Record of the Realization of Perfection by the Concourse of Immortals of West Mountain

The 5-volumed Record of the Realization of Perfection by the Concourse of Immortals of West Mountain ( 《西山群仙會真記》 Xishan Qunxian Huizhen Ji ) was authored by Shi Jianwu and compiled by Li Song. Shi, whose title was "The Perfect Man of Huayang" ( 華陽真人 Huayang Zhenren ) lived during the Tang Dynasty. After his success in the national civil service examinations, Shi remained secluded as a Daoist on the West Mountain (present Jiangxi province) to cultivate the Dao. But some say that there were two men named "Shi Jianwu". the Comprehensive Annotated Bibliography of the Four Repositories ( 《四庫提要》 Siku Tiyao ) say some Daoists, under the name of Shi, wrote this book during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. Still some hold that the book should have been completed no later than the Northern Song. The preface by the author states, the book, in secret accordance with earlier and later sages, imitating the number of five agents ( 五行 Wuxing ) and corresponding to the pure Yang one-breath ( 純陽一氣 Chunyang Yiqi ), expounds the mystery and supreme truth of the Zhong-Lu lineage in one five-volume book. The contents, similar to the Transmission of Dao by Zhongli Chuan and Lü Dongbin ( 《鍾呂傳道集》 Zhinglu Chuandao Ji ), explains the ways of inner alchemy, citing the Supreme Hidden Book ( 《太上隱書》 Taishang Yinshu ), Record of the Western Mountain ( 《西山記》 Xishan Ji ), Numinous Treasure Book of Inner Contemplation ( 《靈寶內觀經》 Lingbao Neiguan Jing ), the Book of Communion with the Mystery ( 《通玄經》 Tongxuan Jing ) and quotations of the immortals Ge, Yin and Lu. The theme, based on Three Ways Unified and Normalized ( 《參同契》 Cantong Qi ), expounds the theory about increasing and reducing fire ( 抽添 Choutian ) and the practice that leads to liberation.

Volume 1 includes five chapters:
 * 1) Knowing Dao,
 * 2) Knowing Methods,
 * 3) Knowing Man,
 * 4) Knowing Time and
 * 5) Knowing Things.

Volume 2 includes:
 * 1) Cultivating Life,
 * 2) Cultivating Form,
 * 3) Cultivating Breath,
 * 4) Cultivating Mind and
 * 5) Cultivating Longevity.

Volume 3 includes:
 * 1) Nourishing Interior,
 * 2) Nourishing Breath,
 * 3) Nourishing Essence,
 * 4) Nourishing Strength and
 * 5) Nourishing Deficit.

Volume 4 includes:
 * 1) True Water and Fire,
 * 2) True Dragon and Tiger,
 * 3) True Elixir and Medicine,
 * 4) True Led and Mercury and
 * 5) True Yin and Yang.

Volume 5 includes:
 * 1) Refining Daoist Arts into Dao ( 煉法入道 Lian Fa Rudao ),
 * 2) Refining Form into Vital Breath ( 煉形化氣 Lianqi Huanxing ),
 * 3) Refining Vital Breath into Spirit ( 煉氣化神 Lianqi Huashen ),
 * 4) Refining Spirit into Dao ( 煉神合道 Lianshen Hedao ) and
 * 5) Refining Dao into the Holiness ( 煉道入聖 Liandao Rusheng ).

As systematic and theoretic works on inner alchemy Collected in the Subsection of Skills and Arts, Pervasive Perfection Section of the Daoist Canon of the Zhentong Era ( 《正統道藏》 Zhengtong Daozang ), it is very valuable to the study of inner alchemy of Song and Yuan Daoism. 西山群仙會真記