《雲笈七籤》Vol. 61

The divine illumination dwells in emptiness and stillness. Sangyuzi says: “'Emptiness and non-being' means that it has no fixed form; 'the substantial' is Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy). Shen (spirit) is the wisdom within the heart-mind. When the mind is settled and without desires, Shen becomes vigorous and Qi becomes harmonious. Once this state is reached, one may act in accordance with natural spontaneity; the longer one practices, the better the effect. With unremitting persistence, when body and Qi attain peace, this is called delighting in Heaven (Letian). The so-called 'Heaven' is a state that is empty yet capable of knowing; one who delights in Heaven can attain longevity. The emptiness outside the body is Heaven; the empty openness within the body is also Heaven. Through long practice one gradually understands: within emptiness and stillness, light is born, and this inner awareness naturally manifests from the heart-mind. The longer one practices, the more expansive the state becomes; Jing and Qi can rise and unite with the light, and the light in turn issues from the inner Jing and Qi. In this way one gradually approaches the Dao (the Way). Dao and De (Virtue/Power) correspond; once De is cultivated to completion, one's actions manifest as benevolence (ren), and one's discernment of affairs manifests as righteousness (yi).

During the day Jing and Qi circulate to the head; at night they return and are stored in the abdomen. Therefore one should respect the head and treasure the abdomen: outwardly one's demeanor should be solemn, inwardly one should be reverent and upright; when encountering affairs, one should comply with the timing, avoid random thoughts, and only draw near to good conduct. In this way Shen and Qi become one with the body; this is called the “Great Compliance” (Dashun). Heaven will protect one, and all affairs will be auspicious and smooth.

All subtle roots have Shen and Qi stored in the empty, still place within the heart-mind and penetrating upward through the breath. Qi accumulates in the intestines and abdomen and belongs to the substantial; Jing and Qi are stored above the palace of the water bladder (the place in the abdomen where watery fluids gather), and one should constantly warm and nourish it. Sangyuzi says that warming and nourishing aids generation and growth, but one must not simply keep adding heat by oneself, lest one become overheated.

In daily life it is fitting often to close the eyes and inwardly observe the source of Qi, namely the lower Dantian (energy center; the site of Neidan, internal alchemy, practice in the abdomen). Whenever one does something beneficial to sentient beings, one should joyfully close the eyes, inwardly observe one's heart-mind, and give thanks within, as if saying: “The Shen and Qi in my body clearly act upon my physical form, enabling me to penetrate the Dao.” Doing this, one can obtain the auspiciousness bestowed by Heaven. The “Heaven” spoken of here is the Qi of empty numinosity; if the cultivator can employ it, the cultivation of the Dao can reach its utmost. Sangyuzi says: “What is called Heaven refers to natural spontaneity, not the high, distant, azure sky.”

Method of Ingesting the Numinous Qi of the Five Directions

The oral instruction says: If you are deficient in the De of benevolence, then the Azure Emperor (Qingdi, the heavenly emperor of the East) is not the true Azure Emperor...

If you are deficient in ritual propriety, the White Emperor (Baidi, god of the West) will not regard you as a true disciple; if you are deficient in sincerity, the Red Emperor (Chidi, god of the South) will not; if you are deficient in wisdom, the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi, god of the Center) will not; if you are deficient in wisdom, the Black Emperor (Heidi, god of the North) will not.

The way of the Five Qi penetrates spiritual clarity and truth through body and nature. A true disciple who does not turn away from the great Dao or violate truth may cultivate and apply the Five Qi. Therefore the Lord of the Dao protects and transmits this method to those who possess the Dao, so that they may assist nature, harmonize original Qi, cultivate themselves, and resonate with Heaven. In this way the Five Phases in Heaven move in order, the five sacred peaks on Earth are settled and guarded, the five viscera in the human body are harmonized, and the spirits can circulate and govern. Thus, if one’s disposition lacks the Five Virtues, malevolent thoughts will seize the opportunity to arise.

When a Zhenren (True Person) practices the Five Qi method, he must first refrain from meat, fish, and blood foods; avoid impure places; cut off desires; and restrain the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, making them pure. He sets aside a quiet room, bathes, and keeps himself clean. On the day of Beginning of Spring, at cockcrow, he faces the direction corresponding to the earthly branch of the month, namely the yin direction. At dawn he sits, regulates the breath, closes the eyes, and clicks the teeth thirty-six times. The clicking should be deep and gentle; then he rinses the mouth and swallows the saliva, rolls the eyes left and right three times each, forms the wogu hand seal (a cultivation gesture with the thumb and fingers clenched), lowers the gaze, forgets all thoughts, and places the mind in the great emptiness, neither giving rise to thoughts nor deliberately cutting them off.

After sitting quietly for some time, when he feels warmth and free flow within the body, he shakes the limbs, allows himself to exhale turbid Qi, and again regulates the breath. Then he guards Qihai (the sea of Qi, the lower abdominal gathering place of Qi), directs intention toward Taiyuan, Beiji, Dantian (energy center), Zhengong, and other places, and applies slight effort so that the breath becomes deep, long, and full. If he feels the Qi of all the joints gathering within the body, he repeats this several times. After that he calms the mind and enters the realm of great emptiness; when he feels the East bright, transparent, and wholly unobstructed, he slowly inhales through the nose, visualizes and observes the five viscera, and feels the true Qi of the Green Emperor (Qingdi) of the East circulating from the liver and penetrating inside and outside the body. In his mind he visualizes the thirty-six thousand spirits within the body merging with the Green Emperor’s true Qi. Then he again regulates the breath, swallows saliva, waits quietly for a time, rises, and bows twice. After the ritual is completed, he must practice in this way every day without interruption.

At Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects), he faces the mao direction and continues until the mao month ends. On Qingming he faces the chen direction and visualizes yellow Qi circulating from the spleen and penetrating inside and outside the body. On Beginning of Summer he faces the si direction and visualizes red Qi circulating from the heart and penetrating inside and outside the body. On Mangzhong he faces the wu direction. On Minor Heat he faces the wei direction and visualizes yellow Qi circulating from the spleen and penetrating inside and outside the body. On Beginning of Autumn he faces the shen direction and visualizes white Qi issuing from the lungs and circulating inside and outside the body. On White Dew he faces the you direction; on Cold Dew he faces the xu direction and visualizes yellow Qi from the spleen…

The sequence of cultivation around the winter solstice is as follows. On the day of Beginning of Winter, face the hai direction (northwest by north) and visualize black qi rising from the kidneys and encircling the body inside and out. During the period from Major Snow to Minor Cold, face the zi direction (due north); then on the day of Minor Cold face the chou direction (northeast by north) and visualize yellow qi rising from the spleen and encircling the body inside and out. After a full year in this way, all five qi are fully cultivated. The sequential methods of visualization and breath regulation should follow what was said earlier; eye movements and teeth clicking should also be done according to the counts given earlier, without being rigidly bound to fixed grades. In the next year at Beginning of Spring, practice again for three, five, seven, or nine days, proceeding in sequence as in the previous year, in order to welcome the corresponding qi. The saying “its qi arises from the heart and responds in the hand” means that qi is generated through inner visualization and corresponds with the hand gesture.

Hand gestures can govern the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity), the Five Phases, and the myriad spirits. In Daoist gesture-making, Wogu (the grip in which the thumb presses at the roots of the other fingers) is the general method, used to turn Kuigang, seal and stabilize the Five Peaks, lock the Three Dawns, seize ghost paths, gather the sources of rivers, and protect true qi, bringing both the hidden and manifest realms under control. After the ritual concludes, dismiss them according to the Suixi jue (a method of gathering that follows the breath), so that the stored qi disperses. When forming gestures, women favor the right hand and men the left; this is based on the distinction between yin and yang bodily natures.

The five fingers each correspond to one of the Five Phases: the thumb belongs to Earth, the index finger to Fire, the middle finger to Wood, the ring finger to Metal, and the little finger to Water. Each finger, from the base, is divided into three joints called meng, zhong, and ji; the place where the nail is located is called the “Five-Phase blade branch.” The blade branch governs killing and can be used to cut down evil and punish rebels. Once the five qi are complete, they should be applied flexibly according to the generating and overcoming relations of the Five Phases. The Wogu method is to press the thumb against the roots of the other four fingers; the phrase “ren bi gui dao san guo” and its concrete practice are not explained in detail in the original text. When holding the gesture, one should close the breath as the text instructs. The joints of the fingers correspond to the twelve chen (the twelve Earthly Branches) and can also be used according to their generating and overcoming categories.

The three steps and nine traces in the ritual of “pacing the guideline and treading the Dipper” (walking in prescribed steps that symbolize the arrangement of stars) are called Yubu (the Yu Pace). It has a long history; legend says Xia Yu obtained this stepping method and transmitted it to later generations, but the meaning governed by the steps is not limited to Xia Yu. The Three Primes, Nine Stars, Three Ultimates, and Nine Palaces all correspond to the major numbers of solar motion. When pacing, first step with the left foot, then alternate, one forward and one back, one yin and one yang; the start and finish follow the same rule. The steps interlace horizontally and straight, taking a shape like the character ding, symbolizing the meeting of yin and yang. A small gap should be kept between the heels; the stride must be neither too wide nor too narrow, lest the rule be lost. While pacing, grip firmly and close the breath, causing qi to fill the Dayuan Palace (the original does not explain the specific location referred to here); move the eyes, close the eyes, click the teeth, and visualize the spirits, so that the Four Spirits guard one’s person, and visualize mounted spirit officials arranged in front, behind, left, and right. The five directions and five…

The divine troops and horses are arranged in their respective original positions. The Big Dipper (the seven stars of the Northern Dipper) is positioned above the head, with its handle pointing forward toward the direction in which the rite is to be performed.

One should regularly recite the method of “establishing, striking, and breaking” and walk the nine positions. After completing the circuit, hold the breath and return to the starting point. Then step forward again; this counts as three round trips. Next, turn to the left, gather the spirit and Qi into unity, and perform the rite in the order of the star pattern, holding to the original intention. This is used to attack and dispel calamities and remove adverse influences. When the rite is complete, close the eyes and visualize the spirit and Qi harmonizing, with the breath returning to the “Great Abyss Palace” (the inner place of spirit-preservation mentioned in the scripture). Then swallow saliva nine times. For methods of prohibition, consecrating talismans, and talisman water, draw on the true Qi of the Five Emperors of the five directions and proceed according to the customary instructions.

The True Master said: “First cultivate the five Qi for one year, then practice the ‘three steps and nine traces’ and the star pattern for another year. If you make no mistakes, only then may you perform the various methods of prohibition. At that point, you will be able to control and respond as you please, as if aided by the spirits. If you remain pure and cautious, and uphold the Dao over time, you can ascend to immortality and transcend the mundane world. The true immortals and sage-kings of old all relied on these methods to assist in worldly affairs and govern popular customs. Yet the teachings circulated among people are often untrue, distorted by fabrication. Only by practicing as described here can you see results.”

The Former Master said: “The three steps and nine traces are like the Hexagram of Already Fulfilled, one of the sixty-four hexagrams in the Classic of Changes. To obtain the true oral instructions for the star pattern, one must also practice each of the Five Emperors’ Qi and the hand method of firming the grip—that is, forming a mudra in a particular way. Only then is the practice proper and can one reach the true source. If one merely receives and possesses talisman diagrams and precious registers—Daoist talismans and registers—but has not received from a master the methods for cultivating and applying them, they will ultimately have no efficacy. In that case, the talismans and registers can serve only as objects of reverence and offerings. Even if they help one form wholesome connections and accumulate provisions for a future life, they are only one step on the ladder of cultivation.”

The Method of Qi from the Five Kitchens Scripture (with Preface)

I have heard the Classic of Changes say: “Only by probing the principles deeply can one enter the realm of the mysterious and apply them in practice; skillful application can bring stability to oneself and increase one’s virtue.” How fully this is expressed! From this we know that one must first probe the principles deeply before entering the realm of the mysterious and putting them to practical use; the methods employed must be beneficial if they are to bring stability to oneself and increase one’s virtue. To claim one can put principles into effect without having probed them deeply, to claim that methods can bring security without being beneficial, or to claim to understand the Great Dao while unable to bring stability even to oneself—such things have never been possible.

The capacity of emptiness and stillness to transform is the root of life’s generation and change. When Jing and Qi gather and form the myriad things, this is called “Confluence and Harmony.” Between Heaven and Earth there is open, unobstructed emptiness, and from it the myriad things take shape. Is not the greatest De of Heaven and Earth precisely to give life to and nourish the myriad things? The key to preserving one’s body and life lies in reducing selfishness and curbing desire, remaining simple and gentle, letting the mind and spirit rest in calm detachment, and bringing Qi into accord with emptiness. Then clear Qi will fill the body, and one’s intention will become as single-minded as a spirit. When desire is about to arise, the body and mind often sense it beforehand. Therefore, the sages established teachings to restrain the will, and broadly cultivated their achievements to preserve it. They concentrated their Jing and Qi, bringing them to…

Use gentle methods to guide body and mind into harmony; after nightfall, rest quietly in order to restrain desires; purify the inner mind and gather the heart-mind and spirit inward.

Only by deeply investigating wondrous transformations and understanding the patterns by which things change can one stabilize oneself and also preserve the state. Although the efficacy of the Dao and De is put into practice in the world, the common people do not perceive it. Therefore the Yijing says: “Heaven protects him; auspicious; nothing is unfavorable.”

Having respectfully read the five chapters of this scripture, I hold that they fully clarify the essentials of cultivating the body and nourishing life, and completely reveal the profound meaning of harmonizing body and mind and guarding the primordial Qi intact. Cultivating according to these principles, one can reach the state of profound stillness of heart-mind and spirit, sitting in forgetfulness of external things, and forgetting observation and contemplation; stabilizing oneself can also increase and exalt De. Having studied them repeatedly over a long time, I have ventured to write a commentary on it.

I, your servant Yin Yin, come from the rustic wilds and hold a lowly position, yet I have received exceptionally profound grace. The sage sovereign’s gracious light has not been far from me, causing me for a time to forget my own shallowness; now, prostrate on the ground, I am both ashamed and fearful, restless and unsettled, as though I have lost my normal composure. Your servant Yin Yin bows his head and bows again.

Submitted on the eleventh day of the twelfth month of the twenty-third year of the Kaiyuan era by Daoist priest Yin Yin of Suming Guan in the capital.

The Scripture of the Five Kitchens Spoken by Laozi

As long as one preserves and nurtures the one Qi and brings body and mind into harmony and ease, the five viscera will become replete; when the five Shen (spirits) are calm and upright, the repletion of the five viscera will make a person full of vitality, and the calmness of the five Shen will reduce cravings and desires. What this scripture discusses is the principle by which the five viscera obtain nourishment, comparable to getting food from a kitchen; hence it is called the “Five Kitchens.”

The East: One Qi and Great Harmony, One

The so-called “one Qi” is the subtle root of the myriad things and the operative function of primordial Qi. When primordial Qi moves in Heaven, it manifests as Yang harmony; when it moves on Earth, it manifests as Yin harmony; when Yin-Yang unite, it becomes Great Harmony. When people receive life, all rely on the harmonization of the one Qi to form Great Harmony; only then does the physical form become complete, and only then do the Five Constants (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness) come into play.

Therefore Laozi says: “The myriad things carry Yin on their backs and embrace Yang, and through the Qi of harmonious blending they attain harmony.” To guard the root of life, outwardly one should cut off all sensations and desires that deplete a person, so as to preserve life; inwardly one should preserve and nurture the one Qi so that body and mind attain harmony and ease. When body and mind attain harmony and ease, nature and life can be preserved intact.

Laozi also says: “By concentrating single-mindedly on gathering and nurturing Jing and Qi, can one make the body supple and soft like an infant?” If one can obtain the One, the myriad things all abide in harmony and ease. To “obtain the One” means inwardly preserving and nurturing the one Qi to nourish Shen, and outwardly preserving the body so that the body becomes the dwelling place of Shen. In this way, the movement of primordial Qi and the Great Harmony within the body mutually harmonize. Hence it is called “obtaining the One.” Methods for cultivating life and nourishing Shen all take Great Harmony as their root.

Laozi says: “The myriad things obtain the One and live.” The “harmony” spoken of here explains that when people first receive the one Qi, they rely on it to attain Great Harmony of body and mind…

Preserving and maintaining the “One” (which refers to the inner original Qi), one brings body and mind into harmonious accord, and can then make harmonious Qi and principle pervade with peace and security. Once harmonious Qi is completely free and smooth, there is not only no “One,” but also no “harmony”; none of these can be pursued in words. It is like soldiers laying down their weapons and resting at ease. Therefore Laozi said, “I do not know its name.” The mysterious principle accords with the mysterious, and this is what is called the mysterious. “Principle” (li) is original nature. What is meant here is: when the one Qi is kept within the heart, the principle of harmonious accord manifests from original nature; after cultivating nature and returning to original truth, the mysterious flows freely within harmony. When original nature is in harmonious accord, it joins with the mysterious. Therefore Lord Lao (Laojun) said, “They are both called mysterious.”

In Southern cultivation, do not deliberately use the mind to think. “Intention” (yi) refers to thoughts and sensations. The meaning here is: preserve the one Qi and make body and mind peaceful and harmonious; but be careful not to let thoughts and sensations pull the heart-mind into chasing external objects. One should gather the spirit and quietly illumine, making the mind-ground deep, distant, empty, and still, letting harmonious Qi flow freely before a thought arises and letting wisdom manifest after discrimination is forgotten. Look at that empty and still realm: in the empty and quiet heart-chamber, light will arise, and auspiciousness will follow. If one deliberately uses the mind to ponder and lets thoughts and sensations lead the heart-mind into clinging fixation, one will drain harmonious Qi; how then could light arise? Therefore Lord Lao said, “Block the openings of the senses, close the doors of the heart-mind, and throughout life there will be no toil.”

This does not mean requiring people to pursue “no thought and no intention” and then cease thinking. It only means not letting thoughts and sensations pull the heart-mind; then the light of wisdom will naturally manifest. The appearance of this light of wisdom is not deliberately fabricated. If one stubbornly pursues “no thought,” one still falls into deliberate pondering, no different from ordinary deliberation. Therefore Lord Lao said, “The nameless uncarved simplicity will also make one no longer give rise to desire.” When the heart has no deliberate pondering and one merely preserves the one Qi within, letting the mind-ground be empty and still, then emptiness and stillness can cause harmonious Qi to descend, and the principle of harmonious accord naturally becomes smooth. This is not chasing external objects or relying on deliberate use of mind to seek harmonious Qi, because what is preserved is not an external object or an object of sensory cognition; therefore one does not fall into deliberation. Therefore Lord Lao said, “Use the light, and return again to one’s own clarity and purity.” Cultivation is thus, and maintaining is thus: inwardly preserve Taihe (great harmony, the peaceful and harmonious original Qi). The method of Taihe is to let harmonious Qi flow freely; after harmonious Qi flows freely, this method too must be set down, without clinging to any method. Since there is no longer anything maintained, what is there to maintain? Taking non-maintaining as maintaining, therefore it is said, “Cultivation is thus, and maintaining is thus.”

In Northern cultivation, do not use the mind to pull the mind. “Heart-mind” (xin) is the foundation from which wisdom manifests and the vessel that receives thoughts and sensations. If it receives them properly, it can manifest wisdom; if it receives them crookedly, deluded thoughts arise. What is meant here is: if a person can harmonize the breath within, make the inner mind upright, and with a pure and quiet heart-mind look inward, then right wisdom will be clear, calm, and bright, as clear and bright as a mirror.

If dust and defilement cannot be stopped and settled, the mind is as still as water in a deep abyss, and the images of all things are reflected in it. The reflected images have no fixed master; this is called changxin (constant mind). If one clings to using the mind to grasp the mind, the mind is dragged by objects of conditioning and becomes defiled: externally various things remain, while inwardly there is a lack of wisdom’s contemplation. Once the constant mind is lost, the principle of peace and harmony is also damaged. Therefore Zhuangzi says: “When one attains one’s mind and thereby attains one’s constant mind, how can the myriad things affect it?”

Therefore one should return to the original mind and not dwell in the thought of severing conditions. Using the mind to chase the mind means enduring all kinds of feelings. If one can give rise to right contemplative wisdom, one can comprehend the constant mind; the mind of wisdom is always clear, and so it is not moved by external things. “Severing conditions” means the mind no longer clings to conditions; “non-abiding” means the mind does not linger in any realm. When the mind is clear and quiet, constantly quiescent and undisturbed, what is there to cling to or abide in? Therefore Laojun says: “Diminish it and again diminish it, until one reaches Wuwei (non-action).”

Although the mind exists, do not retain attachment to “mind.” Wisdom’s contemplation is clear and constant, so one may say “the mind exists”; when the mind does not cling to the mind and wisdom no longer deliberately contemplates, this is called “not retaining.” Neither chasing nor welcoming, the mind then has no problem of so-called severing conditions or abiding somewhere. Returning to the true, one guards the true and deeply quiet original mind.

The “true” spoken of here means that the constant mind is clear and pure, undefiled by mixed impurities. If one makes the source of wisdom clear, still, and uncontaminated, neither taking some kind of knowledge as an object of attachment nor letting the mind cling to conditions, then the Qi (vital energy) of peace and harmony can nourish the original truth. Peace and harmony and original truth are originally not separate; therefore it is called “guarding the true.”

In cultivating the principle toward the West, one must free the mind’s intent from attachment. “Principle” refers to original nature; “intent” refers to the mind having something on which it focuses. Earlier it spoke of cutting off feelings toward external realms; here it means cutting off attachment to inner nature. Cultivating the nature means that the mind has focus; but if one only lets the mind focus, although it can illuminate the external dust-realms everywhere, one must still transcend attachment to realms and to discriminating activity, not lingering anywhere. Leaving the burdens of physical form, letting go of discriminating wisdom, one communes with the great Dao (the Way); cultivating the nature and returning to the original mind, one makes contemplation complete and unobstructed. Inner and outer both return to tranquility, and reaching the realm of mystery upon mystery, one becomes free from imaginings of lingering and attachment.

Continuously accumulating cultivation does not accord with the direction of freedom from attachment. Earlier it said to cultivate the nature and free the mind’s intent from attachment, which means making inner and outer both quiet, not giving rise to a mind of abiding attachment, and not attaching to emptiness. In sitting quietly and in movement one can forget discrimination; when thoughts come, let them come; when thoughts cease, let them cease. If one insists on accumulating cultivation and cannot let go and dissolve attachment, then as soon as a single thought arises it becomes entangled without cease; inner contemplation is thereby shaken, and external dust-realms then arise in confusion. This does not accord with an intent free from attachment.

The mind’s intent has focus, and yet one does not deliberately cultivate this focus. If the mind had no orientation at all, how could one gradually awaken? Therefore one must have focus, using it to settle the mind and then realize the original mind; thus it is said to “have intent.” “Not cultivating the intent” means that after freedom from attachment, one no longer deliberately holds on to this intent.

Accumulate cultivation until even the matter of “cultivation” is forgotten; then one’s nature becomes complete. At that point the mind is still, and the contemplative illumination of wisdom is perfectly unobstructed. The cultivator forgets their own achievements inwardly and all things outwardly; within wisdom’s illumination, not the slightest fabrication remains in the mind—even the thought “I am cultivating, I am contemplating” is forgotten. This is “no self-knowing” (wu ji zhi).

The Center: The Various Foods and the Congealing of Qi

What is called “the various foods and the congealing of Qi” means that all kinds of food and drink cause Qi to congeal. Once Qi congeals, the originally harmonious and peaceful state is disturbed, and the contemplative illumination of wisdom is difficult to keep clear. People take in flavors through the mouth to nourish the five viscera; the body, like foam, supports the physical form. The human bodily life takes its bones from Earth, receives moisture from Water, is endowed with heat from Fire, and relies on Wind to maintain breathing. When these four conditions—Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind—combine, they form a body subject to outflows, not a subtle and indestructible entity.

Food and drink cloud the one Qi and disturb the original state of harmony, thereby giving rise to thoughts and feelings such as perception, sensation, and consciousness, which produce all kinds of activity and fault. Those who have long practiced concentration should abandon these disturbances, single-mindedly guard the true nature, and make the mind clear and constant; only then can they unite with Taihe (the primordial state of harmonious unity between Heaven and Earth). If Qi is made to congeal because of food and drink, this cannot be called long-term stable cultivation.

Qi Returns to Its Root Qi

The body formed by the four conditions of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, together with the faults contracted through sensory defilement, will eventually dissolve along with Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind and return to their respective roots. Once consciousness exists, it flows on according to the karmic forces it receives.

As One Takes In, One Should Accordingly Release; Taking

“Taking” means receiving and absorbing; “releasing” means issuing and applying. There are two kinds of thoughts and two kinds of received karma; one should apply them according to the principle of what has been absorbed and observe the effects they produce.

If one can cause Taihe to return to unity, the one Qi becomes whole and harmonious, reaching the utmost emptiness and stillness. This is called “returning to Destiny” (fu ming). If returning to Destiny can be constant, it is called “right reception” (zheng shou). Right reception can purify karma and give rise to contemplative wisdom. If contemplative wisdom is clear and constant, and there is nothing at all in the mind, then coming and going are unobstructed. Otherwise, the Qi of food and drink will return to Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, and karma will form accordingly, causing one to sink into the six destinies (the six paths of rebirth).

The Wondrous Qi Formula of the Valley Spirit

The formula says: Mysterious Qi (xuanqi, the pure, empty, and profound Qi) is my fence; Original Qi (yuanqi, the fundamental Qi) is my dwelling; Beginning Qi (shiqi, the originary Qi) is my bed and mat. The Mysterious Qi represented by Heaven is pure and clear; it enters my body downward from the crown of my head, settles in my dwelling, and stops at the aperture of the liver. It then travels the road of the nine heavens and flows out from my two eyes. The Original Qi represented by Water is pure and white; it enters my body downward through my left and right channels, settles in my dwelling, and stops at the aperture of the lungs. It then travels the road of the nine heavens and flows out from my two nostrils. The Beginning Qi represented by Earth is pure yellow, and from…

(The opening sentences appear to have omissions; the following is understood according to the extant wording.) May Shen-Qi enter my body from beneath my left and right feet and settle securely in the pass-orifice of the spleen; may the Qi of the Nine Heavens then emerge from my mouth. May the three Qi descend together and cover my body, cycling again and again through the years without end.

Next, visualize the seventy-two deities of the Qi of life within the body, each having its own domain: the hair is Lord Qingcheng, the head is Lord Santai, the eyebrows are Lord of the Eight Poles, the two ears are Lord Jueming, the left eye is Lord Xuanming, the right eye is Lord Yuanming, the nose is Lord of the Wondrous Gate of the Celestial Circuit, the mouth is Lord of the Jade Gate of the Arrayed Origin, the teeth are Lord of the Eight Earths, the tongue is Lord Wuji, and at the throat the pharynx is Lord Commandant and the larynx is Lord of the Nine Ministers. The lungs are Lord Huagai, the gallbladder is Lord Changming, the stomach is Lord Taicang, the large intestine is Lord Shimu, the small intestine is Lord Daoyin, the left kidney is Lord Xuanmiao, the right kidney is Lord Xuanyuan, the intestines are Lord Yuedao, the Sanjiao is Lord Xuanlao, the two knees are Lord of the Little Cart Pacing, and the two feet are Lord of Thunder and Lightning Transcendence. May Shizi take into the mouth the seventy-two Qi of life and constantly keep them within Shizi’s body, not letting them scatter out at will.

Then visualize the three deities—the Infant, Zhenren, and the Red Child—remaining within the body: moving in the Niwan, the divine chamber in the head; guarding in the Jianggong, the heart palace; and dwelling securely in the Dantian, the sea of Qi in the abdomen. None of them may leave of their own accord. The Infant is named Ziyuan and governs the Dantian; Zhenren is named Zidan and governs the heart, commanding the ten thousand Shen; the Red Child is named Taishang and governs the head, enabling one to prolong life, subdue malevolent spirits, and avoid death.

Each of the three occupies one place: the upper one is in the brain, and its Shen is named the Red Child; the middle one is in the heart, and its Shen is named Zhenren; the lower one is three inches below the navel, and its Shen is named the Infant. For ordinary people to live long, the key lies in continuously visualizing these Shen; if the recollection does not cease, one will be able to see the Shen. The brain is the Ziwei Palace, the heart is the Dongfang Palace, and three inches below the navel is the Dantian Palace. If people frequently visualize the Shen-Qi in these three palaces, they can attain long life and enduring vision.

Next, visualize the five palaces, six fu organs, and five zang organs in the body. The liver belongs to the Wood Palace, the heart to the Fire Palace, the lungs to the Metal Palace, the kidneys to the Water Palace, and the spleen to the Earth Palace. Each of the five zang organs is also a general’s headquarters: the liver is the headquarters of the Left General, the lungs of the Right General, the heart of the Front General, the kidneys of the Rear General, the navel of the General of the Central Cavalry, and the head of the Supreme General.

The internal refers to what is within; the external refers to what is outside. Inner changes can manifest outwardly, and outward expressions can also reflect what is within.

In the human body, the Five Phases (Wuxing) and the viscera correspond as follows: the liver belongs to Wood, the heart to Fire, the lungs to Metal, the kidneys to Water, and the spleen to Earth; these are called the Five Phases. The lungs are called the Jade Hall Palace (Yutang Gong) and the Shangshu Mansion; the heart, the Crimson Hall Palace (Jiangtang Gong) and the Yuanyang Mansion; the liver, the Clear Cold Palace (Qingleng Gong) and the Orchid Terrace Mansion (Lantai Fu); the gallbladder, the Purple Subtlety Palace (Ziwei Gong) and the Wuji Mansion; the kidneys, the Youzhi Palace and the Taihe Mansion; and the spleen, the Central Harmony Palace (Zhonghe Gong) and the Taishu Mansion. The lungs store the Po (corporeal soul), the liver stores the Hun (ethereal soul), the heart stores Jing (essence), the kidneys store Yi (intention), and the spleen stores Zhi (will); these are called the Five Viscera (Wuzang).

These five correspond in Heaven to the five stars, on Earth to the Five Phases, and among the myriad things to the five colors. The five stars are the Year Star (Suixing) of the east, Yinghuo of the south, Taibai of the west, Chenxing of the north, and Zhenxing of the center; the Five Phases are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth; the five viscera of the human body are the heart, spleen, liver, lungs, and kidneys; and the five colors are red, blue-green, white, black, and yellow.

Among the five colors there are also intermediate colors, that is, colors formed by combining two colors. The text uses the pairing of the Heavenly Stems (Tiangan) to explain this: when Jia and Ji combine, yellow is added to blue-green and becomes green; when Bing and Xin combine, white is added to red and becomes red; when Ding and Ren combine, red is added to black and becomes purple; when Wu and Gui combine, black is added to yellow and becomes a dark blue-black color. Therefore, Jia belongs to Wood, Yi to forest; Bing to Fire, Ding to ash; Wu to Earth, Ji to ochre; Geng to Metal, Xin to ore; Ren to Water, Gui to mud.

The Qi of Wood has the function of sprouting and engendering; the Qi of Fire has the function of growth; the Qi of Metal has the function of withering and killing; the Qi of Water has the function of storing and eliminating. How do we know this? In the three months of spring, plants and trees sprout and break through the earth one after another; from this we know that Wood Qi governs sprouting and engendering. In the three months of summer, plants and trees grow lush and tall; from this we know that Fire Qi governs growth. In the three months of autumn, the myriad things wither and fade; from this we know that Metal Qi governs withering and killing. In the three months of winter, insects and ants lie dormant, birds and beasts hide away, and activity diminishes; from this we know that Water Qi governs storing and eliminating.

Since Wood Qi governs sprouting and engendering, why do plants and trees wither and die after they have flowered? This is because Wood is paired with Metal: during the three months of spring, Wood Qi is in command; Jia summons Yi to combine, and when it encounters Metal Qi, there will also be some transformation. During the three months of summer the myriad things grow, and Earth Qi also has its engendering; why does wheat wither after it ripens? Because Xin combines with Bing, and Metal Qi comes along with Xin, so it too carries a withering and killing effect. Why are mulberries first blue-green, then red, and only finally ripe?

Why is the jujube first green and later turns black? Because it is first green and turns black when ripe. The Qi (vital energy) generated by Fire is red; when it reaches maturity it turns black.

Why is the jujube initially white but turns red when ripe? When the jujube first enters the seventh month, it is affected by Metal Qi, so it is white; when ripe it turns red because Xin (Metal) is the wife of Bing (Fire), and Geng (Metal) summons Xin and brings it back, causing it to receive Fire Qi, so it turns red. Metal Qi has an austere, killing effect.

In autumn, in the eighth month, shepherd’s purse and water caltrop grow—why is this? Because Yi (Wood) is the wife of Geng (Metal), and because they obtain Wood Qi, they can grow. Yi Wood is originally green; when it enters white, it becomes pale bluish-white.

Why do the Five Phases (Wuxing) take turns being husband and wife? Because among them there is authority and restraint. When Earth wants to go east, Wood comes to restrain it, so Wu Earth marries Ji Earth and becomes the wife of Jia Wood; when Wood wants to go west, Metal comes to cut it, so Jia Wood marries Yi Wood and becomes the wife of Geng Metal; when Metal wants to go south, Fire comes to annihilate it, so Geng Metal marries Xin Metal and becomes the wife of Bing Fire; when Fire wants to go north, Water comes to extinguish it, so Bing Fire marries Ding Fire and becomes the wife of Ren Water; when Water wants to go south, Earth comes to dry it up, so Ren Water marries Gui Water and becomes the wife of Wu Earth.

Why is it that when the Five Phases restrain and injure one another, some die as a result? Wood can penetrate Earth but does not destroy Earth; Fire can burn Metal but cannot cause Metal to be extinguished. Wood and Fire belong to Yang Qi; their nature is benevolent and harmonious, they favor generating and nurturing and do not delight in killing. Metal felling Wood and Water extinguishing Fire cause them to die; this is because Metal and Water belong to Yin Qi, their nature is greedy and seizing, so all things subjected to their punishment and restraint will die.

The five viscera are each assigned according to the Five Phases: the Heart belongs to Fire, the Liver to Wood, the Lung to Metal, the Kidney to Water, and the Spleen to Earth. This is how the law of the Five Phases is used to explain the five viscera.

The Liver belongs to Wood; why can it move water and sink downward? Because Ji Earth is the wife of Jia Wood, and the Liver has obtained Earth Qi, it can sink. The Lung belongs to Metal; why does it instead float when it obtains water? Because Xin Metal is the wife of Bing Fire, and the Lung obtains Fire Qi, it can float. The Spleen belongs to Earth; after obtaining water it still exactly occupies the center: Gui Water is the wife of Wu Earth; Earth dwells in the middle of the Five Phases, and Gui Water can also assist Earth, so after the Spleen obtains water it will neither float upward nor sink downward, but is exactly in the center. These statements use the pairing of Yin-Yang and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to explain the relations among the Five Phases.

Wood begins to grow from the Hai day, flourishes on the Mao day, and declines and dies by the Wei day. Hai and Mao days are said to carry Yin evil Qi and are not suitable for the hundred officials to handle affairs, nor suitable for undertaking actions. Water begins to grow from the Shen day, flourishes on the Zi day, and declines and dies by the Chen day. Shen and Zi days are said to belong to “Tanlang” (Greedy Wolf), and are unsuitable for choosing a day to act. Chen days are called “treacherous,” Wei days “evil,” Xu days “upright,” and Chou days “public.”

Miscellaneous Divine Names

The courtesy name of the Lord of Heaven is Yangjun; the courtesy name of the Sun is Changsheng; the courtesy name of the Moon is Ziguang; the courtesy name of the Northern Dipper is Changshi; the courtesy name of the Thunder Lord is Wujun; the courtesy name of the Queen Mother of the West is Wenshu; the courtesy name of Tai Sui is Weiming; the courtesy name of the Great General is Yuanzhuang.

If men know these names, they can avoid dying in battle; if women know them, they can avoid dying in childbirth. When encountering danger on water, call the corresponding name; when entering the mountains, call “Mengyu”; when encountering military disorder, call “Jiuguang”; when traveling far, call “Tianming.” Whenever one calls according to this, one can be spared disaster. This is the method for avoiding danger spoken of in the scripture.

The crossbow is named Yuanwang, also called Paiwei, and is the ruler of Zhang Star; the bow is named Quzhang, also called Zizhang, and is the ruler of the Five Planets; the arrow is named Xuchang, also called Xinwang and Panghuang, and is the ruler of Yinghuo Star (Mars); the saber is named Tuoguang, also called Gongxiang and Dafang, and is the ruler of Xu Star; the sword is named Yinyang; the halberd is named Dajiang and is the ruler of Shen Star; the “Xiang” weapon is named Goushang, also called Gouyang; the spear is named Mou, also called Motang; the shield is named Zizhang.

When these weapons encounter war, one need only call their names to avoid injury and to bring blessings; this is highly auspicious. The “courtesy names” or “names” here refer to the designations given by the scripture to spirits, stars, or weapons; according to the scripture, calling these names can avert disaster and avoid misfortune.

The Qi-Ingestion Method of Qie Jian of the Central Peak

“Ingesting Qi (vital energy)” is a Daoist method of nurturing body and mind through regulating the breath and swallowing saliva. The Qi-ingestion method of Qie Jian of the Central Peak prescribes: at dawn swallow Qi forty-nine times; at sunrise thirty-six times; at breakfast twenty-five times; before noon sixteen times; at noon eighty-one times; at the afternoon meal forty-nine times; at sunset thirty-six times; at dusk twenty-five times; late at night when all is quiet sixteen times.

The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: “The clear water of the Jade Pool irrigates the spiritual root.” Here “Jade Pool” refers to the oral cavity, and the so-called “clear water” is the saliva in the mouth. By breathing according to the prescribed method and swallowing saliva, one will not feel hungry. At the start of grain-abstinence, on the third or seventh day one may feel somewhat unwell or dizzy; do not be frightened by this. Persist until the twenty-first day, and the practice is considered accomplished. The practitioner’s physical strength will increase day by day. If one wishes to eat, one may eat; after eating, one should suspend this grain-abstinence practice. One must strictly abstain from sexual union between men and women and must not carelessly dissipate Jing (essence) and Qi.

The Laojun Daojing, “Third Method of Cutting Off Grain and Qi,” says: First close the mouth, then draw in Qi and swallow it, accumulating no fewer than three hundred sixty times; the more the better. If one can swallow it a thousand times in a day, that is even more ideal. Here “cutting off grain” means cutting off grain food and drink.

After cutting back by one meal and practicing for a period of time, one can reach the point of not eating. Thereafter, the breath is often drawn in without being exhaled. Although Qi often keeps one feeling full, if one goes three days without eating, there may still be a faint, dull pain in the abdomen, as if from hunger; sometimes the urine may become red or yellow. At this point one may take nine superior jujubes, or nine pieces of good dried meat the size of jujubes. If one feels inclined to eat, eat one or two each time, at most three; do not exceed nine in a day and night. If one has no desire to eat, there is no need to eat. Ordinarily keep the jujube pits, and use them to continue regulating and nurturing the breath, so that the mouth constantly has saliva and the saliva is made to circulate in the mouth.

Method of Ingesting Qi for the Twelve Months

In the first month, draw in Yang Qi 160 times in the morning and Yin Qi 200 times in the evening; in the second month, draw in Yang Qi 180 times in the morning and Yin Qi 180 times in the evening; in the third month, draw in Yang Qi 200 times in the morning and Yin Qi 160 times in the evening; in the fourth month, draw in Yang Qi 220 times in the morning and Yin Qi 140 times in the evening; in the fifth month, draw in Yang Qi 240 times in the morning and Yin Qi 120 times in the evening; in the sixth month, draw in Yang Qi 220 times in the morning and Yin Qi 140 times in the evening; in the seventh month, draw in Yang Qi 200 times in the morning and Yin Qi 160 times in the evening; in the eighth month, draw in Yang Qi 180 times in the morning and Yin Qi 180 times in the evening; in the ninth month, draw in Yang Qi 160 times in the morning and Yin Qi 200 times in the evening; in the tenth month, draw in Yang Qi 140 times in the morning and Yin Qi 220 times in the evening; in the eleventh month, draw in Yang Qi 120 times in the morning and Yin Qi 240 times in the evening; in the twelfth month, draw in Yang Qi 140 times in the morning and Yin Qi 220 times in the evening.

The “Yang Qi” mentioned here is the Qi inhaled through the nose; “Yin Qi” is the Qi inhaled through the mouth. If throughout the twelve months of the year one can practice without interruption every morning and evening, complete one circuit (zhoutian, the cultivation process in which Qi circulates one full round), and then continue for another circuit, one can enjoy the same longevity as Heaven.

Method of Ingesting Qi through the Three Ones (San Yi)

If one wishes to attain long life, one should understand and cultivate the “Three Ones” (San Yi, the three loci of Jing and Qi within the human body): the upper “One” is in Niwan (the upper part of the head), the middle “One” is in Jianggong (the chest), and the lower “One” is in the Dantian (the abdomen). The root of human life lies in these three places.

From midnight to noon is the time of living Qi; from noon to the first night watch is the time of dead Qi. One should often, during the time of living Qi, force oneself to lie down, close the eyes, firmly clench the fists (wogu, to gather the Qi), close the mouth, hold the breath, and silently count in the mind...

When the practice reaches two hundred breaths, gently exhale a little Qi from the mouth, gradually increasing the number each day until the prescribed count is reached.

At two hundred fifty breaths, focus the intention on Jianggong (Crimson Palace, a Neidan locus at the heart) and Niwan (Mud Pill, a Neidan locus in the head), causing Qi to fill the Dantian. At three hundred breaths, it is said that Huagai (Canopy, a Neidan locus in the chest) becomes bright, the ears and eyes become acute, the body is free of illness, and pathogenic Qi cannot encroach; Siming (the deity governing lifespan) erases one’s name from the death register and transfers it to the Southern Pole, making one a long-lived being.

The method of Binqi (breath retention) is: inhale softly through the nose; after inhaling to a set count, gently exhale a little through the mouth; immediately after exhaling, softly inhale through the nose and swallow. Repeat this three times, after which one may exhale for a longer period. With prolonged practice, when the retention count reaches one thousand five hundred, it is said that Qi enters only through the nose and circulates through the limbs, no longer coming out through the mouth; if one wishes to let the Qi pass, one may also exhale through the mouth. Continuing in this way, one can attain the immortal Dao. When hungry, ingest Qi; stop when you feel full. With long-term perseverance, one can cut off grain and food.

Method of Ingesting the Three Qi

The Huayang Zhudong Ji records: Fan Youchong of Liaoxi received the Way of Taiguang Yixing (a practice concerning transformations of spirit-soul and bodily form), is still alive today, and constantly ingests the Three Qi. The so-called Three Qi are the visualized green, white, and red Qi, as if they come in a straight line from beneath the eastern sun disk to the front and are then inhaled into the mouth; draw them in ninety times, and stop when you feel full. After ten years of such practice, it is said that three-colored luminous Qi naturally arises within the body, and one ultimately becomes an immortal.

This is the Taishu Neijing Method of Gaoshang Yuanjun. It can be practiced every morning, facing the sun; eyesight will gradually improve. This method is concise, and the effects it describes are also said to be verified.

Secret Essential Oral Instructions on Miscellaneous Methods of Ingesting Qi

The mouth is called Tianguan (Heavenly Pass); it is where internal Qi enters and exits and where the divine mechanism is activated. The hands are called Renguan (Human Pass) and govern flourishing and decline. The feet are called Diguan (Earth Pass) and are connected to the gate of life. These statements are found in the Huangting Neijing Jing.

The nose is called Shenlu (Spirit Cottage); it is where external Qi enters and exits, and it should be constantly regulated and nurtured. This statement is found in the Huangting Waijing Jing.

In all methods of ingesting Qi, one usually chooses a time when Yang Qi is gradually increasing, such as from midnight to early morning. Face southeast, sit quietly and upright, click the teeth three times, then rinse the mouth three times and swallow the saliva. Next, rub the palms together until they are hot and wipe the face and eyes; then use the thumbs of both hands to rub up and down the bones of the kidney region seven times. Then perform Woguo (the Daoist hand gesture of tightly clenched fists), agitate the abdominal Qi so that the mouth is filled with Qi, regulate it evenly, close the mouth, and swallow. After completing the abdominal exertion, slowly exhale through the nose. The nose should be regulated beforehand.

The agitation of Qi, swallowing of Qi, and abdominal exertion should coordinate with one another: one agitation of Qi, one swallowing of Qi, and one abdominal exertion count as one set. When agitating and swallowing Qi, the Tianguan in the mouth....

Keep the mouth closed, lest Qi enter the abdomen and cause illness.

When practicing Fuqi (the Daoist cultivation method of breathing and swallowing primordial Qi), one should settle the mind and focus the intent, swallowing Qi slowly. If one swallows too hastily, the Qi in the chest cannot disperse and may become stagnant and painful. Each session, swallow fifty mouthfuls, gradually increasing to one hundred, two hundred, or three hundred. If other circumstances arise, swallow twenty or thirty mouthfuls. One may also practice while walking or standing, adjusting at any time according to one’s own condition. The most important thing is to practice regularly without interruption.

At the beginning of practice, if belching rushes upward, stir the Qi in the mouth and swallow it again; do not let the Qi be exhaled. Sangyuzi said: “Primordial Qi, when harmonious and blended, is not coarse or violent. If belching rises upward, how could it be harmonious primordial Qi?” But when one first begins practice, the Qi pathways are not yet unobstructed, so one must go along with the situation and for the time being treat it as primordial Qi. If the Qi repeatedly surges upward and Qihai (the Dantian region below the navel) still cannot receive it, or if it seems to be turbid Qi entering the five viscera, then do not be reluctant to let it go; it should be expelled.

If one suddenly feels Qi in the lower region, let it pass out; this does not hinder cultivation. Each time one gathers and swallows Qi, do so harmoniously and slowly, and do not let the throat make sounds. Swallowing too hastily may cause the lower Qi mechanism to become blocked, leading to rectal prolapse; be sure to be cautious. After practicing internal Qi for a long time, the Qi will naturally become unobstructed; once it is unobstructed, one may practice at any time. Ingest Qi only when hungry; stop when full.

Each time one gathers and swallows Qi, visualize the Qi entering the five viscera and circulating within the body, then dispersing out through the palms, soles, the Three Passes (sanguan; the Qi pathways described in cultivation) of the neck and nape, the nine orifices (two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, anterior Yin, and posterior Yin), and all the joints. If illness suddenly arises, visualize using Qi to attack and treat the affected area, believing that in this way any illness can be cured.

If one wishes to cultivate by Fuqi and Bigu (grain avoidance, abstaining from the five grains), then when swallowing Qi, one need not be rigid about how much force is used to gather the Qi; simply keep the abdomen full, and do not press or strain the stomach and intestines. When hungry, swallow three or five mouthfuls and regulate the breath according to one’s own sensations. One should not lie supine, otherwise Qi will find it difficult to descend and may injure the chest and heart.

When Qi circulation is in accord, there will be sounds in the abdomen. Foolish people think this sound occurs only because the stomach and intestines are empty, and believe that such sounds harm the body; this is not so. The scriptures explain such sounds as the surging of the Qi mechanism and the tempering of Yin Qi, traveling through all the passes and orifices and moistening the whole body, and they call this a profound cultivation essential.

There are many methods of Fuqi; without the method of gathering Qi and applying force, it cannot be considered truly subtle. Some people do not yet understand swallowing Qi, and their Qi has not yet become unobstructed, yet they emptily guard the mind and forget the body; even if they persist every day, they will achieve nothing and often only become exhausted. The root of the Gunu method (the practice of stirring the breath and swallowing Qi with effort) is to ingest natural primordial Qi and make it circulate through the viscera and bowels. The scriptures hold that if Qi remains long within, a person will not die.

Why should one use deliberate thought to attract external Qi from outside? Once a person’s Qi is exhausted, the Shen (spirit) also perishes; when the Shen departs, the body dies. Therefore you should know that guarding original Qi and preventing it from scattering enables the formation of embryonic breathing (taixi). These are secretly transmitted essentials; those who hope to obtain them should not doubt.

When practicing Xingqi (circulating Qi), choose a time of leisure, move the throat and swallow ten or twenty times, let the abdomen become full of Qi, and then visualize the Qi circulating to the four limbs. When matters arise, each time you swallow once, immediately guide the Qi to circulate once; the hands and feet should have something to rest against. Once the Qi flows smoothly, you must make the mind empty and still and forget the body. In this way, the accumulated, steaming Qi will disperse from the four limbs, while the refined pure Qi will gather back to the Qihai (sea of Qi). Over time, embryonic breathing will naturally form and stabilize the joints throughout the body. If you feel the Qi responding like thunder, you should drum the abdomen so that the Qi becomes harmonious and smooth.

When practicing Fuqi (nourishing Qi through breath) and Daoyin (guiding Qi through bodily movement), first stretch the hands and feet, then move the throat and swallow; next turn the body left and right, concentrate the visualization on Qi entering the bone joints, and make the movement of Qi coordinate with the movements of the body, continuing without interruption. This is called “Xingqi Daoyin.” One may also roll, turn, bend, and stretch the body while visualizing Qi dispersing from the joints of the hands and feet. The ancient scripture says: “Xingqi Daoyin is not the great Dao; without oral transmission, few understand it.”

When practicing Xingqi Daoyin, if you ingest Qi when hungry, you should wait until the abdomen is full of Qi before practicing; if you practice immediately after a meal—Sangyuzi says that the word “meal” here is an error for “drink,” and cultivators ordinarily do not overeat, let alone when practicing Xingqi—you should also be cautious. If you wish to practice both Fuqi and Daoyin, you should wait for leisure to practice; it is not something that can be done at any ordinary time.

When practicing Fuqi Daoyin, you should stay in a quiet and secluded room, and it is not suitable to dwell in high places or places exposed to the wind. If you encounter violent wind and sudden rain, or if the body has been wet by rain, chilled or heated, or if you have just arrived from far away, you should first rest and wait until the body is dry and the Qi is calm before practicing. If you wish the four limbs to remain lean and healthy, you should regularly do Daoyin; this can also make the skin full and moist. If you can practice Daoyin and Fuqi on schedule, the Shen and Qi will remain clear, the appearance will not easily age, and you will not suddenly become fat with weak muscles; over the long term you will be free of various illnesses.

Some people in the world think that Fuqi and embryonic breathing are two different things; this is a great misunderstanding. Embryonic breathing is formed by the congealing of Qi, and Qi in turn moves within embryonic breathing; with long-term Fuqi, the clear Qi congeals into the embryo and the turbid Qi disperses. Once embryonic breathing is formed, one can enter water and tread fire. Some people follow ancient prescriptions, while others learn from people who do not understand the proper Dao, and they value the length of time of breathing as a secret. Is this not absurd? They completely fail to understand that the Qi of the five viscera is not constant; if one merely ingests Qi in a one-sided way and causes the Qi to temporarily block the gates of the zang-fu organs, how can…

You should know that a fetus breathing in its mother’s womb does so naturally. If one merely exhausts the body to no purpose, there will ultimately be no benefit.

Some people, when practicing fuqi (ingesting qi), always close the mouth, pinch the nose, and forcibly endure, seeking only to lengthen the breath. They do not realize that this instead harms the body. Someone asks: both the qi outside the body and the qi inside the body pass through the five viscera, so how can one say that the expiration and inspiration of inner qi and external qi are different?

Sangyuzi explains: the view that both kinds of qi come forth from the five viscera is a great mistake. External qi is the qi expelled in panting, that is, the qi of the fu-organs; it merely enters and moves through the Rongwei (the qi that circulates within the body and guards it), and is not generated from within the body. How can it be said to come from the five viscera?

The reply is: when ingesting inner qi—expelling and drawing in, and employing the qi within the body—one drums the abdomen, and the Qihai (the sea of qi in the stomach) opens to receive true qi (zhenqi). After true qi has been taken in, one seals and secures it. Once the qi has been received, the stomach qi naturally closes, and afterward one slowly exhales external qi. In this way the breathing will naturally be different. If one forcibly holds the mouth and nose, the qi cannot flow freely; when the qi does not flow, it stagnates and injures the five viscera. This is seeking benefit but instead suffering harm. Moreover, when the body is strong it is still easy to hold the breath, but when one is ill and weak it is difficult to control. Is this not a great error? Ingesting inner qi requires little exertion but yields much benefit; one should practice it diligently.

Someone asks: why do superior practitioners first perform daoyin (stretching and moving the limbs to regulate the body) and then circulate qi in and out, while inferior practitioners first circulate qi in and out and only afterward perform daoyin?

The reply is: “superior” and “inferior” here refer to the depth of practice and the order of sequence; they do not divide people into wise and foolish grades. Those with deeper practice first perform daoyin, and the turbid qi disperses with the movements; those with shallower practice, if they first perform daoyin, may worry that turbid qi will enter the limbs and joints and fail to disperse. Sangyuzi adds that “upper” and “lower” here mean roughly earlier and later stages; practicing qi methods and daoyin yields different effects. How could Daoist methods be cultivated by the ignorant? It is simply that some people, though talented and virtuous, may still not be able to accomplish it.

The Celestial Master (Tianshi) says: the so-called inner qi is a method of expiration. Only after one has success in cultivation may one practice the six-qi expiration method. The six qi are chui, hu, xi, xǔ, xū, and yàn; all are exhaled qi. Sangyuzi says that some editions write “he” for “xǔ”; the use of the six qi differs from the five qi recorded in other editions.

When the weather is cold, use chui to dispel cold; when the weather is warm, use hu to dispel heat; use xi to dispel wind; use xǔ to eliminate vexation, and it may also be used to descend qi; use xū to disperse stagnant qi; use xì to relieve heat. Ordinary people mostly use hu and xì; when Daoists circulate qi, it is not appropriate to use xū and xì, and they also avoid drawing the breath out too long. If one can skillfully employ the six qi, one can reach the realm of the Tianxian (heavenly immortal).

Sang Yuzi said that ordinary people harbor joy, anger, preferences, and desires in the heart, and various impure qi then seize the opportunity to arise. When breath never ceases, the flavors of pungent, salty, sweet, and sour external things always linger in the mouth; if one merely forces oneself to cut off breathing and holds the breath for long periods, the foul turbid qi within has no chance to be fully dispersed. Those who have attained the Dao are free of anxious thought and worry, do not covet glory and splendor, and have no desires; they nourish the body’s own vast and upright qi—why would they need to practice breath ingestion and swallowing qi on purpose? In their view, deliberate breath work is like lifting oneself by the ears.

Each time one finishes ingesting qi (cultivating the body through breath and respiration), one visualizes the southern Flaming Star (Mars, as the ancients called it) transforming into a mass of red qi, the size of a pearl, entering from Tianquan (an internal pass in the body associated with the movement of qi) and flowing into the viscera and bowels; at the same time one visualizes the entire body turning into qi. Doing this once each day is said to use yang qi to refine yin qi and remove the harm of the Three Corpses (impure spirits in Daoist belief that lodge in the human body, cause illness, and obstruct cultivation).

The ancient Juanzi left a verse teaching people to visualize fire qi refining the body until the body becomes charcoal. On this, practitioners should weigh the matter carefully: fire qi is not necessarily yang essence generated naturally, and it may injure the spirit—therefore one should not lightly follow it. The truly subtle methods of cultivation are secretly transmitted by perfected ones; one must devote the mind to practice and not doubt.

Sang Yuzi also said: “Weigh carefully” is Lord Yanling’s meaning. In the midst of visualization, how could one spare effort to distinguish whether fire qi is natural or not? If one follows that line of reasoning, then do things conjured in visualization count as natural? Moreover, refining elixir in the human world also uses fire; fire and the Flaming Star are both things in heaven and earth—what is there to accept or reject?

During daoyin (guiding and pulling exercises) and qi ingestion, one’s belt should often be loosened; if it is bound too tight, qi will be obstructed. Sang Yuzi explained that the “impairment of qi” spoken of here means restricting and blocking qi, not truly damaging it. In summer and winter, daily life and diet should both be moderate; avoid sour, salty, and greasy foods, which are thought to injure the five viscera—when the five viscera are harmed, the spirit cannot easily settle. Pork, dog meat, and raw fruit especially should be avoided.

Lord Yanling’s Method of Refining Qi

After each session of qi ingestion, when one has leisure, find a quiet room where no one else is present, loosen the hair and remove clothing, cover oneself with a quilt, lie straight on the back, extend the legs and arms, and do not clench the fists. Spread a clean mat and let its edge hang to the floor; comb the hair neatly and let it fall loose on the mat. Then regulate the breath until the qi is steady, swallow qi, and hold the breath until one feels suffocated. At that point gather the mind and raise no stray thoughts; let the qi circulate as it will. When suffocation is felt, open the mouth to release the breath, let fresh qi enter, and fix attention on the breathing.

If time is pressing, first regulate the breath seven or eight times; when the breath feels smooth, stop, and then practice in this way again. When you have leisure, you may practice ten times. This is only the method for beginners, lest the breath not yet be free and stagnate beneath the skin, thereby causing illness instead. If you have more leisure, you may continue and add five or six more times, practicing up to twenty, thirty, or even forty or fifty times; there is no fixed limit.

How many times you should practice depends on how far the work of ingesting Qi (fuqi—cultivating the breath by regulating the breath and swallowing Qi) has gradually progressed: if the joints are open and free and the pores are relaxed, then by twenty or thirty times you will feel the whole body moistened, or you may sweat. When this occurs, it is a sign that the effects have appeared. The first time you practice until the breath is smooth and the body moistened, you should stop; afterward, if sweating gradually occurs, that too is good. In the morning, lie down with a calm and settled mind, and do not get up too early and expose yourself to the wind. As after a patient has sweated, rest for a while, then dress, walk slowly, speak little, cherish your strength, reduce miscellaneous affairs, and let your thoughts become quiet. In this way you will feel the body light and the eyes bright, Qi and blood circulating throughout the body, and the four limbs relaxed and comfortable. Therefore the Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) says: "A thousand calamities have dissolved, a hundred illnesses are cured; you need not fear the ferocity of tigers and wolves, and you can avoid aging and prolong life."

Those who cultivate the breath may arrange their own time every night and at midday; when the spirit is clear and refreshed, they should follow the sequence described above, sit upright, cultivate, and swallow Qi, practicing diligently and without slackness. But if you suddenly feel drowsy and weary, you should sleep. If, when drowsy and wanting to sleep, you force yourself to practice, you will instead let errant and disordered influences disturb the heart-spirit (Shen); once the heart-spirit is disturbed, the breath will also become chaotic, and you will deviate from the right path. When you first begin to practice and proper Qi has not yet formed, you may still feel drowsy; after some time, you will no longer feel drowsy.

Sangyuzi said: "The text says to practice diligently and not be slack, and also says to follow what is convenient and not to force; the subtlety of breath regulation lies precisely here. From this we know that diligent practice is not the same as forcing: if the time is not yet suitable, it is better to accord with nature, withdraw the mind and rest quietly, go out and move about less, and comply with natural operation; the breath will then move of itself."

Cultivating the breath need not be done every day; practicing five days out of ten is also acceptable. If in leisure you feel the breath is not smooth and the limbs are restless and oppressed, you may practice a little. When ordinarily you feel there is no effect, you need not practice frequently.

Sangyuzi also said: "When Yin-Yang accord with the seasons, no calamities or anomalies are invited. Here it says that when one ordinarily feels no effect, one need not practice; by this account, even if one does practice, what harm is there? It is only that if practice does not stop and rest, what originally had no effect may gradually invite fault. Why say this? For example, Yandi (the Flame Emperor) was diligent in farming, and..." The original text breaks off here.

(Combining practice methods, or doubling one’s practice, will ultimately and inevitably cause severe drought instead. The same is true of massage.)