The Golden Elixir

① True Yang (True Lead). ↔ taiyang liuzhu 太陽流珠 flowing pearl of great Yang.

At the beginning of Yin and Yang, Mystery holds the Yellow Sprout; it is the ruler of the five metals, the River Chariot of the northern direction. 陰陽之始，玄含黃芽，五金之主，北方河車。

The Flowing Pearl of Great Yang is Yin within Yang, the River Chariot of the northern direction is Yang within Yin. 〔陽中陰：〕太陽流珠。〔陰中陽：〕北方河車。

② The metaphoric “waterwheel” that inverts the downward flow of the Essence (jing) and enables it to begin its upward course along the Lesser Celestial Circuit (xiao zhoutian).

③ The metaphoric vehicle that transports the Essence along the Lesser Celestial Circuit.

④ A synonym of the Lesser Celestial Circuit itself.

The River Chariot dares not stop for one moment, as it enters the summit of Mount Kunlun. 河車不敢暫留停，運入崑崙峰頂。

The Caudal Funnel, the Spinal Handle, and the Jade Pillow are the “three barriers” that mark its ascending route. The Muddy Pellet, the Yellow Court, and the lower Cinnabar Field are the three Cinnabar Fields that mark its descending route.