取首生男子之乳,父母皆无疾恙者,养其子,善饮食之。日取其乳一升,只半升以来亦
可。又以朱砂银作鼎与匙,如无朱砂银,山泽银亦得。慢火熬炼,不住手搅如淡金色,可丸
即丸,如梧桐子大。空心酒吞下,亦不限丸数。此名阴丹阳炼。世人亦知服秋石,然皆非清
净所结。又此阳物也,须复经火,经火之余,皆其糟粕,与烧盐无异也。世人亦知服乳,阴
物不经火炼,则冷滑而漏精气也。此阳丹阴炼。阴丹阳炼。盖道士灵智妙用,沉机捷法,非
其人不可轻泄,慎之。
凡世之炼秋石者,但得火炼一法而已。此药须兼用阴阳二石,方为至法。今具二法于后。
凡火炼秋石,阳中之阴,故得火而凝,入水则释然消散,归于无体。盖质去但有味在,
此离中之虚也。水炼秋石,阴中之阳。故得水而凝,遇暴润,千岁不变。味去而质留,此坎
中之实。二物皆出于心肾二脏,而流于小肠。水火二脏, 蛇元武正气。外假天地之水火,
凝而为体。服之还补太阳相火二脏,为养命之本。具方如后。
小便三五石,夏月虽腐败亦堪用。置大盆中,以新水一半以上相和,旋转搅数百匝,放
令澄清。辟去清者留浊脚,又以新水同搅,水多为妙。又澄去清者,直候无臭气,澄下秋石
如粉。即止。暴干。刮下,如腻粉光白,粲然可爱,都无气臭味为度。再研以乳男子乳,和
如膏,烈日中暴干。如此九度,须拣好日色乃和,盖假太阳真气也。第九度即丸之,如梧桐
子大,曝干。每服三十丸,温酒吞下。
Take the milk of a firstborn male infant, whose parents are both free from disease, and have his mother nurse him well, providing proper diet. Collect one sheng (approx. 1 liter) of milk daily; half a sheng is also acceptable. Use cinnabar-silver to make a tripod and spoon; if cinnabar-silver is unavailable, mountain-lake silver may be used. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly until it turns a pale golden color. When suitable for pill formation, shape them into pills the size of *Wutong* seeds (Cercidiphyllum japonicum seeds). Swallow with wine on an empty stomach; the number of pills is not limited. This is called "Yin Dan Yang Lian" (Yang-refined Yin Elixir). People in the world know to take Qiushi (Autumn Stone), but none are condensed through pure and clean processes. Furthermore, this is a Yang substance; it must undergo fire refining. After fire refining, what remains is dregs, no different from burnt salt. People also know to take milk; as a Yin substance, if not refined by fire, its cold and slippery nature will cause leakage of essence and qi. This is called "Yang Dan Yin Lian" (Yin-refined Yang Elixir). "Yin Dan Yang Lian" represents the subtle application of Daoist wisdom, a profound and expedient method that should not be lightly revealed to those who are not worthy. Be cautious.
Generally, the methods for refining Qiushi in the world involve only fire refining. This medicine requires the combined use of both Yin and Yin stones to be the supreme method. The two methods are detailed below.
Fire-refining Qiushi belongs to Yin within Yang; thus, it coagulates upon exposure to fire and dissolves completely in water, returning to formlessness. This is because the substance is removed while the flavor remains, representing the emptiness within the Li trigram (☲). Water-refining Qiushi belongs to Yang within Yin; thus, it coagulates upon contact with water and remains unchanged even after millennia of exposure to heavy rain. The flavor is removed while the substance remains, representing the solidity within the Kan trigram (☵). Both substances originate from the Heart and Kidney organs and flow into the Small Intestine. Water and Fire correspond to these two organs, embodying the righteous qi of Xuanwu (Black Tortoise). By borrowing the water and fire of Heaven and Earth, they condense into physical form. Ingesting them helps restore and tonify the Taiyang and Xianghuo (Ministerial Fire) organs, serving as the foundation for sustaining life. The specific formulas are as follows.
Use three to five shi (approx. 300-500 liters) of urine; even if fermented during summer, it can be used. Place it in a large basin, mix with more than half fresh water, and stir vigorously hundreds of times. Let it settle until clear. Discard the clear liquid, retaining the turbid sediment. Add fresh water again and stir; using more water is preferable. Clarify again, discarding the clear liquid, until there is no foul odor. The precipitated Qiushi should resemble powder. Stop here. Dry it in the sun. Scrape it down; it should be as bright and white as calamine luster, attractive, and entirely devoid of any odor. Grind it again using male infant's milk, mixing until it resembles paste. Dry it in intense sunlight. Repeat this process nine times. Mixing must be done on auspicious days, borrowing the true qi of the Sun. On the ninth occasion, shape into pills the size of *Wutong* seeds, and dry them in the sun. Take thirty pills per dose, swallowed with warm wine.