《雲笈七籤》Vol. 52

On the third day of the third month and the fifth day of the fifth month, bathe in eastward-flowing water and burn incense. When finished, face the direction of the day’s royal Qi and bow twice, silently reciting: “Supreme perfected ones, essence of the Nine Spirits (the vital energy of the highest perfected beings and the Nine Spirits), please enable me to become a flying immortal and ascend to the Purple Court. Bathe me in the Flower Pool, clear my body and mind, let my Jing and Qi reach the Great Void, and let the Five Viscera naturally flourish.”

First True Method: At dawn, rest both hands on your knees. Hold your breath, close your eyes, and turn your vision inward. Imagine the Lord of Heavenly Essence wearing red robes, a red headscarf, and a cinnabar crown, seated in your heart. He exhales purple Qi, which circles the heart in nine layers. Then click your teeth nine times, swallow your saliva nine times, and silently recite: “The Great Lord of Heavenly Essence comes into my heart. He wears red robes, a red headscarf, and a cinnabar crown; he carries a divine talisman on his left and a tiger pattern on his right. He exhales purple radiance, nourishing my heart spirit and bringing it to stillness, so that the heart, which belongs to Fire, may naturally grow. Then I can become a flying immortal.”

Second True Method: At the hour of Chen (seven to nine in the morning), place both hands on your knees as prescribed. Imagine the Lord of Firm Jade wearing white robes, a white headscarf, and a white crown, entering the bones throughout your body. His image may be indistinct or dispersed; there is no need to fix it in any particular place. Imagine him exhaling white Qi, which circles the bones in nine layers. Then click your teeth nine times, swallow your saliva nine times, and silently recite: “The Great Lord of Firm Jade enters my bones. He wears white robes, a white headscarf, and a white crown; he carries the Dragon Script on his left and the Golden Perfected on his right. He exhales white Qi, making my bones strong and my sinews and vessels firm. My white bones do not decay, and my sinews and vessels do not weaken. Flowers bloom in all my joints, and I become a flying immortal.”

Third True Method: At the hour of Si (nine to eleven in the morning), place both hands on your knees as prescribed. Imagine the Lord of Primordial Life wearing yellow robes and a purple crown, moving through your blood vessels and saliva. He exhales yellow Qi, which circles nine times outside your apertures and channels. Then click your teeth nine times, swallow your saliva nine times, and silently recite: “The Great Lord of Primordial Life thoroughly pours into the vital points of my blood vessels. He wears yellow robes and a purple crown; he carries a tiger register on his left and the Dragon Script on his right. He exhales yellow saliva, stabilizing my blood and Qi, filling my Jing and Qi, and replenishing my saliva. The Nine Spirits dwell together within my body, enabling me to become a flying immortal and unite with Heaven and Earth.”

Fourth True Method: At noon (eleven in the morning to one in the afternoon), place both hands on your knees as prescribed. Imagine the Lord of Azure Brightness wearing azure robes and an emerald crown, seated in your liver. He exhales azure Qi, which circles the liver in nine layers. Then click your teeth nine times…

Then swallow the saliva in your mouth nine times and pray:

“Great Lord Qingming comes to dwell in my liver, dressed in blue and wearing an emerald crown. A tiger emblem hangs at his left side, and a dragon design adorns his right. He breathes out blue Qi, nourishing the liver and guiding Qi and spirit. The blue visceral spirit naturally comes forth, enabling me to ascend and become a Celestial Immortal. Taiyi protects my Jing and Qi, embraces and guards my hun and po, and gathers in my spirit and soul.”

The fifth true deity: At the hour of Wei, press and stroke the body with your hands in the prescribed manner. At the same time, visualize Lord Yangguang, dressed in green and wearing a lotus crown, seated in the spleen. He breathes out green Qi, which circles the spleen nine times. Then click the teeth nine times, swallow the saliva nine times, and pray:

“Great Deity Yangguang comes to dwell in the spleen, dressed in green and wearing a lotus crown. A jade bell hangs at his left side, and a spirit of might is at his right. He breathes out green radiance, nourishing the spleen and pouring into the hun and spirit. The yellow visceral spirit naturally comes forth, enabling me to become a Perfected Person.”

The sixth true deity: At the hour of Shen, press and stroke the body with your hands in the prescribed manner. At the same time, visualize Lord Baiyuan, dressed in a dragon-patterned robe and wearing a Yellow Morning Radiance crown, seated in the lungs. He breathes out Qi in five colors, which circles the lungs nine times. Then click the teeth nine times, swallow the saliva nine times, and pray:

“Great Lord Baiyuan sits in the lungs, dressed in a dragon-patterned robe and wearing a Yellow Morning Radiance crown. A mysterious scripture hangs at his left side, and a tiger pattern is at his right. He breathes out Qi in five colors, regulating the lungs and harmonizing the saliva. The white visceral spirit naturally comes forth, enabling me to become a Flying Immortal and enter the Purple Gate.”

The seventh true deity: At the hour of You, press and stroke the body with your hands in the prescribed manner. At the same time, visualize Lord Xuanyang, dressed in purple and wearing a hibiscus crown, taking form and entering the two kidneys. He breathes out blue-gray Qi, which circles the kidneys nine times. Then click the teeth nine times, swallow the saliva nine times, and pray:

“Great Lord Xuanyang enters the kidneys and sits upright, dressed in purple and wearing a hibiscus crown. A dragon talisman hangs at his left side, and a phoenix pattern is at his right. He breathes out blue-gray radiance, nourishing the kidneys’ numinous root. The black visceral spirit naturally comes forth, enabling me to become a Flying Immortal, ascend north to the Mysterious Gate, and roam among the vast celestial passes.”

The eighth true deity: At the hour of Xu or Hai, press and stroke the body with your hands in the prescribed manner. At the same time, visualize Lord Hanjing, dressed in brocade and wearing a purple crown, seated in the gallbladder. He breathes out Qi in five colors, which circles the gallbladder nine times. Then click the teeth nine times, swallow the saliva nine times, and pray:

“Great Deity Hanjing comes to dwell in the gallbladder, dressed in brocade and wearing a purple crown. Divine radiance hangs at his left side, and a Jade Perfected One is at his right. He breathes out Qi in five colors, nourishing the gallbladder’s Qi, strengthening the hun and spirit, harmonizing Jing and Qi, replenishing blood and Qi, regulating the saliva, and stabilizing the body. In this way, I may ascend and become a Flying Immortal.”

The ninth true deity: At the hour of Zi, press and stroke the body with your hands in the prescribed manner. At the same time, visualize Lord Wuying, dressed in dragon-and-phoenix robes and wearing a Purple Radiance crown, seated in the Cavern Chamber. He breathes out purple Qi, which circles the head nine times.

Exhale purple Qi again, letting it circle nine times around the inside and outside of both eyes. Exhale purple Qi once more, letting it circle nine times around the tongue. Then exhale purple Qi again, letting it circle nine times around the teeth. (In each of the four exhalations above, let the Qi circle the corresponding area.)

When you have finished, knock your teeth together thirty-six times and swallow your saliva thirty-six times, then pray:

Ancient Lord of Heavenly Prosperity, Original Spirit of the Imperial Sovereign, please guard the Purple Chamber Palace (the purple palace within the body) and dwell within the Yellow Gate and Golden Chamber of the Mudball Palace (a site of cultivation inside the head). You wear the robe of the Nine Perfected Ones and a phoenix mantle, adorned with purple splendor and edged in blue-green. You hold a yellow talisman, wear an ornate crown, carry a golden jewel on your left and a tiger-patterned ornament on your right, and sit beneath the sun and moon. Purple mist issues from your mouth; Qi fills your teeth and tongue, nourishing your eyes morning and evening. Elixir Qi arises from the position of Chen, and numinous Qi enters from there. Call forth the Po and summon back the Hun, so that Jing and Qi gather and the embryo’s foundation grows firm. With long practice, you will at last ascend to Taiwei (a celestial palace among the stars) and take your place among the immortal palaces.

Anyone who practices the Way of the Nine Perfected Ones continuously for forty years will naturally bring forth numinous Qi from the Five Viscera and gain the ability to ascend to Shangqing (a high celestial realm in Daoism). If you live in seclusion in the mountains for an extended period, you may practice every day.

Instructions for Conducting the Ascension to Mystery

On the first, third, or fifth day of the month, before noon or at midnight, enter a room, sit upright facing north, place your hands in position and settle your Qi, then focus your spirit and visualize the nine stars of the Northern Dipper (the seven stars of the Dipper and the two auxiliary stars). The stars are purple, and the lines connecting them are red; visualize their shape and size as you wish. Suddenly visualize them entering the Mudball Palace in your head, with the Dipper’s bowl pointing upward and its handle pointing forward.

Within the Dipper’s bowl is a spirit named Qijian, styled Linggang. He wears a purple feathered mantle and a vermilion brocade robe, has a lotus crown on his head, and holds a flowing bell as he sits facing outward. Visualize him for a while, then swallow saliva fifty times and knock your teeth together nine times. Press the middle finger of your left hand between your eyebrows and pray softly:

Venerable Supreme One of Purple Radiance and the Nine Communications, the seven blossoms of the canopy, your light turns and shines upon the myriad dawns. You command the high spirits and quietly harmonize the luminous clouds. Yin-Yang Qi streams and pours forth; the three Qi spread out and travel without limit. Your radiance illuminates all the heavens. Please cause the lunar celestial body to descend and enter the Mudball Palace, so that Original Jing may mingle and coalesce, transforming into the great spirit Qijian, styled Linggang. Please have the great spirit sit upright within the Dipper and roam through my Hall of Light (a spirit chamber within the body). You wear a phoenix-feathered purple mantle and a tiger-patterned vermilion robe, carry a jade pendant on your left and a golden ornament on your right, hold a flowing bell, and wear a divine radiance cloth on your head. Breathe forth Qi to nourish the Mudball Palace and keep it at peace. Please harmonize my Hun and Po, gather my life force, and nurture the pillars and beams of splendor, so that I may ascend as an immortal, pass beyond the void, and reach Shangqing. Spur the tiger and command the dragon; face north to pay homage to the Jade Emperor and proceed to the Upper Palace of the Jade Grove. Pay homage to Great Simplicity in the west and bow to the Three Origins.

Then place your hands in position again, swallow saliva thirty times, and knock… (The original text ends here)

Tap the teeth nine times, then recite the invocation. Rise and bow twice toward the north, then twice toward the west.

On the seventh, ninth, and thirteenth days of each lunar month, enter a room at midday (around ten in the morning to noon) or at midnight, and sit upright facing north. Place your hands together and steady your breathing. Close your eyes slightly and visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper descending into the Crimson Palace in your heart, where the spirit of the heart resides. The Dipper’s bowl is below, facing outward, and its handle points upward. Within the bowl is a deity named Xuandu, whose courtesy name is Sukang. He wears a crimson feathered cloak, a dragon belt, and tiger garments. He wears a Fuchen crown, has a round halo behind his neck, and sits facing outward.

After holding this visualization for a long time, swallow your saliva fifty times and tap your teeth nine times. Lightly press your right index finger against your chest and pray:

“Supreme Purple Zhen, wondrous spirit of the nine Qi, encompassing all things: the Jade Pivot, the Northern Dipper, shines brightly. Flying clouds flow, their radiance illuminating Jade Clarity. Beneath the mysterious canopy of heaven, the stars move; Yin and Yang are thereby distinguished. The Qi of the four directions converges and descends, the Seven Luminaries proceed in order, and the months begin anew. On this auspicious day, starlight illuminates the court of the heart. Flying radiance descends, filling the Central Origin with its vision, and the six inner organs open. Essence and saliva are brought into harmony, the hun and po souls are refined, and the true essence of the Dao comes in response, setting transformation in motion: ten thousand changes are accomplished in an instant.

“Suddenly I see the great deity seated in the quiet room, regulating his breath and welcoming saliva. The hundred joints of his body are free and clear. He grasps the Dipper stars, takes his place in the bowl, and gazes toward the four directions. His name is Xuandu, his courtesy name Sukang. He wears a splendid crimson feather robe, a dragon belt, and tiger garments. Precious light fills his entire body; behind his neck he bears a round halo, and on his head he wears a flying Fuchen crown. He bows his head, then raises it.

“May he make me a flying immortal, soaring freely above the vast sky, ascending to the Purple Palace and paying homage to the Jade Emperor in the north. May I command the myriad gods, with all spirits coming to welcome and serve me. Radiance arises in my heart, and auspicious clouds flourish forever. The phoenix flute rings clear and far-reaching; the luan pipes sound in resonant harmony.”

Then place your hands together, swallow saliva thirty times, and tap your teeth nine times. Recite the invocation, then rise and bow twice facing south.

On the fifteenth, nineteenth, and twenty-third days of each lunar month, enter a room at midday or at midnight, and sit upright facing north. Place your hands together and steady your breathing. Close your eyes slightly and visualize the nine stars of the Northern Dipper descending into the Dantian below your navel. The Dipper’s bowl is below, facing outward, and its handle points upward. Within the bowl is a deity named Kangmeng, whose courtesy name is Liuyu. He wears a yellow feathered cloak, dragon robes, and a tiger belt. He wears a green Fuchen crown and sits facing outward.

After holding this visualization for a long time, swallow your saliva sixty times and tap your teeth nine times. Press the middle finger of your left hand between your nose and upper lip, and pray:

“Supreme Purple Emperor, radiant and bright, dwelling at the central pivot. The nine luminous stars stream with brilliance, their light piercing the Great Rosy Clouds. The myriad spirits look up to you in reverence; a thousand gods stand arrayed in solemn dignity. Thus the seven measures shine forth, and the nine vapors unfold in fragrance, subduing Yang…” (The original text ends here.)

With both hands, present and hold the Yin Talisman in accordance with the natural order, using it to harmonize the sunlight. Open the Mysterious Root, the hidden source, so that the myriad things array themselves and the moon first rises. Observe the auspicious radiance shining into the navel: purple Qi rises from within, and flying rays stream down in every direction, refining my hun and po souls. Glorious, abundant vital essence coils and flourishes. Suddenly I see a Great Spirit, enthroned in the Upper Palace, named Kangmeng, with the courtesy name Liuyu. He sits upright in the navel, rides the Dipper constellation, and breathes in and out cloud-fluid through the Nine Qi, bringing Qi and blood into balance and harmonizing the spleen and stomach. He wears a yellow phoenix-feather cape and a robe patterned with dragons, and is belted with tiger designs. He opens the Root of the Sun, wears a green lotus-flower headcloth, and hangs a Flowing Fire Bell at his waist, its light flashing like lightning. May he enable me to ascend and become an immortal, pass beyond the void, tread upon drifting clouds, reach the Jade Chamber, carry the empyrean void with me, command the myriad spirits, and live as long as Heaven and Earth. Then press the hands again, swallow saliva thirty times, click the teeth nine times, offer a prayer, rise, and bow twice toward the direction of one’s birth destiny.

At midnight on the Eight Festival Days—the Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice—enter a quiet chamber and sit upright facing north. Press the hands to settle the Qi, close the eyes, and turn inward in contemplation. Imagine your body gradually rising and flying into the Dipper’s Ladle, the part formed by the four leading stars of the Big Dipper. Contemplate quietly for a long time, as though you were already within the Ladle. Then imagine the three spirits in the Dipper, remembering their names, garments, and appearances. They are all like infants and sit with you. Bow to them. Next, visualize the Jade Consort, the goddess密華, named Mihua, with the courtesy name Linqian. She wears a brocade cape and a skirt patterned with phoenix radiance and luan birds, and a purple lotus-flower crown. Seated before you, she breathes purple smoke into your heart. After contemplating quietly for a long time, swallow saliva eighty times, click the teeth nine times, place the left hand over the heart, and pray softly:

“Supreme Elixir Spirit, your mysterious radiance shines swiftly and brilliantly. The ninefold gates of Heaven open, and the Jade Palace gleams into view. The breath grows clear; dawn light spreads, illuminating even the hidden places. The sun, moon, and stars shine together, and from them Yin and Yang are distinguished and the four seasons flourish in their course. Cloud-fluid turns and pours through me; the Qi of the Eight Festivals opens the way, enabling me to rise into the nine Heavens, ascend the Dipper, and pay homage to the Three Mornings—the three celestial beings of the sun, moon, and stars. I ask: why am I still detained here and unable to ascend to immortality?

“Then I bow my head, reverently recalling what I saw before. The majesty of the Celestial Emperor appears. He holds the Root of the Sun in his mouth; with his left hand he breaks through the Six Heavens, the six celestial realms that obstruct cultivation, and with his right hand he subdues Feng Mountain, the mountain seat of the underworld. The Flowing Bell flashes high above, and the myriad demons shatter and scatter. My hun and po souls are thereby harmonized, and my three souls strengthened. Hidden within the Dipper, I illuminate the nine kinds of vital essence within; purple clouds appear in my heart, and flying rays shine for ten thousand fathoms. I harmonize the hun and po, govern the spirit, refine the Six Embryos formed from the body’s vital essence, and respond to vital essence as it transforms. The Jade Consort suddenly appears, seated in my heart, gazing downward and upward. Her name is Mihua, her courtesy name Linqian. She breathes in and out vermilion Qi, bringing the Qi of the joints throughout my body into balance. She wears a brocade cape and a skirt patterned with phoenix radiance and luan birds, and at her waist she wears…”

Holding the Tiger Register and Dragon Chapter in jade script, I wear a cap of moonlight and a purple crown. I leap into the Highest Empyrean, the lofty celestial realm, and ride a cloud chariot beneath a radiant canopy as I descend over the heavens. My name is recorded in the Register of Primordial Purity, the Daoist celestial register. I ascend to immortality, leave the mortal world behind, and drift through Kongtong. Riding a chariot like carved jade, I rise to Primordial Origin, enter the Vermilion Chamber, a celestial palace, and command the myriad spirits.

I set Yin-Yang, the four directions, and thunder and lightning in their proper order. The Northern Emperor pours forth flashes of lightning; the Southern Emperor arrays flames. The Azure Emperor of the East kindles the lamp, its brilliance blazing. Thunder shakes the heavens and rolls westward. I clap my hands, making a sound, chant the music of the Celestial Heavens, and leap upward four times. In this way I ascend to the realm of Jade Truth, ride the Eight Radiances, auspicious lights used by immortals, on my travels, and feast amid the Nine Mists, clouds of the immortal realm.

Then I press my hands together again and swallow saliva thirty times, click my teeth nine times, recite the invocation, and rise to bow twice toward the northwest. The ritual is complete. Those who practice this method of “Ascending to Mystery through the Nine Perfected Ones and Visualizing the Nine Sovereigns” can, after fourteen years, rise beyond the realm of emptiness and ascend to Shangqing. If practicing austerities in the mountains and forests, one may perform it daily while keeping the mind still for a long time.

Instructions for Practice in the Fangzhu Grotto Chamber

At night, before going to sleep, lie on your back with your pillow flat. Raise your left hand slightly and let your right hand hang down. Set your thoughts in order and silently recite the invocation:

The first is the essence of the Great Star, named Mysterious Pivot. May I ascend to immortality, ride the void, and drift aloft. (Visualize it below, a little way in front of your left foot.)

The second is the essence of the Origin Star, named Northern Embryo. May I ascend to immortality and roam the Grotto Terrace. (Then visualize it below, in front of your left hand, and grasp it.)

The third is the essence of the True Star, named Supreme Ultimate Truth. May I ascend to immortality and govern the Three Mysteries. (Then visualize it below, beneath your head.)

The fourth is the essence of the Pivot Star, named Jade Root. May I ascend to immortality and be entered in the jade register, the roster of immortals. (Then visualize it below, in front of your right hand, and grasp it, so that the nine stars form the bowl of the Northern Dipper.)

The fifth is the essence of the Guiding Star, named Heavenly Balance. May I ascend to immortality and reach Shangqing. (Then visualize it to the right of the Pivot Star.)

The sixth is the essence of the Ordering Star, named Destiny’s Mechanism. May I ascend to immortality, with my name inscribed in Taiwei, a celestial palace. (Then visualize it to the right of the Guiding Star.)

The seventh is the essence of the Gate Star, named Mysterious Yang. May I ascend to immortality and gain the power to command Jade Youths, attendants who serve immortals. (Then visualize it to the right of the Ordering Star.)

The eighth is the essence of the Emperor Star, named High and Supreme Jade Emperor. May I ascend to immortality and enter the Hall of the Later Sage. (Then visualize it below, returning to the bowl of the Northern Dipper, in front of your right foot; connect the Guiding Star to the Pivot Star.)

The ninth is the essence of the Venerable Star, named Taiwei Emperor Lord. May I ascend to immortality and enter the Vermilion Jade Chamber, a palace in the immortal realm. (Then visualize it below, in front of your left foot, within the Great Star; connect the Guiding Star to the Emperor Star.) Nine…

After completing the prayer, clearly and carefully visualize the Northern Dipper arranged in the shape of a dipper, with the stars in this order: one, five, seven, two, then four and six. Lie peacefully within the dipper’s shape, then click your teeth twenty-one times and silently recite:

“Perfect essence of the Nine Stars, True Lord of the North Pole, increase my Jing and Qi and my embryonic origin, and strengthen my three Hun souls. Let my left hand draw in the radiance of the sun, and my right hand seize the essence of the moon. Yellow radiance of the Dragon Hour, Yellow Perfected One of Primordial Emptiness, make me a flying immortal, ascending on purple mist. Let spirit and Qi, together with the jade talisman, guard the Gate of Life and subdue the myriad evils. This art has already taken form through the Dipper Lord.”

Next, visualize the vital essence of the Northern Dipper dividing and forming a smaller dipper shape. Enter the inner chamber through the Dipper’s Gate. At the center of the Dipper’s handle, with the Kui stars on either side, visualize the Yellow Old Lord within, wearing a splendid yellow embroidered robe and seated in the middle. The Si Hun should resemble a snake and sit on the right, wearing the color of its robes; the Red Child should wear a red embroidered robe and sit on the left. Visualize both the Yellow Old Lord and the Red Child as infants. Let the brilliant light of the Northern Dipper shine through the five viscera and six bowels and every joint in your body, so that your whole body glows with a vivid red light. Then pray:

“Original essence of the Grotto Chamber, Most Venerable Red Child, send down the canopy of Dipper light to shine upon my Niwan, the upper Dantian within my head. Refine my bones and blood, subdue my Po souls and gather in my Hun souls, so that I may become a flying immortal, ascend with the clouds at dawn, and attend the Jade Emperor and the Supreme Original Lord.”

If you perform the visualization on the first day of the month, also visualize the six stars of the Northern Pole. Let them rise between the Zhenniu stars and arrange themselves on the right. Then visualize the twenty-two stars of the Canopy: use eleven stars as the framework, linking them to the right of the Zhen star and bending them slightly; use the other eleven as the canopy, bending them in front near the Guan star to form a covering, with the rear facing the framework stars.

Just before rising in the morning, first click your teeth fourteen times, then swallow your saliva fourteen times, and silently recite:

“Seven youths within the Dipper above, at the celestial origin, Purple Essence of Highest Clarity, descend into my body. Spirit energy of the splendid robes and purple canopy, and of the Palace of Dark Mystery in the Great Unadorned Realm, descend into the Grotto Chamber, so that I may become a flying immortal and travel in the Golden Hall of the Supreme Ultimate.”

Whoever practices the Way of the Grotto Chamber will, after seven years, have their name removed from the register of the dead and their name engraved in the Office of Fangzhu. After eighteen years of practice, the Nine Essences will descend in a cloud chariot to welcome them, enabling them to ascend to heaven in broad daylight.

On the nights of the third and twenty-seventh days of each month, one should often look discreetly toward the center of the Dipper’s Kui section for the Eighth Imperial Star, the High and Exalted Jade Emperor Spirit, and the Ninth Venerable Star, the Spirit of the Great Tenuity Jade Emperor and the Primordial Lord of the Seven Dawn Stars of the Great Unadorned Realm. These stars shine with purple light, brilliant and large in form. When you see one, call it by its name, then bow and kowtow, asking it to grant its favor.

(One star can extend your life by three hundred years; seeing two stars can extend it by six hundred.) Never pass this method on.

This is secret knowledge within Daoist methods, not to be transmitted.

Instructions for the Five Spirits’ Practice

At the hour of the cock’s crow, face east and sit upright, keeping your body straight and your eyes slightly closed. Visualize green Qi coming from the sun and suddenly entering the Palace of the Mudball at the crown of your head, where Daoism locates the head’s spirit and Qi. Inside the Palace of the Mudball are two wisps of green smoke. They emerge separately from your eyes and transform into two childlike boys, dressed in green from top to bottom. The boy from the left eye is named “Flying Spirit” and stands to my left; the boy from the right eye is named “Morning Infant” and stands to my right. Each exhales green Qi, which pours into and encircles my body, making it permeable within and without. After focusing on this visualization for a long time, knock your teeth together nine times, swallow the saliva in your mouth nine times, then quietly recite this prayer:

“Supreme Spirit of the East, the sun’s Qi shines bright and green. At dawn it enters the Palace of the Mudball, refining and nourishing the spirit of the brain and preserving the body. Transforming from left to right, it changes into the name of the Dao attained. May I ascend to the court of the Great Simplicity and Purple Clarity, the immortal realm of Daoism.”

At noon, face the sun and sit upright with your eyes slightly closed. Clench your hands in the guarded-fist gesture, with your thumbs tucked into your palms and the other four fingers wrapped around them. Visualize two streams of red Qi coming from the sun and entering the centers of your palms, where they transform into two red boys, childlike in appearance and dressed in red from top to bottom. The boy in your left hand is named “Life-Pressing”; the one in your right hand is named “Square Fulfillment.” Each exhales red Qi, which pours into my mouth. After focusing on this visualization for a long time, knock your teeth together and swallow saliva nine times each, then quietly recite this prayer:

“The sun is the true and correct one; red clouds course through the sky and smoky Qi rises. The Jade Spirit transforms into life and draws near to me. Life-Pressing and Square Fulfillment are spirits within the sun. They protect the bodies of those who cultivate the immortal Dao and extend their lives for countless millions of years. They make my whole body unite with the light, raising me to the rank of a high immortal.”

At the hour of Shen, roughly three to five in the afternoon, face the sun and sit upright with your eyes slightly closed. Visualize two streams of white Qi coming from the sun and entering the centers of your feet, where they transform into two white dragons. One, named “Whirling Essence,” is to my left; the other, named “Sudden Pavilion,” is to my right. Each dragon exhales white smoke, which enters my two nostrils and reaches deep into my lungs. In my lungs is a childlike boy dressed in white from top to bottom, named “Child of Pure Light.” He emerges through my nostrils and stands to my right, exhaling white smoke that densely covers my face. After focusing on this visualization for a long time, knock your teeth together and swallow saliva seven times each, then quietly recite this prayer:

“The Jade Emperor’s two dragons, Whirling and Sudden, descend at dawn and enter my feet, transforming into a single body. The Child of Pure Light turns left and right, harmonizing and gathering the true Qi, nourishing the Five Spirits. Bearing me aloft, he speeds upward and arrives at the jeweled immortal realm of Great Simplicity.”

Instructions for the Twenty-Four Spirits’ Practice

At dawn, sit upright with your body straight, close your eyes and turn your gaze inward. Clench your hands in the guarded-fist gesture and rest them on your knees. Knock your teeth together twenty times…

The deities of the head reside in the brain. The brain deity is named “Jue Yuanzi,” with the courtesy name Dao Du. He is one inch and one fen tall and wears white. The hair deity is named “Xuan Wenhua,” with the courtesy name Dao Heng. He is two inches and one fen tall and wears dark-colored clothing. The skin deity is named “Tong Zhongzhong,” with the courtesy name Dao Lian. He is one inch and one fen tall and wears yellow. The eye deity is named “Jian Sheng,” with the courtesy name Dao Tong. He is three inches and five fen tall and wears blue. The neck deity is named “Ling Mougai,” with the courtesy name Dao Zhou. He is five inches tall and wears white. The back deity is named “Yi Lifeng,” with the courtesy name Dao Zhu. He is three inches and five fen tall and wears plain, white-jade-colored clothing. The nose deity is named “Chong Longyu,” with the courtesy name Dao Wei. He is two inches and five fen tall and wears clothing in blue, yellow, and white. The ear deity is named “Liang Zhi,” with the courtesy name Dao Qi. He is seven inches tall and wears red.

Visualize the eight deities in turn five times, calling on each to dwell in its proper place. Then click the teeth eight times, swallow the saliva eight times, and recite this prayer softly:

“May the Eight Gods of the Upper Radiance—the eight deities in the upper part of the body—join with my body, so that my form may vanish and transform, changing in accordance with the true Dao. May a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen ascend together to the Emperor’s Dawn, the celestial realm. May the Eight Spirits protect my body, and may jade radiance guard me. In a trance, I travel back and forth ten times, reaching the Gate of the Sun directly.”

Then visualize and call upon each deity three more times, and stop.

Next, visualize and call upon the throat deity, named “Bai Liu Fang,” with the courtesy name Dao Tong. He is eight inches and nine fen tall and wears clothing in nine colors. The lung deity is named “Su Lingsheng,” with the courtesy name Dao Ping. He is eight inches and one fen tall and wears white. The heart deity is named “Huan Yangchang,” with the courtesy name Dao Ming. He is nine inches tall and wears red. The liver deity is named “Kai Juntong,” with the courtesy name Dao Qing. He is six inches tall and wears blue. The gallbladder deity is named “Long Deju,” with the courtesy name Dao Fang. He is two inches tall and wears clothing in blue, yellow, and green. The left kidney deity is named “Chun Yuanzhi,” with the courtesy name Dao Qing. He is three inches and seven fen tall and wears dark and white clothing; its color also changes according to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). The right kidney deity is named “Xiang Ta.” He has no other name and has the courtesy name Dao Yu. He is three inches and five fen tall and wears either white or black. The spleen deity is named “Bao Yuanquan,” with the courtesy name Dao Qian. He is seven inches and three fen tall and is pure yellow.

Visualize the eight deities in turn three times, letting each dwell in its proper place. Then click the teeth nine times, swallow the saliva eight times, and recite this prayer softly:

“May the Eight Gods of the Middle Radiance—the eight deities in the middle of the body—undergo nine transformations and nine flights, refining my soul and po. May my body be upright, and its light shine with the radiance of the sun. May I ride alongside the Eight Gods in their chariots, matching their majesty, and lead a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen up to the Grand Tenuity, the celestial star palace.”

Then visualize and call upon each deity three more times, and stop.

Next, visualize and call upon the stomach deity, named “Tong Laiyu,” with the courtesy name Dao Zhan. He is seven inches tall and wears yellow.

Within the intestines is a spirit named Zhaoteng Kang, styled Daohuan. He is two cun and four fen tall and wears yellow-red clothing.

Within the small and large intestines is a spirit named Pengsong Liu, styled Daochu. He is two cun and one fen tall and wears clothing whose color is not specified in the original text.

Within the torso—that is, the abdomen—is a spirit named Shouhou Bo, styled Daoxu. He is seven cun and one fen tall and wears yellow clothing.

Within the chest and diaphragm is a spirit named Guangying Zhai, styled Daozhong. He is five cun tall and wears white clothing.

Within the two sides of the body is a spirit named Bijia Ma, styled Daocheng. He is four cun and one fen tall. His clothing color is not specified in the original text; his own coloring is red and white.

Within the testicle on the left side of the genitals is a spirit named Fuliu Qi, styled Daogui. He is two cun and three fen tall and wears blue-green clothing.

Within the testicle on the right side of the genitals is a spirit named Baobiao Ming, styled Daosheng. He is two cun and three fen tall and wears clothing in three colors: blue-green, yellow, and white.

Visualize each of these spirits three times in succession, allowing each to settle in its proper place. Then click the teeth eight times, swallow the saliva eight times, and quietly recite this prayer:

“The eight spirits of the lower realm radiate their light and transform into numinous Qi. Purple mist rises thickly, containing primordial Qi and guarding Jing, so that the hun and po souls are at peace and true Qi is balanced. A thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen accompany me. First I reach the realm of Great Simplicity; then I pay my respects to Shangqing, the Daoist realm of the highest immortals.”

Next, visualize and call to these spirits three times, then stop.

Then visualize and call the inner spirit of the Dao, Dun Wuma, styled Daojisheng. He is two cun and three fen tall and wears purple clothing. Do this three times, letting him sit peacefully in the heart. Then click the teeth thirty times, swallow the saliva twenty-four times, and quietly recite this prayer:

“The inner Zhen of the Mysterious Heights nurtures and protects the body, serving the light of dawn. It gathers and governs the guiding principles, through the nine degrees and eight revolutions. It makes saliva flow, draws Jing and Qi inward, and harmonizes their flow into all the spirits. The Five Viscera give rise to radiance, restoring youth to the aged. A thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen ascend to heaven with me, to pay homage at the Great Stairway and offer respects to the Jade Spirit.”

Next, visualize and call to the spirit three times, then stop.

You may also visualize in this way at noon and midnight. If daily affairs make it difficult to concentrate, you may visualize the middle realm at noon and the lower realm at midnight. For visualization at midnight, remove the pillow, lie flat, form the “firm grip”—a Daoist cultivation gesture in which the hands are clasped and the thumbs press the bases of the ring fingers—and relax the body before beginning.

On the first, sixth, eleventh, sixteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-sixth days of each month, after visualizing all the spirits at midnight, visualize a stream of white Qi, each as large as an egg, within the two eyes and appearing before you. Before long, the white Qi becomes two bright mirrors, each nine cun in diameter. They illuminate the whole body from front and back, making the twenty-four spirits within the body clearly visible. After a long while, silently recite in the heart:

(The original text ends here.)

The Great Bright Treasure Mirror can divide and transform forms, disperse and transform the myriad things, reveal and bring forth the Original Shen (the fundamental spirit of a person), and subdue the myriad demons. The practitioner wears a Shangqing mantle and a cloud cap, commands a thousand spirits, seals off mountains, and summons rivers. (These are all part of the “Opening the Eyes” method.)

At noon on a Gengwu day, take a dou of clear water and put one zhu of true elixir into it. Face the direction of the monthly branch, stir counterclockwise twenty-one times, and recite the invocation as you stir:

“Wondrous waters flow with vermilion essence, giving rise to bright radiance in the eight directions. The gods within my body array themselves and appear, enabling me to see forms, perceive ten thousand li, and reach the Nine Spirits.”

Face east and wash your eyes fourteen times. With long practice, you will be able to see the twenty-four spirits. (After eighteen years of practicing the methods of the Five Gods and the Twenty-Four Gods, a thousand chariots and ten thousand horsemen will come to welcome you and usher you into the Purple Pure Immortal Realm.)

Instructions for Practicing with the Five Luminaries

At midnight, sit quietly or lie down in any comfortable position. Half close your eyes and visualize the planet Venus at the Jade Pendant Purple Gate, one cun above the eyebrows and one cun inward. On yang days, visualize it on the left; on yin days, on the right.

Next, visualize Mercury at the Dark Palace of the Celestial Central Imperial Lord, between the eyebrows, five fen above them at the hairline, and one cun inward.

Then visualize Mars at the Jade Gate Flower Chamber, five fen beside the inner corner of the eye and five fen inward. On yang days, visualize it on the left; on yin days, on the right.

Then visualize Jupiter at the Vermilion Terrace of the Grotto Gate, one cun behind the eye and one cun inward. On yang days, visualize it on the left; on yin days, on the right.

Finally, visualize Saturn at the Long Valley of the Yellow Chamber of the Golden Coffer, two fen inward from the center of the philtrum.

Let the five stars shine down from above for a while. Visualize them radiating light, while five-colored vapors surround your whole body and illuminate it inside and out. Each color corresponds to its star. Then click your teeth five times, swallow saliva twenty-five times, and softly recite the invocation:

“Within the High Origin Purple Gate are five spirits. Their precious light shines everywhere and radiates brilliance. The essence of the Heng Gate transforms, gathers, and comes into being, taking the form of an old man. He wears a purple headcloth, a green mantle, and a crimson skirt. A flowing bell hangs at his right, and a tiger talisman at his left. He holds the Celestial Net in his hand, emits crimson light, and rises into the early morning. He treads upon a flower canopy, breathes forth radiance, and cultivates himself. May the Three Luminaries protect me, so that I may attain the Dao and become perfected, nourish my Hun and subdue my Po, and ride the wind as an immortal.”

Swallow saliva three times, then click your teeth three times. If you have another wish, you may state it after the invocation.

In each of these five places in the body is a star, one inch across and round, about the size of a pellet. It is positioned at the center and illuminates both the inside and the outside.

At the hour of the Cock’s Crow, visualize the forms of the sun and moon appearing in the Hall of the Six Directions (the divine halls within the human body that correspond to Heaven and Earth): the sun on the left, the moon on the right, their light shining through the body. (The two stars are above the inner corners of the eyes, slightly raised and suspended in the air.)

(Next, knock the teeth together and visualize hearing four kinds of movement within. These stars are one inch inside; each is nine tenths of an inch across and round.) Knock the teeth together seven times, swallow saliva nine times, then recite this prayer:

“Great Radiant Spirit, ninefold and deep green; summon the glow of rosy clouds and gather in the radiance. Irrigate and nourish the palaces of the Five Forms; govern the Six Directions and harmonize the Seven Spirits. Enable me to soar and become an immortal, ascending to Shangqing.”

This method was received by the Lady of the South Pole from the Supreme High Perfected (the highest perfected beings who have attained the Dao). It is called “The Hidden Way of Double Radiance and Feathered Form.” (After practicing this method of the Five Luminaries and Double Radiance for fifteen years, the Elders of the Five Directions will all descend to welcome you, and together you will ascend to the Purple Court.)

The above describes the cultivation of the Five Luminaries and Twenty-Four Spirits, comprising five methods.

Method for Conducting the Return to the Origin

At midnight on a Dingmao day, sit upright on your bed, facing north. Place your hands over your eyes and knock your teeth together seven times. Then look upward and visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, bright and distinct. Continue for a while, then recite softly:

“First Great Star, Dark Pivot, Bright Yang; Celestial Pivot Soul Spirit, Lord of the Highest Mystery. I ask you to remove the sins committed by [a person] over seven lifetimes, up to my present life. Whether committed in the world of the living or accumulated in the world of the dead, may they all be erased. May my wishes be fulfilled and all things go smoothly; enable me to stride among the seven stars of the Northern Dipper and unite with Heaven. May my name be engraved among the stars at dawn, and my life extended for ten million years.”

Next, visualize the Bright Yang Star flying from the Northern Dipper into your mouth. Its light circles and spreads, reaching your heart and making your body clear within and without. (Visualize that only the Bright Yang Star is missing from the seven stars, as it hangs between Heaven and Earth. At midnight on a Dingchou day, practice in the same way.) Recite softly:

“Second Origin Star, Northern Pole, Yin Essence; Celestial Revolving Soul Spirit, Lord of the Highest Jade. I ask you to remove the sins committed by [a person] over seven lifetimes, up to my present life. Whether accumulated in the world of the dead or committed in the world of the living, may they all be erased. Fill me with the Six Qi and let the Four Spirits act freely; enable me to fly among the Seven Origins, have my name inscribed in the Jade Register, ascend to Purple Clarity, and ride a wondrous chariot. May my comings and goings be unhindered, my conduct upright, and my being united with Heaven.”

Next, visualize the Yin Essence Star flying from the Northern Dipper into your mouth and reaching your lungs, making your body clear within and without. At midnight on a Dinghai day, practice in the same way and recite softly:

The Third True Star, the Northern Pole, the Perfected One of the Heavenly Pivot, the Soul Essence, the Lord of Supreme Purity (seventh recitation)

May the sins committed by a certain person—from the Seven Ancestors down to the person themself—and their transgressions during life be erased. May all accumulated misdeeds, hidden offenses, and sins against the Three Officials of Heaven and Earth—the Daoist divine offices that oversee human good and evil—be eliminated together. May their vision become clear and discerning, able to perceive what is hidden and subtle. May their name be entered in the register of the Seven Primordials, the divine system associated with the Big Dipper’s seven stars, and may they serve the deities of Shangqing, ascend to the Jade Court, and ride the luminous Qi through the air to join with Heaven.

Visualize the Perfected One of the star flying toward you and entering your mouth. Then circulate Qi and hold the image in your mind, letting it come to rest in your liver. Bow twice facing north and swallow your saliva nine times. You may also pay your respects silently in your heart. At midnight on a Dingyou day, follow the method above and pray softly:

The Fourth Bond Star, the Root of Xuanming, the Heavenly Power, the Soul Essence, the Lord of Supreme Emptiness (seventh recitation)

May the sins committed by a certain person from the Seven Generations down to the person themself be erased: sins of ingratitude, lack of kindness, cruelty, and disobedience to parents, as well as secret wrongdoing—countless offenses, numbering in the tens of millions. May they all be destroyed together. May the person nourish themselves by taking in essence and grow in power day by day; ascend into the register of the Seven Primordials and have their name engraved above the Great Mystery. May they hold rank beside the Jade Emperor, speed through the Nine Heavens on the wind, command the spirits, and renew themselves together with the sun and moon.

Visualize the Xuanming Star flying toward you and entering your mouth. Then hold its image in your mind as it comes to rest in your spleen, and swallow your saliva fourteen times. At midnight on a Dingwei day, follow the method above and pray softly:

The Fifth Guiding Star, the Heavenly Balance, the Cinnabar Origin, the Jade Balance, the Soul Spirit, the Lord of Supreme Mystery and the August Sovereign (seventh recitation)

May the sins committed by a certain person from the Seven Generations down to the person themself be erased, including offenses arising from inner and outer impurity, grave transgressions within and without, and countless sins recorded at the Dark Gate, the passage or record of offenses in the netherworld. May they all be eliminated together. May the body become strong and the primal Qi abundant, filling the stomach with yellow stabilizing Qi. May the person’s name be engraved above the Purple Palace of the Radiance of Great Simplicity, the dwelling of Daoist immortals. May Jade Maidens attend on the right and Jade Youths on the left. May the person shine with the sun and moon and hold rank as a True King.

Visualize the Cinnabar Origin Star flying toward you and entering your mouth. Then hold its image in your mind as it comes to rest in your stomach, and swallow your saliva eighteen times. At midnight on a Ding Si day, follow the method above and pray softly:

The Sixth Cycle Star, the Pivot of Fate, the Northern Pole, the Opening Yang, the Soul Spirit, the Lord of the Cinnabar Elixir and Sovereign of Emptiness (seventh recitation)

May the sins committed and deeds performed by a certain person from the Seven Generations down to the person themself be erased, including acts of cruelty, treachery, rebellion, disorder, and reckless wrongdoing. May every sin recorded in the Palace of the Emperor, the abode of the Celestial Emperor, be destroyed together. May all illnesses be cured and the body and breath brought into harmonious, unimpeded flow. May the person’s name be entered in the Immortal Terrace and engraved in the Golden Register. May they serve the deities of Shangqing and fly through the realm of Great Brightness.

Visualize the North Star flying into your body and settling in your kidneys. On a Yang day, imagine it entering the left kidney; on a Yin day, the right. Swallow the saliva in your mouth fourteen times. On the last day of each lunar month, after midnight and before the cock crows, sit upright on your bed facing east, rest both hands on your body, and click your teeth seven times. Tilt your head back and visualize the Big Dipper shining brightly in the north. After a while, pray softly:

“Seventh Barrier Star, Lord of the Dao, Supreme Emperor of Great Clarity, Radiant Jade Light of the Mysterious Yang Heavenly Gate: please dispel for me the obscured and hidden sins committed since seven generations past, as well as the five sins and five punishments. Let every spirit within my body, numbering in the trillions, be freed from the records of the Northern Emperor’s ghost officials. May my spirit and Qi reach in every direction. When I sit in stillness, may it be as though my body has vanished; may no sound reach my ears, and may violet light arise in my eyes. Please erase my name from the Jade Register of Great Simplicity, so that I may perceive the forms and registers of ghosts and spirits. The Emperor Xuanyuan, Mingyun, the Two Bright Ones, and the Seven Primordial Lords who fly—may they dwell in the Purple Court.”

Next, visualize the Heavenly Gate Star flying into your eyes: on a Yang day, it enters the left eye; on a Yin day, the right. Imagine its light shining through and illuminating both eyes, within and without, so that your whole being is radiant and you can clearly see the Five Viscera. At midnight on a Jia day, sit or lie on your bed with your head facing any direction. Hold the fists firmly, tucking each thumb into the palm and clasping it with the other four fingers; hold your breath and gather your spirit. After a while, click your teeth nine times. Visualize the nine stars of the Northern Dipper shining brightly above your head, illuminating one another. Pray:

“Eighth Imperial Star, High Jade Emperor, Divine Lord of the Eight Radiances and Numinous Origin; Ninth Venerable Star, Lord of the Jade Emperor of Taiwei, Divine Lord of Great Simplicity and the Seven Spirits: please dispel for me every kind of sin committed by my ancestors, from my great-grandparents of nine generations past down to me. Let the Heavenly Lord of Primordial Greatness, King Xuanzun, erase all evil deeds and acts of treachery and deceit that have been entered in the registers of the dead and concealed in darkness, as well as transgressions recorded in the ghost emperor’s provisions for death penalties at Fengshan and in the black register of the Nine Primordial Lords of the Northern Heavens and Supreme Ultimate. May I ascend above the Seven Paths, reach Jade Clarity, and travel through the Great Void. Riding the sunlight, may I rise at dawn and feast in the northern realm of the Eight Simplicities, accompanied by the light of the sun. May I preside over audiences with all the perfected immortals and command the myriad spirits.”

Finally, visualize the two Imperial Stars flying into the Niwan, the upper Dantian within the crown of the head. Let their light shine on the Five Viscera and pass through the body, within and without, giving rise to violet light. Swallow saliva twenty-seven times. If a Jia day or Ding day falls on the last day of the lunar month, repeat the corresponding practice.

This is one of the eight methods in Huiyuan Shi.

The Diagram of the Five Emperors’ Miscellaneous Practices Riding Dragons

The names of the spirits of the five organs

The liver belongs to the east and is associated with the color green. The liver spirit’s surname is Lou, his courtesy name is Junming, and he wears green clothes.

The heart belongs to the south and is associated with the color red. The heart spirit’s surname is Zhang, his courtesy name is Juming, and he wears red clothes.

The lungs belong to the west and are associated with the color white. The lung spirit’s surname is Wen, his courtesy name is Yuanming, and he wears white clothes.

The kidneys belong to the north and are associated with the color black. The kidney spirit’s surname is Xuan, his courtesy name is Zizhen, and he wears black clothes.

The spleen belongs to the center, to the Earth of Wu and Ji, and is associated with the color yellow. The spleen spirit’s surname is Ji, his courtesy name is Yuansi, and he wears yellow clothes.

Knowing the names of the spirits of the five organs enables one to live; not knowing them leads to death. (This refers to the names of the five organ spirits.) These names correspond to Heaven and Earth. One should call upon the spirits at the proper times, morning and evening, and speak with them. If a part of the body hurts, summon its corresponding spirit to treat it, and the pain will go away. If one does not know these spirits or speak with them, one will die. This passage comes from The Yellow Book: Military Methods of the West.

The liver spirit is named Green Dragon, with the courtesy name Canglong Zifang; the heart spirit is named Haqiu, with the courtesy name Lingyang Ziming; the lung spirit is named Fang Changyi, with the courtesy name Ziyuan; the kidney spirit is named Shuangyi, with the courtesy name Linzi; and the spleen spirit is named Yellow Court, with the courtesy name Feihuangzi.

When the liver hurts, visualize the Azure Emperor Lord of the East coming to treat it. If it still does not improve, visualize a general emerging from your own body, and command him to heal it. When the heart hurts, visualize the Red Emperor Lord of the South; when the lungs hurt, the White Emperor Lord of the West; when the kidneys hurt, the Black Emperor Lord of the North; and when the spleen hurts, the Yellow Emperor Lord of the Center.

Here, “visualize” means to form a clear image in the mind, as part of a cultivation practice, of a deity arriving at the corresponding place in the body and treating it.

The Heavenly Stems Jia and Yi in the east correspond to Wood. Wood Qi arises from the liver, and its color is green. Within the green Qi is a divine being whose surname is Lou and whose courtesy name is Junming. He wears feathered robes and a crown decorated with embroidery.

The Heavenly Stems Bing and Ding in the south correspond to Fire. Fire Qi arises from the heart, and its color is red. Within the red Qi is a divine being whose surname is Zhang and whose courtesy name is Juming. He wears deep red clothing and an embroidered crown, fastens a dragon-head-shaped clasp, and carries a sharp blade to ward off evil. He often performs his duties within the Great Clarity, wears a purple sash at his waist, and can converse with the Celestial Emperor.

The Heavenly Stems Geng and Xin in the west correspond to Metal. Metal Qi arises from the lungs, and its color is white. Within the white Qi is a divine being whose surname is Wen and whose courtesy name is Yuanming. He wears white clothes and an embroidered crown.

The Heavenly Stems Ren and Gui in the north correspond to Water. Water Qi arises from the kidneys, and its color is black. Within the black Qi is a divine being whose surname is Xuan and whose courtesy name is Zizhen. He wears black clothes and an embroidered crown.

The Wu and Ji Qi at the center rises from the spleen. It is yellow, and within it is a divine being surnamed Si, with the courtesy name Yuan Si. He wears yellow robes and an embroidered cap.

The gallbladder is the “Palace of Long Life.” Within it is a divine being surnamed Wu, with the courtesy name Yuan Xian. He wears yellow robes and holds the Northern Dipper.

These are the spirits of the five viscera. They should be nourished from the four directions, and asked to gather in the hun and po souls and come to dwell in the body of the humble petitioner, so-and-so (the practitioner’s self-designation).

The spirits of the five viscera described above should first be visualized in a calm state of mind. Then, as described earlier, the Peaceful Text officials and soldiers should be appointed to guard the dwelling.