《雲笈七籤》Vol. 29

Human beings receive life

The “Treatise on the Endowment of the Primordial Hun” says: “Human beings are born between Heaven and Earth and receive life through the harmonious blending of Yin-Yang Qi. Of all things, they are the most honored and spiritually perceptive. They gather the essence of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), participate in the Three Powers—Heaven, Earth, and humanity—and stand alongside Heaven and Earth in virtue. Is this not something to cherish?”

The Scripture of Inner Observation says: “The vital essences of Heaven and Earth unite; the transformations of Yin and Yang spread and flow, and human beings thereby receive life. In the first month of pregnancy, the sac forms and Jing and blood begin to gather. In the second month, the embryo’s shape first appears. In the third month, the Yang Shen transforms into the Three Hun Souls, which begin to move and develop. In the fourth month, the Yin spirits form the Seven Po Souls, which quietly sustain the body. In the fifth month, the Qi of the Five Phases differentiates into the five organs, stabilizing the spirit. In the sixth month, the Qi of the Six Pitch-Pipes forms the six bowels, nourishing spiritual awareness. In the seventh month, the seven orifices open and the senses begin to function. In the eighth month, the Eight Radiant Spirits—the spirits within the body—are complete, and the true spirit descends. In the ninth month, all parts of the body take shape, like rooms arranged within a palace, bringing Jing and Qi to rest. In the tenth month, primordial Qi is abundant and every part of the body is fully formed.

“Yuanhe Shen, the spirit within the body who oversees nourishment, nurtures the body without pause. The Great One (Taiyi), who commands all the spirits, dwells in the brain and governs them. The Spirit of Destiny dwells in the heart and takes in the Qi of life. The Spirit of Peach Health dwells at the navel and guards the root of Jing and Qi. Wuying dwells on the left and presides over the Three Hun Souls; Baiyuan dwells on the right and restrains the Seven Po Souls. Thus, spirits are present throughout the body, each carrying out its own duties. This is the meaning of the statement in the ‘Appended Statements’ of the Book of Changes: ‘The way of Qian brings forth the male; the way of Kun brings forth the female.’”

The Scripture of Causes and Conditions says: “When human beings first receive a body, they come into the world from emptiness. They pass through a transformation from yellow to white, gather breath and condense Jing, receive Heaven’s intent and conform to Earth’s patterns, and take shape by joining with Yin and Yang.

“In the first month of pregnancy, this is called the ‘sac’; the Qi of the Heaven of Yudan descends and fills the mother’s body. In the second month, it is called the ‘embryo’; the Qi of the Heaven of Immeasurable Life descends and fills the mother’s body. In the third month, the Three Hun Souls are complete; the Qi of the Heaven of Suyan descends and fills the mother’s body. In the fourth month, the Seven Po Souls take shape; the Qi of the Heaven of Tranquil Stillness descends and fills the mother’s body. In the fifth month, the five organs form; the Qi of the Heaven of Untroubled Joy descends and fills the mother’s body. In the sixth month, the six bowels are complete; the Qi of the Heaven of Responsive Transformation descends and fills the mother’s body. In the seventh month, the seven orifices become clear; the Qi of the Heaven of Brahma’s Support descends and fills the mother’s body. In the eighth month, the Eight Radiant Spirits attach themselves to the body; the Qi of the Heaven of Clear Brightness descends and fills the mother’s body. In the ninth month, the spirits descend; the Qi of the Heaven Without Desire descends and fills the mother’s body. At this point, there are eighteen thousand heavenly spirits and eighteen thousand spirits within the body.”

The human body contains 36,000 kinds of spirits and Qi. A person is born only after ten months in the womb. Within the womb, the Three Origins—the Qi of the upper, middle, and lower origins—nourish the body, while the Nine Qi flow through it and undergo transformation. Jupiter corresponds to the liver, Venus to the lungs, Saturn to the spleen, Mars to the heart, and Mercury to the kidneys.

The Big Dipper opens the body’s seven orifices and sends down seven youths to guard the body. The Qi of the seven stars gathers into a single star, positioned three feet above a person’s head. For one who does good, this star shines brightly and radiantly; for one who does evil, it grows dim and small. Good deeds accumulate, and blessings arrive; evil deeds accumulate, and calamities follow. When the star’s light falls and goes out, the person dies.

The Scripture of the Birth of the Spirit says: A person receives life in the mother’s womb, is nourished by the Three Origins, and takes form as the Nine Qi gather. In the ninth month, the spirits take their places and the breath is full, so the fetus can make a sound. In the tenth month, all the spirits are present, and the Nine Heavens—the nine celestial levels in Daoist belief—join in celebration. Taiyi, a Daoist deity, holds the tally of destiny; the Imperial Lord determines the lifespan; the Registrar records the person’s name; the Controller of Destiny sets the allotted years; the Five Emperors oversee the birth; the Holy Mother guards the birth chamber; and the gods of Heaven and Earth, together with the spirits of the Three Realms, stand watch. The Marshal of the Nine Heavens stands in the courtyard, faces east, and recites the Precious Scripture of the Birth of the Spirit nine times.

If the child is a boy, all the spirits sing out together, “Respectfully!” If the child is a girl, they sing out together, “In obedience!” When a boy is born, the Controller of Destiny responds with respectful assent; when a girl is born, the Controller of Destiny responds with respectful compliance. Only when the rite is completed can the child be born. If the Marshal of the Nine Heavens does not proclaim the decree of destiny, and the spirits do not respond together, the child can never be born.

For a person to return to the world, receive a human body, cleanse its form, and see the sunlight again is an event that moves Heaven and Earth, precious beyond words. The descent of the Celestial Perfected, the earth deities, and the spirits of the Three Realms to protect and bless the person is no small matter. Birth, then, is not something lowly. If one can cherish the body, preserve the spirit, treasure the original Qi, and hold fast to one’s roots, one can live long without decay, cultivate into an immortal, and ascend together with the physical body, rising to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), attaining harmony with the three Qi and accord with the Nine Qi. To go against these principles is to bring death and destruction upon oneself. How could that not be cause for sorrow?

The Scripture of Perfect Writings says: A person’s round head symbolizes Heaven, and square feet symbolize Earth. The hair symbolizes the stars, the eyes the sun and moon, the eyebrows the Big Dipper, the ears the altars of the soil and grain, the mouth the rivers, the teeth jade, the limbs the four seasons, and the Five Viscera are formed according to the Five Phases. The human body corresponds to Heaven and Earth, and life accords with the Dao and De. How momentous and precious this is! It should be carefully nurtured.

Long ago, the Celestial Perfected Emperor told the Yellow Emperor in Mount Emei: “A person’s body is like a state. The chest and abdomen are like its palace chambers…” The original text ends here.

The arrangement of the four limbs is like a country’s outskirts and borders; the distinct functions of the joints and other parts are like the officials in the imperial court. The spirit is like the ruler, and the blood is like the people. Whoever understands how to nourish the body also understands how to govern a country. When the people are cherished, the country can be at peace; when the original Qi is treasured, the body can be preserved. When the people scatter, the country perishes; when the original Qi is exhausted, the body dies and can no longer endure. The dead cannot be brought back to life. Thus, those who truly cultivate the Dao dispel calamities before they arise and treat illness before it takes shape. They guard body and mind while all is still calm and uneventful, rather than waiting for loss and then regretting it. The people are hard to keep at peace, yet easily scattered; original Qi is hard to preserve, yet easily depleted. To understand how to uphold and govern through authority and benevolence, and to conserve original Qi by restraining cravings and desires—how could one fail to be diligent? How could one fail to accomplish something?

Record of the Supreme One’s Nine Elixirs, the Transformation of the Embryonic Essence

The method for the “Transformation of the Nine Elixirs” was received by the Great Lord of Taiwei, a Daoist deity, from the Jade Youth of the Three Heavens. This method enables the Nine Elixirs to transform, the vital essence and Qi to circulate back, and the spirit to gather; it dissolves the roots of stagnation in the Purple Womb. It makes the essence and Qi return to nourish the embryonic origin; steadies and calms the intestines and viscera, making the interior full and the essence and Qi abundant outwardly; opens and brightens the nine apertures; refines and nourishes the marrow, transforms the bones, and allows true Qi to fill the body joint by joint. This method is profound and subtle, preserved in the golden chambers and jade halls of the Nine Heavens, in the palace of the Sacred Capital. According to the clear statutes of the Four Poles, it is transmitted only once in ten thousand kalpas. Those without an esoteric name, those not listed in the purple registers and green writings, and those who have not received permission from the Highest Clarity are forbidden to take part or hear of it. Those who violate the prohibitions of the spirit realm will be punished by divine troops. Through secret cultivation of this Dao, one may ascend to immortality in broad daylight.

The Venerable One of the Nine Heavens told the Jade Youth of the Three Heavens: “Heaven and Earth move and join in intercourse; Yin and Yang contain true Qi. The Qi of Yin and Yang descends, then rises to correspond with the Nine Mysteries. The circulating elixir Qi undergoes nine transformations and gathers into essence; essence transforms into spirit, and spirit transforms into the human being. Thus, the human form takes Heaven and Earth as its model, while the movement of Qi follows nature. All natural Qi is formed from the essence of the Nine Heavens, and from it the human body takes shape. People dwell in the mother’s womb and are nurtured there. After nine months, the Qi in the womb is full; the Qi of the Nine Heavens circulates everywhere, and after ten months the child is born.

“When the fetus takes shape and receives its breath, there may be good fortune or misfortune, long life or an early death, and differences in the length of one’s years. These all arise because people have different innate foundations and gather Qi that is not pure. If the viscera hold accumulated stagnation and the six bowels are damaged, body and spirit will not be stable, and the body will be unable to bear numinous Qi. Once death Qi enters the apertures, how can life be preserved? People know only that they should cultivate, but do not understand these fundamentals. Now I will tell you this method: let the true Qi within the body follow the course of life and dissolve its blockages, nourishing the hundred spirits. The body will naturally shine, the inner organs will be clear, the spirit will dwell securely within the body, and all the many forms of Qi will together tend toward immortal transformation. You must treasure this method and never reveal it lightly.”

When ordinary people receive life, the method of Qi known as the “Transformation of the Nine Elixirs” is already gathered within the fetal womb…

Once Qi is abundant and the spirit complete, a person can know their destiny while still in the womb. They also know their original source and the causes and conditions behind their cycles of rebirth. The Qi of the Nine Heavens transforms into their body. Yet when they see the passage of birth open before them and the sun, moon, and stars—the Three Lights—appear, they forget where they were born and why they came.

This happens because the roots formed in the womb have congealed and become blocked, coiling within the body and disrupting the regulation of the Three Passes and Five Viscera—the body’s gateways and organs. Deathly Qi clogs the portals, preventing the numinous pass from opening, and people forget the causes and conditions of their own existence. If a numinous being takes on a life and transforms, nurturing and refining a precious immortal embryo, then passes for a time through the Purple Gate—the portal through which an infant is born—to walk among people and appear in bodily form, that being will be naturally exceptional from birth, radiant in appearance. At the first sight of a wondrous realm, they can ascend to the Nine Heavens. They do not have to congeal Jing and receive Qi like ordinary people, then enter the womb to be born as a human.

Ordinary people receive the Qi of the Nine Heavens. This Qi congeals into Jing, Jing transforms into a cinnabar elixir, and the elixir in turn transforms into a human being. The formation of the embryo and the nurturing of its innate vitality follow the laws of nature. If someone is born in the seventh month, for example, then at conception in the tenth month they receive the Qi of the Heaven of Boluodahe. Those born in the eleventh month receive, at conception, the Qi of the Heaven of Fanjiamoyi; those born in the twelfth month receive the Qi of the Heaven of Brahma’s Attendants; those born in the first month receive the Qi of the Heaven of Manifested Sound; those born in the second month receive the Qi of the Heaven of Untroubled Joy; those born in the third month receive the Qi of the Heaven of Serene Stillness; those born in the fourth month receive the Qi of the Heaven of Xuyan; those born in the fifth month receive the Qi of the Heaven of the Highest Dhyana, Goodness, and Immeasurable Life; and those born in the sixth month receive the Qi of the Heaven of Immeasurable Abundance.

Ordinary people begin forming in the womb in the tenth month. By the sixth month, they have received the Qi of all Nine Heavens. In the seventh month, when the total period reaches ten months, the Qi of Heaven and Earth has filled them. They also receive the Qi of the sun’s course, and are then born.

Those who cultivate the Dao and study to become immortals should know how to refine the body through the Nine Cinnabars, release the congealing within the Five Spirits, guide their original primordial Qi, and remove the root causes of illness from the Three Passes. Through nine refinements and ten transformations, they make every joint and section of the body open and clear, sever the congealment formed in the womb, and come to know their true source. Once they know what is true, they can become high immortals.

If they do not practice this method, the Three Palaces—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian—cannot become clear and open, and deathly Qi cannot be dispelled. The stomach cannot receive numinous Qi; the spirits leave the body and wander; the Red Child, the inner primordial spirit, is no longer content; and the palaces within the body are left empty and desolate, allowing evil demons to enter. Thus all manner of illness arises, deathly Qi cannot be fully removed, and life is left to suffer. What more need be said?

Yang Qi is red and is called the Mysterious Cinnabar; Yin Qi is yellow and is called Yellow Jing. Yin and Yang unite, and the two Qi descend as essence. They generate spirit and form an embryo, corresponding above to the Nine Heavens… The original text breaks off here.

This Qi descends to the Dantian (the internal alchemy site in the lower abdomen), where it combines with Jing and condenses, gathering at the Gate of Life (Mingmen, the vital point in traditional medicine). This entire process is called the “Nine Elixirs”: Qi transforms and nourishes above, condenses below, and ultimately forms a person.

The fetus grows month by month as it receives Qi. In the first month, it receives primordial Qi; in the second, numinous Qi; in the third, changes begin to develop; in the fourth, Jing condenses; in the fifth, the head and body take shape; in the sixth, the body is fully formed; in the seventh, the position of Shen is established; and in the eighth, the nine apertures (the openings of the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and so on) become distinct. In the ninth month, the Qi of Heaven fills the whole body, and the fetus acquires a voice. In the tenth month, the Director of Fate (Siming, the divine office that governs a person’s lifespan and life and death) records the person in the registers and grants life; the person is then born.

Thus, a person receives the Qi of the Nine Heavens and also obtains the essence of Yin-Yang. The “Nine Elixirs” unite to form a human being. Once born, a person should return to their own original nature, open the pathways of the Five Viscera, dissolve the knots left behind by the womb, and dispel death Qi. In this way, one can naturally become an immortal.

Method for Dissolving the Twelve Fetal Knots

While in the mother’s womb, everyone gradually takes shape by receiving the Qi of the Nine Heavens and gathering Jing. After birth, twelve knots remain in the fetal membrane, tightly bound together. As a result, the Five Viscera become blocked and stagnant. These knots are difficult to undo and hard to eliminate. Human illness is caused by the obstruction of these knots; the end of human life is caused by their becoming firmly bound. If one can undo the twelve knots formed in the womb, then even if one wishes to die, one cannot easily do so.

Four knots lie in the upper part of the fetal membrane: the first is in the Mudball Palace (Niwan, a cultivation site inside the head), the second in the mouth, the third in the cheeks, and the fourth in the eyes. To undo these four upper knots, enter a quiet chamber at dawn on your natal day (the day whose sexagenary designation matches the year of your birth). Burn incense, face northwest, perform nine prostrations to the Primordial Father of the Nine Heavens, knock your teeth together nine times, and call the Father by name three times. Then turn southeast, perform three prostrations, and call the Nine Heavens Dark Mother by name three times.

Next, return to the direction corresponding to your own natal direction. Sit upright with your eyes closed and visualize the Primordial Father: he is nine cun and nine fen tall, wears a dark yellow sash of pure numinous silk, has a headcloth adorned with seven strands of pearls and jade, and wears the Crown of Worthy Advance of the Limitless. He dwells above the Nine Heavens, in the Palace of Jade Treasures of the Jade Palace of the Supreme Ultimate, within the Numinous Cinnabar Township and the Cavern of Primordial Mystery. Riding a flying chariot of azure clouds, drawn by twelve flying dragons and attended by twenty-four immortals, he descends from the northwest, enters your body, and arrives at the site of the Mudball Palace.

Then visualize the Dark Mother: she is six cun and six fen tall, wears a nine-colored sash of green treasure and divine radiance, woven from brocade and frost silk, and has on her head a purple primordial crown of dark yellow treasure. She dwells above the Nine Qi and the Limitless, in the Palace of Jade Treasures of the Cinnabar Chamber and Cavern of Primordial Mystery, amid the Seven Reflections of the Jade Grove… (The source text ends here.)

The immortals of Shangqing Village in Guangxiang ride in on purple clouds. Their ceremonial procession bears feathered canopies, led by twelve phoenixes and accompanied by thirty-six Jade Maidens. They descend from the southeast and enter Jia’s body to tend to his face.

In the Grotto Chamber—the chamber of the spirits within the head—Jia visualizes his parents transforming into streams of blue and yellow qi. The two currents swirl and merge, then settle over his head and face. When the visualization is complete, he clicks his teeth nine times and softly recites:

“Jia has received the nurture of the Nine Spirits, yet his qi has congealed and remains impure. His joints are obstructed and tightly knotted, blocking the gate of the numinous. I respectfully report my birth destiny to the Primordial Father of High Dawn and the Dark Mother, and ask them to shine down upon my body from above. May the light of the Eight Radiances shine together, and may the Perfected Ones of the Nine Heavens join to release the four knots in my head. May the roots of the womb turn and the numinous gate grow steady, so that the Nine Apertures form an immortal embryo. May the embryo’s inner qi be refined and gathered into the Nine Elixirs, bringing the spirit to rest. May the blue and red qi transform and intertwine, and may my life endure as long as the sun, moon, and stars, in everlasting longevity.”

After reciting, he swallows his qi eighty-one times before stopping.

Next, he visualizes the Heavenly King of Wuliang Heaven of Yudan. His surname is Hun, and his personal name is missing from the text. He wears a seamless robe of nine colors with natural patterns and a radiant sun disk on his head. He rules within the Purple Gate of the Mysterious Terrace in Wuyang Heaven. He rides a jade wheel drawn by nine qilin, attended by twenty-four Jade Immortals.

Then he visualizes the Heavenly King of the Heaven of Supreme Meditation, Goodness, and Immeasurable Life. His surname is Xie, and his personal name is missing from the text. He wears a robe of nine colors patterned with clouds, and his head is crowned with a moonlike radiance. He rules from the Seven-Treasure Jade Terrace in the Vermilion Grove of the Heavenly King’s Realm. He rides beneath a blue feathered canopy drawn by twelve dark tortoises, attended by thirty-two others, including the High Celestial Immortal and Jade Youths.

Next, he visualizes the Heavenly King of Xuyan Heaven. His surname is Zai, and his personal name is missing from the text. He wears a nine-colored robe patterned with the clouds of the Three Laws and a luminous crown of Heavenly Origin Jade. He rules from the Palace of the Numinous Capital in the Jade Capital of Heaven. He rides a nine-colored flying swan and travels in three-colored flying clouds, accompanied by fourteen Pure Spirit Jade Maidens.

Then he visualizes the True Kings of the Three Heavens descending together upon his head and face, where they transform into streams of blue, purple, and yellow qi. The streams mingle and swirl like overlapping clouds, entering through his mouth, ears, and nose and circling his whole face. He then raises his head and prays:

“Heavenly Kings of the Three Heavens, numinous immortals of the Nine Mysteries, please release the knots in my head and face and refine them into the Nine Elixirs. May Jing and qi descend of their own accord upon the Golden Gate, mingle with the clouds of the Three Perfected Ones, and then flow into my body to complete my Shen. Sweep away the qi of death and cut off the roots of the womb; make the numinous light steady and firm, and drive out every harmful force. May every knot be released, and every joint receive true qi and mysterious light.”

As you recite the formula, “May it spread through the caverns and pour into the hidden springs…,” visualize your mortal body transforming into an immortal body. Let your insides become full and your outside overflow; when the inner and outer unite, you become divine. Then tilt your head back and swallow your breath nine times, and stop.

Next, visualize the Eight Radiant Child-Deities of the upper body—the eight deities who guard its upper regions. Close your eyes and imagine each one dwelling peacefully in the corresponding part of your body:

The deity of the brain is named Awakening Origin, styled Way-Capital. He is one inch and one-tenth tall, wears white brocade robes, and bears a three-tiered jeweled crown. The deity of the hair is named Dark Patterned Splendor, styled Way-Balance. He is two inches and one-tenth tall, wears robes of dark-cloud brocade, and bears a crown of limitless worthies. The deity of the skin is named Uniting the Multitudes, styled Way-Connection. He is one inch and a half tall, wears a yellow brocade flying skirt, and bears a jeweled crown of the Three Qi. The deity of the eyes is named Empty Mirror-Born, styled Way-Child. He is three inches and six-tenths tall, wears robes embroidered in five colors, and bears a crown that reaches the heavens. The deity of the crown and marrow is named Numinous Counsel Canopy, styled Way-Circuit. He is five inches tall, wears a white brocade skirt, and bears a three-tiered jeweled crown. The deity of the spine is named Beneficial Calendar Support, styled Way-Pillar. He is three inches and five-tenths tall, wears soft white-jade robes, and bears a crown of the Dark Origin. The deity of the nose is named Rushing Dragon Jade, styled Way-Subtle. He is two inches and five-tenths tall, wears a flying skirt of plain blue-and-yellow brocade, and bears a crown for distant travel. The deity of the tongue is named First Beam-Ridge, styled Way-Crossroads. He is seven inches tall, wears a crimson brocade flying skirt, and bears a crown of worthies.

Once you have visualized all eight deities, imagine them seated together above your face like infants, each settled in its proper place. Then knock your teeth together eight times and softly recite this prayer:

“The eight deities of the Upper Radiance unite as one. They gather Qi and condense the Real, bringing the Nine Elixirs to completion. My body commands a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen, spreading like clouds and mist. The deities descend upon my head and face and exercise their numinous power. They release the knots in the upper region, remove the root of the womb in the middle region, and clear accumulated stagnation from the lower region, so that the Qi channels of the Three Passes flow freely. The Eight Radiant Deities protect my body, granting me a lifespan equal to that of the spirits. Sovereign Lord and Dark Mother, winding your way through the lofty heights of the High Dawn, send down Jade Radiance. Keep my appearance unchanged and free from age; let my face grow rosy, until at last I become a Golden Immortal. My form transforms with the speed of lightning and goes straight to the Sun Gate. Tilt your head back and swallow the eight breaths; then stop and take the talisman of the Nine Yang Numinous Elixirs of Upper Transformation.”

There are four places of stagnation in the abdomen, where the womb-organ lies: the first is among the five organs, the second in the Great Granary (the stomach), the third in the large intestine, and the fourth in the small intestine. A practitioner who wishes to release these four places of stagnation in the middle region should enter a quiet chamber at noon on the day corresponding to their birth sign, burn incense, and face west…

First bow nine times toward the north, facing “Primordial Father” and calling his personal name three times. Then turn southeast, bow three times, and call “Mysterious Mother” by her personal name three times. Next, turn back toward the direction corresponding to the year of your life, sit upright, click your teeth nine times, and close your eyes.

Visualize Primordial Father as nine cun and nine fen tall, wearing a sash of dark yellow plain spirit silk and a cap adorned with seven ranks of pearls and jade, along with a crown of the Inexhaustible Worthy. He dwells in the Dandelion District, Cave Origin Lane, within the Jade-Treasure Palace of the Supreme Ultimate, above the Nine Heavens. Riding a blue-cloud flying carriage, accompanied by twelve flying dragons and twenty-four immortals, he flies in from the northwest, enters your body, and arrives among your five viscera.

Next visualize Mysterious Mother as six cun and six fen tall, wearing a sash of embroidered frost silk woven with the blue radiance of divine treasure, and a purple-origin dark-yellow treasure crown. She dwells in the Nine Radiances District, Upper Clarity Lane, within the Jade-Treasure Cave-Origin Mansion, the Seven Reflections Cinnabar Chamber of the Jade Grove, above the Inexhaustible Nine Qi. Riding a flying essence carriage of purple clouds beneath a feathered canopy, accompanied by twelve phoenixes and thirty-six jade maidens, she flies in from the southeast, enters your body, and arrives among your five viscera.

Visualize the parents transforming into two Qi, one blue and one yellow, blending like a perfectly rounded sun. They illuminate the five viscera, making the inside and outside bright and radiant. Then raise your head and pray:

“The spirits and essences of the parents, the two original Qi, unite in harmony. The Nine Elixirs condense and give birth, forming a purple jade embryo that receives the radiant light of Great Tenuity and commands the Nine Spirits. The Emperor exerts divine power, spreading true Qi to nourish the five viscera and join the six bowels. May the stomach passage flow freely, and the nine orifices open to clarity, bringing clear hearing. May old accumulations disperse and the newly born embryo-origin grow ever more flourishing. Transform the radiance and refine the marrow; place upon me the crown and sash of the Nine Stars. May the Three Lights shield and support every part, and fly into the Imperial Court.”

When the prayer is complete, swallow forty-five breaths and pause.

Next visualize King of Shuran Heaven. His surname is Jin, and his personal name is missing from the text. He wears a seven-colored dragon-patterned robe that lets light pass through, and a cap called Yin Essence Night Light. He governs the celestial realm above the Vermilion Palace and Jade Terrace. He rides an Eight Radiances flying wheel, accompanied by twelve jade immortals.

Next visualize King of Bu Jiaole Heaven. His surname is Ning, and part of his personal name is missing from the text. He wears a nine-colored, cloud-patterned robe of flying frost, and a cap called Blue Radiance, the Dark Essence of Jupiter. He governs the Cinnabar-Reflecting Chamber of the Origin Palace and the nine-tiered jade terrace. He rides a cinnabar-cloud carriage drawn by a white deer, accompanied by thirty-six jade immortals from the Upper Palace.

Next visualize King of Huaying Sheng Heaven. His surname is Yao, and his personal name is missing from the text. He wears a nine-colored robe of flowing, radiant clouds, and a cap called White Radiance, the Essence of Venus. He governs the Upper Palace of the Jade Grove.

The spirits of the Vermillion Radiance Chamber ride flying phoenixes through the heavens, with purple celestial wheels following in their train. The thirty-six Taizhen Jade Immortals, together with the Three Heavenly True Kings, descend upon my body at once, enter the five viscera (wuzang), and turn into red, white, and black qi that mingle like clouds and mist. They enter through the aperture of the heart and spread through the five viscera. Then I silently recite the prayer:

“Nine elixirs (dan) gather and condense lingqi (numinous qi); the three qi intertwine and coil. Mysterious true qi fills the whole body, making inner and outer bright and clear. The Great Storehouse (taicang, the region of digestion governed by the spleen and stomach) opens; stagnation in the intestines and stomach disperses. Immortal qi cuts through knotted blockages and clears old roots of illness from the stem vessels. The three qi unite as if sealing a covenant; nine transformations condense the spirit, turn essence back, and nurture the jade embryo (yubao, the congealed essence of practice), thereby completing this body. The nine-colored xuanhuang qi flows; essence qi pours into the fluids and washes away accumulation; within, there is no filth. Splendid branches join and flourish; the spirit root is planted; the body’s openings are lucid and bright, and every joint is cool and clear. The bones take on the image of ascent and rise into the Purple Heaven.”

When the prayer is finished, I lift my head, swallow the nine breaths of qi, and then stop.

Next I visualize the Eight Scenery Spirit Children (jingtong) of the central region (the eight spirits associated with the viscera). I close my eyes, hold them in mind, and invoke the throat spirit. The throat spirit is named Bailiufang, styled Daotong; he is eight cun and eight fen tall, wears robes of nine-colored brocade, and a Pingtian Purple Dawn crown. The lung spirit is named Suolingsheng, styled Daoping; he is eight cun and one fen tall, wears white brocade cloud-flying robes, and a Nine Treasures crown. The heart spirit is named Huanyangchang, styled Daoming; he is nine cun tall, wears deep red patterned single robes, and a Jade Dawn Precious Heaven crown. The liver spirit is named Kaijuntong, styled Daoqing; he is seven cun tall, wears flying green feather skirts, and a Three-Ridge crown. The gall spirit is named Longdeju, styled Daofang; he is three cun and six fen tall, wears skirts in green, yellow, and green hues, and a Limitless Advancement crown. The left kidney spirit is named Chunyuanzhen, styled Daoqing; he is three cun and seven fen tall, wears a five-colored shifting-light skirt, and a Far Roaming crown. The right kidney spirit is named Xiangdiwu, styled Daosheng; he is three cun and five fen tall, wears white brocade single robes, and a Three-Qi Precious Light crown. The spleen spirit is named Baoyuanquan, styled Daoqian; he is seven cun and three fen tall, wears yellow brocade flying skirts, and a Purple Dawn crown.

When visualization of the Eight Scenery Spirit Children is complete, each is imagined in the form of an infant, gathered within the five viscera, each resting in its proper place. Then I knock the teeth eight times and, lifting my head, pray:

“The Eight Scenery spirits of the central region transform upward, pass through nine turnings, nourish essence and qi, form the jade embryo, condense breath, and refine lingqi in the Purple Microcosm Heaven.”

May the hun and po be settled, and may all the spirits return to the Lord Emperor. May the Lord Emperor undo the knots and obstructions, clearing the nine apertures of the body. The Mysterious Mother, the goddess paired with the Primordial Father, sends down numinous Qi, which flows through every part. Light fills the inner and outer body, its radiance never fading. May I ride together with the Eight Visions—the eight spirits or visionary presences said to dwell within the body—and ascend. May my Life-Mandate deity convey my wish and turn my fate toward ascent. I will climb to a high place and open the numinous gate to look out. When the rite is complete, I will raise my head and swallow Qi from the eight directions. Then I will cease absorbing Qi, take in embryonic essence—the essence cultivated in this practice—and practice the method of refining Shen.

There are four knots and obstructions in the lower part of the womb area: one in the bladder, one in the genital region, one in the anus, and one in the two feet. To undo these four obstructions, perform the rite at midnight on the day of one’s Life-Mandate, when Yang Qi begins to enter the dwelling. Burn incense facing northwest, bow nine times, pay homage to the Primordial Father, and call his personal name three times. Then turn southeast, bow three times, pay homage to the Mysterious Mother, and call her personal name three times. Next, turn toward the direction of the Grand Duke of Jupiter and sit upright.

Tap the teeth nine times, close the eyes, and visualize the Primordial Father: nine cun and nine fen tall, wearing a numinous sash of dark yellow, with a headdress set with seven tiers of pearls and jade and an Immeasurable Worthy’s Cap. The Primordial Father dwells above the Nine Heavens, in the Cinnabar Numinous Township, Cave Origin Hamlet, within the Jade-Treasure Palace of Taiji’s Jade Palace. He rides a flying chariot of blue-green clouds, accompanied by twelve flying dragons and twenty-four immortals. He descends from the northwest, enters my body, and comes to my five viscera and bladder.

Next visualize the Mysterious Mother: six cun and six fen tall, wearing a robe of blue-green divine-light brocade and frost-silk, girded with a nine-colored numinous sash, and wearing the Purple Origin, Dark Yellow jeweled crown. She dwells above the Nine Qi and the Immeasurable, in the Nine Radiance Township, Upper Clarity Hamlet, within the Jade-Treasure Palace of the Jade Cave of Origin, the Sevenfold-Illuminated Cinnabar Chamber of the Jeweled Grove. She rides a flying chariot of purple clouds beneath a feathered canopy, accompanied by twelve phoenixes and thirty-six jade maidens. She descends from the southeast, enters my bladder, and travels downward to both feet.

Then visualize the Primordial Father and Mysterious Mother transforming into blue-green and yellow Qi, blending like primordial chaos and becoming round like the sun. Their light shines through the whole body, illuminating it inside and out. Then raise the head and pray:

“Yin and Yang unite and harmonize; the two Qi flow freely and shine clearly. Above, they transform into the Mysterious Cinnabar; below, they circulate as Yellow Essence. Embryonic Qi is held within, changing without a fixed form. The Lord Emperor watches over me, and the nine apertures receive numinous Qi. The knots and obstructions in the twelve divisions disperse; the channels of the Eight Visions in the Yellow Court flow freely, and the obstruction in the stomach transforms into purple jade. The three hun are refined, the seven po are at peace; the myriad spirits protect and guard me, bringing harmony within and without. May the Three Divisions and Eight Visions live together with me, help me ascend, and raise me to Jade Clarity.”

After the prayer, swallow twenty-four breaths of Qi. The rite is complete.

Next, visualize the King of the Brahmā Assistants Heaven. His surname is Jing, and his personal name contains the two characters “Wuyun.” He wears a robe of nine-colored flowing clouds, and on his head is a crown of dark essence, stars, and shining crimson treasures. He governs the palace of the Upper Seven Reflections in the southern heavens. He rides a jade carriage of rosy clouds and crimson skies, with a feathered canopy above it, followed by twelve jade immortals of the Upper Palace.

Then visualize King Fanmojiayi Heaven. His surname is Xuan, and his personal name contains the two characters “□hong.” He wears a robe of nine-colored primordial phoenixes and flying clouds, and on his head is a crown of flowing essence, the dark morning and celestial stars. He governs the purple jade terrace in the city of the Dark Phoenix of the Ninth Heaven. He rides a plain-cloud flying wheel drawn by a white qilin, followed by thirty-two immortal youths of Taihua.

Next, visualize King Bolidaha Heaven. His surname is Wang, and his personal name contains the two characters “Ling□.” He wears a seamless robe of nine-colored dark clouds and precious jade, and on his head is a crown of flying essence, the limitless flowing yellow of the stabilizing star. He governs the Nine-Turn Chamber of the Great and Wondrous Palace of the Rising Jade Capital in Heaven. He rides a five-colored cloud carriage, followed by twelve jade youths of Taixuan.

Visualize the True Kings of the Three Heavens descending together into your body and governing the bladder. From above, they descend to the feet and transform into purple, green, and blue Qi, a formless mass like clouds and mist. They enter through the genitals and spread between the bladder, the rear passage (anus), and the feet, illuminating the body both inside and out. Then recite this prayer:

“The Three Heavens nurture the embryonic source; the nine Qi condense into divine spirits. Rising, they transform into dark elixirs; descending, they become immortals. The paired forms of Yin and Yang unite and descend, taking shape as my body. The essence of the six stomach organs fills me; the nine inner organs receive true Qi. The twelve joints each sever the roots of illness and cleanse away defiled Qi. The five spirits take their places in order, and the Dark Mother releases essence. Refine and transform the light, cast off worldly burdens, and become a Golden Immortal. May the numinous spirits protect me and jade radiance form into a text; may my name be recorded in the Green Palace, and may I be sheltered forever by the Emperor of the Morning.”

When the prayer is finished, tilt your head back and swallow the nine Qi, then stop visualizing.

Next, visualize the Eight Radiant Youths of the lower body, the spirits who guard its lower regions. Close your eyes, visualize the stomach spirit, and call to it. Its name is Zhuyu, its courtesy name is Daoshan, and it is seven cun tall. It wears yellow brocade robes and flowing skirts, and on its head is a level-heaven crown of purple dawn.

The spirit within the intestines is named Zhaotengkang, with the courtesy name Daohuan. It is two cun and four fen tall, wears a crimson tunic, and has a three-tiered crown. The spirits of the small and large intestines are named Pengsongliu, with the courtesy name Daohou. They are two cun and one fen tall, wear yellow and crimson flowing skirts, and have jade crowns of the Celestial Dawn. The spirit within the torso is named Shouhengbo, with the courtesy name Daoling. It is nine cun and one fen tall, wears a robe patterned in nine colors, and has a jade crown of the Flying Dawn. The spirit within the chest and diaphragm is named Guangyingzhai, with the courtesy name Daozhong. Its height is … (the source text ends here unfinished).

Standing five cun tall, it wears a flying skirt of white brocade and a Wuji Courtier’s Cap.

Between the two flanks is a deity named “Biji,” with the courtesy name “Daocheng.” Standing four cun and one fen tall, it wears a red-and-white skirt and a Nine-Origin Precious Cap. On the left is Yin; on the right, Yang. At the center is a deity named “Fuliuqi,” with the courtesy name “Daogui.” Standing two cun and three fen tall, it wears a skirt of blue, yellow, and white and a Far-Travel Cap. On the right is Yin; on the left, Yang. There is also a deity at the center named “Baobiaoming,” with the courtesy name “Daosheng.” Standing two cun and three fen tall, it wears a skirt of blue, yellow, and white and a Three-Tier Cap.

Imagine that all the deities of the Eight Visions have appeared, each in the form of an infant and dwelling peacefully in its proper place. Then imagine a thousand chariots and ten thousand mounted riders filling the Yin places within the body: the bladder, the rear gate (the anus), and the space between the feet. Next, click the teeth eight times, raise the head, and recite this prayer:

“Deities of the Eight Visions in the lower region, scattered spirits and flying immortals, contain the Origin and nurture Qi, refine the embryo in purple mist. Primordial Father Taiyi and Mysterious Mother entwine; the two essences flow and pour, containing and nourishing the inner truth. The Lord Emperor fixes the registers of names; the Director of Destiny alters the span of years. The knots have dispersed, the nine apertures are clear. May my hun and po souls be firm, gathering and governing the myriad spirits, so that they ascend to Heaven with me and arrive together at Yuchen.”

When the prayer is complete, raise the head and swallow the saliva eight times. This concludes the practice.

Next, visualize the inner deity of the One of the Dao. Its name is “Daiwu,” and its courtesy name is “Daojisheng.” Standing two cun and five fen tall, it wears a purple brocade skirt patterned with lustrous designs and a Wuji Courtier’s Cap. It is located in the Dantian below the navel and governs the Three Departments and their twenty-four perfected beings. Click the teeth thirty-six times, then pray softly:

“Great Spirit above the Mysterious, governing all beyond, pacifying and guarding the hidden valley, spreading the essence of the purple canopy. The assembled perfected beings serve the divine spirit; the Three Departments protect one another. The Lord Emperor shines upon his seat, and the Mysterious Mother rejoices in peace. The Nine Origins share one tally; the Director of Destiny prolongs life, and the Three Mornings shine together. May I be bound by a sash to the perfected spirit.”

When the prayer is complete, raise the head and swallow twenty-four mouthfuls of breath. The entire ritual is then finished. Afterward, follow the instructions in this classic for taking and practicing the “Three Passes and Twelve Knots, the Embryonic Inner Talisman” (the talisman is included in this classic).

The four upper knots guard the human Niwan Palace. If they are lost, they damage the radiant countenance, bring premature death, and cause the hun soul to be lost. The four middle knots gather baleful Qi into a group and firmly guard the Great Granary. If they are lost, wandering souls quickly scatter, allowing demons and evil spirits to pass through and wreak havoc, while dreams become troubled. The four lower knots bind and guard the rear gate, block the nine apertures, and sever the root of life. The Lord Emperor proclaims the Nine Heavens Jade Writ of the spirit realm, dispelling these knots and bringing all afflictions at their roots to rest.