典藏书目

Having seen the white snow planting in the green cinnabar, one must carefully balance cold and heat without error.
When the thirty-six palaces are filled with the spring of life, naturally there is a path to sail the immortal raft.

"White snow planting cinnabar" refers to the combination of Metal Lead (Jin Qian, representing White Tiger/Qing) and Wood Mercury (Mu Gong, representing Green Dragon/Xing). One must regulate cold and heat, nurturing the green cinnabar with warmth. "Warmth" means preventing it from becoming too hot. If too cold, the water cools, and the elixir will not condense; if too hot, the fire becomes dry, and the elixir may scorch. Therefore, the method of "warm nourishment" involves gentle cultivation, allowing natural transformation, like heaven nourishing all things with timely rain; like a mother carrying a child, with regulated rest and activity; like a dragon guarding its pearl, lying dormant and still; like a hen brooding eggs, with unceasing warmth. At Zi hour (11 PM–1 AM), advance the fire (Yang Fire); at Wu hour (11 AM–1 PM), withdraw the talisman (Yin Talisman). During other times, regulate the breath continuously, seeming to exist yet not exist. Banish delusional thoughts, appearing foolish and taciturn. The ancients said: "Gathering herbs takes only a moment, combining mercury requires ten months." They also said: "After ten months the fetus is complete, entering the foundation of sainthood." Without skillful warm nourishment, how can the fetal essence be perfected?

The "thirty-six palaces" refer to the 360 degrees of the Microcosmic Orbit (Zhou Tian). After completing each orbit, one rests. The orbit has its course, and warm nourishment has its measure; one must nurture sufficiently to form the Sacred Fetus. The specific details and measurements within are not recorded on bamboo or silk for fear of leaking heavenly secrets.

Alas! The immortal raft is not far, and there is a path to ascend to heaven. The problem lies in people failing to cultivate virtue and swear to heaven, and failing to seek with an empty heart and sincere intent.

When kung fu reaches this stage, do not be careless; spirit and breath should be continuous, merging with the Great Void.
Ask what nurturing the fetus resembles? It is as if before parents had given birth initially.

After the elixir condenses, spirit adheres to qi to consolidate, and qi follows spirit to move. Like human pregnancy, it is called a "fetus." It is not a physical fetus, but rather the abode where spirit and breath reside. Essentially, the fetus is the mansion storing spirit, and breath is the source transforming into the fetus. The fetus arises from breath, and breath resides because of the fetus. The fetus cannot form without breath, and breath lacks a master without spirit. When spirit and breath rely on each other, this is true "Fetal Breath" (Tai Xi). When kung fu reaches this point, one must not be negligent. One must forget forms and body, aligning the physique with the Great Void, so that true breath comes and goes continuously, seeming to exist yet not exist, forgotten yet present, like fish in a spring pond, like hibernating insects. Exhalation reaches the root, inhalation reaches the tip. All day long, one remains confused and undifferentiated, just as in the womb before birth. Lady Bu'er stated: "Every breath returns to the beginning," which is exactly this. When breath stops and pulses cease, spirit becomes settled. Only when spirit is settled can one exit meditation, and only then is the Sacred Fetus completed.