《赤松子章历》Vol. 2

The days of Wuxu, Bingwu, Renzi, Jiayin, Yimao, Jiwei, Gengshen, Xinyou, Guihai, Wuchen, DingSi, Bingchen, and Yiwei are called “special days.” They are designated days in the calendrical system for choosing auspicious dates.

These auspicious special days are suitable for transmitting scriptures and Fulu (talismans and registers), and are also listed in the calendar for receiving the Dao.

The “days of mutual punishment” and “days of self-punishment” include the following pairings: Zi and Mao punish each other; Si and Shen punish each other; Shen and Yin punish each other; Yin and Si punish each other; Wei and Chou punish each other; Chou and Xu punish each other; and Xu and Wei punish each other. Chen, Wu, and You each punish themselves, as does Hai. Here, “punishment” refers to an inauspicious relationship among the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches used in choosing dates.

These four cases of Earthly Branches punishing themselves require particular attention when performing rituals such as submitting memorials to Heaven and conducting Zhaijiao (purification rituals).

End of volume two of the Chisongzi Zhangli.

Chisongzi Zhangli, Volume Three

Petition for Rain During Drought

After filling in the ritual master’s title and rank, submit the following memorial: “Respectfully, according to the documents, I, so-and-so, am ignorant and unenlightened. By chance, I have encountered a great gathering of the Daoist community and have been fortunate enough to witness a flourishing age. Through a fortuitous convergence of circumstances, I have received grace and entered the Dharma Gate of the Great Dao…”

The Most High Dao Lord (Taishang Daojun) widely extends his protection, and the Master Lord (Shijun) is compassionate and merciful. The merit I have established is insignificant. Day and night I remain anxious and fearful, as though walking between ice and a deep ravine; I truly have no way to repay the kindness of Heaven and Earth. On the day I received the teachings, I vowed to practice the teachings of my master’s lineage with devotion, spread Dao and De, assist the state and protect its people, and relieve all living beings, placing the rescue of all things first.

Recently, the workings of Heaven and Earth have fallen out of order. Yin and Yang oppose one another, the seasons have become confused, and a severe drought has struck the region, leaving the crops in poor condition. I fear that calamities of every kind will follow one another: Yang Qi prevails in the heavens, while Yin Qi stagnates below; the two energies cannot mingle, and Heaven’s grace has not descended. Beneath the dry wind and scorching sun, the people suffer as if being roasted. The crops wither and burn, the ponds dry up, and even the fish are scorched by the sun.

This may be because the ruler, having received the Mandate of Heaven, governs the realm, while the officials who assist Heaven and Earth, local administrators, and officials at every level have failed to govern the myriad things properly, and their achievements have fallen short of what is required. We who bear the great responsibility of the Daoist tradition have also failed to spread its teachings by the proper means, or to govern with fairness and measure and bring the seasons into harmony. As a result, the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) have fallen out of balance, bringing calamities from Heaven.

I have consulted Daoist ritual methods and know that the Qi of the Great Dao extends its protection far and wide, nourishing all living beings. I have heard that the Way of Qian governs the beginnings of all things, while the Way of Kun brings their growth to completion. When the Qi of Heaven and Earth mingle and flow freely, all things can grow in harmony. In spring they sprout, in summer they grow, in autumn they are harvested, and in winter they are stored away. When Yin and Yang are in harmony, plants flourish and the grains ripen.

Taiyin governs the rain. At the beginning of spring, men plow and sow, while women plant mulberry trees and weave hemp, hoping for a harvest in autumn and winter to pay their taxes. People receive nourishment from Heaven and Earth, and all things reproduce according to their nature. After the beginning of spring, the five grains are sown. When rain falls in balanced measure, the crops can grow, and harmonious Qi gradually gathers.

Yet for some time, intense heat and drought have continued for many days. The sweet rain has been slow to fall; Yang Qi is strong, clouds do not move across the sky, and no moisture nourishes the earth. I do not presume to be right. In accordance with the ritual methods of the Celestial Masters (Tianshi), I respectfully submit this petition despite the hardship and danger. I do so with a fearful heart, bowing my head to confess my fault. I humbly beseech…

O Three Masters of the Supreme, Limitless Great Dao, revered deities of Daoism, people all hope for life to continue and loathe death. We therefore earnestly beseech you to bring forth the teachings of the Great Dao. May the celestial officials who govern the heavens discern the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), harmonize the pitch pipes and rhythms, arrange the Bagua (Eight Trigrams), and set out the seasons and months, so that Yang Qi does not exceed its proper bounds and Yin Qi does not stray from the limits it must observe.

The Five Phases follow one another in harmony: Water takes the first place and naturally flows downward to nourish; Fire takes the second and naturally rises to burn; Wood takes the third, with its nature of bending and extending; Metal takes the fourth, gathering together and changing into form; and Earth holds its place, nourishing crops. Only when the Five Phases work in harmony can all things grow.

Then may the constellation Quhuo draw in its flames, the constellation Xuanxiao release its moisture, the Ji lodge pour down rain, and the Bi lodge stir the foundations. May springs well up from the stones of the Five Sacred Peaks, and streams surge from the marshes in all four directions. We bow low and make this earnest plea.

May Heaven above bestow its grace and compassion. We respectfully summon one Hanming Lord from the Lingtaigong, together with his one hundred and twenty officers and generals, to oversee and govern the affairs of heavenly thunder and the like. We further summon one Xiaoxuanming Lord from the Yuanminggong, together with his one hundred and twenty officers and generals, to govern the subordinate officials of River Earl Lü Gongzi, the thirty-six Water Emperors, the twelve Stream Maidens, the Water Emperors of the Nine Rivers, and Marquis Heping, as well as the water gods of the central region, and to command them to raise clouds and send down rain. We also summon one Jiuhai Beixuan Lord from the Hetiangong, together with his one hundred and twenty officers and generals, to govern the various water gods and send down water vapors, spreading wind and thunder.

We further summon the Lord of the Nine Valleys of Sizhou from the Taishangong, together with his one hundred and twenty officers and generals, to govern the raising of water vapors. We also summon the Water Emperor, Lord of the Nine Seas of Sizhou, along with the Cloud-Borne Messengers and one hundred and ten other officers and generals, to descend together. We ask them to join with the local earth gods and the Mingda She gods of this province, county, and town—the local land and community deities—as well as the spirits of famous mountains and great marshes, mountain sources and valleys, rivers, mountains, waters, and marshes; the ministers and officials of ancient and present times who, for their service to the people, have received offerings; and the presiding divine officials of every village, township, post station, and neighborhood. May they gather the vital energies together, transmit talismanic commands, and protect temples and dwellings. May all the divine lords descend, unite in purpose, and devote themselves to assisting the Dao of Heaven in exercising its divine power: raising clouds and sending down rain, so that sweet rain may fall everywhere and nourish all things, and rain may moisten the crops in the parched fields, restoring the people to life.

When the task is accomplished, their achievements will be reported and they will be promoted. The Wind Master and Rain Master will also be promoted together to the Three Heavens, in recompense for their labor. May the Celestial Bureau issue its command, swiftly causing the drought demon to be destroyed in accordance with this memorial. We respectfully make this petition.

We humbly seek the efficacious response of the Three Masters of the Most High, so that we may not betray the trust and charge entrusted to us. May the Most High look upon us with clarity and take pity on our humble ignorance. With due reverence, we submit this memorial through the Two Officials’ Direct Envoys and the Zhengyi Meritorious Officers.

Three Most High Masters, please grant a response and do not let my sincere devotion be in vain. I beseech the Most High to look clearly upon this matter and take pity on my ignorance and low station. I respectfully dispatch two Direct Envoys of the Second Office, the Zhengyi Merit Officer, the attendants on the left and right, the Yin-Yang Divine Formula Clerks, the Red Talisman Clerks of the Ritual Carriages, and the clerks who ride the swift horses of the strong winds and relay stations—two divine officials of each office—to carry out their duties.

I, so-and-so, submit this petition to the Heavenly Officials because drought threatens a certain region and I fear the harvest of the hundred grains will fail. I respectfully ask the Heavenly Officials to send rain at the proper time, so that its waters may nourish the four quarters. I reverently present one petition and send it to the Three Heavenly Offices, the administrative bureaus of the Daoist heavens, awaiting their reply. I, so-and-so, am filled with awe and trepidation, bow my head twice, and respectfully submit this petition.

Petition to Stop the Rain After Rain Has Been Granted

State the title and rank of the office held under the established ritual law.

I submit this petition: According to the records, I have been fortunate to encounter a propitious time and receive the Daoist teachings of my lineage, enabling me to assist the state and sustain the people’s lives. Recently, cold and heat have been out of balance, and calamities and anomalies have arisen. Since early spring, a prolonged drought has brought no rain; the people cannot till the land, and the grain seedlings have withered. Concerned for the people, I prayed for the clouds to open and rain to fall, so that its waters might broadly nourish the four quarters. Later, the rain became abundant and continued without ceasing. Rivers rose and overflowed, disrupting the people’s livelihoods, while floodwaters submerged the grain seedlings in the fields. The court and the people alike are troubled by this, and have asked me to submit a petition according to the established ritual, requesting that the Heavenly Offices forward it for action.

I now ask that the Rain-Summoning Spring Officials whom I previously petitioned cease the rain and return to the Heavenly Offices. The Central Office shall register, review, and forward this matter, then determine merit and confer rewards. I again request one Lord of Righteous Qi, one hundred and twenty officials and generals, and one thousand two hundred Jade Maidens of the River Above, each to work together. I respectfully ask the Heavenly Offices to stop the rain and shift the winds, commanding the Wind Earl and Rain Master to act in accordance with the four seasons and eight seasonal divisions, without acting too early, too late, or out of order. Let them disperse the clouds and mist so that the sun, moon, and stars may appear again, thereby bringing the rain to an end. Once the divine officials have completed their duties, let their merits be recorded and rewards bestowed as proof of the efficacy of their work.

I beseech the Most High to look clearly upon this matter and take pity on me. Having received grace from above in response to my prayer for rain, I now ask that the rain cease. I respectfully present one petition and send it to a certain Heavenly Office, awaiting its reply. I am filled with awe and trepidation, bow my head twice, and respectfully submit this petition.

This is a memorial requesting the elimination of locusts and mice, and protection for the crops.

Having received a religious rank, I submit: According to the records, on a certain day I was fortunate to receive the transforming instruction and protection of the Dao. Because I have incurred many calamities, the harvest from my fields has been poor for the past several years. This year, after planting crops in a certain place, I have again suffered a locust plague.

The locusts devour the crops, and I have no means to stop them. I therefore ask the divine powers to dispel calamity and avert harm. I prostrate myself in reverence and submit this memorial, praying that the Lord of the Heavenly Fields, among the officials of the Northern Gate, and his 120 officers and generals drive locusts, pests, and mice from my household, and destroy all insects and rodents that damage the crops. I also pray that the Lord of the Heavenly Wilds, in the Palace at the End of the Earth, and his 120 officers and generals protect and assist the farming, so that muntjacs, deer, crows, insects, and mice cannot harm the crops. I further pray that the Lord of the Three Qi and Yang Origin, and his 120 officers and generals, gather up in the Office of Yellow Clouds the spirits of flying birds, wild beasts, and other creatures that damage grain, so that they cease causing harm.

May Meng Chang, the gods of the land and forests under the authority of the Great Dao of the Empty Emperor, the Twelve Creek Maidens, and the Lords of the Land and Grain protect my household’s fields and bring a harvest twice as abundant, free from further calamity. When my wish is fulfilled, I will repay the gods in tangible offerings and fulfill my vow. I respectfully ask the Most High to judge each matter.

On a certain day, I respectfully submit this memorial, asking the celestial officials to protect this year’s spring planting and drive away locusts and mice. Relying on the Qi of the Dao, I pray for protection of the fields. I respectfully submit one precious memorial to the Three Celestial Bureaus, awaiting their reply. We, your ministers, are filled with awe and trepidation; we bow our heads twice in reverence and respectfully report this matter.

Memorial for the Relief of a Mouse Plague

Having received a religious rank…

The petitioner respectfully submits this report in accordance with the prescribed form. I and my disciples are ordinary people, and for generations our families have made their living by farming. By good fortune, we have received the grace of the Great Dao and been granted high-ranking registers, as well as appointments to ritual offices, with celestial officials and troops to guard us. Yet our sins have piled up like mountains and seas, while our merits are scarcely worth mentioning. In the face of Heaven and Earth’s benevolence, we dare not feel at ease.

A certain tract of farmland has suffered a rat infestation. The crops have been damaged, and the problem is difficult to stop. Deeply concerned, I prostrate myself and submit this memorial, humbly beseeching the supreme Great Dao, the Lords and Elders, the Three Masters, the Ladies, and all the superior officials and record keepers to look upon us with compassion.

I specifically request that the Three-Five Yang-Origin Lord lead 120 officials and generals to handle this matter in the Yellow Cloud Palace. I also request that the White Tiger General of the Southern Mountain and his officials and troops descend together to capture the field mice within the district and drive them back to the wilderness, where grain grows, forbidding them to remain in the fields. May the local Mengzhang officials of the earth and mountain forests, the Twelve Stream Maidens, and the Lords of the Altars of Soil and Grain join in stopping the infestation, so that it may quickly subside, the five grains may flourish, and the people may live in peace. In this way, we may repay the Great Dao for nurturing all things and prove worthy of the kindness and trust we have received. We humbly ask the Most High to decide the matter and grant mercy.

Memorial for Removing a Tiger Calamity

After setting out my ritual rank, I submit: I, a mortal born from a womb, come from a family of low-ranking officials and have been their descendant for generations. By good fortune, I was born at the right time and had the opportunity to encounter…

The grace and virtue of Heaven and Earth in bringing things into being are profound. From an early age, I received instruction from my religious lineage and was granted the talismans and registers of a Celestial Master (Tianshi), used for personal protection. This favor is so great that it exceeds what my blessings could merit. Now calamity has struck: tigers and wolves have entered the region, devouring people and harming livestock. The disaster grows worse by the day and cannot be stopped.

I fear that the men and women of a certain household have reached a year of decline and misfortune in their allotted fate and lifespan, and are ensnared in calamity. They have incurred various taboos: the General of Tai Sui, the fortune of the current year, the destiny associated with one’s birth year, the Twelve Taboos, as well as the malevolent qi that brings illness and haunting, the ghosts of food and drink, spirits of the mountains and seas, the one hundred and twenty kinds of demons and apparitions, and the generals of inversion and the generals of the road, who have been present since time immemorial. May each of these spirits and ghosts declare its official title. May the spirits of the Five Directions and the guardian spirits along the roads refrain from causing harm.

I respectfully summon one Lord of the Northern Mystery, together with his one hundred and twenty officials and generals, who govern the officials of the Black Administration; and one Lord of Northern Peace, Protector of the Capital, together with his one hundred and twenty officials and generals, who govern the officials of the Red Administration. May they descend together and impose restraint throughout the neighborhood where this household resides. May the true officials record its qi and destiny, inspect and summon for examination the spirits of the mountains, rivers, state altars, and local soil, and unite all the spirits in driving away the harm of tigers and wolves.

I further respectfully summon one Lord of the Hundred Spirits Who Lie Hidden in the Palace, together with his one hundred and twenty officials and generals. May they descend together and take charge of subduing the various aged spirits and spirits formed from the many kinds of qi, especially those that haunt and harm people. I also respectfully summon one Lord Who Controls the Earth, together with his one hundred and twenty officials and generals, as well as the Heavenly Inspector and Commander, the River Earl and Water Emperor, and the Twelve Record Keepers. May they take charge of capturing the tigers and wolves in the Five Directions that harm all living things, along with the one hundred and twenty kinds of ghosts that cause death and injury and leave behind the bloody qi of disaster. May they put an end to the qi of death and injury within and beyond the region.

May the lords of the Nine Yi, Eight Man, Six Rong, Five Di, and Three Qin, each according to their direction and the seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, join the three generals, twenty-four officers and soldiers, and three hundred thousand troops who protect this household’s dwelling. May they do their utmost to guard it and sweep away calamities and hauntings. May the men, women, young, old, and children of this household within the region, along with its cattle, horses, and other livestock, encounter neither tigers and wolves nor any other disaster, whether going out or returning. May no harm cross this boundary, and may all receive protection. May the generals, officers and soldiers, and all the officials serving here fulfill their duties with utmost care and report their merits, so that they do not betray the trust placed in them. I humbly ask for your gracious protection.

Chapter on Undoing Curses

The officiant, holding the proper ritual rank, presents this memorial:

I have carefully examined the written account. A certain person has made a personal statement today: “I was fortunate to be born into the world and to have the chance to follow the Great Dao. Yet, through ignorance and limited understanding, my faith and conduct have often gone astray, bringing upon me testing Qi—the baleful, harmful energy that assails people.

“Recently, my home has been unsettled, my dreams troubled, strange events have arisen without cause, and ominous signs have appeared again and again. My limbs feel heavy, my complexion is wan and haggard, and my spirit is dazed, as though it cannot rest within my body. Divination has revealed that wicked people have been performing curses and prayers for harm against one another, stirring the powers of Heaven and Earth and directing ghosts and spirits to inflict all kinds of curses. Some have written or carved my name; others have drawn my likeness, stabbed a heart with a knife, or cut hair and severed fingers, then taken these objects to make offerings at shrines. I fear that I will be seized by the ghosts of the Hundred Covenants, yet I do not know how to dispel this calamity and preserve my life.”

Now, with nothing but a heart of utter sincerity, I solemnly perform the rite and rely upon the Great Dao. I report this matter to the Heavenly Court and request that a memorial be granted to dissolve the curses. I respectfully prostrate myself and present this memorial to the Celestial Bureau, praying with reverence…

We beseech the Most High Lord Lao, the Most High Elder, the Three Masters, the Lady, and the officers of the lineage to look into this matter, discern its cause, and render judgment. If someone was afflicted by curses, aversion rites, or other such practices during the spring months of Yin, Mao, or Chen, may the Lords of the East, the Nine Yi, Jia and Yi, release them from the harm. If the affliction came during the summer months of Si, Wu, or Wei, may the Lords of the South, the Eight Man, Bing and Ding, release them. If it came during the autumn months of Shen, You, or Xu, may the Lords of the West, the Six Rong, Geng and Xin, release them. If it came during the winter months of Hai, Zi, or Chou, may the Lords of the North, the Five Di, Ren and Gui, release them. If it came during the final month of any season, may the Lords of the Center, the Three Qin, Wu and Ji, dispel the calamity. If the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions—the twenty-eight groups of stars in the sky—have carried out curses or aversion rites, may the Lords of the stars in the corresponding direction release the person from them.

If someone has been cursed or subjected to aversion rites by evildoers who fashioned an effigy in their likeness and stabbed it with a knife, or if such rites were carried out at roadside shrines, altars, prisons, star mansions, or places associated with tree spirits or the gods of wells and hearths; by the River Earl and water officials, the deities of rivers and waters; or at places where folk sorcerers worship ghosts and spirits, may the Lords of the stars in the corresponding direction release them.

The Most High Pure Venerable One dwells far above; the Three Heavens, the three celestial realms of Daoist teaching, are remote and hard to reach. Righteous Qi spreads slowly, while baleful Qi runs rampant, wrongfully harming innocent people. The victims are many. Someone has innocently suffered this sudden calamity and may at any moment be seized and brought before the ghost officials of the underworld. Therefore, we earnestly beseech…

Great Tai Dao (the Way), Great Supreme Lord Lao, Great Supreme Elder, Celestial Master, Female Master, the Three Masters and their wives, the officials serving under them, and the True Lords of the Five Qi: please attend carefully and observe. If anyone has violated the prohibitions of the Five Covenants and Seven Curses, we respectfully invite one million soldiers of the Great Origin and one hundred thousand soldiers of the Overturning Lord to come together and release that person’s Three Hun Souls and Seven Po Souls, so they will not be detained. May the souls be welcomed back, and the person’s spirit and Qi restored to harmony. May the many kinds of evil Qi and the countless varieties of ghosts within the body be driven away and never return to cause disturbance. We also earnestly ask that all curses from evil spirits be dispelled. May the heavenly officials who have been invited promote and appoint the petitioner in accordance with the merits set forth here, and may the residence serve as proof that the request has been answered. We humbly ask for your grace.

The Supreme One makes a distinction. The following section omits several passages.

Petition for Dispersing Strange Manifestations

Enter the ritual rank and status.

The petition states: “According to the documents, a certain person has personally submitted an account today. This person was born of a human mother and belongs to the lower official…” The Supreme One makes a distinction. The following section omits several passages.

Petition for Dispersing Strange Manifestations

Enter the ritual rank and status.

The petition states: “According to the documents, a certain person has personally submitted an account today: I have always been a descendant born among ordinary people. By rare good fortune, I was able to follow the Great Dao, and have continually received its blessings. I am deeply grateful. Recently, however, a certain person’s residence has been unsettled by evil spirits. Misfortune follows wherever they go, and calamities have occurred again and again. On a certain day, at a certain place, I suddenly saw a strange portent of a certain color. I have already set it down in a document, but remain deeply troubled. I humbly ask you to bestow a petition for dispelling the myriad strange manifestations, and respectfully submit it to the Three Heavenly Bureaus—the three offices of the Daoist heavens.

“I hereby investigate the strange portents concerning the household of the disciple, a certain person. In accordance with reason, they should be reported. Following ritual procedure, I have prepared 120 feet of rush rope, a knife, and the tokens for guarding the Five Directions, along with coins, rice, life silk, and other items. With these, I will respectfully present a Great Petition for Dispersing Strange Manifestations in the Five Directions, praying that…”

To the Most High and Supreme Great Dao, the Three Masters, and all the assembled holy and perfected ones: I humbly beg you to extend your grace and attend to this petition. I report in private: In the east there is a green monster that calls itself Jupiter. It recklessly brings forth evil and uncanny phenomena. It is transformed from the spirit of an old tree, appears as a green thing, and has harmed many people. I humbly beg the Azure Emperor of the East to dispel this monstrous calamity.

In the south there is a red monster that calls itself Mars. It appears as a red thing and intends to come and harm people. I humbly beg the Red Emperor of the South to dispel this monstrous calamity.

In the west there is a white monster that calls itself Venus. It appears as a white thing and devotes itself to evil and rebellion, wantonly creating uncanny phenomena. I humbly beg the White Emperor of the West to dispel this monstrous calamity.

In the north there is a black monster that calls itself Mercury. It is the spirit of a tortoise that appeared from a spring, takes the form of a black thing, and also changes its name. I humbly beg the Black Emperor of the North to destroy its form.

At the center there is a yellow monster that calls itself Saturn. It appears as a yellow thing, impersonates members of the household, brings ill omens, and causes disturbances among them. I humbly beg the Yellow Emperor of the Center to put an end to this monstrous calamity.

In accordance with the Celestial Master’s prescribed ritual procedure for the twelve hundred officials, I respectfully submit this petition to the Lord of Heavenly Prosperity, asking him to dispatch one hundred thousand soldiers in yellow robes. I ask the Lord Who Directs and Commands to dispatch one million soldiers. I further ask the five Supreme Primordial Lords, each leading one hundred and twenty officers and generals, to descend to the lower world and capture, for a certain household, the one hundred and twenty kinds of calamities and monsters. May they sweep them away at a stroke and destroy them all. I also humbly ask forgiveness for the past and present offenses of these old spirits and monsters.

As for the celestial officials I have petitioned, may they report their merits at the Three Assemblies, so that what has been requested may be confirmed and the trust placed in them not be betrayed. I humbly ask the Most High to decide this matter.

On a certain day of a certain month, a certain person witnessed uncanny phenomena. I now request a petition to the celestial officials, seeking the five directions’ decree for destroying monsters, to be presented to a certain Bureau, the celestial office responsible for this matter.

“Petition for Averting Calamities, Repelling Misfortune, Prolonging Life, Rescuing Fate, and Turning Aside Killing”

After listing the ritual ranks and offices, submit the following petition:

After respectfully verifying the document, I, the disciple named below, personally state my circumstances on this day. From birth, I have been a descendant of those under the Great Dao, fortunate beyond a thousand years to serve the Great Dao and long blessed by its grace. But this year, according to the reckoning of my annual fate, many calamities threaten me. I have no blessings on which to rely, so with all sincerity I can only pray that a petition be presented to the Heavenly Court, seeking aid so that I may escape danger and continue to live in peace.

I earnestly ask the True Officials of the Three Luminaries, divine officials who oversee affairs in the heavens, to specially dispel this year’s baleful forces: the Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare, the Wandering Red Rat of the City, the Three Mounds and Five Tombs, and the Punishments, Killings, and Wailing Chen. All may bring misfortune. May the gods instead protect my body and life, lengthen my years, dispel calamities, and carry me through adversity.

I respectfully present one Petition for Protection, a Daoist memorial requesting protection from harm and the dispelling of calamity, to the Palace Officials of the Celestial Bureau, who oversee heavenly documents and affairs. I ask them to bestow the Qi of the Dao and let it flow forth to nourish the body and mind of this disciple. I also respectfully invite five each of the Lords of Great Harmony and True Unity, of Generative Life; the Lords of Qi in Motion; the Lords who Release Punishment and Carry One through Adversity; the Lords who Prolong Life and Increase the Count of Years; and the Lords who Petition for Life and Preserve the Living; along with the Elder of Great Sovereignty and Ten Thousand Blessings, the Lord of Heavenly Prosperity in the Palace, and one hundred thousand Yellow-Robed Soldiers. I further respectfully invite five each of the Lords who Collect Punishments and Repel Killings, the Lords who Cut Off Punishments and End Killings, and the Lords who Enforce Punishments and Collect Killings, together with one hundred and twenty official generals, to protect this disciple from every strange calamity. From the first degree of calamity through the ninth, may I escape unharmed, be spared death and granted life, have disasters dispelled and misfortune scattered, and see ill fortune turned to good.

Next, in regard to the harms caused by calamity killings, disaster killings, heavenly killings, earthly killings, yearly killings, monthly killings, daily killings, hourly killings, Yin killings, Yang killings, the three Wailing Chen killings, the Five Punishments, and the six domestic animals, I respectfully invite five each of the Lords of Ten Thousand Blessings, the Lords of Qi in Motion, the Lords who Release Adversity, the Lords of Fate of the Southern Office, the Lords of the Great White Star, the Lords who Restrain Souls and Subdue Spirits, the Lords of the Treasury of Wealth, the Lords of the Treasury of Emoluments, and the Lords of the Jade Register of Fixed Fate; I also invite one hundred and twenty official generals to remove this disciple’s name from the register of the dead and enter it in the register of the living.

Now, in accordance with the Mysterious Ritual Code, I offer ritual gifts: one bolt of white silk, one thousand two hundred coins, one dou and two sheng of oil, one shi and two dou of rice, as well as paper, brushes, incense, fruit, and other offerings, presented to the numinous officials of the Ten Directions. May they drive out demons on this disciple’s behalf and protect and nourish my body and life. I also earnestly ask the Heavenly Officials, the Holy Mother, and the other gods to show special grace and aid.

I further respectfully invite the Lords of the Nine Yi of the East and their eighty-one official lords, along with the Lords of Yin, Mao, Chen, Jia, and Yi, to release this disciple from the eastern afflictions: the Green Calamity, Green Adversity, Green Pestilence, Green Poison, Green Convulsions, and Green Killing. I respectfully invite the Lords of the Eight Man of the South and their sixty-four official lords, along with the Lords of Si, Wu, Wei, Bing, and Ding, to release this disciple from the southern afflictions: the Red Calamity, Red Adversity, Red Pestilence, Red Poison, Red Convulsions, and Red Killing. I respectfully invite the Lords of the Six Rong of the West and their thirty-six official lords, along with the Lords of Shen, You, Xu, Geng, and Xin, to release this disciple from the western afflictions: the White Calamity, White Adversity, White Pestilence, White Poison, White Convulsions, and White Killing. I respectfully invite the Lords of the Five Di of the North and their twenty-five official lords, along with the Lords of Hai, Zi, Chou, Ren, and Gui, to release this disciple from the northern afflictions: the Black Calamity, Black Adversity, Black Pestilence, Black Poison, Black Pestilential Harm, and Black Killing. I respectfully invite the Lords of Wu and Ji of the Three Qin in the Center and their one thousand two hundred official lords to release this disciple from the central afflictions: the Yellow Calamity, Yellow Adversity, Yellow Pestilence, Yellow Poison, Yellow Convulsions, and Yellow Killing. May they also drive away the ghosts of yellow illness in the Five Directions, as well as spreading miasmas and disasters of water and fire, so that all these afflictions are brought to an end.

I also ask the gods of the altar, the village, and the town, who respectively guard the local community, its lanes, and its city, to work together and strengthen their protection of this disciple’s home. May blessings and emoluments in the household steadily increase, and may public and private affairs alike proceed safely and smoothly, so that this offering and prayer are not in vain. The kindness shown is truly beyond repayment.

The Most High—the Daoist honorific for the supreme deity—sets out the following: With due care, I submit on behalf of a certain person one copy of the Memorial to Avert Calamities, Restore Life, Aid the Failing, and Deliver from Adversity, to the Celestial Bureau responsible for these affairs …

Memorial of Gratitude and Repentance for One’s Natal Year

Presented by the ritual officiant:

I submit this memorial: Since birth, this person has been a descendant of a humble official and, through the cycles of a thousand years, has had the good fortune to practice Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) and enter the Daoist community. By good fortune, this person encountered teachers who offered guidance, received honor and favor, and was granted Fulu (talismans and registers) to govern the self and act with care. This person also advanced in the teachings of the Middle Vehicle, received recognition, was appointed to a ritual office, and was entrusted with precious Daoist scriptures. Such profound kindness is truly beyond repayment.

Yet I, so-and-so, am dull-witted and slow, and my spirit and Qi are out of balance. My Three Hun cannot remain settled, and my Seven Po cannot find peace. In utmost fear, I bow my head twice before the Jade Emperor, sovereign of the heavenly realm revered in Daoism.

From the time of our seven generations of ancestors, the secret sins and public offenses we have committed, together with accumulated evil deeds and acts of killing, have all been recorded and reported to the Three Officials, deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water. I beseech them that from this day onward, the many faults of I, so-and-so, may be erased, my charges removed, and baleful Qi dispersed, so that I may long enjoy the nine blessings in peace and without worry. May the souls of my seven generations of ancestors and my parents, down to my great-grandchildren, ascend and be reborn as human beings, regaining the purity of infancy. May I, so-and-so, also cultivate for a long time, extend my years, and attain longevity, ultimately ascending to the realm of Supreme Nothingness and paying homage to the Jade Clarity, the celestial realm where Daoist deities dwell.

In utmost fear, I bow my head twice before the Lord of the Three Primordial Energies of Great Simplicity, a Daoist deity.

From the time of our seven generations of ancestors down to myself, the secret sins, offenses, and acts of killing we have committed, I beseech the Lord Emperor to record and examine one by one. From this day onward, I pray that our charges be lifted, that the dead be removed from the registers of the dead and entered into the registers of the living, and that every fault be erased. May my seven generations of ancestors and my parents be reborn in the Jade Court, the dwelling of immortals, ascend between the sun and moon, and roam freely above the Seven Stars.

I, so-and-so, bow my head twice before the Three Lords of the Three Essences of Highest Clarity, Daoist deities. Since we first gained awareness, the thousand kinds of sins and myriad offenses we have committed, along with the secret sins of our ancestors reaching back seven generations, have all been separately entered under the names of the Three Officials. I beseech them that from this day onward, all sins be erased, wickedness and falsity cease to arise, and every secret sin be dispelled. May our seven generations of ancestors recover their spiritual nature, ascend to the Lord Emperor’s hall, and return to the Jade Court. In utmost fear, I bow my head twice.

The Four Elders, Lords of the Dao: From the seventh generation onward, my ancestors and parents committed hidden transgressions and accumulated offenses. I ask that all these hidden sins be made to vanish and that the charges recorded in the registers be erased. May my seven generations of ancestors recover their spiritual nature, ascend to the Imperial Hall, and return to the Jade Court. I stand in awe and trepidation, bow my head, and prostrate myself twice.

The Four Elders, Lords of the Dao: From the seventh generation onward, my ancestors and parents committed hidden transgressions and accumulated offenses. If these have been entered in the registers of the Three Yin, I earnestly ask that, from this day forward, my countless sins all vanish and my myriad calamities and trials all be removed. May my hun and po souls become clear and pure, may my seven generations of ancestors be reborn, and may the gods and spirits protect them. May the Five Elders determine a talismanic mandate for me, so that my lifespan may equal that of Heaven and Earth and my name and appearance be inscribed in the Jade Book. I stand in awe and trepidation, bow my head, and prostrate myself twice.

Lords of the Three Offices: From this day forward, may the bonds of karmic wrongdoing dissolve and the qi of calamity and trial be dispelled. May no further evils arise, and may baleful qi be utterly concealed and vanish. May my seven generations of ancestors ascend to immortality, may the three hun souls be harmonized and the seven po souls settled, and may the gods and spirits aid and protect them, so that I may become a Shangzhen, a perfected person who has attained the Dao. We stand in awe and trepidation, bow our heads, and prostrate ourselves twice.

There are seven more passages, whose wording is much the same, so I will not copy them here. The original text is just as given. I, a later student, have been fortunate to encounter an opportunity that comes once in a thousand years. Though I stand at the lowest rank in the Daoist tradition, I am humbled to hold a Daoist office. Yet I am ignorant and dull, raised amid the secular world; my faults have piled up like mountains and seas, and I have no way to perceive them. Clinging to life and indulging in desires, I bustle about day and night, unable to calm my mind and spirit. I earnestly ask…

I earnestly ask the Most High to bestow the grace of instruction. I have been fortunate to encounter an opportunity that comes once in a thousand years. Though I stand at the lowest rank in the Daoist tradition, I am humbled to hold a Daoist office. Yet I am ignorant and dull, raised amid the secular world; my faults have piled up like mountains and seas, and I have no way to perceive them. Clinging to life and indulging in desires, I bustle about day and night, unable to calm my mind and spirit. I earnestly ask…

I earnestly ask the Most High to bestow the grace of instruction and extend its blessings in all directions, guiding someone as ignorant as me and granting a method for erasing my sins. Without regard for my low status and shallow cultivation, I have presumed to submit this memorial—a petition presented by Daoists to the gods—to set forth my repentance. My heart is filled with fearful unease, as if my liver and gall were splitting apart. I especially beseech the Lord of the Dao to grant the mercy of three pardons and take pity on my wholehearted sincerity. I also pray that the Dao’s qi renew itself each day, that my petitions be answered and my undertakings proceed smoothly, that all I do go according to my wishes, and that my household flourish, with every member of my family receiving its blessings, as proof that divine grace has been fulfilled. I respectfully beseech this favor…

May the Most High Lord of the Great Dao, a revered deity of Daoism, render judgment. The remaining contents are to be completed according to the ritual format, respectfully with the aid of the various officials…

I, Cao, respectfully bow and submit this memorial.

Before the Great Dao of the Three Heavens, the supreme Dao revered by Daoism, I raise my head in thanks and pray that my life may be preserved. I also speak of the hidden sins and manifest faults of my ancestors through seven generations, the three teachers of my present life, and my parents, whether living or dead, and pray that they be granted long life. I orally recite one memorial, respectfully submit it to the Supreme Three Heavens’ Celestial Bureau, and bow in formal petition.

Memorial for Transcending the Nine Calamities and the Heavenly Net

State the title and identity of the ritual official.

Memorial: … Once paid respects at a certain palace; life ended at a certain palace; the day of one’s birth corresponds to a certain taboo day. I bow in formal petition.

Memorial for Transcending the Nine Calamities and the Heavenly Net

State the title and identity of the ritual official.

Memorial: … Once paid respects at a certain palace; life ended at a certain palace; the day of one’s birth corresponds to a certain taboo day. In a certain year and month, I fear becoming entangled in the Heavenly Net and surrounded by the Earthly Snare. I am troubled and do not know how to respond. Now, with single-minded devotion, I rely on the liturgy of the Celestial Master of the Great Dao and respectfully present, on behalf of the Li household, the Memorial for Transcending the Nine Calamities and the Heavenly Net.

We respectfully prepare one hundred and twenty feet of blue silk thread, one hundred and twenty divination rods, one shi and two dou of rice for prolonging life, one bolt of plain silk for prolonging life, one thousand two hundred coins, and incense, oil, paper, brushes, and other offerings. We respectfully present one memorial seeking aid and the dispelling of calamities.

We respectfully invite the Lords of the Nine Yi, who govern the eastern direction and the three spring months, corresponding to Yin, Mao, and Chen and to Jia and Yi, together with their eighty-one officials. We respectfully invite the Lords of the Eight Man, who govern the southern direction and the three summer months, corresponding to Si, Wu, and Wei and to Bing and Ding, together with their sixty-four officials. We respectfully invite the Lords of the Six Rong, who govern the western direction and the three autumn months, corresponding to Shen, You, and Xu and to Geng and Xin, together with their thirty-six officials. We respectfully invite the Lords of the Five Di, who govern the northern direction and the three winter months, corresponding to Hai, Zi, and Chou and to Ren and Gui, together with their twenty-five officials. May all these divine lords descend together to the ritual altar and unite their efforts to dispel calamities for the household.

We also invite the Great General Who Prolongs Life to lead twelve hundred soldiers in descending together, so that the men and women of the disciple’s household may enjoy longer lives and be helped through decline and adversity. May they retain good fortune and success forever and remain safe and unharmed throughout the year; let this serve as proof of the rite’s efficacy.

We also respectfully invite the two hundred Enwei to descend together, so that the men and women of the disciple’s household may enjoy longer lives and be helped through adversity. May they retain good fortune forever and remain unharmed throughout the year; let this serve as proof of the rite’s efficacy. We respectfully pray that …

The Most High—Daoism’s honorific title for the supreme deity—deals with each kind of calamity separately. For a certain person, he writes a memorial titled “To Resolve Calamities and Dangers and to Fly Across the Nine Calamities and the Heavenly Net,” in one copy, and submits it to a certain bureau to summon Shi…

“Memorial for Averting the Three Calamities”

The ritual offices held by the person presenting this memorial:

The memorial states: A certain person has been ill and suffering since a certain day of a certain month… After examining the registers, the ritual master found… that this person’s year and life destiny are inauspicious. The Nine Palaces’ Flying Talismans and the calculations of the Original Destiny show clashes and overcoming forces, signs that the person’s allotted fortune is nearing its end. At the same time, the person faces disputes in public and private affairs, quarrels and accusations, dangers involving water and fire, tigers and wolves, insects and snakes, and many other calamities. These may include this year’s robbing-killers and next year’s disaster-killers; the killing forces associated with the year, month, day, and hour; and the baleful influences corresponding to the person’s birth time. There are also the Eastern Green Killer, Southern Red Killer, Western White Killer, Northern Black Killer, and Central Yellow Killer. The person may further be caught in the meshes of the Heavenly Net and Earthly Trap. If these dangers befall them, they may be injured and unable to escape. The whole household, young and old, is terrified and does not know what to do… There is fear that within a single year the person may encounter one or two calamities, continuing up to nine, as well as disasters involving tigers and wolves, weapons and warfare, bandits and officials, the Three Punishments and Three Killers, and other dangers.

Therefore, the memorial petitions the Lords Who Cross Calamities, Who Guard Destiny, Who Govern Lifespan, Who Increase Life, Who Continue Life, Who Escape Calamity and Prolong Life, and Who Bestow Great Blessings and Virtue, together with their subordinate officials and generals, one hundred and twenty in all. It also petitions the August Celestial Emperor, the Sun and Moon Canopy, the Lord of the Northern Dipper, the Lord of Calculations in the Three Heavens’ Register Bureau, the Marshal of the Office for Crossing Calamities, and the duty-bound messengers and merit officers.

The Orthodox Unity Merit Officer is then charged with treating all illnesses within the person’s abdomen, while the Celestial Soldiers and Mighty Warriors are charged with treating all illnesses in the person’s head and brain. The listed merit officers, divine officials, and military officers are each assigned to illnesses in different parts of the body, including the heart, spleen, stomach, liver, both armpits, intestines, lower abdomen, back, and fingers and toes. Each is commanded to remove and cure the affliction under their charge.

General Wang Wenqing of the Jiazi year leads thirty-six thousand soldiers to guard the person’s left and right until the hour of the Rooster. General Zhan Zijiang of the Jiaxu year leads thirty-six thousand soldiers and keeps watch until the hour of the Goat. General Hu Wenchang of the Jiashen year leads twenty-six thousand soldiers and keeps watch until the hour of the Snake. General Wei Shangqing of the Jiawu year, General Meng Feiqing of the Jiachen year, and General Ming Wenzhang of the Jiayin year each lead thirty-six thousand soldiers, keeping watch respectively until the hours of the Rabbit, Ox, and Pig. The Six Jia Generals and all their subordinate troops and officers each command thirty-six thousand soldiers. They take turns according to the hours and accompany the person. Whether the person travels or stays, in the east, west, south, or north, the true spirits guard them, dispel their calamities, and scatter the pestilential Qi until it is utterly destroyed. May this person’s life be prolonged, may everyone in the household be healthy, and may relatives be safe and well; may all receive…

The Great Dao (the Way) widely bestows its grace and virtue. The Celestial Officials who have been summoned, we trouble you officials to descend in your honored presence. On the Three Assemblies days—auspicious dates of importance for Daoist rites such as purification rituals and memorial submissions—may you jointly report the merits, so that the person presenting this memorial may receive office, increased emoluments, promotion, and reward, and so that their sincere devotion and offerings are not in vain. We earnestly petition the Most High…

We earnestly petition the Most High… A memorial is submitted on behalf of a certain person, who, because of illness and misfortune, petitions for the preservation of life, seeks a physician and a cure, and asks that calamities of violence and bloodshed be dispelled. It is to be presented on an auspicious date. May you jointly report the merits, so that the person presenting this memorial may receive office, increased emoluments, promotion, and reward, and so that their sincere devotion and offerings are not in vain. We earnestly petition the Most High…

A memorial submitted on behalf of a certain person, who, because of illness and misfortune, petitions for the preservation of life, seeks a physician and a cure, and asks that calamities of violence and bloodshed be dispelled, is to be delivered to a certain Bureau, the celestial office responsible for the relevant affairs…

“Memorial for Plucking Out the Remaining Illness” (title of the memorial)

[Enter the ritual master’s rank or identity].

The memorial states: So-and-so has always been born of the womb and is a descendant of the lower realm. By rare good fortune, once in a thousand years, he has received grace, and so on. Recently, many hardships have befallen him, and this year’s cycle of fate happens to be unfavorable, and so on. Now he respectfully presents precious ritual offerings: forty chi of white silk, to prolong his allotted years and dispel calamities; one shi and two dou of life rice, to double his provisions, increase his years of life, and fill the measures in his storehouses; and 1,200 coins, to attest to his sincerity and settle the 360 kinds of divine Qi, so that they may grow day by day and remain secure in their respective palaces.

He also prepares a brush, ink, paper, and counting rods, to record the name under which he was born. He asks five tin figures—human-shaped offerings made of tin—to go to the five directions on his behalf, take his place in bodily form, and change his name. He provides fragrant oil and candles to keep the light burning without interruption. He offers coins and rice as tokens of faith, expressing his sincerity and praying to redeem his life.

He respectfully petitions the Supreme One’s palace for twelve Lords Who Withdraw Life, twelve Lords Who Continue Life, five Lady Kings of the Cauldron Granaries, five Lords of Fate, and the gods in the Five Latitudes Palace who are responsible for sustaining the light. He again offers coins and rice as tokens of faith, expressing his sincerity and praying to redeem his life. He further petitions for twelve Lords Who Withdraw Life, twelve Lords Who Continue Life, five Lady Kings of the Cauldron Granaries, and five Lords of Fate in the Supreme One’s palace; 1,200 Jade Maidens in the Five Latitudes Palace; and one each of the Lords of the Bright Hall, Nanchang, Vermilion Yang, Yellow Elder, Heavenly Hun, and Earthly Po. He also petitions for 1,200 Jade Maidens Who Raise the Living, 1,200 Plain Jade Maidens of the Jade Register, and 120 officials each from the offices of Heaven, Earth, and Water. He asks all the officials responsible for inspection and the summoning of souls to work together to free the disciple So-and-so from calamity, prolong his years, and ensure that his dwelling remains peaceful and secure, without further misfortune.

The requested officials of Heaven should record his merits in accordance with the Three Assemblies—the designated Daoist dates for purification rituals, memorials, and other rites—and promote him on an auspicious day, so that they do not betray the sincerity shown through these offerings. He earnestly beseeches the Supreme One to extend his grace, and so on.

Memorial for Healing Illness

The ritual office is formally reported.

The memorial states: and so on. Recently, he has fallen ill and fears that his life will sink into peril and that he will lose the path to survival. He therefore came to me and asked me to submit a memorial on his behalf to the Three Heavenly Bureaus, praying for his rescue and redemption. For nearly ten days now, the chill…

I request the assistance of the Celestial Bureaucracy and the remission of sins. For nearly ten days, the balance of cold and heat has been disturbed and the movement of Yin-Yang has been thrown into disorder. Perhaps an external wind pathogen has caused illness; perhaps punishment has been imposed for the Five Punishments or the Three Calamities. I am ignorant and dull-witted, and do not know how I should examine and regulate myself. I now petition for the life-giving Qi of the Five Directions—the vital energy of the east, south, west, north, and center—to descend and aid in healing.

I earnestly beseech the Most High, the Dao of Limitless Greatness; the Most High Lord Lao; the Lords and Elders; the Celestial Master; the Three Masters; the Lady; and the Holy Mother, Compassionate Father, to show kindness and compassion, and grant Dao Qi to protect the body of [name]. I respectfully report to the Celestial Bureaucracy and ask that the twelve Celestial Physicians and Grand Physician Lords and Officials descend to the human realm to examine and treat [name], applying remedies to the afflicted places. I also ask that the fifteen Merit Officers for Healing report to the Celestial Bureaucracy on [name]’s behalf and erase the roots of the sins [name] committed in past and present lives, so that the Five Organs, the four limbs, and the channels throughout the body may all be healed.

Next, I ask the Azure Life-Giving Qi of the East, the Red Life-Giving Qi of the South, the White Life-Giving Qi of the West, the Black Life-Giving Qi of the North, and the Yellow Life-Giving Qi of the Center to descend together into [name]’s body. I further ask Lord Who Releases from Ordeals, Lord Who Extends Life, Lord Who Increases the Years, Lord Who Protects the People, Lord Who Punishes Calamities and Misfortune, General Youluo, and General of the Earthly Realm to seize and remove evil spirits, lingering sickness Qi, and the ghostly Qi of epidemics, allowing the Yellow Life-Giving Qi of the Center to descend into [name]’s body. I again ask these divine lords and generals to seize and remove evil spirits, old Qi, and epidemic ghosts, so that the sick person may recover. May the celestial officials petitioned here record merit and bestow rewards in accordance with the Three Assemblies, the Daoist dates for purification rites and the assessment of merit and fault. May the petition be fulfilled without fail and not disappoint this sincere intention. I earnestly ask the Most High to decide each matter.

Memorial for Grave Illness: Gathering and Extinguishing Calamities and Evil, Rescuing and Protecting Life

Ritual rank (enter the office of the person submitting the memorial):

The petition states: So-and-so is gravely ill and has urgently appealed to me, requesting that I submit a memorial on their behalf. The sins committed by [name] are grave, relying on …

If the Great Dao can take pity and grant protection, we earnestly ask that it bestow a longer life and additional years, so that the illness may be cured that very day. We respectfully request the Merit Officers in Charge of Yin-Yang Healing and the Medical Officials of the Five Departments to go into the Sun Gate of the Phoenix Grand Office, obtain the divine medicine of the five colors from the Great Clarity, and pour it into the patient’s mouth. May its medicinal power flow through all the hundred vessels and enter the abdomen and the space between the chest and diaphragm, dispelling every illness that has resisted treatment for a long time.

The Wood Official shall be responsible for carrying the medicine, the Fire Official for moxibustion, the Metal Official for acupuncture, the Water Official for medicinal decoctions, and the Earth Official for preparing the remedies. May each fulfill their duties. May the nine apertures of the body be clear and unobstructed, the five viscera function smoothly, and the six bowels work together in harmony and peace.

We further respectfully invoke Lord He Kao, Lord Taihe, Lord Sun, Lord Longevity, Lord Safeguarding Life, Lord Deliverance from Calamity, the Elders of the Five Emperors, Lord Harmonizing Qi, the Great General of the Lofty Banner, and the three hundred thousand soldiers with reversed armor and upturned scales. Together, may they purge evil spirits from a certain person’s five viscera and six bowels, four limbs and joints, twelve chambers, and one hundred and twenty vital gates. If any malign spirit clings to that person’s body, we earnestly ask that it be reported to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water; the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Rivers; the mountain-and-forest Mengzhang spirits; and the Twenty-Four Prohibitions, and that they join the firm-wind, red-sky mounted officers carried on my person to seize the evil spirits.

We also pray to Lord Myriad Blessings, Lord Heavenly Granary, Lord of Eastern Green Qi, Lord of Southern Red Qi, Lord of Western White Qi, Lord of Northern Black Qi, and Lord of Central Yellow Qi. May each lead their soldiers into the body of a certain person to drive out malign Qi. We earnestly ask that the sick body recover, life and vitality endure, and the person remain safe and unharmed. Should our wish be granted, on an auspicious day of the Three Assemblies we shall recount the merit and submit a petition for promotion, repaying the gods’ kindness and not failing to honor the promised efficacy. We pray only that they extend their grace.

The Merit Officers, Medical Officials, Lords, and military officers invoked here are divine functionaries called upon in Daoist memorial petitions and prayers for averting calamity. The text draws on images of divine medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion, and medicinal decoctions to pray for the gods to expel malign forces, heal illness, and protect the body.

The Most High (a Daoist honorific for the supreme deity) presides over the relevant affairs. When someone falls gravely ill and lies confined to bed, they respectfully submit a “Memorial for Rescuing and Protecting Life” (a memorial petitioning for aid and the prolonging of life), sending it to a Bureau (a celestial office responsible for the matter) and asking it to summon the relevant divine officials.

Memorial for Supporting the Frail and Delivering Them from Calamity

The petitioner’s Daoist rank and titles are listed in full:

The memorial states: So-and-so, sheltered by the merits of the offices held by their ancestors and formed through the Six Qi (the six kinds of vital energy that shape the human body and the transformations of Heaven and Earth), has also passed through the causes and conditions of long ages of kalpas. Bathed in the radiance of the Three Lights—the sun, moon, and stars—and living in a rare age, they have been able to take their place among humankind. This year, calamities weigh heavily and the days stretch long; good fortune and safety are difficult to preserve. I have heard that…

The Great Dao extends its benevolence far and wide, rescuing the people. It gives new life to withered bones and restores the dead to life. I have received such profound grace, and truly have no way to repay it.

If someone fears that calamity has fallen upon the Eastern Celestial Prison, respectfully summon the Eastern Azure Emperor—the azure celestial ruler who governs the East—the Jiayi Lord of the Nine Yi, and their subordinates, to help restore the dead to life. I have received such profound grace, and truly have no way to repay it.

If calamity has fallen upon the Eastern Celestial Prison, respectfully summon the Eastern Azure Emperor and the Jiayi Lord of the Nine Yi. Let them lead eighty-one officials, ride the Azure Dragon for ten thousand li, carry tally tokens and wield talismans and registers, and lift from a certain person the azure disasters, misfortunes, pestilences, calamities, and poisons of the East. Let them sweep away all the Qi of calamity from the three months of spring.

If calamity has fallen upon the Southern Celestial Prison, respectfully summon the Southern Vermilion Emperor—the vermilion celestial ruler who governs the South—and the Bingding Lord of the Eight Man. Let them lead sixty-four officials, ride the Vermilion Dragon for ten thousand li, carry tally tokens and wield talismans and registers, and lift from a certain person the vermilion disasters, misfortunes, pestilences, calamities, and poisons of the South. Let them sweep away all the Qi of calamity from the three months of summer.

If calamity has fallen upon the Western Celestial Prison, respectfully summon the Western White Emperor—the white celestial ruler who governs the West—and the Gengxin Lord of the Six Rong. Let them lead thirty-six officials, ride the White Dragon for ten thousand li, carry tally tokens and wield talismans and registers, and lift from a certain person the white disasters, misfortunes, pestilences, calamities, and poisons of the West. Let them sweep away all the Qi of calamity from the three months of autumn.

If calamity has fallen upon the Northern Great Prison, respectfully summon the Northern Black Emperor—the black celestial ruler who governs the North—and the Rengui Lord of the Five Di. Let them lead twenty-five officials, ride the Black Dragon for ten thousand li, carry tally tokens and wield talismans and registers, and lift from a certain person the black disasters, misfortunes, pestilences, calamities, and poisons of the North. Let them sweep away all the Qi of calamity from the three months of winter.

If calamity has fallen upon the Central Celestial Prison, respectfully summon the Central Yellow Emperor—the yellow celestial ruler who governs the Center—the Wूji Lord of the Three Qin, and their subordinates. The number of subordinates is described as “three times three makes nine, with nine thousand two hundred officials.” Let them ride the Yellow Dragon for ten thousand li, carry tally tokens and wield talismans and registers, and lift from a certain person the yellow disasters, misfortunes, pestilences, calamities, and poisons of the Center. Let them also remove all calamities from the first through the ninth misfortune, as well as the eight afflictions and every other misfortune afflicting that person, and pray that they all be dispelled. Then respectfully summon…

We earnestly beseech the August Heaven and Supreme Emperor, the Sun, Moon, and Five Planets, the Five Emperors and their Generals (the deities of the five directions and the divine generals who protect the seasons), the Canopy and Lord of the Northern Dipper, and the Lords of the Three Heavens’ Registers and Fate (heavenly deities who oversee records of merit and lifespan) to descend together, release a certain person from the Three Calamities and Nine Afflictions, and dispel this year’s epidemics, disasters, illnesses, and miasmas, so that they all depart from body and mind.

On this day, we offer the tokens used to support the ritual: one bolt of white silk, one shi and two dou of life rice, 1,200 cash coins for protection, twelve sheng of oil, and incense, lamps, paper, brushes, and other items. These express our sincerity and serve as credentials for our prayers. We respectfully beseech the Most High of the Three Heavens to remove a certain person’s name from the register of the dead and enter it in the register of the living; to dispel all illnesses, disasters, and calamities; to keep the whole family safe; and to grant them the support of the power of the Dao. May the official post and salary sought also be granted promotion.

On the day that this grace is received, may the requested celestial officials and soldiers record the merit in accordance with the auspicious Three Assemblies days on which your servant performs the rites, and may they not fail to acknowledge the tokens offered. We earnestly hope the Most High will show compassion. Respectfully, we submit this memorial.

We offer one copy of the Memorial to the Celestial Officials for Supporting the Frail and Delivering Them from Calamity, to be presented to the relevant Celestial Bureau. A Memorial of Thanks to the Earth is also enclosed.

Once a suitable date has been chosen, may the requested celestial officials and soldiers record the merit in accordance with the auspicious Three Assemblies days on which your servant performs the rites, and may they not fail to acknowledge the tokens offered. We earnestly hope the Most High will show compassion. Respectfully, we submit this memorial.

We offer one copy of the Memorial to the Celestial Officials for Supporting the Frail and Delivering Them from Calamity, to be presented to the relevant Celestial Bureau. A Memorial of Thanks to the Earth is also enclosed.

The memorial further states: “Recently, the dwelling where I live has been inauspicious, bringing calamities upon us. The earth spirits and local deities of a certain residence are accusing one another. I do not know what acts of merit I should undertake to protect my family and keep them safe, and can only place my wholehearted trust in the Great Dao. Someone has therefore asked me to submit a memorial on their behalf and present it to the celestial realm.”

Three Heavens Bureau (the celestial administration): May the officials in heaven who oversee this matter inspect it at the proper time. We respectfully pray to the deities of the Five Directions and Five Soils on behalf of a certain household, confessing its offenses and seeking pardon. We petition the five Lords of Soil Appeasement, the five Lords Who Govern the Earth, the five Lords Who Release the Soil, the five Lords Who Pacify the Soil, the five Lords Who Settle the Dwelling, and all 120 officials and generals to join in presenting this confession on the household’s behalf to the deities of the Five Directions and Five Soils.

Since the household first built its home, there have been excavations, both old and new; fences have been moved and pillars replaced; houses have been built, the earth broken for construction, ground raised or lowered, and doorways altered. We confess as well to anything involving the taboos of the Six Jia (taboos calculated from the sexagenary cycle), the myriad spirits within tiles and stones, bones and objects buried in the earth, and copper, iron, white earth, black earth, and yellow earth. We also seek pardon from the Earth Emperor, Earth King, Earth Minister, General of the Earth Office, Lord of the Earth, the Lords Beneath the Earth—Marquises and Ministers of Two Thousand Shi—the Yin and Yang soils, the Four Seasons and Five Phases, the Great Emperor of the Center, and all other spirits. May pardon also be granted by the Kings of the Five Soils before and behind the house and to its left and right; the magistrates of the central courtyard; the officials beside the gates; the gate and household guardians; the spirits in the well; and the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, Soaring Serpent, Crouching Dragon, and all the other spirits.

We also confess to all spirits and baleful influences associated with Tai Sui, Tai Yin, Tai Yang, Si Ming, the officers and attendants of the twelve two-hour periods, Tian Gang, Tai Yi, Sheng Xian, Xiao Ji, Chuan Song, Cong Kui, He Kui, Deng Ming, Shen Hou, Da Ji, Gong Cao, Tai Chong, and the rest. We confess as well to the true Yin spirits and numinous powers in the soil that impose restraints and punishments or bring destruction. May pardon also be granted for any spirits connected with the Four Meng, Four Zhong, and Four Ji months; the branches Zi, Wu, Mao, and You; and the Gates of Heaven and Earth.

If the Eastern Earth Deity has been offended, we confess before the Zhen Palace (the eastern trigram palace); if the Southern Earth Deity has been offended, before the Li Palace (the southern trigram palace); if the Western Earth Deity has been offended, before the Dui Palace (the western trigram palace); and if the Northern Earth Deity has been offended, before the Kan Palace (the northern trigram palace). If the Central Earth Deity has been offended, we confess before the Qian, Kun, Gen, and Xun Palaces, praying that all offenses be forgiven.

We petition the great household guardians Yan Zi and Dai Dai (the names of the household-protecting deities listed here) to make all harmful influences vanish at once: the evil spirits, old Qi, and every kind of calamity from east, west, south, and north. May they do so as though placing three protective screens around the house, keeping the dwelling far from harm. May every member of this household, young and old, enjoy lasting good fortune. We respectfully seek approval.

The Most High says: “We humbly plead for compassion… Since the house was built, taboos involving the household gods and the Lord of the Soil have been violated, and the parties have blamed and punished one another. We respectfully submit to the Heavenly Officials a memorial requesting an inquiry, an apology, the dispelling of baleful influences, and a gracious response. Let it be delivered to the Three Heavenly Courts…”

Memorial for Driving Out the Ghosts of Emptiness and Loss

With ritual rank…

In ancient times… taboos involving the spirits and the Lord of the Soil were violated, and the parties blamed and punished one another. We respectfully submit to the Heavenly Officials a memorial requesting an inquiry, an apology, the dispelling of baleful influences, and a gracious response. Let it be delivered to the Three Heavenly Courts…

Memorial requesting the expulsion of the ghosts of emptiness and loss—ghosts that bring depletion and unrest:

With ritual rank…

In ancient times… Now a certain household is often troubled by quarrels and disputes, while servants flee or betray their masters. These troubles are all caused by ghosts of emptiness and loss and other spirits that repeatedly wreak havoc. We respectfully petition the Heavenly Officials of the Five Blessings, the twelve officials of the Earth Deities, and their 120 officers and soldiers to examine and submit this memorial, and to hunt down and subdue the ghosts of the Five Emptinesses and Six Losses in the household, so that each returns to its proper direction.

If they are blue ghosts of emptiness and loss, send them east, where the Blue Emperor shall subdue and restrain them, forbidding them to roam. If they are red ghosts, send them south, where the Red Emperor shall subdue and restrain them. If they are white ghosts, send them west, where the White Emperor shall subdue and restrain them. If they are black ghosts, send them north, where the Black Emperor shall subdue and restrain them. If they are yellow ghosts, send them to the center, where the Yellow Emperor shall subdue and restrain them. Let none of them roam about, cause trouble, or disturb the household.

May the summoned Heavenly Officials and soldiers, together with the three generals and the 300,000 others who guard this household, act with one mind and swiftly drive out the ghosts of emptiness and loss from the house, scattering them and making them withdraw. May this household’s wealth grow, and ill fortune turn to good; may its fields and silkworm harvests multiply, its cattle pens fill with calves, and its gold and silver increase without end. May quarrels and disputes quietly fade away, calamities cease, and every wish be fulfilled. May the people in the household be safe and healthy, and its possessions and provisions grow steadily more abundant…

Memorial for Meritorious Protection of the House

With ritual rank…

We respectfully submit this petition: We, a number of people, are troubled by unrest in our home and fear that we may have offended the officials of the netherworld and thereby invited calamity. This year’s fortune is unfavorable, and the Five Poisons—here meaning the many forms of disaster and baleful influence—are spreading, possibly harming the people without regard to good or evil. Born in ignorance, we are lowly descendants of later generations. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to follow the Great Dao and keep reverence in our hearts, yet still find no peace. Recently, the whole household, young and old alike, has faced this situation and been unable to protect itself; our concern is therefore especially deep.

In recent years, we may have repaired the house, dug the earth, moved a fence, or replaced beams and pillars. We have undertaken more than one such task, and fear that in doing so we may have violated the prohibitions of Heaven and taboos of Earth, along with those associated with the Sun, General Tai Sui, the spirits of the head and feet, the annual fate and natal destiny, the Great and Lesser Wastage, the spirits of calamity and robbery, Gouchen and Baihu, the gods of the twelve double-hours, the spirits and baleful forces of the earth, and others. We may also have disturbed the spirits of waste and loss or the officials who govern the land, leaving the household deities unsettled and obstructing the spirit of the dragon turtle in the well. May these spirits bring peace to this household and harmony to this dwelling, so that everyone may live here in safety.

In accordance with the Celestial Master’s format of one thousand two hundred official petitions, the documents used in Daoist petitioning rites, we respectfully request the descent of the divine rulers and officials known as Qing, Yi, and Dafu, together with one hundred and twenty officers and generals, to explain and dispel any prohibitions this household may previously have violated. We respectfully invite the five Land Lords who govern the earth and the one hundred and twenty officers and generals to remove from this household the harm brought by the Great and Lesser Generals of Tai Sui, Tai Yin, and the Sun, as well as by the Great and Lesser Wastage, the spirits of silkworm rooms and livestock officials, and ghosts associated with various taboos. We pray that all such harms be eradicated.

We respectfully invite the Azure Emperor of the East, Lord of the Nine Yi; the Vermilion Emperor of the South, Lord of the Eight Man; the White Emperor of the West, Lord of the Six Rong; the Black Emperor of the North, Lord of the Five Di; and the Yellow Emperor of the Center, Lord of the Three Qin, along with the spirits of the Four Seasons and the Five Soils, to oversee the flow of Qi. We also ask the officials and generals of the four directions to clear this household of taboos, spirits and baleful influences, old inauspicious energies, and the ghosts of calamity, harm, and ruin brought by the years, months, days, and hours, so that all may dissipate. May the Five Emperors bring peace to this dwelling and prevent further misfortune. May the four seasons of this year pass in safety, the eight seasonal festivals be free of disaster, and the twenty-four solar terms proceed in harmony. May Heaven above offer its broad protection and Earth below support all things, so that this home may remain blessed and secure for a long time.

From the Zhen direction, the East, arises the Azure Dragon, guarding the left side of the dwelling. From the Li direction, the South, arises the Red Dragon, guarding its front. From the Dui direction, the West, arises the White Dragon, guarding its right side. From the Kan direction, the North, arises the Black Dragon, guarding its rear. From the Kun direction, the Center, arises the Yellow Dragon, guarding its heart. May the Five Dragons together protect the dwelling, drive away ill omens, destroy evil, and sweep aside every kind of calamity. May the divine dragons guard the house and keep the neighbors at peace; turn adversity into good fortune, dispel past transgressions, and bring future good deeds to fruition. May the Qi of the Dao spread throughout the home, making it pure, peaceful, and auspicious. May those who serve as officials rise smoothly in rank, and may all their wishes be fulfilled. From this day forward, may we prove worthy of the spirits’ grace and of our sincere prayers.

The Most High handles the matter accordingly and pleads on my behalf for rescue and aid. In essence: because a household fears that its residence is unsettled and the Dragon Deities bring harm, while taboos and disturbances keep occurring, they respectfully submit a petition asking the celestial officials and their clerks to dispel ghostly Qi and comfort the authorities of the underworld. They invite the Five Dragons to protect the residence and its people, and request that a precious register be bestowed and sent to the relevant bureau.

Petition for Ending Epidemic Poisons

I, holding a reported ritual office, submit this petition to the authorities above:

Today I set forth my circumstances. To be able to serve the Great Dao and receive its grace and protection, which I rely on to guard myself, is truly a blessing rare in a thousand years. Yet my conduct has often fallen short, bringing calamity Qi upon me, and the illnesses of adults and children in my household grow worse each day. Someone has therefore come to ask me to submit a petition, hoping that the Qi of the epidemic may be brought to an end.

My learning is shallow, and I do not understand the nature of ghostly Qi. According to the Celestial Master’s twelve hundred official petitions, there is residual Qi left behind by officials of the lower realms, as well as depraved and predatory ghosts. They are spread throughout Heaven and Earth, recklessly causing calamities and harming the good people. I have respectfully heard that the Most High, the Supreme Venerable, dwells above the Three Heavens, in a pure and distant realm. Heaven and Earth are vast, and the sun and moon shine brightly; nothing escapes their sight. All ghosts that commit evil and act perversely ought to be destroyed.

If they are the blue epidemic, blue poison, and blue convulsions from the East, their ghost’s name is “High and Distant.”

In the south arise red plagues, virulent diseases, and sores; the plague demon is named Shiyan. In the west arise white plagues, virulent diseases, and sores; the plague demon is named Baixing. In the north arise black plagues, virulent diseases, and wasting diseases; the plague demon is named Great Yellow Slave. Great Yellow Slave has seven children, brothers and sisters who spread poisonous plague Qi far and wide.

From the first month through the twelfth, each month has its plague demons. They take advantage of people’s indulgence and negligence to spread plague Qi, causing the people of the realm to fall ill and suffer. The twelve monthly divisions marked by the earthly branches—Jiazi, Yichou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai—each also have their own plague demon names. They come from the twelve double-hours and belong to the five directions, appearing in five colors. Among them are plague demons such as Yellow Slave and Old Worm. In the final age, foolish people suffer calamities, and the number who die from plague cannot be counted.

I also know the names of the plague demons for the twelve monthly divisions—Jiazi, Yichou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai. They come from the twelve double-hours and belong to the five directions, appearing in five colors. Among them are plague demons such as Yellow Slave and Old Worm. Now, in the final age, the people face calamity, and the dead are beyond counting. On the day I received the Daoist method, I pledged to assist the state, preserve the lives of its people, and bring them relief. Now, in accordance with the ritual regulations, I will destroy the false and wicked, sweep away the rebellious demons, and bring them all to an end. I have received my Daoist ritual office and shall humbly prostrate myself to present this memorial, reporting the matter to Heaven.

May the supreme gods of the Great Dao protect a certain household with their profound benevolence, completely clearing away all manner of evil spirits and destroying the source of malicious ghosts. We beseech the messengers of the High Officials to examine and judge our case in due time.

May the Lord of the Dipper who governs the East, Cheng, dispel the blue plague; may the Lord of the Dipper who governs the South, Ping, dispel the red plague; may the Lord of the Dipper who governs the West, Qian, dispel the white plague; may the Lord of the Dipper who governs the North, Chang, dispel the black plague; and may the Father Lord of the Five Directions at the Center dispel the yellow plague. We also ask the guardians of the four directions—East, West, South, and North—the four diagonal directions (southeast, northeast, southwest, and northwest), above and below, and the gods of the twelve periods of the day to join in guarding the perimeter and bar evil ghosts from entering.

We further ask the Azure Emperor of the East, the Red Emperor of the South, the White Emperor of the West, and the Black Emperor of the North to descend together and grant their protection. We also beseech the Ghost King above the high heavens, who commands all ghosts, and his twelve thousand followers, each commanding eight hundred thousand soldiers, to join forces with the officials and troops within my body, and with the three generals, twenty-four officials, and three hundred thousand soldiers who guard the residence. Together, may they form three layers of defense around the residence, encircling it twice, with all weapons facing outward, while sweeping away the fierce, evil spirits and annihilating them all. Heavenly Officials to whom this prayer is addressed, please record our merit and reward our exertions. Do not disregard this earnest request. May it be granted.

The Most High [the original text omits the specific content here with the words “and so forth”]. On behalf of a certain household, we bow in prayer and ask for the Heavenly Officials’ grace: prevent and put an end to illness, including illness among the neighbors. We respectfully submit this memorial to the Heavenly Officials of the Five Directions, asking them to seize the plague spirits and disease demons of the Five Directions, and deliver it to the Three Celestial Offices (the Daoist offices of the upper, middle, and lower heavens; the specific contents are omitted here).

End of juan three of the Registers of Petitions of Master Chisong.

Registers of Petitions of Master Chisong, juan four: Petition to Sever the Kuiquan (a petition seeking to end calamities associated with the Kuiquan).

State the ritual rank and office [enter the ritual master’s rank and title].

Submitted to the heavens: … A certain person bows today and makes this petition, opening his mouth to ask for grace. Fortunate to have been born into the world and to have lived through a thousand years in good fortune, he is able to serve …

I have received the grace of the Great Dao, yet lately my dwelling has been troubled: calamities have followed one another, and illness has persisted. Divination says these misfortunes come from mountain springs and three rivers. It also says that ghosts who live by foraging in the local fields and forests have afflicted my body. I am therefore anxious and unsettled. Not knowing what merits to cultivate, I can only devote myself wholeheartedly to looking up to the Great Dao for the protection of my life.

I report this to you and earnestly ask you to submit a memorial on my behalf, requesting that the various ghosts and spirits in the surrounding area, and in the mountain springs, field ridges, and rivers to the east, west, south, and north, be gathered in and driven away, and that they be stopped from roaming freely and causing harm. Though I have been entrusted with the office of governing, I still bow cautiously to the ground and present this memorial with reverence, praying for…

The Most High Lord Lao and the Most High Venerable Elder bestow their grace, examining and pardoning the offenses of a certain person. This person fears that the afflictions have been caused by ghosts of hills and burial mounds, springs, the Three Rivers and Five Rivers, and wet nurses. Therefore, a memorial is submitted requesting five Great Generals of Banners and Standards and five Great Generals of Ponds and Lakes, along with five Great Generals Who Turn Their Armor and Reverse Their Scales, to lead ten thousand soldiers here. It further requests one hundred and twenty Great Generals Who Seek the Sounds, with their subordinate officers, and one thousand two hundred officials and soldiers of the Nine Qi Lords Who Shake Heaven and Move Earth.

It also requests the Left and Right Spirit Lords, the Great General of High Heaven, the Lord of Oath and Might, the Lord of the Eight Trigrams, and the commanders of every palace, one hundred and twenty from each palace. It further requests the Lord of the Nine Yi in the East and his eighty-one official lords, the Lords of Yin, Mao, and Chen and of Jia and Yi; the Lord of the Eight Man in the South and his sixty-four official lords, the Lords of Si, Wu, and Wei and of Bing and Ding; the Lord of the Six Rong in the West and his thirty-six official lords, the Lords of Shen, You, and Xu and of Geng and Xin; the Lord of the Five Di in the North and his twenty-five official lords, the Lords of Hai, Zi, and Chou and of Ren and Gui; and the one thousand two hundred Central Lords of the Three Qin and of Wu and Ji.

It also requests sixteen thousand Lords Who Execute Talismans and Destroy Temples, as well as one hundred and twenty each of the Lords of Taiyin, Taiyang, and the Great Physician, together with the officials, generals, and soldiers of the Merit Officers Who Treat Illness. They are asked to join forces to capture the ghost bandits responsible for this person’s afflictions and deliver them to the Heavenly Strongmen and the Northern Prison of Tianyi, where they are to be punished according to the law, with no chance to escape. After this memorial is submitted, may the afflictions be brought to a complete end. The day this person receives grace shall serve as proof of its efficacy. We humbly entreat approval.

The above is a memorial requesting the capture and eradication of the evil ghosts of the rivers and springs afflicting a certain person. It is submitted to the relevant celestial bureau, and a reply is awaited.

Memorial for Release from the Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare

Enter the ritual rank and identity.

The memorial states: A certain person, together with his wife and children, has encountered calamity and fears being caught and bound in the Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare. The memorial requesting the capture and eradication of the evil ghosts of the rivers and springs afflicting a certain person is submitted to the relevant bureau, and a reply is awaited.

Memorial for Release from the Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare

Enter the ritual rank and identity.

The petition states: So-and-so himself, along with his wife and children, has suffered misfortune. Fearing entrapment by the “Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare,” baleful forces said to bind people in calamity, he reported the matter to his subordinates and asked that a formal petition be written. My learning is shallow: I do not understand changes in the seasons, nor am I skilled in calculation. I can only infer the calendar cycles from the ways the Six Jia and the Five Phases overcome and transform one another.

Xu and Hai are where Yang Qi comes to an end; this is called the “Heavenly Net.” Chen and Si are where Yin Qi comes to an end; this is called the “Earthly Snare.” When a person’s birth-year designation—the Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch corresponding to the year of birth—falls in these positions, calamity follows. By this method, for a man, when his birth-year designation meets Tai Sui Gongcao, a stellar deity associated with the year and with stem-and-branch calculations, and his birth month is added, it forms the Heavenly Net; adding his conception month forms the Earthly Snare. For a woman, when her birth-year designation meets her current-year designation, it forms the Heavenly Net and River Chief; adding her conception month forms the Earthly Snare. In another calculation, when her current-year designation meets her birth-year designation, adding her conception month forms the Heavenly Net and Transmission, while adding her birth month forms the Earthly Snare.

In addition, when the Celestial Guideline meets Taiyi, the name of a stellar deity, the Heavenly Net forms below; when the conception position lies at Dengming, the name of a stellar deity, the Earthly Guideline forms below. If this occurs in a month of the Five Punishments, Six Harms, Seven Injuries, or Nine Calamities, or during a year or month when one’s fortune is weak, and it also coincides with baleful forces such as Kui and Gang, it may bring many kinds of calamity and cause various forms of harm.

It is feared that the birth-year designations of everyone in the household have offended the nets of the five directions and the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, overcoming and harming one another. This too is caused by the descent to the human world of the Qi of the Nine Heavens’ Mysterious Pole, a kind of Qi from a higher celestial realm in Daoist belief. Its influence extends in every direction for 999 li. The net is like blazing fire, and the snare like dark clouds; both bring harm. This Qi carries the refined essence of the Nine Stars and appears as a vivid red light. If a person’s birth-year designation encounters it, misfortune and injury follow at once.

Now so-and-so has prepared ritual offerings and funds for a Zhaijiao purification ritual: one bolt of plain silk, 1,200 coins, one shi and two dou of white rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, 120 sheets of paper, 120 chi of vermilion cord, one pair of bracelets, one liang of plain silk thread, and such items as brushes, ink, incense, and lamps. These are respectfully offered.

May the Heavenly Officials look upon us with compassion and care. May the record keepers under the Most High, the limitless Great Dao and the Celestial Master, together with the Lords of the Five Qi, turn their attention to this matter and keep it in mind. We pray that the Lords of the Azure Qi governing the eastern hours of Yin, Mao, and Chen and the days of Jia and Yi dispel the azure calamities and poisons of the east; that the Lords of the Vermilion Qi governing the southern hours of Si, Wu, and Wei and the days of Bing and Ding dispel the vermilion calamities and poisons of the south; that the Lords of the White Qi governing the western hours of Shen, You, and Xu and the days of Geng and Xin dispel the white calamities and poisons of the west; that the Lords of the Black Qi governing the northern hours of Hai, Zi, and Chou and the days of Ren and Gui dispel the black calamities and poisons of the north; and that the Lords of the Yellow Qi governing the central days of Wu and Ji dispel the yellow calamities and poisons of the center. May the Qi of the Five Directions and the twelve double hours never bring harm.

I have heard that the upper Three Fives belong to Heaven, the middle Three Fives to humanity, and the lower Three Fives to Earth. Heaven has the Five Phases; Earth has the Five Qi; and humanity has the Five Constant Virtues: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. When Heaven does not fail in the Five Phases, the sun and moon shine clear and bright. When Earth does not fail in the Five Qi, the myriad things grow and flourish. When humanity does not fail in the Five Constant Virtues, people can live and grow in peace, and ritual and music can be complete.

A certain household fears that the Five Qi have fallen out of balance, the organs are out of harmony, and the Five Phases are overcoming and harming one another. We beseech the High Official Record Keeper to free this person from the baleful Qi brought by celestial signs and the Five Planets; to free them below from the thirty-six earthly taboos; and to free them from the thousand kinds of sins and transgressions carried upon their person.

We respectfully beseech Tanlang and Jumen, among the seven stars of the Northern Dipper, to sever the roots of death; Lucun and Lianzhen to replace the form of death; and Wenqu and Wuqu to erase the records of death. We respectfully beseech the Lord Who Dispels Calamities, the Lord of the Great Sovereign’s Ten Thousand Blessings, the Lord of Fate and Qi, and the Lord of the Jade Register, each to lead the officers and generals under their command, one hundred and twenty in all, down to the human realm to seize the various calamities afflicting this person and resolve every misfortune in turn, from the first calamity through the ninth.

May the True Officials who dwell here infuse this person with auspicious and harmonious Qi, inspect and verify the matter, and summon the relevant spirits. May this person’s grandparents, family members, and father-in-law—all addressed with a respectful title for elders and persons of rank—be promoted together into the Central Palace, receive merit rewards, be assigned their respective offices, and have their ranks increased according to their merit, in accordance with the laws of the Celestial Bureau. May both the living and the dead receive these blessings, and may the netherworld and the human realm protect one another. In the end, may this person’s lifespan be extended and their calamities dispersed, serving as proof that this prayer has been answered. We earnestly beseech your gracious favor.

The Supreme One distinguished and determined.

The “Memorial of the Traveling Horse” is also called the “Memorial of Opening the Way.”

The offices and ranks of the ritual officers are listed in full.

The memorial states: I was born into the human world, a descendant of subjects. Fortunate to have studied the Great Dao, I have long received its favor. Now I have reached a year when the Traveling Horse is activated, a year in which blessings must be sought. If I do not submit a memorial to entreat the spirits for aid and welcome good fortune, I fear I may encounter obstacles, suffer a shortening of my lifespan, or be unable to advance in office and emoluments. I am troubled by this, yet have no other means of cultivation. I can only focus my mind and sincerity on presenting this memorial and petition, beseeching the spirits to dispel the misfortune brought by the Traveling Horse, support my advancement in office and emoluments, and prevent calamity from occurring.

I now offer ritual gifts, that is, offerings used in carrying out the rites: a golden figurine and five-colored silk, among other things. With sincere devotion, I beseech the spirits to remove the misfortune of the Traveling Horse, bring advancement in wealth and emoluments, avert the calamities at hand, preserve good fortune for a long time, and usher me into an auspicious destiny. I also pray for support and welcome the Qi of the Traveling Horse, so that my lifespan may be preserved. May everyone in my household, from top to bottom, be safe and free from harm.

My understanding is shallow, and I do not comprehend the changes in the movements of Yin-Yang and Qi. I have only heard that the methods of the Great Changes can remedy past faults and offer atonement, while the arts of Dunjia provide ways to choose directions, pursue good fortune, and avoid misfortune. With wholehearted sincerity, I rely on the Supreme One and the Great Dao…

Note: “Traveling Horse” is the name of a spirit star in traditional divination, often associated with movement and change. Through submitting a memorial, presenting offerings, and making petitions, this ritual seeks to dispel harmful influences and welcome advancement in office and emoluments, along with peace and safety.

With reverence, I ask the Great Dao of the Most High, the Lords of the various offices, the Celestial Master, and the Three Ladies to look down with compassion. Some people have nearly reached the end of the lifespan allotted to them by Heaven, yet still have a period of life that may be extended. I therefore pray to the August Emperor of Heaven, the Lords of Wangxiang and Huagai, the Lord of the Northern Dipper, the Three Heavens’ Lord of Destinies who grants additional official rank, and the Lord who sustains life: support the Star Spirit of the Traveling Horse, which symbolizes fortune and advancement in office, so that the person’s allotted rank and lifespan may be prolonged and their official career may prosper.

I respectfully offer one golden figure to be sent to the Northern Dipper, praying that deadly misfortune be removed and life prolonged. I offer one bolt each of five-colored silk to be sent to the Five Emperors of the five directions, praying for an increase in official rank and stipend. A purple altar cloth, ivory objects, clothing and silk, and wooden shoes serve as tokens of official rank. One purple parasol is offered to shelter the person’s natal destiny, and one mat to lay beneath the principal seat. I offer one dou and two sheng of oil to illuminate the netherworld; blue silk thread and counting rods to pray for a longer span of rank and life; one shi and two dou of rice to increase the grain stored in the granary; and paper, ink, and brushes for writing in the Register of the Living, where the names of the living are recorded. I offer twelve hundred coins as a token of sincere prayer. I also offer one jin of incense, praying that the Northern Dipper remove the person’s name from the Register of the Dead and the Southern Dipper enter it in the Register of the Living, so that their life may endure without end.

Once more, I respectfully ask the Officials of the Lord of Life-Breath, who convey prayers, to go to the Palace of Life in the Great Mysterious Capital and request that the courses of the stars and the person’s allotted destiny be set right, their name replaced, and their appearance changed. I also ask the Lords who Grant Life and Call Back the Soul to travel north to the Lady who Rules the Dark Yin and the Lord who Extends Names. I pray that these two deities each dispatch five attendants and one hundred and twenty officers and generals to support the person’s Traveling Horse, bring distinction in official rank, dispel calamities, and brighten the mind and spirit. I further pray that the Eight Trigrams—Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui—the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, and the Three Hills and Five Tombs, spirits associated with burial sites and graves, each arrange the granting of meritorious blessings according to the seasonal nodes and duties under their charge, so that this work may continue in a cycle without end.

Once more, I respectfully ask the Generals who Protect Life, the Elders of Ten Thousand Blessings, the Lord who Dispels Afflictions, the Lord of Fortune, and the Lord who Removes Calamity and Sustains the Frail each to dispatch fifteen attendants and one hundred and twenty officers and generals to descend to the human realm and join their efforts with the person’s. May they protect body and life, advance their rank, lengthen their years, provide them with abundant grain and cloth, gather wealth, and preserve great good fortune. The Celestial Officials to whom these prayers are offered have already rendered service. When the auspicious day of the Three Assemblies arrives, the petitioner will report their merit in a memorial according to ritual, and will not fail to honor the gods’ kindness and trust. I humbly ask for their compassion.

The Most High, the supreme Dao (the Way), observes and takes pity on me, a foolish and lowly servant. I respectfully summon the divine officials: the Direct Envoys of the Two Offices, the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Merit Officer, the Left and Right Official Envoys, the Yin-Yang spirit clerks, the Red Talisman officials of the ritual carts, and the courier officials who carry memorials on horseback through the fierce winds. I ask that two officials of each rank be dispatched to carry this memorial and pray on behalf of me, so-and-so, for so-and-so: may matters be brought into harmony and proceed smoothly; may the courier horses carrying petitions and memorials travel without obstruction; may calamities be dispelled, wealth and blessings arrive, and favor be bestowed. I now submit one memorial to the appropriate celestial office and await its reply. I, so-and-so, am filled with awe and fear; I bow my head twice and respectfully present this report.

Memorial of Gratitude for the Five Tombs

The ritual offices are listed in full.

The memorial states: In accordance with the records, a person from a certain place, named so-and-so, reports that on a certain day this month they fell ill, and their condition has not improved. Their life may be in danger. The person’s great-great-grandparents, ancestors five generations back, and parents of the past seven generations may have accumulated offenses during their lifetimes, bringing calamity upon themselves. There may also have been a dispute concerning the graves, or resentment toward Heaven and Earth, leaving the dead unrestful and disturbing the living. Alternatively, the terrain around the graves may have been damaged; the pines and cypresses beside them cut down; the ground near the graves dug up; or a road built too close to the burial site, raising fear that the graves may eventually be flooded or collapse.

In addition to preparing a memorial to report the matter to the Heavenly Emperors and Venerable Lords, and submitting documents to the divine offices governing the Three Realms to specify which office should handle it, we now bring ritual offerings: one bolt of yellow silk, one shi and two dou of white rice, one dou and two sheng of oil, twelve hundred coins, as well as paper, brushes, incense, fruit, and other items. We respectfully ask the Great Dao, the highest source revered by Daoism, to preside over this matter and submit it on our behalf, to lift the reproach against the departed and bring peace to the ancestral graves. We also pray that all offenses of the living and the dead be erased. I humbly follow the account given by the person concerned, bow to the ground, and present this memorial.

Heaven’s Celestial Bureaucracy, we earnestly ask you to look down upon us with understanding and pardon the wrongs arising from curses and resentful energy that affect our forebears and those who have recently died, and the graves of the distant past and recent times. Completely dispel these influences, so that the sick may recover, the departed may rest in peace, and the graves may be clean and tranquil.

We petition the Five Lords of the Tombs, the Lord of the Dipper, the Lord of the Azure Canopy, the Master of the Supreme Clarity Palace, and the Lord of the Earthly Stems. We also ask that the one hundred and twenty officials and generals descend to remove someone’s illness and to offer expiation on behalf of the departed.

Some graves lie at a dragon’s head; others are placed at its tail, left side, right side, or feet. When a grave lies in a place forbidden by geomantic rules concerning movement and stillness, extension and contraction, or turning and circling, the spirits of the dead may be disturbed and left fearful and unsettled. This can bring harm upon the living, causing them misfortune and persistent illness. We earnestly ask that the Five-Tone Mound Officer, the Earl of Graves, the Two-Thousand-Picul Officer of the Tomb, and all the baleful energies associated with graves—believed to afflict both the dead and the living—be dispelled completely. May the dead rest in peace, free from further calamity, and may every offense be pardoned. May the living and the dead alike escape punishment and be reconciled with one another. May the family members who are alive prosper, and may their descendants continue without end. We will not fail to honor the kindness and trust we have received.

We earnestly ask the Most High to distinguish right from wrong and show compassion to your ignorant subjects. We respectfully summon two Direct Envoys of the Two Offices, the Zhengyi Merit Officer, the Left and Right Official Messengers, the Yin-Yang Spirit-Adjudication Clerks, the Red-Talisman Clerks of the Ritual Carriage, the Strong-Wind Mounted Relay Clerks, the Post-Horse Petition Clerks, and the Flying-Dragon Mounted Clerks, two from each office, to set forth. We also summon the two Attendants belonging to the cyclical sign of the specified day, together with the Duty Spirits, Attendants, and Talisman Clerks that change according to the day’s cyclical sign. This is given here as an example. We respectfully dispatch two Mounted Relay Clerks, two Post-Horse Petition Clerks, and two Flying-Dragon Mounted Clerks. We also summon the two Attendants belonging to the cyclical sign of the specified day; the Duty Spirits, Attendants, and Talisman Clerks are to change according to the day’s cyclical sign and proceed accordingly.

Respectfully, on behalf of every member of the household of the ritual host, a certain family, we make this petition because of illness. We ask the Six Dragons of the Celestial Officials to descend and perform the rite of making amends to the graves, convey our prayer to the departed, bring the two sides to reconciliation, dispel the baleful energies, and bestow a single precious register, to be presented and sent up to the heavens.

The Most High [Certain] Office is responsible for governing [a certain] palace. The establishment of the Office’s administration changes with the passage of days and months; this is given here as an example.

I respectfully submit this report.

I, [so-and-so], am filled with awe and trepidation. I bow until my head touches the ground, kneel and prostrate myself again and again, and present this memorial.

I, [so-and-so], belong to [a certain] official department and am charged with burning incense and cultivating the Way.

To the Supreme Way of the Great Clarity, the Mysterious Origin, the Unsurpassed Three Heavens, and the Boundless; the Most High Lord Lao; the Most High Elder; the Celestial Emperor; the Elder of the Celestial Emperor; the Lords of the Nine Elders’ Immortal Capital; the Elders of the Nine Darknesses; the countless layers of Dao Qi; the Twelve Hundred Officials and Lords; and Your Majesties of the Seven Treasures and Jade Steps in the Golden Gate of Great Clarity (the revered celestial deities and divine officials of Daoism):

In the [specified] reign era, [specified] year-cycle, [specified] month, on the first day of the month, the [specified] jiazi day, at the [specified] hour, I established an altar at the [specified] place of purification and presented this memorial.

The kèlòu (the envelope used to enclose a memorial) is made from a single full sheet of paper.

To the Supreme Way of the Great Clarity, the Mysterious Origin, the Unsurpassed Three Heavens, and the Boundless, and Your Majesties of the Seven Treasures and Jade Steps in the Golden Gate of Great Clarity:

With my ritual office stated herein, I, [so-and-so], submit this memorial and respectfully seal it.

Inner square envelope.

Respectfully, with utmost reverence, I submit this to:

The ritual office is stated herein. It is made from a single full sheet of paper. Write on the front:

To the Supreme Way of the Great Clarity, the Mysterious Origin, the Unsurpassed Three Heavens, and the Boundless, and Your Majesties of the Seven Treasures and Jade Steps in the Golden Gate of Great Clarity:

With my ritual office stated herein, I, [so-and-so], submit this memorial and respectfully seal it.

Inner square envelope.

Respectfully, with utmost reverence, I submit this to:

With my ritual office stated herein, I, [so-and-so], respectfully seal this again.

The Elder of Emptiness and Nothingness of the Most High said: “[A certain] Office governs [a certain] official department.”

Outer square envelope.

Respectfully, with utmost reverence, I submit this to:

With my ritual office stated herein, I, [so-and-so], respectfully seal this again.

Please admit this to the Court of the Three Heavens.

Memorial for Dispelling the Five Tombs (a memorial to remove obstructions caused by the Five Tombs).

Ritual office stated herein:

The memorial says: I respectfully submit that…

In accordance with the rules of the Xuan ritual tradition, I, a person from [place of origin] named [name], bow my head and declare: I was born of an ordinary human body and am descended from a low-ranking official. My current year of fate has now reached a certain earthly branch and coincides with a year of entering the Tomb. I may be beset by the Five Tombs, baleful forces associated with graves and tomb qi, and am also under the influence of the Three Killings, a term for baleful forces in date-selection practices. In a year of entering the Tomb, a person may fear entanglement by the tomb spirits and encirclement by ghostly qi.

Recently, my year of fate has again reached a certain earthly branch and likewise coincides with a year of entering the Tomb. I fear being beset by the Five Tombs and assailed by the Three Killings. My hands and feet now feel heavy, and my appetite has not improved. I do not know how to dispel the calamities brought by the Five Tombs and protect my life. I can only devote myself to seeking help from …

We humbly ask the Great Dao—the highest source revered in Daoism—to look down and keep watch, and to grant special compassion and protection. We have now prepared ritual offerings for warding off and resolving misfortune: five tin effigies, one shi and two dou of rice for the person’s life, 1,200 coins for the person’s life, one bolt of plain silk for the person’s life, one dou and two sheng of oil, as well as paper, brushes, and 120 counting rods. Someone has asked this official to submit a memorial to sever the calamities brought by the deceased. We now use tin effigies in place of human forms to disperse misfortune and prolong life. With reverence, we submit one memorial. May the officials in charge of documents and affairs in the Celestial Bureau kindly examine it, pardon the thousands of sins and offenses committed by so-and-so over the past seven generations, and grant absolution.

If calamities from the Five Tombs or the five directions descend, we will use five tin effigies in place of human forms, so that the disciple will not suffer an untimely disaster. With reverence, we submit one memorial. May the officials in charge of documents and affairs in the Celestial Bureau kindly examine it, pardon the thousands of sins and offenses committed by so-and-so over the past seven generations, and grant absolution.

We now invite five each of the Lords Who Restore Life, Preserve Life, Prolong Life, Rescue Life, Continue Life, Support Life, and Benefit Life, along with 120 attendant officials and generals, to descend together. We ask them to go on behalf of so-and-so to the Masters of Fate and Record in the Southern Palace, who govern lifespan and the registers of destiny, and redeem the disciple’s life. We also ask that they dispel the disciple’s calamities within one period of the Three Cycles of the Treasury, or 301 days. May they open Heaven’s Gate for the disciple, remove the name from the register of the dead, and transfer it to the Azure Register of Everlasting Life, so that the disciple may forever become one of the people of future generations, able to survive and continue the lineage. After the memorial is submitted, may so-and-so’s lifespan be extended, and may all disasters from the Five Tombs be decisively ended. May the punishments of the Five Tombs be transformed into blessings as proof that the prayer has been answered.

We rely on the various perfected ones of the Most High to attend to each matter, and humbly ask them to grant an auspicious time. I, your foolish servant, follow the format of the preceding chapter, changing only the name of the deity on duty. I respectfully petition on behalf of so-and-so:

One copy of “Celestial Officials’ Paper Memorial Seeking Favor: Resolving the Calamities and Recorded Disasters of the Five Tombs, Using Tin Effigies as Substitutes for Human Forms” is submitted to the Bureau of the Palace of the Most High.

The format is the same as in the preceding chapter.

Memorial of Gratitude to the Deceased

The ritual preparations are complete; only the name of the deity on duty is changed. I respectfully petition on behalf of so-and-so:

One copy of “Celestial Officials’ Paper Memorial Seeking Favor: Resolving the Calamities and Recorded Disasters of the Five Tombs, Using Tin Effigies as Substitutes for Human Forms” is submitted to the Bureau of the Palace of the Most High.

The format is the same as in the preceding chapter.

Memorial Submitted After Receiving a Ritual Office

I respectfully follow the regulations of the Mystery. According to the account given by a certain person from a certain place, his household has recently been troubled by chaotic dreams and mental confusion. At times, it seems as though ghosts and thieves have gathered there. Quarrels frequently break out in the home, money and property are continually lost, strange events occur again and again, and the fields yield poor harvests. These troubles may have arisen from offending deceased ancestors, the gods of the soil and grain who govern the land and crops, the well god, the earth god, or baleful spirits and ghosts.

The whole family is therefore fearful and distressed. Relying on the Great Dao, they have asked someone to report their circumstances to me and request that I submit a memorial of prayer. They seek to make confession and offer thanks to the City God, the spirits of the local soil shrines, the generals of every division, the great and lesser spirits of loss and depletion, the twelve spirits of taboo, and all deceased ancestors, asking that their offenses be forgiven as well. The matter has been presented as stated. My knowledge and ability are slight, and I do not understand the workings of celestial timing and fortune. I therefore prostrate myself and submit this memorial, presenting the requests above to the Celestial Bureaucracy.

May the higher officials responsible for this matter examine it in due course and graciously look upon it. I respectfully pray on behalf of a certain person for five each of the Lords Who Release Offenses, Release Punishments, and Release Calamities, together with one hundred and twenty officials and generals. May they confess the person’s offenses before the gods and the deceased, dispel calamities, and protect the whole family in peace. From the day this year when the prescribed memorial rites are carried out, may all manner of sins be forgiven. May every member of the family, young and old, find safety in danger, turn defeat into success, escape hardship, and return to life from the brink of death. If the heavenly officials, lords, troops, and others petitioned here perform meritorious service, may their achievements be recorded and their ranks advanced in accordance with this memorial, so that their efforts are not left unrewarded.

May the myriad perfected beings of the Most High clearly examine this matter and take pity on my dullness and humble abilities. I respectfully submit this memorial.

This memorial follows the same format as the preceding one; only the name of the deity on duty needs to be changed.

On behalf of a certain person, I respectfully submit one copy of the Memorial to the Celestial Officials for Universal Release, Confession for the Deceased, and a Plea for Grace and Reward, to the administrative office of a certain palace of the Most High. Its format is the same as that of the preceding memorial.

Memorial for Protecting a Pregnancy

Submitted after receiving a ritual office:

I respectfully follow the regulations of the Mystery. According to the account given by a certain person from a certain place, this person states that they have always entered the world through birth from a womb, and that their family has been fortunate to receive blessings that allow their descendants to continue for a thousand years, making it possible for them to perform the Great Memorial for Protecting Pregnancy…

A ritual officer petitions:

I respectfully submit this report in accordance with the Mystical Rites—the prescribed liturgical procedures of Daoism. A certain person, originally from a certain place, has personally declared today that he was born an ordinary person, merely a descendant dwelling in the lower realm, yet has had the good fortune to serve the Great Dao and receive its grace. He and his wife have no merits to their credit, but many faults. Fearing that, should they suffer undeserved hardship, they would be unable to bear it, he has come to request protection for the pregnancy and the removal of evil influences, wicked wet nurses, and hidden ghosts that might harm the pregnant woman or the fetus, or cause death or injury during pregnancy.

I respectfully present this memorial on their behalf to the Celestial Bureau. I earnestly ask the Supreme Great Dao, the Great Lord of the Dao Above, the Most High Lord Lao, and all the officials and record keepers above to review it at the appointed time. I respectfully request that the two Lords who Secure the Fetus, the two Lords who Protect the Fetus, the two Lords who Support the Frail and Overcome Calamity, and the two Lords who Bestow Blessings and Dispel Misfortune, together with their 120 officials and generals, descend to protect the wife of this person, preserve her life, and ensure the safe delivery of the child.

I also ask the two Holy Mothers who Protect the Fetus, together with their 120 officials and generals, to guard the Three Origins Dantian—the vital centers within the body spoken of in Daoism—of this person’s wife. I further request that the two Lords who Support the Frail and Overcome Calamity and the two Lords who Bestow Blessings and Dispel Misfortune, together with their 120 officials and generals, join in protecting her, preserving her life, and ensuring the safe delivery of the child. I also ask the two Holy Mothers who Protect the Fetus, together with their 120 officials and generals, to guard the Three Origins Dantian within her, drive away evil spirits, demons, and ghostly thieves, and protect and nourish the child in her womb. May this person’s wife remain well, free from hardship and obstruction, and may her pregnancy be secure. After a full ten months, may mother and child meet in safety, both unharmed.

I further beg the Great Sage of the Heavenly Gate to protect this woman’s body, keeping her peaceful and at ease, free from distress. Afterward, I will report the merits of the divine lords and holy mothers as a token of gratitude. I earnestly ask the assembled Perfected Ones of the Most High to take this matter into consideration and show compassion for their foolish servant. Respectfully submitted.

The ritual for this memorial is the same as for the preceding one; only the name of the deity assigned to the day needs to be changed. To protect the pregnancy of this person’s wife, I respectfully submit one memorial and send it to the Bureau of the Most High’s Palace of [name].

Memorial for Hastening Childbirth

A ritual officer petitions:

I respectfully submit in accordance with …

The Xuan-ke records that a certain person personally made this statement on that day:

“I was born foolish and ignorant, yet have received the sheltering grace of Heaven and Earth. My wife’s pregnancy has reached its full term, and I fear that she may be distressed when labor begins. I am therefore deeply apprehensive. With all my heart, I rely on the Great Dao and submit my plea to the Celestial Bureau—the heavenly office that oversees documents and affairs—asking that it be presented on my behalf. If it can reach the hearing of Heaven, I will be deeply grateful. I bow reverently to the ground and kowtow, still filled with apprehension. With all my heart, I rely on the Great Dao and ask that my plea be presented to the Celestial Bureau. I am immeasurably grateful.

“I respectfully offer this petition in writing and ask that the superior official in charge review it in due course. I respectfully invite the two deities, Celestial Gate Son and Household Lord; the two Rapid Birth Lords, the Nursing Mother Lord, the Birth Guide Lord, the Birth Mother Lord, the Heavenly Physician Who Assists Birth, and the Birth Urging Lord; as well as the Birth Urging Yellow Emperor, to descend into the courtyard and examine the condition of mother and child. I further ask the six hundred Birth Fathers who oversee labor and delivery, guardian spirits named in the scripture, to protect my wife, so that the birth may proceed smoothly, misfortune may be turned to good fortune, and every taboo and baleful influence may be driven away—including the Year Sha, Month Sha, Hour Sha, White Tiger, Xianchi, and all evil spirits and uncanny creatures. May mother and child be safe, may our hopes be fulfilled, and may they pass through this danger smoothly. I declare before all the divine lords, holy mothers, and protective gods the merits of their aid, praying that this may serve as recompense and proof of my sincerity. I earnestly ask all the perfected beings of the Most High to see my plight clearly and have compassion on my foolish incompetence. I respectfully submit this petition.”

If using the petition given above, simply replace the name with that of the deity on duty at the time.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of a certain person, one “Oral Petition to the Heavenly Officials Urging Birth,” for delivery to the bureau of a certain palace of the Most High.

“Petition to the Most High for a Child’s Illumination and Transformation”

The ritual offices are duly listed herewith. In this petition, a certain person, then residing in a village quarter, bows and declares:

“In a former life, I was fortunate enough to be able to follow the Great Dao, and my heart is filled with joy. Yet I am a foolish, ordinary person, and have often failed to remain true in my faith. For this reason I have incurred testing Qi—baleful energy that tests and troubles people. Recently, there was a boy in my household who, in a dream…”

The grace of the Great Dao is boundless, yet I am foolish and ordinary. I often stray from the teachings I profess, and so invite inauspicious influences. Recently, a certain man, So-and-so, has been troubled by chaotic dreams and fears they are an ill omen. He also feels weakness in his limbs and fears he may contract a serious illness, but does not know how to prevent disease and preserve his health. Now he has prepared an offering for the ritual, sincerely devoted himself, and placed his trust in the Great Dao. He has stated his wishes to me and prayed for a longer life: that Heaven may deliver him, increase his years, strengthen him in his weakness, and help him pass through adversity.

With reverence, I submit one written petition to the offices of the Three Heavens. I respectfully invite the Most High and exalted Primordial Sovereign, the compassionate Father and Holy Mother, and the officials who administer the affairs of Heaven to grant him special protection and peace. I also invite the luminous sovereigns of the five directions between Heaven and Earth, and the sovereigns of the five lights of the sun, moon, and stars: the sunlight of the East, the moonlight of the West, the firelight of the South, the waterlight of the North, and the earthlight of the Center. May they bestow a long life and attach it to So-and-so’s body.

I further invite the five sovereigns of longevity, the five torch-bearing sovereigns, the five divine lords who govern the Three Hun and Seven Po souls, and the 120 officials and generals in their various offices. May they send down the wondrous medicines of the celestial immortals and the Qi of Great Harmony into So-and-so’s body, restoring his complexion and vitality and making his spirit bright and joyful.

I submit this petition to the celestial officials, asking that his name be removed from the register of the dead, that the old, enfeebling Qi be washed away, and that he be entered in the register of the living. May his six viscera be harmonized and his five organs made secure; may his lifespan be increased, and may all Jing spirits—harmful entities that disturb people—disperse. I also pray that his dreams become peaceful and true, that his food and drink taste sweet, and that he enjoy lasting peace, as signs that the prayer has been answered.

I respectfully ask all the perfected beings of the Most High to look upon this petition and take pity on my dullness and incapacity. I hereby call upon the direct envoys of the Second Office, the Zhengyi Merit Officer, the messengers of the left and right, the clerks who decide matters of Yin and Yang, the clerks bearing red registers in ritual vehicles, the clerks who carry petitions by relay on horseback through the fierce winds, and the flying-dragon cavalry clerks. Let each office dispatch two officials to carry the oral petition titled “Heavenly Officials: Illumination, Deliverance, and Transformation” that I, So-and-so, have submitted on behalf of this person, and deliver it to the administrative court of the Most High’s Palace.

This is “The Petition for Protecting Infants and Children.”

Holding the rank of a ritual official.

The memorial states: I respectfully follow the documents on record. I consider myself fortunate in a former life to have been able to practice the Great Dao. I now submit one memorial document, to be sent to the bureau in a certain palace of the Most High.

Memorial for Protecting Infants and Children

Holding the rank of a ritual official.

The memorial states: I respectfully follow the documents on record. I consider myself fortunate in a former life to have been able to practice the Great Dao, and have always received its blessings, which are beyond measure. Yet my reverence and devotion have often been inadequate. Several of my children are still young and unknowing; they are now at the age of childhood and cannot yet distinguish right from wrong. I therefore feel anxious and afraid, concerned that they may be harmed by old malicious influences, evil essences, dark and defiling Qi, spirits transformed from wet nurses, the River Lords of Heaven and Earth, the Hooked Star, Blood-Sinker, and other ghosts and demons lurking in secret, injuring their bodies. I therefore ask the divine officials under my authority to protect them. I prostrate myself, bow, and submit this memorial to the celestial bureau, the office that oversees affairs in Heaven.

I especially pray that the Most High Lord Lao, the Lords and Elders, the Celestial Master (Tianshi), the officials in attendance, and the Lords of the Five Qis show mercy and attend to this matter. I also pray that the Yang Immortal who guards the hun soul, the Yin Immortal who guards the po soul, and the Lord of Heavenly Nurturing preserve the child’s hun and po souls, massage and care for the child’s body, dispel illness Qi from the spleen, lungs, kidneys, large and small intestines, and gallbladder, and clear away the Yin Qi of the dark capital’s sea of Qi. May Dao Qi circulate throughout the body, the hundred vessels flow freely, and illness and calamity disappear. May the child’s face shine with radiance, bright as the sun and moon.

I further pray that the Lord of Great Sovereignty and Ten Thousand Blessings, the Lord Who Relieves Suffering, the Eastern King Father, and the Western Queen Mother each lead five subordinate officials and one hundred and twenty officers and generals. May the Three Heavens and Nine Palaces, together with the officials of Jiazi and Jiawu, protect the child, so that no ghostly poison can harm them. Relying on the vast grace of these deities, may this prayer take effect. I respectfully ask the Most High to examine and decide the matter. For this reason, I reverently petition the Heavenly Officials and submit one memorial for the protection of infants and children, to be sent to the Most High’s bureau for action.

Memorial for Severing the Repeated Attachment of the Deceased

Holding the rank of a ritual official.

The memorial states: I respectfully follow the rites of the Immortal Way. Now, according to what a certain person has said, today I bow and state the matter. Previously, because of pregnancy...

I, a descendant of the people below, have been fortunate to encounter an opportunity in this thousand-year age and so to follow the Great Dao. I am deeply grateful. Someone once violated the precepts they had vowed to uphold, and thereby brought calamity upon themselves. On a certain day of this month, someone fell ill. The illness was severe, their dreams were troubled, and everything they saw was inauspicious. After someone was asked to make a divination, they said that a deceased person was causing trouble, and that calamities had become entangled with one another, leaving the illness unhealed for a long time. Fearing a succession of deaths and unending misfortune, the whole family is deeply alarmed, afraid they will not pass through this safely. On that day, someone made a fervent petition and asked me for help. I therefore submitted a petition on their behalf to the celestial officials, the offices that administer affairs in the heavenly realm. I respectfully ask the Most High Lord Lao, the Most High Elder, the Celestial Master, and the officials in their service who oversee petitions to investigate and resolve this matter. I also ask the hundred thousand Lords of the Birth Register, divine beings who administer each person’s record of life, to release someone from the illness caused by entanglement with the deceased, and to put an end to it from this time onward.

The souls and spirits of the living belong to the origin of life, arising from the One Origin and First Beginning; they are separated from the dead by more than ninety myriad li. The living belong above to August Heaven, while the dead descend below to the Yellow Springs. Life and death each have their own paths and should not disturb someone’s body. I am also concerned that the deceased may have committed grave offenses while alive and, after death, may have incurred unforgivable faults, leading to confinement in various hells: at times in the prison of the River Earl, at times in the prison of Nüqing, and at times in the shrines of the City God and the local earth deity. We do not know where the deceased’s soul now is. I respectfully ask that it be escorted and guided to a place of rest, where it may ascend to heaven, have clothing and food as it needs, and roam at ease in Wuwei (non-action). May the tomb also be at peace, legal disputes and calamities disperse, someone’s illness be cured, and all entanglement with the deceased cease from this time onward. May all beings receive what they wish for, as proof that this prayer has been answered. I respectfully ask the perfected beings of the Most High to look upon this matter clearly and extend their compassion. On someone’s behalf, I submit a Celestial Official’s Petition to End Entanglement with the Deceased, presenting it to a certain administration of the Most High’s divine offices.

Petition of Gratitude to the Deceased Ancestor for the Healing of Illness

[Enter the ritual rank:]

Respectfully submitted: …

In accordance with Daoist liturgy (Keyi), this report is now submitted on behalf of a certain person: although this person is devoted to the faith, they often transgress, and so have brought calamities and malevolent spirits upon themselves. Recently, strange manifestations have appeared repeatedly, and illnesses have followed one another.

The petitioner, whose ritual offices are listed in full, submits: In accordance with Daoist liturgy, a certain person reports that they have often acted against the faith and thereby brought calamities upon themselves. Strange manifestations have appeared frequently of late, and illnesses have struck in succession, leaving the whole family anxious and distressed. After examining the person’s fate, it was judged that the family’s ancestors and the ghosts of those who died away from home were blaming the living. Perhaps, during the seasonal festivals over the years, the food offerings were not sufficiently pure or the sacrificial gifts too meager, and for this reason the family has been troubled by ghosts and spirits. The petitioner therefore implores the Lord of the Great Dao (a revered Daoist deity) to show mercy and turn the person’s fortune, leading them out of sorrow and distress. The petitioner also asks that five Protecting Lords, five Life-Guarding Lords, and 120 divine officers and generals preside over the ritual and subdue the ghosts and spirits, pardon and dispel illness and calamity, and restore the person to health, as proof of divine protection. The petitioner implores the assembled perfected ones of the Great High One to see clearly, take pity, and grant aid. On behalf of this person, the petitioner submits one copy of the “Memorial to the Celestial Officials on Illness and Appeasing the Ancestors,” to be delivered to the administration bureau of a certain palace of the Great High One, the office in the divine government that receives memorials.

Memorial for Averting and Removing Fire Calamities

The petitioner, whose ritual offices are listed in full, submits: In accordance with Daoist liturgy, a person registered in a certain prefecture, county, township, and village personally states on this day: “I was born an ordinary person, a descendant of officials in the lower realm. By good fortune, I had the opportunity to serve the Great Dao and have long received its grace, for which I feel deeply grateful and glad. Yet I am ignorant, and in cultivating the Dao and serving the teachings I have repeatedly violated the ritual precepts, thereby bringing calamities upon myself many times. Recently, I heard of and witnessed inauspicious signs. Suddenly, at a certain time, I saw the calamity of fire strike a certain place, its flames lighting up the ground. I fear this portends death. The ill omen of fire spread through the village and threatened the people; many men and women were harmed, and cries of grief rang out without end. Countless people, both followers of the Dao and ordinary folk, were shaken and filled with fear. How can such a calamity be averted and remedied? I therefore place my whole trust in the divine powers and submit this petition above.”

Following exactly the ritual procedures taught by my master, I prostrate myself and bow, presenting a formal memorial to be sent to the Three Celestial Administrations (the offices that govern affairs in heaven), asking that the disaster of fire be extinguished at once.

I further appeal to the officials of the Central Palace, the General Who Records the Upper Registers, the twenty-four clerks, and the three hundred thousand soldiers. I also ask the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water (deities who govern the heavenly, earthly, and watery realms) to calculate and investigate this matter, and to deliver the memorial to the Three Celestial Administrations so that the disaster of fire may be extinguished at once.

I also ask the officials of the Central Palace, the General Who Records the Upper Registers, the twenty-four clerks, the three hundred thousand soldiers, and the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water to summon their officials. I ask as well that the officials of the Two Mysteries, Three Origins, Four Beginnings, and the Jiazi cycle along the roads; the deities who govern the four directions; the Lords of the Community and the Lanes (deities who oversee village communities and neighborhood lanes); and the Lords of the Four, Five, Seven, and Nine Wilds, all investigate the true official responsible for recording the Qi and allotted span of the residence in a certain neighborhood.

I further appeal to the Lord of the Northern Great Yin (a deity who governs Yin Qi) and his 120 officials and generals to guard the Palace of Great Yin. I also ask the Wind Earl and Rain Master to eliminate the disaster of fire at a certain place, so that the flames quickly retreat a thousand miles away.

I also ask the Lord Who Punishes Calamity and his 120 officials and generals to command Song Wuji (a Daoist deity who governs the capture and removal of spirits responsible for fire disasters) to subdue the spirits that have caused the fire, preventing them from spreading and burning the homes and granaries where the people live.

I ask the officials in charge of the celestial registers above to command the Heart and Tail lunar mansions in the east to store away the fire essence, subdue the deity of the Xun direction, and order the Wind Earl to store away and quiet the winds, so that they do not blow out of season.

I also ask the Northern Dark Lord of the Nine Seas and his 120 officials and generals to bring forth the power of the Net lunar mansion, raise Yin Qi, and gather and spread rain clouds to suppress the disaster of fire and prevent the flames from rising again.

May no further fires occur at the home of a certain family in a certain village. May they enjoy peace throughout the year, a secure home, and safety and good fortune for all its inhabitants. Let this serve as proof that the prayer has been answered. I humbly ask the assembled perfected ones of the Most High (revered Daoist deities) to examine this matter and extend their compassionate aid. On behalf of a certain person, I bow and appeal to the Celestial Officials, presenting one oral memorial for the capture and removal of the disaster of fire, to be sent to the administrative offices of a certain palace of the Most High, under the jurisdiction of the Most High’s divine perfected ones.

Shangqing Statement of Meritorious Deeds

The ritual rank is hereby recorded.

I respectfully submit this written memorial: I, your disciple, [name], live in [prefecture and county] and am [age] years old, born on [date]. I reflect on my own low and humble station, yet was fortunate to encounter affinities formed in past lives and so became able to uphold the Great Dao and take refuge in the Orthodox Way. Nourished by the four seasons, and cherished by the August Elder, who values life, and the Most High, who abhors killing, I was granted breath and years of life and have lived to this day. I have also received the grace of the sun and the instruction of the master’s lineage. I was granted a register of office, entered into the Daoist registers and enrolled in Daoist ritual service, and was permitted to receive the revered “Five Thousand Words on the Dao and Its De” by Lord Lao, as well as the teachings of the Cavern of Divinity, Cavern of Mystery, Cavern of the Abyss, and Cavern of Truth.

From the day I received these teachings, it was my duty to honor the precious scriptures and accumulate merit, so that my conduct might accord with the way of the immortals, allowing me to live long and pass beyond the world, with a lifespan without end. Even if I cannot become an immortal, I wish to entrust my life to the Great Yin—the netherworld or hidden realm within the moon in Daoist thought—undergo refinement, be reborn, become a perfected person, and escape the Three Paths of suffering: hell, hungry ghosts, and beasts.

The Great Dao is exalted, while ordinary people are insignificant. A worldly body of flesh and blood such as mine is not worthy to bear these registers. Now the teachings have been made widely accessible, like a boat ferrying people across, so that all may be delivered. So long as one’s conduct accords with the way of the immortals, one may live long and pass beyond the world, with a lifespan without end. Even if I cannot become an immortal, I wish to entrust my life to the Great Yin, undergo refinement, be reborn, become a perfected person, and escape the Three Paths.

I should deliver both heavenly and human beings, preserve and cultivate my numinous nature, keep the true Dao in mind, practice such disciplines as feeding on Qi, guiding Qi, and breathing exercises, focus my intention on the utmost mysteries of the Dao, and cultivate the way of long life. Without practicing in accordance with the teachings, I cannot make progress; without acting in accordance with the teachings, I cannot be true. Yet throughout my many lifetimes, my conduct has been improper. The grave offenses accumulated since my seventh life remain tangled and unresolved. Though my sincerity is real, I cannot conceal these karmic sins. Therefore I humbly prostrate myself and submit this memorial: I ask that the Five Emperors, perfected spirits, Jade Maidens, officers on duty, functionaries on duty, the Attendant Gentlemen who lead the immortals, the Inspecting Ministers, the sun, moon, and stars, the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Rivers, the perfected officials of the ten directions, the generals of the registers, and the many clerks and soldiers—all those concerned with the Three Caverns scriptures and methods I have received and bear—join in recounting my deeds and merits and presenting them above.

At Xuandu, the celestial capital where Daoist immortals dwell, please continue to confer the rank of Lord Emperor on immortals listed in the registers of immortality who have already advanced to the rank of High Immortal, and record them as True Immortals according to their grades. Omit no one.

I humbly ask that the seven generations of my disciple’s ancestors be freed from suffering and rise to Heaven, with clothing and food naturally abundant and peace throughout the world. My disciple’s study of the Dao is not yet complete, and I have not mastered the rules of the corresponding rites, so I cannot yet fully understand the Daoist arts. Some of my past and present actions have not conformed to ritual. For this reason, I have been investigated by the Four Offices, which oversee the examination and recording of merit and fault, and detained by the Five Emperors, celestial deities. My disciple bears many faults; I humbly ask to receive pardon and forgiveness.

May the ancestral hall of my disciple’s family, where the ancestral spirits dwell, have clothing and food naturally abundant, and may there be peace throughout the world. My disciple’s study of the Dao is not yet complete, and I have not mastered the rules of the corresponding rites, so I cannot yet fully understand the Daoist arts. Some of my past and present actions have not conformed to ritual. For this reason, I have been investigated by the Four Offices and detained by the Five Emperors. I humbly ask for pardon and forgiveness.

Once the True Officials of the Five Bodies, the inner spirits who govern the body’s different parts, have completed their investiture and duties, may each return to my disciple’s body, guard the original Qi, preserve the true nature, and keep the body settled as it should be. I respectfully ask the many perfected beings of the Most High to witness this together and show compassion. Your disciple respectfully presents this petition.

This is a “Petition to the Celestial Officials Reporting Merit and Service,” submitted to the Bureau of a certain Palace of the Most High.

“Petition for Merit in the Three-Five Mixed Nickel [Rite]”: the ritual offices and ranks are listed in full.

Submitted: In accordance with the documents, the disciple of a certain prefecture and county, whose name is [name], is of [age] years and was born in [month]. On self-examination, my disciple has received a rare opportunity, one that comes only once in a thousand years, to serve the Daoist teachings…

May the Great Dao bestow its boundless grace and accept the celestial spirits and Twenty-Four Governance Registers (a system of Daoist talismanic registers) that I, your servant, have received. The registers I bear include generals, clerks, and troops. On the day I received them, I vowed to follow my master’s instructions, put the clerks and troops to good use, and heal the people. Beyond cultivating myself, I would make helping others my first concern. On the auspicious days of the Three Assemblies, when Daoists conduct purification rituals, memorials, and other ceremonies, I would submit reports of my merits. Since receiving my commission, everything I have undertaken has been fulfilled as intended. Now, in accordance with the prescribed rites, on this auspicious Three Assemblies day, the [unspecified] day of this month, I respectfully submit a memorial of merits, setting forth before the divine beings the deeds I have performed.

The registers of ritual authority I have received include the Register of One General of the Three-Five High Spirit Officials; the Register of Ten Generals of the Three-Five High Spirit Officials; the Register of One Hundred and Fifty Generals; the Red Register of the Central Division of the Red Heaven; the Register of Three Generals of the Three Divisions of the Red Heaven; the Register for Summoning a Hundred Ghosts; the Red Strip of Primordial Chaos; the Register of the Community Officials of the Nine Provinces; the Register of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions of the Stellar Firmament; the River Diagram Register; the Divine Talisman for Dispelling the Six Harms; the Nine-Phoenix Talisman for Breaking Impurity; the Register of the Capital’s Memorial and Seal; the Canopy Register; the Military Talisman of the Nine Heavens; the Eight-Trigram Register for the Nine Palace’s Protection Against Calamity; the Register for Investigating and Summoning Spirits; the Register for Slaying a Thousand Ghosts and Ten Thousand Spirits; the Great Register for Slaying Evil; the Register of Prohibitions Against Qi in the Four Divisions; the Register for Slaying River Demons; the Register of Merit Officers; and the Register for Preserving Life and Longevity. These make up twenty-four grades of ritual registers. Also included are the registers of divine charts for the thirty-six divisions of Liuren, Taiyi, and the Thunder Duke; the numinous talismans of the Eight Historians for the Six Jia stems and branches; the Twelve Monthly Generals; and the registers of appointed generals belonging to the Twenty-Four Governance Offices, corresponding to the current time and day.

Further registers include the eighteen grades of the Filial Way Immortal King’s generals for subduing mountain spirits; and the divine charts of the sixteen divisions of the Central Palace’s Daring, Vigorous, Resolute, and Martial forces, which subdue the Shang Heaven, stretch ten thousand zhang, and command a hundred ghosts. They also include the numinous talismans of the Eight Historians for the Six Jia stems and branches; the Twelve Monthly Generals; the appointed generals of the Twenty-Four Governance Offices for the current time; the eighteen grades of the Filial Way Immortal King’s generals for subduing mountain spirits; and the officials and attendants of the King of a Hundred Ghosts, commander of the Central Palace’s Daring, Vigorous, Resolute, and Martial forces, who subdue the Shang Heaven and stretch ten thousand zhang. These are the High Merit Marshal, the Great General of the Central Cavalry, the Six-Star Lord of the Dipper who extends life and opens the Eight Extremities to Heaven, the Lord Who Administers Affairs in the Central Yellow, the Lord Who Directs the Nine Immortals of the Primordial Yellow, the Lord of the Dipper Head Who Presides Over Punishment, the Lord of the Firm Head Who Directs Execution, the Lord Who Dispels Calamity, Scatters Misfortune, Sustains Life, and Relieves Distress, the Heavenly Charioteers and Armored Troops, and the Heavenly Strongmen.

I earnestly ask these divine beings to guard my body and keep it safe as before; wherever I go, may even what is hard as metal or stone become passable, and may the dangers of water and fire be quelled. May whatever I oppose be subdued; whatever I treat be healed; whatever I release be freed; whatever I attack be broken; and whatever I disperse vanish. May all who harbor malice, evil intentions, or thieving designs and seek to harm me be utterly destroyed.

May I, your servant, pass through the Three Calamities and Nine Adversities, spoken of in Daoism as the many kinds of disaster and misfortune, and avoid inauspicious times and ill-fated years. May the people turn their hearts toward us and look up in hope, behold an age of peace, and welcome a sage ruler; may they be nourished by the transformation of the Dao from generation to generation. I take the receipt of such vast grace as proof that my prayer has been answered. With reverence, I make this petition.

The Most High said: Today, on the grand celebration of the Three Meetings, I respectfully submit a memorial on behalf of the Three-Five Generals I wear on my person and the officials named in the registers, both inner and outer, sending it to the Most High’s Three Heavens Bureau. I bow twice and present it, respectfully asking that it be heard.

“Memorial for Removing One’s Name from Mount Tai’s Register of the Dead and Reporting Meritorious Deeds”

Declaring the bearer’s ritual rank:

The memorial states: As recorded in the documents, I, a disciple of the Three Luminaries of the Great Cavern of Shangqing, and a master of a certain sacred mountain, together with others, from a certain monastery in a certain township, county, and prefecture… bow twice and present this memorial, respectfully asking that it be heard.

“Memorial for Removing One’s Name from Mount Tai’s Register of the Dead and Reporting Meritorious Deeds”

Declaring the bearer’s ritual rank:

The memorial states: As recorded in the documents, I, a disciple of the Three Luminaries of the Great Cavern of Shangqing, and a master of a certain sacred mountain, together with others, from a certain monastery in a certain township, county, and prefecture, am of such-and-such age and was born in such-and-such month. I received the fate of mortal birth, and have been fortunate beyond measure to be able to practice the Great Dao across a thousand years. My venerable master, the elder whom I revere, took pity on me and bestowed a register of ritual authority. Though we are dull and ordinary, we have been admitted among its ranks and allowed to bear and honor the treasured scriptures. The true scriptures and secret methods are profound and precious; the grace we have received is immeasurably great. Our joy and gratitude are beyond words.

Yet although I, so-and-so, have had the good fortune to receive these wondrous teachings, I do not understand the precepts and ritual regulations. My meritorious deeds are slight, while my faults and offenses have accumulated in great number. For many years I have endured hardship, my life has gone poorly, and even my home has been unsettled. My lifespan falls under the jurisdiction of the Twelve Lords of Fate in the Heavenly Emperor’s offices, divine beings who oversee human lifespans and registers of life. In accordance with the Celestial Master’s ancient ritual, on this auspicious day of the Three Meetings—a designated date for Daoist purification rituals, memorial presentations, and other rites—I request that my name be removed from Mount Tai’s register of the dead, and that the offenses and death records written in the right-hand contract be erased. Let my register of life be revised, and my name entered in the Palace of Long Life in the left-hand register of life.

I respectfully request one Cangsheng Lord, together with the generals, officials, and soldiers belonging to the Three Bureaus, to report my meritorious deeds so that I may receive the customary rewards. I humbly ask that the faults committed by me and the others be pardoned, and that our deceased relatives likewise be spared suffering and granted great blessings. May food and clothing come to them naturally in abundance, may calamities and illness be dispelled, and may the Dao’s Qi descend to protect them, bringing peace to both the living and the dead. Let this serve as proof that we have received grace. I humbly ask that those deceased relatives at Mount Tai… likewise be spared suffering and granted great blessings. May food and clothing come to them naturally in abundance, may calamities and illness be dispelled, and may the Dao’s Qi descend to protect them, bringing peace to both the living and the dead. Let this serve as proof that we have received grace. I humbly ask that those at Mount Tai…

In accordance with the rites for an auspicious day of the Three Meetings, I bow and submit this memorial, requesting that the Heavenly Officials remove my name from Mount Tai’s register of the dead, revise my register of life, and bestow their grace. This memorial, together with the paper and writing implements, is presented to the Bureau of the Most High’s Palace of such-and-such in the celestial administration.

“Memorial for Delivering the Deceased and Reporting Meritorious Deeds”

The offices and titles are listed in full as follows:

The memorial states: I respectfully submit that, according to the records, I, the disciple of the Three Caverns (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen), the Three Sceneries, and the Highest Clarity (Shangqing), Mr. So-and-so of the So-and-so Abbey in So-and-so County, So-and-so Prefecture, was born in such-and-such a year and month. I was fortunate by birth and, only after a thousand years, gained the chance to serve the Great Dao. My revered master also bestowed upon me the register of the Celestial Officials’ administrative office, enabling me to receive precious scriptures and teachings, and to uphold and honor them. I cherish the Dao and value life; I practice and proclaim the teachings recorded in the documents, assist the state, support the lives of the people, and guide and educate the populace. All have received the profound grace of the Great Dao of the Most High and the various Lords, and have thereby attained fulfillment.

I have heard that on the auspicious days of the Three Assemblies of the Great Dao, the Lord Lao of the Most High descends to the eight directions, extending grace without limit. Among our ancestors, the three generations before our great-grandparents and five generations before them, our parents of seven generations, and our relatives who died before and after them, including kin within the five degrees of mourning, some may still be held in the prisons of hell and have yet to find release. I therefore humbly ask the Lord of the Great Dao of the Most High and the high officials in charge to permit me to submit this memorial today, conveying it to the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water; the twenty-four prisons of Mount Tai; the nine level prisons of the Central Yellow Heaven; the great prison of the Central Capital; the Water Official’s earthly domain; the Water Emperors of the Nine Rivers; the River Earl, Lord Lü; and the officials under their command. May they pardon the sins and punishments borne by the dead, including offenses punished by imprisonment, banishment, and forced labor, as well as breaking sworn covenants, betraying trust and failing to keep promises, disloyalty and unfilial conduct, secret wrongdoing, and concealed faults. May all offenses, from the heavenly realms down to the underworld, be pardoned together, so that I may succeed in my cultivation and study, increase in wisdom, and have the faults of past lives forgiven; may the living and the dead alike find peace, and may this serve as proof of divine efficacy.

I humbly ask the Most High to judge each matter and grant his favor. On this auspicious, celebratory day of the Three Assemblies, I bow twice and submit this memorial, wishing its text to reach the three generations before our great-grandparents and five generations before them, and our parents of seven generations, and seeking their compassionate pardon. Respectfully, I send one written memorial on paper to the Three Celestial Offices of the Most High. The other matters are as stated above. I bow twice and submit this report.

A Memorial for the People’s Words, “Stifled Merit”

The offices and titles are listed in full as follows:

The memorial states: The preceding text has been abbreviated. I, your servant, follow the old practices of the Celestial Master (Zhang Daoling and the tradition passed down from him). At the Three Assemblies (regular purification gatherings held by the Zhengyi school), I gather at the administrative headquarters, oversee the registered households, teach and guide the people, and, in accordance with the Celestial Master’s documents, register the deceased and report on the living. I also submit reports of merit and request advancement in rank, following the rosters issued in the past by the Celestial Master for the officials, lords, generals, officers, and soldiers of the Two Mysteries, Three Origins, Four Beginnings, and the sexagenary cycle, as well as those of the Twenty-Four Administrative Centers. The rules and prohibitions of the liturgy require me to assemble the people.

I respectfully register, item by item, at the temple in a certain village and district, the men and women among the people under my care and instruction, along with the officials, lords, generals, officers, and soldiers of the sexagenary cycle and of the Twenty-Four Administrative Centers. I report their merits and request advancement in rank. The rules and prohibitions of the liturgy require me to assemble the people. I respectfully register, item by item, at the temple in a certain village and district, the men and women among the people under my care and instruction, and pray for grace and the fulfillment of their petitions. On behalf of those who bear Zhengyi Mengwei and other registers (Fulu conferred by the Zhengyi school, denoting the holder’s ritual office and place in the celestial registers), those holding the Twenty-Four Ranks and the Seventy-Five Youths, and the uninitiated among the people, I ask the Supreme Mysterious Elder and the Three Venerable Ones of the Great One to dispatch generals, officers, and soldiers to guard their homes. I ask them to send three generals and three hundred thousand soldiers to protect the men, women, and dependents of a certain household, dispel the Three Calamities and Nine Afflictions (various disasters and hardships), and, in accordance with the prescribed memorial, sweep away calamity and distress.

I also make this petition on behalf of my own family and relatives, both near and distant, and of the deceased listed in the registers I bear, including those who died later, whether men or women. May they be promoted to higher realms, freed from all suffering, and ascend to Heaven without further entanglement. May their old illnesses be healed and their peace grow day by day. May they receive grace and have their wishes fulfilled; let these be signs of a responsive blessing. I humbly pray that the Supreme One judge each case. The rest is abbreviated in accordance with precedent. Following customary procedure, I bow and submit this memorial, reporting the auspicious events and merits of the Three Assembly held on a certain day in a certain month of this year. I respectfully bow twice and submit this report.

End of The Register of Memorials of Master Red Pine, fascicle four.

End of The Register of Memorials of Master Red Pine, fascicle four.

The Register of Memorials of Master Red Pine, fascicle five: Memorials reporting merits to the spirits of Heaven and Earth.

The ritual offices are listed in full.

The memorial states: In accordance with the documents, the Daoists named So-and-so, from the prefecture, county, village, and meditation hall of a certain place, were originally born as mortals and received the bestowal of…

The Celestial Officials oversee the registers of those who have received ordination registers. Their affairs, both within and beyond this world, are profound and unfathomable, and the blessings they bestow are vast. I, your subject, am of limited ability; my six emotions surge in confusion, yet I have failed to notice. As the years have passed, countless offenses have accumulated, and I fear I may not remain safe and well. Relying on the sacred registers of the immortals that I received and the protection of the divine, and mindful of their profound grace, I prostrate myself and knock my head upon the ground, presenting this petition to report my circumstances to Heaven.

I earnestly beseech the Supreme, Boundless Great Dao; the venerable lords and elders; and the Celestial Master and his lady, honored titles for Daoist deities: grant your transformative grace and pardon the countless offenses I and those with me have committed in past and present lives. Also pardon the errors I have made while repeatedly dispelling calamities, treating illnesses, and urgently submitting petitions on behalf of the people, women and men alike.