阴炼之法,用童便不拘多少,每一石用缸一只盛之,搀入清水一石和之,用皂荚煎汤一盏加入,以竹杖搅
之数百回为止。候其澄静片时,倾出上面清的一石,又加净水一石,如前搅之。澄倾之法,一次
一次其澄下者渐浓,必至十次之后,如澄样凝结成霜雪,乃已去水。以布帛上加纸灰食干,收起
秋石曝干,再研。或加男乳调和,日曝夜露,七七任用,或散或丸,服之一年,堵寿一纪,此阴
炼之法。虽涤去咸味,凡质固脱,所谓先天之气混泄,固不能无化痰降火之功,亦不能若咸味之
疾速也。补益之功,可以并言。今人多有彼此优劣之议,予故有阴阳之辨。
阳炼之法,备新缸数只,采取童便十余石,采法惟于童蒙学堂中,用一人看守药缸,另置一
小缸于药之傍,童生来便先试其色之赤白,始出色赤,盖有火邪以混之,弃而勿用。惟清白者取
之,积有十石,移置僻处,用大锅煮炼,干则加添,必尽十石,俱完干枯为度。收起如铁如石,谓
之丕胎,将此丕胎入士釜,明炉火 ,黑烟、秽气去尽为度,谓之退阴符。取出用小银锅将新汲
泉水煮之。(无银锅,铜锅可。)溶化无形,泸过滴下净药如净泉,复入银锅熬干,则成白雪洁滢无
埃,任加乳汁、红铅散,服丸药无不宜也。若将白雪之药入鼎,明炉用火 炼,清溶霞光,焖土
结成灵丹如璧如玉,于此可见人身之宝不诬矣,服者得无效乎!
The Yin refining method uses urine from prepubertal boys (tongbian), the quantity being unrestricted. For every shi (a unit of volume) of urine, one large vat is used for storage. One shi of clear water is mixed in with it. One cup of decoction prepared from Gleditsia Sinensis Fruit (Zaojiao, 皂荚) is added, and the mixture is stirred hundreds of times with a bamboo rod until stopped. After waiting for it to settle and clarify for a moment, the upper clear portion (one shi) is poured out. Another shi of clean water is added, and it is stirred as before. The process of clarifying and pouring is repeated; the precipitate gradually becomes thicker with each cycle. This continues until after ten cycles, the substance condenses like frost or snow, at which point the water is removed. It is dried on cloth spread with paper ash, collected, and the Qiushi (Autumn Stone) is sun-dried and ground again. Alternatively, male breast milk can be added to blend it. It is exposed to the sun during the day and dew at night for seven cycles of seven days (49 days), after which it can be used as either a powder or pills. Taking it for one year can extend life by one jiyi (12 years). This is the Yin refining method. Although the salty taste is washed away, the essential nature of the material is depleted. As mentioned, the primordial qi is mixed and leaked; while it certainly retains the function of resolving phlegm and descending fire, it cannot act as rapidly as when the salty taste is retained. Its tonifying efficacy can be discussed similarly. Nowadays, people often debate its superiority or inferiority, so I have distinguished between Yin and Yang methods.
The Yang refining method requires preparing several new vats. More than ten shi of urine from prepubertal boys are collected. The collection method involves stationing a person to guard the medicine vats in a school for young students. A small vat is placed beside the medicine vat. When students urinate, their urine color is tested first; only clear, reddish urine is taken. Urine that appears red due to pathogenic heat mixing in is discarded and not used. Only clear, white urine is collected. Once ten shi are accumulated, they are moved to a secluded place and boiled in a large pot. More urine is added as it evaporates, until all ten shi are completely dry. The residue, which resembles iron or stone, is called "Pi Tai" (丕胎). This Pi Tai is placed in an earthen crucible and heated over a bright fire until black smoke and foul odors are completely eliminated; this stage is called "Tui Yin Fu" (Retreating Yin Talisman). It is then taken out and boiled in a small silver pot with freshly drawn spring water (if no silver pot is available, a copper pot may be used). It melts into a formless state, is filtered, and the pure liquid drips down like clear spring water. It is returned to the silver pot and boiled dry, resulting in a substance as white as snow, clean and lustrous without dust. Milk or Hongqian San (Red Lead Powder) can be freely added, and pill forms are suitable for consumption. If this snow-white medicine is placed in a cinnabar furnace and refined over a bright fire, it dissolves clearly with rosy light, and through smoldering earth, it forms a spiritual elixir resembling jade. From this, it can be seen that the treasures within the human body are indeed genuine; how could those who consume it fail to experience efficacy!