《西山记》曰∶以法入道,道故不难,以道求仙,仙亦甚易。求仙不难,所以难者,所学之道不
正。学道不难,所以难者,所学之法不真。昔人隐形易貌,留气返魂,咒白刃不伤,禁毒虫不害,钉
钉自落,履火不焦,使水逆行,回风倒雨,结巾投地而兔走,盘带辍针而蛇行, 果结实于须臾。
龙鱼遨游于倾刻。若此是其术也而与法不同。故昔人以冬后阳生,而春分之后余寒误入肠胃,以为伤寒
之疾。既觉,急居静室,盘膝正坐,闭目冥心,定息住气。以双手叠之,兜外肾,向前倒身跪礼不过二三
十度。汗出清凉,寒气自散。昔人梦泄遗漏,或下元虚冷,乃于日落之后,静坐幽室,以手兜外肾,以手
搓脐下八十一数。搓手兜肾,兜手搓脐八十一数。九遍为度,但左右换手而已。遂丹元补暖,真气充盈。
昔人以幽居静室,绝念忘言,一向下心火,闭目存想,如火轮炎炎。积日气海坚固,颜色异常。日久
下尽诸秽,自耐寒暑也。昔人以饮食过度,胸臆注满,或寒热凝滞,或痛结雍塞。当静坐,鼻引清气,
口闭不开,多入少出,攻所病之处。大紧方放其气,不下三五次。自然消除,永绝万病。昔人心上为阳
而阴不能到,以肾下为阴而阳不能及。故涌泉之上,气升而不降,血注而不升,致使脚膝沉重,阴凝
而阳散,又况
终日奔驰,无时休息,当夜后汤灌二足。此外益而功少,不若高举二足,使气倒流于涌泉,逆流于丹阙,
即日足轻,行及奔马,其步如飞也。昔人以四肢小疾,五脏微 ,或而凝滞雍塞。静坐澄清,闭目绝念,
运心气于所病之处,暂闭息少时,无攻不胜。以上皆法也而与道不同。夫道者无所不包,无所不通,
何止为技艺之能,治疾病之功而已。因术识法,因法知道,道本一阴一阳而已。阴阳相交相合,故天地
有春夏秋冬之四季,日月有弦望晦朔之四候。惟人也,于一日之间,丑末寅初,阳合阴也;辰末巳初,
阳交阳也;未末申初,阴合阳也;戌末亥初,阴交阴也。悟阴阳交合,何道之远哉?
The *Xishan Ji* (Record of Mount West) states: Entering the Dao through techniques makes the Dao not difficult; seeking immortality through the Dao makes immortality very easy. Seeking immortality is not difficult; the difficulty lies in the fact that the Dao studied is incorrect. Studying the Dao is not difficult; the difficulty lies in the fact that the techniques practiced are not authentic. In ancient times, people could become invisible and change their appearance, retain their qi and restore their soul, use spells to prevent white blades from causing injury, use incantations to prevent poisonous insects from harming them, make nails fall off by themselves, walk on fire without burning, make water flow backward, reverse wind and rain, throw a towel to the ground to make a rabbit appear, insert a needle into a coiled belt to make a snake move—all these effects were achieved in an instant. Dragons and fish swam within moments. Such things belong to "shu" (techniques/skills), which differ from "fa" (methods). Therefore, the ancients believed that after winter, when yang qi begins to generate, residual cold qi entering the stomach and intestines after the Spring Equinox causes diseases like Shanghan (Cold Damage). Upon realizing this, one should immediately reside in a quiet room, sit cross-legged upright, close the eyes, calm the mind, and regulate breathing to stabilize the qi. Interlace both hands to cup the external kidneys (testicles), bow forward in kneeling prostration no more than twenty or thirty times. When cool sweat appears, the cold qi dissipates naturally. For cases of nocturnal emission or deficiency-cold in the lower yuan, the ancients would sit quietly in a dark room after sunset, cup the external kidneys with one hand, and rub below the navel eighty-one times. Rubbing the hands while cupping the kidneys, and cupping the hands while rubbing the navel, each for eighty-one repetitions, completed nine cycles, merely switching left and right hands. This replenishes and warms the Danyuan (Elixir Field), filling the body with true qi. By dwelling in a quiet room, cutting off distracting thoughts and forgetting speech, directing heart-fire downward, and visualizing with closed eyes as if a wheel of fire burns brightly, the Qihai (Sea of Qi) becomes firm over days, and the complexion improves remarkably. After a long time, impurities are expelled from the lower body, making one naturally resistant to cold and heat. For excessive eating leading to chest fullness, or stagnation of cold-heat, or pain and obstruction, one should sit quietly, inhale clear qi through the nose, keep the mouth tightly closed, inhale much and exhale little, attacking the diseased area. Only release the breath when it is extremely tight, repeating three to five times. The condition will naturally resolve, permanently eliminating myriad diseases. The ancients held that the upper part of the body belongs to yang, where yin cannot reach; the lower part (kidneys) belongs to yin, where yang cannot arrive. Thus, above the Yongquan (Spring Under Foot) acupoint, qi rises but does not descend, and blood flows down but does not rise, causing heaviness in the feet and knees, with yin condensing and yang scattering. Moreover, with all-day rushing and no rest, soaking the feet in hot water at night helps. However, this yields little benefit compared to elevating the legs, allowing qi to flow backward to Yongquan and逆流 (counter-flow) to the Danque (Elixir Palace), resulting in light feet on the same day, walking as fast as a galloping horse. For minor ailments of the four limbs, slight disorders of the five zang organs, or stagnation and blockage, one should sit quietly to clarify the mind, close the eyes to cut off thoughts, direct mental qi to the diseased area, hold the breath briefly, and there is no ailment that cannot be overcome. All the above are "fa" (methods), distinct from "Dao". The Dao encompasses everything and penetrates all; it is far more than mere technical skill or the ability to treat disease. Through shu (techniques), one understands fa (methods); through fa, one understands Dao. The Dao is fundamentally one yin and one yang. Yin and yang interact and combine, giving rise to the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter in heaven and earth, and the four phases of waxing, full, waning, and new moon in the sun and moon. As for humans, within a single day: at the end of Chou hour and beginning of Yin hour, yang combines with yin; at the end of Chen hour and beginning of Si hour, yang interacts with yang; at the end of Wei hour and beginning of Shen hour, yin combines with yang; at the end of Xu hour and beginning of Hai hour, yin interacts with yin. To comprehend the interaction and combination of yin and yang—how far is the Dao?