Page 400 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

DINGLU

Fig. 29. An alchemical tripod, surrounded by the
names of the twenty-eight lunar lodges (*xiu) and
by the graphs for Heaven, Earth, Sun, and Moon.
*Yunji qiqian (Seven Lots from the Bookbag of the
Clouds; CT I032), 72.roa- b.

what the womb is to the embryo, and what primordial Chaos, or *hundun, is
to the cosmos. A reaction vessel shaped like an egg, in fact, is referred to as
hundun. When the reaction vessel is made of two joined parts, the upper and
lower parts represent Heaven and Earth. Similarly, a lu can be made of three
parts symbolizing for Heaven, Humanity, and Earth. The circle and square,
respectively representing Heaven and Earth, constitute the basic shape of the
lu, which has a round upper part over a square lower part, or an outer circular
contour with inner squared walls. Cosmological emblems can be inscribed on
the ding and the lu, and the figures related to them (i.e., their circumference,
height, number of openings, ete.) often have cosmological significance.

KIM Daeyeol

W Chen Guofu 1983, 39-79; Needham 1980, II-21; Sivin 1980, 279-97
* waidan

2. Neidan
In *neidan, the furnace and the tripod constitute one of the "three essentials"
(sanyao :::: JI) of the alchemical work, along with the ingredients (yao ~) and
the firing process (*huohou). Tripod and furnace symbolize the Center, the
place where the elixir is formed. From the point of view of Unity (*yi), they
are a single thing and have names that allude to the Center, such as Yellow
Dame (huangpo ~ ~) . They also represent the Original One and together are
a synonym of the One Opening of the Mysterious Pass (xuanguan yiqiao 1: ~
- ~; see *xuanguan), which is the inaugural moment of the inner alchemical