《雲笈七籤》Vol. 50

The “Three Ones” are the foundation of the body’s spiritual nature and the life source on which the myriad gods depend. They are also the source where fluids gather and the jade chamber where the Hun and Jing reside. The stomach is like a square pool that holds food, while the brain palace is round and empty, able to accord with the true Dao. The hair over the body stands up like trees, and smoke seems to rise from its thousand openings. When a person’s De is complete, they accord with Heaven and Earth and merge with the Great Mystery, the hidden depths of the Dao. This brain palace is therefore called the “Mud Pellet.” It lies in the upper part of the body and is where the spirits dwell.

Cultivators know to swallow Qi, swallow saliva, click their teeth, and take in fluids, but if they do not know the root of these practices, what they do amounts only to the lesser branches of Mud Pellet cultivation, like side paths in the cultivation of the brain. Now I will tell you the secret of the Three Ones, a wondrous method of the Highest Perfected, a Daoist term for adepts of the highest rank. Keep your mouth closed and practice with care; never spread this teaching. If you break your oath, after death you will be examined by ghosts and spirits, your seven generations of ancestors will suffer with you, and the river of life will remain blocked for a long time.

One inch inward from the space between the eyebrows is the Palace of Brightness; two inches inward is the Cavern Chamber; three inches inward is the Dantian (energy center). Directly above the Dantian is an area one inch square and round, called the Mysterious Elixir. This is also where the brain’s Jing, the Mud Pellet, and the Soul Palace are located.

In the left side of the Palace of Brightness dwells the Perfected Lord Bright Lad; on the right dwells the True Lady Bright Maiden; in the center dwells the Divine Lord Bright Mirror. The Perfected Lord Bright Lad is named Dark Yang, with the courtesy name Young Green; the True Lady Bright Maiden is named Subtle Yin, with the courtesy name Young Origin; and the Divine Lord Bright Mirror is named Summoner of Essence, with the courtesy name Fourfold Brightness. The three divine lords govern the Palace of Brightness together. They wear green brocade robes and skirts, with four jade bells hanging from their waists, and hold jade mirrors in their mouths. The mirrors and bells are like red jade. Their heads and bodies resemble infants. They sit facing outward, though at times they face one another.

This is the method for cultivating the Palace of Brightness. If a Daoist feels afraid, they should visualize these three divine lords shaking their jade bells until the sound reaches the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), the highest heaven in Daoist cosmology. Then they should visualize the lords spitting out jade mirrors from their mouths, sending out a hundred thousand feet of red light. After completing the visualization, call each of the three divine lords by name three times, then click the teeth nine times. This will calm a thousand kinds of demons and destroy ten thousand ghosts.

If a Daoist feels hungry or thirsty, they may also visualize the three divine lords simultaneously breathing red Qi from their mouths into the Daoist’s own mouth. The Daoist should then draw it in and swallow it; after a short while, they will feel satisfied. If a Daoist is walking at night and cannot see the road in the dark, they may also visualize the three divine lords emitting firelight from their mouths…

The method described above will naturally make the road grow bright after a short while. If you are traveling through a dangerous place, encounter peril, or find yourself amid weapons and warfare, quickly hold the Three Lords—the three true gods within the body—in mind. Make the jade bell ring, and focus your visualization. Your enemies will naturally be struck with fear and no longer wish to harm you.

If a Daoist seeks to prolong life and attain immortality, or prays for help and the return of vitality during a critical illness, they should steady their thoughts and lie quietly. They should visualize the Three Lords in the Bright Hall—the bodily place corresponding to the gods—facing outward together, kneeling upright as they breathe out red Qi. Visualize the red light passing through the whole body and circling the mouth, then swallow the red Qi. Close the eyes and swallow slowly. After a short while, the red Qi will coil around the body and become flames. The flames burn the body until it seems to merge with the fire, becoming bright and clear inside and out. Continue for a long time before stopping. This is called “Refining the Form with the Sun and Moon,” meaning to die and be reborn. It is said that practicing this every night when lying down will bring long life and immortality. Regularly visualizing and swallowing red Qi can also restore a youthful appearance, giving the complexion the freshness of a young woman. This is the Way of long life and an important secret of cultivation in the Bright Hall.

Each morning after rising, swallow saliva thirty times, then rub the face and massage the eyes as a daily practice. Visualize the saliva as red, transformed into nourishing fluid.

In the Palace of the Grotto Chamber dwell three Perfected Ones: Lord Wuying on the left, Lady Baiyuan on the right, and Lord Huanglao in the center. Together, they govern the Palace of the Grotto Chamber. This belongs to the Way of “Flying Perfected Ones”; its details are recorded in another scripture, the Jinghua Jing.

In the Palace of the Dantian there is the Supreme Sovereign of the One True Essence of the Upper Origin. Three attendants serve the Sovereign, and together they govern the Palace of the Dantian. The Way of maintaining the “One True Essence of the Three Origins” refers to this practice. It is an essential path of true cultivation and a scripture for riding the dragon carriage. Although the Heavenly Perfected Ones hold many offices and ranks, they all delight in becoming Earthly Perfected Ones. The Earthly Perfected Ones live in seclusion, free from the burdens of office and the need to trouble themselves with court assemblies and banquets. Thus they can live at ease, wander in harmony with the seasons, ride the Seven Carriages, and travel among the Four Qi. Heavenly Perfected Ones may differ subtly in rank, but all are Perfected Ones. Earthly Perfected Ones, too, are content with their own realms and do not wish to become celestial officials in the clouds.

In the Palace of the Flowing Pearl dwells the Perfected One, Mudball Supreme Unity. The Palace of the Flowing Pearl lies about one inch behind the Dantian. Its true god has a dedicated method of practice, overseen by the Director of Destiny, the divine office that governs life and lifespan. This Daoist method is exceedingly subtle and momentous. It may be transmitted only after solemn vows are sworn and an alliance sealed with pearls, jade, and silk. This scripture is transmitted once every three hundred years; after it has been passed to five people, transmission must cease.

These are the laws governed by the Perfect Lord Taiyi, the divine perfected being who dwells in the Palace of Mysterious Elixir.

The Palace of Mysterious Elixir lies above the Dantian (energy center). It is a square, one inch across, and contains the Purple Chamber, the Green Room, and Vermilion Mists. In the palace dwells the Great One of the Muddy Pellet, whose appearance is like that of a newborn infant. He sits on a golden couch beneath a jade canopy, wears purple brocade robes, and has a Flowing-Flame Bell tied at his waist. The bell has no physical substance and shines with a red light. When shaken, its sound carries a hundred thousand li. It is a treasured bell held by the Perfected One Taiyi of the Highest Clarity.

The Perfect Lord Taiyi holds the handle of the Northern Dipper in his left hand and the guiding principle of the Northern Pole in his right. The Northern Pole is the unmoving star at the celestial pole, hence it is called the “Pole’s Guiding Principle.” He sits upright in the Palace of Mysterious Elixir, facing outward, with no attendants at either side; for this reason he is called the Perfect Lord Taiyi. In morning and evening practice, first visualize the Three Ones—the three divine perfected beings within the human body—and visualize him only afterward. To visualize him “only afterward” means to begin with the less important visualizations and then proceed to the more important ones.

The human head has nine palaces; their arrangement is described below. Above the space between the eyebrows are the Yellow Gate, Purple Portal, Crimson Terrace, and Green Chamber, linked together and standing within the “inch-guard.” There is also an “inch-guard” near each ear: the Crimson Terrace on the left and the Yellow Gate on the right. The Perfected Ones of the nine palaces enter and leave by the passage between the Yellow Gate and the Crimson Terrace. The terraces and gates are placed on either side of this passage to observe unusual Qi (vital energy) and to welcome the Perfected Ones as they come and go.

The Great Spirit of the Purple Portal is named Stillness and has the courtesy name King of the Law; the Great Spirit of the Green Chamber is named Upright Heart and has the courtesy name First Direction. Both appear like infants and wear clothing corresponding to the direction in which they dwell. The spirits of the chamber and portal hold Flowing-Gold Fire Bells and guard the “inch-guard.” The “inch-guard” is a place that extends three fen inward.

Each evening before sleep and during morning visualization, first visualize these two Great Spirits, as if seeing their forms, then call their names and softly recite this invocation:

“Great Spirits of the Purple Portal and Green Chamber, you hold the Flowing Bells, and wind and clouds arise from your bodies. Guard the true Dao and keep outside influences from entering. Let my thoughts pass freely through the numinous gate, and let my comings and goings proceed smoothly along the right path, so that I may ascend the nine gates and meet the Nine Perfected Ones and the Venerable High God.”

Only after reciting the invocation may one continue to visualize the Three Ones, the Cavern Chamber, and the Nine Perfected Ones. These are all important methods of cultivation. The two spirits of the inch-guard permit only the true officials of the nine palaces to enter and leave them.

Only after the Lord on High confirms the command may the Jade Youth, the Numinous Perfected, and the other gods travel to and from the imperial palaces, the residences of the Divine Emperors. Only then will the two great gods heed the order and allow them to enter. Anyone without a true name is forbidden to enter. This is the rule of the Central Yellow Great One.

The Red Child Divine Emperor then ordered the deity who governs the ears, the Maiden Jiao Yunyi, to lead the visitors into the palace. Thus, when people experience ringing in their ears, it is because envoys from outside have entered. At that moment, Yunyi strikes the chime bell so that the gods in the Nine Palaces know an outsider has arrived and are warned to be on guard. The chime bell is the ringing one hears in the ears today.

Those who hear ringing in their ears may cross their hands over their ears and pray:

“The Red Child is in the palace; the Nine Perfected are in their chambers. Hear the gods’ command and keep watch always for ill omens. The Great One’s flowing bell destroys all calamities.”

After praying, strike the ear gates with the hands fourteen times. If the face then feels warm, this is a good sign. If there is a rustling chill around the head and neck, it means that evil Qi has entered. Lie down at once and close the eyes. In the mind, envision the Perfect Lord Great One in the Dark Elixir Palace shaking the bell of flowing fire. Its sound and blazing light shine forth, casting the evil Qi out of the body. The firelight follows it, shining brightly over the whole body. After a while, the body will return to calm.

The scriptures of the four palaces—Bright Hall, Grotto Chamber, Dantian, and Flowing Pearl—are methods of cultivation imparted by the immortals to the Perfected and passed down in the world. The scripture of the Dark Elixir Palace is also an essential teaching of the Immortal Perfected who governs destiny, and the foundation that rules over the four palaces. This scripture may be transmitted only with the permission of the Divine Emperor Taiji, who will choose the right time to pass it on to you. In all, the Way of the five palaces will be encountered and transmitted to those in the world who have a true name. Those whose destiny is not exceptional will never hear these words.

In addition, the Jade Emperor Palace is inhabited by the Divine Mother Wangqing; the Heavenly Court Palace by the Perfected Lady of Highest Clarity; the Palace of Ultimate Perfection by the Divine Consort of the Supreme Ultimate; and the Great Sovereign Palace by the Queen of the Most High. These four palaces belong to the Female True One, whose Way is higher than that of the Male True One. Each has its own treasured scripture, transmitted to those who have already attained perfection as Perfected. Those who have not yet attained perfection cannot hear these teachings. The essentials of the Female True One are not transmitted lightly.

The reason the Most High can enter and leave the Eight Extremes of the luminous realms and ride in a jade carriage, with three thousand Jade Maidens attending the Perfected and supporting the carriage shafts, a numinous consort singing beside him, and a divine queen serving him with a towel, is that he upheld and put into practice the Way of the Female One.

The fundamental teaching of “attaining union with the Mysterious Dawn” comes from the transmission of the Void Sovereign. It is the central aim of the Great Dao of the Most High.

Divine beings dwell within each of the four palaces, but without practicing the corresponding Dao methods, the palaces will remain empty. If one has not practiced throughout all nine palaces, they too will remain empty; this is not true only of the palace of the female spirit. The Dantian palace is often protected by an Emperor Lord, and great spirits also dwell there. There is no need to ask about them beforehand: only after practicing can one see them in the palace. Those who practice can become immortals; those who do not will live out their allotted years and die. Male and female belong to the same spirit, so both men and women can cultivate this method, which is present everywhere. Only those who are resolute and practice with utmost diligence can gain its benefits.

The method of the Perfect Lord Taiyi of the Mysterious Elixir: At dusk, settle into quiet and rest, putting aside all thoughts. You may lie down or sit. First visualize the purple Qi of the Northern Pole Star entering your Mysterious Elixir Palace, the inner chamber described in Daoist internal cultivation. In a short while it fills the palace and spills out through your ears, connecting your whole body inside and out until you become one with the purple Qi. Then visualize the sun entering the Mysterious Elixir Palace and filling it, with the sun at the center of the purple Qi. It should appear like a fire pearl in the darkness.

Next, visualize the Perfect Lord Taiyi, the Central Yellow One of Shangqing, a revered Daoist deity, descending from the purple Qi of the Northern Pole and entering the Mysterious Elixir Palace. He sits upright within the sun. The Lord’s sacred name is Guiying, and his courtesy name is Huaxuan. His clothing, appearance, and ornaments are as described earlier. Then visualize your own body suddenly rising and entering the sun in the Mysterious Elixir Palace, where you sit before the Lord Taiyi. You may choose your own clothing. In your mind, bow and prostrate yourself again before the Lord, then kneel and ask him about the Dao methods and the way to become an immortal and attain long life. You may speak freely. When you have finished visualizing, draw in and swallow the purple Qi thirty times, then swallow your saliva thirty times.

Next, visualize a strand of red Qi within the Big Dipper, as thick as a string, descending straight into the Mysterious Elixir Palace. The Lord Taiyi and you then ride together in the sun, ascending along the path of red Qi into the bowl of the Dipper, where you rest and sleep for a long time. Afterward, you may go to bed. It is said that if you persist in this practice, authentic responses will naturally appear. After fourteen years of practice, you will be able to travel with Taiyi and reach the Seven Origins’ Celestial Lattice. After eighteen years, you can go to the Shangqing Palace to receive scriptures, wear Fulu (talismans and registers), and command eighteen Jade Boys and eighteen Jade Maidens.

Visualize once each evening, following the prescribed number of repetitions without interruption. You may also practice this method on its own; you need not combine it with the method of guarding the Three Ones. Combining them can deepen your practice and bring responses more quickly. On the first and third days of each month … [the original text ends here]

At midnight on the seventh, eleventh, and fifteenth days of each month, visualize the Mysterious Elixir Palace in your head, an inner divine palace imagined in Daoist cultivation. The Perfected Lord Taiyi, the supreme deity revered in Daoism, sits upright inside, facing outward. He breathes blue Qi downward into my mouth. I immediately swallow it, doing so fifty times. After swallowing the Qi, I swallow the saliva in my mouth another fifty times, then softly recite this prayer in silence:

“Great Taiyi Emperor, Central Emperor Purple Lord, your taboo name is Guiying and your courtesy name is Transforming Mysterious Gold. You sit on a bed adorned with jade curtains, wearing an embroidered shawl and a brocade skirt, with a fire bell at your waist. You can cut down evil spirits and destroy all treachery and wickedness. You hold the essence of the stars in your hand, and sunlight shines from your neck. Sitting upright, you breathe out Qi for me to swallow. You speak with me, and together we feast in the Mysterious Elixir Palace. May this practice refine and nourish my seven Po souls, the seven yin spirits within the human body, and bring peace and gentleness to my three Hun souls, the three yang spirits of a person. May the divine spirits protect me and enable me to ascend and become immortal. May my five organs flourish of themselves and regain the appearance of youth. May I receive scriptures from the Supreme Clarity Emperor Lord of Destiny. May all I wish and seek be granted, and may every blessing renew itself day by day.”

Then visualize entering the Mysterious Elixir Palace and approaching the Perfected Lord Taiyi. Rest peacefully and fall asleep; you should also receive a response in your dreams. Practiced repeatedly with utmost sincerity, this is a gradual path toward meeting the Perfected Lord.

The Jade Instructions on the Inner Deity Ciyi of the Four Palaces

Those who study the Way of the Highest Perfected but do not know the inner names of Ciyi, the female divinity invoked in Daoist visualization and the practice of guarding the One, will ultimately be unable to become immortal. Those who study the Dao must receive the oral instructions from a master before putting them into practice. On the first day of the first lunar month, the first day of each month, the day of the Grand Duke of Jupiter, and one’s own birth anniversary, enter a quiet room, face east, and visualize:

The Divine Mother of Jade Clarity, surnamed Lian, named Xian, courtesy-named Huangyan, is nine cun and nine fen tall. She wears a dark yellow sash of plain spiritual silk, the ribbon used to suspend jade pendants or seals. Her hair is arranged in a coiffure adorned with seven kinds of pearls and jade; she wears the Worthy-and-Virtuous Crown of the Boundless. She dwells in the Supreme Ultimate Pearl Palace, Seven-Treasure Residence, Five-Spirit District, and Mysterious Origin Ward, above what is “higher than the highest.” Below, she rules the Jade Emperor Palace within the body of the cultivator.

The True Woman of Highest Clarity, surnamed Jue, named Hui, courtesy-named Zhulei, is six cun and six fen tall. She wears blue-treasure divine-light brocade and frost gauze, and a sash of nine colors. Her hair is arranged in a jade-treasure coiffure of flying clouds; she wears the dark yellow Worthy-and-Virtuous Crown. She dwells in the Bright Hall Residence, Nine-Light District, and Great Transformation Ward, within the central palace of Great Darkness in Kunlun, above what is “higher than the highest.” Below, she rules the Heavenly Court Palace within the body of the cultivator.

The Imperial Consort of the Supreme Ultimate, surnamed Xuan, named Xusheng, courtesy-named Bowu, is seven cun and seven fen tall. She wears flowing dark gauze and a sash patterned with five-colored phoenixes. Her hair is arranged in a seven-treasure coiffure of dark clouds; she wears the Worthy-and-Virtuous Crown of the Boundless. She dwells at the utmost point of Great Clarity, above the Origin Scene.

Within the Mysterious Palace, the Jade Chamber Residence lies in the Three-Dantian District and the Danyuan Ward, and governs your body. At its highest point is the True Palace.

The Lord and Lady of the Most High—the goddess of the highest heavenly realm—has the surname Qian, the personal name Han Hai, and the courtesy name He Yan. She is three inches and three tenths tall. She wears a nine-colored sash adorned with seven treasures, flying essence, mysterious radiance, cloud brocade, and frost silk. Her hair is arranged in a drooping-cloud coiffure of ninefold-mysterious jade essence, and she wears a crown of the Three Treasures of Mysterious Yellow and the Limitless. She resides in the Limitless True Palace, the Cinnabar Essence Residence, the Cloud Radiance District, and the Mysterious-Mysterious Ward within the Ninefold-Mysterious Cavern of Great Clarity. She governs your body. In the Palace of the Great Sovereign, she cultivates the Way of Mysterious Cinnabar and keeps the Three-One formula, the method of visualizing the Three-One spirits within the body.

You should often visualize the female spirits of the True One in the Four Palaces, and remember their clothing, appearance, names, and residences. The upper section of this precious scripture is intended for those who have already shown signs of spiritual efficacy and are on the verge of becoming perfected beings. Beginners must not take part in inquiries about its essential instructions, for these teachings are secretly held by the Pure Spirit and are not passed down in the world. Anyone who receives the methods of the Highest Truth, even if they understand the scriptures of the Three Treasures and can communicate with spirits and perceive the hidden, can never become perfected without knowing the method of the female True One. Therefore, the Most High classed it among the gravest prohibitions, to prevent its careless disclosure; it is not written on paper. Those who obtain this method should first confirm their resolve carefully in their hearts, and only then receive it.

On the first day of the year, on the first day of each month, in the year corresponding to one’s Tai Sui, and on one’s own birthday, bathe and observe the purification fast. Burn incense, enter a room, face east, and visualize the female spirits of the True One in the Four Palaces. As described above, contemplate their residences, names, clothing colors, and heights. When you have finished, click your teeth sixteen times and pray:

“True Spirit of Great Yin, you are called the Female Spirit Han Jing. Riding the True Ones of the Ninefold Mystery, you dwell hidden in the deep darkness. Today is auspicious, and the heavens are clear. I have declared my purification observance; my mind is focused, my gaze shines forth, and I perceive the spirit’s form clearly. May the spirit return to her palace abode, filling it with the fragrance of jade radiance. May the five colors transform, flowing in yellow, purple, and blue light; may flying rosy clouds be set in motion and rise to the Imperial Court.”

After praying, swallow the breath thirty-six times, then stop. If you practice in this way for nine years, jade radiance will appear on your face, and golden true light will shine upon you. The spirits will manifest in bodily form and speak with you. After seeing a spirit, keep the understanding in your heart; never pass it on casually.

These female spirits of the True One in the Four Palaces were Yin officials at the beginning of Heaven and Earth, when the origin first came into being, and were invested as imperial consorts. At first, the primordial Qi had not yet been established, the Five Administrations had not yet begun, and luminous forms had not yet appeared. Qi was in a state of utter emptiness, without above or below, outside or inside, left or right, front or back. The Most High’s primordial essence and the Mysterious Beginning’s wondrous truth congealed into Qi before emptiness reached its limit, and blended to transform the myriad things. Heaven and Earth are able to endure only because of these four…

With utmost sincerity and the ability to focus the mind in visualization—contemplating the deities and breaths within the body—even after a thousand years one will not feel old. Among the Nine Heavens, all the myriad spirits can live long lives.

Instructions from the Scripture of the True One of the Three Origins, Lord of the Golden Palace

Juanzi received this method from the Azure Lad of the East Sea. The Most High said:

“What makes a perfected person precious is the ability to hold fast to the One. The One is the supreme foundation. When you accord with the One, you can communicate with the Great Void and bring about transformation. The One’s transformations extend throughout Heaven and Earth and accord with the unseen world.

“Thus there are three Ones within the human body. The upper One is the Celestial Emperor within the body; the middle One is the Cinnabar Sovereign in the Crimson Palace, the palace of the heart; the lower One is the Origin King in the Yellow Court, the body’s sacred inner realm. Together, they govern the twenty-four Qi within the body. These Qi give rise to life and form the body. Above, they correspond to the twenty-four perfected beings in Taiwei, the abode of celestial spirits. True Qi moves back and forth in harmony, and all things take shape. The mysterious spirit also divides and appears amid the unfathomable depths.

“Qi condenses from the vapor of emptiness and becomes spirit; spirit comes into being by depending on the Three Ones within the body. The Three Ones bring about every transformation. All ability to transform results from spirit’s subtle activity in hidden places. When the mysterious principle reaches its utmost, it manifests in this way. Each of the three Origin Lords therefore possesses true Qi. When this Qi condenses, it naturally transforms into a thousand chariots and ten thousand riders, with cloud chariots and feather canopies. They often enter the Purple Palace, ascend to Jade Clarity, the Daoist heaven of Clear Subtlety, and have their names entered in the registers of immortals. They transform their bodies, protect the embryonic origin, and nourish themselves with the Qi of the Three Ones. When their practice is complete, they become perfected beings, fly through the Nine Heavens, and receive commands from the exalted heavens.

“What the One accomplishes concerns the creation of Heaven and Earth; it is not merely some small matter such as flying or crawling. If you can hold even more firmly to the Three Ones, your Jing and Qi will respond and flow freely. When your Jing and Qi respond and flow freely, you will be able to see the Three Origins. After seeing the Three Origins, white Qi will gather and transform. Once the white Qi has transformed, undifferentiated chaos and division will arise of their own accord. When chaos and division have come into being, a thousand chariots and ten thousand riders will suddenly arrive. Then you will be able to command feather canopies, ride cloud chariots, ascend to Heaven in broad daylight, and reach Taiwei. This is truly the result of the Three Ones’ subtle efficacy and the convergence of responsive Jing and Qi.

“Within Taiwei are twenty-four Qi. They mingle and gather, condense into Qi, and transform when the time is right, suddenly dividing and emerging in clear form. Among the Qi that come into being are twenty-four perfected beings. They are formed by condensing empty Qi, without passing through a womb. They are all the spirit Qi of the Three-One Emperors, and so they can divide and transform, manifesting forms through reliance on the mysterious Dao.

“Once you are able to hold fast to the Three Ones within your body, the True Lords, the Three-One Emperors of Taiwei in Heaven, will descend and appear before you, speaking with you in person…”

There are also twenty-four Perfected Ones, divine beings formed from the essence and vital energy within the body. They arise from the body’s Jing, radiance, clarity, and Qi, and can transform in countless ways. Riding cloud chariots, they come to welcome the cultivator, joining them with the Qi of the dawn and escorting them up to Taiwei, the celestial palace.

The twenty-four Perfected Ones meet with the deities within the body and feast together amid warmth and radiance. They appear together inside the Purple Chamber, the spirit chamber within the body. Entrusting their forms and Qi to transformations of every kind, they restore youth, erase one’s name from the register of the dead, and grant long life in the imperial realm. They enter and leave Jade Clarity, and rest peacefully in Taiwei.

In cultivation, one may also practice the methods of Di Yi, Tai Yi, the Five Spirits, and the Three, Five, Seven, and Nine. Practicing these methods alongside one another makes it easier to commune with the deities. Guarding the One is the foundation of the Purple Chamber; to guard the One, one must guard the Purple Chamber and regard it as a canopy. Thus the Three Ones and the Three Su, the corresponding deities and methods of cultivation within the body, depend on one another, as do the Purple Chamber and the Six Directions, the spirit chamber within the body and its corresponding directions. Though each has its own place, their cultivation functions come together and support one another. You should reflect carefully on these principles and visualize them; then the cultivation of the Three Ones will be complete.

If one receives and practices only a single Daoist method, the Three Origins, the corresponding three levels or deities, will not be complete. Yet by devoting oneself to guarding just one method, one may still live forever and enter Great Clarity, the luminous heights of heaven. One simply will not be able to roam and feast in the Supreme Ultimate, or ascend northward to the Palace of Highest Clarity.

The Three Ones of the upper, middle, and lower regions each have a distinct rank: the upper Perfected One is the utmost of the sovereign; the middle Perfected One is the highest of the emperor; and the lower Perfected One is the wondrous essence of the king. The Heavenly Emperor attained the utmost and thus ascended as the Sovereign of the Utmost. The Earthly Emperor attained the highest and thus ascended as the Orthodox One. The Human Emperor attained the wondrous and thus became lord of all wonders. The Three Emperors understood the true Dao and guarded the One, so the One did not conceal its form. Immortals seek the true Dao in order to attain the One; thus all Three Ones are clear, and the One no longer conceals itself. When the true Dao reaches its utmost, all Three Ones become clear. Attaining and clarifying the One brings the true Dao to its utmost; when the Three Ones are clear, attaining the One brings long life.

One who truly guards the One should quiet and steady the mind and spirit, devoting themselves to cultivation in order to achieve communion. They should not pursue distracting thoughts or let their focused intent scatter. If, over the course of three months, they turn their vision inward to observe the deities within the body and concentrate on visualizing a single deity, numinous radiance will arise and circulate through the Five Organs. If their thoughts remain focused and undispersed, and they direct Qi single-mindedly until it is harmonized, they will return to a state of simplicity and attain the One more quickly.

If thoughts of vanity and falseness arise, or a spirit of rivalry disturbs the mind, one will not quickly see the One, and the deities will not respond at once. This is not because the One cannot appear or the deities cannot respond, but because the person visualizing is not sufficiently focused or thoughtful. For this reason, even after years of cultivation, one may see no sign of efficacy. If one can commune with distant things through the mind and spirit, then even when one lets the mind roam, it will not become weary…

This too must be practiced through three months of focused contemplation, in union with the “One.”

The Most High—a Daoist honorific for the supreme divinity—said: “The Three Origins are the orthodox Way transmitted by the Jade Perfected of the Nine Heavens and the Most High. They are the source from which the foundation of the womb-origin arises and by which Heaven, Earth, and the six directions endure. Thus, the Great Dao of Orthodox Unity reveals the True Emperor, and the mysterious truth of the orthodox Way gives birth to the Great Spirit. Through separation and reunion, transformation and change, the Five Phases bring forth life, and the myriad things suddenly take form. The dissolving and transformation of the Three Origins all arise from the ‘One.’

“Thus, the Qi of transformation spreads and condenses, and the divine spirits become manifest. The many perfected spirits return to the ‘One,’ and its wondrous efficacy is thereby accomplished. This is the ancestor of the orthodox Way and the primordial beginning of Original Qi. Dispersed through the midst of emptiness, it gathers into white Qi; used to nourish the body, it brings long life.

“The method of the Three Ones is to realize the Three Origins through contemplation of the Dao. Its principle is wondrous and encompasses the numinous scriptures. The Scripture of the Treasure Spirit, held by the Celestial and Human Immortal Emperor, is the first oral formula. The thirty-nine chapters of the Great Cavern Perfect Scripture are the second. The Wondrous Scripture of the Female One’s Union and Transformation in the Great Expanse is the third. The numbers three, five, seven, and nine described in the Cavern of Perfection’s Mysterious Scripture are called the Most High’s Pure Numinous [teaching].

“Therefore, the Lord of the One of the Upper Origin treasures the Cavern of Perfection Scripture; the Cinnabar Emperor of the Middle Origin treasures the Wondrous Scripture of the Female One in the Great Expanse; and the King of the One of the Lower Origin treasures the Most High’s Pure Numinous, Mysterious Cavern Scripture of the Great Expanse. These three scriptures contain the most subtle teachings of the true Dao. They are jade chapters concerning the ‘One Spirit,’ all secret oral formulas transmitted by the Heavenly Perfected. The Most High’s Secret Chapters say that practitioners who hold fast to the Three Ones and obtain these three scriptures of mine can ride the clouds up to Great Clarity, discern the boundless, and wander at leisure in the Purple Court.

“This principle is subtle and profound, beyond what words can explain. The Three Ones born of holding fast to the One can be seen in contemplation. Once you have seen the Three Ones, you may seek these scriptures. After obtaining them, you must transmit the method of holding fast to the Three Ones.

“The opening of the true book of the August Heaven, Most High Pure, Golden Portal Emperor Lord contains the secret, wondrous oral formulas of all the Perfected: ‘You hold fast to the One, and the One protects you; you see the One, and the One sees you. The One rests upon the body, and the body is born through the One. Human actions and circumstances change in countless ways; amid all affairs, you should always keep the One in mind. Keep the One in mind while eating and drinking, when joyful or sorrowful, when ill or in danger, while crossing water or passing through fire, when riding in a carriage or on horseback, and when urgent matters arise. There are many occasions when one needs to keep the One in mind. Every gesture and every sight can serve as a means of keeping it in mind. Your contemplation must be focused; if your mind and spirit are not concentrated, there is no hope.’

“Sadly, people often have resolve but lack steadfastness. Even when they know the name of the One, they…”

Those who can maintain their practice often do so without firmness; those who set their minds on a goal often lack the discipline to persevere. When thoughts wander and multiply without end, and one is given to boasting and self-importance, one cannot maintain the practice for long. Thus, once the Three Ones depart, the upright Qi also disperses. When the upright Qi is lost, old Qi takes possession of the body; once it has done so, death is near.

People of the world who study the Dao often chase after empty glamour and fail to recognize that the True One is most precious. Though they may begin with resolve, they often change course and fall away later on. This is because their minds are not single-minded, allowing pernicious Qi to enter through the opening. The precept of guarding the One is a precept against distraction. One may be focused but unable to persevere; persevere but lack purity; be pure but lack stability; or even be stable but fail to sustain the practice. In the end, the Three Ones will still depart. The body then becomes an empty dwelling. Without a master, how can the body endure?

The Most High says: Qi gathers and becomes Jing; Jing is stirred and becomes Shen; Shen transforms and becomes an infant. The infant ascends and becomes a Perfected One, and the Perfected One ascends again and becomes a red child. This is the transformation of the True One.

Heaven has the Three Luminaries: the sun, moon, and stars. They are also called the Three Essences, and through them one may attain long life. Humans have the Three Treasures: the three Dantian. They are also called the Three True Ones, and through them one may endure. The Lingbao Jing says, “The essence of Heaven and the truth of Earth: the six treasures endure forever.” This is what it means.

One inch inward from between the eyebrows is the Hall of Light; two inches inward is the Grotto Chamber; three inches inward is the Dantian, the Muddy Pellet Palace. “Inward” here means toward the back, in the direction of the nape. The Muddy Pellet Palace extends one inch in each direction. Purple Qi rises straight into the sky and shines outward for ninety thousand li. The Big Dipper’s seven stars form a canopy, with the handle pointing forward and outward. Its shape can change in size, and its flight is indistinct and elusive; it must be brought forth through visualization.

The Red Child of the Upper Origin dwells at the center, beneath the canopy of the Northern Dipper. The child’s name is Ning Tian, and his courtesy name is Yuan Xian. He resides in the Muddy Pellet and is called the Lord of Heaven. To his right sits an Imperial Minister, facing him. This minister is formed from the transformation of the teeth, tongue, and essence in the brain. His name is Zhao Jing, and his courtesy name is Xuan Sheng. The two govern the Muddy Pellet Palace together, wearing red embroidered robes and appearing like newborn infants. The Lord of Heaven holds the Shangqing Spirit Tiger Talisman; the Imperial Minister holds the Great Dongzhen Jing. At times they both face outward; at other times they face one another. Within the body, they guard the Muddy Pellet Palace and the face, eyes, teeth, tongue, ears, nose, and hair. Beyond the body, they overawe the Six Heavens, meaning the host of ghosts and fierce demons. The Three Hun and Seven Po come to pay court every five days and receive their commands. The heart is the Middle Dantian…

This is called “Stabilizing the Heart in the Crimson Palace.” The Crimson Palace lies at the center and measures one inch in each of the four directions. Red vapor surges straight into the sky, illuminating thirty thousand li. Its transformations are elusive and hard to fathom; it is enough to visualize it in the mind.

The Perfected One of the Middle Origin resides in the Crimson Palace. His name is Divine Pearl, his courtesy name is Cinnabar Child, and his title is “Cinnabar Sovereign Lord of the Crimson Palace.” At his right is an assisting minister, a divine being formed through the condensation and transformation of the essence and Qi of the five internal organs. He enters the Crimson Palace to assist the Cinnabar Sovereign Lord. The minister’s name is Radiant Firmness, and his courtesy name is Four Spirits. Together, these two govern the Crimson Palace. Both wear crimson brocade robes and look like newborn infants.

The Cinnabar Sovereign Lord holds the Taiqing Jing in his left hand, while the assisting minister holds the Eight Luminaries Chapter of the Wondrous Great Being Jing. Sometimes they sit together facing outward; at other times they sit facing one another. Within the body, they guard the sinews and bones, the five internal organs, the blood, and the flesh. Without, they awe and subdue all manner of demons and ill omens. In this way, one can nourish Qi and calm the spirit, attain long life, and ultimately ascend to the realm of the immortals. The three hun souls and seven po souls come to pay court every three days and receive their commands.

Three inches below the navel is a place called the Gate of Life, also known as the Dantian Palace. The Infant of the Lower Origin resides there. The palace measures one inch in each of the four directions. White Qi rises up into the sky and illuminates seventy thousand li. Its transformations shift unpredictably between large and small, soaring without fixed course; it too can be visualized in the mind.

The Infant of the Lower Origin’s name is Womb Essence, his courtesy name is Primordial Yang, and his title is “Primordial King of the Yellow Court.” To his right is an assisting minister called Precious Stabilizer. He was formed when the spirit of the body’s fluids and saliva condensed into vapor and rose through transformation. He enters the Dantian Palace to assist the Primordial King of the Yellow Court. The minister’s name is Returning Radiance, and his courtesy name is Valley Mystery. Together, these two govern the Dantian Palace of the Lower Origin. Both wear yellow patterned silk robes and look like newborn infants.

The Primordial King of the Yellow Court holds the star Tai Bai in his left hand and the Jade Dawn Golden Truth Jing in his right. The assisting minister holds the Talisman of the Nine Courts and Living Radiance from the Most High Plain Spirit Jing. Sometimes they sit together facing outward; at other times they sit facing one another. Within the body, they guard the four wombs, bodily fluids, and blood, as well as the internal organs, including the intestines and stomach, and the bladder. Without, they dispel disasters and calamities and drive away all manner of demons. The three hun souls and seven po souls come to pay court to the Primordial King of the Yellow Court three times each day and receive their commands.

The “Guarding the One” cultivation method: On the day of the Beginning of Spring, at midnight, sit upright facing east, inhale Qi nine times, then swallow saliva thirty-five times. When finished, visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper slowly descending to a point above your head, with the Dipper’s handle pointing forward toward the east. Then visualize the two stars of the Perfected Ones Yin Essence drawing near and settling above your head; Yang Brightness and Dark Mystery… (The original text ends here.)

The Northern Dipper is above. The stars Yangming and Yinjing are behind, and the Perfected One Xuanming is in front. Then, in a state of hazy awareness, visualize each taking their place. Next, visualize the Venerable Lord of the Three Ones—a revered deity symbolizing the principal gods of the body’s three palaces in Daoist cultivation—suddenly appearing and transforming into being, together with the other gods within the Northern Dipper’s ladle.

After a short while, the Three Ministers sit down again, like three venerable deities. A little later, see the six divine beings mount the guiding cords of Xuanming and travel east. When they reach the Celestial Gate, they stop and all face my mouth. Then visualize the deity of the Upper Origin placing a hand on the Upper Minister, the deity of the Middle Origin placing a hand on the Middle Minister, and the deity of the Lower Origin placing a hand on the Lower Minister.

Then swallow the breath once. After a short while, visualize the two divine beings of the Upper Origin arriving within the breath, entering my mouth, and rising to the Muddy Pellet Palace (the upper Dantian in the head). Swallow the breath again. After a short while, visualize the two divine beings of the Middle Origin arriving within the breath, entering my mouth, and settling in the Crimson Palace (the middle Dantian in the heart). Swallow the breath once more. After a short while, visualize the two divine beings of the Lower Origin arriving within the breath, entering my mouth, and being swallowed down into the lower Dantian (the lower Dantian in the abdomen).

Visualize the Celestial Gate star seven feet from my mouth, in front of it. Once the Three Origins deities have entered my three palaces, the visualization is complete. Afterward, focus your thoughts on the True One—the original Qi or true spiritual intent spoken of in Daoist cultivation—and let each deity dwell in its proper place. This visualization may be practiced sitting or lying down. If you have a wish or concern, you may report it silently in your heart; you may also silently pray for what you seek. As long as you remain quiet and still during contemplation, you can practice even while lying indoors, and you can contemplate during the day as well.

At the Beginning of Spring, face east and visualize the Three Ones, concentrating just as you do at the Beginning of Winter.

At the Beginning of Summer, face south and visualize the Three Ones, concentrating as at the Beginning of Spring.

At the Beginning of Autumn, face west and visualize the Three Ones, concentrating as at the Beginning of Summer.

At the Beginning of Winter, face north and visualize the Three Ones, concentrating as at the Beginning of Autumn.

After visualizing each of the Three Ones dwelling in its own palace, offer this brief prayer in a quiet voice:

“Gods of the Five Directions who govern the Dipper, summon the Seven Stars. Let the Three Venerable Ones gather their spirits and manifest, drawing up the Purple Spirits. Let the six deities travel between the cinnabar citadels of the three palaces; let the Great Emperor of Mysterious Penetration shine down upon Yellow Tranquility. Let the Heavenly Perfected guard and protect, and summon the six Ding spirits. Let the immortals ascend together, riding upon the clouds of mist. Let the Three Pure Ones make the four limbs strong and firm, and refine and nourish the five viscera, allowing them to generate and transform naturally.”

Yunji Qiqian, juan 50