Mirror for Compounding the Elixir (Ruyao jing)

 

Originally written in the 10th century, the Ruyao jing (Mirror for Compounding the Medicine) describes the foundations of Internal Alchemy in 20 short poems of four verses.

Materials listed on this page are selected from:

Ruyao jing: Mirror for Compounding the Medicine

Commentary on the Mirror for Compounding the Medicine, by Wang Jie (?-ca. 1380). Golden Elixir Press.

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Translations

Chrome bullet   Precelestial and Postcelestial Breath

"The precelestial Breath is the original and initial Ancestral Breath. This Ancestral Breath is in the real center of Heaven and Earth within the human body. . . . "

Chrome bullet   The Magpie Bridge

"In the human body, the spinal column corresponds to the Milky Way in Heaven. The Milky Way separates [Heaven into two parts], but a divine magpie builds a bridge; this is why we speak of the Magpie Bridge. . . . "

Chrome bullet   "Steal Heaven and Earth"

"Clenching Heaven and Earth, grasping Yin and Yang, gathering the five agents, and bringing the eight trigrams together: this is the learning of the divine immortals. . . . "

Chrome bullet   Other Selections

Other short selections from the Mirror for Compounding the Medicine and its commentary:

"If You Call It, It Responds"
The Sun and the Moon
The Precelestial and the Postcelestial Breaths
The Tripod and the Furnace
Water and Fire
Wang Jie on the Mirror for Compounding the Medicine
"Seize Creation and Transformation"