《广成集》Vol. 2

May the banner of the Great One (Taiyi), the honored deity of Daoism, draw in the radiance of its jade comet and golden rays, sweep away the troubles in the celestial divisions of the Well and Three Stars, and grant the blessings of the heavens to our nine generations of forebears and seven generations of ancestors. May descendants in every generation receive auspicious blessings, and may this favor endure without end.

May the heavenly signs shine clearly, and the stars move in lucid order. May the banner of the Great One turn back and draw in the radiance of its jade comet and golden rays, sweep away the troubles in the divisions of the Well and Three Stars, and extend blessings and good fortune to the regions of Liang and Yi. May the five grains yield abundant harvests, free from disaster, and may warfare cease. Let moths, locusts, floods, and droughts bring no harm to farming; let epidemics and famine become no calamity for the villages. May the shadowy realms find peace, all kinds of living things flourish, mountains and seas return to benevolence and harmony, and the people of the world receive the teachings.

For all soldiers who earned merit, and for the deceased dutou, or military commanders, who served the country diligently and remained loyal even at the cost of their lives: whenever a purification rite is held to confer blessings, may repentance and prayers be offered on their behalf, so that they may leave the netherworld and enjoy freedom and peace. If any still remain in the underworld without receiving favor, or have no descendants to make offerings and lack ritual food, then let the talismanic commands of the Nine Palaces (jiugong) transfer their souls, and let the great grace of the Three Registers (sanlu) free them all from suffering. May they no longer be afflicted by illness and swiftly reach the realm of blessing. May every living thing—birds and beasts, plants and aquatic creatures—attain the true Dao.

A prayer text for the emperor’s establishment of the Auspicious Signs Repayment of Grace Purification Rite.

Emperors throughout history received heaven’s bestowed mandate and honored the Supreme Dao in governing the realm. They treated the people with benevolence and cherished virtue, and used wondrous merit to aid all beings. Thus they brought about prosperous ages of peace and stability and issued documents recording auspicious signs.

I consider my virtue shallow, yet by fortune I have ascended the throne. The realm is still unsettled. I wish to put an end to warfare, but have not yet succeeded. The laws and commands have been promulgated, and I hope to spare people from punishment, but this too has not yet been achieved. I am inwardly cautious and apprehensive, and dare not rest easy for even a moment.

In the seventh month of this year, Guo Huizhi, a resident of Shifang County in Hanzhou, was gathering herbs and tilling the land at Xianguan Temple when he dug up a bronze plaque. It was seven inches long and four inches wide, with sixty characters engraved on it. The Laozi Record of Communing with Heaven states: “In the years Dingmao, Jiaxu, and Yihai, the Human King was born and ruled the realm for two hundred years. The Son of Heaven: Wang Congjian, Wang Yuanying, Wang Wangan, Wang Yue, Wang Ze, and Wang Daoyi.” Below these were five more seal-script characters, accompanied by the inscription: “Zhang Hongdao manifested at Mount Beimang. This plaque was preserved during the Tianbao era to proclaim an enlightened age.”

I respectfully accept this wondrous gift and devoutly wear this numinous talisman. From it I know that the Great Dao has sent down blessings and that the fate of the state foretells longevity. I therefore express my heartfelt sincerity in repayment for this exceptional grace. I shall conduct a Lingbao rite according to the nine grades of liturgy, praying that my earnest heart may reach the sacred gaze.

I humbly ask for your attention, so that the state may prosper for generations, auspicious signs may come to pass, the four seasons may follow their proper order, and all things may flourish in beauty, allowing the people throughout the realm to enjoy blessings without end. I bow my head and submit this prayer with reverence.

“Prayer for Assisting the Lantern Lighting,” from Two Prayers for the Yellow Register Retreat to Aid the Central Origin

I have heard that the day when the Three Officials grant amnesty for sins at the Ghost Festival is a time when blessings descend from the heavens, while the ninefold, lightless night is a place where the Yin energy of the earth lies heavy. To dispel the darkness that has gathered, we call upon the radiance of sacred lamps: their light receives the three splendors of the sun, moon, and stars above, and shines down upon the beings in the netherworld below. This is a matter of great importance in the rites of the scriptures, and the foremost means of relieving and protecting the spirits of the dead.

Now, at the Ghost Festival, we have established an altar and are performing the Yellow Register Retreat, a Daoist purification ritual (Zhaijiao) held to pray for blessings, avert calamity, and deliver the dead. We worship and confess at three appointed times, praying that all sins be erased. I have prepared fragrant oil to offer together for the sacred lamps. With reverence, I pray that their phoenix-like flames send light into the underworld, and that starlight and lotus-like radiance spread through its deepest reaches. May the spirits of the dead leave the realms of suffering and cross beyond the world of darkness forever; may nine generations of ancestors ascend to heaven, and may relatives near and far receive blessings. May calamities be dispelled before they arise, and may goodness and blessings extend without end. I pray that Heaven protect the household and grant it great good fortune. May the phoenix-like flames of the lamps illuminate the underworld, and may starlight and lotus-like radiance shine into its depths, so that the spirits of the dead may leave the realms of suffering and cross beyond the world of darkness. May nine generations of ancestors ascend to heaven and relatives near and far receive blessings; may calamities be dispelled before they arise and goodness and blessings continue without end. I pray for protection and peace in the household, and for great good fortune.

A prayer composed by Huang Qi while performing a Yellow Register Retreat for his two deceased sons

I have heard that the supreme one, who embraces and nurtures all things, is the Great Dao. The Heavenly Worthies aid all beings and proclaim the Way of Emptiness. The grace of the Great Dao and the Heavenly Worthies reaches even the smallest things and extends to both the living and the dead. Mingzhen, a revered Daoist deity, opens the scriptures kept in the Jade Casket, freeing the spirits in the long night from the profound suffering of darkness. When sincere devotion reaches the upper realm, wondrous gifts will descend.

My past transgressions have long since come to light, and the spirits have therefore sent down punishment. In little more than a month, I lost both my sons in succession. Now, in middle age, worn and grief-stricken, I am left with only my solitary shadow. Whenever the season comes to worship our ancestors, the thought that they are far away in the netherworld makes my heart feel utterly bereft. I fear their souls may still be held fast and detained in the realm of darkness, and hope they may be delivered and raised up. This can be accomplished only through the practice of Zhaijiao. I am willing to give the cost of the clothes and possessions they used in life to support this gathering of incense and lamps.

May the cool wind’s sound accompany the chime, so that the spirits of the dead may hear it even in the Yellow Springs. May the autumn moon shine upon the retreat altar and reach the depths of the netherworld as well. May they, through the merit of the Zhaijiao rites, pass together beyond the gates of darkness. May their souls, refined through ritual, enter the Vermilion Palace and regain life in the Crimson Court, the immortal dwelling of Daoist tradition. May each follow the path of freedom and enter a realm of purity; may they serve the Orthodox Way and the True Sages for ages to come, dwelling forever in the realm of the Dao. May we be joined again by good bonds, whether in the human world or in heaven; through ten thousand kalpas and a thousand lives, may our family be reunited. My earnest vows are plain to see; may the True Sages bear witness. Grief chokes my voice as I pray with reverence, unable to contain myself.

I, Zhao Gao, pray with sincere devotion, hoping to help him ascend to the realm of the Dao and dwell there for a long time. Whether in the human world or in Heaven, may we ultimately meet again through our good affinity; after ten thousand kalpas and a thousand lifetimes, may our kin reunite once more. My wish is clear and earnest; the true sages will surely see and know it. Overcome with grief, I weep and pray with utmost sincerity.

Three Liturgical Prayers Composed by Zhao Gao for the Upper Primordial Yellow Register Retreat

The Great Dao extends compassionate grace, and the Primordial Sovereign (a revered Daoist deity) bestows blessings. The Three Palaces and Four Pardons (a system of heavenly absolution in Daoist belief) grant mercy for the remission of sins. All things thereby show signs of life and share in blessings like those of spring. The divine power of the imperial altar is vast, leaving nothing beyond its reach in either the netherworld or the visible world. My talents are modest, yet I have been fortunate to live in an enlightened age. From early in life I received favor and enjoyed a stipend, so I have often reminded myself not to become complacent. Yet I still fear that, as the years pass and the stars move, I may encounter misfortune; in my heart I am especially wary and anxious. Therefore, at the Yellow Register altar (the ritual site where a Yellow Register retreat is performed), I devoutly repent and seek pardon. I look up to the Highest Sages to witness my humble intentions, and secretly bestow blessings, dispel calamities, lengthen my life, and keep my family safe and well. May the living and the dead, the netherworld and the human realm, all receive these auspicious blessings.

Mid-Primordial

The season turns from high summer toward autumn. In the western suburbs, the pitch Yi-ze (one of the ancient twelve musical pitches, corresponding to the seventh lunar month) resounds, while the southern heat gradually subsides. This is a fitting time to reduce one’s faults and abstain from evil deeds. I am an ordinary mortal of the dusty world, yet fortunate to draw near to Daoist teachings. My name is listed in the Cinnabar Register (a Daoist register of immortals) and inscribed in the Mysterious Terrace (a divine palace in Daoist belief). Yet faults readily accumulate, and worldly entanglements are hard to escape. Whether I am active or at rest, I have not yet fully joined with the Great Dao; my birth date and the stars still bind me to all manner of calamities.

Therefore, at the precious Yellow Register altar (the ritual site where a Yellow Register retreat is performed), I help provide offerings of incense, hoping that the Sages will look kindly upon my foolish sincerity, open the register of sins and pardon my offenses, remove worldly entanglements, and sweep away calamities. May the Nine Generations of the Mysterious (a Daoist term for ancestors or spirits of the netherworld) receive grace, and may my entire clan be blessed and forever enjoy the protection of the divine. I also vow to devote myself wholeheartedly and take refuge in the Daoist tradition.

Through the good affinities I accumulated in a previous life, I have been able to receive the protection built up through generations. While still young, I entered public service, and my family has also had the good fortune to share in the honor brought by office. Yet the duties I bear are weighty and difficult, and I am often anxious and unsettled. I also fear that an unfavorable turn in the years of my fate, under the influence of baleful stars, may bring hardship, and I do not know to whom I should pray.

Now is the season when the Dark Waters hold sway, when the Water Emperor governs the cycle of time. The handle of the Northern Dipper points toward Mengdong, the first month of winter, and the cold of the north is at its height. As the years pass, I devote myself ever more fully to the Dao and its cultivation. I respectfully make use of the altar of nine offerings, where Daoist purification rites are performed and petitions presented to the gods, and devoutly gaze toward the highest sages, pouring out my deepest pleas in the hope of receiving their special compassion and protection. I beseech them to forgive my transgressions and still calamities, and to let the resentments and debts of past lives be reconciled and brought to peace through the power of merit. May the sufferings of former and present lives find deliverance through repentance and prayer. May the nine generations of ancestors enjoy blessings, and may the whole clan share in honor. I will carry forward the grace of the gods’ compassionate care and protection, and remain forever sincere in taking refuge in and serving the Dao.

A Petition for the Shangyuan Purification Rite, Assisted by Feng Juan, Grandee

The Great Dao has bestowed the scriptures, extending its grace to both the living and the dead; the Heavenly Worthy carries out its teaching, and its compassion reaches both the netherworld and the human realm. The Daoist tradition has established nine grades of liturgy to succor the suffering souls in the depths of the netherworld. With sorrow in my heart, I respectfully bow and petition the Daoist gate. The twenty-sixth day of this month is the purification day marking the anniversary of the death of my late mother, Lady Li. She was once invested with the title Lady of Longxi Commandery and later posthumously honored as Grand Lady of Longxi Commandery. I will attend the Shangyuan purification assembly at the Jade Bureau’s sacred altar, where Daoist purification rites are conducted, and prepare offerings of incense in prayer for blessings and good fortune.

May my late mother’s spirit be refined into radiance at Zhuling, the immortal realm in the south, and dwell in Xuanpu, the fabled land of immortals. May she comprehend the way of tranquility, Xiyi—the still, non-active Dao, beyond words—and accord with the truth of eternal life. May she meet the mysterious Dao and at last attain the wondrous fruit of Wuwei (non-action).

Zhongyuan

I respectfully understand that the Yellow Register Retreat rites have clear liturgical procedures, and Ziyang also has a complete set of ritual texts and regulations. The profound and primordial Great Dao possesses extraordinary power; the scriptures of the Elixir proclaim its benevolent grace, rescuing the departed who have sunk into the netherworld and illuminating realms of darkness. From ancient times to the present, people have honored these practices. The living and the dead alike receive their benefits: when there is a response, communication is assured, and the prayers offered will be answered.

The twenty-sixth day of this month is the anniversary of the death of my late mother, posthumously honored as Grand Lady of Longxi Commandery. I have therefore held a Zhongyuan Zhaijiao at the Yuju altar to pray for blessings for my departed mother, and have also performed the associated rites of worship and observance, hoping that my intentions may reach the True Spirits. I humbly pray that, through this merit, my mother may ascend to the lofty realms of the Dao, roam the azure skies, shed her former form, and arrive at the Cinnabar Terrace, the realm of the immortals. May she enter forever into a land of bliss and at last realize the Dao of Xiyi, the wondrous and mysterious Great Dao that cannot be seen, heard, or touched.

Lower Origin

I respectfully understand that the Black Emperor, who governs the north and the winter season, is now in office, and that the profound darkness of winter has begun. The Lower Origin Festival is a time for an especially excellent retreat assembly, a fortunate day for granting broad pardon and bringing blessings to their flourishing. At this time, one should pray with reverence: may the True Spirits of the upper realm diligently bestow their grace, and may beings in the lower realm pray for blessings, so that auspicious fortune may descend and protect both the living and the dead.

Now an altar has been established at the numinous sanctuary of Yuju, and rites are being performed at the Jade Altar. I respectfully present ritual offerings as a token of sincerity, supporting the devotion of the retreat rites. I beseech the assembled Sages to descend and look upon us, and all the Perfected to manifest their numinous protection. May the Nine Generations of ancestors receive deliverance and transcend the netherworld; may the Five Clans, our kin, live in harmony and enjoy enduring peace and good fortune. May disasters and misfortunes disperse and cease, and may sins and transgressions be dissolved and brought to rest. With a heart of utter sincerity, I make this vow and humbly receive the deep grace of the Great Dao.

Prayer for Zhou Xiang, Vice Director, in Support of the Upper Origin Retreat

I respectfully understand that retreat rites are divided into nine grades, while the seasonal festivals comprise the Upper, Middle, and Lower Origins. The Three Origins Festivals are days when people throughout the land pray for blessings, and when the assembled Sages proclaim and bestow their grace. Now, at the numinous altar of Yuju, where the true transformation of the profound and primordial Dao is enacted, the retreat rites are being performed. The Yellow Register liturgy has been arranged, and, following the ritual standards of Xuandu, petitions are presented to Heaven over nine periods. Incense is burned and retreat observances maintained for three consecutive days, with sincere offerings of incense and lamps, together with rites of repentance and purification from sin.

I humbly pray that the exalted Lords bestow their protection and that the Great Dao spread its compassionate grace. May they accept this sincerity and send down abundant blessings. May the nine generations of ancestors fulfill their wish to ascend, and may the six kinds of kin receive protection. May future hardships and obstacles be removed, and past grievances and enmities be resolved. May sins be forgiven and released, and illnesses and suffering heal and cease. May life, blessings, and prosperity increase and endure, and may calamities and disasters be completely dispelled. May all people follow the grace that gives rise to and nurtures the myriad things, and remember the profound beneficence of the Great Dao.

Lower Origin

We respectfully pray: May the Dark Emperor, deity of the northern waters, preside over the seasons, and may the Water Official, who governs the waters and oversees related matters of moral assessment, manage all affairs. We humbly ask for blessings and grace: may resentments and enmities from the past be resolved, sins and faults be pardoned, illness and suffering be healed and stilled, lifespan and good fortune be extended, and calamities be dispelled. May we follow the beneficence through which Heaven and Earth bring forth all things. How could we forget the grace of the Great Dao?

Lower Origin

We respectfully pray: May the Dark Emperor preside over the seasons, and may the Water Official manage all affairs. This is a day for seeking blessings and grace, and also a time to quiet the spirit and cleanse the mind of distractions. Moreover, the Jade Bureau, a Daoist temple or ritual altar, bears traces of the immortals, while the Jade Terrace, a solemn Daoist altar, hosts a grand ceremony. May nine successive periods of burning incense and prayer bring auspiciousness. With three days of fasting and solemn observance, how could we fail to repent together and give thanks? We pray that afflictions clinging to us may dissipate and subside, that resentments, enmities, and karmic debts may be resolved and cleared away, that all sins may be pardoned, and that the living and the dead may alike find peace. May we remain devout and steadfast in practice for all time, repaying the mysterious and compassionate grace.

Offering for the Upper Origin Fast, Sponsored by Doctor Lu Wei

We respectfully pray: The Great Dao operates everywhere, and the Three Origins—the Upper, Middle, and Lower Origins, the three appointed times when the celestial officials assess conduct and grant blessings—were established as a teaching. They examine people’s merits and faults, overlooking nothing, however slight. From my youth, I have admired the mysterious and tranquil Way and have always honored the teaching of purity. I have often prayed with reverence and diligence for the spirits to reveal their guidance and protection. Now, at the sacred altar of the Jade Bureau, we hold the Upper Origin blessing assembly. We have respectfully prepared incense and candles and join together in burning incense and observing the fast. We pray that calamities may be dispelled, all sins cleansed away, illness and misfortune eliminated, and lifespan extended and increased. May the benefits of good works reach both the living and the dead, and may auspicious grace extend widely to our relatives and household. May we forever carry a sincere heart and practice with diligence, in response to the mysterious and compassionate grace.

Upper Origin

At an auspiciously chosen time, just as spring begins, we gather on the Shangyuan Festival, one of the Daoist Three Yuan festivals, observed on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. This is the day when the Celestial Official inspects the world and bestows blessings. It is also a season when all things grow, unfold, and flourish in peace. With the utmost sincerity in fasting, I offer this reverent prayer.

Here, at the sacred precinct of Jindu and the Jade Bureau’s Jade Altar, we perform the Yellow Register Retreat, a Daoist purification ritual for seeking blessings, dispelling misfortune, and delivering the dead. We carry out the solemn liturgy. I offer incense and silk to help bring this auspicious rite to completion. May all the sages, in their compassion, extend their protection; may the myriad perfected spirits look upon us with clear insight, recognize the devotion of those who observe the retreat and follow the Dao, and bestow auspicious blessings. May their grace reach both the living and the dead, keeping them far from transgression and calamity. May disaster be dispelled before it arises, and may blessings, prosperity, and longevity steadily increase. I will forever keep a heart of utmost sincerity, repaying Heaven for its gifts.

Zhongyuan

The four seasons turn in their cycle, and the Three Yuan—Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, and Xiayuan—proceed in succession. The celestial realm examines the names of all beings, discerning the visible world and the underworld, and overlooking no one. I have always observed the Daoist precepts; from my youth, I studied the way of mysterious stillness under a master. Whenever these important seasons arrive, I urge myself to pursue the Dao with diligence.

Now that the rite at the Jade Bureau’s Frost Altar for paying homage to the primordial powers has been completed, I offer incense and candles, and with a pure and sincere heart assist in the retreat ritual. I pray to receive the great grace of pardon, and that Heaven’s beneficence may truly descend: may illness be healed, and blessings, prosperity, and longevity increase. May the spirits of my ancestors receive deliverance, and may my family also share in this grace. May we long enjoy profound protection, and reverently praise the merit of the Way of Heaven. With utmost sincerity, I entrust myself to the Dao and respectfully present this prayer.

Xiayuan

Winter, when the Water phase holds sway, is the season for storing and nurturing, for drawing the breath inward and remaining still. It is also a day when the gods of the heavens assemble and review the deeds of humankind. At this time, one should resolve to honor the profound and mysterious Dao, devote oneself wholeheartedly to the Great Dao, wash away past faults, repent and renew oneself, and pray for blessings and favor.

How much more, then, when a prayer rite for blessings is being held for the people of Jincheng at the Jade Bureau Imperial Altar, a site for Daoist purification rituals: how could we fail to prepare incense, candles, and offerings of wealth, and take part together in the Zhaijiao practice? May three days of devout and solemn purification, with worship and repentance at nine appointed times, bring us the gods’ clear guidance and protection, and abundant blessings and auspicious signs.

We pray that the gods may raise our distant ancestors to higher realms, bring peace and order to the netherworld, deliver both the living and the dead, and dispel calamities and guilt. May the grievances and debts of the departed in the netherworld be released, and their offenses recorded in the registers of the underworld erased. May the sick recover and their lifespans be extended. I pledge to devote myself with all sincerity to reverent service of the Dao, and pray always for the gods’ clear guidance and protection, abundant blessings and auspicious signs, the elevation of our distant ancestors, peace in the netherworld, deliverance for both the living and the dead, the dispelling of calamities and guilt, release from grievances, debts, and offenses, and recovery from illness with long life. In this way, I repay the protection of the true spirits.

End of Guangcheng ji, juan four

Guangcheng ji, juan five

Composed by Du Guangting, Purple-Robed recipient, serving within the Taiqing Palace in the Upper Capital, Grand Virtue in literary composition by imperial appointment

Petition for an Offering of the Yellow Register at the Jade Bureau in the Upper Capital to Transform and Deliver the Multitudes

The Dao arises from the realm of emptiness and nonbeing, governing the generation of all things. Its Virtue surpasses benevolence and righteousness, and its workings encompass compassion and nurture. The Dao’s transformations endure through countless eons, and its teachings reach everywhere. Thus, the Three Sovereigns governed Heaven and Earth through the Dao, while the Five Emperors upheld Heaven and Earth’s order through Virtue, granting the people good fortune and long life and bringing peace and harmony to the world. Even as Metal and Wood revolve and ages pass, governing family and state and bringing peace to all under Heaven should still begin with the Dao. When people follow the Dao, the four seas are peaceful and clear, and customs return to simplicity. When they turn away from it, the Central Plain falls into turmoil, and the ways of all things grow ever more shallow.

Our dynasty has modeled itself on the customs of high antiquity and inherited the teachings of the Mysterious Originator, Laozi. It cherishes the Dao and Virtue and honors the ways by which Shun and Yao governed. Thus, it has been able to wield its might, sweep away disorder, and revive the fortunes of the state; to manifest enlightened civil rule, secure the altars of state, and strengthen its enduring foundations. We, your ministers, have long received the compassionate protection of the Daoist tradition and are fortunate to live in a flourishing age of enlightened rule. Though we have achieved no notable merit, we have already received profound grace. With reverent and purified hearts, we fast and pray, looking up in hope of repaying the kindness of our ruler and our families.

Now the Celestial Officials are regulating the seasons, and the Wood Emperor governs one quarter of the realm. It is also the Upper Primordial Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, when conduct is examined and those below cultivate greater diligence. We, your ministers, have jointly prepared offerings for the spirits and proceed together to the sacred altar. Following ritual, we arrange vessels of jade and golden offering stands and perform the sacrifice. Lotus lamps scatter their flames, illuminating dark places; orchid incense rises in smoke toward the stars, conveying our humble and earnest prayers. We beseech the assembled perfected immortals and the myriad holy ones to descend, look upon the wishes of all, and bestow boundless blessings.

May Heaven assist the sovereign and make the imperial enterprise endure. May it protect the plans laid down by our ancestors and keep the realm secure. May the borders be free of war, the four seasons harmonious, the harvest abundant, and the people at peace. May all under Heaven dwell in concord and the systems of wheel tracks be made uniform. May disasters and baleful influences cease to arise, and auspicious signs appear one after another. May we, your ministers, and our kin, both living and dead, receive blessings; may our seven generations of ancestors ascend to Heaven, our clan share in honor, and the three calamities of wind, water, and fire be stilled.

If anyone’s sins from this life or a former life remain unexpiated, or old debts and lingering enmities remain unresolved; if judgments and punishments have been unjust, or killings and executions unfair; if karmic retribution has arisen from deliberate murder or accidental injury; if thoughts or deeds have offended the spirits; or if homes have been built with excessive luxury or clothing and expenses have been extravagant, then the Three Officials, who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water, have recorded these failings, and the Five Emperors have kept watch over these offenses. May this penitential prayer wash away all such faults. We beseech long life and enduring blessings and emoluments for us, the removal of calamities, and the reconciliation of those bound by enmity.

May those who devoted themselves wholeheartedly to serving their sovereign and gave their utmost for the state, yet died suddenly amid hardship and are now separated from the living by Yin and Yang, enjoy blessings even in the underworld. Through this rite, may the dead be rescued and all be raised to higher realms. May the ancestors whose sacrifices have ceased and who lack support in the shadowy realm also be reborn, no longer sunk in darkness or held there.

We beseech the Dragon Spirits to protect us and the deities of the five ancestral temples to keep watch, so that every quarter may be peaceful and still. May all beings receive the grace of the Yellow Register rite, a Daoist purification ritual for salvation and blessing, and bathe in the blessings of the Mysterious Capital, the Daoist realm of immortals. May epidemics spare us and wars never arise. May every being, whether small or extraordinary, animal or plant, and all beings of the Six Realms and the Four Births receive the merit of the spirits. Through the authority of the Nine Dragons’ talismanic mandate and the radiance of the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters—may all be universally protected and travel together on the path that leads to the true Dao.

The light of auspicious signs is pure, bright, and clear, bringing peace to the four directions. Epidemics and venomous evils do not come to harm us; war and weapons do not arise. All kinds of strange beings, and plants and animals of every form, find peace. The six destinies—the six realms into which beings are reborn—the four modes of birth, the three paths of suffering—hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—and the five kinds of suffering all receive blessings. The sacred decrees of the Nine Dragons, associated with Daoist deities and talismans, and the august power of the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters—spread wondrous merit everywhere, allowing all beings to bathe in blessings and together enter the path to becoming perfected.

Eulogy to the Venerable Laozi for the Bright Truth Fasting Rite at Baikeqiu

I have heard that the essence of the Dao is utterly empty and without form, and from it all wondrous things emerge through transformation. The virtue of the Dao encompasses Heaven and Earth, and its blessings reach both the underworld and the world of the living. Families and states rely on the Dao to find peace; the living and the dead are likewise saved through it. The might of the divine and its efficacious blessings have inexhaustible wondrous uses.

In the Celestial Grotto of the Jade Bureau, an abode of the immortals and a hidden sanctuary, I am about to hold a rite of reverence and homage to offer blessings for the Son of Heaven. I have therefore commissioned an image of the Mysterious Ancestor, Laozi, for his secluded dwelling. The image is solemn and dignified, with attendants arranged at its sides; it seems as though a jeweled palace has descended into the human world, or a jade throne has appeared in the sky. Once the statue was completed, its majestic and wondrous features became all the more striking: its brow is like the sun, its head like the moon, and it shines brilliantly as the lord of all beings. Its brows are blue-green and its hair snowy white; it stands lofty and noble, supreme among the myriad sages. May it bestow blessings on this region forever, guard this place, and spread the numinous efficacy of the Dao’s transformation.

I have therefore composed this eulogy with reverence, expressing my sincere prayer. Following the prescribed forms of Daoist fasting rites, I have prepared the ceremony of the Bright Truth Fasting. Through chanting scriptures, performing the rites, lighting lamps, and burning incense, I earnestly present my wishes to Heaven and quietly pray for protection of the human world. I beseech the Three Heavens to send down their radiance and the Nine Heavens of Purity to descend. May they look with compassion upon one so lowly as I, bestow auspicious blessings, secretly strengthen the foundations of the state, and silently protect the sacred dynasty. May the world accord with the natural way of quietude and purity, attaining the ancient realm of Wuwei (non-action).

Next, I pray for peace upon the earth and safety throughout the mountains and rivers, for auspicious signs to appear and calamities and dangers to cease. May the spirits of my ancestors of nine generations and seven generations escape the long night of the netherworld and ascend to the Radiant Yang Palace, the bright immortal realm. May their names be erased from the registers of the underworld, and may they soar up to Heaven. Further, may all sentient and living beings, and all beings in the three paths of suffering and six destinies, receive blessings and flourish according to their nature.

May the sins I have accumulated be dispelled and the flaws of my past cleansed away. May calamities vanish like mist, and may the teaching of the Dao spread everywhere like the wind. May I obtain the Mysterious Pearl of the Formless Image, a Daoist symbol of the wondrous and mysterious Great Dao, and enter the Hidden Register of the Subtle and Indistinct, the secret essence of the Dao that is beyond sight and words. I vow to cultivate with utmost sincerity and uphold the Great Dao, in repayment for its mysterious grace.

I have heard that the wondrous Dao and truth are fused together, reaching beyond the time before chaos first opened. The Heavenly Venerable, the Daoist title for the highest divinity, established the teachings, whose radiance had spread far and wide long before the ages of cosmic upheaval. The patriarchs of every generation taught people according to their capacities and adapted to circumstances to relieve all beings. Their grace is vast: it reaches both the realm of the state and the shadowy world below. All beings rely on the protection of the divine and share in its blessings.

We, your servants, are fortunate to live in a sagely age. In our youth, we received the true transmission of the Daoist tradition. We revere the teachings of the Dao and De of the Mysterious Origin (Laozi), and have seen the paths by which our ancestors cultivated the Dao and became immortals. Yet worldly ties still bind us, and we have not escaped their constraints. We act in accord with the Dao of Heaven and Earth, and respectfully observe the precepts of the Mysterious Gate and Confucianism. We economize and discipline ourselves; how could we forget the grace of Heaven and Earth, which shelter and sustain all things?

Now is a time when a sagely ruler governs with ease and meritorious ministers bring peace to the people. The fighting has ended, the Five Weapons—meaning all kinds of arms, and thus warfare—are no longer kept at the ready, and the grain harvests have been abundant year after year. The countryside resounds with songs of praise, and the people are growing prosperous and long-lived. This is the month when the Nine Wells bring forth life, and the time when the Three Terrace Stars send down auspicious signs. There is no more fitting way to repay this deep grace than to hold a Yellow Register Retreat, a Daoist Zhaijiao rite for praying for blessings, averting calamities, and delivering the dead.

We therefore invite everyone to contribute and prepare the rites, solemnly arranging the sacred traces of the immortals and perfected beings, and following the secret transmitted liturgies. We lay our intentions before Heaven and Earth in the ten directions and entrust ourselves to the celestial realms. We light lamps and burn incense, praying with sincere hearts. We beseech the Three Venerable Ones, Daoist deities, to pause and descend, and look with compassion upon our sincerity. We beseech the myriad saints to return and spread their wondrous grace far and wide.

May Heaven support the state, so that the ancestral altars and the land share in peace and good fortune with Heaven and Earth. May the sovereign be protected, and shine with the radiance of the sun and moon. May the Terrace Stars and auspicious luminaries continually guard the four quarters; may wise plans and good ordinances endure in towns and countryside alike. May the regions be clear and tranquil, the borders secure, and may neither epidemics nor warfare arise.

May our nine generations of ancestors and seven forebears be released from the underworld, and may all members of our five clans and six relations receive auspicious protection. May offenses be erased and calamities brought to an end. May farming and sericulture yield abundant harvests, and may all who suffer in the shadowy realms be delivered. May the Dragon Spirits guard the four quarters, the winds and rains be balanced, Daoist teachings spread everywhere, and divine power reach far and wide.

Across this boundless earth, the many and varied beings all hope to receive the merit of the Universal Repentance at the Yellow Altar. Relying on the command of the Supreme One of the Nine Dragons, a Daoist divine title and ritual designation, may they together complete the fruits of the Dao and ascend to the ranks of immortals. May the sacrificial souls, scattered like blossoms, and the spirits that vanish like frost and dew no longer become the source of epidemics and calamities, but each find a smooth passage to rebirth. Wherever the Daoist rites reach, may harmony and good fortune endure forever.

Daoist teaching takes purity, stillness, and mystery as its foundation, and establishes its methods through profound principles. The source from which Heaven and Earth bring forth the myriad things also reveals its efficacy through the wondrous power of the Dao. Thus the state and the family prosper, and the workings of successive generations continue without end.

The teaching of the Dao arose before the emperors. Today, an enlightened ruler governs all under Heaven, while senior ministers of the court oversee the regions, spreading virtue and nurturing the people. They emulate the benevolence of Yao and Shun and surpass the virtue of Hou Ji and Gao Yao. All under Heaven is at peace, and the borders are free of worry. Everyone is grateful for such profound kindness, yet does not know how to repay it. We therefore strive to lead our officials in arranging a Yellow Register Retreat, following the liturgical procedures set out in the scriptures. We solemnly prepare the ritual altar and make ready the observances of fasting and purification. We light incense and lamps to express our sincerity, and present offerings and valuables as a mark of respect. With concentrated minds, we pray toward the Nine Heavens of Purity, while our spirits travel to the Three Realms.

We earnestly ask that the wondrous divine light descend and bear witness, and that the most holy spirits silently respond to our appeal. May they look upon the people’s wishes and widely bestow their profound kindness: support the ruler’s foundations, bring glory to the enlightened court, and make its radiance shine alongside the sun, moon, and stars, firm as Heaven and Earth. May the power of its example and teaching spread to distant places such as Kun Pond and Phoenix Cavern, and reach remote lands such as Sang Ford and Meng Valley. May the realm be unified, with common tracks for carriages and a common script. May the regional commands and frontier peoples be at peace, and may the generals who lead the armies receive support and protection. May Heaven grant ever increasing blessings and good fortune, and a life of great length.

May the officials’ ancestors of nine generations in the underworld escape their suffering and pass beyond the gates of darkness. May all the relatives of the five kinship groups find good fortune in the realm of the Dao. May the crops within the realm flourish and the granaries overflow. May governance and teaching be clear and upright, with auspicious signs continually recorded in the annals. May warfare cease, and may illness and calamity no longer afflict the people.

May the spirits of those whose bones have no resting place and whose souls wander without direction, who have long endured the misery of wind and dew and are further distressed by ruined graves and abandoned ancestral temples, through the merit and sacred connection of this purification ritual, all enter a blessed realm. May the Dragon Spirits secure the four quarters, may the people find peace and renewal, and may all living beings together ascend to a realm of blessing and joy.

“Prayer Text for the Birth of the Crown Prince, Offered by the Daoist Master Tang Yi, Envoy of the Flying Dragon”: Your servant has heard that the Dao is supremely exalted and great. Its mysterious power turns and flows, bringing forth Heaven, Earth, and all things. The emperor is supremely honored: he holds the foundations of governing all under Heaven and directs the transformations of all things. He governs the many kingdoms far and wide and rules over the people for generations. Receiving the Mandate of Heaven bestowed by the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), he has established a vast realm across the Nine Lands (all the regions under Heaven). Auspicious signs have therefore gathered without end, and the Celestial River shines with radiance. The Crown Prince has been born, allowing the emperor’s great enterprise to flourish.

Now a propitious rainbow displays its many colors, and precious lightning flashes across the sky. This is the joyful moment of the Crown Prince’s birth, and a day when the people throughout the realm offer their devout congratulations. Your servant reverently unrolls the Daoist scriptures and proceeds to the altar of the immortals, where he establishes a Lingbao ritual altar and solemnly conducts a grand rite seeking longevity. The deep tones of the whale-shaped bell and the phoenix-shaped chime stone ring out across the Nine Heavens. The flames of crane-shaped lamps and the smoke of dragon-shaped incense rise aloft, carrying our sincerity to the Three Realms of the Immortals.

We humbly beseech Heaven to protect the emperor’s realm, keeping its foundations firm for generations, and to let its gracious blessings fall like rain and dew, without end. May the emperor’s sacred longevity reach far into the future and be as vast as the Eight Seas (the seas in all directions, signifying the whole realm). May the inner officials of the Six Palaces each fulfill their duties and work together in service of the court. May all things under Heaven and the people of the four directions manifest and proclaim the emperor’s enlightened De.

May the Crown Prince possess the dragon’s markings and the phoenix’s bearing, with exceptional character, steadfast as mountains and unyielding as pines and cypresses. May he surpass the virtuous heirs of the Han and Zhou dynasties and become a wise successor who helps unite all under Heaven, so that the whole realm may share in Great Harmony and common instruction, with blessings reaching every person. May all welcome an age that honors the Dao and share in a reign of tranquility and Wuwei (non-action). Your servant, so-and-so, prays with devotion and wholeheartedly entrusts himself to the Dao.

“Prayer Text for the Yellow Register Retreat Offered by Wang Chengxiu, Senior Court Gentleman of Xingzhou, on Behalf of His Mother”: Wang Chengxiu, Senior Court Gentleman of Xingzhou, conducted a Yellow Register Retreat, a type of Daoist purification ritual performed to pray for blessings and avert misfortune, for his mother.

I have heard that the supreme sages established the laws, while the True Immortals of Heaven set forth their teachings. Through their wondrous power, they aid all things, sparing neither plants nor birds and beasts. Through their compassionate generosity, they extend blessings widely, sheltering all beings, whether they ascend to wholesome paths or sink into harmful realms. From ancient times to the present, the beings who have received these blessings and compassion are beyond counting.

Thus, the northern reaches of Fengshan have been able to dispel evil and defilement in secret, while south of Nanchang at the Dipper’s pivot, warm blessings that nurture all life are spread far and wide. People must be devout and pure before they can commune with the spirits.

I am an ordinary and lowly person. Through the protection of the Daoist tradition, I received honor, and by the favor of an enlightened sovereign, I was appointed to office. At court, I serve the ruler and hold a high position; when sent abroad, I carry an official tally and am entrusted with governing a thousand-mile territory. At times I must organize troops and carry out punishments to pacify the region under my authority and enforce the laws. I fear that the slightest error in judgment may bring blame upon me, so I am constantly wary and deeply concerned.

Now my mother, née Dou, born in the year of the Wood Rat on a certain month and day, has been beset by misfortune and fallen ill. Though she has continually taken medicine and followed a regimen of care, she has not yet recovered. I fear this may be due to debts incurred and grievances formed in a former life, whose claims still entangle her, linking past and present lives in an unbroken chain of culpability. Or perhaps she is affected by the movements of the stars or by the cyclical influences of the year, as calamities intrude and her allotted years and blessings gradually weaken. Day and night, my mother is anxious and afraid, not knowing where to turn for help.

Moreover, I bear the duties of the court and travel far away, unable to serve my mother in person or prepare her medicinal food with my own hands. My heart seems to cross ten thousand valleys, yet a thousand mountains bar my sight. Now I can only rely on the compassion of the Great Dao, hoping to receive its responsive protection. Therefore, I take refuge at a sacred Daoist sanctuary and bow before the splendid altar. I establish a Yellow Register rite, a Zhaijiao ritual for praying for blessings and dispelling calamity, and make my petition to the Mysterious and True High Saints. I beseech the sacred ones to look upon my plea with understanding and bestow blessings and good fortune: extend my mother’s life, remove her calamities, wash away her ill fortune, harmonize the Six Qi that govern the movement of Heaven, Earth, and the human body, restore the joints and organs throughout her body, dispel faults and blemishes, and bring grievances and old debts to an end.

May my mother once more enjoy the radiance of the sun and moon and receive anew the blessings of long life and nurture. May all beings in the Three Paths of the netherworld—hells, hungry ghosts, and other realms of suffering—and in the Six Destinies of rebirth share wholesome causes and receive fine blessings. May the Nine Generations of ancestors be delivered, and may the five branches of the family be safe and at peace.

Then I will be able to serve my parents for many years, caring for them with all my heart, and continue to serve the sovereign of the court, fulfilling my duty with loyalty. I vow always to keep a sincere heart and repay the protection of the wondrous Great Dao. I submit this earnest petition and devoutly pray for grace. Respectfully, I present this memorial.

I have heard that the source of the Dao is subtle and profound, and that the realm of ultimate truth is empty, still, and silent. Through its wondrous power, it transforms and nourishes the myriad things, cultivating them as they grow and take form. It responds to the world’s myriad interactions without partiality, moving everywhere without rest. Thus the Nine Mysteries and Three Ancient Ages—the netherworld and remote antiquity in Daoist teaching—all proclaim the compassionate grace of the Dao, which shelters all things and nurtures living beings. Heaven and earth alike receive its nourishment. The Golden Rules and Jade Precepts, the Cloud Seals and Jade Chapters—the sacred commandments, scriptures, and talismanic writings—have circulated since before the myriad methods arose, encompassing all teachings to aid the people. The highest teaching is vast and boundless, beyond the praise of words.

I have long received the Dao’s grace and had the good fortune to live in a flourishing age. I dwell in peace, following the wondrous workings of creation and bathing in imperial favor. My daily life is smooth and harmonious; at every turn I benefit from the nurturing power of Heaven and Earth. From an early age I have studied the secret registers, and I often urge myself to act with brightness and reverent sincerity. Morning and evening I burn incense and light lamps with care and devotion. I cherish Daoist rites and scriptures and dare not neglect them in the least. My clan and relatives, too, have often received their protection. Therefore, I have carefully performed the Yellow Register Retreat, honoring this mysterious grace. Following the rites of the Ten Radiances and Three Realms, I have prepared the ritual implements, including feathered chimes and frost bells. I turn my heart toward the myriad sages and bow before the heavens. I respectfully ask the heavens to witness my wholehearted sincerity, grant their wondrous protection, understand my earnest appeal, and bestow auspicious blessings.

I beseech you to bless my Nine Ancestors and Seven Forebears, that they may ascend to Heaven and realize the Dao. May my six close relations and five branches of kin also receive blessings and share in its glory. May the living and the dead alike find peace and deliverance; may all, in stillness or in motion, receive the gift of peace and good fortune. May calamities and dangers be dispelled, grievances and debts reconciled, and sins and offenses absolved. May blessings, emoluments, and years of life increase and endure. May all sentient beings beneath Heaven, and every living creature in the world, receive the blessed affinity of Dao and De, and live long within a teaching of joy and peace. With utmost sincerity, I submit my plea and respectfully offer this retreat petition.

Retreat Petition Offered by Li Xuanjing for His Deceased Daughter

I come from humble origins and took refuge in the true teaching at an early age. I have received the profound grace of the mysterious Daoist tradition and have long been blessed by its efficacious protection. Yet worldly affairs have entangled me, and my heart has found little peace… With utmost sincerity, I submit my plea and respectfully offer this retreat petition.

I was born into a humble family and took refuge in Daoism at an early age. I have received the blessings of its mysteries and have long been protected by the spirits. Yet worldly affairs have entangled me, and official duties have kept me bound; I have never been able to fulfill the wish I first held. I longed to cast off worldly life and don the feathered robe, but never found the chance to leave the mundane world and pursue the Dao. Though I have generally remained close to the Daoist tradition and practiced with reverence, never daring to neglect my devotion, disaster has now befallen me: my daughter has died. The years have passed, and my grief is beyond bearing.

My daughter had only just reached the age of fifteen, when girls in ancient times underwent their coming-of-age ceremony, when she married into the Yi family. After her husband died, she resolved to take refuge in the Daoist tradition. She had already prepared her ritual robes and copied scriptures and Fulu (talismans and registers), intending from then on to wear the Daoist cap and ritual robes and practice with devotion. Just then, I was ordered to travel on official business and could not help her fulfill this wish. Before long she fell ill and died suddenly. I have no place to voice the plea buried deep in my heart. Knowing that she has entered the netherworld only deepens my sorrow.

I humbly pray that the Three Venerable Ones, the three deities honored in Daoism, show compassion, and that all the sages take pity on her. May they extend their protection and grant her the special grace of ascent and deliverance, so that her soul may find refuge in the Daoist tradition. May the grievances and debts she incurred over many lifetimes be resolved, and the wrongs she committed in life be forgiven. May she leave behind the suffering of the netherworld below and find peaceful refuge in a blessed realm. May the mysterious power of the Daoist teachings protect her always.

With reverence, I burn before the altar the ritual registers, Daoist robes, and other items she practiced with and copied during her life, and submit them to the celestial realm. I respectfully ask the Most Holy One to recognize my sincerity, command that her soul be released and delivered, and allow her to receive these offerings. With profound sincerity and grief, I respectfully present this petition.

A Zhaijiao (purification ritual) petition composed by He Wenji, Celestial Register Patrol Officer, for the birthday celebration of the Eastern Court.

I have heard that Heaven and Earth each have their spirits, and that rulers and ministers each have their proper place. For a state to be peaceful and secure, it must have worthy ministers to assist it. The wind and the tiger answer one another; clouds and dragons respond to one another. Since ancient times, kings seeking worthy men have received auspicious revelations in dreams, and there are stories of rulers offering a ritual vessel as a pledge when formally inviting the worthy to serve. By observing the stars, they discovered men of talent: in the time of Yao, for instance, the worthy ministers known as the “Eight Yuans” and “Eight Kais” were appointed, while the court of Emperor Shun displayed the signs of a golden age like that of the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan. Such ministers made their rulers’ achievements more glorious and added luster to the historical record. They brought peace and well-being to the people and blessings to all under Heaven.

Now it is the renchen year, on a gengwu day. The first day of the month accords with the seasons, and the moon’s appearance corresponds with Mercury. The Southern Dipper, a constellation symbolizing good fortune and longevity, shines auspiciously, while auspicious colors gather over the Eastern Mound. A gentle breeze follows the musical pitch pipes, and Mars displays a favorable omen. The time is also right for the legends of a worthy born beneath the Pleiades and a sage born on Mount Song to come to pass. I am fortunate to hold office, and respectfully beseech the Mysterious Sage, the supreme holy one revered in Daoism, for protection and blessing. With reverence I have come to the sacred altar where Zhaijiao purification rites are performed, to seek great blessings for the deceased.

At night, lamps fueled with orchid oil are lit; at dawn, sandalwood incense curls through the air. I respectfully conduct the rite of three formal petitions, trusting that sincerity will reach the ninth heaven and come to the notice of the spirits. I implore the spirits to use a blue case and purple ink to extend the deceased’s life and enter his name in the registers of the immortals in the Eastern Pole. May he also attain the Dao and become an immortal, with his name recorded among the immortals of Nanchang. May his life be as enduring as a mountain and his blessings and emoluments as deep as the sea. May clarity increase in the realm of peace and joy, and may he display filial virtue like Lao Laizi, who entertained his parents in brightly colored clothes. May the family’s brothers continue to prosper in orderly succession like a flight of geese, and may the descendants grow up under the guidance of family teachings, surpassing the outstanding figures of generations past.

May the enlightened sovereign govern all under Heaven and support the Primordial Sage, the worthy who assists the ruler, so that policies are unified and the people’s customs harmonious. May favor reach across the Chinese heartland and its distant regions, preserving peace and prosperity for a long time. I, Wang, have received extraordinary kindness. Reflecting on my own shallow virtue and ability, I can only bow before the spirits and express my gratitude. With utmost sincerity and earnestness, I devote myself to prayer. I respectfully submit these words.

“Prayer for the Mingzhen Fast for His Deceased Son Zhaoyin, by Wang Dang, Commissioner of the Xuan-sheng Army”: a prayer written by Wang Dang, Commissioner of the Xuan-sheng Army, for a Mingzhen fast, a Daoist ritual performed to pray for blessings and deliverance for his deceased son, Zhaoyin.

I have heard that the transforming power of Heaven and Earth has no fixed bounds, and that the divine beings’ merit extends widely to all living things. They perceive both the hidden world and the visible one, responding to the prayers of all beings; their grace reaches across the realms of life and death, and their saving mercy leaves no one out. People throughout the ages have received its blessings.

I was formerly ordered to lead the army on a campaign in the north. As I set out with the troops, I vowed to serve my country with loyalty, take up arms in its cause, and wash away its humiliation. But the mountains and rivers lay far ahead, and transporting provisions was a heavy burden. I could only hope to complete my mission quickly, and remained anxious and apprehensive. The soldiers throughout the army were also afflicted by an epidemic; many died or were wounded, and bodies lay scattered along the roads as far as the eye could see. My young son, Zhaoyin, fell ill as well, and his life was in danger. I therefore prayed with all sincerity, hoping that the Mysterious Sage, a holy being revered in Daoism, would look upon us and grant protection. I then withdrew the troops and returned to court, so as not to delay the affairs of the imperial government. Back at court, I humbly received the emperor’s favor and gave thanks for the protection of the Daoist tradition. I respectfully set down this text to express my gratitude.

Accordingly, I consulted the Standards of the Dongxuan tradition, which govern Daoist purification rites, and studied efficacious texts and ritual procedures. Following the liturgy for delivering the souls of the dead in the Ninefold Abyss, as well as the rites for illuminating the perfected beings recorded in the Jade Coffer, I have sincerely performed purification rites and observed the precepts, in repayment for the divine beings’ compassionate grace. I humbly pray that the heavens of the Three Realms will shine upon us and grant protection, taking pity on all living things: may blessings be bestowed upon the Nine Generations and Seven Ancestors, freeing them from the sufferings of the underworld; may my relatives and kin be protected, and enjoy good fortune in this life.

Across my generations, I have accumulated offenses and incurred enmities from past lives. Since taking up the duties of government, I have also fallen short and made mistakes in both public and private affairs. At times I have meted out rewards and punishments unjustly; at others, I have made mistaken judgments, causing the people to lament. All these faults are recorded in the unseen realm. For this reason, I often encounter obstacles and find little success, and my heart is burdened with fear as I reflect on these matters day and night. Now, through Zhaijiao, the purification ritual, I confess my offenses and earnestly seek to have them erased.

My deceased son, Zhaoyin, had not yet reached adulthood, and his soul now wanders in a foreign realm. The thought of his untimely death and descent into suffering grieves me deeply. He may have been harmed by baleful Qi or detained by spirits of the underworld. I devoutly beseech the power of the Daoist rites to bring about his transformation: may he leave the Court of Flowing Fire in the Southern Cinnabar Realm, a place of suffering in the underworld, and ascend to the Palace of Dongyang in the upper realm, a Daoist paradise; may he enter the ranks of the Mysterious Gate, awaken to the Dao, and become perfected. May his offenses be cleared, and his enmities, debts, and resentments be reconciled.

I also pray that the disasters and misfortunes that have befallen us may be dispelled, and that our stipends and lifespans may endure and increase. I will devote myself wholeheartedly to repaying the sage ruler’s kindness for years to come, and diligently practice the rites of purification in response to the protection of the perfected spirits.

I have heard that the supreme Dao (the Way) established its teachings, and that the Three Venerable Ones (the highest deities of Daoism) revealed the sacred law. Their grace reaches the netherworld and the human realm, extending its blessings to the living and the dead. They travel through the eight directions, spreading compassion and relieving suffering. Taking pity on souls lost in darkness, they turn the Dharma torch—the light of the Daoist teaching—and let its radiance shine everywhere.

In the Southern Palace, a tribunal is set up to refine and deliver departed souls; the cinnabar registers, which record the names and ranks of the immortals, open the lists of those granted ascent. The Wise Youths wish to explain the causes of sin and blessing, while the Flying Celestial Immortals ask for guidance on the rites of confession and petition. Thus the profound scripture Clarifying the True is expounded to deliver souls from the netherworld, and the numinous ritual code of the Jade Coffer, a secret Daoist liturgical canon, is opened to lift their sins and judgments. Mysterious, pure Qi disperses the gloom; grace like sweet dew moistens those scorched by suffering. The afflicted souls are rescued and transformed into benevolent, purified spirits. Even after endless ages, they will all receive the compassionate grace of the Dao.

My late father was fortunate to live in an age when Daoism flourished. He often took part in Daoist rites and received the precious registers—Daoist talismans and records of spiritual rank. He lived under enlightened rule and repeatedly held high office. Yet how could he have served amid worldly affairs without fault? In the course of his life, he must also have transgressed. Moreover, while in charge of provisions, he could hardly have avoided slaughtering animals; later, when he commanded troops, he often carried out punishments. As a governor beyond the capital and a trusted official at court, he sometimes restrained the powerful and aided the weak, and sometimes reiterated prohibitions. If he misjudged the severity of a measure, he may have incurred fault.

He was also once separated from his native place by war. The family graves there may have been disturbed or destroyed, and lawsuits and calamities arising from those graves may have reached his descendants. He also sold his residence and moved to another lane; when building a house, he may have offended the bright spirits. Troubled and uneasy over these matters, I seek to confess and atone. I therefore follow the ritual regulations of the Lingbao tradition, establish a Clarifying the True altar, purify the incense and lamps, prepare solemn offerings, and openly present my sincerity, repenting of our faults and praying for grace.

I respectfully invite the Three Venerable Ones of the Most High and all the sages of the ten directions to send down divine light and extend their grace. May they pardon my late father for the grave calamities and sins accumulated over his many lifetimes, erase his name from the registers of the underworld, cleanse his bodily form, and raise him to the heavens. May they also pardon all at once the wrongs he committed through injury and accidental killing, old debts and resentments, sins that may implicate his descendants, and the grievances of his forebears, so that the whole family, within and beyond the household, may be purified.

I further pray that he refine the divine Elixir and ascend to the heavens, taking his place in the registers of the immortals of Qinghua, the sacred realm of eastern immortality and deliverance for the dead. May he enter the heavenly road to the Hall of Blessing without passing through Mount Dai or Mount Feng, places where the dead are judged in Daoist belief.

I also pray that the Nine Generations of Ancestors may be opened to deliverance, that the Seven Ancestors may ascend, that the graves may be at peace and the netherworld made still. May all beings in the Three Paths and Six Destinies, the different destinations of rebirth, receive supreme merit, and may relatives within and beyond the clan obtain auspicious blessings. I lay bare my heart, bowing until blood seems to flow from my tears, and pray to Heaven in the deepest grief, choked with tears. With this, I respectfully submit my petition.

Prayer for the Crown Prince’s Banquet for the Generals, His Petition for Clear Skies, and the Performance of a Lingbao Purification Ritual

It is said that the highest Dao responds when the moment is right, as sound answers an echo; discerning spirits answer human appeals, as a shadow follows its form. I know well that spirits offer unseen protection in the hidden realms, and that their blessings are often bestowed.

On the twenty-second day of the sixth month, the Crown Prince will host a banquet for the generals. An auspicious day had already been selected. Since the season brought summer rains, he prayed for clear skies. After the prayer, the spirits indeed granted their favor: scarcely had the earnest petition been made when the torrential rain abruptly ceased. At dawn, the mountains appeared lush and green, and the sky stretched clear and high. Fengyi, the legendary spirit of the wind, gathered away the clouds and rain; across the land, the air was fresh and the sun shone brightly, as though urging Xihe, the legendary driver of the sun’s chariot, to flick the reins. The banquet was prepared without a hitch, and the court, within and beyond the palace, celebrated together.

Now the troops are equipped and ready to set out, to attack the rebels and put an end to calamity. Thousands of soldiers surge like thunder, while the mountains and rivers are spared the worry of muddy roads. Ten thousand horses race like stars, and blades, spears, and armor gleam brightly. We hope to suppress the rebellion soon and devote our strength to saving the people. To repay the True Officials, revered deities in Daoism, we have specially prepared offerings for a purification ritual. Lotus lamps cluster through the night, and orchid tassels sway at dawn; the rite is solemn and precise, and incense and flowers fill the air with fragrance. May this rite ascend to the sacred realm of Qingdu, the dwelling of the celestial emperor, and may the merit of Zifu, the abode of immortals, grow ever greater. We look up to the spirits’ wondrous virtue and pray that the great enterprise of the state may flourish. With utmost reverence, I offer this prayer.

Prayer for the Emperor’s Yellow Register Purification Ritual for Lord Lao

It is said that before Heaven and Earth were divided and before the myriad things appeared, in a realm so subtle it defies words, only the most holy Lord Lao, the Daoist honorific for the Grand Supreme Elder Lord, shone forth and dwelt among the Nine Heavens of Purity. May this rite ascend to the sacred realm of Qingdu, the dwelling of the celestial emperor, and may the merit of Zifu, the abode of immortals, grow ever greater. We look up to the spirits’ wondrous virtue and pray that the great enterprise of the state may flourish. With utmost reverence, I offer this prayer.

It is said that before Heaven and Earth took shape, beyond the deep and subtle realm, the Most Holy One dwelt in the Nine Pure Heavens, the lofty celestial realm described in Daoism. Taking quietude, detachment, emptiness, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action) as the foundation, the Most Holy One taught without imposing control, allowing things to follow their natural course. Since ancient times, this pure Dao has spread widely. People have revered it, using it to support moral instruction and bring good governance to completion.

Since beginning to govern public affairs and receiving the support of the people, we have held fast to a reverent, clear, and sincere heart, repeatedly expressing our devotion and desire to make offerings. In response, the light and numinous presence of the gods have continued to descend, and blessings have arrived one after another. The celestial dwelling has bestowed a mandate-bearing talisman, bringing the foundations of our rule to prominence and prosperity. The Hall of Proclamation, a place in the palace for sacrifices and prayers, has voiced its petitions, and these too have surely reached the gods. As a result, wind and rain have come in their proper measure, baleful influences have not arisen, the borders in every direction have been at peace, and the Five Grains have yielded abundant harvests year after year.

To seek and receive the gods’ grace, we should indeed offer our thanks openly. So, on this auspicious day, we have specially established a ritual altar. For three successive days we have observed the fast with devotion, keeping ourselves pure through the six watches of day and night. We hope, by means of this memorial addressed to the gods, to report the mysterious merit of the divine powers above.

Now we are about to deploy our soldiers to subdue the wicked. We must still rely on the power of the Daoist rites so that the bandits’ strongholds may be destroyed. May we draw upon the might of the thunder god Fenglong and the lightning god Lieque to sweep away such evil forces as Chizhi and the Greedy Wolf. We pray that the gods will continue to send down their blessings, so that peace may endure throughout the realm. With utmost sincerity, we respectfully submit this petition.

A prayer text used by the Imperial Son-in-Law Meng of Shuzhou when he established a Yellow Register ritual venue at the government office to avert calamity and guide the dead to deliverance.

I have heard that the supreme Dao is profound and mysterious, and its wondrous power and virtue are boundless. It embraces all things and carries out its teaching, reaching every kind of living being and extending its beneficence everywhere. Thus it can rescue the souls of the dead in the netherworld, bring peace to the state and stability to the land, and harmonize the spirits. All beings follow the principles that govern the myriad things and receive the power of compassion. From ancient times to the present, in both the visible and hidden realms, none has failed to receive its beneficence.

I have long received the favor of the mysterious Daoist tradition, and early on I also received the court’s generous kindness. Yet before making even the smallest contribution, I was suddenly granted the honor of the tally and bamboo baton, symbols of local office. I hold an important post and am charged with administering the law. In examining cases closely, I fear I may have violated the principles of benevolence and clemency. I also command troops, though I truly lack the means to bring order through instruction and guidance, and so often incur blame. My heart has long been uneasy with fear. Since taking office in the prefectural city, I have been cautious at every turn, yet never expected to meet with disaster and punishment. I had not dared hope to preserve my life; the limits of ritual seemed to leave me almost no way to appeal. Now I have been allowed to survive and have again received the court’s generous kindness. I weep blood and cry out to Heaven, alone and helpless, not knowing to whom I can appeal.

I have heard that the Mysterious Originator, a reverential title for Laozi, established the teachings, and that Ziyang instituted rites for deliverance and salvation. The Zhengyi school also established liturgies, including the Yellow Register Purification Rite, a rite of purification for praying for blessings, repenting of sins, and delivering the souls of the dead. I have therefore reverently put the offices in order and solemnly established an altar for the purification rite. I submit memorials to the Nine Heavens of Clarity and convey my prayers throughout the Three Realms. I humbly beseech the Three Venerable Ones and all the sages to extend their compassion and deliverance, so that the souls of the dead may leave the dark courts and sealed gates of the netherworld and set out on the path of ascent.

May the spirit of Lady of the State of Yun, née So-and-so, find peace and increase in blessings and goodness. May her accumulated faults and grave sins be cleansed away, so that she is no longer detained in the underworld and may ascend directly to Heaven. May the seven generations of ancestors, the nine generations of ancestral spirits, and all departed kin likewise ascend through the power of the Dao and gather together in a blessed land.

The residence has also been repaired and altered several times, and I fear that something may have been disturbed; even now, it has not been at peace. May the merit of this purification and repentance rite dissolve any faults caused by offense or transgression, restore the Dragon Spirits to their proper places, and bring peace to the local earth. May the dwelling become auspicious and well suited, and may misfortune and disaster dissipate. May the spirits of the city god, the local shrine, and the regional officials of the Dao silently receive the merit of the rite and dwell forever in a blessed land.

May the imperial foundation remain secure and the sovereign enjoy long life. May the Crown Prince and the princes receive abundant blessings and support the state; may the empresses, consorts, and palace ladies receive the light of grace and assist in the governance of the court. May officials within and beyond the court, the six armies, and the common people all share in prosperous times and live in stability and well-being. May the harvests be abundant year after year, and may the people be spared the ravages of illness and disaster. May all regions of the realm unite as one, entering together a state of benevolence and longevity, and peacefully enjoy the transforming power of good government. I sincerely entrust my life to the Dao, lay bare my heart and state my prayers, and make my earnest supplication without restraint.

I have heard that the supreme Dao (the Way) is wondrous and far-reaching, and that the power of the divine spirits operates everywhere, shaping Heaven and Earth and assisting rulers. From the ancient sovereigns Fuxi, Xuanyuan, Zhurong, and Suiren to sage kings such as Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang, all took the Way of emptiness, stillness, and Wuwei (non-action) as their teacher, opening the way to an age of peace and harmony. Thus their reigns endured and their names became renowned. Some rode the wind across the vast sea; others attained the ranks of immortals and took their places in the Purple Court. Their radiance shone afar, and their lifespans matched the sun, moon, and stars.

I respectfully reflect that the Great Shu Emperor holds Heaven’s mandate and governs all under Heaven. Following the Dao, he brings peace to the Chinese realm and the four quarters, commands a majesty like that of six dragons, and steadies the countless people. His De (Virtue) surpasses Yao and Yu, and his sagacity exceeds that of Fuxi and Zhurong. Rulers of distant peoples offer precious gifts and submit to imperial civilization; envoys from remote regions travel through many interpreters to pay court. His beneficence reaches mountains and rivers, and his compassion nourishes plants and trees. Divine birds dwell in the palace gardens, auspicious beasts roam the Shanglin Park, lingzhi mushrooms appear as signs of good fortune, and tortoises and cowries reveal extraordinary omens.

Yet the Emperor remains diligent in humility and strict in self-discipline, attributing his achievements and De to Heaven’s mandate. Though his accomplishments already fill the records, he grows still more modest. Now the immortals secretly lend their aid, and wondrous transformations descend as auspicious signs: grace reaches even the decayed roots of trees, and the branches of withered cypresses grow lush again. The wind passes over emerald mountain walls, carrying fragrance far and wide; moonlight sweeps across the splendid ritual terrace and reveals the shadows of flourishing branches. This auspicious sign surpasses all precedent and proclaims the flourishing of the imperial house and the long life of the Emperor and the dynasty. Even the growth of grain in the ancestral temple or the appearance of the time-telling mingcao plants in the palace—wonders celebrated in ancient books—cannot compare with this response.

I, your servant, am fortunate to have been born in a prosperous age and to hold, undeservedly, the office of governor of Qiongzhou. After witnessing this auspicious sign within my jurisdiction, I composed a memorial and submitted it to the court. The court soon issued an edict and solemnly ordered a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) to be performed. The Emperor’s praise was distinguished and generous. Though the favor I have received is as deep as the sea, it cannot be measured; my gratitude for the imperial grace is such that even Heaven and Earth could not repay it.

Therefore, on the Emperor’s natal year day—the day associated with his birth year—I have established a Golden Register altar, a grand Daoist purification ritual performed to pray for the welfare of the state and the sovereign, and have devoted myself wholeheartedly to seeking blessings from the mysterious powers. I beseech the heavens to look down and the myriad sages to descend, granting abundant blessings to the state and the spirits of its ancestors, and adding good fortune to the ancestral temples and the former sages. May Heaven and Earth remain secure and the myriad states unite under one rule. May the Emperor’s lifespan equal the mountains Min and Emei, his brilliance shine with the sun and moon, and his unified calendar be promulgated as he governs all under Heaven. May the Empress receive the blessings of the Purple Palace and an increase in her years; may the Crown Prince long support imperial authority and cultivate De in the Eastern Palace; may the princesses and consorts bring honor to the sacred dynasty; and may the princes and officials respectfully protect the foundations of the imperial house.

May the nine provinces be peaceful, weapons laid aside, warfare ended, and crops abundant. May birds and beasts, plants and creatures of the waters, and all beings in the Three Paths and Six Realms receive this beneficence and find their way to blessed lands. I, your servant, pledge to remain loyal and filial, thereby repaying the grace of the sagacious Emperor.

With reverence, we pray to the Five Qi of the Mysterious Heaven and the Great Emperor of the Northern Palace, sovereign of the northern celestial realm. You oversee the judgment of good and evil and command life and death. You determine and record each person’s lifespan, blessings and fortune, and good or ill fate.

We fear that the movements of the stars in Heaven may bring calamity, and that our birth destiny and the influences of the current year may bring punishment and harm. We therefore turn in supplication to the true sages and solemnly perform a Zhaijiao purification ritual to pray for blessings and avert disaster. With all our sincerity, we join together in ritual worship and prayer, beseeching you to dispel calamities and extend our lives: remove our names from the register of the dead in Northern Feng, and enter them in the register of the living in the Southern Pole, realm of longevity. May public and private affairs be harmonious and peaceful, and may our families and dependents be safe, so that we may receive the compassionate protection of the Emperor.

Petition for the Three Assemblies’ Zhaijiao Registers

I have been fortunate to receive the Orthodox Dao and take part in the transmission and reception of the Mysterious Registers, Daoist texts of talismans and registers. Inwardly, I hope through cultivation to preserve both body and mind; outwardly, I pray that the power of the spirits will dispel calamities. I have received and upheld the registers according to the liturgy, hoping to attain spiritual accomplishment soon and serve them faithfully. Yet I fear being entangled in worldly affairs and occupied by the concerns of this mundane life. On days of purification, I may make mistakes while paying homage to the deities; in the course of practice, I may at times fail to attend properly to burning incense and lighting lamps. Meritorious deeds have yet to be established, while faults can readily come to light. The numinous officers of True Qi, spirits who protect those cultivating the Dao, have not yet descended to grant their blessing; the Celestial Offices of the Mysterious Bureau, divine authorities overseeing the affairs of the Daoist heavens, may also punish me for my lack of focus. Calamities and misfortune brought by fate and the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) have not yet been dispelled. Day and night I am anxious and afraid, my heart seeming to be seared by fire and chilled by ice.

Now the day of the Great Assembly has arrived, and the Celestial Officials are conducting their examination of merit and fault. No good or evil deed, however great or small, will go unrecorded. I therefore sincerely reveal my thoughts, devoutly repent my faults, carefully perform the Zhaijiao purification ritual, and submit a memorial petition to the deities of heaven. I earnestly beseech all the sages, in their compassion, to pardon my transgressions, send down a numinous response, and dispel calamities and dangers. I pray that the officials and troops of the Three Departments will continually protect me, so that my movements and daily life may be safe and smooth, and I may enjoy good fortune and peace for a long time. In this way, I may receive the grace of the True Officials of the Registers, who rescue and protect me.

“Prayer for a Zhaijiao Ritual to Protect a Military Encampment”: a prayer used in a Zhaijiao ritual seeking peace and safety for a military camp.

After Heaven and Earth, the sun and moon had taken shape, the three classes of divine beings each settled in their appointed places. Yin and Yang brought forth the myriad things, and Heaven and Earth were thereby opened. In ancient times, when people lived in nests, society’s customs had not yet grown corrupt. Later, methods for building houses with raised beams and projecting eaves came into use, and construction gradually flourished. People then took the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) as their model and established the six governing principles that ordered society. By following these laws, people could preserve good fortune and make their good deeds known; by violating them, they brought disaster upon themselves. On examining the powers that govern these laws, we find that they are in fact the Five Emperors, the directional celestial sovereigns revered in Daoism.

The place where I live has been under construction for many years. Building work has continued without pause, with repeated digging and moving of earth. I fear this may have offended the Five Emperors and other divine beings. Construction is underway again this year, at a place governed by the spirit of the year’s position, which is associated with a person’s or year’s fortune. Recently, Lady Feng suddenly fell ill, and I fear this was caused by offending the divine beings. I have therefore respectfully held a Jiao ritual according to the rites of the Daoist registers. Following the traditional rites of the Three Heavens, I respectfully invite the Five Emperors to bestow their sacred talismans. I pray that the orthodox gods will descend, grant their true Qi, and provide lasting peace and protection, so that this place may be restored to calm. May evil forces be unable to intrude; may all within and without be safe; may illness and calamity be dispelled, and may the family live in harmony. May the Azure Palace, the divine office that governs fate and rank, add records of blessing and prosperity; may the Black Registers, which record calamities in the underworld, put an end to the tally of misfortune. We will diligently continue our practice and service, in gratitude for the divine beings’ De. With reverence, I submit this petition.

Jiao Petition to the Big Dipper by Wang Qian, Gentleman Attendant

I am low in station, yet fortunate to have received the Dao’s teaching and its constant protection. I am deeply indebted to the compassion of the divine beings. Since the first year of the Longji era (889), I have served by order as an envoy to an outlying prefecture. As soon as I had delivered the command of my superiors, disaster struck. In a moment of danger and fear, the divine beings extended their grace and protection, preserving my life and freeing me from distress. Yet communication between the two places was cut off, and we remained separated for three years. My son, Yan Gui, prayed earnestly and repeatedly presented his petitions to the divine beings. Heaven discerned his sincerity, and he himself received a sign of its response.

I look up in reverence to the most holy divine beings and remember the special grace I have received. I wish to devote myself wholeheartedly to expressing my gratitude. Now, at the Shangyuan Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and an important Daoist festival, the time is favorable for praying for blessings. I have respectfully established an altar for a Jiao ritual to repay the divine beings for their kindness. I beseech them to descend, look kindly upon this humble offering, and accept my sincerity; may the wish of former days be fulfilled this year, and may grace be bestowed on this day. In the days to come, I will continue my practice and service to receive the divine beings’ protection. With reverence, I submit this petition.

I have heard that when clear and turbid Qi (vital energy) divide, Heaven, Earth, and all things take shape, each finding its place above or below. The revered gods of the Southern Dipper govern the registers of life and death. Yin-Yang, too, each has its changes of growth and decline. The revered gods of the Southern Dipper and the assembled saints of its Six Palaces—the six star lords under its authority—record merit, commend good deeds, and proclaim the principles by which people may attain longevity. They administer the registers, determine the span of life, and open the path to long life. They wish all things to return to the Dao (the Way), and all people to cultivate the Dao and attain perfection, fulfilling the Heavenly Worthy’s compassion in aiding all beings and following the Great Dao’s law of cherishing life.

Yet the turmoil of the human world can easily lead people astray. Thoughts race like wild horses, hard to restrain; the net of transgression is tightly woven, hard to escape. The gate of desire is shut fast, and no way to open it can be found. Living in this world, my heart is bound by worldly affairs. Holding authority, I must punish and admonish according to the law; charged with penalties and rewards, I cannot always act in keeping with the Dao of quietude and harmony. I fear that faults will accumulate and be entered in the underworld’s register of offenses. Should calamity then befall me, I would sink into misfortune. Though I have repeatedly prayed, repented, and presented my pleas to the Heavenly Court, I have yet to lay my sincerity before the Southern Pole, the celestial realm where the star lords of the Southern Dipper reside.

Now, having chosen an auspicious day, I solemnly establish an altar for a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), following Daoist liturgy to express my wholehearted devotion. I, a humble being of the lower realm, respectfully present my intent at the Jade Steps; surely the radiant perfected immortals will also descend to the Jade Banquet, the seats at the altar. I beseech the gods to show compassion and pardon, and to look kindly upon the smallness of a mortal’s circumstances: forgive my offenses and dispel calamity; remove my name from the register of guilt in the Northern Palace of the underworld. Grant me years of life and increase my blessings and good fortune; enter my name in the Southern Dipper’s register of those granted longevity. May the Six Palaces remember my name forever, and may the Five Planets secretly protect my blessings. I also pray that my nine generations of ancestors and seven forebears, and all my clan and relatives by marriage, may receive blessings: may my ancestors be blessed in Vermilion Mound, and my family gain good fortune in the Purple Palace. I solemnly vow to cultivate diligently and serve the Dao, repaying the gods’ profound kindness.

Prayer by Attendant Li Wan for a Jiao Offering to the Nine Luminaries

It is said that Yin and Yang energies mingle to bring forth the myriad things, while the three lights—the sun, moon, and stars—appear in the heavens and nurture all living beings. Humans are the most spiritually perceptive of creatures, relying on Heaven’s clear insight and protection. Heaven governs whether people’s actions are good or evil and whether their conduct brings fortune or misfortune, and watches over the human world.

I have been fortunate to receive the blessings left by my ancestors and to be nurtured by Daoist teachings. In serving my sovereign and conducting myself in the world, I have been able to fulfill my duties faithfully. I regularly examine myself and have always remained cautious and on guard. The salary I receive is a gift from the spirits, so I am often anxious, fearing that I may have failed in virtue and proved unworthy of this grace.

Yet I have suffered from an eye ailment for many years. Acupuncture and medicines have all been tried, and I have diligently taken remedies, but I have never recovered, which has made me even more fearful. I worry that the cycles of Yin and Yang have clashed with the fortunes of the year, bringing severe calamity; I also fear that the movements of the stars have brought about this affliction. I have set up an altar to pray and performed a Zhaijiao rite—a Daoist ritual seeking blessings and the dispelling of disaster—in hope of finding peace. Now my life palace has entered a period marked by the dark and void star, and this has coincided with my long illness. With calamity at hand and nowhere to turn for help, I am at a loss.

I have heard that Daoist liturgy has prescribed ritual procedures, and that Zhaijiao rites have their corresponding documents. I therefore pray with all my heart, hoping the spirits will look upon me with understanding. I will respectfully conduct the rite and invite the revered deities to descend. I beseech the mighty spirits of the Nine Luminaries—the deities associated with nine celestial bodies—to spread their divine radiance, look upon my plea, and accept it. May they release me from sins accumulated in past lives, resolve grievances and wrongs, disperse the grip of calamity, and remove the afflictions of illness.

May the Purple Lad protect me so that pain no longer torments my eyes; may the Azure Emperor watch over me so that my liver returns to peace. May calamities and ill fortune cease forever, and may blessings, prosperity, and years of life increase anew. How could I forget the sincere resolve to cultivate and strengthen myself, in gratitude for the spirits’ gracious light and blessings? My fear and gratitude are beyond words.

I came from an ordinary family, yet heard of and believed in the teachings of the Dao from an early age. I calmed my mind and spirit in quiet simplicity, devoting myself wholeheartedly to the righteous Way. Whenever I prayed with sincerity, the gods saw my devotion and granted me their protection.

Recently, the public fields had been tilled, and the wheat seedlings had just grown evenly. Spring was growing warmer, yet no rain clouds had gathered in the sky. Knowing how urgently the fields needed rain, I was deeply troubled. So I reverently knocked at the Mysterious Gate—the subtle portal through which one reaches the gods—and prayed for rain. My prayer was answered with great grace: as incense smoke rose and spread, clouds appeared, heavy with moisture; when consecrated water, empowered through ritual, was sprinkled, abundant rain fell from the sky like oil.

Thus there was hope for an autumn harvest, and the spring planting was not delayed. We could look forward to grain piled high and an abundant harvest in Sichuan. The High Sage has bestowed such profound auspicious favor, yet I, a mere subject, do not know how to repay it. With care, I have wiped clean the emerald altar and set out simple offerings. Though water plants such as duckweed and algae have been bound together, they are hardly sufficient as the proper ritual offering to the gods. Still, I have prepared silk, candles, incense, and flowers as gifts in return for their grace. I respectfully ask the gods to accept them and to grant auspicious blessings for many years to come. Here I give thanks for the blessing received; I dare not say more, and remain filled with awe.

Also recorded here is the prayer by the Minister Ma to the Southern Dipper, the star deity associated with longevity, blessings, and rank, offered during a Daoist jiao rite—a liturgical prayer used in an altar ceremony.

I have heard that the Great Sage has no private interests and comes to aid all beings in response to their appeals. The Most True Spirit offers universal salvation to the world below: so long as one’s thoughts are sincere, the spirit will descend and manifest its power. Divine transformations are not blocked by the world of mortals, and in saving all beings, the spirit does not overlook even the lowly and insignificant.

I know that my understanding is shallow, yet I look up to the mysterious and wondrous Dao. I cleanse my thoughts and turn toward a realm of profound stillness and distance, privately seeking repentance for my sins. I bow before the primordial realm at the beginning of all things, hoping to wash away my past faults. First, I pray for the deliverance of seven generations of ancestors (“the Seven Ancestors” means seven generations of forebears); second, I pray for peace throughout the four quarters. I have only just expressed my sincerity, and the spirits have swiftly bestowed their merciful grace, bringing me into communion with them and granting me an auspicious dream.

When I awoke, my soul was clear and my spirit refreshed, quite unlike Zhuang Zhou’s dream of becoming a butterfly. I touched my belly and felt at ease, as though I had experienced the joy of finding treasure in a dream. This is truly an omen of a plentiful harvest, and it also shows that calamity has begun to recede. Reflecting on the spirits’ merit, I once again give thanks for this blessing. My heart is filled with reverence and joy, and my gratitude is beyond words. To repay the spirits’ grace, I once again perform a Jiao ritual, an altar ceremony in Daoism to honor the spirits, pray for blessings, and avert calamity.

The paired mandarin-duck lamps send forth flames, their crossing beams shining like the stars of the Jade Dipper. Dragon-shaped incense smoke drifts and spreads, evoking the scene of the Jade Pool. I set aside all distracting thoughts and join the others in focused prayer. I humbly pray that the perfected spirits of the Elixir Court and the exalted sages of the Six Palaces will look down upon the human world and descend for a time. May the gods accept my meager sincerity and take pity on worldly beings. Please bestow the golden books of longevity and open the vast gate of forgiveness for sins; grant me a longer life and the blessing of a chance to reform.

May the people enjoy abundant harvests when you oversee agriculture; when you command armies, may you display the virtue of benevolence and righteousness, along with your might. May sins be erased and public and private affairs proceed with clarity and ease. May the living and the dead alike receive blessings, and may my family and kin enjoy long lives. May the Northern Origin, a divine office in the Daoist pantheon, remove the records of sins; may the divine offices of the Nine Courts bestow registers that add years to life.

The Five Planets sometimes cast their light upon human destinies, while the Three Primordial Periods and their divine offices are also linked to longevity, fortune, and calamity. Human life is often beset by hardship or blessed with good fortune. When calamity approaches and one’s blessings are nearly spent, one’s official stipend may be reduced and one’s life cut short. Ordinary people cannot fathom such changes; they can only estimate their own good fortune and worry. Without relying on the compassion of the Daoist tradition, there is no way to save oneself.

I have heard that the Most High established rites to avert calamity, and that the Celestial Master devised the liturgical procedures for prayers and Jiao offerings. When one sincerely confesses one’s sins, they can be erased; when one prays for grace, blessings can descend. Today is my natal day, the day corresponding to the stem and branch of my birth year. I have therefore specially followed the scriptures of the Zhengyi tradition, reverently paid homage to the sacred registers, and performed a modest Jiao ritual. I pray sincerely to the Three Palaces and Five Luminaries, the divine offices of the heavens and the star spirits, and make a universal confession before the Six Offices and Seven Stars, divine offices and star spirits.

I humbly pray that the honored gods protect me, and that the Great Sage look down and descend, forgiving my past faults and granting blessings for the future. May the Three Calamities subside and the Nine Afflictions be dispelled; may my life be quietly lengthened and my stipend and blessings gradually increase. May seven generations of ancestors and nine generations of forebears be freed from the underworld, and may the Five Clans and Six Kin all receive the shelter of the Great Dao. May public and private affairs remain peaceful for a long time, and may the living and the dead alike enjoy well-being. I will forever receive the Great Sage’s boundless grace, and my gratitude is beyond words.

The blessings I have inherited from past lives enabled me to encounter Daoist teachings, receive and wear true registers (the ritual registers bestowed by Daoism), and, by good fortune, practice in accordance with them. Yet my cultivation has not achieved notable results, while my faults have readily accumulated. Yin-Yang fell out of balance, and I consequently fell ill. In urgent distress, I sincerely bowed and prayed. Fortunately, the spirits manifested their presence and protection, and I soon regained my health.

When the Zhongyuan Festival came again, I wished to hold a Yellow Register Offering (a Daoist purification ritual for praying for blessings, averting misfortune, and delivering the souls of the dead). I looked up and petitioned the True Sages, hoping my sincere wish might be fulfilled. Now the rites at the altar have been completed without incident, and their merit is complete. The covenant made with the spirits has been fulfilled, and the wind and rain have caused no disturbance. I have received the compassionate, wondrous response of the holy ones in the unseen realm; this kindness is truly beyond repayment.

Therefore, on the day of my birth under my natal star, I have reverently prepared a purification ritual and set out a simple offering rite (a ceremony for petitioning the spirits) to express my sincerity. I pay homage to the numinous scriptures (sacred Daoist texts) and pray for blessings. With reverence, I pray that the High Venerables will look upon and accept my offering, and that the assembled Sages will descend and watch over us. May my earlier wish, already fulfilled, be followed by special good fortune. May my sins be cleared away and calamities brought to rest; may my cultivation bear fruit. May my living family be safe and well, and may my departed family be delivered and freed. I will remain steadfast in sincerity and persevere in cultivation, repaying the kindness of the True Spirits. I respectfully submit this petition.

Prayer Text for the Offering Rite Held to Repair the Abbey of the Venerable on Mount Qingcheng (a petition offered during the ritual for the repair of the Abbey of the Venerable on Mount Qingcheng)

Humbly I submit this petition: Within the immortal mountains of Qingcheng stands the sacred sanctuary of the Elder. It has nine halls and many grottoes, set out in rows and overlooking the surrounding peaks; for this reason, it is revered as a renowned mountain. Since the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan granted it its title, emperors of the Han dynasty have offered sacrifices there according to ritual, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang built its halls, and the late emperor later repaired and honored it, making the immortal sanctuary more imposing and the altar more solemn.

Recently, a wise local official oversaw its renovation, and the sacred palace has taken on a fresh appearance. Yet open ground remains west of the main hall, and the foundations of an old building still lie north of the secluded windows. The image of Xuanyuan—the Daoist honorific for Laozi—has not yet been installed, while traces of the imperial son remain clearly visible. We therefore plan to build an ancestral hall and a Zhai room, a place for purification and ritual offerings, so that incense and worship may be offered there for generations and the serene, empty realm of the immortals may be made more magnificent.

As the work begins, baskets, shovels, and other tools will be used, and we fear disturbing the dragon spirits. We have therefore prepared a Jiao ritual, a Daoist ceremony in which an altar is set up to honor the spirits, and respectfully report our intentions to the divine. We humbly hope the spirits will accept our sincere purpose and grant their wondrous protection, so that the Zhai room may be built without hindrance and the serene immortal realm made more solemn. May the work be completed, may all be safe and unhindered, may the artisans enjoy good health, and may blessings and good deeds continue to flourish. Our earnest appeal is beyond words.

Prayer for the Nine Luminaries Jiao at Mount Zhangren by Attendant-in-Ordinary Yan: A prayer composed by Attendant-in-Ordinary Yan for the Nine Luminaries Jiao ritual held at Mount Zhangren.

I have heard that Heaven and Earth each govern the flow of spiritual energy, and that the Three Officials (the divine beings who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water) determine people’s life and death and destiny. Yin and Yang manifest the signs of Heaven, while the Nine Luminaries (nine stellar deities) shine down to protect and bless. The Southern Palace (the divine office that governs the extension of life) issues talismanic decrees granting longevity; the Northern Court (the divine office that governs punishments and rewards in the underworld) reveals registers recording transgressions. As the stars move through the heavens, the deities of mountains, rivers, and seas each observe the world, impartially and without self-interest. All who live in the human world fall under the authority of these divine offices.

I know that my own abilities are meager. Though I have received the mysterious grace of the sacred, I fear that my daily conduct has fallen short of hidden virtue, and that the thoughts in my heart have failed to accord with the divine beings’ requirements. Now calamity has befallen me, compounded by my own faults; misfortunes have come one after another, leaving me no time to pray and repent. This year, the Heavenly Talisman shines upon the Central Palace (the stellar deity of the central direction), and Saturn also shines upon my life position. My major cycle remains under the influence of the Calamity-Killing star (a baleful star that brings disaster), while the Flying Banner star’s baleful influence also falls upon this year’s fortune. The Three Destinies and Five Phases (a system of fate calculation) may well suffer adverse clashes, and the Nine Luminaries’ influence is likewise a cause for concern. Thus life has become difficult and unsettled, with danger and calamity recurring. Without the protection of the most sacred divine beings, there is no way to pray for deliverance.

Therefore, with a heart of utter sincerity, I respectfully hold a grand Zhaijiao (purification ritual) and offer prayers. I beseech the assembled sages to bestow blessings, dispel future calamities, and pardon past faults. I beseech the Six Bureaus of Destiny (divine offices that govern various affairs and the span of life) to increase my blessings and longevity, and the Revered Gods of the Seven Cycles (deities who govern the years and cycles of fortune) to send down good fortune from the Mysterious Pole (the highest region of Heaven). May public and private affairs alike be peaceful and secure, and may my family and relatives be safe and healthy. I shall forever be grateful for the protection and grace of the assembled sages.

Prayer for a Zhaijiao of the Life Cycle and the Whole Heavens, composed by Mo Tingyi, magistrate of Qingcheng County, on behalf of the deputy commissioner.

I respectfully listen as the teachings of the Dao (the Way) spread widely, while its mysterious De (Virtue/Power) covers all things and nourishes living beings. The transformations of Yin-Yang are unfathomable, and Heaven and Earth nurture all things without partiality. Thus the Five Emperors and Three Sovereigns govern the four quarters of Heaven and Earth and oversee all things. The Heavenly Offices and Water Palaces each govern the places where the eight directions converge, maintaining the order of Heaven and Earth. The Southern Palace records good deeds and draws up registers of rewards; the Northern Pole oversees transgressions and records their kinds. Good and ill fortune, guilt and blessing, all fall under the charge of the divine offices.

All of Shu is a land of strategic terrain and a meeting place in Huayang. Its domain governs eight states and pacifies the surrounding peoples who have submitted. The commander’s Jade Tent is exalted, and the Golden Terrace, a sign of dignity and authority, rises high and grand. Beyond its borders, it brings order to lands with differing customs, wielding both authority and reassurance, and combining civil and military governance. Within, it commands a powerful army and issues orders that employ both rewards and punishments.

Your servant reflects that Zhang has long held great authority and devoted himself to the public good, receiving the sovereign’s plans above and following the court’s directives. At times he has commanded brave soldiers to clear the frontier; at times he has recovered cities and pacified the territory; at times he has eliminated treacherous and deceitful men and subdued the violent and overbearing; at times he has overseen taxes and labor service and gathered provisions for the army. With affairs so numerous, how could he have avoided resorting to punishment? Your servant deeply fears that, in imposing death or passing judgment, he may have erred in the severity of his sentence and incurred guilt, yet has not repented or prayed for pardon.

Your servant also fears that his allotted fate may have met a period of decline and misfortune among the Five Phases, or that baleful stars and hidden lights may be shining upon him. The way of the spirits is deep and unfathomable, beyond the understanding of ordinary human feeling. Without the words of the utmost sages, grave faults are difficult to cleanse. Therefore your servant has gone to the sacred mountain to perform a grand Zhaijiao (purification ritual), making offerings and prayers to all the offices of Heaven and Earth and Yin-Yang, and throughout the palaces where the stars and sun and moon reside. Your servant pours out his sincerity and lays bare his heart, praying for grace and repenting of his transgressions.

May the radiance of the spirits shine from afar and remove past faults; may grace descend and quell future calamities. May the spirits grant their gracious protection, so that blessings and good fortune endure: may his years be entered in the cinnabar register of immortal lifespans, his name removed from the Black Register of offenses, and the region of Chuan be kept at peace, with its people forever preserved. Your servant is filled with utmost dread.

This is the prayer composed by Mo Tingyi for the Lord of Chuan during a Zhaijiao conducted throughout the celestial circuit.

I have heard that the Primordial Sage, the most supremely wise and revered, brings forth the light, and that the High Venerables descend into the world to instruct all beings. Their grace reaches every kind of life, and their compassion extends across the heavens. They have also proclaimed clear laws governing sin and blessing, and shown the great Way of life and death. From states and kingdoms down to officials and common people, all fall under their rule and honor their teachings to encourage good and punish evil. These laws have been ordered throughout past and present, leaving nothing overlooked, even in the smallest detail.

In my view, assisting a sage ruler and achieving great deeds depend on worthy talent; helping the endangered and rescuing those in calamity depend above all on virtue. The military commissioner, Lord Wang, is righteous in a way that accords with the spirits, and loyal in his defense of the state. Through his military skill, he helped restore legitimate rule under the previous dynasty. By carrying out benevolent government, he has brought peace and stability to the present court. In recognition of these outstanding achievements, the court entrusted him with command of an important garrison.

In the course of his service, he recovered the imperial precincts and eliminated wicked forces; he sent troops into Qin and later gathered and reorganized his forces at Baochuan. He pacified Yong and Shu, bringing peace to the region around Tianpeng. He quelled threats on the borders and suppressed treacherous rebels at home. These campaigns were undertaken only because they could not be avoided, and the weapons of war could not be laid down at once. Thus the authority of the Son of Heaven was proclaimed, and the general’s military power put to use. Every campaign upheld justice and answered the needs of the times, yet there remains a fear that amid the killing some may have been harmed by mistake, thereby creating resentment and inviting misfortune. The registers of the Celestial Bureaucracy and the Underworld may already have recorded such offenses. There is also concern that the stars may cast an inauspicious influence, or that personal fortunes may bring an adverse year: when one’s fate and fortune decline, misfortune may follow, and disaster may strike the region where one lives. For this reason, repentance and confession must be offered in advance, in hopes of cleansing these transgressions.

I have been fortunate to serve among his subordinate officials. Accordingly, following the scriptures and liturgical rites, I offer my sincere devotion and respectfully conduct a Great Jiao, a Daoist purification ritual and grand prayer for blessings. On a sacred mountain, I perform the purification rites and recite the scriptures; at the numinous altar, I present offerings. Above, I pray to the realm of the Void and throughout the heavens; outward, I pray for all within the seas; below, I make a reverent appeal to the Nine Earths. May this sincerity reach on high, and may we receive the special protection of the true deities.

May the Northern Palace, the divine realm that oversees the remission of sins, pardon our offenses, and may the Southern Pole, the divine realm that governs longevity, extend our lives. May the hardships brought by the obstructed movement of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) be dispelled, and may calamities and declining fortunes among the Three Destinies—the astrological factors of rank, fate, and person—be removed. May life endure as long as a great river, and blessings and rank rise as high as mountains. May the grain harvests be abundant, and may the people live together in harmony and peace. May we continually assist the sage ruler, so that all beings under Heaven may long enjoy its blessings.

We further pray that the state’s good fortune endure, that the sage court remain at peace, that weapons of war be laid down of their own accord, and that the institutions and culture of all under Heaven be brought into unity. May the sun, moon, and stars move smoothly along the heavenly course, and may all things in the world flourish upon the earth. May the hidden realms and the human world, the waters and the land alike, be bathed in true compassion and share in its vast blessings. I am filled with awe and trepidation.

The myriad deities between Heaven and Earth each carry out their appointed duties. Yin and Yang move in their courses, nurturing and rescuing all living beings in accordance with the teachings of the Dao (the Way). The divine officials of the North Pole and the West oversee punishments and laws, determining guilt; the divine courts of the South and the East widely bestow the grace of nurture and proclaim merit. From emperors to common people, all entrust the judgment of good and ill fortune, blessings and calamities, to the deities.

In my early years, I was blessed with good fortune and entered the ranks of officialdom. I traveled perilous roads and lived through years of war and turmoil. I earned merit in the army and later governed a renowned city. Yet the frontier was distant, and tax levies heavy. If I governed with leniency and gentleness, I feared I would fail to enforce collection; if I acted with severity and urgency, I feared the people would suffer and resent me. Governing the people is like driving a flock of chickens: it is no easy task. To bring people to obedience as one might tame pheasants is harder still. Moreover, the times have not yet settled, and punishments and rewards must still be used. Though I have cast aside self-interest and urged myself to do my utmost, acting only according to reason, I still fear that my judgments of severity and leniency have missed the proper balance, leaving blemishes through my mistakes.

I also fear that the movements of the stars and the course of my personal fate may bring misfortune, and that calamity may arise when my fortune is unfavorable. The region I govern lies near immortal mountains, with Daoist temples hidden among the clouds and mists, thunder and rain resounding through mountain caves, and dragon spirits gathered upon the land. I look up toward the hidden, unseen abodes of the spirits and sincerely voice my plea; I gaze beyond the mists and rosy clouds toward the sacred presence of the divine, and earnestly ask for compassion.

Therefore, following the ancient liturgical rites of the Lingbao tradition, I have established a Great Cosmic Offering, an expansive Zhaijiao (purification ritual) for honoring the deities of Heaven. I have invited the divine courts and palace officials of the Nine Provinces, as well as the powerful spirits of the Ten Directions. With reverence, I bow and pray with focused attention, confessing my faults. I ask that all offenses, great or small, all past and recent transgressions, as well as calamities not yet revealed and misfortunes that may come in the future, be pardoned and dispelled together. May every hardship subside, and old grievances and resentments be reconciled and dissolved. May my blessings and emoluments increase somewhat, and my life be prolonged; may my ancestors of nine generations ascend to a higher state, and may the Three Evil Paths—the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—be transformed into places of peace.

I pray that the members of my household and my relatives living apart may soon be reunited, and that all may find safety and good fortune. As a house is being built, I recently feared that something might have been offended or harmed. May the whole family be safe and share in good fortune. I also ask the deities of local temples and the spirits who govern rivers, streams, and lakes to protect the people and drive away calamities and miasmas. May the region be spared floods and droughts, and may the people prosper with granaries full. May the wandering spirits with no one to rely on and no home to return to also receive the blessings of this prayer and find peace and freedom.

May this Zhaijiao (purification ritual) dispel calamities and portents, spare the local people from floods and droughts, and fill their granaries. May the wandering souls with nowhere to turn also share in these blessings and find peace and freedom.

I have heard that the sun, moon, and stars manifest auspicious signs, and that the Nine Luminaries—the nine ruling stars—gather their radiance. Working with the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water), they govern the four directions and keep the seasons in order. They regulate Yin-Yang, reveal the forms of the myriad things, and enable them to grow and multiply. They rule over the underworld and the human realm, overseeing both sin and blessing.

I know myself to be ordinary and shallow, yet I have been fortunate enough to serve the spirits. I worry that even the slightest carelessness in my words or actions may bring fault, and that my practice and observance of precepts may not accord with the spirits’ wishes. Moreover, the duties I bear, great or small, affect many people. I fear that I may violate established norms and thereby add further to my errors. Though I fulfill my duties day and night and dare not forget reverence and caution, fortune and misfortune are hard to foresee, so my anxiety and apprehension only deepen. Since the star governing my birth year is now in its term, I offer this sincere confession and prayer. On my natal day, I have therefore respectfully established an altar for a Jiao (a Daoist rite to honor the spirits and pray for blessings), prepared incense and offerings to express my sincerity, and arranged star lamps in homage. May the Most Holy One of the Subtle and Hidden look upon my earnest heart, and may the revered Nine Luminaries grant their mysterious grace: pardon past transgressions, avert future misfortune, dissolve karmic debts, dispel ill fortune and decline, increase longevity and blessings, and bestow lasting good fortune. May my family also live in peace, and may public and private affairs proceed in harmony and safety.

The Zhangren Temple on Mount Qingcheng, dedicated to the spirit Zhangren, had fallen into disrepair over the years and has recently been rebuilt. The major construction is now complete, and painters have been commissioned to depict the spirits, portraying the assembled Perfected Ones in the spacious hall. Their crane like bearing and cloud bright faces seem to come from a remote, still, and empty immortal realm; their jade like forms and gentle, lovely expressions seem to descend from a clear, green celestial palace. The images smile with welcoming warmth, yet are solemn, as though the divine Perfected Ones were truly present. May the spirits manifest their majesty and widely bestow blessings upon the human world. A Jiao rite is now being held in prayer, and we look up to the spirits to behold us and grant their protection.

Prayer for a Jiao rite accompanying the painting of the spirits of the Five Sacred Peaks.

We respectfully state: Zhangren Temple, a Daoist sanctuary, had long lain in disrepair and has only recently been restored. The construction work is complete, and the painted ornamentation has begun. We have therefore painted images of the deities and their ceremonial retinues in the quiet halls.

The deities wear robes woven from emerald clouds and crimson brocade, and hold ritual vessels such as dark jade bi discs and yellow jade cong tubes. Their retinues include objects fashioned from the essences of stars and the sun, as well as ceremonial implements of various ranks, such as the Five Flowers and Seven Scales. There are also a carriage drawn by two outrider horses and yoked to six, and carriages shaped like cloud wings and glowing rosy clouds. The heir apparent and the assisting deities each oversee a separate office, while the gods of the Eight Mountains aid Heaven’s mandate. The mountain and water gods each have their own retinues, followed in formation by stream maidens and river lords. The officials and spirit officers of mountains, forests, and marshes are all present, along with the various offices established by emperors and the divine ranks conferred in the canonical records.

Some deities govern the coastal regions, reaching eastward as far as Fangzhu; others oversee separate grotto-heavens, bordering Kunqiao to the west. They all command thunder and lightning, strike fear into flood dragons and whales, patrol the hidden and manifest realms of Yin-Yang, and govern rivers, streams, lakes, and marshes. They assist the Most High, the True and Upright Way, and proclaim the emperors’ virtue in nurturing the people. They absorb the Six Qi and take part in the generative work of Heaven and Earth. Following the seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, they ensure that the seasonal periods are not disrupted. They harmonize wind, rain, snow, and frost, so that the year’s farming proceeds smoothly. All act under the command of Xuanyuan, each exercising its own authority, and together with the gods of mountains and rivers, they bear the duties entrusted to them by the Upper Realm.

The Perfected Lord Xiyi, who holds the honored rank of Zhangren, has a dignified presence and rightly deserves a place in the hall, where people may bow in worship. Now the painters move their brushes, laying out colors along the walls. The divine images shine like stars arrayed across the sky and rise majestically like clustered clouds. One sees broad robes, jade swords, and pearl ornaments; their pendants glow like fire flecked with stars, while their jade tablets seem to gather the moonlight. Some deities have faces like jade and vivid sleeves, as if they had come from Mount Gushe; others have strange and wondrous bearing, as if reflected on the waters of Xunyang. Their colors and forms are now complete, radiant and vivid, as though the deities themselves had appeared.

May these divine images accord with the deities and bring blessings to the human world: supporting the state above and protecting the people below; harmonizing wind and rain so that crops may flourish; spreading throughout the Nine Provinces and the four seas, bringing peace and joy to all under Heaven. May the realm’s flourishing endure as long as the sun, moon, Heaven, and Earth, and may its subtle transforming power extend to the tiniest insects and plants. We have respectfully prepared a Zhaijiao offering rite, presented its offerings with reverence, and prayed with all sincerity. We quietly await the deities’ descent and the bestowal of true auspicious blessings. We respectfully submit this petition.

The Three Officials, divine beings who oversee the registers of the heavens, earth, and waters, record people’s life registers. The Five Emperors determine the dates of people’s births and the length of their lives. The southern heavens’ divine offices administer the documents governing fortune, status, and longevity, while the Northern Dipper oversees the registers of human destinies. The divine offices of the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Rivers, together with the bureaus of each person’s birth destiny, judge misfortune and blessing and examine people’s conduct. They therefore govern the fortunes and calamities that shape human life and death.

I fear that, though entrusted with governing the people, I have failed to comfort them properly and bring harmony to public affairs. My punishments may have been too harsh or too lenient, and my instruction may not have succeeded in encouraging virtue and honoring righteousness. Such failings may have brought guilt, entered into the registers kept by the divine powers. If I do not promptly perform a rite of prayer and atonement, I fear calamity may follow.

I also worry that the movements of the stars and the fortunes of my birth year may be unfavorable, bringing obstruction. Malignant influences such as the Heavenly Talisman and the Five Ghosts lie in the Kun and Gen directions, directly facing the position associated with my birth destiny. Moreover, the first lunar month conflicts with my birth destiny, making decline and calamity especially troubling. So, on my birthday, I went devoutly to the sacred mountain, established an offering altar—a ritual site for Daoist offerings and prayers for blessing—arranged the ceremonial offerings, and openly stated my intentions.

I humbly ask the Celestial Bureau to pardon my failings and the Underworld Bureau to remove calamity, so that misfortune and blame may quietly disperse and blessings and goodness gather in abundance. May my life be extended, my fortune and status increased, and peace and well-being granted for a long time. I also pray for peace in this region, good health for its people, and abundant harvests free from floods and droughts. May the people be spared illness and epidemics, and may customs be harmonious and society stable.

I have heard that the Great Dao gives life to and transforms the myriad things. The primordial, harmonious Qi flows without ceasing, forming their bodies and guiding them, so that all beings find their proper place. Heaven displays its power as the ruler of all things and sends down warnings of good and ill fortune upon the human world. Thus, punishing wrongdoing and urging people toward goodness are indeed constant teachings; diminishing what is excessive and blessing the humble have always been Heaven’s way.

I have long heard the wondrous teachings of the Dao. How could I dare not quietly examine my own duties and carefully reflect upon myself? My heart is set on the Great Dao, yet I hold an official post and have not escaped the turmoil of the world. When administering the court’s laws, I must judge statutes and punishments; when overseeing local taxes, I also have the government use the rod. At times, public affairs require construction projects, and in my diet I have not given up meat cooked by frying or roasting. I do not know how seriously these failings should be judged, and so I am often anxious and afraid that they will bring blame upon me.

Moreover, this year the Heavenly Talisman star falls in my birth year, while Venus occupies a position associated with obstruction and delay. I fear that calamity may alter my resolve, drawing me toward sensual pleasures, and that affliction may sway my emotions, leading me to indulge in drink. Thinking of these things, I have become all the more watchful and cautious, and I sincerely confess my faults and lay out my concerns.

On the day of my birth, I reverently performed rites of incense and cultivation, purified my mind and spirit, and went to numinous grottoes and celebrated mountains to express my sincerity. I gazed up at the Northern Dipper and the courses of the stars, hoping to dispel past transgressions; I beheld the phoenix carriage and dragon canopy, emblems of the gods’ retinue, praying to receive new grace. May my sins be erased and my grievances resolved, calamities come to rest, and blessings, prosperity, and longevity endure. May my family be healthy, and the people well supplied and at peace. May weapons of war be laid aside forever, illness keep its distance, and floods and droughts cease. May farming and sericulture flourish, the Dragon Gods remain at peace, and lands far and near recover and know tranquility. I vow to repay Heaven with a sincere heart and to follow the transformations of the Heavenly Dao. Your servant is filled with fear and unease.

Prayer for the Southern Dipper Rite of Duke Jin

The precinct of the Vermilion Mound and the Upper Palace of Nanchang are places that govern the Qi of pure Yang and nurture the myriad things, carrying out the Great Dao’s work of giving life to and transforming all things. Whenever someone makes a plea or presents a petition, the gods are certain to descend. I, your servant, am ignorant and unworthy, yet have received favor and hold an official position undeservedly. I respectfully offer this prayer, asking Heaven to look upon me with compassion. May I follow the transformations of the Heavenly Dao. Your servant is filled with fear and unease.

I respectfully submit that the realm of Zhuling and the Upper Palace of Nanchang, the celestial palaces where the revered gods of Daoism dwell, govern the Qi of pure Yang, nurture the myriad things, and carry out the Dao’s power of transformation and generation. Whenever people offer a prayer, the spirits surely descend. My nature is dull, yet I have had the good fortune to live in a sage and enlightened age and take part in important affairs within the palace precincts, receiving Heaven’s great favor. I am always afraid that my talents and virtue are too slight to bear this favor. I also fear that ill fortune may come with the passage of the years, that the stars may bring calamity, that I may encounter a period of punishment and conflict, or fall into a fate of obstruction and hardship. For this reason, I am all the more vigilant and dare not rest at ease. I have therefore devoted myself wholeheartedly to reverently performing a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), and earnestly beseech the gods to take pity on me, protect me, and send down their divine might and numinous radiance. May past transgressions be erased and calamities yet to come be averted. May my name be restored to the register of the Southern Pole’s cinnabar records, which record the allotment of life, and may my years be increased. May my name be struck from the Northern Capital’s black register, which records sins and the names of the dead, so that my blessings, rank, and lifespan may continue anew. I beseech the gods to save and protect me; I will be grateful for their divine grace forever.

Prayer for a Zhaijiao to Houtu by the Duke of Jin

I respectfully submit that Heaven and Earth bear all things with their great bounty and shelter all beings with their vast expanse, transforming and generating the many forms of existence and nurturing every life. The Earth possesses a mother’s virtue, extending its beneficence to all things. From ruler and minister, and father and son, to birds and beasts, plants and trees, insects and fish, all who make a sincere plea should solemnly report it to the gods. Within my fief, warfare has broken out time and again. Its ravages have reached even the tombs, and the slaughter has spared neither the old nor the young. People near and far have suffered bitterly from the fighting; neither the living nor the spirits have known peace. The people of this region endure profound anguish, and the poison of their suffering has entered their very bones. I grieve for the people and pray with utmost sincerity, pouring out my heart as I beseech the gods to see clearly and grant their protection. I beg the gods to take pity on this devout plea, send down their numinous power, and command the spirits of the mountains, rivers, peaks, and waterways to help quell the calamities. May they also order the spirits of thunder, lightning, wind, and clouds to bring peace to the countryside. May the gates to the celestial court be thrown wide and the road to an audience with the Celestial Emperor be made clear. May the exhausted people find peace again, and their deep grievances be redressed. May the gods of Xiang Yu’s shrine not be the only ones able to dispel calamity in Shu, nor the gods of Jiangshan Temple the only ones to aid the Jin army in victory. I offer the wine cup and set forth this prayer; at these words, tears cannot help but fall.

Prayer for a Zhaijiao to the Northern Emperor by the Duke of Jin

With reverent awe, I declare: The Five Luminaries—Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury—move across the heavens, while the Three Primordial Forces of Heaven, Earth, and humanity set the changes of Qi in motion. Above, the Northern Dipper serves as their guiding measure; below, it governs the bonds of human society. Yin and Yang wax and wane in their appointed seasons, and the stars have their own fixed courses as they shine upon the human world. I fear that the palaces and constellations bound to my fate may be afflicted by harmful clashes. Grieved at heart, I weep without pause and can scarcely restrain myself.

Duke Jin’s Petition for a Northern Emperor Jiao Ritual

With reverent awe, I declare: The Five Luminaries move across the heavens, while the Three Primordial Forces set the changes of Qi in motion. Above, the Northern Dipper serves as their guiding measure; below, it governs the bonds of human society. Yin and Yang wax and wane in their appointed seasons, and the stars have their own fixed courses as they shine upon the human world. I fear that the palaces and constellations bound to my fate may bring hardship and obstruction through harmful clashes. I have therefore chosen an auspicious day and devoutly established a Jiao altar, a Daoist ritual for praying for blessings and averting calamity, to petition the revered deities and beseech them to look upon and protect us. May all calamities carried by the Three Fates and Nine Palaces be dispelled, and may disasters stirred by the Bright Stars and Hidden Luminaries, the auspicious and inauspicious stars of divination, be brought to rest. May the people of this region enjoy peace and health, and may all live in harmony. May warfare cease, the years bring abundant harvests, and the people prosper. I will long hold fast to this sincerity in gratitude for the profound and mysterious grace, and can scarcely restrain myself.

Duke Jin’s Petition for a Jiao Ritual to the Great White and the Wolf Star

I have heard that each celestial sign has its own charge: some command warfare, while others govern the Qi of calamity and portent. People look up to the stars, for their fortunes and misfortunes, safety and danger, are bound up with them. Now warfare has continued for more than a year within the territory under my care. The fields lie abandoned, farming and sericulture have been disrupted, and the people have suffered. At the thought of their grievances and hardship, my heart aches. I therefore bow my head and burn incense, praying with undivided attention for blessings. I hope my sincerity will reach the spirits and that they will look upon and protect us. I beseech the deities to wield the fierce power of the Metal Qi of the West, judge right and wrong according to the great principle of justice, and help my troops bring the fighting to an end and clear the territory. May the people of this region escape their suffering, and may the multitude be spared the peril of hanging by a thread. May bows be put away and weapons laid down; may the weather be favorable and the five grains flourish; may warfare cease forever. I can scarcely restrain myself.

Duke Jin’s Petition for a Jiao Ritual to the Great Emperor of the Northern Dipper

With utmost sincerity, I respectfully make this appeal: the Northern Dipper (Beidou), whose pivot is the Celestial Hub and which governs the heavenly realm, hangs high in the middle of the sky, circling as it shines upon the eight directions. The direction indicated by the Shaking Ladle star makes clear what is righteous and what is wicked. Now it is the first day of the first month, and a time for examining the course of fortune. All things receive the grace of renewal, and the people throughout the land bathe in the nourishing virtue of warmth.

I think of this region, still troubled by warfare, where the people suffer the hardships of conflict and the fields lie barren. The season for spring plowing and sowing, when the people should be tilling the land and raising silkworms, has also been lost. This deepens my grief and pain, and I make this urgent plea. May the divinities in the Northern Pole Palace review the registers of the Seven Primordial Stars—the star records governed by the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper—and remove the lists recording the people’s deaths and injuries. May they change the fate of this region, now fallen and afflicted by disaster. May people behold peace with their own eyes, and may weapons and the fires of war vanish forever. If I myself should meet with misfortune, or if my offenses have provoked the stars, I willingly accept punishment according to the laws clearly established in Heaven, and offer this as an apology to all. I am filled with fear and unease.

Ma Xuantong’s Prayer for a Fire Offering

I have respectfully heard that Heaven and Earth encompass and sustain all things, while Yin-Yang moves through cycles of decline and growth. The sun and moon illuminate the world, and cold and heat alternate with the seasons. Good and ill fortune come with the movement of Qi and destiny; times of obstruction and times of free passage follow one another in turn. Though the workings of fate follow their own patterns, history has also seen such calamities as the floods in the time of Yao and the drought in the time of Tang. Yet there are methods of ritual renewal to avert disaster: ancient books record how the wind changed direction and enemy troops withdrew.

Now this land beyond the city walls is beset by calamity. The people have not yet found peace, and warfare has broken out again and again. Examining the stars, we find that the baleful Fire Star has indeed appeared. We therefore turn our hearts toward the Great Dao and reverently appeal to Heaven. We establish an altar to Taiyi and perform the Three-Five ritual methods. Treading upon red clouds, we pray for blessings; following the ritual steps of the Dark Dipper, we offer our prayers to Heaven.

What we pray for is this: may the gods of the arrayed fires display their power, and may the radiance of the stars answer in the heavenly realm. May the flames of the sun spread forth, sweeping away the dark evils and impurities of the lower world. May the sovereign receive blessings and extend broad protection over Sichuan and Shu; may the people gain blessings and long life, and may weapons fall silent in the fields. May all receive the protection of the divinities, and may their troubles be dispelled forever. I am filled with fear and unease.

Duke Jin’s Prayer to the Northern Emperor

I have heard that the Northern Dipper (Beidou), whose pivot is the Celestial Hub, occupies a position of honor and governs its illumination over the four directions. May the sovereign receive blessings and extend broad protection over Sichuan and Shu; may the people gain blessings and long life, and may weapons fall silent in the fields. May all receive the protection of the divinities, and may their troubles be dispelled forever. I am filled with fear and unease.

I have heard that the Dipper Pole—the region of the Northern Dipper and the Pole Star, symbolizing the Celestial Emperor’s dwelling—holds a place of honor in heaven. It governs the eight directions, directs all things, and commands the gods. Wherever the Dipper Pole points, calamities will subside. Yet warfare within our borders has not ceased, the people cannot live in peace, and the state of affairs fills us with dread. People are occupied with preparing for battle, so farming and silkworm raising must also fall into neglect. Thinking of the fields left to lie waste, I grow still more worried and sigh. Therefore, I respectfully present offerings in a Jiao ritual (a Daoist rite of worship and prayer conducted at an altar) and pray once more with all sincerity. I humbly beseech the Grand Minister—a title of honor for the Northern Emperor—to manifest his might; may the Seven Stars (divine beings transformed from the seven stars of the Northern Dipper) raise their command and send forth thunder chariots and lightning steeds to sweep across the four quarters. May wind and rain come into harmony, all things revive, the realm be brought to peace, and the people receive powerful protection. If calamity lies in the course of my stellar fate, or misfortune arises from an imbalance of Yin-Yang, I beseech Heaven to punish me and thereby still the people’s afflictions. With a sincere heart, I look up to the gods to witness my plea, fearful and unable to find peace.

Jiao Prayer to the Northern Emperor, Grand Preceptor of the River Lord

I have heard that celestial signs reveal the power of the gods, and that the Northern Pole is a place of honor, governing all things and illuminating all living beings. The Northern Emperor possesses the majestic appearance of eighty-one transformations and commands thirty-six kinds of troops and generals. He can cleanse Heaven and Earth, survey the netherworld, destroy evil, bring peace to the people, and protect the state.

It is now summer, when the Red Emperor, who governs the south and the summer season, holds sway. The southern wind brings blessings that nurture all things, and the four seasons accord with the mild and clear order of the season. Silkworm raising is nearing completion, and farm work is in full swing, yet pestilence is spreading and the drums of war have not fallen silent. Many among the people have collapsed from hunger, and the countryside is full of refugees. They have nowhere to set down their feet—how, then, can they find a place to rest in peace? As a local official, I am deeply grieved and anxious. On this day when the government office is holding a Jiao ritual, I pray again with sincerity. I beseech the divine troops to help drive the pestilential Qi from the countryside and the areas around the towns; may the divine generals wield their power from the clouds and sweep the plague from the places where the people dwell. May the people live in peace and well-being, with no cause for worry near or far; may the dark haze of pestilence disperse for good, so that the mountains and rivers of the Three Shu region once more appear clear and bright. May the floating clouds disperse of their own accord, revealing the light of the sun and moon in the Nine Heavens. May ill fortune be dispelled and danger and calamity subside. I ever hold a sincere heart and pray for Heaven’s blessing, fearful and ill at ease.

Jiao Prayer to the Northern Emperor by Duke Jin

Reverently, I report: The Six Qi (the six kinds of vital energy circulating between Heaven and Earth) flow in cycles, and the Way of Heaven is the source from which all things arise. The seven stars of the Northern Dipper are like the handle of a measuring ladle, indicating what is true and proper; the Dipper Lord, ruler of the gods of the Northern Dipper, governs and renders judgment. The gods examine and record people’s sins and blessings, good fortune and misfortune.

I see that the area around the capital has not yet been pacified and the fighting has not ceased. The four directions are also in turmoil, and epidemics have spread in its wake. Thinking of the people’s hardship and exhaustion, I feel profound pain, as though my own heart and lungs were being pressed. On this day, as the office performs a ritual offering, I once again set forth my plea. I beg the holy gods to exercise their power of compassion, manifest their divine might, bestow blessings upon all, and dispel the disasters and dangers afflicting the Three Shu region. May the fighting cease, the realm be at peace, and the people live in safety; may misfortune dissipate and blessings gather. My gratitude is boundless.

Prayer of Gratitude at the Northern Dipper Offering

I am of mediocre talent and limited understanding, yet have received a religious office and position in the Daoist tradition. My daily practice has often been inadequate, and faults readily accumulate; thus I have suffered punishment, followed by illness. My body grew so weak that I nearly died, with only a faint breath remaining, and I was fortunate to survive.

The Three Caverns Master of the Dao, Du Hongguang, was devoted to his family and deeply concerned by my grave illness. He therefore sincerely laid bare his feelings and secretly prayed to the Mysterious Perfected Ones, the divine beings revered in Daoism. In time, I received a special favor and was granted a further span of life. Through the protection of the spirits, I was able once more to behold the light of the sun and moon. Though I am as powerless as an ant, the beneficence of Heaven and Earth is immeasurably deep. Therefore I perform this offering and present libations in gratitude for Heaven and Earth’s nurturing and generative kindness. I beg the holy and compassionate ones to look kindly upon this rite and accept my sincere intention. My gratitude is boundless.

Prayer at the Five Planets Offering

The sun, moon, and stars shine in the heavens, and the five celestial bodies—the five planets—also move through the sky, flashing with light. Their movements follow certain patterns, yet these have not remained unchanged from ancient times to the present. They cycle in their appointed order and govern the fate of all beings. The signs of heaven and the affairs of humanity respond to one another without the slightest discrepancy, and good fortune and misfortune are linked to this.

I have been entrusted with governing a region, yet I have failed to extend kindness to the creatures of the air and water, and calamities have struck within my borders. War has brought upheaval, the people have scattered in every direction, and the land for a thousand miles lies ravaged. The people of this region have suffered grievously. At the thought of this, I am deeply distressed. In private, I reflect that the Highest Sages cherish life and the Most Perfect nurture all things. I therefore dare to rely on their compassion and once more devote myself to performing a Zhaijiao (purification ritual) in prayer. A Zhaijiao is a Daoist rite in which an altar is set up to make offerings and petitions to the divine for protection.

I earnestly ask the planet Venus, known in ancient times as the White Star, to display its might and help bring the war to an end. May Jupiter, the Year Star, shine forth auspicious light and spread its benevolent grace across the countryside. May the five celestial bodies move smoothly and bring good fortune, so that all things receive their grace and blessings. May there be no sorrow or resentment in the fields, and may the people live in peace and prosperity. I vow to give my utmost loyalty and repay the grace bestowed by Heaven. I am filled with fear and trepidation.

Prayer to the Northern Dipper for the Rite of One’s Birth Destiny

I have heard that the Northern Dipper hangs high in the center of Heaven, its handle pointing toward the farthest reaches of the eight directions. Wherever the Dipper’s ladle and handle point, blessings and prosperity descend. I am now passing through a cycle of fortune in which Earth is my element and the Earth position is upon me; among the fortunes I will encounter this year, misfortune points toward the Li direction, the south.

Now the Northern Dipper has moved into the southern sky, and the sun has also reached the celestial mansion corresponding to my birth destiny. I look up and address the divine, performing a Zhaijiao in prayer and hoping for a divine response and presence. I earnestly ask the divine to exercise its sovereign power, dispel the shadowy misfortune that clouds my fate, and grant me profound protection. I dare not fail to repay the divine grace. I am filled with fear and trepidation.

Prayer to the Southern Dipper for the Rite of One’s Birth Destiny

I have respectfully heard that in the Six Palaces—the celestial palaces—in the southern sky, the many sages of Wenchang govern the registers of lifespan, life and death, and living merits. They also oversee all things: plants and trees, birds and beasts, and even things too subtle to be seen all receive their protection. To pray for a longer life and bestowed blessings is to show one’s sincerity.

I have received favor, yet feel unworthy of my post governing a frontier region. My merits are slight, while my accumulated faults are difficult to remedy. Now, as misfortune has befallen me and the stars shine upon me, I once again pray with devotion as I establish the altar and submit this memorial. I implore the High Sages of the Vermilion Palace and the Exalted Lords of the Cinnabar Gate—the revered deities of Heaven—to show compassion by dispelling calamities and warding off misfortune, and to open for me a way out of the peril of death and toward a path of life. May warfare cease within the realm; may weapons be laid aside and hostilities brought to an end. May the four seasons bring favorable winds and timely rains. May the plague-stricken dead in the deep springs be rescued, and the wandering souls in the long night be guided to deliverance. May the blessings of Original Harmony, the auspicious Qi of Heaven and Earth, descend to succor the netherworld. May floating clouds no longer veil the blue sky, and may my loyal sincerity shine in the light of day. We, the people, look up to Heaven’s grace and await its immense blessings, trembling with reverence.

Invocation to the Three Venerables for a Birthday Offering

I have respectfully heard that the Great Dao shines forth in radiant clarity and takes the cherishing of life and the transformation of all beings as its foundation. The Celestial Perfected are compassionate and generous, especially in upholding the benevolence that aids all things. Heaven and Earth nurture all things without distinction; the spirits and deities protect all beings and leave none uncared for.

I know myself to be ordinary and shallow, yet I have received favor and honor. I have accomplished no merit, yet have been granted profound grace. Still, my circumstances invite criticism and, like a gathering of waterfowl, seem to draw calamity upon me. Perhaps this comes from the shallowness of my virtue, or perhaps hardship and adversity have gathered around me. Among the Three Destinies—the three factors that shape one’s fate—there may be conflicting and destructive influences; the Nine Luminaries, too, are now shining upon me. Therefore, in accordance with my birth destiny, I perform this offering and bow devoutly to Heaven. I implore Heaven to turn back misfortune and decline and bestow good fortune and blessings: forgive my past faults and dispel the calamities I may face in the future. May I be able to express my loyal heart and repay the grace of Heaven and Earth. I vow to discipline myself and follow the compassionate teachings of the Mysterious Gate, trembling with reverence.

Invocation to the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions for a Circumambulation Offering

I have heard that the wondrous celestial patterns shine upon all things. Plants and animals alike receive the impartial grace of Heaven and Earth; the netherworld and the human realm alike benefit from nature’s power to nurture and transform. I have long enjoyed your favor and, in shame, serve as guardian of this region. I know my virtue is meager, yet one grave calamity after another has befallen us. Communities everywhere lie devastated, and the people endure hardship, with many dead and wounded. I grieve deeply at this, and so must pray with all sincerity.

I humbly ask that Heaven’s blessings descend, bringing peace to the weary and suffering people. May the war banners be furled forever, and may we no longer hear the cries of those pleading against injustice. May the crops yield abundantly, the people live and work in peace, and society’s moral instruction return to harmony. Throughout the mountains, rivers, and lands, wherever calamity has struck, and among the courses of the celestial bodies, wherever the stars portend misfortune, I ask that disaster and misfortune alike be dispelled, so that all may live in peace and well-being. I vow to offer my whole heart in gratitude for your immense grace. My gratitude is beyond words.

Prayer for the Nine Luminaries Offering by Su Shaoyuan, Erudite of the Book of Rites.

I am an ordinary and lowly person, fortunate to have been born in a wise and enlightened age. I have received the protection of the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing), the Daoist realms of the Three Pure Ones, and the blessings of Heaven and Earth, which transform, nurture, and sustain life. I often worry that I am lost in darkness and confusion, entangled in worldly affairs, and falling short in my cultivation and observance of precepts, so that my offenses easily increase. Though I carry and uphold secret writings and revere precious registers—Daoist scriptures and registers recording the names of divine beings and their talismanic commands—I am often lax in burning incense and lighting lamps. My food and conduct, too, are tainted by meat and other polluting things. Daoist Qi cannot descend through all the channels of my body, and the spirit officials, the Daoist guardian deities, gradually withdraw from my six viscera. Thus, false and baleful Qi gathers within me, and illness afflicts me one after another. Day and night I am anxious and afraid, fearing that I may not pass through this safely.

I also worry that the fortunes calculated from the Five Phases and the three destinies have reached an inauspicious decline, and that Saturn and Jupiter are passing over the lodgings of my birth sign. Thinking of how ordinary and insignificant I am, and how little good I have done in my daily life, I feel even more fearful as I face this period of calamity. Therefore, following the old canons of the River Chart, I have established an altar for a Jiao ritual, a Daoist rite of prayer performed at an altar, and, in accordance with the honored texts of Lingbao, I seek the protection of the celestial bodies. I earnestly pray that the mysterious power of compassion will look down upon me, bringing its efficacious grace from afar to cleanse my faults and dispel calamities. May the baleful stars hide their light and join in protecting good fortune; may the Eight Trigrams and Nine Palaces together help me escape punishment and peril. May my illnesses be cured and evil influences and pestilence be eliminated; may my stipend be renewed and increased, and my life span extended. May the spirits and generals who oversee the years of my life, and the officials and soldiers of the registers, cease recording my offenses, commend my merits, and grant me clear and manifest protection. From now on, I will continue to cultivate myself and strive onward, in repayment for the mysterious grace I have received. In fear and reverence, I respectfully make this prayer.

Prayer for a Jiao Ritual to the Lord of Sichuan, the Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare

I have heard that, at the beginning of primordial Qi, the Three Spirits—Heaven, Earth, and humanity, or the three wondrous powers spoken of in Daoism—found their basis in it. The Qian trigram, an odd number, and the Kun trigram, an even number, thereby established Yin and Yang. Metal and leather, earth and floating things, indicate their respective order and directions. Nine arises from the Xu and Hai directions of the Kan position and is called the “Heavenly Net”; six arises from the Chen and Si directions of the Li position and is called “Ren.”

I have heard that the cosmos first arose from the One Qi (the primordial vital energy from which Heaven, Earth, and all things are formed), and that the Three Spirits (the wondrous powers between Heaven and Earth) took their source from it. Qian is odd and Kun is even, thereby establishing Yin-Yang. Metal, leather, earth, and floating Qi each have their proper place, revealing the order in which they move. Nine rises in the Kan position and encounters Xu and Hai, a configuration called the “Heavenly Net”; six rises in the Li position and encounters Chen and Si, called the “Earthly Snare.” These are the points where the two Qi of Yin and Yang rise, fall, and transform, and where the two modes of Heaven and Earth alternate in their workings. Yang Qi lies hidden and cannot exert its strength; Yin Qi is cut off and cannot continue. Over a lifetime, people truly do encounter periods of calamity.

What is more, the harmony of Heaven and Earth allows all things to grow and transform. Every living being born into the world with form and substance is governed by the workings of creation and cannot escape cycles of flourishing and decline. I know my own ignorance and dim understanding, and dare not evade this calamity. Misfortune began to descend in the year Bingchen and will end only in the year Dingsi. I am beset by deep anxiety throughout these two years. So I pray upward to the Dark Heavens (the distant, hidden sky), beseeching them to dispel disaster. I humbly ask the holy and enlightened powers to look down and see my sincere plea, reveal their divine might, send down numinous power, and drive away calamity completely.

May the guiding order of Heaven and the order of Earth return to peace, calming the baleful Qi in this region. May the Earthly Snare and Heavenly Net be undone, and the period of ill fortune in this stretch of my fate disperse. May the people live in peace and pursue their livelihoods, restoring the simple customs of the sacred dynasty. May armor be stored away and bows and arrows returned to the armory, in keeping with the still, subtle teachings of the Dark Ancestor (the ancestral master revered in Daoism). I will continue to offer incense and perform rites with devotion, in gratitude for the Dark Compassion (the mysterious grace of compassion). I beseech the spirits to reveal their might and send down numinous power, drive away calamity, restore the order of Heaven and Earth, calm the baleful Qi in this region, and release me from the ill fortune of my minor cycle. May the people live in peace and pursue their livelihoods, their simple customs restored; may armor, bows, and arrows be put away, in keeping with the teachings of the Dark Ancestor. I will continue to make offerings of incense in gratitude for the mysterious grace of compassion, and remain deeply thankful.

“Prayer to the Nine Luminaries at the River Lord’s Jiao Ritual”: This is a prayer recited during a Jiao ritual (a Daoist ceremony in which an altar is set up to invoke the gods), asking the River Lord (a local water deity) to call upon the Nine Luminaries (nine stellar deities) to dispel disasters and misfortune.

I have received the grace of the state, and only through it have I been able, despite my limitations, to serve as a commander charged with guarding a region. The lands of Yue in the southwest, along with the areas of Mao and Shu, are all important centers. An area extending three she lies within the celestial field corresponding to the Shen and Jing lodges; eight states surround it, and its jurisdiction reaches into the lands of the Qiang and the Man. The territory is vast, and both governing and commanding it are difficult. I am constantly afraid that my abilities are inadequate and that I will fail the court’s special commission. For this reason, I worry day and night, fearful and uneasy, and dare not take my ease.

In recent years, calamities have come one after another. Epidemics have frequently spread, and warfare has broken out repeatedly. I have now consulted the Huangtu, a work that records geography and celestial fields, and checked the Xuanli, a Daoist calendrical or astrological text. I find that Venus, the Metal Star, traditionally associated with the calamities of war, is about to pass through the celestial field corresponding to my jurisdiction. We are also presently making plans for military action, and the army is in a difficult position. I pray to rely on the power of the Dao of Heaven to judge right and wrong, and on its stern, destructive might, to bring the fighting in all directions to an end as soon as possible and restore peace to the people.

I respectfully ask the Heavenly Worthy to look down upon us and secretly assist us with sacred power, granting abundant grace and rescuing the people in peril far beyond a thousand li. May everyone lay down their bows and arrows, remove their armor, dig wells, and till the fields. May no household in the villages suffer from epidemic disease, and may festive customs return throughout the land, near and far. Wherever Venus points, may all that is shut away and obstructed become free to pass through. Then I will forever receive the grace of its luminous protection, and my gratitude will know no end.

This is a natal Zhaijiao (purification ritual) petition for protection, composed by Yang Ding, collator of books.

The Northern Dipper turns in the center of the sky, its handle shifting as the stars move. The Emperor of Qianyuan, a revered deity of the celestial realm, revolves alone like a wheel, while the splendid canopy of heaven shines high above. In this way, good and ill fortune are distinguished, and transgressions and blessings are assessed. Though the mortal world and the celestial realm lie far apart, and ordinary people who gaze up at the stars may seem to have no way to reach them, the heavens hear and observe with great sensitivity. If one’s intention is sincere, it will surely be perceived. Whatever one seeks in one’s heart will receive a mysterious response.

Recently, I have suffered calamity and faced hardship and obstruction. My path was blocked, and my family scattered. My young son and I were separated in different places, lost to one another in the confusion, with no news between us. All I could do was pray to Heaven by day and gaze up at the Northern Dipper by night, hoping that my sincerity might reach the spirits and allow father and son to reunite. I offered incense in prayer, tears mingling with blood as they fell; I bowed low, and it seemed that my spirit went with me. In time, the spirits indeed revealed their aid and protection, and I was soon able to return. I have always been grateful, knowing that this was a kindness like being granted life anew, yet I have not repaid Heaven for its grace. Thus day after day I have been anxious and troubled, as though thorns were pricking my body.

Now I have come to the immortal abode of Yuju, a place of numinous transformation in Jindu. Caverns lie hidden beneath the ground, while above, the site connects with the celestial region through which the stars move. Here, the response of the spirits may be hoped for; this is a place where the perfected spirits gather. I have therefore come to this sacred site, wishing to establish an altar and perform a Jiao purification rite to pray, repay the spirits for their compassionate protection, and express, in some small measure, my reverence. May the spirits turn their gaze toward me and look kindly upon the sincerity of a mortal.

My young son was born in the Renzi year, and my allotted life span was fixed in the Gengshen year. May we always receive the protection of sacred power and be preserved for the long term. May the calamities associated with the Five Phases and the Three Destinies—divination concepts related to one’s birth and allotted fate—be dispelled, and may disasters corresponding to the movements of the stars and celestial signs be averted. May I be able to cultivate diligently and receive the blessings of purity and clarity. Millet and panicum are not precious offerings, but may the perfected immortals discern my sincerity. I am filled with awe and anxiety, and my reverence is beyond words.

End of volume seven of the Guangcheng ji.

Written by Du Guangting, consecrated in purple robes by imperial favor, serving at the palace, and commissioned by imperial edict to compose this text.

“Prayer to the Southern Dipper for Lord Nan of the River Shrine”

I have heard that Heaven covers all things, Earth bears all things, and all things grow and transform through the Great Dao. All living beings receive bodily form and give rise to spiritual nature through the hidden workings of the Utmost True Dao. Thus Heaven and Earth move in vast, boundless cycles, giving birth to and transforming the myriad things without end. The True Sovereign who rules over all presides among them, while wondrous and mysterious powers direct their workings.

Yet the Great Void stretches far and wide, and the years and ages are long. The myriad things are numerous, the palace precincts expansive; penal laws and government orders are complicated, and the divisions of Heaven and Earth are profound. Calamities and blessings each have their appointed offices, and are bound up with stability and peril.

I have had the good fortune to live in a wise and enlightened age, to receive imperial favor, and to hold an honored post beyond my merit. The court granted me tallies and banners, entrusting me with the work of assisting in governance. The territory under my charge lies at a strategic point in Ba and Shu, bordering the lands of the Qiang and the Man. I am ashamed that I lack the ability to pacify and govern the people, and I am often filled with apprehension and worry. Moreover, recommending the worthy and punishing the wicked requires the use of rewards and penalties; suppressing rebellion and eliminating violent criminals also requires the use of punishments. The army needs livestock and equipment, while the collection and transport of taxes must be imposed and supervised. As a local official, I have no choice but to bear these responsibilities. I am especially concerned that poor judgment in assessing people and appointing them to office may provoke resentment among the people and thereby bring about calamity.

Now Saturn has reached a position in opposition to this region, and the Earth-One Star is about to shift its palace and leave Yizhou. The Five Ghosts Star is in the Kun position, and the Fire Star is moving into the Sheng palace. My major cycle is now in a position of collision and disruption, while my minor cycle falls in a year of the Life-Tomb; Jupiter’s strength is weak, and the Fire Star is also waning. The Celestial Talisman presides over this year’s cycle, while the Wandering Spirit encounters the position of severed life. Saturn is now illuminating the Kun position and also falls in the Spouse palace; Venus and Mars move in concealment and are likewise obstructed in their positions. Jupiter is in a sorrowful mansion, and the hidden star appears in an inauspicious quarter. These celestial signs are plain to see. Yin-Yang transformations follow their appointed courses—how could one fail to be vigilant and fearful, and to strive to cultivate oneself?

I remain concerned that faults may easily deepen and acts that defy the celestial order may continue to accumulate, until my own failings bring calamity upon the people. Therefore I examine myself and, with a hand upon my heart, reproach myself; I cannot rest at ease.

I have heard that the Bingwu day in the Zhengyang month—the fourth lunar month—is the time when the Six Stars descend to inspect the world, and when the Lord of the Southern Dipper governs the force of life. It is a time to wash away blemishes and faults, welcome blessings, pardon offenses, and extend grace widely. I therefore follow the prescribed forms of the liturgy, respectfully submit my petition and confess my errors, and proceed to the Mysterious Origin True Palace and the Jade Bureau’s sacred altar. I prepare the offerings and ritual objects required for the sacrifice and respectfully burn incense. I pray to the sun, moon, and stars, and to the spirits of mountains, rivers, seas, and peaks, and sincerely perform a grand Zhaijiao, a Daoist ritual for purification and the invocation of blessings.

I earnestly beseech the gods to turn their impartial, discerning gaze upon the lower world, to manifest their unfathomable divine powers, and to descend from the Southern Palace to look down upon humankind, bestow grace, and recognize my humble sincerity. May they dispel the calamities governed by the local stellar division, remove the reprimands revealed by the celestial signs, quiet the misfortunes brought by the Three Fates and Five Phases, and eliminate the dangers associated with the directions of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. May the lands illuminated by Saturn be at peace and receive abundant blessings; may the effects of the Earth-One Star’s impending shift be averted and good fortune bestowed.

May all the people enjoy peace and good health, the crops yield abundant harvests, the military camps remain tranquil, and the borders be free of worry. May epidemics stay away and warfare cease. May the sun, moon, and stars display auspicious signs and follow the Yellow Path to bestow blessings; may the Five Planets move in their proper courses, protecting the sovereign and encircling the Purple Tenuity. May the foundations of the dynasty endure, the fortunes of the state flourish, and the realm remain at peace.

May the dragon gods and the shrines of mountains and rivers throughout the territory likewise bestow blessings and rescue beings in the realms of the dead and the living: the departed souls within the gates of the underworld, suffering ghosts, birds and beasts, and all creatures in the waters and upon the land. May they all receive the grace of relief and protection, and enjoy peace for a long time.

In the celestial divisions, Shu corresponds to “Quanshou”; on earth, its territorial division connects with the Kun direction in the southwest, lying between Shen and Wei and corresponding to the lunar lodges Shen and Jing. Saturn now shines in alignment with Shu, while Venus and Mars are also moving through this region. The Five Ghosts star occupies the relevant celestial mansion, and the star called “Diyi” is about to move to Yizhou. We fear that if governance fails to follow the way of compassionate nurture, or if the administration of punishments lacks leniency, the people may grow resentful and suffer calamity. Moreover, signs of conflict and decline appear in people’s annual and natal destinies, and we fear these may bring disaster. Therefore, on an auspicious Bingwu day in the first month, we respectfully perform a jiao rite and pray, expressing repentance and asking to be cleansed of our faults. We beseech Heaven to extend its mercy, take heed of those who sincerely cultivate the Way, dispel the ill omens shown by the celestial signs and earthly divisions, and remove the unfavorable influences of the Three Destinies and Five Phases. May Heaven grant auspiciousness and peace. We will devote all our strength to governing well, in gratitude for Heaven’s grace in cherishing life.

The Great Emperor of Heaven watches over all under Heaven, and the Ten Spirits of Taiyi travel through the eight directions. When blessings and calamities descend, none escape notice, whether great or small. As ruler and ministers, we dare not forget Heaven’s warning that it observes all clearly. Now the Diyi star is about to leave Shu, and we fear there may be failings in the administration of punishments and government. With reverence and awe, we therefore hold prayers of repentance. We respectfully prepare rites of incense and sacrifice, expressing our devotion and earnest entreaties. May Heaven examine our sincerity and grant auspiciousness, so that the realm may be peaceful and its people healthy, the weather favorable and harvests abundant, and warfare cease, with bows and arrows laid aside. We will always remember Heaven’s mercy and protection, and will not fail to honor its watchful presence and gifts.

The Dao’s Qi circulates, and the primordial harmony nourishes all things. It is distributed among the myriad spirits and carries out its teachings, while arranging the stars across the heavens. All living beings receive the Qi bestowed by Heaven and Earth; Heaven also appoints those who govern, to determine good and ill fortune. My abilities are modest, yet I have received profound grace…

The Dao’s Qi moves through the cosmos, and primordial harmony—the original, harmonious vitality between Heaven and Earth—nourishes all things. It gives every living spirit the conditions to come into being and develop, and sets the stars in their courses to shine upon the human world. Every living being receives this endowment. Heaven also appoints ruling spirits to determine good and ill fortune.

My abilities are ordinary, and my talent and virtue slight, yet I have received great favor. While serving in the military government of a regional command, I never found a sound strategy for securing victory. As governor of a prefecture, I achieved little in comforting and governing the people. The region bordered distant peoples and controlled the area around Ba and Dou. My knowledge and judgment were limited, and I was often afraid of making mistakes in my duties. The customs of the people varied, making it all the harder to guide and reassure them properly. I could only urge myself to act with care, and so managed to see my service through to the end. Now the military banners have been furled, and I have returned to a post in the military government. I think back on the favor I have received, which has grown ever greater, and feel that I can scarcely be at ease. My fear and anxiety have weighed heavily on me, and I have fallen ill.

I often wonder when misfortune began to gather, until at last it fell upon me. The three karmic actions—deeds of the body, words, and thoughts—have brought about offenses, and the six passions have given rise to calamities. Old grievances remain unsettled, and the debts of past actions still bind me. Perhaps, in carrying out my duties, I failed to assign rewards and punishments fairly. Perhaps in cooking or slaughtering, I committed wrongs whose intention or innocence is hard to determine. Perhaps, among the movements of the stars, a celestial sign has cast its influence upon me; or perhaps, in the Three Destinies and Five Phases, I have encountered punishment, obstruction, or conflict. This year I have also come under the Five Ghosts, baleful spirits in Daoist astrology associated with calamity. The troubles born of the six passions remain unresolved; old grievances are unsettled, and the debts of past actions still cling to me. Perhaps I have been unfair in assigning rewards and punishments, or incurred an offense while cooking or slaughtering, though it is hard to tell whether it was deliberate or unwitting. It may also be that, in the movements of the stars, a celestial sign has cast its influence upon me.