《抱朴子內篇》Vol. 4

Ge Hong (Baopuzi) recounts his experiences in researching the path to immortality in the chapter "Golden Elixir" (Jindan). He states that after examining thousands of texts on nourishing life and cultivating the Dao, he discovered the most essential teachings were concentrated in the alchemical methods of Reverted Elixir (Huandan) and Golden Liquor (Jinye), which he regarded as the supreme methods for achieving transcendence. If even these two elixirs could not lead one to immortality, he argued, then there had never been any true immortals since ancient times.

During turbulent times of war, Ge Hong traveled extensively through regions such as Xuzhou, Yuzhou, Jingzhou, Xiangyang, and the two Guang provinces (Guangdong and Guangxi), encountering hundreds of wandering Daoist practitioners. Among them were many renowned masters who appeared superficially similar, with varying depths of understanding in Daoist methods. Though each possessed dozens of scrolls of texts, most merely collected them without genuine comprehension. They generally practiced breathing techniques (Xingqi), grain avoidance (Duan gu), and herbal prescriptions, but their knowledge was largely repetitive and unremarkable.

Nearly every practitioner owned a copy of the Scripture of the Dao's Pivots (Daoji Jing), which they treated as a supreme secret, attributing it to Yin Xi (disciple of Laozi). Ge Hong pointed out this was actually written by Wang Tu of the Three Kingdoms period—a shallow text that misled students. When Ge Hong inquired about methods for refining divine elixirs (Shen Dan) and Golden Liquor, or rituals for summoning celestial and earthly spirits using the Scripture of the Three Sovereigns (Sanhuang Wen), none could answer. Most were prone to boastful claims—declaring their longevity or past encounters with immortals—while few genuinely grasped profound teachings.

Some had heard of golden elixir alchemy (Jindan Shu) but believed it was lost to the present age, known only to ancient transcendents. Others obtained fragmentary recipes and mistakenly assumed they possessed complete alchemical knowledge. Ge Hong mentions that Zuo Ci (Zuo Yuanfang) once received the Scripture of Golden Elixir Transcendence (Jindan Xian Jing) from a divine being while cultivating at Mount Tianzhu in Anhui. Due to the chaos of the late Han dynasty, he never practiced it, later retiring to the Jiangdong region to cultivate in seclusion. Ge Hong's granduncle, Ge Xuan (Ge Xiangong), subsequently inherited the Scripture of Great Clarity Elixirs (Taiqing Dan Jing) from Zuo Ci.

This passage is Ge Hong's firsthand account of his Daoist cultivation journey recorded in Inner Chapters of the Master Who Embraces Simplicity (Baopuzi Neipian). He mentions possessing three volumes of Daoist scriptures, one Scripture of the Nine-Cauldron Elixir (Jiuding Danjing), and one Scripture of the Golden Liquid Elixir (Jinye Danjing)—all precious texts transmitted to him by his master, Zheng Jun (Zheng Yin). Zheng Jun was a disciple of Ge Hong's granduncle Ge Xuan (known as Immortal Lord), from whom Ge Hong inherited these classics.

Ge Hong recalls that his family was so impoverished they couldn't afford materials for alchemical practices, yet he remained devout in serving his master, performing menial tasks like sweeping and cleaning for years. Only after conducting an oath-bound ritual at Maji Mountain (in present-day Jiangsu) did he receive the orally transmitted secret teachings—knowledge never written down. This alchemical lineage originated with Zuo Ci (Zuo Yuanfang), passed down through Ge Xuan to Zheng Jun, and finally to him, while other Daoists remained unaware of these methods.

Despite holding these true teachings for over two decades, Ge Hong still lamented his inability to gather the necessary resources for refining elixirs. He reflects on how the wealthy, even if they heard of immortality techniques, would never believe. Just as tasting celestial nectar makes ordinary broth seem bland, or beholding Mount Kunlun renders small hills insignificant, experiencing the profound mystery of the Golden Elixir (Jindan) renders minor arts unworthy of attention.

Quoting Laozi's adage, Ge Hong states: "Without attaining the Cyclically Transformed Elixir (Huandan) and Golden Liquid, all cultivation is futile." Though grains sustain life, transcendent medicines surpass them ten-thousandfold. He explains the wonder of the Golden Elixir: gold, forged endlessly, never diminishes; buried, it never decays. Ingesting these substances (Golden Liquid and Cyclically Transformed Elixir) transforms the body, granting agelessness and deathlessness. Like oil preserving a flame or copper patina protecting feet from water rot, the elixir nourishes the entire body far more potently than external applications.

Ge Hong concludes by lamenting how few in the world believe in the Great Dao (Da Dao). Even those yearning for longevity, if lacking a true master, remain ignorant of such marvels. This autobiographical account vividly illustrates the transmission methods and cultivation ideals of the Daoist Elixir (Dan) tradition during the Wei-Jin period.

Here is a concise summary of the Golden Elixir (Jindan) path for fellow practitioners of later generations who aspire to this Dao. Those pursuing the Great Dao of the Golden Elixir must diligently study its depths, never contenting themselves with superficial minor techniques while imagining they can transcend worldly dust. If one consistently fails to grasp its methods, they should abandon unrealistic delusions.

Those who truly comprehend the mysteries of the Golden Elixir are like swimming from a foul ditch into the vast ocean, turning their backs on fireflies to gaze upon the sun and moon. Only upon hearing thunder do they realize how laughable cloth drums are; only upon seeing a great whale do they understand how insignificant tiny insects are. Those who stubbornly cling to their own views, fantasizing about ascending with inferior elixirs, are no different from chasing the wind on a lame donkey or crossing the ocean in a broken boat.

Though minor elixir recipes abound, their refinement varies in depth, resulting in vastly different efficacies. How can single-brewed weak wine compare to liquor distilled nine times? Yet even the poorest Golden Elixir far surpasses the finest herbal medicines. Ordinary plants turn to ash when burned, while cinnabar (Zhusha), when refined, transforms into mercury—and with further refinement, reverts to cinnabar. How could such marvels be matched by mundane herbs? This is why the Golden Elixir grants immortality. The gulf in understanding between a cultivator who grasps this truth and the vulgar masses is wider than heaven and earth.

Shallow-minded people are easily astonished by the extraordinary. Some, entirely unaware that mercury originates from cinnabar, refuse to believe explanations, retorting: "How can red cinnabar become white mercury?" Others argue: "Cinnabar is just a stone—burning stones turns them to ash, so why is cinnabar an exception?" If they cannot comprehend such basic truths, is it any wonder they laugh and doubt when hearing the profound mysteries of immortal Dao?

The ancient Perfected Ones (Zhenren, realized adepts), out of compassion for those capable of learning, meticulously recorded cultivation methods to help beings escape the calamity of death—these are words of utmost truth. Yet ordinary people persist in disbelief, dismissing them as empty talk. If these teachings were mere fantasy, how could following the precise formulas and temporal cycles reliably produce the Nine Revolutions and Nine Transformations (the nine qualitative refinements in elixir preparation)? The Perfected Ones who mastered these mysteries truly operate beyond the comprehension of mundane thought.

In my youth, I was obsessed with esoteric arts, trekking tirelessly through hardships to seek teachings. Each time I obtained a secret transmission, I rejoiced; even when texts were destroyed, I remained undiscouraged. Precisely because I believe later generations can surpass their predecessors, I have written this for destined seekers to contemplate—how could these be reckless words?

This passage addresses the common misunderstandings and prejudices regarding Daoist cultivation and immortality-seeking in society. Ge Hong (Baopuzi) points out that people often venerate outlandish theories while dismissing genuine practice, just as the midsummer sun cannot revive withered trees, nor can a sage's wisdom enlighten the ignorant. Books can only be understood by those with discernment—like a farmer using an exquisite bow to scare birds, or southern tribes wearing fine robes to carry firewood. When people fail to recognize value, persuasion proves futile.

Modern individuals indulge in gluttony and idleness, neglecting even Confucian and Mohist scholarship, let alone cultivating De (Virtue/Power). Some chase fame and profit, others wallow in pleasure: hunting obsessions, drunken revelry, sensual indulgence, extravagant attire, guqin-playing to the point of self-harm, or gambling away their days. Hearing the true Dao leaves them dazed as if intoxicated; reading cultivation texts makes them nap in broad daylight. Though their bodies deteriorate, they refuse to learn life-nourishing methods—akin to slicing their own flesh into boiling oil. Meanwhile, genuine Daoists treasure their knowledge and seldom impose teachings on the unwilling.

People often argue: "If immortality were possible, ancient sages and nobles would have achieved it." They forget these historical figures, like people today, missed the opportunity through disbelief and inaction. Without even attempting, how could one attain the Dao? Even half-hearted seekers should try—wouldn't living two or three centuries longer surpass an early death? The universe's workings are profoundly complex; Daoist cultivation is particularly subtle. How can limited personal experience deny immortality's existence? If majority disbelief equaled falsehood, wouldn't the world overflow with sages?

Consider those who truly understand cultivation and persist—are they truly less wise than ordinary folk? Some fear ridicule if they fail to attain longevity, but what if they succeed? Even a one-in-ten-thousand chance warrants effort, let alone when Daoist practice offers far greater promise. The true obstacle lies in people judging profound matters with shallow vision, dismissing infinite possibilities with finite understanding—like well-frogs disbelieving in oceans or summer insects denying ice exists.

This passage expounds the Daoist alchemical path to longevity. Ge Hong (Daoist name Baopuzi) cites the Scripture of the Nine-Cauldron Divine Elixirs of the Yellow Emperor, recounting how the Yellow Emperor achieved ascension by ingesting divine elixirs. He makes clear that while breathing exercises (daoyin) and herbal medicines may prolong life, they cannot avert death—only divine elixirs grant cosmic longevity, enabling one to ride clouds and dragons through the Great Purity (Taijing), the highest Daoist heaven.

When transmitting the alchemical secrets to Xuanzi, the Yellow Emperor emphasized this method's supreme importance, requiring transmission only to virtuous individuals. Even if someone offered mountains of gold, the teachings must be withheld from unworthy recipients. The transmission ceremony involved solemn rituals: casting golden figurines and fish into east-flowing waters as pledges, accompanied by blood oaths. Those lacking the "immortal bone" (xian gu)—the innate capacity for Daoist practice—were deemed unworthy even to behold these methods.

Elixir preparation demanded secluded locations within sacred mountains, with no more than three practitioners working together. A hundred days of purification (zhai jie), ritual bathing, and mental purification preceded the work, requiring complete avoidance of defilements and mundane interactions. Should non-believers learn of the endeavor, their slanderous words could sabotage the divine medicine's efficacy. Successful completion would elevate the entire household to immortality—not just the practitioner alone.

Ge Hong criticizes worldly ignorance of divine elixirs while blindly trusting common herbs. He argues that herbs buried in earth rot, boiled in water dissolve, and burned by fire char—how could substances incapable of self-preservation confer eternal life? The Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir (jiuzhuan jindan) holds the key to longevity, yet remains inaccessible to ordinary people. Most mortals chase wealth and status, becoming little more than walking corpses.

Detailed preparation methods: First, create the "Six-One Mud" (liuyi ni) by refining dozens of jin of materials like realgar water and alum water through thirty-six days of fiery calcination. Ingesting the product for seven days induces ascension. Alternatively, mixing the elixir with "Mystic Paste" (xuan gao) and applying intense heat produces gold. Mercury processed through specific proportions similarly yields gold. Should initial attempts fail, persistent repetition of the method guarantees ultimate success.

This passage describes the miraculous effects of nine types of divine elixirs (Xian Dan, or immortal pills in Daoist cultivation):

The second type is called Shen Dan (Divine Elixir), also known as Shen Fu (Divine Talisman). Consuming it for one hundred days enables one to become an immortal. Applying this elixir to the soles of the feet allows one to walk on water. Taking three daogui (an ancient small spoon for measuring medicine) of it eliminates the Three Corpses (the three harmful worms believed to reside in the human body according to Daoism) and parasites, curing all ailments.

The third Shen Dan, when taken in a small spoonful for a hundred days, grants immortality. Even livestock fed with it attain eternal life, and it provides protection against harm from the five types of weapons. After a hundred days of consumption, jade maidens from the celestial realm, as well as mountain and river spirits, will come to serve the practitioner, manifesting in human form.

The fourth Huan Dan (Returning Elixir) bestows immortality after a hundred days of taking a small spoonful. During ingestion, vermilion birds and phoenixes will circle protectively, with jade maidens attending. When this elixir is refined with mercury, it instantly transforms into gold. Applying it to money or goods ensures immediate returns. Writing with it on a person's eyes repels ghosts and demons.

The fifth Er Dan (Bait Elixir) confers immortality after thirty days of consumption, with spirits and deities coming to serve. The sixth Lian Dan (Refined Elixir) achieves immortality in just ten days and can also turn mercury into gold. The seventh Rou Dan (Soft Elixir) enables a ninety-year-old man to father children and assists in refining gold with metals. The eighth Fu Dan (Subduing Elixir) grants immortality on the very day of ingestion; holding it repels ghosts, and writing with it on doors wards off evil and theft. The ninth Han Dan (Cold Elixir), when taken, summons immortal boys and girls to attend the practitioner, allowing flight without wings.

Obtaining any one of these nine elixirs suffices for achieving immortality—there's no need to refine them all, as one may choose according to personal preference. After consumption, one may ascend to heaven or remain in the mortal realm at will, moving freely without obstruction.

Baopuzi (Ge Hong, the eminent Daoist master of the Eastern Jin Dynasty) adds that there exists an even more supreme Taiqing Shen Dan (Great Clarity Divine Elixir), transmitted by Yuanjun (the teacher of Laozi). The Taiqing Guantian Jing (Great Clarity Scripture on Observing Heaven) records nine chapters, of which the upper three are too secret to be lightly revealed, the middle three are incomprehensible to the world and should be sealed away.

This scripture expounds the alchemical path to immortality. Even exalted beings like the Primordial Lord (Yuanjun) — a high-ranking Daoist divinity — originally attained the Dao and achieved immortality through studying the Way and ingesting elixirs, rather than being born as celestial beings. How much more does this apply to ordinary people? The scripture states: Those of superior capacity who attain the Dao may ascend to become celestial officials; those of middling capacity can dwell in the Kunlun paradise; while even those of inferior capacity can achieve earthly longevity upon realizing the Dao. Yet foolish mortals refuse to believe this, busying themselves with pursuits that hasten death rather than cultivating life — how could heaven forcibly grant longevity to such people?

Common people only seek fine food, luxurious clothing, sensual pleasures and indulgence until sudden death claims them. Never share alchemical methods with such individuals, lest they mock and slander this sacred knowledge. Transmitting alchemical scriptures (Jing) to unworthy recipients inevitably brings misfortune. Only those with genuine faith may partake of completed elixirs, but the formulas should never be lightly disclosed. Those who truly understand this path have no need to pursue noble titles or wealth — the perfected elixir (Golden Elixir) not only bestows immortality but can also transform base metals into gold.

After producing one hundred jin of gold, one must perform special sacrificial rites: twenty jin offered to Heaven, five jin each to the sun and moon, eight jin to the Northern Dipper, eight jin to the Great Unity (Taiyi), five jin to the Well Spirit, five jin to the Stove God, twelve jin to the River Earl, five jin to the Earth Deity, and five jin distributed among door spirits and other deities — totaling eighty-eight jin. The remaining twelve jin should be placed in fine leather bags and, on an auspicious day, secretly left in a bustling marketplace without looking back. Only after completing this hundred-jin gold sacrifice may one freely use other gold, lest calamity strike.

The scripture emphasizes: The path to longevity lies neither in sacrificing to spirits nor in physical exercises like Daoyin breathing techniques — the crucial factor is refining the divine elixir. Though understanding this principle is difficult, practicing it proves even harder, yet successful alchemy yields immortality. Consider Yin Changsheng of Xinye during the late Eastern Han: originally a Confucian scholar, he attained the Dao through refining the Great Clarity Elixir (Taiqing Dan), achieving immortality while leaving behind numerous poems and commentaries on alchemical scriptures.

Ge Hong records in Baopuzi his apprenticeship in alchemical arts under his master, detailing over forty individuals he personally witnessed attaining immortality through elixir ingestion. Among these formulas, the Great Clarity Elixir (Taiqing Dan), though challenging to refine, was hailed as the most potent flying-immortal prescription within the Nine Tripod methods.

Preparing this elixir required several specialized materials: Hua Chi (an alchemical solution), Red Salt, Gen Snow (likely a crystalline substance), Mystic White Flying Talisman (Fulu), and Three-Five Divine Water (a specially formulated medicinal liquid). Only after gathering these could the firing process begin. The elixirs were graded into nine tiers based on refinement cycles:

A single-cycle (yizhuan) elixir took three years to confer immortality, double-cycle required two years, and triple-cycle achieved results in one year. As refinement cycles increased, potency intensified—quadruple-cycle worked in six months, quintuple in a hundred days, sextuple in forty days, septuple in thirty, and octuple in merely ten days. The most miraculous Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir (Jiuzhuan Jindan) induced ascension within three days of ingestion.

The specific method involved placing the Nine-Cycle Elixir into a sacred tripod after the summer solstice, with one jin of cinnabar (Zhuer) beneath the lid, awaiting sunlight. Within moments, five-colored divine light would erupt, transforming the elixir into "Returned Elixir" (Huan Dan). Consuming a minuscule portion (measured in daogui, an ancient micro-unit) triggered immediate daytime flight.

During refinement, the elixir was sealed in an earthenware vessel with controlled firing—gentle heat followed by intense flames. Each cycle from one to nine required varying durations; fewer cycles meant weaker potency and prolonged ascension periods, while higher cycles delivered swifter effects due to concentrated power.

Another variant, the Nine-Light Elixir (Jiuguang Dan), followed a similar but distinct process. It involved cyclical refinement of five minerals—cinnabar, realgar, alum, malachite, and magnetite—each undergoing five transformations to manifest five hues, collectively yielding twenty-five color variations. Storing one liang of each mineral separately granted resurrection powers: applying the azure elixir to a corpse deceased for less than three days, followed by minimal ingestion, revived the dead. Smearing the black elixir on one’s left palm materialized any desired object—even kitchen utensils appeared upon command.

This passage discusses various miraculous elixirs and cultivation methods in Daoist alchemy.

All things under heaven possess latent abilities of invisibility and precognition. To obtain these supernatural powers, one need only ingest a small spoonful of huangdan (a golden elixir) to achieve longevity. Practitioners can sit in meditation yet perceive events a thousand miles away, with blessings and misfortunes appearing as clearly as if before their eyes. Human destiny—including lifespan, wealth, and social status—can all be foreseen through methods recorded in the middle scroll of the Taiqing Jing (Scripture of Great Clarity).

Five types of spiritual elixirs are then described. The first requires cinnabar, realgar, orpiment, sulfur, azurite, alum, magnetite, halite, and taiyi yuliang (a mineral compound), combined with liuyi ni (special alchemical clay) and consecrated in a divine chamber for thirty-six days. When paired with Five Emperor talismans (Daoist fu charms) inscribed in five colors, though not granting complete immortality, its potency is second only to the Supreme Clarity Elixir and Nine Cauldrons Elixir.

The Minshan Dan method was revealed to adept Zhang Gai during intensive cultivation in a stone grotto of Mount Min. The process involves crafting a square vessel from yellow copper to collect lunar dew, mixing it with mercury, and refining it under sunlight. Prolonged ingestion confers immortality. When stored in a realgar-copper container covered with mercury and solarized for twenty days, then taken with morning well water, this elixir can restore sight to the blind within a hundred days, cure illnesses, turn white hair black, and regenerate lost teeth.

The Wuchengzi Dan method involves placing processed mercury in a bronze plate, heating it in an earthen furnace with charcoal while maintaining a sulfur-water paste consistency. After a hundred days of refinement, consumption grants longevity. The Xianmenzi Dan method mixes the elixir with wine, solarized for forty days. A single dose expels the "three worms" (Daoist concept of parasitic energies in the body), while three years of use leads to transcendence—attracting two jade maidens (celestial attendants) and enabling the summoning of "traveling kitchens" (magically conjured feasts). This elixir also repels hundreds of ghosts and neutralizes geomancy conflicts or construction taboos.

Lastly, the Licheng Dan, though inferior to the Nine Cauldrons Elixir, offers simpler preparation: refining orpiment and realgar in bronze vessels soaked in three-year-aged vinegar.

This passage introduces several extraordinary elixir formulas from ancient Daoist alchemy (Waidan) and their purported effects.

It describes a mystical vessel that, when buried for a hundred days, produces red crystalline formations ("red milk"), some with iridescent hues resembling precious stones (Langgan). Consuming these crystals was believed to confer immortality. When combined with the juice of dodder vines (a plant resembling rabbit roots), the mixture allegedly enabled shape-shifting at will. The red date-like zhu grass's juice, when taken with the crystals, granted the ability to levitate. Mixing zhu grass juice with jade, gold, or silver created "jade nectar," another immortality-inducing elixir.

The text also details methods for obtaining the "subdued elixir": During the ten nights before summer solstice in specific waters like Nanyang's Dan River, luminous "cinnabar fish" would appear. Catching these fish and applying their blood to one's feet purportedly enabled walking on water or prolonged underwater habitation. The alchemist Chisongzi's formula involved steeping elixirs in millennium-old plant sap (lei han) and peach juice, then burying them for a hundred days before consumption with red fruit juice—a process said to turn hair crimson while granting eternal life.

Other recipes include: feeding True Cinnabar and beef to featherless fledglings until their plumage reddened, then processing them into elixirs; soaking bird eggs and sparrow blood in mica water for a hundred days to create "crimson water"; and steaming elixirs inside animal carcasses. These methods all claimed to extend life by centuries or confer deathless transcendence.

These records reflect ancient Daoist priests' pursuit of longevity through symbolic formulations, prominently featuring red substances (zhu grass, cinnabar fish, red fruits, etc.)—a color representing vitality and the immortal path in Daoist symbolism.

This passage documents various methods of crafting elixirs of immortality from ancient Daoist traditions, primarily drawn from the Baopuzi Neipian (Inner Chapters of the Master Who Embraces Simplicity), detailing the ingredients, preparation processes, and purported effects of different elixirs.

The first method involves sealing medicinal substances in a tube submerged in well water for a hundred days until it transforms into red medicinal liquid. Consuming a small cupful purportedly extends life by a century, while prolonged intake promises immortality. The formula attributed to Le Zichang combines azurite (a mineral), lead oxide, mercury, and cinnabar in a bronze cylinder sealed with white talc, then steamed for eighty days. Taking an amount the size of a soybean for three years (or one year in another version) allegedly leads to transcendence.

Li Wen's method wraps the elixir in white silk, boils it with bamboo juice to create "Crimson Spring," then steams it again for consumption with "Mystic Water"—claimed to induce transcendence within a year. Yinzi's technique blends mica water with the elixir, seals it in a golden-flower pool for a year, and prescribes minuscule doses (one daogui measure); consuming a full jin supposedly grants five hundred years of life.

The Great Unity Summoning Souls Elixir allegedly revives those dead for less than three days when taken with sulfur pills and water—reportedly causing the deceased to see an envoy arriving with a ceremonial staff. The Maiden Cai's formula mixes rabbit blood with the elixir and honey, steaming for a hundred days. Taking three pills the size of phoenix tree seeds daily summons two divine maidens to attend the practitioner after a hundred days.

Jiqiuzi's prescription combines clear wine, sesame oil, hundred-flower nectar, and dragon fat, sealed and simmered with chaff fire for ten days—consuming one batch promises five centuries of longevity. Mozi's method boils mercury and five-mineral solutions in bronze vessels for ten days; minute doses claim to cure all ailments, while prolonged use prevents death. Zhang Zihe's process seals lead, mercury, and azurite water for eighty days of steaming, then forms pills with jujube paste—a hundred days' consumption allegedly grants five hundred years of life.

The Qili technique first boils five-mineral jade dust with cinnabar and mercury in large bronze vessels for a hundred days—ingesting the resulting five-colored elixir promises immortality. Another variation involves refining a hundred jin of lead with trace minerals into silver, then further processing with realgar water.

These formulas all involve complex metallurgical processes—sealing, steaming, and prolonged heating—with claims ranging from life extension and resurrection to ascension as an immortal (xian), reflecting ancient Daoist pursuits of longevity. Modern readers should note many minerals involved are toxic and these methods should never be attempted.

This passage details various methods of refining the Golden Elixir (Jindan) in Daoist alchemy and their miraculous effects.

Regarding gold refinement: Preliminary gold is repeatedly boiled with lard or white plum juice to adjust its hardness. The Jade Pillar Elixir (Yuzhu Dan) requires blending the Hua Pool (a refining solution) with medicinal compounds, adding powdered azurite (Zengqing) and sulfur, then sealing the mixture in bamboo tubes buried in sand for fifty days of steaming. Consuming this for a hundred days purportedly summons jade maidens and deities like the Six Jia and Six Ding to serve the practitioner, while granting omniscience.

The Elbow-Rear Elixir method combines gold sand with medicinal ingredients, sealing them in dry earthenware for eighty days of steaming. A pea-sized pellet consumed while facing sunlight allegedly grants immortality. When cast into Danyang copper and smelted, it transforms into gold. Another variation involves mixing the elixir with oil for a hundred days of consumption to achieve longevity.

Li Gong’s Elixir blends True Cinnabar (Zhen Dan) and Five Minerals Water (Wushi Shui) into a paste, refining it in a cauldron for thirty-six days before adding liquid sulfur. A decade of ingestion supposedly aligns one’s lifespan with heaven and earth. Liu Sheng’s method steams the elixir with chrysanthemum juice, paper mulberry sap, and ailanthus extract for thirty days. Powdered and taken for a year, it promises five hundred years of life—rejuvenating the elderly and halting aging in the young.

Wang Jun’s Elixir places arsenic (Basha) and mercury inside an egg, sealed with lacquer and incubated by a hen. Taken on an auspicious day, it preserves youth eternally, though children must avoid it lest they cease growing. Feeding it to newborn chicks or pups also halts their growth. Chen Sheng’s method seals white honey and elixir in a copper vessel submerged in a well for a year. Consuming a pound allegedly prevents hunger for a century. Han Zhong’s Final Elixir simmers lacquer, honey, and elixir, granting extended life—even erasing one’s shadow under sunlight.

The author, Ge Hong (Baopuzi), concludes: Gold Liquor (Jinye) is an immortal elixir consumed by the Great Unity (Taiyi) deity, rivaling the Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir. Refining it requires a pound of gold combined with Mystic Bright Dragon Paste (Xuanming Longgao), Great Unity’s Head-Stone (Taiyi Xunshou Zhongshi), ice quartz, Purple Wandering Maiden (Ziyounü), Mystic Water Liquid (Xuanshui Ye), Gold-Dissolving Stone (Jinhuashi), and cinnabar, sealed until liquefied. The true scripture states: Upon ingestion, the body turns entirely golden.

(Note: These alchemical records reflect ancient Daoist pursuits of immortality. Substances like mercury and sulfur mentioned here are toxic—modern readers must never attempt such practices.)

This passage reveals the esoteric teachings of the Daoist Golden Elixir (Jindan) refinement method. Laozi (the founding patriarch of Daoism) transmitted this practice to the Primordial Lord (Yuanjun, a revered Daoist deity), who declared it the rarest of Daoist techniques, appearing only once in a hundred generations. Practitioners must store the scripture in a stone chamber, with all participants observing purification rituals (Zhaijie) for one hundred days—during which no contact with worldly people is permitted. A quiet meditation room should be built beside a famous mountain and flowing water; after completing the hundred-day practice, consuming just one liang (about 30 grams) of the elixir results in ascension to immortality.

For those not seeking immediate celestial transcendence but wishing to first become terrestrial immortals (Dixian, who dwell long in the human realm), the same hundred-day purification is required. Those aspiring to ascend to heaven must first abstain from grains (Dangu) for a full year before ingestion. Consuming half a liang grants eternal life, rendering the body impervious to all poisons and harm. One may freely marry, bear children, hold office, and act without restriction. If later desiring celestial ascension, another purification period followed by ingesting one liang enables flight to immortality.

When combining the Golden Elixir with the "Weixi Jusheng" method (a specialized alchemical technique): mix the elixir with mercury and boil for thirty days in a yellow-earth crucible, sealed with Six-One Mud (Liuyi ni, a hermetic alchemical material), then refine under intense fire for sixty double-hours (shichen) to transmute it into an immortal elixir. A dose the size of a small bean suffices for transcendence. This elixir can also transmute mercury into silver—a mere "knife-point" (daogui, a minute measure) of the powdered elixir per jin (about 500 grams) of mercury yields silver. Heating one jin of the powder with a fire fan transforms it into flowing red gold, called "Elixir Gold" (Danjin). Coating weapons with it wards off blades; using it as tableware grants longevity. Like the ancient "Fangzhu" dew-collecting vessel gathering lunar essence, drinking this Golden Elixir confers deathlessness.

Refining the Golden Elixir with yellow earth in a Six-One Mud-sealed crucible under fierce fire produces gold; further refinement yields the immortal elixir. A bean-sized portion makes one a terrestrial immortal, free to roam sacred mountains. A knife-point of the powder instantly turns mercury to silver; mixing one liang of silver with one jin of lead also creates silver. The Scripture of the Golden Elixir (Jinye Jing) emphasizes: eight liang of gold must be cast into east-flowing waters while swearing a blood oath to receive the oral formula—stealing the art ensures failure. Only the utterly sincere may be taught; reckless transmission invites calamity, as celestial spirits constantly watch over mortals.

Finally, Ge Hong (the Baopuzi) adds: though the Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir (Jiuzhuan Jindan) is the supreme method for immortality, its preparation requires vast rare ingredients, obtainable only in regions with access to trade routes from all directions.

The text discusses several methods and precautions for refining the Golden Elixir (Jindan), the Daoist elixir of immortality. The most challenging to produce is the "Golden Liquid" (Jinye), a liquid form of the elixir, which requires continuously controlling the furnace fire day and night for dozens of days—an extremely arduous process. In comparison, other formulas are easier but less potent than the Golden Liquid.

The greatest difficulty in refining the Golden Liquid lies in obtaining gold. In ancient times, one jin of gold (equivalent to two modern jin) was worth approximately 300,000 coins. The auxiliary herbs are relatively easier to prepare, and no fire is needed—simply soaking the ingredients in the Hua Pool (a refining vessel) for several days completes the process. The total cost for one dose is about 400,000 coins, enough for eight people to achieve immortality. However, even a slight deviation in the formula will render the elixir ineffective, much like trying to brew wine with just a few liters of rice—it simply won’t work.

Next is the method of preparing gold into medicinal pellets. Though inferior to the Golden Liquid, it is still far superior to other elixirs. Gold can be refined with lard or wine, treated with ailanthus bark, or dissolved with Jing wine or magnetite. Some methods involve crafting gold into wearable medicinal cloths, while others require refining it into a liquid for ingestion—though all have taboos and are less perfected than the Golden Liquid. Combining gold with realgar and orpiment allows it to be stretched into thin sheets, a technique used by terrestrial immortals (lower-ranking transcendents). Silver and pearl can also be liquefied for consumption, but they require long-term, uninterrupted use and are still less effective than the Golden Liquid.

Refining the Golden Liquid and the Nine Elixirs (Jiudan) not only demands vast wealth but also requires retreating to sacred mountains (places rich in spiritual energy) far from human society, so very few can accomplish it. Only one in ten million may receive the true transmission, which is why Daoist texts rarely detail the methods of refining the Golden Elixir. The most crucial prohibition is to prevent ignorant, non-believers from slandering or disparaging the practice—failure is certain otherwise. Zheng Yin (Ge Hong’s teacher) explained that refining the Great Medicine requires ritual offerings, and deities such as the Great Unity Lord (Taiyi Yuanjun), Laozi, and the Mysterious Maiden (Xuannü) will descend to oversee the process. If the alchemist does not seclude themselves in solitude and allows foolish commoners to witness or hear of it, the deities will rebuke them for violating scriptural precepts, leading to slander from malicious individuals. The divine protection will then withdraw, allowing evil energies to invade and ruin the refinement. One must enter a sacred mountain, observe purification rituals for a hundred days, abstain from the Five Pungent Vegetables (onions, garlic, etc.) and raw fish, and avoid contact with ordinary people.

To refine the precious Golden Elixir (Jindan), one must maintain the purification fast (zhai) throughout the entire alchemical process, not just briefly at the beginning. Zheng Yin (Ge Hong's teacher) once relayed the admonition of Zuo Ci (a renowned Eastern Han mystic): small hills are entirely unsuitable for refining supreme elixirs like the Golden Liquor and Divine Elixir. Such minor elevations typically lack orthodox mountain deities—instead, they're inhabited by tree and rock spirits turned monstrous, or blood-sacrifice-fed ghosts. These malevolent entities, steeped in corrupt Qi (vital energy), not only fail to assist in accumulating blessings but actively harm practitioners, specifically testing a cultivator's spiritual resolve. Thus, Daoists must employ protective rituals while guarding against disciples who might sabotage the elixir.

Consider how contemporary physicians compounding rare ointments forbid chickens, dogs, children, and women from approaching—such living beings' disruptive energies impair efficacy. Even dyers avoid letting disliked observers witness their craft, lest fabrics lose vibrancy. How much more crucial is secrecy when crafting an elixir of immortality? Hence ancient adepts invariably selected sacred mountains for this purpose.

The Scripture of Immortals (Xianjing) lists over twenty mountains ideal for serene elixir refinement, including Hua Shan, Tai Shan, Huo Shan, Heng Shan, Song Shan, and Shaoshi Shan. These peaks host orthodox deities and sometimes terrestrial immortals (earthbound yet long-lived adepts), growing fungus-grass that wards off weapons and calamities—making them perfect not just for alchemy. When virtuous practitioners ascend them, mountain spirits assist, ensuring elixir success.

If these sacred sites prove inaccessible, large eastern islands like Wengzhou and Danzhou east of Kuaiji, or Yangju Zhou and Taiguang Zhou near Xuzhou, serve as secondary options. With central plains' mountains now hard to reach, Jiangdong alternatives include Huo Shan in Jin'an, Taibai Shan in Dongyang, and Siwang Shan or the Greater and Lesser Tiantai ranges within Kuaiji commandery.

Ge Hong humbly acknowledges his ministerial lineage's inadequacy for statecraft but affirms his enduring devotion to the Daoist cultivation path.

This passage comes from Ge Hong's Inner Chapters of the Master Who Embraces Simplicity (Baopuzi Neipian), recounting his decision to abandon worldly fame and dedicate himself to Daoist cultivation and alchemy, while also recording several elixir recipes.

Ge Hong explains that he gave up social engagements and the luxuries of his hometown to climb sacred mountains, complete his writings, and refine the elixir of immortality. Ordinary people could not understand why he left bustling cities to live a reclusive, ascetic life of farming in the mountains—some even thought him mentally unstable. Yet Ge Hong firmly believed that Daoist practice and worldly affairs could not be pursued simultaneously. How could one achieve spiritual aspirations without relinquishing mundane distractions? Unconcerned with others' praise or criticism, he held fast to his convictions and recorded these insights for fellow seekers in later generations.

The text details three elixir formulas:

1. Minor Divine Elixir Recipe: Mix three jin of true cinnabar (zhusha) with six jin of white honey, dry it in the sun, and boil it into pills. Consuming ten sesame-sized pills daily will turn white hair black and regrow lost teeth within a year, while restoring youthful skin. Long-term use rejuvenates the body, granting immortality.

2. Minor Elixir Method: Grind one jin of cinnabar into powder, add three sheng of pure vinegar and two sheng of lacquer, then simmer over low heat to form pills. Taking three pills daily for thirty days cures all abdominal ailments and expels the Three Corpses (malevolent spirits believed to reside in the body). After a hundred days, tendons and bones strengthen; after a thousand days, the Siming (Controller of Fate) deity removes one’s name from the register of death, bestowing eternal life, shape-shifting abilities, and even the power to cast no shadow in sunlight or emit radiant light.

3. Minor Gold-Taking Method: Boil gold in clear wine two hundred times until it becomes malleable like clay. Ingest a pellet-sized portion (or in divided doses). Within thirty days, one becomes impervious to heat and cold, attended by divine beings and jade maidens. Silver can be processed similarly. After consuming either elixir, a year of secluded practice in mountain stone chambers enables ascension as an immortal (xian). Even taken in the human world, it confers the status of an earthly immortal (dixian). Ge Hong stresses these secrets must not be carelessly disclosed.

The final method, the Liangyi Elixir for Dissolving Gold, requires three jin of lard, though the text omits further details. These alchemical practices reflect Daoist methods for pursuing immortality, steeped in mystical elements.

This passage describes an ancient Daoist alchemical formula for prolonging life. The method involves simmering five taels of gold in a container with one sheng of bitter wine (an ancient sour alcoholic beverage) over an earthen furnace. The gold must be repeatedly soaked in animal fat and bitter wine, with each cycle requiring a hundred immersions.

The effects of consuming this elixir are described as follows: ingesting one jin grants immortality and cosmic longevity; half a jin confers two thousand years of life; five taels bestows twelve hundred years of longevity. While any dosage proves effective, the optimal results are achieved when the elixir is prepared and consumed on "auspicious sovereign days" (Wangxiang ri, propitious dates in Daoist cosmology).

Ge Hong (the Master Who Embraces Simplicity) particularly emphasizes that this formula must not be casually transmitted. If divulged to the uninitiated, the elixir will lose its miraculous efficacy. Those wishing to abandon this practice should transition to consuming cinnabar (zhusha, another important Daoist alchemical substance).

It's crucial to note that this represents historical waidan (external alchemy) documentation. The described life-extending effects belong to the realm of Daoist cultivation theory—actual practice is strongly discouraged as gold and other heavy metals are toxic to the human body.