The Seal of the Unity of the Three — Vol. 2 - The Golden Elixir

114 II. Commentaries, Essays, and Related Works
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Taken together, the available evidence suggests that the commentary
dates from approximately 700 CE. Its contents support this
dating. The text interprets several passages of the Cantong qi as
dealing with a lead-mercury compound called Elixir of Correct Yang
(zhengyang dan 正 陽 丹 ). It also describes methods of other elixirs,
and provides instructions on the furnace and other instruments. 12
References to earlier works are especially significant. The anonymous
author summarizes one of the lead-mercury recipes and the method
of the luting mud for the crucible from the Jiudan jing 九 丹 經 (Scripture
of the Nine Elixirs). 13 Acquaintance with the corpus of writings
attributed to Hugang zi 狐 剛 子 , dating from the late Six Dynasties, is
reflected in a quotation from the Wujin fen tujue 五 金 粉 圖 訣 (Illustrated
Instructions on the Powders of the Five Metals). 14 These and
other details suggest that the anonymous commentary may be a late
product of the southern Waidan traditions centered around the
Cantong qi during the latter part of the Six Dynasties.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Chen Guofu, “Rong zihao Zhouyi cantong qi Wuming shi
zhu.” — Xiao Hanming, “Tang Wudai sanzhong zhu Qi zhi zuo de
waidanshu yitong helun.” — Zeng Chuanhui, Yuandai Cantong xue, pp.
89–93.
11
Meng Naichang, Zhouyi cantong qi kaobian, 28–29. The two texts are
the Yuqing neishu (Inner Writ of Jade Clarity; CT 947), 3a, and the Tongyou
jue (Instructions for Penetrating the Obscurity; CT 913), 23a. Both works
quote the passage explicating the title of the Cantong qi from the preface of
the anonymous commentary, 1a.
12
One of the clearest statements on the Elixir of Correct Yang is found in
1.16b-17a; see also 1.13a (“Gold is the Elixir of Correct Yang” 金 者 正 陽 丹
也 ), 2.6a, and 2.34b-35b. For other elixir recipes see, e.g., 2.24b-25a, and on
the furnace, 2.2b.
13
For the lead-mercury recipe see the passage in 2.12b-13a, concerned
with the Liquid Pearl (liuzhu 流 珠 ). The method of this elixir is found in
Huangdi jiuding shendan jingjue (CT 885), 1.6a (Pregadio, Great Clarity,
171). On the luting mud see 2.3a, and Huangdi jiuding shendan jingjue,
1.3b-4a (Pregadio, 166–67). The Scripture of the Nine Elixirs is also mentioned
in 2.45a.
14
The Wujin fen tujue is quoted as Wujin jue 五 金 訣 in 2.24a. The
Essence of Lead is mentioned in 2.12b. On Hugang zi see Pregadio, Great
Clarity, 247–48.
© Fabrizio Pregadio and Golden Elixir Press 2012