《上清大洞真经玉诀音义》

The Great Cavern Perfect Scripture in Thirty-Nine Chapters is solemn in style and ranks first among the precious scriptures of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen). It contains detailed accounts of numinous chapters, secret invocations, and hidden scriptures. According to tradition, the Perfected Lords of Western City and the Purple Primordial Lord of the Southern Pole transmitted this scripture to the Perfected One of Clear Emptiness, who in turn passed it on to Lady Wei of Mount Heng. Lady Wei said, “If you are not in the mountains, and cannot live in seclusion, observe purification and abstinence, quiet your body and mind, and regulate your breathing, then you must not recite the Great Cavern Perfect Scripture carelessly.”

This is because the scripture’s wondrous sounds rise through layer upon layer to the highest heights, and the true voice of its recitation rings clear and strong. The breath and resonance of the text can accord with the realm of Jade Emptiness, while its pure, subtle cadence unfolds together with the sun. As soon as one opens one’s mouth to recite, Jade Radiance appears; chanting its numinous lines brings one into accord with the Most High. When one sits quietly, stills the breath, and holds one’s hands together in focused observance, the Purple Chamber appears of its own accord. Concentrating one’s thoughts on what one seeks can also bring a response from corresponding things. Thus, the ancestors of seven generations may receive blessings and, upon receiving registers, enter the palaces of the immortals. The ghosts of the underworld, too, may transcend their state and gather together for a banquet at Vermilion Mound. This scripture is lofty and wondrous: it can help one mount an immortal vehicle and ascend at dawn, riding the Auspicious Dragon along the Way above. It is not suitable for ordinary people of the dusty world to practice.

If recited amid the secular world, the Three Officials and the Northern Emperor may disrupt the sound of the recitation. The breath of Auspicious Hearing will be sullied, and the voice will neither ascend clearly to Highest Clarity nor resonate with the voices of the immortals in the numinous Purple Pole Chamber.

The Book of Azure Essentials and Purple Writings records the Central Yellow Venerable Lord as saying, “Whoever sees the Great Cavern Perfect Scripture in Thirty-Nine Chapters can ascend to heaven in broad daylight.” Some people practice for years without success and conclude that the scripture is false. In truth, they have failed first to submit their names on a golden register to Eastern Florescence and to present their names on a jade document at the Golden Portal. The true spirits therefore do not descend; instead, they attract celestial demons, and so no response comes. Even if one obtains the divine scripture, without these rites one will ultimately find it difficult to achieve success. But if one first submits the golden register to the Azure Palace, then presents the jade document to the Emperor, and secures the attendance of the Golden Dawn Jade Youths and the Jade Maidens of Western Florescence to guard the numinous text—so that the scripture is widely propagated throughout the heavens and the earth, praised and chanted throughout the Three Realms, and recited ten thousand times over—how could one fail to summon the arrival of the Jade Carriage and Purple Carriage, the vehicles of the immortals?

Since this scripture first descended into the world, only the perfected Yang and Xu of Juequ—the Maoshan region—the Daoist Master Sima of Wangwu Mountain, and eminent Daoists of later generations practiced it in accordance with its precepts and rules of transmission. Bound by solemn vows, they passed it down from one generation to the next. The master personally taught each disciple how to recite it and secretly transmitted the scripture’s profound essentials of cultivation. In this way, disciples could have their names entered in the Golden Registers and ascend to Shangqing, the ethereal realm of immortals described in Daoism.

Now the upright Daoist tradition has waned and scattered, and even among those who withdraw to the mountains there are pretenders. The rules of the Daoist tradition go untaught, the courtesies between masters and disciples have fallen into disuse, and the teachings have declined more severely than ever. Jingyuan left home to enter religious life while still young. Around the age of twenty, he began seeking the Dao, traveling for nearly thirty years and devoting himself for more than a decade to studying the essentials of Daoism. In his later years, he returned to Maoshan, built a hut for quiet cultivation, and repented. He lamented that his affinity with the Dao was shallow and his worldly karmic obstacles deep. Although he diligently studied Daoist texts, he had never met a true teacher; so even though he wished to recite the Dong Jing, he did not dare open the scripture lightly.

He therefore purified body and mind, devoted himself to maintaining reverence and inner stillness, and searched widely for old editions, first collating and correcting them on his own. Quietly, he read and examined the text again and again, never passing over a sentence or character carelessly. Some passages had two conflicting interpretations, which left him even more perplexed—for example, whether the character fa should be read as in “fine hair” or as in “rising smoke.” Elsewhere, radicals had been wrongly altered and characters had become confused: qi had been written as an erroneous form, and that erroneous form had in turn been written as ge. These errors probably arose from private copying and private transmission, with mistakes accumulating over generations.

He therefore compared the editions used by earlier practitioners—the “earlier practitioners” here being the Three Caverns masters Guanmiào, Master Zhu Ziying, and Chongmiào, Master Huangfu Xiji, both of whom recited and studied the Dong Jing during the Tiansheng era—with the Maoshan collection. He examined the scripture’s hidden meanings, compiled notes on pronunciation and meaning, recorded differences among the editions, and briefly explained the passages that puzzled him. He did not dare present this material to a ritual master for instruction; he merely recorded what he had seen and read.

So I fasted and purified my mind for three months, copied a scroll of the Jade Instructions of the Cavern Scripture, and venerated and bowed before it morning and evening. I respectfully awaited the immortals, hoping they would come and impart its teachings according to the prescribed rites, and that through this I might fulfill an aspiration I had held since my youth.

Pronunciation and Meaning of the Jade Instructions to the True Scripture of the Great Cavern of Shangqing

The pronunciations of such chapters as The Hidden Inner Blessing Text of the Jade Pure Hidden Book for Destroying Demons and Awakening the Spirit, The Dao Lord’s Jade Commentary, The Purple Writings on the Elixir, The Supreme Method for Returning to the Origin, and The Supreme Method of the Hundred Spirits are collected here.

In jue (“instructions”), the character jue is the same in pronunciation as jue meaning “to decide.” Ancient editions wrote it as jue (“to decide”); later readers changed it to jue (“instructions”). The same applies to other similar cases. In Yan Jing, Yan is pronounced yan as in “banquet.” In ancient scriptures, the characters yan (“late”) and yan (“banquet”) were often used interchangeably. Yan Qin is written as Qu Qin in the Maoshan edition. In Yu Han, Han is pronounced like an in “land”; the same applies to later occurrences of Han.

Juejue is pronounced yang to match the rhyme, as noted in Pronunciation and Meaning of All Daoist Scriptures, compiled by Shi Chong, a senior official of the Tang and abbot of the Taiqing Abbey. In Rangju, rang is pronounced ruyang and ju as juyu; the phrase means “to hold.” In Zhangfan, zhang is pronounced zhiliang and means “to hold.” Some editions write it as zhang (“staff”), with the same pronunciation. In Shexie, xie is pronounced sixie; ancient editions write it as xie (“deviant”).

In Xiluo, xi is pronounced xingdi; some editions write it as ji. Certain ancient calendars write it as fu. Yun’ao is pronounced ao. Shi Chong says it refers to a large stringed musical instrument. In Baihe hechang, chang is pronounced chiliang. Some editions write it as yan (“throat”); Shi Chong says it should be written as yan (“smoke”). In Jiwu, ji is pronounced guli. In Siyu, yu is pronounced yu as in “corner.”

In Xunpei, xun is pronounced junxin and means “to gallop”; pei is pronounced bingmei. In Zhengkong, zheng is pronounced zhiying and kong as kugong. In Liupan, pan is pronounced puxian. Ancient editions write it as mian, and Shi Chong pronounces it mian.

The phrase Xie shen piao jin po is written as Xie chen in Shi Chong’s edition. In Qian zhi, qian is pronounced quyan and zhi as zhi, meaning “foot.” Some editions write qian as qian (“soar”). In Zi ping, ping is pronounced ping and refers to a kind of carriage. In Yan sa, sa is pronounced suoxia. Shi Chong records the pronunciations suoqi and suoji; the word means “to sprinkle” or “to scatter.”

In Baming, ming is pronounced ming as in “darkness.” In Miao guan, guan is pronounced guiduan. Bu Beiyuan is written as She Beiyuan in the Maoshan edition. In Duo ri, duo is pronounced duohuo. In Lian geng, geng is pronounced geng. In Qi qi, qi is pronounced qi as in “wife”; some editions write it as qi.

“Mangmang” describes something vast and boundless. In “shulai,” the first character is read with the fanqie spelling seju. “Chongxu Guan” is written as “Chongxu Temple” in Shi Chong’s edition. “Yusui” is read with the fanqie spelling xiwei. In “canwen,” the first character is read with the fanqie spelling canhan, and the second has the same pronunciation as the “can” in “cantong.”

In “jianshi,” the first character is read with the fanqie spelling guxian and means “to look over”; the second has the same pronunciation as the “jian” in “jianting.” In “zaisheng,” “sheng” is read as “sheng”; Shi Chong’s edition writes “daisheng.” In “bingjian,” “bing” is read with the fanqie spelling buyong and means “to hold.” In “laiguan,” “guan” is read with the fanqie spelling guwan.

In “huifeng,” “hui” is read with the fanqie spelling huwei. The Shuowen Jiezi explains it as “to turn.” The common variant “jiong” is incorrect. Older editions write “huai,” describing lingering without moving forward. The original Shuowen Jiezi form is “peihui,” which suggests the swaying of a wide garment; here it refers to the motion of sleeves as they turn and swirl. Similar uses elsewhere should be understood in the same way.

In “chuaiwu,” “chuai” is read with the fanqie spelling zhuduo. Speaking at length without stopping is called “chuai”; writing it as “duo” is incorrect. In “pingsheng,” the Shuowen Jiezi explains “sheng” as “to stop.” In “touguan,” “guan” is read with the fanqie spelling guwan. It is a general term for headwear such as a ceremonial cap or crown; similar uses elsewhere should be understood in the same way.

In “tianmei,” “mei” is read with the fanqie spelling yubei and refers to the edge of a body of water. In “baoyun,” “bao” is read as “bo” and means “to approach.” “Siling” is written as “siling” with the variant “ling” in older editions; the same applies below. In “chongfei,” the first character is read with the fanqie spelling zhilong and the second as “fei.” Older editions write “fei”; some read it as “pai,” and that “pai” is also sometimes read as “fei.” The same applies elsewhere. In “shoucheng,” “cheng” is read with the fanqie spelling chouying. In “renhu,” “hu” is read with the fanqie spelling hagu; the common variant “wu” is incorrect.

“Gan Jingjing” is the title of Taiwei Tongzi. Some editions write “Qian Jingjing.” In “shenhui,” “hui” is read with the fanqie spelling huwei and means a kind of flag; the variant “mo” found in some editions is incorrect. Older editions write “peihui” as “paihuai.” Here the form from the Shuowen Jiezi has been adopted; no pronunciation is given for later occurrences. In “biaolun,” “biao” is read with the fanqie spelling biyao. In “haohui,” “hui” is read with the fanqie spelling wuwai and describes luxuriant vegetation. In “wengai,” the first character is read with the fanqie spelling wudong and the second with the fanqie spelling yugai; the same applies below. One edition writes “Yuan Yang Bu Mingmen” as “Du Mingmen.”

In “shi ming chuang,” chuang is pronounced like “window.” The text Shi Chongben also writes it as “chuang”; another copy writes “cong.”

“Yingmeng” is written “meng” in the old editions, as it is later in the text. In “yan pan,” pan is pronounced “pu xian qie.” The Shuowen Jiezi quotes the Book of Songs: “Beautiful eyes glance.” In some old editions, both pan and mian are written as mian. The Shuowen Jiezi explains mian as the eyes being slightly closed; it can also mean to look sideways. This differs from the meaning of pan, so the context should guide the interpretation. In “lezi,” le is pronounced “luo,” as it is later in the text.

“Jieti” is pronounced “hu mai qie” and means to understand or comprehend. “Sishe” is pronounced “shi chong shi yi qie.” Some editions write it as “sixie,” which is incorrect. In “gaoshangqi,” qi is pronounced “qi” and refers to a curved bank; another copy writes it as “qi.”

“Xiaozha” is written “zha” in some editions, with two pronunciations: “zhi jia” and “zhi jia” (the second with the departing tone). According to the Shuowen Jiezi, “chi” means to rebuke angrily. “Duo” is pronounced “dang mo qie”; the Shuowen Jiezi explains it as scolding or rebuking. In “jieqing,” jie is pronounced “zi ya qie.” The Shuowen Jiezi explains it as a sigh, and it can also express sorrow or regret. Another pronunciation is “qu ying qie.”

“Shu” is pronounced “shi zhu qie” and means swift or to move rapidly; the old editions write it as “tiao.” The Shuowen Jiezi says that “tiao” refers to a blue-black silk fabric with a whitish sheen, and also means black. “Xu” is pronounced “xu wu qie”; the Shuowen Jiezi explains it as something being blown up by the wind.

“Tiexiong” is pronounced “ban mi qie.” “Juetian” is pronounced “jue fu qie” and is the name of a celestial beast; another copy writes it as “jue.” “Dandu” is pronounced “tu lan qie” and means to swallow. “Xiao” is pronounced “hu liao qie,” and is also read “po.” The following characters are read “ba ba ba.” According to Hidden Names of the Perfected Ones, “Four-Heaven Xiao (ba ba ba)” is the name of the ghost general of Northern Fengdu.

“Bengtui” is pronounced “du hui qie.” Shi Chong holds that the character should be written “kui.” In “yanhui,” yan is pronounced “yi jian qie.” Shi Chong holds that it should be written “shi” here, referring to the sun and moon mutually obscuring and eclipsing one another.

The First Scripture of the High and Supreme Void Emperor Lord

Those who cultivate the Dao remain for a long time in harmony with the primal Qi that governs the movement of Heaven and Earth. In the ancient text, “governs” is written as “one.” Some editions write “seven generations” as “seven ancestors,” and “withdraw into leisure” as “close the pass.” “Lingfan” is pronounced “wen cheng qie.” In the ancient text, the characters “ling” and “ling” are standardized as “ling”; the same applies below.

Some editions write “the world brings forth jade orchids” as “the world brings forth jade slips,” and “eight luminaries” as “eight radiances.” In the ancient text, “follow” is written as “one.” Differences in the wording of “seven generations,” “withdraw into leisure,” “Lingfan,” “the world brings forth jade orchids,” and “eight luminaries” are also recorded more than once across the editions.

For “Follow the wind, leave the root, and match; shift the foundation, reach transformation, and enter the mysterious,” some editions read “shift the chessboard, reach transformation, and enter the mysterious origin,” with the two characters “origin element” added afterward. Others attach “origin element” to the next line, reading: “The High and Supreme Divine Lord of the Jade Clarity of the Divine Empyrean.” The Maoshan manuscript does not contain the two characters “origin element,” so that reading is followed here.

In “the female and male entrust themselves to divine transformation,” some editions write “strange” instead of “entrust.” “Baihun” is pronounced “qi hun qie”; the ancient text writes “jiao” for “hun.” According to Lord Daojun’s commentary in jade, the line “all enter the assembly hall of the Emperor” means that “yi” signifies goodness, and that the gate to the northwest above the nine heavens is called the “Gate of Goodness.” Only by ascending through this gate can one enter the assembly chamber of the Emperor. Although the character “chamber” rhymes with the preceding text, the commentary by Lord Daojun in jade indicates that “assembly” is the correct reading. Some editions write “Platform of Bodai” as “Platform of Bijian.”

The Second Scripture of the Supreme Emperor Jade Void Lord

“Yanyan” is pronounced “yan” and means brightness. Some editions write “a thousand kalpas make one cycle” as “ten kalpas make one cycle.”

The Third Scripture of the Imperial Jade Emperor Lord

The Jade Emperor possesses the banner of the Mysterious Heights, a flag used in Daoist ritual, and can issue commands to the steps of the nine heavens. The Maoshan edition does not include the character meaning “of” after “banner of the Mysterious Heights.”

According to Lord Daojun’s commentary in jade, the line “the seven awakenings receive the Dao’s numbers” means that after seven awakenings, one can again perceive the hidden realm and clearly seek the principles concealed in darkness. Only when the mind has become clear does one know to seek the Dao’s numbers. Here, “the Dao’s numbers” refers to the practices for cultivating the Dao described in the Scripture of the Great Grotto of the One Emperor of the True Grotto.

There is a copy with the reading “Qijue chengshu dao,” which is probably a textual error. In the lines “The bright blossoms stand in the north; purple blossoms sing in the east; their fine substance harmonizes beyond the Nine Heavens; jade tallies summon the Great Tenuity,” one copy gives “wangqi” for “sing in the east.” But this form is not recorded in rhyme dictionaries, and no pronunciation can explain it. The “Entering Samadhi” chapter of the Xiaomo Jing has instead: “The bright blossoms stand among the jade blossoms; the purple cassia grows in clusters; the fine substance resounds through the Nine Heavens; jade tablets summon the Great Tenuity.” Its meaning matches the Dong Jing. Thus, “wangqi” is probably a copying error for “qi.”

“Guangwei” is pronounced “yuwu.” Shi Chong gives the pronunciation “yuwei.” It means vivid literary beauty, as it does below. In the line “The numinous radiance is faint,” one copy has “cloud” instead of “numinous.” The Daojun’s Jade Commentary says: “If one does not seek out the cloud radiance in hidden, subtle places, one cannot ascend to the Golden Chamber; if one does not recite the Dongzhang repeatedly, one cannot see the Jade Guest.” On closer examination, both “numinous radiance” and “cloud radiance” make sense. For now, I follow the Huangfu recension and retain “numinous,” leaving the matter for consultation with the Perfected Master Xiujun.

“Sensha” is pronounced “shi chong suo yi.” According to Shi Chong, “kongqinghua” is the original name; the Huangfu recension has “qing.” One copy writes “shu” instead of “zhu” in “zhuluo.”

The Dao Jing of the Lord of Purple Dawn, Master of the August Sovereign, Part Four

For “Zuo Wuying Gongzi Xuanchong Shu,” one copy has “Xuanyuan Shu.” The Ciyi Yujian Wulao Jing also has “Xuanyuan Shu,” while the Taidan Y Yinshu Dongzhen Xuan Jing has “Xuanchong Shu,” accounting for the two names.

“Below the vast, numinous pass”: an old recension has “mo” instead of “mo.” “Aimei” is pronounced “mopei” and means dim and indistinct.

“Xuanshuo Huowang”: the Taidan Y Yinshu has “Xia Xuanjun Shu Huowang,” with the designation “You Huiguang.” One copy has “yu” instead of “wang.” One copy gives “Dongyi six regions” instead of “Xuandong four regions.” One copy has “Anyanchang” instead of “Anyanchang.”

“He Ying”: the Taidan Y Yinshu has “Qingqi Jun Anyanchang,” with the designation “Hehe Ying.” For “pan chang zai,” an old recension has a character composed of “eye” on the left and “skillful” on the right.

In some versions, “fawu lun” is written as “xuan dong si xiang”; in others, as “dong yi si xiang.” “Hao wei an Yanchang” is written as “An Yanchang” in some versions. “He Ying” appears in the Taidan Yinshu: “The Green Qi Lord is named An Yanchang, with the courtesy name He Ying.” Here, “qi” is written with the Daoist form of the character for vital energy.

“Pan chang zai” has another variant in old editions: a character formed from the “eye” radical and the right-hand part of the character “qiao.” “Fawu lun” also appears in some versions as “qu wu lun.”

The fifth text, Dawei Tiandi Jun Dao Jing, reads: “Dongyang Yuling, the soul gives birth to gold; radiant and radiant, the essence within Qi.” “Huanhuan” is written as “yaoyao” in some versions. “Ba zhi hou ye huan” appears in some versions as “ba yun hou shi huan.” In “Shi Chongyun,” the character “huan” is read as “huan.” Shi Chong’s phonetic gloss for “zhuoduan” says that “zhuo” is read with the rising tone and “duan” with the falling tone; “duanluo” later in the text is pronounced the same way.

In some versions of “Wengming qi ye sun,” “ye” is written as “hua.” The Huangfu edition reads “Mingming qi ye sun,” while the Maoshan edition reads “Wengming.” Shi Chong’s phonetic and gloss notes also give “weng,” read as “wumeng qie.” According to Zhuzhen Yin Hui, the hidden name of the Supreme Mystery True Brightness Lord is “Wengmeng.” The Jiyun records “weng” as read “gumeng qie,” meaning bright, with the same pronunciation as “kuang.”

In “bosha xuan,” “bo” is the same as “bei.” This repeats the variant reading and pronunciation of “bom­ing”: Shi Chong’s phonetic and gloss notes also give “weng,” read as “wumeng qie”; according to Zhuzhen Yin Hui, the hidden name of the Supreme Mystery True Brightness Lord is “Wengmeng”; and the Jiyun says that “weng” means bright.

The sixth text, Sanyuan Zijun Jun Dao Jing, reads: “The bones contain jade essence.” Some versions have “ying” instead. In “sheng le,” “le” is pronounced “luo.” In “yu xian,” some versions use “wu” in place of “yu.”

The seventh text, Zhenyang Yuanlao Xuanyi Jun Dao Jing, reads: In “qi fei wo jie,” “qi fei” refers to the title of the Right Minister Emperor, the Red Child in the Muddy Pellet. Some versions have “pai” instead. “Shen hu bo chen” appears in some versions as “zhen hu bo chen.” “Taishang shifeizi” appears in some versions as “taishi shangfeizi.”

The eighth text, Shangyuan Taisu Sanyuan Jun Dao Jing, reads: “The golden talisman summons the Duxiang Lord.” Some versions have “xiang”; to make the rhyme fit, “xiang” is probably the intended reading. “The High Lord, King of the Jade Clarity Who Dispels Demons” agrees with the main text in both the Huangfu and Maoshan editions; other versions read “The High Lord, King of the Jade Clarity of the Divine Empyrean.” “Those who know me live long; those who preserve me do not decline” appears in some versions as “Those who know me live; those who preserve me do not decline.” In “shi lai bi fei,” some versions use “shi” meaning “attend” instead of “shi” meaning “rely on.” For “xia wo,” Shi Chong’s commentary says the preceding text should read “The High Lord, King of the Jade Clarity of the Divine Empyrean.”

Those who understand me can live long; those who keep me in mind and hold fast to me will not grow old. Another edition reads, “Those who understand me can live long; those who preserve me will not grow old.” Relying on me, one can avoid evil and wrongdoing. Another edition reads “serve” instead of “rely on.” Shi Chong thinks that in “xia wo,” the character “shang” should be “jia”; “jia” means to serve.

Wearing a golden headcloth and feather ornaments. “Shang” is read as “xin,” meaning to cover the crown of the head with a cloth. The Dengzhen Yinjue says that “golden headcloth” is the name for the cap worn by the Heavenly Perfected, but does not describe its exact form.

The Scripture of the Three Su Jun of Purple Essence in the Shangqing Tradition, Part Nine

My body puts on feathered robes and ascends to the Great Dao of the Nine Heavens. Another edition omits the character “my.” The wording seems complete only when “my” is included.

Purple Essence nourishes and brings forth the Forest of Yuhua. According to the Jade Commentary of the Dao Lord, in the Heaven of Purple Essence in the Shangqing realm there is a tree whose leaves resemble bamboo leaves and are red, whose flowers shine like mirrors, and whose fruit resembles a plum but has no pit. It is called the “Forest of Yuhua.” Eating its leaves dispels hunger; eating its flowers brings long life and freedom from death; eating its fruit enables one to ascend and become an immortal. This is what is meant by the “red tree’s cinnabar fruit,” whose radiance illuminates the Five Viscera. Another edition writes “green” instead of “nourishing.”

Another edition reads “Cangyu” instead of “Cangwang.” In “guard this gathering in the long night,” another edition reads “gradually” instead of “guard.” The “chun” in “heavy lips” is pronounced “chun.” The “xian” in “the Five Elders hold the sun in their mouths” is pronounced “er zhi qie.”

The Scripture of the Lord of Primordial Origin, Peace, and Azure Spirit, Part Ten

Another edition reads “Wang Changye” instead of “Wang Changjie.” In “born through successive kalpas,” another edition reads “bo” instead of “jie.”

The Scripture of the Lord of the Emperor’s Clarity and the Cavern of Truth, Part Eleven

Another edition omits “ming” from “Jade Clarity, Cavern Illumination, Womb King.” Another edition reads “returning to the plain and being filled” as “returning to the origin and being filled.” In “born of the long heavens,” another edition reads “bo” instead of “sheng”; yet another reads “the long heavens give birth.”

The three characters “zheng hui tiao” are the inner names of the Three Primordial Lords. When reciting this passage, silently repeat them three times in the heart. These nineteen characters appear in the Huangfu edition and are absent from all other editions.

The Scripture of the Lord of Highest Great Simplicity, Part Twelve

Another edition omits “Lord” from “called the Lord of the Northern Terrace.” Another edition reads “returning to the village of Golden Great Rosy Clouds” as “returning to the official of Golden Great Rosy Clouds.”

In “the sun shines brightly, the Eight Soarings,” the Xiuzhen Mizhi says that the title of the Perfected Lord within the sun is “Gao Qianshuang.” Another edition reads “the sun’s radiance, the Eight Soarings.”

According to the Jade Commentary of the Dao Lord, “Radiance of the Sun” is the name of the sun deity. “Eight Qian” is the name of a tree on the moon, where there are eight such trees.

The meaning of the two characters “Shuanghua” has not yet been determined. Here, for the time being, I follow the Huangfu edition’s character shuang. One edition reads “He Gui Zhong” instead of “He Gui Luo”; another reads “Ji Shu Yong” instead of “Jie Shu Yong.”

In Chapter Thirteen of the Scripture of the Dao of the Central Lord of the Four Elders of the August Sovereign, one edition reads “Wandering in circles, blending with the Emperor’s heart” instead of “Whirling wind blends with the Emperor’s heart,” and another reads “Called Longevity, Ease, and Support” instead of “Called Longevity, Ease, and Abundance.” Another version reads “Clear, flowing, and still” as “Clear, increased, and still” or “Clear, increased, and pavilion.” One edition reads “Rising as the numinous one above the dawn of good fortune” instead of “Rising as the numinous one above the morning of good fortune”; another reads “holding the registers” instead of “holding the green registers.” In “Refining the po-soul in Kongtong,” the Shichong edition has the character dong, pronounced the same way. According to the Dao Lord’s Jade Commentary, “the achievement of the Moon Emperor” should read “the Moon Emperor announces his achievement.” Another edition reads “Sun Emperor,” which is probably a textual error.

According to the Dao Lord’s Jade Commentary, “Striking gold and sounding the bell” should read “Striking gold and sounding the chime.” Another edition reads “Playing the qin and sounding the bell.”

In Chapter Fourteen of the Scripture of the Dao of the Great Dao Lord of Yuchen, the character yang in “white light, yang-yang” is glossed by Shichong as pronounced yang. In “clothing me,” yi is read with the same fanqie as shang in “upper garment.” One edition reads “Manifesting celebration, flowing into the mystery” instead of “Layered branches flow into the mystery”; another reads “The Five Peaks bring forth splendor” instead of “The Five Peaks’ splendor.” One edition has ling instead of quan in “crossing over, the teaching is complete.”

In Chapter Fifteen of the Scripture of the Dao of the Great Dao Lord of Taiqing, Shichong glosses the characters xihe as follows: xi is pronounced with the fanqie zhi-qi and means “harmonious and joyful”; he is also written yi, pronounced with the fanqie yu-zhi, and means “to nourish and protect.” One edition reads “Secure the body and guard the gate” instead of “Secure the body and guard the pass.” One edition reads “Jade” instead of “King” in “Mysterious Mother, Uncle Fire King.” According to Shichong’s gloss, the first character in genghun is read geng and the second hun; the same applies later in the text. One edition reads “Zhuang Jie A” instead of “Ba Jie A.”

In Chapter Sixteen of the Scripture of the Dao of the Great Lord of the Primordial Scene of the Great Ultimate, the Shichong edition has gaomo instead of gaomo in “fat and membrane,” with the pronunciation unchanged. In “looking up to the essential,” yao is pronounced yao, and the character a is pronounced the same way.

In Chapter Sixteen of the Dao Jing of the Primal Vistas of the Great Dao of Taiji, “gaomo” is read as “gaomo.” In “yangyao,” the character “yao” is read as “yao.”

For “the imperial chamber unites the body as one, dividing it into ten thousand parts,” another edition reads “the imperial chamber unites as one.” For “the six internal organs shine brightly,” another edition reads “the six internal organs are resplendent.” For “stabilize the body,” another edition reads “stabilize the realm.”

In Chapter Seventeen of the Dao Jing of the Primordial Beginning’s Violet numinous Origin Lord, another edition reads “the five talismans open the screen” instead of “the five talismans open the door.” In ancient scriptures, “screen” was often written for “door,” and the two were pronounced alike.

In Chapter Eighteen of the Dao Jing of the Lord Lao, the Middle Perfected One Without Excellence, another edition reads “mysterious fullness, original element Qi” as “mysterious origin, original element pronouncement.” For “ghostly misfortune planted in the womb,” another edition reads “ghosts accumulate in the womb.”

In the passage “his sage name is [kekeke],” Shi Chong’s commentary gives the upper character as “yue” and the lower as “ge.” The Huangfu edition writes “ge” as “song,” which is incorrect. For “his perfected name is hong,” Shi Chong’s commentary gives the pronunciation as “wu hong qie.” The Huangfu edition writes “hong” as “hong,” while another edition writes it as “hong.”

In “the left is called,” “called” is read as “yue”; another edition writes it as “day.” In “the right is called,” “called” is also read as “yue.” The commentator considers the explanation of “the sun and moon” in “the father remains at peace, the mother extends essence” possibly mistaken. Another edition omits “one” from “all receive the Emperor’s one kindness.” For “receive the allotment of years,” another edition reads “receive the emolument of years.”

In Chapter Nineteen of the Dao Jing of the Central Yellow Old Lord, another edition writes “flower” instead of “leaf” in “the mysterious leaf obtains Yellow Tranquility.” In “life flows forth and blessings arise,” another edition reads “surpass” instead of “arise.” Shi Chong writes “disperse resentment” for “disperse grievance”; “grievance” is pronounced like “grievance.”

Another edition writes “lord” instead of “guest” in “hold fast the guest of Jade Clarity.” The character “bo” in “bi bo tong” is often written as “xue” in ancient editions; another edition reads “bi chang tong.” In “rich [ren jie] yuan,” other editions write “fortune” or “harm” for “rich,” and “jie” for “[ren jie].”

In Chapter Twenty of the Dao Jing of the Green Essence Upper Perfected Inner Vistas Lord, “weng” in “turn back old age and bring forth luxuriant growth” is read “wu kong qie” and means lush vegetation. Shi Chong reads it as “weng” to fit the rhyme. “Ai” in “ai appearance” refers to old age. Another edition reads “return to whiteness and reverse infancy, becoming a child” for “return to whiteness and reverse infancy, becoming young.”

The phrase “talismans and registers, morning lamp” appears in Chapter Eight of the scripture: “the morning lamp broadly illuminates consciousness.”

According to Lord Daojun’s jade commentary, “‘Morning Lamp’ is the light of the bright Qi—the primordial vital energy spoken of in Daoism—in the Heaven of Jade Perfection. It also shines upon the terrace of the Three Origins, associated with the heavenly realm’s ‘Three Origins.’” Chapter Twenty has no jade commentary, but it probably means the same thing. Another copy reads “Morning Ascent.” Neither interpretation can be confirmed, so for now I follow the Huangfu version and read “Morning Lamp.”

“Immortal King of Dao and De”: another copy writes “Emperor” instead of “King.”

“Worn garments”: Shi Chong’s phonetic gloss gives the reading “pi.”

“Jade table”: following the rhyme, Shi Chong reads the character as “an.”

In The Scripture of the Dao of the Jade Worthy Primordial Lord of the Nine Qi of the Sun, Chapter Twenty-One: in “the jade tally covers the seven ancestors,” another copy reads “pi” for “covers.” In “opens the great darkness below,” another copy reads “mu” for “darkness.” In “biao jing,” the character “biao” is pronounced “biyao.”

In The Scripture of the Dao of the Primordial Beginning, the Ninefold Purity, and the Golden Splendor Scenic Primordial Lord, Chapter Twenty-Two: “yu yu” is pronounced “yu.” “Liu yi” is pronounced either “yu bi” or “gu mo” and describes the movement of flowing water. In “quiet and still Niwan”—Niwan being the spirit chamber inside the head in Daoist belief—another copy reads “jing ji.” Another copy reads “the gate of the Nine Heavens” instead of “within the Nine Heavens.” In “ming zhong ci,” another copy writes “ming” with the water radical. Another copy reads “King of Prolonged Life” instead of “Jade of Prolonged Life.”

In The Scripture of the Dao of the Lord of Destiny, the Supreme True One of the Nine Sovereigns, Chapter Twenty-Three: in “huang ye,” “huang” is pronounced “hu guang” and “ye” is pronounced “jun zhe.” “Fu fu” is pronounced “fang jiu.” One copy reads “tread,” while another reads “celebration.”

In “the titles of the Five Spirits release smoke,” another copy reads “release knots.” The two readings are difficult to judge, so for now I follow the Huangfu version and read “release smoke.” According to The Scripture of the Inner Truth of the Golden Chamber, “The essence and soul of the Lord of Destiny release smoke.”

“Le” is pronounced “luo.” In “blood defilement is completely eradicated,” another copy reads “mi” instead of “eradicated.” In “raising blessings for the Three Pure Ones,” another copy reads “surpass” instead of “raise.”

“Green Returning, Severing the Dark”: according to the register of the names of the hundred spirits, among the Nine Gates of the Celestial Emperor there is “the Soul’s Green Returning Path.” Another copy reads “Lu Returning,” which is probably an error.

“Taiyi gives rise to all in one blend”: another copy reads “the great blend gives rise to all,” which is probably a mistake. Another copy reads “establish” instead of “preside over the hall and attend to.”

In “Original Subtle Spirit,” another copy writes “miao” with the character’s left side replaced by the “eye” radical and its right side formed from the right-hand component of “qiao.”

The twenty-fourth chapter of the Daoist Scripture of the Three Origins and the Jade Flower of the Supreme True One, the Celestial Sovereign. “Lower abdomen” means the lower belly; the Huangfu edition also consistently writes “lower belly.” “Huixing diling” is written as “guang” in one edition. “Baoxiecheng” is written as “baojingchui” in another.

The twenty-fifth chapter of the Daoist Scripture of the Lord of Prohibitions of the Supreme One’s Upper Origin. “Huanran” is written as “huanran” in one edition. The three characters “jiang che liang” are the esoteric name of the Solar Sovereign. When reciting this passage, one should silently repeat the name three times. These nineteen characters appear in the Huangfu edition; they are absent from all other editions.

The twenty-sixth chapter of the Daoist Scripture of the True Morning Lord of the Yellow Chamber in the Primordial Void. “Sixth month” is written as “sixth day” in one edition. The “True Qi” in “the Middle Peach Lord, Fangying” is written as “True Sun” in one edition. “The color of the moon’s radiance” is written as “the color of the sun’s radiance” in one edition. According to the Central Scripture of the Nine Perfected Ones, the phrase “Middle Lord, Fangying” refers to a boy on the right hand named Fangying. Since Fangying is associated with the right hand, the original text should read “moon.” Some editions instead have “sun,” which is probably an error. “Draw in the Qi of the moon’s radiance” is written as “draw in the Qi of the sun’s radiance” in one edition.

“Open and bright, reaching through the eight windows” is written as “open and bright, hearing through the eight windows” in one edition. The Daoist Lord’s jade annotation explains “May I be entered in the Jade Emperor’s register of feathered immortals before his throne” as follows: if a practitioner attains the Way of emptiness, their name will be inscribed in the precious register of feathered immortals and placed among those who stand before the Jade Emperor. “The Five Elders settle the radiance” is written in one edition as “The Five Elders settle the talisman in the hall of the Jade Palace.” “Register of feathered immortals” is written as “bamboo document of feathered immortals” in one edition. “Dragon banner” is written as “dragon standard” in one edition; in “passing through kalpas in succession,” “succession” is written as “fortune” in one edition.

The twenty-seventh chapter of the Daoist Scripture of the Primordial Lords, the Four Perfected Ones Who Govern the Supreme Ultimate. “Essence” is written as “jade” in one edition, with the same pronunciation as “ying.” According to Shi Chong, “Tongming” should be written with the character for “pupil.” “Jiesan” is pronounced “hu mai qie.” “Qin xing xing” is written as “qin xing qian” in one edition.

The twenty-eighth chapter of the Daoist Scripture of the Lords of the Seven Mornings, the Four Dippers’ Central Perfected Ones Who Scatter Blossoms. In “scattered blossoms,” “flying blossoms,” and “blossoms scattered,” the character for “blossom” is pronounced “flower.” “The Dark Lord in the Celestial Realm” is written as “Celestial Minister” in one edition. In “the Supreme One’s swirling wind,” “swirling” is written as “wielding” in one edition. In “be divine on my behalf,” “be” is written as “north” in one edition. According to the Names of the Hundred Spirits, “Above the Three Plain Ones, Lao Jun Laozhang” should read “Above the Three Plain Ones, the Old Lord Laozhang.” One edition adds the character “origin” below “above”; this version may better fit the sense of the passage.

The divine intent of Lord Lao gave rise to the Great Dao, settled my hun and po, and kept them from wandering everywhere. May it protect my body and bring it into harmony with the six directions of Heaven and Earth, while filling my head with dense white Qi (vital energy, in Daoist usage). Another version of the scripture reads “po” instead of “hun,” “palace” instead of “six directions,” and “heavy mist” instead of “dense.” The line “xian qu xuan” appears in another edition as “xian hui xuan.” One version also adds the character “yuan” before “root,” which seems more suitable in terms of sound and meaning.

The Scripture of the Dao of the Lord of Original Radiance, Yellow in the Center at Chen, No. 29

The two elders stand in attendance at my left and right; the imperial soul must not be separated from them. According to the commentary, “the two elders” refers to Lord Lao Lao Zhangshang of the Three Su and Lin Xufu, the Central Dark One Elder. “The imperial soul” refers to Tianji Dihun Zhaowu’e. Another edition reads, “The three elders are at my left and right; the imperial soul cannot be divided.” The commentator considers this reading likely erroneous. The scripture also has the variant “may you, child, be protected and flourish”; another edition reads, “May you be protected, child, and flourish forever.”

The Scripture of the Dao of the Lord of High Radiance, the Celestial Emperor Li Zhen, Rear Sage of the Golden Gate and Great Peace, No. 30

“Great Emperor, King of the Eight Numina” appears in another edition as “Jade Emperor, King of the Eight Numina.” “Returning to join the Imperial Lords” appears in another edition as “Turning toward the Imperial Lords.” “Zhong nian” is read as “zhi yong.” The line “therefore becoming an infant” appears in another edition as “the moon becoming an infant”; an earlier passage also has the variant “May you be protected, child, and flourish forever.”

The Scripture of the Dao of the Lord of True Existence in the Peng Chamber, Rear Sage of the Great Void and Original Radiance, No. 31

The Great Void is empty and without radiance. According to the Jade Commentary of the Dao Lord, in the Heaven of the Great Void there is a volcano called “Mount Empty, Without Radiance.” Another edition reads “Original Radiance,” which the commentator considers possibly erroneous. “The nine clouds join the layered gates” appears in another edition as “The nine clouds join the layered railings”; “gate” means a doorway. According to Shi Chong’s commentary, the word “below the gate” is read as “doorway” to fit the rhyme. “Harm and misfortune are removed day by day” appears in another edition with “governed” in place of “removed.”

The Scripture of the Dao of the Immortal Lord, Elder of the Nine Qi of the Great Dark Capital, No. 32

In “spirit dwelling,” the word “dwelling” is read as “residence” and means a place to live, a house. In ancient scriptures, “dwelling” is often written with the character “Lu,” but is still pronounced “dwelling.” In “ascending through the nine tiers to the Hall of Blessings,” another edition has “ruins” in place of “tiers,” read as quyuqie. “Feasting north of the Highest Clarity” appears in another edition as “feasting in comparison with the Highest Clarity”; “long aiding the Golden Chamber” appears as “long ascending to the Golden Chamber.”

“Shangqing Ershen Lu”: Lu is read as lü and means “dwelling.” In ancient scriptures, lu is often written as lu and also read as lu. In “Ascending Nine Times to the Hall of Blessings,” ceng is written as xu in some editions and is pronounced “qu yu qie.” In “Banquet in the Northern Shangqing,” bei is written as bi in one edition. In “Long Ji Golden Chamber,” ji is written as ji in one edition.

“Shangqing Bajhuang Laojun Dao Jing,” Chapter Thirty-Three, “Yaoling”: Yao is read as yao and means “to invite.” Nian heng is written as nian xiang in some editions. Ying zhu is written as dao in one edition and zhu in another. Du lian is written as yun in one edition, and de quan as jin.

“Donghua Fangzhu Gong Gaochen Shi Yubao Wang Qingtong Jun Dao Jing,” Chapter Thirty-Four: Yubao is written as yubao in one edition. “Siming jinghun fa yanzi” is written as “Siming jinghun fa niuzi” in one edition; according to “Jinfang Neizhen Jing,” it should be “fa yanzi.” Huan dong is written as huan lan in one edition. “Xuan jie da mo qing” is written as “Tai ci da mo qing” in one edition. Ling biao li po is written as ling biao li hun in one edition. San tu sai jue is written as san tu jue po in one edition. Si qi is written as si zai in one edition.

“Fusang Taidi Jiulao Xianhuang Jun Dao Jing,” Chapter Thirty-Five: “Xia xuan xuan mu shu huo wang” appears differently in various editions: “Xia xuan yuan mu shu huo sheng” and “Xia yuan xuan mu shu huo wang.” In “Ri ming zhen,” ming is pronounced “er zhi qie.” “Taidi jinghun yang tang wang” is written as “Taidi jinghun yang tang zhu” in one edition. In ying guan, ying is pronounced “gu wan qie.”

“Xiaoyou Yuzhen Wanhua Xiansheng Zhu Tu Wang Jun Dao Jing,” Chapter Thirty-Six: In hu ku, ku is usually written as jue in ancient scriptures; Shi Chong’s phonetic gloss gives it as ku, and current editions in various places write it directly as ku. In “Xiu gu meng geng tui,” Shi Chong’s phonetic gloss gives tui as shuo, explaining that it refers to a cicada shedding its old skin. The “Jiyun” says that tui means “fu yu,” that is, a cicada’s molt. The commentator expresses uncertainty about fang chao; one edition writes chao as qi.

“Xuanzhou Ershijiu Zhenbo Shangdi Sijin Jun Dao Jing,” Chapter Thirty-Seven: Pangguang has two pronunciations, pang and guang.

“Central Yellow Emperor Han Guanglu”: In chapter 37, “The Method of Visualizing the Five Emperors,” only the four emperors of the east, south, west, and north are listed, yet they are collectively called the “Five Emperors.” The title of the Central Yellow Emperor alone is missing. Only the version by Master Guan Miao, a master of the Three Caverns, records the title “Central Yellow Emperor Han Guanglu.” Only then is the method of visualizing the Five Emperors complete. The True Master then sought further instruction and examined the points of difficulty.

In “chongmi,” “chong” is pronounced zhulong and “mi” is pronounced mi. It refers to a cloth used to cover food, and is also written “mimi.” In “beifu,” “bei” is pronounced pi. In “yaopei,” “yao” is pronounced yiyao; some versions write “yao” as “yao” in the sense of waist. In “xiupèi,” according to Shi Chongxie’s rhyme book, “pei” is pronounced pi. In “weizhang,” “wei” is pronounced yubei and refers to a curtained canopy. “Langan” is pronounced lan gan. In “zhuancang,” “cang” has a falling tone. Some versions write “ji” for “ji” in “yingji.” Some versions read “zhou liu Taiyi” as “dong liu Taiyi.” Some versions read “sheng jun liang yi” as “sheng jun er yi.” In “buni,” “bu” is pronounced bu. Some versions write “qi” instead of “su” in “Tongxin Yuansu Jun.” Some versions write “Tai” instead of “tian” in “wei wei tianshang jun.” Some versions write “guan” instead of “kai” in “kai shenhua.” Some versions write “da” instead of “tai” in “Tai Jiyuan.”

Taiyuan Chen Zhongjun established the relevant text in chapter 30 of the Daoist scripture of Taosu Jun, housed in the Jade Chamber of the Central Cavern on Mount Emei. In chapter 38, some versions write “Emei” as “Emei”; some write “qin” instead of “le” in “Diqing zhao le jing”; and in “sanxiu ke,” “ke” is pronounced ge.

Regarding “Taiyuan Taisu Dongjing Youxuan,” the Daoist Lord’s Jade Commentary explains: Taiwu lies beyond Dongjing, while Taisu lies above Youxuan. The Nine Palaces arrange their Golden Gates in the Taisu Heaven, while the Cinnabar Towers rise in seven deep tiers within the court of Taiwu. Some versions read “Taisu Dongjing, chu you ru xuan” (“Taisu Dongjing, emerging from the hidden and entering the profound”); this is probably a copying error.

In some versions, “the Five Three flow and transform” appears as “the Five Three spread abroad.” Some believe that “spread abroad” was substituted to make the phrase rhyme, but “the hundred spirits proclaim it” already occurs below, and the Huangfu edition also reads “flow and transform.” I therefore use “flow and transform” here.

“White Prime directs the moon at dusk” appears in other versions as “White Prime directs the moon’s course” or “White Prime directs the moonlit night.”

In “the heart’s mysterious, subtle awakening,” the character “subtle” also appears in some versions as “wondrous.”

At the passage “The Daoist Scripture of the Empress of the Golden Elixir, the Azure Mother, the True Immortal of Ninefold Numinous Power of Turtle Mountain, of the Gengyuan era, chapter thirty-nine: the young and unformed,” most old editions write “unformed.” Shi Chong also reads the character as “unformed.”

Shi explains “branch” as meaning that “successive branches” refers to transmission from generation to generation.

“Numerous” is pronounced “suozhenqie” and describes a great multitude.

In some versions, “receive and carry brightness” writes “carry” as “hang.”

According to the rules for transmitting scriptures recorded in the second chapter of Dengzhen Yinjue, two versions of the Great Cavern Scripture of Truth are in circulation in the present age. One is longer and begins with The Way of Returning Wind and Blending. Much of its wording and meaning, however, is falsely attributed and largely unreliable. The other contains only thirty-nine chapters. Some passages match what Youying—the name of a Daoist immortal—has said, but the two bodies of material are mixed together and difficult to distinguish. Only by seeing the authentic scripture with one’s own eyes can one practice on its basis.

It is also said that some people obtained three chapters handed down by Yang and Xu (Yang Xi and Xu Mi). Some passages in these, too, match what Youying has said, and the materials are mixed together, making them hard to tell apart. One must still see the authentic scripture in person before relying on it. It is further said that some people obtained the thirty-nine chapters handed down by Yang and Xu, which are no different from the shorter version circulating in the world. Since the person who recorded this had not seen them firsthand and could not judge whether they were genuine, the recommendation was simply to copy them and add them to the scripture catalogue. There is also a scroll called The Jade Commentary, which briefly explains the main ideas of the Great Cavern Scripture and may also be copied.

The Scripture of the Golden Root of the Azure Essential and Purple Writ records that the Central Yellow Lord Lao, a revered Daoist deity, said: “If one can see the thirty-nine chapters of the Great Cavern Scripture of Truth, one may ascend to Heaven in broad daylight.” Some people practiced for many years without success and concluded that the scripture was not genuine. This was because they had not first registered a golden tablet in the Eastern Florescent Palace—a golden record submitted to Heaven—nor filed a jade document at the Golden Gate. Thus the true spirits had not descended to protect and support them; instead, they had been harassed by heavenly demons, and so received no response. Even if they obtained a wondrous scripture, they might accomplish nothing.

If one first submits the golden tablet to the Azure Palace, then presents the jade document to the Emperor, and receives approval for the Golden Dawn Jade Youths and the Jade Maidens of the Western Florescence—attendants of Heaven—to guard and protect this sacred text, allowing it to circulate throughout the heavens and win the approval of the Three Realms, and then recites its chapters ten thousand times, how could one fail to receive a response in the form of a jade carriage and purple canopy, the splendid vehicles of the immortal realm?