Nine Palaces

《參同契》曰：「物無陰陽，違天背元。牝雞自卵，其雛不全。夫何故乎？配合未連，三五不交，剛柔離分。」（陳顯微曰：張紫陽詩云「莫把孤陰謂有陽，獨修一物轉羸尩」，鍾離先生詩云「莫謂此身亡是道，獨修一物是孤陰」。須知一陰一陽之謂遒，男女構精，萬物化生，而後可語還丹矣。苟二物不合，三五不交，水火未濟，剛柔離分，則陰陽隔絶，天地閉塞，所謂偏陰偏陽謂之疾也。）

The Zhou Changes (I Ching) says: "If things lack the union of yin and yang, they violate the heavenly way and depart from their origin. A hen hatching its own egg will not produce complete chicks. Why is this? Because there is no connection, the 'three and five' do not meet, and the strong and the soft are separated." Chen Xianwei explains that Zhang Ziyang's poem says, "Do not call a solitary yin as having yang; single cultivation leads to becoming weaker and weaker." Zhong Li Master's poem says, "Do not say that discarding this body is the way; single cultivation is a solitary yin." One must know that the alternation of yin and yang is called the great Dao. The union of male and female, the generation of vital energy, and the transformation of all things are prerequisites for the concept of 'returning to the red pill.' If two substances do not combine, the 'three and five' do not meet, water and fire do not achieve the state of mutual overcoming, and the strong and the soft are separated, then yin and yang are cut off, heaven and earth become blocked, which is precisely what is meant by 'being biased toward yin or yang is called illness.'

又曰：「三五與一，天地至精，可以口訣，難以書傳。子當右轉，午乃東旋，夘酉界隔，主客二名。金水合處，木火為侶，四者混沌，列為龍虎。龍陽數奇，虎陰數偶。肝青為父，肺白為母，腎黑為子，心赤為女，脾黃為祖，子五行始。三物一家，都歸戊巳。」（彭曉曰：子水數一，為五行始；金火木三物同功，首尾造化俱歸戊巳者，是故脾黃為藥之祖也。）

The "Cantong Qi" also says: "Three, five, and one are the most subtle principles in the universe. They can be passed down orally but are difficult to express in writing. The position of Zi should rotate to the right, while the position of Wu should turn eastward. The positions of Mao and You set boundaries, distinguishing between host and guest. Metal and water meet together, wood and fire become companions. The four elements blend together without distinction, forming the arrangement of dragon and tiger. Dragon belongs to yang and its number is odd; tiger belongs to yin and its number is even. The liver, which is green, is the father; the lung, which is white, is the mother; the kidney, which is black, is the son; the heart, which is red, is the daughter; the spleen, which is yellow, is the ancestor. The son is the beginning of the Five Phases. The three substances return to one family and all converge on Wu Ji soil." Peng Xiao explains that Zi belongs to water and has the number one, being the beginning of the Five Phases. The functions of metal, fire, and wood are the same, and the beginning and end of the transformations all converge on Wu Ji soil, so the yellow spleen becomes the ancestor of the elixir.

「剛柔迭興，更歴分佈，龍西虎東，建緯夘酉，刑德並會，相見歡喜，刑主伏殺，德主生起。」（陳致虛曰：青龍屬東，白虎屬西，此其正也。更歴分佈者，青龍建緯於酉，白虎建緯於夘，是刑德並會而龍虎歡喜顛倒相見。）「子南午北，互為綱紀，一九之數，終而復始，含元虛危，播精於子。」

The Treatise on the Union of the Three Principles continues: "Yang and Yin alternate in rising, taking turns to experience and being arranged separately; the Dragon moves to the west, the Tiger moves to the east, establishing the meridians at the卯 and酉 positions; punishment and virtue meet together, meeting each other with joy; punishment governs concealment and severity, while virtue governs growth and emergence." Chen Zhi Xu explains that the Blue Dragon belongs to the east and the White Tiger belongs to the west, which are their proper positions. The phrase "taking turns to be arranged" means that the Blue Dragon sets the meridian at the酉 position, while the White Tiger sets the meridian at the卯 position, which is why punishment and virtue meet together, the Dragon and Tiger reverse and meet with joy. The Treatise on the Union of the Three Principles also says: "The position of Zi moves to the south, the position of Wu moves to the north, becoming the main framework; the numbers from one to nine, when reaching the end, begin again; the vital energy is contained between the mansion of Emptiness and the mansion of Rooftop, scattering the true essence at the position of Zi."

（陳致虛曰：子南午北者，顛倒五行也。仙聖云「五行順行，法界火坑；五行顛倒，大地七寶」，所以水火互為綱紀，方能既濟也。陽生於一，成於九，陽數至九則極，極則復於一，此謂一九之數終而復始。「含元虛危，播精於子」者，丹之神功在此兩句。葢虛危之次，日月合璧之地，一陽初生之方，龜蛇蟠結之所，故太一所含先天之元氣，其真精遇子則播施，此復應前文「子五行始」之義也。俞琰曰：子午即南北水火，夘酉即東西金木。右轉左旋，一伏一起，則水火相交，金木自然不間隔矣。然東西夘酉皆金木異名，非天地方位，亦非人身左右。）

Chen Zhi Xu explained that "zi to the south, wu to the north" reverses the Five Phases. The immortal sages said, "If the Five Phases proceed in order, the world becomes a fire pit; if the Five Phases are reversed, the earth becomes the seven treasures." Thus, water and fire serve as the main principles, forming the image of completion. Yang begins from one and reaches nine to complete, and when yang's number reaches nine, it reaches its peak, then returns to one, which is called "the number one and nine completes and begins again." As for "containing the original emptiness and danger, spreading the essence at zi," the mysterious practice of alchemy lies entirely in these two sentences: the star positions of xu xiu and wei xiu are where the sun and moon meet, the direction where the first yang begins, and where the turtle and snake coil. Therefore, the true essence of the original qi contained in Taiyi returns to the position of zi, spreading out, which also responds to the previous statement that "zi is the beginning of the Five Phases." Yu Yan explained that zi and wu represent the south and north, water and fire;卯 and酉 represent the east and west, metal and wood. One turns right, the other turns left; one is hidden, the other rises, so water and fire meet, and metal and wood naturally are not separated. However, the east and west,卯 and酉, are merely alternative names for metal and wood, neither the actual directions of heaven and earth nor the left and right of the human body.

張氏伯端《悟真篇》曰：「三五一都三個字，古今明者實然稀。東三南二同成五，北一西方四共之，戊巳自居生數五，三家相見結嬰兒。嬰兒是一含真氣，十月胎圎入聖機。」

Zhang Boduan's "Wuzhen Pan" says: "The three characters 'san wu yi' (three five one) altogether make three characters. Throughout history, truly understanding people are indeed rare. The three from the East and the two from the South combine to form a five, and the one from the North and the four from the West also combine to form a five. The Wu Ji earth itself occupies the number five of the generating numbers. When these three families meet, they form an infant. The infant is the 'one,' containing true energy, and after being fully developed for ten months, it enters the crucial point of attaining sainthood."

毛氏曰：「三五至精圗者，取『三五與一，天地至精』語，而分五行為三五。中央土一五也，天五生土也；左火與木共一五也，地二生火，天三生木也，二三五也；右水與金又共一五也，天一生水，地四生金也，一四亦五也。故其為生序，則水承坎下，火承離下；其為行序，則金盛為水，木盛為火，而合而復歸於一元也（合三五而皆鉤連於下之一）。則此一○者，三五之合，非二五之合；三五之精，非二五之精。葢丹家水火必還一元，故其後復有含元播精、三五歸一之語。」（見《太極圖說遺議》）

Maos Qilin said: The so-called "San Wu Zhi Jing Tu" (Diagram of the Three and Five to the Essence) is derived from the phrase "San Wu yu Yi, Tian Di Zhi Jing" (Three and Five with One, the Supreme Essence of Heaven and Earth). It divides the Five Phases into three "fives." The central earth is one five, because "Tian Wu Sheng Tu" (Heaven Five produces Earth). On the left, fire and wood combine into one five, because "Di Er Sheng Huo, Tian San Sheng Mu" (Earth Two produces Fire, Heaven Three produces Wood), and two plus three equals five. On the right, water and metal also combine into one five, because "Tian Yi Sheng Shui, Di Si Sheng Jin" (Heaven One produces Water, Earth Four produces Metal), and one plus four also equals five. According to the order of generation, water is beneath the Kan trigram, and fire is beneath the Li trigram. According to the order of operation, metal becomes water when it is full, and wood becomes fire when it is full, finally converging and returning to the original unity (the three fives are all connected by lines to the single "one" below). Thus, the single circle in the diagram represents the convergence of the three fives, not two fives; it represents the essence of the three fives, not two fives. Generally, Daoist alchemists emphasize that water and fire must return to the original unity, so later texts also mention expressions such as "Hanyuan Bosheng" (Contain the Original and Spread the Essence) and "San Wu Gui Yi" (Three and Five Return to One). This statement is found in Maos Qilin's "Yi Tu Shuo Wei Yi Yi."

按：三輪肖坎離二卦，五行即天地之生數。然伯陽專心修煉，特藉此以明作丹之意，初非為易而設。葢三輪不可以為兩儀，五行不可以為四象，其所謂易，專指坎離水火，非聖人生生之易也。唐《真元妙經品》有太極先天圗，合三輪五行為一，而以三輪中一○、五行下一○為太極，又加以陰靜、陽動、男女、萬物之象，凡四大○。陰靜在三輪之上，陽動在三輪之下（三輪左離右坎者，水火既濟之象；二○上陰下陽者，天地交泰之象。《鼎器歌》云「陰在上，陽下奔」，即此義也）。

Hu Wei commented: The three circular rings imitate the Kan and Li trigrams, and the Five Phases use the generating numbers of heaven and earth. However, Wei Boyang was focused on cultivation, using these elements merely to explain the concept of forming the elixir pill. Originally, these were not intended to interpret the Yi Classic. The three circular rings should not be regarded as the Two Principles, and the Five Phases should not be regarded as the Four Symbols. The "Yi" he referred to specifically meant the water and fire of Kan and Li, not the ever-renewing Yi of the sage. In the Tang Dynasty's "Zhenyuan Miaojing Pin," there is an illustration called "Taiji Qianxian Tu," which combines the three wheels with the Five Phases into one. It also treats the central circle of the three wheels and the circle below the Five Phases as the Taiji. Additionally, it adds four large circles representing yin stillness, yang movement, male and female, and the myriad things. Yin stillness is drawn above the three wheels, and yang movement is drawn below the three wheels (the left side of the three wheels is Li, and the right side is Kan, symbolizing the harmony of water and fire; the upper and lower circles have yin above and yang below, symbolizing the union of heaven and earth. The "Dingqi Ge" from the "Cantongqi" says "yin is above, yang flows downward," which refers to this meaning).

男女萬物皆在五行之下，與宋紹興甲寅朱震在經筵所進周子太極圗正同。今《性理大全》所載者，以三輪之左為陽動、右為陰靜，而虛其上下之二○以為太極，乃後人所改，非其舊也。此不在《本義》九圗之列。或曰陳摶傳穆修，穆修傳周子；或曰周子所自作，而道家竊之以入藏。疑不能明，存而弗論雲。

All things, both male and female, are ranked beneath the Five Phases. This is exactly the same as the Taiji Diagram presented by Zhu Zhen at the court during the Jia Yin year of the Shaoxing era in the Southern Song dynasty, based on the work of Zhou Dunyi. The version currently recorded in the Xingli Dquan, which depicts the left side of the three circles as yang movement and the right side as yin stillness, and leaves the upper and lower circles empty as the Taiji, has been altered by later people and is not the original form. This diagram is not included in the nine diagrams at the beginning of Zhu Xi's Zhouyi Benyi. Some say it was passed down from Chen Tuan to Mu Xiu, and then from Mu Xiu to Zhou Dunyi; others claim it was created by Zhou Dunyi himself, and that the Daoist sects later took it and included it in the Daozang. This matter is doubtful and unclear, so it is left unjudged for now.

右論二用三五。

The above is a discussion on the "Two Uses" and "Three and Five" diagrams from the "Cantong Qi" (The Concordance of the Three).

《參同契》曰：「言不苟造，論不虛生，引驗見效，校度神明，推類結字，原理為徵。坎戊月精，離己日光，日月為易，剛柔相當。土旺四季，羅絡始終，青赤白黑，各居一方，皆稟中宮戊己之功。」（彭曉曰：「坎戊月精」者，月陰也，戊陽也，乃陰中有陽，象水中生金虎也；「離己日先」者，日陽也，己陰也，乃陽中有陰，象虎中生柔龍也。）

The Zhou Changes (I Ching) says: "Words are not fabricated at will, and discussions are not generated out of nowhere. They are all cited and verified, seen to be effective, checked and measured to align with the divine. Using analogy to combine words, with the original principles as evidence. The Wu earth in the Kan trigram is the essence of the moon, and the Ji earth in the Li trigram is the brilliance of the sun. The characters 'sun' and 'moon' combined form the character 'easy' (易), with the yang and yin perfectly corresponding. Earth is strong in the last months of the four seasons, encompassing the beginning and the end; the colors green, red, white, and black each occupy their respective directions, all receiving the function of the central palace's Wu and Ji earth." Peng Xiao explains that "Wu in Kan is the essence of the moon": the moon belongs to yin and Wu belongs to yang, which is yang within yin, symbolizing gold tiger born from water; "Ji in Li is the light of the sun" (the original text says "sun first"), the sun belongs to yang and Ji belongs to yin, which is yin within yang, symbolizing a soft dragon born from the tiger.

（陳顯微曰：《易》卦納甲法，坎納六戊，離納六己，坎為月，離為日，故曰「坎戊月精，離已日光」。「日月」二字合為「易」字，故曰「推類結字」，是皆原理為證，而非虛造言論也。易既不外乎日月，丹豈不本乎坎離？然坎之與離皆存戊巳，古人云「都綠彼此懷真土，遂使金丹有返還」。況土旺四季，羅絡始終，水火木金雖各居一方，而皆稟中宮土徳也。張紫陽詩云「四象五行全藉土」，土德之功大矣哉！葢土者金母也，知五行之俱歸於土，則知五行之俱變為金，然後能會造化於中宮，種黃芽於后土矣。）

Chen Xianwei explained that in the method of Najia for the hexagrams of the Yi, the Kan hexagram is assigned six Wu stems, and the Li hexagram is assigned six Ji stems. Kan symbolizes the moon, and Li symbolizes the sun, so it is said that "the Wu earth in the center of Kan is the essence of the moon, and the Ji earth in the center of Li is the brilliance of the sun." The characters "sun" and "moon" combined form the character "Yi," so it is said "deducing by analogy and forming characters." These statements are all based on the original principles, not fabricated words. Since "Yi" is not outside the sun and moon, how could alchemy not take Kan and Li as its foundation? Both Kan and Li contain Wu and Ji earth. Ancients said, "It is precisely because they both contain true earth that the golden elixir can return." Moreover, earth is strong in the last months of the four seasons, and it runs through all seasons. Although metal, wood, water, and fire each occupy their own position, they all receive the virtue of the Central Palace earth. Zhang Ziyang's poem says, "The four elements and five phases rely entirely on earth." The function of the earth virtue is indeed great! Earth is the mother of metal. Understanding that all five phases return to earth means understanding that all five phases can become metal, and then one can meet the transformations in the Central Palace and plant the "yellow sprout" on the earth.

「晦朔之間，合符行中，混沌鴻蒙，牝牡相從，滋液潤澤，施化流通，天地神明，不可度量，利用安身，隠形而藏。始於東北，箕斗之鄉，旋而右轉，嘔輪吐萌，潛潭見象，發散清光，昴畢之上，震出為徵。」（陳顯微曰：晦朔之間，當合符行中，如混沌鴻蒙不可度量，葢牝牡相從、滋液潤澤、施化流通之時也，豈可用功乎？故利用安身，隠形而藏，卻自箕斗之鄉嘔輪吐萌、發散輝光可也。寒山子詩云「不得露其根，根虛則子墜」，葢體用不同，施功亦異故也。）

The *Cantong Qi* says: "At the time of the new moon and full moon meeting, the sun and moon align and move along the central path, the world is in a state of chaos and primordial unity, yin and yang follow each other, the essence is moist and nourishing, and the transformation flows smoothly; the workings of heaven and earth are beyond measure, at this time one should settle down, hide one's form and retreat into concealment. It begins in the northeastern region of the mansion of the Winnowing Basket and the Dipper, then turns to the right, and the moon's wheel sprouts like a wheel, the deep pool first shows the form of things, and emits a clear light; when it reaches the mansion of the Hairy Head and the Net, the trigram Zhen (Thunder) with one yang appears, which is a sign." Chen Xianwei explains that at the time of the new moon and full moon meeting, the sun and moon align and move along the central path, just like the chaotic and primordial state that is beyond measure, which is the time when yin and yang follow each other, the essence is moist and nourishing, and the transformation flows smoothly; how can one talk about effort at this time? Therefore, one should settle down, hide one's form, and retreat into concealment, waiting until the moon's wheel sprouts and emits light from the mansion of the Winnowing Basket and the Dipper before beginning to act. Han Shanzi's poem says, 'Do not let the root be exposed, for if the root is empty, the fruit will fall,' because the body and its function are different, and the timing for effort is also different."

「聖人不虛生，上觀顯天符。天符有進退，詘伸以應時，故易統天心。復卦建始萌，長子繼父體，因母立兆丌（音其，薦物之具），消息應鍾律，升降據斗樞。三日出為爽，震庚受西方；八日兊受丁，上弦平如繩；十五乾體就，盛滿甲東方。蟾蜍與兔魄，日月氣雙明，蟾蜍視卦節，兔者吐生光。七八道已訖，屈折低下降，十六轉就綂，巽辛見平明；艮直於丙南，下弦二十三；坤乙三十日，東北喪其朋。節盡相禪與，繼體復生龍，壬癸配甲乙，乾坤括始終。七八數十五，九六亦相應，四者合三十，陽氣索滅藏。」

The "Supplement to the Book of Changes" says: "The sage does not appear without purpose; he observes the heavenly phenomena to manifest the heavenly signs. The heavenly talisman advances and retreats, bending and stretching in accordance with the seasons, so the "Book of Changes" encompasses the heart of heaven. The hexagram of Fu represents the beginning of a single yang line, the eldest son Zhen inherits the form of his father Qian, and relies on his mother Kun to establish the vessel for offerings (the character "丌" is read as "qi", the vessel for sacrificial items). The waxing and waning, fullness and emptiness correspond to the tones of the bell, and the rising and falling follow the pivot of the Big Dipper. On the third day, when the moon's light first appears, it is called "shuang", and Zhen hexagram receives it from the western position of Geng. On the eighth day, the hexagram Dui receives it from the southern position of Ding, and the waxing moon is straight like a rope. On the fifteenth day, the hexagram Qian is complete, and the moon's light is full at the eastern position of Jia. The toad and the rabbit's shadow represent the manifestation of the qi of the sun and moon; the toad reflects the measure of the hexagrams, and the rabbit exhales new light. When the paths of seven and eight are completed, they bend and descend; on the sixteenth day, it transitions to the governing hexagram, and the hexagram Xun is visible at the western position of Xin during early morning. The hexagram Gen is in charge of the southern position of Bing, and the waning moon occurs on the twenty-third day; the hexagram Kun is at the position of Yi, and on the thirtieth day, it loses its companion in the northeast. When one section is completed, they pass on to each other, and the successor gives rise to the dragon; the combinations of Ren and Gui with Jia and Yi, and Qian and Kun encompass the beginning and the end. Seven plus eight equals fifteen, nine plus six also corresponds, and the four together make thirty, the yang energy is exhausted and hidden here."

（陳顯微曰：魏君以一月之間月形圎缺喻卦象進退：自初三日為一陽，初八日為二陽，十五則三陽全而乾體就；十六則一陰生，二十三則二陰生，三十日則三陰全而坤體成。）

Chen Xianwei explained that Wei Boyang used the waxing and waning of the moon in a month to illustrate the progression and retreat of hexagrams: on the third day, one yang is counted; on the eighth day, two yangs; on the fifteenth day, three yangs are complete, forming the hexagram Qian (Heaven). On the sixteenth day, one yin begins to arise; on the twenty-third day, two yins arise; on the thirtieth day, three yins are complete, forming the hexagram Kun (Earth).

（昴畢在西方庚位，每月初三日月現微明於西方庚位，應震之一陽初生，而《周易》納甲法震卦納六庚，其造化之理參合如此。初八日月現上弦於南方丁位，應兊卦二陽生，而納甲法則兊納六丁。以至十五日月滿於東方甲位，則乾卦又納六甲，其時卦備三陽，三五之道已終，則滿者虧而伸者屈，髙者低而升者降。至十六日一陰生而當陰用事，月於平旦現在西方辛位，以應巽卦納辛；至二十三日月於平旦現南方丙位，應艮卦納丙；至三十日月沒東方乙位，應坤卦納乙。節盡則又相禪與，陽復用事。）

Chen Xianwei continued saying: The constellationsHairy Head mansion andNet mansion are located in the western position of Geng. On the third day of each month, the moon appears faintly bright in the western Geng position, corresponding to the Zhen trigram with the first yang line emerging. In the Najia method of the Zhou Changes, the Zhen trigram is assigned the six Geng stems. Thus, the principles of heaven and earth are in harmony. On the eighth day, the moon appears as a waxing crescent in the southern Ding position, corresponding to the Dui trigram with two yang lines emerging. In the Najia method, the Dui trigram is assigned the six Ding stems. On the fifteenth day, the moon is full in the eastern Jia position, corresponding to the Qian trigram which is assigned the six Jia stems. At this time, the trigram has three yang lines complete, and the 'three and five' principle has been fulfilled. Thus, the full moon begins to wane, the extended begins to bend, the high turns low, and the rising turns descending. On the sixteenth day, the first yin line emerges and yin takes control. The moon appears in the western Xin position in the morning, corresponding to the Xun trigram which is assigned the six Xin stems. On the twenty-third day, the moon appears in the southern Bing position in the morning, corresponding to the Gen trigram which is assigned the six Bing stems. On the thirtieth day, the moon disappears in the eastern Yi position, corresponding to the Kun trigram which is assigned the six Yi stems. After one section is completed, they take turns and alternate, and the yang energy regains control.

（俞琰曰：火候之妙，有未易明言者，於是古之至人觀天之道，設為法象以示人：以天地喻鼎器，以日月喻藥物，以日月往來喻火候。月行於天，一月一度與日交合，故謂天符。應時者，十二時也。月自初一以後光漸進，魂長魄消，陰屈陽伸，象一日之子至已；十六日以後光漸退，魄長魂消，陰伸陽屈，象一日之午至亥。火候進退屈伸，猶是也。）

Yu Yanyin explained that the subtlety of the fire timing is sometimes difficult to explain clearly. Therefore, ancient sages observed the heavenly way and established a system of diagrams based on celestial phenomena to guide future generations. They used heaven and earth to symbolize the furnace of alchemy, and the sun and moon to symbolize the medicinal substances. They used the movement of the sun and moon to represent the fire timing. The moon moves in the sky, meeting the sun once a month, so it is called "Heavenly Talisman." The term "responding to the right time" refers to the twelve hours. After the first day of the month, the moon's light gradually increases, with the spirit growing and the shadow decreasing, yin retreating and yang advancing, symbolizing the time from Zi to Si in a day. After the sixteenth day, the moon's light gradually wanes, with the shadow growing and the spirit decreasing, yin advancing and yang retreating, symbolizing the time from Wu to Hai in a day. The advance and retreat, bending and stretching of the fire timing are exactly like this.

「謬誤失事緒，言還自敗傷。別序斯四象（謂七八九六），以曉後生盲。八卦佈列曜，運移不失中，元精眇難睹，推度效符徵。上觀天河（今本作「河圗」，非）文，下序地形流，中稽於人心，參合考三才。」

The Classic of Mutual Generation says: "If you make mistakes, you will lose the thread of things, and your words will only lead to self-harm. Additionally, arranging these four images (referring to seven, eight, nine, and six) is meant to enlighten the blind of later generations. The Eight Trigrams are arranged like shining stars, rotating and shifting without losing their center; the original essence is subtle and invisible, and can only be verified through calculation and inference. Look upward to observe the patterns of the Milky Way (the current text mistakenly changes 'Milky Way' to 'Yellow River Chart'), look downward to describe the terrain and the flow of water, and in the middle examine human hearts. Refer to these three aspects for verification, seeking the triple principles of heaven, earth, and humanity."

（陳顯微曰：上察天文，下察潮候，中稽人心。俞琰曰：古之修丹者，仰觀天文，俯察地理，中稽人心，於是虛吾心，運吾神，迴天闗，轉地軸，上應河漢昭回，下應海潮升降。天地雖大，而其日月星辰、五行八卦皆掇入於吾身，或為爐鼎，或為藥物，或為火候，一反觀而三才皆備於我，未嘗外身而他求也。）「動則觀卦節，靜則因彖辭，乾坤用施行，天地然後治。」

Chen Xianwei explained that this involves looking upward to observe the heavenly phenomena, looking downward to observe the tides and seasonal changes, and examining the human mind in between. Yu Yan explained that ancient practitioners of the golden elixir would look upward to observe the heavenly phenomena, look downward to examine the geographical features, and examine the human mind in between. Thus they would empty their minds, circulate their spirit, turn the heavenly pivot and rotate the earth's axis. Upward, they would correspond with the revolving and reflecting of the Milky Way; downward, they would correspond with the rising and falling of the sea tides. Though the heavens and earth are vast, the sun, moon, stars, the Five Phases, and the Eight Trigrams are all taken into oneself. Some serve as the furnace and cauldron, some as the medicinal substances, and some as the timing of the fire. As long as one turns inward and observes oneself, the three elements of heaven, earth, and humanity are all complete within oneself, and one need never seek outside the body. The final passage of the "Cantong Qi" says: "When moving, observe the measures of the hexagrams; when still, follow the meaning of the彖 (tuan) words. The functions of the heavens and earth are thus carried out, and only then can the heavens and earth be properly governed."

鄒欣曰：「《參同》之說見一日之間有晦朔弦望。上弦者，氣之方息，自上而下也；下弦者，氣之方消，自下而上也；望者，氣之盈，日沈於下而月圎於上也；晦朔之間者，日月之合乎上下，所謂『舉水以滅火，金來歸性初』之類是也。」又曰：「《參同》本不為明易，借納甲之法以寓行持進退之候雲。甲乙丙丁庚辛者，乃以月之昬旦出沒言之，非以分六卦之方也。」

Zou Xin said: The view expressed in the "Cantong Qi" can be seen from the fact that within a single day there are also the phases of waning, new moon, first quarter, and full moon. "Upper quarter" is when the energy is growing, moving from top to bottom; "lower quarter" is when the energy is retreating, moving from bottom to top; "full moon" is when the energy is complete, with the sun setting below and the moon full above; "between new and full moon" is when the sun and moon meet above and below, which is referred to as "pouring water to extinguish fire, and gold returning to its original nature at the beginning." Zou Xin also said: The "Cantong Qi" was not originally written to explain the "Yi," but rather used the method of Najia to indicate the timing for advancing and retreating in the practice of cultivation. The heavenly stems of Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Geng, and Xin mentioned in the text refer to the positions where the moon appears in the evening or disappears in the morning, not to divide the positions of the six hexagrams.

朱子答袁機仲書曰：「《參同契》所言納甲之法，則今所傳京房占法見於《火珠林》者是其遺說。此雖非為明易而設，然易中無所不有，苟其言自成一說，可推而通，則亦無害於易，恐不必輕肆詆排也。」

Zhu Xi said in his letter "Answer to Yuan Jizhong" that the method of Najia in the "Zhou Yi San Tong Qi" is the remnants of the system found in the book "Hu Zhu Lin" today known as Jing Fang divination. Although it was not originally intended to explain the Yi, since the Yi encompasses everything, if its approach can form its own school of thought and be logically extended and connected, it would not be harmful to the Yi, and perhaps should not be hastily criticized or rejected.

漢上朱氏《周易卦圖說》曰：「納甲何也？曰：舉甲以該十日也。乾納甲壬，坤納乙癸，震巽納庚辛，坎離納戊巳，艮兊納丙丁，皆自下生。聖人仰觀日月之運，配之以坎離之象，而八卦十日之義著矣。」

Han Shang Xiansheng Zhu Zhen said in "Zhou Yi Gu Tu Shuo" that what is meant by "Najia" is to use "Jia" to represent the ten heavenly stems. The Qian trigram takes Jia and Ren, the Kun trigram takes Yi and Gui, the Zhen trigram and Xun trigram take Geng and Xin, the Kan trigram and Li trigram take Wu and Ji, the Gen trigram and Dui trigram take Bing and Ding. All these are generated from the bottom up. The sage observed the movement of the sun and moon, using the images of Kan and Li to match them, thus making clear the significance of the eight trigrams being paired with the ten heavenly stems.

《繫辭傳》「懸象著明莫大乎日月」，虞翻曰：「謂日月懸天成八卦象：三日暮震象月出庚，八日兊象月見丁，十五日乾象月盈甲壬，十六日旦巽象月退辛，二十三日艮象月消丙，三十日坤象月滅乙。晦夕朔旦則坎，坎象水流戊；日中則離，離象火就己。戊巳土位象見於中，日月相推而明生焉。」《坤·彖》「西南得朋」，虞曰：「陽喪滅坤，坤終復生，此指說易道陰陽之大要也。」又曰：「消乙入坤，滅藏於癸。」

The Great Treatise of the Zhou Changes says, "Hanging the images of things to make them clear, nothing is greater than the sun and moon." Yu Fan explains: This refers to the sun and moon hanging in the sky forming the images of the Eight Trigrams. On the third day of the month, in the evening, the image of Zhen (Thunder) appears, with the moon appearing in the position of Geng; on the eighth day, the image of Dui (Lake) appears, with the moon appearing in the position of Ding; on the fifteenth day, the image of Qian (Heaven) appears, with the moon full in the positions of Jia and Ren; on the sixteenth day in the morning, the image of Xun (Wind) appears, with the moon waning in the position of Xin; on the twenty-third day, the image of Gen (Mountain) appears, with the moon waning in the position of Bing; on the thirtieth day, the image of Kun (Earth) appears, with the moon disappearing in the position of Yi. From the night of the last day of the month to the morning of the first day of the next month, it belongs to Kan (Water), which symbolizes flowing water, paired with Wu. At noon, it belongs to Li (Fire), which symbolizes fire, paired with Ji. Wu and Ji are the earth positions, their image appearing in the center. The sun and moon move in succession, and light is thus produced. The Commentary on the Judgment of the Kun Hexagram says, 'In the southwest, friends are gained.' Yu Fan explains: When yang energy is lost and disappears in Kun, Kun reaches its end and regenerates yang, indicating the main principle of the Way of the Book of Changes, which is the interplay of yin and yang. Yu Fan also says: Yang energy disappears in the position of Yi and enters Kun, finally disappearing and being hidden in the position of Gui.

按：鄒欣注本圗悉刪去，唯存納甲一環，葢以彭本之昏見、晨見合而為一圗也。甲乙丙丁庚辛指月昏旦出沒之方，而圗移六卦於月體之下，悖矣。漢上圗較勝，然坎離寄納戊巳、乾坤兼納壬癸之義，皆不能有所發揮，因更定附列於左而為之說焉。

Hu Wei's commentary: Zou Xin's annotated version deleted all the original diagrams in the "Cantong Qi," retaining only the Najia stem assignment. This is probably because he merged the "Hun Jian Tu" (Diagram of the Moon's Appearance at Dusk) and "Chen Jian Tu" (Diagram of the Moon's Appearance at Dawn) from Peng Xiao's version into one diagram. Originally, Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Geng, and Xin referred to the positions where the moon rose at dusk or set at dawn. However, the diagram placed the six trigrams beneath the moon, which does not make sense. Zhu Zhen's diagram is somewhat better, but he failed to explain the principle that Kan and Li incorporate Wu and Ji, and Qian and Kun include Ren and Gui. Therefore, I have devised a new diagram to be listed on the left and provided an explanation for it.

按：納甲者，始於京房之積算，以甲為十干之首，舉一干以該其餘，故謂之納甲。魏伯陽以月象附會之，以寓丹家行持進退之候，葢以月之明魄多少取象於卦畫，而以所見之方為所納之甲。震一陽始生，於月為生明□，三日夕出於庚，故曰震納庚，謂一陽之氣納於西方之庚也；兊二陽為上弦□，八日夕見於丁，故曰兊納丁，謂二陽之氣納於南方之丁也；乾純陽為望○，十五夕盈於甲，故曰乾納甲，謂三陽之氣納於東方之甲也。此望前三候陽息陰消之月象也（月分六候，每五日為一候）。

Hu Wei commented: The method of Najia originated from Jing Fang's calculation. Since Jia is the first of the ten heavenly stems, using one stem to represent the rest, it is called "Najia." Wei Boyang compared it with the lunar phases to indicate the timing of progression and retreat in the practice of alchemy. Basically, the brightness and darkness of the moon are used to symbolize the hexagram lines, and the position where the moon appears is considered as the heavenly stem it contains. The Zhen hexagram has one yang line, which corresponds to the initial brightness of the moon, appearing in the Geng position at the end of the third day, so it is said "Zhen contains Geng," meaning the yang energy is contained in the western Geng. The Dui hexagram has two yang lines, corresponding to the waxing moon, appearing in the Ding position at the end of the eighth day, so it is said "Dui contains Ding," meaning the two yang energies are contained in the southern Ding. The Qian hexagram has three yang lines, corresponding to the full moon, appearing in the Jia position at the end of the fifteenth day, so it is said "Qian contains Jia," meaning the three yang energies are contained in the eastern Jia. This refers to the three periods before the full moon when yang increases and yin decreases, with a month divided into six periods, each lasting five days.

巽一陰始生，於月為生魄□，十六旦明初退於辛，故曰巽納辛，渭以一陰之氣納於西方之辛也；退二陰為下弦□，二十三旦明半消於丙，故曰艮納丙，謂二陰之氣納於南方之丙也；坤純陰為晦●，三十旦明盡滅於乙，故曰坤納乙，謂三陰之氣納於東方之乙也。此望後三候陽消陰息之月象也。

The Trigram Xun represents the initial emergence of one yin, corresponding to the new moon phase when the dark moon first appears. On the sixteenth day of the month, in the early morning, the moonlight begins to retreat from the Xin position, hence it is said "Xun includes Xin," meaning the energy of one yin is included in the west at Xin. The Trigram Gen represents two yins, corresponding to the waning gibbous moon. On the twenty-third day of the month, in the early morning, the moonlight diminishes halfway at the Bing position, hence it is said "Gen includes Bing," meaning the energy of two yins is included in the south at Bing. The Trigram Kun represents pure yin, corresponding to the new moon with no moon visible. On the thirtieth day of the month, in the early morning, the moonlight completely disappears at the Yi position, hence it is said "Kun includes Yi," meaning the energy of three yins is included in the east at Yi. This describes the three phases after the full moon when yang wanes and yin increases according to the lunar phases. (The original text "Wei yi yin qi" should be "Wei yi yin qi," and "tu er yin wei xia xian" should be "Gen er yin wei xia xian.")

離為日，日生於東，故離位乎東；坎為月，月生於西，故坎位乎西。至望夕，則日西月東，坎離易位，其離中一陰即是月魄，坎中一陽即是日光，東西正對，交注於中，此二用之氣所以納戊巳也。故曰「坎戊月精，離己日光，日月為易，剛柔相當」，「蟾蜍與兔魄，日月氣雙明」也。

The trigram Li represents the sun, which rises in the east, so Li is located in the east. The trigram Kan represents the moon, which rises in the west, so Kan is located in the west. On the evening of the full moon, the sun is in the west and the moon is in the east, so Li and Kan exchange their positions. The yao in the center of Li that is yin represents the dark part of the moon; the yao in the center of Kan that is yang represents the bright part of the sun. East and west are exactly opposite, and their energies meet and flow into the center. This is why the energies of Li and Kan, known as the 'two uses' (二用), are said to incorporate Wu and Ji earth. Therefore, the "Cantong Qi" states, "The Wu earth in the center of Kan is the essence of the moon, and the Ji earth in the center of Li is the brilliance of the sun. The sun and moon together form the character 'yi,' with yin and yang perfectly balanced." It also says, "The toad and the rabbit's shadow, the energies of the sun and moon appear together."

乾納甲而又納壬，坤納乙而又納癸者，何也？謂乾之中畫即太陰之精，望夕夜半，月當乾，納其氣於壬方地中對月之日；坤之中畫即太陽之精，晦朔之間，日在坤，納其氣於癸方地中合日之月也。

The trigram Qian (Heaven) both receives the stem Jia and the stem Ren, while the trigram Kun (Earth) both receives the stem Yi and the stem Gui. This is because the central line of the Qian trigram represents the essence of Taiyin (the Yin Sun): during the full moon at midnight, the moon is directly in the position of Qian, and it channels its energy to the direction of Ren, which is the sun beneath the earth directly opposite the moon. The central line of the Kun trigram represents the essence of Taiyang (the Yang Sun): at the transition between the new moon and the full moon, the sun is directly in the position of Kun, and it channels its energy to the direction of Gui, which is the moon beneath the earth that corresponds with the sun.

徐敬可云：「望夕之陽既盈於甲矣，其夜半日行至壬而月與為衡。日中原有陰魄，所謂離中一陰者，平時含蘊而不出，至是則盛陽將革，又感正對之陰，乃充溢流滋而為生陰之本，故其象為□，即望夕夜半壬方之日也。晦旦之陽既盡於乙矣，其夜半日行至癸而月與同躔。月中原有陽精，所謂坎中一陽者，平時胚渾而不分，至是則盛陰將革，又感摩戛之陽，乃剖發迸洩而為生陽之本，故其象為□，即晦朔間癸方之月也。」故曰「壬癸配甲乙，乾坤括始終」，此尤易象之要樞也。

Xu Jingke said: On the full moon evening, the yang energy has already filled the Jia position. On that night half, the sun moves to the Ren position, while the moon is opposite to it like the two ends of a balance scale. The sun originally contains the yin essence, which is referred to as the yin line in the center of the Li trigram. Usually it is contained and not revealed, but at this time, the yang is about to change, and it responds to the yin opposite, thus overflowing and spreading, becoming the root of the initial yin energy. Therefore, its image is that of the initial emergence of yin, which is the sun at the Ren position on the night of the full moon. On the new moon morning, the yang energy has already exhausted at the Yi position. On that night half, the sun moves to the Gui position, while the moon is at the same degree. The moon originally contains the yang essence, which is referred to as the yang line in the center of the Kan trigram. Usually it is chaotic and unified without separation, but at this time, the yin is about to change, and it responds to the yang that is in contact, thus splitting and bursting forth, becoming the root of the initial yang energy. Therefore, its image is that of the initial emergence of yang, which is the moon at the Gui position during the transition from new moon to full moon. Therefore, the "Cantong Qi" says, "Ren and Gui pair with Jia and Yi, and Qian and Kun encompass the beginning and the end," which is especially the key point of the "Yi" images.

「七八數十五，九六亦相應，四者合三十，陽氣索滅藏」，葢即明堂九室縱橫十五之數。雖不言九宮，而九宮在其中矣。橫言之，二四為六之與九也，三五為八之與七也，一八為九之與六也，七八九六皆十五也；縱言之，三四為七之與八也，一五為六之與九也，二六為八之與七也，七八九六皆十五也；四維斜對言之，二五為七之與八也，四五為九之與六也，七八九六皆十五也。

"Seven and eight add up to fifteen, nine and six also add up accordingly, and the four numbers together make thirty, at which point the yang energy is exhausted and hidden." This is actually referring to the number fifteen obtained by adding the numbers in the rows and columns of the Bright Hall's nine rooms. Although the term "nine palace" is not mentioned, it is already included. In terms of the horizontal rows: two plus four equals six, which pairs with nine; three plus five equals eight, which pairs with seven; one plus eight equals nine, which pairs with six—seven, eight, nine, and six all add up to fifteen. In terms of the vertical columns: three plus four equals seven, which pairs with eight; one plus five equals six, which pairs with nine; two plus six equals eight, which pairs with seven—seven, eight, nine, and six again all add up to fifteen. In terms of the diagonal corners: two plus five equals seven, which pairs with eight; four plus five equals nine, which pairs with six—seven, eight, nine, and six once more all add up to fifteen.

七八數十五，九六數亦十五，合之為三十，當一月之日數。陽氣謂目光也，月本無光，感日之明以為光。明，陽也；魄，陰也。三日生明，十五而望，十六生魄，三十而晦，故曰「四者合三十，陽氣索滅藏」。索者，盡也，謂月所感日之光至是盡滅，全體皆魄也。

The numbers seven and eight add up to fifteen, and nine and six also add up to fifteen. Together they make thirty, which corresponds to the number of days in a month. Here, "yang qi" refers to sunlight (the original text says "guang" which should be "ri guang"). The moon itself does not emit light; it shines by reflecting the brightness of the sun. "Ming" belongs to yang, while "po" belongs to yin. On the third day of the month, the moon's light begins to appear, and on the fifteenth day, it is full, called "wang." On the sixteenth day, the dark "po" starts to grow, and on the thirtieth day, it is completely dark, called "hui." Therefore, it is said that "the four aspects together make thirty, and the yang qi is exhausted and hidden." "Suo" means to reach the end, indicating that the sunlight the moon receives is completely gone at this point, and the entire moon becomes dark "po."

此雖言月體之消長，而未嘗不合於九宮之數。然其卦則以子午為綱，夘酉為緯，所謂「乾坤定上下之位，離坎列左右之門」者是也，與明堂九室之卦位不同。觀漢上納甲圗用乾南坤北、離東坎西之位，則可知矣。彭本有九宮八卦圗，舉二者合而為一，殊覺齟齬。

This discusses the waxing and waning of the moon, yet it is not inconsistent with the numbers of the nine palaces. However, in terms of trigram positions, it takes the Zi and Wu as the main axes, and the Mao and You as the cross lines, which is said to be "the Heaven and Earth trigrams determining the vertical positions, and the Fire and Water trigrams arranging the left and right gates." This is different from the trigram positions of the Bright Hall with nine chambers. Looking at Zhu Zhen's Najia diagram, which places Qian in the south, Kun in the north, Li in the east, and Kan in the west, one can understand this. In Peng Xiao's version, there is a diagram called "Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams," which combines these two systems into one, but they contradict each other and are incompatible.

「上觀天河文，下察地形流」，注家皆以「天河文」為雲漢，「地形流」為海潮。今本云「上觀河圗文」，葢後人妄改，以應九為河圗之說。河圗非天象，安得云「上觀」？其為俗子點竄可知。且淳于叔通《五相類》曰：「法象莫大乎天地兮，玄溝數萬里；河鼓臨星紀兮，人民皆驚駭。」

The original text of the "Cantong Qi" says, "Look up to observe the heavenly river text, and look down to examine the terrain flow." Historically, commentators have interpreted "heavenly river text" as the Milky Way and "terrain flow" as tidal movements. However, the current standard edition reads "Look up to observe the river chart text," which is a later alteration made to conform to the idea that "the number of wearing nine and bearing one comes from the Yellow River Chart." The Yellow River Chart is not a celestial phenomenon, so how can it be "looked up to observe"? This clearly shows that it is a fabrication by the unlearned. Moreover, Chun Yu Shu Tong's "Wu Xiang Lei" states: "There is no greater model to follow than the heavens and earth; the dark ditch extends for tens of thousands of miles; the river drum star is near the Xing Ji constellation, causing people to be greatly alarmed."

俞琰注云：「玄溝者，天河也，自箕尾之間至栁星之分，介斷天盤，不知幾萬里。修丹者法天象地，反身而求，則身中自有一壺天也。河鼓星位在天河邊斗牛之間，星紀，天盤之丑位也。丹法火臨於丑，則驅回尾穴連雲焰，趕入天衢直上奔（其氣自尾閭升於泥丸也），正當斬闗出路之時，一身之人民豈不竦然驚駭乎？」觀此文及注，則天河正有精義，不得作河圗。以是知七八九六，伯陽特以為晦朔弦望之候，雖有「別序斯四象」句，而實於河圗之四象絶無交涉也。

Yu Yan's commentary says: "Xuanguo" refers to the Milky Way, running from between the Tail Mansion and the Winnowing Basket Mansion all the way to the Willow Mansion and the Star Mansion, cutting across the entire Heaven Plate, without knowing how many thousands of miles it spans. Those practicing alchemy take inspiration from heaven and take form from earth, then turn inward to seek within themselves, so that within the body there naturally exists another world. The position of the River Drum Star is on the edge of the Milky Way, between the Dipper Mansion and the Ox Mansion; "Xingji" refers to the position of the Ox in the Heaven Plate. When the fire timing in alchemy reaches the Ox position, it drives back the tail闾穴, ignites a flame that connects to the sky, and sends it up along the celestial path (meaning the energy rises from the tail闾 to the mud ball), which is precisely the time when one cuts through the barriers and takes the direct path. How could the "people" within the body not be startled and frightened? By looking at this passage and its commentary, we can see that the term "Milky Way" indeed has profound meaning and cannot be changed to "Yellow River Chart." From this we can understand that the numbers seven, eight, nine, and six, which Wei Boyang refers to, are merely indicating the times of new moon, full moon, waxing moon, and waning moon. Although there is a sentence saying "another arrangement of these four images," in reality, it has nothing to do with the four images of the Yellow River Chart.

右論月體納甲。

The above is a discussion about the diagram of "Monthly Body Stem Assignment."

呂純陽《沁園春》丹詞（按《宋史·陳摶傳》：闗西逸人呂洞賓，世以為神仙，數來摶齊中。希夷丹道，豈即純陽所授邪？詞云「不因師指，此事爭知」，葢雖有希夷之風骨，不遇神仙終難成就金丹，歲晚無消息，能不重嘆乎）：「七返還丹，在人先須煉已待時。」

Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai Trigrams: Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), Li (Fire), Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), Kan (Water), Gen (Mountain), Kun (Earth) Hu Wei remarked: The "Chen Tuan Biography" in the "Song History" records that Lü Dongbin, a reclusive hermit from Guanxi, was regarded by everyone as a deity. He often visited Chen Tuan's residence. Could Chen Tuan's alchemical practices, known as the Xiyi School, have been passed down by Lü Chunyang? The poem says, "Without a master's guidance, how could one know about this matter?" This shows that even with the noble character of Xiyi, without encountering a divine being, one would still find it difficult to successfully refine the golden elixir. If one reaches old age without any progress, how could one not lament repeatedly? The poem begins by saying, "To return the seven essences and refine the elixir, one must first cultivate oneself and wait for the right time."

石澗俞氏曰：「七，火數也。煉丹之法，其先以紅投黑而生藥，既有藥，然後進火，煉黑入紅而成丹，故曰七返還丹，即非自寅至申之七時也。張紫陽《悟真篇》云『金公本是東家子，送在西鄰寄體生，認得喚來歸舍養，配將奼女作親情』，是此義也。」

Shi Jian Xiansheng Yu Yan explained that seven is the number of fire. The method of alchemy involves first putting red into black to produce the medicine, then using fire to transform black into red and form the elixir, hence called "seven return elixir," not referring to the seven hours from寅 to申. Zhang Ziyang's "Wuzhen Pian" says "Jin Gong is originally the son of the eastern family, sent to be raised by the western neighbor, recognized later and called back to be raised, then paired with Chajun to form a marriage," which explains the same meaning.

《離騷·逺遊》篇云：「毋滑而魂兮，彼將自然；一氣孔神兮，於中夜存；虛以待之兮，無為之先。」即「煉已待時」之謂也。要在收視返聽，寂然不動，凝神於太虛，無一毫雜想，少焉神入氣中，氣與神合，則真息自定，神明自來，不過片晌間耳。邵康節《先天吟》云：「若問先天一字無，後天方要著工夫。」丹法亦然：採藥於先天則無為，進火於後天則有為，不可以一律齊也。

The "Yu You" section of the "Chu Ci" says: "Do not disturb your spirit, let it follow its natural course; the vital energy is extremely profound, cultivating it in the middle of the night; remain quiet and wait for it, do not act prematurely before non-action." This is precisely the meaning of "refining oneself and waiting for the right time." The key lies in withdrawing the senses and turning inward, remaining still and unmoving, gathering the spirit into the great void, with no trace of scattered thoughts; after a while, the spirit enters the qi, and the spirit and qi unite, thus the true breath becomes naturally calm, and the spirit becomes naturally present, which is merely a matter of a moment. Shao Yong's "Earlier Heaven Ode" says: "If you ask about the Earlier Heaven, it is nothing at all; only when reaching the Later Heaven, effort is needed." Alchemical methods are the same: refining the elixir in the Earlier Heaven is "non-action," while advancing the fire in the Later Heaven is "action," and they cannot be treated as the same.

「正一陽初動，中宵漏永，溫溫鉛鼎，光透簾帷。」俞氏曰：「白紫清《珠玉集·丹髓歌》云『煉丹不用尋冬至，身中自有一陽生』，然吾何以知身中之一陽生也？葢彈指聲中巽門豁開，而心覺恍忽之時是也。吾於此時鼓之以槖鑰，煅之以猛火，則真鉛出坎，而河車不敢暫停，直運入崑崙峰頂，乃可以為還丹。邵康節《恍忽吟》云『恍忽陰陽初變化，絪縕天地乍迴旋，中間些子好光景，安得功夫入語言』，非洞曉陰陽造化，疇克知此。」

The text continues: "At the moment when the first yang begins to move, the long sound of the midnight drum echoes, and the lead cauldron in the dantian warms up gently, with light passing through the curtain-like eyelids." Yu Yan explains that Bai Ziqing (Bai Yuchan) in his "Zhu Yu Ji · Dan Sui Ge" says, "One does not need to look for the day of winter solstice to cultivate the elixir; there is already a first yang within the body." Then he asks, how can I know that the yang within my body has already arisen? Generally, it is at the moment when, with a single finger snap, the "Xun gate" suddenly opens and one feels a vague and indistinct sensation. At this time, I use breathing like a bellows to stir it, and use fierce fire to refine it. The true lead comes forth from Kan, and the "He Che" does not stop for a moment, directly transporting it to the summit of Kunlun Mountain. Only then can it be called the return of the elixir. Shao Yong's "Huang Hu Yin" says, "In the vague and indistinct state, yin and yang begin to change; in the misty and ethereal atmosphere, the heavens and earth suddenly rotate. This brief moment of clarity is beyond words." Unless one thoroughly understands the transformation of yin and yang, who could comprehend this.

中宵即半夜子時也。《參同契》云「含元虛危，播精於子」是也。又云「晦朔之間，合符行中」，謂三十日半夜子時之前介乎晦朔之間也。若蹙之於一日，則每夜子時之前即晦朔之間，初不拘於三十日之半夜也。《悟真篇》云「日月三旬一遍逢，以時易日法神功」，其說明矣。鉛即藥也，鼎謂下丹田也。子時將至而陽氣潛萌於其下，所以溫溫也。簾帷者，眼也，垂眼下視有垂簾之象，故曰簾帷。惟丹田有藥而陽氣上升，透於兩睂之間，是以有光也。

"Zhongxiao" refers to the middle of the night, specifically the Zi hour. The "Cantongqi" states, "The original qi is contained within the mansion of Xuxu and Weixu, and the true essence is scattered at the Zi position," which refers to this. It also says, "At the meeting of the waning moon and the new moon, they align and move along the central path," meaning that before the Zi hour in the middle of the night, one is situated between the waning and new moon. If we compress a month into a single day, then the time before the Zi hour each night is considered the "meeting of the waning and new moon," and this is not limited to the middle of the night on the thirtieth day. The "Wuzhenpian" says, "The sun and moon meet once every thirty days, using hours to replace days, a profound method," which explains this principle. "Lead" refers to the medicine, and "ding" refers to the lower dantian. As the Zi hour approaches and yang qi begins to quietly rise in the lower part, it is said to be "wen wen," meaning warm. "Lianwei" refers to the eyes; lowering the eyelids and looking downward is like hanging a curtain, hence the term "Lianwei." Because there is medicine in the dantian and yang qi rises, reaching between the eyebrows, there is thus a glow.

「造化爭馳，虎龍交媾，進火工夫牛斗危。」俞氏曰：「造化爭馳，謂坤之末、復之初也。《參同契》云『龍呼於虎，虎吸龍精，兩相飲食，俱相吞併』，作丹之時，要在心息相依，然後神凝氣聚，交媾而為藥。陳朝元《玉芝書》云『玄黃若也無交媾，爭得陽從坎下飛』，故必陰陽交媾，丹田有藥，乃可以進火也。」

The text continues: "The vital energy of creation is in constant motion; the tiger and dragon meet, and the fire must be applied in the directions of the constellations Cow, Dou, and Wei." Yu Yan explains that "the vital energy of creation is in constant motion" refers to the moment at the end of the Kun hexagram and the beginning of the Fu hexagram. The "Shentingqi" says, "The dragon calls to the tiger, the tiger absorbs the dragon's essence, and they mutually consume each other, each devouring the other." When forming the elixir, the key is for the mind and breathing to be in harmony, then the spirit gathers and the energy accumulates, merging to form the elixir. Chen Chao Yuan's "Yuzhi Book" states, "If the dark and the yellow have not yet merged, how can the yang energy rise from beneath the Kan position?" Therefore, it is necessary for yin and yang to merge and for the dantian to have the elixir before proceeding with the fire.

牛斗危，乃身中火候之方位，謂進火工夫至寅而般運，如天之生物胚胎於子，至寅而出也。《參同契》云「始於東北，箕斗之鄉，旋而右轉，嘔輪吐萌」，《翠虛篇》云「有一子母分胎路，妙在尾箕斗牛女」，與此同旨。

"The positions of 'Ox, Dipper, and Hazard' refer to the internal fire energy within the body. It means that the practice of entering the fire should begin at the position of 'Yin' before the movement of energy can commence. This is analogous to how heaven and earth nurture all things; at the position of 'Zi', the embryo is formed, and at the position of 'Yin', it begins to sprout. The 'Compendium of the Supreme Harmony' states, 'It begins in the Northeast, in the mansions of 'Winnowing Basket' and 'Dipper', then turns right and exhales a sprout like a wheel.' The 'Green Void Chapter' says, 'There is a path of mother and child differentiation in the womb, its subtlety lies between the mansions of 'Tail', 'Winnowing Basket', 'Dipper', 'Ox', and 'Woman.' This is the same meaning."

「曲江上，見月華瑩淨，有個烏飛。」俞氏曰：「《翠虛篇》云『西南路上月華明，大藥還從此處生』，記得古人詩一句『曲江之上鵲橋橫』。古仙本以小腸有九盤十二曲，是為曲江，而《翠虛》又以西南路上發明其說，可謂深切著明矣。葢西南屬坤，坤為腹，藥生於丹田之時，陽氣上達麗於目而有光，故自目至臍一路皆虛白晃耀，如月華之明也。有個烏飛者，身中之天地交、坎離合，二氣絪縕，結成一滴露珠而飛落丹田中也。陳希夷《指玄篇》云『有個烏飛入桂宮』，《翠虛篇》云『紅蓮含蕊露珠凝碧，飛落華池滴滴』。」

The text also says: "On the curve of the river, one sees the moonlight clear and bright, with a crow flying by." Yu Yan explains that the "Cui Xu Chapter" says, "On the road to the southwest, the moonlight is bright, and the great elixir arises from here." He also recalls an old poem that says, "On the curve of the river, the magpie bridge is stretched across." Ancient immortal masters originally called the small intestine, which has nine twists and twelve bends, the "curve river," and the "Cui Xu Chapter" uses "on the road to the southwest" to elaborate on this idea, which can be said to be very clear and thorough. Generally speaking, the southwest belongs to the Earth, which corresponds to the abdomen; when the elixir is generated in the dantian, the yang energy rises and attaches to the eyes, thus producing light. Therefore, the path from the eyes to the navel is bright and clear, shining like moonlight. The phrase "there is a crow flying" refers to the union of heaven and earth within the body, the meeting of the kan and li energies, with the two kinds of qi mingling and colliding, condensing into a drop of dew that flies down to the dantian. Chen Tuan's "Zhi Xuan Chapter" says, "A crow flies into the osmanthus palace," and the "Cui Xu Chapter" says, "Red lotus holds its flower bud, dewdrops condense into green, dripping drop by drop into the huachi."

「當時自飲刀圭（謂但以服食為事），又誰信無中養就兒（即所謂三家相見結嬰兒也）。」俞氏曰：「金丹大道，至簡至易，於無中生有，養就嬰兒。如涕唾精津氣血液之類，止可按助以為階梯，非丹質也。學者局於管見，往往以先入之說為主，更不肻參究丹書，雖有道者欲與開發，孰為之信？《翠虛篇》云『怪事敎人笑幾回，男兒今也會懷胎，自家精血自交結，身裡夫妻是妙哉』。葢夫婦即陰陽之異名，非真有所謂夫婦也。或者偏執竹破竹補之說，遂謂以人補人，而專意於三峰邪術，又安信金丹乃清淨無為之道，而專於無中生有哉！」

The text also says: "At that time, I drank the knife and jade (meaning I regarded taking the elixir as the main pursuit), but who would believe that an infant was born from 'nothingness' (referring to the earlier mention of the meeting of three families to form the infant)." Yu Yan explains that the great way of the golden elixir is extremely simple and easy, it is to produce 'being' from 'nothingness,' and to nurture the infant. As for things like snot, saliva, semen, body fluids, breath, blood, and body fluids, they can only be used as auxiliary means, as the initial steps for beginners, but they are not the essence of the elixir. Those who practice the Dao are often confined by narrow views, and are often dominated by previous notions, unwilling to investigate the alchemical texts. Even if there are those who have attained the Dao and wish to guide them, who would believe them? The "Cui Xu Chapter" says, "Strange things have made people laugh many times, now men can also become pregnant, their own semen and blood unite on their own, the true couple within the body is indeed wonderful." Here, the term 'couple' is merely another name for yin and yang, and there is no real couple. Some people cling to the saying 'when bamboo breaks, use bamboo to mend it,' thinking that 'using human to mend human' is possible, and focus solely on perverse practices like the three peaks. How could they believe that the golden elixir is actually a path of purity and non-action, focusing on producing 'being' from 'nothingness'?

「辨水源清濁，木金間隔，不因師指，此事爭知。」俞氏曰：「人身有一物，分而為二，其浮者為木，沈者為金，一東一西，故謂之間隔。若得斗柄之機斡運，使之上下循環，如天河之流轉，則木性愛金，金情戀木，而刑德並會，不間隔矣。」

The text also says: "To distinguish the clarity and turbidity of water, wood and metal are separated from each other; without the guidance of a master, how could one know about this matter?" Yu Yanyi explains that a single thing in the human body splits into two parts: the light one is wood, the heavy one is metal, one located in the east and the other in the west, hence called 'separation.' If one can obtain the pivot of the Big Dipper's handle to regulate and coordinate them, making them circulate up and down like the Milky Way, then the nature of wood will love metal, and the affection of metal will cherish wood, with punishment and virtue coming together, thus eliminating separation.

（按：人身之水有清有濁，東坡《天慶觀乳泉賦》謂若汗、血、涕、洟、涎、沬之類，皆水之外騖者，一出而不復返；唯華池之真液，下湧於舌底而上流於牙頰，甘而不壞，白而不濁，宜古之仙者以是為金丹之祖、長生不死之藥也。故水源之清濁不可以不辨。木金間隔，即東家西鄰之謂。）

Hu Wei commented: The water in the human body is either clear or turbid. Su Shi's "Tianqingguan Ruyuan Fu" says that things like sweat, blood, tears, nasal mucus, saliva, and spittle are all waters that flow outward, once they flow out, they never return. Only the true liquid in the "Huachi" rises from beneath the tongue root and ascends between the teeth and cheeks, sweet and not spoiled, white in color and not turbid. That is why ancient immortals regarded it as the ancestor of the golden elixir and the elixir for eternal life. Therefore, it is essential to distinguish the clarity and turbidity of the water source. As for "mu jin ganjie," it refers to the meaning of "the eastern neighbor" and "the western neighbor" mentioned earlier.

《悟真篇》云：「饒君聰慧過顏閔，不遇真人莫強猜。」葢丹經所陳，或假物以明理，或設象以寓意，名義不同，學者卒然讀之，莫不有望洋之嘆。且以五行言之，或曰金木，或曰水土，或曰水火，或曰金火，或曰金水，或曰木火，或曰水土，使人心目俱眩，誠不易知也。

The "Wuzhen Pan" says: "Even if your wisdom surpasses Yan Hui and Min Ziqian, without meeting a true master, do not force your guesses." Generally speaking, the Daoist scriptures often explain their teachings by using external things or setting up symbols to convey profound meanings. The names and meanings vary, and scholars, upon first reading them, feel overwhelmed, as if looking at the sea from the shore. Take the Five Phases for example. Sometimes they talk about metal and wood, sometimes about water and soil, sometimes about water and fire, sometimes about metal and fire, sometimes about metal and water, sometimes about wood and fire, and sometimes about water and soil. This makes it very confusing and difficult to understand.

「道要玄微，天機深逺，下手速修猶太遲。」俞氏曰：「丹道之要有二：曰交媾，曰進火。雖有先後次序，要皆一片功夫。天機謂半夜子陽初動之時也。天機將至，人能動吾之機以應之，則天人合發，內外相符，結而為丹矣。雖曰一日十二時，凡相交處亦皆可為，而古仙必用半夜子陽初動之時者，其時太陽正在北方，而人身氣到尾閭闗，葢與天時相應，所謂盜天地、奪造化，惟此時為然。乃若丑時則太陽已偏，人身之氣已過尾閭矣；寅時則太陽已出地，人身之氣已過腎堂矣，皆不可用也。《玉芝書》云『凡煉丹隨子時陽氣而起火，其火方全；餘外別時起火，其火不全』，斯言盡之矣。」

The text also says: "The essence of the great way is profound and subtle, and the heavenly mechanism is deep and remote. Even if one starts practicing immediately, it would still be too late." Yu Yan explains that the key points of the alchemical path are two: one is "union," and the other is "furnace fire." Although there is a sequence, in reality they are one continuous practice. "Heavenly mechanism" refers to the moment at the beginning of the Zi hour when the first yang energy begins to stir. When the heavenly mechanism approaches, a person can start their own mechanism to correspond with it, which means that heaven and humanity act together, and internal and external aspects align, thus forming the elixir. Although there are twelve hours in a day, and any time when yin and yang intersect can be used, ancient immortals always chose the moment of the first yang stirring at the Zi hour, because at that time the sun was in the north, and the person's qi was exactly passing through the tail闾 gate, corresponding with the heavenly timing. This is called "stealing from heaven and earth, seizing the process of creation," which can only be done at this time. As for the Chou hour, the sun has already moved away, and the person's qi has passed the tail闾 gate; at the Yin hour, the sun has already risen above the horizon, and the person's qi has passed the kidney hall, so they cannot be used. The "Yuzhi Book" says, "Whenever one practices alchemy, one must start the fire according to the yang energy of the Zi hour; only then can the fire be complete. If one starts the fire at other hours, the fire will not be complete." These words fully explain the principle.

「蓬萊路，仗三千行滿，獨步雲歸。」（尸解則能輕舉，然只成地仙，故歸名山洞府也。）俞氏曰：「三千行滿，謂九年三千日也。三千日內，務要積功累行，十二時中不可須臾離道。劉虛谷《還丹篇》云『大功欲就三千日，妙用無虧十二時』是也。丹法片晌結胎，百日而功靈，週年而胎圎，九年而行滿，皆有程度，決無今日遇師、明日便能成仙之理。當知一年而小成，九年而大變：始而易氣，次而易血，次而易脈，次而易肉，次而易髓，次而易筋，次而易骨，次而易髮，次而易形，積九年而閱九變，煉盡純陰，變成純陽，然後可以遺世獨立，羽化而登仙也。」

The passage concludes by saying: "The path to Penglai is only possible through the completion of three thousand days of meritorious deeds, allowing one to return alone upon clouds." (Hu Wei notes: "Although the body can be lightened and one can fly, this only results in becoming a terrestrial immortal, so the final resting place is in a famous mountain cave dwelling.") Yu Yan explains that "three thousand days" refers to nine years of three thousand days. Within these three thousand days, one must accumulate merit and cultivate diligently, without leaving the Dao for even a moment in the twelve hours of each day. Liu Xugü's "Huan Dan Chapter" states, "Great achievements require three thousand days, and the wonderful application is not lost in the twelve hours," which is precisely this meaning. In alchemy, the fetus is formed in an instant, becomes effective after one hundred days, is fully mature after one year, and is completed after nine years, with a clear progression. There is no such thing as becoming an immortal simply by meeting a master today and achieving immortality tomorrow. One must understand that one year represents a small achievement, while nine years is a great transformation: first changing the breath, then the blood, then the pulse, then the flesh, then the marrow, then the sinews, then the bones, then the hair, and finally the body. After nine years of experiencing nine transformations, all the pure yin is refined into pure yang, and then one can transcend the worldly realm, stand independently, and ascend to immortality.

渭按：丹家之煉已，一曰交媾，亦曰生藥、採藥，又曰作丹，此其事在亥子之交，《參同契》云「晦朔之間，合符行中，混沌洪蒙，牝牡相從」是也；進火一曰起火，此其事在子丑之會，《參同契》云「始於東北，箕斗之鄉，旋而右轉，嘔輪吐萌」是也。陳致虛云「人先須養性，乃可修命，臨爐一差百錯，總由煉已無功」，言生藥不可不早也；俞琰云「丹法火臨於丑，則驅回尾穴連雲焰，趕入天衢直上奔」，言進火不可不力也。

Hu Wei comments: The Daoist alchemists refer to "refining oneself" as "coitus," also called "producing medicine," "collecting medicine," and "making the elixir." This process occurs at the time between the亥 and子 hours. The "Chen Tong Qi" says, "At the meeting of the waning moon and the new moon, the symbols meet and proceed along the middle path, in a state of chaos and primordial unity, with yin and yang following each other," which refers to this. "Advancing the fire" is also called "starting the fire," and this occurs at the time between the子 and丑 hours. The "Chen Tong Qi" says, "It begins in the northeast region of Ji and Dou, then turns right, exhaling a sprout like a wheel," which refers to this. Chen Zhi Xu says, "One must first cultivate virtue before one can cultivate destiny; if one starts at the furnace with even a slight error, it will lead to a great mistake, entirely because refining oneself is not done thoroughly," which means that collecting the medicine must not be delayed. Yu Yan says, "In alchemy, when the fire reaches the position of丑, it drives back the single hole of the tail闾, ignites a continuous flame, and rushes up the celestial path," which means that advancing the fire must not be done with weak effort.

其於天地之撰、陰陽之義、水火之情、日月之運，亦可謂探其微而抉其奧矣。惜乎其以聖人之大道而小試之也！惜乎其以聖人之公心而私用之也！聖人能盡其性則能盡人物之性，贊天地之化育，何其大也；丹家之功效止於一身，小之至矣。孔子曰「死生有命」，又曰「朝聞道，夕死可矣」；孟子曰「夭壽不貳，修身以俟之」；張子曰「存吾順事，沒吾寧也」。聖人於死生之際如是而已，何其公也；丹家日孳孳唯以長生久視為念，私亦甚矣。故謂丹道出於易則可，謂聖人之作易意在明丹道則不可也。

The alchemists have also explored the structure of heaven and earth, the principles of yin and yang, the nature of water and fire, and the movement of the sun and moon. They can be said to have reached the subtle and uncovered the profound mysteries. Unfortunately, they took the great way of the sages and used it for minor experiments. They took the public spirit of the sages and used it for private purposes. A sage who fully understands his own nature can fully understand the nature of others and all things, participating in and assisting the transformation of heaven and earth. How grand this is! The achievements of the alchemists are limited to their own bodies, which is truly insignificant. Confucius said, "Death and life are determined by destiny," and also said, "If I hear the great way in the morning, I can die at night." Mencius said, "Whether one lives a short or long life, one does not change his aspirations; he cultivates himself and waits for destiny." Zhang Zai said, "When I am alive, I follow the course of things; when I die, I find peace." The attitude of the sages toward life and death is like this, how just it is! The alchemists, however, constantly strive day and night, always thinking only of longevity and immortality, which is too selfish. Therefore, it is acceptable to say that the alchemy comes from the Book of Changes, but it is not acceptable to say that the sage composed the Book of Changes with the intention of explaining alchemy.

右論煉已進火。

The above is a discussion on the two alchemical techniques known as "refining the self" and "advancing the fire."