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THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TAOISM A-L

on Sitting in Oblivion; eT I036, Isb-I8a), with two sections added; 2. sum-
marized under the title Guanmiao jing fmIfY~~ (Scripture of the Observation
of Marvels; eT 326; Kohn 1987a, I26); 3. quoted at length in *Du Guangting's
Daode zhenjing guangsheng yi ill {i{jJ; J'i f.l~ ~:$. ~ (Extended Interpretation of
the Emperor's Exegesis of the Daode jing; eT 72S, 49.8a-b), dating from 901;
4. with additional commentary in the *Daoshu (Pivot of the Dao; eT IOI7,
2.2b-3b); and in other works on meditation and *neidan.
LiviaKOHN

W Kohn 1987a, I2S-43 (trans.); Robinet I997b, 20S-6

* ding; guan; MEDITATION AND VISUALIZATION

dinglu

tripod and furnace

1. Waidan
The word ding normally refers to a tripod or cauldron (see fig. 29), but the
alchemical apparatus known by this name may have different forms. In their
function as reaction vessels, thefo ~ (crucible), shenshi f$~ (divine cham-
ber), hezi f:1 (:;£l;:)=f (closed vessel), and gui lE: (case) are equivalent to the
dingo Similarly, the lu, although generally rendered as "furnace," has different
shapes, and the zao rii (stove) can be its equivalent.
The reaction vessel has fire around it (when it is placed inside the heating
apparatus), under it (when it is placed over the heating apparatus), or above
it (when it is entirely covered by ashes inside the heating apparatus). It may
contain an inner reaction-case in which the ingredients are placed. In a more
complex model, a "water-vessel" containing water and a "fire-vessel" contain-
ing the ingredients can be assembled, the former above and the latter below
or vice versa. The vessel must be hermetically closed and should not bear any
openings or cracks.
The heating apparatus has fire within it and is often placed over a platform
or "altar" (tan j:ft). The openings on the wall sides allow air to circulate, while
those on the top serve to settle the reaction vessel or to emit flame and smoke.
One of the main functions of the heating apparatus is to control the intensity
and duration of the heat.
In their various forms, the ding and the lu play a major role in establishing
the cosmological import of the alchemical work. The ding is to the ingredients