Huang Ting Nei Jing Jing (黃庭內景經)

上清紫霞虛皇前太上大道玉晨君閒居蕊珠作七言

Before the throne of the Sovereign of Void at Purple Dawn in Highest Clarity, the Lord of Jade Dawn of the Supreme Great Dao (a word Laozi uses for the origin of the myriad things and the way they run, which itself cannot be named), dwelling at leisure in the Palace of Budding Pearls, composed these seven-character verses,

散化五形變萬神是為黃庭曰內篇琴心三疊舞胎仙

scattering and transforming the five forms and changing the myriad spirits; this is the Yellow Court, called the Inner Chapter. The heart-lute plays its triple fold, and the embryonic immortal dances.

九氣映明出霄間神蓋童子生紫煙是曰玉書可精研

The nine breaths (the flowing stuff that makes up and runs through all things) shine bright as they come out of the Milky Way, and the youths beneath the spirit canopy give rise to purple smoke. This is called the Jade Book, and it may be studied closely;

詠之萬過升三天千災以消百病痊不憚虎狼之兇殘

chant it ten thousand times and you ascend to the Three Heavens, a thousand calamities vanish and a hundred illnesses are healed, and you need not fear the savagery of tigers and wolves,

亦以卻老年永延

and you can also drive back old age and lengthen your years forever.

上有魂靈下關元左為少陽右太陰後有密戶前生門

Above is the spirit-soul, below is Guanyuan; on the left is the Lesser Yang, on the right the Great Yin; behind is the secret door, in front is the gate of life,

出日入月呼吸存元氣所合列宿分紫煙上下三素雲

the sun rises and the moon sets, visualized within the breath; here the primal breath gathers, here the constellations part; purple smoke rises and falls, the clouds of the Three Pure Ones,

灌溉五華植靈根七液洞流沖廬間回紫抱黃入丹田

irrigating the Five Flowers and planting the spirit roots; the Seven Fluids pour through openly and rush into the hut between; turning back to the purple and embracing the yellow, they enter the cinnabar field. The names used in this text, such as lead, mercury, dragon and tiger, tripod and furnace, infant and maiden, and also Dantian, Niwan and Yellow Court, are all names that inner alchemists borrowed from outer alchemy's drugs and vessels to refer to the essence, breath and spirit in the body and the places where they are cultivated; they do not mean actual minerals or drugs,

幽室內明照陽門

and within the dark chamber it is bright of itself, illuminating the Gate of Yang.

口為玉池太和官漱咽靈液災不幹體生光華氣香蘭

The mouth is the Jade Pool, the office of Great Harmony; rinse and swallow the spirit fluid and calamity will not come to invade; the body gives forth radiance and the breath is like fragrant orchid,

卻滅百邪玉煉顏審能修之登廣寒晝夜不寐乃成真

driving away the hundred evils, with a complexion refined to jade; if you can truly cultivate this, you may ascend to the Vast Cold Palace; sleep not day or night, and only then can you become a true one,

雷鳴電激神泯泯

though thunder roars and lightning strikes, the spirit stays still and settled.

黃庭內人服錦衣紫華飛裙雲氣羅丹青綠條翠靈柯

The inner persons in the Yellow Court wear brocade robes, flying skirts of purple radiance and gowns of gauze-like cloud, with green sashes of cinnabar and azure and spirit branches of emerald,

七蕤玉龠閉兩扉重扇金闕密樞機玄泉幽闕高崔巍

the Seven-Tasseled Jade Flute shuts the two leaves of the door, and layer upon layer of golden towers seal the pivot tight; the Dark Spring and the Hidden Gate rise high and lofty,

三田之中精氣微嬌女窈窕翳霄暉重堂煥煥明八威

within the Three Fields the essence and breath are fine and subtle, the lovely maidens are graceful and screen the radiance of the sky; the layered halls shine brightly and illuminate the Eight Awes,

天庭地關列釜斤靈臺盤固永不衰

the Heavenly Court and Earth Gate are lined with cauldrons and axes, and the Spirit Terrace is firmly coiled and will never decay.

中池內神服赤珠丹錦雲袍帶虎符橫津三寸靈所居

The spirit in the Middle Pool wears red pearls, in a robe of cinnabar brocade and carrying a tiger tally; the Crossing Ford of three inches is where the spirit dwells,

隱芝翳鬱自相扶

and the hidden mushrooms grow dense and luxuriant, supporting one another.

天中之嶽精謹修雲宅既清玉帝遊通利道路無終休

The Peak in the Center of Heaven must be cultivated with essence and care; once the Cloud Dwelling is clean and pure, the Jade Emperor will come to visit; the road is open and smooth, with no end or rest,

眉號華蓋覆明珠九幽日月洞空無宅中有真常衣丹

the eyebrows are named the Splendid Canopy, covering bright pearls; the sun and moon of the Nine Depths are open and empty. Within the dwelling is a true one, always wearing a cinnabar robe,

審能見之無疾患赤珠靈裙華茜粲舌下膺玄生死岸

and if you can truly see him, you will have no illness; red-pearl spirit skirts shine splendid and bright. Beneath the tongue the Dark is held, the shore of life and death,

出青入玄二氣煥子若遇之昇天漢

going out through the green and entering the dark, the two breaths shine forth; if you meet him, you ascend to the Heavenly River.

至道不煩訣存真泥丸百節皆有神發神蒼華字太元

The supreme Way is not fussy; its secret lies in keeping hold of the original truth; the Niwan and the hundred joints all have spirits. The spirit of the hair is called Cang Hua, styled Tai Yuan,

腦神精根字泥丸眼神明上字英玄鼻神玉壟字靈堅

the spirit of the brain is the root of essence, styled Niwan; the spirit of the eyes is the Bright Above, styled Ying Xuan; the spirit of the nose is the Jade Ridge, styled Ling Jian,

耳神空閒字幽田舌神通命字正倫齒神峨峰字羅千

the spirit of the ears is Kong Xian, styled You Tian; the spirit of the tongue is Tong Ming, styled Zheng Lun; the spirit of the teeth is E Feng, styled Luo Qian,

一面之神宗泥丸泥丸九真皆有房方圓一寸處此中

the spirits of the whole face all take the Niwan as their head; the Nine True Ones of the Niwan each have a chamber of their own; one inch square, they dwell within it,

內服紫衣飛羅裳但思一部壽無窮非各別住俱腦中

wearing purple robes and flying gauze skirts. Simply visualize this one region and your life will be without end; they do not live apart in separate places, but are all in the brain,

列位次坐向外方所存在心自相當

seated in order of rank, facing outward; what you visualize and where it stands will naturally accord with the heart.

心神丹元字守靈肺神皓華字虛成肝神龍煙字臺明

The spirit of the heart is Dan Yuan, styled Shou Ling; the spirit of the lungs is Hao Hua, styled Xu Cheng; the spirit of the liver is Long Yan, styled Tai Ming,

翳鬱導煙主濁清腎神玄冥字育嬰脾神常在字魂停

leading the dense smoke, in charge of the turbid and the clear; the spirit of the kidneys is Xuan Ming, styled Yu Ying; the spirit of the spleen is Chang Zai, styled Hun Ting,

膽神龍曜字威明六腑五臟神體精皆在心內運天經

the spirit of the gallbladder is Long Yao, styled Wei Ming. For the six bowels and five viscera, the spirits are the essence within the body, and all of them turn the heavenly warp within the heart,

晝夜存之自長生

visualize them day and night, and you will naturally live long.

肺部之官似華蓋下有童子坐玉闕七元之子主調氣

The office of the lungs is like a splendid canopy, and beneath it a youth sits in a jade tower; the sons of the Seven Primes are in charge of regulating the breath,

外應中嶽鼻臍位素錦衣裳黃雲帶喘息呼吸體不快

corresponding outwardly to the Central Peak, in the place between the nose and the navel; in plain silk garments and a sash of yellow cloud. When your breath is panting and your body is ill at ease,

急存白元和六氣神仙久視無災害用之不已形不滯

quickly visualize the White Prime and harmonize the six breaths; the immortals gaze long and suffer no harm. If you use it without stopping, your body will not be clogged or blocked.

心部之官蓮含華下有童子丹元家主適寒熱榮衛和

The office of the heart is like a lotus holding its blossom, and beneath it a youth is the home of Dan Yuan; it is in charge of keeping cold and heat in due measure and the nutritive and defensive energies in harmony,

丹錦飛裳披玉羅金鈴朱帶坐婆裟調血理命身不枯

in flying robes of cinnabar brocade, draped in jade gauze; with golden bells and red sashes, sitting in dance-like ease. Regulate the blood and order your life, and the body will not wither,

外應口舌吐五華臨絕呼之亦登蘇久久行之飛太霞

corresponding outwardly to the mouth and tongue, giving forth the Five Flowers; even when the breath is about to expire, call upon him and you can revive. Practice it for a long time and you will fly up to the Great Rosy Clouds.

肝部之中翠重裡下有青童神公子主諸關鏡聰明始

Within the office of the liver, deep inside the layers of emerald, below dwells the Azure Youth, the divine young lord; he is in charge of the mirror of all the passes and is the beginning of keen sight and hearing,

青錦披裳佩玉鈴和制魂魄津液平外應眼目日月清

draped in azure brocade and wearing jade bells; he harmonizes the spirit-soul and the bodily soul and keeps the bodily fluids steady; corresponding outwardly to the eyes, so that sun and moon are clear and bright,

百療所鍾存無英同用七日自充盈垂絕念神死復生

where the hundred illnesses gather; visualize Wu Ying; use it likewise for seven days and you will naturally be full; one who is dying and thinks on the spirit will die and live again,

攝魂還魄永無傾

drawing back the spirit-soul and returning the bodily soul, never to be overturned.

腎部之宮玄陰圃中有童子冥上玄主諸六府九液源

The palace of the kidneys is the garden of Dark Yin, and within it is a youth called Ming Shang Xuan; he is in charge of all the six bowels and the source of the nine fluids,

外應兩耳百液津蒼錦雲衣舞龍潘上致的霞日月煙

corresponding outwardly to the two ears, the ford of the hundred fluids; in azure brocade and cloud robes, dancing with dragon banners. The rosy clouds summoned upward, and the smoke of the sun and moon,

百病千災急當存兩部水王對生門使人長生升九天

in the hundred illnesses and thousand calamities, one must quickly visualize them; the Water Kings of the two regions face the Gate of Life and make a person live long and ascend to the Nine Heavens.

脾部之官屬戌已中有明童黃裳裡消谷散氣攝牙齒

The office of the spleen belongs to Wu and Ji (the base text has "Yi" where "Ji" is meant), and within it a bright youth sits inside a yellow skirt; it digests grain and disperses the breath, and governs the teeth,

是為太倉兩明童坐在金合城九重方圓一寸命門中

these are the two bright youths of the Great Granary, seated in the nine layers of the Golden Hall City; one inch square, they are within the Gate of Life,

主調百穀五朱香闢卻虛贏無病傷外應尺宅氣色芳

in charge of regulating the hundred grains and the five flavors, red and fragrant; they drive away emptiness and frailty so that there is no sickness or injury; corresponding outwardly to the Foot-Long Dwelling, the complexion is fragrant,

光華所生以表明黃錦玉衣帶虎章注念三老子輕翔

where radiance is born, and thereby it is shown; in yellow brocade and jade robes, wearing a tiger seal. Concentrate on visualizing the Three Elders, and a person will fly lightly,

長生高仙遠死殃

living long as a high immortal, far from the calamity of death.

膽部之宮六府精中有童子曜威明雷電八振揚玉旌

The palace of the gallbladder is the essence of the six bowels, and within it a youth, Yao Wei Ming; thunder and lightning rouse the eight directions and raise the jade banners,

龍旗橫天擲火鈴主諸氣力攝虎兵外應眼童鼻柱間

dragon flags cross the sky and hurl fire bells; he is in charge of all strength and commands the tiger soldiers; corresponding outwardly to the pupils of the eyes and the bridge of the nose,

腦發相扶亦俱鮮九色錦衣綠華裙佩金帶玉龍虎文

the brain and hair support each other and are both fresh and glossy; in nine-colored brocade robes and green-radiance skirts, wearing a golden belt and jade, patterned with dragon and tiger,

能存成明乘慶雲役使萬神朝三元

if you can visualize this until it is bright and complete, you will ride on auspicious clouds; command the myriad spirits and have audience with the Three Primes.

脾長一尺掩太倉中部老君冶明堂厥字靈元名混康

The spleen is one foot long and covers the Great Granary; in the central region the Old Lord governs the Bright Hall; his style is Ling Yuan and his name is Hun Kang,

治人百病消谷糧黃衣紫帶龍虎章長枯益命賴君王

he heals the hundred illnesses for people and digests grain; in yellow robe and purple sash, with the emblems of dragon and tiger. A life long withered can be made to grow again, thanks to this lord,

三呼我名神自通三老同坐各有朋或精或胎別執方

call my name three times and the spirit will naturally connect; the Three Elders sit together, each with companions; some govern essence, some govern the embryo, each holding his own method,

桃孩合延生華芒男女徊尤有桃康道父道母對相望

the Peach Child joins with Yan and gives forth blossoming rays; men and women wander about, and especially there is Tao Kang; the Father of the Way and the Mother of the Way face each other and gaze,

師父師母丹玄鄉可用存思登虛空殊途一會歸要終

the Teacher and the Teacher's Wife are in the land of Cinnabar Dark, and through visualization you may ascend into the void; though the paths differ, they meet in one and return to the final point of the utmost essential,

閉塞三關握固停含漱金醴吞玉英遂至不飢三蟲亡

shut the Three Passes, clasp your hands firmly and stay still; hold the golden nectar in your mouth and swallow the jade blossom; then you are no longer hungry, the Three Worms perish,

心意常和致欣昌五嶽之雲氣彭亨保灌玉廬以自償

the mind is always at peace, and so you flourish; the cloud-breath of the Five Peaks swells to fullness; nourish and irrigate the Jade Hut, and thereby make up for yourself,

五形完堅無災殃

so the Five Forms are whole and firm, with no disaster or misfortune.

上睹三元如連珠落落明景照九隅五靈夜燭煥八區

Looking up you see the Three Primes like strung pearls, and the bright scenery sparkles and lights the nine corners; the Five Spirits shine by night and blaze forth in the eight regions,

子存內皇與我遊身披風衣銜虎符一至不久升虛無

visualize the Inner Sovereign wandering with me, wearing a wind-cloak and holding a tiger tally; in no long time you ascend to the void and nothingness,

方寸之中念深藏不方不圓閉牖窗三神還精老方壯

within the square inch you hide your intent deeply, neither square nor round, with the windows shut; the Three Spirits return the essence, and an old man is again in his prime,

魂魄內守不爭競神生腹中銜玉璫靈注幽闕那得喪

the spirit-soul and bodily soul keep within and do not contend with each other; the spirit is born in the belly and holds jade pendants in its mouth; the spirit pours into the dark gate, so how could it be lost,

琳條萬尋可蔭仗三魂自寧帝書命

a jade bough ten thousand fathoms tall can give shade and shelter; the Three Souls are naturally at peace, and the Emperor writes down your nature and fate.

靈臺鬱藹望黃野三寸異室有上下間闕營衛高玄受

The Spirit Terrace is dense and misty, and you gaze upon the Yellow Wilds; within three inches the chambers lie above and below; the Interstice Gate and the nutritive and defensive energies are received from High Mystery,

洞房紫極靈門戶是昔太上告我者左神公子發神語

the Cave Chamber and Purple Pole are the gates of the spirit; this is what the Supreme One told me long ago. On the left the divine young lord utters spirit words,

右有白元並立外明堂金匱玉房間上清其人當吾前

on the right the White Prime stands outside; among the Bright Hall, the Golden Casket and the Jade Chamber, the Highest Clarity one stands before my face,

黃裳子丹氣頻煩借問何在兩眉端內俠日月列宿陳

the Yellow-Robed Child of Cinnabar, whose breath comes and goes often; I ask where he is. He is at the ends of the two eyebrows; inside, clasping the sun and moon (the base text has "xia" where "jia", clasp, is meant), the constellations are arrayed,

七曜九元冠生門

the Seven Luminaries and Nine Primes crown the Gate of Life.

三關之中精氣深九微之內幽且陰口為天關精神機

Within the Three Passes the essence and breath lie deep, and within the Nine Subtleties it is dim and yin; the mouth is the Heavenly Pass, the pivot of essence and spirit,

足為地關生命靡手為人關把盛衰

the feet are the Earthly Pass, on which life depends; the hands are the Human Pass, which holds rise and decline.

若得三官存玄丹太一流珠安崑崙重重樓閣十二環

If you obtain the Three Offices and keep the Dark Cinnabar, the Great One's flowing pearl is set in Kunlun; tower upon tower, twelve rings,

自高自下皆真人玉堂繹字盡玄官璇璣王衡色蘭殲

from high to low all are true persons; in the Jade Hall the characters are strung together, and all are dark officials; the Jade Armillary Sphere and Jade Crossbar are colored like orchid and fine silk,

瞻望童子坐盤恆問誰家子在我身此人可去入泥龍

gazing at the youth who sits and lingers; I ask, whose child is within my body? This one can depart and enter the Niwan (the base text has "long" where "wan" is meant),

千千百百自相連一一十十似重山雲儀五華俠耳門

thousands upon hundreds are joined to one another, ones and tens like mountains piled up; cloud emblems and the Five Flowers flank the ear gates,

赤帝黃老與己魂三真挾胥共房津五斗煥明是七元

the Red Emperor, the Yellow Elder and one's own spirit-soul, the three true ones support one another and all stand in the chamber's ford; the Five Dippers shine brightly, and these are the Seven Primes,

日月飛行六合間帝鄉天中地戶端面部魂神綿相存

the sun and moon fly through the six directions; the emperor's land is in the middle of heaven and the earth gate is at the tip; the spirits of the face are bound together and keep each other in mind.

呼吸元氣以求仙仙公公子已可前朱鳥吐縮白石源

Breathe the primal breath to seek immortality, and the immortal lords and young lords can already come forward; the Vermilion Bird exhales and draws back at the source of the white stone,

結精育胞化生身留胎止精可長生三氣右徊九道明

gathering essence and nourishing the womb, giving birth to this body; hold the embryo and stop the essence, and you can live long; the three breaths wheel to the right, and the nine paths shine,

正一含華乃充盈遙望一心如羅星金室之下可不傾

the Correct One holds its blossom and is thereby filled; gazing afar at the one heart like stars in array; beneath the golden chamber, you can be free of overturning,

延我白首反孩嬰

lengthening my white head and returning it to a child's.

瓊室之中太素集泥九夫人當中立長谷玄鄉繞郊邑

Within the Jasper Chamber the Great Plain gathers, and the Lady of the Niwan stands in the center (the base text has "jiu" where "wan" is meant); the Long Valley and Dark Village circle around the suburbs,

六龍散飛難分別長生至慎房中急何為死作令神泣

the six dragons fly scattered and are hard to tell apart; what longevity most requires care over is the haste of the bedchamber; why court death and make the spirit weep,

忽之禍鄉三靈及但當吸氣錄子精寸田尺宅可治生

neglect it and you enter the land of calamity, and the Three Spirits too will be caught up; you should only draw in breath and gather in your essence; the inch-field and foot-dwelling can govern life,

若當決海百讀傾葉去樹枯失青青氣亡液漏非已形

if the great sea is breached, the hundred rivers all pour out (the base text has "du" where "du", river, is meant); take away the leaves and the tree withers and loses its green; when breath is lost and fluid leaks, it is no longer your own body,

專閉御景乃長寧保我泥龍三奇靈恬淡閉視內自明

concentrate and hold fast, and master the images, and only then will you be at peace for long; preserve the Three Marvelous Spirits of my Niwan; be calm and close your eyes, and within it will naturally be bright,

物物不幹泰而平愨矣匪事老復丁思詠玉書太上清

things will not come to invade, and you will be tranquil and level; sincerity is not a matter of affairs, and the old become robust again. Think on and chant the Jade Book, and the Supreme One is pure and still.

常念三房相通達洞得視見無內外存漱五牙不飢渴

Always keep in mind that the Three Chambers connect with one another, so that you can see through them openly, without inside or outside; visualize rinsing the Five Sprouts, and you will be neither hungry nor thirsty,

神華執巾六丁謁急守精室勿妄洩閉而寶之可長活

the Spirit Blossom holds the towel, and the Six Ding come to pay audience; you must quickly guard the chamber of essence and not let it spill carelessly; shut it and treat it as a treasure, and you can live long,

起自形中初不闊三官近在易隱括虛無寂寂空中素

it arises from within the form, and at first it is not far off; the Three Offices are near at hand and easily reined in; in void and stillness, the emptiness is plain and pure,

使形如是不當汙九室正虛神明舍存思百念視節度

if you make the body like this, it should not be soiled; the Nine Chambers are rightly empty, the dwelling of the spirit-light; in visualizing the hundred thoughts, mind the measure,

六府修治勿令故行自翱翔入天路

tend the six bowels and do not let them grow stale; as you walk you will naturally soar and enter the heavenly road.

治生之道了不煩但修洞玄與玉篇兼行形中八景神

The way to govern life is not fussy at all; only practice the Dongxuan and the Jade Chapters; and also practice the Eight Scenery Spirits within the body,

二十四真出自然高拱無為魂魄安清靜神見與我言

the Twenty-four True Ones come forth of themselves (zi ran: so of oneself, so by nature, which does not mean "the natural world"); fold your hands high in wuwei (non-contrived action, which does not mean doing nothing) and the spirit-soul and bodily soul settle; in stillness the spirit appears and speaks with me,

安在紫房幃幔間立坐室外三五玄燒香接手玉華前

resting among the curtains of the Purple Chamber; standing and sitting outside the room, in the mystery of the Three and Five; burn incense and join hands before the Jade Blossom,

共入太室璇璣門高研恬淡道之園內神密盼盡睹真

and together enter the gate of the Great Chamber and the Jade Armillary Sphere; savor high and calm detachment, for that is the garden of the Way; the inner spirits gaze in secret and see the true one in full,

真人在己莫問鄰何處遠索示因緣

the true one is in your own body, so do not ask your neighbor; why go far afield to search before being shown the cause.

隱影藏形與世殊含氣養精口如朱帶執性命守虛無

Hide your shadow and conceal your form, unlike ordinary people; hold the breath and nourish the essence, so that the mouth is like cinnabar; hold fast to nature and fate, and keep to emptiness,

名大上清死錄除三神之樂由隱居倏欻遊遨無遺憂

your name is listed in the Great Highest Clarity and removed from the register of death; the joy of the Three Spirits comes from living in seclusion; roam in a flash and a moment with no sorrow left behind,

羽服一整八風驅控駕三素乘晨霞金輦正立從玉輿

once the feathered garment is put in order, the Eight Winds drive you; take the reins of the Three Plains and ride the dawn clouds; the golden palanquin stands upright and the jade carriage follows,

何不登山誦我書鬱郁竊竅真人墟入山何難故躊躇

why not climb the mountain and chant my book? The dense and hidden orifice is the village of the true ones; what is hard about entering the mountains, yet you still hesitate,

人間紛紛臭帑如

the human world is all bustle and confusion, like a foul and stinking sack.

五行相推反歸一三五合氣九九節可用隱地回八術

The Five Phases push one another and return to the One; the Three and Five join their breaths, and nine times nine is the measure; with these you can hide in the earth and turn the Eight Arts,

伏牛幽闕羅品列三明出華生死際洞房靈象鬥日月

the Hidden Ox and Dark Gate are laid out in rank; the Three Brightnesses put forth blossoms, at the boundary of life and death; the Cave Chamber's spirit images, the Dipper and the sun and moon,

父曰泥丸母雌一三光煥照入子室能存玄真萬事畢

the father is called Niwan and the mother is the Female One; the Three Lights shine and enter your chamber. If you can hold fast to the dark truth, all affairs are finished,

一身精神不可失

and the essence and spirit of the whole body will not be lost.

高奔日月吾上道鬱儀結磷善相保乃見玉清虛無老

To soar to the sun and moon is my upper way; Yu Yi and Jie Lin are good at preserving one another (the base text has "lin" in another character where this "lin" is meant), and so you may see the Elder of Jade Clarity and Void,

可以回顏填血腦口銜靈芒攜五皇腰帶虎錄佩金當

who can bring back the complexion and fill up the blood and brain; he holds spirit rays in his mouth and leads the Five Sovereigns; at his waist a tiger register, wearing a golden pendant,

駕欻接生宴東蒙

driving the sudden swift steed, he welcomes life and feasts at Dongmeng.

玄元上一魂魄煉一之為物巨卒見須得至真始顧盼

The Dark Prime, the Supreme One: spirit-soul and bodily soul are refined and nourished; as for the One as a thing, it is hard to see all at once; one must have the utmost truth before it begins to look upon you,

至忌死氣諸穢賤六神合集虛中宴結珠固精養神根

what is most to be avoided are the breath of death and all foul and base things; the Six Spirits meet and feast in the void; bind the pearl and firm the essence, and care for the root of the spirit,

玉匙金鑰常完堅閉口屈舌食胎津使我逮煉獲飛仙

jade keys and golden locks are always whole and firm; close the mouth and curl the tongue, and eat of the fluid of the embryo; so that I may complete the refining in time and gain flight as an immortal.

仙人道士非有神積精累氣以為真黃童妙音難可聞

Immortals and Daoists have no special powers; they became true by accumulating essence and piling up breath; the wondrous sound of the Yellow Child is hard to hear,

玉書繹簡赤舟文字日真人巾金巾負甲持符開七門

the Jade Book with its strung slips, the writing of the Red Boat; their style is True Person, with a head-cloth of gold; carrying a divine armor on the back and holding a tally, they open the seven gates,

火兵符圖備靈關前昂後卑高下陳執劍百丈舞錦幡

fire soldiers and talismans and charts guard the spirit pass; in front high and behind low, high and low in array; holding a sword a hundred feet long, they wave brocade banners,

十絕盤空扇紛紜火鈴冠霄墜落煙安在黃闕兩眉間

the Ten Extremes coil in the air and fan about in a swirl; the fire bell crowns the Milky Way, dropping smoke. Settle in the Yellow Gate between the two eyebrows,

此非枝葉實是根

this is not the branches and leaves, but truly the root.

紫清上皇大道君太玄太和俠侍端化生萬物使我仙

The Purple Clarity Supreme Sovereign, the Great Dao Lord, with Tai Xuan and Tai He attending at his side; he transforms the myriad things and makes me an immortal,

飛昇十天駕玉輪晝夜七日思勿眠子能行此可長存

to soar through the Ten Heavens, riding a jade wheel; for seven days and nights keep it in mind and do not sleep; if you can practice this, you can endure,

積功成煉非自然是由精誠亦由專內守堅固真之真

accumulate merit and complete the refining, which does not come of itself without effort; it comes from sincerity and also from single-mindedness; if you hold firm within, then you are the truest of the true,

虛中恬淡自致神

in the void, calm and plain, the spirit will naturally be drawn to you.

百穀之實土地精五味外美邪魔腥臭亂神明胎氣零

The fruits of the hundred grains are the essence of the earth; the five flavors are beautiful to the mouth outside, but they bear the foul stench of demons, disturbing the spirit-light so that the embryonic breath withers,

那從返老得還嬰三魂忽忽魄糜傾何不食氣太和精

how can one turn back from old age and return to infancy this way? The Three Souls drift off and the bodily soul rots and collapses. Why not eat breath, and eat the essence of Great Harmony,

故能不死大黃寧

and so you can avoid death and rest in the Great Yellow Peace.

心典一體五藏王動靜念之道德行清潔善氣自明光

The heart is the model of the whole body and the king of the five viscera; in movement and stillness keep it in mind, and the Dao and De will run (De: the portion that the Dao comes to hold in people and things, not "virtue" in the sense of moral preaching); clean and good breath is naturally bright,

坐起吾俱共棟梁晝日曜景暮閉藏通利華精調陰陽

sitting or rising I am with it as a beam and pillar; by day the sun lights its scene, and at dusk it is shut away; it clears and benefits the blossom of essence and harmonizes yin and yang.

經歷六合隱卯酉兩腎之神主延壽轉降適鬥藏初九

Passing through the six directions, it hides in Mao and You; the spirits of the two kidneys govern longevity; turning and descending to the Dipper, it hides in the first yang line,

知雄守雌可無老知白見黑急坐守

know the male and keep to the female, and you will not grow old; know the white and see the black, and you must quickly sit and keep guard.

肝氣都勃清且長羅列六府生三光心精意專內不傾

The liver's breath is luxuriant, clear and long; it arrays the six bowels and brings forth the Three Lights; with the heart refined and the intent focused, within there is no tilting,

上合三焦下玉漿玄液雲行去奧香治蕩發齒煉正方

above it joins with the Triple Burner and below it becomes jade fluid; the dark fluid moves like clouds, removing foulness and bringing fragrance; it washes the hair and teeth and refines them into proper form,

取津玄府大明堂下溉喉嚨神明通坐待華蓋遊貴京

draw the fluid from the Dark Treasury and the Great Bright Hall, and let it irrigate downward through the throat so that the spirit-light connects; sit and wait for the Splendid Canopy and roam in the Noble Capital,

飄搖三帝席清涼五色雲氣紛青蔥閉日內眄自相望

drift about on the mats of the Three Emperors, cool and refreshed; clouds of five colors are green and lush; close your eyes and look inward, so that you gaze upon yourself,

使心諸神還相崇七玄英華開命門通利天道存玄根

and the spirits in the heart return and honor one another; the Seven Mysteries' blossoms open the Gate of Life; clear the way of heaven and keep the dark root,

百二十年猶可還過此守道誠獨難唯待九轉入瓊丹

for a hundred and twenty years you can still return; beyond this, keeping the Way is truly hard to do alone; only wait for the Nine Turns and enter the Jasper Cinnabar,

要復精思存七元日月之華救老殘肝氣周流終無端

and still think on it with refined attention and visualize the Seven Primes; the blossom of the sun and moon rescues the old and frail; the liver's breath flows around and has no end.

肺之為氣三焦起視聽幽冥候童子調理五華精發齒

The breath formed by the lungs rises from the Triple Burner; sight and hearing grow dim and distant as you wait for the youth; set the Five Flowers in order, refined in hair and teeth,

三十六咽玉池裡開通百脈血液始顏色生光金玉澤

thirty-six swallows of fluid in the Jade Pool open the hundred vessels, and the blood begins to flow; the complexion gives off light, with the sheen of gold and jade,

齒堅發黑不知白存此真神勿落落當憶此官有座席

the teeth are firm and the hair black, and you do not know what white is; visualize this true spirit and do not let it scatter and drift apart; you should remember that this office has its seat,

眾神合會轉相索

the spirits meet together and turn about, seeking one another.

隱藏羽蓋看天舍朝拜太陽樂相呼明神八威正辟邪

Hide the feather canopy and gaze upon the Heavenly Lodge; pay homage to the sun and delight in calling to one another; the Bright Spirit's Eight Awes are driving away evil,

脾神還歸是胃家耽養靈根不復枯閉塞命門保玉都

the spleen spirit returns, and this is the stomach's house; concentrate on nourishing the spirit root, and it will wither no more; shut the Gate of Life and keep whole the Jade Capital,

萬神方胙壽有餘是謂脾建在中官五臟六腑神明王

the myriad spirits are receiving the sacrificial meat and life has a surplus; this is called the spleen established in the central office; the five viscera and six bowels have the spirit-light as their king,

上合天門大明堂守雌存雄頂三光外方內圓神在中

above they join the Heavenly Gate and the Great Bright Hall; hold to the female and keep the male, and bear the Three Lights on your head; square outside and round within, the spirit is in it,

通利血脈五臟豐骨青筋赤髓如霜脾救七竅去不祥

it clears the blood vessels, and the five viscera are full and rich; the bones are green and the sinews red, the marrow like frost; the spleen rescues and protects the seven orifices and removes the inauspicious,

日月列布設陰陰兩神相會化玉漿淡然無味天人糧

the sun and moon are set in rows, and yin and yang are laid out; the two spirits meet and turn into jade fluid; bland and without taste, it is the food of heavenly beings,

子丹進饌餚正黃乃曰琅膏及玉霜太上隱環太素瓊

the Son of Cinnabar offers the meal, and the dishes are properly yellow; so it is called Jade Marrow and Jade Frost; the Supreme One's hidden ring, the Great Plain's jasper,

溉益八液腎受精伏於太陰見我形揚風三玄出始青

it irrigates and replenishes the Eight Fluids, and the kidneys receive the essence; lying in the Great Yin, you see my form; raise the wind, and the Three Mysteries first come forth green,

恍惚之間至清靈坐於飈臺見赤生逸域熙真養華榮

in a trance you arrive at Clear Spirit; sit on the Whirlwind Terrace and see the Red Born One; the Realm of Ease and Joy in the True, nourishing glory and splendor,

內盼沉默煉五形三氣徘徊得神明隱龍遁芝雲琅英

look inward and in silence refine the Five Forms; the three breaths linger about and you gain the spirit-light; the hidden dragon and fleeing mushroom, the jade-like blossom within the clouds,

可以充飢使萬靈上蓋玄玄下虎章

can satisfy hunger and command the myriad spirits; above it covers the dark of darks, and below it bears the tiger emblem.

沐浴盛潔棄肥燻入室東向誦玉篇約得萬遍義自鮮

Bathe until you are spotless and cast away the greasy, fragrant and fishy; enter the room facing east and chant the Jade Chapter; after about ten thousand times the meaning will naturally be clear,

散發無慾以長存五未皆至正氣還夷心寂悶匆煩冤

let down your hair and be without desire, so that you may last; the five flavors all come (the base text has "wei" in a wrong character where "flavors" is meant), and the right breath returns; set your heart level and still, and do not be vexed or aggrieved (the base text has a wrong character where "do not" is meant),

過數已華體神精黃華玉女告子情真人既至使六丁

once the number of recitations is passed, you are already splendid, and body and spirit are pure; the Yellow-Blossom Jade Maiden tells you the truth; when the true one has arrived, he commands the Six Ding,

即授隱芝大洞經十讀四拜朝太上先謁太帝后北向

Then the Hidden Fungus and the Great Cavern scriptures are transmitted; read them ten times and bow four times, to pay court to the Supreme One; first have an audience with the Great Emperor, and then, facing north,

黃庭內經玉書暢授者曰師受者盟雲錦風羅金鈕纏

the Yellow Court Inner Scripture, with its jade text flowing clear; the one who transmits is called the master, and the one who receives takes an oath; cloud brocade and wind gauze, wound round with golden clasps,

以代割發肌膚金攜手登山敵液丹金書王景乃可宣

stand in place of cutting the hair and piercing the skin to offer gold; hand in hand they climb the mountain and together take the liquid elixir; only then may the golden text and the jade scenery be proclaimed.