《雲笈七籤》Vol. 65

“Xuanxu” (the Mysterious Void) is merely a temporary designation used to name the Dao (the Way); because we do not know what it is originally called, we reluctantly call it “Dao.” “Jue” (awakening) carries the sense of waking up: after a night’s sleep, one awakens in the morning; after passing through a great dream, there is also a moment of true awakening. While within a dream, it is very hard to explain clearly what the ultimate reaches of dreaming are like.

Clinging to life is called “Ruo Sang” (the weak and bereaved); joyfully facing death is called “Le Wu” (delighting in nothingness). If one neither has anything to delight in nor anything to enjoy, one easily feels something lacking; if one has attachments, one falls into confusion. To speak only of “delighting in nothingness” is still not true penetration. The truly penetrating person can let go of both sides and return to the mysterious realm. Since it is said that both sides must be forgotten, even the forgetting of both sides must itself be forgotten: the mind no longer fixates on being and nonbeing, and Shen (spirit) and Qi (vital energy) gather within the profound and mysterious. This is the realm that those who exhaust principle and discern nature can attain.

The Dao alone turns creation and transformation, standing above the lords that govern the movement of the myriad things, yet it does not reveal traces, nor does it act with urgency. Silent and soundless, it can still respond to the felt requests of the myriad things. Its traces are scattered throughout the transformations of the hidden and the manifest; therefore it cannot be encompassed by one concrete image, nor exhausted by one name.

The titles of the ancient emperors were in any case not all the same; what, then, is doubtful about Yao and Confucius in relation to the Dao? It is simply that teaching has inner and outer distinctions, and so the principles too have deep and shallow differences. If one looks at outward bodily form, some legendary figures had scaly bodies, four breasts, double pupils, or colored eyebrows. The Jinyun clan spoke as soon as born; when holding court, they could summon the hundred spirits; when possessing a realm and going out on campaign, they rode cloud Qi and drove tigers and leopards; when weary of the human world and ascending far into heaven, they drove flying dragons and journeyed through the six directions (above, below, and the four quarters). Looking back at the human affairs of contention, yielding, advancing and withdrawing—so bustling and disordered—are they not like infants playing in a courtyard?

There are others who live on Mount Kongtong, free of worry and free of thought, riding the wind; one converses with them about the way of nurturing spirit. Compared with talk of governing the world and discussing order and chaos, these words are more refined and subtle. Although the two may be said to be dimly connected, they only reach the doors and windows and have not yet entered the depths of the inner chamber.

As for the purport of wondrous transformation, the profound and mysterious discourses, and the principles that seem contrary to common sense yet arrive at ultimate truth, and that seem impossible yet contain a great truth—these were long ago recorded completely in the cardinal teachings of the Mysterious Gate (Xuanmen), and cannot be fully explained in a few words. Laozi also once expounded the way of Xuanxu and recorded the meaning and principles of the Dao. His divine virtue, the causes of his responses and arising, as well as the content of his founding scriptures, establishing teachings, recording extraordinary sights and reports, and penetrating and analyzing the Daoist and the worldly…

First one must understand the Three Ultimates (Sanji; here referring to the mutually opposed principles of positive and negative, favorable and adverse), and then use the principle of Jianwang (dual forgetting) to wash away discrimination and attachment. When a person’s ears, eyes, and sensory faculties run counter to the way of nourishing life, this is adverse; when they accord with the way of nourishing life, this is favorable. Following one side will lead to being constrained by it; clinging to the adverse will also leave one trapped by the adverse. From this one can understand the principles of life and death and grasp their respective limits.

What is called “Jianwang” means forgetting even the things one has forgotten. The frog in the well does not envy the fish in the sea, and the beasts in the forest do not wish to become oxen or horses; each receives its own life and has different natural endowments and inherent dispositions, and they are separated from one another by boundaries.

After fully explaining the cultivation of a person of De (Virtue/Power), one then governs it by “Wudai” (non-dependence, not relying on external things). This refers to Laozi’s methods of circulating Qi and Daoyin (guided stretching), expelling the stale and taking in the fresh: when inhaling clear, fresh breath, one must return to emptiness, stillness, and the subtle and hidden; when exhaling old Qi and drawing in fluids, one makes the breath pass through without obstruction. The coming and going of breath is deep, mysterious, and uninterrupted, and at the same time one keeps the Shen and Qi within the body from scattering.

Though it is skillfully used in the way of outgoing and incoming, sentient beings do not see its beginning; the common people use it every day but often do not know where it comes from. Therefore its wondrous function appears within clarity and brightness and becomes a bridge that nourishes the myriad things.

The “utilization” spoken of here refers to Shen and Qi. Shen and Qi sustain the body’s operation every day, yet sentient beings do not know where Shen and Qi come from; Shen and Qi act on the four limbs day after day, and worldly people also do not understand that a person must rely on Shen and Qi to live. A person cannot for a moment be without Qi, nor can movement, posture, bowing, or looking up lose Shen. Without Qi, the five viscera will decay; losing Shen, a person will become confused, fall down, and even die. The mortal body can live if it has Qi; the bones can remain intact if they have Qi. Qi and Shen move together, and Shen and Qi are each other’s root, together making a person strong. When Shen departs, Qi also scatters; when Qi disperses, the person dies.

The common people all know to fear death and love life, but they do not know that the key to maintaining life lies in Shen and Qi. Therefore many people repeatedly disturb their heart-mind and Shen, depleting their Qi; they also often indulge desires and passions, consuming Jing and Shen and diminishing their lifespan. If they do not cherish clarity and stillness and guard their original truth, in the end they will inevitably suffer weakness and impairment, and cannot hope for long life.

Clarity and brightness are like the radiance of the sun and moon. Although people see the sun and moon moving on enduringly, they do not necessarily understand that hidden within the myriad things are the causes that invite disaster. Although the myriad things are minute, within them there are also gains and losses, faults and errors; if these factors appear after the event, then before the event occurred there must already have been signs and junctures leading to disaster. Those who understand these principles cannot fail to notice them.

Cherishing Jing (essence) and Qi, guarding original Qi in order to seek long life and extended years; with a peaceful mind cherishing all things and letting them grow and flourish—this is the root of blessings.

In it, the Dao Jing discusses the great Dao (the Way), and the De Jing clarifies De (Virtue/Power). Tracing back to the source and clarifying the original purport, it investigates the most profound and mysterious principle, gathering the many tributaries back into the true root and drawing the myriad orderings into a single essential purport. The great Dao stretches far and endures long without ever being cut off; it is bright and manifest yet does not show off. It can both penetrate thoroughly the highest and most profound principles and broadly apply them in worldly edification.

The words of this scripture are profound yet not dry, ancient and enduring yet worthy of repeated savoring, and its content is vast and lofty. Practitioners quietly contemplate the peace and joy brought by the “Three Ones” (San Yi—the Shen at the brain, heart, and navel) and discern and guard the positions of “Six and Nine”: “Six” refers to using six kinds of breath for exhalation and inhalation; “Nine” refers to the categories of nine elixir methods.

By retaining the breath and slowly regulating the breath, one seeks a lifespan as enduring as the sun, moon, and stars; by the method of fetal nourishment one cultivates five inner substances, seeking to reach the realm of the numinous Perfected Person. Here “fetal nourishment” means using cultivation methods to nurture body and mind; the “five substances” are not specifically explained in the original text.

The “Three Ones” mentioned in the scripture are the Niwan Lord in the brain, the Jianggong Lord in the heart, and the Dantian Lord in the navel. When one visualizes these three places, the body appears bright and flourishing; when one ignores them, body and mind become dark and still. Those who delight in nourishing life visualize the three Shen and take joy in this; those who make light of themselves abandon cultivation and still consider themselves satisfied.

The Scripture of Immortals says: If one wishes for long life, one must make the “Three Ones” bright. The method here is that from midnight to noon belongs to “living Qi,” and from noon to midnight belongs to “dead Qi.” One should, during the time of living Qi, lie on one’s back, close the eyes, and hold firmly (gripping the hands tightly to gather the body’s Shen), retain the breath, and keep the Qi within the heart, counting to two hundred before exhaling through the mouth. Gradually increase the count each day. Through such practice, it is believed that the body’s Shen can be made complete and the five viscera stabilized; when breath retention reaches two hundred fifty, the Shen of Jianggong guards Niwan and the Dantian becomes full; when it reaches three hundred, it is said that the Huagai (Canopy) becomes bright, the ears and eyes become keen, the whole body is free of illness, pathogenic Qi no longer intrudes, and long life can be obtained.

The so-called “Six” are the six kinds of inhaled and exhaled Qi; the so-called “Nine” are the categories of the Nine Elixirs, which are said to have been fully recorded by Lady Wang of Taizhen. Laozi says that by practicing continuously from morning to night without pause, one can attain long life. In all methods of circulating Qi, what is called “one inner Qi” refers to inhalation; what is called “six exhaled Qi” refers to the six exhalation methods: chui, he, xi, pao, xu, and yan.

Human breathing is simply one exhalation and one inhalation. If you want the breath to become long and continuous, you should lengthen the breath.

The method of regulating the breath (tiaoxi) is this: in cold weather use the chui (blowing) breath, and in warm weather use the hu (exhaling) breath. The chui breath drives out cold, while the hu breath disperses heat. The xi breath can treat illness and dispel wind; the he breath can eliminate vexation and make Qi descend; the xu breath can disperse stagnation and congestion; the yan breath can relieve extreme fatigue. Both xu and yan are methods of lengthening the breath.

If one can harmonize the six breaths and let each settle in its proper place, one can reach the realm of the heavenly immortal (tianxian). The phrase “what is nourished is naturally spirit and Qi” is followed in the original text by “biao yi, the positions of the Nine Elixirs,” which it calls a “mirror”; the term “mirror-mark” (jingbiao) appears in the alchemical classics. Preserving and nurturing the breath allows one to prolong life without decline. Holding the breath and lengthening the breath, in the hope that one’s lifespan may equal the sun, moon, and stars—these all refer to methods of circulating Qi (xingqi).

Before circulating Qi, first make the body stable, remove anger and worry, and bring the Qi into peace; do not forcibly control it with the intention. If you feel discomfort, pause for a while and practice again after the body has become harmonious. Persist regularly and do not become slack. When Qi is sufficient, the body is stable; when the body is stable, the breath is harmonious; when the breath is harmonious, the Qi becomes clear; when clear Qi arrives, one naturally feels the breath grow long. When the body is hot, you may use the xu breath. When the mouth is closed, the mouth naturally feels sweet, and saliva increases. The five viscera are thus nourished for a long time, and one’s lifespan may become equal to heaven, earth, the sun, and the moon.

The saying “nourish the five substances in the embryo and seek the realm of spiritual truth” refers to fetal feeding (taishi) and guiding-nourishing (daoyang). The method of fetal feeding is this: at dawn rinse the mouth with saliva and then swallow it, until you feel full; this also helps long life. Once full, the five viscera naturally become spiritually healthy and strong; the key to reaching the realm of spiritual truth also lies in this.

The immortal scriptures say: “The clear water of the Jade Pool irrigates the spiritual root; if one can cultivate this, one may long preserve life.” The mouth is called the “Jade Pool,” and the saliva in the mouth is called “clear water”; it is both sweet and fresh. This is what is meant by a diet that follows nature.

The key to nourishing life lies in Qi and the alchemical classics. The language of the alchemical classics is subtle and refined, profound and difficult to understand; I once heard my master explain it, and now I set it down in writing. As for texts such as Kongtong, they have already elucidated the mysterious truth of Dao and De and have been mentioned before; they are not indispensable essentials for practice. Therefore I will not annotate them one by one, to avoid redundant labor. In the future, persons of the Dao will naturally study and practice these matters.

(The scene when cultivation bears fruit:) It is cool as a gentle breeze passing through a forest of fine jade, and bright as morning sunlight shining upon a place spread with treasures.

Its narration is broad and complete, meticulous and comprehensive, with nothing omitted; its opening seems lofty and intricate, while its ending returns to simplicity and subtle profundity. It can mold all things in a mysterious crucible and gather myriad differences under a single principle. It draws analogies with clarity and discrimination without branching into excess; its content is broad yet not disordered. What seems hidden it can make manifest; what seems contradictory it can reconcile. It folds wondrous and gorgeous things into the Great Dao (the Way), removes differences in deep and isolated places, and causes them naturally to return to unity. Such exquisite exposition may truly be called divine and wondrous; it is the utmost in clarifying principle and cannot be praised further.

As for the effects of the Golden Elixir (the immortal elixir spoken of in Daoist cultivation and refinement practices), they are mysterious and profound: it can penetrate the dark and hidden, embody subtle transformations, and transform into a dragon to reveal its numinous power. It can make withered and cut-off things grow again, and enable those who absorb vital Qi to prolong their years. One may ascend to heights like the Heavenly River and travel through the void, roaming freely among cloud peaks. It can even make the face radiate a jade-like luster, cause wondrous hair to grow on the body, and let one spit water and fire from the mouth; one can fly without wings and divide the body into countless transformations at will. It can block rivers and streams as easily as covering a bamboo basket, and split mountain ridges without using axe or chisel. With a shout, clouds and rain obscure the sun and sky; with a wave and a point, forests can be moved. Its spiritual powers are hard to record, and its wondrous workings are hard to fathom. The numinous essential formulas are so vast that they truly cannot be exhausted one by one.

I, Ling, was born later and failed to understand this Dao, nor did I have the opportunity to take part in profound transmissions; thus I drifted and lost my way through a thousand years. Later the divine master took me by the hand and drew me forward, saving me from danger. I emerged from hardship and ignorance and looked up toward the mysterious path; this path is level and unobstructed, yet it is not something that opens merely because one wishes it to open. It is not that the path cannot open, but that I lacked the capacity to open it. The disciples secretly investigated the root of the mystery, extracted it, and grasped its essentials. The disciples Zhao Sheng and Wang Chang then examined themselves, touched their hearts and sighed, their shame and regret mingled. The divine scrutiny is boundless. Later I met Xuanlang, a man deeply versed in profound principles; his mind was clear and outstanding, and what he had investigated nearly reached the profound meaning of the highest sages. Having heard its principles, I explained them alongside; and based on my limited view through a tube, I recorded what I saw, set forth the main tenets, and then weighed and arranged them.

The Jinye Danhua (Golden Liquid Elixir Flower) is a heaven-transmitted classic, and the way of the immortals in Taiqing (the pure and empty realm in Daoism) is indeed clearly set forth. One should first establish a sincere and earnest heart; only then can one cultivate. By studying continuously and never slackening to the end, one will surely attain long life. When the Six-One (Liuyi, a term in alchemy) is harmonized and combined, each requiring the other, the Golden Elixir can be refined. The elixir’s golden radiance is bright; when it enters the Huachi (Flower Pool, in cultivation the Dantian within the body or the place to which the elixir returns), it is called “Golden Liquid.” After ingestion, one can grow feathered garments and become an immortal. It can undergo a thousand transformations and ten thousand changes, and there is nothing for which it is unsuitable.

Yunhua (Cloud Flower) and Longgao (Dragon Paste) possess eight powers and can ward off and repel all kinds of spirits and demons. When the fluid enters Zhuer (a cultivation term whose precise referent is difficult to verify), one can soar into the sky and ascend. All who practice this Dao, if they can follow the words of the spirits, should cultivate accordingly. The Nine Elders and the Nine Qi (deities or qi-numbers associated with longevity and primordial Qi in Daoism) will support one another. The thousand-year bird and the people in the water need no longer rely on them to seek long life; Taishang Jingdian (the Supreme Lord’s luminous lightning) will surely descend.

Mysterious Qi circulates around me, ready for my use; layer upon layer of silk bands wrap and entangle one another, giving you form.

Even if gold and jade are hard and solid, do not therefore make light of it; if you force and rush it, going against the proper time, nature and life will in the end be harmed. Do not treat these admonitions transmitted by the spirits as a joke.

After you obtain the scripture, carry it on your person and do not carelessly discard it. Riding the clouds in flight, the realm is vast and indistinct, often as if in a dream. Yin and Yang unite, and yellow Qi nourishes the Three Palaces; the Zhenren (Perfected) in the Niwan (the upper Dantian in the head) is full and replete; the Red Child in the Jiangfu (the region of the heart) rides a black dragon. The lord in the Dantian is always kept abundant; when the three spirits are harmonious, the body can remain long at peace. Do not let the frost-flower Qi rise upward and penetrate through; then within the cauldron there will be a dense nine-colored luminous Qi.

The essence of the Mysterious and the Yellow flows and hides in the deep forest; when Yin and Yang are harmonized, one may ascend in flight or remain hidden. Ascending, one may reach the Nine Heavens; sinking, one may enter the bottomless depths. The elixir flower rises lightly and can ultimately be refined into gold. Mercury, lead, and tin are called the Chu Emperor; the Maiden by the River (a personification of mercury) drives a divine dragon. The essence of flowing pearls can prolong life. The divine water of the Huagai (Canopy) gathers in countless amounts; cloud liquid surges and congeals into snow and frost. When taking and using it, one should bow to the east and visualize the True King’s tomb.

Call the mountain “Yang”; the elixir child contains and stores the essence of the noon hour; the bright Banlian takes in moon Qi. The solar official shines brightly, making even the long night bright. This method is in covenant with Heaven and Earth; if practiced in proper sequence, one can be long stable. I transmit this method to you; may you be free from disaster and misfortune.

If you cannot support one another, disaster will continue; in the ledger of sins in the Dark Capital (the nether realm), guilt will implicate one another. How grievously wronged are the parents who have died before! If children bring about misfortune, they may even cause their ancestors to be held accountable. Documents used in sacrifices should be properly stored; they must not be discarded in a conspicuous place.

Mysterious Water, Jade Liquid, and the Vermilion Bird (a deity or symbol akin to the Zhuque) appear. If one uses this method all day long, it will instead be difficult to make it complete; one should cultivate it personally in mountain forests and stone chambers. In this way white hair will revert to a child’s complexion; swallowing the Qi of Great Harmony and following nature, one will not know aging.

Strike the Celestial Drum (in Daoist inner cultivation, the sound produced by clicking the teeth, visualization, and other means), making the sound resonate in the chest. The mountain within Heaven is like the head; jade wine flows continuously and may be drunk freely; as long as it is taken properly, it can prolong life. What is called “one dose in a thousand years” refers to the final accomplishment. Elixir texts and jade implements should both be treated with reverence. If the external methods I transmit can still cure illness, how much more can the wondrous scriptures—how could they fail to prolong life?

Disaster enters through the door of leaking secrets, while blessing comes by way of keeping secrecy. Heaven has prohibitions; secrets must not be lightly revealed. The flower essence, hidden and abundant, can transform one into an immortal; a jade disk worth a string of cities will become ever firmer. The way of long life comes from this; it need not be sought by force. If you still do not believe, then carefully ponder the secret essentials of the Nine Abysses, and you will be able to fly into the blue sky.

(This piece is part of The Scripture of the Divine Elixir of Golden Liquid of Great Clarity. The original text belongs to high antiquity and is difficult to interpret; Lord Yin rewrote it and made it manifest in Chinese characters, totaling 506 characters.)

Materials for making “Liuyi Mud”: alum stone, Rong salt, bittern, and Yushi stone.

Take equal amounts of the four materials mentioned earlier and refine them separately by fire for twenty days. Then take the “left-looking oyster” (a type of oyster), together with red halloysite, talc, and others—seven materials in total—and combine them in equal proportions. The amount should be determined by the size of the earthen cauldron (a pottery vessel for refining medicines), and it must be sufficient to coat the cauldron completely. Pound the ingredients together ten thousand times with a pestle, place them in an iron vessel, and heat them over a fierce fire for nine days and nine nights, until the material turns pure red. Pound again ten thousand times, sift finely, then add rich, strong bitter wine (vinegar made in ancient times) and mix it into a mud-like paste. This is called “Liuyi Mud” (Liuyi ni).

Take two red earthen cauldrons, their size and number as needed. Coat the inside and outside of both cauldrons with Liuyi Mud to a thickness of about three fen (an ancient unit of length), and set them in the sun for ten days to dry.

The Method of Refining the Elixir

Take nine jin of mercury and one jin of lead, place them in an earthen cauldron, and refine them over a fierce fire from morning until evening. When the Jing (essence) of both mercury and lead has emerged, it takes a form like gold and is called “Xuanhuang” (Mysterious Yellow); it is also called “Feiqing” or “Feiliu.” Take top-quality hufen (an ancient lead-based white powder), place it in an iron vessel, and heat it until it turns golden. Take an amount of this hufen equal to the Xuanhuang and mix it in; pound it ten thousand times according to the ingredients described earlier, and mix it into a paste. Then coat the inside and outside of the upper and lower cauldrons with this mud to a thickness of about three fen, and dry them in the sun for ten days. Let it dry, but do not let it dry to the point of cracking; if a crack appears, repair it immediately with the mud.

Take ten jin of cinnabar from Yue, five jin of realgar, and five jin of orpiment; mix, pound, and sift finely. The amounts may be increased or decreased as needed, from as little as five jin to as much as one hundred jin. Put the ingredients into the earthen cauldron, seal the joint tightly with Liuyi Mud to a thickness of about three fen, and dry it in the sun for ten days.

Next, pound white tile fragments and sift them finely; add bitter wine, realgar, and one piece of oyster, and pound everything together twenty thousand times until it becomes a paste. Use this paste to seal the cauldron firmly again, to a thickness of about three fen, and dry it in the sun for ten days. After that, examine whether the sealing mud is dry and whether it can be subjected to fire; if there is even a hair-thin crack, the Jing and Qi of the ingredients will escape, scatter, and be lost. If cracks are found, coat and repair them again with Liuyi Mud, and check carefully.

First place the earthen cauldron on an iron stand and make sure it is firmly placed. Then use horse manure to light fires around the cauldron at a distance of five cun from it, and burn continuously for nine days and nine nights. If horse manure is unavailable, rice bran may be used instead. Next, bring the fire close to the cauldron and burn for nine days and nine nights; then burn from beneath the cauldron for nine days and nine nights; finally, let the fire surround the cauldron at its midsection and burn for nine days and nine nights. Thus, after thirty-six days in total, the elixir is completed. After it has cooled for one day, open it and examine: the cinnabar should have flown up and adhered to the upper cauldron, like racing moons and falling stars, like brocade clouds, displaying nine colors; and also like congealed frost, shining with radiance.

Some characters and phrases in the original appear to be corrupt, especially “left flavor” (zuo wei) and similar passages, whose exact referents are difficult to determine; the above is a literal translation based on the extant text.

The sword radiance, like accumulated snow, gleamed with emerald light; its mysterious brilliance spread in all directions, rays interweaving in profusion. Its aura resembled purple radiance shining against the sun, and its color was like the blue sky reflecting cloud shadows. Among layered light and shadow like storied towers, colors were abundant, winding and continuous. Then take the red feathers of a three-year-old rooster and sweep it up; this is called the “Flower of Golden Liquid.” If refining does not succeed, burn it again according to the previous method. After another thirty-six days, totaling seventy-two days, in principle there should be no failure. The key is to keep the fire regimen continuous and unobstructed, adjusting it at the proper times, and not letting it suddenly turn cold or hot; with an even fire, it can be refined in thirty-six days and need not be burned again. If the cauldron cracks, the elixir loses its divine efficacy, and taking it is useless. When repairing it, it is best to leave about one-third of the mud layer slightly exposed. Firepower should also be strengthened or reduced according to circumstances.

In the early morning, bathe, fumigate the clothes with incense, bow twice facing east, visualize the Heavenly Perfected and the various spirit officials, and then kneel upright to take the elixir. First take one grain the size of a millet seed, then gradually increase it to the size of a small bean. Those of superior capacity can ascend as immortals in seven days; those of inferior capacity ascend in seventy days; dull-natured people who do not understand the principle need a year to become immortal. If one’s intention is utterly sincere and both fasting and refining are carried to the utmost, then taking three daogui in the morning will allow one to fly up and become an immortal in seven days. It is only that Daoist priests are fearful, or worry that their own cultivation is impure, and so do not dare to take three daogui directly. When testing the elixir, first see whether it truly has a strong effect: those taking three daogui for the first time all temporarily die and revive only after about half a day, as if waking from sleep. After reviving, they need only continue taking the millet-sized dose as described above, and the time required for immortality can be judged according to a person’s worthy or dull capacity. For someone already dead, if no more than three days have passed since death, place a small-bean-sized divine elixir in the mouth and let it dissolve, and the person will revive immediately.

First take one zhu of divine elixir and put it into one jin of mercury; refine them together over fire, and gold can be made. This gold cannot yet be used and must be refined once more. After refining, form the gold into a tube, put the elixir inside, and wrap it in an embroidered pouch. First prepare bitter wine (vinegar) so that it is clean and strong; if it is not strong enough, it cannot be used. After preparation, let it clarify, take one hu, place it in a cool place, and seal the vessel with mud. Seal it tightly on all sides, leaving only a vent of about half an inch. Weigh out nine liang of gold on an ancient scale, put it into the bitter wine, and after a full hundred days remove it and use it to mix the “Six-One Mud” (Liuyi mud). This preparation is called “Golden Liquid.” After the gold has soaked in vinegar for twenty-one days, it becomes soft like dough and can be bent and stretched at will; its essence all enters the vinegar and transforms into divine Qi. After a hundred days, when the gold is to be removed, first take three liang of cold stone, pound it into powder, and then strain out three dou of cold water…

Slowly take out the golden liquid and let it stand overnight; the gold will then return to its original state. Do not stir the gold with your hand just after taking it from the vessel, or the gold will soften, crack, and be damaged. If no gold is available, it may also be borrowed.

If the earthen cauldron (a ceramic alchemical vessel) is relatively large, the amount of vinegar need not be limited to one hu; one may also reduce the amount of gold proportionally according to the amount of vinegar. First pound cinnabar, realgar, and orpiment, then sift them through fine silk, mix them evenly, and place them in a sealed vessel. The upper opening of the vessel should also be made in the shape of a flame.

Next take twenty jin of mica powder, pound it fine and sift it, and spread it on the ground in an open spot where the sky above is visible; spread ten jin of insect-pierced mulberry leaves over the mica powder. At the you hour (5–7 p.m.), sprinkle three dou of clear water on the mulberry leaves. After doing this, as darkness falls, place the vessel containing the cinnabar on the mulberry leaves, open the vessel’s lid, and let the cinnabar receive the night dew; before sunrise, cover the cinnabar again, move it back indoors, and cover the mulberry leaves on the ground with a mat.

Do this for seven days, beginning the fast on the Jiazi day and ending at dawn on the Xinwei day. By then, the Yellow Dragon Mica Liquid should have completely entered the cinnabar. If there is rainwater under the eaves, also let the cinnabar receive the dew. During this time, guard it carefully and prevent contact with insects, animals, and other impurities; also turn the cinnabar frequently so that it sees the light of day again. When this is finished, pound and refine it another ten thousand pestle-strokes, then seal and lock it securely. At the shen hour (3–5 p.m.), put it together into the tube of the earthen cauldron, set it level and straight, and do not press it with the hand; if pressed too tightly, the ingredients will be difficult to sublimate.

Method of Sacrifice and Reception (Jishou fa)

For the sacrifice-and-reception ritual, use one dou and eight sheng of fine clear wine, one jin of thousand-year chen (that is, agarwood), and a “three-headed chicken” (as the text says, meaning three chicken heads). These offerings must all be prepared according to the method. When taking the rice, it must be washed clean; the rice may be steamed or boiled, as one wishes. Arrange three plates, with three cups on each plate; place the remaining offerings on another plate. Burn three sticks of incense to the left and right of the seat, set up a single seat, and face northwest.

The officiant must observe a fast and purification for seven days, or at least three days. The sacrifice is held at the zi hour (midnight), with clean and neat attire. First bow three times, then reverently invoke: the Nine Heavens August King, the True Sovereigns of the Three Heavens, the Lord of the Immortal Capital of the Nine Elders, the Elder of the Nine Qi, the Supreme Perfected One, the Elder of Emptiness, the True Officials, the Jade Woman of the Great Elixir, the Lord of Heavenly Unity, Lady Wang Zhonghuang, and the True Spirits of the Nine Sovereigns—may they descend into the chamber of So-and-so of such-and-such township in such-and-such commandery. Then bow three more times, knock the head three times, and strike the body with the hands three times, saying:

“Today is an auspicious time. I concentrate my mind and fast, reverently welcoming the Supreme Lords and Elders; I pray that you all pause here for a while.”

After the ornate carriage had temporarily halted, incense was offered once again. After a short while, three more bows were performed. After a long while, he knelt and prayed:

“I am one of mortal flesh and bones, and my descendants have long been mired in ignorant worldly ways; the sins and calamities I have accumulated are deep and heavy, and my faults pile up like a mountain. I only pray that Taishang (the Supreme High Lord) release me from the Three Corpses (San Shi)—the spirits believed to dwell in the human body, record one’s faults, and report them above—and remove all manner of calamity. Now I entrust myself to Taishang Daojun (the Supreme Lord of the Dao), to be forever a subject of the deities, constantly cherishing a mind of purity, quiet, and emptiness, so as to rectify this defiled body. I hope to encounter the opportunity that will open the mysterious path of cultivation.

“Today I received from my former master the transmission of the Jinye Jing (Golden Liquid Scripture). After reading it, my heart became solemn, as if I had been given life anew. Only now do I know that the Heavenly Worthy (Tianzun) is numinous, wondrous, and noble, beyond what worldly mortals can describe; my own capacities are dull, and I originally did not dare to hope to hear of it. Now I do not dare lightly conceal this scripture, and so I have set up a sacrifice to report to the Supreme Heavenly Deities. I have already prepared a letter and a silk document, and have made the transmission oath, in accordance with this lineage’s Keyi (liturgy). From now on I will keep it with me, practice it over the long term, and never divulge it. I only wish that the Lords and Elders of the Great Dao of Taishang will assist me, so that I may prolong my years and increase my lifespan, find all places I go favorable and according to my wishes, soon complete the divine medicine, and withdraw to the mountains and forests. Separately I report and pray to the High Sovereigns to aid me in compounding and refining the essence of the elixir liquid. I will certainly follow the transmission ritual and respectfully obey my master’s admonitions.”

After saying this, he performed nine kowtows and patted his body nine times with his hands. The movements should be slow, and the sound need only be slightly audible. If one cannot recite this prayer from memory, one may hold the scripture and read from it.

Then incense was offered and wine presented again. When the sacrifice was finished and the deities sent off, he rose, bowed, and said: “I thank the True Kings of the Nine Heavens for their trouble.” He made one bow, rose again, and said: “I thank the True Sovereigns of the Three Heavens and Lords of the Nine Elders’ Immortal Capital for their trouble.” Then he reported and bowed in sequence: “I thank the Elders of the Nine Qi for their trouble”; “I thank Taishang Zhenren (the Supreme Perfected) for his trouble”; “I thank the Elder and True Official of Emptiness for his trouble”; “I thank the Jade Woman of the Great Elixir for her trouble”; “I thank the Sovereign Lord of Tianyi for his trouble”; “I thank the Lady of Central Yellow for her trouble.” After all these bows and sacrifices were finished, the offerings must not be given to ordinary people to eat.

The paper, ink, and brushes used for writing the scripture should be placed separately beside the offerings, and reported together: “Now these papers are used to write the elixir scripture; I pray that they remain always intact and unharmed.” On the offering tray there should be three portions of fresh ginger, each three liang, nine liang in total. Other sweet fruits and fine dishes may be increased or decreased according to one’s wishes; there is no need for extravagance. Those from poor families need prepare only up to this. The next day...

Those who do not understand should ask someone who knows the oral instructions for one or two points, in order to seek explanation. When performing sacrifices, do not let laypeople approach the room; it is best to keep them separated. When Rong salt (an ancient medicinal salt) is unavailable, Hedong coarse salt may be used. When bittern salt is unavailable, take fine clear wine and simmer it over a gentle fire until it becomes thick like malt syrup. Once it has congealed and hardened, use it in equal measure with Yushi (an ancient mineral drug, often arsenic-bearing) and Yushi (another mineral). These two substances are indispensable and cannot substitute for each other; even if one forces a substitution, it will not be as firm and dense as the genuine articles. One should merely apply the mud coating more thickly. Such substitution is already the best that can be done when no alternative remains.

Song of Lord Yin on the Golden Liquid Divine Elixir of Great Clarity

The Golden Liquid Return Elixir (Jinye Huandan, a Daoist alchemical term) flows and turns like an immortal flower; it can soar high and fly, ascending to the heavenly mounds. The yellow and red substances will soon be refined; then the male and female components will blend in profusion, taking various forms. It can fly and transform, enabling a person to act as freely as if in a kitchen. Spirit beings and Jade Maidens—I act as matchmaker for you; coming and going without obstruction, in accord with the Dao of Heaven. Its essence congeals like frost, able to sink and to float. If you are startled, it will surely come forth and roam.

(A total of sixty-three characters.)

(This passage appears in ancient books; it was originally difficult to understand, and Lord Yin made it clear.)

The method for refining the Golden Liquid Return Elixir is as follows: Take two large copper cylinders and make an opening in the cylinder, the opening three and a half cun wide; the cylinder wall is four fen thick and nine cun high. Make another cylinder cover, five cun high.

Prepare one jin of Yushi and half a jin of lead oxide (qian dan). First burn the Yushi twenty times and pound it ten thousand times; then place it in an iron vessel and roast it over a fierce fire for nine days and nine nights, then pound it another ten thousand times. Sift it extremely fine, mix it evenly, and knead it with rich bitter wine (vinegar) into a paste. Apply this to the copper cylinder so that the coating inside and outside, top and bottom, is four fen thick—this is the first layer.

Next, take the essence of realgar and orpiment, blend it with pure vinegar, and apply it to the inner walls of both cylinders to a thickness of half a fen—this is the second layer. For the third layer, use frost-snow. Coat the cylinder cover by the same method as the lower cylinder. The frost-snow inside the cylinder should not be less than one and a half cun; after placing the medicinal substances, cover the frost-snow with the upper cylinder.

Then take red ochre (a hematite-type mineral) and tile fragments, and by the previous method coat and seal the seams. Be sure to seal them firmly so that no Qi leaks out; once there is a leak, the medicinal flower will disperse. After sealing, apply another coating. It should be placed in a shady, warm, and clean spot and left until completely dry.

Then place the copper cylinder in the midst of a reed fire or horse-dung fire, and set the cylinder body on a sturdy iron stand so that the bottom of the cylinder is three cun above the ground; a chaff fire may also be used. The fire should be three cun away from the front, back, left, and right of the cylinder. These dimensions must be carefully examined and accurately mastered. Do it like this... (The original text ends here.)

After that, every ten days, move the fire a little closer: two cun to the left and right, front and back. After doing this for twenty days, move the fire closer again so that it is one cun from the tube; continue refining in this way, and by the thirtieth day it is five cun away on the left and right, front and back. This stage lasts fifty days in total and is called “Yellow Gold.” The term “Yellow Gold” means that the divine medicine within can be refined into gold.

Then refine with fire for another twenty days, seventy days in total, and the medicine is completed; it is called “Red Gold.” The term “Red Gold” means that the divine medicine within can be refined into red gold. It is also called Jinye Huandan (Golden Liquid Returned Elixir; a Daoist cultivation term, here referring to the completed elixir). If one wishes to make gold, take one zhu of Huandan and place it in one jin of lead, and true gold can be refined.

One may also first place lead in a vessel, burn it with strong fire until it melts into liquid, and then put one daogui of red medicine (a dosage unit for elixir pills) into the vessel. Looking closely, one sees a five-colored radiance dancing, purple clouds interweaving and reflecting, dense and abundant, presenting a dark yellow color, as if looking upward and seeing cloud Qi gathering. This is called “Purple Gold,” a wonder of Daoist arts. The purple frost-like substance on the vessel lid is called Shen Dan (Divine Elixir).

When taking it, blend Shen Dan with Longgaoze until it is the size of a soybean. At dawn, take one pill with Jinghua water (well water drawn at dawn), one pill each day. After seventy days, the deities of the Six Ding and Six Jia and immortal maidens will all come to have audience, serving and guiding on all sides. After taking it for a full hundred days, one can come and go in a trance; there is no obstruction in entering or exiting, and distant places can be reached in an instant. After a full hundred and fifty days, immortal maidens will all come to pay respects, serving morning and evening, changing one’s appearance and making the complexion like true jade; one also gains the ability to transform freely, and people often come to massage one and bring all kinds of traveling kitchens (immortal kitchen utensils for offering food and drink) and treasures.

Gold governs the muscles, and Huandan governs the blood vessels; it can cause Shen and Qi to ascend and descend without limit and to enter and exit without obstruction, and it can also let one see the deities of the sun and moon. In addition, each morning one should rinse the mouth so that it fills with the jade nectar of the Huachi (Flower Pond). This jade nectar is the saliva in the mouth. The texts say that jade nectar can nourish the bone marrow, sinews, and muscles, augment one’s Jing and Qi, make one full of vigor and unaware of fatigue, and enable long life and enduring vision.

Longgaoze refers to the dew condensed on mulberry leaves in the early morning: wipe it up with cotton cloth, then boil large dried dates, take the clear liquid on top, mix it with an equal amount of sheep marrow, and decoct it to make date paste. It can also be taken over the long term; it is said to fill out the body and beautify the complexion.

The bronze tube can also be made larger. The dimensions mentioned earlier are only the specifications for refining one batch of Huandan; they may be increased or decreased according to circumstances. The method for making one batch of date paste is: take three dou of large dried dates and boil them in six dou of water until the dates are thoroughly cooked; then add three dou of water and continue boiling, combine...

Filter nine dou of water to remove the dregs, let it stand and clarify until three dou remain, then add sheep marrow (the bone marrow of sheep). Continue simmering over a low fire until it becomes as thick as malt sugar. If sheep marrow is unavailable, sheep fat may be used instead. The essence of realgar and orpiment can be prepared by the following method.

Take one jin each of realgar and orpiment, carefully triturate them ten thousand times, then sieve and set aside. Coat an old earthen cauldron (tufu, a ceramic alchemical vessel) and its lid with Liuyi mud (Six-One Mud, used in alchemy to seal vessels); after closing them together, mix fragments of newly fired tile into the mud, apply it, and seal the cauldron so that Qi cannot leak. Dry it in strong sunlight until the mud is dry and cracked, then apply another layer of mud.

Next, use reeds as fuel and heat the bottom and sides of the earthen cauldron continuously for three days and three nights. The essence will congeal above like frost and snow; in this way it is refined. If the vessel is larger, one may proceed in the same way. Take the “frost-snow” congealed on the lid of the earthen cauldron for use.

The method for making “frost-snow” is as follows: take the seven substances Luqing, arsenic stone (yushi), mineral sulfur, Rong salt, water-congealing stone (ningshuishi), red ochre (daizhe), and mercury; combine them and triturate ten thousand times; there is no need to sieve. Blend them with pure vinegar until moist, soft, and just workable, then place the mixture in an earthen cauldron. The method of sealing with mud is the same as that used to seal the cauldron when refining the divine elixir. One may also use red ochre and white tile fragments to coat and seal it; it must be sealed tightly with no leakage of Qi, and the other operations are as described above.

Heat the bottom and sides of the earthen cauldron with a reed fire continuously for four days and four nights, with the fire slightly stronger. The essence of the drugs will congeal above and form a frost-snow-like substance. Brush it down with the feather of a male chicken more than three years old; this is called “frost-snow.”

One may also add the three drugs cinnabar, realgar, and orpiment, each in the same amount as each of the drugs listed above. These then make ten drugs in all and are called “Golden Flower Congealed Frost-Snow” (Jinhua ning shuangxue). At this point the method for refining the Return Elixir (huandan) is complete.

Before refining the Return Elixir, one must first perform a sacrifice; otherwise the refining will not succeed. One must also observe ritual abstinence for three days and prepare five jin of clear wine and one or two jin of white dried meat to sacrifice to the stove god.

The reeds used for the copper tube refer to the “Heavenly Horse” (a specialized term in the refining operation); one should especially use reeds, and the key is to use horse dung as fuel. Reed fire is not easy to control and requires careful watching. As for refining the essence of realgar and orpiment and firing the frost-snow, reed fire should also be used; this is different from the fire used for the copper tube.

“Golden Flower Congealed Essence Frost” may be ingested; the text says it can keep a person from dying. However, not every frost-snow-like drug is suitable for placing into the copper tube for refining. The Luqing, Rong salt, and water-congealing stone used to make frost-snow are all precious medicinal materials, and substitutes cannot be used; if the materials are not genuine, the elixir cannot be made.

The entire text of Taiqing Jinye Shendan comprises five hundred seventy-six characters.

The seventh word: Jinye (Golden Liquid; a term for refining the immortal elixir), consisting of five hundred and six characters in total; Huandan (Returning Elixir; an alchemical term), consisting of sixty-three characters in total.

Master Zheng said: “The numinous and verifiable deeds of immortals when they appear or conceal themselves are difficult to discuss in full; truly they are not something ordinary people can peer into. Ever since the elixir scriptures recorded concrete evidence of wondrous transformation, the Heavenly Worthy (Tianzun) and the Perfected Ones (Zhenren) have hidden this Daoist art away. The true purport and the practice of cultivation cannot be separated; foolish people, however, become confused by this, and so it is described as profound and remote. Yet how could those who have penetrated it fail to comprehend it in their hearts? These words are written for those who have not yet penetrated—are their wisdom capacities therefore to be considered limited?

If someone lacks the aspiration to seek immortality, the scriptures should not be transmitted to him. Thus Lady Taizhen once said to Master Ma: ‘If one can stay in the company of An Qisheng for a period of time, it may be possible to obtain and transmit his methods. If one seeks only a shallow, immediate taste, the gate of the immortals will be tightly shut.’ Even Perfected Ones treasured the Daoist arts in this way—how could they transmit them to people of base conduct?

Master Yin once copied several copies of the scriptures, sealed them up, and entrusted them to the Five Sacred Mountains (the five famous mountains venerated in Daoism). Those who love the Daoist arts, if they can dwell in seclusion in the mountains and forests, single-mindedly contemplate their essentials, and persist in cultivating the Dao over the long term, the immortals will naturally open the stone caskets and reveal the scriptures to them. For those who do not single-mindedly admire the great Dao, the secret essentials of the elixir scriptures will remain forever hidden among the towering mountain peaks.

Were Master Ma and Master Yin merely immortals? They could also observe the stars and calendrical calculations, foreknow the rise and fall of states, examine the flourishing and decline of times and fates, and verify how as-yet-unoccurred events would necessarily unfold. In this way they broadly bestowed compassion, helped the myriad regions of the world determine the names of things, enabled people to draw near the sagely Dao and shine together with the sun and moon; with mysterious radiance they illumined the myriad things—one may call it clear and bright, or one may call it wondrous.

In former days, this disciple heard Perfected Ones who had attained the Dao recount these matters and often praised and sighed over them; they taught people to value cultivation, and what they said was invariably in agreement. How could these pure and true words be allowed to be lost and not recorded? Therefore I have recorded the luminous manifestations in the world of the two masters and Perfected Ones. Since the time of Emperor Ling of the Han, people have continually transmitted these stories, and so I have appended them to the Yuanji Danjing. Those who possess the Dao may read these records and thereby strengthen their resolve to seek the Dao.”