On the Zhouyi Cantong Qi (24): Even If You Know Cinnabar and Black Lead, Without the Fire Phases It Is All in Vain
Cycling through the Jade Sill, rising and descending, up and down. Circulating through the six lines, hard to observe. Thus without a fixed position — the ancestor of Change.
What is meant by Heaven and Earth set in their places, and Change moves within them: sun and moon come and go, with Qian, Kun, Kan and Li as hub and axle — standing alone yet unchanging, revolving endlessly without toil. Its transformations circulate through the six lines.
Just as Kan and Li move qi within the cauldron, circulating through the six voids within the images, none can spy or see — the mystery secretly arises, truly the ancestor of the medicine.
The new moon’s dawn is Fu — yang qi begins to open through. Coming and going without haste, the gnomon is set — slightly firm. The Yellow Bell establishes Zi; the omen then grows bright. Dispersing soft warmth, the black-haired masses obtain constancy.
The new moon’s dawn is Fu — the image of five yin and one yang. Yang qi潜藏 in the first line: Kun is earth, Zhen is thunder; thunder first appears within earth — this is the first sprouting of one yang. Yang qi is born soft and weak; its coming and going is slow, hence “without haste.”
The gnomon here refers to the sundial. When one yang is born at the Winter Solstice, the gnomon is set to measure it; its shadow is slightly slanted and enters firmness.
The slight young yang first arises, its tone corresponding to the note of the Yellow Bell. Zi of the Winter Solstice is the eleventh month; following its season the note gradually lengthens, and its image grows bright.
When one yang first moves, qi gradually becomes warm. Heaven’s yang qi disperses and begins things; Earth’s yin qi is soft and warm and engenders things. The ancients called the winter sacrifice “Li,” hence “Li sacrifices to Bai Cheng” — its qi gradually steams upward like mist.
As with human cultivation: suddenly one obtains a qi that softens and gradually turns firm. In the human body this is reducing yin and supporting yang. But within the human body yin and yang qi are mixed, so one must care for this slight and weak qi continuously — like the winter sacrifice, which steams and pervades the whole body. Constantly practicing in this way,时时 accordingly, when qi is sufficient spirit is full. The “Mirror of Entering Medicine” says: “Pre-heaven qi, post-heaven qi — one who obtains them is forever as if drunk.”
Approaching the furnace, opening the threads, opening the way correctly with light. Light’s shine gradually advances, day by day lengthening. Chou’s Dalu, knots tied with the Ridge Star.
The Lin hexagram is formed of Kun and Dui; it corresponds to the Chou month. From Zi month to Chou month the sun’s illumination gradually lengthens; for the fire phases of the cauldron and furnace one must also act according to this principle — one must “open the way correctly with light,” bringing it into accord with the upright principle.
After the Winter Solstice the subsolar point reaches its maximum latitude in the southern hemisphere, then gradually moves northward. During this northward movement the daylight gradually lengthens as well.
And Chou corresponds to the note Dalu, which corresponds to the Mao lunar mansion. Shangyangzi says: “Each month at the new moon’s Zi hour, sun and moon join their jade tablets at Gui; at dusk they meet above Mao and Bi. This is a metaphor for the birth of fire. At this time pure yin is already extreme and slight yang is about to be born — this is called the hidden dragon.”
If Chou is the point, why then Zi? Because when sun and moon meet at Zi, the Dipper is at Chou; and chasing the Dipper to Chou, one meets Zi again. So Zi and Chou join, both meeting in earth.
The difference between the northern and southern hemispheres is caused by the Earth’s tilt. Thus in the northern hemisphere’s summer, not only is it six days longer than the southern hemisphere’s summer, but because of the angle of sunlight the average temperature variation in the northern hemisphere is greater than in the southern hemisphere — so the four seasons are much more distinct.
As said before: “The four seasons suitably ordered, in accord with the qi” — though clearer farther north, the boundaries of the five phases must be clearly distinguished.
If one goes too far north, as at the North Pole, the phenomenon of polar day appears: at the Summer Solstice there is daylight all day, the sun always on the horizon — and once more the way of yin and yang is lost.
The result of losing the way of yin and yang is abnormal climate.
The manifestation of abnormality is: though the North Pole has more sunlight, it is ice and snow year-round.
This is because the time for sunlight to reach the arctic ground through the atmosphere is too long, so the temperature cannot get high; then the ice blocks formed in the cold do not melt so easily. And the ice and snow themselves form reflection, further reducing heat absorption. The result is that the North Pole remains an environment of ice and snow through the four seasons.
But in places farther from the North Pole, because the sun shines directly, heat is stored underground, and temperature rises day by day.
The matter of cultivation is also like this. If one does not comprehensively weigh all conditions, one makes the same mistake — such as mistaking “sunlight illuminating the ocean floor” for being closer to the North Pole’s situation, and thus going against the proper way.
Gazing upward, Tai is formed: firm and yielding both rising high. Traveling far, exchanging and joining — the small goes and the great comes. Spokes converge at Yin; move and keep pace with the season.
The Qian and Kun trigrams, when inverted (yang upward), are Kun plus Qian, thus forming the Tai hexagram. Within Tai, firm and rise together in rising power; yin qi gradually wanes and yang qi gradually increases — this is the small going and the great coming.
Tai’s location corresponds to the Beginning of Spring solar term, also the Yin month — the place of “three yang opening Tai.” Spring is precisely when the myriad things generate and arise.
In the first month yang qi gathers; and since yang qi has already accumulated for three months, at this time there is sunlight and warm qi in the air, while cold qi still remains. Cold and heat rub and sway against each other — this is precisely the time of generation.
The “Collected Explanations of the Seventy-two Seasonal Phenomena” says: “In mid-first month, Heaven first engenders water. Spring belongs to wood, but what engenders wood must be water; so after Beginning of Spring comes Rain Water. Moreover, when the east wind has thawed the ice, it disperses and becomes rain.”
Before the Rain Water solar term the weather is cold; only snowflakes can be seen flying thickly, hard to hear the patter of rain. After Rain Water temperatures generally rise above 0°C; snow decreases and rain increases. So “rain gradually” means yang is full, and yang full reduces yin.
In cultivation, though yang qi sprouts within this qi, yin qi also accompanies it — interweaving and绊绊 each other. Yang means qi rises; yin means qi descends and turns to rain for irrigation. More yin and less yang — same as the seasonal condition.
Gradually passing Dayuanh, as if lined beside the Mao gate.
Zhen and Qian form Thunder over Heaven (Dayuanh); it corresponds to the Earthly Branch Mao — that is, the second month.
As the saying goes: “In the eighth and second months yin and yang qi are equal, day and night are divided evenly, so punishment and virtue join at the gate” — this is the Spring Equinox solar term.
The Awakening of Insects solar term is when spring thunder first arises: “When the spring thunder resounds, it lasts ten thousand years,” “When thunder sounds and moves, all hibernating creatures are shaken awake and emerge.” At this time the Big Dipper points to Ding and obtains numinous effect, hence Mao is the thunder gate.
Elm catkins fall and return to their root. Punishment and virtue bear each other; day and night begin to divide.
This is the Chen month. The “Spring and Autumn Pearl of Fate” says: “In the third month the elm catkins fall.” And when elm catkins fall to the ground they return once more to earth — hence “returning to the root.”
Chen is Dragon; thus in the Changes, when meeting dragon it transforms. In Jia and Ji years, Chen month obtains Wu — so Jia and Ji combine as earth. In Yi and Geng years, Chen month obtains Geng — so Yi and Geng combine as metal. In Bing and Xin years, Chen month obtains Ren — so Bing and Xin combine as water; Ding and Ren combine as wood; Wu and Gui combine as fire. All are like this.
The myriad things are born from earth and return to earth; so Heaven’s transformations begin from earth. And earth, metal, water, wood, fire are placed upon Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu and cycled in arrangement — thus one obtains their combining transformations’ movements.
Thus the third-month elm catkins are wood; Chen month returns to earth — this is “returning to the root.” In human cultivation, encountering Chen in the third month is the position of Tiangang; it can rotate the five phases and divide the authority of life and death.
At the Spring Equinox day and night are equal in length — punishment and virtue are obtained. And around the Spring Equinox, punishment and virtue bear each other.
Guai-yin withdraws; yang rises and advances. Washing the wing feathers, shaking off the old dust.
At this time it is five yang and one yin — the Guai hexagram of Dui above and Qian below. So one withdraws and five advance: yin’s movement is to withdraw, yang’s movement is to rise.
The “Calendar Classic” says: “Fifteen days after the Spring Equinox the Dipper points to Ding — this is Pure Brightness. At this time all things are clean and equal and pure and bright; the season is when qi is clear and the landscape bright, and all things are revealed — hence the name.”
Hence the words “washing the wing feathers, shaking off the old dust.”
Qian, vigorous and brightly flourishing, broadly covering the four neighbors. Yang ends at Si, at the midpoint yet mutually interacting.
The Si month is the Qian hexagram. Qian’s nature is vigorous and connects with Li. With six yang fully complete, called bright flourishing, it can illuminate the eight directions.
Yang’s end is at the end of Si month. So after the Winter Solstice, Zi through Si is yang; Wu through Hai is yin.
Beginning of copulation, establishing the sequence — treading frost comes first. Cold spring at the well’s bottom; Wu is Ruibin. The guest lies hidden in yin; yin is the master.
Qian and Kun copulating is the beginning of the calendar’s sequence. “Treading frost, firm ice arrives” is the line text of Kun — here representing Kun.
Wu month is the Gou hexagram (Heaven over Wind). After yang qi is full it begins to withdraw; one yin is born at the first line, and yin rises from below. At the Summer Solstice cold water at the bottom of a well surges up — hence “cold spring at the well’s bottom.”
The “Book of Rites, Monthly Ordinances” says: “In midsummer month the note is Zhi, and the pitch-pipe that corresponds is Ruibin.”
Yin qi lies hidden as a guest underground; yang qi should withdraw and yin qi should advance — so yin is the master.
In the northern hemisphere daylight reaches its longest at the Summer Solstice; after it, daylight begins to shorten. Though the surface temperature still remains high, because sunlight decreases, the ground receives less heat and the depth heat reaches becomes shallower — so groundwater first becomes cold. Within well water, water’s specific heat capacity is higher than soil, and the sun still directly heats the well water bringing some warmth — so at the bottom of the well cold water first surges up.
In human cultivation, after yang qi becomes abundant and reaches its extreme it begins to recede. When it recedes, this one yin enters from below while yang withdraws from above — so it is yin advancing and yang withdrawing. This step must be careful and cautious; protect yang and guard yin — absolutely do not rush.
Withdrawing from the world, leaving one’s post — gathering and storing its essence. Cherishing virtue, awaiting the time — lingering in the dim darkness.
Wei month is the Dun hexagram — Qian above and Gen below, Heaven over Mountain Dun. Dun takes its meaning: yang qi reaching here gathers and stores. At this time do not force it; proceed slowly, use yin to seek stability.
The “Collected Explanations of the Seventy-two Seasonal Phenomena” says: “Great Heat is in mid-sixth month. Heat is heat; within heat it is divided into lesser and greater. At the month’s start it is lesser, mid-month it is greater; now the hot qi is still great.”
The sun has already moved from north toward south; but because the heat previously accumulated is fully stored in the ground and air, the residual temperature does not fall but rather rises. In using fire: at Wu month one must gradually advance yin, so that by Wei month the temperature can reach its highest — and by then two yins have already been laid low, laying the foundation for what follows.
Bi is blocked and does not pass through; sprouts do not grow. Yin extends, yang bends; yang’s name is blotted out.
Shen month is the Pi hexagram. Pi is the inverted hexagram of Tai; Tai is the small going and the great coming, while Pi is the great going and the small coming. The myriad things are blocked and do not pass through; though there are sprouts, they do not grow. So the firm way withdraws to the upright center and the yielding way advances to the upright center; firm and yield are matched, and here yield nourishes firm. Yin takes charge, as if blotting out yang’s name.
At this time the sun gradually moves south; the residual heat of summer is still warm, but yin has already advanced; further advance would transform yin into yang. At the Autumn Equinox day and night are equal — this is the eighth month.
Observe the weights and measures; examine the mid-autumn’s condition. It nurtures the faint and tender; the old and withered flourish once more. Shepherd’s purse and wheat sprout shoots, daring to rise up and live.
You is the Guan hexagram: Wind over Earth, formed of Xun above and Kun below. All things gather and store here. Xun is wind, Kun is earth; the previous hexagram is Lin, Earth over Lake — Lake is Dui, i.e. autumn — so Xun wind is the autumn wind. This month the autumn wind comes to earth; and though all things gather in, shepherd’s purse and wheat still sprout and grow — within them there is life.
The way of using fire emphasizes the second and eighth months, for only in these two months are yin and yang most balanced.
Bo strips the limbs, reducing its form. The transforming qi is exhausted; the utmost spirit is lost.
Xu month is the Bo hexagram: Mountain over Earth, Gen above Kun below — the image of stripping away. The hexagram comes from Bi (Mountain over Fire); qi connects with Gen, Gen means still. Beneath the mountain fire is seen erupting and burning; only a point of slight yang remains — like the last embers though still warm, though a bit of hot qi remains, it is already exhausted. So the transforming qi is fully depleted, and the utmost spirit is already lost.
This is when the sun moves further south; though winter has not yet come, the autumn wind is heavy and it is already the season of cold. Leaves fall everywhere — a scene of desolation and decline; as winter approaches the myriad things wither.
When the Dao is exhausted it returns, returning to the origin of Kun.
In Hai month yang qi is exhausted, completing a hexagram of six yin — one cycle of qi’s numbers begins with Qian and returns to Kun.
This chapter took a relatively long time to write, mainly for repeated polishing — to see how the expression could best convey the meaning. People follow earth; earth follows heaven; heaven follows the Dao; the Dao follows what is natural. What people are closest to is heaven and earth, so naturally one must first seek the intent of the Dao from following heaven and modeling earth — this is the most foundational premise of the alchemical Dao. And heaven’s way is mainly manifested in the movement of sun, moon and stars, and the transformations of all things; and every moment the constellation of stars, their relative positions, are different — and all things in the world are also constantly changing. So traditional Chinese ancient culture regards the combinations among the stars as a giant clock, a clock formed jointly by Earth, sun and moon; this giant clock exists between heaven and earth. Here two systems appear: one uses the Big Dipper as the pointer, the other uses the sun’s position as the pointer — each can be examined for its movement. In modern terms, these actually form the equatorial coordinate system and the ecliptic coordinate system; the two systems can be transformed into each other, only the formula calculations are a bit more troublesome. Each day the Earth rotates once — this is one yin-yang, twelve shichen. Each month the moon orbits the Earth once — thirty days (approximately), another yin-yang; and twelve months make a year — yet another yin-yang. “The fire phases of the celestial cycle’s numbers are the most critical mechanism of the golden elixir. Within the year they follow the month’s change; within the day they shift with each hour. The four seasons are as if dwelling together; the three spirits seem to have awareness. The true secret formula of fire and metal — beyond this, what else is needed?” And Qian, Kun, Kan and Li — Change moves within them. The twelve shichen of one day are a scaled-down ratio of the twelve months of a year; thirty days in a month, totaling three hundred and sixty shichen, can reverse-calculate into the three hundred and sixty degrees of a year. Thus sun and moon form mutual hiding. If it were only this, it would be quite simple. But heaven and earth have surplus and deficiency, because of the Earth’s nutation cycle — celestial body movement is delayed and buffered. So actually this ratio is not exact: for example, two months’ waxing and waning totals fifty-nine days, because the moon’s cycle is 29.5306 days, so two months do not make a full sixty days. Forcing sixty hexagrams to match would clearly be wrong — so one must wait with delay. But the qi-numbers that can then be grasped are very few; so one must use leap months over many years to cover a larger range, only then can sun and moon’s qi be unified before and after — “Qian and Kun encompass beginning and end.” In other words, if one only tries to match sixty hexagrams to a single month, one cannot match clearly; matching only by the year’s twelve months is also unclear. To truly match clearly, one must match by many years — only then can the surplus-deficiency errors within be eliminated. The difficulty of mastering the fire phases lies precisely here: they are not whole numbers, so there is fundamentally no way to cut corners. Many alchemical classics, when revealing fire phases, deliberately do not clarify this issue; only the Cantong Qi explicitly says: “The numbers lie in the pitch-pipes, calendars and sequences,” and “Follow the calendar’s laws and decrees — with utmost sincerity and concentrated secrecy.” Once this is understood, one understands why, as soon as you explain in fine detail, discussions appear of literary cooking and martial smelting, rest inside and outside, priority and delay — all nothing more than wanting to simulate the movement of heaven’s timing. If it is fast, follow fast; if it is slow, follow slow. If you have cultivated past it, stop and wait for it; if you have cultivated too slowly, accelerate to catch up. Hence the ancient immortals said: “The true fire has no phases in itself; the great medicine is not counted by pounds.” And Patriarch Chen Niwan said: “The eight gates transform according to the time they open; advance and withdraw with metal to determine coming and going.” The fire phases in the Tang-dynasty “Secret of Penetrating the Hidden” or the “Jade Clarity Inner Classic” reflect the use of fire phases across many years. “The straight-tally method as analogy: suppose the eleventh month establishes Zi — the method and image of yang qi first arising. The day before the Summer Solstice, at cockcrow in the night, one yin is born and yin qi takes charge — this is heaven and earth’s yin and yang advancing and withdrawing, the generation and taking charge over the year’s twelve months. Hence each month has six tallies straight and true; generation and hiding, the five phases’ emerging and submerging, intersections and forming the ke, are all within the shen. Therefore it is said fire and wood take the first fifteen days — the bright month’s three tallies, extreme yang taking charge; the latter yang withdraws and yin is born — the nine-six of yin water. The latter fifteen days — the dark month’s three tallies, extreme yin taking charge. Cycle after cycle — thus seven, eight, nine, six of the Dao naturally combine; thirty completes metal and water. This analogy sets the month’s tallies day and night, uses fire timing and storage, images a year’s yin and yang seasonal tallies, uses straight tallies day and night — this is heaven and earth’s pivot mechanism in the hand, named the method of emerging from the world, spiritual transformations, mystery of mysteries. But when igniting fire, it is the eleventh month — receiving yang taking charge.” Earlier it was said very clearly: “Using straight-tally movement for three years, imaging the natural movement of qi; fire phases depend on the seasons, tallying with Qian, Kun, Kan and Li; moving the fire phases’ weights and measures — one must obtain the true classic’s master to receive the oral formula. All the words are not recorded; if one does not follow the master and receive them, the medicine ingredients will be mixed and confused, and in the end there is no principle. The sage observes heaven’s tallying gate and guards the one — once one obtains the root parents restraining each other, the great elixir will surely be completed. Then the Dao of yin and yang transformation is spiritually free, returning to its color.” After describing one year, it further details the fire phases within the month: “The first cauldron’s first month’s first tally: one line of fire is born, straight-tally imaging the eleventh month establishing Zi, yang qi taking charge. Initial nine, the hidden dragon not yet used. One line born day and night, two and a half days of thirty hours. Advancing to the second line, until the fifth day is one tally of sixty hours, circling every eleven days one shichen: Zi Chou Yin Mao Chen Si Wu Wei Shen You Xu Hai — five circuits each of sixty hours, making one tally. The first tally five days: at Awakening of Insects, Zhen receives the tally; moving to the upper eighth day, metal’s nature low and high half receiving death; guarding to the fifteenth day is one qi, metal’s nature fully extinguished. The twentieth day, sprouts do not grow; yang extends and yin bends; water does not move; firm and yield assist each other — naturally the elixir. The twenty-first day, Xun receives the tally; metal and water’s nature already extinguished and exhausted; the two essences inhale and exhale, swallow and drink, both dying. Zhen and Xun’s two woods gradually follow; mercury though obtaining Qian is not yet the great elixir. The thirtieth day, the Dao exhausted returns to the origin of Kun, receiving the tally and completing the elixir — the three things all sink into earth. The forty-fifth day is one node; one node like muttering and connecting moves through. The sixtieth day, Mao should meet Zhongzhong, meeting at the Mao gate; elm catkins fall, returning to their root. The second month: elms die at the Kui Gang Mao; punishment and virtue bear each other, day and night begin to divide — hence it is called elm-catkin elixir.” This describes the nine-cauldron returning elixir system; a total of nine cauldrons must be refined: “Each of the nine cauldrons needs three parts; each cauldron guards thirty days, receiving qi for two hundred and seventy days complete. Yin and yang both flourishing, born in the tenth month when earth rules — hence mother and child shed the womb; people of the world do not know of it. Water and fire overcome each other, mutually restrain each other, becoming parents again; not exceeding the five phases, hidden and formed, guarding movement for one thousand days; the great original qi sufficient, nature returns to the north’s Gui water, black in color — only then is it named great returning elixir.” This is a more complex operation, far greater difficulty of cultivation, and of course higher attainment. Its theory divides into nine cauldrons; each cauldron uses thirty days of fire phases to refine sun and moon’s qi within, completing one full round in two hundred and seventy days — then four rounds, hence “one thousand days”; actually one thousand and eighty days. I won’t explain this number further. Cultivation methods like the “Jade Clarity Inner Classic” are one of the more orthodox approaches: not only inner cultivation is required, but also the taking of external elixirs — only with interior and exterior joined can final attainment come. The process of cultivating the alchemical Dao is actually simple: first clarify dragon and tiger, then seek lead and mercury; the maiden and the golden lord, Jia and Geng refining to red; turtle and snake interlocking; divine water pouring and irrigating; yellow sprouts arising; fire phases drawing and adding; ten months nurturing the immortal fetus. Because the fire phases are quite complex, there are also some concise fire-phase cultivation methods. For example, the Northern Song “Ultimate Principles of the Mysterious Use of Cultivating Cinnabar” mentions: “Every year from the Winter Solstice, yang qi rises at Yongquan (Bubbling Spring), Fu hexagram takes charge, ending at Qian — six hexagrams are yang tallies. At the Summer Solstice yang is extreme and yin is born, Gou hexagram takes charge, ending at Kun — six hexagrams are yin tallies. Circling twelve months, exhausting the twenty-four solar terms’ movements, and matching heaven’s tally three hundred and sixty degrees — day and night both following the water-clock, seizing the upright qi, within the divine cauldron refining mercury and lead; this is the key mechanism of moving fire. A year of three hundred and sixty days combines with four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen; each day, each dusk one hexagram — making seven hundred and twenty hexagrams in total, seizing the year’s four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen of upright qi within the golden cauldron. The sage compresses it: one month has three hundred and sixty shichen, hanging three hundred and sixty lines — answering a year’s three hundred and sixty days’ tallies; again seizing the year’s four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen of upright qi within one month. Again sensing these sixty hexagrams’ climate, within the sixty shichen of a Chou day, is one small cycle, counting three hundred and sixty lines — answering a year’s tallies; again seizing one month’s year of three hundred and sixty lines, four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen of upright qi, within five days. Again with two and a half days making a cycle, combining thirty shichen, answering thirty days, hanging three hundred and sixty lines — answering a year’s tallies; again seizing the five days’ year of four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen within two and a half days. Again from this dividing thirty hexagrams, one hundred and eighty lines, answering a half-month of fifteen days’ use. Again arranging these fifteen days within the twelve positions: from Zi to Si six shichen, hanging one hundred and eighty lines, answering the one hundred and eighty days from after Winter Solstice to before Summer Solstice, half a year. From Wu to Hai six shichen, also hanging one hundred and eighty lines, answering the one hundred and eighty days from after Summer Solstice to before Winter Solstice, half a year. A month of three hundred and sixty shichen answers a year, combining four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen, imaging four thousand three hundred and twenty years; within it excluding the two positions of Mao and You as bathing months, the year’s combined number subtracts seven hundred and twenty shichen — actually obtaining ten months of fire-phase movement, only counting three thousand six hundred shichen, imaging three thousand six hundred years, matching heaven’s tally of three hundred and sixty degrees.” This is a simplified method after reformation; the text explains it quite clearly — it is a relatively simple mapping. The year is calculated as three hundred and sixty days, twelve shichen per day, totaling four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen, imaging four thousand three hundred and twenty years. Because the two months of Mao and You are for bathing, the actual fire-phase use is ten months — computing to three thousand six hundred shichen imaging three thousand six hundred years. And a month has three hundred and sixty shichen, one shichen corresponding to a hexagram — so compressed into one month; then with two and a half days of thirty-six shichen compressed into two and a half days. There is still another, even simpler method: in modern explanation, divide one day into four thousand three hundred and twenty parts, each part twenty seconds — as a year has four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen, so one shichen within a day counts as one month. Of course, merely understanding this ratio division is only the first step; what is more important is the need for advance, withdraw, surplus and deficiency processing. This is what was said earlier: “Heaven’s tally has advance and withdraw; bending and stretching to respond to the time.”
This chapter took a relatively long time to write, mainly for repeated polishing — to see how the expression could best convey the meaning. People follow earth; earth follows heaven; heaven follows the Dao; the Dao follows what is natural. What people are closest to is heaven and earth, so naturally one must first seek the intent of the Dao from following heaven and modeling earth — this is the most foundational premise of the alchemical Dao. And heaven’s way is mainly manifested in the movement of sun, moon and stars, and the transformations of all things; and every moment the constellation of stars, their relative positions, are different — and all things in the world are also constantly changing. So traditional Chinese ancient culture regards the combinations among the stars as a giant clock, a clock formed jointly by Earth, sun and moon; this giant clock exists between heaven and earth. Here two systems appear: one uses the Big Dipper as the pointer, the other uses the sun’s position as the pointer — each can be examined for its movement. In modern terms, these actually form the equatorial coordinate system and the ecliptic coordinate system; the two systems can be transformed into each other, only the formula calculations are a bit more troublesome. Each day the Earth rotates once — this is one yin-yang, twelve shichen. Each month the moon orbits the Earth once — thirty days (approximately), another yin-yang; and twelve months make a year — yet another yin-yang. “The fire phases of the celestial cycle’s numbers are the most critical mechanism of the golden elixir. Within the year they follow the month’s change; within the day they shift with each hour. The four seasons are as if dwelling together; the three spirits seem to have awareness. The true secret formula of fire and metal — beyond this, what else is needed?” And Qian, Kun, Kan and Li — Change moves within them. The twelve shichen of one day are a scaled-down ratio of the twelve months of a year; thirty days in a month, totaling three hundred and sixty shichen, can reverse-calculate into the three hundred and sixty degrees of a year. Thus sun and moon form mutual hiding. If it were only this, it would be quite simple. But heaven and earth have surplus and deficiency, because of the Earth’s nutation cycle — celestial body movement is delayed and buffered. So actually this ratio is not exact: for example, two months’ waxing and waning totals fifty-nine days, because the moon’s cycle is 29.5306 days, so two months do not make a full sixty days. Forcing sixty hexagrams to match would clearly be wrong — so one must wait with delay. But the qi-numbers that can then be grasped are very few; so one must use leap months over many years to cover a larger range, only then can sun and moon’s qi be unified before and after — “Qian and Kun encompass beginning and end.” In other words, if one only tries to match sixty hexagrams to a single month, one cannot match clearly; matching only by the year’s twelve months is also unclear. To truly match clearly, one must match by many years — only then can the surplus-deficiency errors within be eliminated. The difficulty of mastering the fire phases lies precisely here: they are not whole numbers, so there is fundamentally no way to cut corners. Many alchemical classics, when revealing fire phases, deliberately do not clarify this issue; only the Cantong Qi explicitly says: “The numbers lie in the pitch-pipes, calendars and sequences,” and “Follow the calendar’s laws and decrees — with utmost sincerity and concentrated secrecy.” Once this is understood, one understands why, as soon as you explain in fine detail, discussions appear of literary cooking and martial smelting, rest inside and outside, priority and delay — all nothing more than wanting to simulate the movement of heaven’s timing. If it is fast, follow fast; if it is slow, follow slow. If you have cultivated past it, stop and wait for it; if you have cultivated too slowly, accelerate to catch up. Hence the ancient immortals said: “The true fire has no phases in itself; the great medicine is not counted by pounds.” And Patriarch Chen Niwan said: “The eight gates transform according to the time they open; advance and withdraw with metal to determine coming and going.” The fire phases in the Tang-dynasty “Secret of Penetrating the Hidden” or the “Jade Clarity Inner Classic” reflect the use of fire phases across many years. “The straight-tally method as analogy: suppose the eleventh month establishes Zi — the method and image of yang qi first arising. The day before the Summer Solstice, at cockcrow in the night, one yin is born and yin qi takes charge — this is heaven and earth’s yin and yang advancing and withdrawing, the generation and taking charge over the year’s twelve months. Hence each month has six tallies straight and true; generation and hiding, the five phases’ emerging and submerging, intersections and forming the ke, are all within the shen. Therefore it is said fire and wood take the first fifteen days — the bright month’s three tallies, extreme yang taking charge; the latter yang withdraws and yin is born — the nine-six of yin water. The latter fifteen days — the dark month’s three tallies, extreme yin taking charge. Cycle after cycle — thus seven, eight, nine, six of the Dao naturally combine; thirty completes metal and water. This analogy sets the month’s tallies day and night, uses fire timing and storage, images a year’s yin and yang seasonal tallies, uses straight tallies day and night — this is heaven and earth’s pivot mechanism in the hand, named the method of emerging from the world, spiritual transformations, mystery of mysteries. But when igniting fire, it is the eleventh month — receiving yang taking charge.” Earlier it was said very clearly: “Using straight-tally movement for three years, imaging the natural movement of qi; fire phases depend on the seasons, tallying with Qian, Kun, Kan and Li; moving the fire phases’ weights and measures — one must obtain the true classic’s master to receive the oral formula. All the words are not recorded; if one does not follow the master and receive them, the medicine ingredients will be mixed and confused, and in the end there is no principle. The sage observes heaven’s tallying gate and guards the one — once one obtains the root parents restraining each other, the great elixir will surely be completed. Then the Dao of yin and yang transformation is spiritually free, returning to its color.” After describing one year, it further details the fire phases within the month: “The first cauldron’s first month’s first tally: one line of fire is born, straight-tally imaging the eleventh month establishing Zi, yang qi taking charge. Initial nine, the hidden dragon not yet used. One line born day and night, two and a half days of thirty hours. Advancing to the second line, until the fifth day is one tally of sixty hours, circling every eleven days one shichen: Zi Chou Yin Mao Chen Si Wu Wei Shen You Xu Hai — five circuits each of sixty hours, making one tally. The first tally five days: at Awakening of Insects, Zhen receives the tally; moving to the upper eighth day, metal’s nature low and high half receiving death; guarding to the fifteenth day is one qi, metal’s nature fully extinguished. The twentieth day, sprouts do not grow; yang extends and yin bends; water does not move; firm and yield assist each other — naturally the elixir. The twenty-first day, Xun receives the tally; metal and water’s nature already extinguished and exhausted; the two essences inhale and exhale, swallow and drink, both dying. Zhen and Xun’s two woods gradually follow; mercury though obtaining Qian is not yet the great elixir. The thirtieth day, the Dao exhausted returns to the origin of Kun, receiving the tally and completing the elixir — the three things all sink into earth. The forty-fifth day is one node; one node like muttering and connecting moves through. The sixtieth day, Mao should meet Zhongzhong, meeting at the Mao gate; elm catkins fall, returning to their root. The second month: elms die at the Kui Gang Mao; punishment and virtue bear each other, day and night begin to divide — hence it is called elm-catkin elixir.” This describes the nine-cauldron returning elixir system; a total of nine cauldrons must be refined: “Each of the nine cauldrons needs three parts; each cauldron guards thirty days, receiving qi for two hundred and seventy days complete. Yin and yang both flourishing, born in the tenth month when earth rules — hence mother and child shed the womb; people of the world do not know of it. Water and fire overcome each other, mutually restrain each other, becoming parents again; not exceeding the five phases, hidden and formed, guarding movement for one thousand days; the great original qi sufficient, nature returns to the north’s Gui water, black in color — only then is it named great returning elixir.” This is a more complex operation, far greater difficulty of cultivation, and of course higher attainment. Its theory divides into nine cauldrons; each cauldron uses thirty days of fire phases to refine sun and moon’s qi within, completing one full round in two hundred and seventy days — then four rounds, hence “one thousand days”; actually one thousand and eighty days. I won’t explain this number further. Cultivation methods like the “Jade Clarity Inner Classic” are one of the more orthodox approaches: not only inner cultivation is required, but also the taking of external elixirs — only with interior and exterior joined can final attainment come. The process of cultivating the alchemical Dao is actually simple: first clarify dragon and tiger, then seek lead and mercury; the maiden and the golden lord, Jia and Geng refining to red; turtle and snake interlocking; divine water pouring and irrigating; yellow sprouts arising; fire phases drawing and adding; ten months nurturing the immortal fetus. Because the fire phases are quite complex, there are also some concise fire-phase cultivation methods. For example, the Northern Song “Ultimate Principles of the Mysterious Use of Cultivating Cinnabar” mentions: “Every year from the Winter Solstice, yang qi rises at Yongquan (Bubbling Spring), Fu hexagram takes charge, ending at Qian — six hexagrams are yang tallies. At the Summer Solstice yang is extreme and yin is born, Gou hexagram takes charge, ending at Kun — six hexagrams are yin tallies. Circling twelve months, exhausting the twenty-four solar terms’ movements, and matching heaven’s tally three hundred and sixty degrees — day and night both following the water-clock, seizing the upright qi, within the divine cauldron refining mercury and lead; this is the key mechanism of moving fire. A year of three hundred and sixty days combines with four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen; each day, each dusk one hexagram — making seven hundred and twenty hexagrams in total, seizing the year’s four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen of upright qi within the golden cauldron. The sage compresses it: one month has three hundred and sixty shichen, hanging three hundred and sixty lines — answering a year’s three hundred and sixty days’ tallies; again seizing the year’s four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen of upright qi within one month. Again sensing these sixty hexagrams’ climate, within the sixty shichen of a Chou day, is one small cycle, counting three hundred and sixty lines — answering a year’s tallies; again seizing one month’s year of three hundred and sixty lines, four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen of upright qi, within five days. Again with two and a half days making a cycle, combining thirty shichen, answering thirty days, hanging three hundred and sixty lines — answering a year’s tallies; again seizing the five days’ year of four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen within two and a half days. Again from this dividing thirty hexagrams, one hundred and eighty lines, answering a half-month of fifteen days’ use. Again arranging these fifteen days within the twelve positions: from Zi to Si six shichen, hanging one hundred and eighty lines, answering the one hundred and eighty days from after Winter Solstice to before Summer Solstice, half a year. From Wu to Hai six shichen, also hanging one hundred and eighty lines, answering the one hundred and eighty days from after Summer Solstice to before Winter Solstice, half a year. A month of three hundred and sixty shichen answers a year, combining four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen, imaging four thousand three hundred and twenty years; within it excluding the two positions of Mao and You as bathing months, the year’s combined number subtracts seven hundred and twenty shichen — actually obtaining ten months of fire-phase movement, only counting three thousand six hundred shichen, imaging three thousand six hundred years, matching heaven’s tally of three hundred and sixty degrees.” This is a simplified method after reformation; the text explains it quite clearly — it is a relatively simple mapping. The year is calculated as three hundred and sixty days, twelve shichen per day, totaling four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen, imaging four thousand three hundred and twenty years. Because the two months of Mao and You are for bathing, the actual fire-phase use is ten months — computing to three thousand six hundred shichen imaging three thousand six hundred years. And a month has three hundred and sixty shichen, one shichen corresponding to a hexagram — so compressed into one month; then with two and a half days of thirty-six shichen compressed into two and a half days. There is still another, even simpler method: in modern explanation, divide one day into four thousand three hundred and twenty parts, each part twenty seconds — as a year has four thousand three hundred and twenty shichen, so one shichen within a day counts as one month. Of course, merely understanding this ratio division is only the first step; what is more important is the need for advance, withdraw, surplus and deficiency processing. This is what was said earlier: “Heaven’s tally has advance and withdraw; bending and stretching to respond to the time.”