Elixir Commentary on the Classic of Triune Unity 周易参同契[注]

Originally attributed to "Annotated by the True Immortal Yin Changsheng".

However, since the book quotes works by Xiao Ji of the Sui Dynasty and Li Chunfeng of the early Tang Dynasty, the modern scholar Chen Guofu verified that this book was actually compiled by a scholar of the Tang Dynasty under the pseudonym of Yin Changsheng of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Tongzhi·Essentials of Arts and Literature records "Zhouyi Cantong Qi in Three Volumes Annotated by True Lord Yin", which refers to this very book.

Elixir Commentary on the Classic of Triune Unity

The existing version is included in the Taixuan Section of The Daozang.

As one of the annotated versions of Cantong Qi, this book interprets the scripture from the perspective of external alchemy. It states that the great elixirs are divided into eight types, among which three ranks are the most revered: the top rank is the Divine Talisman White Snow Nine-Cycle Golden Fluid Great Reverted Elixir; the middle rank is the Purple Gold Cinnabar Elixir; the lower rank is the Purple Gold Elixir. It is said of these three ranks of elixirs that "birds that take them transform into phoenixes, snakes that ingest them turn into dragons, and humans who consume them attain longevity". Its alchemical method generally uses earth to make a furnace, places a cauldron on it, seals the vessel tightly after adding medicinal ingredients, and then heats it to refine the elixir. The alchemical process is described as "cinnabar turns into mercury, mercury turns into gold, gold turns into cinnabar, and cinnabar turns into elixir—hence the name Reverted Elixir". In other words, natural cinnabar is refined and then transformed back into golden cinnabar, returning to its original substance to form the Reverted Elixir. After compounding the elixir, one must first pray to the Supreme Pure Realm and then take it in accordance with the prescribed method—all of which embody the core alchemical tenets of Taoism centered on the circulation of Qi and the mutual transformation of the five elements.