| | Peng Zu was surnamed Qian and given name Keng; he was a great-great-grandson of Emperor Zhuanxu. By the end of the Yin dynasty, he was 760 years old but did not show signs of aging or decay. He was young and fond of tranquility, caring little for worldly affairs, not seeking reputation, nor adorning his carriages or clothing; he only devoted himself to cultivating health and maintaining his body. The Yin king heard of him and appointed him as a Da Fu (minister), but he often claimed illness to remain in seclusion, not participating in political affairs. He was skilled in the techniques of nourishment and guiding qi, and regularly consumed water cinnamon, cloud mother powder, and deer antler. He always maintained a youthful appearance; however, his nature was deep and serious, so he never claimed to possess any special abilities, nor did he engage in strange or deceptive acts involving ghosts or spirits. Quietly and without effort, he would occasionally travel about, and no one knew where he went. Those who followed him to observe could never find him. He had carriages and horses but did not often ride them; sometimes he would travel hundreds of days or dozens of days without carrying provisions. When returning home, his clothing and food were no different from those of ordinary people. He often held his breath and practiced internal breathing, from dawn until midday. Then he would sit upright, wipe his eyes, rub and massage his body, lick his lips and swallow saliva, take in air dozens of times, then get up and walk about, speaking and laughing as usual. If his body felt tired or uneasy, he would immediately practice guiding qi and holding his breath to address the ailment. He kept his mind focused on his body, visualizing the nine orifices of the head and face, the five internal organs, the four limbs, down to even the hair follicles, ensuring that all were present and conscious. He could sense his vital energy flowing through his body, beginning from the nose and mouth, reaching to the tips of his fingers; soon after, he would feel balanced and harmonious. The king personally visited to inquire about him, but Peng Zu did not reveal anything to him. Numerous valuable treasures were sent to him, amounting to tens of thousands over time; Peng Zu accepted them all out of concern for the poor and lowly, but kept nothing for himself. There was also a woman named Cai Nü, who had also attained some understanding of the Dao at an early age and knew methods for cultivating physical health. She was 270 years old, but looked as if she were fifteen or sixteen years old. The king honored and served her, building for her in the Yeting a magnificent pavilion with purple eaves, adorned with gold and jade. He then ordered Cai Nü to ride in a light palanquin to visit Peng Zu and inquire about the Dao. Cai Nü bowed twice and asked, "Please teach me the method to prolong life and increase longevity." Peng Zu said, "If one wishes to ascend to heaven and occupy a position among the immortals, they should use the golden elixir. This is what the Yuanjun Taiyi consumed, enabling him to ascend to heaven during the day." However, this path is extremely profound and not something a mere king should pursue. The next best approach is to cherish one's essence and cultivate the spirit, consuming the most potent medicines, which can lead to long life; but such a person cannot command ghosts or spirits or ride on empty air and fly. If one does not understand the methods of cultivation and harmony, even taking medicine will be of no benefit. Cai Nü is one who can cultivate yin and yang; the principles of yin and yang can be inferred and understood, but you simply do not think about them—why then ask in vain? I was born posthumously, losing my mother at the age of three. I encountered the chaos caused by the Quanrong people and wandered to the Western Regions for more than a hundred years. In addition, having lost my father at an early age, I mourned the loss of forty-nine wives and fifty-four sons. Having repeatedly suffered misfortunes, my harmonious vital energy was greatly damaged, causing my skin and complexion to lose their luster, my defensive and nutritive qi to become scorched and withered—I fear that I may not be able to transcend this world. What I have heard is shallow and insufficient for dissemination. Now, in the mountains of Dawan, there is an old man named Qingjing Shengxian. It is said he has lived for a thousand years; his complexion resembles that of a child, and he can walk 300 li in one day. He is able to go an entire year without eating, or alternatively consume nine meals in a single day—truly someone worth inquiring about." Cai Nü said, "I dare to ask, what kind of immortal is this Qingjing Shengxian you speak of?" Peng Zu said, "He is merely one who has attained the Dao; he is not an immortal. Immortals are those who can raise their bodies into the clouds and fly without wings; or ride dragons and ride on clouds, ascending to the highest heavens; or transform into birds or beasts, floating and wandering among the blue clouds; or travel secretly through rivers and seas, soaring and roaming famous mountains; or consume the primal qi; or eat medicinal herbs like lingzhi mushrooms; or when entering and leaving human society, they cannot be recognized; or hide their bodies among the grass and wilderness, with faces marked by unusual bones and bodies covered in strange hair, fond of seclusion and avoiding worldly interactions. However, even if they possess lives that do not perish, they all distance themselves from human emotions, abandoning honor and joy. There are those like the sparrow transforming into a clam, or the pheasant becoming a mirage—losing their original nature and instead guarding strange forms. Such transformations are not what my foolish heart desires. The human way should involve eating delicious food, wearing fine and beautiful clothes, harmonizing yin and yang, holding official positions, having sharp hearing and vision, strong bones and joints, a complexion that is smooth and lustrous, remaining vigorous even in old age, prolonging life to see for many years, living long in this world, where cold, heat, wind, or dampness cannot harm one, ghosts and spirits dare not approach, weapons of war and harmful creatures cannot come near, and worries, joys, criticism, or praise do not burden the mind—only then is it truly precious. Human beings receive vital energy; even without knowledge of methods or techniques, if one nurtures and maintains it properly, a lifespan of 120 years is attainable. Those who do not reach this age have all been harmed by improper care. With a little understanding of the Dao, one can attain 240 years; with further cultivation and mastery, it is possible to reach 480 years. Those who fully master its principles may achieve immortality in the sense of not dying, but they will still not become true immortals (xian). The way to cultivate longevity is simply to avoid harming oneself. Maintaining warmth in winter and coolness in summer, not losing harmony with the four seasons—this is how one adapts to the body's needs. Beauty, grace, and leisurely pleasures, without falling into the confusion of desire—this is how one communicates with the spirit. Fine carriages, elegant clothing, and dignified conduct, along with contentment and lack of desire—these are how one unifies the will. The eight kinds of music and five colors, used to entertain sight and hearing—this is how one guides the mind. All of these contribute to cultivating longevity, but those who cannot properly regulate and balance them will instead hasten misfortune. Therefore, the sages of old, fearing that unwise individuals might become lost in pleasures and never return, cut off their sources entirely. Therefore, the superior scholars sleep on separate beds, while the moderate ones wear different clothes. Taking a thousand packages of medicine is not as beneficial as sleeping alone. The five colors can cause blindness to the eyes, and the five flavors can disrupt the mouth's balance. If one can regulate and adjust them appropriately, balancing their effects and managing their flow and blockage, one will not shorten one's lifespan but instead gain benefits. All such things are like water and fire—if used excessively, they become harmful. People do not realize that their meridians have been damaged, their blood and qi are insufficient, the internal structure is weak, marrow and brain are not solid; the body has already fallen ill before external influences take hold, thus being affected by wind-cold, alcohol, or lustful indulgence, which then trigger illness. If one's fundamental constitution were strong and 充实 (chongshi), how could illness possibly occur? Excessive thinking and forcing one's memory harms a person; worry, anger, sorrow, and grief harm a person; excessive joy or indulgence in pleasure harms a person; unresolved rage and resentment harm a person; being overly eager for desires harms a person; constant anxiety over troubles harms a person; failing to regulate exposure to cold and warmth harms a person; the failure of yin and yang to harmonize harms a person. There are many things that can harm a person, yet people blame only the bedroom activities—this is not also confusing? Men and women complementing each other is akin to the mutual generation of heaven and earth. This is how one cultivates and nourishes spirit and qi, ensuring that a person does not lose harmony. Heaven and earth achieve the way of interaction, hence they have no limit to their continuity. When people lose the principle of harmonious interaction, they thus face an early end. If one can avoid harmful influences and master the techniques of yin and yang, that is the way to attain immortality. Heaven and earth part during the day but unite at night, with 360 such interactions in a year. Of these, four are harmonious in terms of essence and qi, thus enabling the continuous generation and nurturing of all things without end. If people can emulate this principle, they may attain eternal existence. Next is the method of cultivating breath in accordance with the Dao; if done properly, harmful qi cannot enter the body—this is the fundamental principle of maintaining one's health. Other methods such as breathing exercises, guiding qi, and visualization techniques that involve reciting the myriad spirits within the body, or practices of guarding one's form while perceiving its shadow—these number over 1,700 items, along with directional adjustments according to the four seasons. Self-reproach for faults, and methods concerning early or late rising and sleeping—these are not the true Dao. They may be taught to beginners merely to correct their minds. Cultivating one's essence and nurturing the body, breathing in qi to refine the form—when done properly, myriad spirits will naturally remain within. If not practiced correctly, then the defensive and nutritive energies wither away, the myriad spirits depart on their own, and they cannot be retained through mere thought or effort. Foolish people who pursue the Dao do not focus on its fundamentals but chase after trivialities; even when told the most profound truths, they are unable to believe them. They see concise and essential writings as too simple or shallow, yet spend day and night reciting them diligently. Observing texts such as the Taiqing Beishen Zhongjing, they exhaust themselves in this pursuit, achieving nothing even until death—how sorrowful is that? Moreover, people suffer from excessive involvement in worldly affairs; few are able to abandon the world and live alone in mountains or caves. To instruct them according to the Dao's principles, they still cannot follow through—this is not in line with the intention of a benevolent person. If one merely understands the principles of harmonious relations, practices breath-holding techniques, regulates thoughts and concerns, and moderates diet, then one attains the Dao. My former teacher originally composed the Nine Capitals, Jiejie Taoxing Yindun Wuwei Kai Ming Siji Jiusheng various scriptures, totaling 130,000 chapters; these were written merely to guide those who had just begun to enter the gate of learning."
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