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