Qiu Zhengtang
The effectiveness of inner alchemy (neidan) in strengthening the body, dispelling illness, and prolonging life is attracting growing attention from qigong enthusiasts. Yet for a practice that has been handed down for a thousand years and still thrives today, what exactly is the mechanism by which it strengthens the body and dispels illness? And what is the essence of inner alchemy? To this day there are no satisfactory answers to these questions. I will try to look through its outward appearances, discard the dross and keep the true, and explore the source from which true qi arises and the secret of its power to strengthen the body and dispel illness.
What is inner alchemy? Opinions differ. Is it a mysterious pearl? It is true that when original qi arises and the original nature manifests, a point of prior-heaven numinous light—perfectly round, brilliantly shining, vividly alive—appears again and again. If later-heaven conscious thought is excluded, this point of numinous light is always limpid and clear, and the more often it appears, the better the state. If one seeks it with the later-heaven mind, it vanishes in an instant. This is indeed a sign that the elixir is present, but it is only the outward appearance of inner alchemy and still involves many uncertain factors. Inner alchemy ought to be material, with concrete proof that can be verified.
Is inner alchemy a flow of energy? Is it the experience of medicine and fire? Indeed, when inner alchemy is cultivated to a certain level, it feels as though hot broth were being poured into the body; this is a life energy that exists within the body. When cultivation reaches a higher level, true qi arises frequently within of its own accord; the warm “natural true fire” of the middle and lower dantian (elixir field) turns to the left and circles back to the right, the whole body feels soft and melting, indescribably wonderful, and within the abdomen it is as if a living dragon were turning, rising, and falling. Alchemists call this the “Maoyou circulation” (zhoutian).
In everyone who has attained results in refining inner alchemy, the fire of Mingmen (the Gate of Life) burns constantly, the dantian blazes, and the two kidneys feel as if simmering in hot broth. This is called the sign of obtaining the great medicine; having this experience shows that you have truly entered the gate.
At this time, true water often surges like a tide in the mouth, pouring continuously into the lower dantian and the internal organs, and the body feels as though it has just stepped out of a bath, suffused with the warmth of spring. Especially in the cold season, it is like gusts of spring breeze blowing softly through the body; every day the body feels light and strong, the spirit clear and the qi fresh. All this is indeed the experience of having the elixir, and it has boundless significance for fitness. But to call these things inner alchemy would be merely to list phenomena, not to grasp the essence. Only by exploring the source from which true qi arises can one grasp the secret of inner alchemy's power to strengthen the body.
Where does true qi arise? Looking at the various qigong methods, we find that they all attend to the body's lower dantian, three cun below the navel, regarding it as the source from which true qi is produced. Mingmen marks the rear dantian and is where kidney essence is stored. Zhang Jingyue of the Ming dynasty said: “Mingmen is the root of original qi and the dwelling of water and fire. Without it, the yin qi of the five zang organs cannot be nourished, and the yang qi of the five zang organs cannot be roused.” This shows that Mingmen is the source from which the two qi of yin and yang arise; when the fire of Mingmen is strong, yang qi rises and spreads and can nourish the five zang organs and six fu organs. So this place is the root of life.
When inner alchemy is cultivated to a certain level, warm true qi rises in the dantian, and a large amount of true qi is also produced at Mingmen. There is no doubt that this is true qi transformed from the yang essence of the essence aperture and from kidney essence.
It is worth noting that this phenomenon can also be seen in the tantric practice of tummo (inner fire) meditation. So-called tummo refers to the fire of life rising from three cun below the navel, which warms and nourishes the whole body as it spreads; this is called the rising of tummo. The true source of tummo issues from the lower pole of the dantian; it is undoubtedly the source of reproduction.
From the above we can see that inner alchemy is a method of cultivation that develops the energy latent in the human body in order to strengthen the body, dispel illness, and prolong life.
This unknown energy is in fact human reproductive energy—the original essence that alchemists call the “medicine of long life” and the “true seed.” Liu Huayang of the Qing dynasty said: “The way of the immortals refines original essence into the elixir. The first step in beginning to refine the elixir is to refine the original essence in the kidneys. When essence is full, qi arises naturally; refine this arising qi again, gather it back, and replenish the true qi with it. When it has been replenished until the qi is sufficient and the generative impulse no longer stirs, this is called the elixir.”
Everyone knows that original essence, flowing outward in the ordinary direction, can produce human beings. But to make it turn back, transform into qi, use this true qi to replenish prior-heaven qi, until at last the generative impulse no longer stirs, the face does not age, yang essence takes form, and the Golden Elixir is achieved—this is incomprehensible to most people. Precisely because of this, everyone lets their original essence flow outward, passing from vigor to decline, their passion fading and qi weakening until illness sets in.
Essence is divided into prior-heaven and later-heaven. Chen Meigong of the Ming dynasty said in the Secret Books of Baoyan Hall (Baoyantang Miji): “In the prior-heaven state, essence is stored in the five zang organs and six fu organs, diffuse and not yet taking form; as soon as a later-heaven thought stirs, it becomes later-heaven essence.” Later-heaven essence is the turbid essence that flows outward, but before it flows out it is diffused among the internal organs.
Original essence cannot be transformed directly into prior-heaven essence, but it can be refined into qi, and this true qi can replenish prior-heaven essence; when it has been replenished until the qi is sufficient, that is the elixir. This is the fundamental starting point of refining essence into qi in inner alchemy. In fact it rests on concrete proof, with verification at every step. Concrete proofs are given below.
The first concrete proof of refining essence into qi in inner alchemy is the “horse's retracted member.” When cultivation reaches a certain stage and the energy has been replenished, flashes like lightning are sometimes seen in the Bright Hall (Mingtang), and the “horse's retracted member” appears.
The so-called “horse's retracted member” means that the penis withdraws into the body like that of a young boy. This phenomenon often appears when the Microcosmic Orbit has been completed. It shows that there is no essence in the essence aperture, which causes the penis to withdraw. At this time the original essence is often transformed into true qi and gathers in the Yellow Court, so that true qi is abundant and the body is warm within. This experience of medicine and fire is clear proof that essence has been transformed into qi.
The second concrete proof of refining essence into qi is non-leakage. So-called non-leakage is not preserving the semen and not ejaculating in the ordinary sense, but something far higher; non-leakage is also clear proof that essence has been transformed into qi. Non-leakage already belongs to the stage of the Macrocosmic Orbit. At this time qi is sufficient and essence full, quite different from the early “horse's retracted member”: in movement it is essence, in stillness it is qi. As long as the mind is still, original essence can continuously transform into true qi, so there is no need for leakage. This is the key step in the reversal of life.
The ancients said: Keep the yang essence, and you are an immortal ready-made. When inner alchemy is refined until the spirit's abode is firm, the yang essence takes form, and essence and qi are full, this is the sign that the elixir is complete—a virtuous cycle that passes from a state of being in itself to a state of being for itself, and the very meaning of cultivating life through inner alchemy. What, then, is the significance of inner alchemy for fitness?
1. Transforming Original Essence into True Qi
Inner alchemy differs from other qigong methods in that it focuses solely on refining and nourishing the one qi of prior heaven. Original essence is the primal substance of life, and the method of inner alchemy is to transform original essence into true qi and use this true qi to nourish the whole body.
Zhang Boduan said: “Everyone has the medicine of long life; only the deluded throw it away in vain.” This medicine of long life is original essence. The Immortal Scripture of Realizing the Tao (Zhengdao Xianjing) says: “For those who cultivate long life, the first step is to take preserving and securing the true essence as the root. When essence is vigorous, it naturally transforms into qi; when qi is vigorous, it naturally fills the four limbs.”
If original essence is excessively consumed, the prior-heaven essence diffused among the internal organs will also gradually be exhausted, and vitality turns from vigor to depletion. Modern science holds that the human lifespan is about 120 to 175 years, and that people die early for many reasons.
Alchemists hold that it is caused by excessive consumption of original essence, and this is quite reasonable. The ancients said: “Indulging the passions and following every desire scatters and loses the original yang and depletes the true qi; when one is old and haggard, one is called aged.” So one cultivates inner alchemy to “add oil and extend life” and restore one's health.
2. Inner Alchemy Cultivation Is a Method of Reversal
For ordinary people, it is only natural that when essence is full it is discharged. But inner alchemy cultivation can achieve non-leakage; and more than that, it transforms original essence into true qi, which passes through Jiaji, pierces Weilü, flows among the internal organs, drives out the yin pathogens in the body, and washes away filth and turbidity—using the great medicine already within the body to strengthen oneself and dispel illness. This method is truly extraordinary, and practiced over a long time it has a tremendous effect on fitness. No wonder many people who refine inner alchemy display all kinds of signs of reversal, even white hair turning black and the face returning to youth—a phenomenon worth our study.
Inner alchemy belongs to the method of “dual cultivation of nature and life.” It is by no means merely a technique for reversing reproductive energy; it aims at a high degree of harmony and unity of body and mind—health in the complete sense.
For those who have succeeded in inner alchemy, as long as body and mind are empty and bright, true qi arises frequently of its own accord, and at the same time the heart is in a state of great joy. Using the boundless original qi of heaven and earth to extend one's limited bodily form, practiced over a long time, brings boundless natural wonders of its own. Patriarch Lü said: “Stop the essence urgently and early; do not delay in extending life.” A person's allotted qi is limited; if one does not know to preserve it when it is abundant, or to rescue it when it declines, illnesses will swarm in until life itself is lost. This is a matter of life and death—just begin cultivating without delay.
(Editor's note: What this article describes are traditional cultivation teachings and personal experience; they cannot replace medical diagnosis and treatment.)