Chapter 6-4 Three Souls and Seven Spirits

If you were to ask the question: "Do you believe in the existence of souls?" more than half of the well-educated people might say: "No, believe in science."

If you then ask these followers of science: "So, you don't have a soul, right?" most of them would likely shake their heads and deny it immediately.

The existence of something is objective, while belief in it is subjective. People don't believe in the soul because they haven't seen it, just as a child wouldn't believe that sunlight is made up of seven colors until you show them with a prism. Similarly, bats can hear sounds we cannot, and cats and dogs can see things we cannot. It wasn't until these facts were written in textbooks that most people nod in agreement.

Many Chinese idioms are related to the soul: "lost soul", "soul scattering", "soul departing", "soulless"... Common expressions like "seeing ghosts" and "losing soul" are all based on the belief in the existence of the soul. In modern Chinese dictionaries, the explanations are simple: " Souls" (魂, hún) refers to the spirit that can exist outside the body, while "Spirits" (魄, pò) refers to the spirit attached to the body. But what exactly do these terms mean, and how do they influence our bodies?

The secrets of the human body have been the greatest mysteries for thousands of years. What we can perceive and see is very limited. Modern science cannot yet prove certain things, and because they are not documented in textbooks, this leads to misunderstandings and gaps in knowledge. These "unsolved mysteries" cause confusion, making many people unsure how to approach traditional customs and where to seek the truth.

Growing up in an intellectual family, I was always puzzled by the "Qingming Festival"（清明节）. Later, I read the Chinese Four Great Classical Novels, martial arts fiction, fantasy dramas, watching children play various video games, and observing dragon and lion dances and folk rituals... I came to believe that there must be reasons for the existence of all things in the world.

What is the reasoning behind all this? This knowledge about being human—where we come from and where we go—is like early sex education, which is a taboo topic. However, it cannot be avoided in human life. The more it is covered up and confused, the more it is mistaken for superstition.

In 2014, during the All-Military Political Work Conference in Gutian, President Xi Jinping put forward the clear requirement to cultivate a new generation of "Four Haves" revolutionary soldiers—soldiers who possess soul, competence, courage and integrity—and disseminated this directive throughout the Party. The emphasis on "soul" as the foremost priority reflects the belief that "the soul is the essence of a person", which aligns with President Xi's concept of the "Four Perspectives", including the harmonious view of "Unity of Man and Nature", introduced at the China International Friendship Conference at the same year (refer to Author's Preface).

So, what is the soul?

With this opportunity, I want to try to lift a corner of the "veil". For the children and readers of this book, I aim to establish some correct knowledge and views, so that they can face such experiences with composure.

For readers who hold a negative attitude towards this subject, please feel free to skip this chapter. For those who are skeptical, approach this with a scientific attitude and research spirit to test its validity. For readers interested in exploring this topic together, please write to exchange ideas and collaboratively address any misunderstandings.

• Three Souls（魂, hún）

Regarding the soul and spirit, in the Taoist text, it records: Within the human body, there are three souls. The 1st soul is "Taiguang"（prenatal light, 胎光）, transformed from clear and light heavenly Qi, which constantly keeps the body and mind calm and can achieve longevity. The 2nd soul is "Shuangling"（爽灵）, transformed from Qi of 5 elements (water, fire, wood, metal, earth) in the world, which often makes people thoughtful and deliberative, consuming mental energy and leading to various disasters. The 3rd soul is "Youjing"（幽精）, transformed from murky Qi underground, which often makes people lustful and desirous, prone to sleepiness and drowsiness. Even today, "soul and spirit" remains a fundamental concept in TCM.

Figure 6.2: Diagram of the Three Souls

There is a folk saying:

"After a person dies, the seven spirits scatter away. The three souls: one returns to the grave, one returns to the ancestral spirits, and the third soul goes to the Yama for judgment, and even undergoes reincarnation."

What does this mean? First, let's explain the three souls:

• First Soul(一魂)，also known as "Taiguang" (Prenatal Light), "Heavenly Soul", "Celestial Soul", "Spiritual Soul", "Primary Soul", or "Original Spirit".

Heavenly Soul is the light of life, the essence of a person's being. It governs human consciousness and resides in the "upper Dan-tian"（上丹田）after birth. Heavenly Soul descends from the heavens, is neither born nor extinguished; it is inherently good and tranquil. It not only represents accumulated nature from past lives but also signifies wisdom and guides the acquired character and personality in this life. You can imagine it as a higher-dimensional "projection source".

According to Lv Dongbin's（吕洞宾）"Taishang Golden Flower Essence"《太乙金华宗旨》:

"In the eyes of Heaven and Earth, people are like mayflies that live in the morning and die in the evening; and in the eyes of Tao, Heaven and Earth are like bubbles in the water; their existence is very short. Human essence and energy decay with the speed that the Heaven and Earth cannot endure. Only the true nature of the human 'Primary Soul' can transcend the vast ages (approximately 129,600 years) and exist longer."

"Connecting to higher dimensions" in some sense means connecting with the Heavenly Soul. From the perspective of Heavenly Soul, it illuminates oneself with light, enhancing human virtue and wisdom from the source of projection, enabling the ability to discern right from wrong, using right mindfulness to balance negative thoughts—this is what is called "cultivation" (or "practice"). Some Heavenly Souls may ascend while others may become obscured, ultimately determining the good and evil of a person's lifetime.

People often speak of cultivating the mind, acting kindly, and hoping for a happy family and smooth sailing in life. After death, they also wish to escape the suffering of reincarnation. To achieve this, one must focus on Heavenly Soul, preventing the soul from becoming obscured and wisdom from becoming diseased, so that the Heavenly Soul can follow the path of goodness after death.

Heavenly Soul can temporarily leave the body. In "The Journey to the West", Sun Wukong possesses this ability, and there are similar practices in folk traditions. Common practitioners like yin-yang masters and Taoist priests can perform soul projection, using spells or rituals to exorcise demons.

However, Heavenly Soul cannot leave the body for too long, otherwise, the person loses his life. During various rituals, it is common to see practices where the body must not be touched, and an "attracting soul incense" is lit before the soul is called back. The idiom "borrow a corpse to return the soul"（借尸还魂）originates from the story of "Iron Crutch Li"（铁拐李）, where the "Beggar King" Zhang Guai died of starvation on a mountain. Li Ningyang practiced Taoism in a cave. One day, his Heavenly Soul left the body, but the servant boy miscounted the days and cremated Li's body. When Li returned, he had no physical body and had to borrow Zhang Guai's corpse to return his soul.

Heavenly Soul is the only purely yang soul among the three souls, underscoring its importance. If Heavenly Soul is impaired, a person becomes foolish. TCM assesses whether a person can be treated based on whether they have "souls". If the Heavenly Soul is extinguished, even legendary physicians like Bian Que（扁鹊）and Hua Tuo（华佗）would be powerless.

• Second Soul（二魂）, also known as "Shuangling", "Earth Soul","Cognitive Soul", "Perceptive Soul", "Shadow Soul".

The Chinese character "灵" (soul) in its traditional form is "靈". When broken down, the top part is "雨" (rain), the middle consists of three "口" (mouth), symbolizing eloquence, and the bottom part is "巫" (Shaman,萨满). The ancients believed that the soul of Shaman could communicate with heavens and pray for rain.

Earth Soul is like a shadow (earth image) formed by the light of Heavenly Soul shining on Life Soul. Therefore, Earth Soul can know all the karmic retributions of Heavenly Soul. There's a folk saying that ghosts have no shadow because Life Soul has departed after death, and without a form, there is no shadow. Do people whose Heavenly Soul leave the body still have Earth Soul? Perhaps not, because "without light, there is no shadow." Therefore, Heavenly Soul and Earth Soul is said to be "inseparable".

The Earth Soul enters the body when a newborn takes the first breath, and after birth, it resides in the "middle Dan-tian" （中丹田）. The Earth Soul partly disperses from the "old" Earth Soul, carrying the karma of past lives. It tends to be malicious, active, and governs sensory perception, emotions, wisdom, and the discernment of good and evil, as well as intelligence, responsiveness, and logical thinking. When students daydream in class or get distracted while doing homework, they are often asked whether "losing their soul", and here it refers to Earth Soul.

Similarly, children who are exceptionally intelligent and gifted often have an excellent clear Earth Soul. However, being overly intelligent is not necessarily a good thing. Highly intelligent people tend to overthink and worry excessively, leading to the exhaustion of Heavenly Soul. Some may die young, while others may experience mental or physical anomalies. This is the reason behind the saying "excessive wisdom leads to injury"（慧极必伤）.

The Heavenly and Earth Souls can be attached to the body, or they can temporarily leave the body and float outside, so they are also called "external incarnations". Sometimes, when a person dreams, the Heavenly and Earth Souls can wander outside, traversing time or space.

If Earth Soul is impaired, the person may experience mental disorders and an inability to distinguish between good and evil; their intelligence may decline, and their judgment may be impaired. Parts of the body may lose the sensation of pain, leading to mental instability. People with intellectual disabilities or those who commit incest often have an unstable Earth Soul. During sudden shocks or significant changes, Earth Soul can become unstable, causing mental confusion, delusions, or intermittent emotional disturbances.

Some individuals can eat and drink but lack the ability to think, which TCM refers to as "walking corpses", akin to being dead. This condition indicates severe damage to Heavenly and Earth Souls, as well as the Seven Spirits, leaving only Life Soul intact. This is similar to how ordinary plants have only one Life Soul, hence the term "vegetative state"（植物人）. Some patients may indeed have physical illnesses, while others suffer from unstable Heavenly and Earthly Souls, which can be treated through medical or specific ways. 

• Third Soul（三魂）, also known as "Youjing" (Ethereal Essence), "Life Soul", or "Human Soul", "Living Soul".

Heavenly Soul descends from the heavens, while Earth Soul is born from earthly energy, and people's Life Soul comes from the father's essence and the mother's blood. The three souls influence each other, act on each other, restrain each other, and merge with each other.

Life Soul enters the body during fetal development. Before birth, it resides in the mother's body. After birth, it primarily resides in the "lower Dan-tian"（下丹田）of the human body. It is influenced by family ancestors, the karma of past lives, and "Feng Shui"（风水）of ancestors' burial sites. According to Vajrayana（密宗）, Life Soul attaches to Seven Spirits, as if stepping on seven chakras.

Human life begins with Life Soul entering fetus, subsequently distributing energy across body's central channel and forming Seven Spirits. Seven Spirits are governed by Life Soul, which is their foundation, similar to how branches and leaves grow from roots. Without roots, there are no branches; if roots die, branches and leaves wither. As the saying goes: Without soul, life cannot exist; without spirits, life cannot prosper.

Life Soul governs human fertility and lifespan, as well as sexual orientation, desires and sleep, making it the most important soul for the physical body. If Life Soul is impaired, a person is prone to various illnesses. When females at 14 and males at 16, they have menstruation or nocturnal emission, which is the order of Life Soul. This soul drives people to pursue lust, which is the so-called "no love, no life". When someone sees an attractive person and experiences physiological reaction, feeling "captivated", it is Life Soul at work. Homosexuality is also related to the nature of this soul. People who are seriously hurt by love are depressed, and their Life Souls might be damaged.

• Seven Spirits（魄,pò）

"Seven Spirits" are seven Chakras located along the central channel of the human body, from the crown of head to the perineum. These are seven energy fields. "Heavenly Rushing Spirit" is at Crown Chakra (located at the crown of the head), "Spiritual Wisdom Spirit" is at Brow Chakra (located at the third-eye), "Energy Spirit" is at Throat Chakra, "Power Spirit" is at Heart Chakra and is also connected to the palms and soles of the feet; "Central Spirit" is at Solar Plexus Chakra (located at the navel), "Essence Spirit" is at Sacral Chakra (also called "sexual chakra", located at the kidneys), and last, "Heroic Spirit" is at Base Chakra (located at the perineum).

Vajrayana Buddhism holds that "Qi" is the fundamental energy of life. In the mother's body, the fetus does not first develop the brain; rather, it initially forms the "three Nadis and seven Chakras"（三脉七轮）, which manifest as the observable heartbeat and micro-circulation systems in medical science. (Figure 6.3)

Figure 6.3: Diagram illustrating the human body's "three Nadis and seven Chakras".

The Seven Spirits of the human body are all governed by Life Soul. Once Life Soul resides in the fetus, it distributes energy throughout Seven Chakras along the three Nadis of the human body, forming Seven Spirits. They are unique to the physical body; after death, Seven Spirits dissipate, and Life Soul departs, marking the end of life.

Seven Spirits also interact with Three Souls. They correspond to the seven organs of the human body—the heart, stomach, kidneys, intestines, gallbladder, liver, and lungs. They govern emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, and desire, manifesting as the seven emotions that often disturb Three Souls. Taoist practice advocates starting with Three Souls to counteract Seven Spirits, allowing control over breathing, excretion, and the body's healing processes. Ultimately, this can even result in the preservation of the physical body after death.

Life Soul governs thoughts and wisdom through "Heavenly Rushing" and "Spiritual Wisdom Spirits"; it controls actions through "Energy, Power and Central Spirits"; and it oversees physical health through "Essence and Heroic Spirits", while Central Spirit is the core of Seven Spirits.

TCM holds a common view: the spirits and souls reflect the body's "essence, Qi and spirit"（精气神）, which are essentially energies hidden within the body. During the day, people work, and at night they need to rest. The consciousness that rests at night is the "soul"; however, many organs still need to work during the night, maintaining physiological and psychological functions. Those govern these functions are the "spirits".

It is not difficult to understand why people who reverse their day and night cycles often seem "lost and spiritless". Folklore suggests that at midnight, when yin energy is at its heaviest, Three Souls are already in a resting state. If you don't rest when you should, your souls will easily have problems, and you will be most likely to have wild thoughts, lose temper, and do things that you may not do during the day. Therefore, casinos, bars, dance halls and other places with rich nightlife take advantage of people's weaknesses. At this time, terrible things might easily happen.

As Seven Spirits are desire-driven spiritual entities, and young people need to build self-discipline, developing strong immunity against "sex, gambling and drugs" to avoid reckless behavior, which can lead to lifelong regrets.

When children are frightened, they might lose part of their Seven Spirits, leading to unexplained crying. Elders might perform simple rituals to call the spirits back. Sometimes, children play too much during the day and cry uncontrollably at night. It is because their spirits are reluctant to return, still longing for fun, so they need to be called back.

The most common situations where the spirits are injured, lost, scattered or damaged are: after being suddenly frightened, or when a person suffers a major physical or mental trauma, and his emotions "joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, fear, love, hate and desire" fluctuate violently in a short period of time. If the spirits are slightly unstable, normal life will not be greatly affected, so there is no need to be nervous. For people with a strong body, the spirits will slowly return to its original proper position.

Taoist and Buddhist traditions have different names for "Seven Spirits", but their positions and functions within the human body are the same. They are respectively called: Thieving Swallow, Corpse Dog, Smelly Lung, Filth Remover, Non-toxic, Yin Sparrow, and Hidden Arrow  (See Figure 6.4)

Figure 6.4: Pictures of the "Seven Spirits"

The ancients gave the "Seven Spirits" names that were concise and meaningful.

• First Spirit: also known as "Thieving Swallow", or "Heavenly Rush".

This spirit governs the body's immune function, responsible for devouring and eliminating bacteria and viruses. Harmful substances that do not belong to the host are collectively called "external thieves". Thieving Swallow eliminates these intruders, specializing in removing harmful substances from the body. Disrupting natural day-night cycle can damage this spirit, leading to fatigue, weakness, and potential growth of abnormal entities such as breast hyperplasia, uterine fibroids, and various cancers.

• Second Spirit: also known as "Corpse Dog" or "Spiritual Wisdom".

The name "Corpse Dog" is self-explanatory. "Corpse" refers to the body temporarily losing some of the functions of the six consciousnesses when it sleeps, resembling a "lying corpse". However, Corpse Dog's function keeps a person moderately alert, with the body retaining its warning abilities even during sleep, much like a guard dog. Some people are easily awakened by slight noises or environmental changes, sensing someone entering the room during sleep. Conversely, some people sleep so deeply that they are unresponsive even to significant disturbances, indicating a relatively dull "Corpse Dog".

• Third Spirit:also known as "Smelly Lung" or "Energy Spirit".

"Smelly" is synonymous with "smell" and clearly relates to a person's respiration and breath. For instance, some people have strong preferences for certain scents, while they find others unpleasant or allergenic. Additionally, some people breathe quietly and evenly while sleeping, while others snore loudly with heavy breathing. If this spirit is unstable, people will be restless. Among the five internal organs of the human body, only the breathing connected to the lungs is controllable by humans. We can breathe deeply or shallowly, or even hold our breath for a short time when swimming. The first step of many Qigong, meditation, and standing postures is to adjust the breath and observe the breathing.

The operation of human organs and the number of breaths taken in a lifetime are considered finite, which is why death is referred to as "running out of breath". This spirit is crucial and should not be contaminated by cigarette smoke, smog or cooking fumes. A common characteristic of long-lived individuals is a slower heart rate and slower, deeper breaths compared to the average. According to studies, excessive exercise can potentially shorten one's lifespan. 

• Fourth Spirit: also known as "Filth Remover" or "Power Spirit".

"Filth" refers to the waste produced by the body's metabolism. Unlike Thieving Swallow, which eliminates external impurities, Filth Remover clears out metabolic waste from our bodies, governing the functions of urination, defecation and various other excretory processes. Elderly people often experience frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, incontinence, and constipation, which can result from issues with this spirit's ability to properly control excretion. Additionally, it regulates sweating, phlegm expulsion, tears and various bodily fluids.

Filth Remover works during Hai-hour (亥, 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM), which is the peak time for three Nadis. The Nadis function like canals, transporting essential substances to the organs and removing wastes. Why are modern afflictions such as diabetes, gout, hyperlipidemia, and high uric acid so prevalent? Aside from dietary factors, failing to allow Filth Remover to function properly is a significant reason. To boost the body's immune system, in addition to medication, adjusting one's schedule is indispensable.

• Fifth Spirit: also known as "Non-Toxic" or "Central Spirit".

Non-Toxic is the core of the Seven Spirits, governing the kidneys. Before birth, it is located in the umbilical cord, and after birth, it resides in the navel. The term "toxic" refers to harmful substances or pathogens in the body, and it also implies "accumulation". Non-toxic means to disperse these harmful substances, such as cold or heat toxins, preventing them from accumulating into "toxins".

Non-Toxic typically works alongside Thieving Swallow, acting like an internal police force that disperses harmful blood clots and blockages, handing them over to Thieving Swallow to be eliminated by Filth Remover. If this soul is lost, the body will show signs of illness, becoming thin suddenly, with cloudy eyes, weak breathing, pale tongue, memory decline, hair loss and loss of consciousness. Conversely, those with a strong Non-Toxic will exhibit the opposite traits.

• Sixth Spirit: also known as "Yin Sparrow" or "Essence Spirits".

"Sparrow" refers to the male reproductive organ, and "Yin" refers to the female reproductive organ. Thus, this soul governs development of secondary sexual characteristics and strength of sexual function, and it repairs reproductive functions at night. The "Perineum acupoint" located in this area, is crucial for longevity and is where the yin meridians and Qi converge. This point aligns in a straight line with the "Crown acupoint"on top of the head, forming a pathway that connects the body's "essence, Qi and spirit". "Crown" connects with the heaven's energy (yang), while "Perineum" gathers the earth's energy (yin). They mutually depend on and correspond to each other, regulating normal flow of Qi along three Nadis to maintain the balance of yin and yang.

When a person rests at night, it is common for men and women to experience sexual reactions either during the night or upon waking in the morning, which is the function of "Yin Sparrow". Modern issues such as infertility are linked not only to diet and environment, but also to irregular daily routines and poor sleep quality. Problems with Yin Sparrow in men can lead to nocturnal emissions and prostate issues, while in women can cause cervical erosion, abnormal vaginal discharge and other gynecological issues.

• Seventh Spirit: also known as "Hidden Arrow" or "Heroic Spirit".

"Arrow" here is synonymous with "shit" in Chinese, governing intestinal digestion. Taoists talk about "Qi sinking into Dantian", where Qi is produced is the "Guanyuan acupoint"（关元穴）three inches below the navel, which is the location of the large intestine. The role of the "Hidden Arrow" is to replenish and conserve energy while a person sleeps. A healthy body, after a good night's sleep, wakes up full of energy in the morning.

The body's essence and Qi are produced by "Hidden Arrow", which transfers partially digested food from the stomach to the large intestine, where the bacteria transform decayed food into magic, absorb and decompose it, turn it into nutrients needed by the body, replenish the essence, and transport it to the brain and the whole body, while excreting the waste (in normal form) out of the body. Consequently, Hidden Arrow also determines brain function. Modern medical challenges such as Alzheimer's disease (senile dementia) are related to malfunction of the Hidden Arrow. When this spirit is damaged, it can result in insomnia or inadequate sleep, leading to waking up feeling exhausted and heavy. "A strong man can't stand three loose stools." Some even have incontinence, fatigue, and malaise because their essence Qi is gone.

In summary, the diseases caused by Seven Spirits are essentially closely related to sleeping quality, which further validates the ancient practice of "rising with the sun and resting with the sunset" as a natural law that aligns with the concept of "Unity of Man and Nature". We emphasize the importance of sleep for young people repeatedly, as poor sleep can significantly harm the body, ranging from dizziness and depression to severe illnesses. Despite possessing abundant knowledge and talent, irregular routines lead to accumulated strain and early demise. Sadly, many only realize this when it is too late.