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Translation:
It is said that a human life is as fleeting as a shadow passing through a crack. People toil and bustle, following external things, and eventually look at each other only to see them all perish. Is this not sorrowful? If one can cultivate the body and protect the vital qi (Vital Energy) with proper methods within this life, one will surely avoid the cruelty of premature or violent death. If one knows only to advance but not to retreat, knows only to gain but not to lose, allowing desires to simmer internally and power/position to tug externally, how can one speak of the damage caused by excessive internal heat due to overexertion? Moreover, disasters of bodily destruction and clan annihilation have never ceased in the world. Therefore, I composed seven chapters on "Retiring to Cultivate One's Will." May there be no events of disaster, defeat, premature death, or violent harm. As for extending years and achieving longevity, these are preserved in the *Bielu* (Separate Records). Noble gentlemen should ponder this carefully.

Deep mountains and forests are indeed beautiful realms, but going alone brings many obstacles, while going in numbers brings noise and clutter. One must choose a place near the boundary of human habitation and wilderness, where the heart is distant from the mundane and the location is remote. Backing onto mountains and facing water, with a high and crisp climate, fertile land, and clear, beautiful springs, such a place allows for the construction of a residence on ten mu of flat ground. If human effort can extend this to twenty mu, it should not be wider. Being too wide makes management a concern of the mind, resembling an industrial enterprise, which is particularly troublesome. If there are hills and mounds surrounding and complementing the site on the left and right, forming a superior terrain, this is the best land. A good terrain ensures peace for the dweller; there are no other expectations.

Observe the orientation and exposure of the terrain, select the favorable spot, and erect a main house with three rooms. Internally, make the rear beam slightly longer than the front, and the pillars slightly higher. Place plank flooring on the rafters; after the planks are set, cover them with three to four cun of mud. Level the mud, wait for it to dry, and then cover it with tiles. Build walls on all four sides, or dig trenches and pile earth, ensuring they are dense and thick, and plaster them according to standard methods. It is necessary to block wind gaps, dismantle seams, and install doors and windows according to usual practices, opening a back door. If tiles are unavailable, thatch with a thickness of two chi will keep it warm in winter and cool in summer. In the west room under the eaves, construct a lattice room to receive guests. When guests arrive, guide them to sit; do not allow them to enter the sleeping quarters or see the medicine bureau, lest outsiders bring foul air that harms people or spoils medicines. It is best if a guest area is placed outside the courtyard. Behind the hall, build two rooms, each serving as one chamber, constructed and plastered exactly like the main hall, with sturdy doors. One room stores medicines. The medicine bureau should additionally have a tall cabinet with legs. On cloudy or foggy days, place a small fire source under the cabinet; in the Jiangbei region, fire is unnecessary. Another room stores medicinal utensils, with thick wooden boards placed on the ground. Inside the storehouse, on the east wall, install a shelf, two layers high, eight chi tall, one zhang long, and four chi wide, to store food. It must not be close to the main house, as proximity risks smoke affecting people and worrying about fire; extreme caution is required. East of the kitchen, build two rooms. Disciples and family members sleep in the northwest of the main house, connected by two newly built rooms. The front features lattice windows for processing and drying medicines, separated by a fenced courtyard. Thirty steps behind the main house, build two more rooms with strong rafters and beams and high, spacious pillars to house the medicine furnace. Separate this with a fence so outsiders cannot reach it. South of the west house, build one room, divided by a door in the middle of the eaves. Install a merit box here as a place for chanting and entering tranquility. Outside the central gate, dig a pond using water, covering slightly more than half a mu, with a depth of three chi. Keep the water full, planting lotus, water caltrop, and Euryale seed (Qian Shi). Plant sweet chrysanthemum around the pond bank. These can be harvested for food and also please the eyes and soothe the mind.