Niwan 泥丸
This page is excerpted from F. Pregadio, Dictionary of Taoist Internal Alchemy (Brill, 2025).
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” (lianshen huanxu). 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 ☰ (qiangong 乾宮), Qian ☰ Tripod (qianding 乾鼎 ), Chamber of Spirit (shenshi), Celestial Valley (tiangu), Celestial Palace (tiangong 天宮), Celestial Hall (tiantang 天堂), Chamber of the Original Spirit (yuanshen shi 元神室), and Palace of Conjunction (jiaogan gong 交感宮).
⦿ RYJ 12: Pierce through the Caudal Funnel (weilü), 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 (niwan gong 泥丸宮). 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 Breath to transmute it into Spirit” (lianqi huashen), it is the point where the Yang Spirit (yangshen) rises.
▣ In addition to defining the upper Cinnabar Field as a whole, niwan is a name of its central sector or “palace.” See jiugong 九宮 ① nine palaces.
⦿ XZSS 4 “Gushen busi lun” 谷神不死論: 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 (xuanguan). (In Li Daochun’s exposition of Neidan, this meaning applies to the “middle vehicle,” zhongsheng. See xuanguan 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。