (jinsuo), and subdue the desires of essence and qi. Quickly subdue the lead and mercury that are about to fly away. Lead is gold within water; when it is full, the po (corporeal soul) stirs. Mercury is silver within fire; when it is full, the hun (ethereal soul) sways.

The large intestine is the Jade Hall's palace, the small intestine is the palace of primordial yang, the left bladder is the palace of Great Harmony, the right bladder is the palace of Great Simplicity, the stomach is the palace of Central Yellow, and the gallbladder is the palace of Great Clarity. Cultivate and tend them, and do not let them fall into neglect; this is all that is required.

Those skilled in nurturing life first govern the mind. When it is agitated, calm it; when it turns to wickedness, correct it; when it seeks, set it aside and restrain it; when it is turbid, clarify it with purity. This should be done in every movement and stillness, even in hurried moments. Over time, things grow quiet outside while the spirit reflects clearly within. One no longer seeks stillness yet becomes ever more still, and no longer seeks peace yet becomes ever more at peace. Then motion and stillness are both forgotten, and the true nature rests in its own ease.

The Five Phases (wuxing) scatter into five and merge into one, where "one" means the single qi. The One is the beginning of the Dao and the ancestor of the medicine (yao). Thus Heaven descends one yang to produce Fu (Return), and six descents produce Qian (The Creative). When yang reaches its extreme, one yin descends to produce Gou (Coming to Meet), and six descents produce Kun (The Receptive). (From the eleventh month to the fourth month, the hexagrams are Fu, Lin, Tai, Da Zhuang, Guai, and Qian; from the fifth month to the tenth month, they are Gou, Dun, Pi, and so on.)

(Contemplating the hexagram Bo, "Splitting," which belongs to Kun.) The sage gathers the true qi (zhenqi) between Heaven and Earth and divides it into two parts: one is lead (qian) and the other is mercury (gong), eight liang each, for a total of three hundred and eighty-four zhu (twenty-four zhu make one liang, and three hundred and eighty-four zhu make one jin), corresponding to the number of lines in the hexagram. Looking up to observe the Way of Heaven and pressing down to measure the water clock, he divides the fire timing (huohou) equally and seizes the fire work of one thousand and eighty breaths in order to shed the mortal body. This is the beginning and end of the golden elixir fire timing. From the standpoint of the Mysterious Root (the origin of Heaven and Earth), when primordial chaos first separates, the Three Powers are complete and the four seasons turn. From the standpoint of the Inner Landscape (the states within the body), when primordial chaos first opens, the three palaces are complete, the myriad things arise, and the four qi circulate. Heaven, Earth, and humanity all arise from "One," and its subtlety lies in uniting the qi of the "Three and Five" and applying the rhythms of "Nine by Nine."

What are the Three and Five? They are water, fire, and earth. Thus one closes the Gate of Shadows (the orifice through which essence leaks out), studies the Eight Escapes (ba dun), and distinguishes the Three Brightnesses (san ming). Taking the Mud Pellet (niwan) as father and the Female One (ci yi) as mother, one gathers the Three Lights back into the child chamber so that spirit does not scatter. What are the Eight Escapes? The head bears nine, the feet tread one, three is on the left and seven on the right, two and four are the shoulders, and six and eight are the feet. This is a posture corresponding to the Nine Palaces of the Luoshu diagram within the human body. What are the Three Brightnesses? They are the palaces of the two kidneys, with the left as sun and the right as moon, the place where the Dipper stars dwell. The human body has its own sun and moon. Causing them to rise and pierce the Mud Pellet (the field of elixir in the brain), to move through the five viscera, and to circulate endlessly through the upper, middle, and lower palaces makes the hundred bones firm and the marrow and essence full. This is the Way described in the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture).

What is the Mysterious One? It is refining the yin soul (po), nourishing the yang soul (hun), forming the mysterious pearl, and securing the sea of essence. The worldly person refines yang through yin, and so moves from vigor to old age. The penetrating adept refines yin through yang, and so returns from old age to vigor. Those who practice cleansing first seal all the orifices, then turn the Red Dragon upward, borrowing the fluids of the Jade Pool to irrigate and augment, linking upper and lower. This is the great medicine of embryonic fluid and placental essence. What is embryonic fluid? Within the north (the lower dantian), if one deeply locks and firmly seals, the three fields and nine orifices remain clear and free of leakage, and then one fluid and one qi coalesce. The scripture says: ascend to Heaven and ride the jade chariot, contemplating day and night for seven days without pause (following this sequence of practice).

Daoshu (The Pivot of the Dao): A Vernacular Interpretation

What is "sleep"? It refers to the numbers of the six yin and six yang, the seven returns and reversals, and the timing of the fire in refining the Golden Elixir (jindan) within the body. "Do not sleep" means keeping the true intent (zhenyi) always clear and bright, never dulled or muddled. This is the linggtai (Spirit Terrace), the state of clarity within the heart-mind.

"Hundred grains" are the essences produced by the earth, and they can only nourish the physical form. An ancient saying goes: "Wishing not to die, keep the intestines free of residue; wishing to live long, keep the intestines always clean." Therefore one should partake of the taihe jingqi (the vital essence of the harmonized Heaven and Earth).

To fill the belly, one must first empty the mind. The heart-mind governs stillness, and qi governs movement. One who connects with the Dao lets the heart roam beyond the Four Seas and remain at peace, while breath moves ceaselessly within a hair's breadth. Stillness allows one to enter utmost emptiness. When emptiness reaches its limit, it becomes lustrous; when lustre reaches its limit, it becomes bright; and when brightness reaches its limit, it becomes penetrating. Once penetrating, the vastness of Heaven and Earth cannot escape the square inch of the heart.

The heart is the dwelling of shen (spirit), and the eyes are the windows of shen. When the heart moves, the eyes open; when the heart rests, the eyes close. Thus by day the spirit-light shines outward, and at dusk it closes and stores within, so that refined essence flows freely and yin and yang adjust themselves.

The rongwei two qi (nutritive and defensive qi) circulate through the whole body, hidden at the hours of mao and you, and stored in the two kidneys. The left kidney is the Jade Chamber (yufang), where the Perfected of Great Harmony dwells. The right kidney is the Golden Chamber (jinshi), where the Jade Maiden of Great Mystery dwells.

The Big Dipper, with four assistant stars within and three handles without, constantly mixes in the Sea of Qi (qihai). The Sea of Qi is the position of the First Nine, the Hidden Dragon, and the month of zi. The scripture says: "Know the female, guard the male, and you may be free from aging." What does this mean? The male is the fire dragon, which feeds on purple gold and yellow sprout and whose nature is to move without rest. The female is the water tiger, which feeds on red silver and white snow and whose nature is to rush about without fixity. One who understands the Dao causes dragon and tiger to mate in hiding. Feed them with purple gold and yellow sprout, nourish them with red silver and white snow, and the male will cling to the female and the tiger will lie down while the dragon hides. Wind and rain will then come in their proper order, and the work of Heaven and Earth will be accomplished.

When the essence of the heart is focused and unified, the inner self does not lean. Joining above with the Triple Burner and drawing the jade fluid (yujiang) below, one takes saliva from the dark throat, lets it enter the Bright Hall, and irrigates the throat, so that spirit and brightness connect naturally. This means that when there is returning elixir (huandan) below, one must boil the primal fluid (yuanye) above, so that yin is exhausted and yang arises, fire is drawn up and water is added, and the cycle continues without end.

How does one draw the fluid? Stir and rinse beneath the tongue, and waves will fill of their own accord. Swallow it, and it flows down into the Dantian.

Daoshu (The Pivot of the Dao): A Vernacular Commentary

I. The Seven Returns and the Golden Elixir (The Stage Where the Great Work Is About to Be Accomplished)

Those who wish to accomplish the Great Dao must first seal off external evils and guard the Gate of Life (Mingmen) and the Central Pass (Zhongguan).

The lungs govern the nourishing and defensive qi and correspond with the kidneys, an image of metal generating water and of father and son sustaining one another. Performing the thirty-six swallows at the Jade Pool (Yuchi) keeps the hundred vessels open and the blood nourished. This is called the Seven Returns (qifan).

What are the Seven Returns? Qi that rises to the brain becomes cloud, and when it descends to the mouth it becomes water. Passing through the lungs it becomes saliva, entering the heart it becomes blood, passing through the liver it becomes essence (jing), entering the spleen it becomes fluid, and reaching the kidneys it transforms into the two vessels, which become yin essence and yang purity. The so-called Golden Fluid and Jade Liquor (jinjin yuye) are all generated from the interplay of yin and yang.

When the qi completes the Seven Returns upward into the two kidneys and then, passing through the Nine Revolutions (jiuhuan) downward and upward again to reach the brain, circulates without pause, it becomes jade ointment and jade frost. As the great work gradually manifests, primordial qi (yuanqi) fills the body and the fluid of the eight essences flows freely. The kidneys receive essence and carry it through the five viscera, and the true fire of the nine nines (jiujiu zhenhuo) warms and nourishes it. When the qi is full and the signs are complete, the Golden Elixir (jindan) can form.

II. The Taiji Chapter (The Body Has a Transverse Fluid, the Root of the Supreme Ultimate)

Master Dongyang (Dongyangzi) says: A human being receives the central qi (zhongqi) at birth and shares a single source with Heaven and Earth. The Book of Changes (Yijing) states, "The Changes contain the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), which gives birth to the two forms." The Supreme Ultimate is the Great Center in its perfect rectitude. The Zuozhuan says that human beings are born receiving the center of Heaven and Earth, and this is what is called destiny (ming).

At conception the kidneys take shape first, and the five viscera arise afterward, which is why the kidneys are the Gate of Life. The left side is Lesser Yang, which images Heaven and the sun; the right side is Greater Yin, which images Earth and the moon. This is the place within the body where the Supreme Ultimate first divides and yin and yang begin to arise.

Heaven and Earth endure for a long time because the Supreme Ultimate is always present. A person can live long and see far because the central qi does not leak away. The ancient perfected ones, discussing nourishment of life, took a single place within the body as the Yellow Court (Huangting). Yellow is the color of the center, and the court is what the center governs. It lies between the two kidneys, extending upward to the Soul Court (Hunting, the spleen) and downward to the Sea of Qi (Guanyuan, Qihai). It lies three cun above and three below the navel, faces the Gate of Life (the navel) in front, and reaches the Secret Gate (the posterior orifice) behind. This is the transverse fluid (hengjin) and the root of the Supreme Ultimate. Only by preserving the yellow at the center can the form and spirit endure.

Glossary of Key Terms

Commentary on the Daoshu (The Pivot of the Dao): A Vernacular Reading

I. The Yellow Court and Essence-Qi

The place where jing (essence) resides is called the Chamber of Essence. Within it, qi and bodily fluids (jinye) circulate. Upward they can reach the Niwan Palace (the region of the crown of the head and the brain marrow), and downward they can reach Hengduan (the lower end of the body). The various inner realms of the body, including the Three Primes, the Nine Palaces, the Eight Perfected, and the Twenty-Four Scenes, are all governed by the Yellow Court (Huangting), the central palace, usually understood as the dantian (energy center) about three cun above the navel.

The Yellow Court in the human body is like the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) in the cosmos. The "Valley Spirit" (gushen) spoken of by Laozi refers to this kind of thing. What is the Valley Spirit? "Valley" is a metaphor for emptiness that can receive, and "spirit" (shen) is hidden within it. The "mysterious female" (xuanpin) refers to the two kidneys: the left is "mysterious" (xuan), and xuan is the color of heaven; the right is "female" (pin), and pin corresponds to earth. The breath of heaven and earth enters and leaves through here, which is why it is said, "The root of heaven and earth, continuous, as if ever-existing; use it without exhaustion." This is what is called "fetal breathing" (taixi), breathing so fine that it resembles a fetus in its mother's womb nourishing life. If one can practice it and constantly preserve it without loss, then living as long as heaven and earth may be hoped for. Yet cultivating the Dao is no easy matter. There must be a method: in its use, do not depart from the mind; in its storage, do not depart from the kidneys; in its nourishment and gathering, do not depart from the spleen. Achieve oneness, guard stillness, and accumulate genuine power over a long period, and one will naturally attain results.

The essential principle of cultivation lies in treasuring and guarding true qi as the foundation, and leakage is the gravest error. The scripture says: "Close off the gate of life, preserve the jade capital, and after a hundred years one will be complete, with longevity to spare." One must heed this without fail. Three cun below the navel is the "Horizontal Ford" (hengjin), which transforms into essence-water. If it flows outward, it must be secured by closing and guarding. Closing and guarding depends entirely on being thorough and tight; when they are thorough and tight, essence and qi are firmly secured. This is the true qi of one's own body, and it must be held with unremitting care.

II. The Chapter on Fire Timing (Huohou): The Foundation of Neidan Is Accomplished Through the Fire Supplied; the Measures of the Microcosmic Orbit (Zhoutian) Must Not Lose the Constant Course

The Master Youzi says: hold the breath for twenty-four counts, which is sufficient; after exhaling, hold again. Using the "Red Dragon" (usually referring to the tongue), stir to the right seven times and to the left nine times. Swish the saliva (stirring the jinye) sixteen times, and tap the teeth twice. Then swallow in three portions: first to the right, then to the left, then to the center. This is the count of the yin line.

Hold the breath for thirty-six counts, which is sufficient; after exhaling, hold again. Using the Red Dragon, stir to the left seven times and to the right nine times. Swish thirty-three times, and tap the teeth three times. Swallow three times in succession: first to the left, then to the right, then to the center. This is the count of the yang line.

In total, the breath-holding amounts to one hundred and ninety-two counts, refined through the "fire of two eights, two liang." This is what is called fire timing.

Note: The "fire timing," "yin and yang lines," and similar terms above refer to the procedures and numerical systems used in internal alchemy (neidan) to coordinate breath, tongue-stirring, and the swallowing of saliva. The oral formulas differ among schools, so they should be cross-checked against a master's teachings and the surrounding chapters of the full text, rather than being isolated and copied as a general health exercise.

Zhi Youzi said: The human body holds three kinds of "Samadhi fire" (sanmei zhi huo). The first is the Ruler Fire (junhuo), the upper Samadhi, whose seat is the heart. The second is the Minister Fire (chenhuo), the middle Samadhi, whose seat is the kidneys. The third is the Commoner Fire (minhuo), the lower Samadhi, whose seat is the bladder.

Practitioners often speak of the Fire of Longevity (changsheng zhi huo) and the Fire of the Celestial Circuit (zhoutian zhi huo). If one does not know how to gather and disperse this fire, it will blaze only upward and become a calamity. An old poem says, "It began with striking stone for a spark, and ended by scorching the heavens with heat." The stone was struck only to kindle a light, yet the result was a fire that heated the whole sky. The poem expresses exactly this principle.

In general, fire cannot be absent. If the fire is strong, it can drive out the Three Corpses (sanshi), the harmful spirits that Daoists believe dwell in the body, and so one may avoid death. If the fire is gentle, it can drive out the Nine Worms (jiuchong), the parasitic creatures within the body, and so one may avoid illness. The essential matter, however, is knowing where the fire should return and where it should rest. Only then can it be properly used.

Who truly understands the function of water? In the body, water appears as sweat, tears, blood, urine, feces, saliva, and spittle. All of these are forms in which water flows outward. Within the body, water forms seas. The brain is the Sea of Marrow (suihai), the heart is the Sea of Blood (xuehai), the Dantian is the Sea of Qi (qihai), and the spleen and stomach are the Sea of Water and Grain. The hundred bones are like a hundred rivers. When the four seas flow freely, the hundred rivers are fed and filled. Zhuangzi said that the nature of water, when unmixed, is clear, and when undisturbed, is level; if it is stagnant and does not flow, it cannot become clear. This is why it is also said, "A door pivot does not rot, and running water does not go foul." The principle is the same. Liu Gaoshang wrote the Living Method (Huofa) on this basis. Su Dongpo, living at Baihe Peak, was moved by a milk spring and wrote a poem about it. The principle runs deep, but he could speak of it better than he could practice it. Students should understand the method of shuihuo jiji, the mutual completion of water and fire.

Fire resides in the heart and corresponds to nature (xing). Water resides in the kidneys and corresponds to life (ming). The two must truly aid each other. Without the heart's fire to warm and nourish it, the kidney water cannot rise. Without the kidney water to store the heart's fire, the fire cannot descend.

When this nourishment matures, it rises above and coils below, and it passes through the Three Primes (sanyuan), the Nine Palaces (jiugong), the five viscera, and the hundred joints. Only then can it be preserved and sustained over time. Thus Cui Xuanliang said, "If water and fire can penetrate one another in stillness, one becomes a person who does not die."

A Plain-Language Interpretation of The Pivot of the Dao

The Kan and Li Chapter (Jueyin Gives Birth to Kan and Jueyin Gives Birth to Li / Understanding Their Function as the Foundation of Long Life and Clear Vision)

Ziyouzi said: Heaven and Earth are eighty-four thousand li apart. In the human body, the heart is like Heaven and the kidneys are like Earth; they are about eight cun and four fen apart, matching the measure of Heaven and Earth.

Heavenly Qi descends: the Qi of the heart flows down to the kidneys. The kidneys belong to Kan (Water, north, Yin). Earthly Qi ascends: the Qi of the kidneys rises to the heart. The heart belongs to Li (Fire, south, Yang). When Heaven and Earth join in harmony, the myriad things come into being. When Kan and Li unite in balance, the Yellow Sprout—the nascent essence and Qi in alchemical practice—appears.

By extension, Li is Yang and Kan is Yin; Li is the sun and Kan is the moon; Li is Fire and Kan is Water; Li is nature and Kan is life; Li is the dragon and Kan is the tiger; Li is odd and Kan is even; Li is lead and Kan is mercury; Li is fluid and Kan is Qi.

Long ago, Haichanzi (Liu Haichan, a leading figure in internal alchemy) said: “The Five Phases and the four images are simply the formula for Kan and Li.” The sun’s soul and the moon’s spirit accompany one another day and night without pause. Nature and life are joined, yet people do not know it. If one understands how Heaven and Earth rise and descend, and how the sun and moon should unite; how fluid arises within Qi and Qi within fluid; how Yang exists within Yin and Yin within Yang—then Kan and Li are formed. Few people understand this key.

Among the hundreds and thousands of men beyond the ordinary world whom Ma Ziran met, all they talked about was swallowing saliva, guiding Qi, visualization, embryonic breathing, the circulation of the cosmos, and the timing of the alchemical fire. At sixty-four, he met Haichanzi and suddenly realized that everything he had heard before was wrong. What was the key? Put the medicine of two eight-ounce measures—the traditional internal-alchemical metaphor for Yin and Yang substances—into the furnace and vessel, and let the dragon and tiger unite again and again, thousands upon thousands of times without stopping. Then the Great Elixir will be complete. Lord Lü’s poem says: “When someone asks me how to attain long life, I point afar to the sun and moon revolving in the sky.” These are truly words of the highest wisdom.

The Jia and Geng Chapter (Setting East and West in Their Places, Revealing Metal and Wood / A Method for Refining Them at Yin and Shen)

Ziyouzi said: Much has already been said about Zi and Wu. Zi is the northern Kan, the Water of the Great Origin. In the study of the heavens, it corresponds above to the stars of Xuanxiao and related mansions, including Nü, Xu, and Wei; below, it corresponds to the land of Qi. In the human body, it corresponds to the kidneys.

The qi of the trigrams corresponds to the Hexagram of Return (Fu): the hour when the first Yang begins to arise. Noon belongs to the Li trigram of the south, the bright fire of Yang. Observing the heavens, I see that above it corresponds to the sector of Quail Fire, precisely where the lunar mansions Willow, Star, and Bow are located. Below, it corresponds to the territory of the Zhou dynasty; in the human body, it is associated with the heart.

Extending this reasoning, the qi of the trigrams also corresponds to the Hexagram of Encounter (Gou): the hour when the first Yin begins to arise. The hour of the Rat belongs to Yin, yet one Yang is born within it; this is called “Yang within Yin.” The hour of the Horse belongs to Yang, yet one Yin is born within it; this is called “Yin within Yang.” This is a principle known to all who study the Dao.

When Yang first stirs and primordial Qi begins to rise, practitioners know to clench their hands, sit cross-legged, straighten the body, and kindle the fire. They circulate golden essence to the sea of marrow, let spirit-water fill the high source, breathe gently through the nose, and settle their awareness within, continuing until the hour of the Ox. When primordial Qi reaches high noon, it joins with the heart’s fire—this is the interaction of Water and Fire.

When Yin first stirs and bodily fluids and blood respond, practitioners know to sit with legs folded and hands resting one over the other, settle the mind, and breathe gently through the nose. They hold saliva in the mouth without spitting or swallowing, direct the heart’s fire upward to unite with jade liquid, and let the Qi of heart and kidneys join to achieve the work of Completion. They continue until the hour of the Goat. When heart-blood reaches the hours of the Pig and Rat, it joins with kidney-water—this is Water and Fire returning to their source.

In silence, they revolve and turn, believing they can work the hours of the Rat and Horse to unite the Dragon and Tiger. The practice of the Rat and Horse hours aims to unite the Dragon and Tiger and return them to the Great Elixir. But if the Dragon and Tiger have not first been “born,” how can they be “united”? Thus, the practice of the Rat and Horse hours must begin with giving birth to the Dragon and Tiger. Its subtle key lies in refining Jia and Geng.

Let us examine this in detail. What does refining Jia and Geng mean? Some say that Jia resides in Yin, the Tiger hour; Yin is generated by Fire and flourishes at the Horse hour. It is the Qi of the southeast, the direction where fluids and blood transform and the Yang Dragon takes shape. Therefore, Jia must be refined at the hour of the Tiger. Geng resides in Shen, the Monkey hour; Shen is generated by Water and flourishes at the Rat hour. It is the Qi of the northwest, the direction where essence and blood transform and the Yin Tiger takes shape. Therefore, Geng must be refined at the hour of the Monkey. This account identifies the directions in which the Dragon and Tiger are born, but does not understand the subtle means by which they are brought forth.

Fire is born at Yin and reaches its height at Wu; afterward, it must undergo conception and nourishment at the Ox position. Water is born at Shen and reaches its height at Zi; likewise, it must undergo conception and nourishment at the Ox position. Nothing comes into being or flourishes without first passing through conception and nourishment.

The ancients carried out the “Zi” stage of practice only as far as Chou because Chou and Yin correspond to the northeast in the trigrams and both lie within the Gen Palace. Their Qi is relatively even, and the passage between them is short. At the beginning of Chou, “spirit water” gradually descends into the Flowery Pool, where saliva gathers in the mouth. One should press the tongue against the upper palate and swallow, guiding it through the Towering Ladders of the throat. When the Jade Fluid flows freely and reaches the Towering Ladders, Jia Wood is nourished by it. Once Jia is nourished, Liver Wood begins to grow; when Liver Wood grows, it passes its influence to the Heart, where Fire should now be flourishing.

The Jade Fluid thus reaches the Wu position, where it encounters Heart Fire and transforms into blood. This is called the “Yang Dragon.” The practice at Wu is carried out only as far as Wei. Wei and Shen correspond to the southwest in the trigrams and both lie within the Kun Palace; their Qi is likewise even, and the passage between them is short. At the Wei hour, the true medicine is about to gather in the whole cauldron, the Dantian. The breath through the nose should be drawn in more than it is released, securing the true Fire within Spleen Earth. When the true Fire is nourished and transmitted by Spleen Earth, Geng Metal is in turn nourished by it. Once Geng is nourished, Lung Metal begins to grow; when Lung Metal grows, it passes its influence to the Kidneys, where Water should now be flourishing.

Thus, when Heart blood reaches the Zi position, it encounters Yin energy and transforms into Jing. This is called the “Yin Tiger.” Perfected Tai Bai sings: “The art of reversing the Five Phases: the Dragon emerges from within Fire. Yin and Yang do not proceed in their usual order; the Tiger is born within Water.” Lord Lü says: “The Yang Dragon still emerges from the Li Palace; the Yin Tiger still arises from the Kan position.” The Supreme One’s Scripture of the Inner Sun and Moon says: “Original Qi enters the Heart and transforms into blood. Blood is the source of Jing and the mother of Shen; when it flows as Yin into the Palace of the Kidneys, it transforms into Jing.” This shows that the key to refining Jia and Geng and bringing forth the Dragon and Tiger lies in Chou and Wei.

Spirit water descends into the Flowery Pool and becomes Jade Fluid. Why, then, should it be swallowed at the Chou hour? The Lingbao Essentials of the Dao provides evidence: “Face east toward Fusang before dawn; ascend gradually beyond the Towering Ladders; ride swiftly and travel through the cosmos several times; the young man stops only upon reaching Yangzhou at Gen.” (“Young man” refers to the Gen position, the Chou hour, and related matters, corresponding to the times for carrying out the practice.)

Yangzhou is the region associated with the Ox position. In celestial terms, the Ox position belongs to the Star Ji sector and corresponds to the three lunar lodges Dou, Niu, and Nu; below, it corresponds to the land of Yangzhou.

Zhang Pingshu wrote in a poem, “The cinnabar mercury has not yet settled in the Golden Cauldron; first, water-born silver descends into the Jade Pool.” The meaning of carrying out swallowing and drinking practice at the Ox hour is quite clear. Yet when bodily fluids and blood gather in the Golden Cauldron, they are called the true medicine. How, then, can one establish the practice of nourishing the fire at the Goat hour? The Essential Daoist Teachings of the Numinous Treasure says: “To gather the medicine, the Jade Rabbit must be brought into union; the Yellow Matron must arrange the match. When they meet in Yongzhou, offer them a song of Yang.” It also says, “The fire of the southwest enters Yongzhou.” The Jade Rabbit is the essence of true Yin; the Yellow Matron is the earth of the spleen. Kun lies in the southwest. Yongzhou is the land of the Goat position. In celestial terms, the Goat position belongs to the Quail Head sector and corresponds to the three lunar lodges Jing, Gui, and Liu; below, it corresponds to the land of Yongzhou. Zhang Pingshu’s poem also says, “To know where the river source of the medicine is born, look only to the southwest, its native home.” The meaning of nourishing the fire at the Goat hour is just as clear.

The marvel of bringing forth the Dragon and Tiger lies in refining Jia and Geng to form them, then completing the work at Zi and Wu. If one performs the work of Zi and Wu without understanding this essential mechanism, how can transformation be achieved? Even so, for those who have attained understanding, cultivating and refining to open the body’s passages is not accomplished in a single day. Probing the subtle and exchanging the mortal body requires insight, and insight too depends on the right conditions. I once weighed the matter and concluded that its most fitting explanation is this: circulate the upright Qi of the River Cart, ascending from the Tail Gate, through the Spinal Passage, and penetrating the Jade Capital; bring the two substances together in the Muddy Pellet; return them to the Elixir Furnace to form the Great Elixir; seize the power of creation and nurture the way of long life. All of this is simply the refinement of Jia and Geng. Could anything be more secret?

The Golden Cauldron and Jade Pool are metaphors in internal cultivation for the upper and lower Dantian (energy centers), or for places where Jing and Qi gather. The Jade Rabbit symbolizes Yin essence, the moon, and true Yin; the Yellow Matron symbolizes the earth of the spleen and often serves as the medium through which Yin and Yang unite. Jia and Geng are Wood and Metal in the Five Phases; in Neidan, they often symbolize the Azure Dragon and White Tiger, or the two Qi of Yin and Yang. Zi and Wu refer to the Zi and Wu hours, two important times in cultivation. The River Cart, Tail Gate, Spinal Passage, Jade Capital, and Muddy Pellet refer to the route and energy passages through which Qi travels upward along the Governing Vessel.