Description
The painting 火候图, together with the Xiu Zhen Tu 修真图 and Nei Jing Tu 内经图, makes up the three “musts” for possession by alchemy practitioners. There are three knacks commonly proclaimed by many alchemy practitioners and one is the firing process secrets. Like to cook a pot of rice, people have to first know what materials are needed, then prepare everything in order, the last is to cook the rice. People have to take a good control of the fire to make sure the fire should not be too strong (the rice may go char)—or should not be too weak (as result, the rice may not ready for eating). Therefore, during most part of the process–transform Jing to Qi, transform Qi to Shen, transform Qi to Shen and bring Shen back to emptiness—alchemy practitioners have to be very careful with the firing process, every now and then.

Poem in Chinese gives hints to the main points and under the proper direction practitioners can master the secret. Such painting should be read together with Nei Jing Tu and Xiu Zhen Tu.

Specification
Its width: 55 cm, height: 178 cm, scroll paining on cloth (tolerance allowed). English translation of all Chinese poem or essay on the painting is provided for better understanding.