<p>the verse quoted is, well, different from the original text, which is in 道藏輯要 三丰全集 玄要篇下：</p>
<h1>蟄龍吟</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>睡神仙・睡神仙・石根高臥忘其年・三光沉淪性自圓・氣氣歸玄竅・息息任天然・莫散亂・須安恬・<strong>温養得汞性兒圓・等待他鉛花兒現</strong>・無走失・有防閑・眞火候・運中間・行七返・不艱難・煉九還・何嗟嘆・靜觀龍虎戰場戰・暗把陰陽顚倒顚・人言我是矇矓漢・我卻眠兮眠未眠・學就了眞臥禪・養成了眞胎元・臥龍一起便昇天・此蟄法・是誰傳・曲肱而枕自尼山・樂在其中無人諳・五龍飛躍出深潭・天將此法傳圖南・圖南一派儔能繼・邋遢道人張丰仙</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/zUjYi.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/zUjYi.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>in taoism, the lead (鉛) - mercury (汞), dragon (龍) - tiger (虎) are metaphor. depends on the alchemy (external or internal); and sects, these terms might be explained diversely.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Is this translation on the right track? I'm particularly not unsure whether “儿” in this phrase is supposed to be a diminutive suffix or not</p>
</blockquote>
<p>on the right track? i believe not. “兒”, yes, a diminutive suffix.</p>
<p>try this page, in english, not too peculiar </p>
<p><a href="https://deeptrancenow.com/exc_taoist_language.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://deeptrancenow.com/exc_taoist_language.htm</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-10T18:26:27.030Z
儿 has no meaning, OP's quotes also make sense, you can place 儿 anywhere after nouns. Taoist priest 炼丹, they usually play with the lead, mercury, and other things to make 丹, but it always hurt their health, they just don't know.
sfy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-10T14:10:21.600Z
2020-10-10T14:10:21.600Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>I'm currently translating a poem from a Tai Chi Manual about &quot;Sleeping Immortal&quot; (睡仙歌）, a related style of Qigong. The following passage seems to contain a lot of alchemical symbolism, and my current translation is as follows：</p>
<blockquote>
<p>养得汞儿性圆，等待他铅儿花现。</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>“Cultivate Mercury, with a circular nature.
Wait for his Lead to appear like a blossom.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Is this translation on the right track? I'm particularly not unsure whether “儿” in this phrase is supposed to be a diminutive suffix or not.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-10T00:18:25.630Z
Mercury is light; lead is heavy. they are  used here to represent the light and heavy Qi
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-10T01:55:06.877Z
The density of mercury is 13.5 g/cm3 while that of lead is 11.3 g/cm3. Mercury is denser, heavier than lead.
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-10T02:39:18.197Z
Here is a reference that might help https://m.sohu.com/a/24672861_114748/?pvid=000115_3w_a
River
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-10T13:27:09.057Z
In both cases, you seem to have transposed 兒with the character next to it. 鉛花 is a proper noun. Any translation that relates 花 to flower or blossom is probably incorrect.
joehua
<translation>
How do you translate 养得汞儿性圆，等待他铅儿花现 in a text about 睡仙气功?
# How do you translate 养得汞儿性圆，等待他铅儿花现 in a text about 睡仙气功?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-10-10)

I'm currently translating a poem from a Tai Chi Manual about "Sleeping Immortal" (睡仙歌）, a related style of Qigong. The following passage seems to contain a lot of alchemical symbolism, and my current translation is as follows：

> 养得汞儿性圆，等待他铅儿花现。

> “Cultivate Mercury, with a circular nature.
> Wait for his Lead to appear like a blossom."

Is this translation on the right track? I'm particularly not unsure whether “儿” in this phrase is supposed to be a diminutive suffix or not.

**Tags:** translation
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Mercury is light; lead is heavy. they are  used here to represent the light and heavy Qi  
> **username_2**: The density of mercury is 13.5 g/cm3 while that of lead is 11.3 g/cm3. Mercury is denser, heavier than lead.  
> **username_3**: Here is a reference that might help https://m.sohu.com/a/24672861_114748/?pvid=000115_3w_a  
> **username_2**: In both cases, you seem to have transposed 兒with the character next to it. 鉛花 is a proper noun. Any translation that relates 花 to flower or blossom is probably incorrect.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-10-10. Score: 1

the verse quoted is, well, different from the original text, which is in 道藏輯要 三丰全集 玄要篇下：

# 蟄龍吟

> 睡神仙・睡神仙・石根高臥忘其年・三光沉淪性自圓・氣氣歸玄竅・息息任天然・莫散亂・須安恬・**温養得汞性兒圓・等待他鉛花兒現**・無走失・有防閑・眞火候・運中間・行七返・不艱難・煉九還・何嗟嘆・靜觀龍虎戰場戰・暗把陰陽顚倒顚・人言我是矇矓漢・我卻眠兮眠未眠・學就了眞臥禪・養成了眞胎元・臥龍一起便昇天・此蟄法・是誰傳・曲肱而枕自尼山・樂在其中無人諳・五龍飛躍出深潭・天將此法傳圖南・圖南一派儔能繼・邋遢道人張丰仙

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/zUjYi.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/zUjYi.jpg)

in taoism, the lead (鉛) - mercury (汞), dragon (龍) - tiger (虎) are metaphor. depends on the alchemy (external or internal); and sects, these terms might be explained diversely.

> Is this translation on the right track? I'm particularly not unsure whether “儿” in this phrase is supposed to be a diminutive suffix or not

on the right track? i believe not. “兒”, yes, a diminutive suffix.

try this page, in english, not too peculiar

<https://deeptrancenow.com/exc_taoist_language.htm>

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: 儿 has no meaning, OP's quotes also make sense, you can place 儿 anywhere after nouns. Taoist priest 炼丹, they usually play with the lead, mercury, and other things to make 丹, but it always hurt their health, they just don't know.  

---

