Translation of “Baopuzi” (抱朴子) by Ge Hong
Elucidating the Profound (暢玄)
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: “The Profound (玄, xuán – the mysterious Dao, the ultimate principle) is the ancestor of nature and the great source of all diversity. It is so deep and obscure that we call it subtle. It is so vast and distant that we call it marvelous. Its height towers above the nine heavens (九霄, jiǔ xiāo – the highest skies); its breadth encompasses the eight corners of the world. It shines like the sun and moon; it moves as swiftly as lightning. Sometimes it flashes and vanishes like a shadow; sometimes it drifts and flows like a star; sometimes it ripples in clear abysses; sometimes it floats like clouds in mist. It becomes ‘existence’ (有, yǒu) through the myriad beings; it dwells in silence and darkness to become ‘nonexistence’ (無, wú). It sinks into the great darkness below; it rises beyond the North Star above. Metal and stone cannot match its hardness; dew cannot equal its softness. It is square but not constrained by the carpenter’s square; it is round but not bound by the compass. When it comes, none can see it; when it departs, none can pursue it. Through it, Heaven (乾, qián) is high and Earth (坤, kūn) is low; through it, clouds move and rain falls. It gestates the Primal One (元一, yuán yī – the original unity), casts the Two Forms (兩儀, liǎng yí – yin and yang), breathes out the Great Beginning (大始, dà shǐ), forges the myriad kinds, turns the Twenty-Eight Mansions (四七, sì qī – the 28 lunar mansions), crafts the primordial chaos, reins the spiritual mechanism, blows the four breaths, embraces the silent and empty, unfolds brightness and splendor, suppresses the turbid and raises the clear, measures the Yellow River (河, hé) and the Wei River (渭, wèi). Add to it and it does not overflow; scoop from it and it is never exhausted. Give to it and it does not become glorious; take from it and it does not suffer loss. Therefore, where the Profound abides, joy is boundless. Where the Profound departs, the vessel decays and the spirit flees.
The five sounds and eight tones (五聲八音, wǔ shēng bā yīn – traditional musical notes and instruments), the clear Shang (清商, qīng shāng) and flowing Zhi (流徵, liú zhǐ) modes — these impair hearing. Brilliant colors and gorgeous patterns — these harm vision. Feasts and comforts, fine wines and sweet brews — these disrupt nature. Seductive beauties and powdered faces — these take life. Only the Way of the Profound (玄道, xuán dào) can be eternal. Those who do not know the Way of the Profound — even if they wield the divine instrument of life and death with a glance, even if their lips are the key to rise and fall, even if they dwell in ornate pavilions touching the clouds and chambers adorned with mixed jewels, even if they have canopies of gauze gathering like mist and curtains of thin silk parting like clouds, even if Xi Shi (西施) and Mao Qiang (毛嬙, ancient beauties) attend them in private rooms, even if golden cups cross merrily, even if clear strings strum in chorus, even if Zheng dances (鄭舞, zhèng wǔ) swirl sinuously, even if mournful flutes soar to the clouds, even if feathered canopies float on ripples, even if they pluck fragrant flowers in orchid groves, even if they play with red petals by pools of piled pearls, even if climbing heights they gaze far to forget all cares, even if peering into depths they forget morning hunger, even if entering feasts they bask in the glitter of thousand gates, even if going out they ride in ornate carriages with red wheels — yet when joy reaches its peak, sorrow gathers; when fullness comes, loss must follow. Thus when the music ends, sighs arise; when the banquet is over, the heart grieves. This is truly the call of natural principle, like shadow following form. These things are borrowed, not genuine; when the things depart, something feels lost.
As for the Way of the Profound: those who attain it internally and guard it externally, who use it with spirit and forget it in their vessel — this is the essential teaching for contemplating the Profound. Those who attain it are noble without needing the yellow battle-axe (黃鉞, huáng yuè – imperial authority). Those who embody it are rich without needing rare treasures. It is too high to climb, too deep to fathom. Riding the flowing light, driving the flying shadow, soaring through the six voids (六虛, liù xū – the six directions of space), penetrating the vast abyss. Emerging above the non-ultimate, entering below the non-base. Passing through the gate of boundlessness, wandering in the fields of obscurity. Roaming in trance and illusion, strolling on the brink of the indistinct. Swallowing the nine effulgences (九華, jiǔ huá) above the clouds, chewing the six breaths (六氣, liù qì) in the rosy clouds. Wandering in the dim and blank, soaring in the barely perceptible. Treading on winding rainbows, stepping on the revolving Dipper (旋璣, xuán jī – part of the Big Dipper constellation). This is what it means to attain it.
Next are those who are truly content. Those who are truly content can withdraw and hide, not seeking employment, nurturing their radiance in mountain forests. They fold the wings of a dragon-phoenix among the common flock; they nourish their vast and expansive spirit (浩然之氣, hào rán zhī qì) in a humble hut of brambles. In ragged clothes and rope belts, they would not trade for the splendor of dragon robes. On foot with a staff, they would not exchange for a team of four horses. They hide the night-shining pearl in the lofty peaks of Mount Song (嵩岫, sōng xiù), not subjecting it to the chisel of other mountains. They sink their scaly armor in the dark abyss to avoid the disaster of drilling and burning. They know when to move and when to rest; nothing they do is insufficient. They abandon the dazzling morning glory of court and avoid the perilous road of overturned chariots. Whistling and chanting among green cliffs, all worldly things become dust. With cheerful countenance beneath lush branches, crimson doors become rope-hinged huts. Holding a plow in the fields, the ceremonial baton becomes like a whip. Sipping tea and rinsing with spring water, the grand sacrificial feast becomes like wild herbs. At ease, with surplus joy in the realm of non-action (無為, wú wéi); joyful, equalizing noble and base in the land of non-contention. Embracing purity, guarding simplicity, without desire, without worry. Preserving the genuine, emptying the vessel, dwelling in plainness, tasting blandness. Broad and vast, equal to the浑然 (hún rán – undifferentiated wholeness) in naturalness. Boundless and immense, matching the transformative creator (造化, zào huà) in its talisman. Now dark, now bright; now turbid, now clear; seeming slow yet swift; seeming diminished yet full. How could they be willing to abandon the seat of a corpse-sacrificer (屍祝, shī zhù – ritual officer), leave the position of a great craftsman, step over the ritual vessels to replace an ignorant cook, or set aside the carpenter’s line to assist a bungling workman? They do not regard the triviality of stinking rats as the joys and sorrows of common men. Aloof, they do not delight in vulgar praise; calm, they do not fear popular slander. They do not let external things disturb their utmost essence, nor let gain or loss defile their purity. Thus even extreme wealth and nobility cannot tempt them; what else could please them? Straight swords and boiling cauldrons cannot coerce them; what slander could sadden them? They are constantly without mind toward the multitude of vexations, never mixing with things.
If one were to use the pearl of Marquis Sui (隋珠, suí zhū – a legendary pearl) to shoot a sparrow, lick the hemorrhoids of the King of Qin (秦痔, qín zhì – from the story of Zhuangzi where a sycophant licked a noble’s hemorrhoids for favor) while following the royal chariot, climb a rotten rope to raid a nest, swim in the Lüliang Rapids (呂梁, lǚ liáng – dangerous waters) to catch fish — being a guest addressed as ‘lord’ in the morning and becoming leftovers for foxes and birds by evening, with roof beams collapsing and cauldron legs breaking, sinking without recovery — this is what ordinary people rush toward with all their might, but what the enlightened find heart-chilling and sorrowful. Therefore the consummate person silences the music of Shao (韶, sháo) and Xia (夏, xià), conceals carved rafters (藻梲, zǎo zhuō). He spreads his six feathers in the wilds of the Five Cities (五城, wǔ chéng – mythical celestial realm), without needing the protection of a reed-carrying swan. He hides his scales and horns in the land of disuse, without relying on the defense of winding caves. Below, he has no call of the arrogant owl; above, no regret of the extreme height. People do not recognize him — so remote, so distant!”
On Immortals (論仙)
Someone asked: “Immortals (神仙, shén xiān) who never die — can they truly be attained?”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) replied: “Even with the utmost clarity, not all things with form can be seen. Even with the keenest hearing, not all sounds can be heard. Even with the feet of Dazhang (大章) and Shuhai (豎亥) — legendary surveyors — what they tread is less than what they do not tread. Even with the wisdom of Yu (禹), Yi (益), and Qixie (齊諧), what they have known is less than what they have not known. Among the myriad things teeming, what is not present? Especially the ranks of immortals fill bamboo slips and silk books. How could the Way of immortality not exist?”
Then the questioner laughed heartily and said: “Everything that has a beginning must have an end; everything that exists must perish. Thus even the sages — the Three Sovereigns (三皇, sān huáng), the Five Emperors (五帝, wǔ dì), the Duke of Zhou (周公, zhōu gōng), and Confucius (孔子, kǒng zǐ); the wisdom of Qi (棄), Ji (疾), Liang (良), and Ping (平); the eloquence of Duan (端), Ying (嬰), Sui (隨), and Li (酈); the courage of Ben (賁), Yu (育), and the Five Dings (五丁) — all died. This is the constant pattern of human existence, the great inevitability. We have only heard of plants withering before frost, turning green in summer, bearing ears without flowering, or withering before fruiting. We have never heard of enjoying a lifespan of ten thousand years, of living long without end. Therefore the ancients studied not immortality, spoke not of anomalies, suppressed such heresies, and adhered to this nature. They classified cranes and tortoises as different species and regarded death and life as morning and evening. To torment oneself and restrain one’s desires, doing useless things, carving ice and carving rotten wood — there will never be any sure achievement. It would be better to unfold grand strategies to save the world, attract good fortune in one’s prime, so that purple and green sashes wrap around again, dark stallions stand like dragons, ornate wheels replace footsteps, and cauldron-food replaces plow and hoe — is that not beautiful? I often reflect on the ‘Fu Tian’ (甫田) poem’s criticism, deeply ponder Confucius’s proof that all die, and see no use in grasping the intangible wind, catching the elusive shadow, seeking unobtainable things, walking on impassable roads, abandoning glory and ease to suffer hardship and distress, letting go of the very easy to tackle the extremely difficult. This is like a mourner chasing a wandering maiden — both will lose. It is like Shan (單) and Zhang (張) stubbornly holding partial views — they will bring disaster from both inside and outside. Even Ban (班) and Di (狄) cannot carve tile and stone into fine needles; even Ou Ye (歐冶) cannot cast lead and tin into Ganjiang (幹將 – legendary sword). What cannot be done, even ghosts and spirits cannot do. What cannot be achieved, even Heaven and Earth cannot achieve. How could there exist in this world a miraculous formula that can make the old young again and the dead come back to life? And yet you, sir, wish to extend the life of a mayfly (蟪蛄, huì gū) to last for years, nurture the glory of a morning fungus (朝菌, zhāo jūn) to accumulate months — is that not absurd? I beg you to think nine times and quickly return from your delusion.”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) replied: “Where hearing is absent, even thunderclaps cannot be heard. Where sight is absent, even the three luminaries (sun, moon, stars) cannot be seen. It is not that the crashing sound is faint or the celestial bodies are dim. But the deaf call them silent; the blind call them nonexistent. How much more so for the harmonious sounds of pipes and strings, the gorgeous patterns of mountain dragons (山龍, shān lóng – ceremonial robes)? How could they appreciate the elegant rhythms and the splendor of scaly designs? Thus the deaf and blind, in their physical forms, do not believe in the thunder god Fenglong (豐隆) or the celestial phenomena. And how much more for things subtler than these? Those whose minds are darkened and stagnant do not believe that Zhou Gong and Confucius existed in the past, let alone being told of the Way of immortals.
“Existence and extinction, beginning and end — indeed these are the general pattern. But differences and variations, the possible and the impossible, changes in countless varieties, anomalies without limit — things may be the same but principles differ, roots may be alike but branches diverge. One cannot treat everything uniformly. It is often said that what begins must end, but wheat and荠 (jì – shepherd’s purse) wither in summer though summer is when things grow. It is said that winter must bring withering, but bamboo and cypress flourish. It is said that what is born must die, but Heaven and Earth are infinite. It is said that what lives must die, but tortoises and cranes live long. Midsummer should be hot, but summer days are not without cool spells. Deep winter should be cold, but harsh winter is not without temporary warmth. All rivers flow east, yet there is the vast northward flow. The Earth (坤道, kūn dào) is supremely still, yet it sometimes shakes and collapses. Water by nature is cold, yet there are hot springs in Warm Valley (溫谷, wēn gǔ). Fire by nature is hot, yet there is cold flame on Xiaoqiu (蕭丘, xiāo qiū). Heavy things should sink, yet there is Floating Stone Mountain (浮石山, fú shí shān) in the South Sea. Light things should float, yet there is the Sinking Feather Stream (沈羽流, chén yǔ liú) in Yangke (牜羊柯, yáng kē – ancient place). Among myriad varieties, one cannot draw conclusions with a single rule — this has been true for a long time.
“Among living beings, none is more spiritually endowed than humans. Precious by nature, they should all be equal. Yet their worthiness and foolishness, righteousness and evil, beauty and ugliness, height and shortness, purity and turbidity, chastity and licentiousness, speed and slowness, preferences and rejections, desires of ear and eye — the differences are as vast as between heaven and earth, as opposite as ice and fire. So why should it be strange that immortals are different, that they do not all die like ordinary people?
“If you say that receiving vital energy (受氣, shòu qì) is fixed for each being, then how about the pheasant turning into a clam (雉之為蜃, zhì zhī wéi shèn), the sparrow into a mussel (雀之為蛤, què zhī wéi gé), the soil insect growing wings, the river frog taking flight, the oyster becoming a midge, the duckweed turning into a maggot, the field mouse becoming a quail, the rotting grass becoming a firefly, the alligator turning into a tiger, the snake turning into a dragon — are all these not so?
“If you say that humans receive the correct nature, different from all other things, and that Heaven’s mandate is without discrimination, then how about Niu Ai (牛哀) turning into a tiger, the old woman of Chu (楚嫗, chǔ yù) turning into a giant turtle, Zhi Li (枝離) turning into a willow, the maiden of Qin (秦女, qín nǚ) turning into stone, the dead coming back to life, men and women exchanging forms, the long life of Old Peng (老彭, lǎo péng – i.e., Peng Zu, a legendary long-liver) and the premature death of a young child (殤子, shāng zǐ)? What is the reason for these? If differences exist, then why should there be limits to anomalies?
“As for immortals: they nourish their bodies with medicines and extend their lives with techniques and methods (術數, shù shù). They ensure that internal diseases do not arise and external harms do not enter. Though they live long without dying, their original bodies do not change. If one possesses the Way, there is no difficulty in this. But shallow people, constrained by convention and clinging to the ordinary, all say: ‘We have never seen an immortal in the world, therefore there must be no such thing.’ But what the eye has seen — is that worth talking about? Between Heaven and Earth, vast without limit, the extraordinary and wondrous are surely not bounded. A person grows old wearing the sky above but does not know what is above it; walks the earth his whole life but does not know what is below it. His own body and skeleton he possesses, yet he does not know why his mind and will are as they are. His lifespan is within himself, yet he does not know the extent of its length or shortness. How much more so for the distant principles of immortals, the profound mystery of the Way and its power (道德, dào dé)? To rely on one’s short-sighted eyes and ears to judge the existence or nonexistence of the subtle — is that not sad?
“Suppose there is a wise person of great talent, dwelling in seclusion, hiding his radiance, concealing his refinement, discarding the false and eliminating desires, holding onto the unhewn simplicity (太璞, tài pú) in utmost purity, leaving aside trivial pursuits outside the common currents. Even among ordinary people, few can distinguish him. Few can recognize his aspirations and actions beyond the realm of names, or grasp his spirit within his humble form. How much less immortals, who have different interests and different paths, who regard wealth and nobility as misfortune, glory and splendor as filth, fine playthings as dust and soil, reputation and praise as morning dew? They tread on scorching winds without being burned, walk lightly on dark waves, flap their wings in pure dust, ride the wind with four-horse chariots and cloud canopies, ascend to the Purple Extreme (紫極, zǐ jí – the celestial pole), descend to perch on Kunlun (昆侖, kūn lún – mythical mountain). How could walking corpses (行屍, xíng shī – a term for ordinary mortals) see them? Even if they wander and sometimes pass through the human world, hiding their true selves and concealing their anomalies, outwardly appearing ordinary and mundane, shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot — who could perceive them? Only if they had double pupils like the man of the outskirts (郊閒, jiāo xián), or ears protruding from the top of the head like Qiong Shu (邛疏, qióng shū), or rode dragons like Ma Huang (馬皇, mǎ huáng), or personally drove white cranes like Prince Jin (子晉, zǐ jìn — i.e., Wang Ziqiao), or had scaled bodies and snake-like forms, or rode in golden chariots with feathered robes — only then could they be known. Without such signs, how could those without penetrating vision see their forms, or those without supernormal hearing hear their voices? Since worldly people do not believe and often criticize, the true persons (真人, zhēn rén) detest this and therefore hide even more deeply. What ordinary people love is what superior scholars detest. What vulgar people value is what the perfected despise. Distinguished Confucian scholars and great talents who nurture their vast and expansive spirit are still unwilling to meet shallow people or those of dusty affairs. How much more so for those immortals — why would they eagerly let the straw-dog masses know of their existence and seek them out? And you wonder that they have never been known? The eye can see a hundred paces but not clearly. To take what you see as existing and what you do not see as nonexistent — then what does not exist in the world must also be many. This is like measuring the sea with a finger and, when the finger reaches its limit, declaring the water has ended. How could a mayfly (蜉蝣, fú yóu) measure a giant turtle (巨鼇, jù áo), or a morning glory (日及, rì jí — a flower that blooms only in the morning) fathom the great Chun tree (大椿, dà chūn — which lives for thousands of years)?
“Emperor Wen of Wei (魏文帝, Wèi Wéndì — Cao Pi) was widely learned and well-informed. He claimed that nothing under heaven had escaped his experience, and declared that there was no jade-cutting knife or fire-washed cloth (火浣布, huǒ huàn bù — asbestos cloth) in the world. He wrote about this in his ‘Classic of Discussions’ (典論, Diǎn Lùn). But within a short time, both items appeared. The emperor sighed and immediately destroyed that essay. Matters are not fixed — this is why. Chen Si Wang (陳思王 — Cao Zhi) wrote ‘Essays Resolving Doubts’ (釋疑論, Shì Yí Lùn), saying: ‘At first I thought Daoist arts were just deceptions invented by ignorant people, and I considered them empty words. Then I saw Emperor Wu (武皇帝 — Cao Cao) test Zuo Ci (左慈) and others by making them abstain from grains for nearly a month. Their complexions did not diminish, and their energy and strength remained as before. They often said they could go fifty years without eating. That being so, what doubt remains?’ He also said: ‘Gan Shi (甘始) was ordered to put a raw fish in his mouth with a medicine, then boil it in boiling fat. The fish without the medicine cooked and became edible; the fish holding the medicine swam about all day as if in water.’ Also: ‘He powdered medicine on mulberry leaves to feed silkworms, and the silkworms lived until the tenth month without aging.’ Also: ‘He fed year-stopping medicine (住年藥, zhù nián yào) to chicks and newborn puppies, and they stopped growing.’ Also: ‘He fed hair-restoring medicine to a white dog, and within a hundred days its fur turned completely black.’ Then he realized that the things of this world cannot be fully known, and that making judgments by conjecture is unreliable. His only regret was that he could not cut off music and women to concentrate single-mindedly on learning the Way of longevity. Those two Caos (二曹, èr Cáo — Cao Pi and Cao Zhi) had learning that left no book unread, and talents that were the finest of their generation. Yet at first they all said it did not exist. Only in their later years did they reach the principle’s end and fully explore their nature. Their sighs were like this. If those who are not as good as these men do not believe in immortals, it is no surprise.
“Liu Xiang (劉向) was so learned that he penetrated the subtle and exhausted the marvelous. He delved deep and traveled far. His reasoning clarified the true and false; his investigations examined existence and nonexistence. In his ‘Biographies of Immortals’ (列仙傳, Liè Xiān Zhuàn), he recorded over seventy immortals. If truly there were no such things, why would he have fabricated them? Matters of high antiquity cannot be seen directly; they all rely on records and transmissions from the past. The ‘Biographies of Immortals’ clearly shows that they must have existed. Yet since the book did not come from the school of the Duke of Zhou, and its events were not handled by Confucius, people still do not believe it. If that is the case, then all records of ancient history would be nonexistent — why stop at just one matter? Common people covet glory and profit, eagerly chasing fame and gain. They measure the ancients by their own minds, and thus do not believe that there were those who fled the abdication of emperors, who scorned the noble positions of ministers and chancellors — people like Chao (巢) and Xu (許), Lao Lai (老萊), and Zhuang Zhou (莊周). They consider such stories untrue. How much more for immortals, who are even harder to know than these? Can we expect everyone today to believe in them? Many say that Liu Xiang was not a sage, and that his records cannot be relied upon alone — this is precisely what makes people sigh. The annals of Lu (魯史, lǔ shǐ) do not accord with Heaven and Earth, yet Confucius used them to compose the Spring and Autumn Annals. Sima Qian (司馬遷) could not match the sun and moon in brilliance, yet Yang Xiong (揚雄) called his work a true record. Liu Xiang was a famous Confucian scholar and worthy man of the Han dynasty — how can his accounts be discarded?
“The reason ordinary people do not believe that immortality can be learned or that lifespan can be extended is precisely because the First Emperor of Qin (秦始皇, Qín Shǐ Huáng) and Emperor Wu of Han (漢武帝, Hàn Wǔ Dì) sought it but did not obtain it, and because Shao Jun (少君) and Luan Da (欒太) performed it but it proved ineffective. But one cannot, because of the poverty of Qian Lou (黔婁) and Yuan Xian (原憲), say that in ancient times there were no men as rich as Tao Zhu (陶朱 — Fan Li) and Yi Dun (猗頓). One cannot, because of the ugliness of Wuyan (無鹽) and Suli (宿瘤), say that in the past there were no beauties like Nanwei (南威) and Xishi (西施). Among those who seek advancement, there are those who do not succeed; among farmers, there are those who do not harvest; among merchants and peddlers, there are those who do not profit; among those who go to war, there are those who achieve no merit. How much more for seeking immortality — a difficult undertaking — must everyone who attempts it succeed? Those two rulers and two ministers may have sought but not found, or may have been diligent at first but lax at the end, or may not have encountered a true teacher. Why should that prove that there are no immortals in the world?
“Seeking longevity and cultivating the supreme Way depends on determination, not on wealth and nobility. If one is not the right kind of person, then high position and great wealth become heavy burdens. Why? The method of learning immortality requires tranquility, joy, and simplicity; it requires washing away desires, looking inward and listening backward, sitting like a corpse without a mind. But emperors bear the heavy responsibility of the realm, managing the pressing affairs of government. Their thoughts are wearied by ten thousand matters; their spirits race through the universe. If one person is out of place, the kingly Way is impaired. If the common people err, it is said to be the ruler’s fault. Fine wines disrupt their harmonious energy; beautiful women damage their roots. The things that cut away essence, reduce thought, and harm one’s peaceful purity cannot be fully enumerated. When mosquitoes bite the skin, one cannot sit peacefully; when fleas attack in swarms, one cannot sleep quietly. The affairs of the four seas are far greater than this. How could one cover one’s senses, practice embryonic breathing (胎息, tāi xī), maintain long fasts and prolonged purification, personally tend the furnace fire, rise early and go to bed late, to fly the eight minerals (飛八石, fēi bā shí — alchemical process)? Emperor Wu of Han enjoyed the longest reign and had already obtained small benefits of life-nourishing. But the help of a liter or a pint cannot supply a hundredweight; the contribution of a ditch cannot fill the drain of Wei-Lü (尾閭, wěi lǚ — mythical ocean leak).
“The immortal methods seek stillness, silence, and non-action (無為, wú wéi), forgetting one’s physical form. But a ruler strikes thousand-stone bells and beats thunderous drums — the crashing, clanging, and roaring startles the soul and moves the heart. A hundred tricks and ten thousand changes deplete the spirit and stop up the ears. He rides swift things and shoots at high-flying targets. The immortal methods command love that extends to wriggling creatures, not harming those with breath. But a ruler, when his majesty is aroused, orders exterminating executions. With a wave of the yellow axe (黃鉞, huáng yuè) or a brief granting of the balanced axe (齊斧, qí fǔ), corpses lie for a thousand li and blood flows in torrents. Executions by beheading never cease in the markets. The immortal methods command abstaining from foul and fishy foods, avoiding grains, and purifying the intestines. But a ruler cooks fat and meat, slaughters flocks and herds. Eight delicacies and a hundred harmonies fill a square zhang before him. He is sated with stewed and seasoned delicacies. The immortal methods command universal love for the eight wilds (八荒, bā huāng), treating others as oneself. But a ruler annexes the weak, attacks the ignorant, seizes the disordered, and overthrows the perishing. He expands territory, wipes out people’s altars, drives living beings to their deaths. Lonely souls end up in remote regions; bare bones rot on wild plains. On the Five Ridges (五嶺, wǔ lǐng) there are blood-stained armies; at the Northern Palace (北闕, běi què) hang the heads of Dayuan (大宛). He buries the living and slaughters the surrendered, often by hundreds of thousands. Pyres of skulls and sealed corpses reach to the sky; bones lie like thickets, filling mountains and valleys. The First Emperor of Qin made nine out of ten households contemplate rebellion. Emperor Wu of Han made the world cry out in suffering, reducing households by half. Praying may bring benefit, but cursing also brings harm. Tying grass (結草, jié cǎo — allusion to报答恩情) knows virtue, while empty sacrifices surely invite resentment. A multitude of vexations attack his vital organs; humans and ghosts unite in venomous hatred. Those two rulers only had the name of loving immortality but not the reality of cultivating the Way. What little they knew they could not fully practice; the essential and profound secrets they could not even hear. Moreover, they did not encounter a Daoist master who could compound the immortal elixir and give it to them. That they did not achieve immortality is nothing strange.
“As for us common individuals, we are impoverished and destitute. Our families have the wall-standing poverty of Sima Xiangru (司馬相如 — who was very poor) and the hunger of the starving man at Yisang (翳桑, yì sāng — from the story of Zhao Dun). In winter we suffer the cold of Rong Yi (戎夷) who was locked out; in summer we endure the leaky shack of Ru Zhong (儒仲). We wish to travel far but lack the means of boat and cart; we wish to engage in undertakings but have no one to labor for us. At home we have no silk comforts; abroad we have no joy of outings. Sweet delicacies never pass our lips; fine colors never meet our eyes; fragrant scents never reach our noses; the eight tones never enter our ears. A hundred sorrows attack our hearts; myriad difficulties gather at our doorsteps. Living in this world like this, we have nothing to cling to.
“Some may obtain the essential instructions or encounter an extraordinary teacher, yet they still feel deep attachment to their aging wives and young children, still long for the fox-and-rabbit hills of their ancestors, and thus slowly reach the end. Unaware, they age day by day. They know that longevity is attainable but cannot practice it; they are troubled by the stinking rats of vulgar custom but cannot abandon them. Why? The feelings of attachment and habit are hard to dispel suddenly, and the determination to cut off from the world is not easily realized. How much more for those two emperors, lords of the four seas? Their indulgences are not just one thing; their close associates are many. Even if they were to maintain a fast for ten days or half a month, or live quietly for a few days, they would still be unable. How much more to internally abandon the favor of beauties, externally discard the honor of high position, cut off sweet delicacies from the mouth, sever desires from the heart, turn away from glory and go alone, seeking immortals in the dark and silent places — could they endure it? Therefore, looking through the past, those who attained the Way of immortality were mostly poor and lowly individuals, not those of power and position. Moreover, what Luan Da (欒太) knew was truly shallow. Hungry and thirsty for glory and wealth, he recklessly sought bribes and goods, flaunting empty falseness in his petty pursuits, forgetting disaster in his calculated actions. The deceptions of such a small man — how could they prove that there are no immortals in the world? In the past, Gou Jian (勾踐), the King of Yue, bowed to a wrathful earthen jar (怒璉, nù liǎn — a story about inspiring soldiers), and his warriors competed to tread fire. King Ling of Chu (楚靈王) loved slender waists, and many in his state starved to death. Duke Huan of Qi (齊桓公) loved strange flavors, so Yi Ya (易牙) steamed his own son. The ruler of Song (宋君) rewarded thin, filial sons, and those who destroyed themselves filled the houses. Whatever rulers desire, there is nothing that does not come. Emperor Wu of Han summoned and sought alchemists, treating them with excessive favor, which led these people to dare to fabricate falsehoods. If Luan Da had truly been a person of the Way, could he have been killed? Those who possess the Way regard titles and ranks as boiling cauldrons, see official seals as mourning garments, view gold and jade as dirt and dung, and perceive ornate halls as prisons. How could they wring their wrists and speak empty words, seeking glory and wealth by luck, dwelling in rooms with red pillars, receiving immeasurable gifts, wearing the seal of the Five Benefits (五利, wǔ lì — a title given to Luan Da), enjoying the honor of marrying a princess, wallowing in power and profit without knowing satisfaction? That Luan Da truly did not possess the Way is clear.
“According to the ‘Household Record of Li Shaojun’ (李少君家錄, Lǐ Shǎojūn jiālù) compiled by Dong Zhongshu (董仲舒), Shaojun possessed the method of immortality, but his family was too poor to purchase the medicines. Therefore he went out to the Han court to borrow a path to seek the resources. After completing the Way, he left. Also, according to the ‘Notes on Han Palace Activities’ (漢禁中起居註, Hàn jìnzhōng qǐjū zhù), when Shaojun was about to leave, Emperor Wu dreamed that he climbed Mount Songgao (嵩高山, Sōnggāo Shān) together with him. Halfway up, an envoy riding a dragon and holding a tally came down from the clouds, saying that the Grand Unity (太乙, Tài Yǐ) invited Shaojun. The emperor awoke and told his attendants: ‘As my dream goes, Shaojun is about to leave me.’ A few days later, Shaojun was reported to have died of illness. After a long time, the emperor had his coffin opened — there was no corpse, only clothes and hat. According to the Immortal Scripture (仙經, Xiān Jīng): ‘The highest class of scholars raise their forms and ascend into emptiness — they are called heavenly immortals (天仙, tiān xiān). The middle class wander among famous mountains — they are called earthly immortals (地仙, dì xiān). The lower class die first and then shed their bodies — they are called corpse-liberated immortals (屍解仙, shī jiě xiān).’ Now Shaojun must have been a corpse-liberated immortal. In recent times, Mr. Hu (壺公, Hú Gōng) took Fei Changfang (費長房) away. Also, the Daoist Li Yiqi (李意期) took two disciples away. Both pretended to die suddenly, and their families buried them. After several years, Changfang returned. Also, someone who knew Li Yiqi saw him with his two disciples in Pixian (郫縣, Pí Xiàn). His family opened the coffin and found only a bamboo staff, with a cinnabar inscription on it. These too are cases of corpse liberation.
“In the past, Wang Mang (王莽) cited classical texts to decorate his evil — one cannot say that all Confucians are usurpers and thieves. Sima Xiangru (司馬相如) used the zither to elope with Wenjun (文君) — one cannot say that elegant music is devoted to licentious excess. Those who choke to death cannot mock Shennong (神農) for planting grains; those who burn to death cannot be angry at Suiren (燧人) for drilling fire; those who drown cannot resent Xuanyuan (軒轅) for building boats; those who become ill from drink cannot criticize Du Yi (杜儀) for making wine. How could one, because of Luan Da’s wicked falseness, claim that the immortal Way truly does not exist? That would be like seeing Zhao Gao (趙高) and Dong Zhuo (董卓) and saying that in ancient times there were no Yi Yin (伊尹), Zhou Gong (周公), or Huo Guang (霍光); or seeing Shang Chen (商臣) and Modun (冒頓) and saying that in ancient times there were no Bo Qi (伯奇) or Xiao Ji (孝己).
“Moreover, in the ‘Collectanea of Immortals’ (神仙集, Shénxiān Jí) there are methods for summoning and controlling ghosts and spirits, as well as techniques for making people see ghosts. When common people hear of these, they all say they are empty words. Some say there are no ghosts or spirits; others say there are but they cannot be summoned or controlled; others say that those who see ghosts are called shamans (覡, xí) if male or witches (巫, wū) if female, and that this ability must come naturally, not be learned. According to the ‘Book of Han’ (漢書, Hàn Shū) and the ‘Records of the Grand Historian’ (太史公記, Tàishǐgōng Jì), a man from Qi named Shao Weng (少翁) was made General Wen Cheng (文成將軍) by Emperor Wu. When a beloved consort of Emperor Wu, Lady Li (李夫人), died, Shao Weng was able to make the emperor see her as if alive. He also made the emperor see the stove god (竈神, zào shén). These are clear records in the histories. Since these methods can make ghosts appear in form, and can also make those who originally cannot see ghosts see them, extending this reasoning, what else might not be possible? Ghosts and spirits often manifest strange phenomena and changes in the human world; moreover, the classics record much evidence of ghosts and spirits. Yet common people still do not believe that there are ghosts and spirits in the world. How much less for immortals, who dwell high and far, whose purity and turbidity flow separately, who ascend far away and do not return to the world? Without attaining the Way, how could one see or hear them? The Confucian and Mohist schools know that these matters cannot serve as teachings, so they never speak of their existence. That common people do not believe is only natural. Only those who recognize the true, who investigate and compare various methods and obtain their verification, who carefully determine that they necessarily exist — only such people can know this alone. It cannot be forced. Therefore, not seeing ghosts or immortals does not mean there are no immortals in the world.
“All people, wise or foolish, know that they themselves have souls and spirits (魂魄, hún pò). When the souls partially depart, a person becomes ill; when they completely depart, the person dies. Thus when they partially depart, the art masters have methods of detention; when they completely depart, the ritual codes have provisions for summoning. These things are extremely close to us. Yet they coexist with a person from birth to death, and no one has ever personally seen or heard them. How could one, because one has never seen or heard them, say that they do not exist? Consider the ghost of Fuji (輔氏, fǔ shì) that repaid a kindness; the spirit of Tang (湯) that was angry with Qi (齊); Shen Sheng (申生) speaking with the fox spirit; Du Bo (杜伯) taking revenge on King Xuan of Zhou (周宣王); Peng Sheng (彭生) taking the form of a black boar; Ruyi (如意) appearing as a gray dog; Guan Fu (灌夫) guarding Tian Fen (田蚡); Zi Yi (子義) breaking Yan Jian (燕簡); Ru Shou (蓐收) descending at Xin (莘); Luan Hou (欒侯) staying at a commoner’s home; Su Jiang (素姜) explaining prophecies; Xiao Sun (孝孫) writing essays; the Divine Lord (神君) speaking at Shanglin (上林); Luo Yang (羅陽) serving in the Wu court. Matters of ghosts and spirits are recorded in bamboo and silk — as clear as this, beyond counting. Yet the deluded still say they do not exist. How much more for the matter of longevity, which the world rarely hears of! To hope that everyone would believe it is like asking a mosquito or a fly to carry a mountain, or discussing the sea with a well frog.
“Common people have never seen dragons, unicorns, or phoenixes, so they say such things do not exist in the world. They think the ancients fabricated auspicious signs to encourage rulers to strive without rest, hoping to attain these treasures. How much more difficult to make people believe that there are immortals!
“Because Liu Xiang failed to make gold, people say that he pursued hidden and strange things, loved transmitting emptiness, and that his ‘Biographies of Immortals’ was also fabricated. How sad! This is what is called discarding a foot-long night-shining pearl because of a tiny flaw, or abandoning a priceless pure sword (淳鈞, chún jūn) because of an ant-nose chip. This is not the far-seeing insight of He of Jing (荊和, Jīng Hé — Bian He who recognized jade) nor the true appreciation of Feng Hu (風胡, Fēng Hú — legendary sword connoisseur). This is why Zhu Gong (朱公) was depressed and Xue Zhu (薛燭) sighed forever. The methods for making gold are all in the ‘Collectanea of Immortals’. The Prince of Huainan (淮南王, Huáinán Wáng) copied them out to make the ‘Hongbao Pillow Book’ (鴻寶枕中書, Hóngbǎo zhěnzhōng shū). Although the text exists, the essential formulas are kept secret; they require oral instructions and guidance through the text before they can be performed. Moreover, the names of the medicines used are often changed from their original names, so one cannot simply follow the text and use them. Liu Xiang’s father, Liu De (劉德), obtained this book while handling the case of the Prince of Huainan — it was not a teacher-to-disciple transmission. Liu Xiang originally did not understand Daoist arts; he happened to see this book by chance and thought that all its meaning was contained on the paper, which is why he failed to make gold. As for his compilation of the ‘Biographies of Immortals’, it came from abridging the book of the Qin grandee Ruan Cang (阮倉), or from things he personally witnessed and then recorded — it is not false speech. Madmen’s children’s rhymes are selected even by sages. The words of firewood gatherers (芻蕘, chú ráo) should not be discarded. When gathering wild greens (采葑采菲, cǎi fēng cǎi fēi), do not discard the roots. How could one, because of one error among a hundred considerations, say that the classics are unusable? Or because of an eclipse of the sun or moon, say that the celestial bodies are not greatly bright?
“Foreigners make crystal bowls by mixing five kinds of ash. Now in Jiaozhou (交州, Jiāozhōu) and Guangzhou (廣州, Guǎngzhōu), many have obtained the method and cast them. Tell this to a common person, and they absolutely will not believe it. They say that crystal is naturally occurring, of the jade and stone kind. Since there naturally happens to be gold in the world, how would a common person believe that it can be artificially made? Foolish people do not believe that red lead (黃丹, huáng dān) or lead powder (胡粉, hú fěn) are made from transformed lead. Nor do they believe that mules and駏驉 (jù xū — a type of hybrid) are born from donkeys and horses. They say each thing has its own kind. How much more for matters hard to know! When one has seen little, one finds much strange — this is a constant of the world. This saying is true. Even matters as clear as heaven, people dwelling under an overturned pot — how could they recognize the ultimate words?”
Responding to the Common (對俗)
Someone objected: “Among humans, Lao Peng (老彭) exists as pines and cypresses exist among trees — bestowed by nature. How can it be learned?”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) replied: “In the process of transformation and creation (陶冶造化, táo yě zào huà), nothing is more spiritually endowed than humans. Therefore, those who reach its shallows can command and use the myriad things; those who attain its depths can live long and see far. Knowing that superior medicines prolong years, they take them to seek immortality. Knowing that tortoises and cranes have long lifespans, they imitate their guiding and stretching (道引, dào yǐn) to increase their years. Now, pine and cypress branches and leaves are different from other trees. The bodies and forms of tortoises and cranes are different from other creatures. As for Peng and Lao, they were still human beings, not of a different kind. That their longevity alone was long came from attaining the Way, not from nature. Other trees cannot imitate pines and cypresses; other creatures cannot learn from tortoises and cranes — that is why they are short-lived. Humans possess intelligence and wisdom; if they can cultivate the Way of Peng and Lao, they can share in its results. If you say there are no immortals in the world, yet the records of former sages number nearly a thousand individuals, all with surnames and given names, with accounts of their actions and histories — these are not empty words. If you say that they all received exceptional vital energies, yet their traditions all involve serving teachers and taking medicines — they were not born knowing. If the arts of the Way cannot be learned, then changing appearance, swallowing knives and spitting fire, sitting in place and standing in disappearance, raising clouds and summoning mist, calling forth insects and snakes, gathering fish and turtles, turning thirty-six stones into water, dissolving jade into a tower, melting gold into a liquid, entering deep waters without getting wet, treading on blades without injury — these transformations, over nine hundred in number — if you perform them, all are effective. Why alone refuse to believe that immortality can be attained?
“The immortal Way is slow to achieve and has many prohibitions. Unless one has a spirit that transcends the world and a strong and vigorous talent, one cannot adhere to it. Some may be somewhat fond of it but have doubts in their hearts, give up midway, and then say that the immortal Way and longevity truly cannot be attained. The Immortal Scripture (仙經, Xiān Jīng) says: ‘Take the elixir and guard the One (守一, shǒu yī), and you will be complete with Heaven; return the essence (還精, huán jīng) and practice embryonic breathing (胎息, tāi xī), and your lifespan will have no limit.’ These are all essential words of the supreme Way. Among ordinary gentlemen, they internally do not wrong their hearts, externally are not ashamed of their shadows, above do not deceive Heaven, below do not break their word. How much more the true persons (真人, zhēn rén) of antiquity — would they vainly create empty writings to deceive and mislead the future with things that cannot be attained? What would they seek? If one does not have the destiny, one will never believe; how can one force belief?”
Another objected: “Tortoises and cranes live long — this is just an empty saying of the world. Who has followed these two creatures from beginning to end to know it?”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) said: “If one grasps the essential, then beyond the eight extremities (八極, bā jí) is like in the palm of the hand; the distance of a hundred generations is like the same moment. One need not be next to the courtyard and observe with one’s own eyes to know it. The ‘Jade Tally Record’ (玉策記, Yù Cè Jì) says: ‘A tortoise of a thousand years possesses all five colors. The two bones on its forehead rise up like horns. It understands human speech. It floats on lotus leaves or hides under clusters of yarrow (蓍, shī). Above it sometimes coils a white cloud like a snake. A crane of a thousand years sings according to the seasons and can perch on trees. Those not yet a thousand years old never alight on trees. Their color is pure white, and their brains have completely turned into cinnabar.’ When you see such things, you can know. But old things are generally wise, and all hide in deep and far-off places, so few people see them. According to the ‘Jade Tally Record’ and the ‘Changyu Scripture’ (昌宇經, Chāng Yǔ Jīng), it is not just these two creatures that have long lifespans. It says: ‘A pine tree of a thousand years spreads out on all sides; its top does not grow tall. Looking at it, it is like a reclining canopy. Within it there is something, sometimes like a black ox, sometimes like a black goat, sometimes like a black dog, sometimes like a black person — all live for ten thousand years.’ It also says: ‘Snakes have infinite lifespans. Monkeys (獮猴, xiǎn hóu) live eight hundred years and become gibbons (猿, yuán); gibbons live five hundred years and become a type of ape (玃, jué); that ape lives a thousand years. Toads (蟾蜍, chán chú) live three thousand years; unicorns (騏驎, qí lín) live two thousand years. The horse Teng Huang (騰黃, téng huáng) and the beast Ji Guang (吉光, jí guāng) both live three thousand years. Birds of a thousand years and fowl of ten thousand years all have human faces and bird bodies, and their lifespans match their names. Tigers, deer, and hares all live a thousand years; those that reach five hundred years have white fur. Bears that live five hundred years can transform. Foxes, jackals, and wolves all live eight hundred years; at five hundred years they are good at transforming into human form. Rats live three hundred years; at a hundred years their fur turns white, and they are good at using people for divination. They are called Zhong (仲, zhòng) and can know the good and bad fortune of the coming year and events a thousand li away.’ Examples like this cannot all be recorded. Only the broadly knowledgeable can name things upon contact; only the widely learned face no confusion in principle. Why must one always hang around with tortoises and cranes to know? If one does not recognize things, even the plants and trees in a garden, the birds and beasts in a pond — one does not know many, let alone such great anomalies!
“The ‘Records of the Grand Historian: Turtle Divination’ (史記龜策傳, Shǐjì Guī Cè Zhuàn) says: ‘A man living between the Yangtze and Huai rivers, when he was a child, used a tortoise to support his bed. When he later died of old age, his family moved the bed, and the tortoise was still alive.’ That tortoise must have been no less than fifty or sixty years old. Without drinking or eating, it lived that long without dying. Its difference from ordinary things is indeed great. Why doubt the thousand-year lifespan? The Immortal Scripture imitates the breathing of the tortoise — surely there is a reason. Therefore, Chen Zhonggong (陳仲弓, Chén Zhònggōng) of Yingchuan (潁川, Yǐngchuān), Grand Magistrate of Taiqiu (太丘長, Tàiqiū Zhǎng), a man of solid scholarship, compiled the ‘Record of Strange Hearings’ (異聞記, Yì Wén Jì), which says: ‘A man of his commandery named Zhang Guangding (張廣定, Zhāng Guǎngdìng), fleeing from chaos, sought refuge elsewhere. He had a daughter of four years old who could not walk or be carried. Calculating that abandoning her would certainly mean death, but not wishing to leave her bones exposed, he noticed an ancient tomb at the village entrance. At the top of the tomb there was already a hole. He put her in a container, lowered her into the tomb, left her several months’ worth of dried food and water, and went away. After waiting for the world to settle — three years — Guangding was able to return to his village. He wanted to collect the bones of the daughter he had abandoned in the tomb and bury them properly. Guangding went to look, and the daughter was still sitting in the tomb. When she saw her parents, she recognized them and was very happy. Her parents initially feared she might be a ghost. The father went down to her and then knew she was not dead. He asked her where she got food. The daughter said: “When the food first ran out, I was very hungry. I saw a thing in the corner of the tomb stretching its neck and swallowing air. I tried imitating it, and soon I was no longer hungry. I did this day after day until now. The clothes and bedding left by my parents are still in the tomb. I do not come and go, so my clothes have not decayed, and I do not feel cold.” Guangding then sought the thing his daughter spoke of — it was a large tortoise. The daughter came out and ate grains; at first she had slight stomach pain and vomiting, but after a while she became accustomed.’ This sufficiently proves that tortoises have a method of not dying, and that those who practice the Way can imitate them to achieve the same lifespan as tortoises. Sima Qian (史遷, Shǐ Qiān) and Chen Zhonggong were not given to falsehood. Among the insects and birds of the world, there are many, yet the ancients singled out these two creatures to show that they alone are different from the rest. Seeing one corner, one can understand.”
Another objected: “Tortoises can hibernate in the earth; cranes can fly in the sky. If a person cannot even hibernate for a moment or fly for an instant, how can their longevity be learned?”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) replied: “Among insects, many can hibernate; among birds, many can fly. Yet the ancients singled out tortoises and cranes for their long life. The reason they do not die is not because of hibernation or flight. Therefore the true persons only teach us to learn their guiding and stretching (道引, dào yǐn) to prolong years, and to imitate their breath-eating (食氣, shí qì) to avoid grains — not to learn their hibernation in earth or flight in sky. Those who attain the Way can, above, raise their bodies into the clouds; below, dive and swim in rivers and seas. Thus Xiao Shi (蕭史) rode a phoenix to ascend into the void; Qin Gao (琴高) rode a red carp into the deep abyss — these are the proofs. Why only speak of momentary hibernation or instant flight? Dragons, snakes, flood dragons, water lizards, monkeys, badgers, alligators, and turtles can all go through the winter without eating. When not eating, they are fatter than when they do eat. But no one has obtained their method. Moreover, in certain good qualities, creatures often surpass humans — not only tortoises and cranes. Thus Tai Hao (太昊) learned from spiders to weave nets; Jin Tian (金天) used the nine鳸 (hù — birds) to establish the seasons; Emperor Xuan (帝軒) waited for the phoenix’s cry to tune the pitch pipes; Tang Yao (唐堯) observed the蓂荚 (míng jiá — a legendary plant) to know the months; Gui Zhong (歸終) knows the past; the magpie knows the future; the fish lord (魚伯, yú bó) knows the signs of flood and drought; the mayfly (蜉蝣, fú yóu) knows the place of hidden springs; the white wolf knows the rise of the Shang dynasty; the Yue Zhuo (鸑鷟, yuè zhuó — a mythical phoenix-like bird) saw the prosperity of the Zhou. That tortoises and cranes understand guiding and nourishing is not strange. Moreover, the methods of longevity in the Immortal Scripture number in the hundreds; they only differ in speed, complexity, and essential points — they do not all have to imitate tortoises and cranes. The highest class of scholars use their thoughts to reach far and wide, naturally penetrating the profound. One cannot use the close concerns of the ignorant and vulgar to infer the distant purport of immortals.”
Someone said: “We do not know the principles by which people today can live long. Why did the ancients alone know them?”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) replied: “This is the argument of the deluded and narrow-minded, not the perspective of the enlightened. The profound Way of observing astronomy, calculating the waxing and waning of the seven celestial bodies (七政, qī zhèng), discussing transgressions and attacks in the past, examining rise and decline in the future — looking up at the omens of clouds and phenomena, looking down to determine fortune and misfortune from trigrams and omens, manipulating three chess pieces (三棋, sān qí) to decide the rise or fall of armies, deriving the division of disasters and blessings from the nine tallies (九符, jiǔ fú), multiplying and dividing with one calculation to exhaust the conditions of ghosts and spirits, interweaving the six emotions (六情, liù qíng) to handle the endless good and bad — the root principles can be investigated, the forms and patterns can be sought. Yet even mediocre talents and close-minded tools cannot open the deep structure of learning, let alone reach simplicity. They merely sharpen their thinking on dregs and cannot exhaustively measure the subtle. The crude skill of the tenon and mortise — yet Wheel Bian (輪扁, Lún Biǎn) had an ineffable mastery. The slight technique of catching cicadas — yet the hunchback (傴僂, yǔ lǚ) had a divine skill. It depends on the person, results from utmost refinement. How much more for the Way of immortals, whose purport is deep and far-reaching! Seeking its root and stem is truly not easy. People like Chi Song (赤松) and Wang Qiao (王喬) may have obtained its effects but may not necessarily have measured its reason. How much less ordinary people? The matter can be learned; therefore the ancients recorded it and handed it down to transmit it to those who understand. If one’s mind comprehends and grasps it, one can believe and cultivate it. If doubts reside in one’s breast, that is a matter of one’s own destiny. One should not question why the ancients alone understood this while I alone do not. I now know that immortality can be attained. I can abstain from grains and not eat. I affirm that the flowing pearl (流珠, liú zhū — a Daoist term) can fly, and that gold and silver (黃白, huáng bái — alchemical transformation) can be produced. If you demand that I seek the original principle of these, then truly I do not know it either. If people say that whatever can be grasped by thinking exists, and whatever cannot be reached does not exist, then there would be few things in the world. Thus Laozi (老子) said that cat’s head (狸頭, lí tóu — a plant) cures rat ulcers, and woodpeckers protect against tooth decay — these can be sought by analogy. But that crabs transform lacquer (蟹之化漆, xiè zhī huà qī) or hemp destroys wine (麻之壞酒, má zhī huài jiǔ) — these cannot be deduced by principle. The myriad forms are confusing — how can one exhaust them with the mind? Suppose a person is critically ill and needs a good medicine to be saved, but refuses to take it until he knows why Shennong (神農) and Qi Bo (岐伯) used this herb to treat this disease — that would be foolish.”
Someone said: “Life and death are fated; length of days is predetermined. Medicines cannot increase or decrease it. If a finger is cut off, it cannot be reattached; if blood is spilled, drinking it does no good. How much less taking such different things as pines and cypresses to extend a short lifespan? That is very wrong.”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) said: “As for this argument, it requires that things be of the same kind to be beneficial. But a severed finger and spilled blood are originally of one body, not different kinds. Why then can a severed finger not be reattached, and spilled blood not be taken back? I have often seen people use snake-mouth ointment (蛇銜膏, shé xián gāo) to reattach a severed finger, or use mulberry beans (桑豆, sāng dòu) to replace a chicken or duck’s foot. The benefit of different things cannot be denied. If you say that one should not rely on other things, then should one pound meat and grind bone to make medicine for metal wounds, and boil skin and hair to treat baldness? Water and soil are not of the same body as the hundred plants, yet the hundred plants rely on them to grow. The five grains are not of the same kind as living humans, yet living humans depend on them for life. Fat is not fire’s seed, nor water a fish’s kind, yet when fat is exhausted, fire goes out; when water is exhausted, fish die. Cut down a tree and the parasitic plant withers; cut the grass and the dodder wilts. If river crabs do not return, the shell-dwelling creatures (蛣, jié) perish; if the mulberry tree is cut, the wood-eating insects (蠹, dù) are destroyed. Extend this by analogy, and you will understand. Gold and jade placed in the nine orifices (九竅, jiǔ qiào) make a dead person’s body imperishable. Salt brine touching muscle and marrow makes dried meat not rot. How much more so when one takes things beneficial to the body and life into oneself — why be surprised that they make one live long?”
Another objected: “The alchemical books of immortals seem true but are false. They must have been fabricated by enthusiasts, not necessarily from the hands of Huang-Lao (黃老, Huáng-Lǎo — the Yellow Emperor and Laozi) or witnessed by Chi Song (赤鬆) and Wang Qiao (王喬).”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) replied: “If it were as you argue, they should not be effective. Yet try their minor aspects — they all work. I have often seen people use a square vessel (方諸, fāng zhū) to obtain water from the evening moon, or a burning mirror (陽燧, yáng suì) to draw fire from the morning sun. They make themselves invisible, sinking into no-form; change appearances, becoming different things. They throw a knotted handkerchief on the ground and a hare runs away; they attach needles to a cinnabar belt and a snake moves. Melons and fruits ripen in an instant; dragons and fish splash in plates and bowls — all happen as described. According to the ‘Book of Han’, when Luan Da (欒太) first saw Emperor Wu, he was tested by making chess pieces fight; the pieces moved against each other. And the ‘Later Han Book’ (後漢書, Hòu Hàn Shū) records that Wei Shang (魏尚) could sit in place and stand in disappearance, and that Zhang Kai (張楷) could raise clouds and summon mist. All were recorded by good historians — trustworthy and verifiable. And these artful matters all belong to the section on immortals. It is clear that they were not fabricated. Since the minor works, why should the Way of longevity alone not be so?”
Someone said: “If it is true that immortality can be learned and attained, then one would soar into the clouds, turn one’s back on the world, and abandon society. The rites of seasonal sacrifice (烝嘗, zhēng cháng) would no longer be performed. If the ancestral spirits have awareness, would they not go hungry?”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) replied: “I have heard that not injuring one’s body is called the ultimate filiality (終孝, zhōng xiào). How much more so if one attains the immortal Way, lives long and sees far, and lasts as long as Heaven and Earth — this surpasses receiving one’s body whole and returning it whole — is it not far beyond? If one can truly ascend into emptiness, ride the shadow, with cloud chariots and rainbow canopies, eat the dawn dew (沆瀣, hàng xiè) of morning glow, drink the pure essence of dark and yellow (玄黃, xuán huáng), drink jade nectar (玉醴, yù lǐ) and golden elixir (金漿, jīn jiāng), eat emerald mushrooms and red blossoms, dwell in jade halls and gem chambers, travel carefree in the Great Purity (太清, tài qīng). If the ancestral spirits have awareness, they will share in my glory. Perhaps I can assist the Five Emperors (五帝, wǔ dì), or perhaps I can command the hundred spirits. Position can be attained without seeking; food can be jade-flower chews; power can command Luo Feng (羅酆, Luó Fēng — the underworld); awe can shout down Liang Cheng (梁成). Truly, if one follows the Way, who knows its wonder? There will be none who go hungry. The highest of those who attained the Way was no other than Bo Yang (伯陽 — Laozi). Bo Yang had a son named Zong (宗), who served as a general in the state of Wei and was granted a fief at Duangan (段乾, Duàngān). Therefore those who study immortality today can all have sons and younger brothers to carry on the sacrifices. Why would the sacrifices necessarily cease?”
Someone asked: “Those who have attained the Way — their breathing techniques (呼吸之術, hūxī zhī shù) are complete, their essentials of taking medicines are fully covered. They cover their ears yet hear a thousand li; close their eyes yet see the future. Some abandon ornate chariots to rein in dragons; some forsake the divine continent to dwell in Penglai (蓬瀛, Péng Yíng — legendary islands). Some linger among the common customs, carefree in the human world, not necessarily vanishing to create the profound void. Their aspirations are the same, yet their departures or stays differ — why?”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) answered: “I have heard from former teachers that immortals either ascend to heaven or remain on earth. The essential is that both achieve longevity. Leaving or staying follows each one’s preference. Moreover, with the method of returning elixir (還丹, huán dān) and golden liquid (金液, jīn yè), if one wishes to stay in the world, one takes only half the dose and keeps the other half. If later one wishes to ascend to heaven, one then takes the rest. The matter of not dying is settled, and there is no longer worry of sudden demise. Even if one stays on earth or enters famous mountains, what further worry is there? Peng Zu (彭祖) said: ‘In heaven there are many high officials and great spirits. New immortals have low status; the beings they must serve are many. It is even more toilsome. Therefore I find it not worth the labor of ascending to heaven, and I remain in the human world for over eight hundred years.’ He also said: ‘Among those who attained immortality in antiquity, some grew feathers on their bodies and transformed, flying about — but they lost their human foundation and received a different form, like sparrows becoming clams or pheasants becoming mussels. That is not the human way. The human way is to eat sweet delicacies, wear light and warm clothes, harmonize yin and yang, hold official rank, have keen eyes and ears, strong bones and joints, a cheerful complexion, grow old without decline, prolong life and see far, come and go as one pleases, be immune to cold, heat, wind, and dampness, be invulnerable to ghosts, spirits, and all kinds of essence, be unharmed by weapons or a hundred poisons, and not be troubled by joy, anger, praise, or blame — that is the precious thing. If one abandons wife and children, dwells alone in mountains and marshes, far removed, severing human relationships, solitary, neighbor to trees and stones — that is not worth much. In the past, Mr. Anqi (安期先生, Ānqī Xiānshēng), Longmei Ning Gong (龍眉甯公, Lóngméi Níng Gōng), Xiu Yang Gong (修羊公, Xiūyáng Gōng), and Yin Changsheng (陰長生, Yīn Chángshēng) all took the half-dose of golden liquid. They remained in the world for nearly a thousand years before departing. To speak truly, those who seek longevity simply cherish what they desire today. They are not eager to ascend into emptiness, considering flying superior to staying on earth. If one could stay home and not die, why seek to ascend to heaven quickly? If attaining immortality means one cannot remain, that is another matter. Peng Zu’s words cater to human feelings.”
Someone asked: “Do those who practice the Way need first to establish merit and virtue? Is that true?”
Baopuzi (抱朴子) answered: “Yes. According to the middle chapter of the ‘Jade Tally Scripture’ (玉鈐經, Yù Qián Jīng): ‘Establishing merit is the highest; removing faults is next. For those who practice the Way, saving people from danger and causing them to avoid disaster, protecting people from illness, preventing untimely death — these are the highest merits.’ Those who seek immortality must take loyalty, filial piety, harmony, obedience, benevolence, and trustworthiness as their foundation. If one does not cultivate virtue and conduct but only pursues techniques, one cannot achieve longevity. For major evil deeds, the Director of Fate (司命, Sī Mìng) takes away whole intervals (紀, jì — a unit of lifespan); for minor faults, he takes away smaller counts (算, suàn). Depending on the severity of the transgression, the amount taken varies. Every person’s allotted lifespan has its own number. If the number is originally large, then the counts are hard to exhaust and death comes late. If one’s endowment is originally small and one commits many transgressions, then the counts are quickly exhausted and death comes early. It also says: ‘If a person wants to become an earthly immortal (地仙, dì xiān), he should establish three hundred good deeds. For a heavenly immortal (天仙, tiān xiān), he should establish one thousand two hundred good deeds. If one has one thousand one hundred and ninety-nine good deeds and then suddenly commits one evil act, one loses all previous good deeds and must start counting good deeds over again.’ Therefore, good does not need to be great, and evil does not need to be small. Even if one does not commit evil deeds, but speaks of one’s own good deeds or demands recompense for charitable giving, then one loses the merit of that one good deed — though not all good deeds are lost. It also says: ‘If one has not yet accumulated enough good deeds, even taking immortal medicines is of no benefit. If one does not take immortal medicines but does good deeds, even if one does not immediately become immortal, one can avoid sudden death.’ I further suspect that people like Peng Zu did not accumulate enough good merit, which is why they could not ascend to heaven.”
The Golden Elixir (金丹)
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: I have examined and perused books on nourishing life, collected methods for long sight (久視, jiǔ shì — longevity). The volumes and chapters I have opened and read number in the thousands. All of them take the returning elixir (還丹, huán dān) and golden liquid (金液, jīn yè) as the great essentials. These two matters are indeed the ultimate of the immortal Way. If one takes these and does not become immortal, then there have never been immortals since antiquity. In the past, when the central plains were in chaos and ruin, everyone fled and scattered in all directions. I traveled among several provinces — Xu (徐), Yu (豫), Jing (荊), Xiang (襄), Jiang (江), Guang (廣) — and saw hundreds of itinerant and common Daoists. Some I had heard of by reputation as being beyond the clouds and sun. But they were all similar to one another. What they knew and had seen — whether deep or shallow, existent or nonexistent — was not enough to surpass others. Though each had several tens of volumes of books, they did not fully understand them; they merely copied and stored them. Occasionally there were those who knew breath circulation (行氣, xíng qì), grain abstention (斷穀, duàn gǔ), and methods of taking various herbal medicines. Their formulas and books were roughly the same text. Not one lacked the ‘Classic of the Way’ (道機經, Dào Jī Jīng), which they considered the utmost secret, claiming it was written by Jun Xi (君喜, Jūn Xǐ — i.e., Yin Xi, the guardian of the pass who received Laozi). I told them: ‘This was written by Wang Tu (王圖, Wáng Tú), a military supervisor of the Wei dynasty, not by an ancient.’ Wang Tu completely did not understand the great elixirs; he only wanted to seek immortality through breath circulation and entering the chamber. He composed this ‘Classic of the Way’, claiming that the Way was complete in this — this is greatly misleading. I asked these Daoists about the matters of the divine elixir (神丹, shén dān) and golden liquid, and about the methods in the ‘Inner Writings of the Three Sovereigns’ (三皇內文, Sān Huáng Nèi Wén) for summoning celestial gods and earthly spirits. Not one of them knew anything about them. Those who boasted and praised themselves, deceiving others, saying they had long lived, and claiming to have traveled with immortals — these were more than half. Those sufficient to fully discuss the subtle were very few. Some had heard a little about the golden elixir but did not believe that anyone in the present age could obtain it; they all said that only the ancient immortals who had already ascended understood it. Some had obtained formulas from outside traditions but not the true scriptures. Or they had obtained miscellaneous fragmentary elixir formulas and then claimed that the elixir methods were complete in them.
In the past, Zuo Yuanfang (左元放, Zuǒ Yuánfàng — Zuo Ci) practiced concentrated thought in the Tianzhu Mountains (天柱山, Tiānzhù Shān), and a spirit person (神人, shén rén) bestowed upon him the immortal scripture of the golden elixir. At that time, the Han dynasty was in chaos at the end of its reign, so he did not have time to compound it. He took refuge and crossed the Yangtze to the east, intending to enter famous mountains to cultivate this Way. My grand-uncle, the Immortal Duke (仙公, Xiān Gōng), then received it from Yuanfang. Altogether, he received the ‘Great Purity Elixir Scripture’ (太清丹經, Tài Qīng Dān Jīng) in three volumes, the ‘Nine Tripod Elixir Scripture’ (九鼎丹經, Jiǔ Dǐng Dān Jīng) in one volume, and the ‘Golden Liquid Elixir Scripture’ (金液丹經, Jīn Yè Dān Jīng) in one volume. My teacher, Lord Zheng (鄭君, Zhèng Jūn), was a disciple of my grand-uncle the Immortal Duke. He also received it from my grand-uncle. But his family was poor and he had no money to buy medicines. I personally served him, sweeping and cleaning for a long time. Finally, at Maji Mountain (馬跡山, Mǎjī Shān), he set up an altar, and we made a covenant, and he transmitted it to me, along with all the oral instructions (口訣, kǒujué) not written down. East of the Yangtze, this book did not originally exist. The book came from Zuo Yuanfang; Yuanfang gave it to my grand-uncle; my grand-uncle gave it to Lord Zheng; Lord Zheng gave it to me. Therefore, other Daoists know nothing about it. However, I have now had it for over twenty years. My resources are less than a single load of grain; I have no way to compound it. I can only sigh deeply. There are those who pile up gold filling coffers, who accumulate cash like a mountain, yet they do not know this method of immortality. Even if they heard of it, they would not believe it in ten thousand cases — what can be done? Those who drink from jade terrace (玉臺, yù tái) know the thin taste of duckweed and greens; those who see Kunlun (昆侖, kūn lún) feel that mounds are extremely low. Having examined the Way of the golden elixir, one no longer wishes to look at minor alchemical books. However, the great elixir is hard to prepare quickly; one must first use the lesser ones to support oneself. But taking ten thousand bushels of other medicines may yield small benefits but cannot ultimately make one immortal. Therefore Laozi’s secret words (訣言, jué yán) say: ‘If you do not obtain the returning elixir and golden liquid, you will suffer in vain.’ The five grains can keep people alive; people live if they have them, die if they are cut off. How much more so for the superior grade of divine medicines — their benefit to humans is not ten thousand times greater than the five grains? The substance of the golden elixir (金丹, jīn dān), the more it is burned, the more marvelous its transformations. Gold, when put into fire, does not disappear after a hundred smeltings; when buried, it does not decay until the end of Heaven. Taking these two substances, they refine the human body, thereby enabling one not to age or die. This is borrowing external things to strengthen oneself. It is like oil nourishing fire so it cannot be extinguished, or copper green (銅青, tóng qīng) applied to the feet to prevent rotting in water — this is borrowing copper’s toughness to protect the flesh. The golden elixir enters the body and permeates the nutritive and defensive energies (榮衛, róng wèi) — it is not merely an external application like copper green. Among the world’s people, those who do not believe in the supreme Way are many and countless. Yet if there occasionally happens to be an enthusiast who has not seen these methods or encountered a true teacher, how could he hear that such marvelous things exist in the world? I now briefly summarize the general outline of the golden elixir to show to like-minded future enthusiasts. They should diligently seek it. In seeking, one should not adhere to shallow and close-at-hand formulas and think they are sufficient to escape the world. If one never encounters it, one should simply give up hope of the infinite. I imagine that when they see this explanation, they will surely know that they have emerged from a puddle to float on the great sea, turned away from fireflies and candles to face the sun and moon, heard thunder and realized the crudeness of a drum, seen a giant whale and known the smallness of a tiny shell. If one is dull and has no prior knowledge, and tries to ascend with inferior medicines — how is that different from urging a lame donkey to chase a swift wind, or rowing a blue boat to cross a great river?
Moreover, there are many minor elixir formulas. But their preparation has varying depths, so their power differs. Though some are superior, they cannot compare to the great elixirs — just as one brew of wine cannot equal the potency of nine-fermented wine (九醞, jiǔ yùn). Yet even the lowest of the lesser elixirs far surpasses the best of herbs. All herbs, when burned, turn to ash. But cinnabar (丹砂, dān shā), when burned, becomes mercury; with further transformations, it returns to cinnabar. Its distance from ordinary herbs is great indeed. Therefore it can make people live long. Immortals alone see this principle. How infinitely remote they are from vulgar people! People of the world have seen little and are surprised by much. Some do not know that mercury comes from cinnabar; if you tell them, they will not believe it, saying, ‘Cinnabar is originally red; how could it become this white substance?’ Others say, ‘Cinnabar is a stone; when you burn stones, they all turn to ash; why should cinnabar alone be different?’ These are matters close at hand and easy to understand, yet they cannot grasp them. So when they hear of the immortal Way, they laugh loudly at it — is that not only natural? The true persons (真人, zhēn rén) of high antiquity, pitying those of the future who could be taught, created methods, taking great pains, desiring to free them from the disaster of death. These can truly be called ultimate words. Yet vulgar people never believe them, calling them empty writings. If they were empty writings, how could the nine cycles (九轉, jiǔ zhuǎn) and nine transformations, with their prescribed numbers of days, all produce results exactly as the formulas say? The reason true persons know these things cannot be sought by ordinary thinking.
From my youth, I have loved esoteric arts. On foot I have traveled to ask questions, not fearing danger or distance. Whenever I heard something strange, I rejoiced. Though I was ridiculed and slandered, I was not saddened. How does one know that the future will not surpass the present? Therefore I write this to show those who understand. I do not merely prize the strange and adorn empty words, wishing my book to circulate in the world and bind the vulgar in belief. Strong sunlight cannot bring withered and rotten things to life; the highest wisdom cannot change the foolish and benighted. Books are transmitted for the understanding; matters are valued by the knowledgeable. A farmer might get a red bow (彤弓, tóng gōng) to scare away birds; a southerner might get an embroidered robe (袞衣, gǔn yī) to carry firewood. How can one force those who do not understand? People of the world eat their fill all day, but they do not necessarily diligently pursue the work of Confucius and Mozi or attend to the task of advancing virtue. They merely enjoy wandering and roaming, to pass the years. What they pursue is either glory or profit. Some fly falcons and course hounds in the central plains; some linger over cups and goblets, boiling with excitement; some indulge in beautiful women, sinking into music and song; some wallow in silk and embroidery; some draw bowstrings until their muscles and bones are ruined; some play games of chance, wasting their time. When they hear words of the supreme Way, they are as if drunk; when they see discussions of the Way, they fall asleep during the day. They have bodies but do not cultivate them; they move toward death. They are unwilling to seek methods of nourishing life. They wish to cut themselves, to boil themselves, to exhaust themselves, to drain themselves dry. And those who possess the Way treasure their knowledge and keep it secret; they seek nothing from others. How could they force themselves to speak of it? A common saying among the vulgar is that if longevity could be attained, the rich and noble of antiquity would have attained it. Since none did, this Way does not exist. They do not know that the rich and noble of antiquity are just like the rich and noble of today. Both do not believe and do not seek; both take what is immediately before their eyes as urgent. How could they attain it? Even if one cannot resolve to believe that life can be prolonged and immortality attained, what would it hurt to try? If by trying you achieve a small result — say, living two or three hundred years — is that not better than dying young like ordinary people? The affairs of the world are ten thousandfold, and the Daoist arts are especially difficult to understand compared to other things. How can one use the mind of mediocre talent to conclude that there is certainly no Way of longevity in the world? If simply because the majority do not believe it, you say it does not exist, then why are the wise people of the world so many? If today there are those who understand the meaning of the Way and still cultivate and seek it, must they necessarily be the most foolish and inferior to everyone else? Or perhaps some worry that if they seek longevity but fail, they will be laughed at as deluded fools. But if what your mind concludes has a one-in-ten-thousand chance of being wrong, and there truly exists this Way of immortality in the world, would you not then be laughed at by those who attain it? The sun and moon cannot shine on everything; how can the human mind be trusted alone?
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: According to the ‘Yellow Emperor’s Nine Tripod Divine Elixir Scripture’ (黃帝九鼎神丹經, Huángdì Jiǔ Dǐng Shén Dān Jīng), the Yellow Emperor (黃帝, Huángdì) took it and ascended to immortality. It also says, even though one practices breath circulation and guided stretching, and takes herbal medicines, one can prolong life but cannot avoid death. Taking the divine elixir makes one’s lifespan endless, lasting as long as Heaven and Earth, riding clouds and driving dragons, ascending and descending in the Great Purity (太清, tài qīng). The Yellow Emperor transmitted it to Xuan Zi (玄子, Xuán Zǐ), warning him: ‘This Way is of utmost importance; you must transmit it only to the worthy. If the person is not suitable, even if he piles up jade like a mountain, do not tell him this Way.’ Those who receive it must cast a gold man and a gold fish into the east-flowing water as a covenant, and swear an oath with blood. Without the bone structure of an immortal (神仙之骨, shén xiān zhī gǔ), one cannot see this Way. The elixir should be compounded in famous mountains, in uninhabited places, with no more than three companions. First fast for a hundred days, bathe with five fragrances (五香, wǔ xiāng), maintain utmost purity, do not approach filth or defilement, nor associate with common people. Moreover, do not let those who do not believe in the Way know of it, for they would slander and destroy the divine medicine, and the medicine will not be completed. When completed, one’s entire family can become immortals, not just oneself. People of the world do not compound the divine elixir; instead they believe in herbal medicines. Herbal medicines, when buried, decay; when boiled, they disintegrate; when burned, they char. They cannot keep themselves alive — how can they give life to others?
The Nine Elixirs (九丹, jiǔ dān) are the essential of longevity; they are not for ordinary people to see or hear. The teeming millions are ignorant, only knowing how to covet wealth and nobility — are they not walking corpses (行屍, xíng shī)? When compounding, one must also offer sacrifices; there is a separate scroll of diagrams and methods for the sacrifice.
The first elixir is called Elixir of China (丹華, Dān Huá). First make Xuan Huang (玄黃, xuán huáng — a black-yellow substance). Use Realgar water (雄黃水, xióng huáng shuǐ), Alum stone water (礬石水, fán shí shuǐ), Rock salt (戎鹽, róng yán), Brine salt (鹵鹽, lǔ yán), Arsenic stone (礜石, yù shí), Oyster shells (牡蠣, mǔ lì), Red ochre (赤石脂, chì shí zhī), Talc (滑石, huá shí), and Lead powder (胡粉, hú fěn) — each several tens of jin — to make Six-One Mud (六一泥, liù yī ní). Fire it for thirty-six days, and it is completed. Taking it for seven days makes one an immortal. Also use Xuan ointment (玄膏, xuán gāo) to form this elixir into pills; place it on a fierce fire, and in a moment it becomes gold. Also mix two hundred and forty zhu (銖, zhū — a unit of weight) with a hundred jin of mercury and fire it — it also becomes gold. When gold forms, the elixir is complete. If gold does not form, reseal the medicine and fire it for the same number of days — it will not fail.
The second elixir is called Divine Elixir (神丹, Shén Dān), also called Divine Talisman (神符, Shén Fú). Taking it for a hundred days makes one an immortal. To walk through water and fire, rub this elixir on the soles of the feet, and you can walk on water. Take three dao-gui (刀圭, dāo guī — a small measure), and the three corpses (三屍, sān shī — the three worms that cause aging and death) and the nine worms (九蟲, jiǔ chóng) will all be destroyed, and all hundred diseases will be cured.
The third elixir is also called Divine Elixir (神丹, Shén Dān). Take one dao-gui; in a hundred days you become an immortal. Feed it to domestic animals, and they will never die. It also repels the five weapons (五兵, wǔ bīng). After a hundred days, immortals, jade maidens, mountain and river spirits will come to serve you, appearing in human form.
The fourth elixir is called Returning Elixir (還丹, Huán Dān). Take one dao-gui; in a hundred days you become an immortal. The crimson bird (朱鳥, zhū niǎo) and phoenix will hover above you; jade maidens will come to your side. Mix one dao-gui with a pound of mercury and fire it; it immediately becomes gold. Use this elixir to paint money and objects, and they will return the same day. Paint this elixir on the eyes of any person, and a hundred ghosts will flee.
The fifth elixir is called Bait Elixir (餌丹, Ěr Dān). Take it for thirty days and you become an immortal. Ghosts and spirits come to serve; jade maidens come before you.
The sixth elixir is called Refined Elixir (煉丹, Liàn Dān). Take it for ten days and you become an immortal. Also, mix it with mercury and fire it — it becomes gold.
The seventh elixir is called Soft Elixir (柔丹, Róu Dān). Take one dao-gui; in a hundred days you become an immortal. Mix with Quepen juice (缺盆汁, què pén zhī — from the缺盆 plant) and take it; even a ninety-year-old man can beget children. Mix with Jin Gong (金公, Jīn Gōng — a term for lead) and fire it — it becomes gold.
The eighth elixir is called Subdued Elixir (伏丹, Fú Dān). Take it and you become an immortal the same day. Hold a piece the size of a jujube pit, and a hundred ghosts will flee. Paint it on the doors and gates, and ten thousand evil spirits and all kinds of essence will not dare approach. It also repels robbers, thieves, tigers, and wolves.
The ninth elixir is called Cold Elixir (寒丹, Hán Dān). Take one dao-gui; in a hundred days you become an immortal. Immortal youths and jade maidens come to serve you. You will fly and rise lightly without needing wings.
All these nine elixirs: if you obtain just one elixir, you become an immortal; you need not prepare them all. Preparing them depends on one’s preference. When you take any of the nine elixirs, if you wish to ascend to heaven, you depart; if you wish to remain in the human world, you may do so freely. You can go in and out without obstruction, and no harm can come to you.
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: There is also the Great Purity Divine Elixir (太清神丹, Tài Qīng Shén Dān), whose method came from Lord Yuan (元君, Yuán Jūn). Lord Yuan was the teacher of Laozi. The ‘Great Purity Sky-Gazing Scripture’ (太清觀天經, Tài Qīng Guān Tiān Jīng) has nine sections. It says that the top three sections cannot be taught; the middle three sections are not worth transmitting in this world and are always sunk beneath the three springs (三泉, sān quán); the lower three sections are precisely the Elixir Scripture in three volumes — upper, middle, and lower. Lord Yuan is a great immortal person, able to harmonize yin and yang, command ghosts, spirits, wind, and rain, drive a chariot of nine dragons and twelve white tigers, and all the immortals under heaven are subordinate to him. Yet he himself states that he originally studied the Way and took elixirs to achieve this — it is not natural. How much more for ordinary people? Its scripture says: ‘The highest class of scholars, when they attain the Way, ascend to become heavenly officials (天官, tiān guān); the middle class of scholars, when they attain the Way, dwell in Kunlun (昆侖, kūn lún); the lower class of scholars, when they attain the Way, live long in the world.’ Foolish people do not believe this, calling it empty talk. From morning to evening, they only do things that seek death; they never seek life. How can Heaven force them to live? Ordinary people only know fine food, beautiful clothes, music, women, wealth, and nobility — they indulge their hearts and exhaust their desires. For such people who suddenly perish, you must never tell them about the divine elixir, lest they laugh at the Way and slander the truth. If you transmit the Elixir Scripture to the wrong person, you will surely not fare well. If there is someone of deep faith, you may compound the medicine and share it with him, but do not lightly transmit the method. What need do those who know this Way have for kings and lords? Once the divine elixir is completed, not only can you live long, but you can also make gold. When the gold is made, take a hundred jin and first perform a great sacrifice. The sacrifice has its own separate method in one scroll, not the same as the nine tripod sacrifice. For the sacrifice, you should weigh out the gold and label it separately.
Sacrifice to Heaven: twenty jin; to the Sun and Moon: five jin; to the Northern Dipper (北斗, běi dǒu): eight jin; to the Grand Unity (太乙, Tài Yǐ): eight jin; to the Well (井, jǐng): five jin; to the Stove (竈, zào): five jin; to the River Lord (河伯, Hé Bó): twelve jin; to the Earth Altar (社, shè): five jin; to gates, doors, village spirits, and various lords: five jin each — altogether eighty-eight jin. The remaining twelve jin, place in a good leather bag. On a good day, at the height of market activity in the city, silently abandon it in a crowded place, then walk away without looking back. Only after using a hundred jin in this way may you use the rest freely. If you do not first sacrifice the gold to the spirits, you will surely suffer disaster. It also says: ‘The Way of longevity is not in sacrificing to ghosts and spirits, nor in guiding and stretching (道引, dào yǐn) and bending and extending. The essential of ascending to immortality is in the divine elixir. To know it is not easy; to practice it is truly difficult. If you can make it, you can live forever.’ In recent times, at the end of the Han dynasty, Yin Jun (陰君, Yīn Jūn) of Xinye (新野, Xīnyě) compounded this Great Purity Elixir and attained immortality. He was originally a Confucian scholar, talented and thoughtful, skilled in poetry and in writing praises for the elixir scripture and prefaces. He narrated the process of his initial study of the Way and following his teacher, and listed over forty people he knew who had attained immortality — very clearly. Making this Great Purity Elixir is a little harder than compounding the nine tripod, but it is the superior method for ascending to heaven in broad daylight. To make it, you must first prepare the Floral Pond (華池, huá chí), Red Salt (赤鹽, chì yán), Gen Snow (艮雪, gèn xuě), Dark White (玄白, xuán bái), Flying Talisman (飛符, fēi fú), and the Three-Five Divine Water (三五神水, sān wǔ shén shuǐ) — only then can you light the fire.
For an elixir of one cycle (一轉, yī zhuǎn), taking it for three years makes one an immortal. For two cycles, taking it for two years makes one an immortal. For three cycles, one year. For four cycles, half a year. For five cycles, a hundred days. For six cycles, forty days. For seven cycles, thirty days. For eight cycles, ten days. For nine cycles, three days. If you take the nine-cycle elixir and place it in a divine cauldron (神鼎, shén dǐng), after the summer solstice, heat the cauldron until hot, then put a pound of cinnabar (朱兒, zhū ér) under the lid. Wait for the sun’s essence to shine on it. In a moment, it will all rise up, dazzling and shining, with a divine light of five colors, and it will transform into the returning elixir (還丹, huán dān). Take one dao-gui of it, and you will ascend to heaven in broad daylight. As for the nine-cycle elixir, it is sealed in an earthen pot (土釜, tǔ fǔ) and heated with chaff fire, first gentle then fierce. From one cycle to nine cycles, the speed varies, each with its own number of days — thus one knows. With fewer cycles, the medicine’s power is insufficient, so it takes more days and attaining immortality is slower. With more cycles, the medicine’s power is strong, so it takes fewer days and attaining immortality is quicker.
There is also the Nine Radiance Elixir (九光丹, Jiǔ Guāng Dān), whose method differs from the nine cycles, but is largely similar. To make it, take various medicines and fire them together to transform the five minerals (五石, wǔ shí). The five minerals are: cinnabar (丹砂, dān shā), realgar (雄黃, xióng huáng), white arsenolite (白礜, bái yù), azurite (曾青, céng qīng), and magnetite (慈石, cí shí). Each mineral is cycled five times, each producing five colors — five minerals produce twenty-five colors. Each color is one liang (兩, liǎng) in amount, stored in separate vessels. To raise the dead who have been dead less than three days, take one dao-gui of the green elixir, mix with water, and bathe the dead person; also take one dao-gui, open the mouth, and put it inside — the dead person will immediately live. To bring a traveling kitchen (行廚, xíng chú — food appearing by magic), take the black elixir, mix with water, and paint the left hand; whatever you ask for will come of itself — you can bring all things under heaven. To become invisible or to know future events before they happen, and to stop aging and not grow old, take one dao-gui of the yellow elixir, and you will immediately live long without aging. You will also be able to see a thousand li away while sitting, knowing both good and bad fortune as if before your eyes. A person’s past destiny, rise and fall, lifespan, wealth and poverty — all will be known. The methods are all in the middle volume of the ‘Great Purity Scripture’.
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: Next there is the ‘Five Spirits Elixir Scripture’ (五靈丹經, Wǔ Líng Dān Jīng) in one scroll, containing five methods. It uses cinnabar, realgar, orpiment (雌黃, cí huáng), sulfur (石硫黃, shí liú huáng), azurite, alum (礬石, fán shí), magnetite, rock salt, and Taiyi Yu Liang (太乙餘糧, Tài Yǐ Yú Liáng — a mineral). It also uses Six-One Mud and a spirit chamber, with sacrifices and offerings, and is completed in thirty-six days. It also uses the Five Emperors’ Talismans (五帝符, wǔ dì fú) written in five colors. This also makes one not die, but it is not as good as the Great Purity or Nine Tripod elixirs.
There is also the Minshan Elixir Method (岷山丹法, Mínshān Dān Fǎ). The Daoist Zhang Gai Ta (張蓋蹋, Zhāng Gài Tà) practiced concentrated thought in a stone chamber on Mount Min (岷山, Mín Shān) and obtained this formula. The method: smelt and work yellow copper to make a square vessel (方諸, fāng zhū) to catch the water of the moon; cover it with mercury, bring the essence of the sun as fire within it; take it regularly and you will never die. Also take this elixir, place it in a realgar copper fire-drill (雄黃銅燧, xióng huáng tóng suì), cover with mercury, and expose to the sun. After twenty days, open and process it; take it with well-flower water (井華水, jǐng huá shuǐ) in the size of a small bean. After a hundred days, blind people will see, all hundred diseases will heal themselves, white hair will turn black, and lost teeth will grow again.
There is also the Wuchengzi Elixir Method (務成子丹法, Wùchéngzǐ Dān Fǎ): use cinnabar and mercury (巴沙汞, bā shā gǒng) placed in an eight-inch copper pan with an earthen stove full of charcoal; lean three corner trenches to support the pan; pour sulfur water over it, always keeping it like mud; after a hundred days, take it and never die.
There is also the Xianmenzi Elixir Method (羡門子丹法, Xiànmenzǐ Dān Fǎ): mix one jin of elixir with three sheng of wine, expose for forty days. Take it for one day, and the three worms and hundred diseases will immediately descend; take it for three years, and the immortal Way will be completed. Two jade maidens will surely come to serve you; you can command them to bring a traveling kitchen. This elixir can suppress a hundred ghosts and the residual disasters of the dead that harm people’s houses, as well as earth-moving works that impede people. Hang it facing them, and there will be no trouble.
There is also the Licheng Elixir (立成丹, Lì Chéng Dān), which has nine recipes, similar to the Nine Tripod but not as good. One of its main recipes says: take orpiment and realgar, burn them, and take the copper that sinks below; cast it into a vessel, cover it with pure, strong vinegar for three years. After a hundred days, this vessel will produce red milk (赤乳, chì rǔ) several tenths of an inch long, sometimes forming five-colored colored langgan (琅玕, láng gān — a kind of gem). Take and process it, then take it, and it will also make one live long. It can also be mixed with dodder (菟絲, tù sī). Dodder is the root of a newly sprouted plant, shaped like a hare. Dig it up, cut it, and mix its blood with this elixir; taking it allows immediate transformation — you can do anything you wish. Also mix with vermilion herb (朱草, zhū cǎo); one dose enables you to ride emptiness and travel in the clouds. Vermilion herb resembles small jujubes, only three or four feet tall; its branches and leaves are red; its stem is like coral. It likes to grow on famous mountains under rocks. Cut it, and its sap flows like blood. Throw jade, the eight minerals, gold, or silver into it, and it will immediately form pills like mud; over time it becomes water. Throw gold into it — it’s called golden elixir (金漿, jīn jiāng); throw jade into it — it’s called jade nectar (玉醴, yù lǐ). Taking either gives longevity.
There is also the Method of Obtaining Subdued Elixir (取伏丹法, qǔ fú dān fǎ), which says: among the various waters under heaven, those with the name ‘dan’ (elixir) — such as the Dan River (丹水, Dān Shuǐ) in Nanyang (南陽, Nányáng) — contain elixir fish (丹魚, dān yú). Ten nights before the summer solstice, watch for them; the elixir fish will float near the water’s edge, their red light shining up like fire. You can net and catch them. Even if you catch many, do not take them all. Cut out their blood, rub it on the soles of your feet, and you can walk on water and live long in deep waters.
There is also the Chisongzi Elixir Method (赤鬆子丹法, Chìsōngzǐ Dān Fǎ): take the juice of thousand-year-old vine (千歲虆, qiān suì léi) and peach-alum juice (礬桃汁, fán táo zhī), steep the elixir in them, and place in a container that does not leak. Seal the mouth with refined honey, bury it three feet underground. After a hundred days, take the red fruit of the lemon tree (檸木赤實, níng mù chì shí), extract the juice, mix, and take it. This makes one’s face, hair, and beard all red, and gives longevity. In the past, among the Central Yellow Immortals (中黃仙人, zhōng huáng xiān rén), there was a Red-Bearded Master (赤鬚子, Chì Xūzǐ) — surely he took this.
There is also the Shixiansheng Elixir Method (石先生丹法, Shí Xiānshēng Dān Fǎ): take baby birds (烏鷇, wū kòu) that have not yet grown feathers, mix true elixir with beef and swallow them with the birds. When they grow up, their feathers will be red; then kill them, dry them in the shade for a hundred days, pound them with the feathers, and take one dao-gui. In a hundred days, you attain a lifespan of five hundred years.
There is also the Kang Fengzi Elixir Method (康風子丹法, Kāng Fēngzǐ Dān Fǎ): use the blood of sheep, crows, cranes, and sparrows, mix with the juice of Tianshan (少室天雄, Shǎoshì tiānxióng — a plant), and mix with elixir inside swan eggs; paint them, place in mica water; after a hundred days, they turn into red water. Take one ge (合, gě — a unit of volume) and you increase your lifespan by a hundred years; take one sheng (升, shēng) and you live a thousand years.
There is also the Cui Wenzi Elixir Method (崔文子丹法, Cuī Wénzǐ Dān Fǎ): put the elixir in the belly of a duck and steam it; taking it prolongs years; take it regularly and never die.
There is also the Liu Yuan Elixir Method (劉元丹法, Liú Yuán Dān Fǎ): put cinnabar in dark water (玄水液, xuán shuǐ yè); after a hundred days it turns purple; hold it and it does not soil the hand. Also mix with mica water, put in a tube, paint it, throw it into a well; after a hundred days it turns into red water. Take one ge, you live a hundred years; take it regularly and live long.
There is also the Yue Zichang Elixir Method (樂子長丹法, Yuè Zicháng Dān Fǎ): mix azurite, lead elixir (鉛丹, qiān dān), mercury, and cinnabar in a copper tube, seal with dry clay and white talc, steam in white sand for eighty days. Take a dose the size of a small bean; in three years you become an immortal.
There is also the Li Wen Elixir Method (李文丹法, Lǐ Wén Dān Fǎ): wrap the elixir in white silk, boil it in bamboo juice (called Red Spring, 紅泉, hóng quán), then float on hot water and steam it; mix with dark water. Take one ge; in one year you become an immortal.
There is also the Yin Zi Elixir Method (尹子丹法, Yǐn Zǐ Dān Fǎ): mix mica water with the elixir, seal it, place in a Golden Chamber Pond (金華池, jīn huá chí); after one year, take it out. Take one dao-gui; consume one jin and you live five hundred years.
There is also the Taiyi Summoning Souls and Spirits Elixir Method (太乙招魂魄丹法, Tài Yǐ zhāo hún pò dān fǎ): it uses the five minerals and is sealed with Six-One Mud, similar to the nine elixirs. It is especially good for raising the dead who have died within three days. Break a tooth, put one pill inside, together with a sulfur pill, send it down with water; as soon as it reaches the throat, the person lives. They all say they see an envoy holding a tally summoning them.
There is also the Cainü Elixir Method (採女丹法, Cǎinǚ Dān Fǎ): mix rabbit blood with the elixir and honey, steam for a hundred days. Take a pill the size of a parasol tree seed (梧桐子, wú tóng zǐ) three times a day. After a hundred days, two spirit maidens come to serve you — you can command them.
There is also the Jiqiu Zi Elixir Method (稷丘子丹法, Jìqiū Zǐ Dān Fǎ): mix with pure wine, hemp oil, a hundred flower nectar (百華醴, bǎi huā lǐ), and dragon ointment (龍膏, lóng gāo); seal with Six-One Mud, warm with chaff fire for ten days. Take a pill the size of a small bean; consume the whole dose and live five hundred years.
There is also the Mozi Elixir Method (墨子丹法, Mò Zǐ Dān Fǎ): use mercury and the five mineral liquids in a copper vessel, fire and boil, stirring with an iron spoon. After ten days, it returns to elixir. Take one dao-gui; ten thousand diseases leave the body; take it regularly and never die.
There is also the Zhang Zihe Elixir Method (張子和丹法, Zhāng Zǐhé Dān Fǎ): use lead, mercury, azurite, and water, seal them, and steam in red sorghum (赤黍米, chì shǔ mǐ). After eighty days it is completed; form pills with jujube ointment. Take the size of a soybean; after a hundred days, live five hundred years.
There is also the Qili Elixir Method (綺裏丹法, Qǐ Lǐ Dān Fǎ): first sublimate (飛, fēi — alchemical sublimation) the five minerals and jade dust, mix with cinnabar and mercury, place in a large copper vessel and boil. After a hundred days, it becomes five-colored. Taking it, you never die. Take a hundred jin of lead and a hundred dao-gui of the medicine, fire them together, and they become white silver. Mix with realgar water and fire — after a hundred days it becomes gold. If the gold is too hard, boil it with pig fat; if too soft, boil it with white plum.
There is also the Yuzhu Elixir Method (玉柱丹法, Yùzhù Dān Fǎ): mix Floral Pond (華池, huá chí) with the elixir, cover and layer with powdered azurite and sulfur, place in a tube in sand, steam for fifty days. Taking it for a hundred days, jade maidens, the six Jia (六甲, liù jiǎ), six Ding (六丁, liù dīng), and spirit maidens come to serve you — you can command them and know the affairs of the world.
There is also the Elbow-Ready Elixir Method (肘後丹法, zhǒu hòu dān fǎ): mix Golden Flower (金華, jīn huá) with the elixir, seal with dry clay, steam for eighty days. Take a dose the size of a small bean, place on a plate, face the sun and mix it; its light will connect with the sun. Taking a dose the size of a small bean gives longevity. Throw it into Danyang copper (丹陽銅, Dānyáng tóng) and fire it — it becomes gold.
There is also the Li Gong Elixir Method (李公丹法, Lǐ Gōng Dān Fǎ): use true elixir and one sheng each of the water of the five minerals, mix until like mud, fire in a pot. After thirty-six days, take it out, mix with sulfur liquid. Taking it for ten years, you last as long as Heaven and Earth.
There is also the Liu Sheng Elixir Method (劉生丹法, Liú Shēng Dān Fǎ): use white chrysanthemum juice, paper mulberry juice (地楮汁, dì chǔ zhī), and tree-of-heaven juice (樗汁, chū zhī), mix with the elixir, steam for thirty days, grind and mix, take it. After one year, you live five hundred years. An old man taking it becomes younger beyond recognition; a youth taking it never ages.
There is also the Wang Jun Elixir Method (王君丹法, Wáng Jūn Dān Fǎ): put cinnabar (巴沙, bā shā) and mercury inside a chicken egg, paint and seal it, let a hen incubate three eggs. Take them on a King or Minister day (王相日, wáng xiàng rì) to stop aging and never grow old. Children should not take it, as they will not grow anymore. Feed it to newborn chicks and puppies, and they will not grow larger either. Birds and beasts also show such effects.
There is also the Chen Sheng Elixir Method (陳生丹法, Chén Shēng Dān Fǎ): mix white honey with the elixir, place in a copper vessel, seal it, and sink it in a well for one full year. Taking it, you do not get hungry for a whole year. Consume one jin and live a hundred years.
There is also the Han Zhong Elixir Method (韓終丹法, Hán Zhōng Dān Fǎ): mix lacquer and honey with the elixir and decoct it. Taking it prolongs years and gives long sight; standing in the sun you cast no shadow. Beyond these, there are still several tens of methods, which cannot be fully discussed.
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: The Golden Liquid (金液, Jīn Yè) is what Tai Yi (太乙, Tài Yǐ) took to become an immortal. It is not inferior to the nine elixirs. To compound it, use one jin of gold according to ancient weight (古称, gǔ chēng), together with Dark Bright Dragon Balm (玄明龍膏, xuán míng lóng gāo), the stone from Taiyi Xunshou (太乙旬首中石, Tài Yǐ xún shǒu zhōng shí), Ice Stone (冰石, bīng shí), Purple Wandering Maiden (紫游女, zǐ yóu nǚ), Dark Water Liquid (玄水液, xuán shuǐ yè), Golden Transformation Stone (金化石, jīn huà shí), and cinnabar. Seal them until they become water. Its scripture says: ‘When the Golden Liquid enters the mouth, the whole body turns gold in color.’ Laozi received it from Lord Yuan (元君, Yuán Jūn). Lord Yuan said: ‘This Way is extremely important; it emerges once in a hundred generations. Store it in a stone chamber. To compound it, fast and abstain for a hundred days, do not associate with common people. Beside a famous mountain, on the bank of east-flowing water, build a separate pure chamber. It is completed in a hundred days. Take one liang and you become an immortal. If you do not wish to leave the world yet but want to be an earthly water immortal (地水仙, dì shuǐ xiān), just fast and abstain for a hundred days. If you seek to ascend to heaven, you must first abstain from grains for a year, then take it. If you take half a liang, you live long without dying; ten thousand harms and a hundred poisons cannot hurt you. You may keep a wife and children, hold official rank, do as you please — there are no prohibitions. If you then wish to ascend to heaven, you may again fast and abstain, take another liang, and fly up as an immortal.’
The method of using Golden Liquid as Wei Xi (威喜, Wēi Xǐ) and Ju Sheng (巨勝, Jù Shèng): take the Golden Liquid and a single flavor of mercury, boil them together for thirty days. Take it out, place in a yellow-clay vessel, seal with Six-One Mud, and place in a fierce fire for sixty double-hours (時, shí — two-hour periods); it all turns into elixir. Take a dose the size of a small bean and you become an immortal. Powder one dao-gui of this elixir with one jin of mercury, and it becomes silver. Also take one jin of this elixir, fan it over a fire; it turns into red gold that flows — it is called Dan Jin (丹金, dān jīn). Coat swords and knives with it, and they ward off weapons for ten thousand li. Make plates and bowls of this Dan Jin; eating and drinking from them gives longevity. Catch the liquid from the sun and moon with it, like using a square vessel (方諸, fāng zhū) to get water; drinking it makes you immortal. Mix the Golden Liquid with yellow earth, place in a Six-One Mud vessel, fire it fiercely; it all becomes gold — usable. Fire it again, and it all transforms into elixir. Take it the size of a small bean, and you can enter famous mountains and great rivers as an earthly immortal. Use one dao-gui of this elixir to powder mercury, and it immediately becomes silver. Mix one liang of silver with one jin of lead, and it all becomes silver. The ‘Golden Liquid Scripture’ says: ‘Throw eight liang of a gold man into east-flowing water, drink blood and swear an oath — then transmit the oral instructions. If you do not follow these methods but steal the formula to make it, it will never be completed.’ For those who are truly sincere, you may give them the medicine, but do not lightly transmit the book; otherwise both will suffer disaster. The heavenly spirits observe people very closely — people just do not realize it.
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: The Nine Elixirs are indeed the superior method among immortal medicines. However, to compound them, one needs many miscellaneous drugs. If the four directions are clear and accessible, you can buy them in the market. But if the nine regions are cut off, the ingredients cannot be obtained. Moreover, you must keep the fire going day and night for several tens of days, attending to the fire strength without letting it lose its proper balance — it is extremely difficult and toilsome. Therefore, it is not as easy as compounding the Golden Liquid. For compounding the Golden Liquid, the only hard-to-get ingredient is gold. One jin of gold in ancient weight equals two jin today, worth only about three hundred thousand cash. The other miscellaneous drugs are relatively easy to obtain. Moreover, you do not need to light a fire; you just place it in the Floral Pond (華池, huá chí), and after the required number of days, it is completed. All together, you can use about four hundred thousand cash to obtain one dose, sufficient for eight people to become immortals. If you make a smaller amount, its power is insufficient to complete the transformation — just as brewing only a few sheng of rice wine will surely not succeed.
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: Next, there is the method of eating gold (餌黃金, ěr huáng jīn). Although not as good as the Golden Liquid, it is far superior to other medicines. Some refine it with pig hide, suet, and wine; some process it with tree-of-heaven bark (樗皮, chū pí); some dissolve it with thorn wine (荊酒, jīng jiǔ) and magnetite; some can draw it into a cloth; some immediately turn it into water and take it. Some have prohibitions; it is not as good as the Golden Liquid. Some mix realgar and orpiment with it to eat; it can be drawn out and spread like leather — all these are methods for earthly immortals. Silver and large pearls from clams can also be turned into water and taken. However, you must take them continuously without interruption, so they are not as good as the Golden Liquid.
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: Compounding this Golden Liquid and Nine Elixirs requires money and also entering famous mountains, cutting off human affairs. Therefore, few can do it. Moreover, perhaps one person in ten million might obtain its scripture. Thus among those who write Daoist books, almost none discuss the golden elixir. The first prohibition: do not let common people who do not believe in the Way slander and criticize it; otherwise it will surely not succeed. Lord Zheng said the reason for this is that when compounding these great medicines, you must perform sacrifices. During the sacrifices, Tai Yi Yuan Jun (太乙元君, Tài Yǐ Yuán Jūn), Lao Jun (老君, Lǎo Jūn), and Xuan Nü (玄女, Xuán Nǚ) all come to oversee. If the medicine-maker does not stay in a remote, hidden place, and allows foolish common people to pass by and see it, then the various spirits will blame the medicine-maker for not following the scriptures and precepts, which allowed evil people to slander. Then the spirits will no longer protect and aid him; evil energies will enter, and the medicine will not be completed. You must enter a famous mountain, fast for a hundred days, abstain from the five pungent vegetables (五辛, wǔ xīn) and raw fish, and not see common people — only then can you make the great medicine. You must maintain the fast until the medicine is completed; it is not just at the beginning. Lord Zheng said that Lord Zuo (左君, Zuǒ Jūn) told him: ‘All minor mountains are not suitable for making the Golden Liquid and Divine Elixir. Minor mountains lack a true spirit as their lord; they are mostly inhabited by the essences of trees and stones, thousand-year-old creatures, and blood-eating ghosts (血食之鬼, xuè shí zhī guǐ). These beings all have evil energy; they do not think of bringing blessings to people but only cause disasters. They like to test Daoists. Daoists must use techniques to protect themselves and their disciples, but even then, they may spoil the medicine.’ Today’s physicians, whenever they compound fine medicines or good ointments, do not want chickens, dogs, children, or women to see them. If violated by such things, the medicine becomes ineffective. Also, dyers dislike being seen by those with an evil eye, as the colors lose their beauty. How much more for the great immortal medicines? Therefore, the Daoists of antiquity, when compounding divine medicines, always entered famous mountains, not just any mountain — precisely for this reason. According to the Immortal Scripture, the mountains suitable for concentrated thought and compounding immortal medicines are: Mount Hua (華山, Huà Shān), Mount Tai (泰山, Tài Shān), Mount Huo (霍山, Huò Shān), Mount Heng (恆山, Héng Shān), Mount Song (嵩山, Sōng Shān), Mount Shaoshi (少室山, Shǎoshì Shān), Mount Chang (長山, Cháng Shān), Mount Taibai (太白山, Tàibái Shān), Mount Zhongnan (終南山, Zhōngnán Shān), Mount Nüji (女幾山, Nǚjǐ Shān), Mount Difu (地肺山, Dìfèi Shān), Mount Wangwu (王屋山, Wángwū Shān), Mount Baodu (抱犢山, Bàodú Shān), Mount Anqiu (安丘山, Ānqiū Shān), Mount Qian (潛山, Qián Shān), Mount Qingcheng (青城山, Qīngchéng Shān), Mount Emei (娥眉山, Éméi Shān), Mount Rui (緌山, Ruí Shān), Mount Yuntai (云臺山, Yúntái Shān), Mount Luofu (羅浮山, Luófú Shān), Mount Yangjia (陽駕山, Yángjià Shān), Mount Huangjin (黃金山, Huángjīn Shān), Mount Biezu (鱉祖山, Biēzǔ Shān), the Greater and Lesser Tiantai Mountains (大小天臺山, Dà Xiǎo Tiāntái Shān), Mount Siwang (四望山, Sìwàng Shān), Mount Gaizhu (蓋竹山, Gàizhú Shān), Mount Kuocang (括蒼山, Kuòcāng Shān). These all have true spirits residing in them; some also have earthly immortals. On them grow magic mushrooms (芝草, zhī cǎo), and they can shelter one from great armies and great disasters — not only for compounding medicines. If a Daoist ascends such a mountain, the mountain spirits will surely help him to obtain good fortune, and the medicine will be completed. If you cannot ascend any of these mountains, then large islands in the sea may also be used for compounding medicines. Such as, east of Kuaiji (會稽, Kuàijī): Wengzhou (翁洲, Wēngzhōu), Danzhou (亶洲, Dǎnzhōu), Zhuyu (紵嶼, Zhùyǔ); and in Xuzhou (徐州, Xúzhōu): Xinzhou (莘莒洲, Shēnjǔzhōu), Taiguangzhou (泰光洲, Tàiguāngzhōu), Yuzhou (鬱洲, Yùzhōu) — these are next best. Among the famous mountains of the central states, those that cannot be reached, but among the famous mountains east of the Yangtze that can be dwelled in, are: Mount Huo (霍山, Huò Shān) in Jin’an (晉安, Jìn’ān); Mount Chang (長山, Cháng Shān) and Mount Taibai (太白山, Tàibái Shān) in Dongyang (東陽, Dōngyáng); Mount Siwang (四望山, Sìwàng Shān), the Greater and Lesser Tiantai Mountains (大小天臺山), Mount Gaizhu (蓋竹山, Gàizhú Shān), and Mount Kuocang (括蒼山, Kuòcāng Shān), all in Kuaiji (會稽, Kuàijī).
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: I am unworthily a descendant of a great minister. Though my talent is insufficient to govern the state and order things, yet among my peers and those who pursue advancement, many whose knowledge does not exceed mine have spread their wings and reached the Milky Way, shining in the stars and chen (辰, chén — celestial bodies). The reason I have cut off congratulations and condolences among my fellow villagers, abandoned the glory and splendor of the present age, is that I wish to ascend far to famous mountains, complete the book I am writing, and next compound divine medicines, seeking longevity. Vulgar people all wonder at my leaving my homeland, turning away from the clear path, and personally farming in forests and marshes, with calluses on my hands and feet — they say I am mad or deluded. But the Way and worldly affairs do not rise together. If I do not abandon the tasks of the human world, how can I cultivate such aspirations? Since I see clearly and hold firmly, what do I fear from slander or praise? How could I be swayed by discouragement or urging? I have written my heart here to show to future like-minded companions. Any later like-minded persons who abandon things will do so no differently from me.
Minor Divine Elixir Formula (小神丹方, Xiǎo Shén Dān Fāng)
Use three jin of true cinnabar (真丹, zhēn dān) and six jin of white honey (白蜜, bái mì), mix and stir, expose to the sun and decoct until pills can be formed. In the morning, take about ten pills the size of a hemp seed (麻子, má zǐ). In less than a year, white hair turns black, lost teeth grow back, the body becomes moist and glossy. Taking it regularly, an old man becomes a youth, living long without dying.
Minor Elixir Method (小丹法, Xiǎo Dān Fǎ)
One jin of cinnabar, pound and sieve, add three sheng of pure strong vinegar (淳苦酒, chún kǔ jiǔ) and two sheng of lacquer (漆, qī). Mix all three substances together, heat over a small fire until pills can be formed. Take three pills the size of a hemp seed, twice a day. After thirty days, all hundred diseases in the belly are cured, and the three corpses (三屍, sān shī) are gone. After a hundred days, muscles and bones become strong and solid. After a thousand days, the Director of Fate (司命, Sī Mìng) erases the register of death, and you last as long as Heaven and Earth, facing the sun and moon. Your form changes and appearance transforms; you change without constancy. At midday you have no shadow, and you have a radiance of your own.
Minor Gold-Eating Method (小餌黃金法, Xiǎo ěr huángjīn fǎ)
Refine gold and put it in pure wine. About two hundred times, take it out and put it in — it will bubble. Hold it and it will ooze between your fingers like mud. If it does not bubble or ooze between your fingers, scrape it and put it back in pure wine repeatedly. When completed, take a pill the size of a crossbow pellet (彈丸, dàn wán). You may also divide one pill into smaller pills. Taking it for thirty days, you have no cold or heat; spirit people and jade maidens will attend you. Silver can also be eaten with the same method. Taking these two substances, if you can dwell in a stone chamber on a famous mountain, in one year you will rise lightly. If you stay in the human world and take it, you become an earthly immortal. Do not transmit it carelessly.
Liangyi Zi’s Gold-Eating Method (兩儀子餌黃金法, Liǎngyí Zǐ ěr huángjīn fǎ)
Take three jin of pig hide and suet (豬負革脂, zhū fù gé zhī) and one sheng of pure strong vinegar. Take five liang of gold, place it in a vessel, and decoct it in an earthen furnace. Put the gold in the fat, bring it out and in a hundred times, and likewise with the vinegar. Eat one jin, and your lifespan will cover Heaven and Earth; eat half a jin, live two thousand years; eat five liang, live one thousand two hundred years. No matter the amount, you can eat it. Make it on a King or Minister day (王相日, wáng xiàng rì) — taking it is divinely effective. Do not transmit it to unworthy people; if you do, the medicine will not be completed nor effective. If you want to take the corpse-expelling medicine (去屍藥, qù shī yào), you should take cinnabar.
Ultimate Truth (至理)
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: The subtle and mysterious is hard to understand; those who doubt are many. How could my intelligence surpass others? It happens that I have a partial understanding, like the crane knows midnight, the swallow knows wuji (戊巳, wù jǐ — the earth phase). That does not mean they understand other things. But through verification, I know that longevity can be attained and that immortals have no special seed. The marvelous aspects of the Way cannot be fully written, and its near aspects are not worth discussing. In the past, Geng Sang (庚桑) had calloused hands and feet, Wen Zi (文子) had a wrinkled face — after long and bitter toil, they received the great secret instructions. There is good reason. Among those with round heads who breathe air, who does not love life and fear death? Yet glory, splendor, power, and profit entice their minds; plain faces and jade-like skin bewilder their eyes; clear Shang and flowing Zheng modes (清商流徵, qīng shāng liú zhǐ) confuse their ears; love, hate, gain, and loss disturb their spirits; fame, merit, reputation, and glory bind their bodies. These come without being summoned, are completed without being learned. Unless one is destined to become an immortal, exhausts principles and sees alone, knows change and penetration beyond ordinary affairs, wields a clear mirror in the realm of dark mystery, awakens to the distance between self and fame, and mourns the lightning speed of a passing gap — how could one abandon social ties, set aside desires, cut off near at hand wants, and cultivate distant, hard-to-achieve achievements?
Existence (有, yǒu) is born from nonexistence (無, wú); form (形, xíng) requires spirit (神, shén) to stand. Existence is the palace of nonexistence. Form is the dwelling of spirit. Thus compare it to a dike: if the dike breaks, the water does not stay. Compare it to a candle: if the candle is destroyed, the fire does not dwell. When the body is toiled, the spirit scatters; when the breath is exhausted, life ends. When the roots are exhausted but the branches are lush, the green departs from the tree. When breath is weary and desire triumphs, the essence and spirit leave the body. What has departed has no return date; what is already rotten has no principle of life. Those who understand the Way deeply mourn this! They value time more than jade — is there not reason? Therefore, those who nourish their nature in mountains and forests, who abandon convention and get their will, compare the loftiest heights to warts, and the ten thousand things to cicada wings. It is not that they deliberately speak grandly and forcefully belittle worldly affairs. It is simply that they see clearly, so they abandon things as if forgotten. Thus they live in remote seclusion, hiding their scales and concealing their brilliance, suppressing the eyes that desire to see, letting go of the colors that damage vision, blocking the ears that think of sounds, keeping far from the noises that disturb hearing. They wash away the mysterious mirror (玄覽, xuán lǎn), guard the female (守雌, shǒu cí), embrace the One (抱一, bào yī), concentrate their breath (專氣, zhuān qì) and become soft, settle with tranquility and simplicity. They let go of the perverse emotions of joy and sorrow, put outside the honor and disgrace of gain and loss, cut off the hidden poisons of thick living, and silence excessive speech at the hinge of events (樞機, shū jī). They listen backward, and then what they hear is thorough; they look inward, and then they see without boundary. They nourish the spiritual root (靈根, líng gēn) in the dark and equal, dispel temptation and seduction when in contact with things, cut away shallow pursuits, control themselves with ease and pleasure. They act through non-action (無為, wú wéi), thereby preserving the principle of Heaven.
Thus they suck the precious essence (寶華, bǎo huá), bathe the spirit in the Great Purity (太清, tài qīng). Outside, they eliminate the five luminaries (五曜, wǔ yào); inside, they guard the nine essences (九精, jiǔ jīng). They lock the jade key (玉鑰, yù yào) at the Gate of Life (命門, mìng mén), bind the North Pole (北極, běi jí) at the Yellow Court (黃庭, huáng tíng). They draw the three radiances (三景, sān jǐng) into the Bright Hall (明堂, míng táng), fly the Primordial Beginning (元始, yuán shǐ) to refine their form. They gather the numinous liquid (靈液, líng yè) on the golden beam (金梁, jīn liáng), drive long distances and retain the green. They solidify and settle the spring in the cinnabar field (丹田, dān tián), draw the sinking pearl (瀋珠, chén zhū) at the Five Cities (五城, wǔ chéng). Below, the jade cauldron (瑤鼎, yáo dǐng) is set to cook; above, the jeweled birds sing. Gems and flowers sprout; the heavenly deer (天鹿, tiān lù) spits out jade. They cherish the double circle (重規, zhòng guī) in the Crimson Palace (絳宮, jiàng gōng), submerge the nine radiances (九光, jiǔ guāng) in the cavernous darkness (洞冥, dòng míng). Clouds dark green and dense connect with heaven; the long valley (長谷, cháng gǔ) is deep and the meridians cross. They tread on Qian and Dui (乾兌, qián duì — hexagrams), summon the six Ding (六丁, liù dīng). Sit and lie in purple chambers (紫房, zǐ fáng), chew and inhale golden blossoms (金英, jīn yīng). Radiant autumn mushrooms (秋芝, qiū zhī), red flowers with green stems. Gleaming precious ointment (珍膏, zhēn gāo) overflows from the sky. It cures hunger and thirst; a hundred ailments do not sprout. They wander freely through wuji (戊巳, wù jǐ — the center), harmonize and drink peacefully. They restrain the soul (魂, hún) and control the spirit (魄, pò); their bones are filled and bodies light. Therefore they can ride the wind and clouds to soar in emptiness, and live forever together with the primal chaos (混輿, hùn yú — Heaven and Earth).
However, a foot of dust on a beam cannot be removed in an instant; the dripping through a mountain cave cannot be accomplished hastily. The trouble is that those who hear of it do not believe; those who believe do not practice; those who practice do not persevere. Those who attain it are very few and hidden; those who fail are extremely many and visible. People of the world cannot see the hidden but only see the visible, so they say there truly is no immortal Way.
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: When a dike is strong, there is no waste of water leaking out; when there is much fat, a fire has no trouble of going out. The Dragon Spring (龍泉, Lóng Quán — a famous sword) remains sharp because it is not used for cutting; an axe or hatchet wears out quickly from daily use. Hiding snow away from warmth allows it to last through summer; storing ice in deep places allows it to survive the heat. A single piece of silk covering a mirror prevents it from burning; common plants covering something protect it through winter. Mud and earth are easily dissolved, but when fired into pottery, they last as long as the Two Forms (兩儀, liǎng yǐ — Heaven and Earth). The oak and catalpa (柞楢, zuò yóu) rot quickly, but when burned into charcoal, they can last for billions of years without decaying. A pig in a pen that is well fed dies late; a fine horse that climbs steep slopes dies early. A cold-region insect, by adapting to itself, lives twice as long; southern trees, living in warmth, flourish. When exposed to killing energy (煞氣, shā qì), they wither and decay in the freezing frost; when meeting warm harmony, they grow lush and branches bloom. Things of the same kind have different outcomes in flourishing and withering — is there always a fixed rule for autumn harvest and winter storage? And yet, a person’s allotted lifespan, the period of death and life, is not like plants in cold weather. The principles of nurturing and prolongation, the methods of remedy and rescue, are not merely the shallow benefit of warmth. Why should the effect of long sight not be so? But people of the world cling to what is near and narrow, considering the immortal Way empty and false, and calling Huang-Lao (黃老, Huáng-Lǎo) delusional — is that not a pity? Foolish men do not even believe in decoctions, needles, and moxa; how much more for things deeper than that? They all say: ‘People like Yu Fu (俞跗), Bian Que (扁鵲), He Huan (和緩), and Cang Gong (倉公) could certainly cure diseases — why didn’t they avoid death?’ They also say: ‘Wealthy and noble families surely do not lack medical skills, yet they do not live longer — this shows that lifespan is a matter of destiny.’ If you ask such people to believe in immortals, it is like asking an ox to climb a tree or a horse to chase a bird.
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: The summoning-soul minor elixir (召魂小丹, zhào hún xiǎo dān) — the three-envoy pill (三使之丸, sān shǐ zhī wán) — and the five essences and eight minerals (五英八石, wǔ yīng bā shí) — these minor medicines, some can immediately dissolve hard ice, or float on water, or cut off ghosts and spirits, or drive away tigers and leopards, or break up accumulations in the viscera, or chase the two boys (二豎, èr shù — disease demons) from the vital organs, or revive the suddenly dead from a corpse, or restore a startled soul after it has departed. Now these are all ordinary medicines, yet they can bring the dead back to life. So why can the superior medicines not keep the living from dying? Yue Ren (越人 — Bian Que) saved the crown prince of Guo (虢, Guó) from the brink of death; the barbarian physician (胡醫, hú yī) revived Su Wu (蘇武, Sū Wǔ) from a deathly qi; Chun Yu (淳于) could open the skull to treat the brain; Yuan Hua (元化 — Hua Tuo) could cut open the belly to wash the stomach; Wen Zhi (文摯) passed his deadline to cure a critical illness; Zhong Jing (仲景 — Zhang Zhongjing) pierced the chest to insert a red cake (赤餅, chì bǐng). These are the petty skills of physicians, yet they can do such things. How much more the Way of immortals — what cannot it do?
The reasons people die are: damage from desires, old age, harm from hundred diseases, attack by poisons and evils, injury by perverse energies, and assault by wind and cold. Now, by practicing guiding and stretching (道引, dào yǐn) and circulating breath (行氣, xíng qì), returning essence to supplement the brain (還精補腦, huán jīng bǔ nǎo), eating and drinking with moderation, rising and resting with regularity, taking medicines, concentrating the spirit and guarding the One (思神守一, sī shén shǒu yī), adhering to heavenly prohibitions and precepts, wearing talismans and seals — if one keeps far from all life-harming things, then one can avoid these six harms. Today’s physicians have kidney-qi pills (腎氣之丸, shèn qì zhī wán), five-channel internal supplement powders (五絡之散, wǔ luò zhī sǎn), bone-filling gouqi decoction (骨填苟杞之煎, gǔ tián gǒu qǐ zhī jiān), and huangqi (黃蓍, huáng qí — Astragalus) jianzhong (建中, jiàn zhōng — strengthening the center) decoction. Those who take them all become fat and strong. Lacquer leaf and green root (漆葉青蓁, qī yè qīng zhēn) — common herbs — Fan A (樊阿, Fán Ā) took them and lived two hundred years, with keen eyes and ears, still able to hold a needle to treat illness. This is a recent factual event, recorded by a good historian.
It also says: There is Wu Pu (吳普, Wú Pǔ), who studied the play of the five animals (五禽之戲, wǔ qín zhī xì) from Hua Tuo (華陀, Huà Tuó) to replace guiding and stretching, and lived over a hundred years. These are the most shallow of medicine and arts, yet they can do this — how much more for those who use the marvelous? If I tell ordinary people that Lizhong (理中) and Sishun (四順) can cure cholera; Kuandong (款冬) and Ziyuan (紫苑) can stop cough and reverse flow; Huanlu (萑蘆) and Guanzhong (貫衆) can kill the nine worms; Danggui (當歸) and Shaoyao (芍藥) can stop colic; Qinjiao (秦膠) and Duhuo (獨活) can remove the eight winds; Changpu (菖蒲) and Ganjiang (乾姜) can stop bi dampness; Tusizi (菟絲) and Congrong (蓯蓉) can supplement deficiency; Gansui (甘遂) and Tingli (葶歷) can expel phlegm accumulations; Gualou (括樓) and Huanglian (黃連) can cure wasting thirst; Qini (薺苨) and Gancao (甘草) can neutralize a hundred poisons; Luru (蘆如) and Yire (益熱) can protect wounds; Mahuang (麻黃) and Daqing (大青) can treat cold damage — ordinary people still say it is not so. They would rather kill animals to pray for blessings and divide yarrow stalks to question the spirits than believe that good physicians can cure disease. Instead, they use the confused mutterings of witches. How much more when told that the golden elixir can save one from the world, and magic mushrooms can prolong years?
In the past, Liu Hou Zhang Liang (留侯張良, Liú Hóu Zhāng Liáng) brought forth marvelous strategies, unparalleled in his generation. His wisdom and planning were not shallow or near-sighted. Yet he still believed that immortality could be attained. His intelligence and wise use were not all inferior to people of later ages. He said, ‘I will abandon the affairs of the human world and go to wander with Chi Song (赤鬆, Chì Sōng).’ He then cultivated guiding and stretching and abstained from grains for a year, planning the Way of light rising. But because Empress Lü (呂后, Lǚ hòu) pressed him to devise a plan to secure the Crown Prince, Liang had no choice but to produce the strategy of summoning the Four Whiteheads (四皓, sì hào). It worked as he said. Empress Lü was grateful to him, but she forced him to eat heavily — this caused his Way not to succeed. According to the secret records of Kong Anguo (孔安國, Kǒng Ānguó), Liang obtained the method of immortality from Huang Shigong (黃石公, Huáng Shígōng) — not only military strategy. It also says that Liang’s original teachers were the Four Whiteheads: Luli Xiansheng (甪裏先生, Lùlǐ Xiānshēng), Qili Ji (綺裏季, Qǐlǐ Jì), and others, all immortals. Liang received their divine formulas. Though he was forced by Empress Lü to eat and drink, he soon resumed cultivating the immortal Way and secretly crossed to immortality. But people of the world did not know this, so they said he died. According to Kong Anguo’s words, Liang attained immortality.
Also, Han Chancellor Zhang Cang (張蒼, Zhāng Cāng) happened to obtain a minor technique: he sucked women’s breast milk and lived to be one hundred eighty years old. This is a shallow part of the Way, yet Zhang Cang did it and achieved three times the average lifespan. So if one fully prepares the techniques and practices all the secret wonders, why can one not achieve longevity? This matter is recorded in the ‘Book of Han’ — it is not empty talk.
Baopuzi (抱朴子) says: Although taking medicine is the foundation of longevity, if you can also practice breath circulation (行氣, xíng qì), the benefit comes much faster. If you cannot get medicine but practice breath circulation to its full principle, you can also live several hundred years. However, you should also know the art of the bedchamber (房中術, fáng zhōng shù). The reason is that without the art of yin and yang, repeated labor and damage make breath circulation hard to achieve power. People live within breath (氣, qì) and breath lives within people. From Heaven and Earth down to the ten thousand things, all require breath to live. Those skilled in breath circulation use it internally to nourish the body and externally to repel evil. Yet ordinary people use it daily without knowing it. In the regions of Wu and Yue, there are methods of incantation and prohibition (禁祝之法, jìn zhù zhī fǎ), which are very effective — they rely on abundant breath. Those who know these methods can enter a great plague and sleep in the same bed with the sick without getting infected. They can also lead dozens of followers, making all of them fearless — this shows that breath can ward off heavenly disasters. Sometimes evil spirits and mountain goblins invade a house, throwing tiles and stones at people, burning houses with fire. Sometimes they appear and come and go, or are only heard in voice and speech. Those skilled in prohibition use breath to stop them, and they immediately cease — this shows that breath can stop ghosts and spirits. When entering mountain forests with many poisonous streams and vipers, ordinary passersby are always hurt. But those skilled in prohibition use breath to protect themselves, warding off danger for tens of li around, and their companions are unharmed. They can also stop tigers, leopards, snakes, and bees, causing them to lie down and be unable to rise. Use breath to stop a metal wound (金瘡, jīn chuāng), and the blood stops immediately. They can also rejoin broken bones and reconnect sinews. Use breath to stop a sharp blade, and you can tread on it without injury; it will not pierce you. If someone is bitten by a snake or viper, use breath to stop it, and it is healed immediately. In recent times, Zuo Ci (左慈) and Zhao Ming (趙明) used breath on water, causing it to flow backward one or two zhang. They also lit a fire on a thatched roof and cooked food, eating it while the thatched roof did not burn. They also drove a large nail into a pillar seven or eight inches deep, then blew with breath, and the nail shot out. They also used breath on boiling water, throwing a hundred cash into it, and had someone reach in and pick out the coins without burning the hand. They also prohibited water placed in a courtyard; during severe cold it did not freeze. They could also stop a whole li of cooks from being able to steam food thoroughly. They could stop dogs from barking.
In the past, Wu sent General He (賀將軍, Hè Jiāngjūn) to attack mountain bandits. Among the bandits were those skilled in prohibition. Whenever battle was joined, the government troops could not draw their swords or knives, and arrows shot from crossbows turned back toward them, causing defeat. General He was wise and resourceful. He said, ‘I have heard that metal weapons with edges can be prohibited, and insects with venom can be prohibited. Things without edges and insects without venom cannot be prohibited. Those who can prohibit our weapons surely cannot prohibit edgeless things.’ He then had many strong white wooden clubs made, and selected five thousand elite soldiers of unusual strength as the first wave, all holding these clubs. The mountain bandits, relying on their prohibition experts, were completely unprepared. So the government troops struck them with white clubs, greatly defeating the bandits. The prohibitionists indeed could not stop them; those killed numbered tens of thousands.
Breath emanates from form, and when used, its effect reaches such levels. So why doubt that one can stop grains, cure illness, prolong years, and nourish one’s nature? Zhongchang Gongli (仲長公理, Zhòngcháng Gōnglǐ) was a talented and accomplished scholar. He wrote ‘Changyan’ (昌言, Chàngyán), which also discusses that breath circulation can eliminate hunger and disease. He said: ‘At first I did not believe it, but when I practiced it, I fully realized it was so. The method of nourishing one’s nature is as simple as this, yet I have not been able to do it — is it not because my mind races after worldly affairs and my thoughts are sharpened by human matters? Others who cannot do it must surely share this same ailment. In the past, there was a true teacher who knew the Way of immortality. The ruler of Yan (燕君, Yàn Jūn) sent someone to learn it. The learner did not succeed, and the teacher died. The ruler of Yan was angry at his envoy and was about to kill him. An advisor said: “What we worry about most is death; what we value most is life. That teacher lost his own life — how could he make our ruler immortal?” The ruler then did not kill him. This advice is a good argument. If there were a method of immortality — such as the breath circulation method I have heard — then the claim that the teacher died does not mean he did not know the Way. It simply means he could not abandon worldly affairs to practice it. So knowing it is of no use — not that there is no method of immortality.’ He also said: ‘In Mixian (密縣, Mì Xiàn) of Henan (河南, Hénán), there was a man named Bu Cheng (卜成, Bǔ Chéng). After studying the Way for a long time, he took leave of his family and left. His steps gradually rose higher, and he entered the clouds and was never seen again. This is called raising the form lightly and flying up, ascending to heaven in broad daylight — the highest kind of immortal.’ Chen Yuanfang (陳元方, Chén Yuánfāng) and Han Yuanchang (韓元長, Hán Yuáncháng) were both high scholars of Yingchuan (潁川, Yǐngchuān), near Mixian. The reason these two gentlemen believed that there are immortals in the world was that each, from their fathers and grandfathers, had seen Bu Cheng become an immortal and ascend to heaven. This is another proof of immortals.
Original text:
抱朴子
暢玄
抱朴子曰：「玄者，自然之始祖，而萬殊之大宗也。眇眛乎其深也，故稱微焉。綿邈乎其遠也，故稱妙焉。其高則冠蓋乎九霄，其曠則籠罩乎八隅。光乎日月，迅乎電馳。或倏爍而景逝，或飄滭而星流，或滉漾於淵澄，或雰霏而云浮。因兆類而為有，託潛寂而為無。淪大幽而下沈，淩辰極而上游。金石不能比其剛，湛露不能等其柔。方而不矩，圓而不規。來焉莫見，往焉莫追。乾以之高，坤以之卑，云以之行，雨以之施。胞胎元一，範鑄兩儀，吐納大始，鼓冶億類，佪旋四七，匠成草昧，轡策靈機，吹噓四氣，幽括沖默，舒闡粲尉，抑濁揚清，斟酌河渭，增之不溢，挹之不匱，與之不榮，奪之不瘁。故玄之所在，其樂不窮。玄之所去，器弊神逝。夫五聲八音，清商流徵，損聰者也。鮮華豔采，彧麗炳爛，傷明者也。宴安逸豫，清醪芳醴，亂性者也。冶容媚姿，鉛華素質，伐命者也。其唯玄道，可與為永。不知玄道者，雖顧眄為生殺之神器，唇吻為興亡之關鍵，綺榭俯臨乎云雨，藻室華綠以參差。組帳霧合，羅幬云離。西毛陳於閒房，金觴華以交馳，清弦嘈囋以齊唱，鄭舞紛紜以蜲𧉮，哀簫鳴以淩霞，羽蓋浮於漣漪，掇芳華於蘭林之囿，弄紅葩於積珠之池，登峻則望遠以忘百憂，臨深則俯攬以遺朝饑，入宴千門之焜熀，出駈朱輪之華儀。然樂極則哀集，至盈必有虧。故曲終則歎發，燕罷則心悲也。寔理勢之攸召，猶影響之相歸也。彼假借而非真，故物往若有遺也。
夫玄道者，得之乎內，守之者外，用之者神，忘之者器，此思玄道之要言也。得之者貴，不待黃鉞之威。體之者富，不須難得之貨。高不可登，深不可測。乘流光，策飛景，凌六虛，貫涵溶。出乎無上，入乎無下。經乎汗漫之門，游乎窈眇之野。逍遙恍惚之中，倘佯彷彿之表。咽九華於云端，咀六氣於丹霞。俳徊茫昧，翱翔希微，履略蜿虹，踐跚旋璣，此得之者也。
其次則真知足，知足者則能肥遁勿用，頤光山林。紆鸞龍之翼於細介之伍，養浩然之氣於蓬蓽之中。繿縷帶索，不以貿龍章之暐曄也。負步杖筴，不以易結駟之駱驛也。藏夜光於嵩岫，不受他山之攻。瀋鱗甲於玄淵，以違鑽灼之災。動息知止，無往不足。棄赫奕之朝華，避僨車之險路。吟嘯蒼崖之閒，而萬物化為塵氛。怡顏豐柯之下，而朱戶變為繩樞。握耒甫田，而麾節忽若執鞭。啜荈漱泉，而太牢同乎藜藿。泰爾有餘歡於無為之場，忻然齊貴賤於不爭之地。含醇守朴，無欲無憂，全真虛器，居平味澹。恢恢蕩蕩，與渾成等其自然。浩浩茫茫，與造化鈞其符契。如闇如明，如濁如清，似遲而疾，似虧而盈。豈肯委屍祝之坐，釋大匠之位，越樽俎以代無知之庖，舍繩墨而助傷手之工。不以臭鼠之細瑣，而為庸夫之憂樂。藐然不喜流俗之譽，坦爾不懼雷同之毀。不以外物汩其至精，不以利害污其純粹也。故窮富極貴，不足以誘之焉，其餘何足以悅之乎？直刃沸鑊，不足以劫之焉，謗讟何足以戚之乎？常無心於衆煩，而未始與物雜也。
若夫操隋珠以彈雀，舐秦痔以屬車，登朽緡以探巢，泳呂梁以求魚，旦為稱孤之客，夕為狐鳥之餘。棟撓餗覆，傾溺不振，蓋世人之所為載馳企及，而達者之所為寒心而凄愴者也。故至人嘿韶夏而韜藻梲。。奮其六羽於五城之墟，而不煩銜蘆之衛。翳其鱗角乎勿用之地，而不恃曲穴之備。俯無倨鵄之呼，仰無亢極之悔，人莫之識，邈矣遼哉！」
論仙
或問曰：「神仙不死，信可得乎？」抱朴子答曰：「雖有至明，而有形者不可畢見焉。雖稟極聰，而有聲者不可盡聞焉。雖有大章豎亥之足，而所常履者，未若所不履之多。雖有禹益齊諧之智，而所嘗識者未若所不識之衆也。萬物云云，何所不有，況列仙之人，盈乎竹素矣。不死之道，曷為無之？」
於是問者大笑曰：「夫有始者必有卒，有存者必有亡。故三五丘旦之聖，棄疾良平之智，端嬰隨酈之辯，賁育五丁之勇，而鹹死者，人理之常然，必至之大端也。徒聞有先霜而枯瘁，當夏而凋青，含穗而不秀，未實而萎零，未聞有享於萬年之壽，久視不已之期者矣。故古人學不求仙，言不語怪，杜彼異端，守此自然，推龜鶴於別類，以死生為朝暮也。夫苦心約己，以行無益之事，鏤冰雕朽，終無必成之功。未若攄匡世之高策，招當年之隆祉，使紫青重紆，玄牡龍跱，華轂易步趍，鼎餗代耒耜，不亦美哉？每思詩人甫田之刺，深惟仲尼皆死之證，無為握無形之風，捕難執之影，索不可得之物，行必不到之路，棄榮華而涉苦困，釋甚易而攻至難，有似喪者之逐游女，必有兩失之悔，單張之信偏見，將速內外之禍也。夫班狄不能削瓦石為芒針，歐冶不能鑄鉛錫為幹將。故不可為者，雖鬼神不能為也；不可成者，雖天地不能成也。世間亦安得奇方，能使當老者復少，而應死者反生哉？而吾子乃欲延蟪蛄之命，令有歷紀之壽，養朝菌之榮，使累晦朔之積，不亦謬乎？願加九思，不遠迷復焉。」
抱朴子答曰：「夫聰之所去，則震雷不能使之聞，明之所棄，則三光不能使之見，豈輷磕之音細，而麗天之景微哉？而聾夫謂之無聲焉，瞽者謂之無物焉。又況管弦之和音，山龍之綺粲，安能賞剋諧之雅韻，暐曄之鱗藻哉？故聾瞽在乎形器，則不信豐隆之與玄象矣。而況物有微於此者乎？暗昧滯乎心神，則不信有周孔於在昔矣。況告之以神仙之道乎？夫存亡終始，誠是大體。其異同參差，或然或否，變化萬品，奇怪無方，物是事非，本鈞末乖，未可一也。夫言始者必有終者多矣，混而齊之，非通理矣。謂夏必長，而薺麥枯焉。謂冬必凋，而竹柏茂焉。謂始必終，而天地無窮焉。謂生必死，而龜鶴長存焉。盛陽宜暑，而夏天未必無涼日也。極陰宜寒，而嚴冬未必無暫溫也。百川東註，而有北流之浩浩。坤道至靜，而或震動而崩弛。水性純冷，而有溫谷之湯泉；火體宜熾，而有蕭丘之寒焰；重類應瀋，而南海有浮石之山；輕物當浮，而牜羊柯有瀋羽之流。萬殊之類，不可以一概斷之，正如此也久矣。
有生最靈，莫過乎人。貴性之物，宜必鈞一。而其賢愚邪正，好醜脩短，清濁貞淫，緩急遲速，趨舍所尚，耳目所欲，其為不同，已有天壤之覺，冰炭之乖矣。何獨怪仙者之異，不與凡人皆死乎？
若謂受氣皆有一定，則雉之為蜃，雀之為蛤，壤蟲假翼，川蛙翻飛，水蠣為蛉，荇苓為蛆，田鼠為鴽，腐草為螢，鼉之為虎，蛇之為龍，皆不然乎？
若謂人稟正性，不同凡物，皇天賦命，無有彼此，則牛哀成虎，楚嫗為黿，枝離為柳，秦女為石，死而更生，男女易形，老彭之壽，殤子之夭，其何故哉？苟有不同，則其異有何限乎？
若夫仙人，以藥物養身，以術數延命，使內疾不生，外患不入，雖久視不死，而舊身不改，苟有其道，無以為難也。而淺識之徒，拘俗守常，鹹曰世閒不見仙人，便云天下必無此事。夫目之所曾見，當何足言哉？天地之間，無外之大，其中殊奇，豈遽有限，詣老戴天，而無知其上，終身履地，而莫識其下。形骸己所自有也，而莫知其心志之所以然焉。壽命在我者也，而莫知其脩短之能至焉。況乎神仙之遠理，道德之幽玄，仗其短淺之耳目，以斷微妙之有無，豈不悲哉？
設有哲人大才，嘉遁勿用，翳景掩藻，廢僞去欲，執太璞於至醇之中，遺末務於流俗之外，世人猶鮮能甄別，或莫造志行於無名之表，得精神於陋形之裏，豈況仙人殊趣異路，以富貴為不幸，以榮華為穢汙，以厚玩為塵壤，以聲譽為朝露，蹈炎飆而不灼，躡玄波而輕步，鼓翮清塵，風駟云軒，仰凌紫極，俯棲昆侖，行屍之人，安得見之？假令游戲，或經人間，匿真隱異，外同凡庸，比肩接武，孰有能覺乎？若使皆如郊閒兩曈之正方，邛疏之雙耳，出乎頭巔。馬皇乘龍而行，子晉躬禦白鶴。或鱗身蛇軀，或金車羽服，乃可得知耳。自不若斯，則非洞視者安能覿其形，非徹聽者安能聞其聲哉？世人既不信，又多疵毀，真人疾之，遂益潛遁。且常人之所愛，乃上士之所憎。庸俗之所貴，乃至人之所賤也。英儒偉器，養其浩然者，猶不樂見淺薄之人，風塵之徒。況彼神仙，何為汲汲使芻狗之倫，知有之何所索乎，而怪於未嘗知也。目察百步，不能了了，而欲以所見為有，所不見為無，則天下之所無者，亦必多矣。所謂以指測海，指極而云水盡者也。蜉蝣校巨鼇，日及料大椿，豈所能及哉？魏文帝窮覽洽聞，自呼於物無所不經，謂天下無切玉之刀，火浣之布，及著典論，嘗據言此事。其閒未期，二物畢至。帝乃嘆息，遽毀斯論。事無固必，殆為此也。陳思王著釋疑論云，初謂道術，直呼愚民詐僞空言定矣。及見武皇帝試閉左慈等，令斷穀近一月，而顏色不減，氣力自若，常云可五十年不食，正爾，復何疑哉？又云，令甘始以藥含生魚，而煮之於沸脂中，其無藥者，熟而可食，其銜藥者，游戲終日，如在水中也。又以藥粉桑以飼蠶，蠶乃到十月不老。又以住年藥食雞雛及新生犬子，皆止不復長。以還白藥食白犬，百日毛盡黑。乃知天下之事，不可盡知，而以臆斷之，不可任也。但恨不能絕聲色，專心以學長生之道耳。彼二曹學則無書不覽，才則一代之英，然初皆謂無，而晚年乃有窮理盡性，其嘆息如此。不逮若人者，不信神仙，不足怪也。劉向博學則究微極妙，經深涉遠，思理則清澄真僞，研覈有無，其所撰列仙傳，仙人七十有餘，誠無其事，妄造何為乎？邃古之事，何可親見，皆賴記籍傳聞於往耳。列仙傳炳然其必有矣。然書不出周公之門，事不經仲尼之手，世人終於不信。然則古史所記，一切皆無，何但一事哉？俗人貪榮好利，汲汲名利，以己之心，遠忖昔人，乃復不信古者有逃帝王之禪授，薄卿相之貴任，巢許之輩，老萊莊周之徒，以為不然也。況於神仙，又難知於斯，亦何可求今世皆信之哉？多謂劉向非聖人，其所撰錄，不可孤據，尤所以使人嘆息者也。夫魯史不能與天地合德，而仲尼因之以著經。子長不能與日月並明，而揚雄稱之為實錄。劉向為漢世之名儒賢人，其所記述，庸可棄哉？凡世人所以不信仙之可學，不許命之可延者，正以秦皇漢武求之不獲，以少君欒太為之無驗故也。然不可以黔婁原憲之貧，而謂古者無陶朱猗頓之富。不可以無鹽宿瘤之醜，而謂在昔無南威西施之美。進趨尤有不達者焉，稼穡猶有不收者焉，商販或有不利者焉，用兵或有無功者焉。況乎求仙，事之難者，為之者何必皆成哉？彼二君兩臣，自可求而不得，或始勤而卒怠，或不遭乎明師，又何足以定天下之無仙乎？
夫求長生，修至道，訣在於志，不在於富貴也。苟非其人，則高位厚貨，乃所以為重累耳。何者？學仙之法，欲得恬愉澹泊，滌除嗜欲，內視反聽，屍居無心，而帝王任天下之重責，治鞅掌之政務，思勞於萬幾，神馳於宇宙，一介失所，則王道為虧，百姓有過，則謂之在予。醇醪汩其和氣，艷容伐其根荄，所以翦精損慮削乎平粹者，不可曲盡而備論也。蚊噆膚則坐不得安，虱群攻則臥不得寧。四海之事，何祗若是。安得掩翳聰明，歷藏數息，長齋久潔，躬親爐火，夙興夜寐，以飛八石哉？漢武享國，最為壽考，已得養性之小益矣。但以升合之助，不供鍾石之費，畎澮之輸，不給尾閭之洩耳。
仙法欲靜寂無為，忘其形骸，而人君撞千石之鍾，伐雷霆之鼓，砰磕嘈囐，驚魂蕩心，百技萬變，喪精塞耳，飛輕走迅，釣潛弋高。仙法欲令愛逮蠢蠕，不害含氣，而人君有赫斯之怒，芟夷之誅，黃鉞一揮，齊斧暫授，則伏屍千里，流血滂沱，斬斷之刑，不絕於市。仙法欲止絕臭腥，休糧清腸，而人君烹肥宰腯，屠割群生，八珍百和，方丈於前，煎熬勺藥，旨嘉饜飫。仙法欲溥愛八荒，視人如己，而人君兼弱攻昧，取亂推亡，辟地拓疆，泯人社稷，駈合生人，投之死地，孤魂絕域，暴骸腐野，五嶺有血刃之師，北闕懸大宛之首，坑生煞伏，動數十萬，京觀封屍，仰乾云霄，暴骸如莽，彌山填谷。秦皇使十室之中，思亂者九。漢武使天下嗷然，戶口減半。祝其有益，詛亦有損。結草知德，則虛祭必怨。衆煩攻其膏肓，人鬼齊其毒恨。彼二主徒有好仙之名，而無修道之實，所知淺事，不能悉行。要妙深秘，又不得聞。又不得有道之士，為合成仙藥以與之，不得長生，無所怪也。
吾徒匹夫，加之罄困，家有長卿壁立之貧，腹懷翳桑絕糧之餒，冬抱戎夷後門之寒，夏有儒仲環堵之暎，欲經遠而乏舟車之用，欲有營而無代勞之役，入無綺紈之娛，出無游觀之歡，甘旨不經乎口，玄黃不過乎目，芬芳不歷乎鼻，八音不關乎耳，百憂攻其心曲，衆難萃其門庭，居世如此，可無戀也。
或得要道之訣，或值不群之師，而猶恨恨於老妻弱子，眷眷於狐兔之丘，遲遲以臻殂落，日月不覺衰老，知長生之可得而不能修，患流俗之臭鼠而不能委。何者？愛習之情卒難遣，而絕俗之志未易果也。況彼二帝，四海之主，其所耽玩者，非一條也，其所親幸者，至不少矣。正使之為旬月之齋，數日閒居，猶將不能，況乎內棄婉孌之寵，外捐赫奕之尊，口斷甘餚，心絕所欲，背榮華而獨往，求神仙於幽漠，豈所堪哉？是以歷覽在昔，得仙道者，多貧賤之士，非勢位之人。又欒太所知，實自淺薄，飢渴榮貴，冒乾貨賄，衒虛妄於苟且，忘禍患於無為，區區小子之奸僞，豈足以證天下之無仙哉？昔勾踐式怒璉？，戎卒爭蹈火。楚靈愛細腰，國人多餓死。齊桓嗜異味，易牙蒸其子。宋君賞瘠孝，毀歿者比屋。人主所欲，莫有不至。漢武招求方士，寵待過厚，致令斯輩，敢為虛誕耳。欒太若審有道者，安可得煞乎？夫有道者，視爵位如湯鑊，見印綬如縗絰，視金玉如土糞，睹華堂如牢獄。豈當扼腕空言，以僥倖榮華，居丹楹之室，受不訾之賜，帶五利之印，尚公主之貴，耽淪勢利，不知止足，實不得道，斷可知矣。按董仲舒所撰李少君家錄云，少君有不死之方，而家貧無以市其藥物，故出於漢，以假塗求其財，道成而去。又按漢禁中起居註云，少君之將去也，武帝夢與之共登嵩高山，半道，有使者乘龍持節，從云中下。云太乙請少君。帝覺，以語左右曰，如我之夢，少君將舍我去矣。數日，而少君稱病死。久之，帝令人發其棺，無屍，唯衣冠在焉。按仙經云，上士舉形昇虛，謂之天仙。中士游於名山，謂之地仙。下士先死後蛻，謂之屍解仙。今少君必屍解者也。近世壺公將費長房去。及道士李意期將兩弟子去，皆託卒，死，家殯埋之。積數年，而長房來歸。又相識人見李意期將兩弟子皆在郫縣。其家各發棺視之，三棺遂有竹杖一枚，以丹書於枚，此皆屍解者也。
昔王莽引典墳以飾其邪，不可謂儒者，皆為篡盜也。相如因鼓琴以竊文君，不可謂雅樂主於淫佚也。噎死者不可譏神農之播穀，燒死者不可怒燧人之鑽火，覆溺者不可怨帝軒之造舟，酗■者不可非杜儀之為酒。豈可以欒太之邪僞，謂仙道之果無乎？是猶見趙高董卓，便謂古無伊周霍光。見商臣冒頓，而云古無伯奇孝己也。又神仙集中有召神劾鬼之法，又有使人見鬼之術。俗人聞之，皆謂虛文。或云天下無鬼神，或云有之，亦不可劾召。或云見鬼者，在男為覡，在女為巫，當須自然，非可學而得。按漢書及太史公記皆云齊人少翁，武帝以為文成將軍。武帝所幸李夫人死，少翁能令武帝見之如生人狀。又令武帝見竈神，此史籍之明文也。夫方術既令鬼見其形，又令本不見鬼者見鬼，推此而言，其餘亦何所不有也。鬼神數為人間作光怪變異，又經典所載，多鬼神之據，俗人尚不信天下之有神鬼，況乎仙人居高處遠，清濁異流，登遐遂往，不返於世，非得道者，安能見聞。而儒墨之家知此不可以訓，故終不言其有焉。俗人之不信，不亦宜乎？惟有識真者，校練衆方，得其徵驗，審其必有，可獨知之耳，不可強也。故不見鬼神，不見仙人，不可謂世閒無仙人也。人無賢愚，皆知己身之有魂魄，魂魄分去則人病，盡去則人死。故分去則術家有拘錄之法，盡去則禮典有招呼之義，此之為物至近者也。然與人俱生，至乎終身，莫或有自聞見之者也。豈可遂以不聞見之，又云無之乎？若夫輔氏報施之鬼，成湯怒齊之靈，申生交言於狐子，杜伯報恨於周宣，彭生託形於玄豕，如意假貌於蒼狗，灌夫守田蚡，子義掊燕簡，蓐收之降於莘，欒侯之止民家，素姜之說讖緯，孝孫之著文章，神君言於上林，羅陽仕於吳朝，鬼神之事，著於竹帛，昭昭如此，不可勝數。然而蔽者猶謂無之，況長生之事，世所希聞乎！望使必信，是令蚊虻負山，與井蟆論海也。俗人未嘗見龍麟鸞鳳，乃謂天下無有此物，以為古人虛設瑞應，欲令人主自勉不息，冀致斯珍也。況於令人之信有仙人乎！
世人以劉向作金不成，便謂索隱行怪，好傳虛無，所撰列仙，皆復妄作。悲夫！此所謂以分寸之瑕，棄盈尺之夜光，以蟻鼻之缺，捐無價之淳鈞，非荊和之遠識，風胡之賞真也。斯朱公所以鬱悒，薛燭所以永嘆矣。夫作金皆在神仙集中，淮南王抄出，以作鴻寶枕中書，雖有其文，然皆秘其要文，必須口訣，臨文指解，然後可為耳。其所用藥，復多改其本名，不可按之便用也。劉向父德治淮南王獄中所得此書，非為師授也。向本不解道術，偶偏見此書，便謂其意盡在紙上，是以作金不成耳。至於撰列仙傳，自刪秦大夫阮倉書中出之，或所親見，然後記之，非妄言也。狂夫童謠，聖人所擇。芻蕘之言，或不可遺。採葑採菲，無以下體，豈可以百慮之一失，而謂經典之不可用，以日月曾蝕之故，而謂懸象非大明哉？外國作水精碗，實是合五種灰以作之。今交廣多有得其法而鑄作之者。今以此語俗人，俗人殊不肯信。乃云水精本自然之物，玉石之類。況於世間，幸有自然之金，俗人當何信其有可作之理哉？愚人乃不信黃丹及胡粉，是化鉛所作。又不信騾及駏驉，是驢馬所生。云物各自有種。況乎難知之事哉？夫所見少，則所怪多，世之常也。信哉此言，其事雖天之明，而人處覆甑之下，焉識至言哉？」
對俗
或人難曰：「人中之有老彭，猶木中之有鬆柏，稟之自然，何可學得乎？」抱朴子曰：「夫陶冶造化，莫靈於人。故達其淺者，則能役用萬物，得其深者，則能長生久視。知上藥之延年，故服其藥以求仙。知龜鶴之遐壽，故效其道引以增年。且夫鬆柏枝葉，與衆木則別。龜鶴體貌，與衆蟲則殊。至於彭老猶是人耳，非異類而壽獨長者，由於得道，非自然也。衆木不能法鬆柏，諸蟲不能學龜鶴，是以短折耳。人有明哲，能修彭老之道，則可與之同功矣。若謂世無仙人乎，然前哲所記，近將千人，皆有姓字，及有施為本末，非虛言也。若謂彼皆特稟異氣，然其相傳皆有師奉服食，非生知也。若道術不可學得，則變易形貌，吞刀吐火，坐在立亡，興云起霧，召致蟲蛇，合聚魚鱉，三十六石立化為水，消玉為臺，潰金為漿，入淵不沾，蹴刃不傷，幻化之事，九百有餘，按而行之，無不皆效，何為獨不肯信仙之可得乎！仙道遲成，多所禁忌。自無超世之志，強力之才，不能守之。其或頗好心疑，中道而廢，便謂仙道長生，果不可得耳。仙經曰，服丹守一，與天相畢，還精胎息，延壽無極。此皆至道要言也。民間君子，猶內不負心，外不愧影，上不欺天，下不食言，豈況古之真人，寧當虛造空文，以必不可得之事，誑誤將來，何所索乎！苟無其命，終不肯信，亦安可強令信哉！」
或難曰：「龜鶴長壽，蓋世閒之空言耳，誰與二物終始相隨而得知之也。」抱朴子曰：「苟得其要，則八極之外，如在指掌，百代之遠，有若同時，不必在乎庭宇之左右，俟乎瞻視之所及，然後知之也。玉策記曰，千歲之龜，五色具焉，其額上兩骨起似角，解人之言，浮於蓮葉之上，或在叢蓍之下，其上時有白雲蟠蛇。千歲之鶴，隨時而鳴，能登於木，其未千載者，終不集於樹上也，色純白而腦盡成丹。如此則見，便可知也。然物之老者多智，率皆深藏邃處，故人少有見之耳。按玉策記及昌宇經，不但此二物之壽也。云千歲鬆樹，四邊披越，上杪不長，望而視之，有如偃蓋，其中有物，或如青牛，或如青羊，或如青犬，或如青人，皆壽萬歲。又云，蛇有無窮之壽，獮猴壽八百歲變為猿，猿壽五百歲變為玃。玃壽千歲。蟾蜍壽三千歲，騏驎壽二千歲。騰黃之馬，吉光之獸，皆壽三千歲。千歲之鳥，萬歲之禽，皆人面而鳥身，壽亦如其名。虎及鹿兔，皆壽千歲，壽滿五百歲者，其毛色白。熊壽五百歲者，則能變化。狐狸豺狼，皆壽八百歲。滿五百歲，則善變為人形。鼠壽三百歲，滿百歲則色白，善憑人而卜，名曰仲，能知一年中吉凶及千里外事。如此比例，不可具載。但博識者觸物能名，洽聞者理無所惑耳。何必常與龜鶴週旋，乃可知乎？苟不識物，則園中草木，田池禽獸，猶多不知，況乎巨異者哉？史記龜策傳云：江淮閒居人為兒時，以龜枝床，至後老死，家人移床，而龜故生。此亦不減五六十歲也，不飲不食，如此之久而不死，其與凡物不同亦遠矣，亦復何疑於千歲哉？仙經象龜之息，豈不有以乎？故太丘長潁川陳仲弓，篤論士也，撰異聞記云，其郡人張廣定者，遭亂常避地，有一女年四歲，不能步涉，又不可擔負，計棄之固當餓死，不欲令其骸骨之露，村口有古大冢，上巔先有穿穴，乃以器盛縋之，下此女於冢中，以數月許乾飯及水漿與之而舍去。候世平定，其間三年，廣定乃得還鄉裏，欲收冢中所棄女骨，更殯埋之。廣定往視，女故坐冢中，見其父母，猶識之甚喜。而父母猶初恐其鬼也，父下入就之，乃知其不死。問之從何得食，女言糧初盡時甚飢，見冢角有一物，伸頸吞氣，試效之，轉不復飢，日月為之，以至於今。父母去時所留衣被，自在冢中，不行往來，衣服不敗，故不寒凍。廣定乃索女所言物，乃是一大龜耳。女出食穀，初小腹痛嘔逆，久許乃習，此又足以知龜有不死之法，及為道者效之，可與龜同年之驗也。史遷與仲弓，皆非妄說者也。天下之蟲鳥多矣，而古人獨舉斯二物者，明其獨有異於衆故也，睹一隅則可以悟之矣。」
或難曰：「龜能土蟄，鶴能天飛，使人為須臾之蟄，有頃刻之飛，猶尚不能，其壽安可學乎？」抱朴子答曰：「蟲之能蟄者多矣，鳥之能飛者饒矣，而獨舉龜鶴有長生之壽者，其所以不死者，不由蟄與飛也。是以真人但令學其道引以延年，法其食氣以絕穀，不學其土蟄與天飛也。夫得道者，上能竦身於云霄，下能潛泳於川海。是以蕭史偕翔鳳以凌虛，琴高乘朱鯉於深淵，斯其驗也。何但須臾之蟄，須刻之飛而已乎！龍蛇蛟螭，狙猥鼉蠡，皆能竟冬不食，不食之時，乃肥於食時也。莫得其法。且夫一致之善者，物多勝於人，不獨龜鶴也。故太昊師蜘蛛而結網，金天據九鳸以正時，帝軒俟鳳鳴以調律，唐堯觀蓂莢以知月，歸終知往，乾鵲知來，魚伯識水旱之氣，蜉蝣曉潛泉之地，白狼知殷家之興，鸑鷟見周家之盛，龜鶴偏解導養，不足怪也。且仙經長生之道，有數百事，但有遲速煩要耳，不必皆法龜鶴也。上士用思遐邈，自然玄暢，難以愚俗之近情，而推神仙之遠旨。」
或曰，「我等不知今人長生之理，古人何獨知之？」「此蓋愚暗之局談，非達者之用懷也。夫占天文之玄道，步七政之盈縮，論凌犯於既往，審崇替於將來，仰望云物之徵祥，俯定卦兆之休咎，運三棋以定行軍之興亡，推九符而得禍福之分野，乘除一算，以究鬼神之情狀，錯綜六情，而處無端之善否。其根元可考也，形理可求也，而庸才近器，猶不能開學之奧治，至於朴素，徒銳思於糟粕，不能窮測其精微也。夫鑿枘之粗伎，而輪扁有不傳之妙；掇蜩之薄術，而傴僂有入神之巧，在乎其人，由於至精也。況於神仙之道，旨意深遠，求其根莖，良未易也。鬆喬之徒，雖得其效，未必測其所以然也，況凡人哉？其事可學，故古人記而垂之，以傳識者耳。若心解意得，則可信而修之，其猜疑在胸，皆自其命，不當詰古人何以獨曉此，而我何以獨不知之意耶？吾今知仙之可得也，吾能休糧不食也，吾保流珠之可飛也，黃白之可求也，若責吾求其本理，則亦實復不知矣。世人若以思所能得謂之有，所不能及則謂之無，則天下之事亦鮮矣。故老子有言，以狸頭之治鼠漏，以啄木之護齲齒，此亦可以類求者也。若蟹之化漆，麻之壞酒，此不可以理推者也。萬殊紛然，何可以意極哉？設令抱危篤之疾，須良藥之救，而不肯即服，須知神農岐伯所以用此草治此病本意之所由，則未免於愚也。」
或曰：「生死有命，修短素定，非彼藥物，所能損益。夫指既斬而連之，不可續也；血既灑而吞之，無所益也。豈況服彼異類之鬆柏，以延短促之年命，甚不然也。」抱朴子曰：「若夫此論，必須同類，乃能為益，然則既斬之指，已灑之血，本自一體，非為殊族，何以既斬之而不可續，已灑之而不中服乎！餘數見人以蛇銜膏連已斬之指，桑豆易雞鴨之足，異物之益，不可誣也。若子言不恃他物，則宜搗肉冶骨，以為金瘡之藥，煎皮熬發，以治禿鬢之疾耶？夫水土不與百卉同體，而百卉仰之以植焉。五穀非生人之類，而生人須之以為命焉。脂非火種，水非魚屬，然脂竭則火滅，水竭則魚死，伐木而寄生枯，芟草而兔絲萎，川蟹不歸而蛣敗，桑樹見斷而蠹殄，觸類而長之，斯可悟矣。金玉在九竅，則死人為之不朽。鹽滷沾於肌髓，則脯臘為之不爛，況於以宜身益命之物，納之於己，何怪其令人長生乎？」
或難曰：「神仙方書，似是而非，將必好事者妄所造作，未必出黃老之手，經鬆喬之目也。」抱朴子曰：「若如雅論，宜不驗也，今試其小者，莫不效焉。餘數見人以方諸求水於夕月，陽燧引火於朝日，隱形以淪於無象，易貌以成於異物，結巾投地而兔走，針綴丹帶而蛇行，瓜果結實於須臾，龍魚瀺灂於盤盂，皆如說焉。按漢書欒太初見武帝，試令斗棋，棋自相觸。而後漢書又載魏尚能坐在立亡，張楷能興云起霧，皆良史所記，信而有徵，而此術事，皆在神仙之部，其非妄作可知矣。小既有驗，則長生之道，何獨不然乎！」
或曰：「審其神仙可以學致，翻然凌霄，背俗棄世，烝嘗之禮，莫之修奉，先鬼有知，其不餓乎！」抱朴子曰：「蓋聞身體不傷，謂之終孝，況得仙道，長生久視，天地相畢，過於受全歸完，不亦遠乎？果能登虛躡景，云轝霓蓋，餐朝霞之沆瀣，吸玄黃之醇精，飲則玉醴金漿，食則翠芝朱英，居則瑤堂瑰室，行則逍遙太清。先鬼有知，將蒙我榮，或可以翼亮五帝，或可以監禦百靈，位可以不求而自致，膳可以咀茹華璚，勢可以總攝羅酆，威可以叱吒梁成，誠如其道，罔識其妙，亦無餓之者。得道之高，莫過伯陽。伯陽有子名宗，仕魏為將軍，有功封於段乾。然則今之學仙者，自可皆有子弟，以承祭祀，祭祀之事，何緣便絕！」
或曰：「得道之士，呼吸之術既備，服食之要又該，掩耳而聞千里，閉目而見將來，或委華駟而轡蛟龍，或棄神州而宅蓬瀛，或遲回於流俗，逍遙於人間，不便絕跡以造玄虛，其所尚則同，其逝止或異，何也？」抱朴子答曰：「聞之先師云，仙人或昇天，或住地，要於俱長生，去留各從其所好耳。又服還丹金液之法，若且欲留在世間者，但服半劑而錄其半。若後求昇天，便盡服之。不死之事已定，無復奄忽之慮。正復且游地上，或入名山，亦何所復憂乎？彭祖言，天上多尊官大神，新仙者位卑，所奉事者非一，但更勞苦，故不足役役於登天，而止人間八百餘年也。又云，古之得仙者，或身生羽翼，變化飛行，失人之本，更受異形，有似雀之為蛤，雉之為蜃，非人道也。人道當食甘旨，服輕暖，通陰陽，處官秩，耳目聰明，骨節堅強，顏色悅懌，老而不衰，延年久視，出處任意，寒溫風濕不能傷，鬼神衆精不能犯，五兵百毒不能中，憂喜毀譽不為累，乃為貴耳。若委棄妻子，獨處山澤，邈然斷絕人理，塊然與木石為鄰，不足多也。昔安期先生龍眉甯公修羊公陰長生，皆服金液半劑者也。其止世間，或近千年，然後去耳。篤而論之，求長生者，正惜今日之所欲耳，本不汲汲於昇虛，以飛騰為勝於地上也。若幸可止家而不死者，亦何必求於速登天乎？若得仙無復住理者，復一事耳。彭祖之言，為附人情者也。」
或問曰：「為道者當先立功德，審然否？」抱朴子答曰：「有之。按玉鈐經中篇云，立功為上，除過次之。為道者以救人危使免禍，護人疾病，令不枉死，為上功也。欲求仙者，要當以忠孝和順仁信為本。若德行不修，而但務方術，皆不得長生也。行惡事大者，司命奪紀，小過奪算，隨所犯輕重，故所奪有多少也。凡人之受命得壽，自有本數，數本多者，則紀算難盡而遲死，若所稟本少，而所犯者多，則紀算速盡而早死。又云，人欲地仙，當立三百善；欲天仙，立千二百善。若有千一百九十九善，而忽復中行一惡，則盡失前善，乃當復更起善數耳。故善不在大，惡不在小也。雖不作惡事，而口及所行之事，及責求布施之報，便復失此一事之善，但不盡失耳。又云，積善事未滿，雖服仙藥，亦無益也。若不服仙藥，並行好事，雖未便得仙，亦可無卒死之禍矣。吾更疑彭祖之輩，善功未足，故不能昇天耳。」
金丹
抱朴子曰：余考覽養性之書，鳩集久視之方，曾所披涉篇卷，以千計矣，莫不皆以還丹金液為大要者焉。然則此二事，蓋仙道之極也。服此而不仙，則古來無仙矣。往者上國喪亂，莫不奔播四出。余週旋徐豫荊襄江廣數州之間，閱見流移俗道士數百人矣。或有素聞其名，乃在云日之表者。然率相似如一，其所知見，深淺有無，不足以相傾也。雖各有數十卷書，亦未能悉解之也，為寫蓄之耳。時有知行氣及斷穀服諸草木藥法，所有方書，略為同文，無一人不有道機經，唯以此為至秘，乃云是君喜所撰。余告之曰，此是魏世軍督王圖所撰耳，非古人也。圖了不知大藥，正欲以行氣入室求仙，作此道機，謂道畢於此，此復是誤人之甚者也。余問諸道士以神丹金液之事，及三皇內文召天神地祇之法，了無一人知之者，其誇誕自譽及欺人，云己久壽。及言曾與仙人共游者將太半矣，足以與盡微者甚鮮矣。或有頗聞金丹，而不謂今世復有得之者，皆言唯上古已度仙人，乃當曉之。或有得方外說，不得其真經。或得雜碎丹方，便謂丹法盡於此也。昔左元放於天柱山中精思，而神人授之金丹仙經，會漢末亂，不遑合作，而避地來渡江東，志欲投名山以修斯道。余從祖仙公，又從元放受之。凡受太清丹經三卷及九鼎丹經一卷金液丹經一卷。余師鄭君者，則余從祖仙公之弟子也，又於從祖受之，而家貧無用買藥。余親事之，灑掃積久，乃於馬跡山中立壇盟受之，並諸口訣訣之不書者。江東先無此書，書出於左元放，元放以授余從祖，從祖以授鄭君，鄭君以授余，故他道士了無知者也。然余受之已二十餘年矣，資無擔石，無以為之，但有長嘆耳。有積金盈櫃，聚錢如山者，復不知有此不死之法。就令聞之，亦萬無一信，如何？夫飲玉臺則知漿荇之薄味，睹昆侖則覺丘垤之至卑。既覽金丹之道，則使人不欲復視小小方書。然大藥難卒得辦，當須且將禦小者以自支持耳。然服他藥萬斛，為能有小益，而終不能使人遂長生也。故老子之訣言云，子不得還丹金液，虛自苦耳。夫五穀猶能活人，人得之則生，絕之則死，又況於上品之神藥，其益人豈不萬倍於五穀耶？夫金丹之為物，燒之愈久，變化愈妙。黃金入火，百煉不消，埋之，畢天不朽。服此二物，煉人身體，故能令人不老不死。此蓋假求於外物以自堅固，有如脂之養火而不可滅，銅青塗腳，入水不腐，此是借銅之勁以扞其肉也。金丹入身中，沾洽榮衛，非但銅青之外傅矣。世間多不信至道者，則悠悠者皆是耳。然萬一時偶有好事者，而復不見此法，不值明師，無由聞天下之有斯妙事也。余今略鈔金丹之都較，以示後之同志好之者。其勤求之，求之不可守淺近之方，而謂之足以度世也。遂不遇之者，直當息意於無窮之冀耳。想見其說，必自知出潢污而浮滄海，背螢燭而向日月，聞雷霆而覺布鼓之陋，見巨鯨而知寸介之細也。如其嘍嘍，無所先入，欲以弊藥必規昇騰者，何異策蹇驢而追迅風，棹藍舟而濟大川乎？
又諸小餌丹方甚多，然作之有淺深，故力勢不同，雖有優劣，轉不相及，猶一酘之酒，不可以方九醞之醇耳。然小丹之下者，猶自遠勝草木之上者也。凡草木燒之即燼，而丹砂燒之成水銀，積變又還成丹砂，其去凡草木亦遠矣。故能令人長生，神仙獨見此理矣，其去俗人，亦何緬邈之無限乎？世人少所識，多所怪，或不知水銀出於丹砂，告之終不肯信，云丹砂本赤物，從何得成此白物。又云丹砂是石耳，今燒諸石皆成灰，而丹砂何獨得爾。此近易之事，猶不可喻，其聞仙道，大而笑之，不亦宜乎？上古真人愍念將來之可教者，為作方法，委曲欲使其脫死亡之禍耳，可謂至言矣。然而俗人終不肯信，謂為虛文。若是虛文者，安得九轉九變，日數所成，皆如方耶？真人所以知此者，誠不可以庸近思求也。余少好方術，負步請問，不憚險遠。每有異聞，則以為喜。雖見毀笑，不以為戚。焉知來者之不如今，是以著此以示識者。豈苟尚奇怪，而崇飾空言，欲令書行於世，信結流俗哉？盛陽不能榮枯朽，上智不能移下愚，書為曉者傳，事為識者貴。農夫得彤弓以驅鳥，南夷得袞衣以負薪，夫不知者，何可強哉？世人飽食終日，復未必能勤儒墨之業，治進德之務，但共逍遙遨游，以盡年月。其所營也，非榮則利。或飛蒼走黃於中原，或留連杯觴以羹沸，或以美女荒瀋絲竹，或躭淪綺紈，或控弦以弊筋骨，或博弈以棄功夫。聞至道之言而如醉，睹道論而晝睡。有身不修，動之死地，不肯求問養生之法，自欲割削之，煎熬之，憔悴之，漉汔之。而有道者自寶秘其所知，無求於人，亦安肯強行語之乎？世人之常言，鹹以長生若可得者，古人之富貴者，己當得之，而無得之者，是無此道也。而不知古之富貴者，亦如今之富貴者耳。俱不信不求之，而皆以目前之所欲者為急，亦安能得之耶？假令不能決意，信命之可延，仙之可得，亦何惜於試之。試之小效，但使得二三百歲，不猶愈於凡人之少夭乎？天下之事萬端，而道術尤難明於他事也。何可以中才之心，而斷世間必無長生之道哉？若正以世人皆不信之，便謂為無，則世人之智者，又何太多乎？今若有識道意而猶修求之者，詎必便是至愚，而皆不及世人耶？又或慮於求長生，儻其不得，恐人笑之，以為暗惑。若心所斷，萬有一失，而天下果自有此不死之道者，不亦當復為得之者所笑乎？日月有所不能周照，人心安足孤信哉？抱朴子曰：按黃帝九鼎神丹經曰，黃帝服之，遂以昇仙。
又云，雖呼吸道引，及服草木之藥，可得延年，不免於死也；服神丹令人壽無窮已，與天地相畢，乘云駕龍，上下太清。黃帝以傳玄子，戒之曰，此道至重，必以授賢，苟非其人，雖積玉如山，勿以此道告之也。受之者以金人金魚投於東流水中以為約，唼血為盟，無神仙之骨，亦不可得見此道也。合丹當於名山之中，無人之地，結伴不過三人，先齋百日，沐浴五香，致加精潔，勿近穢污，及與俗人往來，又不令不信道者知之，謗毀神藥，藥不成矣。成則可以舉家皆仙，不但一身耳。世人不合神丹，反信草木之藥。草木之藥，埋之即腐，煮之即爛，燒之即焦，不能自生，何能生人乎？
九丹者，長生之要，非凡人所當見聞也，萬兆蠢蠢，唯知貪富貴而已，豈非行屍者乎？合時又當祭，祭自有圖法一卷也。第一之丹名曰丹華。當先作玄黃，用雄黃水、礬石水、戎鹽、鹵鹽、礜石、牡蠣、赤石脂、滑石、胡粉各數十斤，以為六一泥，火之三十六日成，服七之日仙。又以玄膏丸此丹，置猛火上，須臾成黃金。又以二百四十銖合水銀百斤火之，亦成黃金。金成者藥成也。金不成，更封藥而火之，日數如前，無不成也。
第二之丹名曰神丹，亦曰神符。服之百日仙也。行度水火，以此丹塗足下，步行水上。服之三刀圭，三屍九蟲皆即消壞，百病皆愈也。
第三之丹名曰神丹。服一刀圭，百日仙也。以與六畜吞之，亦終不死。又能辟五兵。服百日，仙人玉女，山川鬼神，皆來侍之，見如人形。
第四之丹名曰還丹。服一刀圭，百日仙也。朱鳥鳳凰，翔覆其上，玉女至傍。以一刀圭合水銀一斤火之，立成黃金。以此丹塗錢物用之，即日皆還。以此丹書凡人目上，百鬼走避。
第五之丹名餌丹。服之三十日，仙也。鬼神來侍，玉女至前。
第六之丹名煉丹。服之十日，仙也。又以汞合火之，亦成黃金。
第七之丹名柔丹。服一刀圭，百日仙也。以缺盆汁和服之，九十老翁，亦能有子，與金公合火之，即成黃金。
第八之丹名伏丹。服之即日仙也。以此丹如棗核許持之，百鬼避之。以丹書門戶上，萬邪衆精不敢前，又辟盜賊虎狼也。
第九之丹名寒丹。服一刀圭，百日仙也。仙童仙女來侍，飛行輕舉，不用羽翼。
凡此九丹，但得一丹便仙，不在悉作之，作之在人所好者耳。凡服九丹，欲昇天則去，欲且止人間亦任意，皆能出入無間，不可得之害矣。
抱朴子曰：復有太清神丹，其法出於元君。元君者，老子之師也。太清觀天經有九篇，云其上三篇不可教授，其中三篇世無足傳，常瀋之三泉之下，下三篇者，正是丹經上中下，凡三卷也。元君者，大神仙之人也，能調和陰陽，役使鬼神風雨，驂駕九龍十二白虎，天下衆仙皆隸焉，猶自言亦本學道服丹之所致也，非自然也。況凡人乎？其經曰：上士得道，昇為天官；中士得道，棲集昆侖；下士得道，長生世間。愚民不信，謂為虛言，從朝至暮，但作求死之事，了不求生，而天豈能強生之乎？凡人唯知美食好衣，聲色富貴而已，恣心盡欲，奄忽終歿之徒，慎無以神丹告之，令其笑道謗真。傳丹經不得其人，身必不吉。若有篤信者，可將合藥成以分之，莫輕以其方傳之也。知此道者，何用王侯？為神丹既成，不但長生，又可以作黃金。金成，取百斤先設大祭。祭自有別法一卷，不與九鼎祭同也。祭當別稱金各檢署之。
禮天二十斤，日月五斤，北斗八斤，太乙八斤，井五斤，竈五斤，河伯十二斤，社五斤，門戶閭鬼神清君各五斤，凡八十八斤。餘一十二斤，以好韋囊盛之，良日於都市中市盛之時，嘿聲放棄之於多人處，徑去無復顧。凡用百斤外，乃得自恣用之耳。不先以金祀神，必被殃咎。又曰，長生之道，不在祭祀事鬼神也，不在道引與屈伸也，昇仙之要，在神丹也。知之不易，為之實難也。子能作之，可長存也。近代漢末新野陰君，合此太清丹得仙。其人本儒生，有才思，善著詩及丹經贊並序，述初學道隨師本末，列己所知識之得仙者四十餘人，甚分明也。作此太清丹，小為難合於九鼎，然是白日昇天之上法也。合之當先作華池赤鹽艮雪玄白飛符三五神水，乃可起火耳。
一轉之丹，服之三年得仙。二轉之丹，服之二年得仙。三轉之丹，服之一年得仙。四轉之丹，服之半年得仙。五轉之丹，服之百日得仙。六轉之丹，服之四十日得仙。七轉之丹，服之三十日得仙。八轉之丹，服之十日得仙。九轉之丹，服之三日得仙。若取九轉之丹，內神鼎中，夏至之後，爆之鼎熱，內朱兒一斤於蓋下。伏伺之，候日精照之。須臾翕然俱起，煌煌煇煇，神光五色，即化為還丹。取而服之一刀圭，即白日昇天。又九轉之丹者，封塗之於土釜中，糠火，先文後武，其一轉至九轉，遲速各有日數多少，以此知之耳。其轉數少，其藥力不足，故服之用日多，得仙遲也。其轉數多，藥力盛，故服之用日少，而得仙速也。
又有九光丹，與九轉異法，大都相似耳。作之法，當以諸藥合火之，以轉五石。五石者，丹砂、雄黃、白礜、曾青、慈石也。一石輒五轉而各成五色，五石而二十五色，色各一兩，而異器盛之。欲起死人，未滿三日者，取青丹一刀圭和水，以浴死人，又以一刀圭發其口內之，死人立生也。欲致行廚，取黑丹和水，以塗左手，其所求如口所道皆自至，可致天下萬物也。欲隱形及先知未然方來之事，及住年不老，服黃丹一刀圭，即便長生不老矣。及坐見千里之外，吉凶皆知，如在目前也。人生宿命，盛衰壽夭，富貴貧賤，皆知之也，其法俱在太清經中卷耳。
抱朴子曰：其次有五靈丹經一卷，有五法也。用丹砂、雄黃、雌黃、石硫黃、曾青、礬石、慈石、戎鹽、太乙餘糧，亦用六一泥，及神室祭醮合之，三十六日成。又用五帝符，以五色書之，亦令人不死，但不及太清及九鼎丹藥耳。
又有岷山丹法，道士張蓋蹋精思於岷山石室中，得此方也。其法鼓冶黃銅，以作方諸，以承取月中水，以水銀覆之，致日精火其中，長服之不死。又取此丹置雄黃銅燧中，覆以汞曝之，二十日發而治之，以井華水服如小豆，百日，盲者皆能視之，百病自愈，發白還黑，齒落更生。
又務成子丹法，用巴沙汞置八寸銅盤中以土爐盛炭，倚三隅塹以枝盤，以硫黃水灌之，常令如泥，百日服之不死。
又羡門子丹法，以酒和丹一斤，用酒三升和，曝之四十日，服之一日，則三蟲百病立下；服之三年，仙道乃成，必有玉女二人來侍之，可役使致行廚，此丹可以厭百鬼，及四方死人殃註害人宅，及起土功妨人者，懸以向之，則無患矣。
又有立成丹，亦有九首，似九鼎而不及也。其要一本更云，取雌黃雄黃燒下其中銅，鑄以為器，覆之三歲淳苦酒上，百日，此器皆生赤乳，長數分，或有五色琅玕，取理而服之，亦令人長生。又可以和菟絲，菟絲是初生之根，其形似菟，掘取剋其血，以和此丹，服之立變化，任意所作也。又和以朱草，一服之，能乘虛而行云，朱草狀似小棗，栽長三四尺，枝葉皆赤，莖如珊瑚，喜生名山岩石之下，刻之汁流如血，以玉及八石金銀投其中，立便可丸如泥，久則成水，以金投之，名為金漿，以玉投之，名為玉醴，服之皆長生。
又有取伏丹法云，天下諸水，有名丹者，有南陽之丹水之屬也，其中皆有丹魚，當先夏至十日夜伺之，丹魚必浮於水側，赤光上照，赫然如火也，網而取之可得之，得之雖多，勿盡取也，割其血，塗足下，則可步行水上，長居淵中矣。
又赤鬆子丹法，取千歲虆汁及礬桃汁淹丹，著不津器中，練蜜蓋其口，埋之入地三尺，百日，絞檸木赤實，取汁和而服之，令人面目鬢發皆赤，長生也。昔中黃仙人有赤鬚子者，豈非服此乎？
又石先生丹法，取烏鷇之未生毛羽者，以真丹和牛肉以吞之，至長，其毛羽皆赤，乃煞之，陰乾百日，並毛羽搗服一刀圭，百日得壽五百歲。
又康風子丹法，用羊烏鶴卵雀血，合少室天雄汁，和丹內鵠卵中漆之，內云母水中，百日化為赤水，服一合，輒益壽百歲，服一升千歲也。
又崔文子丹法，納丹鶩腹中蒸之，服，令人延年，長服不死。
又劉元丹法，以丹砂內玄水液中，百日紫色，握之不污手，又和以云母水，內管中漆之，投井中，百日化為赤水，服一合，得百歲，久服長生也。
又樂子長丹法，以曾青鉛丹合汞及丹砂，著銅筩中，乾瓦白滑石封之，於白砂中蒸之，八十日，服如小豆，三年仙矣。
又李文丹法，以白素裹丹，以竹汁煮之，名紅泉，乃浮湯上蒸之，合以玄水，服之一合，一年仙矣。
又尹子丹法，以云母水和丹密封，致金華池中，一年出，服一刀圭，盡一斤，得五百歲。
又太乙招魂魄丹法，所用五石，及封之以六一泥，皆似九丹也，長於起卒死三日以還者，折齒內一丸，與硫黃丸，俱以水送之，令入喉即活，皆言見使者持節召之。
又採女丹法，以兔血和丹與蜜蒸之，百日，服之如梧桐子者大一丸，日三，至百日，有神女二人來侍之，可役使。
又稷丘子丹法，以清酒麻油百華醴龍膏和，封以六一泥，以糠火熅之，十日成，服如小豆一丸，盡劑，得壽五百歲。
又墨子丹法，用汞及五石液於銅器中，火熬之，以鐵匕撓之，十日，還為丹，服之一刀圭，萬病去身，長服不死。又張子和丹法，用鉛汞曾青水合封之，蒸之於赤黍米中，
八十日成，以棗膏和丸之，服如大豆，百日，壽五百歲。
又綺裏丹法，先飛取五石玉塵，合以丹砂汞，內大銅器中煮之，百日，五色，服之不死。以鉛百斤，以藥百刀圭，合火之成白銀，以雄黃水和而火之，百日成黃金，金或太剛者，以豬膏煮之，或太柔者，以白梅煮之。
又玉柱丹法，以華池和丹，以曾青硫黃末覆之薦之，內筩中沙中，蒸之五十日，服之百日，玉女六甲六丁神女來侍之，可役使，知天下之事也。
又肘後丹法，以金華和丹乾瓦封之，蒸八十日，取如小豆，置盤中，向日和之，其光上與日連，服如小豆，長生矣。以投丹陽銅中，火之成金。
又李公丹法，用真丹及五石之水各一升，和令如泥，釜中火之，三十六日出，和以石硫黃液，服之十年，與天地相畢。又劉生丹法，用白菊花汁地楮汁樗汁和丹蒸之，三十日，研合服之，一年，得五百歲，老翁服更少不可識，少年服亦不老。
又王君丹法，巴沙及汞內雞子中，漆合之，令雞伏之三枚，以王相日服之，住年不老，小兒不可服，不復長矣，與新生雞犬服之，皆不復大，鳥獸亦皆如此驗。
又陳生丹法，用白蜜和丹，內銅器中封之，瀋之井中，一期，服之經年，不飢，盡一斤，壽百歲。
又韓終丹法，漆蜜和丹煎之，服可延年久視，立日中無影。過此以往，尚數十法，不可具論。
抱朴子曰：金液太乙所服而仙者也，不減九丹矣，合之用古称黃金一斤，並用玄明龍膏、太乙旬首中石、冰石、紫游女、玄水液、金化石、丹砂，封之成水，其經云，金液入口，則其身皆金色。老子受之於元君，元君曰，此道至重，百世一出，藏之石室，合之，皆齋戒百日，不得與俗人相往來，於名山之側，東流水上，別立精舍，百日成，服一兩便仙。若未欲去世，且作地水仙之士者，但齋戒百日矣。若求昇天，皆先斷穀一年，乃服之也。若服半兩，則長生不死，萬害百毒，不能傷之，可以畜妻子，居官秩，任意所欲，無所禁也。若復欲昇天者，乃可齋戒，更服一兩，便飛仙矣。
以金液為威喜巨勝之法，取金液及水銀一味合煮之，三十日，出，以黃土甌盛，以六一泥封，置猛火炊之，六十時，皆化為丹，服如小豆大便仙，以此丹一刀圭粉，水銀一斤，即成銀。又取此丹一斤置火上扇之，化為赤金而流，名曰丹金。以塗刀劍，辟兵萬里。以此丹金為盤碗，飲食其中，令人長生。以承日月得液，如方諸之得水也，飲之不死。以金液和黃土，內六一泥甌中，猛火炊之，盡成黃金，中用也，復以火炊之，皆化為丹，服之如小豆、可以入名山大川為地仙。以此丹一刀圭粉水銀立成銀，以銀一兩和鉛一斤，皆成銀。金液經云，投金人八兩於東流水中，飲血為誓，乃告口訣，不如本法，盜其方而作之，終不成也。凡人有至信者，可以藥與之，不可輕傳其書，必兩受其殃，天神鑒人甚近，人不知耳。
抱朴子曰：九丹誠為仙藥之上法，然合作之，所用雜藥甚多。若四方清通者，市之可具。若九域分隔，則物不可得也。又當起火晝夜數十日，伺候火力，不可令失其適，勤苦至難，故不及合金液之易也。合金液唯金為難得耳。古称金一斤於今為二斤，率不過直三十許萬，其所用雜藥差易具。又不起火，但以置華池中，日數足便成矣，都合可用四十萬而得一劑，可足八人仙也。然其中稍少合者，其氣力不足以相化成，如釀數升米酒，必無成也。
抱朴子曰：其次有餌黃金法，雖不及金液，亦遠不比他藥也。或以豕負革肪及酒煉之，或以樗皮治之，或以荊酒磁石消之，或有可引為巾，或立令成水服之。或有禁忌，不及金液也。或以雄黃雌黃合餌之，可引之張之如皮，皆地仙法耳。銀及蚌中大珠，皆可化為水服之。然須長服不可缺，故皆不及金液也。抱朴子曰：合此金液九丹，既當用錢，又宜入名山，絕人事，故能為之者少，且亦千萬人中，時當有一人得其經者。故凡作道書者，略無說金丹者也。第一禁，勿令俗人之不信道者，謗訕評毀之，必不成也。鄭君言所以爾者，合此大藥皆當祭，祭則太乙元君老君玄女皆來鑒省。作藥者若不絕跡幽僻之地，令俗閒愚人得經過聞見之，則諸神便責作藥者之不遵承經戒，致令惡人有謗毀之言，則不復佑助人，而邪氣得進，藥不成也。必入名山之中，齋戒百日，不食五辛生魚，不與俗人相見，爾乃可作大藥。作藥須成乃解齋，不但初作時齋也。鄭君云，左君告之，言諸小小山，皆不可於其中作金液神丹也。凡小山皆無正神為主，多是木石之精，千歲老物，血食之鬼，此輩皆邪炁，不念為人作福，但能作禍，善試道士，道士須當以術辟身，及將從弟子，然或能壞人藥也。今之醫家，每合好藥好膏，皆不欲令雞犬小兒婦人見之。若被諸物犯之，用便無驗。又染採者惡惡目者見之，皆失美色。況神仙大藥乎？是以古之道士，合作神藥，必入名山，不止凡山之中，正為此也。又按仙經，可以精思合作仙藥者，有華山泰山霍山恆山嵩山少室山長山太白山終南山女幾山地肺山王屋山抱犢山安丘山潛山青城山娥眉山緌山云臺山羅浮山陽駕山黃金山鱉祖山大小天臺山四望山蓋竹山括蒼山，此皆是正神在其山中，其中或有地仙之人。上皆生芝草，可以避大兵大難，不但於中以合藥也。若有道者登之，則此山神必助之為福，藥必成。若不得登此諸山者，海中大島嶼，亦可合藥。若會稽之東翁洲亶洲紵嶼，及徐州之莘莒洲泰光洲鬱洲，皆其次也。今中國名山不可得至，江東名山之可得住者，有霍山，在晉安；長山太白，在東陽；四望山大小天臺山蓋竹山括蒼山，並在會稽。
抱朴子曰：予忝大臣之子孫，雖才不足以經國理物，然疇類之好，進趍之業，而所知不能遠余者，多揮翮云漢，耀景辰霄者矣。余所以絕慶吊於鄉黨，棄當世之榮華者，必欲遠登名山，成所著子書，次則合神藥，規長生故也。俗人莫不怪予之委桑梓，背清塗，而躬耕林藪，手足胼胝，謂予有狂惑之疾也。然道與世事不並興，若不廢人間之務，何得修如此之志乎？見之誠了，執之必定者，亦何憚於毀譽，豈移於勸沮哉？聊書其心，示將來之同志尚者云。後有斷金之徒，所捐棄者，亦與余之不異也。
小神丹方，用真丹三斤，白蜜六斤攪合，日暴煎之，令可丸，旦服如麻子許十丸，未一年，發白者黑，齒落者生，身體潤澤，長服之，老翁成少年，長生不死矣。
小丹法，丹一斤，搗篩，下淳苦酒三升，漆二升，凡三物合，令相得，微火上煎令可丸，服如麻子三丸，日再服，三十日，腹中百病愈，三屍去；服之百日，肌骨強堅；千日，司命削去死籍，與天地相畢，日月相望，改形易容，變化無常，日中無影，乃別有光也。
小餌黃金法，煉金內清酒中，約二百過，出入即沸矣，握之出指間令如泥，若不沸，及握之不出指間，即削之，內清酒中無數也。成，服之如彈丸一枚，亦可一丸，分為小丸，服之三十日，無寒溫，神人玉女侍之，銀亦可餌之，與金同法。服此二物，能居名山石室中者，一年即輕舉矣。止人間服亦地仙，勿妄傳也。
兩儀子餌黃金法，豬負革脂三斤，淳苦酒一升，取黃金五兩，置器中，煎之土爐，以金置脂中，百入百出，苦酒亦爾。食一斤，壽蔽天地；食半斤，壽二千歲；五兩，壽千二百歲。無多少，便可餌之。當以王相日作，服之神良。勿傳非人，傳示非人，令藥不成不神。欲食去屍藥，當服丹砂也。
至理
抱朴子曰：微妙難識，疑惑者衆。吾聰明豈能過人哉？適偶有所偏解，猶鶴知夜半，燕知戊巳，而未必達於他事也。亦有以校驗，知長生之可得，仙人之無種耳。夫道之妙者，不可盡書，而其近者，又不足說。昔庚桑胼胝，文子釐顏，勤苦彌久，及受大訣，諒有以也。夫圓首含氣，孰不樂生而畏死哉？然榮華勢利誘其意，素顏玉膚惑其目，清商流徵亂其耳，愛惡利害攪其神，功名聲譽束其體，此皆不召而自來，不學而已成，自非受命應仙，窮理獨見，識變通於常事之外，運清鑒於玄漠之域，寤身名之親疏，悼過隙之電速者，豈能棄交修賒，抑遺嗜好，割目下之近欲，修難成之遠功哉？夫有因無而生焉，形須神而立焉。有者，無之宮也。形者，神之宅也。故譬之於堤，堤壞則水不留矣。方之於燭，燭糜則火不居矣。身勞則神散，氣竭則命終。根竭枝繁，則青青去木矣。氣疲欲勝，則精靈離身矣。夫逝者無反期，既朽無生理，達道之士，良所悲矣！輕璧重陰，豈不有以哉？故山林養性之家，遺俗得意之徒，比崇高於贅疣，方萬物乎蟬翼，豈苟為大言，而強薄世事哉？誠其所見者了，故棄之如忘耳。是以遐棲幽遁，韜鱗掩藻，遏欲視之目，遣損明之色，杜思音之耳，遠亂聽之聲，滌除玄覽，守雌抱一，專氣致柔，鎮以恬素，遣歡戚之邪情，外得失之榮辱，割厚生之臘毒，謐多言於樞機，反聽而後所聞徹，內視而後見無朕，養靈根於冥鈞，除誘慕於接物，削斥淺務，禦以愉慔，為乎無為，以全天理爾。乃父吸寶華，浴神太清，外除五曜，內守九精，堅玉鑰於命門，結北極於黃庭，引三景於明堂，飛元始以煉形，採靈液於金梁，長驅白而留青，凝澄泉於丹田，引瀋珠於五城，瑤鼎俯爨，藻禽仰鳴，瑰華擢穎，天鹿吐瓊，懷重規於絳宮，潛九光於洞冥，云蒼鬱而連天，長谷湛而交經，履躡乾兌，召呼六丁，坐臥紫房，咀吸金英，曄曄秋芝，朱華翠莖，皛皛珍膏，溶溢霄零，治飢止渴，百痾不萌，逍遙戊巳，燕和飲平，拘魂制魄，骨填體輕，故能策風云以騰虛，並混輿而永生也。然梁塵之盈尺，非可求之漏刻，山霤洞徹，非可致之於造次也。患於聞之者不信，信之者不為，為之者不終耳。夫得之者甚希而隱，不成者至多而顯。世人不能知其隱者，而但見其顯者，故謂天下果無仙道也。
抱朴子曰：防堅則水無漉棄之費，脂多則火無寢曜之患，龍泉以不割常利，斤斧以日用速弊，隱雪以違暖經夏，藏冰以居深過暑，單帛以幔鏡不灼，凡卉以偏覆越冬。泥壤易消者也，而陶之為瓦，則與二儀齊其久焉。柞楢速朽者也，而燔之為炭，則可億載而不敗焉。轅豚以優畜晚卒，良馬以陟峻早斃，寒蟲以適己倍壽，南林以處溫長茂，接煞氣則彫瘁於凝霜，值陽和則鬱藹而條秀。物類一也，而榮枯異功，豈有秋收之常限，冬藏之定例哉？而人之受命，死生之期，未若草木之於寒天也，而延養之理，補救之方，非徒溫暖之為淺益也，久視之效，何為不然？而世人守近習隘，以仙道為虛誕，謂黃老為妄言，不亦惜哉？夫愚夫乃不肯信湯藥針艾，況深於此者乎？皆曰，俞跗扁鵲和緩倉公之流，必能治病，何不勿死？又曰，富貴之家，豈乏醫術，而更不壽，是命有自然也。乃責如此之人，令信神仙，是使牛緣木，馬逐鳥也。
抱朴子曰：召魂小丹三使之丸，及五英八石小小之藥，或立消堅冰，或入水自浮，能斷絕鬼神，禳卻虎豹，破積聚於腑髒，追二豎於膏肓，起猝死於委屍，返驚魂於既逝。夫此皆凡藥也，猶能令已死者復生，則彼上藥也，何為不能令生者不死乎？越人救虢太子於既殞，胡醫活絕氣之蘇武，淳於能顱以理腦，元化能刳腹以澣胃，文摯愆期以瘳危困，仲景穿胸以納赤餅，此醫家之薄技，猶能若是，豈況神仙之道，何所不為？夫人所以死者，諸欲所損也，老也，百病所害也，毒惡所中也，邪氣所傷也，風冷所犯也。今道引行氣，還精補腦，食飲有度，興居有節，將服藥物，思神守一，柱天禁戒，帶佩符印，傷生之徒，一切遠之，如此則通，可以免此六害。今醫家通明腎氣之丸，內補五絡之散，骨填苟杞之煎，黃蓍建中之湯，將服之者，皆致肥丁。漆葉青蓁，凡弊之草，樊阿服之，得壽二百歲，而耳目聰明，猶能持針以治病，此近代之實事，良史所記註者也。
又云，有吳普者，從華陀受五禽之戲，以代導引，猶得百餘歲。此皆藥術之至淺，尚能如此，況於用其妙者耶？今語俗人云，理中四順，可以救霍亂，款冬、紫苑，可以治欬逆，萑蘆、貫衆之煞九蟲，當歸、芍藥之止絞痛，秦膠、獨活之除八風，菖蒲、乾姜之止痹濕，菟絲、蓯蓉之補虛乏，甘遂、葶歷之逐痰癖，括樓、黃連之愈消渴，薺苨、甘草之解百毒，蘆如益熱之護衆創，麻黃、大青之主傷寒，俗人猶謂不然也，寧煞生請福，分蓍問祟，不肯信良醫之攻病，反用巫史之紛若，況乎告之以金丹可以度世，芝英可以延年哉？昔留侯張良，吐出奇策，一代無有，智慮所及，非淺近人也，而猶謂不死可得者也，其聰明智用，非皆不逮世人，而曰吾將棄人間之事，以從赤鬆游耳，遂修道引，絕穀一年，規輕舉之道，坐呂后逼蹴，從求安太子之計，良不得已，為畫致四皓之策，果如其言，呂后德之，而逼令強食之，故令其道不成耳。按孔安國秘記云，良得黃石公不死之法，不但兵法而已。又云，良本師四皓，甪裏先生綺裏季之徒，皆仙人也，良悉從受其神方，雖為呂后所強飲食，尋復修行仙道，密自度世，但世人不知，故云其死耳。如孔安國之言，則良為得仙也。又漢丞相張蒼，偶得小術，吮婦人乳汁，得一百八十歲，此蓋道之薄者，而蒼為之，猶得中壽之三倍，況於備術，行諸秘妙，何為不得長生乎？此事見於漢書，非空言也。
抱朴子曰：服藥雖為長生之本，若能兼行氣者，其益甚速，若不能得藥，但行氣而盡其理者，亦得數百歲。然又宜知房中之術，所以爾者，不知陰陽之術，屢為勞損，則行氣難得力也。夫人在氣中，氣在人中，自天地至於萬物，無不須氣以生者也。善行氣者，內以養身，外以卻惡，然百姓日用而不知焉。吳越有禁祝之法，甚有明驗，多炁耳。知之者可以入大疫之中，與病人同床而己不染。又以群從行數十人，皆使無所畏，此是炁可以禳天災也。或有邪魅山精，侵犯人家，以瓦石擲人，以火燒人屋舍。或形見往來，或但聞其聲音言語，而善禁者以炁禁之，皆即絕，此是炁可以禁鬼神也。入山林多溪毒蝮蛇之地，凡人暫經過，無不中傷，而善禁者以炁禁之，能辟方數十里上，伴侶皆使無為害者。又能禁虎豹及蛇蜂，皆悉令伏不能起。以炁禁金瘡，血即登止。又能續骨連筋。以炁禁白刃，則可蹈之不傷，刺之不入。若人為蛇虺所中，以炁禁之則立愈。近世左慈趙明等，以炁禁水，水為之逆流一二丈。又於茅屋上然火，煮食食之，而茅屋不焦。又以大釘釘柱，入七八寸，以炁吹之，釘即涌射而出。又以炁禁沸湯，以百許錢投中，令一人手探摝取錢，而手不灼爛。又禁水著中庭露之，大寒不冰。又能禁一里中炊者盡不得蒸熟。又禁犬令不得吠。昔吳遣賀將軍討山賊，賊中有善禁者，每當交戰，官軍刀劍皆不得拔，弓弩射矢皆還向，輒致不利。賀將軍長智有才思，乃曰，吾聞金有刃者可禁，蟲有毒者可禁，其無刃之物，無毒之蟲，則不可禁，彼能禁吾兵者，必不能禁無刃物矣。乃多作勁木白棒，選異力精卒五千人為先登，盡捉棓彼山賊，賊恃其善禁者，了不能備，於是官軍以白棒擊之，大破彼賊，禁者果不復行，所打煞者，乃有萬計。夫炁出於形，用之其效至此，何疑不可絕穀治病，延年養性乎？仲長公理者，才達之士也，著昌言，亦論「行炁可以不飢不病，云吾始者未之信也，至於為之者，盡乃然矣。養性之方，若此至約，而吾未之能也，豈不以心馳於世務，思銳於人事哉？他人之不能者，又必與吾同此疾也。昔有明師，知不死之道者，燕君使人學之，不捷而師死。燕君怒其使者，將加誅焉。諫者曰，夫所憂者莫過乎死，所重者莫急乎生，彼自喪其生，亦安能令吾君不死也。君乃不誅。其諫辭則此為良說矣。使彼有不死之方，若吾所聞行炁之法，則彼說師之死者，未必不知道也，直不能棄世事而為之，故雖知之而無益耳，非無不死之法者也。」又云：「河南密縣，有卜成者，學道經久，乃與家人辭去，其始步稍高，遂入云中不復見。此所謂舉形輕飛，白日昇天，仙之上者也。」陳元方韓元長，皆潁川之高士也，與密相近，二君所以信天下之有仙者，蓋各以其父祖及見卜成者成仙昇天故耳，此則又有仙之一證也。