或问∶紫阳师曰，炼气者，炼元气，非呼吸之气。然则元气恶乎在耶？曰∶元者混于杳冥恍惚之
中，而实不离于呼吸之气者也。朱紫阳曰∶天地只是一气，自今年冬至到明年冬至，唯这一个呼吸，
呼是阳，吸是阴。玄同子曰∶呼乃气之出，故属冬至之后，大则为天地一岁之呼吸，是以仙家千绪万
端，譬喻不过呼吸二字而已。问∶人身一呼一吸谓之一息，而经言调真息，又言胎息，果呼吸之息欤？
曰∶人身一日，一万三千五百呼，一万三千五百吸，一呼一吸，谓之一息。《丹经》曰∶天地呼吸于
内，故长久。人能效天地呼吸于内，亦可与天地同其长久。但常人之息以喉，则元气亦随之而出耳。
且以调息之法言之，盖调久则神愈凝，气愈
微，久之又久，则鼻息全无呼吸，止有微息在脐上往来，与婴儿在母腹中一般，所以谓之胎息
。乃神气大定，自然而然，非有作为也。然此要在忘机绝念做工夫，故曰∶心定则息自调，静
久则息自定。修炼至于胎息，而后气归元海。气归元海而寿无穷矣。世有教人抑息者，抑则勉强
以制之，非自然之妙也。《丹经》曰，服气不伏气，伏气非服气，服气不长生，长生须伏气。盖
服者如鱼吞水，入者即出，不能存也；伏者如猫捕鼠，使气不走泄，结而成丹即含光，所谓内气不
出，外气不入也。或又问∶紫阳师云炼神者，炼元神，非思虑之神。二者果有异乎？曰∶心也，性
也，神也，一也。以其禀受于天，一点灵明谓之元神；后来为情识所移，则此 没于其中，遂成思
虑之神。其实元神浑浑沦沦，不亏不欠。人能回光返照，去其情识，则此思虑者，莫非元神之妙用
矣。或曰∶精气神之在人也，均谓之宝，均所当重也。然紫阳师以神为君，以精为主。夫人之有身，
动静语默，皆此气为之运用，是故气聚成形，气散则绝命，气独非人之本乎？曰∶精神固非二物，
神气原不相离，三者一以贯之者也。而元精、元气、元神主宰于其间，自然相生而不穷耳。故紫阳
师云∶元神见则元气生，元气生则元精产。是以元精炼交感精，以元气炼呼吸气，以元神炼思虑神
，二物混成，与道合真，自然元精固而交感之精不漏，元气住而呼吸之气不出，元神全而思虑之神
不起。修丹者，修此三者，故全也。
有人问：“紫阳祖师说，炼气，是炼元气，而不是呼吸之气。那么元气在哪里呢？”回答说：“元者混杂在幽深恍惚的状态中，但实际上并不离开呼吸之气。”朱紫阳说：“天地只是一气，从今年冬至到明年冬至，只有这一个呼吸，呼属于阳，吸属于阴。”玄同子说：“呼是气的排出，所以归属于冬至之后，宏观上是天地一年的呼吸，因此仙家千头万绪的比喻，不过就是‘呼吸’这两个字罢了。”又问：“人身的一呼一吸称为一息，而经典中说调真息，又说胎息，这确实是呼吸之息吗？”回答说：“人身一天，有一万三千五百次呼，一万三千五百次吸，一呼一吸，称为一息。《丹经》说：天地在内呼吸，所以长久。人如果能像天地一样在内呼吸，也可以与天地同样长久。只是常人的呼吸停留在喉咙，那么元气也随之而出。况且用调息的方法来论述，大概调得久了，神就越加凝聚，气就越加微弱，久而久之，鼻子的呼吸完全停止，只有微弱的呼吸在肚脐上来往，就像婴儿在母腹中一样，所以称之为胎息。这是神气大定，自然而然的结果，不是有意造作的。然而这关键在于忘记机巧、断绝杂念下功夫，所以说：心定则呼吸自然调和，静久则呼吸自然安定。修炼达到胎息境界后，气就回归元海。气回归元海就能寿命无穷。世上有教导人抑制呼吸的，抑制则是勉强控制它，不是自然的妙处。《丹经》说：服气不等于伏气，伏气不是服气，服气不能长生，长生必须伏气。大概‘服’就像鱼吞水，进去即出来，不能存留；‘伏’就像猫捕鼠，使气不泄漏，结而成丹就是含光，所谓内气不出，外气不入。”又有人问：“紫阳祖师说炼神，是炼元神，而不是思虑之神。这两者果然有区别吗？”回答说：“心、性、神，是一体的。因为它禀受于天，一点灵明叫做元神；后来被情识所移转，这点灵明就淹没在其中，于是成为思虑之神。其实元神浑厚混沌，不亏不欠。人能回光返照，去除情识，那么这些思虑，无非是元神的妙用罢了。”有人说：“精、气、神在人身上，都称为宝，都应当重视。然而紫阳祖师以神为君，以精为主。人有身体，动静言语沉默，都是这个气在运用，所以气聚集成形，气散则生命终结，气难道不是人的根本吗？”回答说：“精神和气固然不是两样东西，神和气原本不相分离，三者是一以贯之的。而元精、元气、元神主宰其间，自然相生而不穷尽。所以紫阳祖师说：元神显现则元气产生，元气产生则元精产出。因此用元精炼化交感精，用元气炼化呼吸气，用元神炼化思虑神，二物混成，与道合真，自然元精固守而交感之精不漏泄，元气驻留而呼吸之气不外出，元神完备而思虑之神不起。修丹的人，修的就是这三者，所以说是全。”
A question was asked: "Master Ziyang said that refining Qi (vital energy) refers to refining Yuan Qi (primordial energy), not the breath of respiration. Then where is Yuan Qi located?" The answer was: "Yuan exists mixed within a state of profound obscurity and vagueness, yet it does not truly depart from the breath of respiration." Zhu Ziyang stated: "Heaven and Earth are but one Qi. From this year's Winter Solstice to next year's Winter Solstice, there is only this one respiration. Exhalation belongs to Yang, inhalation belongs to Yin." Xuantong Zi said: "Exhalation is the emission of Qi, thus it is associated with the period after the Winter Solstice. Macroscopically, it is the annual respiration of Heaven and Earth. Therefore, the myriad metaphors used by immortals boil down to just the two characters 'respiration'." Another question arose: "One exhalation and one inhalation in the human body constitute one breath (xi). Yet scriptures speak of regulating the True Breath (Zhen Xi) and mention Fetal Breathing (Tai Xi). Are these indeed merely respiratory breaths?" The response was: "In a day, the human body exhales thirteen thousand five hundred times and inhales thirteen thousand five hundred times. One exhalation and one inhalation constitute one breath. The *Dan Jing* (Scripture of Alchemy) states: 'Heaven and Earth breathe internally, thus they endure long. If humans can also breathe internally like Heaven and Earth, they too can share their longevity.' However, ordinary people's breathing remains at the throat, causing Yuan Qi to exit along with it. Regarding the method of regulating breath: generally, the longer one regulates, the more concentrated the Shen (spirit) becomes, and the subtler the Qi becomes. After a long time, nasal respiration ceases entirely, leaving only subtle movements of Qi above the navel, similar to an infant in the mother's womb; hence it is called Fetal Breathing. This is a natural state of great stability of Shen and Qi, not achieved through forced action. However, this requires effort in forgetting worldly schemes and cutting off distracting thoughts. Thus it is said: 'When the mind is settled, the breath naturally harmonizes; when stillness endures, the breath naturally stabilizes.' Upon reaching the stage of Fetal Breathing in cultivation, Qi returns to the Yuan Sea (Primordial Sea). When Qi returns to the Yuan Sea, lifespan becomes infinite. There are those in the world who teach suppressing the breath; suppression involves forcing control, which is not the subtlety of nature. The *Dan Jing* says: 'Taking in Qi (Fu Qi) is not subduing Qi (Fu Qi); subduing Qi is not taking in Qi. Taking in Qi does not lead to longevity; longevity requires subduing Qi.' 'Taking in' is like a fish swallowing water—entering and immediately exiting, unable to be retained. 'Subduing' is like a cat catching a mouse—preventing Qi from leaking, condensing it into the Elixir, which is termed 'Containing Light,' meaning internal Qi does not exit and external Qi does not enter." Another question was posed: "Master Ziyang said that refining Shen refers to refining Yuan Shen (primordial spirit), not the thinking spirit (Silu Shen). Do these two indeed differ?" The answer was: "Xin (heart/mind), Xing (nature), and Shen are one. Because it is endowed by Heaven, a spark of spiritual clarity is called Yuan Shen; later, when shifted by emotional cognition, this clarity becomes submerged within it, thereby becoming the Thinking Spirit. In reality, Yuan Shen is thick and chaotic, neither deficient nor excessive. If a person can turn the light inward to reflect upon themselves and eliminate emotional cognition, then all such thinking becomes the wondrous application of Yuan Shen." Someone remarked: "Jing (essence), Qi, and Shen in humans are all called treasures and should all be valued. Yet Master Ziyang regards Shen as the ruler and Jing as the foundation. Since the human body, in movement, stillness, speech, and silence, is operated by this Qi, so that when Qi gathers it forms shape, and when Qi scatters life ends, is Qi not the root of humanity?" The reply was: "Although Jing and Shen are not two separate things, and Shen and Qi are originally inseparable, the three are integrated by one principle. Yuan Jing, Yuan Qi, and Yuan Shen govern the process between them, naturally generating each other without end. Thus Master Ziyang said: 'When Yuan Shen appears, Yuan Qi arises; when Yuan Qi arises, Yuan Jing is produced.' Therefore, one uses Yuan Jing to refine Ganjiao Jing (generative essence), Yuan Qi to refine Huxi Qi (respiratory Qi), and Yuan Shen to refine Silu Shen (thinking spirit). When these two aspects merge into one and unite with the Dao, naturally Yuan Jing is solidified and Ganjiao Jing does not leak, Yuan Qi resides and Respiratory Qi does not escape, and Yuan Shen is complete so Thinking Spirit does not arise. Those who cultivate the Elixir cultivate these three aspects, thus achieving wholeness."