Zhang Sanfeng's Elixir Classic Annotation: Xuan Yao Chapter, Part 1: Song of Forging Lead

Who knows the method of forging lead? To master it is to be a true immortal. Alas, the elder brother is nowhere to be found, scattered throughout the five lakes and three islands. At the age of seventeen, just before his death, he encountered a precious treasure passed down by a true immortal. True lead was born before heaven and earth. Why bother with stone, gold and wood seals? If the nine perfections are accomplished, golden treasures will arise in the vast expanse of the universe. A single golden bone can move heaven and earth; a harmonious balance of two or eight can create a beautiful form. A beautiful figure is born in a clay pot and needs to be firmly sealed. When the first Yang fire arises, it needs to be warmed and nourished; when the second Yang fire arises, one should practice the sleeve skill. If one reaches the hexagram of the Three Yang and the Same Tai, a fierce fire is burning through the void. Only when the Yin talisman's living essence is exhausted can the spiritual essence be reborn into the universe and come to an end. If there is still a deficiency and it needs to be rebalanced, it will remain in the earth caulk with a living nature. Only when all five thousand forty-eight are counted can the true charm of smelting lead be fully revealed. A message to those who come after us: Don't be overly refined and think it's easy. Note: "Ji Yu", also written as "Ji Yu". Kongde's note: Making this annotation, I can't help but think that if a reader asks: Mr. Kongde, if you were to provide annotations for the Great Edition of the Common Elixtra, it would still have practical value. But you annotated these short Dan poems, which seemed to have no practical significance. Wouldn't that be a waste of ink and brush? Wrong, wrong. In my opinion, annotating the elixirs of Sanfeng Zushi is of extraordinary significance. Firstly, elixir poetry is a highly literary refinement of the Elixir classics. You may not be able to memorize every word of a voluminous elixir classic, but concise elixir poems are easy to recite and remember, with key and ingenious points revealed everywhere. Reading, reciting and writing alchemy poems can also enhance one's literary and artistic cultivation. Secondly, for a scholar of immortality, by studying his elixir classics and poems, we can enhance the mutual verification between his life story and the classics, and even make a distinction between authenticity and falsehood. Thirdly, for a scholar of immortality, his elixir scriptures and poems are not composed simultaneously. They often appear at different times and in different states of enlightenment along with his experiences of cultivation. So, especially in Dan poetry, due to occasional inspirations, there are often ingenious strokes, and there may also be some reserved disclosures of secrets. It will make those who are willing to pursue it endlessly, or eventually they will finally obtain some secrets that have been passed down through the ages. Fourthly, a master of immortals like Master Zhang Sanfeng was extremely talented and produced countless poems throughout his life. It is precisely through his numerous elixirs that we can learn about his life and his spiritual experiences, thereby awakening and motivating ourselves. The "lead" in "smelting lead" is 炁. The inner alchemists borrowed the terms of outer alchemy refining, comparing gods to mercury and 炁 to lead. However, "lead" can be divided into ordinary lead and true lead. The qi of water and grain and the qi of temperament acquired later in life are ordinary lead and cannot be used. But if lead is like a stubborn ore, it can be smelted to produce true lead - the innate 炁. The essence of lead is a vital treasure for human life. Lead is heavy in nature. Only by cherishing it can it be preserved; otherwise, it is prone to loss. The way of cultivation is to protect and nourish, to temper and refine, to refine and purify, to cultivate and give birth to. With this life treasure nourishing the nature treasure, after being refined in the above-mentioned method for a long time, the life and nature are in harmony, and the qi is transformed into a spirit, thus becoming the body of an eternal Vajra, in harmony with the truth of the Dao. The method of "refining aluminum" by hand is applicable to the elderly, those who are physically weak, often ill, and those with broken bodies who are engaged in spiritual cultivation. If it is a work that has not yet broken its virginity, one's physical condition and comprehension are especially excellent. One can directly start with "mercury smelting" and go straight in. [Annotation] The original sentence: Who knows the method of smelting lead? To master this is to be a true immortal. The method of the golden elixir that exercises the primordial essence 炁 is called "refining lead". How many people in the world truly know its mystery and method? If one truly acquires this "lead smelting" method and truly practices it, one is sure to become a true immortal. Alas, the elder brother has nowhere to be found. He has roamed all five lakes and three islands. How pitiful and lamentable! No matter how long my life has been, I have never been able to find the key to smelting lead. It has actually taken me decades to travel all over the world. At the age of sixty-seven, he finally met the precious treasure passed down by a true man. It was not until I was sixty-seven years old and traveling in Zhongnan Mountain that I met my true master, the Fire Dragon Immortal. Only then did he clearly and unmistakably tell me the principle and method of "refining lead" for cultivating life treasures. It was not until then that I reached a perfect conclusion: This was the true essence of Taoism that I had been seeking for decades. True treasures are born before heaven and earth; why bother with stones, gold, wood or grass? Another sentence: The primordial one 炁 is the seed of living beings and can also be called the ancestor of all "beings". All "being", including heaven and earth, is postnatal; only the emptiness and non-talent of the primordial one 炁 is primordial. Therefore, to obtain the void of nothingness is to obtain the primordial 炁, to obtain the true treasure of the "existence" of life. Since we can obtain the true treasure of emptiness and non-existence by starting from the cultivation of the pure self, then why should we spend so much energy and money to purchase those tangible metals and stones, precious medicinal materials, to burn and process any external elixirs, and to take them? Note: According to research, Sanfeng Zushi was originally a master of immortals who excelled in both the "Three Elements" and the "Three Realms". However, this verse clearly implies a rejection of external elixirs. Isn't it self-contradictory? No. In my opinion, this is merely relative to the importance of "refining lead", and its primordial 炁 is supreme. No matter how good the external elixir is, it is merely a convenient path specially laid out for the cultivator to obtain the innate essence 炁, and cannot replace the innate essence 炁 itself. In other words, if a practitioner can obtain the primordial essence 炁 with just one strike, any external elixir intake would indeed be of no significance to him. On the contrary, for a cultivator who has not yet mastered the method of cultivating the primordial essence 炁, or although he has achieved it quickly, he still cannot obtain the primordial essence 炁 at a certain stage of cultivation due to physical condition or perception reasons, or although he has obtained it, it is very little. At this time, if he has the conditions to prepare genuine external elixirs for you to take, it can be regarded as a remedial method. Because precious medicines themselves also embody the essence of the earth, although they are acquired later in life, they conceal the innate essence. If the nine labors of refinement are accomplished, golden treasures will arise in the vast expanse of the universe. If one refines for a long time and undergoes countless hardships, when the small medicine is completed and the mind and nature are greatly stabilized, the surface is still again and again, still again and again, vanishing again and again. In the vast and mysterious, the golden elixir of the primordial 炁 will be produced. Note: The term "Jiujiu" encompasses two meanings. It refers to the meaning of "long-lasting". Because nine is eighty-one. For instance, in "Journey to the West", Tang Seng and his disciples went through eighty-one hardships before obtaining the true scriptures. Here it refers to the arduous and tortuous process experienced during the pre-practice stage due to the physical constitution being repaired and the mental nature being exercised, as well as the final results achieved through the establishment of a solid foundation. The second can refer solely to the result of the cultivation of one's mind and nature. The most difficult part of practicing martial arts lies in the fact that people's seven emotions and six desires are hard to be eradicated. However, in the practice of martial arts, if one's acquired desires are not completely eradicated, the primordial 炁 cannot be produced. Even if it occurs occasionally in a moment of indifference and desirelessness, it will vanish due to the turmoil of desires and thoughts. This is what is called "The acquired ordinary Yin does not die, and the innate primordial Yang does not arise." This "mundane Yin" refers to the sexual desires and thoughts acquired later in life. In terms of spirit, it is called "consciousness spirit". The process of "cultivation" for those who practice Taoism is mainly a struggle against their own consciousness and spirit. There are two aspects to the approach: One is to first clearly understand the principles between heaven and man, establish a correct outlook on life, the world and the universe that conform to the path of cultivation, and on this basis, weaken and eliminate the desires and thoughts acquired later in life. On the other hand, it is to adopt special cultivation methods to transform the saved consciousness and spirit into the information and energy of life, which then act on life in return, generating the effect of life regeneration. From this perspective, the consciousness spirit is Yin, but through tempering and transformation, the Yin spirit is transformed into Yang 炁, and then refined into Yang spirit. The number "nine" is a large number of Yang, and "nine nine" is the number of Chongyang. In the study of immortals, the significance of chongyang is to transform Yang 炁 into a Yang spirit. However, the so-called Yang Spirit here is a reflection of the clarity of the mind and nature. It means that the nature of the "spirit" has undergone a fundamental change, without any personal settlement. The mind is clear and open, without any hindrance, but it is not yet a Yang spirit capable of transcending the shell. In summary, at this point, "Ninety-Nine Achievements" means that the lesion has been eliminated, the meridians throughout the body have been unobstructed, the mind and nature have been liberated, and one can enter the state of great concentration and tranquility. A single golden bone can move heaven and earth; 28 harmonies give rise to beautiful forms. A beautiful figure is born in a clay pot and must be firmly sealed. The phrase "golden bone" is a metaphor for "original womb". In layman's terms, it is the primordial 炁 in the apricot and netherworld state that constantly sprouts and condenses into the true seed of life regeneration. This true seed contains all the information of the acquired life, but its life quality has undergone a leapfrog elevation from the original life quality. After birth, the mortal body is a real thing, but it can transform due to birth and death. The immortal body of the primordial heaven is a truly nothingness, transcending life and death, existing eternally. The "golden bone" can only grow under the created innate state. However, the generation of the "golden bone" will have a strong impact on the postnatal physical and mental world of a person, and can affect and touch every tiny cell. But this kind of shock is the most benign, so all the feelings of the human body and the universe when they are shocked are incredibly beautiful. Therefore, it is called "A single golden bone can move heaven and earth; two people in harmony can create a beautiful form." What is "28"? One refers to the fifteenth and sixteenth moon, full and bright, which is a harmonious effect produced by the equal proportions of Yin (moon) and Yang (sun). In the old days, sixteen taels of weighing instruments made up one jin, which contained two taels for two people, symbolizing an equal balance of Yin and Yang and harmony. There is another metaphor for "28", which refers to the mating of a young boy and a young girl, like drinking fine wine or being enlightened, and the beauty is beyond words. When in such a state of joy and beauty, one should use the true meaning to protect it and prevent this state of joy and beauty from being disrupted. The true intention belongs to the earth. Keeping the true intention at the place where the 炁 of the lower dantian, which is innate, arises, is called "residing in the earth cauldron". External thoughts do not enter, and internal thoughts do not arise, thus being "firmly sealed in every thought". When the first Yang fire arises, it needs to be nourished; when the second Yang fire arises, it has divine power. If one reaches the hexagram of the Three Yang and the Same Tai, a fierce fire is burning through the void. This verse refers to the cultivation of the "Yuantai", that is, the roughly three stages before the "golden bone" is formed. These three stages reflect the process of the primordial 炁 from nothing to something, from weakness to strength, and the necessary cultivation skills to master. In the first stage, Yang 炁 is weak and lacks strength, and it needs to be cultivated and accumulated. In the second stage, Yang 炁 is young and vigorous, like the rising of the earth energy in spring, with a certain strength, which can effectively utilize the circulation and refinement of the entire celestial body. In the third stage, when the Yang 炁 is vigorous and at its peak, it is necessary to make full use of this complete and vigorous Yang 炁 to exercise and transform our old physical form, making it renewed and superior in quality. It is worth noting that "Three yangs" also have different expressions and usages. As stated in "The Complete Book of Chinese Taoist Qigong for Health Preservation" : "The internal cultivators regard the qi of the heart fluid as the Yin within Yang, the qi of the kidneys as the Yang within Yin, and the true qi of the dantian as the Yang within Yang, which are called the Three Yangs." Moreover, in the "Great Collection of Golden Elixirs" by Xiao Tingzhi of the Song Dynasty, it is stated: "A gentle fire is used to nourish the hidden dragon. When seen in the fields, it is also accompanied." Only when one reaches the hexagram of the Three Yang Meeting the Tai can one be qualified to enter the divine art of fire. The verse is synonymous with this, both of which are about the accumulation process of a primordial 炁 before the zhou tian yun. The original sentence: Only when the Yin talisman's living essence is exhausted can the spiritual essence be born into heaven and earth. If there is still a deficiency and it needs to be rebalanced, it will remain in the earth caulk with a living nature. The meaning of the sentence: What is a Yin symbol? Predecessors roughly have two explanations. It refers to the state where the internal qi descends along the Ren meridian during the refinement of the minor circulation. The ascent from the Governor Vessel to the top is called "Entering Yang Fire", and the descent from the Ren Vessel to the sea is called "Retreating Yin Talisman". Liu Yiming of the Qing Dynasty, in his "Shen Tong Zhi Zhi", stated: "The 'Yin Fu' refers to the harmony between Yin and Yang. That is, the 'Yang' should be clearly nourished." One aspect refers to life and mind. For instance, Zhong Gaoquan in the "Collected Explanations of the Yellow Emperor's Yin Fu Jing" said: "Yin is the root of nature; Fu is the foundation of life. This is the essence of the Yin Fu." The first volume of the "Explanatory Notes on the Yellow Emperor's Yin Fu Jing" by Wang Daoyuan of the Yuan Dynasty states: In terms of the Dao, the four elements of a person, the entire body, all belong to Yin. Only the primordial qi, located in the heart of heaven, belongs to Yang, which is the daily destiny. The combination of nature and destiny is called Fu. Fu means harmony. When separated into two, it can be combined to form a harmonious relationship. The two characters "Yin Fu" refer to body and mind, temperament, water and fire, spirit and energy, lead and mercury, dragon and tiger, movement and stillness. They are the foundation of cultivating elixirs and the source of nurturing the Dao. The "Yin fu" used here refers to the latter, and specifically to the body and mind, life, and spirit after birth. What is spiritual essence? It is the new life formed by the condensation of the primordial essence 炁, or the new life beyond the primordial essence. This new life carries all the information of the original life, such as physical image, thinking senses, etc., but he is no longer a person of the original physical material structure, but is structured by the spirit of the yuan 炁. When gathered, it becomes a person; when dispersed, it becomes the original. During the cultivation process, as the primordial essence 炁 within the body emerges and gradually grows stronger, it will gradually refine the mundane nature of the acquired physical body, expelling all the turbid Yin and leaving only the pure Yang. Therefore, it is called "expelling all the Yin talismans and the living essence". Once the spiritual essence emerges, this "universe" of the original life indicates that it has been thoroughly transformed, or it can be said that this grand project of "recreating the universe" has been successfully completed. However, during this period, although it is said that the rebirth of life has been successful, it is only a preliminary success. Just like giving birth to a baby, there is still a process of growth and training before it can grow into an adult. This process involves allowing the "primordial fetus" and "primordial infant" to undergo the cultivation of the cosmic and terrestrial primordial Yang 炁 to grow stronger. At a specific time, they are sent out of the body to undergo training, so that they eventually develop mature spiritual qualities, mature courage and vision, and mature functions. Only then can the cultivation of immortals be regarded as a complete and thorough success. If during this period the methods are inappropriate and the spiritual essence is damaged, there is no other way but to continue to follow the original methods and cultivate the Dan Tian. The original sentence: Only when all the numbers are completed can the true charm of forging lead be fully realized. A message to those who come later: Do not consider forging lead as easy. These four lines of poetry use the physiological mysteries of women as a metaphor for the mysteries of cultivation. "Five thousand forty-eight days complete" refers to the fact that a woman does not start menarching until she is fourteen years old and has the ability to give birth. "Five thousand forty-eight" means five thousand and forty-eight days. A year is calculated as 360 days, which is exactly fourteen years. However, regardless of gender, their physiological development is all the result of the creation of heaven and earth, the innate program input by nature. Here, women are taken as an example because, based on the hexagrams and images, women are born with the Kun hexagram, a pure Yin image. When the Yin hexagram is Yin, Yang is generated, and the Kun hexagram becomes the Kan hexagram, which is Yin on the outside and Yang on the inside. But the maturity of this Kan hexagram is formed when the first menstrual period occurs at the age of fourteen. Ancient traditional Chinese medicine holds that: When a woman reaches the age of two or seven without the arrival of the "Heavenly GUI", the Ren meridian is unobstructed, the Dachong meridian is vigorous, and her menstruation is at this time, thus she has a child. This mechanism for fertility lies in the fact that the "Heavenly GUI", the Yang within the Yin, has matured. If compared to external alchemy, this true Yang within the Yin is like real lead. The maturation and appearance of a woman's true lead is a result of the natural creation of heaven and earth. However, during the cultivation process, the formation of the innate essence 炁 in the body, this true lead, must be obtained through cultivation. Although it is said to be through cultivation, this cultivation process follows the natural creation of heaven and earth, that is, the process of matching the celestial days. If the celestial days are incomplete and the heat is not properly controlled, the true lead will not appear. Therefore, from the phenomenon of a 14-year-old woman having her period, we can draw an enlightenment: only by following the way of humanity in harmony with the way of heaven can one possibly obtain the innate essence 炁. This is the charm of cultivation. Therefore, Master Zhang Sanfeng repeatedly emphasizes here that one must not view the cultivation of the innate essence 炁 as too simple and easy. Note: It is said that this sentence implies the method of planting for the dual cultivation of the same kind, which can be mentioned for further study.