《上清高上玉晨凤台曲素上经》

The Phoenix Terrace spoken of in the Gaoshang Yuchen Fengtai Qusu Shangjing (scripture) is located above the Nine-Bend Layered Hills of the Mysterious Capital, condensed from naturally formed phoenix Qi (vital energy). Palaces of agate-like jade are built above the Nine Heavens, to the north of the Jade Capital, where true Qi arises from the void, gathering from the eight directions in successive winding layers that reach the eight quarters. The Phoenix Terrace summons upward the soaring wings that whirl aloft, communicates laterally with the Shen (spirits) of the Eight Su (symbolizing the numinous Qi of the eight directions), and concentrates the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Qi of the Nine Origins, forming verses that record sorrow and joy, which appear upon the Mysterious Terrace.

These characters are square, each one zhang in size, their brilliance dazzling and illuminating the Nine Heavens. Flying phoenixes unfurl cloud canopies, purple Qi dense and profound; swimming fish and running beasts interweave as they race. Six leading masters stand guard at the lower gates; the Jade Immortals of the Five Emperors hold five-colored spirit banners that command demons and subdue the five directions. On the right, they are guarded by the Jade Maidens of Taihua; on the left, by the Jade Youths of the Golden Immortals, three thousand each, attending the Zhenren and overseeing the incense.

Sun and moon shine in mutual reflection, the Seven Origins (the seven stars of the Big Dipper) revolve their numinous radiance, the Three Chen (sun, moon, and stars) glow in unison, and mysterious light pervades the four directions. Forests of agate jade rustle their branches, music of jade resounds through the courtyards, and the luster of the Seven Treasures illuminates the Shangqing realm. Here is the residence of the Highest Jade Dawn Supreme Lord of the Dao. The Elder of the Mysterious Capital mysteriously transmitted to the Lord of the Dao the Melody of Sorrow and Joy written in phoenix patterns.

On the fifth, fifteenth, and twenty-fifth of every month, the assembled perfected immortals of the heavens and the flying immortals of the Five Sacred Peaks ascend the Phoenix Terrace three times. There they perform rites with composed ease, burn incense as they tour and gaze about, and chant verses that give voice to both sorrowful concern and joy. They offer congratulations to the divine Perfected above and take compassionate pity on the common people below. The verses are mysterious and profoundly subtle, as clear and luminous as jade, thoroughly penetrating and perfectly bright. Four perfected immortals prostrate themselves before them, while the host of immortals greets them with ritual music; the fragrance of incense spreads into the high heavens, and smoky vapors drift through the courtyards of empty space.

All Perfected Ones who have already attained accomplishment in the palaces of the upper realms, as well as those just beginning to study immortality, must diligently cultivate the True Scripture of the Mysterious Mound of Nine Heavens Phoenix Qi (vital energy) and recite the Melody of Sorrow and Joy. Since the time of mysterious antiquity, these methods of Jing (scripture) have been transmitted only once in ten thousand kalpas. Now, if a suitable candidate appears, they may be transmitted only three times within a span of seven hundred years. Those who obtain the scripture may then fly up to Shangqing (Highest Clarity, one of the immortal realms of Daoism), ascend the Nine-Bend Phoenix Terrace, and have audience with the Jade Perfected (Yuzhen, exalted immortal Perfected Ones).

To leak the scripture carelessly will cause one to lose one’s eyesight, and one’s ancestors for seven generations will also be punished; to keep it with careful reverence will enable one to become an immortal.

Anyone who obtains and wears the Great True Scripture of the Mysterious Mound and the Spirit Banner of the Five Emperors Commanding Demons can ride the empty void, summon the spirits, subdue demonic evils, and command ghosts and spirits. Those who obtain the Secret Talismans of the Five Phases (Wuxing; Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) can call forth and gather the hun and po souls, stabilize the spirit-soul, and make the Shen (spirit) endure forever. Reciting the Words of Sorrow and Joy enables one to transcend the dusty world and roam the Jade Capital (Yujing, the celestial immortal capital spoken of in Daoism). Wearing the Qusu Phoenix Qi allows one to witness the grand ceremony of welcoming the Sage Lord in an age of Great Peace, to ascend in the physical body into the Mysterious Capital (Xuandu, an immortal realm), and to receive the rank of Highest Perfected.

This “Melody of Sorrow and Joy of the Nine Heavens Phoenix Script” (the phoenix-shaped numinous writing that formed naturally in the Nine Heavens) was recorded by Xuanqiu Taizhen (the title of a Daoist immortal). It consists entirely of the natural Qi (vital energy) of the Nine Heavens condensed into form. The numinous writing manifested in the void; after ninety thousand kalpas the Elder of the Mysterious Capital (an immortal title) obtained it from the great emptiness and transmitted it to the Most High Lord of the Great Dao. The Lord of the Great Dao then passed it to the Perfected One of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), who in turn transmitted it to the Great Lord Azure Youth of Fangzhu in the Eastern Sea (an immortal of the Eastern Sea). The Great Lord Azure Youth transmits it to those who bear a jade name from previous lives and are destined to become immortals.

Wearing this Jing (scripture) for twenty years enables one to meet the Lords of the Three Primes (the divine perfected ones who govern the Three Primes) and to welcome the Sage Lord at the Golden Palaces of Shangqing (the palaces of the Shangqing realm). The Jing is transmitted three times every seven hundred years; if a suitable recipient appears within a hundred years it may be given to two persons. The section of the Jing that records the fasting observances and transmission ritual appears to contain errors or omissions; the readable portion states that five liang of gold must be offered and that a gold-and-green oath is to replace the blood-altar covenant (an oath substituting for a blood-smearing pact).

Wisdom Phrases of the Melody of Plain Sorrow and Joy of the High Jade Dawn

Azure Emperor of the East

I condense the primordial Qi (yuanqi) that unites my own being with Heaven, Earth, and Nature, transforming it into the Purple Phoenix City. The high terraces within the city rise layer upon layer beyond the nine-fold mountain ranges, with jade-like scenery lush and soaring. Joyful music resounds above the successive heavenly realms, winding and far-reaching, connecting to the pure realms of the eight directions. The purple void illuminates the palaces amid the clouds, and flowing radiance reflects the spiritual Qi of the five directions. The four sides open onto boundless wilderness; the Qi of the eight directions circulates and gathers, and the light merges into one seamless whole.

The soaring Qi circulates in the great void, and the seven rays of light from the sun, moon, and stars operate according to the heavenly Dao (the Way). When fortune arrives it seems without root or source; when the time of fortune passes, all things overturn with the transformations. Within the meeting of the nine directions of Heaven and Earth, the two phenomena of Yin-Yang respond to each other. Diyi (the primordial Qi that unifies and governs the myriad Qi) is firmly established in the Central Origin, while the guiding principles of the four directions sustain the order of the spirits so that it does not decline.

To the south I take in the essence of the Flying Sovereign; to the north I draw the breath of the Guanghan immortal realm. In the secluded and mysterious dwelling, true spirits meet, and songs naturally arise in the void. The Heavenly Emperors of the Five Directions command the numinous banners to wave their flags, summoning thousands of spiritual beings. Demonic creatures howl in the air, yet the governance of the Dao makes joy without end.

Therefore the verses of the Qusu arise, celebrating the spirits and rejoicing in the peace of all under Heaven. They form alliances and covenants with one another—where do they agree to meet? Even after passing through ten thousand kalpas, it is as if only a year has passed. After ninety thousand kalpas they again ride together in the Purple Phoenix chariot to travel. In the void the Purple Phoenix Terrace is generated, and jade palaces rise high to connect with the Taiwei Enclosure (a heavenly star enclosure). The numinous wind howls at the confluence of the eight directions, and the governance of the Dao makes joy without end.

Therefore the verses of the Qusu arise, celebrating the spirits and rejoicing in the peace of all under Heaven. They form alliances and covenants with one another—where do they agree to meet? Even after passing through ten thousand kalpas, it is as if only a year has passed. After ninety thousand kalpas they again ride together in the Purple Phoenix chariot to travel. In the void the Purple Phoenix Terrace is generated, and jade palaces rise high to connect with the Taiwei Enclosure. The numinous wind arises at the confluence of the eight directions, and the northern Changhe Gate (the northern gate of the heavenly palace) opens.

On the gate are singing and howling divine youths who constantly sing of the waxing and waning of fortune and the decay of all things. In the morning they ride the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars to go forth; in the evening they return with that radiance. The two lights of sun and moon merge into one, fearing the loss of their illumination. The number of Nine-Five is not eternally stable; Heaven and Earth too will encounter the danger of overturning. When the great kalpa ends, Heaven and Earth undergo a long period of replacement; the calamity of one hundred and six (the periodic great disaster spoken of in Daoism) arrives with the cycling of fortune.

Floodwaters surge over the nine-fold mountain ranges, and great birds fly low across the high heavens. Myriad insects and living beings drift in the torrent, wishing to look back at the mountains yet no longer able to rely upon them. The wailing and weeping have no end—how can one not feel sorrow? The worthy and the sages diligently recite the Jing (scriptures), and thus they are able to ride the radiance and ascend. When the disaster-kalpa arrives they greet one another and gather together at the gate of the Nine Heavens.

When the allotted Qi is exhausted and calamity descends, ten thousand kinds of epidemics interweave and spread. One sees no one who has cultivated immortality and attained the Dao, only hears the mournful sounds of the dead and dying. Alas, such is the nature of these ignorant ordinary people: they cling to life yet suffer such torment—truly lamentable.

The Southern Red Emperor.

At the Nine Mystery Terrace (Jiuxuantai, a high platform in the immortal realm of Daoist imagination), sorrows are dispersed as joyful gatherings take place upon the steps of the vast heavens. Hand in hand they invite the Celestial Perfected of the Ten Directions (immortals from every heavenly realm) and call upon the Youth of the Eastern Sea. Spiritual Qi (vital energy) from all four directions and eight sides gathers, combining into a mechanism of Qi that circulates with the winds of the Lang Terrace (a high platform in the immortal realm). The gaze illuminates the Western Flower Pavilion, while mind and spirit resonate with the Broad Cold Palace. Purple phoenixes circle and dance through the air, and the Nine Ridge Peaks appear quiet and remote. Eyes gaze far across boundless wilderness and lift to behold the lofty heavens. Clear, ringing songs blend with the tones of Gong, Shang, and the other musical notes, as sorrow and joy arrive in turn. These two states of sorrow and joy can ultimately be brought into harmony; though the principles appear contrary, they prove interconnected at the root.

The joy of all has no end; they hold fast to the original intention and also to the final destination. Sweetly they drink the fine wine of the Jade Pool, looking upward to welcome the flying Hua Emperor (a divine being). The spiritual melon is originally enough for peaceful enjoyment, yet it cannot compare with the radiance of sun and moon. The Seven Luminaries (sun, moon, and the stars of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth) circulate and shine; how could such joy ever be forgotten?

Yet the Great Kalpa (a massive catastrophe spanning heaven and earth) will at last arrive. Cycles of disaster alternate, and the two images of heaven and earth themselves will be overturned. The Dragon Gate severs the Heavenly River; the Three and the Five repeatedly verify one another. The Red Garrison occupies the Eastern Well (a constellation), while the Canopy Star hides among the morning stars. Dim radiance covers the eight directions, and filthy Qi obscures the essence of the heavenly bodies. The Three Officials (of Heaven, Earth, and Water) press upon one another, and even the spirits of the Five Sacred Mountains find no rest. Plagues of every kind interweave and spread as the Northern Emperor (ruling deity of the north) leads fierce demonic soldiers. Nets of the eight directions are spread from beyond heaven, and not even a sagely enlightened ruler can still the chaos. These transformations condense from the Qi of nature itself, rising like a force that towers over and oppresses the nine-layered heavenly city.

The lofty immortal observatories take pity on all living beings, and from this pity both sorrow and joy arise. Mysterious songs open the hearts of divine persons; those who are moved pass from delight into tears. Pitiful are the stubborn and foolish, entangled by stinginess with wealth and greed for lust, waiting in full-hearted delight for disaster to descend yet never seeing that the calamity is of their own making. The wise and intelligent, however, foresee the coming catastrophe. Day and night they reciting scriptures with diligence, bowing in worship toward the empty void and holding the mysterious Dao (the Way) in mind, seeking thereby to pass through endless years.

If one can seek the origin of the Dao and, at the Eight Nodes (the eight solar-term points within the four seasons), recite and present the Jade Names (sacred titles from Daoist scriptures) according to the proper time, there is hope of avoiding the Nine Difficulties and disasters and of witnessing Great Peace.

Western White Emperor

Jade phoenixes fly in the morning breeze; the purple immortal terrace shines upon jade trees. Circulating radiance brushes across layers of profound mystery, the lofty scene reaching all the way to the Nine Yin (deep and dark regions). Purple rosy light disperses and reflects crimson clouds.

If one can seek the origin of the Dao and, at the Eight Nodes, recite and present the Jade Names according to the proper time, there is hope of avoiding the Nine Difficulties and disasters and of witnessing Great Peace.

Western White Emperor

The jade phoenix soars in the morning wind as the purple immortal terrace illuminates the jade woodlands. Flowing radiance brushes through successive layers of profound seclusion, while towering immortal mountains rise high and reach the Nine Yin, the farthest depths of the netherworld. Purple rosy light spreads like vermilion clouds; swirling mists coil and chase one another. The branches of the Seven Treasures sway and give forth clear, ringing tones as numinous beasts race across cloudy ridges. Myriad immortals rise into the air and chant while divine winds lift exquisite music.

Above stands the High Dawn Master, a high-ranking immortal true being, who quietly folds his hands and utters a long resonant chant. The Eight Assemblies, immortal true ones who gather of themselves, appear in solemn dignity, and from the void descend orchid fragrance and golden light. Immortals chew precious jade and remain as fresh as dawn even after long kalpas; jade nectar, the drink of the immortals, permeates body and mind, rendering heart and spirit lucid. Bright pearls intone numinous songs, and the bearing of the immortal true ones is accompanied by refined zither tones. The Jade Chapters, Daoist Jing (scriptures), clarify the essential purport of the ultimate Dao (the Way) and can resolve human sorrow and joy. They free me from the limits of a finite lifespan and bring deep, beautiful peace and delight. Without the graceful bearing of the high immortals, how could one feast together with them?

In the morning I amuse myself in the Eastern Flower Palace; in the evening I wander through the Western Flower Hall. I revel fully in the two Flower Pavilions of east and west yet never encounter genuine happiness. I hear only the Mysterious Songster, a singer of the immortal realm, singing in mournful tones that grieve even the heavenly youths. The lamenting voices flow into the chilly courtyard, mourning the decline of the world's ways. The heavenly horse leaps the Nine Rivers; the Crow Mother rides a flying dragon. The Mysterious Ford, that profound crossing, has no bridge, and the two qi (vital energy) of Yin-Yang remain isolated, unable to communicate. I climb the high steps and gaze upon a world interwoven with nine kinds of disasters. Foul qi saturates the Three Numina of heaven, earth, and humanity, and hundreds of millions of living beings endure calamity. In the eight directions there are scarcely any survivors, and mountains great and small have collapsed.

It is truly sad to think that people do not know how to cultivate and study; even when they hear the Jing they remain as if dull and deaf. They let themselves be carried by fate and in an instant reach the end of life. Why are the disasters so cruel? When I think of you, my heart is filled with grief.

The Northern Black Emperor.

The purple phoenix soars into the sky, flying over the lofty mountain peaks above the Nine Heavens. When Qi (vital energy) gathers, its form appears; when Qi disperses, its spiritual form vanishes. It drifts freely between the formed and the formless, and heavenly music fills my heart with joy.

I listen serenely to the sounds of the Eight Assemblies (the celestial immortal music mentioned in Daoist scriptures), ranking together with the high immortals; I befriend the Ten Heavenly Perfected (the divine perfected of the heavenly realms) and calmly ride the nine phoenixes. I ascend to the Jade Capital Palaces (the palaces of the heavenly realm) and roam below in Langfeng Continent (the legendary immortal land). Feathered beings race on jade wheels, accompanied by purple clouds of Qi in the air. After the morning audience I still await the dawn; the immortals share joy together without end.

I allow my gaze to flow with the transformations of nature. The great Chun tree (the legendary long-lived wood) undergoes one lengthy cycle of years, equivalent to an extremely long span of human time. I rejoice in the natural state of mind and thereby dispel worries of the mundane world. Without the mysterious spiritual quality (the endowment suited to cultivating the Dao and becoming an immortal), who could wander with me?

Alas, in the empty realm, joy has just arisen when sorrow is born again. In the morning I climb Dongmeng Ridge; in the evening I gaze afar at the western hills, yet I do not see the Nine Spirits Mother (the female immortal of Daoist legend). I can only seek the Great Dao from the Northern Perfected (the true deity of the north), inquiring from afar about the degrees of the Great Image’s movement; the two Qi of Yin-Yang suddenly circulate and arrive.

Nine dragons convey the Eastern Well (a heavenly constellation), and the heavenly horse gallops forth from the western mountain nook. The Northern Emperor (the heavenly emperor of the north) dispatches heavenly troops, and the spirits of the Five Peaks also respond in secret. The host of demons has already been bound, and the Qi of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) has long mutually coordinated. Military disasters fill the sky, and hundreds of millions of living beings are all constrained; heaven and earth above and below will all undergo the kalpa assembly, with not a single deviant or false thing remaining, all completely swept away.

Alas, dwelling amid the Five Difficulties (the various disasters and kalpas spoken of in Daoism), when the kalpa destiny arrives it distinguishes neither kin nor stranger. May you ascend the Palace of the Eight Assemblies (the immortal palace of the heavenly realm) and form companions of the Dao in the unseen. Surveying those who have sought learning through successive generations, the blessed lands will also assist them. Abandoning family property to seek my Great Dao enables one’s own deliverance. Diligently cultivating the Supreme Jing (the most profound Daoist scripture), after the Dao is accomplished we shall naturally meet. Freely wandering and touring the Phoenix Terrace, is that not joyful?

The Yellow Emperor of the Center (the Yellow Emperor deity residing in the central direction).

In the grand musical assembly, primordial Qi (vital energy) gathers in the Court of Music. Upon the court there is the breath of the eight directions coming together, and a purple phoenix circles and is born within it. Golden branches cling to jade roots, and the seven treasures form flower bells. Dragons cross the farthest mountain ridges, and the phoenix’s cry shakes ten thousand li.

One cannot see the guests coming and going, but only hears the sounds of wind and cloud. The tones of gong, shang, and the others respond to one another, and the music mutually completes itself. Mysterious songs sing forth wondrous melodies; sorrow and joy interweave into a composition. I seek myself and myself seeks me—who can know the numinous wonder of the True Person? Brocade clouds reflect and accompany the night moon; purple radiance veils the flying jade. The Three Dawn Lights shine through the vast heavenly vault, and the Seven Origins together with the Five Stars radiate brilliance. Numinous banners display majestic radiance, and flowing vapors gather into Jing (scriptures).

I seek myself and myself seeks me—who can know the numinous wonder of the True Person? Brocade clouds reflect and accompany the night moon; purple radiance veils the flying jade. The Three Dawn Lights shine through the vast heavenly vault, and the Seven Origins together with the Five Stars radiate brilliance. Numinous banners display majestic radiance, and flowing vapors diffuse throughout the Purple Clarity immortal realm.

People often say that the wondrous realm of Western Flower is the most marvelous, yet it cannot compare to Purple Phoenix City. Upon the city there are immortals who unfasten their robes, meeting one another and rejoicing for ten thousand years; they share joy together, with no time of ending. Precisely because of this, one comes to perceive that heaven and earth too will overturn. Numinous destiny has its predetermined allotment; when the allotted fate is exhausted, one returns to the mysterious. Coming and going accord with the cycles of destiny—why let sorrow entwine the heart? Scatter sorrow beyond the eight directions and realize the vast, formless Dao (the Way). Rambling freely in the court of joy, who would still wish to keep company with sorrow?

The five kinds of hardship will always be encountered, and those who suffer injury exist naturally as well. Even if the tones of gong, shang, and the others are at times unharmonious, looking to the root, the principles of affairs still possess their own balance. Therefore this song of sorrow and joy was composed, to guide those who cultivate the Dao. If one can study the numinous Jing, the profound meanings within will naturally become gradually apparent; as long as one wears and holds the Qusu Chapter, one can enter the realm without sorrow. Riding the void, one ascends the Phoenix Terrace, gazes afar from the heights, and inherits the flourishing atmosphere of the age of Tang Yao. What, then, is this joy? If one has already understood where sorrow lies, why still be sorrowful?

The “Song of Sorrow and Joy of the High Jade Dawn” appears in the air upon the Phoenix Terrace; the numinous Jing radiates light. One gazes afar from the heights and inherits the flourishing atmosphere of the age of Tang Yao. What, then, is this joy? If one has already understood where sorrow lies, why still be sorrowful?

The “Song of Sorrow and Joy” (Youle zhi Qu) of the Highest Jade Dawn (Gaoshang Yuchen) was composed by Kongsheng upon the Phoenix Terrace (Fengtai). The numinous and marvelous wording of the song illuminates the Five Directions, while its clear and soaring tones of metal and stone resound throughout the Ten Directions of the heavenly realms. The Highest Perfected of the Nine Curves of the Jade Capital (Yujing) all inscribe the scripture upon golden tablets, write it with purple brushes, and chant this mysterious “Song of Sorrow and Joy” in unison. The meaning of its lyrics is profound and subtle, and its wondrous principles reach far and deep; those who are not companions of the Highest realm cannot thoroughly comprehend it. Only those who possess a golden name in Donghua (Eastern Florescence, a Daoist immortal realm) and written characters in the Phoenix Palace (Fengque, a celestial palace) are granted the privilege of seeing this scripture.

If one is able to wear the “Phoenix Qi Mysterious Hill True Script Command-Demon Numinous Banner” (Fengqi Xuanqiu Zhenshu Mingmo Lingfan, a Daoist ritual banner used to summon spirits and control demonic forces) and to recite the “Song of Sorrow and Joy,” the Five Emperors will protect the cultivator of authenticity, and the heavenly demons will likewise be commanded to guard and support them. The practitioner is thereby recommended and elevated to the rank of Highest Immortal, and is able to welcome the Sage Lord in the Palace of Highest Clarity (Shangqing Gong) and to wander the halls of the Phoenix Terrace.

Anyone who receives and upholds this scripture may practice it on their natal day (benming ri), on the Tai Sui day, on the Eight Seasonal Nodes (Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice), as well as on the fifth, fifteenth, and twenty-fifth days of each lunar month. After bathing to purify the body and observing a purification fast, one enters the quiet chamber. First face east and recite the song of the Azure Emperor (Qingdi); when the recitation is finished, make ritual bows and pay audience to the Jade Perfected (Yuzhen). Then turn to the south and recite the song of the Red Emperor (Chidi); after reciting, bow and pay audience to the Jade Perfected. Next, face west in turn to recite the song of the White Emperor (Baidi) and face north to recite the song of the Black Emperor (Heidi), each time making bows and paying audience to the Jade Perfected after the recitation. Finally, face the direction in which Tai Sui is located and recite the song of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi); after reciting, bow and pay audience to the Jade Perfected. Once the rites of the Five Directions have all been completed, face north once more and perform nine bows, paying audience to the Lord of Jade Dawn (Yuchen Jun), and raise the head to swallow Qi (vital energy) nine times; the ritual is then concluded. When performing the rite, Five Emperor banners should be placed in the five directions of the quiet chamber.

Five Emperor Command-Demon Numinous Banners

The Command-Demon Numinous Banner of the Highest Jade Dawn governs and controls the Great King of Demonic Spirits under the Eastern Azure Emperor, and protects Master Wang Jia of such-and-such mountain, causing his body to unite with the True Dao (the Way) and to accomplish the immortal path. In the span of a glance downward and upward, he can then dispatch the Eastern…

Gaoshang Yuchen (a high deity of Shangqing Daoism) issued a command establishing banners to subdue demonic spirits and taking jurisdiction over the Demon-Spirit King of the Eastern Azure Emperor. All the gods jointly protect a certain Peak Master Wang Jia so that he may realize the true Dao and accord with the immortal Dao; an immortal official of the Eastern Peak is then dispatched, riding a feathered wheel, to welcome Wang Jia and convey him to the Purple Phoenix Terrace of the Jade Purity Palace. This command is like a tally issued from the Nine Heavens.

The above text is written in white upon cyan silk.

Gaoshang Yuchen issued a command establishing banners to subdue demonic spirits and taking jurisdiction over the Demon-Spirit King of the Southern Vermilion Emperor. All the gods jointly protect a certain Peak Master Wang Jia so that he may realize the true Dao and accord with the immortal Dao; an immortal official of the Southern Peak is then dispatched, riding a feathered wheel, to welcome Wang Jia and convey him to the Purple Phoenix Terrace of the Jade Purity Palace. This command is like a tally issued from the Nine Heavens.

The above text is written in black upon dark red silk.

Gaoshang Yuchen issued a command establishing banners to subdue demonic spirits and taking jurisdiction over the Demon-Spirit King of the Western White Emperor. All the gods jointly protect a certain Peak Master Wang Jia so that he may realize the true Dao and accord with the immortal Dao; an immortal official of the Western Peak is then dispatched, riding a feathered wheel, to welcome Wang Jia and convey him to the Purple Phoenix Terrace of the Jade Purity Palace. This command is like a tally issued from the Nine Heavens.

The above text is written in vermilion upon white silk.

Gaoshang Yuchen issued a command establishing banners to subdue demonic spirits and taking jurisdiction over Northern Jia, realize the true Dao and accord with the immortal Dao; an immortal official of the Western Peak is then dispatched, riding a feathered wheel, to welcome Wang Jia and convey him to the Purple Phoenix Terrace of the Jade Purity Palace. This command is like a tally issued from the Nine Heavens.

The above text is written in vermilion upon white silk.

Gaoshang Yuchen issued a command establishing banners to subdue demonic spirits and taking jurisdiction over the Demon-Spirit King of the Northern Black Emperor. All the gods jointly protect a certain Peak Master Wang Jia so that he may realize the true Dao and accord with the immortal Dao; an immortal official of the Northern Peak is then dispatched, riding a feathered wheel, to welcome Wang Jia and convey him to the Purple Phoenix Terrace of the Jade Purity Palace. This command is like a tally issued from the Nine Heavens.

The above text is written in yellow upon black silk.

Gaoshang Yuchen issued a command establishing banners to subdue demonic spirits and taking jurisdiction over the Demon-Spirit King of the Central Yellow Emperor. All the gods jointly protect a certain Peak Master Wang Jia so that he may realize the true Dao and accord with the immortal Dao; an immortal official of the Central Peak is then dispatched, riding a feathered wheel, to welcome Wang Jia and convey him to the Purple Phoenix Terrace of the Jade Purity Palace. This command is like a tally issued from the Nine Heavens.

The above text is written in cyan upon yellow silk.

Here “feathered wheel” (yulun) refers to the flying vehicle ridden by immortal officials, and the Purple Phoenix Terrace of the Jade Purity Palace is a terrace pavilion among the immortal palaces of the Daoist heavens. The fourth paragraph originally writes “Northern Jia,” which differs in format from the other paragraphs; that wording is preserved here according to the original, while the remainder is rendered according to the sense of the text.

This is the Highest Clarity High Five Emperors Commanding Demons Numinous Banner, suspended upon the Phoenix Terrace in the empty void and administered by the Jade Perfected of the Five Emperors. For anyone whose destiny accords with the immortal Dao (the Way), the Eastern Florescence Emperor Lord uses this Jing (scripture) to inform the Five Emperors and the Demon Kings, requesting that they recommend and support the person. Thereafter the immortal officials of the Five Marchmounts, following the relevant ritual protocols, lead a thousand carriages and ten thousand mounted attendants, riding flying feather-wheels to come and receive him so that he may ascend the Purple Phoenix Jade Terrace.

Those who wear this Jing will have their names recorded by the Five Emperors, will be respected and protected by the heavenly demons, and will be welcomed by the divine offices of the ten directional realms. After nine years the numinous efficacy arrives, and the wearer of the Jing can ride a feather-wheel to ascend to heaven. Among those who receive the Jing, men should deposit the Jing upon the summit of a high mountain; women should perform a jiao ritual to send forth and transmit the Jing. Practicing in this way, after ten years all the numinous responses described in the Jing will arrive: men must again cast the writing, women must again perform the jiao, and they are to hold the rite of the Taizhen Book of Phoenix Qi (vital energy) at Xuanqiu (the name of an immortal realm). All of the above follow the same set of ritual norms.

Qusu Jueci of the Left Perfected of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)

Also named the Nine Heavens Phoenix Qi Xuanqiu Taizhen Book.

The Most High transmitted this Jing to the Left Perfected of Taiji, who then transmitted it to the Azure Lad Great Lord of Fangzhu Palace in the Eastern Sea so that he might transmit it to those Daoists who already possess names on the immortal registers from former times and whose destiny is to become immortal Perfected. After wearing this Jing for twenty years one can see the Three Primal Lords and welcome the Sage Lord at the Golden Palaces of Highest Clarity.

The Jing stipulates that it is transmitted once every seven hundred years; if a suitable recipient is encountered, at most two persons may receive it within a hundred years. Before receiving the Jing one must fast and purify for three days and offer one hundred taels of gold to the master. After receiving the Jing, master and disciple drink a gold-and-azure substance to swear an oath, thereby substituting for the ritual of smearing blood upon a blood altar to make a covenant.

Qusu Jueci

This is the hidden writing within the Xuanqiu Taizhen Book. If a suitable recipient is encountered within a hundred years, at most two persons may be transmitted to. Before receiving the Jing one must fast and purify for three days and offer one hundred taels of gold to the master; after receiving the Jing both parties drink a gold-and-azure substance to swear an oath, substituting for the blood-smearing covenant.

Qusu Jueci

This is a secret text transmitted by Xuanqiu Taizhen, used to summon the multitude of spirits and subdue every kind of goblin and sprite. It must be written with cinnabar on white silk and worn upon the person. The white silk totals forty chi, serving as a credential that protects the blood and Qi (vital energy) and also substituting for the blood-oath rite that accompanies the transmission of Qusu. Without first stilling the mind in a purification fast, or without performing a solemn ritual of releasing the register, this Fulu (talismans and registers) cannot be transmitted. The characters “qing x” in the Jing (scripture/classic) are fragmentary and indistinct: the original text states that it measures seven chi in length, serving as a credential that blesses the attainment of immortality and also as the sworn token of three transmissions within seven hundred years. Whether one enters illness, fire, water, mountains, or an inner chamber, this Fulu must be worn. Three pairs of gold rings serve as the proof of preserving long life and accomplishing the Great Dao (the Way), and they also symbolize the covenant of guarding the heart without leakage. A Daoist who lacks this Jing cannot behold the Three Prime Lords. Nine liang of incense serve as the credential of communion with the spirits; a number of phrases are missing from the original at this point, and the following text states that without it one is likewise unable to summon or subdue the ghosts of the Six Heavens.

When a man receives this Fulu he faces north while the master faces south; when a woman receives it she faces south while the master faces north. Ten years after a man has received the Fulu he must again observe a purification fast and submit documents. After a woman has received the Fulu she must submit documents, perform a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) offering (the rite of setting up an altar to pay homage to the deities), and proceed according to the secret methods transmitted by the master. The Jing further states that a Zhaijiao offering is to be held once every ten years after the Fulu has been received. At the ceremony the Fulu, incense, and fruits are arranged in a secluded inner chamber, and Taiqing Gaoxian Jingyun Zhenren, Taishang Zhangren, and a certain official (the name of the recipient) are invited to come and receive the precepts. In conferring the Fulu the master must compare the name-list in person and transmit it orally; the last sentence is fragmentary and cannot be interpreted with certainty.

Taiqing Gaoxian Jingyun Zhenren opens the great heavenly register, which Taishang Zhangren then confers downward upon the Lords of the Five Sacred Peaks. Wearing this Fulu enables one to avert misfortune and dispel calamity, drive away evil, pay court to the host of spirits, and command all kinds of birds and ghostly beings; it can also lengthen the years of life, restore departed souls, banish senescence, and keep the body stable and long-enduring. This Fulu is also called the “Sure-Life Coupon of the Three Heavens.”

The Nine Heavens Phoenix-Qi Xuanqiu Taizhen Jun and the Nine-Qi Zhangren together command ten White-Plain Jade Maiden officials, who are distributed throughout the body of the recipient of the Fulu.

Write the True Scripture of Phoenix Qi of the Nine Heavens and the Mysterious Mound, the Numinous Banner for Commanding Demons (Jiutian Fengqi Xuanqiu Zhenshu Mingmo Lingfan) on a length of white silk nine chi long, and after receiving the scripture wear it on the person. If one wishes to withdraw from the dusty world and dwell in an immortal realm beyond the mundane, write it instead on colored silks representing the five directions and place those silks in their respective directions. In this way one may subdue the myriad spirits, resist celestial demons, summon immortal officials, and welcome the Sage Lord of Great Peace. This method belongs to the immortal regulations (xianke) transmitted by the Elder of the Mysterious Capital (Xuandu Zhangren).

Before receiving the scripture and wearing it one must observe a three-day fast. Green silk, three pairs of jade rings, and fragrant silk used for the oath serve as tokens of receiving the method, and the Grand Year (Taisui), month, and day of transmission are recorded. The recipient must swear to uphold the teaching: not to be unrestrained or negligent, not to be greedy or deceitful, not to do evil or harbor jealousy; to practice benevolence and righteousness, accumulate De (Virtue/Power), visualize the spirits, and realize the True Dao (the Way). Those who wear the ritual register (falu, a talismanic register recording the recipient’s name and ritual office) may become immortals.

Once the ritual register has been worn, the related ceremony concludes.

After a man first receives this text he must still go to the mountain corresponding to his natal destiny to cast and offer the document, report to the spirits, and receive transmission. Ten years later he offers it again in the same manner and thereafter proceeds likewise; only after all three offerings are completed is the ritual considered finished. After a woman receives the method she likewise holds a jiao ritual (a rite of setting out offerings to the gods) once every ten years, performing it three times in all; only after all three are completed does the process end.

In the first year of Yangshuo, the year being Gengyin, on the jia-shen new moon of the ninth month (that is, the first day, which was jia-shen), the Perfected of the Western Peak, Master Wang, at the age of forty, received transmission of this text. Ten years later he still offered it according to the method described above and thereafter proceeded in the same way until all three offerings were completed. After a woman receives the method she holds a jiao ritual once every ten years, three times in total, concluding only when all are finished.

In the first year of Yangshuo, the year Gengyin, on the jia-shen new moon of the ninth month (the first day, jia-shen), the Perfected of the Western Peak, Master Wang, aged forty-two and born in the seventh month, now following the Great Master of High Dawn and the Azure Lad of the Eastern Sea, respectfully received the Upper Talisman of the Five Phases of the Melody of Sorrow and Joy from the Plain Phoenix Script True Book of the Mysterious Mound. Hereby he opens and reports to the Five Emperors, the Five Perfected, the Five Immortals, and the various spirits of the Five Peaks; the offering of the document and the self-administered oath have already been completed. May he become a Perfected, his name listed in the Eastern Floriate, his register fixed as a celestial immortal, forever possessing auspiciousness, as recorded in the texts of the Nine Heavens.

The inscriptions are written in vermilion on silver plaques, five in all, and placed respectively upon the five altars. Facing north, the master reports to the deities; once this is completed, the silver plaques are buried in the Five Sacred Mountains (Wuyue). If the ceremony is performed on only a single mountain, the plaques may still be buried separately according to their corresponding directional positions.

After the five altars have been set up, the master faces north, knocks his teeth thirty-six times, and recites the following invocation:

“O Highest Numina of the Nine Mysteries, Primordial Heavenly King (Yuanshi Tianwang); Jade Immortals of the Five Emperors; Perfected Ones of the Great Palaces of the Numinous Peaks: each of you, please bury the silver plaques according to the corresponding directions. Disciple Wang Jia has already passed through three refinements and nine trials; his Qi (vital energy) and his bones have already become one with the True Dao. Respectfully in accordance with the covenant documents of the most auspicious Nine Heavens, we submit the writings and announce the commands, burying the covenant tablets in the numinous mountains. From this time onward, please follow the looking-up-and-down writings and the Qusu texts, inform the Demon Kings below, recommend the Highest Perfected as flying immortals, and receive the person of Wang Jia with a feathered canopy so that he may ascend to the Palace of the Purple Phoenix in Jade Clarity (Yuqing). Should three announcements still fail to obtain compliance, then according to the statutes of the Great Perfected, the names of those who disobey shall be listed one by one, reported, investigated, and dealt with according to the regulations.”

When a woman receives the transmission, a Zhaijiao (purification ritual, the Daoist ceremony of setting up an altar to make offerings and announcements) is performed once every ten years. At the first performance of the Zhaijiao and the transmission of the documents, a single altar should be set up in a secret chamber; incense is burned facing north, and five plates of delicious fruits are arranged before the altar. The Qusu wen (the Daoist document of transmission) is written out, wrapped in a flying gauze kerchief, and placed upon a separate table. The master faces north and the disciple faces south. The master knocks his teeth thirty-six times and recites the invocation in a low voice:

The Taiqing High Immortal Jingyun Perfected One and the Zhongtian Great Register Taishang Elder: there is now a male cultivator of the Dao named Wang Jia, of a certain age, born in a certain month. He has respectfully received the “Qusu Youle Lyrics,” the banners for commanding demonic spirits as mandated by the Five Emperors, the Nine Heavens Phoenix Script of the Mysterious Mound Great Perfected Book, and the secret talismans of the Five Phases (Wuxing). An auspicious day has been chosen to respectfully invite the Qi (vital energy) of Gaochen to descend and illuminate Wang Jia himself, and to pray that the Five Emperors, Five Perfected Ones, Five Sacred Peaks, and Five Spirits be informed so as to register Wang Jia’s jade name, and further that a memorial be submitted to the Five Emperor Demon Kings of the Azure Palace, requesting that they recommend Wang Jia’s union with the true Dao, enabling him soon to attain the Dao and become an immortal, fly up to Shangqing, and have audience with Dichen.

After the three jiao rituals (ceremonies of presenting offerings to the deities, performing rites, and offering prayers) have been completed, the matter is handled according to the regulations of the “Nine Heavens Mysterious Code of the Taizhen Clear Text.” The above liturgical text is repeated three times, after which the jiao ritual is entirely concluded.

The Taishang Qusu Secret Talismans of the Five Phases

Composed by the Left Immortal Duke of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate).

The Most High said to the Later Sage, Lord of the Golden Palace: The primordial Qi differentiated, heaven and earth were thereby opened, and Yin-Yang each settled in their positions; the Three Fives were arrayed in the Xu Palace, the Six Jia were placed in mysterious fashion, and thus generated the Five Phases of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The Five Phases govern the Middle Origin, mutually generating by means of Qi, blending into unity, and ultimately accomplishing the true Dao.

If those of later generations who seek immortality and study the Dao do not know the origin of the Dao and merely practice visualization in vain (cultivation through mental imagery), they will only wear out body and mind; even after days and months accumulate there will still be no response, and the pursuit of the Dao will become remote. To seek the root one should return to the source; leaving the root in search of vitality cannot ultimately be preserved.

Therefore I have specially copied and compiled the jade writings of the Supreme Sovereign and made them known to you. You are to select worthy persons to transmit this method. These methods are precious and secret and must not be discussed casually; they should be received and practiced in accordance with the clear precepts and regulations.

The Most High said: The secret writings of the Five Phases (Wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) came into being together with Heaven and Earth; they harmonize the myriad things and command the spirits. Without the Five Phases, Heaven would have no brightness in the sun, moon, and stars; without the Five Phases, Earth would see its mountains and peaks collapse; without the Five Phases, the human body would decline and decay. Therefore, only through the mutual intermingling and interdependence of the Five Phases can the myriad things be generated. Those who aspire to cultivation should seek out a true and renowned master; after receiving this set of formulas, they can make themselves of the same root as Heaven and Earth. Following the formulas they summon the hun and po souls, preserve life, and command the spirits; after nine years of practice they can ascend to the immortal realm.

Those who receive the Qusu Jueci (the secret formula for cultivating the Way of the Supreme Perfected) should know the inner names of the Parental True Lords of the Five Phases (the spirits who govern the Five Phases and correspond to a person’s hun and po souls and life), that is, the names they do not readily disclose. Through visualization of them one attracts the hun and po souls and restrains the po, causing the hun and po to abide lastingly, allowing the true Shen (spirit) to return to its dwelling within the body, guarding the physical form, and thereby returning to the natural. Practicing thus, at the proper time one can wander and feast in Jade Clarity (Yuqing, the Qingwei immortal realm spoken of in Daoism) and become one with the primordial Qi (yuanqi, the original vital energy that constitutes Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things).

To cultivate this method of the Dao, one should choose a Jia day or a Yi day, burn incense in a quiet chamber, and facing east visualize the two True Lords, Jia Father and Yi Mother. Jia Father is named Qingying; he wears a nine-origin azure-jewel mysterious crown, a kingfisher-feather patterned robe, and holds the Green Essence Life-Preserving Secret Talisman. Yi Mother is named Haoxian; her hair is arranged in a chignon hanging like clouds, she wears a flying-green brocade skirt, and holds the Transformative-Generation Cinnabar-Mist Numinous Talisman. In the visualization the two True Lords face east, as if conveying the numinous talismans from the obscure and mysterious realm onto one’s own body. One then knocks the teeth nine times and recites the invocation, saying:

The True Lord's parents generate two divine beings. Through the numbers three and five they return to original authenticity and merge with the primordial Qi (vital energy) in the obscure darkness. Externally they gather the wandering hun souls; internally they stabilize the po and Jing (essence), so that these dwell lastingly in the palaces without leaving the person's original form and remain long preserved together with the Three Origins (the upper, middle, and lower Three Origins of Daoism) in the Jade Clarity realm. When the ritual ends, ingest the Fulu (talisman), knock the teeth nine times, and swallow saliva three times, then cease. After nine years of practice one can perceive boundless matters, discern writings from afar, and foresee fortune and misfortune.

This is the Green Essence Life-Protecting Secret Fulu, written with a green brush on white paper. Men first ingest the Life-Protecting Fulu, then the Transformative Birth Cinnabar-Mist Numinous Fulu.

This is the Transformative Birth Cinnabar-Mist Numinous Fulu, written with cinnabar on white paper. Women first ingest the Cinnabar-Mist Numinous Fulu, then the Green Essence Life-Protecting Fulu.

These are the Jia-Yi Two Perfected Yin-Yang Secret Fulu: the upper written with a green brush and the lower with cinnabar. After ingesting the Life-Protecting Fulu one then takes the Transformative Birth Cinnabar-Mist Numinous Fulu.

This is the Transformative Birth Cinnabar-Mist Numinous Fulu, written with cinnabar on white paper. Women first ingest the Cinnabar-Mist Numinous Fulu, then the Green Essence Life-Protecting Fulu.

These are the Jia-Yi Two Perfected Yin-Yang Secret Fulu: the upper written with a green brush and the lower with cinnabar. Ingest them on Jia and Yi days facing east and write them on white silk to wear on the person. Cultivating thus for nine years enables one to command nine Eternal-Yang Jade Maidens, who ride the emptiness and traverse the void, causing a person to ascend to heaven in broad daylight.

On Bing and Ding days enter a quiet chamber, burn incense, and facing south visualize the two Perfected, Bing Father and Ding Mother. Bing Father, named Shuhu, wears the Vermilion-Yang Heaven-Penetrating Precious Crown, crimson robes, and holds the Vermilion-Bright Body-Protecting Long-Existence Secret Fulu. Ding Mother, named Naling, has her hair in a flying-cloud chignon, wears a cinnabar flying skirt, and holds the Central-Plains Yellow-Essence Secret Fulu. Imagine the two deities approaching to confer the Fulu upon oneself, then call their inner names (the deities' secret names) three times in succession and pray:

“Yin-Yang transformations, the two luminaries of sun and moon generate true numina; the Jade Numen returns hun and po to their proper stations, binds the po and calms the Shen (spirit); three and five unite so they never leave my person; may I receive the protection of sun and moon, the three luminaries shining as brightly as the morning light.”

When the prayer is finished, ingest the Fulu, knock the teeth nine times, swallow the inner names of the two Perfected, and pray:

The Qi (vital energy) of Yin-Yang transforms through mutual interaction, and from the two radiances of sun and moon there arises true Qi, the subtle vital energy employed in cultivation. The Jade Spirit—the numinous Jing (essence) of jade possessing spiritual quality—causes the hun and po souls to return, restraining the souls and stabilizing the Shen (spirit) of the mind. Three and five combine and fuse into a single unity that never leaves my body. In this way one preserves the essential brilliance of sun and moon, bringing the three radiances into harmony with the Qi of dawn.

When the rite is complete, ingest the Fulu (talismans and registers) written according to ritual for prayer or cultivation, then knock the teeth nine times and swallow Qi three times before stopping. After eight years of practice the true spirit descends and manifests, and a cloud chariot comes to receive one.

This is the Secret Talisman of Vermilion Brightness for Preserving the Body and Long Existence. It is written with cinnabar on white paper. A man first ingests this talisman and afterward the Central Plain Yellow Essence Talisman.

This is the Central Plain Yellow Essence Talisman. It is written in yellow on white paper. A woman first ingests this talisman and afterward the Secret Talisman of Vermilion Brightness for Preserving the Body and Long Existence.

These are the secret talismans of the two true deities Bing and Ding: the upper talisman written with cinnabar, the lower with yellow. On every Bing day and Ding day at noon, face south, ingest the talisman, and wear on the body the one written in plain color. After nine years of this practice one can command the eight Crimson-Gui jade maidens; they ride the clouds through empty space and enable a person to ascend in broad daylight.

On Wu days and Ji days enter a quiet chamber, burn incense, face southwest, and visualize the two true deities Wu Father and Ji Mother. The father’s secret name is Changqing; he wears a yellow-flower Triple Treasure mysterious crown and a yellow unlined robe patterned with emblems, holding the Secret Talisman of the Central Origin for Extending Life and Protecting the Soul. The mother’s secret name is Laisheng; her hair is dressed in twin horns with cloud-like hanging coils, and she wears a flying skirt of yellow brocade, holding the Secret Talisman of Natural Golden Light. Visualize them arriving at one’s side and conferring the corresponding crowns, garments, and talismans upon oneself.

Then call three times the inner secret names of the two true deities—the hidden names used in methods of cultivation—and offer this prayer: “The mysterious and wondrous Qi of the Central Origin governs the four directions, transforms and generates the five Qi, and causes them to converge in the imperial chamber, the dwelling of the spirits. Restrain the hun and po souls so that soul and form unite; long preserve the longevity of heaven and earth, enduring through kalpas without end.”

When the prayer is finished, ingest the Fulu, knock the teeth nine times, and swallow saliva three times, then stop. After twelve years of practice one can see clearly through the eight directions, the body transforms into golden light, and riding the void one ascends into the great emptiness.

This is the Secret Talisman of the Central Origin for Extending Life and Protecting the Soul. It is written in yellow on white paper. A man first ingests this talisman and afterward the Natural Golden Light Flying Talisman.

This is the Secret Talisman of Natural Golden Light. It is written in white on white paper. A woman first ingests this talisman and afterward the Secret Talisman of the Central Origin for Extending Life and Protecting the Soul.

The secret Fulu (talismans and registers) of the Two True Ones of Wu and Ji are divided into an upper and a lower one: the upper talisman is written in yellow and the lower talisman in white. On Wu or Ji days, toward evening, face southwest to ingest the talisman and write it on white silk to wear on the person. After nine years of such cultivation one can command twelve Yellow-White Jade Maidens (immortal maidens clad in yellow-and-white garments), tread the void aloft, and fly up to the Upper Palace.

On Geng or Xin days enter a quiet chamber, burn incense, face west, and visualize the two true Shen (spirits), Father Geng and Mother Xin (the deities corresponding to Geng and Xin). Father Geng’s taboo name is Qiming and he wears the Nine Origins Azure Treasure. After nine years of such cultivation one can command twelve Yellow-White Jade Maidens, tread the void aloft, and fly up to the Upper Palace.

Additionally, on Geng or Xin days enter a quiet chamber, burn incense, face west, and visualize the two true Shen, Father Geng and Mother Xin. Father Geng, whose taboo name is Qiming, wears a mysterious crown of Nine Origins Azure Treasure, is clad in a plain-feather patterned robe, and holds the “Plain Spirit Summoning Shen Protecting Life Secret Talisman.” Mother Xin, whose taboo name is Deshen, wears a flying-cloud chignon and a skirt adorned with flying motifs, and holds the “Mysterious Yin Generating Form Upper Transformation Secret Talisman.” Once the two Shen have been visualized arriving before one, call their inner taboo names three times and then pray:

“The golden Jing (essence) infuses mysteriously into the body, condensing as the Qi (vital energy) of the Nine Numina; the true Qi circulates and unites with the metal Qi, pouring into my body so that my hun and po are settled and return to Huangning. When hungry I feed on the Three Origins; when thirsty I drink the jade Jing; riding emptiness and floating, I wander at ease in the Purple Court.”

Then ingest the talisman, knock the teeth nine times, swallow Qi three times, and stop. After six years of cultivation one can ride the Qi of the scenic empyrean dawn and come and go from the Purple Chamber.

The “Plain Spirit Summoning Shen Protecting Life Secret Talisman” is written in white ink on white paper: men ingest this talisman first, then the “Mysterious Yin Generating Form Upper Transformation Talisman.”

The “Mysterious Yin Generating Form Upper Transformation Secret Talisman” is written in ink on white paper. Women ingest this talisman first, then the “Plain Spirit Summoning Shen Protecting Life Secret Talisman.”

The foregoing are the secret Fulu of the Two True Ones of Geng and Xin: the upper talisman written in white, the lower in ink. On Geng or Xin days enter a quiet chamber, face west to ingest the talisman, and write it on white silk to wear on the person. After nine years of cultivation one can command six Plain Spirit Jade Maidens, tread the void aloft, and fly up to the Upper Palace.

On Ren and Gui days, enter a quiet chamber, burn incense, and face north, visualizing the two true deities Father Ren and Mother Gui. Father Ren’s esoteric name is Shuoling; he wears a Dark Dawn crown and a black unlined robe, holding the secret talisman of spiritual communion and long life. Mother Gui’s esoteric name is Falao; she wears her hair in a chignon hanging like clouds and a dark satin flying skirt, holding the secret talisman of flying immortal transformation. After visualizing the two deities approaching to confer the Fulu (talismans and registers) upon oneself, call out the two deities’ inner names three times (the divine names used in Daoist ritual) and recite the prayer:

“The Nine Origins are above, transforming and generating Yin-Yang; the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) each have their allotted positions, and the adamantine Qi (vital energy) turns and grows strong. The precious radiance of the Three Dawn Stars (referring to the sacred brilliance of the sun, moon, and stars) covers and illuminates my garments, causing five-colored luminosity to circulate. The Heavenly Pass opens, allowing me to ascend to Yuqing (the Qingwei heavenly realm spoken of in Daoism) and to enter and exit the dwelling of the Imperial Lord.”

After reciting, ingest the talisman, then knock the teeth nine times and swallow the breath nine times, after which one may stop. After five years of practice, it is said one can perceive boundless distances, foresee good and ill fortune, ride the void and traverse emptiness, and fly up to the dawn heavens.

The secret talisman of spiritual communion and long life is written in ink on white paper. Men ingest this talisman first, and afterward ingest the secret talisman of flying immortal transformation.

The secret talisman of flying immortal transformation is written in azure on white paper. Women ingest this talisman first, and afterward ingest the secret talisman of spiritual communion and long life.

In the secret talismans of the two true ones Ren and Gui, the upper talisman is written in ink and the lower talisman in azure. They are ordinarily ingested at midnight on Ren and Gui days while facing north, and at the same time the talismans are written on plain silk to be worn on one’s person. Practicing in this way for nine years, it is said one can command the five Taixuan Jade Maidens (Daoist female immortals), ride the void and traverse emptiness, and ascend in broad daylight.

After the Later Sage, the Imperial Lord of the Golden Tower, received from the Most High the Precious Instructions of the Secret Book of the Five Phases with the Qusu Formula Words that was transmitted for putting into practice, he then ordered the Left Immortal General of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) to write the talismans on plain silk for people to wear on their persons. Practicing in this way for nine years, it is said one can command the five Taixuan Jade Maidens, ride the void and traverse emptiness, and ascend in broad daylight.

The Later Sage, Imperial Lord of the Golden Portal, received from the Most High (Taishang, a supreme Daoist deity) the transmission of the Precious Secret Formula of the Five Phases Spoken in Unadorned Melody. He then commanded the Left Immortal Duke of Taiji (Taiji, the Supreme Ultimate) to cast gold into tablets, inscribe the scripture with a purple brush, and conceal it secretly in the Jade Chamber of the Palace of Great Existence above the Nine Heavens.

The Most High dispatched three hundred Jade Maidens of Western Florescence to guard this numinous text. They hold Seven-Treasure floriate banners that radiate five-colored brilliance; golden true light shines faintly, fragrance drifts through the Purple Court, flying rosy clouds pervade the air, and auspicious qi from the eight directions appear together, illuminating the Jasper Palaces and causing the realm of Jade Clarity to shine with magnificent splendor. Even if Heaven and Earth and Yin-Yang become obstructed and sealed, this scripture suffers no harm thereby; through hundreds of millions of kalpas it remains as radiant as new. It commands all wonders, overawes the host of spirits, recalls a person’s hun and po souls, gathers the myriad gods, and embodies the most subtle transformations together with the exquisite truths of the Five Phases (Wuxing: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water).

This scripture is exceedingly precious and hidden; it must not be divulged lightly, nor transmitted to those who are unfit. Should a person of dedicated resolve in cultivation wish solely to wear the secret talismans of the Five Phases, these may also be conferred after a separate oath is taken. The transmitting master and the disciple must observe a seven-day zhai purification. The disciple prepares five-colored silks, fifty chi of each color, together with five pairs of gold buttons, and swears the oath before the palace of the Jade Emperor; the master then declares the covenant and transmits the scripture.

After receiving the teaching, one must not rashly enter or leave unclean places, nor offend the authenticity of the Dao. If one carelessly leaks the celestial scripture, allowing others to see or hear it, the parents and ancestors of seven generations will be imprisoned for long ages in the underworld; one will oneself suffer the ten hardships and eight difficulties and never attain immortality. This must be carefully observed.

The Shangqing Scripture of the Unadorned Melody from the Phoenix Terrace of the High Jade Dawn is complete.