Commentary on the Alchemical Mirror 崔公入药镜注解
Paul PengCommentary on the Alchemical Mirror
Attributed to “Annotated by Master Hunran”.
Master Hunran refers to Wang Daoyuan, a Quanzhen Taoist priest of the late Yuan Dynasty.
The original work is one volume, included in the Jade Instructions category of The Dongzhen Section within The Daozang.
Commentary on the Alchemical Mirror
The term “Entering the Medicine” is a specialized term in Internal Alchemy. Alchemical practitioners collect pre-heaven essence and qi as the “Great Medicine”; transporting the Great Medicine to the elixir field for further refinement produces the Golden Elixir.
Entering the Medicine Mirror was written by Cui Xifan, a Taoist priest of the late Tang and Five Dynasties. It uses three-character rhythmic verses to outline the process of gathering medicine, refining the elixir, and controlling the fire phases.
As the book’s language is abstruse, Wang Daoyuan, following the oral formulas passed down by his teachers, “added annotations to every four lines to disclose the mysterious principles”. His commentary is based on the Southern Golden Elixir sect’s doctrine of the dual cultivation of nature and life.
Five poems titled Hanging Golden Cable are appended at the end, explaining the fire phases of elixir cultivation from the first watch to the fifth watch.
