《正一法文传都功版仪》

The Celestial Master (Tianshi) said: Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Daoists who have rendered meritorious service in attending upon the Great Dao (the Way) ought to be granted official posts and promoted step by step according to their accomplishments; they must not falsely claim ranks or seek them improperly. If their De (Virtue/Power) and their work gradually increase, and the scope of their teaching grows ever wider; if they wear Fulu (talismans and registers), cultivate diligently day and night, are able to command the spirit officials and soldiers, rescue people in the world and display verified efficacy; and if they sincerely observe the laws, never overstep propriety from beginning to end, keep their revered master constantly in mind, and do not slacken even after many years have passed—then ghosts and spirits will hold them in awe and the people of the world will trust them. Such a person is qualified to serve as a leader who teaches and transforms the multitude, remaining a model teacher for others over a long time; he may be granted the office of Dugong and be transmitted the essential teachings of the Daoist school.

Text of the Dugong Tablet

In such-and-such commandery, county, township, and village, the Zhengyi disciple Wang Jia, of such-and-such age; if he has already entered the Dao and is cultivating, then record the name of the abbey where he resides. This person’s predestined fate accords with the Dao, his mysterious name matches the True Dao; he is by nature modest and harmonious, and his mind can penetrate mysterious and subtle principles. Therefore from youth he has diligently cultivated the Daoist vocation, widely transmitted the mysterious teaching, achieved merit in transforming others, and remained unchanging in sincerity from first to last. He has indeed received the joint recognition of humans and spirits and enjoys a reputation both near and far. He succor living beings through his De, and his achievements surpass those of the many. He is suitable to be appointed Great Dugong under the Yangping Zhi, and must personally discharge the duties of the office.

After holding the post for a thousand days, if a loyal and worthy gentleman appears in the world who is able to proclaim and teach, then he himself may declare that he has widely transmitted the mysterious teaching, has merit in transforming others, remains unchanging in sincerity, has received recognition from humans and spirits, is famous far and near, succor the multitude through De, and has outstanding achievements. Such a person is suitable to be appointed Great Dugong under the Yangping Zhi and must personally perform the office. After a thousand days, positions from the Yuntai Zhi downward may be granted as appropriate according to the regulations. This is to be carried out in accordance with the dharma.

In such-and-such era name and year, the year of such-and-such tai sui, on such-and-such month and day, at such-and-such abbey in such-and-such commandery, county, township, and village, the white tablet is written by so-and-so, a descendant of the Celestial Master in such-and-such generation, with his genealogical relationship to the Celestial Master noted. Lu Xiujing said: The Dugong tablet of the Yangping Zhi can be received only by descendants of the Celestial Master, and therefore one must record which generation grandson of the Celestial Master he is. If the recipient is not a descendant of the same surname as the Celestial Master, then one should record this person’s master-disciple relationship to the Celestial Master, for example writing “the master of Celestial Master Wang Jia.”

The above tablet text is made of silver wood, nine cun long and five cun wide, divided into seven columns, written in cinnabar, placed in a yellow patterned bag, and kept together with the parish registers. If silver wood is unavailable, locust wood or catalpa wood may also be used.

The Registration Document for Those Who Wear the Zhi Registers

Wang Jia, a Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) disciple of such-and-such commandery, such-and-such county, such-and-such township and such-and-such village, of such-and-such years of age, writes in ink to declare his identity and to state that his family has served the Dao for generations. This document serves as the credential for ancestors and descendants to wear the Zhi registers (the certificates of ritual office granted by the Zhengyi school to disciples). It is divided into seven lines, written with a vermilion brush, placed in a bag decorated with yellow patterns, and kept together with the Zhi registers. The document is not made of silver or wood; locust wood or catalpa wood may also be used.

The Document Granting the Office of Great Dugong

Wang Jia, a Zhengyi disciple of such-and-such commandery, such-and-such county, such-and-such township and such-and-such village, of such-and-such years of age, writes in ink to declare his identity and to state that his family has served the Dao for generations, that descendants wear the Zhi registers, cultivate and make offerings, and that the transmission has continued from generation to generation without interruption down to the present day. Since receiving the Dao methods from his master he has been diligent day and night, cultivating with undivided mind and never once growing remiss; he has also constantly proclaimed the Dao methods and succoured the people, without slackness or omission.

Although his cultivation has not yet been able to move the unseen realms and the human world, and although its efficacy is not yet conspicuous nor its influence far-reaching, he looks up to the Dao methods day and night, his heart remaining always within them, hoping that his practice may bear fruit. He earnestly requests the conferral of the Dugong rank. Let Wang Jia’s character and aspiration be examined so as to confirm that he is fit to serve as a model and is suitable for appointment as Great Dugong under the gate of the Celestial Master (Tianshi), the office being granted by written document. From Yangping Zhi downward, each parish may, as appropriate, transmit ritual offices to worthy later students and carry this out in accordance with the regulations.

In such-and-such year of such-and-such state, the year-star being in such-and-such; on such-and-such day of such-and-such month, at such-and-such commandery, such-and-such county, such-and-such township and such-and-such village. Issued by so-and-so of such-and-such abbey, a Celestial Master of the White Board lineage transmitted through so-and-so many generations (not a descendant of the Celestial Masters), and so-and-so of such-and-such parish.

The Petition Requesting Conferral of the Dugong Office

Wang Jia, a Zhengyi disciple of such-and-such commandery, such-and-such county, such-and-such township and such-and-such village, of such-and-such years of age, kowtows and respectfully states his request. Wang Jia has entered the Dao for many years and has worn the ritual registers for a long time. Having received essential instructions from his master, he has been diligent in daily cultivation and practice, never daring to slacken or interrupt.

He has proclaimed the teachings of the Dao and relieved male and female devotees. Although he has not yet been able to benefit the people widely and the efficacy is only beginning to appear, he has already received and holds the ritual offices of all parishes from Yangping Zhi downward. He hopes that the Dharma gate may be transmitted to later generations so that the Daoist teaching may continue to circulate. The Dugong bears the duty of overseeing all the parishes; if he is not entered into this register of offices, the transmission may be broken and later students seeking the Dao would thereby lose the path. The Dharma gate consists in attracting and receiving; the Dao values unobstructed completeness. He earnestly requests that the Dharma master bestow grace and bring this matter to completion. Thus he respectfully submits this statement.

In a certain year of a certain country, in the year when a certain Taisui was on duty, on the first day of a certain month, a zi day, Wang Jia (the name of the recipient of the Fulu (talismans and registers)) kowtowed and presented this written petition, proceeding to the household of the ritual master of a certain surname to submit the document.

Wang Jia, of a certain commandery, county, and village, age such-and-such years.

The foregoing is based on the petition written in Wang Jia’s own hand, together with the letter of recommendation issued by the male and female officials of a certain Cavern (Daoist officeholders): Wang Jia has come before this minister, requesting to be granted the Dugong tablet (a credential of Daoist office) and to have his official title registered. Wang Jia has already taken up the Dao (the Way), is diligent and sincere of heart, and aspires to the methods of the Dao; it is requested that this be granted according to the regulations of the Keyi (liturgy). This is respectfully reported.

Bai Ci (a document for stating matters to the deities)

Now there is Wang Jia of a certain commandery, county, and village, age such-and-such years, recommended by the male and female officials of a certain Cavern. Wang Jia has come before this minister, requesting to be granted the Dugong tablet and to have his official title registered. He has already taken up the Dao, is diligent and sincere of heart, and aspires to the methods of the Dao; it is requested that this be granted according to the regulations of the Keyi.

The foregoing matters are now complete, and the office to be conferred is as previously stated. We respectfully request that the Lingguan of the parish (spirit officials who administer the affairs of Daoist parishes), the clerical soldiers, the Kaozhao (the ritual office for examining and summoning spirit officials), and the lordly clerks jointly verify and correct whether this person accords with the regulations of the Dao; if he still does not comply, then he should be examined and corrected so that he accords with the regulations. For this reason, this minister must specially present a memorial.

This minister so-and-so, in sincere trepidation and fear, deserving of death for his offense, kowtows and bows twice, submitting this to the Kaozhao.

In the year of Taisui such-and-such, on the first day of a certain month, a zi day, this minister of surname so-and-so, affiliated with the official abbey of a certain prefecture and county (a Daoist abbey), now presents this Bai Ci in a certain commandery, county, and village.

The Four Lords.

Kowtowing, deserving of death for the offense, kowtowing and bowing twice, submitting this to the Kaozhao.

In the year of Taisui such-and-such, on the first day of a certain month, a zi day, this minister of surname so-and-so, affiliated with the official abbey of a certain prefecture and county, now presents this Bai Ci in a certain commandery, county, and village.

The Four Lords.

Tai Xuan Du Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Ping Hei (a ritual formula in the document), affiliated with the Yangping Parish of the Celestial Master (Tianshi) (a parish of the Celestial Master tradition). This minister so-and-so kowtows and bows twice, and memorializes as follows:

Upon careful examination of what is recorded in the documents, Wang Jia of a certain commandery, county, and village, age such-and-such years, has already submitted a written petition, requesting of this minister to be granted the Dugong tablet and to have his official title registered. This minister already presented a Bai Ci at the zi hour yesterday; at this present time today the office ought to be conferred, and now I respectfully present this memorial.

Respectfully I make this report: Having received the grace of the Most High Three Heavens (the honored Daoist deities and the celestial realms they govern), I carry out the relevant documentary affairs, which ought to be inspected and handled in a timely manner.

I earnestly request pardon for the various offenses of this humble servant and of Jia, and I request the descent of the Twenty-Four Dioceses (the twenty-four administrative seats of Zhengyi [Orthodox Unity] Daoism), the lords, generals, clerks, soldiers, and officers within those dioceses, as well as the spirits and true officials of Heaven and Earth, sun and moon, mountains and rivers, seas, and the territories of villages and districts, that they together examine the various offenses of this humble servant and of Jia.

Today, so-and-so has received from this humble servant the Great Dugong Register and Appointment of the Celestial Master (Tianshi) lineage (the credential of Zhengyi Daoism for transmitting ritual office and governing the relevant dioceses). May he command the immortal officials within the Twenty-Four Dioceses and become a model teacher for later generations; may so-and-so succeed in cultivating the Dao, attain immortality in his quest for the immortals, travel throughout the world, save the multitude, assist all things, support the emperor and heal the common people, with all that he undertakes showing verification and response.

I respectfully request the Most High… (the original text here is abbreviated with “and so forth” and not recorded). This humble servant respectfully, on behalf of Wang Jia, bows and requests the immortal officials, lords, generals, and officers of clerks and soldiers, to confer the Dugong Register and Appointment together with one paper petition, and to report this matter upward to the Three Heavens Offices (the celestial bureaus in charge of documentary affairs), respectfully awaiting notification and reply. This humble servant so-and-so is truly terrified and apprehensive, his offenses grave, kowtowing and bowing twice in report.

This humble servant’s surname is… (not recorded in the original text here).

Great Clarity… (the original text here is abbreviated with “and so forth” and not recorded). In accordance with the statutes and ordinances of the Great Mystery Capital.

Thereupon the disciple bows again, making one bow to each of the Ten Directions (the four cardinal points, the four intermediate points, and above and below); afterward the master gathers up the incense burner, and the ritual concludes.

The scripture says: Without having received the Dugong Register, one must not transmit the ritual office of a “diocese” to others. Those who violate this regulation will cause their ancestors of seven generations to undergo examination and punishment, serving on Deng Mountain and undertaking the labor of filling rivers; the person himself must also appear in the world for nine years and encounter disasters of water and fire. One must be extremely cautious.

The Zhengyi Fawen Ritual for Transmitting the Dugong Register ends here.

Note: This piece was originally appended after the Zhengyi Fawen Ritual for Summoning the Ten Registers, and has now been separated as an independent text.