《元始天尊说变化空洞妙经》

The Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, a revered deity of Daoism) came to the slopes of Mount Danxuan, on the Fuluo peak of Mount Yucha in the Xina Heaven, and took his seat beneath a soaring tree in a grove of seven-jeweled jade. He wore a nine-colored shawl of Liluo silk and the Robe of Flying Forests, a crown that symbolized ceaseless transformation, and at his side hung the Yuyan sword, bright as the light of dawn. Many High Perfected Ones (Gaozhen, advanced immortals who had attained the Dao) attended him, fifty million in all.

Then the Celestial Worthy commanded the Five Elders, Perfected Ones of the Five Directions (Wulao Shangzhen), and the Duke of the Left of the Immortal Capital to open the book cases adorned with seven-colored jade frost, purple jewels, and phoenix feathers. They unrolled the five sections of the True Script in Red (Chishu Zhenwen) and chanted the Supreme Scripture of Transformation and Emptiness (Bianhua Kongdong Shang Jing). The chanting echoed like the sound of jade, and its wondrous resonance spread in every direction. The wind of vermilion simplicity arose, and the myriad spirits gathered for the great assembly. The profound law shone with radiance and adorned the Purple Void with solemn splendor. The Supreme Sages rejoiced and sent down a universal rain of jade light, and the spirits of all the heavens leapt with joy until no part of heaven or earth remained dark. Incense, flowers, song, dance, and music were beyond counting; auspicious clouds gathered from the eight directions, and a golden wind blew from all sides. The three luminaries of sun, moon, and stars paused in their brilliance so that the Seven Spirits might shine more brightly. The roads of the eight directions were radiant, and their light illuminated worlds without limit.

All the spirits on high broke into chant, and the grace of the divine beings spread far and wide. True Qi (vital energy) gathered and filled their bodies while their spirits (Shen) roamed freely alone. Their breath rose to the heights, and their forms changed with the Five Images. They displayed dragon patterns amid the emerald waters and radiated colored light above the clouds. In groves of orchids they played exquisite music, and in flying chariots they feasted among the Eight Realms. Driving dragon carriages, they crossed the clear ridges, and mounting phoenix carriages, they soared aloft. They wheeled through the air and urged their cinnabar-red chariots to a gallop. Treading upon the Nine Rosy Clouds, they gazed into the distance, rose above the Three Heavens, and forgot all worldly cares. The long wind and the mists swirled about them, spreading the sunlight and gently brightening the clear mandate of heaven. The sun displayed its majesty, thunder and lightning surged and crashed, and the flowing bells answered one another in radiance until the darkness on every side was dispelled.

They wandered freely through the realm of mystery and watched the transformations of the myriad phenomena. They bathed in the Orchid Pool and washed away impurities in the waters of Canglang, and amid the emerald waves they refined and nourished their souls before finally ascending to the place of the Dao's assembly (daochang). The Golden Spirits revealed their radiance, and the Six Perfections (Liudu) were subdued.

The root that harmonizes the transformations of the myriad things gathers disordered breaths back into pure unity, so that the blended Qi (vital energy) may circulate enduringly. Within, the heart is peaceful and glad; without, one bestows benefit and expounds the Dao (the Way), so that all things come into mutual communion. One discerns the numinous and subtle and sets the myriad beings in motion, harboring the true Dao within and breathing in and out the chapters of the Dao. One bows and looks up in the formless realm of the Kongdong (empty void), transforms the myriad things, and becomes their master. The supreme Dao and De (Virtue/Power) universally govern the ancestral sources of the gods, and the exalted law is honored by all the heavens.

When the true light of the wondrous Dao appears, the myriad breaths return together. Through the dark unseen one communes with the mysterious Dao, and in the deepest stillness one discerns the minute. The wondrous principle of the Great Dao is capacious and unobstructed, still, deep, and clear, showing a purple radiance. The realm of dark emptiness surges like waves, yet the Dao holds within it the most fundamental pivot. Vast power descends upon the Ninefold Darkness, and the Gate of the Sun opens wide. The host of spirits fold their wings and gather in the halls of the upper realm, and the numinous transformations of the Dao fill Heaven and Earth, the Two Instruments. Music like jade resounds, and all sounds ring together; the luan bird calls in the orchid garden, and the phoenix cries long upon the cloud ladder. Heavenly horses startle and gallop from the secluded mansion, and divine dragons race toward the Dark River.

The Seven Origins draw in their canopies of light, and the Three Luminaries—sun, moon, and stars—cease their turning. The Immortal Sovereign reins in the chariot horses, and the Yuanjun (Primal Lord) opens the gates. Before the ordering of the upper realm is complete, the lower realm has already conferred the key offices of the four quarters. In the blink of an eye, swift transformation spreads through the nine directions. The hidden depths join the eight quarters and enter what is too faint to discern. The Great Thearch steadies the chariot wheel, and the Five Elders hold the banners; the Golden Tiger clears the way in front, and the Tianzou (celestial grooms of the heavenly realm) follow behind. Fierce horses open their mouths and roar, and venomous beasts display their might. Heavenly troops seize baleful spirits, and the Red Writ arrests what is deviant and false. Celestial demons lose their strength, and the myriad specters scatter. The Jade Perfected examine the precepts, and no fault, great or small, is overlooked.

The orthodox Dao of the Three Heavens becomes manifest, and the Six Qi course forth. Grace within the dark unseen washes away defilement and scours the Cold Pool. The realm of the Dao grows bright once more, and numinous transformation cycles nine times. The realm of Dayou (Great Existence) opens on all four sides, and the Five Regions are pacified together. A fierce wind scatters obstructions, so that what the heart wishes may be fulfilled. The Great Beginning is vast without limit, clear, remote, and wide. The august current of the Great Dao accords with the turning of the times, and the myriad Perfected arise of themselves; the myriad things flourish in rich beauty, the trunks and branches of the dragon-trees stretch and grow, and every kind of life bursts forth like a hundred flowers. Vermilion sunlight shines upon fine jade; birds spread their wings and ascend the Purple Empyrean, beating upward until they reach Yuqing (Jade Clarity). The two images of sun and moon shed a gentle radiance, and the Great Dao of the eight directions stands lofty and bright. The Moon Maiden warmly illumines the splendor, and the Sun Lad broadcasts Jing (essence) and Qi; streams of radiant Qi pour through the heavens and converge in the dark unseen of the eight directions.

A hundred fragrances send forth their scent, and a mild wind blows freely. One’s Shen (spirit) and thought grow limpid, deep, and remote; one rides a flying wheel, clad in a robe of blue-green feathers. Radiance blazes and sheds light over the Seven Cities. Golden lads hold wiping cloths, and the Purple Consort cradles an infant; clear springs pour into the Jade Empyrean, and fresh flowers scatter across the Vermilion Court. The branches of the qian tree toss and sway, and the full celestial images display a graceful splendor. The myriad things stand suddenly revealed, and all sounds arise within the empty azure. Plaintive music forms its stanzas, and the phoenix sings in answer; within the subtle, constant cadence, the songs of the luan birds echo one another. Auspicious Qi interweaves far and deep; crimson fire and golden bells shine together. Breaths are unobscured, the scene is clear, and all appears of itself. The profound beauty of the upper realm makes one forget worldly feeling. From above, Jing and Qi descend, and divine spirits disperse and travel afar.

The Dao pities the people of the world and grieves for the mundane age, and so it stoops to meet living beings, that life may continue. Thus, upon the Jade Continent the documents of the Yellow Registers are inscribed; the Thearch-One writes the name of Dayou; within the Great Desert the Qi of the Jade Treasury is stored; and the boundless realm holds the years of the great kalpas. One who can gather and master the power of transformation may long remain secure and never be overthrown; one who studies and cultivates the wondrous Dao of the Kongdong brings the myriad spirits to rest of themselves. Bow and chant the Kongdong Chapters, and the myriad ghosts have no way to take form. This Dao is wondrous beyond words; its numinous authority is solemn, strict, vast, and settled. Dao and De stand majestic—the supreme numinous Dao of the highest sages.

Thereupon the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning commanded the Upper Perfected of the Five Elders, together with the Left Immortals of the Immortal Capital, to transmit the essentials of the eight ways of Transformations of the Kongdong, making them known to students of later ages, so that by studying the subtleties within them they might ascend to immortality.

At noon on the day of the Beginning of Spring, the exalted perfected great deities, together with the host of immortals, convene in the Upper Palace of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)—the palace where divine immortals dwell—to settle and verify the registers recorded on jade slips, golden tablets, and purple texts, to enter the names of those who have already become immortals, and to inscribe those names in the immortal registers of the Mysterious Lattice, Fangzhu, and the like.

On this day the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, the perfected spirits of the Five Marchmounts, and the great gods of the Four Seas all ride in jade carriages of the Eight Effulgences and five-colored cloud chariots, escorted by the Vermilion Phoenix; at times they also set out upon flying dragons. Countless immortal lads and jade maidens, holding banners and pennants, scatter flowers and burn incense as they travel through the air. Their light illumines the various heavens as they make their circuit of the eight quarters. Each bears the ledgers of those who cultivate immortality and comes to the Palace of Taiji to collate every person’s merits and demerits and to determine good and evil.

Should anyone receive the recommendation of the Three Officials and the guarantee of the Five Emperors, that person is written into the jade-slip immortal register, enrolled at the Palace of Taiji, and made known to the myriad spirits, while the appropriate immortal bureaus come to receive them. Should anyone violate the precepts, the offense is entered in the Nine Bureaus and the penalty is ascertained by the Three Officials; the Four Directors seize and hold them, and the Five Emperors investigate. Such persons are removed from the immortal registers, transferred to the ghost officials, and judged according to their good and evil.

Within three days the deities assemble to deliberate; the sun, moon, and stars above and the myriad spirits below are all solemnly roused. Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) should, on the day of the Beginning of Spring, bathe and keep a purificatory fast: at noon they enter the quiet chamber; at midnight they bare the body, face north, bow twice, knock the head, and slap the cheeks nine times. They then set forth, one by one, the hidden faults, the transgressions difficult to pardon, and the crimes that admit of no leniency which they have committed since they first began to study the Dao, repenting of each in turn.

In repenting, one should render the heart empty, luminous, and still, concealing nothing within or without, and pray that one’s offenses may be discharged, that the dead of seven generations of ancestors may be released from suffering and their shadowy souls ascend to heaven, and that one may in the end rise in flight and become an immortal. When the rite is concluded, one clicks the teeth nine times and softly intones the incantation:

The lofty realized beings of the mysterious north—perfected immortals who have attained the Dao (the Way)—and the superior immortals of the realm of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) transform without end within the mysterious void, and their numinous, wondrous modes of generation and transformation are likewise of a thousand kinds and ten thousand forms. One chooses an auspicious day and a favorable hour and performs the rite at dawn, so that the Three Luminaries of sun, moon, and stars—the essences of the sun, moon, and stars as spoken of in Daoism—conjoin in the dark and unseen, and the Qi (vital energy) of the eight directions—the breaths that constitute heaven, earth, and the myriad things—spreads abroad. The Four Offices, the celestial bureaus charged with examination, record-keeping, and related affairs, open their registers and carry out their scrutiny, while the Five Emperors determine whether registration among the immortals is to be conferred. One prays that past faults be cleared away and the roots of sinful karma eradicated; that one’s name be inscribed in the immortal registers of the Nine Heavens and entered in the rolls of the Numinous Pavilion, so that the seven ancestors—the ancestors of seven generations—may be liberated and receive mysterious grace. All that is prayed for will be fulfilled as wished, and nothing fails to come true. When the rite is concluded, one takes the “Talisman of Taiji Refining and Transformation, Stabilizing the True and Generating the Numinous”—the talisman by which Taiji refines and transforms and causes the true numinous spirit to grow—then tilts the head upward and swallows nine times, after which one may stop.

If one cultivates this method for eight years, one’s jade name—the honored name recorded in the immortal registers—will be entered in the Upper Observatory of Taiji. The practitioner will become an immortal of the Taiji realm and, as regards the reckoning of one’s own allotted life, will in the end obtain the power of flight and ascend to the realm of Shangqing (Highest Clarity).

At noon on the day of the Spring Equinox, the Tai Su Zhenren of the Kunlun Yaotai—an immortal perfected being venerated in Daoism—gathers with the various immortal officials at the Yaotai to evaluate the Jing (scriptures) and also to examine the merits that practitioners have achieved in cultivating the scriptural methods.

At this time the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, the Five Marchmounts and the Four Perfected, and the host of great immortals all arrive. They ride cloud carriages with feathered canopies, drawn by twelve flying dragons. Immortal lads and jade maidens scatter flowers and burn incense along the way, holding splendid banners, and tour the eight directions through the sky as they proceed to the Yaotai. They register, item by item, how practitioners have cultivated the scriptural methods and how weighty or slight their merits are, and then submit the records to the Shangzhen (perfected immortals of higher rank). They assemble and deliberate for three days in succession. The sun, moon, and stars of the various heavens, and the myriad spirits of the earth, are all moved on this account to solemn reverence.

On this day practitioners should observe a pure fast (ritual purity and abstinence). At noon they enter the chamber; at midnight they bare the body, burn incense and recite the scripture, face north and bow twice, knock the head, and strike the cheeks nine times. They then declare and repent the prohibitions they have violated since they began to study the methods, the precepts of the scriptural law they have broken, and such faults as divulging or slighting the secret methods of the celestial writs, asking forgiveness and the removal of their guilt. They also pray to be released from their own offenses and from the punishments that implicate seven generations of ancestors, so that the souls of the dead in the unseen realm may escape the Three Paths and Five Sufferings—the states of suffering spoken of in Daoism—and be raised to a higher station, and they pray that they themselves may attain the immortal Dao (the Way). When the rite is finished, they click the teeth nine times and silently recite the incantation:

O Supreme Perfected of Great Simplicity, lofty immortals and great numina: today I report upward to you. Please come in the carriage of auspicious clouds, proceed to the Yaotai, and hold a banquet assembly in the Purple Court, checking the registers, expunging offenses, and entering names in the register of life. May the Five Emperors fix my record, and may the Sovereign Lord of Eastern Florescence inscribe my name. May I accord with the Great Dao and fulfill the wish for which I pray. I have received this wondrous scripture and wish to recite it a full ten thousand times, awaiting the carriage of the immortals. I look up to the spirits and the Jade Emperor to grant gracious pardon, so that what I seek may be realized, my form transformed and my frame remade, and I may ascend in flight to Taiqing (the highest celestial realm spoken of in Daoism).

After the recitation, one puts on the Precious Talisman of the Tai Su Yaotai for Communicating with the Perfected and Transforming into an Immortal, raises the head and swallows nine times, and then brings the rite to an end. If one cultivates by this method for eight years, the Tai Su Zhenren will descend to the practitioner’s chamber, allowing the practitioner to see with his own eyes the form of the perfected immortal, and in the end to ascend, flying to the Upper Palace of the Eight Simplicities at the Yaotai.

Practicing cultivation at the Beginning of Summer can remake the bodily form, casting off the old and renewing the bones, so that one ascends in flight to Taiqing (the pure and vacant immortal realm of which Daoism speaks). When the practice is finished, one takes the “Precious Talisman of Grand Simplicity and the Jade Terrace for Communing with the Perfected and Transforming into an Immortal” (a kind of Daoist Fulu [talismans and registers]), tilts the head back, and swallows the talisman nine times in all, then stops. If one cultivates by this method for eight years, the Perfected of Grand Simplicity will descend to the dwelling; the practitioner may see his divine form with their own eyes and at last be able to rise, flying up to the Upper Palace of the Eight Simplicities on the Jade Terrace.

At noon on the day of the Beginning of Summer, the Five Emperors assemble with the host of immortals in the Purple Tenuity Palace (the immortal palace in the heavens). The Four Perfected of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) sit in ranked order and examine the ledgers of merit and fault of those who study the Dao (the Way). At this time the gods who oversee rectitude in the various heavens, the Water Emperors of the rivers and seas, and the deities of the Five Marchmounts all arrive, riding cloud carriages beneath feathered canopies, with flying dragons and vermilion phoenixes. Immortal lads and jade maidens burn incense and scatter flowers, travel through the void, and hold flower banners and five-colored streaming bells, coming together in solemn dignity. They ascend the Purple Tenuity Palace, set out item by item the merits and faults of those who study the Dao, and check and collate the registers of names. The immortals deliberate continuously for three days, judging good and evil in turn.

At this time the sun, moon, and five planets of the various heavens, together with all the deities of the earth, become solemnly alert. Those who study the Dao should keep a pure fast on this day (cleansing body and mind and abstaining from meat and pungent foods) and enter the chamber at noon. At midnight they bare the body, face north, remove the headcloth, knock the head, and strike the cheeks nine times. They then sincerely repent, all together, of the prohibitions violated since they began to study the Dao, of offenses of transgressing or slighting the precepts, and of faults such as harboring hidden malice, failing in loyalty and filial piety, jealousy that harms others, and defiance and lack of faith, and they ask that their guilt be remitted.

They should also pray for the rescue of the departed souls among the Seven Mysteries (ancestors of seven generations) who are under examination and censure, so that these souls may leave the Three Paths and Five Hardships (the places of suffering in the underworld of which Daoism speaks), depart from servitude in darkness, and ascend to the Hall of Blessings; and they should pray that they themselves may become immortals and fly up to Shangqing (an immortal realm of Daoism). When the rite is finished, they click the teeth nine times and softly intone a prayer: [the original text that follows is not recorded.]

The Qi (vital energy) of the Five Directions—five kinds of primordial vital energy—revolves and returns, restoring the divine spirits, while the host of the Perfected gathers in the lofty realm of purity. The outermost realms of the four quarters all keep watch and cast their light, and they proclaim this universally to the multitude of spirits. The Three Officials (the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water) examine the merits of cultivation and report them: those who are diligent and exert themselves are entered in the registers; those without good deeds remain in the world. The Three Luminaries (the sun, the moon, and the stars) let down their radiant splendor, and the Five Emperors refine and transmute Jing (essence) and Qi, altering the bodily form and transforming the bones, so that one receives from above the grace of the great spirits, the ultimate wish being to ascend and become an immortal.

One must look to the Three Officials as they examine and report the merits: those who are diligent and exert themselves are entered in the registers; those without good deeds remain in the world. The Three Luminaries let down their radiant splendor, and the Five Emperors refine and transmute essence and vital energy, altering the bodily form and transforming the bones, so that one receives from above the grace of the great spirits, the ultimate wish being to ascend and become an immortal.

The higher vow is to dwell in the Purple Court (the celestial palace where immortals and the Perfected reside); the middle vow is to ascend to the Nine Heavens; the lower vow is to have one’s name enrolled in the Limitless, in the realm of the enduring heavens that never collapse. When the higher, middle, and lower vows are joined, there is nothing that cannot be realized.

When the recitation is finished, one at once ingests the True Talisman of the Numinous Capital of Purple Tenuity, that is, the Fulu (talismans and registers) of Ziwei Lingdu, tilts the head back, swallows nine times, and then stops. Cultivating according to this method for eight years enables the Five Emperors to descend to one’s dwelling, so that one may commune with the spirits and meet the Perfected; karmic offenses disperse, blessed affinities gather, and in the end one ascends to Shangqing (the pure and void immortal realm of which Daoism speaks).

At noon on the day of the summer solstice, the Three Officials of Heaven—the deities who preside over Heaven, Earth, and Water—gather at the court of the Superior Official of the Director of Destinies, the divine officer who governs human lifespan and the registers of fate. They summon the River Marquis and the Water Emperor, and together they examine the ledgers that record the merits and faults of all people, deciding whether to add years to a life or to reduce its allotted span.

On this day, the Director of Destinies of the Nine Heavens, together with the many Perfected Ones of Heaven, the Five Emperors of the Five Sacred Peaks, and the spirits, all ride five-colored cloud chariots drawn by flying dragons beneath feathered canopies. Guided by immortal officials, they tour the world below. Traveling through the void, they assemble with solemn dignity at the office of the Director of Destinies and inspect the registers of fate: those who are guilty have their lives shortened, and those who have merit have theirs lengthened. The gods deliberate for three days in succession, distinguishing good from evil.

At this time the sun, moon, and five planets in Heaven, together with the host of spirits upon the earth, likewise move with grave purpose. They travel through the void and gather together, once more verifying the registers of fate and distinguishing good from evil.

Those who cultivate the Dao (the Way) should, on the day of the summer solstice, observe a pure fast—cleansing body and mind and abstaining from meat and wine. At noon they enter the chamber; at midnight they remove their upper garment, burn incense, recite the Jing (scriptures), and cultivate the supreme Dao. Then, facing north, they take off their headcloth, kowtow, and strike their cheeks nine times, confessing to the deities the faults they have committed since they began to cultivate the Dao. These include slighting Heaven and Earth, offending the sun, moon, and stars—the “Three Luminaries”—divulging true formulas, slighting celestial writings, and violating the precepts. They pray that these offenses be remitted.

They also pray that the departed souls of seven generations of ancestors may be released, so that they leave the domains under the jurisdiction of the Three Officials and the five kinds of suffering and ascend into the Mysterious Palace—the profound and hidden heavenly realm spoken of in Daoism—and they pray that they themselves may likewise ascend in flight. When the rite is finished, they click their teeth nine times and softly recite the incantation:

The Three Officials, the Nine Bureaus, and the host of Perfected Ones of the Most High arrive together, bringing the Jingdi Chamber with them, while the deity Siming examines each person’s allotted span of life. They summon the River Marquis and the twelve water deities to review and settle the registers of offenses. When the jade slips—the books that record merit and fault—are brought forth, those who have done good have their merits entered, and those who have committed evil are recorded as well.

Today a general reckoning is held. Looking upward, one implores the mysterious grace, asking that the guilt accumulated in the past be removed and every kind of fault dissolved, so that seven generations of ancestors may be blessed, and that one oneself may ascend and become an immortal, one’s name registered above the Nine Heavens, to endure forever in Baozhen Yuchen, the pure immortal realm of which Daoism speaks.

When the rite is complete, one immediately takes the Talisman of Siming for Enduring Life (Fulu) and, raising the head, swallows nine times, then stops. Cultivating in this way for eight years, the deity Siming confirms the practitioner’s place in the register, Taiyi, a revered deity of Daoism, records the merit, the Three Officials reduce the offenses, and the practitioner at last becomes a superior immortal.

At noon on the day of the Beginning of Autumn (Liqiu), the Zhenren of the Five Sacred Mountains (Wuyue)—perfected immortals who have attained the Dao (the Way)—go to Huangsuo Yunting Mountain, where Lord Huanglao resides, to assemble with the immortal officials and to examine and confirm the divine charts and numinous medicines of the world.

On this day, the supreme perfected of the various heavens, the Chancellor of the Nine Heavens, the Five Emperors of the sun and moon, and the celestial beings of the Five Stars all arrive, riding jade carriages of the Eight Effulgences and five-colored cloud chariots. Flying dragons and phoenixes draw the vehicles, and carriages and horses come in great numbers. Immortal lads and jade maidens hold splendid banners, burn incense, and scatter flowers, singing in the air as they tour the heavens; they also attend the feast at the Five Sacred Mountains and arrive together in solemn and orderly array. They ascend to the Yellow Chamber, inspect the registers of the Zhenren, the divine charts, and the numinous medicines, and meet in council for three days in succession. At this time, among the supreme perfected of all the heavens and the host of spirits on earth, there is none who does not become gravely alert.

Daoists who cultivate the methods of the Dao and travel among famous mountains should, on the day of the Beginning of Autumn, remain quiet and observe purification and fasting. Morning and evening they burn incense, recite the scriptures (Jing), ingest talismans, and swallow the breath, so that Qi (vital energy) and the bodily fluids are brought into harmony. They let the mind return to empty stillness and concentrate on the mysterious truth of the Dao. They then bow the head and strike the cheeks, confessing upward and repenting the faults they have committed: depletion of Jing (essence) and Shen (spirit); defilement of the Three Palaces—the upper, middle, and lower Dantian (energy centers) and other sites of cultivation within the body; meditative visualization that was not single-minded; neglect of the precepts and liturgical texts; and old offenses accumulated by offending Heaven and Earth and the sun, moon, and stars. They pray that all these offenses be pardoned, that seven generations of ancestors be delivered and released from the dark underworld, that suffering departed souls ascend to heaven, and that they themselves may become immortals.

When the rite is finished, they knock the teeth nine times and softly intone the incantation:

“The Most High collates and confirms the registers of the immortals; Lord Huanglao bestows the talisman of deliverance. Let it be proclaimed to the Five Sacred Mountains that the divine charts be opened and verified. May my name be entered on the roll of the Imperial Lord and recorded in the cinnabar writs of the immortal realm. Where there is diligent cultivation, there is a path of ascent to immortality; suffering departed souls may rise, and I myself may also become an immortal.”

The latter half of the original repeats the ritual passage that begins with “at this time,” and the wording “when finished, knock the teeth nine times and softly intone the incantation” appears again; the content is rendered here only once.

The Most High (Taishang, a revered deity of Daoism) examines and confirms the register of immortals. Huanglao (the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, a name that also refers more broadly to revered deities of Daoism) bestows the talisman of deliverance and proclaims the matter to the Five Sacred Peaks. The divine spirits (Shen) open the charts of the registers of destiny, enter the practitioner’s name in the roster of the Celestial Emperor, and then set it down in the cinnabar documents (the register of immortals). Those who cultivate diligently are recorded in the register, while the guilty are removed from the roll.

One chooses an auspicious day and a favorable hour. When the primordial Qi (vital energy) between heaven and earth is pure, clear, and luminously empty, one recites the scripture (Jing) and prays for one’s wish. The scripture depicts the practitioner obtaining numinous medicines and the Jing (essence) of the zhi herb, bending down to drink the Jing of the moon and raising the head to absorb the Qi of the solar aurora, until the bodily form is transformed and one ascends in flight to the Mysterious Capital (Xuandu, a legendary immortal realm in Daoism).

When the ritual is complete, one ingests the secret immortal talisman called “Zhonghuang Badao” (Central Yellow, Eight Paths), tilts the head back, and swallows nine times, and with that the rite comes to an end. After cultivating this method of “Daokong” (Emptiness of the Dao) for eight years, one will see the divine spirits appear in visible form, receive the cinnabar zhi and numinous medicines, and fly through the Great Void.

At noon on the day of the autumn equinox, the Supreme Emperor of the High Sovereign ascends to the Palace of Grand Tenuity at the Numinous Watchtower of Highest Clarity. There he gathers in council with the Three Venerable Lords of the Most High, the Perfected Duke of the Northern Pole, the Great Gods of the Eight Seas, and the venerable spirits of the Five Marchmounts. Together they judge the faults and blessings of all living beings under heaven, record whether those who cultivate the Dao have been diligent or slack in their practice, and hand the results to the Lord Director of Destinies, the deity who governs human lifespan and fate.

On the same day the gods go on to pay homage to the Primordial Worthy of the Nine Heavens, the Father and Mother of the Nine Heavens, the Perfected of the Lofty Immortals, the Immortal Mother of the Nine Numina, the Great God of the Myriad Sages of the Upper Prime of the Southern Pole, together with the Five Emperors, the Four Extremes, and the immortals of profound attainment. They ride in jade carriages of the Eight Effulgences, wheels of purple cloud, and cinnabar carriages of the five colors—the vehicles of the immortals—drawn by flood-dragons and pulled by phoenixes, and covered by the feathered canopies of flying immortals. Immortal lads and jade maidens, numbering in the hundreds of millions, attend them, bearing ceremonial insignia of nine colors, splendid banners of the ten perfections that display divine majesty, and blazing falling fire-bells. All along the way they chant within the cloud palaces, burn incense, and scatter flowers, assembling at the Palace of Grand Tenuity of Highest Clarity.

There the gods deliberate for three days, verifying the merits and faults of all who study the Dao throughout the world. At this time the sun and moon seem to tilt, the stars halt in their courses, and every spirit between heaven and earth stands in solemn awe.

Whoever cultivates the Dao should, on this day, purify the self and observe ritual abstinence. At noon one enters the chamber of stillness; at midnight one bares the body, burns incense, and recites scripture. Facing north, one declares one’s vows, knocks the head, and strikes the cheeks. One must first confess to heaven and earth and to the sun, moon, and stars any former disrespect and profanation; confess the grave offenses of defiling the Three Luminaries—sun, moon, and stars—of divulging secret texts, and of violating the codes and precepts; and beg to be pardoned. From this day one begins anew, seeking only the forgiveness and compassion of the supreme sages, and praying that the sunken souls among one’s ancestors of seven generations may rise into the Hall of Blessings, and that one may oneself attain the Dao and ascend as a flying immortal.

When the rite is finished, one clicks the teeth nine times and softly intones the incantation:

The most venerable Imperial Sovereign on High (the supreme deity), Taiwei Xuanling (a divinity of the celestial realm), commands the myriad gods, inspects the registers of immortals, and governs human lifespan and deliverance. The god Taiyi holds the Fulu (talismans and registers), and the god of the Upper Prime guards Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy). Today coincides with the Bahui (the time when, as Daoism teaches, the divinities assemble); the many perfected gods gather numinous Qi. Whatever root-knots and obstructions have accumulated from former lives are all to be cleared away one by one. Please enter my name in the mysterious register of immortals and strike off my offenses. May the Young Lord Baiyuan (a divinity who protects practitioners) ever accompany me, so that the Qi of the Sanyuan (the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water) unites as one.

I wish to behold the forms of the divinities and to wield the Fulu in my hands; the god of the Upper Prime guards Jing and Qi. Today coincides with the Bahui; the many perfected gods gather numinous Qi, clear the root-knots and obstructions accumulated from former lives, enter my name in the mysterious register, and strike off my offenses. May the Young Lord Baiyuan ever accompany me, so that the Qi of the Sanyuan becomes one. I behold the forms of the divinities and, riding purple mist, fly into the imperial court (the palace where the Celestial Emperor resides).

When the ritual is over, one swallows the Lingdu Yousheng talisman, then raises the head and swallows nine times, and then stops. If one cultivates according to this method for eight years, the myriad gods will remember you, your name will be entered in the immortal registers of the Nine Heavens, a Zhenren (Perfected Person) will descend, and in the end you will be granted the chance to ascend in flight and become an immortal.

At noon on the day of the Beginning of Winter, the Zhenren of Yangtai (a title of an immortal perfected), together with the immortal officials and jade maidens, assembles upon Yangtai to verify the name registers of those who seek the teaching. Only those entered in the registers of attainment of the Dao (the Way) are reckoned to have begun attaining the Dao at the various famous mountains. On that day, the sage perfected of all the heavens, and the great gods of the Five Marchmounts, the rivers, Mei, and other places, all ride in the feathered canopies of flying immortals, driving twelve flying dragons and bearing five-colored flowing bells and resplendent banners of the Ten Absolutes. Burning incense and scattering flowers, they tour the world and observe living beings. Solemn and majestic, they come together to Yangtai, ascend the heights, and check the name lists.

Those who seek the Dao and pursue cultivation should, on this day, fast and keep themselves pure. At noon they enter the quiet chamber; at midnight they bare their bodies, burn incense, and recite the Jing (scripture), silently visualizing the divine perfected, facing north, knocking their heads, and striking their bodies. They first repent the faults and offenses they committed in the past, then state their plea according to their own intention and ask for pardon. They pray for the deliverance of the seven ancestors (ancestors of seven generations) and for the release of the souls of the dead in the dark underworld, so that they may ascend to the Southern Palace (the dwelling place of celestial immortals), and at the same time they pray that they themselves may obtain the way of immortality.

When the rite is finished, one clicks the teeth nine times and softly recites:

“The Great Yang surveys living beings; the myriad gods are solemn and pure. The Four Offices and Five Emperors (celestial gods who oversee inspection, recording, and reward and punishment) examine the immortal registers; the Primordial Sovereign opens the true Dao, removes offenses, and registers the names of the living. I submit to the gods of the Bahui the wish I seek…” (The scripture is unfinished here.)

After the inner refinement known as the “Solar Trial Contemplation” (Taiyang shiguan) is completed, the myriad spirits all become solemn, pure, and still. The Four Offices and the Five Emperors—deities of the celestial realm who oversee examination, record-keeping, and related affairs—enter the practitioner’s name in the Mysterious Registers (Xuanji). The Primordial Sovereign (Yuanhuang) opens the True Realm, cancels the person’s offenses, and inscribes them in the Register of Life. The practitioner reports their wishes to the Eight Assemblies (Bahui), a sacred gathering of the celestial realm, and can thereby have those wishes fulfilled, receive the reverent protection of the gods, and ascend in flight to the Grand Numen (Tailing). When the rite is finished, one ingests the Yangtai Lingsheng jade talisman, tilts the head back and swallows nine times, and then stops. After practicing this method of the Dao (the Way) for eight years, one is permitted to have one’s name retained on the registers of the Nine Heavens; Perfected Ones (Zhenren) come to receive one, and one ascends in flight to the place where the Imperial Lord (Dijun) dwells.

At noon on the day of the winter solstice, the Perfected of heaven and the host of immortals all proceed to the Grand Palace of Eastern Florescence at Fangzhu (Fangzhu Donghua Taigong). There the Azure Lad Lord of the Eastern Sea (Donghai Qingtong jun) engraves the roster of the immortals in golden script and fixes it. On that day the great assembly of celestial sages and the Great Gods of the Numinous Capital of the Nine Subtleties of the Primordial Sovereign all ride in jade carriages of the Eight Effulgences (Bajing) and on the feathered wheels of flying immortals. Golden cloud-mist and purple canopies accompany the carriages; celestial light shines all around, and the sound of five-colored bells goes with them. They summon the spirits of the Five Marchmounts (Wuyue), the Four Conduits (Sidu)—the four great rivers—and the rivers, lakes, and seas, burn incense, scatter flowers, and travel through the void. The immortals likewise go to Fangzhu, engrave and fix the names on the Mysterious Registers, and determine them jointly with the Three Heavens (Santian). At this time every one of the myriad numina between heaven and earth is solemn and stirred to reverence.

When this day comes, the person who cultivates the Dao should observe a pure fast. At noon one enters the quiet chamber; at midnight one bares the body, burns incense and recites scripture (Jing), faces north, removes the headcloth, knocks the head upon the ground, and strikes the cheeks. One then repents the offenses committed since one first came to understanding, stating them item by item according to one’s own heart, praying for forgiveness and pardon, and asking that the seven ancestors—seven generations of forebears—be released and raised up so that they may ascend into the Southern Palace (Nangong). When the rite is complete, one clicks the teeth nine times and softly recites the incantation:

When the deities of Celestial Perfection descend and the host of immortals gathers at the immortal realm of Fangzhu to collate the registers, one chooses an auspicious day and a favorable hour to declare one’s heartfelt wish. At that time heaven and earth are clear and pure, and the day and hour are harmonious and propitious; I am granted the gracious favor of Heaven above. My name will be entered in golden script and jade characters in the immortal register of the Numinous Pavilion, reverently upheld and protected by the Five Emperors, while the Four Offices (the divine bureaus of the celestial realm that administer the relevant affairs) bless and safeguard my spirit and soul. I may then ride the Eight Effulgences (the auspicious phenomena upon which immortals travel), mount the divine mist that soars through the void, ascend to the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the highest celestial realm venerated in Daoism, and pay homage to Yuchen (a venerated deity of the celestial realm).

When the ritual has ended, one puts on the ritual vestments represented by the Jade Talisman of Celestial Perfection, Pure Numinosity, and the Eight Effulgences, tilts the face upward and swallows nine times, and then stops. Cultivating according to this method for eight years, one’s name will be inscribed in the immortal register of the Azure Palace of Fangzhu. Devoting oneself wholeheartedly to the practice and never growing lax, one can become a superior immortal.

On each of the Eight Nodes—the Beginning of Spring, the Spring Equinox, the Beginning of Summer, the Summer Solstice, the Beginning of Autumn, the Autumn Equinox, the Beginning of Winter, and the Winter Solstice—the celestial realm holds a court assembly, and these are important days on which the celebrations begin. At that time the gods gather in council: the sages of the various heavens, the true gods of the celestial realm, Perfected Persons who have succeeded in cultivation, together with the sun, moon, and stars, the Five Marchmounts and the Five Emperors, the spirits of the rivers and seas, and innumerable living beings, all come to attend a celebratory assembly lasting three days.

At the assembly the celestial realm verifies the registers of those who cultivate the Dao (the Way), judges good and evil, records merits and offenses, distinguishes the diligent from the negligent, and reports every merit and fault upward to the Nine Heavens, entering them separately into the ledgers of celestial offices such as the Three Palaces and Nine Bureaus and the Upper Bureau of the Director of Destinies. Nothing is left out, whether the matter be great or small, grave or slight.

On these days cultivators should clear the mind and observe purification and fasting, sincerely repent the faults they have committed, burn incense and recite the scriptures (Jing), and vow to uphold the incantatory precepts, thereby moving and communicating with the divinities. The scripture says that cultivators may receive the aid of the Four Directors and the Five Emperors, who recommend them and enter their names in the Jade Register (the celestial register of immortals), so that they may hope to bring divine beings down to them and in the end ascend in broad daylight.

If cultivators do not know that the heavens hold celebratory assemblies and that the highest sages meet in council, and if they do not understand that they should repent their faults on these days, then how can the scrutiny they have already undergone be lifted, and how can the charges against them be remitted? In that case the Seven Ancestors (ancestors of seven generations) will long remain sunk in the hells, and they themselves will have no hope of ascending and becoming immortals.

The Spring Equinox and the Autumn Equinox are the days on which the celestial realm decides life and death, investigates offenses, and examines the host of immortals at Dingzhen Abbey. Cultivators should steady their resolve, concentrate on contemplating the Dao, and practice with diligence, never doing anything contrary to the methods of the Dao. Above all they must not treat cultivation lightly, and at this time they should repent their own faults.

Once a vow has been made, the celestial realm inscribes the oath in the Celestial Origin (the records of the heavens). If from beginning to end one never transgresses again, one may hope to become an immortal; if after repenting one offends once more and is investigated by the divine offices in charge, the celestial realm will no longer accept that person’s repentance. In that case the path of immortality lies far beyond reach, and one will oneself sink to become a lower ghost. The retribution of fault and blessing is made manifest on these crucial days, and cultivators ought to act with care.

All who cultivate the higher methods of the Dao (the Way), visualize the divine spirits, and aspire toward the Perfected, wishing to comprehend the Dao of the transformations of the Hollow Void and the sights of the four seasons and to obtain the arts of flying immortality—if they do not know, when practicing at the Eight Nodes (the Beginning of Spring, the Spring Equinox, the Beginning of Summer, the Summer Solstice, the Beginning of Autumn, the Autumn Equinox, the Beginning of Winter, and the Winter Solstice), to repent of their faults and acknowledge their offenses and to recite the incantations, then they do not understand the true method for eliminating sin and settling life. The divine spirits and the Perfected are profound and remote, hard to behold; relying only on longing in the heart and hoping for a response, one often finds it difficult to obtain what is wished. If on these days one repents and acknowledges one’s offenses, the sins will all disperse, and the spirits will all grant their protection; when the incantations are recited, as soon as the voice is uttered, one can stir and commune with the divinities. Visualizing the spirits in this way, within no more than ten years one will behold the true gods; the ancestors of seven generations will thereby leave the Three Paths (the dark realms of suffering spoken of in Daoism), their shadowy souls will change form, receive transformation and deliverance, and join the ranks of the southern immortals. The cultivator will also cast off the mortal body, rise into the void and ascend in flight, soaring among the clouds. This is the higher method of the Dao of the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, secretly treasured in the Palace of Great Existence above the Nine Heavens. According to the articles of the Mingzhen Code (the precepts and Keyi, liturgy, of Daoism), it is transmitted only once in ten thousand kalpas. If this numinous text is rashly divulged, disaster will befall the ancestors of seven generations, and one oneself will have no hope of becoming an immortal.

Hidden Talisman of the Jade Radiance of the Hollow Void in the Transformations of the Eight Ways of the Numinous Perfected

Talisman of the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) for Refining and Transforming, Fixing the Perfected, and Giving Life to the Numinous

The older text comes from the first section, the “Jade Radiance” chapter, of the Supreme Transformations of the Hollow Void, and is treasured in the Upper Palace of the Taiji.

All who cultivate the Dao and seek immortality, visualize the divine spirits, aspire toward the Perfected, and, by repenting of faults and acknowledging offenses, eliminate their errors and pray for a response from the divinities should, on the day of the Beginning of Spring, write this talisman with a blue-green brush and, facing east, swallow one. The offenses of the past will then disperse all together, and the Taiji will also register the cultivator’s name upon a jade slip. When the practice has been fulfilled for eight years and none of the rites of the eight seasonal nodes has been omitted, the Taiji will bestow eight jade lads. Through visualization and response, the Perfected of Heaven will descend, enabling the cultivator to behold the forms of the spirits and to obtain a carriage named “One Radiance,” and to ascend in flight to the Palace of the Taiji.

Precious Talisman of the Jade Terrace of Great Simplicity for Communion with the Perfected and Transformation into an Immortal

The older text comes from the second section, the “Jade Radiance” chapter, of the Supreme Transformations of the Hollow Void, and is treasured on the Jade Terrace of Kunlun.

All who cultivate the Dao and seek immortality, visualize the divine spirits, aspire toward the Perfected, and, by repenting of faults and acknowledging offenses, eliminate their errors and pray for a response from the divinities… (The scripture as given breaks off unfinished here; the content that follows is missing.)

Those who cultivate the methods of the Dao (the Way) and seek to become immortals should visualize the divine spirits, preserve their true nature, repent of their transgressions, and look up in hope to the protection of the various perfected immortals. On the day of the Spring Equinox, one writes the talismanic script (Fulu) with a blue-green brush and, facing east, swallows two of them. It is said that this can dissolve the offenses of the past, and that Taisu (a Daoist deity) will inscribe one’s name on a golden slip. If one practices for eight years without interrupting any of the prescribed seasonal nodes, Taisu will bestow twelve Jade Maidens (spirits who attend the perfected immortals). When the practitioner enters into sympathetic resonance with them through visualization (cunsi), the Celestial Perfected (perfected immortals of the heavenly realms) will descend, so that one may behold the countenances of the divine immortals and, riding in a carriage driven by the Two Luminaries (the Jing, or essence, of the sun and moon as spoken of in Daoism), ascend to the Jasper Terrace of Kunlun.

The True Talisman of the Numinous Metropolis of Purple Tenuity (Ziwei). Its older text comes from the third “Jade Luminaries” chapter of the Taishang Bianhua Kongdong (The Cavern Void of the Most High’s Transformations) and is kept in the Palace of Purple Tenuity.

Those who cultivate the methods of the Dao and seek to become immortals should visualize the divine spirits, preserve their true nature, repent of their transgressions, and look up in hope to the protection of former times granted by the Five Emperors (the celestial emperors of the five directions venerated in Daoism) and the divine immortals. On the day of the Beginning of Summer, one writes the talismanic script with a vermilion brush and, facing south, swallows three of them. It is said that this can wipe away every transgression, secure the protection of the Five Emperors, and have them register one’s name in the Cinnabar Chamber (the place in Daoism where divine immortals keep the registers of names). If one practices for eight years without interrupting any of the prescribed seasonal nodes, Purple Tenuity will bestow eight Jade Lads (spirits who attend the perfected immortals). When the practitioner enters into sympathetic resonance with them through visualization, the Five Emperors will appear and bestow a jade carriage driven by the Three Luminaries (the Jing of the sun, moon, and stars as spoken of in Daoism), so that one may ascend in flight to the Upper Palace of Purple Tenuity.

The Talisman of the Director of Destinies (Siming) for Enduring Life. Its older text comes from the fourth “Jade Luminaries” chapter of the Taishang Bianhua Kongdong and is kept in the Upper Palace of the Director of Destinies (the celestial palace where the deity Siming dwells).

Those who cultivate the methods of the Dao and seek to become immortals should visualize the divine spirits, preserve their true nature, repent of their transgressions, and look up in hope to the Director of Destinies for the grace of enduring life. On the day of the Summer Solstice, one writes the talismanic script with a vermilion brush and, facing southwest, swallows four of them. It is said that the Three Officials in heaven (the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water) will expunge the registers of transgression, while the Director of Destinies (the deity who governs human lifespan and the registers of fate) will enter one’s name in the register of the living. If one practices for eight years without interrupting any of the prescribed seasonal nodes, the Director of Destinies will bestow twelve Jade Maidens. When the practitioner enters into sympathetic resonance with them through visualization, the Director of Destinies will descend and bestow a carriage driven by the Four Luminaries (the Jing of the sun, moon, and stars as spoken of in Daoism), so that one may ascend in flight to the Upper Palace of the Director of Destinies.

The Secret Immortal Talisman of the Central Yellow and the Eight Paths. Its older text comes from the fifth “Jade Luminaries” chapter of the Taishang Bianhua Kongdong and is kept in the Yellow Chamber Cloud Court (a celestial palace spoken of in Daoism).

Those who cultivate the methods of the Dao (the Way) and seek to become immortals should visualize the deities, preserve their true nature, confess their faults and repent, and look up to Huanglao—a deity revered in Daoism—to bestow the way of the numinous elixir and the essence of the zhi herbs. On the day of the Beginning of Autumn, one writes the talismanic script with a white brush and, facing west, swallows five of them. In this way the record of one’s offenses is cleared and one’s name is entered in the charts and registers of the deities. If cultivation continues for eight years without a single ritual observance being interrupted, the Lord Huanglao will grant eight jade lads, and the practitioner will naturally obtain the divine elixir, the essence of the zhi herbs, and numinous pills. When visualization corresponds with the deities, the Lord Huanglao descends to one’s dwelling, bringing a carriage of the Five Effulgences, and escorts one in ascent to the Yellow Chamber and Cloud Court.

The old text of the Talisman of Hidden Ascent to the Numinous Capital of Taiwei comes from the sixth Jade Effulgence chapter of the Taishang Bianhua Kongdong and is kept in the Palace of Taiwei.

Those who cultivate the methods of the Dao and seek to become immortals should visualize the deities, preserve their true nature, confess their faults and repent, and look up to the Great Emperor and the Great Sage Venerable Gods to pardon the offenses of the past. This is what is set forth in the sixth Jade Effulgence chapter and kept in the Palace of Taiwei.

Those who cultivate the methods of the Dao and seek to become immortals should visualize the deities, preserve their true nature, confess their faults and repent, and look up to the grace of the Great Emperor and the Great Sage Venerable Gods in pardoning past offenses. On the day of the Autumn Equinox, one writes the talismanic script with a white brush and, facing northwest, swallows six of them. Thereupon the host of gods will expunge the offenses and inscribe the name on jade slips; the Director of Destinies will arrange one’s lifespan, so that one may enjoy long life and become an immortal. If cultivation continues for eight years without a single ritual observance being interrupted, the Grand Thearch will grant twelve jade maidens, enabling the practitioner to penetrate the true Dao and enter into numinous response; divine beings will descend, and whatever is wished will be fulfilled. At that time there will be a carriage of the Six Effulgences to escort one in ascent to the Numinous Watchtowers of Shangqing (Highest Clarity) and the Palace of Taiwei.

The old text of the Yangtai Talisman of Numinous Birth comes from the seventh Jade Effulgence chapter of the Taishang Bianhua Kongdong and is kept at the Yang Terrace of Yuqing (Jade Clarity).

Those who cultivate the methods of the Dao and seek to become immortals should visualize the deities, hold fast in mind to the true Dao, confess their faults and repent, and look up to the Perfected of the Yang Terrace, the immortal officials, and the jade maidens to pardon their offenses. On the day of the Beginning of Winter, one writes the talismanic script with a black brush and, facing north, swallows seven of them. Thereupon the immortal officials and jade maidens will enter the name in the registers of the immortals and set it upon golden slips. If cultivation continues for eight years without a single ritual observance being interrupted, the Perfected will grant eight jade lads. After the practitioner visualizes the true Dao and resonates with it, the Perfected will manifest and descend, bringing a carriage of the Seven Effulgences, and escort one in flight to the Abbey of the Yang Terrace of Yuqing.

The old text of the Jade Talismans of the Eight Effulgences of the Celestial Perfected and the Numinous Treasure comes from the eighth Jade Effulgence chapter of the Taishang Bianhua Kongdong and is kept in the Great Palace of Fangzhu Donghua. [The original text ends here; what follows appears to be incomplete.]

Those who cultivate the Dao and seek immortality, if they wish to visualize the divine spirits, preserve their true nature, eliminate transgressions, and pray that the celestial perfected and the host of immortals, together with the Azure Lad of the Eastern Sea (a Daoist deity), bestow name registers, immortal records, and golden-script jade characters, should on the day of the winter solstice copy the scripture (jing) with a black brush, face the northeast, and ingest eight talismans. In this way, Donghua (the immortal realm of the East) will inscribe the register in the Upper Palace of Fangzhu (a legendary immortal palace) and record their names in golden script.

When cultivation has continued for a full eight years without interruption, Donghua will send twelve jade maidens. Through visualization (quietly contemplating the spirits in meditation), the practitioner enters into sympathetic communion with them; the celestial perfected descend and bestow the Eight-Effulgence Jade Carriage (the jade carriage ridden by immortals), enabling one to ascend in flight to the Grand Palace of Fangzhu Donghua.

The above are the Hidden Talismans of the Numinous Perfected’s Eight Ways of Transforming the Hollow Void and Jade Effulgence, drawn from the Taishang Yupian. They are used to assist the methods of cultivating Shen (spirit) and divine illumination. They should also be copied onto silk according to the colors of the talismans and worn on the person for eight years, after which one may enter the Grand Palace of Hua.

These hidden talismans may also be used to assist cultivation. Copied onto silk according to their colors and worn on the person for eight years, they enable one to become a Perfected Person, to be freed from culpability, and ultimately to attain the rank of superior immortal. All who cultivate the Dao, practice visualization, hope to attain the Dao and ascend in flight, expunge the registers of their sins, and have their names inscribed on golden slips should ingest the talismans and act accordingly. On occasions such as Taisui, one’s benming (natal destiny), jiazi, and gengshen, one may also ingest the talismans and cultivate according to the season; it is not necessary to wait until the day of the winter solstice itself.

If a student of cultivation does not obtain this scripture, the charges of sin cannot be dissolved, the divine perfected will also strike the person’s name from the register, and immortality will remain far distant. Those who obtain the scripture and cultivate may ascend to heaven in broad daylight; this is called “transformation of the hollow void.”