Discourse on Spirit-Qi and Form Nourishment 神气养形论

The author is unknown.

It was roughly compiled between the Tang and Song dynasties.

Tongzhi·Yiwen Lue (Comprehensive Records of Literature and Arts) recorded it as one volume.

Discourse on Spirit-Qi and Form Nourishment

The surviving version is included in the Methods Category of the The Dongshen Section in The Daozang.

Volume 34 of Yunji Qiqian (Seven Bamboo Slips of the Cloudy Satchel) also contains this text, titled Treatise on Nourishing the Body with Spirit and Qi, with some missing passages.

This text expounds on the internal cultivation technique of harmonizing spirit, Qi, and body. It states that the combination of spirit and Qi forms the physical body, and the mutual preservation of spirit and Qi can nourish the body. It further refers to the ears and eyes as the windows of the spirit, and yin and yang as the weapons of Qi. Practitioners must close these windows, cease this strife, embrace purity, tranquility and emptiness, so as to nourish spirit and Qi. Those who can accumulate essence and Qi, uphold the middle path and embrace the One, let the mind wander in tranquility, and merge Qi into the void will sleep without dreams, wake without worries, and become True Persons.