《三茅真君加封事典》

The Dao (the Way) has both an origin and a transmission. Its origin precedes Heaven and Earth, and its beginning cannot be traced; its transmission continues after Heaven and Earth, and will never come to an end. Yet people nowadays claim that our lineage of the Dao has been severed at times. Alas, how could that be so? In daily life, we eat when hungry and drink when thirsty; which of these does not embody the Dao? The Dao's lineage has been handed down from generation to generation and continues unbroken to this day, never having truly perished for a single day. The only concern is that the world may lack people to transmit it. Hence the saying: "It is people who can broaden the Dao; it is not the Dao that broadens people."

The traces left by the Mao Lords (the Mao family immortals) are known far and wide, and are recorded as early as the ancient histories of the pre-Qin period; later biographies have also described them in detail. Their exalted standing among the ranks of the immortals is, of course, beyond what ordinary people can fathom. Their merit and virtue reached all the Nine Provinces, and their grace has flowed down through ten thousand generations. The state relied on them for its stability, and the ancestral temples found support in them. From the Siling era through the Guling era, honorific titles were repeatedly added in praise of the three Mao Lords. At that time, Liu Jingyi traced their origins and brought them to wider renown.

In the reign of Emperor Lizong, our dynasty's eminent scholar Xubai, the Situ and Daolu (Registrar of Daoist Affairs), had prayers offered on behalf of the state and the people answered, and the court specially conferred on him the title "Zuojie Dongwei" (Mysterious Subtlety of the Left Street). The master said: "Alas, all of this was bestowed by the spirits of the three Mao Lords. How dare I claim this honor for myself? I wish to return this favor to the three Mao Lords, as an expression of gratitude to the source." Emperor Lizong consented, and the seal of the imperial edict shone brilliantly, illuminating the mountains, forests, and springs. At that time, Dachun was present as a disciple, and likewise did not dare to claim the honor for himself; he wished to ascribe it to the three Mao Lords, expressing his heartfelt gratitude to the root.

Emperor Lizong agreed to the matter, and the seal upon the imperial edict shone so brilliantly that it lit up the mountain forests and springs. At that time, Dachun was present as a disciple and witnessed the event with his own eyes. Master Situ had repeatedly urged that the story of the conferral of honors be inscribed on metal and stone as a permanent record, but before it could be completed, he passed away as an immortal. After Dachun succeeded to the affairs of the mountain, he long cherished the wish to fulfill Situ's unfinished intent, but because of the press of worldly duties, he was never able to take up the brush.

In the spring of the Dingmao year, the Inner Biography (Neizhuan) and the Continued Biography (Xuzhuan) had just been compiled, and fellow Daoists of the same rank again lamented that the Compendium of Conferred Honors had not yet been published. They held that if this compendium were not published, it would not suffice to manifest the numinous efficacy of the Three Mao Lords or the court's reverence for them, nor would it demonstrate the capacity of the Kongshan lineage to promote the Daoist teaching and clarify its transmission. I therefore humbly undertook the task and respectfully wrote this record to note the years and months.

Respectfully recorded on the fifteenth day of the third month of the Dingmao year by Zhang Dachun, specially granted the title "Master of Subtle Wonder, Clear Serenity and Luminous Truth," specially appointed Daoist Superintendent (Daozheng) of the Maoshan mountain gate, temporarily in charge of the Chongxi Abbey at the imperial court and concurrently overseeing all the palaces and abbeys of the mountain, and bestowed the purple robe.

Compendium of the Conferred Honors of the Three Perfected Lords Mao, Volume One

Situ Shitan, Eminent Scholar of the Xubai Studio at the YoushENG Abbey, specially granted the title "Master of Hidden Subtlety (Dongwei)," serving as Examiner of Righteousness of the Right Street and administrator of Daoist affairs, respectfully received the imperial command.

Compiled by Zhang Dachun, specially granted the title "Master of Subtle Wonder, Clear Serenity and Luminous Truth," specially appointed Daoist Superintendent of the Maoshan mountain gate, temporarily in charge of the Chongxi Abbey and administering all the palaces and abbeys of the mountain, and bestowed the purple robe.

The Department of State Affairs issued this document on a certain day in the first month of the ninth year of the Chunyou era.

On the first day of the first month, in respectful obedience to the sacred decree, a yellow edict was issued: Situ Shitan, Eminent Scholar of the Xubai Studio and Master Dongwei, is specially promoted to Registrar of Daoists of the Left Street, in charge of Daoist affairs. The relevant offices shall act accordingly.

A certain day in the first month of the ninth year of the Chunyou era.

The Department of State Affairs (Shangshu Sheng) issues this directive: Si Tu Shitan, styled "Master Dongwei" (Dongwei Xiansheng), is specially appointed Registrar of Daoists for the Left Street (Zuojie Daolu), the official responsible for Daoist affairs on the left side of the capital, and shall continue to oversee the affairs of the Daoist community. Once this document is delivered, it is to be handled in accordance with regulations. Chunyou, Year 9, Second Month, on a certain day.

Countersigned by Xie, Administrator of the Bureau of Military Affairs and concurrently Acting Assistant Councillor of State.

Countersigned by Ying, Co-Administrator of the Bureau of Military Affairs and concurrently Assistant Councillor of State.

Supervised by Zhao, Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs and concurrently Assistant Councillor of State.

Countersigned by the Grand Tutor, Chancellor of the Right, and Duke of Yue.

"Memorial Declining Appointment as Registrar of Daoists" (Cimian Daolu Biao)

The title is "Memorial of Thanks, Requesting Release from the Post of Registrar of Daoists."

Your servant Shi Tan submits this in candor: I have respectfully received the imperial edict. Because for three years I have offered prayers for the state, I have been specially promoted to Left Street Daoist Registrar (Zuojie Daolu), in charge of Daoist affairs. On hearing this appointment, I felt as though I had nowhere to stand, and my heart was seized with dread. I know well that "to know contentment is to be spared disgrace" is a principle made plain in the Daodejing (Dao De Jing), and that one ought to be wary precisely when favor is received is likewise a clear teaching of the Daoist tradition. The honor now bestowed upon me exceeds my station. I feel as if standing at the edge of an abyss, or treading on thin ice, fearful and ill at ease.

Your servant kowtows in gratitude for the sage grace. I consider myself shallow in talent, and my learning is insufficient even to speak of the Dao (the Way). I was originally only a humble man of the mountains and wilds, yet I have been appreciated by an enlightened sovereign. I twice traveled to the capital in the hope of beholding an age of flourishing, yet I long dwelt in the quiet of a purification retreat. By chance I obtained the opportunity to hear heavenly music, and I returned from the immortal isle of Penglai to make offerings in a blessed land. Your servant has hurried about and toiled, exhausting heart and strength to pray for auspicious fortune for the state, sincerely petitioning day and night, wishing to repay the sovereign's kindness with my own person. Yet I am ashamed that I have been of no benefit to the country, while repeatedly receiving rewards and reprimands.

Excess of good fortune, I fear, may instead invite calamity, and people often lament how thin their destiny is. My body is worn and wasted, gaunt as withered wood; my will is dispirited and my spirit (Shen) exhausted, like ashes that cannot be rekindled. That I requested retirement to a life of leisure truly came from my sincere heart. Your Majesty once granted my request and even bestowed gifts upon me. I was preparing to take Heaven and Earth as witnesses and swear to repay your kindness; I had also made a pact with the mountains and waters to withdraw for the rest of my life, wandering freely in the vast and tranquil expanse, far from the turmoil of the dusty world.

I never expected that Your Majesty would favor me once again, taking pity on my three years of toil and, as a special grace, suddenly promoting me to Left Street Daoist Registrar. Such favor is truly extraordinary, as if adding luster to my declining years. Yet to dress a monkey in splendid clothes is only to have them torn to shreds, and to hear magnificent music may merely dazzle and trouble the heart. Withdrawing to reflect, I feel only that I have received far too much by mere luck, and I fear that it will bring the misfortune of a fall from position.

I humbly beg Your Majesty, with the breadth of Heaven and Earth that embraces all and the brightness of the sun and moon that illuminates all, to perceive the sincerity of my heart from past to present, and to fulfill my lifelong conduct of contentment and yielding. Please withdraw the appointment already issued, and do not worry that revoking the decree would diminish your authority, so that I may live out my remaining years in peace, and perhaps still give my all in service to the court.

This gracious command I dare not accept. Having offended the majesty of Heaven, I am filled with trepidation; I look up in reverence to my sovereign, anxious and unable to rest. I respectfully submit this memorial for Your Majesty's attention. Respectfully submitted.

Having received the imperial favor bestowed during the Chunyou era, I dare not decline it on the grounds that I have declined before. I only hope to preserve the remainder of my life so that I may do my utmost to repay the court's kindness. As for all the additional honors conferred, I still dare not respectfully accept them. Your servant, having offended the majesty of Heaven, looks up to the Sage Sovereign with fear and earnest sincerity. I respectfully prepare this memorial and await the imperial decree.

In the second month of the ninth year of Chunyou, the court specially granted the title "Master Dongwei" (洞微先生), and appointed the eminent Daoist of the Xubai Studio, your servant Situ Shitan, as Inspector of Doctrine of the Right Quarter, in charge of the affairs of the Daoist community. Situ Shitan submitted a memorial declining with thanks, and received the decree: he is not permitted to decline again.

Document from the Inner Secretariat

On the seventh day of the intercalary second month, an imperial decree arrived: the eminent Daoist was specially promoted to Registrar of Daoists of the Left Quarter, and was issued one exhortation edict and one Secretariat transcript, with a request that he submit a memorial of thanks. After his reply was sent back, the decree once more declared that declining was not permitted.

On the seventh day, the relevant official document and one Secretariat transcript were sent down and deposited in Jurong County. On the fifteenth day of this month, Situ Shitan again submitted a memorial declining with thanks, requesting that the additional title conferred upon the Three Mao Perfected Lords, Directors of Destiny, be withdrawn.

Memorial Requesting the Conferral of Titles

Your Servant does not fear severe punishment and ventures to lay bare his sincere feelings, humbly beseeching that they reach the Heavenly ear. On the first day of the first month, your Servant respectfully received the Sovereign's grace and was appointed Left Street Daolu (a Daoist office responsible for administering Daoist affairs in and around the capital), in charge of the public affairs of the Daoist community. Your Servant submitted a memorial declining the post, but it was not granted. Now a further edict has been bestowed, commanding your Servant to accept the said office and forbidding any further refusal. Having received the command, your Servant feels both shame and trepidation, and at the same time is all the more grateful and all the more watchful.

Your Servant knows well that he ought to strive diligently to improve himself, having admired from an early age the path of cultivation marked by purity, tranquility, and authenticity. He never expected that, as the years advanced, he would still receive repeated favors. Withdrawing to examine himself, how could he fail to understand the root of all this? Humans take Heaven as their root, and the myriad things take their ancestors as their root. If humans do not trace themselves back to Heaven, they cannot understand the origin of the life they have received by decree; if the myriad things do not trace themselves back to their ancestors, they cannot probe the source to which all return in order to restore their destined nature.

Your Servant dwells near Mount Mao. Mount Mao is the place where the Three Mao Perfected Lords (the three immortals of the Mao family venerated in Daoism) attained the Dao (the Way), and it is ranked as the First Blessed Land of the Earth's Lungs and the Eighth Grotto-Heaven of Huayang (celebrated realms of immortals and sacred mountains in Daoist belief). Palaces, temples, and hermitages stand in dense array across the mountain; morning bells and evening chimes never cease. For generation after generation incense has been offered to the Three Perfected Lords, and Zhaijiao (purification rituals) are performed on behalf of the state, with prayers for the Sovereign's long life. Among the famous mountains of the realm, this one is especially flourishing.

From the Han dynasty down to our own Song dynasty, some have made manifest the hidden, unrevealed traces of the Three Perfected Lords, and others have revered their fair names, so that the incense offerings have continued from age to age without interruption. This is because the true immortals preside over their duties here, and the state, too, thereby cultivates enduring blessings. Overestimating himself, your Servant humbly petitions to return to the Sovereign's grace both the title "Gaoshi Jianyi" (Eminent Scholar Who Discerns Righteousness), previously bestowed upon him, and the Daolu appointment now conferred, and, following the recent precedent of conferring honorific titles upon the Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Celestial Master (Tianshi), the Protector-Sage Perfected Lord, to grant an honorific title to the Three Mao Perfected Lords, the founding patriarchs of this mountain, and to issue a special edict so that all three peaks may receive the honor of imperial favor. This is precisely the principle that humans take Heaven as their root and the myriad things take their ancestors as their root.

Your Servant respectfully submits an account of the deeds of the Three Perfected Lords and presumes to trouble Your Majesty to deign to review it.

The Mao clan's destiny of immortality has deep roots. The three brothers, the Elder Lord Mao Ying, the Second Lord Mao Gu, and the Third Lord Mao Zhong, lived in seclusion in mountain valleys, diligently cultivating the Dao (the Way) and accumulating merit. After attaining the Dao, they commanded the terrestrial immortals and, under commission from the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate), took charge of the Registry of Fates in the sacred peaks. They inspected and verified affairs throughout the Wu and Yue regions, and settled at Mount Chicheng to govern. The virtue of the three True Lords is recorded in the Purple Scripts, and their achievements are entered in the Jade Registers. The crane canopy and the dragon pool have repeatedly manifested marvels, and the heavenly lamps and cinnabar lights still appear and vanish to this day. In times of drought or flood, rain or snow, prayers to them are often answered, and fortune and misfortune are fulfilled as readily as an echo. Beacon fires on the frontier were quelled through them, and dreams of fish became omens by which auspicious signs were tested.

Since entering the mountain, I have often presided over prayers at the command of the prefectures and counties, and what I have seen is truly so. Moreover, successive dynasties have held the Three Mao True Lords in great reverence and repeatedly bestowed generous favor. During the Xiangfu and Jingde eras, the court strictly set prohibitions for the mountain, granted land, and later exempted it from taxes. Offerings at the shrines were conducted with great solemnity, and prayers frequently drew a response. Emperor Renzong, who took the throne after rainbow-and-lightning omens appeared, sent imperial incense on every birthday thereafter and commissioned the Golden Thread offerings. Emperor Gaozong repeatedly dispatched palace envoys to convey edicts, earnestly encouraging the worship and ordering the supervisory officials to protect the site. From the Qiandao and Chunxi eras onward, the court's reverence has been especially devout.

Recently, by the emperor's decree, I have been charged with conducting rites for invoking blessings and averting calamity. At every sacrifice, I respectfully transcribe the imperial edict and personally travel to the Grotto-Heaven to bow in worship, petitioning Heaven above and informing the mountains and rivers below. All matters pertaining to the shrines and their ceremonies are reported and handled together. I have often received the protection of the true immortals, and blessings of every kind have followed one upon another.

This is because Your Majesty's heart is tranquil and in accord with the Great Dao. Your De (Virtue) is cultivated in the subtle and profound, and your transforming influence reaches far into vast regions as distant as Kunlun, so that birds, beasts, fish, and turtles all live in peace, and the spirits of mountains and rivers are all at rest. Thus wherever efficacious signs have appeared, their traces can be seen, and once memorialized, they have all received commendation and enfeoffment. Only the three True Lords of this mountain have yet to be honored and made manifest. In my investigation, I find that the Three Lords Mao were first granted titles by the Supreme Emperor and put in charge of the Grotto-Heaven, and that earlier dynasties also conferred noble titles at the sites of their sacred traces. I respectfully list the relevant deeds below, and humbly beg Your Majesty to grant my request and adopt what I have submitted, by bestowing exalted titles upon these founding masters. Thus the merit of the three True Lords in protecting the state will be made plain, and the court's grand ceremony of repaying such achievements will be displayed. It is also the duty I should fulfill in remembering my roots and repaying the founding masters.

I deeply feel that Daoist practitioners in the mountains and forests have not lacked opportunities to meet an enlightened ruler, but many have thought only of their own glory and have not known to repay their origins, so that the spiritual radiance of the immortals remains buried to this day. I also reflect that my years and my fortune are both in decline, my heart like withered wood and my mind like dead ashes. I have not established the slightest merit, yet I have received excessive favor. If I were further to claim an undeserved honor, it would surely invite punishment from unseen powers.

I humbly beg Your Majesty to show compassion, take pity on your servant's advanced age and frailty, and recognize that I harbor no desire for glory. I respectfully hope that Your Majesty will bestow a special grace, adding honored titles to this famous mountain, so as to make manifest the place where the ancestors offered reverence and prayer, and to let the nation enjoy blessings for long ages. Your servant's gratitude is boundless.

Your servant respectfully copies out the three edicts originally issued when the Three Mao Perfected Lords (the three immortal Mao brothers) were first enfeoffed, and submits them together with this memorial. As for the edict of exhortation that Your Majesty bestowed upon your servant, I dare not gaze up toward the palace gates and receive it with reverence. I have already drafted an official document and deposited it in the government treasury of Jurong County, where it awaits instruction. Once permission is granted, your servant will copy both the earlier edicts and the present edict of exhortation into a memorial and submit them together. In giving offense to the majesty of Heaven, I respectfully await Your Majesty's judgment.

On a certain day in the second month, Situ Shitan, by special bestowal titled "Master of Hidden Subtlety" (Dongwei Xiansheng), Right-Street Overseer of Righteousness, High Scholar of the Studio of Empty Whiteness, and administrator of Daoist affairs, presents this memorial.

Edict of Enfeoffment of the Yuanfeng Era

A document of the Department of State Affairs states: By the imperial edict of the twenty-seventh day of this month. The edict declares that within the Grotto-Heaven of Mount Gouqu (Maoshan) dwell Perfected Ones whose transformations are inexhaustible and whose numinous wonder is beyond fathoming. From the Qin and Han dynasties down to the present, more than a thousand years have passed, during which auspicious signs have appeared without cease and benevolence has reached the common people. Yet the honored titles and fine designations remain incomplete, and they have not fully expressed the court's sincere reverence. At present, the title of the Great Mao Lord of Maoshan is "Perfected Lord of the Supreme Origin, Senior Minister of the Eastern Peak, Divine Lord Director of Destinies." It may be elevated to "Perfected Lord of the Supreme Origin and Wondrous Dao (Dao, the Way), Senior Minister of the Eastern Peak, Divine Lord Director of Destinies." In this way, it is hoped that the qi (vital energy) of Heaven and Earth may be harmonized, auspicious responses may be evoked, and the state may be aided in enjoying boundless peace and blessing. This is proclaimed for your knowledge.

The document further states: Carry out the above edict. Upon receipt of this document, act in accordance with the edict, so that harmonious qi may flow smoothly, auspicious responses may appear, and together they may help bring about the nation's lasting peace and blessing. This is announced for your knowledge.

Issued by the Department of State Affairs on a certain day in the fourth month of the first year of Chongning.

Countersigned by Wen, Grand Master of the Palace and Acting Right Vice Director; Lu, Grand Master of the Palace and Acting Left Vice Director; the Acting Right Grand Councilor, Right Grand Master of Silver and Azure Splendor; and the Left Grand Councilor, Left Grand Master of Resplendent Happiness.

The current title of Lord Zhongmao (中茅君) is "Perfected One Who Oversees Registers" (Dinglu Zhenren, the Perfected One in charge of the office of registration). It may be elevated to "Perfected One of Quiescent Emptiness Who Oversees Registers" (Dinglu Chongjing Zhenren).

The current title of Lord Xiaomao (小茅君) is "Perfected One Who Protects Life through the Three Officials" (Sanguan Baoming Zhenren, a Perfected One associated with the belief in the Three Officials and the protection of life). It may be elevated to "Perfected One of Emptiness and Wisdom Who Protects Life through the Three Officials" (Sanguan Baoming Chonghui Zhenren). Imperial approval was received again on the first day of the third month.

Document of Self-Examination

By imperial decree, the worthy scholar is informed that he must first accept the documents concerning admonition and self-examination, and may no longer decline them. Afterward, he is to submit a memorial expressing gratitude and reporting back. As for the matter of conferring the title of Perfected Lord (Zhenjun), instructions have already been issued for its implementation. In the intercalary second month, Yanqing respectfully received this approval.

Returned and submitted: the imperial yellow edict (chihuang, the document of an imperial decree issued by the emperor).

Third Memorial of Declination

Your servant, Shi Tan, states: On the first day of this month, I respectfully received the imperial decree commanding me first to accept the relevant documents. As for the matter of conferring the title of Perfected Lord, instructions have already been issued for its implementation. In the intercalary second month, Yanqing respectfully received this approval.

Returned and submitted: the imperial yellow edict.

Third Memorial of Declination

Your servant speaks plainly: on the first day of this month I respectfully received the imperial edict. I first accepted the relevant decree, and His Majesty has already ordered that the conferral of additional titles upon the Three Mao Perfected Lords (Sanmao Zhenjun) be carried out.

Your servant considers that the immortal masters shunned favor and sought no glory, yet even this was graciously permitted by the court. Now, as honorific titles are requested on their behalf, His Majesty has further issued a gentle and generous edict. I do not dare to petition again so presumptuously, and can only hope to move the Emperor's heart. I respectfully offer my thanks for this grace.

I reflect that the Three Peaks rise lofty and beautiful, and the three Perfected Lords each govern their own domains. Their nine virtues (De) are profound and flourishing, and the Nine Bestowments they received reveal the extraordinary nature of the spirits. Their benevolence has spread everywhere and has also moistened people stricken by drought. Moreover, the altars and shrines they left behind receive offerings and enjoy great renown across the Jianghuai region. When the frontier is calm, there may be a chance that the spirits have lent their support; when sweet rain waters the rice fields, it also depends on the spirits' help in difficult times. Their merits are recorded in the histories and sung in poetry. They ascended to heaven upon receiving a mandate, never intending to seek earthly rank. Now, to honor their achievements by entering them into the registers is precisely how a subject shows reverence for the sacred dynasty. It will bring blessings without end for ten thousand generations, truly a momentous occasion that comes once in a thousand years.

All this depends on Your Majesty: your virtue and ability are complete, you govern all within heaven and earth, and moral power shows itself naturally in your majestic bearing, extending the bounty by which heaven and earth transform and nurture all things. You delight in the highest teaching and, following the Yellow Emperor, practice fasting and purify the heart. You also value the famous mountains and have understood the intent of the benevolent sovereigns who followed the turning of the times. Thus you have gathered the traces left by the Taiyuan in order to confer honorific titles and bring peace to the spirits.

Your servant reflects that he is cautious and fearful, and does not dare to fish for fame. In his heart he holds only a sincere wish to repay the source, and so he has petitioned with all his loyalty, not through false scheming to seek a reputation. Since I have received Your Majesty's benevolent understanding of my wishes and the ceremony is about to be carried out, to add yet more rewards would, I fear, only invite Heaven's reproach. I dare only await the imperial decree respectfully, so that it may be displayed clearly in the Daoist temples, and I will carefully proclaim Your Majesty's intent, praying that the spirits continue to protect the foundations of the state. May the myriad things grow and ripen, and may this bring a bountiful harvest of the five grains; your servant also wishes to rouse the army's might and join in seeking peace for the realm.

The three copies of the Gaoshi jianyi dao lu that your servant previously received as a gift are now returned together with this document. Your servant, having offended the imperial majesty, respectfully awaits the Emperor's decision.

On a day in the third month, Master Dongwei (an honorific title bestowed by the Daoist establishment), Sit<br>Tu Shitan, Right Street Jianyi, Director of Religious Affairs, and Eminent Scholar of the Xubai Studio, submitted this memorial.

Having received the imperial edict, which was not granted and which also forbade any further refusal, he submitted the following.

Document Returning Honors, Submitted for Internal Review

Respectfully submitted by Sitú Shitan, in his official capacity:

On the first day of this month, I was honored to receive an imperial order instructing me to accept the relevant edicts in advance. Previously, the court had already commanded that the Three Mao True Lords be granted additional titles, and I had petitioned that His Majesty withdraw this favor toward me. Now, awaiting the imperial decree, I return all the items bestowed upon me, and I humbly beg that my request be granted.

I know well that the Lords Mao (immortals revered in Daoism) have manifested remarkable sacred traces and that their vow to aid the world is profound. From the Han and Jin dynasties down to the present, more than a thousand years have passed. The common people have received their grace, and the calamities of war and disease have been lessened. Whenever rain fails to come in season, the prefectures and counties go to pray to them, and their prayers are often answered. The Three Mao True Lords stand together within the shrine hall, and this is truly a vital place for the governance of religious affairs. In recent years, people have gradually grown accustomed to it, and fewer come to pay their respects and offer incense. That a famed mountain of a thousand ages should fall into such a state is cause for lament.

Lately, violent winds and rains have not ceased, and warfare on the borders has not yet subsided. Although I am only a humble person living in the countryside, I am still fearful and anxious over this morning and night. Within my heart I cherish love for my sovereign and concern for the state, yet I have no power to serve. I can only concentrate my mind in a single thought and pray in secret to the three True Lords, never daring to slacken for a moment. I wish to rely on the Dao-power of these immortals to help the state accord with Heaven's will and manifest auspicious signs, to protect the great enterprise of the state, and to safeguard the ancestral temple and the altars of the realm in lasting peace.

I know that I am old and frail. I have been fortunate to dwell in a blessed land and have repeatedly received the court's generous favor, yet I have not even the slightest merit with which to repay it. Such an exceptional reward is something I truly dare not accept rashly. Fortunately, His Majesty has already withdrawn the favor granted to me and turned instead to honoring the immortals. If I did not once more earnestly decline, I fear I could hardly avoid the criticism of deceiving my sovereign. Therefore, in accordance with righteousness, I must persist in declining, and even if it cost me ten thousand deaths, I would not regret it.

I respectfully return, together with this document, the three credentials successively bestowed upon me: those for Eminent Scholar, Jianyi, and Daolu (Registrar of the Daoist Registry). I humbly request that Your Excellency report this on my behalf, and take note that my sincerity is not a pretense to seek glory and favor. I ask that the appointments be withdrawn, that a special clear edict be issued conferring titles upon the Three Mao True Lords, and that the relevant offices be ordered to carry it out and proclaim it within and beyond the court. In this way the sage ruler's intention to honor the great Dao for the sake of the people will be made manifest, and the efficacious response of the Three Mao True Lords in aiding the age and protecting the state will also be made clear. I pray that the imperial house's blessings extend without break for ten thousand years. This is my most earnest wish.

This document is respectfully submitted to the Commander-in-Chief and Grand Defender in charge of Court Affairs, with the humble request that it be forwarded to the throne and that I await the imperial decree for its execution. Respectfully reported.

Two copies of the Department of State document were made: one was sent to the Jiankang Prefecture, and the other to the mountain itself. On the twenty-eighth day of the intercalary second month, the court had already received an imperial edict and issued an order conferring additional titles upon the Three Mao Perfected Lords (Sanmao Zhenjun):

The Perfected Lord of Supreme Origin, Wondrous Dao, and Humble Emptiness (Taiyuan Miaodao Chongxu Zhenjun), who is also the Divine Lord of Destiny and Senior Minister of the Eastern Peak, is granted the additional title "Sacred Protection" (Shengyou).

The Perfected Lord of Supreme Dao and Quiet Humility (Zhidao Chongjing Zhenjun), Director of Records and Right Prohibitions, is granted the additional title "Protection by Virtue" (Deyou).

The Perfected Lord of Subtle Wonder and Humble Wisdom (Weimiao Chonghui Zhenjun), who safeguards life as one of the Three Officials (Sanguan), is granted the additional title "Protection by Benevolence" (Renyou).

One copy of the above document is to be sent to the Jiankang Prefecture, to be handled accordingly; the other is to be sent to the Chongxi Abbey (Chongxi Guan).

Chunyou 9th year (1249), third month, on a certain day.

Official Letter Submitting the Department of State Document and Reporting to the Jiankang Prefecture

Report from the Chongxi Abbey on Mount Mao: On the fifteenth day of this month, we received two documents issued by the Bureau of Military Affairs and the Department of State, one for this abbey and one for the Jiankang Prefecture to handle. The documents record that, on the twenty-eighth day of the intercalary second month, an imperial edict was respectfully received, specially ordering that additional honorific titles be conferred upon the Three Mao Lords of Destiny of this mountain.

We now submit one of the Department of State documents together with this letter to the Jiankang Prefecture, and request that it be passed on to the Daoist Registry (Daozheng Si) within its jurisdiction, and that all Daoist abbeys, temples, and hermitages in every locality be notified, so that everyone may know of this matter. This abbey dares not act on its own authority and respectfully awaits instructions.

Chunyou 9th year, third month, on a certain day. Submitted by Ye Xipeng, Master of the Lingbao (Lingbao Dashi), Chief Daoist Registrar of Mount Mao, Abbot of the Chongxi Abbey, and supervisor of all the palaces and abbeys of this mountain.

We also received an official letter relayed from the Inner Department proclaiming the emperor's will: the two Department of State documents conferring additional titles on the Three Mao Perfected Lords are to be bestowed upon the eminent Daoist, to be delivered first. Ye Xipeng, Abbot of the Chongxi Abbey and supervisor of all the palaces and abbeys of this mountain, is ordered to report that they have been received, and then to submit a memorial in reply. On a certain day in the third month, Yanqing respectfully received the document.

Receipt Form for the Conferral of Additional Titles by Department of State Document

Your servant Shi Tan memorializes: On the twentieth day of this month, I received the imperial edict, respectfully conveyed by the Chief Supervisor and Chief Grand Commandant, announcing that the court, by the grace of the sovereign, has conferred upon the Perfected Lords Sanmao, Directors of Destiny, a six-character sacred title: "Sacred Protection, Virtuous Protection, and Benevolent Protection." Two edicts of investiture were issued in all, and I was commanded to receive and keep them in advance. I have respectfully accepted one of them and entrusted it to the Chongxi Guan (a Daoist temple), and I have notified all the palaces and temples of this mountain so that everyone may know of it. The other is now being delivered to the Prefectural Office (the local government).

Moved by the sovereign's grace, I respectfully await the arrival of the edicts at the mountain. When they come, I will receive both with offered incense in my hands, observe a fast and perform a rite of announcement, and personally lead all the Daoists of the mountain up to the summit to hold a jiao (a Daoist ritual of offering), praying that the Emperor's life may be boundless and joining in the wish for the dynasty's prosperity. Grateful for the sovereign's grace, and trembling with awe, I humbly submit this memorial first so that it may be made known.

Ninth year of Chunyou, third month.

Memorial of Thanks for Promotion to Daolu (a memorial thanking the court for appointment as Daolu, a Daoist registrar)

Your servant Si respectfully states: I have received the Emperor's edict, which graciously promoted me to Left Street Daoist Registrar (the official in charge of Daoist affairs in the capital) and commanded me to oversee the public affairs of the three jurisdictions of the Daoist community (administering Daoist matters across the relevant regions). I repeatedly submitted memorials asking to be relieved of the post, yet the Emperor still decreed that my request was not permitted. I have bowed from afar toward the palace gates, accepted the imperial favor, and offered my thanks.

I consider that the Great Dao (Dao, the Way) is by nature nameless, so how would I dare to covet the standing of a recluse in the mountains? The court records even the smallest good deeds, and has made a special point of raising me to the post of Left Street Daoist Registrar. This is truly the highest honor in the discussions of scholars, and far beyond anything I have dared to hope for in my life. I firmly declined but was not permitted, and on hearing of the appointment I was filled with trepidation. (The customary phrases of thanks are omitted here.)

I reflect that my knowledge is not broad or penetrating, and my talents are neither great nor far-reaching. I was content to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests, and my learning is insufficient to comprehend the principles of past and present. Yet I have always wished to assist in the governance of the age, and I harbor loyalty and am willing to give my strength to the state. In my later years I have met the era of a sage and enlightened ruler, relying on the Emperor's grace, which shines like the sun and moon. I have no merit of my own, yet I have been given responsibility, and the favor shown me is truly excessive. I was already worried that my fortune is too slight to bear it, and now the court's yellow-paper letter of appointment has added still further to my official title.

I shall take up the lofty manner of purity, stillness, and emptiness, and follow the virtue of the ancients in nourishing one's true nature. When word of this spread to the mountains and countryside, people were astonished and discussed it, as though the old affairs of Huayang (another name for Mount Mao) had been revived. Members of the Daoist community also sighed with admiration, saying that my immortal title has thereby gained new luster. By right I ought to decline to the very end, but I feared that doing so would bring offense. I therefore forced myself to accept respectfully, facing the court, though my heart is as unsettled as that of a Han-dynasty official.

All this is because Your Majesty's virtue is cultivated in harmony and balance, and your teaching honors stillness and tranquility. You have long practiced the "Three Nons" (the Daoist path of stillness and Wuwei (non-action) that is held in reverence), you attend to the business of government with diligence and reverence, you order all affairs well, and you overlook no detail, however small. For this reason even an aged and useless man such as I has received the light of your favor.

How could I dare not apply myself with still greater effort in cultivation, so as to preserve my integrity in my remaining years? Since the court has not cast aside me, a man in retirement, how could I fail to burn incense and pray for the Emperor's ten thousand years of life? Even though I am like a worn-out, inferior horse, I do not dare to fail the Emperor's profound regard. Grateful for your kindness and trembling with unease, I respectfully submit this memorial to the Emperor in thanks.

In the third month of the ninth year of Chunyou, your servant Si, newly promoted Left Street Daoist Registrar, Master Dongwei, Eminent Scholar of the Xubai Studio, and overseer of the public affairs of the Daoist community, kowtows and respectfully presents this memorial in gratitude.

In the third month of the ninth year of the Chunyou era (1250), Situ Shitan, your servant, newly and specially appointed Registrar of the Left Street Daoists, Master Dongwei, Eminent Scholar of the Xubai Studio, and Administrator of Daoist Affairs, submits this memorial.

The Inner Secretariat has forwarded the official documents concerning the conferral of additional titles upon the Perfected Lords (Zhenjun), the proclamation to the Daoist corridors, and the bestowal of ritual articles. By imperial decree, the following is conveyed to the Eminent Scholar Situ: the edicts of investiture are hereby issued, together with a list of the incense, tea, and other items to be used in the jiao offering (Zhaijiao, a Daoist ritual of altar-based prayer). After these have been counted and received, a report is to be submitted to the throne.

On a certain day of the third month, Yanqing respectfully received the decree.

The Three Edicts of Investiture

The first edict: The Perfected Lords are vast in their spiritual power and numerous in their duties. They ride the wind and roam in spirit beyond the eight directions, yet their hearts remain bound to the living, whom they constantly watch over. The Perfected Lord of Great Mystery and Wondrous Dao, Humble Emptiness, and the Divine Lord of Destiny, Senior Minister of Shuyue, attained the Dao on Mount Mao and holds a place in the registers of the immortals. He is the foremost of the three Perfected Lords. Through the generations he has repeatedly shown his efficacy, and people near and far revere him as the Lord of Destiny. We have long admired the faith of the common people, and so we specially command the officials concerned to bestow an additional honorific title without delay, as a sign of our respect. He is now specially invested as "Perfected Lord of Great Mystery and Wondrous Dao, Humble Emptiness and Sacred Protection, and Divine Lord of Destiny, Senior Minister of Shuyue."

The second edict: The text of this edict is badly corrupted in many places. The legible portions largely repeat the earlier wording: that, because of the people's devotion, the officials concerned were commanded to bestow an additional honorific title as a sign of respect, and that the Perfected Lord of Great Mystery and Wondrous Dao, Humble Emptiness and Sacred Protection, and Divine Lord of Destiny, Senior Minister of Shuyue, is specially invested with it.

The third edict: The Jintan cavern-heaven is famed far and wide and has been revered through the ages. Can it be that only in our own time is this so? The Perfected Lord of Utmost Dao and Quiet Humility, Director of Records and Right Prohibitions, cultivated perfection and attained the Dao, and is known as the Middle Mao Lord. When prayers are offered to him, he answers by sending rain or stopping it, and the people near and far remember his kindness. We specially command the officials concerned to bestow an additional honorific title, in return for his protection. May he understand our intention and continue to guard the people unseen. He is now specially invested as "Perfected Lord of Utmost Dao and Quiet Humility and Virtuous Protection, Director of Records and Right Prohibitions."

Emperor Wu of Han once held sacrifices to the Divine Lord within the palace precincts. The prayers used in those rites were highly secret, presumably to seek blessings and protection, and I do not adopt such a practice. The Perfected Lord of the Three Officials, Protector of Life, Subtle and Wondrous, Profound in Wisdom, Benevolent and Protective, is extraordinary in his true bearing and in the Qi of the Dao (Way), and is known as the Little Lord Mao. People pray to him with sincerity and serve him with reverence, and the court has long made offerings to him and honored him. I now confer an expanded honorific title on him, to express my admiration and respect and to extend his grace so that all beings may receive blessings. He is hereby enfeoffed as "Perfected Lord of the Three Officials, Protector of Life, Subtle and Wondrous, Profound in Wisdom, Benevolent and Protective."

This order has been promulgated; when the document arrives, it shall be carried out accordingly. Third month of the ninth year of the Chunyou era (1249).

The officials who took part in handling this matter, together with the clerks who processed the document, are listed below: the Grand Tutor and Left Chancellor Qingzhi, Duke of Wei; the Right Chancellor Kui; the Vice Chancellor Fangshu, among others; along with officials and clerks of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel. The document is recorded as issued on the fifteenth day of the third month of the ninth year of Chunyou.

Ceremonial gifts bestowed: a gold-traced ruyi scepter of aloeswood, with a handle made of descending incense (jiangzhen xiang), placed in a yellow silk bag and held in a black-lacquered case fitted with lock, key, and tin ornaments, to be presented before the statue of the Great Lord Mao; also two jade tablets (gui), tied with red... These gifts were issued on the fifteenth day of the third month of the ninth year of Chunyou.

An agarwood (chenxiang) ruyi scepter painted with gold, fitted with a handle of jiangzhen incense wood, is placed in a yellow silk-gauze bag and then in a black-lacquered case. The lock and key of the case are both made of tin. It is offered to the image of the Elder Lord Mao (Da Maojun). The image of the Middle Lord Mao (Zhong Maojun) holds two jade tablets (gui), each placed in a red bag decorated with gold leaf and then in a small vermilion case, with a large vermilion case enclosing it for protection; the locks and keys of all the cases are made of tin. The image of the Younger Lord Mao (Xiao Maojun) holds two green brocade banners of the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun), woven with heavenly designs, each two zhang in length.

Fourteen Items of Ceremonial Regalia (Weiyi)

One pair of tally-staffs (jie), each of five tiers, braided from cords in five colors. Each tier has a copper tube and a copper cover. On top is a hexagonal canopy, and from the mouths of dragon heads hang six polychrome banners decorated with gold leaf. Copper bells are fitted to the hems of the banners, eighty-four on each staff. The dragon head is mounted on a vermilion pole with a copper base beneath.

One pair of standards (chuang), decorated with beadwork. Each standard has three colored gauze streamers decorated with gold leaf, and on top is a hexagonal canopy, with dragon heads each holding in their mouths a polychrome banner decorated with gold leaf, six in all. Copper bells are fitted to the banner streamers, ninety-three on each standard. The dragon head is mounted on a vermilion pole with a copper bell-shaped base beneath.

One pair of pennants (jing), each of four tiers. Every tier is fitted with fifteen five-colored ribbons decorated with gold leaf, six knotted ribbons in assorted colors decorated with gold leaf, and three hundred and forty-three copper bells. Each pennant is topped with a precious pearl and set on a vermilion pole with a copper base beneath.

One pair of banners (fan), made of red brocade. Each banner bears a set of jade pendants, six pieces to a set, as well as five strings of beads, from each of which two drops are suspended. The banners are topped with a hexagonal canopy, and from the mouths of dragon heads hang six small banners in assorted colors decorated with gold leaf, each with ninety-eight copper bells. The banner is mounted on a vermilion pole with a phoenix head, and a copper base beneath.

One pair of Five Brilliances fans (wuming shan), with a plain white ground and wings of cranes painted in gold. Each fan is fitted with two longevity ribbons of gauze and silk decorated with gold leaf, and six copper bells, and is mounted on a vermilion pole with a copper base beneath.

A pair of feather fans, attached to handles finished in plain white powder and decorated with gold painting. Each fan comes with two gold-decorated silk longevity ribbons of colored gauze, shaped like crane wings, and in addition two gold-decorated silk-gauze longevity ribbons and six bronze bells. The handles are vermilion, with bronze fittings at the lower end.

Another pair of feather fans, attached to handles finished in plain white powder and decorated with gold painting. Each fan comes with two gold-decorated silk longevity ribbons of colored gauze; the handles are made of vermilion-lacquered wood, with bronze fittings at the lower end.

A pair of ruyi scepters, adorned with gold-painted, colored decoration.

Twelve yellow silk bags for storing and protecting the ceremonial implements.

One vermilion wooden case for holding the ceremonial implements, divided into two compartments and fitted with a full set of locks and keys.

Two black-lacquered upright stands for the ceremonial implements.

Five taels of aloeswood incense, five taels of borneol incense ("naozi," a type of aromatic), fifty sheets of new tea, and one hundred taels of silver.

On the twenty-third day of the fourth month, a jiazi day, the townspeople from the surrounding areas were summoned to receive the imperial edict with reverence and to proclaim it to the Three Peaks (the three peaks of Maoshan). It had rained continuously for days. On the twenty-second, the Master of Eminent Virtue ascended the altar and urgently presented a memorial petitioning for clear skies. At the fifth watch the next morning, drums were beaten to assemble the crowd, and the days of rain stopped at once; the sky cleared, the clouds parted, and the sun shone bright.

The Master of Eminent Virtue personally led the abbots, leaders, and Daoist community members of the palace-temples of the mountain, together with the Daoists from the hermitages and cells, and joined the townspeople, scholars, and village elders in going out to the Reception Pavilion beyond the mountain to welcome the edict. Incense and flowers were laid out, along with ceremonial banners, standards and pennants, gongs, drums, cymbals, and refined music, while an immortal retinue of ceremonial guards accompanied the procession. The officials of Changning Town on the mountain also led soldiers carrying flags, standing in formation and beating drums as escort, numbering over a thousand. People from near and far who lived in the mountains came to watch, packed as densely as a wall.

On that day, the weather was clear and mild, and auspicious mists and clouds appeared as if painted; cranes called in the clear sky, and a white hare appeared on the mountaintop. The procession first escorted the edict to the gate of Chongxi Temple, where the Master of Eminent Virtue led the leaders of the various mountain palace-temples, together with Daoists and laypeople, to face the direction of the imperial court, bow in thanks for the emperor's grace, and cheer "Long live the emperor!" Afterward, they ascended Damao Peak to hold the ceremony, read aloud the edict, and present the precious implements; they then ascended Zhongmao Peak and Xiaomao Peak, offering the ceremony in the same manner as before.

Prayer Text for the Great Peak

In the ninth year of Chunyou of the Great Song (1249), the year of Jiyou, the first day of the fourth month fell on a Renyin day, and the twenty-third was a Jiazi day. Situ Shitan, your servant, newly promoted to Registrar of the Left Daoist Street, Master Dongwei, Eminent Scholar of the Xubai Studio, and administrator of Daoist affairs, respectfully kowtows twice and submits this memorial:

I have heard that the profound Dao (the Way) is hidden and unrevealed, and cannot be named in words. Even when we speak of it by a makeshift title, its vastness only grows more apparent with time. True immortals prize the concealment of their traces, so why would they need to seek renown? Now, to express a servant's sincere devotion, I have presented this memorial to the court, and the matter has for the moment drawn wide attention. Your Majesty has issued a bright decree, bestowing an especially honored title and holding this rare and splendid ceremony, which is truly a major rite for making the teachings manifest.

Respectfully, I submit that the Perfected Lord of Great Origin, Wondrous Dao, Humble Emptiness, Sagely Protection, the Shuyue Senior Minister and Divine Lord Director of Destiny, oversees the affairs of the Haoyue region and presides over the spirits of mountains and rivers. He holds the upper peak of Mount Gouqu (Mount Mao) as the seat of his registry and judgment. His grace reaches all things, and his virtue (De) benefits the common people. His name is engraved on purple jade and yellow gold in shining splendor, and he has received the Nine Bestowments (the honors that ancient rulers granted to those of special merit). He waves the azure banner, gathers the brocaded feathered standards, and summons and commands the myriad spirits.

Though his immortal title is already exalted, the court's enfeoffment may not yet have fully revealed his merit and virtue. Now Your Majesty, longing for the Dao, surpasses the ancient sovereigns in virtue. Honoring the intentions of the sage rulers of past generations, you have ascended a famous mountain to offer sacrifice, both to pray for blessings on the people and to commend the achievements of the perfected spirit. After the splendid decree of commendation was proclaimed, the great merit of the perfected spirit became manifest. "Sage" shows that his nine virtues are complete, and "Protection" shows that all beings receive his compassionate grace. Colorful luan birds arrive carrying books that urge goodness, and white cranes soar overhead and look down. Both the human and heavenly realms rejoice in this grace, and the mountains shine more brightly because of it.

Your servant, standing reverently on the sacred peak, has solemnly proclaimed the sovereign's command and, in accordance with the court's will, prays for blessings for all under heaven. I humbly beseech that Your Majesty enjoy long life and that the nation prosper, that war cease forever and the world move gradually toward peace, that the harvests be bountiful year after year, and that the people live in ease and joy like those of the land of Huaxu. May cultivators of the Way and worthy followers of the Dao thereafter all enter the realm of perfect goodness and share the blessing of long life. My feelings are earnest in the extreme, and I respectfully bow twice and kowtow as I submit this memorial.

The prayer text for the Second Peak is identical to the one above; continue reading from here.

Respectfully we recount: the Perfected Lord of Dinglu and Youjin, of Supreme Dao, Tranquil Stillness, and Protecting Virtue (a Daoist deity enfeoffed at Mount Mao), was endowed with pure emptiness and harmonious calm, and fully possessed spiritual power and virtue. He received the Purple Plain Writ (a document by which Daoist immortals are granted their commissions) and remained to govern the Palace of Pure Emptiness. Immortal music resounds among the grotto terraces while he dwells at ease; wind and rain descend in their proper seasons, and his grace has already reached the common people and all living things.

He holds the office of Immortal Overseer of the Central Inspectorate, and has the merit of guarding and upholding the Right Prohibitions. Although the exalted titles bestowed by Heaven are already lofty, the court's honorific titles may still fail to display his virtue fully. Therefore the Emperor, devoted in mind to the Daoist teachings and surpassing the sovereigns of earlier ages in virtue, reverently follows the intentions of the sage rulers of successive generations and holds sacrificial rites at the renowned mountains. Since these rites seek blessings for the people, he uses the ceremony to honor the Perfected Lord's merits. The commendatory edict shines brilliantly, proclaiming in full the Lord's excellence and his vast spiritual protection. Colorful luan birds carry the offerings in their beaks, and white cranes soar down as if coming to inspect the rites; heaven and earth alike rejoice in the blessing, and the mountains gain new splendor. Respectfully we come to the numinous peak and proclaim the command of the sovereign. The remaining ritual text is the same as above.

The prayer text for the Third Peak is identical to the one above; continue reading from here.

Respectfully we recount: the Perfected Lord of the Three Officials, Protector of Life, of Subtle Wonder, Profound Wisdom, and Benevolent Aid (a Daoist deity associated with the functions of the Three Officials and the preservation of life), was clear in intelligence and upright in achievement. He keeps the registers stored with the Jade Nectar and was enfeoffed at the Golden Gate Tower (the palace of the Celestial Emperor). His Dao and De are manifest in all things, and his benevolence inspires reverence; he commands the Six Heavens and holds an honored place as Protector of Life. He was granted the Purple Plain Writ, and the lands he governs include Mount Liangchang. Although his immortal titles are already exalted, the court's honorific titles may still not have fully praised his virtue.

Now the Emperor, devoted in mind to the Daoist teachings and surpassing the sovereigns of earlier ages in virtue, reverently follows the intentions of the sage rulers of successive generations and holds sacrificial rites at the renowned mountains. Since he seeks blessings for the people, he uses the ceremony to honor the Perfected Lord's merits. The commendatory edict shines brilliantly, fully proclaiming his virtue, and the rites of reverence for the true Dao are solemnly performed, so as to manifest the efficacy of the spirit's protection and bestowal of blessings. Inwardly, the standards of law have been harmonized; outwardly, the work of moral transformation has been settled. All this reflects the depth of his benevolence, which prevents cruelty and calamity from arising and brings the people under his grace; is this not the protection of the divine? White cranes draw near in flight, and colorful luan birds present the offerings; heaven and earth alike rejoice in the blessing. The remaining ritual text is the same as above.

Here ends the first fascicle of the Record of the Investiture Ceremonies for the Three Perfected Lords Mao.

When the Three Mao Perfected Lords (Sanmao Zhenjun) descended, violence and calamity ceased, and the common people received their blessings. What is this, if not the protection of the spirits? Recently white cranes have soared through the sky, and colorful luan birds have come bearing auspicious omens as encouragement. Heaven and earth alike rejoice in receiving these blessings, and the circumstances are the same as those described above.

End of the first volume of the Record of the Conferral of Honors upon the Three Mao Perfected Lords

Second volume of the Record of the Conferral of Honors upon the Three Mao Perfected Lords

Celebratory Jiao Rite for the Conferral of Added Sacred Titles upon the Three Mao Perfected Lords

The ritual proceeds as usual until the invitation of the sages and perfected ones:

Your servant has heard that Heaven protects the imperial house and watches over the people of the realm, and that when the state reveres its sacrificial rites, even the mountains, rivers, grasses, and trees look up to receive its favor. No spirit goes unhonored, and so every blessing is able to descend. The seat of the perfected immortals lies on lofty Mount Juqu. Its Hall of Medicines and Garden of Divine Mushrooms have long been solemnly venerated, and when the spirits arrive, they often ride cloud-chariots down to the sacred site. Now, in this sage and enlightened age, a radiant and magnificent ceremony is held especially for the occasion. An imperial edict has been issued to add an auspicious title to the Perfected Lords, an auspicious day has been chosen, and the officials concerned have been ordered to prepare the ritual. The fragrance of the jade orchid is pure and rich, and it waits for the sound of reed pipes and for cranes to arrive from the sky. The immortal herbs in the cave-dwelling glisten and shine, as though the music of flutes and the luan birds were crowding around the procession as it comes. Your servants respectfully receive the imperial command and devote themselves to announcing it to the perfected spirits. Having fasted and purified our hearts, we have composed the Azure Prayer (qingci) and shall respectfully read it aloud as a memorial.

The prayer is now read aloud.

Having respectfully set forth these words, I have fully expressed my utmost sincerity. The divine presence is profound and all-seeing, and will surely look down and take note. Your subject has heard that the True Lord shelters all living beings with hidden virtue, dwelling in the jade chamber in gentle stillness of spirit (Shen), personally embodying the nine virtues, his radiant deeds engraved upon tablets of cinnabar jade. Riding a gorgeously adorned carriage, he soars through the air and treads upon the shining light; bearing the green banner and purple tally, he secures and seals the sacred mountains and summons the clouds and vapors (Qi). At times he descends to roam at Chicheng, and at times he tours the jade grottoes.

The sagacious sovereign, reverently honoring Heaven's compassionate heart, has in leisure hours perused the maps and records of Mount Difei. He has thus conferred an honorific title to exalt the True Lord's achievements, so as to commend and manifest his numinous traces and bring about a grand celebration. With fragrant offerings presented in reverence, the manifest virtue spreads afar like sweet incense, and the utmost sincerity continues unbroken. Now, on this day, an altar has been set up and the rite performed (Zhaijiao), and the assembled congregation is invited to offer together this first-lit incense. May its smoke rise and nourish the True Lord of Great Origin, Wondrous Dao, Humble Emptiness, Sacred Protection and True Response; the Senior Minister of the Eastern Peak and Divine Lord of Destiny; and the realized, perfected ones of the Palace of Great Origin who have attained the Dao. May the power of this rite be used to pray that the Emperor's sacred longevity be without bound.

We respectfully invite the True Lord to descend to the ritual altar, to observe and graciously accept these offerings, and to let auspicious radiance spread abroad, truly answering the favor of the Nine Heavens and bestowing great blessings. May the Emperor enjoy ten thousand years of life, may all the lands of the four directions be at peace, and may the multitudes share in joy.

I have heard that golden light gathers its imagery, so that one seems to roam together through a vast and secluded realm of immortals; and that purple silk unfurls its written words to make manifest the virtue of the divine. Now we proclaim this illustrious register and once more present these exalted titles, so that the dwelling of the spirits may show reverence and the celestial officials may gather together in joyful celebration.

At this time, a daochang (ritual arena) is being held on this day of the dynasty, and we ask all who take part in the rite to offer incense twice. May the smoke of this incense rise into the heavens as an offering to the Perfected Lord of the Right Prohibitions and Registry, of the Utmost Dao, Tranquil Stillness, Virtuous Protection, and Wondrous Response (a revered Daoist deity in charge of registry, prohibitions, and precepts), and to the accomplished high immortals of the Registry Office. Relying on the power of the Dao's methods, we pray for blessings upon the Empress: may her merits be engraved on bells and tripods, and her virtue be vast and boundless; may the foundations of the state grow ever firmer, and the fortunes of the realm endure without limit; may the spirits and the ancestors be at peace, and the imperial temples and altars of the state remain tranquil and lasting; may blessings and joy flow unbroken through the inner palace, so that she becomes a model for all under heaven; may the imperial descendants flourish, and the clan prosper through the generations.

I have heard that this Perfected Lord presides over Daizong (Mount Tai) and governs the deep and secluded immortal realm of the divine palaces of the upper court. He oversees the sealed golden registers, and also cultivates rare immortal herbs such as dragon fungus and cavern grass. His civil virtue is benevolent and generous, and his martial might is brave and strong. The court honors him with ceremonies of ninefold solemnity, and we, your servants, with sincere hearts pray for blessings and offer repentance. With reverence and solemnity we arrange the altar, and with care we set out the offerings.

At this time, a daochang is being held on this day of the dynasty, and we ask all who take part in the rite to offer incense three times. May the smoke of this incense rise into the heavens as an offering to the Perfected Lord of the Three Officials, Protector of Life, of Subtle Wonder, Profound Wisdom, Benevolent Aid, and Divine Response (a revered Daoist deity associated with the Three Officials tradition, who watches over and protects life), and to the true immortals of the Palace of Life Protection. Relying on the power of the Dao's methods, we pray that bright and auspicious signs may be drawn forth, and that kindness may be spread widely over the common people: may war and pestilence cease to arise, and may wind, rain, drought, and flood each come in due season; may the sun, moon, and stars move in their proper courses, and cold and heat alternate in good order; may the five grains ripen abundantly, plants and trees flourish, and all things prosper, so that no one is left without a place to dwell. May all affairs be auspicious, and may every undertaking succeed.

Great thanks.

We, your servants, have been able to dwell in a blessed land and receive its favor. May these blessings extend to all the people, so that war and pestilence no longer arise; may wind, rain, drought, and flood come in due season; may the sun, moon, and stars move in their proper courses, and cold and heat alternate in good order; may the five grains ripen abundantly, plants and trees flourish, and all things prosper, so that no one loses a place to dwell. May all affairs be auspicious, and may every undertaking succeed.

Great thanks.

We, your servants, dwell in blessed lands and have received the transforming instruction of the realized immortals. We have been able to glimpse precious secret texts and to study the supreme Dao (the Way) transmitted by the Jade Lads. We pray with reverence and rely on the responsiveness of the spirits. Having been fortunate enough to receive ranks bestowed by the court, we dare not fail the kindness of our teachers' lineage. Now we respectfully carry out the imperial edict and present this document of praise, expressing our congratulations and acclaim and explaining the principle by which divine favor is received, so that we may fully show our sincerity and repay the imperial grace.

The present emperor, mindful of the famous mountains and honoring the protection of the true spirits, has sent down a gentle edict conferring an honorific title of six characters, making the glorious names of the immortals and perfected ones shine still more brightly. Incense smoke curls among the Three Peaks (three mountain summits), and the imperial censer gives off a pure fragrance. We have therefore prepared solemn ritual and respectfully present these lofty titles. Our intentions are lodged in our words, while the rites are carried out through various offerings.

Acting on the secret decree, we invite the High Perfected (honored immortals) to descend and receive the offerings. We hope they will examine our sincerity of old and let this wish be fulfilled: may the emperor's life be long, like the stars Ji and Yi; may his favor extend over the Chinese lands and the four directions. May the empress and the ladies of the six palaces dream of bears and brown bears, the omen that an imperial heir will be born. May the borderlands be pacified and violent men, fierce as serpents and wild boars, be swept away. May the Xiongnu submit, so that Han envoys need not toil to carry messages to them. May the court overflow with talent, and may the flourishing officialdom of the Zhou, with worthy men filling the court, appear once more. May the dynasty endure and the state prosper, with the histories recording bountiful harvests. May his grace reach even the birds of the air and the creatures of the water, so that all beings may keep their lives whole. Thus, above, the compassion of the Three Perfected Ones (the three True Lords honored in Daoism) will be made manifest, and below, the emperor's devotion will be fulfilled. We respectfully submit this report.

The Twelve Vows. Restore the incense burner and perform the rite as usual.

Ritual of congratulation, with the establishment of a Jiao (the Daoist rite of setting up an altar, laying out offerings, burning incense, chanting scriptures, and invoking the spirits).

Weiling Chi (the protective spirit script in Daoist ritual): perform the rite of lighting the censer as usual, and, according to custom, summon the relevant divine officials.

Next, following the standard ritual, with one mind we address the sacred seats of the Three Lords: Your servant, through the karmic bonds of past lives, has been fortunate to uphold the teachings. On the day of swearing the covenant, I pledged to practice the Dao and its methods, to spread the true way of life and revive its teaching, to support the state forever, and to protect all beings universally. Whatever is sought in prayer should properly be reported to the spirits. Now I respectfully receive the emperor's secret decree to proclaim the matter of the auspicious investiture, and I reverently set out the rites of congratulation and of repentance and thanksgiving, so as to gather great blessings. I now present one Qingci (a green-paper prayer text addressed to the celestial spirits in Daoist rites), and I humbly ask the Gongcao envoy (the divine official who transmits memorials and communicates with heaven) to deliver it on my behalf, so that the document may swiftly reach the heavenly court. I respectfully report this.

Each person should state their own title and ritual rank.

Your servants respectfully invoke and petition the Three Lords and the assembled saints of the Cavern Heavens: We have heard that when the nine virtues are exalted in merit and achievement, one may draw forth a response and gather great blessings. Now we present a Qingci (a green-paper petition, written on blue-green paper and used to address Heaven), and humbly ask the Gongcao messengers to carry it onward, so that this document may swiftly reach the celestial court. We respectfully submit this memorial.

Each officiant states their ritual rank (in Daoist ritual, the declaration of one's name and office).

Your servants respectfully invoke and petition the Three Lords and the assembled saints of the Cavern Heavens: We have heard that when the nine virtues are exalted in merit and achievement, the Supreme Emperor confers upon such persons the Nine Bestowals (honored gifts that ancient sovereigns granted to their most esteemed ministers); the duties of the Three Officials are weighty, and the True Sovereign has them received and transmitted through the Three Primes (the Upper, Middle, and Lower Primes). The Dao and its methods were handed down from the Zongzhen (a title of a Daoist deity or immortal), and the sacred registers were finally passed on to the Queen Mother of the West. These figures did not cling to earthly rank and title, and in the end attained exalted station in the capital of the immortals.

Their jeweled chambers and jade apartments (splendid dwellings in the realm of the immortals) command the Red Citadel and the Jade Grotto. The phoenix-marrow elixir (substances consumed by immortals) is shared at the Golden Altar of Juqu (the Daoist paradise of Mount Juqu). Wearing the talismanic emblems of Yuyi and Jielin, they receive the protection of those who dine on the sun and feast on its radiance (those who draw in the essence of the sun and moon). They carried out their teaching east of the Yangzi, and their blessings extended throughout the realm of Hao. Around Tianshi the air is clear and bright, and celestial music often sounds from the sky; the waters of Lake Dongting stretch wide, linked to the road that leads to the hidden palaces below. The Azure Youth left behind traces of riding the wind, and the white crane revealed the form of its soaring flight. With talismanic methods (Fu methods), they drive away the vapors of a thousand kinds of evil, and through marvelous transformations they answer the wishes of the people.

Your servants have heard that the Three Lords sometimes manifest their traces in the human world, yet have never left the divine realm of Heaven. Where there is sincerity of heart, there is response, and nothing that is prayed for goes unanswered. Now the Emperor, devoting himself wholly to prayer, gazes far toward the Three Blossoms (the numinous lingzhi fungus of the immortal realm, here a figure for the immortals), at a time of clear brightness and auspicious fortune. Remembering those immortals of lofty Dao and De, he has therefore held a solemn ceremony and gravely promulgated a document of investiture, praising their virtues of emptiness, stillness, and wisdom, and adding the honorific title "Sage of Virtue and Benevolent Protection."

The Emperor's decree issues from Heaven, and its radiance shines upon the land of Long, making the many peaks yet brighter and allowing all to look up in reverence. Now we have purified the sacred ground (the place where the ritual is held), and, respectfully receiving the sovereign's command, we carry out the rites of celebration and repentance and reverently offer incense, flowers, and offerings. Over the famous mountain, the smoke of incense curls upward, sounding together with the luansheng (a mythical-bird-shaped reed pipe, an instrument of the immortals). We chant the texts, and their sound travels to Kongdong (the realm of the immortals in Daoist tradition), as we respectfully invite the immortals to descend on cranes. Your servants, in utmost and earnest reverence, bow twice and petition.

We respectfully invite the Sage Perfected to descend, and the first offering is made (the first presentation of wine or offerings in the ritual).

I have heard that the celestial realm and the human world are each distinct, a result of the differentiation of Yin-Yang into the Two Modes and the Four Images. That brothers should attain immortality together is a rare fortune, met with only once in a thousand years. Their fraternal affection was long ago recorded in the Yaoji (a scripture recounting the deeds of immortals and perfected beings), and the traces they left at Huayang (the grotto-heaven and blessed land in the Maoshan region) have not faded to this day. Generation after generation has revered them, and the imperial court honors them with ritual propriety.

Respectfully, I state that the Patriarch, the Three Mao Brothers, Directors of Destiny, the Perfected Lord of Sagely Virtue and Benevolent Protection, was by nature pure, tranquil, and lofty, and set their aspirations upon the Dao of emptiness and non-being. Ancient songs had long foretold an auspicious sign in the twelfth month of the Jiaping season; later, as they ascended one after another to immortality, each was bound to Mount Gouqu (the ancient name of Maoshan). Together with fellow immortals and teachers, they agreed to make tours of inspection, and the people of the Wu and Yue regions all came under their review and judgment. Each year, when the Yang energy begins to grow strong, the Perfected Lord sets out upon a boundless immortal journey, jade pendants at the left, a golden bell at the right, accompanied by eight simurgh-birds as they pass back and forth across the heavens. They also appear on Mount Emei in the west and Mount Linwu in the east, where three cranes are seen above the peaks.

The Perfected Lord not only governs misfortune and blessing but also presides over auspicious and inauspicious outcomes. They bring peace to the people, bestow benefit on all things, and protect both state and household. Their teaching proceeds quietly, and once their work is accomplished, they do not claim credit for it.

Now the Emperor devotes their heart to the subtleties of the Dao, and their virtue surpasses that of the ancient sovereigns. They constantly reflect on the difficulty of bringing peace to the world and make offerings to the spirits with reverence. Having already received the Perfected Lord's protection unseen, the Emperor feels bound to offer service with full devotion. The court has issued a grant of imperial favor, and all three peaks of Maoshan share in the celebration, in repayment of the Perfected Lord's virtue in assisting the fortunes of the age, and to make manifest the auspicious blessing of guarding the state and protecting the people.

Accordingly, the ritual altar has been respectfully cleansed and the ceremonial offerings solemnly arrayed. I, having had the good fortune to receive imperial grace and to dwell upon this famous mountain, humbly beseech the immortals and perfected beings of the grotto-heavens to look down upon us, and I reverently proclaim the Son of Heaven's fine decree. May the Perfected Lord look down and accept this sincere petition. The green-script prayer (Qingci) used in the Jiao (a Daoist purification and offering ritual) will be read aloud with care as a formal announcement.

The meaning of the memorial above is as follows: We, your servants, have set out in full the content of this memorial and the sincerity behind it. We trust that the Celestial Emperor already knows our hearts and will graciously look upon them. We have heard that the sages leave no fixed traces and at times descend into the human world; the Great Dao cannot be named in words, so how could it seek an empty reputation in an enlightened age?

Today the Emperor personally practices benevolence and frugality, and is wise and far-sighted. He pursues the ancient ways of purity, tranquility, and simple sincerity, and honors generosity in order to remedy the shallowness of the age. The Emperor reveres the immortals and perfected ones (those who have attained the Dao), admires their extraordinary deeds, and has held a rare and solemn ceremony. He shows particular favor to the Three Mao Perfected Lords (Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong, three venerated Daoist deities). Their sacred traces have been handed down through the ages, and auspicious signs have answered the emperors of successive reigns of this dynasty. Their grace has reached the people of Jiangzuo (the region east of the lower Yangtze River). For this reason, the court has bestowed honored titles upon them and has further conferred distinguished appellations.

We further pray that the Three Perfected Lords will not forget their original roots, will look down upon the Emperor's intentions, and will once more issue their command to the Kunlun Terrace (the dwelling place of the immortals) and descend to the immortal mountain. We hope that, through their wondrous power, the imperial line will flourish with descendants, the royal lineage will prosper and endure, and the foundations of the state will remain unbroken and secure, forever following the Great Dao and achieving great works. Our gratitude and earnest devotion are such that we can hardly express them in full.

Yaxian (the second offering of wine in the sacrificial rite).

Your servants have heard that the Way of the immortals can be learned and cultivated. The names of these transcendents were long ago recorded in the Mysterious Registers (xuantu, the illustrated records of the names and ranks of perfected immortals). That brothers should attain the Dao (the Way) together and ascend as immortals is often due to firm resolve, good deeds, and accumulated merit. The Three Perfected Lords are all outstanding among celestial beings, and together they rose to the Emperor's Abode (the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor); since antiquity, their names have been especially renowned. Your servants revere the De (Virtue) of the Three Perfected Lords, whose fair repute will be celebrated for ten thousand generations. Their Dao arts protect the state, and their kindness extends to the common people and all living things. At night their cinnabar radiance shines brightly, illuminating the far reaches of the sky; in spring they return riding cranes, attending their Master and roaming with him. Those who delight in the Dao should devote themselves wholeheartedly to arranging this rite. The mountains and rivers remain as they were, and heaven and earth endure.

Now the Emperor, sensing in secret the blessings bestowed by the Perfected Lords, has specially arranged a ceremony to repay the divine favor. A pair of phoenixes arrive in radiant flight, passing the zhijian (immortal documents) upon the jade steps; the crane-keeping messengers soar through the heavens to carry the Emperor's edict to the Jade Grotto. Daoists and laypeople alike cheer along the roads, and the ceremony reverently presents titles of praise for the Perfected Lords, in the hope that they will look down in favor and descend, bestowing vast blessings for long ages to come.

By the Emperor's sacred command, your servants revere and extol the achievements of the immortals and perfected. Within the grotto, the clear tones of chime stones imitate celestial music; wild greens and water plants from the streamside are also offered, as a token of sincerity. Your servants humbly present these modest offerings, praying that the immortals will bestow numinous elixirs, and looking up in hope that their celestial chariots will wheel around and descend. May auspicious omens descend upon the human world; may the Emperor's sacred longevity equal that of Heaven; may grace extend to all beings, and the imperial enterprise endure for ten thousand years. May the winds be mild and the rains timely, raising no dust and breaking no branches; may the four seas and nine provinces all present tribute and give of their utmost. May glad tidings of the birth of a son come from the inner palace, and the state again achieve martial victories; may the five grains be abundant and the people live in peace. May the famous mountains remain tranquil and the true teaching spread widely, so that worldly people correct their faults, turn toward goodness, and change their hearts, and students of the Dao advance without cease; may birds and fish each fulfill their nature, may animals and plants recover their vitality, and may all sentient beings be sheltered by the wondrous Dharma. Your servants pray earnestly, unable to restrain themselves.

Final Offering (the last presentation of wine and sacrifice in the rite)

Your servants respectfully received the Emperor's edict, spread abroad the fair name of the Perfected Lords, laid out the ceremony and invited the immortals and perfected, enjoying the protection of the sage emperors of successive ages and answering the joy of the multitude. Now the lamp flames have died out, and the incense smoke is gradually dispersing; the immortals' procession slowly recedes into the distance, and your servants look back upon the numinous…

We respectfully receive the emperor's edict and extol the glorious names of the immortals and perfected beings. We have arranged the ceremony and invited the immortals and perfected beings to descend, benefiting from the grace of successive sage rulers and answering the joyous sentiments of the people. Now the lamps are about to go out, the incense smoke is dispersing, and the immortals' cortege is gradually receding into the distance. Looking back toward their numinous radiance, we respectfully bid them farewell, reverently accepting their abundant grace as we gaze up in longing for their departing chariots. Filled with reluctance to part, we look up to their benevolence, and humbly kowtow twice to see the immortals and perfected beings off.

Sending off the Sages: The palace attendants perform the customary rite of returning the incense burner, and the celebratory Zhaijiao (purification ritual; here, the offering of altar sacrifices and prayers) comes to an end.

The Emperor's Azure Prayer for the Offering

Humbly I reflect: the Sage is boundless and without limit, roaming freely between the eight directions of heaven and earth; the great Dao (the Way) is difficult to name in words, and I, your subject, hold a heart of sincere devotion and admiration. Having received the protection of the divine powers, it is fitting to repay them with words that announce this to the spirits. Thus we have conducted rites in honor of the immortals and perfected beings, adding solemn ceremonies, and respectfully expressing our congratulations and repentance, praying that we may long receive auspicious blessings. The spirits have bestowed their grace and already granted blessings to the people; may still more abundant and pure fortune descend, so that the imperial dynasty may flourish for ages.

Offering Prayer of the Palace Attendant Zhang, Director-in-Chief

Mount Gouqu is shaped like the character "己," and so it received the name Gouqu ("Curved Hook"). Its peaks stand side by side, solemnly revealing the bearing of immortals and sages. Although the Three Mao Perfected Lords (the immortals revered by the three Mao brothers) bear different titles, together they manifest the grand ceremonies of the present dynasty. The rites have only just concluded, and we respectfully make offerings of fine sacrificial goods in prayer. Honoring the court, we reverently read aloud the investiture decree. We respectfully wish that the exalted immortals will examine our sincerity, perceive the subtlest matters, and protect us in secret; may the emperor enjoy ten thousand years of life without limit, may protection extend to the great destiny of the realm, may the four seasons bring timely wind and rain, so that the people live in peace and all things abound.

Offering Prayer of the Chongxi Abbey

The emperor has issued an edict honoring the Three Mao Perfected Lords (Sanmao Zhenjun) with three honorific titles, and has solemnly held a Golden Register (Jinlu) rite to seek blessings, with all the peaks jointly offering praise for His Majesty. I respectfully receive this gracious command, and I revere and extol the immortals for their final attainment of the fruit of the Dao (Way). Your humble servant is fortunate to have been born in an enlightened and sage age, and unworthily holds the office of overseeing the teaching of the Dao. I have witnessed with my own eyes this grand ceremony, which makes the sacred traces of the immortals, handed down through the ages, shine still more brightly. The Three Mao Perfected Lords are at once holy and efficacious, possessing both De (Virtue) and benevolence, and they shelter the people of the world. May the dynasty endure through the generations, may the nation's fortunes be long-lasting, and may auspicious omens never cease. With sincere devotion I offer my congratulations and praise, along with a modest presentation of offerings prepared through diligent cultivation. May the incense smoke of the grotto-heavens drift far, and may shouts of "Ten thousand years" ring out in every place. May the pure breeze of the Daoist realm blow gently, sending down blessings as abundant and ceaseless as the sprouting of grasses and trees.

Memorial of Thanks for the Conferral of Honors on the Patriarch Perfected Lords (Zouxie Jiafeng Zushi Zhenjun En Li Biao): A memorial expressing gratitude for the court's gracious conferral of honors upon the Patriarch Perfected Lords.

Your servant respectfully submits: I have humbly received the Emperor's gracious favor in conferring additional honorific titles upon the Three Mao Perfected Lords (Sanmao Zhenjun), and in sending down an edict together with gifts of a ruyi scepter, jade tablets, ceremonial regalia, brocade, aloeswood incense, borneol incense, fresh tea, and silver, commanding me to hold a jiao (a Daoist ritual offering) in celebration. In obedience to the sacred command, I have led the Daoist community on Mount Sanmao to proclaim the edict widely, set out the ritual offering, make known the sovereign's decree, and pray that the spirits protect the common people.

I believe that this blessed realm, solemn and pure, gathers the people's blessings for the Emperor from throughout the land, and that the Emperor's decree, spreading its grace far and wide, has made the honorific titles of the three Perfected Lords yet more illustrious. Daoists and commoners alike receive it with joy, and spirits and mortals share together in this kindness.

Mount Mao preserves the Jade Cavern and the immortals' abode, within which stand a golden altar and an empty terrace. Immortal cranes come and go among them, and each year the registers of the immortals of Huayang are collated. The Celestial Emperor bestowed a divine mandate, placing the territory of the Hao and Yue regions under its charge. The Daoist lineage of Mount Mao continues the transmission of the immortals, and its renown has endured for a thousand years. Its marvelous sources and the genealogy of its true immortals have likewise always enjoyed the court's regard. Now, through this special grace, a grand celebration may be held: the Three Mao Perfected Lords, who already bore the fair title "Chongxu Jinghui" (Humble Emptiness and Tranquil Wisdom), have been further honored with the title "Shengde Renyou" (Sacred Virtue and Benevolent Protection).

The colorful edict descends upon the peaks; after the night rain, the cliffs and valleys are clear. The procession sets out to welcome it, and morning sunlight shines upon the banners. Auspicious clouds encircle the mountain, and sleeves like the wings of cranes drift along with the procession. The jade tablets and ruyi scepters are displayed, showing the solemnity of the rites. The celebration is brought to a perfect close as fragrant smoke rises from the imperial censer; the Daoists congratulate one another, sharing in the glory of the Emperor's bestowal. Before everyone's eyes the scene is made new, and far and near join in rejoicing.

All this is owing to Your Majesty's enlightened virtue and reverence for the spirits, to your guiding the people through righteousness, and to your special bestowal of commendation, which has made the service of the divine all the more manifest. When the people are glad, there are no spirits who will not forgive and protect; and with the implements needed for the rites all prepared, the ceremony has been brought to completion. The Emperor's grace is profound, and even the mountains and forests feel fortunate; his vast kindness reaches even the grasses and trees. Honor has already reached its fullness, and complete blessings will surely follow.

Your servant respectfully carried out the royal command and displayed the edict in the courtyard of the immortals, wishing Your Majesty boundless longevity and blessings and good fortune extending throughout the realm. We are grateful that the Perfected Ones have answered our prayers and brought glory to the imperial house. Filled with gratitude and reverence, and trembling with awe, your servant bows his head twice and respectfully prepares this memorial to report the event and give thanks for the favor received.

In the sixth month of the ninth year of the Chunyou era, the Left Street Registrar of Daoists, Master Dongwei, Gaoshi Xubai, and Director of Religious Affairs, your servant Situ Shitan, respectfully submits this memorial.

Report of Submission

Your servant Situ Shitan, holding the appropriate rank, reports:

On the twenty-first day of the fourth month, I respectfully received an official dispatch conveying the imperial edict. It proclaimed the bestowal of three patents of enfeoffment conferring the title of Perfected Lord (Zhenjun), together with a ruyi scepter, a jade tablet, brocade and silks, ceremonial paraphernalia, aloeswood incense, borneol, new tea, and silver. I was commanded to select an auspicious day to hold a ritual offering (jiao) and announce the matter to Heaven, Earth, and the spirits.

I have reverently complied with the imperial decree. I received each of the aforementioned patents, gifts, and precious objects one by one, and assembled the Daoists and people of Weishan, who came out of the mountain to welcome them with reverence. Facing the direction of the imperial court, we offered thanks for the emperor's grace. Afterwards I proceeded to the Three Peaks to proclaim the sovereign's command, and then chose a day to hold the ritual offering (Zhaijiao) to announce the matter to Heaven, Earth, and the immortals and perfected beings.

When these matters were completed, I carefully compiled a register recording the ritual procedures in detail. The patents were distributed to each of the Three Peaks, and the bestowed treasures were publicly displayed, then handed over to the Daoist Registry of the mountain gate at Chongxi Temple (Chongxi Guan) for safekeeping, so that they might long guard this renowned mountain, and in prayer that the emperor enjoy lasting blessings and longevity. I have now obtained one volume of the handover inventory listed by Chongxi Temple, together with three documents from the Three Peaks acknowledging receipt of the patents and treasures, and I submit them all together with this memorial. I humbly beseech your benevolent permission to forward this report on my behalf, and I respectfully await the imperial decision.

In the sixth month of the ninth year of the Chunyou era, presented by your servant Situ Shitan, holding the appropriate rank.

Memorial on Presenting the Stele Proclaiming the Enfeoffment

Your servant Situ Shitan submits this statement: The favor of three successive enfeoffments has made Mount Gouqu (Mount Mao) shine ever more brightly, and its renown will never fade through the ages. The words inscribed on the jade of Kunlun's ridge will likewise be handed down for a long time. Patterned tortoises coil in guardianship, flocks of cranes gather and gaze upward, and even the distant palaces turn toward the court's gracious favor. All under Heaven know of this grace and revere it.

Your servant submits once more: The wondrous powers of the immortals and the perfected (those who attained the Dao and became divine beings) need not be proven by deliberate display, yet the merit and virtue (De) they have established for the world must not be allowed to sink into oblivion. Clouds of five colors once appeared in the sky, and the Han edict still survives; an Emperor of Jin once bestowed the Nine Bestowals (the grand honors ancient sovereigns granted to eminent ministers), and the Jin stele inscriptions remain to this day. Through the successive dynasties, the immortals and the perfected have always received generous favor.

Now, after a thousand years, we have the good fortune to live in an enlightened age. The court has especially issued a document of commendation, further exalting their illustrious titles, as a solemn recompense to the spirits and a means of bringing greater glory to the supreme teaching. Your servant has had the text engraved in stone, so that it may endure together with this mountain.

All this is owing to Your Majesty's profound virtue and penetrating wisdom. Your heart discerns the subtlest things, and with the harmonious Qi of Supreme Harmony you nurture all things between Heaven and Earth, governing the realm without distinction between far and near. Your Majesty follows the Way of Heaven in action, and merely by sitting in repose brings the people to peace and joy. The people cannot fully express Your Majesty's virtuous governance in words; Your Majesty personally accomplishes every achievement, yet does not boast of ruling well. Mindful of repaying the blessings of the spirits, Your Majesty has bestowed favor at the proper moment, so that the auspicious atmosphere of the immortal mountain has suddenly grown more flourishing.

Your servant has long been away from the capital, and having now received the imperial commission anew, has had this matter carved on enduring stone, that it may long guard the peaks. The inscription is complete and has been presented before the throne; I respectfully beg Your Majesty to deign to read it. Your servant reverently submits this memorial and presumes to bring it to the sacred ear, filled with trepidation and earnest sincerity, bowing twice with head to the ground before Your Majesty.

Submitted in the twelfth month of the ninth year of Chunyou, by your servant Situ Shitan, holding the appropriate rank.

Scripture on the Ceremony of Enfeoffment of the Three Mao True Lords (Sanmao Zhenjun Jiafeng Shidian), Volume 2