《女丹合編》Vol. 13

This passage discusses the essential principles of female Neidan (internal alchemy) practice in Daoism. The author Fu Jinquan begins by quoting Lü Dongbin (Ancestor Lü), emphasizing that cultivation requires recognizing one's fundamental nature and mastering the transformations of Yin-Yang (with Kan, Li, Zhen, and Dui representing four of the Eight Trigrams, while Zi and Wu denote specific time periods).

Regarding the mystery of the female "gate of life" (mingmen): The navel area is called the gate of life, containing the Huangting (Dantian region), with the Youque acupoint behind it, the Guanyuan acupoint above, and the Qihai acupoint below. The left and right sides symbolize the sun and moon respectively, both emitting light. The light of life manifests in three forms: yellow in the Dantian, white in the fetal origin (where life is nurtured), and purple in the blood origin (breast region). The blood origin mentioned here is located precisely 1.2 cun between the breasts, not referring to the breasts themselves.

Key differences between male and female practice: While men take the Dantian as their foundation (the true earth where the inner elixir forms), women focus on the breasts (which contain the essence of maternal Qi). The fetal origin governs embryo formation, the blood origin governs blood production, and the Dantian governs elixir generation. Practice should occur during the Zi (11pm-1am) and Wu (11am-1pm) periods, with focused observation on the breast cavities while maintaining long, subtle breathing (exhaling less and inhaling more).

Menstrual cycle cultivation: When menstrual signs appear (the "monthly message" refers not to menstrual blood itself but to bodily precursors like advance notices), practitioners should guide Qi upward from the Dantian to the breasts. Premenstrual symptoms like backache, dizziness and loss of appetite signal Qi-blood transformation. Intensive practice should begin two and a half days before menstruation, but forceful Qi circulation must be avoided during actual menstruation (the "red dragon" refers to menstrual blood), as this causes harm. Two and a half days after menstruation, test with white silk—only when golden yellow appears may practice resume. After several months, menstrual blood will transform from red to yellow, then white, eventually disappearing completely—this represents the cultivation state of "returning being to non-being."

Unique female physiological transformation: Women treat blood as their kidney essence (unlike men), with breasts serving as crucial cavities. After age forty-nine, when the waist dries and blood diminishes, it may seem vitality is lost—yet prolonged practice can regenerate the blood origin (restoring youth). This embodies the profound mystery of "generating being from non-being." When menstrual blood reappears, immediate practice transforms it to regain vitality. Subsequent practice methods then become identical to male cultivation.

(Note: Technical terms like "Huangting," "Youque," and "Guanyuan" are preserved with explanations provided. Specialized terms like "red dragon" are clarified. Practice methods include contextual details about timing and breathing.)

This scripture primarily elucidates the methods and principles of Neidan (internal alchemy) cultivation for women in Daoist practice.

Female cultivation focuses on three key energy centers: the upper Dantian (at the crown of the head), middle Dantian (at the heart region), and lower Dantian (below the navel). Young women begin cultivation from the upper Dantian, while older practitioners start from the middle Dantian. Only after achieving progress do they proceed to the lower Dantian. The female constitution is externally Yin but internally Yang, so the first crucial step is "beheading the red dragon" (cessation of menstruation) to transform the body, converting Yin energy into Yang energy.

The specific cultivation method is as follows: First, sit quietly with eyes closed, calming the Shen (spirit) and steadying the breath. Then focus the mind on the Shanzhong point (the acupoint between the breasts) while gently massaging the breasts in a cross-handed motion 360 times. Next, inhale subtly from the lower Dantian 24 times, continuing breast massage and breath regulation. With prolonged practice, a natural breathing rhythm will develop, the breasts will gradually shrink to resemble a male's, and menstruation will cease—this marks the success of "beheading the red dragon."

In later stages of cultivation, breast massage is no longer necessary; one simply maintains mental focus on the Shanzhong point while preserving inner tranquility. At this point, Yang energy rises within the body, circulating through the meridians. Eventually, a luminous point forms at the crown of the head, passing through the heart, throat, and other key areas before returning to the Dantian. After ten months of dedicated practice, female practitioners can attain the same level of achievement as their male counterparts.

The scripture also explains the innate formation of the female body: During conception, the father's Jing (essence) arrives first, followed by the mother's blood, forming the female embryo. The fetus initially receives the mother's prenatal Qi, first developing the right kidney, then the eyes and Dantian. Subsequently, menstrual blood (referred to as "Gui water" or the Water of the Tenth Heavenly Stem) accumulates every twelve days, with the basic female form fully established within a hundred days.

This passage discusses the specialized methods of Neidan (internal alchemy) practice for women in Daoist cultivation, focusing on the transformative patterns of "Tian Gui" (celestial water, referring to menstrual blood) and key cultivation principles.

From the age of eighty days, a female begins accumulating Tian Gui at the rate of one liang (traditional Chinese ounce), increasing by one zhu (ancient weight unit) every fifteen days. By age fourteen, the accumulated Tian Gui reaches fourteen liang, which combined with the innate two liang present at birth completes one jin (sixteen liang). This corresponds symbolically to the cosmic numbers: the 384 degrees of the celestial cycle, 384 days of the solar year, and the 384 lines of change in the Yijing (Book of Changes). After fourteen, Tian Gui begins depleting until complete exhaustion by age forty-nine.

The cultivation essentials differ by gender: male practitioners primarily refine Qi (vital energy) to subdue the "White Tiger" (seminal essence), while female practitioners focus on refining physical form by severing the "Red Vein" (menstruation). When men stabilize Qi to prevent postnatal Jing (essence) leakage, they can form the Golden Elixir to prolong life. When women sever the Red Vein, their turbid yin blood ceases its downward flow, enabling complete physical transformation. Though women's yin nature makes Qi-subduing easier, the Red Vein presents the greatest obstacle to their cultivation, hence the primary focus.

Notably, if a woman achieves the state of "heroine among women" (possessing masculine-level determination) and receives authentic instruction in the Lunar Refinement Method from a true master, she may attain realization in three to five years—more efficiently than men. However, such women are exceptionally rare, requiring willpower a hundredfold stronger than ordinary men.

A robust physique is essential for achieving great things, yet women can never match men in physical strength. Some may ask: Since the Dao (the fundamental principle of cultivation) makes no distinction between male and female, why do their cultivation methods differ? The answer lies in the fact that while the underlying principles are the same, their practical applications vary.

Men and women differ in innate constitution and physical structure, which is why their approaches to cultivating nature and life (referring to the refinement of body and mind) must also differ significantly. When asked how to sever the "red threads" (referring to menstruation), the response is: The red threads are fundamentally the transformation of the yin energy acquired after birth. When yin energy becomes agitated, it produces turbid menstrual blood. To transform this blood, one must first refine the qi (vital energy). Once the qi is transformed, the menstrual blood will reverse its course, rising into the breasts, turning from red to white (indicating the transformation of menstrual blood into nourishing essence). Circulating throughout the body, it naturally eliminates the disturbances of restless desires.

When the fire of desire subsides, the true fire (referring to the primordial qi) emerges. In this way, one can cultivate steadily and smoothly, preserving both nature and life and perfecting the physical form—a goal that is then easily attainable.