W

h
a
«DАО did not keep away itself from people,
t but people themselves alienated from the DАО... »
... There were four emaciated travellers at dark night on a mountain track. It seemed, to be neither
i an end, nor a success for their infinite wanderings and tribulations. It was already the second year of
s their search, but the real teaching of Dао had not revealed itself yet. so the destiny forced them to
encounter new and new frauds in the Celestial Kingdom, who made up the false schools of Dао
and were making a travesty for the sake of fame and profit. The travellers decided to camp on a
c mountain pass, and were slowly approaching it as suddenly at the western edge of horizon an
unusual luminescence showed, shining into the height of the sky.
a
The glow was so unusual and mysterious, that they long stood speechless in place, watching the
l miracle... It was a long-awaited sign, which signified that they were on the right way! Their
l happiness was unlimited and they started walking again... So without rest and sleep, they were
going for some days, the luminescence kept stabely appearing in the west, but seemed that the light
e in the West was unreachable and this jorney would continue endlessly.
d First one of the travelers stayed behind in a nearby village, making an excuse that his feet were
bleeding, then the second one left the team, saying, that he was not ready to continue this adventure,
and finally the third detached, without saying a word, he simply lied down on the grass shaking his
"
head, to show, that he would not go any further... Just Zhang alone, who organized this quest for the
H real Teacher, continued his way. Breaking through bushes and going towards the light, he often
e began to fall into a silent state of mind, which sometimes alternated with numerous reminiscences
of visiting the false schools, which remained etched in his memory.
a
So, some false representatives of «true schools of Dao» emphasized tuna respiratory exercise and
v daoyin gymnastics. They did not understand, that tuna and daoyin were ridiculed by Zhang Boduan
e no less in his book «Wuzhenpian». The others put stress on «methods of working with the mind »,
calling them xinggong, and «methods of working with body» - accepting them for «minggong»
n which was even more ridiculous. The third one’s made up themselves their own stages of «the
l internal alchemy», confusing formations of lead and cultivations of qi, and fooling credulous people
...
y
«Indeed their name is legion» - Zhang thankfully recalled his first daoist treatises’ teacher, who later
helped him not to fall into that Dao-cheaters’ traps, who ruined so many souls, seeking after right
c Way... These reminiscences gave him strength and at last he reached the mountain, where the
i unusual luminescence emanated from its peak. The tears welled up in Zhang’s eyes: it meant that
r so many years of sufferings and searches had not passed in vain... Tomorrow morning he would
ascend in a cave to the Teacher and at last would follow his true Path. In his childhood one fortune-
c teller had predicted this destiny to him. The divination master looked shocked and dropped his
l divination sticks, stunned to see what the boy's future held...

e This was the beginning of our ancient School of the daoist alchemy, which is well known in the

" whole China and is called «Wu-Liu Pai» 伍柳派 or «Wu-Liu Fa Pai» 伍柳法派 (in name of
its founders Wu Chung-xu and Liu Hua-yang, literally «The School (of techinques) by Wu Chung-
? xu and Liu Hua-yang». Above-mentioned Patriarch Zhang received daoist name of Zhang-jing xu,
and became the follower of the most outstanding hermit of those times – the last keeper of an
ancient Tradition. Having obtained Dао, Zhang was given a farewell admonition from the Teacher
who said
«Nowadays impostors and fake daoists have spread all over the world, pushing their idle fantasies
on the people to gain fame and easy money. There are almost no experts left that know methods of
cultivating the Dао. You should open widely the gates of the teaching, to assist the true people in
obtaining the Dао».
Then Zhang visited different countries and continents, investigated western lands (Asia, India and
Tibet) and found out, that, in fact, people knowing the tradition had already vanished. Then he
carefully collected all the remainig knowledge of true Schools at that time... He has directed all his
strength at the realization of his Teacher’ commandment to restore the potential for achievement
the DAO in the world. After returning to China Patriarch Zhang-jing xu during long time taught to
his students in the Wudangshan mountains. The most outstanding pupil of Zhang was Li-xu an,
who in turn has transmitted techniques to Qao-huan yang, and he, in his turn – to Wu Chung-xu. For
the first time he published the School’s texts in a new, comprehensible manner, having removed a
lot of confusing terms and metaphors. That made his School the most widespread and efficacious
School in respect of Dао achievement methods. In China its became to be called «the shortest
ladder to Heaven»... The fame of Patriarch Zhang’s achievements reached the ears of the emperor
Min Shi Zung 明世宗，who persistently asked Zhang to stay at his Imperial court. But the
patriarch visited the court shortly and politely refused, devoting himself to propagation of the true
Dао methods among devotees.
Our School, relying on the continuity and the tradition of the Doctrine by Zhang-jing xu - Liu Hua-
yang, gives a chance to everybody, who is seeking for the real practice, to start achieving the
ancient Dао, to avoid wasting time in schools of poseurs and impostors who have fabricated their
own systems of «true Dао» by reading books on qigong and by their extravagant fantasy. As the
Teacher of Single Yang and the present Patriarch of the School said: «The Wu-liu pai School is a
teaching which had continued the flow of DAO and have united the two teachings, those of
Daoism and Buddhism, and also incorporated the best legacy of all the schools and sects, that is
why we have many students, who have reached the true results».
If you are looking for an ancient system of Dао practice, then our School is exactly what you need.
however nowadays everywhere (just as 500 years ago in China ) there are more than enough of
empty fantasies of new «inventors of Daoism».
«Toward the Dao or toward the fake dao» - the choice is yours…
The author © Dmitry A. Artemyev

Why do people die?

What is the essence of Taoist alchemy?

Xing and Ming. Fusion of soul XING with energy MING

Why do people die, if they have no diseases? Old age is the reason, you may say. But why does this
old age come, what is the mechanism of it? A man grows old and dies because he is spending his
vital energy. It's like a battery in a toy, when the battery is new – the toy car runs, but when the
battery has run out – the toy car stops...And what kind of "battery" is it? It is something that is
located in the area of the abdomen in the human body (compare stomach and stamina).

In Chinese tradition “the battery” is called MING 命, translated as life or destiny. (“How much
stamina one has?”). So, this Ming - battery otherwise known as yuanqi 元氣 in traditional

Chinese medicine, but in Taoism a different character is used 元炁 - the primordial qi*. It is
getting spent. And when it ends, then a "kind" man with a scythe comes.
Ming is a tangible real substance and it can be felt, given a perfected sensitivity. Ming can be
replenished only by mastering the since Taoist alchemy (just to emphasize that, according to the
records of our school, some other traditions also posses such an essentially identical method, ). Note

that to "Die" in Chinese is written emphatically: 失命 i.e. LOST MING.

But apart from Ming there is still another substance. It is located in the chest, and any other spiritual

schools strive to perfect it. All of them base their teachings on it. It is called XING 性, which is
translated as nature, the nature of the heart. In Chinese it is also called 心性 XIN XING or 本

性 BEN XING. All the many methods of meditations and praying, stopping the internal dialogue,
etc appeal to this. The mechanism is simple in theory - it is necessary to reduce the vibrations, to
remove the waves and gradually reach a full peace. If you will perfect at this even further, then you
will go into a stable peace, the breath will go away, the heart will almost stop beating and A Yin
spirit YINSHEN will be able to leave of the body. This is what actually called enlightenment in the
late Chan Buddhism. In addition, this work may lead to the improvement of specific abilities. This
spirit is something that in many cultures is called a ghost. This spirit is identical to the soul that
leaves the body at death – which is also called YINSHEN.
However, in contrast to the dying person, the spirit of the practitioner is connected to the body.
When this out of the body experience happens, and then the spirit returns to the body, there are the
certain signs which indicate that it did really happen. However many modern practitioners do not
get out of the body, and with closed eyes travel in their fantasies. And that is a different
phenomenon.
All religions and the latest doctrines hope for such an out of body experience, hence the attention to
MORALITY is so strong. Control the passions - that's their main slogan.
If such a practitioner has not reached the mastery, he, at his death like all the dead souls, will go to a
worser world (hell - in Christian terminology). After death the life memories of an ordinary person
is not preserved, but the memories of a person, who has attained perfection at YINSHEN, will be
preserved. But he can’t do anything with it and he can’t be reborn as a human being again. The
teacher for him can only be another Yin spirit, i.e. another being from the lower worlds. The upper
worlds are closed for the YINSHEN.
Xing and Ming are the separated parts of the primordial Unity. If Xing is a Yin part, then Ming is a
Yang part. The YIN spirit (i.e. Xing) is inert and has no energy, and therefore he can’t rise to
higher worlds. He needs energy similarly to a rocket needing fuel for the takeoff. Using only the
meditation and any methods tied to Xing only changes the Yin'S characteristics, but makes no
qualitative change. The ancient Taoist tradition (and with it those that I have already mentioned)
uses the energy of Ming for fusion with Xing.Thus it turns these two into a Yang Spirit , also called
a Tao fetus, who has the real potential and can move to higher worlds. So it is the Fusion of the
energy Ming with the soul Xing that is the essence of alchemy.
Thus, the goal of alchemy - to fuse the soul Xing with the energy Ming and creating a yang Spirit –
a Tao fetus, who has the real potential and can move to higher worlds.
How to perfect Xing you can understand by yourself or from the books, but how to perfect Ming
you can get only in oral precepts of your Teacher. And important question is: Why it is so? Because
of the fact that the secret of Ming is the secret of Life and Death! In carrying out the practice Ming
the person violates a natural law (remember the saying "studying from the nature"). This law
establishes that an ordinary person SHOULD BE BORN, GROW, LEAVE OR NO AFTER
HIMSELF HIS PROGENY AND HIS ACTIONS, THEN GROW OLD AND DIE. Recall the Taoist
phrase: "My destiny (MING!) is inside me, it is not from Heaven!" That is, a Taoist does not follow
“the Nature", but instead overcomes it and goes against it.
The method passed on by a Teacher is not so complicated, so everyone can change their destiny -
Ming. You do not need a special morality, you just need hard work and persistence. An ordinary
person, even talented, does not have enough time to do too much of anything – whether good or
evil. At childhood and at youth there are a lot of unconscious, automatic behavior. At maturity,
when you just started to get your strength, the diseases and decline start to kick in. When a person
reaches the top of his comprehensions of the meaning of life, ironically there is no longer the
strength to do something.
As well said by Zhang Boduan: "Human life is so much as bubble on the water; yesterday one was
on a horse, and now the corpse lies in the coffin, immersed in a death dream". "Remember the
Death" – is one of the principles of ancient traditions. And now you can change your destiny,
prolong life. What does this mean for mankind? Is this possible without responsibility?
So, why Xing can be understood by yourself or from books? Because the mind works rather
manifestly, if we just watch it, we can understand that it is useful not to be overly emotional; the
calm mind brings feelings of purity and reinvigoration, etc. If you go further, you can even bring
out your own spirit from the body (Yin of course). However, it should be done carefully, because if
a person is weak, the spirit will not return to the body and a death will occur. Therefore, you can
learn it by yourself or from the books.
As for Ming, then the person can’t understand anything. He could only feel the difference between a
young age and the old one etc, but it is difficult to determine whether the energy flows out, or
comes in. To see all of these processes clearly you need to be already a being with the cosmic level
of thinking. Every second of life staying in the illusion of a permanence, we actually run on an
invisible treadmill. What happens to the Universe, how are the energies change, who does
understand this now? I.e. to replenish the Ming a new you should be able to change with the
cosmos, picking what assists to this task and rejecting anything else. This is the doctrine of changes
of the ancient Chinese. How can modern people understand that, living by a bland clock hours and
practicing in accordingly? At any modern qigong you will hear that the time and space do not
matter, that your practice of qigong helps you “go beyond the natural laws”. And this is said about
ordinary people who are can’t even get rid of the laws of heat and cold, food and hunger, but
presume to “get rid of the influence of the Cosmos”!
So then the modern person has no alternative, but to seek a direct transmission of knowledge ,
which stems from the time, when the mankind have a clear understanding of cosmic laws. Of
course, we can assume that a genius who can understand these law without could be born. But such
an extraordinary person will not need anything at all from this world let alone a transmission. On
the other hand there exist fake methods invented by ordinary people, these methods are usually only
a projection of their mind and have nothing to do with the laws of Cosmos. Here is an example: Did
Someone deciphered the Yi Jing? I think the answer is obvious.
Hence stem here need for the personal transmission. In this case firstly there will be no
distortions, and secondly there will be personalized training for each person. Thirdly, in order to
avoid deviations the practice will be done under the oversight of Teacher (and not like today, in
stadiums, where participants do anything they want). Also, a ritual of accepting a student is a
promise by the Teacher to be personally responsible for his student, to vouch for him, including
with teachers own destiny...

古圣有言曰命由性修 性由命立 命者炁也性者神也炁 则本不

离神神则有时 离炁
Ancient sages said:
Ming is perfected starting from Xing. Because you need the true spiritual condition to find your
Teacher and then to practise, i.e. you need the correct state of mind while practicing.
Xing is established starting from Ming. Without repleniching and perfecting of Ming the true
spiritual work is impossible.
Qi is inherently inseparable from the Shen (the spirit). If qi ever comes apart from shen, there will
be an instant death. So while the person is alive they are inseparable. (This refers to the out of body
experiences of the spirit when qi remains in the body)
The author © Dmitry A. Artemyev
Notes:
* While the character reads qi in the both first and the second example, it refers to a different
energy. Doctors know only the post heaven energy - houtian, while Taoists practise with pre-heaven
one - xiantian... Therefore, doctors don not understand what is contained in the kidneys, mistakenly

writing 元氣. Ming and the primordial qi (the Taoist one) are the same.
Xiantian – pre-heaven, given before birth and can’t be changed in the direction of the increasing by
the ordinary man. Houtian – post heaven, the energy that "feeds" a man after the birth: food, water,
air, external qi ... a lot of things, but the main thing is that it can’t replace the pre-heaven energy...
Ming is not located exactly in the kidneys but is closely tied to them, as the system of the kidneys is
a a part of a reproducing- discharging system of the human body, so the kidneys spend their energy
directly for the purpose of reproducing...

The Great Tao Golden Elixir School

of Wu Chung-Xu – Liu Hua-yang
“The methods of elixir of Wu Chung-Xu and Liu Hua-yang school
are reunited advantages of all schools, which
have been passed through centuries”
The Teacher of Single Yang
"Wu Chung-Xu – Liu Hua-yang school is named after two Teachers-founders: the founder in 8
generation of Teaching of Perfect Truth Dragon Gate Taoism – Wu Chung-Xu, and the Ch'an guru
Liu Hua-yang. This School of the elixir (alchemy) adheres to the double perfection of xin nature
and destiny ming, belongs to the method of Heaven primordial.
Perfect man Wu Chung-xu (Shou-yang) was initially from the Dragon Gate Perfect Truth school
(LongMenPai) of 7 generations: Wang Qunyang and Qao-Huan yang, and the Teacher of Lee
Niwang. And the Teacher Liu Hua-yang - is a devoted student of the perfect man Wu Chung-xu.
The WuLiuPai school adheres to perfection of jing, primordial energy qi and the spirit shen, and the

transition-changes relation between them. The school’s principles are: 练精化炁 (melting the
essence jing to pre-heaven qi), 练炁化神 (melting pre-heaven qi to spirit-shen), 练神化虚

(melting spirit-shen to the emptiness), 练虚合道 (melting of emptiness and unity to the Tao),
consideration of pre-heaven q and spirit-shen as the base completely permeates all methods.
In the methods of the School WuLiu is not only collected all the best from many schools of Taoism,
but it also includes the doctrines of Buddhism and Confucianism.

The Head of The School Wu Chung-Xu has explained in detail the general principles of different
teachings in his book "Common Teachings of Immortals and Buddhas", the truth of “the 3 teachings

returning to their unity". Methods of WuLiuPai School took the major Buddhist works such as “ 金

刚经 ” , “ 楞 严 经 ” , “ 华严经 ” and others, combined them with the works of perfect

people in each school of Taoism, fused it into a single system, created the original School Dragon
gate Teaching of Perfect Truth of Taoism. So the WuLiuPai School does not fully belong to Dragon
Gates school now.
Ch’an guru Liu Hua-yang first was a Buddhist monk, after that he rejected the monastic life and
started to follow the teachings of the Tao, he underwent a ritual of initiation into students in the
School of the true man Wu Chung-Xu, having received his instructions and made practical and
theoretical investigations and testified the identity of the methods of early Buddhism and the
methods of heaven small circle in Taoism.
After that, both looked into thoroughly and understood, he wrote the famous work "Book of

Understanding Life" 慧命经 and "Confirmatory Teachings of Golden Immortals” 金仙证

论 (jin from Huayanjin and indestructible body jingan indicate the level of shenxian). The books
of School fully include the works of Wu Chung-Xu and Liu Hua-yang, in which are written the
most important works of the Northern school of alchemy (the dual perfection of nature and destiny),
Southern, Eastern and Western schools of alchemy, as well as school of Zhang Xanfeng and Middle
School.
In addition to works of "True Principles of Heavenly Immortality", "Common Teachings of

Immortals and Buddhas", "Book of Understanding Life" 慧命经 , "Confirmatory Teachings of

Golden Immortals” 金仙证论 school WuLiu also includes: 八脉经 "Tractate of the eight
channels" by the perfect man Zhang Ziyang (Zhang Boduan) - Southern school, 后天串述
"Coherent description of post-heaven" and 涵虚调息法 "Hanxui methods of control

breathing” by Lee Hanxui, 潜虚翁调息法 "Qian Xuiwen methods of control breathing" by

perfect man Lou Xixin 陆西星 , and "Xanfeng methods of control breathing" by perfect man
Zhang Xanfeng. So many teachings of Taoist schools of alchemy were connected into a coherent
whole. Summing up, it posits that in fact the great Tao of alchemy (golden elixir) in all cases is
identical to one method.
If we talk about our transmission, the WuLiuPai school, continuing the tradition of the Dragon Gate
Perfect Truth school (LongMenPai) has collected best practices of all methods of alchemy, Buddhist
methods of practice, other methods of practicing Taoist schools, and joined all them into a single
system. Thus our school forms the WuLiuPai school, separate from the LongMenPai. Since the
establishment of the school have passed more than 400 years, it has received extensive development
and continues unabated. And still its foundation is strong, and successes are numerous, the number
of Tao practitioners in our school is large.
The mastery of school posits that the main is perfection of the man, perfecting primordial jing, qi
and shen, thereby achieving longevity and health. Our school belongs to the direction of "pure
perfection" (i.e., single person), dual perfection of nature and destiny (soul and energy), but in fact
it kept all the 3 primordial elixir methods (i.e. single, pair perfection and external alchemy), but is
most evidently manifests the method of heavenly primordial perfection (single person perfection).
Starting practice of the school WuLiuPai primarily uses mobilization of mechanism of pre-heaven
qi inside him, circulation of it in 14 channels of his own body, then spreads it in every part of the
body, making his own zhenqi go to 4 limbs and all the bones of the skeleton, achieving regulation of
yin-yang of his own body, exactly what is described as the passage channels of Chinese medicine
and regulation of the physiological balance of Western medicine. Thus this leads to health, if man
has diseases then it is cured, in the absence of disease – health improvement, prolongation of life
and longevity is achieved.
Main goal of WuLiuPai School - a way of perfection and confirmation by your own experience of
becoming a Buddha and Immortal, it is the result of perfection in the practice of our School Wu
Chung-Xu – Liu Hua-yang. In the process of perfection many people achieved results and
completed the Tao, so Wu Chung-Xu – Liu Hua-yang School is a staircase of shortest way for
perfection in the Tao.
Teacher of Single Yang Translated by Dmitry A. Artemyev

he basic practice of the Taoist alchemy- JIUYANGSHENGONG

(Nine Yang Magic Power)

JIUYANGSHENGONG (Chinese: 九阳神功 , short: JYASHG, translation- the Wonderful

Work of the Nine Yang, or Nine Yang Magic Power) –this is the initial work. Methods of perfection
of alchemy school is mainly divided into the initial work on laying the foundation, the main work
on laying the foundation, remelting of jing essence into qi of the previous heaven, remelting of the
previous heaven qi into shen-spirit, remelting of shen-spirit into the emptiness, together with
remelting of the emptiness and merging with the Tao - these are several large sequential levels. But
the most important are is the initial work on laying the foundation, the main work on laying down
the foundation. Let me ask a question: is it possible to construct a building without having built a
foundation? Only after a solid foundation has been laid, it is possible to improve further levels of
skills.
If a body is sick and no longer young, in the first place it is needed to heal the diseases, then
strengthen and revitalize the body (at stage JIUYANGSHENGONG) and to fill already squandered
yuan-jing (during Zhushougun). Only this is the true way, there are no sick deities.
九阳 神功 (JYASHG) is precisely the method of work on treatment for diseases and improvements of
a body, it regulates the yin-yang and drives the arisen harmony imbalance. 九 阳 神功 (JYASHG) at
first glance resembles spontaneous qigong ( Qizyfadungun ), but actually it is completely different.
九阳 神功 (JYASHG) does not use the consciousness, as soon as movements come to an end, the
other movement develops quickly afterwards, this is mobilization of primordal qi of own organism,
therefore it is absolutely safe to practice and is impossible to cause deviations. The movement
develops by itself and completes by itself, and in case of external interference it’s possible to
quickly finish it yourself.Where practitioners have illnesses, there is a barrier to blood flow and qi
and own true-qi (chzen-qi) naturally goes there for liquidation of such barrier. As soon as passage of
barrier has been restored, the channels and organs will start to function normally and the illness will
disappear by itself. With respect to those who have lost regulation of physiological functions, the
treatment will occur even more quickly. As soon as the qu mechanism of movement of the previous
heaven commences, the state of imbalance of the physiological functions will immediately acquire
the adjustment, and after the work is completed the practitioners will feel multiple improvements of
health and comfort and what has been tested by centuries-old experience.
JIUYANGSHENGONG forces the practitioners to uncover hidden capabilities and use them for
regulation and also strengthens the immunity to infections. Once the mechanism of primordial qi
has moved, yin and yang are born immediately. Yin fills the Sheng-spirit , Yang fills the kidney, and
such true qi (Zhenqi) cleans the channels of the body and in the process of flowing through own
body, cleans and opens each of cavity. The sick get recovered. Therefore JIUYANGSHENGONG
possesses abilities of partial refill of kidneys and brain recovery. Many practitioners have testified
that JIUYANGSHENGONG training can develop mental faculties and raise abilities of
understanding and memory.
The principle mechanism JIUYANGSHENGONG is an application of each of the nine methods , in
order to set in motion the mechanism of primordial qi, turning into Zhenqi the original qi of the
previous heaven moves in the body, while regulating yin yang, opens blocked cavities when it
passes through the barriers, the practitioners feel spontaneous movements, and this , in essence, is
the mechanism of primordial qi when the flow though the body finishes, the mechanism of
primordial qi immediately returns to the preservation in dantyan, the movements will stop.
The elderly people have relatively weak true chi – Zhenqi, their movements are minor and soft.
Young people have strong Zhenqi, their movements are extensive. The amplitude of movements,
their strength or weakness, the parts of the body – they all have a close relationship with
practicioners’ health, their gender, etc. Some primarily treat the diseases, some show various
military positions of Martial arts (Wu-shu), the force of sensations in the practitioner's qi also
depends on the person. The development of movement and finishing practice
JIUYANGSHENGONG - all of them are spontaneous (automatic), the human intent should not be a
factor-element, otherwise the best result will not be able to achieved.
Implementation of initial work on laying and building the foundation– JIUYANGSHENGONG has
(9) consecutive levels, each level in itself has a wonderful unlimited use, the effect of each of them
varies, the practitioners can independently feel (them) and clear if levels are actually practiced one
after another, the skill level will also gradually increase.
From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang
Translated by Dmitry A. Artemyev

Features of JIUYANGSHENGONG
JIUYANGSHENGONG 九阳神功 has the following features:

1. “Great Tao is very simple and easy” and the method of JIUYANGSHENGONG corresponds to
this principle. The methods are extremely simple, there are only a few movements, it’s easy to study
and practise them. The beginners are acquiring immediate and tangible results, during 10 minutes,
it’s possible to acquire a physical sensation of post-heaven qi, an immediate experience of
activation of the mechanism of the pre-heaven qi, the emergence of spontaneous movements that
cause self-regulation of the body. In case of diseases, in obstructed areas of the body’s channels
the primordial pre-heaven qi removes them, achieving an effect of curing diseases and their
prevention.
After the finishing exercises people feel themselves many times better. Especially the ones, who has
achieved the spontaneous movements. (trans. note – the principle “Great Tao is very simple and
easy” points out the difference between the true methods of central core of Taoism – the neidan
alchemy and all other secondary schools. Neidan deals with the mechanism of pre-heaven qi
starting with the most basic methods that is why the methods are easy and simole and the results
appear quickly.
In contrast with alchemy, the daoyin methods (the modern qigong, fasting, diets, etc. – there are
several thousands of such methods in Taoism and the ancient sages spoke of them as : “ 任他三千

六百旁门九十六种外道法力变幻总于存理养炁 尽性了命之大道不同 – «The

effectiveness of all other 3600 minor schools and 96 types of external ways is illusory, and they are
absolutely not identical with the Great Tao, which contains the principles of nurturing of pre-heaven
qi, the fulfillment of nature (xing) and completion of destiny (ming)”) have no access to the
primordial energies of the body, also those methods are quite difficult and require a lot of time for
everyday practice. The effect of such exercises (such as pile standing – zhuanggun or sitting
meditation jingzuo) is unstable and requires the regular maintenance and in case of even brief
breaking off the result disappears fast. More details of this basic difference between the true Taoist
schools and their widespread imitations you may find in the “Wuzhen pian” tractate – «The chapters
of insight in the Truth» of Zhang Boduan translated by E.A. Torchinov.
2. This method has no special requirements for the place of practice, you can practice it in a small
space. You can do it at your work place and in small rooms such as bedrooms, kitchen, etc. No need
to go outside, look for a suitable park or find the best environment. Thus it is possible to avoid the
winter cold, lingering rain and other harmful effects of the weather to the practitioners.
3. This method has no special requirements for training time; you can practice at any time of day.
If conditions permit, if you can make a habit to practice at hours of Yin (3-5 am) and You (17-19
pm), or Zi (23 pm-1 am) and Wu (11 am-1 pm), then you can achieve the best results.
(trans. note - at the calculation of time for your environment you should take into account the
summer time, and the local time's difference with Moscow, that is do your practice in accordance
with the solar time).
4. It’s needed a relatively short period of time to practice and the method of finishing the exercise
is very easy. Under normal circumstances, the finishing is done automatically (transl. note: i.e. the
energy returns itself after passing through the phase of effect on the body). However, under strong
distractions and disturbing factors when it is necessary to finish the practice (trans. note: i.e. due to
disturbances the mechanism of energy can’t spontaneously complete the exercise) the practitioners
can complete it on purpose at any time, using the methods of regulating the mechanism of
primordial pre-heaven qi. Thus, there are no bad consequences, so this method is completely
unaffected by disturbances and external influences and occurrence of deviations due to disturbing
factors are impossible. In case of this type situation, you can instantly guide the mechanism of
primordial qi, returning it to dantian for keeping.
(Trans. note: If the primordial energy is propagated over the body and at this moment the strong
external factors such as loud noise from the neighbors, music, etc. begin to impact, then it will
affect the energy and it will become disharmonious and it affects the health and well-being of
practitioner. To avoid such influence there is a special method to complete the practice).
5. This method is extremely safe, during the long history there have been no cases of deviations in
the practice, moreover it can’t in principle lead to a well-known deviation in the practice of qigong,
known as 走火入魔 «walking fire and falling into madness" (transl. note: This deviation often
occurs as a result of _ practice of modern systems of qigong. It is characterized by disturbance of
normal energy circulating, which leads to the sensation of heat and movement of fire throughout the
body. Most practitioners do not know the nature of the deviation, and delightedly accept such
sensations as a sign of progress in practice and of the increasing energy. Then the brain, overloaded
by disharmonious qi, begins to give all kinds of hallucinations and visions - "Tigers", "Dragons",
"Shambala", "other worlds", "out of the body experiences”, that leads the sick person to an even
greater ecstasy. The most common result of this "progress" is some form of madness. In China,
there are special clinics for these people. In Russia, there are cases of such madness from the
practice of qigong.)
In contrast to the systems of qigong, JIUYANGSHENGONG is a fully self-regulating mechanism
of the pre-heaven qi, where the yuan qi passes through certain channels of the body automatically; it
does not use the regulation of qi by consciousness, conducting of qi through the channels, the
concentration of consciousness at the centers of the body and other methods of working with post
heaven qi that lead_ to such deviations. Being the quintessential heritage of ancient sages, it is
absolutely safe for practice. Even under the most rugged conditions the abnormalities can’t emerge.
Moreover, you can then practice with open eyes, talk and do anything, work and watch TV. In any
place, any weather and climate this ancient alchemical base allows you to practice and therefore
does not require special conditions.
6. The mechanism of action of the primordial pre-heaven qi of this method creates a circulation on
the self-revealed true route and it can correct other deviations of abnormal circulation. Moreover, if
practitioners of other methods have the problems of chaotic circulation of qi, then they can return to
the true circulation, using this method. If, using this method, one can actuate the mechanism of
action the pre-heaven qi, the more corrections do not need. JIUYANGSHENGONG can be
combined with the base of any other methods, thereby contributing to the growth of skills of the
practitioners. (Note of transl. The systems of qigong, Taiji, and any other methods of perfection if
they do not contain the mechanism of regulation of yuan qi (In modern China, for example, only
some of the school kept the alchemical methods of regulation, others have long operated in the
mode of work with post heaven qi. But we have found remaining school of Taiji, Xinyiquan,
Baguazhang, Tongbeiquan and some more ...) may contain the danger of deviations. Also the
person’s schedule of practice plays the role. The experiments of false teachers are even more
dangerous, they are inventing the exercise sets and methods of internal work in their own mind, or
from books, articles, etc. In such cases, the deviations are inevitable. JIUYANG SHENGONG can
help people already affected by the false methods, and speed up the process of achieving mastery in
combination with other methods.)
Regardless of what techniques were practiced earlier, in the case of JIUYANGSHENGONG
practice, the deviations will be immediately removed. The phenomenon of conflict between the
methods doesn’t arise, that will lead to improving the health and arising of intellectual abilities,
wisdom, and, moreover, it’s impossible to get the extreme deviation of qigong, described above and
known as "going to fire and falling into madness”.
7. This method automatically detects and removes the areas of disease. During practice people
may face the spontaneous movements of the great difficulty, or those which the ordinary man in the
usual state doesn’t perform easily, they are gave rise by the manifestation of the primordial pre-
heaven qi and appear because of need to regulate the organism of the practitioner. Very often people
can’t understand the cause of such movements. Some of them cure the disease, some have lead to
increased skills and mastery. All these manifestations are a good sign, you just need to allow them
to occur naturally, but you must not make them artificially.
8. JIUYANGSHENGONG can make one to manifest some abilities. People, who practice often,
reveal such manifestations as the inner vision (transl. note - The ability to see organs and systems of
the organism, the currents of energy and blood, etc.) the penetrating vision (transl. note - The ability
to see through objects, walls, etc .), the distance vision (transl. note - the ability to see over great
distances, such as other countries, cities, until the planets and other space objects), or during the
practice they see wonderful events, hear pleasant sounds or music, etc. No need to pay attention to it
let it happen by itself, all this is a sign of the growing skill. Do not think about it, do not "rejoice in
the appearing of any ability or do any attempt to avoid their extinction". Because the purpose of our
practice is basically a health improvement and longevity, but these phenomena are not related to
health and longevity. Do not get attached to internal or an external ones, you should not seek such
phenomena, if they disappear, then it is fine.
(transl. note: In modern false teachings it can often be seen that the leaders of them offer people for
a fee a "third eye", "third ear" and other "extra body parts". However, in a genuine ancient systems,
it was simply impossible, because the appearance of those or other abilities are not so much brought
about by the desire to "open" it but are the natural result of the practice. So JIUYANGSHENGONG
although leads to the appearance of such abilities, but it has different goal – the health and
longevity. Although such manifestations indicate the increasing of the mastery, one should not seek
them. Moreover do not try to develop them and keep. Such a desire will inevitably lead to strong
deviations. Therefore, disciples should consider these abilities as "flowers on the roadside and they
should not stop". The next stages after this method clearly set out at what stage manifests any
abilities, and why, but it is also rather a consequence of the practice, rather than its purpose. It is
clear now that the methods of "opening the eyes and ears by hands of skillful persons" have nothing
to do with ancient traditions and lead to greater problems with both health and psyche.
9. This method focuses on self-perfection and self-curing diseases, you should not be lazy, you
should work hard and constantly and in the end there will be achieved excellent results. To earn and
support yourself - is the best, you should not spend the days, living by alms and give-aways - this is
the truth.
(Transl. note: Taoist alchemical system, where people must be extremely active in practice,
automatically maps this model to the social life. That is, a person must "rely only on their own
strength"(a slogan of Deng Xiaoping), in practice and in social life. That does not mean the absence
of cooperation. On the contrary, only the cooperation of people who, already having the self
reliance, gives birth to true achievements. You may clarify the validity of this model for yourself by
very simple way - just go to China and clearly see that Russia, who is entangled in loans is left
behind by her "younger brother", who was a beggar in the past both in terms of economy, and more
so in terms of ideology.)
10. In the method of JIUYANGSHENGONG as soon as the development of movement has
occurred, the primordial qi is transformed into jing and fills the brain and kidneys. As a
consequence, the phenomenon of "returning from old age to young age" appears. But after the
movements develop, by activating the mechanism of pre-heaven qi, at once it becomes possible to
produce an external pre-heaven qi (transl. note: pre-heaven qi can go outside), and thus you can
cure diseases of other people. However, our school does not focus on the curing the other people
and in the case of manifestation of this ability the best is to leave them for yourself, do not show
them, otherwise it will be lost and you will harm yourself.
(transl. note: Taoist doctrine of immortality insists on necessity of self-perfection of every person,
so the methods of passive healing of a consumer are not advised, and indeed, how can be cured
those whose lifestyle causes the diseases and who does not make efforts to improve themselves? No
one of the Taoists, no one of immortal will not hoist a limp hiccupping consumer onto his back,
trying to carry him to the top of self-perfection. Only through their own efforts you can change your
life and destiny. The expressions in the alchemy such as "My destiny in myself and not in heaven"
and especially "When the great medicine is inside the abdomen, only then the man will finally
realize that his destiny does not come from heaven" are popular. Lao Zi said the same: "Heaven and
Earth think about the person as of a stuffed dog”, i.e. destiny, despite the different sources,
ultimately depends on perfecting the person).
11. All people, practicing this method, depart from the same source, so there is an effect of
multiplication of the abilities. Training together with several other people significantly increases the
unity and the effect of exercises that leads to quicker and powerful results (Transl. note: Just
JIUYANGSHENGONG does not contain restrictions on the numbers of practitioners, allowing to
achieve better results in large groups. However, beginning with the next stage of alchemy, it
becomes impossible, and studying becomes individual, as well as in very small groups).
The practitioners of JIUYANGSHENGONG, who had got the ability of diagnosing the diseases,
curing them or finding objects at large distances! I hope that you will get them, but will not abuse
their use. Using them would be harmful to your progress in practice and health!
12. Collective training of JIUYANGSHENGONG gives a much greater effect than individual
training, in the case of group practice the effect is faster, the results of such practices are usually
better. If conditions in a locality are not suitable for practice, through ongoing group training, you
can change these conditions. Even the places with very poor or the weak field of qi through such
practices can be transformed into a very good ones, with a strong and healthy energy field. Training
of this method allows you to change the environment.
13. Taking and propagation of external qi at this method is easy and free, and one can take the
external qi inside and emit out outside the inner qi. (Transl. note: It means that many other methods
limit the using of internal or external qi for closing the structures of the body, the so-called
"blocking" qi. In this case, any actions for the transfer or emission of qi are allowed).
14. The practitioners of JIUYANGSHENGONG not only get the ability to transfer distantly the
energy and information to each other , develop skills of interaction with each other in the perfection
of abilities, but in addition they obtain what is called the ability of "inoculating", namely,
somebody who reached high mastery can give the lagging people energies and skills. It usually
takes place at a very early stage of practice and in the case of collective training gives the many
times intense effect.
15. JIUYANGSHENGONG can change a person's character and improve the quality of his
energy. Unsociable people become more sociable, people with a bad temper become gentler and
kinder, more pliant and lively. (Transl. note. In this case JIUYANGSHENGONG is referred to, at
other stages of the alchemy the nature of the changes follows the perfection and at some point
becomes very specific).
16. It is only required from the practitioners to stronger root in the intention to have a good _
virtue, which sometimes may lead to a happy destiny of our meeting. Of course it can also happen
unexpectedly. (Transl. note. This appeal is addressed to those who one way or another will find this
book. It is not a guarantee of the meeting, but the regular persistent practice eventually could lead to
it. You shouldn’t understand by Chinese Te not exactly something how we the westerners
understand our morality. More on this will be in forthcoming commentary on Daodejing).
JIUYANGSHENGONG has 16 features mentioned above, fast or slow progress in the practice
depends on the deeds and their results (transl. note. This is a phrase translated as "karma", "causal
relation", but it is applying to the present life, rather than to the past), in the case of good deeds and
acts the progress will be more rapid, otherwise a good result couldn’t be obtained. The high moral
qualities and pure thoughts affect the destiny of penetration into the Taoist alchemy, from ancient
times the alchemy is not passed on the people without virtue.
"The initial collection of Single yang", "2 origins change life” ... and so on to 9 level - are
JIUYANGSHENGONG stages, the results of each level are different, but the basis is a first exercise
– “the initial collection of Single yang”, after taking them you can advance step by step. Although
each of the levels of JIUYANGSHENGONG is independent, but between them there is some
relationship, so in any case they should not be randomly mixed together, otherwise it will lead to
bad results. Only after a workout of one exercise, you can train the next. For example, practicing the
first level, you can’t train the second. They should be practiced separately. At least wait not less
than an hour and you can practice the second level, or the third level.
From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang
Translated and comments by Dmitry A. Artemyev

Recently there is widespread opinion that Taoism, alchemy and qigong are the same. This is a
delusion. Qigong is nothing but degenerated part of Taoist alchemy, which greatly distorted
the true principles of his ancestor. Here I'm not talking about certain kinds of qigong, such as
Buddhist, which also influenced the alchemy and qigong.
Xuanzhenzi asked: "It is that for the first time we join the Secret Teaching and don’t yet
understand very much the difference between qigong and Taoist alchemy and I ask the Teacher to
tell me and other followers about it."
The Teacher of Single Yang said: "From the ancient time till the present day at Taoist alchemy a
transmission of Teacher has always been, (what is called) an oral admonition and heart-to-heart
transmission. And it was very strictly closed and secret. In the process of reaching perfection a
strict detailed sequence exists (steps of perfection) and if you advance at the practice step by step in
accordance with the oral admonition of the true Teacher, then after mastering each stage the true
sign of (successful mastery of this stage) will always manifest. Everyone practicing alchemy can
know these signs from their own experience. There is "a medicinal substance Yao, an oven and a
tripod Lu Ting, the periods of Fire Hohou” at production of the elixir. There are "construction of
foundation Zhuji and perfecting themselves Lyani, collecting Cai, sealing Feng, boiling Penglyan,
warm nurturing Wenyan, bathing-ablution Muyouyi, foetus breathing Taixi, formation Jiedan of the
elixir, returning of elixir Huandan, coming out of the baby Chu Yiner, 3 years of breastfeeding
Sanyanian buzhu, 9 years of turning toward the wall Junian myanbi, soaring and transformation to
immortal Yuhuachengxian" and other stages.
Qui Xifan said: "True Water is inside Water; True Fire is inside Fire, if Fire and Water are
connected, you will never get old”. “Water has the ability to flow down; Fire has the ability to flame
up. You can experience it in the body."
After the All-Wise will make a Basis of the elixir Danmu (this is precisely the True Sperm), then in
the body a True Water stream naturally arises and it becomes possible to verify the words of Mr.
Qui. This True Water rises through the channel Dumai, passes Nivan, reaches Magpie Bridge, gets
down to the Many-tier Tower and through the channel Renmai directly sinks into the lower dantian.
This stream through two channels, Ren and Du is called an alchemical Heaven of small circle. And
this is always happened in such a way with to each man who was melting the elixir and perfecting
the Tao, it has a scientific repeatability.
On the other hand in Qigong there is not anything, of what can be called " a medicinal substance
Yao, oven and a tripod Lu Ting, periods of Fire Hohou" and in the flow through two channels, Ren
and Du only the movement of qi is present, there is no True Water, True Sperm and moreover it is
meaningless to talk about production of elixir. Also in qigong every practitioner is guided only by
their own subjective experience of feeling the flow of qi in the small heaven circle, and each of
them has different reactions in the body. There is no repeatability.
“If there is no true sperm in the tripod (Fu), that is like to boil empty kettle (Cheng) using water and
fire". This is the best apt expression in relation to the exercises of Qigong in the performance of the
rotation around the circle of heaven. Without Water flowing and without the True Sperm to realize a
small circle of heaven - to use a feeling of qi is like using a fire to burn under an empty pot (Go).
Then you can’t escape a burn-out. This circle of heaven of qigong uses the mobilization-release
potential (qiannen) of body and produces wastes (xunhao). It's just like to speed up a car with the
brakes on. The faster it will go, the more damage there will be, but it will give no benefits. Similar
to this, the rotation of the circle of heaven does not do any good. The above shows the difference
between a small circle in alchemy and qigong.
The ways of Alchemy and Qigong have very many differences, but the most fundamental difference
is that alchemy is the process of reverse perfection, while qigong – is a process of onward
perfection. Perfecting the way of alchemy is collection of primordial pre-heaven jing, thereby
fulfilling the lost post-heaven jing, restoring the destroyed body, adding oil (tianyu) and prolonging
destiny (zeming). The primordial jing is collected for melting and transforming it into qi; using the
primordial qi make melting qi and transforming it into shen, then moving farther and melting shen
and returning to Emptiness; by melting Emptiness completing Tao. All this leads to the fact that the
men who perfect themselves overcome the old age and return to youth, and realizing the reverse
perfection become the All-wise. But qigong, by contrast, is unable to collect the primordial jing, and
therefore there is no way of reverse perfection; it only possible that a man slightly decreases the
loss (continually ongoing), slow decreasing of post-heaven jing, whereby regulating the physiology
of their body, achieving the effect of escape from diseases and a small extension of life.
Most importantly, the way of alchemy increases the primordial jing, qi and shen of the human body,
as opposed to qigong, which can only follow the law of nature, whereby the human body always
follows the order of creation and destruction (death). Any qigong is just an accessory method in the
preparatory phase of Taoist alchemy and any kind of qigong can’t go beyond the preparatory stage
of the elixir way.
From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang Translated by Dmitry A. Artemyev
Most modern methods of practice rely on a meditation as a method of "enlightenment". The
following text is an excerpt about meditation from the book of the Teacher of Single Yang.
"In the world there is a kind of method of practicing «alchemy» in the form of sitting silently,
muttering the spells or prayers or their own various practices of sitting. Practitioners of them
completely don’t understand that it is absolutely useless and does not lead to any result. This sitting
(meditation) is called «枯禪 » - a withering contemplation, withered Chan. In the Taoism is often
said that "the movement causes Yang" and "the immobility causes Yin", "pure Yang is a Xian
(immortal)", "pure Yin is a Gui (a devil, a ghost).” If you sit in Dazuo (a sitting practice in the lotus
or a cross-legged practice, a meditation), it is a false calmness, “Yin is caused” by the continuation
of this process, and the longer the sitting will last, the paler and the flabbier the face will become
and the more worse the health and condition of body will be. Then the Yang jing cannot be retained
in the body and will be scattered outside.
The seeker of the spiritual practice! First think about an amount of the jing you have, so you're not
afraid to exhaust it by sitting, to die even without knowing that it will happen from your practice,
unknowingly destroy your soul by an unreasonable predilection of a profane teaching? If this
happens, it will be truly sad!
Our ancient school of Taoist alchemy of Wu Chung-xu and Liu Hua-yang categorically forbids
students to practice the sitting dazuo (meditation) at the early stages of practice; those who talk
about the sitting dazuo and mystifies the people's, is better for these people to go faster to practice
dazuo themselves! The true alchemy does not include it. Because the dazuo can not, principle,
produce any results, and it is used only as a secondary work and only at the final stages of practice.
The sitting datzuo can only be used for recuperation but never as the main method. (As a medicinal
method the sitting can be used for those who have problems with hypotension of the heart and
hyperemia, but not too long sitting).
I have a personal disciple, who has been practicing the long sittings of schools Chan and Mizun. He
was very persistent and hard worked and brought himself to almost absolute exhaustion of jing. His
face blackened, his ears were covered with the dry crust, and then the sperm has started to leak out
of his body. After each sitting an abundant leakage of sperm begun from his body and the Ming in
his body was rapidly emptying.
Only by intensive practice of our School of Taoist alchemy he succeeded in avoiding the death.
Therefore, the true alchemy school does not teach the sitting dazuo, the followers of Wu Chung-xu
and Liu Hua-yang do not practice it.
Remember: the sitting gives rise to yin, and yin leads to the death.
From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang
Translated by Dmitry A. Artemyev

First of all it is necessary to try to understand that the Chinese culture has it’s own
representations, sometimes radically opposed to the concepts of other cultures. Taoism, and
especially alchemy of immortality in Chinese traditions are well-known everywhere, however,
I shall dare to say that they have not been perused at all.
Especially it concerns the most ancient stratum of Taoism and so-called the doctrine of shenxian’s
(the teaching of shengxian's (taoists, taoists saints)). It’s not surprising because it’s wide-spread
even in China. So the achievement of immortality is not a desire to leave the memory about oneself
to descendants and not a desire to live on earth forever (and physical immortality and longevity,
although considered realistically achievable, but have never been the supreme goal of Taoism), it’s
realization of the supreme freedom which lives in every man, although he usually doesn’t know
about it. This is described very well in Zhang Bo-duan’s “Chapters of Understanding Truth”. Thus,
Taoism is not a philosophy or religion but the Way of Freedom. Of course it’s very difficult to find
the essence of Taoism among temporary accretions and distortions, but even nowadays there are
people in China who keep that most ancient tradition of Taoism.

Taoist alchemy is the Doctrine about finding THE UNITY. And it is not about physical or life
consciousness (as they understand the spirit), but the achievement of the particular state which is the
Highest Possible Human Achievement In the Realm of Spirit. The purpose of Immortality in Taoist
alchemy is more aimed at the spiritual immortality rather than the physical immortality. In practice
there are certain stages which are characterized not by phenomenon of qigong but by physiological
changes and transformations (notably 人 仙, 地 仙, 神仙, 天仙, 金 仙 and some others). Not
all schools of Taoism call the same levels with identical names. It’s important to emphasize that the
Chinese Spirit has nothing to do with the concept of consciousness which is expressed in hieroglyph
神.

As is known, in past the Alchemy was known as NEIDAN and WAIDAN (which is usually
translated as the internal and the external alchemy). The DAN hieroglyph denotes a crucible in
which the melting occurs. However, only few people know (and Taoists insist on this) that this
doctrine existed from time immemorial and is known in China since at least Huangdi. This teaching
is called HuangLaoSyue – i.e. teaching Huangdi - Laozi. This doctrine has also other names. And
the terms NEIDAN and WAIDAN appeared much later, at the beginning of our era. Actually,
alchemy can only be named WAIDAN as the doctrine of external melted elixir. The internal
alchemy (which in science is considered as derivative from external one) had higher and ancient
status in tradition. They call it Alchemy because of more accustomed standards rather than meaning.
Let's stop on the classification in more detail:

1. Phantom-immortal or ghost-immortal - Gui Xian ( 鬼仙 )

Gui Xian. Literally - the immortal among devils or the immortal devil. It was believed that this
achievement is a characteristic of shamanic practices, the late Chan Buddhism, the pseudo-Taoism,
different meditations. Withdrawal of Yin spirit in a state of no breath and palpitation. The
practitioner remains mortal, despite the practice of spirit withdrawal and possible capabilities.
Moreover, he may not be reborn after his death and stay a ghost forever. This was not practiced in
Taoism, it was forbidden (meaning the serious study, not just jingzuo).

2. Human immortal or immortal among people – Ren Xian ( 人仙 )

Actually – one is not immortal. Moreover, each man in his life passes through this period. This is
the age of majority, the peak of the blossoming physiology. During this period people have
especially sublime state (in a sense of fullness, activeness). If to start practicing alchemy in this
period, it will be possible to quickly complete the second stage - the Earth immortal. If the time has
passed and the energy dissipated, the old age and infirmity had come, it is necessary to return the
body to this stage of physiology. Otherwise, it’s impossible to move on. Thus we see that this still is
not immortality, but only achievement a high fullness of the primordial energy, ie Ming.

3. Earth immortal – De Xian ( 地仙 )

This is something that everyone understands as immortality - the immortality of living of physical
body on Earth. Although such body can exist indefinitely on Earth, it can be destroyed by external
destruction. Therefore, even this achievement was not considered high and all practitioners were
seeking to rise further, considering it only as an intermediate stage. It is necessary to add that this
achievement - is the ultimate goal of the external alchemy.
However, in the previous phase and at this stage it is possible to perfect various qualities of your
level, although it’s not the main way but the side paths. At this stage Ming merges with Xing in a
one whole which is why the immortality is possible. Here is comes some similarity to the
thermonuclear eternal engine in the body amidst Earth conditions. That’s why there are such
capabilities.
From this stage the achievements are irreversible in a way of returning transformation (the
exception is the phase of Jen Xian where it’s easy to become an ordinary person again after having
wasted Ming). But if due to external conditions or because of the body destruction the practice is
not completed, it may be needed to revert to the previous level.

4. Spiritual immortal – Shen Xian ( 神仙 )

Spiritual fetus - Yanshen goes out of a human head (is born in the spiritual world) but it still needs
to be educated and developed. That looks like a mother (body) takes care of her child (spirit). After
its strengthening and implementation of this phase this spirit can move anywhere in the Universe -
primarily to understand its structure and subsequently for execution of spiritual work. It’s
impossible to kill it, it’s immortal. But there’s still a body which requires attention. At a certain
stage of its development the yang spirit Yanshen gets the opportunity to divide, reproducing the
same doubles. Their number gradually can grow to a huge multiple. They can do various spiritual
works in different worlds. That is when the complete understanding of the Universe laws and the
sense of the further development come. If a practitioner wishes, this phase can be stretched to a very
long time. For example, it is possible to sit in a cave for a millennium and to practice in spiritual
bodies.

5. Heaven immortal – Tian Xian ( 天仙 )

Let me remind you that even the previous stage can be stretched on endlessly. But the immortal
spirit still has not- transformed body. Therefore there remains the possibility of realization of the
highest stage which is possible on Earth according to alchemy - the transformation of this body in
the body of light. This is the most difficult task because it requires about 9 -10 years of immobility.
It should be provided either by faithful pupils and adherents, The Teacher, or by concealment by
having immured in a cave according to certain rules. After its implementation the body and the
spirit merge together in the "body" of light and when the achiever leaves the world nothing is left
(except for remaining things as in case of with Bodhidharma’s shoe). If due to some reasons the
practitioner does not reach the highest stage, he may either himself at his will or under certain
circumstances "get rid of the corpse." Depending of the achieved level his left body may not be
susceptible to decay but self-mummify or even burn from the inner fire.
This scheme is based on the study of tracts on the one hand and precepts of the Teacher on the other.
The author © Dmitry A. Artemyev

Dialogue between two Immortals, located in a part Daotszan "洞真 ".

Treatise 钟 吕传 道 集 - "The collection of Quan Zhongli and Lu Dongbin about the transfer of the Tao"
Translated by Dmitry A. Artemyev

Lui Dongbin asked: When people die, they become ghosts (a devil, a ghost), when they complete
the Tao - become immortals. But an immortal is a concept, how does becoming immortal help to
reach the heaven?
Zhongli Quan said: If people want to avoid the endless rebirths, not to born in the lower bodies, to
experience for themselves that there could be no diseases, old age, death and misery, then they
should rely on heaven and earth, resting upon yin embrace yang and fulfill humanity. People should
not become the ghosts, but being a man they should perfect immortality, and become immortal to
reach Heaven!
Zhongli Quan said: The immortal is not a one concept. Pure yin without yang is a ghost, pure yang
without yin is an immortal. The blend of yin and yang - a man. Only man can become a ghost or
immortal (i.e. die or reach the immortality). If a man does not perfect since the youth, indulges
passions and the desires, then sickness and death will come, and a transformation into a ghost will
occur. The man who understands this and perfects, will overcome the profane, and penetrate into the
sacred, reach true Liberation - this is immortal. The immortals are divided into 5 types, the methods
- into 3 completions; the perfection depends on the person and the result of it depends on his fate.
Lui Dongbin asked: What is "the methods are divided into 3 completions and the immortals into 5
types? "
Zhongli Quan said: The methods are divided into 3 completions. There are small, medium and
great completions. The immortals are divided into 5 types. There are:
• Ghost immortal.
• Human immortal.
• Earth immortal.
• Spiritual Immortal.
• Heavenly immortal.

All of they are immortals. Ghost immortal is inseparable from the ghosts. Human immortal does not
leave the people. Earth immortal does not leave the Earth. Spiritual immortal does not leave the
spirits. Heavenly immortal does not leave the heaven. "
Lui Dongbin asked: Who is a ghost immortal?
Zhongli Quan answered: This is the lowest of the five immortals. They become free among yin
(i.e. after death) ... last name is not recorded into the records to the world of ghosts, the name is not
recorded in the worlds of the immortals. Although he is not included in samsara, but can’t return to
the realms of the immortals, he will never have place where he can come back, he just stops his
rebirths.
Lui Dongbin asked: This is a ghost immortal. What is his art, what are the methods used to achieve
this?
Zhongli Quan answered: At the beginning people who try to perfect themselves do not understand
the Great Tao and seek quick result. Their body is like a dried tree, the heart is like cold ashes. They
keep inside the spirit and the mind and do not disperse the intention. In the immobility the spirit of
Yin goes out of the body, this is a ghost, It has nothing to do with pure yang of immortals. Because
of his single intention and lack of dispersing of yin soul this is called a ghost immortal. Although
people say "immortal", but in fact it is a ghost.
A pupil asked: There are some practitioners who feel by themselves like qi moves in a circle
through the Ren and Du Meridians, and therefore declare that the themselves have opened
these channels. This method of opening Ren and Du channels using thoughts and other such
methods "guiding qi through the channels of the heavenly circle”, do they differ from the'
way of the elixir?
The Teacher of Single Yang answered: Earlier it has already been said about the principle that "if
a body does not have a true seed, it will only be like using fire to boil an empty pot", and about its
dangers for practitioners. These practitioners, feeling as "qi moves through the channels Ren and
Du", accelerate the process of loss of their own Jing. This is a way of speeding up the approach of
death, it does a lot of harm and has no benefits. It's just a wrong, a “side-road” method of practice.
Our School of Wu Chung-Xu – Liu Hua-yang teaches a dual perfection of Xing and Ming, and
what is called "heavenly circle" - it is really the "heavenly circle of the elixir’s way. " Once a
student of the School produces a "true seed", then it will be not qi but rather the “true water” that
will circulate through the Ren and Du Meridians, also the locations of its awareness will be
different too. In the elixir way these channels are passed using the qi of the Previous sky, in that
process of circulation from top to bottom a "sweet dew" will flow, directly sinking into the lower
Dantian, and it happens in reality, not in imagination.
As stated above in "heavenly circle" of qigong, its the external qi that rotates exhausting the body's
jing. On the other hand, in the way of the elixir, the heavenly circle leads to longevity, it increases
Yuan-jing and Yuan-qi in the body, but the "heavenly circle" of qigong leads to depletion of the
Yuan-jing, leads to death.
Once a student completes the "elixir seed", a heavenly circle of alchemy starts by itself and will
last continuously, collecting the " small medicine", replenishing their own Yuan-jing and Yuan-qi,
which has huge benefits and no harm.
From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang
Translated by Dmitry A. Artemyev
Zhenchangzi asked: I ask Teacher to explain the main problems in the practice of Xing
The Teacher of Single Yang said: The most basic problem of the practice of xing - is the
impossibility of a chieving perfection before consolidation (fusion) of xing and ming, the
impossibility of completion of ming using xing, the impossibility to achieve the ability of stopping
leakage of (jing).
People who practice the methods of xing will inevitably lose yuanjing during the perfection process;
if it is proceeded, the body will wither and become exhausted, the face turn yellow and will look
tired, and senile infirmity will appear. The ignoramI often believe that this state is "melting the
primordial qi and transforming it into shen" and "melting shen TO return into the emptiness." Such
delusions occur very often. (Some qigong teachers have great powers. Of diagnosis and treatment of
diseases , but their bodies are withered, that indicates of too much using of xing and as a
consequence - great damage to the spirit Shen).
Although during the practice of xing some unusual abilities may indeed appear, but the excessive
using of the thought cause a lot of deviations. In some people this causes the “roving fire and falling
into madness”. Therefore, those who do the practice with xing for a long time, should change their
practice, focusing on the practice of ming and only then it will be possible to avoid the dangers.
This is exactly what in the Taoist alchemy is called "perfecting of xing without perfecting of ming –
Is the first disease of perfection."
From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang
Translated by Dmitry A. Artemyev

A pupil asked: In the process of perfection in the Wu Chongxu-Liu Huayang alchemy school
whether there could occur a state of "Entering the madness and roving fire"?
The Teacher of Single Yang answered:
Method of our School of elixir way were described by our patriarches early and in detail. They
emphasized that practice begins with MING , but it is not the end of it. During perfection there are
true indications, allowing to know to what level the work was reached , for each level there are own
detailed corrective methods and secret manuals. At each stage for practicing in our school there are
no ambiguities, and therefore there can not be any deviations.
Concerning each of arising signs, it is necessary to understand those by asking the Teacher, whether
the signs are true or false because there are many false signs during practice. Also, one should not
yearn for skill and then it will not be possible to enter such a condition as « Entering the madness ».

As for the condition of “roving fire”, this does actually happen in _ practice of alchemy. When the
practice of the «Retreating fire» is done wrong , then some deviations can take place : such as,
anxiety and nervousness, also small red spots may appear on a body . No need to worry about it , it
is only necessary to execute this method more in a more pronounced way and all deviations will
disappear.
From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang
Translated by Dmitry A. Artemyev
Xuantunzi (pupil) asked:
According to the tract: “There are as many people working to perfect themselves in
Tao as hair of a cow, but those who complete Tao are as rare as unicorn's horns”,
why is it so?
The Teacher of Single Yang said:
From ancient times the tracts often used a secret (special) language which led to that the people
perfecting themselves in Tao were like in the thick fog and wandered in the dark. Some tractates
overturned and distorted the sequence of the practice, concealed the beginning and described the
end, hid the true secrets by hints, so the students could not achieve anything. Some of those
perfecting Tao devote their lives to practicing, trying to understand the heaven mechanism of
reaching Tao, but their attempts are like looking for a needle in the ocean and therefore they can’t
find the gate to enter. Those who seek the immortality and longevity generation after generation
replace each other and because they never understood the secrets of Tao they suffer a defeat.
From ancient times till now it has been always been so that the people seeking the acquisition and
completion of Tao were finding teachers with the great difficulty, or meeting them but incapable to
recruit the students, or meeting deceivers, profanes, studying the side methods and failing to find
the way to reach Tao. So in the modern society the qigong got wide spread, some qigong teachers
absolutely do not understand the way of elixir, invent the theory for their own profit, invent some
theory, randomly make up the complexes of movements and palm off this as the great Tao of golden
elixir, mix up in one bunch the qigong and the way of the elixir, benefiting from exploiting the ideas
of bazaar medicines pill of Chinese, fooling the students.
Those who aspire to Tao must be extremely careful, beware of being deceived and regretting till the
end of their lives.
Therefore, although there are lots of people seeking Tao with very few of those who found the true
teacher, this is precisely the truth of that " there are as many people working to perfect themselves
in Tao as hair of a cow, but those who complete Tao as few of unicorn’s horns ".
From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang
Translated by Dmitry A. Artemyev
Xuanchengzi asked: What should be chosen as conditions of the external environment for the
practice of alchemy and perfecting Tao?
The Teacher of Single Yang said: We have already mentioned two ways of practice: "in the world"
and "outside the world" ( i.e. in the society and outside the society).Usually, those, who practice in
the society, do not need special conditions, the just need peace and absence of strong obstacles and
the irritants of the outside world, you can practice at your home. However, one should remember
that during the practice one should avoid the wind.

When you will reach the high level, you will need practice in the mountains, where the places with
strong Yang qi are found by the special methods. In Yin places alchemy can’t be practiced
(especially it concerns the cemeteries and the interments). Since in alchemy the collection of
external qi isn’t used, then you should not practice at the early stages in the open spaces. You should
not do the sitting practice dazuo at the early stages, because this will harm the flow of qi and blood
through the body. Sitting work is for the highest practices of alchemy.
At the highest stages of the practice of alchemy is also required a special room (a cave or a home)
for practicing the steps of "feeding" and "facing the wall”, as well as specially-trained colleagues
for "preserving and guarding the body ".

From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang

Translated and comments by Dmitry A. Artemyev
Comments:
- The open space means any open space, such as: parks, fields, forest, etc. , i.e. not a room and not a
cave.
- The dazuo practice is helpful at the early stage in small amounts to calm the mind and to relax. A
small amount means 15-20 minutes, maximum half an hour. It is better to perform it in the evening.
But if we consider that usually time for practice is not enough and a matter of choice appears, as to
which practice to do and which to reject due to time constraints, then the better choice is dynamic
exercises (taiji, dynamic qigong) rather than practicing dazuo. If the practice of dazuo is being done
for hours and even days and it plays the role of a basic method, it will lead to catastrophic damage
of your health. JIUYANGSHENGONG can be practiced without preliminary preparation. But the
additional training of dynamic exercises (qigong, taiji) significantly helps the practice.
- It is exactly JIUYANGSHENGONG that leads to the essential state of "relative emptiness" from
which the further work begins. Therefore Dazuo is not needed as a main method, but can be used
for rest and calm by the ordinary people (for those who practice the same JIUYASHG, VLG and
basic exercises, Dazuo is not required absolutely).|
The Teacher of Single Yang on nutrition and fasting

THE ISSUE OF THE FALSE REFUSAL TO EAT BREAD

A pupil asked: I heard some practitioners talk about refusal to eat bread, closing of body irifices
andsolitary life. That they see at any time immortals and buddhas and their skills increase rapidly.
Do they have true supernatural abilities?
The Teacher of Single Yang replied: In cultivation in the practice of neidan (elixir) there is a
requirement, that the stage of remelting of qi and shen transformation is practiced only after hunger
and thirst already have stopped. When you obtain ability to refuse to eat bread and to live on qi it is
possible to proceed to the stages of three years of breastfeeding and nine years sitting of faced to a
wall. If you have not reached the stage of exhaustion of yin and purification of yang yet, then how
one can talk about the refusal to eat bread?
In qigong practice even the stage of addition of oil and obtainment of Ming is not known, how one
can achieve the exhaustion of yin and cleaning of yang? The man’s natural body of flesh and blood
needs five cereals, meat , and may others nutrients for maintenance of life. Some teachers of qigong
fundamentally do not understand the essence of “NOT EATING GRAINS' and mislead their
followers, calling on them to starve for three days and thus waste their strength.
But they do not know that, although within three days of fasting the person does not die, but it still
causes substantial damage to his yuanqi, because of starvation dizziness and fog appear in his eyes,
there are illusions arising, and people take them for their vision of the real Buddha, and they believe
that their skills have increased. Truly, it is a good joke!
If, however, a recluse continues to starve up to ten days, it is still does not lead to death, but his skin
may begin to flake off. In medicine also there is a method of fasting, when for a short period of
time one needs to stop eating food and drink, and it really has some therapeutic effect. As for
fooling the neophytes about refusal to eat bread and feeding on qi, it’s the entire fault of the teachers
of qigong. Among arrogant practitioners wishing to practice the rejection of the bread, but not
understanding what it is, there could happen deaths and illnesses of “obsession and a roving fire”.

METHODS OF NUTRITION FOR THE PEOPLE IMPROVING THEIR DAO PRACTICE

The pupil asked: Thoughts of some students are pure, and aspirations are firm. With all their heart
they perceive the Dao. In their every day diets they decrease food from three to two meals a day,
and reject meat food for vegetarian diet. They upgrade their skills hard and cultivate in earnest. So
why do they have slow progress?
The Teacher of Single Yang answered: In various methods of alchemy every person has different
preparatory training program, but the initial work with ming sums up everything. At our school of
the elixir by Wu Chung-xu and Liu Hua-yang in initial work students improve ming, then they
improve xing, afterwards they jointly improve xing and ming until their return to unity.
Before improvement of Ming it is necessary to strengthen the body. First it is required to improve
health and afterwards to keep perfecting on the path of neidan only. People of advanced age
primarily should compensate for losses of primordial jing and once again restore their former
heaven, to return from old age to youth. Those who have illnesses first of all must heal the body,
cure their disease and afterwards only increase jing, strengthen bones and collect primordial jing.
People regardless of whether they are old or young, healthy or sick require various food to support
life. Food for people is a law of nature, they use ingestion of food and maintain normal activity
while preserving the life balance of the cells, increase energy and replenish the body armth. And
people with different constitution provide the necessary balance of vitamins and minerals. As the
saying is "Who will not get food, must die. Anyone who can eat - will have healthy and long life."
Hence, food it is important.
The students of our School depend on food and certainly can not eat badly. They can not change
three meals a day for two meals. It is important to eat well. If you feel hungry, then you need to eat,
but do not overeat. When you eat, the naturalness is paramount. If you own feelings are
comfortable, then you can stop eating. It is impossible to refuse wine and meat. It is necessary to
know, that meat is very nutritious food. Those who completely follow a vegetarian diet can not fully
make up his energy losses. Nutritiousness of meat compensates thermal losses. Wine in a small
quantities, without _ excess, can relax muscles and revitalize blood. Normal people will benefit
from wine. To He who engages in alchemy it is not necessary to observe formalities concerning
food. It Is needed to eat a balanced and tasty diet.
Your techniques are essentially wrong, it urgently needs adjustment. Your progress in Cultivation is
slow because you eat little , and eventually your body is weak and has barriers (blocks). It is need
to restore normal power supply with the use of meat, so the energy spent by the body will get
compensated , and only then you can again train hard. Your body will certainly acquire strength,
and you will soon be able to finish the practice.
From the book of the Teacher of Single Yang
Translated and comments by Dmitry A. Artemyev