《赤松子章历》Vol. 4

We respectfully request that the Lord (Jun) and the Water-Tan Official (Shuitan Li), each one, descend together upon a certain household and seize the Jizhu Ghost (Jizhu Gui), together with the Male and Female Visiting Killers, the funeral carriages, and other baleful and malevolent forces, so that all of them are utterly destroyed. "Lord" and "Water-Tan Official" are both titles of the divine functionaries summoned in the memorial.

We further request that twelve Generals of Retreating Killing (Que Sha Jiangjun) descend together upon this household, subdue one hundred and twenty ghosts that bring calamity and deadly qi, and remove the Zhenguan Zhuqi (True Official Pouring Qi) from the neighborhood where the household stands. At the same time, we request three Generals who guard the residence, twenty-four officials, and three hundred thousand soldiers, each bearing weapons to stand guard outward, arranged in three rings around the dwelling to protect the house.

We also request that the Divine Water Envoys, together with the invited officials, sprinkle and sweep the interior of the house with divine water. This water is said to be able to travel ten thousand li, and it is used to cleanse the dwelling and sweep away the impure qi associated with corpses and pollution. The officials are responsible for escort, the deities for garrisoning, and the Retribution-Killing Generals (Bao Sha Jiangjun) shall be removed from the person who is nearing death. Once the task is accomplished, each of the divine functionaries shall return to the Celestial Bureau (Tiancao), where they will be rewarded according to their merit.

We also request that the Generals of Settling the Dwelling, Stabilizing the Dwelling, Pacifying the Dwelling, and the Upright Purifying Officials descend together to settle and guard the house, protect its inhabitants, and cause the related calamities and zhuqi to be cut off and extinguished.

For the thousand transgressions and myriad faults committed by the mortal body, and for the errors committed both before and after death, we earnestly beseech that all be pardoned together. We humbly ask Taishang (the supreme deity, a title of reverence) to examine and judge clearly, and to show pity and compassion.

The one receiving the memorial hereby sets forth the Fawei (the ritual rank conferred upon the officiant) and respectfully presents this memorial to the divine.

The memorial states: I respectfully set this out in accordance with the documents. I am merely descended from a low-ranking official and was born dull-witted. Fortunately, I have lived in an age of enlightened and peaceful rule, allowing me to take my place among the people. I have received the profound kindness of Heaven and Earth and have been able to enter official service.

In the past, I served under a certain dynasty. When my term ended, I was assessed, and the document recommending my promotion was submitted to a certain person. The royal order was also issued, and I did not dare delay or neglect it. I am now due to receive the official seal issued by the government on a certain day. Relying on the upright and generous transforming Qi of Heaven and Earth, on the day I carry out this appointment I will no longer attend to the ruler of the present court, but instead turn my heart toward the Way of the master. I report this to the spirits and ask for their compassion.

I respectfully prostrate myself and submit this memorial, praying on behalf of a certain person for the Lord of the Vermilion Bird (the deity who governs the Vermilion Bird direction) and his one hundred and twenty officials and generals to govern Luoping Palace and oversee harmony among the people and the coming and going of guests, so that meals and banquets may be joyful, free of resentment and aversion. I also pray for the deity who governs official rank and emoluments, together with his one hundred and twenty officials and generals; and for the lords of the Yi, Man, Rong, and Di peoples of the four directions, each with one hundred and twenty officials and generals, to join forces and come protect this person.

After the official seal has been received, may the spirits dispel every kind of disaster and harmful prohibitive influence, so that this person may prosper in official life and rise easily, serve with integrity and success, and remain safe and unharmed. Let this be proof of the efficacy of the rite. May the requested lords and officials report this on my behalf to the higher spirit authorities, and have it registered in the Central Palace, without harboring resentment over it. I earnestly ask the Most High to discern and decide the matter, and to select an auspicious day.

Memorial for Taking Office and Governing the People

List the titles and ranks of the ritual officials.

I, your servant, am of limited ability and shallow understanding. Through the court’s great kindness, I have been appointed to serve as the head of a county. Having accepted the imperial command, I must personally govern the people. Yet the world today is rife with deceit and disorder, and the affairs of humans and ghosts interfere with one another. As an ordinary person of little spiritual attainment, I fear I lack the power to avert calamity.

I will set out on the [day] of [month] and expect to arrive at my post and enter its jurisdiction on the [day] of [month]. Relying on Daoist Qi, I dare not use divination to choose an auspicious day or hour. I fear that upon entering the jurisdiction I may be harmed by the local earth spirits, the talisman masters and village shrines, lingering influences from food and drink, the Tai Sui generals, road taboos, the prevailing Qi of the Five Phases, or prohibitions associated with the Kui and Gang constellations. I therefore present my circumstances to the gods and pray for their protection.

I respectfully submit this memorial and ask the celestial officials in charge to inform the gods of every quarter of [name of] village: the true officials of the local earth, the postal couriers who carry documents, and the officials of the relay stations and villages. May they clear the roads for me and guard my person. I further summon one Lord Changluo and his 120 officials and generals; the General Who Bestows Protection, the Elder of Ten Thousand Blessings, and their subordinate officials and generals, to drive away every kind of calamity. I also summon one Lord Who Removes Harmful Prohibitions and his 120 officials and generals, together with the rulers and officials of the Yi, Man, Rong, and Di peoples in the four directions, to come here and join in guarding my person.

I also ask the Tai Sui general, the spirits who govern flourishing, decline, and loss during the four seasons, and all spirits associated with prohibitions to ensure that I enter the jurisdiction in safety, perform my official duties smoothly and impartially, and that my household remains well. May I be promoted and distinguished during my term, and may my hopes be fulfilled by year’s end. May the seasonal ruler and subordinate officials record my merits and report my diligence. I humbly ask the Most High to examine and decide this petition.

I pray to be granted one auspicious hour.

Memorial for Taking Office and Dispelling Obstacles (a memorial petitioning for the removal of impediments and calamities when assuming an official post)

With the following ritual rank (insert title of ritual office):

I, your servant, respectfully state, as recorded in the documents: I have been fortunate to encounter an age of enlightened rule and to receive an official appointment. Bearing the title of an immortal official, I am blessed with protection whenever I enter or leave; I feel truly honored and grateful. Since a past generation, my family has held official rank in succession and received the state’s great kindness. Now I am unworthily entrusted with a memorial...

In my memorial I state: I have carefully examined the relevant documents. I am fortunate to have encountered a clear and well governed age, and to have been appointed to serve among the immortal officials—the officeholders of the Daoist celestial administration. In all my comings and goings I have received your favor, and I feel deeply honored and comforted.

For generations, my family has inherited official rank and title, and has been greatly favored by the state. Now, unworthy though I am, I occupy a certain post. On a certain day, I respectfully accepted the royal command and undertook my duties in reliance on the Great Dao. I neither sought divination nor consulted an oracle, and I did not choose an auspicious date or hour; I went to take up the post with only a sincere heart.

Since accepting this position, I have often found dreams and waking life mingling, suffered recurring illness, and encountered strange events without apparent cause, though I do not know why. I therefore examined the calendrical cycles and the heavenly stems and earthly branches. On the day I received my appointment, the day’s stem and branch coincided with the “Five Separations” of my birth destiny, an inauspicious day. On another day, the stem and branch clashed with the annual cycle of my age, forming “Jiawu breaking Zichou.” The appointment also fell in the eleventh month, a declining month. The Grand Year occupied a certain direction; the punitive Sha was in one place, and the Tomb Sha in another. Together they brought punishment, clashes, and harmful interactions. The hour that day also fell under the Six Harmonies of the earthly branches, while simultaneously encountering the Six Harms.

I have heard that the Great Dao has no taboos, yet without sufficient sincerity it cannot take effect. To ward off calamity and avert harm, I have hastened here to make my report. I humbly request that a document be granted and respectfully submit this matter, hoping to dispel the punitive Sha and the harms caused by these conflicting forces. The hour that day also fell under the Six Harmonies, while simultaneously encountering the Six Harms. I humbly ask that this be examined.

The Great Dao, the supreme Way, has no taboos. If one’s intention is not sincere enough, nothing can be accomplished. To dispel calamities and ward off harm, I have come expressly to make this report and request a document. I respectfully submit it upward and pray that the Qi of the Great Dao descend into the human realm.

I respectfully petition on behalf of a certain person for the Lord of the Celestial Pavilion and his one hundred and twenty officers and generals. They govern Anyang Palace and are responsible for lifting the taboos of the Nine Heavens. When this person receives his appointment, please remove these taboos for him. I also petition for the twelve hundred Jade Maidens of the Celestial King, dressed in blue, who are responsible for receiving the people of the realm. May they enable people to bow and receive official rank, obtain gold and silver seals, communicate with the spirits, avoid calamities, dispel harm, and enjoy a lifespan of one hundred years. If the day this person bows to receive his office coincides with a Wu Li hour, an inauspicious time, and strange evils, wicked events, or other calamities arise, please remove them all as well. I earnestly request that the officials in charge above dispatch divine officers to grant the spiritual power sought here.

If this person is in the Office of the Twenty-Four Administrations, write “the Twenty-Four Administrations within the office”; if in a commandery, write “the Twenty-Four Administrations within the commandery”; if in a province, write “the Eighteen Administrations within the province”; and if in a county, write “the Seven Administrations of the county.” May they join their efforts to avert all evils and dispel taboos for this person. May he serve in office free from misfortune, deliberate in accordance with what is right, and win the goodwill of officials and people alike. May he be promoted in due course and enjoy peace and good fortune throughout the year.

On the day the wish is fulfilled, may the requested celestial officials report their merits and be rewarded for their labor. May they remove the taboos, ensure that this person serves in office safely, deliberates in accord with De, wins the goodwill of officials and people, is promoted in due course, and enjoys peace at year’s end. May they also report their merits and be rewarded for their labor, so that this prayer and covenant are not left unanswered. I earnestly implore the Most High to discern these matters clearly and to extend compassion and aid.

Petition for Relocation to a Senior Official Post

Set forth in full the ritual offices and ranks held.

The petition states: As described in the document, this person is an ordinary mortal, born of the womb and formed of flesh, descended from the dead. In the past, he took pleasure in teaching and followed the established rules, affiliating himself with the Great Dao. In this way he preserved himself and brought order to his person and mind. He received its profound grace and has often felt joy and consolation. This person comes from a family that has served in government for generations. He has held various offices, administered affairs of state, and earned a distinguished reputation. He now holds another post; this is not something a mere mortal could secure for himself, but is due to the Great Dao’s protection and care.

This official occupies a position of importance, or perhaps serves beyond the frontier… His responsibilities concern the affairs of a hundred states. Among rulers and ministers, many are forceful; officials and common people live under the weight of their power, and most have grown accustomed to cunning and evasiveness. Lawsuits are also numerous, making it difficult to distinguish injustice from fairness. This person fears that mishandling official documents will bring punishment upon him, and so he turns to the Dao with sincere devotion…

The Great Dao extends its grace widely, permitting subjects to submit appeals and petitions in writing to protect themselves. Burdened with a grave responsibility, I truly cannot bear the earnest pleas of ordinary people who come forward to appeal. Daring to approach amid this solemn majesty, I respectfully submit this memorial and report, praying that Heaven look down with compassion and protection.

I respectfully summon the lords of the Nine Yi in the east, the Eight Man in the south, the Six Rong in the west, and the Five Di in the north, together with twelve commanders, officials, and soldiers from each region. Let them descend at the appointed time and surround a certain person’s residence, guarding and attending on both sides. I again respectfully summon the five Lords of Ten Thousand Blessings and their one hundred and twenty officials and commanders, who oversee the expulsion of old evil influences and spirits, as well as curses and deceptive sorcery. May death depart and vitality arrive; may calamity recede and good fortune descend.

I again respectfully summon the five Great Star Lords and their one hundred and twenty officials and commanders to guard the Palace of the Stone Immortal. They oversee the ending of disputes and quarrels among the people, so that slander and malicious gossip no longer arise, each person may remain in their proper place, and people and officials may meet one another in joy and harmony. I again respectfully summon the General Who Protects, the Elder of Ten Thousand Blessings, and their one hundred and twenty officials and commanders to guard a certain person’s body. I again respectfully summon Lord Blue-Green and his one hundred and twenty officials and commanders to guard the Palace of the Great Gate, suppressing the evil influences arising from lawsuits, enmity, punishment, and calamity. May these influences cease and never descend again.

May Heaven dispatch the Celestial Official, the Lord of the Hour, together with one commander and official, to descend at the appointed time to a certain province, prefecture, county, township, village, and residence. Let each guard a certain person according to their duties, expelling evil spirits, pestilential poisons, epidemic influences, and deceptive sorcery, until all have dispersed. May this person’s thoughts become open and clear, their understanding lucid, and their Five Spirits alert—that is, may their mind and spirit be fully awake—so they know what to say and what to do. When thousands or hundreds of people speak, may they all approve and consent. May the household’s stores increase day by day and the whole family remain safe and at peace. At year’s end, may the person be recommended for good deeds, and may public and private affairs alike prosper and bring benefit. Let these outcomes serve as proof of the efficacy of this petition.

I should report the merits of the Lord of the Hour and the commander and official, and request their promotion in return for their service. I also ask that all offenses committed by ordinary people, young and old, whatever their number, be forgiven and pardoned. I humbly pray that this plea be granted.

May the Most High and the assembled divine perfected beings discern this petition.

Petition for Protection on a Military Campaign

A Daoist priest holding the appropriate ritual rank submits this petition:

According to the petition, a certain person was born in the ordinary human form, a descendant of officials in the lower realm. By good fortune, he has encountered a favorable time and received religious instruction; sheltered by divine grace, he is truly glad. Yet through ignorance, his offenses have piled up like mountains, often bringing calamity upon him.

This person has traveled a great distance, crossing rivers and mountain ranges, passing over the Huai and Si Rivers, and heading toward a dangerous enemy territory. He is caught amid the clash of swords and spears, surrounded by blades and poison; civil officials and military officers alike suffer cruel treatment. Military law is harsh and severe: even a slight breach may bring beheading and death. Evil men wield power and coerce others into wrongdoing. Ordinary people have too little merit and virtue to avert disaster and dispel misfortune. I fear that this person may encounter such a calamity and be unable to escape it. With earnest sincerity, he therefore relies on the Dao’s Qi and goes to the administrative seat—the office established by the Daoist tradition—to report the matter to the Daoist officials and ask for protection.

I humbly prostrate myself and submit this petition, entreating the Twelve Lords of the Nine Yi in the East, the Twelve Lords of the Eight Man in the South, the Twelve Lords of the Six Rong in the West, and the Twelve Lords of the Five Di in the North. I further entreat the Lord of a Thousand Li, the General of Ten Thousand Li, and the General of Protective Aid to guard this person together, accompany and protect him, and cover and shelter wherever he may be, so that he may always remain safe and at peace. May the gods drive away every kind of calamity, epidemic, evil ghost, and bandit; prevent swords and blades from harming him; deliver him from danger; and ensure that his dealings with the authorities proceed smoothly, without other penalties or entanglements. Let this serve as proof of the petition’s efficacy. In the future, I will report the gods’ accomplishments to the ruler and officials of the time and repay their protective grace.

I earnestly entreat the Most High and the assembled divine perfected beings to discern this petition. May they bestow their grace.

End of Volume Six of The Register of Petitions of Red Pine Master.