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The *Xishan Ji* (Record of Western Mountain) states: The physical form is the dwelling of Qi (vital energy), and Qi is the master of the physical form. By borrowing the form to nourish Qi, when Qi becomes robust, the form becomes solid. By circulating Qi to refine the form, when the form is complete, Qi naturally becomes authentic.

Therefore, a person's True Qi follows the Heavenly cycles in great movements. In spring it resides in the Liver, in summer in the Heart, in autumn in the Lung, and in winter in the Kidney. A person's Yuan Qi (Original Qi) follows daily cycles in small movements. At Zi hour it is in the Kidney, at Mao hour in the Liver, at Wu hour in the Heart, and at You hour in the Lung. Ancient sages penetrated the secrets of Heaven. They aligned the measure of Qi with the measures of Heaven, and used daily practices to participate in annual patterns. From Zi hour to Wu hour, which is the time when Qi generates, one employs the method of gathering Qi and returning the Elixir. From Wu hour to Zi hour, which is the time when Qi disperses, one employs the method of collecting Qi and refining the Elixir. The mantra of Zhenren Peng Yu states: Refine Qian (Heaven/Yang) before noon, and Kun (Earth/Yin) after noon. From Yin hour to Wu hour, one should rise and sit quietly, close the eyes and forget speech, breathe slowly and deeply, and intensely visualize the Palace of the Heart, like the etiquette of a husband and wife meeting. Through long perseverance, success is achieved and immortality is attained.

The mantra of former Zhenren Yuan states: From morning rising, do not speak; stir the tongue against the upper and lower gums, swallow the foul saliva, and exhale to release the accumulated emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness from the Heart. True Qi rises and lodges in the face and eyes; hold it with the hands, then reside in a quiet room and sit peacefully without speaking. Between Wu and Wei hours, when Qi is abundant and spirit is drowsy, lie on the side with closed mouth and sleep. Accumulating this over days brings peace, prolongs life, and allows one to remain in the world with their form. This knows the timing and comprehends the intersection, but lacks the method of extraction. The Supreme Sage of Xishan knows that at Zi hour Kidney Qi generates, at Mao hour Liver Qi generates, and at Wu hour Kidney Qi intersects with Heart Qi. Accumulated Qi generates fluids, which return to the Dantian, called the Mysterious Pearl. If the fire timing is without error, the Great Medicine is achieved. Within Kidney Qi lies hidden the Water of True Unity; above Heart fluid lies hidden the Qi of Righteous Yang. Embracing Yang with Yin, supporting Qi with Water, this is the root of the Great Dao and the medicine for longevity. How to prevent them from leaking? During Chen and Si hours, sit quietly in a secluded room, keep the Spirit and Consciousness inwardly guarded, fill the mouth with saliva, neither swallowing nor spitting. Inhale little and exhale slowly, continuously as if present yet absent, so that the two Qi naturally intersect and condense like dew. After one hundred days without error, the medicinal power is complete; after two hundred days, the Sacred Embryo is firm; after three hundred days, the Immortal body is perfected and True Qi arises. With Qi within Qi, one can refine Qi into Spirit. Thus Zhongli Quan said: Formerly, the Three Truths praised the Six Mantras of Golden Elixir; if cultivation does not comprehend this, people learning the Dao labor in vain. He also said: In leisure, remembering Jiangnan, flowers fill the spring city and water fills the pool. If you see the fine scenery of Yangzhou, you must steadily pilot the Tiger and Dragon boat. This is named the Coition of Tiger and Dragon, also known as the method of harvesting medicine. And from Wu hour to Zi hour, employing the method of collecting Qi to refine the Elixir involves fire timing, which differs between ancient and modern times. Those who do not comprehend the true principle, do not recognize the heavenly mechanism, but understand the appropriateness of creation, only Bian Que could interpret the *Lingshu* (Spiritual Pivot). Draw clear Qi through the nose, let it enter and stay; four breaths constitute one Zhu (a unit of weight), twenty-four Zhu constitute one Liang. Fire: after Summer Solstice, using the Xun trigram's heavenly movement of twenty-five degrees, practice to refine True Mercury into Yin Embryo. At Winter Solstice, using the Qian trigram's spiritual talisman moving twenty-five degrees, practice to refine True Lead into Yang Breath. Yang Breath投 into Yin Embryo transforms into Golden Elixir; one grain of Golden Elixir grants immortality. Guangchengzi taught the Yellow Emperor: from morning to dusk, sit quietly forgetting thoughts, banish external worries, guard the Spirit and Consciousness inwardly, and keep intent undivided. Descend Heart Fire to the Dantian, visualize below the navel as a clean vase. Within the clean vase, there is a pearl like a pellet; use blazing fire to burn it downwards day and night until the embryo forms and breathing stops. Naturally free from hunger and thirst, unafraid of cold and heat, one can remain in the world with their form. This is advancing fire at the proper time, also lacking the method of gathering Qi.

Xishan has a verse: "The beauty and the scholar are in their prime, but falling flowers at dusk make gathering difficult. Not avoiding the lord's heart-breaking grief, when the time comes, one must close the Yang Pass." This refers to the end of Xu hour and beginning of Hai hour, when Qi returns to the Elixir with true fluids, Yin intersects with Yin and Qi is about to dissipate. One should dwell in a quiet room; breathing need not be completely closed, but inhale little and exhale slowly, descend Heart Fire, and keep intent lodged in the Dantian. Fearing Kidney Qi rises and does not stop, or Heart Fire descends and does not stay, one slightly rotates the abdomen and light ribs, causing the Dantian to naturally heat up, refining the medicine obtained during the day. The first one hundred days use the Qian trigram, the next one hundred days move from Dui trigram to Qian trigram, the next one hundred days move from Kun trigram to Qian trigram. When Qian and Kun meet, and fire timing is without error, such additions and subtractions are appropriate, as described in drawing and adding, requiring the technique of Flying Metal Crystal from the Elbow Posterior. Thus, ancient supreme sages harvested medicine during the Li trigram, advanced fire during the Qian trigram, and after three hundred days formed the Inner Elixir, becoming an Immortal on Land. Form and Spirit both become wondrous, surviving kalpas without death. Therefore, the way of refining the form cannot be done without True Qi.