《太上宣慈助化章》

When faced with calamity in a particular year or month, nearing the end of one’s allotted lifespan, the impending exhaustion of one’s destined blessings and fortune, or an inauspicious passing year with disaster close at hand, one may present this “Memorial for Urgent Relief and Deliverance,” praying for immediate troubles to be lifted, calamities dispelled, and blessings and fortune to descend. Recite and present it facing east by day and north by night.

Prepare the offerings: a pair of silver protective objects, 120 counting rods, twelve feet of green silk thread, 1,200 cash coins for the offering, one shi and two dou of rice for the life offering, and twenty-four feet of silk for the life offering.

Next, burn incense and open the ritual burner.

Then kneel upright and read aloud the document submitting the petition to the Celestial Bureau.

The pure Qi of the Great Mystery, Zhengyi, and Pingqi—Daoist currents of pure and upright energy—belongs to Yangping and the other twenty-three administrative centers of the Celestial Master’s tradition. Your servant, So-and-so, bows until his forehead touches the ground and pays his respects once more.

The petition states: In accordance with the document, a disciple named So-and-so, of a certain age, from a certain monastery in a certain village, district, county, and prefecture, lives here with a household of such-and-such members. Today, he bows and prays for blessings and grace, and respectfully sets out his request as follows:

We ordinary people receive bodies of flesh and blood and are born into this world. To have the good fortune of living long enough to encounter the various Lords and Venerable Sages of the Great Dao, the Supreme One, and to receive the Mandate of the August Ultimate, preserving our lives and ordering our households—this is truly a blessing. Yet the entire family of this ordinary person, young and old, is ignorant and unenlightened, and often acts wrongly, thereby bringing misfortune upon itself. In recent years, our circumstances have been troubled; household members have dwindled and suffered calamity, our wealth has been depleted, and demons and monsters have appeared again and again. We fear that the Three Calamities and Nine Perils—all manner of disasters and misfortunes—will descend upon our bodies together, entangling us in the net of Heaven and trapping us in the web of Earth. Our lives may be cut short, our allotted years brought to an end, and the names of the dead reported to the Three Officials, the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water.

Moreover, the fengshui of our ancestral graves has deteriorated, disturbing the departed and causing them to bring down misfortune. Calamities have appeared one after another, implicating the living and subjecting them to legal prosecution. The world today is corrupt and dangerous; all kinds of evil spirits and violent forces run rampant, while ghosts, demons, and bandits wreak havoc everywhere. A hundred illnesses afflict us, common people lie dead across the land, and cries of grief fill the roads—an unbearable sound to hear. Living in such circumstances, we ordinary people have no merit or virtue with which to save ourselves. We are deeply afraid of dying suddenly and returning to dust, unable to preserve ourselves; we can think of no remedy and can only devote ourselves wholeheartedly to praying for protection.

The Great Dao informs the Heavenly Court: I submit this memorial on behalf of a certain person, asking that the three calamities and nine misfortunes he has incurred be lifted, that the disasters and bonds entwined around him be undone, and that the life he is fated to lose be redeemed. The details are set out in the memorial.

My knowledge and insight are shallow, and I do not understand the Qi of ghosts and spirits. I fear that this person may be afflicted by the six harms, which oppose and injure one another. I also fear that he may be harmed by demons and malign forces and suffer injustice; that he may become entangled and detained by the ghosts of those who died before or after him, by spirits within or beyond, or by the Qi of graves; or that the Lord of Mount Tai, the deity who governs life and death, may summon him without authorization. This person does indeed bear faults and defilements, but his life is no more than that of a sparrow or mouse. Ignorance of the Qi of ghosts and spirits has drawn him into these misfortunes, and now he earnestly begs for mercy in accordance with the Great Dao.

I have heard that the Supreme Great Dao compassionately nurtures all living beings and withholds aid from none; it can lengthen life and carry people through calamity. I implore the Great Dao to grant its favor and protection, and to permit me to speak and plead for this person. Beneath the Great Yin, where Yin Qi gathers at night, and before the Northern Dipper, I have set up an altar in the open air. I bow to the ground and present a written petition recited aloud, sending it up to the offices of the Heavenly Court.

With reverence, I pray that the Limitless Supreme Lord Lao, the Supreme Venerable Elder, and the Three Masters, the Compassionate Fathers, will show mercy and bestow their grace.

Holy Mother, revered divine Mother whom we beseech, please bestow your boundless grace and forgive the grave offenses and faults that someone has committed since birth. Dispel the period of the nine calamities and clear all these afflictions away, so that this person may survive and escape disaster.

Even if someone’s Three Fates—the allotment of life span in Daoist belief—have run their course, and the tally of years allotted to their life has been exhausted, I still beseech you to show mercy. Forgive the sins and calamities they have borne since birth, and preserve them from danger. Turn a short life into a long one, failure into success, peril into safety, and calamity into relief. Stay the passage of their allotted years and lend them more time to live.

I beseech the deity who oversees someone’s personal register of fate, together with the divine officers associated with the month of their birth, to lead their many troops and horses to rescue them, dispel danger, and extend their life. Let them report this matter to the heavenly realm, submit a petition, and request additional years, doubling the person’s allotted life span to reach one hundred and twenty years. I also beseech you to release them from their former register of fate and bodily allotment, replace their name and bodily register, and erase their record of misfortune, turning a short life into a long one. May their destiny be transformed and shifted, extending to the full term of their life.

Under the authority of the Northern Dipper’s framework of fate, shift this person’s destiny and let the relevant deities rescue one another and secure release on one another’s behalf. If someone’s allotment of life is weak, extend it; if their storehouse of grain is empty, replenish it; if their tree has withered, grant it nourishment. If their life span is short, add years; if their years are few, increase their years, destiny, and blessings.

I therefore beseech the divine troops and the merit officers and messengers, the divine officials who carry documents and carry out the affairs of the heavenly realm, to make the journey, retrieve this person’s registers and records of years and life span, and present them above.

Before the throne of the Jade Emperor, the supreme deity of Daoism, a report is submitted in each case to the household of Siming, the deity who governs human lifespans and registers of fate. The relevant documents are examined and weighed one by one, and a plea is made for the person to be spared punishment and for the killing to cease. If someone’s lifespan is already limited and their allotted years are few, if the nine calamities descend all at once, and their conduct has often been wrong, with their offenses accumulated and their case already decided, then even if permission has been granted to dispel the calamities, their three life allotments are nearly exhausted. The documents for three deliverances from calamity have already been submitted, yet their name is absent from the Jade Register, the celestial ledger of lifespans and offenses; their name does not appear on the Left Tally, the celestial credential used to verify entries in the register of fate; and the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water have no record of them. Siming has stopped recording their fate, the Southern Palace has declined to enroll them, and the Heavenly Emperor refuses to pardon them. A plea is therefore made to have these matters expunged.

The rite is performed once every three months, making one cycle each year, and then repeated. If the celestial realm takes notice and intervenes, this is to receive the master’s grace, like that of parents who have given one life anew. On behalf of a certain person, petitions are therefore submitted to the Lifespan Lord in Wenchang Palace, the Lord Who Adds Years and the Lord Who Withdraws Fate in Nanchang. Five of each are invited, along with 1,200 officials and generals, to descend together and preside over extending this person’s life, adding years, and preserving their life for a long time.

The Lord Who Measures the Stars and Allots Years, the Lord Who Changes Names and Alters Forms, and the Lord Who Leaves Death and Ascends to Life are also invited from the Black Office of the Most High, the Mysterious Origin, and the Primordial Beginning. Five of each, with 1,200 officials and generals, are to descend together. They are to work with the merit officers and messengers within my body, and with the lords and officials beneath the Moon who conduct inspections and summon those concerned, to submit a report on behalf of the mortal in question.

Next, a petition is made to the Maidens’ Palace of the Northern Dipper, asking it to oversee the removal of this person from the register of the dead and their redemption, and to change their name and transform their form. The Eastern Florescence Palace is also asked to issue a command bearing the Nine Dragons’ seal, notify the Immortals of the Five Sacred Peaks, and instruct the Water Official, the River Earl, Lord Lü, and the relevant officials of the twenty-four prisons of Mount Tai, as well as the Three Platforms, the Eight Seats, and Siming, to release this person from guilt and examine and dispel all their offenses. Their Three Hun souls and Seven Po souls are to be taken out and returned to their body, without allowing them to disperse. Five Soul-Seizing and Po-Controlling Lords are also invited, together with 1,200 officials and generals; then 12,000 Eastern Youths and Soul-Seizing and Po-Controlling Officials are invited to proceed directly to the Mysterious Yin Maidens’ Palace. They are to oversee the redemption of this person’s Three Hun and Seven Po, dispel the calamities of their three life allotments, and preserve their life for a long time.

Finally, five True Lords Who Preside in Nanchang are invited, together with 1,200 officials and generals, to descend together and accompany me as I present the memorial.

The Grand Vast Heaven proceeds to the Palace of the Dark Yin Imperial Maidens to rescue a certain person’s Three Hun and Seven Po, redeem them, and remove the calamities within the Three Destinies, so that the person may retain life forever. I also invite the five True Lords of Nanchang and their twelve hundred officers and generals to descend together and accompany this memorial to the jade table before Lord Han, the Director of Destiny in the administrative office of the Grand Vast Heaven, the deity who governs people’s lifespans and life and death.

I petition for a certain person to be freed from the death sentence and calamities of release imposed by the Three Officials, and for his name to be entered anew in the register of the living and placed in the Jade Calendar of Immortals under the Left Covenant, so that his life may be long and without end. I also invite the five Lords of the Dipper’s Guiding Stars and their one hundred and twenty officers and generals to free him from calamities incurred at his month of birth, in the womb, and at the time of his birthday through offenses against the Five Planets and the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, the ancient system of celestial constellations. May they also remove the calamities of Solitude and Emptiness, Extinction and Obliteration, and the energies of the Five Disasters and Nine Calamities. May they bestow pure Yang harmony and life-giving Qi, nourishing his body. Whatever thousands of calamities and myriad sufferings he has endured, I ask that they be removed and healed in accordance with this memorial.

I fear that, since establishing his destiny, this person may have offended Heaven and Earth, the four seasons, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), the twelve double-hours, the twenty-four spirits, and the celestial forces known as the Heavenly Net, River Chief, Great One, Following Chief, Merit Officer, Transmission, Great Auspiciousness, Lesser Auspiciousness, Victorious First, Spirit Queen, Great Rushing, and Zhengming; and the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, Flying Serpent, Heavenly Empress, Great Yin, and Heavenly One. He may also have violated the taboos of the Noble Spirit and the spirits who patrol by day and travel by night. His guilt may therefore be grave, and he may have been entered in the register of ghosts. May the Lords of the Seven Stars remove his calamities and misfortunes in turn: Greedy Wolf and Great Gate sever the roots of ghostly mischief; Wealth Preservation and Chastity sever the roots of ghostly mischief; Wealth Preservation and Chastity replace his name in the registers and alter his appearance; Literary Song and Martial Song remove him from the register of the dead; the Heavenly Net and Army Breaker destroy demons and wicked spirits, so that they can no longer harm people. May the Lords of the Three Terraces dispel calamities of burial and punishment, and pardon thousands of crimes and myriad faults. May all the ghosts of the Twelve Punishments and Killings be destroyed, and may his illness be cured. I also ask the presiding superior to ensure that this memorial is delivered, examined, and acted upon, so that it may reach the authorities above.

The Three Celestial Bureaus (the offices that administer affairs in the Daoist heavens) are to investigate the good deeds and offenses accumulated by a certain household from past lives onward: those of the Nine Generations of Ancestors and Seven Forebears, of the parents, and of the person in question. These include stubborn defiance, shameful conduct, violations of proper order, sexual misconduct, theft, offenses against the patterns of Heaven and Earth, and malign Qi stirred up by curses and entangled with one another. They are also to identify all calamities and misfortune Qi attached to the person’s physical body and connected with their current year and birth destiny.

Next, please dispel the Five Punishments and Six Harms (penalties and various afflictions), along with the calamity of a shortened life, so that the person’s lifespan may be extended and their blessings increased. The sixty Yin-Yang deities of the six Jia cycles and their sixty-day periods are each to carry out their orders, governing the Four Seas, the Eight Extremities, and the regions in the Ten Directions, and to investigate and dispel the calamity and misfortune Qi found there.

Please also determine what offenses the person committed and what actions they took across the fourteen provinces, ninety commanderies, twelve hundred counties, twelve thousand townships and pavilions, and twelve thousand li of territory. Establish which palace, bureau, and prefecture the matter belongs to; which deity imposed the punishment; which ghosts or spirits made the report; and which investigating officer, responsible for inquiry and the pursuit of offenses, took the person into custody. We earnestly beseech the lords, generals, officials, clerks, and troops summoned here to come together…

This is a petition asking celestial generals to avert misfortune, cure illness, and prolong someone’s life. It prays for the removal of documents, registers, and oath records left behind in the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Water, so that all guilt and calamities may be forgiven and dispelled.

The text summons 1,200 “Canghuo Jade Maidens” (a Daoist divine title) to add years to someone’s life and increase their blessings and fortune. It also calls upon 120 kinds of divine Qi (the vital energy of spirits), directing them to rise to the Niwan Palace (a cultivation site within the head) and descend to the Crimson Palace (an internal alchemy term for the heart). There they are to nourish the roots of life, protect longevity, and cure illness. The petition further calls upon the General of the Dark Elder, the Envoys of the Dark Elder, and other divine hosts, as well as the Jade Maidens of the Three Heavens (celestial goddesses), to bestow medicines and jade nectar, transmit true Qi, and harmonize the five viscera and six bowels, sinews, bones, and meridians, so that every illness is cured and sleep is peaceful.

The petition also asks for release from many kinds of calamity: misfortune from Heaven or Earth, astral afflictions, ill fortune arising from one’s birth year, month, and day, the danger of one’s allotted lifespan coming to an end, and disasters caused by offending the spirits of time during marriage, relocation, or burial. It also seeks to resolve misfortune associated with Tai Sui, the monthly governor, the decline of one’s annual Qi and fortune, defying Heaven and Earth, and the weakening of one’s birth destiny. The text holds that enemies from the five directions, resentments, curses, or other calamities may also bring illness and suffering. It therefore again asks the Lord Who Resolves Calamities, the Lord of Great Sovereign Blessings, and other divine generals to inspect the person’s register of destiny, determine the source and severity of the affliction, and dispel it, so that illness leaves and good fortune draws near.

Next, the petition asks Lord Nanchang and other divine generals to restrain the “Three Corpses and Nine Worms” within the body—impure forces that, according to Daoist belief, hinder cultivation and lead people to wrongdoing—and prevent them from escaping or summoning outside influences. It also asks them to expel evil Qi, spirits, and demons. If any malevolent presence remains entrenched, strong celestial officers and soldiers are to go to the person’s dwelling and capture it, leaving both the inner and outer realms pure and under divine protection.

Finally, the petition prays that the person be healthy, that true Qi nourish the limbs, settle the five viscera, and regulate the joints throughout the body. It asks that they pass safely through calamity, return to life from the brink of death, have their name removed from the register of short lives, and be entered in the Jade Register of Long Life, the celestial register symbolizing longevity, with their sins forgiven. The officiant also pledges to urge the person receiving the prayer to practice goodness, abandon wrongdoing, and observe the precepts, so they will no longer violate the laws of Heaven. The petition asks the celestial officials to record merit and grant rewards in accordance with its requests.

The Most High, the Daoist honorific for the highest divine being, examines the affairs of the human world and receives petitions and pleas according to their kind. I, your foolish servant, respectfully dispatch this single urgent petition, with the aid of two direct envoys from the Two Offices, Zhengyi merit officers who convey memorials, the left and right official messengers, Yin-Yang divine adjudicators, ritual carriages and red talisman officers, the mounted post historians of the strong wind, and the relay horse officers who present memorials—two of each. I submit it to the Most High’s Three Heavenly Offices, the celestial bureau responsible for memorials, and await instructions. I, your servant So-and-so, stand in fear and trembling, bow my head and prostrate myself twice, and respectfully make this report.

I, whose surname is So-and-so, belong to the monastery in Such-and-such County, Such-and-such Prefecture.

I respectfully submit this to the Supreme Dao of the Great Purity, Mysterious Origin, Supreme Three Heavens, and Boundless—the Most High Lord Lao, the Most High Elder, the Lord Emperor of Heaven, and the Nine Elders of the Heavenly Offices—and await instructions. I, your servant So-and-so, stand in fear and trembling, bow my head and prostrate myself twice, and respectfully make this report.

I, whose surname is So-and-so, belong to the monastery in Such-and-such County, Such-and-such Prefecture.

I respectfully submit this to the Supreme Dao of the Great Purity, Mysterious Origin, Supreme Three Heavens, and Boundless; the Most High Lord Lao; the Most High Elder; the Lord Emperor of Heaven; the Lord of the Nine Elders’ Immortal Metropolis; the Elder of the Nine Qi; and the Jade Steps of the Great Purity, who command the twelve hundred officials and lords and the layers of Dao Qi.

On such-and-such day, month, hour, and year of the Grand Year, I, your servant So-and-so, respectfully present this memorial at Such-and-such place.

The document may be written in its entirety on a single sheet of paper.

Respectfully submitted to the Jade Steps of the Golden Palace of the Great Purity, Supreme Dao of the Mysterious Origin, Supreme Three Heavens, and Boundless.

I, So-and-so, holding the ritual rank authorized to submit memorials, present this report and carefully seal it.

Inner square envelope:

Respectfully submitted with care.

The petitioner, So-and-so, carefully seals it again.

To be delivered to the relevant official, bureau, seat of governance, and palace under the authority of the Most High Void Elder.

Outer square envelope:

Respectfully submitted with care.

So-and-so, holding the ritual rank authorized to submit memorials, carefully seals it again.

May the Three Heavens’ gatekeepers grant permission for it to be forwarded.

“Memorial for Extending Life and Averting Calamity by Lady Wei of Mount Heng”: the format of the memorial used by Lady Wei of Mount Heng, an immortal revered in Daoism, to pray for a longer life and the removal of calamities.

With this petition, I respectfully report: I, a Daoist priest of the Three Caverns, subject So-and-so, of the Twenty-Four Administrations of Qi under the Celestial Master, including Yangping, and of the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) lineage at Taixuan Capital, bow my head and make obeisance twice as I submit this memorial.

I have respectfully reviewed the documents. Today, a disciple named So-and-so, belonging to an official named So-and-so of a certain prefecture, county, township, and village, bows his head to pray for blessings and protection. He earnestly requests that calamities be dispelled, misfortunes relieved, illnesses cured, and outside disturbances brought to an end. Through this memorial, he also prays that his Shen (spirit) be calmed and his Po (corporeal soul) settled, so that his mind and spirit may be at peace.

The disciple So-and-so has been fortunate to serve the Great Dao and the teachings of the various Lords of the Most High. Protected by the incense offerings at Xuandu, through which Daoists honor the gods and seek their protection, he has been able to live in peace and tranquility. He is deeply grateful and glad. Yet the disciple is dull by nature and unfamiliar with the precepts and liturgical procedures. In practicing the Daoist teachings, he often makes errors and thus brings calamity upon himself. Recently his circumstances have become difficult: his home is unsettled, ghosts and spirits trouble him, both humans and spirits are depleted, his money and possessions are lost, his fields and silkworms yield no harvest, his livestock suffer losses, and members of his household fall ill. One misfortune follows another.

The disciple often dreams that he is among his deceased ancestors. Divination has determined that those causing the disturbances are the spirits of his great-grandparents, uncles and their brothers, aunts, maternal aunts and uncles, sisters, and other relatives from the various branches of the family. Having become ghosts of the dead through foulness and impurity, they hurriedly draw one another along and come together to cause trouble. As a result, the disciple himself and the young and old in his household often have ominous and strange dreams; what they see is unreal. Now, too, ghosts, spirits, and bandits are rife. Good people suffer injustice and abuse, disease is widespread, and many have died. The disciple’s family is caught up in this as well. Fearing they may be unable to escape, they are terrified and have nowhere to turn for help. They can only place their trust wholeheartedly in …

A disciple petitions the divine powers of the Daoist tradition for the preservation of life, explains the circumstances to the officials in charge, and submits a memorial asking that calamities and misfortunes be dispelled. The disciple is ignorant and does not understand the rules of ritual procedure. Following the “Twelve Hundred-Name Memorial” transmitted by the Celestial Master (Tianshi)—a Daoist memorial used to pray for protection and avert calamity—the disciple makes inquiries one by one to discover where the troublesome spirits and ghosts have come from.

After making a personal declaration and consulting an oracle, the disciple can only say that the cause is deceased relatives—grandparents, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters, and other kin—as well as other ghosts. They died of illness in years past, or on inauspicious days and hours, and have now come to cause trouble and make the living sick. The disciple and the entire household, young and old, are consequently suffering calamity and hardship. Some living family members have unstable names; others’ names have been entered in the register of the dead. The disciple now asks that these calamities be investigated and lifted, that the allotted years be increased and life prolonged, that misfortunes of the current cycle be averted, and that urgent illness be treated. The disciple begs for the names to be removed from the register of the dead and entered anew in the register of the living.

The birth destinies, birth years and birth months, and other particulars of every member of the disciple’s household, young and old, as well as their respective star reckonings and lifespans, are all to be extended and rescued if they have been counted among the years of decline and calamity. If any have been recorded as afflicted in a year of the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, or Pig, the disciple asks that the calamity be lifted and that their names be entered anew in the register of the living and recorded in the registers and Jade Calendar. May their souls return to their proper places, calamity dissipate, illness be cured, and the whole household remain safe and unharmed.

The disciple also fears that any member of the household, young or old, may have been recorded as afflicted in a particular month, from the first, second, or third month through the twelfth. The disciple begs that each case be resolved in turn, so that those suffering illness and calamity may escape their distress, recover completely, and live in safety as a household, free from disaster and danger.

If any of the disciples have been recorded as afflicted on a day of the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, or Pig, the disciple begs the troops of True Qi—the divine officers and soldiers commissioned in Daoist ritual to protect people and avert calamity—to lift their afflictions in turn, enter them in the register of the living, and protect their families. May their illnesses be cured, their misfortune and decline recede, ghostly influences disperse, and the whole household remain safe and unharmed.

The disciple also fears that they or their family may have been recorded as afflicted on one of the Twelve Establishment Days, used in the traditional calendar to indicate the auspicious or inauspicious quality of a day: Establish, Remove, Full, Balanced, Stable, Hold, Break, Danger, Accomplish, Receive, Open, or Close. The disciple begs the True Qi Lord to send officers and soldiers to lift these afflictions in turn, erase the entries in the register of the dead, and enter their names anew in the register of the living. May calamity dissipate, illness be cured, the family remain safe, and the chain of misfortune be broken.

The disciple also fears that they or their family may encounter monthly death taboos: in the first month, the Tiger is taboo; in the second, the Rabbit; in the third, the Dragon; in the fourth, the Snake; in the fifth, the Horse; in the sixth, the Goat; in the seventh, the Monkey; in the eighth, the Rooster; in the ninth, the Dog; in the tenth, the Pig; in the eleventh, the Rat; and in the twelfth, the Ox. If these taboos bring on serious illness and calamity, the disciple begs that…

The Great Dao is real. The days on which death is taboo are the You day in the first lunar month, the Xu day in the first ten days of the ninth lunar month, the Hai day in the first ten days of the tenth month, the Zi day in the first ten days of the eleventh month, and the Chou day in the first ten days of the twelfth month. If one violates these taboos, illness and misfortune will become severe, and one may even be reduced to begging.

May the officials, generals, officers, and soldiers of the Great Dao’s true Qi (vital energy) mercifully protect and bless this disciple. Release the disciple from the register of the dead and place their name in the register of the living. I fear that the disciple, [name], and their entire family, young and old alike, may suffer calamities in the month when Tai Sui takes its position, and that their three Hun and seven Po souls may be confined in the Northern Prison of Mount Tai. I also fear that the Great Yin Envoy, the Wind Earl, the Rain Master, and other spirits—or deities calling themselves Tai Sui, Great Yin, Great Yang General, Northern Season Governor of Destinies, or the Twelve Monthly Generals—may make their appointed circuits through the world, traveling across the land with ghost soldiers, accompanied by songs and music, blowing horns and beating drums, and carrying banners and tallies.

I also fear that spirits and ghosts may call themselves the gods of talismans, temples, village altars, and the state; the Lady of the Hearth in the household; the Earth Lord and the Dragon of the House; or the ghosts Binglie, Fengqi, and Li Ao. Moving among thousands of ghosts and myriad spirits, they may use the one hundred and twenty kinds of punishments and calamities between Heaven and Earth to harm the disciple’s family. They may bring illness and disease, cause Jing (essence) and Qi to leave the body and the Hun and Po souls to lose their attachment to it, and make disasters follow one another and every undertaking go awry, until sudden calamity strikes. The disciple is thereby plunged into hardship, anxiety, and urgent distress, fearing there may be no way to escape.

Therefore, the petitioner begs the supreme deities to show compassion. Seeing this, I cannot bear it; despite the offense, I prostrate myself and respectfully submit a written prayer to rescue the afflicted, dispel calamity, and cure illness, sending it to the Celestial Administration. I humbly beseech the Venerable Lord Lao, the Venerable Lord of Heaven, the Celestial Master, the Female Master, the Three Masters, the Lady, the Record Keepers of the Gate, the Lords of the Five Qi, and all the other honored deities to attend to the document I have submitted and promptly convey it upward.

Heavenly Bureau of the Celestial Realm, I beseech you to send down the true Qi, the primordial vital energy spoken of in Daoism, and protect your disciple so-and-so, as well as the young and old, the noble and the lowly in the household, so that all may be safe and sound and blessed forever. If anyone in your disciple so-and-so’s household suffers grave misfortune or illness, I beseech you to grant an early recovery and free them completely from hardship. Please also dispel the evil ghosts wandering outside who entangle and afflict them, so that the dwelling may be at peace. May fierce spirits and evil ghosts flee far away and cease their harm; may benevolent spirits guard the family whenever they go out or come home. May disasters of water and fire pass, and difficulties and obstacles be resolved. Your disciple is endlessly grateful for this boundless grace, and respectfully makes this plea:

I respectfully beseech one Lord of Life and Longevity from the Nine Yi of the East, together with his subordinate officers and generals; one Lord of Life and Longevity from the Eight Man of the South, together with his subordinate officers and generals, numbering one hundred and twenty in all; one Lord of Life and Longevity from the Six Rong of the West, together with his subordinate officers and generals, numbering one hundred and twenty in all; one Lord of Life and Longevity from the Five Di of the North, together with his subordinate officers and generals, numbering one hundred and twenty in all; and one Lord of Life and Longevity, the Lord of Counting Sticks of Wu and Ji in the Central Region, together with his subordinate officers and generals, numbering three hundred and ninety thousand. I beseech all the summoned Heavenly Officials, Lords, Generals, clerks, and soldiers to descend together and rescue the soul and spirit of your disciple so-and-so, freeing them from confinement and attack within their assigned stellar palaces.

The soul and spirit may be trapped among the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions—Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, Ji, Dou, Niu, Nü, Xu, Wei, Shi, Bi, Kui, Lou, Wei, Mao, Bi, Zui, Shen, Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi, and Zhen—or among the thirty-five stellar offices. I beseech the divine officials of these stars and mansions to descend together and protect your disciple so-and-so and the young and old in the household. Above, loosen the net of Heaven; below, remove the snare of Earth. Dispel calamities, carry us through adversity, and sever entanglements and afflictions from outside. May all the ghosts and spirits involved vanish, leaving no lingering harm. May the sick recover; may food be digested smoothly, the complexion return, and the limbs and bones come into harmony, restoring the body to its usual health. I beseech you to aid and protect every member of the household, young and old, noble and lowly, so that all may be safe and sound and find good fortune wherever they go. Your disciple is grateful for this profound grace, and respectfully makes this plea:

On the Yin day of the first month, the Mao day of the second, the Chen day of the third, the Si day of the fourth, the Wu day of the fifth, the Wei day of the sixth, the Shen day of the seventh, the You day of the eighth, the Xu day of the ninth, the Hai day of the tenth, the Zi day of the eleventh, and the Chou day of the twelfth, I beseech one Great General of Release from Bondage to descend with one hundred thousand soldiers. May all these Release from Bondage Generals, officials, and soldiers summoned for each month arrive and free your disciple so-and-so and the household from grave misfortune and illness, as well as from the adversities encountered over the year, in each month, on each day, and at each hour. I beseech the true Qi to dispel all these calamities together, so that we may pass through them in safety and preserve good fortune forever.

Once again, I respectfully beseech twelve hundred Merit Officers of the Northern Immortals who release people from adversity and treat illness; twelve plain-clothed men and women; one Lord of Soul and Spirit Extraction from the Rivers and Luo of Nanchang Palace, leading twelve hundred soldiers; and two hundred Heavenly Physicians. I also beseech twelve plain-clothed men and women, one Lord of Soul and Spirit Extraction from the Rivers and Luo of Nanchang Palace with twelve hundred soldiers, one hundred thousand Merit Officers of the Heavenly Physicians who treat illness, and one hundred thousand Merit Officers of the Earth Physicians who treat illness. May they all descend together to free your disciple so-and-so and the young and old in the household from the bonds of a net, carry them through calamities and adversity, and rescue…

May the seven hun and six po be restored to the body, their wholeness made complete, so that people may escape calamity, recover from illness, and be freed from every pain and affliction. May the spirits of those who died before or after, and those wandering abroad, ascend to another place and cease their disturbances. May every plot laid by wicked people come to nothing. May people sleep peacefully and dream true dreams; may their homes be tranquil, and may every member of the family, young and old, receive good fortune and remain safe from harm.

We earnestly beseech the true officers of the Great Dao, together with their generals, officials, and soldiers, to petition on behalf of the disciple so-and-so and their family before the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, the divine beings who govern those realms; the Five Peaks and Four Rivers, the sacred mountains and great rivers; the Three Rivers and Four Seas; and the divine authorities of the prisons of the myriad ghosts. Ask them to search for the souls of the disciple so-and-so and their family. If they have encountered the calamity of years drawing to a close and the allotted lifespan running out, the calamity of Kui and Gang stars descending upon them, the calamity of Yuanchen being caught in a snare, or the calamity of the Five Phases overcoming one another; if they face any of the calamities from one through nine, or any of the 120 kinds of punitive misfortune, we earnestly ask that all be lifted. We also ask that their detained souls be released and returned to their bodies, so that they may recover.

If their souls cannot be found, please inquire into the Three Mounds and Five Tombs, the burial grounds of their ancestors and the related regions of the underworld, and retrieve the disciple so-and-so’s three hun and seven po. For a woman, retrieve her three hun and fourteen po. Restore the souls to the body. If they still cannot be found, please inquire among the twenty-four prisons of Taishan and bring the souls back. May grave calamities and every kind of illness and pain thereby be dispelled; may a thousand kinds of misfortune be brought to an end, and may life and destiny be made whole and restored to their original state.

May the four limbs and five bodily parts, the three palaces and six viscera, the seven orifices, the nutritive and defensive Qi, the 360 joints, the 1,200 forms and shadows, and the 12,000 essences of light within the body all be restored to health. May the five-colored glasslike substance within the body, and its red and white Qi, likewise be made whole. If the Heavenly Granary, the storehouse symbolizing one’s allotment of fortune and life, is lacking, increase its measures of grain. If life is too brief, increase the allotted years. If one’s destiny is inauspicious, please alter it on their behalf: turn a short life into a long one, and turn blue into yellow, so that life may be extended and calamity and decline forever left behind, with every illness dispelled.

May the spirits of those who died before or after, and those wandering abroad, turn toward goodness and together protect the people, no longer entangling or disturbing them. May the family be safe, the home tranquil, comings and goings go smoothly, and all undertakings fulfill their wishes. May the disciple so-and-so receive this blessing.

The Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, who govern the affairs of their respective realms, and the officials and generals under them are responsible for recording the meritorious deeds of those who have earned merit. In accordance with the Three Assembly Days, the designated days for Daoist purification rituals, memorial submissions, and other rites, I submit this memorial, recount my merits, and request advancement. I dare not betray the trust placed in me by the divine. I humbly ask the Most High, an honorific title for the supreme divinity in Daoism, to examine and judge this matter with discernment, and to show compassion by addressing each request appropriately.

In my ignorance, I respectfully dispatch two each of the following officials: the Direct Envoys of the Two Offices; the Left and Right Envoys of the Zhengyi Merit Officers; the Yin-Yang Spirit Diviners; the Ritual Vehicle and Red Talisman Officers; the Strong Wind Relay Riders; and the Relay Horse Memorial Bearers. They carry this memorial to submit it above. I respectfully pray on behalf of the disciple So-and-so and the young and old throughout their family: may their lifespans be extended, calamities fated in their lives be lifted, disasters dispelled, and illnesses cured. In times of danger, may their souls be restored, and may this memorial be protected. I respectfully offer one oral memorial, a memorial submitted by speech or in writing, to be delivered to the Three Heavens of the Most High, the celestial courts of the upper realm in Daoism.

I respectfully pray on behalf of the disciple So-and-so and the young and old throughout their family: may their lifespans be extended, calamities lifted, disasters dispelled, and illnesses cured. In times of danger, may their souls be restored, and may this memorial be protected. I respectfully submit one memorial to the Heavenly Bureau of the Three Heavens of the Most High, the celestial office responsible for documents and affairs, and await its reply.

I, So-and-so, am filled with reverent apprehension. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice, submitting this matter above.

I, whose surname is So-and-so, am affiliated with the Daoist temple in So-and-so County, So-and-so Prefecture.

I respectfully submit this memorial to the Great Pure One, the Mysterious Origin, the Supreme Three Heavens, the Limitless Great Dao; to the Most High Lord Lao; the Most High Elder; the Lord of Heaven; the Lords of the Nine Elders and Immortal Capitals; the Elders of the Nine Qi; the countless layers of Dao Qi; the twelve hundred officials and lords; and those beneath the Jade Steps of the Great Pure One.

Submitted at a certain place, on a certain day, in a certain month and year, at a certain hour.

End of Volume One of The Most High’s Memorial for Proclaiming Urgent Aid and Transformation.

The Most High’s Memorial for Proclaiming Compassionate Aid and Transformation, Volume Two

Compiled by Master Guangcheng, Du Guangting

Memorial of Repentance and Acknowledgment by a Daoist Priest

I, So-and-so, holder of the ritual rank, am filled with reverent apprehension. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice as I submit this memorial. [The text that follows repeats the memorial title and volume heading.]

Your servant, the petitioner of a certain surname, holding a ritual office, stands in awe and reverence, bows his head, and prostrates twice to submit this memorial:

I have been fortunate to serve in administrative posts through many lifetimes, carrying out the pure and still method of treating people’s illnesses. Yet my abilities are dim, and I do not understand the affairs of ghosts and spirits. I have been unable to assist my teachers wholeheartedly or heal the sick, and I have had no suitable means to do so. Thus I have incurred guilt and brought calamities and punitive scrutiny upon myself. My illness keeps returning; I am at a loss in my work, and wherever I go, things go badly. When ordinary people are beset by hardship, I feel anxiety and fear. So I have explained my circumstances to my subordinates and begged them for help and release.

I inherited the teachings of my lineage and was entrusted with overseeing this matter. I have carefully listened to this account and dare not conceal anything, so I submit it to you with due humility. I have governed the people and instructed them for a long time. Perhaps I have at times failed to carry out the laws properly, causing the Three Qi of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity to fall out of balance; perhaps my merits were concealed or their recognition delayed, so that promotion and rewards were not granted; perhaps blessings and emoluments that should have been stored in the Celestial Treasury were not delivered on time; or perhaps the favors I sought were unreasonable and stirred resentment among the people. These failings are many. Their accumulated offenses have brought punitive scrutiny, and in turn have drawn illness and harmful influences.

May the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water—divine officials who govern their respective realms—investigate and lift the punitive scrutiny. May the officials who record merit report my accomplishments truthfully, so that I may be promoted, proceed to the Upper and Central Palaces to receive merit and reward, and be appointed to a post in the Envoy Bureau, no longer stirring resentment. May the officials in charge of the Celestial Bureau examine my merits and faults, extend their grace and pardon, and give me the chance to amend my ways and begin anew, forgiving all the many offenses of the past. I humbly beseech the Most High to recognize my ignorance and incapacity, judge each matter separately, and show compassion.

I respectfully dispatch two direct envoys, the Zhengyi Merit Officer, the left and right official envoys, the Yin-Yang Spirit Adjudicators, the Ritual-Carriage Red-Talisman Officers, and the Strong-Wind Courier Horse Officers who carry memorials, two of each, to carry out this business. I, your servant of a certain surname, earnestly petition on behalf of a certain person: may this person confess, acknowledge their faults, and seek pardon, and may one memorial of grace requesting blessings and the dispelling of calamities—seeking forgiveness for offenses, the descent of blessings, and the removal of calamities—be submitted to the appropriate Bureau. I respectfully await its reply.

I, your servant of a certain surname, stand in awe and reverence, bow my head, and prostrate twice to submit this memorial.

Two of each of the Courier Horse Officers who carry memorials are dispatched to carry out this business. I, your servant of a certain surname, earnestly petition on behalf of a certain person: may this person confess, acknowledge their faults, and seek pardon, and may one memorial of grace requesting blessings and the dispelling of calamities be submitted to the appropriate Bureau.

A certain Cao official: I respectfully ask you to investigate and report this matter. My heart is filled with fear and unease. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice, and respectfully submit this petition.

Petition of a Daoist Priest Seeking Pardon

Your servant, who holds a religious office, is filled with fear and unease. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice, and submit this petition to the authorities above:

I respectfully set down my confession in this formal petition. I, for my part, am dull-witted and indolent by nature, and have repeatedly failed to observe the Daoist rites and laws. Though I hold a religious office, I have not effectively spread the teachings, causing the people and all living things to fall into disarray. I have also often been slow to offer aid and healing. At times I knowingly did wrong; at times my resolve was weak and my abilities fell short. At times I appeared to follow the righteous path while actually acting deceitfully, and in my conduct I violated the rules.

I was once charged with teaching the people, yet disturbed them instead. I also misappropriated property, shifted blame, and used ritual implements and sacred objects without authorization. I showed respect in words but was negligent in my heart, and looked down on my teachers and the teachings. I used doctrine to tell lies and conspired with others to fabricate falsehoods. I hounded people for money and made minor offenses sound grave.

I also sowed discord among my clan and relatives, and caused fathers and sons in my household to turn against one another. I felt jealousy where I should have acted with integrity, and behaved in an immoral and debased way. Morning and evening I spoke insults, and my words defiled the quiet purity of the righteous path. I harbored resentment and anger, and acted without restraint. When performing rites, I failed to follow the rules of the arts of Liu Ren, Liu Bing, Liu Gui, and Liu Ding. I also made mistakes in regulating my breath and guiding Qi, and violated prohibitions concerning the proper times.

I once grew arrogant on account of favor shown to me and ignored other people’s urgent needs. At the sight of desire, my spirit was unsettled; taking advantage of my status as an elder, I made demands by force. I drank wine, ate meat, indulged in lust, and stole property. I failed to recommend deserving officials and soldiers for timely advancement. I was combative and vicious, and exposed other people’s shortcomings. I disclosed private matters and spoke about others’ rights and wrongs. After receiving admonitions, I mocked them and revealed what was secret. I deceived my teachers and frightened ignorant people. I spoke recklessly about the essential truths of Daoism, and presumed to define the forms and names of the Dao. I harbored resentment and carried out rites of investigation and probing on my own authority. I also embellished my own merits and disparaged others.

These offenses amount to twenty-nine counts. My violations rightly warrant the scrutiny of the Bureau of the Mysterious Realm, the divine office that administers Daoist precepts and investigations. Weighed according to their severity, they are enough to leave me reduced to ashes. Yet the Great Dao is magnanimous, and the Most High cherishes life. I beg for compassion: grant me life and pardon my thousand offenses and countless faults, so that I may come to understand the profound grace by which Heaven and Earth sustain and shelter all things.

I will also censure myself and diligently observe the precepts. I dare not again treat my former conduct as a matter of habit. I respectfully beg that this petition be granted.

The Most High, an honorific for the supreme deity in Daoism, has perceived the ignorance and incompetence of this humble subject. I respectfully dispatch two divine officials each: the Direct Messengers of the Two Offices; the left and right officials and messengers of the Zhengyi Merit Bureau, who convey documents; the Yin-Yang divine adjudicators; the officials of the ritual chariot and vermilion talisman; and the officials who bear memorials on post horses through the strong winds. I, your subject, [name], respectfully plead for pardon on behalf of [person], confessing their faults and asking these divine officials to submit a memorial on their behalf and seek a gracious decree. I now present one precious memorial, to be delivered to the relevant Office, the celestial bureau responsible for this matter, and await its reply. In fear and trembling, I bow my head twice in reverence and respectfully submit this memorial.

Memorial by a Daoist Priest Requesting Reassignment or Release from Punishment

Stating my report and ritual rank: I, your subject, surnamed [name], in fear and trembling, bow my head twice in reverence and submit this memorial. I have carefully examined the documents. [Person] states as follows: Born as an ordinary person, he received no schooling in his youth and did not understand the principles of the Great Dao. In the past, he was glad to enter the Dao and come under its governance. Through special grace, he was permitted to serve as an administrator, instructing the people and managing household registers, and has continued in this role for many years. He is indeed grateful for this, yet, being an ignorant mortal, he does not know how to repay the kindness shown to him.

He fears that he has failed to live up to this favor, and has examined himself repeatedly: his De is shallow, yet he bears great responsibility; his ears and eyes are closed, and his understanding is unclear. He has held office only a short time and does not know the rules and prohibitions; in carrying out his duties, he has often transgressed them. Because of these failings, on a certain day in a certain month and year he suddenly fell ill, and has not recovered since. He restrains himself and reflects on his errors, daring not to make excuses. He fears only that his offenses are grave and his misdeeds have accumulated. Therefore, he submits this memorial to the Celestial Office and asks its officials in charge to send the spirits of inquiry and their clerks and soldiers down to the human realm, to question and punish him at [person’s] home. The Celestial Office then imposed severe punishment, subjecting him to interrogation and beating day and night, yet his illness has still not improved. He again examines himself and repents of his errors, daring not to make excuses. He fears only that his offenses are grave and his misdeeds have accumulated, and respectfully submits this memorial.

The Celestial Bureaucracy (the offices of heaven) dispatched officials charged with investigating wrongdoing. They gathered officers and soldiers and came to a household to punish a certain person. By day and night they beat and tortured him with staffs and poison, allowing him no rest. His breath grew faint, and his life hung by a thread. Everyone in the household was terrified and feared they would not survive.

Since taking office, this person had shown no reverence for Heaven and Earth above, and no filial respect for his parents below. He had ignored his teachers’ instructions. His evil deeds outnumbered his good ones; he rebelled more often than he obeyed. He was often angry and rarely joyful. He offended Heaven and Earth, the sun, moon, and stars, and violated the taboos of the Five Phases at their times of flourishing and decline, as well as the prohibitions of the four seasons. He dug up level ground, filled in wells and ditches, and blocked waterways and roads. He cut down trees and killed living creatures, raided birds’ nests, and destroyed their eggs. He secretly harmed people and stole their property. He killed without cause, filling the roads with resentment. He treated Heaven and Earth with contempt, claiming there were no spirits in the world. He took other people’s possessions, brazenly denied it, and refused to return them. He concealed others’ strengths and publicized their faults. He turned away from the righteous Way and lied; he sowed discord and spread gossip, cursed and abused others, and acted perversely and without regard for the Way. He exploited the poor by making them work for his own gain. He lusted after women, had illicit affairs, and committed adultery with other men’s wives. He also envied those who surpassed him and sought to suppress and exclude them. Because his conduct was improper and against reason, he brought severe punishment upon himself. His hun and po souls were seized, and the brutal torments of the Five Poisons descended upon him; he was on the verge of utter destruction. Now all this has been made known near and far, so that people may understand the depth of his guilt.

The person carefully recounts each matter, one by one, and dares conceal nothing. If anything has been left out, he will again suffer the seizure of his hun and po souls, their binding, and the cruel torments of the Five Poisons—punishment he truly deserves a thousand times over. He hopes thereby to gain some respite and, from now on, to keep correcting his faults. He is willing to cleanse his heart and repent completely, accepting pain as if his sinews were torn apart and his bones broken. He dares no longer regard his former self as innocent, but submits as an ordinary person and repents of his sins. If he can be granted forgiveness, he will be deeply grateful beyond measure.

I, your servant, faithfully record his account. Braving the dangers of boiling water and fire, I submit this petition to the heavenly court and earnestly ask the compassionate officials of the Celestial Bureaucracy to show mercy and examine the case. The ordinary person solemnly promises, prostrate on the ground, that if the officials responsible for investigating wrongdoing and summoning officers and soldiers have rendered a service, he will offer them the merit in return.

The Celestial Bureaucracy (the offices of the heavenly realm) has accepted the petition for a reward. Once the matter is settled, he may enter the Central Palace (the heavenly administration) to pay his respects to the officials and be assigned a suitable post. All this will be handled according to established procedure; do not let it give rise to resentment. Although a certain person’s guilt has been established and he should by rights have been reduced to ashes and ceased to exist, he clings to life like a sparrow or a rat and is determined to mend his ways. I humbly ask that his offenses be pardoned, that life be granted to him anew, that his guilt be removed, and that he be permitted to do good from now on. May his illness gradually improve, his spirit and complexion return, his Qi and blood become balanced, and his body recover, as proof that the petition has been answered. I humbly ask the Most High to decide.

I am dull by nature. I respectfully request that the divine officials who serve as proof that this petition has been answered—the Two Direct Envoys, the Zhengyi Merit Officer (an official in the Daoist heavenly bureaucracy who conveys documents and handles affairs), the left and right official envoys, the Yin-Yang Spirit Adjudicators, the Red Talisman Officers of the Ritual Vehicle, and the other divine officials—attend to this matter. I humbly ask the Most High to decide.

I am dull by nature. I respectfully request that the Two Direct Envoys, the Zhengyi Merit Officer, the left and right official envoys, the Yin-Yang Spirit Adjudicators, the Red Talisman Officers of the Ritual Vehicle, and the officials who ride the strong winds and carry memorials by relay horse each send two representatives to carry out their duties. I humbly pray on behalf of a certain person: please remove his offenses and protect him in his illness. I submit one copy of this memorial of grace to the Celestial Bureaucracy and await notification of the result. I, so-and-so, am filled with fear and trembling. I bow until my head touches the ground, then bow twice and submit this memorial.

Memorial for a Daoist Who Has Violated the Registers to Confess and Seek Pardon

I, so-and-so, a subject holding the appropriate ritual rank, am filled with fear and trembling. I bow until my head touches the ground, then bow twice.

Memorial submitted: I was originally dull in my natural endowment and made my living handling worldly affairs. I took pleasure in spreading instruction and governing those under my charge. I submitted my life to the Lords and Masters and the Dao Lord, and, having received their great kindness, was permitted to serve in an administrative office. I received and wore an immortal register—the credential of religious office conferred by Daoism—and was charged with managing household registers and governing the people, proclaiming the Orthodox Teaching, assisting the state, and protecting its destiny.

Yet I am a mortal embodied in flesh, born into a corrupt age. In my youth I did not study diligently and did not understand the principles of the Great Dao. I did not properly observe the teaching, and my conduct went astray. I was disloyal and unfilial, neither compassionate nor benevolent; even among parents and siblings, I failed to show mutual respect and obedience. I coveted wealth and sensual pleasures, drank wine and ate meat, and in all sorts of words and deeds violated the prohibitions of my immortal register. Recently, what I see in dreams and while awake has become confused together, and many strange events have occurred. Things have gone badly at home, and there have often been quarrels and disputes. All this is because, as a mortal, I have broken the precepts and failed to keep my pledges, bringing hardship upon myself.

I fear that calamity may suddenly befall me, and I dare not presume that I can endure what lies ahead. I respectfully risk the dangers of boiling water and fire and submit this memorial to the Heavenly Court. I beg Lord Bi Ru and his one hundred and twenty officers and generals to release me from the many offenses I have committed, including violating the prohibitions of my immortal register and drinking wine and eating meat, and to harmonize and resolve all these transgressions. I have committed a thousand kinds of offenses; I beg that I may receive generous pardon and forgiveness. From now on, I will purify my intentions, correct my past faults, and cultivate myself diligently for the future. I hereby make a solemn vow that I will commit no further offenses before the end of the year, as proof that I have amended my ways. May the Most High examine my case with clear insight.

May the Most High examine each matter distinctly and take pity on me, a foolish and lowly servant. I respectfully call upon the divine officers and messengers of the Two Bureaus, the Zhengyi functionaries, the left and right official envoys, the Yin-Yang spirit-deciding clerks, the clerks of the red talisman of the ritual carriage, and the clerks who carry memorials by horse through the relay stations of the fierce wind, two of each, to travel and perform their duties. I, your servant so-and-so, respectfully pray on behalf of so-and-so, asking that his transgressions be cleared away and that his mortal body be kept safe and protected. I beg that this memorial of gratitude be presented in a single copy and sent to the Celestial Bureau, and I await the Heavenly Court’s reply. Your servant so-and-so, filled with awe and dread, bows his head and prostrates himself twice, and respectfully submits this memorial.

Memorial for a Daoist Traveling Afar

Your servant so-and-so, whose religious offices are fully listed, filled with awe and dread, bows his head and prostrates himself twice.

I state: I am descended from a line of officials. By good fortune, I have lived through a thousand years and been appointed to a governing office. I have also received, by imperial favor, celestial officials and soldiers to protect me. Such gifts are beyond what a foolish and lowly person like me deserves. I have only recently begun to receive instruction, and my knowledge is limited; day and night I am anxious and uneasy, as though standing over an abyss. Now I am setting out for a certain place. The road is long and perilous, the world is in decline, people are deceitful, and the baleful influence of ghosts has not yet been cleared away. I fear an attack by bandits, and, lacking experience, I am anxious and afraid day and night, as though standing over an abyss.

In an age of decline, people’s hearts are false, malevolent influences have not yet been cleared away, and there is fear of encountering robbers and bandits. Someone is about to set out on a long journey and has come before me with a request, hoping it will be presented to the Heavenly Court. I therefore pray on behalf of this person for the Heavenly Official, the Lord of the Armies, together with his one hundred and twenty officials and generals; for the Lord Who Shakes Heaven and Moves Earth, the Lord of the Nine Qi, and an army of one hundred and fifty thousand; and for the Lord of the Left Horse and his one hundred and twenty officials and generals. May they all assemble and accompany this person on the journey, driving away treachery, every kind of danger, and disputes in the courts, so that no harm may befall them. May the clerks and troops guard and protect them, dispel every evil, drive back the bandits, and keep the roads clear.

I also pray for the lords and spirits of the Nine Yi in the east, the Eight Man in the south, the Six Rong in the west, the Five Di in the north, and the Three Qin in the central regions, each leading one hundred thousand soldiers to come. I further call upon troops clad in iron armor and treading on sharp blades; troops able to quell disasters of water and fire; and troops clad in reverse armor, their scales turned against their foes—one million two hundred thousand in all. May the thirty-five official lords under the command of the Nine Heavens’ military talisman descend, together with the Red Yang Ten-Strikes Generals, who raise their banners and beat their drums, and their one hundred thousand soldiers; the True Officials of the four directions; the Yellow Emperor, Lord Who Registers Qi; and the Star of the Encampment with his one hundred and twenty officials and generals. May they all descend together to guard and protect this person, driving away malevolent spirits, evildoers, and all acts of treachery.

May the True Officials of the Dao’s precinct, the Yellow Emperor, Lord Who Registers Qi, and the Star of the Encampment with his one hundred and twenty officials and generals descend together to protect this person. Let them clear the road of wangliang—the spirits of mountains and rivers—and of baleful Qi, so that all malign influences disperse and the journey out and back is safe. On the day this person returns, let merit be recorded for all the official lords, generals, and clerks summoned for this purpose.

I also call upon the divine lords who oversee the commanderies and counties, the waterways and land routes, the villages and stations, and every district this person passes through; the official lords of the Two Mysteries and Three Origins, and of the Four Beginnings and the sexagenary cycle; the gods of postal stations and inns; the spirits who register ghosts in the military offices; the Lords of Equal Peace of the Four Wilds and Nine Regions; the elders of the mountain forests; the Twelve Creek Maidens; the Water Emperor of the Nine Rivers; and the River Earl, Lord Lü’s Son. May they all safeguard the roads, ensuring smooth passage by land and safe crossings by water. All who render service must in due time receive their reward; let none be overlooked.

May this person receive the blessing, attain the desired outcome, and take it as proof of the efficacy of this petition. Respectfully submitted.

May the Most High understand and forgive my limited wisdom. In accordance with ritual procedure, I respectfully dispatch two Direct Envoys of the Two Offices, Zhengyi Merit Officers, Left and Right Official Messengers, Yin-Yang Spirit Clerks, Red Talisman Clerks of the Ritual Carriage, Strong Wind Mounted Relay Officers, and Courier Officers who convey memorials by post horse—two of each—to pray on behalf of me, [name], for the safety of [person’s name], and to ask that all regions, on land and water, protect him. Please deliver this memorial requesting benevolent grace to [name of the Celestial Bureau], and I await its reply. I, [name], am filled with awe and fear. I bow my head twice and submit this memorial.

An old matter: the path interrupted, the ritual covenant long neglected

Your servant [name], holder of the listed ritual offices, is filled with awe and fear. I bow my head twice and submit this memorial:

[Person’s name] is a dull-witted descendant of a later generation who has long practiced the good Dao. In the past, when the fortunes of the Han dynasty shifted, the teachings of ritual and law spread widely. Though [person’s name] lives in the secular world, he has not abandoned the Dao’s quiet and pure practices. Yet his dwelling lies near an underworld bureau, and the troubles he has encountered are entangled with evil spirits. Dull and benighted, he has performed no meritorious deeds worthy of record, and so malicious ghosts have set upon and harmed him. Recently, illness has repeatedly struck his household, servants have died, and his wealth has steadily dwindled. He has examined himself and searched for his faults, but cannot discover their cause. He therefore sought the Dao’s aid and pleaded for help, but has not yet received protection. He then told your servant of his plight and asked me to write a memorial on his behalf. I respectfully submit this petition for him, hoping the Celestial Bureau will take pity and examine his case.

I reflect that [person’s name]’s family has followed the Dao for a long time and ought to be protected by the honored spirits. Yet they have suffered hardship and misfortune. I suspect he may have acted improperly, going against the profound harmony of the Dao, reversing the proper order of fortune and adversity, and becoming indistinguishable from the secular world. This has caused the Three Origins and Four Beginnings—the primordial foundations and essential beginnings of the Daoist heavens—to grow ever more clear and remote, while the myriad ghosts of the lower realms treat him as someone they can control. In a moment of confusion, he has become unable to free himself. I beg the honored spirits to take pity and forgive him, absolve him of his faults, and ensure that from now on all things go smoothly and prosperously, every illness is dispelled, and everyone in his household remains safe…

The Most High, a Daoist honorific for the supreme deity, understands and pities the ignorance and inadequacy of those below. I, your servant, respectfully dispatch two direct messengers from the official bureaus, the Zhengyi merit officers—divine functionaries who convey memorials and conduct official business—the left and right bureau envoys, the Yin-Yang divination officers, the ritual-cart and red-talisman officers, and the clerks who carry memorials on the firm wind and by post-horse relay. I assign two from each office to present this memorial with reverence. I beseech the Most High to bestow grace and permit this memorial to ascend.

The Most High understands and pities the ignorance and inadequacy of those below. I, your servant, now order two members of each of the aforementioned offices to set out. I respectfully pray on behalf of a certain person that calamities and misfortune be dispelled and the family kept safe. This memorial has been completed and submitted to a certain celestial bureau. I await its notice and reply, and with utmost sincerity and trepidation, I bow my head twice and submit this petition.

Memorial to End Disputes and Slander in All Four Directions

I, a servant holding a ritual office, submit this petition in fear and reverence, bowing my head twice. The younger generations of my descendants grew up amid crude, worldly customs and are unfamiliar with Daoist rites. Because I was temporarily short of personnel, I was mistakenly appointed to fill an administrative post. I must now submit to inquiry and examination.

I submit this memorial to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water. I, a foolish mortal, lacked sincerity during my tenure and often made mistakes. My heart is troubled and afraid, and I have nowhere to turn. I, your servant So-and-so, bow my head and prostrate myself twice. On such-and-such a day in such-and-such a month and year, I received the “Essential Teachings on the True One,” important instructions on cultivating the True One. But, being dull and ignorant, I could not fully understand the methods for nourishing the spirit and receiving Qi.

I ought to have followed these teachings. Yet among worldly people I saw many whose words and deeds contradicted one another. They slandered their teachers and elders, denigrated the Dao and its methods, and argued without end. When they came to me, each believed only himself to be right. I have therefore incurred guilt through no fault of my own and deserve severe punishment. I dare not hope to live. Fortunately, I have received the kindness of the lords above me. I humbly prostrate myself and submit this memorial.

I beseech the million troops under the command of the Supreme Lord of Azure Mystery to oversee the capture of those who spread discord, as well as the ghosts and spirits who curse and make blasphemous oaths. I also beseech the one hundred and twenty officers and generals of the Six Star Lords of the Southern Constellation, together with the thirty billion Yue Maiden troops of the celestial circuit, to come promptly and seize the wicked and rebellious. May those who refuse to obey, secretly plot slander, or stir up disputes be sought out household by household, so that they may reconcile with one another and put an end to evil and violent slander. May the matter be settled at once, as proof of the efficacy of this petition.

May the lords, generals, officials, and troops whom I have invoked, along with the spirits of the stars in their respective places, send down their power from the four directions to observe, investigate, and assemble the lords, generals, officials, and troops; record their merits; and recommend them for promotion. I dare not break faith. I beg you to pardon the countless offenses I have committed, both before and after. I will devote all my strength and dare not slacken; I ask only that the matter be settled and peace restored, as proof of the efficacy of this petition. I humbly pray that my compassionate father and mother pity my ignorance and lowliness.

I respectfully entrust this memorial to the divine officials who serve as messengers of the Two Offices, the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Merit Officers, the left and right official envoys, the Yin-Yang Spirit Decision Officials, the Keyi (liturgy) Chariot and Red Talisman Officials, and the other divine officials, to convey it. I will devote all my strength and dare not slacken; I ask only that the matter be settled and peace restored, as proof of the efficacy of this petition. I earnestly beg your gracious kindness…

May the Compassionate Father and Mother take pity on me, their dull and ineffectual subject. In accordance with the liturgy, I respectfully request the dispatch of two divine officials each: the Two Direct Envoys, the Zhengyi Registers Officers, the Left and Right Official Messengers, the Yin-Yang Spirit-Decision Clerks, the Red Talisman Clerks of the Ritual Carriage, and the clerks who bear memorials on swift-wind courier horses. I respectfully pray on behalf of a certain person that disputes and harmful gossip be dispelled and his body protected. I reverently submit a Grace Memorial—a petition asking the gods to bestow their favor—and send it to a certain Celestial Bureau, where I quietly await notice and reply.

I, your subject, so-and-so, am filled with fear and reverence. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice as I submit this memorial.

Memorial for Settling Qi in Illness

I, your subject, so-and-so, duly invested with the appropriate ritual office, am filled with fear and reverence. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice.

The petition states: I am descended from a low-ranking official. My ancestors, generation after generation, worshipped various false gods, yet received no blessings. Instead, they met with hardship and calamity. So I devoted myself to the Great Dao and sought to preserve my life. Since entering the Daoist community, I have received the Great Dao’s grace; everyone in my household has been safe and well. I feel both reverence and joy.

Yet my mortal body and conduct are often at fault. Since a certain month and year, I have repeatedly been unwell. My limbs feel heavy, and I often lie down and seldom rise. My dreams and waking experiences have become confused and jumbled. At times, in a quiet room, I seem to be in a ruined place, as though lying before guests. At other times, I climb mountains and cross ridges, or travel by cart or boat. Sometimes I feel resentment, and my joy and anger become excessive. Sometimes I speak of ghosts and spirits, claiming to convey the commands of the gods. Sometimes I scold my family and speak about the common people; at other times, I grieve without end. These behaviors have no apparent cause and have persisted for a long time. My illness waxes and wanes, while my body grows steadily thinner. I fear I may never escape this plight, and that evil spirits may cloud my mind and lead me astray from the right path. For this reason, I have asked the official in charge to examine and investigate my condition.

The official in charge says that although he bears the insignia of a lofty Daoist office and holds divine registers—lists recording divine offices and talismanic commands—his sincerity is slight and his resolve uncertain. He may not be able to drive away evil spirits or avert calamities. He therefore carefully submits this memorial, praying that the Great General Xuan Lao and twelve attendants, together with one hundred and twenty official officers and generals, descend upon this person and take charge of capturing and expelling the ghosts and various spirits that defy the Three Officials (the Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water), as well as those who falsely claim to be gods or invoke the divine way for their own purposes.

If this person’s bone structure truly corresponds to Heaven’s mandate, and, after receiving appointment, he is able to receive Central Qi—the inner primordial energy or cultivated Qi described in Daoism—then I beseech the gods to look upon him and distinguish the true from the false, so that evil spirits may disperse and his Qi may return to purity. Let this serve as proof of the efficacy of the rite. I earnestly pray for your gracious attention.

The Most High (the supreme deity) will judge each matter separately. The Most High took pity on my ignorance and low standing, and therefore respectfully dispatched two direct envoys of the Two Offices, Zhengyi merit officers (divine officials who transmit documents and assist with official business), the left and right official envoys, Yin-Yang divine adjudicating officers, red-talisman officers of the ritual carriage, and mounted post officers who carry memorials on swift horses through the fierce wind—two of each kind—to carry out the task. I respectfully pray that so-and-so’s limbs be healthy and their movements safe. I submit a memorial of grace, sending it to a certain Celestial Bureau, and await notice of the outcome. I, so-and-so, am filled with fear and trembling; I bow my head twice and submit this petition.

A handwritten talismanic memorial presented by a Daoist priest to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water

Your servant, so-and-so, holding the ritual rank, is filled with fear and trembling. I bow my head twice and submit this petition:

So-and-so, a male/female resident of a certain district, county, township, and village, named Jia, aged so many years, respectfully sets out each of their transgressions in a handwritten statement, recorded as follows. Write each matter as a separate entry. Do not use exaggerated language to conceal a fault, nor hide grave offenses while mentioning only minor ones. If one merely admits guilt without giving a full account, the officials responsible for investigation will be unable to determine the facts.

Jia, aged so many years, committed the following transgression at a certain time: on a certain year, month, day, and hour, Jia, a male/female resident of a certain district, county, and village, aged so many years, with a household registration of so many persons, violated the precepts they had undertaken to observe because of a certain matter. On a certain year, month, and day, the investigating officials examined the case, but the matter remained unresolved. This is one case.

Jia, aged so many years, committed the following transgression at a certain time: on a certain year, month, day, and hour, Jia, a male/female resident of a certain district, county, and village, aged so many years, with a household registration of so many persons, violated the precepts they had undertaken to observe because of a certain matter. On a certain month and day, they suddenly fell ill and suffered calamity. Their illness and pain have not improved to this day, and their life may be in danger. I respectfully write this statement by hand and proceed to…

The Most High Lord Lao of the Great Dao—profound and primordial, supreme and boundless, beyond the Three Heavens—one of Daoism’s highest deities; the Most High Elder; the Lord of the Metropolitan Office; and all the divine officials who investigate people’s conduct: the Six Qualities and Six Shells, the Twenty-Four Lords, the officers and generals serving under the three ancestral masters—the Celestial Master, the Inheriting Master, and the Lineage Master—and the officials of every commandery and county center of governance: I ask you to descend from the four directions with numinous Qi, to investigate and summon the relevant divine officials.

I am now suffering from illness. I have written this document by hand as proof, first listing the wrongs I have committed, their relative gravity, whether they were good or evil, and their categories. My name and the particulars are set out in this document. I beg you to preserve my life and let my illness subside and heal. Once I have recovered, I will surely abide by this handwritten pledge and practice filial conduct, following the teachings of my master: I will be caring and benevolent, loyal and filial; I will respect the old and cherish the young, take in orphans, care for widows, and aid the poor and weak.

Within my master’s household, when matters arise, I should discuss them with the household. We must not become estranged from one another, harbor resentment or jealousy, sow discord, spread gossip, abandon the right way, or lie and deceive. We must not set up a separate code of conduct and accuse one another. Nor must we conceal shameful deeds while speaking only of our merits, disguise grave offenses as minor faults, or fail to confess truthfully. If one day I violate this handwritten pledge, I am willing to confess, one by one, to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water—the divine officials who govern those realms—the wrongs committed through my body and speech. I will not dare complain or blame anyone.

I respectfully summon the Lords of the Nine Yi in the east, the Eight Man in the south, the Six Rong in the west, the Five Di in the north, and the Lord of the Three Qin in the center, clad in iron and shod with blades. Let each lead twelve attendants and a million officers and generals, together with the troops of reversed hair and crossed scales, and come alongside the Azure Emperor of the east, the Red Emperor of the south, the White Emperor of the west, the Black Emperor of the north, the Yellow Emperor of the center, and the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, Gouchen, and the rest, to investigate.

I, an ordinary mortal, ask only to live and have my life preserved. I am willing to follow the Way of the Masters and pass it down for millions of generations. May all the people under Heaven, whether they have entered the Way or not, hear of and learn about this handwritten pledge, take this document as proof of their faith in the Dao, and uphold it for a long time.

Because the events go back a long way, I cannot recall everything at once. I will reflect on them repeatedly; if anything has been omitted, I will continue to add it, doing so once every three days. If my petition is examined, may the Compassionate Father and Holy Mother take pity on all living beings. From this day forward, I will steadily correct my faults and renew myself. Even if this requires exhausting my strength and enduring hardship, I will not dare act as I did before. I ask only that my life be preserved.

I now carefully write this document by hand and place my mark at the end as proof.

I make this petition: I am a person of ordinary birth, born in mortal flesh, and my ancestors were ordinary people as well. In my youth I did not study or seek learning, and I lacked understanding. Yet later I was appointed to serve as a ritual official—a post within the Daoist tradition—and I am ashamed of my inadequacy. I should have assisted the Celestial Master in proclaiming the Dao’s Qi, helped the state, supported the people’s lives, and healed the sick.

By nature, I have six shortcomings. I am dull-witted and unable to proclaim the Dao’s Qi, urge people toward goodness, or teach them to turn from wrongdoing. For this reason, I live in fear day and night and dare not rest at ease. Now a fellow member of the Daoist community, a certain Jia, has suffered calamity and illness because of a transgression in serving the Dao. Days and months have passed without improvement; his breath is faint, and his life hangs in the balance. He reflects on his faults and blames himself, but cannot free himself from them. In dire straits and with nowhere to turn for help, he has come today to the ritual bureau, where Daoist rites are performed and offenses reported.

He has told me and entered in the register the various offenses he has committed since the age of seven. He has listed each good and evil, each right and wrong, and each offense as light or grave, great or small, and has written them in a formal document, requesting…

The Great Dao (the Supreme Way) once again turns its attention to the people of the world. A mortal, sincerely seeking refuge and living in a pitiable and distressing plight, has carefully composed this memorial, braving perils like passing through boiling water and raging flames, and prostrating himself to submit it.

Once the memorial has been presented, I ought to bear every kind of punishment. My heart is filled with shame and fear, as though I carried ice on my back and could not stop sweating. I humbly ask the divine officials who oversee registers and records to consult the relevant files and send documents to the one hundred and twenty bureaus under the jurisdiction of the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Water Officials—the divine agencies within the system of the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water. In light of the circumstances, may they grant pardon, restore the proper allotment of years and count of days, forgive past offenses, and assess the person by their conduct from this day forward.

The mortal has given consent and first truthfully set down their thoughts and the facts. After the investigating divine officials have verified the matter, if the requested outcome comes to pass at once and there is clear evidence of its efficacy, then promotions and rewards should be granted in recognition of the officials’ service. I submit all these matters for review by the examining lords, generals, and officials under the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Water Officials, together with their accompanying investigators and soldiers. May they report the merits, request promotions, and raise rank according to the regulations. In accordance with the statutes of the Celestial Bureau, the documents should accompany the memorial and be sent to the appropriate bureaus, which should assess the merits and record them in full. The Central Palace—the relevant divine office—should then enter them in its register and assign suitable duties, so that those who have earned merit are not left disappointed.

If resentments remain unresolved, I ask that a certain person’s soul be released from examination by the Celestial Bureau and no longer subjected to prolonged inquiry. I again humbly request pardon. May this person’s Three Hun and Seven Po—the souls described in Daoist teaching as inhabiting the human body—return to the body, and may their suffering and illness subside, as proof that this prayer has been answered.

I humbly ask the Compassionate Father and Holy Mother, reverent titles for the deities, to extend their great kindness, examine this matter clearly, and judge it accordingly. Have pity on your foolish and unworthy subject. I respectfully call upon the two officials’ direct envoys, the Zhengyi merit officer, the attendants on the left and right, the Yin-Yang divination officer, the red-talisman officer of the ritual carriage, and the mounted courier officials who carry memorials in the fierce wind. I request two of each to deliver documents and carry out their missions. I, your subject, [name], pray on behalf of [name], asking that they be delivered from calamity and their body preserved. This memorial of gratitude is submitted to the Celestial Bureau of [name]. I respectfully await its notice in reply.

I, your subject, [name], am overcome with awe and fear. I bow my head and pay my respects twice, and submit this report.

Prostrate, I vow to follow the Great Dao and pray to be granted a memorial for a lifetime.

I, a subject holding a ritual rank, am deeply humbled and fearful. I bow my head twice and submit this memorial:

In the past, I was fortunate to receive the teachings of the Dao and its methods. I was granted great kindness and given a certain immortal official, together with his officials and troops, to guard and protect me. For many years, in all matters great and small, whether entering or leaving, I have sincerely venerated them and felt great joy in my heart. Yet by nature I am dull and unperceptive, and do not understand the taboos of Heaven and Earth. In carrying out the teachings, I have often made mistakes, and so have been examined and punished by the True Officials, the divine officers who oversee the conduct of those cultivating the Dao. Since a certain month and year, I have been under examination. I have been ill for several days; my body is weak, my strength exhausted, and my life hangs by a thread. My whole family is overcome with fear and distress, afraid we will not survive. We can only entrust ourselves to the Great Dao, prostrate ourselves to confess our guilt and repent, and pray that our lives may be spared.

I also knelt in private at a certain household and swore that I would correct my faults and turn toward good, abandon defiance and follow the proper way. I promised to obey the Daoist teachings and never dare to violate them. I ask only for pardon and a little more time, so that I may continue to breathe and live. I am willing to reflect carefully on the wrongs I have committed and confess each one in turn. But ordinary people’s sincerity is shallow, and I have yet to receive compassion and forgiveness. My illness remains severe and grows worse day by day. The old and young in my family seem on the verge of turning to ashes. They can only crawl to the office of the authorities, appeal to me in their distress, and beg for their lives to be spared. They declare that from now on they will renew their practice of goodness and, once the illness has passed, will certainly support the master’s teaching, remember and obey its laws, cast off their former faults and begin anew, devote themselves to good, and never dare to disobey.

I, your ignorant and unknowing servant, have also failed to make the teachings effective through my efforts to spread them. I do not know how serious these faults are, nor what examination and punishment I have received, or why I have remained ill for so long without any sign of recovery. All ordinary people wish to change and repent, clinging to life like sparrows and mice; they are truly pitiable. I, your servant, respectfully venture to approach this sacred and pure realm. Even if it were like entering boiling water or walking through fire, I would not shrink from it. I now respectfully submit one memorial on behalf of a certain person and present it for review.

Three Heavens Bureau of Fate (the celestial office that oversees the lifespans and merits and faults of the Three Realms):

I respectfully ask the superior official in charge of reviewing celestial documents to examine the records of the celestial offices, assess merits and faults, and quell and dispel the Qi of examination and punishment. I humbly petition one of the Lords of the Nine Heavens and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to release a certain person from liability for his offenses and the peril of being summoned into custody. May they send the document up to the offices of the Central Palace, so that the responsible office may handle the matter properly and settle its duties, and return this person’s soul, allowing it to re-enter his body.

Among the things this person has done in the past, there are no good deeds to record. The registers kept in the Right Palace list only offenses: he has faults but no merits, and nothing to offset them. I respectfully ask that his many offenses be specially pardoned, that he be granted another chance at life, that his conduct from now on be examined, and that he be required to do good in the future. If he does not break the oath he has made, the results of his examination may be entered in the registers as merit. If he breaks his oath, let him be punished according to the law, with no means of escape. Faced with the dire circumstances of a mortal, I am overcome with anxious fear. I have ventured to submit this petition, prostrating myself and trembling as I ask for mercy.

I respectfully ask the Most High (a Daoist honorific for the supreme deity) to judge the matter with discernment and show compassion for the ignorance and inadequacy of this subordinate. I humbly dispatch two officials of each kind to carry out the matter: the Direct Envoys of the Two Offices, the Zhengyi Merit Officer (a Daoist official who conveys memorials), the left and right official envoys, the Yin-Yang divine adjudicators, the clerks of the ritual carriage and red talismans, and the clerks who transmit memorials by post on swift horses through the fierce winds. I, your subject, respectfully pray on behalf of a certain person, repenting and dispelling his offenses so that his Daoist resolve may grow firm. One petition requesting mercy is submitted to a certain celestial office. I await its reply with utmost fear and trepidation, bowing my head and prostrating myself twice as I submit this memorial.

Petition for Prolonging Life in Critical Illness (a petition requesting an extension of life for someone gravely ill)

I, a duly ordained subject, sincerely submit this memorial to the celestial offices and await their reply. I, your subject, am filled with fear and trepidation, bowing my head and prostrating myself twice as I submit this memorial.

Petition for Prolonging Life in Critical Illness

I, a duly ordained subject, am filled with fear and trepidation, bowing my head and prostrating myself.

The petition states: I was born in a remote and desolate place and am a person of limited understanding. I was born with an ordinary mortal body. I have been able to live only through instruction and by following the principles of governance. Yet I have committed many faults and thereby brought calamity upon myself. Recently I fell ill, and all manner of harmful influences attacked me at once. The illness has lasted a long time and grown ever more severe, with no improvement. Now my condition is grave, and only a faint breath remains.

I have repeatedly sought forgiveness for my offenses through the relevant offices and have solemnly sworn vows, yet no permission has been granted. As a mortal, I am beset by fear and unease, with no strength of mind or courage left. I am on the verge of becoming dust, buried forever between Heaven and Earth. I, your subject, am willing to await your commands, carry out teachings of compassion, assist the August Elder, the revered deity of Daoism, relieve distress and calamity, and heal illness. This is my duty, and it also arises from compassion. A mortal’s life hangs by a thread. Risking punishment, I respectfully submit this petition and pray for aid.

I humbly ask the Five Life-Prolonging Lords of the Nanchang Office to lead one hundred and twenty officers and generals together to the Northern Office of the Mysterious Yin Imperial Lady, rescue the life of a certain person as it nears its end, release him from his many offenses, and deliver him from calamity according to the Daoist numerological sequence from one to nine. I also humbly ask the three divine officers, the Lord of Longevity, the Lord Who Preserves Life, and the Lord Who Rescues Life, to each lead one hundred and twenty attendants here to request that a certain person’s life be prolonged. Let three months make one period, and three years the full term. I ask only that this person may survive, as proof that the request has been answered. May the Most High look upon this petition with understanding.

I humbly ask the Most High to take my plea to heart and pity my ignorance and incapacity. I respectfully call upon the divine functionaries: the two direct envoys, the Zhengyi Merit Officer, the left and right official messengers, the Yin-Yang divine clerks, the Red Talisman Clerks of the Ritual Carriage, and the clerks who carry petitions by courier on swift horses through the fierce winds. Here, “submitting a petition” refers to the Daoist rite of sending a written plea to the Celestial Bureau; these officials are responsible for conveying the petition. Let two be dispatched from each office. I, your subject, respectfully pray for a certain person’s illness to be dispelled and his lifespan increased. I submit one petition and send it to a certain Celestial Bureau, awaiting a reply in stillness. I, your subject, am filled with awe and fear; I bow my head twice and submit this petition.

Petition for a Life-Saving Appeal

I, your subject, who hold the appointed ritual rank, am filled with awe and fear. I bow my head twice.

The petition states: So-and-so has contracted an illness, and his condition is extremely critical. He has examined himself and reflected on his faults, yet cannot determine what wrong he has committed. He has sought treatment from many physicians and written a plea, begging earnestly for help. His illness remains severe, with no sign of improvement. His mortal family is anxious and afraid, fearing that he will soon turn to dust. They have therefore confided their distress to this official and asked him to submit a petition on their behalf. Though my knowledge and ability are meager, I have accepted this charge. The mortal family’s plea is sincere, and I cannot bear to refuse it. I therefore risk offending the dignity of the august court and respectfully submit this petition.

Judging by the illness, the suffering has continued for a long time and has only grown worse. Perhaps this is because he harbors grave sins that are difficult to pardon; perhaps his allotted span is exhausted, and his life has ended, with his soul destined to return to the Springs below, the realm of the dead. These matters are truly beyond the authority of an official as limited as myself to intervene in at will. Yet I revere the Most High, the honored deity of Daoism, and know that he is compassionate, cherishes life, and abhors killing. Whatever the gravity of a person’s offenses, he can grant forgiveness through the Dao. Relying on the Most High’s boundless grace in nurturing all things, I dare to submit this petition at the risk of my own standing. I hope to contribute what little I can, and pray that he will look upon this plea with compassion.

For every offense So-and-so has committed since coming to awareness, I respectfully request that one Southern Lord, together with 120 officers and generals, open the Gate of Life for him and extend his years. I also request that one Nanchang Lord, together with 120 officers and generals, travel throughout the farthest reaches of the eight directions, inspect the movements of the stars and the reckoning of the calendar years, remove So-and-so from the register of the dead, and restore his allotted years, so that his body, on the verge of entering the Springs below, may be reborn.

If So-and-so’s household is troubled by violent ghosts who receive no offerings, and who take advantage of his weakness to harass him without cease and persist in harming him, may 120 resolute, vigorous, stern, and capable officials and soldiers be sent together to seize and restrain them, and distinguish truth from falsehood. May all these spirits withdraw, allowing the living and the dead each to return to their proper place and find peace. May this petition take effect on the day it is delivered. If So-and-so is blessed with recovery, I will report the merit and accept promotion. The grace shown is truly…

Since the Most High takes pity on my ignorance and incapacity, I respectfully dispatch two Direct Envoys of the Two Offices, Merit Officers of Zhengyi, the Left and Right Official Messengers, Officers Who Decide Matters of Yin and Yang, Red Talisman Officers of the Ritual Chariots, and Mounted Memorial Officers traveling by post station on the Fierce Wind, two of each, to carry out this matter.

I, so-and-so, respectfully pray that so-and-so’s life be preserved. I beg for grace and that the sick person be kept safe. This memorial is submitted to the Celestial Office of so-and-so, which oversees documents and affairs in the heavens, and I await its reply. My heart is filled with fear and unease. I bow until my head touches the ground, then bow twice and submit this memorial.

Memorial for Relief from Transgression and a Plea for Life in Cases of Illness

Your servant so-and-so, invested with ritual office, sincerely performs the rites. I, so-and-so, respectfully pray that so-and-so’s life be preserved. I beg for grace and that the sick person be kept safe. This memorial is submitted to the Celestial Office of so-and-so, and I await its reply. My heart is filled with fear and unease. I bow until my head touches the ground, then bow twice and submit this memorial.

Memorial for Relief from Transgression and a Plea for Life in Cases of Illness

Your servant so-and-so, in profound fear and trepidation, bows until his head touches the ground, then bows twice and submits this memorial:

I respectfully report that so-and-so formerly took refuge in the Daoist teachings and received their instruction and discipline through Dao Qi (the primordial vital energy of the Dao). He also received their beneficence, and so strove to improve himself. Yet, as a mortal, he accumulated transgressions and brought grave misfortune upon himself. He is now ill… Reflecting on his own failings, I presume to set forth his offenses in this memorial.

On a certain day of a certain month, I petitioned the Merit Officers for Healing, the Heavenly Physicians, the Grand Physicians, and their assisting medical officers, asking them to take charge of treating so-and-so’s body. But my ability and strength were inadequate, and my sincerity failed to move them. So-and-so’s illness instead grew worse by the day, and his life hung by a thread. The severity of his condition is a cause for constant alarm; he has reached a point where he has nowhere to turn. Deeply troubled and afraid, I now submit another solemn memorial, dispatching Merit Officer Messengers and post riders from the four directions, including the Hu, Yue, Di, and Qiang peoples, to proceed directly to the Palace of Anchang. There they are to petition the Lords Who Protect Life, Extend Life, and Rise in the South on behalf of so-and-so, and ask each of the three Lords to send one hundred and twenty officers and generals to remove his name from the register of the dead and enter it anew among the living, so that he may be rescued and brought safely through within three months.

I accept the guilt at the risk of my life; the penalty for this offense should be exceedingly severe. I beg for leniency and pardon, and ask that so-and-so’s survival be accepted as proof of the efficacy of this plea. May your grace be granted…

The Most High—the Supreme Dao—sees all and pities the ignorance and limited understanding of those who serve beneath him. I respectfully request that two Direct Envoys of the Two Offices; the Zhengyi Merit Officer, a divine official who conveys documents and oversees merits and transgressions; the envoys of the left and right offices; the Yin-Yang divine officials; the officials of the ritual chariot and red talismans; and the officials who ride swift horses to deliver memorials in the fierce wind each set out in pairs to carry out their duties.

I, your servant, so-and-so, pray on behalf of so-and-so for safety, relief from illness, and a longer life. I respectfully submit one memorial, to be delivered to the Heavenly Bureau responsible for this matter, and await its reply. I, your servant, am filled with awe and trepidation. I bow my head twice and submit this report.

Presenting a Memorial to Petition for Life at Midday When Illness Is Critical

I, your servant so-and-so, invested with ritual authority, am filled with awe and trepidation. I bow my head twice and submit this report:

So-and-so is a junior of humble status. Fortunately, he encountered the teachings of the Great Dao and came to love stillness and uprightness. Holding fast to his convictions, he entered the Dao and entrusted his nature and life to the Three Heavens. He truly feels fortunate and grateful.

Yet so-and-so is ignorant and impure, and the Qi he received is out of balance. He suffers from illness, with pain in a certain place, and his life is in danger, like a candle about to go out at any moment. He has followed the Great Dao and begged for compassion, yet has not recovered. His illness grows more severe by the day, and he fears he is about to turn to dust. Ordinary people are therefore stricken with alarm and distress, so overcome that they cannot compose themselves. He has come to report his condition to me and plead for rescue.

I have examined so-and-so’s illness and find it critical. Perhaps his transgressions have accumulated so heavily that he cannot obtain pardon; perhaps his allotted span has reached its end and only a brief moment of life remains.

I reflect that the true Qi of the Great Dao nourishes and gives life to all beings. It can restore blood and Qi to withered bones, and make trees on the brink of winter bloom again with spring flowers. Bringing the dead back to life depends entirely on the grace bestowed by the Great Dao. I now presume to ask that this grace be generously extended, and that so-and-so’s life be spared.

I respectfully petition once more for the five Life-Prolonging Lords of Nanchang Palace and their one hundred and twenty officials and generals to proceed to the Palace of the Mysterious Yin Imperial Maiden in the north, and request the redemption of so-and-so’s physical form, so that his life, on the verge of ending, may receive the blessing of renewed life. In this way, the lofty virtue of the august Emperor and the divine Qi may be repaid above, and the ordinary person’s wish to cling to life like a sparrow or mouse may be fulfilled below. I beg that grace be bestowed…

May the Three Masters examine and distinguish the circumstances, and plead my case before Heaven, seeking its compassion on my behalf. My talent is slight and my De is scant, so I respectfully enlist two each of the Direct Envoys of the Two Offices, the Zhengyi Merit Officers, the Left and Right Official Messengers, the Yin-Yang Divine Adjudicators, the Red Talisman Officers of the Ritual Chariots, and the Petition Couriers who ride the fierce winds. I respectfully pray for protection for so-and-so’s ailing body, and for an increase in life, blessings, and rank. A petition of gratitude is submitted to a certain Celestial Bureau, the heavenly office in charge of documents, awaiting its reply. I, so-and-so, stand in fear and trepidation, bow my head twice, and submit this matter in memorial.

Petition for Binding the Hun and Po Souls

Your servant so-and-so, invested with a ritual office, stands in fear and trepidation, awaiting a reply. I, so-and-so, stand in fear and trepidation, bow my head twice, and submit this matter in memorial.

Petition for Binding the Hun and Po Souls

Your servant so-and-so, invested with a ritual office, stands in fear and trepidation, bows his head twice, and submits this memorial:

So-and-so is under the protection of the Lords and Venerable Elders of the Most High, and has often felt comforted by their grace and virtue. Now this mortal has suddenly fallen ill for no reason. The whole family, young and old alike, has reflected on its faults and turned its hearts toward the Great Dao, yet the illness has not abated. As described above, the condition worsens day by day, and life may soon be in danger: the breath may dissipate, and the hun and po souls may leave the body, never to return. This mortal is greatly afraid and has pleaded with me for help. I respectfully submit this petition on his behalf, daring to state my request: may one Pearl-and-Jade Lord from the Palace of Earthly Principles lead 120 officers and generals, clad in red and wearing red turbans, carrying tally tokens and iron axes, and go at once to bring so-and-so 120 measures of life-giving Qi. May they bind his three hun and seven po souls—the soul components that Daoism says must remain within the body—so that his years and lifespan may increase, and his name remain in the Jade Register, Heaven’s record of lifespans and merits and faults. May he be spared the punishment of having his years cut short and his name erased, and remain for a long time among the people nurtured and transformed by the Dao. I respectfully seek grace and protection.

The Most High (a Daoist honorific for the supreme deity) has carefully examined the circumstances and taken pity on the minister’s ignorance and limited understanding. I respectfully follow the prescribed procedures and request that the Three Officials’ Direct Envoys, the Zhengyi Merit Officers, the left and right official envoys, the Yin-Yang Divine Adjudication Clerks, the Red Talisman Clerks of the Ritual Carriages, and the clerks who convey memorials on horseback by the post stations of the Strong Wind each dispatch two men. I, your minister, respectfully submit one memorial of grace on behalf of a certain person, requesting aid in danger and hardship, relief from calamity, the preservation of life, and an increase in years. I ask that the right official envoys, the Yin-Yang Divine Adjudication Clerks, the Red Talisman Clerks of the Ritual Carriages, and the clerks who convey memorials on horseback by the post stations of the Strong Wind each dispatch two men to deliver this memorial of grace, which I, your minister, submit on behalf of that person, to a certain Celestial Bureau, the heavenly office responsible for documents. I respectfully await a reply, trembling with apprehension. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice as I submit this memorial.

Memorial for the Retreat of Illness and a Plea to the Three Officials for Release from the Calamity of Death

I, your minister, holding the appointed rank in the ritual tradition, tremble with apprehension. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice as I submit this memorial.

A certain person failed to observe harmony in practicing the Daoist rites and violated and offended the Primordial Beginning (a supreme deity revered in Daoism). As a result, the Three Officials, the deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, subjected this person to a severe examination. On a certain day of a certain month, the person fell ill, suffering pain in a certain place and becoming unable to eat. The person stated the circumstances to me and asked for leniency. I then followed the rules of my lineage and inquired into the person’s offenses and the punishment incurred. The person bowed in confession, wrote words of repentance, sincerely submitted, and asked that their life be spared.

The person’s illness has persisted for many days and grown steadily more severe. Their condition is desperate, as though liver and gallbladder had been spilled upon the ground, with life itself beyond saving. I cannot bear to see a mortal’s life hanging by a thread, so I presume to submit this memorial once more, humbly asking the Most High to forgive mortals suffering the calamity of approaching death.

If this person’s sins are grave and the sentence already determined, with their name entered in the register of the dead and all three measures of lifespan exhausted, I still ask that their life be extended, even briefly. Let future good deeds serve as repayment, so that this person may regret past offenses and correct their conduct from this day forward. I respectfully submit this plea on behalf of the person to the five Divine Lords: the Lord of the Celestial One, the Lord of the True One, the Lord Who Cherishes Life, the Lord Who Extends Life, and the Lord Who Withdraws the Decree of Death. I also ask that each lord’s one hundred and twenty subordinate officers and clerks examine the memorial I have submitted and deliver it to the heavenly bureau.

At the Jade Court of Heaven, before the Great Hao celestial bureau, the Northern Dipper’s Director of Destiny—the divine office that governs the registers of life—and the jade desk of Lord Han’s attendants, I petition that my death record under the Three Officials—the divine offices governing Heaven, Earth, and Water—be removed, and that my name be entered again in the register of the living. I once more pray that the Supreme Heavenly Lord of Life dispatch one hundred thousand divine soldiers to take charge of capturing one hundred and twenty murderous ghosts, so that the dead may be reborn. I also request that two hundred Jade Maidens of Yuegan be sent to increase a certain person’s grain stores and extend their life.

May, on the day this memorial is submitted to the heavenly court, a certain person receive pardon in time, escape the long night, and see the sun and moon once more. May the lords, officials, and soldiers of the heavenly court record their merits and grant them promotion, as proof that this favor has been fulfilled. I respectfully await the Most High’s judgment.

At dawn today, I, your servant, know my own ignorance and dullness. I respectfully call upon the divine clerks who serve as direct envoys of the Two Officials, the Zhengyi merit officers, the left and right official messengers, the Yin-Yang divine clerks, the clerks of the ritual car bearing red talismans, and the officials who carry memorials on post horses through the fierce winds. I dispatch two of each to carry out their duties. I respectfully await the Most High’s judgment.

At dawn today, I, your servant, know my own ignorance and dullness. I respectfully call upon the divine clerks who serve as direct envoys of the Two Officials, the Zhengyi merit officers, the left and right official messengers, the Yin-Yang divine clerks, the clerks of the ritual car bearing red talismans, and the officials who carry memorials on post horses through the fierce winds. I dispatch two of each to carry out their duties. I, your servant So-and-so, respectfully pray on behalf of So-and-so for a longer life and increased years, for the preservation of the ailing body and support in weakness. I submit one memorial petitioning for this favor, to be sent to a certain celestial bureau, and respectfully await its reply. I, your servant So-and-so, am filled with awe and trepidation. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice, and respectfully submit this petition.

End of Volume Two of the Taishang Xuan Zong Zhu Hua Zhang.

Volume Three of the Taishang Xuan Ci Zhu Hua Zhang

Compiled by Master Guangcheng, Du Guangting

Memorial for Capturing the Dog-Child Ghost

So-and-so, holding the ritual rank of [title], is filled with awe and trepidation, bows his head, and prostrates himself twice to submit this petition. I respectfully set forth the matter: So-and-so, an official of a certain prefecture, county, township, and ward, has been afflicted by illness and calamity, with malevolent ghosts causing trouble. I now request that the lords, officials, and soldiers of the Celestial Officials capture the Dog-Child Ghost beneath the stone. The names and titles of the Celestial Officials are listed below.

I petition Heaven to appoint the Great General Xuanlao, a commander of the celestial host, to lead one hundred thousand soldiers; the Great General Weiming to lead one hundred thousand soldiers; and the Great General Dili to lead one hundred thousand soldiers as well, so that they may subdue the spirit called the “Dog Child Ghost,” as named in the scripture. The titles of the celestial officials are listed below.

I petition Heaven to appoint the twelve Great Generals Xuanlao, Weiming, Dili, Shixian, Wuse, Jiegai, Qinggai, Chigai, Baigai, Heigai, Huangai, and Dutian, each to command one hundred thousand soldiers. May these twelve divisions of celestial officials, commanders, officers, and soldiers descend together and fill Heaven and Earth. Let them go straight into the home of a certain household and seize the spirit called the “Stone-Beneath Great Child Ghost” that the household worships. May the Water Official, the wet nurse, and the other deities then execute it, thereby manifesting the might of the Great Dao. Let this be carried out swiftly in accordance with the statutes and commands.

By imperial command, in the [year], under the [cyclical sign], on the [month, day, and hour], the libationer, your humble servant, respectfully issues this notice to the prefect of Qiu Shi Commandery in Baobi Province, the magistrate of Kongli County, and the head of Shiye Hamlet in Fengting Township:

Among the mountains and rocks under your jurisdiction, canine-child ghosts have failed to keep to their proper bounds. Lesser ghosts have intruded into other places and brought harm upon [a certain household and person], causing them to cry out day and night and suffer from sores and pain, dysentery, and malaria, growing thinner by the day as their illness worsens without letup. An examination of the illness confirms that it is being caused by canine-child ghosts, water-official wet-nurse ghosts, and other such spirits. Each is under the jurisdiction of its own province and commandery. Because the responsible prefects have been lax in inspecting and keeping their registers, these spirits have been allowed to run wild and escape, harming people of both the heavenly and mortal realms. From now on, you must inspect and keep the registers carefully, and you must not disobey this order. If they again come to harm [a certain person], seize and execute them without mercy; the prefect responsible for overseeing them must also be separately investigated and punished. All is to be carried out in accordance with the laws and commands of the Most High Lord Lao.

The Great Dark Capital, and so forth.

Submitted respectfully: Let the circumstances of [a certain province, county, township, and hamlet] be duly recorded.

A disciple of the Great Dao, [name], was formerly affiliated with the Lords and Elders of the Supreme Great Dao (revered Daoist deities). With the aid of the Three Masters (the masters who transmit Daoist teachings) and the protection of incense and offerings, [the disciple] safeguarded the self and regulated body and mind. Yet there were many failings in cultivating the Way and serving the Dao, and thus the dark capital, and so forth, was disturbed.

Submitted respectfully: Let the circumstances of [a certain province, county, township, and hamlet] be duly recorded.

A disciple of the Great Dao, [name], was formerly affiliated with them.

The venerable lords of the Supreme Great Dao (Daoist deities) rely on the protection of the Three Masters’ incense offerings to safeguard themselves and bring harmony to their household. Yet their sacrificial rites and offerings have often been performed incorrectly, and so their daily lives have gone awry. Since the [day] of [month], a certain man or woman in the household has fallen ill: their limbs are heavy, their body is covered in sores and swellings, and they cry out without ceasing. They suffer pain day and night, cannot nurse, and cannot be cured by medicine.

Seeking the cause of the illness, we fear it may be the spirits known as “Puppy Beneath the Stone,” “Wet Nurse of the Water Official,” “Washer of the Courtyard Before the Woods,” “Bride,” and others, kept by a certain household. Lurking in people’s homes, they seize and harm their children. We therefore earnestly submit this memorial, pleading that these spirits be destroyed and that the certain man or woman be rescued, so that they may live, grow to adulthood, and continue the family line. The plight of living beings is truly deserving of pity. Seeing this, I am deeply moved and cannot bear it; I risk the offense of submitting this petition and respectfully present a memorial to the Celestial Bureau, the heavenly office that oversees documents and adjudication. I humbly beseech you to examine it.

We respectfully invoke the Most High Lord Lao, the Most High Elder, the Celestial Master, the Female Master, and the Five Qi Lords under the Three Masters, divine beings who govern the Qi of the five directions, to descend with their divine power and protect this household.

Today we summon the Green Tiger of Mount Tai to devour the head and liver of the dog-spirit afflicting this child; the Red Tiger of Mount Heng to devour its heart; the White Tiger of Mount Hua to devour its lungs; the Black Tiger of Mount Zhen to devour its kidneys; and the Yellow Tiger of Mount Song to devour its spleen. May the tiger armies of the five directions descend together to seize and devour the dog-spirits, little demons, Water Officials, and wet nurses hidden beneath the stones, along with the five poisonous Qi of pestilence, calamities from weapons and hunting, bodily prayers and curses, the newly dead and long-departed souls, evil spirits and goblins, miscellaneous gods, and wicked ghosts.

These evil beings falsely assume official titles, calling themselves the governor of Bizhou, the magistrate of Qiushi Commandery, the county magistrate of Kongli, or the spirit of Shiye Hamlet in Fengting Township. They also call themselves General Cliff King, General Violent Slayer, and Good Companion of Heaven and Humanity; the Eastern Green Dog General, Southern Red Dog General, Western White Dog General, Northern Black Dog General, and Central Yellow Dog General; and the dog-spirits who guard the gates in Heaven and the households below. Their forms are grotesque: wolf-like, with yellow heads, black mouths, and green ears, and white hands and feet. The large ones are one zhang and five chi tall; the smaller ones, one zhang and two chi. They also call themselves the wet nurse of the Heavenly Prison and the newly wedded bride of the Washing Court. They roam and wander about, harming young children; their victims are many.

Under the True Qi bestowed by the Most High, no evil being cannot be subdued and cut down. Now, by means of this talisman, we inform the governor of Bizhou and the magistrate of Qiushi Commandery: they must investigate and register these beings carefully, and forbid them from coming again to harm anyone. Let the Twelve Divisions of Heavenly Officials, Lords and Generals, officers and soldiers whom we invoke enter the body of [name], surround and protect them before and behind, keep close watch, and make certain to seize the dog-spirits, little demons, five poisonous Qi of pestilence, cold ague, invading evil influences, death away from home, calamities from weapons and hunting, ghosts of the newly dead and long-departed, and ghosts who kill by shooting. Spread the nets, seize and cut down each one in turn, and bring about their immediate destruction. Let every illness afflicting the men and women of [place] withdraw and be severed completely. Let this serve as a clear declaration.

The Great Dao (the Way) is upright and majestic. It preserves a person’s life and frees them from calamity; it also enables a nursing infant to be cared for safely and grow in health, bringing benefit to the parents as well. May this family offer incense to the Great Dao for generations, with descendants flourishing without end, their home peaceful, safe, and auspicious, and their relatives living in peace and harmony. Let all these be signs of the efficacy of divine grace. This grace truly comes from the Supreme, Infinite Great Dao, from the Supreme Master, and from the Senior Officials in Charge (an office responsible for Daoist documents and memorials). We humbly ask them to look upon this matter with compassion and preside over it.

I, your servant, respectfully request that the twelve divisions of celestial officials and troops (the officials and generals of the various celestial offices), on behalf of a certain person, seize and destroy the evil spirits beneath the stones, including dog-demons and lesser ghosts. I respectfully submit one formal memorial, presenting it to the appropriate celestial bureau and awaiting its review and report. In fear and trembling, I bow my head twice in reverence and submit this report.

“Memorial for Cutting Off Entanglements with Ghosts and Spirits Not Entitled to Sacrifice”

I, your servant, a holder of ritual authority, in fear and trembling, bow my head twice and respectfully submit this memorial. I carefully follow what is recorded in the documents: in a certain prefecture … I bow my head twice and submit this report.

“Memorial for Cutting Off Entanglements with Ghosts and Spirits Not Entitled to Sacrifice”

I, your servant, a holder of ritual authority, in fear and trembling, bow my head twice and respectfully submit this memorial. I carefully follow what is recorded in the documents: A disciple named So-and-so, from a certain village and hamlet in a certain county of a certain prefecture, had accumulated blessings in a former life and was thus able to enter the Great Dao’s fold. He has often received the Great Dao’s protection and is deeply grateful. Yet in his practice and observance he has repeatedly fallen short, and as a result has often faced trials and punishments. Recently, he has also been unjustly attacked and afflicted by outside evil ghosts and thieving spirits. They have repeatedly caused him harm, putting his life in danger. He laid out his plight before me and asked for help, requesting that I compose a memorial so that he could be separated from these evil spirits. Seeing his situation, I could not bear to turn away. Though I risk incurring blame, I have respectfully prepared this memorial and submitted it to the Celestial Court, humbly requesting …

Great Supreme Lord Lao (the revered deity of Daoism), all the lords, the Celestial Masters and female masters, and all the divine lords under the Three Masters who oversee the Five Qi, please turn your attention to examine the memorial submitted by this humble servant. Let it reach the Celestial Court at once, and bestow Daoist Qi to protect the body of a certain person.

I have determined that a certain ghost from outside has no connection with a certain household. That ghost has its own descendants, who have failed to make the proper offerings at the proper times. Yet the ghost has taken it upon itself to cause trouble and harm people, drawing ordinary folk into its mischief as well. Under the liturgy and laws of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity), this matter should be reported to the Celestial Court so that the ghost may be executed and the people brought peace.

I respectfully petition for the execution of the Lord Who Brings Calamity and his one hundred and twenty officers and generals, who oversee the Granary-Clarity Office; the Star Lord of the Capital and his one hundred and twenty officers and generals, who oversee the Clear Canopy Palace; and the subordinate officials who oversee the Qi of Bright Harm. I also petition for the thirty thousand troops of officials and soldiers under the Celestial Emperor, the Bold and Mighty, to descend together and clear away the calamity caused by the ghost of a stranger who died away from home, for the sake of a certain person. These ghosts belong to another lineage and should not have been worshipped by this household. Yet they have presumed to involve it in their affairs. They must be seized, beheaded, and destroyed, and each side must be separated so that the ghosts can no longer entangle themselves with the household.

I further petition for fifty ghost officials and soldiers apiece among the male and female ghosts of corpse calamity, those who died of illness, sudden death, in prison, by fire, by weapons, or at the hands of tigers and wolves, to seize and remove the outside ghosts and spirits. These do not fall within the household’s scope of worship, yet they have presumed to entangle ordinary people in their affairs. Moreover, each household has its own ritual masters and offerings, and each has its own gates and doors; they were never connected. Their ties must be severed at once, and they must not disturb one another.

If these ghosts and spirits still seek to entangle themselves with this person, they may come again only if the river flows backward, white stones float on the water, tangled threads turn into a thousand dogs, horses grow horns six feet long, fifty three-legged crows appear, and three hundred nine-tailed foxes appear. If they cannot bring these things about, they must remain forever separated from this person, each in a different quarter of the world, and never cause disturbance for a thousand or ten thousand years.

I further petition for one Lord of Severed Litigation from each of the five directions—east, west, south, north, and center—and twelve officers and generals from each, to sever completely, on behalf of this household, the calamities that recur year after year, month after month, day after day, and hour after hour. May the illness be cured, the calamity dispelled, life and destiny kept safe, and the souls and spirits made clear and upright. May evil essences be subdued and righteous Qi flow freely. May a thousand kinds of suffering and ten thousand kinds of pain be instantly dispelled and healed, and may protection be bestowed.

The Great Dao, the supreme Way, grants boundless grace. All that we receive now is a blessing bestowed through the discernment, judgment, and just disposition of the Most High, an honorific for the supreme deity in Daoism. I respectfully petition for the Celestial officials and troops to aid a certain person, so that his many sufferings may suddenly be dispelled, his illness cured, and his health restored, and so that he may again receive the boundless grace of the Great Dao. May the Most High discern and judge the matter, and distinguish its circumstances. I respectfully petition for the Celestial officials and troops to remove the disturbances caused by spirits and deities of other surnames, as well as by ghosts who died violent deaths; to put an end to their reckless entanglements; and to send one memorial for their destruction to the relevant celestial bureau, where I await its review and reply. Your servant is deeply apprehensive and fearful, and bows twice in submission.

Memorial seeking relief from vows binding life and death and from curses caused by illness

Your servant, holding the rank of a ritual official, is deeply apprehensive and fearful, and bows twice in submission. I have carefully examined the documents, which state that a disciple named So-and-so, aged so many years, was born on a certain day of a certain month in a certain village, township, county, and prefecture. This person was fortunate to be born within the religious tradition and to practice the Great Dao. His name was entered in the registers of the Mystery, the Daoist records of divine names, and he received its blessings for many years. Yet he repeatedly failed in his cultivation and often met with misfortune.

In a certain month of a certain year, this person suddenly fell ill and has not recovered to this day. By day and night he lives in fear and anxiety, with his life in danger. On examining the illness, I fear that he may have violated a vow, or suffered harm from a curse, a form of sorcery used to curse and injure another, and that this is why his illness has lingered and his distress grown severe. I now request that a memorial be issued to seek relief. My concern is beyond measure, and I presume to submit this petition. I respectfully present this memorial to the Celestial Court and ask that the ritual officials serving under the Most High Lord Lao, the Most High Elder, the Celestial Master, the Female Master, the Three Masters, and the Five Qi Lords take notice of the memorial I have submitted and forward it in due course.

The true Qi of the Great Dao—the primal energy of the Dao—covers and protects the disciple [name] like a garment. On behalf of the disciple [name], I hereby petition the celestial officials and their soldiers to release and dispel all the baleful influences left by curses, imprecations, and sworn pacts made by the ancestors of the nine generations and seven generations, and of the thirty-six generations before them, influences that now bring harm and disturbance.

In the past, if anyone summoned ghosts and spirits, called upon Heaven and appealed to Earth, or swore by the sun, moon, and stars; if they swore by any of the divine images in local shrines or talisman temples; if they called as witnesses beings with or without feelings, with or without awareness—including trees, stones, plants, mountains, rivers, water, fire, and all kinds of animals; if they killed living creatures, drank blood, ate flesh, or carved stone or broke metal as tokens of sworn pacts, these were deeds committed by the ancestors whose misfortune has nevertheless ensnared their descendants. Now the descendants are beset by illness and fear for their lives. They worry that one day they will fall into the Nine Springs (the underworld), and, like sparrows and mice, cling desperately to life. They therefore plead for help and ask that their lives be preserved.

I respectfully petition the Red Xun Palace, the residence of Daoist immortals, to send one Lord Taibing and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to oversee the disentangling of the baleful influences left by curses and imprecations committed by ancestors and people of this life, whether living or dead, and to sever them completely. I further petition one Lord Poyang and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to subdue and eradicate the ghosts and baleful spirits formed through curses, imprecations, and prayers. I also petition one great general of protection and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to protect those afflicted by illness and misfortune, free them from calamities brought by official dispatches and other disturbances, extend their lives, restore their faces and healthy color, and bring all curses and imprecations to a complete end.

If the ancestors made curses and oaths by summoning ghosts and calling upon spirits on days of Zi, Chou, Yin, or Mao, may the deities corresponding to those days dispel them. If they did so on days of Chen, Si, Wu, or Wei, may the deities corresponding to those days dispel them. If they did so on days of Shen, You, Xu, or Hai, may the deities corresponding to those days dispel them. If they made curses and oaths by invoking the lives of animals, may these be dissolved and dispersed according to the kinds of beings involved. If they made curses and oaths by breaking metal or stone, earth, or wood, may each of these tokens disappear and be brought to rest. May all pacts be released and a thousand kinds of calamity subside. On the day the wish is fulfilled, may the recipient receive this profound grace and be granted protection.

The supreme deities examine and handle this matter, notifying the relevant divine officials according to their respective duties. I respectfully submit this petition on behalf of a certain person, asking the celestial officials and soldiers to release him from the resentments, sworn covenants, and curses formed in his past and present lives, and to bless him with a speedy recovery from illness. I respectfully present one copy of this petition to the appropriate office and await its examination and reply. In fear and trembling, I bow my head twice in reverence and submit this petition.

Petition for Calculating the Span of Life and Overcoming Calamity (a petition seeking to extend life and dispel calamities)

I, a person holding the ritual rank of [name], submit this petition in fear and trembling, bowing my head twice in reverence. According to the records: a disciple of the Great Dao, an official named [name], from [hamlet], [village], [county], [prefecture], is [age] years old. He was born on [year, month, and day] of his birth year, and there are [number] people in his household. Today, this person bows his head and lays out his plea, entrusting his life to the Supreme Great Dao (the highest Way). He asks that this petition be submitted to support him in weakness and help him pass through calamity, extend his life and add years to his span, and bring peace to the home of the family born on [year, month, and day] of their birth year, whose household numbers [number].

We pray that the Dragon Spirits who guard the dwelling with purity and solemn order will protect its inhabitants and keep the family safe, ensuring stability in their property, good fortune, and blessings. May they dispel calamities and rescue those in danger, preserving life. The plea set out here is sincere, and there is just cause to submit it. I humbly take upon myself the risk of transgression and respectfully present this petition.

Respectfully submitted to the Celestial Administration. We beseech the Most High Lord Lao, the Most High Venerable Elder, and the superior officials, record keepers, and officers serving under the Three Masters—the Celestial Master, the Female Master, and the other Master—to show mercy, examine this matter, and take it to heart, so that the petition submitted by this humble official may reach the throne above.

May the true Qi of the Great Dao—the original vital energy of the Dao—protect the whole family of [name], keeping adults and children safe and unharmed. May disasters and misfortune be dispelled, dangers and decline be averted, and grief and calamity come to an end.

I, your servant, respectfully pray on behalf of [name] for one Lord of Lifespan and Destiny of the Eastern Palace, commanding one hundred and twenty officials and one hundred and twenty soldiers to dispel the three disasters and nine calamities. I also pray for one Lord of Lifespan and Equality of the Southern Palace, commanding one hundred and twenty officials and one hundred and twenty soldiers to dispel calamities of plague and fire. Next, I pray for one Lord of Lifespan and Destiny of the Western Palace, commanding one hundred and twenty officials and one hundred and twenty soldiers to dispel the three disasters and nine calamities; and again for one Lord of Lifespan and Equality of the Southern Palace, commanding one hundred and twenty officials and one hundred and twenty soldiers to dispel calamities of plague and fire. I further pray for one Lord of Lifespan and Destiny of the Western Palace, commanding one hundred and twenty officials and one hundred and twenty soldiers to dispel calamities of war, killing, and injury; for one Lord of Lifespan and Destiny of the Northern Palace, commanding one hundred and twenty officials and one hundred and twenty soldiers to dispel calamities of illness and flood; and for one Lord of Lifespan and Destiny of the Central Palace, commanding one hundred and twenty officials and soldiers to dispel calamities involving the lands, mountains, and rivers of the Five Directions.

I also pray for one Lord Who Collects Calamities, one Lord Who Cuts Off Calamities, and one Lord Who Breaks Calamities, each commanding one hundred and twenty officials and one hundred and twenty soldiers. I pray as well for one Lord Qiongqi, the Ghost-Eater of the Clouds, together with four hundred thousand three-legged crow soldiers and four hundred thousand nine-tailed fox soldiers. May they descend together and act in concert on behalf of [name]: entering above through Heaven’s Gate to the heights of the Nine Heavens, and below through Earth’s Portal into the depths of the Nine Earths; proceeding also to the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Rivers, the Three Rivers and Four Seas, the Nine Rivers and Eight Extremities, the River Earl’s watery palace, Mount Tai and Fengdu, all the great hells throughout the land, the Three Terraces and Four Offices, and every other office between Heaven and Earth, to release each in turn from calamity.

May they release all of [name]’s family and dependents, young and old, women and men, from every sin, disaster, entanglement, punishment, and misfortune accumulated in past and present lives. May all be reconciled and dispelled. First, may they release them from the calamity of Heaven’s Net and Earth’s Snare; then from disasters brought by the Three Heavens, the Eight Assemblies, and the twenty-eight stellar lodges. May they also release them from calamities caused by the twelve double-hours, the year’s stem-and-branch punishments, the month’s malefic influences, Kui and Gang, and the compounding of clashes and offenses; from sudden disasters associated with the numbers three, five, seven, and nine; and from calamities associated with the numbers two, four, six, and eight, the Five Phases, the eight seasonal divisions, and the Eight Kui presiding over the year.

May they also release them from calamities caused by an empty or depleted dwelling, the Five Evils and Six Blows, the Female-Self Ghost and the Tuo Spirit, and harmful clashes among husbands and wives, men and women, and parents. May they release them from calamities associated with moving house, marriage, funerals, and burial; with turning away from auspicious directions, blessings, good fortune, and favorable words to face misfortune, adversity, ill omens, or decline; and with violating prohibitions of Heaven and taboos of Earth, the prohibitions tied to the year, month, day, and hour, and taboos associated with one’s birth destiny. May they release them from calamities caused by offending the Grand Marshal of the Year, the Great Yin and Great Yang, the Great and Lesser Exhaustions, the Twelve Monthly Generals, the Seventy-Two Spirits, Yin-Yang punishments and virtues, and the various auspicious and inauspicious spirits. May they also release them from calamities arising in every direction—from east, west, south, and north—through monthly taboos, daily prohibitions, hourly taboos, and prohibitions tied to one’s birth destiny.

May they further release them from ill fortune brought by those who have recently died or long been dead in every direction: the fated killings, piercing and shooting influences, funeral carriages, and records of baleful ghost stars; from calamities caused by being implicated, dying unjustly or violently, or suffering sudden misfortune; from calamities caused by defying the ways of Heaven and laws of Earth, breaking precepts and violating scriptures, betraying trust and promises, forgetting kindness, repaying kindness with harm, or indulging in cruelty. May they release them from calamities brought by other people’s shrine and temple Fulu, evil ghosts and baleful spirits, wandering disasters, and visiting killers; from clashes and offenses between new and old homes and former and present residences, and from harm caused by offending the Earth Lord; and from calamities caused by oppressive clashes at livestock pens, feeding troughs, grinding tools, wells, latrines, and similar places when raising the six domestic animals.

May they also release them from inherited calamities, lingering misfortunes, debts, lawsuits, and the punishments that pursue descendants, left by the Nine Generations and Seven Ancestors—the ancestral line—in past and present lives. May they release them from unforgivable calamities arising from grave transgressions and evil deeds committed throughout earlier generations and in this life; from calamities in which the offices of the Five-Phase Great Prisons, the Ninefold Netherworld, the Twenty-Four Prisons of Mount Tai, and the thirty-six prison offices of Dengdu pursue, seize, and confine souls; and from calamities in which the Celestial and Terrestrial Offices and the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water enter a person’s name in the black register or register of the dead. May they also release them from calamities brought by others, including the likeness curses, entangling oaths, and continuing misfortunes passed down through other families. May they release them from calamities caused by the mutual entanglement of deceased ancestors and dependents, parents, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, and the children and grandchildren of siblings.

May they release them from calamities caused by illnesses in the surrounding neighborhood, seasonal epidemics, and contagious plague miasma; from war and punitive expeditions, robbery and murder, criminal punishments, weapons, lawsuits, official troubles, and sudden misfortune; from imprisonment, confinement, and serving a sentence; from harm by tigers, wolves, insects, snakes, and poisonous creatures; from mutual harm caused by the schemes of wicked people, coercive magic, and covenants and curses; from the death, injury, or loss of the six domestic animals, and from the depletion of possessions; from disorders of wind and weakness, overwork, cold, and every kind of illness; and from the calamities of the Five Directions, an approaching end to one’s allotted years, the severing of blessings and emoluments, and a perilous destiny.

May the great and lesser calamities, and the great and lesser declines, afflicting husbands and wives, men and women, parents, and all their relatives be dispelled together. I further pray that the Eastern Dipper register their years of life, the Western Dipper record their names, the Northern Dipper erase them from the register of the dead, and the Southern Dipper add them to the register of the living, transferring their names to the Jade Calendar’s Blue Register, the immortal register of those granted years of life. May they enjoy the full span of one hundred and twenty years, and live long…

The Great Dao is vast and boundless. I earnestly ask that you dispel calamities for me: may the Dipper constellation in the east, which governs the reckoning of lifespan, add years to my allotted years; may the Dipper constellation in the west record my name; may the Northern Dipper, whose star sovereign governs death and lifespan, remove me from the register of the dead; and may the Southern Dipper, whose star sovereign governs birth and the prolonging of life, increase my vitality. Please transfer my name into the Jade Calendar’s Green Register, the celestial book recording merits, faults, and lifespan. Grant me a life of one hundred and twenty years, and keep me forever among the good people sheltered by the Great Dao. May my comings and goings be smooth, all my affairs prosper, the omens revealed through divination and dreams be auspicious, and harmony and peace prevail in both public and private matters. May my years, longevity, blessings, and prosperity endure.

As for all the celestial officials, lords and generals, clerks, and troops whom I have summoned: if any have worked diligently and earned merit, let them accompany me on the days of the Three Assemblies to submit memorials, report their achievements, and recommend them for promotion. I will never break my oath. I earnestly ask the Most High, a Daoist title of reverence for the supreme divinity, to show mercy and adjudicate this matter.

I, your subject, respectfully set forth the calamities afflicting a certain official, a certain person, and their household, each in turn, and ask the celestial officials, clerks, and troops to take up the case. With reverence, I present one Great Memorial for dispelling calamity and overcoming adversity, and submit it to a certain Celestial Bureau, the office in heaven responsible for this matter. I await its notice and response. Your subject is sincerely fearful and apprehensive; I bow my head and prostrate myself twice. I respectfully submit this memorial.

End of Volume Three of the Great High Scripture of Kindness, Aid, and Transformation

The Great High Scripture of Kindness, Aid, and Transformation, Volume Four

Compiled by Master Guangcheng, Du Guangting.

Supreme-Grade Chapter of the Primordial Sovereign for Increasing Lifespan and Years in the Six Directions

I, [name], holding the ritual rank of [rank], am sincerely fearful and apprehensive. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice as I submit this memorial, respectfully stating the following: The circumstances related orally by the disciple [name] are set forth here. Recently, the fortunes of my household have been unfavorable, the dwelling inauspicious, my dreams troubled, and nothing has gone well. Therefore, today I bow my head and make this petition, earnestly asking that the disciple [name] be granted additional years of life, freed from calamity, granted a longer lifespan and greater blessings and longevity, and released from impediments. Please determine the year and month of birth, dispel calamity and overcome adversity, and protect body and life.

Yet I consider myself a lowly and insignificant person, who has received this precious life, though my lifespan is as brief as that of a fungus born at dawn and gone by dusk. Still, I have had the good fortune to encounter the true and orthodox Dao. My ancestors revered the Daoist teachings and honored the Mysterious Gate, the Daoist tradition; their descendants have carried this inheritance down through the generations, devoting their hearts and obeying the commands of…

The Supreme Great Dao, the highest Dao revered by Daoism, governs the various Lords and Elders. In your compassion, you grant protection, with kindness high as the heavens and deep as the earth. I, your disciple, am mindful of this grace and devote myself to its practice.

I fear that I was born into the evil age of the Five Turbidities, a world filled with defilement and distress, and that my fate has encountered the Three Calamities. My awareness has been tainted by the Six Emotions, and the karma I have made has brought the Nine Calamities. My mind and spirit have therefore fallen into confusion, and my wisdom has grown dim. In practicing the Daoist teachings, I have often strayed from the orthodox way. As a result, the true spirits have not come to protect me, and I have instead suffered the intrusion of ghostly Qi. In recent years, my circumstances have been full of hardship. What I see and encounter often involves violations of taboos, yet I have nowhere to make my appeal. Now I am beset by illness, disasters and lawsuits follow one another, my home is unsettled, and my family grows increasingly thin and haggard.

At the beginning of spring and summer this year, I, your disciple, heard crows calling wildly, their ill-omened cries unceasing. My dreams were also inauspicious; decline and calamity followed one another, and what I planned in my heart often ran contrary to my original intentions. Perhaps the fates of husband and wife are incompatible; perhaps the birth-year destinies clash and break against one another. The month of birth clashes with Zi and Wu; the day of birth conflicts with my own destiny and also opposes the year of birth. My destiny is difficult to calculate, the month is also in error, and the star calendar corresponding to my birth hour is unstable. Once fixed, these fated patterns follow a person throughout life, and the future is calculated according to them.

If these are not calamities and taboos encountered in one’s destiny, then perhaps the home itself has suffered misfortune. Or perhaps this is a year of the Seven Injuries, a year of the Five Ghosts, a month of the Four Killings, or a time of the Six Harms; perhaps I have encountered such disasters as the Eight Hardships, Seven Injuries, Nine Pitfalls, and Ten Extinctions. I also fear that, when moving from one place to another, I failed to choose auspicious days; that I went out or returned at inauspicious times, trespassed upon malign spirits where I went, and acted in the morning and evening against the order of Heaven, thereby bringing calamity upon myself. Such misfortune may set husband and wife against each other, harm the children, or even bring punishment and injury upon the parents. It may also arise from a clash or breach in one’s destiny, from the year star’s influence, from entering the Gate of Heaven, from encountering the land of the Nine Calamities of Extinguished Yang, or from the ill omen of Extinguished Yin entering the tomb. Above, the net of Heaven entangles; below, the net of Earth binds. The souls are held fast, confined among the Three Offices, divine authorities who govern the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water, and separated from Yin and Yang.

These calamities are not taboos of death, but they are grave misfortunes that bring hardship and ruin in this year. Now this year has arrived: the decline and calamities of the past have not yet lifted, while further disasters are about to arise. Misfortune follows upon misfortune; setbacks recur, forces clash with one another, and harm comes again and again. I, your disciple, am now deeply unsettled, and my whole family is anxious and afraid. We are truly terrified. Unless we pray to the Mysterious Apex, the highest realm of the Dao, for support and deliverance, we cannot dispel these profound calamities. Unless we make our appeal to the hidden authorities of the underworld and the High Perfected, the honored gods of Daoism, asking them to remove our misfortunes, how can these calamities be banished?

My whole family is fearful and distressed. With sincere hearts, we turn toward the gate of benevolent protection and bow before the Most Perfect. Beneath the incense smoke, we entrust our lives to you, presenting a memorial to plead for grace and placing our fate in the hands of the divine officials charged with this matter. Our plea is utterly earnest, and our circumstances are truly grievous; our sincerity is profound and must not be obstructed. I, your lowly and foolish servant, have not yet grasped the wondrous laws. My shallow understanding cannot fathom their hidden meaning; the affairs and ordinances of the human world are easily confused, while the matters of ghosts and spirits are difficult to comprehend. I respectfully set forth the essential facts as I understand them, and ask that these calamities be investigated and dispelled.

I also fear that the souls of your disciple may be arbitrarily seized and misled by the myriad ghosts, and entered into the Black Register of the Right Palace, the underworld ledger of sins and names. My name may have been falsely entered in the Register of Annual Accounts, making it difficult to explain myself and obtain release. For this reason, I respectfully submit this petition to the celestial officials, Lords, Generals, clerks, and troops of the various departments. The matters presented are as follows:

I pray to the Lord of Crimson Heaven Who Grants Life and Numbers and Relieves Calamities, who governs the increase of one’s allotted years and the removal of hardship, with one hundred and twenty attendant officers and generals; to the Lord Who Preserves Life and Reconciles Enmities, who safeguards life and resolves grievances, with one hundred and twenty officers and generals; to the Lord Who Protects and Guides Through Calamity, who guards the body and helps one pass through disasters, with one hundred and twenty officers and generals; to the Lord Who Guards One’s Allotted Years and Guides Through Calamity, who protects one’s years and dispels disasters, with one hundred and twenty officers and generals; to the Lord Who Augments One’s Allotted Years and Guides Through Calamity, who increases one’s years and removes disasters, with one hundred and twenty officers and generals; to the Lord Who Prolongs One’s Allotted Years and Guides Through Calamity, who extends one’s years and carries one through disasters, with one hundred and twenty officers and generals; to the Lord Who Continues One’s Allotted Years…