Qiang Mingzi’s Inscription on True Qi’s Primordial Return 真气还元铭

Originally annotated by Qiangmingzi.

It was roughly compiled during the Five Dynasties period.

In one volume, it is included in the Methods Category of the Cavern True Section in The Daozang.

Qiang Mingzi’s Inscription on True Qi’s Primordial Return

There is a preface written by the author at the beginning of the text, claiming that during the Zhenming reign period of the Later Liang Dynasty (915–920 CE), he learned the techniques of stretching, breathing, and body refining from an immortal, and later compiled this text. The inscription is in a four-character poetic form, with annotations for each line. It mainly expounds health-preserving methods such as respiration exercises, daoyin (gentle guiding exercises), Qi ingestion, and saliva swallowing. It holds that Qi is the foundation of spirit, the source of life, and the master of vitality. Human frailty, premature death, and demise are caused by joy and anger disturbing Qi, as well as the five desires indulging in external distractions. If one can achieve a state of non-thinking and non-doing, return to the One and uphold harmony, all things will naturally converge. It also elaborates on the essential secrets of practicing respiration exercises and daoyin.