Chapter 10
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Qi Wuhuo sat beside the stone table, and the old man served him a cup of tea.
The aroma of the tea filled his senses, it seemed to split into two effects: one calmed and settled the mind, while the other penetrated the forehead, gradually soothing the scattered, painfully throbbing mind, alleviating the previous suffering.
Once the old man saw that he had regained his composure, he began to speak softly:
“The Dao arises from the void and generates the Primordial Qi, which then produces Yin and Yang.”
“Yin and Yang then combine to form the Three Treasures, and the Three Treasures give rise to and rejuvenate all things.”
“You must remember firmly; this is the core principle of my lineage…”
Qi Wuhuo asked: “Core principle?”
The old man stroked his beard and replied: “To control all laws and unify them into one is the core principle.”
“Though this isn’t a method of cultivation per se, it points directly to the Great Dao.”
“You need to remember it firmly to avoid making mistakes that cannot be made up for in this lifetime. Therefore, I am sharing it with you in advance.”
“As for the teachings I will impart…”
The old man stroked his beard again, pointing at Qi Wuhuo:
“The Great Dao of the world: One generates Two, Two generates Three, and Three generates all things.”
“The Qi of Heaven and Earth is divided into Yin and Yang. Within the body, Yin and Yang are represented by the heart as the essence and the kidneys as the life; the heart corresponds to Li and is Yang, while the kidneys correspond to Kan and are Yin. Yin and Yang give rise to the Three Treasures, namely Essence, Qi, and Spirit.”
[TL_Note: Li -> Fire , Kan -> Water ]
“Practitioners must understand this process of creation and then cultivate it in reverse.”
“Return the three to two, transform two into one, and let the one return to the Dao.”
“The foundational practice of our Daoist sect is called [Ming Gong]. It involves cultivating Essence, Qi, and Spirit to the limit of life, then merging them into Yin and Yang, which constitutes the Yuan Qi Primordial Spirit. The Yuan Qi Primordial Spirit is then unified into one, which signifies stepping onto the Great Dao, transitioning from the realm of existence to the realm of non-existence.”
[TL_Note: Yuan Qi -> Original Qi, Primordial Spirit -> Yang Shen]
“Your mind and spirit have already been well-cultivated. Next, you can focus on nourishing your essence and then transforming it into Qi.”
Qi Wuhuo asked: “Qi, does it refer to the Qi of breathing?”
The old man shook his head with a smile. “Breath? That’s incorrect.”
“Upper-grade elixir has three parts: Spirit, Essence, and Qi—faint and elusive, vague and mysterious.”
“Essence here is not the same as sexual essence.”
“Qi is not the same as breathing.”
“Spirit is not mere thought.”
“That belongs to the realm of external methods.”
“In our Daoist tradition, Qi (氣) is considered acquired or postnatal, while Qi (炁) is considered innate or prenatal. Although the pronunciation of the two characters is the same, their meanings are completely different in the Daoist scriptures.”
“Cultivation involves Qi (炁), while regulating breath involves Qi (氣).”
“Refining Essence into Qi is the path of martial practitioners while refining Essence into Qi (炁) is the key method of Daoists.”
[TL_Note: Martial practitioners work with postanal qi and Daoists with innate qi]
“Innate Qi is the source of the elixir, and ‘elixir’ here signifies completeness. It signifies the process of ‘one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three’, ultimately returning to the Dao’s void and nothingness.”
Though the old man claimed he would only teach one method, in truth, the teachings about Daoist practice and lineage involve detailed and nuanced explanations. Each phrase carries profound meaning, and thus he meticulously conveyed the foundational principles.
“The first stage of Daoist cultivation is known as [Three Talents Complete], also referred to as [Cultivating the Three Flowers].”
“Whether one seeks the Dao or becoming an immortal, the first step cannot be avoided. One must cultivate Essence, Qi, and Spirit to their utmost limit, achieving Complete Essence, Complete Spirit, and Complete Qi.”
The old man pointed to the upper, middle, and lower dantian of Qi Wuhuo:
“It is called ‘Complete’ because in life, one experiences various things—illness, staying up late, sitting for long periods, injuries—resulting in damage to Essence, Qi, and Spirit, which are not in their optimal state.”
“This step requires gradual nourishment.”
“Only with time can it be achieved.”
“Once you have achieved the perfection of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, you can then combine them to form Innate Qi. Even if you are unable to merge them into Innate Qi, you will still be able to live to the maximum human lifespan.”
Qi Wuhuo asked: “The limit of lifespan?”
“Yes, due to individual differences in physical bodies, one can expect to live between 120 to 130 years, after which they will enjoy a lifetime free of worries, illness, and pain. They would pass away peacefully in their sleep, with black hair, intact teeth, and unwrinkled skin at the time of death. This is why it is referred to as [Complete]’.”
“One can achieve complete longevity.”
Qi Wuhuo pondered and asked: “So, if one has not reached the state of complete Essence, Qi, and Spirit, is it still possible to attempt to condense them?”
The old man smiled and said, “Cultivating the Great Dao is a long and arduous path, and naturally, there will be those who seek shortcuts. They often focus on cultivating one aspect of Essence, Qi, or Spirit to an extremely high level, while relying on the other two to support it. This allows them to quickly cross the realm of the Three Talents Complete and develop supernatural powers.”
“While quick, this method cannot be sustained.”
“Such shortcuts might allow one to dominate a region for a time and claim to be a true immortal, but as one progresses in their cultivation, the drawbacks of these shortcuts become increasingly apparent. Perhaps thirty or fifty years later, they will still not be able to surpass this realm.”
“Hence, it is called a side path or a heretical way.”
“Although there are many kinds of supernatural abilities, their lifespan may not necessarily be much greater than that of a practitioner who follows the proper cultivation path of the Three Talents Complete stage and it may even be shorter. Many practitioners, unable to endure the loneliness and the temptation to display their talents publicly, end up taking this path, only to ultimately face regret.”
“Wuhuo, you must remember…”
The old man pointed to the trees nearby:
“Our goal as cultivators, is to reach higher realms, just like this tree—its roots must dig deeper into the earth while its branches stretch ever upward. All the various supernatural powers and methods are merely the fruits that naturally grow during the process of cultivation.”
“To blindly pursue these supernatural powers is like a tree using all its nutrients to produce fruit. How, then, can it grow into a towering tree?”
“Cultivators must remember this, beware of it, and be cautious!”
The old man stroked his beard and said: “Alright, now sit cross-legged here. I will pass on a mantra for breathing and nourishing Qi. First, you must nourish and fully develop your postnatal Qi. Only then can you gather and form the innate Qi in the future, and eventually have the chance to reach the realm of Cultivating the Three Flowers.”
Qi Wuhuo sat cross-legged as the old man instructed, with his five hearts facing the sky.
[TL_Note: Heart of the palms, heart of the feet, and the heart in his chest]
Then the old man pointed with a finger toward Qi Wuhuo’s Dantian without touching it. Inside Qi Wuhuo’s body, the flow of his blood and flesh naturally gave rise to faint threads of energy, which then accompanied his body’s vital energy within his physical form. The old man said: “Concentrate your Spirit and visualize.”
“Remember, the three terms Essense, Qi, and Spirit are different from what ordinary people perceive them.”
“In the Daoist scriptures, ‘Essence’ refers to something pure and untainted; ‘Qi’ is the flow through the blood and meridians; and ‘Spirit’ refers to the emptiness and movement of the soul.”
“These are called the Primordial Essence, Primordial Qi, and Primordial Spirit.”
“‘Primordial’ refers to the beginning of all things, meaning that which is innate and pre-existing.”
“And at the core of everything is the Primordial Spirit.”
“Use the Spirit to control the Qi, use the Spirit to refine the Essence, and remember the method of its flow and circulation.”
The old man transmitted his teachings not through words.
Instead, he directly guided Qi Wuhuo in experiencing the flow of the Dao. Through this, Qi Wuhuo’s body naturally understood how to conserve his Spirit, how to visualize, and how to regulate his breathing.
Qi Wuhuo’s mind followed the old man’s guidance and flowed with it.
The old man said: “For martial artists, practicing involves consuming meat to strengthen their bodies, enhancing their vital energy, naturally leading to an understanding of the flow of their Qi. When this flow reaches its peak, their strong bodies nourish their Spirits, stimulating their minds. However, our lineage’s approach to cultivation is entirely different.”
“When the heart is empty, the Spirit gathers, the Spirit then leads to the gathering of Qi, and the gathering of Qi then leads to the generation of Essence.”
“Using the One to give birth to all things, and gathering the myriad to return to the One, all of this is my【Spirit】.”
Qi Wuhuo, in the midst of deep meditation, found himself in a state of profound stillness.
At this moment, his state of mind was formidable, smoothly guiding the flow of vital energy into its course. Unconsciously, the sun had already set in the west and the moon had risen in the east, and the world between heaven and earth was enveloped in twilight. Night had already fallen.
In winter, the melting of snow can be far colder than the snowfall itself.
On winter nights, even the watchmen would dress warmly and drink strong liquor to ward off the cold. Qi Wuhuo, however, wore only a slightly thicker cloth garment and sat outside.
Outside, the cold wind is biting, but inside, there is a flow of warmth.
Inside and outside, water and fire intertwined, while the Spirit transcended it all, observing the unfolding events. His breath was long and calm, gradually settling into peace, merging with the mountains, rivers, and trees, becoming one with nature.
Human beings are inherently a part of the heaven and earth.
Before dawn, the sky was already filled with the sounds of birds.
A sparrow landed in the courtyard, pecking at the grains of grass, then hopped onto the young man’s shoulder, and then turning around, began to preen its feathers. The young man’s black hair hung slightly down, covered in morning dew. His eyes naturally opened, and he saw the sun rising from the horizon, with purple mist rising.
The young man sat calmly beneath the plum tree, basking in the sunlight, with a serene demeanor.
The sparrow continued to preen its feathers on his shoulder.
All things in heaven and earth are at peace.
The old man stroked his beard and asked with a smile: “Have you achieved it?”
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PS: The Taoist cultivation section is derived from the notes of the eleventh-generation patriarch of the Taoist Quanzhen Longmen lineage, Min Yide.
References include <Yellow Emperor Yinfujing> and the <Dao De Jing> annotated by Yu Yan of the Song Dynasty
Southern Sect’s fifth ancestor Bai Yuchan.
References include the classic text <Jade Emperor’s Heart Seal Wonderful Scripture>
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