《天仙正理直論淺說》

This passage explains the fundamental principles of Daoist cultivation for achieving immortality. Wu Shouyang (Daoist name Chongxuzi) and his younger brother Wu Shouxu (Daoist name Zhenyangzi) clarify in their commentary that the goal of Daoist practice is to attain deathless longevity through specific methods.

Ordinary people are bound by the cycle of life and death, while cultivators can extend their lifespan indefinitely through disciplined practice. The first step in cultivation is "refining essence into qi" (lianjing huaqi)—transforming the body's innate primordial essence (jing) into primordial qi (yuanqi, the foundational energy). When this qi accumulates sufficiently without leakage, one transcends the constraints of desire and attains spiritual powers. This corresponds to what Zhongli Quan (one of the Eight Immortals) called the "minor attainment" (xiaocheng) stage.

Prince Ji Taihe once asked: Isn’t deathless longevity an extremely difficult, major achievement? Chongxuzi explained that this is merely the preliminary stage of cultivation. First, one must refine the primordial essence stored in the kidneys (foundation-building, zhuji), requiring roughly a hundred days of practice until the qi becomes as abundant and complete as that of a child. Once foundation-building succeeds, one achieves permanent non-leakage—a basic accomplishment. Higher stages follow, such as "ten months to transform the spirit" (shiyue huashen) and "nine years to return to emptiness" (jiunian huanxu), ultimately reaching the "great attainment" (dacheng) stage of sharing the longevity of heaven and earth.

Lü Dongbin (Ancestor Lü) once criticized those who cultivate only the body (ming, life) but neglect the mind (xing, nature), stating that even if they attain cosmic longevity, they remain mere fools because their spirit (shen) cannot attain spiritual illumination. After hearing this, Taihe suddenly realized that the path of celestial immortality (tianxian) is indeed the supreme achievement.

Zhenyangzi further elaborates that cultivation must progress from the "realm of form" (sejie, material plane) to the "formless realm" (wusejie, spiritual plane), ultimately transcending the three realms to reach the highest state of governing heaven and earth. Here, the terms "realm of form" and "formless realm" borrow from Buddhist terminology, referring to different levels of spiritual refinement.

When cultivation reaches the state of merging with the void, one attains the fruit of Celestial Immortality (the highest achievement in Daoism). Master Zhongli Quan (one of the Eight Immortals) called this the "Great Completion of the Middle Achievement." Upon attaining Celestial Immortality, one can participate in the governance of celestial affairs and endure as long as heaven and earth. Master Qiu Chuji (patriarch of the Quanzhen tradition) said that the jurisdiction of Celestial Immortals is omnipresent—not a single inch of land or a foot of sky is left unaccounted for.

In the past, Prince Ji once asked: "If Celestial Immortals have reached the ultimate state of emptiness, how do they govern the myriad things of heaven and earth?" Chongxuzi (Wu Shouyang, a Ming dynasty Neidan master) replied: In the initial stages of cultivation, the method involves "reversing heaven and earth" (referring to the transformation of Jing, Qi, and Shen in Neidan practice), harmonizing the "union of heaven and earth" (the balance of Yin and Yang) to initially regulate one's own microcosm. Upon achieving the Great Dao, one attains sovereignty like the Three Pure Ones (Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun, Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun, and Taiqing Daode Tianzun) presiding over the Three Pure Realms, or assumes roles such as the Jade Emperor ruling the heavens, Zhenwu the Great Emperor guarding the North Pole, or the Donghua Emperor governing the East. Similarly, the Buddha delivers sentient beings in the Western Paradise, the Celestial Official oversees the heavens, the Earth Official governs the earth, and the Water Official regulates the waters. Below the Three Pure Heavens lie the Nine Heavens and Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens (Daoist paradises), while the human realm has the Twenty-Four Parishes (administrative districts established by Celestial Master Zhang), with Zhang Tianshi himself presiding over Yangping Parish.

The mortal world also contains Eighty-One Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands, each governed by mountain deities of the Five Sacred Peaks—for example, Li Jing of the Tang dynasty ruled over the Central Peak, while Zhang Liang of the Han dynasty oversaw Mount Wangwu. Immortal Xu Xun served as master of Dantai Palace, Master Wang Xi governed the Upper Penglai Isle, Master Juanzi presided over the Middle Isle, and Patriarch Chen Tuan managed the Lower Isle. Master Zhongli Quan expounded scriptures in the Southern Continent, Shao Jian was the mountain deity of Mount Lu, Lady Yang Taijun governed Mount Tiantai, and the Three Mao Immortals (Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong) recorded the merits and faults of mortals. These accounts are documented in the Taiqing Yuhua Immortal Scriptures and are widely circulated in the world. Thus, Master Qiu Chuji's words indeed reveal the mystery of how Celestial Immortals govern heaven and earth. Prince Ji expressed agreement upon hearing this.

Since ancient times, people have admired immortals and sought to cultivate the Dao. Hearing that immortals possess eternal life and supernatural powers, who wouldn’t yearn for such attainment? Master Zhang Boduan stated in the Wuzhen Pian: "To learn immortality, one must learn Celestial Immortality—only the Golden Elixir (Jindan) leads to the ultimate truth." Such words further ignite this longing. Buddhist scriptures record that when Shakyamuni renounced the world, he held four great vows: freedom from aging, eternal youth, freedom from illness, and deathlessness. This shows that the ultimate pursuits of immortals and Buddhas are the same.

Yet the principles of Daoist cultivation are profound and subtle, not easily grasped by all. Thus, ancient sages often used metaphors to explain, though these analogies ultimately do not represent the true nature of the self. When speaking of the "dual cultivation of nature and life" (Xing referring to innate nature, Ming to the physical body), they provisionally used body and mind as references. The key to cultivation lies in transcending these appearances and directly pointing to the source.

This passage elucidates the fundamental principles of Daoist cultivation for attaining immortality. The author criticizes later practitioners who merely imitate superficial practices—comparing them to acupuncturists training on bronze figures yet unable to treat real patients, or those who swallow sugarcane whole without tasting its true flavor—all because they fail to grasp the essence of the Dao (the Way).

The author aims to clarify, in accessible language, previously unexplained cultivation secrets: the profound mechanism of refining spirit (Shen) to return to emptiness, the precise timing for transforming essence (Jing) and controlling internal fire, methods to discern true essence, distinctions between macrocosmic and microcosmic orbit circulation, the transcendent state of "Five Dragons Upholding the Sacred," and meditative techniques as tender as nursing an infant. These are all pivotal to Daoist practice.

The character "Dao" represents the fundamental law governing human existence—from birth to death, and from mundanity to sagehood. Human life originates from the Dao, manifesting concretely through the transformative interplay of Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit). When these three flourish, one enjoys health and longevity; when they decline, aging and death follow. Cultivation means nurturing these three treasures, restoring them to their primordial wholeness.

Quoting the Taishang Yangsheng Taixi Qi Jing (Scripture on Embryonic Breathing for Nourishing Life), the text states: "When essence is complete, Qi is complete; when essence leaks, Qi dissipates—thus essence must be preserved." Through the alchemical stages of refining essence into Qi, Qi into spirit, and spirit into emptiness, practitioners achieve the trinity of Jing-Qi-Shen, which is essential for realizing immortal Dao.

Human life consists of Yin-Yang energies, expressed through two aspects: innate nature (Xing) and vital life (Ming). Only by cultivating both can one become complete—just as only dual cultivation leads to immortality. No one attains transcendence through partial practice; it requires natural cultivation akin to ordinary maturation, ultimately reaching sagehood beyond the mundane.

This passage explains the core principle of Daoist cultivation—the path to immortality requires a process of "reverse operation" (nixing). This refers to reversing the ordinary human trajectory of birth, aging, sickness, and death that follows natural laws.

Before heaven, earth, and humanity came into existence, the universe existed in a state of "absolute emptiness" (xu), akin to the stage described in the Book of Changes (Yijing) where "Wuji gives birth to Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)." Wuji represents the state where Qi (primordial energy) has not yet manifested, while Taiji signifies the culmination of Qi's potential. At this stage, there was no differentiation between Yin-Yang or movement and stillness—it resembled the undivided chaos before the separation of heaven and earth.

In this transitional state between chaos and differentiation, there existed a "Dao-Qi" (primordial energy of the Dao), supremely empty and pure—the ideal material for refining the Golden Elixir (Jindan). Unless Qi reaches this degree of purity, it cannot be considered true primordial energy.

When this primordial energy remains still for an extended period, it is called "One" (Yi). When movement begins, it divides into Yin and Yang: the light, clear Yang energy ascends to form heaven (comparable to human spiritual nature), while the heavy, turbid Yin energy descends to form earth (comparable to the physical body). This is the process ancient texts describe as "One generates Two, Two generates Three." The interplay of Yin-Yang and movement-stillness operates cyclically—when these two energies unite, humanity is born.

The crucial insight is this: Without the union of Yin and Yang, heaven and earth could not produce humans endowed with complete primordial energy. Similarly, without harmonizing these two energies, one cannot cultivate the perfect primordial energy required to become an immortal. Human existence depends precisely on possessing both Yin and Yang energies—both spiritual nature and physical life—hence the saying "the human body is a microcosm of the universe."

The essence of cultivation lies in this distinction: Following the natural transformations of Yin-Yang leads to ordinary human existence, while reversing this process through cultivation—returning to the primordial origin—leads to immortality. This explains why cultivation requires undergoing three major transformations (referring to the stages of refining Jing into Qi, Qi into Shen, and Shen into emptiness) to achieve complete human cultivation.

The human Dao is the path by which the body is generated and one becomes a person. The first transformation occurs when the parents first unite: the two Qi (prenatal vital energy) combine into one Qi and form the fetus. The second transformation occurs when the fetus has been in the womb for ten full months: Qi serves as life (the root of life), Shen (spirit/consciousness) serves as nature (the root of spirituality), and birth is imminent. The third transformation occurs after birth, as one grows into an adult, when Jing and Qi (essence and vital energy) flourish at age sixteen. These are called the three transformations.

In cultivation there are also three gates; when cultivation is accomplished, one may attain the immortal Dao: the initial gate refines Jing into Qi, the middle gate refines Qi into Shen, and the upper gate refines Shen and returns to Emptiness. These are called the cultivation of the three gates, and this is the basis for becoming an immortal.

The forward course (following the natural direction of generation) of the three transformations of the human Dao means that at the gate of the first transformation, it goes from no Qi to combining into one Qi. When the parents’ two Qi first unite in the womb, there is only the one prenatal Qi, and it is not yet called Shen and Qi; at this time there is still no breathing in the mother’s womb, nor is there Shen.

When the fetus gradually grows and roughly resembles a human form, there is a faint Qi-sensation resembling breathing but not yet true breathing; this is precisely the time when Shen and Qi are about to divide but have not yet divided. Once breathing has already formed and follows the mother’s breathing, this is the time when Shen and Qi have already divided but are not yet complete; at this point the ten months of gestation are not yet full. But since it has already been differentiated as two, it belongs to the postnatal.

This two is not a separate two formed by departing from the one; rather, it is the one manifesting as if there were two principles. The two are still refined and subtle, not yet formed into coarse, manifest traces; from this point the fetus gradually grows.

At this time the heart and kidneys begin to be established; in the fetus the five viscera gradually come into being, and the forms of the heart and kidneys gradually become distinct and established; thus nature and life are to be established. With the heart, the root of nature is present; with the kidneys, the root of life is present. Shen is already firmly stored in the heart, and Qi is already firmly stored in the navel. Shen is nature, what the heart possesses, and is originally inseparable from the heart; Qi is life, what the kidneys inherently possess, and is originally inseparable from the kidneys.

When the hands and feet can move, when the body turns over, and when a cry also comes from the mouth, the ten months of gestation are complete. At this time Shen and Qi in the fetus are already complete; this is the gate of the second transformation, described as “one divides into two.” At birth, the prenatal Qi is still at the navel, the postnatal Qi is at the mouth and nose, and the breathing of the mouth and nose is also connected with the navel; the prenatal Shen still remains.

When the human mind begins chasing external objects, desires inevitably arise. At this stage, although Qi (innate energy) and Shen (consciousness) are two distinct elements, they both circulate in accordance with the mind's fluctuations.

This illustrates how both our innate nature (Xing) and vital life (Ming) possess active and quiescent states. Just as when people sleep, their Qi becomes tranquil and their nature rests; upon waking, Qi begins moving and nature follows suit. This is what later texts describe as "Shen and Qi moving in unison," aligning with the Confucian observation that "when Qi stirs, it inevitably affects the heart-mind."

Around sixteen years of age, when one's spiritual awareness matures and Jing-essence reaches peak vitality, one encounters the critical "Three Transformations." Occasionally, primordial Qi surges toward the Yang Pass (lower Dantian) - this is the natural movement of life-root Qi, which inevitably seeks outward expression. The Yang Pass, being constantly active, is termed the "familiar territory." Here, desire-related consciousness also arrives at the Yang Pass.

Consciousness can penetrate both heaven-earth and internal-external realms. It perceives internal movements and registers external changes, yet most worldly people remain enslaved by external objects. When Shen and Qi naturally unite, they follow life's cyclical patterns in the process called "Qi transforming into Jing" - this constitutes the so-called Three Transformations.

Cultivation reverses this process: Through the "Hundred Days Gate" foundational practice, Jing returns to Qi (as the Lotus Sutra mentions Buddha's hundred-day timeframe); through the "Ten Months Gate," Qi refines into Shen; finally, through the "Nine Years Wall-Gazing" profound stillness, Shen returns to emptiness. This reverses the Three Transformations back to Two, then to One, ultimately reaching the realm of Void to attain celestial immortality.

This state of ultimate emptiness extending to the Wuji (Limitless) represents the highest realization of celestial immortals. Achieving this demands corresponding cultivation methods.

The aforementioned Three Transformations describe natural human development, while the Three Gates practice explains how to reverse this process for longevity. This constitutes the crucial moment of genuine cultivation requiring mastery of practical methods.

We shall now clearly explain the cultivation method of Xing-Ming dual cultivation. Since both Qi and Shen have active-quiescent states, true practice lies in mastering these dynamic transformations.

From the phrase “from this point onward” to “the cultivation of those who have already depleted their Jing,” this large passage explains in detail the true cardinal principle of becoming immortals and Buddhas. The entire purpose of great cultivation, the main essentials in the Zhilun (Direct Treatise), and the secret mechanism of the Hezong yulu (Recorded Sayings on Uniting the Schools)—their essential outline is fully set forth here.

At the extreme of stillness, there is precisely the incipient movement (the incipience of Qi (vital energy) stirring). The incipience of movement is a suddenly arising awareness that is not entangled in worldly affairs; this is why it is called incipience (ji). When Qi (vital energy, specifically pre-heaven Qi) moves, Shen (spirit, the mind-spirit) moves along with it. When the timing arrives, Shen can be aware of it; if Shen is not aware, one will miss it right before one’s eyes. It is precisely through this incipient movement that one can cultivate immortality. When Qi moves and transforms into Jing (essence), and one follows worldly ways until it is exhausted and leads to death, this is inevitable; the Zhenren (true person), however, cultivates by returning to stillness within this movement, so that this incipience does not die. Although there appears to be movement, one is not used by the movement; only then can one cultivate in reverse and become an immortal. For this incipience is the fork in the road that gives rise to humans and to immortals and Buddhas. The so-called fork is the division between forward-going and reverse-going. At the time of incipient movement, if one follows this incipience forward, one thereby becomes a human; if one reverses this movement and returns to stillness, one becomes an immortal or Buddha. Therefore the Daoist scriptures say, movement is the incipience of stillness. The Buddha said, if you wish for true non-movement, within movement there is non-movement. This is the critical pass for entering death and entering life. The incipient movement is the key by which a person may live or die, so those seeking long life must value it most.

Once the Qi-incipience already belongs to movement, it is about to exit through the Yangguan (Yang Pass, the orifice through which Jing and Qi leak out) and become post-heaven Jing. Chen Niwan (a Neidan (internal alchemy) master) said: at the zi hour, Qi reaches the Weilu Pass (the lower orifice of the Du meridian). The Daozang Jing says, Jing is a wondrous thing, the root of long life for the Zhenren; these are words from the Taishang Taixi Qi Jing. The Huangting Jing (Yellow Court Scripture) also says that retaining the embryo and stopping Jing (preserving the embryonic origin and preventing the outflow of Jing) can bring long life. This refers precisely to the pre-heaven Qi that has not yet become post-heaven Jing substance; it is called Yuanjing (pre-heaven essence-qi). Pre-heaven Qi is Yuanjing. Although this Qi moves, if it is not governed by Shen, even forward movement does not become Jing. For example, a child has the Qi of true yang; it is not that there is no movement or stillness, but his Shen has no delusive awareness and does not take charge of it. How could it ever become Jing? If it is not governed by Shen, even reverse movement cannot make the Qi return. Patriarch Lü, the Zhenren, said: If Longhu (Dragon and Tiger, Yin-Yang, water and fire) do not unite, how can one obtain Huangya (Yellow Sprout, the newly generated medicine of Neidan)? If Huangya is absent, how can one obtain Dayao (the Great Medicine of Neidan)? Cultivators of immortality practice reverse cultivation here and do not let it exit the Yangguan. Zhongli, the Zhenren, said: Rein in the Yangguan (tightly control the Jing pass so it does not leak out), and one can return to the origin and refine the medicine. That is, because the Qi-incipience in the body unites with the Shen-incipience (the incipience governed by the mind-spirit).

When the primordial Qi (innate life energy) is activated during cultivation, the primordial spirit (innate consciousness) also produces subtle responses. At this moment, one must gather them back into the body, returning them to the source of primordial Qi, where they undergo refined circulation within. Critical operations like gathering medicinal ingredients and refining the elixir must be timed precisely to seize this optimal opportunity.

The Huangting Jing (Scripture of the Yellow Court) states that immortality is achieved by nurturing primordial Qi through breath regulation, and only when spirit and Qi are tightly bound without separation does the microcosmic orbit (small celestial cycle) emerge. The so-called microcosmic orbit resembles the movement of celestial bodies—the full celestial cycle of 360 degrees is inherently a unified whole. The distinction between macrocosmic and microcosmic orbits arises from differences in scale during practice. The microcosmic orbit borrows the analogy of the twelve earthly branches (Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, etc.), much like the sun completing its daily cycle. When spirit and Qi circulate in harmony, their progression and pauses follow rhythms akin to the twelve-hour cycle.

Yet the movement of Qi inherently follows laws of progression and pause, beginning and ending. As the Song Dynasty Chan master Daoyi remarked: "There is no movement without pause, nor pause without movement." Bai Yuchan (a renowned Southern Song Daoist) pointed out that this cycle begins at the Xuwei point (located in the lower Dantian, corresponding to the northern celestial palace of Xu and Wei stars in the Zi position of the Kan trigram) and ultimately returns to its origin, completing a full cycle. The entire process must adhere to the natural rhythm of movement.

It is crucial to note: the number of Qi circulations should not be excessive. After completing one full cycle, the active state should return to stillness. Forcing additional rotations will only lead to rigidity and stagnation, wasting time without real benefit. Similarly, the duration of practice should not be overly prolonged. Here, "time" refers to the symbolic meaning of the twelve earthly branches—actual cultivation need not rigidly adhere to specific hours but should use the concept of time to grasp rhythm. As Chen Chaoyuan advised: "The firing of the elixir should begin at Zi hour (when Yang energy first emerges), for the fire is strongest then. Other hours either lack sufficient fire or go beyond what is appropriate."

During cultivation, one must avoid fixating solely on manipulating postnatal breath, as this obstructs the natural emergence of innate primordial Qi. Just as plucking an instrument cannot produce true music, clinging to postnatal forms ultimately severs the vitality of the innate.

This passage explains the core principles of the "Zhou Tian Huohou" (Celestial Cycle Fire Times) method in Daoist Neidan (internal alchemy) practice, which involves guiding internal energy circulation through breath and intention.

When the body's vital functions stagnate, postnatal breathing becomes ineffective. If one excessively relies on postnatal Qi (the energy of ordinary breathing), the prenatal Qi (the innate life force we're born with) cannot emerge. The ancients said that without the "true seed" (referring to primordial Qi) in the alchemical furnace, it would be as futile as burning an empty pot with fire.

The notion of circulating energy through 360 degrees doesn't literally refer to celestial movement. It metaphorically describes the subtle process of applying consciousness during cultivation, using the celestial cycle's degrees to regulate practice rhythm. Specifically:

• During Zi hour (11 PM - 1 AM), circulate 36 times, corresponding to 180 Yang lines
• During Wu hour (11 AM - 1 PM), circulate 24 times, corresponding to 120 Yin lines
• Yang lines use the number "9," totaling 180 cycles (except during Mao hour)
• Yin lines use the number "6," totaling 120 cycles (except during You hour)

During Mao and You hours (5-7 AM and 5-7 PM), practitioners should perform "muyu" (bathing), temporarily pausing the fire times to let Qi nourish naturally. Ancient sages guarded the secrets of fire timing carefully, hence only mentioning "no fire during bathing." The apparent contradiction between "performing bathing" and "no fire" actually means abstaining from deliberate action ("no") while following natural flow ("performing"). Practitioners must comprehend this profound subtlety.

The celestial cycle circulation accumulates dynamic Qi mechanisms, ultimately achieving pure prenatal Yang Qi. Each complete fire cycle returns true Jing (essence) and Qi to the life root (Dantian), strengthening the generative mechanism of life energy. This isn't about acquiring from external sources but purifying one's own genuine Qi.

Every Qi movement requires a complete cycle refinement. Missing daily circulation hinders Qi's vigorous transformation, yet constant circulation without rest, while harmless, slows vital development. Persistent practice for no more than 100 days can achieve the state where essence doesn't leak but transforms into Qi. The ancient saying "100 days to build the foundation, refining essence into Qi" is approximate—some attain it in 70-80 days.

When refined to the point where Qi is full (Qi—in Daoism, the prenatal original Qi), some people can reach full Qi in fifty or sixty days; those who apply effort diligently without making mistakes attain it easily, and young people also attain it easily. This is the principle of “the Three Passes returning to Two” (a Neidan, or internal alchemy, term), having already returned to the state of an infant at birth crying, when it has just left the womb, its seven orifices not yet opened, its Shen (spirit) and consciousness not yet stirred, and true Qi gathered at the navel. These four lines say that when a person has just emerged from the mother’s womb, it is like this; now, in reverse cultivation, one must complete the work of a hundred days of the small celestial circuit (a basic Neidan practice, referring to true Qi circulating along the Ren and Du meridians) before true Qi can become sufficient, like this. Therefore, the Zhenren (Realized Person) Li Xu’an of Lujiang said, “Once the Yang Pass (the gate through which a man’s Jing, or essence, and Qi exit and enter) is closed, everyone attains long life,” which speaks of the foundation for obtaining long life. Zhenyang says: Yang essence and original Qi are always the root of generation and growth for the whole body, and both are subject to depletion and reduction; only sexual desire depletes them most and brings death fastest, because it damages the Yang Pass. The Yang Pass is the gateway through which Yang essence exits and enters. If Jing goes out from there, it is depleted and one dies; if Jing is drawn back there, one can become full and begin to prolong life. I close it with the power of mastery and do not let it go out; when Jing and Qi are full, the gate naturally closes. Whenever there is Jing, it seeks an outlet; when there is no path for Jing to pass through, it naturally closes—similar to the Confucian saying, “Walk it constantly and it becomes a road; do not walk it and it is blocked by thatch.” Therefore my patriarchal master, Zhenren Li, said: Cultivate to the point of one closure and you obtain long life; everyone can close it, and everyone can attain long life, without exception. My senior brother Chongxu said: From this one obtains the beginning of prolonged life, and then can eternally obtain long life; this is the foundation for sharing the lifespan of Heaven and Earth. Patriarch Li and we three brothers all explained it in plain and direct terms. Whenever there is long life, it must be due to “one closure”; if one can obtain this one closure in this way, one obtains true long life; if one cannot close it, one does not obtain long life. Those who seek long life should exert and pursue it here. Formerly, after seeking a teacher, Zhenren Shi Xinglin said: Having obtained the master’s essential instructions, I know that this body has a principle by which it cannot die, and I know that this elixir can certainly be accomplished. Since Jing has already returned and become Qi, there is no longer any surplus Jing. Original Jing is Qi; because of prolonged stillness and stability, it does not recklessly move and turn into sexual Jing, and the sexual root contracts like that of a small child—this is what is meant by the body of returning to youth. Therefore the Buddhist Avatamsaka Sutra also says, “He accomplishes the Tathagata’s mark of the horse-hidden organ” (one of the Buddha’s thirty-two marks: the male organ is concealed and does not appear, like a horse’s organ retracted)—this is precisely that. If there is still Jing, then one has not yet realized the complete return to Qi.

In the path of cultivation, a genuine pure Yang body (referring to the state of achieving leak-proof perfection) must attain complete absence of seminal essence within the body. Those who abstain from sexual indulgence but still retain seminal fluid can only be considered practicing restraint, not true leak-proof perfection. For instance, some monastics observe the Five Precepts (no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no false speech, no intoxicants) in seclusion to practice abstinence, yet their bodies still retain leakable essence. The case of Chan Master Yutong, who cultivated at Tiger Hill for forty years strictly upholding precepts but ultimately failed in his spiritual attainment due to the thousand bows of courtesan Honglian, exemplifies the consequences of not achieving genuine fruition.

Prince Ji once asked: "How can one verify true leak-proof perfection?" Chongxuzi replied: A truly leak-proof practitioner will have genitals shriveled like a child's, completely incapable of erection, fundamentally eliminating the possibility of producing essence. Only upon reaching this state can one achieve the "cessation of outflows" (one of the six supernatural powers in Buddhism, referring to complete exhaustion of defilements). The genital shrinkage in elderly people results from Yang Qi depletion, while dried-up semen stems from congenital insufficiency—these should not be mistaken for cultivation achievements. If one begins cultivation in old age, they must first replenish Jing-Qi (essence-energy) to the point of being capable of emission before attaining longevity potential. Never mistakenly believe the saying "lead and mercury (essence-energy) diminish with age."

When seminal essence completely transforms into primordial Qi (innate energy), the essence gate will naturally close. If the essence gate remains, it indicates insufficient primordial Qi. Prince Wang Xingyuan of Changsha once inquired: "How does one know essence has transformed into Qi without leakage?" Chongxuzi explained: For genuine cultivators who refine essence into Qi, there appears the sign of "ceasing fire" (when intentional guidance must stop at a certain cultivation stage). At this point, the body naturally stops producing essence, and only when the essence gate closes can one be considered truly leak-proof.

At this stage, primordial Qi must not remain stagnant at the navel but must pass through the Three Barriers (key cultivation points: Weilu, Jiaji, and Yuzhen). When Qi traverses these barriers, it's called "obtaining the great medicine of the Golden Elixir"—this process is termed "ingestion"; ascending inversely through the barriers is called "ascension to immortality." Failure to pass the Three Barriers limits one at most to the realm of human immortality (elementary cultivation achievement), merely extending lifespan foundations without attaining genuine enduring vitality.

Prince Ji Taihe once inquired: People say that once the Dao of longevity is attained, it is possessed forever. Why then is there now a distinction between temporary attainment and permanent attainment?

Chongxuzi replied: Upon truly comprehending the Great Dao (Dao), if one steadfastly cultivates upward progress, one can reach higher realms, achieving eternal longevity where both form and spirit attain perfection, transcending the cycles of kalpic calamities. However, if one assumes they have attained the Dao and stagnates, they have merely entered the gateway—requiring continuous guarding and cultivation to become a Human Immortal (the foundational stage of immortality). Should one indulge in desires and leak even a trace of primordial yang essence (Jing-Qi), they remain an ordinary mortal, unable to escape the cycle of life and death. How could one not strive to investigate this deeply?

Thus, the ancient immortals transmitted the "Method of Transference," analogous to refining the elixir by changing the furnace and cauldron. The three immortals—Shi Jianwu (Lü Dongbin’s teacher), Zhongli Quan (Zhengyang Zhenren, Lü Dongbin’s initiating master), and Lü Dongbin (Chunyang Zhenren)—spoke of the "Three Transferences" in their Collected Teachings of the Three Immortals, referring precisely to this.

Regarding the specifics of the "Three Transfers": Zhongli Quan once explained to Lü Dongbin the meaning of "returning the elixir" (Huandan), stating that "return" signifies reverting to the origin, while "elixir" refers to the Dantian (energy center). The human body has three Dantian: Qi resides in the middle Dantian, Shen (spirit) in the upper Dantian, and Jing (essence) in the lower Dantian. In cultivation, one must transfer the elixir from the lower Dantian to the middle, then to the upper, and finally out through the Heavenly Gate (the crown of the head). This is the successful completion of the "Three Transfers." Once the upward transfer is accomplished, there is no need for reversal.

As for the secret method of "Seven Days to Gather the Great Medicine": The "seven days" here refers to the time required to gather the Great Medicine (the innate Qi collected at advanced stages of cultivation). Prince Ji wondered why the initial stage demanded a hundred days, while the advanced stage required only seven. Chongxuzi explained that this is an immortal secret never before revealed through the ages—the hundred-day initial stage gathers the True Yang Essence (though essence is formless, it is also called True Yang Qi). This innate Qi is formless and imageless; the ancient sages spoke of it only as the Qi of emptiness. When it arises, this formless energy attaches to the tangible body, circulating naturally within and without.

The so-called gathering of the medicine: “gathering” means “gathering without gathering,” a gathering by means of spirit-fire (Shenhuo; true intention). At this time no trace of the medicine can be seen; one only knows that fire is at work.

In the past, Teacher Huan Yang (the Neidan [internal alchemy] teacher from whom the author received the teaching) quoted an old saying to me: “Jiaji and Weilü merely send messages in vain.” This is indeed so. Jiaji and Weilü are passes and portals of the Governing Vessel (Dumai). This saying means that they merely transmit news emptily; one must not cling to them as something substantially real.

This refers to the gathering of medicine described earlier: when Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) are stirred to life, it is a return to stillness within the deep and indistinct; it is fire and Qi steaming and fumigating for a full hundred days within the deep and indistinct. Thus the true Qi thereby suddenly seems to become visible; then one stops the fire of acquired Qi and gathers only the medicine of prenatal Qi. Therefore one uses another seven days of work, gathering the medicine within seven days. The fire timing used differs from the fire timing of the heavenly circuit, so it is called the “seven-day oral formula.”

Why is the use of fire different and the method of gathering different? Because at this time the true Qi has entirely returned to the root of life (the source of life, the area of the Dantian [energy center]). Although there is movement, it does not leave the place of movement; it remains within and does not race outward. What is used is fire without fire and timing without timing—this is where the difference lies.

The great work of transforming Qi into Shen (spirit) and returning to emptiness (transforming Qi into Shen and then returning it to emptiness) begins here; the great fruit of realizing longevity, transcending kalpas, and attaining limitless spiritual powers begins here. Therefore it is called the “great medicine”; it is precisely the Qi of emptiness gathered earlier, the actual reality (true state) that is obtained and realized.

Obtaining the prenatal true Qi of the lower field (the lower Dantian) is called the Golden Elixir.

Zhenren Qiu Changchun (that is, Qiu Chuji, patriarch of the Longmen branch of Quanzhen [Complete Perfection] Daoism) said: Refine Jing into the elixir, and thereafter pure Yang Qi is born; refine Qi into Shen, and thereafter the true spirit undergoes divine transformation; transcend the ordinary and enter sagehood, discard the shell and ascend as an immortal—this is called transcendence. This is the unchanging method of immortals for ten thousand generations.

The Golden Elixir spoken of here is what is called the great medicine. That which is used for ingesting it, for flying ascension, and for ascending with one’s entire household (rising to heaven together with the house and courtyard) is all this.

His Highness Prince Taihe of Ji asked: I have heard that what is formed in the furnace fire of cinnabar and lead (Waidan [external alchemy]) is the Golden Elixir. Everyone in the world knows this, and all greedily study it and seek to ingest it. Now the immortal way cultivates the Qi and Shen that are inherent in one’s own body, and this is also called the Golden Elixir and called ingesting—what is the reason?

Chongxu (the author Wu Chongxu) said: Kan (the trigram) corresponds to the kidneys, and the kidneys belong to Water. Jing emerges from the kidneys and also belongs to Water. Water is transformed by Qi, and Jing is also transformed by Qi. Metal can generate Water, so the Qi that generates Jing is likened to Metal. When Qi transforms into Jing, there is Qi within the Jing; therefore it is said, “the mother is hidden in the child’s belly” (the mother Qi is hidden in the child Jing within the belly). It is like Metal within Water; when Jing again returns to Qi, therefore it is said, “Metal in Water” (shui zhong jin). At the beginning of cultivation, it is like a sprout issuing from the root; when the sprout grows and becomes the medicine, this is precisely emptiness.

It is merely this Qi (vital energy). It actually has no form or appearance and abides in emptiness and indistinctness; when one gathers it, no object of gathering is seen, so it is not called fushi (taking as food). When the gathering has continued for a long time, the fire timing (huohou) is sufficient, and Jing (essence) is returned to replenish Qi until it becomes flourishing, this is called the completion of Waidan (external alchemy). Only when this Qi arises do the subtle signs of cultivation according to method first appear, and the foundation of pure Yang Qi first begins to activate. Because it is golden Qi, it is called the Golden Elixir (jindan), which is Waidan. At first, when Yang Qi activates and emerges outside the body, it becomes Jing; once Jing has been returned to Qi, it no longer arises outside but arises only truly within. When this Qi arises, it turns and ascends in reverse through the Three Passes (sanguan)—Weilu, Jiaji, and Yuzhen—crosses the Magpie Bridge (tongue bridge), descends the Chonglou (throat), and passes through the mouth and throat as if taking food; therefore it is called fushi.

However, in the term fushi, materia medica texts say that medicines can be ingested, and the word fu here has the same sense as in xinfu (to accept in the heart). People in the world therefore, when speaking of the Golden Elixir and Waidan, rashly identify elixirs refined from cinnabar and lead as this Waidan; and when speaking of fushi, rashly claim that cinnabar-lead elixirs can be taken as food. Thus those who pursue it for themselves are all mistaken, and those who plan it for others speak deceptive words. Later students should distinguish this clearly.

Prince Ji said: From now on I know that those in the world who refine cinnabar and lead seeking to take them as food are the most foolish; those who covet without stopping are even more of the lowest foolishness and cannot be changed—how could they not distinguish clearly and change their plans? One must wait until it reaches this boundary region at Weilu.

Zhenyang said: Weilu is the endpoint at the lower end of the twenty-four vertebrae. The boundary region is a three-forked road: upward it connects to the Dantian (energy center); downward and forward it connects to the orifice of the external kidneys; downward and backward it connects to Weilu. In the past, Teacher Cao first sat in meditation on the cushion, first obtained the Great Medicine (dayao; the sign of Jing and Qi being full), and worked for seven days. Around the fifth day, suddenly the Dantian, like a fiery pearl, rushed straight upward to the heart; then it turned back downward and ran beside the external kidneys. There was no orifice through which it could leave, so it turned and rushed to Weilu to assault the pass. All this is the wondrous function of true Qi itself, not something produced by human effort. But when it reaches the edge of the pass, one must use the orally transmitted heavenly secret (secret formula) before it can pass through. This must be done at the moment when true Qi naturally rushes the pass upward.

Taihe asked: How can one get it to naturally rush the pass upward? Chong replied: Because one has done much guiding work on ordinary days. Add to this the secret method of the Five Dragons Supporting the Sage (a metaphor for the protective support and guidance of true Qi as it passes the pass). Note: Emperor Xuan (Zhenwu the Great Emperor) practiced at Mount Wudang; below the Cliff of Self-Sacrifice he discarded his mortal body, and five dragons supported his sacred body.

The body rising to the top of a ten-thousand-zhang cliff should be understood as a great and wondrous metaphor for transcending the ordinary and entering sagehood. For what the Daoist tradition calls “the color of the north” refers to the Kan trigram and the kidneys (Kan belongs to Water and corresponds to the kidneys). The Dark Emperor is borrowed to represent the infant of the north, meaning the spiritual treasure within water. The Five Dragons are a secret mechanism in the cultivation method; the Five Dragons lifting the Dark Emperor upward is a metaphor for using secret methods to lift the great medicine of true Yang through the Three Passes and turn it at the crown. This refers to turning through the Three Passes of Weilu (tailbone), Jiaji (spine), and Yuzhen (Jade Pillow).

Prince Taihe of Ji asked about the Dao: “Previously the Three Passes were spoken of as beginning, middle, and upper; here Weilu, Jiaji, and Yuzhen are said to be the three. May I ask, what is the ‘turning’ by which one turns?” Chongxu replied: “The Three Passes mentioned earlier are hypothetical stages for leaving the Three Realms; the Three Passes mentioned here actually refer to the road that must be traversed. The Avatamsaka Sutra says, ‘Walk the path trodden by the Tathagata, neither slow nor fast, carefully and attentively proceeding’—this is precisely this principle. This road lies within the twenty-four vertebrae of the back, including both ends and the middle. A pass is a critical road that must be traveled, and it is also a metaphor for difficult travel; hence it is called a pass. In Weilu, the word lu means ‘pass’; the tail is the lowest end of the sacrum. The tail has three apertures—center, left, and right. Its marrow substance is solid, so the qi of breathing cannot penetrate it, and when moving qi reaches the tail, it ends. Below the tail, however, the apertures and pathways are empty, so both qi and fluids can pass through. Since the solid and the empty are inherently different, it is called the Lower Magpie Bridge (at Weilu, qi and fluids meet and connect as if by a bridge). By opening it through the secret heavenly mechanism, Qi (prenatal vital energy) can be transported and circulated. Jiaji is the junction where the waist and spine meet under different names; Yuzhen is the uppermost end of the vertebral bones. As for what ‘turning’ means, the ancients said: ‘One aperture is the mysterious pass; the Three Passes are the heads of the essential road. When it suddenly moves gently, the divine water naturally flows.’ Zhenren Xiao Zixu said: ‘The River Chariot (the circulation of the heavenly circuit) carries it up to Kunlun; without stirring a hair, it reaches the Jade Pass. The wonder lies in firmly locking the Eight Gates; the single Qi of Yin-Yang circulates of itself.’ This is the meaning of ‘turning.’ It means that the nine apertures have already been opened through (three apertures in each of the Three Passes).”

Zhenyang said: Each pass has three apertures—center, left, and right. The ancients called the left and right apertures the two white vessels, and also the Yellow and Red Two Paths, the roads along which the sun and moon run in parallel. The Three Passes therefore have nine apertures. That is why Zhenren Xu Fuyang, a disciple of Patriarch Qiu, said, “The iron drum, three and three, all depends on the mechanism of a single arrow”; Buddhists also speak of the “nine-fold iron drum,” and also of the “nine-bend Yellow River, Caoxi, Xijiang, and Dongshui”—all refer to this. True Qi directly pours into the pass apertures at the crown of the head.

According to tradition, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas had a water empowerment at the outset of their cultivation—water poured over the crown as a metaphor for the pure sign of cultivation that descends upon the crown—and here this is precisely used as a marvelous analogy. In cultivation one acts like someone holding an ox by the nose and leading it, causing the Qi (vital energy) to pass through the Magpie Bridge (Queqiao), the name of a Neidan (internal alchemy) gateway; here it refers to the upper Magpie Bridge. The ox’s nature is controlled through its nose, and to keep it from wandering, one leads it by the nose along the road it ought to take. The so-called Magpie Bridge is the place on the route above the nose where passage is not connected; it is the upper Magpie Bridge spoken of by Master Cui in the Ruyao Jing (Mirror of Entering the Medicine), a Neidan work by Cui Xifan. Why is it said to be unconnected? Because the route above the nose belongs to the “solid,” and Qi does not regularly pass through it; only the route below the nose belongs to the “empty,” and it is there that Qi regularly passes. Since solid and empty do not connect, there is a secret method to make them connect, metaphorically called the Magpie Bridge. There is also great danger in this, which will be detailed in the recorded sayings below.

It then goes downward through the Chonglou. The Chonglou is the twelve joints of the throat. It then enters the spirit chamber of the middle Dantian (Zhong Dantian, energy center)—the orifice in the middle Dantian where Shen (spirit) is stored—and also connects with the lower Dantian, as if making the middle and lower Dantian into a single whole. His nephew Taiyi asked how one should apply effort after entering the middle Dantian. Chongxu said: Teacher Cao once said that descending through the Chonglou and “taking food” means taking the true Yang within Kan to transform the true Yin within Li; it is called the union of Qian and Kun (the Yin-Yang union of Qian and Kun), and it is precisely the work of the middle Dantian.

The fire timing (huohou) of the Great Heavenly Circuit (Da Zhoutian) that is practiced: fire is originally something located in the lower region, yet it operates in coordination with the lower Dantian. Although it is used in coordination with the lower region, it at all times fills the void; this shows that the middle Dantian and lower Dantian form a single great realm of void. Even when there is rising and descending, the unmoving original nature (yuanxing) of the true self remains within the combined lower [field]. Thus the World-Honored One (the Buddha), while sitting beneath the Bodhi tree, ascended to the summit of Mount Sumeru and rose to the Trayastrimsa Heaven and the Tusita Heaven to teach, yet did not leave the original Bodhi seat; this is the same. This is the account given in the Huayan Jing (Avatamsaka Sutra).

The Da Ji Jing (Mahasannipata Sutra) also says that when the Buddha attained perfect enlightenment, he manifested a seven-jeweled pavilion between the desire realm and the form realm, like the great trichiliocosm and the Buddha lands of the ten directions, and revealed the profound Buddha Dharma to the Bodhisattvas so that the Dharma might abide long. All these agree with the meaning above.

Some people in the world, because an ancient saying goes, “below the heart and above the kidneys, west of the liver and left of the lungs,” speculate that there is an acupoint above the navel. If this were so, there would be no root to return to; I fear it is incorrect. This is used to circulate the qi-phase of the Great Heavenly Circuit. From this point on, the fire timing is called the Great Heavenly Circuit, which differs from the hundred-day Small Heavenly Circuit (Xiao Zhoutian). Hence the ancients said: “Hereafter one still blows the holeless flute; from now on one plays a different stringless lute”—a metaphor for the internal alchemy fire timing that does not fall into the traces of the post-heaven (acquired, houtian).

This explains the distinction between the "Greater Heavenly Cycle" (Dazhoutian) and "Lesser Heavenly Cycle" (Xiaozhoutian) in Daoist cultivation. The Greater Heavenly Cycle is like completing one full celestial revolution in a day—each breath follows this pattern consistently, whether through hundreds or thousands of respirations. Maintaining this for one double-hour (shichen) or three thousand six hundred double-hours (equivalent to ten months of continuous practice) follows the same principle.

When Prince Ji Taihe inquired why these two cycles had different names, the Perfected Chongxu replied: "Though Heaven is fundamentally one, cultivation practices differ in scale. The Lesser Heavenly Cycle involves intervals, while the Greater has none; the Lesser operates within time constraints, the Greater transcends them; the Lesser counts repetitions, the Greater is beyond enumeration."

Ancient texts reference these distinctions: "When the River Chariot (symbolizing the circulation of Jing and Qi in Neidan) completes its course, rest follows—yet at dawn you reconnect with celestial mechanisms" describes the intermittent nature of the Lesser Cycle. Verses like "Noon and midnight mark the firing times, with purification at dawn and dusk" indicate temporal boundaries, while "216 breaths for yang phases, 144 for yin phases" demonstrates quantifiable measures. In contrast, "Unbroken practice nurtures the spiritual embryo" signifies the continuous Greater Cycle; "Observing the firing times through all hours" shows timelessness; and "Beyond forced breathing and counted breaths—it becomes natural" reveals its uncountable quality. These are all essential aspects of refining Qi into Shen (spirit), embodying the profound mystery of the Greater Heavenly Cycle.

Initially, each inhalation and exhalation constitutes one celestial circuit. Later, whether in a quarter-hour, double-hour, day, ten days, month, or ten months, each flows as naturally as a single breath. Primordial Qi moves with the breath spontaneously, unlike the Lesser Cycle's deliberate counting of time and repetitions—this is the Greater Cycle's profound wonder.

Regarding the stages of "gestating the embryo" (symbolizing the coagulation of vital essences in Neidan) and refining Qi into Shen through meditation: some practitioners achieve freedom from mundane food within three months, while others require four to five months or longer. Three-month attainment indicates diligent practice; delayed progress suggests insufficient effort, with correspondingly slower realization. Complete fasting brings swifter verification, as does entering and exiting meditative absorption more rapidly.

Since food belongs to yin, any remaining yin energy necessitates some nourishment. Without exhausting yin, one cannot attain immortality; without transcending food, immortality remains unachievable. This is the fundamental principle of cultivation.

When practitioners abstain from food for extended periods, their entry into meditative absorption (chan ding) becomes slower, and emergence from this state is delayed. This occurs because during profound meditative absorption, the body becomes suffused with the primordial Qi of supreme harmony (Taihe Yuanqi) - the innate vital energy of life. In this condition, one naturally feels no hunger and requires no nourishment. Those with resolute willpower typically achieve absorption within seven months. Those with less focused minds may require eight, nine, or even ten months. For practitioners with particularly scattered consciousness, the process may extend beyond ten months, with the exact duration becoming immeasurable - this illustrates the principle that "with insufficient fire timing (huohou), the elixir (danyao) proves difficult to complete."

Take for example practitioners who complete the Great Absorption (Da Ding) in ten months. Between the eighth to tenth months, as the spiritual embryo (shen tai, the gestating state of original spirit) approaches completion, numerous "external manifestations" (wai jing) of disturbance appear. These manifestations are demonic obstructions (mozhang) that exploit moments of vulnerability. If even a trace of yin energy remains unrefined, it will attract corresponding levels of demonic interference.

These disturbances primarily manifest in several forms:

Sometimes practitioners see extraordinary visions - illusions never encountered in ordinary life, called "visionary demons" (jian mo). These divide into: externally visible demons (wai mo), evil demons (xie mo), and celestial demons (tian mo); and internally perceived yin demons (yin mo) that are invisible but sensed mentally. Becoming attached to these visions traps one in demonic bondage, while maintaining detached observation prevents such obstruction.

Sometimes practitioners hear peculiar sounds - these are "auditory demons" (wen mo). True meditative absorption should transcend both sight and sound. Becoming fascinated by these sounds disrupts the absorbed state. Similarly, hearing without attachment prevents demonic influence.

Sometimes practitioners encounter delightful phenomena - familiar scenes from worldly life that should have been relinquished but suddenly reappear. Temptations like sensual pleasures, wealth, and glory must not be indulged.

Sometimes terrifying visions appear - scenes of floods, fires, or violent conflicts that inspire fear. One must guard against fearful reactions to these.

Sometimes seemingly credible phenomena occur - such as the sudden fulfillment of long-held desires or unexpected acquisition of sought-after objects. Consider the case of Master Zhang from Shandong who, during quiet cultivation, mistook a celestial demon's illusion for the achievement of "a body beyond the body" (shen wai you shen). Such plausible illusions prove most deceptive.

Additionally, practitioners may experience various delusional thoughts. Facing all such disturbances, the essential method is maintaining awareness without attachment. Only through this approach can one avoid being swayed by demonic realms and achieve successful realization.

This passage discusses various demonic obstructions (negative forces that hinder spiritual practice) encountered during cultivation and methods to overcome them. There are primarily five types of external obstructions: First, delusions arising from wandering thoughts in the mind, referred to in Buddhism as "yin demons" or "yin veils" (obscurations that cover one's true nature). Second, celestial beings sent by heaven to test a practitioner's Daoist attainment. As mentioned in the Forty-Nine Chapter Scripture, immortals may test practitioners by granting desires, creating undesirable circumstances, setting obstacles, or instilling fear—those who pass these trials gain celestial endorsement for attaining the Dao. Third, malevolent spirits disguised as beauties or other forms attempting to steal one's true Qi (vital life energy), such as fox spirits transforming to seduce practitioners.

When facing these obstructions, maintaining right mindfulness is crucial: when delusions arise in the mind, immediately invoke right mindfulness, and the delusions will naturally dissipate; when demonic visions appear, remain undisturbed by holding right mindfulness, and the obstructions will withdraw. Whether confronting demonic interference or celestial tests, right mindfulness serves as the remedy. The Forty-Nine Chapter Scripture advises not to engage with demonic hordes—they will retreat on their own. Ding Lingyang noted that during deep meditation, one might encounter extraordinary visions like immortals, buddhas, spirits, celestial towers, or radiant lights, but practitioners must avoid attachment or aversion toward them. Yu Yuwu emphasized that as long as the mind remains unshaken, all transformations will naturally fade.

Two examples are given: Zhongli Quan (one of the Eight Immortals) tested Lü Dongbin (Lü Chunyang) with ten demonic realms, yet Lü Zu remained unmoved throughout. Another account tells of Hú Gōng suspending a massive boulder over Fei Changfang's head with a rotting rope, then having a giant serpent gnaw at it—Fei maintained right mindfulness without fear. These exemplify mastery over demonic obstructions.

The passage concludes with the essence of cultivation: focus on refining Qi into Shen (transforming vital energy into spirit) through right mindfulness. When reaching the deep meditative state where breathing ceases, demonic obstructions naturally cannot intrude. Qiu Chuji (the Eternal Spring Master) taught that each demonic trial overcome strengthens one's Dao power. Before breathing fully stops, when yin Qi remains unexhausted and yang Qi is not yet pure, obstructions may still interfere. But when breath dissolves into pure yang and the spirit becomes utterly stable—no longer relying on external perception—demonic forces can neither invade nor manifest.

One who has exceptionally deep blessing power becomes one degree clearer in mind and one degree more numinous in nature each time he passes through a layer of demonic obstacle, a test in cultivation. These seven statements are the words of the old patriarch of our own lineage, Qiu Zhenren (Qiu Chuji); Chongxuzi (Wu Chongxu) quotes them to corroborate cases of subduing demons.

According to Patriarch Qiu’s record, he often could not settle his mind because his blessing power was small. He experienced the demon of death twice, twice had three ribs broken by flying stones, and in near-fatal falls broke an arm three times. Such demonic obstacles did not move his mind; instead, they further aroused his resolve for ascetic cultivation.

Chongxuzi once stayed with the Xie family for seventy-eight days and was beset by a fire. He had obtained more than a thousand gold from selling his family property, and together with the power of ninefold cultivation he intended it as resources for entering the mountains to dwell in quiet and to provide for and maintain the community’s lodging and food. All of it was destroyed by the fire. Faced with such an urgent need, he resolutely abandoned it all and did not try to salvage it; this can be counted as having passed through this demonic obstacle. A friend asked why he did not save it—even recovering a little would have been good. He replied that Patriarch Qiu’s example was there: when cultivation reaches a critical point, one is fundamentally unmoved in mind, and in meeting demonic obstacles one should abandon wealth just as one abandons family property; what is more than a thousand gold worth valuing?

This is something cultivators must know: once one reaches the point where breathing seems absent, then the breath is not leaking, and original Qi returns to pure completeness. When it reaches Shen, there is no longer any Qi or breath. If Qi still remains, then even though breathing temporarily appears without leakage, it is not yet truly cut off. When breathing has become slightly settled but not yet cut off, Shen accordingly is only slightly settled and not greatly settled. At this point one should engage in fine, uninterrupted practice, enter directly into great stability, and make Shen pure and complete. If Shen has coming and going with interruptions, it is like “elixir running away,” the loss of elixir Qi. Only after reaching the state of no Qi is it considered ultimate. When the great medicine of true Qi—the great medicine condensed from true Qi in Neidan cultivation—has been fully ingested, this shows that Qi has become greatly settled; then Shen is complete and also greatly settled, and the work of refining Qi and transforming it into Shen is concluded.

The principle of the second pass, “Return to the One”—returning to the prenatal and returning to pure oneness—is just this; it is precisely the state of having returned to the condition when father and mother first united to form the embryo. But at that first union, there was only the Qi and Shen of emptiness; Shen had not yet differentiated out from Qi. Here, by contrast, Qi returns and unites with Shen, leaving only a Shen of emptiness. This directly explains and analyzes why the human embryo and the spirit embryo are as they are.

Once Shen is pure and complete and the embryo is full, one must not remain long in the embryo. Formerly Lan Yangsu, a figure in Daoist Neidan, nurtured the embryo at Mount Nanyue; when the embryo was fully formed he could not emerge from it, so Liu Haichan, a patriarch of Daoist Neidan, had recourse to the person Li Yuxi.

He was sent the Ten Poems to instruct him in the matters of shedding the embryo and emerging the Shen (spirit) — in Neidan (internal alchemy), when the Shen leaves the embryo-form — and of nurturing simplicity; Yangsu (a personal name or Daoist sobriquet) clapped his hands, laughed aloud, and went out. From this it can be seen that the embryo must not remain for long, and also that unseen there are sages who support and point things out.

Chong (Chongxuzi) says: the embryo is the form. One who remains long in the embryo, confined by form and not transcending it — his Qi (vital energy in cultivation) has already been extinguished and he enters samadhi, yet he may still leave samadhi and move; once he moves, the result is only equivalent to shijie (a liberation that abandons the bodily remains). One whose Shen has entered samadhi may also leave samadhi and move. After the embryo is shed, the Shen leaves the bodily form and abides in the realm of the void. When Shen returns to the void and reaches the utmost limit of the void, where could there be any decay or destruction in the void?

To shed and transform Jing (essence) into Qi is the beginning of entering the embryo; to shed and transform Qi into Shen is the completion of forming the embryo. If Qi does not enter the embryo, it can still turn back into Jing, because it has not yet transcended the realm of Jing. If Shen does not emerge from the void, it may still disturb its samadhi and pursue Qi, because it has not yet transcended the realm of Qi. Therefore the two Zhenren (Realized Persons), Li and Cao, said: “Without transcendence and without shedding, the Shen does not come.” This means that one must emerge the Shen; only then can one attain immortalhood (shenxian) and move toward heavenly immortalhood (tianxian). Just as a fetus carried for ten months is born when its form is complete, so the spirit-embryo, after ten months when the Shen is complete, emerges from the embryo; this is inevitable by principle and circumstance.

At this point one must again use the method of shifting, because Shen should not remain attached for long in the middle and lower Dantian (energy centers); one must detach it and move it from the middle and lower Dantian to the upper Dantian. In the earlier initial pass and middle pass, there is repeated circulation through the three Dantian: Qi is transformed in the lower Dantian, and the process also proceeds from the upper to the middle and then downward; when it reaches the transformation into Shen, it turns upward and settles in the middle. The middle Dantian is originally an empty realm, with nothing to which it is bound, but it seems not far from the root of Qi; therefore it is said that the middle and lower Dantian are both contained within the empty realm. This is the sense of the saying that the World-Honored One’s precious stupa emerges from the earth and abides in the void. The upper Dantian is the Niwan Palace (the palace orifice within the brain) at the crown opening. Once pure Shen is achieved, it is called seeing one’s nature; the still substance of Shen is called nature (xing), while the great function of nature and its unobstructed penetration are called Shen. An old saying goes: “Nature is in Niwan; life is in the navel.”

Therefore one further adds three years of suckling and nine years of great samadhi, refining Shen and returning to the void (causing Shen to return to the void). Suckling means nurturing the child that has emerged from the embryo; it is a metaphor for nurturing Shen. The immortals attain Shen through samadhi; although they attain samadhi, it is only an initial attainment, and they cannot abide long in samadhi. Through suckling they take special care to nurture and protect it, enabling Shen to attain great samadhi and endure.

When cultivation reaches the stage of "Returning to Emptiness" (huanxu), the prenatal original Qi within the body has already been stable for a long time, and there is no longer any need to deliberately use spiritual consciousness to guide it. This is because in the initial stage of refining Qi, spiritual consciousness is the leading force used to stabilize the original Qi; at that time the action of spiritual consciousness is clearly felt, and so it is called the "transforming Shen" stage. Once the original Qi is completely stable, spiritual consciousness also reaches a state of great samadhi. At this point spiritual consciousness need not deliberately act and seems as if it does not exist. This is called "Emptiness," a state that transcends dharmic marks and transcends even Buddha-nature.

At this time, although the practitioner still dwells in the physical body, they are no longer confined by the shackles of the bodily shell. The ancient saying "entering metal and stone without obstruction" refers precisely to this state: if one clings to the physical body, there will be obstructions; but when the spiritual consciousness that has transcended the bodily shell reaches the utmost Emptiness, it can be entirely unobstructed. The "ignorant ordinary man" mentioned here refers to those whose spiritual nature has not yet opened and who have no supernatural powers.

The cultivation method of spirit emergence (chushen)—spiritual consciousness leaving the body—is of the utmost importance, but it is also very dangerous. At the beginning of practice, one should let spiritual consciousness leave the body only briefly and then return immediately; do not let it remain outside too long, and do not let it perceive realms too far away. With continual practice, the duration of spirit emergence and the range of exploration can be gradually extended. If one does not train in this gradual, step-by-step manner, spiritual consciousness may suddenly rush outward and lose its original nature. Therefore, beginners in spirit emergence must train cautiously, and it is best to have the guidance of an enlightened teacher.

The specific method is as follows: first release spiritual consciousness from the upper Dantian at the crown of the head—the Niwan Palace (Mud Pill Palace)—out of the body, and then draw spiritual consciousness from outside back into the upper Dantian. By repeatedly practicing this emission and retrieval, one will gradually become proficient. After three years of such "suckling" cultivation—a metaphorical expression for warming and nourishing spiritual consciousness—spiritual consciousness will become complete, reaching a state of a thousand transformations and ten thousand changes, penetrating Heaven and Earth. It can relieve floods and droughts, pacify the state and secure the realm, and punish evil and remove harm; all manner of supernatural powers and transformations are set in motion by this spiritual consciousness.

Baopuzi (Ge Hong) once said: "If one wishes to remain in the human world for a while, one stays to assist in the government of the age; if one wishes to ascend, one goes straight up into the clouds." In former days, Teacher Cao (Cao Daochong) also said: "Once cultivation reaches the stage of spirit emergence, one is forever liberated from birth and death, and disasters, misfortunes, demons, and obstructions can no longer invade." When first beginning spirit emergence, one retrieves it after one step; one retrieves it after two steps. The ancients said that at ten steps and a hundred steps one must carefully watch over and protect it; only after three years of thus warming and nourishing spiritual consciousness can it mature. At this point, if one wishes to remain in the world to protect the state and bless the people, to relieve disasters and rescue those in danger, it can be accomplished simply by a movement of thought.

This kind of spiritual power and numinous response remains so even after passing through ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, or a hundred million years of kalpas; this is possible. If one does not wish to manifest in the world for so long, one applies the principle of wall-gazing (quiet sitting, inner observation, and entry into deep samadhi): only after nine years of great samadhi can one stand shoulder to shoulder with the highest of the highest supreme immortals and buddhas. From the realm of the immortal, returning again to emptiness, one must pass through three further ascents before reaching the empty realm of the celestial immortal. This is precisely the utmost point of Wuji (the formless, imageless ultimate source).

These are all methods of cultivation for people between the ages after sixteen and eight-times-eight sixty-four (sixty-four), whose Jing has already transformed and been depleted. Since the Jing has already been depleted, the loss is great; one must use effort to replenish it fully. Only then can true Qi (prenatal Qi) be generated, the River Cart be set in motion (the Neidan circulation of the microcosmic orbit), and one be refined and transformed up to Shen, abiding in the embryo and entering samadhi, as described above.

There is also the cultivation method for a virgin boy whose Jing has not yet transformed. For one who has never engaged in sexual affairs, whose Jing aperture has not opened, whose Jing has not leaked, and whose Qi has not been depleted—as the Jixian Zhuan (Records of Collected Immortals) says, Zhou Cong was a man of Sizhou who attained the Dao in childhood. Xu Shenweng said: “I married young; he attained the Dao as a child. His Shen is complete; I cannot compare with him.” Again, when the World-Honored One (the Buddha) was a crown prince, he married three consorts in the palace, but for ten years did not engage once in sexual union; day and night he only cultivated Chan contemplation. These may all be called Tongzhen (the pure, childlike body whose Jing has not leaked). Also, the Scripture of Heavenly Worthy Weituo calls (Weituo) one of childlike purity for nineteen lifetimes. These three belong to the same category. These are things the world does not know, and which I too wish to explain in simple terms.

Before a person is born, it is called fetus; after birth, it is called child. After the fetus is born, it is a child; forward development is easy. The child cultivating back becomes fetus; reverse cultivation is also easy. What is most difficult to obtain in the immortal path is the child body. The child body’s Jing and Qi are complete; not only is cultivation easy, its spiritual power is also great—something those who must repair Jing and Qi cannot match. After reaching the age of sixteen, Qi is already full to the utmost; Qi is already pure Yang and Jing has not yet leaked. This is called the complete child. This is its original nature being naturally whole, not something made complete by forceful repair and patching. When the ancients spoke of returning old age to childhood, they merely meant returning to such an un-leaked, complete body.

Most cultivators of immortality are people who have already leaked Jing. If one cultivates with this body that has leaked Jing, one certainly cannot become an immortal. There will inevitably be death and birth, and one will fall into samsara. Therefore one must use the first stage, foundation building (the introductory Neidan work of replenishing Jing and Qi). Only after foundation building succeeds is one equal to this child body. But one’s spiritual power is still somewhat inferior.

Moreover, when a youth reaches sixteen, the Yang Qi (yang vital energy, innate Jing [essence] and Qi) is at its peak, and the reproductive Jing is about to flow freely. In this age of the final kalpa (the end-times), everyone is habituated and tainted by the wind of sexual desire. Before even fourteen or fifteen or sixteen, there is already the corruption of sexual union between man and woman. Qi is not vigorous and Jing is not strong, and many people are short-lived and do not live out their years. This is because foolish and vulgar people in the world do not know how to cultivate. If, in the whole world, we suppose there is one such person—saying “one in a generation” or “only one person” is an extreme way of saying that people with immortal aptitude are rare. Those who have passed sixteen and still have not leaked Jing must be foolish; they do not understand that sexual matters are not sufficient for practicing the Dao (the Way). Sexual matters deplete Jing and exhaust Qi and harm the Dao; they are what immortals and Buddhas prohibit and guard against in cultivating the great Dao. One who does not know the pleasure of sexual desire certainly does not know its harm. There is no one in the world who does not know about the affairs of men and women, much less at sixteen when one is already an adult—how could one not know? If at this age one still does not do the affairs of men and women, one is truly extremely foolish and does not understand reason. Or again, there may be someone who can reach sixteen with Qi extremely full and without having leaked Jing; this is the easiest case for transforming into Shen (spirit; refining Qi to transform into Shen) and becoming an immortal. Those whose Yang Jing and Qi are naturally full can be spared the work of foundational building (the foundational stage of Neidan, internal alchemy) and of refining Jing to replenish Qi. Using the Qi they already possess to refine and transform into Shen, they can become immortals and complete the Dao; this is why it is said to be easy. If there is anyone who can become an immortal in this way, such a person is called Tongzhen (Becoming True through the Youthful Body). This is becoming true through the youth’s body of complete perfection. If one’s karmic affinity is shallow, one will not encounter a sage teacher to point the way. Formerly Baopuzi (Ge Hong) said: according to the immortal scriptures (Daoist classics on cultivating immortality), even when treasured secret immortal arts are already among one’s disciples, one must select the most sincere among them and, after a long time, tell them the essential instructions—how much more so with ordinary people: how could one force it upon them? Moreover, if one does not oneself investigate and gather this true Qi to refine it into Shen, one is not sufficient to practice the Dao. Because in former lives one did not accumulate the merits and practices of cultivation, in this life one does not encounter a sage teacher. Because in this life one has no aspiration to cultivate immortality or Buddhahood, how can one investigate the heavenly secrets? One is merely a worm or ant mixed into the vulgar world, and so is not sufficient to practice the Dao. Perhaps once in hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of years there is one person who both fully possesses the yang-ultimate Qi of sixteen and also receives the secret instructions of an immortal master. Formerly Baopuzi said: according to the immortal scriptures, those who attained the Dao already contained in the womb the innate nature of faith in the Dao.

After a person is born and acquires the discriminative mind—the mind of discrimination and attachment—if they take delight in cultivating the Dao, they will certainly meet an enlightened teacher and obtain the method. Because a child has Qi (vital energy) that has not leaked—prenatal Qi that has not been discharged—there is no need for the work of refining Jing (essence); instead, the secret method of the seven-day celestial mechanism is used. The seven days are the method of gathering the Great Medicine—the great medicine of Neidan (internal alchemy)—after the work of refining Jing into Qi and building the foundation has succeeded; the child begins cultivation from this step. Thereafter, everything is the same as the method for adults (those who have already leaked). One gathers true Qi (prenatal Qi). The hundred-day work is called gathering true Qi, but that is only weak Yang. Here there is no hundred-day work, and the Qi naturally becomes full. Gathering the true Qi that is full and replete here is the Great Medicine that is generated. If one gathers this true Qi and obtains it, one attains longevity; if one cannot gather this true [Qi], one does not attain longevity. One carries the Great Medicine through the Three Passes and Nine Apertures—the passes and apertures traversed in Neidan circulation—in order to perform the work of refining Qi into Shen (spirit). The reason there is no work of refining Jing is precisely that when Qi has not transformed into Jing, one can obtain it by gathering it. When Qi has not transformed into Jing and there is leakage, Jing and Qi are originally self-sufficient; it can be gathered without waiting for refining, and if gathered it will certainly be obtained. Therefore, the World-Honored One (here referring to the Buddha), in his own cultivation, did not use the work of refining Jing but began only with the four dhyanas of the Form Realm (the four meditative absorptions free from desire-realm desires). Because the originally self-sufficient Qi flourishes uniquely, and he surpassed all Buddhas and immortals, it is all for this reason.

Therefore, for people whose Qi has not transformed into Jing, cultivating it has four kinds of ease: ease of time, ease of work, ease of wealth, and ease of companions. Ease of time is not needing the hundred-day work. The hundred-day work is the work of refining Jing to transform it into Qi. For those whose Qi has already transformed into Jing and leaks through ordinary flow, they must use refining Jing to return it to Qi; since it has not transformed into Jing, they do not need the hundred days of returning Qi. From seven days to ten months and three years: seven days is the period for gathering the Great Medicine and true Qi; ten months is the period for practicing the fire of the Greater Celestial Circuit (the fire timing of the celestial circuit); three years is the period after the emergence of Shen for suckling and nurturing the Yang Shen. Here it speaks only of the time limit for becoming an immortal (shenxian), not a heavenly immortal (tianxian). This is a calculable course.

Ease of work is not needing the Lesser Celestial Circuit’s gathering, replenishing, and steaming; that is to say, not needing the hundred-day work. It begins with gathering the Great Medicine and ingesting it—this is the seven-day work—and then fetal Shen (nourishing Shen in the womb), which is the ten-month work, and suckling, which is the three-year work. These are fruits that can certainly be obtained. “The course can be calculated and the fruit can be certain” means that these stage-by-stage practices, from coarse to refined and from gradual to sudden, can all be certainly obtained.

The path to cultivating immortality is like fruit ripening on a branch—it follows inevitable natural laws. Among the "Four Eases" (four favorable conditions), financial calculations are simplest. Whether for seven days, ten months, or three years of practice, the costs can be precisely estimated. For instance, during the "gestation period" (a critical Neidan/internal alchemy phase), a practitioner requires two or three Dharma protectors (practice companions). Each protector needs two fen of silver daily—three people would require six fen, four would need eight fen. Such accounting is straightforward.

Finding companions is also relatively easy—one simply needs two or three like-minded Dharma protectors. The ideal candidates are youths who retain their childlike purity, as they haven't awakened worldly desires and lack craving for sensual pleasures. Their primordial Qi remains abundant, their sinews and bones strong without degeneration, and they're free from lethargic habits. Such protectors can effectively support practitioners through dangerous states of mental obscurity. As Lü Dongbin (the Immortal of Pure Yang) advised: "To avoid cultivation deviations, timely reminders from others are essential."

As for the "Four Difficulties" (four challenging conditions), these apply when adults past sixteen—whose Jing (essence) and Qi have begun declining—or elderly practitioners must first undertake "Jing refinement" to replenish their vitality. Here, all four aspects—timing, method, resources, and companionship—become problematic. The timing difficulty arises because depleted essence-energy requires intensive gathering and refinement to regenerate authentic Qi. Typically, a hundred-day retreat is needed, with longer periods (two or three hundred days) often required for older practitioners.

Methodological challenges manifest in the "hundred-day foundation building" phase, where individual progress varies greatly. Some like Master Cao achieved sufficient Qi in fifty-sixty days, while others (myself included) required seventy-eighty days or two and a half months—not counting the preliminary month of physical adjustment. Many don't complete their replenishment until after the hundred days.

The older the practitioner, the more effort is required. As Zhongli Quan (one of the Eight Immortals) states in Essentials of the Dao: "Late-life cultivators with unstable foundations and depleted Qi must spend one year repairing every ten years of loss—this is called 'replenishing the returned elixir.'" Only after compensating deficiencies can one discuss "rejuvenation and restored youth." Thus, elderly practitioners must first nurture Shen (spirit) to achieve clarity and cultivate Qi to attain fullness—how could this possibly be accomplished quickly?

This passage discusses the key points and common obstacles in cultivating the human immortal (renxian), the initial fruition in Daoist practice. It focuses on three difficulties.

The first concerns the timing of cultivation. Lead—referring to primordial yang true Qi (vital energy)—and mercury—referring to the primordial spirit and original nature—are the fundamental substances of cultivation. When one is young and Jing (essence) and Qi are abundant, cultivation is easier. If one waits until old age, various physical problems arise: depletion of seminal essence, impotence, shortness of breath, pain in the lower back and knees, and stiffness of sinews and bones are all signs of insufficient Jing and Qi; while clouded mind and spirit, inability to concentrate during practice, and improper control of fire timing (huohou) are signs of insufficient primordial spirit. The ancients stressed that one should cultivate early. Although remedial cultivation is still possible at eighty or even one hundred and twenty, one must make a much greater effort. As Zhenren (Perfected Person) Ma Ziran said, “If you do not cultivate in this life, in which life will you wait?” Life is short, so cultivation should begin early.

The second is the problem of financial resources. Cultivation requires sustained investment: at the shortest it takes a hundred days, at the longest two or three hundred days, and there are daily expenses. If one has prepared only for a hundred days but the practice ends up requiring a longer time, one will fall into difficulty. Therefore one must make adequate financial preparations and not plan only according to the minimum time required.

The third is the difficulty of finding guardian companions. The cultivation process is long, and one needs people who can care for one’s daily life over the long term, offer support in times of danger, and protect one’s resolve for the Dao (the Way). Over time, companions may begin to doubt: they may worry whether the cultivation can succeed and when success will come; or they may encounter illness, family misfortune, and other “demonic obstacles” (mozhang, a general term for obstacles to cultivation)—for example, the guardian himself falling ill, or misfortune befalling one’s parents, wife, and children at home—and these may shake their determination to protect the practice. As Ge Hong (Baopuzi) said, cultivators often fail just when success is near because their will is not firm. The ancients therefore emphasized finding three like-minded guardians and also choosing suitable financial support and a blessed place (fudi) for cultivation.

The core of the whole passage is a warning to cultivators: cultivation must begin early, preparations must be adequate, and one must choose well the four elements of wealth, companions, method, and place—financial support, cultivation companions, correct method, and suitable location—so that one may successfully attain the realm of the human immortal.

Laozi (also known as Lord Lao the Most High) taught that small hills and ridges are unsuitable for refining the Golden Elixir (Jindan) and immortal medicines, as these places lack the presence of true deities. Such locations are often occupied by thousand-year-old tree spirits, animated rocks, and blood-sacrifice-fed ghosts—all manifestations of malign Qi (vital energy). Far from accumulating blessings, these places attract calamities.

Authentic blessed lands for cultivation, as recorded by Ge Hong (the Master Who Embraces Simplicity) in his Scripture of Immortals (Xianjing), include over twenty sacred mountains like Mount Hua, Mount Tai, and Mount Huo. These peaks are guarded by orthodox deities who secretly assist genuine Daoist practitioners dwelling there for cultivation.

A true blessed land must meet several criteria: it should be free from warfare, immune to seizure by powerful figures, and situated away from busy thoroughfares. Ge Hong emphasized that Dao cultivators must walk different paths and dwell in different places than worldly people, minimizing contact. The Supreme Scripture of Embryonic Breathing (Taishang Taixi Qi Jing) similarly warns practitioners to maintain low profiles—revealing one's cultivation invites misfortune.

Regarding living conditions: avoid extravagant houses, ostentatious clothing, luxurious food, or displaying wealth, as these attract thieves. Yet one shouldn't live too remotely from cities either, as procuring daily necessities becomes difficult. Having a few devoted disciples to assist is ideal.

Choose sites far from forests to avoid disturbances from birdsong and wind. The ancient recluse Xu You famously discarded his gourd after being annoyed by its wind-induced rattling against a tree—a cautionary tale.

The cultivation dwelling needn't be large; a ten-foot square room suffices for three to five practitioners. Larger spaces risk becoming bandit hideouts—simple shelter from wind and rain suffices. Build double-layered walls for protection against wild animals, venomous insects, and security threats.

Maintain balanced indoor lighting—neither too bright nor too dark—to keep guardians comfortable and healthy. Use thick bedding for soft seating to prevent restlessness. As for diet, plain tea, simple meals, and clean vegetable sprouts are entirely sufficient.

Practitioners must strictly abstain from rich and meaty foods, maintaining a vegetarian diet in accordance with the teachings of the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning (the supreme deity of Daoism) in the Forty-Nine Chapter Scripture. Fasting and purification are the foundation of cultivating the Dao (the Way), much like a bridge for crossing a river. Those who wish to study the Dao must uphold purity in fasting and strictly observe precepts. To abandon purity and indulge in meat is akin to a hungry ghost gnawing on a corpse—a grave violation of discipline.

Daily meals should be taken with equanimity. The "five flavors"—salty, sour, sweet, bland, and others—refer to ordinary seasonings. Practitioners should accept what is available without deliberate pursuit. Moderation is key, as excess harms the body. In the stillness of the meditation chamber, daily routines should be stable, with walking, standing, sitting, and lying down undisturbed by worldly affairs. A true practitioner first stabilizes the body, and the mind naturally quiets—this is simple in principle, yet the ancients had already considered it thoroughly.

Before entering seclusion for cultivation, the ancients would prepare their last will. Here, I will also elaborate on the precautions for solitary retreats. Practitioners should plan ahead to avoid oversights. Some say, "Wealth is not hard to find, but a true Dao companion is rare." Why is this? Raising funds for cultivation—whether by selling property or relying on devotees' offerings—is not difficult.

The challenge lies in the fact that seekers of the Dao, though often intelligent, vary in character: some possess virtue (De) but lack firm resolve; others aspire to immortality but fall short in moral conduct; still others begin diligently but grow lax over time. The repentance text in the Jade Emperor Scripture states: "If one does not cultivate the Dao diligently, how can they attain it?" Some enjoy lofty discussions, appearing eager to inquire about the Dao, yet engage in no real practice. The Celestial Venerable once said: "Those who understand my teachings may not practice them, and those who practice may not persevere—thus, attaining the Dao is difficult."

There are also those who, after offering tea to their master, immediately ask, "How do I cultivate the 'yellow sprout' (a Neidan term referring to the budding of primordial Qi)?" If the yellow sprout were so easily obtained, then crops in the fields would sprout elixirs instead of rice and wheat. Others offer a cup of wine and demand, "How do I achieve realization?" If enlightenment could be bought with wine, then every tavern would be filled with immortal sages. As Ge Hong wrote in Baopuzi: "Even mundane truths cannot be attained by sitting idle—how much more so the great matter of immortality?"

Some regard the Dao they cultivate as something as cheap as a vulgar joke, and they take the joking words they hear as having grasped the principle of the Dao.

When the Perfected Zhongli (Zhongli Quan, one of the Eight Immortals) converted Chunyang (Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals), Chunyang was serving as county magistrate of Dehua County in Jiujiang Prefecture. He abandoned his office and followed Zhongli.

Zhongli also has a lyric that says: “I respectfully report to the master: your disciple has followed you for seven or eight years; my shoulders have been pressed until the skin split open, and sores have broken out on my feet thirty-five times, yet I have never been favored with a single word of transmission from the master.” This lyric had long circulated in the book Wuwai Qingyin (Clear Tones Beyond the World).

The very fact that he could abandon office shows that his resolve and conduct surpassed the world; yet for many years he still observed the etiquette of a disciple, and only then did he get to hear the Dao and attain it. There is no principle that transmission is given and the Dao heard at the first meeting—is this not like a father teaching his son to plant rice and hoe wheat, which requires step-by-step progress?

When Liu Haichan (a Daoist Perfected who had once been chancellor of Yan) was chancellor of Yan, the two Perfected, Zhongli and Lü Dongbin, came to his residence to convert him; Liu Haichan abandoned the chancellorship and followed them at the age of sixty-four. He was sixty-nine before he heard the Dao, and only then did he attain it. Could there really be such a thing as easily receiving transmission?

In the world there are swindlers who transmit as soon as they meet someone; there is another reason for this—it is merely fangshi (practitioners of esoteric techniques) fabricating lies and petty arts for curing a single illness. Some want to obtain a day’s food and drink, some want to pester people into providing support for months and years, and some want to swindle long-term clothing and food. If they did not use such easy words to quickly cater to what the other person likes and comply with his foolish views, how could they make people sincerely follow them? And can anyone claim that the great Dao of celestial immortals and divine immortals can be accomplished simply by listening and asking in this way?

Some, because they love to outdo others and seek the extraordinary, want to hear methods that are uniquely their own and that claim to be uniquely superior to others; they seek only to know, not to practice the Dao. People of this kind are those who want to boast of having obtained secret lore and secret methods so as to surpass others.

Some seek only broad learning and boast of being capable. When they meet guests or friends who say they can do this, they say, “I can do this too”; when they meet guests or friends who say they can do that, they say, “I can do that too.” They listen to everything indiscriminately, without distinguishing heterodox from orthodox or right from wrong; in reality they have no resolve to learn the Dao or practice it. People of this kind superficially admire the reputation of broad learning and are by no means dedicated to study. They let heterodox side-gate teachings and false doctrines pass and do not condemn them as wrong; even when it comes to orthodox principles and true words, they do not seek thorough understanding. This is why they cannot learn the Dao. The lofty and enlightened true master should be cautious in speaking to such people.

There are also cunning doctors who learn to talk about the Dao (the Way) and have only dabbled in some minor seated meditation exercises from heterodox byways for curing illness. When they meet wealthy patients for whom medicine is ineffective, and fear that others will steal their clients, they teach seated meditation to cure illness, using it as a means to win over and hold onto patients. How could they truly have the intention to study the Dao?

I have met many people of this kind, and what I have seen is always the same.

Some people in their original hearts do not truly study the Dao; they merely use Dao-study to win a fine reputation, while secretly doing things that do not accord with the Dao.

So-called “not-Dao” means things contrary to the Great Dao. Whenever someone claims to study the immortal Dao and seek long life without death, and then goes everywhere telling people, “I can attain the immortal Dao and long life without death,” foolish people believe him. But when one talks with him in detail, he speaks of using women as “the other house” (a term from sexual cultivation practices that take women as cultivation partners); one does not realize that his real intention is simply to deceive other families’ women and carry out adulterous schemes. There are also those who claim to be able to refine elixirs and ingest them without dying, and to transmute [base metals] into gold and silver until they pile up like mountains, tricking foolish people into putting up capital for alchemical refining, and then absconding with the principal silver. These are all “not-Dao.”

Some people verbally claim to study the Dao, know the Dao, and practice the Dao, while in their hearts they actually do not study, do not know, and do not practice it.

This is precisely not understanding what Perfected Zhang Ziyang (Zhang Boduan, a Song-dynasty Daoist Neidan master) said: “If in this life one does not learn to cultivate the truth, there is no telling what womb one will fall into in the next life”; and what Perfected Ma Ziran (a Daoist immortal) said: “If this body is not saved in this life, in what other life will this body be saved?” People of this kind should use the words of these two Perfected Ones to warn themselves.

Some people have too heavy an attachment to the love and affection of parents, wife, and children, yet their resolve for the Dao is also strong. They want to resolutely cut off affection and go cultivate immortality, but they cannot completely let go.

The Yuhuang Jing (Jade Emperor Scripture), in its repentance text, says: “Although the seeker’s intention to be saved is single-minded, there are still many karmic burdens from past lives.” The Huangjing Jizhu (Collected Commentary on the Imperial Scripture) says: “If the roots of the Dao and one’s faith are not firm, one cannot advance in cultivation.” The Supreme Lingbao Great Vehicle Wondrous Dharma Lotus True Scripture says: “Nowadays people are deluded by the nets of the world; even if they have a true heart, ultimately it cannot be considered sincere and solid. To embrace the Great Dao but not practice it, while hoping that one’s hair will not turn white and one will not age—this is rarely heard of.”

They want to cling to affection, yet fear that impermanence will swiftly arrive and they will lose the Great Dao that is hard to encounter in thousands, millions, and billions of kalpas. This is called a mind that grasps both sides, and also a mind that will lose both sides.

When the mind grasps both sides, it becomes confused and indecisive, and it certainly cannot succeed; in the end both sides are lost. This is an inevitable principle.

When impermanence swiftly arrives, can the fruit of the Dao still be attained? Can affection still be preserved? Therefore those who practice the Great Dao and protect the Great Dao must make a decision.

Those who seek to cultivate immortality must first nurture their virtue and uphold precepts. These precepts include abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, alcohol consumption, lying, and frivolous speech. Furthermore, assisting rulers in governance, protecting the nation, rescuing people from calamities, alleviating droughts and disasters, as well as compassionately helping others overcome illness, poverty, hunger, and hardship—these are all duties a cultivator should fulfill.

Only after meeting these fundamental requirements and remaining faultless on the spiritual path can one be considered a true fellow practitioner. Since ancient times, the truly wise have known how rare it is to find companions of shared aspiration on this path, just as enlightened masters find it difficult to encounter suitable disciples. Genuine fellow practitioners must be those capable of enduring hardship and cultivating with sincere dedication.

Selecting cultivation companions is even more challenging than seeking like-minded peers. Beyond the eleven precepts mentioned earlier, there are countless unpredictable factors. True companions often do not come from the same family or locality, and may have been strangers originally.

If a master has already attained the Dao and achieved spiritual liberation (referring to the advanced stage where the spirit can leave the body), their awareness can permeate all twenty-four celestial realms (the higher heavenly spheres in Daoist cosmology) and even perceive the entire Realm of Desire (one of Buddhism’s Three Realms), much like a Buddha. Such a master can discern all truth-seekers in the world, including beings in the hell realms. However, if a master has only received teachings through chance encounters with immortals and is still in the process of seeking fellow practitioners and disciples, it becomes far more difficult to judge who is suited for cultivation.

History does record cases of cultivation among kin, such as Cao Huanyang guiding his elder brother Cao Fuyang, or Chongxuzi transmitting teachings to his cousin Taichu and nephew Taiyi. There are also examples of fellow villagers cultivating together, like the Huanyang Zhenren guiding Chongxu and Zhenyang from three li away, with Zhenyang later instructing his disciple Taihe from one li distant. These individuals, sharing similar foundations and virtuous dispositions, naturally understood one another.

As for those with unvirtuous character, their true nature remains elusive even in brief encounters. "Unworthy conduct" here refers to what Confucianism calls moral deficiency. Human goodness and wickedness can only be discerned through prolonged interaction—words may be disguised, but prolonged speech reveals truth; virtue may be feigned, but sustained observation of actions unveils reality.

Some people harbor wicked thoughts in their hearts yet disguise themselves so well that even enlightened masters (ming shi) struggle to detect it. Such individuals are consumed by depraved intentions, always seeking supernatural powers (shentong) through unorthodox means. They feign the ingestion of elixirs and claim to undergo "transformation through alchemy" (dianhua, a Daoist term referring to transcendence via elixirs or esoteric methods), when in truth they merely crave power to dominate others. Outwardly, they show reverence to their masters, diligently seeking guidance—yet all of it is a facade. A true enlightened master must see through such deception.

Another type of person carries the hidden consequences of their ancestors' misdeeds—a latent calamity often difficult to foresee. If forebears committed grave evils, their descendants will struggle to accumulate virtue (De), for if the karmic retribution remains unfulfilled, it inevitably spills over to later generations. Yet such familial karma is known only to those living nearby; if the family has scattered across generations, outsiders find it even harder to discern.

The Dao (the Way) will never be transmitted to these two kinds of people. To knowingly impart the Great Dao to someone destined for divine retribution is to "recklessly transmit to the unworthy" (wang chuan fei ren). How can one accurately judge a person based on a single meeting or a few exchanged words? The previously mentioned fourteen types of individuals (referring to other unsuitable candidates not listed here) are all ones to guard against when selecting disciples.

Even when encountering someone of perfect moral character and resolute will—where "perfect moral character" means upholding the Five Human Relationships (ruler-subject, father-son, husband-wife, elder-younger siblings, and friendship) in secular life and adhering to the Five Precepts (basic Daoist ethical codes) in cultivation; and "resolute will" refers not to the false aspirations mentioned earlier but to genuine devotion, maintaining the disciple's proper role without defying the master's teachings, breaking precepts, or violating secular laws, while diligently studying, treasuring time, and earnestly practicing the sages' guidance—even such a sincere practitioner and their master will find it difficult to establish immediate trust upon meeting.

In a chance encounter, the master cannot determine whether the disciple belongs to the aforementioned fourteen categories, nor can the disciple discern whether the master is orthodox or heterodox, sage or madman. Without this discernment, trust remains elusive—rendering such meetings futile.

Many people struggle to genuinely believe in the immortal Dao (Xian Dao), primarily because their understanding of the Dao remains superficial. Though they may harbor aspirations for spiritual cultivation in daily life, they often fall prey to charlatans who claim that longevity and immortality can be attained through sexual techniques—such as "harvesting yin to supplement yang"—to prolong life. When such teachings appear somewhat plausible, they fail to discern truth from falsehood. Later, when encountering authentic, pure methods of Daoist cultivation—which, though equally grounded in principle, lack the immediate gratification of licentious practices—they find them dull and unconvincing, unable to determine which path is genuine.

The crux lies in distinguishing true orthodoxy. Without recognizing the real Dao, even the most resolute determination remains ungrounded. Many have no prior knowledge of a master's actual attainments—what is called "not being acquainted in earnest." Having neither witnessed nor heard of the master's genuine cultivation, they meet by chance, listen to profound teachings, and still doubt: Are these just empty words? Recalling past unverifiable claims, they suspect even this master may be unreliable. They fail to realize that the lies of heretical paths inevitably crumble under scrutiny, while authentic immortal cultivation must bear tangible proof. Such confusion arises precisely because they have never closely followed a true master or witnessed the actual fruits of practice.

The result is an inability to separate truth from falsehood, leaving them hesitant to believe. Tragically, even when encountering the true Dao, they often miss the opportunity. The master recognizes that such individuals cannot dispel doubts or abandon false paths—like rotten wood unfit for carving. It is akin to a blind man smelling both the stench of a cesspit and the fragrance of aloeswood, sandalwood, borneol, and musk: though both scents reach his nose, he cannot forsake the foul odor to dwell long in the sublime fragrance.

This illustrates the difficulty of finding genuine fellow cultivators (Daoyou). The preceding passage emphasizes the challenge seekers face in meeting enlightened masters. As the immortal Lü Dongbin once lamented: "It is easy for disciples to seek masters, but hard for masters to find disciples." He grieved that seekers, lacking true discernment, might impulsively think, "Immortals possess divine powers and omniscience—I must learn this!" Upon meeting someone, they rush to take them as a teacher without verifying their understanding of the Dao. Meeting three, five, or even ten such figures, they accumulate as many masters. Hearing one crude, un-Daoist phrase, they honor its speaker as a "one-word teacher"; hearing ten shallow sayings, they take them as a "ten-sentence teacher." How, then, could they not feel that enlightened masters are easily found?

(Note: Lü Zhenren refers to Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals; "aloeswood, sandalwood, borneol, and musk" are four precious incenses; "Daoyou" refers to fellow practitioners in Daoism.)

A true master selects disciples with utmost discernment. Only those whose ancestors have accumulated virtue (De) through generations and who themselves possess upright character can be considered to have profound spiritual foundations. Such individuals must be capable of eliminating wicked thoughts, abstaining from evil deeds, devoting themselves wholeheartedly to cultivating the Dao, and genuinely comprehending its teachings—such fellow practitioners are exceedingly rare.

A master will not transmit teachings to these types of people: those whose ancestors and themselves lack virtue (De) while belittling the Dao; those harboring malicious intentions and frequently committing wrongdoings; those who merely engage in empty talk without sincere practice; those stubbornly clinging to erroneous cultivation methods yet deludedly seeking immortality; those who mistake the celestial Dao for mere bedroom arts; those diligent at first but later becoming negligent; those entangled in worldly affairs and unable to focus on cultivation; and those incapable of protecting—or even damaging—the Dao's teachings. Thus, finding suitable disciples is truly difficult for enlightened masters.

The ancients spoke wisely: Immortals like Lü Dongbin of the Tang Dynasty still wander the world seeking those worthy of deliverance, while the renowned Daoist adept Xiao Zhenren sighs daily as he searches the seas for kindred spirits, yet fails to find suitable candidates throughout Jiangnan. Nowadays, some casually encounter passersby and, after a single meeting, declare they've met an immortal or fellow practitioner—what genuine attainment could possibly come from this?

Those who remain confined to one place differ vastly from those who wander freely in search of masters and the Dao. The ancient saying "qing gai" (lowering carriage canopies when meeting)—like when Confucius encountered the worthy Cheng Ben on the road and they stood talking with canopies folded—illustrates this. Confucius remarked, "Meeting eyes reveals one's possession of the Dao." Such wordless understanding between sages lies beyond ordinary reach. How could people today, meeting briefly and exchanging superficial words, possibly receive true transmission? How could they find genuine fellow practitioners? Those who lightly claim to have encountered enlightened masters or companions—upon what grounds do they base such certainty?

Those seeking masters or fellow practitioners should take warning. Since ancient times, no immortal has ever transmitted the true Dao upon first meeting; nor has any protector of the Dharma become a fellow practitioner upon initial acquaintance. Later learners searching for masters, or cultivators seeking companions, must remain vigilant against such casual encounters and never place faith in fleeting first impressions.

Those who seek to cultivate immortality must first establish pure virtue (De) in the human realm. This worldly virtue consists of fulfilling the Five Cardinal Relationships (ruler-subject, parent-child, elder-younger siblings, husband-wife, and friendship): loyalty to rulers, filial piety to parents, deference to elder brothers, and trustworthiness among friends. This authentic virtue has been consistently emphasized by the Highest Purity Saints (honorific title for Daoist immortals) throughout history.

Authentic transmission of the Daoist path must be given only to virtuous individuals. If transmitted to unsuitable persons, not only will the transmitter face divine retribution, but nine generations of their ancestors in the underworld will suffer interrogation. How then would genuine Daoist practitioners dare transmit these teachings recklessly to those of questionable character? Those who teach indiscriminately are mostly heretical schools who use sweet words to deceive people for money—how can such teachings be trusted?

One must also seek an authentic master with sincere devotion. As Ge Hong (eminent Eastern Jin dynasty Daoist theorist) recorded in Biographies of Divine Immortals (Shenxian Zhuan), Liu Zheng traveled thousands of miles seeking longevity techniques, humbly bowing to teachers—even servants—who surpassed his understanding. If modern practitioners showed such devotion, true immortals would naturally appear to guide them.

Careful selection of cultivation companions is essential—this relates to the aforementioned "choosing proper associates" principle. For those who thoroughly comprehend each cultivation guideline regarding virtue (De) and Daoist practice outlined in Straightforward Discourse on Celestial Immortality (Tianxian Zhenglizhilun Qianshuo), the attainment of longevity, celestial immortality, or even Buddhahood (here referring to supreme spiritual attainment) becomes an achievable reality. May all fellow seekers take these words to heart.