《太上大圣朗灵上将护国妙经》

At that time, the Heavenly Worthy of Reviving the State and Great Peace, the Righteous and Valiant King of Martial Pacification (an honorific title of Guan Yu), the Marquis of Hanshou Pavilion, Grand Marshal Guan, the Perfected Lord of Chongning, together with his father, the Intelligent and Upright, Loyal-Assisting, Benevolent and Sagely Illustrious King, and his mother, the Assisting and Compliant, Bright and Pure Primordial Lady, as well as divine sons and sage grandsons, counselor-generals, and the divine generals of every division under his command, were all present together. These divine generals respectively led the troops of the left and right armies and were charged with ambush forces, subduing forces, concealed forces, and the recall of forces, with deploying, arranging, massing, and maneuvering formations, and with water formations and fire formations. There were also the Eight Baleful Powers of the Eight Directions, the Four Valiant Celestial Stalwarts of the Four Quarters (the soldiers and generals of the celestial realm), and generals able to seize lightning and roar with thunder, mount the clouds and send down rain, sound gongs and beat drums, and transmit commands. The many officials who administered civil and military affairs, and the immortals and perfected ones who had attained the Dao (the Way) on Jade Spring Mountain, were likewise present.

By the imperial edict of the Jade Emperor, I exercise overall charge of the Three Realms, administer the affairs of the Thunder and Fire Department and the Pestilence Department and of Fengdu in the underworld, and command the generals charged with sounding gongs and beating drums and transmitting orders, together with the civil and military officials, including also the immortals and perfected ones who attained the Dao on Jade Spring Mountain.

By the imperial edict of the Jade Emperor, I serve as General Superintendent of the Three Realms and as Censor of the Thunder, Fire, and Pestilence Departments and of Fengdu in the underworld, taking direction over the ghosts and spirits of the Three Realms. Now I ascend the altar to declare to you: the sun hangs high in the center of heaven, and the human heart dwells within the human person. The sun illuminates the four quarters, and the human heart likewise ought not to admit the slightest selfish thought. Better to be a loyal minister who goes unappointed than to deceive one’s ruler by crooked flattery; better to be a filial son whose aspirations cannot be fulfilled than to treat one’s kin with anger and resentment. Whether in the great ethical bonds or in the small matters of daily life, one should examine oneself and lessen one’s faults, and must not seek only one’s own advantage while harming others.

When a single thought is upright, auspicious signs appear; when a single thought is wicked, a fierce and baleful atmosphere is drawn forth. Good and evil stand clearly apart, as plain as looking upon fire; calamity and blessing answer in due measure, as regular as weighing goods upon a balance. All who possess life should together establish this resolve. I command the thunderclaps of the Thunder Department and can swiftly convey memorials up to the celestial court; by day I examine merits and demerits in the human world, and by night I judge the ghosts and spirits of the underworld. Should anyone make a thousand copies of this scripture (Jing), the merit will surpass that of reading through an entire true scripture of the Daozang, the Daoist Canon. I shall dispatch celestial troops to protect and aid that person, so that blessings of every kind descend of themselves.

The incantation is now proclaimed:

This Great Sage is the chief overseer who slays evil demons and supervises the punishments of the ghosts and spirits of the Three Realms, and he is also the envoy who patrols the Three Realms and hunts down ghosts and monsters. He is one of the seven spirits of the Primordial One Qi (vital energy). If anyone copies this scripture in a thousand copies, the merit gained surpasses that of reading a complete Daozang (Daoist Canon). I will dispatch celestial soldiers to stand guard, so that blessings of every kind descend of themselves. Thereupon the incantation was proclaimed:

The Great Sage is the chief overseer who slays evil demons and supervises the punishments of the ghosts and spirits of the Three Realms, and he is also the envoy who patrols the Three Realms and hunts down ghosts and monsters. He is the Great General Who Subdues Dragons and Tames Tigers among the seven ranks of the Primordial One Qi, titled the Perfected Lord of Chongning. In the Thunder Ministry he serves as the Commissioner-Envoy who carries out talismanic commands and campaigns against evil; he commands the Thirty-Six Thunders and concurrently holds office as Censor of the Fengdu branch tribunal. He is in charge of the criminal cases of the ghosts and spirits of the Three Realms and is the deity who presides over the grand rites of punishment. He leads the mighty celestial soldiers of Shenxiao (Divine Empyrean) and oversees criminal cases throughout the Three Realms; he is also Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the Three Realms and Commissioner for Recruiting Troops. He commands Heaven and Earth, executes deities and slays ghosts, and bears the title of Great Marshal.

At that time the civil and martial sages who were present, having heard this scripture through, all rejoiced and praised it, declaring that it had been well expounded. If anyone recites it with sincere devotion, whether sovereign or commoner, that person will receive the blessing of the stars moving in due course, the state secure, the people healthy and at ease, and disasters dispelled. Every good wish sought with a sincere heart will meet with a response. All human beings and heavenly deities alike will share in the benefit. The assembly believed and practiced according to the scripture, then paid their respects and withdrew.

An auspicious day of the Upper Prime Festival, in the dingwei year, the thirty-fifth year of the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty.

Zhang Guoxiang, heir to the teaching of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity), Grand Perfected of Concentrated Sincerity, Intent upon the Dao (the Way), Elucidating the Mystery and Spreading the Teaching, and charged with the affairs of Daoism throughout the realm, collated and published this text by imperial command.