气味辛温。喉痹肿痛。菖蒲根嚼汁。烧秤锤淬一杯饮之。咽痛或生息肉舌肿。秤锤烧赤。
淬醋一杯咽之。阴癣顽疮。用秤锤烧红。淬入米泔中百次。乘热熏洗有效。别敷杀虫凉血药
弥佳。濒湖云。凡诸草木药。皆忌铁器。而补肾药尤忌之。否则反消肝肾。子肝伤气。母气
愈虚矣。（子能盗母气故云）
〔总论〕铁之为物。居金之首。燥而不洁。故用之必取其精纯者。钢是也。其铁粉针
砂。必用钢。日华犹以留滞脏腑为虑。但取浸汁。借其气以为用而已。至于铁华粉铁浆。固
亦不取其质。而取其精矣。第此物禀太阳之气。而阴气不交。如用非所宜。或宜而过剂。不
惟消肾之阴。且以竭肝之阳。濒湖消肾肝数语。不独为修治者云也。
一名朱砂。上品。生于辰锦二州石穴。产五溪山峒者。得正南之气为上。麻阳（即古
锦州地）诸山。与五溪相接者次之。有石砂土砂溪砂之殊。石砂最上者为光明砂。此天地自
然之宝。在石室间。生雪床之上。（采之者寻石脉。穴地数十丈始见。其苗乃白石。谓
砂床。）如初生芙蓉。光明外澈。细者环拱。大者处中。有辰居之象。其箭镞连床者。紫黯
若铁色而莹彻。碎之崭岩作墙壁。又如云母石。成层可析者。真辰砂也。得此者带之辟恶。
为上。其次或出石中。或出水内。形块大者如拇指。小如杏仁。光明无杂。名马牙砂。二种
俗间少有。（颂）色紫不染纸者。为旧坑砂。乃上品。色鲜染纸者。为新坑砂。次之。石片
棱角生青光。为下品。（颂）交州桂州所出。但是座上及打石得形似芙蓉。头面光明者。亦
入上品。颗粒通明者。为中品。片段不明彻者。为下品。（又） 雍州所产。大者数十百两。
作块黑暗。少墙壁。不堪入药。别有越砂。大者如拳。小者如鸡鸭卵。形虽大。共杂土石。
不如细而明净者。土砂生于土穴中。溪砂生溪州砂石中。俱土石相杂。不入服饵用。（又）
玩诸说。则砂不必较大小。但取无砂土相杂。光明莹彻而不黑暗者。为贵。
味甘。气微寒。心经血分主药。主命门有余。生砂性寒而无毒。入火则热而有毒。能杀
人。物性逐火而变也。恶磁石。本经主身体五脏百病。养精神。安魂魄。益气明目。杀精魅
邪恶鬼。久服通神明。通血脉。解烦热。治惊痫。并解小儿胎毒痘毒。丹砂纯阴。纳浮溜之
火而安神明。凡心热者。非此不除。（东垣） 丹砂体阳而性阴。外显丹色。内含真汞。其
气不热而寒。离中有阴也。其味不苦而甘。火中有土也。（濒湖） 禀地二之气以生。（阴火
之少）兼得乎天七之气以成。（阳火之少）色赤法火。中含水液。为龙为汞。亦曰阴精。七
为阳火之少。故味甘微寒而无毒也。（仲淳） 同远志龙骨之类则养心气。同当归丹参之类
则养心血。同枸杞地黄之类则养肾。同浓朴川椒之类则养脾。同南星川乌之类则祛风。可以
明目。可以安胎。可以解毒。可以发汗。随佐使而见功。（濒湖） 儿初生时。研丹砂飞极
细如尘。以甘草生地浓煎。调分许服之。止胎惊。解胎毒。同真珠琥珀金箔牛黄生犀角天竺
黄滑石末。治小儿急惊有神。入六一散。治暑气伏于心经。神昏口渴。及泄泻如火热。入补
心丹。镇心神。定魂魄。入乳香托里散。散痈疽热毒。发热疼痛。及毒瓦斯攻心。发谵语。三
皇真人炼丹方。丹砂一斤。研末重筛。以醇酒沃之如泥状。盛以铜盘。置高阁上。勿令妇人
见。燥则复以酒沃令如泥。阴雨疾风则藏之。尽酒三斗。乃曝之。三百日当紫色。斋戒沐浴
七日。静室饭丸麻子大。常以平旦向日吞三丸。一月三虫出。半年诸病瘥。一年须发黑。三
年神人至。按砂中有汞。伏火者徒存其枯阳。而汞离于砂者。又阴毒为盛。如斯服食。原是
阳中含阴。益令阴和于阳。诚有大益。神注丹方。白茯苓四两酒煮。软竹刀切片。阴干。为
末。入朱砂末二钱。以乳香水打糊。丸梧子大。朱砂末二钱为衣。阳日二丸。阴日一丸。要
秘精。新汲水下。要逆气过精。温酒下。（元戎）按茯苓本阳以吸阴。丹砂本阴以充阳。所
说秘精及逆气过精。煞有至理。预解痘毒。初发时。或未出时。以朱砂末半钱。蜜水调服。
多者可少。少者可无。重者可轻。（丹溪）按好古言丹砂主命门有余。其义正合。归神丹。
治一切惊忧思虑多忘。及一切心气不足。癫痫狂乱。 猪心二个。切。入大朱砂二两。灯心
三两在内。麻扎。石器煮一伏时。取砂为末。以茯神末二两。酒打薄糊。丸梧子大。每服九
丸至十五丸。麦冬汤下。甚者乳香人参汤下。按心气心血。治心者类能分之。不知丹砂之所
主者神。神属阴。却用之以补心气。谓火得水以为主。而火之用乃充也。妊妇胎动。朱砂末
一钱。和鸡子白三枚。搅匀顿服。胎死即出。未死即安。小儿惊热。夜卧多啼。朱砂半两。
牛黄一分。为末。每服一字。犀角磨水调下。
〔论〕夫人与万物。尽造化于水火二气。而水火同宫。所谓坎离是也。惟丹砂之受铸最
完。内含金精。禀气于甲。（土宿真君言丹砂受青阳之气）本风升之木。可使水腾于火中。
本燥降之金。可使火范于水外。水火自有升降。而金木又升降乎水火。皆不离中土以为升降。
是非受铸最完者乎。本经谓丹砂养精神。何以明之。经曰。两神相搏。合而成形。常先身生。
是谓精。又曰。两精相搏谓之神。夫阴阳原从混沌一气而分。分者未尝不合也。故曰。两神
相搏。就其分而合之处。即有精矣。此是相搏谓之精。而曰常先身生者。固指先天而言。内
经所谓化生精也。既成形以后。落于后天。清浊分而动静殊矣。不名为阴阳。名为水火矣。
经曰。水火者阴阳之征兆。言其落于形气也。故曰两精。第火中有水。水中有火。虽曰两精。
而实相交。此由精以化神者也。内经所谓精归化也。先哲有云。心为离火。内阴而外阳。肾
为坎水。内阳而外阴。内者是神是主。外者是气是用。故心以神为主。阳为用。肾以志为主
。阴为用。阳则气也火也。阴则精也水也。夫水火之奠于上下者。此一精而分为两也。动静
根于清浊之分者也。水火之主于其中者。此两精而搏为一也。升降妙于动静之中者也。若使
火中无水以为神。则动无静以为君。将有升无降。水中无火以为神。则静无动以为用。将有
降无升。而气化息矣。（动无静以为君。静无动以为用二语。方说得神字出。）经曰。出入废
则神机化灭。夫有升降。则出入不废。有出入。则升降不息。出入固形中之气。升降则气中
之神也。一则曰两神相搏。合而成形。常先身生谓之精。一则曰水之精为志。火之精为神。
两精相搏谓之神。是则天地之有造有化。原始要终。总归之神而已。而人身中之有造有化者。
亦同之天地而已矣。人身心藏神。（天地之神归之虚空。人身之神归之虚灵。）经故曰。心者
生之本。神之变也。盖其虚而能灵。动以静君者。仿佛乎老子之所谓虚而不 动而愈出者也。
丹砂内蕴真汞。外显丹象。由内所蕴之水以归火。而火应水以下藏。由外所显之火以召水。
而水应火以上际。以水而归火。由火而召水。水火既济。是用养神而益心。即以养精而益肾
也。其又云安魂魄者。经曰。随神往来为之魂。并精而出入者谓之魄。是魂魄即不外于精神
矣。丹书日乌月兔说云。阳无阴则不能自耀其魂。（故名雌火）阴无阳则不能自荧其魄。（故
名雄金）即耀魂荧魄二语。知安魂魄不外于养精神矣。更以龙从火里出。虎向水中生参之。
盖肝木（龙）乘至阴而升于阳。得合于心包络以媾肺者。因离（火）中之阴。俾木复乘阴精
以变化也。肺金（虎）乘至阳而降于阴。得合三焦以媾肝者。因坎（水）中之阳。俾金复乘
阳精以鼓荡也。若是则水火交而金木自并。金木并而水火之交愈固。总不越于水火既济。总
不越于一心。如丹砂之受铸于造化者于心最切。有不由心而收精神魂魄之益者哉。精神魂魄
益。而身体五脏百病胥治矣。（子由云。四大之内。中黄为戊己。精神即坎离。魂魄作金木。
内外合成丹。婴儿方养育。斯义可证。）抑气为精之先。试更畅之。经云。肾者精之处。是
肾固藏精。其所以能化精者。原本于肾之气。而肾气又本于金。故道家曰。铅中有银也。离
中之有水也。亦以金而水得宅于火中也。汞本于金精。故其色白。人身之精。亦犹是耳。砂
中有汞。乃是真精之化。原心包络之血。下归于冲。而仍由气以化精者。以肺气还归于肾元。
金精由火以归水。故由赤
〔修治〕 入药只宜生用。一经火炼。饵之杀人。（盖离中有阴火。炼则纯阳无阴。燥
烈为祸。饵之无一克免者。）研须万遍。要若轻尘。以磁石吸去铁气。
Odor and flavor: Acrid, warm. For throat bi (throat obstruction) with swelling and pain, chew the root of Acorus tatarinowii (Shichangpu) to extract juice, heat a steelyard weight until red-hot, quench it in one cup of water, and drink. For sore throat or polyps on the tongue and swollen tongue, heat a steelyard weight until red-hot, quench it in one cup of vinegar, and swallow. For yin xuan (stubborn sores on the genitals) and stubborn ulcers, heat a steelyard weight until red-hot, quench it in rice wash water one hundred times, and fumigate and wash while hot; this is effective. It is even better to apply additional herbs for killing parasites and cooling blood. Li Shizhen said: All kinds of herbal medicines should avoid iron vessels, especially kidney-tonifying herbs. Otherwise, they will consume the liver and kidney Qi. The child steals the mother's Qi, causing the mother's Qi to become more deficient. (Because the child can steal the mother's Qi, hence the saying.)
[General Discussion] Iron, as a substance, ranks first among Metals. It is dry and unclean, so when used, only the purest form must be selected; steel is such a form. For iron powder and needle cinnabar, steel must be used. Ri Hua still worried about retention in the Zang-Fu organs, so only its infused liquid was taken, borrowing its Qi for use. As for iron flower powder and iron slurry, indeed, their material quality is not sought, but rather their essence. However, this substance inherits the Qi of Taiyang (Greater Yang), without Yin Qi interacting with it. If used inappropriately, or if the dosage is excessive despite being suitable, it will not only consume Kidney Yin but also exhaust Liver Yang. Li Shizhen's remarks on consuming the liver and kidney are not just for those who process the herb.
Also known as Zhusha (Cinnabar). Upper grade. Grows in stone caves in Chenzhou and Jinzhou. Those produced in the Wuxi mountains and dong (tribal areas) that receive the Qi of due South are superior. The mountains of Mayang (ancient Jinzhou land), connected to Wuxi, are secondary. There are distinctions between stone cinnabar, earth cinnabar, and stream cinnabar. Among stone cinnabar, the best is Guangming Sha (Bright Cinnabar), a natural treasure of heaven and earth, growing between stone chambers on snow beds. (Harvesters follow stone veins, digging dozens of zhang into the ground before seeing it; its sprout is white stone, called the cinnabar bed.) Like a newly bloomed hibiscus, transparently bright, small ones surround and arch, large ones sit in the center, resembling the image of Chenju. Those like arrowheads connected to the bed are purple-dark like iron color yet crystal clear; when broken, they look like steep cliffs forming walls, similar to mica stone, layered and separable—this is true Chensha (Chenzhou Cinnabar). Possessing this can ward off evil spirits and is considered superior. Secondarily, some come from stones or water, shaped in blocks large as a thumb or small as an apricot kernel, bright without impurities, named Maya Sha (Horse Tooth Cinnabar). These two types are rare in common practice. (Su Song) Those with a purple color that does not stain paper are old pit cinnabar, which is upper grade. Those with fresh color that stains paper are new pit cinnabar, which is secondary. Stone flakes with green light at the edges are lower grade. (Su Song) Those from Jiaozhou and Guizhou, whether found on seats or obtained by striking stones, if shaped like hibiscus and bright on the head and face, are also included in the upper grade. Granules that are fully transparent are medium grade; fragments that are not clear are lower grade. (Again) Those from Yongzhou are large, weighing tens or hundreds of taels, formed into dark blocks with few wall-like textures, unsuitable for medicine. There is also Yue Sha (Yue Cinnabar), large as a fist, small as chicken or duck eggs; although large, they are mixed with earth and stones, inferior to fine and clean ones. Earth cinnabar grows in earth caves, stream cinnabar grows in stream sandstones; both are mixed with earth and stones and are not used for ingestion. (Again) Examining various statements, the size of cinnabar need not be compared; what matters is selecting those without earth or stone impurities, bright and crystal clear but not dark, which are precious.
Flavor: Sweet. Nature: Slightly cold. It is the principal herb for the Heart Meridian Blood level. It treats excess fire in the Mingmen (Gate of Life). Raw cinnabar is cold and non-toxic; when exposed to fire, it becomes hot and toxic, capable of killing humans. This is because the nature of substances changes with fire. It is opposed by Magnetitum (Cishi). The *Classic of Materia Medica* (*Benjing*) states it treats all diseases of the body and five Zang organs, nourishes spirit and mind, calms the soul and essence, benefits Qi, clarifies the eyes, kills demonic spirits and evil ghosts, and with long-term use, opens the spirit and intelligence, unblocks blood vessels, resolves vexation and heat, treats fright and epilepsy, and resolves infant fetal toxin and smallpox toxin. Cinnabar is purely Yin; it absorbs floating fire and calms the spirit. For any case of Heart heat, nothing else removes it. (Li Dongyuan) Cinnabar has a Yang body but Yin nature; externally it displays a red color, internally it contains true Mercury. Its Qi is not hot but cold, indicating Yin within the Li trigram. Its taste is not bitter but sweet, indicating Earth within Fire. (Li Shizhen) It is born from the Qi of Earth Two (minor Yin Fire). It completes through the Qi of Heaven Seven (minor Yang Fire). Its red color corresponds to Fire, containing Water fluid, transforming into Dragon or Mercury, also called Yin Essence. Seven represents minor Yang Fire, hence its sweet flavor, slight coldness, and non-toxicity. (Zhang Zhongchun) Combined with Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix) and Longgu (Fossil Bones), it nourishes Heart Qi; combined with Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) and Danshen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix), it nourishes Heart Blood; combined with Gouqi (Lycii Fructus) and Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix), it nourishes the Kidney; combined with Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex) and Chuanjiao (Sichuan Pepper), it nourishes the Spleen; combined with Nantianxing (Arisaematis Rhizoma) and Chuanwu (Aconiti Radix), it expels Wind. It can clarify the eyes, calm the fetus, detoxify, and induce sweating, showing efficacy according to the assistant and guiding herbs. (Li Shizhen) When a child is first born, grind cinnabar until extremely fine like dust, decoct Gancao (Licorice) and Shengdi (Rehmannia) strongly, mix with a small amount, and administer to stop fetal fright and resolve fetal toxin. Combined with Zhenzhu (Pearl), Hupo (Amber), Jinbo (Gold Leaf), Niuhuang (Calculus Bovis), Sheng Xijiao (Rhino Horn - note: protected species, historically used), Tianzhuhuang (Calami Rhizoma), and Huashi (Talcum), it treats infant acute fright with divine effect. Added to Liuyi San (Six-One Powder), it treats summer-heat qi latent in the Heart meridian, causing mental confusion, thirst, and diarrhea like fire heat. Added to Buxin Dan (Heart-Nourishing Pill), it settles the spirit and calms the soul. Added to Ruxiang Tuoli San (Frankincense Interior-Supporting Powder), it disperses carbuncle and ulcer heat toxins, fever, pain, and poison attacking the heart causing delirium. The Three Emperors True Person Alchemy Formula: One jin of cinnabar, ground and sifted repeatedly, moistened with strong wine to a mud-like consistency, placed in a copper plate, set on a high shelf, avoiding women's sight. If dry, add wine again to make mud-like; store during rain, wind, or storms. Use three dou of wine, then sun-dry. After three hundred days, it turns purple. Fast and bathe for seven days, take pills in a quiet room, sized like hemp seeds. Swallow three pills facing the sun at dawn daily. In one month, three worms exit; in half a year, all diseases heal; in one year, hair and beard turn black; in three years, immortals arrive. Note: Cinnabar contains mercury. Those subjected to fire fixation retain only withered Yang, while mercury separated from cinnabar makes Yin toxicity dominant. Such ingestion, originally Yang containing Yin, further harmonizes Yin with Yang, truly offering great benefit. Shen Zhu Dan Fang: Four liang of Baifuren (Poria), boiled in wine, sliced with a soft bamboo knife, dried in shade, ground to powder. Add two qian of Zhusha powder, paste with milk-water mixture, roll into pills the size of wutzu (wu berry). Coat with two qian of Zhusha powder. Take two pills on Yang days, one pill on Yin days. To preserve essence, take with fresh well water; to reverse excessive essence flow, take with warm wine. (Wang Haogu/Yuanrong) Note: Poria is inherently Yang absorbing Yin; cinnabar is inherently Yin filling Yang. The claims regarding preserving essence and reversing excessive essence flow have profound logic. To preventively resolve smallpox toxin, at the initial eruption or before emergence, take half a qian of Zhusha powder mixed with honey water. Reduce dose if symptoms are mild, omit if very mild, lighten if severe. (Zhu Zhenheng/Danxi) Note: Zhao Haogu stated cinnabar treats excess Mingmen fire, which aligns perfectly. Guishen Dan (Return Spirit Pill) treats all cases of fright, worry, overthinking, and forgetfulness, as well as all cases of Heart Qi deficiency, epilepsy, mania, and chaos. Two pig hearts, cut open, insert two liang of large Zhusha and three liang of Dengxin (Junci Medulla), tie tightly with hemp, boil in earthenware for one fu (approx. 2 hours). Remove cinnabar, grind to powder. Mix with two liang of Fushen (Poria with Hostwood) powder, paste with wine, roll into wutzu-sized pills. Take nine to fifteen pills per dose with Maidong (Ophiopogon) soup. Severe cases use Ruxiang (Frankincense) and Ren Shen (Ginseng) soup. Note: Regarding Heart Qi and Heart Blood, physicians treating the heart often distinguish them, failing to realize that what cinnabar primarily governs is Shen (Spirit). Shen belongs to Yin, yet it is used to tonify Heart Qi, stating that Fire needs Water as its master, so the function of Fire becomes abundant. For pregnant women with fetal movement, take one qian of Zhusha powder mixed with three egg whites, stir evenly, and take at once. If the fetus is dead, it exits; if alive, it is stabilized. For infantile fright-heat and frequent crying at night, take half liang of Zhusha and one fen of Niuhuang, grind to powder, take one zi per dose, mixed with water ground from Xijiao (Horn).
[Discussion] Women and all things complete creation and transformation through the two Qi of Water and Fire, which reside in the same palace, known as Kan and Li. Only cinnabar receives casting most completely, containing Metal essence internally and inheriting Jia Qi. (Tu Su Zhen Jun said cinnabar receives Qingyang Qi). It is fundamentally Wood rising with wind, enabling Water to rise within Fire. It is fundamentally Metal descending with dryness, enabling Fire to mold outside Water. Water and Fire have their own ascending and descending, while Metal and Wood ascend and descend within Water and Fire, all relying on Central Earth for the basis of movement. Is this not the most completely cast? The *Benjing* says cinnabar nourishes spirit and mind. How is this explained? The classics say: When two Spirits interact, they combine to form shape; existing prior to the body, this is called Jing (Essence). It also says: When two Essences interact, it is called Shen (Spirit). Yin and Yang originally divide from chaotic Qi; the divided never ceases to unite. Thus it says: Two Spirits interact. At the point where division meets union, there is Jing. This is interaction called Jing, and "existing prior to the body" refers to congenital aspects, as mentioned in the *Neijing*: Transformation generates Essence. After formation, falling into post-natal existence, clarity and turbidity separate, and motion and stillness differ; no longer called Yin and Yang, but Water and Fire. The classics say: Water and Fire are the omens of Yin and Yang, referring to their fall into form and Qi. Thus, two Essences. Although Fire contains Water and Water contains Fire, though called two Essences, they actually intersect. This is how Essence transforms into Spirit, as the *Neijing* states: Essence returns to transformation. Ancient sages said: The Heart is Li Fire, Yin inside and Yang outside; the Kidney is Kan Water, Yang inside and Yin outside. Inside is Spirit and Master; outside is Qi and Function. Thus, the Heart takes Spirit as master and Yang as function; the Kidney takes Will as master and Yin as function. Yang is Qi and Fire; Yin is Essence and Water. The establishment of Water and Fire above and below is this one Essence dividing into two. Motion and stillness are rooted in the separation of clarity and turbidity. The masters of Water and Fire within are these two Essences combining into one. Ascending and descending are miraculous within motion and stillness. If Fire lacks Water to serve as Spirit, then motion lacks Stillness to serve as Sovereign, leading to ascending without descending. If Water lacks Fire to serve as Spirit, then stillness lacks Motion to serve as Function, leading to descending without ascending, and Qi transformation ceases. (The phrases "Motion lacks Stillness to serve as Sovereign" and "Stillness lacks Motion to serve as Function" explain the character Shen.) The classics say: If entering and exiting cease, the Spirit mechanism perishes. With ascending and descending, entering and exiting do not cease; with entering and exiting, ascending and descending do not stop. Entering and exiting are Qi within form; ascending and descending are Spirit within Qi. One says: Two Spirits interact, combine to form shape, existing prior to the body, called Essence. Another says: The Essence of Water is Zhi (Will), the Essence of Fire is Shen (Spirit); two Essences interacting is called Shen. Thus, heaven and earth have creation and transformation, tracing origin and requiring end, ultimately returning to Shen alone. And human body's creation and transformation are the same as heaven and earth. Human body stores Shen in the Heart. (Heaven and Earth's Shen return to emptiness; Human Body's Shen returns to void-spirituality.) Hence the classics say: The Heart is the root of life, the change of Spirit. Because it is void yet spiritual, moving under the rule of stillness, it resembles Laozi's saying: Void yet... moving yet producing endlessly. Cinnabar harbors true Mercury internally and displays red appearance externally. Water stored internally returns to Fire, and Fire responds to Water by hiding below. Fire displayed externally summons Water, and Water responds to Fire by reaching above. Water returning to Fire, Fire summoning Water, results in Water and Fire having achieved harmony (Ji Ji). This is used to nourish Spirit and benefit the Heart, thereby nourishing Essence and benefiting the Kidney. It also says it calms Hun and Po. The classics say: Following Spirit coming and going is called Hun; exiting and entering with Essence is called Po. Thus, Hun and Po are not external to Spirit and Essence. Alchemical texts mention the Crow and Moon Rabbit theory: Yang without Yin cannot shine its Hun itself (hence called Female Fire). Yin without Yang cannot glow its Po itself (hence called Male Metal). From these two phrases shining Hun and glowing Po, we know calming Hun and Po is no different from nourishing Spirit and Mind. Further considering "Dragon emerges from Fire, Tiger arises from Water": Liver Wood (Dragon) rides extreme Yin to rise to Yang, combining with Pericardium to mate with Lung, due to Yin within Li (Fire), allowing Wood to ride Yin Essence for transformation. Lung Metal (Tiger) rides extreme Yang to descend to Yin, combining with Sanjiao to mate with Liver, due to Yang within Kan (Water), allowing Metal to ride Yang Essence for agitation. Thus, Water and Fire intersect and Metal and Wood merge naturally; Metal and Wood merging makes Water and Fire intersection more solid. Ultimately, it does not exceed Water and Fire achieving harmony, nor does it exceed the single Heart. As cinnabar is cast by creation, it is most closely related to the Heart. Are there benefits to Spirit, Soul, Hun, and Po that do not originate from the Heart? When Spirit, Soul, Hun, and Po are benefited, all diseases of the body and five Zang organs are cured. (Su Zhe said: Within the four elements, Central Yellow is Wu and Ji; Spirit and Mind are Kan and Li; Hun and Po are Metal and Wood; internal and external combine to form Elixir; only then is the infant nurtured. This principle can verify this.) Furthermore, Qi precedes Essence; let us elaborate further. The classics say: The Kidney is the residence of Essence; thus the Kidney stores Essence. What enables it to transform Essence originates from Kidney Qi, and Kidney Qi originates from Metal. Hence Daoists say: Lead contains Silver; Li contains Water; also, because of Metal, Water finds residence in Fire. Mercury originates from Metal Essence, hence its white color. Human Essence is likewise. Mercury in cinnabar is the transformation of true Essence, originally Blood of the Pericardium, descending to Chong Mai, and still transforming Essence through Qi, as Lung Qi returns to Kidney Yuan. Metal Essence returns to Water through Fire, hence turning red.
[Processing] For medicinal use, only raw application is suitable. Once calcined by fire, ingesting it kills. (Because Li contains Yin Fire; calcination makes it pure Yang without Yin, dry and fierce, causing disaster; none escape ingestion.) Grinding must be ten thousand times, aiming for lightness like dust. Use Magnetite (Cishi) to absorb iron Qi.