《洞真上清开天三图七星移度经》

“The Supreme Method of Transferring Death, Delivering Life, and Preserving Immortals” refers to a highest practice for relocating the registers of death, delivering living beings, and safeguarding the true immortals.

The Heavenly Pass is the Gate of Life among the Nine Heavens, located at the southeast corner of the Nine Heavens and also called the “Heavenly Diagram.” It consists of three successive barriers and is therefore known as the “Three Passes.” All the perfected ones and divine immortals must pass through this place in their comings and goings, and it is also the path by which those who cultivate the Dao reach the upper realms. The Heavenly Pass lies five thousand li from the Golden Palace and seven thousand li from the Upper Palace of Jade Clarity (Yuqing). If a practitioner can pass through the Three Passes, they may ascend the Golden Palace and roam and feast in the Palace of Jade Clarity.

On the first Heavenly Pass stand nine-layered jade terraces that rise one thousand two hundred zhang from the ground. Beneath the terraces several thousand long serpents coil, while flying dragons and venomous beasts also guard the Jade Pass. In addition, three thousand giant warriors stand on either side of the gate, wearing collars of interwoven gold and protecting the entrance. The Supervisor of Jade Dawn of the Great Void (Taixu Yuchen Jian), lord of the Heavenly Pass and styled Xu Shangming, dwells atop the jade terraces. Flying clouds and flowing rosy mists encircle and illuminate his dwelling, and the mysterious light of the sun and moon shines through to Jade Clarity. Three hundred true immortals attend him; they oversee the entry and exit of the higher immortals and are the key to opening the Heavenly Pass and allowing passage through this place.

Upon the second heavenly pass stand six layers of jade terraces, nine hundred zhang in height. Beneath the jade terraces thousands of long serpents, together with flying dragons and venomous beasts, guard the jade pass. There are also three thousand giants, wearing golden collars, arrayed on either side of the gate. Taishang Jianzhen Yulang (the Jade Youth Who Oversees the Perfected of the Most High, the divine official who inspects the host of Perfected and guards the heavenly pass), whose courtesy name is Langbo, is stationed upon the jade terraces. His abode is enveloped in crimson cloud-Qi (vital energy) and a purple floral canopy, within which a mysterious radiance like that of the sun and moon shines; three hundred Perfected Immortals attend upon him. He is responsible for overseeing the places where the host of Perfected come and go to wander and feast.

Upon the third heavenly pass stand three layers of jade terraces, six hundred zhang in height.

Upon the third heavenly pass stand three layers of jade terraces, six hundred zhang in height. Beneath the jade terraces thousands of long serpents, together with flying dragons and venomous beasts, guard the jade pass. There are also three thousand giants, wearing golden collars, arrayed on either side as guards. Taidi Jianzhen Yusilang (the Jade Director Who Oversees the Perfected of the Great Emperor, the divine official who governs the name-registers of the divine Perfected in heaven and of all living beings on earth), whose courtesy name is Tianchangsheng, is stationed upon the jade terraces. Above him hangs a floral canopy of mysterious clouds, and a pure, secluded fragrance fills the courtyard; a bright light of Shen (spirit) illuminates his form. Three hundred Perfected Immortals attend upon him; he is charged with administering the name-registers, documents, and related affairs of the heavenly host of Perfected and of all living beings on earth.

All those who receive the “Dao of Casting Golden Slips and Jade Names” (the method of being registered into the Dao through the conferral of golden slips and jade names) should cultivate the method of “Unveiling the Heavenly Pass” (Pi Tianguan). Every morning and evening they enter a quiet chamber, burn incense, knock the teeth twelve times, face east, and concentrate on paying reverence in the four directions. They visualize themselves seeing the farthest reaches of the Nine Heavens together with the three layers of Heavenly Passes, their forms appearing clear and distinct.

They next visualize the seven stars of the Northern Dipper revolving in accordance with the motion of the heavens. Their own body is situated upon the Heavenly Pass star, and the seven stars carry the body down to the Jade Terrace of the Heavenly Pass. At this moment they cast a jade tablet (a jade document used for submitting the name register) and announce their name to the Supervisor of Jade Dawn of the Great Void. They visualize the Supervisor of Jade Dawn recording the jade tablet upon the jade register, thereby enabling them to pass through beneath the Heavenly Pass.

They then visualize themselves returning atop the seven stars, which once more convey them beneath the Jade Terrace of the Heavenly Pass. They cast a jade tablet and report to the Jade Youth, Supervisor of the Authentic of the Great Emperor. They visualize this Supervisor of the Authentic Jade Youth inscribing the jade tablet upon the jade register so that they may pass through beneath the Heavenly Pass. In the same sequential manner they visualize presenting a jade tablet to the Jade Director Youth, Supervisor of the Authentic of the Great Emperor. After visualizing that this Supervisor of the Authentic Jade Director Youth has recorded the jade tablet, they themselves pass through to the Palace of Jade Clarity beneath the Golden Towers.

They next visualize the seven stars vanishing and themselves dwelling above empty mystery within the undifferentiated chaotic primordial waters, with nothing around that can be relied upon or seen. After a while they feel they have arrived above the Jinrong Gate of the Golden Towers of the Jade Capital and thereupon cast a golden tablet. They visualize the Perfected Ones of the Four Extremes receiving the golden tablet upon a jade table, entering the Golden Towers, and presenting it in memorial before the Emperor Lord. The Perfected Ones of the Four Extremes then reply and lead them together in ascending to Jade Clarity.

They further visualize themselves located above Jade Clarity. The four extremities are vast and boundless, filled only with dense azure Qi; looking up one cannot see heaven, looking down one cannot see earth. In the center stands a golden gate open on all four sides; within it are palaces of jasper and jade trees, golden branches growing on either side, while giant dragons and exotic beasts play among the trees. They visualize themselves wandering therein for a long time, then gradually feeling as though falling asleep, returning to the ordinary reclining posture, the body experiencing a dazed sensation as if treading upon emptiness.

Once the visualized journey is concluded, they knock the teeth sixteen times, raise the head toward heaven, and offer a prayer, saying:

When performing the method, first visualize yourself wandering among the “Three Floriate Precious Luminaries” (three kinds of splendid luminous celestial phenomena). After a while, it feels as if one has just awakened from a dream, the body remaining as it was while lying asleep, in a hazy and indistinct state as though treading upon empty space. Once the visualized journey is complete, knock the teeth sixteen times, look upward to Heaven, and recite the incantation:

“Three Floriate Precious Luminaries, the Jade Capital opens in brightness, mysterious radiance is arrayed and displayed, illuminating and overseeing the formless realm. My name is recorded on the Golden Slips; I request that it be submitted so that my name may be entered into the Jade Registers. I am thereby able to clearly behold the Nine Heavens and to roam in the realm of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing); I open the Three Charts within the Heavenly Pass, rise again to the Purple Court, receive investiture at the Golden Palace, have my life register recorded by the Eastern Florescence, and obtain the privilege of riding the chariot of the Eight Luminaries while commanding the implements of flight.”

After reciting this, swallow Qi (vital energy) nine times, and the method is thereby concluded.

All who cultivate and study, if they do not know how to open the Heavenly Pass, submit the Golden Slips, and register their names, will find it difficult to achieve anything. The “Three Passes” have overall command of the Highest Perfected and Flying Immortals of all heavens and earths, and also oversee the name registers of beginners; whether Highest Perfected Flying Immortals or beginners, all must pass through the Three Passes. Those who have cultivated for a long time, if they succeed in having their Jade Name registered among the Three Passes of the Nine Heavens, the Jade Dawn of the Three Passes will submit the name register to the palace of the Highest Supreme Emperor. The Supreme Emperor will then dispatch twelve Jade Lads and twelve Jade Maidens to protect their person.

This upper section was first transmitted by the Supreme Emperor to the Celestial Emperor Lord, then from the Celestial Emperor Lord to the Southern Pole Highest Prime Lord, next to the Taiwei Celestial Emperor Lord and the Golden Palace Emperor Lord, and finally entrusted to the Prime Minister Azure Lad Lord, to instruct those cultivators who may in the future become Perfected Persons. According to the Mysterious Statutes (the secret precepts and regulations of Daoism), it may be transmitted only three times within seven hundred years. The Southern Pole Highest Prime Lord also dispatched ninety Western Florescence Jade Maidens to stand guard within the Southern Pole Purple Chamber.

The Azure Lad (Qing Tong Jun), a revered deity of the Shangqing school, said that only those whose bone physiognomy accords with the mysterious Dao (the Way) can behold this Jing (scripture) and grasp the method of casting the slips (toujian), thereby becoming Perfected Ones (zhenren). This ordinance, however, is exceptionally solemn and must not be divulged lightly. Though those who seek the Dao number in the hundreds of millions, how few truly encounter the authentic Way?

Thus the Central Yellow Elder Lord (Zhongyang Huanglao Jun), a revered Daoist deity, declared: “To obtain a sight of the Dadong Zhenjing in Thirty-Nine Chapters is to be able to ascend to heaven in broad daylight.” Yet some who have cultivated for many years without result conclude that the scripture is untrue. This is because they have not first registered their golden slips at Donghua, the eastern immortal realm, nor presented jade tablets (yuzha) at the Golden Towers (Jinque), the palaces of the Celestial Emperor. The true spirits have not descended to protect them; instead celestial demons have seized the vacancy, and thus no response is obtained. Even if one possesses the numinous scripture, practicing it ten thousand times will still make success elusive.

If, however, one first presents the golden slips to the Azure Palace (Qinggong), dwelling of the immortal Perfected, and then offers the jade tablets to the Imperial Sovereign of the heavens, obtaining the aid of the Golden Dawn Jade Lads (Jinchen Yutong) and the Western Floriate Jade Maidens (Xihua Yunü), deities who attend upon the Perfected, to safeguard the numinous writings so that the scripture is universally circulated throughout all the heavens and earths, the Three Realms all acclaim it as excellent, and one recites the scripture ten thousand times, how could one fail to receive the response of the jasper carriage and purple palanquin, the vehicles of the immortals?

The document for opening the Three Passes of the Celestial Chart and presenting the jade tablets is submitted before the desk of the Jade Terrace of the Celestial Pass and the Jade Dawn Supervisor of Great Emptiness, stating that of such-and-such commandery, such-and-such county, such-and-such township, such-and-such village, the male or female devotee Wang Jia, of such-and-such years of age, born in such-and-such month, courtesy name such-and-such. It is likewise submitted before the desk of the Jade Terrace of the Celestial Chart and the Jade Lad Supervisor of the Perfected of the Most High, with the same personal particulars. It is further submitted before the desk of the Jade Terrace of the Celestial Pass and the Jade Director Lad Supervisor of the Perfected of the Great Emperor, again with the same particulars. The foregoing is to be written on three jade tablets, each one chi and six cun in length.

The jade tablet document for opening the Golden Pass is submitted before the desk of the Lord of the Golden Towers in the Palace of the Golden Towers, stating that of such-and-such commandery, such-and-such county, such-and-such township, such-and-such village, the male or female devotee Wang Jia, of such-and-such years of age, born in such-and-such month, courtesy name such-and-such. This text is to be written on a jade tablet one chi and six cun in length.

Qing Tong Jun said that if gold slips (metal tablets used for writing Jing) are unavailable, wooden slips crafted of silver may be substituted; if jade tablets (jade pieces used for writing Jing) are unavailable, paulownia-wood tablets may be substituted. Provided the materials are of fine quality and properly fashioned, without cracks or knots, they will suffice.

Qing Tong Jun further said: visualize yourself opening the Heavenly Pass (the portal leading to the heavenly realm), viewing the celestial charts, ascending to the Azure Palace and the Golden Palaces, and thereby attaining the Dao (the Way) of Jade Purity. The azure writings and jade tablets used for transcribing the Jing must first be brought into the inner chamber. Knock the teeth twelve times, face east and recite the jade tablets in full, then complete the visualization practice, after which the jade tablets are placed for safekeeping in a cloud-brocade pouch. Incense must be kept burning beside the Jing tablets at all times, and they must never be shown to others casually. This constitutes the supreme designation of the Highest Perfected (high-ranking immortals) and is likewise the numinous Jing of the Jade Emperor.

Should a person possess a golden name and jade characters in the heavenly realm, with their name registered in the Azure Palace, and have the affinity to encounter this Dao, they must observe the precepts of Taizhen (a venerated Daoist deity): prepare one gold slip and one jade tablet, each one chi two cun in length and two cun four fen in width; one gold fish and one jade dragon; one hundred chi of purple silk fabric and thirty chi of azure patterned silk, to serve as tokens of the oath sworn to Taizhen and to be respectfully offered to the teacher who transmits the Jing. In performing the rite the teacher faces east while the recipient of the teaching faces north; they announce the oath to the Northern Emperor (the principal deity of the north) and swear to the seven ancestors (seven generations of forebears) that they will not disclose the received method.

According to the Mysterious Code (secret Daoist precepts), this Jing may be transmitted only three times within seven hundred years. If it is given to an unsuitable person, the ancestors of seven generations and of nine generations will long serve as ghostly laborers; after death the transmitter will likewise fall into the Nine Springs and never attain immortality. Those who earnestly cultivate the Dao and seek immortality must observe the precepts and practice in accordance with the Jing.

This precious scripture was long held in secret by the Great Emperor Lord, who transmitted it to the Heavenly Emperor Lord. The Heavenly Emperor Lord in turn transmitted it to the Upper Origin Lord of the Southern Pole, who passed it to the Heavenly Emperor Lord of Taiwei, from whom it went to the Sage Lord of the Golden Palaces. The Sage Lord of the Golden Palaces then entrusted it to the Azure Youth, the High Minister, charging him to transmit it to those destined for immortality. This scripture manifests in the human world only once every seven hundred years. Additionally, the Upper Origin Lord of the Southern Pole ordered thirty-six Jade Maidens of the Western Floriate to manage and protect this holy text, concealing it within the Purple Chamber of the Southern Pole.

The Heavenly Emperor Lord said, “This scripture comprehensively includes the heavenly books from above the Nine Heavens and the hidden writings of the Eight Assemblies. It stands at the head of all the Dao (the Way), and its subtleties surpass those of the Jade Chapters. The Jade Chapters constitute the sections in Daoist classics that treat of methods of the Dao. The Central Yellow Elder Lord secretly stored away thirty-nine chapters, and the Great Emperor Lord treasured the Scripture of the Shifting Degrees of the Seven Origins. Although the Three Vehicles each extol their own subtleties, in actual implementation they are not identical to one another.

The Perfected Ones know merely how to pace the Dipper and tread the stars, gaze upward at the Five Dawns, swallow primordial Qi (vital energy), ingest clouds and rosy vapors, chew the essence of the sun, gather the flowing Jing (essence) Qi, and nourish the body to prolong life by means of the vast white Qi. They remain unaware, however, of the method of the seven stars’ revolutions and shifting degrees. This method is able to open the transformations of union and separation at the Heavenly Pass, cause the nine kinds of primordial Qi to revolve so as to inwardly observe the self, and store the seven kinds of Jing Qi within the Niwan Palace, the upper Dantian (energy center) of the head. When this Dao is successfully cultivated, one may ride a green-cyan cloud chariot. It is thus that the Great Emperor Lord attained the title of ‘Honor of the Utmost Extreme.’”

The Sovereign of the Upper Prime of the Southern Pole said: From the mysterious light of wondrous gathering through breathing in and out (the mysterious and wondrous light-Qi visualized and absorbed during internal cultivation), to absorbing the flowing rosy Qi (vital energy), then concentrating the hun and po souls, firmly guarding the Jing (essence) and Qi, and nourishing the Shen (spirit); driving the flaming light of the Purple Degrees and the flowing-gold fire bells, joining Lin to rush toward the moon, transforming the bodily form, practicing the Nine Perfected and Eight Daos, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, and wearing jade pendants and golden bells while visualizing the true Qi of the two luminaries of sun and moon—such methods of cultivation number more than three hundred. Even if one thereby attains the realm in which mysterious light shines down from heaven and one dwells peacefully in the numinous palace, one still may not have learned to master the pivot of the heavenly Dao (the Way) of the Seven Stars’ shifting degrees, to drive the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, to revolve the two rays of sun and moon, to absorb the Qi of the Five Dawns and put it to use, nor necessarily know how to practice the arts of separation and union in the bedchamber. If one can cultivate arduously in the mysterious palace, accumulating resonances, in no more than seven years one may obtain the purple rosy mists descending from heaven and the Golden Dawn Lads bestowed by the Celestial Emperor. Thereafter one rides the green-shafted Three-Plain flying carriage (a flying chariot with green-colored shafts, adorned with three-colored numinous light) and ascends to the Imperial Dawn. Such numinous and wondrous transformations are truly inexhaustible.

The Sovereign of Taiwei, the Heavenly Emperor, said: Those who cultivate the Perfected often only know how to tread the Gang and step the Dipper (the ritual of walking according to the positions of the stellar lodges) and to walk in the sequence of the Seven Origin stars, yet they do not know the method of shifting the degrees of the Seven Stars and opening the Heavenly Pass. If one can turn the Dipper’s Gang (the guideline and operational pivot of the Big Dipper constellation) to protect oneself, operate the degrees of the Seven Stars to preserve life, causing oneself to leave the Death Gate in the northeast and join at the Life Gate in the southwest, after fourteen years of cultivation one can attract the descent of the mysterious and wondrous, ride the jade carriage of flying rosy cinnabar, ascend to the heavenly court, and mount the Palace of the Golden Towers in broad daylight.

The Sage Lord of the Golden Palace said: The Dao of the Heavenly Pass (the aperture that governs the mechanisms of life and death Qi) appears easy to explain, yet is truly difficult to comprehend; moving the Seven Origins (the celestial pivots corresponding to the movements of the seven stars of the Big Dipper) is not easy to perceive, but in actual practice it is not difficult. The two transformations of separation and union are the root of life and death. Humans receive the Qi of heaven and earth; in one lifetime there occur thirteen cycles of vital Qi movement; when the allotted span of life draws to a close, there likewise occur thirteen cycles of death Qi movement. Thus the Heavenly Pass is the pivot of the transformations of separation and union, and the Seven Origins are the foundation of the transformations of life and death.

Those of lofty cultivation who seek immortality and yearn for the true, if they do not know how to shut death Qi within the Ghost Door (the portal connected to death Qi) and draw vital Qi through the Human Door (the portal connected to vital Qi), causing the seven stars to turn toward the northeast and opening the Heavenly Pass in the southwest, still cannot escape death, and it remains difficult to achieve the true. Even if one's name is listed in the immortal registers of Eastern Floriate and Highest Clarity, one must likewise understand these methods. If one can behold and cultivate this Dao, one grasps the root of immortality; by persevering for seven years, one may take charge of a rank in the immortal registers, ride the flying carriage with green canopies (the vehicle of the immortals), become a crimson-hued body (the body of a true immortal), and ascend into the Mysterious Palace (the palaces of the heavenly realm).

The Upper Minister Azure Youth Lord said: The Rotating Mechanism (referring to the Big Dipper constellation) operates between heaven and earth, and the Mysterious Dipper (the Big Dipper) governs the portals of the eight directions; starlight streams and illuminates the nine heavens, while heavenly might shakes the ten directions. The mysterious stellar configurations of heaven are arrayed as charts, and the transformations of life and death all return to the Seven Origins. With the Five Separations (five kinds of dispersing transformations) one suppresses death Qi, and by gathering the Six Unions (the vital Qi and essences of heaven, earth, and the four directions) one protects and nourishes oneself. If one can, relying on the guidance of high true ones (high-ranking true immortals), seek deliverance, close the death door at the Heavenly Pass, ingest and refine the Nine Essences (nine kinds of Jing) to illuminate and inspect the inner body, and visualize the Mysterious Dipper so that it manifests a subtle radiance, then one will obtain the carriage of flying rosy clouds and the Three Pristine Clouds, soar through emptiness and ride the void, and ascend to the Xiaochen heavenly realm.

Cultivating the “Dao of the Seven Stars’ Degree-Shifting” consists in praying upward to the Nine Lords of the Jade Emperor (the nine divine lords under the Jade Emperor’s command), so that the mysterious Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy) shine into the body and cut off the source that leads to death. The cultivator should practice with a still mind in a quiet room, shutting out worldly dust and disturbance, facing the stars alone, gazing toward the heavens, lighting incense whose smoke fills the courtyard, and concentrating with earnest recitation; one must not sleep that day. Persisting thus for seven years, immortal carriages of jade palanquin, flying canopy, and cinnabar shafts will come to welcome the practitioner, allowing ascent of the Heavenly Pass, sealing the death road of the northeast, and recording the immortal register among the southern immortals. This is termed a cultivation Dao that is hard to reach, yet it can evoke the descent of true immortals.

All those predestined to be entered in the immortal registers may cultivate this Dao. The six days of Renyin, Bingyin, Jiazi, Jiawu, Xinwei and Xinchou should be selected; these are called the “Six Assembly Days of Heaven,” the hours when the high superior gods descend and meet. The Jade Emperor often on these days dispatches the Jade Youths attendant upon immortals (divine officials who serve the immortal realm) to check and confirm the golden tablets and jade names of the Eastern Flower Green Palace, that is, the roster of those who study immortality. If anyone cultivates sincerely on these days, so that the heart’s desire ascends and moves the Jade Emperor, the Jade Emperor then orders the Six Palaces of Fengdu of the Northern Emperor (the divine offices in charge of netherworld affairs) to cut off the root of that person’s death register, enter the name in the life records, move the Seven Stars outside the Ghost Gate, and cause the person to cross the Mysterious Pivot and open the Heavenly Pass.

At each occasion of pure fasting cultivation, one should concentrate with earnest recitation, visualize the mysterious and wondrous realm, close the eyes and observe inwardly, and knock the teeth thirty-six times. Next visualize the first deity in the heavens—the Great Sovereign Mysterious Pivot Yang-Bright Heavenly Pivot Soul Spirit Upper Mysterious Nine Lords—wearing a flying-cloud brocade skirt and the Mysterious Dawn Crown, descending from the Mysterious Dipper into one’s own body. Then recite the incantation: Mysterious Pivot Yang-Bright Heavenly Pivot Soul Spirit Upper True Nine, wearing a flying-cloud brocade skirt, crowned with the Mysterious Dawn Crown, descending from the Mysterious Dipper into my body; thereupon recite the incantation:

Visualize the spirit of the first star, the Nine Lord of Highest Perfection, Soul-Spirit of the Mysterious Pivot, Yang Brightness, and Celestial Pivot (the deity of the first star of the Northern Dipper), and let him merge with the transformations of the myriad things until the two are one. Pray that he cut off the road to death for me at the Gate of Ghosts, and bestow the Register of Life at the Southern Eaves (the celestial gateway symbolizing the registers of life and rebirth). May he deliver my ancestors of seven generations from the Three Paths (the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals), so that I may be conceived anew and become an immortal again. Through his subtle and wondrous protection, may the essential Qi of the seven stars of the Dipper be harmonized, so that my body may ascend through the Celestial Gate. When you have finished the incantation, swallow Qi fourteen times. If you practice without slackening, you will draw down the guests of the Jade Emperor above. The Celestial Emperor will send down a cloud road paved with purple mist, and twelve Jade Maidens of Western Florescence and twelve Jade Youths of Golden Dawn will attend the practitioner as guards.

Next, visualize the second star, the Nine Lord of Highest Jade, Soul-Spirit of the Northern Womb, Yin Essence, and Celestial Rotator (the deity of the second star of the Northern Dipper). He wears a flying skirt of yellow brocade and a crown of Mysterious Dawn, and descends from the Dipper into my body. Then swallow Qi and recite this incantation:

Nine Lord of Highest Jade, Soul-Spirit of the Northern Womb, Yin Essence, and Celestial Rotator, merge with the transformations of the myriad things until we are one. I pray that you dissolve my sins from the world of Yang within the Great Yin (the realm of the underworld, or the yin region within the moon), and return the Yin Qi to the realm of the Great Yang. Set in motion the seven primal stars of the Dipper to cut off the road to death, and open the Six Directions (heaven, earth, and the four quarters) leading to the Celestial Gate. Deliver my ancestors of seven generations from the Three Paths, and let me be conceived anew at the Southern Eaves. When you have finished the incantation, swallow Qi fourteen times.

Next, visualize the third true star, the Nine Lord of Highest Plainness, Soul-Essence of the Celestial Jewel, Lady of the Supreme Origin and Highest Perfection of the Nine Poles (the goddess of the third star of the Northern Dipper). She wears a flying skirt of blue-green brocade and a crown of Mysterious Dawn, and descends from the Dipper into my body. Then swallow Qi and recite this incantation:

Nine Lord of Highest Plainness, Soul-Essence of the Celestial Jewel, Lady of the Supreme Origin and Highest Perfection of the Nine Poles, merge with the transformations of the myriad things until we are one. I pray that you untie for me the roots of grudges carried from former lives and cut off the road leading to death. Make my sight clear and bright, able to see through to the depths of the boundless darkness. Let the subtle and wondrous true Qi pour upward and Jing and Qi flow into my body, so that I may climb to the Imperial Chief Star (a name of a star in the Northern Dipper), tread the seven primal stars of the Dipper, and ride the radiant light into the sky, becoming one with Heaven. When you have finished the incantation, swallow Qi fourteen times.

Next, visualize the fourth Star of the Pivot, Xuanji (a name for a star of the Northern Dipper), together with the Nine Lords of the Upper Void, Xuanming and Tianquan, the Spirit-Essences. They wear flying skirts of purple brocade and the Xuanchen Crown, and they descend from the Dark Dipper and enter your body. Then recite the incantation:

"Xuanji, Xuanming, Tianquan, Nine Lords of the Upper Void and Spirit-Essence, unite the ten thousand transformations and together become one spirit. I pray that you adjust the course of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper for me, seal the Gate of Ghosts, and cut off the qi of death, so that the Heavenly Gate may be bright and clear. Let the Dipper return to the Dark Pivot, and let the qi of life pass through to Kun, the western position. Let the Northern Emperor depart from Fengdu (the legendary realm of the underworld), and let me register my name at the Southern Pavilion." When you have finished, swallow your breath fourteen times.

Next, visualize the fifth Star of the Cord, Tianping Danyuan, together with the Nine August Lords of the Upper Mystery, Yuheng and the Spirit Terrace. They wear flying skirts of cinnabar-red brocade and the Xuanchen Crown, and they descend from the Dark Dipper and enter your body. Then recite the incantation:

"Tianping, Danyuan, Yuheng, Spirit of the Terrace, Nine August Lords of the Upper Mystery and Origin, unite the ten thousand transformations and together become one spirit. I pray that you send down the Seven Essences from above and let them enter my body below. Let the four directions turn about and the Three Origins revolve, so that the Seven Origins appear in sudden clarity. Block the Gate of Death in the northeast, and receive the palace of life in the Nine Mysteries (the Daoist term for the deep and distant heavens). Let me register my name at Donghua and be able to serve the Jade Dawn (a Daoist revered deity)." When you have finished, swallow your breath fourteen times.

Next, visualize the sixth Star of the Order, Mingji Beiji Kaiyang, together with the Nine Lords of Cinnabar August and Void Nothingness, Terrace of the Spirit. They wear flying skirts of vermilion brocade and the Xuanchen Crown, and they descend from the Dark Dipper and enter your body. Then recite the incantation:

"Mingji, Beiji, Kaiyang, Spirit of the Terrace, Nine Lords of Cinnabar August and Void, unite the ten thousand transformations and together become one spirit. I pray that you open the Mysterious Gate of the Three Diagrams of the Heavenly One above, and turn below the six palaces of the Northern Emperor in Fengdu, governing the officials of the underworld and eliminating the nine roots of death. Let the three and the four turn and join together, and let my name pass into the Seven Origins, so that my life may be preserved for long and I may live as long as the Northern Dipper." When you have finished, swallow your breath fourteen times.

Next, visualize the Seventh Pass Star, "Xuanyang Tianguan Yaoguang Taiming Taishang Yuhuang Daojun" (the deity corresponding to Yaoguang, the seventh star of the Northern Dipper). Dressed in a cinnabar-red brocade robe of flying gauze and wearing the Crown of the Mysterious Dawn, this deity descends from the Mysterious Dipper into my body. Then recite the incantation:

Xuanyang Tianguan Yaoguang Daming Taishang Yuhuang Daojun, you who gather ten thousand transformations and merge them into a single spirit (Shen): I pray that you summon on my behalf the Nine Perfected Lords of the Imperial Dawn above, so that the nine yin Qi (vital energy) may converge. Wearing the Crown of the Mysterious Dawn, descend from the Mysterious Dipper into my body.

Xuanyang Tianguan Yaoguang Daming Taishang Yuhuang Daojun, you who gather ten thousand transformations and merge them into a single spirit: I pray that you summon on my behalf the Nine Perfected Lords of the Imperial Dawn. Turn back to the Gate of Heaven and deliver the ancestors of my seven generations (the successive ancestors who share a bloodline with oneself), that they may roam freely among the Mysterious Clouds. Sever my roots from the deathly Qi of the Northern Yin, and enter my name in the Jade Registers of Eastern Florescence (the Daoist rosters of immortals). When the recitation is finished, swallow Qi fourteen times.

After completing the visualization of the Seven Primes (the spirits of the Northern Dipper's seven stars), knock the teeth twelve times. Close the eyes and visualize the seven stars of the north shining brilliantly, their mysterious, subtle essential Qi reflecting inward, descending and covering the entire body. The True Lords within the Dipper transform ceaselessly and have no fixed form. Together they ride green clouds and rosy mists to greet me, and ascend with me into the seven stars. I sense myself standing beneath the Canopy Star at the center of the Northern Dipper, with radiant, bright essence (Jing) encircling my body, revolving like a wheel as the Dipper turns.

In a moment, the Gate of Heaven has opened. The Nine Lords of the seven stars each bestow upon me the "Talisman of the Seven Primes for Opening the Gate of Huoluo" (Fulu), used to restrain the Six Palaces of the Northern Emperor and cut off the root of deathly Qi. Having received the talismans, I turn and return to my original place, descending once more into the Dipper. The light of the seven talismans blazes like fire and carries me downward; suddenly I tread upon the void, and in an instant I am safely back in my chamber. Knock the teeth thirty-six times, raise the head, and recite the incantation:

A mysterious and wondrous radiance appears, its splendor flowing and flashing like lightning. The practitioner leaves the rosy glow, conceals and transforms, and ascends to the seven stars of the Northern Dipper. The Xuanji star of the Northern Dipper seems to urge on the reins, swift as lightning and rapid as startling thunder. Tianyi (a Daoist stellar deity) opens the Heavenly Pass, guiding me to obtain life; the Northern Emperor (the deity who rules the netherworld in the north) removes my death register from the yin realm. Being neither drawn into salvation nor having my name struck off, I then soar upward to join the Jing (essence) of the seven stars. I wear the Seven Primes (the deities or Fulu corresponding to the seven stars of the Northern Dipper), harness the flowing-gold fire-bells, open the celestial mechanism, and pass through the eight directions of the nether gloom; I dispatch the Six Jia and command the Six Ding (divine soldiers and generals in Daoism). Heaven sends down mysterious rosy clouds, and the Heavenly Emperor bestows divine troops upon me. I petition the Eastern Floriate Emperor, asking him to register my jade name (the name recorded in the immortal registers). Thereafter I fly into the void, riding emptiness, and proceed to Jade Clarity (Yuqing, one of the highest heavens in Daoism). Next, swallow Qi (vital energy) thirty-six times in succession, then stop.

This is the method of opening the Heavenly Pass, cutting off the root of death, and bringing oneself into accord with the myriad transformations; it is completed at this point. After seven years of cultivation, wearing the Huoluo Seven Primes talisman, immortals driving flying rosy clouds and green carriages will come to receive your body. This method may only be practiced in secret; one must be cautious and must not transmit it lightly.

Notes on the Colors of the Imperial Lord’s Huoluo Seven Primes Talisman

The following records the pigments and ground colors used when writing the Fulu (talismans and registers). They are written with orpiment on a green ground; with azurite on a red ground; with cinnabar on a bluish-green ground, or according to another account in yellow on a white ground; with orpiment on a white ground; with orpiment on a purple ground, or according to another account in black on a white ground; in black on a yellow ground; and with cinnabar on a bluish-green ground. The subsequent notes on talisman colors repeat the foregoing content and at the end once again list “written with cinnabar on a bluish-green ground.”

The Huoluo Qiyuan Inner Fulu (an internal Fulu associated with the seven stars of the Northern Dipper and the spirits of the Seven Origins) was transmitted by the Imperial Lord to the Celestial Emperor Lord, then by the Celestial Emperor Lord to the Southern Pole Upper Origin Lord, the Taiwei Celestial Emperor Lord, and the Golden Palace Lord. Finally the Golden Palace Lord entrusted it to the Upper Minister Azure Lad Lord and commanded him to transmit it to those who have the prospect of becoming immortals. According to the regulations of the Siji Mingke Jing, this Fulu is transmitted only once every seven hundred years.

At the time of transmission the disciple must observe a seven-day fast and prepare thirty-one chi of blue-patterned silk, seventy chi of blue silk fabric, ninety chi of gauze embroidered with phoenix patterns, seven pairs of gold buttons, and a pair each of gold fish and jade dragons to serve as tokens of the oath. To receive the scripture without these tokens is called rashly leaking heavenly treasures; to transmit the scripture in violation of the oath is called leaking the heavenly Dao. Sages value the methods of the Dao and hold material goods lightly, so only those who take the oath and keep faith may receive the transmission. If one seeks the Dao merely out of greed for possessions, the Dao will recede ever farther from that person.

Even if someone, while leaking the scripture, happens to glimpse the precious talismanic writings, after death they will fall under the jurisdiction of the ghost officials and calamity will implicate seven generations of ancestors; this brings no benefit to the quest for the Dao and immortality. If one is truly resolved, sincere of heart and seeking no private gain, one should submit a memorial to the Jade Emperor, declare one’s intention to the Eastern Flower Imperial Lord, dwell in seclusion in the deep mountains far from the dusty world, and live frugally in clothing and food. Only such a person may open and transmit this method.

If the student does not know that in heaven there is the Gate Controller (the divine office that governs the passes of the celestial realm) and beneath the earth there is Fengdu (the underworld that oversees ghosts and spirits), that the Gate Controller commands the spirits while Fengdu presides over the ghostly multitudes, then they will not understand that the ascent and descent of life and death are presided over by these two Imperial Lords and are linked to the pivot of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper. When the seven stars shift their degrees they can arrange deliverance for people. The Northern Emperor holds the name registers of the Six Palaces; the Gate Controller holds the lists that record the immortal registers. The Mysterious Dipper corresponds to the Floral Canopy, and the Seven Origins confer the Huoluo. From this it can be seen that the path to immortality lies close at hand.

The Southern Pole Upper Origin Lord said: If a person aspires to seek the Dao, they can rely upon the Imperial Lords of the Seven Stars, the immortal registers of the Gate Controller, the Floral Canopy that corresponds to the Mysterious Dipper, and the Huoluo Fulu conferred by the Seven Origins, and thereby walk the path to immortality that is close at hand.

Nanji Shangyuanjun (the Upper Prime Venerable Deity of the far southern extreme) said: If a person resolves to cultivate the Dao, the Qixing Jiuhuang (Seven Stars and Nine Sovereigns, deities associated with the Northern Dipper) will illuminate and inspect the inner heart with mysterious light. As long as one seeks with focused concentration and contemplates with painstaking thought, one can obtain this Jing. After seven years of cultivation, one can fly up in broad daylight. Even if one merely recites and holds this Jing without yet having learned Cunsi (inward visualization of the deities), as long as incense is burned nearby, the Jingqi of the Seven Stars will often shine with mysterious light upon the dwelling, and the officials of Fengdu (the underworld in Daoist legend) will not dare approach the body.

After completing the Yidu ritual of the Seven Stars, next perform Cunsi of the two Dizun stars. Sit upright facing east and knock the teeth thirty-six times. Visualize the two Dizun stars together with the Gaoshang Yuhuang Bajing Yuanjun Jiuzun and the Taiwei Yudi Jun Taisu Qixing Yuanjun, all wearing flying-cloud purple brocade skirts and the Xuanchen crown, descending from the Xuandou and entering one's body. Then recite the incantation:

Gaoshang Yuhuang Bajing Yuanjun Jiuzun, Taiwei Dijun Taisu Qixing Yuanjun, and the Jiubian Hunhe Shangdi Erzun, please open the Tianguan for me, cause me to Yidu in jade, and descend to enter my body.

Then recite another incantation:

Gaoshang Yuhuang Bajing Yuanjun Jiuzun, Taiwei Dijun Taisu Qixing Yuanjun, and the Jiubian Hunhe Shangdi Erzun, please open the Tianguan for me, Yidu the jade name for me, block the Guimen, and cut off the root of death governed by the Six Palaces of the Beidi; cause me to ascend into the Qiyuan, grant me the flying chariot and green palanquin of the Bajing Qijing Jiuhuang, let me together ascend to Dichen, pay audience to the Huangfei, and command and drive the myriad spirits. After reciting, swallow Qi twenty-one times.

Jade Emperor Opening the Heavenly Pass Flying-in-the-Void Upper Talisman

The talisman on the right is written with orpiment on raw green silk.

These two Dizun talismans should be placed within the Qixing Huagai. The two Dizun stars reside below the Huagai, which often covers them so that their Jing light cannot appear, and thus ordinary people cannot see them. The Jinshu Yuzi says: “If one can see these two stars, one’s lifespan can be extended by six hundred years.” Without the Feikong Shangfu of the two Di, one cannot ascend beneath the Huagai nor see these two stars. After wearing these two talismans, the two Dizun will illuminate the practitioner with mysterious light; after seven years of practice, one can fly up in broad daylight.

If the power of the Six Palaces of Fengdu under the North Emperor (Beidi) has not been dissolved, one cannot ascend beneath the Huagai (Floral Canopy) and cannot see the two stars in the zi position. After wearing these two talismans, the North Emperor and the Emperor Lord illuminate the practitioner’s body with mysterious light; by persevering in cultivation for seven years, one can ascend in broad daylight into the immortal realm of the clear dawn.

The Method of Transcending Death of the Six Palaces of Fengdu of the North Emperor

Fengdu Mountain lies in the gui position of the north, and for this reason the northeast is called the Ghost Door, the source of death qi (Qi, vital energy). The mountain rises two thousand six hundred li and measures thirty thousand li around; beneath it a grotto-heaven encircles fifteen thousand li. Palaces of ghosts and spirits stand both on the mountain and inside the cavern: six palaces on the mountain and six more within the cavern, each one thousand li in circumference, together known as the palaces of the ghosts and spirits of the Six Heavens.

The first palace is the Zhoujue Yintian Palace, governed by humans. The second is the Taisha Liangshi Zongtian Palace. The third is the Mingchen Naifan Wucheng Tian Palace. The fourth is the Tianzhao Zuiqi Tian Palace. The fifth is the Zongling Qifei Tian Palace. The sixth is the Gansi Lianwanlü Tian Palace.

These six palaces are administered by the North Emperor; they are the dwellings of the ghosts and spirits of the Six Heavens and also keep and govern the name registers of human beings. After death no one fails to pass through the Six Palaces of Fengdu. Therefore the Emperor Lord often employs the method of the shifting degrees of the Seven Stars to help those who study immortality pass the barriers of the Heavenly Gate, reach the palace of the South Pole, and seal the death gate of the northeast.

Once the practitioner has completed the shifting ritual, one knocks the left teeth nine times, calls out the names of the six palaces, and recites the incantation:

“I am a minister of the Emperor Lord; my name register is recorded in the Jade Clarity (Yuqing) and does not fall under the Six Heaven ghost palaces of the North Emperor. These ghost palaces all lie within my jurisdiction. In my domain, which ghost or spirit dares to cause disorder? On the right I wear the Huoluo talisman, on the left I carry the fire bells; the flames I cast reach ten thousand li and my might subdues the myriad spirits. Those who infringe are put to death, those who offend are punished. The Emperor Lord has already given the command: arrest them at once, without delay.”

After all the above rituals have been completed, each recitation of the incantation causes the celestial lights to tremble and the host of demons to be bound; reciting it three times eradicates ghosts, goblins, and evil spirits. In this way the Six Palaces can cut off a person’s name of death, allowing one to pass through the Heavenly Pass and obtain life at the Southern Pole. Practitioners of the Dao (the Way) who do not know the names of the Fengdu Palaces and the jurisdictions of ghosts and spirits, and who do not study the methods of sealing the death gates, can never attain immortality.

The Supreme Method of the Five Departures for Resolving Faults, Severing Death, and Saving People to Obtain Life

In cultivating the Way of the “Six Assemblies of Transfer and Crossing,” one should practice the supreme method of “the Five Chens departing the death households, crossing the life palaces to become a flying immortal.” The so-called “Five Departures” are the five days of Renshen, Bingshen, Wushen, Jiashen, and Gengshen.

It is said that at these times the Sovereign Lord holds a banquet, riding in a chariot of luminous dragons and driving a flying carriage of green rosy clouds, leading immortal officials and jade maidens to tour the heavenly realms of the ten directions and descend to the human world to inspect the cultivation of those seeking immortality. The Sovereign Lord commands the Taiyin Five Lords of the Northern Emperor (the divine lords in charge of underworld affairs) to carry the death registers to the Pingdu Palace of Master Reckoning in order to verify the ledgers of life and death. The True Sovereign Dao Lords of the Five Directions and Five Stars each preside over one direction, overseeing the various immortals and those who ought to attain the Dao, and report their names to Donghua.

If anyone has committed yin crimes, yin faults, yang crimes, or yang faults, the relevant records are taken by the Taiyin Five Lords to the Pingdu Palace of Master Reckoning for verification. The True Sovereign Dao Lords of the Five Directions and Five Stars each preside over one direction, overseeing the various immortals and those destined to attain the Dao, and submit the names to Donghua. For those whose transgressions are recorded under the Northern Emperor, the Taiyin Lord reports their names to the Fengdu Palace, where the good and the evil, as well as matters of life and death, are separately adjudicated.

Therefore, on the days of the Five Departures one should confess one’s faults to the Taiyin Lord, pray to Taiyang for the prolongation of life, have one’s name removed from the death registers controlled by the Northern Emperor, and request an immortal register from the True Sovereign Dao Lords of the Five Stars. On each of these days one should prepare vegetarian offerings, dress neatly, burn incense and enter the quiet chamber, repent of faults and turn toward goodness, visualize the divine beings, still the mind and observe inwardly, concentrate wholly upon returning to the Mysterious Dao, and give rise to no other distracting thoughts. When the Sovereign Lord tours the realms of the five directions, the divine officials will record one’s merits and report the name to the Jade Emperor.

By cultivating in this manner for five years, one may hope to induce the True Sovereigns of the Five Stars to descend into one’s quiet chamber. On the Five Departure days, at the three hours of dawn, noon, and midnight, enter the quiet chamber, burn incense, face north and bow twice, knock the teeth three times, then visualize and silently recite the incantation:

We respectfully invite the High and Supreme Jade Emperor Lord (a venerated Daoist deity) to pardon and eliminate the dark evil deeds and violations of the orthodox Dao committed from my seven generations of ancestors down to myself, including thousands upon thousands of sins such as taking life, sexual misconduct, jealousy, and harming the orthodox Dharma, as well as sins committed in the yang world and faults recorded in the yin realm. All charges already reported to the Northern Emperor (Beidi, the deity who governs the netherworld and matters of life and death) are also earnestly requested to be eliminated together, wiping away the registers of sin, cutting off the root of death, so that I may pass through the barriers of the human and heavenly realms, enter Donghua (the eastern immortal paradise), and have my name listed in the immortal registers; and so that my seven generations of ancestors and parents may be reborn as southern immortals.

After the ritual is completed, visualize the True Emperor Dao Lord (the venerated deity among the northern stars) appearing in the Northern Chen stars. He wears a purple brocade flying skirt, a tiger tally at his waist, and a yellow crown on his head, riding flying clouds of brocade rosy mists and descending from the north attended by twelve immortal officials, covering the practitioner. The divine light is dense and the radiance shines brilliantly. Then raise the head and recite the incantation: O True Emperor of the North, you who command the flying immortals and come riding the cloud chariot, please crown me and protect my body. Earnestly request that you fill in the ghost gates, cut off the root of death, list my name in the immortal registers of Yuqing, open the passes leading to the heavenly realm, allow me to leave the jurisdiction of the Northern Emperor, and ascend to the southern immortal realm. May my lifespan be the same as that of the True Emperor, and may I together with you guard the Northern Chen.

After reciting the incantation, swallow the Qi (vital energy) twenty-five times, face east and bow once more, knock the teeth three times, then visualize and recite the incantation: Jade Dawn Supreme Lord and Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Primordial Radiance Lord (Daoist deities), we earnestly request pardon and elimination of the yin sins and yang faults I have committed since such-and-such year and month, as well as the profound heavy sins left accumulated over successive generations by my seven generations of ancestors. All karmic sins gathered in the Three Yin (netherworld places associated with the yin realm) are also earnestly requested to be released and extinguished together, causing the charges to disappear and the root of death to be filled in. May the Northern Emperor eliminate my accumulated residual karma, may Donghua record my name in the immortal registers, and may my seven generations of ancestors and parents all together ascend into the Di Chen immortal realm.

After the ritual concludes, next visualize (clearly present in the mind) the True Emperor Lord Qingya of the Eastern Year Star (Jupiter). He wears a cloud-brocade skirt embroidered with dragon patterns, a tiger tally at his waist, and a yellow agate crown upon his head. He rides a jade chariot of azure-radiance flying clouds, accompanied by twelve immortal officials, descending from the east to overlay and protect the practitioner’s body. The eastern radiance is dense and abundant, bright and splendid. Then raise the head and recite the incantation:

“O central true spirit of the East, among the nine-layered heavenly gates flows the radiance of rosy clouds, the light illuminating both inner and outer, covering my head and body. I earnestly request blessings and convey my prayer to the Northern Emperor: cause me to depart from the root of death and grant me a name listed in the immortal registers. May I become an inner true one of Donghua, able to ascend as an immortal and be delivered from the world, forever leaving the path of death; may my seven generations of ancestors and parents all enjoy blessings and fortune, enduring together with the moon and moving together with the sun. I depart from the root of death, receive the immortal name, become an inner true one of Donghua, able to ascend as an immortal and be delivered from the world, forever leaving the path of death; may seven generations of ancestors and parents all enjoy blessings and fortune, enduring together with the moon and moving together with the sun. I ride the void, floating in emptiness, flying upward.”

Next swallow the breath nine times, then face south, bow twice, and knock the teeth three times. Visualize and recite:

“Supreme Purity Three Primes Lords (the three honored deities of the Shangqing heaven), Southern Pole Upper Prime Lord, Solar Nine Qi Jade Worthy Prime Lord, please pardon the various evil deeds I, so-and-so, have committed since possessing knowledge: unfilial conduct, conspiracy and rebellion, violating the Dao, adultery, theft, as well as secretly committed sins and openly visible faults. Also please pardon the old sins involving seven generations of ancestors, inherited through generations. These sins are recorded in the Taiyin (the place administering the registers of sins in the netherworld), the names tied to the Northern Chronogram (the heavenly divine office represented by the North Star). Earnestly request to remove and lighten for me the karmic sins recorded by the Three Officials (the divine offices administering heaven, earth, and water), cut off the root of the death qi; cause me to pass the northeastern gate and ascend into the heavenly pass opened in the southwest. May seven generations of ancestors and parents all receive the grace of the Heavenly Emperor.”

After the ritual concludes, next visualize the True Emperor Lord Weiting of the Southern Flaming Star (Mars). He wears garments of cloud-frost phoenix splendor and dragon bells, a tiger tally at his waist, a mysterious dawn crown upon his head, draped with a cyan brocade robe. He rides a chariot of cinnabar-radiance color, accompanied by twelve immortal officials, descending from the south to overlay and protect the practitioner’s body. His radiance is bright and intensely blazing, like the rising sun. Then raise the head and recite the incantation:

The Southern True Emperor (the presiding deity of the southern stars) manifests a mysterious radiance, lingering between the Three Gates, riding a crimson carriage together with attendants and ascending to the Seven Origins (the region of the Big Dipper). His light shines inward, covering my entire body, eliminating the crimes registered under the name of the Northern Emperor, untying entanglements and dispersing blockages, removing the bindings of Taiyin (the netherworld or shadowy realm), allowing me to leave the Ghost Gate and sever the roots of karmic enmities from past lives. I ascend the Heavenly Pass and enter the Southern Palaces, where my ancestors of seven generations together with my parents also pay homage to the Emperor Lord.

Then swallow Qi (vital energy) eight times and stop; face west, bow twice, knock the teeth three times, visualize and recite the incantation:

Tai Su San Yuan Jun (the Three Prime Lords of Grand Simplicity) and the Four Elders, Lords within the Dao, I request pardon for all faults and crimes committed since I first gained awareness: envying the worthy and capable, rashly leaking the Jing (scriptures), treading upon filth, becoming stained with dust, showing disrespect to the sun, moon and stars, and offending the Emperor Lord by weeping while taking oaths. If karmic enmities from past lives remain entangled in Taiyin, with crimes recorded among the ghost officials, please dissolve my register of sins, eliminate the roots of interrogation and punishment, block the road to death, and enter my name at the Gate of Life. May my ancestors of seven generations and parents likewise ascend together into the Northern Hall.

After reciting, then visualize the Western True Emperor Lord of the Tai Bai Star (the deity governing the western planet Venus) in the vast emptiness: he wears a pure white brocade skirt with hanging bells, a tiger tally at his waist and a Fuchen crown on his head, riding a carriage of white clouds and mists attended by twelve immortal officials, descending from the west to cover and protect my body. The divine light penetrates completely, illuminating the west. Then, looking upward, recite the incantation:

The Western True Emperor manifests a pure radiance and mysterious countenance, riding a jade carriage, his white luminosity spreading across the cloudy heavens, turning the morning light as he descends, his true form appearing in interreflecting brilliance. Please turn open the Nine Doors (the portals leading to the netherworld) for me, convey my body into the imperial court, free me from the name-register of Taiyin, raise me into the Mysterious Palace to join in song; let my lifespan equal heaven and earth, remaining undiminished for a hundred million years. May my ancestors of seven generations and parents also be able to ascend the morning empyrean.

After reciting, swallow Qi six times and stop; then face the center, bow twice, knock the teeth three times, visualize and recite the incantation.

I earnestly beseech the High Sovereign Great Emperor Lord (Gaoshang Dadi Jun) and the Jade Emperor Lord (Yuhuang Jun) to forgive the countless faults and karmic sins I have committed from the time of my birth until this very day, and also to dissolve the karmic enmities and entanglements accumulated by my ancestors of seven generations, as well as those entanglements connected with Taiyin (the Great Yin, matters of the netherworld and the dark realms). May these sins be completely dissolved, the Mysterious Register (Xuanji) inscribed under the name of the Northern Emperor (Beidi) be scattered away, and the root of deathly Qi leading to the Ghost Gate of Gui-earth (the ghost door of the netherworld) be severed, so that my name may pass through the Heavenly Pass (Tianguan) and traverse the Five Dawns (Wuchen, the hours of the five directional heavens). May my parents and ancestors of seven generations thereby obtain new life and ascend into the immortal realm.

Next, visualize the descent of the True Sovereign Lord of the Central Stabilizing Star (Zhongyang Zhenxing Zhenhuang Jun), Dan Chengyan: he wears a brocade tiger skirt adorned with yellow clouds and dragon patterns, a golden talisman at his waist, and a purple crown upon his head. He rides a flying chariot of yellow mist, attended by twelve immortal officials, descending from the central direction. His canopy covers and protects the pass, traversing the Five Dawns. May the parents and ancestors of seven generations thereby be transformed and reborn as immortals.

Visualize once again the descent of the True Sovereign Lord of the Central Stabilizing Star, Dan Chengyan. He wears a yellow-cloud dragon-patterned brocade tiger skirt, a golden talisman at his waist, and a purple crown upon his head. Riding a flying chariot of yellow mist, he descends from the center accompanied by twelve immortal officials. His canopy covers and protects my body, its radiance shining through completely and illuminating the Central Prime (Zhongyuan, the middle realm). Then raise the head and recite the incantation:

True Sovereign Lord of the Central Stabilizing Star, you who command the Five Emperors (Wudi) and set in motion the mysterious heavenly net. Riding yellow mist you patrol the four directions; for my sake sever the root of death, that my name may be delivered into the Palace of Southern Yang. Let me depart from the separations of the Five Phases (Wuxing) and return to the Six Qi (Liuqi), flying and ascending together with you; transforming and traversing the ten thousand regions, forever enjoying boundless blessings and longevity, and at last ascending Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) to enter the Golden Towers and Jade Halls. May the parents and ancestors of seven generations likewise obtain flourishing blessings and prosperity.

When the incantation is finished, swallow the breath twelve times.

Using the Five Separations (Wuli, the visualization method of separating from the Five Phases) to confess before the Five Emperors, and visualizing the Five Dawns to assist in the deliverance of life, the ritual comes to an end at this point. If one can persistently practice on the prescribed days without interruption over a long period, one may ascend Taiji and enter the Golden Towers and Jade Halls, and the parents and ancestors of seven generations will likewise obtain flourishing benefits.

Then swallow the breath twelve times once more.

The Five Separations Opening (the beginning of the repentance ritual) requires that one first declare one’s faults to the Five Emperors and then visualize the Five Dawn Stars (the stellar deities of the five directions), thereby transforming one’s life. With this the ritual is complete. If one can constantly perform it on the appointed days without ever growing negligent, after seven years one will be able to evoke the Perfected Sovereigns of the Five Dawn Stars so that they manifest in one’s bedchamber. The Great Emperor will send five Jade Maidens of the five directions to protect you, and the Northern Emperor of Great Yin will also come to your doorway and will no longer hold you accountable for your sins. Those who study immortality and seek the Real must cultivate with diligence.

The method of repenting faults in order to seek immortality is a code of precepts that Supreme Chancellor Lord Azure Lad (Shangxiang Qingtong Jun) requested from the Sage Lord of the Golden Tower (Jinque Shengjun) and formulated for later generations seeking life; it is not the repentance method of the Great Emperor Lord himself. In practicing this method, the Emperor Lord will also inspect your inner mind. If previous transgressions have not yet been fully dissolved, the palaces of the Six Heavens will still list you in the Register of the Dead, and the Gate of Opening and Closing will refuse you passage. The Gate of Opening and Closing is the mechanism by which a person is delivered beyond life and death; the Mansion of Separation and Reunion is the origin that consigns a person to the Register of the Dead. The crucial point is refined and diligent practice, for only thereby can one attain the True Dao (the Way).

The Emperor Lord’s Supreme Method of Illuminating the Lamp and Inner Contemplation to Seek Immortality (the superior method by which the Emperor Lord lights the lamp of the heart and inwardly contemplates in order to seek immortality)

Transmitted by the Southern Pole Upper Prime Lord (Nanji Shangyuan Jun)

The Emperor Lord constantly abides on the Terrace of Luminous Mystery, within the Golden Chamber and Purple Door, lighting the mysterious lamp to illuminate his own form so that rosy radiance reaches through the eight windows; he contemplates the Great Perfected amid the five forms and sets forth the Three Vows in the Imperial Chamber. A purple jeweled canopy descends from the numinous heights, and the Primordial Sovereign grants a Golden Lad. The Emperor Lord naturally obtains the imperial rank and exercises overall command of the Mysterious Palace. The most wondrous Dao arises from the primordial mysterious-marvelous realm; Dao exists in the hidden, subtle, and scarcely perceptible. These teachings are now transmitted to you; you must uphold them with diligence.

The Emperor Lord cautioned the Southern Pole Upper Prime Lord, saying: “You study the Way of Divine Perfection, dwelling above the numinous officials and within the jade chambers, yet you do not know how to light the lamp of the heart to illuminate yourself so that mysterious light penetrates the five viscera, and thereby obtain illumination...”

The physical form and spirit of a person are thereby rectified. If you can light a lamp in the evening at the natal destiny position (benming, the directional position corresponding to the year of birth), light a lamp in the morning at the current-year position (xingnian, the directional position corresponding to the present year), and light a lamp throughout the year at the Tai Sui position (taisui, the Year Star of the current year and the direction it governs); by sincerely making vows at these three places, body and mind become clear and purified, the primordial Qi (yuanqi) is made upright, the true light shines forth, and the assembled spirits are bright, lucid, and clear.

Yuanjun (the honored goddess or divine perfected being) receives, holds, and practices this method for three years and thereby attracts twenty-four Night-Light Youths (yeguang tongzi). The mysterious light appears of its own accord. Lighting a lamp year-round at Tai Sui and making vows at the three places likewise causes body and mind to become clear and purified, the primordial Qi to be upright, the true light to shine, and the assembled spirits to be bright, lucid, and clear. After Yuanjun has received the method and practiced it for three years, the twenty-four Night-Light Youths arrive, the mysterious radiance naturally becomes bright, and it is no longer necessary to light lamps, for the light still communicates and penetrates.

This is a truly superior, pure, and mysterious method, not to be transmitted to worldly people. If a person has a golden name and jade characters in the registers of the Mysterious Gate (Xuanmen) and possesses the corresponding spiritual capacity, after obtaining this method and cultivating it for nine years the body becomes luminous, able to see ten thousand li into the distance, and the mysterious observation appears of itself. The Night-Light Youths descend into his dwelling, transmit the true writings, and enable him to ascend to heaven in broad daylight and become an immortal.

In the quiet chamber, place the lamp at the position corresponding to the natal destiny. In the evening enter the chamber, face the lamp and perform a prolonged kneeling, click the teeth twelve times, then recite:

“The mysterious radiance illuminates Taiyin (the gathering place of yin qi), penetrating the eight directions, shining brightly and clearly through. It causes the spiritual thoughts to become clarified in the secluded chamber, gazing upward to penetrate the immortal realm of Shangqing (Highest Clarity). Five-colored radiance issues from the Mysterious Terrace (Xuantai, the dwelling of immortals), jade zhi mushrooms grow of themselves, and the penetrating illumination communicates with the Supreme True (Taizhen, the highest realm of perfected immortals). The ten thousand spirits inspect my physical form, cutting away the nine yin qi (dark, stagnant, and perverse qi), causing my name to be recorded in Donghua (Eastern Flower, a designation of the immortal realm). Protect me in lasting peace, sharing longevity with the sun and moon; deliver the disasters of seven generations of ancestors, that I may regain honor in the Southern Palace (Nangong). The bright light opens the realm of the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang, sovereign of the heavenly realm), that I may receive the Scripture of Inner Observation (Neiguan Jing, the method of inner cultivation through visualization). Heaven sends down the flying empyrean chariot (feixiao nian, vehicle of the immortal realm), that I may ride the green-canopied immortal carriage (lüping) soaring into the void, able to pay homage to the honored spirits in the Hall of the Great Emperor (Taidi guan) and enter the Court of the Jade Emperor to pay respects.”

After reciting, bow twice more, raise the head facing the natal destiny position, swallow the saliva in seven portions, then cease.

One should also light a lamp year-round at the position corresponding to the current year, face the lamp in the morning, click the teeth twelve times, then recite the incantation:

Let the bright lamp illuminate the natal constellation of the current year, spreading its radiance through the eight directions so that body and mind become clear and pure. Gaze inward, the mind lucid and merging with the void; release stray thoughts so that the spirit (Shen) settles in peace.

One should also frequently light a bright lamp at the position of one’s natal year, face the lamp, click the teeth twelve times, and then recite:

“May the bright lamp illuminate my natal year, its radiance spreading through the eight directions, making body and mind clear and pure. Gaze inward, the mind lucid and merging with the void. Open the heart-spirit so that thought becomes clear and communicates with the Jade Perfected. Revere the supreme Dao (the Way), whose traces are subtle and hard to find. May mysterious cloud-qi (Qi, vital energy) descend, that I may ride a flying dragon, extend my lifespan, and restore an infant-like countenance. Grant me the Lady of Western Floriate (the immortal maiden of the Golden Dawn Palace) and the Golden Dawn Child (the attendant boy who serves the perfected immortals), that they may attend me and protect my lifespan. I bow before the hall of the Jade Emperor, wishing that spirit-qi be peaceful and the path of the Dao unobstructed. With a heart of reverence, dwell securely amid the incense smoke, rectify the mind, and abide in the Supreme Mystery (the profound and mysterious realm), communicating with the void through utmost sincerity. May the dwelling attract the descent of the Divine Empyrean (the heavenly realm); with eyes closed, behold the Immortal Lord, helping seven generations of ancestors escape suffering so that I myself may attain deliverance and return to the Southern Palace (the abode of the perfected immortals).”

After reciting, bow twice more, then facing east swallow the breath fourteen times.

Frequently light a bright lamp in the direction where Tai Sui (the Great Year) resides, in order to communicate with the spirits, put vows into practice, and seek the true Dao. Settle the mind in the Supreme Mystery, communicating with the void through utmost sincerity; may the dwelling attract the descent of the Divine Empyrean; with eyes closed, behold the Immortal Lord, helping seven generations of ancestors escape suffering so that I myself may attain deliverance and return to the Southern Palace. After completing this, bow twice more, then facing east swallow the breath fourteen times.

Frequently light a bright lamp in the direction of Tai Sui in order to communicate with the spirits, put vows into practice, and seek the true Dao. Persist for three years and mysterious radiance will appear within the heart; immortals will descend and transmit the methods of immortality. At that time there will naturally be a response. Every morning and evening burn incense, click the teeth twelve times, and facing the lamp recite:

“The lamplight reflects the Supreme Perfected, its bright radiance penetrating the mysterious void. Open the heart-spirit so that the supreme Dao becomes manifest, the mind focused upon the dwelling of the Jade Emperor. Spirit-thought enters the empty cavern; the bodily form naturally unfolds. Accumulate sincerity to draw down the numinous spirits; the mind is at peace, the principle hidden within. In the morning pay homage at the hall of the Supreme Emperor; in the evening recite the scriptures of the perfected immortals. Roam at ease in the Mysterious Capital (the immortal realm), wishing for longevity of ten thousand years and restoration of an infant-like countenance. May I wear the celestial crown and be clothed in the rosy robes of the Purple Empyrean, receiving from the Emperor Lord the Six-Jade Carriage (a vehicle adorned with six kinds of fine jade), to wander the peaks of the Five Sacred Mountains, moving as the heart desires. May seven generations of ancestors be spared the sufferings of the Three Paths (the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals), with blessings extending in surplus.”

After reciting, bow twice more and swallow the qi from the armpits fourteen times.

If the bright lamps in the three places can be kept burning without being extinguished over a long period, the Seven Mysterious Ones and Nine Ancestors (the successive generations of ancestors spoken of in Daoism) will be able to escape the ten kinds of sufferings and ascend to the Southern Pole (a heavenly realm in Daoism). The practitioner themselves will also have their Shen (spirit) become bright and upright, with vision able to see ten thousand li away, hearing that is acute and far-reaching, and a mind capable of foreseeing events that have not yet occurred. The True Spirits (immortals) will come to descend, and the Night-Radiance Youth will also come to teach the path of seeking immortality.

Cultivating in this manner for nine years, the numinous light will naturally appear, connecting inner and outer. The Five Li Shou (spirits or offices related to the Five Emperors) report faults to the Five Emperors, while one visualizes the Five Dawn Gods (the morning deities of the five directions) in order to deliver all sentient beings; the related ritual is completed at this point.

The Supreme Method of the Emperor Lord's Five Vows for Seeking Immortality.

The Divine Lord (a revered Daoist deity) regularly holds prayer ceremonies on the ninth day of the ninth month, the fifth day of the tenth month, the third day of the third month, the eighth day of the fourth month, and the seventh day of the seventh month. These days are known as the Five Vows and Ten Assemblies. He ascends the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) Jade Terrace and, in the lofty Jade Hall and Golden Chamber, stores the five vows in the Jade Palace, hoping that the Mysterious Perfected One, the wondrous Zhenren, will personally descend. The realm of emptiness opens the jade documents, golden sounds fill the Great Void, summoning the guardian spirits of the Heavenly Emperors of the five directions so that myriad auspicious blessings gather in the elixir chamber.

Therefore, when a practitioner’s heart is moved, they can summon the Perfected Ones, who likewise respond by descending. On these days one should first bathe and observe a purification fast, enter a quiet chamber, burn incense, and pay homage to the four directions, then sit facing due east. The east is the direction where Yang Qi first arises and morning light begins to appear. After knocking the teeth thirty-six times, one makes vows in sequence.

One vows to be born of the natural Qi (vital energy), the fundamental primordial energy of heaven and earth, with this Qi condensing into the body, so that the body may stand alongside the three luminaries of sun, moon, and stars and long enjoy an inexhaustible root of life. One vows to dwell constantly above the Great Void within the Jade Palaces and Jade Chambers, sharing morning banquets with the Jade Emperor and residing at night with the Mysterious Mother, drinking from the flood springs of the Wave Well when thirsty and partaking of dragon-embryo jade marrow, crimson-tree vermilion fruits, and other immortal delicacies when hungry. One vows that the body will manifest ten thousand auspicious signs and seventy-two rays of light, be born with extraordinary hair and bones, wear flying-feather garments, ride the void and traverse emptiness to enter and leave the imperial palaces, with numerous blessings descending and lifespan without measure. One vows to come into being together with Nonbeing and to perish together with Nonbeing, and after death to be reborn as the True Sovereign, enfeoffed to govern the Ten Heavens and command the hosts of immortals. One vows that all sentient beings, whether already born or not yet born, may jointly protect and uphold the three luminaries of sun, moon, and stars; that the seven-mysterious ancestors (the ancestors and clan ancestral spirits) of those who possess the Dao (the Way) may ascend to the Southern Palace; and that everyone under heaven may receive blessings, with none omitted.

The five vows uttered in the four directions all gather in the Jade Hall.

One then makes a further vow that the nine-mysterious ancestors (nine generations of ancestors) support and nourish the body, causing the hun and po souls and the true spirits to reside constantly in the palaces of the body, communicating above with the heavenly immortals and reaching below to the Cavernous Abyss (the profound earthly realm). The vows reach upward to heaven, downward to earth, and throughout the winds, spirits, and immortals; the five vows united as one will surely succeed. The five vows uttered in the four directions all gather in the Jade Hall.

Next, the Upper Vows pray that the Nine Mysteries (nine generations of ancestors) support and nourish my body, so that the hun and po souls and the True Shen (spirit) constantly abide within. Above, may I communicate with the celestial immortals; below, may I reach the Cavernous Abyss. I pray that Heaven, Earth, Wind, Shen, and Immortals—the five vows united as one—cause my name to be entered in the register of long life. May Heaven send down purple mist, and may Earth guard me with the Five Numina. May I ride the clouds and harness the void, mounting flying carriages and green palanquins (the vehicles of the immortals), ascending to the Golden Towers (the palaces of Heaven) and entering Jade Clarity (a higher celestial realm in Daoism). May blessings and felicity extend to seven generations of ancestors, granting them new bodies once more; the five kinds of vows layered and joined, so that I may long enjoy the fortune of success and uprightness.

The Middle Vows likewise comprise five items: prayers to Yin, Yang, Great Space, Great Nonbeing, and Great Mystery. May I hold a banquet in the Jade Chamber (a celestial palace) and form a bond with the Celestial Emperor; may I wander and behold the Gate of Life, part the waves and pass through the billows, roaming the Nine Heavens. May the Primordial Father register my name, and the Mysterious Mother record my years of longevity; may Taokang (a Daoist deity) condense Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy), guarding and consolidating the Dantian (energy center). May my body ascend to the Golden Towers, my name be inscribed in the Jade Register (the celestial roster), seven generations of ancestors attain liberation, and blessings and felicity descend.

The Lower Vows likewise comprise five items: prayers to Great Void, Great Being, the Most High, Great Truth, and the Divine Immortals. May I move my body upon the summits of the Five Sacred Mountains, floating and wandering among the Nine Empyreans, passing in and out within the passes of life and death, and departing beyond the gate of death. May Heaven and Earth serve as my father and mother, and may the Three Luminaries of sun, moon, and stars protect me for ten thousand years. May the spirits guard the apertures of the Nine Sources, and may numinous Qi descend of itself. The five kinds of vows of the eight directions all meet together with the responding sound. May I float and wander among the Nine Empyreans, passing in and out within the passes of life and death, and departing beyond the gate of death. May Heaven and Earth serve as my father and mother, may the Three Luminaries protect me for ten thousand years, may the spirits guard the apertures of the Nine Sources, and may numinous Qi descend of itself. The five kinds of vows of the eight directions all meet together with the responding sound.

When the Five Vows have been recited, knock the teeth fourteen times and recite the incantation:

“The Great Emperor of the Upper Prime, the Emperor-One Mysterious Jing (scripture); five-colored cloud Qi scatters and emits radiance, the realm of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) is utterly profound. Jade youths and jade maidens burn incense and attend upon the spirits. May I set forth the Upper Vows, that I may become one with the spirits, that I may become a divine immortal and ascend into the court of the Celestial Emperor. May the Northern Emperor cause me to depart from death, and the Southern Dipper add to my span of life; may the Golden Pavilion of Eastern Florescence enter my name in the celestial register. May boundless blessed vows all accompany me.”

When the incantation is finished, knock the teeth twenty-one more times, raise the head and swallow the breath five times, then stop.

This is the superior method of making vows as proclaimed by the Emperor Lord, which concerns uniting oneself with the spirits. If one constantly cultivates according to this method, there will be Jade Floriate attendants and Jade Youths (the youths who serve the spirits) disseminating fragrance; the sound of the prayer reaches the Nine Heavens and communicates with the Imperial Sovereign. Persisting in this for five years, the Dao (the Way) will naturally descend. Among the wishes uttered by those who cultivate the Dao throughout the ten directions of the world, there are none that cannot obtain spiritual response and fulfillment.

This is the superior method of making vows as proclaimed by the Emperor Lord, which concerns uniting oneself with the spirits. If one constantly cultivates according to this method, there will be Jade Floriate attendants and Jade Youths spreading incense, the prayer reaching the Nine Heavens and communicating with the Imperial Sovereign. As long as one persists according to this for five years, the Dao will naturally descend. The vows made by cultivators of the Dao in the ten directions of the world will all without exception obtain spiritual response and fulfillment.

When making the vow, one must keep the mind and intention concentrated and unified, without harboring other thoughts or allowing the mind to wander outward; if the true Shen (spirit) is scattered, the wish will not descend in response. If the body is soaked in water or contaminated with impurity, the true Shen will also depart. The superior method of making vows transmitted by the Emperor Lord comprises five practices in all, and here it comes to an end.

Whenever the appointed days arrive, if one can concentrate and make the vow according to the method, the Emperor Lord will dispatch Jade Youths to guard the body of the practitioner, summon the power of vows from the five directions, and cause the way of the divine immortals to descend upon oneself. Persisting thus for five years, one will be able to mount the clouds and fly upward, ascend to the Nine Heavens, and have one's name recorded in Donghua (the abode of the immortals); one's ancestors of seven generations as well as one's parents will also receive blessings, escaping the Three Destinies (the three realms of suffering: hell, hungry ghosts, and animals), and proceed to the Southern Palace in the immortal realm.

The Upper Origin Lord of the Southern Pole (Nanji Shangyuanjun) said: People of the world who cultivate and study only know to seek in the morning and hope for results by evening. As soon as a single thought arises they long for the spirits to descend; after reciting an incantation they expect immediate efficacy. They fail to understand that climbing Mount Qi must begin with steps from the mountain’s foot, and that a tree a thousand zhang high also grows from a tiny tender sprout. The Great Dao is lofty, distant, and mysterious; how can one expect to mount the cloud-ladder that reaches heaven just after taking the first step?

The Emperor Lord (a revered Daoist deity), who receives the primordial Qi (vital energy) and oversees the true Dao, still relies on a bright lamp to achieve inner penetration and uses the Five Vows (five aspirations) to pray for auspiciousness. How much more so, then, for those who cultivate the Dao, who cannot suppose that everything will simply come of itself. The way of seeking immortality requires that one first make vows and then pursue them accordingly; only when the heart’s wish resonates and communicates can it attract a numinous response. The Five Vows are vast in what they contain; the blessings they seek reach everywhere without exception, and auspiciousness likewise spreads widely—thus they may be said to excel at making vows. If one can concentrate wholeheartedly on upholding the vows that have been made, there is no wish that will fail to receive a response. Later generations whose hearts turn toward the Dao should likewise seek out this principle once more and experience it with sincere attention.

The Superior Minister, Lord of the Azure Youth, said: For seven hundred years I studied the cultivation of the Dao (the Way), scaling steep and dangerous peaks, journeying throughout the four quarters, and roaming at ease in the Central Plains. I bowed to thirty-two teachers and received over three hundred methods of practice, yet I remained unable to rise into the Golden Palaces (the palaces of the heavenly realm), to have audience with the Sage Lord, to receive the Purple Writings of the Numinous Books (the sacred secretly transmitted documents of Daoism), to study the arts of ingesting the yellow splendor of sun and moon and of binding the hun souls while controlling the po souls (methods of cultivation that borrow the essences of the sun and moon and regulate the souls), or to accomplish the various techniques of the Jade Instrument of Jie Lin, the Nine Perfected and Eight Ways of dissolving the body and transforming, the Purple Crossing of Flaming Radiance with the Flowing-Gold Fire Bells, exhaling and inhaling flying rosy clouds to soar into the void and step upon the clouds, and treading the Precious Scripture of the Seven Origins.

Later the Sage Lord conferred upon me the Jing (scripture/classic) of the Seven Stars' Transference (a secret Jing concerning the shifting of degrees of the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, which govern the transference of human life and death). This Jing is a treasured possession of the Great Emperor, to be transmitted only after an oath of alliance. By means of this Jing the Sage Lord had my death-name removed from the Six Palaces (the heavenly palaces that administer life and death), sealed the ghost gate of the northeast, opened the heavenly pass above, and thereby transferred my body and life. Thus I was able to ascend into the Three Origins (the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity or the three layers of the heavens) to practice the methods of the Jing, finally obtaining this precious Jing and taking office as Superior Minister, commanding the assembled immortals.

The radiance of the seven stars travels the heavens, revolving the Jing (essence) of the Nine Origins (the primordial Jing of heaven and earth). Above they receive the Qi (vital energy) of the Three Origins; below they oversee the name registers of the Six Heavens. There is no human death or life, no parting or gathering, that is not ruled by the seven stars. Therefore, if a person is approached by the Dipper stars, death follows; if transferred by the Dipper stars, life is gained. The seven stars are the assisting ministers of the heavenly realm; the method of opening the heavenly pass and transferring the degrees is that which governs the salvation of life. If those who cultivate the Dao do not know how to seal the death gate of the northeast and transfer into the living register by way of the southern heavenly pass, how then can they preserve their lives?

The Supreme Deity hid this Jing in the Chamber of the Six Harmonies (the secret repository formed by heaven, earth, and the four directions), commanding three hundred protectors such as the Jade Maiden of Western Floriation and the Jade Youth of Golden Dawn to guard the numinous texts. Later the Jing was transmitted to the various Perfected (realized persons who have attained the Dao), and only then did it circulate forth from the famous mountains.

Lord Wang of the Western City (Xicheng Wangjun, an immortal figure in Shangqing Daoist tradition) later came upon this scripture in a stone chamber on Mount Wangwu. After fasting for three months, he carried a letter into the mountain, respectfully received the scripture, and read it. The text teaches the method of the "Seven Stars Transference" (Qixing Yidu); Lord Wang practiced this method and eventually became a Perfected Being (Zhenren).

Those whose names are not recorded in the immortal registers or listed in the Jade Tablets cannot hear of or see this Dao teaching. When someone obtains this scripture, the Six Palaces of Fengdu (the offices of the underworld that keep the registers of the dead) will record his name and cause him to be transferred past the Southern Pass. How much more so for one who also practices the Dao taught within the scripture! Lord Wang said: this scripture originally had three scrolls, of which the "Heavenly Pass" (Tianguan) and the "Heavenly Chart" (Tiantu) are not transmitted in the world. What the Lady of the Southern Peak (Nanyue Furen, a legendary female immortal) passed on is only this one scroll, the "Seven Stars Transference."

Dongzhen Shangqing Kaitian Santu Qixing Yidu Jing (Dongzhen Shangqing Scripture of the Seven Stars Transference and the Three Charts of Opening Heaven), Lower Scroll