《洞真黄书》

The Master said: “I am willing to explain separately the Great Deliverance of Heaven and Earth (the method of borrowing the yin-yang Qi of heaven and earth to deliver from calamity and extend life) and the Method of Eight Lives. Heaven and Earth have the Six Harmonies, and humans likewise have the Six Harmonies. A man rides the days of Jiazi, Jiachen and Jiayin, returning to Guihai; the three combine to form De, then they match one another and are practiced according to the Method of Eight Lives—this is the Great Deliverance. The eight Qi of the Yellow Book (eight kinds of Qi) have twenty-four spirit persons.

Three spirit persons and three spirit lords use the Qi of the Three-One (the Three-One Qi of which Daoism speaks) to induce the corresponding Qi. Husband and wife unite in intercourse, Jing and Qi bind together to form Shen, and birth occurs in the moon. On the first day one obtains the Qi of Guichou and Guimao: the life Qi of the Yin household is divided into two halves and united as one, enabling them jointly to pass through calamities and eliminate illness; what is sought is identical with Laozi’s life Qi, and one practices only the Nine-One method, never conferring it recklessly.

On the second day one obtains Jiachen, the life Qi of heaven and earth combining with Yang Qi; on the third day Yisi, the Great Deliverance of Yin-Yang. On the fourth day Bingwu, Laozi ascends in broad daylight, the cloud Qi disperses and four kinds of Qi are spread abroad. The three unions of man and woman: a woman rides the days of Jiawu, Jiashen and Jiaxu, returning to Guisi; the three unions correspond to the twelve double-hours, each riding twelve kinds for a total of twenty-four kinds of Qi. The man’s Qi is white, the woman’s Qi yellow; the man uses one, the woman two, left three and right six. Begin first from Jiayin and Guichou, returning on the day Guiyou. For the man’s third time, begin first from Guimao through Jiachen and Yisi, exiting the Heavenly Gate and entering the Earthly Door; taking earth as the holder and heaven as the pillar, one can then achieve the true. Passing the degrees of Wu and Ji, one guards the primordial Qi so that it remains firm and undispersed. If one wishes to obtain the mechanism of life, one should pass through the numbers three and five and not exceed the numbers seven and nine.

Guihai is five fives equaling twenty-five Qi, Guisi eight eights equaling sixty-four Qi, Guimao nine nines equaling eighty-one Qi, Guiyou six sixes equaling thirty-six Qi, while Guichou and Guiwei are each three-five Qi. Jiazi confers five Qi, Jiawu eight Qi, Jiayin nine Qi, Jiachen nine Qi, Jiashen six Qi, Jiaxu six Qi.

The practice of the Dao follows the numbers three, five, seven and nine. The Celestial Master (Tianshi) in the first year of Han’an, a Renwu year, and the second year Guiwei, kowtowed to Laozi and received the eight volumes of the Yellow Book together with one each of the Red Qi, the Three Qi, the Nine Talismans and the Seven Talismans, one Mysterious Register, one Mixed Completion, one Central Chapter and one Three-Spirit Register. On the Yisi day he further transmitted orally the method of the twenty-four-day calendar degrees, handing down twenty-four volumes upper and lower. On the Jisi day he orally instructed Shengzhang, Zhiying and others, expounding the Great Deliverance of Heaven and Earth. Those who receive the method must all understand how to select the persons to whom it is transmitted: examine their character, their root bones and their De; take as verification whether they can keep the law until death, and only then transmit these two volumes.

The spirit method must never be applied recklessly. The Six Jia, the Five Phases, the twenty-four Qi, the Nine Palaces and the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) are all methods that borrow the Dao of Yin-Yang to deliver the world, dispel disaster and protect life; ingesting the Three Subtleties (the subtle Qi ingested during cultivation) belongs to the Secret Scripture of the Void Origin. The eighth volume must on no account be transmitted recklessly.”

The East belongs to Jia and Yi Wood, the West to Geng and Xin Metal. Wood is overcome by Metal. Jia treats Yi as his younger sister and marries her to Geng of the West, so that Geng and Yi become husband and wife.

The South belongs to Bing and Ding Fire, the North to Ren and Gui Water. Fire is overcome by Water. Bing treats Ding as his younger sister and marries her to Ren of the North, so that Ren and Ding become husband and wife.

The North belongs to Ren and Gui Water, the Center to Wu and Ji Earth. Water is overcome by Earth. Ren treats Gui as his younger sister and marries her to Wu of the Center, so that Wu and Gui become husband and wife.

The Center belongs to Wu and Ji Earth, the East to Jia and Yi Wood. Earth is overcome by Wood. Wu treats Ji as his younger sister and marries her to Jia of the East, so that Jia and Ji become husband and wife.

The West belongs to Geng and Xin Metal, the Center to Wu Earth; Wu and Gui become husband and wife.

The Center belongs to Wu and Ji Earth, the East to Jia and Yi Wood. Earth is overcome by Wood. Wu treats Ji as his younger sister and marries her to Jia of the East, so that Jia and Ji become husband and wife.

The West belongs to Geng and Xin Metal, the South to Bing and Ding Fire. Metal is overcome by Fire. Geng treats Xin as his younger sister and marries her to Bing of the South, so that Bing and Xin become husband and wife.

In the three months of spring the Wood qi (vital energy) of the East is at its height. Jia treats Yi as his younger sister, and Yi is the wife of Geng. At this time the spirit that governs the seasonal qi brings the Metal qi of the West back to the East. Metal overcomes Wood, so the elm trees form pods and split open—this is the first sign that the weak Yin qi has begun its work of killing and cutting.

In the three months of summer the Fire qi of the South is at its height. Bing treats Ding as his younger sister, and Ding is the wife of Ren. At this time the spirit that governs the seasonal qi brings the Water qi of the North back to the South. Water extinguishes Fire, so shepherd’s purse and wheat wither.

In the three months of autumn the Metal qi of the West is at its height. Geng treats Xin as his younger sister, and Xin is the wife of Bing. At this time the spirit that governs the seasonal qi brings the Fire qi of the South back to the West. Fire smelts Metal into vessels, so the harvest can be gathered and a thanksgiving sacrifice offered to the earth god.

In the three months of winter the Water qi of the North is at its height. Ren treats Gui as his younger sister, and Gui is the wife of Wu Earth of the Center. At this time the spirit that governs the seasonal qi brings the Earth qi of the Center back to the North. Earth gives birth to and nourishes all things, therefore at the winter solstice everything has already begun to stir beneath the Yellow Springs. The Yijing says “the submerged dragon should not be used,” and the Xiaojing Yuanshenqi says “the dormant fluids begin to interchange, the obscured and stunned begin to sprout and nourish”—this is precisely the situation described.

The Bagua (Eight Trigrams) correspond to the spirits of Heaven: Qian is Tianyi, Kun is Sheti, Zhen is Fenglong, Xun is Zhaoyao, and Kan is Xianchi. The original text has a lacuna at this point and then repeats the earlier sentence about all things stirring underground at the winter solstice.

The Eight Trigrams (Bagua) each have correspondences in Heaven: Qian represents Tianyi, Kun represents Sheti, Zhen represents Fenglong, Xun represents Zhaoyao, Kan represents Xianchi, Li (the original text writes “Gao,” which is suspected to be “Li”) represents Xuanyuan, Gen represents Xingshi, and Dui represents Chengshi. The Eight Trigrams each have correspondences on Earth: Qian represents metal and stone, Kun represents earth, Zhen represents wood, Xun represents grass, Kan represents water, Li represents fire, Gen represents mountains, and Dui represents marshes. Corresponding to the human body, Qian is the head, Kun is the abdomen, Zhen is the feet, Li is the eyes, Xun is the nose and also represents the thighs, Gen is the hands, Kan is the ears, and Dui is the mouth.

When the Eight Trigrams first take form, they are calculated from the Nine Palaces (the nine directions). One should take forty-five counting rods (bamboo slips used for counting), place them in the center of the four directions of zi, wu, mao, and you, call out the number nine times at each place, and recite: “Water flows back to its end, dividing eight toward chou; wood falls back to its root, dividing six toward hai; metal is hard and fire is strong, dividing two toward wei; earth rules the four seasons, dividing four toward si.” In this way the directions are determined.

Once the positions of the Nine Palaces have been arranged, two and four rest on the two shoulders, six and eight on the two feet, three on the left and seven on the right, nine at the crown of the head, while one and five occupy the central palace. Taking the central palace as principal, it is gathered and stored within the abdomen, filling the Xun position. One calls upon the Heavenly Gate, obtaining one from the Qian position and eight from the Gen position; raising them high, one scatters the three numbers, stirring Zhen thunder from the Kun position and obtaining two from the Dui position. Kan water does not take six independently but obtains four from the Li position. With all positions set, three and five occupy a level position. If the number one returns to Zhen yang, Kan and Gen each assume their places; Xun being yin, Li and Dui likewise have their respective positions. The Qian number one should pair with Kun; after the return, eight, nine, and five reside in the central palace, and each trigram returns to its proper place.

After the moon is newly born, on the first day one practices one-nines, on the second day two-nines, on the third day three-nines, and so on, until the ninth day nine-nines, equaling eighty-one; at this time there will be moderate rain.

From the tenth day onward, one proceeds in sequence with three, five, seven, and nine; the eleventh through fifteenth days likewise practice three, five, seven, and nine. This stage is called “six.” Subsequently on the ninth day one practices nine-nines, equaling eighty-one; at this time there will be moderate rain.

Starting from the tenth day of each month, proceed according to the sequence of “three, five, seven, nine”; the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days likewise follow this sequence. This is called “the Six Harmonies arranging the sun and moon” (the method of using the numbers of the Six Harmonies to regulate the movements of the sun and moon). During this period rain must not fall at will; if it rains, additional calamities will occur. One must be cautious.

From the sixteenth day onward, proceed according to “eight-eight”; on the seventeenth day according to “seven-eight,” the eighteenth according to “six-eight,” the nineteenth according to “five-eight,” the twentieth according to “four-eight,” the twenty-first according to “three-eight,” the twenty-second according to “two-eight,” and the twenty-third according to “one-eight.” In this ten-day period (a xun, ten days constituting one xun) there may be one rainfall. This is the pattern of Heaven and Earth as husband and wife, the operation of Yin-Yang. The remaining “seven-eight” belong to Wu and Ji (the heavenly stems of the Earth phase of the Five Phases) and must not be implemented at will; each opens, holds, and condenses the Qi (vital energy), so that the two sides nourish each other and generate. Select the “bone” among them (here referring to a certain crucial foundation or essential point) and never violate it.

The Master said: The Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and the Nine Palaces (two systems used to deduce directions and the numbers of Qi), following the growth of the moon, coordinate with the Six Jia (the calendrical system formed by combinations of heavenly stems and earthly branches); Yin-Yang match each other, and eight kinds of transformations arise within the Six Harmonies. Large-scale operations involve the eight winds, twenty-four rainfalls, and the implementation of “three-five”; “seven-nine” relates to calamities. The sons of three-five are as if implemented, and the disasters of seven-five are likewise as if implemented; three-one precedes, two follows. The eight winds and eight Qi (eight kinds of vital energy) coordinate with each other: the Upper Origin is one, the Middle Origin is two, the Lower Origin is three, and nine-one arises from them. The eight winds and twenty-four rains alternately penetrate the calamities from one to nine. The sons of three-five are as if implemented, and the disasters of seven-five are likewise as if implemented; three-one precedes, two follows. The eight winds and eight Qi coordinate with each other: the Upper Origin is one, the Middle Origin is two, the Lower Origin is three, and nine-one arises from them. The eight winds and twenty-four rains alternately penetrate one and are implemented.

Every ten days, only wind Qi descends; fetal breathing (the cultivation method of regulating the breath, concentrating the spirit, and holding Qi like a fetus) involves one thousand two hundred Qi. On the sixteenth day three Qi descend, resembling rainfall. On the large scale of the operations of Heaven and Earth, the Qi of the Three Origins converge. On the twenty-fourth day there is only wind Qi.

On Jiazi days there are five Qi, matching three-five; on Jiashen days six Qi, matching three-five; on Jiawu days eight Qi, matching three-five; on Jiaxu days six Qi, matching three-five. On Guiyou days Yin Qi is more abundant, on Guimao days Yang Qi is more abundant, on Guisi days Yin Qi is more abundant, on Guihai days Yang Qi is more abundant. On Jiachen days there are nine Qi, matching three-five; on Guichou days Yang Qi is more abundant; on Jiayin days there are nine Qi, matching three-five; on Guiwei days Yang Qi is more abundant.

The Guiyou and Guimao days are important occasions when Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang, come together in union. Practitioners should understand that Yin and Yang rotate and correspond according to the “Six Harmonies” (the laws of Yin-Yang pairing). In conducting their affairs they must observe such taboos as the “Three-Five Six Harmonies” and the “Seven-Nine Six Harmonies.” The left side corresponds to three Qi (vital energy), the right side to six Qi; the numbers three, five, seven, and nine also correspond to twenty-four divine beings.

On the Guimao day, when Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang conjoin, practitioners should likewise understand the laws of Yin-Yang pairing and take note of the correspondences between the aforementioned taboos and the numbers of Qi. The scripture then states that what “Three-Five” involves are the Qi that circulate in directional or divine positions such as the Left Origin, the Upper Right, the Mysterious Elder, and the Central Supreme. Violation may invite disasters and diseases, even the affliction of one thousand two hundred Qi. Lesser illnesses are associated with two, five, seven, and nine.

Those who wish to nourish life and preserve nature and life must carefully heed the taboos of heavenly timing and Qi numbers: the five Qi corresponding to three and five are of the greatest importance, while seven Qi and nine Qi are linked to illness and calamity. One should therefore reflect repeatedly and refrain from transgression.

The Master said that the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), the Nine Palaces, and the operations of the moon all relate to the Six Jia (the system of pairing Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches used for recording time). The pairing of Yin-Yang produces such transformations as the Six Harmonies, Eight Productions, Great Measures, Eight Winds, and Twenty-Four Rains. The numerical principles of three and five circulate in sequence, while seven and nine are linked to calamities. The Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) also pertain to taboos in the cultivation practices of men and women. If you can practice in the manner of following the mysterious registers (Xuanlu, a form of Daoist Fulu or talismans and registers), you will cause the Qi (vital energy) to mix and blend, attaining a state of undivided chaos. Yellow Qi and White Qi can both mutually restrain and mutually generate each other. Cultivating the body and preserving good thoughts is merely jointly craving life and delighting in living; this method should be put into practice only when encountering urgent situations. Fearing that you do not understand, I therefore transmit this method of circulating the Three Qi, commencing from the days of Renwu and Guiwei. At noon on the tenth day of the first month in the first year of Han'an, eight volumes of mysterious registers and Huncheng illustrated books were transmitted.

The Master admonished men and women not to apply talismanic contracts at random in order to expel old Qi, corpse-infestation (Shi Zhu, regarded as an evil influence that causes people to fall ill), and ghosts and sprites. If speaking of disasters and illnesses as well as the desire to transcend the world (Dushi, to escape the mundane realm), one ought to use red Qi to pass over; on days of Wu and Ji one ascends in broad daylight, with cloud-dragons inverted and cut off. Departing outside the rain, raise both hands above the head and fill three times; then go out from the old jade chamber, return to the Eight Obscurities, and untie the sixteen knots. Visualize the eight Qi, causing the breath to untie the knots and come back to life. Only after the Qi has circulated does one apply the method of the father generating the Palace of Supreme Mystery and the mother generating the Palace of Supreme Subtlety: the father is born on Bingyin, the mother on Bingshen. Before Heaven and Earth had yet taken form, Yellow Qi and White Qi had already separated, jointly circulating nine nines eighty-one Qi; the measure of the Qi is like two taels and a half. This forms one left Qi above, one right Mysterious Elder, and a third residing in the center as the Supreme One; three multiplied by nine equals eighty-one.

Therefore men and women should first two then below (the original text says “first two then three,” the specific referent of which is unclear); this is the “Three-Five Children.” Jointly visualize the central chapter, the abdomen, and the eyes, understanding the meanings of three births, three risings, three reclining, as well as the “three dead persons”; take the Qi as protection and do not violate it.

The Master said that when the directional arrangements of three and five are properly set, the calamities represented by seven and nine can be eliminated. First practice the method of the Three-Ones; two, four, nine, and one generate Qi, the Qi being like the three united into one and thereby forming De (Virtue/Power). Do not apply visualizations recklessly.

The Dao (the Way) is born following the moon. One must understand the meaning of the “three dead persons,” taking the Qi as protection, and not violate it.

The Master said: “When the positions of three and five are properly arranged, the disasters of seven and nine can be eliminated. First practice the method of the Three-One. The numbers two, four, nine, and one can generate Qi (vital energy). Qi should congeal into De (Virtue/Power) as the three unite; when contemplating and practicing this method, never apply it arbitrarily.”

From the first to the ninth of each month, every day one must visualize the three Qi of Xuan, Yuan, and Shi (the three primordial sources of Qi spoken of in Daoism) gathering in the head and eyes, while simultaneously visualizing the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) of the head as well as the twenty-four spirits of the body, and contemplating the numbers three, five, seven, and nine. Understanding these enables one to preserve oneself.

After the tenth of each month, the numerical method proceeds in the sequence of three, five, seven, nine; from the tenth to the fifteenth, practice daily according to the order of three, five, seven, and nine. This is the law of the union of the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. At this time the sun and moon should be bright and clear, and rain should not fall at will; in this way disasters can be averted. If it rains, harm will result, causing tree roots to wither and grains to rot. If one does not understand the laws of three and five and the application of seven and nine, yet practices arbitrarily, one fears suffering damage like a fish leaving water or a person losing Qi. Rain may also bring harm; one must be cautious and yet more cautious.

From the sixteenth of each month, practice according to the sequence from eight-eight to one-eight; within this ten-day period there may be one rainfall. At the last-quarter moon it belongs to Wu-Ji (here referring to the relevant Yin-Yang seasonal laws); on the seventh and eighth days there may be wind, but rain is not appropriate; it should cease by the twenty-eighth. If you cannot jointly practice the method of three and five, then simply practice according to three, five, seven, and nine, making it correspond with the twenty-four spirits of the body; do not correspond with spirits such as Zuowu, Shangyou Xuanlao, and others. The Three-One refers to the orthodox Qi of the Three Officials (the orthodox Qi related to the Heaven, Earth, and Water Officials). The so-called “one in front and two behind” refers to the union of the Upper Prime and the Middle Prime. Two people lie supine together with feet apart, and while breathing in and out, strive to gaze afar at Yuan-Yuan (the primordial source spoken of in Daoism). After practicing three times, then cross over the position of Wu-Ji. Infant embryonic breathing (inwardly contracted breathing like that of a fetus) requires accumulating one thousand two hundred Qi. If the body suffers disaster or illness, one can no longer perform it for others. At this time one should visualize the spirits in the upper and lower Dantian (energy centers) together with the twenty-four Qi, and also visualize the spirits of three and five together; men visualize the left side, women the right side. Do not transmit it arbitrarily; select suitable people, and be sure to be cautious.

Each of the twelve months of the year has an order of Yin-Yang pairing, as well as the method of the Great Measure of Eight Generations (a cultivation method spoken of in the original text that operates according to Yin-Yang sequence to generate Qi). Xuan Qi descends from above, Shi Qi ascends from below; Shen (spirit) and Qi each have names of male and female. These laws may be used to treat illnesses for others. Be sure to be cautious.

The Dao (the Way) follows the twelve months in matching Yin-Yang and the eight generative methods with Qi (vital energy): mysterious Qi arrives from below, while inaugural Qi descends from above. Men and women each possess corresponding Shen (spirit) Qi, each with its own designation; these Shen can collectively assist a person in passing through calamities such as illness. By receiving and upholding the four characters of “Zhen” (True) and matching the eight-character designations with Qi, the Dao is caused to manifest from obscure and profound depths and then to enter into subtle recesses. When the Qi of three and five are harmonized and restored to correctness, the body receives the protection of Shen and attains the tranquility of immortals and emperors; nothing is missed, and one’s nature and life can be preserved.

Men employ three Qi, women five Qi; both men and women further employ twelve Qi, coordinated with the twelve double-hours, each thereby consolidating their own Shen. The Shen of men is Wang Wenqing, who circulates to the left and right; the Shen of women is Wei Shangqing, with Zhou Shigong coming to provide protection. In this manner the heart-Shen naturally becomes clear and luminous; these regulations must not be violated.

The Dao generates the six directions (above, below, and the four quarters). Should a person wish to traverse the five kinds of adversity, undergo various disasters, and dispel pestilential Qi, if disputes of speech or illness still persist, one first visualizes the Shen Dao of the Jiazi lords and recites the corresponding Shen according to the day’s designation. If a Shen is perceived as bringing adversity, one reports upward to the Heavenly Bureau (the celestial offices), requesting the removal of the investigative detention by the Three Officials. The oaths stated in the Shen chapters must not be forgotten; should liberation still not be obtained after the passage of years and months, then in going out and coming in the male official proceeds mounted upon the sixty Shen.

One must also cause the Yin Shen to be on duty for the day and recite the corresponding Shen according to the day’s designation; if the Shen brings adversity, one likewise reports to the Heavenly Bureau, requesting the removal of the investigative detention by the Three Officials. The oaths of the Shen chapters must not be forgotten. When the Yang Shen is on duty, it may likewise serve as a warrant for employment. The Yang Shen spends five days in the Yin household, and the Yin Shen spends five days in the Yang household, so that the two interpenetrate. If the present day is a Jiazi day, one visualizes the Shen returning among the six Rong and ten Shen to run errands on one’s behalf; if it is a Jiawu day, one visualizes the Shen returning among the nine Yi and ten Shen to run errands on one’s behalf. Thus the two generals of Zi and Wu are established as the place of return for the six Gui Shen. If a person can comprehend the method of the six Gui, then in action one may pass through the barriers. Men and women each protect their own Shen; the methods of applying Qi must not be practiced recklessly. Contained herein is the Dao of immortality, which the Imperial Lord ought to contemplate repeatedly.

The Solar Dao (the divine path associated with the movement of the sun) is already generated before events have even taken place. First one must assemble the gods of the Jiazi cycle, then assemble the twenty-four gods. Beginning from the first day of the first month and following the designations of the days, the sequence continues through the twelfth month. The divine Qi (vital energy) of men and of women each occupies its own position; if even one is lacking, a person’s life remains incomplete. Therefore spirit seats are to be established and the practices carried out month by month in proper order, without confusion and without separately summoning them. These gods are not subject to human command, nor do they come and go in attendance upon people.

If one wishes to treat illness or expel pestilential Qi, one should personally report the matter to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water (the deities who govern heaven, earth, and water) and request that they join their efforts with the solar gods to render assistance. The Daoist Wang Jia performs the practices according to the numbers three, five, seven, and nine. If you are able to receive my true words and essential instructions concerning the spirit positions, you ought to follow the oral secrets and essential points transmitted by an enlightened master, including the upper and lower Nine Palaces, entering the trigrams (Bagua), talismanic contracts, charts and books, registers, and related materials.

These methods were transmitted by Lord Lao the Most High to Zhang Ling (founder of the Celestial Master [Tianshi] tradition of Daoism) at noon on the seventh day of the seventh month in the first year of the Han’an era (142 CE). The essential purpose of the transmission was the pursuit of longevity, deliverance from the mundane world, corpse-liberation (the Daoist notion of shedding the physical form to become an immortal), ascent to heaven in broad daylight, and enabling one’s descendants for generations to pass through all manner of disasters. In the following year, a Guiwei year, at noon on the seventh day of the first month, Zhang Daoling transmitted the methods to Zhao Sheng, Wang Chang, Wang Zhi, Wang Ying, and others. They observed the taboos of the Nine Palaces in accordance with the Yellow Book Contracts and mastered the matters presided over by the male and female official-gods; the relevant essential teachings appear in the eighth juan.

Zhao Sheng and his companions further transmitted the methods to three ladies at the Northern Prospect Parish on Zhuang Mountain, conferring a juan-contract upon each. They first taught the oral formulas of the Red Qi and explained Heaven and Earth together with the Six Harmonies, the correct circulation of the Three and the Five, and the methods of matching Qi according to seven and nine. Men and women each act according to the spirits to which they belong; details such as the length of clothing are likewise to be contemplated together, so that each spirit remains in its proper position.

When the celestial ordinances fall into disorder, human beings begin to be born. First one must preserve and contemplate essence and spirit; one must also visualize the generation of brain and marrow and the bones becoming complete and firm, the net… details such as the length of clothing are all contemplated together, so that each spirit remains in its proper position. After the sixteen knots have been untied, the spirits spread their two hands, pass above the crown of the head, and then come to rest. These teachings must not be transmitted casually; the utmost caution is required.

The Master said: Between Heaven and Earth there are the Nine Yi, Eight Man, Six Rong, and Five Di, as well as the Three Officials who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water (the deities in Daoism who preside over Heaven, Earth, and Water). There are also the divine offices charged with examining and summoning six categories of spirits, the twenty-four Official Lords, and the three Master Lords consisting of the Celestial Master (Tianshi), the Female Master, and the Successor Master. If you can comprehend the Orthodox Excellence of the Three Heavens, the Unity of Great Crimson Heaven, the Unity of Qingwei Heaven, the Unity of Yuyu Heaven, and the principle of the “Three Qi (vital energy) and Three Fives,” then you may together pass through calamities, extend lifespan, and eliminate epidemics. These essential secrets must be transmitted orally from mouth to ear and must not be written down. In accordance with the twenty-four Qi that correspond separately to men and women, one must prepare the Divine Registers, the Mysterious Registers, and the Mixed Completion Central Chapter; before any transmission, suitable persons must certainly be selected.

If you can understand this set of “Nine Nines” methods, you may together dispel disasters and resolve misfortunes. Included therein is the practice of ingesting the “Three Subtleties”; if one does not understand the degrees of the circulation of the Three Qi according to the calendar, comprehension will prove difficult. The scripture states that genuine efficacy begins only from the years of Jiachen and Guimao; in years such as Jiawu, Yiwei, and Bingshen, one should probably expel the heterodox rebellions of the left side and not allow them to remain long. One may practice Shouyi (the Daoist cultivation method of concentrating on holding the original spirit or the Qi of the Dao), but one must not perform the rites at the third watch on a Jiawu day. Concerning the wording “Dao supplies (chu + zi),” the original text is suspected of containing errors or omissions. The time of the ritual is noon on the seventh day of the first lunar month.

The following are the divine names, directions, and prayer texts employed in the ritual. The original is fragmentary in many places, and some personal names, divine titles, and phrases cannot be definitively interpreted. One receives the Three Qi according to the year of birth and revolves to the left. At a certain location the names of the twenty-four spirits are listed in scattered fashion. In the directions there are the Six Rong, each combining six with six for a total of thirty-six. The three Lord Gods who inspect the Crimson Qi belong to Great Crimson Heaven. The Supreme Crimson Qi ascends to the Heavenly Offices. At the moment of sunrise the heavenly bodies are light and clear, transcending the farthest reaches of the eight directions. At the Chou hour the Lord Generals of the twelve double-hours revolve to the left. The following repeatedly enumerates the names of the twenty-four spirits, the thirty-six of the Six Rong, the three Lords of Crimson Qi, and matters of the Heavenly Offices. The Lord Generals and clerks of the twelve double-hours together receive the mandate and stand arrayed before the Lords of the Three Heavens of Clear Mysterious Primordial Upper.

In the Bingyin year the mother is born, in the Bingshen year the father [Mou/Mou], serving as a certain method of practice; yet the maternal gate leaves behind\ldots Pray to invite the Eight Man of the South, totaling eight eights sixty-four Qi; then pray to invite the West\ldots The generals and clerks together respectfully invite the Lord Gods of the twelve double-hours to inspect and examine faults. Within the Crimson [Qi] a certain person first writes\ldots one hundred twenty official generals, together passing through the disaster of residual Yin Three Qi suffered by the various gods and worthies. The calamity crosses over among my five misfortunes; a certain person from birth ought to experience\ldots the body of Wu and Ji obtains white\ldots On Mao and Chen days pay respects facing south, on Si, Wu, and Wei days pay respects facing west, on Shen, You, and Xu days pay respects facing north, Hai, Zi\ldots Select the date of the seventh of the month, the fifth of the tenth month, or the seventh of the first month; otherwise the living cannot receive\ldots

Among the eight Man spirits of the South is the Senior Minister Tang Shangqing, among the six Rong spirits of the West is Hu Gongyang, and among the five Di spirits of the North is Pang Mingxin. Among the eight Man spirits of the South is the Senior Minister Wei Shangqing, among the six Rong spirits of the West is Kong Ligong, and among the five Di spirits of the North is Wang Wenqing.

The eight Man spirits of the South receive nothing.

Among the eight Man spirits of the South is the Senior Minister Tang Shangqing, among the six Rong spirits of the West is Hu Gongyang, and among the five Di spirits of the North is Pang Mingxin. Among the eight Man spirits of the South is the Senior Minister Wei Shangqing, among the six Rong spirits of the West is Kong Ligong, and among the five Di spirits of the North is Wang Wenqing. Among the eight Man spirits of the South is Du Zhongyang, among the six Rong spirits of the West is Zhan Zijiang, and among the five Di spirits of the North is Pang Jiqing.

The left is male and the right is female, three kinds of Qi (vital energy); the left is male and the right is female, three kinds of Qi; the left is male and the right is female, three kinds of Qi.