《抱朴子內篇》Vol. 18

Ge Hong (Baopuzi) recorded in his book the teachings transmitted by his master: If one can comprehend the fundamental principle of "One," they will understand all things in existence. Those who grasp "One" know everything, while those who fail to grasp it know nothing. The Great Dao (cosmic origin) begins with "One"—supreme and unique, just as Heaven, Earth, and Humanity each occupy their positions, together forming the cosmic structure of the "Threefold One."

"One" is the foundation of all existence: Heaven attains clarity through "One," Earth attains stability through "One," Humanity attains life through "One," and the divine attains efficacy through "One." Natural phenomena—such as metals sinking, feathers floating, mountains towering, and rivers flowing—all manifest the law of "One." Though "One" appears formless and intangible, it undeniably exists. Aligning with it brings auspiciousness, while opposing it invites calamity. Maintaining connection with "One" ensures lasting blessings, while losing it leads to the exhaustion of Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy), and the withering of life.

Laozi once described the Dao: "In the midst of indistinct haze, there is form; in the midst of hazy indistinctness, there is substance"—this refers to "One." Thus, the scriptures of immortality teach: To seek longevity, one must master the practice of "guarding the One." When a cultivator contemplates "One" to the point of forgetting food and sleep, "One" provides nourishment—supplying sustenance when hungry and celestial nectar when thirsty.

"One" possesses distinct characteristics: In male form, it stands nine-tenths of an inch tall; in female form, six-tenths. It resides in three key locations: the lower Dantian (energy center), two and four-tenths inches below the navel; the middle Dantian at the Scarlet Palace Golden Portal in the heart region; and the upper Dantian—one inch inward between the eyebrows is the Hall of Light, two inches is the Chamber of the Cavern, and three inches is the upper Dantian. These are esoteric Daoist secrets, transmitted orally through blood oaths across generations.

"One" generates and transforms all things: It drives the alternation of Yin-Yang, giving rise to the cycle of seasons—spring sprouts through "One," summer grows through "One," autumn harvests through "One," and winter stores through "One." It is vast enough to fill Heaven and Earth, yet minute enough to be finer than a hair's tip.

The text also records the Yellow Emperor's quest for the Dao: Journeying east to Qingqiu, he passed Mount Feng to meet Master Purple Mansion, obtaining the Scripture of the Three Sovereigns to command myriad spirits. Traveling south to Yuanlong's shadowed Jian River, he gathered blossoms from the Ruomu tree and drank from the Danpei waters. In the west, he encountered Zhong Huangzi, learning the Ninefold Arts, and received authentic cultivation texts from Guangchengzi at Lake Dongting. Climbing north to Hongdi's Jucai Mountain, he sought the Divine Mushroom Chart from Great Lord Dawei and the Yellow Canopy Youth, finally attaining the Golden Elixir (Jindan) secrets in the royal chambers. When the Yellow Emperor inquired about the "Dao of True One" from the Celestial Sovereign at the Jade Hall of Mount Emei, the sovereign replied: "You have already ruled the four directions...".

Is the pursuit of immortality not a form of greed? While this question cannot be exhaustively addressed here, we may briefly explore it. The true elixir that grants longevity is none other than the Golden Elixir (Jindan); to safeguard the physical form and ward off malevolent forces, one must cultivate the "True Unity" (Zhenyi) method, which is why the ancients held it in such high regard.

Ancient immortal scriptures record that treasured texts like the Nine-Cycle Elixir, Golden Liquor Classic, and the Method of Guarding Unity were all stored in the five immortal cities of Mount Kunlun, encased in jade caskets, inscribed on golden slips, sealed with purple clay, and stamped with the Central Seal. My late teacher once said: The Dao of True Unity resides in the abyss of the North Pole, where before it stands the Bright Hall (a cultivation site) and behind it the Crimson Palace (the heart's chamber), with magnificent golden towers and soaring vaulted ceilings. The Northern Dipper Lords stand guard on either side, amidst churning seas of clouds, while mysterious immortal herbs grow on the cliffs, vermilion plants flourish exquisitely, and jade-white peaks tower under the radiance of sun and moon. Practitioners must undergo trials by water and fire, traverse the realms of profound mystery, navigating palaces of interwoven wonder, where jade-adorned curtains hang and divine dragon-tiger beasts stand sentinel, accompanied by immortal spirits and celestial beings.

The essential method for cultivating True Unity is this: neither forcibly pursuing nor carelessly abandoning, but maintaining naturalness; neither rushing nor fretting, but abiding in one's fundamental nature; preserving calm focus so that True Unity will not depart. By steadfastly guarding this authenticity, one may commune with the divine. Reducing desires and moderating food and drink will keep True Unity ever-present within. Even with a blade at one's throat, focusing the mind on True Unity can bring deliverance. Understanding True Unity is not difficult—the true challenge lies in maintaining it throughout life without lapse. Those who achieve this gain boundlessness—on land they repel fierce beasts, in water they awe dragons, unafraid of ghosts or venomous creatures, impervious to weapons. Such are the general powers of True Unity.

The Baopuzi records: Daoist classics describe thousands of methods for warding off evil and protecting the body, such as invisibility techniques, form-preservation arts, transformation methods, and the inner vision practice of contemplating the body's deities—each varied and effective. Yet most are cumbersome and mentally taxing. Mastering the "Guarding Unity" (Shouyi) method allows one to discard these convoluted arts. Hence the saying: "Know Unity, and all things are complete."

Transmitting the True Unity formula requires strict ceremony: on an auspicious day, white livestock must be sacrificed with blood oaths, covenants made with white silk and silver, and golden pledges carved and divided. Careless transmission renders the method ineffective. When a person can guard True Unity, True Unity in turn guards that person—blades cannot harm them, and no calamity may intrude.

This passage expounds on the profound efficacy and practical methods of "guarding the One" (shouyi) in Daoist cultivation—the practice of focused intention and preserving the original spirit (shen).

In perilous or corrupted places such as haunted temples, deep mountains, plague-stricken areas, graveyards, or locations frequented by tigers, wolves, and venomous creatures, steadfast adherence to guarding the One will keep all misfortunes at bay. Should one momentarily lapse in this practice and suffer ghostly disturbances or nightmare afflictions during sleep, immediately go to the courtyard to visualize the Auxiliary Star (of the Big Dipper) while making a fist to stabilize the spirit—this will drive away the malign entities. During overcast or rainy days, simply face north indoors and silently contemplate the Auxiliary Star. When surrounded by enemy troops in desperate situations, enter the concealed space of the Six Jia (Daoist guardian deities), prostrate while guarding the One, and one becomes invulnerable to weapons.

Those who truly master guarding the One need not select auspicious days for long journeys, military service, or river crossings. Moving residences, commencing construction, or occupying new dwellings requires no consultation of geomancy or almanacs—no malevolent spirits like Grand Jupiter (Taisui), Grand Yin (Taiyin), the General (Jiangjun), or Monthly Controllers (Yuejian) can cause harm. This method's efficacy has been verified by generations of Daoist practitioners.

The text further describes the practice of "Mysterious One" (xuanyi), a more advanced state than "True One": First observe a hundred-day purification retreat, then at high noon cultivate the technique of "knowing whiteness while guarding blackness" (a Neidan term)—enlightenment can be attained within three to four days. When practicing the Mysterious One, one may divide consciousness to manifest three identical forms; continued cultivation allows multiplication into dozens of manifestations that can appear and disappear at will. Eminent Daoists like Zuo Ci, Ji Zixun, and Ge Xuan (Immortal Lord Ge) mastered this method, enabling their simultaneous appearance in dozens of locations. For instance, when receiving guests, one could simultaneously entertain in the hall, greet at the gate, and fish by the river—leaving visitors unable to distinguish the original form. Masters teach that when guarding the One is combined with mirror magic techniques, the manifested forms' clothing and appearance become indistinguishable from the original body.

The text concludes by emphasizing that immortality requires diligent cultivation of these marvelous methods of form-division and transformation. This explains why the first chapter of the Inner Chapters of Baopuzi is titled "Unfolding the Mysterious"—because the Way of Mysterious One holds equal importance with True One in repelling all evils.

To attain the divine state through ingesting the Golden Elixir (Jindan), one must first cultivate the "Metal-Water Separation Technique" (a Daoist method of manifesting multiple forms). When the practitioner achieves this ability to divide and transform their form, they can perceive the three hun and seven po souls within their own body, behold the celestial deities above and underworld spirits below, and even command the mountain and river deities.

Ge Hong (Baopuzi) said: Life is precious, death is dreadful. Yet those who seek immortality, cultivate their nature, and avoid death must all begin with diligence—only through prolonged practice can they succeed. While attainment of the Dao (Dao) ultimately brings effortless non-action (Wuwei), the cultivation process demands total commitment. Gathering herbs across mountains and marshes, laboriously refining elixirs, traversing treacherous terrain day and night—without unshakable resolve, none can persevere.

To refine the Golden Elixir (Jindan) and ascend as an immortal, rare medicinal ingredients requiring substantial wealth cannot be acquired instantly. One must accumulate resources through farming, herding, or commerce over years of diligent effort. When the time comes for alchemical work, purification through fasting and ritual bathing becomes essential, severing all social contact. Beyond these hardships, practitioners must also visualize deities, maintain One-Point Concentration (a method of unifying essence [Jing], vital energy [Qi], and spirit [Shen]), expel malign influences, and guard their bodies with the vigilance of a ruler governing a state or a general defending against enemies—only then can the efficacy of longevity be achieved.

Only those with profound wisdom and capacity to benefit the world may succeed in this practice. Ordinary people, even with determination, rarely persevere to completion. The human body mirrors a nation in miniature: the chest and abdomen represent palaces, the limbs form borders, joints correspond to officials, the spirit (Shen) acts as sovereign, blood serves as ministers, and breath embodies the populace. Thus, those skilled in nurturing the body understand statecraft.

Just as caring for people stabilizes a nation, regulating breath preserves the body. When people scatter, the state perishes; when breath dissipates, death follows. The dead cannot revive, nor can fallen kingdoms be restored. Therefore, Daoist adepts eliminate calamity before it arises, treat illness before symptoms appear, and prepare before events unfold—never waiting until loss occurs to act. People are hard to nurture yet easily endangered; breath is difficult to purify yet readily turbid. Thus comprehending dignity and virtue safeguards the state, while restraining desires stabilizes blood and Qi. Only then can the Primordial Qi (Zhenyi zhi Qi) be preserved, the three hun and seven po souls be pacified, misfortunes be averted, and lifespan extended.

Ge Hong (Baopuzi) recounts his master's teaching: "When ingesting the Golden Elixir (Jindan)..."

Relying solely on ordinary herbal medicines and minor mineral elixirs (the "Eight Minerals") can barely alleviate illnesses or slightly prolong life, but they fundamentally cannot ward off external calamities. One might still be harassed by malevolent ghosts, scorned and oppressed by mountain deities, or harmed by invasive spirits and demons. Only by cultivating the method of "guarding the True One" (a core Daoist practice referring to focused concentration on preserving the primordial Qi) can one become entirely fearless against such malevolent forces. As a secondary measure, carrying divine talismans (Fulu) can also provide protection. If one lacks even these basic defenses yet still seeks immortality, the danger is immense—it would be like locking three out of four doors to a house while leaving the last wide open for thieves to enter. How much worse, then, to leave all doors unguarded?