Niwan 泥丸
Translation
Muddy Pellet.
Definition(s)
▣ The main name of the upper Cinnabar Field, located in the region of the brain. In Neidan, the upper Cinnabar Field is the residence of Spirit (shen) and is the focal point of the third stage of the practice, “refining the Spirit to return to Emptiness” (lian shen huan xu). With regard to the alchemical embryo, it is the place where it is “delivered” at the conclusion of the practice. Other names of this Field include Palace of qian ☰ (qian gong), qian ☰ Tripod (qian ding), Chamber of Spirit (shen shi), Celestial Valley (tian gu), Celestial Palace (tian gong), Celestial Hall (tian tang), Chamber of the Original Spirit (yuan shen shi), and Palace of Conjunction (jiao gan gong). ⦿ RYJ 12: Pierce through the Caudal Funnel (wei lü), pass through the Muddy Pellet. 貫尾閭，通泥丸。Comm. Wang Jie: Slowly, ascending from the Caudal Funnel, [Breath] reaches the Muddy Pellet, and the conjunction [of Breath and Spirit] occurs. 從尾閭徐徐提起，直上泥丸交姤。⦿ RYJ 12 Comm. Wang Jie: When Breath (qi) transmutes itself and becomes Spirit, this Spirit dwells in the Muddy Pellet, which is its own Palace. 煉氣化為神，神居泥丸為本宮。⦿ ZLCDJ 13: The upper Field is the dwelling of Spirit. 上田神舍。⦿ Foundations: The upper Cinnabar Field, which is located at the top of the head, is also called Palace of the Muddy Pellet (ni wan gong). Since the body is a microcosm, and the head corresponds to Heaven, the alchemical masters call it Palace of qian ☰, with reference to the trigram that represents Heaven. When the practice reaches the stage of “refining the Essence to transmute it into Breath” (lian jing hua qi), this Opening is the place where one “reverts the course of the Essence to replenish the brain” (huan jing bu nao) and “eliminates the ore to keep the gold” (qu kuang liu jin). When it reaches the stage of “refining the Breath to transmute it into Spirit” (lian qi hua shen), it is the point where the Yang Spirit (yang shen) rises.
▣ In addition to defining the upper Cinnabar Field as a whole, niwan is a name of its central sector or “palace.” See jiu gong 九宮 ① nine palaces. ⦿ XZSS 4 GBL: In the head there are nine palaces, which correspond to the Nine Heavens on high. The palace in the center is called Muddy Pellet. 頭有九宮，上應九天，中間一宮謂之泥丸。⦿ JDWD: Where exactly is the Palace of the Muddy Pellet? In the head there are nine palaces. The central one is called Muddy Pellet. 問曰：泥丸宮正在何處？答曰：頭有九宮，中曰泥丸。
▣ The Mysterious Barrier (xuan guan). (In Li Daochun’s exposition of Neidan, this meaning applies to the “middle vehicle,” zhong sheng. See xuan guan 玄關 Mysterious Barrier.) ⦿ ZHJ 2: In the Middle Vehicle, the Mysterious Barrier is the Muddy Pellet. 〔中乘者，以〕泥丸為玄關。
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