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The *Yuhua Lingshu* (Jade Flower Spiritual Book) states: Shen (Spirit) regards Qi (Vital Energy) as its mother, and Qi resides in the Xing (Form/Body). By refining Qi, one transforms it into Shen; by refining Xing, one transforms it into Qi. Before the Yang Shen (Yang Spirit) gathers, the "Three Flowers" (San Hua, referring to Jing/Essence, Qi, and Shen) do not enter the Niwan Palace (the upper Dantian or brain center); before the True Qi (Zhen Qi) arrives at the Danque (inner palace/Dantian), the five-colored auspicious clouds do not arise. Without a form to contain them, both Shen and Qi are difficult to sustain. Therefore, although Heaven and Earth are vast, they cannot escape the phenomena of light and clear rising versus heavy and turbid sinking; although the sun and moon are bright, they cannot avoid forms of fullness and emptiness, brightness and darkness. Accumulating Yang generates Shen; those that attach to Heaven above are stars and constellations. Accumulating Yin generates Form; those that lie beneath the Earth are soil and stone. Qi within water rises to become rain and clouds; Water within Qi descends to become dew and fog. All phenomena and living beings cannot exist without form. Only humans gather Ling (Spirituality) to be born and rely on Dao (the Way) to be completed. If one does not know the beginning of nourishing Xing, Jing (Essence) and Hun (Ethereal Soul) will dissipate, leaving only an empty shell. Before death, one is already like dead wood. Once the last breath ceases, one strives only to become manure. Must not the way of nourishing Xing be deeply contemplated?

The *Xishan Ji* (Record of Western Mountain) states: In the months of mid-summer and mid-winter, those who excel in nourishing Xing should dwell in deep halls, avoiding extreme cold and heat to allow their skin and muscles to rest and hide. It is not merely this; one should dress before feeling cold, but not add too many layers at once; one should undress before feeling warm, but not remove too few layers at once. After long labor, one should maintain tranquility to protect areas where strength has been overused; after long leisure, one should practice Daoyin (guiding and pulling exercises) to move Qi that has slightly stagnated. In summer, one should not expose oneself to wind directly, for wind causes Ying (Nutritive) Qi to close and Wei (Defensive) Qi to knot; in summer, one should not lie on dampness, for dampness causes Qi to scatter and Blood to congeal. In winter, one should not seek extreme heat, for extreme heat allows Kidney to receive deficient Yang, leading to obstructions in Liver and Heart during spring and summer; in summer, one should not seek extreme coolness, for extreme coolness allows Heart to harbor floating cold, leading to stagnation in Lung and Kidney during autumn and winter. One should not eat when extremely hungry, and eating should not lead to fullness; excessive fullness injures Shen, while hunger damages Stomach. One should not drink when extremely thirsty, and drinking should not be excessive; excess damages Qi, while thirst injures Blood. Wash hair every ten days, bathe every five days. Five days allow the Five Qi to circulate, and bathing ensures smooth flow of Ying and Wei; ten days complete a cycle, allowing True Qi to reside in the brain, so washing hair makes ears and eyes clear. If one bathes frequently, Blood congeals and Qi scatters; although skin and muscles may appear lustrous, Qi will eventually be damaged. Thus, those with paralysis suffer because Qi cannot overcome Blood, and Shen cannot overcome Form. If one washes hair frequently, Qi becomes obstructed above and stagnant in the middle, causing heavy body and fatigued form, and eventually meridians fail to flow smoothly. Therefore, the ancients advocated using Yang to nourish Yang, so Yang is not dissipated; using Yin to refine Yang, so Yang is not weakened. For example, within a year, nourish Yang in spring and summer, and nourish Yin in autumn and winter; this is borrowing Yin to nourish Yang, using Yang to eliminate Yin. Within a day, refine Qian (Heaven/Yang) Qi before noon; rise early to refine Xing, and upon rising, refine Jinjing (Golden Essence/Spirit). After noon, refine Kun (Earth/Yin) with medicine (internal alchemical substances); with medicine, gather Qi to refine Dan (Elixir); without Dan, control fire to boil the sea (refine essence). All these utilize True Yang within oneself; otherwise, by gathering the body and concentrating Qi, True Qi can be cultivated internally. Raising the True Qi within extinguishes demonic Yin. Those who follow Dao read widely and learn much, yet vainly incur damage from overexertion, not knowing that Yin and Yang are the primal leaders of all things. True Yin and True Yang serve as the embryo, condensing in the Dantian (Lower Elixir Field); subsequently, True Yin becomes Qi, and True Yang becomes Form, resulting in a body outside the body. One transcends the mundane and enters sainthood.