《赤松子章历》Vol. 1

The Taizhen Code (a Daoist liturgical classic) and the Calendar of Master Chisong record that during the Han dynasty, humans and ghosts lived side by side, while spirits and malevolent beings roamed everywhere. The Most High Lord Lao took pity on the people and descended upon Heming Mountain, where he bestowed on Celestial Master Zhang (Zhang Daoling) 120 grades of Zhengyi alliance talismans and registers, 1,200 official ritual forms, 300 major scriptures, and important ritual texts, to aid and govern the people. Celestial Master Zhang then established the Twenty-Four Administrations, the districts and religious institutions of the Zhengyi tradition. He put Zhengyi petitions and talismans into practice, administered the community of Daoist followers, instructed the people, and widely performed good deeds without seeking reward. As time passed, precious petition texts were lost. Of those that survive today, only one or two tenths remain.

The book also records that Master Chisong once asked the Heavenly Elder Pingchang, “In the jichou year, I submitted a petition to pray for a response. Why did none come?” Pingchang replied, “I saw the person carrying the petition bring it to the Gate of Heaven, but the gate was closed.” Master Chisong then asked at what times the Gate of Heaven opened and closed over the course of a day and night. Pingchang answered each question, and his account accorded fully with the liturgical rules.

People submit petitions for many different reasons: some pray for their family or state, some for themselves or their relatives, and others for their deceased ancestors. Each case is different. A person’s lifespan and fate are governed by the stars. If someone commits evil deeds, their name is entered in the black register. This can leave them mentally unsettled, disturb their sleep and dreams, bring them many hardships, and shorten their years. But if they purify their hearts, turn toward the Dao, honor Daoist teachings, and seek petitions and talismans, then after their request is presented, their offenses may be reduced and their blessings, fortune, and lifespan increased. The spirits of their ancestors may also be delivered, and the wishes they hold in their hearts may be fulfilled.

Before submitting any petition, one should prepare offerings as tokens of sincerity, so that the deities may examine one’s intent. Without such offerings, the deities will not accept the petition and may reproach the petitioner for being stingy and unwilling to give. The amount offered with a petition should vary according to one’s means: the well-off should give more, while the poor may give less. Some people hold high office and have wealthy households; though they hope to accumulate merit, they are reluctant to part with their property and give only the amount expected of the poor. This will not help them achieve what they seek. If a poor person asks a Daoist priest to conduct a petition ritual on their behalf, the priest should cover the ritual offering for them.

The offerings used for petitions in earlier times were governed by specific rules and, broadly speaking, were divided into three grades for emperors, nobles, and commoners. The names used also differed according to rank and status, and the categories must not be confused. Liturgical rules require that offerings received for petitions be distributed to the poor as an act of charity and merit. A Daoist priest must not keep them all. Of every ten parts, the priest may use no more than three. The Heavenly Code, the laws set by Heaven, is severe. Those who violate it will be punished by the Three Officials, deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water; the harm will extend to nine generations of ancestors, and the offenders will remain forever among the lowly ghosts. One must therefore act with care. The relevant material is now arranged in sequence, with its provisions set out, so that all who carry out these rites may understand the proper procedures.

The tokens and offerings required for the various memorials are as follows:

Memorial for Drought: One shi and two dou of rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, one bolt of fate silk (plain silk used for memorials concerning one’s birth destiny), one clean mat, two brushes, two ink cakes, colored silk prepared in the respective colors of the Five Directions, 240 sheets of paper, a pair of silver rings (weighing one liang and two zhu), and two liang of incense.

Memorial to Request Rain, Obtain Water, and Then Stop the Rain: One shi and two dou of rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, one bolt of fate silk, one clean mat, two brushes, two ink cakes, and two liang of “Five Directions” items. The original only says “two liang of the Five Directions” here and does not specify what the items are.

Memorial to Request Rain, Obtain Water, and Then Stop the Rain: One shi and two dou of rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, one bolt of fate silk, one clean mat, two brushes, two ink cakes, colored silk prepared in the respective colors of the Five Directions, 120 sheets of paper, one liang of incense, and 1,200 coins.

Memorial to Repel Insect, Locust, and Rat Disasters That Devour Seedlings: The record of the required tokens and ritual implements is missing.

Memorial to Avert Rat Disasters: The record of the required tokens and ritual implements is missing.

Memorial to Avert Tiger Disasters: The record of the required tokens and ritual implements is missing.

Memorial to Undo Curses: The record of the required tokens and ritual implements is missing.

Memorial to Eliminate Strange Phenomena: 120 chi of hemp rope, one knife, colored silk prepared in the respective colors of the Five Directions, 1,100 coins, one shi and two dou of rice, one brush, one bolt of fate silk, and one ink cake.

Comprehensive Memorial to Ward Off Disasters, Avert Misfortune, Prolong Life, Deliver from Fate, and Repel Killing Forces: One bolt of fate silk, 1,200 coins, one dou and two sheng of oil, one shi and two dou of rice, 240 sheets of paper, two brushes, two ink cakes, two liang of incense, and fruit.

Oral Memorial to Repent for Transgressions in One’s Birth Destiny: The record of the required tokens and ritual implements is missing.

Memorial for Deliverance Through the Nine Calamities and the Heavenly Net: 121 shi and two dou of blue silk thread, 240 sheets of paper, two brushes, two ink cakes, two liang of incense, and fruit. The quantity and unit in the original, “121 shi and two dou of blue silk thread,” are reproduced as written.

Oral Memorial to Repent for Transgressions in One’s Birth Destiny: The record of the required tokens and ritual implements is missing.

Memorial for Deliverance Through the Nine Calamities and the Heavenly Net: 120 chi of blue silk thread, 120 counting rods, one shi and two dou of rice, one bolt of fate silk, 1,200 coins, two liang of incense, 120 sheets of paper, one dou and two sheng of oil, one brush, and one ink cake.

The ritual procedure for averting the Three Calamities has been lost, including the required tokens and ritual items.

The “Blue Silk, Extending the Lifespan” petition requires forty chi of life silk, one shi and two dou of rice, 1,200 coins, 110 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink stick, 120 counting rods, five tin figures, one liang of incense, and one dou and two sheng of oil.

The petition for treating illness has been lost, including the required tokens and ritual items.

The petition for severe illness, reducing calamities and malevolent influences, and extending the lifespan for protection has been lost, including the required tokens and ritual items.

The petition for aiding those in grief and hardship, helping them pass through danger, and protecting them requires one bolt of life silk, one shi and two dou of rice, 1,200 coins, one dou and two sheng of oil, one liang of incense, 120 sheets of paper, one brush, and one ink stick.

The petition for giving thanks to the earth has been lost, including the required tokens and ritual items.

The ritual procedure for driving away ghosts of depletion and loss has been lost, including the required tokens and ritual items.

The ritual procedure for presenting one’s merits and stabilizing a residence has been lost, including the required tokens and ritual items.

The ritual procedure for cutting off pestilence, poison, and epidemic disease has been lost, including the required tokens and ritual items.

The petition for warding off Kui (the original text has a missing or variant character after “Kui,” making its meaning uncertain) has been lost, including the required tokens and ritual items.

The ritual procedure for dispelling the misfortune of the Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare requires one bolt of life silk, 1,200 coins, one shi and two dou of white rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, one liang of incense, 120 sheets of paper, 120 chi of vermilion cord, one bracelet, one liang of plain silk thread, one brush, and one ink stick.

The Post Horse petition, also called the “Opening and Deliverance” petition, requires these offerings and ritual items: one gold figure; one bolt each of silk in five colors; one purple altar cloth; one ivory tablet; one cap; one robe; one headcloth; one each of a brush, ink stick, counting rod, sheet of paper, length of blue silk, and mat; one writing knife; one pair of water shoes; one purple parasol; 1,200 coins; one shi and two dou of rice; one bolt of life silk; oil and incense.

The petition for giving thanks to the Five Tombs.

“Petition for Releasing the Five Tombs”: one bolt of yellow silk, one shi and two dou of white rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, 1,200 coins, one brush, 120 sheets of paper, one tablet of ink, one liang of incense, and fruit. These are the offerings and supplies listed for performing this petition rite.

“Petition for Disarming the Five Tombs”: five figures made of tin, one shi and two dou of rice, 1,200 coins, one bolt of ritual white cloth, one tablet of ink, one dou and two sheng of oil, 120 sheets of paper, one brush, and 120 counting sticks. “Counting sticks” refers to small rods used for counting or in ritual procedures.

“Petition for Giving Thanks to Deceased Ancestors,” “Petition for Protecting the Fetus,” “Petition for Hastening Childbirth,” “Petition for Protecting Infants and Children,” “Petition for Ending the Deceased’s Return and Entanglement,” and “Petition for Giving Thanks to Deceased Ancestors in Cases of Illness” are each marked in the source as “ritual details missing,” indicating that the corresponding ritual supplies or liturgical content have not been preserved.

“Petition for Bestowing Light and Transforming a Child”: one shi and two dou of rice, 360 coins, one bolt of ritual white cloth, and 120 sheets of paper. “Bestowing light and transforming” refers to a blessing and salvation rite performed for a child.

“Petition for Breaking the Coffin in Cases of Illness”: the source first marks the text as “passage missing,” then lists forty chi of white cloth, one figure of a gold person, one knife, one axe, one chisel, one large mallet, one saw, thirty jin of charcoal, one pair of wooden rams, one shovel, 120 sheets of paper, 1,200 coins, one set of brush and ink, and one dou and two sheng of oil. “Breaking the coffin” is a ritual term in the title of this petition.

“Petition for Collecting and Averting Fire Disasters”: five bolts of multicolored silk, one bolt of plain silk, one pair of silver rings, 1,200 coins, one tablet of ink, one shi and two dou of rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, 120 sheets of paper, one brush, one mat, and one zhang and two chi of crimson cloth.

“Petition for Begging Passage in the Jiazi Year”: the source marks the relevant passage as “text and ritual details missing.”

“Memorial for Stating Merits to the Highest Clarity,” “Memorial for Stating Merits in the Miscellaneous Registers of the Three and Five,” “Memorial for Stating Merits to Remove One’s Name from Mount Tai’s Register of the Dead,” “Memorial for Stating Merits to Secure the Deliverance of the Departed,” and “Memorial for the People to State Their Merits,” along with “Memorial for Capturing Demons,” “Memorial for Supporting the Failing,” “Memorial for Stopping Injury,” “Memorial for Stopping Official Calamity,” “Memorial for Stopping the Transfer of One’s Lifespan through Bone and Blood,” “Memorial for Stopping Earthly Calamity,” “Memorial for Removing Misfortune,” “Memorial for Saving from Peril,” “Memorial for Stopping Grave Calamity,” “Memorial for Stopping the Transfer of One’s Children,” “Memorial for Escaping the Net That Enmeshes One’s Whole Person,” “Memorial for Clearing a Grave,” “Memorial for Clearing the Celestial River,” “Memorial for Release from the Thirty-Six Prisons,” “Memorial for the Initial Transformation and Removal of Sin,” and “Memorial for Seeking a Child,” are titles of memorial texts used in Zhaijiao purification rituals. A “memorial for stating merits” presents one’s merits to the deities and prays for blessings. The “register of the dead” refers to the legendary ledger recording the names of the deceased. “Release from the Thirty-Six Prisons” is ritual language for praying to be freed from the torments of the underworld prisons.

The memorials listed afterward concern treatment for spouses with long-term illnesses, prayers for recovery from postpartum illness, discord between spouses, sudden illness, troubles at home, unusual phenomena appearing in the residence, taboos to observe when moving house, seeking grace by correcting one’s faults, capturing malevolent beings that cause trouble, separation between spouses, and confessing after violating precepts to seek leniency. Most of these are titles only; the specific rituals and prayers have been lost.

None of the twenty-seven memorials listed above has surviving text. The items required for the associated rituals include forty chi of white silk, one shi of white rice, one dou of oil, one jin of incense, one hundred sheets of paper, one pair of brushes, one tablet of ink, one writing knife, two mats, and five chi of cloth for a towel.

Petition for Relief from Distress, Hardship, and Humiliation, to Confess Faults and Remove Blame: one pair of gold rings, one writing knife, one hundred sheets of paper, two brushes, one block of ink, five dou of rice, two mats, and five liang of incense.

Petition for Mercy upon First Becoming Aware of Illness, Confessing Faults and Seeking Grace: one hundred and ten coins, three dou of rice, one hundred sheets of paper, two brushes, one block of ink, one liang of incense, one mat, and one writing knife.

Petition to Thank the Healer for Treating an Illness That Has Lasted Many Days: one hundred sheets of paper, two brushes, one block of ink, one writing knife, three dou of rice, one liang of incense, one mat, and one hundred and twenty coins.

Petition to Stop an Epidemic: one hundred sheets of paper, three liang of incense, one brush, one block of ink, one writing knife, two mats, one dou of oil, seventy coins, one zhang of silk, one knife, three dou of rice, one liang of incense, one mat, and one hundred and twenty coins.

Petition to Stop an Epidemic: one hundred sheets of paper, three liang of incense, one brush, one block of ink, one writing knife, two mats, one dou of oil, seventy coins, and one zhang and two chi of silk. Prepare supplies according to the number of people in each household.

Petition for Rain: three dou and six sheng of oil, two brushes, one block of ink, one hundred sheets of paper, one liang of cinnabar, three liang of incense, two mats, five dou of rice, and three hundred and sixty-five coins.

Petition to Eliminate Illness and Calamity, End Ghost Litigation, Remove Danger, and Ensure Safety: three hundred sheets of paper, three dou of oil, forty chi of blue-green silk, one brush, one block of ink, five liang of incense, five dou of rice, two mats, and one writing knife.

Petition to Remove the Calamity of the Nine-Five Yuanchen Cycle: two shi of white rice, four mats, one dou and two sheng of oil, and one bolt of dark-red silk. If silk is unavailable, one hundred sheets of paper may be used in its place. Also prepare two brushes, two blocks of ink, one writing knife, one hundred and twenty counting rods, one pair of gold rings, two jin of incense, and three kinds of dark-red cord, nine cords of each kind, measuring one hundred and twenty chi in total. If the calamity is severe, also prepare five colors of silk thread, three liang of each color.

Petition for Clear Skies

Five jin of wax, two brushes, two ink cakes, one hundred sheets of paper, and ropes in three kinds, nine of each kind, measuring one hundred and twenty chi in total. If the calamity encountered is severe, also prepare five-colored silk thread, three liang of each color.

Petition for Clear Skies (a petition praying for clear weather)

Five jin of wax, two brushes, two ink cakes, one hundred sheets of paper, five liang of cinnabar, one writing knife, two mats, and five dou of rice.

Petition to Resolve Great Calamities of the Eight Trigrams and Yuanchen (a petition to avert major misfortune associated with the Eight Trigrams and Yuanchen)

Forty chi of plain white silk, one shi and two dou of rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, one writing knife, five liang of plain silk thread, a pair of gold rings weighing two fen, and 1,200 cash coins; alternatively, 600 or 384 cash coins may be used. Also prepare 120 counting rods, one hundred sheets of paper, thirteen liang of incense, two brushes, one ink cake, two mats, and one writing knife.

Petition to Drive Away Thieves (a petition to repel thieves)

Prepare five-colored left-hand cords according to the directions, with their lengths determined by the number assigned to each direction; ninety chi of blue patterned silk, one large knife, one hundred sheets of paper, one set of brush and ink, three liang of incense, one mat, one writing knife, and five dou of rice.

Petition of Apology to the Household for Moving In or Making Changes That Bring Misfortune (a petition to appease the household spirits and avert harm when a move or alteration of the residence proves inauspicious)

One hundred and twenty sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, and one writing knife; one hundred sheets of paper, one set of brush and ink, three liang of incense, one mat, one writing knife, and five dou of rice.

Petition of Apology to the Household for Moving In or Making Changes That Bring Misfortune

One hundred and twenty sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, and one writing knife; prepare colored silk for the five directions in the quantities corresponding to each direction; five jin of wax, two mats, five dou of rice, 120 cash coins, and three liang of incense.

Petition to Calm a New Residence That Causes Fear (a petition to secure a home that feels unsettling)

Ten chi of yellow silk, 120 cash coins, five dou of rice, two mats, one hundred sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, three liang of incense, and one writing knife.

Petition to End Waste, Strange Manifestations, and Recorded Calamities

One hundred sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, one writing knife, one mat, one dou of oil, fourteen chi of yellow cloth, two shi of white rice, and two liang of incense.

Petition to Settle Disputes over the Tombs of Three Generations of Ancestors and Five Generations of Forebears

A petition to settle disputes concerning the tombs of three generations of ancestors and five generations of forebears.

Fifty jin of wood, to be burned and made into powder; the specific method is given later. Fifteen or twenty-five jin of wood may also be used. In addition, five zhang of yellow cloth, one shi and five dou of rice, one hundred sheets of paper, one ink tablet, one brush, one liang of incense, and one mat are required.

For the petition titled “For Official and Private Offenses and Punishments, Death and Illness Following One Another, and Ending the Harm of the Five Tombs”: one hundred sheets of paper, one brush, one ink tablet, one writing knife, one mat, one dou of oil, twenty-four chi of yellow cloth, one shi and two dou of rice, one liang of cinnabar, and one liang of incense are required.

For the petition titled “For Repeated Dreams of the Dead and Confusion Involving the Dispersal of Tombs”: five zhang of yellow cloth, forty chi of plain white silk, three dou and six sheng of oil, one hundred sheets of paper, one brush, one ink tablet, one writing knife, three liang of incense, and two liang of cinnabar are required.

For the petition titled “For Strange Occurrences in the Home and Minor Expulsion”: fifty sheets of paper, one brush, one ink tablet, three dou of rice, one mat, one liang of incense, and seventy-two coins are required.

For the petition titled “For Major Expulsion After a Funeral”: one hundred sheets of paper, two brushes, one ink tablet, one writing knife, one liang of incense, one mat, three dou of rice, one hundred and twenty coins, one liang of cinnabar, and ten chi of silk fabric are required.

For the petition titled “For Unending Deaths from Illness, Using Silver Figures as Substitutes”: Prepare human figures from silver foil, making one for each person in the household. If silver foil is unavailable, make the figures from tin, or use ninety-nine coins in its place. After writing the petition, cast the silver figures, tin figures, or coins into water. In addition, one liang of cinnabar for the petition, ten chi of silk fabric, one hundred sheets of paper, one brush, one ink tablet, one writing knife, five dou of rice, two liang of incense, and one zhang and one chi of silk fabric are required.

For the petition titled “For Many Strange Afflictions and Seizing and Capturing the Qi of the Deceased”: the scripture lists the title of the petition.

Sixty peachwood talismans, each a wooden board one chi and two cun long, one cun and two fen wide, and three fen thick; nine dou of small red beans; 110 chi of left-twisted cord; one large knife; 100 sheets of paper; one brush; one ink tablet; one mat; two liang of incense; and one writing knife.

The Twenty-Four Prisons Petition for Relieving Illness, Distress, and Stagnation

Twenty-four chi of blue-patterned silk, three liang of incense, 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink tablet, five dou of rice, one knife, and one mat.

The Petition for Dispelling the Five Prisons and Treating Illness

Three liang of plain silk thread, one pair of gold rings, ten liang of incense, 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink tablet, one mat, five dou of rice, and one writing knife.

The Petition for Relieving the Calamity of the Five Dippers’ Obstruction and Striking, and Rescuing Life

Forty chi of white plain silk, three liang of plain silk thread, one pair of gold rings, two ink tablets, two brushes, 200 sheets of paper, five liang of incense, five dou of rice, and one writing knife.

The Petition for Relieving the Calamity of the Five Dippers’ Obstruction and Striking, and Rescuing Life

Forty chi of white plain silk, three liang of plain silk thread, one pair of gold rings, two ink tablets, two brushes, 200 sheets of paper, five liang of incense, and one writing knife.

The Great Petition for Transfer and Passage, Used When One Dreams of the Dead or Suffers Obstruction and Striking

Forty chi of plain silk thread, 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink tablet, one writing knife, one dou of oil, two mats, three liang of incense, 110 coins, and five dou of rice.

The Small Petition for Transfer and Passage, Used When One Dreams of the Dead or Harbors Grief and Resentment

100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink tablet, one writing knife, one dou of oil, two liang of incense, one mat, three dou of rice, and 120 coins.

The Petition for Transfer and Passage After the Mourning Period, Seeking Beneficence

Forty chi of patterned silk fabric, 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink tablet, five dou of rice, one writing knife, one dou of oil, seven liang of incense, two mats, and 120 coins.

The Petition for Removing Curses

The offerings used to write the “Petition for Undoing Curses from the Five Directions” consist of 326 coins, life-color silk (colored silk prepared according to one’s age), 100 sheets of paper, one set each of brush and ink, five dou of rice, two mats, five liang of incense, and one writing knife.

The offerings used to write the “Petition for Undoing Curses from the Five Directions” consist of 360 coins, life-thread (thread prepared according to one’s age), 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake (a solid block of ink in ancient times), five sheng of rice, and one writing knife.

Another list of offerings for writing the “Petition for Undoing Curses from the Five Directions” comprises 360 coins, life-thread prepared according to one’s age, 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, three dou of rice, two mats, five liang of incense, one writing knife, and five-colored silk threads prepared in quantities corresponding to the five directions. These items are used to write the petition and perform related rites.

The offerings used to write the “Petition for a Child” (a petition praying for a child) consist of one dou and four sheng of oil, two shi and four dou of rice, 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, two liang of cinnabar, one writing knife, one mat, one bolt of life-white silk (white silk prepared according to one’s age), 1,200 coins, and five liang of incense.

The offerings used to write the “Petition for Silencing Gossip and Slander” (a petition to dispel rumors and slander) consist of three jin of wax, fifty jin of charcoal, 120 coins, three dou of rice, one mat, five liang of incense, fifty sheets of paper, one set of brush and ink, and one writing knife.

The offerings used to write the “Petition for Dispelling Calamity and Prolonging Life” (a petition praying to avert calamity and extend one’s lifespan) consist of nine dou of rice, seven dou of oil, 120 coins, 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, one writing knife, one liang of incense, and two mats.

The offerings used for the “Urgent Petition for Prolonging Life When a Longstanding Illness Suddenly Worsens” consist of forty chi of white silk, one shi of rice, five dou of oil, two liang of incense, 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one block of ink, one writing knife, and two mats.

The offerings used to write the “Petition for Adding Years and Rescuing a Life” (a petition praying for a longer lifespan and the saving of a life) consist of 100 sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, five liang of incense, two liang of cinnabar, one writing knife, two mats, one pair of gold rings, three liang of blue silk, one bolt of silk, one shi and two dou of rice, and 120 counting tokens. The scripture then repeats a matching set of offerings: five liang of incense, two liang of cinnabar, one writing knife, two mats, one pair of gold rings, three liang of blue silk, one bolt of silk, one shi and two dou of rice, and 120 counting tokens.

Used to write the “Petition for Registering and Summoning the Hun and Po Souls” (a petition for registering and calling forth the souls).

One hundred and ten coins, one mat, one liang of cinnabar, two liang of incense, one writing knife, one hundred sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, and three dou of rice.

Petition for Deliverance from Calamity and Protection (a petition seeking to dispel calamities and receive protection):

Five jin of blended incense, one mat, one hundred sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, one writing knife, and three dou of rice.

Petition for Great Protection in the Eight Directions:

One hundred sheets of paper, one ink cake, one brush, one writing knife, one bolt of silk, one shi and two dou of rice, three dou of oil, one pair of silver rings, three liang of blue silk thread, one jin of blended incense, and two mats.

Petition for Nurturing and Protection in the Five Directions (a petition seeking the protection of the spirits of the Five Directions during childbirth and child-rearing):

One shi and two dou of rice, forty chi of white silk, five liang of incense, two mats, one hundred sheets of paper, one jin of blended incense, and two mats.

Petition for Nurturing and Protection in the Five Directions:

One shi and two dou of rice, forty chi of white silk, five liang of incense, two mats, one hundred sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, and one writing knife.

Petition to Resolve the Snares of Lingering Illness, Advance and Retreat (a petition seeking release from persistent illness and troubles that are difficult to escape):

Forty chi of white silk, one shi of rice, two pairs of gold rings, one hundred sheets of paper, one brush, one ink cake, one writing knife, five liang of cinnabar, five liang of incense, and one mat.

Petition to Support the Frail, Surmount Calamity, and Escape the Snares (a petition seeking support for the weakened, passage through calamity, and release from hardship):

The text of all thirty-nine petitions listed above has been lost.

Two pairs of gold rings, twenty-four liang of blue silk thread, forty chi of white silk, one shi of rice, five liang of incense, one hundred sheets of paper, two brushes, one ink cake, one writing knife, and two mats.

The Petition Reporting Merits to the Deities of Heaven and Earth, the Petition Reporting Merits to the Three and Five, the Petition to Remove a Name from Mount Tai’s Register of the Dead, the Petition Reporting the Merits of Deceased Ancestors, the Petition for Reporting Merits at the Three Monthly Seasonal Observances, the Petition for Reporting Merits at the Three Assemblies, and the Fengdu Petition (a petition associated with Fengdu) require two mats.

The Petition Reporting Merits to the Deities of Heaven and Earth, the Petition Reporting Merits to the Three and Five, the Petition to Remove a Name from Mount Tai’s Register of the Dead, the Petition Reporting the Merits of Deceased Ancestors, the Petition for Reporting Merits at the Three Monthly Seasonal Observances, the Petition for Reporting Merits at the Three Assemblies, and the Fengdu Petition.

One shi and two dou of rice, fifty jin of charcoal, one dou and two sheng of oil, three pieces of clothing to be worn close to the body, one bolt of life silk, two liang of incense, 1,200 coins, 120 sheets of paper, one brush, and one ink stick.

Petition for Release, Cleansing, and Purification of the Dwelling in Matters of Life and Death (a petition seeking relief from calamity for a living person or the deceased, and purification of the dwelling)

(The section listing ritual offerings is missing.)

Petition for a Grand Zhaijiao at the Residence (a petition for holding a large-scale Zhaijiao purification ritual at a residence)

One bolt of colored silk for each of the five directions, one bolt of life silk, one dou and two sheng of oil, 240 sheets of paper, 1,200 coins, one shi and two dou of rice, one brush, one ink stick, and two liang of incense.

Petition for Opening and Clearing the Roads (a petition seeking clear roads and a smooth journey)

Three pieces of clothing, 360 coins, one zhang and five chi of silk for a headcloth, three sets of silk floss for clothing, and 120 sheets of paper.

Petition for Tug-of-War (the title is given as such; the ritual purpose is unclear)

(The section listing ritual offerings is missing.)

Petition for Protecting Silkworms (a petition seeking the safety of silkworms and a plentiful harvest of cocoons)

Two dou and four sheng of oil, one bolt of white silk, one shi and two dou of rice, five packets of paper, five brushes and five ink sticks, and a pair of chicken eggs.

Petition for Continuing the Life Count (a petition seeking to extend one’s allotted years and increase longevity)

120 chi of blue silk thread, 120 counting rods, 1,200 coins, one shi and two dou of rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, five liang of incense, and a pair of chicken eggs.

Petition for Continuing the Life Count

120 chi of blue silk thread, 120 counting rods, 1,200 coins, one shi and two dou of rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, five liang of incense, one bolt of life silk, a pair of gold rings, 120 sheets of paper, two ink sticks, and two brushes.

Petition Concerning Litigation over a Great Tomb, in duplicate.

Petition for Bathing (a petition used in ritual bathing and purification of the body).

Petition for Release from Punishment (a petition seeking release from punitive banishment and calamity).

Petition Using a Golden and Purple Substitute Figure for Relief from Grave Calamity in Prolonged Illness (a petition seeking relief for someone suffering prolonged illness or facing grave calamity, using an object of gold and purple as a symbolic substitute for the person)

240 coins, 40 chi of purple-patterned silk, one golden figure weighing one liang and two zhu, one ink stick, 200 sheets of paper, one writing knife, ten liang of incense, two mats, one shi and two dou of rice, one brush, one dou of oil, and five liang of cinnabar.

Petition for Subduing Demons and Dreams (a petition seeking to contain evil spirits and calm dreams).

Petition for Confessing on Behalf of the Deceased, Atoning for Sins, and Seeking Release from Punishment (a petition recounting repentance on behalf of the deceased, seeking atonement for sins and release from punitive banishment).

Petition Using the Deceased’s Clothing as Proof to Release Them from Sin and Punishment and Enable Their Ascent (a petition that presents the deceased’s clothing as evidence, seeking release from sin and punitive banishment so that the deceased may ascend and progress unhindered).

Petition for Deliverance from the Three Paths and Five Sufferings, Refinement of the Corpse, Reception of Deliverance, and Peaceful Rebirth (a petition seeking the deceased’s release from the Three Paths and Five Sufferings, followed by deliverance through a refinement ritual and peaceful rebirth).

Petition for the Funeral Procession and Burial (a petition used in funeral and burial rites).

When a newly deceased person is reburied or relocated, prepare one writing brush, one dou of oil, and five liang of cinnabar.

Petition for Capturing Demons in Dreams

This petition is used to capture and dispel demonic disturbances and bring peace to dreams.

Petition for the Newly Deceased to Repent, Atone for Sins, and Be Released from Punishment

This petition sets out the deceased person’s transgressions, expresses repentance and atonement, and seeks release from punishment.

Petition for Using the Deceased Person’s Clothing to Resolve Guilt and Punishment and Secure a Successful Relocation

This petition uses the deceased person’s clothing as a token, seeking to release them from guilt and punishment and to ensure their relocation proceeds smoothly.

Petition for Deliverance from the Three Paths and Five Sufferings, Refinement of the Corpse, Salvation, and a Favorable Rebirth

This petition expresses the wish that the deceased escape the Three Paths and Five Sufferings—the realms of hardship described in Daoism—receive salvation through a refining ritual, and attain a favorable rebirth.

Petition for the Funeral Procession and Burial

This petition is used for funeral processions and burial rites.

Petition for Opening the Road for the Newly Deceased, Clearing Obstacles, Removing Land Calamities, and Severing Entanglements

This petition seeks an open road for the newly deceased during relocation, the removal of calamities caused by the land, and the severing of related entanglements.

Petition for Sprinkling and Purifying the Home of the Newly Deceased, Driving Away Illness-Bringing Influences, and Averting Killing Energy

This petition is used to sprinkle and purify the home of the newly deceased, drive away zhu—an evil influence believed to bring illness and disaster—and avert killing energy.

Petition for Receiving an Official Appointment

This petition is submitted to mark the receipt of an official appointment.

Petition for Taking Office and Governing the People

This petition is submitted upon taking office and assuming responsibility for governing the people.

Petition for Dispelling Obstacles to Receiving an Official Appointment

This petition seeks the removal of obstacles encountered when receiving an official appointment.

Petition for Transfer to and Assumption of a High Official Post

This petition is submitted upon transfer to, and assumption of, a high-ranking office.

Petition for Protection on a Military Campaign

This petition seeks protection when setting out to fight in a military campaign.

On the Three Ranks

There are 1,200 kinds of official rites and 300 kinds of major petitions. Although each petition specifies its corresponding tokens and offerings, these practices have been transmitted for a long time, and those who perform them often add or omit items. As a result, the actual requirements vary greatly in rank and scale. The following sets out three ranks—the Son of Heaven, princes and nobles, and commoners—as general standards.

Silk cloth: The Son of Heaven uses patterned purple silk, measured by the bolt; princes and nobles use a color corresponding to their own destiny, measured by the zhang; commoners use unpatterned silk, measured by the chi.

Ritual coins (offering coins used for suppression and averting calamities): The Son of Heaven uses gold coins, princes and nobles use silver coins, and commoners use copper coins.

Grain for the emolument: The Son of Heaven uses three shi and six dou; princes and nobles, two shi and four dou; commoners, one shi and two dou.

Ritual oil for suppression: The Son of Heaven uses one shi and two dou; princes and nobles, six dou and four sheng; commoners, two dou and two sheng.

Incense: The Son of Heaven uses one jin; princes and nobles, half a jin; commoners, three or five liang.

Paper, brushes, ink, and cinnabar are for the presiding official to use when writing petitions and drafting documents, and to correct or replace rough or erroneous passages. Two sheng should be prepared.

The quantity of incense remains as listed above: one jin for the Son of Heaven, half a jin for princes and nobles, and three or five liang for commoners. The paper, brushes, ink, and cinnabar needed to write the petitions must also be prepared in full; none should be lacking, even temporarily. All other items should be prepared according to their prescribed categories and quantities. They must not be mixed or used indiscriminately. Violators will have years deducted from their allotted lifespan.

Whenever submitting a memorial, first prepare a written statement listing your place of origin, native village, residence, official position, name, age, and the family members and dependents currently in your household, including their sex and age. In accordance with Daoist liturgical rules, bring the appropriate ritual token—a gift offered as a sign of reverence and sincerity—and go to the designated place to meet the ritual master. Ask the master to submit the memorial on your behalf, and earnestly request his compassionate assistance in making a special report to the authorities above.

The document may explain what you seek, but its wording should be plain, not embellished; simple, not ornate; sincere, not false; direct, not reckless; clear, not tedious; gentle, not servile; and upright, not muddled. It is said that concise writing and a sincere expression of intent can move Heaven, Earth, and the spirits, allowing the memorial to reach the Celestial Bureau and receive a swift response. Violating these requirements is said to diminish one’s lifespan by one ji, or twelve years.

Times When the Heavenly Gate Opens

On a Zi day, it opens at the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours. The day spirit of a Zi day harms the ritual master’s lifespan, so these hours must not be used.

On a Chou day, it opens at the Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu, Zi, and Yin hours. The day spirit of a Chou day harms calves, so these hours must not be used.

On a Yin day, it opens at the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours. The day spirit of an Yin day harms the six kinds of domestic livestock, so these hours must not be used.

On a Mao day, it opens at the Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu, Zi, and Yin hours. The day spirit of a Mao day harms the ritual master, so these hours must not be used.

On a Chen day, it opens at the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours. The day spirit of a Chen day harms one’s parents, so these hours must not be used.

On a Si day, it opens at the Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu, Zi, and Yin hours. The day spirit of a Si day harms women, so these hours must not be used.

On a Wu day, it opens at the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours. The day spirit of a Wu day harms the ritual master, so these hours must not be used.

On a Wei day, it opens at the Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu, Zi, and Yin hours. The day spirit of a Wei day harms the sick, so these hours must not be used.

On a Shen day, it opens at the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours; this entry gives no prohibition.

The original text also records: On a Wu day, it opens at the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours. The day spirit of a Wu day harms the ritual master, so these hours must not be used.

On a Wei day, it opens at the Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu, Zi, and Yin hours.

On a Wei day, the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours are “open hours.” Wei is the day spirit (the spirit assigned to that day). If performing a ritual to avert misfortune for a sick person, one should not act at these times.

On a Shen day, the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours are “open hours.” Shen is the day spirit. If performing a ritual to avert misfortune for someone far away, one should not act at these times.

On a You day, the Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu, Zi, and Yin hours are “open hours.” You is the day spirit. If performing a ritual to avert misfortune for flying birds, one should not act at these times.

On a Xu day, the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours are “open hours.” Xu is the day spirit. If performing a ritual to avert misfortune on behalf of a long journey, one should not act at these times.

On a Hai day, the Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu, Zi, and Yin hours are “open hours.” Hai is the day spirit. If performing a ritual to avert misfortune for someone traveling by road, one should not act at these times.

“Hours when the Heavenly Gate is closed” are calculated from the day’s Earthly Branch to determine when the Heavenly Gate shuts. On Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, and Xu days, the Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, and Chou hours are closed hours. On Chou, Mao, Si, Wei, You, and Hai days, the Chen, Wu, Shen, Xu, Zi, and Yin hours are closed hours.

“Presenting memorials according to the Five Tones” is a ritual in which the Five Tones are used to choose the time for presenting memorials and communicating with the gods. On Jian days, nine memorials may be presented. This is suitable for petitioning the Great Dao to bring about transformation, and for dispelling harm from misfortune, ghosts, and bandits. It is not suitable for presenting memorials to destroy talismans and spells or shrine spirits, nor should this ritual be performed on behalf of a household or by a ritual master for themself. Avoid the Shen hour, when the Dipper constellation faces downward; the other cases may be determined in the same way.

On Chu days, twelve memorials may be presented. This is suitable for healing illness, dispelling misfortune caused by graves, and undoing calamities that might extend to one’s descendants. It is not suitable for protecting wealth. Avoid the You hour.

On Man days, six memorials may be presented. The suitable occasions and prohibitions are not fully listed in the text here.

On Full Days, six petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for asking high-ranking deities to stabilize tombs and protect wealth. It is unsuitable for addressing losses within the home or cases in which livestock have been injured. Avoid the hour of the Dog.

On Balanced Days, seventeen petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for dispelling taboos related to various undertakings and subduing or driving away evil spirits. It is unsuitable for seeking protection for wealth or livestock, or for cases in which teachers, elders, or servants have been injured. Avoid the hour of the Pig.

On Fixed Days, seventeen petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for seeking the protection of deities of the Five Directions, stabilizing the home, and dispelling losses caused by high-ranking official deities. It is unsuitable for removing old, persistent evil influences or for cases in which an elder has been injured. Avoid the hour of the Rat.

On Holding Days, five petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for subduing various ghosts, demons, and bandits, and for dispelling misfortune on behalf of those who have been arrested. It is unsuitable for treating illness and may harm the patient. Avoid the hour of the Ox.

On Destruction Days, seven petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for eliminating evil spirits from houses and temples, suppressing disasters and uncanny occurrences, and dealing with calamities such as revenants and violent deaths. It is unsuitable for dispelling misfortune caused by a tomb that has cut off its descendants; this is considered inauspicious. Avoid the hour of the Tiger.

On Danger Days, twelve petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for stellar rites to dispel calamities, for dispelling misfortunes that link the dead to their descendants, and for addressing troubles passed down from ancestors to their descendants. It is unsuitable for stabilizing a home or for cases in which livestock have been injured. Avoid the hour of the Rabbit.

On Completion Days, eighteen petitions may be submitted. These are suitable for handling the relevant matters. Avoid the hour of the Tiger.

On Danger Days, twelve petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for stellar rites to dispel calamities, for dispelling misfortunes that link the dead to their descendants, and for addressing troubles passed down from ancestors to their descendants. It is unsuitable for stabilizing a home or for cases in which livestock have been injured. Avoid the hour of the Rabbit.

On Completion Days, eighteen petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for registering names in official records, seeking protection for people of all ages, and treating illness. It is unsuitable for long journeys, as travelers may fail to return. Avoid the hour of the Dragon.

On Receiving Days, one hundred and twenty petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for acknowledging faults before the deities and seeking forgiveness, dispelling calamities, protecting livestock, and stabilizing a home. It is unsuitable for dispelling troubles involving official disputes, as one may die as a result of imprisonment. Avoid the hour of the Snake.

On Opening Days, one hundred and twenty petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for removing old evil influences, evil spirits in houses and temples, and harmful spirits and influences associated with the myriad masters and shamans, the many essences of livestock, and the demons and spirits in the home. It is unsuitable for dispelling misfortunes that link the dead to their descendants, as livestock may die. Avoid the hour of the Horse.

On Closing Days, five petitions may be submitted. This is suitable for dispelling taboos associated with groundbreaking and construction, and for breaking the effects of clashes with one’s birth destiny. It is unsuitable for seeking protection for the young and old in the household, as this may damage building materials. Avoid the hour of the Goat.

The Applications of the Five Tones

Each of the Five Tones—Gong, Shang, Jue, and the others in the musical system—is assigned to one of the Five Phases, and the Twelve Earthly Branches and months are used to describe its stages of growth, flourishing, decline, and death. “Birth, Bath, Capping, Official Appointment, Sovereign,” followed by “Decline, Illness, Death, Tomb, Extinction, Imprisoned Death, and Waste and Rest,” describe the progression of Qi from emergence and vigor to decline. “White Tiger,” “Great Tomb,” “Small Tomb,” and the various “sha” are terms used in divination arts to mark specific directions and times.

The Gong tone belongs to Earth. Its stages are: Birth in Shen, corresponding to the seventh month; Bath in You, corresponding to the eighth month; Capping in Xu, corresponding to the ninth month and designated the Small Tomb; Official Appointment in Hai, corresponding to the tenth month; Sovereign in Zi, corresponding to the eleventh month; Decline in Chou, corresponding to the twelfth month; Illness in Yin, corresponding to the first month; Death in Mao, corresponding to the second month and designated the White Tiger; Tomb in Chen, corresponding to the third month and designated the Great Tomb; Extinction in Si, corresponding to the fourth month; Imprisoned Death in Wu, corresponding to the fifth month; and Waste and Rest in Wei, corresponding to the sixth month. For the Gong tone, Destructive Sha are in Yin and Mao, Native Tone is in Hai and Zi, Punishment Sha are in Hai and Zi, and Seasonal Sha are in Chou and Wei.

The Shang tone belongs to Metal. Its stages are: Birth in Si, corresponding to the fourth month; Bath in Wu, corresponding to the fifth month and designated the White Tiger; Capping in Wei, corresponding to the sixth month and designated the Small Tomb; Official Appointment in Shen, corresponding to the seventh month; Sovereign in You, corresponding to the eighth month; Decline in Xu, corresponding to the ninth month; Illness in Hai, corresponding to the tenth month; Death in Zi, corresponding to the eleventh month; Tomb in Chou, corresponding to the twelfth month and designated the Great Tomb; Extinction in Yin, corresponding to the first month; Imprisoned Death in Mao, corresponding to the second month; and Waste and Rest in Chen, corresponding to the third month. For the Shang tone, Native Tone is in Shen and You, Destructive Sha are in Yin and Mao, Punishment Sha are in Si and Wu, and Seasonal Sha are in Chen and Xu.

The Jue tone belongs to Wood. Its stages are: Birth in Hai, corresponding to the tenth month; Bath in Zi, corresponding to the eleventh month; Capping in Chou, corresponding to the twelfth month and designated the Small Tomb; Official Appointment in Yin, corresponding to the first month; Sovereign in Mao, corresponding to the second month; Decline in Chen, corresponding to the third month; Illness in Si, corresponding to the fourth month; Death in Wu, corresponding to the fifth month; Tomb in Wei, corresponding to the sixth month and designated the Great Tomb; Extinction in Shen, corresponding to the seventh month; Imprisoned Death in You, corresponding to the eighth month and designated the White Tiger; and Waste and Rest in Xu, corresponding to the ninth month. For the Jue tone, Native Tone is in Yin and Mao, Punishment Sha are in Shen and You, and Seasonal Sha are in Chou and Wei.

The life-cycle phases of the Zhengyin (zhēng yīn), the Zheng tone associated with Fire among the Five Tones, follow the months and Earthly Branches as arranged here. In the first month (Yin), it reaches Changsheng (long life); in the second month (Mao), Muyu (bathing); in the third month (Chen), Guandai (capping), classed as a minor tomb. The fourth month (Si) brings Linguan (official post), the fifth month (Wu) Diwang (emperor), the sixth month (Wei) Shuai (decline), the seventh month (Shen) Bing (sickness), the eighth month (You) Si (death), and the ninth month (Xu) Ru Mu (entering the tomb), classed as a major tomb. The tenth month (Hai) is Jue (extinction), the eleventh month (Zi) Qiusi (imprisoned death), and the twelfth month (Chou) Feixiu (abandonment and rest). The Zhengyin's own tone falls in Si and Wu, its Breaking Sha (pò shā) in Zi and Hai, its Punishment Sha (xíng shā) in Shen and You, and its Seasonal Sha (jì shā) in Chou and Wei. These terms, "Changsheng," "Muyu," "Guandai," "Linguan," "Diwang," "Shuai," "Bing," "Si," "Mu," "Jue," "Qiusi," and "Feixiu," are technical terms from divinatory calculation, used to reckon the waxing and waning of qi according to the heavenly stems, the Earthly Branches, and the months. "Breaking Sha," "Punishment Sha," and "Seasonal Sha" refer to unfavorable positions in time.

The Yu tone belongs to Water. Its phases, in order, are: Changsheng in the seventh month (Shen); Muyu in the eighth month (You); Guandai in the ninth month (Xu), classed as a minor tomb; Linguan in the tenth month (Hai); Diwang in the eleventh month (Zi); Shuai in the twelfth month (Chou); Bing in the first month (Yin); Si in the second month (Mao); Ru Mu in the third month (Chen), classed as a major tomb; Jue in the fourth month (Si); Qiusi in the fifth month (Wu); and Feixiu in the sixth month (Wei). The Yu tone's own tone falls in Hai and Zi, its Breaking Sha in Si and Wu, and its Seasonal Sha in Chou and Wei.

When the Heavenly Gate opens in each of the Six Jia cycles, the times are as follows: the Jiazi cycle at the Chen hour, the Jiaxu cycle at the Yin hour, the Jiashen cycle at the Zi hour, the Jiawu cycle at the Xu hour, the Jiachen cycle at the Shen hour, and the Jiayin cycle at the Wu hour. This is called "the Heavenly Gate opening" (tiān mén kāi). The Six Jia cycles are a calendrical and divinatory grouping of the sixty-term sexagenary cycle, and the times listed for each cycle are given for selecting auspicious moments.

Auspicious days for Shangzhang (shàng zhāng), the Daoist rite of presenting memorials to the celestial deities, include: Jiawu is favorable, Jiaxu is highly auspicious, and Jiashen is auspicious. Yiwei, Yihai, Bingwu, Dingchou, Dingsi, Wuzi, Jihai, Jimao, Jiyou, Jiwei, Gengwu, Gengzi, Gengchen, Gengxu, Gengshen, Xinsi, Xinmao, Renwu, Renzi, Renchen, Guimao, Guiwei, and Guichou are also suitable.

In addition, the eleventh day of the first month, the third and eighteenth days of the second month, the seventh and ninth days of the third month, and the fifteenth day of the fourth month are auspicious, as are the listed days Renwu, Renzi, Renchen, Guimao, Guiwei, and Guichou.

Auspicious Days for Undertaking Affairs

The eleventh day of the first month; the third and eighteenth of the second month; the seventh and ninth of the third month; the fifteenth of the fourth month; the second and fifth of the fifth month; the third and thirteenth of the sixth month; the first and seventeenth of the seventh month; the second, eighth, and eighteenth of the eighth month; the ninth of the ninth month; the fifth of the tenth month; the fourth and sixteenth of the eleventh month; and the twenty-first of the twelfth month are all suitable days for undertaking affairs.

Five Virtue Days

The days Jiachen, Bingchen, and Jiawu are auspicious for repenting one's transgressions and praying for good wishes.

Heavenly Wish Days

The day Jichou is suitable for praying for good wishes, which are likely to be fulfilled.

The days Jiachen and Yisi are called "Heavenly Birth Days." They are highly auspicious for holding a jiao (a Daoist ritual of offering and petition).

Days Suitable for Performing Zhai

The third, ninth, eleventh, seventeenth, eighteenth, twenty-fourth, and twenty-seventh days of each month are auspicious days for zhai (purification fasts). Performing zhai on these days brings joy and allows merit to be accomplished. The zhai patron (the person who sponsors the rite and vows to observe the fast) may pray for longevity, and the presiding master (the Daoist priest who conducts the ceremony) may attain the Daoist immortal path.

The Three Primes (Sanyuan), the Eight Solstice and Seasonal Days (Bajie), the days Jiazi and Gengshen, the Three Assemblies (Sanhui), the Five Là Days (Wulà), the Ten Directors (Shizhi), the day of one's birth-year cycle (Benming), the day of one's current year of life (Xingnian), and the Four Beginnings (Sishi) are also all suitable for performing zhai.

Days Suitable for Holding Jiao Petitions

The days Jiyou, Renshen, Gengchen, Renzi, Xinwei, Jiayin, and Wuzi, together with the Assembly Days, the Five Là Days, the Ten Directors, the day of one's birth-year cycle, the day of one's current year of life, and the Four Beginnings, are all auspicious days for performing zhai.

Auspicious Days for Jiao Petitions

The days Jiyou, Renshen, Gengchen, Renzi, Xinwei, Jiayin, Wuzi, Guichou, Jichou, Bingshen, Renchen, Jiawu, Yihai, Dingyou, Gengzi, Bingwu, Bingchen, Gengshen, Jiazi, Yichou, Gengwu, Guiyou, Jiaxu, Yihai, Jimao, Xinsi, Jiashen, Yiyou, Dinghai, Jiawu, Yiwei, Jiachen, Dingwei, Gengxu, Wushen, Wuwu, Jiwei, Xinyou, Guihai, Dingmao, Renwu, Jichou, Xinmao, and Dingsi are all auspicious days for holding jiao rituals.

Seven Stars Jiao Days

The days of Jian, Man, Ping, Ding, Cheng, Shou, and Bi are suitable for holding a jiaoyi (offering ritual, in which an altar is set up to pray to the gods). It is said that when a jiao is held on these days, the star spirits descend, the master of the household rejoices, and the household receives blessings and an increase in wealth.

Liujia Zhangfu Ri (Days of the Six Jia Cycle)

The following entries, arranged by ganzhi day, record whether submitting memorials (shangzhang), writing talismans (fulu), and establishing a jiao are auspicious or inauspicious on each day, and also note the results of exorcism. On the Jiazi day, submitting memorials is inauspicious, while establishing a jiao and writing talismans are auspicious. When used for exorcism, the hundred ghosts will not depart. On the Yichou day, submitting memorials and writing talismans are inauspicious, while establishing a jiao is auspicious. After exorcism, the ghosts leave, but they do not get far. On the Bingyin day, submitting memorials and establishing a jiao are inauspicious, and writing talismans will harm three people. After exorcism, the ghosts leave a distance of one hundred li. On the Dingmao day, submitting memorials and establishing a jiao are auspicious, but using talismans to pacify the house is inauspicious. The hundred ghosts will not depart.

On the Wuchen day, submitting memorials, establishing a jiao, and writing talismans are all inauspicious, and ghost-sha (guisha, malevolent ghost influence) will injure three people. On the Jisi day, submitting memorials and writing talismans are auspicious, but establishing a jiao is inauspicious, and the ghosts will depart south for one hundred li. On the Gengwu day, submitting memorials and establishing a jiao can drive the ghosts away for one hundred li, and writing talismans is auspicious, so the ghosts leave quickly. On the Xinwei day, submitting memorials is auspicious, but establishing a jiao and writing talismans are inauspicious, and the ghosts will not leave. On the Renshen day, submitting memorials and writing talismans are inauspicious, while establishing a jiao is auspicious. The ghosts will injure two people and depart west for seven hundred li. On the Guiyou day, submitting memorials and writing talismans are inauspicious, while establishing a jiao is auspicious. The ghosts will kill people but will not leave.

On the Jiaxu day, submitting memorials and establishing a jiao are auspicious, but writing talismans will bring misfortune to five people. The ghosts leave a distance of one thousand li. On the Yihai day, submitting memorials and establishing a jiao are auspicious, but writing talismans will bring misfortune to two people. The ghosts depart east for one hundred li. On the Bingzi day, submitting memorials, establishing a jiao, and writing talismans are all auspicious, and the ghosts depart south for seven hundred li. On the Dingchou day, submitting memorials is auspicious, but establishing a jiao is inauspicious, and writing talismans is harmful to one's wife. The ghosts depart east for nine hundred li. On the Wuyin day, submitting memorials and establishing a jiao are inauspicious, but writing talismans is auspicious, and the ghosts depart east for one hundred li. On the Jimao day, submitting memorials is inauspicious, while establishing a jiao is auspicious. The text does not specify the outcome of writing talismans, and the ghosts depart south for seven hundred li.

The text then repeats the entries for the Dingmao, Wuchen, Jisi, Dingchou, and Wuyin days. It adds that writing talismans on the Jimao day is harmful to the middle son of the household, and that the ghosts depart south for one hundred li.

On the day Gengchen, submitting a memorial (Shangzhang, a document presented to the deities) is auspicious, holding a jiao ritual (shejiao, a rite of prayer to ward off calamity) is inauspicious, and using Fulu (Daoist talismans and registers) will bring misfortune to servants. The ghost does not depart.

On the day Xinsi, both submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, but using Fulu is inauspicious. The ghost will depart southward for one thousand li.

On the day Renwu, both submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, but using Fulu will cause fire. The ghost will depart southward for ten thousand li.

On the day Guiwei, submitting a memorial is auspicious, holding a jiao ritual is inauspicious, and using Fulu will bring wealth and goods. The ghost will depart southward for ten thousand li.

On the day Jiashen, both submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, and using Fulu will bring wealth to the household. The ghost will depart westward for ten thousand li.

On the day Yiyou, both submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, and they will bring forth a noble son, but using Fulu is inauspicious. The ghost will depart westward for ten thousand li.

On the day Bingxu, both submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, and using Fulu will increase fortune in wealth. The ghost will depart for one thousand li.

On the day Dinghai, both submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, and using Fulu is beneficial to the second son. The ghost does not depart.

On the day Wuzi, submitting a memorial, holding a jiao ritual, and using Fulu are all auspicious. The ghost will depart eastward for ten thousand li.

On the day Jichou, submitting a memorial, holding a jiao ritual, and using Fulu are all auspicious. The ghost will depart eastward for ten thousand li.

On the day Gengyin, both submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, but using Fulu is inauspicious. The ghost does not depart, and it will also harm the head of the household.

On the day Xinmao, submitting a memorial is auspicious, but holding a jiao ritual and using Fulu are both inauspicious. It will harm the second son, and the ghost does not depart.

On the day Renchen, submitting a memorial is auspicious, but holding a jiao ritual and using Fulu are both inauspicious. The ghost does not depart.

On the day Guisi, submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, but Fulu is inauspicious; submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, but Fulu is inauspicious. The ghost does not depart, and it will also harm the head of the household.

On the day Xinmao, submitting a memorial is auspicious, but holding a jiao ritual and using Fulu are both inauspicious. It will harm the second son, and the ghost does not depart.

On the day Renchen, submitting a memorial is auspicious, but holding a jiao ritual and using Fulu are both inauspicious. The ghost does not depart.

On the day Guisi, submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, but using Fulu will harm the mother. The ghost does not depart.

On the day Jiawu, submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, but Fulu is inauspicious. The ghost will depart, but not very far.

On the day Yiwei, submitting a memorial is auspicious, holding a jiao ritual is inauspicious, and using Fulu will cause fire. The ghost will depart eastward for ten thousand li.

On the day Bingshen, both submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, but using Fulu is inauspicious. The ghost will leave this place and go elsewhere.

On the day Dingyou, submitting a memorial is inauspicious, holding a jiao ritual is auspicious, and using Fulu will bring misfortune to the youngest son. The ghost will depart southward for ten li.

On the day Wuxu, the Eight Jing taboos forbid holding a jiao ritual. Fulu should not be carried on the body, or two people will suffer misfortune. The ghost does not depart.

On the day Jihai, submitting a memorial and using Fulu are auspicious, but holding a jiao ritual will harm women. The ghost does not depart, and it will also harm the six domestic animals, bringing misfortune upon them.

On the day Gengzi, both submitting a memorial and holding a jiao ritual are auspicious, but using Fulu will cause fire. The ghost does not depart.

On the day Xinchou, submitting a memorial is auspicious, holding a jiao ritual is inauspicious, and using Fulu will bring misfortune to women. The ghost does not depart.

On the Ren-yin day, submitting a memorial (shangzhang) and drawing talismans are auspicious, but performing a zhaijiao (purification ritual) is dangerous, and the ghosts do not leave. On the Gui-mao day, submitting a memorial and drawing talismans are auspicious, but the zhaijiao is dangerous, and the ghosts will not keep far away. On the Jia-chen day, submitting a memorial is dangerous, while the zhaijiao and talisman drawing are auspicious, and the ghosts do not leave.

On the Yi-si day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans will bring misfortune to the head of the household, and the ghosts will harm the mother of the family. On the Bing-wu day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are dangerous, drawing talismans will bring misfortune to women, and the ghosts will leave for a thousand li. On the Ding-wei day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans will bring misfortune to the children.

On the Jia-chen day, submitting a memorial is dangerous, while the zhaijiao and talisman drawing are auspicious, and the ghosts do not leave. On the Yi-si day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans will bring misfortune to the head of the household, and the ghosts will harm the mother of the family. On the Bing-wu day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are dangerous, drawing talismans will bring misfortune to women, and the ghosts will leave for a thousand li. On the Ding-wei day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans will bring misfortune to the children, and the ghosts will leave for ten thousand li to the south.

On the Wu-shen day, submitting a memorial is auspicious, but performing the zhaijiao is dangerous, drawing talismans will bring wealth, and the ghosts will leave. However, if fewer than five people are present, misfortune will befall them. On the Ji-you day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans will bring misfortune to the eldest son, and the ghosts... On the Geng-xu day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans is dangerous, and the ghosts do not leave.

On the Xin-hai day, submitting a memorial is dangerous, while performing the zhaijiao is auspicious. Drawing talismans will certainly lead to strife, and the ghosts will leave, but not go far. On the Ren-zi day, submitting a memorial, performing the zhaijiao, and drawing talismans are all auspicious, but the ghosts do not leave. On the Gui-chou day, submitting a memorial, performing the zhaijiao, and drawing talismans are all auspicious, and the ghosts will leave, but not go far.

On the Jia-yin day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans will bring misfortune to two people, and the ghosts do not leave. On the Yi-mao day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, and drawing talismans will bring wealth, but the ghosts do not leave. On the Bing-chen day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, and drawing talismans will bring wealth, and the ghosts will leave for ten thousand li to the south.

On the Ding-si day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans is dangerous. On the Yin day (unspecified stem), submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans will bring misfortune to two people, and the ghosts do not leave. On the Yi-mao day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, drawing talismans will bring wealth, and the ghosts do not leave. On the Bing-chen day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, drawing talismans will bring wealth, and the ghosts will leave for ten thousand li to the south. On the Ding-si day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans is dangerous, and the ghosts will leave for ten thousand li to the south.

On the Wu-wu day, submitting a memorial, performing the zhaijiao, and drawing talismans are all auspicious, and the ghosts will leave, but not go far. On the Ji-wei day, submitting a memorial is dangerous, while performing the zhaijiao is auspicious, and drawing talismans may bring two thousand shi (an ancient rank of official salary, here referring to a high stipend or substantial financial gain), and the ghosts do not leave. On the Geng-shen day, submitting a memorial and performing the zhaijiao are auspicious, but drawing talismans is dangerous and will harm three people, and the ghosts do not leave.

Xinyou day: Presenting memorials (shangzhang) and establishing offering rites (shejiao) are both auspicious, but drawing talismans (fulu) is not. Ghosts will withdraw a thousand li.

Renxu day: Presenting memorials is auspicious, but establishing offering rites is not. The text does not specify whether drawing talismans is auspicious or inauspicious. Ghosts will withdraw seven hundred li.

Guiahai day: Presenting memorials and establishing offering rites are both auspicious, but drawing talismans is not. Ghosts will not withdraw.

The above is the day selection guidance for presenting memorials, drawing talismans, and warding off the hundred ghosts on the Liujia (Six Jia) days, and should be consulted carefully.

End of Volume One of the Register of Memorials of Master Chisong (Chisongzi Zhangli).

Dongxuan Section, Category of Memorials and Petitions

Register of Memorials of Master Chisong, Volume Two

Days on which receiving the Dao doubles merit

Proper offering rites are auspicious, but drawing talismans is not. Ghosts will not withdraw.

The above is the day selection guidance for presenting memorials, drawing talismans, and warding off the hundred ghosts on the Liujia days, and should be consulted carefully.

End of Volume One of the Register of Memorials of Master Chisong.

Dongxuan Section, Category of Memorials and Petitions

Register of Memorials of Master Chisong, Volume Two

Register of Memorials of Master Chisong, Volume Two

Days on which receiving the Dao doubles merit

First and second months: On zi days, merit is increased fiftyfold. On chou days, it is increased fortyfold. Yin days are unfavorable. Zi and mao days harm one's wife. Chen days are highly inauspicious. Si days are ordinary. Wu days increase merit seventyfold. Wei days harm oneself. Shen days harm one's father. You days harm one's son. Xu days increase merit seventyfold. Hai days increase merit fiftyfold.

Third and fourth months: The commentary is missing.

Fifth and sixth months: Zi days harm one's son. Chou days are highly inauspicious. Yin and mao days are unfavorable. Chen days increase merit fiftyfold. Si days harm one's son. Wu days harm oneself. Wei days harm one's wife. Shen days harm one's father. You days increase merit fiftyfold. Xu days increase merit twentyfold. Hai days are unfavorable.

Seventh and eighth months: Zi days increase merit fiftyfold. Chou days are very auspicious. Yin days are highly inauspicious. Mao days harm one's mother. Chen days are highly inauspicious. Si days increase merit fortyfold. Wu days harm one's son. Wei days increase merit fiftyfold. Shen days increase merit thirtyfold. You days harm one's mother. Xu days increase merit twentyfold. Hai days increase merit fiftyfold.

Ninth and tenth months: Zi days are ordinary. Chou days increase merit fiftyfold. Yin days are unfavorable. Mao days increase merit twentyfold. Chen days increase merit sevenfold. You days harm one's mother. Xu days increase merit twentyfold. Hai days increase merit fiftyfold.

Ninth and tenth months.

On zi days (the first Earthly Branch), affairs proceed as usual. On chou days, gains are multiplied fifty-fold. Yin days are inauspicious. On mao days, gains are multiplied twenty-fold, and on chen days, seventy-fold. Si days are gravely inauspicious. Wu days bring a "meeting with the killing of the son" (huisha). On wei days, gains are multiplied twenty-fold, and on shen days, thirty-fold. You days bring a "meeting with the killing of the mother" (huisha). Xu days bring a "meeting with the killing of the son," and hai days bring a "meeting with the killing of the wife."

For the eleventh and twelfth months: zi days bring a "meeting with the killing of the son," and chou days bring the same. Yin days multiply gains twenty-fold, and mao and chen days fifty-fold. Si days bring a "meeting with the killing of the father," and wu days a "meeting with the killing of the wife." Wei days multiply gains seventy-fold, and shen and you days thirty-fold each. Xu days are gravely inauspicious, and hai days bring a "meeting with the killing of the wife."

The method for writing talismans is as follows. Before writing a Fulu (talismans and registers), a Daoist used in rites of petition and exorcism, the practitioner first faces the royal direction, knocks the teeth together, and recites the imperial command. The practitioner then performs the rite with jian shui (sword water, water consecrated by a sword or sword gesture) while visualizing the Big Dipper (Beidou Qixing), and after reciting the incantation, exhales. The practitioner then reports:

"The Yuanming Zhenren (Perfected of Original Destiny) and the three generals Tang, Ge, and Zhou: Now a man or woman, named so-and-so, is ill and has described the illness to me, requesting protection. I respectfully follow the Dao and use the Daozhen fu (true Dao talisman) so that so-and-so may swallow it or wear it on the body. May the Zhenguan (True Officials) and the Zhifu Shizhe (Envoys of the Duty Talisman) receive the command, and let the myriad layers of Dao qi descend into the talisman, exert divine power, spread their breath, seek out evil spirits, slay demons and thieves, and aid humans and all beings of the heavenly realms."

Next, the practitioner visualizes five-colored zhenqi (true qi) before the altar. Above the zhenqi, on the left and right, stand Zhifu Tongzi (Duty Talisman Boys), wearing vermilion robes and blue-green skirts. In front of the altar stands the Xingfu Jiangjun (General Who Executes the Talisman), wearing a vermilion robe and black cap, carrying a sword and an axe. On each side stands a Zhifu Shizhe, wearing a yellow cap and yellow skirt with a scarlet-brown jacket, holding a sword. Before the practitioner's face, the sun is on the left and the moon on the right, nine cun (inches) from the face, and their light covers the zhu zhan (vermilion cup). The Big Dipper's seven stars are overhead, with the Wei star (Weixing) above the vermilion cup. When the visualization is complete, the practitioner says three times, "He ming tiandi ri" (unite with the sun of the Heavenly Emperor). Then the practitioner visualizes the vermilion brush transforming into a tengshe (a mythical serpent), and immediately holds the breath and writes the talisman.

When writing the talisman, first outline the border in blue-black ink (qingmo), then write the script inside the frame in cinnabar (danshi). If no blue-black ink is available, cinnabar alone may be used.

When writing a talisman to treat sickness caused by evil influences, grind tiger bone together with genuine cinnabar (zhusha) until the two are thoroughly mixed. Once the mixture is ground, dip the brush into it and write the talisman (fulu, talismans and registers), while chanting the incantation:

Respectfully command the Five Bodily True Officials (wuti zhenguan), the spirits who guard each part of my body: the soul is the Heavenly Father and the corporeal soul is the Earth Mother. The head is Thunder Duke, the hair is the black clouds, the crown of the head is the bright stars, the forehead is the Vermilion Bird, the eyebrows are the Qilin, the eyes are the sun and moon, and the nose is the Tiger Guard. The upper lip is the Wind Earl, the lower lip is the Rain Master, the tongue is the Governor of the Nine Provinces, and the throat is the nine-tiered pavilion. The left cheek is the Eastern King Father, the right cheek is the Western Queen Mother, the ears are the immortal youths who can hear from afar, the neck is the Heavenly Pillar, the shoulders are the Vajra guardians, and the elbows are the warrior-strongmen. The left arm is the Great General Xuanji Queди Di, the right arm is the Great General Yuheng Poudi, the palms are the fire carriages, and the fingers are the armored soldiers. The liver is the Azure Emperor, the lungs are the White Emperor, the heart is the Red Emperor, the kidneys are the Black Emperor, and the spleen is the Yellow Emperor. The intestines are the Yellow Dragon, the gallbladder is the Supreme One (Taiyi), the bladder is the River Earl, the blood is the Water Official, the sinews are the Heavenly Net, the bones are the Earth Net, the hair and body hairs are the Heavenly Snares, and the two feet are the white horses.

The Three Officials (sanguan), namely Heaven, Earth, and Water, each commanding seven thousand million troops, ride their great chariots ahead and come forth together from my body. They are to help me write the talismans, circulate the qi (the vital breath of life), and cut down the evil demons, the wangliang, chimei, malicious ghosts, and wicked qi. Act swiftly and in accordance with the commands orally transmitted by the Supreme Lord (Taishang, the highest honorific for the supreme deity).

The Sickness-Curing Envoys of the Jiazi decade, leading the Black Merit Officer (a spirit official who assists in relaying orders), return at the hour of the Rat (midnight) by command of the Supreme Lord to cut down the evil demons, the wangliang, chimei, malicious ghosts, and wicked qi. Act swiftly and in accordance with the commands orally transmitted by the Supreme Lord.

The Sickness-Curing Envoys of the Jiazi decade, leading the Curing Merit Officers, return at the hour of the Rat by command of the Supreme Lord to cure the sickness.

The Sickness-Curing Envoys of the Jiaxu decade, leading the Curing Merit Officers, return at the hour of the Dog (7–9 p.m.) by command of the Supreme Lord to cure the sickness.

The Sickness-Curing Envoys of the Jiashen decade, leading the Curing Merit Officers, return at the hour of the Monkey (3–5 p.m.) by command of the Supreme Lord to cure the sickness.

The Sickness-Curing Envoys of the Jiawu decade, leading the Zhengyi Merit Officers (spirit officials who transmit the orders of Zhengyi Daoism), return at noon by command of the Supreme Lord to cure the sickness.

For the Jiachen ten-day period, which begins with Jiachen, the emissary responsible for healing is the Central Merit Officer, a divine official who handles the transmission of documents. At mealtime, the Most High returns to the place of administration. For the Jiayin ten-day period, which begins with Jiayin, the healing emissary is the Directly Appointed Merit Officer. At daybreak, the Most High returns to the place of administration.

The instructions above mean that whenever talismans and registers are written, prayers should be made at these times, since the efficacy of talismanic prohibitions is believed to be swift.

How to Write Memorials

When writing memorials, do not use the brush or inkstone for ordinary writing. Turn the inkstone to the left forty-nine times while grinding the ink, and grind the ink in the same manner. After writing “respectfully submitted for your review,” leave a space the length of one bow before continuing. Leave three lines between the minister’s surname and “respectfully submitted for your review”; three lines between “Great Clarity” and the minister’s surname; and three lines between “Great Year” and “Great Clarity.”

Once a memorial has been completed, if a minor matter still needs to be added, it may not be submitted if a year has already passed. If the small characters have not yet been written, it may still be submitted within a month. The small characters should measure three cun and five fen in the upper section of the memorial, four cun and five fen in the middle section, and five cun in the lower section. They must not exceed these measurements. Some people now say they should measure one cun and five fen; this is incorrect.

When writing “Great Year,” if there is no paper left, the memorial may not be submitted. If another line is needed, a full sheet of paper may be attached. For errors or omitted characters, a minor memorial may have no more than three characters corrected; for a major memorial, use judgment.

Leave eight fen of blank space at the top of the memorial paper, and leave a gap at the bottom large enough for an ant to pass through. Cover the writing table with a clean cloth. Do not let the memorial paper touch a bed, place clothing on it, or let it fall to the ground. Write in a state of stillness. Do not allow idle people to make noise, discuss other matters, or speak obscenely.

Do not dip the brush in water or put it in your mouth while writing. Keep your mouth closed, do not eat, and do not let your breath blow onto the memorial paper. Wash your hands first and write facing north. If you have been tainted by what is considered impure and defiling Qi, you must not write. Do not write characters incorrectly or incompletely, and do not use torn paper. Before writing, do not drink alcohol, eat meat, or touch anything foul-smelling or defiling. Arrange your clothing properly and do not expose your body. Write bent forward in reverence; do not squat.

After completing the memorial, check it and read it through before submitting it. The character “minister” must not appear at the beginning of a line, nor may the characters “life” or “death” be left hanging by themselves. The character “ghost” must not appear at the beginning of a line. Do not split a person’s name across lines, and do not let anyone else look at the memorial, lest Great Clarity be offended. Do not write the characters for the sun and moon in advance; write them only shortly before submitting the memorial.

If a memorial is submitted in an emergency, write its heading in vermilion ink. If the memorial is for expelling ghosts and evil spirits, use vermilion ink to write the name of the Zhengyi disciple on whose behalf it is submitted. If the memorial is for treating an illness caused by evil influences, use blue paper, since the officials of the Three Offices, who govern the realms of Heaven, Earth, and Water, prize the color blue. For a zhuqi affliction or ghost illness, write a ghost-striking memorial in vermilion ink on blue paper. Once the memorial is complete, burn it within the place of administration. Then pound two fen of genuine cinnabar into powder and mix it with honey to make a pill. Enter the Jing chamber, a place for quiet cultivation and ritual practice, at dawn; bow twice and swallow the pill. The scripture says that even someone on the verge of death can be brought back to life, and warns that this must not be disclosed to others. If entering the Jing chamber because of illness to write a memorial—that is, to deal with a ghost illness and write a ghost-striking memorial—use vermilion ink on blue paper. After completing the memorial, burn it within the place of administration and burn incense with flames at all four sides.

The Three Yuan Days

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Upper Yuan, the fifteenth day of the seventh month is the Middle Yuan, and the fifteenth day of the tenth month is the Lower Yuan. These are the days when the Three Officials—the Heavenly Official, the Earthly Official, and the Water Official, deities who govern the granting of blessings, the remission of sins, and the relief of calamities—make their rounds and conduct inspections. One may hold a purification rite to pray for their blessings.

The Three Assembly Days

The fifth day of the first lunar month is the Upper Assembly, the seventh day of the seventh month is the Middle Assembly, and the fifth day of the tenth month is the Lower Assembly.

These days are suitable for submitting petitions to the gods, praying, and presenting one’s merits. Even in violent winds and rain, when the sun and moon are obscured and Heaven and Earth seem closed off, there is no need to avoid them. It is said that on these days the Heavenly Emperor and the great sages descend together to the ritual hall, manifest their forms, and display their divine power; even those ten thousand li away respond at the same time. Submitting petitions, receiving ordination registers, and men and women cultivating virtue, accumulating merit, doing good, and giving alms on these days can all avert calamities and misfortune, without restriction.

The Nüqing Ghost Statutes, a Daoist classic concerning prohibitions related to ghosts and spirits, also records: the Heavenly Assembly falls on a Bingwu day, the Earthly Assembly on a Renwu day, the Human Assembly on a Renzi day, the Sun Assembly on a Gengwu day, the Moon Assembly on a Gengshen day, the Stars Assembly on a Xinyou day, the Five Phases Assembly on a Jiachen day, and the Four Seasons Assembly on a Jiaxu day. The Heavenly Festival falls on a Jiawu day, the Earthly Festival on a Jiashen day, and the Human Festival on a Jiazi day.

All these days are suitable for establishing merit and praying for blessings. They are highly auspicious days.

The Mutual Clash of Zi and Wu Hours

The Zi hour clashes with the Wu hour: Zi clashes with Wu, and Wu clashes with Zi. When holding a rite to open a Zhaijiao altar and pray for blessings, it is suitable to choose either the Zi or Wu hour. If the hours are in conflict, or the Dipper’s handle points toward Zi, avoid the Zi hour; if it points toward Wu, avoid the Wu hour. In an urgent situation, these hours need not be avoided, though avoiding them is preferable when possible.

The Direction to Face When Submitting Petitions

When submitting petitions by day, face east; when doing so at night, face north. Another account says that when receiving ordination registers by day, one should face east. Petitions to dissolve a pact, dispel the clash between the Zi and Wu hours, seek protection from the stars, or address an emergency should face north, while visualizing the Great Emperor in the mind. Except for major petitions to the stars, important rites conducted at the altar, or urgent petitions to capture or drive away ghosts and evil spirits, petitions generally need not be presented publicly.

When treating illness, face the Ghost Gate; when dispelling calamity, face the Earth Gate; when praying for long life, face the Heaven Gate; when seeking wealth and prosperity, face the Earth Gate; and when dispelling disputes, slander, and curses, face the Human Gate. To avert harm from tigers, face the Yin direction; to avert harm from snakes, face the Si direction.

It is also said: To pray for blessings and long life, avert disasters, and treat illness, one should face east. To be released from the underworld obligations associated with graves (underworld offenses linked to the dead or their burial places), to gain clarity and intelligence, and to dispel grave calamities, one should face west. For illnesses caused by snakebites, one should face the Si direction (south-southeast).

It is also said: To pray for blessings and long life, avert disasters, and treat illness, one should face east. To be released from underworld obligations associated with graves, to gain clarity and intelligence, and to dispel grave calamities, one should face west. If someone is gravely ill and near death, and a memorial and talisman (a petition submitted to the celestial realm and a talisman) are to be used to treat and save them, one should face north. To cultivate the body, preserve life, and seek wealth and status, one should face south. To submit a memorial (a petition presented to the deities) to confess one’s offenses, one should face north.

When treating illness in the first, fifth, seventh, or ninth months, do not face east. In the fourth, eighth, or twelfth months, do not face south. In the seventh, third, or tenth months, do not face west. In the second, sixth, or tenth months, do not face north.

The directions to face and avoid given above are rules to follow when using memorials and talismans to treat illness; they must not be mistaken. Violations will, in accordance with the liturgical regulations, result in deductions from one’s allotted years of life.

Visiting the Palaces Month by Month

In the first and twelfth months, one should visit the Palace of the Supreme Venerable Elder of Emptiness. In the second month, one should visit the Palace of the Supreme Venerable Immortal Capital. In the third and fourth months, one should visit the Palace of the Supreme Three Heavens of Great Clarity. In the fifth month, one should visit the Palace of the Supreme Way of the Double. In the sixth and seventh months, one should visit the Palace of the Supreme Ninefold Darkness, Wenchang. In the eighth month, one should visit the Palace of the Supreme Celestial Emperor. In the ninth and tenth months, one should visit the Palace of the Supreme Great Dao. In the eleventh month, one should visit the Palace of the Supreme Attendants, the Left and Right Supervisors of the Divine Generals. In an intercalary month, one should visit the Palace of the Supreme Golden Register, the Grand Duke of the Year, corresponding to that month; one may also visit the palace corresponding to the preceding month.

On the first day of each month, the Jianwang Office (a Daoist divine administration) is in charge and conducts its business at the Red Void Palace. On the second, the Taisu Office is in charge at the Great Subtlety Palace. On the third, the Taiwei Office is in charge at the Northern Peace Bureau. On the fourth, the Duzheng Office is in charge at the Great Clarity Palace. On the fifth, the Zhengyi Office is in charge at the Eastern Brightness Palace. On the sixth, the Xuanyi Office is in charge at the Upper Brightness Palace. On the seventh, the Taisu Office is in charge at the High Spirit Palace. On the eighth, the Lingji Office is in charge at the Purple Tenuity Palace. On the ninth, the Danling Office is in charge at the Awaiting Spring Palace. On the tenth, the Taiqing Office is in charge at the Martial Spirit Bureau. On the eleventh, the Sanshui Office is in charge at the Pure Maiden Palace. On the twelfth, the Yuelu Office is in charge at the Great Wilds Bureau. On the thirteenth, the Qingshu Office is in charge at the Western Brightness Palace. On the fourteenth, the Xuanzheng Office is in charge at the Upper Crimson Palace. On the fifteenth, the Zhongdu Office is in charge at the Crooked Plain Palace. On the sixteenth, the Sifei Office is in charge at the Northern Prefecture Palace. On the seventeenth, the Sijian Office is in charge at the Southern True Bureau. On the eighteenth, the Tongse Office is in charge at the Eastern Brightness Palace. On the nineteenth, the Tonglu Office is in charge at the Western Spirit Palace. On the twentieth, the Jiankao Office is in charge at the Bureau of Fate. On the twenty-first, the Jiansi Office is in charge at the Yangming Palace. On the twenty-second, the Diankao Office is in charge at the Sun Palace. On the twenty-third, the Sigong Office is in charge at the Lesser Yang Palace. On the twenty-fourth, the Xuanyuan Office is in charge at the Great Yin Palace. On the twenty-fifth, the Taixuan Office is in charge at the Lesser Yin Bureau. On the twenty-sixth, the Dusi Office is in charge at the Northern Star Palace. On the twenty-seventh, the Duhou Office is in charge at the Great White Palace. On the twenty-eighth, the Zhishi Office is in charge at the Forest Brightness Bureau. On the twenty-ninth, the Sizhi Office is in charge at the Yangming Palace. On the thirtieth, the Jidu Office is in charge at the Dawn Palace.

Another account calls it the “Dianzhe Office.”

Monthly taboos (days each month on which certain activities should be avoided).

The second day after the Gengshen day in the first lunar month; the ninth day after the Xinyou day in the second month; the tenth day after the Jiaxu day in the third month; the eleventh day after the Guihai day in the fourth month; the eleventh day after the Renzi day in the fifth month; the eleventh day after the Guichou day in the sixth month; the twelfth day after the Jiayin day in the seventh month; the thirteenth day after the Yimao day in the eighth month; the thirteenth day after the Jiachen day in the ninth month; the eighth day after the Dingsi day in the tenth month; the fifteenth day after the Bingwu day in the eleventh month; and the thirteenth day after the Guiwei day in the twelfth month. In addition, the Wuchen, Gengchen, Renchen, Yisi, Xinsi, Guisi, Jisi, and Ding-si days are also unsuitable for submitting petitions to the gods or holding Zhaijiao (purification rituals).

Phases of the Moon

The eighth and ninth days, when the waxing moon is growing fuller in the first half of the lunar month, and the twenty-second and twenty-third days, when the waning moon is shrinking in the second half. In long months, use the eighth and twenty-second days; in short months, use the ninth and twenty-third. None of these days is suitable.

Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare

The Xu and Hai days belong to the Heavenly Net; the Chen and Si days belong to the Earthly Snare. The Zi and Wu days belong to the Central Officials; the Yin and Shen days to Exhausted Counting; and the Chou and Wei days to the Five Tombs. When submitting petitions or holding Zhaijiao, calculate these dates according to the person’s year destiny, that is, the stem and branch corresponding to their birth year, and be sure to take them into account.

Blood Taboo

The Chou day in the first lunar month; the Wei day in the second; the Yin day in the third; the Shen day in the fourth; the Mao day in the fifth; the You day in the sixth; the Chen day in the seventh; the Xu day in the eighth; the Si day in the ninth; the Hai day in the tenth; the Wu day in the eleventh; and the Zi day in the twelfth. These are the Blood Taboo days for each month and are unsuitable.

Nine Emptinesses

The Chen day in the first lunar month; the Chou day in the second; the Xu day in the third; the Wei day in the fourth; the Mao day in the fifth; the Zi day in the sixth; the You day in the seventh; the Wu day in the eighth; the Yin day in the ninth; the Hai day in the tenth; the Shen day in the eleventh; and the Si day in the twelfth. These are the Nine Emptiness days for each month and are unsuitable.

“Skylord Wolf Affects the Sun” refers to taboo days associated with the Skylord Wolf in each month, in order: the Zi day in the first month, the Chen day in the second, the Wu day in the third, the You day in the fourth, the Zi day in the fifth, the Mao day in the sixth, the Wu day in the seventh, the Wei day in the eighth, the Zi day in the ninth, the Mao day in the tenth, the Wu day in the eleventh, and the You day in the twelfth. One should avoid conducting affairs on these days.

“Dao’s Father and Mother” lists the days to avoid when making ritual offerings and announcements: the Bingyin and Dingmao days are taboos for Dao’s Father; the Bingshen and Dingyou days are taboos for Dao’s Mother; the Wuchen and Wuxu days are taboos for the Southern Emperor; and the Renchen and Renxu days are taboos for the Northern Emperor. On all these days, one should avoid burning incense and submitting petitions in prayer.

“Heavenly Officials Pay Homage at Heaven’s Gate” lists the dates when the heavenly officials pay homage at Heaven’s Gate: the second day of the first month, the ninth day of the second, the tenth day of the third, the eleventh day of the fourth, the eleventh day of the fifth, the eleventh day of the sixth, the second day of the seventh, the thirteenth day of the eighth, the thirteenth day of the ninth, the eighth day of the tenth, the fifteenth day of the eleventh, the thirteenth day of the twelfth, and the eleventh day of an intercalary month. The text then specifically lists the eleventh day of the fifth month, the eleventh day of the sixth, the second day of the seventh, the thirteenth day of the eighth, the thirteenth day of the ninth, the eighth day of the tenth, the fifteenth day of the eleventh, the thirteenth day of the twelfth, and the eleventh day of an intercalary month as unsuitable for submitting petitions to the gods.

“Determining the Hours When the Dipper Strikes” uses the twelve daily designations—Establish, Remove, Full, Balanced, Settled, Hold, Break, Complete, Receive, Open, Closed, and Danger—to calculate taboo hours when the Dipper stars clash: on Establish days, avoid the hour of Shen; on Remove days, the hour of You; on Full days, the hour of Xu; on Balanced days, the hour of Hai; on Settled days, the hour of Zi; on Hold days, the hour of Chou; on Break days, the hour of Yin; on Complete days, the hour of Chen; on Receive days, the hour of Si; on Open days, the hour of Wu; on Closed days, the hour of Wei; and on Danger days, the hour of Mao. When a daily designation coincides with its taboo hour, one should avoid submitting petitions or treating the sick.

“Monthly Harmful Days” lists the taboo days for each month: Gengshen in the first month, Xinyou in the second, Gengxu in the third, Guihai in the fourth, Renzi in the fifth, Guichou in the sixth, Jiayin in the seventh, Yimao in the eighth, Jiachen in the ninth, Dingsi in the tenth, Wuwu in the eleventh, and Dingwei in the twelfth. One should avoid submitting petitions on these days, or the ritual master will be harmed.

“Unlucky Days of the Four Seasons” refers to the days to avoid in each season: in the three spring months, avoid You days; in the three summer months, avoid Wu days; in the three autumn months, avoid Hai days; and in the three winter months, avoid Zi days. One should avoid submitting petitions on these days, or the ritual master will be harmed.

“Incense Smoke When Submitting Petitions” means the smoke produced by burning incense while presenting petitions.

Whenever a memorial is submitted to the celestial gods in a Daoist ritual, the incense must first be observed. During the three summer months, do not submit a memorial on a Wu day; during the three autumn months, avoid Hai days; and during the three winter months, avoid Zi days.

On these days, which are taboo in the four seasons, no memorial should be submitted, or the ritual master may be harmed.

The Incense Smoke When Submitting a Memorial

Whenever a memorial is submitted, first observe the form of the incense smoke. If it turns south and drifts east, the sick person will be difficult to cure. If it rises straight up, directly toward the heavens, this is an auspicious sign. If it coils around the ritual master, the master and everyone connected with the memorial will be punished. If the smoke rises halfway and then disperses, the sick person will die. If it rises in fine streams from all four sides, the living person is of two minds and lacks sincerity.

The Twelve Double-Hours

In the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth months: at Cockcrow, the “Food Hour,” Wei, and Xu, the spirits are at the gate; at Dawn, the “Yu Hour,” Shen, and Hai, the spirits are outside; at Sunset, Wu, You, and Zi, the spirits are inside.

In the second, fifth, eighth, and eleventh months: at Mao, Wu, You, and Zi, the spirits are at the gate; at Cockcrow, Chen, Wei, and Xu, the spirits are outside; at Yin, Si, Shen, and Hai, the spirits are inside.

In the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth months: at Yin, Si, Shen, and Hai, the spirits are at the gate; at Mao, Wu, You, and Zi, the spirits are outside; at Chen, Wei, Xu, and Chou, the spirits are inside.

This lists the locations of the spirits during each double-hour of the twelve months. When carrying out a ritual, one must not offend these locations or times.

The Locations of the Yin Killers

In the first month, at the Yin position, on a Gui-Hai day; in the second month, at the Si position, on a Xin-You day; in the third month, at the Wu position, on a Geng-Xu day; in the fourth month, at the Wei position, on a Gui-Hai day; in the fifth month, at the Yin position, on a Ren-Zi day; in the sixth month, at the Mao position, on a Gui-Chou day; in the seventh month, at the Chen position, on a Jia-Yin day; in the eighth month, at the Hai position; in the ninth month, at the Si position, on an Yi-Mao day; in the tenth month, at the Chou position, on a Ding-Si day; in the eleventh month, at the You position, on a Bing-Wu day; in the twelfth month, at the You position, on a Ding-Wei day.

This lists the days on which the Yin Killers are present during the twelve months. These days should be avoided.

In the first lunar month, the Heavenly Physician (Tianyi) direction is Chou; in the second, Geng; in the third, Ren; in the fourth, Geng; in the fifth, Ren; in the sixth, Bing; in the seventh, Ren; in the eighth, You; in the ninth, Bing; in the tenth, Shen; in the eleventh, Bing; and in the twelfth, Xin.

These are the positions of the Heavenly Physician for each month. In Daoist date selection and ritual practice, the Heavenly Physician is an auspicious spirit associated with a direction. To travel somewhere to perform healing rites, one should enter from the direction where the Heavenly Physician is located, as this is considered most auspicious.

Days and Times to Avoid the Celestial Net

After the hour of Si in the first lunar month, the Celestial Net (Tiangang), an inauspicious force in date selection, arrives at the Ghost Gate. After the hour of Wei in the second month, it arrives at the Ghost Gate; after the hour of Wu in the third; after the hour of Si in the fourth; after the hour of Chen in the fifth; after the hour of Mao in the sixth; after the hour of Yin in the seventh; after the hour of Chou in the eighth; after the hour of Zi in the ninth; after the hour of Hai in the tenth; after the hour of Xu in the eleventh; and after the hour of You in the twelfth. According to this method, one should avoid times when the Celestial Net arrives at the Ghost Gate.

In the first lunar month, the Celestial Net is in Wei; in the second, Shen; in the third, You; in the fourth, Xu; in the fifth, Hai; in the sixth, Zi; in the seventh, Chou; in the eighth, Yin; in the ninth, Mao; in the tenth, Chen; in the eleventh, Si; and in the twelfth, Wu.

These are the positions of the Celestial Net, all of which should be treated with caution and avoided.

Days on Which the Master Is at Risk

The sexagenary cycle designations and dates listed for each month are all “Heavenly Killing Days,” which traditional calendars consider unsuitable for certain rituals. Avoid them when submitting a memorial to the celestial court, a Daoist ritual in which petitions are presented to the heavenly deities:

In the first month, avoid days 4, 16, and 21 when the day is Si; in the second month, avoid days 5, 19, 21, and 28 when the day is Yin; in the third month, avoid days 6, 12, and 27 when the day is You; in the fourth month, avoid days 1, 8, 13, and 15 when the day is Shen; in the fifth month, avoid days 6, 14, and 23 when the day is Chen; in the sixth month, avoid days 7, 11, 22, and 29 when the day is Xu; in the seventh month, avoid days 7, 15, and 23 when the day is Wei; in the eighth month, avoid days 2, 11, 14, and 26 when the day is Chou; in the ninth month, avoid days 6, 7, 8, 9, and 25 when the day is Wu; in the tenth month, avoid days 2, 7, 24, and 29 when the day is Yin; in the eleventh month, avoid days 2, 9, 12, 13, and 25 when the day is Mao; in the twelfth month, avoid days 4, 7, 20, and 28 when the day is You.

The House Spirit General’s Circuit

In the first, second, and third months, the House Spirit General makes his circuit in the north; in the fourth, fifth, and sixth months, in the east; in the seventh, eighth, and ninth months, in the south; and in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth months, in the west. One must not offend the direction in which the general is making his circuit. That is, avoid groundbreaking or other activities in that direction.

The House Spirit’s Departure and Return

The House Spirit departs on the following sexagenary cycle days and returns on the dates listed: departs on Renxu and returns on Jiazi; departs on Dingmao and returns on Xinwei; departs on Wuyin and returns on Renwu; departs on Bingxu and returns on Gengyin; departs on Bingshen and returns on Xinchou; departs on Wushen and returns on Xinhai; departs on Jiayin and returns on Jiwei.

The spirit of the residence leaves the house and later returns. If a Zhaijiao purification ritual is to be held in the house, it should be scheduled for a time when the house spirit is present, so that its blessings may be received.

The River Lord and Earth Lord Go on Excursions

On a Jiazi day, they travel north and return seven days later, on a Gengwu day. On a Jiaxu day, they travel east and return ten days later, on a Jiashen day. On a Jiawu day, they travel south and return seven days later, on a Gengzi day. On a Jiachen day, they travel west and return ten days later, on a Jiayin day.

This means that if the Earth God is present in the house when an offering of thanks is made to the earth after a house is built or repaired, blessings will follow.

The General and Grand Duke Go on Excursions

On a Jiazi day, they travel east and return five days later, on a Jisi day. On a Bingzi day, they travel south and return five days later, on a Xinsi day. On a Gengzi day, they travel west and return five days later, on a Yisi day. On a Renzi day, they travel north and return five days later, on a Dingsi day. On a Wuzi day, they travel from the center and return five days later, on a Guisi day.

These are the dates when the General and Grand Duke set out and return. Be sure to avoid performing rites while they are present in the house.

The house spirit usually ascends to Heaven on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month and descends on the fifth day of the first month. It has not yet ascended by the third month and descends on the twenty-seventh day of the fourth month; it has not yet ascended by the fifth month and descends on the twenty-seventh day of the sixth month. At all other times, it is in the house. Another account says that each house has twenty-four spirits, assigned to the heavenly stems and earthly branches, including Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui.

These rites of offering and prayer, petitions, and requests for blessings should be held when the spirits are present in the house. When they are there, prayers for blessings will be answered.

Days When the Heavenly Dog Descends

In the first month, it descends on a Hai day; in the second, on a Zi day; in the third, on a Chou day; in the fourth, on a Yin day; in the fifth, on a Mao day; in the sixth, on a Chen day; in the seventh, on a Si day; in the eighth, on a Wu day; in the ninth, on a Wei day; in the tenth, on a Shen day; in the eleventh, on a You day; and in the twelfth, on a Xu day.

These are the days when the Heavenly Dog descends, and they should not be selected for rites.

The Grand Duke’s Heavenly Dog Descends to Devour

“Years of the Rat, Ox, and so on” refer to the Earthly Branch year in which Tai Sui is located; “dog” refers to the Heavenly Dog. “Feeding below” records the time corresponding to the Heavenly Dog, while “auspicious” lists times suitable for conducting affairs.

In a Rat year, Tai Sui is in the Rat position, the Heavenly Dog is in the Tiger position, and feeding below occurs at the Rabbit hour; the Snake, Goat, and Rooster hours are auspicious. In an Ox year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Rabbit position, and feeding below occurs at the Dragon hour; the Horse, Monkey, and Rat hours are auspicious. In a Tiger year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Dragon position, and feeding below occurs at the Snake hour; the Goat, Rooster, Pig, Rabbit, and Ox hours are auspicious. In a Rabbit year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Snake position, and feeding below occurs at the Horse hour; the Dragon, Rabbit, Dog, Rat, and Tiger hours are auspicious. In a Dragon year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Horse position, and feeding below occurs at the Goat hour; the Snake, Rooster, Pig, Ox, and Rabbit hours are auspicious. In a Snake year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Goat position, and feeding below occurs at the Monkey hour; the Dragon, Horse, Rat, Dog, and Tiger hours are auspicious. In a Horse year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Monkey position, and feeding below occurs at the Rooster hour; the Rabbit, Goat, Pig, and Ox hours are auspicious. In a Goat year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Rooster position, and feeding below occurs at the Dog hour; the Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Dog, and Tiger hours are auspicious. In a Monkey year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Dog position, and feeding below occurs at the Pig hour; the Rabbit, Snake, Goat, Rooster, and Pig hours are auspicious. In a Rooster year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Pig position, and feeding below occurs at the Rat hour; the Dragon, Horse, Monkey, and Dog hours are auspicious. In a Dog year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Rat position, and feeding below occurs at the Ox hour; the Rabbit, Snake, Goat, Rooster, and Pig hours are auspicious. In a Pig year, the Heavenly Dog is in the Ox position, and feeding below occurs at the Tiger hour; the Horse, Monkey, Dog, and Rat hours are auspicious.

The above describes the hours when the Heavenly Dog feeds below in relation to Tai Sui. These hours should be avoided when performing Daoist rites such as memorial petitions and Zhaijiao ceremonies.

The Heavenly Dog by month: in the first month, it is in the Pig position, and feeding below occurs at the Snake hour; in the second month, it is in the Rat position, and feeding below occurs at the Horse hour; in the third month, it is in the Ox position, and feeding below occurs at the Goat hour; in the fourth month, it is in the Tiger position, and feeding below occurs at the Monkey hour; in the fifth month, it is in the Rabbit position, and feeding below occurs at the Rooster hour; in the sixth month, it is in the Dragon position, and feeding below occurs at the Dog hour; in the seventh month, it is in the Snake position, and feeding below occurs at the Pig hour; in the eighth month, it is in the Horse position, and feeding below occurs at the Rat hour; in the ninth month, it is in the Goat position, and feeding below occurs at the Ox hour; in the tenth month, it is in the Monkey position, and feeding below occurs at the Tiger hour; in the eleventh month, it is in the Rooster position, and feeding below occurs at the Rabbit hour; in the twelfth month, it is in the Dog position, and feeding below occurs at the Dragon hour.

When the hour of the “Heavenly Dog devouring the sun” occurs each month, a Zhaijiao purification ritual must not be held. The scripture says that at this time people are especially vulnerable to harm from ghosts and spirits, though petitions submitted to Heaven may still reach their destination. Simply take earth from the corresponding direction and smear it over the walls around a rat hole and the four walls of a silkworm room, and all will go very well.

Inauspicious Hours for the Twelve Zodiac Signs

People born in each of the twelve zodiac years should avoid a particular hour: those born in a Zi year should avoid the Wu hour; those born in a Chou year, the Wei hour; those born in a Yin year, the Shen hour; those born in a Mao year, the You hour; those born in a Chen year, the Xu hour; those born in a Si year, the Hai hour; those born in a Wu year, the Zi hour; those born in a Wei year, the Chou hour; those born in a Shen year, the Yin hour; those born in a You year, the Mao hour; those born in a Xu year, the Chen hour; and those born in a Hai year, the Si hour.

These hours clash with the Earthly Branch of the year of birth. They should not be chosen for submitting petitions to Heaven or for a Zhaijiao purification ritual.

The Emperor’s Fierce Killing Days

The inauspicious days for each month are as follows: in the first month, Chou, Chen, and Xu days; in the second month, Yin, Chen, and Si days; in the third month, Chou, Mao, and Wu days; in the fourth month, Chen and Wei days; in the fifth month, Chou, Si, and Wei days; in the sixth month, Mao, Si, and Wei days; in the seventh month, Chou, Mao, and Wei days; in the eighth month, Yin, You, and Xu days; in the ninth month, Zi, Chou, Mao, and Xu days; in the tenth month, Si and Wu days; in the eleventh month, Zi, Chou, Chen, Si, Shen, Xu, and Hai days; and in the twelfth month, Zi, Chou, Chen, and Xu days.

All of these are killing days in their respective months and should not be chosen for rituals.

Visualization of the Six Jia

On a Jiazi day, Chou Ming governs water; during ritual practice, visualize him entering the water. On a Jia Yin day, Cheng Long governs illness; visualize him entering illness. On a Jia Chen day, Lin Che governs official affairs; visualize him entering a government office. On a Jia Wu day, Jian Bing governs warfare; visualize him entering battle. On a Jia Shen day, Yi Zhang governs plants; visualize him entering among vegetation. On a Jia Xu day, Zhang Xian governs fire; visualize him entering the flames.

On each of these Six Jia days, perform visualization according to the spirit and its domain listed for that day. This means envisioning the spirit and what it governs in the mind during ritual practice.

The Six Harmonies Days

The days on which the Earthly Branches combine are: Yin with Hai, Mao with Xu, Chen with You, Si with Shen, Wu with Wei, and Zi with Chou.

Days When Heaven and Earth Are Sealed

Ren days are the “Six Days of Obstruction,” and Gui days are the “Six Days of Closure.” Another account holds that Jia and Gui days are unsuitable for submitting petitions to Heaven or holding a Zhaijiao purification ritual.

These days should be avoided when submitting petitions to Heaven or holding a Zhaijiao purification ritual.

Heavenly Father Days

The third, ninth, fifteenth, and twenty-seventh days of each month are Heavenly Father Days.

The four days listed above are unsuitable for presenting memorials to the gods.

Heavenly Mother Days

The fourth, tenth, sixteenth, and eighteenth days of the month.

These four days are unsuitable for presenting memorials.

Four Seasonal Days

In spring, they are the Yin, Wu, and Xu days; in summer, the Si, You, and Chou days; in autumn, the Shen, Zi, and Chen days; and in winter, the Hai, Mao, and Wei days.

These days are unsuitable both for presenting memorials and for writing Fulu (talismans and registers).

Five La Days

Wang Chang asked Perfected Zhao Sheng, “Do you know about the Five La Days?” Perfected Zhao Sheng replied, “When I served my former master at Heming Cave, I once heard him discuss this with Perfected Yuhua. The Five La Days mark the end of a cycle of the Five Phases and the transition from old to new. They are auspicious days for pardoning transgressions, seeking the truth, bringing down life-giving Qi, increasing Shen, and praying for longevity. On these days, the Five Emperors assemble at the Dark Capital. They govern the human realm, the underworld, the Five Sacred Peaks, the Four Great Rivers, and the 36,000 currents of Yin-Yang Qi; they examine the living and grant longer life and blessings. Those who study the Dao, cultivate the Real, and seek long life may fast and bathe, pay homage to the True Gods, and practice the Dao on these days. This wondrous teaching is now being transmitted clearly and expressly; it should be diligently followed.”

The Heavenly La on the First Day of the First Month

The Five Emperors examine the Shen and lifespan of the living, and increase their years of life. One may pray for children and perform rites for the deceased, enabling the Dark Ancestors—the ancestors and more distant forebears—to ascend. On this day, one should not block ditches or streams, labor, or indulge in sexual desire. One may chant and sing praises, and guide and circulate the Shen and Qi.

The Earthly La on the Fifth Day of the Fifth Month

The Five Emperors examine the official rank and the strength or decline of the flesh and blood of the living. They cause all things to flourish, extend life within the body, and record the names of those destined for long life. On this day, one may atone for transgressions, pray for a change in official rank, and perform rites for the Dark Ancestors. One should not cut down or damage trees, or slaughter animals for food or sacrifice. One may practice Qi absorption, nourishing Qi through regulated breathing, and care for the Four Greats, the body’s four basic constituents.

The Dao and De La on the Seventh Day of the Seventh Month

The Five Emperors (the Celestial Emperors of the Five Directions) assess people’s physical strength, their learning and written records, and changes in their official ranks and titles. This day is suitable for confessing transgressions and praying for blessings, practicing breath cultivation (regulating the breath through inhalation and exhalation), bathing, and making offerings to deceased ancestors. It is unsuitable for cutting trees, breaking stone, eating sour or salty foods, or riding horses or traveling by carriage near dangerous places. One may practice daoyin (a method of nourishing life that combines breathing with bodily movement) to care for the body and stretch the muscles and bones.

The first day of the tenth month is the annual la (the year-end sacrificial day) for the common people.

The Five Emperors assess people’s stipends, official ranks and titles, lifespans, and the severity of their illnesses. This day is suitable for confessing transgressions, praying for longer life, making offerings to deceased ancestors, bathing, and sacrificing to the Xuan Ancestor (a remote forebear). Take care not to eat too much, become dazed with drink, or sleep excessively. One may cultivate the Dao and perform reverent bows, walking circuits in a courtyard or ritual space.

The la of the feudal lords and nobles falls in the twelfth month.

The Five Emperors assess people’s dwellings and the allocation of their stipends, and bestow the thirty-six thousand kinds of divine Qi. This day is suitable for confessing transgressions, praying for longevity, pacifying the myriad gods, changing one’s rank and title, transforming conditions of poverty and want, bathing, making offerings to deceased ancestors, and performing a great jiao (a large-scale purification ritual) to sacrifice at the Heavenly La.

The Five Emperors assess people’s dwellings and the allocation of their stipends, and bestow the thirty-six thousand kinds of divine Qi. This day is suitable for confessing transgressions, praying for longevity, pacifying the myriad gods, changing one’s rank and title, transforming conditions of poverty and want, bathing, making offerings to deceased ancestors, and performing a great jiao to sacrifice to the Heavenly Officials (divine officials of the celestial realm). In this way, people’s wishes will be fulfilled, and those who seek the Dao will surely attain something. On this day, one should not gather to drink and make merry. One may practice walking meditation in the quiet mountains and forests, choosing a place with a ritual space in which to cultivate the Dao. While practicing the Way, remain focused in contemplation and keep the Three Hun and Seven Po (the souls and spirits of the human body according to Daoist belief) settled within; do not busy yourself with worldly affairs. This should be done on every la day.

With utmost awe and trepidation

The ritual regulations stipulate that all such memorials must include the words “with utmost awe and trepidation.” Failure to comply will diminish one’s lifespan.

Bowing my head to the ground twice

The ritual regulations stipulate that, in cases of ordinary minor illness or matters that are not urgent, the memorial should read: “Your servant, [name], bows his head to the ground twice and submits this memorial.” The same wording should appear at the end of the memorial. Failure to comply will diminish one’s lifespan.

Bowing my head in submission, guilty unto death; bowing my head to the ground twice

The ritual regulations stipulate that, in cases of critical illness or urgent matters, the memorial should read: “Your servant, [name], bows his head in submission, guilty unto death; bows his head to the ground twice and submits this memorial.” The same wording should appear at the end of the memorial. Failure to comply will diminish one’s lifespan.

Requesting an official title

The Taizhen Code says that when illness arises, one should first submit the “Memorial of Initial Report,” describing the condition. If the patient does not improve, submit the “Memorial for Release from Examination.” If there is still no improvement, submit the “Memorial for Release from the Sins and Punishments of Deceased Ancestors,” asking that the guilt and penalties caused by deceased relatives be lifted. The memorial should include respectful petitionary phrases such as, “Your servant, so-and-so, bows his head and accepts the death penalty, prostrates himself and bows twice, and submits this report.” The rest of the memorial should follow the same form. Anyone who violates these procedures will have their lifespan reduced.

Petitioning the Officials

The Taizhen Code also says that memorials for illness should be submitted in order according to the illness’s severity. First submit the “Memorial of Initial Report.” If the patient does not recover, submit the “Memorial for Release from Examination.” If the illness persists, submit the “Memorial for Release from the Sins and Punishments of Deceased Ancestors.” If the patient still does not recover, submit the “Memorial for Transfer and Deliverance.” If the illness remains severe, submit the “Memorial to Repel Killing Influences and Capture the Ghosts Who Cause Illness,” asking that harmful forces be driven away and the ghosts who bring illness be captured. If the patient suddenly falls into dire distress, submit the “Great Memorial for Release from Calamity and Evil.” If the condition still does not improve, submit, in turn, the “Memorial for Release from the Punishments of the Five Tombs” and the “Great Memorial to Support the Feeble and Deliver from Adversity.” If the patient remains ill, submit the “Memorial for the Return of the Soul and Restoration of the Po.” If that too is ineffective, submit the “Memorial to Pacify the Tomb and Release the Harmful Depletion of the Five Soils,” praying for the tomb to be pacified and for the depletion and harm caused by the “Five Soils” to be removed. Then submit the “Memorial to Pacify the House, Suppress the Spirits, Drive Away Evil, and Capture Ghosts,” followed by the “Memorial for the Division and Release of Great Trials Within and Without.”

When the patient is in critical condition, submit the “Memorial to Request Life at the Zi and Wu Hours and Repel the Three Officials’ Death Sentence,” asking for the patient’s life to be prolonged and the fatal adversity brought by the Three Officials to be lifted. When the illness waxes and wanes unpredictably, submit the “Memorial of Veneration and Thanks to the Thirty-Two Heavens.” If the condition is extremely grave, one may submit the memorials “Continuation of Life,” “Extraction of Life,” “Release from Entanglement and Reconnection,” “Five Lamps,” “Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions,” and the “Eighty-One Memorials for the Division and Release of Great Illnesses Caused by Deceased Ancestors,” among others.

If the corresponding calamity or illness has not occurred, one must not request these memorials arbitrarily; anyone who violates this rule will be punished under the penal code. The text’s “two punishments” include sweeping roads and repairing bridges, as well as the prescribed rites for dispelling “entanglement and reconnection,” the Five Lamps, the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, and great illnesses caused by deceased ancestors. Punishment may also involve labor such as sweeping roads and repairing bridges. For the fifth-grade punishment, one must pay three thousand bundles of thatching reeds for repairing the roof of the Celestial Master’s headquarters; for the sixth-grade punishment, two thousand sets of roof tiles; for the first- and second-grade punishments, one must sweep roads for twenty days. In the text, “one cycle” means one year. “A count” may mean ten days, though some accounts reckon one day as one count.

The prayers for merit included in a memorial should also be kept in proportion to the seriousness of the matter. For a major matter, one may write three or four hundred characters; when asking to prolong the life of someone near death, five hundred characters; for a minor matter, one or two hundred characters are enough. Excessively long writing will scatter the vital energy of the righteous and cause the officials and soldiers handling the matter to lose their effectiveness.

If an urgent matter requires a memorial to be submitted, first submit a request to the Lord of Heavenly Flourishing, then summon one hundred thousand soldiers in yellow robes. Alternatively, enter a quiet chamber, face east, and issue the command aloud to treat the one hundred and twenty kinds of calamities and strange occurrences in the household, as well as the violent evil forces inside and outside the home and the twelve kinds of punitive death spirits.

If the face is afflicted by illness, submit a memorial and enter a quiet chamber. Request the five Lords of Heavenly Brightness and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to treat all kinds of facial ailments beneath the Southern Office.

If Qi rises in counterflow, or if one vomits or passes foul matter of blue, yellow, red, or white color, accompanied by an illness said to be caused by the “Five Pestilences and Five Poisons, Six □ and Six Ghosts,” request the Lord of the Northern Star’s Great Pivot and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to treat it beneath the Six Offices. If an ailment of blue, yellow, red, or white color appears in the lower right part of the body, likewise request the Lord of the Northern Star’s Great Pivot and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to treat it beneath the Six Offices.

If the right side of the abdomen is distended, the heart region is uncomfortable, the small intestine is cramped, or there is vaginal discharge, and the condition is believed to be caused by the mischief of twelve kinds of disease ghosts, request Lord Fengli and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to come and treat it.

If food and drink in the abdomen cannot be digested and form hard lumps, or urination is dribbling and painful, with the condition persisting despite prolonged treatment, request Lord Chisu and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to treat it.

If Qi counterflows and the abdomen is seized by cramping pain, the abdomen is hard, and eating is impossible, request Lord Wuheng and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to treat it beneath the Great Mound Office.

If vomiting does not stop, request Lord Wuheng and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to treat it in the Palace of Great Peace.

If the lower abdomen is distended, request the Lord of the Nine Rivers and Northern Sea and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to treat it in the Palace of River Origins. If the illness is believed to be caused by the mischief of the Well Spirit or Kitchen Spirit, request the five Lords of Wangfa and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to suppress, dispel, and treat it in the Palace of the Five Clans.

If afflicted by an illness such as paralysis or swelling, request Lord Jiuji and one hundred and twenty officials and generals to treat it in the Palace of Western Jade.

If the body is weak and emaciated, the bones gaunt, the flesh wasted, and the person utterly exhausted, request Lord Yangyi, one hundred and twenty officials and generals, and their attendants on the left and right to treat the condition together.

To prolong life, request treatment from the Jade Palace.

For weakness and emaciation, gaunt bones, wasted flesh, and utter exhaustion, one may also request Lord Yangyi, one hundred and twenty officials and generals, and their attendants on the left and right to treat the condition.

If you wish to prolong life, summon Lord Nanshang and command the 120 officials and generals under his command to serve in the Cangguo office, so that people may live longer and be spared death.

If someone has been bedridden with illness for a long time and is suffering physically, summon Lord Xuyi and command the 120 officials and generals under his command to come and treat them.

If fierce ghosts are causing trouble in the home, and you wish to drive them out and put an end to the harm brought by spirits, summon Lord Shixian alone and command the 120 officials and generals under his command to subdue them.

If you wish to drive out old evil Qi, put an end to ghost-affliction (an infectious illness or lingering disease attributed to ghosts), dispel the threat of death, welcome new life, and turn misfortune into good fortune, summon General Yitian to lead 100,000 celestial soldiers in pursuit and capture.

If you wish to capture the various old spirits invading a household, summon Lord Shangyuanshi alone and command the 120 officials and generals under his command to seize them.

If you have violated taboos concerning the year of one’s fate, one’s natal year, the Grand Duke of Jupiter’s earth, the Five Tombs, or the cyclical signs Chen, Jian, and Po, summon the five Lords of Earth Restraint and command the 120 officials and generals under their command to enter the corresponding palaces and offices, suppressing and eliminating the harm. These names are all associated with Daoist calendrical selection and taboos tied to the seasons and years.

If a litigation ghost or unrighteous Qi in the home is making the household restless, summon Lord Hu and command the 120 officials and generals under his command to disperse and put an end to these evil influences.

If deaths keep occurring in the home, or someone suffers punishment, injury, or calamity, summon Lord of Fortune Qi and Calamity Relief to lead 700,000 troops in to deal with the situation.

If a ghost of the Five Tombs is causing trouble in the home, or harmful spirits are coming and going, summon the Most High Lord of the High Cang and lead 700,000 troops to subdue and deal with them.

If fires repeatedly break out in the home, summon the Most High Celestial Lord and lead 100,000 troops to put an end to the fire calamities once and for all.

If you wish to break the power of evil ghosts causing trouble near a house, temple, or seat, summon Lord Ping Tian and command the 120 officials and generals under his command to deal with them at the Beishuo office.

If you wish to study the Way of the immortals but encounter obstacles, suffer persistent illness, and remain unwell for a long time, summon Lord of Heavenly Essence, Xusu, and command 100,000 soldiers dressed in red to suppress evil ghosts and dispel calamities at the Heavenly Pillar office, and drive back the Qi of the Red Heaven.

If malevolent ghosts are causing trouble in the home and refuse to leave for a long time, invite the Lord of Red Heaven Who Feeds on Qi, the deity who governs the feeding on Qi and commands the divine generals, to lead 120 officials and generals there to set things right.

If the home feels unsettling, dreams are chaotic, and the souls cannot remain at rest, invite the Lord of Gathering the Spirits, the deity who oversees the gathering and containment of the spirits and souls, to lead 120 officials and generals there to take charge and set things right.

These are rituals for inviting divine officials to treat illness, corresponding to the 24 divine officials within the human body. The scripture says that the numbers of officials, generals, scribes, and soldiers are summoned and manifested by the Daoist Three Qi—the three primordial energies that form the Daoist cosmos and life—in response to the ritual; they did not exist from the beginning of Heaven and Earth. These spirits manifest through the sincere devotion of human beings and by taking form through specific things. Thus, when Qi gathers, scribes and soldiers take shape. The names of other divine officials can be found in the Ritual of the 1,200 Officials. The 24 principal titles listed here correspond to the 24 spirits within the human body. In an urgent situation, one may call upon them according to the need, and they will respond. One may also enter the Jing chamber, the quiet room where Daoist ritual practice is performed, burn incense, report the matter to the four directions, and ask for help.

The Method for Sealing the Petition

After reading the petition text, place it on the offering table and weigh it down with a writing knife and a cinnabar brush. Then complete the ritual of reciting the petition’s closing response. Following the prescribed procedure, roll the petition tightly, fumigate it with incense, and wrap it in a full sheet of paper. Write on the outside: “Respectfully presented beneath the Jade Steps of the Golden Palace of Empty Nonbeing and Natural Spontaneity.” Then state the ritual rank received: “Under the Great Mystery Capital’s Orthodox Unity and Balanced Qi, belonging to the Celestial Master’s Yangping jurisdiction, at the Left Gate of Balanced Qi, holding the office of Third Grade Grand Merit Official and concurrently Left Inspector and Libationer, Red Heaven Three-Five Pace-Pattern, Primordial Destiny Perfected One, your servant [name], respectfully seals this petition.” Fill in the officiant’s own name where “[name]” appears. The ritual ranks listed in the scripture identify the officiant’s Daoist titles and lineage when sealing the petition.

Place the sealed petition in a case and bind it with three strands of blue silk. Then fill the seal basin with wax and stamp it with the Seal of the Nine Elders and the Immortal Capital, a Daoist ritual seal.

Finally, wrap the outside once more in blue paper. First mark the top and bottom with cinnabar dots so the seal will not be turned upside down. Then seal both ends, write the character “complete,” and write on it with a cinnabar brush, stamping each part separately.

When sealing memorials, petitions, and formal submissions, write on the cover: “A disciple of the Great Dao, holding the official title of [title] and named [name], respectfully submits this memorial [number] times to request [purpose], and sends it respectfully to the Three Heavens’ gate, requesting that it be forwarded.” Write the four characters “Three Heavens’ gate” horizontally, and place the two characters “please forward” beside them. Then write the ritual rank, following the format above, and add: “[Name] respectfully seals this.” Affix a seal where it says “respectfully seals.”

Ritual Impurity (a state regarded as impure because of death, childbirth, or similar events, requiring temporary abstention from Daoist rituals such as purification rites)

Ritual regulations stipulate that when someone in the household dies, regardless of their status; when a woman gives birth; or when the household holds a major funeral, the corresponding periods of abstention must be observed. Write “Three Heavens’ gate” horizontally, with “please forward” beside it. Then write the ritual rank and add “[Name] respectfully seals this,” finally affixing a seal where it says “respectfully seals.”

When someone in the household dies or a woman gives birth, the usual period of abstention is one hundred days. The woman who has given birth must also abstain for one hundred days because childbirth has weakened her body. After entering her room, one must abstain for three days. If a child or servant dies, the period is one month; if a domestic animal dies, it is one day. This restriction does not apply if the death occurs elsewhere. For mourning the death of a relative within the one-year mourning period, abstain for forty days. For lighter mourning garments, such as those worn for major or hemp mourning, abstain for one month; after that month, the restriction ends. If you visit a bereaved household to mourn, abstain for that day. After a long period of mourning, no abstention is required. Do not eat food offered at a funeral, or food eaten three days after childbirth or at the postnatal full-month celebration.

During these periods of Ritual Impurity, one must not perform purification rites, establish offerings, or submit memorials. If such circumstances arise elsewhere, they can be cleared simply by using talismanic water.

Visualization (Daoist methods of cultivation involving visualization and contemplation)

Ritual regulations stipulate that after completing “cao fu,” one lies prostrate before the altar table and practices visualization.

After the ritual is complete, prostrate yourself before the altar table and visualize a crimson Qi rising from your heart and ascending toward the heavens. In an instant, it seems you have traveled a hundred miles: the crimson path of Qi is broad and level, with nothing along its sides to obstruct the view except many precious trees. Suddenly, you see a yellow road: this is the ecliptic, along which the sun and moon travel. After crossing the ecliptic and going five or six miles, you glimpse a distant trace of purple clouds. When you reach the clouds, you see the Gate of Heaven.

The Gate of Heaven is eighteen feet wide. The guards accompanying you all stop outside; only General Zhou and the Direct Messenger Merit Officer, a divine official who conveys petitions and handles memorials, accompany you onward. A Jade Youth, a celestial attendant, carries the memorial to the gate of the palace and pays homage to Zhang Daoling, the Celestial Master of the Three Heavens of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity). After the formal greeting, the youth reports in detail the matter presented in the memorial. The Celestial Master performs nine bows, then enters through the gate of the Phoenix Pavilion.

Before long, an immortal youth dressed in vermilion and wearing a black cap comes out to receive the memorial. The Jade Youth hands it to him, and he takes it inside. A short while later, the immortal youth comes out again and leads everyone to pay their respects to the Most High. The Most High wears a robe of nine-colored clouds and a crown of the Nine Virtues, and sits in the hall, attended and guarded on either side by two Mysterious Perfected Ones. You then see Taiyi, the divine office so named here, dressed in vermilion and wearing a black cap, presenting the memorial to the Most High. After reading it, Taiyi understands the Most High’s instructions, writes “Beneath the Jade Steps of Taiqing” on the memorial, and marks it “Approved,” indicating that the request is to be carried out. An immortal youth then takes the memorial, brings it to the steps of the hall on the right, and hands it over to the Merit Officer on duty that day, a celestial official serving that day’s watch.

After paying respects to the Most High once more, the petitioner takes leave and also bids farewell to the Celestial Master. The divine officials who came with the memorial return joyfully to the place where it was submitted. The petitioner then rises and declares that the matter in the memorial has reached the upper realms.

To pray for peace and good fortune:

Performing a memorial rite on a Day of Peace, a Zhaijiao purification ritual in which a memorial is presented at an altar, brings the descent of the celestial deities. The living receive blessings. Great good fortune.

Performing a memorial rite on a Jade Hall Day brings joy to the heavens and enduring blessings and celebration. Great good fortune.

Performing a memorial rite on a Golden Hall Day brings responses from the heavens and may prolong life. Great good fortune.

Performing a memorial rite on a Dragon-Tiger Day brings no descent of the celestial deities, and the blessings received are fewer.

On “Sin Arrives” days, holding a memorial offering—a Daoist rite in which petitions are submitted to the gods—causes the gods of the heavens to feel troubled. Even if a grievance is presented, it will not be heard. This is a day of great misfortune.

On “Reverent Heart” days, holding a memorial offering pleases the gods of the heavens. The spirits will perceive and accept the petition, and blessings may be obtained.

On “Universal Protection” days, the heavens send down blessings, bringing abundant good fortune and auspiciousness.

On “Blessing Birth” days, the gods of the heavens all arrive. If they are troubled on this day, even a justified grievance cannot be presented. This is a day of great misfortune.

On “Reverent Heart” days, holding a memorial offering pleases the gods of the heavens. The spirits will perceive and accept the petition, and blessings may be obtained.

On “Universal Protection” days, the heavens send down blessings, bringing abundant good fortune and auspiciousness.

On “Blessing Birth” days, the gods of the heavens all arrive and rejoice. This is a day of great good fortune.

On “Death Received” days, holding a memorial offering causes the heavens to record one’s transgressions, and the officiant will suffer calamity. This is a day of great misfortune.

On “Sage Heart” days, holding a memorial offering prompts the heavens to determine one’s allotment of blessings. It is a day for extending life and increasing good fortune, and is greatly auspicious.

On “Benefit Descendants” days, holding a memorial offering delights the heavens, which save the people universally. This is a day of great good fortune.

On “Continue the Generations” days, holding a memorial offering brings the heavens’ pathways open and smooth; prayers may receive blessings.

The following is the method for calculating days such as “Essential Peace”: for each of the twelve months, consult the corresponding Earthly Branch among the twelve. This determines the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of each day. In the table, “First” through “Twelfth” represent the first through twelfth lunar months; the Earthly Branch listed in each cell indicates the branch corresponding to a date in that month.

The original table is as follows:

The two “Dragon and Tiger” rows in the original differ in their placement from the preceding explanations of auspicious days. The table above reproduces them in the order given in the text; the blank cell indicates that the original row does not list a corresponding Earthly Branch.

Benefiting Descendants: Zi, Wu, Chou, Wei, Yin, Shen, Mao, You, Chen, Xu, Si, Hai.

Continuing the Generations: Chou, Wei, Yin, Shen, Mao, You, Chen, Xu, Si, Hai, Wu, Zi.

Preserving the Original Copies of Memorials

The Taizhen Code (a Daoist liturgical text) says: After a memorial has been presented on someone’s behalf to the deities, the various minor memorials should be rolled up and placed in a case when the ritual is concluded and its implements have been put away. Once taken out, the different kinds of major memorials should be brought out and handled together. Their registration and transcription must follow the prescribed rules. Any memorials that are to be burned should be burned before the ritual concludes.

If memorials must be taken elsewhere, they should be given a written cover and seal and kept carefully. They must not be damaged by insects or rodents, nor sold for profit; such acts violate the Most High’s decree. Memorials contain the titles of the True Officials, the names of ghosts and spirits, and the secret lore of the numinous deities. They must not be treated with disrespect.

Every kind of memorial has an officially revised and transmitted master copy. The master copy must be used; old copies must never be used. Different matters require petitions to different divine palaces. Ordinary households must not keep copies of memorials without authorization. Anyone who violates this rule is subject to the Five Punishments.

The Taizhen Code says: “When submitting memorials, carefully follow the procedures recorded in the documents. I, so-and-so of this jurisdiction, cultivate the Dao in accordance with the rules, proclaim the Dao’s Qi, summon the Perfected Officials, and protect and save the people. Any memorials already submitted that, according to the rules, should not be burned are to be sealed away in a chest and bound into bundles. When many have accumulated, they may not be discarded at will under the law. We also fear that insects or mice may damage them, that damp may cause them to decay, or that they may be lost. For these reasons, we have always observed the rules with care and dared not violate the law’s intent. Now, in accordance with the ritual code, we dispose of these memorials together.

“From the first day of the tenth month of a certain year to the present, there are several bundles of memorials. At a purified altar in a certain place, we burn them, so that their smoke and Qi rise upward, the numinous officials descend, Daoist Qi is bestowed, good fortune is brought down, and calamities and misfortune are removed. We respectfully invite the Direct Envoy Zhengyi Merit Officer, the Central Officer, the Tiger Guards of the Ceremonial Guard, the two men assigned to each of their subordinate units, the twelve Commandants, and five each of the Merit Officers, Registrars, Assistants, Junior Clerks, and Golden Light Youths. We also invite two each of the Central Section Memorial Supervisors, Attendants, and Envoys to come together, oversee the proceedings, and jointly verify them. As we burn away what is old, may fresh numinous light be received. May forgiveness be granted for the errors caused by my, so-and-so’s, ignorance, inadequacy, and lack of ability. We pray that the memorial texts previously written and stamped may be registered forever in the Celestial Bureau, the heavenly office that administers documents, and that memorials submitted from now on may be spared from falling into the Cold Pool, the desolate and frigid place described in Daoist writings. We respectfully ask the assembled officials to bear witness and help accomplish meritorious deeds, and to record the merit in accordance with the Grand Memorials, Daoist memorial documents, so that the responses and trust we have received are not betrayed. We earnestly beseech the Most High to judge clearly, show compassion, and grant deliverance.

“The number of memorials burned and the intervals between burnings vary, because the seasons may bring abundance or scarcity, and ritual services have times for performance and for storage: few are stored, while many are performed. When the total reaches one hundred bundles, they are to be dealt with in a single ceremony. As stated above, this is done once each year, in the tenth month.

Memorial Table

“The table is to be two feet and four inches long, one foot and two inches wide, and eight inches high, with curved legs. Nanmu or catalpa wood is preferred. People today often use high tables with straight legs, but this does not conform to the ritual code. Violating the ritual code will shorten one’s allotted years.

The Heavenly Elder Questions the Three Sovereigns

“The Heavenly Elder asked the Three Sovereigns, ‘Why are talismans made on the day of Wuxu?’ The Three Sovereigns replied, ‘Xu is the Gate of Heaven…’”

The Celestial Elder asked the Three Sovereigns: “Why are talismans made on a Wuxu day?” The Three Sovereigns replied: “Xu is the Gate of Heaven, and Wu symbolizes the official ruler who resides at the center of the Earth. The Celestial Emperor often descends through the Gate of Heaven on Wuxu days to make his rounds. When he sees people making talismans on that day, he is pleased and grants them what they have prayed for. Wu belongs to Earth, so one may attain an official post and noble rank, be enfeoffed as a marquis, and receive a fief. The finished talisman should be worn at noon. Noon symbolizes the sun’s vital essence and the pure, bright light of gold; it represents the purple robes of honor and high rank.

Prohibitions

The liturgical regulations state that when performing a memorial offering ritual to submit a petition to the celestial court, disciples must not kill living creatures. Anyone who violates this rule will forfeit two cycles of allotted lifespan. While the petition is being submitted, no one in the household—men or women, young or old—or any chickens or dogs may make a commotion. Violators will forfeit one cycle of allotted lifespan.

One must not submit a petition during strong winds, heavy rain, or prolonged rainy weather. Violators will suffer a year’s penalty of illness. Anyone afflicted with one of the Six Diseases, a general term for serious illnesses, must not accompany another person to submit a petition. Violators will forfeit three cycles of allotted lifespan.

While submitting a petition, one must not drink alcohol, eat meat, or consume the Five Pungent Foods, such as onions and garlic. Violators will forfeit one cycle of allotted lifespan.

Restrictions

The restrictions state that when submitting a petition and requesting a decree from the celestial court’s official bureaus, one must not mix up the proper order. If one has come into contact with anything unclean, one must not enter the ritual precinct. When encountering “concealment,” one must not enter rivers, mountains, forests, or marshes; the text does not explain precisely what “concealment” means here.

One must not enter the ritual precinct if livestock in the household have given birth within the past seven days, if a child has been born within the past hundred days, or if livestock have given birth within the past month. The ritual tokens used in the memorial offering must not be lent to others.

One must not burn foul-smelling, unclean substances, feathers, hides, or animal horns inside the ritual precinct. Everyone who enters must do so with reverence and solemnity, performing the proper bows and rites; arrogance and wanton behavior are forbidden. One must not point out or discuss other people’s appearance, speak carelessly about improper matters, or joke and frolic. No one may expose their body inside the ritual precinct.

If a woman (the original text may use the title “zhou nü”) holds a ritual office granted by the Celestial Master, and prays on someone’s behalf to avert calamity or cure illness, she must fasten her clothing, put on wooden ritual clogs, bow respectfully, and explain the matter from beginning to end. She must not act arrogantly or recklessly, behave cruelly or violently, or loudly boast of herself. Anyone who violates these rules is punished under the “Three Punishments.”

The statutes prescribe that if a father is ill and his son holds the “Great Governance” office and register transmitted by the Celestial Master, the father must dress properly, bow, and slap his own cheeks. Only then may the son enter the ritual office and submit a memorial. “Governance” refers to an office bestowed by Daoism; a “memorial” is a written petition presented to the celestial realm.

The statutes prescribe that if a father and son make a petition without observing the ritual rules, both are punished under the “Three Punishments.” The same applies to brothers.

The statutes prescribe that if a wife holds a ritual office and her husband suffers a sudden emergency or serious illness, he must dress properly and bow according to ritual procedure. Only then may the wife enter the quiet chamber, the place where Daoist ritual practice and cultivation take place, and submit a memorial.

The statutes prescribe that if the husband makes his petition without following ritual procedure, he is punished under the “Two Punishments.” If the wife recites the statutes unclearly, she is punished under the “Three Punishments.”

If a paternal uncle becomes ill and his nephew holds a ritual register, the nephew’s petition and memorial must follow the procedures for a father and son.

The statutes prescribe that if relatives such as a maternal uncle, father-in-law, mother-in-law, or maternal aunt become ill, petitions and memorials made on their behalf by their descendants must follow the procedures for paternal uncles and nephews.

Those who act viciously and rebel, personally kill someone, or plot regicide or patricide commit grave crimes of treason. Such crimes cannot be atoned for or redeemed with wealth or merit. The offenders will suffer the torments of knife mountains, the “tree of [unclear term],” a punishment listed in the scripture, cauldrons of boiling liquid, and burning and boiling. Even after ten thousand years they will not be pardoned, and will be difficult to save or redeem.

The prohibitions in the Chisongzi Zhangli say that every person is constantly accompanied by a “Spirit Who Records Transgressions,” a deity who watches over faults. It ascends and descends at all times, recording each day’s good and evil deeds. Once transgressions accumulate to certain totals, they are assigned different grades and are said to bring corresponding calamities.

A total of 120 transgressions is called “one notch.” It increases the harm a person suffers and reduces their gains. A total of 180 is called “one depletion,” making it difficult for the household’s livestock to reproduce. Ten transgressions are called “one affliction,” causing illness. A total of 540 is called “one misfortune,” harming a fetus and bringing injury to one’s children. A total of 720 is called “one breath,” causing death.

A total of 729 transgressions is called “one calamity,” causing a person to become mute, blind, or deaf. A total of 1,080 is called “one disaster,” causing a sudden, premature death. A total of 1,200 is called “one impairment,” causing the household to have disobedient children. A total of 1,260 is called “one fault,” ending the family line. A total of 1,400 is called “one foundation,” with calamity continuing for five generations. A total of 1,620 is called “one banishment,” leaving the family without descendants.

A total of 1,800 transgressions is called “one affliction,” causing someone in the household to suffer mental derangement. A total of 2,060 is called “one violence,” causing someone in the household to die by weapons or other violence. A total of 2,330 is called “one emptiness,” causing fathers and sons, or brothers, to attack one another. A total of 2,520 is called “one increase,” causing household members to suffer severe skin diseases. A total of 2,700 is called “one harm,” causing someone in the household to lose their hearing. A total of 2,800 is called “one disaster,” leading to incestuous, immoral, and rebellious conduct among family members.

A total of 3,060 transgressions is called “one anomaly,” causing someone in the household to become blind, suffer a hidden illness, or be disabled. A total of 3,130 is called “one transformation,” bringing imprisonment and death in prison upon household members, and even implicating the entire clan. A total of 3,150 is called “one strange occurrence,” causing someone in the household to become blind, suffer a hidden illness, or be disabled. The text then says that this same “transformation” brings imprisonment, death, and the execution of the entire clan, while “one strange occurrence” reduces family members to beggary, with no one to collect and bury their remains. Once the total reaches 3,600 transgressions, it is called “one completion,” and death is then due.

A person’s lifespan and the blessings or calamities they encounter can sometimes seem to have been decided in advance. Some are fated to face danger or die young in their twenties or thirties, or by their fifties or sixties. Others die early despite having done nothing wrong in this life; the scriptures say that they are bearing the consequences of wrongs from a previous life. Still others commit wicked acts against the moral order yet live to a ripe old age without suffering calamity; the scriptures say that they are receiving blessings left by their ancestors.

Therefore, when people accumulate virtue and do good, their descendants inherit blessings that endure; when they accumulate wrongdoing, their descendants likewise bear the consequences. If a person can repent, their faults will diminish and their blessings will grow. They should reflect on their failings, hold themselves accountable, and, once they have corrected their conduct, avoid repeating the same mistakes. If they persist for ten days, the spirit within the body that keeps account of transgressions will reduce their guilt by one “ke.” After one hundred days, it will be reduced by two ke; after one year, by three ke; and after three years, blessings will naturally become evident. If they do not reflect and repent, their faults will deepen day by day. Minor faults affect only the person themselves, while grave ones can reach their descendants. Good deeds accumulate like dust gradually thickening on a beam; evil deeds accumulate like smoke gathering in a chimney. How can one fail to understand this principle and act with care?

Auspicious Days for Receiving Registers

The dates listed below are called “Righteous Days”:

Jiazi, Bingyin, Dingmao, Xinwei, Renshen, Guiyou, Yihai, Bingchen, Xinchou, Dingwei, Gengxu, Wuwu, Gengchen.

The dates listed below are called “Treasure Days”:

Jiawu, Dingchou, Bingxu, Gengzi, Renyin, Dingwei, Wushen, Jiyou, Xinhai, Guimao, Bingchen, Yisi, Bingxu, Bingchen.

The original text ends with the two characters “Jichou.”