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Immortality may not necessarily be attained, but longevity with few illnesses is indeed the best verification. My ancestors have reached four generations to my time; among our male and female members, fifteen have lived past one hundred years old, four past ninety, six past eighty, and nine past seventy. Few have died prematurely after reaching adulthood, and none have suffered from multiple or strange diseases.

My grandfather served as the magistrate of Qingyang County. He fell ill due to contracting mountain miasma (mountain dampness/pestilence). Suddenly, he encountered an Immortal Master on the road who clapped his hands and chanted: "Gain advantage, lose advantage; if it were not for contracting the mountain miasma, how could you slowly return home in illness?" The Master invited my grandfather to a lodge, produced a pill of medicine, and instructed him to swallow it with cool water. Subsequently, thunderous sounds arose in my grandfather's abdomen, and he expelled several dou (a unit of volume) of foul matter, whereupon the illness was instantly cured. The Master said: "This illness easily invades those whose zang-fu organs are deficient. If essence and qi were firm, how could evil enter?" My grandfather begged for the prescription. The Master wrote these words and transmitted them to him. When asked for his name, the Master replied: "I am surnamed Zhang, named Baizi. This method can be practiced by both men and women; it can eliminate a hundred illnesses, strengthen the limbs, extend life and years, and thus one becomes a Land Immortal." Having spoken, he vanished. To this day, this method is not lightly transmitted; even oral transmission within our family to relatives by marriage may not be complete. Now, because Teacher Wu, Grandmaster Chen, Senior Brother Feng, Junior Brother Liu, Junior Brother Pei, and other gentlemen repeatedly requested this book, I have opened the Immortal Master's handwriting and entrusted it to them, naming it *The Scripture of the Land Immortal*. May my fellow practitioners strictly observe and practice it, spreading it widely, so that the benevolent intent of the Immortal Master may be universal.

Preface and Notes by Ma Qi, Jinshi degree holder, added Grand Guardian and Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent, Grand Secretary of Baohe Hall, Minister of Revenue, Director of General Affairs, Second Rank Earl with five additional ranks. Written with care after rain on the 15th day of the 6th month of summer, year Bingwu (Yongzheng 4), at the Shihu Xuan of Huaiyin Hall.

**Eating bland food promotes greater nourishment:** Rich and greasy foods lubricate the intestines and generate phlegm. Breakfast should be light and eaten early; lunch should be rich and filling; dinner must be sparse. If one consistently follows this, one will remain disease-free until old age. The desire for the five flavors is indispensable for those engaged in heavy labor, but those cultivating health should gradually reduce them. Thus, grain qi becomes strong, true qi grows, and no disease causes harm.

**Rubbing and applying aids facial appearance:** The face should not be separated from the hands; golden fluid and jade liquid should frequently be applied to the face, keeping the complexion like that of a child forever. First, apply saliva to the face; then rub palms until extremely hot, and rub the face several times. Whether during sleep, upon waking, or in the early morning, all are acceptable. People in the city say: "Ma family has good complexions, just like blooming lotuses."

**Moving eyes removes eye cataracts/opacities:** Close eyes and rotate eyeballs, seven times left and right. Then suddenly open eyes wide and gaze sharply; feeling heat rising from within the eyes indicates a wonderful state. Seeing golden flowers vaguely is even better. While rotating eyes, hold breath through mouth and nose; when opening eyes, exhale turbid qi forcefully through the mouth and inhale clear qi, seven times each. Su Dongpo also said: Practicing this in the early morning after waking from wine can eliminate lingering illnesses.

**Covering ears removes dizziness:** In the early morning or before sleep, rub both ears until hot, cover them quickly with hands, twist neck left and right looking back, seven times each. Also nod vigorously as if a bird pecking food, seven times, and exhale turbid qi seven times. One will never suffer from dizziness again.

**Knocking teeth ensures disease-free dentition:** Teeth should be frequently knocked together. Upon waking, knock teeth thirty-six times to prevent tooth decay forever. Zhou Lianfeng said: Advise you not to pick your teeth in leisure. Zhu Shengxi said: Advise you not to favor extreme cold or heat. Zhao Fuyang said: During urination or defecation, tightly clench teeth and lips firmly to avoid dental diseases.

**Cupping ritual treats wind-cold:** Cupping the external kidneys (testicles) consolidates essence and dispels cold. If one suddenly feels uneven body temperature, headache, and bitter taste in the mouth—symptoms resembling wind-cold—stretch legs, cup external scrotum with both hands, hold breath and lower head until short of breath, then open mouth and exhale. Do this seven times, then sit cross-legged, inhaling clear qi through nose, or practice methods like Ape Arms or Bear Walking. Our family practices this regardless of gender, thereby reducing such illnesses.

**Drumming and exhaling eliminates accumulations:** Upon rising, embrace shoulders with both hands, hold breath and distend abdomen, calm mind and look down at the navel wheel. When short of breath, exhale slowly. Repeat nine times. Then tightly embrace shoulders and twist left and right, seven times each, called "Turning the Wheel." The abdomen naturally feels comfortable, eliminating accumulations, and also treating heart pain, abdominal pain, and diarrhea effectively.

**Massaging Yongquan for knee wind:** Knee pain has three types: wind pain, cold pain, and shin pain caused by deficiency of essence and blood with blocked qi flowing downward. Before sleep, massage both soles seven times until extremely hot, hug knees while sleeping, and let toes scratch themselves to ensure blood and qi flow, stopping pain. People aged forty to fifty often suffer this. Senior Brother Zheng often suffered this; Teacher Wu taught him to boil Sichuan pepper soup. Before sleep, soak feet in warm soup for three to four hours, then have someone gently massage between toes up to the thighs. Within a month, knee qi was completely eliminated.

**Ape arms harmonize blood and vessels:** Extend left arm straight, reach right hand into left palm, turn head right; do the same with right arm. Practice this two or three times after meals to aid digestion. Pregnant women practicing this find childbirth easier and free from complications.

**Bear walking prevents phlegm and saliva:** Before sleep, grasp feet with both hands, straighten waist, and look back over shoulder. Do this seven times to prevent phlegm issues. This method can be practiced continuously at night.

**Cherish essence and qi:** Essence and qi are the root of human life; they must not be wasted frivolously. Although abstinence is not mandatory, cherishing them is necessary. Friend Zheng said: At thirty-five, I had no sons. My wife advised me to marry a cousin. Thereafter, I often slept alone, seeing her only once or twice a month, never staying overnight. I have six sons and three daughters, none suffering from birth defects or pox. Now eighty-nine, I can still write small characters at night and walk like a youth. Some say I have miraculous arts; I believe it is due to cherishing essence and qi.

**Consolidating Guanyuan at Zi and Wu hours:** Guanyuan is the sea of qi in humans, also known as Dantian by cultivators, located 1.3 cun below the navel, where primordial qi is stored. Every mental movement consumes primordial qi. At Zi (11 PM-1 AM) and Wu (11 AM-1 PM) hours, wash heart and sit quietly, regulate breathing, and introspectively focus on Guanyuan, allowing primordial qi to regenerate. Friend Zheng said: Zi is the time yang grows, associated with Kidney; Wu is the time blood generates, associated with Heart. Those over sixty should guard this acupoint to achieve solid stools, less urine, and resistance to aging.

**Lifting and treading ensures disease-free state:** Lift hands upward as if lifting a thousand jin, press feet flat against ground like stone pillars. Lift maximally, hold breath, and when short of breath, exhale slowly. Practice this frequently in the early morning or after meals; a hundred illnesses will be eliminated.

**Three sleeps bring natural peace to the soul:** Sleeping like a sick dragon involves curling knees; sleeping like a cold ape involves hugging knees; sleeping like a turtle involves touching heels to knees. With limbs curved, the heart settles. Generally, before sleep, extinguish all thoughts, close mouth and eyes, breathe evenly, and lie on side. This is excellent. From Yin hour to Shen hour, dealing with affairs exhausts spirit; sleep is the only time for mental rest. If there are matters, set them aside. If worried, dress properly, sit upright, and attend by candlelight; do not ponder in bed, as this greatly depletes primordial qi.

**Diet must be regulated:** Regulated diet prevents spleen earth from leaking. Daoist scriptures state there are four hundred diseases, but retained food is the root. Eating sparingly at dinner prevents retained food. City saying: "Don't ask about Ma family meals; ten people starve nine to death," referring to this strict regulation.

**Daily life requires caution:** Shaozi said do not go out in four conditions: strong wind, heavy rain, severe heat, severe cold. Zhouzi said: Remember anger at Yin hour damages lungs and liver; summer mornings should start early, winter nights sleep late; spring clothes gradually reduced, autumn clothes gradually added.

**Perform many hidden virtues:** Hidden virtue lies not in building temples or chanting sutras, but in practical kindness. Act where compassion is due, such as Wei Ke marrying off his daughter (receiving the reward of tied grass), Song Jiao saving ants (receiving success in exams), Feng Gao accumulating virtue (having three top scholars as heirs), and Yanshan virtuous man (gaining five sons' glory). Perform hidden virtues without expectation of reward.

**Do not create posthumous grievances:** Doing evil creates posthumous grievances. Zhou Lianfeng said: Only wealthy noble families often create such grievances; how can humble people do so?

**Observe without interruption:** From "Bland Food" to "No Posthumous Grievances," these sixteen items must be observed without neglect.

**Can become a Land Immortal:** Even if flight to heaven is impossible, extending life by ten decades makes one truly a Land Immortal.

This book was authored by Ma Qi. According to *Biographies of Former Worthies*: Ma Qi, surname Fucha, from the Bordered Yellow Banner of Manchus, second son of Minig Han, First Rank Duke Min Guo, became Waiyuanlang via hereditary privilege, promoted successively to Academician of the Grand Secretariat, River Director, Minister of Works, Grand Secretary of Wuying Hall, changed to Grand Secretary of Baohe Hall, advanced to Grand Guardian, posthumously granted Grand Tutor, First Rank Count, temple name Wenmu. Died in Qianlong Year 4, aged eighty-eight. His titles match this book closely, except the Jinshi degree claim is inaccurate.