5

QUICK AND SLOW FIRES

QUICK AND SLOW fires are postnatal heat used to cure illnesses and prolong life and also to unite the sun with the moon (i.e. the positive yang and negative yin).¹

The method consists of using postnatal fire to draw out prenatal fire² so that both unite in order to extract from food and drink the sweet dew (kan lu or pure saliva) which descending in the channel of function (jen mo in the front of the body) changes into negative generative force and helps to produce the latter.

Slow fire is produced by (a meditative method which consists of) closing both eyes to develop a mind which, although void, does not cease to work: which, although radiant, does not continue (to abide); and which is neither forgotten nor upheld. The time set for using quick and slow fires should be in the proportion of three to seven.

My master teaching me the use of quick and slow fires said: ‘Quick fire shifts and slow fire calms.’ Both fires are used to transform impurities in the viscera into tears which are discharged; to achieve the harmony of the four components³, the union of the five elements⁴ and their return to the root; and to turn back the inner light to shine upon itself which unites the sun with the moon.⁵

No known immortals on earth suffer from tuberculosis or take medicine to cure ailments or improve their health. Now that you are determined to seek immortality you should quickly eradicate all the ailments latent in the body; and it will not be late to practise the Tao after you are free of all of them. The saints and sages of old did not wait for illnesses to manifest and then cured them; they cured them while they were latent.

If you look at people they all seem to be in good health and free from sickness but in reality they have in their bodies the roots of illness which have not yet developed. It is regrettable that they only look for pleasures without realising their mistakes and errors. They always give rise to stupidity by seeking comfortable houses, drinking strong wines, enjoying exciting music and dances and giving themselves up to pleasures. They do not realise that attractive forms can disturb their seeing, that music and songs can mislead their hearing and that going to bed when they are drunk and full of food can cause their generative force to disperse. Their health declines but they are not aware of their foolishness. When they get ill they look for medicine when it is too late. They do not know that illnesses are caused by excess of food, drink and pleasures. They do not realise that inner ailments are latent in their bodies and when the latter manifest it is (sometimes) difficult to cure them.

Therefore, even before illnesses appear, you should use slow and quick fires to destroy their roots. For in your daily activities, your feelings of pleasure, anger, sorrow and joy are the causes of sickness, of pleasure affecting the heart, anger the liver, sorrow the incorporeal soul and joy the corporeal soul, thus injuring all the viscera. Do not neglect the roots of ailments because they seem to be slight and have not developed fully for when illnesses manifest you will have serious trouble. So before they appear they should be got rid of through the eyes;⁶ how then can illness develop?

During the formation of the foetus in the mother’s womb, in the first phase heaven begets the element of water in the pupils of the eyes which are linked with the kidneys; in the second phase earth produces the element of fire in the corners of the eyes which are linked with the heart; in the third phase heaven creates the element of wood in the irises which are linked with the liver; in the fourth phase earth produces the element of metal in the whites of the eyes which are linked with the lungs; and in the fifth phase heaven creates the element of earth in the upper and lower eyelids which are linked with the stomach. Thus the essences of all five viscera are in the eyes whereas original spirit, although seated in the brain, also manifests through the organs of seeing.

The whole body is negative except the two eyes which are positive. It is due to this small amount of positive yang in the eyes that man is not overwhelmed by the negative yin. This positive yang should be used at the beginning of alchemical training to root out all latent ailments that have accumulated in the body.

Quick fire is used to shift spirit’s fire into the stove (under the navel) and was called ‘shifting fire’ by the ancients. By ‘shifting’ is meant arousing the inner fire so that both outer and inner fires act on each other in order to enlarge all obstructed psychic channels and clear them of obstructions. Since positive fire is stronger than generative force, it drives the latter into all parts of the body to remove all impurities thus preventing the development of ailments.

You can use the hypnotist’s crystal ball (or any round object) for your practice in the morning and evening. First sit in meditative posture until your mind is settled and then place a crystal ball in front of you in such a position that it is neither too close nor too far and neither too high nor too low but in line with the spot between the eyes. After gazing at the ball for some time tears will flow; they are saline and smelly and are the residue of (inner) combustion similar to tears caused by feelings and emotions such as sadness, etc. After employing this ‘shifting fire’ to remove latent ailments, you should immediately use slow fire to soothe the pupils which otherwise may be injured by the heat. For slow fire helps the psychic channels that have dilated to shrink so that the breath that has spread to all parts in the body can return to its former position (under the navel). This slow fire is called ‘calming fire’ whose characteristic is immobilisation. You should use it by closing your eyes completely and concentrating on the spot between them in order to drive the breath back to the lower tan t’ien (under the navel). This concentration should last until the concept of the self and others is completely wiped out and body and mind no longer exist; only then can your concentration be effective. (While doing this) your tongue should plug the heavenly pool in the palate. In time the sweet dew which tastes like honey will go down (the jen mo channel in) the throat until it reaches the lower tan t’ien cavity where it changes into negative generative force which then descends to the testicles where it creates spermatozoa.

Therefore, pure saliva is the most precious thing that preserves our physical strength and calls for special care. When saliva is adequate the element of water is full in the lower abdomen causing the eyes to gleam with the pupils and whites well defined. When ailments are latent in the body the pupils are not clear and the whites of the eyes contain red or yellow streaks. You should then begin your practice until your eyes are like those of a healthy child whose pupils are bright and surrounded by a bluish white; only then are you free from latent ailments.

Physiology says that the eyes appear first when the foetus is being formed and the pupils twelve days later. Anatomy tells us that tears come from a fluid which washes the eyeballs; and that below the nasal cavity is a duct which discharges tears and snivel and is linked with the viscera in the body. It is by this duct that (latent) inner ailments are expelled for there is no other channel for the purpose.

The time set for employing quick and slow fires should be in the proportion of three to seven in order to avoid ill-effects from indiscriminate use.

After receiving instruction from my masters Liao Jan and Liao K’ung I gazed at a lighted incense stick which I later replaced with a crystal ball to arouse quick fire; and closed my eyes to make pointed concentration to kindle the slow fire in order to lower the (vital) breath in my heart to stabilise my spirit and intellect. As a result my ears heard no sounds and my breath became like a very fine thread that seemed not to be but was there until all my thoughts ceased and all my feelings and emotions came to an end. Then the element of fire in my heart went down while the waterly element in my lower abdomen soared up spontaneously. With the tip of my tongue touching the palate the two glands secreted plentiful saliva and my mouth was soon full of it; it was sweet like honey and went down at one gulp causing my lower abdomen to vibrate strongly. Suddenly my mind and intellect became still and void and first my four limbs and then the whole body disappeared without leaving any trace of myself. Like something that after reaching its limit turns round this utter stillness was followed by motion and all of a sudden the vital force vibrated strongly causing my penis to stand erect, which proved that real fire which had remained dormant for some time had begun to move itself.

Question All Taoist books mention the alchemical agent without teaching about fire. Will you please explain the ‘phases of fire’ (huo hou) so that future students will not be confused about them?

Answer ‘Phases of fire’ is a general term. ‘Fire’ is the inner heat and ‘phases’ are the six stages of purification by fire. The word ‘fire’ here has eighteen meanings which agree with the orderly stages of purification; hence the role played by it in each stage is different. If you do not receive instruction from an enlightened master you will never be clear about all this. The phases of fire, that is the stages of purification by fire and the production of the alchemical agent are in sequence and should not be mixed up. This is like making a brick; clay is first mixed with water and then baked by fire so that it becomes a brick. If a brick is not baked by fire it will turn to mud in the rain. Likewise the alchemical agent can be gathered only after (the generative force has been) purified by fire; only then can it produce the golden elixir, otherwise it will decay.

The Feng Huo Ching says: ‘When the text uses terms such as kindling the fire, leading it, forcing the fire with fire and stopping it they all mean the fire kindled by breathing.

‘When it mentions terms such as: freeing the fire, driving it (into), lowering it, shifting fire, calming fire, fire in its own house and the heart’s fire, they all mean fire derived from spirit.

‘When it uses terms such as: Circulating the fire, gathering it, lifting it, fire in the house of water, negative fire, fire immersed in water, and fire in the stove, they all mean fire derived from prenatal vitality.

‘Fire kindled by breathing transforms the generative fluid derived from the digestion of food, into generative force. Fire derived from spirit transforms the generative force into vitality. Fire derived from (prenatal) vitality purifies breathing and contributes to the manifestation of spirit. Spiritual fire sublimates spirit which will return to the state of nothingness. Thus from start to finish the successful practice of immortality is by means of fire.’

Therefore, without explanation by an enlightened master it is very difficult to understand these eighteen phases of fire.

Question Will the old master explain these eighteen phases one by one?

Answer ‘Kindling the fire’ is by breathing through the nose which comprises an inhalation and an exhalation during which the small drug (hsiao yo or microcosmic alchemical agent) is produced and gathered. The air that goes down and up in the body is called the ‘gentle breeze’ (sun feng). As each breath enters the body your concentration (causes the generative force) to rise (in the tu mo channel in the spine) from the mortal cavity (at the root of the penis) to the head, and as the following exhalation leaves the body your concentration causes (the generative force) to descend (in the jen mo channel) from the head back to the mortal cavity. This is your concentration that turns the wheel of the law (i.e. the microcosmic orbiting).

The fire kindled by breathing, although originally tangible, should be treated as intangible (i.e. disregarded) for if you cling to it it will become harmful. To be effective it should be regarded as non-existent yet existing; in this propitious condition the generative force is bound to return to the lower tan t’ien (under the navel).⁷

The mechanism of the rise and fall (of the generative force in the microcosmic orbit) is called ‘closing and opening’ (ho p’i)⁸ and also ‘a flute without holes’ which is ‘played in reverse’.⁹

In the absence of stirring thought when the penis stands erect, the practiser should breathe in outer air which reaching the mortal cavity (at the base of the penis) causes the (negative) vital breath there to rise (in the jen mo channel) to the centre of vitality (the lower tan t’ien under the navel). After this he should breathe out so that the (negative) vital breath in the chiang kung centre (the solar plexus) descends to the lower tan t’ien. After repeating this exercise several times, the penis will shrink back to normal and the practiser will feel very comfortable.

Therefore, each in and out breath shakes the field of the elixir (the lower tan t’ien under the navel) which is linked with the testicles by the genital duct (ch’un hsien)¹⁰ by which the negative generative force reaches them to change into semen. This liquid contains spermatozoa; if it follows its earthly course it will flow out to produce offspring; but if it reverses this course it will contribute to the production of the golden elixir. This is only a matter of following or reversing the way of the world, which the ordinary man cannot understand. So it is imperative that you call on enlightened masters in order not to spoil your future.

Question What do you mean by ‘leading the fire’?

Answer When you breathe in and out your concentration causes the generative force to rise and fall (in the microcosmic orbit) thus slowly turning the wheel of the law. Count from one to ten and then from ten to a hundred breaths with the heart (mind) following the counting to prevent it from wandering outside. When the heart and breathing are in unison, this is called ‘locking up the monkey heart’ and ‘tying up the running horse of intellect’. The Tan Ching says:

Let all thought come and go; awareness

Of them without clinging is true training.

All attachments are wrong whereas

Inertness to false voidness leads.

Mindfulness should give way to mindlessness so that the heart (the seat of nature) is empty (of all stirrings), becomes incorporeal and spiritual and beyond birth and death. If you want to get rid of wrong thoughts you should hold on to correct awareness and they will cease of themselves so that your heart will be like the bright moon in space, immaculate and containing no foreign matter. As the heart gets used to this condition it will be free from all illusions culminating in the death of the heart and resurrection of the spirit. For if spirit is not settled the light of (essential) nature does not manifest and if intellect is not frozen passions cannot be cut off. In this state of serenity when the inmost vibrates of itself you should immediately take advantage of its vibration to gather the microcosmic alchemical agent. This is called ‘leading the fire’ (to gather the agent).

Question Each in and out breath causes the ascent and descent (of vital breath). You have spoken of ‘blocking breath’ and now mention ‘the leading of fire’. I am not clear and pray you to explain all this fully.

Answer This is because you misunderstand my instruction. At the start the first ascent and descent (of vital breath) that turn the wheel of the law, serve to identify the thinking process with the turning wheel in order to stop all wandering thoughts. Then the following inhalation and exhalation which send the (vital) breath up and down to complete a full orbit thereby stopping the arousal of the genital organ, is to block the drain of generative fluid; but this should only be done after the alchemical agent has been gathered. Please ponder over all this carefully. These two kinds of breathing are motivated by the sole thought of ‘leading the inner fire’ to turn the wheel of the law (for the double purpose of stopping all wandering thoughts and of blocking the drain of generative fluid).

Question What do you mean by ‘stopping the fire’?

Answer By ‘stopping the fire’ is meant discontinuing all alchemical breathing.¹¹

Question Why is the alchemical breathing discontinued?

Answer When the lower abdomen is full of generative force the inner fire is stopped by discontinuing all (alchemical) breathing through the nose. The patriarch Cheng Yang said: ‘When the alchemical agent ripens the use of fire should be stopped for continual fire will spoil it.’ The immortal Ch’ung Hsu said: ‘Only when the time to stop the fire comes can the macrocosmic alchemical agent be gathered for the break-through.’

The time to stop the fire comes after the golden light has manifested twice; it is the time to gather the (macrocosmic alchemical) agent by discontinuing all (alchemical) breathing through the nose. If the practiser waits until the third manifestation of the golden light to stop the fire he will miss the mark and the macrocosmic alchemical agent will be spoilt.

Fire should be stopped before gathering the macrocosmic agent for the breakthrough. After the second manifestation of the golden light the agent should be gathered to restore fully the generative force, vitality and spirit. If breathing through the nose is used at the time of gathering the agent, the latter is bound to scatter at night for the air breathed in and out can shake and spoil the generative and vital forces. Hence the discontinuing of all (alchemical) breathing through the nose to stop the fire.

Question If in and out breathing is not used (alchemically) how can the generative and vital forces go up and down (in the microcosmic orbit)?

Answer Although breathing through the nose is not used (alchemically) the inner (vital) breath (in the body) is pushed up and down by the practiser’s concentration. So each ascent and descent of the (vital) breath accord with his will and turn the wheel of the law; only this can be called ‘stopping the fire’ to gather the alchemical agent.

Question What do you mean by ‘forcing the fire with fire’?

Answer It means using in and out breaths to gather the alchemical agent. Driving the generative and vital forces into the stove (in the lower abdomen) by means of the gentle breeze (breathing) is to check the generative force and is called ‘forcing the fire with fire’.

The element of fire in the generative force, vitality and spirit moves from A to D (for cleansing) and then to G where it stays for a while, and is called the ascending positive fire; it subsequently re-starts from G down to J (for purification) and then stops at A and is called the descending negative fire. Thus its move (hsin), stay (chu), restart (chi) and stop (chih) are the four phases of the alchemical process which includes both cleansing and purification. Practisers should ponder over all this and become aware of the mechanism.

Each rotation from A to D, G, J (and back to A) includes the ascent of positive yang and descent of negative yin, the shutting and opening of the mechanism of breathing, the use of the bellows, the six phases of orbiting and the gathering and purification of the alchemical agent. The practiser’s understanding depends on whether or not he has met an enlightened master.

If you have not met an experienced teacher but rely on your own intellect to understand the Taoist scriptures, and if during the ascent of positive fire you merely count (9 x 4 = 36 x 5 phases from A to B, C, E and F) 180 times and during the descent of its negative counterpart (6 x 4 = 24 x 5 phases from G, to H, I, K, L) 120 times without knowing the shutting and opening of the mechanism of breathing, and the six phases of alchemical process which complete the efficient working of the microcosmic orbit, you will fail in your practice of ‘forcing the fire with fire’ and all your efforts will be sterile.

(Above are the four kinds of fire kindled by breathing).

Question The Feng Huo Ching lists another seven kinds of fire; what does the ‘freezing of fire’ mean?

Answer ‘Freezing the fire’ is freezing and driving spirit into the cavity of vitality (under the navel). The Tan Ching says: ‘All masters taught only the freezing (or fixing) of spirit in the cavity of vitality.’

To fix spirit consists of concentration which draws the pupils of both eyes as close as possible to each other. This is called ‘freezing the spirit’, ‘looking backward’ and ‘uniting the sun with the moon’ for the purpose of returning to the prenatal state in which, while in the mother’s womb, the two eyes of the foetus are in unison, and nature and life are one. At birth nature and life divide in two and are thus separated.

‘Freezing the fire’ means that both eyes in unison look down into the cavity of vitality (the lower tan t’ien under the navel) which is called the gate to life (ming men) which is below and behind the navel and below and before the kidneys, the distance between it and the front and rear of the abdomen being in the proportion of seven to three. It hangs under and between the kidneys below and is linked with the ni wan or brain above and the soles of the feet below, being the source of prenatal Tao (immortality). Hence it is said: ‘This cavity is not material and is the union of both the male (chien) and female (k’un) principles; it is called the cavity of spiritual vitality which contains both the elements of fire and water in the generative force. The ancient medical science calls it the ‘gate to life’ and the Taoists call it the ‘cavity of vitality’. My master Liao K’ung said: ‘When blood reaches this cavity (under the navel) it changes into negative generative force which finds its way into the testicles.’

All students should know that, in order to fix (and drive) spirit into the cavity of vitality, a serious practiser should sit in meditation in a quiet room, turn back his eyes to look into this cavity, with only awareness of but no clinging to it, that is he first feels its presence and then forgets about it. While fixing spirit his mind should be empty (of sense data) with attachment to neither form nor relative voidness in order to preserve its radiant stillness and clear immateriality. At this stage only the breathing is felt with inner harmony between the upper and lower parts of his body the outcome of which is an ineffable comfort. Suddenly his eyes (seem to) fall from his face into that cavity (of the lower tan t’ien under the navel) causing him to feel that his body no longer exists and that true vitality fills the abode of spirit which will hold it.

Question What do you mean by ‘driving the fire’?

Answer It is the positive fire as will be explained in Chapter 6. Chapter 4 has already dealt with gathering the microcosmic outer alchemical agent in order to return it to the stove (in the lower abdomen); since this agent is still not yet sublimated by fire, it can drain away like tea poured continuously into a cup which overflows and spreads outside. This positive fire can transmute the agent in the stove into vitality (in order to stop its overflow). This stage is much more important than merely gathering the agent as explained in Chapter 4.

After gathering and holding the outer alchemical agent as previously explained, the practiser, while sitting in meditation, should now close his eyes, roll them from left to right nine times and pause to see if the inner circle of light has opened its gate. If it does not he should wait a little and then close his eyes to make the same nine turns for a second time and pause to see if the light manifests between them and opens its gate. If it does not he should continue making the same number of turns for a third and fourth time. He thus makes the same number of turns four times. This is ‘driving the fire’ for the ascent of positive fire.

Question What do you mean by ‘lowering the fire’?

Answer ‘Lowering the fire’ is making it retreat. The Tan Ching says: ‘The ascent of positive fire is by thirty-six turns and the descent of its negative counterpart is by twenty-four turns.’

In the descent of negative fire to open the gate, the practiser should roll his eyes from G backward to D, A and J six times. He should then close his eyes to look at the inner circle of light. Seeing that the gate is still unopen he should do this four times. This is the descent of fire.

Only the eyes are positive whereas the rest of the body is negative. It is these positive eyes which will overcome the whole negative body so that gradually the positive principle (yang) will develop daily while the negative principle (yin) will decrease correspondingly. As time passes the whole body will become positive. This is what the saying means by: ‘If the negative principle is not entirely wiped out immortality cannot be achieved.’ This also is the retreat of negative fire.

The term ‘shifting fire’ has been explained earlier (see here). ‘Shifting’ is motionless change, that is transmutation by quick fire which results in nothing any longer having form or shape whether seen closely or from a distance, and includes the elimination of every impure residue. Only this can be called true efficiency.

The term ‘calming fire’ means immobilisation (see here) with no idea of the self and others in order to ensure the emptiness of both body and intellect; then all of a sudden the practiser feels as if he comes out of his physical body to look at his original face. Only this can be called real achievement.

Question What do you mean by ‘fire in li’ (i.e. fire in the house of fire)?

Answer The heart is the house of fire. When the heart is stirred the penis stands erect in spite of the absence of thoughts. This is real fire in its house, which arouses the genital organ, and although thoughts are absent, this fire is not the genuine one which vibrates at the living hour of tsu (between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.) when the penis erects.¹² If you gather the alchemical agent at this unsuitable moment it is too young because vitality is not full and can scatter easily; hence the agent should not be gathered for it is not the proper time to do so. Only when the penis stands erect at the living hour of tsu can the agent be gathered, and this should be done quickly for this is the proper time, but if you wait until this moment has passed to pick up the agent, the latter has grown old (and is useless) because vitality has scattered after the passing of fire in its own house.

Question What is the heart’s fire?

Answer When the eyes twinkle and the heart vibrates in sympathy, this is the ‘chief fire’ (chun huo), also called the heart’s fire. It is evil fire aroused by thoughts and should be avoided by the practiser.

When the eyes see the opposite sex thereby giving rise to (evil) thoughts, the heart moves in sympathy and arouses the genital organ, if the practiser then tries to gather the alchemical agent, the impure generative fluid will produce an illusory agent. This illusory agent is likened to a football which, being kicked continuously, will lose air and shrink. Likewise as thoughts increase the evil fire which becomes more intense, the genital organ will be aroused more frequently. If you wrongly think that the alchemical agent is being produced and strive to gather it, your efforts will be sterile, and you will only harm yourself. Your body seems to be strong (so long as this evil fire lasts) but your health suffers from the consequences and will really decline. Frequent arousal of sexual desire is likened to putting straw on the head while going to extinguish a big fire; you will only injure your body, and will not only fail to achieve immortality but will also run the risk of shortening your life.

Therefore, you should avoid gathering the alchemical agent when your heart’s fire is aroused by evil thoughts.

The above seven kinds of fire: freezing, driving and lowering the fire, shifting fire, calming fire, fire in its own house and the heart’s fire, come from spirit and can transmute the generative force into vitality. This spirit’s fire derives from the spiritual power in the eyes, and if supported by postnatal breathing through the nostrils, can sublimate the generative force and sustain the inner vital breath.

My master Liao K’ung said: ‘The generative force can be fully sublimated within a hundred days and will then fill the lower abdomen.’

This does not mean merely replacing the dissipated generative force as that force should be retained and developed so that you can recover the supply which was latent in you at the time of puberty. The fullness of prenatal vitality in your body is revealed by your genital organ which retracts (during the training).

The restoration of a full supply of generative and vital forces is by means of another seven kinds of fire which are: circulating the fire, gathering it, lifting it, fire in the house of water, negative fire, fire immersed in water and fire in the stove. These seven fires derive from prenatal vitality and contribute to the sublimation of in and out breaths for the manifestation of original spirit. By original spirit is meant that spirit of no spirit (which is inexpressible).

Question What do you mean by ‘circulating the fire’?

Answer When the generative and vital forces vibrate you should use the mechanism of the bellows, the closing and opening method of breathing, the six phases of the alchemical process and the positive ascent and negative descent to circulate true fire raising it (to the brain) through the first gate at the base of the spine, the second gate between the kidneys and the third gate in the occiput. All three gates are opened by an inhalation. The following exhalation sends the fire down from the original cavity of spirit (tsu ch’iao in the brain) to the chiang kung centre (at the solar plexus) and then back to the cavity of vitality (under the navel). Thus a full breath comprises an ascent and a descent of true fire; this is circulating the fire.

Question What do you mean by ‘gathering the fire’?

Answer ‘Gathering’ means collecting (the fire). The ancients spoke of the alchemical agent without mentioning the fire which is the generative and vital forces. Fire is also the alchemical agent. So when true fire vibrates you should collect it.

If you cultivate only (essential) nature and disregard (eternal) life your practice is incomplete and inefficient. For the cultivation of nature alone ensures only the descent of positive fire without the ascent of (vital) breath from below; the result will be that nature and life cannot unite. Therefore, you should gather fire to lift up the (vital) breath below.

Question What do you mean by ‘lifting the fire’?

Answer After fire has been gathered it tends to develop; you should lift it through the three gates in the backbone up to the ni wan or brain and then lower it (in the jen mo or channel of function) to the chiang kung cavity (the solar plexus) before returning it to the centre of vitality (under the navel); in so doing you should use your non-discriminative concentration to lift and lower it in order to complete a full orbit.

Hun Jan Tsu said: ‘When vitality manifests it vibrates strongly and fire develops under the navel; this is the moment when you should lift it up to invigorate your body which has been weakened by the drain of generative force. The latter will in time be fully recovered to lengthen your life.’

Question What do you mean by ‘fire in k’an (the house of water)’?

Answer K’an and li¹³ stand for the lower abdomen and heart respectively. Vitality and spirit are respective functionings of k’an and li. Spirit in li (the house of fire) is (essential) nature and vitality in k’an (the house of water) is (eternal life.)

Fire in the house of water stands for vitality in vibration which then forms a (kind of) bellows (extending) from 1.2 inches below the heart to 1.3 inches under the navel, which is linked through the mortal cavity (sheng szu ch’iao at the root of the penis) with the genital gate (yang kuan at the tip of the penis). This is ‘fire in the house of water’.

Question What do you mean by ‘negative fire’ (kun huo)?

Answer Kun stands for the lower tan t’ien (under the navel), also called the stove. Huo is vitality which takes advantage of the fire in the house of water to descend into the channel of control (tu mo in the spine) wherein ventilation provided by in and out breathing transmutes the generative force into the alchemical agent in order to carry it up (in the microcosmic orbit). For the positive yang cannot accumulate without aid from the negative yin; hence vitality should join the generative force to become fire. This is the union of positive (vitality) with negative (generative force) which will then ascend to the head (through the tu mo or channel of control). If evil thoughts arise at this stage neither the generative nor vital forces can be put into the right orbit but will enter the urethra causing aching inflammation there with fever which will cease only after a reddish yellow urine has been discharged. This is the harmful effect of stirring thoughts at this stage. If the generative and vital forces pass through the mortal cavity (at the base of the penis) they will enter two channels in the thighs which will be obstructed by an accumulation of generative fluid.

Question What do you mean by ‘fire immersed in water’?

Answer When the generative and vital forces are in their cavity (under the navel) they are fire but when they leave it (to drain away) they take a liquid form. To gather the alchemical agent is to hold vitality in its cavity which is called the cavity of true vitality (chen ch’i hsueh) or lower tan t’ien which is where true vitality manifests and which is linked with the genital organ. The generative force is watery and heavy and tends to sink whereas spirit is fiery and light and tends to soar. Man is usually unaware of the flow of vitality and is thereby subject to birth, old age, illness and death. The vital force that scatters is not the air breathed in and out but true vitality that sustains the generative force. Whether a man lives or dies depends solely on the presence or absence of vitality. Death is caused by the exhaustion of vitality and although a dead body remains the same as when alive, it only lacks vitality.

Question You have spoken of vitality which drains away continuously; how does one stop its drain?

Answer The only method is to shut the genital gate (yang kuan) in order to ensure long life free from death.

The treatise Ching Hsien Lun says: ‘He whose genital gate is closed enjoys long life.’ All students should seek instruction from enlightened masters and strive to hold both water and fire in the same cavity (i.e. the lower tan t’ien under the navel). Water is below and fire is above. When fire is immersed in water, it will stop soaring up thereby causing the heart to be empty (i.e. not to stir); and as water is scorched by fire, it will stop flowing down. This is water and fire in stable equilibrium (shui huo chi chi) which will in time produce vitality. When the penis stands erect of itself, this is due to the generative and vital forces developing in their cavity (the lower tan t’ien under the navel) and is called fire manifesting in water.

My master said: ‘When the generative and vital forces in the lower tan t’ien cavity move away they become liquid but when they return to that cavity they are prenatal vitality.’ Therefore, each time you notice the manifestation of fire in water, you should immediately turn it back to the lower tan t’ien cavity in order to sublimate it. Only when six unusual states manifest can you be certain that the immortal seed is being completely formed.

Question What do you mean by ‘fire in the stove’?

Answer When spirit and vitality vibrate in the lower tan t’ien cavity (under the navel), the latter is called the stove and when they rise to the upper tan t’ien (in the brain) the latter is called the cauldron. In the absence of spirit and vitality neither stove nor cauldron can be spoken of.¹⁴

Hence the old patriarch Ch’ung Hsu Tsu said: ‘The cauldron is originally non-existent.’ The patriarch Lu Tsu said: ‘Only those who know what stove, cauldron and bellows really are can use them effectively.’ To produce real ‘fire in the stove’ requires authentic instruction from enlightened masters in order to know how to gather the outer drug (outer alchemical agent).

We now discuss all this in detail for the benefit of students who should know the correct method of practice. As to the gathering of the outer (alchemical) agent, the practiser whose penis is erect, should ascertain whether or not it is at the living hour of tsu (between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.). If so he should immediately block the genital gate (yang kuan above the genital organ) to collect the alchemical agent until he is fully aware of success.

If the generative and vital forces burst out causing the body to bend a little, the practiser should press his middle finger on the mortal gate (to stop the emission) and immediately set in motion the mechanism of the gentle breeze, the six phases of alchemical purification, the bellows and the closing and opening process of breathing to drive back and gather (the generative and vital forces). In order to avoid eventual leakage, in and out breaths are used to seal up the two forces. After bringing them under control, they should be immediately put into microcosmic orbit for sublimation by fire, during which the generative force will be transformed into vitality. This is the gradual method of transmuting the generative force into vitality. When both generative and vital forces are fully restored, the practiser’s body will not differ from that of a youth at puberty.

The Ts’ui Hsu P’ien says:

When the bright moon from the south-west shines on the road

Immortality unfolds its endless path.

This is the lower tan t’ien cavity (under the navel) full of the alchemical agent which reveals to the eyes the beauty of positive vital breath. Wherever the practiser walks, stays, sits or reclines, he will see a white light in front of him, and, as time passes, this white light changes into a golden one. This is the first manifestation of the golden light, and when it appears for a second time, the practiser should stop the fire. The least carelessness on his part at this stage will cause risk and peril leading to utter failure; this is the most difficult phase.

The above seven kinds of fire come from prenatal vitality and can sublimate all in and out breaths in order to contribute to the manifestation of original spirit. This original spirit is the spirit of no spirit which can use spiritual fire to destroy its (physical) form to return to nothingness in order to achieve immortality. This spiritual fire is the spirit’s golden light that then appears. Students should seek authentic instructions from enlightened masters in order to realise this spiritual fire of the golden light and finally join the rank of golden immortals.

If you think you realise that golden light when many (tiny) golden sparks appear in your eyes you are utterly wrong. For this golden light manifests in front of you while your essential body (fa shen) in the great emptiness gradually comes closer to it. When the light of this body joins and mingles with the golden light (in front of you) you will realise your essential body which will then enter your physical body; the latter will absorb that spiritual body and in three years’ time will be sublimated into pure vitality. This is the manifestation of positive spirit (yang shen) which will take form when it gathers in one place or will become pure vitality when it scatters to fill the great emptiness which will be its boundless body.

I received instructions from my masters Liao Jen and Liao K’ung and also called on over thirty old teachers but only P’eng Mow Ch’ang, Ch’iao Ch’iao, T’an Chi Ming and my two teachers knew the secrets of the twin cultivation of (essential) nature and (eternal) life. I now divulge these secrets to sincere students so that when they meet their teachers they should ascertain if the latter can reply satisfactorily to the questions answered in this book. I urge them not to believe in heretics and imposters who know nothing about alchemy but pose as competent masters; their so-called teachings have nothing to do with the doctrine of the cultivation of (essential) nature and (eternal) life because their sole aim is to make a living and so they deceive and mislead their pupils who will pass their lifetime aimlessly without achieving any results.

¹The sun stands for the positive and the moon for the negative principle.

²Prenatal and postnatal fires are respectively spiritual or positive fire that existed before birth and its corrupt counterpart or negative fire after birth.

³The four components are: body, breath, incorporeal and corporeal souls symbolised respectively by water, fire, wood and metal. See here.

⁴The five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. See also here.

⁵The two divisions of one vitality: the positive yang and negative yin. See also here.

⁶The use of quick and slow fires transforms impurities in the body into tears.

⁷Most practisers fail in their training because they do not know how to control this fire which intensifies the very passions which they intend to cut off. Hence many religious men break the rules of pure living and commit immoral acts which can be easily avoided by the ordinary man.

⁸Closing (ho) opening (p’i) are two Taoist terms. When outer air is breathed in it reaches the lower abdomen and pushes up the vital force; this is closing the mechanism of breathing so that the air goes down while inner vitality goes up to the head. When breathing out, outer air is expelled from the lower abdomen while the vital force, now free from pressure, returns to the lower abdomen; this is opening the mechanism of breathing so that outer air is rejected while inner vitality goes down.

⁹Readers should not confound this Taoist term with the ch’an (zen) idiom of a ‘flute without holes’ which is the mind closed to all sense data and whose melody can be understood and enjoyed by enlightened people. He who has acquired ‘a flute without holes’ understands the Mind Dharma as presented in the three volumes of our Ch’an and Zen Teaching series, Rider, London.

¹⁰The genital duct runs from the testicles through the mortal gate at the base of the penis to the genital gate at the tip of the penis.

¹¹Although the practiser continues breathing as usual he should not use in and out breaths to arouse the inner fire which will then cease of itself.

¹²See here for full explanation of the hour of tsu.

¹³K’an and li are two diagrams symbolising water and fire respectively according to the Book of Change.

¹⁴As in the case of ignorant worldlings who let the generative and vital forces drain away in their quest of sexual pleasures.