《雲笈七籤》Vol. 13

The Central Yellow True Scripture is a classic about the cultivation taught by the “Central Yellow Perfected One.” “Central Yellow” refers to the sovereign of the central heavens; “true” refers to a body perfected through Wuwei (non-action); and “scripture” is the path leading to the Great Dao.

Written by the Lord of the Nine Immortals

The Lord of the Nine Immortals is a Perfected One from Heaven, of the highest rank: below, he governs the Eight Heavens; above, he reaches the station of the Most Perfect. He makes clear the principles by which Heaven and Earth, Yin-Yang, and transformation bring forth the myriad things. Those who cultivate the Great Dao, however, embrace all things and nurture Heaven and Earth. They take compassion as the foundation of every good deed and all goodness as the basis of self-cultivation. Their minds are open and unobstructed. They hold fast to the principle of never abandoning the root, survey all kinds of conduct, and act with the wisdom to forsake no one.

Thus they leave the Hall of Five Radiances and enter the Palace of Central Harmony, releasing boundless light and perceiving endless scenes. They discuss the principles of the Limitless with the Yellow Man. They explain the teachings of the sages, showing people that what is called “nonbeing” does not mean absolute nothingness. To understand the Way of the Mysterious Origin, one must first grasp its principles. Those who attain the Dao gain long life; those who lose it move toward death. How regrettable that people do not understand the mysteries within the body or know why living beings fall ill. Once the original Qi is lost, the body is reborn according to each person’s actions, and the joints of the limbs come apart. After death, the gate leading to Great Yin, the underworld, closes. If you cultivate in accordance with my Great Dao, you will ultimately enter the immortal path among the clouds.

Commentary by the Central Yellow Perfected One

“Central Yellow” is a revered being among the Nine Heavens. I, too, was once an ordinary person, but later set out on the path to sagehood. I preserved harmonious Qi and kept Jing (essence) deeply within, proceeding cautiously in accordance with the Dao. Before cultivation has borne fruit, one must all the more temper the will and remain sincere. Thereafter, with a compassionate heart, one cuts away delusion and anger and lets go of every distracting thought. Then the hundred spirits will secretly offer their protection, desire and attachment can be completely severed, and the Yin spirits—the beings of the netherworld—will lend their aid in secret. Only then can one take in numinous Qi, preserve the true origin, and understand that the way of the immortals can be learned and cultivated.

This book is also called Treatise on the Womb Treasury. The title means that people take form and are born through the sacred Dao, and should preserve harmonious Qi through the mother who nourishes Qi. After Yin and Yang unite, a person’s conduct and temperament take shape. Flesh and bone have Jing and blood as their root, while awareness has original Qi as its foundation. Thus people differ in shallowness and depth, in folly and wisdom, and encounter different fortunes and misfortunes. This scripture explains how the human body takes shape and describes the methods of cultivation within the abdomen. Only by investigating the root and tracing its effects, following the branches back to their source, and clearly understanding the Five Zang organs can one cultivate…

The body makes use of it by relying on a person to bear it, observing the proper rules to preserve it, and strengthening it through cultivated practice. If any of these are lacking, cultivation will come to nothing. Even skill in this Way cannot, by itself, teach one how to attain it.

The Treatise on the Womb Storehouse (Taizang lun), a text on the formation and cultivation of body and spirit in the womb, is said to have been compiled jointly by the Nine Immortal Lords and the Perfected Ones. The Perfected Ones often observed primordial Qi, the original energy that forms the myriad things. Vast and gathered together, it forms the body. The Five Viscera are then made to correspond with the Five Phases—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—and the seven apertures are made to symbolize the Seven Luminaries—the sun, moon, and five planets—so that they shine clearly.

Within the abdomen, a person has the upright Qi of the Five Phases. Follow it, and illness will not arise; go against it, and harm will follow. The head corresponds to Heaven, and the feet to Earth. Heaven must be high and spacious for the sun and moon to shine; likewise, the seven apertures must be open and clear. When they are, cultivation of the Dao can readily succeed. With the Qi of the heart, bones, harmony, and joints all abundant, the body can become a dwelling place for spirits. In this way, cultivation is more likely to succeed and can also help one live longer.

A person’s thoughts and awareness lie hidden and take root within the body, while the spirit moves and circulates through it.

A person receives bodily form in the womb, and with it the roots of emotion and awareness take shape. Of these, the mind’s awareness—the mind’s powers of perception and consciousness—is most important. When used well, it enables a person to accomplish things. Cultivating the Dao by preserving the spirits also depends on this awareness. Yet, in the end, the key to cultivation is to be without mind and desire, let go of delusive thoughts, and reach directly to the Nine Heavens.

When the hun and po are settled and the spirit is full, a person can live.

The hun soul is born of Heaven, and the po soul of Earth. When the hun and po enter the womb, they form the body, and the various spirits each take their proper place. An infant in the womb can sense the world outside, yet makes no sound of breathing; this accords with the utmost principle. After birth, the six senses—the capacities of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—gradually develop. The body takes in the five grains, and greed and anger arise as well. If one lets the senses and awareness rule unchecked, over time one becomes ignorant and uncomprehending. Thus the Taiwei Numinous Scripture records methods for restoring the hun and restraining the po, all of which require focused visualization. The slightest lapse causes all prior effort to be lost. Since the scripture records nothing else, perhaps its purpose is to have people let go of delusive thoughts and the constraints of ordinary awareness.

Body and spirit depend on each other; spirit and body bring each other to completion. Craving flavors from outside harms the mind’s awareness; letting inner desires drive the body harms one’s nature and disposition. When spirit leaves the body, the body disperses and decays; when the body loses its spirit, life vanishes. Yet people do not understand how flesh and skin work together to form the sinews and bones: the liver is associated with the sinews and manifests outwardly in the nails; the heart is associated with the vessels and manifests in the complexion; the spleen is associated with the flesh and manifests in the lips; the lungs are associated with the skin and manifest in the body hair; and the kidneys are associated with the bones and manifest in the hair. The salty flavor harms the sinews, bitterness harms the bones, sweetness harms the flesh, pungency harms Qi, and sourness harms the blood.

The Jade Radiance Numinous Scripture says: “Yang belongs to Qi, and Yin belongs to flavor. Flavor returns to the body; the body returns to Qi; Qi returns to essence. Essence draws nourishment from Qi, and the body draws nourishment from flavors. Yet flavors can harm the body, and Qi can also harm essence.”

In the beginning, the myriad things gave rise to and nourished one another. Later, however, they came to overcome and harm one another.

When the Qi of grain foods is excessive, primordial Qi grows weak, and the body changes from strong to old. In daily life, one should nourish the organs in keeping with the four seasons: during the seventy-two days of spring, eat less sour and more sweet to nourish the Spleen Qi; during the seventy-two days of summer, eat less bitter and more pungent to nourish the Lung Qi; during the seventy-two days of autumn, eat less pungent and more sour to nourish the Liver Qi; and during the seventy-two days of winter, eat less salty and more bitter to nourish the Heart Qi. During the final eighteen days of each season, eat less sweet and more salty to nourish the Kidney Qi. By following these methods alone, one can live to three hundred years.

By visualizing the divine beings and preserving one’s spirit through focused contemplation, one can also ascend to the heavens. Yet one can become only a celestial official, not attain a place among the honored ranks of the immortals.

Thus the sage says: first dispel desire to protect Jing; then moderate eating to preserve life. From this we know that absorbing the Qi of fetal breathing and drinking the numinous essence are ways to attain longevity, and that returning to youth and restoring one’s vigor are things the sages value.

A scholar who devotes himself to learning can progress from the shallow to the profound and grasp lofty principles. A person who sets their mind to it will find that the Way of Heaven is not far off. Those who study without aspiration are called foolish. The Zhunyuan Lu says: “A person without aspiration will accomplish nothing, whatever they undertake.”

Without learning, one cannot understand the principles; this is called ignorance. The Xuanyuan Zhang says: “After cultivating the Dao for three lifetimes in previous ages, one’s aspirations were still incomplete. Only in this life did one encounter the secret method of Central Yellow. If one can withdraw from the world and cultivate the Yangxing Zhang, the Yin spirit will never again take away one’s aspirations.”

In learning and cultivating the Dao, nothing is more forbidden than carelessly disclosing things. Even if one obtains jade registers and golden chapters—precious Daoist talismans and scriptures—one may still fail to attain the Dao. When ordinary people encounter unusual books and methods, it is through the aid and response of the heavenly spirits. If they are ignorant and arrogant, and do not respect the spirits and the principles of the Dao, they will find it difficult to attain the Dao. Those without the right affinity will never encounter such opportunities.

Yet while the “three worms”—the Daoist inner beings said to deplete a person’s Jing and obstruct cultivation—remain within you, you are still walking through a thorn-filled wilderness. Once the three worms have been eliminated, you will naturally reach the land of Huaxu.

The Xuanjing Zhang says: “The land of Huaxu is neither near nor far. It is a place beyond human knowledge, unreachable by cart or horse. This land stretches tens of thousands of miles in every direction. There is no change of heat or cold, and no insects, snakes, or savage beasts. Its people all live in lofty palaces and halls, which connect with the heavens, where they travel freely. Young and old alike receive clothing and food naturally. They need not light fires to cook or labor to make a living, and know nothing of the hardships of farming, silkworm raising, or animal husbandry. Whatever they wish to eat appears at will as delicious food; every kind of delicacy fills their halls. Sweet springs well up, waterfalls pour across the land, and brewed wine fills the ponds—all in natural abundance…”

After drinking a cup, the body becomes smooth and radiant. Strange bamboo and flowers never wither, and the calls of auspicious birds and beasts follow the musical notes of the palace and shang modes. The people of the land respect one another.

Yet thirty li beyond its borders, wild grasses and thorny brambles grow thick, joined together on every side. Above, crossing thorny vines form a dense canopy, pressing down in layers; below, caltrops cover the ground. To travel through this realm, one must first cross this perilous place and cease longing for the worldly body before entering. If even the slightest regret arises, one will never reach the destination.

The scripture’s “thirty li of brambles” refers to the cultivator’s struggle against the Three Corpses—the Daoist spirits or desires said to dwell in the human body and hinder cultivation. During this struggle, the body grows weak and weary, the heart feels lonely, and food loses its flavor. Only after the Three Corpses have perished do body and mind become clear and calm, and the spirit find peace and ease. By quietly observing the inner realm, one can then naturally attain the embryonic immortal, a state of transcendence described in cultivation. Only after entering Huaxu, here meaning the realm of immortals, can one verify this teaching. The numinous realm of the Cavern Mystery is beyond the knowledge of ordinary people.

The Cloud Path of Manifested Chapters explains the embryonic immortal in detail, describes the source of attaining the Dao and becoming a sage, and clarifies the exalted ranks of immortal officials. It also depicts such scenes of the immortal realm as robes of rosy cloud, feathered garments, jade halls, and celestial kitchens. The scripture makes these teachings known for those resolved to cultivate the Dao, while revealing only a little of Heaven’s secrets. To tell them casually to those who should not know will surely bring calamity; the clear signs of this are contained in the teaching itself.

According to the precepts of the commandments of Xuanyuan, secret celestial registers—heavenly rosters or talismans granted to cultivators—must never be opened carelessly. Otherwise, one may face the destruction of one’s entire family. To divulge secret matters lightly is to show disrespect in the eyes of the Yin spirits and to violate the mysterious regulations; Heaven may even strip one of the will to cultivate. Even if one wishes to learn the Dao, one will meet many obstacles. This must therefore be treated as a grave prohibition.

Guard this sacred method of the gate in secret, and one will surely ascend the Cloud Path. The Three Heavens tradition teaches that those who carefully guard their speech accord with the Dao, and the spirits will help them accumulate De. Those endowed with jade bones—that is, the natural capacity for cultivation—are certain to succeed in cultivating the Dao. There is no doubt about this. Never pass these teachings on to the shallowly learned, and do not show this scripture casually to others.

Those who have not succeeded in learning the Dao are called “shallow learners.” Spreading such teachings recklessly invites punishment and disaster. Daoist precepts strictly forbid breaking one’s vows. A broken vow brings boundless guilt upon oneself and may also bring others to harm, so beware.

Disrespecting the spirits diminishes one’s spiritual vitality; careless speech shortens one’s life. The Mystical Code says that even arguing with others over right and wrong can reduce one’s lifespan. How much more so when one reveals Heaven’s secrets and carelessly shows the scriptures to others? The recipient may suffer calamity, and the one who teaches will also incur misfortune. Disaster may strike the household without warning, and the teacher may even face violence by the sword.

These teachings must not be expounded publicly to anyone who is not resolute. In ancient times, those who learned the Dao could transmit it orally only when their inner thoughts and outward conduct were in accord; they were not to write it down for others to see.

The entire work comprises eighteen chapters, compiled into one volume. The number eighteen refers to the body’s five viscera and six bowels, together with its seven openings.

Because it explains how spirits respond and manifest, it has eighteen chapters. The nine apertures are not discussed because they correspond to the Northern Dipper. Of the nine stars, two do not appear in one scroll because all ten thousand practices ultimately return to the One. All of the above accords with the principles of things and events, brings form and spirit into harmony, and corresponds to the patterns of the seasons and their workings.

This scripture is called the Jing of the Embryonic Storehouse and Central Yellow. The titles of its sections echo one another, and its sentences carry on from one passage to the next. Its principles are essential and concern attaining the Dao; its teaching is complete and concerns nourishing life. Its methods of practice are clear, its aim direct, and its principles are set out concretely. It fully records the principles of ingesting Qi, and also contains the way of returning to Heaven. The relevant passages are copied below.

Chapter One: Nurturing Form and Spirit Within

(This chapter has five sentences and thirty-five characters.)

Nurture form and spirit within; cast off cravings and desires.

The Jing of the Cavern of Origins says: The first step in cultivation is to cast off cravings and desires, so that the inner self may accord with the Five Spirits—the five spiritual presences within the body. Next, one should abstain from grain foods and keep the mind unmoved, allowing the six viscera to become clear as bright lamps. Practice this way constantly, and form and spirit will naturally become full and strong.

Practice stillness and concentration alone; the body will be like jade.

The human mind is full of tangled thoughts and always changes in response to external things. One should keep oneself still and avoid seeking to mix with the crowd. Let no thoughts linger within, and let no desires pull from without. Practice this way from beginning to end, and the original Qi will naturally become full and strong.

Take only the primordial harmony; cast off the Five Grains.

People commonly think that the Five Grains nourish the flesh, but they do not know that the grains can also harm the body. Choose a time in the spring, over its three months, to clear a room, set out a table, and lay a thick, warm bed mat. Keep fine incense burning on the table. At midnight, when Yang Qi first arises, quiet the mind and settle the spirit, then click the teeth thirty-six times. Next, clench both hands firmly to gather in essence and Qi, lie on your back, and close your eyes.

When you would normally breathe out, close your mouth and fill it with Qi. Swallow it down, swallowing slowly and letting the act of swallowing guide you. If you hear a sound in your belly as the Qi enters, continue swallowing until you feel full. When you feel hungry, swallow Qi again. Simply take in the Qi calmly; there is no need to be afraid. Afterward, if your mouth feels dry, drink two or three cups of sesame soup. This soup moistens the intestines and nourishes Qi.

To prepare it, take three large sheng of fine sesame seeds, remove their skins, and steam and dry them nine times. Then take three liang of fine poria, and pound it thoroughly into powder. First add the sesame powder and bring it to a boil two or three times; then add the poria powder and bring it to a boil several more times. Finally, add a little butter and honey. When thirsty, drink one or two cups; this can also suppress the urge to eat. In any season, you may also drink one or two cups of wolfberry soup, which is likewise beneficial.

Swallowing Qi will gradually become easier. You may simply feel something in your belly…

Swallow the Qi quietly and evenly, and in time you will feel your breath flowing smoothly. At this point, do not drink any liquids.

If you understand the subtle principles and concentrate on taking in Qi, circulate it to surge through the stomach and intestines, clearing out all their waste. After swallowing Qi, your breath will naturally flow as smoothly as liquid and reach the area below the navel. When you first begin taking in Qi, your urine may be yellow or reddish; there is no need to be surprised. You may also feel unease in your chest, but do not be afraid. As long as your mind remains steady, you will gradually come into accord with the subtle principles.

If you do not completely give up liquids, then even after the residue in your stomach and intestines has been expelled, you will ultimately be unable to distinguish right from wrong with complete clarity. To give up water and grain—that is, drink and food—judge for yourself and persevere; there is no need to count the days. For some, it takes a month; for others, fifty days, or even a hundred.

The three Dantian (energy centers for cultivating and storing Jing and Qi)—the upper, middle, and lower—will fill in sequence. The lower Dantian takes about a month to fill, the middle about sixty days, and the upper about ninety. When Qi is sufficient in the lower Dantian, the internal organs no longer feel hunger. When the middle Dantian is full, the body is no longer weak and emaciated. When the upper Dantian has gathered and become substantial, the face grows full and radiant. When the Three Burners—the upper, middle, and lower—are balanced and full, you can remain free of thoughts and worries for a long time, with Shen settled and the body clear, and then discern right from wrong.

When the lower Dantian is full, Shen and Qi will not leak out. When the middle Dantian is full, your steps will become light and strong. When the upper Dantian is full, your appearance will become especially striking. Once all three are substantial, the body will naturally be steady and the Dao heart at peace. You can then rest securely in the realm of the sages and cultivate the Fetal Immortal, attained through fetal breathing. This is the subtle method of concentrating Qi and a shortcut to becoming an immortal.

Eating while trying to abstain from food scatters the will; craving a variety of flavors makes it difficult to expel the Qi of grain. Both are taboos in the practice of Qi and grave obstacles to becoming an immortal. A scripture says: “Salty, sweet, pungent, and sour flavors make the Five Viscera ill. When fluids and flavors enter the mouth, they cloud the mind, muddy the Shen and Qi of the Six Bowels, and dull the body’s limbs and its nine orifices.” The sages can keep the prohibitions, cutting off cravings and all manner of flavors. Persist for ninety days, and the three Dantian will become firm and full; after a hundred days, you will be able to observe the Five Viscera inwardly; after three hundred days, ghosts and spirits will be unable to conceal their traces, and Yin spirits will not dare deceive you. After a thousand days, your name will be entered in the Celestial Emperor’s register, and your form and Shen will enter Taiwei, a celestial palace.

You will surely reach the Vast Heavens and receive a true person’s name in the registers.

Those who ascend through flying refinement become celestial officials of the lower heavens. Those who cultivate through visualization and Wuwei, refining Qi and Shen and the Way of the Three Ones, become celestial officials of the upper heavens. A true cultivator of the Dao who perfects Qi intake and fetal breathing can ascend to the Vast Heavens and receive a true person’s name in the registers. Then a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen will come to welcome them, and they will surely become a True Worthy of the middle heavens.

Practice with dedication for a hundred days, and you will have sufficient Qi to live on.

Here, “having sufficient Qi to live on” means that the Qi in the three Dantian is sufficient. What is commonly called living on Qi or swallowing clouds is the same as abstaining from grain—that is, ceasing to eat grain.

This cannot be accomplished in a single day. First, one must use De (Virtue/Power) to protect oneself, then eliminate hidden aggression and anger. These are the aspirations a Dao cultivator should hold. If hidden aggression and anger have not yet subsided, and the Three Corpses—the spirits said in Daoism to dwell within the body and hinder cultivation—have not been removed, then violating the teachings as well will make success in cultivation difficult. Thus, the Great Subtlety and Mystery Chapter says: “Put aside desires, cast off greed and anger, and settle the spirits of the Five Viscera; that is enough.”

Chapter Two: Subtle Mysteries of Feeding on Qi

(This chapter contains twenty-six sentences, totaling 182 characters.)

The subtle mysteries of feeding on Qi: a general account of five matters

“Subtle mysteries” refers to matters and principles that are difficult to understand, which is why they are called mysterious. The “five matters” mean that once one learns to abstain from grain-based food, the hun and po souls will change, and the Three Corpses will become restless. This is a crucial principle of cultivation, yet few people understand it.

Before practitioners’ inner work is complete, they do not know that various demonic obstructions will come to hinder them, and so they assume the Daoist methods have no effect. This is simply because they have not understood the true principles. If someone’s inner work is already complete, they need only take in fluids—the saliva produced in the mouth—to feel no hunger. How much more so when taking in Qi?

At first, the effects of taking in primordial Qi are still slight

When taking in Qi, there may be stagnation within the body. Around the seventh or twenty-seventh day, impurities are expelled, and the body may gradually feel weak, with little strength in the limbs and joints. Do not be afraid: this is because primordial Qi has not yet reached the stomach and abdomen, which is why you feel weak. Continue swallowing Qi and let it circulate gradually; your condition will improve day by day. Hold firm to your resolve and remain single-minded. Once the lower Dantian (energy center) is full, you will no longer feel hunger or thirst.

Even if Qi has not yet reached the skin and your complexion looks sallow and thin, do not be afraid. In time, you will naturally feel refreshed and at ease. If your resolve is not focused, and you keep eating while cultivating, taking in Qi will have no effect and you will be prone to repeated failure. This too is because your inner work is not yet complete. If your mind remains attached to all kinds of desires, your cultivation will fail for that reason, so direct your Qi with care and remain steadfast and undisturbed.

The Scripture of Great Origin says: “There are many methods for abstaining from grain. Those who study the Dao and wish to see results quickly need at least nine years; before nine years have passed, there can be no success. The method of taking in Qi alone requires only a hundred days of firm perseverance: abstain from all kinds of soups and drinks, keep the mind unmoving, and the Three Corpses will naturally be removed. Cultivation will then no longer fail.”

Practitioners often fail only because their minds are restless and cannot settle. They waver between two doubts, causing their mind and spirit to become agitated. The Three Corpses grow restless all at once, and all kinds of distracting thoughts follow; the mind and spirit cannot return to stillness. In this state, even if they take in Qi, they are very likely to fall away from the practice, and their inner sincerity can hardly produce results.

If grain Qi has not yet been eliminated and one tries to take in Qi as well, the Qi will be difficult to retain and will readily disperse.

The purpose of cultivating by taking in Qi is to make Qi reach the Five Viscera as quickly as possible. Apart from medicinal decoctions, all other foods should be avoided…

If you abstain from the five grains for forty-nine consecutive days, the grain Qi will cease on its own. If you eat even a little of various foods, the grain Qi will be difficult to eliminate.

If you wish to use Qi circulation to make your internal organs clearly visible, you should practice this method of original Qi. Go without any food for fifty consecutive days. Close your eyes and visualize the Qi in your spleen rising from the heart and spreading through your limbs. Lie on your back and recite this incantation: “Wu and Ji at the Center, original Qi within the organs, yellow and firm. Set this Qi in motion, and it can treat Danyang. Zhu and Yin confer together, enabling the Qi to reach the limbs; yellow clouds rise in great abundance.”

Practice at the same time every day, at the fifth watch, just as the rooster begins to crow. Do not miss a session. Keep this up for twenty-seven days, and you will see in your mind the Qi within the spleen grow dense like yellow clouds, penetrating the limbs. Afterward, make this Qi extinguish a candle flame. From a hundred paces away, you can make the flame blaze as fiercely as if struck by a strong wind. You can also make yellow clouds rise and conceal your form so that other people cannot see you.

If you do not practice at the start of the fifth watch, or if you cannot persevere with resolve, missing even a single day will make the practice ineffective. This is the “Central Yellow Breath-Holding Method.”

At times the body may be weak and the Qi of the heart insufficient; at other times the organs may be depleted and strength may ebb. If the Qi has not yet reached the limbs, you may feel weak. Keep this in mind and do not be afraid. The Great Cavern Scripture says that by persevering in the practice, as you did when you first began cultivating the Dao, you can attain results.

The First: The Upper Corpse Dwells in the Palace of the Brain

The Mysterious Instructions of the Cavern Spirit say: The upper corpse dwells in the upper Dantian, that is, in the brain. Its color is bluish white, and its name is Peng Ju. It makes people sink into desire and become dull and sluggish. Those who study the Dao should restrain it. Even without abstaining from the five grains, if you regularly practice this visualization, after a year the upper corpse will perish on its own, though you will not know it. But if you neither abstain from the grains nor restrain your greed and desire, how can you make the corpse perish?

All kinds of thoughts surge up at once, disturbing the mind and spirit. The mind is constantly occupied with food and drink, whose flavors seem endless. As soon as such thoughts arise, the mind and spirit are disturbed, and the face looks as though it were sick.

If those who study the Dao cannot cultivate inwardly and support themselves, they will be confused and disturbed by the three corpses.

The Second: The Middle Corpse Dwells in the Hall of Light

The Mysterious Instructions of the Cavern Spirit say: The middle corpse is named Peng Zhi. Its color is white tinged with yellow, and it dwells in the middle Dantian. It makes people greedy for wealth and pleasure, prone to changing moods of joy and anger. It disturbs the clear and harmonious true Qi, so that the three Hun souls cannot dwell in peace and the seven Po souls scatter and become blocked.

The Scripture of the Mysterious Cavern says: “Without joy or anger, the middle corpse will be greatly afraid. Without greed or desire, harmonious Qi will always be abundant. In stillness, one can see original Yang, and the assembled spirits will gather.”

Let your soul and spirit leave the body and soar. In dreams, fragrant aromas may appear at times, and delicious flavors at others, with no fixed direction. Sometimes it is as if you are eating; sometimes… 〔The original text ends here〕

Withdraw from difficulties and hold firmly to the constant. If your spirit becomes confused and hazy, as though you were going mad, you will bring yourself to ruin and sink into indulgence in food and drink. If you understand this principle, the Daoist mind will naturally flourish. Keep your mind at peace and do not lightly abandon the Dao you have committed yourself to; then your cultivation of the Dao can make progress.

The lower Corpse among the Three Corpses resides in the abdomen. Its face is pale with a trace of black, and it lives in the lower Dantian (energy center). It is called Pengjiao. It makes people covet fine clothes, indulge in drinking, and become infatuated with beauty. But if a Daoist cultivator can settle the mind, the Three Corpses will naturally die and cease to damage body and mind.

You should clear your mind, reduce your desires, and remain detached and free of craving. If you can maintain this detachment, then once the Three Corpses have perished, there will be no further distress or worry.

When the mind grows still, a person may feel lonely, with thoughts crowding in. When the spirit is disturbed, it is easy to become agitated and angry. Before the practice of breathing in Qi has become mature, the Three Corpse worms may disrupt you: at times you may be quick to anger, at times overcome by sadness, and at times greedy for savory flavors. All of this can throw the mind and spirit into confusion and make you lose your ordinary sense and judgment. If you persist in holding to the Dao, the Three Corpse worms will depart.

The Taishang Shengxuan Jing says: “Take in the breath and strengthen your resolve. Within one month, one worm will die, and the other two will have no support. If you persist in breathing in Qi and concentrate on holding firm to your resolve, the upper Corpse will die after thirty days, the middle Corpse after sixty days, and the lower Corpse after ninety days. By the hundredth day, if your resolve has not wavered, your body will be healthy and your spirit clear, and you will no longer suffer decay for a long time. But if you breathe in Qi and then stop, causing your resolve to falter, your cultivation will bring no results.”

Attaining Insight into the Qi of the Five Teeth and Nine Truths

The “Five Teeth” refers to the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), which is generated in the five organs. The “Nine Truths” refers to the Dao of the nine heavens. Once cultivation of the five organs is complete, they correspond to the nine heavens; therefore, the Qi of the five organs is also called the “Qi of the Nine Heavens.” Once the Original Qi has been cultivated, one can recognize and use the Qi of the Five Phases, and move through all things without obstruction.

Chapter Three: The Five Teeth Abhor Pungent and Sour Flavors

This chapter says that the Qi of the Five Teeth abhors pungent and sour flavors. If the five flavors remain constant in one’s diet, the numinous Qi of the five organs will struggle to arise, and it will also be difficult to put an end to thoughts and desires. As long as one reduces food and frees the body from the burden of grain and water, the five Qi can arise naturally. Once the five Qi are generated, the essence-Qi of the five organs will flow freely. When the five organs are full, the Original Qi will naturally gather; when the Original Qi gathers, the Five Spirits will appear. Once the Five Spirits appear, a person is no longer bound by worldly things and the burdens of ordinary life.

Since the Three Corpse worms lie hidden within your body like corpse-ghosts, waiting for you to die, how can you remain unconcerned and fail to stay alert? The ghosts of the Three Corpses always seek to make people die early. They hide within the human body, waiting for their chance to act.

Whenever the day of Gengshen comes, the Three Corpses—spirits believed in Daoism to dwell within the human body and report a person’s misdeeds to the heavenly realm—inform the Director of Destiny, the deity who governs human lifespan and fate. If you remain wholly unaware and unafraid, and do not begin cultivating your body and spirit or give up the Five Grains in time, your years will soon run out and your original Qi will decline; body and spirit will wither and waste away. Even if your resolve is as steadfast as pine and bamboo, you will ultimately achieve little. When life ends one day, what use will regret be then?

I urge you to set aside your thoughts of worldly distractions.

For those who practice breath cultivation, nourishing original Qi through inhalation and exhalation, the most important thing is to quiet and guard the spirit, and to stop and release all distracting concerns. Then the Three Corpses will be unable to act, and signs of the movement of spirit and Qi will become apparent. This in turn brings the Five Spirits, which govern the body’s five organs, to rest, and gradually reveals the profound Way.

Be free and at ease, with a heart that yearns for the immortal realms of mist and rosy clouds.

If you can become still and clear, your mind will gradually grow lucid and reach a state of transcendent insight. That clear, open realm, like mist and rosy clouds, is right before you.

“Chapter on a Pure Resolve Like Mist and Rosy Clouds,” Fourth

(This chapter has four lines, totaling twenty-eight characters.)

A pure resolve like mist and rosy clouds can reach the wondrous Way.

If you can eliminate the Qi produced by food and drink, the body’s meridians will naturally flow freely, and the Five Organs will give rise to numinous light. Even when left to unfold naturally, there is profound truth within it, too deep to fathom. Here, “numinous light” refers to spirit and Qi.

It enables you, while seated, to understand the Way of life and death.

If you can abstain from all flavors, after a hundred days you will achieve results. You will naturally be able to subdue the spirits, clearly see the key to the paths of life and death, and often know the roads beyond the heavens and into the underworld.

Warm and refine the sinews and bones, stretch the joints, clasp the hands firmly and gather the spirit, let the breath flow inward, and open the body’s hundred orifices.

I respectfully note that the Jing on the Principles of Embryonic Breathing says: After practicing breath cultivation for fifty days, even if you have not yet given up food, you may proceed on a clear day with bright sunlight. At noon, lay a clean, soft mat indoors, loosen your hair, and lie on your back with your head on a pillow. Clasp your hands firmly beside your ribs—a seated practice posture in which the fingers are drawn together into fists—then tap your teeth seven times, settle your spirit, and close your eyes. If you feel even slightly oppressed, clasp your hands firmly with force. The sinews and vessels will gradually stretch, numinous Qi will move inward between bone and flesh, and fluids and sweat will moisten the skin. Practice often, and your complexion will naturally become lustrous, your strength will double, your hair will look freshly washed, and your beard will become as fine as silk.

If you do not understand the method of holding the breath to refine the body and letting original Qi flow among the hairs, then your temples will naturally twitch each time you practice. Without this method, even if you abstain from food and seek long life, you will be like tiles, stones, plants, and trees, without the radiance of vital essence.

“Chapter on the Connections of the Hundred Orifices,” Fifth

(This chapter has four lines, totaling twenty-eight characters.)

The eyes, nose, and other parts of the body contain many apertures. These connect with one another and with the channels and vessels. The two apertures above the eyes connect with the liver, and the liver channel connects with the heart. Thus, when a person feels sorrow in the heart, tears flow down the face. Two points on the upper palate connect with the nasal channel, which in turn connects with the heart channel. This is why the nose stings with sorrow. The nasal channel also connects with the brain channel, so when heat arises in the brain, the nose becomes dry.

The Scripture of the Divine Cavern and Hidden Storehouse (Dongshen Mingcang Jing) says: “The hundred vessels flow freely, the hundred apertures respond to one another, and the joints throughout the body are interconnected.” Thus, if one point is blocked, a hundred illnesses may arise; if one channel is obstructed, many channels may become disordered. Practicing the absorption of Qi (breath regulation and drawing in Qi as the primary methods of cultivation) can lessen the body’s susceptibility to illness and keep the channels flowing freely. Those who cultivate the Dao are not troubled by food stagnating in the body and can discern good fortune and misfortune. Various spirits gather within the body; harmful influences of cold and heat cannot easily approach, and Original Qi is brought into harmony. Poisons cannot harm the five organs, and the inner numinous spirits are protected. Wild beasts will not injure the practitioner, and the place where they dwell will also be safeguarded. They can appear or disappear without difficulty. When flesh and bone accord with wondrous transformation, what reason could there be that one cannot attain the wisdom of the sages?

Let these spirits come from outside and take up residence in my body.

The body’s apertures and the nine joints—its various joints and bones—are all places where spirits dwell. When the organs and viscera are free of harmful influences, the spirits gather. Harmful influences here also include the Qi of food. When upright Qi circulates freely, sores, marks, and moles on the body, along with external harmful influences, will naturally fade away.

When the mind is quiet and clear, one naturally understands the true principle.

Then one can see clearly and distinguish what is harmful from what is upright.

In this way, one understands the true Dao and can endure for a long time.

Bring the body and spirit to an undying state, and raise oneself above the Ninth Heaven.

Chapter Six: The Way of Long Endurance

(This chapter has four lines, totaling twenty-eight characters.)

The way of long endurance requires single-minded, dedicated practice.

Without focus and resolve, it is difficult to grasp the sages’ teachings.

Returning within the body and receiving the Three Souls, one comes to know the way of immortality.

Once Qi circulates freely, one must personally take responsibility for nourishing body and spirit and understand the path to immortality.

What could become an obstacle? The count of seven times seven.

After absorbing Qi, the turbid residue within the body gradually disappears. The crucial next step is to abstain from water and grain foods for forty-nine days. Afterward, the hundred vessels gradually open, and inner contemplation shines like a candle. The worldly mind is cast off at once, and the five organs grow quiet and harmonious. If one cannot persevere with resolve, all the effort made earlier will come to nothing.

One should firmly and carefully maintain a plain diet, avoiding salty, sour, and other strong flavors.

Even eating only a small amount of various flavors makes it difficult to eliminate the Qi of grain.

Chapter Seven: Salty, Savory, Spicy, and Sour

(This chapter has ten lines, totaling seventy characters.)

The five flavors—salty, sweet, pungent, sour, and bitter—affect the fluids of the Five Zang organs. Food entering the mouth can also cloud the mind and spirit.

The five flavors enter through the mouth and reach the openings of the eyes. They spread through and moisten the hundred vessels, making the Qi of grain—the Qi produced from food—full and firm, where it remains in the abdomen. If you wish the Qi of grain to pass through quickly, you should resolutely abstain from food.

This is to prevent the spirit Qi in the Six Fu organs from weakening and to keep the limbs and nine apertures throughout the body from losing their sensitivity. If spirit Qi cannot gather in the Dantian, the inner light cannot shine through the Zang and Fu organs.

If you can carefully maintain this practice for one hundred days, you will eventually feel the vessels become clear and open, like a bright mirror. After one hundred days of practice, spirit Qi will naturally gather and become full, and the inner light will shine like a candle, illuminating the body within and without. The spirits of the Six Fu organs will become clearly visible, no longer concealed. I will then speak with you about the state of mind, and the spirits of the Five Zang organs will reveal themselves of their own accord.

When the Qi of grain lingers, it obstructs your cultivation and makes the path difficult to follow. In general, accumulated food readily becomes a source of illness. If the Qi of grain cannot be expelled, you cannot grasp the profound and mysterious principle.

The Essence of Grain Chapter, Chapter Eight (This chapter has six sentences, totaling forty-two characters.)

The essence of grain obstructs spiritual awareness and entangles the organs, leaving the Six Fu organs clouded. The essence in the Qi of grain turns into saliva and a thin film, winding around the Five Zang organs, the Six Fu organs, the joints, and the sinews and vessels. As a result, people find it difficult to discern what is happening inside the body.

Some practitioners of breath cultivation, after fifty or sixty days, see that the residue in their intestines and stomach seems to have been completely expelled and assume there is nothing else inside. They do not realize that the essence of the Qi of grain has not yet been expelled. This gives rise to cravings for food and scattered thoughts, which in turn make the mind anxious and painfully preoccupied. They may also suffer harm from corpse spirits—malevolent ghosts said in ancient belief to afflict people.

What is expelled afterward may resemble pus, blood, spoiled fat, or chicken or duck droppings. These are signs that the Qi of grain is about to be expelled. Another twenty or thirty days later, strange substances resembling saliva or a thin film will be expelled; this is what the essence of grain looks like.

If, at the beginning of practice, one ate without restraint and practiced breath cultivation only intermittently, then abruptly stopped eating after more than a year, it would be no surprise if these substances were not expelled, compared with the situation described above. Once the Qi of grain has been completely expelled, the vessels will open freely, and the inner light will turn back upon the body like a candle.

The Great Cavern Scripture says: “Those who have just begun breath cultivation also feel that the residue in their intestines has been expelled. They then see the broth they have drunk flowing through their intestines and assume there is nothing else inside the abdomen, unaware that the Qi of grain has not yet been expelled. If the Qi of grain has been completely expelled, what concerns could remain in the mind? The body and spirit seem to settle into stillness; suddenly, one becomes clear and at ease, with no more worries or preoccupations, the mind quiet…” (The original breaks off at the character “thin,” leaving the sentence unfinished.)

Even if your body is weak and you are ill, you need not be afraid, withdraw, or stop making progress. Consider this carefully and encourage yourself: do not give up halfway. If you can suddenly cut off all food and drink and continue for thirty days, but then lose heart and fail to persist, it is like digging a well, reaching water, and refusing to draw any. This is truly regrettable.

If the Original Spirit cannot return, what can it rely on? Your mind has not yet reached understanding; how can you fathom the principle at work? The Qi produced by food and drink has not yet been cleared from the organs, so the spirit and Qi cannot settle securely within the Dantian. Practitioners of the Dao remain in darkness and ignorance only because they do not understand that the wondrous work of the spirit is already close at hand.

How regrettable that the twelve towers of the Mysterious Palace—the chambers of spirit and Qi said to lie within the body—have instead become nests for the Three Worms. If you do not cultivate your body and spirit, all the chambers within your body will become lairs for the Three Worms.

Chapter Nine: The Three Worms’ Dwelling Places

The Three Worms live in the body’s three regions. They are often found within the three Dantian, the upper, middle, and lower centers where Daoist cultivation takes place. If you can put the methods of cultivation into practice, why worry about death? If you devote yourself to practice in accordance with the teachings of the sages, calamities cannot harm you.

Let your breath be long, quiet, and full; remain settled here often. Original Qi guides the inner Qi as it circulates through the body, then returns it to the Dantian.

You will then be able to recognize for yourself the Qi of Original Harmony and the Nine Immortals, the pure and numinous Qi described in Daoism. Once the Qi produced by food and drink has been cleared away, you will naturally recognize Original Qi.

Chapter Ten: The True Qi of the Nine Immortals

The True Qi of the Nine Immortals is continually revealed in its numinous subtlety. Once the Three Worms have died, body and mind return to peace.

The Great Cavern Scripture of the Origin says: “When the Three Worms are destroyed, the spirit and Qi flourish. Turn your inner gaze toward the Qi in the five organs, and make it like the spirits.” Methods of cultivating while living in the world or withdrawing into seclusion are explained in detail in the “Embryonic Breathing Chapter.”

Through the circulation of the breath, you set the movement of Qi in motion. When the spirit and Qi are abundant, breathing and circulation give rise to clouds and mist, naturally reaching a state of transformation into invisibility without hindrance.

True Qi dwells within the Dantian, shining brightly. Once your practice of absorbing Qi has succeeded, True Qi condenses in the Dantian into a shape like an egg, radiant and brilliant, like a candle whose light illuminates everything for several miles. This is the natural manifestation of the Qi of the three Dantian.

The sinews and bones grow strong, and the body becomes peaceful and balanced. The Scripture of the Three Luminaries says: “Refine the marrow until it is like frost; transform the bones until they are strong as metal.” After a thousand days of Qi-absorption practice, your strength will be twice its usual measure. You will then be able to run a thousand miles in a day, faster than even a swift horse.

When the mind and spirit are calm, the emotions are at ease, and the heart is joyful and open, thoughts become clear and far-reaching. Those who have made progress in the practice of taking in Qi naturally feel calm and glad much of the time. Their bearing is refined and their thoughts soar beyond the ordinary; they no longer prize worldly things of low value.

One can withdraw and hear the foul, rank odors that accompany the five flavors—sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty. The commentary says that by observing the five flavors, one can discern the residue and decay within them; by smelling the various odors, one can detect what is rank and spoiled. Tracing the first signs of things reveals their source. This perception is said to arise naturally and to show that the Qi of Heaven has become unobstructed.

The skin grows firm and fair, while the sinews and bones become clean and strong. The commentary says that the specific method for refining the bones is given in the “Embryonic Breathing Chapter.”

The name is removed from the registers of the underworld and entered in the celestial registers of immortals. One can sit and observe the underworld authorities, command the spirits, and inwardly unite with embryonic breathing; the immortal Way then comes naturally to completion.

The commentary says that when the practice of embryonic breathing reaches five hundred breaths, one enters a different realm, and one’s name is removed from the underworld registers. At one thousand breaths, the hun-spirit can travel in the upper realms, and one’s name is entered in the celestial registers of immortals.

Chapter Eleven: Embryonic Breathing and True Immortality

This chapter consists of four lines and twenty-eight characters. To attain true immortality through the practice of embryonic breathing, one must take in Qi and hold the true Qi within, until embryonic breathing takes shape.

The commentary says that one must practice taking in Qi for two hundred days, until the Five Viscera have become empty, still, and unobstructed; only then may one study embryonic breathing. The Scripture of the Nine Heavens and Five Spirits says that one should first choose a quiet, windless inner room and lay down a thick, soft felt mat. Raise the pillow by about four fingerbreadths so that the head and body lie roughly level. Find a like-minded companion for the Way, then set aside all thoughts, clasp the hands firmly, and lie on one’s back, seeking nothing and letting nothing external draw one away.

When the numinous Qi gradually flows freely and the mind and spirit become calm and at ease, begin to hold the breath. At first, hold it for ten counts, gradually increasing to fifty and then one hundred. The practitioner will feel as though the body were inside a room; at this point, one need only keep the mind from wavering. By the ancient method of reckoning time, a day and night of twelve double-hours contains a total of thirteen thousand five hundred breaths.

The Scripture of the Great Subtlety’s Ascent to the Mystery says: “When Qi is cut off, there is death; by holding the breath, one becomes an immortal.” The po remains within the body, while the hun travels through the heavens. After holding the breath for one hundred counts, the hun-spirit should be able to meet the po.

The commentary continues: the Yin spirits are always unwilling to reveal themselves to people. Among them is a deity accompanied by seven figures dressed in black, wearing black caps and carrying black seals. The Cavern Spirit Scripture calls her the “Dark Mother” and says she is the sovereign of the Yin corpse. If a practitioner sees this deity, they should be cautious, focus the mind, and visualize her, while reciting this incantation: “Dark Mother, Dark Mother, you are the master of my corpse. Please nourish my bones and sinews; do not leave the gateway of the corpse. I will, together with the Father of Souls…”

(When traveling through the heavens, you should see in succession three Soul Fathers, each one foot and five inches tall.)

They wear vermilion robes and caps, and hold vermilion seals. They should lead the many brain spirits of the Upper Origin Palace. More than a hundred divine beings will appear around you. You will see the primordial Qi in the three Dantian (energy centers)—upper, middle, and lower—shining like white clouds and illuminating everything within and without. At this time, you should call out the names of the three souls: first Shuangling, then Taiguang, and third Youjing. Once you have summoned these three souls, the Yang spirit will command the spirits in the brain palace and lead your original spirit on a journey through the heavens.

When your original spirit first leaves, you will feel as though you have come out of a dark room. Next, you will see all kinds of ghosts and spirits: some several feet tall, others as small as swallows or sparrows; some with disheveled hair, others with eyes blazing like lightning. These are all ghosts and spirits along the roads of the upper realm. Remain calm and do not be afraid. You should also have a companion to assist you, so that your primordial Qi rises and responds to your soul and spirits. If fear arises in your heart, the Qi will disperse through your mouth and nose, and you will be unable to leave your body and travel.

Have someone beside you count your breaths through the night. When your breathing stops, you should already be traveling through the upper realm with the three Origin Spirits. Once your practice has succeeded, do not reveal it in the slightest; be sure to exercise caution. As long as you are not moved by external things, ghosts and spirits will yield to your De.

Where do feathered robes and rosy clouds come from? They are clouds of Qi and wings that arise from the five organs. In time, as you refine your body and ascend, five-colored feathered robes will form naturally. The Jing of Feathered Robes of the Middle Heaven says: “Light as a cicada’s wing, radiant and brilliant without end.” Cicadas drink Qi and live on dew, and from this they grow wings. People who take in primordial Qi will find that heavenly garments do not hinder the body; from this, the principle can be understood.

Chapter Twelve: The True Qi of the Five Organs (fourteen sentences, ninety-eight characters)

The True Qi of the five organs grows like the tender shoots of a sacred fungus. The Scripture Received at Taihua says: Primordial Qi contains and transforms the myriad things. It is distributed to form the Six Roots—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Through them, good and ill fortune are received, and conduct responds accordingly. Inner Qi forms awareness; fetal Qi forms spirit. If people can cultivate fetal breathing—making the breath deep and subtle, as though breathing in the womb—they can return to youth. The roots of the soul and po are the five organs; at the beginning, all were distributed from water.

The six viscera correspond within the body to the Six Roots. The liver governs the east and belongs to the color green.

The Taiping Five Luminaries Scripture says: The liver corresponds to Wood. Wood is generated by Water and controlled by Earth. Liver Qi comes from the east, is green in color, and receives Yang Qi. Conceal this Qi, and after a thousand breaths it will give rise to light. However, before ordinary Qi practice has reached fetal breathing—a state in which breathing seems to stop and the breath turns inward for cultivation—one should visualize green Qi emerging from the left flank. Practice continuously through the six time periods, beginning at Zi hour and practicing once every two hours. After fifty days, one should be able to see this Qi resembling green clouds.

It is said that green Qi can treat various heat illnesses, as well as seasonal epidemics, swellings, scabies, ringworm, and sudden wasting. Observe the patient’s condition and assess its severity, then imagine the green Qi attacking the affected area, and the patient will recover. If the patient’s liver color appears withered and haggard, the illness cannot be treated. The practitioner need only hold the breath and focus the spirit; after a thousand breaths, the green Qi will circulate throughout the body and its color will naturally become visible.

The Fetal Breathing Scripture says that a thousand breaths are a method of inner nourishment; the color of the green Qi will gather of its own accord.

The heart corresponds to the south and is red in color. Conceal the heart Qi, and after a thousand breaths the red color will appear.

The Taiping Five Luminaries Scripture says: The heart corresponds to Fire. Fire is generated by Wood and controlled by Metal. Heart Qi comes from the south, is red in color, receives the Qi of Vermilion Yang, and represents summer. Conceal the heart Qi, and after a thousand breaths it will appear in the hall of the heart. Before ordinary Qi practice has reached fetal breathing, visualize red Qi in the heart each day at noon. It should be the size of an egg, gradually rise out through the crown of the head, and then disperse. The incantation is: “Bing and Ding of the south, the red dragon takes its place; Yin spirits withdraw, Yang officials descend to welcome.” With this visualization, the red Qi will appear; it can also be used effectively to treat illness.

From then on, recite these three incantations regularly and continue visualizing and practicing this Qi for fifty days without interruption. One should then be able to see red Qi like firelight. This Qi can be used to treat various cold illnesses. When treating someone, direct the Qi against the affected area. If the patient’s face appears green, the illness cannot be treated, because Yin Qi is too strong and no medicine can save them. Methods for visualizing spirit and Qi should never be revealed to others.

The lungs correspond to the west and are white in color. After a thousand breaths of Qi practice, the white color will appear brightly.

The Taiping Five Luminaries Scripture says: The lungs correspond to Metal. Metal is generated by Water and controlled by Wood. Lung Qi comes from the west, is white in color, clear and pure, and faintly luminous. When practice reaches a thousand breaths, the luminous Qi will become transparent and full. In ordinary Qi practice, at each Chou hour one should visualize something in the lungs…

After the Lung spirit—the deity who governs the lungs—appears, it travels through the highest realm and moves within the Dantian (the lower abdominal area used in internal alchemy practice). It guards my nature and life and helps me become an immortal. Recite the incantation: “In the west, Geng and Xin, the mysterious truth of Taiwei; inwardly responding to the six internal organs, transform into the Lung spirit.” Then visualize it once, and continue this practice for forty-nine days. A qi like white clouds will then appear in the lungs. If you can see this qi with your own eyes, it can reveal all kinds of treasures beneath the earth, discern people’s good and evil, show what is on the outside, and see into what lies within. If you cannot visualize as prescribed, you must practice the method of the Five Qi. Only after three years of ingesting qi will you be able to see inside the five organs.

These methods require genuine practice. Without understanding how the Five Phases generate and overcome one another, you cannot use them. When the body is cold, use the qi of the heart, since the heart belongs to Fire. When the body is hot, use the qi of the kidneys, since the kidneys belong to Water. If you do not know which qi to choose, the method will not work. The Scripture of the Nine Qi does not discuss methods of qi either. This shows how profound and difficult to fathom the method is: it is still kept secret and not transmitted, let alone made known in the human world.

The spleen governs the center and corresponds to the color yellow. Ingest qi for one thousand breaths, and the yellow color will become bright and distinct. The Scripture of the Five Luminaries of Great Brightness says: “The spleen belongs to Earth. It is generated by Fire and overcome by Water. Its qi comes from the center, and its color is yellow.” Hold the breath for one thousand breaths without concealing or suppressing it; simply visualize yellow qi. Visualize it once each day, with no set time or season, and without reciting an incantation. After visualizing the spleen for forty-nine days, you will see this qi. It is said that if you can then use it, you can pass through walls with your body and become invisible to others.

The kidneys govern the north and correspond to the color black. Ingest qi for one thousand breaths, and the black color will appear. The Scripture of the Five Luminaries of Great Brightness says: “The kidneys belong to Water. They are generated by Metal and overcome by Fire. Their qi comes from the north, and their color is black, faintly luminous.” Gather and contain the qi in the Lower Origin—the lower Dantian and its related areas—and use it to guard your nature and life. In the inner chamber there is true white qi; you should hold to it and never forget it.

The method for visualizing the spirits and qi of the five organs is as follows: each day, at the start of the fifth watch, just before dawn, visualize in turn the qi of each color rising from the crown of the head, then stop. You need not visualize each one separately, and you may also omit the incantations. The effects will simply come more slowly; they will take a full one hundred days.

There are methods for commanding the myriad spirits. When ingesting qi, keep your mind and intentions upright, and also cultivate inner conduct. The inner and outer aspects support one another; after one year…

(It should be that the ghosts, goblins, and spirits of the human world, along with the local earth deities, all dare not…)

After concealing your body and becoming invisible, the deities of the land wherever you go will come out first to bow and kneel. They often accompany and protect those who cultivate the Dao. In the Six Registers of the Underworld, which record good and evil deeds, every person’s conduct is clearly documented. Even so, you must not summon these deities at will. Your cultivation has not yet truly reached the Three Heavens of the Realized (the high realms of immortal perfection described in Daoism), and the Three Heavens Register of Truth (the celestial register of names granted by Heaven) that you received may be damaged as a result. If you have already achieved Embryonic Breathing (a Daoist practice in which the breath becomes so fine and deep that it resembles an infant’s) and the Art of Ascending the Body, and wish to travel through the human world, you should follow the method of corpse liberation (leaving one’s original body and transforming through an external object or ritual) described in this scripture. Only then can you move through the world without hindrance. Otherwise, you must not forget your cultivation of the Dao. Even if you do not devote yourself exclusively to this technique, but instead focus only on teaching and transforming others, both you and they can still benefit.

Riding upon and clad in rosy clouds, return to Taiji (the Daoist highest heaven).

The Scripture on Embryonic Breathing and Subduing Yin says: “The inner breath has no fixed name; it can be cultivated only through visualization. Without cultivating precepts and conduct, one cannot enter the realm of Embryonic Breathing.” The Book of Hidden Numinous Secrets of the Great Tenuity says: “When ordinary people cultivate Embryonic Breathing and wish to travel through the human world, they may practice corpse liberation, transforming in accordance with the object they use as a substitute. Thus, there are methods of transformation that use such things as clothing or bedding.

“On a Geng day or a Xin day, at the Geng hour, choose a clean room and burn a brazier of fine incense. Place a table beside the bed, with an incense burner on it. Put the dragon staff you usually lean on, your shoes, and other belongings by your head. Keep your clothes on, cover yourself with a quilt, and lie with your head facing west. Visualize yourself as already dead, and silently recite the following spell seven times:

‘Great One, Dark and Mysterious, receive life in the white clouds; seven thoughts, seven summons, the Three Hun souls come to welcome; take the place of my body, conceal my form; my form changes with the object, transforming in response to things. Hasten, hasten, in accordance with the statutes and commands!’

“Visualize and recite silently for about as long as it takes to eat a meal, then sleep as usual. Continue the visualization thereafter. Each time you visualize for about the length of a meal, you must not speak to anyone; once you speak, the technique cannot succeed. Continue cultivating in this way for forty-nine days, and the technique will gradually take shape.

“After that, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, you may silently recite this spell seven times and then take hold of any object at hand; your body will arrive elsewhere. Others will see only the object in your hand and think your body has died. When they later see that object again, your original form will be restored. This method can be used to help the body travel to the lower realms…”

The True Palace of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) stands amid the azure heavens. Its vermilion gates and lofty terraces rise in tier upon tier, while rows of jade towers ascend along steep mountain peaks.

The scripture says that the palaces and pavilions of the upper realm arise from a profound and mysterious place, formed from the congealing of the five-colored Qi. The earth of the lower realm, by contrast, is supported by water Qi congealing horizontally. It is therefore less stable and less able to grow freely, and its terrain is often uneven. In the upper realm, the “Eight Treasures” serve as the ground and the “Seven Jewels” as implements. Its palaces, too, form naturally from the Seven Jewels, without human construction. The upper realm’s sun and moon take shape from the refined essence of the Seven Jewels, while those of the lower realm form from Yin-Yang Qi. According to the scripture, one year of 360 days in the lower realm equals a single day in the upper realm. The Taihuang Jing also says that by no longer eating what the earth produces and by replenishing one’s vital essence, one can dwell in the City of Taiyi and attain a state in which body and spirit are complete, transcending the world and departing from it.

The jade palaces gleam with radiant light and rich shades of green. The “Seven Treasures” spoken of here shine brilliantly, clear through and through, with nothing to block or obscure them; thousands of pavilions and countless towers reflect one another. Even the Great Immortals and Perfected Beings dwell outside this celestial palace complex.

Red clouds and purple Qi often spread serenely through the palace. Its jade walls and golden beams are exquisitely crafted within. The Xuanggong Yutang Jing says that the palace walls are built of white jade, the roof beams made of gold, the framework of green coral, and the beds of red jade. Delicacies from the Nine Heavens are served, and immortal nectar transformed from eight kinds of fine jade is poured for drinking.

Phoenixes dance in graceful flight, luan birds sing, and immortals wander and chant among them. The scripture’s “Dance of the Heavenly Phoenix” and “Song of the Luan in the Clouds” are also names of musical pieces.

Precious jade delicacies and golden nectar may be enjoyed at will. The Jiuyan Xuanchu Jing says that each day, delicacies from the Nine Heavens are offered ten times and immortal nectar of eight kinds of jade seven times. Another account says that food is served ten times a day and wine eight times.

By cultivating fetal breathing—a practice of regulating the breath until it becomes subtle and long—one can attain the honored rank of the Nine Perfected Ones and Supreme Immortals.

The True Immortal of the Nine Qi wears robes like brocade, with a light, soft outer garment like rosy clouds and sash ends at the waist as delicate as cicada wings.

(The Perfected Lord wears brocade patterned with fine jade and garments woven from cicada silk.)

He wears a heavenly crown. Its ornaments sway and ring out in clear, varied tones.

(The many ornaments on the crown strike one another, their sounds weaving together like the five notes in a melody, arising naturally.)

His feet are shod in brocade shoes embroidered with nine patterns, their unusual designs scattered like stars.

(The shoes are made of nine-pattern brocade, with designs scattered like stars adorning a wall.)

When leaving court, he wears robes like rainbow-colored clouds and goes to the Grand Unity court to pay homage to the Perfected Lord.

(Robes of rosy clouds are the formal dress worn by immortal officials when attending court. All who have newly attained the Dao and become immortals must pay homage to the Perfected Lord of Grand Unity. Grand Unity is both the place where the Perfected Lord resides and the sovereign of the Nine Heavens.)

Immortal maidens from the ten directions carry banners. Numerous spirit officials escort the carriage, with jade youths in attendance. Dragon-shaped standards lead the way, and tiger banners follow behind.

(At the front is the Vermilion Bird, at the rear the Black Tortoise, to the left the Azure Dragon, and to the right the White Tiger. Together they are called the Hundred Spirits.)

The immortals wear feather robes and drift lightly, borne on the righteous Qi of the eight directions.

(The eight Qi are the righteous forces of the eight directions, which sweep the road clear in advance.)

They continue ascending into the distant heavens and enter Taiwei.

(Taiwei is located in the Zhenhua Palace, within the wheel of the planet Venus in the fifth heaven. Taiwei oversees the registers of life and death in the lower realms. At each change of season and at the eight seasonal festivals, it submits these registers and reports to the upper heavens. Taiwei has about four hundred thousand officials.)

Chapter Fifteen: The Mysterious Palace of Taiwei

Taiwei reaches directly into the distant heavens, where harmonious winds stir bamboo-like instruments and produce pleasing sounds.

(The winds in the upper realm of Taiwei blow through all things, sounding like a concert of reed pipes and flutes—as if their music of bliss arose on its own.)

Palaces and towers rise into the clouds, vast and deep, secluded from view.

“Yaowei” means lofty and remote in the emptiness. Palaces and towers rise in tier upon tier, immense in scale and exceptionally magnificent.

Life is long, garments are light, and the immortals are tall. Among the Nine Heavens, each level surpasses the one below it.

(The feather robes and ceremonial processions of the Nine Heavens grow ever more splendid at each higher level. The higher one ascends, the lighter the garments and the taller the immortals; their clothing also becomes brighter and more exquisite. The cycles of the sun and moon grow longer as well.)

This is the freedom attained through the mind.

(By directing the body with the mind, one can transcend the Three Realms.)

By quieting the mind, studying the mysteries, and cultivating the true Dao, one can become a sage. The gates of the Nine Practices stand empty, their chapters and titles set forth—

(The Nine Practices are where Dao cultivators establish themselves and order their lives. Their actions, rest, and daily observances all depend on them…)

Wear compassion and pity as your clothing; take the cessation of craving and the abandonment of attachment as your food; use an upright heart as your vehicle, single-minded concentration as your ability, humility and lowliness as your bed, and alignment with the Way and righteousness as your tools. Let diligent generosity be your house, the cultivation of emptiness and stillness your dwelling, and giving in secret without seeking fame your work. If those who cultivate the Dao do not follow these nine practices, they will be far from the Great Dao.

Chapter Sixteen: The Nine Practices of the Empty Gate (This chapter has twelve sentences, totaling eighty-four characters.)

The path leading to the True and Perfect Great Dao lies in cultivating the nine practices and entering the Empty Gate. Do not contend or become angry in your dealings with others; maintain this discipline in both movement and stillness, without pausing even for a moment. Then the Yin spirits (inner spirits) will turn their light back upon you, and the spirits will often come to protect and assist you.

If you keep watch over the heart without growing lax, the Dao is easy to cultivate to completion.

In every kind of practice, do not cling to anything in the heart; this is the true heart. Use the workings of the heart, and in the end return to the Way of Heaven.

What is called the heart without a heart still relies on the heart in its activity. Though one speaks of having nothing to which the heart is attached, attainment still comes by means of the heart.

Only after removing careless, stray thoughts can one be called true.

The many affairs of life are called “carelessness”; to have no distracting affairs is “removal.” Clear away stray thoughts and quiet the mind’s deliberations, and the myriad practices will all return to this.

Follow your own embryonic breathing (breathing refined and deep as that of a fetus) and enter the Gate of Heaven.

The key to embryonic breathing is virtuous conduct; the supreme path is freedom from thought.

The correct principle of the Mysterious Origin (the subtle, original truth) is hidden within. Draw in the body, harbor no crookedness or evil, and conceal the form, so that body and mind may accord with the True Way.

The Dongxuan Jing says: “When the heart within is free of crookedness, all the spirits will be present.”

When the Three Origins are clear and still, the pure, empty primordial Qi can become firm. Once the Six Bowels (the six internal organs of the body) have been regulated, a million spirits come into being.

When the Three Origins are quiet and the Six Bowels are harmonized, True Qi returns to true practice; these two principles accord with each other. The spirits within the five viscera and six bowels number a million in all, and naturally respond to one another.

Chapter Seventeen: The Six Bowels and the Myriad Spirits (This chapter has ten sentences, totaling seventy characters.)

The myriad spirits within the Six Bowels are always present.

There are spirits in the five viscera and six bowels, the hundred joints, and the nine sections; together they number a million. If you cultivate in constant stillness, you will naturally see them.

When the Qi of Primordial Harmony is purified and regulated, the Qi of grain will be exhausted.

If you use primordial Qi to regulate the body, how could the Qi of grain fail to be eliminated?

The large intestine is the residence of the lungs and governs the lung hall.

The lungs occupy the foremost position and rule the Three Burners (upper, middle, and lower).

Within them is the primordial spirit, concealed in the body.

Once the viscera and bowels are purified, the myriad spirits will naturally return to their proper places. Thus the Tai Ming Jing says: “The large intestine governs the lungs.” The area at the center of the bridge of the nose can be used to observe the complexion…

The kidneys should be bright within. The goddess in the inner palace corresponds outwardly to the ears; the ears are the kidneys’ gateways.

The Inner Spirit Scripture says that Jing and Qi govern the kidneys. The kidneys are the rear palace, where goddesses are arrayed in the inner palace. The ears are the kidneys’ sensory openings and receive kidney Qi. The left kidney belongs to Ren, and the right kidney to Gui. Kidney Qi circulates between the ears, where five hundred spirits reside. The Original Spirit within the body commands them and also governs a person’s will.

People have eight ways of showing anger, and resentment injures kidney Qi. When the kidneys are harmed, the will weakens, and the Original Spirit is harmed as well. For this reason, those who cultivate the Dao should give up anger. When cultivation succeeds, the inner spirits often appear before the practitioner and protect them.

The bladder is a pair of visceral organs and the gate of fluids. The Sea of Qi passes through it, making it an important passageway.

The bladder is a visceral organ that receives fluids and joins with kidney Qi; it corresponds above to the root of the tongue. Fluids circulate without stopping, continually moistening the edges of the tongue; this corresponds to the Qi of the bladder on either side. When Qi is insufficient, the tongue is not moist enough. Those who have not yet succeeded in breath cultivation should speak less to preserve their fluids. Speaking too much dries the mouth, and a dry mouth hinders the circulation of Qi.

The bladder contains three hundred and sixty spirits, corresponding to the three hundred and sixty days of the year. After succeeding in Qi cultivation, one should be able to see these spirits. Practitioners should consistently uphold a quality of non-greed, so that their minds and intentions accord with the principles of the spirits. The Great Cavern Scripture for Ascending to the Mystery says that when one’s conduct accords with those principles, one can see the Dao; when cultivation succeeds, one can return to Heaven. These spirits appear of their own accord during fetal-breath cultivation and often guard the practitioner.

Those who cultivate the Dao should come to see the inner spirits. The contents of this chapter must never be revealed during one’s lifetime. If you keep it secret, the heavenly spirits will always come to your aid.

Chapter Eighteen: Do Not Reveal the Heavenly Spirits (eight lines, fifty-six characters)

The chapter on the heavenly spirits must not be shown to others lightly. The complete work contains thirty-three chapters, of which few in the world still know; this is all the more true of its most secret teachings, such as the Central Yellow method.

Within the Dao there is the Scripture of Fetal Light, in thirty-three chapters. Its teachings are strictly forbidden from being passed on or disclosed casually.

What is more, these sacred phrases of the Central Yellow are especially precious and secret. You must handle them with the utmost care.

First pay homage to the Three True Jade Immortals, then focus your attention on the scripture.

The Code of Teachings and Rites says: If you wish to open and display scriptures such as those of the Three True Ones, first choose a jiazi day. On that day, bathe and cleanse yourself. Burn incense in a quiet room, visualize the Perfected One of Southern Florescence in your mind, and recite the names of the Three Heavenly Lords. Then invite the Three Heavenly Lords to open the scripture together and bear witness. The person performing the rite should face east and bow four times, then pray: “I, so-and-so, seek the Dao. I have specially opened the sacred text of the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens and will display it once. May the myriad spirits join in aiding me, so that my body and mind return to the Great Nonbeing and my name be recorded at Heaven’s Gate.” The scripture must not be shown to more than three people.

Remember: never reveal it carelessly. If you disregard the teachings and rites and open or display the scripture at will, you will treat it as ordinary writing and surely bring grave disaster upon yourself. Do not take this lightly. If you violate the teachings and rites, you will suffer an untimely death, and your descendants will also be afflicted. The remaining calamities and punishments will extend through generations of your descendants. This is a grave prohibition; take great care.

Seven Slips from the Cloudy Satchel, juan 13