《雲笈七籤》Vol. 60

Once upon a time, the Yellow Emperor met the assembled immortals at Kongtong Mountain and asked Guangchengzi about the way of nourishing life. He asked: “How can a person care for life and preserve one’s original nature, roam the heavenly court and dwell in the Cave Chamber, stand alongside the sages, and remain youthful without aging? What is the most important method?”

Guangchengzi replied: “Human life takes Primordial Qi (vital energy) as its root. Primordial Qi transforms into Jing (essence), and Jing transforms into the physical form. Although the body has an instinct to seek life, a person may exhaust Jing and Qi through excessive desire. Therefore one must not indulge desire; indulgence causes life to diminish, while restraint enables life to become full. When Jing and Qi are sufficient and Primordial Qi is abundant, the hundred spirits within the body are also sound.

“Where there is death there is birth; where there is birth there is loss of bodily form. Deficiency and fullness, flourishing and decline—these are constant principles of all things: the sun begins to move westward when it reaches noon, the moon wanes after it is full; joy at its extreme turns to sorrow, and things decline after they flourish. That life ends in death is the constant order of heaven and earth. The sage understands the transformations of all things, follows the methods of nourishing life to strengthen the body, and does not injure the root of life; thus he can unite with the source of creation.

“Within the human body there are the Hundred Passes and the Nine Joints. The Hundred Passes are the spirits of the hundred joints; the Nine Joints refer to the palms, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, lower back and spine, thighs, shins and ankles, and the brain. Together they constitute the human form. The Cave Chamber, Jade Gate, Purple Palace, Mud Pill, and Dantian (energy center) are the dwelling places of Shen (spirit) and Qi; the hundred spirits guard the body, and the six numina protect it in secret.

“The hundred spirits are the spirits of the hundred joints. They guard the body’s Ying and Wei (the Qi and blood that sustain life) and protect the five viscera; the five viscera also each have their own spirits. When the spirits of the five viscera are clear and bright, the hundred joints have vitality; when the spirits of the five viscera are damaged, the hundred joints weaken. When Shen and Qi are clear, a person is not easily harmed; when Shen and Qi are injured, a person easily ages. The scriptures say…”

Indulging desires and becoming addicted to food and drink will harm one’s spirit and vitality and shorten one’s lifespan. Even if the house is filled with gold and jade, one may still be unable to keep them.

Human spiritual activity includes the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, also called the Six Consciousnesses (liushi). They always move along with the movements of the mind. Once a thought stirs, cognition easily becomes dim; when the Six Consciousnesses are gathered in, the inner mind can become peaceful; when they are used well, one can observe clearly; when they are examined carefully, one can awaken; when they are allowed to follow their natural course, one can return to true simplicity.

In the human body there are also the three Hun-souls (sanhun), hidden within the body, and the seven Po-souls (qipo), stored in the organs. Therefore the scripture says: the liver stores the Hun, the lungs store the Po, the spleen stores the Zhi (will), the heart stores Shen (spirit), and the kidneys store Jing (essence). These are the roots that govern the hundred spirits and six numina. One should prevent the heart-mind from becoming turbid and disordered, and should not be frivolous or impatient, nor act recklessly; if one violates these principles and cannot maintain them, one will invite harm. One must safeguard the “Mysterious Pass” (Xuanguan), described in Daoism as the essential gateway of body and mind, and keep to the vital road of cultivation. As it is said, “The Dao takes True Oneness (zhenyi) as the Mysterious Pass and single-minded refinement (zhuanjing) as the vital road”; this means taking the realm of unified purity as the root and dedicated refinement as the path of cultivation.

When people eat the five grains and miscellaneous grains, evil demons begin to proliferate, and the “Three Worms” (sanchong) gather within the body. These “Three Worms” are also called the “Three Corpses” (Sanshi). The scriptures describe them as three malevolent influences that harm people: the upper corpse Qinggu, the middle corpse Baigu, and the lower corpse Xueshi. According to the scriptures, they respectively damage a person’s head and eyes, internal organs, and kidney Jing and bone marrow, producing various symptoms such as dimmed vision, deafness, mental agitation, weak internal organs, lower back pain, numbness in the legs, and depletion of Jing and blood; these accounts belong to traditional Daoist conceptions of body and mind.

The harmful influence of the Three Corpses intrudes upon a person’s heart-mind, luring people into greedy desires, capricious emotions, a predilection for the rank and foul while slighting the good, or else disturbing their thoughts and plunging them into danger. They are constantly active in the intervals between thoughts. On Jiazi days and Gengshen days, the Three Corpses report upward to the celestial bureaus and downward to the underworld, setting forth people’s secrets and transgressions; the various celestial authorities hear their reports, and the rulers of the underworld also receive their petitions.

Thus, Shangdi (God, the ruler of the heavenly realm) sometimes listens to human petitions. Those whose guilt is lighter encounter hardship in the human world; those whose guilt is heavier die suddenly, and after rebirth still suffer calamity, sometimes even manifesting anomalous signs. What popular accounts call being subjected after death to the Zhifu, to xiongci yangzhu (male-female calamity-attachment), or to po zai shaxing (being broken by baleful stars)—such expressions refer to matters of this kind.

These calamities all arise because people cannot cut off the five grains and five flavors, cannot abstain from desires and cravings, or prohibit greed and delusion, and thus bring death upon themselves. The Neijing Yushu (Jade Book of the Inner Landscape) says: “The fruits of the hundred grains are the essence of the earth; the five flavors are outwardly delicious, yet they summon evil demons. Foul and rank things disturb the Shen (spirit), causing the Qi within the embryo (the primordial Qi of life) to decline and diminish; the three hun-souls become dim and unsettled, and the seven po-souls decay and collapse. You should know that the Three Worms (sanchong)—the creatures described in Daoism as lodging in the human body and harming body and mind—take form precisely because one eats these five grains.”

The Three Worms pass through the five viscera and bore into the six bowels, so that the Dantian (the place within the body where Jing and Qi are stored and nourished) cannot be filled, the fluids cannot circulate, the blood vessels are obstructed, and the Jing and marrow cannot coalesce. The embryo-soul cannot keep to its palace, and the yin-po cannot guard its gates. People thus become addicted to the five flavors, their desires increase day by day, their bodies weaken, and both form and Shen gradually age. Unless one abstains from grains, cuts off flavors, restrains cravings, and severs lust, the corpse-worms will remain, and the Shen within the body will surely perish.

If one can eliminate the Three Worms and cause the corpse-ghosts to lose their souls, nourish Jing and marrow, and stabilize form and Shen, one can preserve the life that is joined with Heaven and Earth. To accomplish this, one cannot do without qi arts (methods of cultivating and applying Qi). To control passions and desires, destroy the worm-corpses, and keep form and Shen from withering, one must ingest and refine Shen and Qi, return to the primordial source, and restore the root; apart from this, no other method is reliable.

Our great immortals take qi arts as foremost: Yuanqi (primordial Qi) is the root; the Dao takes Great Harmony (a state of peace and integration) as its principle, and Chongyuan (the original state of empty stillness and pure harmony) as its root. Return to wondrous stillness, transform into the mysterious and subtle, apply Wuwei (non-action), and accord with nature; thus one can make the body light and ascend, enter the profound and mysterious realm, and pass in and out without obstruction. The Dao cultivator is peaceful and tranquil, communicating with the Dao—what distress could there be?

The Neijing says: “Do not let the seven generations of ancestors suffer calamity in the underworld; you must not transmit the Dao to unsuitable people, otherwise the seven generations of ancestors will incur disaster.” The phrase here, “what distress could there be?” means that by cultivating according to the Dao and upholding the teachings and precepts, one can preserve oneself and avoid bringing calamity upon oneself.

Among the practices esteemed in Shangqing (the high heavens and cultivation tradition revered in Daoism), middle immortals take alchemical arts (methods of refining elixirs) as fundamental, while lower immortals take medicinal arts (cultivation through ingesting drugs) as primary. Weighing these two methods: although both require strenuous toil of the body and exhaust the mind and Shen, and although ingesting mineral and metallic drugs also requires great expense, they easily lead people away from the root of returning to stillness and violate the principle of nature; therefore they do not accord with the true Dao.

Formerly, Dawei Weng (the title of an ancient immortal) said: “Once there is life, I have a body…”

Anxiety and fatigue, brooding over hunger and thirst, and letting desires run unchecked—calamity arises from these and in the end damages the Dao of mysterious transformation (the wondrous principle of transformation and nurture). This was spoken by Guangchengzi when he set forth the essential methods of the ancient great immortals, and it is also the secret purport transmitted by the Dao.

Thereupon the Great Yellow Emperor Lord carefully steadied his mind, visualized primordial Qi (the fundamental Qi of heaven and earth and the ten thousand things), and by this opened the mysterious principle. First he calmed the Danyuan (the Qi within the body), then visualized the Qi of nature merging into stillness. After that he had a response from True Lord Taiyi (the deity who governs the primordial Qi of great harmony at the North Pole), and the True Lord transmitted to him the Wondrous Scripture of the Mysterious Origin and Inner Landscape Qi Formula. Later the True Lord descended upon the Central Peak, met the assembled immortals again, and expounded this wondrous scripture; hence the book received the title The Zhongshan Jade Casket Scripture on Absorbing Shen-Qi. Biyan received, upheld, and propagated this scripture; knowing its contents to be exact and clear, he transmitted it to later generations so that those who cultivated afterward would not be misled.

The True Lord Taiyi is the deity of the primordial Qi of great harmony at the North Pole. His spiritual powers are vast, and he can transform. From the Purple Micro Palace of the North Pole (a celestial star palace) he traverses heaven and earth and nourishes the ten thousand things: in heaven, the five celestial phenomena appear; on earth, plants and trees grow; in human beings, spiritual consciousness becomes numinous and bright; when he contemplates the ten thousand things, he can perceive the Five Phases (wuxing); when heaven and earth change, the four seasons run their course. He cannot be heard, seen, or touched; he has no fixed form, yet he can cause the ten thousand things to take form. Therefore he is called Xuan (the Mysterious), and also Xiang (the Image). Pray to him, and nothing fails to receive a response; seek proof of the real, and nothing fails to be confirmed; concentrate single-mindedly, and nothing cannot be employed; be sincere and unified, and nothing cannot be moved. Therefore, in cultivating the Dao, one must take sincerity and uprightness as the key to opening the mysterious gate, and single-minded diligence as the essential path; following this road, one can penetrate without obstruction. Biyan revealed these principles in sequence so that later cultivators would not stagnate or lose their way.

The scripture says: If one wishes to absorb Qi (to cultivate Qi through breath regulation and other methods), one should take the ingestion and refinement of primordial Qi as the root and returning to stillness as the mystery. If one does not grasp this method, and does not understand the key to opening the mysterious gate and the essential path of cultivation, in the end one cannot accomplish merit and virtue. These are the essential points of the scripture, not empty words.

In pursuing the immortal Dao, one takes grain avoidance (cutting off food and drink) as the aim; in practicing grain avoidance, one must take Qi absorption as the root; in cultivating Qi absorption, one should first observe fasting and purification. The practitioner should maintain the fast, choose an auspicious day, and set up a bed and mat in a quiet room. Fasting and purification emphasize purity of mind and stability of intention, not allowing oneself to become agitated and restless; it is best to continue for fourteen days. If one does not first fast and purify, one cannot obtain the assistance of Shen and Qi within the body; if one does not concentrate and visualize, Shen and Qi cannot be replenished within the body. When practicing, one should also prepare an additional room.

The room used for cultivation should be decorated with good earth and fragrant clay and arranged to be bright and clean, well sealed, spacious, and airy; the bedding should be thick and warm, and the quilts and pillows clean and fresh. Outsiders should not be allowed to enter and soil the room. The floor should be dug out to a depth of two chi, the dregs and stones in the soil sifted out, all kinds of filth removed, and good earth added, then tamped firm and leveled. After that, a layer of fine soil should be sifted over it and beaten and trodden firm. Once the floor is stable, it should still be swept and sprinkled often; cleanliness must be maintained.

Only a writing desk and a cabinet for scriptures should be placed inside. Before each cultivation session, burn incense and recite “Xuanyuan Wushang Tianzun” (Supreme Heavenly Worthy of Mysterious Origin), then recite “Taiyi Zhenjun” (Perfected Lord of Great Unity). One may also visualize the San Yi (Three Ones), the San Yuan (Three Primes), and the five viscera, six spirits, and other deities within the body; calm the mind, click the teeth, and visualize silently.

Taiyi Zhenjun has five precepts. If one observes them sincerely, one can obtain spiritual response. The first precept is not to joke or converse with women or remain in the same place with them, lest corpse-ghosts (shigui) delude and disturb one’s spirit.

The second is not to eat various mixed, spicy, oily, and greasy foods, nor foods that easily stagnate and accumulate, or cold, cooling, smooth, and greasy foods. The scriptures hold that eating such things causes the Three Corpses (San Shi) to be invaded by turbid Qi (vital energy) and also defiles the Five Spirits (Wu Shen).

The third is not to enter filthy and evil places. Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) should not mourn the dead, visit the sick, or take part in killing, sentencing, and other matters that startle and disturb the hun and po souls; great anger and great fear also scatter the spirit. One must especially avoid corpses, which is the greatest taboo in Daoism. The scriptures say that the sea is vast, yet it does not permit a corpse to remain in it; although human beings are spiritually noble, a corpse is extremely filthy. If one accidentally encounters a corpse, one should first bathe in a decoction of peach bark and bamboo leaves, then enter the room, lie flat, and visualize a fire in the heart burning throughout the whole body, making the entire body as bright as daylight. Then hold the breath, swallow fresh Qi, drive out the foul Qi in the abdomen, and try to expel it completely; when it is fully expelled, the body will return to normal.

The fourth is not to argue, contend, or compete with others over right and wrong, nor to hold small children; the scriptures hold that such actions reduce one’s lifespan and damage the mind and spirit.

The fifth is not to deceive others. The scriptures say that Yin spirits will not protect or aid a deceiver. In daily life one should be careful in speech and restrained in behavior and conduct; one should not turn toward the north to urinate, lest one offend Taiyi and Ziwei and incur severe punishment.

If one violates these five precepts, it is said that within fourteen days one will naturally be startled and warned in dreams, and after waking should cultivate goodness. This matter should be kept secret and not casually disclosed to others. The Neijing (Inner Landscape) Qi Jue Miaojing (Wondrous Scripture of Inner Landscape Qi Formulas), a classic that discusses inner visualization and the secrets of Qi circulation, also contains related content. What is called Neijing (Inner Landscape) is an esoteric, secretly transmitted inner cultivation subject that one can only realize for oneself.

(This material holds that it need only be understood inwardly and should not be disclosed to others.)

Second: Absorbing Qi and Abstaining from Grain

To practice this method, choose a double day (an even-numbered day) or one’s own natal day (the day of birth). First bathe and purify the body indoors, place a bowl of pure water on the incense altar, and prepare bedding and a pillow.

The oral instructions say: rise at midnight and sit upright; tap the Heavenly Drum (Tian Gu) thirty-six times—that is, lightly tap the area behind the ears with the fingers—to quiet the Shen and mind and harmonize the original Qi. At the Zi hour this Qi arises from between the heart, ascends through Niwan (the upper Dantian in the head), then reaches the space between the brows and returns three cun to arrive at the palace of the upper Dantian. Next visualize the Qi circulating through the whole body like purple cloud-Qi; then visualize Taiyi Zhenjun (a revered Daoist deity) as an infant, holding a jade tally in the left hand and a spiritual talisman in the right, roaming within the purple cloud-Qi.

Then lie flat on the pillow, face up, and cut off all distracting thoughts. If distracting thoughts are not eliminated, the Shen and Qi become blocked and do not flow. When thoughts have stopped and the mind is settled, wait until the out-breath has been completely exhaled, then hold the Xuanpin Qi (here referring to the breath-Qi circulated in cultivation) and let the Qi fill the mouth; do not clench the teeth tightly. When preparing to swallow, bring the teeth slightly together, and at the same time hold the breath, gather and condense the Qi, tighten the abdomen, and then swallow the Qi. Swallow as much as you can; whenever the Qi in the mouth is sufficient, swallow it, with no fixed number of times.

This method differs from the Qi-swallowing methods of other schools. If one does not hold the breath, gather the Qi, and tighten the abdomen, the swallowed Qi will not enter the large abdomen, nor will it enter the food channel. Qi in the throat has three routes: one enters the channel of the stomach and intestines, one enters the channels of the five viscera, and one enters the food channel. If one does not gather Qi and tighten the abdomen as in the preceding method but merely swallows empty, the Qi will only enter the intestines and cannot enter the food channel, so there is no benefit.

If Qi enters the abdomen directly, because there are many blockages within the abdomen, it may rush upward or leak downward; food will also be consumed, the four limbs will gradually lose strength, and the body will inevitably become weak and emaciated. Even if one drinks soups or takes food or medicine, there may still be dry mouth and a rough, astringent tongue. If one follows this method, waits until the Qi in the mouth is full, lets it remain for a while, then tightens the abdomen and swallows, the Qi will be distributed into the food channel and into the Qi of the five viscera. In this way, even if the original Qi has not yet reached the intestines, the food channel is already replenished first, as if one had eaten food; hence one will not become weak and emaciated.

If one does not follow this method, even if one swallows Qi (vital energy) thirty or fifty times a day, there will still be a deficiency in the abdomen; one will constantly think about eating, and no effect will be seen.

One may also practice while sitting, but must still follow the earlier method: regulate the breath, accumulate Qi, and then swallow the Qi. When swallowing Qi, lower the head and settle into the proper posture. After the Qi is swallowed, it will gradually enter the viscera and intestines, and will also enter the so-called “food vessel” (shimai), a meridian related to food and the sense of fullness. As long as one can use the breath to fill the food vessel, one will naturally feel full. Even beginners usually see some change within three to five days.

If, when swallowing Qi, the breath cannot enter the food vessel, or if the mind wanders and keeps dwelling on food, then one has no affinity with this practice. In the Qi-swallowing methods of the various schools, Qi is first made to enter the intestines, flushing through and expelling foul accumulations; only after three, five, or seven days does the Qi reach the food vessel. Even if the Qi has reached the food vessel, if one still feels mentally tired and physically weak, or thinks about eating, then one cannot yet completely cut off the appetite for food. Even after persisting in practice for several days, there may still be considerable accumulation in the abdomen. In this situation, one need only persevere with this method for forty-nine days, and naturally one will no longer think about food or drink; even if all kinds of delicacies are set out, one will not want to look at them. The efficacy of this is unsurpassed; be sure to keep it properly secret and do not transmit it to others.

One may practice in spring, summer, autumn, or winter; there is no need to use heating. As days pass, one will naturally understand the principle within. If one wishes to supplement with medicinal decoctions, apricot kernels, ginger, honey, and fine Shu tea may all be used as aids; before one’s skill is fully mature, these can also be used to regulate and nourish oneself. However, ginger should not be used in too large an amount, because its nature can impair food and easily disturb one’s mind and will. Ordinary people often take fermented black bean soup but do not understand its deeper principle: fermented black beans are cold and cool by nature, and after long storage easily become contaminated. They can only be used to resolve the toxicity of wheat-based foods and cold-damage disorders; on the whole they instead harm the viscera and deplete original Qi, so they should be especially avoided.

The “gathering the breath” (shouxi) mentioned above means lowering the head to draw in Qi and swallowing the breath without making a sound, so as to flush out and expel accumulations and clear the old food in the intestines as quickly as possible. After drawing in original Qi, one naturally feels full often. This is the sign of Qi and Shen (spirit) combining and of practice reaching a certain level.

After three days, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one can do this; there is no need to intentionally move Qi—one need only swallow with effort, and the breath will descend by itself, unnoticed by others. The practitioner will feel the body unobstructed and the limbs stronger than usual. Persisting in this way for seven days, Shen and Qi will become sufficient; there is no need for prolonged practice, nor for daily visualization. After this, when one hundred days have passed, the Three Corpses (Sanshi, spirits in Daoism believed to dwell in the human body and harm the person) will be removed of themselves, and suddenly . . .

After one day, Shen (the inner spirit or spiritual function) will manifest from within the body. If one practices Fuqi (a cultivation method of regulating the breath and drawing in Qi) for fifty days, Guqi (Qi transformed from food and drink) will be exhausted, and one may then stop taking all decoctions and medicines. When expelling food, five-colored matter should be excreted, appearing like pus and blood. Once these are fully expelled, every part of the body will become unobstructed; in Neishi (inner vision, observing the interior with the intent), one can see the organs and stomach as clearly as one sees things in daylight.

If cultivation reaches this stage, one must absolutely not rashly leak the method to others. Once spiritual power becomes penetrating and the mind becomes clear and awakened, one should not be astonished by this; above all, one must keep it secret and not proclaim it abroad. With efficacy formed naturally in this way, external evil influences cannot invade: placed in Yang, one will not be scorched; lodged in Yin, one will not decay. One can pass through anything with form that would obstruct a person. One will not meet danger or fall into adversity.

If Guqi has not yet been exhausted, one still cannot reach the state of “Tongdi” (penetrating the earth). For instance, after Lu Jing received the method transmission, if one can encounter this set of techniques, there will be Shen-Qi assisting within and spiritual responses connecting without; one will naturally be free and unobstructed. If one wishes to eat, one may eat; if not, one may refrain. Eating will not cause loss, and fasting will not cause injury. If one wishes to resume eating or practice the method again, there is no need to choose months or days; whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one can cultivate anywhere.

After a long fast, if one wishes to resume eating, one may follow the earlier method and eat after completing the method transmission; after eating for a long time, if one wishes to fast, one may also complete the transmission and then cultivate according to the technique. One should take “Dacheng” (Great Completion) as the goal and complete fasting as the norm. The Zhidao (highest principle of cultivation) is only one; uphold it and success is certain. So long as the practice is without error, one will naturally enter the wondrous realm.

Worldly fortune and misfortune, good and evil—none is unknowable; from the Heavenly Bureau above to the Yin Office below, one can command all kinds of spirits and gods. All illnesses, once seen, none cannot be cured; all strange things, once seen, none cannot be recognized. One’s face will be like a young girl’s, radiant; movement will be swift as wind, with no obstruction wherever one goes. After one year, one naturally enters the Xuanmen (Mysterious Gate).

The “Xuanmen” spoken of here is the state of entering Taixi (embryonic breathing, a cultivation method modeled on fetal respiration). The Daoist scripture says: “The gate of the Mysterious Female is the root of Heaven and Earth; continuous and unbroken, it seems to exist and yet not exist; when used, it is never exhausted.” It also says: “Mysterious and again mysterious—the gate of all wonders.”

Chapter Three: The Taixi (Embryonic Breathing) Yuhua (Feather Transformation) Practice

To practice Taixi, one should do so in a secluded room, spread a thick bed and pillow, burn fine and famous incense, and invite a close friend to keep one company. When a beginner has just entered the wondrous realm of cultivation, one may see all kinds of scenes, good and evil, and may also see the forms of ghosts and spirits. If doubts and fears then multiply, the mind becomes disordered, and one even fears that one’s breath retention will be unstable, then someone must accompany one to help settle the mind. The key is to make the mind clear and pure, to become quiet and unmoved by external things—that is, to purify one’s own thoughts and not give rise to delusive thinking.

During cultivation, one should set aside all thoughts of good and evil concerning other matters, forget the coming and going of the breath, and be as if dwelling in a mother’s womb: the mind clear and settled, breathing almost cut off.

The so-called “breath” (xi) means stillness and non-movement. One may align the hands and feet, level the pillow, and lie down supine; when the exhalation is nearly exhausted, suddenly hold the Qi and prevent it from being exhaled. Gradually the face will feel hot, the heat will flow to the limbs, and the whole body will become slightly warm; all parts of the body will naturally enter a state of breath cessation in which the breath is hard to detect. At this point one should use counting sticks (chou) to record the number of breaths. Here one “breath” is one exhalation and one inhalation between nose and mouth.

When counting breaths, one should count by following the exhalations and inhalations of a person beside one. Within five hundred breaths, the inner scenery (neijing, the inner visions observed during cultivation) will appear. If the breath returns again to the nose and mouth, one should let it be exhaled slightly. When the practice reaches a thousand breaths, the effects will manifest clearly: the body will seem to have its bones and flesh replaced, the bone marrow will be refined like frost, and one will then unite with the Great Origin (Dayuan, the primordial Qi spoken of in Daoism), penetrating the Heavenly Treasury (Tianfu, a celestial realm or a mysterious locus within the body). The cultivation of Shangqing (Highest Clarity, the Shangqing school of Daoism and the high immortal realm it denotes) inherently cannot be measured in words; its efficacy and virtue are also difficult to explain, and the methods of becoming an immortal are even less to be casually proclaimed.

Therefore, although scriptures speak of embryonic breathing (taixi), they do not elaborate on feathered transformation into immortality; there is a reason for this. If one succeeds in cultivating embryonic breathing by this method, feathered transformation will also be accomplished accordingly; at that time the Five Spirits will naturally accompany one, and there will be no need to rely on fellow practitioners for assistance. I will not elaborate further here, because the effects of the practice have already been achieved. This Scripture of the Jade Cabinet of Mount Zhong on Ingesting Divine Qi is extremely secret and wondrous; it must not be lightly transmitted to anyone who is not deeply cultivated. Recklessly transmitting it will not only bring karmic offense upon oneself but will also implicate seven generations of ancestors; one must be cautious and not transmit it to unsuitable people.

The treatise says: the wondrous methods of Qigong and the methods of cultivating Qi are broadly similar; those who truly concentrate on practice and master them are no more than one or two in the world. Among the various schools’ methods of swallowing breath, some have many steps and obscure explanations, while others have theories with complicated side branches. If one does not swallow Qi at the proper moment, it easily consumes mental energy and causes fatigue; if one does not exhale and inhale at the proper times, Qi will weaken after food is digested. If one sits quietly practicing visualization and contemplating deities, it may weaken the will and deplete strength. Even if breathing methods are explained clearly, putting them into practice requires long days and deep months; cumbersome and difficult methods more easily tire people.

Even if primordial Qi (yuanqi, the root Qi of the human body) has just begun to penetrate the meridians, the body is still weak; if primordial Qi has not yet entered the meridians, the internal organs will inevitably remain weak and exhausted. In this way, people easily turn to thoughts of eating, and cultivation is delayed. Those who understand the principle will be diligent and advance; those who do not grasp the essentials will slacken and regress. This is because they have not opened the path for the movement of primordial Qi, nor understood the Mysterious Pass (xuanguan, a key inner juncture in cultivation); inner fasting and purity are insufficient, and outer discipline is also lacking. What I have recorded now is extremely secret, essential, and wondrous.

Only in this way can one obtain the source of the Dao of natural spontaneity and thoroughly understand the root of the Daoist arts. Those who study in later generations should encourage themselves.

Saintly Orthodox Normative Method, Part Four

The Daoist arts transmitted by the former sages and former Perfected (ancient sages and Perfected who attained the Dao) have been completely recorded, and the principles they expound accord with the profound and subtle realm. If one has not encountered the path that opens the gate of method, it is difficult to penetrate the “Mysterious Female” (Xuanpin, the profound root of the Dao). If one obtains these secret instructions, one may be certain of successful cultivation: when merit is complete, there is nothing that cannot be done. Above, one can ascend to the Nine Heavens; below, one can roam the Five Peaks.

If dwelling in the human world, one can heal all illnesses, eliminate all poisons, and discern auspicious and inauspicious signs, good and evil; one can rescue those near death or in danger, command spirits, avoid weapons and soldiers, withstand cold and heat, and escape worldly suffering.

If dwelling in mountain valleys, one can climb steep places, ascend into empty space, cross rivers, and conceal one’s traces; one can subdue venomous snakes and fierce beasts, roam the Nine Bureaus (the underworld), and dwell on the Three Peaks (immortal mountains). Advancing, one can fly up to the Nine Heavens; withdrawing, one can sink into the Nine Springs. Forever freed from hunger and thirst, one transcends entangling burdens; hidden and transformed without obstruction, all waxing and waning, increase and decrease, follow their natural course. In this way one can avoid the Three Paths and Five Sufferings (the underworld sufferings spoken of in Daoism), have one’s name removed from the black register and cinnabar ledger (records of transgressions and allotted lifespan), be listed in the golden slips (registers of immortal ranks), and have one’s merits recorded in the Jade Emperor’s calendrical register.

This is the sacred power of the Mysterious Origin (Xuanyuan, an honorific for the Dao), and the secret purport of the Highest Perfected. After success is achieved, it comes naturally without deliberate seeking and arrives of itself without being summoned. The words are penetrating and elegant, and what is said accords with the profound and subtle principle. The Supreme Dao is Wuwei (non-action); if one can understand and thoroughly integrate this, and reach this state, then my Dao may be considered cultivated.

In the treatise it is said: A person of penetrating understanding who awakens to the great Dao constantly worries that the body may be harmed. Therefore I say: “I have great trouble because I have this body.” The trouble lies in the body’s being subject to destruction and injury. Rather than this, one should lodge the spirit within the body, as an object is placed in a vessel: the object relies on the vessel for its dwelling, and thus one fears that when the vessel breaks, the object will have nowhere to rest.

If the body perishes, where can the spirit dwell? The spirit fears the death of the body just as an object fears the breaking of the vessel. If one can carefully cherish and single-mindedly guard them, causing both body and spirit to be preserved, what worry is there concerning spirit and life?

But if one is careless and reckless, wantonly throws and casts about the body, indulges in sounds and sights, fatigues the physical form, gives free rein to the temperament, and exhausts one’s strength, then Qi (the vital energy on which life activity depends) will be harmed thereby, and the body will be ruined from then on. The physical form is like scorched grain or a withered tree: it can no longer sprout anew or put forth leaves; even if it meets a warm, genial spring, it will ultimately…

The ghosts of the underworld will ultimately decay into rot—truly lamentable. Even one who occupies the highest position among ministers, if he does not know the Dao, is no more than a walking corpse and moving bones.

Xuanyuan (Laozi) obtained the Dao from naturalness; Guangchengzi received the Dao from the high immortals; the Yellow Emperor cultivated the Dao within the inner landscape (the realm of Jing, Qi, and Shen within the human body). Now I have encountered it in the Middle Heaven. “Middle Heaven” here means Mount Zhong, referring to Mount Song; it is here that I encountered this scripture.

This scripture is subtle and inconceivable, expounding the wondrous efficacy of ingesting Qi and enabling a person gradually to penetrate the way of embryonic breathing (a deep, subtle respiratory state in Daoist cultivation). If one can accomplish the practice, the time for feathered transformation and ascent to immortality will naturally arrive; one may then ascend to the heavenly palace, have one’s name recorded in the jade register, be ranked among the great immortals, and attain a grade equal to the sages. Those who study later, upon seeing this Scripture of Ingesting Divine Qi hidden in the jade cabinet of Mount Zhong, should practice with peace of mind and without doubt; this is truly the principle that penetrates divine illumination. May you treasure and revere it, and not betray my trust.

Master Youzhen’s Methods for Ingesting Internal Original Qi

Method of Advancement

Whoever wishes to ingest Qi should first choose a dry, clean, and open place. The room need not be spacious; the essential point is that no wind blows in through cracks. Keep incense burning nearby at all times, and do not let the surroundings become polluted. The bed should be thick and soft, with its legs raised slightly. The commentary says that the Zhen’gao states that a high bed prevents ghostly Qi from reaching one; the meaning here is that ghosts and spirits sometimes take advantage of earthly Qi to disturb people, so raising the bed legs by three chi is sufficient. Bedding should be appropriate for cold and warmth; a little warmth in winter is better. The pillow should be a little more than two cun high, so that the head and back are roughly level.

Whenever it is after midnight, when Qi first arises, or at the fifth watch of the early morning just upon waking, first exhale the turbid and evil Qi from the abdomen; nine exhalations are sufficient. More precisely, it need not necessarily be at the fifth watch: whenever the weather is peaceful and the abdomen is empty, one may practice.

First close the eyes and click the teeth thirty-six times to stabilize body and Shen; then use the fingers to gently press the inner and outer corners of the eyes, simultaneously rub and press the nose, turn the ears left and right, and then massage the face. This is what Daoism calls the method of a Zhenren’s daily living. Afterward, according to circumstances, do a little Daoyin (physical regulation exercises) to stretch the joints and make the Qi and blood flow smoothly.

Next, press the tongue against the upper palate and wait for the saliva in the mouth gradually to increase. When the saliva fills the mouth, swallow it, let it enter the stomach, and visualize the spirit of the stomach receiving the saliva. Repeat this three times; this is called “rinsing and swallowing the numinous liquid,” meaning that the saliva in the mouth moistens the five viscera. Practicing in this way will give the complexion a luster.

Broadly speaking, the method is similar to what was described earlier: quietly relax the mind-spirit, letting the mind settle like dead wood and the body relax like clothes that have been taken off. Look inward, withdraw the sense of hearing, and set aside all distracting thoughts. After that, perform “Cleansing Qi” (Taoqi—expelling stale Qi that has lingered in the body). In every practice session, close the eyes and clench the fists (wogu—gripping the hands tightly to gather Jing and Qi); only at the final stage of dispersing Qi should the fingers be opened.

Clenching the fists serves to close the passes and apertures, prevent the dissipation of Jing and Qi, and resist evil Qi. For beginners who ingest Qi, the Qi pathways are not yet open, so for the time being it is not appropriate to clench the fists. After about a hundred days or half a year of practice, when one feels the breath flowing smoothly and the palms sweating, one may then clench the fists. The Huangting Jing says: “Block the three passes; clench the fists and pause the rinsing; swallow down the golden liquor and take in the jade blossoms. Gradually one reaches the state of not taking food or drink, in which the three worms within the body perish. With long practice, one will naturally become flourishing and healthy.”

Cleansing Qi Formula

The formula says: Each of the five viscera in a person has its normal Qi. At night, while sleeping, one holds the breath. After waking, if one wishes to ingest Qi, one must first find a way to digest the food left overnight and cause the stale Qi to be expelled; only then may one begin regulating and ingesting Qi.

The specific method is this: close the eyes, clench the fists, lie supine, and press both fists against the chest between the breasts; tighten both knees, lift the back and buttocks, and hold the breath. Then agitate the Qihai (the lower abdomen, described as the place where Qi is stored), causing the Qi within the body to circulate and turn from the inside outward; then exhale with the “he” sound one to nine times, or two to nine times. When this is done, the “Cleansing Qi” is considered complete; afterward, regulate the Qi.

Regulating Qi Method

The formula says: The nose is the “Heavenly Gate,” and the mouth is the “Earthly Door.” Therefore one should inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, and one must not make a mistake; making a mistake will cause the Qi to reverse, and reversed Qi may lead to illness. In breathing and exhalation-inhalation, one must be especially careful, and one should not let oneself hear any obvious sound of breathing.

When regulating the breath, one may count five times, seven times, up to nine times, making the breathing steady, gentle, and harmonious; this is called completion of “Regulating Qi.” After that, swallow the Qi. At night, while sleeping, one should keep the mouth closed and must not exhale through the mouth.

Swallowing Qi Formula

The formula says: The key to taking internal Qi lies in swallowing Qi. People of the world mistake swallowing external air for swallowing internal Qi and cannot distinguish between the two; how, then, can they speak of cultivation? Those who practice exhalation and inhalation should distinguish this carefully and not make a mistake.

People are all born endowed with the original Qi of Heaven and Earth, and within the body there is also original Qi circulating. Each time one swallows Qi, and during exhalation and inhalation, the internal Qi responds to the external Qi. The Qi in the Qihai naturally rises with the breath up to the throat. Whenever the Qi rises to the throat and is about to be exhaled, one should immediately close the mouth, repeatedly agitate the Qi and swallow it, causing a muffled, resonant sound in the throat. The Qi gurgles downward—in men along the left side, in women along the right side—passing through the twenty-four nodes (the joints of Qi movement spoken of within the body), as though drops of water were flowing down, and one can hear it clearly. In this way…

The distinction between inner Qi (vital energy) and outer Qi should be clearly recognized. Use intention to guide the inner Qi, then massage with the hands so that the Qi quickly enters the Qi Sea (qihai). The Qi Sea is three cun below the navel; it is also called the lower Dantian (energy center). For those just beginning Qi ingestion, if the upper jiao (shangjiao, the Qi mechanism of the upper body) is not yet unobstructed, they may massage with the hands to help the Qi descend rapidly; if the Qi is already unobstructed, massage is unnecessary.

Swallowing three times in succession with the mouth closed is called “cloud movement” (yunxing); merely performing dry swallowing is called “cloud movement”; holding fluids in the mouth and then swallowing them is called “rain bestowal” (yushi). For those just beginning Qi ingestion, the Qi has not yet started circulating. After each swallow, allow the Qi to circulate once throughout the body; do not swallow three times in succession all at once. Once the Qi circulates freely, gradually increase the number until the practice has some effect. Only after one year can the Qi be made to circulate freely in the body; after three years, when the practice is complete, one may ingest Qi at will.

For those newly beginning Qi ingestion, when the Qi is not yet unobstructed, or when swallowed Qi has not yet descended, observe by swallowing once. As long as you feel the accumulated Qi in the body making gurgling sounds and moving downward directly to the Qi Sea, that is sufficient.

Formula for Circulating Qi (Xingqi Jue)

The formula says: The lower Dantian is close to the back of the body; two cavities connect with the spinal vessel, so Qi can travel up along the spinal vessel to Niwan. Niwan is the palace chamber in the brain and the place where fluids gather. Each time you swallow three times continuously, immediately visualize the inner original Qi obtained in the lower Dantian and use intention to guide it into these two cavities.

Next, visualize two streams of white Qi flanking the spinal column, rising together directly to Niwan, warming and nourishing the palace chambers throughout the body; then, with vigorous momentum, it spreads downward through the hair, face, head and neck, both arms, and fingers, while also descending into the chest and entering the middle Dantian. The middle Dantian is the palace chamber of the heart and the place where Shen (spirit) resides. After the Qi pours into the five viscera, it turns back and enters the lower Dantian, passes through the “Three Stars” (Sanxing), spreads through the thighs, knees, lower legs, and ankles, and finally descends to Yongquan. Yongquan is the acupoint in the soles of the feet.

This is like distributing the one Qi, using thunderous force to propel it, and then using rain-and-wind-like action to moisten it. Heaven has springs and sources; without the shaking of thunder, they cannot moisten the myriad things. If one does not cause the Qi to swirl and circulate and expel turbidity, it will make one feel unsettled. Once fluids are present, if one does not rinse the mouth and swallow them, they cannot irrigate the five viscera and make them radiant. If one wishes to return Jing (essence) and Qi and replenish the brain, one must also rely on sexual union; to swallow and ingest inner Qi, one must use tuna (exhalation and inhalation) in order to guide and apply it. From this one can know that the method of swirling and circulating and the principle of applying Qi take their model from Heaven and their pattern from Earth. Visualize the turbid and evil Qi, the stagnant and obstructed pathogenic Qi, and the congested blood in the body being [cleared] by upright Qi (zhengqi) and Ying Qi (nutritive Qi)…

After the Qi has washed through and cleansed the body, it all exits from the tips of the fingers and toes; this is called “dispersing Qi” (sanqi). When dispersing Qi, stretch and relax the body; the fingers need not be held in the “Grasping Firmly” (wogu) posture. Doing this once counts as one “pass” (tong); when the Qi-breath is unobstructed, one is less likely to fall ill. Afterward, once again regulate the breath and gulp-swallow according to the previous method.

Retaining Qi (biqi) and gulping-swallowing until thirty-six breaths is called “Small Completion” (xiaocheng). If one has not yet cut off grain food and only reaches this stage, one should eat less, keeping the abdomen empty and pure. Whether sitting or lying down, whenever the abdomen is empty, one may swallow Qi. If one does this ten times from morning to evening, one will naturally be able to swallow Qi three hundred sixty times. If one practices ingesting Qi (fuqi) over a long time, the breath gradually settles, and one can swallow Qi three hundred sixty times in a single session; this is also called Small Completion. Reaching one thousand two hundred times is called “Great Completion” (dacheng), also known as “Great Embryonic Breathing” (da taixi). Merely retaining Qi and counting to one thousand two hundred breaths is also considered Great Completion.

After this, although embryonic breathing (taixi) is achieved, one still cannot refine the form and transform its substance. Even if one attains long life, one will be like a withered tree, without the luster of Jing, Qi, and Shen. There are also methods for refining Qi, retaining Qi, releasing Qi (weiqi), and distributing Qi (buqi), fully set out in this text; those with aspiration in this matter may study them carefully.

Instructions for Refining Qi

The instruction text says: When ingesting Qi and refining the form, whenever you have a little leisure, enter a room, take off your clothes, let down your hair, lie on your back with both hands stretched out, and do not use the Grasping Firmly posture. Comb the hair smooth and spread it out on the mat. Then regulate the breath and swallow Qi; after swallowing, retain the Qi. When the retained Qi reaches its limit, gather the mind, cut off distracting thoughts, and let the Qi-breath move as it will. When its movement is not smooth and you feel constricted, exhale the Qi; when the breathing becomes hurried, regulate the breath again. When the breath is steady, continue the practice. Do this ten times and stop.

Beginners ingesting Qi whose breath is not yet smooth may, when they have leisure, gradually increase the number of rounds: from one round up to ten; once the breath is smooth, gradually increase to twenty or fifty rounds. If you can make the whole body sweat, this shows that the practice has taken effect. At this point, calm the mind, harmonize the breath, lie down and rest, and do not get up and expose yourself to wind and cold. This is a good method for delaying aging and prolonging life.

Practice only when the salivary fluids are fresh and clear; if the breath is muddled and you feel sleepy, by no means practice. In daily life you should practice often; when the limbs feel restless, oppressed, or uncomfortable, you may also practice. It is not necessary to practice every day; simply practice when the mind is clear and the body is fresh.

The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: “A thousand disasters have been dispelled, and a hundred illnesses can all be cured; one need not fear the ferocity of tigers and wolves, and can evade aging, causing life to continue long.”

Instructions for Releasing Qi

The instruction text says: The method of releasing Qi is to keep the body and Qi peaceful and to make body and mind harmonious and comfortable. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one may practice it; merely regulate the breath according to the portal of breathing, or stretch... The original text ends here.

Sitting on a bed or sitting upright without moving, settle the mind and spirit, without thinking or deliberating, and enter a state of deep quiet, making the mind as empty and luminous as outer space. Then regulate the breathing. Each time, retaining the breath for ten or twenty breaths is fine; the key is to follow nature and not use the intention to forcibly suppress the breath. After practicing for some time, the breath should disperse from all the pores of the body and no longer be exhaled through the mouth. Even if occasionally a little breath comes out through the mouth, there is no need to worry about it. Continue regulating the breath; if one can count to more than one thousand two hundred breaths, so much the better.

One may practice while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. By practicing diligently in this way, one can make all the joints and channels of the body free, the complexion radiant and moist, and the breath clear and long, so that one is as fresh as a person who has just bathed. Even if there is some bodily discomfort, after practice one should feel refreshed and settled. The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: “With reverence and uprightness and through Wuwei (non-action), the hun and po souls can be settled; when the inner mind is pure, the spirits will manifest and speak with me.”

Breath-Retention Instructions

The instructions say: If one’s regimen for nourishing life is improper and one happens to become ill, one should as soon as possible, in a quiet and secluded room, arrange the hands and feet according to the method of ingesting Qi, then regulate the breath and swallow Qi. Focus the intention on the place in the body that is uncomfortable, retain the breath, and use the intention to visualize Qi gathering there and attacking and treating the illness. When the breath is held to its limit, exhale it; after exhaling, swallow Qi again and continue attacking and treating with the intention as before. When the breath becomes hurried, stop; wait until the breathing is even and then continue. Attack and treat in this way twenty to fifty times; if the affected area feels sweaty and becomes moist and unobstructed, stop.

If the affected area has not yet improved, one may practice at midnight or the fifth watch each day, and during the day one may also use the intention to attack and treat many times. If the illness is in the head, face, hands, or feet, practice targeting the affected part. The instructions claim that as long as the affected area is attacked and treated in this way, there is no case that cannot be healed. From this one can know that intention guiding Qi is more powerful than doing things with the hands, as if aided by a spirit, and its efficacy is beyond comparison.

Qi-Distribution Instructions

The instructions say: To distribute Qi to others and heal them, one must first determine the corresponding direction according to the illness of the patient’s five viscera, and distribute the Qi of that direction into the patient’s body. Have the patient face this direction and stabilize the mind and spirit and calm the thoughts. After distributing Qi to the patient, have the patient swallow Qi. The instructions claim that in this way ghostly and demonic pathogenic Qi will flee and scatter, and pathogenic Qi will be forever cut off.

Six-Qi Instructions

The instructions say: The Six Qi are the sounds xu, he, yan, chui, hu, and xi. Each Qi corresponds to one of the viscera and bowels, while one additional Qi corresponds to the Sanjiao (Triple Burner, the upper, middle, and lower parts of the body in Chinese medicine). Among them, yan corresponds to the lungs; the lungs govern the nose. If there is an imbalance of cold and heat, excessive fatigue, or similar conditions, use the yan method of exhalation and inhalation; it is also used to regulate the skin and sores and scabies. If these conditions are present, practice according to the specific circumstances; the instructions say that one can improve quickly.

He corresponds to the heart, and the heart is connected with the tongue. If there is dry mouth, a rough tongue, obstructed breathing, or abnormal speech or affection by pathogenic Qi, one can use he to expel it. With great heat, open the mouth wide and exhale he; with minor heat, open the mouth slightly and exhale he....

Using intention to regulate these symptoms is appropriate.

The “Hu” sound (one of the exhalation methods in the Six-Character Formula, Liuzijue) corresponds to the spleen. The spleen governs the Middle Palace. If the body is slightly hot and the spleen and stomach are disharmonious, with abdominal fullness and oppressive, poorly flowing Qi, use the “Hu” exhalation to regulate it.

The “Chui” sound corresponds to the kidneys. The kidneys are related to the ears and lower back; if the lower back and abdomen are cold, or yang potency is weak, use the “Chui” exhalation to regulate it.

The “Xi” sound corresponds to the Triple Burner (Sanjiao; the functional system in Chinese medicine that governs Qi movement in the upper, middle, and lower body). When the Triple Burner is disharmonious, the “Xi” sound can be used to treat it. Although each of the six exhalations corresponds to specific zang organs and illnesses, the cold and heat, strain and damage of the five zang organs and Triple Burner, as well as imbalances caused by wind pathogens, ultimately all relate to the heart. The heart governs the “He” sound; therefore, all the various illnesses treated by the “He” sound can be cured, and it is not always necessary to use the six exhalation methods separately.

The “Xu” sound corresponds to the liver. The liver governs the eyes; for red, swollen, and painful eyes, blurred vision, dizziness, and the like, use the “Xu” sound to regulate them.

Secret Formula for Regulating Qi and Fluids

The formula says: When people eat the five flavors, the food is distributed respectively to the five zang organs; the turbid Qi produced by each organ is expelled through the mouth. The Qi of the Six-Character Formula and the Qi of the Triple Burner also gather at the mouth, so various impure Qi mix together to form turbid Qi. Upon waking each time, one often feels the breath is turbid and unpleasant.

By carefully observing the condition of the mouth, one can judge cold and heat in the body. If the mouth is dry, the mouth is bitter, the tongue is rough, there is little saliva in both cheeks, or swallowing saliva causes throat pain and prevents eating, these are signs of excessive heat; one should open the mouth wide and exhale with the “He” sound. Each exhalation should be expelled through the mouth; after exhaling “He” ten or twenty times, click the teeth (called in the text “beating the heavenly drum,” i.e., clicking the teeth) seven or nine times, then stir the “Huachi” (the oral cavity) with the tongue and swallow the saliva. Repeat in this way until the heat recedes. If cool, sweet saliva reappears in the mouth, it indicates that the heat has receded and the five zang organs have become cool and harmonious.

If the saliva in the mouth is cold, bland, and tasteless, or after too much “He” exhalation one feels emptiness in the chest and epigastrium, no taste in food and drink, and does not even want water, these are signs of cold; one should use the “Chui” exhalation to warm the body. Regulate according to the method of warming and nourishing, observe the taste in the mouth and the state of the heart-mind and spirit, and stop when one feels warm and comfortable.

The Huangting Jing says: “Clear water in the Jade Pool irrigates the spiritual root.” This means the clear saliva in the mouth nourishes the body’s root; if one practices earnestly, one can preserve and nourish it for a long time. The scripture also says: “Rinse and swallow the spiritual fluid, and calamity will not intrude.” This means that rinsing the mouth and swallowing saliva can keep calamity and illness from invading.

Secret Formula for Dietary Care

The formula says: After ingesting Qi, food and drink should follow a proper order. Foods that are suitable are beneficial; those that are unsuitable cause harm. Harmful ones should be avoided over the long term, while beneficial ones should be eaten regularly.

Every morning one may eat a small amount of light water gruel or sesame gruel; this benefits the body and also regulates spleen Qi and increases fluids. At noon, eating light noodle flakes or flatbread is also acceptable, but one should not eat them while hot, lest they disturb normal Qi movement. The text then mentions boiling scallions and xie (a vegetable resembling small garlic) to make soup.

Polished rice (rice) and barley flour are beneficial foods, and those cultivating Qi ingestion may suitably eat them in all four seasons. These need not be eaten every day; when you wish to eat them, simply choose according to the circumstances at the time. Venison made into white dried meat—unseasoned meat that is dried or cooked—is also suitable to eat. During periods of ritual fasting, however, one should not eat such meat.

The animals corresponding to the thirty-six animal spirits on duty, as well as birds, may not be eaten; foods such as dates and chestnuts, and dui cakes (a kind of cake), may be eaten. When preparing food, be mindful and never overeat; eating too much damages Heart Qi and also makes Qi cultivation difficult. Hot noodles and radish soup should especially be avoided, and salty, sour, and pungent foods should be strictly abstained from and gradually reduced.

After every meal, one should exhale out the food residue and turbid Qi in the mouth with a ha sound, so as to avoid leaving hidden trouble. Qi cultivators have stomachs and intestines that are relatively empty and clean, so they should not eat raw or cold things, strongly vinegared or sour foods, greasy, slimy, or sticky foods, stale and hard foods, or putrid and indigestible foods. If one occasionally eats such foods, there may be a dull ache in the place where the food stagnates; be careful and attentive. Only soft foods are suitable.

Before each meal, first swallow three to five mouthfuls of Qi, then begin eating, letting Qi take the lead; at the same time, swallow three to five grains of raw pepper, which is quite effective. After eating, swallow three more grains to guide Qi downward. Pepper helps digestion, guides Qi downward, frees the Triple Burner (the upper, middle, and lower burners in Chinese medicine), harmonizes the Five Viscera, expels turbid impurities, digests accumulated food, and supports upright Qi. Taken over the long term, it can also resist cold, summer heat, and dampness, brighten the eyes, and promote hair growth. Its benefits are difficult to describe fully; see the Taiqing Jing for details. There are separate specific methods for taking pepper; after taking it, if you feel Qi moving downward, you should relieve yourself and not let it remain, lest it cause illness.

On an empty stomach, according to individual circumstances, one may drink one or two cups of clear wine: warm it in winter and drink it cold in summer, which helps support upright Qi and expel pathogenic Qi. But one must not drink much; drinking too much causes drunken stupor, damages the spirit, and shortens lifespan. If one encounters honored people and cannot avoid drinking, immediately after drinking one should exhale three to five times with a ha sound, and open the mouth wide to breathe out a dozen times, so as to expel the toxicity brought by fermented grain products. Ordinarily, when drinking one or two sheng of wine, one should also drink slowly; this way one does not become drunk, it does not interfere with eating, and one can still retain the flavor of the wine.

Do not come into contact with childbirth, death, livestock, or any kind of foul and impure Qi, nor let such Qi come near one’s dwelling, much less approach it. If one accidentally encounters such foul Qi, one should immediately hold the breath and move to the upwind side.

Close your eyes and quickly pass over it (probably meaning that when the breath is uncomfortable, one should temporarily avoid it), then find a cup or two of wine to cleanse it away. If qi feels unsettled after entering the abdomen, regulate the breath: exhale the turbid qi, then swallow the qi down; next draw in fresh qi and guide it downward with intention. One should also massage the abdomen with the hands, then hold some Sichuan pepper in the mouth and drink another cup or two of wine to help the qi disperse. If the qi still does not disperse, do not over-treat it or forcibly compel it; let it discharge on its own, and there will be no harm. This is because the upper jiao (the chest and diaphragm region of the upper body) is congested in its qi mechanism, so in the end one must rely on breath regulation to dredge and restore it to calm harmony.

Eating greasy and spicy foods easily damages upright qi (zhengqi, the original qi that maintains normal bodily function), so be sure to take care to eat less. Those who already know they have committed these taboos should not, on that account, resist or forcibly suppress the body’s reactions.

After one year of cultivating breath ingestion (fuqi, drawing in qi through breathing, visualization, and related methods), the qi becomes unobstructed; after two years, the qi becomes full; after three years, the work is complete, and original qi (yuanqi) coalesces firmly. Even if one commits some transgressions, they cannot cause disaster. Swallowing qi a thousand times a day is not considered excessive. The transformation of returning to youth begins gradually from this: qi transforms into fluids, fluids into blood, blood into Jing (essence), Jing into marrow, and marrow into sinews. In the first year, qi is exchanged; in the second, blood; in the third, vessels; in the fourth, flesh; in the fifth, marrow; in the sixth, sinews; in the seventh, bones; in the eighth, hair; in the ninth, form. Thereupon the thirty-six thousand true spirits all reside within the body, transform into immortal youths, and are titled Zhenren (Perfected).

With diligent cultivation and no slackening, one can make the joints interconnect and the five viscera firm. The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: “Thousands and hundreds, naturally linked; one by one, ten by ten, like layered mountains.” This means that inner qi does not leak out and outer qi does not enter; cold and heat cannot harm one, weapons cannot injure one; one can also soar into the sky, transform the body, and share the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars.

Grain-Abstinence Formula (the method of stopping the intake of grains)

The formula says: whoever wishes to stop eating grains need only practice diligently according to the preceding method. After three years, upright qi circulates, bone marrow is replenished, the bones become full, the hundred spirits each keep their places, and the Three Corpses (Sanshi, in Daoism the spirits said to dwell in the human body and hinder cultivation) will flee. In this way, gradually one will not want to smell the odors of foods with the five flavors and will often think of not eating; if one truly cuts off food and drink, it will not feel difficult. Whenever the abdomen feels empty, one should swallow qi; there is no need to distinguish morning and evening, nor to be bound by the number of times. After a long time, one will naturally know how to regulate it; there is no need for tedious explanation.

Why must one use medicines? Most people who take medicines cannot simultaneously cultivate breath ingestion; busy all day with using medicines, their bodies find it difficult to become refined and solid. This certainly shows that their cultivation has not yet reached the mark, and it is not the way in which superior Dao cultivators apply their minds. The Huangting Jing says: “The fruits of the hundred grains are the essence of the earth; although the five flavors are outwardly savory, they carry evil qi and a rank stench, disturb the Shen (spirit) and its clarity, and cause the fetal qi to decline and scatter. How, then, can one return to youth?”

Why not ingest the refined Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) of Great Harmony? In this way one can attain long life without death and enter “Huangning” (the peaceful realm spoken of in Daoism). This is the meaning of that principle.

Cautiously Guarding the Instructions

The instruction says: People in the world are constantly attached to desires, harming life and reducing lifespan; this has been so from ancient times to the present. If one does not guard against it early, regret will come too late. People begin to cherish the body only when death approaches; they think of doing good only after guilt is already determined; they seek medicine only after illness has already formed. Once the net of calamity has already spread, how can they be saved?

Therefore sages and those accomplished in cultivation cherish the life that has not yet been cut off, guard against calamities that have not yet arisen, and nurture the body before illness has formed. They then leave the dusty world, gather in their mind and Shen (spirit), and return to the Great Dao (the Way). The Dao is Qi; Qi is the master of the mind; Jing is the root of life. Only by cherishing Jing and valuing Qi can body and mind be preserved.

The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: “Within the square inch (the heart), carefully guard and store the Shen; cause the Shen to return from old age to youthful vigor. Nourish and protect the jade-tree-like body and make it strong; firmly guard one’s own Jing and Qi as if gripping a staff, and use them to nourish oneself.” The scripture also says: “If you wish for long life, you must be cautious, especially by moderating the affairs of the bedchamber (sexual union). If you indulge desires, the Shen will be grieved. If you pour out Jing and Qi as if breaching the great sea, it is like leaves leaving the branch and the tree withering, losing its youth.”

To desire long life and enduring vision (long survival and vitality), no one can achieve it without cherishing Jing and maintaining Qi. The way of Yindan inner regulation (a cultivation method centered on regulating the inner Jing and Qi) is often not understood by people. Even if one focuses on refining Qi, if one does not know how to restrain desire, calamity is hard to avoid. Therefore it is said: people lose the Dao themselves; it is not that the Dao leaves them. People always turn away from the way of life; it is not that the way of life leaves them. The noble person who cultivates body and mind should take care of themselves and constantly examine themselves.

The Instruction on Ingesting Qi and Embryonic Breathing

The instruction says: Jing is Qi; Qi is the Dao. First click the teeth together thirty-six times; then turn the head to the right one full circle, like a turtle stretching out its neck. When the Qi of embryonic breathing rises to the throat, swallow it; do this three times. Then close the mouth and use the tongue to stir inside and outside the mouth; when saliva fills the mouth, raise the head and swallow it. This can nourish the Niwan (the upper Dantian (energy center) in the head in Daoism) upward; raising the head to swallow saliva is what is meant here by “supplementing the Niwan above.” It can also moisten the five viscera downward.

Laozi said that sweet rain moistens the myriad things; the saliva produced by embryonic breathing moistens the five viscera. If one is not dull or drowsy day or night, one can become a Zhenren (a person accomplished in cultivation), ascending to the realm of immortals and, on the lower level, extending lifespan. If illness exists in the body, visualize Qi being sent to the affected place, and the illness will improve. True Qi will drive turbid Qi to rush upward and be discharged downward; when one feels the Shen clear and refreshed, the breath will naturally become harmonious. Therefore the sage said: “People live within Qi, and Qi also moves within people. People cannot be separated from Qi, and Qi cannot be separated from people. People rely on Qi to live and die when they lose Qi; life and death…”

The principle in all of this lies entirely in Qi. As long as you regulate your own Qi properly, you can reach a state in which death cannot be attained even if sought. After this, at midnight and the fifth watch, stretch out both legs, clench the hands, and extend the arms about five cun away from the body; the pillow should not be higher than two cun. Close the eyes and swallow Qi according to the previous method. After combing and washing, drink a cup of warm wine; it helps Embryonic Breathing (Taixi), an internal cultivation method of regulating the breath to nourish Qi, moistens the Six Fu (the body’s internal organs), guides Qi to circulate, and opens all the joints of the body.

In former times, the immortals of Mount Emei had a secret method whose contents cannot be lightly transmitted. Lord Lao (Laojun) said: “The numinous mushrooms and jade blossoms are all within your own belly. Going to famous mountains and great marshes to gather herbs and take them is far removed from the Dao. My principle is very simple; one need only practice it accordingly.”

After rising early, stretch out both legs, regulate the breath, interlace the hands behind the head, and pull the head forward while the head presses backward with force; do this three times. Then interlace the hands and pull forward, doing it two or three times; then pull to the left and right twenty or thirty times. After finishing, swallow saliva twenty times. If you feel discomfort in the four limbs, stir the saliva in the mouth with the tongue twenty or thirty times and then swallow it; this can expel illness. This method is worth ten thousand pieces of gold and should not be transmitted to unsuitable people; if it is rashly transmitted, disaster will reach down to three generations.

Taixi Jing (Classic of Embryonic Breathing)

The fetus forms within hidden, stored Qi. (Three cun below the navel is the Qihai [sea of Qi], also called the lower Dantian and Xuanpin. People commonly take the mouth and nose to be Xuanpin, but this is incorrect: the mouth and nose are merely the gate through which the Qi of Xuanpin enters and exits. Xuan refers to water, and pin to mother. People believe that when Yin-Yang Qi resonate with each other and congeal within the water-mother, after three months the fetus takes shape, and after ten months the body is complete, whereupon one is born as a human. Those who cultivate the Dao, however, constantly store Qi below the navel and guard Shen within the body; when Shen and Qi unite, the mysterious fetus is formed. Once the mysterious fetus congeals, an inner body naturally comes into being; this is Neidan (internal alchemy), which is the way of immortality.)

Breath begins to circulate only after the fetus has formed. (Shen is the child of Qi, and Qi is the mother of Shen. Shen and Qi follow one another like body and shadow. Once the fetal mother has formed, the divine child naturally rests, and the primordial Qi will not disperse or be lost.)

When Qi enters the body, a person is born thereby; when Shen leaves the physical form, a person dies thereby. The Xisheng Jing (Scripture of Western Ascension) says: “The body is Shen’s dwelling place and also Shen’s master. When the master of the body is calm, Shen dwells within it; when the master of the body is restless, Shen will depart. Once Shen departs, Qi scatters—how could one still live? A person’s ears, eyes, hands, and feet cannot operate by themselves; they must rely on Shen to govern them…”

Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) and nourish life should constantly gather in their Shen (spirit) and consciousness, making them the master of the body. If the master does not depart, how could this “dwelling” of the body be destroyed?

One should know that Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) can help people extend their years and attain long life. By keeping to a state of emptiness, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action), one can nurture Shen and Qi. The Dao Jing (Scripture of the Dao) says: “My life is in my own hands, not decided by Heaven.” The problem is that some people do not know the way of cultivation and nurture; some know it but cannot put it into practice. To know and be able to practice means making the heart empty and still, cutting off distracting thoughts, preserving Qi and Jing (essence), not being drawn by external desires, and quietly and dispassionately nurturing Shen and Qi. This is the essential point of the way of long life.

When Shen moves, Qi moves with it; when Shen rests, Qi rests with it. The saying “Intention is the mount of Qi” means that the movements of the mind and Qi follow one another. If one wishes to keep Yuanqi (the fundamental life Qi of the human body) from leaving Xuanpin (the Daoist source where Yin-Yang meet and life is conceived), one must first gather in the mind. If Shen does not leave the body, Qi will not dissipate; thus the body naturally becomes full, and one does not feel hunger or thirst.

If one wishes for long life, one must make Shen and Qi penetrate each other and not separate. The Xuangang says: “If a thread of Yang Qi remains, one will not yet become a ghost; if a thread of Yin Qi remains, one cannot become an immortal.” Here Yuan Yang means Yang Qi; “greedy Qi” means Yin Qi. In daily life one should reduce food and restrain desires, allowing Yuanqi to circulate within the body. When Yuanqi is strong, Yin Qi naturally recedes; when Yang is flourishing and Yin is declining, various illnesses are unlikely to arise. Only when Shen is settled and the body is comfortable can long life be hoped for.

If the mind does not stir false thoughts, there is no disturbance of coming and going, exiting and entering, and Shen naturally remains. Shen and Qi were originally one in the mother’s womb; after birth, drawn by external desires, they have never for a moment truly returned to themselves. If people understand this principle, they should constantly eliminate desires and distracting thoughts, and not let Shen exit, enter, and scatter at will. Persisting in practice without forgetting, after a long time Shen will naturally become settled.

Diligent practice is the true path of cultivating the Dao. The methods of cultivating truth have been explained fully here. How can the teachings of the sages be forgotten?