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The *Jiutian Mulu* (Secret Records of the Nine Heavens) states: Below the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing, 三清), there are the Three Tais (Santai, 三太); within the Three Tais, there are the Two Yi (Eryi, 二仪, Yin and Yang). Once the Two Yi are distinguished, the Five Emperors (Wudi, 五帝) are arranged; once the Five Emperors are established, they return to one realm.
Within this heaven and earth, above and below, there is the ascending and descending of Yin and Yang (Yin-Yang, 阴阳); east and west, there is the coming and going of the sun and moon. They cycle repeatedly, operating without cease, metabolizing and circulating endlessly, never losing their course. Only in humans,
essence (Jing, 精) serves as the mother, and qi (Qi, 气) as the master. Within each of the five zang organs (Wuzang, 五脏), there is essence; from essence arises qi; within each of the five zang organs, there is qi; from qi arises spirit (Shen, 神). To achieve infinite longevity and reside in the world forever,
one must refine essence into elixirs (Dan, 丹) and nourish qi to become spirit. True immortals and supreme sages cultivate internal truth to supplement the interior, not the exterior. When internal truth is full, it responds externally; nothing cannot be accomplished, and all actions align with the Dao, transitioning from the mundane to the sacred.
The *Xishan Ji* (Records of Mount West) states: Men first generate the right kidney (You Shen, 右肾), externalizing essence and internalizing blood, where yin governs principle; women first generate the left kidney (Zuo Shen, 左肾), externalizing blood and internalizing essence, where yang governs the interior. The kidney generates the spleen (Pi, 脾), the spleen generates the liver (Gan, 肝), the liver generates the lung (Fei, 肺), the lung generates the heart (Xin, 心), the heart generates the small intestine (Xiaochang, 小肠), the small intestine generates the large intestine (Dachang, 大肠), the large intestine generates the gallbladder (Dan, 胆), the gallbladder generates the bladder (Pangguang, 膀胱), the bladder generates the Three Yuan (Sanyuan, 三元),
the Three Yuan generate the Sanjiao (Triple Burner, 三焦), the Sanjiao generates the Eight Extraordinary Vessels (Baimai, 八脉), the Eight Extraordinary Vessels generate the Twelve Primary Meridians (Shier Jing, 十二经), the Twelve Primary Meridians generate the Twelve Collaterals (Shier Luo, 十二络), the Twelve Collaterals generate 180 Connecting Collaterals (Shibashi Xi Luo, 一百八十系络), the 180 Connecting Collaterals generate 180 Wrapping Collaterals (Shibashi Chan Luo, 一百八十缠络), the 180 Wrapping Collaterals generate 36,000 Sun Collaterals (Sanwan Liuqian Sun Luo, 三万六千孙络), the 36,000 Sun Collaterals generate 365 Bones (Sanbai Liushiwu Gu, 三百六十五骨), and the 365 Bones generate 84,000 Hair Pores (Bawan Siqian Maoqiao, 八万四千毛窍). When the fetus is complete and qi is sufficient, spiritual light enters the body, separating from the mother to become a human. Speaking of inside and outside, what is within the meridians is called inside, and what is outside the skin and muscles is called outside. To nourish life, one nourishes the five zang organs; the five zang organs are the root, and when the root is firm, the leaves flourish naturally. To nourish the form, one nourishes the five qi; the five qi are the source, and when the source is deep, the flow extends naturally. The great movement of true qi follows heaven; the small movement of primal qi follows the day. In spring, the liver is prosperous and the spleen is weak, so one nourishes the spleen by eating sweet substances: among the five grains, paddy rice (Jingmi, 粳米); among the five fruits, jujube flesh (Zaorou, 枣肉); among the five meats, beef (Niurou, 牛肉); among the five vegetables, okra (Kuicai, 葵菜). Keep the heart clear and free from worry, for worry injures the liver. Sit hiddenly to avoid wind, because the liver dislikes wind. If during daily activities at Mao hour (卯时, 5-7 AM), await the small movement. The day generates primal qi, which transmits to the liver; dwell in leisure with closed eyes to nourish the liver. Within ten days, results appear, and the eyes can see the fine hairs of autumn. If practicing lower-level cultivation, this is not necessary. In summer, the heart is prosperous and the lung is weak, so one nourishes the lung by eating pungent substances: among the five grains, yellow millet (Huangshu, 黄黍); among the five fruits, peaches (Taizi, 桃子); among the five meats, chicken (Jirou, 鸡肉); among the five vegetables, scallions (Congcai, 葱菜). Keep the heart clear and reduce joy, for excessive joy injures the heart. Sit quietly to avoid heat, because the heart dislikes heat. If during daily activities at Wu hour (午时, 11 AM-1 PM), await the small movement. The day generates primal qi, which transmits to the heart; eliminate thoughts and dwell peacefully to nourish the heart. Within ten days, results appear, and qi can pass through the hundred vessels. For lower-level cultivation, this is also not necessary. In autumn, the lung is prosperous and the liver is weak, so one nourishes the liver by eating sour substances: among the five grains, beans (Dou, 豆); among the five fruits, plums (Lizi, 李子); among the five meats, dog meat (Quanrou, 犬肉); among the five vegetables, broad bean leaves (Huocai, 藿菜). Dwell quietly to avoid cold, for cold injures the lung. Do not grieve excessively, for grief damages the liver. If during daily activities at You hour (酉时, 5-7 PM), await the small movement. The day generates primal qi, which transmits to the lung; raise the body and sit quietly to nourish the lung. Within ten days, results appear, and the skin and muscles become lustrous. For lower-level cultivation, this is not necessary. In winter, the kidney is prosperous and the heart is weak, so one nourishes the heart by eating bitter substances: among the five grains, wheat (Xiaomai, 小麦); among the five fruits, oranges (Juzi, 橘子); among the five meats, mutton (Yangrou, 羊肉); among the five vegetables, wild leeks (Xiecai, 薤菜). Keep the heart clear and free from fear, for fear injures the heart. If during daily activities at Zi hour (子时, 11 PM-1 AM), await the small movement. The day generates primal qi, which transmits to the kidney; contract the body and sit upright to nourish the kidney. Within ten days, results appear, the dantian warms itself, and strength becomes robust. For lower-level cultivation, this is not necessary. During the four seasons, the spleen is prosperous and the kidney is weak; nourish the kidney by eating salty substances: among the five grains, millet (Sumi, 粟米); among the five fruits, yam (Shanyao, 山药); among the five meats, pork (Zhurou, 猪肉); among the five vegetables, chives (Jiucai, 韭菜). Keep the mind at peace and free from dread, for dread injures the spleen; sit quietly to avoid dampness, for dampness damages the spleen. If during daily activities at Xu, Chen, Chou, and Wei hours (戌辰丑未), await the small movement. The day generates primal qi, which transmits to the spleen. If wind is urgent and thunder shakes, passing through the bladder, it transforms into essence; if true qi escapes and fire rises, the lung opens, the heart rushes, the liver floats, and the gallbladder protrudes; the myriad spirits are burned by true fire, abandoning the body to wander outside, bones dissolve, tendons extend, resembling death. One leakage weakens one qi; a hundred leakages cause one spirit to depart; a thousand leakages damage one zang organ; reaching exhaustion, the four elements have no master, thus it is called death. Therefore, true immortals and supreme sages have the method of returning essence (Huajing, 还精). If one's aspiration lies in the profound origin, kidney qi intersects with heart qi; accumulated qi generates fluid, like hanging pearls and dripping dew, each drop returning to the dantian. With precise fire timing, it naturally condenses, shaped like a bullet, colored like a red tangerine; qi generates qi within, refining qi into spirit; having a body outside the body, transcending the mortal to enter the sacred. If one has not realized clarity and emptiness, willingly serving as beasts of burden for descendants, and lustful desires have not ceased, one should not deeply investigate sexual techniques (Fangzhong Shu, 房中之术), which merely borrow the female form to trick heart qi into descending into the Huangting (Yellow Court, 黄庭), while kidney qi cannot ascend. Thus, using dragon coiling and tiger winding, before ejaculation, abandon emotional attachment. One method is to sit alone, contracting the body, hugging the navel with both hands, causing qi to knot into a fetus. Another method is to raise the body, arch the spine, contract the body briefly, causing the elbow to fly into the Niwan Palace (Niwangong, 泥丸宫), filling the blood and brain, thereby filling the hundred bones, yielding evidence of reversing aging. Alas, I was ignorant in my youth, desiring to gather the essence and qi of women to make Yin Elixirs (Yindan, 阴丹), and again refining inert metals and stones, taking the exquisite qi of heaven and earth to make External Elixirs (Waidan, 外丹). Ingesting them fills essence and supplements the sea; fortunately, when the medicine is potent, there is temporarily no harm. But if primal yang is dissipated and the dantian is empty, ingesting them in the abdomen will lead to incurable diseases. Taking them from others will lead to rapid demise. Returning to regard the methods of immortals as deceit, thinking quietly, whose fault is it?