Compendium of Alchemical Principles 指归集
Paul PengCompendium of Alchemical Principles
Compiled by Taoist Wu Ju in the Southern Song Dynasty, this book consists of one volume and is included in the Methods category of the The Dongshen Section in The Daozang.
Drawing on theories from ancient texts such as The Golden and Jade Scripture, Commentary on the Unification of the Three, The Yin Fu Scripture, as well as teachings from predecessors including Qingxiazi, Immortal Ge, Peng Xiao, and Zhang Boduan, this work elaborates on the principles of elixir refining and immortality cultivation. It is divided into five chapters:
- "The Return Elixir Requires No Extra Medicines"
- "The Return Elixir Relies Solely on Lead and Mercury"
- "Lead and Mercury Must Be True"
- "The Generation and Restraint of the Five Elements"
- "Fire Control Demands Precision"
Compendium of Alchemical Principles
The author argues that the common people who pursue immortality by seeking rare herbs and refining metals and minerals fail to grasp the true principle. "Only cinnabar alone can preserve both spirit and physical form." Ancient immortals refined the great elixir using only lead and mercury, not miscellaneous medicines like the "four yellows" and "eight minerals". Lead and mercury correspond to Kan and Li (Yin and Yang), Dragon and Tiger, and both originate from cinnabar: "One substance divides into two aspects, half resembling lead and half resembling mercury." This "one substance" refers to cinnabar, and this lead and mercury are the true lead and mercury. Those who refine elixirs must follow the principles of the Five Elements' generation and restraint, as well as the rhythms of fire control and hexagram imagery, to nurture the lead and mercury within cinnabar into the Golden Fluid Return Elixir, which, when ingested, grants longevity.
The book also advocates the simultaneous cultivation of Internal Alchemy and external alchemy, opposing the theory of prioritizing internal alchemy before external alchemy. It states: "No one has ever ascended to immortality by practicing internal alchemy alone without refining external alchemy." Internal alchemy, it argues, merely involves the communion of heart and kidney, the circulation of essence and Qi, spirit preservation and breath control, and the exhalation of stale Qi and inhalation of fresh Qi—"all for the sake of seeking peace and comfort". Without refining external alchemy, ascension to immortality is impossible. This view differs from the prevalent Internal Alchemy schools during the Southern Song Dynasty.
